Intro Log: Puddle Jumpers

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for September
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: September 10th-13th
Warnings: Fresh meat, lots of rain and angry ogres

If the rain on your face isn't enough to wake you up in the colosseum, maybe the thundering footsteps and- well, thunder- is. The first thing that you may notice is that it's incredibly wet around here, with winds that could knock you over if you aren't careful and thunder that brings with it a torrent of constant rainfall.

That's all fine though, because the gods saw fit to help you out on your way in and now everyone will be waking up wearing a rain coat! These coats are a little odd, and some of them are downright silly, but we trust that you'll make do. Of course, a few of the raincoats have additional sleeves, neck holes, and entirely too many buttons as well- but hey, it's the best we could do.

Wait, what was that about thundering footsteps? Oh right, as you're navigating your new fashion choices, there are some monsters afoot who will want nothing more than to grind you into a pulp and eat you- well, if you're organic, that is. If you're not organic, then they still want to grind you to a pulp, but maybe not so much the eating part.

Ogres are from many fantasy stories, but these in particular are from the Dragon Age series. With incredible strength and stamina and massive horns, fangs, and a bloodlust for violence, these monsters won't stop until everyone around them is a blood smear on the ground. They're also not too happy about this rainfall either, so be careful not to slip in the puddles as you run away from them!

Once you've splashed around a bit, feel free to run off into the stormy abyss of our islands. 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 September 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

[stonebird]

(Sansa is hardly new, but Hadriel a sizable place - especially with it being split onto islands now. Yet she has been present since they were forced to wander about in the dark caves underground.)

I hope you are right! (She dodges the grabbing hands - the Ogre seems more curious about their presence for the time being. That doesn't last. With Tinya on top of him, he is soon roaring his protest, moving about in a manner that is unpredictable. Sansa is knocked about, losing her footing and accidentally stabbing the Ogre in the foot instead of the leg.

The blood is falling as heavy as the rain and she yelps, backing away as quickly as she can to be free of the Ogre when he inevitably falls. It's then that she looks, desperately, for the other woman. When she spies her, she lifts her skirt and hurries to her side.)

How did you avoid his hands? I thought he caught you several times!

[unphase]

[whereas Tinya is very new. this is her first month here, but she's a Legionnaire and a member of the Guard. she wouldn't be able to forgive herself for sitting this out]

It'll work! ["it has to" goes unsaid. these creatures are unlike anything she's ever seen. part of her, the part that says that Legionnaires don't kill, is protesting, but she realizes that these aren't beings that can be convinced to live peacefully with the local residents. it helps to make her feel a little less guilty about what she has to do.

she sees the other girl being knocked about and feels guilty about it. maybe she should've waited until she'd hamstringed the creature before going for its throat?
.
Tinya must look quite the sight, covered in blood and rainwater. she floats down from out of the sky to land on the ground next to the other girl]

It almost did when I unphased. I can become intangible, so nothing touches me if I don't want it to.

Thank you for your help. My name's Tinya Wazzo. What's yours?

[stonebird]

(Then her courage is all the more admirable! Sansa has developed respect for women who can fight as well as - if not better than - men. She used to find the idea distasteful, but that changed rapidly when she had no one to defend her.)

I don't think so! (She swipes at the Ogre's outstretched hands, the Elven blade cutting into the flesh like a knife through butter. That should distract him, yet he bowls her over nonetheless, making her body ache and her head swim. The problem with entering a fray and being a novice is you are bound to get scraped and bruised.)

How...? (For a moment, she is too amazed to pay attention to much else. The rain, the dead Ogre, the blood - all of it fades from her focus.) Hello, Tinya. I'm Sansa Stark.

(Lifting a handkerchief, she dabs at her split lip gingerly.)

Are you new to Hadriel?

[unphase]

[in Tinya's world of the 30th century, Earth, women are expected to be every bit as capable as men. she doesn't consider her courage all that remarkable and she's very new at the sword. in her world, Legionnaires didn't kill. in this world, it seems a terrible necessity.

she dives down out of the sky towards Sansa when Tinya sees that she's in danger, but doesn't get to her in time. she curses when she sees the other girl get knocked about. now that the ogre is dead, she lands on the ground, unphases, and offers a hand to Sansa to help her up]

It's nice to meet you, Sansa. [she glances over at the dead ogre] Though, I wish the circumstances could've been better.

