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lostcompass2023-10-29 08:28 am
the channeling + cr meme!
Hello, hello, happy nearly-Halloween! The next stage of Ephes (The Channeling) takes place over 1-17 November, and you can find a summary of the main opportunities below. A mod-led log goes up on Wednesday and will include more atmospheric details.
This part of the plot is open-ended — so go wild! For new folks: you can always hit up NPCs at their shiny inbox for clues, and generally be as outlandish in your plotting as possible.
But first, if you missed anything:RECAP OF PLOT REVEALS
You can assume the witch Karsa shares this information, if needed. The below includes all large plot points, to help newcomers — oldbies, scroll a bit c:
Earlier: the Senate has yet to vote on the proposal of undead lady Messalina, who asks to borrow Ephes’ supernaturally endowed, cult-like army, the Hand. She wants to liberate her undead brethren from the undead Brotherhood and will reimburse Ephes with conquered territories. Senate leader Caius Justus secludes at the temple of the Father of Chaos, the Chained God, to deliberate. Frustrated, Messalina might soon take matters into her own hands. Her agent, the shape-shifting demon Alir poses as popular Senator Maximus Faustus — assassins culled several Senators during his recent banquet. It surfaces that fresh assassination lists targeting Senators were written on Senate paper.
Recently: earthquakes rocked the agricultural clusters of Ephes, revealing... dark water typically associated with the undead. The Hand seem to be delivering dark water-infested grains by sea to a ‘merchant’ Matthias — perhaps the same man assumed to have spawned the undead. Created by Caius Justus, the Hand numbers feral members who were taught how to act human-like by mimes and who copy the exceptional combat skills of gladiators. Evidence in deserted barracks suggests that Hand soldiers were exposed to dark water.
Priests say their patron Chained God will soon destroy then
Upcoming: an announcement from Senate leader Caius Justus goes up at the start of November — exiting seclusion, he will convey the Chained God wishes for Ephes to embrace true chaos and conquer. He advises the Senate to refuse Messalina’s proposal, but will defer to a vote. For civilian safety, Caius Justus imposes citadel-wide curfews, while the Hand army is seemingly always present to quiet or pre-empt unrest.
Check in below for plotting opportunities and try to sign up for the plotlines that interest you. You can definitely still play without signing up — it just helps to glean which missions are popular and should get more detail and individual content.
Mod advice: focus on just one of the scenarios and play support for the rest, to avoid overload. All scenarios have high plot impact, and anyone can participate in any scenario.
Assignment: the Merchant fears that Matthias, alleged father of the undead Brotherhood, might be the ‘merchant Matthias’ who was slated to receive dark water-drenched grains from the Hand. He asks you to investigate by doing any of the below:
- ■ Pay an information broker — who happens to collect supernatural artefacts — for knowledge. He asks for spirit eyes — the buttons worn instead of orbs by ghosts who haunt the nearby cemetery. She can be coaxed or tricked to surrender them.
■ play games of chance with a giant mobster fish and his cronies for information. You must offer a minimum opening bid to play with each thug (ex: a scantly informed thug wants to know a highly embarrassing secret, if you lose; a high-profile one wants to play with poison for knowledge, etc...)
■ Break into the headquarters of the merchants’ syndicate to snoop around its records or warehouses, or vandalize the room of a particular guest that the Merchant believes will have critical information. Hold him at knifepoint, seduce him, do your worst!
■ enter a RNG draw to rescue a young boy* on a rainy day at the docks and hear more
SIGN UP TO OVERHEAR WEALTH WHISPER
ii. THE FLOORS
Assignment: lure Senator votes toward the position that the party supports. After Caius Justus’ return:
- ■ 51 Senators back Caius Justus to refuse Messalina’s proposal.
■ Maximus Faustus convinces 53 Senators to accept Messalina’s proposal
■ Caelius Silvanus persuades 47 Senators to vote to postpone a decision on Messalina’s proposal for another season.
■ Persuade, bribe, threaten or blackmail a minor Senator to switch votes. Perhaps you can offer coin or rally supporters in the marketplace for their next election, or heal their donkey or get rid of that pesky boy mooning after their daughter. Or maybe prove their corruption streak, or place a polite knife at their throats. You have free reins, hold the whole Senate floor hostage, if you want! It's nearly end-Arc, so go big fearlessly. The only requirement is to thread out some part of the action. You can create NPC Senators to court, or ask for a RNGed Senator, if you can’t think of one.
■ Channel Cicero and deliver a moving speech on the network for the Senate’s consideration (putting: ‘video: to the senate’ in the post headline)!
■ Worse comes to worst, you could also go big or go home and prevent Senators from entering the Senate on vote day by
Optionally, those assigned in a political role might experience threats from Senators, pushing you to join their cause.
! This is the last chance to influence the Senate. As numbers show, given the party’s past actions, slightly more Senators currently favour Messalina. A final vote tally will be taken on 19 November — with world-changing consequences :’) Characters should discuss ICly which way to swing the vote — if no one’s made a debate post by 8 November, a mod-led one will go up then. You're welcome to take lead and do it, tho!
SIGN UP TO WALK THE SENATE FLOORS
iii. INCENSE
Assignment: Investigate the temple hall where the Chained God was allegedly Chained and bring back proof of his existence or designs for Ephes. This magically intense area can corrupt your character into acts of violence and malevolence. The test to enter the room involves hurting or betraying someone, whether by harming them, chaining them to watch helplessly while you face down corruption, lying to them or eviscerating them with words. The previously mentioned corruption can make your character obsessively intent to reach the Chained God at whatever cost, if they're not naturally disposed toward foul play.
With other players’ permission, your character can sense what theirs is vulnerable to (ex: you might have a mysterious inkling that this character fears abandonment — betray them by taunting them about it, to enter the room). You may also need help crawling back.
Sign up for a RNG draw to speak to the Chained God…!
SIGN UP TO LIGHT ASHES OF INCENSE
ANYTHING ELSE?
Floor is yours to pitch a plot! Just make sure you've got your ducks in a row by 23:59 GMT on 3 November, if it's anything that requires a lot of mod facilitation, please!
QUESTIONS
A final Ephes plot update follows in late November, built off what you folks do in this upcoming event.
TRICK OR CR TREAT
Old, new or blue, fill out the form below to plot & Pokeget some new CR, then comment around mightily.
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Wait what is this now, was Nat asking things about Vanessa, did I miss gossip
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(because we both know natasha doesn't Have It)
they should be besties!
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I'm slow af to get a top-level up for this event but I am tagging around today, and ofc there is inbox stuff so yet I'll take Nat anywhere I can get her.
I do know that Vanessa will be using her criminal connections to ask a crime lord into shifting a senator's vote, so Nat could always be part of that somehow, I have not figured out the details
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i'm also tagging around today and should be around this weekend (self imposed exile to finish this course thing for work too) - nat would be 100% in to watching vanessa's back in the underworld and doesn't shy away from criminal connections
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just catalog that Vanessa somehow has to find an 'in' with every worst kind of being imaginable in Akhuras. obviously Avenger material amirite.
although let her tell you about her time as Wanda's waifuno subject
luckily (?) given that natasha is from her post-dead timeline, she's not exactly looking to make new avengers but maybe she'll give vanessa a gold star or smth