( world #2 - the storm. )

[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 a storm approaches.This log is for everyone who signed up for The Storm investigation. Feel free to use the here to plot further on how you plan on approaching The Storm, and the issue. The mod questions thread is also open, if you have anything you would like to run by us. the investigation. It takes a day of preparation, and a day of discussion, before you are led further down into the tunnels. It's pitch black, but one of the BGs who you have become familiar enough with turns on a low light and continues further. You walk for ten, fifteen, twenty minutes, and then turn a corner into a large, open cavern. The BG explains that at one time, this had been an underground transportation system - old and unused for centuries, now, but still in working order. They file each of you onto a single car - it seems to be large enough to fit nearly a hundred, possibly more, bodies - so everyone has a space. The BG explains that they have already input the coordinates into the system, and that once they close the door, you will be transported to the last known location. The car will be programmed to wait for 72 hours, and then will return to this location. There is food and water supplied, and already packed, in the car. If you are not back in the car by that time, it will leave you behind. They then give their farewells, thank you for your help and readiness, and step away from the door - letting it close behind them. The car travels down a pitch black tunnel, and while the inside is dimly lit enough for the Circle Members to see each other and move around without hinderance, you can see nothing through the windows. It continues for a few hours at this rate - nothing to see, no idea where you are going. That is, until it seems to break through the surface, the track running through buildings and another, unknown area of the city. The streets and buildings are abandoned, the tech old and outdated, windows broken out and dust filling the street. The sky, like back in the city you knew before, is cloudy and grey. But these clouds are different - these clouds are dark in a way you haven't seen before. You travel for another half hour above ground before the cart comes to a stop, and during this time it happens twice. A low rumble, seeming to come from everywhere at once, and then a few heartbeats after, a disasterous flash of lighting - miles away, yes, but threatening and gigantic, brighter and more violent than you've ever seen lightning before. The crash shakes the ground under you, and the damage is immense. But the buildings are abandoned, the streets empty save for crates, old mechanical bits, dusty remnants of a society long forgotten by the Struxta you came from just a couple of days prior. This is The Storm you've been warned about. the storm. You have been asked to find out information that will help the BG's, and Struxta, to stop The Storm. From what you can gather, it does seem to be a naturally occurring weather phenomenon, as far as weather systems seem to work on this planet. However, rather than scattered thunder and lightning strikes, it seems to almost recharge and strike with epic proportions. It can damage, or destroy, buildings. It shorts out any and all items (and people) who depend on electricity in any form to function (Sorry Daylight and Conner, sorry to anyone who brought along technology) within a three mile radius. The 'darkness' the BGs were talking about does follow this storm, but they seem to have been referring to this electrical shortage that comes from the storm and it's strikes. If this storm does reach any of the still-occupied areas of the city, it will shut down the entire grid, as well as any of the robots, androids, or electrically based figures that exist there - essentially ending the life of every Struxta citizen that is effected. Plot, plan, theorize, and see if you can find a way to stop The Storm. If not, be back on the train car in 72 hours time, to return to the BGs and report what you have found. PROMPT IDEAS 1.) Discussions on the train - do you have any ideas for what to prepare? Any discussions you may want to have? You and your fellow Circle Members are caught here together for a few hours, driving into a situation you know very little about. What do you want to make sure you're prepared to handle? 2.) Scouting missions - the heart of The Storm is very much in the distance, and it is not moving quickly, giving Circle Members plenty of time to set out and check out the surrounding city. What you will find won't be much - this is a robotic ghost town in every turn of the phrase. Buildings have been abandoned for hundreds of years, covered in dust and left entirely undisturbed, except for the breeze that now seems to flit through this entire area. There are stores, warehouses, apartments, and buildings you can't even tell what they were used for, cleared out. Whenever, or whoever, lived in this part of Struxta had evacuated, quickly but efficiently. 3.) The Storm - The Storm is still a distance away from where the cart has dropped you off, enough that when your 72 hours are up, the heart of the storm and the lightning strikes shouldn't reach the car, or the track. This does mean that to do any closer investigation, you will need to go to The Storm itself. But be careful - the electrical output from these lightning strikes are dangerous, and can have all sorts of effects on both natural and mechanical beings. The wind, the closer you get to The Storm, will also pick up - making any kind of flying or air travel impossible. 4.) Planning - the car leaves everyone off at an old train station, which a large room attached. This room can be used as a kind of home base, as well as a meeting location. What do you plan on doing? Simply taking down information, or trying to take the storm head on? How do you plan on doing that? Will your abilities help? This room attached onto the train station is a safe location - no effects of The Storm will make it inside. Use as you would like!

