MOD PLOT ↠ HOME FOR RIFTMAS

[faderifting]

WHO: Everyone (more or less)
WHAT: Rifter Show & Tell & Steal.
WHEN: Early Wintermarch 9:49 (forward-dated!)
WHERE: The Crossroads and BEYOND.
NOTES: OOC post. Please use appropriate content warnings in your subject lines.

Since Corypheus began opening the Gates, Riftwatch has been noticing pockets of instability in the Crossroads—crumbling platforms, paths newly blocked by rubble or broken bridges, sections where gravity has been shifted and altered in ways unusual even for the Crossroads, with new intrusions of green-tinged rock outcroppings or corners of temple walls. The barriers between the Crossroads, the Fade, and the world are thinning. It's a problem.

But more recently, Riftwatch has been made aware of an ancient artifact known (now; one hopes this isn't its original title) as the Sealing Stone, now in pieces scattered throughout the Crossroads, and the approximate locations of those pieces. If brought together and activated, the Stone may stabilize the barrier between the Crossroads and the other realms and may provide a model Riftwatch could use to reinforce the Veil elsewhere.

So Riftwatch ventures into the Crossroads to retrieve the pieces of the Stone. It's an intensive effort undertaken by large teams, due to the many now-familiar hazards of the Crossroads, the potential for encountering the Venatori that also use the eluvian network, and the need to cover ground as quickly as possible in hopes of finding the artifacts before the Venatori notice the increased Crossroads activity and come join the hunt.

It's not as simple as merely locating the pieces, however. Whenever a group of Riftwatchers get near enough to one of the artifacts, they're alerted first by the triggering of a sort of protection mechanism. In some cases—specifically, on teams without any rifters—spirits suddenly swarm from the metaphorical woodwork in numbers so great and with such hostility that retreat is the only viable option. The spirits chase the teams only as far as necessary to push them away from the artifact's location, then mass into a circling shoal, guarding the spot until they're left alone long enough to decide the risk has passed.

But for groups containing at least one rifter, something with the mechanism goes wrong. Or right, arguably. Rather than being overwhelmed by spirits, they instead find themselves abruptly engulfed by what appears to be a rift, opening suddenly and rapidly large enough to swallow entire masses of people before contracting again to lie in wait like a carnivorous plant for anyone else who comes too close. Those caught in its radius tumble out into what appears to be a new and unfamiliar world–for most. For one or more of the rifters in each group, it will be perfectly familiar.

The first group to encounter this effect will be one including Tony Stark and Stephen Strange, and will drop them and their compatriots straight into midtown traffic. Any groups attempting to travel to the same spot in the Crossroads to investigate the apparent vanishing—whether they have rifters with them or not—will find themselves drawn through the same "rift" almost as soon as they get within sight of the place, before anything can be discerned about their lost fellows. They will likewise emerge into Stark & Strange's United States.

Subsequent groups including other rifters will be seemingly drawn into their companions' worlds by the same effect. In each, Riftwatch will have to navigate local hazards and retrieve a distinctive lyrium-etched artifact, at which point the world will dissolve around them like a dream and they will find themselves back in the Crossroads where they began, in possession of a carved chunk of stone glowing with lyrium runes.

1 ↠ MCU Earth-199999

Alternate-universe Earth, New York and Los Angeles, 2012-2025, Tony Stark & Stephen Strange.

Earth-199999 is very much like contemporary Earth as we know it, featuring the same historic events, same nations, same conventions. For the average person, there is no difference, except that they know magic and aliens and gods and superpowers are all real and have been causing problems for a while now, with NYC as the hub for most of the shenanigans. MCU Earth has also made leaps and bounds in all science fields as compared to real Earth, although these leaps and bounds are not widely accessible, primarily exclusive to private organisations like Stark Industries, mad scientists, and the likes of SHIELD, but can range from interactive three-dimensional holograms through to biotechnology that turns people into supersoldiers.

It's commonplace to see or hear about criminals causing havoc in the streets with superpowers or gadgets, and crime-fighting vigilantes trying to stop them. The Avengers, as the world's first superheroes, became widely-known commercialised celebrities in-universe with merchandise, documentaries, book deals, and memorial murals to the deceased Iron Man.

Special Abilities: Everyone is nerfed to regular human, unless you want a sudden onset of mutant powers. 1 individual themed ability per character; like pyrokinesis, superspeed, superstrength, etc.

Arrival: One main rift opens in the middle of New York City, ejecting our rifters into midtown traffic… except thanks to Strange’s own multiversal mishaps, people in this world will seem astonishingly accustomed to this sight! Bystanders will be startled, but then the rifters will likely be dogged by strangers snapping photos and videos and tweeting about their arrival.

The Fade-constructed timeline will be a little off: the old Avengers tower and its penthouse is still standing and still accessible to Tony, and Strange will also offer up the Sanctum as a sanctuary, and these will be the main mission hubs while the team gets their bearings and tries to locate the artifact. In the meantime: relax, take in the sights, maybe check out a Broadway show, wrangle your new superpowers.

A secondary rift also opens up on Hollywood Boulevard, in case people want to do some helplessly stranded on Earth RP. Tony can very easily find out this has happened and go collect them, with various degrees of efficiency according to what people want out of that OOCly. As this universe will be available to explore for a few IC weeks, people can assume some degree of Stark-provided financial freedom for basics (i.e. clothes and food, burner phones, etc), and they can stay in the Avengers tower and/or the Sanctum.

