[WORLD TWO | INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying
When: Day (the calendar isn’t syncing for me hELP)
Open/Closed: Open to All

You’re in a room. It’s pretty bright — blindingly so, even. There’s something very stark and very clean about the place, and also the person you’re sitting in front of. You’re sitting? You’re sitting. There’s also a pane of very powerful plexiglass separating you from the uniform-clad person who is now speaking to you. It’s impossible to transcribe what they say verbatim, but here’s the gist of it: - You’re being welcomed to a city called Shehui. Depending on who you are, the level of technology may be light years ahead of you or child’s play. - There’s a very strict policy about magic. While there are measures put in place to prevent magic from happening, this is still something that they reiterate over and over. They don’t want to take chances. - Crime is also frowned upon. Small infractions will result in credit deductions, while major crimes will get you banned. Antisocial behavior is also looked down upon. You’re locked in the city for your initial eight weeks. You can leave afterwards, but trying to break out of the city or cause social unrest will result in monitoring and a potential ban. - This city is supposed to be somewhat relaxing. Is it a free pleasure cruise? No. Is it a self-contained society that runs on community and indulgence? Yes. - You’re being given an allotment of credits in order to stay in the city, which is what the economy there runs on. This goes on for quite some time. - You’re being moved to a housing location. Despite the slotted speaker in the middle of the plexiglass, the only time you have a chance to ask questions is when a small slit opens in the bottom and a package is slid towards you. - What’s in the package? There’s a credit card-like apparatus that has apparently taken a picture of you. It contains a place to write your name, an identification number and barcode. It also has a thin strip near the top that has scrolling script floating by. It states “WELCOME TO SHEHUI. YOUR ID WILL UPDATE WITH COMMUNITY NOTICES AND PERSONAL PINGS FOR JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO YOUR INTEREST.” It’s a lot to take in, but that’s the long and short of it. Have questions? The person will reiterate a few times that there are information desks around the city. That’s all for now…now you’ll be traveling to your next destination: your new home. The floor slowly lowers as if you’ve been in an elevator the whole time. It connects to several other glass containers, much like your own, all suddenly clanking together in a chain. After a short wait, the chain begins to move — quickly. Faster, maybe, than you’ve ever gone before. It’s hard to even make out the scenery when you’re zipping past everything so quickly. Where does this trip lead you? The ground floor of your new apartment building. The plexiglass cases open up and you’re in a hotel lobby. There’s a flashing board on the wall — NEW ARRIVALS, COME HERE. A ▢ So now’s the time to get settled into your new digs. Your name is on the board, and there’s a promise that your things — which, by the way, were mysteriously taken — will be located in your room. No need to fight over bedrooms; those also hold name placards that are digitally installed. Maybe everyone else is already there. Maybe you’re the first person there and need to find a way to stake your claim on the fridge or a bathroom. B ▢ Maybe you don’t want to fuck with anybody right now and are busy exploring the apartment building. You may encounter some aliens, some strangers, some ice machines. There IS that floor that’s nothing but recreational stations. If you’re overwhelmed, the garden is a good place to start. The sport court is pretty empty right now, if you want to have any regrouping meetings.

The apartment building is locked up tight for three hours in order to let new arrivals get their bearings. After that, the ground floor lobby doors open into the city of Shehui. There’s a lot to take in, but let’s cover the biggest bases: C ▢ Right outside this communal apartment building is a large, digital job board. The list of available jobs and credit opportunities are constantly flashing by. Want to pick one out? Just hold up that ID card you were given and the instructions and location will be sent to the ID’s text scroller. D ▢ You’ve got 500 credits to blow on clothes, food, strippers…whatever you’d like? Right next to the apartment complex are tons of local businesses, from bistros to outlet malls. A movie theater, an arcade, a video game store…and the best thing about Shehui? Most everything is dirt cheap. Where are you shopping? What are you buying? Enquiring minds would like to know! E ▢ Right next to the shopping area is a wooded park. It’s akin to a nature trail that’s similar to Yellowstone in scenery and topography. If you’re more comfortable someplace less…tech or modern…then this may be exactly where you’d like to be. F ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[soulcomet]

[nah, she understands. crowds and peopling can be overwhelming, even when one is a lifelong city kid.]

I can do that! Do you have any preferences, or do you want me to pick something for you?

[lalliho]

[woah...such service.]

I don't know a lot about foods that have sugar in them.

[soulcomet]

Ah ... okay! I'll find something for you then.

[can't go wrong with cake, right? cake is, weirdly enough, one of the many ways Madoka solves problems back home, so that's what she'll default to.]

[it takes about fifteen minutes, but soon enough she's returned with a small box. a simple slice of vanilla cake is a good start for someone not familiar with sugary foods, right?]

[lalliho]

[hell yesssss, this is great, which he confirms by instantly opening the box and pinching off a little bit to sample. Very fine choice, tiny smiling girl.]

...This works.

