❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

i)

[ofhousetarly]

[More like bloody freezing, Sam thinks.

Even whilst wearing several layers of clothing he still feels cold, trudging his way along with the group. It reminds him of his journeys through the snow back home, how treacherous they were, and yet he didn't have any authority to object. Whatever the Night's Watch commander told him to do, Sam obeyed. No matter how miserable it made him.

He was about to come up with a witty retort when the fire suddenly appears from Roxas' hand. Magic!?] How did - [ Sam begins, then quickly stops. Gods, how he wants to ask about it.] Yes. Only one way forward.

[ He agrees and moves over beside Roxas, looking at the flames. Sam cannot help the fascinated expression on his face- it will probably be like that for some time.]

Do what you must. As long as the fire can keep burning, I don't mind. [A smile. ] Thank you.

3

[icingonthecake]

Axel glances down with a blink of surprise when someone pulls his sleeve, then his expression levels out with understanding as the girl inquires. Ah, she must be one of the new ones who just woke up. Sheesh, what a mess to arrive to.

"He was basically like a gang leader from Wyver," he explains in a low voice. "That's the country more to the south, here on the planet. Him and his radical flunkies resurrected that big undead dragon." He waves a hand and shakes his head. "He got eaten, at least; got ahead of himself and assumed that since he brought the dragon back from the dead, he could control it."

He offers her a bit of a smile. It always saddens him a bit to see kids thrown into crappy situations like this--reminds him a little too much of just how the Organization used and abused everyone they got their hands on, no matter how young or impressionable they may have been at the time.

"S'a lot to take in when you first get here, huh?" he asks, shaking his head, then offers a hand. "I'm Axel. If you have questions, I can probably help answer some of them, so don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

[mollymocked]

[He has his legs (with those fucking knee-high boots) on the table like a peasant, and he does not seem to care there's a baby in the bar. Age is a number and he's technically a two year old. Live your life, Yohane!!]

That's a wonderful idea. [Actually, it's a terrible idea, because Molly does not like the tables turned on him ever.] But I think we should build up to that. [He shifts, pulling his legs back down so he can lean across the table, holding the deck up to her.] There's this game I used to play whenever I'd meet new people. One of us asks a question and then we both draw a card, and whoever gets the lowest card has to answer it truthfully.

[illuminating]

Not in the same way you're talking, [as if it's not obvious.] They said, I can project my thoughts this way and some ears might hear what my voice might sound like.

Hello, Ocelot. [this, warm and fond.]

[revver]

[ Makoto's eyes widen as the girl takes a sip. She's honestly amazed Yoshiko can keep her composure. ]

That's... impressive, I don't think I could drink it. Maybe you're actually good at this? Oh, I'm Makoto by the way. It's very nice to meet you.

[ She'll mention the greenish hue on her teeth afterwards. ]

[natha]

1) A bit of both! Earlier generations are non-human, so many of them are long-lived, but they were also non-sterile so they've interbred with each other and with some of the natives of El Nysa. Many of the inhabitants of Nadril are descendants of the original refugees.

2) NPCs are aware that the rest of the planet is frozen and are happy to answer why Nadril isn't frozen in time — part of Nadril's technological protections includes that from Natha observation and interference thanks to the older Natha technology that Nadril possesses. It's this that's shielded Nadril from being caught up in the time freeze like the rest of the planet.

3) Following from 1, Nadril is a mixed bag in terms of race, with its population a mix of both humans and alien species.

4) Thesa will be accessible again in August, so you'll be able to give spare parts to Darma then. In the meantime, you can handwave turning in parts to Magda this month, and feel free to have your character keep small parts for their own projects!

[givingback]

[ The only thing Bree thinks at that slight panic is relief. ]

Me too, on both points. But I couldn't find my mom in stasis, so I figured she had to be on the ship somewhere. Even finding her though, I'm still terrified. I've never been to another planet before. I've been a lot of places, space is new.

