❪ 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

[morbide]

[For as much as Henry avoided the answer for the sake of bad storytelling, he doesn't seem too reluctant to provide his reasons for holding onto teeth, much less any other excess. Henry keeps right on smiling and points a finger back.]

Oh, all right. Maybe it was just to see if you REALLY wanted to know, that's all. [It's no big secret; Henry keeps talking in his regular unchecked volume.]

You see, things like teeth work great as components casting a curse. That's why a set of teeth make me smile. I could use fingernails or locks of hair, true, but teeth are harder to come by, which obviously means they're more valuable and potent. [He waves a hand.] I don't make the rules, I just practice 'em. But teeth hardly compare to things like dragon scales, the blood of a fell beast, the tears of a pegasus... Oh, the things I could do with those!

[morbide]

{ overflow to escape questions like "If a person is called Jennifer, what is their name?" }

[morbide]

{ overflow for the sake of less captcha }

[hedonistic]

Eh, you're not missing much. It's one of a million variations on 'ball in net' games.

[It used to be a bigger deal before Sybil, from what he's heard from the old man. But the more violent/contact-heavy sports were about the first ones to go once everyone started worrying about keeping their psycho-pass pristine.]

That mean you don't wanna play?

sorry for the delay!

[hedonistic]

Oh.

[He shrugs, then. The name isn't important, he supposes.]

It's still really cool, though. You've always been able to do it?

[hedonistic]

Yeah? Who are they, anyway?

[Someone woke up after the majority of the drama involving those two, and he hasn't poked around a lot about local politics since. At the idea of a business opportunity, though, he smirks.]

Don't suppose you'd be looking for anyone to go into business with.

[not that they've spoken more than all of oNCE but no time like the present rite]

[torchwoodteaboy]

((continued here to escape captcha!!))

[warmare]

They do not seem to exist in anyone's world.

[At least... not any of the very, very few people she has interacted with. There is little attempt to keep the bitterness from her tone, not any attempt to move to assist him.

But she's watching.]

If what appears in your legends are weak, then they are not jinba.

[Rarely has it been she's seen an elderly member of her species, a sickly member. ... The weak do not survive. That was life.]

[thedarkbond]

[That's a good enough answer for Ren, who seems quite pleased at the prospect - both the fact that he seems to have gotten Keaton to consider something he looked proud of not doing and the idea of getting to do that. And the fact that Keaton's tail is wagging again.]

I'll have to ask again sometime, then~ [Though he blinks momentarily and looks around them as if just remembering where they are.] Maybe once we're out of this place, though...it's pretty easy for people to walk in on stuff here...

[Keaton kind of made that point earlier by walking in, but interrupting stuff like that takes the good, calm element out of it that Ren enjoys.]

Oh, and I might have time to get better stuff for it by then as well. [Having the right equipment is important.]

[thedarkbond]

[Clearly it isn't a secret, but Ren still seems pretty happy to get an answer, resting his chin on his hands as he listens. It's a lot more interesting of a reply than he could have hoped for, and he slowly looks more and more delighted as he goes on. Dark mages are something Ren has a remarkable amount of experience with considering they don't exist on his planet.]

So you're some kind of dark mage? That's so cool...what kinds of magic do you like to do? Other than curses...or I guess if you mostly like curses I could just ask what kinds of curses you like...or maybe what it is you could do with those more powerful ingredients...?

[Important questions and important decisions, and Ren taps his chin as if he's having trouble narrowing down specifically what he should be asking about.]

[torchwoodteaboy]

((continued here to escape captcha!!))

[conqueredhearts]

An excellent answer!

[That's just the sort of thing to say to this man here.]

It shows how you treasure them. I feel the same way for my own. Past and present.

[conqueredhearts]

[He doesn't appear to be the least bit put off by that fact. If anything that only seems to encourage him as he laughs about it.]

Nor do you know me. That is the wonder of this. We can get to know each other, my friend!

[Because that's clearly how this works. Obviously.]

I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors! It is an honor to know you and to include you among my friends now!

[conqueredhearts]

Of course. We are celebrating, after all!

[So obviously the drinks should be large to match that. It was some unspoken rule that he'd decided on years ago and wasn't about to change. Likely just out of sheer stubbornness to live his life larger than just about anyone else possibly could.]

Hm? Is the place we live in not so good?

[He hasn't seen it yet obviously. And of course they are here in this icy place currently so...]

If that is true then yes we will require better accommodations, boy!

lol it's totally okay

[conqueredhearts]

Then better to have your first be someone you cannot hurt and who will like the feel of it, wouldn't you agree?

[He stops walking and pats his leg.]

Go on and grab hold. It will help you feel better up there, I think.

[priorly]

[Oh, nothing's wrong with it. The pretty ones are harder to forget, that's all.]

