ORIGIN - [Order vs Chaos] THE DISTRACTION

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ORDER VS CHAOS

THE DISTRACTION

Eridanus had been carefully chosen. First, it held at least two exits--unlike Cetus, which had been Mother's other consideration. Here, her smallest, fastest children would not wind up trapped in a dead-end. Second, there were at least two Masters linked to this cave--not directly, no, but they would sense this through the Eyes. And, as an added bonus... it would take them too long to arrive and intervene. Third, Astraea was often present here--not always, but often. It was an additional bonus, as the stag, given his element, was one of her greater concerns.

The task she gave her children now was simple. Most--the larger, powerful ones--would not be sent here. But the small, the quick and the nimble? They were to arrive here together, and--carefully, unseen--work hard and fast. They would be tasked with infiltrating Eridanus, corrupting as many Lessers and seeding as many new Hive nodes as they could, in order to draw the Masters's attention--and to spread Mother's influence.

"Be swift, be effective... and try to not be seen. Remain safe above all else, my children." This was it: her threads of hope and encouragement, the overwhelming desire for triumph, flickered up in each tiny little heart.

If Chaos sensed them here and sent its best fighters--well, that would leave her juggernauts to wholly claim another cave simultaneously. And if it disregarded this little infiltration-?

Then Eridanus would belong to Order.

Either way, Order won. Unless something happened that Mother had not accounted for.

The tagged Gembounds are being instructed by Mother to arrive and to roll for infesting Lesser Gembound and seeding Hive nodes throughout the cave. Their successful rolls will be added to the overall Order vs Chaos event tally. Other characters of any alignment are welcome to try and stop them.

Should they fail at most of their rolls, a Master will instead be alerted to the deception and will depart for the main assault thread.

See the Order vs Chaos Master Thread for scoring and more information!

If your character was not tagged and you think they should have been, contact Game Master Dark for info! It's possible I overlooked names, but bear in mind the stronger Order characters will be sent elsewhere.

SCORE TALLY
This will be updated as the thread progresses.

132

@Pallas @Ananke @Lamia @Jinyi @Halcyon @Yellow @Catalyst

She was there, mainly, to serve as support to the rest. She saw herself as a backbone to their magic, a buttressing force for their own power. Her ears swept this way and that, eyes wide, the rabbit ever-alert to danger.

But it was her magic, as she clung close to her allies, that mattered--and she called upon it now. It flickered up, strong enough, flaring out like some invisible cloak to brush over the gemstones and the power of all the Hive close by.

Your magic, she informed them, her triumph surging through the link alongside these musical words, is strengthened in my presence. I will carry Mother with us. I will carry Order!

Her zealotry rose up a notch, a surety in her heart--a maddened righteousness. They would serve their purpose here, today. They would gain the first true footholds against Chaos--and she would do her part.

Anyone near Ananke (within 10 yards, or ~30 feet) has their roll threshold raised by 1. Crit fail becomes fail. Fail becomes Barely Successful. Barelys become Successfuls. And Successes become Crit Successes. (This doesn't count for roll claims, though!)

Home.

After all this time, Eridanus was still where the lemur felt the most comfortable. They were made for navigating this dense jungle, their long, slender limbs allowing them to sail from tree to tree with ease. The rustle of ferns, the ubiquitous, cheerful noise of unseen creatures, the distant sound of bubbling streams, and the sweet, earthy smell of the air--all of it felt as familiar to them as breathing.

And now, they and their siblings would spread Mother's influence over the room; ensuring that it would become a haven of safety and Order, protected from the forces of Chaos (as it had not been before...). A place where Gembound could live and love without fear of senseless violence; fire and death.

They gathered an armful of huge red berries as they scrambled through the jungle, seeding each one with a tiny tuft of Mother's fungus. They offered a handful to Ananke as well, to distribute to whatever jungle creatures she found, or to snack on a couple herself if she wished. Then they raised their voice and magic, calling out in an imitation of the cheerful songs of Rainbow Spinners and Carollers whenever they gathered near a spot with plentiful food. The magic just barely caught, strengthened by Ananke's magic nearby, and the sound of chirps and cheerful chattering carried into the jungle. Then, Yellow arranged their berries in evenly-spaced concentric circles over the ground nearby, pausing every so often to pick one up and rearrange it if the spacing was unsatisfactory. They kept a few in their hand, too, to feed to any especially friendly birds that might approach them.

