MISSION: UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, PART 1

[ximilian]

● ● ● M I S S I O N   5 . 1

INTRO • FORGET YOUR EVIL • CRY HAVOC • TAEUM INVICTA • SEDORUM MOVEBO • FYI

// INTRO. beam us down!  

Perhaps the two weeks of rest on station has been enough to bring distance to the events on Badrock — whether it has or not, though, the earpieces once again ping with new information, encouraging you to read the file titled Giva.

Shortly after, Viveca’s voice follows.

// VIVECA.AI

Hi, everyone. Tomorrow evening, we’re sending you out again, this time to a place called Giva … or the afterlife of that, actually. There are two of them, Taeum and Sedorum, so half of you will be sent to one, half to the other. That’s because I don’t actually know which side has the orb. It’s a bit strange, actually, I got traces of it from both sides … so keep your eyes open. As for the groups, I can’t actually sort you myself — all I can do is mask your presence so you’ll feel like souls native to the planet, and it will send you to one side. And speaking of the sides … there’s no way to move from one to the other. I’m sorry, but until you find the orb, or the war is moved planetside, the two groups will remain separate.

This time, as you prepare, it will be with a sense of uncertainty: not really knowing which side you’ll end up on, or who you will end up with. All you can do is give your closest teammates a 'just-in-case' goodbye, and take whatever you think will be useful on your journeys: clothes, weapons, rations, perhaps some of the supply packs your teammates have put together for everyone.

The following evening, as you gather to the teleportation room, Viveca is there waiting.

// VIVECA.AI

Is everyone ready? The sooner you’ll find the orb, the sooner I can bring you back … and hopefully you’ll find it before the war starts. Good luck.

She smiles a little as the machine hums to life. The lights grow brighter and brighter as you feel the tug of another planet calling —

But something is different. Right as you’re pulled away, you hear Viveca, her tone sharp and surprised:

// VIVECA.AI

Wait, why is that —

And as it cuts off and you wait in anticipation to hear the usual echoing voices of the orb giving you the goal … it comes out unusual: distorted for some, a whisper for others, or maybe you start to hear one goal before the voices shift it to another.

As always, you'll have no chance to respond or the time to even consider what might be wrong, before you wake up elsewhere.

TOP

// PART IA.FORGET YOUR EVIL (TAEUM)  

You open your eyes to a beautiful warm light that seems to wrap you in its glow, any unwanted blemish faded from your body, every hair kept in its perfect place. Your clothing looks as immaculate as the day you’d acquired it, not a wrinkle, not a stain, not a thread out of place. If you look around at your surroundings, you’ll learn that you’re in a grand open hall of some kind, plush light-blue carpet beneath your feet, and a winding double staircase ahead of you, leading to rooms and halls beyond your imagining.

A pleasant breeze flows through the lengthy corridor, through rows of polished stone columns and past your skin, bringing with it the faintest floral fragrance from the perfectly kempt gardens just past this interior space. You’re standing with about half of your fellow orbers, all of you looking like the picture-perfect version of yourself — but around you are others, too, faces you don’t recognize. Take a moment to reorient yourself because the tap-tap-tap of very efficient footsteps will interrupt you in moments, breaking the otherwise tranquil silence you’ve experienced so far.

A figure appears to greet you, her golden hair cropped short except where it sweeps to one side of her face, revealing a mask that conceals her eyes. Pointed ears show off her piercings — a set of simple, small golden hoops — and a pair of curling dark horns rimmed with gold seem to match her hair. Her clothing is unusual to most of the orbers, but even so, it contrasts against the stark white of this space quite harshly. She wears dark crimson armour lined also in gold, with what looks like an elaborate half-ring shoulder-guard that half-rests partially at her shoulders, and half-hovers in the air. And though she appears to have little to no vision with her eyeless mask, she clearly has no problem finding you.

Her voice is soft, but her words are careful and deliberate and they have the effect of commanding a room.

ANGRIAL

Newcomers — I am Angrial, Commanding Officer of Taeum’s forces. You have been bestowed this great honour to join us all in the High Home, which is only open to those of you deemed clean and free of sin, and I welcome you all.

