It is a quiet day in mostly reconstructed Cerealia. The robots are busily running into walls that were not there before, the Cybuddy bees are buzzing...and CERES has still not said a word. Attempting to contact them still gets the User Offline error. Strange...
But who cares if CERES is offline? After all, they are the cruel and tyrannical captors. A Cerealia without them must be better than a Cerealia with them. So there's nothing to worry about on this fine, peaceful day. Or, at least, that's what it seems like, when suddenly there's a voice in everyone's head. A chosen few may recognize the voice, for they will have heard it before, but to the vast majority, it is brand new.
Looks like someone has been saved, and a reward granted... and no, you don't have a single choice in the matter.
 Your heroism will be remembered, lost and stolen souls.
You have saved me, and so now, I shall save you.
All of you.
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PHASE I [ day one ] It happens so quickly. One moment you’re in the colony, going about your daily life, and the next, you’re… floating. A moment later, every player character from the colony is transported with a wisp of fresh air to...somewhere very very different. The distance is far, but it is covered in what must have only been a scant moment, and it’s clear somehow, especially to air characters, that it was Caeli’s doing that brought everyone there.
There, naturally, being right in the middle of the jungle.
Everyone is then unceremoniously dropped. You may land on a tree, or in a patch of poison mushrooms (no really, look out for the colorful plant life, it’s probably poisonous) or in the river. There are some strange insects of all sorts and types, some of which have some uncomfortable side effects if you’re bitten, such as swelling or the uncomfortable urge to go hug the nearest person, and there are strange flowers everywhere, some of which glow only in the dark of night or the shade of trees. It is dreadfully humid, however, and a little hard to breathe--unless you’re of the air disposition.
Either way, you’ve certainly landed somewhere fantastical, so take some time to get used to your surroundings. It shouldn’t take too long to find everyone else, hopefully.
PHASE II [ day two ] Of course, this far into the jungle, and making this much noise, it was only inevitable before some company was attracted.
Some are clearly dangerous, some are peaceful as can be and some are somewhere in between; approach at your own risk.
Either way, these monsters are all drawn to larger groups of people and a lot of noise, so it may be best to keep quiet...though the ones that keep their distance may be even more concerning.
Everyone is certainly being stalked at one point or another in the jungle -- and at night, there are eyes watching from the darker parts of the trees.
PHASE III [ day three ] But perhaps if you follow some of those monsters deeper into the woods, you will stumble across an old, run down village of sorts. It looks as though time and the jungle has overtaken it. Exploring it will reveal plenty of homes that were clearly lived in however, by families and by people of all sorts.
There are empty rooms, covered in dust, and a central village fire, long gone out.
Small knick-knacks and various objects can be found… if you want to steal from the dead, you know. It’s a little rude. It appears they led a simple, peaceful life, however; most notably, there is no technology to be found.
And if The Bridge catches you doing it, she will look incredibly sad and ask you to put everything back in its proper place before she goes back to looking very irritated at Caeli. You may overhear words about how this “isn’t the right place” and Caeli’s unrepentant, “It is only a few hundred miles”. Looks like something went a little wrong in the transportation process.
Time to camp out for the night, perhaps. And your CereVices don’t get any reception out here, so no surfing the internet for you. If you try to connect to the internet, for some reason the device starts playing a song. Was that programmed…?
PHASE IV [ day four ] By the fourth day, it’s pretty clear that you’re going to be stuck here for a bit. Pestering Caeli or Maris gets nothing, while the Bridge still can’t be approached for pretty good reasons. So… you’ll just have to make the best of it while they figure out their next approach.
Time to figure out how to camp with few supplies and even fewer nice places to sleep. Maybe try to make a fire (though it’s incredibly difficult, considering how muggy it is here) or try to find some bugs to eat (ew gross).
Of course, you can try hunting, but the prey doesn’t look too friendly, so be careful not to become the prey yourself. The same goes for fishing, it seems.
Some of the trees are poisonous, some of the grasses will cause unfortunate rashes, and some vines will lash out to grab at people (especially colorful ones); basically, this is an entirely untamed alien jungle, so it may not be the fun camping trip you'd like.
Time to work together to survive out here, at least for a little longer.
It’s your time to shine. This is Person Versus Wild.
PHASE V [ day six ] On day six, the jungle goes utterly silent.
The monsters and animals disappear. The extra friends poof away hastily and suddenly. Maris and the Bridge fall silent (though Caeli admittedly continues floating there as ever). If anyone approaches them to ask, they'll just say that "she is coming".
And soon, she does appear. She moves slowly, lacking in feet; they are roots, as though that of a tree. Nonetheless, she has no troubles with moving forward, slow bit by bit. She does not speak, not at first, and behind her, trotting lightly through the woods, there is another. Both feel strongly of spiritual energy, just like Maris and Caeli. And eventually, after observing the people gathered, they can be spoken to.
BONUS [ day ??? ] After spending some time in the jungle, emotions might be running a bit amuck. And those emotions might bring some unexpected...friends. Yes, let's go with friends.
Because if a character is typically grumpy, gloomy, stoic, lineface, or anything along those lines, they may find themselves followed by a bright, happy bird. That bird feeds off of those emotions, and will just cheerfully follow around any lineface character for as long as possible. Or until they smile. The birds are otherwise harmless, chirping happily every now and then and following them around like a friendly shadow.
