« mini manta board log: abductions finale »

[seaboards]

ABDUCTIONS FINALE

This mini log is for the Special Quest listed on the April 2025 MANTA Board. All threads are worth 12 points.

Somewhere far out in the ocean, many days away from where the leviathans currently drift and settle, rests an "island" that can only be described as a beautiful abomination. Completely manmade, at first it looks to be an island of crystal and mist, its colors shimmering in the moonlight to give it a mystical aura. But every so often, when the mist moves and the light happens to pass through the crystal, large shadows with large fins and tails can be seen trapped within. Moving in closer will reveal even more than just crystal—large curved bones protrude here and there, but they are still placed carefully, supporting the crystals that make the island. In the front the bones arch around to look like the skeletal form of a massive whale, the tail deep into the water and a magnificent palace made of crystal and bone on its back. More bones curve around the tail with floating crystal lights illuminating the path down towards the island, the waters stained red.

Several luxury yachts are docked along the pearl studded pier, the sound of music, laughter, and other party making sounds drifting through the wind and echoing throughout the island. Inside the mansion, a number of rich, elite members of society are reveling in the ambergris wine and staring up at the numerous crystal statues of people and animals lining the walls and even hanging from the ceiling. Their eyes sparkle through the clouded haze created by the sweet fragrance that permeates throughout the building.

A stark contrast to the groans and cries that drift from deep, deep down beneath the island, where the crystal and rock form numerous dungeons and caverns housing those who were taken in for one reason or another. Whether they were arrested or kidnapped, they had been rendered unconscious and found themselves in these dungeons for the past few days, even weeks and months. Their tattoos wiped clean and stripped of their powers, the trapped are contained in all different ways: locked in barred cells, sometimes chained to the wall; locked in small isolation rooms, crystal from the walls slowly creeping closer towards them as if to swallow them; hanging in cages over tanks of water where others struggle in their water confinement. Humans, animalfolk, animals, riftfarers, and locals alike—all scattered throughout a giant dungeon and all in some process of being crystalized to become the next grand centerpiece to be put on display. It all seems hopeless…

…Until an ominous song echoes throughout the island, a sound so deep and raw that it rattles both the giant bones and those of the living. A song of no words yet sings of death and doom as the waters around the island begin to recede, making the structure suddenly sink down and slam into the ground. The seafloor, now exposed, reveals piles of bones and barely decomposed bodies of untold numbers of whales of all ages and sizes along with other remains of the victims that were once held on the island over the past few months. As the waters continue to recede and reveal the ghastly graveyard, the waters begin to rise and rise and rise to form a giant ocean wall, a massive shadow slowly passing before disappearing.

And riding at the top of those waves is a fleet of ships, Corsair and Paladin flags whipping in the wind. It is a partnership formed by the renowned Stormbringer and Royal Fortune captains, Fiona "Redbeard" O'Malley and Miranda "Wavebreaker" Thorn, both of whom are ignoring orders from the higher ups to work together, with Miranda leading the fleet through the violent tides, living up to her reputation as the "Wavebreaker". Lines are dropped, row boats surf down the wall to land on the wet sand, and people rush out towards the doomed island.

⚔️ Insignias. Due to the distance, the effects of the insignias on everyone will be lessened a little to allow cross-Armada interaction for longer periods of time. Otherwise, the effects are still active and while there may be some remedies around the mansion, it's still so new there wouldn't be too much.

🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Escape. Due to the sudden drop of the island, some doors may have broken open or sealed even tighter. Chaos will have erupted so the guards may also be scattered and confused, making escape attempts much more viable. Just be wary of the crystal golems and mechanical sentries that will be roaming through the lower dungeon.

💎 Crystallization. The crash has activated the magic system that will seek and target anything that appears living and try to fire a blast of cold air that will crystallize the area hit, similar to ice freezing over. Some fire more concentrated "goop" of crystal that will quickly solidify and start growing to encase the target.

🤖 Defense systems. Defense systems outside the island are still active. The "underwater mines" are now settled on the ground and while easy enough to avoid, some may still detonate. There are also sharkfolk mercenaries that will rush out to fight anyone they see. For those who may try to sneak through, there are some hidden entrances now made available, many of the larger crystal structures cracked to reveal ways in and out. However beware of the leeches that might attach to those not careful. They're mostly harmless, but instead of blood they will drain one's energy if not removed quickly.

⛓️ Arrests. While some may be quite happy to just stab their captors and those operating this island, taking a few back for questioning would also be worthwhile, especially since clearly a number of powerful people are here. But there are also some well-known riftfarers in the mix…

🪦 Underwater graveyard. As the tide recedes, it will reveal an underwater graveyard. Anyone rushing in to help with the rescue efforts or escaping might recognize partial or whole remains and bones of not only countless whales, but of animals and people who had been taken as well. The Captains are asking people to find and take back what they can find, whether they are remains or mementos, so that they can have a proper burial.

The raid is thorough and brutal, more and more of the island rumbling as it is gradually destroyed from within and without, ships firing cannons to chip away at the structure. However, they cannot stay forever. Once more the seafloor and the waters start to tremble as a high pitched shrill call pulses through. It's enough to knock anyone off their feet, even stun them for several seconds before there is a whisper of hundreds of voices. Voices so low and eerie, filled with a hatred that claws directly into the minds of all who are there:

"Drown."

