nysalogs | ❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

Entry tags:

❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. we keep this love in a photograph;
[Mai for one happily takes to the mittens and earmuffs. She has no love of the cold and escapes it eagerly after the long trek through the snow and cold that it took to get to Nadril itself.

She's not too keen on just wandering around out in the cold either but they're here to learn and Mai isn't about to slack off in that regard. She's not exactly from a technological world and would much rather get back to what bit of a life she has back in Wyver rather than play around with the technology.

She's brooding just a touch when she passes by one of the winged bots. She just takes it for some kind of insect before she can realize it's too cold here for those. And in that time there's a flash and the thing is spitting out pieces of paper at her.

No, it's not paper exactly. It's thicker, like paper used for cards or backing or such. They float to the ground and Mai has to bend to pick them up. She picks up a random one and then comes to a standstill once she's turned it over, a little wide-eyed at it.]

... What?

[She directs a sharp look up to the insect-like robot, her expression suddenly anything but pleased, only to find it's already gone.]

ii. do you dare?;
[There's the mission, yes, and Mai is more than keen to continue. It's night now though and after dealing with the bitterly cold walk, photos and everything else since Ysverai, Mai feels she deserves a few moments to forget it all.

So she's here at The Frosty Tap Cantina, a mixed drink in hand that she somehow managed to concot herself earlier, and she's actually taking part in the game of dare here. Mostly because the current dare is indeed "make someone with a poker face smile".

And here sits Mai, drink in hand and her tried and trusty apathetic expression in place.]

So? Get to it.

[Make her smile, if you dare, or maybe progress things from there.]

iii. scheme after scheme after scheme;
[Magda hadn't proved too talkative after everything he revealed and Mai is frankly too mad to stick around to see if he'll end up more talkative eventually. She paces just outside of that communication tower, her breath white against the cold even if she doesn't entirely feel it thanks to the equipment.

She glances up to whoever comes out after with a tight expression, then continues pacing back and forth as she tries to order her thoughts and her feelings into neat rows. Or at least understandable ones.]

Darma's leash. Like I wanted to be on it? Like any of us did?!

iv. wildcard;
[Feel free to throw any of the other prompts as me, from the walk here to searching for parts for Magda! If you have any questions, just shoot me a PM. c:]

[Yusei likes to think he knows that expression, after a year or so of this. At the same time, he knows that could mean any number of things. There's so many things Mai hasn't told him, that he hasn't told her.

And then she has her outburst, and he understands.

His voice is quiet when he does answer, after a long, long silence.]

If you had your choice...would you have taken the yoke of this "leash...?"

[There's a tone of uncertainty. Because even now, Yusei still isn't sure what his own answer to that question would be.]

[Mai pauses after a step, eyes now trained on the ground. The tight expression shifts, brows furrowing. There's a note of indignation in her tone.]

You think Magda would have saved all the sleepers?

[It's clear she knows the answer there.]

[His lips purse into a frown.]

I doubt it.

[The answer is evasive - if only because he knows what answer she's expecting. After that, his face relaxes into a more melancholy expression.]

It honestly makes me wonder. After all, he was saved by them once.

Maybe that's why he's so bitter.

[Her tone comes out in a scoff. Magda might be doing what she had been doing all those months - and still did to some extent - but to help someone conjure up a dragon... well.

She glances back up at the tower.]

Sitting up there, spouting about growth and change and cages like he didn't force all those people into one with Raysc.

I'm not sure if this place isn't a cage itself.

[Separated from time, from the rest of the world...with a storm, with a barrier, with...these holier-than-thou words.

It makes him think of Godwin.]

I wonder who he's lost.

Edited 2018-07-18 03:28 (UTC)

Everywhere you go is a cage.

[The words sort of trip out and after she realizes just how thoroughly stupid and melodramatic that sounds. The topic of loss though brings up something she did pay attention to.]

There were a lot of pictures on the walls. Groups mostly.

[That actually gets Yusei to laugh a little. She's not wrong, in a sense.]

Ah, but how much of those are cages of your own making?

[He knows about that. Isn't he guilty of such a thing himself? Keeping to only his friends, only his closest bonds, never wandering beyond that small world until Jack forced his hand?]

...Like...the ones from those strange cameras?

[Pictures taken from the heart. He can't quite bring himself to look at them.]

... Maybe. The pictures I got from those things didn't exactly look like the ones in the tower.

[Now they might, given it's been a few hours. There's a bitter pang deep down though at the thought of what they had reflected before. Still, she can ward that off somewhat with a huffed breath and a quirked brow.]

That's what people do best. We make cages for ourselves and we enforce them.

[It's more than a little philosophical but she recognizes easily that she's been caging herself up for many, many years.]

I suppose that's how society works. Everyone has their own cage, their own piece of the world. We'd go mad if we tried to welcome everyone into our world, or reach out to everyone else's.

[His smile is wistful, and his eyes look distant, as if he's not quite looking at anything in particular...instead staring somewhere far away.]

And yet...sometimes, we wish to try anyway.

[She blinks at Yusei a moment, standing there with his wistful smile and his distant gaze. And then she makes an amused sound, actually smiling for once herself.]

You're a real philosopher there.

And sometimes it just doesn't work out.

[Her own smile turns a touch wistful.]

It's still pretty nice to try though.

[The small laugh-like sound seems to bring Yusei back down to ~~earth~~ Nysa, and he blinks before sheepishly smiling and waving a hand.]

You started it.

[That's probably the closest to childish bickering Yusei's gotten in a long while.]

I think we'd go mad if we didn't try. Isn't that how people are? We can't remain stagnant for long.

[He says that, and yet he barely moves himself. Isn't that hypocritical?]

You think so, hm? What, like Magda up there, all alone in his tower?

[There's a good deal of sarcasm to her tone as she gestures her head with a nod toward the tower itself. Her arms cross over herself, mittens over her hands providing warmth if not looking particularly stylish.]

Maybe instead we would just freeze in place. Not going mad, not feeling much of anything really.

[Besides annoyance perhaps.]

Mai | ATLA | OTA

scheming on the low

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

scheme

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject