hugtopia_logs | ♥ April (Lasai) Event Log

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♥ April (Lasai) Event Log

April (Lasai) Event Log
Lasai is a beautiful month. The weather is warmer, the sky is a breathtaking blue again, and with the flowers from Ainir growing nicely, the entire city of Havenwell just feels more alive with every breath. It's a time of renewal, of rebirth, of Ainea's greatest strength as her adherents open the temple gates to invite people and robots from all walks of life to enter and share together. What should be a joyous time, however, is suddenly interrupted as the earthquakes mount day by day through the start of Lasai. Those messages that people have been receiving since Nalom? It seems it's time for the gods to deliver on their promises.

❥ PROMPT I: The Wild Wild West (East, South and North)

side view of a large wall surrounding a city

As Ainir gives way to Lasai, one morning the earthquakes, which had been growing more frequent again, suddenly mount in their intensity. The entire city is shaking and the native residents cower despite their faith in their gods' protection. The guards along the wall shout alarm and abandon their posts as the walls start to shift under the strain. When the last of them are safely away from the walls, the barrier and the wall itself quivers. The citizens cry out in alarm and fear until they realize that the walls aren't falling - they're moving. And they're moving further out. As everyone in Havenwell looks on, the walls and its surrounding barrier fluctuates and expands, sliding through the city streets as if on hidden tracks, avoiding buildings and ruins, pushing the toxic air and the storm further away. They finally come to rest and snap back into place, new walls rising from who knows where to fill in the gaps. The barrier strengthens and the earthquakes stop, and as the dust settles, a cheer rises from the citizens.

"Praise the gods! Praise the off-worlders!"

Among the din of their celebration, however, other cries start up among the newly incorporated ruins. Cries that sound like howls and screeches, and certainly do not sound human. Grab your weapons and steel yourselves, off-worlders, with the addition of this new space comes the need to clear it of anything potentially dangerous that got caught up in the expansion. Not all creatures you'll find are hostile, but some certainly are. Docile ones might just fetch a nice price from the Research Towers and the Conservatory if you can capture a mating pair.

OOC: These are the creatures you can encounter in the city as you go through to clear it. It's not an invasion level of infestation, as the majority of creatures will prefer to remain inside their known territory beyond the original barrier, but you will on occasion need to take up arms and fight. Next to their names are the frequency with which you can find them, ranging from common to extremely rare.

Inky Black Spiders (common - hostile): These relatively small, black spider-like creatures have very basic melee attacks, using their fangs and their sharp legs to bite and claw at people. Those who were around in October when the wall broke will recognize them as the most common enemy back then. Their exoskeletons are hard and when they die, they smash into a black goo. They tend to travel in packs, using sheer numbers to overwhelm their prey.
One-Eyed Lizard (uncommon - docile): An iridescent scaly purple and green lizard approximately 8 to 10cm in length from tip to tail. It has a single eye at the top of its head that can rotate to see 360 degrees around it. This creature's main defenses are its tough hide and a spine on the tip of its tail which it whips at predators to dissuade them from eating it. It's more likely to run than fight, however, and can usually be found sunbathing on exposed rock with its eye closed.
"Bone Giraffe" (extremely rare - hostile): A nearly 20-foot tall, long-necked skeleton of a four-legged creature long dead with a single curved horn protruding from its skull and a sharp snout. It's usually found lying in a heap, as if it laid down and died that way. A black seven-petaled flower sometimes (but not always) grows from the skull and beneath the skeleton is an oily black film. Touching the oil slick activates the creature, which draws the oil up into the skeletal cage. Its main attacks are brute force, using its bony legs and neck to kick and slam against its prey, and its acid breath. It breathes a black fume that sizzles and burns anything it touches.
Rive Talon (rare - hostile - medium): In the past these creatures may have been canines of some form, now they seem to have melded with the detritus of the fallen buildings and creatures of the landscape. Extra spikes, ridges, and protrusions extend from its body at odd angles. Many of them are metal or stone, rather than bone. And some of the bones clearly were not originally its own. (Suggested by Sierra!)
Outskirts Hare (uncommon - docile): A shy creature, roughly the size and shape of an earth hare, covered in fuzzy-looking, curly pink hair and cat-like whiskers. Normally quite timid, this creature's poor eyesight causes it to flee when it feels threatened, and relies largely on a sense of touch to navigate its surroundings. Contact with this creature's fur is markedly pleasant, but its skin discharges an oil that causes mild skin irritation on contact when it's nervous. Active mostly at night time. (Suggested by Mel!)
Ansaurini (rare - annoying): a bipedal feathered bird with sharp claws and teeth good for chomping; some possess flight capabilities, but the majority are prone to a lazy waddle. Mostly harmless and deceptively unassuming until you turn your back- and suddenly it's run off with something it stole off your person! They are excellent at escaping, though they can be traced back to their hoard, and if their collection is raided they will make a lot of noise in protest. Just watch your back- they will try again until you leave their territory. Truly, a horrible thing.

