INTRO LOG: A TAXING JOURNEY

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for December. Watch your step!
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: December 10th-17th
Warnings: Taxxon-related violence, teeth shoes, general unpleasantness, mass confusion.

You wake up in the dust of the colosseum with no shoes on, regardless of the state of your feet when you arrived. There's dust covering your clothing and in your hair, but other than that, there's no signs of injury or bruising. You're also not alone- nearby, there are others, either still passed out or just waking up like you are. Feel free to take solace in that fact. Or don't- some of you aren't human, and are clearly not great people either. No offense.

To your left, there is a door in the wall of the arena, supposedly leading to the halls which will then show you to your freedom. To your right, and scattered haphazardly on the ground, are a myriad of teeth shoes. These shoes might be better than going barefoot right now, but good luck finding a matching set, let alone one that fits you.

When you do eventually try to escape, be careful. The halls are crawling with Taxxons. Large and grotesque, these caterpillar-like creatures have circular mouths and multiple rows of sharp teeth. Their sense of smell is impeccable, and they will stop at nothing to feed when they scent blood. So, you know, try to avoid stepping on anything sharp on your way out.

All done with the horrible monsters and awkward greetings? Try your hand at exploring the rest of the city! Find a house, find a new monster, or simply scavenge for supplies until your little heart is content. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers December 10th-17th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well!
► Characters may find their own shoes scattered around with the teeth shoes if you like.
► All characters now arrive with phones that have network communication.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Comments

[pighead]

He lets himself be pulled, but mostly because this guy's pretty strong and Josh doesn't really want to get into a slapfight with a stranger.

"There's no way that thing's real. It's pretty good, though."

He might not even be able to make something that realistic, and Josh is pretty good himself. It moves again, skittering towards them, and Josh watches the way its legs work. Without the scent of blood, it disregards them - but Josh has no way of knowing that. Of course, he barely thinks any of this is real.

"This has gotta be one of those hidden camera shows."

[amos_moses]

"Saint Jude bless you fool, it's real an' it's hungry an' I ain't stupid enough to stick around an' get et."

Amos lets go of Josh's arm and grimaces at how the giant centipede is following them, at the click of the carapace echoing in the cavern, the musty scent of the thing, the way its mandibles click together. He can hear/feel/taste its hunger, and it's not a pleasant thing to stand so close to a large carnivore that ravenous and knowing you are prey.

"Move or die when the monsters come hunting, child."

That's the last bit of Advice Amos will give, hurrying around the next corner. He's in fear for his own flesh, and he's not self-sacrificing enough to try to pull Josh with him all the way.

[pighead]

Well, the stranger's sort of melodramatic, but - Josh figures, in the end, better safe than sorry. He's sure it can't be real, he's sure he could make something similar at home if he had enough time and money, but just on the tiniest off chance that it is, he follows Amos.

Anyway, he hasn't met many people here who are helpful. Most of them have been just as confused as him, and while this guy doesn't seem particularly enlightened, he's at least got a goal. Even if that goal is just 'get away from the possible monster'. That's fair goal.

Josh looks back at the thing, interested and repelled in equal measure.

"You can't really believe that thing's real."

But he's moving away from it anyway, just in case.

[amos_moses]

Amos glances back briefly at Josh, dark eyes assessing. "You don't have to believe for it to be real." He knows that very, very well. "I've met more impossible creatures 'n that one who've tried to eat me. I don't like being eaten."

Granted, he's only ever actually been nibbled on, when it comes right down to it, and flesh can grow back. But still.

He pauses briefly at an intersection, tips his head one way then the other, then takes the right-hand turning. He has no idea what these tunnels actually map out to look like, but he's mostly navigating by 'avoiding hungry things.' He'll eventually find a way out, he supposes.

[pighead]

Needless to say, Josh doesn't know the way out either. He also doesn't think this guy knows much more than he does - but he's pretty lost, and there aren't too many options. Especially if the monster is real. Which it isn't, but still.

He follows Amos. If nothing else, maybe they can work together to get out.

