villagelogs | 079-081 » to the hideous end

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079-081 » to the hideous end

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: Mathias Township proper
WHEN: Days 079-081
WHAT: More mysteries are revealed in the aftermath.
WARNINGS: (PM this account to have a warning added!)
NOTES: Plotting post over here! The next log will be posted the weekend of August 22 29.
MOD NOTE: Thank you again for your patience!

RECOMMENDED ♫ Deadly Avenger "Kosho"

DAY 079-081
“If I am mad, it is mercy! May the gods pity the man
who in his callousness can remain sane to the hideous end!”
― H.P. Lovecraft
The day dawns red from the smoke that still hangs in the air, though the fires have long since burned out overnight. Ash covers the ground like grey snow all throughout Mathias, even to Baneberry Hall at the far edge of the town. There is still a strange heat clinging to the little town as if the fog that surrounds them has trapped even the temperature within its borders, but the skies have at least cleared of those ominous storm clouds.

While the fires have gone, the ruin they left behind remains. The eastern side of town is full of the charred shells of what were once homes, collapsed walls and questionable flooring warning off those who might consider venturing inside. There may be a few salvageable items within the wreckage but it certainly won't be much, and those foolish enough to try searching the rubble may sustain injuries in the attempt.

What residents are almost guaranteed to find in their wanderings through the town are decidedly more unsettling. Scattered throughout the town are the corpses of current residents seemingly still alive and well, their causes of death as varied as their locations: crushed bones and organs on the beach; asphyxiation on the steps of the library; broken neck in the tunnels under the residential district. The time of death is equally as varied, with some still warm to the touch while others have begun to rot and decay like the buildings around them.

And if that isn't enough to send their anxiety spiking, they will find that the darkness in Mathias has become even less welcoming than before. From nightfall to sunrise, wherever they have chosen to shelter, strange things may happen from one night to the next. These occurrences are not consistent, either across the night or the location, and no patterns arise to make sense of what happens. It is simply another oddity of Mathias perhaps designed to drive them further into madness.

THE NEW ARRIVALS
The newest arrivals to Mathias will wake up on the lawn of Town Hall, at the center of the little town square. There are shops all around them, with houses just beyond, and at first glance, everything seems almost picturesque. Except for the silence that is at times so complete as to be maddening... Welcome to Mathias.

THE RESURRECTED
Those who perished on Day 078 will wake with the smell of burnt flesh still filling their nostrils, near what little remains of their former body. This will likely be in the crumbling, unstable remains of whatever building they were trapped inside. Welcome back to the land of the... living?

CORPSES BY DAY
— During any day of this log, characters may find one or more corpses in a location around town. This is an activity that must be opted-into by both players involved: the corpse-owner and the corpse-finder.

— The corpses that appear are only those of current residents within Mathias. The cause of death does not need to match any previous deaths that characters may have experienced in-game, though it should be only natural or possibly accidental — there should be no signs of the cause being an intentional death. (And, for the sake of your fellow players, please try to keep it light on the gore.)

— Corpses may be found in any outdoor location or inside any space where characters are not currently sheltering (such as the crumbling homes on the west side or the burned homes on the east side). The corpses will not appear inside any location where characters have been sleeping.

— The corpses can appear at various times throughout the day, meaning that a character may pass by the library in the morning with no corpse on the steps and then pass by again in the afternoon to suddenly find a corpse hanging out there.

— There may be items or clues found upon the corpses! These are not guaranteed for everyone. Players should submit this form to find out if they've won the Mathias Lottery.

TERRORS BY NIGHT
— Where players have chosen to shelter at night may have unexpected consequences, especially for those in the western half of Mathias. All characters must be accounted for.

— Mod feedback will provide either confirmation that nothing unusual happens in this location or details of any strange or unsettling occurrences on a given night and the potential consequences of staying there.

— If a player wants to opt-out of the consequences of their character staying in a particular location on a specific night, they must find another location at which their character can shelter.

SANITY LOSS

There are multiple opportunities for sanity loss within this log. All instances of such should be reported before the next log.
— CORPSE DISCOVERY Depending on your character's mental state, their relationship to the corpse, and the cause of death, sanity loss can range from 1-5 points per corpse found. This amount is up to the individual player. Items found on a corpse may also induce additional sanity loss per mod instruction.

— NIGHTTIME LOCATIONS Some locations within Mathias are safer than others at night. Players will receive mod feedback on their chosen nighttime locations which may include sanity loss for some things experienced.

