atonementlogs | event 003: the potions

Entry tags:

!event

event 003: the potions

Characters: All.

When: April 1st - 30th

Where: Various locations.

Warnings: None. Please put any warnings in the comment subject if it progresses that way!

The weather will continue to be Spring-like for the rest of this month, with the occasional storm or shower here and there. Once again, all citizen's will be alerted to go to the center of Penance to see about their punishment for the month of April!

As usual, a tent has been set up with plenty of food and drink set up on tables, with another one off to the corner containing letters addressed to each citizen, along with bottles of potion for each. Each person is invited to take a bottle and either drink it now, slip it to someone else, or saved it for later.

The effects are described as being random. The person who consumes the liquid may see the ghost of someone they've harmed in the past that will follow them around, screaming their sins to all around. It mayse severe, nearly deadly pain. It may take away one of the taker's senses, whether it's sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste, or even all of them.

If citizens would rather go another route, they are free to make use of the Sin Lounge and deliver torture or pain to each other.

For those eager for more, citizens may take as many punishments as they want during the month!

With their new letter collected, it is time for all to decide their new punishment and face it bravely!

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[For all his calm, he does empathize, really. Not enough to switch places, mind, but he understands the feeling of resignation, of trying to hide weakness even when overwhelmed with dread. Jezebel had not understood Ianchus' fascination with the lash because, in truth, this had been closer to how that particular treatment made him feel.

His expression remains impassive as he kneels in front to press the rod lightly against Ianchus' stomach, lightly pushing into the skin above his navel.]

Here's to 'third time's the charm'.

[And he presses the button down, hearing the searing noise hit Ianchus' flesh.]

[With his arms unbound, Jezebel can see the hair on Ianchus' arms standing up, the way his hands bend at the wrists, his fingers hooked into claws, the impotent sounds that choke themselves rhythmically out of Ianchus' throat.

He's trying to cry out--it's his usual form of release, but all his nerves and tendons seem to be disconnected, turning him into a vessel only for pain.

He's aware of every second, but they stretch out into what feel like minutes, scorching pins seeming to run through his blood.

Stop, stop.]

Edited 2018-04-10 07:27 (UTC)

[He holds the button down for only a few seconds, but he imagines it has to feel as though it lasts for much longer in Ianchus' place. With the ropes undone, it is much more clear what pain he's going through -- his body jerks and tenses unnaturally, the noises he makes that are desperate yet not even close to real screams.

When he releases and pulls the prod away, he looks over Ianchus for signs of any damage, outside of the clear signals of pain written across him. Behind him, though, he can see that the entrance back is clear -- they've passed far enough that they can leave.]

[Jezebel ends up getting a much closer look as Ianchus slumps forward, momentarily greying out. Not falling, per se, but slowly collapsing into himself, until he's partway on the ground and partway in Jezebel's lap. The muscles in his back are still twitching, as are his fingertips, and his breathing is shaky. There's a runner of saliva running down his lip, and he's dimly aware of it (just like he is of the door), but he can't summon the energy to wipe it away.]

Easy now.

[He keeps his hands on Ianchus' shoulders to hold him steady and keep him from collapsing head-first. Jezebel does a quick glance over him, noting the symptoms left behind; he sees how Ianchus has begun greying out, he shifts to hold the back of his head, lightly pushing him back so that he can lie down on the floor -- if he is greying out, the best thing for him is to lay flat so his blood can flow properly once again.]

[It takes a bit for Ianchus to come back to his senses, and when he does he reaches up a weak, shaky hand, putting it over his heart to feel the beat there. It's slowing down, but it was pounding like crazy before, so much so that he feared that it would burst. It takes him a few tries to speak as he opens his bleary eyes.]

I-I'm fine.

[It's not completely true, but he doesn't think he'll die. Maybe if he had to handle another shock.]

[Jezebel knows it isn't entirely true, too, but he won't comment on that. Instead, he just says:]

Just stay laying on your back for a while more. You'll feel better once your blood's had more of a chance to flow through your body without anything affecting it.

[He's never been good at lying still, and though he still feels weak, the pins and needles are receeding. He holds up his hands and examines his arms, awed at the lack of any marks. In fact, the only one he feels is down on his belly, where Jezebel jabbed the prod in for the last time. It's slightly scorched and stings when he touches it, but it's the only sign that anything happened. In fact, he's taken more outward damage from the ropes than the electricity.]

[Jezebel doesn't try to stop him from moving his arms -- as long as his head stays level, it shouldn't do too much to him.]

I admit I don't know enough about this type of torture to say for sure, but I imagine this will have been the worst of it. If the voltage had been higher, it might have done worse, but then, it probably would have just killed you outright. Since you're still conscious and moving, I think with some rest you'll be recovered from this faster than the lashes.

Mm. If it's recovering just to have more of that, I'd rather have the lashes.

[Not to mention, that gave him the added benefit of Jezebel tending to his wounds. This just gave him a world of hurt, with nothing to show for it and nothing to mend. Something about the seeming lack of marks (though the metallic taste in his mouth tells him that it could get much worse) seems unfair.

Then again, maybe he's just twisted. He squints up at Jezebel from his position on the ground, noting the mild interest.]

Was it good for you, then?

[The jape is light and airy at least. His sense of humour is always the first to recover.]

[Jezebel lets out a small laugh at that, still kneeling next to where Ianchus lays.]

I suppose it was -- it was certainly quite the learning experience.

[He's not sure what it says about him that he does feel good, and far more settled than he had been before he'd walked in there. In truth, this wasn't the first time he'd used pain to bring himself back to feeling secure and, more importantly, in control. Ianchus had been at his mercy for this entire session, his torture in Jezebel's hands. Even now, he was laid out on the floor because he'd been too weak to keep himself upright. Perhaps it was sick to feel more stable through torture, but at least he felt the same stability when he helped Ianchus recover as well.]

Well. We're quite the pair, aren't we.

[Ianchus would be able to understand that. For him, relinquishing control means relinquishing responsibility. It's easier to put himself into someone's hands than keep himself in line.
As for the pain, well...
There are all kinds of perverts, he supposes. Maybe during Marcus' time, there's someone who enjoys the sensation of burning nerves and stinging needles.]

Damn, I'm sober now, too.

I suppose we are.

[Because, well, if he was going to be indulging in these worst aspects of himself, at least this time it was on someone willing to bear it. It might not make him a saint, but at least it was a step above where'd he'd been once.

At that second part, he laughs again.]

I imagine that's probably the easiest thing to cure out of everything that ails you right now.

[Ianchus finally steels his strength and rolls over, then sits up carefully, marveling at how the memory of the pain is stronger than the pain itself. His limbs can move again, and his sense of balance has righted itself. He checks his stomach again--just a couple of dots!--and then turns to Jezebel, holding a hand out, wiggling his fingers.]

I want to see it.

[Jezebel looks bemused for a moment, with the way Ianchus demands the rod like a child wanting to look at a new toy. Perhaps if this had been several minutes ago, he'd understand, but after it had just knocked him to floor?

Still, he hands it over, no questions asked, handle held out to Ianchus.
Once he takes it, he shifts back slightly in case Ianchus errantly discharges it at him.]

[He takes it, marveling at how light it is, feeling the plastic grip.]

It's...lighter than I thought.

[Pointing the prongs up, he thumbs the button and then presses down, jumping a little as the electricity crackles to life. Being startled causes him to release it a moment, and then he presses down again, holding it down, watching the electricity closely now. It's just like lightning from storms, but in miniature.

Letting go of the button he cautiously touches one of the prongs, ever so lightly with a finger. It's hot, not hot enough to burn, and seems to be cooling.

For an insane moment, he imagines just jabbing the prongs into his forearm and holding the button down.]

[Jezebel watches him, curious. In a way, he does understand Ianchus' fascination. He's never seen anything like it before, either, and he at least has the benefit of having seen electricity at work before. But still, he's never seen it like this, carted around in something so small, so easily used.

But he also knows his interest is probably not entirely the same as Ianchus'.]

Mm, be careful. I imagine it would terrible to gain your exit from this room only to cook your insides a moment later.

You're a positively jolly man, aren't you, Doctor.

[But that doesn't seem like a very desirable outcome, and after a couple more presses of the button (oh, but he wants to stick his finger into the stream so badly, though he knows it won't end well), he offers it back to Jezebel.]

May I ask a rather morbid question?

Welcome to purgatory. I imagine you'll not be seeing any jolly souls anytime soon.

[He says those words good-naturedly enough, accepting the prod back easily. At Ianchus' question, however, his expression is slightly warier, though he does answer:] If you'd like.

Which did you prefer?

[He nods to the prod, then to their old friend the whip up on the wall.]

...Between the two.

[He smiles slightly at that.]

Truthfully, hard to say.

[Nodding at the whip and the Scavenger's Daughter, he adds:]

Those are more familiar. I would not necessarily say that is a point in their favor. But I know how to use them well, and use them effectively. This little toy from today, that's a whole new experience.

[Unspoken is the fact that he's had the prior two inflicted on himself, leaving a sour taste to holding them. The prod is at least a clean slate for him.]

[It's true, familiarity isn't always a positive. Sometimes it brings back memories that are preferred forgotten.

He knows the whip, he can understand the Scavenger's Daughter, he doesn't know the electric prod, but all are a new experience physically.

But, hard or not, Jezebel hasn't answered his question!]

And...?

[He lets out a small laugh at Ianchus' insistence on an answer, then looks down at the rod of metal still in his hands, idly toying with it in his fingers.]

I suppose this little novelty, then. Quite the new experience, seeing how people inflict pain in the years ahead of mine. [Besides, it brought no baggage with it, outside of whatever he might have inflicted himself.]

Well.

[He gives a look to the wall, eyes sweeping over the masses of tools.]

I hope next time you find something else that tickles your fancy.

[His disdain is audible, and it's almost comedic considering how he's been absolutely slavering over the other implements--how he had even been excited about the prod at first.]

[He does grin at that, because, well, there was Ianchus' slavering over the rest, but also his clear preference for some of the other torturous devices on the walls.]

Well, given how often we find ourselves here, I imagine there'll be time to try out a variety of others.

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cw: self harm mention

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