![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
- *downtime,
- *event,
- danganronpa: toko fukawa,
- fe3h: claude von riegan,
- fe3h: sylvain jose gautier,
- ffxiv: ardbert,
- gbf: beatrix,
- genshin impact: diluc ragnvindr,
- genshin impact: kaeya alberich,
- jjk: satoru gojo,
- jjk: suguru geto,
- solo leveling: sung jinwoo,
- star wars: anakin skywalker,
- star wars: cal kestis,
- star wars: obi-wan kenobi,
- sweet home: eunyoo lee
Downtime Log - Intro
Log 01 Downtime Intro
Maybe you were walking to class, or riding into battle, or at your father's funeral, or gazing into the abyss as you brush your teeth and think about your waning youth. Maybe you're from 1000 years ago, or the far-flung future. But it doesn't matter how different you are, because all passengers will wake up sprawled on the same floor of the same car...
The Perfectly Average Everyday Normal Train Car
As characters stir from their slumber, they'll notice their new(?) phones vibrating in their pockets. An unread message is waiting for them...
FROM: clownductor one
Welcome to the Existential Express, car #83045029342000001.
[CHARACTER NAME] is currently engaged in Tutorial Mode.
Objectives:
> Read the Existential Express (E2) brochure.
> Access the user directory and send a message.
> Ask one of the other passengers to be your friend.
> Find the exit door.
By completing car objectives, passengers may proceed through the exit and onto the next car.
Thank you for riding with the Existential Express. Please enjoy your journey into the great unknown.
>>>>SUBJECT: New Passengers
How is that? I attempted to make it sound welcoming.
The message, strangely, cuts off there. The brochure goes over all the basic 'what is a train' questions people may have, but nothing else.
However, characters may find that the exit door is locked until they complete the objectives, so it's icebreaker time! On the bright side, it seems this is a dining car, so there's a few nice plates of treats and a bar that magically serves beverages when people make orders. The exit door will be locked until the objectives are complete! (Please see OOC notes below for more details.)
In any case, when they unlock the door and move on through the exit, there is a walkway to the next car. Please watch your step, and check out the FAQ for more details on trying to leave the train!
Immediately proceeding the intro car is...
The Land of Corginia Car
As characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
Because this historical city is occupied with... dogs! Mostly corgis. They are smart, verbal, and very good boys and girls. The dogs are happy to play with anyone, and will also help passengers get to anywhere they want to go. The car itself is basically Rome, with low doorways and ceilings.
And because corgis do have short legs and zero thumbs, they will sometimes need and ask for assistance. For example, you and a partner may need to help the corgis cross a river, give them belly rubs, or reach a ball on a high shelf. They are easily distracted, squirmy little babies and will make life very difficult, but they're just so darn cute!
The Museum Car
(tw: body horror)
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
As passengers enter this car, they'll find themselves feeling notably lighter. This might be because they're suddenly missing a leg, or perhaps an arm, or their eyes, or tongue. Whatever it may be, a part of them has been taken away. There's no pain, or danger to their lives from the missing part, it simply isn't there.
It's been whisked away and hidden somewhere in the musty old museum that they've found themselves in. Luckily, it's currently closed, so there's nothing stopping them from raiding everything in sight! The displays span all manner of topics, from history to biology to space. Passengers might even find displays on familiar historical events or persons from their home worlds as they search—the collection is seemingly endless! Just watch out, because sometimes objects (and body parts) will come to life and lunge through the glass at anyone who walks a little too close.
NOTE: Characters can snipe items from the display cases in the museum! However, they'll discover the items are actually toy replicas made of flimsy plastic. They're completely non-functional and will break if handled too roughly.
The Birth of the Wind Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
The world that lies ahead of the passengers is vast and lush; a spectacle of nature that spans snow-capped mountains, dense forests, deserts, and lakes. Aside from unusually large and extremely territorial fauna (1, 2, 3), the car appears devoid of any signs of civilization, and passengers might think themselves completely alone…
… Until they hear the tinkling of a bell, and a cheery, "yahaha!" in the distance. Upon closer inspection, the car is in fact populated by small, wooden creatures known as korogus (here). They hide at the tops of trees and mountains, on lone islands in large lakes, and under rocks. Once a passenger stumbles across their hiding place—whether knowingly or otherwise—they'll appear in a puff of magic holding a golden korogu seed. Simply finding them isn't enough for them to hand over the precious item however, and they'll require passengers to offer up one truth in exchange for a seed. And don't bother lying, they'll give you a solid bonk on the head and disappear if you do!
