Fissures of Time: Ongoing

[voidtreckermods]

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FISSURES OF TIME: ONGOING

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... POI 10-12

FOR SOME, THE MISSION HAS BEEN MORE MENTALLY EXHAUSTING THAN PHYSICALLY. Distortions sprout around the domain without rhyme or reason, and the camps must be moved every new day to meet them, as well as stopping a distortion from deciding to form under them from their presence.

While there's bare-bones vegetation, at least they have their own resources to help one another, as well as what can be retrieved from the Ministry base during return trips to take misplaced civilians to safety. It's straight-forward so far...

...but that wouldn't be standard for the Voidtreckers, and some in their ranks don't want straight-forward. Starting during the early hours of Poi 10, there will be occasional rumblings throughout the land. They last for a few seconds and then stop, seemingly for hours; but then they return, and as the days go on, so do the tremors increase.

It seems the distortions too have become affected...

THE UNQUIET CITY. (CW: People unable to die/rising from the dead, body horror)

A city of rubble and ruin stretches far out around them, where once there were hills and vegetation. Much of the rubble is still smoking as fires smoulder. The fighting isn't over, heard before it's seen.

It must be connected to the same skirmishes seen in other distortions, and so most of you are prepared to meet warriors on foot and mount. But what awaits isn't only the horror of bloodshed. No: the reason that the fighting still continues even as the city lies in ruin is because fighters fall and rise again, as if death were nothing but a short rest.

Puncture marks litter skin and armour, holes from weaponry and blessed-magic visible in torsos, even the spaces of where portions of one's skull and brain should be.

Yet they cannot stop fighting. They cannot fall to the ground, rest. Whatever drove them to fight this war still inspires them to continue, screaming as much in pain as in some sort of twisted ecstasy. Perhaps they are too shocked to do anything else. A city locked in eternal war, distorted in time, doomed to repeat itself.

It's hard to set the equalisers here. Not much is stable and fights are likely to break out wherever there are people. The people of this city have their factions, but they will not hesitate to band together to fight intruders.

EYE OF THE STORM. They might feel this distortion before they enter it. A spine-chilling thrill, the feeling one might get at the edge of a storm.

—For a storm it is. The moment they enter it their vision will be obstructed, winds howl around them and rain lashes down furiously making a swamp of the ground below them. It's freezing cold and as they walk they will feel something in the storm. Almost as if there are icy hands, reaching out to grab at them, to pull them further into the worst of the weather.

It's hard to know where to place the equalisers, hard to see where the edges of this distortion are. Easier, not by much, to move further in, to find the epicentre and try and take it down from there.

It's a treacherous journey, but the centre truly is calm, water frozen like crystals. Yet temperatures are dangerously low, so it's in everyone's best interests to set the equalisers quick and get out.

MEAN AND GREEN. As the rumbling continues, there comes a strange and worrying distortion. Worrying, as this distortion can be seen from the outside. A hazy blur that seems to move across the countryside, along the left side of the camp you're stationed at. It gets dangerously close at times, and when it does...

Green tendrils of plant life burst out, entangling people to pull them into the distortion. Or chains of flowers spread from the distortion out across the countryside. Beautiful and colourful in the otherwise sparse environment, but those flowers work as anchors, spreading the distortion, expanding it.

To get rid of it they will need to enter, and inside is a thick jungle of vines and bright colourful flowers awaiting them. The foliage is thick and the air musky and sweet. It's easy to get separated, and getting lost is only a matter of getting turned around. The leaves are sticky and vines move seemingly on their own, curling around unsuspecting limbs, trying to trap people in this colourful paradise forever.

And up in the sky above, a woman's laughter can be heard, the heat of the sun bearing down that becomes uncomfortable quick. But don't look up - you may find a large yellow eye - yellow iris, yellow pupil, golden yellow everything - peering back at you, and find yourself being pulled in by the very ground itself by a powerful force.

NO SANCTUARY. Protecting the camps hasn't been difficult, despite it being a Purple task. Other than rowdy refugees breaking out into fights, little else has appeared to disturb them.

'Eiiiiliiifii.... Siiiiliiifiii...
Merios? Herios?
Don't hide... don't hide...

Everything will be so perfect soon...'

People are woken abruptly in the early hours of Poi 11. If by some special sense, or by a grab at their throat, by a body falling on top of where they sleep, someone else stopping the refugee who was about to take a knife to them.

The refugees have become uncontrollable, raving about wanting 'their Gods back'. The ground rumbles as the woman's voice from the hazy jungle - ethereal, so divine - speaks from below. Grass rises and the sky above burns with a brightness like an approaching sun.

