« captain's log #20: april 1, 2025 »

[seawarden]

CAPTAIN'S LOG #20: APRIL 1, 2025

lol click for notes

QUICK UPDATES

YO HO HO!! Got a few things happening this month as we wrap up the abductions, and it's also TDM month so you know what that means!

We have updated the Calendar for important dates, but here is a quick heads up on what to expect this month:

» 04/03: EMP/ATP
» 04/05: Abduction Finale
» 04/19: OH SNAP a TDM
» 04/24: Reserves
» 04/28-30: Activity Check
» 05/01-03: Applications Period

The Manta Board has been posted with new and updated quests!

A few of last month's quests have also carried over, so if you didn't have a chance to do them last month, you have another chance. The Crew quests we introduced last month will be implemented in May since we have a lot going on right now. We're still open for any suggestions that can be useful for current crews!

Our Rewards page has been updated with a few new things for the month!

Finally, applications open in May and due to the number of slots open, invitations are only available from players! Direct requests for invites from mods are not available at this time. Remember, new players must receive an invitation either from a current player and players are limited to one invite. Players must make a request on the Invite Request page.

AC RESULTS

Here are the results for last month's AC round:

Angel Dust | angellust
Sataka Kintoki | bearhowling
Vash the Stampede | bountyfull
Vanitas | brokendarkness
Sesshomaru | prince_of_the_moon
Son Goten | sonofson

Our player cap is currently at 55/65, which means we have 10 slots open.

ARMADA TENSION: BRANDED

Not long after the events of the abduction raid finale, the two sides will have reached a point where trust between the two hit an all time low and extreme measures are about to be taken.

» Armada Insignias. Through the magic of their respective leviathans, all who have registered as a Corsair or Paladin will suddenly find themselves with a unique insignia "branded" on the back of their hand. For the Corsairs, a black, skeletal dragon curled around a dagger. For the Paladins, a blue whale curved up over a shield. They cannot be removed but can be covered. These will serve as visible signs as to who is assigned to which Armada and will be used so that the previous exclusions can be better enforced.

» Punishment. Other than serving as a visible mark, it also serves as a "punishment" for those who fraternize with opposing Armada members. When close to an opposing member, the insignia will begin to glow and create a burning sensation. It starts as a little needle-like prick, but the longer two different members stay with each other, the worse it gets and further up the arm it goes. It can take over an hour for it to reach max intensity, enough to make one unable to ensure and even pass out. It does not cause any physical damage, but it's more an attack on the nerves to make the individuals feel pain.

» "Work around." This is obviously going to make things difficult for those who have relationships with the "enemy," but fortunately some "solutions" can be made. Because the insignias are bound by powerful magic, no spell can remove them. But various charms, potions, and other spells can lessen the effect. The catch is these are all roughly made in a hurry and are provided by those who don't want to be found by either side since what they are providing is subverting the purpose of the insignia. Specifically, sirens and snakefolk scattered around the major leviathans will be the ones to provide such "remedies", all for a high cost and must bring the materials, which can range from unique herbs to organs and bones of dangerous beasts. Each one is tailor made for the individuals so the recipe is always different.

There will also always be side effects when using these items. One, they will only last at most a few days so new ones will need to be made. Two, once it wears out, the user will immediately feel the pain that had grown in that time frame UNLESS they separate long enough for it to have subsided. Three, if caught using these items, the enforcers of their respective Armadas may confiscate, destroy, and punish them either with some jail time or out on the stocks.

People are free to try making their own potions/insignias/charms/etc, but they will not be as effective as what is already out there. Those caught doing so will be severely punished.

This entire ordeal will not be looked favorably by the masses so the chances of this lasting longer than a month is very slim. Moreover, Eltrut is still considered a neutral zone so while the leviathan can't negate the effects of the insignias completely, it will lessen it so it's not so extreme and able to resist longer. The effects will also lessen the further away one is from the leviathans.

But unrest is likely to happen if things don't change…

Effects will be in play for both events, however they will be slightly diminished so people will be able to work together longer before it goes into effect.

EXTRA NOTES

Here is a recap of a few things that occurred last month.

» The authorities have been busy! There were a total of nineteen arrests and abductions in March. While some have gotten out, others are yet to be found or rescued. Also, y'all gotta stop blowing up prisons. Some prisons have been completely decimated, but there are others that have been destroyed enough that criminals and those locked up have been able to escape and are now on the loose...