2 ↠ Shifterverse

Original alternate-universe Earth, Midwest US, 2022, Jude Adjei.

Real-world 2022, but what if Shifters?

Special Abilities: All superpowers are unfortunately nerfed. However, everyone's a Shifter now. Your choice of animal. Enjoy.

Arrival: Everyone will arrive in Yellowstone National Park, which is wholly staffed and operated by Jude's pack, but... not in an area where tourists are routinely and happily welcomed. Welcome to the deep woods and canyons and plains, where Jude's pack has built their den for some several hundred people. Characters will immediately be found by scouts in fur and feathers, who will be guarded and curious, but not hostile. The wolves and ravens will greet the interlopers as equals, and if they aren't offered any violence, they'll be treated as guests. Hundreds of pack members live in a mixture of hand-built cabin homes and meeting places, portable tiny houses and various shared spaces. There is wifi, a greenhouse, lots of tasty food and warm clothing to wear. If they stay several days and prove themselves trustworthy, they might even start to see children out and about, and there's nothing cuter than a toddler who can become a wolf pup at will. (Mind the raven toddlers and the bear cubs. They're less cute.)

3 ↠ Tassia

D&D Original World, Loxley & Richard Dickerson

Tassia is an original Dungeons&Dragons inspired world, a single continent divided into four nations that is otherwise completely isolated from any other possible world beyond it. These nations are Lloryndell, Sylvica, Ifrin, and Promias, and at its centre lies the Cruxal, a university-city of diverse cultural influence.

While Tassia resembles Thedas in its day-to-day technology levels, including its anachronisms, it is more heavily laden with fantastical elements. Along with humans, elves, and dwarves, there are goblins, dragonborn, tritons, tieflings, sentient robots, bird people, centaurs, and more (https://www.dndbeyond.com/races) (but no qunari). There are many different kinds of magic users who wield their powers openly. There are shops full of magic items, potions, and spell scrolls. There are monsters of countless kinds that lurk just about everywhere. Most cultures in the material plane are polytheistic and worship themed gods from the default D&D (Faerun) Pantheon. Some smaller cults and individuals worship ancient fey, fiendish, and eldritch beings who dwell on the outskirts of their respective planes and may provide power to the exceptionally loyal -- for a price.

Special Abilities: You can choose to be a normal depowered person, but you are equally encouraged to take on magical abilities, whether you're a mage or not. In brief, you can be a wizard, whose magic comes from spellbooks and knowledge, a sorcerer, who have innate magical abilities, a bard, who draws their magic from music, words, and performance, a warlock, who has made a pact with a powerful entity in exchange of magical ability, a druid, who draws their magic from nature, and a cleric, whose divine abilities are gifted to them by a deity. (Other classes have magic too, but it might be easier to pick one of these major ones if you are unfamiliar!)

Rather than overthinking it, we recommend you pick whatever sounds fun to flavour your magic with, and then browse magical spells using classes as a filter. (Eighth and ninth level are off limits, and it may be easier to limit yourself further due to how many spells there are.) Given the temporariness of these powers, don't worry too much about how many spells you get or how frequently you can do them, but know that higher level spells (anything above fifth) can only be cast one or twice a day.

Your character may be Tassia-ised, in terms of their race, but in a limited capacity. All humans will stay human, but elves may adopt D&D traits like seeing in the dark.

Arrival: Rifts will open in the streets of the Cruxal. People will be startled by the sudden appearance of rifters and stand offish, but otherwise: they've seen it all before! No one will be calling the guard on you, unless you decide to start something, so please don't. Or enjoy jail.

The Cruxal is a labyrinthian melting pot built up in concentric rings around a massive central university and library. Goblins scarper among humans, elves, and dwarves in the street. There are tusked half orcs and horned, scale-clad dragonborn mixed in among more familiar silhouettes. This is a university town, but while a large portion of the population are students, academics, and staff, it is also self-sustaining, with taverns, shops, temples, brothels, residences, and marketways.

The university itself is guarded and degrees of entry closely regulated due to the school’s extensive collection of dangerous artifacts -- one of which just so happens to have gone missing last night. News of the theft has been suppressed, but every temple, tavern, and brothel on the outskirts of town is abuzz with the rumor. The entire corridor, they say, was scorched black.

Loxley and Richard won't be too concerned about herding everyone but can provide some coin as needed for inn rooms and food. They appear to have a near bottomless stash, at least as far as living costs go.

4 ↠ Sulleciel

Original fantasy world, Petrana de Cedoux.

What if magic was real and holy emperors still kissed the ring in Rome, until someone beheaded the fucking pope? Welcome to Sulleciel, and specifically to Lamor City, capitol of Lamorre and the seat of the Lamorran empire, ruled over by Empereur Marius IX and his consort, Empress Petrana Solene. A nation and empire in the throes, still, of great upheaval — think Versailles or Orlais, but lurching ungainly out of its dark ages into a theoretically more enlightened time, control of which is being actively fought in the halls of power and at grassroots levels of social influence. Power vacuums abound, thanks to the fall of the church and the rise of a conqueror who is less interested in ruling than he was conquering; women are still the often-illiterate property of their fathers and husbands, but now there are more alternatives to family and marital homes, and dedicated studies of witchcraft are being encouraged, with pilot programs across the empire primarily in those early sanctuary cities, figuring out how this is all going to work. Known for her efforts to lean on the scales in the people's favour Petrana herself is, in this era, rumored to be imprisoned; graffiti of her crowned likeness can be found in some places in the city, with the epithet ""la reine du malheur"".

