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.

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Comments

[fursuit]

The one and only.

[ Tezcatlipoca’s response is quick and easy, and with a nod, he starts to lead the way into the sands. Clearly, whatever it is, it’s not far, otherwise he would have grabbed their camel. Even as a more resilient being, the desert is still just as harsh for Tezcatlipoca, after all. As they walk, he does hold out the bloody bag for Silco, though. ]

Found what I was lookin’ for, and it ain’t even far. But, here. You carry this one. Get some of that scent on you, and will hopefully keep more of the gators away.

[ …Well, that explains the blood, at least. If Silco takes the bag, it’s a bit heavy, and knowing Tezcatlipoca, it’s not hard to guess what’s inside. It’s likely organs and more specifically, a heart. ]

[zauneyete]

[ He's been struggling with walking in the sands, and he will admit it — if Set were here, perhaps he would understand the attraction to this place more — as it is, he hates it. It gets everywhere. His feet feel it, his legs. Everything.

The bag is hefted over his shoulder, a soft squelch of it against his shoulder. Yeah, he could guess what was in it just fine. ]

So what was it you were looking for, exactly?

[ A heart implies sacrifice.

He hoped he wouldn't be sacrificed as well, given that the last time Tezca had tried a ritual during their travels, he'd ended up on the other side of his gun. Axe.

Thing. ]

[fursuit]

A temple.

[ Tezcatlipoca’s answer is simple, because what more needs to be said than that, really? He figures Silco already has a guess as to why he’d insisted on Silco coming with him, why he’d been cagey about answering before now. And honestly, for the latter? It’s because he didn’t want to get hopes up. He didn’t know if he’d find what he was looking for and have to settle for less as a result.

But as they mount a dune, it’s plainly visible, though… Not impressive, exactly. It surely was at some point, but that has long, long since past over centuries of wear, being buried and then unburied by the shifting sand. It’s a structure that’s half crumbling, which is why it’s not a tourist attraction. He starts to slide down the opposite side of the dune adeptly, encouraging Silco to follow. ]

We’re visiting his lands, so we’ve got respects to pay.

[zauneyete]

[ He makes a soft noise of acknowledgment, because it is what he expected, kind of. He'd thought that it would be appropriate, but he didn't... really know how. Being an acolyte for a god didn't mean he understood it, after all. And Set would be different than Tezcatlipoca, right?

Tezca, though, knew what to do. He supposed it's best, that the god take point, but Silco feels a little twinge of... well. He doesn't know what it is. A bit of relief that he's taken the lead, because they should do something.

He wouldn't feel right, if they hadn't.

Silco isn't often sentimental, but Set had been... true. In a way that is difficult to describe to others. They had been the same, once. They had nearly shared a soul, or maybe they would have become one, who knew, but it was important. He slid down the dune, following him, and when they reach the bottom, he straightened, trying to shake dust out of his clothing as he moved. ]

Ah. I suppose we do. And this is one of his?

[ He looks up at it, considering. He didn't know what he expected, but... perhaps the large stone spires and the impression of carved stone within make him think that yes, this was close. ]

[fursuit]

I think so, yeah. Not completely sure, since I can’t read the hieroglyphics any more than he’d be able to read mine, but… Well, call it intuition.

[ It’s a bit more than that, but it’s something he’s have difficulty explaining even to someone that were a little more spiritual, much less to Silco. Intuition isn’t a bad word for it, though. It’s a reflection of how the divine are woven into the fabric of the world, and even though this isn’t his world any more than it was Set’s… There are still echoes. Perhaps another version of Set had ruled over these lands long ago or perhaps the people that came to the temple just held him in regard. The detail of it isn’t something that Tezcatlipoca knows.

As they step inside the temple, it gets dark, but he’s quick to pull out a flashlight and switch it on. Even with his feline-derived ability to see much better in the dark doesn’t extend this far. ]

Plus, can say he left an interesting gift for us in return.

[ He turns the flashlight up to a scene that they don’t exactly need to be able to read the language to get an impression of. ]

First stop’s the altar, but might as well take a look around while we’re here, considering.

[zauneyete]

Hm.

[ He says, following his indication. He doesn't understand the intuition, but he knows better than to... doubt Tezca, at least for something like this. If anyone was going to understand it... would not a god of conflict understand war? Besides, there's something... Maybe it's in his head but he imagines that he feels something too. That lingering echo, maybe, or maybe it's nothing, just the idle thoughts of an old man who thought he could be more than he was.

He looks up at the scene, and ran his fingers down his lips in curiosity, his good eye narrowed as he looked at it. ]

If only he could tell us how to defeat it. I don't think spears will quite do it, hm?

[ He looked around, before he turned to follow. ] Maybe there's more. Or maybe this will be another of Set's games.

[ One would think he's speaking negatively, but there's a note of fondness in his voice. ]

[fursuit]

Well, my spear might.

[ He tosses Silco a cocky, playful little grin, but after that, he starts to lead the way again. He’s already taken a look inside enough to make sure that it would work for what he has in mind, so he leads the way with confidence rather than exploring. ]

But we’ll see. Kaiju hunting is kind of a side project here, least as far as I’m concerned. We learn something about it, great, but if not, that’s fine too.

[ He turns a corner and has to duck under a low-hanging doorway, but luckily, no such problem for Silco. ♥ ]

He picked a hell of a time to leave, but y’know, maybe a good thing. Since, yeah, if he’d stuck around, just imagine how insufferable he’d be.

[zauneyete]

Imagine.

[ He replies with a scoff, as he follows him in deeper. He sure doesn't have a problem with the door, and his nimble feet manage to artfully step over any cracks or crevices in the temple. It's old. Very, very old. ]

Just like the sand here. [ Okay. Set, he'll admit it. He hates sand. Sorry bud, he's sending his distaste for it through the ether to you, personally. (i know you're watching this pax) ]

Getting into everything, causing trouble, making sure I perceived each and every relic that glorified his victories.

[ Wow, it sounds like he doesn't miss him at all, except... It sure does sound like he misses him. He's mostly making it sound negative to soothe that little part of him that's still angry he's gone. That he left. As if he'd had a choice. ]

He always said he could feel... other existences. I wonder if they were real enough here that he's still... [ His fingers dance along the side of a wall. This could have been Set with them. Hell, this could have been... ]

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca just listens, as he seems to be doing more of on this little journey. He’s been cagey and more cryptic than usual, and it’s no clearer why. Silco could guess, of course. Maybe it’s his own mourning for Set’s absence. Maybe it’s a Trial for Silco. Or maybe it’s just his fickle whims, which is just as likely.

In reality, it relates to where Silco’s wondering ends up. Tezcatlipoca laughs a bit at that, but with another sharp turn where they both have to duck under a half-collapsed pillar, they arrive in a room that’s more intricately decorated, but whatever lavishness was here has long since been stripped away. All that remains are the painted walls and a large, alabaster altar that was clearly too heavy for grave-robbers to try and take. Its purpose is clear, just based on the little bowl at the end, so Tezcatlipoca nods to Silco to drop off the bag. ]

Yeah. I’m sure he does. Maybe not as sharply as I might, since I’ve got a bit more of an ability to peer through reality, but. You can still feel it. Call it a vibe.

[ He shrugs his own bag off his shoulder and starts to dig around in it. ]

That’s why I was looking for a place like this, since it’s where he’d feel our presence the strongest, no matter how many realities separate us. Getting a nice lil’ sacrifice to offer was a bonus, but the real point— [ He pulls out something wrapped in linen for safe-keeping and starts to unwrap it, though it just shows a small, clay jar. ] —Was this.

