spoofer: (piano)
Xistentia: Mod ([personal profile] spoofer) wrote in [community profile] xistentia2017-06-24 05:42 pm

Crash Log #1 & Will-o'-Wisp Mini-Event

Characters: Second wave of Xistentia arrivals, greeters/rescuers
Summary: The second wave of characters arrive in Xistentia unexpectedly early... only to face an unexpected threat. D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.'s multiversal attack is disrupting the energy flow, causing a very unusual stampede— of will-o'-wisps, that lure travelers off their path with thoughts. It's up to the residents of Xistentia to help the newcomers!
Date(s): Mid-June 2017
Warnings/Notes: Coercive magic, collisions, moderate injury, dystopian themes

Wisp Mini-Event & Crash #2
Wish you were here. Love comes in waves
A WARNING FROM DAEMONS


Early in the morning, the glow of light to the East, where F.A.T.E.S. resides, begins to turn red in warning. Seconds later, all of the daemons begin to project the same message to their owners. The alarm continues to repeat until the characters acknowledge.
F.A.T.E.S. WARNING SYSTEM

Threat Assessment: Mild
Phenomenon Type: Native Creature Behavior
Predicted Duration: 24 hours

Due to the cosmic energy disruptions by D.E.S.T.I.N.Y., will-o'-wisps are engaging in unusual migratory activity. Residents are advised to remain in the city, or be on-guard against a low level of psychic influence. Wisps feed by creating visual, auditory, and olfactory illusions based on the viewer's needs and temptation. Individuals in compromised emotional states are more susceptible.

The migration will be complete in 24 hours.

It seems straightforward enough. But as dusk begins to fall, the distant sounds of crashing and outcry come from the beach once again. It's familiar-- the first wave of Xistentia residents arrived the exact same way only 2 weeks ago. They're going to need your help.
CRASH LAND INTO ME

For the second wave of Xistentia arrivals, the day is not nearly as ordinary.

Exit one dimension, enter the next. It was chaos: pressure against your ears, light bending in an impossible, unimaginable way. The very molecules of your body vibrating against one another. If you have windows, the view outside makes no sense. Even if not, your hands, your face, your feet seem like an uncertain thing. It's the feel of reality itself tearing apart, reshaping, reconnecting, thread by thread.

And suddenly, there's a beach— or ocean, whichever you land in. Smoke. Fire. Salt water churning up, fizzing around. It's dark— you've arrived at nightfall.

Maybe you crash, in a ship wrecking into sand. Maybe you merely stumble out of a portal, a ragged wormhole in space. Or maybe you fall off the back of an incredible steed, some creature that carried you into this place. Either way, there's pandemonium around you. Incredibly, severe injuries are far and few between— nobody's screaming about the dead. But you might have to help pull someone free of wreckage, or move quickly to salvage burning belongings from the landing craft. Maybe it's the crafts themselves, that you're trying to salvage.

Likely, you don't know them, these other strangers who arrived here[1]. Maybe you don't trust them— you just came out of a dying world, after all. But you all have one thing in common: you're here now.

When you get a second to breathe, the danger doesn't end... because that's when the wisps come.



At first, they're just a stream of pretty lights. Like fireflies, except that their illumination holds steady as they float through empty air. It's helpful for those of us who don't have night vision. However, as the minutes wear on, the terror and stress of the day starts to change to longing. And then the illusions begin. Voices of lost loved ones calling out, or flickers of familiar figures in the distance. The scent of burgers or cinnamon cake floating through the trees.

Maybe the ones you lost aren't lost after all. Maybe there's dessert out there. Isn't it tempting to follow? But watch your step-- there are ditches, fast-flowing rivers, and sleeping trolls you might run across. The wisps are impervious to these dangers, but you likely are not.
SAVE THEIR SOULS

As rescuers venture into the forests, the wisps' illusions change to accommodate the wishes and fears of the new intruders. Each person sees their own illusion, blind to the experiences of others. However, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Resistance from the psychic intrusion is far easier when you know what you're dealing with. Still, that doesn't mean that persuading a traumatized apocalypse survivor is easy. They've been through a lot, and if you're claiming that they're seeing things that aren't there, who's to say you aren't imaginary, yourself?



And the trolls get cranky when their sleep is disturbed.

By morning, however, the wisps have cleared and the other creatures of Xistentia are off on their business. Maybe that's when you choose to come out and help, to find new refugees sleeping in trees, thickets, beach-wrecked fuselage, and other places they had found sanctuary for the night.
WELCOME TO THE CITY

The second wave of arrivals comes into a city that is very different from the one that the first refugees did. Sure, there are still animals and overgrown trees intruding in many buildings and streets— but the center looks very civilized now. Eight full city blocks where the hedges are groomed and the building facades are clean and orderly.


There are a number of fully operational businesses, including restaurants and a tailor. Agriculture is taking off gradually, albeit in a disorganized fashion, thanks to the fact most of the people involved are amateurs. Street lights, the beacons that sense character interactions, are fully operational throughout the day-- likewise, most of the city's functions work just fine now, including indoor lights, plumbing, electricity, etc. Cable isn't great, though. Depending on how badly your encounter with the Wisps was, you may also get acquainted with the hospital. It still looks shabby and moss-eaten, but its glowing recovery enhancement beds work very well. Better bring someone with you, though!
Current Sentient Population
of Xistentia:
222


We now have Instagram!
There's a lot to explore, if you're into that. The two most prominent landmarks are the Central Citadel that overlooks the sea to the West, and the Temple on the Eastern edge of the forest. The former has a bar and lounge, and an oddly self-replenishing availability of liquor, as well as a variety of defunct audotitoriums, bedrooms and technology laboratories. The latter contains strange stone artefacts that blur the line between magic and technology, but are largely unresponsive to touch. The only exception is one sleek screen, black and shiny as volcano glass: an amenities request interface. Tell F.A.T.E.S. what you need.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

hells yeah



Footnotes
  1. Some of these can be nameless, plot-device NPCs to facilitate interactions! But even in this case, please avoid gore in describing their current state of being. Anyone dead or catastrophically injured will have disappeared by the time your characters make it to Xistentia. There are no corpses or dying here.

