eastbound | Entries tagged with penny dreadful: vanessa ives

[ Her voice is a low rasp with her murmured poem—melancholy. ]

"Though fate ordains we now must part
Companions true a little while
I grasp with firm and grateful heart
The gift of friendship's gentle smile

Shared roads together we have walked
O'er hill and dale, mist dark and light
Enriching bonds between us talked
Dispelling shadows with delight

With backward glances fondly cast,
Cherished mem'ries I'll keep secure.
Though winds of change now blow by fast,
Affection's ties shall yet endure."

[ Onward to text. ]

My dear allies and friends,

You are, all of you, stunning fighters — in violence, yes, but also in wit and heart. It has been a strange blessing for me to have known and fought among you all. I am glad for it, and I thank you for the company shared in these arduous trials. I have never known anything quite like it, and it has allowed me a modicum of peace — or something like it — in our final days together. Something I did not think possible for any world that had me.

This war has been won, but the city still recovers. I will remain to help where I can, and keep watch over the beacons.

Should anyone else have nowhere to return, then you are welcome company.

For all who return home, however we have known one another... I shall miss you, and will not forget you, and I may selfishly hope that you will remember our time together.

Sincerely,
Vanessa Ives

weifinder

( Wei Wuxian holds both hands up, fingers pressed over fingers, and offers a bow to those watching. )

For those who have not yet heard, Anurr has been sealed within his human form, and his powers sealed away. He, ah, and the... bear. Are around. Try not to aggravate them, those who plan to stay, and those who plan to go. I don't think the goat's here?

( He lets his hands fall down, and smiles, bright and cheerful. The shadows under his eyes are lighter than they have been, albeit not banished; it's been an exhaustive recent weeks and months. )

It has been an honour and a pleasure traveling and fighting alongside each of you. I've a few gifts for those who'd like them — well wishes in your future travels. Especially those of you who plan to stay.

( He lifts up a... hah. A jar of alcohol, and waggles it invitingly. )

I also have these. It's nicely drinkable, and plenty to share! Let's have a nice send off for all our number, ah?

reparo

[The video isn't accidental this time, and focuses on Hermione - her face rosy-cheeked and smiling, actually smiling.

To the observant eye, one can tell she's in the old, dilapidated house that some people used during the final battle in Hatthevar as a sort of refuge. (It's the Macarena house.)]

Friends - ah, I've been thinking all day what I'd say to us all after a battle as final and difficult and hard as this one. I didn't get to say this to my friends back home, I didn't get the chance to say this to Harry, but...here goes.

Well done. You did your best, and you somehow saved the day. Look at this place. Look at this world! I know the beacons are being repaired, so it's still sometime before we leave but I think we could say we're leaving it better than we found it?

[Like it's hard. She lets out a tiny laugh.]

Also, I think - and I'm not taking any feedback on this - that I've earned myself this.

[The view focuses on the floor, where she is sitting currently, and specifically on a half-empty bottle of wine. Hermione gone wild.]

aprescoup

( The transmission seems to come from an inside quarter battered by Anurr's howling winds outside. Somehow, the speaker seems unbothered. )

Is this wo — I'm never good at this. One, two, three. One, two, three. Hello? That's... that sounds right.

Hello, everyone! I'm Matthias. Awful weather, isn't it? Can barely hear myself think. ( As he finishes his sentence, voice increasingly chilled, the winds quiet. )

There! There we are. Much better, isn't it? You've been well? I don't know what you make of the place, but if you're hungry, there's... try old man Thrael's, down Gentian street. Best buns you've ever seen! And his food's not bad either, haha. Do try it! Kamala, have you tried it? I think there were... more nice little family shops with cookery, I just... don't remember. Don't exactly remember.

( An awkward pause. ) ...right. A little bird tells me your group has something of mine. Very... very literally. Some parts of mine, as it were. A heart here, a tongue there, a hand... small inconveniences. I think that was all of them? I don't quite recall. I was hoping to unburden you of them. If I may? It's just... very strange. Feeling part of yourself across a city. I'm, of course, open to barter. I know you've come a long way, I suppose you're expecting something for your trouble! A... finder's fee?

