Intro Log: Rock This City

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for January
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: January 10th-14th
Warnings: New folks, rockin' dudes made of rock, and collectible friends!

This time, it's different.

There's no cave, no stone walls looming up around you and overhead, no stifling air or artificial light- not that you'd appreciate it, seeing as to how you've probably never been here before. And still, when you land facefirst on the dirt ground of the colosseum, you may not quite appreciate all the improvements and steps we've had to take to get here- after all, you're still surrounded by strangers in a crumbling city on an alien planet in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, and you're being attacked by Earth Elementals. These creatures are tall, between seven to ten feet, and made of solid rock, capable of punching through all the squishy bits of you- and for whatever reason, they definitely want to start punching. They're incredibly strong and, seeing as to how they're enchanted alive and have no internal organs, they're very difficult to kill.

But don't let that scare you off. For all the collectors in you, you can also find a very special array of beanie babies all scattered at the ground at your feet. Do you know that some of these things will be worth a lot of money someday? Better find the rarest one and stockpile it while you can! You might run into the rainbow crab, the platypus, or the sought-after bald eagle, or many more! Be sure to never take the tag off and never ever let anyone play with them so they don't lose value.

Once you've got your kids' college fund squared away, it's time to start exploring! You can 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 January 10th-14th.
► 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!

Comments

vax'ildan | ota

[othlir]

one - coliseum

[ He's used to falling flat on his face. Hell, he's quite good at it. Still, when he lands and gets a mouthful of dirt, it takes him by surprise, takes the breath from his lungs, and when he props himself up and coughs up grit, it takes a moment for him to realize that yes, the ground is actually vibrating beneath him. Vax looks up slowly to see an earth elemental lumbering toward him — it's not quite how he recalls Keyleth's earth form, but recognizable enough. A brief frown, a quiet ] Kiki? [ before he dives out of the way as one enormous fist swings out at him. ]

Not Keyleth, then. Got it.

[ Daggers are immediately in his hands, Whisper in one and the Flametongue dagger in the other as he circles around the thing. A glance around the area, seeing a few others around, and he raises his voice to shout: ]

Does anyone around here know exactly what these are, and how best to kill them?

[ Whisper goes flying a moment after, burying deep into his elemental's head, and just a second after that Vax appears on top of it. Stabbing it seems to do nothing; how odd, he'd never expected to be on this end of the elemental. ]

two - city
option a

What is this place?

[ It's nothing close to what he'd imagined the Raven Queen's domain to look like, so much...more than the emptiness he remembers from where their conversations had taken place. He'd almost expected to end up back in that emptiness, when she'd come for him; that he's in a city, of all things, confuses him more than he can express.

As he walks, he catches someone as he walks past, arm snaking out to stop them walking past. ]

'scuse me, I don't mean to bother, but — do you know a woman named Elaina? Or, perhaps a beautiful woman who's got no name, long black hair and white face like a mask?

[ Alternatively, he might be overheard touching his ear, muttering: ] Calling Vox Machina, are you there? Is anyone around, or is it just me? Hey, you S.H.I.Ts, please respond. [ and after a brief pause: ] Vex'ahlia, if this is a prank, it's not a very good one. Are you here, Stubby?

option b

[ He's freed of the coliseum, mostly unscathed after fighting an elemental — he'd made sure to save a piece of the thing, just in case he meets anyone he knows. Proof, should they ask. He tries not to think about what it might mean, to run into a familiar face; it wouldn't be so strange to find Tiberius, he thinks, but anyone else would be cause for concern, especially so soon after leaving them.

For now, though, Vax isn't letting himself dwell on the chances of running into anyone. Everyone had been (relatively) hale and healthy when he'd left them; the thought is a non-starter. Instead, he's escaped to the safest area he can find, which happens to be atop a nearby roof. Everything outside of the coliseum seems relatively calm, but he may as well not take the risk; he perches atop the building, poking at the strange thing he'd found in one of his pouches. It's bright, strange — nothing he's ever seen the likes of before, and the fact he's no idea how it arrived on his person concerns him.

After a few fruitless minutes of poking it, and only succeeding in making it bright and dark and bright and dark, he gives up. It's a strange thing, he's got no time for strange things. Answers are far more important, and if it doesn't help him get those then it's useless to him.

