[SEMI-CLOSED] Investigating What Remains

[whiteshroud]

WHO: Jun, Flins, Persephone, Wei Wuxian, Lapis, Jinwoo, Ratio, Venti
WHERE: El Nido
WHEN: Nighttime, after the October Horror Plot!
WHAT: Investigating and purifying the remains of the carnival
WARNINGS: Will add as needed! But there will be discussions of death.

[While there have been no official announcements, words of the Baron's carnival of death has been slowly getting around by word of mouth from the victims who went through the ordeal. While most wouldn't be blamed from wanting to stay far far away from El Nido for awhile, there was still the matter of what remains after the Baron's onslaught. And so, various folks, for their own reasons, have decided to investigate just that]

Comments

ARRIVAL

[whiteshroud]

[The gate to El Nido is on the beach, a bit away from the the usual popular spots (though considering it's October and nighttime, there's not many folks on the beach beyond seals). This will be a good place to gather and meet up with the other people who also decided to happen by!]

Shroud | OTA

[whiteshroud]

[Which lucky for you guys, one of those early arrivals? Is Shroud, standing there in his full uniform. He's actually been a pretty rare sight these past few months, rarely even being seen on rooftops or on many missions. And yet, the news of the Baron's acts seem to have drawn him out.

Right now, he's standing near some rocks on the beach next the gate, waiting silently for his companion to arrive. But, feel free to approach him.]

Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins | OTA

[lanternae]

[Another early arrival is Flins, stepping through the El Nido gate with his lantern in hand. The blue flame inside emits a soft, ethereal glow as it illuminates the dark, his yellow eyes scanning the surroundings.

After hearing what had happened regarding the Omatsuri Carnival and its crazed Baron, Flins had taken a special interest in this place. An event with so many deaths, as temporary as they were, made him want to investigate to see if any of this was related to the Wild Hunt.

He hoped he was wrong and that it was just the crazed ambitions of a madman, but Flins can't be too cautious.]

Hm. I can feel some leftover elemental residue, and the stench of death still remains.

Dr. Ratio | OTA

[mediocrites]

[Dr. Ratio is standing on the beach near the arrival gate, checking over some sort of handheld scanning device, preparing a paper notebook to record measurements, and smoothing down his ruffled feathers - coming to spend some time on the other side of a warm-weather gate means that he's dressed rather unseasonably for Kaisou's October weather, and he's still shaking off the chill.

Occasionally he's casting perplexed glances at the other people from Kaisou who are starting to show up on the beach as well; he wasn't anticipating anywhere near this much company.]

[lanternae]

Well hello there, Shroud.

[Approaching the cloaked figure is Flins, lantern in hand as he walks forward. His yellow eyes reflect off the lantern's light, giving a content glint in the dark.]

What a wondrous stroke of luck. It seems we had the same idea, albeit likely for different reasons.

[He won't question WHY Shroud is here. That part seems obvious.]

[whiteshroud]

[Shroud is standing by and catches sight of Ratio, and honestly? This is one arrival that actually surprises him- enough to make him tilt his head in curiosity. He won't say anything directly-- but Ratio can probably feel his focus on him.

Why is Varian's favorite math professor here?]

[whiteshroud]

[Shroud will lift his head when he's approached by Flins. He wasn't expecting to see Flins here, but at the same time, Flins typically appears when you don't expect him- so it's not a shocking surprise.

When he speaks, it's in that modulated voice]

Flins, a pleasure to see you again. Sorry I missed you the other day. [You know when he was running up that tower like a madman]

Here to investigate the Omatsuri Carnival?

[Because yeah he cannot picture Flins coming to El Nido for a beach vacation]

[mediocrites]

[Ratio does notice the attention, and gives a little nod of acknowledgement in Shroud's direction.

He's just here to do some scanning, and wasn't anticipating any sort of attention or interruptions. He truly considers just walking by and starting, but... Shroud does have a certain presence, and with others having expressed concern already... maybe it's best to verify the situation before he walks into potential danger.]

...Is everything all right inside now? I was given to understand that the incident was resolved.

Lapis Agapov | OTA

[crisantemo]

[ While Lapis tends to be a frequent visitor to El Nido for far more... relaxing reasons, today she's here due to the lingering regret and deaths that hang over the place. She's heard of what happened here, of the souls made to linger due a man unable to properly mourn their passing. Plus some information from a local graveyard cryptid made her all the more concerned -

Though it seems like she's not the only; but it's also a relief, to see more faces here. Investigating in a group is safer than going about this alone.

Currently she's by the gate on her phone and keeping people updated of what's going on - though anyone that catches her eye will get a blink, and then a quick nod of her head with a warm little smile. ]

[whiteshroud]

[you know considering Shroud usually tends to show when things are real bad, it's wise to get that verification. When he speaks, it's in that modulated voice he always uses]

It's unclear.

The Baron was defeated, but reports indicated he used the power of a great evil. It's not uncommon for such evils to linger on even after death.

[mediocrites]

[Ratio nods, then hefts the device in his hands demonstratively.]

But people are free to come and go from the gate safely now, yes? I'm actually interested in examining the magical aftereffects before they have a chance to fade or weather away. With every intention of limiting my exposure if the readings prove especially intense, of course.

[whiteshroud]

[Shroud considers a moment, and it almost feels like he's gazing into Ratio's very essence.... or rather, the essence of someone who is accompanying him]

... Considering you have Barbatos in your pocket, it should be safe enough for you to accompany and do your examinations. Just be sure to stay clear when my partner and I begin our work.

[lanternae]

[Truth be told, it was by a stroke of luck that he was even able to find out about the event. A surprise, secondary visit to Meropide had led him to find Maxima and get the details on the Duke's and everyone's absence.