Special Abilities: In Sulleciel, magic is a skill that may be pursued like any other — and there are those of more or less talent, as if someone were to attempt the violin, or swordplay. It is practised primarily through incantations and foci, with more elaborate spellwork for more ambitious results sometimes requiring particular items or a full coven to achieve. As magic is limited in Sulleciel only by the will, imagination and stamina of those practising it, no one coming here will be subject to any nerfs; all mages and otherwise magical or powered individuals will be able to use their powers as they're used to using them. In addition to this, anyone who is as magical as a chair-leg ordinarily can feel free to have a go at Sulleciel's magic — it's up to you if they have a knack for it or not. Simple spells like casting a light or telekinesis of small objects can be mastered by toddlers; a powerful enough witch or coven might be able to summon a thunderstorm and alter weather patterns, but ""can"" and ""should"" are different and it's generally advised that you try not to do a climate change.
"
Arrival: The rift will open into a spacious, luxuriously-appointed tower on the grounds of the imperial palace but not visibly connected to it above-ground. It was at one point the sole domain of the previous arciduc's personal astronomers, but is now the primary residence and working space of the Queen's Coven. The Queen's Coven is a particular group of women, so named for having been among the first witches to come beneath the new regime's protection in the first city-state to bend the knee where Petrana was first installed as Queen Regent; they are private, secretive, and increasingly cut off from the power-struggles of the imperial court, having been actively distanced from the Empress herself by a variety of other players in the game. Both relatively prepared for sudden magical happenings and inclined to keep shit in the tower on lock, they will be prepared to pass you all off as "foreign witches, seeking our enlightenment" and see both you and the sudden access to Petrana as potentially useful in their maneuverings. Which will make moving around easier, but will probably be an active hindrance to getting where and what you need. An underground tunnel connects the tower directly to the palace, though there are also pleasant, covered pathways to walk across the palace grounds; guards at the main, above-ground entrance to the tower will inquire about movements to and from, and will be skeptical but limit their interference initially ... as long as they don't see Petrana.

5 ↠ Kalvad

Original fantasy world, Wysteria Poppell.

Kalvad—specifically the city of Somerset, the magic capitol of the civilized world—is a mashup of Regency Era and Industrial-Revolution-But-Magic! Nebulously England (with the serial numbers aggressively filed off). When in doubt, default to Jane Austen vibes. But if it seems fun to do some weird magic-powered technological advancements, then go nuts.

Kalvad is an imperial island nation ostensibly ruled by three kings, though they're largely figureheads overseeing an upper and lower parliament. The country has made itself rich and powerful by doing a whole lot of war and colonization. As historically one of the most magically powerful regions in the world, magicians have long been a vital tool in the empire's efforts to do both those things.

Unfortunately for Kalvad, the strength of magic in the world has waned considerably in the last 40 years. Where once Talent was rare but reasonably powerful, magic users are both becoming more commonplace and considerably weaker. Even older magicians and hedge-witches who once might have manufactured considerable arcane feats have seen some diminishing of their powers. A popular, but unproven, theory in academic circles is that those with Talent all draw from the same "well" of magic. As more people are born with the ability to tap into that resource, the less there is to go around. Resentment for those with weaker Talents among older generations of magic users is A Thing.

That said, increased availability of minor magics has kick-started a 'minor magic' powered industrial revolution. Parlor witches who perform small arcane conveniences are growing in number; minor charms and enchantments have become more readily available to lower classes. Meanwhile, the non-magical population is slowly being shunted out of their respective cottage industry jobs and into factories powered by great enchanted machines. The empire as the world knows it is clearly teetering on the brink of major social and political upheaval, both at home and abroad. The consequences of all this change just haven't quite played themselves out yet, though you can bet there are people rushing around in an attempt to cover their asses before they do.

Special Abilities Characters will be nerfed of any abilities they had in Thedas, but can be Talented in Kalvad terms or not. Any Talented character under 40 is likely to be able to produce only minor magics (think lighting fires in fireplaces, being able to heal minor injuries, and temporarily being able to enchant objects to do one specific thing). Anyone over forty can be a little flashier (think appearance altering glamors, temporary invisibility, transfiguration and significant healing). General magic flavor is: Brothers Grimm fairy tales and Arthurian legends, except that someone somewhere made all that weirdly pliable magic adhere to a strict ruleset. Easy, thoughtless channeling of magic is a secret lost long before the arcane powers in the world began to diminish. Now, all magic must be carefully and deliberately designed and constructed. The magicians most accomplished by Kalvadan standards are methodical and patient. Think clockmakers and mathematicians, not wizards on the side of a van.

Arrival: Members of Riftwatch will arrive through a rift and find themselves on the wooded outskirts of a sprawling city. Luckily, no one will witness their initial arrival. Even more convenient: once they've gotten their bearings and made their way into the city, they'll discover they aren't the only weird strangers in town (although they may want to strongly consider indulging in petty theft to make themselves stick out less—particularly as it comes time to infiltrate places). It seems that a sprawling months-long academic conference turned party turned cover for political intrigue and cold warfare has descended upon Somerset.

