recollecters: (Default)
Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] recolle2019-03-07 05:41 pm

March 2019 Event Log

EVENT
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Some mild animal violence (Prompt 2), grotesque monsters (Prompt 3), rabid animals (Prompt 4)
Prologue.
The liaison has made plenty of preparations and stability measures to ensure that those traveling onward will be safe. With about a week to pack and prepare, users will find that there's a stroke of luck as they begin hunting and gathering. There isn't a shortage of supplies, and anything they could think of they may possibly need for their missions outside of the city will appear right within reach.

As promised, it's the morning of the seventh that a map appears on the Retrospec app. The first map depicts the city itself and shows a starred point at the Recollé Zoo and Aquarium. There are two more points at the Atrium and at the Recollé Art Museum, though these are marked with question marks. Not long after, a new text will come through.

Portal should be good to go. Same with the map. If you can make it back to the portal while you're down there you'll transport right back to where you left. I'll see about opening a second one, but the map only goes so far. You're going to have to explore a bit to fill in the rest. We're looking at an abandoned research camp by the ocean. We're also looking for a factory in the mountains, so keep your eyes peeled. You're diving right into what was his territory, so hard to say what traps and monsters are down there. Stay sharp.

Rescue ops, buses will go out periodically. Don't worry, they'll be driving themselves. Head into the region, sweep the area, make sure ALL citizens are out. There should be about 500 of them left by my count.

Oh and…I don't know what's going on in town but might be worth looking into, too. Let me know your findings.

I'll be in touch.


Pick your poison, Retrospecters. There's a lot of things going on suddenly.
I.
Several of you may be brave enough to dive right through the portal pinpointed at the zoo, a silver door that gleams against the brickstone building leading into the facility. It doesn't seem to catch the attention of the average citizen, but it's easily recognizable to those who have prepared themselves in the previous months. This time, however, instead of opening the door and falling down through endless darkness, citizens who venture onward will find themselves on a slippery slope leading down a sharp, icy winding path right. The journey itself takes about ten minutes, and the longer you slide the more you'll find other ice banisters to jump and dodge over. You may find others sliding along with you and you'll have to work together to break apart large chunks of frosted debris before you crash right into it. Keep your senses sharp and your reflexes sharper.

Despite the hairpin turns and the slick ride all the way down, all users will eventually find themselves in the sixth layer and landing in a large pile of snow. The map on your device lights up revealing three different paths. The first path leads straight ahead, the path to the west appears to lead to an ocean and the path to the east leads to the mountains. Looking down, users will find several pairs of footprints leading in these three directions as though they aren't the first to arrive. They'll have to pick for themselves...

For the adventurers who walk the straight and narrow path, the snow become thicker and deeper, making travel difficult to proceed through. The winds pick up and the chill in the air sinks straight down into your bones. It's hard to see anything as you walk, but for those who concentrate on the ground rather than what's ahead they'll come to find that out of the corner of their eye they'll see the shift of the snow.

Closer examination leads users to sense that the snow continues to shift and turn as something lurks beneath it, pushing snow out of the way to try and bury the users walking through. Whatever's out there is determined to head for the east and the west, hunting down whoever chose to wander down those paths. The snow begins to act as quicksand, sucking you in slowly and pulling you under the frosted layers of ice. For those strong enough or clever enough to get through the snow, you'll find what appears to be a crystalized cave that's cracked in the center as hundreds of ice creatures pour out through the opening and dive into the snow to begin their hunt. Their intent is to stop anyone from straying too far toward the east and the west and they'll do anything they can to knock explorers off their feet.

Look out and be attentive! These creatures can be stopped via physical combat, fire, traps and more. And if you're ambitious enough…? Let's see what you can do about that cave. Ready to be the first line of defense? Don't freeze up.
II.
The west-bound path seems less snowy and slippery, allowing for users to travel pretty efficiently. The temperature continues to drop and it appears that while the snow is thinner here the chill is enough to keep the area frozen around it. It almost seems like smooth sailing from there, actually, as travelers approach an arctic expanse of land covered in patches of ice and bordering an ocean. Floating in the center of the ocean on a few ice caps are three different buildings of varying sizes and shapes, drifting aimlessly but never straying too far from the shore. Everything seems peaceful and quiet…

…maybe a little too quiet? The silence is extraordinary and while the area appears clear, you aren't alone. As you look out toward the ocean, a whale breeches the surface and lets out a low, long call. As you stand still, a shadow zips in front one of the houses, immediately engulfing the whale and devouring it before your eyes as it drags the mammal back under the surface. Despite how much you look, the shadows are nowhere to be found. An owl hoots in the distance, and another creature appears before the owl, too, is silenced.

A glance at your map will prove that this is, in fact, where you're destined to go and that this must be the research camp that must be explored and dismantled. Wisps of darkness linger around the buildings but the distinct lack of other signs of life may be worrying. The creatures will appear for those who draw attention to themselves, anything that makes a noise or very fast, sudden movements. Wooden bridges connect these three buildings to the shore and to one another, allowing travelers to cross the ocean and reach them…but do be wary of the wood. It's old and rotted and places of the bridge may snap beneath your feet and sink you straight into the frigid water. Don't scream.

Getting to the buildings can be the easy part for those who take it slow or find alternate means of travel such as digging through the snow and unearthing boats. It's exploring the buildings that will be difficult. Cabinets are bound to creak, floorboards will waver and slip and doors will fall off of the hinges. Sounds will be amplified and draw the attention of the shadow-y creatures, but those who are quick enough to dodge or can sense that they're coming will have enough time to hide. Be quiet; the sound will alert them to your location as they're on the prowl.

