❪ 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

[poolhall_killer]

"What do you mean?" Venom tilts his head at Rumlow. "Lord Zato was into many types of people from what I heard, but it was Millia who truly won his heart." And not him, he almost added. He downs the remnants of his first drink.

"The more I think about it the more it annoys me. What did she have that I didn't?" Okay so he's not over it. Time to start on drink #2.

[ukase]

He hummed and folded his arms on the table close to his body so he could lean forward to express his interest. "You heard, huh? But did you ever see him with a man before?" Not that it mattered now. It seemed that that relationship was over unless Zato showed up to rip off the scab that Venom had for the guy.

Oh, this was getting good. "I couldn't say. Why don't you describe her to me?"

[poolhall_killer]

That has Venom thinking. "I haven't." But he only cared about himself with Zato, and he tended to push any other possibility aside. His devotion knew no bounds.

Huff.

"She was blonde and blue-eyed, much like he was. And she was a proficient assassin." Not much else he could grasp onto, not unless he was fighting her.

[ukase]

Rumlow slowly nodded his head in understanding. Venom had it bad it seemed, and it also seemed that no reason would make it obvious that maybe this Zato guy was playing the field for advantages but keeping heterosexual the entire time. "You miss him still, yeah?"

He nodded his head, not particularly caring about the physicality of the woman in question. Anyone who was leader of a guild and gave their heart to someone was looking for more than looks as far as he was concerned. "Did she have any fun and interesting hobbies? Anything that might tickle a man's fancy in its uniqueness?"

[poolhall_killer]

"I do," Venom admitted. Even in the alleyway he swore his devotion, still ready to give his life for Lord Zato. But that was a year ago, and he's changed, right? Apparently not as much as he thought.

"She liked cats, and she fought with her hair." But that too was Lord Zato's doing, or so he heard. He didn't want to think about the possibility of utilizing her hair or Eddie in bed. Ew.

[ukase]

"Is he among the people in the pods?" He wondered what Venom would do if the guy happened to wake up. He suspected that there was something to Venom having a life here, and was the guy dedicated enough to a man who wouldn't even notice such feelings to give all that up if asked to? "I mean... have you thought about what you would do if he showed up?"

He sighed heavily and reached over to give Venom a teasing poke to the arm. "Does she need a hair cut as much as you do?" It was all in jest, an actual smile on his face to make it clear he was just teasing. "What do you like that isn't Zato?"

[poolhall_killer]

Venom nods solemnly and takes a drink. Compared to the other one, this one tastes like it's loaded down with sugar. "I don't know what I'd do if he showed up now. I'd have a lot of explaining to do." Like how he's a healer and betraying his loyalty by dating a lawyer.

"She needs a serious haircut." And Venom's not joking back, but more because he knows what her hair's capable of. But since Rumlow's tone is light, he approaches the next question in stride. "I like tea and reading as well as chess. And I enjoy cheese."

[ukase]

Man, this was such a sob story and Venom wasn't even at the point of passed-out drunk yet. This was far more entertaining than placing bets. "Why would you have to explain yourself? You woke up, started a new life here based on circumstances, and you're happy. Well, I assume you're happy."

He smirked at the seriousness of the declaration, and he wondered how many people from that world actually needed a haircut and were just deluding themselves otherwise. "So you enjoy the quiet things," he remarked. "And no one but vegans fault you for cheese."

[poolhall_killer]

"I just would out of courtesy, I suppose." He shrugs. "I communicated all I could to Lord Zato. While I don't think he'd mind my change of profession, dating someone on the other end of the law might be frowned upon."

He chuckled at the vegan part. He considered himself part-vegetarian, but could never give up cheese. "Yes, I do prefer quieter things. Curling up with a book and tea is infinitely more appealing compared to other activities."

[ukase]

"Why would he frown upon that? It gives you insight on how to avoid the law by understanding the rules," he replied with a shrug of the shoulders. Assassins could always use that kind of valuable information to keep them under the radar. That might be some relationship breech of trust though.

He leaned a hand on his cheek and gave Venom an amused chuckle. "You make it sound like you didn't enjoy your life back then. Did you?"

[poolhall_killer]

"Because he was never fond of lawyers." It was a personal thing, and leave it to Venom to carry on not one but two physical relationships with lawyers. At least now most of the complications surrounding it are behind him.

He shakes his head. "I didn't. My whole life was fueling my unhappiness. It's improved since then save for some recent events..." He downs the remainder of his drink quickly, and it's starting to affect his equilibrium.

