❪ 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

[stuns]

That's a new one if I've ever heard it. People make loads of money trying to convince everyone else there's one track they need to go down and get to doing it right then.

[ he watches that card disappear into the deck, his fingers nimble and kind of impressive. clear in the way juno watches, maybe half-rapt because that'd be giving himself away. ]

How long've you been doing this kind of thing for?

ii.

[stuns]

[ juno feels the collision briefly, taking a couple of steps back with arms out to brace both himself and the person who's bumped into him. it's half a second of stability before he lets go and blinks a little against the sudden, frantic flashes from above, a series of objects fluttering down to the ground with the faintest "plap" noises. ]

The hell...

[ he looks down between himself and the other person in front of him, the flat pieces of paper suddenly developing into what look like old world photographs of some kind. ]

Huh... yeah I think. Maybe one or two of those... is mine.

[ brief as he reaches down and fishes a handful up from the pile, sorting through with one hand. wide, orange-red deserts sprawling, the shape of some near-indistinct dome on some blue-orange horizon, a neon city developing to life between his fingers as he goes through them, visible to the other only as he sifts. ] Where'd they get these?

[baldesion]

[She could do with more rest, and some more direct warmth besides; her eyes are still trying to close on her even while she dares them, forcing herself to frown severely at Claire until things become clearer.]

Did everyone...make it all right?

[There are people milling about her but she's in no state to recognize most of them.]

[baldesion]

We have devices that can achieve some of the functions of this one, but they are very different, and none so multifaceted. There's no shame in forgetting about it from time to time, really.

[The sending a written message bit is very convenient, but unreliable. Who is to say your message was received? One might as well dispatch a letter for the terrible timeliness of some text responses.]

[baldesion]

Answers, we might get, though I'm not entirely convinced about trusting either source of them now. I suppose the best we can do is actually talk to this supposed first refugee. He can hide from them, and they don't know why.

[Krile starts walking again, carefully testing each footstep. Neither she nor Mipha needs to vanish into more deep snow.]

So he has something they don't. That makes them desperate, in a way, and gives him a sizable cache with which to bargain.

[baldesion]

[If he even dares suggest Magda will ask them to perform menial labor for the sake of proving themselves loyal or at least against espionage, Krile might nick him with a stray aero.

Of all the times when the Echo might actually make itself of obvious and proper use...

...so of course, nothing comes.]

All I intend to seek is information - from both sides. I'm positive they'll all keep their hands close to their vests, but the more we know and can verify as truth, the better off we'll all be.

[hedonistic]

[He's been asking himself that for seventeen years, Juno. He hates Sybil and Japan for ruining his life, but he hates himself just about as much. It's hard not to wonder just what's wrong with you, when you grew up with the knowledge that your very existence is somehow a threat to the order and stability of society.]

How about cops who're latent criminals hired to hunt down their own kind?

[That's punctuated with a wink at his impromptu roommate. Yeah, this story doesn't get any less horrifying, but Kagari says it like it's something funny. Kagari's never had any control over anything in his life, but telling it this way is a sort of power in its own right. He's been through hell, but he's here now. Alive. Free. Japan is gone forever, and with it, Sybil.]

It's shitty, but it's worked for something like twenty-plus years. Heard there's all kinds of wars and shit goin' on outside Japan.

[Another shrug. He sort of spreads his hands like, what're you gonna do, right.]

Sounds like shit was rough where you're from too, huh?

[priorly]

[Dark humor's how people survive dark times, and Prior has seen too many of those not to have polished up that particular shield. Dark humor, a steel-toe-capped will, and hope, furious and stubborn, trapped inside his chest like a caged bird. When you happen to be dying, too much positivity just looks like delusion.]

Oh so there were two chances to have noticed your face. I must have been wildly distracted to miss that.

[He was, really. Or, had no need to look. It's funny how a person's world can narrow down to a small set of people, and then they're gone and you're stranded in a place you no longer recognize - back to finding familiar places all over again.

He drops the teasing after a moment, nodding slightly.]

I do know the name, though. Close with a dowdy housefrau named Diana? She was a friend. I hear we lost them both, lately.

[baldesion]

Temperate, if I'm permitted every choice.

[Perhaps it's still the bone weariness and cold addling her, but she finds it sweet of Promoto to...stay. To keep her company, rather than depositing the cider and being on his way.]

If only the two, I'll take a warm climate. It's much harder for warm weather to endanger your life.

[baldesion]

Fortunate?

[She's heard a lot of things from both the most recent "newcomers" and those who spoke with her when she herself was new to the planet.

This is unique among them.]

For what?

[The squirrel agrees, or acts as if it does, standing on its back legs with quiet high whirrs and chattering in little beeps at Lunafreya.]

[diamondize]

[Diamond pauses for a moment, clearly taking that into careful consideration.] Leaving something behind, huh... Because you can die, your kind strives to find meaning in the things you do, for something to make your short life worth it...

It's interesting. I can understand it a little, I think, but it's so different from my kind...

[They trail off, still lost in thought, before smiling lightly.] Well, if you ever need any help, Big Brother Diamond is here to help, okay?

[nevernoaction]

Did...did you lose a lot of friends too?

[Is that how this man might understand Ren's situation?]

[nevernoaction]

I can probably get up there.

[He does possess the agility of a cat at times. As evidenced by that neat leap down.]

Then I can see if there's any working lights up there.

