❪ event ❫ what is the storm—?

[natha]

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 QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[chickenhearted]

[ LOOK, it's easier to lose track of Alexander the Great than you might think. The man can't even sit still for two minutes. He's just a big child. Waver will defend himself to the end!!

But right now, he's kind of thinking more about this stranger and the way he's been knocked right off his feet. Waver certainly fears the worst for himself as well, so he's very cautious as he comes nearer, hoping nothing lashes out of the fog and gets him too.

Eventually when he's close enough, he crouches down a bit, hoping that will hide him some too. ]

You.. what? Stop talking nonsense! You need to get up now!

[wingliner]

( no one is doing any judging here! none whatsoever. we're sure it's much easier to lose a man that size than one might think … especially if he can't sit still.

at the very least, with the way shiro is still near-sprawled on the ground, his considerable size will make him a good bit of cover for one ( 1 ) waver velvet, small as he is in comparison; the sound of this newcomer's voice is edging toward being enough to snap him out of whatever has gotten him so dazed, confused and hurt down to his bones, and he stops to consider the other's words as a bit of the fog ( … ha ) is cleared from his mind at the sound of nonsense. ) He said I shouldn't expect him to be there when I got back. ( more or less, not exactly verbatim but the point remains the same.

but he blinks, now, focus centering on the other's crouched form next to him and his expression turns … more than just a little confused. ) … Wait. What?

( congrats, sir. you've earned yourself one ( 1 ) confused space dad. at least he's not still thinking he's seeing his dead ex in the fog. the rest of him will catch up shortly. )

[chickenhearted]

[ Yes, Rider is extremely difficult to keep a leash on. He goes wherever he wants whenever he wants and won't hear another word about it. Unless pants are involved.

It's good that their size difference actually provides a bit of safety, not that Waver would ever admit to that out loud. But he gets close enough that he hopes he's going to make a difference for this stranger and help him get on his feet. He's wide-eyed at whatever the man is rambling about right now. Whomever or whatever he saw in the fog clearly had an impact. How do you respond to something like that? ]

That's not... I mean, he'll be-- [ Okay? He's probably just in stasis right? No, he can't make those kinds of assumptions. He's at a loss for words, but thankfully, more of the fogginess (lol) clears up for the stranger before Waver's forced to find something useful to say. ]

You.. you fell down. Whatever you think you're seeing, you're not. It's just me here. ... Me and you...

[ That was easier at least... now if only confused space dad will believe him. ]

[wingliner]

( well. pants are a considerable foe when you're a man that large and probably wouldn't be able to find any that fit by conventional means. lord knows how he found any in the first place …

and this is the kind of thing that waver absolutely does not deserve to come across; the ghosts and skeletons that follow this grown-ass man around even when he isn't experiencing the full-blow side effects of the fog swirling around them are his, and his alone, though once this is all over he should probably thank him properly for even stopping in the first place. because he didn't have to.

but. he's slowly gathering his thoughts back to where they need to be, his focus on the here-and-now instead of the there-and-then, though it's going to be a while before the image of adam is out of his head again, because while he might have thought that it wasn't lingering with him as much as it actually was, he's dreadfully wrong.

he breathes in, and his chest aches, and hoo boy is that going to be something he feels in the morning. possibly for the next week and a half. ) That … thing. Whatever it was. Knocked me down. ( buddy you're lucky that's all it did. seriously.

he rubs at his eyes with his human hand, like it might actually clear some of the haze from them, or maybe make them feel less tired.

it won't do any of those things, but he's been doing it for so long there's no point in trying to stop old habits. ) It's really gone?

[chickenhearted]

[ Apparently those pants exist in Japan even though everyone in Japan is tiny, but whatever.

And he really didn't have to stop but deep, deep, deep down, Waver's heart is in the right place and he can't stand to see someone hurt when there's no reason for them to be hurt. He may wish death upon those he hates, but random strangers don't deserve that. Probably.

He stays waiting for the other to clear his head and vision a bit, hoping that he does indeed stop seeing whatever apparition is currently haunting him. When he answers coherently at last, Waver's a bit relieved. It shouldn't be too hard to make sure he's okay now, right? ]

Yeah, it's getting dangerous out here...

