hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Welcome to the Snave (snake cave)

Entry tags:

Intro Log: Welcome to the Snave (snake cave)

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for March
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: March 10th-15th
Warnings: Snakes! Snakes! It's a snake!

Good morning, new arrivals! Or, well, it's probably morning. The sun is up, anyway. Okay - not the sun, but that ball of light at the top of the cave that functions as the sun, anyway. Whatever. The point is you've woken to find yourself on the floor of Hadriel's colosseum. You may be wondering where you are and what you're doing here, but what you should be wondering is how fast you need to run to get away from a three-headed snake.

You're not the only one who just woke up. Also to be found in the arena, angry and confused, are Runespoors - large three-headed snakes. Only one of the heads is venomous, but all of them are perfectly willing to take a bite out of you if you get too close - or if you annoy it. If you're lucky, an attacking Runespoor may distract itself via infighting between the three heads, giving you time to run. If not, well, let's just hope you can fight off all three heads at once!

But that's not the only thing you might find. Also scattered around the colosseum floor are what look like tasty snacks. Popsicles, cheese, even toast! Unfortunately, if you get hungry and take a bite, you will quickly discover that each and every one of these is actually soap. So that's great. Maybe the Door thinks everyone needs to shower more? You can also find a few that actually look like soap, and if you're really lucky, you might stumble across the rare and coveted 'pile of baby hands' soap.

With luck, you didn't get eaten by a snake or accidentally eat a piece of soap. 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 March 10th-15th.
► 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

[ Tonberries. Gladio hadn't quite had the misfortune of running into them personally before, but the stories are enough to make anyone wary. He wouldn't be much of a trainer for Noct if he let himself get too used to the relative peace of the cave, anyway. ]

Bout time something here could fight back.

[ It's weird enough running into something he actually recognizes from home, much less something so cute and... dangerous. Too bad the monsters aren't the only familiar thing Gladio's running into today. It's then that he notices Ardyn muttering to himself (I mean you were doing it too, Gladio, lbr) ]

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

[ Gladio summons his sword in the familiar flash of blue light, instantly on guard. He knows what you did, asshole. ]

The hell are you doing here, asshole?

[And out of the corner of his eye, Ardyn sees movement, followed by a voice he finds all too familiar. He shifts his weight to face the man proper, calling out through the dark of the cave. His voice echoes, the environment giving it an eerie, hollow sort of quality.]

Gladiolus. [Ardyn grins, and for some reason he doesn't look terribly shocked to see the man here. Why? It's difficult to say. Perhaps he's already been told of the man's presence, but who on earth would have done that?

Still, Ardyn opens his arms wide, a patronizing sort of gesture that feigns surprise. The sword doesn't appear to bother him terribly.] The place is just filled to the brim of touching reunions, isn't it? I'm practically drowning in sentimentality as we speak.

[This is, obviously, not true at all. And Ardyn has lost all interest in the tonberry, which is fine for now; the things were slow and waddling. They have time for an exchange or two before really needing to worry about it.]

I'm here for the same reason as you, I assume. I was brought here against my will. What inconvenience.

Yeah, I'm real touched to see you too, niff.

[ He practically spits out the words, grip tightening on his sword. Gladio has a million more words for Ardyn Izunia and they are all awful, violent curses. He keeps them to himself for now, glaring from a safe distance and stepping to the side in hopes of perhaps circling the Chancellor. Of course, nothing ever works against Mr. Hobo Couture, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it? ]

These gods got a real shit sense of humor if they brought you here.

[ Which, arguably, Gladio already suspected, considering the number of dead companions he has living in his home. It'd be nice if he could just tell Ardyn to fuck off, but given the fact there are actually still tonberries walking around, a loud fight and an inevitable escape might not be so wise.

That's never stopped him before, though. Gladio's just the kind of guy to poke the lion in his cage, so naturally he swings his sword forward, pointing its monstrously large edge directly at Ardyn. ]

Stay the hell away from Noct.

