TRAVEL LOG #5

[synfluxmods]

TRAVEL LOG #5

CONTENT WARNINGS: death, nightmares, gun violence, survival scenario

▶ 001. EYES WIDE OPEN.

"Angels of Lilith, report for duty in the DISPATCH."

The day starts off with alarms blaring and oculars shining bright lights in the Outsiders' heads, waking them up early for an emergency dispatch. Although the current Rift at Mt. Fuji needs to be explored and examined, the Rifts continue to appear in different parts of the world, and this Rift is no different. Captain Yamakawa continues,

"We have received a distress call from EGYPT. Much of the region fell during the first kaiju crisis. Now it is a desolate land that survives with the help of a generator called an ESSENCE which is currently malfunctioning. We assume the cause is Rift energy—according to our radar, there is a heavy amount of Rift energy coming from that area. We will move out immediately. Pack all the things you may need, but each Outsider will be supplied with a care package of their own containing essentials."

Even though it is 4:00 AM Tokyo time, LILITH hopes you all have slept well. It could be the very last good sleep in awhile. While the dataportal to Egypt is operational on Japan's end, because of the malfunctioning generator, Outsiders are unable to come out on the other side. The old method of using the flying cruiser will be used once again.

There will not be assigned seating for this other than by teams. Everlights will sit with Everlights, Brimstones with Brimstones, and so on. The Outsiders will be encouraged to rest on the flight, and a few hours before landing, an in-flight meal will be provided. The meal is surprisingly delicious and consists of chicken or pork katsu cutlet, but with the warning that all Outsiders will know about: it contains high amount of cyber caffeine. This sort of newly innovative caffeine can keep Outsiders awake for several days, but sometimes it may cause restlessness or hyperactivity, causing characters to have a jittery amount of energy but razor sharp focus. Other times, it simply keeps characters awake and they feel no different. The cutlet will be served with KAIJU™ Energy Drink. Any Outsiders that require a different diet will be provided with what they need, and the cyber caffeine will be added to it if they would like.

Yamakawa gives instructions again:

"We have received more information about the kaiju. Civilians have died in their sleep from horrible nightmares, and we are encouraging Outsiders to sleep together in pairs or groups, or disregard sleeping at all until we obtain more information. We are still receiving facts about this monster, but this meal will help with keeping everyone awake as a safety measure."

Those who do not want to have the highly caffeinated meal can have everyone's favorite: a ration bar that isn't spiked with any energy, but it doesn't taste good at all. Outsiders may be more likely to fall asleep and be in danger by choosing this meal. The balance of a dystopian society.

▶ 002. ARRIVAL IN EGYPT.

When they finally arrive, the air is temperate and dry in Alexandria. The Outsiders might have to check their clocks once more to make sure everything is right; everyone is expected to land in the late afternoon and every clock says it should be close to evening, but the city is already growing dark with the sun setting quite early. Because of the ESSENCE disruption, Alexandria is running on back up energy, which makes for spotty lighting and loss of basic power.

LILITH will be greeted by a small group of researchers at the airport and they will help take the Outsiders to their base: the Alexandria Institute which was once the University of Alexandria. They will give the Outsiders a quick run down of the situation and some background.

1. LILITH does not have a strong defense branch in the region any more. Instead, the branch here seems more focused on research, especially on the origin of kaiju and rifts.
2. This region is extremely prone to spontaneous Rifts. Many of them are small and pass quickly but this most recent one is unprecedented.
3. One evening, in the final week of March, the Alexandria Institute received a corrupt file from their fellow researchers in Greece. It shut down much of their research facility (including their warp portal) and all they have been able to recover so far are the words, "Do Not Go To Sleep."
4. The next morning, they awoke to find the sun rising later and setting earlier. It feels like the days are getting significantly shorter.
5. Many locals developed a fear of the dark and going to sleep. They would then die in their sleep within the next few days.
6. The autopsy of these victims have shown no cause of death, puzzling coroners.

Progress has been slow because the corrupt file shut down many of their facilities. They have not been able to track the source of the Rift or identify the kaiju responsible for it. They believe the answers may be within the corrupt file and will be happy to receive any help they can get from the Outsiders.

When they arrive at the Institute, Outsiders will be set up in the old student dormitories. Each room has 2-4 beds depending on the room, with a common shared area on each floor. Given the current threat, there is also a supply of energy drinks and bars boosted with cyber caffeine. Outsiders have two options:

1. OPTION ONE: Stay in Alexandria and help the researchers with the generators, while keeping themselves and teammates awake during the night by playing games.
2. OPTION TWO: Go out into the Egyptian desert on camel-back, spending time getting to know their camel before heading out.

OOC NOTE: While players may write prompts for both options, we ask that you submit for a clue only once per player (not per character, as we have a lot of characters in game now!)

▶ 003. LEARN & EXPLORE. (ALEXANDRIA RESEARCH.)

