[Sanctuary Family]

Forest Girl, you are welcome here always. I believe we are both in a similar state today. I will make the waffles, Mimir has provided instructions.

Atreus, if you are not otherwise occupied, it would be good to have you here as well.

[TEXT TO KEITH]

» I have Kipp.
» I'm so sorry, Keith. Are you still at the station? We can come to you.

[TEXT TO ATREUS]

» Well today is turning out to be awful, isn't it? Vallo could give us a break.

[ VALLO PRIME, RESCUERS, & REBELS ]
Got what we were looking and more. No surprises, but we'll do a full debrief after dinner for anyone that wants it.

Magic types, you're going to be needed asap though. Meet you at the command room.

VALLO PRIME, RESCUERS, & FLIPPED REBELS

Full disclosure, I am not a full-time employee with the magic department at the DOA, but so many of us are gone and you are stuck with me, delivering good and bad news. Hello!

The good news is that thanks to the brilliant researchers in both our Vallos looking into where Bronislovas's resting place might be located on the other side of the portal, we're pretty damn sure of where it is, between his notes, so many books, and what info we got from Beketh. The thought is that it's within a cave system in one of the mountains by the city. Here's a map, for your reference:

[pretend there's a cool looking map here with probable mountains highlighted]

Unfortunately that's more or less all we can do on our side for now, so it's up to all of you fine people over there to pick up the trail. If we can do things, we'll do it, just let us know.

And now the bad news: the portal is causing some oddities. The portal monsters from a few months ago are back, seemingly being created by or summoned by the portal itself. If you have fighting skills of some sort but aren't already involved with defense, please reach out to Evie and Kara and they'll get you sorted as needed.

The other odd thing is that the area around the portal seems to be, for lack of a better way of putting it, turning into what we can only assume the other side of the portal looks like. Buildings are suddenly in disrepair and there's a lot of graffiti talking about your Revenants and how disliked they are, missing people posters, that kind of stuff. This started yesterday and the area affected has only grown today, so it would appear we're on even more of a timetable than we thought.

All right, that is all I have for the moment, so...go team?

SANS REVENANTS AND CO CAUSE THEY SUUUUUUUK

I know some people on the other side were worried about some of ours that were captured. We've gotten everyone back to base, a few injuries but nothing too serious. The extra numbers came in handy and we're grateful for the the help.

I'll admit I was focused on other things with the rescue on deck, and I'm sure a few others were too, but those who had a chance to talk in depth with Bronislovas, anything we should be moving forward with on our end to get everyone where they belong? We've got a few people who could use a couple days before doing something else that might cause a run in with the Revenants, but we're good to start working on a plan if there is one.

[VOICE POST: FILTERED TO FLIPPED VALLO REBELS, VALLO PRIME, AND RESCUERS GROUP.]

I speak into it? Just like this?

Like this?

Oh, oh. I see, fascinating. What marvelous aptitude civilization has in the year—no, wait, do not tell me the year. I would like to be surprised.

Ah, yes! Right! Hello, Valloians—or do you call them Valloites? What is the consensus you have all settled on these days? Yes, yes, certainly. Outlanders? I do like that one. Much better than the name I would have given you which would be

Outlanders! I am Bronislovas, First Regent of the Ivory Three, a proud member of the Beketh coven, and known to my students, none of whom are alive given the passage of time, as the Guide of Existence. Some of you seem to be in quite the issue with the portal, and to be of any assistance and not to be zapped by a raccoon

—As I said before, I would not mind a little zap. I'm interested to see—

To be of any assistance I am doing, is that the right word? Doing an ah-ma. Is that right? Is that how you pronounce the

Oh, the letters! I see. I will be doing an AMA. You may ask me anything.

[ooc: please assume all the comments are voice-to-text, Bronnie's not typing anything.]

[FILTERED TO VALLO PRIME, FLIPPED REBELS (THAT INCLUDES YOU ELI), & RESCUERS]

Testing, testing. Are you getting this? We're using my connection to the Black Lion and the quintessence tech in my arm to form a bridge between the networks. Basically, we're playing telephone through a giant sentient spaceship. Stop by and thank him for me? I'm sure he's stressed by all of this.

Anyway, assuming someone is reading this, on the other side of the portal is a parallel Vallo. We've made contact with a group of Outlanders here and confirmed that they are alternate versions of some of our lost people. Most of them have lived here for years and some have different memories of their home worlds. They've formed a rebellion against another group, made up of more of our lost people. They call themselves the Court of Revenants and they're the reason this message is filtered as best as I can get it.

Please be aware that Council members might look like someone you've lost, but they have apparently taken control of this Vallo through force and terror. There is a stalemate between the Council and the Rebels because any physical violence here creates what they call Echoes - spectral enemies that attack anyone close by and only stop when the fighting stops.

