nysalogs | ❪ event ❫ what is the storm

What is the storm —?

The sky is falling. The moon draws closer, visibly now. Whether you've found out from Nurray, or somewhere else, everyone now knows that in about a week, Thesa will collide with El Nysa. However, not all is lost - Nurray has a plan. Old technology is being powered by the storm somehow, giving the developers in Nadril the means they need to create a device capable of jumping back into the past. The device can only transport to one singular point in time per activation, but passing through is a better chance for safety than remaining. As long as you're in Nadril you'll make it, which is why she'll urge everyone to try to get all their business done and travel back north.

At first, it was a mere atmospheric pressure drop. Headaches, a sense of dread in the gut, and a chill that would not be quelled drifted over all of El Nysa's inhabitants. And then the days grew shorter. By hours at a time, until there was nothing left but night. Still lit with stars, people turned to Thesa, to their scholars, to their shamans for answers. None came, only exploding lights in the sky. One by one, stars began to burst, like the grimmest of fireworks. For one dreadful night, the sky was alight once more with the death of the surrounding galaxy as thousands of stars extinguished in a blaze.

And then came the lightning, low hanging clouds and whipping wind that howls at all hours. It brings with it calamity, beasts and fog and a reality shattering effect that progresses ever closer. Against these unstoppable odds, the people of Nysa are finally united - desperate, and determined to preserve their homeland.

IN WYVER

The life that imbues the jungle town has gone still. Animals do not seek shelter - they simply lay forlorn, lethargic and unresponsive to even their dearest handlers. The wild creatures are no different, with predator and prey supping from the same stream, seemingly resigned. Once vibrant plant life droops, blotted into obscurity by the darkness that surrounds. Only the people of this great kingdom remain lively, though their actions are fueled by desperation, than valor.

A rally cry rings out over Wyver, even to Olympia, begging anyone who is able to fight. Beasts no one has ever seen before have begun to attack, roaming the city and the lands surrounding as if it is their hunting ground. These creatures are cobbled together from the many worlds the storm has consumed - perhaps your own included. They could bear familiar technology, animal features, or even a loved one's visage. No matter their composition, they are always amalgamous, and always crazed.

The valiant warriors fighting these creatures have more to worry about than just the monsters. Their own bodies may become entangled and fused - an effect that only wears off when one retreats from the storm's epicenter. Specters also drift through the onslaught, oddly peaceful compared to the frenzy surrounding. They are wholly composed people, memories from planets devoured. Someone you know, perhaps, stuck in a loop - the same five minutes - for hours before fading away. They cannot be killed, doing so will simply reset the loop; they will vanish on their own, as mysteriously as they came.

I. THE FRONTLINES

Wyver might not be able to fully understand exactly what is happening, but they've already assigned a task force to combat these apparitions that have begun plaguing the jungle Kingdom. But the Storm is sentient; it has always gathered what it's known of the habitants of the universes the Storm has swallowed. And as it begins to unravel El Nysa, it will begin to learn of your time here — yes, it knows that you are trying to stop the Storm from happening, somehow. It knows you're looking to fight you way back north, and it simply cannot let that happen. After all, El Nysa is an anomaly created by Darma. All of its inhabitants, organisms, and even existence were not supposed to be.

The apparitions start off monstrous at first, taking forms of ghostly bestiaries. Your weapons won't do much to get rid of them — they will disappear, but only temporarily, until they come back. Each time, more evolved than the last — until it's able to take on the form of someone who has left you, someone who has returned to the stasis chambers in Thesa, awaiting to be devoured by the Storm.

Your partner will likely be doing the same, haunted by images of their loved ones of the past — and there is a possibility that as you fight along with your partner, that these apparitions will combine into ghastly, wretched creatures, serving no other purpose than to spook you into submission. They will fight you, embrace you, and seduce you into staying. "Let the Storm take care of this," they'd stay — "You've got it all wrong. You and that Witch had it all so, so wrong."

Will you make it out of Wyver, or will you let the Storm take you?