CONDITIONS UPDATE

— THE WEATHER Summer continues in Mathias, with warm days that average 70°F and comfortably cool nights.

— THE FOG has maintained its recent boundaries.
— Residents may now wander the southern stretch of the forest surrounding Mathias Township
— it is possible to leave the paths but potentially unwise to do so.

— The fog has also retreated from the western section of town entirely.

— Access to the northern section of the forest is still blocked beginning a few dozen yards past the treeline; this section of fog will urge residents to stay huddled within the town proper by inducing a physical reaction of panic and fear.

— DISAPPEARANCES & DEATHS have started up again. Neal Caffrey, Athena Carrigan, Jeff Calhoun, and Caitlin Snow have vanished from the town while Wynonna Earp died in the town fires.

— THE SHAPES in the water may be spotted more frequently, and residents may get the sense that whatever is out there is watching them and waiting for something...

OOC NOTES

— ENDGAME (Repeat message.) We are officially heading into endgame. Over the next few months, things will begin ramping up and moving toward the always planned conclusion, with the last log projected to go up between the end of October and middle of December.

What does this mean? Essentially, hopefully, this will mean more opportunities to dig into the mysteries and lore of the game, as well as more chances for your characters to creep toward insanity. However, how things progress and what information comes to light will depend upon character interaction with the setting and involvement with the mysteries of Mathias.

— SANITY NOTES
— Make sure that you're reported any sanity losses from the last log and claimed any madnesses earned with those losses. And report all the losses from this log before the next is posted!

— There is now additional guidance available about what happens when characters fall below 50 sanity points.

— A reminder that sanity may be regained through character actions.

— APPLICATIONS There are only two application rounds left before apps will be permanently closed. If you're trying to lure someone in for the end of the game, now is the time to get enabling.

— FORMS If there are comments on posts that have forms, please try to remember to respond directly to that comment. With DW notifs sporadically going missing, I rely on those comments ending up in the proper journal inbox, which is the only way I'm guaranteed to see them.

— MOD UPDATE The summer program I run is over but I'm back in person at the office for the first time in 16 months, so life is still incredibly stressful and I will continue to be slow for the next while.

I will be prioritizing sleeping location and corpse responses for this log since these are timely matters with information you will need in order to move forward.

— REMINDER Once again, there are a lot of moving parts to this log. Ask questions if something is not clear! Please also make sure to check questions others ask, as well.

navigation | faq | locations | report updates

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Unwilling to let himself stop long enough to let any form of sleep take him over, Raylan had been keeping himself busy with trying to bring in what canned supplies he could find at the General Store, returning with an armful of soup and canned veg. There were a couple of dishes in the Teachers Lounge and a microwave that was serviceable enough to feed a couple of people.

Ten or so minutes later, Raylan came into the room where Dorian had been laid out with a bowl, bottom wrapped in paper towels to help insulate it against his hands.

"I hope you're hungry for Mathis best culinary experience - Canned soup," he introduced with all the grandeur he could muster and a soft smile to match as he squatted down to Dorian's level for the handoff.

"You're terrible, you know that? How could you possibly mock an invalid like this." He sighs, gently and gingerly taking the bowl of soup. His wounded hand is still weak and shaky, but he balances most of the weight of the bowl with his good hand. Which leaves his wounded hand to try and feed himself, and the grip strength or flexibility in his fingers is less than great. He refuses to ask for help, however, after his failures with the fire he's being a little more stubborn. For as much as he likes being waited on hand and foot, he doesn't like the prospect of being fed like a child.

It's touch-and-go getting the spoon balanced just right, but he manages, for now. And honestly, despite his almost scolding humor, he was very grateful for the soup, and the company as well.

"You seem to be faring much better, at least compared to the night before. I'm glad to see you didn't end up running off into the forest after I left you to it." He blows on the hot broth before slurping up a spoonful. It's simple and strange, this canned soup, but it'll fill his belly and it's oddly comforting.

"Helps build and keep up character," came the reply of a grunt as Raylan pulled over an abandoned milk crate to sit on. He watched Dorian try to feed himself, face pinching softly before he minded his own business and turned his face down for a few seconds. There was an instinct to take the bowl back, to help more steadily get the soup to his lips, but with the way Raylan's hand had started to shake when he wasn't putting full thought into forcing his body to still, it wouldn't have been much help at all.

Besides, pride was a thing and if Dorian needed help, Raylan was sure he'd ask for it.

