acatalepsy_logs | welcome to the horologium.

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welcome to the horologium.

I ▫ main	IV ▫ premise			XI ▫ applications	XIV ▫ activity
II ▫ logs	V ▫ rules	VII ▫ bestiary	IX ▫ canon updates	XII ▫ taken	XV ▫ drop/hiatus
III ▫ ooc	VI ▫ faq	VIII ▫ setting	X ▫ mods	XIII ▫ reserves	XVI ▫ players

welcome to the horologium.

Some of you know it is coming. The World Jump, the chaotic thrust into a new universe. But some of you are new, and though you know what the mission is, it is a bit . . . troubling, sitting around and waiting for something to happen. But eventually, you get a message on your watch. It shows Astoria . . . dark hair framing her features, her voice light and musical. She sounds like herself, for the first time in some time . . . that spark of determination back in her eyes.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH.

"It is time, my beloved Travelers, to go to our new destination . . . and I want you to know that I have the utmost faith in you. Akvos' loss has hurt us all, and I know that many of you doubt our mission. But please believe me when I say that you have done the best job anyone could ask of you. Akvos' destruction was not your fault . . . and to our newest members of our Circle, welcome to our journey. I can only hope that your journey here will work out to the benefit of us all."

That being said, you are journeying to the Horologium . . . it is a ship that has sent out a distress beacon. I am not sure when, or where, but I can feel great darkness, emanating from that place. I believe you all can combat what is done there, without interacting with the Void . . . so please, be safe, and I will see you all when you return."

And, just like that, there is a pull in your stomach . . . your vision blacks out and you feel the sudden sense of vertigo, a sensation of falling, and then . . . nothingness. You open your eyes, and you are suddenly waking up in the midst of . . . fog?

THE AWAKENING.

When you wake, you are greeted by metal — there’s an expanse of silver all around you. The cot you’re laying on is somewhat rigid, like a flattened wedge of cotton more than anything, encased in a capsule-like structure. Should you inspect your surroundings, you’ll find that there are three more cots in your room..or more notably, another person in the room in of itself. Depending on where you’ve been roused from your slumber, however, you’ll find that your circumstances differ.

➜ If you’ve woken up in the northeast wing of the ship, there seems to be a pool of saturated pink goo at your feet. It sticks to the bottom of your heel and collects at the very center of the room, oozing from the cracks and crevices within the metal lining of the walls. And even more notably, the goo has a particularly saccharine scent, as though it’s meant to be...consumed. Looks like you had the misfortune of waking up in the wing adjacent to the kitchen.

➜ In the northwest wing, the ship is functioning at an all time low. When you wake, the room is illuminated for a brief moment...before flickering out, only to leave you in pitch darkness. Power returns to the room intermittently and only for a few seconds at most, but it appears as though you and your newfound roommates will have to navigate the darkness if you want to leave.

➜ In the southwest wing, the fire alarm in your room has been activated for some inexplicable reason. It’s an obnoxiously loud siren that slices right through the whirring of the machinery around you — and it goes as far as to trigger the sprinklers hanging from the ceiling. Water sprays from above you, hopefully ensuring that you’ve woken up if nothing else has. It doesn’t seem to be draining either, so it may be for the best that you escape with some haste.

➜ In the southeast wing, your circumstances are for the most part rather unremarkable. An untouched room, mostly intact...until you try to open the door. It won’t budge — unless you have some form of super strength, your muscle power is rendered useless on its own. You might just have to commission someone else to help you...

Beyond your room, the word “Horologium.” stretches across the wall.

Welcome to your new home.

WHISPERS IN THE DARK.

In a way, it feels as though you’re suspended in time.

The ship is always humming, always whirring as it makes a haphazard attempt to function. The noise comes to a halt every so often, leaving you with nothing but silence and the idle creaking of the floor beneath you.

There are remarkably large, bright white doors that divide each and every wing. A circular window is positioned at the center of all 4 of these doors: but nothing can be seen through it. It’s likeness is that of a black hole’s, like someone had gone as far as to paint over it.

On every door, the same word is emblazoned in black lettering: EXIT.

Except the word itself appears to be scratched out to some degree — as though it were scrubbed out in a fit of desperation but remained no less.

When you see the door, you might be overcome with excitement. Or perhaps not. Regardless of what your reaction is like, the lights around you will dim and flicker at an alarming frequency. For a moment, it’s almost as though the gravity around you has slowed, and the hallways are becoming narrower by the second.. Voices and faces from the past emerge in your mind. You see someone you shouldn’t; they’re calling for you. They’re here with you right now, beckoning you to come closer...

If you reach the door and attempt to open it, it won’t budge. And the further you walk away from it, the more the effects will subside.

But there’s no telling if you’ll sleep well tonight.

INVESTIGATIONS

The ship is fitted to house approximately 500 people — it’s a bit of a ghost town, however, lived in but abandoned no less.