[that looks painful. 30th century medical science could heal it in an instant, but she assumes that it will have to heal naturally here]

Yes, I am. I arrived last month. How long have you been here?

[stonebird]

(Hadriel is a land where, occasionally, you are either the hunter or the hunted. Sansa had spent a fair amount of time in another world, learning how to wield a sword and bow. Those skills haven't been allowed to rust! Yet she will always be more of a lady than a warrior.

Her sides ache and she worries for a moment if something is broken. But she is able to rise with relative ease - with Tinya's help - and she wipes at her lip absently.)

I do not mind the circumstances as you kept us both alive! (She smiles - or tries to - but her split lip complains at the motion.) I have been here...

A year. (It hasn't felt that long. She has moved with Hadriel twice and her time has been well occupied with slaying monsters and sewing garments for others.)

[unphase]

[and Tinya has been taught how to fight hand-to-hand during her time with the Legion and earlier and is learning the sword]

I'm sure you would've been fine on your own, but two hands make for short work. [she smiles back warmly.

and then looks a little alarmed] A whole year? Really? People get stranded here that long?

[stonebird]

I have known people who have been here longer. (She winces empathetically.) But it's not all like this. There are times our emotions are manipulated and times we must face monsters, yet those moments pass. We are rather normal otherwise.

(More normal than she is accustomed to on Westeros. Sansa knows which world she would choose if push came to shove.)

[unphase]

Longer? [now she definitely looks alarmed] I'm not--used to normal. I'm used to having a duty and performing it. [she looks around herself] I guess this is the closest I'm going to come to duty.

[she's used to the Legion, where there was always some mission to go on to defend the United Planets. it didn't matter that she's only fifteen years old, that's considered an adult back home.

she then remembers her manners] I'm Tinya Wazzo. What's your name?

[stonebird]

Yes. (Their length of stay is out of their hands and that frightens her too when she thinks about it.) You can set yourself a routine. There is always need for more Guards.

(She lifts her shoulders in a shrug.) Not necessarily. I sew, for example, and see to the clothing needs of anyone who needs it. I also make blankets and pillows just for the sake of comfort. Most days, I follow the same schedule.

I'm Sansa Stark.

[unphase]

[Tinya can't be here a whole year. she can't stand the thought of an entire year of not knowing if her friends are still alive or even if she is still alive] Really? The Guard. . . help people?

I don't know anything about sewing. [she tries for a laugh] I know a lot about shopping.

It's good to meet you, Sansa.

[stonebird]

(Those questions might be lifted in time by the arrival of her friends.)

They do. Some of those I consider dearest are part of the Guard.

(She smiles suddenly, brightly.) Shopping is easy if you are on the right island. Sewing I could teach you if you want to learn.

Likewise, Tinya.

[unphase]

[she hopes they will be. there are so many of her friends that she already misses and she'd love to have her boyfriend here]

They are? What are their names, maybe I know them already.

[she's pleased to see Sansa smile. she'd seemed so serious and she can't be more than a couple of years older than Tinya is] Which island would that be? Because I've been through the clothes piles more times than I can count and have only found a couple of things that weren't awful. And I've never sewn before, but if it will get me some better clothes, I'm willing to try.

[stonebird]

Lord Curufin and Lord Fingon are the first two that come to mind. You can also depend on Lord Maglor if you are ever in dire need. They are Elves and experienced with combat and healing.

(There used to be more of them and Sansa misses them keenly. Her demeanor is thanks to what she has endured - here, in Ruby City and Westeros.)

Most make special requests. I can take apart other garments and turn them into something more presentable.

[unphase]

I've met Lords Curufin and Maglor. They're both very nice. [she smiles] It's a little amazing to meet Elves in person.

[and Tinya's is due to years as her mother's assistant in her duties of representing Bgztl to other planets]

That sounds really useful. I'd love it if you could teach me how to do that.