  2. But like OOCly ask permission ofc.
poenitudo: (relaxed it's not common)

Jaden Cosgrove | Original Character | OTA (cw for gruesome injury)

[personal profile] poenitudo 2017-06-25 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I. Crash.

[ Blood and fire. It felt like home, in the very, very worst way. He went through the portal without thinking, without hesitating - with the world quaking under his feet, hesitation would have meant ending up crushed under a building. But he dropped right into the ocean, which he didn't expect; portals to the Other World were always solid, not unstable like this one had felt.

When he gets to the beach, feeling scraped raw from the impact of the ocean, he can tell he isn't where he was supposed to be. This isn't the Other World; even in the darkness, he has an incredible sense of being displaced. Nothing here feels like it should, and Jaden falls to his knees, the water still lapping at his feet, his clothes hanging heavy over him.

He doesn't spot the little moon-like shape that comes zipping towards him, making happy little robotic noises. ]


Where the hell am I?

[ Xistentia, the little moon says. Jaden spits out blood in the sand. ]


II. Wisps.

[ Somehow, he makes it to the forest, dragging his feet, tiredness making everything difficult, heavier. He doesn't even realize he's been following the wisps until it's too late, and he looks around only to find himself surrounded by them, beautiful and eerie. He reaches out to one, helpless to resist, but movement in a nearby shrub startles him, making him turn. ]

Who's here?

[ His mouth falls open on a silent gasp at the voice that echoes around, like a rush of wind that makes him spin around wildly for the source. Let's play catch! it says, giggly and happy, followed by the thump of small footsteps. ]

Cody? Cody!

[ Jaden follows the footsteps helplessly, taking off into a run as he tries to catch up. Cody is here, Cody is alive, did this place save his little brother? He runs, and runs, Cody's voice tantalizing.

He's not looking at his feet. He's not looking at the ground. He entirely misses the ditch - a ten-foot drop he falls into at full speed, turning over to his back. So he doesn't see, either, the branch sticking out from the dirt like a spike or the fallen tree it belongs to, lying in the bottom of the ditch.

But he feels it, when it pierces through his thigh, a scream tearing through his throat as it does. ]


III. City.

[ Jaden ends up in the hospital. He wakes up, disoriented and thirsty, but his leg is fine - due to his own regenerative powers, or the recovery bed, he isn't sure.

One thing is for sure, though, is that he doesn't expect any visitors... ]


Maybe I should just make myself a home here...


IV. Wild.

[ Hit me up with anything! Will match brackets or prose! ]
helical: (178)

alec lightwood, shadowhunters, ota

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-25 06:08 pm (UTC)(link)
I. CRASH — Facilis descensus Averno

[ this might be the least pleasant portalling experience of alec's life. he'd gotten used to the nausea and the oddness of traveling through them, but this is something else. it's like being pulled apart and put back together, and he has no time to recover from the nausea when he finally lands — face down into sand and water, inhaling, coughing water and sand out of his lungs. he's soaked through, as if he'd been swimming to shore, but he can't remember doing as much.

lifting himself up on shaking arms, he squints out into the gloom. he can taste blood, probably from a scrape on his face somewhere, but he can't be bothered to check or heal himself. he's afraid, and not for himself. ]


Magnus? Clary? [ it's dark, and there are noises of others, as lost and confused as he is. he coughs again, a wheeze, spitting to clear the sand and water from his mouth, his lungs burning and his clothes clinging to him uncomfortably.

then he pushes off his feet, reaches inside his jacket to take out his witchlight and starts heading toward shadows and shapes, saying magnus' and clary's names in the hopes he'll hear one of them call back to him.

hoping they didn't crash in the middle of this river or lake or ocean or whatever it is.

in the meantime, feel free to call him over for help, or to ask for him to shine light on something — as harried as he is to find his family, he won't ignore anyone injured or requiring assistance. ]


II. WISPS — Pulvis et umbra sumus

[ he's not sure why he keeps getting whiffs of his mother's perfume, the one she used to wear when he was a child. or why he can smell izzy's too, at intervals, as if coming through from the trees. he keeps walking, head down, hand on the handle of his seraph blade strapped to this thigh. he doesn't trust what he can smell, isn't sure he can trust what he sees. is it really a forest? is that an illusion, as the smells must be?

there's the crack of a branch and the rustling of leaves, and alec whips around, hand leaving the blade to get his bow instead. someone walks by, and alec turns in time to feel his stomach sink at the sight. for just a moment, it looked like jocelyn. ]


Who's there? [ he tries to follow, stepping carefully onto the forest floor, nocking an arrow and keeping aim. he ignores the thudding of his heart telling him he found his way into hell, somehow, and he's seeing a punishment for his deeds. he's forgotten that the smell of perfume from earlier was associated with good memories. he's forgotten anything but following the shadow passing through the trees. ]


III. CITY — AB ORDINE LIBERTAS

[ wandering around the citadel had been curiosity, at first, until he'd found one of the situation rooms. it's covered in vines and and leaves, but whenever alec pushes some aside, he finds a fully functional screen. it looks like the screens of the institute back home. not quite the same, but serving a similar purpose.

it might be good to take a closer look. to see if this can help them protect the city. he hears someone approach, and without sparing them a glance, busy gently removing a vine stuck right across a screen, speaks: ]


Think we could clean this place up? [ he peers at the screen now that it's clearer, almost talking to himself. ] Looks like we could keep a better eye on any intruders using these.


