( 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

kaldur'ahm | young justice

[aequoreal]

02 » OBSERVATION DECK

( the stars are unlike any he knows. that in itself isn't worrisome when travel between planets is not only a theoretical possibility but something that many of those he knows have actively done, but combined with the fact that he does not remember the circumstances of his arrival here, he is worried. it doesn't show on his features, though, or in his body language. hands clasped behind his back, face impassive, he looks out at the planet below and the stars.

it reminds him of the watchtower in some ways. mainly in that it is in orbit above a planet at all; that really is where the similarities end.

he can only assume that he has been abducted — though to what purpose is not yet obvious to him. when someone else approaches, he tenses momentarily, but his shoulders relax again almost immediately. )

Does it look familiar? ( he asks, tone measured. )

03 » MESS HALL

( there is a wide variety of cuisines on the surface and kaldur has not tried even half of them. perhaps that explains why he is currently looking down at his plate with something akin to consternation. he doesn't recognise the dish on his plate. perhaps it's simply that the food here is unrecognisable, though, he isn't sure. )

Is this seat taken? ( he asks, and then, if it isn't and he's seated: ) Do you know what this is meant to be?

04 » NOISES IN THE WALLS

( kaldur has followed the screams to this spot on deck 3. he's tense but careful in his movements when he leans in to press his ear to the wall — and he doesn't flinch back when he hears a "help me" whispered in a voice that sounds familiar. )

There's someone inside the wall.

( he sounds certain. in this moment, he is — and he's certain that they need to help. he needs to help. without his waterbearers, without water, he cannot rely on his usual weaponry. instead, he starts prying on the panel before him with his bare hands, the webbing between his fingers standing out in contrast to the wall, his gills flaring a little on the sides of his neck.

and then one of his hands slides off the panel, arm hanging limp from his side and he can barely find the energy to lift it again. ) What-

( he feels the way he feels in tremendous heat, weakened, but the temperature of the corridor hasn't changed, has it? he doesn't feel hot, just weak. ) I think something is wrong. ( "i don't feel good", he means, but he won't let himself vocalise that. not when there is someone still trapped in the wall. not when someone might need his help.

he'd appreciate some help himself right now, though. )

02 — are u ready for EMOTIONS™

[metabolizes]

( it shouldn't be surprising that someone else from home is here — it rules out the afterlife theory wally had been contemplating, anyway. then again, if wally is here, maybe they are dead. he sacrificed himself to stop the chrysalis so maybe ... no, it's better not to think about that. he prefers to keep it a little more optimistic. which means being glad to see kaldur, because at least now he isn't the only representative of their universe. he assumes this must be some kind of alternate reality, or just very, very far away from their own galaxy that it may as well be a different reality. it's hard to say from just a cursory look at the space outside.

he stands back for a moment, unsure of how to approach. he's almost thankful when kaldur breaks the silence first. as much as wally loves to talk, he's not really sure what to say. there's a lot of baggage he left back on earth. )

Nowhere I've ever seen. ( he says, to answer kaldur's question. then, a hesitant smile. ) But I guess I'm more of a surprise than what's out there, huh.

sO READY

[aequoreal]

( kaldur has not considered the possibility of the afterlife. if he had, he would have discarded it as a viable theory; he has no memory of anything that may have threatened his life and given everything, he thinks abduction to be more likely than death. it still does not explain very much, but it is a starting point.

seeing wally again is — it's a lot of things. it's a bright spark of joy in kaldur's chest, it's confusion and incomprehension. it's a little bit of apprehension, too, not directed at wally as such but the sort he has been feeling around the team since his return. he has done terrible things and now he is to be the leader again. he doesn't know if they'll be able to trust him. he'd been trying to be convincing as a villain, of course, but what if he'd been too convincing?

he wishes none of it had ever been necessary.

still, approaching wally is easy and he finds that there is a small smile tugging at his lips when wally responds, when wally offers a hesitant smile of his own. )

You are, but it is the good kind of surprise. ( he reaches out to clasp wally's shoulder. )

[metabolizes]

( the hand on his shoulder is grounding, which is nice, because even with the boots, there are times when he feels as if he might just float away. maybe dying will do that to you. it's still a bit strange to be standing here at all, when he knew what was coming. he knew he wasn't going to make it out of the arctic alive. and yet here he is, alive, somewhere, and kaldur is with him, equipped with steady hands where wally's are not. )

Yeah... ( he's terribly eloquent. but words aren't that important right now, and wally has always been a more physical person. kaldur knows this, so it shouldn't be a surprise that wally pulls kaldur into a tight embrace, for his own comfort or maybe just to make sure kaldur is real. both, probably. at least he's not crying. yet.

he doesn't hold it too long, mostly out of respect for kaldur's boundaries and personal space. ) It's good to see you, man. ( an awkward beat. wally runs a hand through his hair. he diverts his eyes for a moment, like he's guilty of something. and he is, but they don't have to go into that now. ) How's, uh — how's Dick?

