Intro Log: Please Remove Metal From Luggage

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for August
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: August 10th-13th
Warnings: New folks, metal falling apart, fun stuff

As you wake up on the sand of the colosseum, gazing up at cloudy gray skies, you might wonder what you're doing here. Where are you? How did you get here? You'll figure it all out soon enough, so try to clamp down on that rising panic, or you just might end up in a dangerous situation.

Because, of course, you're not the only thing that arrived. The Door has also chosen to pull in some rust monsters. These monsters may look a bit like insects, but they're much larger, with a rather vicious bite. You can fight them, but be careful - anything metal that touches them instantly begins to corrode. Your sword, a bullet from your gun, even your robot friend. Might want to keep a little distance.

And that's not all. Scattered across the ground of the colosseum can be found a variety of unique and delightful musical instruments. If you're the musical sort, maybe you can figure out how to play one - or maybe you already know. Hopefully no rust monster has wandered too close to the one you want to try, or you might find that it's missing important metal bits.

Once you've found a way to express the song in your heart, feel free to leave whatever bit of safety you've found. 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 August 10th-13th.
► 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

[abyssalarcana]

[Most people would probably be disappointed at the callous destruction of such a pretty instrument. Caedra just smiles approvingly.]

I don't know what that thing was, no, but there are quite a few here. As for this city, it's called Hadriel. Full of assholes and degenerates and bad weather, for the most part.

[wateriswet]

Well, I guess I've landed myself in an...interesting location.

[ Katara stretches a bit. Laying down on the ground isn't the best thing for the body. ]

Well, I hope that there are some decent people around. There has to be, right?

[abyssalarcana]

Depends on your definition of decent. They tend to be quite selfish and short-sighted.

[But that's not any more true here than anywhere else. It's just how she views mortals in general.]

You're different though, I imagine? You might be one of the youngest here that I've seen.

[wateriswet]

[ Well, that was nice to know. And very unfortunate considering she's the exact opposite of those things. Well, at least she hopes she is, anyways. ]

Different? I guess. Though, the youngest? Are you...sure?

[ She's slightly hopeful that one of her friends would have joined her in this...Hadriel place. ]

[abyssalarcana]

Just one of the youngest. There are a few other children.

[She shrugs. Most of them don't interest her in any way so she pays them no attention. Hayden, unusual little devil that he is, is clearly an exception.]

Unimportant, though. More important is that creature there right behind you.

[Well, or coming closer quickly anyway. Caedra points and smiles. Just a suggestion, really; if the thing tackles the girl at least it will be amusing to watch one of the newcomers get devoured. Front row seats, in fact!]

[wateriswet]

Huh?

[ Katara quickly turns around and sucks in a sharp breath when she sees it coming straight for her. Well, at least now she knows a basic battle strategy then she'll be able to handle it. Katara runs away from the creature to lure it over to where the other instruments were. Katara picked up one of the other guitar shaped instruments and swung it down onto the back of the creature, the shell cracking. Hello there, weak point.

Katara opens her pouch of water, guiding the water out before she solidifies it into sharp ice, skewering the creature. Katara lets out a small breath. ]

I really can't keep this up...

[ She melts the ice that was still sticking out of the creature and guides it back into her pouch before she looks back towards the other woman, approaching her once more. ]

Thanks for the warning. Now, do you know how to stop the creatures from coming?

[abyssalarcana]

[Fascinating. The girl appears to have some innate form of telekinetic power, based on the lack of any obvious spellcasting. Caedra watches intently, making sure she's not missing anything - but no, she controls it as naturally as an elemental might. Even better, perhaps, as she freezes it at will with such ease, then melts it again and reclaims it. By the time she turns back to face Caedra, the demon is smiling with lips slightly parted, clearly impressed - and willing to show it. And then she laughs.]

Stop them? If I knew how, I could probably do a lot more than just that. No, they're arriving much like you just did. I suppose you could keep killing them until no more show up. It does happen eventually.

[She nods at the pouch where the water was just returned to.]

That's an interesting skill you have. Are you a sorcerer?

[wateriswet]

[ She sighs. Well, that's a total bust. ]

That's unfortunate. But I guess there's not much I can do about it, huh...

[ She looks down at her pouch where the other woman seemed to be looking. ]

A sorcerer? No. Just a waterbender. Waterbender Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[ She holds out her hand for the other woman to shake. ]

[abyssalarcana]

[No harm in playing nice when faced with someone with such an unusual power. She'd like to learn more. So she shakes back, maintaining her apparent cheerfulness.]

