❪ 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

[fisherwife]

[She laughs and pulls him in for another kiss, unable to keep the smile off of her face.] You're absolutely terrible. [But her voice is full of adoration as she says it, like somehow it's a compliment.]

And yet, somehow, I love you anyhow. [SO GROSS. She settles her head against his shoulder, keeping an eye on the storm around them as well.] ...When we get to the city, we should find a room of our own, if we can.

[This isn't actually supposed to be a come on exactly, that would just be a nice bonus; Mipha just likes sharing space with Mephisto.]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[He knows first hand how the power of music can affect a battle, so dancing doesn't seem like that far of a leap to him.]

I think it suits you. More so than being a fighter does.

[hellzone]

Huh? I mean, sure, I can...but there's normally nine of us. So you've got to keep that in mind if some parts of it sound weird.

[ Yoshiko takes a step back and starts singing. She starts off just singing but then, about halfway through the song, she starts adding in dance movements. By the end, she's singing and doing the movements.

It looks a bit weird because again, this choreography is designed for nine people. And yes, she's in the middle of a crowded bar and people are probably staring at her. But she doesn't really seem to care. This is something that Yoshiko obviously loves and obviously enjoys doing. ]

[punshots]

[ He hums a quiet note of understanding, his eyes never leaving the photograph as she explains. ]

So...you were born on Eorzea? [ He never realized. He assumed she had been born in Sharlayan since she was raised there. Maybe that's yet one more reason why she decided to leave home. ]

Did you ever go back?

[ Abandoned or not, it's where she was born. ]

[hellzone]

I'm holding the results!

[ She does indeed mean that drink. And, since Makoto's obviously interested, Yoshiko shoves the drink a bit closer to her face. But as for questions about Earth... ]

Maybe I'll make something from Earth after I finish this one off. I'm sure I can find a way to have this thing make shaved ice or some flavored tea.

[punshots]

[ This is just his luck, honestly. Try to do a nice thing, get bulldozed (sorta) to the ground...but as he isn't expecting it, Nott will have an easy time of taking Prompto down. He falls unceremoniously down onto his back, though he's quick to push himself up into a sitting position. ]

H-hey! I'm tryin' to do you a solid, here!

[ HOW DOES HE ALWAYS FIND PEOPLE LIKE THIS ]

[flask]

[Yeah. She waited.

Nott tries to hide her face further under her hood, thinking maybe the soft expression in Rey's eyes would harden at any moment should she realize who she just helped, but there's an easier way to distract. She holds up the mechanical porg with both hands, almost as an offering.]

I saved your ugly bird for you.

[What the woman sees in the thing, Nott will likely never know.]

ii.

[baguablade]

[ There's quite a lot of pictures being blown about by Nadril's chill winds — enough that one gets blown right to Cain's feet, and he bends, picking it up, taking a quick glance at it out of habit. It's one with a woman in red holding a puppy, being crowded by a man who doesn't seem entirely welcome. Huh. He raises an eyebrow as he looks up to see that same woman clutching an armful of photographs, hastily gathering up a few more that are scattered about.

It hardly takes three guesses to put together what's happened.

With a rueful laugh, Cain holds the picture out and crouches to help the woman scoop up the rest. ]

Here. Sorry, I couldn't help but get a glimpse... [ No sense trying to hide the fact. ] Was that a station, like Thesa?

[ The view out the window had been the vast, star-speckled darkness of space, not the wilderness of a planet, and his own curiosity is too much to keep him from asking about it. ]

[hellzone]

[ Molly says that...but Yoshiko kind of cares if she can see in the dark or if she's a little bit stronger than the average person. This place is way more worrying than expected. There's kidnapping, dragons, all sorts of terrible things that Yoshiko knows she can't handle by herself. She's just a school idol. She's not somebody who fights dragons.

