Event Log: Field Trip Part 2

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the March portion of the Field Trip event
Where: All over the world
When: March 1st-March 31st
Warnings: None

Maybe you explored a bit last month, retrieved an orb or just got lost. Or maybe you were too busy stalking that person you love - no judgment. Well, maybe a little judgment. Whatever went down, it's a new month, and a new chance to explore this strange world you've ended up on. So climb on a motorcycle, grab a friend (and a lot of supplies), and get going! If you leave now, maybe you'll avoid the next awful thing that happens in the city.

Not that there aren't a few awful things that can happen out there, too. You could run out of food. You might lose that compass of yours and never find your way home. You could ride straight into a ditch and blow out all your tires. Or hey, maybe you'll get in a screaming fight with your traveling companions and get left behind. Whoops!

But everything could go great, too. You won't know until you try, and Love still really needs those orbs full of Hope energy. (Hope juice?) You've got a whole month this time, but the day will pass pretty fast under that hot sun. Good luck.

► This log covers March 1st-March 31st.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you run out of food and die unpleasantly in the desert, please let us know here.
► If you successfully return with an orb, please let us know here.

Comments

Hayden and Newt | Closed | March 2nd

[demonsional]

[Hayden didn't set out to make any kind of agreement with anyone. In fact, worrisome and overemotional child that he is, he didn't plan this out at all. He just ran for it. Volunteering at max, irresponsible capacity. His family is probably worried. Like, definitely desperately worried. Unfortunately, Hayden isn't the kind of creature that thinks his action through. Why bother with consequences? He's not human, so he can't die the same way as a human, probably?

Presently, he can be found attempting to get himself into a motorcycle...and teetering over clumsily in an unsurprising display. Bless him, though, he keeps trying, even if he keeps whining about it.]

[completelycrazy]

[Newt, on the other hand, did put a bit of thought into this trek... More than he would've, actually. Being a pet owner is hard work. He had to make arrangements before just jetting off into the sunset.

He shows up to where all the bikes are parked with as many supplies as he could pack, and, uh. Is immediately concerned for Hayden's safety. Which, if Newt Geiszler is concerned for your safety, something is going pretty wrong.

He heads over, steadying the bike as Hayden attempts to climb into it.]

Hey, little dude. What're you up to? [Because clearly he's not... trying to leave town... by himself... right?]

[demonsional]

[Oh he...clearly is. Because Hayden looks up at Newt with an expression of calm, dead seriousness. Okay, maybe not calm, there's a tinge of manic around his eyes.]

I am going to do the thing that is good that will make Hope un-sick.

Kain | Open | Early March

[dragonsgrasp]

[The exploring has been going... well enough, he's been trudging along at least, though at this point he doesn't have any orbs to show for it. Still, Kain isn't giving up. He's also just eager to get out and explore, to see new things. Being out under the open sky has rejuvenated him lately. At times, he explores alone, but he's just as content to have someone else with him, as he does now.]

[Eventually, he starts to notice a gradual change in terrain. It starts off with a few random hills here and there, a surprising sight breaking up the somewhat monotonous landscape. This is no bother to Kain, who's more interested than concerned...]

[...until the terrain really starts to get tough. They've reached the badlands, and before long, it come to a point where continuing is getting to be almost impossible.]

[Pausing for a moment, Kain eyes the landscape thoughtfully. It might be possible to detour, but he's not so sure he likes the idea of losing time. What could go wrong?]

I say we go through.

[puzzlingly]

「Kain is not the only one who has noticed the change on the terrain, it's harder to navigate through the bumps but he doesn't stop either, until, they cannot go any further.

He listens to his companion's idea and he has to give a glance to the edges, how long would it take them to go around?」

We'd have to leave the bikes here.

「He doesn't love the idea of carrying the stuff he's got loaded on it, but dragging the vehicle along seems even less viable.

Hmm, surely Kain would be able to cross easily if he were alone, with those magnificent jumps of his... Damn, he can't help to think that accompanying him will slow him down.」

[dragonsgrasp]

[It’s crossed Kain’s mind too, that he might be able to jump to some extent… but his power is more for height than distance, so he’d probably still need to trudge through it quite a bit. Still, he probably should get a look at the terrain from above, if nothing else. He turns to Atem.]

It may be worth it, if there’s much of interest on the other side of all of this. I could take a look for us, first. I may be able to see from the air if there’s anything worthwhile out there.

[And maybe spot some enemies, too, if there’s any threats lurking out there. It’s always good to be forewarned, although the monsters seem less plentiful the further out they go, at least.]

cecily trevelyan ; closed to cole, sharon, aren, and kate

[closerift]

( ooc ; setting here )


[ This could be their own slice of Hadriel, were it not seemingly abandoned. It looks so much like the city that they've been living in for years now that the Inquisitor has to second guess whether or not they've just gone in a circle all along. She steps through the streets with a frown, glancing around with a sense of unease building in her gut. This isn't where they'd come from, evident only by the lack of the additional stores and buildings created by her fellow residents. ]

Eerie, isn't it? [ There's a short exhale as she turns from the scene to the rest of the group, crossing her arms. ] I was expecting...

[ Destruction. Ruins. Not this. ]

I only hope it's not the opposite when we get to the temple. ... You know, with all this kept together and the temple itself just a pile of rubble.

[ Really, as long as it's a pile of rubble with an orb for them to return, it'll be all right. Still, though. ]

Re: cecily trevelyan ; closed to cole, sharon, aren, and kate

[fadeling]

Too much quiet. Too much calm. The cold kind that chills. It's a place that isn't a place. We shouldn't be here. [He doesn't like it, to say the least.]

There's too much of nothing. There's ghosts and no ghosts, pulling, pressing, pushing, coming closer and farther away.

Find it fast.

[dedikated]

( ... She's still not used to how this friend of Cecily's talks, but the phrase we shouldn't be here certainly seems apt. There's something unsettling about this place, like they've accidentally stumbled across dad putting on his santa outfit. Her hands linger near the bag on her thigh despite the silence that blankets them all, and Kate looks at the other members of the group before she speaks. )

Takes a few days to charge. ( The orb, that is. She doesn't know who knows what, so she offers the information anyway, having come on this trip more or less directly from her last. ) The hell do we do in the meantime?

Zelda | Various times throughout march

[divinusly]

A: A Short Break, Early March
[ ...Thank the heavens she's found one crystal clear oasis of the desert, with what looks like a old watchtower crumbling just at the edge. Zelda takes this moment to simply rest and recuperate after her journey so far, filling her canteen with more water. But the exhaustion and weariness of travel lends to additional weaknesses, that of being not as aware as she might be when others are around. It's then that she might hear your character approaching out from some of the ruins nearby.

After the encounter with the Null, she's just a little bit more on edge than she would be, a little less patient. The canteen is clipped back to her belt, and her hand is raised once more, poised as if already holding a weapon although nothing is seemingly there. ]

--Show yourself.

B: Some Distant City, Waiting for the Orb to Charge Up, Mid-March
[ Presumably sometime after Zelda makes it to the ruins of yet another distant city, she makes her way up to one of the Temples with the orb in hand. She has a simple question to anyone who's joined her in this pursuit, and perhaps a reasonable one given how new she still is to this place: ] When we return to Hadriel with these restored orbs... do you believe it will truly be of use? Exactly how trustworthy is the deity who bestowed this mission?

[ And while what she says could easily be called blasphemous to the gods of this world, her tone is not accusatory; she simply is lacking knowledge regarding the them. How much they have proven themselves to be worthy of the residents' trust, how much they have already aided in helping them so far, how much should she stake in helping them in the future? She does not know these things, but she would like to. ]

C: The Return
[ Having a fully restored orb in hand is great, right? What's not so great is the fact that her bike totally breaks down just as she arrives in the city limits. Not wanting to abandon it completely (because she'd very much like to keep it to use later), she ends up having to push it along the streets and paths to her destination.

