exploration mingle: CAPTIVITY

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: exploration mingle: rescue mission!
when: June 15 - August 15
where: The River Structure
warnings: violence and/or torture; please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

captivity

One of the major and most highly-valued cultural concepts in Riverview is that of exploration, expansion. Especially now that, with the recent influx of new arrivals, as the portal kicks into high gear for reasons not entirely known, the Inhabited City, already comfortably full, is rapidly becoming overpopulated. With all the refugees from other worlds pouring in from day to day, the city's safe space and resources are being taxed to their breaking point.

Right now, exploration and expansion is key, and each month, the government has decided to focus on a particular objective, in order to unite citizens in expanding, securing, and supplying the city for everyone's benefit.

the story so far

Exploration & Expansion Progress Report ● The Guardians of the Deep ● What Lies Beneath ● Plotting & Questions

After some serious flooding at the banks of the river, the cause was discovered to be the Guardians of the Deep, creatures protecting a circular labyrinthine structure underneath the river. Residents of the city explored and mapped the structure, and dealt with a good portion of the traps and other dangers, until they found a little piece of history in the Central Chamber of the structure, revealing that it was inhabited by the first people to live on the moon.

While this news has been exciting scholars and historians in the city, something a little more pressing has been bothering the average citizen - an ever-increasing number of missing persons. People have simply been disappearing all over the city, and only now are residents starting to realize why...

how it works

● Phases: Each prompt is a different phase of the operation. Characters may partake in whichever part of the operation they choose, whether it is a large and prominent part, or a more of a backseat or support role. Characters may participate in as many phases as they wish.

● Completion: When next month's exploration mingle goes up, the mission featured on this exploration mingle will be considered complete, and game canon, providing the entry has 200+ comments on it.

● Entry Reward: The reward for completion of this month's exploration objective will be...well, the safe return of everyone who was kidnapped. And some sweet hurt/comfort.

● IMPORTANT NOTE: Having observed how the pacing of exploration mingles has been going and how they are tagged, I have noticed that posting one exploration mingle each month has been a little hectic, both plotwise and for me as a mod (writing three mingles a month has been tough!). I have decided to space them out a bit further, and post an exploration mingle once every two months, starting with this one - the next exploration mingle will be posted in August!

phase i: the abducted

People don't simply go missing, they don't disappear into thin air, they have to be somewhere. And while those who are missing people keep frantically searching, those who have been kidnapped are the only ones besides the kidnappers who do know where they are.

Abducted by a group who have taken up residence in the structure under the city after last month's exploration died down, the missing are trapped in the Central Chamber, in fear of the kidnappers. Their abductors are a group of people that is starting to slowly take on cultist tendencies, believing that the remaining spirits of the First People still live in the structure, that it is a temple, and that those First People need offerings of host bodies to inhabit so they can return and bring their wisdom and magic back to the moon. Things are getting a little hairy - there's no agreement among the kidnappers as to how 'intact' the host bodies have to be and whether or not the sacrifice is in the form of alive or dead captives. Even worse, some of the kidnappers are only with the group to enjoy having power over others and using it to hurt them.

Captives are held in the Central Chamber of the structure, with next to no amenities. Blankets, food, water, and other necessities are in short supply, and they are kept huddled together, constantly guarded and either restrained, wearing or in the presence of a power suppressor to keep them subdued. But the captives haven't lost hope - they are working on getting a message out, finding a way to contact the outside world so their loved ones can rescue them...

This prompt is to play out interactions among the captives before they are rescued, and may include violence or other character suffering. It is also to enact plotted plans for the abductees to find connections with the outside world to summon help.

phase ii: distraction and infiltration

Once would-be rescuers become aware of where the captives are being held, they start making plans to rescue them - whether someone they love has been taken, they're just a good person, or they just want to feel like a big damn hero, there are lots of people willing to take the plunge and jump into the rescue. But the cult group has been in control of the structure for a while now, they definitely have the home team advantage. They know the lay of the land and where the traps are, and have used some of them to their own advantage.

It's not going to be as easy as storming the castle.

There are two parts to this phase of the rescue: a distraction and an infiltration. Distractions are planned to draw as many of the kidnappers away from the hostages being held in the Central Chamber as possible, while those who are stealthily infiltrating will try to find another entrance into the chamber so they can surprise and surround the remaining kidnappers.

This prompt is to play out any plans for distraction and infiltration. If you have plotted something out on the plotting post, feel free to post up a header for specific groups for threading rather than an individual character top-level.

phase iii: the brawl and after

Distractions only last so long, unfortunately, and so eventually the whole thing is going to break down into a big fight. Rescuers versus kidnappers, on the kidnappers' home turf, and surrounded by traps left over from the First People, while pieces of stationary tech throw out auras and waves of power suppression. It's going to be a doozy of a fight, so prepare for an epic throwdown!

And once the dust settles, there's going to be a lot of injuries to tend to, a lot of people traumatized and hurt and frightened. A lot of hungry, suffering people will need to be transported out, given medical care, and brought supplies.

