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Priority Log - Part 1
Log 02 Priority (Part I)
The Mine Car
As characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new message…
> ▮▮▮▮▮▯▮▮
> ▮▮*
> OVERRIDE: TUTORIAL MODE DEACTIVATED.
> OBJECTIVE:
>
NAME: The Mine Car
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT: Gothic era
DANGER LEVEL: High
GENERAL STINKINESS: High
COMMON DENIZENS: Humans, ornithrops, bearkin
CUISINE: Peasant gruel, bird seed
There is no sender. Or objective?
But that's fine, probably! The car itself is completely functional, and features a fully developed society.
Passengers will arrive in this car and be immediately greeted by a fog that chills them to their core. The car around them is vast, and yet deathly silent. They'll find themselves starting off in a forest of petrified wood, the ground hard and unyielding underneath their feet, with flora and fauna in various stages of decay around them. While the fog around them is thick, the lights of a nearby village can still be seen from a distance, and as they travel, the dirt road will give way to cobblestone.
Eventually they'll be greeted with a signpost, welcoming them to the town of MINECRAFTIA.
While Minecraftia's denizens are harrowed and distressed, they're quick to warn the passengers traveling through of the ailment, a mysterious illness that is plaguing their town. It's been leaving even healthy youths bedridden, and while the town mayor has passionately declared that he will find a solution, it appears that there's no cure in sight.
Locations
Minecraftia is a foreboding little town, even in the daylight, with murky skies above and fog blanketing the roads. Still, the denizens persist through their daily routines, and won't stop the passengers from exploring.
Clinic: The town's only clinic with the town's only doctor. It's a small, rickety building that operates all hours of the day. Between the rapid spread of sickness and the steady depletion of supplies, it's a grim place to be nowadays. Anyone healthy who visits might be roped in to help, and those who look ill will be quarantined with an uncomfortable bedroll and thin blanket.
Cemetery: Located on the outskirts of town, the cemetery is home to dead bodies, even deader earth, and a deadpan gravekeeper. The exit door is here in a flower-covered plot, but cannot be opened.
Chicken House: A barnyard building home to the town's chickens. Lately they've been more worked up than usual, and taken to flying the coop and finding refuge by digging their claws into the scalps of bystanders. Agitating one chicken may cause a whole flock to descend on you!
The Dark Woods: The village is surrounded by what was once lush woods, but the trees now stand dark and eerie, an unusually thick fog rolling between them. While there are some of the usual, woodland creatures chirruping in the dense silence, they're hard to find. Monsters, meanwhile, are much more common.
The Mines: In the heart of the woods are entrances to the town's expansive system of mines. Stepping inside shows that the dirt and stone is laced with beautiful gems and minerals, but passengers will be shooed away by miners if they try to explore any deeper. It seems there's several dangerous mine shafts underfoot, as well as past attacks by what seems to be mole monsters.
Mayor's Mansion: The largest building in Minecraftia, situated on a hill. While Mayor Chadsef's staff welcomes guests, they will be cautioned not to explore past the lobby, which just smells a little like cleaning chemicals thanks to a diligent maid crew.
Denizens
Players may use denizens as convenient in threads, as well as these NPCs, except for the Mayor. He's a very busy man!
Madam Vermeer: The Madam is a human extremely afraid that she'll die before seeing her son marry. Which means that she is hunting the streets for eligible men and women, and whisking them in droves away into her mansion to be made over, trained in the art of serving, etc. before presenting them to her son.
Cassy Cassatt: Cassy is an ornithrop and the owner of the chicken house. She's shorthanded nowadays, but business-savvy enough to prey on considerate bystanders. She'll rope anyone she sees into helping out, whether it's collecting eggs, feeding or breeding.
Turner: Turner is a bearkin, and one of the nurses at the clinic. He's taken to drinking his weight in mead whenever he's off the clock, and it's not uncommon for his body to be seen unconscious on the road. He'll try to flee or swat blindly if anyone tries to help him, but he really does need help getting home.
Chadsef: The mayor of Minecraftia, who is notably wealthier than the rest of the citizens. He's young and inexperienced, but carries a Birds of Economics degree, and is determined to bring jobs to the town. He'll just need to make sure people are alive to do them first!
Other
The longer that passengers remain in the car, the more they'll learn, and soon they'll realize the following:
- They are not immune to the illness. They can't determine what it is that triggers it. At first it's a sense of fatigue, then hunger and irritability. Then, the numbness will begin, starting in their extremities and spreading up their limbs, until that numbness turns into pain. Eventually that pain will lead to madness, a state of delirium where they begin to behave erratically, endangering themselves and those around them.
