middleofsomewhere | Wings of Wonder: Start

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Wings of Wonder: Start

"Good Morning Voidtreckers, today is day 6 of the month of Nebula."
The voice echoes through the train as passengers wake up in their beds. Not long afterwards their SCA’s glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear...

[Prep]

The dressing room has been opened as promised. It is mostly equipment rather than clothing. Tents in team colours, bundles of rope as well as harnesses, belay points, carabiners and anchor points and helmets in team colours. Voidtreckers will have about an hour to prepare before they reach their destination.

WINGS OF WONDER: START

A TL;DR notes version of event/prompts: (click to show)

EVENT BASICS: Voidtreckers arrive on the centre island, covered in a high grass and other plants that may have strange effects on them (make them high, give them hayfever, dizziness, etc). Domesticated animals are trapped in here, and some habitats have been busted up. There's no one else immediately around (except for a statue, interact-able only by the spiritually inclined or those who can make such contact), and bridges between floating, smaller islands have been wrecked.

Team Destinations: On their SCAs, the teams will be signalled to the islands as follows:

Reds:

Purple:

Blue:

Orange:

The four different islands they are to go to are as follow:

NORTH ISLAND:

This area will need fighters, people willing to investigate, people willing to search for sali. It will need those interested in repair work.

EAST ISLAND:

This area will need negotiators, those who can win over the sali's trust. Those with evidence of their trustworthiness is recommended.

SOUTH ISLAND:

Forever One

It will need decent fighters, those willing to work with diplomacy. Those who can deal with unsettled livestock and who can help the wounded. Those willing to help clear up.

WEST ISLAND:

white forest

Strong fighters are needed for this area, and those willing to explore and investigate. Those who can handle strong dangers, but also not exacerbate issues with force.

ARRIVAL ISLAND

ARRIVAL. "Please mind your step getting off."

The female-coded voice of the train speaks as the doors open. Voidtreckers should take heed, with the only way off being with a jump or tumble, landing in a bed of grass below. Very long grass, of greens, yellows, greys and light blues. They'll make a good dent with their drop, but they'll also find more around them, standing as high as twelve feet. Flowers, weeds and more tangle together, their scents strong and threatening to make you dizzy. Get too close to the purple flowers, and they'll offer you a blissful high just by smelling them. Or, are you experiencing hayfever, with constant sneezing and watery eyes?

It'll be a good idea to do something about this mess, just so you don't bump into each other - and the large cylinder containers spread about, meant for rainwater collecting. There are also animals lost in this mix, agitated by the wild growth. They'll need a calming hand to help them behave, and to not go around knocking into people while work is ongoing. There are pegs on the end of the ropes attached to their necks, that can be put back into the ground. ...somewhere.

•
→ Forever One interactions
•

TAKE TWO. With enough clearing and shredding, broken dome habitats can be discovered, wrecked by the plant-life. There's decent cooking pots within, utensils, bowls and other tidbits to be found, but no one else.

Outside, a reddish sky over mountains can be seen in the northwest, and over the south skies too. To the north are signs of smoke... and no easy way to reach anywhere. There are pieces of bridges between floating land, remains hanging resiliently, but not capable of being used without some repair. There are small clusters of land around, but none seem to float close enough to jump across - at least, not for anyone of average human mobility.

The Voidtreckers will need to plan how to move, and where. Flight and abilities over gravity will be useful, except those capable of such will find that their powers aren't as realiable as they should be.

Is this the case for everyone?

EAST ISLAND: HOME OF THE SALI

HOME ISLAND. Arriving from the centre island, there's signs of a clean-up job. Large masses of red and yellow grass have been flattened, creating two paths: one north, and one south.

Voidtreckers will need to continue to watch out for the thorns and pollen that persist in the overgrowth that hasn't been dealt with, their SCAs beeping to help keep them away from questionable growth. They should also mind the clusters of clear crystal stone around the terrain. They are magic, that much is clear even to those who can't sense such things. For those that can, given the weirdness that is happening with their abilities these rocks feel almost like their minds are trying to swim in jelly. As if their eyes don't want to focus on the rocks but also cannot help but try and focus. Like hearing a muffled half familiar song and not being able to place it. Focusing too long however, will make them all the more confused, delirious; others on the road will need to help drag them along.

Choose your path. To the south, the long grass obscures what lies ahead. To the north, large dome settlements can be seen at a far distance.

•
→ North trail interaction
•

TO THE SOUTH. The south trail will take explorers longer to reach anywhere. The plains are vastly wider, ascending up hilly land, but there is more wild here than just the plant-life.

Sometimes, strange striped creatures can be found - usually, if a person gets too separated from others. It goes in for the grab, fast-moving, having some expertise to expect projectiles and to dodge. It won't stop running once they have someone in their clutches.

But there is something that can stop them, other than a Voidtrecker's attack. The closer they get to their destination, the more stone monuments can be found. Nothing grows wild around them, and they seem to give off a repulsive energy that even the Voidtreckers will sense, be even affected by.

They are multiple on the long road, confusing one's mind if they get too close for long. Making them see nonsensical visions, instilling a great sense of fear that spikes their anxiety.

And the most dangerous are the smaller markers; calming, even giving off a sense of relief to be near... but that in truth, have a draining effect to the Voidtreckers.

...but also, doing so does make them start to vibrate strangely...

...and then explode, if too many people past them by.

•
→ South sali interaction

NORTH ISLAND: WEAVED IN GREEN

TANGLING PATHS. Entering the forest is much like agreeing to navigate a labyrinth with layers upon layers. Branches and roots twist and tangle every which way, offering a way up as the ground below becomes more like swamp land. Trees overtake as pathways, limbs wide enough to walk two people side by side, vines hanging like loose threads.

Has your attempt to move forward stranded you from others? Can you reach over to where you see another figure? Or have you fallen, caught in the tangle of the vines, even webs, in need of desperate help? Call - maybe someone can reach you.

•

PROWLING FOES. But those who find you may not always be a friend. Green Sprinters move nimbly, jumping from great heights to pounce upon the unsuspecting, leaping across tree paths and jumping against any surface to weave and dodge attacks. Camo Spiders make the webs that catch clumsy prey. Sometimes, they might not be near their webs - but they will always know when one's been triggered.

And for those who get the most unlucky, they may find a rather spacious opening inside one of tree trunks. Noses will catch a strange odour...an odour of death. They've entered the den of a tree bear, agile despite their bulky size that makes it difficult for blades to penetrate them. They're heavy hitters, as well as having the ability to make the tree branches move to their will.

•

HANG-UPS, HANG LOW. You start to see a sky, and if you're heading in the right direction, a rock wall. There's still a ways up, and, unfortunately (as is always the luck of a Voidtrecker), getting closer only provides more trouble. None of the creatures save the Green Sprinter appear keen to follow them too high, with the other creatures around disinclined in engaging with the Voidtreckers, there's still issues - ahead, and underfoot.

As slick substances cover surfaces to slide any foot or hand it touches, hard to remove; vines that appear safe to grab show tear marks higher up that will lead to dangerous drops if grabbed; and when they grab along the rock wall, the stone will shift, crumbling underfoot or even trapping feet in gaps narrower than when the foot first stepped on them.

Something - or someone is setting traps...

•

→ Mountain Top investigation

•

FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. But maybe you don't end up top side. Maybe your investigations take you elsewhere, or the density of the woods has kept you inside. Is it curiosity, a desire to explore? Or just bad luck? But there's more to be found in these wild woods than just creatures. Those traps - they were surely traps, and there's more to be found, the rustling of leaves and vines that attract you deeper inside.

They don't make themselves known easily until an attack is already on an unsuspecting Voidtrecker. A throwing knife comes close to a head, feet, and then the wood is engulfed in flames that reach out and grab for you, a giant fist or like whips.

They prefer to attack and disappear rather than entering into full on combat. They use the trees as camouflage and try not to stay still enough to be caught or attacked in return. They are fast and if cornered will posture first with their horns, making them look bigger and more ready for a fight.

Talking to them will require time, patience and a good deal of diplomacy. However, those with crystals and eyes coloured red are less willing to listen...

