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

[trainspotter]

Lucky for me, I've already got a gun. [But limited bullets... In a moment the spear will be back where it should be, good job everyone.] Thanks for that.

[Now then, to address the whole body thing, Ned looks thoughtful for a moment as if wondering if he should really ask... Well, what the hell. He raises an eyebrow.] How do you get a body permanently dead?

[foundafamily]

Maybe that's not the right way to put it... Just somebody who won't come back to life right away.

[Even Firo realizes that that might require more explanation. He scratches his head as he continues.]

Everybody comes back eventually here, but some people do it faster than others.

I think most people just kill monsters for her, so try that.

[Not murdering people is usually good. He's doing his part by offering that advice, right?]

[trainspotter]

Yeah, I've heard. [He's busying himself inspecting the next row of... swords, he supposes. He can't use a sword either, but they're here. Maybe Jacob needs like 8 more blades on him at all times??

He does look over at the mention of monsters, though, like there's nothing he'd rather do less than that.] Can I hire someone to take on a giant snake for me? That a business around here?

[foundafamily]

[Firo just elects to watch the guy surveying the weapons. He's curious about who uses what around here--it seems like valuable information whether you wind up fighting against them or alongside them.

The question gets an amused snort.]

I don't know of anybody offering... But what's it worth to you?

[trainspotter]

[Can he even lift a sword... He'll try, while he hums and thinks about the question. As long as none of these supposed gods try to rope him into doing something besides handing over a body of some kind...]

Plenty, depending on the results. [Giving up on the sword for now, ugh,] Nobody's offering at all? Uh huh, so what do you all do around here?

[foundafamily]

Honestly? Not a lot. But every so often the "gods" decide to start screwing with us, so sometimes the boredom's a good thing.

[Hm. Firo notes the trouble he seems to be having with the sword. He has to wonder if the guy's trying to hustle him with that show, but maybe it's genuine.]

...Doesn't mean that somebody won't take you up on your snake thing if it's worth his time.

[Hint hint. Firo's not sure what this guy could have on hand as a reward, but he is very curious. You never know.]

[trainspotter]

Boredom's practically a sin. [In the Church of Ned, it is. He sticks the business end of the sword right into the floor, so he has something to lean on and consider this guy. Hmm...]

Does that mean you're offering? Talk to me, then— [He waves a hand, like, go on.] How do you stack up against giant snakes?

[foundafamily]

I'm pretty good with a knife, if I say so myself. I've been here for ages, so I know my way around the monsters.

[Sort of. And what applies to one rarely applies to all of them, but he's not going to say that in his pitch.]

Is this a specific giant snake? Or in general?

[trainspotter]

Generally speaking. I'm not out of bullets yet, and I've got no business roughing up snakes for a while.

[So, Knife Kid, that's a certified maybe.] Of course, unless you want the couple quid I've got on me, this deal will have to wait 'til I've got something better on hand anyway.

[foundafamily]

Quid?

[Sounds weird. No, he's pretty sure he doesn't want that.]

Something better like what? I think we're pretty much stuck with what the gods can make and what people bring in. And from what I've heard, getting anything from the gods costs an arm and a leg.

[trainspotter]

Pounds, [he offers helpfully, first. He's only thoroughly American to the English anymore, it seems.

But anyway,] Then leave the arm and a leg to someone else. I'll admit, I've only been here for a day or two, but there are plenty of possibilities.

[Or, cheating, but robbing gods hasn't occurred to him in a serious context yet.]

[foundafamily]

Oh yeah?

[Firo scratches his head. He has to admit that he doesn't tend to view a creepy cave in the middle of nowhere as a treasure trove of possibilities--but stuff like this is why he's not a thinker.]

Honestly, I didn't think there was much here for people who wouldn't fight monsters.

[trainspotter]

Then you aren't thinking hard enough. [Maybe not a treasure trove, but he's thought of a whole... maybe two things. It's a start.

He winks, as if he has thought of way more than two things.]

Wait and see— maybe I'll have something interesting for people who go after giant snakes soon enough.

[foundafamily]

I try not to.

[Firo grins back, one eyebrow raised. This guy seems interesting, at least, and Firo's curious what he'll come up with.]

I'm not killing any snakes until you've got something for sure, okay? But when you do, let me know.

[trainspotter]

Sure thing. Name's Ned. [He shuffles half a step forward, holding out his hand to shake.]

If you get a hankering for fighting snakes, look me up. And if I'm not around, look up Jacob Frye and he'll know where to find me.

[foundafamily]

Firo Prochainezo.

[He gives Ned's hand a firm, if a little eagerly rough, shake.]

Will do. You'd better get your hands on something good soon.

[trainspotter]

[Eager is always a good sign. Ned's definitely interested in that name, since things just got a lot more New York neighborhood in this conversation.]

I knew I was right to peg you for a New Yorker. Accent's a little off, but what isn't off around here, huh? [He himself doesn't sound like anything less than "wandered out of the Upper East Side a decade ago," but details.] How's the city doing these days?

[Whichever days those are, it doesn't really matter.]

[foundafamily]

Yeah?

[And Firo perks up now, leaning forward a bit. This guy doesn't exactly sound like somebody from Hell's Kitchen or Little Italy, but you can't be picky in a place like this. Some connection to home is enough.]

It's doing good--it's the same as always. It was 1934 when I left--what about you?

[trainspotter]

[jesus fucking christ 1934

That should surprise him more than it does, but he's already losing valuable energy being surprised by things here, so...]

'68—1868, but it was the 50s when I hitched a ride across the pond. Guess there's no point in asking after my old haunts.

[foundafamily]

[1868? Firo's eyes go wide as he briefly debates counting out how many years ago that was. Too many.]

Sorry, no. I don't think I even had family in the country back then. My bosses only came over a few decades ago.

You went back to Europe? Most people're going the other way.

[trainspotter]

[Bosses, that accent, that name—the influx of Italians had only just begun when Ned literally walked out of the country, but at least he knows Little Italy existed.]

Well, I'd never been there before and I wanted to see London. I'm pretty keen on Europe, all things considered. [....and alright,] And I'm wanted in a couple high-profile areas in New York.

[foundafamily]

Oh, yeah?

[Now he's very interested; he grins. Maybe he can get an answer if he offers up something of his own.]

What's your racket? I manage a casino back home.

[If he's wanted, maybe he's a bank robber? They've had a lot of press in Firo's day, though he doesn't know about the 1800s. It wouldn't have been bootlegging, Firo doesn't think--too long ago for that.]

[trainspotter]

[Ooh, a casino. He's impressed; the kid looks young, but then, so does he... Either way: nice.]

Sticky fingers. Back in New York it was jewels, until a good friend of mine had an opportunity in London. The timing was right, and now we run much humbler jobs. [Maybe talking about his criminal empire is unwise, but 1934 is a long time... ahead—and no one seems to care, in this cave where the economy doesn't exist.

So it's probably fine.] But sometimes I can't resist a good piece of art.

[foundafamily]

I don't think I've met anybody who goes for the fancy stuff--jewels and art and all that.

[But still, Firo can easily imagine their conversation being one that you'd hear in Alveare--two guys talking about what they do for a dishonest living. It's nice to get back into it.]

So your friend's still your partner with all this stuff?

[trainspotter]

[Ned's just got here and already the aggressively straight and narrow attitude of so many people is so... stifling. He just wants to talk about real business. It's great.]

I just can't resist the fancy stuff. And my friend's skipped out of London, but we keep in touch. Frye, on the other hand—well, he'll show up for a good fight. You know the type.