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

[devintered]

Dorian is, conversely, used to people who are quite familiar with magic, and more likely than not to get prickly about it. So he doesn't do anything cagey, i.e. pretend not to have thrown a fireball just now, but doesn't offer any immediate information either. Instead he flings a hand over his heart in a wild spasm of unnecessary dramatics; possibly he is at Peak Dorian right now due to being all unsettled and out of his depth and what not.

"Ah, but imagine if they'd been carnivorous and evil! You'd owe me quite a debt of gratitude for your toes right now." A pause, as if allowing a moment to imagine said ridiculous imagery. "I don't suppose you're native to this dreadful place? My condolences, if so."

[thephix]

Oh, but Max already likes him, as difficult as that can be sometimes. She can't go past someone with a flair for the dramatic, and Dorian's antics draw a rare, genuine smile out of her.

"I'm native to New York City, I'm afraid, which is far more terrifying than this place," She's not like, entirely wrong on that front, especially when superheroes are thrown into the mix. "But thank you, kind sir, for sparing me a future without toes."

It's easy to match dramatics with dramatics, especially since this role is one Max plays often enough. Everyone loves a supervillain with flair.

[devintered]

Likewise, Dorian appreciates anyone who takes his drama and runs with it. The alternative is flailing about in the sand, and where will that get them? Sandy, is ...fine, more "what" than "where," but let's not split hairs. "Never heard of it," he informs her, breezily, "but I suppose that makes you as lost as I am. There do seem to be a number of us. And you know what they say about numbers and strength."

They should stick together a little while, is what he's proposing. "Dorian Pavus. You're welcome for the toes, by the by. Imagine trying to walk without them!"

He backtracks to a moment ago, warily eyeing the Seedling that has now settled down, looking all innocent and liarly. "Learn anything interesting about these little fellows? Other than that they seem to be inveterate pranksters."

And he hasn't even gotten pollen'd yet.

[thephix]

"That you only have to outrun the slowest person?" That is absolutely not what they say about numbers and strength, but Max is nothing if not pragmatic, though she delivers the line like it's a joke. Which it is. Mostly.

She does agree about sticking together, at least, especially since Dorian seems like he'll actually be interesting, "Max Briest, and I've learned that they're incredibly stupid."

Her hopes for them were so high, but no, they're as dumb as a brick.

[devintered]

Dorian laughs, a bright, uninhibited bark that sounds like it's been startled out of him. "Mercenary! And so forthrightly delivered, too." He's into that. In a 'what a beautiful stiletto, best take care not to cut myself on it' sort of way. "Of course, that does mean exposing one's back to a person one demonstratively intends to abandon, but I suppose if you can run fast enough it doesn't matter. Still! Food for thought."

He strokes his chin, which he has cultivated the ideal facial hair to do. If he had a staff on hand he'd be poking the nearest plant, so it's ...probably good that he doesn't. "You sound as if where you come from it's perfectly ordinary for the plant life to simply get up and start sauntering around! I'm not sure if I'm envious or relieved I can't say the same."

This "New York City" must be quite a place, he thinks, not even beginning to know the half of it.

[thephix]

"An excellent point, I'll have to reconsider my future plans." Of course, if she actually wanted to use someone as a distraction she'd make sure to hurt them first, but she'd only do that if she decided the person deserved it. Her standards of which are arbitrary, but at least she has some.

"This is all quite new to me, actually," She's known plants to be controlled and seemingly move of their own volition, but that isn't the same thing," But you should be careful of these things, despite their stupidity, they have a fascinating means of defending themselves."

At some point, she's going to find a way to keep some of that pollen, but for now she's just observed the effect in others.

[devintered]

If Dorian could read narrative, at this point he would come to two conclusions: one, Max would do well in Tevinter, which is as admirable as it is terrifying, and two: they can be nerd friends.

"Oh?" He makes to lean forward, remembers he doesn't have a staff to perch on, which is a bizarre and naked feeling, so puts one hand on a hip and leans on that instead. "Do tell."

[thephix]

"It acts almost like a euphoric drug, people exposed become quite affectionate towards others," That's a simplified version of how it works, but unless Max can get it under a microscope she's not going to know that much more, "I seem to be immune, fortunately."

A lie, but one told easily.

[devintered]

That is the actual most wretched fate Dorian can imagine, because he hasn't been found and swung around by Bull, like some hideous romance novel cliche he will enjoy thoroughly.

Anyway. He employs every ounce of his aristocratic breeding for an expression of genteel horror lightly encrusted with disgust, nose wrinkling like a crushed can. "Maker, how utterly appalling. Why not spit poison or turn distracting colors? Even plants have no standards these days."

...however. "I wonder if we could find a disabled one, so to speak. Anything worth being wary of is worth knowing more about, wouldn't you say?"

Most people would not say that. They would say hey, let's avoid that! Those people are not rebellious heretic archivists.

[thephix]

In logistical terms, Max can understand why a creature might have developed something like that; if people are hunting it, they're suddenly going to be far too distracted to keep up the chase.

But she also understands Dorian's dislike of the idea. Max has dabbled in a variety of drugs, and although some of them can lower inhibitions and cause euphoria, there's always some control remaining.

"If you treat them gently, they're unlikely to spray you with pollen," So it doesn't even need to be disabled so long as Dorian promises not to throw any more fireballs. This is, of course, Max agreeing to a little investigation.

[devintered]

Dorian prefers to express affection by telling people they are terribly dull and he hates them, and he has so little experience with genuine happiness he's twice as prone to trust an artificial version.

"How remarkably sentient," he muses, indulging in some more chin stroking; possibly this is to highlight his glorious facial hair, since between the suit and being bereft of all cosmetics and such, it's the only aspect of his usual highly coiffed appearance still intact.

But never mind his eyeliner related woes. "I'll keep my hands to myself," he promises, "if only to conserve what power I have for something that wants to cut our heads off."

[thephix]

Max isn't quite sure yet how sentient they are; if you poke a sea cucumber it will defend itself despite the fact it doesn't even have a brain. She could cut one of the plants open to determine whether it's brainless or not, but she won't until she knows more.

"I believe I saw a handful of them over this way," She follows it up with a gesture, and will lead if he's happy to follow.

[devintered]

Despite his encroaching responsibilities Dorian professes to want nothing to do with leadership, so he's quite content to amble along behind; if they knew each other better he would undoubtedly have an ultimately meaningless comment about enjoying the view.

"I do wish I had more investigative means than merely staring at them." He huffs, putting a hand on one hip before hunkering down out of face pollinating range before slowly extending a forefinger. The little plant reacts to the stimuli in the sense that it knows it's happening, but otherwise doesn't yet scuttle away or ruin Dorian's life.

[thephix]

"Perhaps a botanist, to start," That isn't exactly a piece of equipment, but Max will readily admit when things are beyond her expertise. There's not a lot to be gained from ego, so she tries not to bother with it.

But still, she crouches down a little distance away, not wanting to startle the plant, and pulls out the packet of rations she'd tucked away in her suit. After breaking off a piece, she offers it to Dorian, "Here, see if it eats."