"Malcolm found me shortly afterwards. Gave me somethin' more important to focus on." Namely, getting people here and making it more habitable for everyone that was coming. He as glad to see Dorian eating willingly, as an off thought. It somehow meant good things for how he'd go.

"Besides, who doesn't love soup? Least I could do for you savin' my stupid ass from myself." He hoped it would be the last time. He doubted that would remain true. "Thank you, by the way, for all that. Kinder to me than you needed to be, considerin'."

"I'll admit I'm a bit skeptical of wrapping foods in tin to keep them longer, but I would like to believe you wouldn't try to poison me." He's appreciative, really. He keeps eating in any case, it's surprisingly nice if a little lacking, but chicken soup is good for the soul, as they say. It's slightly better than some of the trail rations and stews they'd put together whilst camping and traveling.

"I'll have to thank Malcolm later. I'm glad you managed to find somewhat of a purpose though, enough to keep you from the forest." He studies the other quirking a brow, he can see he's not exactly looking his best, perhaps dealing with plenty of whatever drove him mad the other night. More than just the fear of the fires.

"You've been exceptionally kind and hospitable to me since my arrival and I'm of the notion that we're all in this together, one way or the other. Saving your fine ass seemed the best I could do for all of us." He points at him with the spoon as if it were any kind of threat, but the stern look in his eye said enough.

"Just don't do it again." A slight pause to go with that pointed statement and the Look.

"I won't always be there to save you, you know, no matter how small this town may be." He takes another spoonful of food, letting it warm his throat as it goes down. He considers asking him about what happened out there but instead chooses another topic.

"Did everyone make it out alright?" It's a point of pride, he failed to stop the fires but he needed to know he helped some.

Edited 2021-08-26 16:14 (UTC)

"Dependin' on the state of your worlds physical sciences, that generally the right idea. But these are canned industrially and our day and age have figured out how to avoid botulism, with situational exceptions. Just adjust that to Don't eat anything in a bloated or punctured tin and trust yer nose." Some wisdoms spanned over worlds, no matter the type.

Raylan kept his eyes down his hands, lacing his fingers together to stop himself from falling back into fidgeting. It was good that Malcolm found him, recentered him on something he could help with without berating him for all the things Raylan couldn't do. It didn't mean that he wasn't still ashamed of it all. He scoffed, hoisting half a smile with a shake of his head, as he looked over at Dorian from under his eyebrows.

"Normally, I'm the one doin' the savin', so hopefully, this ain't the start of a trend." Spoilers, it might be. But the compliment and the threat really did amuse him. "But my hospitality is centered around survivalism, not altruism. Because you're right, we are in this all together."

Which was half the reason that Raylan had a loaded question cocked and ready to fire as soon as he felt was appropriate.

But at Dorian's question, the faint mirth fell out of Raylan's face as he shook his head. "No. Tim didn't. I can't find Jeff... I found and buried bodies this morning, Malcolm's and Doc's." The further on he got in saying it all, the harder it was to give it voice, but there was no good to be had in avoiding reality.

"So I don't know if I'm really a responsible count. Can't help but think Mathis wanted me to do somethin' else with them.." Raylan looked over again sidelong.

"Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Most of our Physical Sciences surround herbalism and alchemy or magic. Unless you count forging of weapons, armor, and the like. This world is very much more advanced and different than the one I come from. Or, I suppose, advanced in different ways anyway, but I imagine that would happen in a world devoid of magic." He wonders what the future in their world would look like, assuming it's not destroyed.

There's a soft chuckle as Raylan talks about usually being the one saving people.

"Let's hope not." Please do not make it a trend, you seem entirely too valuable to the people here, Raylan. Though as he continues he grows silent, listening to the lives lost.

"I'm sorry, for what it's worth. Considering there aren't many of us here, losing even a few is devastating." He frowns, knowing some of those names and people, but wishing he knew them better. Still, from what he'd gathered thus far people don't stay dead in this place. Those lost will return eventually, but at what cost?

He's pulled out of his thoughts at the question, "Ask away."

"Adaptation is based on environment," he rambled in response with a nod. That made sense and he was sure there were some technological advances that Dorian's world had gotten to. Steam was his current running bet, based on what he'd heard. It was almost a shame that he was curious about how it all looked and ran, the nuances of it, but thankfully, it was just off hand enough to not be a problem.

Raylan managed a faint curl of one corner of his lips. "God I hope not. Don't know how many more of those bolts of yours I can take." It was a painfully true statement, that had been some scary shit. The faint lift fell just as quickly and Raylan hurried past the condolences, which he was never good at anyway.

