[WORLD ONE | OCTOBER INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The new coven members and old blood
Where: In and around the hub island
When: Day 92
Open/Closed: Open to All

All characters are told briefly what their powers are by Genette -- no extemporaneous details. For instance, if your character has the ability to detect lies, they'll be told as such -- no warning about limitations, repercussions or the like. They'll also be given a variant of this letter so they aren't totally ignorant of the situation -- though of course adapt this letter to the current setting and surroundings of the game.

This setting may be familiar to you -- maybe you caught a glimpse of it when you first visited. Maybe this is your first time experiencing this weird world and the panic is setting in. If you're totally lost, a tall human woman with a long scroll of paper will stop by to give you the run down. She'll also give you a letter, which may give you more questions than answers since the information is a wee out of date. (Maybe someone else can fill in some gaps for you). What is at first painfully obvious is that you're ill-equipped. Any magic or powers you had previously are suddenly replaced with an empty hole in your being. That's not all that's gone, but perhaps that's what's most pressing. Another thing you may notice is that there are others just like you, wandering around and just as confused. If you feel so inclined, you may want to ask around and see if anyone else knows what's up. A ▢ If one of your characters isn't looking to introduce themselves to others, someone's willing to do it for them. Genette is trying to make sure all newbies are accounted for and have a buddy, so she's grabbing them when she finds them and tossing them at the first coven member she sees. "Hi, so-and-so, this is so-and-so! They're new, so show them the ropes -- be friends, okay?" You get the gist. Your character may be paired up with another newbie, a seasoned character or both! Five times, even! Timelines in RPing are weird! B ▢ Let's say that instead of milling about and doing nothing entirely productive, your character has decided to try and venture off to find a way off this huge floating rock. That's nice -- but be warned that the forest is filled with interesting things. For instance, they've happened to find a hollowed out tree that happens to be where a hoard of land crabs are living. They move fast -- run quick! C ▢ Other characters may want to establish shelter before they do anything else -- and that's their right! The problem is that if your character wants to be well-supplied, they're going to have to do things for themselves. There's something of an assembly line set up, but not a lot has been done in way of making things workable. Genette wanted all new coven members to have a little food parcel to take to their hut, but time constraints, you know? If you want any food for now -- or for later -- you may want to cook some of this (poisonous) eel, salt some boar jerky or cut into one of these rabbits. You've also got some berries to eat in the meantime, if you want something simple!

By the time afternoon sets in, everyone should be a little more adjusted -- or, they should at least be a little more aware of the situation. From there, things still need to be done and exploring is always an option! D ▢ For those characters who want to stick around the base camp, there's something worthwhile in discovering the buildings around the area. One such building is the mansion, which contains extra supplies and a renovated kitchen. The kitchen is now functional with electricity and running water, with a few raw ingredients for making whatever your character would like. It's minimal, but also not totally useless. E ▢ If you mill about too long, you'll be put to work. Run into Genette and you'll be sent to pick western part of the island to look for strawberries, wheat and deer (good luck hunting if your character doesn't have the capabilities, but maybe someone else can help?). Run into Genette and she'll offer your character an ax to chop wood with (is this a wise idea? probably not), or a request to go fishing in either a stream or the ocean attached to the island on the eastern side. Or your character can do both if they so choose...? F ▢ With all of these new people milling about, telepathy is on the fritz again. At least, it certainly is for those who are new! Your character may not realize their broadcasting frustrations to the network, or maybe a stupid secret. Their mental filter is certainly broken, but that's at least a great conversation starter. Night finally falls on the exhausting day, and it's time to rest. Thankfully the island is beautiful at night, especially the sky. The night is filled with space worms, relaxing mist and wondrous sights in the stars. G ▢ Adding to the excitement of the beautiful night, Genette has set up something of a...talent show? In an effort to get new coven members acclimated with their magic, she's asked them all to use their magic in some way -- it may take a volunteer, or maybe they can show it off all on their own. In any case, show me what you got. H ▢ Of course, some characters aren't going to be up for this fancy display and will want to go about their own business. There are plenty of places to sit and stew on this island, both private and in plain sight. The stars are spectacularly bright, and the higher up your character gets the less it seems like night time. If they're lucky, they may catch sight of a shooting star, though it's of course much larger than usual. They're directly in space, after all! I ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[talim]

2B told me something similar, when we watched the stars together. How seeing them from the Bunker just wasn't the same.

