riverviewlogs | exploration mingle: CAPTIVITY

Entry tags:

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

[Alex had been half-asleep. Well, not quite even that deep of it, but her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply, trying to find a place to relax somewhat inside of her head, because she could feel her blood pressure and she knew that didn't go along with a concussion all that well. It wasn't working, of course, but she was doing all of the deep breathing and intense muscle relaxation that her sleep therapist had pressed into her during the months of their sessions. Too bad it didn't work, just like it didn't work at home either.

But the soft sound of someone's praying cut through her racing worried thoughts, and for a minute, Alex was reminded of her mother and church on Sundays and all of the frilly dresses and things that went along with it. Her faith had been lost long ago, at least her faith in the church that her mother believed in, and Alex was an agonistic ever since then. It was just easier that way, even though now her faith in things tended to be in demons and the way that she may or may not have caused the end of the world.

Opening her eyes, Alex looked to the Tether with a little bit of a smile, and she realized that she felt calm for the first time in several hours; the sharp knot in her stomach was slowly loosening into something else.]

Sorry. [Alex's voice was soft.] I didn't mean to disturb you, but it's so pretty. Who are you praying too?

[They stop repeating the words, looking up at Alex. The Tetherer hesitates for a moment, then replies.]

My partner. The Separator.

[They don't think Alex knows they're a god. They deliberately didn't introduce themself to her with their title.]

If she were here, she could Separate this building from the ground and take us all away herself.

[Alex had met a fair amount of people here in Riverview, and she believed all of them that they were what they said they are. While others might have thought that she was being too trusting, Alex preferred to think of it as believing that lying about your identity was a hell of a lot of work, and she wasn't going to think that everyone was faking it. After all, they were kidnapped to a moon--why wouldn't there be people from across the universe who were gods on their home planet. One of her friends, Loki was a god, after all, and she had spent a fair amount of time arguing with someone claiming to be Satan, so she was willing to go along with some faith that Teth was who they said they were.

After all, they had no reason to lie, and it wasn't as if they were even outright and admitting to it.

So she just gave them a soft smile, and she reached over and carefully put her hand on their arm, giving it a squeeze. Her voice is soft and calm and sincere when she speaks.]

I wish she was here to help too. But the people from Riverview, I know that they're going to come and find us. They're not going to let whatever these jerks have happen.

[They look up at Alex at the gentle squeeze, eyes growing wet.]

I hope so. They can-- They made it so my Nature doesn't work. No Tethering. If I could, I'd... I'd take us out of here. I'm sorry. I messed up.

[They should've escaped. They could've warned everyone. They could've Tethered this place to the Quarantine proper, get everyone out in an instant.]

Edited (grammar) 2018-07-02 00:27 (UTC)

[When they were blaming themself, Alex quickly shook her head at them, her eyes worried but filled with compassion. She'd spoken to other people who had the same sort of reaction to the collar around their necks and the fact that it had rendered them powerless. Keeping her voice soft, but full of compassion and a lingering hope, Alex just spoke softly:]

Hey, listen it's not your fault that they had things that can block your abilities, Teth. They stole a part of you, and it's not fair and you don't need to blame yourself for it. The time will come when someone will be able to remove the collar and then you'll be able to help get everyone out. But this isn't your fault. I promise.

[They fall silent, listening to her words. They swallow hard behind the collar, wiping sweat off their brow with a shaking hand.]

It's not that I think it's my fault, I just... should have done better. I was so... unprepared.

[They curl inward, pulling their knees up to their chest.]

I don't think anyone is prepared for something like this, Teth. I mean look at all of the people around us. Soldiers and people who can fight or have abilities are all around us. Other than the actual monsters, we don't expect people to do terrible things like that here. It's not your fault that there are these assholes around.

[Alex moved closer to them before she asked softly:]

Would a hug help at all?

[Her comfort and calm logic actually does help a lot. Despite the Tetherer's normally calm exterior, they're a lot more emotional than a lot of people back home might be aware of. They've been able to cut loose and be a little less on guard here, but... this came as a surprise they could have never expected.

They take a deep breath.]

Yes, [they say in a small voice.]

Okay. [Alex's voice is equally soft, even if there is still the same calmness in it as there was before. Moving slowly so that they didn't get worried that it was some sort of attack or something, Alex wrapped her arms tightly around Teth and just held onto them for a moment, making soothing sounds and adding:]

It's gonna be okay, Teth. I know it.

[As soon as she's holding them, Teth pulls up their arms to cling tightly to her, nodding into her shoulder. When she soothes them, they wipe a few stray tears from their eyes, hoping she doesn't notice.

They whisper into her shoulder.]

Thank you, Alex.

[Alex is just going to ignore their tears, because she hopes it's what someone else would do for her in times like this. Instead, she just hugs them a little more tightly and nods a bit.]

Of course. You're going to get through this. We all are. Our friends are coming. And they're going to be here sooner rather than later.

[They feel a bit foolish, in this moment. They were always meant to be strong, to lead. They were raised to do so. But feeling so helpless pierced them right where it scared them the most. And now they have to be the one comforted, rather than the one doing the comforting.

They set their jaw and pull away, leaving their hands loosely on her shoulders. They try to recover some of their dignity.]

...I'll be strong for you. We'll wait together. And at the first opportunity, I'll transport you out of here.

[Once the collar is gone. They won't be useless forever.]

[When they pull away, Alex just smiled at them, and then gave a little nod of encouragement for a second before she added:]

I'll be fine, Teth. When you get your collar off, you get someone who needs it more than me out, okay? One of the kids. I can handle myself.

[Alex meant it, there's no doubt of it. The kids will always need help before she does, and she can handle a little more fighting if she needed to.]

It doesn't have to work one at a time. Once the Tether is up, it's up. It can transport anyone.

[She could leave, and so could any of the kids.]

[Alex just nods at them and gives them a quick smile.]

Good. As soon as things start to happen and there's someone here who can take these off, I'll make sure to drag them over to you, Teth.

Thank you, Alex. For helping me.

[In multiple ways.]

Of course, Teth. Always, okay?

[Alex means it, as she smiles at them easily. She's glad to help where she can.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

exploration mingle: CAPTIVITY

i

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject