hadriel_logs | World Log: Tundra Arrival

Entry tags:

World Log: Tundra Arrival

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.

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Oh!!

[ Angus perks up immediately. More than anything else, he loves knowing things, and opportunities to learn more about Taako's past are vanishingly rare - so rare that he usually keeps what little he's learned jotted down in a notebook that's currently stashed under his bed. If he'd known that this was gonna turn into Backstory Hour, he would have taken it with him!

He scooches closer, sitting up straight with wide, attentive eyes, and looking for all the world like a kid who's hyped and ready to get an awesome bedtime story. He doesn't realize it, but it makes him look much more his age. ]

No sir, it didn't! I mean, we, um... we heard that it was a thing, but we didn't learn much about it. What was it like?

[This is basically his Candlenights present this year, Taako figures. For as much as he talks about himself, this is the sort of thing he doesn't touch on much. Even Lup hasn't spoken much to Barry about the details of their childhood. But this is far enough removed from all that to where he isn't bothered.

Besides, seeing someone get so, so excited to hear the words coming out of his mouth never gets old.

He shrugs, a playful grin tugging at his face.]

Eh, y'know, it was a planet. Honestly, super like Faerun. Like Faerun but to the left. Two suns, purple sky, real pretty sunsets.

Was it twice as warm, with two suns?

[ He thinks back to the weird event where he got a glimpse into Taako and Lup's childhood... they hadn't been running around a desert, so the climate couldn't have been too different, but his curiousity is peaked!

Gods, he wishes he had his notebook. He's gonna commit this stuff to memory! ]

Were the planar systems very similar? And... I know this is an awfully broad question, but what was it like? I, I mean, not just in terms of temperature and stuff, but...!

[ 'What was your life like', he means. ]

[Part of him thinks he really shouldn't have said anything, when it comes to this. Angus has unwillingly seen bits of his childhood- fleecing him for his wand, his money, anything they could grab. But he has so much more time than that to cover, a hundred and fifteenish years, from birth to abandonment to the death of a home that never was. How do you attempt to put that together? And truly, should he? Does Angus really need to know?

Maybe it's less what he needs and more what Taako wants. And sometimes, he just wants to not be alone.]

Nah, temp was fine, planar systems were the same. Literally it was like, just crazy like Faerün in terms of look. Merle had like a cousin? We blew him up-- I mean he blew himself up, but y'know. Whatever.

[Rip, Gundrun. He looks down at Angus, a playful little grin on his face.]

Like, it was just a rock. It's not even in the top 10 of all the places I've ever been.

[ Oh, so that's where this conversation is going! Storytime is definitely on now, Angus can recognize a lead-in when he hears one, as well as the catlike grin that Taako always gets when he's about to have a fun time spinning some wild stories. He scooches a bit closer, eyes wide with interest, and takes another sip of his cocoa before speaking up again. ]

Sir, you can't say something like that and not give me a rundown of at least the top three. Which was your favourite?

[Man, this is where it gets fun. Because he thinks at first that he can just tell Angus fucking anything, and then remembers the kid knows. Anything he says he'll fact check against that brain of his, so he can't just say he went to Meat World, God Of The Meats. Damn.

But also, some of the places they went to were just as absolutely fuck weird.]

I mean, jelly world was a riot. Lots of weird cannibalism there, that took some getting used to. Mostly because they kept biting us but didn't have teeth. We were like apex predators.

[He chuckles, thinking about Magnus accidentally eating one dude's entire arm. They never let him live that down.]

Uhh, cycle... man, somewhere in the late 20's early 30's, where Merle learned the uh, the parlay thing. That place was insane. Still can't replicate the noodles. Wonder if we could find a way to pop back and I can steal some, it was nuts. And I mean, hamster habitrail world, what a ridic place. Killer on the knees, though.

[He looks back towards Angus, ready to get some adoration out of the boy.]

Don't you know all of this already, though?