That is the final warning before a large red eye glows from behind the waves, so large and bright it could swallow the island itself. Then the once high walls of water start to tip forward, a slow drip before it all starts to cascade downward and rush in to flood and destroy the island completely, crystal and bone shattering into oblivion.

As everything is flooded over, whales and dolphins will rush in to rescue those they can while orcas will move in to hunt down any criminals who managed to escape the first time, biting into their limbs and throwing them high into the air like toys before breaking them with their weight. The fleet of ships that had remained behind will sail in close to pick up those still stuck in the water.

It will be a long voyage home, and those who are injured or have the crystalized effects will receive immediate treatment with Eltrut able to provide more full treatment.

If you have any questions, comment here.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[seawarden]

Any questions you might have go here!

[emet_sulk]

I have a silly (non-serious) question:

Can I have the goose Emet is rescuing lay golden eggs (rarely)? Like there's some ridiculous specific circumstance under which it will lay them but it is still a goose that lays (occasiona) golden eggs.

Cloud Strife | FFVII

[makoglow]

[ Below are going to be some open and closed things to get people started and the like in regards to Cloud! Pretty short, sweet, and to the point here. If you want to plot something about recovery things, then hit me up at verthunder on both Discord and Plurk. ]

Rescue | Closed to Tifa & Zack

[makoglow]

[ Cloud is located in the dungeons. He had been able to transmit that much through a staticky video feed. It's a place where there is little light and bars. Though the feed would eventually cut off as Cloud had been discovered in an attempt to escape.

There are the sentries and the golems walking around down there. Crystal seems to be slowly creeping, growing through the different cells like some kind of virus. One wrong move will alert the enemies and they will attack anyone that gets their attention.

Eventually, reaching the area that Cloud's in... The crystal has even gotten into Cloud's cell, against the back wall. The very wall that Cloud is laying against, chin down and it doesn't seem like he's even awake. He's not chained to the wall, at least, but there are chains binding both wrists and ankles. Don't be too alarmed by how roughed up he might look, but it's hard to tell from a distance. ]

A Little Revenge | Open

[makoglow]

[ Zack and Tifa might have managed to get Cloud out of there and onto a ship for treatment. But Cloud is awfully stubborn. He's in no shape to leave the ship and to go "help" with some of the efforts. But that doesn't mean he's not going to try once initial treatment has been given.

People are probably still missing. He's pretty sure he's seen a lot of people and animals taken to this place. And Cloud is determined to stagger his way back to the graveyard, at least, to either snatch someone up or do as the captains have been asking. All while still dealing with his own crystallization ( which he is hiding ) and an arm in a sling. ]

Don't try to stop me.

[ Actually, no. Try to stop him. Please. ]

Recovery | Open to anyone all month

[makoglow]

[ Once the whole ordeal is over, Cloud can be found on The Seventh Heaven likely for the rest of the month. Deliveries from him are on hold, as they likely have been for a while. His three-headed dog, Fenrir, will be by his side like some kind of sentry - silent or boofing or otherwise. It doesn't seem like the dog ( who is rather large now ) has any intention of allowing Cloud to go anywhere or do anything without an escort.

So maybe he's just "relaxing" around the ship, arm still in the sling for the time being. Or maybe Cloud is washing dishes ( the one thing that he can do that's not going to give him too many looks ) or mixing drinks. It's not really restful, but being idle is just. Not something he really cares to be. ]

Hawks | My Hero Academia | Paladin

[velocityraptor]

I. The Rescue

[ Hawks will not be pleased that he’s the one in need of rescue, but that’s the point he’s at. Anyone who’s met him, and his somewhat larger than life personality and massive wings will find him looking rather small and pathetic in comparison. With his quirk gone, he’s really a rather slight man in terms of size and positioned like he is in the cell, he looks even smaller.

Hawks has been a problem. He’s been volatile. Maybe he’s been heard screaming and kicking up a fuss and trying to divert attention from other cellmates, taking the brunt of whatever was being dished out.

He’s chained to the back wall, facing the corner of the room. Both of his hands are secured in front of him. He has cuts and bruises on the few bits of exposed skin there is, thanks to him being a total pain in the ass. Beneath his clothes, undoubtedly there are a lot more. There are some crystalizations beginning on his arms, a couple of jagged looking clumps.

Weapons, Hawks would say.

However, calling out to him, Hawks won’t react. Banging on the bars won’t get his attention either. It’s hard to feel vibrations in the cement that makes up the cell he’s in. It would take a lot of effort. They haven’t done anything about his clothes – through the holes in his jacket and shirt, one can see skin, where his wings usually are. His yellow visor is cracked, but his headphones are in place.

Hawks can’t hear a damn thing with them on, not without his wings.

It’s not until someone gets close enough to him that he’ll stiffen and call out over his shoulder, even if he could just turn his head. ]

Is that all you’ve got? [ He’s taunting his captors. ] I’ve taken worse hits when I was nothing but a fledgling!

[ That’s right. Focus on him. He’s the annoying one here. How he’s going to get out of this situation...he has no idea. He’ll think of something. He’s crafty. ]

II. Rest

[ Getting Hawks to sit still long enough to be seen for medical treatment is an ordeal because he’s annoyingly perky. Sure, his steps are completely off, he’s wobbling, but that’s because without his wings his centre of gravity is affected. He thinks he’s handling it just fine. In fact- ]

I’ve got this, let me go in there and I’ll take care of them!

[ Hawks sounds...desperate. ]

It’s my job, I can handle this. This is nothing.