"Thanks-" he said to it, almost dismissively, before jumping right in with both feet. "What do you know about blood magic?"

Dorian takes a moment from the mental whiplash of that question. Those brows shoot up though, his calm and comfortable demeanor growing a little stiff and serious.

"Blood magic?" He repeats again as if he's not entirely sure he heard him right.

"Why do you want to know about Blood Magic?" Tone very suspicious.

He knew it was a serious topic. Most Magic topics were but he couldn't stay to the paths of polite conversation. Raylan shifted on his little milk crate seat, elbows propped on his knees as he centered on Dorian's serious look.

"The rules. More specifically things I ought to not do. Words or.. somethin' like that I should avoid. The price."

Raylan was a normie, but he knew about the price. Cost of life, in his opinion.

Dorian's eyes narrow slightly as Raylan avoids the "why" and jumps right into the "what" or "how" portion of his question. He sighs softly, half resolved to at least somewhat answer or advise, anything to save the man, who clearly doesn't know anything about magic, from potentially doing something really dumb. To what end? He's not sure, he doesn't even know if the other will listen to him, he doesn't know him well enough, but it's bad enough he's even asking.

"You should avoid doing Blood Magic, period." He states matter-of-factly and there's a pause to study the look in his eyes, or the bags just under them. Don't think he hasn't noticed the state of the Marshal at this moment.

"Especially in your condition. Have you even slept?" He frowns, brows knitted.

"Though the irony of all of this isn't lost on me. That you would come to me of all people to ask about Blood Magic." He sets the mostly empty bowl aside to scratch his head with his good hand.

"What are you attempting to do exactly? And before you try to dodge me again, yes, it matters."

Whys were rarely important for public consumption in the moment and Raylan had long learned how to balance things out so he only had to explain himself to those he answered too. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?

But Dorian was clearly onto the beat, to say nothing of his attentive eyes marking the mess of a state Raylan was in. He shrugged with his face and one shoulder in the start of response, looking and sounding utterly unbothered. He was very much Bothered. "Not more than a broken hour in the last two days, but I'm fine."

Spoiler: he was not fine.

But if he was going to ask something, it was only right he gave something in return and Raylan took a deep breath, chin dropping inadvertently with it as he glances over his shoulder to see who else was in the room. No one right now, thankfully.

"Mathis seems to have taken to droppin' dreams in our heads at night. Last night I had one-" Which would explain him bursting loudly out of the school doors at whothefuckknows AM that morning. A very nice man, Fedyor, had brought him back a few hours later. "- Of Penhew house. A party of people filed in and stopped at that big-ass mirror. This we offer in humility and fear. They made a shallow cut in their forearm and made unique spirals on the mirror with their blood before going into their party. I don't know what it was for. I don't know if it was an offering or a call for protection but.. Maybe we need either one. Maybe it stops Mathis for messing with us for a few days. Gains us some good."

He didn't have any other experts to turn to, no one else who knew that kind of trade - it didn't matter how little Dorian and Raylan might know each other; Dorian had saved him and they both generally seemed to agree on the wellbeing of those around them. Foundational blocks if he'd ever heard of one.

Edited 2021-09-03 02:14 (UTC)

"An hour?" Pause, "No, let me correct myself, a broken hour..." He had more to add to that but he cuts himself off at the moment to just let the Marshal continue his story. With each detail, there are so many alarms and red flags going off in his head and all he can think about are the things they are first taught about avoiding possession, or how a spirit and/or demon might trick them into such things.

He takes a moment after Raylan has finished, quietly composed but agitated under the surface. A somewhat knee-jerk response for being absolutely concerned that the other may be entertaining the idea of recreating the ritual from his dream in any capacity. There's a slow, deep, steadying inhale before he decides, fuck it, he wants to know? Better to try and inform him in hopes it deters the attempt, but if anything MAYBE he won't kill himself and anyone else involved. OR destroy the whole damn town.

"Your first mistake is to take any kind of guidance from a dream like that. Personally, this feels like a trap. Something, possibly Mathias herself trying to lure you to do what she wants, and I can guarantee you it's not for anything good." Maker give him strength, where does he even start with this.

"I will give you this much, Blood Magic, if done properly, can be used for protection. It's normally to the benefit of the person doing the ritual, and typically needs more than just a few drops of a willing or unwilling person's blood. And it is dangerous, you need to know what you're doing, saying, or to even focus clearly on what you are trying to cast or do. Your will, your thoughts, your strength. Blood Magic isn't for beginners." I.E. Not you Raylan, especially if you haven't even slept for days.

