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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[ Lois wasn't one to hesitate, usually. She tended to be the type to dive head first into something new. There were exceptions to rules, though. It had taken her a bit to willingly step through the teleporter, immediately not enjoying the sensations to follow. It was too similar to a weightlessness she'd felt before and it jars her enough that she's stationary when she's sure everything has stopped moving around her. Shifting the bag in her hand, she tucks her journal carefully into it before beginning to explore.
Lois doesn't settle next to the fires, instead doing that one thing she shouldn't be doing - edging towards the darkness. Her eyes try to scan it for movement, ponytail swishing as her head turns. Instinctively, she takes a step back as she catches a whiff of the ozone smell. In her world, that usually accompanied an electric storm... But who knew if that still rang true. Lois runs a hand up and down her arm to chase off a shiver trying to course through her, turning to step closer once again to the fire. She looks to the person near her, gesturing at an empty spot. ]
Is this seat taken?
A Shepherd Over the Flock:
[ That uneasiness followed her into the gray morning, the man's speech doing nothing to lighten her burden. If anything, it just added to it. She didn't trust those that were so quick to condemn others or invoke feelings of supposed shame from behind a pulpit. History often reflected that those who proselytize the loudest were ones to keep an eye on.
And she intended to learn more about Voss.
For now, she watches the crowd around her - gauging reactions to see if she might be the only one feeling concern over the message. Eventually, she breaks away from the group to dig into the backpack she'd been given, taking out the pamphlet to scan it again. The words escape her lip with no intended audience, muttered under her breath. ]
I think the welcome pamphlet might need to be updated if using and abusing people is a common trend. [ And with a little more force, she looks up, brows knitting in frustration. ] What the hell is going on around here? [ She was going to get straight answers from someone within the next 72 hours. ]
Forgetting is So Long:
[ The transition is fairly seamless, walking forward as they travel to suddenly being back in the cargo bay of the C-17 military plane with Kal-El's ship. She watches herself try to insert the command key so they can use it to stop Zod and the terraforming, watches as Dr. Hamilton mimics her own attempts while she moves towards the open ramp - can hear someone yelling... and then all hell seems to break loose.
Lois sees herself lose her footing, slipping to barely hang onto the ramp as Faora deflects the hail of gunfire and tears through the soldiers with frightening precision and ease. It's something she'd remembered, but hadn't really had a chance to focus on in the chaos of the moment. It's a sickening thing to watch, seeing someone's life get stripped away in a breath... And it never gets easier. She tucks herself off to the side, confused and trying make sense of this. Was this some side effect of the teleporter? A vivid, mental manifestation of reliving some of the sensations she'd felt when--
And that's when the plane shifts and she catches a glimpse of a break between this illusion and the reality around her. She runs toward herself and the world around her blooms into crackling electricity and light, the plane exploding as she watches herself be thrown backwards away from the collision. Lois stumbles out of her memory as her other self's screams ring in her ears, unashamedly letting herself settle on the solid ground beneath her for a moment. Get her bearings and reacquaint herself with gravity.
In through the nose, out through the mouth. ]
A Fork in the Road:
[ There'd been a shining moment when she'd seen that both sides were trying to 'recruit' people to their side that she thought she might be able to get a straight answer. She was so wrong. They were here to bribe, entice, and make promises for bigger and better things on their side.
Both sides held her interest, though the rousing speech from Voss still played in her mind, weakening Olympia's stance for her. When one of the Olympian hawkers tries to get her to marvel at the pegasus he's offering a ride on, she's quick to respond. ]
There's an old adage about things seeming too good to be true.
Wildcard:
[ choose your own adventure or pm me/reach out to me on plurk @
A Shepherd Over the Flock
Anemone doesn't look at all bothered by whatever Voss is saying, but then, she also isn't listening, busy bundled up in a earthy-toned robe and mostly just staring off into space, paying the occasional attention to the new group.]
Why, what's it saying? I never actually read it myself; we didn't have them in the beginning. Let me guess, it glosses over all the violence.
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I think glossing over violence is a generous way to describe this. It could use a rewrite to make sure everyone can start off informed enough to make a smart decision.
[ She's annoyed and it's something she'll add to her growing list of topics she wants to tackle once she can catch her breath a bit. ]
Would you mind filling me in a bit?
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If you show support for one city over the other and you get caught, that other city will basically "disown" you. Refuse business, that sort of thing. I'm not sure if that's common knowledge.
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By Campfire's Glow
[Venom was lost in his own little world as he stared at the fire. He's seen this so many times he's practically a seasoned veteran, helping newcomers the best he can. The storm seems more ominous than normal, but that just might be his cautious side talking.
He moves aside a bit more to give the other some more room.]
How are you faring, Miss?
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She offers a soft thank you, settling down. ]
About as well as can be expected, I guess. This is all a bit overwhelming.
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[He's probably coming off as a grizzled old man, almost pulling a "back in my day" spiel on her.]
For what it's worth, welcome. My name is Venom, and I've lived here for quite a while.
[Ten months, the last time he checked. He holds his hand out for a shake.]
