Silence on the Natha Orbiter's side is now a precedent up on Thesa, and it seems that as a result, the stasis chambers remain mostly undisturbed. Those that woke earlier find themselves back in deep slumber, perhaps in wait for a better time in the future. Luckily, Thesa has found itself with much backup. Yppilc, though they can't provide as much aid as the Natha would have, have proven themselves apt enough. They've multiplied in numbers and have set out to fix any and all errors that plagued Thesa Station in the past.
This of course is also with the help of Nadril's commander, Nurray. After all the problems in the stasis chambers have been dealt with, Nurray appears once again in broadcast.
 Greetings, Thesaens. I've heard it said that your descents to the planet have been… Less than pleasant, in some cases. Well, no longer. We have prepared a landing zone for you and have made a connection with the station — you should find your trips down here much easier, moving forward. Although, I'm surprised we've heard no complaints regarding this from Magda's tower… Ah, well. I'm sure it is of no consequence.
Now, to business. We do not mind your visits to this area, but we simply do not have the resources to host you indefinitely. If you would like to make Nadril your permanent residence, you must earn your place among us — though our hotels are certainly open to you, and to your new arrivals, in the short term.
When you have decided where you would like to go, you need only take the trains. I'm sure as time passes, more destinations will present themselves to you… though for the moment, we can only promise safe passage to Olympia and Wyver. Lastly, if you would prefer not to be refugees… We could, if you wished it, prepare documents of citizenship in either Olympia or Wyver for you. However, I think you will find that now that Darma has shown her face, stone though she may have become, there will be certain benefits that come with being recognized as one "blessed by Thesa's light"...
That is all. Safe travels, and may you quickly find your place on the isles of El Nysa.
SMOOTH SAILING —
With the help of Natha technology and Nurray's expert engineering skills, creating a portal from Thesa to Nadril is a quick and painless task. Although zapping from the orbit to the gravity of the planet is still quite a feat on the body; after being beamed down, the seconds it takes for you to get there will feel like an eternity on your body. For one, the process requires the machine to disassemble your body's molecules to the atom, then reassembling them once again at the destination — which, conceptually, isn't new to the typical Thesaen, but to new refugees, it may be still too much to bear. Thus, it is recommended that you travel in pairs.
Emerging from the teleportation platform, you might feel unease down to your core, be it of flesh or machine. Your skin might not feel like your own, like you've swapped bodies with your partner. In fact, you and your partner might be absolutely convinced that you've switched bodies, but to others, you would be seen as the same.
At least the effects won't last long — within a few hours, it should wear off...
Well, unfortunately for Thesaens and Nysans alike, that won't be the weirdest thing that happens to them this month.
BLESSED BY THESA'S LIGHT —
It is a strange time in El Nysa. Stories of a goddess that came from the moon was always just that: folktales passed down from generations to generations with no real truth or value to those that disbelieve. This is especially true with the people of Olympia. The rise of Ysverai shocked the people, but it wasn't as though they weren't in some ways prepared for it. After all, it was long prophesied that the Great Dragon may rise again. What the people of Olympia never expected is that Darma would descend from the moon to stop this dragon.
Worship of the Goddess Thesa has been a long-standing practice with Olympians - with their goddess set in stone and now overlooking the city, they are no less motivated to do what they've always done in her honor.
For this, the Red Light District, though partially destroyed, has been especially festive. With Empress Simwe's blessing, the district has been nonstop with its festivities even through reconstruction. Stepping into this district is akin to stepping to another realm: loud music, scantily clad men and women and others, wine, confetti — it's as boisterous as ever. The air is heavy with perfume, as though to inspire... certain behaviors. These days, even Wyvers have found their way to this particular district to worship the goddess — after all, seeing is truly believing.
In Wyver, the people remains humbled by the sight of Great Ysverai before their city. The crimes were largely pinned on King Shanrian, especially now that his son Rasyc is no longer alive for people to place blame on... but Wyver's King stays seeded in his throne, working tirelessly to reform the kingdom. The young dragons tended by Thali are restless still, and residents are desperate to find new ways to regain their reputation as the strength of El Nysa.
One thing is for sure, though — in both cities, Thesaens are easily identified by their looks and attitude, and they're treated like celebrities. Often, they will be asked for guidance and penance — will they be forgiven by Darma? Will she rise again? Are we truly free from Ysverai's wrath? ...Will you have the answers?
