You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you've made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren't expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you'd help the planet thrive. Are you ready?
Submit an AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 OLYMPIA REP POINTS OR 2 WYVER REP POINTS, respectively, HERE or HERE. THESA STATION
All refugees on the station are called to the hangar where a large-scale teleporter has been set up; everyone will be sent to the planet together. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait. Before they depart, all new refugees will be given a starter kit!
 You may have heard about earlier technical difficulties, but don't worry. I promise everything is in perfect working order this time. I'd say I tested it myself, but since that's not exactly possible, you'll just have to trust me! (Please.)
The older refugees will also be there to guide you to ensure no one is left confused... or behind. Make sure you wait for them — I've been detecting something odd so I'll be having them meet you at the landing site. Good luck, refugees! Not that you'll be needing it or anything...
The arrays begin to hum and glow, quickly building into a brilliant wash of light. It creates a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa. With the night sky as a canvas, the beam can be seen all the way from Olympia and Wyver — a view that has the natives whispering of blessings.
As a sudden but beautiful aurora splays across the sky, the refugees down on the planet receive a message asking them to travel to the landing site — and warning them to prepare for what may come of the strange readings Zasere's gotten from the teleport itself.
Traveling through the light leaves the impression of blinding starlight, a strange sense of weightlessness, and a disorienting moment of total sensory deprivation. The radiance of your teleport hangs bright in the sky above you, a shimmering aurora that reflects off the calm waters below, visible for miles all around.
You've landed on a peninsula to the east of the South Outpost. There's little here — scattered trees on spring-barren plains, with a few overgrown, dilapidated structures poking out of the brush. All is quiet save for the keening of animals and the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. This lonely desolation is hardly the bustling cities and vibrant cultures you were promised back on the station...
BY CAMPFIRE'S GLOW. But waiting for you is a group of your predecessors, and with them, a veritable tent city, with portable stoves, coolers of food and drink, comfortable bedrolls, and cheerful rings of bonfires — all that you need to make merry of the night, courtesy of Overseer Voss, who has, thanks to his interest in blessed meteorological phenomena and refugees, decided to make a holy expedition of the affair.
Settle in, meet new comrades, and enjoy yourself, for you've safely completed your journey. But don't wander too far from the fires — the dark is closing in, and there's a strange, electric feeling in the air, the scent of ozone drifting on the breeze. And what were those odd readings Zasere mentioned?
A SHEPHERD OVER THE FLOCK. The spring sun dawns on a grey morning, already burning away the fog rolling in off the sea. It quickly becomes apparent that Voss and his entourage of acolytes have been up for hours, hard at work. They've set up a brightly-draped stage and a travel pulpit, magically enchanted to amplify his voice, and as the sun breaks over the horizon, Voss is all set to do what he does best: proselytize.
 As our Goddess has sent Her blessing once before to herald the coming of those touched by Her light, so She has done once again! Here you see them, those surrounded by the light of our Goddess, each of them bearing the mark upon their skin of Her holiest of hands! Do you not see? Do none among you bear witness to the righteousness of Her message? Perhaps this is why our people have shamed themselves in front of our Goddess—
[ He continues for another 15 minutes... ]
Nevertheless. See you them before us now! See them as they are, coming to our gates with Her reminder, that these people must be treated with the utmost respect and care. Thesa's divinity is not to be treated with such flagrant disregard! Those who She chooses are not ours to use as mindless fodder, to hurt, to torture — shame upon those who allowed such deeds to shame us under Her watchful gaze!
To those of you who have just arrived here on our doorstep, be not afraid! The Temples of Thesa welcome you to our home with hearts and minds open! Should you ever find yourself in need of solace, seek out the Temples, as there are no greater allies to you than those of us within the Temple walls. You are welcome all to Olympia!
As he steps away from the enchanted podium, he can be heard saying aside to an acolyte, "How was that? Heavy on the shame, but I think it went well!" While he will not leave the area immediately, his acolytes will politely turn away attempts to speak with him and remind anyone interested that they can leave a message at the Temples.
Despite going off without hitch, the new refugees' arrival isn't entirely without incident. It seems that the "blessed" beam of light that brought the refugees down to El Nysa brought something else along with it — a sliver of the Storm. At least the beam was short enough that only a small fraction managed to squeeze through.
But it's enough to wreak a little havoc around the landing site and along the road back toward Olympia and Wyver — and even, for a few days, in the cities themselves.
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. The Storm is an undeniably destructive force, and that's proven with this small sliver's effect as it ripples across the continent. While there's no visible sign of its presence, strange phenomena soon begin to appear, corresponding with Zasere's odd readings.