Times are hard in Alexandria right now with their generators malfunctioning and efforts being split. The researchers are trying to get the generators back up and uncorrupt the data they received from Greece. LILITH will instruct the Outsiders to help with the research but also warn that they cannot afford to just sit around and wait to crack codes. The researchers also agree. Sometimes the best way to get research data is to go out into the field, but they haven't been able to do it due to not having much protection. The desert is vast, and there have been sightings of other small kaiju lurking beneath the sand and in some smaller cities.

Outsiders can decide to stay in the city of Alexandria to help crack the codes, or they can opt to go out into the field. For the latter, they can choose to stay close to home and investigate within Alexandria.

Those who wish to help with the ESSENCE generators and researchers will stay in Alexandria, using any downtime when not investigating to try and stay awake, slumber-party style. Two Truths and a Lie? Maybe Spin The Bottle? Perhaps some games can keep Outsiders enticed so they don't doze off.

▶ 004. FEELING SANDY (DESERT EXPLORATION.)

For those who wish to explore the desert and smaller cities, Alexandria Institute will supply what they need, such as water, food, essential tools for digging, sleeping bags (no sleeping, but maybe for resting!) and anything else. To conserve energy, the researchers supply camels for the Outsiders to use. The camels are mostly tame, but have their own distinct personalities, so they may need a little more handling and can be coaxed to behave with treats like artificial carrots and bananas. Outsiders can spend time getting to know their camel if they are going to explore the desert or cities. A camel can seat two people on its back comfortably, but also carry any essentials that travelers need to bring along.

In the distant small cities and across the desert, Outsiders will come across Sand Crocodiles, one of the smaller kaiju that have been inhabiting the desert. These monsters are basically crocodiles but with a twist: they can spit fire if angered and they can camouflage in the sand. They hide strategically, and one wrong step will cause them to push their jaws out of the ground, harming a person or camel. The stubby quills along their backs or rounds of their horns aren't entirely covered while hiding, so watch carefully. Fortunately, Outsiders will be supplied with a shotgun. Aiming between the eyes or in the mouth will kill it, but also beating it with the back of the shotgun will also do the trick. And yes, they also taste like crocodile too, if anyone is hungry.

After exploring, Outsiders are requested to report their findings back in Alexandria.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our fourth travel log!

Welcome to the new and improved Travel Log! Below, you will see the link to the MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET post that has information about the kaiju below along with RIFT EFFECTS. Fill out the form for RNG Attacks and whether you would like to receive a RIFT EFFECT. This should give characters some ideas for the status of their character in the next log, which will have more action and monsters in it. Outsiders may use the CHAT to report and discuss any findings.

We thank you in advance for your patience as we try out this new format!

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

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. EYES WIDE OPEN: Outsiders travel to Egypt after receiving reports of their power generator, ESSENCE, being unstable and malfunctioning, leaving citizens in peril. They are instructed to "stay awake." They are supplied cyberpunk caffeine and told to try not to sleep or stay in pairs to be watchful of any danger.

2. ARRIVING IN EGYPT: Arriving in Alexandria, the Outsiders are confirmed that citizens have been dying in their sleep, with coroners unable to determine the cause. The days are mysteriously getting shorter and people are unable to stay awake.

3. LEARN & EXPLORE: Outsiders are given options to stay in Alexandria to help with the generator or find clues to assist the research team. Between researching, they are asked to continue to stay awake by any means possible. Those who will be exploring the desert and smaller cities for clues are given a camel for transportation. Outsiders are encouraged to get to know their camel before traveling.

4. FEELING SANDY: While looking for any clues out in the desert, Outsiders encounter smaller kaiju known as Sand Crocodiles. They hide in the sand and attack at the opportune time, snapping jaws and spitting fire. Shooting them between the eyes or in the mouth will K.O. them.

code

Comments

[cosmarchy]

[ He's blaming Beru for spooking the camel... ]

Yeah, I'll be fine. Still have water and everything. It's not the first time I have to power through sweltering heat.

[queenofkur]

I
I don't know.

Our pantheons have very different philosophies regarding death,
So my knowledge is very limited as I said.

[queenofkur]

We're all, yes.
But I remember you going to unsafe lengths.
It's good to be doing a lot.
But if you kill yourself working,
Your work output will fall to 0%.
Therefore, remember to always stay at 70% of your maximum at best (◕‿◕)

[curingidiocy]

I am beginning to wonder if all you Divine and Heroic Spirits and the like are lunatics.

[blastedass]

[Make Beru fetch the camel...]

We're spread out over the area. You should be able to locate some with the ocular.

[thighhighs]

i can confirm it's true
[ girl you shot the magic gun at him ]

[misclassed]

What the hell else are you gonna use a second life for? Something stupid, like a Grail War?

[cosmarchy]

[ Beru is already on the lookout. He can't come back until he finds that camel. ]

Are you looking for company?

[blastedass]

She doesn't have an immediate animal association.

[Quick search on the ocular confirmed that.]

Unless the kaiju's gonna look like a house.

[blastedass]

[Good man.]

No! I don't wanna have to find your damn ass in the desert!

