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expiationlogs2023-03-17 12:00 am
- !event,
- ai tsf: mizuki date,
- arcane: violet / vi,
- bungo stray dogs: nikolai gogol,
- final fantasy viir: aerith gainsborough,
- final fantasy xiii2: noel kreiss,
- fire emblem geneaology: ethlyn,
- my hero academia: izuku midoriya,
- original: astralin turnont,
- persona 3 portable: kotone shiomi,
- persona 3 portable: shinjiro aragaki
{EVENT #1} ADVERSITY 131425.845119
| MOD NOTES: Welcome to the first event! Please direct any questions to the corresponding comment below. Note that characters can be involved in multiple prompts (whether you choose to thread that out or not), and that character decisions and actions taken on these prompts will affect future events, storylines, and relationships with other peoples of Expiation. In two weeks from this event, the moderator team will be posting a poll on the OOC community that will allow players to share what actions their characters took and two weeks after that, there will be an announcement made sharing said results, how those actions have impacted the state of the world, the game's story, what information can be used ICly, and so on. The various prompts are, of course, optional, so you're not required to travel to Rumpitur if you don't wish to. You're not required to help the locals or other Chosen during the food shortage. There is an option to simply not be involved, and that too can have potential repercussions on the future of the game's overarching story and other characters. |
WE'RE STARVING HERE!
HOW TO REPAIR A REFRIGERATOR 101
Do you remember the fishing tournament where a variety of locals and Chosen alike submitted a bunch of fish for a very modest and unimpressive wooden sculpture? Well... about that...
Aldrip's refrigeration has catastrophically failed and as a result, the food stores that the locals have been keeping are now on the verge of total and utter collapse. The townspeople are in an absolute uproar. According to them, this has never happened before and though they would normally just pray to Those Who Were There for a resolution, they kind of need something immediate. Otherwise, all residents of Aldrip are facing the very real threat of starvation.
The good news is that you can help!
The more handy of the Aldrip townsfolk are going to get right to work on repairing the refrigeration units. At present, the only units that exist belong to those who are making food and providing them to the townspeople. This means people like the tavern keepers, the inn, bakers, and other miscellaneous cooks, are those who possess and control these refrigeration units. If you've got some handyman skills, put them to work, though be aware that working on repairing the technological malfunction might just be an electrifying experience. Literally.
THE ALTERNATIVE TO COOKING MAMA
There sure has been a lot of opportunities to cook, but now Aldrip needs cooks and would-be cooks like never before!
Those not necessarily good with repair work might find themselves better suited for hunting the local wildlife, whether that's on the meadowland plains or taking, yet again, a fishing pole into hand. A good deal of the meat, vegetables, and fruit that was already preserved has spoiled and will need to be replaced hastily if people want to continue eating.
With bodies going to retrieve replacement food, there's suddenly an open and demand for people who either already have experience with cooking or just really want to learn. There's no better way to learn than some truly hands-on experience. For those with some cooking in their background, even if it's simple at its best, the kitchens are free and available. You might not have your choice cuts of meat or whatever else you might be accustomed to preparing, but fortunately the dried spices and herbs aren't impacted by the food shortage. Consider making something flavourful or just really spicy. (Alphen, we're looking at you.)
If you haven't cooked before and you're one of those who's just dying to learn, pair up with a buddy in the kitchen, or fumble along. Beggars can't be choosers, after all, and we're facing a crisis. Maybe the threat of having no food will encourage people to try whatever you make, no matter how black, crispy brown it might turn out.
The more innovative and creative individuals may find a way to dry / dehydrate anything caught or harvested. Or we can just have a huge impromptu grilling adventure where people hold raw meat over fire. Your choice!
WE'RE OFF TO SEE... THE NAGA?
WE COME IN PEACE
Aldrip is hardly the only settlement on the continent of Expiation and though the various peoples of these settlements can often stick within their own, when times are hard and adversity encroaches on livelihood, they're not against seeking the aid of others. Some of the more well-travelled of the Aldrip locals are planning an expedition to visit Rumpitur, an impressively-sized village on a peninsula to the east of Aldrip.
They are ready and willing to take all volunteers who are interested in accompanying them to barter for food and other potentially needed supplies. The visit to Rumpitur will require travel through the Pessiria Forest, a thick veil of trees that one can be easily lost in, but if everyone's together, then it shouldn't be an issue.