Working together, those on the research side of things will find several items including medical journals, charts, and reports by a Dr. James Halliday. Some members of the city may very well recall that name. Vials similar to those found in the hospital under the city of Recollé are frozen in chunks of ice and will have to be whittled out for safe keeping without alerting the creatures that circle the buildings. There are no electronics here, but there's an old radio for communications, clawed to pieces by something or other.

Outside of the buildings one can hear the snarling and braying of animals fighting off the creatures that find them. It's loud enough to serve as a distraction, but don't get too comfortable. If you're loud enough, the creatures will change direction and slither back into the building, tendril-esque limbs wrapping around you to begin trying to pull you apart and drag you under.

You can try to scare them off with a counter-noise or distract them another way…but you better be fast. They won't take no for an answer once they've found their prey.

The research facilities may stay standing, but your mission is to get in and out as quickly and quietly as possible with as many resources as you can. How far will you go?
III.
Maybe you're up for a true rugged adventure instead and head east toward the mountain range that stretches high into a dark, inky sky. These snow-capped peaks are nestled closely together, forcing adventurers to walk on narrow paths and stick together, climb to new ledges and push onward into the heart of the mountain range. There is a high risk of falling the higher you climb. You may wish to anchor yourself just in case.

As you climb higher, it becomes clear that there's a flat surface at the top that's supported by the mountains themselves. A gray, iced over building sits in the center and smoke billows out of the chimneys in little wispy curls. Signs of activity? It's strange to think that perhaps you aren't as alone as you thought.

Don't blink. The ice disappears the closer you get and the doors are wedged open with an abandoned, broken dog sled. Unidentifiable bones and remains of a research party can be found buried in the snow around this space and the longer you stand in one spot the stronger you'll feel the vibrations of the earth beneath you. Off in the distance, a loud rush of snow begins to fall, an avalanche sliding its way downward to somewhere below.

The sound of electric drills and machinery echo inside the factory, and as you enter the building it's hard to pinpoint which direction the sound is coming from. It seems to bounce off of every wall, and though the building is dimly lit navigation is complicated without an additional light source. If you were smart and packed a flashlight or a lantern of some kind, the path before you lights up. The factory walls are covered in a dark red substance, ancient hieroglyphs marked into the surface depicting scenes of ruin. It will take several attempts to find all of the hieroglyphs around the building, but putting them together and comparing notes visitors may realize they tell a story of an equally ancient race that inhabited this planet, taking it for their own to begin creating a new race of genetically enhanced human beings. As more of the pictures are discovered under thick layers of dust and sheets of ice, an increasing sense of paranoia settles in. The light you've obtained begins to flicker just a little, and it's with a sense of dawning dread that you realize you're not alone. This story tells a tale of the city of Recollé, but it isn't finished yet.

The grinding mechanical noises grow louder as the walls shift closer together. The hieroglyphs begin to imprint themselves on the back of your eyelids, on your hands, anywhere you look they seem to follow you to tell the story of elders that have a different plan and a method of hybrid creation.

Whether it's by skill or by luck, if you stay in the factory long enough you'll come across the source of the grinding equipment. In the center of the room is a large structure made of ice and metal, creaking and groaning as cranes and drills continue to put it together. At its full height it rises up several stories, and as your footsteps echo in the factory every single eye opens to fixate on you. Designed to reflect every thought, action and task, this creature will feed upon your paranoia and your identity to reflect itself to your companions and turn you against one another. Negative emotions will be amplified, and the more fear that's felt the harder it will be to break the surface of your thoughts and fight back.

A bit of exploring will reveal there are two smaller forms of this creation as well acting as back-ups to begin processing every bit of who you are to create a new set of data. The room lights up, binary scrolling over the walls and depictions of your life events rapidly flying by.

Another machine to collect data? You know what to do by now. Find a way to help one another focus and work on destroying the machine eye by eye and bit by bit. The whole facility will have to go, but you may wish to clear the area first and ensure you aren't missing bits of the story.

And let's not forget…you'll still have to find your way back down the mountain trails with the avalanches following you. Best of luck.
IV.
For those with a different set of skills in mind, the region of Magatus will need you. The seven hour trip is long and draining, but a new bus leaves every three days to take parties to the area and drop them off. This time, however, the buses won't leave until they're at full capacity.

How lucky.

The northern lights above the region are no longer the beautiful purple-green haze that they were, but rather they begin to flake apart as gray bleeds into the sky. Fish begin to appear in the lake's surface, floating belly-up dead as the water gently ripples below them. The howling of wolves is louder than usual, anguished and worried. The usual resident wolf of the area, Magnus, is nowhere to be seen, however.

The residents of Magatus are hard-pressed to speak to anyone despite having a good trade system set up with the city of Recollé. They'll be more likely to tell visiting citizens to mind their own business or even approach with threats of violence. They will have to be convinced that something is coming and that they must evacuate immediately, though each person is different. Some will come quietly if there's a hint of danger while others will have to see physical proof to fully understand. The little town accounts for several hundreds of people, but not all of them. Some of you will have to brave the mountains here, too, to warn those who live in total isolation.

While many of you may be working on negotiations and helping residents of Magatus pack their belongings and load onto the buses, those who delve further into the mountains should stick together. While the wolves bay and snarl, it's bears, raccoons and deer that residents should look out for. With glowing red eyes and white foam drizzling from their mouths, the bears and raccoons rush for an attack to block anyone from climbing up the mountain ridge to the houses there. Deer charge, antlers down and aimed to gouge anyone who gets too close. It'll take a team of combatants to fight off these monstrous creatures and get to the houses above. Should you earn a scratch or a bite, the wound will quickly turn black and begin to scab over as primal instincts begin to set in. The ability to speak and form cohesive thoughts will begin to lessen the longer the wound goes untreated…but it's a long way back. If you can rescue some of the villagers in the mountains, they will have a vaccination to help, but that's if you can get to them first.

