asgardchrysalis | EVENT LOG: THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

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EVENT LOG: THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

Who: ANYONE leaving Asgard to fight the demons at the Qliphoth
What: the Devil Is in the Details event
When: January 14 - 22
Where: three days north of Asgard's kingdom
Warnings: blood, gore, death, ridiculous gross stuff

❧ january 14-16: departure.

On January 14, the gods summon everyone to the castle ground to announce that Asgard is moving out to face the newest threat on the horizon. what seems like the whole of Asgard prepares and departs the kingdom. From the youngest to the oldest of the able and willing, all hands are needed as this mission serves two highly critical purposes: to defeat the current threat and to build outposts that can be used as midway safe houses on missions like these.

Similar to the last time Asgard embarked on such a journey, a long train of wagons guided by the eight-legged horses and several of the gods pass through the thicc barrier of the forest into what appears to be a blinding light for any that remain in the city. As the caravan breaks through the treeline, that brightness barely fades as a blistering sun gleams off of what appears to be a solid landscape of pure ice. An odd chill travels from the top of your head to your toes as Honir calls out "Hold onto your limbs!" in a strangely cheerful warning to match the unusual warmth that envelops you afterwards.

Over the course of the next three days, the caravan travels northward through the strange landscape of Yggdrasil in winter. It seems like ice and snow rise and fall at whim, clear skies turning into a swarming blizzard from one stretch of land to another. It's like it can't quite decide what type of winter it would like to be, and the caravan is left to navigate and make camp through this fitful weather. On January 16, the caravan halts as the gods declare this to be the safest point between the kingdom and where the Qliphoth is growing. Construction of the outpost will begin here in the morning, as those moving on to destroy the wretched tree prepare to confront the demons of another world.

❧ january 17-18: descent into hell.

On the morning of January 17, everyone sets upon their separate tasks as those prepared for combat continue onward to travel through rocky and mountainous terrain, passing solitary homes and small settlements along the way that are all empty and destroyed. While there are clear signs of a struggle, there are no bodies and no other signs of life to be found until you continue onward.

A smell will reach you first, the stench of iron and rot that some might recognize as the telltale signs of carnage, and it won't be long before you find the source. Wicked vines as thick as a humanoid body appear snaking up from the ground and winding around the mountain pass, covered in nasty thorns and pulsating masses of blood that harden for protection as anything approaches. As you follow the trail, you begin to see human corpses impaled upon the vines' thorns, frozen in suspended horror, that turn to dust and fade away if touched.

It isn't long before the crux of this nightmare comes into view as a massive tree rises into the sky and is lost behind a raging storm of thunder, blood, and destruction. The city that was here - and it was itself a developed city, not a settlement or encampment as the minor signs of life you've encountered elsewhere in Yggdrasil - is decimated entirely, the ground ripped up and buildings obliterated by violence untold. The environment becomes increasingly hostile the further in you go as the vines (now more clearly presumed to be the roots of the tree) thicken, corrupted plantlife bare angry teeth, and the ground transitions from solid to unpleasantly organic (cw: blood, gore).

It quickly becomes apparent you aren't here alone, either. While the only signs of human life you find are gore and death, other beings stalk through the ruin searching for new victims. Demons patrol the city, taking various forms like walking nightmares bent on destruction. Their goal is to find more humans to feed the tree with their blood, and they will attack relentlessly on sight, only stopping once they've been destroyed.

Once you've made your way into the city and assessed the present threat, it's unclear where to go or what to do next. Making way towards the tree at the center of it all seems an obvious course, but with demons lining the path and these violent roots twisting into the city with ominous intent, there may be more to contend with than simply the tree itself. To reach the conclusion of this event, your characters will spend the next three days searching for answers and trying to survive in a hellish landscape.

See the event post for broad details on what surviving in the city looks like and this thread to find what challenges your character might face as they seek and destroy various seals to bring down the Qliphoth. Characters that die in this event will receive one death consequence.

❧ january 19: boss faito.

