Fissures of Time: Start

[voidtreckermods]

"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:

1. Those tranquil landscapes are bursting, wild, a tangled mess you've stepped into. You hear the sounds of war in some too-close distance, but there's nothing save thorns and trees. They try to trap people, fruit thorns wrapped around in an embrace that seems also loving, if crazed.

Equalisers will be need to set in their proper locations, the people kept safe using them, but also the way to the most effective spots reached first. And Mother Nature - or whoever controls this particular life - doesn't seem willing to leave its visitors to do as they like.

-
2. Or the way is clear, bright skies a burning red, and the thundering of ride animals clad in armour approach the road you've found yourself on. Something buzzes close to them, come out to scan the Voidtreckers who have ended up on their path.

'Who goes there!' One of the riders shout.

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

Cooperation might do well, but the warriors can only be fooled for so long: as the distortion will make them unable this moment in time, and the Voidtreckers will be blamed.

And who says you want to mess around, anyway?

-
3. Or there's no instance for being careful. Amidst a battlefield, or even in a town of square roofs, fires burning and the ground breaking apart for roots thicker than tree trunks bringing those houses to rubble. Ordinary people run and try to find refuge, to escape the madness around them; without anything to signify which God you stand for, each side turns its attacks on you, only knowing foe in this chaos.

What you do is your choice: Disarm or slaughter, aid or ignore to get the job done. Bring some semblance of peace, briefly, to this troubled moment or time, or get the job done quickly, and silence the screaming with the equalisers disappearing the past.

( 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.

Comments

Usagi Tsukino (AU) | Purple Team (but all over the place) | OTA

[another_moon]

Gearing Up

The last few missions, Usagi had been more than useless, what with her powers going screwy or not working or just not being able to be able to help the other Voidtrekkers. This time, however, Usagi was going to be the best help that she could be. She was already transformed as New Sailor Moon, but she could be found messing around with the Equalizer as well, making sure she knew how it worked. She wasn't going to get caught off-guard this time around that's for sure.

Once she was set up, she went to fit herself with one of the eye and earpieces, taking a scouting drone with her.

"Make sure you get everything you need...!" she said, idly.

Kolokifi's Domain

A) Scanning the Scenery

If you are walking around, you might see Usagi sitting down on a hill, trying her best to not move her head around. If you try to talk to her, she'll hold up a hand, asking you to wait.

"Sorry, I'm trying to get a better understanding of what's going on." she said, apologizing. "What's up?"

B) Unearthed War - Part One

Usagi grumbled as she stumbled into this strange land. A weird, ravaged world filled with nothing but wildly grown trees and vines. "I guess this is where I need one of those Equalizers, huh?"

With a nod, she went to set the Equalizer down on the ground when something caught her by the waist. "Woah, wait, hey!" she cried out as she found herself pulled away. More vines shot out to bind her, thorns poking into her uniform. "Owowow! Someone, help!"

C) Unearthed War - Part Two

Great, of all the things Usagi wanted to deal with, soldiers turning around and going after her was the one thing she didn't want. Her earlier foes looked human, but they always had monstrous looks that made them easier for Usagi to destroy. But, these were more human-looking. They were soldiers fighting in a war.

Summoning up a group of ribbons and forming them into a sword, she blocked their own sword before using her Moon Stick to strike them away.

"I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to... I will!" she shouted. She barely dodged another sword slice, the blade cutting part of the bow on her chest before she kicked them away.

"This is my last warning!" She might have to get dangerous here...

Wildcard

(OoC: Feel free to run into Usagi elsewhere in the event - at camp, at distortion, back on the train, whatever. She's running the gamut here.)

Unearthed War One

[redmeguca]

Mars Flame Sniper!

[Several flaming arrows fly through the air, severing the vines holding Usagi captive.]

Vines off my girlfriend, you overgrown weeds!

Re: Unearthed War One

[another_moon]

[Usagi grunted as she landed on the ground, glad to have Kyoko nearby.]

I owe you…

[redmeguca]

You can thank me later, go ahead and set the stabilizer while I keep cover. Equalizer. Whatever. This whole thing isn't that different from the Fissures back at Keystone, really.

[another_moon]

[Usagi nods at that.]

Watch my back, Kyo-Chan!

[With that, she went to set the Equalizer again.]

[redmeguca]

Right!

[Kyoko nocks another arrow in her new bow. She could use the Seed of Nature that one of the gods (probably Silifi) gave her to keep things tame, but temporary Chloromancy is too useful to spend on a situation she's already got handled.]

[another_moon]

[Usagi went back to the spot where she tried to set up the Equalizer and began work again. As she did, a tree began to move, intending on capturing her.]

Just need… ten seconds…!

[redmeguca]

[Kyoko snaps her fingers and chains block the grasping branches of the tree. Chains which promptly catch on fire.]

Hey, take as long as you like, Princess. This is a good matchup for me, so I'll be fine as long as I keep my guard up.

[another_moon]

I’d tell you I’m no Princess, but that’s a losing battle. Just keep your eyes open!

