spellbinders | [WORLD ONE | OCTOBER INTRO LOG]

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[WORLD ONE | OCTOBER INTRO LOG]

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 She'll also give you a letter, which may give you more questions than answers since the information is a wee out of date.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.

cook some of this (poisonous) eel, salt some boar jerky or cut into one of these rabbits

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!

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.

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Oh, no, you go ahead.

[For as difficult as it is for the guy to return the rod to him, 9S hands it back with complete ease. The best an android can hope for is to be helpful, after all. And so long as 2B has her rod, he can still accompany her on fishing trips. Unlike the both of them, humans need to eat, after all]

I had some Old World data, and gathered more from the locals during our last deployment.

[Because that's how 9S naturally looks at it. They were deployed to Aimintas, though their mission was a dubious one. In the end it afforded him some interesting information and allowed him to collect some supplies, although to his standards they're antiquated at best]

And then the parts were a combination of things I gathered myself and a few that were supplied to me. Being adaptable's part of how I'm built, so it wasn't a big deal. Still...I don't know how close it is to the real thing.

[Do him a favor. Evaluate his handiwork]

[ Noctis' eyes dart from the rod back to the kid again before smiling rather sheepishly. Did he look that desperate and pathetic just now? Well, he's not going to complain. He gets to use an actual rod now. ]

Thanks. I say it's not bad for a first try.

[ It's better than 'not bad,' but Noctis is still embarrassed his own attempt looks barely a step up above a child's craft project.

His fingers whip the rod to cast the line a bit, checking how well the reel works before flicking the hook at the end. ]

Can you make another one? I got a couple of things on me I could trade for it.

[ His hands grope around his pockets and belt before pulling out the sac they gave him. ]

There's a dead crab, some over-sized clothes... boar jerky. Better snatch them while they're hot.

[ Because Noctis sure as hell doesn't want any of that, but one man's garbage is another man's treasure. It's not like he has anything else to pay him with aside from all the sweet piles of fish he's going to catch with a functioning rod. ]

Edited 2017-10-21 01:51 (UTC)

[9S is accustomed to being rewarded with scraps and parts, it's pretty routine back home since their currency is basically whatever they pick up from machines they destroy, but this is an odd assortment. He wonders for a moment whether 2B would like boar jerky or not before he waves the man's offerings off]

I don't mind making another one, but I don't need anything for it...

[Being useful is enough, and besides, he likes being able to tinker as freely as he does around here. Back on the Bunker, those activities weren't exactly smiled upon, since he was given to making adjustments and upgrades that weren't previously approved. And usually earned him more flak than appreciation.

Around here, his innovations seem more welcome than anything else, and he enjoys that]

Do you have a friend you want one for, or something?

[Yes, Noctis, this kid was just going to donate that rod...]

[ His mind flickers to the only friend he has on whatever planet this is, having yet to locate the other two. Gladio probably would've been interested, but there's no point in really depriving someone else of a fishing rod if there's no evidence of him being around. ]

Nah, my friend likes taking pictures of them, not so much catching them. Wouldn't say no to camera upgrades.

[ If he's capable of those or if there are even parts for that. Noctis isn't going to hold his breath as they are apparently in some very primitive planet, and he hasn't seen a single paved road anywhere. Which reminds him- ]

You said you found some of the parts during deployment... do you know how often that happens or where we usually end up?

[ He's hoping for some place with deodorant or a change of clothes, already growing self-conscious about having only the one pair and no means of washing it. Not to mention Prompto's birthday is coming up, and he doubts the guy wants to spend it stuck here in the middle of nowhere with only dried boar jerky to eat. ]

A camera, huh? [9S hums thoughtfully, considering that] It's pretty ancient technology to somebody like me, but so long as he can tell me what it's supposed to do, or what he'd like it to do, I think could manage.

[Not to mention, he wouldn't mind taking a look at something that's got to be Old World technology. How often does he get that kind of opportunity? Well, other than Aimintas, but he tries not to think about the reason they had that technology. He still doesn't want to believe it, considering the grim implications for mankind on yet another planet.

