[ the group really just accepted that sorrowglare suddenly wanted them all dead out of nowhere
when it wears off they are just... very confused and squinting around... but if no one asks about it then they are not going to explain anything bye.
they will stop behind the girl, looking between them and the nightsong. the adrenaline from the fight wearing off is making them notice their wounds i still haven't picked yet more, but. it's fine. they will wait to see what the others do. ]
[well fortunately, the gravity will prevent their wounds from bleeding much. i'm a scientist and this is how gravity works. these injuries will go crazy once you're out of here, but until then, they're fairly stable.
they make their way to the center of the platform. be very careful. the abyss is all around you, on all sides. if you drop an apple off the side of the platform to test it, you'll see that it drops and falls forever, you don't even see a place where it stops. don't fall off, guys.
the person in the center of the circle picks themselves to their feet. you can tell it's difficult for them. they're weak, wounded badly. you don't know how long they've been here, but it has probably been a long time, long enough for muscles to atrophy. for their body to start to fail. in fact, it's very obvious that the only reason this person is still alive is because they can't die by ordinary means. otherwise, someone chained up here and left alone would be long dead.
they are dirty, wearing rags, in bad shape.
but the most notable thing about this person is that you... are struggling to get a sense of their face, any discernible features about them. instead, when you look at them, you feel things. flashes of memory, a sense of familiarity. wis'adel, you see theresa on the table for a moment, regal despite her obvious pain and degradation. and yet, you also see anders, in no condition to judge anyone but casting judgment on you as he watches you all the same.]
Did you think a knife was going to do the trick? You're smarter than that, aren't you?
[no, a knife isn't going to do the job, given whatever magic is keeping this person alive. you could stab them, torture them, cut into the flesh of their broken body as much as you want, as much satiates you. they might scream and suffer, but they would never die.
that's why you were given a special spear.
meanwhile, koharu, as you try to make out this person's features, you see a flash of the defiance and concern in kanna's gaze, and a flash of yves' kind smile, reminding you you're brave, but aware of what the price of bravery is.]
Look at all of you. The first new faces in so many years, and it's like this. Do you even know what you want from me?
[saber, you see a flash of iori, trying to make you understand something you can't understand. you see uruha, a little sorry for you, as you try to work through fears that presently have no answers.]
You don't remember anything. She's keeping so many secrets from you, isn't she?
[basilio, you see a flash of fidelio, hurt and weak, not able to bear any more of it, but still giving you permission to spare you. you see a flash of jioaqiu, seeing something in a refusal that you didn't even understand that was worth admiring.]
Did you even ask why?
[but this person isn't truly any of those people, probably, and you don't know who any of those people are. you don't recall those memories, just flashes, impressions, emotions. but the prevailing feeling is that whoever this person is, there's something about all of the parts of you that are missing that they may hold keys to.
even so, you are surrounded by strangers, and if there is a prize to be won here, only one of you can get it. there's no prize for being nice, for taking turns. those impressions flash before you, too. the times when you hesitated, asked too many questions, and ran out of time before there were sudden and immediate consequences, and the answers you got were not worth the pain that ensued.
you were brought here with vague memories. your name and your mission. your mission is to destroy the Nightsong, but you do not know why is that is your mission. you only have a vague sense that that mission is important to you, and also, especially here, now, a vague sense that you were promised rewards if you succeeded and there may be consequences if you fail. but you do not know what those rewards or consequences are or why you believe this to be the case.
on the other hand, this person appears familiar to you in ways you cannot place, and appears to be alluding to information that may be of interest to you. if they are dead, you cannot ask them any questions and you may lose your chance to learn more.
here's how this will work:
• The only thing that can destroy the Nightsong is the spear. no other weapons will work. and although Saber was the one who picked it up, any of you will receive the spear if you ask for it.
• If, after any of my tags, you feel your character is ready to act, you may DM me. If you’re the only one who asked for the spear in that round, you will get it in my next comment. If more than one person asked, you may have to roll for it. However, once you have the spear, you must attempt to take action in your next comment or there will be serious consequences.