» Lots of kudzu has been cleared out thanks to the many efforts! And those poor koroks apparently couldn't catch a break… There was a fire incident but it managed not to spread too far. Some treasures were found, including a talisman of sorts that can increase the growth of vines and leaves, and the strangely glowing pillars are a mystery that warrant further investigation. Could they all be related to the sudden kudzu appearance?

» Sherlock, Cid, Alhaitham, Miriam, and Shadow are currently working on figuring out the map pieces that they obtained from the auctions by piecing them together, and have deciphered the writing on Sherlock's map piece.

» While there are no plans to publicize it yet, Emet-Selch has finished his work on a television!

» Emet-Selch has also made some short-range radio-controlled toys. He has plans to implement this tech in something at a later date. The Forge is taking requests for custom toys now!

» Rumour has it that there's a black shadow whizzing around the Leviathans causing all sorts of trouble...

» According to Roxas and Sherlock, one cure for the Thornblind curse is to cut the vine near the wrist and then burn it. Azul has developed a cure for the Thornblind sickness, but has yet to announce it. Hopefully nothing bad happens before he's able to get the message out there—

» Joshua and Claude were able to lure out the living bookmark, but as it turns out, it is not alone...! Cid and Leona also discovered that it likes… Porn.

» Efforts to capture the baby whale were thwarted with one ship taken down by Cid and Benedikta even if they are Corsairs they do what they want

» Eggman has begun mass marketing his new 'Radniks'. They are personalized robotic servants and companions that are definitely not part of a scheme. has eggman never watched a robot movie in his life, we all know how they go

ABDUCTION FINALE

All right it's time to close this chapter of the crystals and whale plot arc, and it will feature our lovely abductees! Because this is not an event log, this is structured as a special quest mini log with a more focused selection of prompts. There will be essentially two sides: one for those who were abducted and then the rescuers.


ARTIFICIAL CRYSTAL WHALE ISLAND. The main location where everyone is held is an artificial island made from the crystalized remains of whales. Yes, you read that correctly. There is an artificial island that uses crystallized large whales and their bones as its base. Most everything is made of crystal and whale bones, including the buildings, yet it's designed in such a way to make it feel rich, like some luxury resort. Beautiful paintings, gold trim, expensive statues—including crystallized people and animals, all on display like an art gallery.

THE ABDUCTED. For those who had been taken last month, it shouldn't be surprising to say that conditions will not be pleasant. However, we're letting players choose how "bad" things are for their characters so that everyone can remain comfortable. For the record, we had 9 Paladins and only 3 Corsairs taken. There are of course NPCs taken so the total victims are more likely in the 20s-30s but it was interesting to see more Paladins volunteering.

» Imprisoned. As one can guess, those who were abducted will be imprisoned in some way. They could be in standard cells, isolated rooms, chained up to the wall, hanging from cages, or even in tanks of water. The restraints can also vary to fit the situation. Some may not need to be chained or tied up, others might.

» Tattoos stripped. To ensure that no one uses powers or abilities, all tattoos will have been removed. Characters can be aware of this process, and all it took was a nice dunking through some special water that washed off the tattoo. Not to worry, these can be replaced at the Inkwave Tattoo Parlor without cost since they would all be victims of this terrible ordeal. Exceptions to the ability nerf would be any innate powers and strength, including some transformations. If you have questions, feel free to ask!

» Crystallization. To make matters more stressful, everyone is in some stage of crystallization. Yes, those who were taken could have been for any reason, and now they will be part of the collection. Players can choose how much a character is affected, and it can be as little as just a hand or part of the skin, or as much as a whole limb or even more if you want to be that terrible. It's a slow process, and it was done forcibly either through a strange injection or creepy magic ritual. Not to worry, this can be treated after being rescued and unless someone actually wants it, no one should be in threat of crystallizing completely.

» Escape. Escape attempts are allowed and can either succeed, fail, or meet with rescuers. Anything is allowed, but there are both normal guards and mechanical sentries around, not to mention other security systems that will be in place. Sneak out without being detected or just start punching, whatever works!

THE RESCUERS. Although this place won't be publicly known, those who are trying to find and rescue their friends will be able to find clues and hear whispers of a special place. A big clue will be one from way back that Kaveh learned—an island that reeks of blood. It's been found. Now it needs to be raided, and it must be done without alerting those gathering there. But even once arriving there, there will be a few obstacles that will make this raid a bit challenging.

