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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.



orphne: (Kotone 1)

[personal profile] orphne 2023-03-26 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Mizuki-san, then. [A smile, then the same chill prickles the hair on the back of her neck. Her expression fades into something somewhat less cheerful, and she grips the handle of her naginata a little more firmly.]

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?
usarinpa: (ready)

[personal profile] usarinpa 2023-04-01 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ ...Would Kotone prefer it if she used honorifics, too? It's probabmy more appropriate to do so. Mizuki only thinks about it for a moment though before the question distracts her. It's not something that should require much thought, yet she seems to have a distant look as they head back. ]

Not exactly...

[ Does she even have friends here? ]

Aerith and Rin are probably making their way through, somewhere around here.
orphne: (Kotone 261)

[personal profile] orphne 2023-04-01 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[She Would Not. SEES had kept to the formality for the most part, and it's easier to err on the side of formality than risk the kind of severe look that using the wrong one could cause. Kotone herself is pretty indifferent to them, though!

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.
usarinpa: (down)

[personal profile] usarinpa 2023-04-02 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Back home, there was a lot more than four, and some of them were undoubtedly her friends, though maybe some of them were closer to coworkers. She liked to think they were becoming friends, but...

......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. ]
orphne: (Kotone 264)

[personal profile] orphne 2023-04-04 12:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kotone stands up a little straighter. She'd thought she was imagining it, but...]

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.]
usarinpa: (huh?)

[personal profile] usarinpa 2023-04-06 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ The hilarious part being that they actually exchanged first names, so even if she had met him by this point, she wouldn't know right away. Either way, she nods noncommittally, because... well, she really has no reason to say no. ]

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.
orphne: (Kotone 52)

[personal profile] orphne 2023-04-06 12:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[Eventually she'll get into the habit of first-names-only, but not yet! The phantom spectre of Mitsuru looking disapproving is just too strong.

But she nods her agreement with a hum.]


Are you okay if we pick up the pace, then? The sooner we get out of here, the better. We can regroup once we're out of the forest, I think. Do a headcount, make sure everyone gets out.
usarinpa: (stretch)

🎀

[personal profile] usarinpa 2023-04-08 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh. Is all this paranoia making her sluggish...? Mizuki blinks, then gives her a nod in return as the forest fog seems to thicken. ]

Sounds good to me.

[ Leaves are kicked up as they go, crunching beneath their hurried footsteps. She can hear the howl of a wind that rustles branches in the forest canopy.

Between the two of them, Mizuki at least doesn't look back. ]