But if she could find a way to have a bit more power or have one of those perks then maybe she'd be able to navigate this place better. Because she has trouble admitting it, but hot damn is Yoshiko in over her head. ]

Still, an actual fallen angel probably could deal with snow or a real dragon better than I could. [ said as she gives Molly a weak little laugh. ] I don't even know where to start with some of this place.

[punshots]

[ Reassured, Prompto slips more fully through the door, crossing over to her bedside and setting the mug of hot cider down on her nightstand. He has one for himself, as well, though he keeps his in a special container Alisaie had given him.

He pulls over a chair to sit, smiling warmly. ]

Yeah, they're fine. Y'know, whining about the cold a bit, but they'll tough it out.

[ He leaves out the part about how he's the one who has been whining about the cold the most. ]

I'm just glad we all made it in one piece.

[garbagepilot]

[To its own detriment, the porg has been programmed to be exactly as intelligent as a living, breathing porg would be... which means when it gets held up, all it does is let out an enthusiastic trill.

Apparently it likes to go up, but that's not what makes Rey grin as she reaches out to take it back and promptly tuck it into the crook of her elbow to keep it warm, despite the fact that it's mechanical. It is better for the machine parts to not get to cold, after all.]

It is kind of strange looking, isn't it? I have a ship full of them at home.

[Or she did, before home and the Falcon both were apparently obliterated, but she's not dwelling on that for the first time since she woke up here.]

I'm Rey, by the way.

[hellzone]

Don't bite me! [ Yoshiko yells, like she can't believe she's actually got to say this. ]

Don't you know how gross that is?

[monya]

[ he stops rolling, now leaning up and sliding back so that he could stay in a sitting position. it must look ridiculous, a black cat with white socks doing his best to use a chair in the same way a bigger person would, but he understands what's going on. he probably made it too easy for Sandalphon--- wanting to get him to come to an inevitable conclusion due to the fact Morgana is not a cat or knows cat mannerisms accurately.

that or the videos he's seen on the internet? he hasn't done them justice. RIP. ]

Yeah?

[ he speaks. no more thinking. ]

Not even a little?

[flask]

[Nott watches in a stunned stupor, not expecting this angel girl to suddenly be able to sing so well. Then she starts dancing, and Nott gets really into it, clapping along haphazardly to the rhythm.

When she's done, Nott claps enthusiastically.]

That was good! So your little demons are just groupies for your band then?? What a coincidence that there's nine of you! There's nine of us, too!

[...No, Nott, there aren't.]

Oh, but two are always missing!

[That's... almost right.]

[pullsheavendown]

[The strength in her voice catches Roxas off guard, and he glances over at her in surprise before nodding.]

Yeah. Yeah, he is. He doesn't have to be like other birds to matter.

[He grins and gives the porg a good scritch, fingers digging into the feathers.]

Do you, buddy?

[punshots]

[ Oh, he hadn't really thought about them being distracting...but it's probably fine! They're programmed to be helpful, right? Even if they do seem to mostly behave like real animals. Hopefully they don't have that instinct coded in that draws them to shiny objects or mailpeople...

Yeah, it's probably fine.

Prompto shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, like he hasn't been doing exactly that. ]

Might've been considering it...I've already got a dog, though. [ Even if said dog is sort of...frozen back in Wyver right now. Press F to pay respects. ] Maybe I could get one that's, like, a monkey. Who doesn't want a monkey around?

[ It can swing from trees and do other cute monkey things! ]

[baguablade]

[ Just because certain primal beasts don't notice the cold and thus can go investigate freely without having to worry about things like frostbite and freezing to death... Sheesh. Cain's not about to let Supreme Primarchs have all the fun of figuring out the mysteries that Darma's sent them here to discover!

Or the mysteries of what undoubtedly large and carnivorous creatures are living in suspiciously still lakes. ]

Hmm. It's strange, isn't it? A lake like this, so conveniently near the living quarters, and they don't use it as a water source... [ In pursuit of finding out exactly what's below the surface, Cain crouches, picks up a smooth, flat stone, and unceremoniously sends it skipping across the glassy surface of the water.

