❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM. -- the overflow.

[natha]

ORIGINAL POST

You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you’ve made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren’t expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you’d help the planet thrive. Are you ready? Submit any AC eligible thread of participating in this log's prompts for Two (2) Olympia REP points HERE. TRAVEL LIGHT     You're really lucky, new refugee. Because of the efforts of those that came before you, your own descent into El Nysa will be quick and relatively painless. You get to reap the benefits of others' experience. Those that came before you are all well-versed in the art of teleportation now, and descending into El Nysa is simply a concentrated thought away. A teleporter has been placed in the common areas to help the new refugees descend, but for this first time, you're going to need a little guidance. You're going to need to take the hand of someone who has been on El Nysa for a while now and learn the ropes. Hold on tight, Refugee, and don't be afraid when the blinding light hits you. The actual journey will feel like a sudden whiplash— painless, but sudden, and maybe a little nauseating. Keeping your balance may be difficult, and it’s possible you might end up toppling onto your poor partner. Hopefully you’re at least thankful. You have landed in a back alley in the Residential District of Olympia. HOME SWEET HOME     Immediately, you notice that everything you've been told about El Nysa is true. There are people of all races here, and although no one bats an eye at your appearance as you enter the district, a member of the Royal Guard asks for your passport. They have a keen eye, and can tell that although you may be a new refugee to their city, they've never seen you before. Certain rumors of an outside force making preparations to do some major damage has them particularly on edge. It's a good thing the Orbiters made sure you have an Olympian passport ready to go. You present it, and with a small nod, the Guard says nothing more and slaps a patch on your chest; to your surprise, it reads: Hello! My name is ________________! I am in House #___! Are you my housemate? ... No matter how much you try, there's no removing this sticker. "It'll come off tomorrow," says the guardkeep. "Lots of refugees here, limited housing. It's an easy way to get to know the people you're living with. Though, if you ask me, why are we accepting so many foreigners when so many want to watch this city burn? Well, I don’t give the orders." If someone greets you, the message on the patch will magically change: Secretly, I _____, _____, and _____! What are yours? There's no telling how they'd known these things, but it likely has to do with Zasere. AGAIN. It may be a good idea to get situated in your new home and set down some ground rules with your roommates. There is also, of course, much of Olympia to explore. FLONA COVE     Word around the city is that one very cute and enthusiastic Olympian, You Watanabe, has been asking around earnestly for the nearest place to find some coastal fun. It didn't take long before a few locals pointed her in the direction of Flona Cove. Maybe it’s a good idea to check out the area. There are only a few more days left of summer, after all. Even if you're not the beach type, exploring a new area certainly can't hurt your understanding of El Nysa. Flona Cove is just a quick train ride away. BEACH PARTY: Chances are, you've heard about the beach party being organized by You Watanabe, whether it be from her directly or someone who knows her. A lot of careful planning has gone into it, and it looks like a great time, so why not check it out? Full speed ahead towards a great time! There's plenty of food for everyone, and plenty of watermelons that need splitting! 1. Various food vendors from around Flona Cove have agreed to offer free food for the new refugees, and they line the shoreline near the harbor, enthusiastically offering goodies such as seafood kabobs, ice cream, fresh fruit (including whole watermelons!), and hot dogs. You Watanabe herself has a grill where she’s cheerfully serving up her trademark "Niceoodles" yakisoba as well as other Japanese food like takoyaki and rice. What makes her noodles so nice? It’s obviously the cheerful smiley-face sun drawn on the omelette. In exchange, the chefs and vendors only ask that you spread the word, though most of them have buckets for donations if you want to help chip back in. After the party is all done, however, there seem to be plenty of dishes that need doing, all in a big pile. You herself is working on getting through the mountain of dishes, but maybe you could lend a hand? 2. It's just not a beach party without the traditional watermelon splitting! For those of you who don't come from modern Japan on Earth, it might be perplexing at first seeing the literal mountain of watermelons grown with the help of Keyleth, another recent Olympian. If the bat-like sticks and blindfolds next to them don’t explain the purpose, though, you might just sit back and watch as a brave competitor sets a watermelon on the sand, ties a blindfold around their eyes, and has people start yelling at them which way to go. They consider the shouts of the crowd, take a swing... and strike nothing but sand. Perhaps you can do better? There are beach activities galore. Now's the time to