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

[scholiast]

(It's just too much yelling. Lucretia forces herself to sit up a little, rubbing her tired eyes. Seems like a little kip is out of the question now that Magnus is here. A shame, but she won't begrudge it, because he does sound genuinely anxious.)

No, I'm fine– and you're fine. We're both fine.

(These are facts. She looks at him wearily.)

I thought I'd wait out here for– um... (she pauses for a moment, making a confused little gesture with her hand. It's kind of hard to string together a coherent thought right now!) Lup was blowing everything up and I ran out of spell slots, so I came here. Was Taako a dinosaur? Or did I dream that?

[armcollector]

Taako was definitely a dinosaur. The dinosaur's name is Dupree. He's great company when he's not eating people.

[A beat.]

That's a lie, he only exists when he's eating people.

[He settles down and takes a seat next to her, letting out a long sigh. No wonder she's tired. He's tired, too. He gently leans over and rests his head against hers.]

[scholiast]

Ohhhh okay.

(Maybe this is very obviously going in one ear and out of the other again but that's fine. Lucretia thinks that, considering the current circumstances, this negligence can be forgiven. Magnus' big head is warm propped up against hers. For comfort, she links her arm through his before she closes her eyes.)

I want to sleep for a week, and then eat for a week. And then sleep for another week. Do you think I can put a notice in for time off work on such short notice?

[armcollector]

Dude, you got kidnapped. I'm pretty sure that's like, "I'm in the hospital and also I'm dying" levels of okay to take off work.

[Ugh. Work. That reminds him with a groan, as he leans back against the tree beside her, getting settled against Lucretia and closing his eyes as well.]

I haven't worked on anything since you guys started disappearing. I'm so behiiiiiind.

[scholiast]

A solid point.

(This is nice. She feels safe with Magnus next to her, even if the both of them are intending to have a quick nap. Or at least Lucretia is. When she next speaks, her voice is much quieter.)

Do you have any plans in the works? Tell me about them.

[armcollector]

Uh...

[Magnus feels his voice lower to a murmur, talking mostly as background noise as the two of them let exhaustion overtake them.]

Someone asked for a desk, and their only request on wood is a dark colored wood, so... I was gonna try and suggest Purpleheart, since I haven't been able to work with it that much, not for a long time anyway. The color's really good, and it's interesting to work with. It's nice having access to a lot of different wood again.

[scholiast]

Mm hmm.

(This right here is the good stuff. What even is Purpleheart? Lucretia doesn't know. She doesn't have to know either, not in this moment. She can doze to the sound of Magnus' voice, quiet and reassuring. Reminds her of times she found herself exhausted yet sleepless during the cycle after the one she spent alone, stuck in her head, too anxious to close her eyes. She could go to any of them and they'd talk at her until she nodded off, knowing she was safe in the presence of another.

Lucretia's head lolls a little to the side, though her arm remains steadily linked with Magnus' even as she drifts off..)