Krusnik Mission Log (CONTENT WARNINGS AHOY)

[kaisoumods]

Krusnik Mission Log

CONTENT WARNINGS: The following log will involve discussions of kidnapping, stalking, child abuse, and human experimentation. Proceed with caution.

So let's take a moment to recap: amongst the numerous groups connected to the paranormal, one of the more infamous ones is Krusnik. For years, Krusnik's name was synminonous with the darkest parts of the world. Known for taking children no one would miss and other such people to do God only knows what to them, they're a group that seemed more like a horror story than anything real. There's been many efforts to try to stamp them out, some more successful than others, but they always managed to slink away into the shadows and survive another day.

In the past, Krusnik didn't usually go stateside. Too much risk, was the theory. However something must have changed, as they've decided to try their luck in Kaisou. Perhaps it was the active Spirit Vein that led them here, or more possible... the otherworlders that no one would think twice about if they disappeared. Gaining their hands on some of those would be a great benefit to Krusnik. And if they happen to get their hands on one or two escaped prisoners in the process...well. So much the better.

Like hell they will.

Thanks to the combined work of many factions and people; the alarms have been sounded. Alba, the researcher who asked for help a few times, has been revealed to actually be Georg Weissmann - a high ranking member of Krusnik. Now it's time to gather the wagons, make sure those vulnerable are protected, and as for Krusnik itself? It's time to root out these demons wearing human-skin once and for all.

Within the City

While only one Krusnik member had been identified in July, it turns out there's a sizable crew of them within the city. There's several operatives scattered throughout the city. Alba himself is no where to be found in the city, but plenty of his lackeys are. They primarily target the young (or young looking), though it's possible they may go after some slightly older people if they have particularly strong magical energy. It's never very many of them at a time, usually only one to three, and they seem to be focused in areas with a high concentration of supernaturally inclined people (except, notably, the Zodiac apartments and Cathedral Hill). Usually they will attempt to strike when they think someone is alone or their guard is down, so staying in groups and making sure there's someone keeping constant watch is a good way to deter them.

Though the groups are small, they are dangerous in their own right. All of them have been trained for combat to an extreme amount. Not only that, but they have magical abilities in some form or another, some who may rival the Libra app users thanks to years of experiments done to their bodies. Their modus operandi leans towards using stealth tactics to get the jump on their target. Not wanting to make their presence too known while in the city, they will tend to flee if they're met with a confrontation that'll draw attention. These aren't people who can be reasoned with, as they are nothing short of fullblown fanatics to their cause. Though, if you wish to capture and get information about their operation in the city, certain interrogation methods aren't out of the question.

In Hyrule

Hyrule was a dangerous enough realm on its own, but the presence of Krusnik operatives have heightened that danger even further for some. Just like in Kaisou, they will try to strike potential targets when they see an opening in groups of one to three. Since they are away from the prying eyes of the city, these Krusnik members will be more willing to have more drawn out fights in order to obtain their targets. Most of them are more than willing to fight to the death for their cause and have the combat ability to back that up, so you best be prepared for a challenging fight.

However should you manage to capture some of them alive, it may be possible to obtain information about their operation using interrogation tactics. As it turns out the leader of their operation and the target of the Black Order, Weissman, is in Hyrule itself. He's set up camp at the Coliseum Ruins in the southeastern part of the Hyrule Fields. The Black Order has been ordered to kill him on sight, so that'll be their destination. If there's anyone looking to dissuade them from carrying out their mission, they're going to have a tough argument to sell.

When you arrive there, you'll find that the place is covered in a red sludge that is toxic and painful to the touch. You'll have to do your best to avoid contact with it as much as you can. Once you get into the coliseum itself, well, it turns out Weissmann knew you'd be coming for him. This isn't the first attempt to take him out, after all. So as soon as you step into Coliseum, Weissmann will call down to you from his ledge he's using as his vantage point. Before you can react, he'll cast a spell that conjures an evil-looking eye before everyone who looks upon is magically immobilized. Now that he has a captured audience, he'll go into a full villainous speech mode. From mocking the Black Order's shortcomings, to emphasizing that all Krusnik is doing is trying to unlock humanity's full potential. "You could have the power of gods," he says "But instead you hold yourselves back with pointless barriers you call morals". He'll even callously speak of the "progress" the former victims have made: first lamenting that Johan would give up the power of his possession after failing to control it - a true failed experiment. Subject Zero, he notes, has clearly allowed her growth to stagnant while in the outside world. Kohinata, on the other hand... well, the Water Spirit he possessed himself with was weaker than Weissman would like, but it was still some progress.

