❪ 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

[diplomatie]

Likewise.[ He's very very cold but there are no permanent or really concerning injuries here. Which is a wonderful change of pace compared to the last time he was in the bitter cold. ]

I have the kindness of our fellow refugees to thank for my making it this far. Were it not for them, I would have likely collapsed somewhere halfway.

[lancings]

[ Large suits of armor... she imagines something robust like what Kellam has on, but how would she ride one of those? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say she could wear them? ]

I don't quite follow. I would think the armor would weigh me down too much to fly or... even move as I'm used to.

[ She generally doesn't wear a lot of protection outside of her breast plate, not really needing much for aerial combat. And to give herself a more shapelier torso -ahem. ]

And I am afraid I'll have to take your word for it. The only Taguel I know was a fierce and mighty warrior, so she might be a bit hard to surpass.

[ Though he does get a few points for being cute and spunky. She'll give him that. ]

Are you the only wolf-person here?

[diplomatie]

[ ... Okay, okay. He's giving her the benefit of the doubt, and he knows she's stronger than she looks anyway. Even if he has an intense desire to protect his friends.

So he slowly moves to put his coat back on, lamenting a bit at the fact that it's lost its warmth that his body heat had given it before. Time to warm up his cold coat again. ]

... Aye. [ He'll slowly stand up about halfway, still with a hand on her arm. ] Can you stand?

[morbide]

[If the opportunity's there, Henry's on it. He turns his head toward her, changing the trajectory of her arrow square against his forehead as he gets a better look. It's careless, but if he's going to die soon, does it really matter?

The excitement grows. Henry jumps in surprise: he's seen people who were part rabbit and heard tales of other sorts like them, but he had yet to consider someone who appeared to be part horse!]

Whoa! You're a half-beast! I've never heard of a jinba, but that's neat! Are there more people like you, too?

[romancekiller]

Oh— I'm not sure how much Bellamy mentioned to you about about where we're from but it was the second apocalypse. It was caused by the remaining nuclear power plants failing and resulting in a wave of radiation spreading across the world.

[romancekiller]

You do? [clarke is a bit surprised they don't even have to go up to the natives in question since wanda already seems to know the solution for it. she just nods and hands it over to her] Alright, here you go.

[shikomizue]

[Maybe the creature just wants to be beautiful, like Katsura? Or maybe it eats hair - Takasugi doesn't know. Doesn't care.

He's content to see the contraption run off, questions unanswered not worth another thought.] Are you done playing?

[Dull, Takasugi intends to cut to the point before Katsura can involve him in a chase mission or a fetch quest.]

We've been afforded a good opportunity, here. The Natha can't pry.

[atwo]

What?

Do you have a problem with my way of thinking?

[diplomatie]

I shall do my best. [ Said with a bit of sarcasm and annoyance. He's not going to get crushed, ugh!!

But he feels her pain. ]

I share in your sentiments ... You never realize how little attention you paid until you're forced to try and recall it.

[ He was always busy so it's not like he had a lot of time to inspect every little mechanical thing he passed. But now that he's having to recall anything that would be of assistance, he's having some trouble. Apparently he didn't look at things as closely as he should have. ]

[fisherwife]

[She looks very startled at his question, to the point she almost drops her trident.]

Oh! I'm sorry, it's just been so long since someone asked me that first. I am, indeed. [And judging by all he's said, this boy is likely not from her world, so--

A wide smile breaks out over her face and she asks excitedly:] Did you happen to meet my little brother?

[jesus_is_gundam]

He has several, but he only voices the more pertinent one while as he pries open a panel.]

It sounds lonely.

[nineteenfortyfive]

As far as I know.

[Then again, she thought no one died from the dragon and she was wrong. But so far, so good?]

Or should we try and find one of your friends?

[shikomizue]

You'll fight for peace?

[What an oxymoron.

The planet's population alone is a war waiting to happen. If not now, then in a generation - there's no quelling the hate that breeds between the two countries. Let alone the Natha's imminent involvement.

And the disdain for them rampant in the very town they've ventured to.

All of that, consumed at any time by the Storm that looms in the void of space.

The one calamity worth fighting.] You'll have your hands full, with that.