SOMETHING STRANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
They arise at dusk, as the twilight sun sinks slowly beneath the horizon.
At first, it seems benign enough — a glimpse of a glowing crimson butterfly, just out of the corner of your eye. Perhaps it was merely your imagination. But then the humming starts. It's a low hum, one that resonates deep within your soul. It sounds almost like a woman working through a melody, except for when it sounds like sobs. Rumors make their way through Olympia and Wyver alike — "It's Thesa," say some, while others insist that the sound comes from Ysverai.
The truth is, it comes from neither. Rather, it is a direct result of the destruction left in the wake of their imprisonment.
In Olympia, the ghostly figures appear wherever there is light. They emerge from the flames of candles and lanterns, wispy, incorporeal figures that almost seem to be made of flame before they settle into a form almost normal enough to be mistaken for a living person. In Wyver, they congregate in the shadows. The deep, dark shade of the jungle gives rise to figures seemingly made of darkness itself, though they slowly begin to look more like the draconian people you have come to know.
It isn't until the natives begin to recognize some of them as those who once lived among them, lost to the battle with the great dragon, that anyone truly realizes that the dead have begun to walk the earth once more. These spirits appear in Olympia, in Wyver, and everywhere in between... including the subway tunnels.
I. REST IN PIECES —
Apparitions in the street beckon, their coaxing voices or outstretched hands begging to be acknowledged. Some remain whole enough to enunciate their pleas, but others are fragmented. They may repeat a single sentence, or offer nothing but a guiding motion. These drifting spirits seek something they've left behind. Artifacts lost to the calamity.
Bones littered over the still rotting battlefield. Jewelry, twice pilfered now displayed on a table of fine wares. Their weapon, passed down for generations. For each, the object to be reclaimed will be different. A request follows reclamation: bury bones, return treasure to a living family member, or bring an heirloom to a family's grave. Others simply seek destruction, wishing any memory of their mortal lives to leave the world with them. For these, a pyre that reduces their remains to ash will enough to guide them away.
II. ONE LAST ADVENTURE —
Tucked away in the corner of a bar, a man speaks to anyone near him of a treasure deep in the jungle of Wyver. Sitting alone on a bench in Olympia, a little girl wears a look of distress, but refuses to weep. Muttering under her breath, an elderly woman paces the street late in the morning. At a glance, these people are no more than regular citizens of the great cities, but there's something odd about them. Incredibly single minded, their final regret has grown into an obsession. One last adventure, a search for lost loved ones, or the simple desire for company through the day - each of these corporeal spirits beseeches anyone they meet to join them for the moments they lost to the calamity.
Though these remnants each have their own, unique desires, they share a limited time on this plane. Once their request has been satisfied, these specters will fade, incorporeal at first before disappearing entirely. In this bittersweet transition, some recognize their state, while others simply carry on as normal until they vanish.
III. BEGRUDGING SOULS —
Their sudden death does not sit well for most of the spirits wandering the land. Sorrow and anger rest within these ghosts in equal measure. For every wail, there is a grudge. Confusion breeds bitterness, intense enough to bind these displaced souls to the mortal world. Rarely able to communicate their rage, the anguished spectres seek revenge themselves.
Incorporeal, spirits cannot interact with the world around them beyond their cries of rage. However, those desperate enough for resolution can overtake the body of one still living. Luckily, the grip these phantoms command isn't all consuming. Some claim command of a body entirely, leaving you nothing more than an observer to the destruction your hands will bring. Some simply fill your mind with hatred for the source of their rage.
Memories addled by the violent transition between life and death, the fixation imposed in your thoughts may bring you to act against the wrong person, someone similar to the spectre's enemy. The connection can as complex as your emotions towards that person overlapping with the spirit's feelings, or as simple as a shared hairstyle. At times, however, their recollections remain sharp, and the fated meeting is inevitable. Rivals, both possessing someone still living, throw themselves wholly into one last fight. A traitor, cornered at the end of a dark street, meets his tortuous end. The spirits care not for the laws of the mortal world, nor for who sees them commit their final acts - take care, or you may suffer the consequences of an ill-gained vengeance.
