41 - Cultist Arc Finale

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
When: June 2nd 2017
Where: Mostly the Near Shore
What: Tracking down cultists to remove them as threats to Heaven, erase as much of their presence from the Near Shore as possible, and consequences of such







With it being made clear that the cult's influence was scattered throughout not just Japan but spread far and wide, the gods of the Far Shore have been asked to assemble in the same place where Conclaves normally happen. Bishamonten is assigned the task of rallying the old gods, while Orihime is given the same duty for the new gods. Essentially, the old gods will be working in Japan and the new gods elsewhere. Both Bishamonten and Orihime have a long list of individuals and their last known locations with vague descriptions, collected by those who went out hunting them on Heavens' behalf when everyone was last gathered. ("A Different Sort of Hunt")

Orihime gathers the new gods at her home along the river. Outside her small abode, there are several soulless shinki pulled from their temple. Ostensibly, they are to help any new gods who don't have a shinki available to create the Cutting ties or Rend effects, but no one is there to stop a shinki from commanding them as well.

Orihime will direct the gods to many places in the Scandinavian countries of Europe, south as far as Italy, west to the United Kingdom, and east as far as Belarus and Ukraine. Meanwhile, another contingent is sent to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the South Pacific / Oceania islands around there. There's even some scattered across the Americas - north in Alaska and the Yukon as far south as Chile and Argentia. Getting to any region requires the permission of a Near Shore god with a local shrine there to teleport, or a much more mundane plane trip.

Since this is all taking place over an extended period of time - roughly 48 hours - new gods are welcome to jump around the regions at their own choosing, not restricted to just one place.

Cutting Ties

Tracking down the cultists won't be easy. Some of their last known locations just confirmed their home addresses, work addresses, school addresses, etc. It's not like there's a GPS on them! However, with the address being specific to a city and country, along with a description of the person involved, it's possible to track down the rank-and-file cultists in these places beyond Japan. Many of them you won't even need to speak to, just find them and use a shinki to cut the string of fate that binds them to their cult activities, spell knowledge, and awareness of Heaven.

It's possible to run into other gods and shinki, though! Especially in major hubs of regular human activity, the cult was able to thus recruit more people to their causes. Maybe you can team up, swap information based on who you're looking for, that sort of thing.

Blight Circles

Where the human cultist recruits favored larger cities, their blight circles are much farther into countrysides - where they were less likely to be disturbed while the cultists crafted them. These circles are fairly simple in their lasting impressions: spellwork in a large circle on the ground, dead or dying flora for double the diameter of such a circle, and powerful ayakashi drawn to their vicinity. Strike down the ayakashi gathering there, purify the area if you can with magic or holy water, and physically break the circle's symbols. Particularly large blight circles might have been crafted near a Vent, increasing the likelihood of powerful ayakashi being there.

The larger and more powerful an ayakashi, the more Rend attacks it will take to bring them down. Maybe you can survive a long battle with one, or maybe you work together as a team with another god / soulless-wield shinki? The choice is up to you!

Cult Hubs

In the true cultural capitals of the world, there is a single Cult Hub - a physical building that was under the governance of a higher cultist official, where spellwork training and other informational sessions took place. Note that these hubs are not always the capitals of their countries, as with New York City or Los Angeles, Toronto or Munich, Sydney or Quezon City. The physical structures where cultists met have a wealth of inventory to look through and either dispose of or use in future efforts for the Heavens. It might not be glamorous work, but it could offer surprising rewards.

Event Bonus:
A thread of 10+ comments earns a character a random item that would have been stored at the cult hub. As with other missions involving "random item" rewards, players can give the mods 3 choices for review and we'll reply with a comment about any choice which might be too powerful / not suitable, or players can ask for the mods to give them 2-3 random items and pick only one as their reward.

Between Scenes / Afterward

As everyone returns to the Far Shore between their major efforts on the Near Shore, recovering from the battles, enlisting backup, or simply looking for another assignment from Orihime, you might still bump into one another, particularly around Orihime's home or down the river in either direction. Feel free to use this as a kind of catchall space or a place to look for healing, food, and sleep with your fellows from the Far Shore.