Olympia. Wyver. The Natha and these people. Even the storm?

Do you have a plan for any of it?

[yelliot]

_{[This guy seems pretty enthusiastic doesn't he? At the simple mention of the word 'alcohol' Elliot finds himself cringing outwardly, face scrunched.]}

Please...I don't ever want to drink another drop of alcohol ever again.

[sweetwater]

[ maybe they could handle it. they've all managed to handle everything presented before: space storms, dragons, people brought back from the dead. the secrecy behind what's happening now is unsettling.

Cheryl eyes the bedposts. ]

Know anybody with an axe? [ axe-less, she walks over to the bed and gives one of the bedposts a good shake. because she's not Steve Rogers or someone besides a petite 17 year old, there's not a lot of progress in detaching it. ]

Do you think space furniture is put together with screws?

[flask]

[Nott tries to keep an eye on the same guy she pointed towards earlier, but it's getting harder with all these changing camera angles and people skating around on the ice. She drinks more from her glass, and instantly realizes that in the time it took her to do so, she's lost track of the guy.]

Ah-- Which one was it, again?

[fisherwife]

Oh, Link... [Her expression softens and she smiles slightly] You don't have to worry about that. I'll always be proud. [She doubts there's anything terrible Link could ever do to make her second guess being happy knowing him or anything]

I'd like you to meet my friends, although I'm afraid many of them have fallen back asleep by now... I know many people, though I wouldn't say I'm particularly close to anyone anymore. [It's said almost guiltily, but there'd been...quite a lot happening lately. And with those she'd really grown close to going back into stasis, it was a little discouraging.

Still, she gives Link's hand a little squeeze] But I'd... I'd like to spend more time with you, too. I know you still haven't gotten all your memories back of our time together before... So it'd be nice to make new memories to replace them.

[jesus_is_gundam]

[There's a brief pause, because of all of the adjectives used to describe Sidon, "little" would not be one of them. But he's assuming she means age and not size, so...]

If you're referring to Sidon, then yes. [A beat.] So then you would be Mipha...?

[flask]

[Nott bites her tongue and stops herself from asking whether that matters. She's silent for a bit, then finally,]

No. Not at all.

[sweetwater]

[ her eyes widen. it sounds all together horrifying. ] He told me a little. Not about that. How awful.

[flask]

Just like mixing up some acid!

[And with that happy thought, she scurries off nearby to start gathering and putting ingredients together. There's a lot of ingredients and a lot of mixing involved, and a lot of vodka as an afterthought, and at the end she comes back with a glass of something tinted an amber red, gradually bleeding into a bit of clear liquid resting at he top. In it, little flakes of orange swirl around and catch the light, almost like sparks.

She offers it to Juno with a grin on her face.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Good thing Chuuya is used to abilities, and Link’s gift really isn’t all that different from one, so why would he be afraid? Plus he can’t imagine the guy being malicious with it, so.]

Useful in different situations, sure.

[But why is Link blushing? Did Chuuya say something?]

You’re not sick are you? We should probably try to find shelter soon anyway.

[baguablade]

Well, they reproduce like crazy... There's a phrase, breed like rabbits, because they're known for having so many offspring. It's an evolutionary mechanic.

[ He rocks back on his heels, shifting his stance, and settling into something of a lecturing tone. ]

Even if they're prey animals, without very good defense mechanisms, they've still managed to develop a way to survive.

[hellzone]

Well yeeeeeah, but it'd still be good! Nobody here knows what school idols are and even if it's just the two of us, then—

[ wait a moment, did You say her music is magic. Yoshiko pauses for a moment and gives You an expression that's pure 'what the fuck.' ]

How'd you get magic music? [ hold on a sec ] Is my music magic as well?

[baguablade]

Isn't it? I've learned all sorts of things since I got here.

[ Flowery healing magic, to start — but Cain's not going to explain that quite yet. Instead, he darts his hand forward, grabbing John by the wrist. His other hand comes up to yank John's sleeve back, exposing more of the discolored skin on John's arm, telltale and unmistakable. ]

But I knew what burn marks looked like before I ever got this brand of magic. You didn't have these the last time we met.

[ He lifts his gaze to John's faze, giving him a steady, expectant stare. Spill. ]