middleofsomewhere | Event: Healing Waters

"Good morning passengers, it is day twenty three of the month of Grasshopper. All passengers of the Voidtrecker Express require rest. Next stop Jema’grethy Island. All passengers prepare to disembark."

It is a very strange morning message that rings through the train on the morning of day twenty three but as the passengers of the Voidtrecker Express wake their screens glow with the colour of the void and a holographic screen pops up for them to read.

World #2554098133741: A world once inhabited by an ancient civilisation and now preserved as a historical site, nature reserve and well-being retreat. It is famous for its relaxing hot springs, calming atmosphere and beautiful beaches.

It is a popular void-traveller destination, particularly among void missionaries as a place to rest and recuperate after difficult missions.

The Voidtrecker Express will spend three days here, arriving today and leaving on day twenty six of the month of Grasshopper. The dressing carriage is open for your convenience.

It is time for a holiday it seems!

Preparation

For those who go to explore the dressing carriage they will find a variety of beachwear and wetsuits. One cupboard has a pile of tents and groundsheets in all four team colours.

One cabinet is exclusively filled with beach towels, in a kaleidoscope of colours, designs and patterns. Another is filled with different shapes and sizes of plain towel dressing gowns. There is even a cabinet with buckets, spades and small rock-pooling nets.

It seems they are in for quite an adventure.

Arrival

"Shortly arriving on World #2554098133741. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train lurches and rattles as it leaves the void they will get a glimpse of silver-purple sky and a beautiful ocean below.

However some passengers might be a little more than distracted, one staring at that table for a second too long, another seeming lost in thought for a couple of seconds, a longer than normal pause in a sentence. They see a vision, a glimpse of a life that is not their own. Not all at once, but here and there as the train descends to the island.

But then it is gone and things are back to normal. Just in time, as they come to land.

Jema’grethy Island

The train has landed on a grassy ridge, overlooking a beautiful beach of white sand and the ocean beyond. It is warm, but not too hot, a cool ocean breeze cutting through the heat making it pleasant. Behind them is a grassy plain, changing to forest in the distance. There is the sound of birdsong in the purple sky. To the west the land is more craggy, the silhouette of a fortress in the distance. In a word, it is idylic. A sense of peace permeates the island.

A little more worrying is the volcano-like structure in the north. But even a quick glance will show it is not a typical volcano. There is no smoke and the liquid slowly running down it in rivulets is pink and blue.

Exploring the passengers will find beautiful beaches, ragged cliffs to walk and caves to explore. Where it is more craggy the beaches are made of pebbles- perfect for rock pooling.

The place has no people, but it is clearly maintained. The eastern beaches have racks of shallow boats, both canoes and one- or two-person sailing dinghies. There is also a small building in which scuba gear is stored, along with several waterproofed manuals and instructional literature.

Ruins of ancient houses are scattered across the island, but the main settlement is built into a rocky section in the north-west that has been secured with ropes and stairways cut into the cliffs, perfect for scrambles and hikes.

There are no living quarters, but there are sheltered sections with basic toilet facilities marked as camping grounds in five different sections of the island - by the hot springs, within the ruined fortress, beside the harbour, on the eastern beaches, and on the northern face of the mountain.

Hot Springs

To the west are the hot springs. They have both outdoor and indoor areas; the indoor areas being wooden loghouse saunas, changing rooms and storage sheds, whilst the outdoor areas are a tiered series of pools spilling down the side of the mountain and shaded by brightly flowering trees. The waters are hot, mineral-rich and soothing.

Perfect for overly stressed, world weary Void heroes...

(OOC: More setting information is here, please feel free to go wild with the setting and have a fun and relaxing time. You can use this post as a catch all for your holiday or make your own posts on

middleofsomewhere. More information about how the memory event is structured is here!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He hums, or groans, some combination of the two at being very responsible, but then forces himself to focus. Nodding, his feet picking up a pace.

"Right, let's get moving. Let's see what's around here--maybe we'll find something cool in the forest."

She laughs at his groan, and matches his pace.

"What are you hoping to find? Anything in particular?"

He hums.

"A temple?" He looks at the approaching tree line, tries to view what may be further beyond. "Or just a cool spot. The first time I visited one, we were going to a temple in the area. That and the Macalania Woods... those're the only forests I've been to. Except Macalania wasn't really a normal forest."

"Why a temple in particular?" She asks curiously. "I've never really understood why mortals like those."

She chuckles. "So if a temple is a 'cool' spot, what else would make it 'cool'? And why was Macalania not a normal forest?"

"Well... 'cause it's different. And you don't know what'll be inside," he answers honestly. "Plus, that's just what I think about going and finding something. It's always a temple or ruins, that kinda thing."

Mostly one and the same.

"Macalania was...it was mostly water, kinda. All the woods, the trees--they were blue and sparkled, like glass. But it was the pyreflies that hung around there. 'least I think." It seemed to be the case to him.

"What about elves then? What would they find cool?"

She considers that. "I suppose... but would not a ruin of a house or castle have far more interesting things than a temple? After all, they would likely have more artifacts of a personal nature."

"I don't think we have pyreflies in Aman - what are they?" She adds.

"Well, I suppose it depends on the elf!" Nerdanel laughs. "My Feanaro finds... well, almost everything new interesting, in honesty. That's just the sort of person he is. I like interesting shapes and structures and textures - I find them inspiring for my own Art."

"Castle's fine too," he shares. "Those big buildings kings live in? Sure. But houses are... I dunno. Wouldn't it be too personal?"

He doesn't have much experience beyond the recently made ruined, to be fair. But castles would be new--plus, they're kinda cool-looking. Different.

"Pyreflies are like these...little lights. Actually, I can show you a few if you want?" But with that offer given- "So I guess it can be anything for you? Even the trees?"

A windy, twisty tree? That's what he's imagining for Nerdanel.

She considers. "I suppose it might seem that way. But if it is in ruins... I think it might be nice, to make sure that people are remembered."

Beleriand is full of ruins, after all, or was, before it was sunk beneath the waves, and even Middle-earth the same, the homes ruined and lost and the people fled or dead.

"Yes!" She smiles. "Stone or sand, wood or branch, light or shadow. Anything at all."

"I wouldn't mind that either," he agrees, with a small thought, some consideration. Macalania Wood was pretty too, he can admit to that. Though out of any natural sight-- "I always like the look of the sun--at sunrise or sunset. That's the best view to me, hands down. Wherever I went, I always looked for it. We camped out a lot, so it wasn't hard."

From any view, the way it changed the land's surroundings.

"Mm, sunrise and sunset are lovely times, tis true. I love also moonset, when the stars are brightest." She smiles.

"My folk have always loved the stars."

"Stars are nice." Tidus can agree with that. "None of the other planets had a sky as nice as Zanarkand or Spira at night. You can see thousands of them. They're great to see floating in the water."

Or their reflections, that is.

"One day I hope that we will be able to visit each others lands! Then you can show me your stars, and I will show you ours."

She smiles.

"Hey, I'd love that! And you can show me some of the best sights too. Let me try your food?" He grins, like he's being cheeky for asking.

"I won't be able to show you around Zanarkand, but there's a island, Besaid. That'd be a good place to go."

She laughs. "I could do that here! Well, for the simpler dishes, perhaps. There's nothing terribly fancy about the food we cook."

She hums. "Anywhere you wished to show me, I would be glad to see."

Event: Healing Waters

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