epidemiology | EVENT ★ OSKA BURNING

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EVENT ★ OSKA BURNING

The scene that greets you after the mist of world hopping fades isn’t a pretty one. You may remember Oska from your first, brief trip here — it was a stately, serene place, a grand castle usually wreathed in low lying clouds or gently sunny. Not so today. The damage done to Chantes by the demons and chimeras pales in comparison to what has been done to Oska.

Only one tower of the formerly impressive castle stands upright, the others have been knocked down and torn to rubble, some of which is still smoldering or in flickering flames. Most of the castle has been flattened, entire rooms torn apart and laid to waste. No exterior wall is without gaping holes, as if some army and their immense battering ram had needed a whole collection of entrances to storm this castle. Nothing is untouched, and worst of all, the underground larder seems to have been completely buried in a fall of rocks from the kitchen’s exterior wall. Even if you were able to dig it up, it’s dubious much of the food is unspoiled or intact.

If there is any up side to all of this destruction, it’s that no bodies can be found amid the mess, human or otherwise. Even the livestock are missing. Personal effects can be dug out of the ruins, and it seems very clear that this castle was populated until recently. There remains not one soul to tell what happened, though.

Well, almost not one soul.

The network that usually connects the jewelry is completely nonfunctional. Attempting to access it only brings up one static message, repeating for as long as you care to listen to it:

Something [ SHHKT ] --rrible has happ-- [ The message cuts out frequently, replaced with static. ] The-- [ shhhhhhkt ] came, they destroyed everything and n--

[ The static fades slightly. ]

We’re trapped. You’re on your own. But please, we ne-- [ shhkt ] your help. They’re still here. There’s worse to come. But when you [ SHKT ] --ind them, you can’t kill them. They need to be questioned. We mus-- [ shhhhkt ] know their motivations.

Some of the new recruits… they’re in the dungeons. You need to he-- [ shkt ] them, please. They can still be saved.

SURVIVAL

The dungeons are, of course, the only part of the castle left intact enough to present a challenge to escape. Some newcomers will find themselves lost in a labyrinth of cell-lined corridors, able to wander for hours before stumbling across any hint of daylight. How that’s even possible with most of the castle destroyed is anyone’s guess. Other newcomers might even be locked into the cells, with keys left nearby but just out of reach — or not. Better hope some sort of escape artist happens across you, if you’re one of those unlucky arrivals.

Food isn’t going to be easy to come across. You might try digging out the larder, but not much food can be salvaged from it. Are you going to put in the work to dig up a single shelf of intact loaves of bread, a cold roast chicken locked in a wood stove, and one barrel of apples? Maybe you try scavenging in the small, abandoned village outside the castle. This will uncover some food, but not much. Most of the food out there is either rotted through or missing entirely. You might find enough to last one person two days on your own, but who knows how long you’ll need it to last?

Wherever you find your food, if you find your food, rationing is highly recommended. Water isn’t so simple to find, either. There is a lake not far outside the castle walls, but the water in it tastes rancid, a sign to any right-thinking person that it’s no good to drink. Anyone brave or stupid enough to push through the taste and drink it anyway will find there aren’t actually any adverse effects, but is it worth the risk? Water can otherwise be found in very small amounts, collected by rainfall in buckets, on indented stones, in mislaid pots. It won’t be much, but if you search diligently it’s enough to keep you going.

Shelter will be a little easier to find… at least, at first. No one is using any of the beds in the village, they’re free to pick from as long as you don’t mind the eerie silence. If your character is particularly awful at scavenging, please see the end of this post.

HELL WEEK

Survival aside, that still leaves the question: just what did happen here? Characters are welcome to dig through the ruins for hints at what fate may have befallen Oska. We have provided a thread here to sign up to find belongings or other little signs of life, and try to piece together the picture. But what about that culprit, mentioned in the broadcast? Some characters will be able to stumble across very, very specific clues — riddles and puzzles, purposefully laid to guide the finders toward… something. Who knows what lies at the end of this oddly deliberate trail? You can sign up to find and solve the puzzles here.

