riverviewlogs | exploration mingle: CAPTIVITY

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]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Dorian would like to escape. But for one . . . they took his leg. And parts of his arm. So for the most part, he has propped himself up and encouraged the infiltrators to take other people first. After all, if the kidnappers get mad at him . . . it's not like it'll hurt. Pain isn't really a function for a robot to have.

So Dorian jauntily waves at Finn as he sneaks in. ]

[ Okay, shoutout to the sheer intensity of the panic Finn feels during the long few seconds it takes him to remember Dorian is not a human. Just a straight journey from being relieved to see someone he knows alive to oh my god what the hell. Because it is real and it is potent as hell, and even after his brain catches up with him...

Yeah, he's still pretty worried about this turn in events. Finn's not a big swearer, but a really great word to cover all the bases as he gets closer is shit. ]

Are you okay?

[ Dorian blinks, baffled. ]

Of course. I'm merely impeded.

Oh, well if that's all! [ HE DOESN'T HAVE THIS IN HIM.

That's a lie, he's got this in him. BUT STILL. ]

Come on, let's get you out of here before someone decides you could do with more impeding. [ Finn moves to help him get onto his, uh. Foot. ] Don't suppose you know where they left the rest of you? We'll probably get it on our last sweep if you don't.

[ Dorian is still baffled by the concern, but okay. ]

I can track them down. They're not too far from here.

Good to hear some good news.

[ And it is, really. There's nothing not nice about the whole "Dorian won't be stuck missing parts for longer than necessary" concept. On a day like today, the smaller victories go pretty far. ]

Which way are they?

[ Bright blue lines flicker on Dorian's face before he replies. ]

It's further down that path, to the right. I think they collected a lot of people's belongings in there.

[ He spares a thought to hope the blue lines are just a processing thing. Because as much as he doesn't know more than really basic battlefield aid (ie tie something off or slap on a bandage and get back up), it's probably ten times more relevant right now that he's not a mechanic by any means whatsoever.

Finn is pretty sure Dorian's the kind of guy who would straight up say "I'm dying" if things were going really wrong, though. There's a weird comfort in that as he follow's Dorian's directions. ]

Belongings sounds a lot better than collecting body parts. [ He appreciates it. Either that Dorian put it that way or that these cultists don't seem like the type to have a chamber full of arms. ] I'm-- sure we're gonna have you back together in no time.

[ Dorian smiles, not perturbed. As long as his cranial functions and parts were undamaged, losing an arm and a leg doesn't bother him much. ]

Of course. There are plenty of mechanics who will help me out.

Exactly. I've got a couple of friends who are really good with tech, so let me know if you need help tracking anyone down for that.

[ He pulls up short at the entrance to the aforementioned chamber on the right. ]

This the place?

[ It takes him less than a second. ]

That's the place.

[ He cocks his head, listening to the sounds around him. ]

They seem to be in working shape.

[ You know what. Working shape is enough to get a smile out of Finn right now. Everything went better than expected. Regarding Dorian's actual limbs that he uses to live. ]

Good. Great. [ And in they triumphantly hobble. Heroes. ] If you can point me in the right direction, we can probably bring those out with you. Save you some time later.

[ I'm sorry Dorian is so casual about the loss of body parts. The only injuries he really cares about are cranial ones. Those make him fussy. ]

Are you sure? I can get someone else to do it.

Or, barring that, try it one-handed.

[ Honestly it's probably better that he's so chill. Finn's never chill, but his level of not-chill is proportionate to Dorian's about this. If Dorian were freaking out, they might not get anything done. ]

I'm sure. We're already here, we might as well take care of it.

If you're sure.

Is there anyone else you're looking for?

I'm looking for a few people. But they can all take care of themselves for a few minutes. [ A beat. ] If they can't, there are enough teams in here to handle it.

Are you sure? If you need to look for someone else, it's fine.

[ Dorian's priority is always people before himself. ]

Look, if I thought someone needed me more right now, I'd be headed their way already. It's fine, Dorian. We brought plenty of people with plenty of weapons.

All right.

[ He inclines his head. ]

Thanks, Finn.

exploration mingle: CAPTIVITY

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