In the aftermath of what everyone is claiming to be a major military victory somewhere, delegations from a number of implicated countries have converged on the city at the invitation of the Kalvadan Crowns in order to share and demonstrate their various technical and arcane achievements. The World's Fair-like atmosphere has drawn a number of non-Talented tourists, scheming politicians, and cutthroat spies along with the legitimately academically and/or magically inclined.

While Somerset is something of a city of wonders by the world's estimation, it's still first and foremost a dirty and crowded industrial hub in a world that has yet to bother with paving all its major roads. The conference has quadrupled that effect, transforming it into a riot of sights, sound, and (often to its detriment) smells. At this point, finding a room and board in the city has become less a question of where you want to stay and more one of how many other people you're willing to timeshare a bed with.

Luckily, it doesn't seem like Riftwatch will be sticking around long. Some snooping around the of pamphleting/gossip will reveal that the artifact they're after is likely to be found in the grand exhibition hall, and that there will be an opportunity to get their hands on it that evening.

6 ↠ Abeir-Toril

D&D Forgotten Realms, Astarion

The D&D continent of Faerûn is loosely based on Eurasia—if it ran entirely on magic, was roughly stuck somewhere in the 14th century forever, and was filled to the brim with elves, dragons, gnolls, faeries, gods, demi-gods, and just about any myth (or mythological creature) you’ve ever encountered in your life. For the purpose of simplicity, everyone from Riftwatch is going to get plunked down in the titular Baldur’s Gate: the city is massive, it’s known as the jewel of Faerûn, and its cultures, districts, trades and pastimes reflect that remarkable splendor. Still, think of it like Kirkwall in that there are some pretty damn rigid socioeconomic divides separating the city via districts. QUICK GUIDE.

The Upper City is the fancy part of town where nobles (known as Patriar) and their servants live, and it also houses the city’s government and key recreational buildings. There are no bars, pubs, taverns or drinking halls. Anything rowdy happens behind closed doors, and if you don't have an invitation, you'd better look for fun somewhere else. Magical enchantments and lanterns make it beyond stunning at night to stroll through. Lower City is more varied: you’ll find taverns, shops, tons of entertainment and ample trade, as well as pirates by the docks (and their ships), and the harbor waters are absolutely gorgeous for sailing on calm days. Doors are shut and locked during nighttime hours aside from taverns, inns or gambling parlors. Visibility is also lower at night when harbor fog rolls in, particularly where poorer residents can't afford oil, tallow or magic every night. The Undercity stretches deep (and hidden) beneath both the Upper and Lower Cities: it begins at its most shallow within the city as sewers and along seawall cliffs as open-mouthed caves. The deeper you go, the worse it gets: undead catacombs, cultists, temples, blood sport and bloody magic prevail alongside monsters too dangerous to clear out. Outer City sucks. There's almost next to no law or order, and is inherently dangerous to explore. Treat it like Lowtown for the most part, and you'll be pretty smack on (slavers and actual kind impoverished poor included).

CULTURE: Baldur’s Gate is primarily run by humans, and to a lesser extent, elves. Other races aren’t really considered a foothold here, but they’re more than welcome in the city and treated exceptionally well with a few exceptions here and there (ogres, trolls, more ferally inclined goblins, etc). This is not at all like Thedas: someone more familiar with discrimination against non-humans, certain pairings and particularly mages wouldn't find it here. Most of the time if you dress nicely and carry yourself well, you’ll be well respected. Or robbed. Or both!

Special Abilities: Characters will be adjusted to fit D&D, and powers are optional for all. For D&D’s magic/power/race everything, please take a look at some basic classes.

Arrival: Characters will arrive via rifts torn into the Outer City, just along its riverfront sprawl. They won’t be too far from the city gates, but witnesses to the scene will be inclined to gossip and gawk, assuming everything from a freak magical incident to believing the new arrivals are wealthy travelers from somewhere far and exotic, who simply missed their mark in teleporting to the Upper City for sightseeing. Anyone wearing Thedosian clothes will be fine to go without changing— wearing something more modern or say, nothing at all for some reason, will definitely require staging some kind of Terminator II style clothing (theft) acquisition in order to fit in.

Ideally, the team will at least want to make their way into Lowtown in order to begin snooping around, but it’s a big damn city to say the least, and information is expensive. Astarion will help within reason, but being a vampire means that he can only afford to fund so much on his own.

Might be a good idea to do some fetch quests or live your best Adventuring Party life, because you’re all going to likely be here for a (time distorted) relative while.

7 ↠ Orphan Black

Alternate-Universe Earth, 2014; Toronto, Canada; Cosima Neihaus.

