❪ 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

[willrevile]

[ It's uncanny, how pine reused an entire character wholesale for another franchise but that's fine sir i understand makin ur money similar they are, but at least Jim sounds far more modern. Maybe Richie, whose name doesn't have a t in it i'm so sorry, is just hearing things. ]

Whenever you want if you're into that, [ is still half-shouted over the wind, through layers of fabric and fur. Jim gets a steady hold on him and pauses for a moment, just making sure he's stable. ]

You hurt anywhere? [ Bright blue eyes peek out, keenly observant of both the other man and the funny little light he's holding. ]

[heirworthy]

[ ... is he openly sharing his thoughts to him? and what does "never had a plate to myself" mean?

not that he's not used to people suddenly pouring their feelings on him out of the blue; a bit puzzling, seeing that he clearly doesn't have the disposition for empathy or whatever but it nevertheless continues. but still, this is a complete stranger being nostalgic about coffee and curry and being never understood.

what the hell is curry anyway. ]

Is it not obvious enough that I'm drinking coffee?

[ there's only one person who looks like he's savoring his cup, sitting in a quiet corner that's totally away from everyone else. ]

[alibabas]

[ Despite having her door wide open, the sudden addition of a new voice has her nearly jumping out of her skin. Hand paused in the middle of the air with ... no where to go, not anymore. Definitely not when someone's watching.

And the someone's not anyone she recognizes either, and that's bad. Really bad. Her mind blanking is even worse, but that's the state they're in at the moment. She swallows the lump in her throat, and quickly averts her gaze away from Daisy's.

... ... ... ] I... I guess. [ Real riveting answer, there. An awful come back to a pretty decent joke all around. Her voice seems to be crawling in on itself, before she takes a breath, and— ]

I don't know if I want to ... break him, though. [ ... ] AI's cooler when they're running.

paws about town

[baguablade]

[ Cain, happening upon A2 and her new, fluffy conundrum, gives her a cheery wave in greeting. And then promptly leans over for a better look at the creature she's holding like it's some dangerous sort of monster about to bite. Huh.

It's cute. He gives it a little pat on the head, right between its long, floppy ears. ]

Looks like a bunny. It's cute!

well he is a genius.

[willrevile]

[ In Jim's experience, dogs are happy to react that way anytime a human speaks to them. Maybe he's got a 'good dog' tone of voice, who knows. He watches the shuffling around, watches her look that-a-way then back at him. ]

Is your person that way? [ A beat, then, flatter-- ] Did Timmy fall down the well?

[ Jim rolls his eyes at himself and mutters, ] Why am I talking to the dog. People talk to pets all the time, through, right? Hikaru talks to plants. What do you think, Marshmallow Fluff?

[ Clearly, he's not expecting a response. He picks at the bit of wreckage he's working on again, and then sticks the resulting junk into the bag slung over his shoulder. ]

III.

[lancings]

[ She's just as clueless as he is but doesn't exactly want to outright admit it. She's trying to be as helpful as possible, but she can only lift a fraction of what this man can and doesn't even know enough about this technology to dictate what they need. She's never felt this useless and frustrated before, but she's trying to stamp down on the feeling fast and examine part after part before glancing over at what he has in his hand. ]

It does look useful. I think it can do lots of things.

[ What those things are she doesn't know, just hazarding a guess. ]

I don't think anyone will be upset if we bring extra items with us rather than coming up short. Always better to overdo than to underdo.

[ Her life credo. She'll let an expert weed out what they don't actually need. ]

[lancings]

[ That voice draws her attention fast before she pauses at the sight of him. Wolf ears, wolf tail. Is he one of these little fake animals, too? No, he seems smarter and more autonomous thatn them, but she can't help but wonder anyway. Best not to test her luck and give him commands. He might take offense to that.

Instead, she quickly averts her eyes and pretends she hadn't been gaping a few seconds ago. One would think after spending so long around the likes of Panne and Nowi that she'd be more use to non-humans. ]

You have them where you come from, too? A few others simple gawked at my mention of them. If only I could have brought mine with me, but this might fill the void a bit.

[ Her pegasus has always been an extension of herself, and being without her just makes Cordelia feel... lacking. ]

paws about town.

[desistor]

[Boxer happens to be...within earshot, if crouched curiously in front of a similar pen of differently-proportioned robot dogs in a myriad of breeds, rather than the corral of cats that Caleb is busy being skeptical of.

(Definitely...more of a dog person, himself. Considering the helpful, doglike Process that the Natha had rescued from Cloudbank with him and Red had been left behind in the freeze on Olympia after the attack, he's kind of feeling bittersweet about this little discovery. Still—)

He's not in the market...just poking around. Using the odd, long and broad and gently glowing blade at his side as an anchor as he balances on the balls of his feet, braced against the ground as he crouches in front of the collection of pedigree AI. He pauses to rest his fingers on the smooth surface of the space between the robo-dog's perked ears before he looks up and cocks a brow back Caleb's way.]

They're friendly, I think.

[What is the point of anything, really. This is a very existential question for a petstore, bud.]

