DRAFT - The Battle of Vaskoth

[lucetimods]

Who: Anyone on the draft
What: The Battle of Vaskoth! Zombie uprising!
When: 25th to 28th (a second log will follow)
Where: Vaskoth
Summary: Please read here for event information
Rating: Z for Zombies

On the 25th, Lucetians are ushered in to join an already growing army to repel the Cultists.

On the 26th, strange symptoms are reported. The first Runners appear and by nightfall, the hospital is lost.

On the 27th, the cultist horde is completely lost to the virus. They send no more reinforcements.

On the 28th, the situation is grim and an evacuation is called. But the battle is not over.

Notes: There will be two NPC threads. One for Specialist Davis and another for Carol.

If you like creating your own NPCs, then check out this spreadsheet and be sure to contribute! This was originally set up by Griff for the Kin'cora event. It's been revised as a semi-official tracking spreadsheet for characters created on the fly.

Comments

[liaising]

[On the second day -- early on, as she seemingly is one of the first to be alerted about the impending viral plague -- one woman is taking it upon herself to organize a supply-drive in the centre of Old Town. Not only is she asking for help from the Vaskothan villagers, but she's advertising to others that she and her assistants are happy to dispense initial aid. If you're stuck in Old Town and are looking for a starter-pack of supplies or a weapon without making the trek to the MSF weaponry, she is the person you want to speak to. She'll only be available on day two -- after that, even she will be forced to go to ground.

Only the oldest of Luceti's veterans might recognize her as Carol, an individual who used to inhabit their own enclosure before disappearing under vague circumstances. Otherwise, she appears to be in her late twenties or early thirties, with long dark hair and a sincere smile that persists in spite of the situation. The majority of the Vaskothans are seen defering to her with considerable respect and good-will.

She will be very approachable and happy to talk to any Lucetians who are in the Old Town area on the second day; however, she's a busy little bee and she won't necessarily be able to chew the fat for long.]

[rashness]

O...oi, lady. That officer guy who woke me up pointed me on over to you for where I could find like, supplies? Starter kits? [It's closer to 9:30 AM than it is to the early morning, so it's sort of late in her morning, but he's looking sheepish and a little tired, in all of his teenager with a tail glory. He got directed to Carol by the same officer who woke him up, having ended up at the center in Old Town to sleep last night.]

[liaising]

[The woman pauses in her good works to give the boy a once-over. Presumably checking for any visible open wounds; however, she dos all of it with a friendly half-smile. ]

Certainly. [She temporarily sets her armful of box down onto a folding table's top and reached instead for an initial can of beans.] It's very smart of you to take us up on our offer. Some seem to have been to proud. Or elsee they haven't been able to make it this far.

[Old Town certainly isn't as affected as other areas of Vaskoth. Not yet, at least. Even still, the bright-eyed woman clearly wasn't taking any risks. Although she is herself unarmed, her assistants bristle with weapons.]

[rashness]

[No visible wounds - no blood on him either, which would actually be more telling. At 100% power like it still is right now, he would heal up anything short of his guts being spilled out within a few minutes anyway. And he itches the back of his head, sheepishly]

H-honestly I barely ate yesterday and I got dragged here. Even if I'm not fond've being here, I figure I oughta get what I can.

[Not fond of being here is said reflexively. He fails to realize, of course, that she might well be one of them, particularly given the guard. But here, where he has already been seeing people fight and - well not die yet but be gravely injured, the "us" and "them" part of it is blurring. A lot.]

[liaising]

[If his lack of fondness insults her, she doesn't dare show an iota of disappointment. Instead, she's already whirling to the left and pouring hot, steaming water into a shallow mug. ]

We have porridge--[she explains, pouring what must be instant mix into the same mug.] But I promise to sweeten it and add in some of our sliced apples. They're only going to go bad, anyway. Better to enjoy them now than not at all.

[rashness]

[Okay, now that makes his eyes widen. And blush, actually. He's a little abashed, because that was nice - above and beyond what he was expecting when he walked over, really, given the rude awakening he got from that older guy]

W---wha, Thanks! I mean. Thank you. If there's anything I can do, I'll do it. Too.

[...Not wanting to owe people. Be helpful. Really, a small kindness just totally flipped his own mood]

[liaising]

[His gratitude flushes her with...something. Not quite delight, really. But hope. These were the sorts of people she foresaw surviving this disaster. Not the hardened veterans.

She's a terribly idealistic woman.]

We can always use a spare set of muscles...if you don't mind. Just a few boxes moved inside--[She points at the building behind her, where some people are disappearing through the door carrying some of the stockpiled items.