[ And with that, she grabs whatever shot looks good next and slides on over, keeping one for herself. ]

Nice to meet you, Otto. I guess we can be terrified together for now. If you don't mind. Wait, do you mind?

[ She's apologetic looking pretty quickly as manners cut through the booze just a little. ]

[natha]

1) No one but Magda has any details about what caused Magda's falling out, and Magda himself is closed-lipped for the moment. If pressed, he'll say that Darma keeps too many secrets, and that her secrets endanger everyone. He speaks with a bitterness that speaks to something personal, but won't say anything further. The other refugees don't have the same grudge against the Natha that Magda carries, but they've chosen to make Nadril their home, and part of that involves keeping to their agreement with Magda to maintain Nadril's veil against Darma's prying eyes in exchange for Nadril's protections and high-tech way of living.

2) Thesa Station is currently inaccessible until the end of the month. There will be ways to access it easily after this sojourn in Nadril, though!

3) Characters are welcome to buy the robotic pets! This would need to be done through ACP as is the case for normal pets.

[mollymocked]

I appreciate the adherence to traditions, but this one's on me today. I'm getting to know this lovely group of people I'm living alongside. [This is said drunkenly with his eyes entirely on his cards and as his gaze travels up (and up...), he blinks.]

Huh. I'm either getting shorter and these drinks are stronger than I thought or you are very tall, my friend. Personally, I'm inclined to believe the first one so don't dash my hopes just yet.

[Uncharismatically glib, while drunk. That's the Mollymauk Difference.]

/chinhands

[givingback]

[ Bree quickly wipes away any hint of tears still lingering and clears her throat. She's about to defiantly say she's fine, but as she looks up and catches sight of him being nice, and kind, she just doesn't have it in her and looks back down at the photos. ]

This thing somehow gave me pictures of my life. I don't know how, I just know every moment is with my father. He died a little while ago.

[ And now she's far from home, away from all the things that remind her of him, with a different father she barely knows. ]

I guess I'm not that okay. If I'm in the way I can move.

[ He called her 'my lady' and that was unusual for her, but what about all of this isn't unusual? ]

[mollymocked]

[Molly has deigned to just put the cuff on the tip of one of his horns, and it seems to be holding, despite his best efforts to keep prodding it to see what else it does. Fortunately, the new arrival in his periphery keeps from breaking the damn thing and the warm cider smell is a welcome distraction.]

Bless you. [He takes the cider and takes a sip, relaxing into the tapestry even more. He repeats "Bless you" again, murmured with a bit more reverence, and then he gets a good look at Diamond.] You have a great aesthetic, my friend, and I love everything about how shiny you are, but you're making me cold just looking at you. What's your secret?

ROOMIES

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Brianna very well isn't going to room with Fergus or Jamie, so the boys are left to sort themselves out while Claire and Bree settle in. Claire's no stranger to tight quarters after all those months on the Artemis, but this is both tight and advanced. Oh, well. At least it means they won't have any shortage of entertainment as they both figure things out.]

Beats a cot in the mud. [Ah, the war days. Claire never shares too many detailed stories from that time, neither did Frank, but she did make mention of the sleeping conditions more than once as Bree grew up.] Or any other accommodations we've had here in the past, actually.

[She approaches a mirror to see how the cold has turned her cheeks and nose red, even in the warmth of their room, and nearly jumps out of her skin when a helpful voice chimes: Have you ever thought of covering up those greys?]

[fisherwife]

[She feels a bit indignant to be carried like this, but... After that drop into the snow, does she really have any room to say anything against it?

There's a shiver as she sinks into the snow and she looks up at him hesitantly.] There isn't much to be done about it, I'm afraid. I'd have to get body heat from someone else or sit under a sun lamp for a while... I feel like I'm never going to be warm again.