That's one notion he's more than ready to deny the possibility of]

So far as I know we've only been deployed once so far. But some of the others would know how long they were in this place before being sent out... Or, failing that, Qri's got some subordinates named Genette and Brie.

[And that's just how 9S sees them. How they explained themselves only further reinforces that impression. They're her representatives, more or less]

Edited 2017-10-22 18:36 (UTC)

I'll let him do the explaining. He's the technophile here.

[ Not that he doesn't have his own fair share of love for electronics, but his knowledge of cameras is nowhere near Prompto's. All he knows is that they take pictures, and filters help cover up breakouts.

The fact that they're considered primitive does catch his attention, wondering what year this guy is from if that's the case. ]

There really are no more cameras where you're from?

[ Or fishing rods, judging from his earlier comments. That already seems like a bleak reality to live in. ]

What happened to them all?

There's not really any need for them.

[9S lifts a hand, taps at the air, and holographic screens spring up in front of him. On one of them, this fellow he's speaking to can see himself, and the scenery behind him. It's a projection of 9S' point of view]

Things like this are stored in my memory, same as any other android.

[And he believes this speaks for itself. There's no need for cameras when they can capture images and videos passively on a constant basis.

Although that isn't to say they don't have photographs, after a fashion]

[ His eyes steadily widen in surprise before nodding, unsure what else to really say. Somehow, he feels like he should have seen that coming -the clues had all been right there under his nose. Still, it's weird talking to a kid who's essentially a robot. His track record with robots hadn't exactly been all that good so far what with MTs trying to murder him left and right. MTs are also immensely unsettling to look at with their glowing eyes and motionless face masks, but the kid could easily pass for any ordinary person his age, save for the blindfold.

At least that explains why he can see perfectly well with his eyes covered up. ]

Can you play everything back you recorded since you got here? How much memory do you have in there?

[ His body shifts closer, fingers moving as though they want to poke and prod before stopping himself. Even though the kid isn't really human and won't necessarily feel bothered by it in the way any regular person would, it still feels kind of weird to touch someone (something like that).

Where are his controls even? Nothing about him looks at all synthetic on the outside. ]

[9S thinks about that. He's never had to consider the limitations to his memory, except when making recordings when he performs maintenance on others. In those cases it's a matter of how much space has been dedicated to that purpose, rather than being unable to remember anything else past a certain point. Besides, there's also the data that comes with such recording, mostly status readings and the like]

I've...never heard of an android running out of room for memories.

[Some of the Resistance androids had been around far, far longer than YoRHa units. And since they're more sophisticated and expensive to produce, well, it's hard to imagine that would be a shortfall of theirs]

But I could probably do something like that. I've shown people recorded data before.

[A few times, actually. It comes in handy when someone is right there, and feels more natural to him than sending memories through their telepathic network does. If anything, he finds that far less intuitive]

[ He might as well catch up on the events that took place prior to his arrival. It would help him understand what he's in for, unsure how long the coven needs them or when they'll be released. He still doesn't even entirely understand what it is they're supposed to do, both the letter and their guides being sparse with answers an details. ]

How about a short version? Like a clip reel of everything that happened since you got here.

[ Where are this guy's buttons? He doesn't know how to activate any of that, unfamiliar with the idea of androids -again, minus the ones that were eager to kill him. Even then, he'd never been certain MTs were entirely robotic. The agonized sounds released whenever he killed them have more often than followed him deep into his nightmares. ]

Do I... are you voice-activated? How can I watch the recordings?

[ As far as he can see, there aren't any screens on the kid's body, unless he projects them? That would make the most sense. He wonders if maybe he can also use the android to charge his cell phone here. Would that be too weird? Where would he even plug his phone into?

He has so many questions. ]

[Voice-activated? 9S tips his head quizzically, trying to make sense of the inquiry. He's been activated for quite some time now, so he doesn't exactly understand what he's being asked. Does this man mean he doesn't know how to interface with him? But then, it seems so obvious that he's just like anybody else when it comes to interaction.

