lucetilogs | Possession Event

Entry tags:

Possession Event

Who: People in Luceti
What: Spiritual possession
When: The 26th to the 1st
Where: Luceti!
Summary: Check out the previous mod post.
Rating: If it gets smutty, move it somewhere private.

Starting at midnight on the 26th, Luceti and its inhabitants will find itself the focus of the Filial spirits, usually quiet and reclusive, now stepping out to deal with one of their own.

As promised, here is some additional information to help figure out how to play around with the spirits and interacting with similarly possessed people.

First off, each spirit has a certain time or place when they are at their most powerful. Consequently, characters possessed by them will enjoy these boosts and this in itself can be a deciding factor in what would otherwise be a stalemate. Here’s a quick run down:

Sona - She’s most powerful around lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Mostly this is concentrated at the southern lake.

Kipinn - He’s most powerful in high places, like mountain tops and the roofs of community buildings.

Faeren - She’s most powerful in the farmlands alongside things that grow.

Tsinku - He’s most powerful in the village itself, where technology thrives.

Eferin - He’s most powerful in the center of the forest where his heat may cause trees to burn. In fact, the upcoming forest fire may cause some trouble if his followers get too rowdy.

Hyt - It’s most powerful during the daytime under a bright sky.

Twila - It’s most powerful during the night time.

Nala- She has no domain and is generally welcome wherever she goes.

How possessed characters will deal with other possessed characters will depend on the interactions of the spirits themselves. A useful spreadsheet sums up these relationships. Those that have a friendly attitude to one another will generally allow ‘trespassers’ into their domain, but those they are not so friendly with may cause conflict.

Finally, to elaborate on Twila-possessed characters. Those with a natural affinity for darkness are likely to be possessed first. Once they have, they can try to recruit others less-compatible candidates to ‘join the cause’. Their goal is numbers. The more who are working with Twila, the better. Once they do, they’ll be inclined to act in their own self interest and if necessary, deal with others who try to get in their way. In the long term, the spirit Twila wants to stay this way, bonded to the Lucetians as hybrids, that way it cannot be imprisoned again. Think of it as pure survival instinct of an animal that’s spent way too long in a cage.

All isn’t lost. The other spirits may not be able to cage it again, but they won’t accept Twila reacting in this manner. Though it’s hard to tell what their beef with Twila is, they have an instinctive familiarity with the dark spirit and seem to act as its jail keepers.

They have the power to free people from Twila, but given their poor communication skills, figuring that out might just be a challenge. After all, the spirits can only communicate in shades of feeling and intentions, but not actually verbalize directions or marching orders. However, there will be a Malnosso post mid-event that will give everyone, possessed or otherwise, the info they need to turn things around.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Vash looks down at the ground as Knives points at him. Okay, so he was in the air now. Yes, it worked, but it was still underhanded!]

That's not the point! You shouldn't go throwing things at people!

[He crosses his arms in front of his chest and literally pouts. Partly because he still feels like a fool for that trick, but there's a mix of being in the air that's making him feel more powerful and happy and it's hard to stay mad at the moment.]

[Knives tilts his head slightly, gaze unblinking, studying Vash again. The twist of wings and rapid beat needed to stay hovering in place took tremendous effort if done too long, there was a reason few birds ever pulled it off. How long would Vash stay up before he got too tired?]

It's how I learned. It works. And you don't have hard desert rock to hit if you stumble, like I did. You're not flying, yet.

[Just staying in one place. Landing from something other than a couple feet off the ground, and at speed, was going to be interesting.]

[Vash was having way too much fun now playing with his newly discovered talent over the wind. He'd had a pact with Kipinn (most of the spirits in fact) before this, but never before had it come so easily. Testing how he could change the wind between his flapping wings as he bobbed up and down. Some making it easier, others harder.

Then he nearly falls back to the ground, catching himself so he lands without falling face first at the last second.] Wait- you can fly back home?!

Yes. We are plants, the rest of our kind have wings, we can too. It comes at high energy cost.