Consider joining the expedition and getting to know some of Expiation's other peoples.
Rumpitur is home to a race of naga-like people with scaled features, tails, sharp teeth, and forked tongues. Their way of life is considerably more simple in comparison to some of Aldrip's fancier advancements. They are skilled combatants and a fishing people, whose diet primarily consists of seafood. In Rumpitur, one may take note of their many-in-number stone constructs, depicting a notable and perhaps significant naga.
Although they may seem intimidating at first glance and can have terse ways of speaking, they are amicable enough and will be willing to do business with Aldrip and her citizens.
OR MAYBE WE DON'T
The visit from Aldrip, which is a rare occurrence indeed, results in much confusion for the Rumpiturian people, and this may or may not be considered a blessing to those who could be more unscrupulous in nature.
Although the visit to Rumpitur is meant to be one of peace, locals of Aldrip and the Chosen alike have the opportunity to steal supplies from the people. If they choose to do this, they may find that there are no immediate repercussions for this course of action. The likelihood is that this visit has caught the Rumpiturians so off-guard that they're not expecting to be robbed. Of course, how this will impact things in the future remains to be seen...
Individuals may grab as much as they can carry, depending on what they've brought with them. The locals of Aldrip who planned this expedition provided convenient-to-carry containers that can be filled with anything retrieved from the village and her kind. Larger containers will require at least two people to carry when filled, so perhaps you're inclined to work with a partner-in-crime. Just remember that for every action, there's a consequence, even if you're not seeing it right away!
Rumpitur will not notice that they are missing inventory until well after Aldrip has left and travels back through the forest to town, so no one need fear the chasing and hissing of snakes into Pessiria.
Probably.
HOLD ONTO YOUR VALUABLES
IT'S NOT REAL... RIGHT?
Those who've decided to brave the forest will find on their adventure to Rumpitur that it's rather straight forward and proceeds without incident.
The sky above the trees is a difficult thing to see, blocked out by the way the evergreens stretch and imposingly tower above. At times light may scatter through various openings in branches, but it is a largely darker atmosphere, and at night requires the assistance of candlelight or related.
Travellers with the courage to make way through the forest with the others may hear occasional snaps, cracks, whispers, and more enigmatic sounds that are difficult to justify with logic. Of course, whether this is all in the head or something truly more sinister at play is up for debate. Despite the strange occurrences that one may experience, no members of the Chosen will find themselves harmed or otherwise physically disturbed initially. That said, some may later find themselves haunted by strange dreams and visions of the forest in the future if they are especially sensitive to such things.
Were those sounds real? Were you just hearing things? It's probably wisest not to investigate further. At least, maybe not now...
COUNT YOUR NUMBERS
Aldrip has a great many stories about Pessiria Forest and many of the other towns, landmarks, settlements, and people scattered across the continent. Most of these stories seem to depict folklore or a certain mythological feeling about them, implying that many of the locals don't truly believe in any of the more macabre tales. Pessiria Forest has no shortage of poetry and song that pertains to its supposedly 'holy' grounds and mysterious happenstances.
There are several alleged accounts about people having gone missing in the forest, due to how complicated it is to navigate by one's self. The more people travelling together, the safer it is purported to be.
Before leaving for Rumpitur, heads have been counted to ensure that wherever they start is also where they end up, however, for the more observant, one may find that the returning party is short of a few heads. Maybe some of them stayed behind to further the diplomatic efforts with the Rumpiturians. Maybe they're going to catch up later. Maybe they took a different pathway through the forest with some of their mates. Maybe there's something more untoward going on.
If this is brought up to the locals, the leaders of the expedition will warily make note of it and conduct their own investigation. At least, they say they will. Either way, it's suspicious no matter how you may turn it. Perhaps put heads together with another and see if you're just miscounting.
2
Evokerher Evolver is there at her holster, and in her hand she carries a metal pipe, which extends with a slight mechanical whir. She holds it in defensive manner, as she has been the entire time, but appears to lower it slightly.Did she step on that twig? Was it someone else? Did she just imagine it?