[ was the bunker a2's home, too? so many questions, but he can't just come out and ask. he might know a thing or two about androids, but surely a2 doesn't know a single thing about him. ]

I can't imagine.

[precedents]

[ there's a lot of things in his response that are of interest. the mention of 2B being the most obvious, the fact that he would know about the bunker, second. A2 leans forward to rest her elbows on her knees, gaze finally lowering from the sky to settle on jude over her shoulder.

she knows 2B and 9S have been here for a while. both were never the type to isolate themselves like she did, so the knowledge of them forming relationships with humans doesn't surprise her. they're all wired this way; even she can't bring herself to escape any further from them. she considers him a moment before speaking up again, ]

What else did 2B tell you?

[talim]

You'll have to be a little more specific than that. 2B has told me lots of things about where she comes from. 9S, too.

[precedents]

Lots of things, huh?

[ A2 looks away again, back down to the talent show happening not too far from where she sits. in the end, she supposes it doesn't really matter what 2B or 9S has told him. yorha is gone and so is the bunker. they have nothing to return to. ]

... My designation is A2. I'm a prototype.

[talim]

[ there's something so... melancholy about her. a frown pulls at jude's lips, but he hesitantly steps closer anyway, crouching down to sit next to her and offering her an amicable smile. ]

It's nice to meet you, A2. I'm Jude.

A prototype... So you came along before 2B and 9S were deployed, then?

[precedents]

[ she just wants to die, it's cool. she doesn't move when jude joins her, noting his hesitance and his smile. she wonders why he's even bothering to speak with her still, but if he's friends with 2B and 9S, it would make sense he'd want to talk to her too. ]

Yeah. They sent us to Pearl Harbor to destroy the server. [ the whole mission was just a test to gather combat data for the later models, not that any of them really knew at the time. ] I met 2B and 9S a while after that.

[talim]

So you guys are friends, then?

[ because that's jude's natural conclusion to 'i met'. clearly everyone has to be friends. ]

[precedents]

[ that actually gets an amused sort of huff from her, too soft to be a chuckle, but it's there. ]

Not really. We fought the first time we met.

[ not that A2 really held it against them. yorha had branded her a fugitive and she didn't exactly leave a favorable impression, they were doing what they were told to do. something in her expression softens as she thinks back to it, and everything that happened afterwards. ]

A lot happened since then.

[talim]

... Oh. Sorry, I just kind of assumed...

[ jude rubs at the nape of his neck, averting his gaze and looking rather sheepish. ]

There's still so much I don't know. I didn't mean to make assumptions.

[precedents]

[ A2 rolls her shoulders, something akin to a shrug. ]

You didn't know. It's easy to think that.

[ she doesn't sound offended by it. and maybe they could still be friends; anything can happen in this world. ]

There's no reason to fight anymore.

[talim]

No reason to fight each other?

[ is that what was happening? or were they fighting a common enemy? the more he speaks to a2, the less he feels he understands about their home world. it nags at him, a bit, knowing so little about people he's been spending so much time trying to understand. ]

[precedents]

Yeah.

[ a part of her is hesitant to elaborate. jude seems to be a close friend to 2B and 9S, if he doesn't know about their history, far be it for her to be the one to tell him. it feels like something he should learn from them himself. ]

The reasons that caused us to fight don't exist anymore. There's no point.

[ and in truth, she's grown tired of fighting. ]

[talim]

[ she seems... weary. exhausted, even, but jude isn't going to comment on that. a2 might be more of an enigma to him than 2b and 9s combined. ]

Then that's a good thing, right? That means you can start over. Get to know each other better. Become friends, even.

[precedents]

[ she considers him for a moment, blue eyes meeting his. as much as she is an enigma to him, A2 has no easier time understanding humans and the way they think. they're unpredictable, dictated by emotion, and in many ways A2 envies that freedom. ]

... You aren't upset? I fought your friends. Multiple times, even.

[talim]

Why would I be?