[He's more than willing to let you circle him, Gladio, like something akin to a savage animal. It's ironic, because he feels as if it would be more proper to reverse those proverbial roles -- after all, despite that gigantic sword the man is keen on weidling, Ardyn barely looks bothered. He merely shifts his weight from one foot to the other, even in the face of the blade pointed in his direction.]

If you think being tossed to and fro at the whim of these so-called gods is of any pleasure of mine, you're sorely mistaken. After all, if I had my druthers, I'd most certainly rather be in Eos.

[The implication is that he's unfinished business to attend to, when the opposite is true. His death had been absolute, and now? Here he is, forced to entertain the notion of toting around this physical body once more, stuck in a world that he has little to no interest in.

But he'll certainly not say that much.]

And if I don't? What will you do? Noctis is as much of an interest to me as he is to you.

[There's that annoying grin of his, again.]

[ Truly if Gladio had even a clue about how wildly out of his league he was here, he wouldn't be grandstanding quite so hard. He's only heard about how Ardyn killed Luna, how he tricked Noct and kidnapped Prompto... it's a lot of crazy shit, to be sure. ]

No shit. Guess you're no stranger to getting fucked around by a bunch of gods, huh?

[ Yeah, Gladio went there. He heard you didn't like that, but he scowls nonetheless, keeping his sword exactly where it is. ]

My interest in Noct couldn't be farther from yours. My job is to keep him alive so he can kick your ass.

[The funny thing? Ardyn knows about even more Crazy Shit than he's inclined to share with any of those from his world. (He'll hint at it forever, of course, because he's utterly frustrating like that.)

The comment about the gods seems to have some sort of very faint reaction, though maybe it can't be seen quite from where Gladio is standing. Still, it's there: the way a brow twitches, the way he exhales in something that might be considered a scoff.]

The same could be said for the lot of you.

[He means it in the most baffling, generalized terms -- that in the end, isn't your precious Noctis just another tool to fulfill the Prophecy? Being the playthings of the gods is more universal than Gladio may believe.

Again, something he keeps to himself.]

And what of yourself? When your attention is split between a Chancellor and a slowly approaching tonberry? [Because, yes, it's still getting closer, its knife gleaming.] Strike at one, the other may stab you in the back.

[ Score one very tiny win for team Gladio, go figure. He's sadly not the most observant though, so for all that he might have landed a verbal hit, it goes unnoticed. His frustration with Ardyn only grows.

He eyes the tonberry, but he's honestly more suspicious of Ardyn at this point. Maybe if he strikes wide enough he'll hit both? It seems a fair gamble, though he takes a step back regardless. He's not looking to get stabbed by either of these monsters. Gladio scoffs. ]

Least the tonberry'll have a go at me face-to-face. You're crazy if you think I'd ever show my back to you.

[And when Gladio steps back, what does Ardyn do? Well, he opts to be smug and utterly frustrating, of course. The man steps forward with a single large stride, non-verbally proclaiming how much he just isn't bothered by the man's bravado.

That isn't to say that if Gladiolus struck at him, that it wouldn't hurt. It most certainly would (he's had the misfortunate of experiencing it once), but pain was an old friend of his, and potentially seeing the man squirm would be worth it.]

And what have I done to deserve your ire, hm? [The question itself may as well be the most laughable thing Gladio's heard, but Ardyn continues regardless.] Tell me, Gladiolus, what's the last thing you remember from Eos?

[ Much as Gladio might like to think of himself as the stoic of the group, we all know that's Ignis' thing more his. Gladio manages to keep a stern scowl, but the way he eyes Ardyn speaks of a fair deal of caution. Really, at least the Tonberries move slow. ]

I don't gotta tell you shit.

[ He's not quite pissed enough to get all loose-lipped, not yet. He just keeps scowling, tightening his grip on his sword further. ]

You know what you did, asshole. To Noct and to Prompto.

[ Sure, Gladio's only heard about that part, but the damage is clear enough. ]

[Gladio might not be inclined to answer Ardyn's questions, but he does reveal something, at least, from his answer. Enough for the man to sort a ghost of a timeline in his head -- that is, assuming Gladio isn't telling him this based off of second-hand information alone.]

