hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Busy Little Bees

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Intro Log: Busy Little Bees

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for July
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: July 10th-16th
Warnings: Fun for kids of all ages!

Another day, another mysterious transportation to a strange and alien city inside a cave surrounded by monsters. Or maybe that's not normal for you? Weird! You awaken on the ground of a large arena, a stone ceiling stretching high above you. Welcome to Hadriel! Oh, but you aren't alone. That 'surrounded by monsters' bit? Yeah...

Do you hear a buzzing? Better start running now. Along with all the newbies, the Door has brought in quite a few tracker jackers. Wasps are already horrible, and these things are even worse. Bigger and much more dangerous than the insects they were genetically modified from, tracker jackers will sting anyone they think is a threat. Their stings cause extreme pain and hallucinations, and if you're stung too many times - well, that's it for you. You can try to calm them down with smoke, fight them, or just run like hell. Maybe you'll get lucky.

It's hard to fight if you don't have a weapon, though. But hey - you're in luck! Rage, who usually supplies the city with weapons, is currently gone, but the Door has provided you with some instead! That's right, you might find a sword, a gun, a bow and arrow, or an exotic foreign weapon to defend yourself with! Of course, they're all made of plastic and completely incapable of hurting anything. Have fun!

Let's hope your legs are faster than those wasps, and you survive your first few minutes in Hadriel. After you've 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 July 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!

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[There's only so many screams that can be contained in one body, and eventually Alphys runs out of them, and it's actually pretty quickly considering the other man entirely stops moving. She shakily pulls herself off the ground, picking up her stuff, and moves a little bit closer- but not too close.]

Are you... a-are you okay?

[ As she approached, Malkus feared she could hear his heart beating away in his chest. It thumped so violently it seemed to want to escape his very body. Still, he remained still, but as Alphys approached she should be able to hear a consistent mumbling emanating from beneath that bird mask.

Was... Was that prayer? Prayer in a broken tongue, as Malkus didn't pray all that much nowadays. Still he remembered enough to send a plea up to god. Something about salt of the earth. Something else about... what was it? Hallowed names? Eventually he spoke, though his voice trembled.

S-Steal another man's eyes this day, cursed denizen of the underworld. I-I'm... [ Think, Malkus. ]

I'm not long for this world any way! I am sick and frail! Unappealing quarry!

[This... this makes absolutely no sense. Alphys knows she doesn't look human, and there have been people wary of her based on appearances, but no one she's ever met has been legitimately scared of her. Despite her nonhuman looks, she's round, short, and has buck teeth. Even the claws on her hands are stubby and couldn't even poke through clothing, let alone flesh.

Yet this guy is acting like she could rend him limb from limb. It's... possibly the most disorienting thing she's ever experienced.]

I'm, uh... I'm n-not gonna steal your eyes, it's... I'm sorry, I didn't m-mean to hurt you, or anything, or even run into you, it was an accident...

[ When you come from a world as mundane yet superstitious as Malkus', you tend to make mountains out of molehills and harbingers out of tiny dinosaur ladies. Yet when she speaks he finally moves just enough to tilt his head further in her direction. The voice that echoes from within the hardcloth beak is one that's restrained. ]

Tell me I have not expended this much emotional gravitas over-...

[ He curled his hands into fists and pressed them into the ground as he took a sharp inhale. ]

An accident.

[ His movements were slow but fluid, like a sack of bones slowly reanimating itself against the cold hard earth. ]

If you are not the herald of my demise... what-... what are you?

[She grips her hands in front of her waist tight, fingers interlaced, watching him but still obviously jumpy herself. He's... odd. But they all are. Probably new. She can be the welcome wagon, or at least make an attempt after the disastrous beginnings.]

I'm, uh... Alphys? Dr. Alphys. Uhm, I'm a monster, but not the kind-- n-not the kind that eats people??

[She's so good at this. Instead of fumbling over her words more, she just holds out her hand for him to shake.]

You're in Hadriel. If, uhm, no one's told you, uh, y-yet.

[ Malkus felt his brain strain just a little at the notion of this monster speaking in such an understandable language. At least he didn't have any more room to turn his nose up at her once he realized his own features had an element of non-human-ness to them.

He warily held a gloved hand out and gave hers a very gentle shake. It seemed forced at first, but he was definitely trying! ]

Hadriel... N-No, I'm afraid I haven't spent much time socializing out here. Leaving is more on the forefront of my mind, to be honest. As...

[ Malkus looked around with his lip curled into an uncomfortable grimace. ]

Pleasant.... as your land is, I'm afraid there's no place for a doctor such as myself.

[ He paused as her words played back in his head again. ]

Did you say Doctor... Alphys? That is impressive. I am Malkus. Malkus Iverwelling.

Oh, this-- t-this isn't mine. I'm not from here, uh, I mean.

[She gestures sort of outward to indicate the city, but smiles when he gives his name.]

What, uhm, k-kind of doctor are you? Mine's, I mean, I'm not really a doctor, it's a doctorate-- I'm an engineer. Mostly.

