epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

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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

[It's not like the stablehands are calling the shots. He'd gotten himself arrested trying to "bring justice to Chantes." Letting the city burn would be pretty counterproductive to that, and then it would have all been for nothing, who wants that.

Noble intentions or not, imprisonment still sucks. By the time they've made a clean escape he's ready for a breather. He's braced against the cool stone of a wall and catching his breath when something small and singed lands on his head.

Ah. His head snaps up as Lancer reaches out to pet it, but the bird just readjusts its balance with a flare of its wings.]

Oi, get off—

[Unfortunately, this pigeon has Seen Hell. Even batting at it doesn't seem to deter it much. It hovers for a second or so before landing on a more-stable shoulder instead. Above them, one or two more land on the rusty street sign hanging from the wall. Pigeon coop karma, after bringing ruin on the house of birds.]

[ More and more pigeons crawl out of the sky woodwork, appearing in makeshift roosts above them as they slow down. Lancer doesn't seem anxious in the slightest about urging them on because 1) he would hear anyone trying to sneak up on them, and 2) ...it's kind of funny to watch Eren's struggle.

One pigeon finds solace in its broken home by landing on Lancer's shoulder as well, cooing mournfully. Lancer pats its head with a finger, looking to Eren with very poorly hidden amusement. ]

Aw, show a little heart. It's had a long day.

[ cut the bird some slack, eren...... ]

[Is "sky woodwork" even a thing you can say.

He relents by inches, because Eren has also had a long day, and he's sort of Too Much at all times by default so he's still tired and tense and battered and now there's a bird making sad bird noises in his ear and a sort-of-stranger all but laughing at him over it. You could at least pretend to find this less funny.

At the very least he seems to realize that shooing them off is more troublesome the effective right now and stops trying. Still.]

We can't take 'em with us.

[ don't tell me what I can or can't do

Anyway, what is this, a parent telling a kid they can't take a puppy home from the pound? Eren, you're like, 2 compared to him. Barely more than a fetus. But Lancer spares giving him too hard a time, given the fact that prison tends not to be a particularly kind or gentle environment. Instead he huffs out a quiet laugh, as though that might balance out the air between them. ]

I wasn't planning on it. [ The pigeons seem to sense this treason, fluffing up collectively before he placates the second one that's come to perch on him with a pat and shushing noise. ] I don't see how you're going to stop them, though.

[I'm going to not take this opportunity for a dog joke I hope you appreciate it.

Look, he's going to be bad enough at being a fugitive without getting followed around by a flock of singed birds. It's a pretty silly thing to argue about in the wake of escaping and lying low outside the castle. He'll probably have bigger problems than pigeons soon, but this one is the most immediate and the most approachable right now. Except Eren is not a pigeon whisperer, so he doesn't have a good answer to this. Most sensible birds scatter after the first sharp movement. Especially after getting their home caved in and set on fire. He sort of scowls back at Lancer at the implication that the birds going to stay right where they are no matter what he does. He holds an experimental hand up to the one perched on his shoulder. It stays put long enough for him to try touching it, against what should probably be every survival instinct it has. It doesn't make a lot of sense to him.]

Shouldn't they be scared off? [They did just rain destruction down on them in a very complete and unsubtle way. These birds are broken.] What do they want?

[ i cherish our friendship deeply.... Also, Lancer shrugs the sour look off without a hitch, only wrinkling his nose when one of his pigeon friends pecks at his ear. Clearly, they want love. Guidance in this burnt and broken world. He gathers one up in his hand casually, though this is less about affection and more to turn it and show Eren the little tube latched to its leg. ]

They've probably been trained. Probably carrier birds... [ The pigeon flicks its head about to look around, but otherwise behaves as Lancer handles it. ] Could be hungry. Or lost—? [ ..... ] Come to think of it, I did kinda wreck their roost.

[ He's generous enough not to use 'we.' It's mostly his fault, even if Eren's fatass is the one that technically crushed the coop. ]

[These poor pigeons picked a bad place for a support group. But Eren's stopped trying to bat them away so the one he's holding his hand up to hops obligingly onto his wrist, as if expecting attention. Or a job to do. Carrier pigeons makes a lot of sense, now that he's looking at it with a cooler head. Carrier pigeons with nowhere left to return too, whoops.

Because it's "kinda wrecked." Eren gently corrects this slight error in Lancer's recollection.]

You dropped me on it.

[Of course he wrecked it? Because Eren has a reasonable anime height and weight, unlike some people who are made of feathers I guess. Maybe that's why they're following him around, clearly the bits of bird bedding still caught in his hair remind them of home.]

[ He's like Mikasa's weight, I hate anime. Anyway, Lancer rolls his shoulders into a light shrug. That he did, Eren. That he did. ]

It's no good to dwell on these things. [ he already apologized though what more do you want from him, collateral damage is an inevitability ] The important part is that you're out of there now, right?

[ Flown the coop, if you will. Lancer doesn't seem like he's in a rush, so it's safe to say the danger's behind them now. Now everything is just pigeons. The one on Eren's wrist seems to take a liking to him, hopping up his arm. ]

[Thank you pigeon tangent for bringing peace and prosperity to this thread.

Because as high-strung and cranky as he can be, Eren can't much argue that. While his new pigeon friend finds a more comfortable perch, he huffs a breath out and finally seems to ratchet down a few inches on the urgency scale: posture pulling a little less tight as he leans into the wall of the alley and looks back up at the not-so-distant shadow of the castle left behind in their wake.]

Yeah. [He's spent a while in close custody before, but this was different—there was less escape involved before, just more bureaucracy. Less delay between the first breath of fresh air afterward and your (relative) freedom sinking back in as the adrenaline fades out. After a pause, incredibly belatedly but no less earnestly—] Thanks.

[For helping to spring him.]

[ Only fair to bust out with whatever means necessary when they hadn't been given a trial in the first place; bureaucracy and diplomacy were never on the table today. Which settles just fine with him. Lancer doesn't so much as glance back as he waves. ]

Don't mention it. [ He really could've stood to do a better job, anyway. ] I'd tell you to stay out of trouble, but let's not kid ourselves.

[ This whole mission reeked of trouble. Still, Lancer doesn't seem fussed, observations made off-hand and finished with a minute smile. ] Just keep your head down.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

I'm just doing this for the pigeons now

they're pretty cute negl

:c sorry pigeons

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