text | un: younghuman

[terriblepurpose]

[content warnings: thalassophobia, prophecies of doom]

Citizen-Sleepers of Trench

My name is Paul Atreides. Some of you know me. I am a paleblood disciple of the Pthumerian mysteries, a fellow Sleeper, and I have been granted a warning.



I have seen a leviathan, an immense blood-corrupted marine beast, bound for the shores near the city. It arrives in one lunar month, and when it does, I've seen some of you fall in its path.

I have no evidence for this claim except my word, and I have no intention of using grim portents or tidings of doom to frighten anyone into belief. What I see is in flux, changeable, and if you choose to deny this warning, you're not wrong to do so. This is not a prophecy, and I won't ask you to take what I say on faith.

What do I ask, of those who believe me, is that we kill it first.

The Leviathan

I have observed the beast's approach and its attacks, and these are my preliminary findings and theories on what it is, and how it dies.

• The beast is a shapeshifter, altering its form to attack and defend. It seems to rely only on aquatic and amphibious life as the sources of its abilities and shape. My current theory is that it exists across multiple states simultaneously, and manifests different parts of itself as adaptation to threats and its environment.


• I believe it has some ability to perceive the future, or to react so quickly that it appears to. Through observation, I've determined that this has limits, and these are the limits we will exploit.


• The nature of the beast makes further description difficult, but I estimate its size to range between 60 to 120 meters depending on which aspects of itself are active.


• Sufficient concentration and variety of attacks against it prevent the leviathan from adapting out of harm's way. Accomplishing this will require, at minimum, several coordinated teams of combatants.


• Killing the beast will be possible through cumulative effort. Despite a larger than usual capacity to absorb damage, the beast remains a corporal living organism. In brief: if enough of it bleeds, it dies.

What We Need

Taking on a beast of this size and complexity will require advance planning and preparation. The following is a list of what I believe should be organized for that purpose.

• Logistics: The first step will be establishing the base camp for the operation on the beach, at a remove from where the beast will emerge. After the camp is built, it will require regular supply and maintenance.


• Divination and reconnaissance: Intelligence gathering on the beast. Due to the difficulties of reaching the open ocean, I believe we will have to rely largely on blood magic and other forms of non-mechanical surveillance.


• Medical corps: Injuries are inevitable, and will exist across a wide spectrum of possibilities, so a diversity of medical and healing approaches will be needed


• Combatants: This will be a dangerous battle. Consider that before you volunteer yourself for it.


• Command and signal: Central command will coordinate the above efforts, create our strategic, operational, and tactical plans, and run communications through base camp.


What We Do

This vision came to me, but this isn't my fight to lead. I know that together, you have overcome worse threats than this, and I have no doubt you will do so again. I have no intention of disrupting your methods or insisting that my own be followed over them.

What we will do is no more and no less than what you all already have done every day since your arrival here: work together as a people to protect your city, your allies, and yourselves. Before us lies a challenge, but it's nothing that can't be overcome. If I ask only one more thing of you, it's that you do believe that.

A wise man once said that dreams make for good stories, but everything important happens while we're awake. They may call us Sleepers, but this is the Waking World, and while we may have to fight and bleed for the fate we choose, we will choose it.

The Next Steps

I invite you to ask me any questions you have. I'll answer what I can, beginning with the first I anticipate: those I've seen in the dream, I am warning personally.

Otherwise, prepare yourself as you best see fit if you intend to join this hunt. Construction of the camp will begin shortly on the Farther Shores. If you want to speak with me in person, that's where you'll find me.

[This is the kick off post for the Fated Leviathan player plot. You don't have to have commented over there to participate, although you're welcome to do so if you'd like to. (Additional people being added to the visions is also still on the table, whether seen by Paul or others.) Feel free to thread with other characters about the plot here as well - consider it an open forum for discussion.

Timeline wise, this post goes up shortly before Paul sends out the individual warning messages, and all individual warning messages are private and locked.

I can be reached at terriblepurpose or via terriblepurpose#0419 on Discord, as well as through PMing this journal, if you have any questions/concerns/plot ideas.]

Comments

[survivalthroughhate]

They are one of the better weapons to be found in this wretched place.

No. I am a Sith. But no less possessive of my blades than they are. It is said the blade of a Force-user is their life and it is very much the truth.

[terriblepurpose]

Oh, I see, one of the other Force-user schools.

[As if he didn't learn about the Force itself today.]

I understand that philosophy, about your weapons. Will you be able to work with Jedi, if any are present?

[survivalthroughhate]

Ah, so someone explained to you what the Jedi are then?

I've only killed one of them in the entire time they have been present.

[.....That's not precisely the most comforting thing Maul could have said but it is the truth. He's had no feud with any of the Jedi but Anakin and that had started the day the man showed up in Deerington, which was when Maul had also killed him. Really, it had been a mercy, for Anakin was out of control and would have hurt someone if he kept brandishing his lightsaber at everyone demanding a way out of the town.]

[terriblepurpose]

Yes, although not in great detail.

I see. Do you think that presents an impediment to cooperation here, or have you resolved the issue with them?

[It was only one. Paul's not looking to hold anyone to unreasonably high standards.]

[survivalthroughhate]

If you wish to ask anything of me, do so. I have grown used to explaining the Force at large after nearly two years of someone asking "What is the Force?" about once a week.

No. When there is a greater threat present, I have enough sense to put aside any feuds I may have to focus on that which is a bigger concern to us all before going back to my personal feuds.

[terriblepurpose]

Is there more about it I should know? I understand it's a sort of magic based on the energy of living beings. That doesn't seem that unusual.

That's good to know. Is that feeling reciprocated on their part?

[survivalthroughhate]

No. It is NOT magic. Magick in my world is a distinct and separate practice from the Force. The Force is more along the lines of spiritual energy that can be manipulated by those who are sensitive to it.

[Maul's had to explain this to a number of people by now and thinks he's got a pretty concise explanation down for it.]

For the most part. Anakin Skywalker might be the only one that is idiot enough to put a personal grudge ahead of something that is going to threaten everyone, but he's been quiet as of late and might not be any trouble.

[terriblepurpose]

I apologize for collapsing the distinction. My world has neither of these things, and the differences sometimes elude me.

As for this Anakin Skywalker, if circumstances do change, I ask that you seek to resolve the issue outside of the camp. Otherwise, I take you at your word.

[survivalthroughhate]

That is why I am here. To teach people that difference so that they may understand and take a step into a larger world than they are familiar with.

Understood. There's no place for personal vendettas, not when there is such a large threat to all.