IV. WILDCARD

[ choose your own adventure! prompt with anything else you'd like or hit me up to plot something. ]
Edited 2017-06-25 18:12 (UTC)
lacquers: (i had to figure out the downworld)

magnus bane, shadowhunters, ota.

[personal profile] lacquers 2017-06-25 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
a. guide to landing gracefully in a new world.

[ Magnus went into the portal thinking of somewhere a lot more pleasant and a lot less waterlogged than where he ended up. It's a little bit of a shock to the system, first awareness coming in the form of landing knee deep in salty water and blinking into the dark. There's a split second where the most visible thing about him are a pair of golden eyes, but that's soon replaced by a handful of magic. Blue flame that's going to have to suffice for light, at least for a little while.

His whole head is full of two thoughts: Alec and Clary. Before he's even settled with both feet on the ground, he's already looking for them, casting his eye around the area and calling their names into the dark. If the first, second, fifth, or tenth person he finds isn't one of the two he's seeking, but any among those number are injured, he'll stop for a moment or two in order to help. You might be one of those people and if you're willing, he'll use a little magic to heal you.

It might be that he asks if you've seen a man, tall (taller than him, he says, and indicates with his hand), with dark hair and hazel eyes. No? What about a young woman, bright red hair, both of them bearing what look like so many tattoos all over their bodies? He looks around while asking, as if hoping they'll appear. More than anything, he needs to find them.

Quickly. ]


b. careful what you wisp for.

[ Should you run into Magnus at some point after the wisps appear, he will be only too quick to advise steering clear of them. ] I think it goes without saying that caution is our friend here, [ he observes, looking in the direction of whomever might be nearest. His brow's furrowed in a way that would seem to indicate he's not super thrilled about the situation. ]

[ That may not be possible in the long run though. Being aware of danger everywhere doesn't mean you're aware of every danger all the time. Even Magnus might be spotted shaking his head or closing his eyes for a moment to try and clear whatever illusory sensation happens to be creeping into his periphery at the moment. You might catch him humming softly under his breath or pausing in the middle of the path to look around at nothing in particular.

But, if not, he might also be around to witness someone else becoming ensnared. In which case, ]
Whatever you're seeing, it's not real. [ His voice is gentle, but firm. ]


c. what you can see.

[ Arriving in the city means there's some reprieve from wisps and temporary jaunts into the past and trekking through unknown wilderness on a new world, sure. But it doesn't mean everything is suddenly hunky dory. You wouldn't know it to see Magnus now though. He seems pretty pleased to be out of the woods. Literally.

Anyone who runs into him can wonder at how a man who just crash-landed on a new world and then took a trek through goodness-only-knows comes out the other end looking so impeccably groomed. Never mind that he now wants to take a twelve-hour power nap. Preferably in a soft bed. ]
I wonder who we see about accommodations. [ It's possible he's not addressing this to anyone in particular, but maybe it's that giant butterfly fluttering around his head. Could be, right? ]
hasitsthorns: (Tʜᴇ sᴜɴ ɪᴛ ʀɪsᴇs sʟᴏᴡʟʏ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀʟᴋ)

II

[personal profile] hasitsthorns 2017-06-25 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Assisting the people who had crash landed was something that helped Rose feel like she was contributing to this growing community. (They even had Instagram now!) Though admittedly hesitant at the mention of the will-o'-wisps - she has experience with the little buggers and their mind tricks - she pushes it aside and sets off running for the beach with her pack of dogs in tow.

Cutting through the forest to the beach is the quickest route, but she gets stopped in her tracks by that pained scream. Her dogs hear it, too, ears perking up at the sound and a couple even throwing their heads back and howling in response.
] C'mon, boys, [ she whispers, eyes glowing in the half-light of the wisps illuminating the way.

The acrid smell of blood is one she'll always be able to pinpoint. Something about the predator in her, she's sure, and also having spent so much time with it on her her hands or her person. Either way, it's not a good smell and definitely worrying.
Apollod stops her from making the same mistake at Jaden by blocking her way before she can walk right off slope into the ditch too.