[ There’s blood oozing from a cut on his forehead, and he can barely stand, but he’s been conditioned to tear himself apart for the greater good. ]

III. Wildcard

[ If you would like to hang out with him while he’s resting or recovering, maybe help with the crystalization, or drag him to get some food in him or another tattoo – all good stuff. ]

Rescue

[telepathicignorance]

(It takes them a moment to realize who's in the cell. Without their telepathy, they might not have recognized him at all.)

Hawks!

(He won't hear them, of course.

He might feel it, the weird mild psychic drone that seems to accompany them so much of the time. It's sharper now, fear and rage dominating their mind.

He can't hear, they realize. He can't really see either, facing the back wall like that. They move to his side and cup his face, gently turning his head to look at them and mouth 'IT'S OKAY. RESCUE' as clearly and obviously as they can manage before letting go and moving back behind him again so they can pick the locks on his shackles.)

II

[brokenlight]

You can barely stand!

[Ventus carefully holds him back.]

You're going to do more bad than good in the state you're in.

[He means it nicely. But. Yeah. Hawks is in no condition to move right now.]

rest!!

[azuresong]

[ Lyria had just stepped outside to grab waters for those recovering, attempting to do whatever she could to aid in the efforts of so many who were captured. But who knew the victims in question were so stubborn!? ]

H... Hawks!? What are you doing!?

[ The girl turns to enter the room, only to find the man wobbling to his feet with... blood!? ]

Pl- please sit back down!

Azul Ashengrotto | Twisted Wonderland

[octoblot]

[Open and closed starters that are going to go here! If you want to plot something super specific, hit me up on plurk at wailords or in the Discord game channel.]

closed to fellow abductees

[octoblot]

[The last thing that Azul remembers before having woken up in his cell was while he had been in the middle of typing up an announcement to the network for the Thornblind cure he had developed, thanks to how the day prior had seen success with it having cured Leona's own case of it. Once he had been done making the announcement, he would be picking up the potion from his workshop and then making the rounds to distribute it to anyone who needed it. Then he remembers sudden darkness and pain, and the next thing he knows he's here, sans phone, magic-pen, and even his coat. Which, very rude.

Initially in the first few days or so, Azul tries to not reflect any outward pessimism in regard to the current situation, despite having been tossed in a cell with or surrounded by others like him after he woke up here. Now, granted, he's not smiling about it or speaking in a particularly cheery tone with his fellow inmates, except whenever any of the guards come down to check on them. Then Azul is radiating his best salesman energy as he starts trying to chat up the guards with anything he can think of to offer as a deal in exchange for freedom. He is a successful businessman after all, if they want money or some other valuables he can easily get them. Or maybe it's information? Or the things he can accomplish as a mage such as being able to grant them any wish?

Sometimes he can get a guard to start considering what he has to say, before typically another guard interjects and shoves Azul hard back away from the bars and tells him to save his breath. And then they sometimes end up changing the guard that comes to check on them to one that's less likely to get suckered in for a little while, or they respond with threats or at one point outright punching him right in the mouth in an effort to get him to stop trying to talk to them, causing a split lip. Oh well. At least he ends up learning things when he does stay quiet by eavesdropping or whenever they let slip something in their words, but otherwise nothing that helps with their escape just yet. As soon as whatever guard has finished harassing them, Azul turns to whoever else is close by and sighs.]

Well. That certainly could have gone better...

closed to leona (cw: momentary emeto mention but its octopus ink so...)

[octoblot]

[Eventually, at some point after those first couple of days, Azul suddenly goes rather quiet. A little too quiet than a serial yapper like him is normally where he's sitting with his eyes closed against the wall. Sweating and breathing a little harsher than normal, but if you happen to have the same cell or one next to his, you'll quickly notice something wrong--Azul's face has suddenly started turning a peculiar shade of gray, the back of his hands turning black. Whether you call for help or try to help him out yourself, it will end up getting the guards attention eventually as they open the cell and step in to try to make him stand... except that not only does his legs not seem to be working, but Azul opens his mouth, and something spits out of his mouth onto the floor, pitch black in color.

One guard complains, the other inspects the back of Azul's hand before showing the guard something that caught his eye with that black color, and after a hushed conversation between the two of them (anyone in the same cell or close enough can make out the words "does this look like scales to you?") they are suddenly dragging Azul out of the cell and he disappears elsewhere as they don't bring him back, not even days later. Thus, when rescue finally comes, Azul is not the easiest person to find. In fact, one would be forgiven for thinking that Azul was somehow given freedom, brought to some kind of nurse on the island because they didn't want their product being defective... or maybe he died and the guards tossed his body somewhere since none of the other captives have really seen him since he suddenly started acting ill that day when the guards took him away.

Some NPC abductees that were placed close by the tanks, however, will be able to note that one of the tanks is perhaps worth investigating: specifically, the one that the guards brought in several days ago that's full of pitch black water that they've all been kind of intimidated by, because it will make random thumping noises or they have caught sight of what looks like some kind of creature thrashing around in there: there's always some kind of tentacle that tries to emerge from the top and act like whatever's in there is trying to climb out, or it will attempt to slap at or grab the guards and choke them until it gets smacked or jabbed at with a pole to force the tentacle back inside of the tank until it finally stopped trying to attack them a day or two ago.

