@everyone, end of week 2 (after solvunn visits)

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor’s hurried script is maybe familiar to some, but what’s different now (beyond the fact that it’s slightly more hurried) is that it appears on its own. Whatever this is about, it’s apparently important enough for him to make a rare solo appearance, a departure from his joint broadcast with Jayce. Right now, it's just him, relaying information as quickly and expediently as possible.

If you’re not necessarily familiar with Viktor himself, the words match those soliciting location information not too long ago. It seems this is the culmination of those efforts.]

We know where the captives are being held. It’s an island directly north of the Singularity crater, roughly three hours off the coast of Thorne’s border, where I am now. I’ve created a map in my Horizon to show the location, as well as the data from the trackers that allowed me to pinpoint it. The explanation is slightly technical, but suffice to say the system is improved to the point where I am confident in its accuracy. Jayce and I can answer any questions about it, though you may need to direct inquiries regarding the magical component to Stephen.

[Who is here, also.]

Thank you to those who offered to collect additional data with the receivers. We would not have been able to locate this place otherwise.

The island itself is not large, though we suspect it’s heavily warded, with the exact holding area magically concealed. We weren’t able to detect anyone coming or going, so it’s likely the captors are using portals to access it directly from various abduction sites. I imagine this aligns with other investigations.

What happens now will require cooperation. Sam has done what reconnaissance he can, but we're not sure of what awaits us on the island itself, nor do we know who is responsible. Accessing the island will require us to eliminate its magical defenses or otherwise dispel its enchantments—any additional information that anyone has gathered is, at this point, vital to share.

[ooc: full receipts are here for the curious! responses may come from any of the four characters currently investigating the island, and please thread jack away. pit people…feel free to receive snippets of this message as appropriate. for additional plotting/convergence of plots, hit me up on plurk at whitticus or discord at whitticus#8139.]

Comments

[cryptsleeper]

It would be to our advantage to begin building research teams and libraries now, with an emphasis on older types of magic then. Working across all three factions would allow for a harder to predict approach in regards to defenses. If one or two individuals could manage the project from each location, that would be ideal.

We should reach out to Luna and ask after their magic as well, so much as they can give. Unexpected edge.

Things to nullify magic would also be useful.

[And send to Viktor, privately:]

Thank you.

I am going to tear out their hearts.

[techmaturgy]

I'm hoping that other information will come to light, now that I've confirmed the location. Things that maybe didn't make sense before, but do now.

[just a casual reminder for everyone to start sharing with the class. Privately:]

I know. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I'm not going to stop you.

[cryptsleeper]

I expect that to be the case. The more that's shared now the easier it is to form strategies for moving forward.

[Viktor you're one of the few people who know how bad it can approximately get.]

Thank you for understanding.

it's private now

[techmaturgy]

Please be careful. I need you to come back safely.

[cryptsleeper]

[Oh Viktor, he can't tell you what he really thinks of possibly going in the ground for this one.]

Then we need to know as much as we can before proceeding.

[techmaturgy]

I've done all I can from here. Dispelling this magic is unfortunately out of the realm of my abilities.

[cryptsleeper]

Help me raid the libraries in Cadens?

[ushiri]

On the Thornean peninsula near the island we found an illusion spell covering the area. It had to be dispelled with High Magic, not exactly common in Thorne.

[ Which might be the same on the island. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

Additionally, the guessing game to break the illusory magic required invoking the right god; I'm guessing this would ring true for dispelling other forms of High Magic, were we to come across them.

[sorser]

Which one was the "right god" this time?

[thedevilwhorose]

Nikodaemus. Connected to mirages and reflections. He's "newer" to the Solvunn pantheons--still thousands of years back, but not ancient like the rest. Apparently.

[cryptsleeper]

Good to know, most certainly time to be looking into knowledgeable resources.

[ushiri]

Solvunn should have the best of them.

[cryptsleeper]

If their portal remains open, it might be wise to have a large research team focus both on texts and any oral histories that have been transmitted over the years to gather as much as we can.

[ushiri]

I think I might be heading that way soon, then.

[cryptsleeper]

In that case, I'll ask through channels if Nocwich might have any perspective that can be offered, given Luna's connection with Solvunn.

[techmaturgy]

But you did dispel it. Is that what you're saying?

[ushiri]

It's been dispelled, yes.
If they were watching us, I can't say.

[techmaturgy]

It's likely the island itself is under similar illusion. What did you have to do?

[ushiri]

That's what we're hoping.

It took three mages to dispel it, plus myself and another Summoned assisting. The Thornean mages explained this type of magic invoked a god named Nikodaemus, and that knowing the specific god's name was the key.

[theidlemaiden]

𝘐'𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘶𝘯𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬!

[ Magic goes way over her head, but she at least knows what she's good at. ]

[cryptsleeper]

If you could, please.

[theidlemaiden]

𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤?

[cryptsleeper]

No, but I can adapt.

[theidlemaiden]

𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. [ So could Hilda technically, but she's not particularly confident with her battle tactics in comparison. ] 𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺.

[ And put a lot of it into practice during the war. ]

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵.