middleofsomewhere | Fissures of Time: Start

Fissures of Time: Start

"Good Morning Voidtreckers, today is day eight of the month of Poi."
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 appears...

FISSURES OF TIME: START

... BASE CAMP

THE VOIDTRECKER EXPRESS LANDS CLOSE TO A GIANT OF A FORTRESS SAT ATOP A HILL, A RIVER BORDERING THE WAY TO A NEARBY TOWN. 'Please head to the location marked on your map,' the Voidtrecker Express speaks through the intercoms before opening the doors out.

Passing the threashold, Voidtreckers are welcomed to a mild heat, accompanied by a passing spring breeze; the grass underfoot is a healthy wheat-yellow, with a few unfamiliar flowers dotted about. Checking their maps, they'll see they're at the very far southwest, and their their destination is the fortress - or temple - a small walk from way they are. They'll know they're heading the right direction when two figures dressed in their own military gear meet them halfway, neither human.

'Voidtreckers?' One greets with a nod, then jerks their head to the fortress. 'Follow us. We'll tell you and give you what you need; get you ready for the week you're in for.'

Voidtreckers that follow are led into spacious halls, a Grecian-like architecture with columns carved into flowering patterns, statues of idols lining the walls. There's a faint murmur of activity, but they don't see too many people before they're led into a nearby room filled with containers that close in the space. Even as they enter, a holographic map floats visibly mid-air like the one on their SCAs.

The two people go to either side of it, and it's the one from earlier that speaks again.

'This is Kolokifi's domain- most of it, anyway. Down here where we are is Eilifi's land. Another god, but a history lesson isn't what you need unless you ask for it. All up this way-' the person makes a circular motion in front of the map, leaving a visible mark on it. '--is where time distortions will be happening. The easy explan' of them is that points in the past get pulled into the present - echoes of them. Fragments, moments - Time here got well and screwed up, and tries to bring up points in the past to the present.

'Now, some have a problem with getting rid of the slips of the people that come through, so I'm going to get into that now. Thing is, if they can stick around? They will, but most of them can't. All of this is just Time trying to make a copy of the past appear, so thinking you can leave the distortions alone make everyone whole? Isn't going to work as well as you think. It just makes more problems, and that isn't pretty.' They snort. 'They're gonna fight and sound like people 'cause they are - real unfortunate, unlucky sods. If you're gonna have problems with it, don't deal with them. Leave 'em to whoever with you can, or send a signal for us on the maps. Double tap the area and then get out. There's no point gettin' trauma on top of what's already on your plate.'

Finally they nod to the various containers around.

'But don't worry, it isn't all sad shit. You've got fields to deal with too, open spaces. Boring work, but it's what we're here for. So if you're going, let's get you ready. And you come back here when you need anything.'

GEARING UP. They go through the different roles required, what's best to be done, what does what. They'll be shown how to work an equaliser, how to fit and wear the eye and earpieces - with other designs available if needed - to use the remote-controlled scouting drones.

Take the time to open up an equaliser box yourself, try to work a scouting drone. There are also medical kits, with boxes containing herbal medicine 'blessed by the Spring god here - make sure you can take it,' the Ministry worker helping them warns. There's devices in all of the kits, small scanners to double-check that a medicine won't react poorly to whatever it scans. Similar technology to what the SCAs use, but more advanced.

There's no rush to leave, and the group will also be shown where some spare carts and animals for pulling are outside, for packing up supplies on.

STAYING BACK. But people don't need to go. They can stay with the Voidtrecker Express, use a few facilities in the Ministry base, or wander the immediate area, so long as they don't go beyond the river that down the hill the fortress sits on. There's the train itself that people can stick to, take pillows and their blankets outside to enjoy the fresh air.

Or you could be coming back this way during the mission. The Ministry base has a kitchen free to use, water, and every day fresh fruit and vegetables come in carts from the same figure, flour and oats. If someone wants, they can take some of the food, or use it to make supplies for the Voidtreckers to receive if they come back this way, or other missionaries.