Should you offer help: ] Ah, it would be appreciated. [ There's a bit of a tired, but genuine smile. She's just glad to have made it back. With a breath she speaks lightly, ] This vehicle has lasted so long and endured much on this journey; I'm tempted to honor it with a name.

D: Wildcard [ Got something in mind and want to tag Zelda? I'm pretty much open to everything! If you want to plot something more, PM me or PP me at drinksteapots!]

c!

[completelycrazy]

[Newt is very happy to be back from his own orb adventure. It was sort of fun? But, jeez, talk about roughing it. He's a little surprised when he spots Zelda pushing her bike through the streets, though.]

That's awfully nice of you. What kind of a name?

[He squats down to check out the tire area before helping her, though.] Any idea what's wrong with it?

[divinusly]

[ She appreciates the help, which she acknowledges with a bit of a nod towards him. ] A name... oh, perhaps something grand and associated to what it's just accomplished. Desert-king? Desert-Tredder? [ She's joking of course, but still. It would make a nice memory to have named it appropriately. ] And as for what is wrong with it... I'm not quite certain. It started to smoke from the exhaust just as I got into the city, and now it's completely obsolete.

Elves and Ladies Traveling Group

[utulien_aure]

A Rest Along the Way

Everyone needs a break from their motorcycles sooner or later, whether it's to sleep or eat or simply stretch their legs. That's when they stop and pitch a camp for a few hours, giving everyone some time to unwind. A tent has been brought along for anyone who needs to get away from the suns, and there's food and singing and storytelling besides.

The City

They arrive at their destination a day or so before what's looking to be a particularly nasty sandstorm hits the area. The temple is easy enough to find, located near the center of the ruins, but the gaping holes in the walls mean the shelter they provide will only be partial.

Time to patch up the walls, perhaps- or to see if there's another place nearby they can use.

Wildcard

Anyone other ideas? Feel free to offer them up.

The City

[roseofthetyrells]

[Margaery (who has opted to wear a blouse and pants this time) approaches him with a concerned look on her face. the storm is fast approaching and she's not sure what they should do. she sees a building in the distance with light glinting off of windows, so that may be more secure, but they may not be able to make it there in time]

What should we do? Is there a way to patch the walls or should we go for that building over there. [she points at the building she sees in the distance]

[utulien_aure]

[Fingon grits his teeth and eyeballs the storm, trying to judge how quickly it's moving.]

Not quickly enough. A few hours more, maybe...

[Unless Curufin and Celebrimbor can pull off a convenient miracle, it will have to be the other building.]

I can sing the worst of it off for a while, but enough will still land. Do you have a scarf? Something to cover you?

resting

[bythewaves]

It's good to move again. Maglor's looking more settled, even with Elrond gone and him clearly missing him.

(But Elrond goes home, to people who love him, to where he'll be safe, and happy, and that is good enough for Maglor)

"We used to travel like this when we were younger."

He murmurs, and the tunes he picks out on his harp are from a long, long time ago.

Re: resting

[utulien_aure]

It's always good to keep busy, even when dealing with a loss. Fingon's been keeping an eye on Maglor, of course, but he's glad the blow is softened by Elrond's presumptive reunions at home.

"That we did, didn't we?" he grins over at Maglor and begins to hum along.

"It's been too long since we've had the chance to wander off on our own."

Except for Finrod, of course, but, well. That was Finrod for you.

City

[castintofire]

Maedhros didn't like the look of the walls when they did come across this latest temple. None of them were in great shape, but with the sandstorm on its way, he wanted better shelter.

"Finno? Would you like to come with me in search of better shelter?"

And time alone, even if they had a purpose to keep in mind.

[utulien_aure]

Fingon had been staring uneasily up at the walls as well, and was quick to nod in agreement.

"Of course I'll come. Which way first?"

Bonus: Rebuilding the Walls

[bythewaves]

The storms come and go, and that means proper shelter is needed sooner, rather than later. They could quarry stone and fell trees for the job, they've done it before, after all - but they don't know where the stone comes from, and there are precious few trees, and there's no time to make brick.