[Hes not very good at showing enthusiasm, though, so that's as close to praise and thanks as he can get.]

...You're not from here. Right? [Another coven person?]

[soulcomet]

Right! I'm ... going to guess you're in the coven, too.

[said with the brightest of smiles; she's pleased that she didn't pick out a dessert that he hates.]

My name's Madoka.

[lalliho]

[He hums vaguely, looking out across the cityscape instead of giving a real confirmation.]

...Lalli.

[Since that's out of the way...!]

You act like you know what you're doing. I know...most people are better with people, and I don't get it, but it's more than that.

[soulcomet]

Eh? Well, this place is pretty similar to where I lived back home ... I guess I'm just used to getting by in a big city.

[that's what he meant, right? and Mitakihara was likely an even bigger city — the cityscape always seemed to stretch far past the horizon, from her perspective.]

I know that our worlds are all really different, though. So it makes sense to me that it might be really tough to adjust to — I'll try my best to help you out, if you'd like?

[lalliho]

Nn. My friend Emil is used to cities. He's...

[Lalli looks around like he expects the Swede to materialize suddenly simply because he's wished it. This world should work that way tbh.]

...I don't know where he is. He can do most of the weird, stuff though, and I don't think the job I want to do should make me talk to too many people...

[But thanks? Sorry, he's a rude boy.]

[soulcomet]

[it's okay, Lalli, she is more than used to talking with people who are, well. bad at people.]

[she's also not sure if that was meant to be a hint for her to leave, so she'll just keep talking.]

That sounds like it could work! What sort of job is it? — If you don't mind me asking, I mean.

[lalliho]

[Yeah, he doesn't seem to be booking it out of there, so he's probably comfortable enough with her presence. Being a coven member that vaguely reminds him of a much nicer version of his cousin helps.]

Delivery. I'm going to take stuff places.

[hes low key excited about it.]

[soulcomet]

That does seem like it'd be perfect for you.

[she hadn't really even looked at the job board, to be honest, because she defaulted to the only option she's known for most of her life:]

I think I'm probably going to go back to school, personally.

[lalliho]

[good thing she's been really helpful so far or he might have to be offended that she thinks she knows him enough to say it's perfect when it basically is and that's why he wants to do it BECAUSE BEING DIFFICULT IS FUN]

Oh. Academic... [weird] ...What's it like?

[soulcomet]

[whoops, Madoka's bad.]

What's school like? Well ... Some of the lessons can be really tough or boring, but it's always nice to be able to spend time with your friends.

The clubs are always a lot of fun, too! Back home, I was in the gardening and crafting clubs.

[lalliho]

[There's a lot here that...doesn't quite click... SHOULDNT something like school at least be similar between worlds?]

I've never heard of a club. Except the weapon kind. Um... Do you have friends here, then? [Since that was what's fun about school...]

[soulcomet]

My best friend from back home is here. We were in the same class together.

[she's not entirely sure if the other friends she's made here would ... actually want to go to school. so, making new school friends it is!]

A club is just a group of people who have a common interest — you meet up with each other to talk about it or work on it together. In my gardening club, we'd all meet and work on the gardens around school.

It's not just a school thing, though! Anybody can make a club if they want to.

[lalliho]

[Oh...! That's pretty good.

...Emil used to be academic, he wonders if Emil had a class best friend... Is he even Emil's best friend now? Hmn.

-- oh no, the smiling girl has been talking. Heck!!!]

Hn... Yeah, I guess. [PROBABLY??? Let's see, she mentioned gardening multiple times, he does know that for sure...] Are you doing farm stuff on the island when we're there?

[…are all the plants going to rot while they're away…]

[soulcomet]

[she's. JUST GONNA KEEP TALKING.]

No, not really ... to be honest, I wasn't very good at living on the island — I'm not used to having to gather food or anything like that.

[lalliho]

[Well, that's an academic for you.]

Farming is like gardening. If you can't hunt or find food, maybe you can try growing it.

[soulcomet]

Ah, that's true! Maybe I can find some books here that'll help for when we go back...

Is that what you did while we were there?

[lalliho]

[hang on he's gotta pinch some of this cake and eat it, okay now he's ready for conversation.]

No. I don't know how to do that. I would hunt, fish, and gather stuff.

[soulcomet]

[a lucky coincidence, because those are the exact things Madoka struggled with.]

Would ... would it be all right if you showed me a few pointers sometime?

[lalliho]

[um.]

On...which part?

[is it all of it, he might panic if she says it's all of it, that's a lot of interaction to spring on someone...!]

[soulcomet]

Um ... Well, I think anything you'd be willing to share would be a big help.

[does that count as an all of it? please don't panic, Lalli.]

[lalliho]

[Smart, very smart... It's an "all of it*"]

I...guess. I'm probably not good at teaching, but if you can pay attention, then... Then that's probably okay.

[soulcomet]

I'll do my best, I promise! Thank you very much in advance for any advice you can give me.