hadriel_logs | Intro Log: A Stinging Letdown

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Intro Log: A Stinging Letdown

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for May
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: May 10th-16th
Warnings: Monsters. Newbies. Disappointment.

You awaken rather unceremoniously, finding yourself on the hard ground of a large arena, a stone ceiling stretching high above you. Welcome to Hadriel, newcomer, we hope you enjoy your stay in our lovely cave city. This may be a little more difficult to do than expected, considering the monsters.

Yes, it looks as though a few manticores arrived along with you - and they woke up before you, because that's just how your luck is going today. These creatures are large, about the size and shape of a lion, and not very attractive. In fact, they're a bit like a collection of spare parts - the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, the face of a human, and the tail of a scorpion. And that tail's not just for show. If their lion claws don't get you, that tail might shoot a poisonous spine that will paralyze you, leaving you defenseless and all ready to be eaten. Good times!

But wait! There's more! Starting to feel like you might need a stiff drink? Throughout the arena, you can also find a number of very interesting-looking bottles of liquor. Give one a try, if you dare - or if you just really need to drink your misery away. And that'll be your very first lesson in the disappointment of Hadriel - because though they taste the way they're supposed to, each and every one of these bottles of liquor has become non-alcoholic. Yikes.

Hopefully you can recover from that heart-crushing disappointment. 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 May 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

Duck!

[He won't show it, but Taako's immensely grateful for the fact that Magnus is here, and provided he heeds Taako's warning, Magnus can see three blasts of Scorching Ray flying over his head and targeting the manticore. All three hit, seeming to cause instantaneous burns as the manticore receeds. Taako seems pretty pleased with himself, about to address Magnus, until...]

Alright, I'm glad you've got your, uh, whole flesh suit thing happening, but why can I see your bare ass? If this is some sort of illusion prison, take note, this is not the ass I wanted if you wanted to keep me here quietly.

[Magnus ducks instantly, not even having to think about it. He's fought alongside Taako long enough now that it just comes as second nature to get into rhythm with him. The manticore, seeing that it's outnumbered and overpowered and newly crispy, hastily retreats.

Magnus, meanwhile, keeps himself covered as much as possible with nothing but a weird metal device to his name right now.]

I'm not part of your weird fantasy! I literally just woke up in the back of Fantasy Costco and before I could even put some pants on, I ended up here! Naked and confused! I'm very vulnerable in this moment, Taako.

[He rolls his eyes a little bit, still obviously not believing the situation as a whole at the moment. Also, trying to look everywhere but Magnus' entire naked everything.]

If you think this is a weird fantasy you are waaaay off base, my man. But what, you just fell out of the vat and into... whatever this is?

[He got a pretty decent perception roll, so he's at least aware of the people around him and that There's No Fucking Sun Anymore, which is a pretty good baseline for weird shit going on.]

Wait. Did you not get the sword??

[HE WANTED THAT BACK, MAGNUS]

You were the one suggesting it!

[But when Taako mentions the sword, Magnus freezes.]

Uh.

[Magnus moves his hands away from his junk to just sort of, like, pat himself around his hips and shoulders, looking for the sword. When he turns up nothing, he covers himself again.]

I promise, I was about to. I was getting attacked by some invisible... things, and I swear I was about to get the sword. I was like, two steps away from the crystal. Two entire steps. But I just kinda...

[He gestures his head at the surrounding area, to indicate the whole situation. He just showed up here, Taako. He didn't have any control over it, or he'd have come with his pants on.]

[God, okay, he can't even handle this right now. He can't believe the universe has answered his prayers to put an attractive naked man in front of him grouping himself and the world picked Magnus. Of course it did. This could only possibly be worse if it was Merle.

... Shit, they haven't found Merle yet. Okay. Wait. First thing's first, he reaches up and unclips his Cloak of the Manta Ray, foisting it out in front of him as he looks pointedly to the side.]