IN OLYMPIA

All of Olympia is awash in fog. It creeps in around each and every corner, so thick it is almost difficult to breathe, and even more difficult to see. You can hear the panicked citizens all around you, although through the fog, their shapes are indistinct and almost menacing. A family fleeing from something might look like a quick-moving, multi-headed monster, or perhaps a lone man hauling his belongings to safety on his back might appear to be an imposing creature with wicked claws. And then, of course, there are the figures that look achingly familiar to you, like someone you've lost or care for deeply… but then, when you catch up to them, they vanish, only to call out for you from somewhere further in the city.

Tread carefully — with your impaired vision, it would be all too easy to inadvertently wind up injured. Of course, this isn't solely due to the hazards obscured by the mist, although that is certainly part of it. The fog has a quality to it that serves to amplify the desires and lower the inhibitions of everyone exposed to it.

II. SILENT HILL

Similarly, Olympia isn't properly equipped to deal with a crisis like this. Wars, they are certainly accustomed to — but when their very own land is indiscriminately being torn apart by alien forces, it is uncertain to know for sure what they can do. Word from Nadril is that the inhabitants up north has opened its gates for everyone to enter — this is news to Olympia, but they do not hesitate to migrate to the chilly gates regardless.

The first obstacle, of course, is to find a way out of Olympia. The fog is debilitating, but you may not immediately notice it. It starts small. A spark of annoyance at getting cut off by someone you barely saw coming might twist itseful up in you until it becomes unbridled rage. Simple fear becomes indescribable terror, and of course, people are at their worst when they are acting on fear. If what you want is an escape, you may find yourself willing and able to do things you simply could not fathom in order to get out of there. If what you want is riches… well, there is plenty of wealth ripe for the taking, should you simply ambush someone fleeing or break into their homes. The longer you spend in the fog, the more difficult it will become to fight back these urges.

If the fear doesn't completely paralyze you, you may find that there is a rather unconventional yet risky way of alleviating this ailment -- which might require someone you trust. The thing is, upon holding someone, all of your fears will be transferred unto that person. It will then be your duty, then, to escort them out of the fog before your fears start to completely deteriorate your ally's psyche. Move quickly, or you may both be crumbled by the weight of this Storm and its fog.

IN NADRIL

The journey north is treacherous, but not without its own rewards. Nadril is marked by a storm that is raging at the territory's edge, as if the forces of nature are attempting to do away with the border itself. Strangely, the storm seems to be stopped by the borders — electricity crackles in midair as snow and ice whip about, disintegrating when they touch what seems to be an invisible dome sheltering the area.

Inside, the weather is even stranger. The iced-over lakes have begun to thaw, and it is warmer and brighter than anyone here can recall it ever being — almost as if it is summer near the Olympia-Wyver border, not the dead of winter near the northernmost part of the isles. There is an almost palpable level of unease as those who live here full-time attempt to adapt to their new climate.

Everyone is working, however. At the center of Nadril is what they all hope will be a solution to their problems: they claim it is a time machine, and that they have tested it through simulations and believe that it can, and will, work. They are already using it to help combat the storm at the borders — at times it does manage to penetrate the dome, but when it does, engineers turn back the clock an hour at a time to so that they can divert power to the parts of the shield that they know will need reinforcement. Be careful when this happens — it would be very easy to run into your own double in such a circumstance, and that could be… awkward, until enough time passes to bring you back to the "present" and you merge once more, taking on the memories of everything that you and your double (or triple, or quadruple) have experienced.

Operating such a machine will take manpower, which the people of Nadril are prepared to provide. However, the undertakings they will require in the past — waking the gods, who they believe can provide protection from the Storm if you can convince them — will require all of you. Relying on a single person to change history is untenable. Only by working together will you be able to make the jump to the past and secure your future.

III. INCEPTION

Most importantly, there will need to be volunteers to undergo stasis. Pods that were similar to those in Thesa can be found all over the city center, beckoning people to sleep now, and hopefully wake to better tomorrow. But just as the Storm benefits some technology, it negatively affects others — but this is to do with the mind more than technology itself. For one, those undergoing stasis will find themselves dreaming of a better time in their lives — be it their homeworld or some other happy memory of theirs. The Storm magnifies this dream — everyone within a certain radius will find themselves entering the dream, despite being wide awake.