The rooms around you will be free for you to roam and include any manner of indulgence and delight which you so fully deserve for the vigilance you have proved during your life in Giva. You have earned your place here, as is only right for devoting your loyalty to the Highest One, and nothing you do now will be regarded as sin.

If you require assistance at any point, you might call upon Oh’ryst. Ruvilor will also guide you through the numerous rooms and delights that await you.

She lifts a hand towards the double staircase and nods. Two figures emerge, cloaked in the same dark red-and-gold armour, but it is clear now the purpose of the half-ring at their shoulders — the same elaborate design forms a helmet that conceals both Oh’ryst and Ruvilor’s faces from view. They each have weapons hanging at their belts and a slender staff in one hand. The only way, it seems, to tell them apart, is by the length of their hair: Oh’ryst’s hair is long and silver beneath their helmet, and Ruvilor’s hair is fully concealed in his.

ANGRIAL

Of course, should an after-life of aimless pleasure seem less appealing to some of you, please know we are always looking to recruit the honourable and the loyal to our forces, to defend our paradise against those who may threaten it. Please speak with Oh’ryst for more information.

TOP

// PART IB.CRY HAVOC (SEDORUM)  

It will take a few moments to adjust to the red light that seems to fill your vision when you open your eyes, and you feel as though you’d been squeezed through an alley too narrow for the width of your body, answering the call of a higher-pitched voice. You spill out into a small dark-stoned square along with about half of your fellow orbers and others you don’t recognise, and look at your surroundings: a cluster of dilapidated buildings seem to close in on you, its effects are almost suffocating, and there is never quite enough light to fully illuminate anything you see.

Beneath your feet the ground eternally glistens with the moisture of a city that has just been rained on, which might seem like an unimportant observation — except that you’ll learn this place has never actually seen rain. As you look up, you’ll find that it’s difficult to make out the limits of this place, and how much further the buildings go; how large this city really is. There is the sound of chatter and the echo of bustling activity in the streets and the alleys, like nothing here ever really rests.

Lamps overhead glow with red light and a figure steps past the shadow and into the light, three bright blue eyes blinking in your direction, one half-closed against his forehead. Against the red and black of this dense city, the figure’s eyes seem strangely alien and he turns his horned-head towards you to speak with that high pitch from earlier, waving his clawed hands to beckon you closer.

V'RIZZ

Hurry, hurry — yes, step in close please, otherwise you may not hear me. Heh-heh. Hello, can you all hear me? Good. I am V’rizz, I am the Chief of Staff and it is my deepest regret to welcome you to the Red City. We are standing in the city’s Square, as you can see. To your right there are … buildings. To your left … more buildings. Find a place to stay and find some work, and perhaps if you have any money on you? You might invest in some good locks. Just a — hm — suggestion. Out here, after all, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want, that’s the beauty of Sedorum.

From within or behind the building nearest V’rizz (it’s hard to tell from here) someone begins to wail.

“I shouldn’t be here!” he moans, “I shouldn’t be here! I have the funds, I have the money, it’s coming, I swear, please, I need to go to Taeum, I need to —”

“Shut up.” Another voice immediately cuts in, deep and gruff. “You’re here now, and we’ve been waiting for you.”

V’rizz immediately blinks his large, blue-light eyes and clears his throat, the feather collar of his jacket bristling slightly but his jittery energy seems to make one thing clear: he is just as comfortable to be standing here as you are.

V'RIZZ

Um, well, as I said — you have the freedom to do whatever it is you’d like. Of course, if you’d like to, hm, better your situation… we have use for people who know what they’re doing. Just let me know if you’d like to hear more about that. Heh-heh. Good luck, new souls.

TOP

// PART IIA.TAEUM INVICTA  

Left to your own devices, you and your fellow orbers now have ample time to explore your surroundings. Taeum, you learn, is a realm made up of an endless building with unlimited rooms of all imaginings. Every floor features sheer curtains flowing in a fragrant breeze, and just past the corridor is a garden of colourful flowers and a fountain filling the airy space with the sound of trickling water. It’s easy to close your eyes and feel soothed by your surroundings; it’s nicer still knowing that your perfect room is just beyond one of these doors. Perhaps Angrial's words will echo in your ears: nothing you do here will be considered sin. It’s time to see what lies in store for you.