When he's finished saying his rage-inducing, sociopathic piece - he'll decide that's time to finish you all off. Not by his hand, but rather the Silver Lynel he found living in these ruins. It's a massive centaur beast, wielding a claymore emitting flames. He'll release it from his spell, which it's now angry enough to charge and attack everyone who are nothing more than sitting ducks while under Weissman's Evil Eye spell.

Fortunately, for those who came prepared, there are ways to counteract the spell. Barrier spells will deflect the spell entirely, and extremely strong willpower stands a chance to make the spell's hold break. And if someone manages to break Weissman's concentration (by say, shooting him)- that'll break the spell entirely. Whatever ways you manage to free yourself from his magic chains, it's now up to you to fight off the Lynel and get to Weissmann. Weissmann himself, caught off guard by the surprise resistance, will use elemental magic to defend himself. How you deal with this man is up to you, but it's clear he'll be a threat as long as he keeps breathing.

The Base

Once Weissman and the Hyrule team are dealt with, there is only one more thing that needs to be dealt with: the demon's den that is their base of operations. You can find out information to its location either through interrogating captured agents, tailing their agents, or looking into a trail of breadcrumbs in the form of undertown gossip. Eventually, enough leads will bring you to a cluster of warehouses. Most seem to be just regular warehouses, filled with various stocks for businesses in town and for more illicit business ventures. In the middle of these stands a warehouse which outwardly doesn't seem any different from the others. By design, it is made to fit in, be inconspicuous. The inside, however, is a much different story.

You are not alone, first off. There are plenty of Krusnik goons to fight- who will quickly leap to defend their organization. They will fight back with weapons, elemental abilities, with everything they have. And they will fight tooth and nail. Worse still are other, younger members of Krusnik- former captives who have been beaten down and fully indoctrinated into Krusnik's cause. They will not listen to reason, and they will die for this. There's a couple among them that seem to no longer even have presence of self at all and act more like mindless weapons - results of Weissmann's handiwork, it'd seem. Some are exceptionally powerful- if you have the ability to sense them, you will quickly realize these people have been possessed by monsters and demons. There is no benevolence here. Mercy might not be an option.

The bottom floor of the warehouse is filled with rows upon rows of shipping containers. They all have padlocks and chains around them, but none are currently locked. Opening them, you will find a mattress in the back corner, with chains and shackles bolted to the side of the metal wall. Almost all of them, thankfully, are empty- but there's a few that house the three app users (Takame, Vergil, and Rose) who managed to get grabbed. All three of them are alive, though their harrowing physical and emotional states serve as a stark realization that the horror stories about what Krusnik does to victims are anything but stories.

The upper level of the warehouse has a few rudimentary lab setups. It's clear this isn't anything high-tech or powerful, but the remnants of something that once was. Mismatched equipment can be found everywhere, vials and medical equipment scuffed and cracked- things grabbed in a hurry from a crumbling coalition. It's not all scientific, of course. Ancient tomes line the walls, equally damaged and hodgepodge together. Pages are marked which indicate powerful deities, sheets of notebook paper pushed in amongst the pages, with scribbled theories on the best methods to give a "higher rate of spiritual contact". As any former Krusnik captive could tell you, and as is plane in front of you now, all of the methods are grizzly. Means of pushing a person to the brink of death, to try and induce a possession of a spirit. Ideally, of a god.

The furthest room on the top level is an office. Sitting in a chair is a well-put-together man. He's clearly heard the ruckus of all the fighting but hasn't stepped into the fight himself. He welcomes you with a smooth, relaxed voice, like you've dropped in for a cup of tea and not to root out an evil organization. If given the chance to talk (and oh boy, will he talk) he'll explain he is Philip, he's the second of command of this current operation, and you Libra users have it all wrong. Krusnik is trying to understand the Spirit World, the GODS, better. They are simply reaching out to touch the heavens, to bring this power down to mortal folk. He had memories of a previous life, where this was used to better another world. A lost world. That the touch of a god would give everyone an equal playing field, would rid the world of pain and suffering, why would anyone not want that? He does his best to make kidnapping children and forcing them to become vessels for powerful beings by bringing them to the brink of death a reasonable thing to do. Of course, it's not and you can deal with him as you see fit. Once he realizes you're on the attack, he will lash out- his arms turning into green goop - which he can mold into spikes or just straight-up try and suffocate you with it.

