❪ event ❫ THE DESCENT: PART ONE.

[natha]

THE PROLOGUE     Your sleep on the night of the 15th is not a restful one, unfortunately. It’s unclear whether you are in a state of half-wakefulness, or dreaming. The voices you hear certainly sound very real. What is it, Sael? —Is everyone asleep?! Every one, yes. Sael, it appears you do not have good news to deliver...? N-No! I don’t know how it slipped past us, but there’s something powerful coming this way. Something hostile. I can barely keep the core systems online! ... I don't know what to do... I see... and we cannot protect Thesa and Alria in addition to transferring the Refugees to Olympia. This force, they waited for this moment. They knew I have been Intervening, and that I have become weak from such Interventions— ... We've been had. It cannot be helped. To save the Refugees on the Stations, we must eject the awoken unto El Nysa. My remaining energy shall go into shielding Thesa— left defenseless, every being we have saved on this station will perish... Sael, where is the ideal location for the landing? Hmm. There aren’t any people within a ten mile radius of The Outlook, and there shouldn’t be any for a few more days. I think that’s the best location right now. Very well. Instruct Zasere and Roman to begin preparations for an emergency eject. This is the only way we can save everyone. I am counting on you to ward off the enemy on the space front. The rest... is up to our Refugees. The alarms are blaring. It shouts against your eardrums, calling you to wake again. This time, you are in new pod, strapped down completely and cushioned tightly against the walls. In truth, you had no idea when you’d gone to sleep, but it is reminiscent of when you had been saved from the force of the Storm. A voice greets you when you come to, while the conversation between Darma and Sael is still fresh on your mind. Despite their voices playing like an old tune in your memory, you still know it is something that happened. Something has gone terribly wrong. You hear Darma speak, her voice loud in your head. Fellow Refugee, I wake you with regrettable news. A force equal to our own is attempting to engage Thesa, no doubt to steal the souls contained here. My energy is near depleted with this last Intervention, so I cannot send you to the grounds safely as originally intended. However, there is hope yet.This power shall instead shield Thesa and Alria — and believe in me when I swear no one shall be hurt. Your loved ones are safe with us. —Unfortunately, that is at your expense. Your descent will not be an easy one. This pod that contains you shall pierce through El Nysa's atmosphere and land you on an island west of Olympia, simply called The Outlook. Travel east. Find the West Outpost, then continue east until you find the Olympian North Gate. There is a method to this madness. You shall be sent in waves. The inhumanly strong shall be first. The parachute will soften the landing, but I am aware of all your capabilities. The first wave will survive the drop, and will work tirelessly to secure the others. Find your bearings, and ensure the safety of the second wave. They are the healers and medics. Catch their pods, ease their landings, make certain that they shall not be harmed, because you will need them for your wounds. The third wave are your strongmen. They shall help clear the debris and take people to safety, making way for the fourth wave, those can conjure magic to help. Bring everyone to a safe distance. A supply drop will follow soon after; it shall contain tents and tools that will be useful for the long night. The fifth and sixth waves are largely vulnerable humans. With your combined efforts, you shall survive this great misfortune. Forgive us, Refugee. Leave the Moons to us, my promise to you is still in tact— focus on what you can do for others like you. Helping at least two (2) Refugees will earn you one (1) Natha REP. Threads must be AC length to qualify, and can be submitted HERE by JULY 31st. THE DESCENT     FIRST WAVE. The instructions are clear. Those who are a part of the First Wave should be equipped with physical strength and fortitude to survive the drop or the power to regenerate and heal their own wounds. While the pods are already designed to cushion some of the impact, as this is the first group, it will likely to be the most jarring. In all of the waves, some of the pods will malfunction and offer no cushion at all. They will be expected to quickly find their bearings. Their mission isn’t simply just landing, after all. The first wave will be expected to help the next wave, and the wave after that. Whether through their abilities or brute strength, they will be expected to help soften the landing for those who are falling. They will also be expected to pry open hatches, carry people to safety, and to just... survive. It’s not always easy being first. SECOND WAVE. Within the next hour, it’s time for the Second Wave to make their descent. You were selected based upon your aptitude for healing and/or being able to administer first aid. Perhaps you can help the tired and weary. Maybe those who have landed have have strength, but no stamina. Either way, it may be unwise to exhaust all their abilities at once. The night is long, and you may want to conserve their energy for the