Oh, that? I'm doing nothing more than what I had always been doing, ever since the day I met all of you at Galdin Quay.

[He makes a gesture with his hand, as if to indicate:] Moving you all along towards your destination, a gentle guiding hand. That hasn't changed. Though perhaps it's been less gentle as time has passed, I'll admit to that much. But to be fair, that's more from necessity than cruelty.

[That's a lie. It's both.]

[ It's definitely second-hand information, but he won't be telling you that, Ardyn. Unless it slips out. I mean that shit happens. ]

You mean toying with us for shits and giggles? Yeah, if you think you're doing us a favor, you're nuttier than you look.

[ Gladio, you're not exactly listening. Of course, his glare remains stern. Even if this is definitely not a conversation to have around Tonberries... ]

You can stop "helping" now that you're stuck here like the rest of us. Nothing you do is gonna get us out of here sooner.

[This is totally a conversation to have around tonberries, what are you talking about? Then again, maybe Ardyn has less of a reason to worry about them than Gladio does.

(One of the tonberries which is, by the way, getting uncomfortably close right about now.)]

And what do you know of what I'm capable of, Gladiolus? [He huffs out a sound of amusement at that.] Well, I may not be able to pull people to and fro, like the "gods" here, but I'm malleable when it's required of me. Don't tell me you've resigned yourself to living in Hadriel forever?

[ Yeeeah, Gladio's just gonna have to take the hit to his ego and take a few steps back. Away from the tonberries, but also away from Ardyn. Hard to project that macho aura when you're shrinking away, isn't it?

He's still gonna try, of course. ]

Hell no, I'm getting out of here. Same as Noct and Prompto. [ How they're getting out is an entirely different question. One Gladio definitely doesn't have the answer to, but shhh. ] But if getting out of here means working with you, you can keep dreaming. I know you're stuck here, same as the rest of us.

[Ardyn will wait until the very last minute before he steps away from the tonberry himself, just for the sake of dramatics. As much as the blasted thing couldn't kill him no matter how hard it tried, he still didn't particularly want to be stabbed with a kitchen knife in front of Gladio.

And so he moves closer to the man, seemingly for theatrical purposes, when half of it is necessity.]

What if the only way to leave required for us to work together? [He lets out a quiet laugh at that, which seems to reverberate around them. What a laughable, novel sort of idea.] Even then, you'd be so stubborn?

[ There's just something about Ardyn that's distinctly annoying to Gladio. From the way he moves to the way he talks, even watching him step out of a Tonberry's way makes Gladio want to grind his teeth together. ]

Then we'd find another way.

[ He says the words almost like a growl. Stubbornness, after all, is one of Gladio's strongest features. ]

If only it were so convenient for you, Gladiolus. [It's as if Ardyn himself were born to be frustrating, in how utterly patronizing he sounds.] But by all means, you're welcome to try.

[But like hell if you guys are going home without him >:[ ]

In the meantime-

[And here comes the tonberry, "rushing" (read: waddling quickly) forward, knife gleaming, targeting Gladio -- because of course it is.]

-you've other things to worry about.

[ Oh, Gladio is sure Ardyn was born to be a thorn in his side, there's no doubt about that. ]

Yeah, just watch me, asshole--

[ Ah yes, of course the moment Gladio turns toward Ardyn, fully, a knife-wielding evil green lalafell comes at him. ]

Shit! [ Okay, now's a good time to pull up his shield and try to dodge. Gladio's not the best at that, but at least his shield seems to be holding. For now. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Intro Log: Welcome to the Snave (snake cave)

caves

no subject

no subject

cries about hobo couture.......will never escape it even in this game

it's your legacy now, u can't hide from me

i can and i will

u can tryyy

>:|

:D

no subject

no subject

uwoahh sorry for the wait on this ;;

no worries! I've been super busy this month too

rip us

ok last week was trip + wondercon hell but I should be back now...

ain't no thang! also laughing as they both quietly inch away from the tonberry

they know who the real boss in ffxv is