( 0 0 1 » ENSEMBLE ) welcome to the inaugural log

[reveriemod]

» WHO? everyone
» WHEN? may 1 onward
» WHERE? all over the station
» WHAT? introductory log feat. waking up, exploration, meeting over food and noises in the walls
» WARNINGS? potential for body horror, psychological horror, hallucinations, physical injury

( 0 0 1 ) » WAKE UP

Were you asleep or were you unconscious? It doesn't matter: when you come to, there's an odd taste in your mouth and there's a low-level mechanical hum in the air. Your head hurts and you feel nauseous. You aren't anywhere you know: everything around you is metal, from the floor you lie on all the way to the ceiling. You are dressed in a jumpsuit you definitely weren't wearing before.

"We tried to save the world. I think— I think we did the opposite."

The message repeats on a loop. If you look for its source, you find a comms device on the floor next to you. The logo on its wallpaper says REVERIE TERMINAL. Upon closer inspection, you find the same logo on your jumpsuit.

Welcome to your new home.

( ♪ )

( 0 0 2 ) LOOK AROUND

You've woken up — but where have you woken up? It may be time to explore your new home. Rifling through a crew quarter will make the room's terminal lock to the comms device you're carrying; the room becomes yours. That includes everything in it, from the additional jumpsuit to the two extra sets of underwear. In some quarters, you may find remnants of whoever was here before you: a book on the nightstand, a coffee mug still on the table, a lonely sock on the floor.

A look around the shared areas will reveal the bar, some of its bottles already open, the mess hall, observation deck and the gym area with its dirty pool. An even closer look around these areas might reveal basic first aid kits as well as basic tool kits and fire extinguishers. The kits are located near the fire extinguishers in compartments in the wall that are not immediately visible. Hopefully, nothing's on fire and no one needs first aid... but that tool kit might come in handy.

Every now and then, as you explore, you might find yourself standing before a door that is locked. Try as you might, you will not be able to get it open.

( ♪ )

( OOC: What items characters find of those who were there before them is up to players, but please limit it to a single item that is mundane and somewhat useless in nature. )

( 0 0 3 ) HAVE A BITE

Sooner or later, all characters will have to make their way to the mess hall if they want to eat. In the mess hall, here are a number of replicator-like devices that sometimes work and sometimes don't— but after a recent malfunction that some characters may have noticed, they seem to work just fine... or at least as well as ever: nothing is particularly palatable, but at least it's nourishment, right?

So why not sit down at a table, whether it's already occupied or not, and have a meal. Maybe use it as an opportunity to introduce yourself, or just to complain about what passes for coffee around here.

And if coffee isn't your preferred beverage, well. There's always the bar.

( ♪ )

( 0 0 4 ) NOISES IN THE WALLS

For some, it's been over a week on the station. For others, merely a day or two. For all, things are starting to change: maybe you were asleep or maybe you weren't, but surely the scream that reverberates through the station will startle you. Was it human? Whatever it was, it seems to be coming from the walls of the station. Banging, clanging, then more screams.

Are you going to chase the sounds? Hide away from them? Try to investigate?

If you follow the sound of screams through the station's corridors and halls, you might feel someone - or was it something? - grab you from behind and pull hard. But when you turn around or turn your head if you've fallen, there's nothing and no one there. If you investigate and perhaps put your ear to a wall to see if the noises really come from there, or bang on the wall, you might hear something other than screams and clanging. Strain your ears and you might hear nothing at all — or you might be able to make out a soft "help me". It's barely above a whisper. Did it sound familiar? If you try to take apart the wall, two things will happen: you'll feel uncharacteristically weak and lethargic all of the sudden, and you'll find nothing at all but wiring and more metal.

Whatever you do, you'll find that the noises stop after a while, with no discernible source other than "the walls". And then hours later, they'll start again. Stop again. Start again a day later— and then stop for good.

( ♪ )

( O O C ) ACTIONS

Hello Reverie Terminal Operators! Welcome to our inaugural event. We hope you'll enjoy it!

To help exploration and interaction with the station, we have put together ten (10) 'actions' that you can request. These actions range from very minor, such as receiving a small piece of information about the station, to major, which may be a more vital piece of information or something far less pleasant, and are completely opt-in. These actions can help get your character involved in the plot, jump into the plot and its mysteries, and have more of a personal prompt to jump off of if you so wish.

