♥ June (Dianir) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

June (Dianir) Event Log

There's a lot going on this month, plenty of work to be done. But as they say, many hands make light the work! And to make up for the grim and grey atmosphere awaiting those who decide to venture outside the barrier, the weather within the city limits is clean and clear, that perfect spot resting between hot and cold. The middle of Dianir brings to Havenwell the start of perfect summer weather. Be sure to give yourself a lovely break when you need to get away from the endless storm outside.

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❥ PROMPT I: Corridor of Lights

Compared to how the weather and world beyond the barrier was a few years ago, the wilds these days appear far less harsh. While the constant storm of dust and debris appears to maintain its viciousness further out, and it is yet strong enough to obscure whatever source of light there is beyond the atmosphere, its tumultuous gusts are noticeably less harsh closer to the city itself. And, in fact, there even appears to be patches of green just outside the barrier, although the growth rapidly stops at a certain near-distance from the city. All together, this prompts those of the researchers to make an announcement: that they are allowing– no, they are asking the off-worlders for help in Phase I of repairing the mysterious train station to the south. What do they want the non-locals to do? To make a corridor meter by meter or even inch by inch if necessary, by placing the charged up crystal-conduits of last month on poles either side of a path, stringing them together with reinforced cable.

1. As mentioned above, characters will be setting off beyond the barrier. The further characters trek as they set up the corridor, the more hazardous and darker the environment becomes. Further away from the city, even before reaching the train station ruins, light is scarce, and the world is cold, dry, and with winds as harsh as sandpaper. At some point, one's only source of light may be the flashlight attached to the exosuit front or the dim glow of the conduits themselves. Safe travels.


2. Characters will all be given exosuits to wear beyond the barrier, which are custom-fitted to their body, as well as a conduit. While researchers encourage characters to continue engaging in touch as they march into the open, it isn't necessary to participate.They will also all be given a flare to use in case of emergency.


3. Despite the improved quality of air beyond the barrier, staying out too long can still result in contracting a mysterious illness that involves chills, fever, malaise, and fatigue. The locals know of this illness as being borne from a mysterious miasma that permeates both air and ground outside. Touch alleviates the symptoms, but it takes time. If one is exposed while still beyond the barrier, characters can use their flare to signal for (player-discretion) NPC support to bring them back to the city. Tents will be set up by the locals to take in any injured or ill characters.

Once the corridor is fully finished with the conduits strung together by poles and cables, the makeshift highway will come to life by a dim, golden light reminiscent that of the barrier. Starting with the conduits nearest to the city, a shimmering, semi-translucent shield appears to dome over each section of the path until finally spanning its entire length, seemingly dispelling any miasma within. Just in case, though, the locals suggest to not remove one's exosuits just yet. This golden-lit corridor has an ethereal quality to it, muting the howling wind outside, as well as providing a sense of safety and warmth. A few local helpers can be seen standing in awe of this grand accomplishment, holding hands or linking arms as they marvel at the replicated barrier, walking down the path slowly. Some of them may even come up and thank the characters for their hard work. If they hadn't been made of metal, they are sure they would be shedding tears of joy.

❥ PROMPT II: Chaining the Supply

With the highway finally established, the researchers are calling for the initiation of Phase II, involving more sets of volunteers (they know, they know, they're needy; but don't worry, they promise they'll compensate you with dora!).

• Help with Supplies: Become a runner of supplies from point A to point B on the corridor, passing off items, cords, metal, electronics, to the next volunteer.
  
• Help with Charging the Conduits: Regrettably, the consistency of the barrier surrounding the corridor is patchy in some areas. The locals are asking for help: simply engage in any form touch with someone next to a dimmer-looking conduit. They have even provided plush couches for characters to relax upon. What do you mean, that's not comfy? No worries, they'll also provide a privacy curtain for you. Alternatively, these couches can be used as a resting station for characters in need of a break.
  
• Protect the Corridor: The light of the corridor is bound to attract a few curious and hostile wildlife to its source of light. Those who are brave enough may depart the safety of the corridor's barrier to combat or capture the creatures that would threaten its integrity. Please see below for list of potential wildlife encounters, and note that any engagement with these creatures generates a big risk of exposure to the miasma that may make a character severely ill and lethargic. Working with a partner is encouraged.
  
  For those who opt to attempt to capture some of the infected creatures, specialized nets will be provided to allow for safe catch-and-transport without making contact with the poison they exude. There will be an area designated for the captured creatures until they can be transported to one of the research labs. Some of the crystals have been moved to clear the area, and while they are held there, offworlders are encouraged to attempt a new experiment: can the crystals also purify the poison inside living creatures, as well as the air itself? If offworlders make contact within the creature's and the crystal's vicinity, can they be saved?
  
  If your character ends up capturing one of the creatures, please comment to this comment here noting which ones and how many.

These are the creatures that can be encountered on a character's path. Next to their names are the frequency with which they can be found and level of hostility. Characters can encounter either untainted or poisoned renditions of these creatures, if a regular version exists.

