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

[blastedass]

Aa. None of the buildings that retreated underground during the kaiju attacks have been harmed. The orcas and the dragons couldn't get to them.

[While the orcas were primarily destroying the bay and the imugi had targeted the base, it's impossible to ignore Neo Tokyo's underground strongholds were well equipped to deal with the strife. They popped right back up afterwards and life continued on as usual.]

We're already heading out if a kaiju shows up.

[He gives Kadaj a wry look for what he feels is a weird rationale.]

[sensehispresence]

[ Hearing that none of the buildings that retreated underground during the kaiju attacks were harmed... well, it was good to hear. It meant that something got salvaged, at the very least. ]

Assuming that we don't just find out about it, yes.

[ Though, Bakugo was right. If a kaiju showed up then they were already leaving base and heading out. Taking out the beast that tried to come for them. ]

So, how does someone normally keep themselves awake? Without nasty energy drinks and things like that.

[ He's never looked it up. So, he doesn't realize that someone can stay awake through simple conversation. ]

[blastedass]

[To be honest, it was mentioned in the information block during the very first kaiju fight, and hasn't been brought up since, so I assume it's more an "informed going forward" thing, preventing the city from getting destroyed each time a kaiju crashes into it. And then we started going to other nations, sooo...]

Hmph. We need to find a way to bring the fight to the damn kaiju, not wait for them to attack after fucking with us for two weeks.

[Meaning, in the upcoming future, he'll be very happy they take the fight to the mummy lynx.]

Staying active and dynamic, usually via something that makes your adrenaline rush.

[Level talking, repetitive actions, anything with a rhythm is dangerous when you're tired and is likely to put you to sleep, like a damn pendulum.]

[sensehispresence]

[ Anything that prevents the city from getting destroyed is a good thing. It would always be a good thing. ]

Do we even know how LILITH gets the information on the kaiju? If we were able to get that information ourselves about the same time LILITH does, or even before, then we'd be ten steps ahead of these things.

[ That? It was probably asking too much, but it was something to think about. Or even ask about. ]

What normally makes your adrenaline rush?

[ It's an innocent question, especially when he doesn't know what makes his own rush. ]

[blastedass]

They send out scouts and researchers the first two weeks while we're at a new location.

[Generally the Outsiders assist with the effects of the kaiju's presence while LILITH does what it can to search for and look into the kaiju's patterns, with the Outsiders also assisting if they can. At least that's how Bakugo's come to view it.]

Tch, no shit. But they're usually siccing us on other jobs.

[One of his gripes as well.]

Haa?! What the hell kind of question is that?!

[Random, Kadaj!]

[sensehispresence]

[ It was true. That was a pattern for LILITH. Though, it would be good to get information themselves. Not that he was going to think too hard on that. The last thing they needed was people disappearing due to tracking down the kaiju. Or figuring out their patterns. ]

Like helping with gardens of those who don't trust outsiders.

[ Something that he'd ended up doing. The Outsider who had been with him wasn't sure what he was doing. Nor did the guy know why he was doing it. Or what use it was. ]

You mentioned 'usually by something that makes your adrenaline rush'.

[ Those cat-like eyes watch the other. ]

From your reaction, I take it that it's something one shouldn't ask someone?

[ Was it bad to ask what made someone's adrenaline rush? He'll know for future reference not to ask that. ]

[blastedass]

[Bakugo would rather help LILITH track down the kaiju than be stuck babysitting a bunch of strangers. But being a hero, such tasks come with the job, despite his grumping about it. And lets be honest, he'd get impatient as fuck if the kaiju didn't reveal itself quickly. And newer missions have let them search for the kaiju alongside their other duties.]

Uh-huh.

[Not something Bakugo likes doing either, though he has some personal investment in gardening with his intent on medical plants. So it works out okay with him. Mostly.]

Tch, no. It's fine. [He shakes his head, dismissing his own reaction. That was due to his player taking 3 days off for the weekend. MY BAD!!] Just don't ask like that normally.

[As for the question-]

Battle, sparring, exercise.

[sensehispresence]

[ Kadaj would rather help track down kaiju too. Rather than sitting back and helping strangers. Though, he didn't mind helping where help was needed. Something he's found he likes doing now that he's been in the place for a while. It wasn't something he liked before. ]

Someone might not take a liking to the question?

[ Might as well find out the reason why, right? It's all good, as a player I understand. ]

What kind of exercise?

[blastedass]

[Bakugo isn't going to shirk the duty given to him, and will tackle it with all his furious pride and skill. But he'd rather be out doing something awesome rather than something lame (in his opinion). Their roles here take a pattern each month anyways, so he's come to expect the general order each pair of months.]

Ask them what they like doing. You'll get more responses.

[And Kadaj can make the logical assumption of which answers include getting adrenaline running.]

Sparring, workout, training, running, weight lifting.

[sensehispresence]

[ Kadaj takes his job seriously. Even if it might be a bit left over from the whole mission back home. Here? He's found ways to live and he enjoys it. Whether it's working on motorcycles, riding his own motorcycle, or fighting kaiju. Then there was helping those around the city. He didn't know a lot, but what he didn't know he asked questions about. Whether the ocular or Bakugo or someone else.

When the other mentions asking instead he gives a nod. ]

I'll keep that in mind for the future. Especially if it gets a better response.