They're innocuous little things at first. A sudden silence, animals going quiet, insects stilling. All technology, no matter how advanced, ceases working. You discover when you check with a friend, the clock on your phone is twelve minutes slow even though you'd swear only a minute had passed — time missing. Walking through the woods takes longer than it should when brushing past one bush leads to brushing past that same bush again — and again, and again, the area looping on itself. It keeps you trapped, going in circles for minutes, even hours, before finally releasing you in a random direction.
Or perhaps you'll feel a sense of deja vu, like you've walked down this road, taken this turn, seen that bird fly from this branch before. This is the second time that cat has crossed your path. The person you're meeting, you already know their name; you're certain you've already met.
WE GOT COWS. The Storm sliver also ushers in sudden, localized weather anomalies — heavy storms, blizzards, strong winds, and more. Affected areas range from just a few feet wide to nearly half a mile. One minute, the sky may be sunny and clear, but the next dark storm clouds roll in, unleashing torrential rain. Small tornadoes surge along the road, kicking up winds strong enough to knock people over and carry objects away. Hail hurtles down from the sky, but only in a ten foot radius. Temperatures fluctuate wildly between one extreme and the next, from heat waves to cold snaps. Soupy fog blankets the area, thick enough that you can barely see your hand in front of your face. Good luck finding your way!
FORGETTING IS SO LONG. The visions come on suddenly and with very little warning. One second, you're carrying on as normal — but the next, you blink and find yourself (and anyone near you) somewhere else completely. You may recognize this place as a moment from the past, one that you lived through. It's a memory, your memory, and it now replays around you in exceptional detail, unnervingly lifelike. Or you may not recognize it at all. It might belong to the person next to you, or to someone else entirely — a memory that the Storm has swallowed up.
Either way, the scene plays out just as it once did, and there's nothing you can do to stop it — or escape it. The memory surrounds you to no end: every door you open leads nowhere, every hallway you turn down continues on forever, every horizon you flee toward hangs just out of reach. And linger too long or turn the wrong corner, and you may find yourself abruptly stuck in a completely different memory. It's almost tempting, then, to give up, to let the past sweep you away...
But this isn't the full might of the Storm. Look closely, and you can see that in the walls of this trap, there are minute, hairline cracks, a facade of fractured glass. Imperfections in the memory where the real world is breaking through. It seems the only way to escape these memories is to find those cracks and break through them — by force, by will, or by some other method entirely.
The time is coming to make a choice — perhaps not a permanent choice, but unless you want to spend the rest of your nights out under the stars, you'll need to pick which city you will initially spend your time in. On the horizon, you will see that people have arrived to help you make that decision...
A FORK IN THE ROAD. Refugees and the hyper-religious wishing to hear Voss speak are not the only ones out and about under the light of the aurora. Citizens of both Olympia and Wyver have flocked to a point on the road midway between the cities and where the refugees have appeared, and they all have the same goal in mind: convincing the newcomers who have just descended in the blessed light of Thesa to come to their city and not the other.
They've come with bribes — that is, examples of what their cities have to offer. If you spent much time at the exhibition up on Thesa Station, you might recognize some of what's being shown off, though the offerings here are markedly more tangible, and shown off by hawkers wearing substantially fewer clothes.
A herd of pegasi accompanies the Olympians, while a line of flying serpents is stabled at a tent bearing Wyver colors. Refugees are given the chance to experience solo flights and are told that if they prove their loyalty, they may have the privilege of owning such fine beasts one day themselves. The Olympians have also brought couture clothing, jewelry, and makeup to offer a taste of Olympian splendor, while the Wyver delegation has brought along fine weapons, sense-enhancing jungle plants, and small vials of diluted dragon’s blood (drinking confers a temporary boost in strength) to demonstrate their might. The Olympians speak proudly of the glory of the Temples of Thesa; the Wyverns speak of the Volkkran Pact and inform newcomers that they can make a pilgrimage to the summit of Namarak Mountain at the next full moon.
This is as good a time as any to compare your plans with others around you and exchange contact information before going your separate ways with people who are going to the city you are not. When you’re ready to go, don’t worry about safe passage — the natives of each city will gladly escort you there in luxury.
OF WHITE AND GOLD. The people of Olympia are ecstatic that you’ve come to join them... So much so that they’ve prepared a grand tour of the city for the new arrivals. You will be introduced to the major businesses in the city, including businesses that they are proud to point out were founded by refugees.