And... you haven't seen her yet, have you? My Cose — ...no. Of course. You've only just started. I'm sorry. Let's not speak of it! This is us: not speaking of it.

downswing

( Behold the beautiful view of one [1] Lan Wangji, blood-drenched in one of the dusty, downtrodden streets of Hatthevar, while rains weep down — clear, for a change. In the hand that isn't holding his pendant, his sword's drawn, bloodied. )

Slave masters know little of the man Matthias. ( A pause, then almost sheepish: ) When they yet speak. Their victims recall with difficulty. Shall search the waters for signs of his whereabouts.

( Small chance of it, but carrying on ) Beware wish makers. They tempt with that which is not theirs to give.

mashiara

The Prince has been so direct as to exchange notes when sent inquiries.

In his words:

( here, an image, which isn't a photograph but instead her turning the watch pendant around to display the note she's received, several visible around the one she focuses on, reading: )

Until the witch does, in its name. The forest died. The animals perished. They will revive at their own pace. It is the witch who wants amends, who is never satisfied. The witch who taunts and teases. Who took everything, lives and likenesses.

He says he's doing what he can from his side. That he hopes for a change of heart from the witch. The witch who is male, yes, I did read what's been shared here. Men of all kinds, from the ones seeking blood, to the ones seeking reparations, all acting foolish.

Who's for knocking them all on the back of the head and telling them to sort it all out like grown adults?

somebadnews

( How it started... )

[ Five clears his throat as he turns to the network. How to put this without admitting that he threw a tantrum and might have broken someone... possibly more than someone... several horrifically-cursed-people into pieces. For someone who can be fairly blasé when it comes to murder, this seems a little too much like insult to injury. ]

You're all pretty handy, aren't you? [ God, starting with a compliment. They have to know something is wrong, but he doesn't know how else to handle this weird problem. Maybe he should have written this down to not give himself away, but he's already started now. ] We have any carpenters, or... maybe some metal workers? I need something repaired.

A few somethings. I'm sure you can take a break from the mystery to do a mundane task. Call it a favor. [ Something crunches under his foot and he winces. That one may be a lost cause. ] ...Thanks.

[ And if anyone happens by his room (or heard the ruckus and went to investigate), he's at least trying to sort out the mess he made, and trying his best not to notice the statue looking much more accusingly in his direction. What's worse is he can't get a broom without worrying it'll snitch on him. Fucking magic castles... ]

bhaalyn

I see introductions are all the rage these days. I'll make mine brief. My name is Deimos. I've a tadpole inside my brain that threatens to turn me into a hideously horrid creature known as a mind flayer for those of you familiar with the term. My current theory is that due to being in this other world, I am now beyond the reach of the brain that can issue the command for me to transform. Additionally, I have no true recollection of my past before the tadpole; I am told the amnesia is unrelated. And to wrap up my honesty, I have violent urges that sometimes overtake me against my will. Again, likely to be unrelated to the tadpole. I explain all this for two reasons: 1. Should any of the above be similar to your own situation, we might benefit from good conversation. 2. If none of the above is similar, you all deserve to know whom you sleep near so that you may take action should I ever become a threat and begin to transform. Now, all that aside that does lead me to a question to help me better understand my new companions: what is your own strangest adventure you experienced in your own home world? I look forward to seeing your responses.

revengeisalie

[ So this is very off-center, but you will still be able to see the face of a young woman, her black hair parted into two braids, to each of which a ring is attached. She peers at the camera -- well, her pendant -- curiously and with uncertainly. ]

Hah -- uhm -- hello?

Hi. I was told by Miss Karsa, I think that was her name, that this pendant will enable me to talk to those who share my plight, even if they are far away. And I, uh, wanted to try it out, essentially. We don't have anything like this where I'm from. How strange!

[ A tentative, awkward smile. ]

Anyway. So there's a group of us who come from other... worlds? Several of them? And we're trying to get to the "beacon". That's what I remember.

[ She claps her flat hands together. ]

Well, then! My name is Rin. Nice to meet everyone. I hope we will get along.