This prompt is to play out the final fight between the kidnapping cult and the rescuers, as well as anything in the aftermath of the fight.

phase iv: wildcard

Have an idea for a mission-adjacent plot, or want to make up an unexpected plot twist or problem and solve it with your character? Just write up a starter, and don't forget to give yourself props by submitting it for the Progress Report.

navigation
[Asterion - Environment Art: Ariadne's Forest by Nicolas Mendoza]

Comments

Jyushimatsu Matsuno | Osomatsu-san

[yakyuuman]

phase ii. the infiltration;

[ Jyushimatsu is not that inclined to think up strategies when he's not playing a game of mahjong. It's not because he almost never uses his brain and acts solely on instinct for the sake of unrestrained fun, but right now there is no space in his mind for planning and mumbling when Osomatsu and Ichimatsu are probably suffering at the hands of those asshole cultists. He's a man of pure action, using his body as a whole to get things done, and if his bloodshot eyes are of any indication he's practically itching to get his hands on the shitheads who swept his brothers from under his and Karamatsu's noses.

It would be nice to think he's following the group of brave heroes into this mission as a good hearted wish to free the poor citizens held hostage by the cultists, but he's by no means a selfless person. The safety of his family is the only thing running through his head at this moment. He and his five brothers have gone through so much, fought each other an unholy amount of times, beat each other into unrecognizable pulp, ruined each other's chances to get out of their NEETdom life. And yet, those shitty siblings are still his family, and you don't fucking touch his family if you're not ready to receive harsh consequences.

He stole two wooden bats from the baseball stadium and planted nails on them, aiming to hurt the enemies as much as he can without necessarily killing them, even though the temptation to do so tingles him oh so dangerously.

No matter what Karamatsu has decided to do, Jyushimatsu will be among those tasked to infiltrate the place. The urge to act alone is there and nagging at him, but his mind is not warped enough to not understand that they need to carefully stick with the plan. Fortunately for the others, he's malleable when it comes to taking orders; he's aware that his teammates are more knowledgeable than he is, so he will follow obediently. But if a cultist pops on sight, there's no guarantee he won't jump at the chance. Handle this beast with caution, guys. ]

phase iii A. the brawl;

[ It's like he can no longer control his body when he fights.

A glance towards his captive brothers was enough to pop the lid and throw any drop of lucidity left in him to the bushes. Those cultists may have the advantage with their superpowers, but Jyushimatsu got into fights throughout his life, since he was a child and his brothers were one single item with him. He knows where to strike if he wants to knock a guy out, and his stamina levels are pretty high considering he trained nonstop for years. He can take quite a bit of damage before he goes down. Don't underestimate a NEET with a lot of time on his hands.

He'd still need some assistance, however, and whenever he's in a pinch he'll trust his teammates to help him out of it somehow. ]

phase iii B. the aftermath;

[ When the whirlwind of events calms down and the hostages are being escorted to safety, Jyushimatsu is almost entirely covered in blood, half of which is not his own. His bats have also been destroyed during the conflict. Regardless of that, the smile that once looked threatening on his face has relaxed and he looks as happy as ever, checking on his brothers first and foremost and fussing over any injury they might have sustained - as if he hasn't been roughed up worse than them. Things are still not okay, but the fact Osomatsu and Ichimatsu are now within his range is still great enough for him.

He's available amongst the crowd some time later, rescuers and ex-abductees aline, but especially for those who might want to run a check-up on him. His head is literally dripping blood due to multiple blunt traumas, and he's got scratches and burns on his face and all over the rest of his body. He really didn't hold back, but even so, his smile is larger than ever now that the worst is over and done with! ]

phase iv. the wildcard;

[ If there's anything unrelated to the prompts you'd like to play out with me, please let me know! My plurk gaiamemories is open for anything and anyone! ]

phase iii, A

[hellshot]

[He's never had any time for cultists. People following a blind goal, hiveminded individuals with no real care for life--even while he was alive he couldn't damn well stand them.

So it wouldn't come to any surprise that when he found out that the very minute list of individuals he actually gave a damn about had gone missing? He'd gone years in space now without breaking out into violence.

Really, he should be congratulated.
He still hadn't seen hide nor hair of the same-faced brothers he was looking for, but when the barrel of his gun comes face-to-face with the savage expression that Jyushimatsu holds, the smoking, ethereal-looking masked man takes pause.

Three, he can remember. They're all the same, but somehow different.

This one...]

...You're going to run yourself out of gas like that, brat. [He doesn't recognize this one.]
But maybe it should also be thought that going so long without true combat would make the hand of Death rusty. Should. But little could be said in that way with how Reyes' guns easily rip through any who might attempt to throw themselves in his way.

[yakyuuman]

[ So, all Jyushimatsu can tell in the midst of this mess is that there's this dude wearing a cool mask who's gunning down the bad guys like it's no serious business, and Jyushimatsu would normally stop his onslaught and stare in admiration at such skillful power, going sparkly eyed and shit like that.

But Jyushimatsu is also the sort of man with a one-track mind. Once he's set on a mission to finish something, he will finish it. Details like the shounen-like raw power of his teammates have little relevance when the wellbeing of his brothers are put at risk.

However, he can't ignore what the masked guy told him. After all, he's helping him out and Jyushimatsu appreciates it! He replies after shattering a cultist's nose with the tip of his bat. ]

No worries! I've still got plenty gas in me! If things get pinch-y, I'm gonna unleash my Fart Rush!

[ Yes, he said Fart Rush. Yes, it's one of his secret techniques. No, you might not want him to use it. ]