next waves to come. At least you’ll have help in getting settled. THIRD WAVE. Akin to the First Wave, the Third Wave will possess some durability, and some manner of strength, making you a reliable ally. Especially in a time of crisis... Or so we hope. While the landing is tough, and some of you may need first aid. As soon as you’re all healed up, you’ll have no time to dawdle. Your help is required. “Please help those still trapped in pods. Carry those unconscious to safety. Lift debris, and rescue all you can.” May be a vague message still stuck in the back of your head. Something whispered to you while you were just waking. Well, might as well roll with it. It’s the best shot you have, after all. FOURTH WAVE. Those in the Fourth Wave, as Darma projects, were selected due to the versatility of their abilities. No one expects one man to do the same as the next. Rather, that’s precisely the point: to be different. To be able to accomplish something unique. While one individual may be blessed with powers that assist in putting out fires, another may have the ability to shield those from oncoming debris. Maybe one even has the ability to channel all of these. Regardless, it’s up to you and your quick wits to see what tasks are open. It’ll take some coordination, especially as there are more people mixing into the fray, but, you can do it, can’t you? FIFTH WAVE. If you are in the Fifth Wave it is likely that you have a specific power or ability. One that isn’t easily channeled or called upon. Or, perhaps, you were merely placed here for insurance. Whatever the case if, your expertise will presently be put to the test. Maybe you’re quite proficient in survival skills, and you’re already eyeing the supplies that were dropped between the Fourth Wave and now. Goods all ready to be salvaged. Okay, maybe some can’t, but as they say, “it’s the thought that counts.” Besides, the injured from earlier certainly need a space to rest, and camp isn’t going to make itself. Regardless, maybe you feel more comfortable joining in the efforts to assist those who still require it. Whatever it is, you are sure to find your place and use. Darma obviously held the same faith. FINAL WAVE. The Final Wave is fortunate in a variety of ways. With Thesa Station a bit more stabilized, Darma utilizes the last bit of her powers in insuring that these last remaining pods are met with the softest landing, right beside the fifth, that is. The fragility of life is nothing she is unfamiliar with, after all. Still, that isn’t to say nothing is expected of you. Most of the individuals that have dropped earlier will likely be exhausted. An hour stretched between each one, makes several hours for the first couple of waves. They'll need a place to relax. You will act as the final group of helpers. Settle into whatever role feels best for you. Are you an excellent cook? Great at rationing supplies? Perhaps, you have a secret skill in ______ that might come in handy here? Or, maybe, despite the gentler landing you still managed to get hurt. The sky's the limit, and you got this! Meanwhile, in the distant kingdom of Olympia, the Empress and her loyal subject discuss matters late into the night... I’ll have the results of that dragon toxin study ready for you soon, Your Highness. I just need a few helpers to— oh wow, is that a meteor shower? Oh yes, it appears so. How beautiful.. hehe. Let us thank Thesa for this blessing. GATHER YOUR BEARINGS     All in all, the descent lasts for nearly seven hours. After the deployment of the last wave of refugees, it’s only natural that you may be feeling pretty worn out. A. Within the remains of the pods, Refugees will find basic camping supplies such as small tents, sleeping bags, and compasses. Not all of the supplies remain intact, thanks to the impact of the crash. But, sharing resources will ensure there is enough for everyone to rest for the night. Can you really in good conscience leave that stranger next to you without shelter? B. Although you may be tired after such a life-threatening ordeal, there is still work to be done to ensure your survival. Fortunately, it works out because now there are plenty of empty hands. There are stray debris and metal parts that should be collected and disposed of. There's firewood that needs to be collected, and campfires to upkeep. The nights in the Outlook are particularly chilly, and so it will be imperative to keep warm! C. Your clothes are tattered or too bloodied to sleep on with comfortably. Fortunately, Darma thought ahead. There will be various types of clothing provided, mostly robes that resemble her own in earthy tones, all to help them camouflage you for your next big adventure. FINAL OOC NOTE     This INTRO event will be broken up into three parts! Please keep this in mind when plotting your threads/tag load. PART 2 will be posted on JULY 18TH and PART 3 on JULY 22ND, at 6 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. The NETWORK is currently down, as Sael must concentrate all of his efforts on warding off the invading force. Characters may still message each other's personal IC inboxes. Submit two (2) AC-eligible threads from this log for one (1) Natha Orbiter REP point here by JULY 31ST. Recommended Listening: Alex & TOKYO Rose QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