A trio of Rainbow Spinners were already descending to peck at the berries on the ground; hopefully, more would come with time. Yellow knew their magic had not been strong this first attempt, but they would not stop trying until Eridanus was theirs. Already, they were preparing to sing out another line of birdsong.

Jinyi was here, with several bags of chips.

He did not scatter these over the ground as Yellow had done with their berries; their appearance contrasted too sharply with the moss and dirt of the jungle floor and it would have offended his sense of Order. Instead, he intended to use his magic to attract the ubiquitous lesser Gembound in the area, and simply feed them the chips.

It was like going to a petting zoo, except he was actually being productive. Jinyi loved his job.

First things first, though. Mother's influence would need to be spread not only through the addition of lesser spies, but through a more stable way. With the help of Jinyi and the other Hive members here, they could root her fungal web in the very earth they stood on. Eridanus' humidity and warmth would be perfect for the growth of fungus; and surely a place as lush with life as this jungle would have no problem nourishing a new node for the Hive. (Door-to-door chips salesmen were generally not educated in soil science, and did not know just how nutrient-poor the soil in a jungle tended to be. But no matter. The Hive would work together to find the nodes the food it required, as it did in Ursa.)

Jinyi selected a place a good distance away from where Yellow had spread their berries, not wanting to frighten any smaller lessers with his more imposing shape, and bent down to brush his fingers on the moss-covered soil. His magic sparked and sent new mycelium weaving through the damp substrate, though it did not multiply as quickly as he would have liked. But he was nothing if not patient. The process was started, and though its progress might have been slow, their fervent work would ensure that nothing could stop them.

Catalyst swept through Eridanus silently, finally feeling in her element. The earth was warm beneath her feet, and the air was a warm, sticky humid. It had been so long since her scales had felt it. Now she had returned to Eridanus, a thick clump of Mother clutched in her mouth. Pride at being trusted with such a task swelled through her. Through the link she could feel her siblings, mostly in a clump, as they also helped to spread Her influence. Catalyst was not with them.

Bold as she was, Catalyst had broken off from the team. It was a risk, but one she'd be willing to take ten times over for her Pack. She had not yet converted to Her element, which proved a boon in this situation. She would not reek as much of Order as her family. Normally she yearned for it, too afraid to make the jump, but also yearning for the ever closeness that it would bring. But now? It was only a net benefit. It would take longer to spot her. And thus, her node. She wanted assurance that, even if her siblings nodes were found, hers wasn't.

Catalyst paused in her silent sprint through the undergrowth. Her breath came in purposely small puffs of air. Catalyst's gaze flicked around, bird-like, as she checked her surroundings for danger. Nothing. She continued her sprint. Twice she nearly attracted attention. She had almost set off a group of carollers, and then afterwards hopping on a rotting log. But she had reached her goal A hollow moss-draped log, great enough for her to fit in. It stretched above a ditch in the earth. This would be perfect. Catalyst shoved herself in, as deep as she could go, and gently let the clump go. "We will thrive here, Mother!" She whispered eagerly.

Their compatriots were clever in the execution of their tactics: properly distributing nodes throughout the cave instead of concentrating them in a single area, attracting new Lessers to the ranks of the Hive by offering tainted examples of their food source, and introducing the Order's structural glory to the very root system present. All would do well in ensuring a steady and reliable conversion to the proper way life was supposed to be. But while these, certainly effective, did wonders for long-term outcomes, speed had been deemed a key goal in this operation too. Therefore it fell to Halcyon to pick up the pace, relying on their fondness for perfection to balance out the risks that needed to be taken so everyone's efforts could reap reward sooner.