Real-world mid-2010s, but secret unethical biology/biotech experiments including viable human cloning in the mid 1980s. Carrying out such technologically advanced work is a combination of international organizations including a private research company, at least one paramilitary organization and a shadowy organization that oversees both. (Orphan Black also features minor differences from our world typical of its genre, such as plot-convenient hacking and variably competent law enforcement, but the cloning project and related scientific offshoots are the most salient differences.) Relevant to this plot in particular, the Dyad Institute is a private organization, considered ""fringe"" by the mainstream scientific community, devoted to research related to human evolution and biotechnology. Some of its many employees had connections to the ""neolutionism"" community, the members of which believed human evolution should be actively shaped by scientific and technological intervention. The organization was responsible for the project that created Cosima and her sisters roughly 30 years before in-world present day. Also at the moment they're jumping to, Cosima works there, it's complicated. (If anyone is familiar with the canon, we're jumping in circa season two.)
A tiny pinboard.

Special Abilities: None, you're all just unpowered humans. Sorry/you're welcome.

Arrival: The group arrives at what turns out to be a nondenominational winter party for a local school; there are some mild shenanigans as Cosima clocks that it's a school attended by children she knows, and more pressingly, partially overseen by their mother, who has Cosima's face. Cosima press gangs one or more other people into helping her hide her own face while negotiating with Alison to borrow her minivan. She shuttles the group to Alison's large suburban Toronto home, which becomes the FR group's base of operation. (It is perhaps telling that while Alison finds this frustrating, she and her husband Donnie do sort of roll with it also.) If desired/depending on how big the group is, Cosima could also stow some Riftwatchers with Felix, the foster brother of one of her other clones, who has a big artsy loft downtown. She is not against taking anyone to her place, but she's a grad student; it's not huge. Everyone who knows how to use a phone or can be trusted to figure it out with a tutorial gets a burner phone for convenience. (Perhaps additionally telling how quickly Alison gets everyone a burner phone. She also decorates the protective cases for them. No, it's not optional.)

8 ↠ The Last of Us

Post-Apocalyptic Earth, Spring 2038, Seattle, Abby Lasterson & Ellie Williams.

This world was ours until 2013, when a worldwide pandemic broke out overnight. A fungus (cordyceps) that had originally infected mainly insects adapted to infect human beings. Anyone bitten by an infected person or who has breathed in a significant or concentrated amount of fungal spores becomes infected themselves. Over a maximum of two days, they utterly lose their humanity and deteriorate into violent monsters, eventually sprouting spores and fungal plates. There is no known cure, and the only human being ever known to be immune is Ellie Williams. 25 or so years later, humanity has crumbled into various factions in a struggle to survive. First came the Federal (FEDRA) response, resulting in Quarantine Zones and martial law. Life in the zones is highly regulated, with work assignments and rations that often aren't enough to go around. Many citizens are forced to turn to crime just to make ends meet. Orphaned children become wards of the state and are trained to become FEDRA soldiers by the time they're sixteen.

Various civilian groups rose up to rebel against FEDRA, forming factions such as the Fireflies (rebels who recruited scientists in an effort to find a cure), and the Washington Liberation Front (a militia-minded organization who overthrew FEDRA in Seattle). There are other smaller groups such as the religious zealots called the Seraphites, or the violent slavers known as the Rattlers.

Few and far between are independent human settlements like Jackson of Wyoming, where small communities have managed to gain self-sufficiency and safety with tireless group effort and highly vigilant defenders. They bolster their numbers by welcoming peaceful outsiders and engaging in trade with travelers.

Living outside of these groups, people are largely on their own, vulnerable to packs of hunters, bandits and even cannibals that prey on anyone brave enough to risk travel.

The infected are an ever-present threat everywhere, and the world is a ruin quickly being reclaimed by nature. (cw: body horror in the link) See board for world aesthetic and depictions of the Infected.

Special Abilities: Everyone is a normal human here. No supernatural powers, no magic, no non-humans.

Arrival: Welcome one of Ellie and Abby's least favorite places: Seattle. The Space Needle is visible in the distance, so despite the advanced state of decay, it's actually recognizable. Except it's been bombed, and rotting, and nature's reclaimed it for the last quarter-century. This adventure won't be for the faint of heart; there are no home bases and no safe space to be had. All clothing, supplies, weaponry and food are things you'll need to find yourself. Everyone can assume they'll get a quick lesson in gun safety and a rundown on various types of infected. Multiple rifts will open, so feel free to appear anywhere in the city (even apart from others) but expect to find no native allies. The city of Seattle is embroiled in civil war between the Seraphites (a religious cult who rejects anything "old world" and scars their faces, called "Scars") and the Washington Liberation Front (a ruthless mercenary coalition, called "Wolves") and both sides will assume you're with the other group and attack on sight. Better pick up a brick.

Comments

[propulsion]

[ Ha-ha, says a sidelong look, but no rejoinder following. Just more burrito.

The question that follows should be more of a sudden swerve than it is—but you figure, maybe, you don't just hang out on top of the Manhattan Bridge and fail to ask something a little more loaded than about the local cuisine. So it doesn't give him pause even though he pauses, watches the glimmer of foil she'd torn away and let loose.

You shouldn't litter. But also, this world is fake. ]

No, [ after that split second passes. ] But later, after. About a year ago, I had the big rifter dream dump right up to the end. Dreaming a decade will do some weird stuff to your sleep cycle, by the way, like I need any help in that department.

I guess even then it wasn't exactly confirmed, but it sure felt like curtains. End of the show, [ he adds, reflexive. ]

[notathreat]

Ellie gives the candy some dubious looks, but can't quite hide the grin, or the anticipation. She never really got to have that eat-everything stage, but she's determined to end today with a stomachache.