[defenses]

[ he also isn't sure if he should feel panicked or not. initially there definitely is that rise of some semblance of reservation. or at least abashment, if just because he isn't usually the one on the receiving end of all of this. especially as she says "warm."

but, as always vane's amiable nature wins out. besides, she looked kind of comfortable like this?

hence, his expression softens a little. he lifts an arm if just to try and reach up against her ears to clip on the accessories given to them, but instead, he sees the cup nearly slip from between her fingertips. ] Oh! [ he reaches out and catches it. ] ... heh heh, you really should be more careful, Sleepy.

[ but he doesn't really seem to be admonishing her. his voice is hushed as if not wanting to wake her. ]

[lancings]

[ Fine is... well, it's a compliment. As someone too used to having empty praise heaped on her, she actually rather likes the noncommittal approach from him. Still, that doesn't explain why he was so snippy just a few seconds ago. ]

Are you sure? It didn't seem like-

[ Again, that voice creeps in, interrupting her fast: 'Oh yes, just let her walk around with last season's color palette. And wool? Are you someone's grandmother?'

She had thought the wool would be the most functional in keeping her warm on the way to the crash site. She didn't put on that much of it. ]

Now, you listen here! I don't have anything else more practical for the weather to wear, and it's hardly a top priority.

[ The mission brief is far more important than trying to please a stranger with unkempt hair. ]

[heirworthy]

[ oh my god, what is going on.

if only feelings could burn, then whatever ice between their beds would've already melted with how pissed off Sandy's feeling that very moment.

the tapping and the multiple hellos, it's the most obnoxious way of annoying someone. and then, asking him if he's actually sleeping! it's all starting to feel like it's being intentionally done to rile him. what did he do to deserve this kind of punishment? is this what he gets for failing to save their realm?

when Sandalphon finally can't stand it, he throws off the blanket and sits up. ]

I was trying to. [ ... glare. brief pause. glare. he knows that face, he's seen that face before. Sandy doesn't remember the name attached to it but.

he's even more annoyed now. ] ... Do I know you?

wildcard ..... give me the husk

[insist]

[ Wherever All Might might be, an alien-looking robotic bird, about the size of an eagle, will suddenly swoop down to perch on his head. While a cute sight to behold at first, that bird then leans forward and tries to feed some food its found directly into All Might's mouth. That's ... considerably less cute. It's quite a persistent thing also, almost as if it's reacting to how malnutritioned All Might looks. Even if All Might refuses, it will try to force-feed him. Sorry that you look like such a dried husk, animals are triggered to feed you, buddy.

From behind, Rohan walks up, arms crossed in front of him as he analyzes the scene. ]

I was trying to make it obedient, but I probably triggered a maternal behavior instead ...

[ What he gets for messing around with a robot without reading the manual? Yeah. At least he didn't activate the 'bloodlust' program.

Also, he doesn't make a move to help. ]

[lancings]

[ So wise and full of charm, just as any royal should be. She reminds her of the Exalt, Emmeryn, and Cordelia bows her head slightly -perhaps out of conditioned deference. ]

I am Cordelia of Ylisse. A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.

[ What a Zora is she doesn't know, but she can make a few guesses based on appearance. In fact, she does have a lot of questions, and even with the invite to ask, she's hesitant in appearing that rude and forthright to someone she just met. ]

I suppose... are you cold under there? No, why would you be... that seems like a poor way to start.

[ Those words are muttered softly as she mulls over something more proper. She finally settles on- ]

I can be of assistance to you. I made my own make-shift rod and was planning on gathering food for my companions as well.

in that case? no gloves allowed

[monya]

[ he's not going to respond. he's already doing his best to pretend to be one with this pillow that can't completely hide him. he'll just have to keep his tail as still as possible, not let that black fur or the white tip become too obvious as he keeps his breath steady and slow.

but that voice gets him to twitch. what a rude comment? who is it talking to? he never thought his particular 'hair' style was an issue, and his tail reflexively curls...

... which nudges the pillow in the opposite direction, away from him.

maybe if Mona stays perfectly still, Akechi won't notice him. yeah. that's reasonable. ]

[breadmuffs]

[Oh hey, a familiar face. Caleb takes a couple steps towards Anders. Certainly not as nervous as the first time they met. They'd managed to have a civil conversation, in the end, and he's been reunited with a least some of his party in the time that's gone by. He is not always, always terrible with people. Just most of the time. (And then other times, he's not bad at all. For a little while.)

That glare definitely gets a nod of solidarity.]

It can't be the same. They are...they are just toys.

[Really advanced toys, sure. But toys.]

iv

[insist]

[ Wow.

Just wow.

Here Rohan was, trying to enjoy the new scenery, and some punk comes along and thinks he can pelt him with snow? Oh, the nerve! It doesn't help that he was busy inspecting some weird alien insect, so he doesn't quite have time to dodge. In fact, he even loses his balance and falls forward into the snow.