Midday on January 19, as everyone continues searching through the city and fighting for their lives, it will be nearly impossible to miss the moment the battle turns in Asgard's favor. As more of the seals are broken, the roots winding throughout the city begin to wither and die as the blood is drained from them. The demons shriek and howl as the Qliphoth begins to crumble, sending them all into a frenzy. Their attacks become more feverish and vicious, desperate to revitalize their efforts with fresh blood in spite of their clear and obvious failure.

The tree stands, however, and the storm above it roils with thunder that booms over the cries of the panicking demons. With almost every inch of the city searched already, the only place left to look is throughout the Qliphoth itself (cw: blood, gore) and the many challenges that come with it.

It isn't until someone traverses to the top of the tree (cw: blood, gross stuff) that the last seal is found in the form of what may have resembled a fruit given a chance to fully form. As it is, those that come across it find half of it collapsed on itself as blood drains from it onto the ground. With even the slightest of pressure, the fruit shatters like glass - and immediately afterwards, the surrounding hellscape bleeds away rapidly.

The vines and corpses turn to dust, scattered into the air. The demons give a final mournful wail as they vanish from sight. The Qliphoth itself cracks and splinters into jagged shards that crash to the ground in a violent display before disappearing completely. As the magic that brought this nightmare to Yggdrasil is dispelled, all signs of the carnage vanish, leaving only the ruins of a city with no one left to remember it.

It's a victory, but a harsh one. There are no survivors to be brought back to Asgard. Whatever civilization may have been here before this, your characters are left to wander through the abruptly empty and abandoned streets as they make their way back to the encampment. They arrive by nightfall to find the outpost successfully completed, each party with their own stories to tell of the recent days' trials.

❧ january 20-22: return.

With the Qliphoth destroyed and the outpost established as best it can be, the caravan makes its way back to Asgard on January 20. While the load is a bit lighter for the supplies it took to build and battle their way back home, some carry new burdens and memories of the strange happenings that took place here. The magic the gods warned of has shown its powerful capacity to overwrite the landscape of Yggdrasil, and new creatures in the world are becoming increasingly aware of the Wanderers' presence.

All along the three day journey back to the kingdom, the gods and the natives can't help but discuss and speculate what this means for the future. A nervous energy travels back to the city with them in spite of their victories, the vast and mercurial landscape of Yggdrasil providing a frigid reminder of their isolation at the heart of it. Asgard may come to contend with the fact that they are safer within their kingdom and the veil of obscurity - and the fact that the veil has been lifted, leaving an open window for them to see out into the dangers of the world, and for the world to look back at them.

[ OOC NOTE: This is the event log for the Devil Is in the Details event! Your characters will be left to survive in a demon-infested city for three days as they solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and destroy seals to bring down the tree. Details on the quests and challenges you can play with are here; there are solutions to each challenge that depend on what your character tries to do to solve it. The success rate for this event was determined by how many people attempted to solve the puzzles in each route. For the sake of this event, you successfully destroyed all of the seals in time to stop the Qliphoth from fully producing its fruit and inviting a powerful new evil into the world. If you have any questions or need any help, please feel free to hit us upon the mod contact page. Enjoy! ]

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His head feels like it will split in two at any moment, which might be a welcome respite from the agony that is the pressure of Lan Wangji's belt around his middle. Wei Wuxian grits his teeth, but a whine escapes him all the same, and he looks up into Lan Zhan's tense, frightened face.

THey need to find shelter, but Wei Wuxian doesn't know where it can be found. He lifts his arm, halfway to touching Lan Zhan's cheek before he realizes he will smear him with blood. "Where is Suibian?" he whispers.

Lan Zhans grabs at Wei Ying's hovering hand, squeezing his fingers as he starts to gather Wei Ying into his arm, trying to be gentle. At mention of Suibian he settles Wei Ying more firmly in his arms and stands, eyes scanning for the sword. He finally spots it, buried hilt deep inside some kind of monster.

