epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE SICK AND THE DEAD

EVENT ★ THE SICK AND THE DEAD

THE LAST HURRAH

STATE OF WOODHURST

Things are bad. There's more infected on the streets every day, ravenous since their would-be victims are all boarded up in their houses. Audentes members who are infected are likely feeling ravenous now, too, and some of them are far gone enough that they might need to be subdued.

The city is in a state of panic, and the military has been given permission to use lethal force if necessary to stop people from leaving quarantine; keeping the virus contained is the number one priority of the federal government. As for the local government, all non-essential persons have been given leave until further notice for their own safety.

The police department is still running, but they're in a constant war against the infected, forced to retaliate fatally more and more each day. They have no time to focus on any other crimes.

Some citizens would be thankful if Audentes ran some "errands" for them — attempting to loot what's left of the stores, for example — or accompanied them outside as protection. Many people have family to see, some of them on the other side of the city, but it's nearly impossible to get there without a bodyguard of some sort. Someone could possibly make some cash this way, but there's something more important to do.

MEANWHILE . . .

The hospital, formerly chaotic, has devolved into outright bedlam. Theft and fights with the staff are increasingly common, and frenzied people are constantly demanding a cure the doctors don't have. Fortunately, it looks like Audentes does. Science-minded recruits have been hard at work creating a vaccine, which is widely available already, and a cure, which is rolling out slower.

Administering the vaccine is risky, as it requires escorting people to the hospital without getting killed, as well as hoping the infected constantly wandering into the hospital have been taken care of.

Administering the cure is even more so; it's highly recommended that the infected be unconscious before being given the cure. Even Bristol sufferers have to sleep! If not asleep, knocked out or otherwise sedated will do. It is absolutely not recommended for anyone to go at an angry infected with a syringe, but it's not like anyone's going to stop you... except maybe the infected.

Escorts and security guards are necessary at the hospital. The police department has offered their services, with their main priority being the vaccine. Until everyone is vaccinated, the city can't afford to think of a way to safely administer a cure to the infected population, so anyone interested will have to do it themselves. Stock up on syringes at the hospital and get going!

DR. PERCY

For those more interested in seeking out the source of the virus rather than treating it, it's not difficult to surmise that "Doctor" Percy is hiding out in the sewers. Very deep in the sewers. He's apparently built a subterranean expansion: a series of winding, metallic tunnels with many forks and dead ends. Be careful when exploring, as you might run into one of Percy's robotic bodyguards before finding him.

But once he is found, tucked away in a wide cavern . . .

It seems he's preparing a hasty exit, with almost everything packed up and his human disguise dropped. Without it, he appears to be an alien of some sort, but not one that Audentes has run into yet. His skin is amber, smooth, and slimy. He has several pairs of wide-set eyes of different sizes, but no nose. His mouth extends far across his face, and below it is a wattle, not unlike that of a turkey. Peeling off him at all times are scales; apparently, he's shedding more than just his disguise.

He's completely alone, without another Zymandis agent in sight, and not a particularly good fighter. Subduing or killing him would be easy, especially when it's several against one. When first encountered, he says nothing if spoken to, and only attempts to run.

If attacked, he will summon several robot bodyguards -- seven-foot-tall bipedal constructs who only listen to Percy's commands, directed via remote control. They will fight to the death to protect their master, who will use the distraction to again try to run.

It looks like the choices are clear: Audentes must choose whether to non-lethally subdue him or kill him. If subdued, what happens to him afterwards is still up in the air. Whatever your decision, it's highly likely you'll meet some resistance from the other members of the team, so get ready to argue.

CYOA

Each character will only be able to officially do one of the following choices.

Confront Percy.
Protect citizens.
Spread the vaccine/cure.
Other.

For the sake of tallying, we ask that each individual character submit their choice separately rather than in a group. The Dr. Percy encounter will be open for 48 hours only, after which participants will receive the outcome, which will be based on their choices. The rest will be open for 7 days, will not receive a reply, and will only be used only for tallying purposes. Making a choice is not mandatory, but the choices will affect whether Audentes passes or fails the mission.

You may of course thread out other options, but they will not count for the purposes of the pass/fail tally. Again, you may only officially choose one option per character.