Puzzling indeed]

It's...been a couple of months. I could summarize for you, if you want, but parsing through all that data would take me a while if you want to watch memory files on my monitors.

[At least, if he actually wants that to be remotely efficient. Not that 9S minds, he's perfectly willing to oblige when it's a request from a human and nothing he could possibly object to. But it would most certainly be a faster process simply to tell him what he's experienced rather than sifting through his memory and attempting to cull anything irrelevant in order to present pertinent files for review.

He's assuming that the goal is to get information quickly, at any rate. 9S can understand wanting to see things for oneself, but a lot of his memories have nothing to do with the coven's business and far more to do with personal pursuits or even simple things he found interesting]

If you want a hand with something, you can just say so, same as anybody else. YoRHa units exist to protect and serve mankind. Kind if my job, you know?

[Although it wasn't his true purpose... As A2 pointed out, they can decide that purpose for themselves. And 9S is perfectly happy to stick to the one that he had initially believed in]

[ To protect mankind...? Well, he guesses he himself qualifies as 'mankind', but again, he's more used to MTs trying to murder him than give him any assistance for no reason at all. They're obviously not the same, but his experience hadn't exactly been positive with all things robotic as of late. His skepticism comes across in his wary expression as he nods rather slowly. ]

Whatever's fastest. I guess summarizing it out loud could work. Keep forgetting you probably have a really good memory of all that stuff.

[ Meanwhile, Noctis can barely remember what happened fifteen minutes ago. He feels a little inadequate here, but he likes to think he's still getting by okay as a newcomer.

All those months of camping out in the wilderness and being chased by the local wildlife had prepared him reasonably for this kind of situation. He just wishes he had Gladio and Ignis to help keep him from poisoning himself or at least to pitch a decent looking tent on their behalf. In lieu of any of that, he guesses he's stuck with an android as his most vital resource at the moment. ]

Is there any way you could ever go against your programming? What if someone changed your orders? Or what if you decided you were tired of serving humans?

[ It's a scary thought -more to himself than this guy. He wouldn't really be able to stop it, and some valuable information can wind up in the wrong hands, which makes him hesitate telling him anything personal. ]

[They're two disparate subjects: what happened and what could happen. 9S can easily summarize past events, parsing them down into the most straightforward and basic elements, but he thinks first he ought to address what seems like a concern. This man's suggestion that he might ever turn against those who made him is a rather appalling thing and beyond that quite offensive, but 9S has learned by now that many humans are not familiar with androids]

I've modified myself before, and it's something I could probably change if I wanted to, but... I see no reason why I should alter something like that. Why would I want to strip away the purpose I was created for? [Or rather, the one he was told he was made for, but he has chosen to hold onto it. Regardless of the truth, that purpose gives him a sense of meaning and value] Without that, life's pretty empty, don't you think?

[Everyone needs something to live for — to fight for. And while 9S would most certainly fight for 2B, now that they've got humans to look after he most certainly wouldn't consider abandoning them. It's what they had hoped for, being able to live among them like this]

It's a part of me. A vital part of me. And...it makes me happy, being able to help out like this.

[It's a matter of such importance that 9S is briefly distracted from the fact that he was supposed to summarize what has transpired thus far]

Where alterations are concerned, I don't think anyone here has the technical knowledge required to hack me, except myself.

Edited 2017-11-01 05:56 (UTC)

[ This suddenly got more existential than expected, and Noctis feels piteously out of his depth. Who knew androids were really that concerned over their own reason for existing? They seem far more willful and advanced than the MTs from his world. ]

Guess you have a point.

[ He's not entirely placated by that response, but he'll take the android's word for it for now. He hasn't gone rogue on them yet and has been helpful for what little they've spoken to one another, but Noctis can't help but be generally wary given his track record so far.