[aequoreal]

( kaldur hasn't had the time yet to mourn wally. he hasn't had the time, hasn't allowed himself to mourn his father, either. the man had been a villain and kaldur does not regret what has happened, but — he has still lost him, so soon after he'd found out that black manta was his father in the first place. he hasn't had the time to process all the things that have happened and all the things he has done.

there isn't time for it now, either.

he isn't surprised when wally pulls him into an embrace, wrapping his own arms around wally after the briefest pause. it probably feels longer to wally than it is, but then time is a different beast for a speedster than it is for kaldur. )

He misses you. ( kaldur watches wally's face for a moment before looking away. some things are personal, but wally has no reason for guilt. he saved the world. ) We all do. ( an admission of sorts. he doesn't often talk of his own emotions, but he wishes wally's sacrifice had never been necessary. wally deserves to know that. )

[metabolizes]

( it shouldn't be a surprise to hear he misses you, and yet it hits him like a train and he feels heat rise to his cheeks, his throat tighten. his chest hurts and his face pinches in attempt to keep the tears at bay. he wants to run away and cry in some dark corner of this foreign space station, but the addition of we all do keeps him there, even if all it does is nudge his emotions over the waterfall.

he misses them, too, more than he can express. he hates that he left so much unsaid, thinking it would be better that way. now, he's not so sure.

he rubs at his face, scrubbing away the wetness at the corners of his eyes. when he speaks again, his voice sounds choked. )

I never said goodbye. I never said sorry. ( for what, he doesn't make immediately clear. but if kaldur knew about his fight with dick, he might be able to guess. he sniffs, dragging his hands over his cheeks, trying to compose himself. ) If we find a way home ... will you tell him for me? ( because wally knows even if they do find a way off this station, there's nothing left for him back home except his death. )

03

[neuralnet]

[ Haruto's mouth is full when the young man approaches, so he just shakes his head no that the seat isn't taken. Once he finishes chewing and swallowing, he peers down at the brown sludge he's been eating. ]

Some kind of protein, I think? Like a sort of... viscous meatloaf.

[ Not appetizing, but it's what's available, so it's what Haruto is eating. ]

[aequoreal]

( it is what's available, but kaldur knows that lexcorp and the reach conspired to introduce supplements into the food and drink of people to make them placid. it is not strong enough a suspicion for him not to eat, but it is enough to make him hesitant about putting things he does not know into his body.

of course, atlanteans have a different physiology than humans to some extent, so if there are additives, they might not affect him the same way they do others. still, it is something to consider. but he does not wish to make his new companion worry about such matters, so after a brief moment in which he inclines his head, he asks: )

How does it taste?

[neuralnet]

[ Haruto bobs his head slightly from side to side, as if considering how best to report on its taste. ]

Almost fishy? If I had to say it tasted like anything.

[ Not like fresh fish, mind. More like imitation fish paste. ]

Not good, in any case.

[aequoreal]

That is a pity.

( not the fishy taste; kaldur does not mind fish. but as someone who has lived most of his life beneath the surface of the ocean, he is used to fish being fresh. even on the surface, he does not often eat fish because it simply cannot compare. )

But I suppose we are lucky that there is food.

[neuralnet]

[ Haruto nods, taking another bite and chewing it completely before swallowing and saying, ] We'll need to get used to it, if we're going to survive here.

002.

[recce]

[ With her arms crossed and eyes ahead, Gamora doesn't invite conversation. It helps that her reputation proceeds her across the stars — who dares approach the deadliest woman in the galaxy? things are different here, trapped on an unknown terminal with strange happenings puncturing the emptiness. they're distinctly unsettling, not unlike ego's planet had been.

but a boy engages her. he doesn't touch. he only asks. and she allows it. ]

No. [ a beat. ] But I'm familiar with most of the galaxy.

[ remind you of anyone? ]

[aequoreal]

( he has heard these words before — or rather, he has read them. intonation does not carry over texts, but he is still reminded of a conversation he had. so after a moment, he asks: )

Forgive me if I am misstepping, but — Gamora?

[recce]

[ his politeness and distance stop her from being overly wary. many know her across systems, after all. daughter of thanos. the most dangerous woman. guardian of the galaxy. ]

Gamora. [ but just in case. ] Guardian of the Galaxy.

[ not here to murder anyone, thank you. ]

[aequoreal]

We spoke on the network. I am Kaldur'ahm.

( he holds out a hand for her to shake, now, the webbing between his fingers standing out.

for clarification: ) The Atlantean.

02

[monomachy]

[Diana has been visiting the observation deck every day since their arrival, hoping that at some point she will recognize the constellations outside. And every day, she has been disappointed. But her hope hasn't gone out yet, and she walks briskly into the deck, no longer awed by the huge expanse of glass that allows everyone to look into the sparkling void. The planet is familiar somehow yet entirely unrecognizable, and not for the first time, she wishes she'd paid more attention to her tutors.