She spots him then with the sharp end of a tree branch spearing his thigh. That's the blood she had caught on the air, that her dogs are notably anxious over.
] Hold on, dude, [ she calls out, before hopping over her pup and essentially power-sliding her way down the side of the ditch. The dogs follow - a bit more carefully, even if Apollod still manages to fumble and roll - and hang on the fringes of this scene. ]

Okay, so, good news. I'm here to help! Bad news: getting you out of this mess is going to hurt. A fucking lot.
helical: (192)

i

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-26 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ alec hears jaden by the water and approaches with his witchlight in hand, lifting it to create more light around them. there's a moon floating around him, and he wonders if it's the same version of the snow leopard that was tailing him until he told it to wait for him somewhere, before it tripped him.

that's not his most urgent question, though. ]


Are you injured? [ he looks over his shoulder, back to jaden. he can't tell if he's hurt. it's too dark, his clothes too wet. ] I can take you to someone who can heal you if you are.
helical: (268)

a

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-26 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ alec was getting more and more concerned, the fear settling in his chest like a needle bring driven in, inch by inch. magnus and clary could be anywhere. what if they'd been thrown into another place, the portal having broken in the process of the transportation? what if that was why it had felt so off?

he can't let himself think that way. he needs to keep looking. as he trudges through the sand, he wipes at the cut on his cheek, runs a hand to rid himself of the sand stuck to his face.

when the hand falls away, he spots a flicker of blue in the distance, a familiar shade, a familiar movement to it. hope sparks as hones in on the light, hurrying toward it. he calls magnus' name again, but his voice croaks, the sound barely carrying at all. it has to be him, right? he knows how his magic looks like the back of his own hand by now. he would recognize it anywhere. but blind hope can be dangerous. part of him wants to be cautious, say it could be another warlock, but the rest of him has to believe it's his husband so he can keep taking steps forward.

he gets closer, close enough to see the person is kneeling. he moves faster now, nearly at a run, until relief floods him. it's magnus, seemingly whole, kneeling in the sand. something wound so tight he could hardly breathe disappears, concern and worry and terror replaced with this brighter knowledge that things are going to be okay.

alec he says his name again, but it's more like a gasp than anything; he stumbles closer, collapsing on his knees next to him. ]


Magnus — [ a hand touches magnus' shoulder, his arm, fluttering along to his chest and then to cup his face. ] Are you okay? I was starting to think — [ nevermind that. he shakes his head, kisses magnus' forehead, right over that mark, lingering there a moment. just breathing in. it feels too soon to have feared for his husband's life again. his heart is thudding in his chest and his hands may be trembling, arms shaking with adrenaline. magnus is alive, and well enough to use his magic.

next, they'll find clary.

for now: magnus is alive. it's all alec can focus on. ]
lacquers: (i was terrified)

[personal profile] lacquers 2017-06-26 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ If Magnus weren't focusing on healing minor injuries and reiterating his descriptions of Alec and Clary and basically just putting one foot in front of the other, he might be going slightly squirrely right now. Worry threatens to eat him alive from the inside out, but he puts his attention elsewhere as much as possible.

That is, until his body reminds him that he's just traveled through an inter-dimensional portal of some as-yet undetermined character, after opening one of his own, but before the celebratory lunch he had in mind to share with his husband for reasons he can't even properly think about right now. Either that or it's the only thing he can think. Alec is okay, he has to be okay. He's here somewhere. Nothing happened to him, it couldn't have.

Alec is...

Yes. He's okay. (Magnus will just rest a moment here with that thought. He's okay.)

And then he really is okay, because somehow he's right there. Magnus is stunned into speechlessness for a second, mutely watching with jaw somewhat slack as Alec falls to his knees and then Alec's speaking and nothing's every sounded better.

His hands rise, finding no destination in particular and landing on Alec's forearms as a result, steadying himself there. Wordlessly, he nods in response to the question, making just enough distance that he can look Alec in the eye. Yes, he's fine. Of course he's fine. Alec's here, so... so he's fine now. He stares into the half-light, magic still illuminating his hand. His brow furrows. There are about ten thousand things he could focus on, but just as soon as he's found some steadiness by leaning on Alec, he's moving his hands again. The one that's lit by magic rises near the side of Alec's face, the other tracing a feather-light touch over the area just below the cut there. ]


You're hurt, Alexander. [ He doesn't realize it, but he's shaking too, the fire in his hand flickering slightly. Quickly, his eye wanders over the rest of Alec's body. Trying to discern if there are other injuries. Already summoning energy to heal the first. When he raises his head to look at Alec again, both hands are gently alight. ] I haven't found Clary yet. I've been looking-- nothing so far.

[ Ten thousand things he could focus on. Nigh impossible to get his brain to stop its litany of he's okay, he's okay. ]
locoparentis: (Declan - are you stupid)

ii

[personal profile] locoparentis 2017-06-26 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
[Declan is smarter than this. He's smarter than to wander out into something like this, but then he thought that he might be smarter than that, but Ronan, who is led by his temper and rarely by his brain, isn't. Remaind is with him, whispering about the dangers, and Ronan, impervious (not true) to the magic of lights (not impervious, simply exposed, it was a dream that invaded the Barns when they were children and when they returned, and Declan finds them just another reminder of how ordinary he is) he doesn't follow them. He just keeps his eyes open.

And then he hears it.

Remaind, in the usual fashion, caws out Cody. Cody!]


That's not helpful.

[Declan says it carefully.]