1.0   Long corridors lead to numerous doors, and therefore: an abundance of choices. Choose the door closest to you and you might find yourself stepping onto cleanly cut lawn and the perfect nuclear suburban neighbourhood. Otherwise, a door might lead you to a grand dining hall filled with food and drink and decor fit for royalty. There are doors for extravagant gardens, perfect lush fairytale-like forests, for stimulating bustling cities, a quiet bedroom with the highest threadcount sheets and pillows and the perfect night sky behind the bed; a room to watch the (unfamiliar, but absolutely breathtaking) stars; rooms full of kitten or puppy-like creatures. A wide, long-winding staircase leads to the next floor and then the next, a pitcher of water and glasses waiting for you at a small wall-table capping off the corridor for those moments in between. There are doors upon doors open to rooms of any imagining, with no door locked to you. Why not keep going until you find something to keep you?

2.0   Of course, not every room will be so idyllic and pure. As every inhabitant of Taeum is regarded as above sin, they are free to do what they want and feel nothing but delight and pleasure. Find a group of other Taeum inhabitants putting on acts in a room where the world looks dark and desolate, lit by a dim glow of red. Figures engage in the most peculiar acts, willingly clothed in tatters and rags, the hems torn from their shirts, play-acting as though they have nothing, and laughing amongst themselves. If such a room does not appeal, find another room on another floor where Taeum inhabitants have amassed a large amount of narcotics, hallucinogens, stimulants, and depressants, and seem to be sitting around in a room set up like a lounge, draped over seating. Many look lethargic but complacent, and no one so much as looks up when you enter. Feel free to join them if it’s what you desire — there’s plenty of space and empty couches around the room to claim as your own.

And you’ll find that among the rooms for meditation and rest, and admiring beauty and splendor, there are rooms dedicated to war and bloodshed, for sex and debauchery, proof that there really is something for everyone.

3.0   If you take Angrial’s words to heart or you’re curious to learn more about the military faction in Taeum, Ruvilor will have provided you with directions to the military wing earlier. Go on your own or find a fellow orber to enter the wing with, but you’ll be offered free entry past the first set of doors. The bright and open space sees plenty of light but immediately feels intimidating and severe, like walking into a highly efficient administrative office. A small set of steps will lead you towards a pair of locked doors but you might sneak a glimpse through the windows. This is clearly a room for council, with maps draped over tables, little pins marking off specific locations.

Oh’ryst, if spoken to, is happy to put you through some tests while you're here. There is a room full of weapons with minds of their own, attacking you one by one; a room where the military trains, directing you into the middle to a ring to battle other would-be soldiers in a round of one-on-one combat; a room with a single table, and on it a large map and an equally long scroll full of scenarios for the more tactical-minded to make decisions and prove they can commandeer troops and formulate strategies that will win not only the battle, but the war.

If you complete these tests, you will be admitted to the Host of High Home — another wing of the building that is Taeum solely dedicated to the Art of War. Here you will be given your first set of armor, red and gold made just for you, and be told to report to training for at least five days of the week.

TOP

// PART IIB.SEDORUM MOVEBO  

While the streets and buildings might seem claustrophobic, easy enough to assume that this is all there is to see of Sedorum, you’ll quickly find that while the city is knit tightly, it is still incredibly vast and it functions like any city might: there are residences, shops, restaurants and businesses (mostly privately owned), as well as entertainment venues, which include a copious amount of alcohol, hallucinogens and stimulants, as well as opportunities for gambling. Under the red glow that gives Sedorum its nickname, you might as well begin exploring the Red City.

