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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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felix | ota
sylvain - i love this icon
which makes them the perfect people to follow.
just, like, sneakily, and while this isn't felix's preferred method? while he'd much rather burst into the mayor's office and demand to know what, exactly, he's hiding? with age comes maturity, or something. he's new to this town and to this train; he is making an effort to remain unnoticed.
some people, however, apparently did not get the memo, because as felix peeks his head around a corner, trying to see if this particular hallway is clear—ah. well. felix only knows one (1) tall idiot with bright red hair, and said idiot is apparently standing smackdab in the middle of this (blessedly empty) hallway, looking at... something, maybe. it's difficult to tell from this angle, but whatever; it isn't like felix is focused on specifics as he straightens, eyes widening.]
Sylvain?
[oh, it's definitely sylvain, but also... not. something is off, here; felix will connect these dots in a second, you'd best believe, but first—oh? are those footsteps? are they approaching, thanks to felix's failure to whisper?? wonderful. thank goodness felix is halfway good on his feet; all it takes is a split-second of consideration before he surges forward, snagging sylvain's sleeve before dragging him over to what is apparently a surprisingly sizeable cleaning supplies closet. very nice, very cozy, smells like bleach and almyran pine—]
Just—get in. Hurry.
[because he's right on your heels!!!]
no subject
It's a miracle his voice comes out as a mumble of surprise (he thinks he's? seeing things?) and not a shout of alarm, because it could've just as easily been the latter. ]
Felix?
[ There's no way? Sothis, Saints, etc., he's been in that fog for too long. Is this the onset of the sickness that've been taking out villagers in droves? Surely he is not long for this world—
—no he is very much getting physically dragged away and dunked into a supply closet. ]
Felix! How? When? What?!
[ The picture of eloquence. He sputters a lot as he tries to take this all in. I'm-so-glad-to-see-you comes bumbling out at some point, and maybe he would squeeze the life out of his friend, but there isn't much space in here and the sudden sound of footsteps just outside the door.
The silent freakout doesn't last long. ] What did you do to your hair?
[ He didn't get a good glimpse of him before, and now he only has the light of his phone to go by. Which he immediately shines into Felix's face. Hello! ]
I can't believe you're here! [ More excitable whispering, no he will NOT shut up... ]
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...but dear god, sylvain, that light. it catches felix entirely off guard, sending him squinting as he hisses:]
Will you stop that?
[thanks, sylvain! now he's blind! or, like, almost. the light is much more manageable once he bats it (re: sylvain's hand) to the side; it isn't enough for felix to see everything, but it illuminates the side of sylvain's stupid face—and the familiar golden embellishments of sylvain's coat. huh.]
Of course I'm here. Why are you? [for the same reason felix is, probably, but something, something, do as felix says, not as felix does. plus, as felix's eyes are drawn back to sylvain's clothing:] And why are you wearing that? Is this your idea of a disguise?
[because it's a pretty shitty disguise, bud—but how would sylvain even have access to his old uniform? and speaking of hair, why is something off about sylvain's?
no subject
As for why Sylvain is in this car, ] I dunno! The train put me here!
[ And he thinks Felix is criticizing his stealth skills overall, which would be a fair point were Felix not also in a totally conspicuous getup. Still, there is merit in a wardrobe swap—"disguise" as his friend puts it... ]
—Oh, right. I should probably change into something else...
[ While his phone's out, he taps the appropriate app. POOF! The clownductors secretly have access to the Nintendo eShop. ]
How does it look?
[ Idiot there is still no real light in here. ]
no subject
—well, look: it's impossible for a man to connect all of the dots here, because holy shit, what kind of magic is this! costumes on demand, which—hey, even if felix can't see shit, that's still pretty impressive? so, naturally:]
How did— [witchcraft!!!] What did you do?
[it's far from the first time they've temporarily set other things else aside to be Idiots, because this is the very essence of friendship. another sign of friendship: the way i godmode sylvain into taking felix's phone, once felix pulls it from his pocket, and walking him through this not-at-all-daunting process. pressing a button is very doable.
and thus, before felix can think better of it, felix does just that.