Alternatively, this could all happen when the last assignments have been handed out and people start to disperse back to their own temples.

Event Bonus: Gift Baskets!

For Gods and Shinki alike, Orihime will provide a gift basket to each and every character, customized as much as possible. This will include, among other things, an article of clothing with a wondrous power unlike any she's made before. Players can request what these items are OOCly, kind of like book requests in the library, but we hope it can to be something you as a player truly feel like is a reward to your character for having come this far.

To claim this reward, simply reply to the Orihime OOC comment below with your desired item and its ability to begin the discussion. Remember: Orihime would avoid granting items that help in battle; rather they're meant to enhance the character's everyday life, make their hobbies easier or more fun, that sort of thing. Example abilities might include: hover-style flight, lite elemental resistance, green-thumb plant growth boost, etc. - they're just tied to the item.

An IC week after the event, gift baskets will be delivered, along with an Epilogue announcement on the BBS.

Event Bonus (all prompts):
A thread of 10+ comments will gain 150 followers / 15 exp per thread.



In Summary:

• Travel the world
• Hunt down the last vestiges of the cult's influences
• Get goodies
• Await the epilogue announcement
• Have fun~

Comments

Peru: Cusco: OTA

[towards_okeanos]

The ancient capital of the once invincible Inca Empire draws many people. Swarms of tourists are ever present no matter the time of year but summer seems to be the most crowded season. Benefiting from its location in the continents highest mountains the city offers a refreshing yet still warm climate in stark contrast to the arid heat of the coast or suffocating humidity of the jungle.
With the tiny drawback of being situated at such an altitude, it makes breathing hard for anyone other than the natives...or really fit people. It's just that the air is really thin...or maybe it's not just the air...

CH. Cultist Hub
[What is King of Conquerors doing in Peru of all places? Why Peru? Simple. He has never been here. So when the occasion presented itself all he had to do is take it. So he did. While already there he did what he's done best. No, not conquering, the second best. That is: talking to people.
Which in turn led him to the building he's standing in front of right now. Right under the plaque declaring proudly the building is housing Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales, there's a poster advertising an exhibition of archaeological artefacts.

Masks of the Moche people it says.

Iskandar just stares at it still undecided if he's more impressed or disgusted by the sheer audacity of all this.]

You'd think they would at least be trying to hide.


CT. Cutting ties
[Finding and freeing all the affected students of the infamous anthropology professor is a thankless task in a city swarmed by tourists. Iskandar knows he might not be able to find all of them. Not the international ones.
The university's bureaucracy is a beast of its own and while all the people involved are truly kind and helpful, as long as they pay attention to him, it's not a small feat.]

Museo de Plantas Sagradas, Magicas y Medicinales. For Waver
[Not far from the Saqsayhuaman fortress hidden from sight there's a small building with an inner courtyard. At first, it looks like just another cafe, or actually, a yerbateria but on further inspection, it reveals its other side. On the back of the yerbateria, there's a small, private museum of sacred plants of Peru. Everything from ayahuasca to coca is displayed there. If only the descriptions weren't all in Spanish.]

[myblueskies]

Look! Mister Iskander is here too! [After their first run of cutting ties they are now in Peru, they are really high up on a mountain. So high up that it's even harder to breathe than it is elsewhere!

That doesn't seem to be slowing Romeo down much. He points over at where he can see Iskander.] Let's go and say hello, he might know where more bad ayakashi or cultists are hiding!

[alchemists]

Please wait a second...

[ Elfnein's having a bit of trouble keeping up, between being high up in the mountains and Romeo being not phased at all but this. ]

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar thought he heard a familiar voice. When he turned around he realized that indeed he was right.
He runs down the steep street to meet them.]

Romeo! Elfnein! What a pleasurable surprise! What are you two doing in Peru?

[One look at Elfnein and the grin vanishes replaced by concern.]