Sure enough, there's an area of the dungeon that has cages and tanks for animals, including one that is filled to the brim with murky black water that's near impossible to see inside of, and when one attempts to step closer up to it, there's a sudden THUD in the form of a very large black and purple tentacle attempting to breach over the side from top of the tank. There's a layer of noticeable crystallization that keeps its movements stiff, however, unable to get a good grip on the outside of the tank from the creature to try to pull itself out or attempt to reach the person it can hear outside the tank... and thus after a moment, it falls limp back into the tank on its own with a loud splash and thrashing about inside, another tentacle pressed against the glass trying to break it but to no avail. It will keep doing this regardless of whoever comes near the tank, whatever's in there is clearly pissed off and not eager to allow others to come near them...

At least, until he hears someone he can recognize, that is.]

open to everyone after rescue

[octoblot]

[It's not an easy endeavor, but Azul does get rescued and brought back to Eltrut to recover once he's been cleared to be elsewhere other than a hospital ward to deal with his injuries or the crystallization. Initially, he tries to reject any attempts at visitors, either because he's passed out in an uneasy sleep, or he's trying to sleep, the room darkened significantly with any curtains drawn tightly closed and Azul hidden under many layers of blankets drawn tightly around him. Anyone who insists on coming in during this time will probably not be warmly welcomed.

But after about a day or two of letting himself be miserable, he appears to do a complete 180: suddenly, visitors are welcomed in to visit him if they want to, and he acts as if he's already happy to work and move on with his life here, at least once he's able to walk well enough again: the crystallization in his octomer form had not prevented him from being able to shift back to human form, but the crystallization had affected his legs regardless and while it has been dealt with, walking will definitely require his cane for at least another few days if he tries to go anywhere.

Anyone who tries to stop by and visit him around this time will find him sitting in a chair at a table with several papers in hand that he's reading or writing down on, typing up a new announcement to make about the Thornblind cure since he didn't have a chance to do so weeks ago, and making texts or calls to whichever clients he had been in the process of making anything for before his abduction, all in all acting as if nothing happened at all other than a momentary setback...]

[ooc: I forgot to mention it in the very top header, but if if anyone on the log wants to have had an unsuccessful encounter with angry injured octomer in the tank before he got rescued, lmk and we can thread it out in another closed starter for our characters, or it can be mentioned here in some fashion, just hit me up and we'll figure something out]

[wherethereislight]

[The island reeks of death, but it doesn't deter Shadow from continuing forward. The Ultimate Lifeform cannot die afterall, so he rushes on ahead onto the island with little concern of what awaits him. He causes a commotion above ground first, further disrupting the elite members who have chosen this place to have their little get together. The ground shakes as he destroys their garish yachts, along with what lifeboats they were planning to use to escape before the flood arrives. They can drown with the wealth they cling to. Let's hope the armada finds them if they plan to question them.

Not finding what he seeks above ground, the chaos descends beneath the island as he takes out anything and anyone that gets in his way. The prisoners are left in their cells as he continues to descend. Someone else can handle freeing them with him dealing with the island's defenses. He reaches a space where more animalistic prisoners are kept, full of cages and tanks for various species. Many squawk for his attention to free them, but he's preoccupied taking on a few guards and sharkfolk. Some may end getting freed just from the tussle, with how he easily overpowers and tosses his foes into the cages and tanks, disrupting whomever occupied them.]

Garrus Vakarian | Mass Effect | Paladin

[thearchangel]

[ Open and closed prompts below! I'm down for plotting on plurk @ redfirelight, or at my tl here! ]

Rescue | closed to Crew

[thearchangel]

[It's been a bad time.]

[Probably an understatement, but what are you going to do? From getting his teeth metaphorically kicked in, to waking up in custody, to... whatever the hell they did to remove his tattoo. Not the clan markings. No, as much as it would have been awful to have those removed, it wasn't potentially life threatening.]

[Having the one that allowed him to actually survive in this world taken off? No, that's worse. Surviving on water and stubbornness isn't great for recovering from injury. There's splotches of dried blue crusted all over the cell. Marring the crystals jutting out of walls and floor.]

[It started creeping up his wounded leg the other day. The one wrenched the wrong way in the fight. Maybe even fractured for all he can tell. Trying to peel the crystal off only resulted in peeling off bits of scale. Smashing it wasn't an option. So, in the interest of conserving energy, that was abandoned for dozing off and on.]

[Which means once all hell starts to break loose, he's still conscious. And trying once again to smash the crystal restraining him off. Unless someone else manages to get into the cell before he's able to.]

Naeva Dos Martos | OC | Corsair

[desirestruth]

[Two flavors of toplevel down below for your convenience.]

Release the Beast | Open, CW: VIOLENCE

[desirestruth]

[There is a monster for display among the prisoners. When removing her tattoo and her magic had not removed her natural ability to change forms, Naeva's captors saw it as...an opportunity. So she is chained down and muzzled, a beast with a gastly maw, her legs and forearms covered in crystals...even the beginnings of her jaw. she is quiet now, so much so one might think she's unconscious where she stands, bound upright...

Except, her eyes track everyone who enters, glowing gold with fury and madness. It's not clear if she recognizes anyone who approaches. She is silent, but staring. Furious and hungry.

...It might be a little dangerous to free her.]

[ooc: naeva will need to feed nearly immediately on release so this thread will be very bloody!]

Roxas | Kingdom Hearts

[seasaltkeys]

[A - So What Are You In For]

[There is a boy in a cell and he is not happy to be there.

Granted, it's a prison cell and one would assume that most people aren't happy when they're in one. You're really not supposed to be happy. And perhaps that's elevated by the fact that he has done nothing to be in here, except for maybe be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which is stupid and frustrating and irritating and here we are.

