Third Black Wave: Electric Boogaloo

Skye

well since y'all so happy, I should probably share some of the pain:

Bairn Muurn, the Crimson Numen pulls out a small wooden horse, obviously crafted to a child and holds it up, blood running down the sides of it now.

Bairn Muurn, the Crimson Numen says, "See, already found some treasure."

You have emoted: Skye's expression goes a little frozen at the sight of the toy.

You say with a muddled Thalassian accent, "I... see."

Bairn Muurn, the Crimson Numen puts her wooden horse away and scoops out a handful of ice cream before shoving it in her mouth.

Well played, you guys. This is probably gonna haunt her forever.

Synthus

Asmodron said:

I meaaaan, not to be -that- guy but technically the Tsol'teth abandoned Cyrene (and poor Hailqas'an) and Hailqas'an killed herself...but details are just details >.>

I hope these events have prepared you for what comes next. Event feels far from over.

Technically speaking, we still drove Hailqas'an to her final death. She could have fled when she realized she wasn't getting backup, but the instability drove her bonkers and she killed herself. That aside, I'm still down for a feels trip.

It's gonna get darker before it gets brighter, that much I know, and with how much Synthus is teetering on the edge of going batshit insane, it's going to be interesting to see.

Asmodron

Synthus said:

Asmodron said:

I meaaaan, not to be -that- guy but technically the Tsol'teth abandoned Cyrene (and poor Hailqas'an) and Hailqas'an killed herself...but details are just details >.>

I hope these events have prepared you for what comes next. Event feels far from over.

Technically speaking, we still drove Hailqas'an to her final death. She could have fled when she realized she wasn't getting backup, but the instability drove her bonkers and she killed herself. That aside, I'm still down for a feels trip.

It's gonna get darker before it gets brighter, that much I know, and with how much Synthus is teetering on the edge of going batshit insane, it's going to be interesting to see.

Actually what drove Hailqas'an to her final death was abandonment and the emergence of a deep set fear in her (and likely all Tsol'teth): Becoming Forsaken. You say she could have fled...but saying that shows you havent learnt enough of the Tsol'teth yet...I suppose when Asmo publishes his book after all this it will become more clear.

Jiraishin

Asmodron said:

Synthus said:

Asmodron said:

I meaaaan, not to be -that- guy but technically the Tsol'teth abandoned Cyrene (and poor Hailqas'an) and Hailqas'an killed herself...but details are just details >.>

I hope these events have prepared you for what comes next. Event feels far from over.

Technically speaking, we still drove Hailqas'an to her final death. She could have fled when she realized she wasn't getting backup, but the instability drove her bonkers and she killed herself. That aside, I'm still down for a feels trip.

It's gonna get darker before it gets brighter, that much I know, and with how much Synthus is teetering on the edge of going batshit insane, it's going to be interesting to see.

Actually what drove Hailqas'an to her final death was abandonment and the emergence of a deep set fear in her (and likely all Tsol'teth): Becoming Forsaken. You say she could have fled...but saying that shows you havent learnt enough of the Tsol'teth yet...I suppose when Asmo publishes his book after all this it will become more clear.

Come on, just let the dudes have their moment of victory. Save raining on their parade for when they bring it up IC.

Lenn

I don't think Hailqas'an would be dead if the Cyrenian resistance failed.

Ryssa

For Ryssa, taking back Cyrene was a great achievement, proud to watch the process of breaking our way in by @Eril 's  side as Hycanthus threw in the explosives.

While she felt she wasn't strong enough to be on the front lines, she sought out Blu. Annoyingly, OOC, I couldn't stay the whole time, but I was elated to read the report that Blu was freed and our city taken back.

Having Cyrene back strengthens her hopefulness, but, she's frustrated that, those she feels are honourable as individuals, would just obey the decisions of their city to ally with evil. Still naively hopeful, I guess. And yet she'd still leap up to cross blades with them to learn more combat while defending her city.