Fortunately, not all of these wayward souls seek the death of their enemies. While many yearn for attrition, others simply wish to show their strength - a decisive victory will be enough to satisfy their anger. Once sated, through death or spilled blood, these apparitions will dissipate, leaving the ones they possessed feeling disconnected, hollow, for the next several hours.
IV. IRON, SALT, AND HOLY WATER —
Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few who are not on board with letting the ghosts stick around indefinitely. Almost overnight, stalls peddling materials for exorcisms appear in both Olympia and Wyver... or perhaps, as you pass an alleyway, you're beckoned over by someone wearing a loose cloak, pockets sewn into the lining to carry vials of so-called "holy water," blessed salt, incense sticks, and various other tools that you may or may not recognize. These, the sellers claim, are all you need to banish the spirits of the dead back to where they came from. They insist that so long as you have the proper tools, the exact rites you use don’t matter, and so they’re not including instructions along with all of these… what’s the worst that could happen?
On the other hand, there are some looking to make a quick buck who have compiled books of rites that may or may not be accurate. Some of these rituals do nothing at all, while others have been transcribed improperly — a spell to banish a single ghost may, after being recited, bring forth several more instead… or worse. Of course, you need not stick to Nysan exorcism rites — your own from home may work just as well, provided you follow the steps precisely.
Of course… there is a minority that delights in the hauntings. They disguise themselves as peddlers of exorcismal materials, but instead push chants and components for summoning spells. Even those with the best of intentions may find themselves calling forth a horde of goblins and ghouls instead… and those with less savory intentions could certainly pass it off as an "honest mistake" if they were to call them forth on purpose. Best of luck.
V. GHOST (1990 film) — (18+)
Among the listless procession of spectres are those whose tale is a common tragedy. Lovers, torn from one another, their affection now a curse that cannot be broken but by the touch of their lost darling. They search, in bright dawn and bleary dusk, for their betrothed, yearning for one final moment of passion.
Longing to feel the heat of their encounter, some may ask to borrow a body, while others simply take. Consumed by desire, these wayward souls do little to mitigate the power of their possessions. The thrill of an opportunity to meet their beloved is potent enough to render you rendered nothing but an observer as your body lavishes another. Others, more subtle in their desires, fill your thoughts with affection for anyone similar to their deceased partner. In the most fortunate of cases, two apparitions, having taken hold of living bodies, may find each other.
A night of passion follows, though not all seek to hold hands and whisper sweet affections into their lover's ears. Some have stranger inclinations - from ropes and whips to a public display - equally dedicated to their love, even in its depraved expression. Once the afterglow of consummated devotion fades, so too will the ghosts, fading into the next life together. Those they used as vehicles for their adoration are left with feelings of warmth and comfort that persist for several hours, and may resurface when they meet again.
The days and weeks pass by, and the ghosts continue to haunt El Nysa throughout the month. Slowly, steadily, the people begin to live with the spirits that have not been fully banished. Though Nadril itself is miraculously free of the spirits, the subway lines connecting Olympia, Wyver, and Nadril are not so lucky. The trains continue to run despite the haunted railways — think you managed to snag a whole car to yourself? Think again. In the blink of an eye, you might have some new traveling buddies that almost certainly were not there before. For the most part, it’s benign… though hopefully your conductor won’t wind up possessed and drive the train somewhere you didn’t want it to go.
The major problem isn't the spirits, however — it’s the demonic creatures that some people have summoned in botched exorcisms. They are corporeal, violent beyond all measure, and roam the subway tunnels, looking for their next meal. When a group of them bars the way, an announcement plays over the train's speakers: "We apologize for the inconvenience. All riders capable of combat, please disembark from the train. All riders incapable of combat, please remain where you are. Service to your destination will resume once the railways are clear."
Apparently your fare has only purchased you passage to your destination — the “safe” part, you will have to provide yourselves.
No REP is available for this log. REP will now be primarily available through achieving NPC quests, which will be available on the 20th! Please keep an eye out for that!
If you have not been contacted by us about requested powers, it means it has been approved. Feel free to use your nifty powers as you see fit here!
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Um, yeah. [ His free hand coming up to scratch the back of his head; a baffled gesture while trying to process this information about her. ] Yeah. 'Cept we call 'em— [ hand dropping away, punctuated with a loose point of his finger at her phone before his hand slips into his pocket ] uh, iPhones. New kinda technology that's come out last coupla years. You can, like... do more than just video call people. Or text people. You can Google literally anything on 'em. Anything you wanna know, you just type it in and hit search, and boom.