He shifts between pacing restlessly and rattling the bars and sitting listlessly in a corner of the cell, unable to do much with the pent up energy and the way his arms are crystallizing. He scratches at it unconsciously.

Two options here:

i. After Roxas has first been tossed in the cell. He looks more than a little roughed up and is not in a good mood. What are you in for?

ii. Roxas and Axel are hatching a plan for escape. You want in?]


[B - Escape! That's Funny, it looks just like the word Escape]

[The minute the realization hits that Roxas can escape, he does. He shoves the door open and runs into the hallway. He can't summon his keyblades and it's frustrating, but he can still do some damage. He doesn't have a 20x attack modifier for nothing after all. And well, he's mad. And while that usually leads to sloppy movements, it can also lead to some pretty powerful attacks.

And all of that is directed at the first guard he manages to find. It's not the elegant, clean combat of a boss fight, but a scrappy brawl to knock the guy out and make off with his keys. You need getting out, he's letting you out, opening as many doors as he can with what he's got.

All the while, he's keeping an eye out for the familiar shock of red hair that usually heralds his best friend. He's not leaving without Axel.]

[C - Freedom, it smells so sweet! (let's go rob a liquor store on the way home)]

[It's over. He's out. He's safe. He's on the deck of a ship and they are sailing away. He's torn between wanting to look back and never wanting to think about this whole thing again. Roxas is sore and tired. His arms are covered in crystals and he looks roughed up and beaten. There's definitely going to be a few bruises. His shirt is torn, and one might see a large scar across his chest.

For now though, he sits in a quiet spot on the deck of the ship, trying to be out of the way, so he can just rest. He wants to be home and in bed and somewhere where he doesn't have to think about these things.]

[D - Wildcard]

[ooc: Want something else? Want a specific starter? Want to plot? urbaninja or PM]

B

[refantasma]

[Nico doesn't have a shock of red hair, he's got long-ish dark hair that could use a good brushing. But he's there, sword in hand, and five zombies ready to rumble.]

Roxas! Over here!

[He waves at his crewmate with his free hand.]

We're here to rescue you! Let's hope we run into trouble on the way out.

Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (2023) | Paladin

[astudyinviolet]

Caged

[ A large man shoves Sherlock into a cage, locks it, and raises them both until the cage hangs over a naturally occurring pool of water. Sherlock stays slumps against the bars and floor of the cage. Another day, another beating and interrogation. How long has he been in here? It had been the twentieth when he was captured, but given the lack of light, he can't tell the passage of time. The best he could use as a measurement is the number of times he had been beaten for information he refused to give. That ox man called his interrogations a daily task. There's been at least sixteen of them that Sherlock can remember.

His aching body shows significant pale green crystalline growth. He can no longer see or hear on his right side. His joints are stiff. The numerous bruises and cuts on his body have turned the same pale green. Smaller crystals appear in patches. Most of his injuries are hidden under the raggedy and blood stained the dress he wears. His interrogators we told to avoid his face, so his crystallized form could be a masterpiece. Man or woman, they thought him very pretty and could fetch a nice price on the black market. (If they don't decide to keep him, that is.)

People would be forgiven if they thought Sherlock dead. Sherlock seems to have shut down. He cannot see a way out of this. His early escape had failed. He does not have the charms which would see him safe from the pool beneath him if he could pick the lock. The only hope he has is that the information he left at the S.H. Detective Agency and his casebook helped his friends and made this worth it. ]

Drown

[ The voices fill his head, and no amount of covering the ear that can still hear blocks them out. Sherlock sees the bright red eye, and he knows he's seen something like that in his night terrors, deep in the Abyss, calling out to him as these voices do now.

He's frozen in place even as the water starts to cave in and fall. There's no lighthouse here. There's no John to pull him away before the water crashes down. He doesn't want to see the monstrosity. He wants to see it and finally know. What incomprehensible being haunts him? ]

Are you the Great Lord...? Why are you here...?!

[ Hopefully, his charms have been retrieved to help him breathe underwater and keep him afloat. Sherlock cannot swim. He can't even attempt to as the water will cause him to black out. Better yet would be for someone to get him to safety before the water reaches him. Carrying him is applicable. He's light enough and won't fight anyone who does. ]

Recovery cw: vague emeto and seasickness mention

[ A healer has seen to Sherlock and started the first of many treatments to reverse the significant crystallization of his body. He may look the same, but the treatment targeted his internal organs and to start returning function to his right eye and ear. There is still one problem. Sherlock gets seasick, so while he's on the ship as more people are plucked from the waters, Sherlock coughs and whimpers maybe even cries. What little had been in his stomach has long since left him.

A fellow person in recovery? Someone keeping him company? Someone trying to care for him? Sherlock isn't going anywhere until he's able to leave the ship, and even then, he'll just be resting at the Surasthana Cafe, either in his apartment or downstairs in a pile of blankets and cushions while clutching certain plushes to his chest. ]

Wildcard

[ Want to do something else? Write a prompt or drop me a line at Sherry's journal, aviekokyre, or on Discord @ aviekokyre and we can plot something out. ]

Chaos Gays Rescue Their Son | Caged

[empyrean_mirror]

[Well, you're in luck, Sherlock, because that wall into the prison just...exploded. Mehrak comes through first, beeping as she scans through the room, but if she's here...then her dads probably aren't too far behind, are they?]