It gets tossed over the edge of the roof, then. And only after it's vanished from sight does he realize that oh. He hadn't thought to make sure there was no one below.

Whoops. ]

three - wildcard

[ got an idea? drop it on me, or feel free to pm me here or on discord to talk something out! ]

City

[paragonbrosca]

[Aren stiffens as there's suddenly an arm in her way, and she resists the urge to take out a blade and use it in automatic self-defense. The redheaded dwarf in black leathers pauses and glances up warily, before his words and unfamiliarity sink in. Of course, a newcomer in need of answers. She relaxes a bit, as her large canine companion sniffs at him.]

I haven't heard of either, sorry. It might be that you're the only one from you world that's here. I almost know how that feels; I met a couple of people who're also from Thedas, but two I've never met and the third is...complicated. [Anyway.] I'm Aren and that nosy one over there is Barkspawn.

[Barkspawn lets out a bark and wags his tail.]

[othlir]

[ The dog doesn't bother him, really, actually brings a bit of a smile to his face — he's reminded, almost, of his sister and Trinket, when he was still a growing boy. Idly, he offers his hand for "Barkspawn" to smell, before turning his attention back to the dwarf before him. ]

What's— I'm afraid I don't quite follow. [ Being the only one here makes sense, he'd been the only one the Raven Queen had sought, but.. ] What is Thedas?

[ And a pause— ] Just...to make sure. When I say "Raven Queen", it doesn't mean anything to you?

[paragonbrosca]

[She shakes her head, as Barkspawn sniffs at the hand and licks it unless it carries a truly unnerving scent.]

Nope! Not a damn thing. Thedas is where I'm from, so if you haven't heard of it, we don't overlap. A lot of people from a lot of different worlds arrive here; I haven't heard if there's a limit on that, so I'm guessing not? Anyway, we're stuck here for now. I know that's not what you want to hear -hell, neither do I- but I'm not making this shit up.

Do you know what a phone is? [She takes out her own to show him.] Gotta ask, since I didn't know what the hell this was at first.

coliseum!

[pocketspa]

[Suddenly, from the side, a sudden and sharp green liquid blast charges into the side of the elemental, bursting on it's leg from the point of impact, beginning to eat away at the rock and body. The elemental lets out some sort of noise as the acid chews through it's side, beginning to dissolve it's leg at the hip.]

I'd get off that thing unless you wanna be next!

[Taako, meanwhile, is a decent distance away, Umbra Staff still poised from that last attack, looking like he's ready to go for round two. He cuts a pretty confusing figure, to be honest- the large, oversized and dark-colored wizard hat, paired with the swirling deep blue of an umbrella-shaped staff probably makes him look competent. On the other hand, he's also in a mid-length skirt and a pink crop top, dark skin covered in freckles from the last month of sun. Listen. It's hot out. And he rocks it.]

Cuz uh, real hard to kill it and not hit you when you're over there doin' knife tricks!

dude no worries rereading that starter reminds me why i shouldn't tag at 130am

[othlir]

[ The hat? Makes a bit of sense, when he considers the acid. The device in his hand, not really. The skirt and very short shirt throw Vax entirely for a loop, however, enough to distract him from leaping off of the elemental before it starts to topple. ]

What in the—

[ There's a sharp wobble as most of its leg dissolves, drawing his attention back to the matter at hand; another sharp attempt at a stab, before he pulls his dagger and leaps from its shoulder. He rolls as he hits the ground, dashing toward the spellcaster and bracing his daggers in a protective stance. A glance back at his new?? companion???? before shifting his attention back to the elemental. ]

Much appreciated, but do you actually have experience with these things? Is acid going to be enough?

we're both doing our Best

[pocketspa]

[Nice, alright, party +1. Taako doesn't tend to step in with just anyone around here- one, he's another person who looks like they could be from Faerun, so that's a point in his direction. And two, he likes having dangerous people in his debt.

(Also, not bad looking, and he has the chance to show off. Yes he has a boyfriend around here, that's not important right now, shhh, shh.)]

Not in the least, but it's, uh, it's a rock. So how hard can it be?

[Of course, this is the point where the Elemental decides to follow where a) the person who was stabbing it has moved, and b) puts two and two together of where the other attack came from, and throws itself their direction. But Taako sidesteps easily, letting it crash near his feet, movement severely limited.]

