hadriel_logs | Intro Log: A Stinging Letdown

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for May
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: May 10th-16th
Warnings: Monsters. Newbies. Disappointment.

You awaken rather unceremoniously, finding yourself on the hard ground of a large arena, a stone ceiling stretching high above you. Welcome to Hadriel, newcomer, we hope you enjoy your stay in our lovely cave city. This may be a little more difficult to do than expected, considering the monsters.

Yes, it looks as though a few manticores arrived along with you - and they woke up before you, because that's just how your luck is going today. These creatures are large, about the size and shape of a lion, and not very attractive. In fact, they're a bit like a collection of spare parts - the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, the face of a human, and the tail of a scorpion. And that tail's not just for show. If their lion claws don't get you, that tail might shoot a poisonous spine that will paralyze you, leaving you defenseless and all ready to be eaten. Good times!

But wait! There's more! Starting to feel like you might need a stiff drink? Throughout the arena, you can also find a number of very interesting-looking bottles of liquor. Give one a try, if you dare - or if you just really need to drink your misery away. And that'll be your very first lesson in the disappointment of Hadriel - because though they taste the way they're supposed to, each and every one of these bottles of liquor has become non-alcoholic. Yikes.

Hopefully you can recover from that heart-crushing disappointment. Once you find your way out of the colosseum there's plenty of other distractions. Feel free to go explore the rest of the city! Find a house, a new monster, a project to help with, or simply scavenge for supplies. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers May 10th-16th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► All characters arrive with phones that have network communication and the newbie guide installed.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rather than being met with a bleary-eyed, confused fellow arrival, Alistair will find a very widely awake woman peering over him. She just got there herself, but not through the same "door" that he and the others that came in with him did.]

Guess that's an improvement.

[Mostly in that he's not asking if he's dead or this is some sort of Hell like others have.]

Am going to have to say neither of those, though.

[She'd really prefer to just get as many people out of here as possible, but Rey knows just as well that newcomers can be remiss to strangers. Not that she can blame them.]

[ Hell? This? Oh, no. Alistair has visited many terrible places in his journey. Compared to those, this cave is rather nice. A bit dark, yes, but it is a cave.

[ The Grey Warden sets eyes on Rey and jerks in surprise. ]

Wha— who...?

[ Well. Nothing like seeing a strange woman first thing to wake a man up. He quickly looks around — no sign of his companions — before fixing Rey with a very, very puzzled look. ]

Er. [ This is a new experience for him, okay. ] You're ... new....

Actually, am old.

[She quirks a brow, gesturing a finger at him.] You're new.

[So helpful!]

[ Have a quirked brow right back! ]

Actually, I'm Alistair. And you— [ a pause, as something dawns on him ] ... were watching me sleep?

[Snort.]

Was considering on kicking you awake before something came along to eat you, but sure. If you want to go the "creepy stalker" approach...

[That might not convince anyone to listen to you, Rey.]

Kicking? Why kicking?

[ Complaining? Alistair? Yes. Yes he is. Not that it would be likely to hurt him, what with the armor and all.

[ With a grunt, he pushes himself to his feet. Instinctively, he checks his weapons: sword and shield, both undisturbed. Then he gives the area another look. ]

Right. Definitely not the Deep Roads.... [ And, to Rey: ] So where are we? And who are you, exactly?

Because, you don't want to take a dirt nap here -- unless it's going to be a permanent one. And it looks like you'd clatter more than you would bleed, anyway.

[That is, until Hope up and revives him if he did die while snoozing. But that would be such a pain.

[She blinks, musing rather than answering right away. He used those words again, "Deep Roads". Whatever they mean, they are hollow now.]

Name is Rey. Would stick around longer to play twenty questions, but this isn't the best place to do it.

[ From what Alistair's seen of this place, he doesn't particularly want to stick around, either. Still, he quips: ]

What, not a fan of the bloodstained sand look? I hear it's making quite the comeback.

[ He sighs, over-the-top and obviously fake. ]

But, if you insist: lead on. For the record, though, I still don't know where here is.

Don't really have an opinion on such fashion statements, no.

[Oh good, he's going to be one of those sarcastic types. This'll go over swell.

[At least he listens. That much she appreciates as she starts heading towards the way out. It's a big Colosseum though, so this could take a while at this pace.]

"Here" would be an underground city. There should be a guide or some shit in your phone. [Provided that he knows what that is to know that he has one. Which, just looking at him, he probably does not.]

[ Whatever pace Rey sets, Alistair will tag along. Well, unless she starts running at superhuman speeds or flying or something. He's only a man in ~*fabulous*~ armor.

[ "Phone" isn't a familiar word. An underground city, on the other hand? ]

So it's like Orzammar. Except for the architecture, and you not being a dwarf, and the la—

[ He stops, both mid-sentence and mid-stride. Eyes wide, he looks around himself, but ... doesn't seem to actually be looking at anything. ]

That can't be right....

[ He focuses on the sixth sense that all Grey Warden's possess; he reaches out, searching for the foul sickness of the taint. But ... there's only him. He can't sense a single darkspawn. ]

[Oh, great. Dwarves. Judging by his style of dress, he's going to be one of those types who always mistake what she does for "magic" or "pyromancy" or whatever fairydust bullshit of the like.

[His abrupt pause does get her to follow suit, as she glances back over to him with a querying look.]

What is it?

[It's such a broad statement. Nothing here is right -- especially when you wake up in a Colosseum, often accompanied by things definitely not wanting hugs and conversation.]

[ To be in a place so deep underground (if the far-off ceiling is any indication) and not feel a single hint of the taint is ... well, not impossible, he guesses. Orzammar keeps the darkspawn at bay, after all. Perhaps the darkspawn haven't penetrated this city's defenses. Or perhaps they simply haven't found it yet.

[ Whatever the case, when Alistair looks back to Rey, it's clear that his mind is very much elsewhere. ]

Hm? Oh, nothing. Just ... noticed the lack of lava, is all. [ BLATANT LIES. ] Sorry about that.

[ He moves to catch up with her like the interruption never happened. It's not as though he can share his discovery: she is no Warden, and he can't share their secrets. ]

[The look Rey graces him just about oozes with skepticism, but who is she to judge? People aren't obligated to be open with strangers here -- unless it involves a life-of-death scenario. Even then, it's arguable.]

Of course there's no lava. We're in an underground cave, not a volcano. [DUH.] But sure, no worries.

[She'll start heading towards the exit, blatantly ignoring the occasional hissing and growling in the distance. She isn't too worried, though, and this guy looks like a fighter who can handle himself against whatever things came in with him. It's all good.]

Right. Silly me! Nothing to worry about.

[ He keeps on after Rey, but when the low growls reach his ears, he's decidedly not ignoring them. He casts a look into the darkness, but he can see nothing. Even so: ]

Not to alarm you or anything, but I don't think we're alone.

[ One hand drops to the runed longsword at his side. He's wary, prepared to leap into combat if necessary. But he doesn't slow his pace or stray from Rey's path. He's not looking for a fight; he's just ready if one comes looking for them. ]

Oh, we're definitely not alone. Saw some weird flying lion-thing on the way in here.

[The way she's so casual about it, you'd think she just told Alistair the weather report.

[It... might've been info she could have stood to reveal much sooner, but. You know. Priorities.]

Intro Log: A Stinging Letdown

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