» Receding tide. Ominously, as they get closer to the island the water will slowly draw back, pulling away from the island to reveal the shallow shore leading up to it and beaching the luxury yachts and ships that were docked there. This will force the incoming ships to anchor farther away and everyone will have to go on foot. But what will make this even more strange is that should one look back, they will see a lot of whales gathering, their songs eerie and dark. Perhaps it's a warning that they will need to hurry… Especially because the water is slowly rising higher and higher with each passing minute.

» Defense systems. Unsurprisingly there are defense systems in place around the island, and although the water is gone they will still activate. Notably will be some "underwater mines" that are now settled on the ground. Easy enough to avoid, but some may still detonate. There are also sharkfolk mercenaries that will rush out to fight anyone they see. For those who may try to sneak through, there are some hidden entrances, however beware of the leeches that might attach to those not careful. They're mostly harmless, but instead of blood they will drain one's energy if not removed quickly.

» Risk of crystallization. As part of the defense, there are also magic systems that will target intruders and try to crystallize them. Compared to the ones who are abducted, this is more fast acting and more similar to the process in Astares. It will quickly form a large crystal goop around the target and try to completely envelop the target.

» Rescue, arrest, and destroy. The main objective is to rescue the victims, but after seeing everything other objectives are available. It's possible to arrest or even kill those who are on the island, and it will be noticeable that everyone is some elite figure. Strangely there seem to be a lot of Elah aristocrats here. Finally, destruction of the place is allowed! Especially because…

TIME LIMIT. There is a "time limit" for everyone to get in and out as quickly as possible. As hinted by the receding tide, water will be gathering around the island, slowly forming a giant wall. The sound of whales will grow louder and louder as time passes, as if to try and warn those who are inside. Those who don't make it before the flood happens can be helped by the whales, but it's not a guarantee.

RECOVERY. There will be healers and doctors on standby to help treat anyone who is injured, but it may not be until they reach Eltrut will they get full treatment, especially those crystallized. Victims will also be interrogated and questioned, but that can be handwaved and submitted during AC.

And that should be the general overview of what's to come! If those who signed up find this too much than they expected, you are welcome to withdraw without issue!

OH SNAP

April is the month of the seasonal festival First Tides that celebrates the spring season as well as turtles as they are considered an important part of the world. However, we're not throwing a festival this year—instead we've incorporated some aspects of First Tides into the MANTA Board and will be doing a different turtle related event instead.

» Turtle Snapped. While festivities will have been ongoing early on in the month, the sudden appearance of this giant snapping turtle made mostly of rock and large enough to be its own mountainous island has put Eltrut on edge. Usually it remains far away where the waters are dark, dangerous, and difficult to navigate, but this particular leviathan has made its way to Eltrut's current location. Is it trying to seek help? Or is it throwing a tantrum? Regardless, it rushes at the giant sea turtle, snapping its jaws dangerously…

» A little sore. Turns out, there is a reason for the turtle's appearance and its temper—it has been injured by something else. What is anyone's guess… After all, what could be out there that could have managed to injure a giant turtle practically made out of rock? A mystery for later, but for now it has a lot of giant thorn-like spines sticking out at various places along its shell and on one of its legs. Not only that, it has some indigestion from eating the giant chunk it managed to take out of whatever attacked it.

» Healing outside… The thorns are several tens of feet tall and will need to be chopped down before they can be pulled out, but they are very poisonous so care must be taken when handling it. Whether the spines are discarded or used for…various things is up to whoever is handling them. Some salve will also need to be administered, though it will need to be by the bucket load, and making said salve will be a process since it needs to work on a creature that's mostly made of rock.

» ...and within. However, one of the biggest issues will be treating the turtle from inside its stomach. The turtle is very temperamental and some may find themselves and their ships swallowed up even without wanting to. But once inside, they will find the interior more like a giant, mountainous cave, with its own entire ecosystem thriving inside. Of course that means there are dangers from unique creatures to the water becoming more acidic and toxic the further in one goes. The main goal is to find the huge, hill sized chunks of flesh and either destroy or help expel it. Like the spines, it's also filled with toxins so harvesting it may not be the wisest choice, at least not for consumption…

» One way in, one way out. There's only way into the turtle—the mouth. And there's only way out the turtle—not the mouth. It will be impossible to sail out especially since ships will likely have been destroyed if not from initial entry then by the acidic water. Climbing and flying out from the mouth will also be impossible as the opening will be sealed shut unless the turtle opens its mouth, and there would be too much force and suction to push back anyone who tries. Thus the exit can only be one thing… Should be fine, right? Just have to, uh. Encourage that rocky bowel movement.