Work together to take this guy out. And make sure you do a thorough job doing it- there's always a chance he might reform if not eliminated completely.

Aftermath

Eventually, once Philip is defeated (be sure to be VERY thorough with taking him out) you can check around the office. There's a computer where the attempts to hack Libra originated from. From the scattered paperwork, they will find candid photos of the escaped Krusnik members- there are also candid photos of current otherworlders, especially the minors. All have scribbled notes, times, days, places- an attempt to work out a routine. The beginnings of a plan to try and capture them.

Further investigation will yield Weissmann's personal logs, as you can always count on the evil scientist types to write down their crimes. Amongst the various records of stomach-churning experiments, unhinged manifestos, and detailed crimes against humanity- they'll gain context to why Krusnik was here of all places. It would seem the previous attacks on Krusnik facilities, those carried out by Abel and Zero, were basically fatal blows to the organization. What is here in Kaisou is the splintered remains of the survivors, trying to start again. There are notes of smaller pocket cells out there in the world- but it's clear this was Krusnik's last attempt to get a foothold and gain power once more. With this crushed, they have no hope of truly resurfacing again.

The last thing in the office is the filing cabinet. Weissmann had the key, so unless you looted it off his body, you'll have to pick the lock. Once inside, you'll be rewards with a treasure trove of documents about the organization. Not just their heinous experiments, but information on who gives them funding, who would help them get new victims, and so on. Perhaps Alba was planning on relying on these contacts again, or was holding onto it for blackmail. Either way, it's a treasure trove of evidence to help pursue justice against those who helped Krusnik. And in the very back of the filing cabinet, there's also a notebook containing information on a glyph Krusnik developed to help conceal their presence throughout the years. Maybe this could come in handy...someday.

With everything explored and dealt with, there's only one left to do: figure out what to do about the warehouse. Maybe it'd be good to alert the proper authorities or the Black Order or Zodiac to figure out--

Oh what you want to burn it? Well... okay, that works too. You did just take out a nefarious cult so...yeah, you can burn this building, as a treat.

OOC Notes

This is the catch-all long for the Krusnik subplot! Should you post about this event outside this log, please remember to use relevant content warnings. The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here.

Comments

[lapislazily]

[Once he's been revived somewhat by like four glasses of iced tea, Zhongli makes his way over to Vergil's booth and sits on the other side. He doesn't put his feet up, but he is happy simply to see Vergil eating something. It isn't a buffet of homemade Sichuan food but it'll do for now.]

It is terrible. That is why I haven't touched it. I appreciate the tea, however.

[He peers curiously at the sunglasses.]

Do you have a headache of some kind?

[kowase]

[ god he wants sichuan food so badly. ]

It fills the hole that has been boring down into my guts, so I will deal with the concequences later. [ this hammed burg was terrible, but. better than anything he'd eaten in a week. ]

A headache of some kind, yes. [ but... ] I am not sure what those ... bastards did to me, back in that laboratory. But something they did messed up something about my already existing powers.

I used to be able to tell if something was magic within reach of me.

....Now that I am out of the building, every single magical source within a damn mile radius is trying to blind me.

I am certain I will be able to control it once I have had some rest, but right now...

[ youre a fucking beacon too, man. he's not looking directly at you. ]

[lapislazily]

Having an appetite is a good sign.

[Zhongli really would rather not, and he doesn't really need to eat all that much anyway, though he'll probably wake up in six hours and eat an entire batch of steamed rice and chicken broth because what the fuck was the past two weeks.]

I see... It must be difficult to sit here, then. You have my apologies, Vittore.

[He's gotten used to it, since he also had a similar weird sense back in his past life. Usually it only manifested when powers were being used or he shook hands with someone.]

I suppose it's too late to pretend I'm just an old man with particular hobbies. [He is sometimes self aware.] I have not been that angry in a very long time, and I forgot which shape I was in.

[kowase]

No more difficult than it was to be undergeround some hours ago. To be quite frank, I will take the bright lights with grace. [ it's better than being isolated down in the hot, dark, cavernous room where he could hear himself breathe. ]

You are very bright, but it is nothing I cannot currently handle. [ he saw what he'd looked like in the dark and that was enough--he can still imagine the man with his curling horns, and bright, lizardlike eyes. ]

You are an old man with particular hobbies. [ that much is still true, he knows it. ] But you are certainly a lot more than I realised, before.