"I really, highly recommend you do not do what you've seen in your dreams. If you had found anything like this in a book, with instructions, maybe. But the fact it came to you in a dream? Typically, at least in my experience, something like that comes from a demon or spirit trying to manipulate you for their own gain. In our case, back home, we are prone to possession, and we, as beings with a physical body, are the only way a spirit or demon can gain access to this world. Doing that spell very well could be all of you signing a contract that says why yes please take over my body and do whatever you like. Go kill my friends. Or it could be unlocking the cage to something big. It likely chose you because you would have no idea, NOT to do it." He sighs.

"There are too many risks without knowing what it was for. Spirals can mean anything. A portal, maybe? Opening a gateway? Or welcoming something into this world. Especially if it takes multiple willing participants for the ritual... it's something, big. Uttering about humility and fear may simply be their subjugation to whatever being they follow, it could be a cult doing the wishes of Mathias itself, or perhaps something else entirely."

Edited 2021-09-03 02:36 (UTC)

Don't ask about when the last time he slept before that broken hour was Dorian, you won't like the answer. But Raylan was sure he could withstand it; he'd done stake outs that required him to stay away for longer than was comfortable, but they didn't come with the 'Perks' of Mathis.

Raylan had been studying people too long to not see and sense Dorian's tension and the way he held himself when he talked. Dorian was uncomfortable and as he got further on in his explanation, Raylan could start assuming on why. Anything having to do with blood was going to be messy but he was getting a sense towards how messy this all could be.

"Of course she is." The only difference now was that Raylan was willing to bend a little, give a little with someone there to make sure he didn't cut too deep or give too much - he remembered Tim's story about how he ended up dead in the tunnels in the first place. While he was a complete and total novice, he at least had other real world data to factor into everything. And now Dorian was giving him some more valuable data.

The only way Raylan accepted Magic was by making an adjustment - That was their world, not his. Now, Magic was folded into his considerations, weighed just as seriously with their pros and cons, the consequences, as whether or not to pull his gun.

"These spirals, they're everywhere. Behind the walls in the Lighthouse, in the ceilings here, down in the tunnels - The town was safe in the 70's. All the way up until the early 1990's. They stopped doin' somethin'. What if these spirals are it? What if Mathis is just.. 'hungry' after godknows how long without souls in 'er?"

What if giving a little blood stopped all this?

Dorian shifts somewhat uncomfortably where he sits, half in pain from the movement, half out of concern for the topic and what Raylan was likely considering doing. No one asks these sorts of things if they don't intend to attempt it. He can only shake his head, some of the agitation deflating more into honest worry for him and anyone else thinking about doing this.

"Have you considered that maybe the Town had been safe before this thing was summoned and whoever did this bit off more than they could chew? You mentioned a party, if it was anything like the ones back home it was greedy, powerful people that wanted more power for themselves and likely messed with things they really shouldn't have, and it's condemned this whole town for their hubris." He levels his eyes with Raylan, trying to be as firm and sincere as possible.

"Please, do not follow in their footsteps. If Mathias is hungry, a few drops of blood won't be enough to satisfy her. Even if one of you were to sacrifice your life it will never be enough. She will always be hungry, it's not worth risking you or anyone else to try and appease something like this." He is begging Raylan to listen to him, to try to understand and NOT do this.

"Putting together what you've said and what I've seen thus far, those women jumping into the chasm, that living, ominous darkness. The fire needed to consume. And now you're talking about blood magic to try and what? Satisfy her? For how long? It won't last, and if she is starving whatever you have in your head won't be enough. Or it could make things worse." Another, soft sigh, wondering if his warnings and pleading are enough. He asked about Blood Magic, maybe if he can help him understand the consequences and danger beyond all this. If he can't stop him... maybe he can at least save him with information...

"Blood Magic is the most complex and dangerous of all the schools of magic available to a mage, or anyone attempting to cast a spell. Its power is of course in the blood, in the sacrifice, but the inherent nature of Blood Magic is selfish and destructive. You always need more blood. There's always a higher cost. It can grant the user great power, protection, it can be used to manipulate nearly anything or anyone around them. Blood Magic isn't a type of magic that helps people, it's only for personal gain. But despite all of that the real danger lies in not understanding it. It is sinister in its origin and steeped in--" A dry chuckle, "well, blood and destruction. It is used by selfish, powerful, evil men who want to dominate and rule."

