❪ 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

[verflair]

[ He visibly perks at the word “Eos”, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat. ]

I know of your star. Do you, perhaps, know a young man by the name of Prompto?

[ Prompto is probably a way better point of contact than Ardyn will ever be, so that is where he starts. ]

U wanna fight?

[smithandwesson]

((OOC: Meet Me In A New Thread To Avoid Captcha And Gett An Ass Kicking.))

[ukase]

I'm respected for my opinion on how to run an operation.

[That wasn't the same as rank. He had a respectable level in SHIELD, but his military rank was something he purposefully kept low. He liked soldiering, not paperwork.]

Not for most of their lives, no. People get out after a few years, assuming they survive.

[colorature]

If we find some fabric we can always make him a makeshift scarf!

_{[Their snowman will probably be too large for any kind of real clothing anyway, so a scarf should do.]}

Some scrap parts might work for the eyes...maybe gears if we can find any?

[colorature]

<sub>[She barely notices that he's even plucked a hair from her head she has so many, not to mention her scalp is almost as frozen as the rest of her so feeling much of anything right now isn't working out so well...

She gives him a bit of space for him to quite literally work his magic, quite bewitched as she watches him, listening intently to whatever spell he seems to mutter to himself. The sudden energy has her wide-eyed and bewildered, only to feel herself warm up a few moments later, just like he'd said she would.]</sub>

I'm warm...? I'm warm! Henry you're amazing!

[1701]

[ 'Saving' is subjective. Maybe something about their participation here will determine a larger outcome - but that's a subject for more ... quantum inclined geniuses to think about. Jim's strengths lie in other areas. ]

Maybe I already have.

[ There's at least one person from his future here, after all, and it's the same for dozens of other people and their respective worlds.

He misses home - his crew, the people who are his family - badly. But saying so just makes him think about it too much. ]

[colorature]

I can't help that biting usually hurts.

_{[Sure her teeth are sharp but, y'know, a bite is a bite.]}

I've been given plenty lectures already. I don't need another.

[morbide]

Of course your warm! I told you I'd curse you. I wouldn't pull your leg about warming you up in weather like this. That would be cruel and unusual, and not in a fun way.

[Satisfied with his work, he withdraws his hands into the safe barrier of his cape, which adds an extra layer of protection from the harsh winds.]

That should last you for... Heck, I dunno. A good while, that's for sure. But if you ever don't want it anymore, just say the word and I'll cut it out in an instant. [He lifts his fingers to snap, but the gloves don't lend themselves well to it. ...Oh well, the motion's there.]

[reek]

[ This action takes Theon back, to a time far beyond Ramsay. It takes him back even beyond even Winterfell. Instead, it takes him back to Pyke, to the days when his brothers were still alive and would either tease him relentlessly, or beat him.

He hated those days. He had never been big enough to fight back, though he had wanted to. It ignites that fire into a blaze. Theon doesn’t have much muscle anymore, but he’s not a nine year old boy any longer either. ]

Don’t touch me! Don’t ever touch me.

[ He snarls, actually fighting to get away. He had hoped for a blade across his throat; something quick. This is not even close. ]

Put me down. Now.

[morbide]

[Henry breathes in through his nose and huffs, his smile straining some before raising his hands to about shoulder level.]

I don't FEEL a curse, but hey. I'm not perfect! [He giggles, like slipping up and cursing somebody could be thought of as a silly mistake.] I'll give dispelling it a whirl, 'kay? Hold still.

[Henry mutters some words slurred together in a language that sounds like it could be common tongue, but it could also be archaic, with how fast he says them. A few gestures with bent fingers as he reaches up, then claps his hands together. While nothing magical appeared to happen, something certainly feels different...]

...How's that? Less blood and agony yet?

[mollymocked]

Well... [His voice lilts a bit upwards.] It's not every day a person's entire world gets destroyed, leaving them destitute in some other world. On one hand, that's shite... But on the other...

[He waves a hand at everything around him, grinning like a child in a candy store.] Look at this!

[hellzone]

I'm certain I haven't, [ Yoshiko siiiighs. After all, there are literal dragons here. ] But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Hmm. I dunno...

[He deactivates his ability and puts his hands on his hips in a gesture of pure cockiness.]

Something tells me you like being on top.

[He’s open for a counterattack now, if Takasugi has a mind to continue their fight.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya can be pretty cute sometimes.]

How old are you, exactly?