I do not believe you are a demon, but...

You do remind me of a great old dragon from those dynasties you told me about.

[lapislazily]

The sunglasses suit you.

[Much more than the color red does. But at that response, something like amusement tugs at the corners of his mouth. It's all in the eyes, really. Vittore is recovering, albeit slowly, but he isn't broken beyond repair. Not any more broken than Zhongli himself is, at any rate.]

Hahah... that is closer to the truth than you realize.

[He considers dancing around it, seeing as Vittore has had quite the Day, and so has Zhongli. But he feels like he owes him an explanation, regardless. He takes in a deep breath.]

In my past life, I was a dragon. I had many names but most knew me as Rex Lapis, God of Contracts and Lord of Rock.

In ancient times, the world was full of monsters larger and more terrible than any nightmare, and gods of all shapes and temperaments walked upon the land. They made alliances among themselves and broke them just as capriciously, fighting each other heedless of the cost—all because they wanted dominion over the earth. Humanity, though, was still in its infancy. They could not help but be trampled underfoot as mountains were leveled and oceans raged.

The people of Liyue flocked to whatever benevolent god would take them in, but a god must be able defend their people. That burden eventually fell to me and my strength. At war's end I was made the Geo Archon for my efforts, and the heavens charged me with the task of guiding my nation and humanity.

[There's a lot more he could say, but he doesn't want to overwhelm Vittore. The dragon god bomb is probably enough.]

But in this world I was raised as a human. There is nothing divine about me or my deeds, and I have no desire to be worshiped. For those reasons I have long kept my counsel.

[He lets out a sigh that is somehow bone deep.]

If you are displeased at the deception, you would not be the only one.

[kowase]

Do not say such a thing. I will not make a habit of wearing sunglasses, of all things.

[ can you imagine, he with his old victorian style of dress, wearing a pair of 200$ oakleys?

...He will listen to the other talk, half because the sound of Zhongli's voice is extremely grounding for him, right now--and half because it's answering dozens of questions he's had ever since he'd put the puzzle pieces together that zhongli was something ancient and powerful. Zhongli helped put every piece in place, of course, but it was like having all the edge pieces, with all of the center ones scattered.

The more the other speaks, the more those pieces fit together, and an image is coming to light. the others' vast knowledge, his almost perfect readings on things, as if he'd experienced the facts instead of studied them.

He was someone who helped shape a world and then walked alongside the people. And maybe while the modern age had no need for gods anymore, it isn't as if the gods went away. They merely went into retirement.

It's making a lot more thoughts crop up in his head. How many were there that were like Zhongli? gods of old, shapers of earth, living quietly in society because their abilities weren't needed anymore?

It is a lot, but while it is a bit overwhelming, it's more that he is in an awe of understanding.

Maybe going a bit quiet when the other ends his short but information-filled tale.
He's a simple man who wants to live a simple life.

And why would he have shared such information with a friend he's known ten years? To someone like zhongli, ten years likely feels like a particularly long six months.

It made sense to Vittore. So much so that he actually gives the other a bit of a confused, furrowed look by the time Zhongli suggests he may be upset by being lied to. ]

--It is not as if you omitted such information for malicious purposes.
Our relationship had been mostly professional for years.

You were living your life, just as you are now--you had no reason to come to a museum showing with me on a weekend only to drop a 'As it were, Vittore, I must tell you that I am actually an Ancient Dragon god from Medieval China.'

[ he laughs a bit--a manic sound.

his head hurts so much. ]

You fool.
For me to be mad at you for this would be a cruelty.

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli watches Vergil patiently with his hands resting on the table, as if the both of them are not covered in blood and dirt after that horrible adventure. He's always appreciated how Vittore takes a second to absorb everything and think through it. Really, it would be a picturesque moment if it were happening at any other time.

He's relieved when he doesn't get yelled at for a third time. He's been feeding Vittore clues here and there since they started taking lessons, hoping he'd put together the clues along the way. And it seems like he has pieced together a good part of it.]

I thank you for your understanding, and your grace. [Though he can't help another chuckle at that bit of a joke. Vittore's sounds tired to him. He's been through a lot.] I must admit my timing for such revelations has not been... ideal in the past. It's something of a curse.

[Like telling Venti that Ei is here and the Black Order has a second god under their thumb during a date that Zhongli didn't know was a date. That was stupid all the way down.]