SOUTH ISLAND: BLUE PASTURES

A MURDER OF CORN. Arriving on the South Island, Voidtreckers will find the land in a similar state as the one they started on, if with more cause for concern. Great dome buildings are visible from where they land in an obvious state of disarray, and a thin red fog with it. There's no immediate threats, but as they get closer to the settlement, the red substance in the air - while some has dissipated since they first saw it - offers headaches and unsettled stomachs, turning their vision hazy and unclear. And a feeling as if something is trying to probe their mind.

As they wade through the stiff blue stalks of a wheat-like plant, berry bushes and else, shouting can be heard. "Come out!", "Intruders!" It's difficult to figure their location, while above, the squawking of some kind of bird can be heard. The ground underfoot shakes and tremble suddenly, abruptly.

It's not the Voidtreckers those voices are after, but they may soon be, their obscured locations not staying so as the sali that slice through with sickles, with shovels, a red gemstone somewhere on their bodies, eyes the same. With a touch to the ground, they make plants grow wild and whip and grab, thorns as thick as ropes barricading their foes. Reason seems to work little with them, while others in this state - if not detecting an unknown presence - can be heard muttering about, "We're being attacked... have to find them..."

Worse is if they're found by one of the red-winged birds above-head, who fly up out of the way and spew either a red substance from their beaks, or beat their wings to cause winds that blow back even the sturdiest of Voidtreckers. They won't linger for a fight, but their smaller companions will. They use the overgrowth to hide in, speed as a means of knocking into people, to get away before they can be caught.

•
→ NPC-led encounter
•

THE FARMING LIFE. Instead of a fight wit the sali, some might find themselves at the structures seen from the distance, as tall as two- or three-storey houses. They have suffered structural damage, from the wild growth piercing them, and from something crushing them from above, leaving openings where they shouldn't be.

Inside sheet-covered buildings, there are plants: purple vegetables with the texture of carrots, rising out the ground and merging like lattice screens that block one's way; stringy blue beans that hang from above like weeping willow's, and as annoying to see through; and patches filled with brightly coloured pumpkin-shaped bumby fruits. These, with too much pressure, will burst and let out a gel-like goo that sticks to skin and clothes, making it harder to move if not wiped off.

The roof reaches high, but so do plants, some which can be climbed. It's like an obstacle course, and inside? Sali; some with red eyes, making themselves known by animating the plant-life. They send the hanging blue strings to grab and try to entangle you, or throw the goo-like pumpkins in your direction. But then there are others, some sali hiding, trying to get past people, who'll couragesly hiss "Begone!" to anyone that finds them.

•

SHEEP AND BOAR. In other buildings, it's no less chaotic. One has been flattened in half by some great force from above, but who knows how. There's animal cries that can be heard inside, trapped by beams of wood and some steel; creatures between a sheep and cow, making sounds like ducks. Some have been killed by the structure, and a sali can be found in the wreckage meeting the same fate.

But there are more animals than just them. There are rows of animal barns, some wrecked, a few luckily untouched. And as for their should-be occupants? Around. Not everywhere has been inflicted with the overgrown grass, but you may be in the maze of it, hearing sounds that could be the cow-sheeps (woolies) or even some of the tall antlered creatures that had been on the first island.

And the most unlucky meeting is a boar-like creature that's rampaging around madly, startled, and only knowing to cause a scene until it runs out of energy. Watch out, for they're as speedy as they are bulky, dealing hard-hitting body slams, headbutts that can make people flinch (from being knocked over), and even has the amazing ability to curl up into a ball and start rolling around.

Wear them out, calm them down, or get knocked out!

WEST ISLAND: STEEL TRAIL

WHITE FOREST. For those interested in what the Reds have to do, or just interested in the sight of the mountain surrounded by a mass of red mist, their destination will be the West Island. Greeting those who come here is white: white dirt you might mistake for sand, large white trees with mushroom-tops, made from very fine fibres. Some have been cut down, by the collection of wood bundled for later gathering, with their fluffy tops used as coverings. Meanwhile, birds can be heard in the distance, their destination covered in a shroud of red, the avians visible as they circle the skies.

While there may be the opportunity to get lost, stone posts dot the environment, leading visitors (hopefully) in the right direction. Yet approaching too closely to these stones have a draining, repulsing effect on the Voidtreckers, that will make them want to stay away. Which isn't a bad idea...

