❪ 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

ii.

[punshots]

[ A shop like this is an extremely dangerous place for Prompto to be, because not only is he weak to cute animals (even the robotic ones), but also because he's weak to cute animals, he already owns several back in Wyver. He really shouldn't be considering another one, but, like, you don't have to feed and clean up after these ones, right? They're all the perks of having a pet, but with none of the mess!

It's so easy to talk himself into it, but the musings of the girl nearby draw his attention over to her...and to the creature she's deliberating over. ]

Oh. Em. Gee! Lookit how cute it is! You gonna get it? Huh? Are you?

[ If she wanted to be enabled, here's the cavalry. ]

2

[ayes]

[You just... stares at the drink her friend has slid in front of her. She looks at Yoshiko. She looks back at the drink. You gotta be kidding her.] Y-Yoshiko-chan... What did you put in this?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He barks out a startled laugh. ]

Oh, and now you're kissing and running? That's classy, man.

[ But, listen, Peter ends up heading the same direction, seeing as how the bar lies that way. It's that awkward thing, you know? When you say goodbye to someone, only for them to keep walking alongside you?

Everyone's worst nightmare. ]

So you lost a bet? Is that what that was?

III

[jesus_is_gundam]

[The hangar of the ruined ship was Setsuna's first stop. Its easily the place with the most technology that he's familiar with, and he's going to salvage something, there would be his best bet.

The hissing of a hatch opening catches his attention, as do the shouts that follow. He makes his way over in that direction, only to end up standing near an unfamiliar redhead pointing a lance at an otherwise empty cockpit.]

...

[He simply stares quietly at the redhead, not having announced his presence, though given the way his footfalls echoed through the hanger, she would have easily heard him approaching. Either way, he'll give her a few minutes to work through her existential crisis before he bothers to interrupt.]

[thedarkbond]

[The less said about the kinds of scars Ren's going to be nursing on the inside given time here, the better. For now, he laughs a little at the offer and straightens up slightly, leaning on his elbows to look at the other man.]

I'm sure I can find a way around that with the staff. I'm good at negotiating~ [It's hard to keep himself leaning like this when he's still shivering, though, so he flops down again with an exaggeratedly pathetic air a moment or two later.] But if it's been difficult for everyone, then it wouldn't really be fair to ask you to carry me, right? Even if it's pretty tempting.

[Despite his obvious exhaustion, Ren's tone remains upbeat and as unfazed as it can be when the shiver is occasionally creeping its way in there.]

[thedarkbond]

Oh? So the stuff with that dragon must have been troublesome for you. [Ren can take a "not wanting to talk about home" hint when he hears one, and he doesn't really want to talk about his own either, so he'll take continuing to talk about here instead.

If nothing else, Ren is skilled with his fingers, and he's unfastening the part properly before too long.] I hope the rest of this world isn't as cold and stormy as this bit is, but you must know more about it if you don't come to Thesa often, right?

[Ren's tone in complaining about Nadril's weather is vaguely pouty, but he still sounds curious about the experiences of someone who's been here longer than him.]

5

[thedarkbond]

[It's kind of hard to pick any identifying features from the person she's talking to initially, since they've got their head in some kind of overhead compartment. When Ren hears the familiar voice, though, he ducks out - his overlong hair is tied into a bun for this work, so even that doesn't come into sight until he removes himself from the unit.]

Oh, hello, Hayame-san. [He waves before taking on a more exaggeratedly thoughtful look.] I think most of what's intact might be useful, but you're pretty strong, right? So maybe these would be good.

[Stepping to one side, he taps a hand against some intact wall panels.] These have some wiring and stuff on the back that they could use, but they're way too heavy for me to take out by myself...

iii

[thedarkbond]

Oh, is there something alive in here?

[A rather cheery voice comes from somewhere a bit further around the ship's hull, quickly followed by a man with long red hair and hands laced behind his back coming around to investigate. Physically speaking, he's not much - his legs are long and he's reasonably tall, but he's built like a stick - but he has a rather bouncy manner about the whole situation despite the various dangers involved.

He's a lot more prepared for this than he was for the trek, after all, so he's not letting his mask slip like that again.

His expression shifts to almost petulant disappointment when he sees she was looking at a chair, though.]

Is that it? I got excited for a second...

hello it's me (the coffee enthusiast)

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's at the bar on this particular occasion, observing the locals and seeing if there's any entertaining dares happening that aren't mostly about embarrassing people instead of proving anyone's abilities. He only has a very small glass with him currently, and hasn't made his way through much of it when a much more appealing prospect starts coming through the thought-to-speech connection.

He laughs quietly, setting the glass he'd just lifted again aside on the bar and glancing over the gathered people to see if he can spot anyone nursing a cup of coffee. For now, though, he should be able to reply.]

If I'd known they served coffee that good here, I would've asked for that instead. [There's some amusement to the comment that's much more difficult to disguise in his thoughts than it is in person.]

welcome ii

[thedarkbond]

It's really amazing, isn't it?

[The cheery voice comes from a bit further down the hall, from a man with long red hair who's running his fingers over the ice with an almost rapt interest. He looks incredibly tired from the trip, lines visible under his eyes and his slitted pupils lagging a bit in alertness, but the excitement still sounds plenty genuine despite that.]

I've heard of people making things like this before, but this is the first time I've seen it.

ii

[thedarkbond]

[It's pretty entertaining watching everyone mix such bizarre drinks, but Ren has so far avoided actually trying any, in large part because he has no interest in getting drunk during what could be a very good information-gathering opportunity. Still, the bubbling red drink is certainly something, and he smiles a little and pokes the glass as if checking if it's as warm as it looks.]