Please note if you would avoid particular kinds of consequences (for example, if you'd rather your character not be injured), and we'll try to accommodate that, but please be aware that heavy themes are in play and the actions may feature body horror, injury and hallucinations.

If you'd like to receive an action, please reply to this comment with the following:
» Character: » Type of action: minor, medium, major » Notes:

In the future, actions such as these may be "bought" with bonus AC.



Please use content warning in your top-levels wherever necessary.

Comments

kara zor-el | brackets or prose welcome, I'll match you.

[solarcharge]

→ 2: observation deck

[ There's a room bathed in sunlight here — it's warm, welcome, settling. Kara returns to the observation deck periodically throughout the day, once having charted the constellations visible, second and subsequent to enjoy some sunbathing. She'd need every little bit of power if she was going to conserve resources — it didn't exactly feel fair to eat in the mess if she didn't need to, or sleep much with the voices in the walls. ]

[ She leans against the glass, sighing quietly. And opens her eyes when someone enters, says with a smile, ]

I'm not in your spot, am I?

→ 3: mess hall

Sorry, coming through.

[ Kara flashes a quick, apologetic smile, then heads for a large table which has one of the replicators spread across it, almost fully disassembled. Before she sits, she turns back to call, ]

I think I know what to do. If you're really hungry, go ahead, try that one.

[ She points to one of the others, on the wall, that's got the best smelling food so far — the judgement being relative, of course. Kara just has to figure out one. Then the rest, she'll get to at speed, so they're done before everyone's returned for another meal. ]

→ wildcard: exploring

[ Some of the doors open to vaccuum. Hardly safe, but Kara makes a note of them as she passes — they're all completely sealed, so there's no risk of them opening on accident. Someone like her might be able to dent a few, but she bounces off them harmlessly, like she's a rubber ball. It occurred to her she hasn't thus far tried heat vision, granted, she hadn't wanted to take the risk. Recharging wasn't much of an issue, but she felt different on the station. Giving herself an adjustment period seemed as much comfort as necessity. ]

[ Still, it's one thing she hasn't tried yet. Her eyes glow red. She tunes out, and focuses on the handle first, then the edges of the door. ]

[ A few moments later, the beams have done nothing. and Kara mutters frustratedly, ]

Why didn't that work?


→ wildcard: gym, crew quarters, or elsewhere
[ if you have any other ideas or preferences hmu ]

→ 2: observation deck

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo's life had always firmly been divided up in to two distinct parts: the half of his life that was wiped from his memory and never to be regained, and everything else that came afterwards. The first half didn't really matter to him - it had been lost, cut neatly away from his memory with scalpel-edge precision, and Apollo hadn't ever wasted his time mourning it. The only thing that mattered to Apollo was who he was now, not who he was before.

Except... now there is Kara. Kara and her powers that are so eerily similar that it throws everything that Apollo thought he knew about his past in to question. Suddenly the yawning stretch of black absence in his memory feels more important than ever before. And the more Apollo (reluctantly) thinks about it, the more he realises that there is a strange kind of sickening loss in the pit of his stomach, a mourning for something he never allowed himself to confront.

He has questions. So many questions. He isn't even sure that Kara will be able to answer them.

There are only so many places where a solarpowered superhero can catch some rays, and Apollo finds Kara exactly where he thinks she'll be. He waves away her question with an easy grin. ]

Oh, I think there's enough sunlight for two.

[ The grin falters slightly as he casts a dubious look towards the walls. The screams he's heard so far are beyond disconcerting but Apollo has long since given up trying to find the source. Holes and torn panels across the station were testament to his efforts. ]

How's it in here? Quiet, or...?

[solarcharge]

[ Kara knows wanting kinship has never led her to make the best of choices. H'el offered her everything she wanted, and he was the only Kryptonian to do so — his betrayal hurt worse than the kryptonite. ]

[ She'd like to say she doesn't know what to do about Apollo, or how to feel, but she does. There's no one out there — no matter who they are — who doesn't deserve a home, who shouldn't at least know who they are and where they came from, before they choose who they want to be. ]

It's quiet for the moment.

[ They've all been hearing those voices in the walls. Kara can't resist going after them when she hears it — what if it was someone — but they come and go so eerily. ]

[solarcharged]

Oh, thank god.

