TRAVEL LOG #3: KIDNAPPED CHARACTERS ONLY

[synfluxmods]

THE CHOSEN

CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, abduction, cult-like brainwashing.

▶ CASTLE BRAN

The last thing you remember might be speaking to a friend, making merry with a stranger, or enjoying a quiet night against the backlight of the bonfire. Your memories between then and now are a blur—one moment you were in the village, and the next you are here, arising from your slumber and finding yourself in a lavish room with gothic and archaic decor. The windows of the castle are bolted shut so no light goes in and no soul escapes, but candles have been so kindly lit for the captured to find their way. If you can manage to unbolt a window and peek outside, all you will see is a dark fog, obscuring all light and thrusting the castle into an eternal night. The room is old, dark, and eerie, but clean, looking very much lived in and cared for. Within every room, the skull of a wolf has been carefully placed, almost like it oversees the inhabitants.

Welcome to the Castle Bran.

Outsiders, whom attendants within the castle will so reverently refer to as the ‘Chosen’, will find themselves waking up spread across the many rooms of the castle. All their belongings were left behind at the village, and they’ll find that they’ve been cleaned up and dressed carefully in fresh, white linen. Another thing they might notice immediately is that they have been completely stripped of all their powers and weapons, rendering them as strong as any other human.

They are free to roam the many rooms and hallways of the castle but they cannot go any deeper than the ground floor. The attendants of the castle, who appear to be villagers from the town, will follow them and try their best to tend to their every need, be it food, water or a fresh bath. Attempting to question the attendants is a fruitless endeavor: they sing praises of the Lord of the Forest but provide no other useful answers, always diverting the topic back to how wonderful their protector is and how blessed the Outsiders must be to have been chosen by him.

▶ HOSPITALITY TREATMENT

Chosen who try to break their way out of the castle will be hit with a psionic wave, forcing them into a state of calmness, placidity and contentment. They might even be treated to pleasant hallucinations or relive happy memories. There’s no reason to be afraid, after all. The Lord of the Forest will take care of you. Any attempt to hurt or kill the attendants will be met with no resistance from them, almost like they are content to accept their fate. They will then be replaced with another attendant right away, rendering the effort meaningless. The bodies of any dead attendants will be left there to rot until someone complains about it enough, at which point the corpse will be carted off to the dungeons.

At this point, escape seems futile. The dark fog surrounding the castle renders it virtually invisible to the outside world and communications between the Chosen and the Outsiders in the town have been cut off. It may feel like there's nothing you can do but sit pretty and await your fate ...

▶ WE SAVE OURSELVES

After days of strange dreams and curious findings, it seems that help will take some time to arrive. The Chosen will have to save themselves even without their powers. Based on some observations, they may infer that something is cloaking the castle and making it difficult for others to locate it. They have to find a way to disrupt whatever is keeping them hidden.

With each day, they may notice something about the wolf skulls that hang in each room. Every time they look at one, it will trigger their flight response as if they are prey facing off with a predator. Some may feel frightened, anxious, hopeless, or submissive until the skull is out of their sight.

If they can push through those feelings and draw out their fight instinct, they can take the skulls and destroy them. After destroying a skull, a wave of energy will come from it. The energy will give them brief headaches, vertigo, and a short bout of irritability and impulsiveness. Some characters may recognize the feeling as Rift poisoning.

Each time they destroy a skull, the character will receive a microdose of Rift poisoning. Without their LILITH suits to protect them, they can experience extreme poisoning which results in flu like symptoms, mental and physical fatigue, and hallucinations which will make them more vulnerable to the psionic waves. However, with each skull destroyed, the fog around the castle begins to lift ever so slightly. After the air has cleared, the rooms feel safer and less oppressive, making them the perfect place to rest and recover. Unfortunately, if the servants notice, they may replace the destroyed skull with a new one.

▶ AFTERWORD.

Chosen characters may use this log to interact with each other and investigate the situation. It is HIGHLY encouraged to collaborate with other characters and share the clues you have been given.

Everyone who is kidnapped will have their ocular implants turned off, thus rendering communications between Chosen characters and characters who were not captured impossible, and any sort of location tracking will not function. However, certain characters will be given the opportunity to send a short message to the rest of the Outsiders. Players may use this post to have IC discussions about what information they want to provide to the rest of the team. If sending out a message, please submit your message by 11:59 PM GMT on the 10th of October so that mods may post it on the network.

Furthermore, characters can destroy skulls to slowly lift the fog around the castle. The number of skulls they will need to destroy is not specified, but it will lift during the next log.

The purpose of this log is for investigation and collaboration. We understand that players are excited to have terrible things happen to their characters. You can expect that information to be given on the 15th. Timeline-wise, characters will be kidnapped late at night on the 7th and then be freed around the 15th.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. CASTLE BRAN: Some Outsiders will awaken to find themselves in a mysterious castle and referred to as 'Chosen' by the castle servants. They are stripped of their belongings and powers, and have been freshly bathed and dressed. They are allowed to wander the castle but cannot leave or go further than the ground floor.