[Which is to say he didn't do it often and did it never now. He couldn't afford to. By the time his brother back home figured out they could fly, the energy expenditure nearly killed him.]

Never mind it. Start again, in a minute. Other side. First, spread one wing. Feel along its leading edge.

[He demonstrates, one iridescent white wing unfurling neatly. For some people, the ability to feel an extra limb is strange, but they'd had winglets before this.]

Feel how sensitive the leading edge is, in this larger form. It will sense air currents, when the rest of you can't. Heat, cold. Thermals and drafts and the like. The nerves on your wings are wired differently, skin more sensitive to different things. Knowing what your wings are telling you about the air will become as easy as knowing whether your fingers tell you something's rough or soft. Your body already knows it. You just have to know it in your head.

[Knives seems to be struggling a bit with a general sense of outright apathy, but determinedly he plugs on.]

Run. When you hit the center of the meadow, jump straight up as far as you can go. Try to maintain momentum. Don't use the wind, use muscles, wings, feathers. Use your instincts.

[And if Vash doesn't jump when he's supposed to, Knives still has more acorns. He can feel the errant ]

We... can make wings. [He really shouldn't be surprised. The last Knives that visited Luceti could make literal knives and then there was the angel arm. He'd just rather not focus on those things so instead Vash follows along with Knives's demonstration of the wing. Feeling the muscle hidden in his wings. Although he makes a face when Knives tells him to run again.]

Fine. Just don't throw things at me anymore. [Partly because it won't work anymore. Or well, you won't hit him now that he knows it's coming. No matter how good Knives's arm is, it's nothing like out dancing bullets flying at your feet.

Vash sets himself up, eying off the land once again, and takes off. He jumps just about the right spot. Possibly hesitating just a moment to make sure nothing was about to be thrown at his feet before launching himself into the sky.

He gets good distance, already being a remarkably good jumper. He tries to pay good attention to what his wings try to tell him. The feel of the wind against him. Rushing through his hair and new feathers. It feels amazing. When he feels the arch of his jump reaching it's very peek his flaps his wings, wanting more height to get higher and higher!]

Spending all of your time trying to be human means you never can learn all you are capable of, including wings. That requires your own kind. ...Normally.

[And the bulb-bound Sisters hadn't understood why he didn't already know how to fly, or reshape his own body, or how to use his natural telepathy. To them, he should have known from first becoming aware. He shakes his head at being told to not throw things. Hitting Vash hadn't been the purpose, making him stumble or jump had been. And dodging them would bring the same result as being struck outright.]

Try. And trust yourself.

[Trusting instincts that weren't human, might be difficult for Vash. Those same instincts could control the devastating power of the angel arms after all. Knives doesn't interfere when Vash runs, or jumps, though he scrutinizes the height. That should be enough. Practice would mean not needing the momentum of running at all.

The black haired plant doesn't move, yet. He's waiting to see if Vash follows through with his nature, or not. He should be able to stay in the air..]

[Vash had been slow to trust his own instincts. Knowing he could wield such power that the angel arm promised was frightening, but it was better to be able to know how to control it then to ignore all his instincts. Augusta had taught him that.

Only any mistrust in his own instincts for now is overpowered by the influence of Kipinns possession. Instead of falling back to the ground Vash wonders, just how high he can really go. He momentarily forgets all about Knives as he beats his wings, reaching up for the sky.

Huh, it gets a little chiller up here, but the rush of power it brings is worth it.]

[If little by little Vash understood why control and knowledge was so important, then it was a small victory. It might not be the one he wanted most, but it was better than nothing by far.

Knives waits on the ground, for a time. As it seems Vash isn't about to fall out of the sky, which may be his own doing or the influence of the wind, Knives isn't sure - after a little while, Knives follows. He doesn't need a running start anymore.

He maintains a bit of distance, always carefully remaining below Vash's sudden ascent just in case. But he's not getting too close. If Vash has really finally let his own nature flex its atrophied muscles, then it's nothing Knives wants to interfere with. There was a joy to be found in flying! Little could compare to it.

