Intro Log: The Forgotten City

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!

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[The suit she's in is unfamiliar, more suited to the heroes in her world than people like her, but the man in front of her is wearing the same thing, so she suspects it's another part of... whatever the hell this is.

Max listens to Clark's answer, then decides she'd rather have this conversation on even ground, so she gracefully climbs out of her pod, regarding both Clark and their surroundings as she does.

She opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the display on her wrist flashing that common message. It earns a frown, maybe deeper than strictly necessary.]

The Atlas, not simply Atlas?

[The distinction may seem unimportant, but it matters to Max.]

[ He tilts his head at her question as he considers it thoughtfully. ]

I've seen it both ways.

[ Some of the messages that he has (somewhat) translated simply say Atlas. ]

It might be a ship. Or something more. We don't have any confirmation beyond that.

[Is this a trick of Asteria's, then? She'd be so bold as to weave Donny's name into the lie, to tug at Max's heart and expose her weaknesses.]

I know a man called Atlas.

[A boy, truly, just a boy.]

He has a great power.

[He's one of the strongest in their world, or he would be if he could control his powers.]

I don't know any singular power that could be as great as this.

[ And he was hailed as god-like, a supreme power from the stars. ]

I think it might be more of a corporation. An organisation at work.

[Something in Max's shoulders eases. If it needs to be something more powerful than a single person, it can't be about Adonis.

Though she still isn't entirely sure this isn't one of Asteria's illusion.]

How long have you been here?

At least ten days.

[ Though he's finding it harder to keep time. The days seem long and arduous, even for him. ]

You'll find it's the same for all of us except for some of the newly-awakened. Like yourself.

[Max nods, accepting the information and working out what more she needs to know. He has as little knowledge as she does about their situation, so it's pointless asking him about that. Survival needs to come first.]

Do you have shelter? A source of water?

[ He nods to the first question. ]

We made use of the ship. And now we have the city. We haven't explored that fully yet.

There's a city, then? Not just this wasteland?

[She hasn't missed the fact he didn't answer her question about water, which is troubling, though she can go without for far longer than most people could.]

An empty city.

[ Or something that appears to be empty. Clark isn't ready to dismiss possibilities. ]

We'll probably go in scouting parties for supplies.

[And for a second there she'd been hoping it was a city with things like a clothes shop, so she could get out of this stupid suit.]

Have you had reason to travel in groups?

[ His brow furrows at the question, before he remembers she only just woken up. A fact that seemed to have slipped his mind so quickly. ]

We don't know what's out here. Or in the city. It makes sense to travel together.

You've encountered no other sentient life? Has anyone within the group given you trouble?

[She needs as much information as possible before she can decide her next move, and Clark is her only source

She isn't going to waste time playing dumb.]

[ He's not sure if he's impressed or a little worried that she's adapting so quickly. ]

No one I know has acted out in their own self-interest or hurt anyone. As for sentient life, we met a swarm of arthropods, but I doubt they can be classified as fully sentient.

[If she had a notebook, she'd be writing this down.]

Surprising.

[The comment is more muttered to herself, because she does find it odd than no one has been selfish. She considers asking their numbers, but if there's new "arrivals" it won't be accurate, anyway. Best to wait until more people have been woken.]

Did they present any danger, the arthropods?

[ He shakes his head. ]

Nothing long-lasting. Their bites had a numbing quality and we kept them at bay well enough.

[So: no threats from sentient lifeforms, no threats from the local fauna, no threats from within the group. That leaves the environment, but she doubts she needs to ask too many questions about that - she knows how the desert works.]

Have you appointed a leader amongst yourselves?

[ He blinks. ]

Why would we need a leader?

[Why would you not???]

To ensure you stay organized?

[She's sure that even if they haven't officially picked anyone, someone with natural leadership abilities would have ended up in the role. Surely it can't just be a group of people wandering around doing whatever the fuck they want.]

[ He frowns, but it's thoughtful rather than judgmental. ]

We have a few natural leaders but no one has been appointed. I don't think we need that.

[It still seems weird to her, but she'll take his word for it, nodding at his answer.

She also considers asking for names, but thinks that might make her seem a little suspicious, so she decides to leave it for now.]

Thank you for your help...?

[Names aren't all that important, but it's still good to know who she's been speaking with.]

[ He softens a little at that. ]

It's Clark. I hope that helps a little.

[ It's not a lot, he knows. But answers, even meager ones make a difference. ]

Max.

[It's only fair to give her a name in return, even if it isn't her real name. She's been Max almost a third of her life, anyway.]

You've been a great help. [She smiles, finally, warm and grateful and only a little fake.] If you can't think of anything I've missed, I'm sure there are other people who could use your assistance.

[It's permission, if he wants to keep working on opening the pods.]

[ He nods, straightening himself. Still Clark pauses. ]

Are you sure you don't need anything else?

[She briefly considers a joke, something about a cellphone so she can call home, before it sinks in that she must have been in that pod for a while, that she has no idea what has happened to anyone back home. They could be dead, for all she knows.

The briefest of hesitation flickers across her face before she fixes the smile back in place.]

I'm quite alright, thank you. I think I just need a moment to process.

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anewhope - 2016-11-12 00:26 (UTC) - Expand

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