The chairs are in the mess hall aren’t aligned perfectly. The tables are a bit crooked. The lounge is lofty, but not pristine. The rooms may be barren, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that they were somehow someone else’s before they became yours. There’s an array of locked doors, varying in sizes and shapes, all of which withhold something potentially useful to you. You may be inclined to visit the lounge, the mess hall, rifle through the bedrooms . . . the ship is yours to explore.

However, how you interact with the ship is….entirely up to you. There is something to be found everywhere. Regardless of what you do, where you investigate and how, you might be tempted to look behind your shoulder.

After all, every decision you make matters...right?

(Every Player’s investigation prompt has the potential to differ greatly as your investigation will require mod input. We encourage you to ask as many questions as you would like, we are here to help and provide you with the information necessary.)

Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These areas of the world are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore -- you may use as much leeway as you want in order to come up with what your character will do.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the various threads back in the OOC post from before!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ At the very least, Ren isn't the only one who winds up sprawled on the hallway floor. Prompto winds up lying on his back nearby, groaning from the impact. Running that fast definitely carries its risks, but Prompto isn't especially good at...you know, actually thinking those risks through.

Until he winds up in situations like this, anyway.

Rolling over onto his side, and trying to catch his breath, he squints at the poor, innocent bystander he totally just steamrolled. ]

Eurgh...that's gonna hurt tomorrow...y-you okay, man? That was waaaaay my bad...

[ Maybe he should wear a siren. ]

[Most of the impression of Ren while he still has his face down is the huge amount of red hair that's splayed around him like the aftermath of a very dramatic horror movie scene. At the question, he does at least raise his head so he can rest his chin on the ground and pout a bit at Prompto. By the build of his face, he's an adult, probably a little older than Prompto himself, but the manner in which he speaks continues to be a little bit on the exaggerated and petulant side.]

I don't know, I'm probably going to hurt tomorrow too...do people around here usually run that fast...?

[It's probably this guy's power, but Ren's general preference is to a: act oblivious when at all possible and b: keep the mood light. They're probably going to need the latter all the more in a place like this, so he's been a little more determined about it than usual.]

[ At last he manages to roll himself into a sitting position, leaning back on his hands as he winces. He can look forward to a nice set of bruises for sure, but he would rather be bruised everywhere than face the reality that this guy is also gonna have bruises. He's got to figure out something, if he's going to be zooming around that fast in tight hallways like this. ]

N-nah, just me. It's, uh, my Astoria power. [ He looks pretty bashful about it. He should be better trained with it by now. ] I, uh, can probably find you some ice —

[ He shambles to his feet before offering Ren a hand up. ]

Oh, right... [Ren says that rather absently, as if the thought of it being an Astoria power hadn't occurred to him despite the fact that it absolutely did. He gets distracted from it a moment later by Prompto offering him a hand up, though, and he reaches out to take it. His fingers are rather long and delicate, and he's very lightweight - Ren's not exactly one built like a fighter, as he's noticed a lot of others here seem to be.]

Mmm, we don't have too much water, do we...? I think it'll be okay without it. [He could go along with it, but in this situation, where their resources are quite limited, he figures he probably shouldn't go that much along with it.] Where were you going, anyway...?

[His expression has shifted from huffy to curious, as if the matter of where Prompto was rushing too so quickly has distracted him from the aching briefly.]

[ Thank god he excuses Prompto from finding him some ice, because yeah, that could be a little...tricky. Considering their resources are low, and they'd probably have to find a way to freeze it. It'd be a whole big thing — anyway. Now they don't have to worry about it!

...Even if he still feels bad for steamrolling this guy out flat. ]

Well? I, uh, I was kinda...chasin' that big sound that's been rattling around here. You know the one I mean?

[ How could he not? It makes him feel like doom is imminent anytime it sounds. ]

[Ren claps his hands together once at that as if in excitement, suddenly looking rather delighted. It's...kind of a weird reaction to the prospect of following what sounds kind of like the echoes of their impending demise.]

Oh, the rumbling? I've been trying to work out where that's coming from as well, but my powers aren't really useful for it...have you had much luck yet? Or found a way down at all...?

[He'd honestly really like access to more of the ship, since he's going a bit restless stuck in just the areas they have access to now, but he doesn't know of anyone that's managed to find a route downwards yet...or past those weird exit doors, for that matter.]

[ Reluctantly, he shakes his head, though he pairs it with a sheepish smile. He might not have cracked where the sound is coming from yet, but he's not giving up so easily. ]

Nah, not yet. Still workin' on it, though. Sometimes I think I'm getting close, but then it stops.

[ That's been his luck, anyway. He needs to wait for one of those longer spells so he can track it down properly, but he's been having some bad RNG so far. ]

[Ren curls his fingers against his chin in a somewhat exaggerated thoughtful motion, with an equally exaggerated petulant frown again.] Hmm, that's annoying...I've mostly been trying to get some doors open since I can't follow the sound, but I haven't had much luck with that yet either. Is it always this frustrating to start with when world jumps happen...?