[notwagging]

[ oh, Ren's hair... that one long lock does get his attention and Keaton bites his bottom lip to keep himself from reaching up and touching it. that hair is long, looks soft, and though it's not something that Keaton would normally stow away in a pocket and save it as a treasure, he might've reconsidered his normal habitual pick ups of bugs, hides, and normally 'gross' things.

and again, he leans back in. comfortable. ]

Heh, cute? It's cool too, right? [ that stark contrast of shades, perfect and neat, hair actually tidy for once. the guy is lucky to catch Keaton this way. it's not normally like this, after all. ]

My name's Keaton, by the way. Uh... sorry for kinda bothering you in here, but I guess I'm lucky I ran into you the way I did.

[notwagging]

It is! But I wouldn't want you to get hurt.

[ after all, he's really big. the bugs would be big. then again, Haru wielding an axe and a grenade launcher...

hm.

probably safer than the normal person. ]

Still. [ his permanent smile grows wider as he looks off into the distance. ] If you want to, I guess I can't say no.

[ and so he starts moving. faster, with a purpose! ]

[nevernoaction]

My name's Ren. Thank you for telling me my fortune.

Have you ever seen anything really negative happen to anyone in the cards?

[Because now he's genuinely interested how this whole thing works.]

[notwagging]

[ they might as well be touching noses, given how close Keaton is willing to get. it's not that he's looking to intimidate or even dissuade Henry from wanting to do so either, curiosity building up as he continues to lean in. ]

Hm... I guess you could. You promise to be careful?

[ though he has a good feeling about Henry, despite their rocky start. anyone who likes wolves gets one point in his book. the enthusiasm? two points. the fact he stopped himself from diving right into furry ear town?

three points.

so he cants his head, looking at Henry out of the corner of his eye. ]

[hellzone]

Aw, come on, [ Yoshiko teases, grinning a little at Molly. ] You've gotta have some ambitions, Little Demon Molly.

[ Everybody had ambitions, right? And Yoshiko at least is taking 'a complete lack of ambitions' as 'Molly had ambitions but they weren't as grand or as impressive as other members of the circus's were.' ]

[diamondize]

[There's a humming noise and Diamond nods their head as if in understanding, except--]

...What does a detective do? [They're fairly sure they might've heard the word around before now, but never really in any context that would make sense to them.] I'm afraid we don't really have something like that where I'm from, probably...

[priorly]

[It sinks in. For Prior's part, enough time's been spent here that the insanity of that statement makes less of a splash than it does a ripple. He raises his eyebrows, voice lightly curious.]

Do they like coffee?

[It doesn't seem very. Well. Paleo. But all that's rendered less of a curiosity than the introduction. That's a name one doesn't forget. One might not be able to pronounce it, but one doesn't forget.]

Ianto. Welsh Ianto Jones. [He puts the two points together as though he's adding up an equation, looking Ianto up and down with less calculation but open interest.] Ianto. [With a stress on the 'yan'.] Is that, like, the celtic form of John?

[hellzone]

Well she's straight up blushing now. What the heck, Yoshiko? You're supposed to be this cool and mysterious fallen angel, stop acting like a little kid in front of this guy! Yes he's super cool...and he's treating her like a princess...and she doesn't really know if she's had anybody treat her like a princess before...but she is a fallen angel and she's not scared of bears or snow or the weather!

"What do you think this city'll be like?" Yoshiko asks, as she starts moving forward, trying to keep her mind off of the bears that she's certain are in the woods. "Do you think it'll be like a ski resort? Ooh, or maybe it'll be a city entirely made of ice!"

She saw Frozen, she knows that ice buildings might be a possibility. After all, there's apparently friggen dragons here, she can't count anything out.

[hellzone]

Pleasure to meet you, Takasugi. And I eagerly await to see how your Kihetai face against my Little Demons.

[ Battle of losers, time to begin. ]

Though I must ask...how long have you been in this place? As Yohane has just arrived, I shall need time to gather and strengthen my forces.

[diamondize]

[Diamond listens with intense interest, their eyes widening slightly with a mix of delight and awe]

That sounds wonderful! I'm so jealous, I would have loved to travel and do all those sorts of things... It's not too different from us, I suppose...

Ah, we're all soldiers, mostly. Some of us have really focused interests--like medicine, or creating paper, or studying our enemies... But we all know how to fight and we spend most of our time patrolling. [Diamond taps their chin thoughtfully, but then smiles brightly at Janeway]

Still, what you're doing sounds really nice! Isn't it hard though? [They know peaceful negotiations haven't usually gone well between the gems and the lunarians, for example...]

[diamondize]

[Dia giggles a little and nods] Nice to meet you too, Ren!

There are people here that sort of look like humans, but aren't, so I couldn't be completely sure, but... I had a feeling! Most people tend to be humans or human-like here, more so than I am! So it's usually a safe bet.

Hopefully my friends will wake up soon though... [You know, so they won't be the Only One anymore. That'd be sort of nice.]

[diamondize]

[Dia holds still, smiling brightly as Rider pets them. Somehow they manage to blush under the praise, looking pleased, if a bit embarrassed.] Eheh, I suppose I'm one of the friendliest of my kind... But I don't see a point in being rude or mean to anyone. Especially when we've all got to work together anyhow.

[But the question makes them shake their head]

I don't eat! I don't have any, umm... What are they called...? Organs! I can't eat anything. But I do need sleep! I get my energy and I guess nourishment from the sun. Once it goes down or there isn't sun for a while, I get really sleepy...

We actually hibernate and sleep all winter, when the sun isn't out for very long, and wake once spring returns!