Intro Log: The Forgotten City

[atlasmods]

GOOD MORNING NEW ARRIVALS This time for real! WAKEY WAKEY. As the storm finally peters out and characters can once again move above ground it becomes abundantly clear that the landscape has changed. Where vast expanses of sand dunes once laid is now the half-buried remnants of what looks like some sort of...city? Full of structures. It stretches so far it's really hard to tell. But there is one thing characters will notice: There are more stasis pods. Revealed by the sandstorm, a whole new flurry of pods can be found scattered on the way to the city (curiously though, not in it. Hurry and wake those guys up! SPREAD THE LOVE. OR ACID. With the departure of the storm there's even more new arrivals to be found besides those fellow travelers of yours! The "Seedlings" and "Cactus" are now both available, the former blown in by the storm and the former uncovered. The Seedlings are generally pretty harmless. They like to burrow into the sand so only their "Leaves" plant-like leaves remain above ground, and they're quite happy to stay that way until surprised. Then they pop up and trip over themselves a little, before slowing down and wandering aimlessly. When they find a patch of sand that looks comfy they begin burrowing back down. Pull or yank on their leaves though and you'll find yourself with a face full of pollen that makes you want to just tell everyone how super-cool they are. It lasts a while, and then you get a fever and vomit for two hours. Good times. The Cacti are much less harmless and just...why would you eat them? Everything about this plant is poisonous, and cracking it open causes a corrosive acid-like substance to spill out. It'll eat through everything but...dirt, oddly. Metals and flesh are like hot oil on plastic. DON'T GET LOST And last but not least: The Forgotten City. Maybe you want to check out the Hull first for some loot, but maybe that's not such a cool idea anymore? Although it looks like the ship's definitely more powered after draining the suits of whoever went in, now it's started to spread and fill the sinkhole the ship's in. Suits can go from 100% to 0% in just ten minutes--not good! Lucky for everyone else, it looks like finally there's some sort of civilization up ahead. Go on and check it out! OR DO. THAT'S OKAY TOO. Go nuts, have fun, and enjoy! (This is the wildcard option) OOC The Flora, Fauna & Resources page has been updated with information on the seedlings, cacti, and crystals! These items are now all available for Discovery, and The Forgotten City will be available indefinitely from now on! Characters can take this time to settle & build up a foundation for themselves, explore the area, and of course, harass those poor little seedlings. We encourage players to make their own open posts for this setting--you don't need to stick to just this intro log! But make sure to make our newbies feel welcome!

Comments

[thephix]

[Max nods at his assumption that the city is unpopulated, confirming it, because Clark told her that it was empty, and she sees no reason for him to have lied.]

I would rather deal with people, than with nature. People can be managed.

[She isn't scared of people, no matter what technology or power they might have.]

If they come to us with unkind intentions, we take their ship.

[It's that simple, clearly.]

[backwatertrooper]

Great. [That's a distinct grumble and Cloud glowering at Inui, trying to make his blush go away. It's a little hard to resist the urge to pull at the suit, but he just flexes his hands at his sides.]

That just means no one can prove anything that's not... something that comes from their body.

[So Cloud's just... going to try and ignore that mocking he heard earlier. Try, anyway.]

[backwatertrooper]

Yeah. [Cloud nods, trying to not grimace, then gestures down the street.] I've got a friend nearby, though.

[So he's not alone! Or at least not as alone as he appears right now, which he's... still relieved over. But, the other thing said makes him frown.]

... just... disappearing? Not being killed and, um, eaten by something, I guess?

[resnipstance]

We don't know yet. There haven't been any signs of a struggle, or sounds of anyone fighting anything. So it's anyone's guess.

A buddy rule is a good idea just in case.

I'm Ashla, by the way.

[mobilized]

"Everyone else is as dumb as a bag of rocks, so I might as well be too"? That's a pretty low bar for humanity.

[That said, even he knows that once you hit "fundamental part of the human condition," it's pretty much a lost cause.]

Whatever. It's your stupid decision if you wanna make it, I guess.

[thephix]

I was thinking more along the lines that it's fun to be stupid once in a while, though you're not wrong.