❥ PROMPT II: Welcome to the (Urban) Jungle

Once the creatures are mostly taken care of and the newly revealed area is deemed safe enough to venture into, the city council will put out a call for those willing and able to assist the natives with a clean-up effort. The city outside the walls is badly damaged, left to the ravages of the time and the ever-present storm, which means clearing dust, debris, and flotsam is a high priority before people can begin to repair the new districts and salvage material or live there. Thick brown vines cover large parts of the city, grime from the storm is caked onto windows, rocks and scattered rotted bones and twisted metal can be found in roads and crashed through buildings. The atmosphere in this part of the city seems to mirror the decrepit state of the land, too, feeling heavier and grayer and more depressing than it has any right to be. Going out with people and helping together, taking breaks to lean against one another tends to help clear away any negativity that this land seems to bring to your thoughts, however. Since it's dangerous to go alone, be sure to take a friend.

The biggest concern is the vines, so natives offer to lend machetes to the offworlders to help the hack them away. The vines look brown and dead, the leaves withered and curled up. When characters hack into them, the vines release a puff of yellowish dust. Inhale the dust or get it anywhere near your face and over time, you'll begin to get sleepy - very sleepy. It's hard to keep your eyes open, no matter your resistance to poisons or magic, and eventually you'll find yourself falling asleep wherever you are. And once you're asleep? The vines start moving, crawling toward you at a snail's pace. Hopefully you did bring a friend because you'll need their touch to wake up and stay awake long enough to get away from the vines before they pull you deep within their grasp.

❥ PROMPT III: Take a Load Off

Not everyone can fight or clean or even wants to do it, so while those who are more suited to being on the front lines are off doing their thing, those who remain behind must begin the effort of preparing everything that people will need to live in these new areas. At the temples and in the main square, the priests have set up large rest areas with blankets and pillows, and are busily putting together repair kits for mechanics and explorers to use as they go through the ruins. Those who want a place to rest that doesn't require going all the way back to their homes might find these waystations more convenient.

At each, characters can find hot soups with chunks of hearty replicated breads and both hot and cold drinks available for any who wish it. They're trying to replicate pain medications and bandages for people who have been injured while exploring or fighting off the monsters who were unlucky enough to be left inside, and will ask you to try it if you're injured. Taking this medication might have some unintended side effects, however, like a feeling of euphoria or delusions of grandeur or even something as banal as turning your hair a shocking shade of chartreuse - the effect, if you want one, is up to you! The rest areas also have robots "skilled" in giving massages that are looking to test their newly acquired skills and with four pairs of arms, they can work on two people at once! In fact, they're rather insistent about giving you a free massage if they hear even the slightest hint of fatigue in your voice and will usher people into their curtained off booths regardless of whether they know the other occupant or not. These robots are still learning though, so anyone curious enough to try may need to work with their partner to give these robots pointers. They're trying, but not having fragile little flesh bodies is a major obstacle in learning how to have a gentle touch.

❥ PROMPT IV: That Which Remains

the remains of an abandoned factory with decrepit materials and equipment strewn about

With the opening of the city, there seem to be a lot of buildings that need cleaning. Some are so dilapidated that they're better off demolished than repossessed, and most are residential and commercial buildings reminiscent of the ones the offworlders are used to seeing everyday in the Havenwell they've all known up until now. However, among the ruins of these older sections, those intrepid enough to venture and explore may find a few unique gems awaiting them. Just remember: the first rule of urban exploration is to never go alone. You never know what might be lurking in those abandoned buildings or what obstacles might be in your way. Doorways blocked by rubble will need more than one person to remove them. Frightened (and frightening) animals might be lingering in the dark. And, most importantly, you don't want to fall through the floor and vanish into a basement. There seem to be quite a few weakened floors out there. In the following parts of the expanded city, characters can find these interesting ruins:

Northwest: The Arena - In the northwest of the newly opened area, characters can find what looks to be a ruin of a large open air oval building. The building itself is almost 3 stories tall with walls overgrown with brown vines and dead foliage. There are doorways that have no doors, instead being high archways through which people can access in the interior. Stairs lead up into what looks like worn stone benches and down below is a rubble-strewn open area. Part of the walls have collapsed over time but it's very clear this place was used once as some sort of viewing area. It'll take a bit of work to clear this place until it's usable!