c.

[zephrah]

[ Keyleth allowed herself just enough sleep to recharge her spells, and even that didn't come easily. With most everyone else asleep, she chooses to sit and watch the fire, using a minor cantrip to keep it at a steady burn, neither too uncontrolled or too low. Her hand held aloft, she twitches her fingertips and pulls tiny bits of flame towards her, turning them into shapes--bunny rabbits, flowers, little dragonlings and faeries. She's not sleeping--might as well amuse herself. She jumps a little when someone shifts nearby and the little fire bunny dissipates. ]

Sorry. Sorry, did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet.

[ofseraphim]

[ It might have been A Thing before, but not here. Sorey's just about as harmless as they come -- even with a sheathed sword still strapped to his hip. Among other things. ]

That's okay -- I've got it!

[ It's not heavy so much as it is cumbersome. ]

So, did they say where we are? [ He might've missed the memo on that one. Easy to do, in the chaos that's just transpired. ]

Dazai will always get the biggest NO of all, though

[gekkajuu]

[And isn't this just the Atsushi life? You go around trying to be a good person, and something hits you on the head. It's not even that hard, but it's a surprise, and Atsushi whirls around to at least Speak His Mind (and potentially cower).]

Hck! What are you -...

[Needless to say, when he sees who it is, nothing else matter anymore. His eyes widen, and for a split second, they almost seem to go a little moist. Dazai is safe! And awake, and safe, and Atsushi is so happy!

... Well... Dazai sure is Dazai though, isn't he? Atsushi is glad that he's safe, but maybe having him asleep the way he was before... wasn't so bad, either.]

I wasn't planning to give my clothes away. [It's a weak protest, a little sulky for how his overwhelming happiness was immediately cut short. As expected of Dazai.] I'm just trying to do what little I can, and -...

Fall off?!

[Excuse him while he finally catches up with that. He kind of wishes he never had.]

gathering bearings

[ruffboi]

[He's standing around his fire, occasionally poking it with his sword to make sure the wood is still arranged well enough for a fire. And adding some juice from the flaming sword, if need be. But when she comes close, he grins.]

Sure! Make yourself comfortable.

[ofseraphim]

Definitely!

[ Here -- have a confident smile, just in case he seems unbelievable. ]

I've seen a lot worse. Plus, these robes are pretty thick!

[ He adds, pulling up one end to examine it more closely. ]

I think it's a lot colder where we just were, anyway.

[popess]

Very true, though it seems that many of us share similar experiences. It could be that this planet was conveniently terraformed before the orbiters found it. That seems a little too convenient, however..

[ she nods at yusei's last statement though. he's one of the only optimists she'd met since they landed — it was refreshing. getting caught up in negativity was something she was trying to avoid. ]

I can agree with that. Supporting one another will be essential while we're here. After all, all we have left is each other.

a

[ruffboi]

[Magnus isn't leading the campfire singalong, so much as making himself busy around the fringes, checking that there's enough firewood and that no one seems too low on supplies, and chiming in with a couple lines of a song here and there when it's one he knows.

But he definitely gives Sansa a look when she speaks up.]

Not a single one? Like, you've never heard a single song before, ever? Aww, come on, is your voice really that bad? You don't have to lie!

[21stcenturyguy]

[At least with everything out of his stomach, there's nothing left to throw up. With everything out of him, some of the queasiness passes. He pushes himself up onto his knees and spits on the ground to get rid of the lingering taste.]

I'm not a freakin' invalid! I'm fine.

[He tries to stand, but whoops, that's not happening just yet. Kneeling. Kneeling is great right now.]

Just...point me to where there's water. [He amends. Best fucking day ever.]

[cajolery]

[ Well, of all the reactions she might've expected from someone whose hat she just vomited into, it definitely wasn't such an explosive one.

(What reaction were you expecting, Clair? Well...) ]

There is no need for such brutish violence!

[ Honestly... what kind of vulgar rescuer has she found herself indebted to? She rubs the back of her head and straightens out her hair, which was mostly a wreck before he'd even smacked her. Then she finishes climbing out of the pod, feeling a whole heck of a lot better now that she has her feet on solid earth. It's such a relief that she could bend down and kiss the ground—but she won't. ]

I do apologize for that abhorrent display, as well as the ultimate fate of your... headgear, if it can be called such. Surely you are glad to be rid of such an unsightly article?

[earthy]

[Terra keeps hold of her hand for a few seconds longer, wanting to be sure she's steady, that she won't just topple over, back into the pod or onto the scorched and debris-riddled ground. She does seem to be all right, though. With a reluctant nod to her reassurance, he relinquishes her hand and steps back to give her room.

She's a curious sight. Briefly, he wonders what kind of world she was pulled from, if there are others like her here, about to crash down around them or maybe still sleeping in the now-threatened Alria, like his friends are.

He can't be wasting time with thoughts like those, though.

Her mention of the other pods has him chancing a quick glance upward.]