[ The last thing he wanted to do was cause problems for people. Or make them choke on their food or drink. All because he asked a question wrong. ]

Isn't sparring and training almost the same thing?

[blastedass]

[He doesn't want to explain some of the nuance when people ask about getting adrenaline running. Some bastards take it as a perverted invitation. Though with Kadaj's done and expression, they'd have to be really pink in the brain to think he meant it.]

I can train by myself; most people don't spar alone.

[Shadow boxing, sure, but he's not about to include that as a "spar" in his definition.]

[sensehispresence]

[ If someone thought that Bakugo allowed his adrenaline to run like that then they didn't know him. Not that there were too many people who did know him that well. Bakugo and Yuji probably knew the most when it came to him. Godzilla a little bit too, but mainly the other two. ]

That makes sense.

[ Sparring would be hard to do alone. ]

Perhaps we'll have to spar together sometime. I'll even leave the abilities behind.

[ Possibly teasing? Or attempting to, more than likely. ]

[blastedass]

[Bakugo hasn't thought much about Kadaj's potential love life, since he doesn't think about that about anyone. Not until it happens and they come to ask him about it, much to his annoyance. Kadaj is learning how to be human in this place. Anything so "pink" would be trying to run before he could walk. Sheesh.]

Bring it on, Cat Eye. [He's likely already invited Kadaj to spar in the past, since that's one of the things Bakugo does with the people he likes. Knowing how to work with your allies and having some understanding of their abilities makes it easier to coordinate during a battle.]

We'll alternate between abilities and basic martial arts.

[sensehispresence]

[ Honestly? The remnant didn't pay attention to anyone's love life. Only time he took note of it is if someone actively said something. Then he noticed. Love, however, isn't something he's learned while being in this place. Nor was he looking for it either.

That has him giving a bit of a laugh before shaking his head, some of that silver hair covering one of his eyes. ]

Don't worry, I will.

[ He wasn't known for holding back. Just as he knows that Bakugo doesn't really hold back either. One couldn't find out about their allies by going easy on them. ]

I like the sound of that.

[ Even if one of his abilities happens to be summoning a dragon, but that was one meant more for the battlefield than sparring. ]

[blastedass]

[Anyone who wants a willing sparring partner (mood providing) will find one in Bakugo. All they have to do is ask, and if he deems them worth his interest, he'll be happy to thrown down and kick their ass! Kadaj is someone Bakugo respects enough to cross fists with regularly.]

We'll have to use the temporary training area, unless you wanna go out in the desert. [They could battle with less restrictions outside the city, but had to mind the potential sand croc attraction and not losing sight of the city borders in case a freak sandstorm came flying in. This isn't their native area, so he doesn't want to risk too much.] We should go around sundown, when it's cooler.

[sensehispresence]

[ Kadaj was, more than willing, to spar with those he knew. He also liked Bakugo. The other was part of... family, more or less. Probably not like he considered Yuji or Choso, those were big brothers. Sibling talk wasn't something he'd ever talked to the other about. The other was more packmate and someone that he trusted, along with respected. ]

We'll use the training area. There's too many unknowns out in the desert.

[ Sure, they'd have less restrictions outside and he, himself, didn't like restrictions. However, they'd be better off waiting a bit. Even if he'd head out into the desert too, if Bakugo wanted. ]

That's what we'll do. I'm not overly fond of the heat.

[blastedass]

[Bakugo was an only child; the idea of having siblings had never sat well with him, given his furious self-reliance. Kadaj has become more than an ally to him though. A friend, even he won't ever use the word out of stubborn pride. If he wants to have sibling talk with other people, that's fine with him. Bakugo's willing to give Kadaj life lessons and advice at least?]

All right. We won't be able to go full strength in the training area though.

[Given its lesser size and limited stability, they'll have to keep their power in check so they don't accidentally break anything. Sheesh, he'll be happy when they get their normal base back.]

Due. You were black leather all the time.

[Look who's talking.]

[sensehispresence]

[ Kadaj had always had Yazoo and Loz. There had never been just him. There was also Cloud too, but he was the black sheep of the family. The other two had always been with him and by his side. They'd done practically everything together. Down to chasing big brother too. That was, practically, a long time ago.

He liked Bakugo and considered him a friend. Not that he had a lot of those, but that didn't mean much to him. Much less when he had those that he trusted around him. Maybe he should go make more friends, talk to more people. That's what humans did, right? They communicated with others. ]

Then we'll find a different place around us. A place to train and fight at full strength. Until then, the training area.

[ Keeping his power in check would be something he'd train himself to do. However, when they do get somewhere better they'd train more. Keep at it even. ]

Telling me you prefer the heat?

[blastedass]

[Bakugo's friendship is a fickle and hard-won thing, and while he'll deny it out of childish petulance if it's brought up in the open, paying attention to his actions rather than his words usually renders those protests and denials moot points. He wouldn't be hanging around Kadaj so easily if they weren't on good terms. Some people think "friends" happens after a few general interactions, but for Bakugo, that label takes a lot more than a handful of casual events.]

Once the base is back up and the simulation training's online, we can cut loose.

[Without a problem, as they used to. Of course there's always doing a challenge during a kaiju fight, but then they're not really battling each other, so... He likes pitting his full strength against other strong opponents.]

Winter sucks.