INTRO LOG: BLACK CATS & WALKING UNDER LADDERS

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for February.
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: February 10th-13th
Warnings: Fresh meat, creepy moving shadows, terrible luck, the screams of your loved ones.

Welcome to Hadriel, new friends. While waking up on the ground of a broken colosseum may not be the most pleasant arrival, you can at least find comfort in the fact that there's no giant monster immediately attempting to eat you. Plenty of the people already here will tell you that they weren't quite so lucky. But - wait. Is that something moving in the shadows, or is it just your imagination?

Of course it's not just your imagination. That would be way too easy. No, arriving along with everyone this time are wraiths, vengeful spirits that enjoy darkness, shadows, and misery. On the plus side, they won't try to kill you. On the minus side, their touch chills you and saps your energy, as well as inflicting a temporary curse of awful luck. Anything that can go wrong, will, including (and especially) things that might kill you. Wraiths are subtle and sneaky, so be sure to watch your back. That shadow isn't just a shadow.

Compounding the confusion the wraiths can cause, you just might wake up to the sound of chattering voices - only to be quite alone. A small flock of jabberjays has come through the Door as well. These genetically engineered birds are capable of mimicking entire human voices and conversations - as well as screams of terror and pain. Initially only in the arena and bringing only conversations from their world, they'll soon settle throughout the city and begin to learn the voices of those living in Hadriel. Your best friend screaming bloody murder just a street over? It could be them, or it could just be one of these lovely birds. Don't let it stress you out.

Once you've escaped the colosseum, hopefully without accidentally impaling yourself on your own weapon, feel free to go explore the rest of the city! Find a house, find a new monster, or simply scavenge for supplies. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers February 10th-13th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well!
► All characters now arrive with phones that have network communication.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Comments

[ichaer]

[ she listens carefully, attempting to find where another might appear and trying to keep a watch on her back. these ones do not seem as dangerous as the noon or night wraiths back home, thankfully nothing like the plague maidens either. still, she dislikes being at a disadvantage with something so familiar.

the arrival of someone new to the general area gets her attention, ciri's sword still raised and eyes scanning the area. the question gets a little smirk out of her. ]

They're not such an unfamiliar sight back home. [ you know, war and whatnot. ] Ones such as these would enjoy haunting cemeteries and battlefields, vengeful spirits of those unable to let go of the world. Usually a silver sword would be enough but this is where the wraiths of my world and the ones here have begun to show differences.

[ hmm. ] I should be thankful we are not facing down a Pesta in such conditions.

[sparkler]

Not so different from some of the creatures in my world, then.

[Though just as with her, this particular wraith seems different than anything Dorian has faced before. Which isn't such a surprise, not really - nothing that's appeared here has quite been anything he's familiar with. Yet.

He peers into the shadows. Whatever the thing is, it's faded away, at least for now, and Dorian would rather not throw spells around willy-nilly.]

What in the world is a Pesta?

[He asks, with some interest, while scanning the colosseum. It might be safe to leave.]

[ichaer]

Mm, there are others ways of dealing with such creatures in my world such as using specter oil. That would require tracking down both bear fat and arenaria flowers though.

[ there's also moon dust. she has a bomb full of the silver splinters, but only one and she does not yet know if wasting it would be wise. let alone worth the trouble of trying to make another in these conditions.

still, the shadows seem to have calmed around them enough that ciri lowers her sword and brings it forward. it is still slick with griffin blood and she idly tries to clean it, humming at the question. ]

Plague maidens, they are yet another form of wraith that are born from epidemics and bring terrible disease wherever they roam. They can decimate even the grandest cities within a fortnight.

[sparkler]

Well, that sounds rather unpleasant. What sort of a place are you from?

[Dorian actually still sounds more interested than horrified by the idea, mostly because for the moment it's only academic. There is no plague maiden here threatening their lives, so he can think of it as an interesting curiosity rather than an actual threat. Magical creatures aren't Dorian's main area of study, but that doesn't mean he'll pass up an opportunity to learn.]

We've none of those in Thedas, so far as I know. Though admittedly I haven't seen every horrifying thing that exists there - much as it may seem like I have sometimes.

[ichaer]

Simply a world like many, many others out there. That's why folk like myself exist, we witchers are professional monster hunters and take on contracts for wherever we are needed.

[ and she has seen many of them as she traveled from world to world, fleeing the wild hunt. ciri is happy to talk though, keeping her hands busy as she dutifully cleans her blade and thinks back on all her lessons from kear morhan. ]

Indeed, I've heard of many foul beasts only through books or the stories of... [ she pauses, considering how to word this but ultimately smiles. ] Of my father and his journeys. Lesser beasts like drowners and ghouls are far more common to threaten a village than a plague maiden or a fiend.

[sparkler]

Oh, are you? How delightful.

[He genuinely does sound interested. He supposes Grey Wardens might count as professional monster hunters, or some of the braver adventuring types, but it doesn't sound like quite the same thing.]

So you've quite a bit of experience fighting monsters, then. No doubt you don't need my help at all.

[Which is fine with Dorian. He'll avoid hard work when he can.]

Welcome to Hadriel, then.

[ichaer]

It was certainly the best option I had. [ being a princess would have never worked out for her, let alone a queen or empress. ] And perhaps. Though I am hardly one to ever say no to good company.

[ and she's traveled with some colorful folks before. ]

You know, I've been to strange places before but this is the first time I've ever seen an underground city like this. Well... plenty of old elven ruins are underground but they weren't built there to begin with.

[sparkler]

My company is some of the best. I am an excellent conversationalist, in addition to being very fashionable and well-educated.

[He says it all with a smile. Modesty is not something Dorian often practices, but at least he has a sense of humor about it.]

Elven ruins are underground, really? That's where the dwarves live, in Thedas. Elves keep to the forests, except the ones who live in the slums.

[And the slaves, but the less said of those the better.]

I'm afraid no one seems to know who built this city, though. Certainly not dwarves.

[ichaer]

It's a shame they did not think to bring my friend Dandelion along for this adventure. I feel you two would get along swimmingly.

[ though dandelion was always a disaster waiting to happen. ]

Well, they weren't always underground but that's what happens when humans build their cities atop them. It's interesting though, the dwarves, along with the gnomes, of our world live in high mountain ranges. Hardly no one lives underground willingly.

[ a beat. ] Aside from the monsters, of course. Plenty of nekkers and vampires down there, I'm sure.

[sparkler]

And we've got darkspawn in the Deep Roads, so I've no doubt our underground is just as safe. Still, the dwarves do well enough, with what they have left.

[He looks around at the city, at the cave ceiling above them.]

There are plenty of monsters down here, of course, but generally they keep to the caves around the edge of the city. So long as you avoid them, you'll be safe. Unless, of course, you'd like to fight some monsters. In which case, have at it.

[Dorian understand the impulse, though he doesn't particularly share it.]

[ichaer]

Darkspawn? Quite the name and just as creative as our aptly named rotfiends.

[ she's glad there is a lack of said creatures here. besides, she'd know if one was around from the smell alone. ]

I can't say that I'd like to fight as of this moment. I will if needed though. Besides, it is ultimately good to learn of their weaknesses least they ever decide on a trip into the city limits.

[sparkler]

Indeed. Smart of you.

[He has no reason to think that won't happen someday, though it hasn't yet.]

Is there anything I can tell you about the place, besides the monsters? Any new arrival ought to be educated. This is a rather odd place, after all.