He would go into the history but he fears he may lose Raylan's interest by then, "Look, I really can't reiterate enough how dangerous it is, and I'm talking about someone like me who is well versed in all schools of magic. Someone like you, who has no clue what they're doing it could kill you, or worse. And trust me, there are worse. let alone the fact if you go into this not being well-rested or fully prepared, or unhinged--" Because he hasn't forgotten how you tried to run off into the forest. Sitting in front of him now he's not entirely sure Raylan is really that much better.

"Any number of things can go very, very wrong. You could unleash something, you could destroy us all if your thoughts even wander slightly off the task. And this goes for any magic, we spend years training ourselves for a reason."

Edited 2021-09-03 13:41 (UTC)

Believe it or not, Raylan had gone to and graduated collage and right now, Dorian was the Professor. Questions and statements were to be saved until after the lecture; take notes, students. And mental notes, he was taking. There were some exceptions and addendums 'scribbled' down, but he was listening.

He heard the begging and understood the points presented. Shame that Mathis had deteriorated things enough that Raylan was willing to finally reach out and Test Mathis's powers. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in the history - it was the key to the future and what Not to do, most of the time. But the more that Dorian pleaded for Raylan to set aside the clue he'd been given, the more this felt like the Chasm all over again. Dorian wasn't here for that but Raylan's obsession with getting across it had nearly gotten him killed. Well, a lot of things had nearly gotten him killed and Mathis had already scarred him. Her version of gunshot wounds.

Ask Malcolm or Doc how well that had gone.

Raylan lifted his eyes, hazel locking onto those blue-greys as his fingers laced back together between his knees.

"We're in a place, in a world that has already urged someone else into bleedin' themselves dry in the tunnels and she's already got enough blood to soak her ground, her sky, her air with it." The Other Mathis. He could taste the heavy iron on the back of his tongue and glanced out the window like he expected to see something out there. "So I don't plan on doin' it alone if I can help it, stop me from diggin' in too far. But this Thing has been here and been feed by this town since the 1700's. It's in the 2000's now, for context. So I'm more inclined to believe some two hundred years of cultish religion that kept them movin'."

He shifted a little to face Dorian more directly, keeping his serious eye contact. Raylan might not be fully in his head, but he wasn't acting insane. He didn't feel insane, a rare moment of clarity like a breath drawn after holding it for too long.

"Somethin's already been unleashed. Mathis has already destroyed us all, resurrected us like Jesus-" This came out 'Jaysus', accent heavier for his passion in point. "She's already puttin' us through worse. Doin' the math, I don't think I can fuck up much else and if it's intent.." He breathed in through his nose. "I got will enough that she stop her bullshit. Otherwise, she's gonna push us all to doin' it."

Better him then the younger ones. Tim, Ellie, Callisto.

Dorian listens, keeping that stern eye contact and he feels a foreboding sense of familiarity. For a moment, it's not Raylan sitting there with him it's the Inquisitor, talking about taking the weight of the world on their shoulders and doing anything and everything to protect everyone else, no matter the cost. But this time he's not so sure that Raylan can withstand what he's talking about doing. Sure, he doesn't doubt the Marshal has the willpower or the strength, but it's the understanding of what he's going to attempt to do that might undo him. They could talk for hours till he's hoarse from it, trying to teach him, but from someone who's never so much as cast a spell in his entire life, getting a crash course in basic magic would be hard. Pulling off some Blood Magic ritual might destroy him. Or worse. Depending on what the ritual is meant to do, or what Mathias is trying to get them to do for her.

He feels sick in his stomach but he can see the determination, this thing is going to happen with or without him. And he can't in good conscience let that happen. Maybe in the days to come, he could try to talk them out of it or find another way, if he were able to even get up and go to the library or look around for an alternative. But he doesn't know that much about this town or its history, not like Raylan and the other and maybe he should try to trust them on this, for as much as this feels like a trap. They are in this together and he wouldn't feel right sitting back and ignoring it while they went to their deaths. If this were to succeed or fail, he should be there with them to make sure, if anything, maybe they make it out alive. Even if he's sure Mathias would bring them back regardless. They are its only food source.

Dorian closes his eyes, and his hands in his lap tremble as he breathes in deep through his nose and releases a great, slow lung full before making a decision.

"Let me do it." He doesn't know how the Inquisitor does this. But if anyone ANYONE in this town has any kind of chance of making this work, it's him. He's the one with the most knowledge. For as much as he hates to admit it, he has some specialties based in Blood Magic, his father taught him to hate it. But being from Tevinter meant he knew exactly what to do with it if he had wanted to. And there were times, Maker help him, that he had been tempted. At least now, maybe he could do something with it that could protect others. It's unlikely, but if it's going to happen anyway, he may as well be the one to do it.

