[OPENING] island hub - day 1

[spellbindmods]

Who: All Characters
Where: Main Hub
When: Day 1
Open/Closed: Open to All

TDM threads can be considered canon if you so choose, they contain the power that you apped with and both parties confer that the thread is canon.

For characters that were on the TDM and who were not accepted/didn't app, these characters will be considered dropped characters that were magicked away.

Night has fallen upon everyone. It's thus far been an eventful day -- you've met some new people, discovered some new aspects of yourself that weren't there before you appeared here (however that might have happened). The original inhabitants of the island have been working hard to prepare a few things. One activity might have been one you were a part of, but there's still time to get your hands dirty. A ▢ Brie has rolled out a large copper pot and created a pit on the beach. It's unrealistic to think everyone can subsist on the few foods she's collected from other words and boar jerky alone. She's got a few boar carcasses sitting on the beach that need attending to as well. Your characters can help feed themselves and others, and here's what needs to be done: Fire needs to be started for cooking the meat AND a large bonfire for light and warmth. The large copper bowl needs to be filled with water. Crabs need to be bravely collected from the bath house for boiling. The boar needs to be either cut up for kebabs or stuck through. Does your character know anything about spit-roasting? Any other helpful magical skills are welcome to help make food. Post feasting, there are dozens of crabs and a pile of roasted boar meet that are up for eating. Even if you didn't offer to help in making any of the food, they're open to eat it -- even if the true helpers may give you dirty looks. The boar is fine, if not a little bland and chewy, but it's probably better than the jerky. The crab is delicious, if not a little tasteless...there problem with the crab isn't exactly the taste, though. B ▢ The crab isn't a species that's immediately edible for most species, though your character will grow to get used to it eventually. For now, the meat isn't settling well within your character's system. Your character will experience sweats, a high fever, blurred vision, potential vomiting, hives...it's very obvious their body is rejecting the unfamiliar meat. This may also cause a bit of an issue with your character's powers. They're still getting physically and mentally acclimated to these new changes, so expect their telepathy and magic to go a little haywire.

It's almost completely dark outside when the next event of the evening happens. You're living your life when you see it out of the corner of your eye -- it's absolutely hard to miss. What you see is a large lit caravan, larger than even an army tank. It's bright white and shining, covered with golden, ornate details that emanate an even more dazzling sparkle. The entire thing is aglow, and it's quickly coming towards the large bonfire that's been made. It's not rolling across the sand, but instead it's floating, and so is a matching trunk that's sailing along next to a figure beside the caravan. C ▢ A tall, slender woman has also come along with the large caravan, quickly opening the trunk that eventually lands on the sand with a large thud. She's handing out sacks, very similar to the ones previously in the large lobster cage. These contain a parka, a type of candy of your choice, a bottle of water, a large shard from a broken mirror and a letter rolled up and bound with a roll of twine. There are two other thread options associated with this prompt: Genette's top level and her telepathy training post. Around the same time as Genette is handing out this new little goody bag, you suddenly receive a telepathic message. It might seem a little strange at first -- but on that note, what about tonight isn't strange? D ▢ The telepathic message your character will receive is a simple one: Hello. It shows up in text form across your character's line of vision and it doesn't go away until they respond back, though the message that's sent out won't go to the original telepath. Instead it will ping pong to a random person in the group. You've made a new friend! After you've met Genette, she's also got a few more supplies that she pulls out a small door in the base of the caravan. She's insistent that you only get two items, since there aren't exactly a lot of them to go around! E ▢ The last of the starter supplies are being handed out, and these are items that are more cumbersome or rare -- they may not be immediately useful for your character, but maybe you can make use of them somehow, whether eventually in another world or with your power. An electronic/technology: these can be as obvious as an MP3 player, as useless as a garage door motor or as scandalous as a Hitachi Magic Wand. If it can be powered by electricity or batteries, there's a tub of them. They're also partially charged if they don't need constant electricity to work. A fashion accessory: there are a lot of these, surprisingly. Flower crowns, belts, bras, shoes, earrings, other types of jewelry. Your character can look cute while suffering from crab vomiting. Books and stationary: maps of various worlds, books written in a myriad of languages (maybe even one you recognize!), writing paper, ink pens, gel pens, stickers. Any kind of stationary can be found here. Other household items: this can include cleaning supplies, furniture, and other miscellaneous goods. These won't be personal affects from your character's home, but they may be useful! Feel free to come up with unusual or alien items -- these have come from all over the universe, remember!