[hellzone]

"Reinhardt-san!" Yoshiko manages to happily exclaim, despite the fact that she's got a mouth full of snow. He really is her knight in shining armor. First he saves her from a closet, now he saves her from the snow? Reinhardt is just racking up points after points in Yoshiko's eyes.

He's just so cool.

She takes his big hand and uses it to help pull herself up. Once she's on her feet, she flashes a 'v' sign in front of her eyes (thankfully, she's wearing gloves and not mittens). "You're right! This storm shall tremble before our combined might! WE'RE COMING FOR YOU, WEATHER!"

Yoshiko strikes an intensely dramatic pose which would look a heck of a lot cooler if she wasn't being buffeted by wind at the moment.

I

[verflair]

[ Unfortunately for Nott, X’rhun just happened to come around the corner right as the deed was done, and she’d have to be quick indeed to fool the feline eyes of a miqo’te. However, X’rhun is ever the idealist and is more than willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

He wanders over, idly glancing over some of the wares on the nearby shelves, feline tail swaying. He does not turn to look at the smaller figure when he quietly says to her, ]

I do not know if that is the wisest way to begin your tenure in a new locale.

[hellzone]

[ Yoshiko can't help but look at Theon's hand as he points at You. Ah. That's...not good. Did the dragon do that as well? Poor guy, he looks beat up to hell and back. Still, as he points to You and starts talking about her, Yoshiko nods a little. ]

Her name's You Watanabe. We go to the same school. [ well, went to the same school. ] We're part of the same singing group, so that's why we're wearing the same outfit.

[ Somehow, Yoshiko has a feeling that this guy doesn't know what school idols are. Better to keep things relatively simple to explain. Though if this guy's been awake as long as You has...there's a brief pause before Yoshiko turns to Theon, looking at him instead of her photograph. ]

If I ask you a question, can you be honest with me? [ and without waiting for an answer, she continues. ] A lot of this stuff sounds...super crazy and I'm a bit worried that You might be underplaying some stuff so that I don't worry about her. Since you've been awake as long as You-chan, you've experienced the same things. If I ask you about something, can you tell me what really happened?

1

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Naturally, Claire keeps an eye on Theon. She might not be by his side, but she's aware of where he is, and therefore keeps a check on whether he's curled into a ball in the snow, overwhelmed. So far, so good. Or at least until she loses sight of him for a bit, only to find him falling behind. It's then that she tells Bree to stay near Jamie and Fergus and she turns around, heading towards the young man limping along, powered by sheer stubbornness.]

I hear we'll be stopping soon.

[Even the strong and healthy are having trouble, and they can't go on forever.]

Just a little more.

ii

[nineteenfortyfive]

[With Bree and Claire in their own room, she comes to check up on Fergus. There's an odd fear in the back of Claire's mind on top of their current situation: that she'll look away for too long and either Fergus or Bree will be gone. It's silly, she knows, but she can't help herself. She likes being near her family.

Even if said family is... arguing?]

Fergus? Is everything all right?

[Claire pokes her head in, brow lifted, and all the more confused when she sees it's just him.]

[diamondize]

[Diamond giggles and waves a dismissive hand] No need to thank me! It would've gone to waste otherwise!

[The sun catches at their hair when they move, sending bursts of rainbow colors scattering around any nearby surfaces.]

Oh, I don't feel temperature or anything like that! Not really. So I feel kind of bad for you guys that can... Oh, do you want an extra blanket too? Though, the one you have is a lot flashier... Did you get it here too?

mom don't embarrass me

[givingback]

[ Brianna's about to say something about having to nearly freeze to death just for this, but smartly, she decides not to. She's more curious than anything at the comment but before she can, some voice is making a dig at Claire, and Bree's mouth drops open. ]

...Did something in here just try to suggest you dye your hair?

[ Before the confirmation can even come out, she starts laughing, trying to hide it behind her hands. ]

[willrevile]

thank you! ♥

Linneus | Teahouse

[inaurare]

Arrival

[the first day is difficult. The second is taxing. On the third, it does not take long at all for Linneus to fall behind the main body group.