OOC NOTES

Because this log is being posted late in the month, threads are eligible for March or April AC, but not both. Though the encounter with Percy will be a short one, the rest of this log will last two IC weeks. After that, characters will be immediately rifted away from Woodhurst without warning.

THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE CURE: As the virus is not a degenerative disease, characters will suffer no lasting (physical) trauma caused by it. Side-effects from the cure may include nausea, weakness, vertigo, rash, brain fog, numbness of the face, insomnia, dizziness, fatigue, heart palpitations, or vomiting. This may last for anywhere up to four weeks.

THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE VACCINE: Side-effects may include irritability and hunger for anywhere up to four weeks.

Questions about Woodhurst can be submitted to this thread. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

All bounties listed with a 3/25 due date are now closed. There are two open bounties remaining on the Bounty Board, which will need to be turned in by the end of the mission on 8 April. ( 1 2 )

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"Bad with names-?!" [The words barely spill out of her lips before Mettaton's speaking over her again, even louder than before.]

BAD WITH NAMES?! Like that's any worse than being bad with PEOPLE! MY BROTHER IS DEAD and I'm HERE, SAVING LIVES, instead of mourning!! We should ALL be mourning, but we are HERE because this is what we DO, Ms. Clark!! We put our families on the line to protect EVERYONE ELSE'S!! I AM TIRED OF LOSING MY FAMILY!!

[The hysterics don't seem to be impressing her, but he wasn't counting on that. He's counting on the side-effect: everyone else is now staring.

If there's one thing that Mettaton knows without a shadow of a doubt, it's this: peer pressure will get the reaction you want every single time.

The more eyes turning to this obviously distraught doctor and his calm, handsome husband is a bad story for this poor, suddenly awkward nurse. She backs away the longer he goes on, no longer sure of whether she should call security.]

"...I."

[She's losing ground. Drive the nail in the rest of the way, darling!]

Please stop shouting...

[The plea is an honest one, though could work just as well for his "character", if anyone buys their act. He's honestly doubtful that they do. The expressions in the room range from amused to mildly horrified at the show, and Oliver's pretty embarrassed by all of them.

Despite his misgivings, however, it seems as though Mettaton was right. Leaving seems preferable to dealing with this to the nurse, and she mutters out an excuse.]

"I have other patients..."

[It's probably true, but she definitely seems eager to get away from them. Not that Oliver can blame her. He groans, burying his face in a hand. What he wouldn't give to be invisible right now...]

[HA! That's what he thought. Peer pressure, baby. She finally gets the nerve to turn around and shuffle away, any thoughts she might have had about tattling forgotten in favor of just saving face. Mettaton releases his charge as she wanders off, turning toward his savior fully.

Any signs of hysteria get put back in their convenient acting pouch as he gives Oliver a winning smile.]

Excellent work, sweetheart. You're a natural!! Were you passing through to help, or is this a special visit?

[Wink.

It's not as effective when infected civilians are still screeching in their binds, but. Sometimes you just do what you can.]

[It doesn't seem like such a success to Oliver when they're still drawing far too much attention. The outburst has definitely made the room more aware of them, and that feels like scrutiny they could do without.]

Help. Obviously.

[Or maybe it's not obvious. He's a definite weak link of Audentes, but he is trying.]

[Oh please, who CAN'T do with a little extra attention? If they aren't getting in the way, they're just another audience.]

Ha. Well, I won't turn down the extra hands if you're offering, beautiful. [He steps toward another bed, gesturing for Oliver to follow, and nears the next... well. "Bitey patient" is one way of putting it.

...it's actually the only way of putting it. They're bitey. They want to bite.

Mettaton moves toward their head, gently wrapping his arms around either side of it. They jolt in his touch, as if being shocked (they are) and temporarily go still.]

So, as long as you're helping...

[Oliver follows after him, letting Mettaton handle the patient to start with. He's not at the same kind of risk Oliver is, so it seems safer for everyone. At least until he jolts like that.

He's sure Mettaton wouldn't do anything to hurt them, not badly, but he still flinches when the patient jolts like that.]

Is he okay...?

[He'd be better after the cure, but that doesn't seem to have immediately occurred to Oliver despite that being his reason for being in the hospital in the first place.]

Hm?

[He peers down at the man in his arms. He's crumpled into the bed, boneless and twitching.]

He's fine. Just a little...

Shocked. Is all. [Haha. Get it? Ah...]