As time goes on and more people begin to evacuate, the rest of the region should begin to realize there's a problem. Help them close their shops, gather their cherished belongings and prepare for a long trip back to the city. They'll need people to help them stay calm in these trying times as the sky continues to fragment and filter out above and snow begins to fall.

But the journey's not over. It's a long way back to the city, and as buses begin to roll out onto the road a snowstorm settles in. Winds whip and roar as the buses shake, and some of you may need to jump in and manually maneuver the vehicles to safety. Road blockages and whiteouts will occur, leaving you to navigate yourself home. Hail will pelt the windows and the roof and the windshield wipers can't clear away the sleet fast enough. But if you can find a way to communicate with one another, you'll stand a better chance following each other on the way home and bringing these people to safety.

But can you work together? Don't hesitate to phone a friend.
INTERLUDE.
But what about the city itself? Never fear, for spring is here! The city has seen the last of its snow and the sun makes its presence known again. New life begins to appear as flowers bloom and birds sing. Creativity is in the air, and as March settles in citizens of all kinds will begin to notice two large domes now encompass the entrance to the Atrium and the Recollé Art Museum.

Shall we see what the fuss is about?
V.
For those of you who choose to head to the art museum, it seems that a new display has opened! "Modern Living" depicts life in the city of Recollé with art pieces and sculptures inspired by buildings and famous figureheads of the city including the police chief, the fire department, and Mayor Mayer. It's a fairly small display but it's the pride of the city for now.

While you're here though, perhaps you should check out the rest of the museum. When was the last time you really took a look at the art on display? Have you ever stopped to appreciate that gorgeous Van Gogh painting or the marble bust of Julius Caesar? With several replicas of the most famous works of art hanging from the walls and on the floor in display cases it's hard not to want to take a closer look.

However, something strange seems to be afoot. Wasn't the Mona Lisa looking the other way? Why did the pair in that copy of American Gothic suddenly switch places? And better yet…why is the Girl with the Pearl Earring standing ten feet to your left just out of her frame? Everywhere you look the art pieces begin to take on a life of their own, crawling their way out of their frames the moment you aren't looking and slipping out of the museum into the city. It's called Modern Living, isn't it? These pieces wish to be on display everywhere and explore life outside of the box and will stop at nothing to get their way. Mythical creatures will soar through the Starry Night as the Persistence of Memory warps the Birth of Venus near Peach Beach. The longer they remain out and about, the more the city begins to change around you as it attempts to adapt to the influx of culture and life.

You may find that you don't want to send these pieces back right away, actually. Some of them are quite talkative and may even befriend some people! Others, however, seem to want to find replacements so they may spend more time outside of the museum, capturing an unwitting suspect to drag back toward their frames and lock them away. That's unfortunate, isn't it?

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While the art wishes to imitate you, perhaps it's time for you to imitate the art and convince them just why they're needed back at the museum…and if that doesn't work? Good luck rounding everyone up. You'll have to frame them for their crimes and put them back where they belong.
VI.
Not an art person? Don't sweat it. The Atrium is proud to present the city's Battle of the Bands contest, set for the last weekend in March. Sign-ups are open until the day of the show but the city's hard at work preparing for the big event. New equipment is purchased and tested, the stage is cleaned up and polished, and the lights…

…wait, what happened to the lights? Electricians and employees alike can't seem to figure out why the light source isn't kicking in at the Atrium, and even flipping the breakers doesn't seem to be cutting it. The area's pitch black and the back-up generator seems to be dead. As the date of the contest gets closer, employees grow more desperate and are prone to grabbing anyone off the street to beg for their help.

"Hey, can you help us out? We can't seem to find the problem."

What can you do about it? Maybe nothing, but maybe you're the type who's just curious enough or kind-hearted enough to agree to check things out. As you enter the concert venue, the darkness makes it harder than ever to navigate where you're going. It's dark and still but as you take another step further a high-pitched, scratching sort of noise can be heard from the rafters. Shining a flashlight or your cell phone light up above will reveal a large leathery wing darting out of sight, claws grazing the wood.

That's not good, is it? Gather around, Retrospecters. Looks like you found the problem. It's a high climb up above, and fighting in the dark isn't ideal, but if you're brave enough you can swing yourself up on the catwalk and come face to face with a skeletal bat-like creature. A crackling, electric sound seems to come from the monster itself, and it's only when someone lands the first hit that a bit of light disperses and returns to one of the bulbs in the ceiling. The creature's fast and crafty and will shock anyone that gets to close. It's hard to keep up and the bat's willing to absorb as much of the light as possible. If you can figure out a way to trap it you can bring it down to ground level and go to town. As the light fades from the creature itself it shrinks smaller and smaller until it's the size of a fruit bat, a tiny spark that can be disposed of in its own way. It'll try to fight back and may even shock you again, but at this size it's not so bad.

…too bad there's more than one of them, a total of five lurking around that continually take over once one bat's been defeated. Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, doesn't it? How enlightening.
NOTES.
Welcome to [community profile] recolle's March event log!

You can claim four freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread confronting an art piece. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie tackling the electricity problem in the concert hall. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread on the second log exploring an area in the Mythos layer of Magatus (prompts 1-3). This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for helping with the evacuation of Magatus.