Numbers
Numbers! Everyone starts with one that glows on their bodies — as a fun thread mechanic, we suggest they're somewhere visible, but it's up to you!
Because while this is not IC knowledge yet, numbers are determined by how troubled your character is. This may be based on their past actions and crimes, but also alienating habits, regrets, personality flaws, trauma, etc — a higher number does not necessarily mean they're a bad person, but it may signify a difficult time in their life, or substantial personal issues.
Numbers change as characters work through their issues... which we'll cover next time! However, for this log, please note that numbers will remain static. They may flicker or warp occasionally, but don't worry about them going up or down for the intro! As a bonus, numbers can glow in any color you would like.
OOC Notes
Car Order: While the cars are linear and in the order shown, characters can freely move between these four cars for the next three weeks — players may assume 1:1 IC:OOC time ratio.
Locks: Passengers may follow other characters out of cars after they've been unlocked — so in general, players can assume optional cars on downtime months are unlocked if they don't want to play in them. Likewise, if your character ICly would not participate in a car but you still want to play with those prompts, you can assume they're locked in and must complete objectives. Feel free to pick and choose what you'd like to play from any downtime log!
Update: We will also have a small update in the coming weeks — the setting won't change, but there will be a few more (optional!) aspects to play with later.
Feel free to direct questions to our Discord help channel. Welcome to Locomo, and have fun!
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
locomo e2 traincationFAQ & Game Info / Calendar / Taken
Applications / Reserves / Hiatus & Drops
FULL NAVIGATION
iii
This car is a stark, dark contrast from the one that came before. The museum exhibits are grisly more often than not, and the lighting is kept low and ominous, turning it into some sort of terrible maze. Ardbert's already spotted limbs and other body parts in his search, but not yet his own missing piece: his tongue.
It makes a sick sort of sense, doesn't it? For so long he'd been unable to communicate with a single other soul, living or dead. He'd had to watch the world continue on and distort what he and his comrades had done for the world, never once being able to speak up with a word of protest.
So to some extent, this is all dreadfully familiar. It means that Ardbert's able to swallow down any sense of panic and focus on the task at hand, but that's not necessarily the case for the others in this car.
Ardbert hears the thundering footsteps and the barked question, but there's nothing he can say or do to warn the person as he rounds the corner, meaning that the man crashes right into him. Ardbert's built sturdily enough that all he does is stumble back a few paces. He reaches out to grip the stranger's shoulders, an attempt to steady him, and registers that he looks to be an elf. Yet Ardbert can speak no words of explanation or ask any questions, and instead lets out a silent sigh.
One who cannot see, the other who cannot speak. It's quite a pair that they make. ]
Re: iii
Unhand me mage- Who are you?!
[His hands run over the side of its face, or what he assumes is a face, to the top of its head. Warm, shorter, no horns or odd ears, it was a Hyur as far as Estinien could tell. Whatever it was it didn't seem threatening.]
Why are you here?
But his questions are met with silence.
Do you see it too? The white castles of Ishgard?
[He reaches up to rub his eyes only to find his literal eyeballs were gone. An awful dread comes over him as he pieces together the reason for his predicament: this was to be his punishment. An eye for an eye.]
Fury take me...
[He mumbles as his fingers gently trace down the Hyur's eyelids which did in fact contain eyes.]
... Did you commit some atrocity to end up here?
[This had to be hell. What other explanation could it be? He was no Warrior of Light, he didn't travel between worlds.]
no subject
Wait. Did he not spot a pair of eyeballs a few rooms back?
The elf continues speaking, spouting out questions faster than Ardbert would have been able to answer them, were he able to. Mayhap trying to make up for the lack of vision with his voice.
Ishgard, though. That's a familiar name. This elf must be from the Source. Of course, Ardbert can't comment on any of that. He can't answer a single question.