• If someone else gets the spear, you may attempt to stop them from using it, or attempt to take it. DM me in advance if you believe you would attempt that and tell me what you would do. Once someone has the spear in their hands, while it’s still magical enough to kill this person, it otherwise becomes an ordinary, tangible weapon, so it can be stolen away with force and can’t be resummoned by anyone.
• There is a time limit here, a point at which, if no one has acted, there will be serious consequences. You will know one tag in advance of the time limit.
Then shut the fuck up and start talking about something that matters!
[anger, first, at the provocation and judgment-- she didn't stab immediately, the fuck else do they want from her, huh? she doesn't know anything besides what she's here to do. what she's supposed to accomplish.
those impressions of faces keep her held back for now. she doesn't remember speaking to anders, before, doesn't recall what he'd said, but it struck enough of a chord with her that there's a lingering feeling of-- she isn't sure what. she'd felt back then that she'd trust what he said more than the ones who were tormenting her, and so she's left with the sense now that maybe this person has something worth saying. theresa's face, too, is unfamiliar, but she had once been so upset that griefblade would threaten herself; she doesn't know why she feels that this person just might care.
she strides up to them, reaching up to blindly grab for their indistinct jaw, so she can try to make them look at her.]
[anders? theresa? someone else? looks back at wis'adel, maybe something like defiance there. the magical manacles holding this person prevent them from struggling against her, but they also don't appear to be afraid.]
What I know is that she wants me dead so that she'll become more powerful. And maybe she really even will share that power with you. But will what you get be worth what you've already given up?
[kanna looks at koharu]
You didn't deserve to fall, but can't you see that you could have started to try flying at any time? [she's speaking about the dream you keep having, as though she already knows about it.] You can't always wait for someone else.
[jiaoqiu looks at bas, apologetic.]
I know some, but likely not enough to be able to answer the questions you have. I can't tell you who you are.
[but "she" makes you think of that feeling when you saw the statue before, the way you pictured the woman in the mask and hood even though they looked nothing alike. approval, disapproval, their opinion is everything, but perhaps more because the difference between approval and disapproval is so stark.
[ he stays quiet for a moment, because-- what does he want? yeah, he's got nothing. 'cause he doesn't know anything, how's he supposed to know what he wants when there's just nothing up there between his ears.
but, well. there is something. ]
I'd wanna know who I am. Or-- what it is I don't know.
[ seems impossible, but-- he definitely wants it back. if there's something he's lost. ]
I do want you to release me. [a flash of theresa at this.] There are battles of my own I have to fight. But I can't promise it would be easy. I can't tell you who you are, though.
[they look at basilio.]
I know you were once trying to escape. You remember a person to fear, but maybe you were less alone than you thought you were.
[eupha is speaking, now, of a dream basilio keeps having. trying to flee as a small child, a woman casting magic on him, being scared.]
There's nothing I can give you in return, except that.
[whereas even this person admits, if you do this, it will make someone more powerful, someone who might be inclined to reward you, who will be pleased.
flashes of memory again.
wis'adel, you remember how it felt to let loose, to take out your pain and anger on that woman on the table, and to know you were doing it right. it felt much better, didn't it? you felt powerful, you felt in control, you felt good at this.
koharu, you remember how it felt to stand there, frozen, despite what you were being told to do, and knowing that because you froze, you'd only get hurt again and again. to not even make a conscious decision to refuse, to only do this to yourself out of fear.
saber, you remember how it felt to stop listening to that man on the table, the one who was pretending to know you but didn't even know your name. compared to the hesitation, the questions, didn't it feel better to confidently slice off his fingers?
basilio, you remember how much it hurt, every time you couldn't make yourself do what you needed to do to survive.]
two of you ask for the spear now, wis'adel and saber. there's a moment of hesitation from saber, whereas wis'adel is confident, and that makes the difference. the spear appears in her hands.
however, basilio has been prepared for someone to attempt to kill this person, so he has a moment to decide what to do as well - the moment he notices the spear appear in wis'adel's hands, while both she and saber are still focused on what they're planning to do, he gets to act first.