[ Sorry Taako, you lost him for a moment at 'jelly cannibalism'. Angus's nose is all scrunched up, and you can just tell that The Magnus Incident was recorded in Lucretia's journals in all of its gooshy horror. He does crack up a bit at the idea of HamsterWorld, though, because that is a pretty hilarious mental image. ]

Well, yeah, but... hearing it is different than hearing it, you know? You need different perspectives for the full story. Are you telling me that everyone got turned into hamsters, or...?

[ He's trying to frame this as if his questions are just part of a thorough investigation, but it's pretty obvious that he's just in it for Storytime. GIVE! HIM! THE! DEETS! ]

[See, this is almost fun. Sure, Angus was never there, but the barriers of 'you had to be there' jokes are so largely gone. He gets to keep some secrets, some moments, but much of it is just... nice.]

No, not like, automatically. But I busted a lotta polymorph spells that cycle, Merle was ultra into it. They also weren't like, hand sized hamsters, but they still weren't as big as us? Made getting around a real pain. I mean, Dav had a great time.

[He eyes towards Angus, curious how far this thing goes.]

So does it just like, sound like a book you read once? Or something you lived?

[ Gods, it's weird thinking of Davenport now. Angus only got to talk to him for a few minutes once he was fully lucid, but the mental images of him having all these crazy interplanar adventures clash so much with his time as a nearly mute ~~pokemon~~ butler that it makes for some crazy mental whiplash.

He frowns thoughtfully, taking a sip of cocoa as he tries to figure out how to phrase this next thought. ]

It's more like... like a book that someone else read to me. There's no personal experience involved on my end, beyond knowing you guys for a year.

[ And knowing the protagonists of this particular story makes it EXTRA WEIRD. ]

[Yeah, that's some real cognitive dissonance up there. Thankfully, Taako's known Davenport as himself longer than not, so mostly the thought of him as he was at the Bureau just makes him angry. More things to add to the Lucretia Blame pile, for sure.]

Huh. So that's kinda cool then, right? You've got a personal in. You know all the stars.

[He leans in, a smug little grin on his face.]

Better think I'm cooler than Caleb Cleaveland now, huh. I think we got more than just a few books worth of stuff outta that one.

Wellllll...

[ Angus takes a long sip of his drink and stares up at the twin moons, thinking this over. He keeps thinking it over, and over, and over, until the contemplative silence stretches out to an absurd degree, and it becomes obvious that he's just drawing things out to mess with Taako, despite the innocent look on his face. Never forget that Angus McDonald is secretly a little shit. ]

... I dunno, Caleb Cleveland did solve the Mystery of the Missing Mansion. And the Case of the Catastrophic Canine. And the Secret of the Sunken Sailboat!

[God you absolute little shit. Taako's expression starts smug, and quickly fades into a pursed lip stare that says he knows he's being goofed on. Angus speaks up at just the right moment to cut off Taako about to yell at him, but seeing the response is also ultra rude, it's noogie time ya little goof.]

You are the rudest boy. Everything I do for you. Save the fuckin' galaxy and you like book people.

[He'll release him soon enough, but only because he wants more cocoa and its hard to drink when you have a child in a headlock.]

[ It's even harder to drink cocoa when you're the child in a headlock, and between Taako's grip on him and the raucous gigglefit that he's going through, Angus just barely manages to set the mug down on the steps without spilling the drink over them both. ]

I like you too, and I'm very polite, sir! I'm known for having good manners!

[ Ask anyone (or at least anyone who doesn't know him that well) and they'll say so! This is defamation and slander! ]

Me too?

[Can his voice get higher and more offended?? Apparently it can!]

I am to be adored, Ango, top of any list. To know I would be, be abandoned for another boy detective. You, little man, are the rudest. Can't get that one past me. Only rude now.

[ Man, no wonder Taako likes messing with people so much, this is fun. Angus sits back and takes another sip of cocoa, looking absolutely serene and at peace with the universe. ]

You didn't get abandoned, you're just sharing the top spot. Besides, he was there first, and he's fictional, so it really doesn't make sense to be jealous, sir!

