Day 1 | Evening | To Your Scattered Bodies Go

[Kannon]

Each of them was nevertheless able to determine something. And that something carried a weight.

The second Ambrose realised the mantas weren't going to rush him, his eyes rested on the corpse lying at his feet. It used to be a young man, a Muadh aborigine judging by the facial tattoos. He had been bitten and partially eaten, and in some stadium of decomposition, but it wasn't what struck him most. There was a neat cut at the level of his liver, surgically sewn up afterwards, and the concavity told him that the organ had been removed. There were signs of brain haemorrhage, blood clots in the ears, and the dark stain at the nostrils. But the most telling signs were the eyes. He had seen such eyes before. With pupils so wide that irises practically disappeared, and veins in the whites stained dirty brown. Such a garish, terrifying dead look of mindless abandon and indifference, beyond pain, had embedded itself in his memory like a thorn. Demetrios' dead stare. All his training hadn't prepared him for that, and it was failing him now. Calm seemed nowhere within reach.

When Efren looked down, he saw a face. For a moment, there was confusion, as he thought he might have been looking in some distorted reflection of himself in the water. When he shook off from the nightmarish mistake that chilled his blood, he couldn't dismiss the fact that the face bore uncanny resemblance to his own. This dead young man was a Muadh, and could have well been his unknown sibling or cousin. But what unsettled him more was the expression. The body clearly showed signs of abuse delivered well before the mantas had any chance to get to it. There were still shigawire bonds around the man's wrists, but without cutting into the skin. It meant the man didn't struggle, didn't fight for his life, just... succumbed. His body was athletic, just like Efren's, he could at least try and yet whatever he had been subjected to, his face showed only resignation to his fate. These were his roots. Where was their strength?

Kiran, seeing the same body as Efren, was struck by a different realisation. The man's glazed eyes, the green and brown signs of incisions and injections, indicated subjection to different strains and doses and forms of ailar. For whoever had done this, this young man, looking much like Efren, was a guinea pig to experiment on. One of their people, stripped of their humanity, perverted by evil meddling with the very substance that was meant to give them their sense of community. Here, she could see where 'results over methods' really led. They wanted to protect the Muadh at all costs, but here was a victim of someone who didn't mind the extreme costs either for their own ends. Was this animalistic competition who gets whom first how they wanted the world to be for their people? They might survive, yes, but would they stay human then? And what was their own observation worth? They came all the way from the north to observe... this? And do nothing more?

[This a moment of mental trial, perhaps formative. Each of you must now make a Discipline or Cool Roll. One of your statements supports it ('Salvation through duty.' 'I speak for those who came before.' 'Results are more important than methods when it comes to protecting the Muadh', respectively). But the other ('Keep calm and trust your training.' 'My strength comes from my roots.' 'I want to understand the world and what it means to be human through observation.' respectively) contradicts it. The difficulty is Hard with a Challenge, upgraded to another Challenge by the contradictory Statement. Efren and Kiran receive additional Setback each from Threat because the corpses are Muadh. Success means they have managed to keep their doubts and emotions in check, at least for the time in the cave. Failure means they have to immediately roleplay an significant emotional reaction they couldn't have withheld despite precariousness of their situation. Triumphs and Despairs shall be resolved according to the Statement rules, with the latter leading to Skill or Statement loss, and the former to the Statement change as a new, different resolve. Pool cannot be used for this roll.]

[Kiran Alsahar]

They managed to keep their expression under control, but the emotional control hammered into them from childhood didn't stop the thoughts from swirling in their head. They weren't experiencing fear. It was a confrontation with two contradictory truths. They froze, staring down at the body, expression closed.

Emotional Challenge, Hard with 2 challenge,: 1eP+3eA+2eC+1eD+1eS 1 success, 1 threat

[Efren Lanville]

Efren's breath caught in his throat as he looked down, his heart pounding in his chest. He saw a face staring back at him, and for a moment, he thought he was looking at a distorted reflection of himself in the water. Slight panic surged through him, his blood running cold. He blinked rapidly, shaking his head to dispel the nightmarish illusion. But the face remained, and it bore an uncanny resemblance to his own.

His mind raced, struggling to comprehend the scene before him. The realization struck him like a blow, leaving him reeling. He had always wondered about his lost family, but he had never expected to find something like this when he actually came to the home of his birth.

But what disturbed him even more was the expression on the man's face. The body showed signs of brutal abuse but the man hadn't struggled, hadn't fought for his life. He had just... succumbed.

Efren's gaze traveled over the man's athletic body, so much like his own. This man could have fought back, could have tried to escape. But whatever he had been subjected to had broken his spirit. The resignation etched into his features was haunting.

A wave of sorrow and anger washed over Efren, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. These were his roots. His family. Where was their strength? What had happened to this man, and why had he given up? Efren's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening. He vowed then and there to find out who had done this, to bring them to justice. He would not let this stand... something needed to be done...

