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ɴᴀᴛʜᴀ orbiters ❰ mod collective ❱ ([personal profile] natha) wrote in [community profile] nysalogs2018-08-07 07:55 pm
Entry tags:

❪ event ❫ a moment in eternity

TO THERE AND BACK    

It has been a month of chills uncharacteristic of what you might remember as summer — cold days and even colder nights. The days are short and the nights feel eternal. With the recent disruption of the network and no sign of a resolution for the world outside of Nadril, one has to wonder what the future holds for El Nysa. What of Olympia, Wyver, and their residents? The animals you cared for - are they destined to remain as frozen as wretched Ysverai forever? What will become of the sleeping ones in Thesa when there is nowhere else to go but this icy city?

Yet not all hope is lost just yet. The woman that appeared at the start of the network errors finally shows up again in another network post.

Greetings to you all. I apologize for my abrupt appearance and departure before… My name is Nurray, and I am the closest thing to a monarch that you will find here in Nadril. Magda is... indisposed, so I am here to speak to you in his place.

First and foremost, you will notice that your network devices are fully functional once more. Should you experience any further issues, please report them to me immediately so that it can be taken care of.

Secondly… Investigating the strange frequency interference we've been experiencing has brought some troubling data to light. The passage of time outside of this colony has been halted, of course, but the hold seems... unstable. Whatever it is that Darma has done to contain the calamity, I doubt that it will last for long. Time is an unpredictable force, and attempting to control it can only have adverse effects on the world. You could stay here if you so chose, outside the reach of that magic... but to do that would be to abandon the rest of this planet to an unenviable fate.

...ah, but there is no need to take my word for it. You can see the effects for yourselves, if you wish — merely look outside. "Seeing is believing"... isn’t that the phrase?

Nurray has a point: refugees have not been given a chance to see the outside. The frequent snowstorm barrier of Nadril has made it impossible to see what it's like beyond the colony. Soon after the network post, as though the snow has been "turned off," clouds will clear. With the barrier created by the snow gone, the red sun shines brightly upon the dreary city with its warmth. You can see a purple haze on the south horizon, a indication that Yservai wasn’t all just a dream. He's still there, so far away, yet so close anyway.

Near the entrance, a mound of snow melts, revealing steps leading towards the underground.

It seems to be a part of the subway station you might have found earlier during your exploration of the colony — this time, the station has been powered on. Two trains lie in wait — their destinations read: Olympia and Wyver.

El Nysa is waiting.

FREEZE FRAME    

The technology found in the subway station of Nadril is truly out of this world. The combined efforts of Natha technology and alien minds have truly created state-of-the-art transportation never before seen by the typical Nysan. It takes no longer than one hour for the intercoms to announce their arrival to the outskirts of the Dranbu Kingdom — though, even with the platform available, the train never stops; it instead continues for another half hour for it to reach the North Gate of the Olympian Empire, where it sits until it's time to return to the tundra.

All in all, it takes a mere hour and a half for this high-speed subway travel from Nadril to Olympia.

The second train does make a quick stop at the Olympian Station, but it will be another painless hour and a half until it reaches the jungle of the Wyver Kingdom. Because Wyver is its own island, connected only by a bridge, you might notice that a small part of the travel was underwater. The trip takes only a total of three hours, but there's plenty of time for sightseeing. After all, isn't that the whole point of this trip?
BE STILL MY HEART. Leaving the train, you are immediately hit with the still, warm air of the underground. It's hot, much different from the winter of the north, but perhaps a welcome change. The station is old, but it still has a fairly new smell to it, and not just because it's been unused for so long. It feels out of place compared to the rest of this world, and this is especially true when you reach the surface.

The entrance was hidden under the earth right near the North Gate. Upon leaving the station, you're immediately hit with the familiar wretched smell and atmosphere of the undead. Even if you're new, you won’tt be able to miss Ysverai, the risen Great Dragon. You see this massive creature on the horizon, mouth wide and ready to blast El Nysa into nothing. Yet he remains still — as are all the terrified residents of Olympia.