Miriam | Bloodstained: RotN | Paladin [Open]

[crystalrepose]

[Miriam remembered the moment everything went wrong quite clearly. It was one of the few things she could remember with any sort of clarity, now. She'd been feeling restless—again, and isolated herself from people, again, to wait out the night's transformation. But not well enough.

Hunters with silver in their guns had followed her this time, not nervous villagers. When the moon beckoned her beastly form, they were waiting. Venturing into the forest brought no quiet peace, only a hail of bullets that burned and kept burning, and darts of a poison that cleared her mind yet made her so very tired, until her limbs failed to answer her.

It was easier to cart off a caged beast than a person. Fewer questions. Miriam could hear far more in this form, but her awareness of the world outside the bars faded in and out with the level of sedatives in the vial. Time passed. The cage rocked, stowed in the hold of a ship. Water doused the cage—and her Shards went quiet all at once. So too did her consciousness dim; the last she remembered was her cage being dragged somewhere else.]

I. (cw: injury, torture)

[This cell was closed off and windowless; an unusual bit of extra effort, given only a wolf had been dragged in there; a seemingly ordinary one, its black pelt already pockmarked with rosettes of crystal. But it wasn't only a wolf anymore—just as it wasn't only Miriam in here. The howling snarls that made it out of the enclosed cell were too monstrous for either.

Inside was dim, but still easy enough to make out the cell's contents; an old camera-like contraption, a rack of vials—and an ornate cage in the middle, fit to display an equally fanciful bird.

Within was Miriam, or what was sometimes her. The captors here alternated between allowing amplified moonlight to shine through the ornate camera's lens, forcing her form to twist and change into bipedal monster, with limbs armed with claws and jaws full of fangs—and a mind full of rage instead of thought. With the tattoo wiped clean and her power dormant once again, a werewolf was all they needed to concern themselves with. And they knew what to do with those. She was shackled at the neck, multiple points of her arms and legs—to excess, as if the werewolf were a doll to be posed. Not with crude metal chains—these were silver, a soft metal to hold back a beast who could crumple steel. But wherever the shackles touched were striped with burns; even the faintest brush against her throat made the werewolf pull up short as it charged at the end of her chain, forcing Miriam to lift her head and keep her claws raised. A statue all slumped over in the bottom of the cage wasn't interesting; this was to be living art.

In case the burn of silver wasn't deterrent enough—it often wasn't—a vial of wolfsbane sedative piped to the back of her neck slowed the werewolf's movements as a drugged exhaustion set in. The werewolf went slack in the tethers before she could burst the soft silver, even returning to her human shape partway as the exhaustion and sedatives took hold. The moonlight shutter closed again, not allowing the werewolf to draw any further strength from it.

And in the moment of clarity it brought, she could feel the crystal growing. Spreading, and fast; what had started as a clump of rough scales had spread all along her right side and left a growing patchwork of pale blue on her arm. It was different to her Shards—worse. It grew fast, erratic and endless as a cancer; her Shards remained visible like gnarled burls in the grain of wood as the new crystal grew in. There was nothing to mark the passage of time in this room except its ceaseless, patternless growth—it was twice the size as it was hours ago. Moments? Days? Thinking about it made her feel hollow and cold and tightened her chest to the point breathing became difficult—and yet all she could do was think.

After all that she'd endured, all that she'd left unattended, all that was unhealed—Miriam couldn't hold her mind steady anymore. The lycanthropy only amplified the emotions she already felt; it was what she remembered, what she thought, what she dreaded, what she feared—that stretched her mind thin as a string. Easily snapped. Until the next cycle began, the glow of moonlight to stir the beast, the wolfsbane to weaken it, the human awakened in time to feel less of herself as the crystal claimed more. The werewolf strained at its bindings—and the cycle continued again. And again.

But a link of silver chain had begun to pull open; the cage wouldn't hold under even the lightest pressure. This section of the catacombs was thinly guarded—who'd break into a werewolf's cell?]

II. (cw: violence)

[Someone made a mistake. Perhaps the moonlight shutter had gone out of sync, the sedative vial had gone dry, or perhaps that chain had finally given way. The result was the same. There was a horrid screech as the cage's metal twisted and burst, a wrenching bang as the door to the cell shattered before a monster's strength.

It wasn't only Miriam anymore. A monstrous black shape burst through, the crystals embedded in her side and limbs slowing her, but not enough. Dull clusters of roselike petals adorned her back and chest, one of the few markers of the person she was supposed to be. There was no quiet calculation in her eyes, only an untargeted rage.

The first thing the werewolf saw—guard, friend, stranger—she charged for, a rasping snarl the only word she remembered.]

[Wildcard]

[For recovery threads or other things! Her plotting thread is here, to hash out any plans or How Not to Get Mauled hints.]

i.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack still isn't exactly aware of his own issues with his new... wolfish problem. Yet, Zack can tell there is a difference in his body now. Something itching, like an ache he can't quite get to. His blood feels like it's about to boil hot at any given second. His heart rate is rapid. His eyes dart to and from every little noise that his ears can pick up. His fingers twitch with the urge to grab or claw or break something. It feels like his body is slowly filling up with something unknown, like liquid, like the moon.

He's here searching for his crewmates. As he carefully searches, he picks up on something in the air. He's not sure if that's the smell he tunes into but it's something familiar. He stalks carefully down the catacombs to hear the slight chink of chains against stone. And then...]

Miriam! ... Miriam.

[He sees her, crumpled there in shards and crystal. And Zack feels his anger started to boil again.]