[ Quiet for now. Apollo can't help but feel relieved at the news. The screams were so heart-stoppingly real that he can't not go and investigate each and every time. The idea that there's a little bit of respite to be found is immensely gratifying, even if it's only for a while. He'll take it.

Apollo picks a spot near Kara, an arms length or so away, and leans back against the reinforced window as she does. ]

So how many walls have you made holes in, trying to find the screamers? [ He jokes, smiling wanly. ] I think my count is five so far.

[solarcharge]

[ That Feel ^TM. She's glad he doesn't sit too far away, aside from their similar ability there's a natural warmth to him. It feels like standing upright, knowing where to go, everything that makes a path clear. ]

Four, but I think I get bonus points for high heels.

[ An equally bad joke. ]

2

[lssj]

Huh? Oh no, not at all.

[She shakes her head...and her hands too, all collectively one big gesture of dismissal. She'd hate to think she was being a bother to someone who thought they were being a bother.

It's an infinite loop of politeness she's got going on internally.

Either way Kale just moves on ahead to stand next to Kara, staring out into space.]

I thought I'd take another look around...see if I could recognise anything out there.

[Even if she can't, looking out into a big open area like...well, space, makes her feel a little less claustrophobic.]

[solarcharge]

[ Politeness chicken is fun. Kara stands up, clasping her hands behind her back in a gesture of girlish wonder. This is still a beautiful sight. ]

Well, let me know if you do. I've had no luck.

[lssj]

Where did you say you were from again, Kara?

[She can't remember if it came up.]

[solarcharge]

Krypton. Let me know if you hear about anyone else from there, all right?

→ 2

[aequoreal]

( it has been three days on the station and kaldur is no closer to understanding how he has come to be here, who is responsible or how to return home. it is enough to feel frustrated and helpless, but he knows better than to let himself feel these things too acutely. they will not help him return home or protect those who have come to be here just as he has.

the observation deck is a good spot to think, which is why he returns to it — only to find kara already there. )

I would not say that I have a spot. ( so that's a no. he inclines his head in greeting. )

[solarcharge]

No time like the present.

[ She flashes him a quick smile, then turns to look out at the sea of stars ahead of them. Most people feel small, and lonely. But Kara always feels each star out there could nurture worlds, and worlds would have people. She only feels safe up in the sky. ]

How've you been doing?

[aequoreal]

As well as can be expected.

( he offers a hint of a smile with the words to soften them, though his voice is calm enough and factual enough that there is not much that requires softening in the first place. )

And you?

[solarcharge]

About the same.

[ She tilts her chin up to the window. ]

I keep thinking one of us should have seen something familiar by now, it's strange that we haven't.

3

[metabolizes]

( for once, something other than his appetite calls to his attention. really, he just swung by for a snack, but the parts on the table and the girl heading toward them are much more enticing. he follows after her, forgetting food entirely for a moment. science beckons. )

Hey. ( he looks down at the scattered parts, then back up at kara, a pleasant (and somewhat curious) smile on his face. ) You need any help? ( he raises both his hands. ) I've got two hands to lend.

[solarcharge]

[ Science indeed beckons. Kara shoots him a curious glance, but no dissuading. If she didn't want to be observed, she simply wouldn't have come into a shared public space. ]

What's the saying, four hands are better than two?

[metabolizes]

Something like that. ( he grins. ) Two heads are definitely better than one. Er — not that, you know, I doubt your intelligence. By all means, I am your humble assistant.

( he extends one of his hands in greeting. )

Wally West, at your service.

003.

[armigers]

[ Noctis can't help but glance from the lady to the replicator in question, hesitating for a bit. ]

Can't be worse than the last one.

[ Famous last words, but Noctis has nothing to lose at this point. Unless it really is poisonous, then yes, he'll definitely lose his life. However, his hunger is doing all the decision-making at the moment as he sidles over to the replicator and tries to get it to make steak. What comes out is... more like steak in liquid form, but it smells rather steak-y. ]

This machine wasn't even trying, was it? What'd you end up eating? Maybe it can only make the one thing?