You've only seen this on the monitors of Thesa Station, and now you're able to experience first-hand how utterly quiet and still the world is now.

The native Olympians are all over — you see most of them running away from the Great Dragon. Others equipped their armors and rode their steeds straight toward the danger in hopes of protecting their Empire. And the civilians, having lost all hope, are huddled together — at least they would have been able to spend their final moments with loved ones.

Up on Thesa Station, you felt dread when you'd observed Ysverai for too long — this remains true here. That dread reaches your heart and clutches it. You feel his pain and suffering, and for those too in tune with emotions, it may be too much for you to be near him. Best to steer clear from him, or perhaps return to the underground. There is much more to be seen, after all.

PRAYING WITH FIRE. Another hour and a half south on the subway, and you'll reach the Wyver Station. It's far warmer here in the station this further south, but Ysverai's dread doesn't reach here. On the surface, you are instead immediately hit with the overwhelming humidity of the jungle. With summer in full swing, the layers you've brought with you from Nadril become a burden.

In Wyver, the mood is far different. The Great Dragon Yservai was once a being that was respected and worshipped by the Wyver people — not to mention that the one responsible is none other than Prince Raysc — thus his revival is met with somber resilience. Most of Wyver natives, instead of running away, had gathered around fires in prayer. Trained dragons that were unaffected by Ysverai's influence bow by their master's sides in acceptance of what they feel in their heart is to come with the Great Dragon's final blow.

You may even spot your own dragon, eyes beamed up toward Thesa, like it knows you were up there at the moment time stood still.
It's hard to imagine where one can go from here. You might start thinking about clean-up efforts, how to achieve proper burials for the fallen ones... but with time frozen, you will find that you cannot actually move anything or anyone. It will be dusk, as Thesa's shines across the skies, when storm cloud gather before Thesa's light.

And from the clouds is a familiar figure —

Once again, she has descended.

TIME & TIME AGAIN    

Darma is glowing as bright as the naked eye can perceive. Her massive, true form floats before the world she's built from dust.
Is this world salvageable in your eyes, Refugee? We held time in hopes that we fould find a way to dissolve this Ysverai back to the ashes from which he was reanimated. Unfortunately, we continue to be unseeing, thus uncertain of the future... after all, our powers are near depleted.

Nurray was correct, Refugee, in that I cannot hold time for much longer. There is... another way, however. It is not ideal by any means, but we shall do what we must to keep Ysverai frozen.

As for us... we have expended far too much of our energy — Refugee, I am too aware of the misfortunes you've experienced in your time here. I have failed in my promise to provide better living... perhaps, with more time, I may yet see a better future. Until then, I leave Thesa, our hearts, in your hands. Farewell, Refugee.
Her brightness dims as she says her final words — at the same time, raises her arms, palms wide, then closes her hands into a fist.

In that instant, time is resumed. It's slow at first, as though time is trying to catch up with reality. It takes a several moments until the slow-motion picture before them reaches normalcy. Darma turns her attention to Yservai, whose motion is also returning, but not for long. In her true form, they are comparable in size; Darma's glow continues to dim as she draws closer to the Great Dragon, and then she coils herself around him, holding him still before assimilating into the wretched creature.

By the end of it, time has completely returned to normal, and all residents were able to witness the Natha holding time still for Ysverai —

The process turns the Great Dragon, as well as Darma, into stone.

HIT PLAY TO REPLAY    

Darma has resumed time, and Ysverai is no longer a threat. However, it comes with a hefty price for the Natha. The massive, stone statue of Darma embracing Ysverai looms in the valley between the cities of Olympia and Wyver. It's no doubt an intimidating addition to the world, but there is some peace in knowing it's all over. When civilians finally come to, they can't help but look upon the statue in awe — and their respective cities. It's much to take in all at once.