To say it stirred something in him was an understatement. He knew he had to do his own investigation. If this had enough power to turn the citizens of Kaisou against each other to the point of killing, then they were dealing with something powerful indeed.]

Please, pay it no mind. My paperwork was delivered, and in the end I did get to see you. I'd say we've kept to our routine, if a bit differently this time.

[He holds his lantern up higher, looking at the gate with hardened eyes.]

As for why I'm here, you're right. I received word from Meropide that this was the stage for quite a few Kaisou deaths. Temporary ones, but no less insignificant.

I came to be certain that this 'Baron' acted alone, and simply stuck his nose too far into the supernatural.

[mediocrites]

Ah. So you can tell.

[How interesting. It does make sense, though, since he knows Shroud mostly as one of Venti's associates.]

I have every intention of staying well out of harm's way, rest assured. Can I ask what it is you and your partner intend to do here?

[whiteshroud]

[He'll give a little nod at that. Yeah, he suppose it did work out in the end. Still, he would've preferred spending that evening with Flins rather than running up the Crystal Tower. He always has the most interesting stories. ]

True. Well, I hope the phone's been to your liking. My brother and I felt bad about the long treks you've had to make to the fortress every time there's a report.

[There is no mention of the psychic damage Varian was caused by the visit. As far as Jun's concerned- there's no need to mention it. It's good for his fiancee to get challenged sometimes]

I see... so you have concerns this is connected to the Wild Hunt, then. That makes sense.

In that case, I'll let you investigate first. Just be sure to stay out of the way when my partner and I start to work, I don't want you to get caught up in it by accident.

[whiteshroud]

Of course. A grandchild always knows their grandmother.

[That answers. So little. But at the question, he nods. If Barbatos is here, that means he's given his stamp of approval to let Ratio this side of things. No sense in keeping him in the dark.]

Clean up, essentially. My partner, Persephone, will be handling any lingering souls and escorting them to the afterlife. Then I will be using the power of Purification to purify any lingering evil so it won't corrupt this realm and its denizens.

In essence, we're doing our divine duty. It's a sight that few mortals get to be privy to, so you should thank my grandmother for the invite.

[whiteshroud]

[Oh, there's another familiar face when it come to events with high death tolls and ghosts. Shroud from where he's standing will give her a nod and a small wave in return- like someone you regularly share a bus stop with. SUP LAPIS]

Come to investigate the spirits?

[lanternae]

I'm quite enjoying myself with it! Sir Maxima has helped me find a useful little tool on it that lets me track ships at sea even further than my eyesight can reach. I've also found the Libra app on there, and he assisted me with making my account in full. Technology is truly an amazing thing.

[This was a much better conversation than the one lingering on the other side of that gate. His face drops, looking towards it with a nod.]

With the Spirit Vein barrier already as thin as it is, it would not take much to split it, and if the Wild Hunt shows up in Kaisou...

[His voice lowers.] We will very much have a problem.

[He bows slightly to Jun at the opportunity.] Thank you for letting me take priority. In return, I'll reassure the spirits that salvation is coming.

INVESTIGATION

[whiteshroud]

[For those who came to El Nido in order to investigate and gain more information on the Baron and the Lily Incarnation ]

[aslowburn]

[ Some might say it is deeply unwise for Persephone to return to the place she was killed so soon after the fact. But in truth, Persephone has died, many, many times. More times than she can remember, quite literally. There is no trauma lingering here. She faced far worse traumas that she lived through than those that ended her many lives. She's not sad, she's not scared.

No, what Persephone is, is pissed. Having the absolute audacity of killing her with plants 0 her domain (HER domain!!!) has rankled her considerably. And the waiting room them put her in after? The farce of an afterlife? Absolutely unacceptable.

She knows there's likely nothing left to fight there, but on the off-chance there is, she's ready to get some revenge. But more than that, she had a job to do. There are likely souls still trapped, and it's her duty to see them through to the next world.

So, she arrives from her realm, stepping out onto the blighted beach. There are more people here than she expected - she squints them for a moment, before heading over to Shroud. ]

Quite a turn out, it seems.

HANGING OUT AT THE RESORT

[whiteshroud]

[Are you killing time while other people do their work? Do you need a break from the evil corruption? You can hang out at the resort. It's late at night, but the beach is still open as well as the bar! ]

CLEAN UP

[whiteshroud]

[Once all the investigations are done and the spirits are chatted with, it's time to clean up this mess. Persephone and Shroud will be taking the lead on this, and Shroud will be advising people keep their distance for their own safety. Still, might be worth a watch]

[lanternae]

I had a feeling someone was following me.

[He's joking. He has to be joking. He literally gave Lapis the location and time and walked slower than usual so that she could follow without losing sight of him. As if that was possible.]

Not that I can blame you. There's much to learn from the dead.

[Especially when it comes to how and why this happened.]

[aslowburn]

[ He's not human. She can tell he isn't human. She doesn't know what he is, but it's clearly not human.

And so, Persephone, Goddess of Spring, Queen of the Dead, moves to stand near the young... being with a lantern. ]

There's still a lot of work to be done, it seems. [She looks his way.] What are you?

[whiteshroud]

[Ah, there's his partner. Initially Jun had been hesitant to have Persephone along with this, considering how fresh this all must be. Were Persephone a human, it'd be natural for her to not want to go near this place anytime soon due to the reminders and trauma it caused.

But Persephone wasn't a human, she was a god. This event didn't traumatize her so much as insulted her. So when she insisted that she'd come along on this venture, he was quick to give up argument. If it'll make her feel better making sure this farce is dealt with by her hand, so be it.

He'll give a nod of acknowledgement as she approaches]

More than I was expecting. Seems word has traveled fast.