4.0   If you decide to explore the retail and financial sectors of the city, you’ll be met with several microshops set up within the crumbling architecture of the buildings that house them. People in ragged clothing sidle up as you near their wares, looking for new customers to dupe. Most of the items will seem old and worse for wear, as though they’ve been at this song and dance for years without change. Some shops might feature slightly newer items, brought to them through some dealings with Giva, perhaps, or some magic unknown. Fine china with slight nicks at the lip, a beautiful wedding dress long abandoned, a set of old spoons, or an antique doll with matted blonde hair — it isn’t all pretty. Suspicious eyes will watch you as you pass them, some might even swipe at you, looking for a purse to snatch, or a wallet to pilfer if you’re left unattended for long.

If you’re an enterprising individual, you may look at the shops and think: great, an opportunity. Indeed, if you’ve arrived armed with items you’re willing to part with, all you need to do is find a space large enough to set up a shop of your own, a little cart to fill with things from the station or the planets you’ve been to, and try and make some money off of them.

5.0   Or perhaps, if you’re not looking to make a profit, you’ll pay attention to the souls on the streets: how, if you listen carefully, you’ll find many to be whispering the same things:

“This is wrong, just because we couldn’t pay enough for Taeum, why are we doomed to live here and wait so much longer to reincarnate?”

“I only forgot to pay the landlord once, that’s the only thing I did wrong! Why does it make me the same as the murderers and thieves?”

“This isn’t fair. This isn’t fair!”

“We can’t just accept this. Something needs to change!”

But what? At the end of the day, everything in Sedorum remains the same — you’ll find some of the souls turning away as a loudly laughing group beats up someone in their middle; two gangs having a bloody fight in the middle of the Square, uncaring if who they strike is their opponent or an unfortunate passer-by; a young woman crying in front of her stall as all her wares have been smashed to pieces. In Sedorum, there is no law, and those deserving of it live alongside those simply unlucky to have been doomed to this miserable existence.

6.0   Whether you manage to adapt to this new existence in Sedorum or you find yourself despairing at the chaos and lawlessness that you notice with each passing day, you’ll also find a familiar face: V’rizz, now accompanied by another imposing figure beside him. This is Entr’i, the Minister of Arms, dressed in armour black as the deepest night, dark lines tattooed on her cheeks. They often pass through the narrow, winding streets, looking for something — or someone. You might observe that they’ll often instigate fighting within clusters of people, passing weapons forward, or watching for magic as though administering tests, looking for those who can handle themselves. Catch yourself in a similar situation, and V’rizz or Entr’i might invite you for a chat.

The invitation takes you to an unassuming alleyway, where a short series of sharp taps and a glowing drawn symbol hanging in the air for a moment will allow you and V’rizz or Entr’i to enter a doorway that leads deep underground. The stone stairs feel cold under your feet as they take you down until you arrive at a hallway, its deep obsidian walls pulsing faintly with red light.

From there you will be ushered into a large cavern that has been divided into several different arenas: a fighting ring, a space for target practice, and a corner where smiths cobble armour together from what little material they have.

ENTR’I

We may not have the most organised army … but we will make a change. We will force Taeum to let us in. No more division, no more paying your way into luxury and a quicker way back to Giva. If you’re willing to do your part and join us, you will receive instructions here.

She means it, too: if you specialize in combat, you will be given the task of training other souls less versed in the art of fighting with weapons. If you have a sharp mind and you’re used to command, Entr'i will take you to the others in charge of battle strategy. If you're good with your hands, she may direct you to help with making armour, weapons, talismans — anything to help the Sedora rise up … quite, well, literally.

TOP

// PART III.NETWORK  

It is shortly after arrival in your respective realm that you may notice something has gone really wrong with your earpieces. No matter how much you might try to contact those who have not appeared on the same side as you, there is really nothing but static in response. It's easy enough to give way to panic first, assuming that whoever you’re trying to speak to has left the crew like so many others now have — but a little comparing amongst yourselves will make it clear it's only everyone on the other side that can't be reached.

The upside to this is that your communications still function as they should within one realm: so those in Taeum can still use it to speak with others in Taeum, and the same goes for Sedorum. But in order for the mission to succeed, information will need to travel between the two realms … and so the connection must be re-established.

TOP

F Y I

• The events in this log take place during the month of March.

• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.