How they spend their time is up to them.

... KOLOKIFI'S DOMAIN

FOR A WEEK, VOIDTRECKERS WILL BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE SAME TORN, SCARRED LAND. Despite the skies being a clearer silver-grey nearer to the Ministry base, it keeps close to a blood-red as Voidtreckers wander its terrain. Heat clings to them in the dry air, the dirt as parched as the scenery leaves the eyes.

Those with scouting droners would do well to getting used to their new toys while they travel, watching out for what lies ahead. Though just from looking at it, there's nothing but the same drained landscape. Those who can fly may be tempted to do so, to get ahead. Those with superspeed, what's the point of hanging around? But eventually, everyone will learn what happens if you simply wander around here...

WHAT ONCE WAS. Sometimes, the time distortions are innocuous - a glimpse into peaceful times, a view of the world as it once was. A step, one single move forward into a time distortion, and the world around you changes. Gone is the suffering heat and chalky environment, and the world blossoms. Wild yellow-grass sways every-which way, the sky sits with fluffy clouds against and blushed pink than the blood-red.

You can move around, explore for a little while, but up until a point, the world just stops: you run, you fly, you walk, but it makes no difference.

...It also means you can't leave. Well, good thing your SCA still works to ask for help.

These time distortions will be the simplest to deal with, only occupied by a few wild animals, maybe fish in a stream. A good place to practice with the equaliser, and to watch as the scenery fades to the stark reality of the present day.

UNEARTHED WAR. But then, peace isn't what led this land into the state it is. The skies are a lavender and red, and sometimes:

Mother Nature

'Who goes there!'

'You're no warrior of Kolokifi! Come quietly under her mercy, or suffer her judgment!'

( MOD NOTE: Play these scenarios to whatever degree you like; people can be knocked unconscious or situations can't be helped. Choose what is best for yourself or your character. )

IDYLLIC LIFE. Except, it's not a battlefield that is the hardest to deal with. There are the instances of peace, but when it comes with those more aware than just the flowers or animals - but with people.

Sometimes, they might be moved around: a pair on a picnic, or people with tents by a lake, enjoying themselves. Or, you might get asked what you're up to, asked to join them. Perhaps it's a merchant going to the next town. 'Kolokifi may be a blessed God, but you know Silifi's fields bring their best this time of year.'

They may disappear, without knowing what you were doing - or realise something is wrong, just towards the end. Steel your heart.

The hardest are the towns, sections of them, and moving around them, trying to find the best place to set up.

But if an equaliser goes off too early, doesn't get set in the best place (was it because the best place was in a river? Where a house is, with nowhere to set the equaliser?), then fractions of this settlement will start to disappear - and the civillians will notice, and the panic will be quick.

If it becomes too tough, remember: A marker can be set on the maps and a call made for another group - non-Voidtreckers - to do the job.

HEAVY HEARTS IN REST. There will be enough for four separate camps to be set out from the supplies, the tents wide and spacious to put in simple bedding for the stragglers from the time distortions that do make it out.

It's here where they should be brought. Calm them down, reassure them, until you can find someone to take them to the Ministry base. This will be some work, depending on how panicked they are, distrustful. The less care and stealth used when setting Equalisers and getting rid of time distortions, the less reason these people will have to care about what the Voidtreckers have to offer - and they're already scared.

Kids, adults, the elderly - they'll try to make their escape, and sometimes end up in new distortions.

Voidtreckers will need to coordinate well with the different camps, with where their people are going. There's only so many Equalisers, and it is good to keep moving around.

And very likely, this will be a mission heavier on the heart than the body. Speak with one another, share in the weight of this world's tragedy.

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here. Let us know about shenanigans here. NPC requests here, set up a thread here. Rewards go here.

