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šš‚šš¢šš—šššš•ššžšš” š™¼šš˜ššššœ ([personal profile] synfluxmods) wrote in [community profile] synflux2024-09-28 11:36 am

TRAVEL LOG #3

TRAVEL LOG #3


CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, abduction.

ā–¶ 001. TARGU MURES AIRPORT.

In the early morning of the 1st, Outsiders will receive a message in their oculars.

"Oh, seriously? You’re putting this on my plate now when I have so much to do? Tch … Outsiders currently caring for Imugi eggs, bring them to the medical bay. I’ll take over for now. Captain Yamakawa needs everyone to report to the hangar right away. There’s been a distress call from a distant land and we’re noticing some strange readings. We need you to go investigate this.

…Put some catnip on my plate, Alex. It’ll be a long night."

True enough, a SPECIAL ALERT will blare through the implants shortly after, asking those who would be willing to help with a distress call to head to the hangar. The reward will be an additional bonus pay, as this seems to be different from detecting a kaiju. There, they will see a familiar sight: the LILITH SKY CRUISER, a spacecraft capable of carrying 80 passengers. There is little time for seat assignments, so seating will be on a first come, first serve basis (hopefully you don’t get the middle seat!) and the flight will last about 10 hours. Just like any aircraft, Outsiders may stand up and walk around once the seatbelt signs turn off. There is inflight entertainment consisting of AI movies or virtual reality games (see TRAVEL LOG #2). Characters with inhuman features are required to wear their cloaking devices.

The plane will touch down at Targu Mures Airport, Transylvania, Romania, which appears to be abandoned and desolate. There isn’t a living soul to be found.

"Most of the country was destroyed decades ago, so there shouldn’t be anyone still living here. Yet, these readings ….. And we can’t ignore that call for help. We’ll need to investigate further. My Angels, go the rest of the way on foot..."


There isn’t a data portal in Romania, and there’s just no way to transport the number of cars needed for over 60 people via plane. Let’s hope you managed to get proper rest on the way here, because the hike will take about 5-6 hours through the dense forest, with the Captain feeding directions through the ocular based on where the kaiju readings are most pronounced.

All teams will be traveling together along a treacherous terrain which will include both harmful flora & fauna. Outsiders can expect to come across brown bears, wolves, European lynx, golden jackal & wild boars. Although the forest is dense, these animals are scarce to come by, but they can appear, especially when the hike takes place at dusk and into the night.

In this time of the year, hay fever is a common occurrence in these forests. Those sensitive to pollen may be sneezing and feeling fatigue through this hike. There will be steep hills, slippery ground and eerie sounds of the night to serenade the Outsiders. It doesn't help that the further they travel, the thicker a dark fog gathers around them, making the surroundings difficult to make out. Everyone will be provided with flashlights, but those with abilities to see in the dark or cast their own light will be encouraged to lead small groups. Everyone is going in the same general direction, but giving each other some space might be helpful. There will be no time to rest, no matter how tired Outsiders may be.

Just when it feels like they might need to trek through the forest forever—is that smoke coming from a fire up ahead?

ā–¶ 002. BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA.

Wander further through the bushes, and behold, it does appear to be smoke—but not from any natural fire. It’s coming from a chimney! The Outsiders will stumble upon the historic region of Brașov, known for its Gothic architecture and medieval towns. Romania has been classified as a desolate region for a very long time, and as far as LILITH is concerned, this city should be completely destroyed and abandoned. Yet, there is smoke coming from the chimneys, fresh laundry hanging on lines and the faint chatter of children playing. There are very clearly people living here, and this has LILITH completely dumbfounded.

"So it’s true … The resilience of humanity cannot be understated. I’ll need to report this to the Commander right away. My Angels, embark on the town. We need to find the source of this distress call and investigate these kaiju readings. I know we’ve had setbacks recently, but I’ve always had my faith in you."


One thing Outsiders will notice when they step into the town is how it appears to be lost in time. The date is still 2278 as far as anyone knows, but there’s no sign of any modern technology—no computers, telephones, or any sign of electricity or plumbing. Each and every house looks like it could have been plucked right out of the 1700s, and there even appear to be horse-drawn carriages parked along the pavements.

The townspeople themselves also look plucked out of time, with the women donning petticoats and aprons, and the men sporting waistcoats and riding boots. They welcome the Outsiders with warmth, delight, and over-the-top hospitality; more than happy to show the visitors around Brasov on their carriages. With how rarely they meet anyone from outside the village, the children are full of curiosity, following the Outsiders around and poking at their technology while bombarding them with questions, such as where did you come from? Do you know how to play any games? What do you like to eat?

