Intro Log: Fly, My Pretties!

[hadrielmods]

What: The intro log for May
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: May 10th-14th
Warnings: Flying monkeys! New friends! Prosthetic limbs!

Here in Hadriel, we do introductions right. That means dumping you on the ground of an old Roman-style Colosseum with a bunch of scary monsters and also a bunch of weird shit. Your monster of the day happens to be Winged Monkeys, more commonly known as flying monkeys, from the Wizard of Oz and affiliated stories!

As you may have been able to guess, these creatures can fly and they're rather intelligent- intelligent enough to wield spears and daggers as crude weapons and strong enough to pick someone right up off the ground and fly with them to a perch, where they'll... you know, stab them with their knives and stuff.

Why? We don't know. It's Hadriel.

Just in case you lose a couple of limbs in the process of escaping these critters, we've got you covered. Scattered around the newbies are prosthetic limbs for various body parts. These limbs are all fully functional, even if they look a bit... odd, so if you've lost an arm or two, or a leg, or even a pinkie finger, feel free to grab one and try to figure out how to use it!

Good job dealing with those monkeys! It's kind of a weird thing to be threatening, but clearly someone was afraid of them once. Once you're done, 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 May 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

[unnature]

[Avisheh grins.]

Ooh, you saw through my lie. I need to work on my storytelling.

[But Rey got the last one right, which means she needs to tell her a true thing about her "uniquely deformed legs".]

It's a mutation unique to my world of origin called a parasite. They're not parasitic, despite the name; they're a part of you. They extend from your body in the form of veinlike appendages. I had parasites on my legs.

[Now, she may give Rey a second chance at the truth, since she caught onto the earlier lie.]

Multiple choice. Who amputated my legs? A Nexian doctor, the god of Separation, or neither?

[circumitus]

[Rey arches a brow, the index finger wrapped around the glass of bourbon unfurls to point at Avisheh.]

Now, was that really a lie, or are you lying that that was a lie because that was actually false? [A rhetorical question, really. Avisheh could say whatever she wants and Rey would have no choice but to take her word for it. Such is the problem with secondhand accounts.

[Oh well.]

Multiple choice, huh? Ooh. [She pauses a moment to think, leaning back in her seat.] Mmmneither.

[unnature]

[Avisheh simply shrugs with a knowing grin.]

I'm as earnest or as sly as you make me, you're the one with the power in this game.

[Completely untrue. Avisheh could say whatever bullshit she wanted. But she isn't breaking the rules of the game, of course. That wouldn't be fun.

Besides, the truth can be useful. The truth is part of why she has a god and a half wrapped around her finger.

Avisheh takes a long drink from her bourbon, finishing off the second half of the glass. Rey got the last question -- the doozy -- right. Maybe Avisheh made it obvious on purpose. Maybe she wanted to tell someone the truth. Maybe she just wanted to see Rey's reaction.]

This isn't part of the game, I'll tell you who did it in a second, but care to take a guess at who did?

[circumitus]

[That sounds like a joke in itself. Rey has the power of guesswork, which isn't always the most reliable, though she can be a good read on people sometimes.

[She snorts at Avisheh's question, not a true-or-false one this time. After a long drink of her own bourbon as well, Rey just makes a face.]

Can only guess it was just about anyone, but it probably wasn't the tram car. [Already called her out on that.]

cw: self harm

[unnature]

[Avisheh gives a predatory grin, which is at odds with what she says next.]

I did it. Botched cutting them off at age thirteen. They look pretty bad underneath the attachments. Hard to saw through your own bone, imagine that. I was smart enough to pick a joint, but I didn't have an understanding of anatomy just yet.

cw: self harm

[circumitus]

[While that wasn't the answer Rey was expecting, she can't say she's surprised, either. She blinks.]

Why would you do that? Is it something to do with your legs?

[Rey doesn't have any room to talk, given what she did to her own face.]

[unnature]

They were touched by a god of Separation. Couldn't control my own body. The fledgling god didn't know what the fuck she was doing.