While his tongue is gone, however, his vocal chords are still present. It means that he can open his mouth and make a muffled, intelligible noise. If anything, it should get the point across that he isn't able to actually speak at the moment.
Seeing how there's no easy way to communicate "I might know where you eyes are" without words, Ardbert decides to seize the man by the wrist and start leading him back the direction he'd come from. Surely he'll be able to find those eyes again, and they can only hope they're the pair which belongs to this elf. ]
no subject
What -
[It's not like he was getting answers for the ten million questions he posed and so he gives up mid question. After a few moments he finally catches something different in his field of view.]
Stop. I saw something. A shadow passed over it for just a moment.
[Again fear sinks into him. Was this the looming shadow signaling Ishgard's demise? What could he do in this state except watch in horror again as a great shadow blackened his home.
Please Halone, not again.
Why would the Fury heed him this time though?
Unbeknownst to him there was no attack or even Ishgard. Just a lovely painting resembling the snowy landscape illuminated by a spotlight they happened to cross in front of.]
no subject
Granted, Ardbert knows quite a lot about being disembodied by now. He at least maintained his form in its entirety then.
He turns and scans the room. There are the eyeballs, set on a small pedestal within a glass case and facing a landscape painting on the opposite wall. Ardbert nods enthusiastically before remembering the stranger can't see, but — well, maybe he can in a sense?
He releases the elf's hand and moves to stand right in front of the eyes. He waves his hand back in forth before them, then makes some more garbled noises that are meant to sound like questions.
Are these yours? Can you see this? ]
no subject
Where did you go?
[His voice is quiet, knowing he would probably not get an answer. Instinctively he reaches out to grab at him, but is met with the feeling of cold stone. The sudden influx of movement in his vision has him freezing momentarily, gripping whatever pedestal he had found. There's a strange sound coming from what he assumes is his companion.]
I think-
[He lets go of the pedestal and takes two steps confidently in the wrong direction.]
Yes, I can see you. Those are my eyes.
[What foul sorcery- How was he supposed to find those by himself???]
no subject
The answer, of course, is that he wasn't. This is great CR building happening right here, right now.Ardbert heaves out a breath that's meant to be a sigh of relief, though it comes out sounding more like a rattling wheeze. Now that they've found this stranger's eyes, his hope is that they can work together to find his tongue. One thing at a time, of course. Once one of them has their senses back, it should make the rest of this challenge that much more doable.
With a frown, he steps closer and raps his knuckles on the glass case that's enclosing the disembodied eyes. How are they supposed to retrieve them without potentially doing damage to them in the same motion? He would smash the blade of his axe right through the glass, but that would cause shards to go flying every which way.
They'll need to aim for a softer approach. Ardbert circles around the display case to the other side, further away from the vulernable eyes. He starts tapping at the glass, slowly but surely adding force in hopes that he can create a crack.
The elf, of course, still can't do much. Hopefully he has faith that Ardbert only wishes to help. ]
no subject
Fury please.
Trapped in glass there was only one way to get them out and Estinien did not like it.]
I know I've no right to be picky, but I'd prefer not to glass on my eyes.
[Yet there was no other way other than literally trying to break it out. He struggles to focus on what is going on, but he can see tiny cracks forming. Instinctively his hands reach up to cover his eyes, but he's forced to watch as the cracks grow larger until there's a place to pull them through.]
Well done. Do you suppose I just... pop them back in?
[No answer of course, but he can't help it.
If he's handed his eyes he'll recoil back a bit at being jostled without moving, otherwise he'll crawl over to the case and carefully pry them out.
Either way once he's got them in his hands he's just going to stare and pause for a bit.]
The irony of this is really too much.
[Staring up at himself was weird to put it lightly. Cautiously he holds them closer to his face and gently presses them and then pop! He can suddenly see again. waow.]
You have my thanks.
[It doesn't feel like his eyes had been missing. He feels completely normal actually which is more alarming. He looks around the room, stares at his hands, stares at his companion and repeats it several times.]
I can help you now. What are you looking for?
no subject
It's shocking how easy it is to return the eyes to their sockets, and Ardbert can only hope it will be just as simple whenever they find his tongue.
Seeing the stranger now completed, Ardbert lets out a silent breath of relief. That's one of them taken care of, and he feels somewhat more at ease now that he can make eye contact with the elf without staring into hollow pits.