Refugees who have been here for some time already are encouraged to pair up with newcomers to introduce them to the parts of the city they like best. To facilitate this, they’ve made arrangements with many of the business owners: new refugees who visit their shops (and older refugees who escort them) are given discounts!
Just a few examples of many: the Wyvernest offers free desserts to first time visitors with the purchase of a drink, refugees who visit the Silk Wyrms can have one custom (though not exceedingly expensive) outfit made for them for free, and visitors to Shades Darker are offered a half-hour session with one of the prostitutes at half price… or access to a private room, if they seem to have taken a shine to one of their companions on the tour.
Lastly, tour guides will point out that over the course of the next week, the train to Flona Cove will allow new refugees to board for free so that they can experience the seaside for themselves. With the weather finally starting to warm, this is as good a time as any for a visit to the beach, isn’t it?
OF RED AND BLACK. Life in Wyver is typically a sink-or-swim sort of experience — but in light of the valor recently displayed by their predecessors, the natives are now more willing to assist in getting newcomers settled. The entire journey here they have been talking up the virtues of their city… and now is the time to show everything that's on offer.
The well-known businesses in the city are prepared for the influx of newcomers. Some are giving out discounted samples of their products while others are offering a more hands-on experience: in exchange for working a few hours, they will give training in whatever task is being performed.
At the Forged, newcomers can learn the basics of crafting simple weapons (and take one of their successes home), while visitors to spas near the lagoons are trained in the art of massage. Those who wander to Falmi’s Ring can learn the art of pugilism or how to keep (and fix) books if they're more inclined to the gambling that goes on. Newcomers interested in Wyver's dragons can get hands-on experience at the Fields of the Exalted's nursery. While they walk from place to place, a guide may point out a job posting from Highwind Hires, noting that refugees can make a name for themselves outside official channels.
The last stop on the tour is the Undergrowth. The guides speak of the jungle in reverent tones and caution new refugees not to wander too far in. They warn never to explore alone, but also urge refugees to take time to familiarize themselves with it; after all, the jungle is an important part of life in Wyver, and those who are going to be living here should understand it as well as they do.
You've chosen your path, refugee, but that doesn't necessarily make it a permanent one. Watch out for the strange effects of the Storm, which linger still in the two cities and everywhere in between for the next few days before dissipating just as mysteriously as they came, but otherwise enjoy the welcome and make yourself at home — after all, this is home now.
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Vin | Mistborn
Or not quite by the campfire.
Not long after her arrival, Vin splits off from the ring of tents and fire, not venturing out of sight but far enough that she can crouch down in the familiarity of the night. Taking the time to root through the kit she'd been given before being teleported down to the surface of this new world.
More pamphlets that she considers for a moment before stuffing them back in. A packet of some kind of biscuit that she opens up, sniffing at one and taking a small, thoughtful bite... and then stuffing another two into her mouth and chewing as she wraps up the rest and puts them away. The rest is basic enough, a box full of bandages and medicines, some kind of covering, a bottle made of a material she's never seen before. Until she comes to the flashlight. Hefting the device she inspects it closely, looking into the glass covering on the top and...
Click.
Wincing, she drops the thing to the ground again, blinking spots out of her eyes. What kind of thing is that? Shaking her head, she looks toward it and pauses when she catches sight of the grass the beam of light is cast over. Blinking again, she sets the kit aside for now and leans over, reaching out with one hand and running her fingers gingerly over the blades. A second later and a smile spreads across her face, and she laughs.
Minutes later, somebody else would likely come across her rushing around the trees with her backpack over one shoulder aiming the flashlight up into the branches with a delighted look on her face.
"They're green!" She calls out if somebody seems confused, turning to them with a clear expression of 'are you seeing this shit?' "The plants, the trees. They're all green!"
We Got Cows
Sadly, her infatuation with this new world doesn't last long. It doesn't take much time before the more familiar sight of looming, threatening clouds rolls in over the clearer skies and the rain starts pouring down. Fortunately, she'd remembered something from her kit and that covering sure does a good job of warding off the rain.
So she soon has herself wrapped up in it, her small form practically vanishing beneath it as she stands there, bracing herself against the wind that, by all rights should be knocking her clear off her feet, with the air of somebody all too familiar with being caught in the elements.
It isn't too bad. The rain is at least clear, and not carrying any of the muddy grit of ash.
"Is the weather on this world always so... violent?"
At least the rain is clear until....
Forgetting: Warning for abuse in the second option
It happens in a flash, everything changing around her. The rain, the trees and the outdoors are all gone, swept away in an instant and replaced with the a lavish ballroom.