(thread order is now bas > wis'adel > koharu > saber)]
Edited (i keep forgetting its not aylin) 2025-02-26 21:17 (UTC)
[ well, he has all of a second at least. spears can be thrown, after all.
so he dips forwards as fast as he can and gets a hand on the spear as well. ]
What're you doin'?
[ cause, the thing is -- he remembers it all too, yeah. wanting to do what he had to to survive, and the hurt he's gone through every time he couldn't push himself far enough or hard enough. but it wasn't whoever it is chained up here that's been hurting them, was it? ]
[she's just beginning to turn aside with the spear held firmly in hand-- when he darts forward to get a hand on it as well. reflexively, her grip tightens as she tries to yank it away from him, both of her hands on it now.]
Don't get in my way!
[she doesn't remember the conversation, but the echoing feelings of it linger, from anders telling her not to become one of them. from hurting theresa, thinking she-- seemed to actually give a shit.
it felt good. she'd felt powerful. it had felt like she did something right. but that still wars with those other feelings, resulting in a spark of frustration. who fucking tells her what's right, except herself? who were they to say she wasn't enough?
she does want that control. wants to do something just because she feels like it. that's exactly why she wanted the spear she's clinging to.]
[ it's not been anyone here ignoring the part where sorrowglare went nuts and waved a sword around but that's not important right now who's been asking things of them and hurting them, right? ]
Doin' what we're bloody told don't feel good.
[ fair game, it's not gonna be too hard to wrangle the spear out of his hand necessarily. so, what now?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
holyspirits) wrote2025-02-23 02:30 pm
no subject
Anyway yeah, Hollowcry is also now fckn injured, but she probably doesn't have a choice right now when it comes to stopping. Forward it is.
And so she also leaps down, using the aid of her wings to help glide as she descends, and makes a landing as well. ]
... Hm? What's wrong?
[ Hesitation seemed unlike her. ]
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when it wears off they are just... very confused and squinting around... but if no one asks about it then they are not going to explain anything bye.
they will stop behind the girl, looking between them and the nightsong. the adrenaline from the fight wearing off is making them notice their wounds i still haven't picked yet more, but. it's fine. they will wait to see what the others do. ]
no subject
The heck happened to you?
[ but ok they can explain as they bounce through the anti gravity to where this person is just trapped in the middle of this … thing.
huh.
that’s a whole ass person. ]
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they make their way to the center of the platform. be very careful. the abyss is all around you, on all sides. if you drop an apple off the side of the platform to test it, you'll see that it drops and falls forever, you don't even see a place where it stops. don't fall off, guys.
the person in the center of the circle picks themselves to their feet. you can tell it's difficult for them. they're weak, wounded badly. you don't know how long they've been here, but it has probably been a long time, long enough for muscles to atrophy. for their body to start to fail. in fact, it's very obvious that the only reason this person is still alive is because they can't die by ordinary means. otherwise, someone chained up here and left alone would be long dead.
they are dirty, wearing rags, in bad shape.
but the most notable thing about this person is that you... are struggling to get a sense of their face, any discernible features about them. instead, when you look at them, you feel things. flashes of memory, a sense of familiarity. wis'adel, you see theresa on the table for a moment, regal despite her obvious pain and degradation. and yet, you also see anders, in no condition to judge anyone but casting judgment on you as he watches you all the same.]
Did you think a knife was going to do the trick? You're smarter than that, aren't you?
[no, a knife isn't going to do the job, given whatever magic is keeping this person alive. you could stab them, torture them, cut into the flesh of their broken body as much as you want, as much satiates you. they might scream and suffer, but they would never die.
that's why you were given a special spear.
meanwhile, koharu, as you try to make out this person's features, you see a flash of the defiance and concern in kanna's gaze, and a flash of yves' kind smile, reminding you you're brave, but aware of what the price of bravery is.]
Look at all of you. The first new faces in so many years, and it's like this. Do you even know what you want from me?