[ A beat. ]

I have a question. Is everything in this place as if you were in a fairy tale? I never quite know what's real or not! It's really unnerving. A little guidance would be appreciated.

[ She gives a small bow in her seated position. ]

Thank you very much.

damnable

So turns out even helping citizens being brutalized by the Hand assholes can get you locked up in the slammer for the night. I'm trying real hard not to turn into a three-headed dog-monster and break out of here, just gonna do my time until tomorrow morning, cause otherwise there's no way some innocents won't get caught in the crossfire. Maybe some of you might be up for distracting a gal?

See, there was this drinking game we'd play at the bar: What the fuck is up with that?

Gotta make some adjustments for a network, but just chime in on this post if you wanna play. Other people will ask you, What the fuck is up with ____insert-thing-here-about-you_______? and then you're supposed to answer honestly or drink if you don't want to answer it. Obviously you could still just lie, but then you're a coward. If you're not into drinking, you can think of some other way to punish yourself for not answering.

But for instance, you might ask me, "What the fuck is up with you being able to turn into a three-headed dog-monster?" Or you might ask a friend, "What the fuck is up with your hatred of chickens?" or "What the fuck is up with you being so tall?" Sky's the limit. One time a guy asked another guy, "What the fuck is up with you being so handsome?" and that kicked off a whirlwind romance for them.

Just a way to way to pass the time while we wait for people to be handled and for the beacon to be activated for those who actually want to head home, and you'll be saving the city from the wrath of me so, y'know, an easy way to be a hero.

(OOC: thread jacking wildly encouraged. feel free to plurk about your chars comments so their cr could potentially ask them stuff. go wild! drinking game lovingly borrowed from Critical Role. )

inkfire

[ Mo Ran looks rough, with a few scrapes on his face and his hair disheveled, and he's quieter than usual, staring into the distance for a few moments before he finally talks. He's much more subdued than usual. ]

We don't need to worry about the Chained God anymore. [ Don't ask why. ] He called the black water stuff "a little friend below the depths" and his brother. The water wants a body, and shape, but it can't fight back. I guess that's why it takes the dead bodies, since the dead can't fight back against it, and then the water reanimates them.

[ He trails off, thinking back to his conversation. ] He also said something about someone wishing it free, but didn't offer any names or anything. It probably happened long ago, so it's impossible to say.

Oh, and don't go to the temple of the Chained God. It's dangerous. [ It's been somewhat destroyed. ]

cartographie

[ Instead of pointing the pendant at herself, Nami aims it so that the top of the table she's sitting at is what's in the frame instead. ]

This is a book I took from the chained god's room. [ She begins as she opens the book and starts leafing through the pages, making sure she lingers on each so the people watching on the other end of whatever this not den den mushi based network can get a good look at the contents while she thumbs through ]

There's a lot in here, and, weirdly, some of it looks like it was written recently. From what I've read, it sounds like the men of Ephes turned on the god and chained him up. One historian in here, Gallia Salusa, mentions that because the god didn't have a physical form to start with, the men waited until the timing was on their side, and this god - put himself together, or whatever it did, gaining a form - they think just from slowly accumulating power - so could be chained in the first place. [ She's seen that thing, it's gross. ]

The book also talks about how that worm god thing isn't the only being like this around, but like the chained god before whatever happened to him, happened - they don't have a physical form, and want one

[ Nami shuts the book finally turning the communicator around on herself so she's visible, along with the interior of the rundown windmill she and her crew have posted up in. There might even be one or two straw hats or perhaps an errant clown pirate milling around in the background, who knows? ]

Oh, and, that whale fishman told me about how the borders of Ephes - both land and sea - are much bigger than the space this place is occupying, but after the chained god was captured the dark water's been encroaching from many sides - something that's obvious to the farmers and the fishermen but not as much to everybody else.

[ She sits back in her seat, shrugging plaintively at whoever's on the other end of this not-a-snail, tempted to just end the message there before she remembers herself– ]

I'm Nami, by the way. If you want to meet up, take a look at the book, and tell me more about what's going on here, that's fine with me. I've got a crew to get back to the East Blue and any information is useful at this point.