Where are you trying to go?
helical: (266)

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-26 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ hearing magnus speak somehow intensifies the relief, like he couldn't have been sure he was okay until he spoke. magnus' voice is another sign he's well, another sign he's alive. even if he looks just as shaken as alec feels, that's better than literally anything else he was expecting to find.

his thumb strokes magnus' cheek bone, then touches his chest again, his arm, his shoulder. he doesn't know where to put it. he'd like to touch all of magnus all at once, reassuring him, reassuring them both they're safe and sound. ]


It's just a cut, an iratze will take care of it, I just didn't — [ didn't stop, didn't take the time to activate it. it hadn't seemed important. it hadn't hurt enough to distract from the panic of being separated from his travel companions, of landing in water when he expected the familiarity of a safe place, of home.

there was so much he wanted to say and do and now they're here and — he'll think about all this later. there'll be time to celebrate this new chapter once they find clary, once they get their bearings, once they rest. things are going to be okay. they'll find their friend. ]


Didn't find her yet either, [ he says, but instead of getting up to go do that immediately, another look into magnus' face and he pulls him toward him, a hand at the back of his neck and the other around his middle. he presses his face against his husband's shoulder, holding onto him tightly, soaking in his warmth through his soaked clothes. they need to get moving, he knows, but he'd been so scared. and remembered all too clearly what it had been like a day ago, to think he'd lost magnus for good. he doesn't want to let go of him. he doesn't want to let him out of his sight as long as they're on this beach. ]

We'll go look together. Just — [ i need this for a second first. ] You're okay. [ it's a sigh of relief, and tension leaves alec's body as it escapes him. ]
locoparentis: (Declan - get it ladies)

Declan Lynch | The Raven Cycle | ota

[personal profile] locoparentis 2017-06-26 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
i; out in the wilds

[Declan didn't think this through, which is an uncommon behavior pattern for him, but knowing what he knows about this place, and knowing what he knows about the possibility for whatever to happen (Matthew, Matthew, Matthew is what he thinks, unwanted, unwarranted, because no matter what he said to Ronan he can't imagine Matthew dead, his curls matted, vomiting black ooze-) he thinks if he's going to find anyone from home, it's going to be out here.

Still, there's a measure of caution to him, because Declan is nothing if not cautious. It's not until he thinks he's alone that he starts to feel the itch of paranoia.

He doesn't call out for help. Instead he takes a step, does not let the lights distract him, and reaches for whoever it is that stepped into his circle.]


Didn't you hear the warnings?

[You're one to talk, Declan.]

ii; welcome to the city

[Restaurants. Hospitals. Trimmed hedges.

Declan loves civilization.

He's bright and brilliant at the Hanged Man, a veritable font of energy, moving from place to place. There's an electric charm to him, a shining beacon of boyhood and cleverness, impossible to resist. He's Niall's son through and through, although no one here except Ronan would recognize it, that's what he looks like now, laughing at someone's joke or taking a drink at the bar, attracting attention like a lightning bug.

Funny thing, lightning bugs.

He sees someone hanging back, just a little, and there's the tease-]


You can say hi, you know.

[And the smile.

Oh, the smile.]


iii; wildcard

[make a scenario for me!]
estrayer: (w t f)

Jace Wayland | Shadowhunters | OTA (note: Shadowhunters 2a spoilers in prompt & threads)

[personal profile] estrayer 2017-06-26 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
A. CRASH LANDING
[ He was supposed to be in a demon's lair. Or whatever passed for that, anyway. He had expected to come out of the portal and into a fight, which explained why there was a glowing seraph blade in his hand.

Instead, there's a beach full of other people, some falling into the sand, and others in the water all around. Wide-eyed and confused, Jace nevertheless acts on instinct. He rolls clear of his own portal. The blade vanishes, and he pockets the hilt while dropping by the side of the first person he sees who's faceplanted in the sand.
]

Are you okay? Give me your hand.

[ He says, while reaching for their arm. He is not where he's supposed to be and none of this is what he expected. It doesn't matter right now; most of these people look like civilians and some of them might be hurt. He'll get that under control first. If the demon he's after is here, he'll find it. ]

B. WISPS
[ By the time the lights appear, Jace's witchlight is already glowing in his hand, and his nightvision -
imperfect though it is - is lighting his way. At first, he doesn't realize what's happening. He's in the forest walking away from the beach, and he thinks nothing of the lights. It's nighttime; he dismisses them, thinking they're fireflies. Or some alien version of fireflies.

Until that voice hits him.
]

You are my greatest achievement, Jace.

[ He stops moving. That can't be real. It can't. Valentine was under lock and key before he came here.
He couldn't have escaped. There's no way he could have followed Jace, it's just impossible. Like almost everything else he'd ever achieved over the years. But no, this had to be different. It needs to be. It's -
]

Jace Wayland. This unit will guide you to the city.

[ He wheels around. There's a brown falcon, hovering at head height and staring at him. He stares back,
his heart thudding in his chest, because he knows that bird. The last time he saw it, it was lifeless on the floor, after his father - after Valentine - had killed it in front of him. This isn't happening. He must have hit his head, or there's some kind of magic going on. He's hallucinating.
]

This isn't real.

This unit will guide you to the city. Do not follow the lights.

[ Unit? Shaking his head, Jace backs away. He turns, blindly, uncaring, and then in front of him, Valentine stands, as if they'd never been separated at all. He's even holding the Mortal Cup,
which Jace knows has to be a lie. This is not real. It's not, it can't be. He blinks, hard, willing his Sight to let him see through the illusion. It works, to a point. He can almost see the lights behind the image. Then Valentine speaks, and he slams back into solid focus.
]

It's time for you to work. The sword was only the beginning.

Shut your mouth. I'm not going anywhere with you.

[ Except that he is, very slowly. The hallucination leads him ever deeper into the forest, while the very real,
and very concerned falcon daemon calls for him to stay.
]

C. CITY
[ He isn't over the falcon yet. The forest with its wisps and it's trolls and, god, whatever else was in there, may be behind him, but one of the most disturbing parts of it is still tagging along. The bird flies along behind him,
and every time he stops, it tries to perch on his shoulder. It never seems to lose that urge no matter how many times he pushes it off.
]

This unit will guide you to your apartment.