Vin jumps, spinning around in place as finely dressed nobles dance and spin around the room. It doesn't take long to realize she's largely being ignored or... not noticed? Is she only here to watch? Making her way through the crowds, she stops short when she sees... herself. Or "herself", wearing an elegant red dress in stark contrast to the simple outfit she finds herself in, seated at a table in the shadow of her "steward", a tall man in robes. Chatting with a young man, half-buried behind a ridiculous stack of books. So caught off guard, she stands stock still, unable to fully banish the the sad smile on her face. Or notice that she might not be alone here.
But that's not the only memory she witnesses....
The next memory she stumbles into has none of the splendor of the first. A dingy alley in a gloomy city, crimson sunlight piercing through rolling black clouds as flakes of ash drift to the cobblestones.
It isn't peaceful either, sharp angry yells and screams piercing the air as Vin stands amid the falling ash, watching the second apparition of herself. This time a smaller girl dressed in rags, smudged with dirt and grime and hair hacked mercilessly short as she curls up under the heavy blows and kicks of an older boy. Her brother, Reen, shouting in fury at her for losing a loaf of bread they'd managed to get their hands on. Ignoring her protests, ignoring her excuses that it'd been stolen, that a big man had hit her and taken it away.
"That was all we had, you idiot! Now we're going to go hungry and it's all your fault!" Each hurled insult coming with another fist or kick to her. "I don't know why I bother with you, if you make a mistake like that again I really will sell you off!"
She turns her head away as her younger self breaks down in tears of pain and shame, only then noticing that she isn't alone here either.
"We should find a way out of here." She turns away from the scene, pausing briefly. "I'd appreciate it if you kept what you just saw to yourself."
Now which memory do you witness? And which one is the truth?
Wilcard
[Come at me with anything else. Vin will be hanging around the edges of the campfire and exploring the offerings of both Wyver and Olympia. Though she'll probably take the tour of Wyver over Olympia.]
Campfire glow
They're green where I'm from. Are...they a different color in your home?
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[Reaching up, she takes a branch and pulls it down, careful not to pull any of the leaves free.]
They were stories but I've never seen this.
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[He's never been to one himself, but he's heard stories of how the plant life would be different than in someplace like Vale or Mistral.]
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[She lets the branch go, watching it spring back into place healthy and alive. The leaves rustle and none of them fall dead to the ground.]
The world I came from was just... nothing like this.
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We had plants and trees this color. There was also a forest in one spot that had leaves of red and amber.
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campfire
She can't. It's too many people. She can't socialize right now; she imagines them just starting at her still-fading bruises, the evidence of the violence she faced. So she tries to get away, to go clear her head where there aren't too many people.
Unfortunately, "not too many" doesn't equal "zero."]
...huh? Isn't it... supposed to be green?
[She's got a deer-in-the-headlights look right now.]
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Is it? This is normal here? I've never--
[She doesn't sweep the light across You's face or anything when she turns, she'd gotten this light in her eyes once already and knows better, but she doesn't need to. She's been burning tin for awhile and her vision is sharpened enough that she can see through the dark. She sees the marks and bruises, faded and healing, but she knows what they mean. She doesn't need to ask to know how somebody got something like that. And she sees the look on her face.
She flicks the flashlight, scanning with her enhanced eyes and ears to see if anybody else is nearby. Perhaps following this girl. Nobody she can see.]
... I'll go. If you wanted to be alone.
[No minced words. She's been there.]
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But then she calls out the bruises and such on You's face-- implicitly, anyway-- and the girl visibly winces. Having people pity her is almost worse than...
...well, it's not worse, but it sucks.
She shakes her head.] N-no, it's okay. I just thought I'd come, uh, clear my head, that's all.
Seriously though, they're supposed to be green, aren't they?
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So she doesn't.
A heartbeat passes where she studies the girl before glancing away, nodding once in understanding and then she turns back to the leaves that had so caught her interest.]
No. Or at least they're not on my old world. [She steps forward, touching the bark of the tree.] There are stories, from a time before the Ascension, but I don't think anybody really believed them.
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She's used to a bunch of weird things in this world. Weird things in other worlds. Magic powers, giant robots, you name it.
She's not expecting a world where plants aren't green.] W-what color are they?
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cows
When she spots Vin--or, more, she spots her disappearing under the covering--she approaches and tilts her head up as if regarding the weather and the question thoughtfully] Not usually, no. This is all definitely strange for the area.
[And focusing back on Vin:] There should be a small shelter area not too far from here. Come, I'll lead you to it.
