World Jump #2: Struxta

[acatamods]

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 collected nations of struxta. It will happen at random- you could be asleep, or wandering the Temple, or a variety of other options. It will feel a little strange, like a sudden warmth spreading across your skin, and then your bracelet will light up. When you blink again, everything has shifted - changed, developed, like in that blink of an eye you have advanced thousands of years into the future. Around you is a city, a technological marvel. Buildings rise up from the dirt and through the clouds, figures of all shapes and sizes buzz around you. They seem to pay you little mind - a quick glance, maybe a pause, and then they will continue on their away. Ahead, there is a low rumble of thunder, a dim flash of light. It doesn't seem to be raining, but there is an electric hum in the air. A NOTE FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH But before anything too weird can happen . . . your watch flashes again, beeps once, and on it has a new message, a hologram-sparkly image with a young woman who (to some individuals!) looks a fair bit brighter than she did a few weeks ago. To those who are new, you will recognize the voice -- Astoria, the guardian of the Temple (or, if you're a bit more pessimistic, your effervescent kidnapper). "Hello, my beloved travelers ♥ and new ones, too! My name is Lady Astoria the Witchess-san." The way she says it, though, it is very clearly something of a joke. "I'm so glad you are settling in, adjusting to your new powers . . . I apologize for not coming forward and greeting you all like last time. But I am feeling much more like myself, and ready to send you to a new world ♥ This one is named Struxta . . . Struxa? No, I think it's Struxta. It's very metal. I'm not sure what's wrong in this world . . . but I can feel something building. Pulsing, it's very chaotic. I'm afraid I can't be more detailed than that, I did have a headache earlier . . . Akira told me I was fine ♥" And, again, you can likely guess that Akira definitely did no such thing. Astoria clasps her hands, her bright blue eyes shining, with a bright smile. "Now! Please be safe, and please mind your manners, and tell me all about it when you return! I'll see you soon. ♥" And, just like that? The humming in the air grows louder, you feel an odd tug in your stomach, and before you can properly adjust yourself to the sensation of being cast across the universe . . . you find yourself in Struxta. (Astoria, it seems, did have it right the first time.) THE HOSTEL Just as it was in El Minha, it appears that upon arrival, each character is outfitted with a room at one of the largest, arguably most impressive skyscrapers in the city. Nearly two hundred stories tall, and with each floor containing nearly sixty rooms. Every floor, every room, every door is of the highest tech and the more advanced security. The watches that Astoria has given each of the Circle Members act, in many ways, like a key, a credit card, an ID, and any other form of identification the players will need during their stay. The rooms themselves are simple - one bed, roughly full sized, with a light, a desk, a chair, and a variety of plugs and buttons. Characters are welcome, if they are able to find the appropriate plug, to charge any and all devices they may have. There is a TV of sorts in the room as well, with access to all manner of shows and news stations. The bottom floor of the building is almost as large as a city block. It is open, sleek, and clean-cut. A kind of open meeting room, which has - upon inspection - been modified to include what appears to be a restaurant. Which, given the fact the group of Circle members who have arrived in the city are the only natural bodies around? Includes the fact you are the only members of the city who have to consume food and nutrients. Upon even closer inspection, the technology used to make the food seems a few decades behind that of the rest of the city, but it still works, and the food can still be produced. It might taste a little weird and turn out to be some sort of glorified goop, but it has some nutritional value. The rest of the floor has a variety of seating arrangements and places to sit and chat with your other Circle members, but beyond the Welcome Committee, who is set up on the far northern corner, there doesn't seem to be many of the natives walking through. THE SUPER CENTER Have you ever wanted to go shopping in the most technologically advanced superstore possible? Here is your chance! It appears that if you use your watch, you have been given a moderate amount of credit to buy clothing, toys, electronics, items, and anything else that might suit your fancy. You will not have enough to buy anything significant, such as limbs, organs, advanced computer technology, etc. But you are more than welcome to find a job to help collected more credits! Many of the stores within the Supercenter are hiring - greeters, cashiers, manual labor, errand runners, and everything in between! The Supercenter is attached, as most of the buildings seem to be in this city, by a roadway of interlocking bridges and stairways- to a point that you could, if you wanted to, move about the entire city without stepping foot outside. There are bridges on every level of the Supercenter, as well as a network of pathways and semi-roadways within the center itself. There are no restaurants or bars, but there are plenty of areas to relax and people robot watch if you so desire. Otherwise, shop, explore, find weird mechanical devices of the likes you could never imagine back home. There are all manner of stores, some art galleries, music centers, arcades, and more here. There is no limit to what you can find and what you can experience. Everything is automated, but there are still helpful employees of various appearances at each of the stories to help you decide and browse- small, flying blocks that speak in primarily beeping noises that (thanks to Astoria's wonderful watches) you can somehow understand, completely human-appearing androids of the utmost style and elegance, and everything in between. Take your time, do a little shopping or go to work, and enjoy the pique of futuristic capitalism. THE RACES In the south-eastern district of the city, a large section of the city has been modified into a multi-level, vast, complicated race track of sorts. Think Tron, meets Speed Racer, meets a type of racing that is something all their own. It's fun as hell, fast as hell, and dangerous as hell. Sounds great, right? What is simply known as ‘Racing’ here in Struxta is complicated, but at its heart is exactly what it says: it is a race. A race of cars, bikes, and everything in between through an obstacle course of everything you can imagine. It seems to all be linked, electronically, to a motherboard that decides - each race - what the drivers will find. Each race was drastically different, with dangers galore. One day you might find that the road is full of spikes, the next it might be slick as oil, there could be loops that defy gravity and breaks in the road that seem to be impossible to cross, but that's what the modifications and specialists in the garages are for, right? The rules are simple: if you have a vehicle, and you have a driver, you are allowed to race. First one to complete the track, wins. Surrounding the main track is an entire industry of shops, stores, garages, meeting places, lounge areas, and viewing rooms. There are robots who make entire livings on the industry surrounding the Races, without ever having to step food onto the course. Some of the areas will be cleaner, like the rest of the city, while others may air on the side of back-house garages. While there won't be any dirt or natural life forms, for the first time you might catch sight of rusted metal, oil slicks, broken down previous versions of what's out on the road. There are some practice tracks, some experimental safety sections to test out new additions, etc. The one thing that holds everyone together, here, is the excitement around watching. The excitement around the competition. There are Races every five days, so that gives you just enough to get settled. And maybe find a car. THE LIBRARY As many have already come to hear, there are plenty of libraries and museums all across Struxta. However, there is one that is known as The Library, which archives anything and everything in the history of all of Struxta, spanning back its entire history, over thousands and thousands of years. The building itself is as large and impressive as The Hostel, nearly two hundred stories tall, possibly more, and as wide and long as a city block. But where in the Hostel each floor had been made up of rooms, each of these floors are large, open areas, with dark, imposing servers held behind tight, clean cabinets. No one else seems to be here, which gives the impression that The Library is not open to just any native of Struxta, and that in fact - as members of the Circle you are being given special access to what would normally be off-limits. In the middle of each floor, there is a small collection of tables, with large screens. These touch-screens will be your access into the Library archives. And that is the thing - you will have access to everything, but as it turns out, everything really means everything, and with backups spanning the course of thousands of years in the past, it will take a lot of time and a lot of energy and a lot of research determination to find anything of use. Not because it is difficult, just because it is so massive and so overwhelming. The only natives you will find will be on the first floor, as a kind of secretarial position for the building. They are more than happy to try and help guide you through the search process, but they will not follow you up to any of the other floors, and there is a distinct feeling of being entirely alone when you do go up to begin your search. Alone, but watched, somehow. Remember- if there is something that you wish to look up specifically, please ask over on the world interactions post so we can be sure that the correct information is shared! The best way to go about finding something in the Library will be going at search terms in teams, as there is so much information there is no way one person will be able to wade through it all. Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the mod questions thread back in the OOC post from before! And if you have any ideas regarding how your character will interact with the world, also feel free to check back into the world interactions comment from the OOC post from before, as well! From this point forward, the Circle has become involved with the Collected Nations of Struxta. What your character finds out, decides, and does from here on out will affect the future of this city- one way or another! But what you do is completely up to you. What you discover, explore, and uncover will be yours to discover, explore, and uncover. Who knows what you might find? :)