Inside this dream, you will know instantly that something is awry. The events of reality, of the awoken, are beginning to seep into the sleeping person's dream. The lines between dream and reality become blurred, and you've been tasked to ensure that they remain asleep. That means that you must guide them into believing that nothing is awry with their happier memories, that they are not dreaming, and guide them through it. Ensure that the nightmares of reality be kept at bay, and that they may sleep through it all.

The Ark of the Woken

The Ark of the Woken awaits, its chambers an imposing majesty of their own. Compared to the sleek design of Thesa, the Ark is a cobbled together patchwork of technology. But even with its exposed wires and manual input systems, Nurray promises it will get the job done. That is, once the pods have been brought to it from Thesa. The targets are Thesans who have previously awoken, however, no one has time to actually inventory the sleeping ones brought to this hamlet. If you choose to bring someone else, you'll probably get away with it.

The procedure is harrowing - severing the pods from Thesa runs the risk of interrupting the life support system inside. To compensate, there is a small device that can be hardwired into a port on the back of the pod. It's fragile, and the function it provides only lasts twenty minutes. You have that time to move the pod to a small ship, and pilot it planetside yourself. Nurray suggests traveling in pairs - the Natha duo pilot ships are faster, and more reliable. However, they rely on a neurolink between pilots. If one is not focused, the ship may begin to malfunction. While navigating through rough turbulence, each pilot will be able to feel the others emotions, and hear whispers of their thoughts.

All while the storm clouds around them play glimpses into their memories. Snippets, only seconds long, from the perspective of the pilot, provide easy distraction. Stay on task, and make your landing safely - your lives and others are depending on it.

A Simpler Time

Your seven days is up. You have (mostly) achieved all your tasks, and you are now waiting. Those harrowing last hour may stay with you forever — while your peers tirelessly secure the time machine's effectiveness, you watch as Thesa draws closer. It's closer to you than you've ever seen it, more menacing than you realize as it threatens the lives of everyone you ever cared for. Alria, the lesser known moon, is first pulled toward Thesa, crushing a side of it. You may witness debris spilling into space and dissipate into the atmosphere.

You might think, perhaps, that those were bodies of some you were told not to bring to the Ark.

But you're assured many times that that won't matter, that this can be fixed if you simply wait and watch. The time machine will work.

It's into the final minute, and time seems to stop — yet, you feel your breath catch as Thesa penetrates the atmosphere. You can no longer breathe, and gravity loses all its bearings on the laws of physics. As you float into the air, you're wondering if the light that engulfs you is an explosion — you might wonder if it could be death. At the very least, you are among people you've known on this planet. It isn't as though you were never meant to survive the first Storm.

Simply close your eyes, and the Storm run its course.

In the distance, you hear a muted voice.

What is the Storm,
But an attempt to cleanse the world —
Of its anomalies?
Open your eyes, Traveler,
Where are you now?

FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to El Nysa, Year XXX. Due to the time warping of the Storm, this event will not strictly follow the 1:1 ratio. Additional information about this world will be revealed early next month! For now, play at your pace. RNG for NPC threads will announced later tonight!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING: Live Forever

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ The trek to Nadril had been pretty harrowing, but he makes it and he mostly manages to ignore that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Steve could still be on the station that's looming above them. He has to see that Steve's pod was brought here. Peggy, too. Christ.

He moves through the crowded, hectic streets with his gun and Steve's shield still strapped to his backpack. It's everything he was able to take. There's not much, but there's not long before they either fix this or die, so it's really not Bucky's biggest worry. It might not even be in his top ten.

It's as he moves through the streets that he catches sight of a tall, blond man and his heart stops. It takes him moment to catch his breath before he can even speak. ]

Steve?!

[ He half-expects that he's hallucinating. ]

[ Oh, it's no hallucination.

Looking a little harried but otherwise in one piece, Steve turns around. He'd been looking for familiar faces, too. Reassurance that the people still awake down on this planet made it to Nadril in one piece. ]

Jesus Christ. [ He moves towards his best friend, looking like a heavy weight's been lifted from his shoulders. ] Bucky.

Shit.

[ Bucky's smile lights up his whole tired, worn down face and his steps get faster until he's in Steve's personal space, pulling him into a bruising hug without stopping. It's a little awkward with his gun and Steve's shield clattering together on his back, but he doesn't really care.