[ Jace's jaw clenches. ]

I know. I heard you the first fifteen times. I need you to take me to D.E.S.T.I.N.Y, can you wrap your circuits around that? I'm not staying.

[ He already has regrets about entering that portal. If his world is really about to die, this is not where he wants to be. It's too clean, too nice. Too unbecoming of the front lines between life and the apocalypse. The daemon is giving the same tired explanation of what they're supposed to do here, when Jace cuts it off. ]

I don't have time for that. Just show me the city. Not the apartment complex.

[ And so he explores, finding stores and businesses and a hell of a lot of encroaching plant life, but nothing even as challenging as the wisps. This isn't the demon he'd come looking for. If you imagine that would make him happy,
think again; Jace's mood worsens the longer the day goes on. Find him anywhere around the city; the later it is,
the more irritable he'll be.
]

D. WILDCARD
[ Create your own adventure! I'm [plurk.com profile] halfbloodly on plurk if anyone wants to plot. ]
Edited 2017-06-26 02:43 (UTC)
estrayer: (w o r r i e d)

ii

[personal profile] estrayer 2017-06-26 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ Here's the thing: it's not Jocelyn. Jace turns at that voice, his eyes wide, and his stomach giving a familiar tug. He's looking right into the face of his parabatai, who currently has an arrow aimed right at him. Jace immediately lifts his hands. He knows what's happening here. He'd had to fight through it, too; the draw of the familiar, of something that can't be real and yet tempts you into thinking it is. ]

Alec, it's me.

[ And it shouldn't be Alec, actually, not when Jace was sent alone. But that doesn't matter. This certainly is real. His eyes can be tricked, but the rune on his lower stomach cannot. He knows who he's looking at. He has to hope that's enough to bring Alec through the illusion, too. He takes a careful step towards him. ]

Whatever you think you see, it's not real. It's some kind of magic. Put the arrow down.
mordacita: (s m i l i n g)

iii

[personal profile] mordacita 2017-06-26 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ If it was anyone but Alec Lightwood, they probably wouldn't have even heard Rafa approach. As it is, he can't be too frustrated his sneaking failed; it's proof of who this is, if the scent, and the tattoos, and that manner of dress, and that manner of stance were not enough. The truth is, Rafa would know him anywhere. It's only been a month or two since they saw each other, and it still feels like too long. There's no mistaking the thrill in his voice when he answers. ]

It is much more clean already. You should have seen it last month. Those screens? That would be easy.

[ Jessie, Rafa's umbreon, is far less restrained in her greeting. She bounds up to them, crouches, and launches herself straight at Alec's arms. He's very tall, so she'll have to bounce off his knees on the way up. She's determined to be petted, though. She's missed this one.

So has her owner.
]

You took your time, my friend.
mordacita: (p r e t t y s m i l e)

c

[personal profile] mordacita 2017-06-26 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
[ Rafa is not surprised to see that Magnus looks impeccable. Nor is he, after seeing Alec, very surprised to see Magnus at all - but he's delighted, there's no question of that. The truth is, after running into his husband, Rafa has been looking for this particular warlock. It had taken some doing - he had of course checked everywhere he knows with alcohol first - but finally, here he is. Rafa zips up beside him, and then falls into step as though he'd been there all along. ]

I had to ask a unicorn. I have had stranger days, but not many.

[ Everyone's daemon is different. Rafa would bet everything he had on that butterfly, though. He certainly hasn't seen many of those flying around, and it's staying close enough to Magnus that he doubts it's a coincidence. ]

Do you think they are aware you are married? Perhaps you can move, if not. We all have a room assigned, you see.
mordacita: (s t r o l l i n g)

iv

[personal profile] mordacita 2017-06-26 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jaden is out of the hospital by the time Rafa runs across him. He's not far out of it, since the vampire is watching proceedings from just outside, but it's far enough.

It's still dark enough for Rafa to be out without his sunglasses. His arms are folded over his chest, while he watches the new intake leave the building. He's never been fond of hospitals. They tend to be filled with the sick and dying, neither of which is overly appealing to him. By all accounts, there's no one dying inside this hospital, and so Rafa could have made an exception, but he still lingers outside instead.

His first thought: they need more numbers than this.

His second: he'll revise the first, if they're all like that boy.

Jaden's scent hits Rafa at once. Warm, earthen, not solely human. Rafa has been around werewolves for long enough to pick it out at once. Someone as handsome as Jaden would likely have caught his attention regardless of that scent, but with it, he's impossible to ignore. Curious, and quite pleased, Rafa approaches him.
]

You are a new arrival? [ It's not really a question. They are few enough here that he knows the new faces when he sees them. ] You are prettier than the last ones. I dare hope this trend continues.
lacquers: (never felt that type of fear)

[personal profile] lacquers 2017-06-26 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ Magnus nods, though he's not really sure what he's affirming. As he's pulled into Alec's arms, everything goes a bit darker around them when his magic fades. He pulls himself closer, arms winding around Alec's waist, burying his face against Alec's shoulder in turn. ] I'm okay. [ Again. He's telling Alec as much for the second time in far, far too short a time.