She throws in some peppermints just because the likes the taste of the stripe-y ones, and tilts her head at the pop rocks.

"What are those?"

[sprent]

"You'd get a job, wouldn't you." She can see herself living here, that's not the issue. Gela could live anywhere, really, you just have to make room for yourself. Find things to do. She could live here, but she doesn't want to. A great number of people inhabit this world (not so much a danger to her as it is a danger to the people).

She sighs, suddenly uncomfortable. There are a lot of children standing around, staring at the dinosaurs.

"What else is there to see?"

Somewhere... less crowded, would be preferable.

[luaithre]

Marcus doesn't resist where she pulls him, even if he's slightly slow off the mark. Reluctant, first, to cower instead of continue their direct retreat.

But the next series of glottal clicks sounds out clearer than it did before, as if emerging around a corner or through an open door somewhere in the darkness, and he capitulates, moving after her. He directs her ahead of him but is quick on her heels, moving behind the half-collapsed structure just as he detects movement in the gloom out the corner of his eye.

Dragging footsteps. A jangle of metal of something pushed aside.

Carefully, quietly, going through motions he's repeated so many times before, Marcus replaces his staff back into its harness at his back, and, in a motion he has repeated like maybe fifteen times, tugs free the pistol at his belt.

[favoriteanalyst]

It's a good thing he's in pretty good shape. He has to banish the mental image of someone falling down these seemingly infinite stairs. The ones in the Gallows are bad enough.

"I can believe a lot of things." He's seen a lot of things. "But I haven't known an illusion to be so real that it catches you up on things you haven't even read before, go places you've never been. These things usually only prey on the known and familiar."

Mobius doesn't know which is better: that this is real and he really is far away from home in a fantastic world, himself a Rifter now...or that this is all fake and he's still back home, just in the fuckery of the Crossroads. Even with the strangeness that apparently exists, it's hard to imagine this being so thorough but so fake.

But he hasn't started getting any of the telltale lyrium withdrawal symptoms. It's been weeks since his last dose. That can't be real.

"Say it's fake, and so are the people. Then we can't trust any of our senses. This globe could be the stone for all we know, and we'd have no idea. How do we break it?"

He's got an idea, but he doesn't know if it would even work here. What the consequences of disrupting a whole magical world might be.

moi aussi

[sprent]

Well then! Gela is still finding her bearings, one finger hooked into the collar of her shirt to tug the fabric away from her neck. The air is thick and damp, it feels like standing around in a warm bath. She's wearing too many layers; her guide has just taken off across the rooftops, which is something that Gela cannot do, and makes her sweatier just to watch him go.

She can feel Ellis looking at her, but she doesn't have an answer for the unspoken question any more than he does.

"If us dyin' is a concern of his, why would he leave?"

Is it apparent she's only ever spoken once to Astarion, and over crystal?

[favoriteanalyst]

It's all such a bizarre sight after having taken in an Earth city with much more human life in it. To see the rusted vehicles, the fractured skyscrapers, the nature overtaking as it does with every ruin. There, an old shop, windows long broken, shelves long looted bare. He can imagine the awning whole, a sign lit in dusk, people milling about inside.

"Sounds to me like you've had plenty of actual training already. Maybe what you really need's a sparring partner." No reason it can't be both. "Some of those in Forces are going to be better actually training you in weapons you're less familiar with. You can always throw some magic my way, though, too, if you want to practice that."

[laruetheday]

"There's something in the candy that makes it pop in your mouth," Clarisse tells her. Just don't ask what it is, because she has no idea. "You'll like it."

She moves toward another section of the store, eying up the different chocolates on display.

"Let's get some of this stuff before we go." Chocolate will be a good backup if some of the gummy stuff they got ends up tasting like shit.

[favoriteanalyst]

It buffets against Mobius emotionally, and he physically sways on his feet slightly. Though whether that's due to Jude or to his own internal state is hard to say. He feels it, would be hard pressed to translate it into words but understands what is conveyed.

"I think so, yeah. Like reaching out a hand to pet someone's fluffy head. But reaching out a...mental hand, to smooth something over. Or grab."

[favoriteanalyst]

He fiddles with the page in hand, fingers along the edges, turning it and turning it with a distant frown. He'd seen people lose their magic, or have it modified in other ways. Strange at his fullest, others with nary a spark to their name. This seems different. Is it because it's magic, or because it's him?

"It isn't mine, though." He folds the sheet at last, tucks it away in a pocket. If it ends up a dead end no one feels is worthwhile, he can tack it back up later. He makes to leave the board to let others have a go, but he sees them, the others, the perhaps less astute and less experienced. "I wouldn't take the basement job if I were you," he calls to them before moving on.

"It isn't mine to have," reiterating to Loxley, "not being a mage myself, and because it belongs to another god. It isn't fake-" Well. Isn't it? If none of these places are really real in the end? "It doesn't feel fake. But there's a reason the Circles existed. Get someone to teach people, usually kids, coming into their powers and make sure they don't accidentally burn their village down. I'm trying not to be afraid of myself, but if I start any fires, I'm getting out of this city to somewhere more remote."

