hadriel_logs | Intro Log: HOLY F*^K THAT'S A F*&KI%G DRAGON

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Intro Log: HOLY F^K THAT'S A F&KI%G DRAGON

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for October
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: October 10th-13th
Warnings: New faces, new greeting posts, and dragons. What's more to want?

If your first thought upon waking up on the cold, hard ground of Hadriel's very own Colosseum is 'maybe I partied too hard last night', one, Delight would love you and two, you're wrong. Or- maybe you did, but that's not why you're here. Instead, you wake up with the same clothes you were wearing when you were last home, but surrounded by very different people. So, make some friends! Might as well voice your confusion and concern and show the technologically unsavvy of you how to operate these fancy new phones, right? Just be sure not to trip over these odd bags of chips on your way to greet your fellow man.

Don't spend too much time out in the open, though. There are monsters about, and not quite the usual ones. This month, Hadriel is bringing in four dragons, each with their own unique abilities and raidboss-esque stamina. They'll be terrorizing the city until someone puts them down- maybe that someone is you! Maybe you should, uh, actually hide. They're hungry and territorial and mean and they're definitely out for a good meal. Check out our OOC post for more information, as well as who will be eventually killing the beasts!

But hey, once you escape from the dragons, feel free to go explore the rest of the city! Find a house, find a new monster, or simply scavenge for supplies.

New, as of October's intro log is a Newcomer's guide that installs itself by default on every activated phone. Thanks, Mello!

Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers October 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Invigorated by the exhilaration of a hard-fought battle and unwilling to rest just yet despite his and Maketh's recent slaying of the purple dragon, Henry chooses to patrol the city and see where the Guard might be needed next. Immediately the status of the other dragons comes to mind and once he spots one of the hulking figures of the beasts, he heads straight over.

Splattered from head to toe -- or gorget to sabaton, as he wears full plate over mail -- in a mix of blood and dust, his hair damp with the sweat of exertion, Henry makes a somewhat grim spectacle as he approaches. Yet his expression is bright with the high of victory. His heater shield remains on his left arm, and his arming sword is still unsheathed in his right hand.

He inspects the dragon's corpse with interest before his gaze falls on the one presumably responsible.]

Your work?

[Henry asks with interest, pointing at the dragon with the tip of his blade.]

[It's been a hard fought battle indeed. Kain is likewise in rough shape, having taken a good share of a beating out there as well. But he has a certain stubbornness, forcing himself to keep standing, to not give in to any pain. Giving in means collapsing and he doesn't want that. Not now. Not yet.]

[Not to mention, this has been the weirdest way to be introduced to a new world, ever. Though Kain has his doubts, wondering if any of this is even real... or if he's in the next life or... what. Someone he'd met had told him it very much wasn't that, but how can he be certain? He'll brood over that later, though.]

[He'd gone over to see the black moogle disappeared. Then he'd returned to the dragon. That's where he is now, looking it over, considering what might be salvaged. Some scales for certain, and he'd like to get a claw or two for a keepsake. There's a certain pride dragoons take in this sort of thing...]

[He glances over when he's approached, nodding.]

For the final blow, at least. [Plenty of others had taken a strike or more at it before that point of the battle. Like that moogle, and he noted there were other injuries on the dragon too, from earlier attempts to take it down.] Dragons are formidable creatures, magnificent even, [There's respect in his tone, a respect he could only afford to an enemy like a dragon.], and it takes a lot to kill them.

[Henry scoffs.]

I would call their kind terrible over magnificent. Though I agree that they are formidable foes.

[He turns his attention away to peer at the wound from the killing blow, and gives a nod of professional appreciation. Anyone can wear fine armour; it is no promise of skill. But it is apparent that the killing blow involved impressive technique.]

Hm. You appear to know what you are doing.

[He remarks, looking thoughtful.]

Terrible... perhaps so. It's hard to explain, but we dragoons hold great respect for dragons, even if they often end up our enemies.