"Wei Ying and Suibian did well," he murmurs, eyes scanning around as he starts to bend his knees to grab the sword. He can feel the warmth of Wei Ying's blood against his own torso and forces his breaths to remain calm and even. He cannot afford the loss of focus.

This time, Wei Wuxian manages to swallow the wounded sound he makes when Lan Zhan lifts him, carrying him on steady feet to where his poor sword lies, once again abandoned. "I lost you so fast," he says, staring up at Lan Zhan as he bends for the sword.

Ever since discovering the true depths of Lan Zhan's feelings, Wei Wuxian is appalled at all the times he's made him suffer in the past. It's important that he knows Wei Wuxian did not run into danger alone on purpose. "These vines are - it's like a maze."

He yanks the sword out, tucking it into his sleeve before he starts to walk, looking for any part of this place where they could hide. "We lost each other," he corrects, stepping over fallen debris and ducking under vines twisting oozing above them. This entire place is dark and broken and festering.

"Wei Ying must stay awake, he commands in his most stern voice, largely to forbid it from wavering. He twists down a few more alleys, hoping get away from the worst of the fighting. The building in front of them looks to be residential and he heads towards it. "Stay awake with Lan Zhan."

Fortunately, the throbbing of his wound is quite enough to keep Wei Wuxian conscious, and though he squeezes his eyes closed, he's very much awake as Lan Wangji crosses the threshold of a long dessicated building. It's quiet inside, at least, and the shadows don't move. It's better than the mutated world beyond for certain.

"Lan Zhan is unhurt?"

He turns down a hallway, walking halfway before deciding on a door to try. A few swift kicks opens the door to a small, empty residence. It looks as if the occupants simply disappeared, everything covered in a layer of dust but the walls still intact.

There is one bedroom with a sizable bed and a swift tug removes the dirty blanket, allowing him to slowly and carefully lay Wei Ying on the mattress.

"Lan Zhan is fine," he answers, his own wounds minor and merely irritating. This feels far too much like the night spend in the hut, only months ago. It isn't fair; Wei Ying does not deserve it. These are the times he curses his choice of magic. He ought to have studied healing, not chosen based on his own preferences. "Wei Ying is safe; Lan Zhan will not lose you, again," he promises, pulling out the bag of healing supplies he's now learned to carry.

For once, Wei Wuxian decides to take him at his word and not search for hidden injury - his own world is swiftly narrowing to the fire in his side. "You must avoid being impaled," he manages, flecks of blood on his teeth when he tries to smile.

"It is very awful, Lan Zhan." He turns his head, his face pinched as he stares at the bag. "There is something for pain inside?"

Lan Zhan simply dumps the contents of the bag onto the mattress, picking through until he finds a tablet supplied to him by Wen Qing. He holds it up to Wei Ying's mouth, wishing he had something to offer him to drink.

His free hand starts to undo Wei Ying's robes, pushing through the layers to get to his bare torso.

"Take this. Wen Qing says it helps. Will make you weaker, so concentrate on me," he says, eyes widening at the blood staining Wei Ying's teeth and the increasingly unhealthy pallor. "I'm sorry it hurts."

Wei Wuxian doesn't know what is pressed to his lips, and he doesn't care, gnashing it between his teeth and swallowing the strange mix of powders and herbs. Run through - he's never been entirely run through before - and Wei Wuxian hopes to do it only once.

"Weaker?" he asks, confused by the strange qualities of the medicine and the pain clawing out his higher thought. But Lan Zhan has told him to look at him, and Wei Wuxian does, his eyes alive with pain. "You are...going to stitch?"

"Sleepy," he explains, mashing the herbs he is to smear on the wound prior to closing. There had been a long explanation from Wen Qing about the lack of core making them prone to infection that he's not entirely certain if Wei Ying digested or not when she'd given them both an explanation of what to carry. As frightening as Wen Qing is, Wei Ying still seems prone to irritate her.