Okay, first, like, put this on, I don't care how, figure it out, if I have to see your naked dick one more time I'm gonna light myself on fire. Second, I can't believe whatever ridiculous shit brought you here naked also kidnapped you unarmed. Y'know, we've been through some, some dumb stuff in the last year, but this is by far, like, the dumbest. And also the one with the most fascination with seeing your bare ass, I guess.

[This is how he's coping with getting taken to a foreign cave. Also, still freaking out a bit after being stolen away from Merle and he might still be coming off of a thing he doesn't quite recognize as a panic attack. It's fine. Everything's fine.]

Listen, I had no control over this! I don't like my entire ass being out!

[As he says this, he drapes the cloak over his waist, somehow angling it so it covers his whole situation. And thank Pan for that, because the presence of his dick in this whole conversation was really coloring it in a, just a not very nice light. Just a bad light.]

I also! Think it's dumb! I'm the one who's surrounded by monsters and I don't even have a scrap of armor to my name! And I came here pre-bleeding! You know monsters are attracted to the scent of blood! They like it, it's a whole weird thing!

[He sounds angry, but arguing with Taako has a familiarity that is more calming his nerves than anything. It's normality in a situation that is decidedly abnormal. Not that abnormal for the two of them, but pretty abnormal.

Speaking of numbers, theirs is missing one.]

Wait, have you seen Merle? He was with you, wasn't he?

[Magnus looks around, expecting to see Merle at any moment. He's small, so he's easy to miss -- that's all that's happening, right? He just didn't notice him?]

Well, great to know you're not willingly naked, that makes it better.

[The sarcasm is palpable. But when Magnus mentions Merle, he immediately looks over, assuming he'll be right there.]

Yeah, he was right--

[And... he's not. He didn't even roll a terrible perception check, and he's spent so long with Merle at this point it's easy to find him in a crowd. He's not here.]

He was... right here. We walked in together, he was going to fly us out, I lost his hand when I went under, I, I don't, he was right here.

[This is getting worse by the second. They're minus a boy, Magnus is naked, and Taako's now the #1 combatant in this situation and that's not where he wants to be.]

Can't believe we lost a whole dwarf.

Oh no, you're not sharing the blame on this one, pal. Buddy. Friend. Okay, I'm saying these words and they're probably not having the effect I want because we are actually good buds and I care about you very much, but also, you just lost track of our other very good friend, and I'm feeling a lot of emotions right now. The main one being nudity.

[Okay, breathe Magnus. You're only completely naked and defenseless in a battle arena full of monsters and one of your best friends has gone missing and you just died like twice. Fuck, Kravitz is gonna be pissed, isn't he?

Magnus takes a deep breath, hand over his eyes as he tries to just. Gather his thoughts here. Inhale... Exhale. Inhale... Exhale.

Okay. Nailed step one. Let's just?? Figure this out??? He drags the hand down his face.]

I mean, it's not like he would've healed me anyway, right? Eh? Ehh? No? Okay.

[Jokes has officially left the building. Jokes is just really not up to it today. Jokes is home with an ice pack on their head and a thermometer in their mouth.]

One thing at a time. We'll have to look for Merle as we go, just in case he's just... gotten distracted by a potential convert or something. We definitely need to get me some clothes. We definitely need to get me something to fight with. The main thing right now is that a cloak around my waist is really not doing it. I mean, it's doing it, but it's really not doing it.

I'm not his keeper or something, jeez, I wasn't responsible when you got hoovered out of your body, how am, how am I supposed to be responsible now??

[He folds his arms, intent on showing how huffy he is, but Magnus is trying to push the situation back down and it's probably best he cooperate, lest he want to burn all his spells saving Magnus' entire ass.]

Yeah, I mean... yeah. I don't wanna be the one saving your bare ass for the rest of however the hell long we're here.

[He rolled a slightly better perception now, and looks around the Coliseum quickly, between the mass of people and monsters and... bottles, on the ground. Huh. Gonna make a note of that. He jams his thumb towards the doors.]

