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childrenofbahamutlogs2025-02-01 12:10 pm
diceofthegods) wrote in childrenofbahamutlogs2025-02-01 12:10 pm
EVENT #2: BRAIN BOGGLING
A CRASH IN THE NIGHT
In the dark hours of a snowy early morning, a sudden BOOM can be heard all across Town. It is swiftly followed by sounds of warping metal and then a screeching crash. Curious, albeit groggy, residents emerge only to find a smoking wreck just a mile outside of Town.
The strange craft appears to be almost nautiloid in shape with wrenched, broken tendrils streaming out the opening.
Much of it is metal although some of it almost seems... organic.
Those who with to get a closer look will be met by Charlie and Dimitri who are already on the job. They request curious onlookers keep their distance since this craft is, without a doubt, tremendously dangerous.
Later in the day, there appears to be an outfit of officials coming from the west to investigate and clean up the wreckage. Thankfully(?), you will all find out soon enough what's going on.
The strange craft appears to be almost nautiloid in shape with wrenched, broken tendrils streaming out the opening.
Much of it is metal although some of it almost seems... organic.
Those who with to get a closer look will be met by Charlie and Dimitri who are already on the job. They request curious onlookers keep their distance since this craft is, without a doubt, tremendously dangerous.
Later in the day, there appears to be an outfit of officials coming from the west to investigate and clean up the wreckage. Thankfully(?), you will all find out soon enough what's going on.
INVESTIGATION & PROTECTION
Deathcard Cabin by Jonah Senzel
4:07 / 13:06
▶︎
From the Inscryption OST: A unique and haunting sound paired with a unique and haunting game.
Charlie reports to the citizens of Town that an Illithid cargo transport. The pilot did not survive the crash, but they appeared to be transporting some kind of new breed of Intellect Devourers.
"We do not yet know what this new breed is capable of, but..."
Charlie does give everyone a rundown of what an Illithid and what an Intellect Devourer is, what they are capable of, and a keen warning to tread lightly. Many dead ones were discovered in the cargo but several of the enclosures were damaged in the crash and the likelihood of escapees is high.
Charlie reiterates: These creatures are to be killed on sight, or contained until someone can kill it. If you are not confident in your combat abilities, please remain in your homes as much as possible and seal all openings to your dwelling. Those who are capable though are urged to begin patrols of Town alongside Slayd, Dimitri and himself to ensure that Town and the surrounding areas are safe.
Please travel in pairs or groups, do not be alone! Attack from a distance when possible. Hoshiko will offer her assistance as a markswoman as well by picking off any Intellect Devourers from a distance that she can for those that are forced to travel alone. (Don't worry about any jokes she makes of her service not being cheap though. Charlie wouldn't actually let her charge you anything.)
Unfortunately, not even they can predict the blizzard that rolls through Town in the midst of all this. If you happen to see anything skittering through the snow, don't panic too much. It could just be a tiny woodland creature looking for a warm burrow to hide away in!
At least you hope it is.
"We do not yet know what this new breed is capable of, but..."
Charlie does give everyone a rundown of what an Illithid and what an Intellect Devourer is, what they are capable of, and a keen warning to tread lightly. Many dead ones were discovered in the cargo but several of the enclosures were damaged in the crash and the likelihood of escapees is high.
Charlie reiterates: These creatures are to be killed on sight, or contained until someone can kill it. If you are not confident in your combat abilities, please remain in your homes as much as possible and seal all openings to your dwelling. Those who are capable though are urged to begin patrols of Town alongside Slayd, Dimitri and himself to ensure that Town and the surrounding areas are safe.
Please travel in pairs or groups, do not be alone! Attack from a distance when possible. Hoshiko will offer her assistance as a markswoman as well by picking off any Intellect Devourers from a distance that she can for those that are forced to travel alone. (Don't worry about any jokes she makes of her service not being cheap though. Charlie wouldn't actually let her charge you anything.)
Unfortunately, not even they can predict the blizzard that rolls through Town in the midst of all this. If you happen to see anything skittering through the snow, don't panic too much. It could just be a tiny woodland creature looking for a warm burrow to hide away in!
At least you hope it is.
PROMPT #3
Hybrid intellect devourers are unique from the regular ones in that the goal is not to kill their target, but to gather intelligence and act as a kind of spy network.