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'Googling.' That sounds dirty, kind of. Like ogling someone. But all of that information, right at your fingertips.
[ she spares her device one last look before tucking it into her back pocket again, leaning forward to do so before looking at him, smiling. ]
You do a lot of googling?
[ Is it an innuendo? Is it a serious question? Not even Bree knows; is this flirting? ]
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Well... [ Slouching his shoulder casually against the wall again. ] What d'you think?
[ Tiny hint of mischeviousness colouring his smirk there. ]
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I think you look like you're pretty good at it. At a lot of things, probably.
[ Nailed it. ]
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You smoke?
[ Offering the half-finished cigarette out for her to take if she wants. ]
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[ She takes the offered cigarette and takes a drag, then contemplates it as she exhales. Then, she looks at him again and passes it back. ]
Am I crashing any plans you had to admire all the women with their tops off? Wouldn't want to cramp your style.
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I mean... [ Looking out at the party, and all those topless women. Some of them gorgeous, some of them bizarre looking. But hey, boobs either way. ] Not gonna lie, it's pretty awesome.
[ Turning his head back to Bree. Is the way he bites his bottom lip around that tiny, flirtatious smile of his deliberate? ]
Totally up for heading somewhere else, though, if you got someplace else in mind.
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Let's go somewhere else. But grab a bottle of something on our way, I'm sure no one's going to miss it.
[ Now, her grin is much more sly. ]
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Wow. Thought girls from the sixties were s'posed to be, like, all goody-two-shoes and stuff.
[ There's a lot about history Jesse isn't remotely aware of, clearly. But after a quick final drag of his smoke, he tosses it aside and slips off the wall onto his feet, leaving his glass on the wall. He holds a hand up for her to take to help her down. ]
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Maybe. But that's boring.
[ And what her parents wanted her to be. Every young person's gotta rebel, right? ]
Besides, I thought your twenties were for being completely wild?
[ In no way, shape, or form, can she imagine being a wife already, a mother. She wants to live more of her life, have fun, see what the world has to offer. ]
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Depends what's considered "completely wild" in the sixties. [ Starting to tug her along, though he's not sure where to. Maybe she knows this place better than him. ] I mean, ain't it all free love and LSD and Woodstock and stuff?
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[ She has no idea where she's going either, all she's seen of things are corpses and ghosts. But surely they can find a quiet out of the way place where nothing will haunt them. ]
I'm not a fan of hallucinations, but being relaxed, then sleepy, then hungry? That's always a nice time.
[ If you catch her drift, Jesse. ]
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Tonight must be your super lucky night, 'cause I am the bringer of relaxed, sleepy nice times.
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Maybe tonight's lucky for both of us. All of these people and you and I just happened to run into each other. Must be fate, Jesse.
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'Fate'? Ain't that s'posed to be a bad thing? [ He muses aloud: ] "It was our fate to run into each other"...
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It doesn't have to be, does it? Or maybe you just have to make it good. 'I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.' So says Hemingway.
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What film's that from?
[ Because Hemingway's an actor, right? ]
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Not a film. He's a writer. Really good one.
[ Where are they going? Where is she going? Not that she's particularly concerned. Sitting would be nice, though. ]
I could quote you a lot of stuff, but it's probably boring.
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Aw, nah. I mean, we all gotta be interested in something, right? [ Turning his head towards her, flashing her a quick lopsided grin. Then he looks away, throwing a contemplative glance up at the night sky, his arm relaxed around her shoulders. They're heading away from the festivities, the crowds thinning out. ] What does he write about?
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He wrote all kinds of things. Some science-fiction and some non-fiction, but he was a total bad-ass.
[ Yes, that did come out of her mouth, and she laughs, feeling silly and light. ]
He got messed up during war, and then he was in two plane crashes. But he wrote amazing things.
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Wow. Like what? What kinda science fiction? Back To The Future kinda stuff, or....?
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[ But she does loop her own arm around his waist now which doesn't help the awkwardness at all but you know. ]
Will you show me?
[ She's forgotten about the actual question Jesse asked her, whoops. ]
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[ It's shameless flirting now because he's cute and she's into him, and she can't stop smiling. What amazing luck tonight, running into him. ]
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Oh, reeeallly? That so?
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