[ He sets it down on the altar too, but it’s mostly for Silco to uncork it if he wants to see for himself what’s inside. Tezcatlipoca starts to busy himself with wrapping that linen around the stub of a torch to light it, since that’ll be more appropriate than a flashlight. Inside the jar is sand, but not simply sand. Whether it’s the slightly rust color or a deeper, innate connection, it still feels clear that these are Set’s sands. A part of Set himself. ]

[zauneyete]

[ He drops off the bag where he wishes, and follows. The altar is large and he wonders if this would have meant something, if his soul had finished the transformation Yima had started him down. He sometimes wonders if he's different because of that. He wonders if having his and Set's souls so close is why now he's... less feral than he had been before, or if it's simply the fact that he's not under the strain of Zenith's power hammering at his mind over and over; or if it isn't the constant reminder that his daughter was dead; or —

He doesn't know if it even matters. What it is. He opens the jar, because he can't resist seeing what's in there, but as soon as he peered inside, and tipped so the light can catch what's within...

His hands still. ]

Oh.

[ He feels a little fond lurch, that old feeling that meant they were one. The scheming, the deals, holding their hands while powerless under that tree, feeling the hammering energies of either faction trying to draw them in, and making that promise between the two of them — that they understood one another. That they understood what they were fighting for. For their children, because they had both been betrayed by the men they called brother. Set had been vicious, and grand, and a violent lightning rod for attention, raining his power down on mortals whether they liked it or not.

He'd admired it. His willingness to take, his ability to fight, the way he had always pushed for what he wanted, plotting and scheming his way to victory.

Silco and he had been the same.

He was gone, and Silco was still here. This wasn't supposed to be how it happened.

His lips twitch into something a little sad, though he masks it, with a soft scoff. ]

Look at you, Set. Getting everywhere as usual. Enough that Tezcatlipoca had to clean it all up.

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca glances Silco’s way at that “oh”, but returns his attention to lighting the torch as he gives him a moment to mull it over. It’s good that he knows what it is, since that saves him some explanation. He laughs as Silco scoffs out his commentary and tucks the torch into a sconce where it can rest. ]

Ha, much as I’m fine with giving Set a hard time, can’t take credit for this one, exactly. Not that way, anyways.

[ He returns to the altar and dumps out to contents of the bag, and it’s exactly what could be expected… It’s a quite large heart that was cut brutally from one of those sand-dwelling crocodile kaiju, and it’s so fresh that the only smell is the blood that leaks out of it. The altar works as intended, since that blood also trickles to the receptacle at the end. ]

I’ve mentioned before that I can normally see the future, and most of that is gone. But every once in a while, I get what’s easiest to just call a spark of intuition. Not nearly as specific as my usual shit, but at least gives me an idea of “hey, go do this”. So, got one of those a while ago, and asked Set for some of his sand. Had to go back and forth about it for a while, was just arguing for the sake of arguing at a certain point, but.

[ He gestures to the sands, since the results speak for themselves. When he brings his hand back to his side, it’s to pull out his large combat knife, since it seems like it’s butchering time now. ]

We’re bringing him home. Think he’d appreciate that.

[zauneyete]

Didn't he always?

[ He missed it, he thinks. The little arguments, they were fond little things, the god had always wanted to be contrary, and Silco and Tezcatlipoca had both put up with it, it seems. They always knew that at the end of the day, they would focus in on what's important. Even when they had been on opposite sides, Silco knew. Set would not intervene, would not keep them from being the two at the very end.

Anubis and Jinx would have been set carefully to the side, and they would have fought for their very souls. They would have found a way to bring them both, either to a new world, or Egypt. In the end, he hoped Jinx would have forgiven him for what he did. She would be alive. Even if she hated him... that's all that would have mattered.

That's all that mattered now. ]

I wish we could have brought... [ Anubis as well. They had vanished with Set. He checked. A pang, that in the end, he fell short of their promise. Not his fault, but... ] Nevermind.

I suppose in the end, this will have to suffice. It is all that we have of him.

[ He rolled up his sleeves, and pulled one of his blades out as well — a wicked looking thing, it will suffice — and aims to assist. They're sacrificing for Set, he'll get his hands dirty for this. ]