Are you all right?

[Both of them may notice Elfnein is not the only one a little out of breath. While Iskandar was busy being ethusiastic about their meeting, a small, grey-haired lady finally manages to catch up with him.]

[myblueskies]

Elfnein? [He stops at her request and moves to her side, peering at her worriedly.

Luckily mister Iskander comes to them!]

Hello mister Iskander! We came to help fight the bad cultists! But are you alright Elfnein? Do you feel poorly?

[What's wrong with her? Does she need a doctor?]

[alchemists]

I'm ok, it's just hard adjusting while everyone is at full speed.

[ There was still a lot of stamina training that Elfnein needed to do if she was ever going to keep up in different situations. ]

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar nods.]

Then we slow down. Right, Romeo? The air here is terrible.

[He smiles. Some of the Old Gods could take those kids as an example. ]

Have you managed to find anything yet? I'm out of luck myself. All I get is rumours.

[myblueskies]

Oh! Sorry Elfnein! Let's slow down! [The air was a bit funny now that he thought of it, but hopefully Elfnein would be alright once she got used to it!]

No but I think there are definitely bad ayakashi here, there were two children scared about monsters but their mum took them away before we could talk to them. [Their mum hadn't seen them at all, Romeo and Elfnein or the monsters. But children were better at seeing things than grown ups.]

[alchemists]

Thank you

[ Taking it slow for a little bit would help everyone out in the long run. ]

What Romeo said is all we know, if we can find those bad ayakashi we might be able to learn more.

terribly sorry for the delay and the delete ... I messed up the tabs :(

[towards_okeanos]

Ayakashi?

[Iskandar's expression turns serious. That explains a lot.]

It makes sense. I was told about several people getting hospitalized with severe exhaustion. It might be connected.

[He looks at Ada then back at Romeo and Elfnein. He would never question their fighting spirits but they're still kids. Could use some help. Good thing that killing monsters is his speciality.]

That's something we can help you with.

[myblueskies]

Then let's go and find the bad ayakashi!

[If they were making everyone so tired then it was really important they stopped them! He grins at Ada, working as a team would be a good idea!]

Is mister Waver not with you?

[towards_okeanos]

[Ada smiles back at Romeo the type of smile that only sweet old ladies can present. It does help she's a dictionary example of the sweet old lady.]

Oh, of course, he does. We just split. I left him at the University. He had a theory he wanted to check and I thought I could try my luck at tracking more of the missing students.

[Iskandar shrugs. His usual luck has failed him this time.]

Unfortunately, I didn't. All I got were the ones at the hospital and I already knew about them.

[alchemists]

If that's the case why don't we ask the ones in the hospital what their daily routine was and maybe it can be used to help with tracking down what we need?

[ There had to be some common factor in all this. ]

[hypomeneo]

[If only the descriptions weren't all in Spanish. Thankfully there's an app for that. Waver, followed by a delicate looking Japanese woman with black hair cascading to her ankles, both have their phones at the ready to conquer any language barrier.

It, at first glance, is a face from the past, though Waver knows it's not Hishiri Adashino at all. The eyes are all wrong, the features a little too fine, and there's nothing of the viper like calculation in her. Instead a bland, near vacant softness. But it does spin up up memories. That conversation after the Castle of Separation and her insistence in their commonality, in separating themselves from the foolish dances of Magi with Mystery, deception, and death in pursuit of the Root of the Origin. Of her desire for him to dance with her. Of his refusal to take her hand, to ever give up on Iskandar.

Yes, Hishiri, he is such a sentimentalist to think the journey important, he thinks to her now. And here, being with Iskandar, is its reward.

This near twin he calls Eirene. Eirene for Irene, like Hishiri tried to be to his Holmes and failed... to acknowledge what has passed. And Eirene for peace, because it's time to put that all behind.]

It's really tucked away back here. No one would ever suspect this place would ever have a museum if they didn't know before hand.