Setting an equaliser will calm the refugees, but only those in the camps. Starting from lunchtime, more warriors and civilians will be found appearing from the distance and from thin air, seemingly knowing where to find the Voidtreckers' camps - and after some very specific people.

Those with divinity, control over weather, nature, and death will be especially targeted, along with anyone who received blessings from the Gods.

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here. Let us know about shenanigans here. NPC requests here, set up a thread here. Rewards go here.

TL;DR: Starting on Poi 10, there will be odd tremors around the domain, and more aggressive time distortions. From Poi 11 refugees will lose control of themselves and start attacking Voidtreckers, in and out of the camp.

It will happen abruptly to begin with, but some keen to reading energy will find that it is shifting; like something is breaking in from somewhere else (similar to the time distortions).

Extra equalisers can be picked up from the Ministry base and they will be there to help, but there are also more distortions happening around the domain, so they'll be dealing with those. The Ministry will advise that any non-combatants should stick to the base, and even use the scouting drones to help from afar, if they really need to help.

Undead warriors can be found outside of time distortions, and not all of the people outside of distortions will be 'permanent' people. Equalisers can be kept going for a few hours to keep these people away, but will also need go into recharge/cooling mode.

Don't worry if you're still busy with the Starting log! Or if you've been meaning to tag, jump in here!

Comments

[jingyeets]

"So when are you two separating? Because you're not where you were before, and this can't be healthy. For you or the demon."

Sai as he carefully, closely watches Jin Rulan, never going to be easy with this parasitic relationship, or the borrowing of powers from each other, because he knows that means it goes both ways. Maintaining the qi net is simple enough, though Jingyi simply releases it once everyone's unconscious. No point doing more with it right now, not where there are more people needing handling, elsewhere in camp.

[to_rise_above]

Jin Ling gives Jingyi a brow raise for that question. If he had an answer, it was caught in his throat for the moment. He's not even sure himself. He knows that the thought is there, but he hasn't pursued it the problem since he's gotten here. To be fair, the burden feels less troublesome here than it does in the other place. Whether it's a good thing or not, he's not sure.

"I-I don't know, and no one said this was healthy to begin with..."

Since, that's the only answer he can come up with that doesn't sound too much like he's avoiding the topic, "As far as I know, it hasn't been bad and the wolf hasn't done anything... problematic."

Jingyi can hear the wolf demon laughing on the cue of those words. He must find Jingyi's question quite entertaining but chooses to remain silent while-- laughing.

"I don't think I've lost track of time here or anything. There aren't--blanks in my memory."

He trails off, not sure why he's explaining it in detail to Jingyi, but it is probably because of the way Jingyi asked, and Jin Ling figured there is no point in hiding the facts. Jin Ling takes one more look around the area and is content that all the people in danger are now knocked out. Jingyi even released his hold. He supposed it is a job well done for the both of them and Fairy.

[jingyeets]

"..." Jingyi's fur stands on end, his lips curling back off his teeth in a very canine way, compared to the fact of his very scaled body. He doesn't quite come to rumbling out a growl over the way Jin Rulan speaks about it, but it's close.

"You don't think. You don't know. Jin Rulan, what progress have you made in even figuring out how to separate both of you? Demon, how thin is your face that you're not looking for a better solution now that you have access to answers from hundreds of worlds?"

Not that the situation of the demons on the world Jin Rulan had been on, along with one of the Wei Wuxians, had been explained in too much depth to Lan Jingyi. Too many other things come up instead, but it galls him that a spiritual affliction persists and rides around and possesses even here and now, when it should not. When there should be a break away. Two whole beings, not two cleaved overfull with each other.

[to_rise_above]

Jin Ling gives the other a raised brow for his sudden change of mood. He's sure that Jingyi is never happy about the fact that some parasitic demon is in his body, but that hasn't and still isn't a priority for Jin Ling. He has a lot of other important things to be concerned about.

Though, he's quite aware as anyone that being in this sort of give and take relationship with a youkai of all beings is not exactly the most ideal, or the safest. He will never know what will happen if his guard is let down or when the demon will take control of his body. He doesn't have the ability to stop or control that. He frowns at the statement.

"Of course I know that! I know what sort of resources we have with from all the different hundreds and thousands, if not more worlds! How could I not be aware? You think I want to walk around with him living inside my head?"

Jin Ling is aware and he knows that the okami youkai is the same. They both want similar things. In fact, despite his sarcastic manner, the youkai hasn't done anything that truly made Jin Ling upset. (At least, not yet).

To Jin Ling, the wolf responds:

You foul use of words hasn't changed very much, child. Here, I thought that you have given up hope.

He then addresses Jingyi.