Perhaps the forest has made her even more paranoid. ]
Nope... Sorry, just me.
no subject
[Kotone visibly relaxes at the sight of someone who's recognizably a person (and probably not a ghost); she glances over her weapons and pauses briefly at the gun holstered at her hip, then meets her eyes with a smile. She'd taken to carrying her own Evoker in a holster high under her skirt, similar to how Yukari had worn hers, so it isn't immediately visible. It just seems like it might invite awkward questions that she doesn't really want to bother answering, and she can get it quickly enough in an emergency! For now, her polearm should do the trick. It's not a true naginata, but the closest the smith could forge based on her sketches.
It really, really looks like an Evoker, though. Could she be a Persona-user? Nothing for it but to ask!]
What're those weapons? They look pretty cool!
no subject
One weapon at a time, she supposes? She's not really thinking about Evolver at the moment, since it doesn't seem like she's a threat. ]
Hey, right back at you. It's just a pipe, but I had it modded back home. It's one of the few things I woke up with.
no subject
[She pulls the replica naginata off her bag and gives it a twirl in her right hand, end over end once, twice, then offers it to her butt-first. Maybe not the smartest thing to do with a weapon and a stranger, but she doubts this girl means her any harm. After all, she has her own weapons; why would she stab her with Kotone's? She holds out her other hand almost expectantly, as if asking if she can see it more closely.]
I didn't wake up with my weapon, I had to ask them in town to make one for me. How did you have it modded?
no subject
The blue accents over the pipe almost seem to glow in the darkness of the forest, and as she holds out the pipe for Kotone to take, it retracts. The head of the pipe is still the same, jutting out to the side at its end, and the shorter length gives it more of an L shape. ]
Makes it easier to carry around.
no subject
[The number of times she's forgotten her naginata was strapped to her back and whacked it against trees here in this forest... so many. They were constantly fighting in Tartarus, so she'd always carried it in hand, but that doesn't seem all that practical here.
She will take it in hand, if only to prove that she doesn't actually mean any harm. None of her teammates regularly used pipes; Junpei could use one in a pinch, but everybody else used some kind of weapon. Holding it like this, she can kind of see the appeal! Flipping it over in hand, she offers it back with a smile.]
Your gun looks pretty unique, too. Did you also mod that?
[As much as she'd like to, she doesn't hold out her hand to see if she'll be handed the gun. That seems like it might be pushing it. Kotone probably already looks like some kind of weapons-freak -- abruptly, she sympathizes with how Yukari must have felt upon being seen with her Evoker that first night in the dorm.]
no subject
[ Mizuki takes the pipe back, then looks down, as if to make sure Evolver is still there. It has to be, of course, but there is still that paranoia that she'll look and it'll suddenly not be there. Who knows what this forest can do...
But there it is. Safe. ]
Uh, sort of. Not exactly. Before I woke up here, I worked for the MPD, and they took care of everything.
[ ...She doesn't know how to mod a gun. ]
no subject
[MPD, MPD... that doesn't sound familiar, but that doesn't mean they aren't connected to the Kirijo Group somehow, or at the very least, using the same technology. Frustratingly, that doesn't give her the answer she's looking for! It would be way easier if she could ask, "So can you summon a Persona?" but that comes with the risk of having to explain what that is if not, and that's just way too much trouble.]
What's the MPD? [But that's an innocent enough question, probably. She straps her not-quite-naginata to her back and clasps her hands behind her. If they're talking, she can't hear the weirdness in the forest as easily, so she is all for continuing to pepper her with questions.]
no subject
The friendly conversation sure does make the forest less unnerving. Mizuki looks a little confused for a second, but then there's an oh moment, because it's genuine question. ]
Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department. I'm a cop. [ #ALLCOPSAREBASTARDSexceptMizuki ] Sorry, I forgot not everyone knows.
no subject
[Oh, that's a way more normal response than she was expecting, and it startles her enough with its mundanity that she can't help but laugh. And then she realizes that might be seen as rude and quickly waves her hands.]
Sorry! Sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It's just, it sounds really normal compared to some of the crazy stuff people have told me here. And you don't really look like a cop...