[ And here he thought steak was simple enough. How hard is it to cook meat... says the guy who knows next to nothing about proper meat temperatures. But he knows everything about how meat should taste, so that makes him vaguely qualified. ]

[solarcharge]

[ She gives him what she thinks is an encouraging smile, which is a little sheepish. Those are some famous last words, given the malfunction of the replicators earlier. ]

I think it was fish.

[ It wasn't recognisable as one, certainly, but Kara is trying very hard not think about what the food looks like. She can smell and taste it just fine, and if she feels particularly uninclined, she can just wander up to the observation deck and get some sunlight. Gotta love being able to photosynthesize. ]

What did it give you?

[armigers]

Sewage.

[ That's his best approximation of what's on his plate right now as he stares at it, half-expecting it to come off the plate and try to eat him instead. It wouldn't be the first time something gooey and gelatinous has tried that given how many daemons he's run into back home while wandering out way past his bed time.

He does lift a fork to take a tentative bite, deciding one way or another, that he does need sustenance. He won't be able to get off this ship if he's too starved and hungry to move, and bravery always comes forward in times of great desperation. Fortunately, it tastes far better than it looks, and he finds himself nodding a bit. ]

More like a meat pudding but not bad. Could live with this.

[ If he had to. Definitely not because he wants to. ]

Check out any other places on the ship yet, or was this the first stop?

explorin like dora

[oorah]

[ he stops as he rounds the corridor, freezing in place when he sees ms. laser eyes trying to melt the door. he already knows it isn't going to work before she speaks, but by then he's gotten over his initial shock and takes a few steps closer to her, the heavy fall of magboots heralding his arrival. when she notices him, he raises (bandaged) hands to show he doesn't mean her any harm and shakes his head. ]

Some kinda security system. Don't wear yourself out.

[ wanda's powers hadn't budged the door that trapped karen earlier which is how he says it with such conviction. between trying to get to the wiring of the access panel and tearing open walls to get at those spooky voices, his hands took a beating today. ]

[solarcharge]

[ He carries himself like a soldier. Kara turns, and mirrors the gesture, for all the good it'll do — he did just see her try to melt a door with her eyes. It's the thought that counts? ]

All right.

[ She exhales audibly. ]

There's just a corridor behind this one, but some of them open to vacuum.

[oorah]

[ he puts his hands down when hers go up. maybe at one time laser eyes would have phased him, but that stage of his life is long-passed. and call it a hunch or character judgment, whatever, but he's not worried about her attacking him. but he keeps his distance just in case, if only because he'd made that mistake in a past life before. ]

Yeah, I tried to open a door earlier. [ he wags the fingers of his injured hands. ] Didn't go so well for me either.

wildcard

[historyrepeating]

[In 2B's world, glowing red eyes mean something terrible.

They mean an android has been irreversibly corrupted, that their current state will have to be destroyed, and that any memories since their last backup was sent to the Bunker will be lost.

They lose who they are in that moment, erased to a blank slate, put back into a new, uninfected body.

She's seen those eyes in 9S, and she's felt what it's like to have your body slowly fail you and to know that there's no hope. That's why, when she sees Kara's eyes glow, she's ready to offer her help in the form of putting her out of her misery.

But then, of course, she shoots what seems to be twin lasers from her eyes instead.

Alright.]

Are you- [But she stops herself there, because Kara is clearly fine now. Her eyes are clear again, if a little worried looking, and 2B frowns.] Can all humans do that?

[Sure, their knowledge of humans and their abilities is a little lacking as far in the future as 2B comes from, but that? That was a stretch.]

[solarcharge]

[ Glowing red eyes never inspire much confidence from the observer, anyway. She smiles at 2B, hoping to set her at ease. ]

No, I'm Kryptonian. This is one of my normal physiological abilities.

[historyrepeating]

[Not that many people take the time to do that, to smile at 2B to make sure she's not on edge, but that's because most of the people who surrounded 2B before she came here were sensible androids who were too focused on their mission to waste time grinning like fools at other androids.

There was 6O and 9S, though. They do tend to count more than other androids, so there is a little bit of a release of tension once she hears that the whole eye laser thing is at least normal.]

It's a sign of irreversible corruption that leads to death, in my experience. The glowing, not... what came after. That was impressive.

[She needs a Pod to shoot lasers and wouldn't you know it, hers isn't here to talk her ear off.]

Is a Kryptonian a subspecies of human?