If anything, these events have built and solidified her loyalty to her family, even above her city at times. For better or worse, we'll see. But, she'd endure a thousand punishments from Divines in order to protect them. That is for a certainty.

Synthus

Asmodron said:

Actually what drove Hailqas'an to her final death was abandonment and the emergence of a deep set fear in her (and likely all Tsol'teth): Becoming Forsaken. You say she could have fled...but saying that shows you havent learnt enough of the Tsol'teth yet...I suppose when Asmo publishes his book after all this it will become more clear.

That's very fair criticism and I won't disagree on that. 

Considering that Synthus' first interaction with the Tsol'teth was them taking his home, it's kind of understandable that he doesn't know anything about them, nor care to learn more. He just wants them dead, plain and simple.

From a player perspective, they don't really strike me as complex villains. Do they have depth? Sure, but meh? Emotionless big-bads that are still humanoid, like the Borg which the Tsol'teth have been likened to, are not my cup of tea.

Jiraishin

Synthus said:

Asmodron said:

Actually what drove Hailqas'an to her final death was abandonment and the emergence of a deep set fear in her (and likely all Tsol'teth): Becoming Forsaken. You say she could have fled...but saying that shows you havent learnt enough of the Tsol'teth yet...I suppose when Asmo publishes his book after all this it will become more clear.

That's very fair criticism and I won't disagree on that. 

Considering that Synthus' first interaction with the Tsol'teth was them taking his home, it's kind of understandable that he doesn't know anything about them, nor care to learn more. He just wants them dead, plain and simple.

From a player perspective, they don't really strike me as complex villains. Do they have depth? Sure, but meh? Emotionless big-bads that are still humanoid, like the Borg which the Tsol'teth have been likened to, are not my cup of tea.

Gotta wonder how emotionless they really are, though. This is one of the tsol'teth memory scenes from the Second Black Wave:

A bizarre tableau of an idyllic scene presents itself. Soft sand borders an underground lake, luminescent crystals embedded deep within casting watery radiance over the forms of a large group of children at play. Their splashing and shrieks of laughter echo about the cavern, their caretakers engaging in murmured conversations on the shore, casting the occasional indulgent glance and smile at their frolicking charges.

Synthus

Jiraishin said:

Gotta wonder how emotionless they really are, though. This is one of the tsol'teth memory scenes from the Second Black Wave:

A bizarre tableau of an idyllic scene presents itself. Soft sand borders an underground lake, luminescent crystals embedded deep within casting watery radiance over the forms of a large group of children at play. Their splashing and shrieks of laughter echo about the cavern, their caretakers engaging in murmured conversations on the shore, casting the occasional indulgent glance and smile at their frolicking charges.

Hmm, I'd have to question how old that memory is. Did the Tsol'teth forsake emotions to retake the overworld? Are the Tsol'teth we see now the same as the ones in their memory?

I don't know, seems like they've forsaken that. 

Lenn

Obligatory post saying I have IC theories but won't post them here in OOCland. Bwahaha.

Atalkez

They definitely have emotions, they’re just not the same as you’re expecting since expectations are filtered through normal adventurer/denizen interactions.

I’ve seem them joke, play games (badly), and even casually rib people. The thing to keep in mind, the most interaction we get with the TT are “Weapons”, not necessarily those who are more “well formed”. For instance, discussing fashion with Gattan’bahar is a no go. “We are a weapon”. When I brought it up with Terrin’tuuran, he told me to ask the others then let him know if any of them speak on it since that’s instability. Like asking a bridge builder how to tailor a new shirt. I’d wager Silon’ukia would be a more apt one to discuss stuff with to see a more well rounded personality.