POOF!]
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What did you do?
[repeated again, with added! emphasis!!! because never mind the fact that felix pressed the button; this is entirely sylvain's fault.]
no subject
after i report elia to the mods for bannable offense of godmoding, Sylvain hastily whispers back in response to the blatantly false accusation, ] Nothing! The phone did it!
[ Excuse you he is a person of taste? He would NEVER wear a jersey outside of game night. (And what the heck is this new outfit?? Polyester and nylon don't even exist in their world!!)
They quietly bicker in the gloom until, finally, they remember they're both here to dig up dirt on the mayor. Sylvain peeks his head out the door, checking to make sure there isn't anyone around before he slinks out, beckoning Felix to follow.
And he is STILL talking in the middle of their stealth operation: ] When did you even get here anyway? Why didn't you call me or Dimitri?
[ He forgets... He had no idea how to use a phone either, when he first landed on the train... (And it is debatable whether Dimitri really knows, too...) ]
no subject
but teamwork makes the dream work, so here they go! making fools of themselves, as per usual—but while call me is an odd phrase to use, it's the familiar name that sends felix glancing sylvain's way.]
The boar is here?
[wonderful. felix thinks, briefly, of faerghus—and then tucks that away. not productive in the slightest, especially as they near the end of the hallway.]
I've only been in this town for a day, [he says, lowly, as he presses himself against the wall to peek about this corner. at least someone is committed to being sneaky, even as he continues to talk.] I haven't seen anyone. Until I found you standing here like a fool.
[and surely sylvain will tell him how long he's been here. and dimitri. it can't be that much longer, right? there's no way—some come on, sylvain, the coast is clear! time to move!]
no subject
[ Stop picking on Dimitwi... Sylvain knows you don't even mean it. (Haha Sylvain know nothing—) ]
Just a day? And you're getting into trouble already?
[ Said with an expression that can only be described as punchable.
He starts checking the doors in the hallway to see if anything is unlocked, periodically glancing back over their shoulders for any sign of the other housekeepers in the mansion... ]
no subject
The coast is clear! They can move down the hallway as long as they're quiet. Presuming they're going deeper into the mayor's manor: it's a large building, and they'll be trying several doors as they go. Most of them are locked, and forcing them would certainly get the staff's attention.
However, Felix will find one that leads into a sizeable study. There is an open book on the desk here, with a page earmarked about an ancient civilization that once populated the lands of Minecraftia. There doesn't seem to be any sign of them now, though. The book postulates that they must have died out, but also poses a question: how? And why can't they be found? There is a picture of a fossil in the pages as well, that looks something like this.
Sylvain will have no luck getting into the other rooms, but as he goes further down the hallway, he'll catch a strange smell. He won't be able to put a name to it, but it is very distinctly chemical, sharp and unpleasant. Much stronger than any cleaning products that are around, and more like what he might expect inside a clinic. Beneath that, there are undertones of something even less pleasant: something moldy, rotting.
At this point though, the next cleaning shift is starting to show up. The dainty heels of the maid crew clop quietly across the floor, so they'll really need to book it if they don't want to get beaten half to death with brooms? The maids are extremely strong, don't fuck with them. ]
gojo jojo
which isn't over confidence? he isn't, like, making a beeline for the deepest, darkest part of the woods; instead, he's sticking somewhat close to the village, eyeing the freshest tracks and getting a Feel for the size of these potential threats. the number of them. whether they run alone or work in packs, because a good hunter—an effective hunter—studies his quarry in an attempt to understand it. only a fool fails to prepare.
but while felix expects another thirty or so minutes of (relative) peace, as he approaches what he judges to be a good-sized clearing—hmm. there is the unmistakable sound of something moving about? as well as the unmistakable sound of silence. no birds chirping above; no insects chirping below. that can only mean that a threat is nearby, and the threat is not felix.