build the sandcastle of your dreams or play a game of beach volleyball. Maybe you're brave enough to surf the waves, or you’d just like to enjoy a swim. Mom friends who just want to lounge in the sun and read a book while working on their tan are welcome too, of course. BENEATH THE SURFACE: 1. Diving beneath the waters in Flona Cove yield a whole new world on its own. Rent a scuba suit and take a trip to explore the corals, and you may even be lucky enough to run into a playful school of dolphins. Be careful-- they tend to get carried away and will happily drag swimmers for a wild ride. 2. You might want a boat for this scuba adventure, unless you're a strong swimmer. Venture deeper into the ocean, farther away from the coast, and adventurers will find some interesting stuff. Two miles southwest of the harbor, deep, deep into the watery abyss, lies a shipwreck. Exploring through the various rooms of the ship yields a few knick-knacks here and there-- rusted spare parts, cracked tea sets... a surprisingly well-preserved pin-up painting of Koralle? The real treasure awaits for those who have the courage to swim beneath the ship's hull. Here, covered in algae and debris, lies the skeletal corpse of a winged, fanged, clawed beast. This is only a distant memory of its former glory, as nothing but bones are left, but something— something brilliant, catches your eye. Those hundreds of teeth are not bone, but a material so lustrous and pure, it nearly blinds. It will take some work, but with persistence and strength, it is possible to extract a tooth. Those that work in Simwe Institute or The Sanctuary may find it beneficial to take an extra for their boss— this is definitely something that is of interest to study. 3. Olympians love their luxury. There's nothing more luxurious than a secluded lagoon, the water at just the perfect temperature and pristine. This is one of the most sought-after spots for the natives, but when you come across it, it is completely peaceful and empty. For the tourists? Well, this place simply gets overlooked due to its distance from the main beaches. It's also relatively hidden. Soon you start feeling oddly friendly? Cupid’s Pool is also described by the people of Olympia as the touchy-feely pool. It has an inherent property that makes those who soak in it crave physical affection. Chances are you probably wanted to know this before you decided to take a dip, huh? (Please warn for threads appropriately) EARN SOME SILVER     1. While many of the locals came together to offer their hands to provide a bit of entertainment for the surge in tourism, that isn’t to state that they’re fully staffed. Have a few hours to spare? They're willing to pay for your help. Maybe you’re just the cooking champ they needed? The lifeguard who showed up just in time? Or the star salesman at their humble accessory shop so desired? 2. The man who approaches you is even offering more than most of the vendors down the street. Sure, the guy and his entourage look kind of shady, but money is money, isn't it? If you accept, he’ll shove a strange swimsuit or two your way and lead you to the dressing room. What kind of job is this? Modeling, he says. Hopefully you aren’t camera shy! Hey there, hot stuff. I like your look. Or maybe it's your... aura? Either way, I like what you're working with. How about you flaunt what you've got for some fat silver stacks? He also wants to be able to test your charm, and is willing to pay a whopping 400 silver in exchange. He may even ask you to go "talk" (did you hear him say "hit on"?) to a couple of people, and “sell” yourself. Whatever that means... Incidentally, he says he’ll give you a signal once you get a pass. Feels like forever, doesn’t it? 3. Once night begins to fall and the people gradually begin to clear out, you’ll notice something... odd. There are some shady looking people around, and maybe you’ve been hearing whispers all day about a certain "fight club." Initially, no one will tell you a time or location, but if you are persistent, your efforts will pay off. Perhaps in light of helping a vendor clear out their stall or assisting that one Olympian native in distress, they’re willing to tell you a few things about this exclusive club. They explain to you that it’s been a long-standing tradition of Olympia. Secret fight clubs. A place for people to stretch their wings and their fists. Moreover, the pay off seems to be pretty good! Though, they warn you that there are some aggressive competitors out there this time around. Things have been tough politically for a while now, and there is much unrest among the people. What better way to blow off some steam than to beat someone up and make a bit of bank! Fights are not to the death, simply until a knock out, but accidents (and "accidents") do happen. Finding the crowd of people will take some searching, even with directions. They meet along the northern coast of Flona, by following a path leading underground, well away from any civilization. Once you’re there, why not participate? You may find yourself facing off against a fellow refugee. OOC     An AC-eligible thread for 2 OLYMPIAN REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE by OCTOBER 15 11:59 PM EST. In the event of CAPTCHA, we will be providing an overflow. In the event of a second CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. 1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[personalwar]

