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

[bestsir]

[ There’s a tiny smile at that “well figuratively” and he nods. ]

I will try.

I—forgive me, I find I am troubled by memories that become all too real again in these circumstances. A chance word or gesture, and it is as if I can see King William Island before me again.

[ Well. It’s worse than that, but as much as he’s willing to admit. ]

[11calls]

[Alex just watched him for a moment, and the compassion was etched on her face. She was always expressive in the best of circumstances, and this one definitely didn't count as that. She thought that she could put a name to what he was going through: post traumatic stress syndrome, of course, but she also knew that it wasn't a thing in his time. Attempting to find a Victorian equivalent to it wasn't something that Alex was do, at least without making it possibly sound like a weakness, so she decided to go about this in a different way.]

It sounds like you lived through a terrible experience. I know that sometimes things can be so bad that stick with you even when you're past when and where you were. It sucks, frankly, but it definitely is a thing that happens. [A beat passed, and Alex reached out and put a reassuring hand on his arm.] Do you want to try and see if talking about it helps?

[Oh, all of Alex's reporter senses were on full alert, but now wasn't the time to press. No, it was the exact opposite of that.]

[bestsir]

[ Her compassion nearly brings tears to his eyes; he glances away, but does not withdraw from her hand. Some part of him burns to speak of it all, hoping that to do so would make the pain of the memories subside—but he is too ashamed of himself, too disgusted with his own conduct, and he cannot speak of it. Not yet. ]

Thank you, but—I—

[ He falters, shakes his head. ]

Perhaps in the light of day, far from here, in some comfortable room with a cup of tea or glass of whisky to hand. [ A weak smile; he's trying to joke a little and it's not working. ] But not here, not now, I think.

[11calls]

[Alex understood what he was saying and there was a dark note in her smile of dark humor as she looked around to the assembled hostages and cultists. The same gallows sort of humor was in her voice when she spoke.]

Yeah, we've got enough ghosts hovering around here without adding more of our own making. [and then with a calmer smile because she was quoting someone else and it was the smallest bit like a security blanket Alex added:]

Well, alleged ghosts anyway. But when we get out of here H-- [Alex corrected herself quickly, because it wasn't just Howard's house anymore, it was theirs.]

Our house has an excellent selection of scotch and is good for talking.

[bestsir]

Then I shall be happy to pay you a visit—

[ Goodsir glances up then and sees a cultist with his eye on them. He falls silent and draws back a little from Alex. No point in provoking anyone again. ]