Besides, staying lower let him watch for dark wings and strangers. Trouble could be anywhere, waiting to strike. Let Vash really enjoy himself for a little while.]

[Vash can learn quickly at times and he was starting to get a handle on the wings and started to test just what he could really do. Eventually even getting brazen enough to try a half loop of sorts, but that's a little too much to take on so quickly and he does start to fall a little, only he abandons the loop to catch himself again.

While Knives keeps an eye out for danger, Vash mostly keeps an eye out on Knives. After the little trick with the stones he's on the alert for more from his brother.

For some time Vash darts this way and that way in the sky. Putting his new wings to the test, and really starting to feel the influence of Kipinn, he gets an idea in his head. Why not have a little fun and get a little revenge for those rocks?

Putting on a fairly good act of testing his wings Vash goes ahead and positions himself as much as he can over top of his brother. Then when he feels he's in a good position he sets out a down burst of wind intending to disrupt his brother's flying. Not enough to cause him to plummet from the sky, but just enough to upset his composure and possibly nick the top of the trees just a bit.

After all, Vash was suddenly feeling very playful, not so much vindictive or mean.]

[It's probably really no shock that Knives' favored style of flight mostly involves as little effort as he can possibly put into it. Hawks managed, and so did he; he'll leave the aerobatics to Vash. If his brother fell out of the sky, or something from the ground decided to try to lay an ambush, he'd be waiting.

He didn't trust any of these people. Least of all the blackwings. It's just a matter of time before --

Suddenly being buffeted by an unexpected downburst nearly smacks him right into the trees he was carefully cruising over; trying that on someone not quite as used to flight probably would have ended with tree branches everywhere, but Knives is pretty good at recovery. Even then it takes a sudden flurry of wingbeats and actually twisting to brace bare feet against a reaching branch and shoving away to prevent him from eating leaves outright.

A few leaves scatter in his wake, and a single puff of shaken-loose white down as he surges back upward, visibly startled and very obviously looking for where sudden attack had come from. It could be enemies, he knew there'd be trouble sooner or later..!!

Except there aren't any. Just Vash above, and nobody else in range. Which meant that.. ... ...

...That he better retaliate. Knives is nowhere as certain of the other gifts Hyt's given him, they were foreign and a little peculiar, but illusions aren't always difficult to try. His aren't perfect, yet. Which explains why there's no sound when what looks like a cross between a sandworm and a dragon explodes upwards from the trees, jaws gaping, to try to snap Vash out of the air. It's just a lightshow, at its base, completely harmless, and if Vash is quick on paying attention, no leaves at all are disturbed in its massive wake.

Being eaten by a monster that isn't there obviously won't do much either.]

[HA! It had worked! Vash snickers to himself, feeling rather pleased with himself and his little prank that he had just pulled off. The fact that he had just played a prank on Knives just made it even better.

He's so pleased with himself that for a moment he didn't even think to check the lack of movement from the trees as the monster suddenly out of nowhere attack. Besides, Luceti had thrown much stranger things at him before so he decides it's better to act first, think later at this moment in time.]

AHHHHH! NICE WORMIE! NICE WORMIE THING![Is that a dragon worm!? He's pretty sure that's a dragon worm!

Vash takes off flapping, trying to get higher than the illusions that apparently want to eat him.]

[There's still no sound as massive gaping jaws snap closed repeatedly in Vash's wake, illusory drool flying. Knives hasn't figured out sound just yet to make the illusions REALLY believable, but it seems pure alarm is keeping Vash from paying attention. The monster thunders (silently) after the fleeing plant, and Knives..

Knives remains sedately below, keeping pace, because if he can't see what he's doing there might be problems with keeping the worm-dragon chasing Vash. Eventually Vash will pick up on something being wrong with the thing chasing him, he's always been sharp, and when that happened the game would be up.]

[It doesn't take long after the initial attack from the worm-dragon-thing that Vash realizes that something is off. The lack of sound being the biggest clue. He pushes himself and his wings to speed up and gain distance on the creature before diving quick and low around the chopping teeth.