Day one in Oska is easy enough to survive, an almost peaceful acclimation to the dismal scene. Things get a little bit tougher from there, though.

On day two the ground begins to shake. It’s just little tremors at first, easy to miss if you’re not standing still. But by mid morning they’re large quakes, enough to break some structures further. The quakes continue through the night and into day three, when they are large and severe enough to throw someone off their feet, tear apart a house, and even open wide chasms in the ground. They come with unpredictable frequency, anything between five minutes to three hours, but they definitely come more closely together as time passes. The village is safer at this point, without quite so many stones to shift and crush you, although those chasms are still a concern.

Come the evening of day three, the quakes stop entirely. A soft rainfall begins to patter down instead — still thirsty? Now is your chance to find some battered coffee tin and gather your drink. The rainfall continues steadily overnight, and by the morning of the fourth day it is a torrential downpour. It never lets up, not even once, and soon the water is more than the ground can handle. Flooding begins at this point, just a few inches deep in some places, more formidable in others. This also lasts for two days, and by the end of the fifth day in Oska most of the village is washed out. You’ll have better luck among the sturdy stones of the castle. Remember that still-standing castle tower? It’s not exactly the most structurally sound thing, but it is definitely out of the water.

The water stops very suddenly at sundown on the fifth day, affording a pretty peaceful, clear night. Come dawn of the sixth day, however, heavy clouds move to obscure the sunrise. They seem to flame around the edges in the light of it, and then in the middles. That’s clearly not sunlight lighting up those clouds by this point. The clouds flash from within as they build more and more heavily, but no lightning has ever been that flickering golden color. At midmorning the first drops begin to fall: not rain this time, but liquid fire. By noon the firestorm is at full strength. It swings between sheets of fire pelting down, and clearing up only to pelt down great fireballs. The rain-drenched village and castle can only fend off the rain for so long. Eventually the water evaporates and anything that can burn will burn. Time your ventures out into the weather very carefully, because the firefall never lets up for long, and that’s the kind of downpour you don’t want to be caught in.

OOC INFO

Is your character awful at survival? Can’t scavenge to save their life, completely out of food and water and about to expire? Wherever they fall asleep, they’ll wake up with a small, inexplicable wrapped bundle left next to their head. Within will be a half an apple, a single leg of chicken, and a very small canteen of water.

~~This log will last for one week, and there will be new information available on the 17th~~. As per our informal poll, this log will last ICly for one week, and OOCly for two. There will be new information available on the 24th. What the setting will be from here will depend on characters' ability to work together to catch whoever is responsible for these events.

You can sign up to find hints about the people who lived here and what may have happened to them here, and puzzles left by the perpetrator leading to the discovery of them on this post. Please direct any questions here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Waltzing around in an underground structure during earthquakes is definitely a bad idea for anyone, even for someone with dominion over the element. Maybe it's whim, maybe it's boredom. It is very quiet down here though, which is nice. Pretty nice.

Whatever it is, sometimes after that particular collapse, despite the lack of any visual confirmation, the faint but steady sound of worn boots will begin to echo down the hallway some distance away.]

[ how embarrassing, being pinned down by cement and needing a human's help... or it would be if Melan could feel anything like that. The shame he feels is directed at himself for making such an obvious blunder - and purely because it's getting in the way of his mission. No, not his mission, his promise, which is even more important. It would be unbelievably pathetic to fail here, underground, a world away, and leave Marin forever wondering where he went. Or worse, thinking he'd abandoned her.

The sound of boots is a bit of a godsend. He doesn't call out; only makes a small grunting noise as he tries to turn his head towards the sound's source in his ungainly position. The sound of his hard carapace scraping against the rocky ground is far more audible. ]

[The footsteps briefly halt. If there was any chance it may have begun fading and gone past him, it's gone now. After a brief moment of silence, they resume. However, there's no change to the pace; it's definitely coming this way, but with no rush or apprehension. Eventually, what appears to be a little girl holding an umbrella appears from the dark hallways, and comes to stop a few feet away from the unfortunate scene.