[ This man obviously looks like he can handle himself in a fight, but nevertheless, there's some freaky shit going down! No one can deny that, can they? He sighs a little, looking around them. Sure enough, they're alone for the moment.]

It's gone. I don't know what's happening but, I've been seeing people too. It's just... none of it's real, in the end.

[wingliner]

( who would have known … but i guess that's what happens when you rely on anime magic. or something. who said that?

for the most part, those ghostly apparitions have seen themselves off, and while it still take a while for him to clear his head completely, it's more than enough to see him back on his feet, and he gets the feeling that they really shouldn't linger here more than they need to.

something else might come around, and he doesn't want to be around when it does.

waver seems like he has a good heart — a good head on his shoulders, and he counts himself lucky that he'd found him when he had, because honestly, who knows what would have happened if he hadn't stopped, and just moved right along without any thought to anything different. ) Thank you for stopping. You didn't have to. ( of course, emphasizing the point they're both thinking, but it still kind of goes without saying, doesn't it?

finally, he pulls himself to his feet, takes a surreptitious look around them. ) I think we might be in the clear, at least for a little while. Maybe we should think about moving. ( a pause, and while it's always been customary to offer one's right hand in greeting, in introduction, he instead offers his left, because it's less … daunting, maybe, than a ridiculous-looking prosthetic.

that thing is ugly. there's no getting around it, and you know it. ) My name is Shiro, by the way.

[chickenhearted]

[ anime magic saves us all.

and Waver is definitely getting the feeling that they should start moving soon too. He doesn't want to give anything bad a chance to catch up with them. He doesn't want to put himself in a stranger's debt because he himself can't really fight.

he manages to look a little bashful when he's thanked, glancing off to the side a bit as if avoiding eye contact would help. ] It's just... I've seen too much go bad...

[ He's trying to pass off a nice thing he did because what is praise? But he just sort of shakes his head and lets it trail off a bit. He's glad he stopped, but he doesn't feel the need to roll around in the gratitude. He also gets himself up fully to his feet, following the other's look around them before he nods in agreement. ]

It wouldn't be smart to stay here for long, that's for sure.

[ He needs to find Rider again eventually but he's confident the man can also handle himself. Alexander the Great would never let this kind of opponent be his (third?) ending.

And he really wasn't going to say anything about that prosthetic. Really. But he'll take the left gently. ]

Ah.. Waver. Let's go!

[wingliner]

( that is the god's honest truth.

they definitely need to start moving soon, just on the off-chance this tentative peace doesn't last long — but don't think he doesn't catch that bashful look, and it's endearing in much the same way as, say, something one of his younger teammates would give. if they were given to bashful looks in the first.

but hey, waver. avoidance of eye contact is never going to make things as easy as you want them to be. just putting that out there. but being bashful about being thanked is no reason to be bashful at all — though shiro at least has enough good graces to keep from calling him out about it.

hey, as long as the thanks is met well enough and not blatantly discarded, we're good here. so that means we can move right along! ) I've seen a lot go bad, too. ( he does say, however, before they even think about getting moving. ) Not just here.

( and that's gonna set the tone for the whole rest of this interaction, isn't it?

and. really. the whole reason about not wanting to extend the prosthetic, especially during a first meeting is that he's convinced people would rather touch a human hand than one made of … some alloy or another that is always going to be cold to the touch. impersonal. but. that really isn't the point here.

he nods. they can exchange proper formalities later. ) Right. Let's — ( he looks around them, and finally decides on a direction, steers them toward it. ) This way.

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver is a silly boy, he can't help but to feel bashful about it being thanked for something that he considers common sense. Only a rotten egg wouldn't stop and help someone who'd been wiped off their feet, right!? Well, that's what he'll tell himself. And he'll be unknowingly grateful that he wasn't called out on feeling so silly about it.

But yes, he does accept the thanks, no matter how silly, so they're good there. He nods gravely, not even batting an eye that this man has also seen terrible things.

Seems to be a theme with people he's met here? So yeah. He purses his lips together grimly for a moment.

Waver's not that familiar with prosthetics, especially space ones made out of alloy and whatnot, so no telling how he would have reacted to shaking one. He does have questions about it but it's really not the time, is it? Maybe he'll run into Shiro again sometime when things are okay.

If things are ever going to be okay again. He has doubts. ]

Alright. I'll follow you.

[ He has no better ideas himself, so away they go! ]