Or, you could try destroying them. Be warned, that most efforts are likely to make them explode in a wide area. But it's good to find out once, right?

Finally, they will reach close to the base of the mountain, with the trail they've been following leading towards a high-fenced enclosure.

•
→ Enclosure investigation
•

A SHRILL OMEN. But life doesn't stop at investigating one enclosure. Whatever the outcome of their findings, the Voidtreckers making their way around the enclosure to the east side will be led to what appears to be a mining operation, and a building beside it.

Some of the crates are empty, while others are layered with crystals, bits of stone. Inside the building, tools for mining and cleaning the gems that were dug out are inside. There's a few simple weapons along one of the walls, wrapped food rations found in containers; things that will last a decent amount of time. Dried meats and fruits. Also, jugs and flasks near blue and red liquids.

It doesn't seem abandoned completely, rather it is not being used at the moment because of the storms.

Up above the birds swarm, their cries heard. Patrolling avians will catch sight of anyone below if they aren't careful, with the Steel Wings commonly seen, and ready to attack. Their cries will alert more to come to where they are, and be warned: their feathers can be flung around like blades, tearing into tree and rock to try and crush people under the wreckage.

•

TRAILING STONE. In the face of the mountain are cave entrances, some larger than others. Each of the cave entrances leads into tunnels that work into the mountain. Most are quite large, built and used by Salis but also dark and very steep- the Salis being very sure footed, with stones glowing lights to give visibility.

Ropes and climbing equipment might be needed for those less used to sharp declines. The good news of course is the caves are free of birds, though unfortunately not free of Steel Weavers, more durable than their Northern brethen, with more than a few bullets needed to annoy them. Most of the tunnels are narrow, though there are larger cave areas, some of which have basic supply caches for the mining operation.

Gems can be found for those who go deep enough. Silver-coloured ones will explode if hit at too hard, and so battling around them can quickly turn deadly. But mostly this tunnel system is a very good way to navigate the West Island without being caught in the storm.

May this be the answer for reaching the birds? Can a path be found? But once the Voidtreckers reach them, what will they do?

Venturing on without figuring out a plan may not be the best idea.

OOC NOTES

NOTES: OOC info is here, map is here, info about powers/magic here. Ask questions here, submit shenanigans here, submit rewards here.

Mission starts Nebula 6 (Sept 11th). This log covers the first 2 days. Ongoing goes up on the 16th.

Remember that it will take time to get around the different islands. Ongoing log will give time for more active planning to deal with the main mission objective (helping the sali get rid of the birds/red storm), while allowing the different teams time to communicate and plan. This log is to help determine relations, and showing what's the state of things.

SALI ATTACKS: Sali attacking on the South Island use more land-based magic, but not all use it. and may be able to enchant people and creatures with music, to attack for them (animals and Voidtreckers) or to confuse (Voidtreckers). Mostly, they have farm equipment, save the non-infected sali. They may have daggers and and bows and arrows. Physique go from muscular to lighter framed. They have basic to decent fighting abilities up close.

Those on the North Island will have a larger variety. Fire, ground magic, and more weapons. They are also stealthy and know how to hide well, and are expert fighters. They also deal with hand-to-hand, and have high strength. However, it is a mix. Some of the same kind can be found in the West Island caves for those who want to find any, infected.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"You mean the flowers near where we were dropped off?" He asks, wondering if that's somehow the cause for the way Taiki is feeling.

Especially since he does remember: "They made me feel.. kind of oddly dizzy." Even just by being nearby them. It took him a while to notice that was even because of the flowers, really. "Do you think they have anything to do with it?"

With Taiki's current state, he means.

"I don't know." He shook his head, "But they made me feel strange and I wasn't the only one."

Because Tidus had felt it too.

He looked out over the edge of the island. "This whole place is worrisome."

At least that's a thing they can both agree on here. Something isn't right about this place, between how weird and overgrown and abandoned this place they landed on looks, and then there's the fact they can't even get anywhere without help from people who can fly, and the fact that Taiki feels tired..