Someone's going to die for this. When Rohan gets up again, he's covered in snow, and the indignation he shows for his face might be a little disproportionate to the actual slight against him (being pelted by a snowball is actually pretty minor...) ] Nakahara Chuuya. What the hell do you think you're doing?!

[nineteenfortyfive]

Frowning, she decides to pick up the glass regardless, looking at it as if it were under a microscope. She's a little too absorbed by the drink to realize he's as familiar as she is to him.

"A sip won't hurt," she says, and does just that. Caution to the wind, this one. Or maybe just a lot of experience with drinking Too Much.

"Lord. It tastes like a lollipop." Not like anything that would leave you in pain. "No wonder."

[lancings]

[ She has her misgivings about such a loud ...'motorcycle'. It doesn't appear to be alive even if it is making sounds and vibrating on its own. But certainly it would have eyes, a mouth, some sort of breathing apparatus? ]

She seems ...friendly.

[ The 'motorcycle' hasn't snapped any teeth at her or attacked either, so she has no real reason to be afraid aside from simply not wholly understanding what it is. But the girl seems kind enough, and Cordelia does feel some unspoken kinship with other riders which leads her to climbing behind rather carefully onto the 'motorcycle' and slowly circling her arms around the girl's midsection as she would any of her fallen sisters. ]

My balance is difficult to compromise, so you should have no worries about me falling. I've flown faster than many horses before.

[ And just how fast can this 'motorcycle' be anyway? ]

I will leave the charge to you.

[lednikovyy]

"Something like that." Bucky's not a loner so much as there's not a lot of people he trusts here and he's not going into a dangerous situation and dragging a stranger along hoping for the best. In fact, he's not really sure why this guy's giving him shit when he obviously came down here by himself.

There's something about the guy that's a little rough, but that doesn't bother Bucky as long as he doesn't have to weather more digs at himself. He can't really help the way a challenge like that raises his hackles. Still, Bucky's not going to leave someone alone who's asking him to watch their six, roundabout as the request is.

"Guess I can do that. Are we expecting trouble from other people?" Because he's got his gun strapped to his back, but he'll pull it up if he's actually expecting the kind of danger one might need to shoot at.

[baldesion]

[In her defense, she didn't mean to drop like that. The last stretch has been both a climb and a venture through soft, high drifts that she had to shove through even with the help of her friends to clear the path before her.

Krile is as stubborn as they come, though, and someone is swearing at her? Which is due at least a dirty look back.

She is so cold and exhausted as to not realize it's taking her an unusually long time to respond. Fortunately for Claire she isn't that heavy, even wrapped in excellent winter gear; unfortunately, at the moment, she is largely dead weight trying to keep its eyes open.]

[botw]

Floating me there?

[ as warm as he is, the thought of being randomly levitated does make him a little suspicious of his friend. that's the kind of thing that Link could do with his 'tablet', though with the power of manipulating gravity and force... ]

How would you go about that...

[ he trails off as he plays with the pin as he pulls it off, affixing it back onto Chuuya. ]

... there.

[ though the chilly air stings, it's better that they share it. ]

[planetary_bonds]

It's worth more than it looks.

[So yes, he's agreeing with your assessment of that.]

It's honestly been a while since I've seen this kind of thing. I don't come up to Thesa often, so the last time I saw anything similar to this was...

[...Back in Neo Domino City. He doesn't continue that train of thought.]

...Even then, it wasn't as advanced as this.

tbh this is unnecessarily cold.

[america]

[ Steve pulls the warm coat they've each been given just a little tighter over his shoulders, not a stranger to the chill that seeps into his bones. (And yes, we can all make jokes about his seventy-some years spent asleep in the frozen tundra but he's heard that all before.)

He's otherwise in much better condition than most, for which he can thank his supersoldier DNA for; and to that effect he's been in and amongst several groups of refugees throughout the long and exhausting journey - both newly landed and otherwise - lending a hand where needed. The task reminds him of every other wave of fresh refugees, but this one in particular reminds him of a frosty particular simulation he'd experienced some months ago.

He passes by Jim helping another group of refugees and take a moment to pause and observe the (other) captain at work, warming rocks to spread the heat among the near-frozen stranded. Truth be told, he could probably use a little more warmth himself. ]

That's a pretty handy tool.

[ He's glad to see a familiar face in and amidst arctic temperatures and incessant blowing snow, even if that uncanny resemblance still reminds him of a good friend who'd gone back to sleep in the pods up on Thesa. ]

[planetary_bonds]

[They're getting dangerously close to getting themselves stuck - or at least Yusei is.]

You have a point there. Some people are simply content leaving themselves in such a predicament.

[He can't say anything to those who spiral down a path of self-destruction. He's come too close to doing that himself to not sound hypocritical. But...]

When they start dragging others into their sinkhole, though...they're going too far, I think.

III

[fiendennor]

[Nott approaches a young woman sitting by herself, with a glass of... liquid in front of her.

(It's not alcoholic.)

Diana looks down at the diminutive figure, her nose wrinkling at the odor of alcohol.] You're trying to make a bet with me on a sport you know nothing about? That seems unwise.