hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Eat Your Veggies

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for January
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: January 10th-16th
Warnings: Luscious greenery and confused newbies

As has become tradition within the good (well, okay) city of Hadriel, new arrivals will awake on the floor of the half-destroyed colosseum. Confused and disoriented, you may be wondering where you are and what you're doing there. Don't worry! Someone will probably tell you sooner or later, as long as you get out of the colosseum alive.

Oh, right. About that. Along with the poor, innocent, vulnerable new arrivals are a number of other new friends! Well, maybe less 'friends' than 'horrifying monsters', but are you really going to be picky? Wandering the arena are Shambling Mounds. These creatures are large, unattractive piles of vaguely humanoid-shaped vegetation. They hit hard, they can take a lot of damage, and if you're really unlucky they might manage to engulf you with their weird plant bodies. If that happens, you'd better try to get free fast - otherwise they'll just walk off with you stuck inside and kill you later at their leisure.

The Door appears to have cast a wide net for 'plant monsters', and while Shambling Mounds are the only ones that can actually hurt you, it's managed to pull in a number of smaller, less dangerous carnivorous plants. Some of them are even kind of cute! So if you were looking for a pet venus flytrap or a new pitcher plant, you're in luck. Scattered around the colosseum are carnivorous potted plants, just waiting to find a new home.

Make a new plant friend, or get eaten by one, or run screaming! Whatever you choose to do, once you find your way out of the colosseum there's plenty of other distractions. Feel free to go 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 January 10th-16th.
► 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

[Going to the colosseum during the beginning of the month is hard. It's not due to the influx of monsters; or perhaps, it is. It's knowing that some of the people around you can't be help, would refuse to be helped, and that you, as a singular individual, can't really help much at all. Their stature as a ten year old hardly helps matters.

Some people are a little better at helping than they are.

The barrier of light attracts their eye the same way it does many; entrancing, enthralling-- foreboding. Like the stuff of fairytales, the stuff of- legends. A long, long time ago, humans and monsters--

Haha. But that's a story for another time. The man who did it all (had to have, with glowing eyes and an initially fierce stature, almost fit for a king) can't keep it up forever, and that's where they can help. That's where they can do something.]

Excuse me.

[Very polite, very courteous. Mostly just a little warning; a way to let him know that they're there, approaching, prior to overstepping the boundaries of personal space, and hunkering down with him. They apologize internally for it, collecting up an arm, ducking their head beneath to let it settle over their shoulders. And then they stand, try to stand, to help him get out of the way.

No place to sit and rest here, sir. No time.]

[The lull of sleep nearly claims Regis until he feels something tugging at his arm. He snaps out of his daze quickly and nearly gasps once he sees what's pulling at him. It's not a fiend like he thought it to be but rather a child instead. Utterly confused as of how this child managed to reach his side amongst this chaos, Regis smiles somewhat in understanding and nods.]

You are excused, dear one.

[He says gently in a hoarse whisper. Using that much magic a moment ago weakened him severally. Regis honestly should've just fled but he couldn't stomach the carnage. Someone needed to protect the masses here. Someone.]

Will these beasts follow? [The king asks as he forces himself to rise.] If so, many more will be in jeopardy soon.

[His concern for others is commendable but they need to move! Those monsters are marching towards them.]

[From the mouth of children, true wisdom comes.

Or in this case, in the thick of battle, children do better than expected. At the least, Frisk seems distinctly unruffled, taking on the task of giving Regis something to lean on, glancing back at the telling creak of vines.

Another thing they're more familiar with than they'd care to be.]

We'll be okay.

[Said with confidence- not entirely a lie. They will be okay; a bright thread of red in their chest is determined to ensure his safety-- as for everyone else?

There's a lot of fighters, here.]

This way, please.

[Towards the exit, and the city. Cover from the less welcome of Hadriel's new guests.]

[The little child's confidence almost stuns him to silence. Just how can someone so young possess such otherworldly confidence? It's as if the child fears nothing, absolutely nothing. Humbled by the sheer determination of this youth, Regis adopts more of a placid expression. Perhaps they'll be fine in the long run but he's still greatly worried about his son.

Somewhere in this cruel and brutal setting, Noctis is out there struggling in the same manner. This worries Regis greatly since Noct is without his weaponry here. All his son possesses is the Ring of Lucii to protect him. The dark magic of that enchanted ring will threaten to consume him if Noctis isn't careful. Regis knows this from experience as the former wielder.]

I-I thank you, little one.

[Regis' gratitude comes with a faint smile but it doesn't last. He limps alongside with the child as he's escorted out of the coliseum. It's then that he glances down at the child and finally asks the question plaguing his mind.]

How is it that we are here, child? What evils brought us?

[Seems like they said the right thing. And that, more than anything, is a bolster to that quiet confidence; the sense that someone believes in them isn't one that Frisk takes lightly. Careful to match his pace; more careful still, in taking a few glances behind them. Their pursuers are...well.

They're shambling. Any other month, and they wouldn't have been so lucky; for now, the pace they've taken is fine.]

You're welcome.

[A slight quirk at the edge of their mouth, gone by the time they look up at him, thinking over his queries.]

It's...

Gods brought us here, through the door. They're not bad, though- they just need help.

[They're quite fortunate not to be pursued by actual beasts. These shambling mounds of vines cannot match their pace even on a good day. That is quite fortunate or them both since Regis cannot run. He hasn't been able to run in years thanks to his bad leg.

A result of his pact with the Divine and the Crystal both.]

They need help? The Gods? [A grumpy sigh escapes him. He already dislikes the sound of this and he just arrived.] If these deities require aid, it would've been better to ask it rather than steal us.

On the contrary, the Divine are known for their hubris.

[They wouldn't know about a bad leg, or the Divine. Even the Crystal escapes them. What Frisk has to go on is the now, and they don't think he'd be able to run after using so much energy regardless.

He doesn't approve of how things are; no one seems to. And yet Frisk still offers a gentle counter, standing tall- despite the urge to do the opposite.]

I don't think they had a choice. They're trying, too.

Intro Log: Eat Your Veggies

The Arrival | gently leaps in here like a scoundrel

Why hello!

I apologize- you seem to have been adopted by Small Children

As if Regis would complain!

heck yeah!

/brings the children over for dinner

/casually becomes one with the furniture, never leaves