"Yes.. I agree," he slowly says, releasing a breath. It's not the kind of energy Inigo wants to stay on, though, so he shakes his head. "But that is exactly why you shouldn't push yourself too hard, alright?"

That statement comes with another gentle rub of Inigo's hand.

"You're already doing so much to help people out."

"I won't push myself. I've been practising, I have to go slow but... I can get you over to the other side safely."

He wouldn't have offered if he wasn't sure he could manage. There was no way he would do something to put anyone in danger. Especially not Inigo.

Inigo pauses for a moment, glancing over at Taiki, but then smiles at the other.

"Okay." It's not like he's going to tell the other he can't do it - especially since he knows that Taiki wants to help out so badly on these missions too. And this time there's just this unique way in which he can help out. By doing something that most people can't do.

And it's not even like Inigo is worried about whether or not they'll make it. He trusts Taiki, more than anything.

"Let's do that then, if you're up for it right now."

"Yes." He bowed his head. "Please hold on tight, it's harder to fly here but I promise you will be safe."

He would not let any harm come to Inigo, but it would be a bumpier ride than usual.

"Don't worry," he softly says, patting Taiki on the nose. "I'll be careful. And I know you'll be too."

Sure, it is a little scary to fly over what might be an endless abyss, as far as they know, on a horse. Inigo has no idea how Cynthia does it on the daily. But if said horse is Taiki, then he's willing to put some faith into it.

So he doesn't hesitate to climb on top of the other. At least that's something Inigo is relatively good at, since he did learn how to ride a horse back home. Sometimes stuff like that really pays off, huh.

"Let me know if you end up too tired halfway through. Maybe there'll be a big enough piece of the bridge left to land on for a moment."

That was all he could ask, he knows it must be worrying for Inigo to fly over this gap where there was nothing that could save him if he fell, except Taiki.

Taiki knows how much trust his friend is showing him. "I will. I will go slow and steady."

Once he was sure Inigo was holding on he launched into the air, carefully, it took a lot more focus to catch a wind current. Flying was so natural and yet here it felt as if he was having to concentrate every moment.

He flew in a slow circle first, keeping the ground beneath them, just to give Inigo some time to get used to it before he flew over the edge.

Inigo is making sure to hold on well. Maybe even partially just because he's kind of nervous about this whole flying deal - Jingyi suddenly going at rollercoaster speeds with it on the platform also did not help with that, thanks! - but at the very least it means he is sure to hold on well to Taiki while the other moves up into the air.

.. though even as he's clinging on for dear life, he's still noticing what Taiki just did there.

"Were you trying to start above land for my sake? You don't have to if you're tired, you know.."

"I'd rather be sure, things have been a bit bumpy at the start."

And a small bit of extra tiredness is worth it for making sure that Inigo is completely safe and comfortable.

But they probably did want to actually leave the island now, to get across before his energy ran out.

"Ready?" And they are off.

Don't worry, Inigo makes sure to reply that he's ready before Taiki moves further away from the island, starting to fly over the actual gap separating the islands from one another. And he's still clinging on tightly - perhaps even more tightly than a moment ago.

He so does not want to fall down here. That'd practically be like a nightmare becoming reality. No thanks, that's not what he signed up for.

"N-Nothing against you helping me across, but I'm really hoping we won't have to move between islands a lot.." He so does not want to have to do this an infinite number of times this mission.

"Yes... I hope we don't need to either. There's a lot of people to move." And though he's not the only one who can fly there still aren't many of them, it will be hard to get everyone across the islands.

"It must be difficult for the people who live here, even with the bridges."

"Makes you wonder why they'd choose to live here.."

But Inigo already knows the most likely answer to that, despite what he's saying out loud. Of course people would only live here if they had no other choice, right? Who knows what's even out there in this world beyond these islands. Maybe it's all that exists here.

It's all they have.

".. I just hope they're still doing alright. If those storms were already enough to get rid of these bridges, then who knows what more they could have done."

"Yes I hope we can make things better for them here..." He says softly, his eyes not straying from the distant land, their goal.

"People are able to adapt when they have to, even when their land is very harsh."

As he was sure the people here had, these bridges were one way they had made it so that they could move from place to place.

Inigo knows exactly what that statement is born from.