Much destruction has been wrought— buildings lay in ruin, and of the citizens still alive, many look to be in poor physical condition. 1.
I. The Sanctuary has sustained much damage, and with the high demand of medical care, cannot serve as the central healing place for those in need. Instead, it is up to individual citizens to find resources and establish places of care. Those with a medical inclination or healing powers may set up medical tents, or work out of their homes. Not everything has been destroyed, and it is still possible to obtain supplies from the market or request them from The Sanctuary.

There is also, unfortunately, the tragic task of transporting corpses to graveyards and giving fallen citizens a proper burial. The Temples thank you for your service.

II. In order to have a functioning city again, buildings and facilities must be repaired and rebuilt. It's possible your own home was demolished in the battle. With so many important buildings needing to be repaired, city officials are too overwhelmed with the coordination of such tasks to double-check that buildings are restored to their original form. What's more, they seem to encourage design innovation, believing that a new, fresh look to the city will revitalize people's morale. Now is the time to put your own unique flair on the interior or exterior of Olympia's infrastructure. Even parts of the Palace need repair.
Time has resumed, yes, but the magic that Darma employs isn't flawless. As powerful of an entity as she may be, to tamper with time is difficult. Some would say it defies the laws of nature. Nature seems to agree, and in the next few weeks, El Nysa will be facing a few hiccups as it finds its equilibrium once more and citizens try to return to normalcy. Strangely enough, El Nysa natives are not disturbed by the occurrence of these events.
III. Characters may find that they occasionally (or frequently) suffer from lapses in memory. These difficulties with memory may range from light to severe, although they are thankfully not permanent. Within the span of a few minutes to a few hours, difficulties in remembering people and events are resolved. That isn't to say a similar problem won’t happen again tomorrow…

IV. Is it just you, or is your housemate looking a bit old lately? No, it isn't just stress making some citizens appear older. For a short amount of time, some characters may find themselves advancing or regressing in age, both physically and mentally. This particular kind of time hiccup is rare and may be particularly disturbing to the affected person’s friends. Thankfully, there have been no cases of this effect lasting more than an hour.

V. At times, it seems as though objects and people in El Nysa will feel a bit out of place. These are beings and things that belong to what some may call "alternate universes." Their presence is transient, and some will only appear for a few instances before returning to their rightful existence. The ones that linger a bit longer, however, may make your day more interesting. Before you stands a pet just like yours, except it talks...? Perhaps you'll meet another version of yourself, a more bloodthirsty version of yourself. Or maybe you'll run into a version of your friend that really enjoys your company. The possibilities are truly endless, and potentially mortifying.

VI. Towards the end of the month, the frequency of the aforementioned disturbances will decrease. Following this will be an increase in a different sort of disturbance: one that will either make literal seconds seem like an eternity, or force you to move and talk at a speed you never thought possible. It's as though some higher entity is pressing the fast forward or slow down button on life, and considering your mind works at the same pace as normal, the phenomenon is as frustrating as it sounds. Hope you weren't planning to be on time for anything, because it might be awhile before the universe allows you to take that next step.
But these phenomena does draw to a close — and with it, you may wonder what will happen now to those sleeping ones in Thesa now that Darma has turned to stone. After all, it will be near the time of which more refugees should wake... Repairs to Thesa Station should remain ongoing so long as parts can be salvaged from Nadril, at least. And with speed travel via subway possible, it should make travel far easier than ever before.

Even with Darma gone, you will have to move forward. There is still much to be done.

FINAL OOC NOTES    
You may acquire REP for Nadril, and either Olympia or Wyver in this log. An AC-eligible thread for ONE (1) NADRIL REP POINT may be submitted HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST.

A second AC-eligible thread for 1 REP for either Olympia OR Wyver may be submitted HERE OR HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST. Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you!

ayes: (pic#11471755)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-06 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Yeah no this is like you told her you came from candy world where everyone lived in gumdrop houses and sailed on chocolate seas]

Am I ever! My dad's a ship captain, so... I've wanted to be a captain my whole life!

kikoku: (!)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-11-10 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
[He'll regret it later, for sure, but for now he's fine with her tacit enthusiasm. In any case, he can absolutely understand the ambition of following in your parent's footsteps.]