But she holds out the mug of porridge and a little camping spoon.] Every little bit helps. But -- here. Eat first.

[rashness]

[Oh sure, right. Food. He takes the mug and the spoon, a grateful little smile. He takes a bite and - well he could see where he could improve it, but the sweetness makes up for it. Mmmm]

I can do that, no problem. [Chew, chew... -wait] Oh, and I'm Rin.

[liaising]

Carol. [She presses a hand to her chest to indicate -- obviously -- herself.] You don't look MSF. And I haven't seen you around Vaskoth. Which enclosure were you sent from?

[Casual. You'd swear there wasn't a war raging on just beyond her little aid station's perimetre.]

[wise_maiden]

[Sometime during the second day, Raine will be in the Old Town area for a short time, seeing what's available and what isn't. It's during this time that she catches sight of Carol. It's been quite a few years, so she doesn't recognize the woman immediately, though there is a familiarity she can't place. As she seems to have been made in charge of the supplies, it makes her worth speaking to.]

Excuse me, could you tell me how the state of things have been in this area?

[liaising]

[Meanwhile, Carol certainly recognizes Raine. But she says nothing. Ideally, she shouldn't bait the familiarity of subjects from older assignments.]

We're holding on. [Optimism suffuses her tone.] The local talent has been out in force. The worst of the...problem seems to be in the hospital's vicinity. The worst hasn't reached us. Not yet.

[Then, suddenly:] Could we perhaps recruit your help? Every little bit helps.

[wise_maiden]

I see...

[There's something more familiar in the voice, but for now the request was unexpected, but her talents are better put to use than wasted, so she gives a firm nod.] I'm a healer and have medical training, so I'll do what I can.

[liaising]

We have a few cots set up in the hall...

[She points a finger to what otherwise might be considered the seat of government in this town.] Many incurred injuries duing yesterday's action, but we haven't anything too dire. Even still, I would appreciate your professional eye. Miss Sage.

[wise_maiden]

I'm sure it won't be any trouble, Miss... [And then it clicks in, like an unexpected puzzle piece. It had been years since they had worked together, briefly at the school, but after John's cryptic words on the subject the true mystery of what had happened to the woman was a long untouched one, with all else that had been experienced in Luceti.

And she shouldn't be surprised.] ... Miss Carol?

[liaising]

[Carol is certainly more vibrant and...present, perhaps, than she was when last seen in the village.]

You remembered. [She's happy. As though being remembered was very gratifying. Flattering, almost.]

[wise_maiden]

My apologies for not realizing sooner. [The reminder of those early months in Luceti felt strange in the face of all that had happened since.] It seems like we'll be working together again, then.

[liaising]

For the time being, at least. [She glances over her shoulder at her small bridage of Vaskothan volunteers.] But first -- tell me -- you're doing well? I hope?

[chikaidestroyer]

[There's something about the organization movements in the center of the town that are ... a little different from yesterday. There was always a need for rations and armaments, but there seems to be something of a push for extra assistance.

And so he seeks out someone assisting with the supply drive, finding the dark-haired woman at the heart of it.]

Excuse me. Do you know who is in charge of this supply drive?

[liaising]

In charge...? [She smiles. The expression looks more than a little out of place amongst all the initial chaos, but she doesn't seem to care.] That would be me--[It looks as though she nearly said something else. A name, perhaps. But she holds back.]

Can I help you?

[chikaidestroyer]

[The smile briefly makes him wonder if there was something else that he had missed, but ... really, it wasn't as if there were some people who managed to appear relaxed while working on the field. He approaches, nodding at her question.]

I could not help but notice that there have been requests for extra assistance for the supply drive. Have the cultists called in reinforcements? [A turn in the battle was the first thought that came in mind.]

[liaising]

I'm afraid it's a bit more tricksome than that. [She had no reason to hide the truth.] Reports are utterly preliminary but I'm afraid some of us are falling quite ill.

[chikaidestroyer]

[It's when the woman speaks, the smile less pronounced, that Albert finds himself looking at her a little more intently. Had he seen her around before?

However, he has to put the thought aside in favor of the new information.]

Ill? [Quite ill, as she had said.] Is the source known? A Shift? The cultists?

[liaising]

It's a bit early to say, I'm afraid. The hospital would know more than I would.

[chikaidestroyer]

I see. [He glances away, in the direction of the hospital, far off from the Old Town.] I will inquire over there later, then. Do you have enough volunteers for your supply drive now?

[liaising]

...Can a supply drive ever have enough volunteers, you think?