"Do you know anything about... all of this?"

He waves his hand around, indicating the monster, the arena, the world in general.

[amos_moses]

"Haven't the faintest, darling, just woke up like you did," Amos answers, calmly. It's not a day too out of the ordinary, but it's not his favorite kind of day. It's hard to improve a day when you wake up in a strange place with no idea how you got there.

Except, of course, for staying alive and not eaten, that improves any day.

[pighead]

The over-familiarity and term of endearment don't particularly bother Josh, though he doesn't really acknowledge them either, too caught up in his own thoughts and questionable perceptions. So it's a mystery to both of them, and it might still be a trick, or a withdrawal hallucination, or something. Whatever.

No point in worrying about it. Josh has plenty of other things to worry about.

"Great. Well, I hope whoever arranged this is filming it all. I bet we're prime material."

[amos_moses]

"I'm sure somewhere, something is havin' a laugh 'bout this."

As this all reeks of magic to start with, Amos is fairly certain it's some kind of setup. He's decided already it isn't personal, based on the number of people he'd woken up with. Besides, personal kidnappings tend to be a lot more painful. This? Seems more like some fae's hunting idea or a demon's games of survival. But of course it could be regular humans, some kind of cult or secret society...

But first is not getting eaten.

"Got a name, chief?"

[pighead]

"Josh." He introduces himself easily, with a smile, clearly not particularly worried about anyone knowing who he is. Why would he be? He's not really anybody of note, and a good portion of him is still convinced this is some prank or reality show or something.

"How about you, bro? Got something I can call you?"

Might as well know the name of the guy who thinks monsters are real. Josh has nothing against making a few crazy friends. Might be nice not being the crazy friend for awhile.

[amos_moses]

"Amos."

Amos stops and looks first down one corridor, then down the other. The passage splits but he needs a moment to focus and figure out which "sounds" less occupied. Insect-minds are hard to catch without concentration, even amplified like these are. He's never been good with insects: he even has more luck with fish, honestly.

After a long listening moment, he nods. "This way."

[pighead]

He has no idea what Amos might be listening for. Josh can't hear anything in particular, but it sure seems like this guy is focusing on something. He's distracted, as well, but for completely different reasons. He's looking at the wall, thinking how vastly different it looks than the basement of the lodge or - anywhere else.

It could be a set. It could be something else completely. It could be a hallucination, maybe, but then would he even be able to think that?

He pushes it aside for now, follows Amos.

"Hope you know where you're going, cause I have no idea."

[amos_moses]

"Not the faintest idea, really. Just where the monsters are not." Which, with Amos's talent, doesn't exactly mean it'll be wholly monster-free; he can't sense demons, or capricious gods, or the fae-kind (elves, weres, vampires, and the like). Just somewhere animal-like monsters are not.

He stops, abruptly, tipping his head to listen very hard. A fight, a tangle, a crossing of paths? He can't tell for a moment, struggling to sort out the overlapping thoughts.

[pighead]

He goes quiet too, trying to listen. Of course, he hears nothing. Josh has no special powers at all, and doesn't even believe in that sort of thing - or he didn't, at least. Maybe he's got to rethink some stuff. But not right now.

"You think more of those things are around?"

He could just as equally ask 'you really think those things are real?', but he doesn't. No point in asking again.

[amos_moses]

"I happen to know there's more around, an' they're all looking for lunch, an' I'd just as rather it not be me."

His tone is a little vague as he concentrates. A...fight, a feeding frenzy, something of that nature, and Amos moves to go the other way: he doesn't want to get caught in that, mentally or physically. He wishes he were better at insects, or could find some bats or moths to help him work out the tunnel's layout.

"Guess you ain't met too many monsters."

[pighead]

"I'd put the number at zero, buddy. No such thing as monsters where I'm from."

Or so Josh believes, anyway. He's seen plenty of fake ones - movie monsters, props, CGI - but the real thing? Nah. He's sort of starting to believe that the ones here might be real, but he's still pretty on the borderline there.

