ORDER VS CHAOS

RALLYING CRY

One by one new consciousness flickered up like embers sparked in darkness, linking to the greater flame. New voices, new minds, spread like threads of heat along the shared link of the Hive.

It was finally happening.

The green light shone across the pristine flanks of Ursa Major: no alpenglow, but rather an eerie illumination into which the first of them would at last emerge.

The symmetrical Clearstone chrysalises deep within the Hive were hatching, cracking. And as each broke, Mother sent her Praetors and her Cleaners to bring them to her to greet them in turn, and then to escort them up to the surface. All the while, her mind was caressing their thoughts, her words whispering gently. A warm tide of love, of approval, of encouragement and pride, lapped at their own emotions, eroding what they might have otherwise become. And filling those hollowed spaces, instead, with Mother.

"My beloved children. My newest champions. You will be stalwart forces of good Order against the madness of Chaos."

They were led to the snowy ground above, and the rest of the Hive was summoned. "Come and see. Come and meet one another. Gather. And then..."

Strength trickled through that link. A determination that was not theirs suffused them nonetheless: a promise of victorious battle, of righteous victory. "...And then I wish you to train. Teach one another. Learn what it is to fight."

She guided them to come to the surface, to learn one another. And then: two of them--she cared not which--would designate themselves Generals, and the rest would split equally into their little armies. The Generals and their forces would do battle.

Not to win or lose, of course... but to learn...

"...for soon, we go to war."

---

This thread is open to all in-character members of The Hive. Corrupted or other characters are welcome to attempt to infiltrate, spy or happen upon the gathering, which may grant the forces of Chaos a benefit in future events--but in doing so they run the risk of being captured, converted or killed should a Hive member roll successfully to detect them.

Magicka Bonuses. For rolls within ORDER VS CHAOS event threads such as this one, Order/Chaos characters may claim additional magicka. These claims should only be made after thread completion.

Order characters may claim Hivemind: +10 magicka for completed thread claims for each Host/Drone present in the thread (so 6 Hosts/Drones present means each* can claim +50 magicka in total for the other 5).

Corrupted characters (or members of the Chaos Forge group) may claim Chaotic Rampage: Critical Fail and Critical Success roll bonus magicka from any Corruption/Chaos-aligned character may be claimed by all Corrupted/Forge characters present in the thread.*

* Please note that all Magicka rewards, including these bonuses, can only be claimed once per player, as is usual in group threads (though all characters count toward the bonuses). Simply add the additional magicka amounts to your usual thread claim amount when claiming in Magicka Market.

@Pallas @Ananke (Bone) @Lamia @Jinyi @Halcyon @Yellow @Catalyst @Orthus @Ace @Juggernaut @Alcina @Elysium (Scorn)

The first thing Alcina did after hatching was be bathed in Mother's love. The second thing she did was leap upon the scattered fragments of her chrysalis, lining the chunks up in orderly rows and columns. She has to be nearly dragged away by Mother's insectoid workers to get her to stop, but once she's out of that room she calms down.

Mother's gentle touch leads her down halls and corridors, and the prospect of meeting fellow siblings eggs her on. Before long, she's running up and down the tunnels to get to the surface as quick as possible. Charging out to greet family, Alcina sends piled snow flying as she halts on the mountain slopes.

I'm here! We're here! she throws down the link for the rest of the Hive to hear. She's the first one there, but she can tell more are coming. Mother has summoned the Hive, and wouldn't they follow Mother like she did?

After emerging from her Fun-induced chrysalis, Rena had felt rather… insecure. Not only had she been knocked back into her stone before she could even react, she had emerged changed. Her pale, translucent form had been marred with two massive black wings, and though she could not see herself well, she could feel that their placement was haphazard and senseless. She had not tried flying—she wasn’t sure if she even could fly with these things, or if a sideways worm hurtling horizontally through the sky was simply impossible and she would crash to the ground and be knocked into a chrysalis again as soon as she tried.

At least they were symmetrical.

But she could not ignore Mother’s call now. The excitement infected her very being, driving her to skitter to their meeting-place on the mountainside. There, she waited with nervous anticipation, pincers clacking incessantly. She felt Alcina’s approach, watched in awe as the Warbeast emerged. Sibling, she thought, warm and welcoming but with an undercurrent of tension. Would they accept her new appearance, marred as it was by the presence of those great black wings?