Now I'm sure you're wondering where our Outlanders are. I've been told the people here suffered a violent headache and a flash of memories that then faded when the portal opened on this side. It can't be a coincidence. I suspect our people are tangled up metaphysically with their counterparts. I have no idea how to separate them. If you have any theories, please don't be shy.

As for the rescue team, everyone is accounted for and safe. Our focus right now is planning a recovery mission. A few rebels were taken captive just before we arrived. Keith is We will get them back. In the meantime, please feel free to use this post to brainstorm and reconnect. Since I know it'll be a question on your minds, here is the list of the captured:

• Ashton Greymoore
• Dorian Storm
• Keith Kogane
• Luffy
• Nancy Wheeler
• Noctis Lucis Caelum

And a list of the Council and their allies:

• Caleb Widogast
• William Laurence
• Henry Townshend
• Kellach Donnallen
• Ostyia Rabalska
• Teddy Kaplan-Altman
• Billy Kaplan
• Abigail Blyg
• Lan Xichen
• Lee Thompkins
• Joshua Rosfield
• Julian Blackthorn
• Ronan Lynch
• Serefin Meleski
• Silas

Anyone not on either of these lists should be able to see and respond to this post. Okay, enough rambling. Time to see if this actually works.

Rebels + Vallo Outlander Arrivals

Okay this was all a lot today, but now that our [...] guests have been given the rundown, you all have your devices, we can answer some of your questions. I think we're all adjusting, so just bear with us. For some of us, it's been a long time since we've seen you. In some instances, if ever.

I'm also going to reiterate, please don't leave our location without bringing one of us with you. This isn't the Vallo you know and what we're dealing with is pretty shitty, so until we can figure out a larger plan, staying put is going to be safest. It's not just the Echoes. It's the people you think you know.

Alright, have your reunions and ask your questions.

[ooc note: posted right after portal appears/disappearances happen]

Um uh

Hey, anyone else in the city see that? I'm at the bookstore and was talking to Caleb and saw what looked like some massive creature just disappear through a portal, I think? It's hard to see through the buildings, but there's something going on and--



And is anyone else suddenly missing?? Because Caleb and Frumpkin were right here and now they're both gone.



ETA: People are missing with no list, but I figure someone will want to have one to keep track? So I'll add to this as people make mention.

Abi Blyg
Alex Stern
Ashton Greymoore
Billy Kaplan
Bucky Barnes
Caleb Widogast
Chetney Pock O'Pea
Dorian Storm
Edwin Courcey
Eli Grimsbane
FCG
Joshua Rosfield
Julian Blackthorn
Keith Kogane
Kir Agrupnin-Widogast
Lan Xichen
Lance Alvarez
Lee Thompkins
Matthew Lynch
Mike Wheeler
Monkey D Luffy
Nancy Wheeler
Nebula
Noctis Lucis Caelum
Ostyia Rabalska
Ronan Lynch
Sanji
Serefin Meleski
Silas
Teddy Kaplan-Altman
Tommy Shepherd

Huge thanks to everyone who helped tackle trying to get our sudden spacecraft up and talking to us yesterday. Been a while since I've gotten to do that whole thing, was kind of nice. Sadly we didn't get much out of it before a small fire erupted (that was not my fault thank you very much, Shiro). But uh - notes I guess if anyone was curious!

• So far no one has claimed it as something they recognize from their world.
• Which makes sense because what we did find points to having been in Vallo, at least a Vallo.
• There's directional mentions to some standard stuff but one to "THE FOREST" which we couldn't tell if that was something in the ship at one point or pointing towards a waypoint type thing like we have.
• We managed to get a message from the comms system before the fire:
This is Captain Alarie, Vorerra Squadron, requesting immediate assistance from Starship V.A.L.L.O. in— The rest was lost.
• Black lugged the ship back to the Castle of Lions so if anyone wants to scope it out or keep doing some work just hit us up!
• There were no signs of alien monster eggs or identity thieving slimes.
• Keith finally stopped crying tears of joy.
• Nevermind.

( I'm not saying I feel a crazy amount of vindication right now, but... )

I was downtown on a call with the station, when I came across part of a spaceship. Weird thing is that it looks like it crashed here? But awhile ago. I think we definitely would have noticed it being here though by now and I vaguely remember there being a boarded up building for rent around here before, but me and our station inspector can't find any evidence of it being under this beautiful hunk of junk. I called it into the city and the DOA (hi Shiro!) and I'm waiting to hear back something about that.

Weird Vallo thing probably?

The inside's wrecked, but the comms system looks like it might be salvageable. I'm not techy enough to work on this, but would love help figuring it out to see if we can maybe get some logs or security footage out of it. I was thinking about reaching out to Enki to see if Mei or anyone could lend us a hand if we don't have any Outlander brains on it.

ATTENTION ALL THOSE WHO HAVE COME ACROSS KITTENS WITH MOUTH TENTACLES!