[This is why Taako hates being messed with and why Angus McDonald is going to get dunked on mercilessly in every other circumstance forever. He's coming for you little man. Coming for you.

Case in point, he twists around, getting very into Angus' face with that Serious Look he's fixed on him before.]

Now you listen here little man. You may be getting magic from me but that doesn't mean you're better than I am, you have not even scratched the surface of great magic power. You think you're ready to go toe to toe with Taako? You think you've got it?

[He jabs a finger into Angus' chest.]

You are at my mercy and I can crush you at any time.

[ Angus instantly realizes that he wildly overestimated how far he could push this goof, and the only response that Taako gets out of him at first as he leans as far away from the elf as he can without falling off the steps is a tiny “eep!” ]

I-I, um, I didn’t actually say any of that stuff at all, but, uh.... n-noted!

[YESSS, POWER OVER A SMALL CHILD

Taako smirks, chest blossoming into a giggle.]

Awww Ango, did I getcha again? Did Taako getcha with the ol' play monologue? Don't pee again.

[He's kind of jabbing his fingers into Angus' chest like buttons in a little sing-songy voice. Horrible.]

[ THE WORST!!! ]

I didn’t pee the first time!

[ the terror has given way to sheer indignance! Angus sets the cocoa down and attempts to scoot out of poking range, though he’s rapidly running out of step-space! ]

[HA HA TINY BOY POKES that gif is 100% correct.

Taako flicks his nose as some kind of closer, but that hardly means he's ever done.]

Oh yeah, is your memory messy on thay one too, Ango? Missin' storytime in the ol' noggin? Wouldn't make you wanna forget all your pee experiences.

[bad]

Oh my god.

[ Angus buries his face in his hands, partly as a shield from further poking, and partly because he is just 200% done with everything tonight. ]

If I say that you're cool, can we please stop talking about this. Can we literally talk about anything else in the known universe.

[He just laughs, rocking back far enough that he has to put his hand behind him to steady himself. Man, this is good. This is wonderful.]

Yeah, maybe I can let you off for that one.

[Taako lets them lapse into quiet, if only for a few seconds, the victory Angus has earned by conceding to his bullying. And finally, out of the silence, he speaks again.]

Maybe I can show you, one day. Figure out how to peek into that ol' world.

[ After a long, silent moment, Angus cracks his fingers open and peers up at Taako from between the gaps, eyes wide. The one good thing about being stuck in Hadriel is that it's given him enough time for certain things to sink in... like the fact that he won't have to go back to being alone once the Bureau's mission is complete, and that he has people who want him around even if he isn't a co-worker or employee with skills that they can put to good use. He knows Taako well enough at this point to know how rarely he offers parts of himself to other people, and an offer like this is... it's a lot.

Granted, it's weird to be reminded of this just after Taako made a pee joke at his expense, but that's just how these doofuses operate. ]

... That'd be really neat, sir. I'd like that a lot.

[ It comes out hushed, and a little bit awed. As much as he goofed about Caleb Cleveland being higher on the list than Taako, alien planets are really cool. ]

[Damn right, kiddo. Taako can speak solidly for the both of them when he says that Angus isn't going anywhere ever again. Even if Lup doesn't know him very well back home yet, she will. Everyone will. He's the boy who told the world. He won't say it, because he just can't face it, but he knows that Davenport's original call to leave when the going got tough wasn't something he could make.

Kravitz was around, sure. But Angus was just as important.

He lets the moment sit for just a moment, just a second so Angus could know, and then laughs.]

Yeah, big ol' nerdo Angus McDangus wants to see the stars. Figures. Drink your cocoa or I'm gonna dump your face in it.

What! Stars are cool!

[ Much like certain elven wizards who shall go unnamed. He says this in a voice that's equal parts indignantly defensive and full of barely-restrained laughter, and goes back to the cocoa with a put-upon huff.

He knows, though. He picks up on just about everything that was said in that brief silent moment, and he's keeping it close. ]

Thanks, sir. For the cocoa and everything.

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pocketspa - 2019-04-03 17:26 (UTC) - Expand

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