[sprent]

Google is not so straightforward for Gela. It proclaims to be able to answer her questions but when she types I am floating what do I do? into it, the only answers that come back are about her inner ear. She isn't sure what inner ears have to do with anything. Free-floating anxiety sounds correct and is not, the page doesn't mention her strange abilities at all... it is all to do with the mind.

Perhaps she knocked her head when she arrived? She doesn't remember doing it, so it must have been very hard.

She finds Tony in his Tower, where he lives at the top like a princess in a bedtime story. He is working on something when Gela comes a-knocking, but he did stress that they could ask him any questions didn't he!

"Excuse me," she says, entering, her hands balling together in front of her as her attention zips to the hologram he is currently studying, and spinning around with his fingers. It takes a moment for her to find her voice again, struck by the strangeness of it. "Where do I go to find a healer? I've hurt my inner ear."

It may have given her a 'disorder'!

[favoriteanalyst]

They are not close enough to have any kind of easy bond. Or any kind of bond at all.

Jude he could probably pick out in a crowd without even looking at him, though arguably the wolfman's got the ability to make himself known in such a way. Barrow he can recognize at a glance, big bear shape and all, and feel something of an ebb, a flow, to the emotions underneath.

The timber wolf strikes Mobius as familiar, sharp, recognizable, but the actual shape of him is muddled. These powers, this ability, is not easy to grasp hold of in a short time. Not like the shifting, startling and sometimes unpredictable but something that quickly got easier, even if sometimes he finds himself arguing with his wolf.

They are not arguing now. The call of a prowl in the expansive woods is not one he sees fit to ignore. The older, shaggier wolf in mostly greys watches from a distance perched on a rocky outcropping. Makes no effort to hide himself, his scent, his visage. But does not yet make a point to get any closer. There's caution, curiosity, interest, caution that weaves its way invisibly through the air.

[favoriteanalyst]

He can't judge. Different worlds can have all sorts of crazy stuff that's perfectly there. And he can't judge how anything sounds given the whole 'the actual prophetess from my version of the bible talked to me as a kid' thing. The idea of someone touching some bread to a body and eating it to symbolically forgive their sins does sound very silly to him, though.

Not that he'll say it, because it's a valid belief, and the point moreover is Ellie having had an experience with someone who had the ability to shoulder some of her weight. Without speaking it, just through touch.

"She did that for you even though you weren't dying." That he has to sit on and mull over. "How did you feel, after?"

[tender]

The loop of his arms has never felt like a cage.

She is weighing that well-worn fact now as much as she is thinking of what he is telling her, this honesty, delivered with the brace of his arms holding her close to cushion her imaginings.

"No airships," she reminds him, laying palms over his chest. Lighter over the words; Loxley knows what's missing from Thedas. She suspects Loxley has noticed the absence of airships in his time living in Thedas. "And you're without your tail."

Among other things missing.

[tender]

Though it has been explained to Derrica more than once, she still considers her pistol in nearly the same light as she does any bricks or bottles she lays a hand on. More distraction than important tool, no matter what Ellie has said to her about it.

Even now, it's the hunting knife strapped to her thigh that Derrica reaches for first. It is a formidable weapon, a very good find entrusted to her for whatever moment her stave fails her and muscle memory doesn't prompt the instant grab for a gun.

Everything in this place is covered in grime, earth sucking the dilapidated structure down. The collapsed shelving is damp under her hand. She is looking to Marcus as the clicks and squeaks echo around the water-logged shop.

She lifts a hand to her own mouth as they hear a second wailing groan of sound. Far off, coming from somewhere deeper in the dark. Maybe a fitting room, maybe the stock room, not that it matters. It's still too close.

A metal clothing rack clatters to the floor. A series of agitated clicks follow. Derrica's hand finds Marcus' elbow, telegraphing alarm even in the half-dark.

If they kill anything, they have to do it quietly.

[charmoffensive]

"Devastating losses."

—is not completely untrue, but there's a lightness to delivery that implies that he's lived with it for this long. "But wanting's a different thing to what you'd do about it. And if someone said, 'choose now', I don't really know what would happen. What I'd say." Her hands are warm and gentle where they rest, her expression earnest, her face one he's come to know so well.

Thinking about never seeing it again is a knife twist, a feeling he absorbs in its most hypothetical phantom form, and so he adds, "I know that I'd also want to be where you are."

[luaithre]

There is, somewhere close, a jackrabbit nest that Marcus has been circling the scent of for the past few minutes, trailing its leavings and scent marks with the sort of interest that takes as much satisfaction out of this investigatory hunt as he will if he manages to actually catch and eat anything. If he finds it full of young, human sensibility is liable to take over anyway, and he will find a different meal. Probably. Sometimes the wolf has other ideas, stronger opinions.

His pursuit is unstealthy—head down, ears forward, a comfortable and confident perpendicular idle of furry tail. Then, the scent of another wolf nearby, detected only a second before the run-off of empathetic feeling that prickles at his senses.

In return: suspicion, calculation, a sizing up, noting the disadvantage of the terrain, danger.

Curiousity, after.

This wolf of bristling warm browns and cooler greys is comparable to the larger animals of the pack, megafauna proportions akin to Jude, if a little rangier. Through the empathetic lines that string between all of the wolves, the note he tends to strike reverberates with that strange, preternatural dominance—nothing he is consciously doing, now. Just a faint hum of it.