Yes. Darma said... six waves, I think? I don't know how many pods that's going to be. Maybe a hundred.

[Maybe closer to two hundred. Not just a pod drizzle but a veritable pod downpour. At least the Orbiters thought to stagger them instead of dropping them all at once. Two waves in and this is already chaos; Terra can't even imagine how bad it might have been if they'd just allowed a hundred or more pods to fall together.

But what else had Darma said, specifically about each wave? First wave was the... inhumanly strong. Her choice of adverb there is a little puzzling to him. But the second wave...]

Wait, you're a healer or a... medic, right?

[ruffboi]

Really?

[He grins at the suggestion. He is still entirely on board the plan to launch him into the air. And he's also helping dust off Taako's shoulders. Okay, maybe it was a dumb baby fit, but it was a fully sincere one, also. You were going to be crushed, Taako.]

Okay, I'm reading when you are. Actually, got any rope? I think if I had some rope, I could use my shield to zipline from pod to pod...

[refashioned]

You know, I never asked, but there's no chance you were in the Boy Scouts before they leveled up into creepy survivalist training, were you? [The question pours easily out of her mouth as she takes the compasses from him. Holding them is absolutely the worst time to check for their status, but she assumes enough of them will be workable with what lies ahead.

She just intends to take the best of them for herself and her crew. Or just the best one, since that's only fair. Leave the rest to everyone else.]

I don't need to know how to use a compass, but believe it or not, no one spent a whole lot of time camping in Central Park.

hunt and gather

[lacuscular]

[ It takes a moment of thought before Juvia steps forward after being called out, trying to appear not as small as she really feels. She's quick to glance at his arm, but slow to open her mouth and actually speak up. She's suspicious of strangers, even this one, but not enough to outright say no. ]

Juvia is trying to reach the water.

[ Although, the reason why she's going is so she can be by herself. She hadn't even thought about anything regarding the livelihood of everyone else at camp-- it's an afterthought, at best. ]

Unless you are heading there, Juvia sees no reason for us to work together.

[planetary_bonds]

[He shakes his head, frowning.]

The mode of getting us here-if it was convenient for them, we wouldn't be sent here so suddenly...I think.

[He has his doubts, mind you, but this seems reasonable.]

If we have a chance to look into the history of this world, I think we should take it.

[Finally, a fellow optimist. He's already run into enough negativity to make him frown (hell, he's made a bet over it), so this is better. At least now, he won't doubt his own worldview as much.]

Mmm. We all need to do what we can...

[ruffboi]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, okay. I don't want to speak out of school here, but we did form an unbreakable spit bond, so...

[So get ready to hear about some total stranger's interpersonal relationship problems.]

I think the thing about that is, he's an extremely powerful wizard? And I respect that, you know? But it'd be nice to get a little respect in return. A party can't be all wizards, it has to have balance, you know? Someone has to sponge up all the damage. It would just be nice if for once Taako recognized that being able to do a melee attack takes skill, too.

[gekkajuu]

[Atsushi has had some scary moments in his life, but being directly stared down by Nakahara like this is downright terrifying. Atsushi knows that he'll never be able to fight this man and win. He knows it in his heart, and he feels it in his bones. But that shouldn't stop him.

What would he be dying for here, though? Nakahara has a point. They're both alone. That's just a scary idea for Atsushi to face up to.

Clenching his fist, he lowers his gaze. He hates this. He hates how scared he is almost as much as he hates that there's just no point in fighting now.]

... No. It's as you say. There's no point in fighting anymore.

[Fighting Akutagawa if he wakes up, yes. They promised, after all, and that was entirely personal. But there's no need to stick to old alliances overly much.

Still... that feels a little disappointing. Or maybe it just brings home how alone Atsushi is without the Agency.]

[fisherwife]

Then do not stress yourself, I will heal you for you. It causes me no trouble. [She holds her hands out questioningly]

May I? If you've been healing, you deserve to rest as much as anyone.

gathering bearings

[zephrah]

It has been chaos. Utter chaos from the word go, and Keyleth has been here for all of it. Running on adrenaline in full crisis mode, burning all of her spell slots just to try and get things done, get people on the ground, get them healed, get them watered and fed and warm. And wow is she tired. She hasn't been this drained in a long time.

But everyone's alive, so it's worth it. She's done what was asked of her. She's kept her promise, so they better keep theirs, up there.

So she's exhausted, but seeing a friendly and somewhat familiar face--and it's not like she has very many faces around she can call familiar--is a balm to all the aches and tiredness and fear.