"Maker take me, I will do it. Whatever you are attempting, whatever this is, I need to know everything you or anyone else knows about this ritual. I need to see what we're working with and at least try to work out what it's for. I am the only one in this town that might have a chance at making this go how we want it to. I don't doubt you have the will for it, the anger, the desire to protect everyone, but without a lick of magical prowess you don't stand a chance." It's harsh but true.

"I think it's a trap. Maybe we will satisfy her for a few days but she'll want more, and this will likely have to be something we have to keep feeding until we figure out another way. It's likely to be putting a bandaid on a lost limb, but... I can't let you do this alone." He hates this. But he trusts them and he wants to do everything in his power to make sure they are safe.

What Raylan was asking was a lot, for some reason. A reason he was very curious about but that question would have to hold for a few minutes as he let Dorian talk, eyebrows lifting a little at the offer and taking in the small cues that everyone inevitably gave, the trembling of Dorian's hand, where his words showed his inclination to jump into in front of the proverbial bullet.

Raylan wasn't sorry but he also didn't feel like he had Dorian fully on that hook yet.

He knew he'd owe Dorian for this, even without understanding the full berth of subject, but whatever the cost he had to pay, he felt it was worth it. Mathis had tormented in a new way, mentally, but he could withstand most of it. He had to, being the kind of man that was unable to give up.

"If it doesn't work or if it makes things worse, we won't do it again," he promised. "We're hedgin' a lotta different bets here, but what we learn outta it is gonna be invaluable. I know you're scared about pokin' that particular bear but we can't do nothing." With a deep breath, Raylan detailed out the dream he'd had, from the suits down to the unbothered way everyone went around it.

"It felt like it was normal for them. No sacred words, no incantations, just.. Gin and Juice."

Edited 2021-09-05 01:38 (UTC)

Dorian sits in silence for a moment, brows knitted as he puzzles out the details Raylan tells him about the dream. Powerful men and women from the town, gathering for a party and doing this ritual where they cut themselves, draw spirals and carry on like nothing. But there are small details that seem important to the ritual even if someone unfamiliar with magic may not realize.

"So there were 12 knives, and 12 people, all drawing different spirals on a mirror in blood." He muses, "Does anyone have one of these knives they used? The black ... stone? handle? And you said there was a spiral in the blade?"

Raylan shook his head, eyes turning back up to Dorian. "We only know where one knife is. Small, ceremonial. Not a perfect match to the ones in my dream. A girl here, Ellie, found it in the tunnels with a bowl of blood. She had a dream too, people bleeding themselves dry down there. I'd rather use other tools than that. Somethin' about it makes me not trust it more than everythin' else. And I don't trust this dream either, I know a trap when I see one." His eyes drifted off into a nothing point on the wall, jaw working back and forth.

"But somethin's gotta give. We're too vulnerable in the dark. No tellin' how long the electricity grid holds up, if we're even left the wires after attacks. We'll be dead if we're left in it too long," he muttered, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair.

"Normally, I would ask you if you were sure. Don't make any sense, asking you to do what I'm willin' to. Just know you don't have to and if you beg off, no one is gonna look at you any kinda way." Just in case that was a worry. Raylan doubted it was, but just in case.

"Hm," He hums thoughtfully, "You make good points, but if you want to do this sometimes there's less risk in doing it right down to the letter, rather than making do, or making it up as you go."

He rubs the back of his neck, trying to think of ways to explain this to someone who's never practiced magic, "It takes years to master spells because every detail is important to make it work properly or work at all. Missing a word, missing a minute detail in how you draw a spiral in blood, the wrong color candle, etc."

He sighs, "I do agree, this feels like a trap, but the only piece of this ritual we know is important, other than the mirror itself and the blood, is that knife. I can maybe work with something else if you don't want to trust it, but it'll be an extra step. That knife is already ... consecrated, in a way, for the ritual we are going to preform. It's like... how do I explain this... that knife already has the symbol and magic etched into it, it is made to draw blood to perhaps get the attention of whatever you wish to call to, to satisfy with the ritual, its an instrument specifically for this very thing. It's been used in the original ritual. It has significance. It has potency."

He's not sure what he says even makes sense or is even giving the right kind of weight to the meaning of the specific ritual item, but it is important to do things to the letter, etc if they want the proper effect.