----

D1 Mental Struggle Cool: 3eA+1eP+2eC+1eD 3 failures, 3 advantage

[Ambrose Pantazis]

'It should've been me. Should've been me instead of my little brother. Why did I live and he die? Why did he pay for my vices?'

These thoughts were often suppressed, hidden behind a thin veneer of discipline and composure. There were plenty of times the veneer broke. The facade fell away and Ambrose would binge on self loathing, apathy, and wanton insobriety. However, here he couldn't hide behind apathy while it stared him in the face and didn't have anything to tip him off the wagon into welcome, ignorant bliss. So, he was left alone with righteous self loathing.

Nothing he could do would make up for what he had done, nothing would replace the potential he'd stolen away from his brother. Just as this young man's potential had been stolen from him. Left to float down a cave stream like flotsam. Used, carved up, and robbed of any dignity he might've found in a more honorable death. Dignity and honor Ambrose had taken from Demetrius.

With no inebriates to dull the senses, Ambrose was left with rage. He would make them pay, these dealers of debasement, death, and of dishonor. And he would pay right alongside them.

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D1, Evening, Scattered Bodies, Cool Emotions, 2adv for Boost: 1eP+1eA+1eB+2eC+1eD 1 failure

[Kannon]

The eerie silence reigned. However each of them processed it, it remained inward. In this volcanic cathedral of cyan light, with more winged gargoyles of the sea than any stonemason would care to carve, they stood in its catacombs as if sounds had no place there.

[Your choice what's next. If you just want to get out, we'll do a cinematic sweep.]

[Efren Lanville]

Efren looked to the other two.

It appeared that they had found what they came for and more...

He motioned silently with his head towards the exit, asking if they were ready to head back.

[Kiran Alsahar]

Efren looked to the other two.

It appeared that they had found what they came for and more...

He motioned silently with his head towards the exit, asking if they were ready to head back.

Kiran looked over at his expression and tentatively reached over and put a hand on his shoulder before nodding.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

Though he wanted to return some honor to these unfortunate souls, they were not in a position to recover the bodies and provide proper burial rites. Seeing the other two were of the mind to leave, Ambrose couldn't disagree with the decision.

Giving one last look over the body, he committed the young man's face to memory and made a quiet vow to bring these horrors to an end.

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(OOC)
Can I tell if there are any other incisions or any other organs that have been removed. Also, can I tell if where he was sewn up has began to heal? Did he live long after the removal of the liver? I know you can't live long without a liver, but assuming they could do some advanced Dune medicine to keep them alive.

Two working theories at this point is either the liver was removed to let Ailar flood the system and see the results or they flood the system with Ailar or something similar and then harvest the livers as part of making the new and improved Ailar.

[Kannon]

[Average Medicine]

[Ambrose Pantazis]

He studied the body, but between the decomposition and the predation by the manta birds, there was little other information he could glean.

There was a measure of peace knowing he tried, knowing these men's deaths wouldn't be completely in vain. Ambrose now had a cause. A purpose to pour his energies into and drive him onward.

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D1, Evening, Scattered Bodies, Medicine, 2adv for Boost: 2eP+1eA+1eB+2eD 0 successes, 4 advantage

4adv to recover strain if we're done rolling for this thread, otherwise I'll bank.
Player Pool: 3 Advantage, 1 Triumph

[Kannon]

The mantas didn't disturb them as they were leaving, their behaviour a subject for planetologists to study.

The way up was difficult but already predictable, and they were able to cover it without further accidents.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

After they surfaced and were free of the damnable cave, Ambrose called for the others to stop and take a break.

He pulled his medpac out of his kit and questioned Kiran, "Could you take a look at my hand? It's bothering me a bit and I'd like to get it taken care of before it worsens."

Turning to Efren he added, "Good job in there, quick thinking with the bait to attract the little ones."

[Kiran Alsahar]

After they surfaced and were free of the damnable cave, Ambrose called for the others to stop and take a break.

He pulled his medpac out of his kit and questioned Kiran, "Could you take a look at my hand? It's bothering me a bit and I'd like to get it taken care of before it worsens."

Turning to Efren he added, "Good job in there, quick thinking with the bait to attract the little ones."

"Yeah," they agreed quietly, coming over to take a look at the nick.

[Ambrose Pantazis]

"Thanks. It's probably nothing, but I don't want to risk an infection after crawling around in there.

Mysterious blue glowing fluids, electrically charged murdershrooms, bodies in decomposition. Never good for your health."

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(OOC)
Easy Medicine check for 01 critical. Emergency Medpac doesn't give any bonuses, but negates penalties for not having the right tools.

[Kannon]

They returned to the thopter camp with the news.

[End of Thread]