Caedra. It's nice to meet you, Katara. I've never heard of a waterbender before. Here - come with me. If we leave this arena, we'll leave most of those monsters behind. You have to tell me what a waterbender is!

[wateriswet]

You don't know what a waterbender is?

[ Well, that's certainly strange. But she did wake up in a place she wasn't familiar with so maybe they just didn't have bending...where ever this place was. ]

Yeah, let's get out of here. Explaining it is something I can most definitely do. Just lead the way, Ms. Caedra!

[abyssalarcana]

Of course. We won't have to go far.

[Not that there is far to go here anyway. Walk in any direction for more than a few minutes and you hit water. Outside the arena, it's all rocky ground, fragmented pathways, and scattered buildings under a desolate gray sky.]

So, a waterbender. I take it from context that you control existing water somehow? How does it work?

[wateriswet]

Well, I learned some time ago that the first waterbender was the moon and people learned how to it from watching the way the moon push and pulled the tides. Only people with waterbending in their blood can waterbend though between a nonbender and an actual bender it can be a fifty-fifty chance. For example, my brother and I. He isn't a waterbender but I am. I'm sure the odds change depending on how many children someone has.

[ Katara explains this happily, always eager to teach about just about anything she herself knew. ]

With waterbending, fluidity and gracefulness is key. You have to be just like the water, you know?

[abyssalarcana]

I see.

[The details and ratios and whatever else the girl is implying bore her - but it's an innate ability, not one that can be learned by anyone with the inclination, which is worth knowing.]

That makes you kin to your world's moon, then, doesn't it? You're of celestial descent.

[And therefore worth a small fortune, were Caedra ever to be able to obtain her soul and sell it in the markets at the City of Rust. But if the girl comes from a world where there are more - ah, now, that sounds like a place worth visiting, with the weight of Ironhold's armies at her back.]

[wateriswet]

That's...certainly a way to think about it. I never even thought about it, really...

[ Hm. She'd have to do her own research about it if she could. ]

But I'd guess I'd be a really really really far descendant. Even then, it was only learned from the moon and not just given to them. So, the moon is probably just a really old...mentor slash something relative. What about you? How did you make that thing back there that killed the bug?

[abyssalarcana]

[Ah well, so much for the hopes and dreams of finding the knowledge to planeshift to a world full of mortal celestials and trapping all their souls. Could still be fun, though, even if there's no guarantee of a divine link.]

Hm? Oh, just a little bit of magic. Something I was taught by my own mentor, for defense. It's come quite useful here. This happens every month, it seems. Always something new trying to eat everyone.

[wateriswet]

Really? Everyday?

[ That's a huge bummer. ]

Great. Well, I guess I'll have to keep an eye out then once I find out more about this place. Do you guys have any fun here? Like...festivals? Parties? Something that doesn't revolve around being eaten by nightmarish creatures.

[abyssalarcana]

Fun! Oh, I wish. These people seem allergic to it sometimes, until the false gods step in and liven things up a little. The one called Love, that pretends the least to be human, also seems to have the best taste in keeping things fun.

[Much as she hates all of their captors, at least one of them is honest about what it is - or rather, what it isn't. She normally wouldn't think of a creature that calls itself Love as anything she ought to particularly favor, for despite her own emotional attachments, none of the people she cares about are here. But it seems to enjoy getting these people to indulge a little more than they're normally comfortable doing, and she's all too happy to participate.]

Other than that... The Speakeasy, I suppose, has drinks and music and games. Easy to make your own party there if you'd like.

[wateriswet]

[ Katara slowly nods her head. Okay then. She understood. ]

So, there are gods that are named after emotions. That's...interesting. I'll definitely remember it.

[ Note to self: avoid rage, grief or any other negative emotion type of god. That would be bad news for her. ]

The Speakeasy sounds like a fun time. Shame that it's the only non god influenced place that's made for fun and entertainment.

[ Is this place really filled with constant misery or something. Boy, she's in for a ride... ]

[abyssalarcana]

Just so long as you also remember that they're not really gods. Call them that if you have to, I suppose, but it only helps them deceive everyone else. There are real gods in this multiverse. These are not them.

[Something she seemingly feels strongly about - when in actuality, she doesn't really care. It just seems like letting their kidnappers get away with that kind of respect doesn't help her any, when the people here turning against them is, if not helpful, then at least entertaining.]

And if it's entertainment you want, then make your own. That's what I do. The Speakeasy is a good option but it doesn't have to be the only one just because it's organized.