Though honestly, she doesn't think even the most knowledgeable Amazon could have explained any of what she sees to her.

Not for the first time, Diana finds herself intruding upon someone else on the deck, but she gives him space. They seem to be doing the same thing: gazing out into the field of stars, hoping to see something familiar. It is a generally solitary task, but she doesn't rebuff him when he speaks. Diana shifts slightly, angling her body towards him and turning her head to give a slight smile of greeting. She isn't fully looking at him yet, and certainly hasn't noticed the gills across his neck.]

Not at all. Does it to you?

[aequoreal]

No.

( the admission is immediate. he wishes that he could say something else, just as he wishes that her answer had been a different one. if one of them, if anyone at all here knew where they were, he would feel a little better. it would be a starting point, at least. though he supposes that where they are doesn't matter for what he knows he will need to do: protect those here from any danger that might occur, should they need protection. even without his water bearers, he can do that much.

he angles his body toward her as well, respect and an unconscious mirroring of her position both. she looks familiar to him, but he cannot place her features. )

I was hoping that it would to someone else.

[monomachy]

[Her smile does fade a little, but it doesn't completely disappear. She's been in far more dire circumstances than this before, and she isn't quite ready to lose confidence.]

There are many of us on this... station. Someone may yet.

[The word is strange on her tongue, and she's still trying to get used to it. She pauses for a moment, and adds:]

On Themyscira, we have a saying: one must not tie a ship to a single anchor, nor life to a single hope. Even if none can recognize the stars, that does not mean we are lost.

[aequoreal]

( themyscira. it's that mention that makes kaldur realise why her features seem familiar. she does not look exactly like wonder woman, but the resemblance is there. )

Do you know of Diana of Themyscira? Wonder Woman?

[monomachy]

[For her, it seems an abrupt change in subject, and she can't keep her expression from falling into one of shock as he names her. Diana turns to face him fully now, brown eyes searching for familiarity but not able to find it. A slight wariness finds her gaze, something that might not have been there just a few months ago, but she nods in affirmation.]

I do, since that is my name. At least, the first is.

[She doesn't know anything about "Wonder Woman," but it does have sort of a nice ring to it.]

Who are you?

03.

[armigers]

[ Misery does love company and all that, so Noctis gestures to the empty seat as if to say 'go ahead,' though his mouth is full of something soupy. Something that was supposed to be cockatrice legs, but he feels as though he should be inhaling it through a straw. The taste definitely leaves a whole lot to be desired.

When he finally swallows it down with a noticeable gulp, he gives his new companion a quick once-over, stopping at his neck. Maybe a trick of the light. Surely, those can't be... yeah, he's trying not to stare and should probably answer the guy right about now. ]

Probably not something we should be eating. Too late for that.

[ Spoken before he shovels another spoonful of liquid chicken into his mouth then regrets all the life choices he's ever made to get him here. ]

Think we might be better off hunting our own food then eating space sludge.

[ Assuming they ever even land this thing somewhere which would be nice. ]

[aequoreal]

I am not sure there is food to hunt here.

( the station seems to consist largely of metal and kaldur has not found many living things other than those who have woken up in the same way that he has, not knowing where they are or how they got here. he assumes the same holds true for his new companion now.

he takes a spoonful of his own meal and can't quite stop himself from making a face. a moment later, he admits: )

Though if there was, I would agree with you.

( it tastes horrible. )

[armigers]

I think we'd have found out by now if there was.

[ Animals could only stay quiet for so long, and anything larger than that isn't anything he wants to eat anyway. ]

Looks like it's space goo until our next stop. Wherever that is.

[ He's already getting cabin fever being stuffed in this place with no way to get out except death and suffocation. And here he thought sleeping in those caravans back in Lucis were bad. He's already missing them as he tries to choke down whatever they're trying to pass off as food here. ]

Where are you from anyway?

[aequoreal]

Likely so. Unless there is a species specialising in this sort of environment.

( space rats? moles that live in the airshafts? kaldur's imagination could come up with other examples, but then he also grew up in an environment in which animals were utterly silent at all times. )

I am not sure that we are moving.

( orbiting around the planet, perhaps, but that does not imply any stops. it isn't a pleasant thought, so when noctis asks where he's from, kaldur is glad to take the change of topic. )

A planet called Earth. ( there are gills on his neck and webbing between his fingers (and toes, but that is hidden by the boots). he may be from earth, but he is not obviously human. )

[armigers]

You're not serious about that, are you? Wouldn't the ship fall if it weren't?

[ Okay, gravity -or lack there of- doesn't work that way, but the ship has to be at least hovering or something? ]

So it's not really powered up?

[ Are they really just aimlessly drifting around a giant planet with no planned stops? What are they supposed to do to survive here? How long before they run out of resources and just starve to death? And why are there so many people aboard from this Earth-place? ]

-And you too, huh? Seems like everyone got pulled in from there.

[ But himself and Prompto so far, which is pretty messed up. As if he needed more reasons to feel isolated. ]