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Pewter that she flares against a particularly large gust of wind, leaning into it and bracing to keep herself from being bowled over by it. Despite the cover it still sends a spray of cold rainwater into her eyes and she's irritably wiping at it when Mipha approaches.]
That's good to know. [She grumbles, drawing her hand back.] A shelter would be nice too--
[Her eyes are clear and that's a fish girl. She cuts off abruptly and takes her time looking Mipha over from finny head to webbed toe and, before she can think better, one word tumbles from her.]
What.
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What? [She echoes in mild confusion. That sort of verbal reaction was a little different, and Mipha isn't sure if she should laugh or what. In the end she sort of chuckles and tilts her head with an amused look]
My name is Mipha, and my people are called the Zora. I really must insist we get out of this weather before the questions start, though.
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I-- [That next gust rocks her a little as well and she leans against it, bracing her feet and tightening her grip on the tarp around her. She does have questions. She has... so many questions but the wind is somehow getting worse.] Actually, that sounds reasonable. Let's get to that shelter.
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Well, too late for that now. She nods and pulls her trident from the ground, looking around a moment before pointing off.] I know there's a small rest area over that way. Come, we should move quickly.
[Before the weather gets even weirder, like raining frogs or something. There's no telling what might happen here, okay? Mipha moves quickly, but makes sure to stay in Vin's sight. The sheltered area is more like a little shack just to be used as a place to sit for a little bit or meet someone before moving on. It's not so poorly built that it might fall on them, but it only barely stops rain or wind from slipping through.]
Well. It's better than nothing. [There's that, at least.]
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we got cows.
'This is manageable,' answers a voice to Vin's left, before a shape emerges and resolves into a person. The voice is gruff, but soft, low enough to carry. 'Come on, you shouldn't be out here.'
NGL this is kind of some dream CR right here
He'd snuck up on her? True, the heavy rain and the crinkling racket of her tarp had made listening harder but she'd been burning tin all the same. How had... who-?
She settles, if still a little on edge and makes a note of this man. For now, better to come across unassuming. Not hard to do. She's just a tiny girl who got separated from the group and wandered off in the rain.
"Oh... right." She tugs her improvised cloak a little tighter around herself though her eyes never waver beneath it. "I suppose I did get a little turned around. Do you... know the way back to the group?"
She does, of course, but what he says should reveal his intentions well enough.
she'd fit right into gotham lbr here
Bruce knows better. But that's also the paranoia talking.
'Yes, it's that way. Should I come with you?'
She'd be a little offput by all the colorful matching outfits and getaway cars tho
Because Vin isn't making any assumptions either. Getting the drop on a Mistborn isn't something someone just does. Curiously, she burns bronze, not quite sure what he expects to find and, of course, there's nothing to detect.
"If you don't mind leading the way." She replies at least putting on the facade of a sheepish smile. It's the right way but she's not about to turn her back on somebody like this, not until she's a little more sure.
they come with the theme vin get with it
Bruce isn't visibly armed, but martial training has never been something he tries to disguise about himself. He's not a small man, joking about crossfit is no explanation for the way his body inhabits space. He shrugs amiably and leads the way, and though it looks perfectly ordinary he is ready to turn at any time should she pull a weapon on him.
'This way, miss,' he says, and it does ring sincere. She just might be more than that, though.
But they could just drive a normal car and escape
where's the fun in that
What's "fun?" Can you eat it?
we gon have it
Superhero world is weird
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campfireee
But what he finds is someone... elated?
Then again, he doesn't look surprised, gaze cutting from Vin to the wild movement of the flashlight over leaves. ]
I felt the same way when I saw it for the first time, too.
"Camp Furry"? That's more your kinda thing I'll pass
She's at least aware enough to catch approaching footsteps when Mikazuki approaches and turns quickly when he comes within sight, sweeping the light over him. Ah. She remembers him from dealing with that monster up on the station.
He'd been here for awhile now, hadn't he? At least he can appreciate the excitement of a sight like this.]
Are they all like this? Everywhere? I feel like I'm standing in a child's drawing.
[She can see stars above them too. STARS.]
this call out
[ It may have been months, but sometimes he still stops to consider it. ]
Everything grows freely.
No judgement here, friend. Probably
[It's said in a quiet tone. The tone of somebody who understands and appreciates the sheer magnitude of what that means. Somebody who grew up in a place where that was far less real.
She steps back and something occurs to her.]
Crops. What about farms? Does food grow as easily here?
i'll take my furries and go...
What you do with your newfound spare time is your business
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