She would fight, she thought. She would train and serve and devote her whole being to the Hive. She just hoped that devotion would be seen and accepted.

It was a strange sensation, knowing your siblings but not actually knowing them. She had never, for example, actually met Rena, yet the distant thoughts and imagery from this one were not unfamiliar. She knew, vaguely, that Catalyst had been the one to find her but past that-?

She sidled over toward the worm-creature, eyeing the strange wings, as they waited for their kin to emerge. "Hello," she greeted softly, primly, but her heart was warm and open. Family! They were family, here, at last gathering... It was like coming home.

It was coming home.

She waited, whiskers quivering, as the hatching began, as others arrived. All the while she sat quiet, preparing the ground around her and gazing blank-eyed off at the mountain. Her attention wasn't where her gaze was pointed: it was inward, along the link. Excitement thrummed as she felt first one, then another, then a third voice join their blessed chorus.

How lovely!

It was like a picture coming into focus, all the sounds and images of the various viewpoints slowly coming together until they were all nearly one.

How... perfectly orderly.

Ananke basked in it, content, and waited to see how she might best be of use.

Bone heard the call from a distance, the whisper of Mother along their link drawing her to the mountain. She was midair when she heard it, and turned, heavy wings thudding at the air to lift her higher.

The white dragon had to squint through the icy air, nostrils flaring against the spattering of sparse snowflakes; but soon enough she saw the place that she was looking for. She slowed, banking, and rather than land she circled quite some distance overhead in enormous, lazy circles.

I will keep an eye on our surroundings, for now, she assured the Hive, with a feeling of warm protectiveness. It seemed best to ensure their new siblings were kept safe, and she could best do that from high in the air above. But that didn't mean she didn't indulge herself in meeting them: she threaded her mind deftly through the links provided, viewing through Ananke's eyes, and others, as the first of the siblings emerged. And viewed, too, their long ascents through the ice tunnels to the surface.

There was gentle amusement, and respect, for Alcina's attempts to order even the fragments of her chrysalis: truly, this was a child of Order, and one that would do them all proud. Her love--like a sisterly hug--reached along the link for that one, warmth and humor offered as a gift, before Bone turned her mind back toward keeping watch, for now.

As multiple threads of consciousness weaved themselves into the vast network of the Hive, it came to the surprise of no one familiar with its workings the extra sensations introduced to the collective. To fellow older Drones, images flitted across each new link, echoes of sights and sounds they too might have experienced in their earlier cycles: the chill of Ursa, the tunnels perfectly maintained, and the numerous diligent Workers skittering inside whose jobs never ceased. So many comforts of home repeated by newer minds, but even so they were accompanied by thoughts that, while similarly fond of them, were wholly unique in design from their seniors'.

These could be the cheers of the Warbeast plowing through the gathered powder all the new arrivals would come to know as snow. They could also be the wave of tension building at the end of another link, first felt as a prod against the surface of others' brains, then growing to a persistent itch which demanded absolute acknowledgment of its presence.

Walls. Walls, it grumbled. Too much. Too much. Too close.

The escorts marching lockstep to either side of him did nothing to assuage the building discomfort. If anything, the proximity of their bodies to his only contributed to the existing issue. Joints which had no choice but to be folded in close to flanks screamed, yearning to be stretched. Space limited, his eyes gazed ahead and had no opportunity to be directed in a curious glance side to side.

Get me out. Get me out. Get me out of here! was the chant he fell into, stepping for what seemed like forever up a rising slope toward Mother's promised freedom. Climbing until light might penetrate the darkness of the tunnel.

Eternity reached an impossible end once fresh wind-chilled air tickled at nostrils. Swift as a breeze changes directions, distress converted to elation, pure and bolstered by purpose. His heart soared despite feet remaining planted on ice, and though his insectoid companions stuck to their slow procession to the surface, he could not stand patience any longer.

Outside, the mountainside quaked, snow tumbling off its ridges. From one of the nest's wider entrances, a sound like that of rolling thunder greeted the gathered witnesses. This was the single warning before the scene to follow, announcing to any sensible soul nearby to move away lest they be bowled over. Whoever didn't—well, it'd be their funeral.

"And then there was flight!"

Bellowing to the heavens itself, a pale and almost serpentine shape surged out to meet the day. Wings snapped out as soon as its narrow torso cleared restricting rock and caught the swirling frigid currents like they were old acquaintances. Together they wheeled about, somersaulting over and over in the air, until at last Ace settled into a comfortable glide above everyone in attendance. He laughed, a toothy grin conveying obvious pleasure at the new surroundings.