And again I must profess my surprise, as engineering's not a simple feat. My own expertise used to be apothecary.

[ He paused and lowered his focus to the ground, staring at his feet. Hey, at least he seemed to be loosening up a fair amount! ]

Got a bit coerced into plagues and epidemics as a focus, but I still like it.

[ Malkus spoke a little too casually about a blight that ravaged his homeland. At this point in his life, all of the initial fear has been numbed for quite awhile. ]

Hence the garb you see, I suppose. Not quite as mechanical, more flesh and bone on my end. E-Er my profession I mean. Not my clothes. They're still very much- er- fabric and oil. I meant I deal with flesh and bone- er- Hm.

[Honestly, part of the problem here is both Malkus and Alphys are nervous wrecks who trip all over their own words, which means the conversation goes to a thousand rambly, anxious places. She does want to try to be assuring, and smiles, buck teeth sticking out but at least hiding all the sharp ones inside.]

No, that-- that sounds really interesting! I don’t, uhm-- I mean, I don’t know a lot about, uh, b-biology, but that sounds like it’s cool.

[Man she hopes all of that makes sense.]

People do need uhm, h-healers, or knowledge about illnesses though. I bet you can help a lot of people here.

[ Well. Sigh. Malkus guessed those buck teeth gave her a cute sort of element as opposed to the frightening reptile kind. ]

Well it's not all that complicated. There's simply a very complex humor system at play within humans and... y'know... Small nonhuman folk. Probably. It's a delicate balance.

[ He paused to consider things. It's possible that Malkus may have been given a second chance at apothecary here. The thought had not hit him until now. A place where he didn't have to resort to scavenging the dead for food and resources. ]

A healer. I-... I suppose I can try.

I, I m-mean, you don't need to do anything you don't want to!! If you, uh, don't want to, that is. I mean, you don't really have to do anything here, I guess, s-since the gods give food for free as long as you go find it and stuff, like you don't really need to pay anybody, but, uhm. Everyone tries to help out, in their own way.

[Or they should, she thinks. If everyone pitches in, it makes the space better. Increases their chances of living well, and escaping one day.]

So, uhm, I mean. Whatever you're comfortable with.

[ Malkus just let her ramble on, empathetically. He'd been in her position more than once, and it's likely he will again someday. Once she was done, he shook his head. ]

Idle hands are things of the devil. I've simply lived too long amongst the dead. I haven't had much cause for healing, you know? Not much reason to. But!

[ He held up a finger and leaned in towards Alphys. That looming stature of his only emphasized his occasionally eerie nature. ]

But. That was then. And until I return to my decaying little home, you have my word I will try yet again to help! It's the original duty of my profession after all!

[ He even did a little bow of servitude. Admittedly, it'd be pretty fun to be able to put on airs again. Talk the talk of a fancy gentleman like he used to! ]

[Frankly, she should probably be more scared of him than she is right now. He's looming, face obscured, dark and a bit unknowable. But she's pretty used to that sort of thing. When you're a monster, judging by appearances does nothing other than tell you if someone might be from the same family, and the kindness in his voice does plenty to make him seem approachable and unthreatening.]

Well, uhm, t-thank you! I'm sure everyone will appreciate it. You'll, uh, probably want to talk to the people at the clinic, then. I'm sure they have all the i-information. There's a uhm, a contact in your phone? Have you ever used one?

[Now this, at least, she can do.]

[ Malkus nodded along like a tourist being given directions. He still didn't know what to make of this place, being as fresh and new as he was, but it was a start. Like-minded individuals made any sort of situation more bearable. ]

I have not! I don't- a-ahh... I don't even really... know what that is. So, I certainly have not.

[Alphys beams as she takes out her phone, eager to actually be helpful to this conversation and not just bumbling around yelling.]

So, uh, this is a communication device. See, you press this button to turn it on, and use your fingers to move the page. There's a list of everyone who's here, and if you press their name, you'll be p-put in communication with them! You can send written messages, or talk, or e-even see them through the screen. There's also a general place to post messages and questions to the entire population, called the network. That's good for if you have questions or announcements to make.

[ All Malkus could think was why? Why was he given such an impressive thing? To what end? He tried to follow along, mimicking the woman's motions. He fumbled, but after some repeating seemed to at least grasp the very basics. ]

Oh look at that. There's everybody... Oh goodness, I can just move right up and down huh? ... Ah look, it's you!

[ He seemed occupied with his phone for a moment. Some mysterious thing. At least until Alphys' own phone began to ring. It was an incoming transmission! From... Malkus. ]

Oh goodness. A man wouldn't ever need to leave their home with this sort of thing handy!

[She giggles a little bit, cancelling the call to spare Malkus any more shame.]

Oh yeah, no, t-trust me, you totally don't have to most of the time.

[The internet is So Good and the only thing really missing from this place, but the network will have to do.]

But this way you can contact anyone without having to find them, uh, p-physically, first! It's really convenient.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Intro Log: Busy Little Bees

OH NO

I am sorry for my ancient doctor

he is doing his Best

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