There are archways with stairs that lead downward, but you'll need some help clearing away the rubble to get to what's below! If you're successful in getting beneath the arena, you'll find hallways with empty rooms that vary between large enough to possibly be some sort of training room to small enough to be just enough space for someone to put a slim single cot or bed and maybe a wardrobe to have a small private room. Some rooms have rusted metal that may or may not have been weapons at some point, while others have faded wall paintings, chipped and worn with age. It's hard to make out, but with enough reconstruction work, you may just learn who used to haunt these halls.
Southeast: The Baths - In the southeast of the newly opened area, characters will find a domed building unlike the rest of the architecture around it. It's extremely large, for one, and squat, while the rest of Havenwell's buildings seem to be lean and tall. The walls are made of the same stone, but the dome above is broken glass. There are several metal sliding doors set in the walls, but many are fused shut with grime and years of disuse. One main door, larger than the others is sightly ajar, however, and with some help characters may be able to force it open.

Inside, they find an expansive lobby with white floors that must have sparkled before all the grime, dirt, and broken glass took over. The dome overhead reflects the light, making the interior of the building as bright as outside. At the center of the lobby is a dry fountain with two broken statues - four armed humanoids holding urns. Their heads are missing and many of the arms are broken and lying in the dry basin. From the lobby there are alcoves in every direction and two hallways that lead further into the buiding in opposite directions. In each alcove are low stone seats and round basins sunk into the ground that are either dry with a black film around the inside, or full of a dark oily substance that's nearly coagulated.

Go down the hallways and you'll find identical looking chambers. First, you enter an open area with broken sinks and mirrors, with stone cubbies on the walls. Then when you pry open and push past the metal sliding doors, you'll find yourself in a wide open semicircular area filled with baths of different sizes, shapes and depths. Some are free-standing stone tubs, others are large basins sunk into the ground, and still others are rectangular and just big enough for one or two people to lie down in. Each of these basins are like the ones in the lobby, either filled with that same coagulated black ooze or dry with a black film inside. Looks like it's time to get cleaning because each basin also seems like they might be able to be retrofitted to produce water perhaps.
Southwest: The Factory - In the southwest, closest to the wall, the characters can find an imposing square building. It has small thin windows and boasts a plethora of chimneys and smokestacks on the roof, some of which are crumbling or broken with age and exposure. There are two square doors, both of which are large enough to drive a truck through and made of metal which needs to be pried open before accessing the inside. Once inside, the characters find a massive operation geared toward ore and mineral processing and metallurgical refinement. The machinery is old, but extremely well laid out, as it seems this plant was used to process huge volumes of minerals and ores before being lost to time. There are stations for every imaginable part of the refining process separated neatly so they can work efficiently, but all of the machines are broken or currently inoperable and will need significant work before they can start functioning again.

Explore the refinery and you may still find one or two of the ores lying about. They contain an unknown metal that gleams a slick oily silver. At the back of the refinery is an industrial elevator which is currently inoperational. Peering down through the cracks, however, reveals that the shaft goes a long way down. The view of just how far is obstructed by a shimmering rainbow-colored barrier, not unlike the one that is just outside the walls.

This event will run from April 15th to 30th, although due to the areas and effects not technically vanishing, feel free to continue playing with it for some time beyond. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It cannot be said whether Pyra even notices that he’s caught her and laid her upon the table, her eyes closing as she sighs, languid. However, she does react to when he attempts to jostle her awake. ]

Wh-... Whaaat? [ She’s still not awake. Not completely, but it seems as if she’s caught in a state that’s both accepting the pleasantness of sleep and fighting against it. ] Pfft— Besithia...! [ Her own arm reaches for his, falling somewhere about his shoulder, touch entirely lazy and faint. ]

‘S not how you hug someone. C’mon, even you know that!

[ Yup. She’s delirious. Maybe she even thinks she’s in a dream. ]

[It was worse than he thought. She must be suffering from delusions if she thought he was trying to hug people. He maintained his grip, but didn't make any moves to hug her, and didn't try to push her away as her hand seemed to search his shoulder.]