Iloisee

@Synthus idk how much of this is "protected" info so maybe ask around IG, but there were major devastating events in Anzari-tarin that I think they handled, in part, by doing the emotionless thing. It's hard to find info though. Also Gattan'bahar pulled a "you know nothing, Jon Snow" on me so I could be totally wrong. 😥

Jiraishin

Synthus said:

Jiraishin said:

Gotta wonder how emotionless they really are, though. This is one of the tsol'teth memory scenes from the Second Black Wave:

A bizarre tableau of an idyllic scene presents itself. Soft sand borders an underground lake, luminescent crystals embedded deep within casting watery radiance over the forms of a large group of children at play. Their splashing and shrieks of laughter echo about the cavern, their caretakers engaging in murmured conversations on the shore, casting the occasional indulgent glance and smile at their frolicking charges.

Hmm, I'd have to question how old that memory is. Did the Tsol'teth forsake emotions to retake the overworld? Are the Tsol'teth we see now the same as the ones in their memory?

I don't know, seems like they've forsaken that. 

I don't think it's that old-- it was a memory of a living tsol'teth. I do think they -suppress- emotions, and possibly experience them differently, and I have some theories about that that I'm saving for my IG report that I will one day finish. In person, Jir has observed personality variations between the tsol'teth, seen a (stable) tsol'teth laugh, and seen multiple tsol'teth more subtly express what look awfully like indicators of irritation, amusement, and puzzlement.

I play a character who has historically come across as cold and unfeeling quite a lot, so without knowing much about Synthus I might have a different perspective on the difference between seeming/acting emotionless and actually being it.

Keorin

I admit, I personally wish the occupation had lasted longer. Two weeks is a pretty short time in the scheme of things, and my fear is that it becomes too easy to ignore the scope of what happened, as people return to old habits.

The trouble with so much of the loss of life being invisible is that with no impact on gameplay, people tend to ignore things, or not treat them as important. People have a hard enough time considering the lives of village denizens to mean anything, and a lot of people forget that the background populations of cities exist. I half-wish that there were more losses among notable Cyrenian denizens, just so it couldn't be outright ignored.

Hopefully these concerns are misplaced, I've just seen plenty of instances where results that one character perceives as horrifying, another just shrugs at, solely because they only see player characters as important parts of the world.

Armali

The level of forum RP here is astounding.

Atalkez

Keorin said:

I admit, I personally wish the occupation had lasted longer. Two weeks is a pretty short time in the scheme of things, and my fear is that it becomes too easy to ignore the scope of what happened, as people return to old habits.

The trouble with so much of the loss of life being invisible is that with no impact on gameplay, people tend to ignore things, or not treat them as important. People have a hard enough time considering the lives of village denizens to mean anything, and a lot of people forget that the background populations of cities exist. I half-wish that there were more losses among notable Cyrenian denizens, just so it couldn't be outright ignored.

Hopefully these concerns are misplaced, I've just seen plenty of instances where results that one character perceives as horrifying, another just shrugs at, solely because they only see player characters as important parts of the world.

Within 20 minutes of Cyrene regaining the city, people were shouting about tea and cookies. I agree with you, there was not near enough reinforcement of the need to be grim during the “cleanup”

Zbaco

Atalkez said:

Keorin said:

I admit, I personally wish the occupation had lasted longer. Two weeks is a pretty short time in the scheme of things, and my fear is that it becomes too easy to ignore the scope of what happened, as people return to old habits.

The trouble with so much of the loss of life being invisible is that with no impact on gameplay, people tend to ignore things, or not treat them as important. People have a hard enough time considering the lives of village denizens to mean anything, and a lot of people forget that the background populations of cities exist. I half-wish that there were more losses among notable Cyrenian denizens, just so it couldn't be outright ignored.

Hopefully these concerns are misplaced, I've just seen plenty of instances where results that one character perceives as horrifying, another just shrugs at, solely because they only see player characters as important parts of the world.

Within 20 minutes of Cyrene regaining the city, people were shouting about tea and cookies. I agree with you, there was not near enough reinforcement of the need to be grim during the “cleanup”

Eh, I'd say we were still enthused about our victory and the grim reality had yet to set in. A couple of days later, it's starting to hit all of us just how badly the city was hurt during the occupation.