Jackrabbit dinner forgotten (for now), Marcus veers off to vanish from the grey wolf's line of sight, through the trees, but is moving at a near-silent, rapid pace up the incline to ensure that any approach that comes next is on even ground.

[luaithre]

It's frustrating that they can't speak. One million possible plans are quickly forming together and disassembling immediately under the rigid limitations of what they can do.

The second series of clicks from further off inside the dilapidated cavern changes things, but Marcus keeps the pistol in his hands anyway, at first, holding it like he was shown with his finger off the trigger, positioned straight alongside it, safety still in place but fingers resting on it, and ready. Derrica touches his arm, and he nods.

Which could mean anything, but is meant as acknowledgment. He heard. He knows.

Which doesn't mean he won't empty the clip into a threat if needs must, only that the threshold for engagement has shifted. He lowers the pistol to his side as he listens for the progress of the nearest clicker, its vague wander through the store. A glance to Derrica, and a nod of his head to indicate that she move further down the shelves, towards the exit.

He remains in place, but crouches down, carefully feeling his hand over the floor in the gloom. Locates something loose, metal, rust-covered, curling his fingers around it. It ought to be heavy enough to make a sound, when thrown.

[notathreat]

It occurs to Ellie that the "work thing" Stephen mentions here and the "work thing" Tony has mentioned to her are probably the same fucking work thing. Which makes it pretty horrific, actually, if she can trust her context clues on the matter.

She doesn't really blame Stephen for changing the subject. Even if she really wants to ask about the guy in the spider-suit.

So she smiles at him, some of the tired shadows around her eyes disappearing; her smile is very full of teeth.

"Sometimes. You'd think it would get old around the fifth or the sixth universe, or the tenth time you fight something fucking ridiculous, but... I dunno how I'd ever go back to sheep farming after all this shit."

No, she's actually not kidding.

[notathreat]

Ellie snorts out loud, swinging her head back to look at him. She lifts her left hand, the one with the missing fingers, to waggle her hand at him in a slightly pointed manner.

"You're being completely fucking unfair. Your world has AC and indoor plumbing and pop rocks."

Because it's obviously not about the horrorterrors.

[tender]

It would be a lie to say she hadn't thought of the future. She had considered that Loxley would be well-received in Rivain, even if he wasn't truly a qunari. He was so many other things that Rivainis appreciated, and there was so much there that he might enjoy—

In fairness, Derrica thinks often of spiriting members of Riftwatch away to Rivain. It would be beneficial to so many of them, but with Loxley—

There's that common sense, but there's also some similar urge towards what she had seen in Loxley when he had been able to bring them aboard this ship.

"It is hard to think of what it would be like for me here," is a little unfair, isn't it? When Loxley has been in Thedas for so long, separated from matters equally urgent. And maybe it doesn't matter; she won't be able to crossover unless the Research Division hits upon something drastic. "But I don't want to be far from you."

Derrica has had time to consider the reality of that.

"I want you to be happy too," she tells him, softer. Leaning into him, as the whistle of wind outside the window changes pitch along with the shift in course.

[notathreat]

Ellie doesn't tell her to be careful, broken glass or no. She's a big girl, she can handle herself. Ellie does give a low whistle when she pulls out the antiseptic though. Excellent find, and the bottle will be useful after.

"Nice," she says, taking the bottle and stowing it away safely. She makes a face at the slivers of glass in the gauze, then shakes her head. They can try to shake them out, but it's a bad idea all over.

"I thought they didn't believe in all that modern tech shit. You'd think that would include modern medicine."

Ellie can't say that she's ever made a study of Scars, but she's seen enough to get the schtick.

[tender]

It would hinder Marcus if she were to hold on, so Derrica releases his elbow. Watching him hand find some promising shard of metal is equal parts a relief and stressful.

Very, very slowly, she arches upwards. First onto her knees, then into a crouch, so she might peer through the dirt-smeared glass of the countertop towards the chittery clicks of sounds emanating from the rear of the store. The rattling hack of inspection has abated, the mangled clothes rack deemed unworthy of attention. They could hope, maybe, that the pair drift back to where they emerged but it seems unlikely.

Looking back to him, she gestures towards the floor beneath them as she lowers herself.

They could crawl, if it came to that. It would make the gate easier to manage.

[notathreat]

"Maybe. Probably. Somewhere like here. Putting these together."

Ellie's eyes travel over the soaring heights of the fossils, so many tiny connecting pieces... but Gela is shifting uncomfortably next to her, and there are a lot of sounds. A lot of people.

A lot of little kids here with their families, which Ellie is trying to ignore.

JJ would've loved this.

Ellie tilts her head to indicate the direction, and leans them onward through several halls to another exhibit she'd been eyeing. It's- heartbreakingly similar to the one Joel had shown her, some years back. There are models of space suits. Rovers.

Fuck. This was a mistake.

Ellie continues through the exhibit, silent, and heads to where she can hear some kind of theater production. There's a movie reel going, a place to stand in the dark. It's a presentation for children, but it explains the sun, the planets, the solar system.

[notathreat]

Ellie eyes her, schooling her look of alarm way too late, so she just looks crazy. Thankfully the chocolate's a good distraction.

"Oh man, these are cute."

Ellie kneels down to look behind the glass at the various decorated pieces, tilts her head at the fudge.

"Which one's your favorite?"