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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He... i-it wasn't like that! [That's not a no.] There's more to it than that, we were--
[He ends up cutting himself off as the scene behind them quickly and rather violently escalates. Reign will hear Shell stammering in stereo, as the memory-Shell struggles to explain himself--]
[But then he suddenly grips his own throat and tries to choke himself, doubling over as he begs for One to hurt him. Shocked, One intervenes, now fighting with Shell to stop him -- grabbing him by the wrists in a desperate attempt to keep him from hurting himself even more. And all the while, Shell is screaming and sobbing--]
["Do whatever you want! Use me! Abuse me! Just ruin me!"]
[Even for Shell, it's impossible to look away from the scene going on, feeling a powerful sense of dread well up inside him as he watches himself breaking down -- knowing what was coming next. One finally manages to pin him down, panting as he demands to know why Shell was so self-destructive.]
["I don't want to be a vampire. I... don't want to feed on humans."]
[And standing behind Reign, Shell has no idea what to say.]
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It had indeed taken Reign a while to accept the fact that Shell and One/Eric loved each other, and had sort of (grudgingly) given his blessing, in a way. But seeing this past, certainly showed Reign a history he was sure Shell didn't want him to ever know, much less witness.
He gasped when memory-Shell grabbed his own throat, trying to choke himself, and Reign moved with the intention to stop his friend. Though he didn't need to, not with the way One put a stop to it.
What Reign didn't expect to hear was those words, that Shell didn't want to be a vampire. That was a first. Reign never thought Shell wanted to be anything but. However, it kind of made sense, since Reign knew what Shell had gone through when he decided to change his diet to animal blood.
Slowly, so as not to startle his friend, Reign turned to face Shell. He reached out and carefully took both of Shell's hands in his. ]
You don't have to say more. It must have been painful for you.
[ As much as Reign knew that Shell was attempting to switch his diet, knowing that his friend hadn't want to be a vampire had been shocking. Reign's reaction must be quite odd to Shell, but neither of them know that they were both coming from different timelines, each thinking they had arrived from the same period. ]
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[Somehow, in that moment, it finally sinks in just how much time they've spent apart. Just how long Reign's been living in this world, growing and maturing and learning more than Shell could ever know. It almost feels as if their positions had been reversed somehow -- like Shell was the one wanting to cling onto Reign, to depend on him, to love--]
[Or maybe they've always been reversed. And it was only Shell's secret that kept them from noticing sooner.]
[He resolves then not to cry -- to try and hold in any sobs that threaten to sneak out, even as he feels the tears already rolling down his cheek. Angling his face down to the ground, watching as the wood flooring gives away to the streets of Olympia once more, all he can manage in reply is a stiff nod.]
[It's a very different image from the strong and more confident Shell Overlord that Reign would have seen slowly growing into his own back home -- and miles away from the fierce and powerful image Reign had of him when they were younger. The Shell in front of him now is fragile, and sad.]
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He feared that perhaps their time apart would draw him further and further away from Shell, and that was a scary thought. What if Shell rejected him because he'd changed so much? It was like seeing a whole new side to Shell all over again.
Reign gritted his teeth, his heart squeezing at the sight of Shell's tears. He didn't want to see Shell cry again, but he had a feeling that it would take some time. He wrapped his arms around Shell's shoulders, gently squeezing and letting him know that he was here for Shell. ]
It's okay to cry. You don't always have to hold it all in. Let's head to my place so you can rest. [ He pulled back with a small smile, one hand moving down to lace with Shell's. ] Let's go home.
[ Certainly their home world was destroyed, but Reign hoped his place would be sufficient for Shell. After all, home is where the heart is. ]
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[It's only once they arrive that Shell feels calm enough to speak -- though the tears never did stop rolling down his cheeks. With something of a huff, he rubs at his eyes with his free hand before combing it up through his hair, smoothing his bangs out of his face.]
I'm... sorry about all that. It's starting to feel like I don't do anything except cry these days...
[Both here and back home, with everything that was going on.]
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The journey back to his place was mostly silent other than the occasional sniffs from Shell, with Reign quietly leading his friend into his home and closing the door behind them. ]
There's nothing for you to be sorry about, and crying sometimes make you feel better after.
[ Reign knew that well, since he'd been quite the crybaby. It was about letting those emotions out, instead of bottling it all in. He reached up and wiped some of those stray tears, before leaning in to press a kiss to Shell's cheek. ]
Mmn, salty~ [ Yeah, he was teasing Shell, hoping it'll put a smile on his best friend's face. ] I'm starting to think that my tendency to shed tears has transferred to you from those times when I cried in front of your pod.
[ All right, that was revealing a whole lot more about Reign's mental state during the earlier weeks after waking up. But whatever Shell was going to say next would be interrupted by the appearance of the cutest mini giraffe trotting up to them and moo-ing at the strange blond-haired man. ]
1/2
Reign...
[He seems about to say something, stepping closer, but then... but then...]
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[He's just gonna crouch down, sniffling again as he reaches out to gently pat its tiny little head.]
Hey little guy... looks like I'm going to be taking up a lot of your dad's time from here on, huh.
[--look he was carrying it all swaddled in cloth before -- Reign's totally the dad.]
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Besides, there was someone else he had to introduce to his best friend. He crouched down along with Shell, grinning from ear to ear as Scorch stretched his neck and licked Shell's cheek with his long tongue. ]
Ehehe~ He's cute, isn't he? His name's Scorch. Found an egg one day on my bed, and after more than a week, he hatched from it.
[ He rubbed the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly. ]
Don't ask how it happened. There's no logical reason as to how a mammal can hatch from eggs. A friend of mine got a tiger cub, and another a llama.
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[Shell, who was apparently not anticipating tongue on the first date, falls backwards on his ass when the little creature sticks out a much-longer-than-it-needs-to-be tongue and licks his face. Which might just end up startling Scorch more than Shell, causing the little giraffe to quickly run back over to Reign.]
[He's totally the dad.]
...are all the animals here like this? I guess they wouldn't be the same as back home, but...
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Poor Scorch seemed shocked as he hid behind Reign's back, poking his head out from the side to peek at the strange blond. Definitely smelled like "dad", so maybe this person is "mum"?
LOL? ]
Oh, Scorch. There's nothing to worry about. You merely startled Shell. He didn't mean you any harm, see?
[ He gently patted Scorch's neck, and the giraffe slowly stepped out again, though he still stayed by Reign's side. ]
Mn, I don't know what other animals have hatched before. But a friend of mine, Chuuya, got a pretty, red bird. Neither do we know how they appear in the first place either. It's quite a random occurrence.
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