Thankfully, the elf's willing to return the favor, and all Ardbert has to do is open his mouth and point at the distinct lack of tongue there to get his point across. With that much understood, he leads them back the way he'd originally been searching before they'd run into each other. It must be around here somewhere... ]
no subject
That explains a lot.
[Before they depart the room he takes a moment to glance at the painting that had haunted him. From afar it did seem like Ishgard, but now that he was actually able to look at it there was no resemblance at all. His fingers run over the rough ridges of the dried paint. He had put his past behind him, yet how easy it was to rile up fearful thoughts again.
Estinien takes a moment to stare at his companion before shaking his head back to reality. Was there something familiar about this Hyur? He had never seen him before, but... No he must just look like someone he had seen in his travels.]
I don't doubt that we will find your missing appendage only that.... How will we know it's yours?
[All of the two rooms he had seen so far just had random assortments of body parts in jars and glasses, many of which were unlabeled.]
no subject
Which also means that it reminds him at least a smidge of Voeburt, though that kingdom had not been blanketed in snow. Granted, before the Calamity had Ishgard not been the same?
None of this he can actually voice until they find his tongue, of course, and so Ardbert moves on with quick strides, as he's becoming more and more frustrated by his inability to express himself. His century without being able to interact had been just as frustrating, true, but at least then he hadn't been able to be perceived at all. To have someone speak to him and be unable to reply is almost worse.
The stranger's question is worth considering, however, and Ardbert can offer little more than a shrug before he continues on. His hope is that when he sees his own tongue, he will simply understand that it's his, but there's only one way to find out, is there? Much like the elf's eyes had plopped back into him with little trouble, he's hopeful his tongue will do the same.
As... unpleasant as it is to think about. ]
no subject
Fury... There's at least 20 of them mounted on that wall alone.
[He wanders over to one and begins to read it aloud, confused over what it may mean. If his eyes were forced to stare at an eerie painting perhaps the placarded words meant something more to his companion.]
'Not like this?' Grim last words to whomever spoke them.
[He turns to the one beside it and begins to read it.]
'We cannot, we will not falter.'
[And another.]
'Why did you spare me?'
[Upon closer inspection the ones with placards all had some sort of misspelling in one of the words. Except one. He turns back to the Hyur and shrugs.]
I hope this means something to you else you'll be trying them all on.
no subject
As soon as the elf speaks the words, ones which Ardbert himself voiced so long ago, it's almost as if he hears them echo in his mind. It was so long ago now, but some moments remain imprinted. Aria's presence there likely plays a part in that.
He presses forward, excitedly tapping the elf on the shoulder to indicate that one of them was in fact a match. He finds the tongue with his words printed beneath them, and while it's alarming that the force behind all this was somehow able to pluck that out of his mind, he'll worry about it further once he can speak again.
Gingerly, he pulls his tongue off of the wall and then rotates it in his hands before placing it into his mouth. Shockingly, it slides back in and reattaches with no trouble at all, and he barely even feels it. ]
... Did it work?
[ Once hears his own voice, Ardbert gasps out of a sigh of relief. ] Praise the gods, it did. [ He gives a little fist pump and then turns back toward the elf. ] Thank you, friend! It's a relief to have everything back where it should be.
no subject
Aye, tis good to hear another voice again. How did you come to be in this place?
[He looks around and frowns, how many people were trapped in this place? Did they all actually belong to other unfortunate souls and if so, were they wandering around aimlessly too? The car filled with the talking dogs was huge, but this place seemed to have no convenient animals to tell him which way to go.]
no subject
The same way that you did, I would imagine. With little warning or explanation.
[ However, now both of them are complete so far as he can tell, which means they've done what this particular car asked of them. ] '
We should be free to leave this dreadful car now, at least. [ With that, he begins to move through the narrow dim halls, on the lookout for what he hopes will be an obvious exit door. ] You mentioned Ishgard earlier. [ He sends a quick glance back toward the elf as he sets their pace: a brisk one. ] That must mean you're from Hydaelyn.
[ Is it possible this stranger even knows Aria? Given how much she's seen, what she's accomplished, who she's helped... It's not outside the realm of reason. ]