[ ooc: a link to the initial comment with this info about the book, since Nami is slowly paging through it for the network, feel free to use the info in the comment if you want to let your character clock a snippet or two as she goes or something.

and threadjack away, ]

somebadnews

[ Five never enjoys addressing the network. When he does, it's usually with good reason. They aren't going to like what he has to say, but considering how close he is to it, he needs to tell them something before the situation escalates. Even if there's large parts he'll leave out to keep them from getting distracted.

That is to say: he did something. ]

I think we can come to an agreement that we've got problems that go beyond dark water. First of all, if you're still with the Hand, forget your assignment and leave. Get a group together to transport you, or find somewhere to seek refuge. I don't know what they're building towards, but at this point I'd say even the undead encampment is safer.

I know some of you are hesitant to jump into undead politics, but we're in the middle of them if we like it or not. [ Messalina seemed like an opportunity to fight fire with fire, but he has mixed feelings about the advice he gave her. In his defense, he didn't know everything he does now. ] Our shapeshifting friend in the Senate gave a pretty clear indication of the way things are going. I can't tell you if Messalina is the solution to our bigger issues, but she's not going to wait for us to decide.

In the meantime, if anyone has ideas on how to counteract the effects we keep hearing about, this is your chance to pitch them.

companionsgrasp

I had a meeting with priestess Valeria. It seems she and the followers [hear: cult] of the Chained God could use all the help they can get. She offered me quite the set of benefits if I were announce in the arena that I had converted to the faith of the Chained God. There was a good emphasis on having me implore my loyal fans to support the god and his agents, the army--the Hand. I got the feeling this wasn't her first time making an offer to someone with influence in exchange for what she needs. They must not get much on their own merit.

Not that, I suspect, any of us are surprised to confirm that their faith isn't so sincere or well-off considering...well. Who wants to serve a god of destruction? It never turns out good, not even for the criminally insane that want to watch everything burn.

Too bad for her I'm not actually a gladiator. Or want to help out the cult of a god of destruction and chaos earn money for their endeavors.

inferus

( Wrath has the device pointed toward himself, but over his shoulder, the rest of the crew who went after the news shouters are clearly in view. It is possibly an amusing village with Wrath being so entirely tall and broad, and the rest being much shorter, smaller: Kamala, America, Hermione, and Five walk behind him. Together, they enter Wrath's current residence (it's quite fancy, because the devil likes fancy things) to review what they have learned and make sure the coast is clear after breaking the shouters out from where they had been taken.

It's only when the door has closed on his magically warded residence that Wrath speaks: )

Kamala was right to worry about the veteran news shouters. We found them being held captive in the House of Scribes. According to these shouters, they had been beaten as a part of... conversations they were made to have over their 'poor civic spirit' - a direct quotation.

They were apparently detained for refusing to spread fearmongering about the supposed imminent resurrection and upcoming apocalypse of the Chained God. Their orders to do so were signed by Caius Justus himself. It is their belief that Caius Justus weaponizes this fear to stir the public in a particular direction - usually toward violence, bloodshed, fighting.

The shouters did appear to admire Messalina. They consider her message to be of one of... peace and liberation of the dead. As with all things, take that final particular information not as fact necessarily, but as their opinions to take into consideration.

( ooc: threadjack away, feel free to address any of the crew/threadjack, and also, replies could come from any of the crew )

valeas

( Wei Wuxian and Emilia are perched up on a tall building.

Two dragons act as their wind buffers — recent arrivals from Serthica, for those who remember the fissured citadel. The narration feels compelled to stress that despite the buffering in question, the hair of these characters billows fabulously behind them, even as they look a bit rundown.

Emilia's anger has smoldered away somewhat, a low murmur in the background. )

Yesterday, a soldier of the Hand requested Wei Wuxian and I demonstrate hand-to-hand combat for the new recruits of the army. These recruits were ferocious, unpredictable, and ... eerily good at mimicry.

Their handlers were frightened of them.