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campfire glow
They look up when addressed and smile warmly, albeit in a sleepy sort of manner] Not at all! Please, sit down. [They notice the way Lois sees to be holding herself and hums thoughtfully]
Are you cold...? [They ask it uncertainly, because, well, they can't feel temperature differences so they're not even sure if it's 'warm' or 'cold' outside right now]
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I think it's more unease than cold.
[ She casts a look back over her shoulder toward the darkness before returning her attention to the warmth of the fire in front of her. ]
Don't mind me, this is all still pretty new to me. [ She offers a smile, chasing off the disconcerting feelings about the weather and what's out there. ] I'm Lois.
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[Diamond shakes their head and laughs a little] It's new for me too. Everything here is... Very different from where I'm from. There's so many people, and trees and things. [They look up at the surrounding area, looking a little excited and intrigued about everything around before refocusing for the introduction.]
Pleased to meet you, Lois. My name's Diamond.
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forked!
[ Jim's been present throughout the event, and this isn't the first time he's glimpsed this woman - the refugees are, by default, a close community. (Should be closer, he thinks, but whatever.) He'd considered steering clear of the Olympian displays, given his residence in Wyver, but he's mistaken so often for Nice Olympia Resident Steve Trevor that apparently it's all green.
Still, one of the pegasus handlers gives him a slight stink-eye, which Jim ignores. ]
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I don't think I've bought in enough to get taken to where they keep it.
[ The handler gives up on her, moving on to try his hand at someone new. ]
Do they put on this much of a show for everyone or are we special?
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[ Jim angles them away from the natives a little bit, just in case. Nobody needs to overhear, on the off-chance that anyone's taking notes. ]
Granted, Olympia's probably the more comfortable city. Take my word for it, I live in Wyver.
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A shepherd.
Though, he'd come for the lecture, and he followed it closely, if only to work out what measure of bullshit had been poured into the cocktail.]
Propaganda rarely sells something on its flaws. [He comments softly, and when she turns round, gestures to her pamphlet.] Propaganda. [And then back at Voss's stage.] Platitudes.
[And, after a moment's thought, at himself.]
Prior.
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The alliteration throws her off a bit, not having expected it to work out quite so well. Taking a wild guess, she follows his words with a gesture of her own towards herself. ]
Lois.
[ She then holds up the pamphlet, giving a soft sigh. She'll deal with the whole Voss thing later, cutting to the chase. ] How much of this is bullshit?
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wildcard.
[ After the death of Superman. ]
[ Bruce waits. Until she's looking through the trees at the path, far away enough from the others. ]
Ms. Lane. Don't turn around.
[ He's not visible through the trees if she does turn around, throwing his voice, making it scrape across the ground. ]
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She of course turns around, because it's Lois. Eyes scan, but she hadn't really expected to see anything. ]
Sorry, I was never good at following instructions.
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A Fork in the Road
I've been to both, if you'd like an only somewhat biased opinion.
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I would love an only somewhat biased opinion.
[ Because she's torn between going to Olympia in order to keep a closer eye on a couple of red flags she'd had pop up for her, personally... Or going to Wyver where she thinks she might have a better chance of laying low and digging her heels in while she researches. ]
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a shepherd over the flock.
You might wanna narrow your questions. [ said evenly in his definitively British lilt. Far from upper crust, though, unlike the other English sorts knocking about on this planet. He cants his head, offering her a sympathetic smile. ] We've got a lot of ground to cover.
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Comes with the job, I like to work my way down to specifics.
[ Because it's hard to write about something going on without a general understanding of the circumstances around it and at least basic terminology. She brushes a hand through her hair, having let it out of the ponytail last night. While people might not know her face or name here, she did enjoy the little bit of privacy her hair could allow in the way of her own mask. ]
I would say let's start at the beginning, but something tells me we don't have the time for that right now.
[ And for something like that, a little privacy would be nice. A chance to sit down and take notes without worrying about who might be watching. ]
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a fork in the road
Someone I know owns one... though she wouldn't use the term 'own'. They're just friends, is what she tells me. [ He smiles, obviously fond of who he's talking about and how she treats living things. ] And she'd probably take you for a ride without being pressured to join a side. [ At that, he gives the Olympian a firm look, not that he thinks she can't handle herself with the hawker. ]
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[ Almost plummeting to your death twice in the same month, let alone the same week is enough to set that motivation for a little bit. She smiles at the way he describes his friend. ] Sounds like someone with a good heart.
[ She knows someone like that. It's a reassuring reminder that there's good out there, no matter where she might end up. Extending a hand, she turns slightly to face the other man - not paying any attention to the hawker anymore. ]
Lois Lane.
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campfire
she glances up at the inquiry, and immediately recognizes them woman, though she can't place if the familiarity is shared. Diana does not know Lois Lane well, only that her love was strong enough to reach Kal El when he was lost from himself. she seems a woman with a strong heart, though Diana hasn't had much opportunity to know her personally.
perhaps, with her waking, there's time to change that. perhaps more, she's just a woman wearing a face that seems familiar. Diana offers a small, polite smile, and nods. ) Plenty of room.
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She takes a breath, trying to calm her rushing thoughts as she attempts to make sense of the information she'd been given. It seemed like every time she figured something out, it just created more and more questions. Not wanting to be rude, she turns to face the other woman - softening her normally abrupt introduction. ]
My name's Lois.
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