And then he just holds him there, breathing and definitely not getting emotional because he'd thought he was maybe going to lose Steve for good this time. ]

Didn't think you were awake.

[ He's just going to press his face into Steve's hair. No shame. He's not leaving the hug yet. ]

Couldn't leave you here on your own, could I?

[ Steve wraps his arms around his best friend too, the feeling of relief and joy mutual in the heartfelt way he grips him back.

So much had happened in the short time he'd been back in stasis - a whole two years had gone by in his mind. His memory of Bucky, in the care of T'Challa and his family, won't soon be forgotten, but the Bucky before him is from a time before then. It's something of a relief to know that things turn out okay - or at the very least, better in that regard. But they've clearly got more important things to deal with in the present.

After a moment, Steve pulls back but keeps a hand on his best friend's arm to study his face. ]

You been okay?

Yeah.

[ He doesn't want to tell Steve that he nearly wasn't. He almost lost his mind in that fog and he thinks if Thomas hadn't found him that he might still be back in Olympia. He also doesn't want to tell Steve that things feel a hell of a lot more okay now that Steve's here, because he's not really sure that any of this is going to work and the idea of knowing that the end could be coming and he almost hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Steve had weighed on him heavily.

It's not like Bucky can't survive without Steve. He knows he can and he's done it. It's more that surviving isn't all there is anymore. There's a fundamental part of him that will always be wrapped up in the other man and he's okay with that. Steve makes him want to do more than survive.

If his eyes are a little misty as he looks at Steve, he's going to pretend it was the cold. ]

Are you?

It was something of a rough start, I'll admit.

[ But Steve nods. ]

Could be worse though. [ Things for them have always run the risk of going from bad to worse, but as long as the two of them are together, there really is almost nothing they can't do. ] I'm glad I found you.

[ He pulls back, eyes shifting to the familiar star-spangled shield strapped to Bucky's shoulders. Admittedly, it's a pretty good look for him.

Steve's mouth quirks into a smile. ]

I didn't expect to see that thing again. It's been some time.

[ Bucky matches his smile easily now and starts to unstrap it from his back. ]

Got a couple of things for you out of the apartment before I left it. I have a feeling we're not going back there.

[ He'd really had no idea if Steve or Peggy would wake up again, but it hard been partially for Bucky, anyway. They're both important to him in a way he can't quite express. ]

But you weren't asleep that long, Rip Van Winkle.

I guess not. [ There's a chuckle.

Yeah, Bucky has a point. The temporal shift between what he remembers and his actual time spent in stasis is so far apart, he's still adjusting to it. For him, it'd been something like two years, but the reality is that it's likely only been a couple weeks. ] It sure felt like it, though.

[ That said, he'd feel pretty damned guilty being away from Bucky for that long ... even if he feels like he'd only left his best friend back in Wakanda hours ago. ]

I'm gonna miss that apartment.

[ So many memories had been made there. A new life. A familiar one. ]

Yeah, me too. I think it was the nicest place I ever lived.

[ Except that he knows that what had really made it a home had been Steve and Peggy. At least he's got Steve back now, even if they only get a couple of days before whatever's about to happen, but Peggy had done a lot for him, too, whether she'd realized it or not. She'd been the one to invite him before Steve could and that had meant a lot, too. ]

And yeah, it felt... long.

[ That last part is mumbled, like he doesn't really want to admit how much he'd missed Steve. As if that hug hadn't probably given him away. After all this time, he still needs Steve, probably more than is really fair to him. ]

You and me both, pal.

[ For the first time in a very, very long time, it was a place that felt like home. Having to give it up for the unforeseeable future ... if there was a future at all, it was a little bit of a grim thought.

That said, it's the memories of the place that carries the most weight. He glances in Bucky's direction again, clapping his shoulder and keeping his hand there for a moment. His mouth quirks into a smile. ]

I've got nowhere else to be now, Buck. Guess you're stuck with me.

You might be stuck with me, too.

[ There's no might about it, though. Steve's stuck with him for good, because the best home Bucky's known since he left his parents' home is the one standing right here with him. ]

Have you seen anyone else yet?

[ He's already eager to get his eyes on everyone he knows. ]

❪ event ❫ what is the storm—?

Closed for Steve

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