...Huh, how strange. The form looked vaguely humanoid, but it doesn't seem human. Intrigued, she leans in a little in curiosity, but... Doesn't say anything, or make any attempts at helping (though given her petite and unassuming size, most probably wouldn't expect much out of her anyway, at least at first sight). It didn't look organic, but the liquid oozing out from the wound on his wing is definitely comparable to blood. How does it work?]

[ well, she's not screaming or throwing more rocks at him, so he'll count that as a minor victory. Once she's closer, he (rather abruptly) turns his head to face her, though it's a little hard in his current position, and finally says something. ]

Can you help me?

[ she doesn't look very strong, but he is; he just needs a little extra push. ]</small

[She does raise her head a little when he turned to stare straight at her. An otherwise silly statement doesn't make it out loud of her throat, but it's... a little annoying, nevertheless.

She can be seen, even heard. And for an Earth Seraph who's accustomed to being invisible to humans, it's... something new to get used to, to say the very least. ...Maybe it has to do with the fact that this individual isn't human?

She folds her umbrella down as she gives the scene another thorough look. She was able to summon enough strength to break the lock to the cell that she initially gained consciousness in, but that chunk of debris looked significantly more imposing. She hasn't had a chance to test her powers any more extensively since, either, so it wouldn't be prudent to take on even her usual load, not until she can confirm her abilities. Wouldn't do her harm - would do her less harm, even, to just roll with being ordinary for now. Heck, she'd have even considered to just walk away, if he didn't notice or call out to her. Still...

Sorey's do-goodie nature is kinda haunting her, having taken on the metaphorical role of the little angel sitting on your shoulder that encourages you to do good. Geez...]

That depends. What do you need me to do?

[ while it would be a stretch to say he's surprised, he does still feel a slight sense of relief that she doesn't flee when he speaks. It's difficult to get used to humans accepting him so easily (or what appear to be humans.) On the other hand, she does seem kind of hesitant. Pure-hearted Melan assumes she's just nervous around him rather than contemplating leaving him here to rot in the dungeons... ]

The earthquake caused a cave-in. My wing has been pinned to the ground. [ he shifts slightly underneath it, although he can't move much. ] These flight appendages were not designed for physical power. However, if you help push the debris, it may have enough for me to move it.

[ his voice remains even - if somewhat strained with pain - and he explains in his usual rational way. Rarely is he so wordy, but he'd really like to not be stuck to the ground. ]

[Full disclosure: 60% of what's still keeping her here is the possible, if not very likely, fact that he's not human. It may also be good if he can't get a good clear look at her face/can't read expressions very well; she doesn't look very nervous, just... neutral.

She gives the debris another scrutinizing look. If he's hoping for just a push... It just need to be elevated a little at an angle, enough to free his wing so that he can pull it out. Right?]

...Yeah, I can manage that. But you have to say 'please' first.

[...Edna]

[ with zero hesitation: ] Please help.

[ while Melan has a sense of honor, he doesn't really have anything like pride... begging is totally fine!! Expectantly, he stares at her. ]

[...Oh.

Well that takes the fun out of things... A little. For now, at least. The completely straight man can provide entertainment in many other ways, after all. She'll keep it in mind for next time]

Okay.

[She doesn't go back on her word though (at least), so after acknowledging his plea, she saunters up to the piece of wall pinning him down. It wasn't a straight walk however, she did need to pick an angle where if a straight line was drawn over it, both ends of the debris are also touching the ground. Once she's at the right spot, she crouches on her knees and daintily puts her gloved right hand on the slab of rock. It really wouldn't look like she's doing anything else other than touching it, but within a beat, he'll feel the pressure from the slate fading. Some point(s?) beneath it is getting elevated; lifted, even, creating a space wide enough for him to pull free without putting more pressure on any other part of his wing. Nothing to see here, just growing some rocks as support to hold the wall up briefly.]