Reminder of goals: Red Team is to deal with the heavier war-time distortions, keeping Orange people setting Equalisers safe, who will also use scouting drones + other methods to locate distortions. Purple Team aids in the smaller, more scattered distortions (includes 'idyllic' distortions), and helping Blue locate misplaced people, keeping them safe. Blue also protects and moves the camps.

NPC fighters: Their skills vary, depending on what you want to come up against. But they have guns, swords, shielding; nature can be particularly vengeful, and even typhoons might be deployed. People will be rewound from where they're going to where they were; and warriors sometimes have their own quick means of healing.

Play with whatever obstacles you want! As ever you don't have to stick to the prompts we write, this is a setting where a lot of wildness can happen so feel free to write your own distortions to take down! Also, again: For anything traumatic, you can have your characters miss anything too distressing for them. There are a lot of time distortions in very ordinary settings.

Further Prompt Ideas: Click!

Blue Team:

You're dealing with a misplaced person, and how agreeable are they? Did they run off on foot? Or use the cart animal in the night? Now you're looking for them - and either with or without them, you've ended up in a time distortion.
The camp's moving, and you're setting up for the first time, packing away for the second. Are you used to the heat? The repetition?
You've got food from the train to work with for meals, but the Ministry has packed everyone a mix too. Some ration foods that you add water to, but also an orso-like pasta and types of chicken breast (at least, it tastes like chicken), cooking sauces, pita breads. Does your character know how to cook?
You just want a change of scenery, and someone in the camp is going to one of the time distortions. Maybe you go along, just to bring out some food, or just out of curiosisty.
There's nothing stopping you from using a scouting drone - actually, being in one place makes it easy. You can speak to people through the drone. How much can you help from afar?

Orange Team:

It's your job to set up Equalisers. How confusing are they to you? Do you get unlucky? Does it jam at a bad time?
You have to set up an Equaliser in a settlement. And if it wasn't bad enough, there's nowhere good to put them except in someone's backyard/right in front of a shop stall. These people aren't pleased. They're going to get suspicious!
This distortion is too big for the amount of Equalisers you and the other person have with you. Do you realise this? Even when it's a peaceful distortion, this can be tricky - you have to pack one up and move it! Or the worst happens when you set them off, and only erase half the place - and people notice.

Red Team:

Fire burns around you as war rages. The equalisers need to be set but to get them in place the fires need put out. Tricky when there are a whole bunch of soldiers currently lighting them.
Red's job is to deal with the obstacles of the more physical-demanding distortions, but that doesn't mean they're easy to find. You end up in scenic landscapes - and you're not the person with an equaliser.
Sometimes - or most of the time - the fighters are not match for your strength. But sometimes, these warriors have skills that can manage to get you defenceless, maybe even nullify your powers.
Do you care about murder? Sometimes, it's simple self-defence - they're attacking first. But not everyone in a war time distortion is an attacker - sometimes they're normal civillians caught up in the chaos. Maybe they even help you, take your side - and you know they're soon going to disappear.
Even Red Team needs a break now and then. Wandering around at random just drops you into distortions that you can find a way to deal with. Or are you seeing what you can do? Maybe there's more that can be done than just waiting on Orange Team.
But even so, there are camps moving around - you should head back to one. Or will you risk sleeping out where a distortion might hit?

Purple Team:

Whilst helping in a town based distortion so thing goes wrong. The market has vanished and people have noticed. Specifically these angry traders, heading towards your team with the intent to stop them in their tracks.
People aren't the only problem. A distortion has spooked a heard of animals and they are stampeding. This makes it very difficult to place Equalisers.
You stumble upon a couple of chatty locals in this distortion. The equalisers still need to be set without causing suspicion so someone needs to be a distraction. How do you make small talk with people you are about to erase from time?
Often it is the terrain that makes things difficult. Clear trees or rockfalls or find a route across a difficult river.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It only had taken a split nano for his smaller team member to disappear from view. Given the expanse of barren red, it could only be into the time rift he had just identified. Apparently too late. This heat is slowing down his processes.