[In fairness, the only cop she spent any amount of time with was a very stern-looking man who helped her return lost dogs, lost pocket watches, and also sold her protective gear and weapons. Normal cop stuff.]
no subject
In any case, Mizuki isn't him. She almost feels like she should be offended by the laughing, but she can't help but feel like not looking like a cop is a compliment. If she appears normal, that's a good thing. Kotone doesn't need to know she could jump into people's dreams to get answers out of them. Especially since she can't do it anymore. ]
I'm a newbie, really, so uh... Try not to seem too disappointed. [ A light tease. ] Not that it matters in a place like this, anyway...
no subject
[And that's a genuine question because she actually doesn't know. It had never really been relevant before.]
no subject
Well, I kinda insisted. My...
...The agent before me had his own. [ So maybe she wanted something even Bigger and Better, so when he bothered to show his ass again, she could show off. ] It's called an Evolver.
[ Which atually stands for something, but Mizuki probably doesn't remember exactly what. Since they're talking about it so much though, she does take it out of its holster. ]
no subject
It doesn't look like a normal gun. Have you ever shot anything with it?
[Anything, not anyone, because if Mizuki had to kill a person, Kotone isn't sure she wants to know? It's not like she hasn't seen people shot -- actually shot -- before, but it does dredge up some unhappy memories about watching Shinji take a bullet.]
no subject
Still, she seems to oblige Kotone a little. ]
Pretty futuristic looking, right? Yeah, I've used it a few times. It doesn't just fire live rounds, though. Sometimes we use stun rounds, or there are even anesthetic rounds if you really want to knock someone out.
Got a small stash left from home, but... If I ever need more, I'll probably have to pay someone. [ Either to be custom made or bought outright. ]
no subject
They're really helpful at the forge in Aldrip... I don't know if they can make bullets, though. If you need help paying for them, I could help you out with whatever work they ask you to do, though!
[Because she is incapable of not sticking her nose into everyone's business all the time, always.]
no subject
[ After a pause, Mizuki chuckles. She is clearly endeared, though she kind of can't believe what she's hearing at the same time. That honestly sounds like something Iris would offer...
Mizuki misses her, way more than she thought she would've. ]
Thanks. You don't even know my name, though.
no subject
[She doesn't sound embarrassed at the realization that in her need to know about the
EvokerEvolver, she'd forgotten to bother with something so obvious, instead just shrugging as if to say oops.]I'm Kotone Shiomi. It's really nice to meet you, Officer...?
[Although it does feel kind of funny to call someone "officer" when she really doesn't look much older than she does.]
no subject
"Officer Date" ... lol. There's a slightly dismissive shake of her head. ]
Just call me Mizuki. Nice to meet you, too.
[ There's a somewhat generic, still-friendly smile that quickly disappears as a cold breeze seems to subtly blow by, sending a visible shiver down Mizuki's spine. ]
no subject
C'mon. Let's keep moving back to camp. I don't like being out this far without support. Do you have any friends close by?
no subject
Not exactly...
[ Does she even have friends here? ]
Aerith and Rin are probably making their way through, somewhere around here.
no subject
That look is kind of familiar, though, and she can't help but wonder if Mizuki is like Shinjiro, the kind of person who has difficulty understanding they have friends. That's not a fair assumption to make just based on one expression, though, so she shelves it for now.]
Oh, I haven't met them yet! Maybe we should try to find them, though. Four's a good size for a team, I think.
no subject
......She gives a nod. ]
I haven't seen them yet. I feel like our numbers are dwindling...
[ She trails off, though it seems she hasn't decided whether she's just imagining that. ]
What about your friends? [ She seems the type to have plenty. ]
no subject
You think so, too? I was starting to think maybe some people split off into a separate group to get through the forest...
[But she smiles and shrugs a little at the question about her friends.]
Aragaki-senpai is probably around here somewhere. I'm still trying to get to know a lot of people around here, but everyone's been really nice so far. Oh, if you see him before I do, tell him 'hi' for me! He's really tall, [she holds a hand up, way up over her own head to give an estimate,] Usually wears a long coat and a beanie and a grumpy look.
[Continuing to actively make friends on Shinjiro's behalf because she simply cannot refrain from meddling.]
no subject
Sure.
But... yeah, maybe we just got too far ahead, or fell behind. Hopefully everyone makes it to town alright. I don't wanna stay any longer than I have to.
(no subject)
🎀