He is about to apply the salve when he looks back up at Wei Ying's pained, pale face and stops, realizing what he is doing, how brusque he has been. He forces his face to soften and presses a kiss to Wei Ying's damp forehead, even as his hand presses down on the wound.

"Will apply a salve to prevent infection and then stitch," he explains, eyeing the spot just below a still far too fresh wound from the last battle. "Like last time, but must do front and back. Need Wei Ying to roll to his good side. I will help."

Wei Wuxian whimpers for the pressure of Lan Zhan's hand, glad for both the kiss and the news that he is to turn away from him on his side. He doesn't think he can get through any of this with his customary grin, and he doesn't want to frighten or distress Lan Zhan any more than he must.

It is fortunate for Chenqing that he has not brought it, for the flute would already be between his teeth. "I'm ready," he says, pushing up on an elbow to try to turn.

"Let me," he quickly says, grabbing Wei Ying's hand and holding it to the cloth on his front. "Keep pressure. Let Lan Zhan turn you."

He does not know how to be kinder about this without allowing his panic to surface and hopes Wei Ying can forgive his bedside manner. Without another word he puts one hand under Wei Ying's shoulder and the other under his hip and turns him, pressing a knee against him to keep him upright. It must be horribly painful but he immediately presses another bandage to the wound on his back, bigger and more jagged than the front.

"Keep making noise, Wei Ying. Must know you are awake," he commands, swallowing down every emotion that tries to arise until this is finished.

Wei Wuxian crams his free hand into his mouth, stoppering the screams that comes as best he can. His vision swims when he opens his eyes again, but he presses the bandage ruthlessly to the wound in his front, determined that Lan Zhan will not witness him die yet again.

For a moment he imagines that he will hum - there has always been music between he and Lan Zhan - but the rapid breaths his lungs crave soon prove that impossible. "Awake," he says instead, biting into his fist as Lan Zhan presses a bandage to his back as well. "Who could sleep through this, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Zhan tries to work fast, the faster this is done, the faster he can hold Wei Ying, be kind to Wei Ying. He readies the stitching, allowing himself to press an apologetic kiss to Wei Ying's side as he starts, more blood immediately trickling out as the needle pierces Wei Ying's skin.

"Lesser men would already be unconscious," he murmurs, blinking away hot tears to focus again. "My Wei Ying is brave." He also suspects that Wei Ying has suffered so many times that his endurance has grown but wisely keeps that to himself. "My Wei Ying is good. Is everything good."

Wei Wuxian whimpers into his fist, unable to tell the piercing of the needle apart from the throbbing of the wound itself, only that the pain is growing. His tongue scrapes at his teeth, searching for more medicine, but he's already swallowed it. He can only hope it will take root soon.

"Disaster prone, I think," he answers, and he would laugh if he weren't in so much pain. "W-when I returned, they called you Where the Chaos Is as often as Hanguang-Jun. Wei Ying is the chaos."

"Hanguang-Jun will always want to be where Wei Ying is," he answers, bloodied fingers moving as swiftly as he can. There will only be a short reprieve between the front and back but he hopes the medicine will kick in before he has to start over.

"Good for Hanguang-Jun. Too serious. Too cold. Wei Ying is steadfast in beliefs, this causes chaos."

He finally finishes up the back, stitches not as neat as he would like as the opening was more jagged than the front but it will do until a far more skilled healer can help. He immediately puts out of mind panic about how he will get them out of here. There is no time for such thoughts.

Wei Wuxian is covered in a fine coat of sweat by the time the wound in his back closed, every muscle in his body beginning to tremble from the strain. "Hanguang-Jun is perfect," he murmurs as he's returned to his back. The ceiling above him won't stop moving, and though the pain seems to be lesser now, Wei Wuxian is having trouble making sense of the ruined building over his head.

She...she cut too deep. That must be it. The ground is hard and cold and Wen Ning's hands are too harsh, holding him too firmly. "Wen Qing," Wei Wuxian slurs, eyes rolling. "It's too much."