This plan became clear as they observed the chip merchant coax the earth to Mother's influence; as one nurtured below, someone else would need to tend to matters above. A few sacrifices of the trees already grown here would bolster the production of fungi in the shorter term, and if the infection was concealed deep within foliage, it'd take some time before the white webbing could be noticed and the spread of spores prevented.

A keen eye scanned surroundings for the tallest and sturdiest of specimens to scale. Singling out one whose scored bark spoke of age and whose tremendous circumference related how well it had thrived in Eridanus's climate, Halcyon approached the giant with small, careful steps. Claws prodded about for appropriate foot- and handholds in order to give themselves the best possible starting position for their clamber.

Here their multi-purpose design truly shone, capable of handling this mode of travel as effortlessly as they would running or swimming. Digits flew over the trunk as the Drone scrambled up its height. Limbs latched around the thickest of the tree's own and swung Halcyon from one branch to the next. Once the canopy had all but swallowed their shape, the glint of golden glowing fins through leaves the only hint to their position, the ascent halted. Well-composed, their breathing unlabored by physical exertion, they traversed the final branch on all fours to where it met the trunk and rested a hand against the bark there.

Claws curled in and dug beneath the hard exterior. They pried it loose, secured their grip, and ripped the section free with a sharp inhale. An attempt was made to access their connection to Order to sprout a tool from their palm, but it failed to manifest—having taken themselves well outside of Ananke's range, her magic had not been able to lay a blessing upon theirs.

I'll require some assistance, they communicated across their mental link. A figurative thumbtack marked their current position, a picture of their task accompanying it. Someone to establish the fungus while I do more manual labor.

Mild disappointment laced their thoughts at having been delayed due to performance issues. They'd simply have to try again with greater haste to make up for the time lost.

She slid alongside the others, round eyes focused on the forestry ahead. She had barely left Ursa since her transformation, so she had never had the chance to visit the Maw of Mosses. She'd hoped that they would be sent to Cetus, a room she was more comfortable, and familiar with, but she conceded that it would not be wise. Only one escape root for the creatures on land and Aquarian in the waters she would be swimming in put her (and the other aquatic drones) in great danger. This was the safer option, but she had to admit that the lack of waterbound escape routes made her nervous. She still wasn't fully used to being able to breathe air and travel across the ground on her own.

But this place, it was beautiful. Damp and heavily populated by greens and browns and flecks of colors. She allowed herself a moment to look around at the greenery before she started forward again to catch up with the others. This was not the time for exploration or observation. They had a job to do.

As they went deeper into Eridanus, Lamia sent the crystalline magic through her arm, little white puffs and spores sprouting on her arm. Every so often she would pause, reach into a fallen log or into a bush or fern or between the roots of trees, shake off some of the spores, and then continue on. Spreading little bits of the fungus as she went, not too much to notice, hopefully, but the Lessers passing through would pick it up and carry it through the rest of the cave. Hopefully.

As she caught up with the rest of the group, having lagged behind a bit, she watched as they began to split in different directions to spread Order in their own ways. She was prepared to follow Ananke, perhaps to go to the Eyes (she had heard the name through the link to Mother), but then she heard Halcyon's request and quickly turned to join them, body low to the ground so that she was like a snake sliding through the foliage. I will help you, Halcyon, she spoke through the link. Be quick, and quiet, and I'll spread Order where you drill.

@Halcyon (for visibility)

ORDER VS CHAOS

THE DISTRACTION

Somewhere in Orion, a stag's head lifted.

Ruby eyes swung toward the Tunnel I entrance, and narrowed; nostrils flared.

"...He does not dare." But it came with a thread of doubt. He did dare, didn't he..? This one who called himself "mother" to the hapless orphans here, in order to manipulate them to his cause?

The stag turned, sweeping for the tunnel, hooves clicking rapidly on the rock. In moments he'd broken into a run--undignified, but... necessary--bounding for Eridanus.

Beneath the Eyes, threaded down through boiling tunnels that reached, in turn, to cold black depths, another mind took note. This one no longer had a route to Eridanus, not one that would not necessarily entrap her again, and she narrowed eyes that sat on waving stalks. "What is this?" she demanded, of her empty throne room. "WHOSE WORK IS THIS?"