[And vines and trees will start heading for Kyoko next.]

scanning the scenery

[blitzcheer]

"Oh!" It takes Tidus a shameful second to realise what Usagi's doing - she's got one of those scouting controls! - and he takes a step away after the interruption, but still can't help but to lean forward with a curious gaze. Could he see whatever she did on the eye-camera?

"Found anything yet? What's it look like?"

He was pretty interested in what those drones did or looked like when they found a distortion. From the outside, everything looked...well, miserable.

[another_moon]

“It’s so weird.” Usagi said. “Some of the places look normal and yet some places are desolate. There’s even some that are beautiful!”

She turned to look at Tidus. “It doesn’t make sense!”

[blitzcheer]

"R-really?" Tidus looks over at the far-off scenery, which is far from beautiful, in Tidus's mind. Too empty -- creepy, in a fashion.

Wait. He looks back at her. "Where? How far's the drone?"

Is it way off?

[another_moon]

"Two hundred meters? At the very least." Usagi said. "Or maybe I've wandered into one too many distortions?"

She sighed at that. "It's so confusing!"

[blitzcheer]

Far, but not too far. Tidus pulls a thin smile regardless, gives Usagi a pat on the shoulder.

"Hey, one distortion at a time, right? Can you call it back to you? I'll head to the nearest distortion and check it out!"

If it's just pretty and not much else, it shouldn't be a problem, right?

[another_moon]

“Of course I can.” Usagi said, nodding, recalling the drone.

“Be careful out there - we don’t know what’s out there.”

[blitzcheer]

"No problem!" Tidus says confidently. "Stuff just looked pretty, right? Lead me to one of those and I'll tell you what it's like!"

And at least the drone can let Usagi talk to him too. Tidus stands ready to move as soon as Usagi is ready to get the drone flying to lead.

[another_moon]

Once everything is set, Usagi nods at Tidus. “Alright, good to go!”

C

[flatteries]

It isn't too difficult to notice what's going on over there with Usagi and the soldiers. Even in the middle of this war, most of what Inigo can hear is just the sound of blades hitting blades. Perhaps the cries of those who have fallen.

But actual words? Those are much more rare.

The moment he hears them though, he's already fighting his way over to where Usagi is. Only one of her against all those soldiers doesn't seem fair in the slightest, so Inigo quickly jumps in, blocking one of the blades that was about to hit her from the side with his own sword.

"I don't think there's any sense in trying to talk them down," he says, managing to deflect the blade that was stuck against his own. Then he strikes instead, driving some of the soldiers a few paces backwards.

"They're fighting a war. They'll just assume we're the enemy."

[another_moon]

“I had to try.” Usagi said. “I don’t like fighting human opponents, but if I had to, I will.”

Usagi kicked out, knocking away another soldier.

“We need to get out or drop an Equilizer…”

[flatteries]

He doesn't scold her for the sentiment. Inigo gets it too. If he wasn't so incredibly used to fighting humans all the time back home, he'd also have more trouble pushing through with actually doing this.

But even as he's still fending the people fighting them off, he frowns, thinking.

"Have you seen anyone from the orange team around with one of them?" They're usually the ones dropping the Equilizers off, after all. "I think I followed one of them in here, but I lost track of them in this chaos."

[another_moon]

“No, I haven’t.” Usagi replied. “I got turned around wandering around here and I used one I picked up.”

She gasped as one blade cut into her costume jacket.

“They’re fighting to kill.”

[flatteries]

All talk about the devices vanishes from his mind, the moment Inigo realises that the girl is actually getting hurt in battle.

Which means the talk is over for a moment in favour of action. He's already moving, stepping between Usagi and the assailant, not even stopping to see whether she's wounded or not. It doesn't matter. All that matters is what Usagi is saying - they're fighting to kill.

Just like Inigo is used to back home. And if they are fighting to kill, then Inigo can't allow them to take down any of his fellow passengers.

So without hesitating, without even saying a word to Usagi.. he just fights off the soldier for a moment before stabbing his sword straight into the other's gut, making the soldier's lifeless body drop to the ground the moment he pulls his sword back out.

He doesn't look back at Usagi as he speaks up.

"Be careful."

[another_moon]

Usagi watches in surprise as Indigo suddenly takes over, becoming something of an automated fighter killing the soldier that attacked her.

She wasn’t hurt, but that sword pierced through her costume. They were not kidding around.

With a nod, she turned and pressed her back against his.

“Watch my back and I got yours.”

[flatteries]

"Alright."

At least he doesn't have any protest against that. Sure, Inigo may come from Ye Olde Times, but it's not like there's any actual preconception about girls being unable to fight in his world. Not when most of his female friends could absolutely kick his ass, anyway.

So he's sure Usagi can hold her own here, especially now she realises just how exactly this situation works. It's kill or be killed. Not the most pleasant of situations, but.. well, it's what they have to work with.

"Let's clear out this part so we'll have a safe passage."

[another_moon]

“Agreed!”

With a nod, Usagi swung her own sword at a charging soldier, striking him aside and dropping him.