Then he shoots himself as fast as he possibly can at the midsection of the illusion. Bracing himself in case his guess is incorrect, but he flies right through instead of feeling any sort of resistance.]

HA! [It's a rush Kipinn enjoys. Vash however is now feeling rather tired and out of breath from the stunt. Yet, he's reluctant about wanting to land, despite his aching back.]

Knives! Was that you!? [He had no proof really to think that it was Knives, but a prank that took the shape of a sandworm left him little doubt.]

[It has no claws to swipe with but it does have a whole lot of teeth, and continues to snap and silently snarl up until Vash bursts through its midsection without actually hitting anything, whereupon the gargantuan image simply fades away like a desert mirage. Knives could have kept it up, but honestly, watching for enemies, keeping track of Vash, keeping track of his own path, AND maintaining an illusion was difficult work.

There's no response from Knives aloud when Vash asks if that was him, he simply tilts his wings a little to see-saw back and forth over the trees, as jauntily as he can dredge up. Which was peculiar. Was his passenger dampening things? Eventually he catches an updraft and lets it push him upwards, so he's more even with his brother's flightpath.]

Don't tire yourself out too much or you'll pay for it tomorrow.

[As if there had been no worm-dragon thing at all.]

[Vash takes the un-answer as a yes.] I won't! I won't! [Besides, who cares about tomorrow when right now feels so good being so up high!

Yet, he's still feeling out of breath so Vash slowly lets himself drift closer to the ground. ...also being lower will let him send up another puff of air at Knives to disrupt his flying.]

[This time, Knives is more wary of sudden wind direction shifts, and the rush of air from below doesn't send him into an awkward scramble to stay aloft, he simply changes the angle of his wings and uses it like an updraft.

It isn't laziness, but boy does it seem that way. Knives was worried enough about tomorrow, more and more blackwings were popping up, and sooner or later--

He drops from the sky suddenly, wings snapping open only when he's near enough to talk easily again, the buffer of his wake probably as fun for Vash to deal with as the sudden puffs of wind were for Knives.]

Listen. There's blackwinged people in Luceti. They're dangerous. Not like human-dangerous, worse. Stay away from them.

[It's a bit difficult to make that warning, but he does. He KNOWS there's something wrong with them, by the way fury boils up whenever he spots one.]

[Vash was already disappointed that Knives didn't even get just a little bit flustered by his latest gust of wind. Then on top of that Knives's landing did give Vash a little trouble of his own, still not completely use to the wings.

Yet he rights himself and lands. Not nearly as gracefully as Knives, but up right and on his feet. He's panting a bit from the work out he just gave his new wings and they droop slightly.]

Black winged? Why, what have they done? [Yet there's a feeling that for once, he should agree with his brother on this. Not quite like a voice in his head, but a very strong feeling.]

[That Vash doesn't smash face-first into the ground is a good sign. Maybe he was listening to what Knives told him to. All of their kind knew to fly as soon as they became aware, as far as he could tell, but there were few independents like himself and Vash to question about it.

He'll make do. Vash is already making faster progress than Knives had; was that the help of his passenger, or natural skill? He ruffles his feathers up briefly, then begins minutely inspecting them; apparently wings are remarkably flexible to allow him to do this.]

I don't know. They.. how to put it.

[A small leaf is plucked out from between a pair of feathers.]

There is a feeling, that I'm not the only one inside my head. It doesn't feel dangerous. It feels ... a lot like me, honestly. [Paranoid, mistrustful, suspicious. Fond of watching. Always watching.] It also gives me the feeling that the black-wings are dangerous. Not just to me or you. Everyone, everything. That we should be watchful. Get rid of them if we can. I don't get the impression this feeling cares about anyone else like that, so it isn't ..race or species.

[But it troubles him enough to pass on a warning, and keep him intensely wary.] If this passenger is right, and they're dangerous, be careful. Something's wrong with them. I don't know why wing color alone would make them 'wrong', but ... they are. I hate them and it isn't my hate. There has to be a reason why.