[Kain is definitely one of those types who does that, affords a great foe a certain level of respect even while at the same time trying to stab them to death. He nods slowly, glancing over at the dragon.]

I've trained as a warrior my entire life. We dragoons specialize in aerial combat, and dealing with dragons. It seems I arrived at just the right time.

[Dragoons? Well, it's hard to miss this man's emphasis on dragon imagery. It makes sense if they are some manner of specialised dragon hunter from a world where dragons are native, and didn't spill into their realm en masse from another in one immense apocalyptic wave.

Henry turns back, for good this time.]

Aerial combat? 'Tis a pity that I missed your fight.

[He is not entirely sure what that entails but it intrigues him. He decides to introduce himself.]

Henry Percy, a knight of England. I also belong to the Guard here at Hadriel. Perhaps we might be of interest to you. Ever do we seek more capable fighters willing to battle the beasts which endanger us all.

I'm sure there will be more battles yet to come... or I could always demonstrate it by sparring sometime.

[And Kain is always more than willing to show off his skills. There's definitely an assurance to his attitude when it comes to his fighting skills. It's the one aspect of his life where he has complete confidence.]

I'm Kain Highwind, knight of Baron. Good to meet a fellow warrior. [They had all been warriors in Cosmos' fight, but it seems more of an unusual mix here. These gods have differing motives, things he's still trying to figure out. As for what Henry mentions, he takes a moment to consider. Kain cannot stand being idle, having no purpose... this would certainly give him one.] I would be interested... tell me more about this Guard.

[Sparring? Now that is an idea. Henry enjoys challenge.]

Whilst monsters are normally restricted to the caves beyond the colosseum you would have awoken in, that is oft not so during the regular crises that plague us and those days on which The Door opens each month. As only a portion of our residents are able to fight, we formed the Guard to provide an organised martial defence. We run daily patrols, and when incidents strike, take prolonged action to shield the people here from harm. We keep permanent headquarters not far from the Armoury.

I'm very used to fighting monsters... and I could use something of a challenge to keep myself occupied. Surprising, that we're not all fighters here... but these gods might have a different goal than the ones that brought me to the last place I was in.

[There's a lot to get used to here, but he's determined to do just that. At least he's used to fighting, that's something he knows, something familiar. It'll give him that sense of purpose that he needs.]

The Guard sounds exactly like something I'd want to be involved in. You could count on me to defend the people of this place.

We are glad to have you. Come by our headquarters and we shall see you officially joined.

[Henry says decisively, satisfied. Then his brows furrows, and he asks:]

...You have been through this manner of ordeal before?

Good, then I'll be by at once. I thank you for this opportunity... and I promise I won't let you down.

[He nods, still a bit weirded out how similar and yet different all of this really is.]

I was pulled into a war between two opposing gods, before this place. Myself and many others were brought there to fight one another for the sake of these gods. Although there's no war here... I cannot help but see similarities.

No war yet.

[Henry says cynically, shaking his head.]

Whatever killed these gods is yet out there. We know not what will happen once Hope finishes resurrecting his fallen kin.

So you're saying... there is a threat to be wary of, but we don't know much about it? If it can kill a god... then it must be incredibly powerful.

[Kain may not be the most optimistic sort, being more practical than anything. But he does believe in having confidence. He's helped to vanquish enemies who seemed impossible to defeat. So maybe... maybe they'll stand a chance here, once they know more about what they're up against.]

So we presume.

[That is all that is known, however.]

But let us not get ahead of ourselves. We have enough to contend with in the present.

[Henry tilts his head at the destruction around them.]

Is there aught that you would know of Hadriel?

[It sounds like there's still a lot that's unknown, which isn't exactly encouraging. Still, Kain is determined to deal with this new challenge, this new world... as much as he possibly can.]