Hey! Can you hear me...?

Cidolfus Telamon | Final Fantasy XVI | Corsair

[ramuhs]

[a lucky break]

[For the past several days, Cid had been wondering how to break out of this place. While he knew there were others, it didn't help that he had been placed in a cell farther away where he could only hear and catch glimpses of other victims suffering the same way all of them were. So he had been biding his time, pretending to be weakened and useless, even unconscious, to lower their guard and had a plan for when they were going to do their next injection...

When the whole island came crashing down and he was practically given the opportunity. Pretending to be unconscious, he was carried into what he personally called the "injection room," and just as he was being lifted onto the table, ready to stab the guard with the shard of crystal he managed to break off his almost fully crystalized left arm, everything was thrown around. Well, that made things easier. He had no idea what was going on or why, but he wasn't about to look a gift chocobo in the mouth. Even before things settled, he killed the guards in the confusion, grabbed one of their swords and keys, and staggered outside. It was still too early to tell, but from the sounds he could tell everywhere was the same.

He could only hope others were as fortunate to find themselves able to free themselves, but for now he had to do what he could to help. There is only a moment where he grimaces from the stiff pain that shoots up from his left arm, a pain that he had almost forgotten but can only now think it almost ironic how it's happening again.]

Benedikta won't like this... Poor sods.

[With that ominous mutter, he dashes off.]

⚡ i. prison break

Come on now, get up! Move!

[After his own escape, Cid quickly moves from one cell or cage to another, trying to help free any who were unable to do so. He had swiped some keys, but not all of them worked so there would be times when he had to try and kick a lock or find a rock that could help smash chains free. If there were any in stuck in overhanging cages, Cid will try to find the mechanisms to lower them. Anyone injured or too weak to move, he'll offer his back to carry them out until they reach a safer spot or the growing number of escaping prisoners that could take them. But he won't leave yet—he'll keep going back to try and free not only people but also the animals that were taken.

Of course, it's not always so easy. Although chaotic, confronting guards and sentries will always be trouble, especially when they can use magic and have stronger weapons compared to him and everyone else. If he is helping someone else, if they can fight then all the better. If they can't, however, he'll force them to run ahead as he tries to hold the guards back. This can sometimes lead him into trouble if there are more than he can reasonably handle, sometimes even getting cornered. A little help would be appreciated!

ooc: Cid's not going to leave the island until after Benedikta finds him, so all threads in this section are focused on the dungeon area with option to go further up to confront any of their rich captors. However, he'll split off from anyone actually leaving to return to the dungeons and continue helping and freeing others.]

⚡ ii. recovery period

[While Cid was not able to see everything that happened outside the island when the waters flooded in, he did catch a glimpse of that giant red eye and heard the voice. It was unlike he had ever experienced and as he received preliminary treatment on the Stormbringer for his arm, he listened to everything he could before asking for a few healers to come aboard the Hideaway's ship, Enterprise II to treat those of his crew who were injured. That he knows a certain bird wouldn't let him out of her sight and would prefer to be on his own ship than staying on one of the Corsair's biggest ships.

Now on the Enterprise II, with a cigar between his lips Cid leans over the railing to stare out where the island once floated, the waters still churning. It was eerily silent now with just the wind and the waves, making him fall deep into contemplation. Especially as he raises his still partially crystalized arm. With how much was injected in it, it would take a few days for it to disappear completely. And, despite how he may hold himself, he had gone several days without proper food and water, leaving him leaner and more haggard looking. But knowing what others have been through, he thinks little of that.

Which means he's doing a poor job taking care of himself!! Already he's thinking of what to do next, and if not out on the deck he can sometimes be found at his desk writing down or drawing something. This is something that's going to continue even after they arrive to the Roost and the days beyond, no matter how many times he's nagged or dragged away.

So for anyone who wants to check in on Cid (and join the nagging crew), it can happen either on the Enterprise II or at the Roost. Network calls are also fine! Also specify if this is when his arm is still crystalized or if after it's all healed.]

⚡ wildcard

[All other prompts are open! Feel free to hit me up on discord or laenavesse]

[ closed to benedikta ]

[ramuhs]

[last ditch effort]

[He doesn't know how long it's been since the island fell and chaos erupted in the dungeons. An hour? Several hours? By now he's helped release other prisoners, freed animals, met with those who arrived to help including his own crewman, and killed and destroyed numerous guards and sentries. There are fewer prisoners left, many having found their way out of the island and really it's about time he left, too.

But there was something he had actually been trying to find, another reason why he had been roaming through the maze like dungeon and stuck around when he could have easily joined the others to leave. There were enough on hand to leave it to them, there's no real reason for him to personally stay at this point. But there was—and it came from the quiet sounds and vibrations he had heard in his own cell and a sound that is growing louder and louder as he rushed down a path he had yet to check. Perhaps it's luck, his intuition, or fate, but eventually his feet bring him to what he had been searching for.]

...Found you.

[He stares up with somber eyes at the giant tank containing two small whale calves before his gaze hardens at the signs of crystallization around their tails and flippers, making it difficult for them to keep afloat. He had heard and helped released other animals that had been trapped in similar tanks, some left waiting in a larger holding tank near an exit until the waters returned outside the island. The idea is as long as the gate was loosened enough, the moment the waters rushed through it would all break apart and they would be able to escape. Honestly it's a long shot, but the only option they have. And that is why he had rushed through, trying to find these young whales because he had yet to see any signs of them freed. He's also certain there are a few more down in here, but he had to do what he could first.