Please see the mod reporting thread below to report how your character is doing! Did they take out one of the bats? Have they rescued twenty people from Magatus? Are they infected by one of the animals in the mountains? This is for tracking and also to determine how Magatus is doing by the check-in point (3/17) and will help determine the address of the second Retrospec post.

Finally, any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for additional information as well!
cardcaptured: <user name=tanabata> (22)

[personal profile] cardcaptured 2019-03-08 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
So... if someone were to hit the bats with an electric attack... would that make things better, or a lot worse...
hauntedsavior: (Default)

[personal profile] hauntedsavior 2019-03-08 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
i. here's those spoils of war that you asked for

Well. Anna was going to be concerned about the weather, but it seems right now she can get by with nothing extra but an old balaclava she dug out of her closet. The only thing that might tip people off, other than the almost surgical precision of her blade against these ice creatures, is the seam running along her neck, just about right in the middle. She's not putting much effort into covering it up, but it's definitely there, a break in her skin from where it goes from flesh to... whatever her deal is now.

Her gold-trimmed white eyepatch sits firm on her face, and her bangs are tucked under her hat so she doesn't have to worry about her hair freezing. Gripped tightly in hands that could be gloved, but definitely aren't, is her katana, and she's going to town on these fucking ice creatures. They just keep pouring out, but she's leaving spiderwebs in the floor of the ice cavern with every dramatic leap and slam of her blade against the frozen ground. She's taking out a few with every slash of her blade, precise and deadly and fast. Honestly, Anna feels cool, and that's not a temperature joke. She's just glad to be helping out on the frontlines again.

During a break in the flow, she brings herself to her full height and leans against the wall parallel with her blade. "There's gotta be a better way to handle these assholes."

ii. gears turning that no wrench can attack

This is literally the biggest pain in the ass in the world. Anna knows that she's got to get to this camp, she knows that because shit's getting weirder she's probably on the right track, and she knows that there's only gonna be worse shit waiting for her once she actually gets there.

Problem is she's not going to get there at this rate. You know what happens when you throw a heavy-ass robot into the snow? Same thing that happens when you throw anything else in. She's stuck up to her waist, but she's figured out by now that making noise is definitely not the right idea. Problem is she can't push herself out, either, because her arms are metallic too and they keep pressing into the snow more instead of giving her the leverage she needs to get out.

She's just struggling not to crunch too loudly and looking around in vain for anyone to help her pathetic robotic ass, and she can't even call out for help if she spots someone. She feels like she went over to her buddy's house and ate too much honey or something.

vi. i never wanted the fame or the limelight

Anna's re-tuning her bass to that old EADG standard that she's starting to pick up by ear after a month or so of steady practice, and honestly it's gotten way easier since her robot torso kicked in. She's definitely not as torn up about this as she was about her eye, but she'd had time to get used to the idea she'd be turning into a robot. She's in the middle of pounding out some dead-simple bass lick to get her mechanical fingers stretching properly when the power cuts.

Her head looks up towards the rafters, and she narrows her eye. "Are you fucking kidding me? Come on." She's mostly muttering to herself, and she takes her bass off and rests it on the amp and heads backstage to just. Bitch for a while instead of doing anything about it.

"Work up the nerve to enter my ass in this thing and the whole atrium blows a fuse. Of course." It's too dark to see who she's bitching to, but she's sure doing it loudly.

x. you had a hard time, bring yourself to glory [wildcard]

((hit me up here or at [plurk.com profile] roseward for anything else!!))
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (Default)

Re: MOD QUESTIONS

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-03-08 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
So the cave...if someone...say summons a fire giant and maybe CUT the cave to cause a cave in...that ought to do it right?

Also how vulnerable are they to fire? The severity of the storm?

Or in other words for the central path, how useful are Al's flames going to be? In melting the snow, fighting the monsters, maybe dealing with the cave, etc
breakingvoice: (a little fucking louder)

[personal profile] breakingvoice 2019-03-08 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
iii. faking a smile i'm on the ride of my life

None of this is... good, is the first thing Lina thinks. She isn't worried about the cold as much, even though she's bundled up as much as she can be. She has a scarf, she has a sweater, they're both pulled up over her mouth. She's got fuzzy boots and thick pants and she's still feeling just absolutely bitterly cold, and that's just. All of that is secondary to the path she had to take to get up here. Everything she encountered on the way, tugging herself up with her enhanced strength with little concern about her body or being human anymore.

Because she's not. And because if her family isn't willing to work together to figure something out, she has to do this herself. She has to take things into her own hands, no matter how terrifying they are. But the problem is that the more she sees, the more she reads by the light of her phone, the less even the original Carmelina Geteilt felt like a human. Before Two. If she was designed for this, if she was supposed to become a vessel for other souls like she's heard about before, then it means... the story that this place is telling means that she was never human. Doesn't it?

She has to stop, she has to rest her head, and she does it by crossing her arms and using them as a makeshift pillow as she leans forward against the nearest wall. The grinding and screaming feels like it's driving her mad. She feels like she needs to use this strength of hers to shatter something as soon as possible, and she pushes off the wall and lets out a yell and punches it hard enough to leave a hole a few inches deep.

It's only then that she looks around and notices she isn't actually alone, but she's offering no explanation for what she just did. "None of this can be real," she says instead, her teeth clenched. "I wasn't born to be like this."

v. it's a good feeling just to still be living

Okay. Okay. It's fine. Everything's fine. She just needs to go out and enjoy life a little more. Just... take some time to unwind at the art museum. It's not a place she usually goes, but she needs distance, she needs a place where people who know her might not actually run into her—not that, she thinks grimly, there are very many of those people left anyway.