[thighhighs]

what do you mean stupid

[queenofkur]

[ She takes the cat and looks up at it, smiling brightly (and sparkling, but that's par for the course by now). She has very little in the way of earthly possessions, gifts from her friends are far more precious than anything money could buy. ]

I'll have to think of a good one!

[ Mhm... It'll have to be a pretty name. She'll do some thinking when she'll be on her own. ]

I am doing well. I have finally found a good balance, in spite of all the recent events. [Asides from certain things that shall be left unspoken, everything is going brilliantly! What could go wrong?] What about you? You seem to be in good spirits.

[misclassed]

Well its a waste of your talents, for one thing.

[thighhighs]

[thighhighs]

[thighhighs]

talent has nodding to do with it

[coordination]

Being in a position of command always comes with those sacrifices.

[ He feels perceived and raw and he's CRANKY because he's TIRED and he was not expecting to have old wounds poked like this out of left field (much less over something this dumb). So he still nearly wants to be petty and argue that it isn't the same. That they were all still fighting together, supporting one another, her thoughts and her hopes were with them and they all still stood together, even if distance separated them.

...

But even despite the exhaustion and the ridiculous upset he's feeling, he knows why she's sharing this. Why she's defending him to even Athrun right now. Because she does actually get it. And more importantly, because she cares.

And that's all he wants at the end of the day.

So after a brief halt in further response, ]


... I appreciate your understanding.

[vorous]

_{[ Just in cue, Laios continues to puffs up and holds his breath, trying to look really big! Speaking with a strained voice (trying to hold his tall posture and breath while talking) he continues on: ]}

And..!! Avoid eye contact!! Don’t look at them in the eye or they may feel threatened.. approach carefully!

_{[ He takes Kabru by the hand. ]}

Let’s go easy!! Together.. puff up and look big!

_{[ uh oh.. Kabru didn’t think that this might be an interactive demonstration. ]}

\o/

[queenofkur]

[ Oh. Right, she still has difficulties with human jokes and metaphors. That said: ]

I appreciate you are not afraid of death.

[ It's a nice change, most people think it's the worst thing ever. Still, self-preservation is necessary and he doesn't appear to have any. And just telling people outright they should be more careful with their life rarely appears to work...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

M-Maybe it's the perfect time to try and practice this aspect of human socialization! ]

However, unless you take more care... [A pause.] Y-You'll go up in smoke!

[ A joke! And a metaphor meant to convey the image of funerary incineration out of a cigarette. It's a really good first attempt at using this sort of social skill, if she says so herself. And she looks at him expectantly. ]

[misclassed]

Sure.

But baiting in fools who can't find peace on the wheel of fate with an empty promise and then acting like all that bloodshed is going to be worth some stupid trinket is foolishness. It isn't easy to live without regrets, but one life is more than enough to do good in.

Especially for you.

[ mr weaponized zen buddhism has logged the fuck in

he also forgot ratio is right here ]

[curingidiocy]

[ ]

[cosmarchy]

[ Jinwoo has never liked hospitals.

It's the whole atmosphere of the place— quiet in all the wrong ways, clinical in a way that feels too sterile and wrong. He doesn't have many good memories attached to a place like this. Four years of diligently visiting his mother when she remained asleep because of an incurable condition, when he couldn't do anything to help her until the System came into his life and gave him a chance.

He doesn't remember how he got here, but that's not what he focuses on. It's the feeling that someone is coming that gets him to move.

The slippers are at the foot of the bed, neatly aligned so it's easy enough to slip into them quietly. He stands without wobbling, but he remains careful as he checks out the room, taking note of everything he sees. The medical equipment, the IV drip, the cart filled with medical supplies, and the computer by the door.

He makes his way over to the computer, figuring it might hold answers to all the questions forming in his head. ]

[cosmarchy]

Wow.

So you won't look for me if I get lost.

[blastedass]

If I have to, you're gonna wish I hadn't.

hunter / owl house / everlight

[newphew]

i. learn & explore;

[ never sleeping? hunter's specialty ]

[ he doesn't even need the party games, he's grabbed a whole bunch of books and notes and made himself comfortable, pouring over all of them with the joy only a nerd can experience. if you've got anything in your hands that's research-adjacent, he's looking over it curiously. alternatively? drag him into party games. or, if you're starting to nod off yourself, hunter jostles you awake with a shake to the shoulder ]

Hey! Wake up.

[ there's a note of urgency to it ]

ii. feeling sandy;

[ so there's this one camel, right. angry, wild, ornery, and avoided by every local. you've probably already been warned away from it. even the other camels are giving it a wide berth. in fact, the only one close to it is.... hunter, who currently has a hoofmark on his face (don't worry about it), bribing the thing with carrots and bananas. he's got a rare little smile on his face despite obviously having been kicked, and after a brief exchange of goods--- the camel allows him to board. yipee! maybe he's part disney princess. he gets up without hesitation, petting its head. ]

[ then he gestures for you to climb aboard. the camel gives you a nasty look. hunter doesn't seem to notice ]

Come on. Get up, and let's go.

[ is this safe? ]

iii. wildcard;

[ comment here for a personal prompt that is not memeshare!!! ]