Lan Zhan startles as Wei Ying starts to murmur, eyes fluttering as he fights what he hopes very much is the medicine. Wen Qing had never mentioned hallucinations and he is terrified this is the blood loss. He doesn't know what to do.

"Wei Ying," he says, tapping his cold cheek firmly as he lifts the bandage from his side. It's close to one of the edges of the mystery scar, the one he's been trying to decide how to ask about, again. Wei Ying had promised him, but things have been new and wonderful and he knows whatever the answer is will be terrible. "It's Lan Zhan. Look at me. Who are you with?"

He wants to stop the tapping on his cheek, so annoying! But Wen Ning must hold his arms, he is doing so because Wei Wuxian has asked him to, and he shouldn't be cross with him. Just as he is steeling himself to do so, another voice rings in his ears, and his brow furrows as Lan Wangji's face swims into view.

"This is..." he starts, confused as his heart pumps more medicine through him, both dulling his pain and worsening his confusion. "Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian whispers, his eyes filling with tears. "Please stay with me." He is so warm, and Yiling is so cold. "Please stay."

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan croaks out, leaning down to kiss his cheek, not daring to touch him with his bloodied hands. "Lan Zhan will never leave you. Lan Zhan loves you. Be brave a little longer and I will hold you," he promises.

He wants to hold him now, to pull him close and stop him shivering. The confusion is worse even than the pain. But he must finish.

He pulls back and moves down the bed again, exposing the wound and readying his needle. "Will hurt. But will be fast," he warns as he pierces the skin, not letting himself look at Wei Ying's face again.

Wei Wuxian's face contorts with agony both present and remembered as the dusty ceiling turns grey and cloudy, replaced by the black of night, then pierced by light yet again. So long. She's been working for so long, when will the end ever come?

He floats in it, an endless, directionless river of uncertainty and pain, until finally it seems as if there is an end after all. Feeling rather like a marble balanced on a pinhead, Wei Wuxian lifts his chin. "Did it work?"

Lan Zhan's fingers fly, eyes never wavering from Wei Ying's side until the last stitch is done and then only to grab more salve to spread over the stitched wound. Then and only then does he allow himself to wipe down his hands and look up at Wei Ying's agonized face.

"Worked. Bleeding has stopped," he murmurs, lying down alongside Wei Ying and carefully rolling him once more, this time to rest on Lan Zhan's front. Wei Ying's skin is ice cold and he longs for his core to be able to heal him faster. He carefully tries to arrange him to keep pressure off the wounds, kissing his face as he works. "Lan Zhan is here. Worst is over."

He feels himself shifted yet again, but this time it is to comfort, and Wei Wuxian's exhausted body all but melts against Lan Wangji's. "Warm," he murmurs, snuggling into him despite the twin fires at his back and side. He has the strangest sensation of squinting through his own thoughts, but no wisdom comes, only Lan Zhan's presence and the shelter that he offers. He remembers that he must stay awake, that he must be aware, but also he must make sound? The last doesn't make sense at all to him.

"Can I sleep this time?" Wei Wuxian murmurs.

Lan Zhan kisses his forehead and brushes damp hair off Wei Ying's forehead, legs winding around one of his. Wei Ying is cold natured on a good day and right now he feels completely icy.

He is not certain if it is alright for Wei Ying to sleep or not. He knows they cannot wait too long before trying to get back to camp but he doesn't have the heart to try and move him.

"Wei Ying can sleep if he needs. Lan Zhan will watch out for him," he promises, squeezing him as tightly as he dares. "Can...can hum. Can hum for Wei Ying, if he wants."

"Hum," Wei Wuxian agrees. He's not certain that he will sleep, only that he feels heavier than before, his lids weighted and his thoughts sluggish. He hates the latter, but if this is the only respite from the pain than a few hours of confusion are worth it.

He settles against Lan Zhan, relaxing into the warmth that never seems to stop radiating from his skin. How could he ever thought this man cold? "Lan Zhan," he murmurs, "Thank you. You saved me yet again."

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