to: everyone | forward dated to very very very early july 4

[ordinar]

[At some point, when he's exhausted down to his bones but knows he won't be able to sleep yet, it hits Wilhelm that the people who might normally take it upon themselves to make an announcement in this situation are, for the most part, sitting in jail or lying low in Nott. Then, tentatively, he arrives at the terrifying conclusion that he could actually qualify as a responsible adult.

So, here goes.]

Hey everyone.

Um.

Castle Thorne was bombed earlier tonight. Or, I don't know if they were bombs exactly, but there were huge flashes of light when they hit.

As far as I know, no Summoned were injured badly. A lot of soldiers were killed though. I think the wards around the castle protected it from the worst of the blast, but it did get damaged.

I don't know if anywhere else in Thorne was attacked. I haven't heard anything from Nott.

I saw one of the devices that was dropped, or what was left of it. It was metal and had an arcana sign engraved on it. I think we can assume it's from the Free Cities.

Anyway, that's...pretty much everything I know. If you have more info, go ahead and share it.

[Threadjacking encouraged, obviously. This message is sent a few hours after the attack.]

Comments

[itookashot]

What the fuck!

Pigeon, are you okay?

[ordinar]

That's what I said.

Yeah, I'm fine, given the circumstances.

[itookashot]

That does sound like the kind of tech that could be made here with New Magic. Can't say it's a surprise they did it.

Don't go out there, no way of knowing they won't do a second attack.

[ancunin]

And so how long do we expect until full scale war breaks out at our current bloody state of affairs?

[ordinar]

I mean...

I don't really have a good picture yet of what kind of king Sidwell is, but I'm guessing he's not just going to let this go.

[ancunin]

A shame the explosions missed him.

[theidlemaiden]

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬? 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 - 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?

[ordinar]

For real.

The castle is still probably the safest place to be. If they pulled this off, they could attack anywhere next.

KATH THIS GOT LOST I'M SORRY

[theidlemaiden]

𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘋𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭?

[sonofacesius]

Do you have basic medic training?
Scratch that, if you feel up to it, meet me in the Horizon and I'll get you up to speed.
If things head the way I think they're heading, stick by Percy and Annabeth.
They'll show you the ropes.

[ordinar]

Not really. I've only watched others do it.

Can we meet tomorrow? My brain is like...mush.

I think everything's pretty under control right now, as far as treating injuries goes. But it would be good to know just in case.

[sonofacesius]

Of course. You need to take care of you first.
It's not needed right now.
This is knowledge for later.
Because you will need it.

[earthborn]

[...And, there's the other shoe. It's natural that Free Cities would retaliate, and even moreso that they'd do it with tech rather than magic, or even manpower.]

Define "badly hurt" for the rest of us?

[ordinar]

Worse than, like, some cuts and bruises. Nothing that would put anyone out of commission.

Like I said, that's just what I've seen and heard.

[earthborn]

Hell, I'll take it. I'm glad none of you are too banged up.

But... By 'a lot' of soldiers, what do you mean? I get that it's a lot of chaos, but...

[techmaturgy]

You mean to say that the attack broke through the castle's warding? Can you describe the device any further?

[ordinar]

Yeah.

I only saw broken pieces. The metal was all twisted and burned. Whatever they were, I don't think they were that big?

[techmaturgy]

But there were many of them. Is that what you're saying?

threadjacking welcomed (basically in text!)

[tedandroses]

Oh, fuck.

I'm very glad you're all right.

[They don't really know each other, but that's still completely genuine. Besides: Teddy can see the messages flying back and forth and can see that people they care about -- regardless of ever having met in this reality -- are also worried, which makes them care by proxy.]

Thank you for getting the news out so fast. It's good to be aware. And prepared. I think everyone's right -- this isn't going to be good. For anyone, ultimately. Obviously Thorne and the Free Cities, but Solvunn's going to be asked to pick sides or else: soon, I think. If the Council hasn't been already.

Do you know which Arcana it was? That might help with ...something...?

P.S. If anyone else is reading this from Thorne, check in?
Not that I don't trust you about the Summoned, but I assume you can't see everything.

[ordinar]

I just figured...someone should let everyone know what's happening.

It looked like part of the Wheel of Fortune, the piece I found. There were other markings too that could have been part of another arcana, but I'm not sure what.

[funbreaker]

[ And, there it is. The retaliation that most all of them expected. This back and forth can only escalate until they're in all-out war, he fears. ]

I am relieved to hear all of you have weathered the attack. I hardly need tell you, but a direct attack on the castle is particularly bold. The Free Cities has never gone this far.

Nott was not targeted in any noticeable way, though I will keep an eye on the situation here.

[ Which is the first time he's openly said where he is, but it feels important to confirm given this turn of events. ]

[ordinar]

Good to hear Nott was left alone for once.

I'm guessing they have more of those bombs, so...be on the lookout.

[funbreaker]

True, this first attack may have been a test run of sorts. Lord Vela did ask for our aid with shoring up defenses here, but I wonder if it is enough.

[ He will have to talk to Yennefer and Stephen about using their abilities to put additional defenses in place. It may make their presence here more noticeable, but perhaps that's worth the risk if it means protecting the civilians. ]

Private

[restingstitchface]

𝒟𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓀? 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒶𝓋𝒶𝒾𝓁𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁.

private onward

[ordinar]

[He's exhausted, flopped on his bed and staring at the wall. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembers drowning in a sea of faces and voices. The memory is hard to hold onto, like ripples moving across water.]

Talk about what?

I'm freaked out.