"Cadderly!" She runs straight up to him, throws her arms around his shoulders and hugs him tight. Maybe too tight. Sorry, Cadderly. "You made it down too! You're okay!"

ii

[wayward]

[ It's an admirable effort. Jace can admit that, even if he's nearly beheaded when a piece of debris nearly takes his head off. His first impulse had been to grab the hunk of metal out of the air, but he trusts the second impulse, which has him ducking it altogether. He's strong, but not strong enough to stop something this big flying at considerable speed. ]

Hey!

[ He holds up his hands, though he still looks wary; clearly he should still be prepared to duck. ]

You need a hand?

[ Even though he doubts he can move as fast as she can, he still has to offer. ]

If we pile those parts, we might be able to use them to fortify shelters if necessary.

ii-b.

[noctsout]

[ You know what else would be a good use of their time? Making a competition out of who collects the most firewood, maybe (verbally) wrestling over who can find the weirdest thing out of this mess of a day. Better than moping around or throwing yourself up against debris that may or may not fall apart on impact. It's too bad that Noct's short of one(1) best friend to be talking them into such a thing, left to be collecting firewood all on his lonesome. It's a chore that Noct knows and understands to be unfortunately vital in its necessity despite its monotony, one that he'd undertaken voluntarily (yeah, he knows, he's surprised too) despite knowing the risks of boredom that he's low-key bemoaning-- until it leads him to a pattern of blond hair that he'd recognize anywhere, which.

Thank the Gods. Thank whatever was left of them that Prompto was safe. (Darma had promised him their safety, his friends and family, of those that would be all that remained of Eos. Neither Prompto nor Gladio had been around when Noct had finally awoken, but he'd found Ignis. He'd found Luna, his dad. It hadn't taken much of a stretch in imagination or belief to trust that Prompto and Gladio had also been similarly collected, but--) It's a weight off his shoulders to see the truth behind Darma's promise, the still-breathing, still-dorking, still-rummaging proof of it.

It wasn't too childish of him to sneak up on his best friend, right? Possibly was, but if Prompto's digging through the carcasses of a pod, taking bets, who was Noct to ruin his fun? ]

Guess that'd depend on how much we're betting.

[ Let him try to control this grin when Prompto turns around, the full stretch of his relief inherent within it. Just let him try (and probably fail). ]

[adelphoi]

[ his smile is so broad and infectious that she can't help but offer one of her own, though it may be several shades less, and quite weary. still, it's well earned, alisaie doesn't often smile sincerely for veritable strangers. ]

Thick enough, I suppose.

[ even if she's.. still cold. whatever!! ]

How are you faring? I hope your landing wasn't too awful.

[21stcenturyguy]

What, some kind of 'pay it forward' bullshit?

[Aoi rolls his eyes. All that feel-good karma crap was a fairy tale. He curls the blanket tighter around himself.]

If you've got a situation where essential goods are scarce, and you got access to 'em, you can set your own price, you know? That's basic economics, man.

[He probably shouldn't be lecturing the guy who just gave him this nice warm sleeping bag, but he's gonna though.]

[silverhound]

[Just when Loz manages to heft the entire tree upon his shoulders, that redheaded bastard dives into a group of campers to use them as makeshift meat shields. An annoyed huff escapes him as he slams the tree unceremoniously to the ground with a loud thud. Of course that smart-ass would hide behind people after figuring out that Loz here wouldn't want to accidentally cause that much harm to others.

He's pissed off right now, livid even, but Loz still has enough common sense not to do something as reckless as toss a tree at a group of survivors. That would be just devastating and Darma wouldn't like that one bit.]

That yellow-bellied chocobo...!

III

[armedwithhands]

[Even this long into the night, Hibiki's still on the move. Everybody's on the ground, the camp is mostly set up and she finally got some food in her but she's still not quite ready to stop just yet. It could be any number of reasons, like even with a tent or a sleeping bag the ground is hard and cold and she's not actually used to roughing it at all.

Or maybe she's just restless. She's definitely dragging her feet by now but she still can't shake this restless energy long enough to actually think about trying to get some sleep. There's still people she met on the station that she hasn't found down here, it would help if she knew everyone had made it....

Speaking of.]

Mikazuki! [She calls out, spotting the boy she'd met in the stasis chamber, and quickly jogs over, stopping by his side.] You made it down too! Did you get hurt at all?

[strictdiscipline]

[ Well. Thankfully she's no sixteen year old boy ready to do the exact opposite of whatever she's told. No doubt there's an important explanation behind this particular order but she can ask about it later. For now, she nods once, extending her hand palm upwards. ]

That would be the most effective course of action. I'll still bring whatever I can find but we should both be able to conserve some energy this way.