I'd say step one is not being here anymore before we get fuckin' jumped again.

Yeah, okay. Let's get outta here. I mean, I could punch a chimera or whatever, but it's not the easiest way to do things. C'mon.

[He starts leading the way, looking for the path of least resistance through the monsters. Which means he has to carve kind of a winding trail through the Colosseum. But they're well on their way to the front doors, at least.]

Can you make sure I don't get my dick bit off by one of these things?

[Taako nods, following close, stopping only a moment to shove a bottle into his bag when it doesn't have to break his stride.]

Yeah, yeah, I got it, no worries. I could, uh, put you in a weird hamster ball thing if you want. Or make you into stone for a few minutes or whatever.

[He's trying incredibly hard to concentrate on the arena, the other people, just anything that's gonna explain this.]

I can also just kill whatever snaps at you dick like I'm your bodyguard or something.

Oh! Oh! Do the stone thing! Then I can roll like a bowling ball and make a path!

[Yes, this is his real plan.]

[Damnit, Magnus, don't make him laugh, he's supposed to be, like, moody and annoyed right now.]

You do realize this doesn't like, just turn you into a boulder right? It's stoneskin? It just makes your skin all hard for a while.

[Taako's gonna let him do it, too. Because it's fantastic.]

Yeah, I can still somersault, obviously! Come on, do it, do it!

[He's 100% serious. He wants to make like a rock and roll.]

[He lets out an ugly snort. Damnit. Stop cheering him up. Stop making him smile you big fucking goof.]

Alright, stand still, here comes a pantsless Mr. Fantastic. I can't cast anything else while I'm holding this, so you're gonna have to be the wrecking ball.

[But regardless, he reaches out, touches Magnus' arm, and casts Stoneskin, turning Magnus all rocky.]

You've got an hour, buddy boy.

YEAHHH!!!

[And, with that battlecry, he instantly begins to somersault rapidly into as many cat demons as he possibly can. Except he rolled a 2, so he fucking misses and gets some surface wounds (thanks to the stoneskin) as the manticores get angry and try to group attack him.

Thankfully, this still has the effect of distracting pretty much all the manticores that are in Taako's way, as long as he's good with ignoring Magnus' frantic yelling, that has quickly gone from triumphant to horrified.]

[Taako watches, already grinning a bit from his enthusiasm, and just... breaks into full-on laughter as Magnus beefs it. He's leaning on the Umbra Staff, arm around his middle, just losing it.]

I told you I can't cast more shit when you're like that! You did this! To yourself!

[He's fine. He'll be fine. Probably? What's he gonna do, beat them off with his staff?? Honestly.]

Taakooooo! [he whines as he continually gets picked at by awful cat beasts. He tries to fight them off with barefoot kicks and bareknuckle punches, but he only really succeeds in making them angrier. He tackles one to the ground and instantly gets jumped by like three others.]

I thought I was being cool! I thought I was gonna really do it to 'em! I'm tappin' out, I'm tappin' out!

[Thanks to his training with Carey, he is able to start evading them and just starts running away, but they are 100% distracted by him over Taako so they just continue to follow him in wide circles.]

Nooooo!

[Taako is still laughing, like, full-tilt. Magnus isn't in total danger, he's got the stoneskin, he's fiiiine. And at this point he just looks like a cat toy. God, he's gonna go down.]

What do you want me to do?? Hit them with my umbrella? I might have a shortsword but like, two hits from those things and I will totally die.

[He tries to think about what would actually be a course of action, and right now, Taako Rushes Out, pointing to one of the exits and beginning to make a beeline for it. (He's still laughing, though.)]

C'mon! We're giving up! Let's go!

[TAAKO, MAGNUS CAN THINK OF SEVERAL THINGS YOU COULD DO. But, no, go ahead, laugh it up. Dip out. Be all Taako about it. The manticores aren't the speediest fliers, a little big for their britches, as it were, but they're still hot on Magnus' tail as he follows Taako's lead.