Rage flooded her.

They dared? Here, now--they DARED?

She seethed, and began to claw her way outward--out, and up, for the surface.

The distraction, thus far, is successful. Gembounds have one more posting turn to spread as much Order as they can before Astraea's arrival, and five in total before Farina finds a way to intervene.

This next round, more successes than failures will draw all attention to Eridanus, sparing the forces of Canis from potential obliteration. More failures than successes will arouse suspicion in the Masters, and put Canis at risk, though Mother's Canis group has now been granted more time to act either way.

SCORE TALLY
This will be updated as the thread progresses.

@Pallas @Ananke @Lamia @Jinyi @Halcyon @Yellow @Catalyst

The white rabbit, pleased thus far with what they'd all wrought, hopped forward. Her inner priestess was coming out, now, and she spoke along the link with encouraging, enthusiastic zealotry.

We can do this. This cave is already ours; they are too slow to have stopped us. This strike on two fronts was genius, Mother... They never saw it coming. It's nearly ours!

It wasn't the most coherent speech, but the excitement in it, the savage victory in her thoughts, were intense.

She looked out, then, with all her senses, seeking one of the more social Lessers of the cave. A bird--one overhead, one within reach, perhaps-? Something that would bring an infestation back to its kindred. She released her other magic; the others had been boosted once, and now she would press her powers elsewhere.

Ananke focused, for a long moment, straining as her eyes locked on one of the shimmering, rainbow-looking birds. A moment later its eyes went blank, and it flittered down--with some difficulty--to land before her.

Ananke directed it to nibble at the fungus--and then released it back to the 'sky.' "That is one," she murmured aloud, softly.

Catalyst's heart swelled in time with Ananke's speech. It didn't matter what the words said, no. All that mattered were her emotions. Her feelings. And they bled through to Catalyst, 'til they were her own. No, they always had been her own. Her tail flicked to and fro in anticipation, claws curling. She watched Mother's newly planted Node with wild eyes, pupils blown in artificially bloated joy and triumph. Nearly ours, she echoed through the link. "Nearly ours!" She whispered to herself, an excited timbre infecting her voice. Emboldened, she stuck her head beneath her arm, ripping out a clump of Her that grew from Catalyst's own body.

She was not done, there was still more to be done for Mother. She began the search again. A lesser to sustain Mother's new node. She stalked the jungle til she found a group of jungle deer grazing their way through the undergrowth. It was only their movement that gave them away. Catalyst immediately lowered herself, crouching until her forearms scraped the forest floor. Her lips curled in anticipation, a hint of her white, sharp teeth showing. She was familiar with these. A jungle deer would suit Mother's purposes perfectly. Too agile to be easily caught, nimble and camouflaged. Not to mention it would just be fun to run down. Catalyst rested her head on the floor, but her eyes never left the miniscule herd as she lay in ambush.

As they crept closer, her legs tensed, her arms digging into the substrate. And as soon as one wandered within range, she burst from her hiding spot. She shot straight for the closest jungle deer, and caught up to the surprised creature quickly. After all, her ambush had been perfect. Things had been going perfectly since she got here. At least, that's what she thought. Her first mistake had been forgetting she held Mother's fungus in her jaws. As she opened her mouth to clamp onto the jungle deer and restrain it, she inhaled the clump of fungus, choking on it and coughing spores around her own face.

The deer given Catalyst's self-sabotage easily darted out of the way. Unfortunately for Catalyst, it dodged into her path rather than away, giving it the perfect opportunity to trip her. She squawked as she tumbled over it, landing face up in the dirt, hissing in pain. The jungle deer, seemingly as shocked as she had been at this turn of events, simply stared at her for a solid few seconds. Catalyst herself stared up at the canopy blankly. Overcome with embarrassment, she eventually turned on the staring jungle deer and hissed at it. That was all it needed to flee. Like a ghost it vanished into the undergrowth, never be seen again.

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