[Waver is impressed in that grudging way that even having the directions and Google Earth pictures, the place is not at all easy to spot with its unassuming nature. Almost like there's a natural Bounded Field in play to deflect attention, like his apartment on Druid street in mortality, but the reality is centered in the more mundane.

Which makes it perfect for people - cultist and divine alike - to privately meet up or have a quiet, enjoyable tour or class. Right down to the yerbateria to share a couple of drinks in its courtyard afterwards.]

[towards_okeanos]

[Good thing that people on the Near Shore don't notice gods and shinki. Otherwise, all those around them would gawk at the sheer weirdness of a huge man casually carrying a full-sized war scythe over his shoulder. Not the usual insert your favourite grim-dark fantasy reference Grim Reaper scythe.

The actual battle-ready one.

Iskandar has allowed himself to fall a little behind from the pair in front of him. Ada is not the greatest conversationalist while in the vessel form. In fact, she doesn't speak then at all. Still, he won't call her back until they find a place to sit for a moment. Roads are steep and the air is thin in this city. These are not perfect conditions for an older lady to go for a walk.
Unfortunately, that leaves Iskandar alone with his own demons and they are extremely lousy company.

He risks another look at Eirene.

They look so perfect together. Be quiet, mother, I didn't ask for your opinion.

Love is not scarcity. He knows this. He said it himself countless times. Above all else, Iskandar wants Waver to be happy. He doesn't need to be his only source of happiness. He's just one man, he can't be everything to him. Even if he tried. He's already his king, his friend and his lover. They both need other people in their life too.

But his woman?
There's something about her. Something Iskandar can't identify. Something that makes his blood curdle. He hasn't been this jealous very often. Still, he hates every single time it happens.

Iskandar shakes his head. This is ridiculous. They're both finally are free to do what they want, be themselves, to have time to cherish each others company. He should be happy. It is entirely valid and reasonable that she's here. Waver needs a shinki. There's nothing to be jealous about.

It's real mercy that they have work to do. Anything to take his mind of this stupid thing. He speeds up to catch up to Waver.]

I would prefer the place where I organise meetings to discuss blood sacrifices to be as secluded as possible. The topic could raise a few eyebrows.

[hypomeneo]

[Were Waver aware of Olympias's opinion, shade of memory or not, he'd recoil. But he's caught little glimpses of Iskandar looking at Eirene and Waver has once or twice wondered if his lover has connected her face to Hishiri. She would have been in the memories he inherited from him. He feels his eyes on her now.

Eirene gave him no memories at all to hold secret. Merciful, and not surprising given everything he knows about soulless and the fact that the new generation shinki can name them too. As Namings go, it was as kind as could be, to make up for the sick edge of anxiety over the subject that had pressed against his throat when he met her and then took her back to the Temple for the ritual spell. He's a god... well, playing by godly rules anyway. There's no Fall to worry about for him now.

He huffs in wry knowing, given his own recent history with the subject and some of the reactions about people finding out what the roosters were for.]

Just a few outside a lecture hall. But given the history of this land and its peoples, perhaps a little less than somewhere else.

[They both turn slightly, Eirene a little slower and uncertain because Iskandar keeps looking at her, and smiles at him with simple, almost childish shyness, wondering why. Though not protesting because he is a god, Just and Correct in every way, and her existence is to serve and not question.

Her hands fold in front of her simple sundress, while Waver takes a moment to pat her shoulder to ease her, before stepping closer to Iskandar and letting his side brush up against his king as they stare down the unassuming building where the professor is somewhere hopefully. That's better. Feels better with the contact too.

Now the real reason for the isolation.]

... he'll be suspicious by now.

[With all the students to deal with, there's a chance the professor could have come across some of his flock and noticed the lack of memory of anything the cult's been up to. Weekend or not.]

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar smiles back at Eirene and in all his intentions, it's a genuine smile. Be still, child. All is well. How could anyone suspect this sweet, innocent being of anything?

By the gods, please, at least don't let her think it's her fault.