As the night winds down, it's recommended by Brie that you should probably go to be in your hut -- or at the very least get somewhere inside. There are a lot of people around the camp, however, so it's no surprise that there are a few people waiting around to get their fill of food and supplies before heading to bed. The noise of the new members and the light of the fire have attracted a very large pack of boars, who you'll later find make routine trips to the beach every night. Boar mating season has made the wild hogs rather testy, and the smell of food -- even if it's their own boar brethren -- have made them even more volatile. F ▢ If your character isn't quick to get inside tonight, they're likely to get a boar charging at them. The chances are doubled if they happen to be holding onto a food item. Female boars can leave a few bruises and trample you, but beware the males -- they've got tusks. However, it's not like staying up at night doesn't have its advantages. Once midnight hits, another species of animal makes its regular rounds across the base camp. In the sky, characters can see an Aurora Borealis-like sight. Instead of being dancing green and blue lights, however, the reality is that they are a massive species of space worm, and hundreds are wiggling past on their way to travel back home. They're shimmering and in every color imaginable, lighting up the sky with their magnificent hues. G ▢ The space worms operate outside the natural barrier of the hub, but they still are in close enough proximity to shed a film as they travel. If you're still awake, boars or no, you'll be in the middle of a shower. The film sheds from the worms and enters the atmosphere, creating multi-colored, sweet-smelling mists of worm water vapor. Worm water vapor is kind of weird, but it's also pretty cool. It's also calming, and that's a bonus. Inhale too much and you might become a little too calm.

Comments

[oneandmikleonly]

What familiar ground?

[amused, even if it doesn't show in the text]

Right, I'll come knocking. Give me a few minutes, we're near the opposite end.

[rebells]

I did say "more."

[But he will wait! The shack is pretty much where he said it was . . . there's no name on it, but there is a sketched-out map of the area around base camp tacked to the door, with a note reading, "Have information? Ask for Jay."

Oddly enough, the whole thing appears to be drawn in glitter gel pen . . . . ]

[oneandmikleonly]

[someone was certainly at the pile of miscellany earlier, he notes. he remembers that sparkly ink.

knocks, politely, speaking out loud, though not too loud; the walls of the huts aren't that thick]

Hello? It's me, Mikleo.

[rebells]

[After a moment, the door opens.]

Ah, there you are. It's good to meet you in person. You're welcome to come in, if you like.

[oneandmikleonly]

[does a little inclination of his head, not quite a full bow but a definite greeting gesture]

It's nice to meet you as well. Um, don't mind if I do --

[glancing around a little as he enters, curious to see how someone else is setting up in one of these dwellings]

[rebells]

[There isn't much: just the cot, stool, and shelf with a few items placed on top: a folded set of plainclothes, some food items from the mansion, a terracotta pot with some pens in it.

Tacked up on the wall are two pieces of paper: one appears to be a rough draft of an island map, with arrows going from base camp to the forest, nearest water source, and boar grounds. The other is mostly empty, but has the beginnings of a list with things like "Map the island. Sources of food and water, boundaries." written on it.]

I hope you've been doing as well as you can, under these circumstances.

[oneandmikleonly]

[his gaze lingers on the maps a moment longer than anything else, with interest, before he turns his attention back to Jay]

Something like that. I have a couple of friends who came here with me and as far as I know no one's actually fallen off a cliff and been lost in space yet. It will have to be good enough, for now. Yourself?

[rebells]

I arrived here alone, but other than that, about the same. I'm adjusting to the circumstances as they've been presented to us. For now.

[A shrug.]

Incidentally, that would have been my first question. "Why are we actually here, and how well does that match up with what we're being told?"