But it's fine. She's sitting down on a bench under some not-too-harsh overhead lights, and she just. Tilts her head back, runs her hands through her hair, and sighs. It'll be fine. Everything will be fine. See, look, they even put out some complementary fruit, tastefully arranged in a bowl that even looks like its textures were painted on. She can just relax and grab a big leafy green apple and—

Immediately spit it out. "Blech! Is that paint?" she asks whoever's nearby as her face twists and she looks at the disgusting bite mark she just left in the sketchiest apple she's ever seen.

x. this talk's insanity, or is it just another kid's amen [wildcard]

((again, hit me up here or on [plurk.com profile] roseward!!))
maidofmistakes: Annoyed, crossed arms. (You wrapped yourself in tin foil)

[personal profile] maidofmistakes 2019-03-08 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
[i - walking]

Whoa!

[Lina walks with her arms out and flailing, skidding and slipping on patches of ice. She might fall into the snow, crash into a tree, crash into you, who knows.]

Maybe I should just fly instead.

[i - cave]

[The ice monsters have surfaced and Lina's flying around to try and fend them off. She blows ice at one to stick it to the ground, which just makes it grow; as she dodges its swing. she rips a stalagmite out of the ground and swings it at the monster, which knocks it into a rock wall and shatters it.]

Oh, boy.
sleepingknight: ([Request] even if it seems)

[personal profile] sleepingknight 2019-03-08 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
III.

[Well, as promised, here she is. She's bundled up in warm clothes, climbing her way up along with the rest. Her hair's been tied up and tucked into a hat; the same goes for her now pointed ears. Red eyes survey the way left to go, and...

And... as great as it is being stronger now, she's getting tired of this slow crawl.

With a sound that's part disgruntled and part uncertain, a pair of sparkling black bat wings seem to appear from over her back, semi-translucent and gossamer as one might expect of a fairy. They give a few experimental beats, and she begins to rise into the air...
]

IV.

[Another day, another trip. She spends most of the journey either snoozing in her seat or playing a handheld game - please hold up through whatever adventures we have here, Nintendium.

Not that it matters, because the real problem is actually getting people to come back with them, now isn't it?

Once they're there, Yuuki can be found in one of the shops, looking up at the storekeeper with an urgent expression.
]

Look, things are getting really dangerous! We need to evacuate - we even have buses, so if you can just pack up--

[She's quickly cut off with a huff. This is the family business; they aren't just going to leave it behind because some kid told them to.

Ugh. Someone help, please?
]

V.

[After all the adventures in the snow, Yuuki's frankly relieved to be back in the city again. Yes, it's still chilly at times, and yes, she absolutely is wearing a hat to cover her ears and shades to hide those distinctly red eyes, but. This is all very much preferable to hiking gear.

Will she keep this opinion as an art piece starts talking her up? We'll have to see. Currently, there's a woman with an ermine chatting with her, much to her confusion.
]

Oh. I, uh... see?

[She has no idea why this lady's suddenly talking about her pet... whatever, but the creature does provide some distraction as Yuuki watches its movements warily. What is that. She has never seen an ermine in her life. It's so distracting, she doesn't even realize they're headed in the general direction of the art museum as they walk.

Someone might want to warn her about that.
]

Wildcard

[Want to hit up a different prompt, or change things slightly? Hit me up here via PM or at [plurk.com profile] danidanidanica to plot!]
invocate: (twintails » coffee)

[personal profile] invocate 2019-03-08 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
Hypothetically speaking, if someone did get caught by one of the shadows... what would happen to them? Can the shadows be destroyed if you, say, had boots made from a holy substance?
mincingminuet: (Cheery)

II

[personal profile] mincingminuet 2019-03-08 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
There are a lot of things that Pen could do or say in this situation. She could tease, she could poke and prod, but she could also be nice. Nice, and invisible. Silent as a freaking ghost, she slips up and shimmers faintly into being inside Anna's field of vision.

"Need some help?"
psykick: (Default)

[personal profile] psykick 2019-03-08 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
IV
While some people work on evacuating the town, Rinka somehow ends up hiking up the mountain to look for a half dozen people who live even further out. She's bundled up to her eyeballs against the cold, with a thick beanie pulled down over a hooded sweater, winter coat, leggings under her jeans, two layers of gloves, and a scarf pulled up over her nose. And even though she'll probably find them a little difficult to use due to doubling up her gloves, Rinka's batons dangle from their straps around her wrists. But maybe she can jam them into the ground if she loses her footing?

"Ughhhhhhhhhhh. Why is it so cold?"

[ooc: this route will feature a rabid raccoon and possibly an avalance]

V
Rinka doesn't consider herself very knowledgeable about art, but she has a membership at the museum thanks to her mother, so she's actually pretty familiar with the place. The new 'Modern Living' exhibit is... not bad. She likes the paintings done by local artists more than the busts of mayors past however. After taking about 20 minutes to check out the new exhibit, Rinka drifts around to look at some of her favorites.

She doesn't notice anything is amiss until she gets to the statue gallery. As she appreciates the level of detail the sculptor put into an olympian's thigh muscles, she hears someone heave a long, drawn out sigh behind her. Looking over her shoulder... she sees nothing but the statues on the other side of the gallery. Weird. She turns back... and then whips around completely. Because one of the sculptures is supposed to be a smaller casting of Rodin's The Thinker. Only... the figure isn't sitting on his pedestal anymore.

"What.. where did he go...."