Comments

1

[foundafamily]

[Sitting still and behaving is indeed the worst, so Firo smiles faintly when she breaks the quiet, even if he has to go and be a bit of a sarcastic brat first:]

That's the most pleasant conversation starter you could think of?

[Oh, well, he's going to answer anyway.]

I haven't. ...But I knew a guy who got lit on fire--do you think it's anything alike?

["Knew" as in "now I have his awful memories," but he doesn't need to get into those details.]

[flyingsolos]

It's the one most guaranteed to get me an interesting conversation in the first place!

[ No "how about that weather" or "did you have a pleasantly terrible breakfast, me too". Rion can exchange pleasantries just as well as most people, but sometimes-- better to bypass it entirely.

Although, given his answer, she's maybe regretting it a little. ]

Uh-- I mean, being on fire is kind of a prolonged thing, isn't it?

[foundafamily]

Yeah--so you think they're not alike at all? I thought maybe they'd feel close to the same.

[It is all conjecture, though, as he's happily avoided one of these things. For now.]

Have you been struck by lighting?

[flyingsolos]

I think they'd both definitely hurt a lot, but...

[ Ergh. She's pausing, then shaking her head fiercely. ]

Anyway, I've never been out in a storm long enough to risk that.

[foundafamily]

When people talk about the electric chair, they describe it like it burns, but I guess that's not the same thing.

[That topic's too unsavory even for him, so he waves it away and moves on.]

Anyway, you'd better not be planning on finding out what it's like here.

[He wonders if she's asking because she's worried, but... well, who wants to come out and ask that? So gentle ribbing it is.]

[flyingsolos]

... I know that you think I'm the type to throw myself into danger at this point, but I have limits, you know?

[ DON'T LOOK AT HER LIKE THAT, FIRO. ]

[foundafamily]

[SORRY...]

Good. But, well... here you are, going right to the storm.

[Meaning: just please be careful.]

[flyingsolos]

And so are you.

[ Meaning: you're going to fuss anyway, aren't you. ]

[foundafamily]

[Yes, he is going to fuss.

He frowns and sits up straight, unconsciously trying to make himself look serious.]

That's completely different.

[Look, he's clearly a super tough and scary guy! It's not the same at all.]

[flyingsolos]

Yeah? How is it different?

[ YES, GO ON. ]

[foundafamily]

[Why did he not expect to get called on that...]

Well, uh, okay, so I won't say fighting a storm's a "normal" part of my job, but I'm used to dangerous stuff like this.

[flyingsolos]

Dangerous stuff like-- storm-chasing? Risky situations? Or...

[ Firo... ]

[foundafamily]

Just dangerous stuff. [Falling off buildings, stabbing people, you know, gangster stuff.] I'm used to getting myself out of a scrape, so that's why it's different.

[No offense, even though the insinuation there that she can't may be totally offensive.]

[flyingsolos]

This may come as a huge surprise to you, but same here.

[ Just without-- stabbing people. ]

[foundafamily]

[It does! Even though he saw a snapshot of the stuff she got up to in El Minha, he still pauses and blinks a couple times in surprise.]

What? Like, before here?

[flyingsolos]

Yep. For a few months before here, actually.

[foundafamily]

How'd you get wrapped up in all that?

[flyingsolos]

... Would you believe I got kidnapped into it...? Technically?

[foundafamily]

[He frowns in disgust.]

Somebody kidnapped you?

[So far this conversation is only making him worry more!]

[flyingsolos]

It's okay, we made him regret it.

[ SEE. EVERYTHING'S FINE. ]

[foundafamily]

[He smiles faintly.] That's good.

I won't ask about it if you don't want to talk about it. [A pause.] ...Uh, and I'm sorry for talking like you don't have experience with this kinda thing.

[flyingsolos]

... It's okay. [ and she means it. ] I know I don't seem like the kind of person who would.

[foundafamily]

Yeah, you don't.

[And she shouldn't, really--it's all well and good for not-so-great people like Firo to get dragged into trouble, but not women and kids. That goes both for kidnapping and things like Astoria's missions.

He smiles his gratitude and tries to forget about it.]

What made you want to come all the way out here, anyway?

[He'll back off questioning if she should be, after that conversation, but he's still curious!]

[flyingsolos]

... [ a little smile. ]

I'm really bad at sitting still. So if there's anything I can do, I definitely want to do it.

[foundafamily]

Interesting hobby you've got there. Some people just take up knitting instead of poking their nose into everything.

[He drops the dry tone and drugs his fingers on the wall of the train.]

I get what you mean about wanting to kill time, but honestly I'm still not exactly sure what we're gonna do once we get there.

[Investigating isn't his strong suit.]