Then what do you propose we do? It's rather nice up in here. I don't have to worry about disappearing and the boy gets some degree of protection. I wouldn't say it's that terrible. I may be a youkai, but I have my own sense justice and morals.

Their existence is obviously not normal. If he can find a body of some sort to put himself in, along with that demonic mask, maybe he can find some peace. For now, the okami seems to find the conversation quite-- interesting. The child certainly has a lot of people who care a lot about him.

He reminds himself to not get on their bad side, since he can't handle all of those cultivators by himself.

[jingyeets]

Nothing in Jingyi can be easy with this, so his answer isn't easy either. Not aggressive, because there is too much still here to do, but not forgiving, either.

"Find you another vessel. Bind you to where you needn't fear this disappearing. Though I can't say I'd mourn you if you did," he says, unlikely to lie even if he were inclined to the concept of lying in the first place. "But the boy doesn't need your version of protection, not here, not in his world. You're both out of the hell you came from, and we have to finish dealing with this shit, so let's go."

Leaping up, he catches himself in the air and flies forward, not providing Jin Rulan with a ride, only a direction in which to chase.

[to_rise_above]

Jin Ling looks stunned by Jingyi's straight forward words. Not that he was expecting anything too different from him, given how assertive he is about finding a way to get the okami youkai out of his body. It takes him a good minute to process all of Jingyi's words before following after him, frowning.

"Where are we going?!"

Why did he have to chase after him? Even with that that question, he doesn't stop following the other.

Oh? Is that so? I would be curious to watch what you come up with and well I could name a few things but I am sure the young master here doesn't like his personal secrets aired out for others to hear. Don't worry, I find zero offense, given it seems that you care quite a lot about this child

[jingyeets]

"To set one of those devices! If they made things stable in the time distortions, they can make the god influence for these people stable too!"

He's not sure, actually, but he's annoyed and unhappy and there is too much possession and pseudo-possession going on right now for him to be anywhere near comfortable with it. The demon's words earn a scoff and no direct reply.

They're not worth talking to, not when he's got other, pressing concerns. Who needs to point out that he cares more for Jin Rulan than he cares for Jin Rulan to be possessed? Jingyi's not a dick.

[to_rise_above]

"You could have said that first before taking off!"

As hard as it is to see Jingyi, Jin Ling manages to keep up and doesn't ask anymore question. It sounds like, they're dropping the prior conversation for the time being. Jingyi probably isn't happy about how he's handling it. Regardless, Jin Ling doesn't know any other way. So, he rather focus on the task at hand too.

The youkai, pretty please with himself about the situations, settles back into the headspace of Jin Ling's and lets the two of them have their conversation. He doesn't care for arguing too much and Jingyi isn't that fun to mess with.

[jingyeets]

"I said it now!" He calls out, but then he's dropping abruptly down, into the corridor between the supply tents and some of the other ministry tents. It's difficult with his length and bulk to freely settle down, so he takes advantage of a space he can use.

None of the refugees suffering under these violent, yet weirdly cajoling, urges run into him as he lands, but he has to wait for Jin Rulan to join him before he can say anything more useful. The youkai, being firmly ignored for Jingyi's sanity at present, is pushed to the back of his mind, such that when Jin Rulan finally reaches his tail, Jingyi shifts it out of the way to present a clear path following along his flank and side, toward his head.

His head which is turned back toward Jin Rulan, addressing him from the arc his neck holds, letting him take up less space than he would otherwise.

"I know where they keep the equalisers, three tents from the one by my forepaw. You know what the boxes look like?"

[to_rise_above]

Jin Ling's face puffs a bit at Jingyi's response to his call out. He watches as the other drops down between the corridor between the supply tents and runs to finally catch up with Jingyi.

He's a little out of breath, but otherwise looks rather fine. He still had a partially irritated expression, but he knows better than to continue to try to disagree or argue with Jingyi. They are here for a reason and a mission. He should focus. At least, he tries to tell himself that.

"What color are those boxes again? I remember their shape but not the color or special markings if they have any."

How hard can it be to find them? He at least remembers what the equalisers looked like. He remembers three tents from the one by his-- forepaw. Somehow, as used to this as Jin Ling is, he can't seem to feel a little stiff thinking about it. Jingyi is a very large dragon.

[jingyeets]

Large, and larger still in this smaller space.

"Silver, with black lines, and a square handle on the top, if they're stored right."

His whiskers move as if caught in a breeze only he feels, his golden eyes on Jin Rulan.

[to_rise_above]

"Okay, I got it," he replies nodding his head.

Jin Ling fixes his eyes back on Jingyi, not really sure what but he speaks to Jingyi again, to let him know he's going to go and find the equalisers.

"I'll be right back, then."

He goes to just do that.