- There is something in the woods. Though the passengers saw nothing when they arrived in the woods, at night they can hear growling. Venturing outside will reveal grotesque creatures emerging from the fog, rampaging into the town and tearing flesh and stone with their massive claws. These creatures appear rabid, familiar but warped, and they swarm the town with no regard for their own safety or benefit. Examples: (1) (2) (3) (4)
- Corpses are disappearing. Despite deaths, the cemetery isn't seeing any more business. Rumour has it that a certain wealthy denizen has been paying to have the corpses taken away. But to where, and why, remains unknown…
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.
As passengers enter this car, they'll notice that their numbers may begin to change in response to certain actions and decisions. The general rule is that numbers change as characters work through their issues. If they make a decision that serves to better themselves, their number will decrease. But if they make a decision that is ill-intentioned, their number will increase. Players can change their number as they see fit going forward.
OOC Notes
Exploration: Players may submit on-going threads here to get a short mod tag with further discoveries in any given location. Characters can potentially earn items or clues as to the car's objective this way. Please limit your explorations to one per player; we will let you all know if we have the capacity to do more!
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maximum doubt....
Are you...
[Ignoring me?
The thought doesn't finish. He's moved them both on to other matters. Toko gets the sense she's being railroaded by this bizarro cave genie, but still. He's right about the way back up. She doesn't fancy her odds there, even if it means (pause to gulp in fear) going deeper.]
Down there? It's really d-dark down there. And there could be more monsters...like the ones in the w-woods...
[Historically speaking, Fukawa Toko does not thrive in the dark. In spite of her Wednesday Addams chic she is actually quite afraid of it, and she doesn't want to deal with any supernatural nonsense when she can't even see. Also, she has no idea who this guy is.
Her hands fly to her hair. She pulls at the roots in indignant fury.]
Why does everything h-have to be an impossible situation?! I hate this car!
[But she does dutifully roll to her feet. She's still in a big time pout, still swiping the last of the cobwebs off and rubbing her rear where the sit bones had taken a bruising, but lo. She does not forfeit! In the face of danger!!
She just reserves the right to complain.]
You better not be some big pervert or anything...
no subject
The car sucks, I'll give you that.
[He is also not a fan of everything it has to offer, albeit for different reasons. Monsters and the dark don't scare him in the least, but mysterious illnesses are high up on the list of the few things that Satoru is not capable of fighting. Plus, being cajoled into nearly marrying a woman's son was actually fairly annoying. Compared to all that, journeying into the darkness of mines should be a cinch. For Satoru, at least. As for his new charge...
Well, she can complain away! Many people do in Satoru's presence, after all. He's used to it! And she's at least getting to her feet which is definitely better than him having to knock her out and carry her to safety, so!]
But you've got nothing to worry about down here, 'cause I'm with you. [Have a self-assured grin. He's definitely not at all put off or deterred by the suggestion that he might have questionable motives.] Not a pervert, just a powerful guy. [With an ego, clearly.]
You've got a phone, right?
[He pulls his out of his pocket to use as a flashlight and holds it up to her face, illuminating her expression. Technically, he could use one of his abilities to light the way and instantly clear out anything that might by in their way ahead, but that could also cause the mine to collapse so...better to wait until it's necessary!]
no subject
Luckily, there isn't much more to bother them than some cobwebs as they progress. But the place still somehow has an almost eerie, stagnant air to it, moreso than the public areas of the mines. It's the sort of atmosphere that will leave the hair on their necks standing, and even the distant dripping of water off stalactites or skittering insects start to sound like something else entirely.
...Actually, if they listen closely, maybe it is something else?
But then the mine shaft starts to grumble and groan. The stones ahead of them suddenly collapse, the light winks out behind a wall of rubble, and they're left to navigate back out in total darkness. Two jewels are still shining a little though, like they're a bit loose from the rock and gravel; if they decide to take them, they'll both receive (1) shiny alexandrite that grants them the ability to teleport. As a side effect, they will feel seasick after they use it. This item can be used for one event before it turns into an ordinary jewel. ]
aw yeah let's get our teleportation rocks
[Okay but, what could a man possibly say that wouldn't come off suspicious right now? Not much.
She is wholly uninterested in finding out what he means by powerful. Her patience for magic and wonder has been snuffed out three train cars ago. It's not endearing, it's annoying, and it also adds an extra slice of danger on top of every interaction she has. Anyone is capable of anything, so who can be trusted? Probably not men in blue velour suits and blindfolds.
An ensemble which she is finally granted the right to judge as he makes a torch of his phone, and she does likewise with her own. She squints at first from the sudden burst of light, then at the sight of...all that.]
.............
[Okay yeah we're just going to move on with our lives. Get this over with. Toko groans and rolls her eyes, but starts them off on their journey. The path is unkind but not treacherous, something she can manage in heels if she goes carefully.]
So. Who are you? [She'll shoot him a furtive glance.] What were you d-doing in the mines anyway?
[were you FOLLOWING HER??????????????????????????]
i'm so ready 💪 also i'm so sorry for the delay!