After this session concluded, we were offered a 'booster' to replenish our strength. We refused, as we learned it was essentially diluted black water. The same black waters that resurrected the dead in the arena today.

vdovy

[ It is late in the night when the video feed goes live. The scene: a spacious, gilded room in one of the lux summer villas where Messalina's infiltrators have been stationed. Warm candlelight illuminates Yelena, standing with her hands on her hips in front of Natasha, who is seated (if you can call it sitting) in a large, ornate chair with her legs hanging over one of the chair's intricately carved arms.

The pair of them have looked better. Yelena's crisp patrician attire is wrinkled and in some places torn and Natasha only seems presentable because her clothes are dark enough to mask bloodstains. Their faces are smudged with dirt and their hair, once carefully braided back, now resembles a bird nest, complete with loose leaves and small twigs. ]

We've just finished cleaning up after Alir. Again. [ Natasha runs a hand through her hair and makes a face when her palm comes back streaked with blood. Next to her, it's Yelena's turn to address the network. ]

He could have been exposed tonight, or any other night, the way we've all had to cover for him.

He's a problem. So the question is, what are we prepared to do about it?

(OOC: Default color dialogue is Natasha, red dialogue is Yelena. Tag around, threadjack at will. Alir is the shapeshifting demon impersonating Senator Maximus Faustus. Nat and Yelena are opening discussion up between Messalina's infiltrators, most of whom have had to pick up after Alir's appetites, but other party members are welcome to chime in.)

rehandle

To whoever might find this useful, I'm now the patron-by-proxy of all Ephes' magic users.

From what I can tell they're all very eager to help in whatever their patron might ask of them, and given how many people that accounts for there's a fair chance that if there's something you need done, I'll have somebody for the task.

What I don't have is a lot of money. [ And doesn't he just sound thrilled and not at all resentful about it. ] Should anyone wish to be so kind, I wouldn't turn down any generous donations made in the interest of the betterment of the citadel's magical community.

[ Public service announcement and desert-dry plea for somebody, anybody to give him some cash aside, that's everything, and he almost cuts it there - but actually, he'll need to get a sense for this sooner or later, so: ]

While I have your attention, it would be useful to know everyone's current stance on Messalina.

mashiara

Right. Meet Kharil-asuk, ( she gestures to the side, where... it's incredibly difficult to tell there is a massive, unreasonably large snake god in the dappled shadows of the foliage. ) who assures he'll donate his venom if any of our number confess to him the darkest crime you've performed. He promises no retribution, only a start to redemption.

Which does not include devouring. Regardless. Please help. I can walk away and leave my pendant with him, or I can stay. As Wisdom, I've heard the best and worst of people many times before.

( She waits, expectant. Any who does confess a crime, betrayal, or sin can (on player choice) feel more at peace with it or relieved, for up to 24 hours. What brief kindness! )

downswing

Instructions to appease the dead were requested. For monks.

Do not greet them bloodied. Treat them as elders. Children. Capable of base emotion: fear, wrath, lust, fierce love.

Spare kindness. Respect. Sandalwood and joss sticks. Patience.

Forgive their pettiness. Their cruelty.

Allow them dignity. Listen, then perform their required appeasement.

Should this fail: binding. Execution.

( ooc: this has been Exorcism 101 ~~and the only topic on which Lan Wangji will speak at length~~, Spider-walk taught during your next class. )

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Page generated May. 23rd, 2025 01:51 pm

exit, stage e a s t

Entries tagged with penny dreadful: vanessa ives

audio → text | headless ragdoll

video: yiling laozu

video; man's greatest treasure (after the blood rains stop)

un: a lifetime ago

un: absterge | video

written + visual | un: wisdom

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

text ⚔️ un: the one with the flute

[video] un: toucan play that game

un: nah | text

un: pillar of the heavens | video

un: nami (video)

un: ut malum pluvia

audio; un: a tentacute observation

video. un: a_civil_serpent. [set before the Colosseum-attacks]

video — un: starburst.

video | un: wooden sword & un: widow

voice, un: strange

video | un: wisdom

un: absterge