Comments

a; i can't resist...

[punshots]

[ Prompto can't help it; he has to stifle a laugh when he hears Ignis' reaction to the edible sludge. No one here is really thrilled about this muck they're supposed to eat—Prompto has barely been able to force it down, and that was with generous helpings of water—but it is what it is. Androids don't need to eat, but they're doing their best.

Too bad their best is still terrible.

Still, Ignis will receive a sympathetic look from his friend once his laughter subsides. For all he can't wait to explore the fascinating tech of this world, it may be a looooooong stay for their stomachs. ]

So, what's the damage? Reckon you can salvage it?

[ Well, if anyone can do something about it, it'll be Ignis. Prompto believes in him! ]

[ebonyengine]

[Prompto earns himself a little glare from Ignis for laughing, but it's not something he can maintain for long. After all, it's not Prompto he's mad at. He's mad at this goo that someone had the gall to call food. Deep down, Ignis knows he's being unreasonably upset over this, but he just can't help it. Is this even safe to eat? Does it have any nutritional value at all? What is it even made of?]

The damage is...everything. It cannot be saved.

[There is just simply too much about it that is wrong. Perhaps once upon a time this was food, but now, it is only the mangled corpse of what was once probably a perfectly good ingredient.]

It would be easier to start over from scratch.

[punshots]

[ Laugh though he might, Prompto is really not looking forward to this being their only food option for the foreseeable future, so if there is anything they can do, he is eager to make himself useful to the cause. ]

Can you start over from scratch? You think they've got something you can work with in the kitchen?