He's assuring Alec of this more often than he'd like. Assuring himself that Alec is all right, in spite of the fact that he shouldn't be anything but. He should always be whole and well and okay. There's probably no point in picking a bone with the universe about it, but Magnus doesn't do anything so practical as limit himself to things that have a point. He holds onto Alec all the tighter. ]


You're okay, [ he reiterates, for no reason except that they both hear it aloud. Eventually, they'll both get up and resume searching. Not just yet though. ] We have to do something about that cut. [ His voice is muffled against Alec's shirt and he's still shaking a little, talking mostly to talk now. ]

And then we can keep moving. [ And go goodness only knows where, in this utterly foreign landscape. He's reached out with his magic, looking for somewhere familiar to portal and found nothing. That's not exactly surprising, but it is confirmation that they're somewhere strange indeed, somewhere totally unknown. ] Find Clary and figure out where we are. [ He clutches handfuls of Alec's shirt and breathes out. Not just yet.

Thoughts are on auto-pilot now, because while his heart's fit to burst with all the emotions seeing Alec again sets loose in him, they're not out of danger just yet. And they don't have all the answers they need.

He wants to lie down and sleep for fifteen hours, though only if Alec's there with him. That, and everything else, will have to wait. They need to move.

But not just yet. ]
helical: (043)

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-26 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ it would explain the smells. a trick, meant to lure him somewhere into the woods. nowhere good. nothing that makes use of manipulating people like this can be good.

alec keeps his bow ready, though, watching jace, taking a second to center himself and feel the bond between them. he doubts an illusion would be able to recreate just how that feels. how the rune responds to jace's presence. he feels it now. the bond tells him jace is close, right in front of him. he closes his eyes, and it's still there.

he breathes out, then slowly lowers his bow. when he opens his eyes, he's looking with the sight. it's still jace standing before him, and he should really put the bow away now, but his hand shakes with how tightly he's gripping it. ]


I thought I saw — [ he looks off into the trees again, voice going quiet, spacing out. the more he stares the more it looks like jocelyn might be standing there, a bit away, waiting for him to find her.

he turns back to jace. grounds himself in his presence. in spite of being completely confused by it as well. it's like he snaps out of it, suddenly, a bit more himself. ]
What are you — How did you get here? [ he reaches forward to put a hand on jace's arm. ] You okay?
lacquers: (or we could portal to marrakesh)

[personal profile] lacquers 2017-06-26 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ Sorry to have caused you to look longer than perhaps necessary, Rafa! It's only that Magnus hasn't found all the places that will serve alcohol just yet. It's a priority, of course. Naturally, he will compile a thorough list before long. It appears "soft bed" is just a quick step ahead though.

And speaking of quick steps, Magnus doesn't jump when Rafa appears beside him, but his brow does. ]
A unicorn? [ Interesting. But maybe not that odd.

Okay, in light of everything else, it almost seems par for the course. ]
I'm going to have to go with you on that one. I'm sure with a good night's sleep, everything will seem even more strange and mysterious than it is right now, but for the time being, I think I'm absorbing [ he gestures around them to mean 'all this' ] quite admirably. [ Mildly sleep-deprived? Never. ]

If the powers that be think I'm going to spend one night away from my husband-- I'm guessing you've seen Alexander? [ Asking as much sidetracks him a bit. He's said it casually, but he means it in absolute seriousness.

Rafa should know. That only feels right. ]
He's not far. [ It's been trying to let Alec out of his sight for ten seconds, honestly. For... various reasons. ]
helical: (208)

[personal profile] helical 2017-06-26 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
Rafa! [ BEAMS! which is interrupted by the umbreon jumping up to him and into his arms, momentarily distracting alec from his friend. ]

Hey, [ he says to jessie, taken aback but not enough to have a delayed reaction to what she clearly very much wants: his hand is petting her head, the other holding onto her.

he looks back up at rafa with a little grin, surprised, but excited to see a familiar face in this strange place, pleased to see a friend he'd been missing. ]


What are you doing here? Did you — Was it Eudio, too? [ maybe he shouldn't look so excited. the worlds dying is not a happy thing. ]
poenitudo: (broken down)

[personal profile] poenitudo 2017-06-26 09:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jaden, breathing harshly through clenched teeth, knows there's only one thing he can do - get himself off so that his regenerative powers can kick off. But the branch is quite long, and his strength is sapped by the pain, making it difficult to break it off. His hand slip in his own blood when he grabs at it, grunting with the strain, but to no avail.

He's still trying when Rosie shows up, sweat on his brow and his muscles trembling with the effort. He hears her coming and for a moment, for a wonderful, pain-fueled moment, he thinks it'll be Cody, in the flesh, grinning and happy and alive.

He's not mad, exactly, that it isn't. At least she's an adult, and might actually be able to help. But he can't help the half-hearted effort he makes at sitting up anyway, grabbing the branch sticking out of his leg again. ]


It's cool. I'm good. I can - do it -

[ He grunts again, before his hands slip and he falls back again, this time a moan of pain exploding from him, his eyes scrunched up. ]

Fuck. Fuck.
poenitudo: (shadows and light)

[personal profile] poenitudo 2017-06-26 09:20 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jaden looks up from his kneeling position, blowing out a breath before rubbing a hand over his close-shaved head. ]

Just a couple bruises and scrapes, I'm fine.

[ Nothing that won't be healed in a couple of hours at worst, anyway. The best thing about being a werewolf, to him, is still that he heals so fast he has barely any time to feel physical pain anymore. It's definitely a plus. ]

Did you just land here too? D'you know where we are?

[ He keeps looking at the guy, but that's when the little moon spins around his head again, looking all agitated. ]

Xistentia! You are on Xistentia, the last line of defense in the Multiverse! I am Celestiald and I am your Daemon, Jaden Cosgrove! Xistentia welcomes you!