Any problem there is - and it's obvious by now one exists - is solely in his own mind. She must remind him of someone. Someone important enough that he feels so uneasy in her company. But who? As much as he tries, Iskandar cannot match her face to anyone he remembers. Still, he must find out. If it was only making his mood miserable he would just wait it out but the girl could think she did something to earn his disapproval. That's something Iskandar won't allow to happen. He's feeling guilty enough already.]

Is that so? Sadly, I know close to nothing about the history of this country.

[Iskandar catches Waver's hand as he brushes past, gives him a light squeeze before releasing. It feels so good. The physical contact grounds him. And yet, it also makes him acutely aware of how irrational his current inner turmoil is. Where does this monster come from poisoning his long-awaited happiness? Iskandar considers himself luckiest man alive for this chance he has now to spend time with his love. To be able to hold Waver in his arms is a reward enough for anything this realm can throw at him. Last time they didn't have even that. Why then must his own demons crawl from darkest places to rear their ugly heads and ruin his bliss?
It's an embarrassing thing to admit, yes, but since it's already this obvious...he can't stall and watch it grow into something far more serious.

He must tell him.

Later, when they're done with the real reason they're here. In the evening maybe. Most preferably when both of their shinki won't be around. Speaking of the reason, there's one thing that is irking him from the moment they started hearing about the professor.]

I wonder if he's here or even in the country for that matter. I don't doubt he exists but there is something odd in a way people speak about this person.

[hypomeneo]

[Maybe she was wrong? The smile's still shy, but brightens like sunshine in return. As long as she pleases.]

It's a rich one - this place is ancient... incredibly so. This land was home first to the Norte Chico civilization, and they came into being around the King of Heroes time, and there's been people here ever since.

[And he's guaranteed that Iskandar will be diving for the history books with that one.]

Mages leave this continent alone for the most part, though.

[There's a really good reason for that.

Waver squeezes back, and the red jade band on his left hand glimmers dimly in the light. He's not sure Iskandar knows the symbolism of wearing the ring this way, but it makes the needed statement to everyone else.]

He's been communicating with his teaching assistants either through email or the odd phone call. I didn't think that unusual at first, but apparently he's not doing fieldwork or on sabbatical. I didn't find anything incriminating in his office.

[Iskandar has the knack of talking with people; Waver's talent is research. He tackled the archives - student records and faculty emails - and raided the professor's office to see if he left any clues.

... there was no computer there - must own a laptop - and shared drives of the faculty were clean.]

What have you been hearing?

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar whistles.]

That old? How did it happen that I never heard of them?

[The question is obviously a rhetoric one. The world is much bigger than anybody in his times thought. He knew close to nothing about Northern Europe. How could he even hear about some country on the other side of the world?
Unfortunately, his quest for knowledge must wait. First, they need to find this guy. Or at the very least uncover and neutralize his workshop. So there's no danger that somebody could continue his "research".]

I was asking about the students that got hospitalized after the last exhibition and several times someone from the university called this guy professora only to get immediately corrected by some senior staff. I didn't think much of it first couple of times it happened but now I can't shake the impression that was no honest mistake.

[hypomeneo]

A woman? All the records and emails I uncovered about our professor said he was male. Some of them went quite a way back...

[Now that's interesting and concerning and hitting some nerves in the same breath. Identity theft. Now is it a case of the records being falsified for a replacement, or...

Hmmmmmmm. Timelines, timelines...

Think back. When was the last exhibition?]

Did they say when and where they had contact with the professora? Perhaps at lecture?

[Because the communication with the TAs are now raising some flags. They would likely be graduate students of the professor and know him or her well. Directly mentored even. So if it's just the odd phone call and email lately...]

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar thinks for a bit reviewing all the conversations he had. No, he does not take notes and yet he remembers every word.]

That would be before exhibition.

[He recalls the poster for the event. Hardly a thing he could forget given how creepy it was. Maybe the people here are used to such sights but Iskandar finds the local art, and the masks especially, rather unsettling.]