It’s a combination of everything - the strength of the storm, the difficult terrain, the weight of his clothes, even. Heavens, but Linneus has never needed to wear such heavy clothes before, and even three days in he is fighting with the weight, struggling with trying to get purchase in the shifting snow with the boots on his feet. The only positive about them is that they keep his feet dry - warm… is debatable.

However hard he tried to prepare himself with the simulations, however much he perseveres, it’s a struggle just to walk bowed against the bitter, swirling cold. So focused on his path that he doesn’t realise the shape of someone else beside him until they have almost fallen into step - breathless, a mittened hand lowers his fur-lined collar to try speaking into the wind-]

Have I fallen so far behind as to have joined another group entirely…?

[with all the layers, it’s hard to tell if this is even someone he set off with.]



Welcome

II

[the lodgings are like something from a fairytale. Linneus has never seen their like before, and as small as they are, he is openly fascinated as he wanders through the halls. No destination in mind; just wandering.

He has also never seen this much ice in his life. Snow is new as well, but pure, crystal ice almost like cut gems or polished glass… he can’t help but have his fingers drawn to it, tracing the facets and pulling back. There is cold in his fingertips, but the ice hasn’t melted in the slightest, and there’s a soft sound of wonder as he examines his hand-]

How…?



IV

[These robotic insects with their odd movements and clattering wings are startling and strange to Linneus - usually fine with insects of the natural variety, these ones have scared him off several times already before even setting off such blinding flashes. So he’s more than happy to leave them be…

…until one of them drops a slip of paper on the ground.

How can he help but have his curiosity piqued by that?

Unfortunate for Linneus that cautious as he is, as much as he tries to approach without giving these… insect-machines any reason to register him… he finds himself mobbed rather abruptly, and it’s a lightning storm of camera flashes, the strange creations knocking into and bouncing off one another in their efforts to catch him.

All this - all this - for a little slip of paper.

Perhaps you are there to catch the whole thing go down. Perhaps you catch the embarrassing figure Linneus cuts as he stumbles away from the shutter-bugs, gathering a few more of the pictures as he goes. Or perhaps you only come by him afterwards where he sits at a safe distance, hair a little mussed as he shuffles through the series of photos in his hands.

How these images of his past came out, he isn’t sure. But oddly, he is glad to have them, though some are… incredibly bittersweet.]



Note:
If you would like another prompt please do send a direct message or hit me up at sooth!

Also, please assume no text in his photographs!

[mollymocked]

Only if I don't get creative. [Maybe he should rethink his opinion on nipple rings? Nah. It's fine. He can get it the very edge one of his pointed purple ears.

They're both so weird compared to the general majority of humans around that he actually looks relieved to see someone else who sticks out- and with good fashion sense too.]

You know, where I come from, an enchantment like this would put me out a lot of gold, and here they're just giving them away. I wonder if we're getting the "so you're world is destroyed and that's tragic" discount.

IV :')

[meinwaifu]

[Wanna know what's obnoxious? Trying to have a snowball fight with an asshole who can teleport. Specifically, an asshole who can teleport snowballs without causing them to lose any of their kinetic energy.]

[Which means that snow ball is gonna disappear in a poof and reappear right behind Chuuya -- nailing him in the back of the head before he even knows it's coming.]


[He's gonna fuckin' fall in the snow from how hard he's laughing.]

[hellzone]

[ ........yeah okay she'll buy that. What the hell's a halfling anyway, Yoshiko doesn't know.

Yoshiko gives Nott a little 'okay sure' sort of shrug. And now it's her turn to do the dramatic pointing as she points a finger at Nott's face. ]

In that case, come Bottomless Pit! You have proven yourself worthy by your valorous undertakings! How would you like to descend with Yohane and become one of my little demons?