"You've met a lot?"

[amos_moses]

"A few here 'n there. Happens when you travel a lot." And travel to the often-unsavory places Amos travels to, because organized crime doesn't always end up in the clean tidy white-collar spaces of the world.

And monsters and demons tend to thrive on overall chaos.

He comes to a dead halt at a crossways path, a three-way divide. He tips his head one way, then the other, concentrating hard.

[pighead]

"Sure. I guess that's all it takes." Josh doesn't quite scoff, but there's a certain amount of sarcasm in his voice. Then again, if they're from very different places, who's to say it's impossible? Or maybe the guy is just off his meds. Whatever, he seems to know what he's doing.

"Are there more of those things around?"

[amos_moses]

"Unfortunately for us, too damn many."

Amos at last turns to the left: it feels less dangerous this way, but with so many all around them it's not a guarantee. Monsters don't happily stay still to be avoided: they move, they prowl, and they hunt. Amos is feeling very hunted right now. It's not his favorite feeling in the world.

He'd currently give a lot for Kat to be behind him, instead of this naive kid. Amos would take the bitching and demeaning insults gladly for the protection of Kat's supernatural ride-along: a nekomata of great power. Very little would voluntarily hunt Kat, and equally little would win a fight with him.

[pighead]

Josh looks down the other way, but doesn't see anything. Still, he's trusted the guy this far, and he definitely doesn't know the way out, so he follows without saying anything else. Might as well get lost with someone instead of getting lost alone, right?

"There's gotta be an exit around here someplace. We've been walking around for plenty long."

[amos_moses]

"Don't know if there's an exit or not, but there's somewhere up ahead that don't have monsters in it," Amos informs Josh, as he walks, steadily. "S'what I'm aiming for. Dunno if it's out or not, but you're welcome to hunt on your own if you like."

Because Amos's guesses were not sure, by any means, and he had only the vaguest idea of the direction he needed to go. Fortunately, it was difficult to disorient him or get him lost, and he'd always had a knack for finding the compass points without prompting, even as a small child. He wasn't going to go in too many circles before finding his way out.

[pighead]

"Nah, better to stick together. That way if the monsters try to eat us, I can push you at them and run."

He grins, showing that he doesn't mean it, except of course he sort of does. If there are real monsters, and if they come to attack, Josh will probably - well, really, just run or get eaten, he's not sure he quite has it in him to sacrifice someone else. But he's not sure that he doesn't, either. This all might not be real at all, so what would it matter, then?

[amos_moses]

"That's assuming you can outrun me," Amos counters, just as cheerfully. "I'm pretty quick."

Well, he's fast enough when it comes to reflexes and dodging. But as for running? Well, Josh's legs are certainly longer than his: Josh could probably outdistance him easily. Amos knows his limitations: it's very rare he's the faster, stronger, or more powerful person. He's used to it, though.

"Good survival tactic though."

[pighead]

"I've got a few good ideas in me here and there."

Far more awful ideas than good ones, but from Josh's perspective they're all good. Other people might disagree.

"That way, you said? Let's check it out and see if it's our exit."

And Josh ambles off, not really keeping an eye out for monsters, because monsters aren't real.

[amos_moses]

Amos takes back what he said about survival tactics. Maybe Josh is trusting that Amos won't lead him astray, but that casual pace screams more 'oblivious to my imminent death' than it does 'trust you haven't screwed up.' He rolls his eyes but follows. If Josh wants to take the lead, by all means, Amos will let him.

Always nice to have someone go first and clear the spiderwebs...or the ambushes.

Plus having someone to follow makes it easier to walk and concentrate on listening.

"Go straight, if we can."

[pighead]

"Sure."

He's looking around a little, but more out of curiosity than wariness. Some part of him really wants to believe this is a movie set or something, and that's surprisingly easy to do when his relationship with reality was already a little fractured. It's less choosing to be oblivious and more, well - Josh and perfect mental stability have never been more than nodding acquaintances.

He goes straight when the hallway splits.

"Hey, we're doing okay."