Just don't die, and don't get in the way. In fact, addendum, also keep me from dying, and I can handle this.

city HEY HEY

[evocation]

[Vax throws the strange thing, and it almost hits Kyna. In fact, the only reason it doesn't is because it lands six inches in front of her, and not because of any incredible reaction time on her part. She peers upward, blocking the sunlight from her eyes with her hand, and frowns up at him.]

Hey! Quit throwing shit, dude.

HEHEHE

[othlir]

[ Shit. He skitters to the edge of the roof, glancing down — ]

Sorry, hadn't thought it through, really. It didn't hit you, did it?

2a

[restinglichface]

[Well hello there, handsome. This may be a surprisingly familiar face after Vax's introduction to her twin brother earlier.

Lup catches the man just as he's muttering to himself out in public, her sharp hearing picking up his strange words falling from his mouth but understanding so little of it. Another lost and confused newcomer or just some rando crazy person walking around? She'd honestly believe either at this point.

The elf wastes no time in sliding closer to the stranger, raising a hand to speak to Vax in a too-loud stage whisper:]

I'm all for living in your own truth, my guy, but people are beginning to stare. And not in the good way.

[othlir]

[ He jumps at the sound of her voice, eyes wide — he hadn't expected anyone to pay him any mind, and the fact it's a...newly familiar face stuns him. ]

You again? Are you following me?

[ And then he pauses — this isn't the same person. Not unless Taako changed outfits and became a woman instead, which, he's seen some pretty crazy things thanks to Scanlan's spells; he doesn't know Taako well enough to know to expect the same level of exuberance, but the longer he looks the more differences he can see. ]

I'm..sorry, I've got the wrong person, I think. Have we met?

2-b

[wonderland_vogue]

[It's not every day that she's just walking around this place and happens upon someone being a total fucking dick and throwing something down at her on the street. But she's catching it without a second thought before it hits her and is immediately teleporting her ass in the direction of where it came from.

So, uh, enjoy a rather irritated woman in a neon pink dress of all things, arms crossed over her chest and something familiar in her hand.

Welp.]

Are you the idiot that threw this? Because honestly what were you thinking?

oh my god that dress

[othlir]

[ He's not surprised by the teleportation; Scanlan does it all the time with his Dimension Door. He's not surprised that she's got the thing in her hand — which is absolutely very definitely the newcomer phone, and also completely alien to him — because, well, the probability of him accidentally hitting someone with it is definitely not zero.

No, he's very surprised by the dress. At first, the..absolutely shocking color of it; he's pretty sure it's not a color that occurs in nature, certainly not something he's seen before. And then he realizes the cut of it, and he's very quick to avert his eyes after that. ]

Yeah, uh. Sorry about that. I got a bit fed up with it, wasn't really thinking, when I pitched it. [ He chances a glance up at her then. ] It didn't hit you, did it?

city - option a

[requiemshark]

[This is the second time today that someone has been utterly unimpressed by the fact of his armor. Ephemera looks down at the hand in front of him. Then up at its owner.]

Gonna have to be more specific. Lots of beautiful women here.

[othlir]

That's the thing, friend — I can't really be more specific.

[ He remembers the fact of her true name being lost, piercing red eyes when she removes her mask — but that's about it. He gestures with his hands for a moment, before shaking his head. ]

Does the title of the Raven Queen mean anything to you? That's..about as specific as I can get.

[ And then, he does actually take in the fact of the armor, the strange sheen and contrast of it. Vax pulls his hand back slowly, his eyes narrowing as he does. He is very much reminded of the Death Knight from Vecna's retinue, and it is not a good association. Where's Grog when he needs him, in case things go sour? ]

That's some fancy armor you've got, friend. Mind if I ask what it's for?

two

[storyseeker]

Actually, that's my name.

[Elena, not Elaina, but it's not like she can hear how it's spelled. No comment on whether she also matches the 'beautiful' part, though she thinks she looks pretty good.]

Let me guess—you're newly out of the colosseum, you fought some monsters to get this far, and you're alone and confused as hell? [She makes a sympathetic face.] I'm sorry. Odds are, whoever you're looking for isn't here.

gasp!! it's the better half of the drake family!!

