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Expiation Mods ([personal profile] expiationmods) wrote in [community profile] expiationlogs2023-03-17 12:00 am

{EVENT #1} ADVERSITY 131425.845119

THUS DO WE HUNGER

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.



aintyourdad: (056)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-03-21 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. Not great, if it's happened before. Did they ever get back, or were they just stuck here forever?

[ Joel definitely would not like to be stuck here forever. ]
twelfthsong: (pic#15987699)

[personal profile] twelfthsong 2023-03-23 04:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Depends on how you want the story to end. And that could factor in with any number of things including the place they may have come from.

[ He hasn't forgotten what Joel's told him of his world. But perhaps there's other things that would be appealing to pull a person back to their correct place in time despite it sounding like an apocalyptic nightmare. ]

Maybe there's nothing left for them where they came from. Or maybe they never attained absolution from whatever it is our hosts think they've done.
aintyourdad: (096)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-03-24 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
I don't see how our absolution is anybody's business but ours.

[ He sighs, studying the statue with a frown. ]

Knowing whether this has happened before and what happened to those people if it did could be helpful in figuring out how to get the hell out of here.
twelfthsong: (pic#15994411)

[personal profile] twelfthsong 2023-03-27 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ Silently he agrees that their business is their own, but gods are unlikely to listen to what "the little people" think and it's a moot point to simply keep complaining about it. ]

My thoughts exactly. We should go ask one of them don't you think? Might as well come here to do what we came to do and get a proper story out of it while we're at it.

[ It's less a question and more of a decision he's already come to his mind, punctuated by the closing of his notebook. ]

Shall we?
aintyourdad: (062)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-03-29 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
If it's a story you can even believe.

[ Joel has his doubts. He's following, for sure, he'll hear these people out, but he doesn't expect anything useful. The people of Aldrip, despite their friendliness, haven't exactly been fonts of information. ]
twelfthsong: — dns (pic#15991403)

[personal profile] twelfthsong 2023-04-02 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
All stories have a kernel of truth. The trick is figuring out what it is.

[ They come across some Rumpiturians soon enough. It's not difficult for them to guess what both he and Joel are there for with their packs filled to the brim with items for trade and the Doctor pulls out the first thing that he can reach for which is apparently several rolls of gauze and bandages. ]

It's been a little while since I've bartered for something how many fish do you suppose these will go for?

[ It's mostly said to Joel because obviously Joel looks like the sort who should know how to do this sort of thing, right? There really isn't much use for bartering when you never stay in a place or world for a long period of time like the Doctor. ]
aintyourdad: (103)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-04-04 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ Joel sighs, and then shrugs. ]

I don't know. Bartering always depends on what the other guy really needs, or wants. Do they have a shortage of bandages?

[ He suspects not. These lizard people seem to have enough of the basic necessities to be getting on with. Joel, for his part, has a couple of the fancy scarves that were sold around festival time - he'd worked for a couple of the merchants and been gifted them as part of his payment. He has no use for the things, but if the lizard people like pretty scarves, they might work. ]
twelfthsong: (pic#16000073)

[personal profile] twelfthsong 2023-04-04 11:03 pm (UTC)(link)
You never know when you need bandages. But the same could be said for most of supplies.

[ Like did you ever really need a yo-yo to test gravity? Not really. But it came in handy when you did. He nods towards Joel's pack. ]

What else do you have in there then?
aintyourdad: (066)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-04-05 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
[ The point is, do they already have a lot of bandages sitting around in a clinic somewhere? Joel rummages around in his pack after a moment, pulling a couple more things out - a couple of geode rocks, a few hand tools. A mix of necessities and what could be considered "luxury" items. Since, again, if they have plenty of what they need, then what they want will be more lucrative for trading.

Also, a bottle of liquor he bought off a tavern keep in Aldrip. Liquor doesn't need refrigeration, but it's not super helpful when malnutrition kicks in. ]


Here, try this.
twelfthsong: (pic#15994411)

[personal profile] twelfthsong 2023-04-06 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well if they're talking luxuries, obviously the yo-yo is a luxury that he will not be trading that unless it becomes absolutely clear that the naga really love yo-yo's.

Alcohol is easier for him to part with though considering it's not his, and that he doesn't care much for it in the first place. He gives a nod of thanks before taking it and approaching the naga. ]


Hello! We're here to trade something for this bottle of - [ He squints at the label. ] alcohol. We're looking for fish but would be interested in stories too.

[ Is he doing this right? ]
aintyourdad: (056)

[personal profile] aintyourdad 2023-04-11 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
Preferably food.

[ Joel definitely would rather have food than stories. ]