[saber, you see a flash of iori, trying to make you understand something you can't understand. you see uruha, a little sorry for you, as you try to work through fears that presently have no answers.]
You don't remember anything. She's keeping so many secrets from you, isn't she?
[basilio, you see a flash of fidelio, hurt and weak, not able to bear any more of it, but still giving you permission to spare you. you see a flash of jioaqiu, seeing something in a refusal that you didn't even understand that was worth admiring.]
Did you even ask why?
[but this person isn't truly any of those people, probably, and you don't know who any of those people are. you don't recall those memories, just flashes, impressions, emotions. but the prevailing feeling is that whoever this person is, there's something about all of the parts of you that are missing that they may hold keys to.
even so, you are surrounded by strangers, and if there is a prize to be won here, only one of you can get it. there's no prize for being nice, for taking turns. those impressions flash before you, too. the times when you hesitated, asked too many questions, and ran out of time before there were sudden and immediate consequences, and the answers you got were not worth the pain that ensued.
you were brought here with vague memories. your name and your mission. your mission is to destroy the Nightsong, but you do not know why is that is your mission. you only have a vague sense that that mission is important to you, and also, especially here, now, a vague sense that you were promised rewards if you succeeded and there may be consequences if you fail. but you do not know what those rewards or consequences are or why you believe this to be the case.
on the other hand, this person appears familiar to you in ways you cannot place, and appears to be alluding to information that may be of interest to you. if they are dead, you cannot ask them any questions and you may lose your chance to learn more.
here's how this will work:
so, what will you do next?]
no subject
[anger, first, at the provocation and judgment-- she didn't stab immediately, the fuck else do they want from her, huh? she doesn't know anything besides what she's here to do. what she's supposed to accomplish.
those impressions of faces keep her held back for now. she doesn't remember speaking to anders, before, doesn't recall what he'd said, but it struck enough of a chord with her that there's a lingering feeling of-- she isn't sure what. she'd felt back then that she'd trust what he said more than the ones who were tormenting her, and so she's left with the sense now that maybe this person has something worth saying. theresa's face, too, is unfamiliar, but she had once been so upset that griefblade would threaten herself; she doesn't know why she feels that this person just might care.
she strides up to them, reaching up to blindly grab for their indistinct jaw, so she can try to make them look at her.]
If you know something, then-- out with it. Now.
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[ She only takes one step forward, reaching out, but doesn't move any further. ]
We—we can ask without...
[ without like, maybe possibly making them mad first ]
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[ that is in reply to bas... since he asked.
but then wis is acting out, and saber also just watches this until koharu speaks. they step forward a bit. ]
The girl [ KOHARU WHAT IS YOUR NAME ] is right. There's no point in being too rough with a prisoner.
no subject
Oi, careful.
[ sorrowglare's plight is so valid but gloomfang has to be distracted because things keep happening all the time in this dark and mysterious void. ]
She looks bloody roughed up enough as it is. [ and what if she passes out? she can't answer any questions then, can she? ]
Do you know somethin'? 'Bout all this? And who 'she' is?
no subject
What I know is that she wants me dead so that she'll become more powerful. And maybe she really even will share that power with you. But will what you get be worth what you've already given up?
[kanna looks at koharu]
You didn't deserve to fall, but can't you see that you could have started to try flying at any time? [she's speaking about the dream you keep having, as though she already knows about it.] You can't always wait for someone else.
[jiaoqiu looks at bas, apologetic.]
I know some, but likely not enough to be able to answer the questions you have. I can't tell you who you are.
[but "she" makes you think of that feeling when you saw the statue before, the way you pictured the woman in the mask and hood even though they looked nothing alike. approval, disapproval, their opinion is everything, but perhaps more because the difference between approval and disapproval is so stark.
iori looks at saber.]
Why are you here? What do you want?
no subject
Oh, calm down, they'll obviously live.
[that's to everyone else. to the person, though:]
So-- what, you want us to just turn around and walk right back out of here?
no subject
[ Oh. All of that hits in a way she doesn't fully understand herself, but it doesn't seem like she has it in her to refute anything. ]
no subject
... I'm surprised you wouldn't try to get us to release you.