• "The Apparitions" (uncommon - very hostile): a creature new to those both native and offworld, these ghost-like creatures can take any form, humanoid, robotic, animal. They are translucent and mostly featureless/faceless, floating from place to place and trying to stay out of sight. They prefer to perform sneak attacks, and should they make contact with someone's bare flesh or (if you're unlucky) phase through your suit, they are able to stun most people, capturing and preventing your escape as they begin to steal your thoughts. Whatever fleeting thing might pass through your mind as you make contact with them is devoured, whatever you're feeling is consumed. This effect can be halted by another person interfering and forcing the apparition to break contact, but they can only be harmed by those who have formed a physical connection with one another. Basically: don't be caught alone by one, or there will be no escape unless someone comes to your rescue. (Apparitions cannot be captured, only slain or driven away.)
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
• 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 III: Pop-Up Mouse Café

This month, the clergy of Ainea's temple are excited to announce a pop-up café for which people are free to volunteer or attend as guests. Whether a character decides to serve others or be served, the staff of the pop-up offers a headband with metallic mouse-ears on top for all to wear. They come in a variety of different hues of pinks and purples, colors that characters may recognize as being associated with Ainea. These headbands are wired to shift and turn with the moods of whoever is wearing them. The rest of the uniform, which includes formal black-and-white attire complete with frilled aprons, is optional. Featured items on the menu include teas and hot chocolates as well as a variety of (synthetic) artisan cheeses. Volunteers who decide to don the mouse-ears of the café will also be encouraged to serve snacks and drinks within the recovery tents set up for the workers who venture outside the barrier. Feeling ambitious? Those who manage to serve tea or cocoa to over five people in the recovery tents will be awarded a golden pin of a mouse they can proudly display on their uniform! Look your cutest, and get out there! You can also keep those ears.

At the end of the day, the staff will gather the group to take a photo together, local and off-worlder crew alike, to hang up on the temple wall. Supporting each other, coming together, and community through difficult times is a cornerstone of Ainea's teachings.

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This event will run from June 15th to June 30th. 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. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Comments

Tamaki Yotsuba | OTA

[21kingpuddings]

I
Getting to go outside of the barrier feels like it could be a breath of fresh air. Ah, theoretical fresh air anyway. Nothing outside of the safety of Havenwell's barrier seems to be very fresh, but being cooped up in the city limits for as long as Tamaki has been makes the idea of getting a little more roaming area outside of the walls makes him feel downright restless.

So, suited up, Tamaki spends a handful of days helping out in getting the corridor set up.

"It's kinda spooky out here, huh...?" Exciting as it is to be out here, there's something eerie about how desolate the landscape is. Having a partner to work with makes the risks of exhaustion manageable, but there's also something to be said for keeping some of those creepier thoughts at bay, too. "You doin' okay?"


II
When he's finished stretching his wings outside of the barrier, there's still plenty of work to be done to help out with the expansion efforts. Such as... refreshments for the tired workers. Hm. Hmm!

Well! Tamaki has a little bit of experience under his belt with serving, and plenty of experience with dressing up in costume, so on the cute mouse ears go, along with the snappy black and white attire. He is ready! To help refresh any tired workers!

"Go some cocoa here." Care for a mug, friend?

II

[wakemelater]

Nico very slowly accepts the cocoa, but he's mostly eyeing the costume and the cute ears. Those are fake, right? They look fake.

"Is this regular cocoa, or weird cocoa? I'm not going to sprout a tail or something, am I?"

[21kingpuddings]

That is quite the question, and Tamaki can't help but give a jovial little laugh at it. Check it out, those cute ears wiggle forward as he does. Wow!

"Nah, it's good." He gets the worry, though it doesn't quite connect that it might have something to do with the uniform's accessory. Being wary of food is just smart when it comes to Havenwell! "I tried some myself earlier, it's really good, and there weren't any tails or rainclouds or anything to worry about after."

[wakemelater]

Still not quite convinced, but he takes a sip of the cocoa and eyes the ears (gods, they wiggle....).

"Sooo, you're wearing those voluntarily?"

[21kingpuddings]

The cocoa is mercifully normal, and Tamaki looks pleased that his word of its safety is being taken. Enjoy that, Nico!

And for his question, "Yeah, it's a pretty sharp getup, isn't it?" He straightens the lapel of his jacket, because that's clearly what Nico was talking about, and not the very out of place mouse ears atop is head.

[wakemelater]

Nico gives him a flat look that darts up to the mousy ears. He takes another sip of the cocoa and shrugs. "Looks stuffy. It can't be comfortable."

[21kingpuddings]

You're being a great sport, Nico.

"A little bit stuffy, I guess. It's not like it's super easy to run around in or anything." It's not like he's going to be expected to do any wild tricks or anything while he's serving, though. The mouse ears swivel out to the side a little as he considers this. "It's not, like, totally uncomfortable either. I've been dressed up in worse."

[wakemelater]

If the ears are going to keep moving like that, he's not going to be able to not look at them. It's very distracting.

He wrinkles his nose at the mention of it not being easy to run around in. That's not a good idea. What if something happens and you need to run? Or fight?