• To submit a search request speaking to any NPCs mentioned in the log, trying to overhear conversations, or exploring any specific place during any of the prompts, please do so HERE.

• And finally, have a soundtrack for this log! ♪ ♪ ♪

TOP

▶ NAV

Comments

1.0 (a)

[kovach]

[ kovacs doesn't actually expect to find anything specific about the rooms that would grant some kind of further hint about the place; he imagines it's all following the same rule of constructs, piecing together the false presentation of luxurious fantasy, all as a means to reel in their inhabitants with fulfilling distractions.

entering into the banquet hall, his surprise is mostly in not seeing more people seated around to enjoy a feast, reminded of the party in suntouch house on the aerium, the rich and everlasting downing their drinks into the bottomless pit of their perfectly constructed bellies, picking apart the meat of endangered animals to chow on simply because they could. that's the real stench of this place, knowing the people here clearly paid their ticket to a peaceful afterlife. not much changes between worlds.

but the person he finds within the room isn't one of taeum's wealthy sponsors at all, coming across a face he'd briefly seen around the station before they departed. though he realizes she isn't likely to recognize his.

stepping inside, he doesn't have quite the towering presence as he had before, a little smaller in his height, albeit still bearing a sort of solidity in his form, like he spends every moment ready in case someone wants to ever pick a fight. arms crossed, he walks the length of the room closer to her. ]

You seem to be doing just fine getting comfortable.

[choicely]

Why shouldn't we? After all, this is paradise — or some approximation of it. It would look stranger if we didn't partake.

[ If the intention of this mission, at least in part, is for them to gather information that might prove valuable in terms of unearthing the location of the orb — depending on which side it might be hiding on, although Yennefer has her own private theories about it that she's currently keeping to herself — then they need to act as though they belong here. Any abnormal behavior could risk their ability to acquire helpful details.

With the room empty for the moment, however, that justification might seem rather flimsy, but Yennefer has already come to the conclusion that none of the food is tainted or affected by nibbling on a few things here and there, and now that she's sitting in one of the available seats she's mostly using it as an opportunity to formulate a more cohesive plan. ]

Besides, it's much harder to think on an empty stomach. You should eat something.

[ If her demeanor comes off as someone who doesn't recognize him, that's because she doesn't, and there's nothing necessarily in his stance or his mannerisms that would indicate they've met before — especially because he's lacking the addition of a slim cylinder sticking out of his mouth.

She pauses, and with a few words muttered under her breath one of the chairs closest to her slides out from the table as if pulled back by an invisible hand. ]

[kovach]

Feels more like cheap discount paradise.

[ maybe because it feels too close to a place he's already been, a place that he knew had been a fraud ideal by those with the credits to afford it that he can't even bear faking interest in what they're offering here. the only thing that gets his attention at all is the sleeve he's wearing right now, skin that he thought he'd lost a long time ago, and even that feels too skeptical to get comfortable with. ]

Anyway, not hungry.

[ though as soon as the words are out of his mouth, he realizes that he very much is, probably because there's currently nothing in this belly, not having eaten a thing since he's been in this body, and not even remembering the last time he had anything to chow on before they'd actually left.

he watches as one of the chairs at the table moves, sliding against the floor like in offering for him to sit his ass in it. with a raised brow to her, he huffs a breath through his nose and works his way to it. ]

Still playing with your little magic show tricks?

[choicely]

[ Clearly it's a construction, a facade created to tailor to a particular aesthetic; she's not entirely unconvinced this isn't more of the same illusion technology that exists in the sunlight room on the station, even if she's found some of the items — like the food on the table itself — to be very, very real. But the very notion of it existing to cater to a specific type of fantasy likely negates it being any real paradise, merely something manufactured based on the mere concept.

She doesn't say any of this, letting the wryness with which she'd delivered her remark speak for itself, but it's what he offers next that prompts her gaze to lift from the banquet table and linger as he strides nearer — a very particular choice of words that calls back to a previous encounter on the station, one she'd had with a very distinct face. ]

You looked different last we spoke. But then again, I suppose we were all changed under the guise of so-called perfection.