[ The vagueness is something that 76 notices, but he doesn't need to know the specifics of when this man is from. It doesn't matter much when every version and time period from Earth is lost to them. They can represent where and when they came from, sure, but it isn't going to matter to the people here. They could reminisce among one another, but what's the point? ]

Any other questions?

[ His tone is clipped, but he doesn't seem to have much else going on, if the other man wants to pick his brain some more. ]

[ettersberg]

[ for a moment, nightingale hesitates, then he gives a nod. ]

What do you make of the Orbiters? [ a brief glance upward, as though it wasn't clear what he was talking about already. he's curious, though most of it is the professional kind of curiosity, interest borne from duty. peter would be disappointed in him, he thinks, if he did not investigate at least to some extent.

he would be disappointed in himself as well. or should be. (it's hard sometimes to feel anything other than grief.) ]

[personalwar]

[ A worthwhile question, and something that 76 believes that too many people here don't think about. It would be easy to forget that there's the station hanging above their heads if you get too involved in the daily activities down here, but 76 never falls victim to that. ]

I'd say I don't trust them as much as I can throw them, but... [ He trails off, bowing his head to shake it. It's a private sort of joke. Chances are he could throw them pretty far, after all. ]

They may have saved all of us, but I doubt they did it out of the goodness of their hearts. There's gotta be more to it. They're not exactly easy to contact, either. [ Sure, there are a lot of refugees to deal with and only so many Orbiters, but it's still suspicious. ]

[ettersberg]

[ it is a question nightingale would rather not have to ask, but of course his wishes hardly play a role in the matter. he cannot imagine not investigating and answering to molly and peter if (when, when) they wake. if he cannot guarantee that their new home will be safe, at least must he have made attempts to. ]

What do you think their rationale could be?

[personalwar]

At first I thought they wanted us to fight in some war, but it hasn't been that clear cut. They dumped us here and basically told us to go make lives for ourselves... so long as we didn't tell the native people the truth, anyway.

[ 76 doesn't make any attempt to mask the bitterness in his voice. It still rubs him the wrong way, having to lie to the people here, but he also has almost gotten himself into some serious trouble with the Orbiters by testing their limits on that rule. So he's put up with it, despite all of his misgivings. ]

[ettersberg]

How do they enforce or even control that?

[ nightingale has been a police officer for a long time by now. his instinct isn't to push against the limits imposed so much as to wonder about the practicalities of them, their enforcement, how much manpower it must cost. that kind of thing. ]

[personalwar]

[ 76 happens to be something of an expert on this subject, because he had definitely pushed the envelope when he first got here and learned just how much the Orbiters would interfere. ]

They know at least some of what goes on down here. If you manage to get through to one of the natives, they'll erase their memory of it. And you'll get a talking to.

[ He'd received a firm warning for his efforts. He could have kept going after that, but he ultimately doesn't need to bring that kind of trouble onto himself. ]

[ettersberg]

I hadn't realised they were capable of erasing people's memories.

[ there's no doubt in nightingale's voice. he knows that there are ways to do it, and if he knows this, it stands to reason others would as well, or would know different ways at least. ]

Are you speaking from experience? [ not about the memory thing, of course. he'd hardly know it if he were, would he? ]

[personalwar]

It seems like they're capable of a whole lot.

[ Darma and the rest of her crew had somehow been able to recover all of them, after all. Traveling around and plucking people out of dying worlds would require a kind of power he can barely comprehend. He doubts anyone among their refugee group really could.

There's a moment of silence at the question, and then 76 nods reluctantly. ] I'm not sure what they would do if I pushed the issue any further, but... I have heard about people going back into cryo. [ Ultimately, it's not worth the risk. ]

[ettersberg]

Back in?

[ the question is not one of comprehension, but a worried need for confirmation. nightingale is still struggling with the fact that peter and molly, abdul and many others he knows are all still in stasis and haven't given any sign of waking. for others to go back in —

it's worrisome, to say the least. ]

[personalwar]

[ 76 heaves a sigh and nods. ]

There hasn't been an explanation for why, either. People are assuming they got sick or injured, but there's no reason we couldn't treat that kind of thing while they were awake.

[ So the entire thing seems shady and alarming, to say the least. Not that 76 is all that surprised that this entire situation has some sort of catch. ]

[ettersberg]

[ nightingale's posture is always good, but he sits up a little straighter at the confirmation, shoulders squared as though he's bracing for something. they're all subtle shifts, but ones that would be obvious to a trained soldier. familiar, even, perhaps. ]

I see.

[ a beat. ] I appreciate the information.

[personalwar]

[ Familiar is right. 76 picks up on the restraint in Thomas' body language more than anything else. His movements are slight and mainly deliberate. He doubts that he's the type to spook easily. He handled this conversation well enough, after all.

76 nods at Thomas' implied thanks. Often times information is all they have to go on around here. ]

It's not the easiest adjustment, but... people seem to be managing.

[ettersberg]

Mh, yes.

[ it's -- a comfort of sorts, but a small one at best. what choice do any of them have but to manage? nightingale's lips press together for a moment. ]

I'm sure I will, too.