[ Even tofu would be better than this, and that's saying something! ]

[ebonyengine]

That depends.

[Which is probably not the answer Prompto wants to hear, nor is it the one Ignis wants to give. Uncertainty is not something that he enjoys. He looks down at the plate of formless goo once again.]

Is there any scratch to work with? And can I get into the kitchen?

[...is there even a kitchen?]

[punshots]

[ Yeah, is there a kitchen? Prompto sort of just assumed, but maybe that was even being too generous. ]

I mean...it was food at one point, right? Right? Soo, just gotta trace it back to its source and figure out where it's comin' from! Easy peasy.

[ Except not really, considering there have been no signs of anything organic around here except for the Circle members themselves. ]

She didn't happen to give you, like, a food-making power, did she?

[ebonyengine]

[Yes. Prompto is right. This goop must have been something else at one point. It was not simply gooped out of thin air. Hearing that brings Ignis a small sliver of hope.

However, at the question about food related magic, he shakes his head.]

No, I'm afraid not.

[punshots]

[ He tries not to let his disappointment show too much. That would've been just too easy, wouldn't it have? But Ignis's answer does beg the question: ]

So, d'you know what kinda power she gave you, then?

[ Some people still haven't figured theirs out...not naming any names, Noctis. ]

[ebonyengine]

[Had Ignis the ability to make food out of thin air, they wouldn't be here, looking at this questionable goop that claims to be food. He would grumble about it more, were it not for Prompto's question.

Right. The apparently random "powers" that the witch goddess hands out to all who find themselves in her sights. Ignis does know what his power is. He discovered it one day, when he figured he better know what blessing had been bestowed upon him.]

Nothing useful in this situation.

[He's a bit reluctant to tell Prompto what it is, however.]

[punshots]

[ Ignis may be reluctant, but that won't stop Prompto from being nosy about it. He can't help it - there aren't necessarily...a lot of perks that come with this job that they didn't sign up for, but as ever Prompto looks for the bright side in things. Here, it's in sweet powers and new friends, and Ignis is Ignis, so he probably got something super cool, right? ]

Yeah? Soooo...what is it? Can you show me? Or is it one of those more...passive powers?

[ebonyengine]

[In hindsight, Ignis really isn't sure what keeping this magic to himself is supposed to accomplish. When it comes down to it, he just doesn't want to be teased about it, because he knows the moment they know, they're going to pester him about it.

But they were going to find out eventually, and he supposes the best thing is to get it over with. He looks down at his plate of untouched food goop then back up to Prompto.]

...animals.

[Now that he says it, it just sounds so juvenile. This is the kind of power that children want.]

I can turn into animals.

[punshots]

[ Let the record show that Prompto Argentum did not laugh at this reveal, though it is a very near thing, and he has to press his lips firmly together to keep the mirth from escaping him. In the end, though, he's able to hold it in, though Ignis will recognize the crinkling at the corners of his eyes for what it is. It's just that Ignis is so dignified, the most dignified person he knows, honestly, and a power like that doesn't exactly...well, match his temperament.

He's sure it's handy as hell, though, and once he can control his voice without bursting into laughter, he pipes up with: ]

H-hey, that's hella nifty! A friend of mine here can do the same thing! Maybe the two of you can swap notes, or somthin'.

[ebonyengine]

[The information that he's not the only one like this brings Ignis a moderate amount of comfort. At least he isn't alone with this power, and it's a surprisingly reassuring thing to hear.

Reassuring enough that he's going to ignore Prompto's transparent attempts to hold in laughter.]

I don't expect to use it often.

[Ideally, never. It's not the best of experiences to suddenly be in a body completely different from your own. He rather likes himself the way he is. He crosses his arms.]

You are the first to know. I haven't told Noct or Gladio yet.

[And he hasn't worked out exactly when to inform them about it, in what is definitely not stalling for time. Regardless, the meaning of his words is clear: he is trusting you with this information, Prompto.]

[punshots]

...Really? You told me first?

[ His brows lift gently. Sure, it's not exactly a great or terrible secret, but if it's important to Ignis that it be kept on the down-low, then on the down-low it shall be kept. For all he's excitable and chatty, Prompto knows when to zip a lip, too. ]

Don't worry, Iggy. Your secret is safe with me! [ And then, after elbowing the other with a light bump: ] Anything else you wanna get off your chest? Deep, dark secrets that no one can know about? I'm listening!

[ Okay, now he's teasing, just a little. ]

[ebonyengine]

[The elbow bump throws Ignis off guard slightly, but he recovers quickly. He's never been one for those physical shows of friendship, but he's been trying to get better about them.

As for secrets, he likes to think he doesn't have any. But now that Prompto has brought up the possibility, he can't help but ponder. Deep, dark secrets? He doesn't particularly like to hide anything, except for his own hidden stash of potions for emergencies.]

I use three different types of pepper in that green curry soup you like.

[Scandalous.]