They will flee when confronted directly by greater numbers, but will attack a lone target. They do this by jumping at the target's head and wrapping a wet tendril around their neck. They will choke who they've wrapped around if anyone tries to remove it. They are also far more likely to try and attack sleeping target (hence the advice to keep your homes closed!).
These hybrids emit spores that will keep the target asleep during feeding. Their primary goal appears to be infiltrating the targets' minds and absorbing some of their memories. The target will have their mind left mostly intact... though they may suffer short term memory loss, confusion, distress, fatigue and head pain.
Here's where the fun starts!
Once one of these critters has fed on someone, they are onto their next target. When a fed Intellect Devourer feeds from another target, that target may absorb some of the previous target's memories. This can span across multiple victims and be erratic in whose memories taint whose mind. The memories will cross-pollinate in the form of dreams or waking visions and hallucinations.
If one of these creatures is killed, it will explode, releasing a powerful psionic wave and the memories it had absorbed from any recent targets. Anyone within ten (10) yards of the dying creature will be afflicted with extreme head pain in the short term and also witness the memories of it's previous victims.
Enjoy your muddled memories and leggy brain-hunting!
The outfit of people who have come to investigate are from New Svihelen's disaster containment squad and are investigating the hybrid creatures and the possible reason for an Illithid ship to crash here of all places. Right now, the running theory is that interference from the selfsame summoning circle that brought you all here could have caused the interplanar navigation systems of the ship to malfunction but nothing has been determined yet.
Eventually, these creatures will all be rounded up and taken care of. They are persistent and stealthy though in their efforts to survive above all else. Charlie assures that they're doing all they can to make Town safe once and for all but it will take some time.
They will flee when confronted directly by greater numbers, but will attack a lone target. They do this by jumping at the target's head and wrapping a wet tendril around their neck. They will choke who they've wrapped around if anyone tries to remove it. They are also far more likely to try and attack sleeping target (hence the advice to keep your homes closed!).
These hybrids emit spores that will keep the target asleep during feeding. Their primary goal appears to be infiltrating the targets' minds and absorbing some of their memories. The target will have their mind left mostly intact... though they may suffer short term memory loss, confusion, distress, fatigue and head pain.
Here's where the fun starts!
Once one of these critters has fed on someone, they are onto their next target. When a fed Intellect Devourer feeds from another target, that target may absorb some of the previous target's memories. This can span across multiple victims and be erratic in whose memories taint whose mind. The memories will cross-pollinate in the form of dreams or waking visions and hallucinations.
If one of these creatures is killed, it will explode, releasing a powerful psionic wave and the memories it had absorbed from any recent targets. Anyone within ten (10) yards of the dying creature will be afflicted with extreme head pain in the short term and also witness the memories of it's previous victims.
Enjoy your muddled memories and leggy brain-hunting!
The outfit of people who have come to investigate are from New Svihelen's disaster containment squad and are investigating the hybrid creatures and the possible reason for an Illithid ship to crash here of all places. Right now, the running theory is that interference from the selfsame summoning circle that brought you all here could have caused the interplanar navigation systems of the ship to malfunction but nothing has been determined yet.
Eventually, these creatures will all be rounded up and taken care of. They are persistent and stealthy though in their efforts to survive above all else. Charlie assures that they're doing all they can to make Town safe once and for all but it will take some time.
Notes
⁂ The partner plotting post for this event/quarter is also up!
⁂ Additionally, we have a state of the game post available for people to read about updates, clarifications, and housekeeping items!
⁂ If you have any further questions or feedback about this event specifically, please comment here!
⁂ For even more ambient event music, you can check out this this playlist!
⁂ Full Navigation ⁂
⁂ Additionally, we have a state of the game post available for people to read about updates, clarifications, and housekeeping items!
⁂ If you have any further questions or feedback about this event specifically, please comment here!
⁂ For even more ambient event music, you can check out this this playlist!
Re: OTA Prompts
Still, those are matters he keeps to himself. It's clear enough that there is a problem that yet wants for resolution, and he has skill enough to handle it. That's all that matters, just at the moment.