[ukase]

"What was he fond of, since you seem to be the expert?" It didn't matter though, not really, since Zato wasn't around to mess with the life that Venom was apparently happy in. It would be drama-central if the guy showed up, though he thought it might also be kind of sad to watch play out. Maybe he would bring a box of tissues.

"So why did you stay if it made you so unhappy?" Of course, maybe it was like HYDRA, servitude for life and the only way out happened to be a shallow ditch in the middle of nowhere. "As in the dragon and all that?"

[poolhall_killer]

"Many things," Venom begins fondly. "Flowers, especially roses, brandy, fine wines and cheeses." In time, Venom appreciated all of those things, though his cheese knowledge began to exceed even Lord Zato's.

"Simple. It was my job. Without the Guild, I would have been nothing. At least that's how I felt up until recently. The dragon didn't help with that at all."

[ukase]

"Sounds like an upper class snob to me," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. It wasn't that he couldn't appreciate those things, but he certainly wasn't going to go out of his way to have them either. He had more important goals in mind. "Is he like whoever you're friends with or dating or whatever now?"

It was my job. That might have been the first statement Venom had said which made complete sense to him, and he nodded his head sagely. "I get that sentiment. Now you've become something more. You better appreciate what building up to that means."

[poolhall_killer]

"He was far from snobbish," Venom snaps. The young assassin considered himself humble, but Lord Zato had a kindness that was all his own. No one else saw it.

That has Venom thinking. He had been building up, moving past that job and leaving it via "death". "I am something more, aren't I..." He's a sort of medic now, a healer. Giving life instead of taking it.

[ukase]

"Touchy... I see the feelings still run hot for the guy," he replied smoothly, raising his eyebrow. "Which means you better hope he never shows up and asks stuff of you. I feel like you aren't over him enough to not give in immediately."

He nodded his head, lifting his hand to order another drink for Venom. "Only if you believe you are."

[poolhall_killer]

Venom calms down when Rumlow calls him touchy, but he's not wrong about these feelings. "I'm sorry. That was out of line." He had at least grown, as before he would have gotten even hotter over those words. Worse, Rumlow's not wrong about giving in if Lord Zato were to awaken. He's not even sure what he'd do, considering his feelings for Phoenix.

"I do," He says with some conviction. "Would you like another round?"

[ukase]

"Nah, it wasn't. You were telling me off, and that's all fair. It's a hot button topic." It would take a lot more than that to cause any kind of offense in Rumlow after all. He had a thick skin, and besides, he had been looking to provoke a response in the first place. That had been more obvious where Venom's true feelings lay after all.

He smirked as the next drink already arrived. It was a vibrant purple colour. Nice. "Nah, not much in a drinking mood. You go on. That one's on me."

[poolhall_killer]

"Oh. Thank you." Venom's feeling really relaxed as he sips on his new drink and whoa.

WHOA.

Did they pour five cups of coffee into this cocktail? Venom's immediately alert, his eyes widening. "I... don't think I care for this one, but I appreciate the gesture."

[ukase]

He raised his eyebrows when Venom's eyebrows almost hit the hairline, which was an impressive feat considering he couldn't entirely see them in the first place.

"Yeah... they bring random stuff. I don't take offense if it's awful." He shrugged his shoulders. "Luck of the draw really."

[poolhall_killer]

"At least the other one had some flavor. This tastes like pure concentrated coffee with a splash of sugar." He pushes it away to signal that he's done with drinking for the night. And chances are he'll be up all night thanks to that one sip.

"I'll give them credit for being more creative than I ever was behind the bar."

[ukase]

"Could be an amateur up there," he remarked, glancing the way that the drink had come. Or maybe they thought that Venom had been fading and needed a boost. Either way, he thought that it was kind of funny, especially after the sorrowful conversation that they had had.

"You were a bartender? Really? I'm trying to imagine you with a hair-net actually..."

[poolhall_killer]

"I wore my hair back in a ponytail, so no hair net necessary." And even then, he wore a chef hat when taking care of his cooking/baking. "Are you surprised that I can mix drinks?"

[ukase]

"Wow, so people could actually see your face? Why do you wear it like that? How do you even see for any kind of mark anyway?" The questions of the ages, he was certain. He had never particularly gotten around to asking before, mostly because he was convinced he'd drive Venom off just by opening his mouth.

"Pal, I can mix drinks, but that's not the say they will taste good."

[poolhall_killer]

"I have better than average vision, and my bangs were more to shield my identity." To the point where he could show his face and no one would know it was him. "And here, I suppose I'm learning to pull it back more often." Venom's not completely comfortable with the idea, but he's getting there.

"And that is where we differ. I will make them taste good."