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!
spread the love
Allura's generally sensible, because she's always had to be, but she's also still curious and the seedlings don't seem harmless, until she tries to grab one and gets a face full of pollen. And well, the pollen has the same effect on Alteans as it does on humans. ]
Pidge! [ Sorry Pidge, as the first person Allura sees, there is another hug in your future. Allura bends down to sweep her into a brief, but tight hug. ] I'm so glad you're here with us. I just want you to know, you can tell me anything.
Re: spread the love
Ah, yeah. I knew that. You told me before...
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Thanks? I'm glad you guys are here with me, at least. What kind of secrets are there to look out for here?
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[ Allura's eyes get comically wide at the cough. ] Are you getting sick? We can't get sick here, there's no medicine and no one is very comfortable sleeping on the ground. And you won't be able to explore if you're sick.
[ Allura looks around for some place to sit, but one spot is just as good as another, so she sinks to the dirt, reaching to pull Pidge down with her. ] Rest.
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[ Pidge flails a little as she's tugged down to sit next to Allura, then plops into the sand with a wince. ]
Shouldn't we find some shade?
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There's not too much shade to be found, but we'll find something. It does cool down at night. [ One of the tolerable things about the planet. Allura stands and helps Pidge up, even tries to link arms with her, but their height difference is such that it isn't entirely comfortable and hampers movement. ]
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Maybe some of those ruined buildings off in the distance? They seem like the best plce to take shelter...
[ The outskirts of the city are faintly visible through the shimmering desert air. ]
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[ That determined, at least in Allura's opinion, she sets off in the general direction of the city, hunting for something worth exploring. ] I'm sure we'll find all kinds of new things for you to play with. Too bad we don't have Rover with us anymore, but maybe we can find something similar. You're smart enough to do it, I know.
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Yeah. I miss Rover, too...
[ She shields her eyes from the sun with one hand. ]
Ah, thanks!
[ The praise is a bit embarrassing, but she takes it in stride. ]
I'm just not confident we'll find much worth salvaging on this planet...
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There's already been a few things. Weapons and a map. Talk to Lance, he has a little more information than I do probably. And I'm sure you'll find lots more here. We've got an entire city to explore.
[ She stops abruptly and turns to Pidge again. ] I'm so glad you decided to stay with us. Even if only a few of us are here now, I'm glad you were with us in the fight. And are here now. You're just so wonderful.
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[ Pidge isn't quite sure what to say. She chews awkwardly on her lip as she tries to make sense of Allura's unusually sister-lyness. She pauses, leaning against one of the ruined buildings to take a brief respite from direct sunlight. ]
I'm glad I'm with you all too. And I'm glad you all convinced me to stay! But, uh, I get it.
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[ Allura is far from maternal, but she does feel a sisterly affection for Pidge, definitely heightened by the pollen.
She leans against one of the ruined walls, a sense of fatigue washing over her. ] You'll help us get off this planet and get the lions back and we can go back to finding your family and saving the universe. You'll be a hero!
Is it getting hotter, or is it just me? [ She's not exactly used to dealing with intense heat, but she had been adjusting. Beads of sweat start appearing at her temple. ]