[She shrugs. Her expression is carefully blank, vaguely smiling as she takes a sip of alcohol.]

Cut 'em off. I was done with 'em. Figured I'd be better in a wheelchair than a hazard to everybody.

[circumitus]

Ah.

[That... sounds like a horrible experience to go through, even if Rey doesn't entirely know what a "god of separation" really does. What Avisheh says paints a not-so-pretty picture enough.]

Sorry, that must have been really shitty. Can see why you'd want them gone though. [Losing control of your own body is the worst; that much Rey can sympathize with.]

[unnature]

[Avisheh hears the word "sorry" and instantly feels herself filled with renewed hatred. It doesn't show on her face. No, she laughs. A barking cackle of a laugh.]

Don't be sorry! I'm perfectly functional now! Nexian tech sure is something. Took me a while to get the legs, though. Like I said, wheelchair was the thing for a while.

[circumitus]

[Okay, Rey can empathize with that. It's the same reaction she has (to an extent) when she tells people about her shit life experiences. Or, the few times that she manages to do so, only to shrug the trauma off like it's no big thing.]

Well, believe it or not, in my world some people voluntarily amputate their perfectly functional limbs for some sweet detachable legs and arms, so that's not too hard to believe.

[There. Nice save from the Pity Train.]

[unnature]

That's pretty stupid.

[And sounds incredibly expensive. Avisheh herself couldn't afford the physical therapy afterwards, since her legs were basically part of a buy-in from the mob. She went long enough without legs on top of it that she isn't the best at getting around in general.]

There are fancier prosthetics out there than mine, too, but I at least sprang for a neural-computer interface chip.

[She swivels her ankle to show off a little.]

Makes it easier to kick ass.

[circumitus]

They call themselves "grinders". It's this whole idea of enhancing their bodies with cybernetics and shit like that. There's a philosophy behind it, but.

[She shrugs. Rey never really followed the movement beyond a few conversations that she caught here and there throughout places like Chicago. Though she has to say, there have been some rather... unique mods in this day and age.

[Rey coughs a laugh at Avisheh's response, and the gesture with her leg.]

Do you mean literally? That better be literal.

[unnature]

A philosophy. A lot of people have one of those; it makes it easier to sound reasonable. But I don't care what people do to themselves, really. Far be it from me to frown on body modification.

[She looks smugly at Rey after she gets her to laugh.]

Of course it's literal. Imagine a plastic and metal kick right in the ass. No one wants that.

[circumitus]

Right. It's not really any of my business what they do to themselves either way. It's not like it's any better than lip plates and corset piercings.

[Which people still do, but that's the thing. They'll always find new and insane ways of making themselves look "unique" from the boring old human they were before.]

You could get the same effect with a steel-toed boot, but guess that works just as well.

[unnature]

Yeah. I shouldn't be surprised, honestly.

[Avisheh taps her foot against the floor.]

Yes, but now I don't need to wear shoes to do it. Shoes are annoying, anyway. It's more fun walking around with real steel toes.

[circumitus]

Guess it does cut the middleman out of the footwear problem. Don't see a problem with that.

Would rather just punch people, myself.

[She can be a simple creature like that.]

[unnature]

Guess I don't have the arm strength.

[Avisheh flexes her arm and shows her complete lack of muscle. She's definitely got nothing on Rey.]

I'm pretty scrappy, though. You'd be surprised.

[circumitus]

[Her mouth quirks into an odd grin.]

Sometimes a little scrap is all you need.

[unnature]

Scrap and quick thinking, that's me.

[She basically flies on the seat of her pants at all times, but she's smart enough to have survived like that 'til now.]

Forgive me if I don't jump at the chance to sign up for the Guard, though.

[circumitus]

[Snort.]

No worries. The Guard could probably use more people, but so does the clinic.

[Rey doesn't advertise what involvement she's had with the Guard -- and even its making, for that matter -- so openly, and that's how she likes it. Besides, with how much people get themselves hurt around here, they do need more medical personnel.]