Hot and annoyed, he sets his drone on park, then steps into the rift, stiff in preparedness for anything violent, only to find-

a field full of flowers, a cool breeze, a mountain in the distance, and Yota taking it all in.

His off-white circuits brighten slightly, awed by the sight as well.

"Wow indeed." Faux steps in, closer to yota.

And then Yota runs straight into something. Faux gives a sympathetic flinch. Noting for once, it wasn't him and his hacking involved. "Looks like the end of the line." Seeing no injury, "At least you've confirmed the rough dimensions of this rift now."

Edited 2022-01-15 14:38 (UTC)

Yota rubbed his reddening nose and nodded, sitting among the flowers and grass.

"Yeah... even though it looks like it goes on forever, that's the end of it, huh?"

He kept watching the distant figures climb the mountain, the wind carrying the shepherd's song.

"... there isn't any more to see here, is there?" he asked, quietly touching a flower beside him.

It's solid and soft and undeniably real.

While Yota looks out towards some distant figures moving along the mountain in the distance that no longer exists, he comes closer and inspects the invisible barrier. It's not like touching a wall precisely, more the sensation of a refracting force pressing on his hand. Velocity would alter that assessment though.

"Yes. The rift is only about three by five meters. Small."

They both take a moment to look out on the vastness, the tune guiding their attention along. The scene around him is beautiful. Unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and yet it's nothing more than a memory. From his understanding, these 'time rifts' are memories of the world, just fragments already done. Regardless, he's at least thankful for some temporary relief from the heat, and a pleasant memory of his own to take with him.

He gives his hair a rub, feeling the breeze blow between it as he takes in the flowers around them. "I'd count ourselves lucky this wasn't a warzone."

"Yeah..." Yota agreed quietly, wondering how much fire, how many explosions, and how much bloodshed could change such a beautiful place into what they walked through earlier.

"It's a good memory."

He briefly considered taking a flower, but there was nowhere to put it back there. Better leave it be.

He stood up and watched Faux examine the edges.
"So, it's best if we plant it in the middle, right...?"

It's a good memory.

Faux has to give a small smile, "Agreed."

He would also have considered taking some flowers himself if he could, but the outside temperature would destroy them, even if they somehow managed to escape the distortion intact. They are best left to this memory.

Examining the input from the drone, "The best performance for a distortion this small shows to be placement of three along the outer edges."

He gives a shrug, "Given the dimensions, find an edge, walk roughly three meters, and stick it down." It's a triangle. He taps the ground between them. "Here would be a good spot for the first."

"So around the edges or tips of this place, got it."

Yota placed the first where Faux pointed it out, then, walked carefully ahead, reaching out until he felt another edge, and placed the second one.

He wasn't exactly sure how many steps were in three meters, so he just felt it out. One more!

Finding the opposite edge of the distortion, Faux spreads to roughly equal distance apart in their small confines. As Yota sticks in his own, he is about to place the last equalizer, he feels a pressure brush over his calf.

Jumping back, he immediately readies his disk, only to find-

a fluffy creature, with long ears, big hind legs, and whorls on its coat not unlike the flowers surrounding their little area. Its sniffing his foot, and when it looks up it has tiny black dots for eyes, as if the eyes are too small for its head. It's about a quarter of Yota's size, and Faux gives it a cautious stare down, hunting for any nefarious actions.

It sniffs his foot again.

He turns to Yota. He would have more knowledge on this kinda thing.

"What is it?"

Yota notices the twitching nose, dark eyes, long ears, and oof, those legs! He did NOT like rabbit kicks.

But this one was on all fours, like Spark, and just as naked. It was also... really tiny. Was it a child or was this the adults' size here?

Yota crossed his arms, thinking of the number of times he was beaten up by various rabbits.
"... a rabbit! Yeah, the colours and patterns are new to me, but their kicks pack a real punch! Look out for those legs! Their claws are usually pretty short, though."