[Being both lazy and a little bit impatient with anything that involves extended work, Ren is perhaps not the ideal personality for this more cautious start.]

Uhh, noooot exactly? I mean, this is the first place we've been where there weren't any other people around. Like, even if we didn't know what was up, we still could ask some peeps. Here, though...

[ He shrugs, as if to dispel the eeriness that hangs in the air. ]

I dunno. Got a real "waiting for the other shoe to drop" vibe, huh?

I guess that would be a problem, wouldn't it... [Or it's already been a problem, really. Half the reason they've been having to break down doors is that there's nobody to tell them how to get in a different way, or who knows how the electricity is linked.

Ren definitely isn't much for keeping a heavy mood, though, so he tags onto that question with an airy smile.] Mmm, I almost thought it was just other shoes dropping all the time. That's kind of what the rumbling sounds like, doesn't it?

[Plot twist: it turned out to be giant shoes the entire time.]

[ ...

Okay, now he's thinking about this way too hard. ]

Now that you mention it, it kinda does, huh...not gonna lie, I'd take a bunch of shoes dropping over just about anything else that it could be.

[ Now they've taken the metaphor too far, but he'd still rather talk about this than speculate on whatever is probably trying to kill them. ]

Right? Unless it was giant shoes attached to an actual giant, that probably wouldn't be very good for us... [Astoria might not have intended to limit their existing powers when she brought them here - or maybe she did, he doesn't know - but he feels like it'd make for a pretty severe disadvantage for their group if they encountered anything like that.]

But it'd be pretty funny if we got to the bottom of all this and that actually ended up being what it was. At least it'd be surprising, right?

Heh, sure would! Y'know, I like this theory. I'm gonna look into it.

[ He says, like he's any kind of investigator. The best he can do is attempt to chase down that horrible sound, and even that isn't getting him all that far. If he ever does find the source of it, it's not like he's got a plan for what he'll do.

He figures he'll decide that if he actually does find it. ]

Buuuut somehow I dunno that Astoria would bring us here for a big shoe.

Make sure I get some credit if you do~ [It's said a little playfully, but then, Ren's pretty lazy about actually investigating things himself unless they've already caught his interest in a big way. He usually lets other people do the legwork and then jumps in with that when the time is right.

Unfortunately for the silly tangent, Prompto does have a point about that, and Ren huffs out a bit of an exaggerated sigh.]

Well, probably not...but it's nicer to think about than anything she might've actually brought us here for, isn't it?

...Yeah, no kiddin'. Especially since the crew's nowhere to be found...you think they're still around somewhere?

[ They have to be, right? It didn't seem like this place could've been abandoned for too long. ]

I think they have to be somewhere...even if something had hurt them, they wouldn't have entirely vanished, right? [Not to mention that it does seem like the place is a little bit too pristine overall to have been abandoned for too long a time. Then again, that might just be because it's a spaceship.]

Maybe they're on the lower bit where the big noise is coming from.

[ He winces slightly. ]

...Kinda hope they're not. For their sake. I mean, I wouldn't want to be hangin' around whatever's making that noise.

[ But it's the only real lead they have right now. Even if the source of the noise doesn't lead to the crew, it might at least tell them where they are. ]

Mmm, that's true, but they probably didn't really get a choice in the matter...

[If they're all gone rather than in the comparatively safe sleeping capsules, it seems like a good sign to him that something went very wrong that didn't necessarily give them time to take any ideal options here.]

We'll have to go down there sometime anyway, so I guess we'll find out before too long.

[ He lets out a sigh. ]

Yeah, guess so...whenever we get there, I'll let you go down first.

[ How generous!! ]

[Well, that's one way to handle it. Ren, for his part, doesn't sound too bothered by it, his tone going back to something cheery (and slightly teasing, despite the innocence).]

Oh, what, are you that scared...? I guess you can be my rear-guard if you want to hide from it that much.

[Ren is a purveyor of dumb scary stories and has spent about half his life now working with an ever-expanding patchwork of abyssal creatures. Needless to say, he's difficult to unnerve.]

[ And Prompto has spent plenty of time meeting such creatures too, but that doesn't mean he's eager to confront horrific monsters. It's just a part of his job. Given the option... ]

Oh, yeah, I'm terrified. I would love to be the rear-gaurd. You got a deal! No take-backs.

[ This is working out pretty well for him so far. ]

[The immediate agreement makes Ren laugh a little, though he wags a finger in a somewhat chiding way once he gets past the initial response.]

Mmm, just remember that if I die, I'll definitely be haunting you forever. That's the trade-off for it.

[Because obviously there always has to be another shoe, whether it's the giant shoes down below or just this kind.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

welcome to the horologium.

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