epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

THE BARRIER

As promised, Arthur has the means to unlock that first, crucial step to saving the ALASTAIR recruits: unveiling the runes maintaining the barrier. He has sequestered himself in a rented room in the inn down the road from the prison; he’s at a good enough distance to keep his concentration unbroken, but near enough that he can reach the runes in question. The recruits are told to be ready, to wait for his signal before they take action.

The signal comes just after the stroke of 5 on the town’s clocks, at what would be dawn in a world of less darkness. There’s a shimmer in the air around the brick building of the jail, like the surface of a bubble. Then suddenly the runes are there: glowing bright green, flaming into existence at various points along and within the barrier.

There are at least 30 of them along the outside. They’re etched on walls, scribed into doors, carved into the very ground. These have to be destroyed first to make any progress, in any way the recruits are able to. Once these all have been broken, erased, or scattered (and some of them are cleverly hidden or out of reach -- have you checked the topmost brick in the clock tower of the jailhouse?), the first defense of the barrier has fallen. Then the jailhouse itself can be rushed, but magic is still hampered until every rune is destroyed. From there the runes can be found every few feet in the walls, ceilings, and floors of the jail, and only once each one is broken will the spell be completely lifted, magic and abilities restored to the area, and the inmates considerably easier to break out.

The recruits aren’t the only ones that can see those runes, though. The jailers are quick to react, and some spring to the defense of the runes while others rush to sound the alarm, calling even more armed guards to the area. Even city guards start to show up in response to the alarm -- there’s definitely a time limit on this venture. Dispose of the runes, rescue your friends, and be out of the area quickly, or you might just be overrun with armed, angry opposition.

THE ESCAPE

By the time those in the cells are finally brought out, it’s pandemonium. The guards, jailers and city guards alike, might not have been able to stop ALASTAIR’s recruits from destroying the runes and bringing down the barrier, but they’re determined at least to stop dangerous criminals from escaping into the city. And these criminals were due to be hung, so they’re not looking to take anyone down peacefully. They’ll be going for the killing blows.

The best chance will be to rely on numbers and scatter. In ones and twos and threes, people should be taking to shadowy alleys, slipping around corners, even dropping down into the sewers, if they have to. Anything to thin out and disappear. The most capable and destructive fighters are asked to stay as long as they can, giving the bulk of the rest of the escapees time to disappear into that unending night.

THE COOLDOWN

Those that helped free their friends probably won’t run into too many problems in the following days, unless you run into a guard with a few injuries and a long memory. The ex-prisoners, though, are another story. They were in there long enough that the men and women who guarded them know most of their faces quite well, and since they’re out of prisoners to guard, what else do they have to do but take to the streets and search? Ex-prisoners should play it carefully, then, if they don’t want to end up right back where they started. Guards are more than happy to cause an immediate fracas should they spot anyone that belongs in jail.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out at all! Just, you know, take a disguise with you. As if anticipating the rising demand for them, all local merchant shops seem to be stocking up on scarves, shawls, and bulky clothing. Isn’t that nice? Most of them don’t really care what anyone did to end up in jail, they just want to share in on those ALASTAIR-paid wages.

If spotted, townsfolk have varied opinions of the escapees. Some are mistrustful and bitter, and will immediately alert guards upon realizing who they’re dealing with. Some of them really don’t care. They’re tired of the darkness, tired of the conflicts, they just want to get on with life. One old man in particular seems to inexplicably love all ALASTAIR recruits, the ex-prisoners in particular, and will insist on buying a drink and playing a game of chess with any of them he runs into. The goblins, of course, have pretty good opinions of anyone on the wrong side of the king, and will be your best bet for finding lodging and food. Some of them might even think of you as a hero, or at least a roguishly charming vigilante.

Spend your post-breakout time well, and try not to make any more enemies.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Alright, she might have to do a little more than just throw them around if there's more coming in. Without losing a beat of her weird song — the language is something guttural and punctuated, not really anything any beautiful songs were ever written in — she snatches one of her current guards up again and hefts him up and out in front of her. He's apparently intended to be a human shield, something he realizes himself with a lot of thrashing, which Ramir easily ignores. He might be armored and taller than her, but she's got no issue hanging on as she rushes toward the newcomers. She plows the surprised group of them back with their own comrade, and finally stops her song to laugh. ]

Holy shit, did you see their faces? Priceless!