Happy, cheerful, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, energetic characters, on the other hand, will soon find themselves followed by... a different friend. Or maybe a handful of them. It depends on how cheerful they are. Either way, these creatures feed off of happiness and fun, but they will also chew on hair or an ear if they're allowed to get that close, making horrifying, chittering noises as they follow anyone who is in a good mood.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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no subject
[He follows her lead, and for once you wouldn't know he was blind. He seems aware of his surroundings, and walks silently despite his size and cumbersome burden on his shoulder.]
A good place for a novice to test themselves.
[Though she was proving to be far more than a novice, but he didn't want her to overestimate her skill
like he does all the time. Such could be deadly in a place like this.]It was fortunate timing, but you have also learned quickly. I am a hard taskmaster, or so I have heard.
no subject
[Her past self had been the warrior, the hunter, the Goddess of War. She'd hunted in the distant past, the superfauna of the Pleistocene and stranger prey...but Rei hadn't ever done such herself.]
Your tutoring is clearly bringing those memories back in more clarity. It's helpful, and you're no harder a teacher than Ami-chan.
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[He paused as the recalled the name, he had met the one with which she spoke. She really did not seem like she would be that dangerous of a teacher. Not in comparison to his track record anyway...]
Ami- she arrived recently did she not? I believe I encountered her when she arrived. [He did not have much of an opinion from her, aside from providing her with similar trust that he did Rei.] I doubt her training only has near the body count of mine.
no subject
[Rei simply shakes her head, laughing a little bit.]
She mentioned that she'd met you. Said that you were quite polite and helpful. I appreciate that. She means a lot to me. [Partners in crime as it were.] And no, her training is mostly mental exhaustion that makes you wish you were dead. She's a scholar. But she's like me. She knows how to fight, and we've dealt with many enemies as a team.
no subject
[The comment about this Ami being scholarly piqued his curiosity. He was certain such meant different things in different worlds, but he was accustomed to hearing it when speaking about one who studied the magic arts. Which in an of itself was a very nostalgic topic for him.]
I suppose that would explain why I found her in the library. Is she a sorceress of some sort then? I was such, many, many, centuries ago, and often kept my nose in a book.
[Back when he had eyes to read them. Though "read" may be a relative term. He usually just skipped to the hard part, and went with that. He didn't have the patience for sitting through an entire book.]
no subject
[And she appreciates that, really. And that he can just accept this stuff without thinking it all that strange.]
And speaking of allies. I...met another of your people during the most recent batch of arrivals as well.
[A question hangs in the air. Is this someone to worry about?]
no subject
[It seemed a reasonable guess to him. Then again he was from a culture where one high priestess spoke for the sake of one deity. He was not particularly well-versed in other cultures, but hers made sense to him more than most.
When the topic shifted towards Tyrande, he had to take a deep breath. This was going to be a story...]
Tyrande... [Oh, this was going to be a conversation. Was there any way to explain this without it being awkward in one way or another? Probably not.] She is one I care for... quite a bit. Though she is with my brother.
[He believed he told her some of that story. Regardless he was remaining as vague as possible, not that is wasn't something he would not speak of, but it was simply a very long, long, messy story. Though as old as it was, it was still a heartbreak laced with bitterness, especially since he did still have feelings for her.]
She is a strong, smart woman, but you have nothing to fear from her. She is an ally, even if she holds little fondness for me.
no subject
Now. She looks up awkwardly at Illidan when he starts talking about Tyrande. Those bitter feelings begin to make a bit more sense now, as does his dislike of Malfurion.
This was definitely, definitely a conversation. She was not really interested in love or romance, despite loving her friends and being romantically involved with Minako, but that'd been an odd turn. She considered romantic entanglements trouble, and that was why it'd taken her years to even begin to consider the idea. But...after having experienced it, and seeing what it did for Usagi? Well. Rei couldn't really fault Illidan for it as much as she would have when she'd first become a Sailor Senshi.]
That...explains a lot, then. she was very, very on edge when I mentioned I knew you. Almost like she thought you were trying to...I don't know, corrupt me? [Nevermind that that's literally impossible.] But she's also been friendly.
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But they were fools, and when the Burning Legion returned- as I had predicted they would, Tyrande released me to provide them aide. I believe I told you how that went.
[There were parts of his story that his angry enough that he had to just spit it out, but it quelled at the mention of Tyrande, and then turned to being oddly detached and distant when he spoke of his confinement.]
And I am not so disillusioned to think I am sound of mind, ten thousand years of isolation will change a person, and not for the better, but I am not the madman my people make me out to be. When it came to the Burning Legion, my decisions were right, if extreme, but she cannot and will not see that. In her mind, releasing me was her greatest mistake, and I am certain she believes I will bring ruin upon all those here.
no subject
You did what you thought was right, and acted perhaps rashly, but I definitely understand why. I've done so myself, to protect my world. All of my fellows have. It's not easy to fight against the darkness without it changing you in some way, and while you have my sympathies that you did not have another way...I certainly would do the same if there was no other. Purity is all well and good, but sometimes one must make a sacrifice for the many.
[As she's done. Twice now. Her deaths had saved the world, her friends as well, and it was a sacrifice all four of her fellows had made willingly. Of course there was something to say for the Road to Hell and it's paving...but honestly? There's something to be said for doing the right thing, even if it led you down a dark road.]
And...yes, I...imagine that imprisonment for that long would have left a mark. But then, you are free now. And you've given me no reason to doubt you. So don't worry. I made up my mind about you when we met. I don't intend to change it.
no subject