2. HOSPITALITY TREATMENT: Outsiders who try to leave will be hit by a psionic wave that leaves them feeling placid and happy, and may even cause them to hallucinate pleasant events or relive happy memories. Since there is a heavy fog around the castle and communications are cut off, there appears to be no method of escape.

3. WE SAVE OURSELVES: After several days, Outsiders may begin to infer that there is something cloaking the castle and preventing it from being discovered. The source is a multitude of wolf skulls hung up around the castle. Though the skulls induce fear and hopelessness in anyone who looks at it, destroying the skull will cause the fog around the castle to slowly lift. Outsiders who destroy skulls will suffer the effects of Rift poisoning.

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Comments

hospitality

[lovebombing]

Um.

[Um. The little squeak from the man in the corner does very little to interrupt this, but at least its followed by his (rather annoying) voice.]

I understand the need for anger management, but....I really just think that's gonna lead nowhere, lady.

[grade4]

[ her head swings up toward the corner, blinking, the intensity of the moment broken up by his sheepish voice. her fingers tighten around the attendant's collar, unwilling to let go. ]

Anger management? This isn't a joke! These bastards know something and they aren't giving it up.

[lovebombing]

Yeah, that's why they keep dying! That's a real good way to give up info. Just give up the ghost.

[He says, casually, like dying is something people do every day. Actually, they do! So there it is.]

I think they're just like...puppets.

[grade4]

Puppets. [ She repeats the suggestion quietly, then looks back at the attendant. They practically behave as such. Maki scowls, then in a more controlled voice: ] Then what do you suggest we do? Because I'm sick of doing nothing.

[lovebombing]

We look for clues, of course!

[As if that's as simple as anything!]

Noooo clues to be found from these guys. Treat them like...red herrings, yeah? Let's play detective.

[grade4]

...You might be treating this too lightly.

[ it's a weak protest and, to his credit, he does convince her to give up the fight. so she'll get off the attendant -- just not before giving them a swift kick to the face. it knocks the attendant out cold, though nothing more than that. ]

But fine. You're going to help me look for clues. Thanks for volunteering.

[lovebombing]

Might as well. Do you WANT to be drowning in your own negative feelings? Which includes anger, by the way.

[That's that, it seems - Sampo only offers the attendant a little huff, before turning to her.]

Ah...well! That's what Sampo Koski is here for. Any place you haven't checked?

[grade4]

It isn't drowning if I know how to swim in them.

[ grim words, but spoken with a sardonic grin and maybe a hint of self-hatred. maki is more used to anger driving her than anything else in life. ]

Sampo Koski. I'm Maki Zen'in. And I couldn't say. This castle feels like a maze. Only place we probably haven't gone yet is any place above or below.

[lovebombing]

Ah. Well. You need some joy too, right...

[RIGHT....?]

[Ah, and an introduction. He puts a hand on his chest and gives a bow.]

Very nice to meet you, Miss Maki. So...let's go below! I think its fair. Most places keep secrets in their underbelly, don't they?

[grade4]

That’s where they hide the bodies and curses. The true nature of things.

[ then, realizing she may be coming across too dramatic, she shrugs trying to brush off her own sheepishness. ]

My family kept all their curses there - spirits. Tortured people too, punishment or otherwise.

[ it only occurs to her now that this castle reminds her all too much of the zenin compound. beautiful to the unknowing eye, and haunted to all within. ]

[lovebombing]

Spirits? Like...what, ghosts? AND tortured people?

[Now he's especially looking concerned.]

Say, like. Is your family, like, okay?

[grade4]

[ that just gets a wide grin out of her. he’s a really frank guy huh. she likes that. ]

Nope. They’re horrible people, only concerned with growing their power. Don’t worry about it too much though. Not like they’re here.

[lovebombing]

Uh-huh....

[THIS SOUNDS PRETTY AWFUL, LADY]

And you got outta that situation, right? Please tell me you got out.

[grade4]

I got out. [ her grin turns into something between a scowl and a pout. ] Does it really sound that bad? You must have had an easier life.

[lovebombing]

Oh, good for you? Me? Haha. I've had an absolutely horrible one!






[SAYS THIS SO CASUALLY YOU COULD PROBABLY THINK IT'S A JOKE. maybe? maybe it is?]

[grade4]

Huh? Well come on, you can't say that and not give me some details. We can make it a contest.

[ trauma bonding but make it fun??? ]

[lovebombing]

[He holds up a hand.]

A true man never waxes lyrically about his hot-blooded past. [And then a flap of the same hand.] Seriously, though. It isn't worth it.

[grade4]

Hm. That seems unfair after I told you a little about my shitty life. [ said with more pout than fire, like she's been swindled. ] Well keep your secrets. Who you are right now is more important anyway.

[lovebombing]

Wellllll, I mean. I'm boring in comparison! I will say a little, though. I spent all my time on a planet that was starving to death with an endless winter. Boy, was it cold.

[Hehe.]

But you're right. The here and now. This is who we are. For better, and for worse.