World Log: Tundra Arrival

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters in the city
What: The log for the city's arrivel on the ice planet
Where: All around the city
When: November 21st-November 30th
Warnings: None

You all get some warning to prepare, which is great. A little time to stock up on supplies, make sure everything's where it supposed to be, call your friends in from their fishing boats. And then the city moves. It happens in the blink of an eye - one moment you're on islands, surrounded by ocean, and the next? The next you're surrounded by frozen ground, the temperature has dropped significantly, and even the sky looks different. The air has a bite to it, that familiar feeling telling you it's thinking about snowing soon. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon.

The city has rearranged itself back into that old, familiar shape, instead of spread out across islands like it was a moment ago. Maybe that'll make things easier for you, maybe it won't, but it also means the return of the lake and river that used to bisect the city - only now they're frozen over. This climate also means it'll be hard for any plants not otherwise protected to survive - and that you, too, will start feeling that cold if you're away from a warm place for too long.

And warm places might be in short supply, because when the city moved the gods did not. What does that mean for you? Well, whatever supplies are in the shops at the moment the city moves are the only ones left. No new food supplies, no new clothing, nothing. In addition, the power across the whole city is out, including water and heating. Anything else powered or supplied by gods (the hot springs, the mopeds, what's left of the orchard, the armory, the GPS) will not work.

You're on your own. Try not to die.

► This log covers November 21st-30th.
► 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 freeze to death, starve to death, are eaten by the local animals, fall through the ice, or find some other exciting way to die, please let us know here, and be aware resurrection will not be currently happening. You stay dead - for now.

Comments

[theweakhavepurpose]

I don't want to kill anything innocent anymore.

[ Animals being innocent is debatable, but in his mind they didn't do anything to him so he doesn't want to go out of his way to hurt them.]

Only in defense. Only those who deserve it. Only them.

[oldtonew]

[ This time she looks him head on, frowning. ]

They are small animals. If there were no predators, they would fill this area and stave themselves. It is part of the cycle. Do you mean to eat only what you have saved? There are not enough plants to sustain you long.

[theweakhavepurpose]

We're not part of the cycle. We don't belong here.

[ He sits down on the other end of the porch, legs hanging over the side. ]

I don't know. I'll deal with it when it comes to that. I have a lot stockpiled. If you need any I can share.

[oldtonew]

But we are here.

[ Therefore they have become part of the cycle. ]

Would you truly starve before you took to hunting?

[ She eyes him curiously, but keeps her distance. ]

[theweakhavepurpose]

I might. Why should they die so I can live?

I'm not strong. I don't deserve that.

[ He reaches into the pocket of his jacket fingering the thread that's still there. ]

I'm not a warrior.

[oldtonew]

[ Kettara watches him in silence for a long time. Then: ]

Why did those people need to die? The ones in your memory. They were tied to stakes. Hooded. And you let the wolves out.

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He keeps looking out at the distant horizon. Anywhere but at her.]

Sinners. They wouldn't join Jacob's army. Some failed the trials. They were weak, so they were culled to strengthen others.

That's what Jacob said anyway. I don't feel any stronger.

[oldtonew]

You followed this man. He has no honor. Surely you saw that.

[ Her tone is carefully even, though her fists are clenched tight and her knuckles white. ]

[theweakhavepurpose]

I don't.. didn't...

[He groans.]

You don't understand. What he did to my head. I can still hear him now as if he's right beside me. Listening to everything. Judging.

I'm not Deputy Pratt anymore. I don't know who I am. What I am. But the old Pratt wouldn't have done that.

[oldtonew]

[ Kettara growls, shaking her head. ]

I'm not a child. I have fought in battles. And I killed my enemies honorably, in single combat. What is there to understand? There is no honor in killing like that.

[ She lifts her chin, eyes narrowed. ]

So who are you, now?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Have you ever been tortured? Brainwashed? Conditioned?

You don't know anything.

[ He abruptly stands up and approaches her.]

I don't know who I am. But I'm not worthy of this.

[He pulls the red thread out of his pocket and lets it fall next to her before turning around and heading back into his house, locking the door behind him.]

[oldtonew]

No! You do not get to walk away!

[ He doesn't get to dismiss her like a stupid child. She is a shaman of the Earthen Ring and she knows the way of the world. The red cord flutters through the air before slipping away. Kettara barely notices it, fist clenched tight as she advances and kicks at the door. ]

Coward! Come and face me!

[ She kicks the door again, hard. ]

You were supposed to be different!

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He ignores her, sitting on his bed with his knees to his chest and holding onto his head. For how often he does that it's a miracle he hasn't started to rip chunks of his hair out accidentally.

He's trying to not listen to her, not listen to Jacob, not listen to anything at all. Somewhere in there is the old Deputy Pratt. The one who signed up to be a cop to get laid. The cocky asshole that was grudgingly likable and charismatic. The man he used to be before Jacob utterly destroyed him.

He'll find that person somehow. Maybe that's his strength.]