But he has another question: "Why have you been in worse?" Please don't make him regret asking.

[21kingpuddings]

Don't worry, pal, it's nothing scandalous.

"I work as an idol back home," he explains. "So for stuff like photoshoots, they'd put us in super flashy costumes that weren't always comfortable." He gestures up around his head kind of vaguely, but elaborates, "Big hats, feathers, fancy hairdos, stuff like that."

[wakemelater]

"Idol?" Nico is not really up to date on all the modern stuff. Or maybe his world just doesn't have professional idols (how do you get a job like that?)

"So...you're like a model?"

[21kingpuddings]

"Sorta?" Except not entirely, modeling is only a part of what an idol is expected to do. "Mostly I sing and dance with my group," and here he puffs up a little extra in pride, "Some of us get hired for modeling jobs too, though."

[wakemelater]

This guy would fit right in as a child of Apollo. He probably gets a lot of views (he doesn't know what that means, but one of Apollo's sons boast about it a lot, so it must be important...)

"Are you famous?"

I

[daikonrose]

"Huh?" With a small start, Kyoko swivels her head away from the deep darkness ahead of them to look up at Tamaki. There are a couple blinks, but then she gives a sheepish giggle. "Ah--yes! Sorry, I kinda wasn't listening just now." Wow aren't you glad you brought such a great conversationalist out here to keep you company.

[21kingpuddings]

Hey, at least she's honest about it.

"S'alright," he replies with a faintly nervous little grin. "There's a lot of stuff to pay attention to out here so I get it," plenty to keep wary of while they busy themselves hanging up these crystals. "But say somethin' if you need a break, okay?"

[daikonrose]

Kyoko wheels an arm around, pumping a fist. Look at all this vim and vigor! Or something!

"I'm going strong!! Ready for anything! Ah-- I'm glad we could go together for something like this, though."

[21kingpuddings]

"Right?" The company is definitely highly appreciated, and having that company be a friendly face is the best he could ask for, really. "Gotta watch each other's backs while we get this all set up as fast as we can!"

With that thought in mind, give him a second to take a look around for a brief moment, just to make sure nothing's sneaking up on the two of them.

"Think it's gonna shape up out here the way it has back in town?"

[daikonrose]

"I wonder." Kyoko cast another long gaze out into the darkness. "I guess that's kinda in line with the ultimate goal, right? And there was stuff growing back near the barrier. But it seems like it'd take an awful lot to make everything out here right again."

[21kingpuddings]

"I don't remember it looking so awful back in the city, you know?" Obviously the natives had to pull the offworlders in before things got that bad, but still. "So it could take a long time to get this area good again. But I guess you never know in a place like this, huh?"

Magic nonsense and what have you.

[daikonrose]

"That's right--plants could start popping up out of nowhere tomorrow, couldn't they?" Kyoko mused as she paused to hoist up a conduit, giving the area a considering look. "About here would be good, right?"

[21kingpuddings]

"Here should be good," he nods, still not wanting to linger for too long. Here should be plenty good! No need to assess things too deeply. Let's get that conduit strung up, then. "Maybe thing's'll start popping up because of all of this, even. I guess we won't know until we see, huh?"

[daikonrose]

"We can't rule it out! Though I guess it would just be growing inside the path?" Here, she's just gonna let the tall fella handle the finer points of getting it up there, while she holds the pole steady. "A road of green leading through the darkness... or something like that."

[21kingpuddings]

Yeah, let him get this thing up. He's got this under control as long as she's got that base steady.

"That would be really impressive, but kinda spooky, too." Where would you be leading everyone to, hypothetical green path? "Wouldn't wanna go down that unless we know what's at the end."

I

[ghoulserrand]

He actually jumps at the voice. The exo-suit is smothering his sense of smell. Usually, he'd know there was a living person nearby well before anything was said.

And, in truth, he is honestly feeling on edge.

"... Yeah... Sorry... Just a little... jumpy..."

He glances around, scanning the walls for any more sign of that ghost he'd seen before. So far, nothing.

"It is... pretty spooky... My world isn't even... so dead..."

[21kingpuddings]

Jumpy is understandable, Tamaki's on edge as well. Heck, if he were to see one of those apparitions, he'd probably just leave on the spot and return to the safety of Havenwell's walls. They are not getting paid to deal with that. Ghost scary.

"It's really messed up... I don't know if it was anywhere near this bad in town when I first got here, either." Worse than it is now by far, but... ugh, he shudders thinking about how awful it would be if it were this creepy everywhere. "It's way different than my world, but is it more like the one you're from...?"

'Not so dead' still implies some level of deadness, after all.

[ghoulserrand]

The question surprises him a little, until he remembers that he never actually told Tamaki about the state of his world. Without that to compare to, this place would seem much worse. To be honest, out here, it is still pretty bad.

Nevertheless, he shakes his head.

"My world... is green... Getting more so... Animals still... going about..." Though not all of them the same as they were. Any cat or dog still left is well and feral now. "Apocalypse..." He explains. "Infection... undead... like in... the movies... But otherwise... the world is still... alive...."