Mroxyl

Lot of shouting about rum as well, as people chose the things most important to their character. Not everyone would react the same, or focus on the same things. 

Atalkez

Sure, I get that, and I’m not faulting anyone for playing the way that makes sense to their character.

My point is, in the aftermath of any real threatening situation, you’re probably not gonna give a shit about getting tea or baking cookies. Doing so kind of undermined the entire “holy shit look how devestated this place is” that the event was trying to drive home. I look forward to seeing a more grim aspect of Cyrene (which has already started by interactions with people still being angst filled) and hopefully a more mobilized segment of army. City being taken and occupied is a great reason to put more emphasis on getting skillz.

Lenn

WWII London would have a word with you.

Jiraishin

Lenn said:

WWII London would have a word with you.

WWII London was pretty grim and mobilized.

Atalkez

Lenn said:

WWII London would have a word with you.

I think we took very different history classes.

Ygia

A lot of WWII London 'chipper cheer' was propaganda. 

But also, I know if I came home to find my entire street decimated, cookies and tea would be pretty nice at least.

Taryius

Atalkez said:

Sure, I get that, and I’m not faulting anyone for playing the way that makes sense to their character.

My point is, in the aftermath of any real threatening situation, you’re probably not gonna give a shit about getting tea or baking cookies. Doing so kind of undermined the entire “holy shit look how devestated this place is” that the event was trying to drive home. I look forward to seeing a more grim aspect of Cyrene (which has already started by interactions with people still being angst filled) and hopefully a more mobilized segment of army. City being taken and occupied is a great reason to put more emphasis on getting skillz.

This is exactly what I'm hoping for too, Cyrene just had the peace they enjoy so dearly ripped from their hands by a hostile force, and if they don't want that to happen again they'll need to what is necessary to keep their sovereignty in this world.

Even if it is something as simple as the city putting more emphasis on their army, and rebuilding their walls bigger and stronger, it leaves a lasting impression and gives Cyrene greater fuel to get involved with things outside their walls to. Be peacekeepers against forces that threaten Sapience as a whole, while remaining neutral in the city vs city political warfare.

Atalkez

Sure but would you be thinking about and asking about them while clearing said streets of dead bodies? Anyway enough of the tangent, I’m glad Cyrene is back operational. Now to ninja my way through shops like the good old days

Zbaco

Which shops

Atalkez said:

Sure but would you be thinking about and asking about them while clearing said streets of dead bodies? Anyway enough of the tangent, I’m glad Cyrene is back operational. Now to ninja my way through shops like the good old days

Which shops? Just asking...for a friend...in the guard force...

Atalkez

All of them, Cyrene is like a second home

Shub

If it is any consolation two weeks RL time is a little over a year game time. Cyrene was occupied about a year and some change, I'd have to open up the game to figure out the exact length.

Lenn

Ygia said:

A lot of WWII London 'chipper cheer' was propaganda. 

But also, I know if I came home to find my entire street decimated, cookies and tea would be pretty nice at least.

I may have worded my vague post wrongly, but above is precisely my point.

Keorin

To be clear, I begrudge no one their reactions in the aftermath of a hard fought victory. Even irl, stress and celebration, even in grim times hit people different ways.

But since there's nearly no mechanical loss, and we only lost a single named denizen, it's going to take active effort to pay attention. I don't think anyone -means- to ignore the scope of the death, but there's always a difference between death that you're confronted with, and lost lives in the abstract. If it had been me behind the scenes, I'd at least have had a few more named denizens die, because rare city-wide emotes are the only evidence of any losses from the occupation.

If we're doing ww2 analogies, the scope of this might well be closer to Dresden or Hiroshima, then London. I just hope the admin will help dive that home, or I expect the urge for things to go back to how they were will win out.