Wyver's for the intrepid, and those not concerned with the effect of humidity on their shampoo and set. What made you pick it? [It was never much of an option for Prior: lack of decent sideway maintenance matters when your balance is already off. Besides which, the heat was exhausting and an angel destroyed the room he'd been staying in. All of which added up to a return to the relative civilization Olympia had to offer.

He doesn't share this. Instead his mouth pinches involuntarily at the confirmation.]

And it seems all the best people are going that way, lately.

why is this such a nice comment...why is she so cute. ur good.

[emblazes]

[Keith's still wrought with concern, even as he isn't immediately lunged for, even with no visible packmates. For him, it's still akin to crossing paths with a hungry bear, or a senior citizen making eye contact with a raccoon. It's...

A touchy situation. Right up until she whines which could indicate nothing less than distress?! She doesn't appear injured at all to him, but just because she hasn't been maimed, it means very little. For the time being, he'll abandon his knife, straighten his posture a bit. He's still prepared to resort to violence if need be, but he may require both hands for something else.]

Hey, [Misreading her concession as something treading the line of disinterest, which isn't exactly a bad thing. Inaccurate, but still. Maybe she's someone's pet? He's got one himself. Not a freakin' wolf (yet), but it's a possibility.] you're not -- are you lost?

[They may not be near enough for her to discern all of his words, but he's yet to learn how special she is and as far as human/animal communication goes, enunciating is a nonfactor. If she is lost, it's none of his business. He sucks with animals. It's just a...really trifling time okay.]

[gravemistake]

Not telling the whole truth counts.

[Says a guy who lies by omission more often than not. Takes one to know one, perhaps. He watches Cain sort through it and come to the correct conclusion.]

Seems to me they didn’t mention a lot of things.

[gravemistake]

I imagine it’s a popular place to come from.

[If science fiction has taught him anything, though he hasn’t exactly done a legitimate demographic survey of the refugees. He continues to regard X’rhun with some degree of suspicion, if only because of how ridiculous this all sounds to him.

He’s still wrapping his head around this.]

If you want to show off, I’m not gonna stop you.

[gravemistake]

[Reyes grunts in the back of his throat—a clear indication that he isn’t quite buying this. There’s a lot he’s sure the Orbiters aren’t telling them, and he’s almost offended by the notion that they’re expected to help despite being kidnapped. Being made to clean up a mess that most certainly isn’t his leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

He folds his arms and leans back a little on his heels, considering.]

So what have you been doing?

[If not having paranoid speculations about the nature of all this. She and Jack have been here for a year—certainly that’s enough time to make some headway on the truth, or at least, establish some kind of foothold.]

What happened to him, anyways?

[He doesn’t expect a real answer to that, but since she brought him up, Gabriel thinks he might as well try.]

[ukase]

Rumlow had only known the Soldier as calm, cold and deadly before so the animated soldier who was always checking their six was rather new to him. However, that didn't mean that he wasn't willing to poke the bear just to see what would happen, but he would do so slowly and subtly. The moment his presence as part of HYDRA was given away, he doubted anything of the like could be between them. He dared to think it would be a lot of what he received now from the other people of their world: cold shoulder and silences.

"I know that feeling," he replied gravely, keeping the handshake for a respectful amount of time before slipping his hand free. Strong grip meant a strong man, his old man would say. "Some of us had to live under the shadow of secrecy and the veil of the accomplishments of other men. Sometimes they can't even acknowledge you exist after a stint in the torture chair." He shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal, like he had come to understand that suffering was necessary for overall greatness.

He knew the truth of the Soldier. He'd read enough Captain America comics as a kid to see the likeness between HYDRA's greatest weapon and how the Bucky back then had been drawn. It was one of the reasons he had been allowed to be a handler to a lesser degree. Well, his other accomplishments and loyalty saved him from a quick bullet to the back of the head too, since the Winter Soldier was terribly hush-hush.

He dared to reach out to clap the Soldier on the shoulder. "It gets better, kid. Maybe someday you will get to close your eyes and know the peace of just seeing the back of your eyelids." He backed off though, specifically turning his back on the Soldier as a sign of trust as he walked back towards the panel where he had been working.

[ukase]

You're taking the very idea that people see you inaccurate because of bad retellings better than expected. I suppose it just sort of bemuses you.

[Rumlow shook his head. Of course, he was used to only a certain tale being told about him, repeated over and over again like it was the single thing he had done in his life. He had grown used to ignoring it since coming here. No point explaining himself to people who had no interest in listening.

Geez, this was definitely a guy to follow around just to see if he could start a bar fight in hopes to watching the actions. It could be entertaining!]

Well, there are always missions you can take. They offer a sort of fun challenge.

[torchwoodteaboy]

((continued here to escape captcha!!))

[torchwoodteaboy]

((continued here to escape captcha!!))

[mollymocked]

go away captcha