[It's obvious Knives is having difficulty explaining this, and his effort at conveying what he means is clumsy at best, but hopefully the warning will be heeded, and Vash won't rush off to find a blackwing just to be mulish.]

I think I can understand that feeling.

[It's something that Kipinn is trying to relate as well to Vash. Only he isn't as receptive to that message as Knives seems to be with his own spirit.] There are spirits here in Luceti, they can't exactly talk, but it seems they've been trying to send a message to us. I'm guessing that the person you're sharing feelings with is Hyt, but I've never actually made a connection with that spirit before.

[As Vash speaks there is a sense of pleasure that washes over him. Seems he's on the right track of what Kipinn wants.]

I'm not exactly sure what these dark wings are, but if they're villagers I'm not going to outright attack them. I don't know which spirit would cause black wings, but if they're like us then they're under some sort of influence by a spirit. I'm going to need more than just: A bad feeling and because they're different from me to want to start up a fight.

[No real emotional cues on that one. No sense of happiness at a correct guess, but no annoyance either. At least not yet. Perhaps Kipinn can at least respect that wish of his current host.]

'Spirits'.

[Pseudo-religious bullshit, now of all times? But Knives doesn't throw it out immediately. The English language wasn't the most nuanced in existence, and simply might lack the right words to convey what's meant. Just like plants weren't angels, but were called so sometimes. He crosses his arms over his chest, frowning.]

If 'Hyt' is the one who's donated these very peculiar abilities to me, then I don't mind it being there. It seems to have no ill intentions, if dark wings aren't involved.

[So much can be done with light. Focus it intensely enough he could even get fire. He couldn't control the resultant fire, however, that seemed to be the area of the red-wings. He rolls a tiny ball of light across his knuckles like a coin, absently. It was so easy to do.]

You don't have to do anything except stay away from them. I'm not the only one with white feathers. We'll handle it. Didn't you say that death isn't permanent here?

[It's certain that if he hasn't already, sooner or later Knives was going to go hunting. He was more proactive about self-defense than most plants were.]

Try to travel with someone who isn't a blackwing. If you do encounter one or more and can't escape, use what your... spirit, has given you. Don't use your powers as a plant. Avoid it at all costs.

Even if it's not permanent people still lose something when they die! Usually something very important! Killing people shouldn't be you very first answer when it comes to things like this! What if you were being controlled against your will. Would you really want us to kill you just because it was the easiest solution?

[It's a very sober pair of sharp blue eyes that are turned on Vash, measuring, weighing.]

I would hope, Vash, that you would be merciful enough to put me out of my suffering if something like that happened to me. I would rather 'lose something' than regain my senses and find I've been forced to do terrible things against my will.

[His gaze shifts away, to watch the treeline, always scanning for potential trouble. Hyt's suspicion sat comfortably there.]

Not all killing is an act of cruelty. Sometimes it is a kindness.

Even if what you lost was your eyesight? Or you hearing? An important memory? Or even just the ability to eat certain foods? No one really knows what gets taken when you die until you wake up.

It's one thing if these people are actively doing something wrong and need to be stopped. Something else entirely if all they are doing is living their day to day lives but with their wings being the color black.

I would survive. To lose a sense, or all senses, or all memories, or the inconvenience and pain of a temporary demise would be a small price to pay. Unless it isn't temporary at all.

[But Knives would still prefer to be shot over being someone else's puppet.]

If they are simply 'living their day to day lives' as you put it, I think you'll find soon it's just a cover. Don't be so blind again, Vash. Does your 'spirit' tell you they're harmless and above suspicion, or is it refusal to acknowledge there might be an active threat you simply don't want to deal with?

[There's a stir from Kipinn. Almost of an agreement, but with who Vash isn't exactly sure. Right now it's just not clear to him.]

You don't know that. You can't trust things like that so easily here in Luceti. I will not betray and attack my friends and other villagers when this is something that, like many other experiments, may eventually wear off without bloodshed. We need to be strong together, not fighting each other needlessly.

Possession Event

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