It's because of Tai, right? Taiki has told him about the place before, if not just because Inigo had asked about it, and it did sound like it was a really difficult place to live in - especially when trouble started brewing there. Taiki knows exactly what it's like to watch people trying to live in places that might not exactly be friendly to life as a whole.

"I guess all we can do is our best to improve things even a little here." Whether it's by getting rid of the threat, or maybe even doing a little extra. "It'd be nice if we could at least repair those bridges for them.." Though he'll really have to see if that's even feasible, considering they didn't exactly arrive here with construction materials.

"Yes. That would be good." He glanced down at the ruined bridge. "It must be hard, for them to get around at the moment. I don't think they can fly."

At least nothing mentioned that. And if they could, would they even need bridges in the first place?

"I'll see if there's some way."

That's the most he can promise. They don't have any way to do something about it right now, after all, but Inigo figures that if he can find anything on the island they're flying towards right now, he can at least make some attempt at repairs. Surely they have enough purple people heading this way for them to be able to miss someone..

"What about you, Taiki? Do you think you're going to spend most of your time flying people around like this?"

"I think so... If all the bridges are broken we will need some way to move around."

And those who can fly can provide that, even if the journey is slow and bumpy.

"I think that's best... to help."

As long as they don't get attacked by birds, it's a way to avoid the inevitable fighting that must happen on missons.

There's a hint of that worry in Inigo's head. If the danger is a storm, if it's birds, then the people who are up in the air are the most vulnerable. And Taiki isn't exactly a prime candidate for when it comes to fighting back against things - it's just not in his nature.

.. but he'll just have to trust it. If something really goes wrong, surely he'll be able to make a call in time for someone to come help, right? Inigo wants to trust in Taiki, more than anything. Wants him to be able to feel useful.

So he smiles, leaning his head against the kirin's neck. "You'll be so helpful, Taiki. I mean, you're the only reason a poor flightless guy like me is able to get to the other side."

"I'm just glad some of us can fly. Or we would all be stuck on that first island."

And the mission wouldn't have been any sort of success at all. "But since we can move people where they are needed, I am sure everyone will find a way to do what is needed."

Especially Inigo. He was very resourceful.

"I'm planning on trying my best." With finding a way to do stuff, he means. Obviously. It's not like this is the first mission where they're kind of thrown into the deep end of a pool and have to figure out how to swim. Inigo is already taking the fact that they didn't get attacked right upon arrival as an upside to all of this.

"Though.. I'm still going to miss you, you know."

Not that he isn't going to work as hard as he can anyway. But it's one of the things Inigo really doesn't like about these missions. Being split up, having to miss his friends, since he can't be with them all the time.. It sucks. Calling people over the comms really isn't the same as being with them in person, especially to a pre-technology era person like Inigo.

"I'll miss you too... But since I can fly." Even slowly and bumpily. "I'll make sure to come and visit."

He doesn't like being parted from his friends either, even though it is a necessity. Even though he knows it best to let his friends get on with things and not have to worry about him being near fighting or bloodshed.

But if he's careful and if he gives them prior warning, he can definitely make sure to see Inigo even if their tasks keep them apart.

It's the part that does suck, huh. Inigo would usually be of most a mind to just ask Taiki to come along with him, but he knows that won't be possible. Whatever exactly is up there when they head to the north, the mission description did speak of hostilities.. which means monsters, or at least some sort of fighting, and he can't let Taiki get near that.

So Inigo can't help but ask: "You'll make sure it's safe first, right?"

Before Taiki accidentally ends up super sick mid-mission, and then it'll be Inigo's fault. Because he made Taiki want to visit him.

"Of course." His voice is soft and though he doesn't nod from worry of unbalancing Inigo his voice is sure.

"I'll contact you first, on the SCA. That way I can make sure it is alright to visit."

"Yeah.. that sounds like a good plan."

Because there's no way Inigo wouldn't first do an extensive scan of the area, just to make sure that it really is safe for Taiki to come over. No task is too big when it comes to Taiki's happiness. In Inigo's opinion, anyway.

And despite their slow pace, he can now finally see: "We're getting closer to the other island now."

Wings of Wonder: Start

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wrap?