Faux looks down, assessing the size of this 'rabbit'. He's sure Yota must be exaggerating somewhat, but given Yota's overall size, maybe it could be a threat to him, and the rabbit isn't particularly afraid of them.

"So ahh, it's not a dangerous type then?"

He bends down to get a closer look as he picks up the equalizer arm. It blends in well with the field of flowers. He kinda wants to touch it, but resists the urge. Either way, the rabbit is in his way of the equalizers spot. He nudges it with his foot slightly and it hops further away towards Yota's direction.

Oops.

“Not normally.”

When it hopped over, Yota tried to pounce on the mystery ‘rabbit,’ but missed his landing and crashed into the grass and flowers. Oops.
He’s also rather slow for a cat, so the rabbit could easily avoid him by one hop to the right or left.

He watches as Yota lunges for the rabbit and misses. The Rabbit easily moves out the way to the left, and he watches as it kicks some dirt back at Yota with its back feet for good measure.

The resulting thump however causes a stir in the local greenery and several other smaller rabbits shuffle around, having been camouflaged so well, he even hadn't even caught them.

"What are ya trying to do?" shaking his head, "You said it's not a threat."

And now there are more of them.

"Force of habit... hey, can you forget you saw that?" Yota mumbled miserably, after getting dirt kicked up on him.

He finally gathered himself up, stood, and brushed the dirt off as best as he could.

"Must'a been all those cookies earlier..."

He looked around himself at the many rabbits.

"Oh, wow... there's dozens of the little guys!"

Looking around, the rabbits seem to settle from their skittish behaviour. They easily fall back into the landscape when stationary. Crisis averted?

A chuckle rumbles in his breathe. "You're going to do more damage to yourself than that rabbit." He smiles back at Yota's plea. "But I'll consider it, if you forget I also got spooked by said rabbit."

Moving back into position he sets the last equalizer into the ground, before he can activate it, the larger original rabbit moves near Yota, almost as if taunting him now. Then its face trisects open, and a long tongue shoots out beside his crew mate, eviscerating a flower!

It politely nibbles on its meal after the show.

Faux's eyes bulged at the sight. And no, he did not 'scream'. (Maybe a little) Hopefully nothing heard him.

Yota stared in mute shock at the gruesome sight and then, the absurdly, almost mockingly peaceful chewing that followed it.

"... get us out of here right now," Yota demanded in a low and flat voice, not tearing his eyes away from the rabbit that just shot its tongue past him mere seconds ago.

"Yeah, time to be done." In complete agreement.

It's slightly embarrassing that they have been intimidated by such small creatures, but better safe than sorry. Plus, they have a job to do.

"Plan. I activate this thing, we bolt for the door."

It should theoretically start to reduce this distortion as they head out. He rights the last equalizer limb and it blinks in concert with the other two around the perimeter.

"Door? I'll just follow you, then!" Yota said, having no idea which direction to go, but ready to run the moment he sees Faux do.

The space is starting to fade out, the vastness shrinking back.

"Have you lost the entrance already?" Shaking his head. Seems users have inconstant spacial awareness. It's not like this place is that big. He snorts out a half chuckle, "This way!"

He turns and takes several hurried steps back where they came from, hopefully guiding Yota out, as the equalizers do their thing.

Some of the rabbits start to move around from the commotion, the larger original rabbit takes a few steps towards them but moves off. A couple others disperse ahead of him, their chaotic movements almost tripping him up towards the end, but he makes it out-

right back into the unrelenting heat.

"It's my first time, gimme a break!" Yota said indignantly, but he followed Faux as fast as he could, but he was never the fastest runner, and was overtaken by a rabbit, then another!

The refreshing breeze and wildflower-dotted fields of grass, the shepherd's song and the mountain, and the many camouflaged rabbits disappeared in an instant, replaced with barren earth and blood-red sky.

"... oh."

He missed the past already, keenly feeling why the land might want to cling to that memory, but—a little green followed them back to this time. Two of green rabbits followed them back!