He also knows not every other creature out there has the same regard for humans which puts him at a grave disadvantage without his powers. How would he hold up against an android when he's feeling particularly squishy at the moment? The wildlife had done their best to leave his flesh feeling tender and bruised after bucking him with their antlers. ]

What other kind of things can you do aside from record information? Do you have a microwave somewhere in there?

[ That could come in handy along with being a life-size cell phone charger. He might as well try and make use of him while he's on their side, unsure when they'll next have an outlet or any other semblance of modern technology. Hell, he'd settle for water that isn't green at this point so he doesn't have to take sink-baths the whole time he's here. ]

...A microwave?

[9S might laugh at the insinuation if it wasn't so puzzling. What does this guy think he is, a machine? At least it's far from the first time that he's met a human who had no knowledge of or exposure to androids. If anything it's becoming uncomfortably typical, but it allows him to recover from the surprise of being asked something that strange without much difficulty.

If someone doesn't know anything about how androids, and more particularly YoRHa androids, work then it's his job to educate them. He's not sure whether he ought to be representative of his kind or not, but he's the one here right now talking to this guy]

I'm a soldier, so I can build a fire, but I'm not equipped with anything like that. While I can eat, it's not a need, you know?

[Not to mention anything they might eat could most easily be grilled anyhow. 9S isn't sure what would necessitate the use of a microwave, but it must be some Old World food that's not available in his time and place]

Analyzing what I come across, scouting enemy formations and terrain, and things like that are my forte. But I can also hack into other technology, perform maintenance and modifications, or fight when it's necessary.

[ That's a whole lot more than Noctis can do at the moment, so he's quietly impressed. And again, feeling way out of his depth. Is there even anything around here to hack? He'd been given the impression that most of the island is running on magic, if anything.

It's also surprising to learn that a future with androids no longer has any need for microwaves. How do people heat their food up fast then? ]

A microwave's like a box... you put food in, hit the timer, then it comes out hot when it dings. Works with electromagnetic waves, something like that.

[ He may not know a whole lot about cooking, but he knows his microwaves. ]

Definitely a whole lot faster than building up a fire each time.

[ Too bad he doesn't have any pictures to show him so 9S can try and replicate it. He'd settle for even a decent grill around here. ]

[After listening patiently, 9S can safely reaffirm]

...Yeah that's not a function any android has.

[It really wouldn't be useful for their purposes, or even be a good use of resources. When they don't need meals on the go, or meals at all, there's no reason to clutter their bodies with something like that. Besides, it seems to him that they'd be running the risk of gunking up their own internal workings.

And nobody needs an end reminiscent of death by mackerel. Still, he can understand why a human would be interested in something of the kind]

I helped fix a camp stove though, a while back.

[So maybe that sort of thing would be of interest to this guy?]

Not really the same thing.

[ At least, he's confirmed the camp has stoves. He guesses it's too much to ask just to have things heat up by pressing a button. Life is never that easy. ]

Alright, alright. Think I'm all set with just the rod and worms for now.

[ That should keep him busy for a while, and he's not sure how long the android plans on sticking around and watching him. Well, he never minds an audience, so long as he doesn't try and nag him every second to change his line. That's one of the very few things from home he doesn't miss at the moment.

He tosses the android a thumbs up before setting himself up for a nice long morning of fishing and more fishing. And after that, just a little more fishing. He still plans on trying to figure out what he can do to pay him back for his services, still feeling a little weird about just getting things without having to pay in some way, android or not. One would think that as a prince, he'd be used to being spoiled, but nope. Everything in his world requires some giant monster to be killed or a long trek up a mountain just to get a single mushroom. ]

[spoilers: 9S observes him all day, and asks about technique while he's at it. This is all very relevant information, because his favorite android happens to enjoy fishing, and he has never had the opportunity to observe a human in action before. There's no backseat fishing, only the occasional question and quiet observation.

...That is, after whatever point Noctis tells him yammering all the live-long day scares the fish. A good afternoon had by all, to be sure]

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[WORLD ONE | OCTOBER INTRO LOG]

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