» Exploration. Both outside and inside the turtle will yield interesting treasures. Inside the turtle especially will have lots of old wreckages and even signs of people who tried to live there before passing. Thus a lot of treasure and goods can be found scattered throughout the insides of the turtle. The shell is similar to signs of wreckage and life. Perhaps there is even a hidden village of snapping turtlefolk deep within the rocky heights. However, they won't exactly be friendly—can they even understand the language?

» Some First Tides things. We don't want to exclude everything from the First Tides festivities, so there may still be a few things that will occur on the snapping turtle instead. Maybe some festive atmosphere will help cheer it up? Or make it worse, who knows.

Hopefully we can help this poor grumpy turtle out. We don't want a turtle battle…

…Or do we—

LAST WORDS

And that's it! If you have any questions, feel free to comment here. All quest-related questions should be posted to the Manta Board post. happy april fool's

Comments

[headhunt]

[multidisciplinary]

About how close can someone get to a member of the opposing armada before they start feeling pain from the brand?

Also, how much trouble would one be in if one's crew were to craft and distribute these work around potions?

[seawarden]

A few feet away is more or less fine and won't be too bad. Think of it like good ol' social distancing.

And a lot of trouble if caught, but definitely not discouraged. So don't get caught 😉

Edited to add: It should be noted that while Riftfarers can create their own variants of potions, they will not be stronger/better than what is already out there.

[multidisciplinary]

"SOCIAL DISTANCING" i'm fucking triggered

Okay so don't advertise her new potions on the shellphone network, got it o7

Oh, what if Zelda tried to use her powers to try to seal the brands to nullify their effects? Could that work like the other work-arounds or would her powers end up not working on the brands at all?

[seawarden]

😇

Her powers used directly wouldn't do much of anything, however she can use her magic in conjunction with other items like casing it into enchanted talismans or as an ingredient in a potion. This would be similar to how the sirens and snakefolk and others are creating their remedies. The effects would also be the same or weaker.

[multidisciplinary]

I love that so fricking much thank you. can't believe zelda's gonna work herself to death making potions


while I have you here, say someone was tech savvy enough to attempt to make a vpn so they could send an encrypted or anonymous message about their very legal potion making venture. How successful would that be? with the understanding that i am open to negative repercussions

[seawarden]

While Zelda wouldn't be able to make a VPN server per se, she could definitely work it so that the lines are encrypted enough that no trace could be found of who the original IDs in the conversation are. Could even create temporary false IDS to spoof with.

There also wouldn't be too much repercussion on trying to encrypt the data if only because unlike modern networks, the shellphone network is... Well it's a giant mystery and no one knows what Toni Spark did when he made the network— So things like tracing "IPs" or looking into data information about users on the network isn't really there. They can really only look at the text/forum posts.

Repercussions on making that very legal potion making venture will definitely be around should they manage to find out who and where it's being operated, of course. That can be with attempts to arrest or, if they can't figure out it's Zelda, flat out making a bounty on the "anonymous" group.

[indispensable]

just here to laughcry at "Toni Spark"

the mcu in me is dying

[forgeabettertomorrow]

So since Darin publicly renounced the Paladins and Corsairs, I'm assuming he's still going to be branded a Corsair?

And if Darin can endure the pain, would he be able to march onto Elah in protest and just stand there while Paladins get burned by their brand?

Because he's going to become a very vocal problem for reasons stemming from not being able to get near a certain Paladin

[seawarden]

Yes, Darin is still a Corsair!

As for tolerating the pain, while under normal circumstances he might have been able to endure for a long time, Leviathan magic is on a god tier level. He can hold out for a little longer than the average person, but regardless of ability or constitution he will feel the pain directly and it may be even stronger for him (and other similar) to make him succumb.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Follow up question

What are the consequences for someone pushing himself to the utmost limit aside from debilitating pain. Can it be lethal?

[seawarden]

Yes. It can be lethal.

[menaceunleashed]

...I have to ask.

If someone's got a prisoner of the other faction for whatever reason, does the pain also activate if they're in close proximity?

[seawarden]

Yes it does!

owo (oops I asked on the wrong comment)

[emet_sulk]

It was mentioned to me before when I asked that all powers even passive ones will be gone for those who have been abducted. Is that still the case or has it been changed?

