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

"Oh--no I completely understand why you would want to keep children closer and delay having them to a right time. I don't think any of the gods were having children during the wars and we grow up so much faster than you." She leans, earnestly trying to explain, "I guess if I had grown up only to the equivalent of seven, I wouldn't know any better. I just--I was ready to get out on my own a little for a few years so I'm just--I can't imagine having to wait longer is all."

She chuckles.

"And I cannot imagine the alternative! For us... well. Most of you seem so very YOUNG. Far too young to be away from kith and kin. I suppose it is harder for me, as I never met mortals before now. For you as well, it seems a little strange, but less so."

"See, you still seem sort of mortal to me, even as much older as you probably are. It's all what you're used to. I grew up pretty sheltered so I'm getting used to a lot regardless. Finally start to get used to one thing and whisked away to get used to something else entirely." Persephone gestures in the general direction of the train.

"Well compared to you I probably am!" She smiles. "You must be the youngest immortal I've ever met, as the Ainur are... well. They were here BEFORE time, if you understand my meaning."

She nods, understanding.

"There really are." She sighs.

"I do know what you mean. Some variation of us were there before time. But we keep having children and thus you always find someone new and young in the world." She leans her head back on the edge, eyes half closed.

"I do think it helps that my world is newer, I think, than yours. There's so much more time to be had."

"It does sound so!" She smiles. "Well, you're Spring, so it probably makes sense that you be young."

"And you've time to be young, too."

"Silly, isn't it? To be young forever and spend half of it wanting to be someone older." She crooks a smile, "I hope I'm someone like you, when I'm older."

"I think all the young do." She smiles. "I certainly did in my time!"

She smiles back. "I think you are well on your way."

Event: Healing Waters

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wrapping?

I think so yeah