« 020 ⇢ EVENT020_OVERFLOW.EXE »

[reparator]

Who: Everyone who was once in Cerealia, plus some guest stars
When: OOC: 10/01 - 10/12 ; IC: 3/15 - 3/21
Where: The wide, vast jungles of Tellus. Cerealia is nowhere to be found
What: A special reward frees everyone from the clutches of Cerealia; too bad nobody's competent around here.
Rating/Warning: PG-13: Some scary images, some violence. Please let the mods know if the rating goes up or the log needs to be locked!

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//event020.EXE

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.

//SCENARIOS.EXE

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. ]

//RUN.EXE

Welcome to Cerealia's October event! Please visit the OOC information here, and should you have any questions, feel free to ask them here! You can also check the FAQ for more general inquiries. This event will last for the month of October, or IC 3/15 to 3/30. This log will last from 10/01 to 10/12 or IC 3/15 to 3/21. Should this event log hit Captcha, there is an all-purpose overflow here. Please treat this like a jungle mingle log, and feel free to make your own logs in estoria in the jungle as well! You'll be here for a little while, so go crazy and get some exploring in. Feel free to contact the mods if you have any questions on what can be found in the jungle in any given area. Thank you!

Comments

Miles Edgeworth | always open

[prosecutory]

[Continued from here, overflows to follow when I'm less sick and less buried in schoolwork.]

Phoenix

[prosecutory]

[The horse, however, skids to a halt on its way toward Phoenix. It sniffs the air, lets out a shrill whinny, and suddenly veers away from him, tearing toward the nearest clump of trees and disappearing. Somehow, it doesn't burn its path or the trees it passes by.

Edgeworth can't help it; his jaw drops at that strange new behavior. He focuses on the path the horse had taken.]

I suppose we can consider this case dismissed?

[Why had it decided to flee now? What an odd creature...]

[bewrightback]

[Well, that was odd. Phoenix had flinched as it drew near. Then he just looked on in a mix of relief and surprise as the horse turned away. But how and why...?

Now Phoenix just looks confused as he walks back towards Edgeworth.]

I don't get it. What made it leave? Do I... smell, or something? [He raises his sleeve to sniff at it. But it smells... well, whatever the 'normal' smell is for people stuck in a jungle for several days.]

[prosecutory]

I don't -

[Edgeworth freezes, the words dying on his lips. He's looking at something just behind Phoenix...a looming, giant rhinoceros monster that seems to be covered in moss and flowers. At first, it had seemed like nothing but a hill, until it moved...

It was so huge...he wasn't sure he could take it on. All he could probably do was stab it in the foot and run.]

Wright. [Edgeworth begins backing away slowly and as quietly as he can. He tries this very best to keep his voice low and steady.] We should leave, as well.

Yang

[prosecutory]

Our so-called saviors didn't even bother to provide us with a map.

[Edgeworth shakes his head as he squats down to take a closer look at his poor, bedraggled cravat. Any bird drool on it doesn't look different from...well, how normal drool would look like.]

[flaredo]

[ Just let it be dead, Edgeworth. It's lived a long, ruffly life. ]

No one ever gives you a map in a giant place of greenery, you know. You're supposed to explore it for yourself!

[prosecutory]

If they really wanted to save us, they should have at least equipped us first before sending us into the wilderness.

[But if he left it here...wouldn't it be littering?]

Oz

[prosecutory]

Where did you see the Bridge?

[He starts looking around yet again, as if expecting a new party to join their conversation. Was it the earth spirit?]

[harepiece]

[IF ONLY but no, the only thing accompanying them on their jungle excursion today is the sound of eerily unnatural silence. Seems the spooky thing Edgeworth caught sight of scared everything else away...]

Ah - back there a little bit. [Gesturing over his shoulder!] She's walking with Maris and Caeli.

Link

[prosecutory]

[It is certainly long enough that Edgeworth crouches down, and eventually, sits. He ignores the possible damage to his suit; other things were more important right now. He keeps a watchful eye on the stuff Link left behind, and on the environment. There are distant bird calls in the distance, a wind blows past...but no sign of the boy returning.

It is just as Edgeworth is contemplating following Link despite the risk of getting lost himself that the latter does come back, well and unhurt and clutching something...

Edgeworth stands back up and peers at the thing, which is a gray feather. A particularly large specimen.]

Hmm...could a bird have been watching me, or something made to look like one...?

[72hr]

Not sure. I didn't find any tracks or other signs of a particular animal, but if it stays in the trees, that would be why.

[Or it could be something very stealthy too, of course, but if that's the case and an animal like that exists here, the whole forest isn't safe. Link lifts the leather belt strapped around his torso up from his shoulder, starting to remove his sword and shield off again.]