It falls into the lake with a plop. He tilts his head, waiting to see if anything emerges. ] See anything yet?

[ Besides the ripples left behind by the stone, that is... ]

[shikomizue]

[What a creature-

Takasugi's impressed; unabashed in his fascination with the reveal of her teeth. With that curiosity sated, he's eager for what comes next. The exact thing she'd threatened; but he'll have to wait longer to see corpses strewn around her.

For the moment, his appetite whet, he'll relent.] Heh. Luckily, no one has been foolish enough to try your patience. [As if he isn't doing exactly that, right now.]

Have you run in with anyone else? [If she has, he can't imagine the encounter was any friendlier than their exchange. More brief, perhaps - not many would stick around and bear a glare like what's being levied upon him now.

He's just a unique kind of stupid.]

[punshots]

I mean, you could say Iggy's cooking gave us some lift...

[ Maybe it didn't have restorative powers, but they did have some sweet, sweet buffs...on top of being delicious. ]

...Wait, are you saying you make food that can heal you?

[ Because that sounds awesome. And nutritious! ]

[flask]

You're trying to--

[turn me in, she almost says, but stops herself because now the store attendant is absolutely paying attention to them.

She laughs nervously, glancing between the attendant and the weird guy.]

Ha! Ha ha! Sorry about that! I tripped and fell right into you! Oh boy, I should stop day drinking so much! Ha!

[impavid]

He feels the bed dip and John's fingers curl, because Ianto is persistent. He's probably grown so used to John being an asshole it's just normal now, but why even try? He can hardly be worth this after all the trouble he's put Ianto through.

"What's it matter? I'm pretty sure you can find a different pilot here to try. I've met a couple. I mean I know Kirk was a Captain but commanding a ship is pretty close too, right?"

Ianto clearly has a type, after all. John has noticed, he's not stupid.

[flask]

[What in the world a person would do with a ship full of ugly birds is beyond Nott. They hardly look all that filling, based on her impression of the mechanical one. They are food, right?

Then Rey introduces herself, and Nott opens her mouth automatically to give a false name. Geri, or something. Pat, maybe. But this person sort of just stuck her neck out for Nott.

Maybe it wouldn't do so much harm. Besides, there's very few her name could get back to that are awake now.]

I'm Nott.

[This will forever go down in history as the first time she's introduced herself as such since Exandria blew up or whatever. Count yourself lucky, Rey.]

Are these bird things that tasty? Not that I'm judging. You can eat what you want.

[She certainly has no room to judge someone for what meat they eat.]

[willrevile]

[ Jim gives her a little lopsided smile, happy that she seems to be thawing - proverbially and literally. ] Alright. Lemme fuss with the coffee maker so it's ready to go when you want anything.

[ Which is more a thought about scalding hot liquid than caffeine. He expects to find her dragging all the furs off both beds and into a warmth cocoon by the time he turns back around, tbh. ]

That was a rough walk out here. I wonder what Darma expects.

[garbagepilot]

[As if to answer, the porg trips itself right into Roxas' outstretched hands. Hugs please.]

I think I think about differently than most people do.

[This she says a little more softly, because even she's realized that was kind of snappish and while making friends has never been something she's ever actually tried or wanted to try to do, there are some things a Jedi can't be.

Standoffish is one.

Probably. She's also very aware that no matter what the Jedi should or shouldn't be, her own nature isn't something she can change at the drop of a hat. She doesn't even really want to.]

The world I come from is filled with things that aren't human. Aliens of a thousand different species, droids that think and feel, or seem to do, just like living people do. Humans aren't anything special and honestly, most of the ones I've met aren't that great.

I'll take a droid any day.

[revver]

Be honest now, what does this taste like?

[ She could take a sip... for science. But she wants to know beforehand. ]

Tea would be nice. Coffee, even. But I guess it would be troublesome finding the right beans and everything...