VI
Rinka is lurking around, hoping to find out who all is entering the Battle of the Bands contest (ngl, she's really hoping to see GIANT⚡️ROBOT), when one of the stagehands walks up to her.

"Please, could you just take a look? We can't figure out what's wrong!"

"Uh... whatever the problem is, I'm sure there's vastly more qualified people in the city than a high schooler..."

After some pleading however, Rinka agrees to look. What she'd even look for, she has no idea. As the door closes behind her, plunging her into darkness, she wonders if this really was a good idea. But hey, why not use this to work on her senses training? Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath, slowly lets it out, and listens.

Wait. Is that breathing? Is there someone else in this place?

Then again, who says the breathing is being done by a human? (Pls be a human.)

"Is... someone there?"


wildcard

[Have something else in mind you want to thread with Rinka? hmu @ [plurk.com profile] anacrusis]
invocate: (Default)

[personal profile] invocate 2019-03-08 09:31 am (UTC)(link)
II
Li-Na crouches down behind a snow bank, looking out at the ocean and the floating buildings. This looks... extremely dangerous. She's pretty sure that shadow creature just ate a whale. No wonder everything is so silent around here. Nothing wants to be noticed by one of those. Looking at the person next to her, Li-Na keeps her voice barely above a whisper.

"This is definitely one of the places we need to check out, but getting past that shadow thing is going to be hard. I have an idea. If I can shake them, I'll join you inside. But if not, you'll be on your own. Either we, we should make this fast."

Fast, but very, very quiet.


III
Getting up the mountain was the easy part. Even with the snow and ice, her boots have ridiculously amazing traction. Which meant she was the one that went first to anchor a rope for everyone else.

Deciphering the hieroglyphs once they get inside? That takes some time. As Li-Na swipes through the photos she's taken on her phone, she can't help the shiver they goes down her spine.

"Is this... about us?"


V
Li-Na isn't really interested in the new exhibit, though she spends a few minutes looking through it to be polite. No, what she's looking for is something she's come to see more than once since coming to Recolle. The arm museum's Degas collection. When Li-Na finds the gallery of small Degas statues, she knows she's close. And sure enough, in the next room over, the walls are lined with paintings of dance studios. There's only one problem.

There isn't a single dancer in any of the paintings.

Li-Na lets out a confused sound as she looks from frame to frame, wondering if she's just seeing things. But it's more a factor of not seeing things. All of the dancers in the room have exited stage left, except for The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer on her pedestal in the middle of the room.

That is, until she lightly leaps down to the floor, executes a pirouette, and jetés from the room.

"W-Wait!"


wildcard

[Want to do something else? hmu @ [plurk.com profile] anacrusis]
brushy: (pic#3803130)

[personal profile] brushy 2019-03-08 12:05 pm (UTC)(link)
1) if ahmi howls to communicate with the wolves, will they be able to tell her something? will magnus?
2) if ahmi speaks or tries to speak with any animal, infected or not, will they tell her something?
3) can ahmi purify the infected animals/people the way she would demons?
4) for the hail at the end of prompt iv, can ahmi bring out the sun to make travels easier?
Edited 2019-03-08 12:28 (UTC)
brushy: (pic#3803194)

[personal profile] brushy 2019-03-08 01:48 pm (UTC)(link)
(please take a look at ahmi’s perception post!)

☀️PRE-PRELUDE/IN BETWEEN ( ⭐️ no more than four tag ins for this prompt, please!)
[ whether they have yet to go on their adventures or seem to rest in between, you might either find ahmi, the woman (or a beautiful wolf all the same) staring up at the night sky, reaching up to touch the air as if she were— well, what is she doing with such a wide smile? it doesn’t seem like much from afar. it’s very clear that she’s either hallucinating or playing with insects.

get a closer look, and you might see exactly what she’s doing from a better point of view; the night sky is dark, but a star appears to shine for every pluck into the sky she makes. she buffs out imperfections and misty clouds, she may even blow some of them away with another gesture— a swirl.

the sky has never seemed so bright. she’s making nighttime come to life. ]


☀️I
[ turns out, wolves were made to wade through thick snow— their paw pads help with staying up on the surface, so there isn’t much sinking for ahmi, whether you see a woman through your eyes or not. she looks behind her, occasionally going back to help pull some people from their depths, and this continues. she isn’t cold (beyond her wet nose), but her attention does shift immediately when she sees movement from below. abnormal movement.

digging doesn’t find anything. onwards, friends.

she eventually pads further, and when she sees the cave, she lopes over with excitement. they can take shelter here, she can give them a fire if they need to stop and rest. ahmi might not feel the need to rest, but a fair many people may.

that is, until the ceiling cracks, until little ice imps fall straight into the snow and burrow outwards. oh, dear.

the wolf might bark, the woman may yell there are imps in the snow!, but they both do one thing— run to you as a handful of the creatures bite at their ankles and try to bury them. ]


☀️IV
[ occasionally, you might see the white wolf that accompanies retrospec’s travelers prowling outside the village, listening to her kin mourning with such pain, and howls in return, to speak with them. she whines when she sees the dead fish in the water, and when approaching some of the huts, she’s met with rifles pointed, and sprints away.

not many people will trust the odd wolf when they do not see a woman, and begin to believe the omen that something is wrong. they’ll go with you, perhaps, but not with her.

so, most of the time, ahmi will maintain her distance, but she keeps her eyes on you as you travel. you get a message, quite quickly, even though she’s nearby. she doesn’t know how you will react to her. ]


The nature here is sickly and smells of corruption. Be careful, child. If you must speak, then use your voice so I can hear you.