...well. far be it from felix to allow this opportunity to go to waste—which is why felix wastes no time sneaking closer, staying low while relying upon dense thickets to hide him from sight. there's no reason to be reckless; as he carefully parts the foliage, catching sight of a strange, distant shape, he's just here to Observe...]
no subject
He's in the process of trying a new pose — which must be as smug as possible, given his intended recipient — when he senses someone approach and take cover. Smart! Unfortunately, though, Felix has long been busted by the time he's crouching down and trying to sneak a peek. When he parts the plants to steal a glimpse, Satoru is already approaching.]
You made it just in time!
[He says it with so much relieved enthusiasm, surely Felix will realize just how dire his plight is...how serious! How tragic! And he gestures back to the beast as he says it, to make it clear that the situation for which he needs help involves a monster that is very dead. Thanks to Satoru's own efforts! Though it may not look like that's the case, considering that he's pristine, untouched by blood or sweat.
But instead of talking about other monsters lurking about, or dangers deeper into the woods, Satoru says:]
I need you to take this picture for me.
[Satoru stops a phone's throw away from Felix's hiding spot and literally tosses his phone at him. Catch!]
no subject
...ah.
he blinks down at it for a second, as though wondering how it ended up in his hand—but then he's finally standing, straightening, shifting his attention back to the person who seemingly expected his arrival. you made it just in time! his approach was quiet, careful; few could have sensed it, and yet this blindfolded individual...
...suspicious, sir. highly suspicious, hence felix's frown.]
A what?
[the first thing that pops into felix's mind, because he hasn't unlocked the many mysteries of the Phone yet, thanks; ~taking a picture~ seems like utter nonsense, but as he takes in this person's unruffled state, he decides to move right past it.]
What are you doing here alone? These woods are dangerous.
[or, as his eyes slide over to the creature's corpse: are you, a possibly blind man, solely responsible for this? seems fake.]
dimitwi
and then felix lost.
...he's doing his best not to think about just how badly he lost as he shoos yet another chicken away from his foot. in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter; all he needs to do is feed these fat little annoyances and then he'll be on his way, making sure to avoid this part of town for the foreseeable future. he has more important things to do than babysit birds. they have no redeemable qualities, so far as he's concerned.
which is, like, probably why one chicken—annoyed by how shitty of a job felix is doing here and/or sensing the atrocious Vibes—leaps off a nearby fencepost, squawking loudly as it flies right toward felix's head. there's no time to swat it away, especially since felix is carrying a full bag of seed; it's free to settle right atop the mess that is felix's hair—and then clamp its beak right onto felix's stupid ponytail, tugging vindictively. suffer.]
What do you think you— [another tug, prompting a hiss of pain.] Get down!
[it will do no such thing. the chicken is quite happy where it is, even as felix frees a hand to blindly swat at it—but oh? what's this? that sure does sound like the squeaky gate opening behind him, and as he's sure it's that annoying birdwoman, he snaps:]
You! This is your fault!
[the chickens are running around the yard like they've had their heads cut off, but come brave the cluck-sterfuck and help, pwease]
no subject
But it doesn't take much time out of his day to go help babysit chickies, and it's almost... novel in what an everyday favor it is, what when he's used to Ashe prostrating himself when it comes to 'wasting his Highness's time' with such things. He's not above common tasks, and if he works quickly, he'll be done with a while to spare elsewhere.
However. He is not expecting, 1. someone else to be there, mid-chicken attack, and 2. for that someone to be Felix. He blurts out, a wayward chicken cradled in his arms, completely ignoring how he's been blamed for this, ]
...Felix!?