Pyra, you need to wake up. We are not in a safe area for napping.

[Leaning over her, he supported his weight with a knee on the table and propping himself up with his other hand by her chest.]

[ Pyra is subconsciously having the time of her life being in this half-sleeping state, and it shows on her smile, which can be described as none other than content, if a tad goofy. ] What are you talking about...? [ Where's his damn shoulder. Ah, there it is.

She yawns, but seems content in his presence. ] 'S the best place for napping. [ Her voice is no more than a murmur. ] Napping with someone warm. [ Which, apparently Verstael is the nearest source of warmth. ]

[He grunted, slightly frustrated. It would appear they might need to call off this outing. Pyra didn't appear to be in any mental state to continue going without being a liability.

But grunt work wasn't exactly his thing, either. Pyra wasn't especially smaller than him. He let his body relax and drop slightly next to the table as he looked her over and decided how to do this.

Perhaps the most effective method would be the fireman's carry. He hardly ever did such a thing, but he at least knew the concept and the purpose of balancing someone's weight.

Sliding his arms under Pyra's arms, he lifted her from her spot to try and shift her into a standing position in front of him, slightly awkward and out of practice in his movement but at least strong enough and informed enough to get through it as he shifted her unconscious body around, chest against chest.]

[ Alleyoop!

She's picked up from her resting position, and amazingly enough she's not exactly dead weight, able to support some of herself when he brings her upright-- until she slumps against him, her head tucked right beneath his chin. ]

....You... [ There's a murmur that comes out with a steady breath, restful and quiet. ] You havv'a strong heartbeat. [ One of her arms lifts to fall over a shoulder of his, patting it once. Twice. Three times. Pat, pat.

....Pat. ] It's-- nice. It's nice and warm. You really could love someone, if you tried.

[After some effort he managed it, balancing her over his shoulders and shifting to get himself as comfortable as he could before he began treading forward. He could only carry her for so long, so he needed to get her back as soon as possible.

His mind was focused on the task at hand, so that Pyra's talk was distracting, suddenly chattering about unrelated things.]

You're speaking nonsense. Love is but a chemical reaction in the mind. Naturally, I am capable of that, but that means little.

[ Before she knows it, she's tossed over his shoulders. Without seemingly a care in the world, she giggles where she lies against him, turning her head. Just-- let her hand find purchase against his clothes. There we go.

He says all those words. What she processes is: "--naturally, I am capable of that--" ]

Ooh, good.... good!

[ ....Then she falls silent, as if in thought. ]

[ Finally, she asks a question-- ]

Be...Be-sith-i-a.... May I ask a question?

[Concentration on each step, he picked his way carefully through the ruins to avoid tripping, hands on Pyra to hold her steady and balanced as he moved roughly.]

...If you wish.

[ Don't drop her, she might...

Not do anything at all. Most likely, she'll fall sound asleep on the spot without a care in the world, letting the vines take her to oblivion. Wouldn't that be wonderful? A nice, cozy sleep. ] Whaaaat about Prompto? Do you love him... as family?

[ They look exactly alike, she's noticed (from the beginning). ] He... is your family, correct?

The boy?

[Surprised to hear the name, he furrowed his brows. This wasn't the first time this had been brought up. Rin had been pretty insistent, too.

Better to explain quickly.]

It would seem he is my future progeny. Along with approximately ten million others. We had not met previously - I have spent more time with you than with him.

[ Had she been fully awake, this would have warranted a much more dramatic reaction.

Instead, she chuckles into the fabric? armor? of his shoulder. ] ....Whaaaat? No way--- 'S the biggest family I've evaheard of...!

[ Have another two pats. ] Congratulations. Con-- [ A yawn. ] --congratulations. Thas' so nice.

It is only a family in the most technical sense. No need for congratulations...

[Though there was something about that. A twinge inside of him, like when he had first met Prompto and realized he had offspring for the first time. The sudden realization that maybe he would have grandkids, a thought he hadn't bothered with much before, and the swift disappointment that came with finding out that wouldn't happen.

Again, there was something very strange and mildly disappointing being congratulated for a family that he never truly had.

With a grimace, he scanned the area before them. Rubble littered the way, forming hills of uneven stones and loose rocks. There was a way around... a longer path, but much smoother. He had little choice, and hefting Pyra up slightly to readjust her on his shoulders, he lumbered forward.]