[othlir]

[ A slow, somewhat sad smile spreads across his face at that. Neither his mother, nor the Raven Queen, and he gives a rather rueful laugh as he speaks. ]

Well, it's lovely to meet you, Elena, even if you're not quite the one I was searching for.

[ He listens along as she speaks, tries not to be discomfited by just how accurate it is — can she read minds? Suddenly, he wishes he had Clarota's helmet with him, even if it was incredibly unflattering. The smile fades away as he narrows his eyes. ]

How did you know all that?

2-a

[trashmouths]

[ Richie's grinning from ear to ear, a huge stick in his hand from god-knows-wear, mischievous eyes magnified behind thick, coke-bottle like lenses. He doesn't recognize this guy, but with the Null and everything else, he'd been a little preoccupied. And what better way to make friends than to say hello? ]

Maybe. How beautiful are we talking? Super stacked, mega-hot? Or like, sexy librarian?

[ It's not a matter of 'one day.' Richie's mouth has already got him in trouble multiple, multiple times. Today will probably not be any different. ]

holy shit kid

[othlir]

[ There is no response for just a moment. Instead, Vax's eyes are wide, mouth just slightly agape — that is nothing even remotely close to what he expected to hear from a young boy, especially one with spectacles bigger than Percy's. The confusion works its way across his face as he tries to find an appropriate way to respond, but all he can really come up with is — ]

Excuse me? That's..so very far from appropriate, what?

[ Congratulations, you've just caused a brief BSOD! Please wait while we reboot the system. ]

2b (or not 2b haha I'm really funny)

[nowherewolf]

[Tucker's scrolling through the network on his own phone, trying to pin down how long he's been gone, when the other phone appears. He sees something briefly reflected in his screen, glances up, and there it is.

If he had time to think it through, he'd likely let it fall, just because you never know and also whoever threw it should face some consequences, probably, but there isn't time for that level of introspection. And anyway, it's just reflex; after a lifetime of stealing things and a several-years'-time of smuggling them, his hands are pre-programmed to snatch anything falling toward them.

So basically, he's minding his own business, and suddenly he's got two phones. Score?

Tucker glances up, squinting even behind his sunglasses.]

Somebody piss you off on the network, or were you just feeling generous?

hey it's a valid question tho!!

[othlir]

[ Vax finds himself at the edge of the roof in time to see the man below look up, two odd boxes in hand — there's a quick sigh of relief to know that it hadn't conked him in the head, and he shifts to jump down, landing with a flutter of cloak and feather. ]

Neither, mostly. [ The only "network" he knows of is the Clasp's, and there's a wry grin. ] Wrong way around, too; I'm pretty sure I've pissed off the folks in a certain network. I've not been able to find them, though, so — I'm guessing you're talking about a different one.

[ He gestures with his hand to the strange box, the one he hadn't thrown. ] I found one in my pocket, but I'm not sure what it is. Are they very valuable, then?

2b!

[hellosirs]

[ The phone disappears over the side of the roof, and a few seconds later, there's a muffled BONK and a startled yelp. Angus isn't sure where the phone that just beaned him upside the head came from, but he cups a hand around his mouth and calls out: ]

That was very rude, whoever you are! And also not very smart, because I don't know how we're supposed to replace these things if they break!

[othlir]

[ Vax winces at that shout, a tiny pang of guilt as he shoves himself off the roof and down onto the street below, landing just in front of his unintentional victim. A swirl of cloak and feathers as he straightens, and Vax looks around to see who he hit, before his vision slides down and sees the boy.

Oh. Shite. ]

I'm— sorry, it was a bit of a dumb impulse. Are you all right?

2a

[knifecollecting]

[Jo first instinct when Vax stops her is the one she follows. Namely, she shoves his arm back while throwing a fist towards whatever she can reach. It might not actually work, and almost immediately-]

Sorry! [She does step back, just in case of retaliation.]

You shouldn't grab people.

[othlir]

[ He shifts out of the way of the fist, a hand immediately going to the daggers at his waist — whatever he'd expected the day to hold for him, it hadn't been this: to use his daggers for more than just Vecna, and to have a strange woman throwing a punch at him.

When she steps back, and apologizes, his hand drops from the daggers, but there's still a slight look of concern on his face. ]

Sorry. I haven't had much luck with assistance so far, but you're right. Are you all right?