☀️IV — pt 2
Ahmi Okelani
near Magatus
The geese tell me the weather is foul up ahead. If I am not there when the buses are ready to leave, do give me a call. You will need the sun.


☀️ WILDCARD
( there’s still a lot i’d like to do! if these prompts aren’t your fancy and you’d like something more specific, either in magatus or in the city, let me know!! )
standalonehuman: (TogusaWait)

[personal profile] standalonehuman 2019-03-08 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)
II: Return of an old plot point

There's an ability, for lack of a better term, that Togusa has been keeping quite close to his chest. So now is the time to reveal it. Togusa is geared up in his all black riot gear armor, but at some point on the trek, he will just vanish in a shimmer, as if his image was just that, an image. His footsteps are still visible in the snow, but once they get to the buildings, there is very little sign of Togusa at all.

Until they get to the research. The name is very familiar, and Togusa decloaks when he picks up some of the research notes. Halliday.

The message won't be spoken aloud, but sent to the phone of whoever is with him: We need to preserve as much of this as possible.

III-A: Dealing with the big guy

Togusa has had to be careful on their approach up, because there was no bringing the tank up the treacherous path to get here. Isamu is stationed down at the bottom of all the paths, just in case something follows people back.

But it's inside the building that has Togusa walking much more slowly. The heiroglyphs appear, and Togusa has slowed his pace, trying to take in as much of the script as possible. Let it pass over his eyes first, translate later.

The sounds ahead loom around them, so Togusa is in no hurry to find out what it is that is waiting for them.

III-B: Togusa's Bad Idea

It is after, when they have found the smaller creatures, that Togusa holds up a hand. "Wait. Look at what it is they're doing."

Creatures that are a mesh of bio and tech, parsing out, it's their lives. Little pieces of Togusa's life flit by, being analyzed by the creatures. A mish mash of both Togusas, time in the Academy, sitting on the shooting range, holding up Hikari. Which one are they showing?

Togusa points with a finger. "This is exactly the kind of thing that Zee is looking for. A way to possibly analyze the soul energy, the separate parts of the souls that Retrospec is pushing together. We could-" His voice gets stronger. "If we know what they know? We could fix this. When Retrospec's process finishes? We could finish it on our own terms, maybe not even lose ourselves!"

He pulls out the dummy barrier, a simple collar that wraps around the back of his neck, and snaps it into place. One cord extends out of one end of the barrier, and he is clearly looking for a place to plug in.
hauntedsavior: (spare me your obsolete empathy)

[personal profile] hauntedsavior 2019-03-08 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
And it takes Anna all the effort she can muster not to yelp in surprise, because she knows it's going to pierce the silence around them like an arrow, and she manages a quiet gasp and then a single-eyed death glare. Without saying another word, she frowns and looks around at herself, then gestures futilely with her hands.

That's a yes.
twostringsonebow: (51 let it ring out)

iv

[personal profile] twostringsonebow 2019-03-08 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[Goro isn't sure why the villagers react the way they do to he and Ahmi -- there's murmurs about a wolf (but Magnus doesn't seem to be around?) and he understands the animals haven't, um, been the nicest lately, but... really.

So he's been delegated to being the talker, with the people cautiously glancing behind him at Ahmi, and though there's some success there's plenty more failures to convince the people to leave. Maybe it's the cold, which is barely staved off with how much he's bundled up, but this is exhausting on his mental state.]


You're so nimble on your feet, Miss Ahmi, I'm genuinely jealous... In any case, why aren't these people leaving as soon as we ask them to? Don't they see the sky? How the lakes are floating with the dead? If it were me, and I was asked to leave an area, I wouldn't question it.

[He's a good boy who follows most forms of authority, after all. FEMA especially.]

And their attitudes! Honestly, pulling a gun out on you -- I can't believe it, Miss Ahmi, we're only trying to help. Should we bring them a net filled with fish as proof? Or maybe I should take some pictures...
mincingminuet: (Default)

[personal profile] mincingminuet 2019-03-08 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Pen steps in, laying a hand on Anna's shoulder and mumbling some gibberish word in a barely audible whisper. With that done, she will start to rise out of the snow...and another word renders the pair of them invisible to anyone but each other.

"Better?"
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (Default)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-03-08 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! Also question, I just realized...the shadows, how would they react to light? From say, someone being on fire? Or, someone trying to blast said shadows with fire?

For the totally, clear-headed, rational thinking and considerate people out there obviously.
standalonehuman: (TogusaYay)

I

[personal profile] standalonehuman 2019-03-09 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
Togusa is not the happiest, as the path proved to be too difficult for his good Tachikoma friend to come along. Anything that makes it down any of these paths is done for. But it means Togusa is starting out alone.

Until he sees the large wolf, and his whole face lights up. "Oh! Hello, there! Are you another of Zee's friends?" He starts to hold out a hand towards her, but, hmm. Hard to sniff through gloves.

Wait a second. He holds up one finger, and reaches into one side of his pack. "I came prepared."

Some rummaging, and, there we go. When he turns back, he is holding out a length of dog jerky as a treat. "I thought some of you might be out here."
cardcaptured: <user name=endlesseight site=plurk.com> (Can't stop thinking 'bout it)

[personal profile] cardcaptured 2019-03-09 01:00 am (UTC)(link)
v ; alwaaaaays i want to beeee with you and make belieeeeve with youuuu

[Art wasn't necessarily Xiaolang's best subject-- he was good at crafting and construction, but not so much on the creativity bits-- so this particular museum wasn't a place he visited often. But his English teacher seemed intent on promoting the new exhibit, promising extra credit should anyone write a short paper based on their impressions there. Extra credit was always an incentive, and with Rinka's suggestion of it as a good date spot last month... it didn't hurt to check it out. Considering he was avoiding Magatus like the plague, it's not like he had anything better to do on his off time.