ALSO, will the brand making it difficult for Corsair and Paladin to be near each other still hurt through crystallised body parts? owo

[seawarden]

That is correct! Although I did change it a little bit to allow some passive skills to still work, though with some limitations. These are also optional. Regardless, the abucted will be heavily depowered through all this!

As for the brand, it will indeed still hurt through crystallized body parts.

[emberized]

Is there a set cure for crystallization we have already established lore-wise? (just healing magic? Or potion recipe?) Or is it like the brand punishment work-arounds, where it differs from person to person?

[seawarden]

There is a set cure that has been developed both by NPCs and by characters. It's a mix of potions and spells and some may need more than others. But it is very possible for some to be completely freed and cured from their crystal condition.

[emberized]

Gotcha! So it's like we know there are treatment plans but have leeway in how long it takes to fully recover. Awesome, thank you!

[telepathicignorance]

So say someone was very angry and wanted to team up with some other Corsairs to do some retalitory villainy in response to the brands. Say they like, wanted to do some property damage and rough up some Corsair higher ups and make threatening speeches about the injustice of separating people who don't even have a choice in what armada they joined from their friends and loved ones and how they'll make this NPC/the Corsair higher ups/this world as a whole pay if this shit doesn't stop while doing so. Any particular NPCs or buildings they might target?

I'm assuming that at least part of the inevitable consequences for this will be bounties, but what else can be expected?

[seawarden]

Whoops, sorry Shiny!! I think I got your question confused with the one you asked on the Discord server and forgot about this! It's basically the same where it will be mostly bounties and arrest attempts on anyone who tries to retaliate in that kind of way.

As for NPCs or buildings, basically anything that could deal with leadership or affluent positions.

[indispensable]

Helloooo mods just wanted to ask re: the branding stuff and its effects - will it be something that has happened before in recorded history, and if so, what would've been written about it (if at all)? Like would it be just a brief gloss over of 'oh this happened' from both sides trying to downplay it or some potentially more detailed stuff with people in the past having tried things to work around it?

Mostly just wanted to see what bases would be covered here before I start making stuff up lmaoooo. Ty in advance mods~

[seawarden]

Yes, the use of insignias on the Armadas has been used before, but not in recent history. The first recorded case would be back when the factions were first forming after the Great Flood and everything was still in disarray. Back then it was more for an obvious symbol of who belonged to which faction, especially since loyalty and identity to their side was a lot more significant than it is now. Once things settled and the official treatises made between the Armadas were made, the insignias were considered obsolete and removed.

Of the very small number of times the insignias appeared, it was always related to so some kind of divisive conflict between the two that required clear identity of Armada members until peace returned again. The last known record was several hundred years ago.

There is no mention of a "punishment" type of effect with the insignias. Whether that's accurate or not... Well, who knows.

[indispensable]

Ooooh this is all very helpful!! Ty, mods~

Just one more clarification since I don't think I've seen it anywhere (feel free to point out otherwise): do the natives in-universe know that the branding stuff is actually from leviathan magic, or is that something only known on an OOC level?

[seawarden]

For the most part this is IC knowledge so most natives would know. But there would of course be a few who, because it has been so long and the method like one giant spell and not always so clear, wouldn't know until they are more informed about it. So basically like real life lol.

[indispensable]

misinformation!! on the leviathans!!

but that's all I needed to know! ty again mods!!

[empyrean_mirror]

so

what information can be found in the restricted parts of the Conservatory's library? Kaveh is specifically looking for stuff on the Leviathans and their magic, but also anything related to relics will get his attention.

Trust him with this info he definitely won't do crimes with it--

[seawarden]

Sorry this is a bit late!

Leviathan magic is both a known concept as well as still a big mystery, so Kaveh will be able to find a range of information both in the public area with some more specifics in the restricted area. All leviathans have some array of powerful magic that they can use, and while documentation has been made by those who have observed various abilities used so far, there is still much they do not know or the true depth of their power. Still, for general understanding, it's best explained as written as abilities that would be considered "god-tier" in some cases. And of course, like any creature, some leviathans are weaker or stronger than others. They do not know every leviathan in existence, and they can only know what has been seen and documented. Some abilities may actually be speculation or based off ancient records and folklore.

As for relics, this seems to be more classified, but there are some notes about how there can be dangers if used with leviathan magic. The specifics as to why or how are not mentioned, but whatever notes do seem to be written more as a warning...

[empyrean_mirror]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm seems safe I bet nothing could go wrong!

Thank you mods!