Intro Log: Welcome to the Snave (snake cave)

[hadrielmods]

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!

Comments

[dylinquent]

( Only in as much as anyone can frighten someone by popping out of the storeroom of the store. She takes him in with a wary glance, one that speaks to her newbie status as much as the fact she's asking those questions in the first place. )

Not... really. ( She steps a little closer, head tilting heavy to one side, eyes on the blood before she closes a few more steps. ) Let me help you. ( It's blurted out before Dylan notices that the blood really doesn't seem to be connected to anything, that it's just splatter- )

Oh. That's. Um, that's not yours, huh?

( Well done, Dylan. )

[manofmettle]

[Yeap. Newbie written all over her face. Danse nods at her, trying his best to appear less tired than he actually is.

God, he's out of shape.]

Your observation is accurate, but your offer to help and you concern is appreciated. I took down one of those snake monsters a few blocks away from here; the blood stain came from it.

[With that explanation out of the way, it's time to get back to the more important matter.]

My name is Danse. I've only been in this city for a month, so I might not be the best person to answer all your questions, but I'll do the best I can to answer as many of them as possible.

We need to vacate to a safer location first. These streets are still unsafe. I'll escort you to the city guard's headquarters; the guards will be able to provide adequate protection until they've cleared out enough of those snake abominations.

[dylinquent]

Wait, they-

( oh. He's still talking. She'll quiet down, bite her tongue on the shriek of they got out?! that naturally wants to force its way through. Dylan pulls her arm back against herself, stops the dramatic gesture that was about to go along with it and grips her wrist in her hand. She can attempt to exercise patience while he talks, but it's clear from the way she rocks on the balls of her feet that her mind's going a million miles a minute, thinking up questions and remembering what she read in the newbie guide. )

A month - didn't the guide say people have been coming here for a year or so? Do people just turn up every month?

( That? All in one breath. We're sorry, she can ramble. And before Dylan even gives Danse a chance to answer those questions, she adds- )

Wait, there's a guard? Are you part of it?

( The newbie guide didn't mention that thanks, Mello. )

[manofmettle]

[It's obvious that she has burning questions of her own; if left unanswered, they might prove overly distracting. They can probably spend a few minutes on them. Tired out as hell and arm still smarting from the hit he took fighting that snake, Danse nevertheless waits patiently for her to air out some of her worries.]

To your first question, I believe that is the case. There isn't a day and night cycle in Hadriel but in general most people estimate that the Door opens on a monthly basis, bringing new prisoners and monsters to Hadriel. I don't know if the latter is an unfortunate side effect of dragging us here, or if the Door has some deliberate reason for doing so. [So at least 12 cycles of newbies coming in over the past year or so.

His body aches all over, his legs starting to feel extremely sore. But Danse maintains his posture anyway, although he needs a moment to refocus his thoughts on her second question.]

A city guard has been set up by some of our fellow prisoners in Hadriel. I don't know why the guide fails to mention their presence. They're self-appointed but very capable. Primary duties revolve on patrolling and protecting the streets and unarmed civilians, especially when the Door and the gods are up to their usual tricks. I'm not a member of the guard, but I guarantee that their leaders take the well-being of every abducted individual very seriously.

[dylinquent]

( Okay. That's interesting to note, but, ultimately, not the question that's pressing against her skull, the one that's been buzzing there since she began to accept this place as something more than a fevered dream, a result of weird drugs or something.

But that little question might just wait a bit longer. )

They're like a civilian army, then? ( Protecting people, patrolling the streets. It sounds more like people who want to deal with those snakes than it does a group of people trying to enforce laws.

Which is kinda good, because Dylan's never been that good at the whole following the letter of the law thing. )

[manofmettle]

[A nod.] That's correct. They will intervene if they observe any unnecessary violence between parties [he speaks from experience] but otherwise, their priority is the safety of the people trapped in this city.

[dylinquent]

( Dylan nods in understanding. ) Does that mean those snakes are a normal part of this place?

[manofmettle]

In the sense that monster arrivals are also a monthly affair. Unfortunately, those monsters are brought in through the Door along with the latest group of newcomers.

Outside the monthly arrivals, you will also need to keep an eye out for some of the gods here. Not all of them have had a hand in terrorising the inhabitants of Hadriel, but two of the gods, Rage and Fear, contaminated the meat in the city. Any person consuming the meat were mutated into a monster themselves. And Confusion has created living, breathing copies of people that caused great harm to the original individual and their close friends.

I'm afraid to say that danger is inherently part of living in Hadriel.

[dylinquent]

Are you kidding me? ( Her voice pitches up in equal parts fear and anger. In the time between her appearance at the Colosseum and finding this store, Dylan had felt her confusion dissipate, latched onto the possibility that her dad might be here. She'd find him-

And then Danse's words shattered her mindset, turned her thoughts on their head again. Her body tenses, jaw tightens. ) What happened to the people they hurt? They were okay, right? You guys have, like, a hospital or something, don't you?

( Oh, god. What if her dad is here? What if the gods have been playing with him, hurting him for their own gain? )

[manofmettle]

[And there's the indignation and panic that he had been expecting. To her credit, she had kept her cool when he stumbled in with bloody footsteps.

Darn it. His arm was starting to sting again. Doing his best to ignore the pain, Danse grips the handle of his sledgehammer hard, as if tensing his arm could stop the pain and bleeding.]

There's a clinic here. You can find a map of the city on your mobile phone, but for safety precautions I can escort you there.

[dylinquent]

( For safety precautions? Don't think she doesn't see that bleeding. )

Me? I'm - I'm fine. ( She is, really. ) What about you? ( It doesn't take much time or thought for Dylan to grab a nearby piece of cloth ) You're still bleeding! We've gotta get you there first.

[manofmettle]

This? [He looks at his arm. Yeeeaaahh that's definitely a dark crimson stain right there. Looks like the wound's reopened.

He'll still try to brush it off, of course.] It's not consequential. I've carried on with worse injuries. I'll manage until we reach the clinic.

[dylinquent]

( Yeah. Not buying it. She's known too many people trying to be Tough already. )

Right. ( RIIIGHT ) Stay still.

( She really needs to thank her family for teaching her how to tie a proper tourniquet, which is what she'll do if Danse doesn't move. )

[manofmettle]

[Difference between those people and Danse is that Danse is Really Tough and he doesn't need--

OK. A fierce twinge actually has him wincing. Maybe he actually needs it. And judging from how she's handling the wound, Danse can tell that she knows what she's doing. That stubborn tone in her voice also tells him that she's the type to insist on her way, or there'll be no way at all.

So with a resigned sigh, Danse stands still for her.] Alright. But after this, we head to the clinic immediately.

[dylinquent]

Definitely.

( There. Nice and tight. Now, let's go. ) So, are there many doctors at the clinic?

( Her pace is brisk, but the conversation is pretty light. He's not in that much danger, it seems, not like when Rayna fell through the glass table, doped up and having slashed an artery. )