He feels more than sees Yota exit out with him, but he can sure hear him.

The probe's direct telemetry feeds shows the time distortion shrinking away and blinking out from existence behind both of them, leaving only the equalizers left in place for them to pick up, their coordinates pinging off the headgear sub routines.

It also showed him that they had two stowaways.

He's already straight and turning around to spot the three forms nearby.

"Yeah, already know." He sighs.

Yota doesn't seem any worse for wear but the poor small rabbits beside him are looking rather stunned by the drastic change of locale. Under the harsh lighting, they aren't so menacing, if they ever were.

"This isn't a great place for these guys. Is it?" He scratches his chin, "I hadn't expected for us to have company." They didn't exactly get a manual for this, though he's certain those ministry users probably would have provided one if there was.

Yota blinked, then frowned. "I guess it is too hot for 'em, huh?"

He didn't really want to, but...

He gathered them up. "C'mere. It's hot..."

"Maybe we should carry 'em back?"

Two rabbits at once was difficult, though, so Yota looked very pointedly at Faux. "Y'mind giving me a hand?"

Edited 2022-01-19 21:24 (UTC)

Assessing the dilemma, Faux could just carry Yota and the two rabbits he's holding, given none of them are particularly large, back to the supply transport they left with some others. However going by Yota's previous comments, he's doubtful he'd want that.

"Sure, just let me-"

He bends down to grab one of the two stowaways. They look hotter than he does. Apparently the one he goes for isn't quite as done as they thought. Suddenly his rabbit struggles and makes a jump, and as Yota had professed before, the tiny rabbit gives a mean kick to his face with enough power to lurch him back and send stars in his eyes.

Now on the ground he gasps out to yota, "You were right... they do kick hard..."

Slightly horrified at such power from a small thing, he quickly recovers, assessing the damage from the little glitch. He touches a pixelated graze just on his cheek. It's not that bad, so he sets his eyes back on the fiend, only to find it hopping away.

It's defiance is short lived though as it pants under the heat. Taking the opportunity, he finally manages to grab it with both hands. It lashes out at him one last time with its tongue, and Faux finds it's not actually that threatening after all. "Are you quite done?"

Yota winced. “Yeah, speaking from experience…”

But something about Faux’s face was strange!

“Y…your face, why’d it do that?” Yota asked, surprised. “It just… was it because of the rabbit?”

Yota held his at arm’s length, as if it might make him glitch out too.

Oh, his cheek? It might be glistening in the light a bit. He forgets that users do something else when injured.

Given the reaction by Yota, he's not taking any chances with his own rabbit.

"It's fine," Oh how he hates that term, but its appropriate, "just clipped my render. Ya know, sharp claws and all." He gives a shrug, and the rabbit squirms just a bit.

His code stiffens as he comes to a realization.

"Come to think about it. I don't actually know how to repair myself if it were a real injury." Lets hope it doesn't come down to that before he finds a solution to his problem.

"What...? Repair—you ain't a human? You're something like... a machine?" Yota asked, finally becoming more aware that Faux might not be one.

"You should head back if you're something that fragile, shouldn't you?"

"I'm a program. I just live in a machine." Faux corrects, used to users now typically being clueless to his nature.

And fragile? He gives a smile. "We played gladiatorial death matches as casual sport. Believe me, I'm not fragile." Oh he would never participate. Not anymore if he could help it. But Yota doesn't know that. He leaves the smile open for interpretation. He starts to walk towards the transport with their supplies, rabbit in tow.

If they're on the subject of identities. "Well, what are you anyway? I assumed you were some sort of rabbit variant, since you look kinda like one, and you know about them."

Fissures of Time: Start

1.First Distortion

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[cruel, cruel!!]

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[WELL, that's enough alien planet sightseeing for now!!]

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[let's keep two! ^^]

Re: [One each?]

[sure!]

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Oops! screwed up the bold on my last reply .__. It was only supossed to be Cat...

it's okay! ^^

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[oh, dear.]

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