[oneandmikleonly]

The only true reasoning we've gotten is from the letters, and honestly it doesn't make much sense to me. How does giving us power -- and expending power to bring us here -- make it that much more possible to harvest this energy we're supposed to be finding? For that matter, why is this 'Qri' supposedly so important to the balance of the universe? Universes.

[rebells]

[He nods.] It seems unlikely that we'll get answers of that nature from Genette; she didn't seem terribly interested in asking questions.

But at the core of it--we were brought here for a purpose. What is it, and how does our presence advance Qri's goals? Are we just bodies? That seems unlikely, given that she expended energy to give us these powers. But at the same time, I can't tease out an obvious logic behind who was chosen, or what powers we were given.

[oneandmikleonly]

I think it might be worth polling whoever's wound up here -- that . . . might be easy enough? It's not a large group, and if you don't want to do the whole thing through telepathy then just use that to call everyone to a physical location to fill it out by hand.

[he folds his arms; not quite a shrug]

There might be some logic to the powers we were given; at least, for myself and the other two people from my home, there's a relation to abilities we already had. But I wouldn't know why we were picked to be dragged here.

[rebells]

A survey would be a good idea, certainly. There's just the matter of what to ask, other than names and powers . . . whether they've ever had abilities similar to this before, for one.

[There's a sigh and a scowl, not really directed at Mikleo, more like he's just thought of something he doesn't like very much.] I don't see any connection between my own power and myself, but from things others have told me, I might be the odd one out, there.

[oneandmikleonly]

Dare I ask? If it helps at all, whatever thematic link there is for me is to my . . . er, species, not to my specific abilities. Normally I can do a lot with water, but now I can't so much as move a drop.

[rebells]

I can "project my emotions" onto people I touch.

[This is said in a deeply consternated tone of voice.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[oh.]

That seems like a particularly awkward one.

[rebells]

It's ridiculous.

[I am being totally, 100% logical about this one.]

[oneandmikleonly]

Er -- it doesn't have to be the actual emotions you're feeling right then, does it?

[rebells]

[A sigh.]

The paper said 'his emotions,' so I assume it has to be something I've felt. Beyond that . . . I haven't tested that yet.

[oneandmikleonly]

[considers the helpfulness of 'that's rough, buddy,' . . . probably not the best approach]

I see your point. If it's limited to your own feelings then it's inherently exposing to use. Er, I'm guessing from your irritation with it you're not much for that under any circumstances.

[NOT JUDGING JUST OBSERVING]

[rebells]

It's fine. I'll deal with it.

[It is clearly not fine and he does not seem to be dealing with it all that well.]

[oneandmikleonly]

If it gets really annoying, try talking to Sorey. He sort of has to deal with -- other humans' complicated feelings a lot? He might be able to help you figure out a use for it that doesn't feel so intrusive. . .I'd offer, but I don't actually have more details on how he does that sort of thing.

[he inclines his head after that; willing to change the uncomfortable subject]

You said I was missing some other things from my list, yes?

[rebells]

[He doesn't say anything to that first part, although privately he's not that keen on going to Sorey about his feelings-powers or indeed anything feelings-adjacent. Instead he nods and closes his eyes in thought, going with the subject change.]

Most of what I'd have to say is of the same piece. "Who is Qri? What are the nature of her powers? What are her goals, and how does bringing us here, under these circumstances, advance those goals?" There's also the matter of these so-called "magical frequencies," and the questions this island itself poses . . . .

[oneandmikleonly]

Never thought you'd wind up on a space island either, did you?

[he notes the lack of response to the suggestion, and lets it slide. as long as it's out there as an option!]

The frequencies are at least somewhat verifiable. My powers definitely aren't . . . vanished . . . they just won't come out. But I'd feel it if they were gone.

[rebells]

Would you?

[He looks surprised--intrigued, a little, maybe, not quite skeptical.]

I can't feel mine at all, but that could equally be because of our distance from the--source of them, if you would.

[oneandmikleonly]

It's something -- endemic to your world? Hm. I'm not sure about all of my abilities, and technically the maintainer of my pact with Sorey isn't here either, but Sorey and I would both notice if it disappeared completely.

Mostly it's just that when one tries to do anything with them, it's like . . . you still have the ball, but when you try to throw it, it won't leave your hands.