Up the ladder he climbs, pausing only when he feels the wall shake and tremble, bits of stone falling from the ceiling above. It's clear the island is about to come apart and he doesn't have much time left. Gritting his teeth and mostly using his right arm, he hauls himself up onto the grated ceiling covering the tank. Already the two calves raise their heads up, blowing their spouts in wariness. But he just gives him a smile and a few words of encouragement before he quickly looks. Finding the opening hatch, he pries it open and lowers himself down to where the mechanism to open the gate that would allow the whales to swim to the next channel or chamber when there's another loud BOOM and the whole area shakes again.

Although Cid holds onto what he can, the floor is slick and large pieces of stone fall from the rocky ceiling above. They break through parts of the iron grating, with one large piece striking Cid in the head. It's a powerful blow, and as he slips off the ledge and into the water, he feels himself losing consciousness, and the the last thing he hears are the panicked cries of the little whales...]

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV | Paladin

[emet_sulk]

1. Break-out

Emet-Selch's abduction had been...impressively quiet. Maybe because it's well known that he's a powerful and perceptive mage. The kidnappers come well-prepared, able to ambush him before he can retaliate, taking away the tattoo which gives him access to his powers, and bundle him off on their ship to gods know where.

He doesn't really know how long it takes to get there; they've blindfolded him and drugged him just enough that the journey is one long hazy memory. What he does know is that he wakes up hours later in a suspended cage above a pool of water just deep enough to cover the head of an adult man. I.e. Him. His right arm is in the process of crystallisation and so is one of his legs. They're heavy enough that he knows if he tries to fumble his way out of the cage, he'd simply drown in the water below instead. His captors have thought this through.

Still, he's not someone one to simply give up and wait for rescue. He's leaning against the side of the cage, brow furrowed in thought, when everything shudders violently. Water splashes against the side of his cell. The ceiling cracks ominously and Emet-Selch's stomach drops. If the cage falls into the water, he will definitely drown, crystal or no. But what can he do? It's not like anyone is going to let him out--

Outside, raised voices. Emet-Selch slaps the bars to make them ring and yells out once the noise draws closer:

"Someone get me out of here!"

2. Escape

Even after being let out of his personal cell, it isn't so easy making it out of the dungeon itself. Emet-Selch hobbles as others flee past him, gritting his teeth as he drags his crystallised leg while his crystallised arm hangs uselessly at his side. The water is rising and he has no magic to make a swift exit with.

"If I die because of you, you had better remember me in your next life," he growls. To whom? To the goose tucked under his non-crystallised arm. Apparently their captors had hoped to cash in with another goose hydra, but as far as Emet-Selch can tell, this one is a completely normal - if ornery - creature.

The goose tilts its head at him and honks. It is debatable whether it understood him or not.

3. Homeward bound

The goose and Emet-Selch are together on the deck of the ship. A medic is treating the latter's crystal arm. The mage looks exhausted, absolutely done with this unwanted adventure, and looking forward to returning to falling into his own bed either on ship or on land.

While Emet-Selch is being looked at, the goose waddles around trying to bite at the hems of other passengers' clothing. It appears unaffected by its brief stint in prison.

3

[lucky_e]

"Can I help you?"

Enty looks down at the goose currently biting at the hem of her great coat. She doesn't do much more beyond give the bird a smile and tugs her jacket away from the bird of violence. Such actions are to be expected by birds known for being nothing short of beings of pure chaos and violence, after all.

Axel | Kingdom Hearts | Corsair

[emberized]

[Closed and Open Prompts below, tossing me a Wild is fine too!]

Between the Bars-- [General Prison Banter-- Open]

[emberized]

[The first thing Axel does when he awakes is groan.]

"Augh. Some assassin I am." [He admonishes, more annoyed with himself, than anything. Did he learn nothing after all of his time in the Organization?

He's groggy, feeling the sting of recent injection sites but snatches of the brawl that led to this moment are playing out in flashes as he staggers to his feet. He has barely opened his eyes when he's already reaching for his weapon. He isn't surprised when it fails to manifest.

That's right. They dunked him in some kind of mixture-- half awake-- the ink seeped out, his hair is still wet.

It's.. cold. Axel can't remember a time he has felt this cold, internally. Not even the waves Xehanort had pulled him out of or the Tundra left a chill running through his core quite like this. And this place. It's too bright and shiny for his eyes to adjust. He wills himself into wakefulness.]

"So~ What do you make of this?" [Is anyone even listening? It doesn't matter, he needs to talk.]

"Usually these types of places, they want to limit how many bodies they take in. Don't wanna get overcrowded, have too many mouths to feed."

[He tries again to will his eyes to open and see his surroundings.]

"But kind of seems like these guys are after the opposite."

Zack Fair | Final Fantasy VII | Paladin

[activatingcombatmode]

[closed threads with zack go here! you can find my plotting comment here if you need anything!]

closed to tifa lockhart 🌹

[activatingcombatmode]

[Before the rescue...

Zack can feel the exhaustion in his body. He hasn't been sleeping well. The ache of that lack of sleep is heavy in his bones and muscles. But he doesn't have time to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time because he has people that he needs to find. With Cloud, Red, Miriam and others having gone missing... It's not like his body would let him sleep, anyway.

The water rocks against the ship as they approach and he can already see everyone available prepping to get onto this crystal whale. They'll be arriving soon.]

You good?

[Zack glances at Tifa with a steady nod.]