He picks up some stray bottles of alcohol that are lying around as he runs, tossing them over his shoulder to try and at least make an attempt to throw the manticores off his trail. He literally rolls a nat 20 on this so one breaks on one's face and shatters, cutting it up with glass and hurting it enough just by chance that it decides to sit and lick its wounds (or just ponder its lot in life) rather than continue to doggedly chase him. Which leaves three manticores left. Good job, Magnus.]

I got it! Their weakness is unfortunately flavored alcohol!!

[Being all Taako about it is his specialty, though he is checking over his shoulder, because there's no point in him making it out of here if Magnus gets fucking eaten. He lets out a cheer when Magnus breaks the bottle over his head, though, grabbing a few off the ground.]

Hit it again! Wait, hang on!

[He goes to throw one of his own, and... rolled a 5, so it misses by a fucking mile and now there's just more broken glass on the floor behind him. Why did he do that.]

Well, there, I made an attempt, your turn again.

[He probably has, like, an item or something that could work here, but he sure as hell doesn't pay much attention to exactly how many of those he has.]

C'mon, somebody said earlier the monsters don't leave the field, we can just get out of here!

Oh, fuck, it's that easy? Okay, just run it is!

[Magnus reaches and grabs Taako by the bracer, keeping him in pace, so he doesn't lag behind. He considered picking him up and carrying him, but that might've actually just slowed them down, so. You're welcome, Taako.

Aaand they're running. Almost there at this point. Which is good, because Magnus has been sprinting for like, a far amount of time now, and the manticores are gaining.]

[See, there you go, there's an idea! Just running is always an option! But shit, they're catching up, he can't keep channeling the spell through the staff if he wants to cast anything...

He tucks the umbrella under his arm, using his free hand to dig in his bag.]

Mag, let go, I have an idea!

[He wrenches his hand away from Magnus and pulls out of the bottom of his bag... Marvey's stun baton, and rolled a 19 to hit, so consider the closest manticore summarily fried. Taako whoops and hollers as it absolutely whiffs it's constitution save and tumbles backwards into the other two, downing the pack.

Taako skids to a stop, right outside the Coliseum door, with just enough time to blow a loud, loud raspberry and flip them off before Getting The Fuck Out.]

Fuck yeah!

[He looks towards Magnus, lookin' pretty pleased with himself.]

Well, those were my ideas for the day. You still want the stoneskin?

Edited (haha That was the wrong tense) 2017-06-01 02:26 (UTC)

[Magnus nearly stumbles as he comes to a quick stop, turning to make sure the manticores actually stopped too. When they mostly seem interested in recovering after totally beefing it, Magnus cheers, singing the victory fanfare from Final Fantasy.]

Yeah! Woo!

[He follows after Taako, similarly outtie after that whole fiasco. He's still covered in scratches, stoneskin or not, and the injury on his shoulder he came in with doesn't look the best, but he's shrugging it off for now.]

Yeah, I think the stoneskin plan, we tried it, it was a good plan, unforseen circumstances caused it to not succeed so much, we're onto bigger and better things now. Like... Like finding me something to actually wear.

[He adjusts the cloak around his waist. It works, but it's not offering the best coverage.]

Also, figuring out what the fuck, that might be a good plan, too.

[All things considered, Magnus seems pretty fine. They've got their share of bumps and bruises and, okay, he's still got some blood, but what's Taako gonna do about that? Wizards do not heal. So he touches Magnus again and ends the spell, letting him go back to his squishy flesh body.]

Yeah, deducing some good ol' what the fuckening might be pretty useful right now.

[He finishes stepping out from the Coliseum's arch, looking up with his hand over his eyes towards the simulated sunlight and the rest of the city.]

So... where do we start with that? I know splitting the party is usually, uh, pretty ill-advised, but if nothing else is gonna be attacking us...

Intro Log: A Stinging Letdown

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