[If Chuuya had to guess he’d say early twenties, but other worlds work differently, so he could be totally wrong.]

I’m twenty-three.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya can tell that his words have had an effect on Mikazuki, but he can’t quite tell if it’s good or bad.

Chuuya looks contemplative for a moment before answering.]

It’s not exactly easy, but taking the easy way out has never been my style. Besides, I’m not obligated to serve anyone here to prove that I deserve to live.

[Which is exactly what he did in the Mafia.]

What about you? What kind of life do you wanna live here?

[sparsity]

[ With about half a cup left of the fire liquor, he looks at the icy lights reflecting through glass, quiet. People choose what's easy, even if it sacrifices others — no one likes to face their own status quo and destroy it. With no where else to go, it's a stance worth respecting. ]

Just living can be a really difficult thing to do.

[ There's no deeper meaning, he just says it because it's true. ]

My life belongs to someone. Whatever I do here, I think of that.

[shikomizue]

[Meeting certain peril with a sigh - that's the mark of a fallen angel.

Or someone too naive for their own good.]

What will you do when you face a monster yourself?

Without an army, can you fight? Or will you have to rely on everyone around you?

[notwagging]

[ his ears twitch, then flutter down and out of sight. ]

Nah. It's got a little bit of a weird smell. Don't really want it.

[ besides, it reminds him of plants. he's not for those! very slowly, more of his face appears over the end and Keaton's eyes focus on Takasugi. ]

What're you doing with it? Burning it?

[ and once most of Keaton's head is in the open, he quietly climbs back onto the bed. ]

[pullsheavendown]

I'm supposed to be able to use two.

[Well, 'supposed to' is arguable. But normally he can.]

Maybe it's because we were asleep, too? Like when you have a long nap and you're really groggy.

[conqueredhearts]

You are a fascinating man! I quite like you, my friend.

[He obviously means that too with the way his eyes light up as he says it. This new friend of his is a fascinating man. He's already looking forward to getting to know him better and more about his life as a soldier.]

Tell me, what would you do if you were no longer a soldier? What life would you want to have?

[gravemistake]

Sure, why not.

[Gabriel says that with no small amount of exasperation, because there’s nothing about the Natha that he can’t discover for himself. He finds it very hard to believe the two of them uncovered something he wouldn’t be able to find out with a little bit of elbow grease. There’s a reason why he’s the black ops guy, after all.

No, his real concern (which Ana picks out very quickly) is with whatever the hell is going on with the two of them. Suffice to say he doesn’t exactly find Ana’s explanation adequate, and he’s quick to tell her so, a hint of frustration in his voice.]

So don’t talk about it with him. Talk about it with me.

[Given the fact that Jack and Ana seem to have cut Reinhardt out of the equation, he wonders just how much time the two of them spend together. If there’s any part of her starving for the company of someone else—someone she used to confide in, perhaps—then Gabriel is ready and waiting to capitalize on it.]

You can't tell me the two of you just sit around staring at each other and not talking about it.

[But it is Jack, so...]

[gravemistake]

Oh, Jack.

[Gabriel completes the circle, deciding that Jack doesn’t deserve to be put at ease, not after an answer like that. He has to know it was unsatisfactory.

After what seems to be a moment of consideration, Gabriel stops walking and reaches out. He puts his hand on Jack's shoulder, like he might have done when they were friends.]

It’s always better if I know.

[nanamari]

[ Ana has made more friends and acquaintances here in the last year than she has in the last five. She and Jack spend a lot of time together, but they aren't each other's only company by a long shot. She's told a select few people about her past, and even about Gabriel, but it's easier to talk to someone who isn't involved and will never have full context for everything they've lost.

She wants to trust him. It's dangerous, but that doesn't make it less appealing. ]

Of course not. We stare at pictures of our loved ones and don't talk about it. [ It's not that Jack won't talk if she asks him, or vice versa, but they're already too comfortable and respectful of each other's silence to go digging in that mire. It's been too many years for anything productive to come of retreading old misery. For the most part, what's lost has already been lost for good.

It's just like Gabriel to waltz in and turn that upside down. ] If you want to know what's going on with Jack, you can interrogate him yourself. Directly.

[motivation]

I've been playing.

[ she quirks her lips at him. ]

But go on. Make it interesting for me.

[sparke]

I know human things.

[ thor doesn't just sound like he's pouting, he's - well, he's doing something halfway between a frown and a pout, really. ]

Just not poker.

[ rude!! ]