[ well. It's not the weirdest thing he's seen. There are no Monomakia with capabilities like that, but there are no other Monomakia here, either. She must be another of those humans-that-aren't-humans; humans with strange powers, and "magic." Melan isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, though - as soon as he feels the pressure lift from his wing, he pulls himself out quickly, armored body moving with surprising quickness.

Said wing has definitely been in better shape - it's well-crushed and dripping viscous violet blood all over the ground - but he seems to almost ignore it as he pulls himself up to his feet, using his blade arm to push himself off the ground. ]

... Thank you. [ staring at her. she's small, but strong... ] What did you do?

[Oh, gratitude. How nice, if not ironic. Humans were such ungrateful beings by large, and now that she's somehow been spirited to another world, one of the first beings she meets seems to subvert those gross humans traits pretty neatly.

...Then again, they've just met. Edna is NEVER one to get optimistic, so she'll just take it at face value and roll with it.

So she acknowledges his thanks with a faint hum and a small nod, before standing back up to the full extend of her little girl height to look at him quite seriously in the eyes.]

I told the rocks to move around a little. You did ask politely, so we acknowledged your plea.

[...]

[ enjoy it while you can, Edna, he's getting more human by the second. Although that's unlikely to affect his being unfalteringly polite. Her straightforward, nondescript explanation causes him to tilt his head, almost like a confused puppy. ]

Rocks are incapable of hearing or answering commands.

[Don't tell her to enjoy things, if she's enjoying something it practically always means somewhere out there, someone else is not having a great time...

The confused puppy eyes have no effect. She just looks back at him with a perfectly straight face.]

That's not true. You'll hurt their feelings if you keep making insensitive assumptions like that. They were just wondering if your wound was hurting too, you know? You did bleed all over them, and it was starting to worry them.

[ he stares at her blankly. Humor is a little bit difficult for him even when it's not deadpan sarcasm. ]

That's not true. [ a pause. ] Rocks lack a nervous system of any kind.

[ the only thing keeping them from feeling bad for him, apparently. As he speaks, two of the round protrusions on his abdomen fold open, stretching out on veinlike cables to arc over his back and rest on his injured wing; they begin to emit a soft white light. He makes no commentary of this. ]

The injury is minor, [ he adds after a moment, seeming to vaguely understand she might be asking if he's okay in a roundabout way. ]

[it probably doesn't help that he's dealing with a lil shit like her...]

Nature works in mysterious ways that no humans [...] or human-like constructs can understand. You shouldn't discriminate against an entity simply because it lacks certain organic components. [actually...] Do you have one, for that matter?

[She blinks back at him once, her stare resting on the cables for about a second before bringing it up to meet his eyes again.]

Anyway, you should get out of here. I don't know what you are, but I do know that whatever's got wings have no business being underground.

Yes.

[ he has a lot of organic components, thank you very much...! Not that he cares one way or another about organic versus synthetic or the ethical problems that might lie therein. Her comments about nature seem to fall on deaf ears, and if she didn't go on to tell him to get out of the dungeon, he would have undoubtedly made some point about nature being well-understood by his creators...

Instead, he looks uncertain about leaving, in spite of his injury. ]

There may be more of our allies trapped here. I was looking for them.

Oh. Well then, how biologicist of you. [What a terrible made-up worth that expresses an equally terrible (if not moreso) concept]

You can also leave it to someone else better suited for the task. After all, you weren't being much help to anyone just now, were you?

That was an accident, [ he replies, but she's obviously right, and he knows it, too... With a click that somehow manages to sound somewhat defeated, his uninjured wing slides back into its cover. Looks like he's giving in. ]

... But being incapacitated here would prevent me from completing my duties. I'll withdraw.

An accident. An unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally. Sounds like it could happen repeatedly and at any time, doesn't it.

[She straightens herself, for that little difference that may make for someone of her size.]

That's for the best, for anyone potentially involved. Do you remember the way out?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ OSKA BURNING

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ugh banishes my html tag into the nether realm

did you mean the shadow realm, melan kinda looks like a ygo monster...

DARK MECHGICIAN

it works so perfectly it's eerie...

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