But, of course, it's never quite that simple.

That's why, if you're out and about in the city, or even in the museum itself, you might come across a strange sight. It's not very often you see a teenage boy sword-fighting a unicorn, parrying his weapon with the horn on the beast's head. A rumpled notebook dangles from the creature's teeth, dodging Xiaolang's attempts to snatch it back before lunging in to attack once more.

... except it's merely a feint, and it instead starts charging in the opposite direction (maybe even towards you?), upsetting any tables or outdoor stands in it's path. Xiaolang, not one to be deterred, begins to give it chase, face pinched in frustration. Oh boy.]


Give me back my homework!

vi ; all i need is to be struck by your electric love

[The Atrium is yet another place he doesn't stop by that frequently (unless his school has some sort of performance or Li-Na has a recital), but he's not the type of person who would refuse to help if someone asked. Granted, it's debatable how much someone his age could actually do, but his engineering skills and knowledge of electronics could at least provide some insight. At least, that's how he's figuring it, anyway.

The scratching puts him on edge the moment he walks in, bringing to mind the less than pleasant experience with the rats in the subway tunnels, and the darkness does nothing to help. He doesn't know whether to be relieved or further unnerved when he spots that leathery wing darting away, but one thing is clear. This is definitely another stupid Retrospec-related problem.

With that in mind, he quietly summons his sword, the bright blue flames and his magic circle beneath his feet glowing even brighter in the inky dark, his jaw set in determination. Without wasting a moment, he pulls out his lightning talisman and slams his blade against it, invoking it's spell.]


Obey thy command! God of Thunder, come forth!

[A loud crack of lightning strikes a spot in the rafters above, briefly illuminating the hall in a bright white light, and for a moment, the skittering seems to stop. Xiaolang waits, with bated breath, hoping it's the end of it--

-- and then a snap of electricity volleys right back, nicking him in the arm before singing the ground right next to him. Biting out a curse under his breath, he glares at the direction of the attack, placing a ginger hand on his injury. His eyes then glance to whoever might be nearby (who hopefully did not see that rebound attack), his teeth grit against the sting of the shock.]


Do you know if there's any way up there? It's hard to do anything at ground-level like this.

Wildcard

((Hit me up here or @ [plurk.com profile] Urameshi if you want to do something else! I got loads of ideas for the art museum and we can def do Magatus things too, so I'm open for anything!))
Edited 2019-03-09 01:01 (UTC)
jurai: (37)

[personal profile] jurai 2019-03-09 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
III. We close our eyes

[Of course Crow was going to help out, whether it be relief efforts or exploration. Or both. One often coincided with the other when it came to snowy mountains. Thankfully, Crow was used to such conditions thanks to living in an area with heavy snow. Mountains not so much, but he'd worked out--he'd hiked before.

Finding the research party's remnants was worrying, and Crow's already got his flashlight out as he makes his way past it. He's not stupid, he marks his trail as he goes with his knife, scraping a "C" on a nearby rock or into a tree as he goes. Heck, it was one of his monikers, by now, he could recognize it.

That's actually why he's here alone--Ever since the memories of his terrorism had appeared, he'd been shy on the network to both friends and strangers. It wasn't too long, two days ago, but the radio silence felt like ages.

Recolle waits for no one, though, as he keeps climbing, idly musing about how familiar this probably felt to the memory he had of the other Crow--"C"--working his way through that mountain range.

Pretty ironic, he tells himself, as he makes his way to the top.

Was that...a building? So he was right, there WAS someone higher up on this mountain than the research party. Maybe they'd abandoned camp and came here--bones were still worrying but...survivors. He had to check for survivors.

Unfortunately, those negative thoughts he'd brought with him on the way up amplify to insane degrees from the moment he steps in, increasing until he has to stop.

What's your real motive, Crow Armbrust?

You've left your friends behind again, haven't you. Didn't that scar teach you anything?

It's just another step before you're back where you were in your past life.

It's better to leave them before they leave you, isn't it? Everyone leaves you.

Terrorist.

"C"

"The Crow Armbrust you've known all this time isn't real. He never was."

Crow's eyes widen at the thoughts, grabbing his head and sliding down against the wall, machine whirring in his ears and his thoughts bouncing off his head at an alarming rate. Who was he kidding? His feelings that matched up to the old him were probably just as fakes as they were back there...

It was all part of some plan, wasn't it.

Crow's left sitting in that corner as paranoia overtakes him, feeling so much younger, so much...more helpless than the man he was used to being. That flashlight flickers in his hands as he lets himself get enveloped in negative thoughts, not even able to cry.]


IV. Same Man I Was Before

[Well, this was a lot easier to deal with than that fucking mountain. Crow's been concentrating on the people ALIVE who need help, making sure their first aid kits are well packed and easy to carry, putting coats on kids, and leading them towards the evacuation efforts.

This is what he could do, and now that he was out of his own toxic mindset, he can help in a way he knows how.

He's once again no longer the joker that you see on Retrospec, his eyes now focused on the task at hand.

You may find him putting together first aid kits for familys as they start to leave, just on the off chance that they'll need them. Or packing up sleeping bags.

Really, doing anything. Care to give him a hand?]


[Wildcard!]

[If anyone wants to thread something specific with me hit me up on this account or at [plurk.com profile] rceus !]
Edited 2019-03-09 01:25 (UTC)

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