What else do we have to contend with? I would know whatever we're up against... [Being aware of threats means being more prepared to hand them, after all. He glances around then up, thoughtful, a question of more personal interest in mind.] And... is it true there's no surface? No sky to be found anywhere?

The gods gorge upon our emotions, each according to their name. When we do not yield enough for their liking, they use their powers to subject us to circumstances which draw out those sentiments they seek. My first such experience was Fear burying half of us alive.

[The gods are not their allies, even if they must rely upon them. They cannot forget that. As for that second question...]

It is true that we cannot leave this cavern. So there is no surface nor sky as matters stand.

Great... emotional manipulation. [He says this dryly, definitely unsettled by the notion of gods being able to control them in such a way.] Are there many of them? These gods? I assume there must be at least one for each emotion...

[He sighs, having figured that might be the answer, though he's not very pleased to confirm it.]

That's unfortunate, about the lack of a true sky. We dragoons are very attached to it. But I'll make do.

[He'll just... shove aside how upsetting it really is, pretend it doesn't bother him as much as it does. That's just the Kain way of doing things.]

Hope and Fear were the first. Those resurrected thus far are Rage, Delight, Sorrow and Confusion. Love and Tranquility have been mentioned but remain dead for now.

[Henry supposes that at the next resurrection they will learn whether there are any others, as they have always been given three options in the past.]

The gods at least simulate day and night. You shall likely miss weather too. But as you suggest, one adjusts.

Then there are quite a few represented... and I can see how some of those would have especially... troubling... effects.

[What if Rage went wild? Sorrow? Yeah, no thanks.]

It's not ideal, but... I've been in worse situations. Such as outright, active war. But has no one tried finding their way to the surface? How far do these caves extend?

[Henry gives Kain an incredulous look and scoffs. The implication that they would be so easily placated is insulting.]

Must I answer such an obvious question? Many people have tried, and all have failed. If there is an end to them, it cannot be reached. Furthermore Confusion's powers see that the caves -- not this main cavern, which holds the city and is itself a dead end, but those many tunnels that snake out from the colosseum -- change their shape so they cannot even be accurately mapped. We are trapped.

Forgive me, it's been difficult. I mean no insult.

[Nor was his tone at all insulting. Everything is a lot to take in especially how things had ended up. He definitely didn't mean to insult or anything of the sort. Far from it. All he's doing is practical questioning and that's all he's going to keep doing, ignoring the scoffing. It's just all very, very new to him and he has no idea where things stand, what the limits of the situation are.]

All I want is to understand what's known, where we stand. What the limits are of where we can venture, the nature of the power that's blocking us in. ..You're answering what I need to know and more, believe me.

[Don't worry, Kain. Henry is just a testy person. He sighs, dipping his head.]

It will not take you long to learn all that we know.

How encouraging.

[Sigh. Right out of one war and straight into... another? Well, it certainly seems that way. Kain doesn't know what to make of it, the whole thing is... just... frustrating. At least he's used to this "getting pulled into some strange world where crazy gods are in charge" thing.]

But the more we all understand about this place, the better. The more likely someone will arrive at a solution to our situation.

[Who knows? They'd found a loophole in the gods' war, so this might have something too. Eventually.]

We try. But our progress is slow. You should be prepared for that.

[Impatience won't do him any favours. One of the more difficult things to contend with in Hadriel is ennui. The lack of change.]

To keep oneself impelled is a fight the longer one is here. I hope that you will not fail.

What's hindering that progress? The gods, I'd assume?

[Other gods had kept himself and the others locked in endless battles, after all... so it isn't really hard to believe that they'd have the power to hold people in a place like this. Less complicated than the cycles of the gods' war, actually.]

I don't intend to ever become complacent. [There's a stern determination in his tone. Kain isn't one to sit back as the world goes mad around him. No. Never. Though the fact that this is something they have to face is... a bit troubling. He'll push it away though, and focus on what must be done.] I won't fail, I promise you that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Intro Log: HOLY F^K THAT'S A F&KI%G DRAGON

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