A few have lectured me about taking everything on myself, and they were not wrong to do so... I'm afraid it's how I've lived for most of my existence. It has become a difficult habit to break but I endeavor to learn.

[He looks across the table at Vergil. His eyes are smiling a little, even if the rest of him is rather composed.]

I suppose I have little left to entice you with, when it comes to the lessons. I gave up the game first.

[kowase]

[ he can think about how gross his skin and hair feels later, when he's not taking up an entire half-booth by himself in a fast food restaurant that he'll try to never darken the doorstep ever again after today.

the clues he's taken in--the notes he's written in messy italian in his personal notebook had put the idea together that Zhongli was something like a mystic, a man who had understood the truth behind magic and used it to lengthen his life and continue to walk the earth to share his knowledge.

he was wrong, but. While he was wrong in such a wild direction, he still felt that, in a way, he wasn't wrong at all. The man had become a guardian spirit for those he cared about--a great stone dragon who came to life to protect those too weak to fend for themselves.
And he can't help but to think this is something he'd ... needed. The assurance that he'd never be alone, ever again.

How strange. ]

Do not be foolish. You have more than enough to entice me with. Between the stories you always bring to my table, or some fascinating bits of knowledge you have to share about some of the items I stock in my store--I feel I'd have to live at least half your lifespan before I even partway make through what makes time spent with you fascinating.

[ ...and then he pauses, as he tries to... think, maybe, such a statement feels too impersonal. zhongli was more than a living tome, a fount of knowledge. he... ]

And even if I read the book that is your soul from cover to cover, some tomes you keep in your library simply because they become an old favorite. One you revisit again and again and they never become dull.

[lapislazily]

[Really, he isn't that far off from some kind of long-lived sage. It had been disorienting to be educated in the old ways and then find out he was damn near one of the Eight Immortals himself in a past life. But what is the point of being immortal if one does not do some good in the world?

Though he isn't an Archon in this life, he feels compelled to guide those around him. Oh, the strings of an entire country are far beyond his purview, but people? Zhongli will always be drawn to the people, particularly the ones who effect change. He has ever wrestled with the meaning of it.

Still, it's Vittore's words that surprise him. Zhongli's expression is rarely so easy to read and yet here he is looking halfway startled that someone actually likes spending time with him.]

I... [He can't help but chuckle at his own speechlessness, warm and honest. He may be old as dirt, literally, but he can still get flustered every once in a while.] Your words honor me.

[He bows his head for a moment, thinking.]

... There was a very long period of time where I went through the motions. It is only in the past few years that I opened my eyes and truly saw those around me. [He sets his peculiar amber eyes on Vittore again.] Our friendship was professional, but it challenged me in a way few things did at the time. I found myself engaging even though it would have been easier simply to disappear; through our conversations, I began the slow process of putting myself back together again.

[Much as Vittore must put himself together again. Zhongli leans forward slightly, wanting his words to be for him alone (and maybe the guardian angel cream puff in his pocket, but it isn't worth bringing attention to right now).]

Vittore. The road ahead will have its difficulties, but I would like you to remember this: do not underestimate your strength of will or the brightness of your spirit. A loose stone can still awaken a mountain.

[It was part of why Zhongli woke up, after all.]

[kowase]

[ there's a small amount of surprise that shows through vittore's eyes as Zhongli offers such a conclusion to him--the idea that in some small way, he may have helped the man put himself back together after being spread so thin for so long.

He feels a fool, in the moment, for not realising sooner what a profound being this man had become in his life, and how different things may have been if he did.

...Ah, no use trying to sortie with the past, he supposes, and instead, all that escapes him is a mad little laugh. He was merely speaking how he felt, he wasn't trying to play up something grand, but...

Slowly, he nods his head. ]

I think I understand what it is you're trying to tell me. [ that if someone like zhongli can fashion himself back together, then... so can he. day by day. ] I have little to no affinity with fire. But I suppose I can allow embers to move me, all the same.

I will continue to walk, despite everything.
I would like to believe I am a little too stubborn to sit and let the winds around me die.

[lapislazily]

[Vittore has always been bright. Zhongli seems satisfied by his conclusion; a smile dances over his lips.]

You will continue to walk, and you will not be alone.

[He thinks about how even at the worst of times, he could still feel the touch of the wind lifting his hair, seeking to fill wings he no longer had.]

Never alone.