"Well enough. Though I doubt we have seen the last of the creatures, yet."
no subject
Either way, they're on the move. "Whatever has been caught so far were just the ones we were lucky to catch, and which were the least skilled of the lot. The weather has probably been helping as much as it's been hindering us. I doubt it's the kind of environment they were made for."
no subject
Still, there's a nod once they do get on the way.
"I would imagine not. Though that we must make our way through it lessens what advantage we might otherwise have."
A pause, while he considers.
"Should we be aware of what they prefer, it may be possible to lure them into a specific space."
no subject
Although with that in mind... Angeal casts his gaze back in the direction he knows the crash is. "I know Charlie wasn't keen us us getting near everything at the start, but maybe we'd find some clues as to what they prefer. Even if they were all caged, you would still want to keep them in some particular environment, right?"
no subject
And, perhaps, to what end they were being transported. Though that is something that Lahabrea is less directly familiar with, and so he chooses to not weigh in on that particular topic.
"The cells of Pandaemonium were constructed such that the beings so interred were held in a form of stasis. There were, of course, yet habitats that they could be released into for study, but that was not necessarily where a given cage was located at any time."
no subject
"I suppose the only way to get an answer is to go back to the crash site and see if we can get some clues." Which is why he adjusts his course appropriately. "That probably means the IDs won't be there... Not with how it's been combed over, and was what they were trying to escape in the first place."
no subject
There's a nod with the answer, as Lahabrea likewise turns his path towards the crash site.
"It is not beyond impossibility that injured specimens remain, but it should not be more dangerous there than simply the act of patrolling itself."
Plus or minus any threats that might be posed by the ship itself, but Lahabrea figures they can deal with those should they come up.
no subject
Whether it's from just making themselves sick from the weather, or falling into something that the snow has hidden... or possibly even getting trapped.
There's a lot of stupid ways to get hurt out here.
"How is your household doing?" Since it's a bit of a trek to the crash site, so may as well fill it with talking by Angeal's estimation. "With the sudden harsh weather, and all that."
no subject
There's a nod of agreement to go with the comment. True, Lahabrea is still not entirely thrilled with the ongoing snow. But he's bearing it about as well as can be expected all the same, and that will have to do.
As for the physical hazards that might be hidden by the snow, those he is content to deal with if and when they should occur. Neither of them are exactly rushing into anything headlong, and he knows some healing magic besides. If it should come to it he should be able to at least manage to patch any injuries up long enough to see them to the crash site as intended.
"I live alone."
By habit, as much as choice, admittedly. But there is still but himself in the house he has claimed for his own.
"But those I live nearest to are managing well enough."
no subject
The man has a mission. And it's being nosy.
Still, that's not too much of his business. "Well, good to know. not that I guess most have to worry about you, considering things, but you never know what sort of weirdness might happen in a place like this."
He nods to the crash site that is off in the distance. "Case in point. Any creatures from your neck of the woods that can do what Charlie has said they can?"
no subject
Still, he sees no reason to mention anything further along those lines. He has said all that he means to in that particular regard and there are other things to discuss besides. Though for all that Angeal is likewise correct that he is no easy target, if only for the sake of the wide variety of magic he is capable of.
"There are methods by which one can affect the mind of another, though the use of such magicks is largely frowned on. And I know of no creature that directly steals part of the mind, though there are some that feed on aether itself."
no subject
Ugh... He huffs out a small breath of fire as they get close. "Wish it wasn't blowing like this... I could sniff 'em out if not for all this snow around." As it is, the bad weather is making it difficult for him to do any tracking. "I don't think they've cleared up all of the shrapnel around here. I don't really need to tell you to be careful, but I will anyway." As a show of care, if nothing else.
"If you were a squirming brain moved by tentacles, where would you hide?"
no subject
Which is not to say that other creatures that have found their way either into testing or the halls of Pandaemonium haven't been dangerous in ways that many might find concerning at best. But in fairness, many of those are things that Lahabrea deals with regularly enough to find them to be not particularly out of the ordinary.
But the finer details of the creatures kept in Pandaemonium is something he is willing to leave unmentioned at the moment.
Instead, there's a nod at Angeal's warning. He is not without the ability to heal himself should he misstep, true. But he recognizes it for what it is.
"They do not appear to have any natural defenses against the cold. In which case they would likely seek to find somewhere either warm or otherwise protected against the worst of the elements."