[ Jaden blinks. ] Jesus Christ. Okay.
hasitsthorns: (Sᴏ ᴛɪᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘᴏsᴛ)

b

[personal profile] hasitsthorns 2017-06-26 09:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ This isn't her first foray with will-o'-wisps. Hitodama they're called by her people. Not quite the same, but similar. They're human souls that are separated from their body. Usually they'll go about their business (visiting temples, loved ones) before being reaped. Yet people who died violently, gruesomely, well. It isn't so simple. They'll taint the living's mind and warp their reality to make them see things that will drive a person to join them in death.

Rose has experienced their tricks before, but perhaps because loss has been such a prominent theme in her life she still succumbs.
]

Hey there, wildflower.



[ Her head snaps in the direction of a voice she hasn't heard in over thirty years. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she can also hear Boston playing on a dated eighties radio. The first song he'd ever sang for her, the beginning of her own love of music. The beginning of her love for him.

It's Ren. She can see him, she can-

'Whatever you're seeing, it's not real.'

Magnus. That's right. She was with Magnus, she was. She'd found him in the woods after searching for crash victims. They were looking for Alec together, she thinks. Had they already found him? She can't remember. The blond shakes her head, still unfocused. Still looking out through trees at the vision of a man she'd do anything to truly see.
]

What's the matter? Don't frown like that, c'mon.

You know how much I love your smile. It'd probably light up the whole night.



Stop, [ she says, quiet. It was meant to be a thought, but is uttered as she tries to collect herself. She knows he's not real. Ren's dead and he's not coming back, he's not getting the second chance that she did. She tried to resurrect him already and it was a harsh lesson in why the dead need to stay buried. Just remember the stench of rotten flesh and scraping sounds of him shambling towards her is enough to make her stomach threaten to turn. ]

Magnus, I- We need to get out of here, I can't. I'm seeing things. I'm sorry, I don't.

[ 'I don't know how to make it stop.' ]
hasitsthorns: (ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʜᴇʀ)

III; i tried to think of something serious but

[personal profile] hasitsthorns 2017-06-26 09:37 am (UTC)(link)
[ He'll hear the sounds of nine creatures approaching, actually, as Rose and her pack step into the situation room. It hadn't taken her dogs too long to sniff Alec out. Apollod had told her he was here, which. She had hoped so after encountering Magnus. She has to think the multiverse has some compassion for bringing them both here together. Two of her back in her life. Not under the best circumstances, of course, but... She isn't about to feel bad for being glad to see them again.

At his remark, she squints.
]

-Why do we need to clean it? It's fine.

[ It's

really not.
]

Everything works, yeah? The vines give it a nice earthy aesthetic, I think.
cantseame: Icons from hollowart (Default)

Farraige | Original Chracter | OTA

[personal profile] cantseame 2017-06-26 09:51 am (UTC)(link)
I. Crash

[It doesn't take much to motivate Farraige into action. While he's been spending a little more time to himself beyond talking with Rosie and occasional pleasantries with the others, his focus has been inward. But now his attention returns to the outside world, finding the presence of new arrivals appearing where he stumbled up not too long ago.

While he holds hope that maybe he'll find his lost friends amongst the crowd, at this point he very much doubts it. He'll be keeping himself busy, tending to those passing through, offering directions and aid to those who need it. Stranger still one might find a jellyfish gliding through the air, getting his attention to those in need of aid.
]

II. A Sight for Sore Eyes

[Farraige is no stranger to magic used in conjuring illusions. While he doesn't have much in the way of power to dispel them, he knows well enough what trouble can come of following voices of the lost. If one were to catch him at an inopportune moment, you might find him with an expression of longing. While he is resistant to their charms, he is not completely immune. Even so, his grip on his staff remains firm. He's not keen to see anyone get lost so soon.]

Best not pay them any mind. You'll live a much happier life without chasing shadows and history.

III. We built this City

[With trouble winding down, Farraige is returning home. A bit tired from the day's events, but he'll welcome a kindly word all the same. One might find him at the entrance of his home, taking a moment to sit and relax. There's plenty of room for more company, if you're keen to sit and have a chat with a wizard with kelp colored hair.]

IV. Wildcard

[Feel free to hit me up on plurk at chrysm if you have any thoughts/suggestions/ideas/etc!]
poenitudo: (fierce jaw)

[personal profile] poenitudo 2017-06-26 09:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jaden only decides to leave the hospital when it's dark out, feeling somewhat more comfortable in the dim lights of the city at night than in broad daylight. He's expecting - hoping for, really - a quiet walk to his new lodgings, as Celestiald keeps on referring to them, telling him over and over the hospital is not a home and she has a place for him to stay in, why doesn't he want to see it?

He's only left to shut her up, because goddamn but his Daemon talks. A. Lot.

He's not been outdoors for five minutes that he gets accosted. Which startles him, he's not going to lie. Jaden immediately tenses, taking a step back as he eyes the man in front of him. He's handsome, if short, and definitely smells familiar - it takes Jaden a moment, but then it hits him. Vampire. ]


Uh. Yeah. [ Taken aback, Jaden can only answer by the affirmative. And the next second, he's bristling, starting the guy down. ]

I'm not - really? You take a look at me and you think pretty? Are you serious right now?

[ Jaden wasn't pretty. Pretty was delicate, dainty. He was too big, too scarred and damaged to be pretty.

Well, at least he had to admit the guy had balls. ]

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