Which was on 20th of March. Barely a word since. Not in person anyway. I'd say it's less suspicious than it looks. The thing was months in preparation no wonder everyone involved needed a time off once all the work was done. Yet, for the university not to check up on their employee is a little odd indeed.

[Or it's just their style. He's not saying they are disorganized. They just seem to have a more relaxed approach to management than for instance in Japan. Definitely more relaxed that he would accept himself. ]

This got lost, sorry!

[hypomeneo]

That is strange. Usually there's at least some contact. There's always something or other that comes up, even if it just is administrative. Especially during the middle of term. [Granted the Clock Tower is different than other institutions, and he was a Lord, but...] I never got left alone myself.

[Sadly.]

It's a little too long for comfort, personally. I honestly don't like where that points.

Np! The notifications bork big time sometimes :(

[towards_okeanos]

[If they intend to go inside he would rather not do it wielding a weapon so Iskandar calls Ada back. The old lady is still visibly tired. Being in vessel form meant she didn't have run after him anymore but it's not a way to properly rest either. The thin air definitely doesn't serve her well. Never did she complain about anything so it was all left to Iskandar to notice. He's so used to his people being able to take care of themselves. It feels strange not to be the one who disregards his health entirely.

He nods in agreement. Waver is right that silence is unusual and yet Iskandar met the people at the university and he had time to form his opinion of them.]

They seem to have a rather relaxed attitude to ...

[Iskandar doesn't finish his sentence. pretty much everything That's what he wanted to say but he simply wasn't able to.

"I never got left alone myself."

It's barely a blink of an eye and he's there, hands sliding around Waver's waist pulling him close, burying his face in those stunning black hair. He doesn't care if anyone sees them or if he startled both of their shinki. He just needs him in his arms right now.]

My love.

[How can he even say it so casually?

If Iskandar regrets anything it's that he wasn't there to protect him. To shield him from the cruelty, the malice and the venom. Steal him away from that horrible place, that den of vipers, that he had to call home for so long. But he doesn't say anything he just holds Waver until his own breathing calms down.
Iskandar suppresses a grown. He doesn't want to worry Waver but there's something wrong here. This place, this city, it keeps him on the edge all damned the time and he doesn't know why.

Then a thought strikes him. Improbable and yet...]

Do you think he's dead? [a pause] or is it possible that he could have been at the compound during the raid?

[hypomeneo]

... to everything?

[Waver's eyes widen as Iskandar crushes him to him and buries his face in his hair, and he can hear Eirene squeaking in surprise to the side and he can feel the dull flicker of that radiating through his bond. W-what was that about? Administrative hassle? He immediately and instinctively wraps his arms around Iskandar protectively, internally flailing and worried about the strength of the reaction.

You mentioned the Clock Tower... he saw the Clock Tower and the rest of Mage Society, and you've seen him reacting to Eirene...

... evil would be an outsider's reaction to taking that all in with fresh eyes. Evil would be the correct reaction. He can only imagine how a man of Iskandar's times took that. There's a swell of bitter rage and pain and he doesn't tramp it down and turn it against himself this time. Not after the fall of Chaldea, because they may have cost humanity everything. Waver's arms tighten, because it really seems like his memories are bleeding into Iskandar.

But.

But, everything is just too off for it to be just that. Off balance.

To everything, he said. That's not right. It smells like magic.]

He very well could be. I don't want to assume at this point. [Waver looks back.] And perhaps. Most cultists were kept in the dark about where all the compounds were for security except the leaders. But there was one that Berserker and I captured that seemed to know more. If he was him, I don't know. He was badly fucked after Berserker took him down. More meat than man at that point.

There were a lot more that got away, though.

[Waver frowns, nestling closer. The compound's charms had been restricted to the area. This is different, if it's magic. A nastier and more sophisticated version of the traps, that affects perception. But maybe meant for humans? So when a god stumbled in...]

You okay?

1/2

[towards_okeanos]

I'm fine!

[But something IS wrong! He hates fighting enemies he cannot see!]