"We'll have to try and Sing them back." Maglor says. "I don't see how we've any choice - there's not enough time for anything else. If we focus only on the one building..."

[utulien_aure]

"Understood," Fingon nods, then looks at the others. It's harder to get Hadriel to respond to Song than any place he's seen on Middle Earth, but he's not seeing any other options.

"Which place can we reinforce best?" He asks, looking around at the shattered buildings near the temple.

taako | closed to lup | early march

[pocketspa]

[Alright, so the last few weeks? Not great. Between the last time Taako left the city and came back to some carnage, to Lucretia leaving and sending Lup back into a tizzy, to the conversations he had to have with Barry and Angus in the aftermath- he's sick of it. Sick of the liches in charge jerking them around for no fucking reason. So he went and grabbed a motorcycle, stocked it with supplies for a few days, and barged back into their shared room with an orb tucked under his arm. No Lucretia, no Barry, no fucking anything. Just the two of them, under two suns. Like how it used to be.

He's driving at this point, leaving Lup with the compass to play navigator, a day away already and far, far from their problems. He should've done this sooner, really. It's about time they cut loose.

Taako tilts his head back towards Lup, eyes still at least halfway on the road.]

We still goin' the right way? Or uh, any way? Not that I don't just love all this sand.

[restinglichface]

[After so much time apart from one another, coming together just the two of them, the rest of the world trailing far behind in their dust, feels so right.

Only a day out of the city and Lup looks so much more lively than she's felt in ages. There's definitely nothing fun to look at on the way out to the temples, but even having a destination, an actual mission to focus on, seems to be keeping her interest piqued for the long journey ahead.

Taako drives and Lup navigates, her body pressed up against his back, chin resting at his shoulder. He calls for directions and she lifts the compass in hand to take a quick peek, before her arm falls back around his middle.] Left like twenty degrees. I'm guessin' we're still a long way out. How far did you and the nerds get out to anyway? Further than this?

Oscar | OTA | 3/13-15

[onlyanautomaton]

On his journey northward, the weather wasn't nearly as bad. It is only now on his return trip that his luck seems to have turned.

Having to seek shelter every few hours is becoming rather tiresome. But it is the orb resting safely in his jacket pocket that is responsible for the mysterious sense of almost unnatural assurance that calms him whenever any doubts arise in his mind. Though he remains impatient, he is more hopeful than he should be that the time he is spending avoiding these sandstorms instead of making forward progress will not wear down the power of his vehicle before he has made it to Hadriel. He experiences moments where he finds himself feeling oddly overconfident that he will reach the city without a single issue and that he will arrive to find everyone there to be well; and if they are not, there is a certainty that he will be able to act on any negative situation and rectify it.

In any case, he and his motorcycle have been forced to stop in this decrepit, featureless building that is closer in resemblance to a cavern than to an artificial structure, made to wait for yet another dust storm to pass him by before he is allowed to continue.

Darkness sinks over everything much faster due to the inclement weather. Once it becomes difficult to see the space around him, he takes out the orb, letting its soft, violet glow partially illuminate the room. It inadvertently highlights how he has nothing in the way of company to make this idle time in the desert wilderness pleasant.

He can't be far from Hadriel now.

Somewhere around 3/15

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin and his party are on their way back, traveling slowly. But Curufin has designated himself their forward scout and ridden out far ahead of the group. He was hoping to spot some game, since supplies were a bit low. Also, watching out for roving tunnel creatures who no longer have any caves to inhabit, and who might be hoping to ambush some orb-collecting Hadrielites on their return journeys. He met with neither, but he did run into a sandstorm or two.

And now as the sky begins to darken over the bleak, sand-obscured horizon, he seeks shelter in a lone, partially ruined building that seems to be an outlier of Hadriel, some remnant of a suburb that is long since wiped off the map. He parks the motorcycle on the lee side of a wall, and feels as much as sees his way along the side of the structure.

But he doesn't have to search very far, because suddenly there is the violet glow of an orb -- not his! -- showing through a doorless doorway. Well, that's got to be another traveler.

"Hello?" he calls, softly.