[ Ah, a kid after his own heart!! He doesn't intrude, watching as she makes short work of a bunch of armed guards with her bare hands. A teenage freight train makes for a pretty good demo, as promised. ]

...Y'know, I'm pretty sure you made that one guy piss himself, [ and sounding way too genuinely supportive of this.... ] nice work.

[ Meanwhile he swipes his hand across the empty air, a mess of odd, Norse sigils forming in lines of light after it. His own runes don't last long, but when they burst, so do the ones scrawled across the walls and plastered to the ceiling. And that's that.

Well, kinda, because even if he's good with runes they're not quite the same (funny how multi-universe mechanics can fuck everything up—). Instead of canceling out perfectly, the symbols spark back, shifting from green to a bright, bright blue around them. Long story short: hold onto your butt, Ramir, because the walls are probably going to explode. He braces himself, casting a (very) quick warning her way, ] Woah, sorry, might wanna take cover—!

[ She looks a little delighted by the praise — maybe a little too delighted, because that bit about taking cover doesn't sink in right away. ]

What?

[ There isn't much time for an answer, but that's fine, because the explosion is pretty self explanatory. She's down a second later, an arm thrown over her head, because a newfound invulnerability doesn't entirely negate a live of common sense and keen self-preservation. She's laughing even before she can hear herself doing it, though. Outright cracking up, even. Wholesale destruction is hilarious. ]

Oh my god, what did you do!

[ There's such thing as a positive feedback loop, where one factor just feeds into another and makes it grow. Exhibit A: these two and their personalities. It's really not going to bode well for the state of this castle, which is now down two corridor walls, may they rest in peace. ]

Magic.

[ To be fair, he looks a bit exasperated at the results, but her good humor's contagious enough to even it out. Despite the fact that there are smoldering rocks around, literal fire and brimstone, his tone stays casual. Instead of 'crap, sorry, are you all right—' ]

You enjoying yourself?

Magic. [ It's worth repeating, and then another round of laughing over. She's still down on her stomach and elbows, with bits of rubble coating her hair and jacket, but she doesn't mind any of that much. ]

Hell yeah, I'd have signed up for this ALASTAIR stuff way before if I knew I was gonna get this out of it.

[ She pushes herself to her feet, dusting off various bits, and smiles brightly. ]

Alright, what's next?

[ This isn't a field trip, Ramir!!! But. Considering one of his only goals in being 'reincarnated' was to fight a good fight—yeah, he gets that. If she needs a lecture on taking this more seriously, it won't be from him.

Instead he leans in, picking out a stubborn bit of dusty stone from her hair as he mirrors a smile back. Less of her Youthful Energy and more bemusement, but it's genuine all the same. ]

Yeah, it's all right sometimes. [ magic, that is. not his favorite mechanism, but he can't deny its uses. that said, their 'next' stop is probably continuing deeper into this magic barrier mess. ] I'd rather not have to do that again if I don't have to, though... so why don't you handle the next runes?

[ There's bound to be more, and they can probably be dealt with through excessive violence if not fancy mage tricks. ]

[ She decides pretty much right then that she really likes his smile. It's a good one. Familiar, even. She fluffs out her hair again after he's added his help, shaking it out for any last fragments. ]

Should work out pretty good if I just grind it into dust, right? [ She's already decided that'll work quite nicely, if this grin and the way she cracks her knuckles is anything to go by. ] As long as you leave a couple guards for me, that sound doable.

[ Leave a couple for me. As if the task at hand wasn't enough... it's like he's in her way of pounding face and stomping losers. Incredible. ]

Jeez—you're really something, kid.

[ Which might usually be sighed out, disparaging, long-suffering. But Lancer speaks sincerely, mouth lifted by a corner in mild appreciation. Here, it's absolutely a compliment. But he's not particular schmoopy, and soon he's propped his spear against his chest as he stretches languidly with a huff. ]

I'm not spoiling you; you're gonna have to work fast.

[ You'd think she'd never gotten praise before, by this smile. But he already reminds her a little of people she'd known at home — her real home, not the pitstop she found her way here from — and she'd wanted nothing more than to show them these abilities. He makes a nice surrogate, and so do his compliments. ]

Hey, we already decided you owe me, right? That's not spoiling, it's business. [ For the Premium Commotion. She smirks and starts forward, further down the hallway, happy to lead the way. He can keep up that stretching if he wants to, she's going to lead the charge into adventure. ]

EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

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