Seems like now would be as good a time as ever to realize that, given we're on an island. Though I've no idea what the boat situation is like in Olympia.
ayes: (pic#11471766)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-11 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
[You shifts a little awkwardly in her seat.] Well... we can't leave the island. Nobody can sail away.

You can't get through the fog.
kikoku: (seriously it's cold as fuck)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-11-14 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
[Law doesn't look too surprised. He didn't expect to be able to leave. After all, they're supposedly valueable assets to the Natha. Can't have them running off.]

Olympia, Wyver, and Nadril are all on the coast or close, aren't they? I'm sure you could sail between ports.
[He trusts a boat more than this weird underground train.]
ayes: (pic#11471766)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-14 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm... I suppose you could. [She muses, thinking to herself.]

But that probably wouldn't have happened until really recently, 'cuz Wyver and Olympia don't like each other. So I'm not surprised if there's not a lot of trade in general.
kikoku: (broods 12 times a day)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-11-18 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Law lets out a soft, derisive snort.]
Pity we're now suddenly at the mercy of someone else's political squabbles. One of the perks of being a pirate is not having to worry about such things.

[He hates politics and he hates the government. Down with the establishment anarchy forever and all that.]

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-21 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Well sure, but you're always being hunted, right?

That's probably not much better.
kikoku: (jokes on you bitch I'm a protagonist now)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-11-22 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[Law laughs]

It's not a constant concern, especially when your ship's submersible like ours was.
[He's one of those submarine pirates, you know.]
ayes: (pic#11471766)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-24 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[You blinks for a second.] I didn't know pirates had submarines.

And you're still being hunted, you're just better at hiding, right?
kikoku: (bread makes you fat)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-11-28 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
Most don't.
[His is a special case.]

Why are you so concerned about this?
[Not only is it no longer relevant, but the more she digs at this, the more she might find he's actually a PRETTY DANGEROUS guy.]

[personal profile] ayes 2018-11-30 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Uh-- sorry! I'm just really curious about where you come from!

'cuz, like-- it sounds really interesting and all. That's the only reason!
kikoku: (no but shut up for a second)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-12-02 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Does it?
[It's normal to him, after all. And has a host of problems he's glad to be rid of.]

You said you lived in an island country and your father's a sailor, I'd think it wouldn't be anything new to you.
ayes: (pic#11471766)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-12-04 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
I mean, yeah, it's an island so I grew up by the sea. But he's a ferry captain, and most of the countries in the world aren't islands, they're continents.

Also there aren't any pirates.
kikoku: (listen up fuckwads)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-12-05 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hold up.]

You mean there aren't pirates around where you live. Not in general.
[SURELY YOU DON'T MEAN TO TELL HIM THERE JUST AREN'T ANY PIRATES AT ALL.]
ayes: (pic#11471766)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-12-09 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
[You tilts her head to the side.]

...no, I'm pretty sure that nearly all the pirates are gone. Maybe there's a few like, in Africa or Southeast Asia, but for the most part, people just know pirates from history books and movies.

Is that bad?
kikoku: (Law put that back you creep)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-12-09 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think it's good or bad necessarily, it's just strange for me to think about because they're so ubiquitous where I'm from. At least, a long as I can remember. It might've been difference before Gold Roger's death.
ayes: (pic#11471768)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-12-13 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
That's really interesting! I wonder why it's so different... [She sits back again, thinking.]

Who's Golden Roger?
kikoku: (yes hello officer-)

[personal profile] kikoku 2018-12-16 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Gold Roger. He was a man people called the King of the Pirates. When he was executed, the race to claim his massive treasure set off the Age of Pirates.

[personal profile] ayes 2018-12-18 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
...whoa... a real pirate king...

Haha, it really does sound all like something out of a movie, or a TV show, or a manga!

[Somewhere, the fourth wall creaks.]