Oh, this is cute. What did you put in it? [His tone is cheery and a little vapid, but mostly he's trying to make sure it's not going to do something nasty to him if he drinks it.

Or too nasty, at least. Normal-level nasty is fine.]

ii

[thedarkbond]

[Ren has just managed to drag himself out of bed - which really means off the floor, since he fell out of bed on the way upright - when he gets room-invaded by a black and white fluffy person. He's somewhat bleary still, and in the process of pushing his mane of red hair back over one shoulder, but once he squints long enough at Keaton to make out what he is, he immediately breaks into a delighted smile.]

Hello. You have lovely ears~ [He points to the sides of his head, as if anyone needs to be reminded where their ears are.] You must take really good care of them.

[His tone is lighthearted and cheery, almost to the point of being airheaded.]

iii

[thedarkbond]

[Sitting a bit further down the bar from Juno is a man with long red hair who's been watching the dares go on with what only seems to be passing interest. Ren is fond of games and challenges, but a lot of what's going on here just seems to be uninteresting needling.

Case in point, that last dare. Ren's about to look away with a quiet sigh when he hears the sound of breaking glass and turns his head back, suddenly much more alert. Looking from Juno to the collapsed local, he conceals a smile with another drink from his own cup before slipping from his own seat to pop himself back up next to Juno instead, draping his long hair over one shoulder to keep it out of the way.]

Some people can't take a hint, huh? [Ren's tone is light, with an odd interplay in tone between intentionally vapid and knowing.] I can help you with that if you want.

[He points to the glass shard in his hand. Ren's got thin and fairly deft fingers, so he might have an easier time of getting it out.]

[planetary_bonds]

[Yusei's trying his hardest to look innocent.

Somehow, despite his poker face, it's not working.]

What would you rather call it, then? To be more politically correct.

[Rude.]

[planetary_bonds]

A bit. The fastest I could manage was whatever the steam engine could put out.

[So. Reasonably fast, but not that fast.]

I know about Olympia and Wyver. This place is...markedly different from the rest of the places I've seen, anyway.

[It's a lonely place. That's really all he can say about Nadril.]

[maipokerface]

[Now she side eyes him, doing her level best unimpressed expression. Are you being a little shit, Yusei?]

Learning how to put up with people's inanity.

C

[morbide]

Yeah. I'm not too fond of those freeze-to-death dares, myself. And a lot of these folks want the loser to sit out in the snow, I've noticed.

[Thanks for announcing your arrival, Henry! He leans against the countertop with no drink in hand, watching the same group Ren's paying attention to with a slight tilt to his head.]

Why not be the change you want to see? What kind of dare would be entertaining to you?

[reek]

I do not need your help.

[ It’s a bold claim, made just as his already poor footing slips and he falls onto his hands and knees in the snow. He doesn’t get angry, though. How many times had this happened to him while performing his daily tasks around the Dreadfort? Countless. He picks himself up without a word, and continues his old man’s hobble without asking for a hand.

But he does look pitiful, and he is slow, and he knows it. ]

[planetary_bonds]

[Maybe.]

You know how it is. [He'd roll his eyes, but he's not exactly the type. Instead, he raises his hands in mock surrender.] Can't call yourself friends until you've wanted to punch each other a few times.

[He's had Jack Atlas and Crow Hogan for best friends. You can't say he hasn't thrown down with them every once in a while.]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[He might not get angry, but Claire does. She hates seeing him fall. She hates that he's like this, mangled, and yet still clinging to his pride. As she's come to accept Theon as he is now the surges of anger have lessened to the occasional fantasy about returning the favor to Ramsay, but she can't stop herself from raising her voice.]

Stop being so fucking stubborn, for God's sake. Do you want me to beg? Is that it? Do you want me to make a scene?

[It's hard for anyone not in their immediate vicinity to her, but this isn't her maximum volume.]

[fiendennor]

A little nippy, but I suppose there are worse things to be. [She answers straightforwardly, walking up next to Linneus to take a closer look.] It's really quite remarkable... I'm not entirely sure myself.

Were it a less technologically advanced city I'd say it was some sort of enchantment, but I'm admittedly out of my element here.

cuddle-me-elmo

[morbide]

[Oh how the turns have tabled...

It's no surprise that she'd bury her face into his cape. It's like a big blanket, and Henry's having far less trouble keeping warm now that he's cloaked more warmly in the winter gear offered by the Natha. Upon being squeezed around the middle, Henry yelps.]

It'd be hard to see you through this blizzard and all, but it's impossible to see who you are if you're behind me. The eyes on the back of my cape are purely decorative, I'll have you know. [His voice lilts playfully, as though he doesn't really mind the contact.] And besides, you could just ask for me to share! I'm nice, and I'd do it.

[dancerefresher]

[They earned it, completely. It was days in snow and storms, and finally, after all of their journey, they're free of it.

All of these was for a good cause though. And...well, sadly Olivia wasn't aware that she was putting You into an awkward position. She just knew that this was warm.

And...oh...her cup of cider is starting to fall....]

[dancerefresher]

No...no. Not quite.

[She shook her head, looking sheepish. If Olivia was anyone else, she'd be demanding an apology, but no. She just feels bad for getting in the way of someone else.]

I-I think I just fell over because I was tired. M-maybe I should have just-I don't know. Gotten out of the way?

[inaurare]

In real life? I've only heard of ice palaces in fairytales, I think...

[turning to face him properly and closing the distance between then, offering a hand]

We haven't met. My name is Linneus.