[Especially the low bar for humanity part, to be honest.]

Has anyone ever told you that you're very judgmental?

[backwatertrooper]

... Great. [Cloud shakes his head.] Maybe whatever it is just... has a way to kill without warning.

[There are abilities like that, after all, where he's from. Not usual, but... Shaking the memory away, Cloud gives her a little smile. Doesn't say anything that he doubts Zack would let him wander off right now.]

Cloud.

[resnipstance]

... As in the weather ...?

[backwatertrooper]

Um, no. [Another shake of his head but this time Cloud also visibly hesitates. Inui had, after all, make fun of him when he'd mentioned something that was just fact, but... it'd probably be weirder if he doesn't say anything now.]

... at least where I'm from, there's a few creatures or people that got access to this spell. It just... instantly kills.

[A shrug, not nearly as nonchalant as it appears, because Cloud's eying her now.]

[resnipstance]

Wait-- what?

I was referring to your name, but-- that sounds more concerning.

[backwatertrooper]

[Flushing, Cloud looks away. He has had people question his name before but not quite like that.]

... Yeah. As in a literal cloud. [He'd groan about it and once again silently ask his mother why, but there's other things to focus on.]

There's not many that can do that particular spell, at least. And maybe it's not something like that...

[resnipstance]

Does it leave behind any evidence? Residue, smoke, a feeling?

[ceruleo]

[ He blinks, vaguely alarmed. ]

You okay? Not coming down with a cold, are you?

[ Do Togrutas catch colds? ]

[resnipstance]

What? No! ... Probably?

I mean... the suit would take care of it, right?

[mobilized]

[yes.

He does balk a little at having it pointed out so plainly, though. He glares somewhere off to the left instead of at her in what could almost be called abashment, but not quite.]

Yeah, and? Everybody's judging everybody for something. At least I have the guts to say it.

[thephix]

Or the stupidity.

[She mostly sounds amused though, or maybe like she's giving him some genuine advice.]

Not everyone takes being judged as well as I clearly do.

[ceruleo]

[ He opens his palms, as if to say how should I know? ]

I dunno. Would it?

[resnipstance]

It helped with healing the scratches from the explosions...

Anyway, I'm sure it's fine! I don't get sick easily.

[ceruleo]

[ Not buying it. He reaches over and presses a hand to her forehead, because that has to be where Togrutas show temperature, right?

A beat. ]

What is a Togruta's natural body temperature even like?

[resnipstance]

We're not that different to humans.

[Her forehead is pretty warm, though.]

Come on, let's focus on your blaster.

[mobilized]

I get it. You think nobody's ever punched me in the face for runnin' my mouth before?

[A month ago that might have been a brag, but today it's borderline self-deprecating. He's never been good at impulse control, and truth be told it's gotten him into much hotter water than just a black eye. He likes to think he knows his limits better now, but ehhhh.

He doesn't actually seem to mind being lumped in with the "stupid humans making stupid choices", because, well, yeah.]

Well, don't worry. I don't say shit I'm not ready to back up anymore.

[most of the time.]

[thephix]

[A black eye is on the low end of what Max was thinking about, considering some of the people she knows. If she was playing the Sphinx right now, she'd have to pretend to care what some kid is saying about her, which might not be fun for either of them.]

And yet here you are, on a planet full of complete strangers with god knows what sort of powers, talking shit.

[She figures that "super powers" might not be that common to every universe, but it doesn't remove the fact that it's possible.]

[mobilized]

[why is his life like this]

Let me get this straight. You expect me to believe that whoever dumped us here brought along superhumans, robots, and schmucks like you? In what world does that make sense?

[Mostly he's just being mean as a default setting now. He's going to need a brain reset when all this is said and done with.]

[justice_of_toren]

[She nods.]Begging your further indulgence, would you tell me your name and...your species? I'm Breq.

[She's already wrapped her head around the fact that there are people here well outside of her frame of reference.]

[resnipstance]

Ashla. [A lie, but one she's been telling since she got here-- it comes easily enough to her now.]

I'm a togruta. [Truth.] I'm familiar enough with humans, though. No need to worry.