"However, using something new that I can... imbue for our use to ... essentially start fresh? It may give us more sway, or it may not. It won't hold as much power as the original artifact or instrument. But I assume we have the mirror and clearly we have a location, so that alone is a start. I'll need to... essentially speak to Mathias or... whatever this thing is that hungers for blood and is leading us there. And we can hope, without the numbers, without the exact details of the ritual, that we won't fuck it up too badly that we'll be ripped apart or worse." He studies the other man a moment.

"Doing spells, especially blood magic, with half-measures comes with great risk, but it can be done. There are three ways this will go, it won't work at all, it will work as planned and maybe we'll get answers, or it'll kill us. I hope you understand that. The latter is most likely. Even more so without all the material components or any kind of instruction or guide or anything to do the ritual proper." He shakes his head when the other gives him reassurance that he can back out at any point.

"I don't feel good about it, I won't lie, but with me helping, we have just a slight better chance of surviving this."

"If I ask Ellie for the knife, she'll want to join us. I ain't willin' to ask that of her," he explained in kind, gentle and patient tone with a faint shake of his head. "I understand what you're tellin' me and if it was anyone else... I would be knockin' on their door. But I've already watched too many young people get messed up by Mathis's bullshit."

Claire, Athena, Quentin, Will even - though Will wasn't exactly the same kind of Young and was pretty damned broken when he came in to begin with. But he had been an example in deteriorate. He couldn't do it again. Wouldn't do it again and bloodletting wasn't breaking into the Lodge. He wasn't going to exclude Ellie from everything for her age but this. This was different.

"Doc's sharpened butter knife. Was what I was plannin'. I can lift it from him early if you need time with it but.. Dorian, you oughta know what happened the last time a Warlock, a Magician, a Mage, whatever you wanna call it, he ended up coughin' up a chunk of his lung. I've already died by this place twice. Malcolm's already in the ground once, though he-" Raylan breathed in sharply, reaching up to pinch at the bridge of his nose as he pushed everything back into it's place. "He swears he didn't die, he didn't experience it."

Thank god for small favors.

"I appreciate you doin' this. Stickin' your neck out, helpin' me. But I'll be honest with you from the jump. This is Mathis. We might die doin' it regardless. I'm fully aware. It's somethin' that I've considered. And at this point it's an acceptable risk. Because you're right.. There are worse things than Death."

He didn't have to know Magic to know that.

"If you wanna pull out of it at any point, I won't blame ya for it. You barely know us."

Dorian fixes his gaze on Raylan, listening, taking it all in, and weighing his options, which, in the end, doesn't really take long. He knows what he has to do, but perhaps Raylan should know where he stands. It's kind of him to give him an out, but he won't take it, even with the threat of whatever this thing may do to him.

"I'm not afraid of whatever pain or death I may experience. I've... I have seen and felt plenty, I'll survive, one way or the other. I don't think Mathias is quite done with any of us yet and clearly, we are her favorite toys, so I'll be back. We're here for a reason. And we're here to stay, like it or not. Perhaps the only way out of this place is death when she's tired of playing with her broken toys. Who knows? But nothing would be worse than doing nothing at all." He twists the sheets in his hands.

"As stupid as this idea may be, I can't just sit here and be useless. If I can help at all to ... get us more information or to get a step closer to understand why this is happening to us and how we can maybe escape, I want to try. Even if it kills me." There's a pause as his eyes move past Raylan and across the room.

"I'm more concerned about her getting inside my head and using me to hurt all of you."

Edited 2021-09-10 02:27 (UTC)

It was brave of him and Raylan wouldn't question him again. Mainly because he didn't want him to change his mind. They were all taking risks here. They all had. John, Claire, Liz, Dean, Quentin. They would continue to, him, Henry, Malcolm and Tim. Until none of them were left, he supposed.

"You start gettin' crazy and wild, we'll figure out a way to knock you out or hide until you pass out," Raylan replied quietly dropping his eyes with a faint nod. "I understand that's a risk. But it's one I'm willin' to take for the same reason you just said. Nothin' is worse then doin' nothin'.. And I can't do any more nothin' Dorian, I've already tried that route."

At this point, Raylan physically couldn't stop himself from digging in.

"I blame my job, mostly but." He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out with a shake of his head. "I keep thinkin' that if we crack it somehow, she'll let us.. go. Go home or.. anywhere that ain't here."

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079-081 » to the hideous end

Day 80

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CW: Suicide, self harm

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