[ --in the most technical sense.

Love is but a chemical reaction--

Why this. Why always this? ]

Y'can try have that here, you know... Be a father to him. [ Or something like it. ] Start with-- askin' if he needs anything... Mm? Saying that you'll be there for him. All those things.

[ Had she been lying out on the ground, she would have stretched. Instead, her elbow is knocking against his chin. ] All those nice things.

He is a grown man, raised in the enemy country. He is not interested.

[It was strange, actually sort of caring. He hadn't been very interested in Prompto. They had little in common, and the boy didn't show a lot of promise as far as he'd seen. But for that brief moment he realized he was missing any sort of familial connection and a sense of longing gripped him for just a second.

He couldn't spend his time entertaining such thoughts, though.]

Nor do we have anything in common besides our genes.

[ True, she knows family can be defined more than just genes, and if Prompto is not interested, then Verstael should honor it. ]

....IIiii.... think you have a lot in common.

[ Her smile can be clearly heard in her voice. ] The determination. Annnd tenacity.

[ But she doesn't particularly care to compare them, so she ultimately she sighs. ] It's a shame, though. I think that-- that you could learn a lot from him.

I? From him?

[The shock and doubt in his voice was palpable. He couldn't think of anything that the boy could teach him. Verstael had excelled in school and was one of, if not the, top scientist in the world. He already knew quite a bit. What could Prompto know that he didn't already?]

[ He sounds vaguely shocked. Why is this?

Her eyes crack open, then shut again. No, she's still to tired. Her thoughts are a mess. This world is sometimes too much.... but the people here are good. ]

Is it so surprising?

I don't see what I would learn from him. I am the research chief for the Imperial army. He didn't take his studies seriously.

[ And now?

Comes a long, low whine: ] Stooooop.

Stop that. Y'gotta stop that. That... that-- looking down on him. Stop. If y'want anyone as family... anyone to love or be loved-- you hafta stop that.

[ She said stop four times! as if he didn't hear it the first time-- or more likely, she hadn't even noticed she repeated herself. ]

[He let out a lengthy, low sigh, but reluctantly held his tongue. Why couldn't she be delirious in a more unintelligible way? He continued picking his way around bits of rubble without a word, as if he didn't plan on speaking more, giving him some time to bite down his pride and speak more evenly.]

What do you think I would learn from him?

[ Much better worded, and her appreciation for it shows in how she relaxes against him. ]

What a home is. What a family is... Maybe what even love is... How to make friendships. 'Cause anyone-- anyone can study biology or engineering. [ Easy. Simple. It's all numbers, mathwork. Technicalities. This tells her very little. The laws of her universe follow components that are ultimately broken down into basic principles that humans have attempted to discern over millennia. Perhaps one day they'll unlock everything, know how the world truly works in all of its intricacies. But they'll figure that out before they even remotely be able to quantify all the nuances as to what makes friendships, care, trust, and love, the desire for it, the loneliness that might come without it. Emotional intelligence is so much more difficult. ] But not everyone can make bonds.

[ She could get used to being carried over people's shoulders....

She feels as if there's something more to say, so after a few beats of silence as he walks carefully over the rubble, she continues: ] Aaaand 's nottabout... You. You have become someone who's... worthy of him. You hafta be better than you are now. You have t'realize that emotions are more than chemical reactions. Stop separating yourself from 'em, like they're not a part of who you are, and start... feeling them.

[All this sentimental nonsense... He knew he was different. Always knew that, since he was a kid - it was pretty obvious when other people would always point it out. But he had never considered himself broken nor inferior. If anything he felt quite the opposite. He was happy with who he was and didn't want to be like everyone else. He always rose up above all of that and did what needed to be done, while others were busy wailing and complaining.

The idea of him having to better himself to be worthy of someone else was preposterous. Especially the boy, who seemed to fall surprisingly short as far as competence went. He'd inherited the greatest genes in the world, ad what had he accomplished with them?

He couldn't argue the family part. Of course, he'd had one at some point. Before they died. He didn't fuss much about that, though. War orphans were hardly a rare thing. Friendship, on the other hand...]

I have a friend.

[See? He already knows all about how to make friends.]

[ She knows, he's mentioned having a friend before. It's a start, and if nothing else it means he's not hopeless... And she nods sleepily, head bobbing up and down in some manner that is approving. ]

And if that friend leaves... how will you feel?

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