Some of you might remember when I introduced my cat (Goose) about two years ago. Goose is an alien in the shape of a cat known as Flerken. All of the info on Thor's post is true of her species back home. Here in Vallo, Goose's more toxic elements - both the claws and more extreme uses of tentacles - have been dulled, presumably by whatever kind of magic Vallo likes to use to keep us here. I'm pretty confident the same will hold true for any of the kittens' toxic elements, too, and they should be ultimately harmless.

After rounding up the 39 begging for attention from Thor, I've picked out enough familiar patterns to say these ARE Goose's kittens. I don't know how many are here, but at last count, I'm seeing mention of 48 - that includes 39 from Thor, 4 from Atreus, 1 from Orym, 1 from Wanda, 1 from Darlington, and 2 from Ty. There could be up to 69 more running around Vallo.

If you've found one (or one has found you) and you feel comfortable holding onto them for the time being, great, but please drop a line here to let me know where you have them, just in case. If you don't feel comfortable, that's fine, too. Again, drop a line here, and I'll come by to pick them up. We have a safe space to keep them until we figure out what's going on.

Please don't attempt to kill them.

[Filtered to Ostyia Rabalska & Wanda Maximoff, posted in the evening]

There is a matter in the covens of which you should be aware. Today the Geliara and Prigany coven meetings were both interrupted by accusations of unethical necromancy. As you will recall, neither coven is typically in the habit of practicing necromancy of any kind.

In both cases, the accusations were made by members of the coven against other members of the coven, but vaguely so; no names were given. There was just enough evidence presented to compel both covens to end their meetings early and begin investigation of the matter.

I must note that it seems suspicious for two unrelated covens to be disrupted with the very same accusation at the very same time. I also cannot help but note that they are two of the covens known to be friendly to Outlanders.

Prigany and Geliara leadership have both assured me that they will notify us of their findings when their investigations are complete. Should you wish to conduct an investigation of your own, I will be happy to facilitate and schedule meetings with the relevant parties in the covens.
[/filter]

[Filtered to the DOA, after some conversation with Wanda and Ostyia]
Good evening. There is a matter which the Magic Division leadership would like to bring to the attention of the Department at large.

Today the Geliara and Prigany coven meetings were disrupted by accusations of unethical necromancy*. In both cases, the accusations were made by members of the coven** against other members of the coven, but vaguely so; no names were given. There was just enough evidence presented to compel both covens to end their meetings early and begin investigation of the matter.

Both covens' leadership have agreed to share the findings of their investigation with the DOA Magic Division. We are currently in the process of scheduling a meeting with them to obtain more details, and the Magic Division will also be making our own inquiries.


* Necromancy in Vallo is generally done only according to a set of regulations intended to prevent its abuse. These regulations were written by the Beketh coven (the coven which is typically the only one to practice necromancy) and agreed to by the other covens many years ago, and there has been no known attempt to circumvent these regulations in recent memory.

** Caralivia Elderwood (Prigany) and Gareth Vasiliev (Geliara). They are both established members of their covens, but not outstanding ones.
[/filter]

Lance and I just got done fighting a couple of weird chimera type of assholes with sharp hooks for arms in the forest. We were clearing some underbrush, when jumped us from the trees. They were uncomfortably close to the cabin, but wards kept them out. (Thanks Teela and Atreus.)

They can leap pretty far, they're also twice my height, and they like rushing you. So watch out, whoever's out in the forest. Sending coordinates to patrol now.

I intensely dislike the feeling of lost time.

I may have Druidcrafted a bit close to the sun, because our Christmas cactus is thriving more than anticipated. Does that mean the holiday just continues?

Speaking of holidays, with the new year coming up, it's hard not to think about how this is going to be my second one here with all of you and that's a lot to wrap my head around. It's been an eventful year, so I'm curious: what's your favorite thing that happened to you this year? Do you have anything you're looking forward to in the next year or any goals you're making?

DORIAN

Hi.

My entire life in Faerûn, I only ever encountered two mimics and both times it was rather our own fault for snooping around and looting every chest we came across. (I make no apologies.)

Never would I have imagined an inflatable man of snow being one, therefore rendering me very surprised when admiring some of the festive twinkle lights outside of a home. I will admit that the Fireball was overkill, but I'll be paying the homeowner back for the destroyed decorations that weren't all tooth-y and pseudopod-y.

The hangover is a little brutal this morning, but a toasty fire and this cash prize are fixing me right up. Thank you to everyone who worked on the race. It was incredible. Sometimes awful and terrifying? But only in the best way. Really, you guys are geniuses. I'm going to need that resort trip just to stop feeing twitchy every time someone comes around a corner too fast.

Great job to all the other racers too. I bombed last year, so please excuse me while I swim around in this win just a little longer. I won't rub it anyone's face.

Well maybe Atreus's face, but only a tiny bit.

Well, that was fun. Kind of dramatic but fun. And I guess now we have an engagement video, in a way?

Anyway, good luck to everyone out there participating in the race! Catra and I have plans to stay right here and soak up all the Finn time since we were Hallmark-ified for four days. But we're rooting for you!