He keeps his phone out, treating it like a flashlight, and maneuvers his cane with his other hand, noisily tapping it on the occasional loose rock.]
Satoru Gojo. I'm a teacher. [Among other things, but teacher is definitely the most relevant right now, not to mention the aspect of his occupation that requires the least amount of explanation. He also happens to be recruiting students! Sign up before the next train car and you too can be annoyed by Satoru on a regular basis!] I saw you fall and thought you might need help.
[He definitely followed her. And may have been responsible, in a roundabout way...
But also:]
I was right.
[She totally needed help! And look, he's not doing anything creepy at all (aside from, you know, existing in this outfit). He's staying on his side of the mine shaft and everything! Truly, despite everything that he is, Satoru actually means well.
Most of the time.]
So what were you doing falling in a mine?
[Besides failing to prevent the fall, of course!]
;3; no worries i'm just happy to be here tbh
[That sounds like a lie, frankly. Nothing about him indicates any degree of academic credit. Maybe he's in the arts program? Or — ugh, gag her — he's a professor of magic.
Why is this her life now? Was it not complicated enough before? They should have sent that occult idiot here instead, he's the one that deals in frivolities and tarot and tea readings. None of that stuff interested her at all, unless it was a light touch in a well written novel.
Her steps are light as she leads them into the deep. She tries to keep a solid look ahead but does not trust the path underfoot. There could be a sudden drop at any moment, or snakes! More wizards in velour!]
Wh—I-I wasn't falling on p-purpose! [She seethes, free hand clenching on thin air.] I wouldn't even come here if they just told us what the objective was supposed to be! For all I know, we need to be counting dust motes or collecting s-spider legs, or have to kiss every p-pig in town. The whole premise of this train is stupid. I just want to unlock the w-way out.
[Something ahead catches her eye. Like a haze or another light, but it's hard to tell with the flash going on her phone.
Hmmm...]
no subject
Jujutsu. [Sounds almost like some kind of martial art, doesn't it? But Toko has the right of it: he's a sorcerer and he teaches something that might as well be magic. A wizard is not too far off!] I'll show you when we're back on the surface. Unless something bad happens down here. [A little pause for effect.] Then I'll show you now.
[Exciting! But speaking of potential bad things happening, Satoru also sees that soft light ahead and it seems out of place. A little suspicious. He doesn't put away his phone yet, considering he doesn't trust the source, but he maintains his jovial demeanor despite wondering what exactly they're about to find in the middle of a seemingly uninhabited mine shaft...]
Kissing pigs, huh? I wonder how many there are in town...
[This is Satoru's takeaway from all of that...but in honesty, he understands where her concerns and frustrations are coming from. He may be an obnoxious human being, but he truly is a teacher, and not a terrible one (even if his methods are questionable). It's just that Satoru has a tendency to take everything in stride and respond to threats with levity. It helps keep everyone from dwelling on dire situations and, in theory, helps them to relax in between terrible and costly battles.
So that's the comment Toko gets! But for good measure, he adds with confidence:]
We'll get out.
[He really believes it, even if he has concerns of his own. Things just work out for him, and when they don't, he's able to force them to work out. His confidence comes from a lifetime of being The Strongest and experiencing very few failures...and this train hasn't been a true exception yet, even if it does have him somewhat stuck.
Though, the further they walk, the stranger it begins to feel? Almost like...something is off about this place. Satoru doesn't miss a step, however, and keeps tapping his cane as though he notices nothing.]
no subject
Not on me! [Let's get one thing straight, pal. She is not here to be anyone's sparring partner. Look at her. Frail, delicate maiden. A damsel! Never hurt a fly!
Until she swaps personalities but we have enough trouble as it is.
His wiseass remark earns a roll of the eyes and a sharp retort.]
D-depends. Are we only counting literal pigs? [Some of the passengers, man. That mayor guy also seems suspicious. What kind of a name is Chadsef to begin with? There's hardly anyone that can be counted on around here.
To his reassurances, she says nothing. While Toko is not so readily confident, it is, on occasion, nice to have an optimist around. After all she's been through she's a staunch believer in forging ahead no matter what the odds, but does she believe that good things are coming her way? Not a chance. It's usually quite the opposite.
Take this mine, for example. Not only is the odd glow still prevalent (what if it's some hideous glow-in-the-dark worm? Please no), but now there's an eerie stillness. The guy is rapping his cane on things and the sound doesn't echo quite right. There's water dripping from somewhere and it's almost flat sounding. Can she be sure it's water in the first place? It could be some creature clicking its pincers, or rocks falling.
There's a skittering noise, like a centipede scurrying but amplified beyond measure and right beside her ear. Toko gives a shriek and backs straight into the other man, hands scrambling to latch onto any available part of him.]
Wh-what was that?!
[Her chill is non-existent. Sorry.]