I've had fights with friends, too.

[ somewhere in the distance, alvin sneezes. ]

Every relationship has certain trials to overcome, and sometimes those trials are much bigger than others. As curious as I am, whatever happened between you three is none of my business. All that matters is the present, and... I think I'd like to get to know you better, too, A2. No, I know so.

There's no limit to how many androids I can befriend, is there? That would be news to me.

[ he meets her careful gaze with warm eyes and a light laugh. ]

[precedents]

[ there's no limit to how many androids i can befriend, is there?

"thank you... for giving meaning to my life."

something surges in her systems, a brief spark of recognition at his words, and she sets her jaw against the memories. all that matters is the present, he says, and she doesn't argue the sentiment. she had carried the weight of the past for so long that it has become a part of her, melded into her chassis and through her circuitry to settle side by side with her black box. it is difficult to let go, but in truth, she doesn't want to let go.

how many more will end up hurting in the end? how many more will she lose? ]

There's not much of us left, anyway.

[talim]

[ jude isn't quite sure how to respond to that. he can't help but feel a bit foolish, regardless of the fact that there's no possible way he could have known. ]

... I'm sorry.

[ it feels like so little. but what else can he say? ]

I didn't mean to hit a sore spot.

[precedents]

You don't have to apologize.

[ it isn't said harshly despite the brusque words; it's not hard to understand that jude is a kind person and that he means well. they're the hardest for her to be around, because while she had always unknowingly craved that warmth and acceptance, it grates on her just as much. the idea of someone being so selfless, always putting themselves last; so eager to give and give until they had nothing left, and she had no choice but to take and take, and in the end she obtained her freedom.

but weapons are given trajectory, not autonomy. ]

... You're right, [ she says eventually, drawing up one leg to rest her chin on her knee. ] Guess it doesn't really matter in the end. We're here now.

[talim]

[ jude frowns. there's something so achingly sad about her response. it makes his chest constrict, as if her pain is his own. jude really is too empathetic sometimes. ]

You're here now.

[ he echoes. ]

And maybe you can have a fresh start. Give yourself permission to do that, at least.

sorry for the delay!

[precedents]

Yeah. [ she breathes a small huff, something close to what could be a chuckle, expression easing into something more wry. ] Not like I have anything else to do, anyway.

[ blue eyes turn to him again, considering him once more. he reminds her so much of pascal; she finds herself thinking of him more than she expected. sometimes, she catches herself wondering if he's alright, alone in his empty village with no memories left. in the end, in the wake of everything that happened, maybe it might be better this way.

but that's another story for another time. ]

... So did they give you some kind of ability too?

[ her attempt at small talk. progress. ]

no worries! take your time!

[talim]

They did, but it's not all that interesting... It'd probably bore you.

[ a short, mildly embarrassed laugh. ]

What about you? I'm assuming you've already figured out yours.

[precedents]

I can see someone's past.

[ she doesn't sound particularly pleased about it; no surprise there. she's capable enough on her own without the need for something as trivial as this, but there's nothing she can really do about it now, so that's all she really says about it.

anyway. she glances at him, tilting her head. ]

I doubt it.

[ that's the thing. he's human. anything about him is more interesting. ]

[talim]

That's... heavy.

To be honest, I don't know that I'd want to be burdened with that kind of knowledge.

[ he frowns, but he scratches his cheek awkwardly and continues. ]

I can translate and understand text in any language. I do a lot of research, so it comes in handy, especially when the library here is full of books written in a language no one else can read.

[precedents]

It's supposed to happen when I touch them. Should be fine if I keep my hands to myself.

[ despite the lightness in her tone, he's right, it is heavy. just as heavy as inheriting 2B's memories, learning all the secrets she'd held from 9S; her pain, her suffering. once more, the cycle continues.

but the description of his ability actually coaxes some amusement out of her. a small half smile. ]

No wonder you get along with him.

[ 9S, she means. ]

[talim]

Well, that's something, at least. Unusual, though.

[ her small, barely there smile makes jude's lips twitch into one of his own. it's nice, to see her smile, even if it's only a little one. it looks good on her. ]

Nines? Y-Yeah... I guess you could say we're pretty close. He's a good person.