You good with that weird sword of yours, mister? If you're worried, better not go any farther unless you're prepared.

Takeru

[prosecutory]

[Takeru is not in luck. The bird isn't scary and the bugs go about their merry buggy business despite its presence. If anything, the bird is more interested in hopping all around Edgeworth, chirping.]

Many birds eat insects; I wonder if this is one such bird.

[Then I will have finally found a use for it.]

[cresthopes]

Then do you think he can eat the bugs for me? Can't you tell him to do that?

[Takeru mumbled to himself before one of the bugs started pulling on one of his hair!]

Anything would help at this point, I want the bugs to get off of me! [He didn't mean to sound like he was whining since that would get him nowhere! But still...the bugs were getting on his nerves!!]

Nice

[prosecutory]

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. [The colony was unpredictable enough as it was, but this...vast wilderness? Edgeworth would rather be surrounded by civilization.] I wonder if our so-called saviors will realize that this is hardly helpful...?

[topscores]

[Same, Edgeworth.]

Probably not. They seem kind of clueless. Maybe kind of selfish too, like in a way where they're thinking "we hate it here, so everyone must hate it here. We'll just move them!"

[He's just going to complain forever, sorry Edgeworth.]

Yu

[prosecutory]

No, thankfully. [A shake of the head.] If we're lucky, they won't be widespread throughout the jungle and we can just find a place with less of them...or preferably, none at all.

[covenantal]

Let's keep moving. You're right. At the very least, we can find a place where they aren't so thick. I don't know if we'll be lucky enough for none. [ With faint humor.

He'll take a few steps through the brush, pushing a branch out of his face. ]

I think I last saw a group of colonists heading this way.

Korra

[prosecutory]

Yes, they missed. [Narrowly, but he doesn't add that. He endures Korra's scrutinizing stare before adding:]

The plain red and green fruits, though somewhat bumpy, are edible. If I'm correct, the riper ones are green.

[WEIRD SPACE JUNGLE FRUIT.]

[braavado]

Oh, thanks! [Korra perks up with just a hint of relief. Though she's figured out a few things herself, it's always good to add to their list of "edible" things in case they can't find one or the other.]

You've already tried those? There's a few I'm sure are safe, too. Maybe we should compare notes.

Vietnam

[prosecutory]

We can't use them to call or send messages...but is the camera still working?

[Maybe. He watches Vietnam take out her CEREvice and begins pulling his own out of his pocket. If it is, then they could at least collect lots of evidence while they were here.]

[hoasen]

[She looks and turns the device around a few times.] I can go into it...should we test it first?

phase ii-b

[lovemguns]

[ He just thought he saw something earlier which was why he abandoned his sleeping spot to have a look, He didn't mean to startle someone. He grins at the man. ]

Jus' a fellow lost person 's all. Howdy, Mr Edgeworth.

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth relaxes, letting out a breath and blinking. He was very sure that those branches had moved...]

Mr...Maxwell, is it? [Ah, right, wouldn't a man like him appreciate the wilderness? He had wanted a real live horse or something.]

Makoto

[prosecutory]

[Right, vines. They were thicker, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Edgeworth stands up and is about to open his mouth to reply, to tell Makoto that yes, vines would work in a pinch, but the sound, the noise that reverberated in his ears and almost through his entire being, makes him stop. He cranes his neck toward the general direction of that sound; it came from the river.

Edgeworth's eyes widen, and for a moment his feet move as if wanting to flee. Instead, he bends down and picks up the spear he had just carved out of a tree branch, offering it to Makoto.]

Yes, I did. [He steps closer to the teenager, dropping his voice.] It came from -

[Before he could finish his observation, he notices the river begin to bubble and froth upstream, the muffled roar becoming louder and noticeably less muffled.]

[cordated]

[ surprisingly, makoto never put much stock into the legend of the kraken. sea goblins (which are real, excuse you), mermaids, sirens, eldritch abominations from the deep — all of them fell into the same category of weird, abnormal creatures he (once) desperately hoped to never meet in any lifetime or face the inevitability of being eaten or forcibly dragged into the deep, but octopi usually only occupied some other ambiguous category. never truly acknowledged, in that respect, or he'd never get sleep again.

so, namely, that's what's happening right now. some unholy abomination is rising from the stream to confront them. or part of one, at least, judging from the strange appendage that wraps around one leg in record speed. he's staring at it, really staring at it, eyes blown wide to saucers. ]

A-a-a-a-a ...

[ past the point of coherent speaking, he's making a wild grab for the spear conveniently positioned at edgeworth's side, but as it turns out, there are more pressing matters to currently surmount, such as the second tentacle somehow snaking up ... from his companion's blind spot ... ]

B-Behind you!