I'd hurry if I were you. He won't be out of it long.

[Oliver's a little too distracted for humor. Maybe that's for the best given Mettaton's shockingly (ha) bad joke. He nods, preparing a syringe with the cure Audentes developed with shaky hands.]

Right...

[His clumsy technique gives away his lack of medical experience, but the cure is delivered to the patient even so. That's the important part.]

There's one more cured.

[He dreads to think how many to go, but each one brings a fresh wave of relief. He pulls the needle out slowly, disposing of the used syringe in a nearby sharps box. ]

How long do you think it will take to help all of them?

Oh, you know. Just long enough for us to have the actual experience for a medical degree.

[Haha.

...Sigh. It's on to the next bed with the next infected civilian. For as much as he loves human faces, for as peerless and beautiful as they all are... They're starting to blend into one another, all feral and pained.

He wraps his arms around her head from behind, almost like a hug, just like with the last patient.] Rather be doing this than waiting for the cure still, I suppose. Not to say we weren't useful BEFORE, of course not! But... [She shakes in his arms too and goes still. He sweeps some of the hair out of her slobbering mouth.] It's nice to be solving the problem instead of just lightening the mood.

Don't you think?

[He still doesn't like the shocking part, but it's definitely safer for him. He's selfish enough that that's a bigger concern right now. He doesn't look as he does it. By the time he's prepped the syringe for her she's gone limp.]

It is. It's scary, but... it's good to be a part of this. I'm glad I can do something that makes a difference.

[There we go. Another one down.

She lingers in his arms a bit longer as Mettaton shoots Oliver a smile and teasingly smacks him on the arm; not hard, nowhere near that. Just something friendly and light.]

Wha- Darling!! Don't sell yourself short! Didn't you work for a law firm? I'd have thought you're used to helping make a difference.

[Oliver bites back a smile as he disposes of the syringe. The patient looks strangely peaceful. Maybe he's imagining it, but it feels nice anyway.]

Law can be... complicated. You help people, but sometimes it's not obvious if you're helping the right people. Sometimes even when you know they deserve to be free but you don't if you can, or you work for someone you know has done bad things. This is more straightforward.

...Yeah. I'll give you that. [Helpless shrug. Aside from the media, Mettaton still has very little idea on just how human law is supposed to work. Usually the day could be saved with the horrible people going to jail, with only those smart enough to work the system getting out of it with a tap-dance and a smile. Justice or karma always prevailed. Or masked crusaders.

It... must be more complicated on the surface.

Anyway. It's on to the next patient.

...oh. It's just a little boy...

Mettaton looks from him, to his own hands, to Oliver.

From personal experience, Mettaton knows children CAN do with a light zapping, but...]

Ah. [Translation: What are we doing about this?]

Edited 2017-04-04 20:45 (UTC)

[A child. God. Oliver's more scared by this one than the previous too combined.]

Don't hurt him.

[It's out in a panic, before it even registers that Mettaton is questioning what action to take this time. He winces at his wording as the boy thrashes on the table. Of course Mettaton hadn't been hurting the others, but it slips out before he can phrase it better.]

I mean... I know you're not. Just... you should hold this one. He's smaller, so it will probably be easier?

[It's meant to be a statement, but there's a question there. He's not sure. The boy seems every bit as determined as the adults and while smaller he's not small enough to make this easy.]

...

[It's fine. Oliver wasn't meaning to be offensive. After all, how could a human know a robot wouldn't hurt a child? It just makes sense, after seeing him electrocute adults, even if that was for Oliver's own benefit. That's fine.

He's quiet as he stares at the other man, clamping an arm around the child's chest and forcing him to bite down on his other hand. They can't bite through metal. It's fine.]

Are you ready? [It sounds colder than he means it to be.]

[Oliver nods, Mettaton's tone not helping with the guilt at his own reaction. He watches him silently as he fills the syringe, making a face as the boy bites on his hand. It doesn't hurt him. He knows that. It still doesn't look comfortable though, and he feels like he himself has hurt the other man's feelings.

He injects the child as quickly as he can, wanting this one to be over quickly as possible.]

I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't do anything to him. He's just so young... he seems so fragile.

[In a way. Even though he's determined to bite Mettaton he still looks small an vulnerable, at least to Oliver.]

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EVENT ★ THE SICK AND THE DEAD

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