Outsiders will be presented with food, clean clothing, and a room to stay at the village inns (2-3 people per room). They are free to roam and explore the village, where they will find taverns, fresh food markets, shops, inns, and a church dedicated to the village god.

One notable aspect of the town is the fact that they appear to have fresh, non-lab grown food. The vegetables taste fresher and are vibrant in color. The meat tastes much richer than it would back in Neo Tokyo. This is owed to the fact that the people of Brasov actually tend to their own farmlands, a lost practice in these times. Venture a little out of the city and you’ll find it: acres of farmland, growing wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, grapes and sunflowers. They even have livestock!

The people of Brasov are more than happy to answer questions about their town and way of living. Outsiders who go around gathering information from the villagers will learn the following:
  • Why is the land so fertile? This is all owed to their benevolent village god, the Lord of the Forest. No one goes hungry because their god takes care of them. Observant Outsiders will see a common symbol plastered around town: a canine skull.
  • There was a distress call. Is everyone okay? The townspeople would respond in confusion and assure the Outsiders that nothing is out of the ordinary. They have been living peacefully for centuries and it’s because their god protects them. They don’t seem to know anything about what’s going on outside their town and the word ‘kaiju’ is lost on them.
  • Who is the Lord of the Forest? The townspeople will sing his praises, telling the Outsiders about how he has been providing for and protecting their town for many years.
  • Where is the Lord of the Forest? He lives in the forest and mountains that surround the village. Sure enough, if the Outsiders look around, they will see they are completely surrounded by foggy forest and mountains as far as the eye can see.
  • Can they go into the forest? The villagers will look worried. While the Lord of the Forest keeps them safe, the forest is still filled with dangerous creatures. Also, the thick fog and trees makes it easy to get lost. Only the most skilled hunters venture out to catch prey like deer and bears. Characters who venture into the woods will get turned around and lost but will eventually find their way back to the village, to which others will reply it is the lord's guidance that brought them back to safety.
Outsiders can do as they please. The villagers are very friendly and will try to accommodate them however possible. There seems to be very little crime in the town and the people look happy. LILITH has been quiet for some time now. Maybe this is a great opportunity to have a well-deserved break? How can you not when the people are so kind and the food looks and tastes so delicious? In fact, the longer that Outsiders stay here, the more some of them may begin to feel like they belong here.

ā–¶ 003. BONFIRE FEAST.

On the night of the 7th, the villagers will knock on doors inviting everyone to a bonfire party! It’s just about time to harvest their crops so food is abundant. They can’t think of any better way to use it than to prepare a feast. The bonfire will be held in the council square. Tables and benches have been set up and an impressive spread of fresh food is laid out for everyone to enjoy. Outsiders can enjoy bread, cheese, fresh pork, stew, roasted chicken, seasonal vegetables and free flowing alcohol. There are live musicians on the scene as well, playing merry tunes on their instruments. Some of the villagers have even started dancing around the bonfire and they’re pulling people in to join them! At the center of the table, a canine skull is placed, and the villagers give thanks to their god before partaking in the food.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary … Full and content, everyone will feel tired and want to retire for the night. Characters that do not need to sleep will also feel tired.

Night passes, and daybreak comes. Outsiders might notice that their numbers have dwindled; certain people have gone missing and are nowhere to be found. There won’t be a trace of the captured Outsiders aside from their belongings that they may have left behind.

The villagers do not seem bothered and everything seems normal in the village. Asking the villagers about these disappearances will result in no answers—they claim to have no clue as to the missing Outsiders' whereabouts. It also won’t be possible to contact them, or even LILITH for that matter. It is almost like communications have been cut off completely and their implants receive weak reception.

Observant characters may notice that a heavy fog has descended upon the village overnight and though it gets better during the day, it never lets up.

Captured Outsiders are as followed:
Aventurine
Choso
Dan Heng
Denji
Ereshkigal
Hiyori Iki
Kabru
Kaga
Lucy/Kaede
Maki Zenin
Makima
Malkuth
Loop
Nanami Kento
Rover
Sampo Koski
Taryon Darrington
Wriothesley
Yzak Jule
Zagreus

ā–¶ 004. THE CHOSEN (KIDNAPPEES ONLY).

A separate log for KIDNAPPEES ONLY can be found HERE.

ā–¶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our third travel log!

There are no assigned seats this time, so characters may sit wherever they choose. Inhuman-looking characters will need to wear their cloaking devices so as to not alarm the people of the town. A separate log has been prepared for kidnappees only. An additional prompt will go up for non-captured characters before the kaiju fight. The scheduling will depend on actions in the captive log. We will announce it on plurk.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards October AC.



EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. TARGU MURES AIRPORT: There has been a distress signal. Characters caring for eggs must leave their eggs with Dr. Spim and report to the hangar to board their flight. The Outsiders will touch down in Targu Mures Airport, and will need to hike the rest of the way through the forest.

2. BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA: Romania was thought to be a desolate country but one village seems to be thriving. The town of Brasov has historic, medieval architecture and the people seem plucked out of the 1700s. They are friendly, welcoming and curious, having never seen technology like what the Outsiders have. Outsiders are provided free lodgings, fresh clothing, food and water. The villagers raise their own livestock and grow their own food, which is unheard of in these times. They don't know anything about a distress call. All around the village, the symbol of a canine skull can be found. This is the Lord of the Forest, the god of this village whom the villagers worship.

3. BONFIRE FEAST: The villagers invite the Outsiders to a bonfire party where fresh food is abundant. After a night of merrymaking, they find that certain Outsiders have disappeared from their numbers and nobody seems to know what happened to them.

yuwon: (pic#16663311)

[personal profile] yuwon 2024-10-07 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't know. They said this one was different, but... [ this was the first mission in which was left entirely optional, and so it only brings the question of how it potentially differed. but, yuwon hasn't looked into it beyond that.

but, it's a good question raidou brings up, similar to his line of inquiry with the villagers. he doesn't blame anyone from trusting them, if just because he knew individuals like hercules who wouldn't think twice about lending a helping hand to any strangers, no matter how ridiculous their request. his own lack of trust didn't mean others had to hold to the same principles, and he briefly considers this before shaking it off.
]

I see. Then at least this place didn't come off as that much of a shock to you. I can imagine some people may have complaints about it. [ the lack of plumbing... ]
the_fourteenth: (125)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2024-10-08 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
A distress signal coming from a place with no electricity. I can't help but think we found the wrong place. But how many other places can there even be out there?

[Raidou has said in the past that he was sure that towns like this existed out there in the world, and wasn't surprised that they found one. Coming from a town like it, he knows how self-sufficient they have to be. If they were lucky to be remote enough to not come in contact with rift and kaiju activity, he had no doubt their lives would continue. He wasn't surprised to have his suspicions confirmed.

He does smile just a tiny bit at that, thinking of city boy Bakugo grumbling about it. But Raidou was born in the mountains of central Japan in 1905. Certainly no amenities there.]


You'd be right. But a little rustic living couldn't hurt.

[As Raidou's flashlight sweeps the area, eyes flash in the distance and then vanish after being spotted. Raidou's hand reflexively goes to the sword on his side that isn't there - it's in his hammerspace gloves for safe keeping, and to not startle the villagers.]

... If they got outside of town, they couldn't have made it far.
yuwon: (pic#16921565)

[personal profile] yuwon 2024-10-10 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe there's a place for it we haven't discovered yet. [ but, it is essentially fairly suspicious. he does also think of the context of such a distress signal. regardless, yuwon was less versed when it came to these types of things, if just because they were so different to the principles that ran the tower. ] Back at home, a lot of our items ran on mana or arcane power, so there could be something else, too.

[ so a signal could be jammed if you overran the device with enough mana, but it was too complicated to presume such a thing were normal here. if he had to think of an equivalent...

yuwon also looks through the forest, his eyes occasionally switching to a more red hue, before he refocuses back on raidou.
] Yeah, that's true. I also don't know what there would be outside of this village. Everywhere we've been, people seem to have settled together for the most part.
the_fourteenth: (129)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2024-10-12 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Could be. [Though, this brings to mind another good point.] ... I can detect mag. Magnetite. What one uses to cast magic, where I am from. Normally, I have no reason detect it here. Then only sources have been from other Outsiders. I fell out of the habit. But... [Closing his eyes for just a quick moment to concentrate, he looks for Choso in particular - someone who is effectively a contracted demon with him. Their bond would make him easy to find if he was within a few hundred yards, but he can't feel a thing.

He shakes his head lightly.]


Nothing.
yuwon: (pic#16921552)

[personal profile] yuwon 2024-10-13 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ naturally, yuwon seems to perk up slightly at the raidou's mentioning of being able to detect something akin to magic. it seemed a bit more specific, somehow, but he doesn't have any sort of doubt in raidou's ability, and so he carefully watches as he falls into a state of focus. he's silent, even his steps over the dirt path falling quiet as he waits.

nothing, huh?
] That knocks out that possibility at least. [ he peers back up, taking a quick look around them. ] I also have a few skills I normally use. One lets me scan over an area. [ ... ] They haven't yielded me any results, either. [ which is probably just as strange.

the concept that sensing someone's magic isn't working alongside other "detection" related skills. since it seems like the powers themselves are still intact, it means... something must simply be blocking their "sight."
]