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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no subject
[ as she speaks, her fingers skip over the parts of the gun she pulled apart. she cleans them as best she is able. blasters had saved her life on more than one occasion, but to padmé they are a last line of defense. a resource one should only count on when all others had been exhausted. ideally, they would be used little. experience had forced her to take them up too often to count, but her belief remain unchanged.
blasters are dangerous. in the hands of someone already frightened, frightened further by the promise of a "them" courtesy of the weapon they're given… it's a tragedy waiting to happen. ]
Unlike, say, a knife, a blaster cannot be reduced to simply a tool. A blaster has only one purpose. Put it in someone's hand, it is with the implicit promise that it will need to be fired. Inexperience paired with fear is a lethal combination. [ for reasons that she truly hopes are obvious. ] And the fact remains that we don't have the means to train everyone, nor should we if we did.
Knowledge remains the better instrument to counter fear. Organization to prevent panic. Fostering diversity of thought, different means of approaching a problem. There is peace of mind found in being heard.
no subject
[Organization brings as much fear as it does to pacify it. He can't say he's optimistic about a lot here, not when they're as good as stranded in harsh conditions with deadly enemies.
There is no easy answer, but then again, when has there ever been one? Bruce hasn't known a simple answer since the day his parents died. The world was wrought with inconsistencies and complex problems. What she says is right.
But what she says is for the best of times. Someone would need to be ready for the worst of it, and they can't afford to be overwhelmed.]
If we can get everyone together, then by all means, we can organize and move forward.
[His tone, though, hides his skepticism. Yes, he's vowed to be less lethal, he's vowed to become more merciful, but would he stop fighting altogether? Would he trust people to really be ready for what might come?
No, he surmises, as he starts to replace a broken piece for a discarded yet decently functional piece. Bruce could not trust that everyone here would be able to live through the night, not without training and help.]
apologies for the late! end of semester is a thing
her hand reflexively massages the marked roundedness of her belly. a habit picked up when her insides were being mapped by little hands and feet. as much a soothing gesture, as it had been the desire to hold her child. she had dreamt of that moment night after night.
instead, her hand opens again over a blaster. she finishes scrubbing as much of the rust as she can. she fits the pieces back together. she pulls the weapon into its final shape, and sets it back on the makeshift worktable. it will need to be armed to be tested, but it should fire. should. ]
That is why we strive for the ideal — and work with the real. This one should be ready.
[ her expression has not shifted at all, but padmé studies him closely when she asks, ] You've heard of those missing? Would you happen to have seen a boy of about nineteen? Blue eyes, blond hair, asks a lot of questions.
no worries!!
Bruce glances at her, taking in the question. Time would tell of her movements and her thought processes. One could never force those into revealing themselves, not really.]
I've heard some have gone missing. I can't say I've seen anyone like that, though. I didn't get the chance to meet everyone.
[Unfortunate, especially now. Admittedly, he's slacking, but there are priorities.]
no subject
Five at last count, [ she specifies. ] But I believe the number may be higher. It's worrying.
no subject
Trade you. As for the missing, it's too many. [And there's been no evidence of a kidnapping, less of a beast taking them for food.
Then again, when has the desert been kind to evidence?]
We'll keep an eye out for them as we move forward.
no subject
I've been keeping a list. Names, characteristics, last place and time they were seen. I hoped for a pattern.
[ she's still trying to find the common thread uniting all of them. unfortunately, much like the missing, it has proved elusive. ]
no subject
[Color him impressed.]
Excuse me, my manners. Being out the desert isn't an excuse to forget them. [He shakes his head. This time, he's not pretending to be apologetic. She's a smart one, someone he could use as an ally and a resource, as well as a sounding board.]
Bruce Wayne. I'd offer my hand but it's sort of covered in grease.
no subject
Padmé Naberrie Skywalker. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bruce.
[ he provides his name so she does hers and it trips so merrily, so sweetly off her tongue she regrets never using it before. being so afraid to use it before. ]
I found a laser pen, [ she explains with a smile. ] Though after reading the names so often, I've learned them.
no subject
He lets go of her hand, considering her words.]
I'm thinking you and I need to keep records of this place until we find out what this Atlas thing is, or if we find a place to look up information.
no subject
[ the last time she dealt with such, she had been the target of assassination. she had more answers, then. ]