"About damn time we got out here!" he crowed. "No more tight spots cramping my style, and all the dumb Chaos knuckleheads for us to crack open. Isn't that right, sister!"

Only an absolute idiot would get caught out in Ursa, carrying the stink of the black spire and all its corruption. There was at least one dragon converted by the spores (if it still lived) and it could easily kill a cat that got too curious for its own good.

Cccrrrack.

AND THEN THERE WAS FLIGHT! -- IGHT!-- IGHT!-- ight!-- ight...

Make that at least two dragons.

Cain wasn't a complete moron. It didn't even like Ursa-- too cold, too wet, too... unnaturally white. The Overseer tended to avoid traveling through Ursa for longer than it had to, sweeping through either the northern end or the eastern edge. Anything to avoid traveling too close to the mountains.

But the roar and the thunder drew attention, and Cain-- though clever and not at all an idiot, was still at least half-cat. Its Master thought this to be a good trait, even if its predecessor had died and its clutchmates were all markedly useless. (Though they were not all half-cat, they had been tainted by the sheer presence, one assumed.)

The air above Ursa Major was plagued a sickly green in the distance, as Cain landed in the snow from far enough away that it could not so much as pick out more than a pair of white specks circling the sky. It huddled in the snow looking like a lesser hare, wings pressed flat to its body and black ears tilted back to hide them. It felt safe enough at the distance it was, and did not dare take flight toward the gathering, nor approach on foot.

First, it needed to take stock of what was happening. Numbers. It could press its magic if it needed, maybe bring a sacrificial lamb (so to speak) in for a closer look. It would want a safer place to leave its body, if that was the case. No. For now, it simply reached out with its magic, grasping for the specific tone and energy of Clearstone.

It was akin to looking at a hotspot. A little pinprick of light shining at the clearing, far far away. Like squinting at an ant hill from across the yard as diligent workers poured out into the sunlight. (Perhaps a too accurate take.)

... Cain's claws dug into the snow. It did not have the resources to fight or defend against the spores. It hadn't even attempted to take one on (as, risking itself seemed too dangerous, given its usefulness and cunning. Master Vargas would never catch it if it was converted, and it knew how powerful a spy and an assassin it was.) And yet, whatever was going on could be over before it had time to fetch anyone else. Valuable information could be lost.

(cain is in ursa but not on the mountain, cannot see anything that isn't flying very obviously above the gathering spot, and definitely cant hear anything short of a dragon shout. feel free to try and spot it if you have a good reason, but note that anything coming toward it would be separating from the rest of the group)

Most births are a tragic, traumatising thing- an ugly necessity of life, made to be forgotten. Evicted from the womb always too early, left cold and wet and alone surrounded by uncaring rock and creatures they will never truly know. It is common, when a horrible thing is treated as commonplace, for the rejection of all alternatives- it is hard to accept the fact that one has been robbed of what they deserve, because to acknowledge loss is to acknowledge grief; No one has time for mourning.

But Juggernaut’s birth was not an eviction, but a transference.
The moment consciousness sparked, even before its hatching, it knew it was not alone. The mere presence of a mind was enough to let them in, so many voices and thoughts and feelings- but one voice, one will, louder than them all. From the womb, to Mother. From droplet into ocean.

From frying pan, into fire.

And the chrysalis crumbled finally, as if the weight all the voices had been the thing to weaken it and not the massive body it had held for so long. He felt no fear, no confusion: he knew exactly what he was made for, what he was and what he would become. Despite his new limbs he steadied himself quick, balance made easy by his anatomy. He began his march forward, ignoring the mess he had left behind. Perhaps if he had hatched a little earlier, he would’ve joined Alcina in her cleaning (or rather attempted to, and discovered how little he was able to interface with the world around him without breakung something). But without a prompt, he simply followed Mother’s will.

Mother filled his mind entirely, and he understood himself as a vessel. There she would stay, and Juggernaut would protect the part of her that lived there until death. He was her son, her champion and her shield. He followed the call, his entrance heeded by the warmth he sent down the line. He may not have been able to meet Mother's in strength, but he did so in spirit.