[ It is Felix, right? Felix but with a little less youth softening his features. And a new hairstyle. And taller? (Actually... no.) It's a little hard to get a grasp on the situation with how noisy the chickens are. ]
Um, you have... [ He gestures to his head. You have a chicken in your hair, he means, as though Felix is not aware already. It's just really a lot to take in at once. ]
no subject
—well.
felix would like to believe that he's prepared for anything; felix is not, in fact, prepared for this, hence the widening of his eyes, the way he momentarily freezes as he takes in what is an undoubtedly younger version of dimitri. it's the equivalent of being hit by, like, the ye olde version of a truck? memories, emotions—so many things striking felix at once, leaving him at a momentary loss. five lost years, and all that followed...
but the chicken waits for no man; it snaps felix back to his senses with another savage yank, stopping him from calling out the name he's refused to use. weird how drained he suddenly feels? nothing so serious that it shows, and yet this is just further proof that this train is a sick, sick joke.]
Observant— [ow!] —as ever, boar.
[a sharper tone than is strictly necessary, perhaps, but it's felix—and he's still dealing with this unruly bird. pro: it's settled down, in that it seems content to just sit on his head and occasionally tug at his hair. con: youngmitri is here, watching, his own well-behaved bird sitting safe and snug in his arms.]
How long do you intend to stand there?
[this isn't felix asking for a helping hand, o chicken whisperer. :/ don't get it twisted.]
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Ah... right.
[ Dimitri has the benefit of having been here longer, and of not having five years of extra emotional baggage to weigh down on whatever their relationship can be called these days. It doesn't help him figure out what to say, exactly—there is no amount of caution that helps him pick the right words when speaking to Felix, not lately—but it does shake off his surprise so he can go help him.
Or try, at least. He approaches cautiously as the chicken takes a lock of Felix's hair hostage. ]
Try to stay still for your scalp's sake, Felix.
[ He says this with no irony whatsoever, tucking his own chicken friend under his arm so he can try to—gently, by Dimitri metrics—tug his hair free. The chicken just digs its little talons in tighter with a muffled bawk. ]
no subject
Because it's Claude von Riegan, staring at the back of a ponytail and trying to figure out just where he knows this figure from. If he didn't know better, he would say that it's Felix. He's about the height of Felix, the same hair and eye colour, the same temperament (he thinks). But he can't be sure.
Unfortunately for Claude, he's so busy trying to puzzle out the mystery man that he goes tripping right over a large, furry body, managing to jam his knee into a soft, unsuspecting stomach as he goes down. And for a moment, it's quiet.
Until... something rumbles underneath him. A rumble that quickly escalates into a growl and by the time a roar is ripping out of the previously-unconscious body of Turner the bearkin, Claude has scrambled to his feet and is bolting away.
Right toward Felix(?)! Giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder as he runs past him. ]
Mind helping a fellow out?
[ But he doesn't stop running. Good luck, Felix(?). ]
no subject
"action," however, does not include an idiot stumbling over the snoring bearkin felix was careful to step around? nor does it include said idiot running toward him as he whirls about, simply to pat him on the shoulder before carrying along their merry way. green eyes, brown hair, a flash of yellow—riegan, felix thinks? claude? of all the people—
but there's no time to process that, because that sure is another growl as the bearkin (unsteadily) rises to his feet/paws—and it isn't that felix is a coward. no way. it's simply that felix isn't ingrid, and thus felix refuses to clean up after anyone else's mess.
so, as he whirls back about to spy that bright yellow cape disappearing around a corner:]
Claude! [surely it's him; the sneakiness definitely tracks, but more importantly:] Get back here!
[or don't, because oh no, here he comes... cue the music...]
no subject
Speaking of sandwiches, he's darting past the butcher shop on in his attempt to escape both his unusually familiar comrade and drunken Bearkin. This time, he manages not to stumble or bump into anything, nimble as the wind when he knows that his life is on the line. It's a good thing, considering there's a flimsy cage of sleeping chickens unaware of their fate just outside the butcher door.
Hopefully Felix is also sober enough to avoid it, but unfortunately Turner is not. His leg goes crashing into the thing, kicking it forward like a huge, metal soccer ball.
It doesn't slow him down in the slightest.
What it does do, however, is unleash a cacophony of quacks into the quiet night air, right before the chickens go tumbling out of the metal cage, enraged and descending upon three of them.
Claude, meanwhile, is going to turn this escape toward one of the houses. ]