[ they just ignore the question. ]
no subject
...
[ he stays quiet for a moment, because-- what does he want? yeah, he's got nothing. 'cause he doesn't know anything, how's he supposed to know what he wants when there's just nothing up there between his ears.
but, well. there is something. ]
I'd wanna know who I am. Or-- what it is I don't know.
[ seems impossible, but-- he definitely wants it back. if there's something he's lost. ]
no subject
[they look at basilio.]
I know you were once trying to escape. You remember a person to fear, but maybe you were less alone than you thought you were.
[eupha is speaking, now, of a dream basilio keeps having. trying to flee as a small child, a woman casting magic on him, being scared.]
There's nothing I can give you in return, except that.
[whereas even this person admits, if you do this, it will make someone more powerful, someone who might be inclined to reward you, who will be pleased.
flashes of memory again.
wis'adel, you remember how it felt to let loose, to take out your pain and anger on that woman on the table, and to know you were doing it right. it felt much better, didn't it? you felt powerful, you felt in control, you felt good at this.
koharu, you remember how it felt to stand there, frozen, despite what you were being told to do, and knowing that because you froze, you'd only get hurt again and again. to not even make a conscious decision to refuse, to only do this to yourself out of fear.
saber, you remember how it felt to stop listening to that man on the table, the one who was pretending to know you but didn't even know your name. compared to the hesitation, the questions, didn't it feel better to confidently slice off his fingers?
basilio, you remember how much it hurt, every time you couldn't make yourself do what you needed to do to survive.]
no subject
this time she doesn't have anything to say, staring down at the figure like she's evaluating. contemplating.]
no subject
W.. what should we do?
no subject
they don't even know who these people are. but they do remember that man.
... ]
no subject
... ]
I mean. Who the hell are we to figure she needs t'die?
no subject
francy 🍙 saber Request: [d20] Roll: [7] Result: 7
weej 💣🧨 weedš'adel Request: [1d20] Roll: [9] Result: 9
two of you ask for the spear now, wis'adel and saber. there's a moment of hesitation from saber, whereas wis'adel is confident, and that makes the difference. the spear appears in her hands.
however, basilio has been prepared for someone to attempt to kill this person, so he has a moment to decide what to do as well - the moment he notices the spear appear in wis'adel's hands, while both she and saber are still focused on what they're planning to do, he gets to act first.
(thread order is now bas > wis'adel > koharu > saber)]
no subject
so he dips forwards as fast as he can and gets a hand on the spear as well. ]
What're you doin'?
[ cause, the thing is -- he remembers it all too, yeah. wanting to do what he had to to survive, and the hurt he's gone through every time he couldn't push himself far enough or hard enough. but it wasn't whoever it is chained up here that's been hurting them, was it? ]
no subject
Don't get in my way!
[she doesn't remember the conversation, but the echoing feelings of it linger, from anders telling her not to become one of them. from hurting theresa, thinking she-- seemed to actually give a shit.
it felt good. she'd felt powerful. it had felt like she did something right. but that still wars with those other feelings, resulting in a spark of frustration. who fucking tells her what's right, except herself? who were they to say she wasn't enough?
she does want that control. wants to do something just because she feels like it. that's exactly why she wanted the spear she's clinging to.]
no subject
Oh—oh no. Please don't fight!
no subject
for now, though, they will turn to look back at the nightsong as the other two wrestle for the spear. ]
How would we even get you out?
no subject
[it's as simple as that, really. by making the choice to free them, when their task is to kill them, they will be freed.
but it is the person holding the spear who needs to make that choice, as they're the only one with the ability to choose otherwise.]
no subject
Just-- it don't feel good.
[ it's not been anyone here ignoring the part where sorrowglare went nuts and waved a sword around but that's not important right now who's been asking things of them and hurting them, right? ]
Doin' what we're bloody told don't feel good.
[ fair game, it's not gonna be too hard to wrangle the spear out of his hand necessarily. so, what now?
he would free them. that's pretty clear. ]
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