He found himself among others and larger than average. A sister, face of holy symmetry; He found kinship in another new mind. Two more, older than he. An eye blinked at Rena’s wings. Was she of mother’s design as well? The dark, leathery limbs seemed out of place. He could barely see the rabbit amongst the crowd, but he could feel the anticipation thrum out from her tiny body. He felt another- more distant, as she circled them from above. He wanted to meet Bone too, soon, but he’d give it time.

The most recent to arrive, one it saw dipping from the sky, seemed new too. He was… different, certainly, amidst the gentle welcomes and the warm excitement. Ace’s mind burned fiercely, a blaze in the snow. ‘Damn?’ it echoed the word in its mind with confusion and faint concern. Juggernaut wasn’t sure what it meant- it felt jarring, and it didn’t like hearing it. His brother seemed stranger, but he wouldn’t hold that against him.

Orthus would be one of the latter ones to arrive. Despite literally just being born, it was already as lethargic as an aged man. After it was born, it would lie in its shards for a while, before turning hungry eyes onto them, and methodically scooping them up into its jaws and swallowing. It heard the rousing words from Mother, the emotions and voices flooding the link, but already stubborn as a mule, it refused to move. Instead it preferred to carve at the ice caverns of its home, enjoying the rough texture as it sheared them away. Only after insistent goading from the Praetors and Cleaners did it rise on one of its pairs of limbs, with a great heave and a rumble. Only then did it begin to follow.

It felt the urge to sulk, but it felt an equal urge to follow Mother. So it took the best of both worlds. As it moved, it took its time. It slowed or stopped to bite paired chunks out of the tunnels, humming a pleased tune at the textures and symmetry of the place. Its jaws were full, but its thoughts were free. The excited threads of thought wove through its mind, and it eventually found itself keen to see its siblings. It wanted to know who made these thoughts, who warmed its mind with these feelings of pure excitement and warmth, as it followed Mother's workers. As they emerged into the pale white of Ursa it squinted against the brightness of the outside assaulting its senses. But somehow, it had expected this. Orthus' bright red eyes scanned its siblings, each so unique and perfectly shaped.

"So many of you..." Orthus said, and even it did not know if it were a stated complaint or pride at its range of siblings. Perhaps both. Orthus reached down with its massive jaws, and scooped up a hunk of snow. Only to immediately spit it out, coughing flakes all over the ground. "Ack!" It complained. "So soft! No substance at all! Horrid!" It continued, scooping up another mouthful of the awful snow and swallowing. "Will I get to eat something crunchy again in this 'training'? All this walking has built up my appetite."

Once, not so long ago, when they had been summoned to report upon their own progress and see these Drones growing within their chrysalises, a thought had occurred to them while they'd observed each carefully designed creature: the difference of their functions, how varied their needs might be, how much care would have to be taken in order to ensure a sense of absolute belonging in the Hive. Not a single doubt had crossed their mind that pondering this was necessary, and so for days since they had mentally prepared themselves for the moment now at hand. Whenever not occupied with tending to Gemini, time had been spent in quiet meditation, proposing problems and tackling them from all angles they could conceive of.

It might not have been enough. Alas, without the gift of clairvoyance, such exercises would likely never be quite enough to account for all situations that might arise. Nevertheless, they'd tried their best as was the expectation for their assigned duties. Resting on their haunches in the snow, hands clasped as was their customary position, they had waited patiently alongside the rest of their brethren for Mother's soldiers to clamber into the light. Traced the newly formed links as they sparked with signs of lively thought. They'd followed each Drone's movements with a keen fascination born of also being Mother-made, seeing that whole orderly world anew through a multitude of eyes.

Yes, they decided, these were indeed rather different from those they were already acquainted with. Some vastly more so than others. But their devotion to Her remained the same, ever strong and unyielding. Those similarities would be the key to victory, both in battle and out. They'd reinforce what was already there, fill in whatever cracks developed in armor to preserve their perfect design, and encourage these warriors of Order to the heights they were destined to reach.

Something crunchy, Halcyon mused, rising to their feet and assuming their usual straight-backed posture. A finger delicately stroked the goatee-like fin protruding from their chin. I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to accommodate that request. Perhaps some of Ursa's denizens would meet your taste if we removed the softer bits, such as the fur, and left behind the harder like bone? A lighter snack than what might be preferred, but I hesitate to impede any of Mother's work unintentionally.

Rock would be better, they suspected, but offering a bite of the nest's exterior seemed far from ideal.

How fare the rest of you? I imagine travelling such a great distance is quite the famishing ordeal.

Best to handle this now before the work began, else hunger might cause a distraction.