middleofsomewhere | 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

Ah Ten-Nank. He nodded with a soft grunt. They were the official liasing minister for the crew of the voidtreckers so it's not exactly a surprise. It would be unlikely the boy would have a message for anyone else.

He grabbed a data pad, having the ID made it a lot easier, saved him searching in the database for Ten-Nank's contact. He brought up a message and typed in the ID.

"What's your message?"

"Well.." Something about the boy does turn a bit - though just the slightest bit, considering just how many thoughts and feelings Inigo is currently pushing down - more awkward at that as he pulls out a few papers.

"It was a bit too long for just a message, I'm afraid. I wrote down the information he asked for."

It's indeed a few handwritten pages - with a handwriting that's neat, though perhaps just a touch overly formal. You can't take the prince out of the boy..

"I'm not quite used to to.." Inigo glances at the data pad the other is holding. Like he's trying to think of its name, but just.. can't think of one. What is technology, how does it work. "Other.. methods of sending information." Nailed it.

Zhak sighs. It's a small sigh. After all he is a void minister. He is used to world's with limited or no technological advances. But coming from a world where handwriting died out as a skill millenia before his birth it still blindside him sometimes.

He took the papers. At least the boys writing was neat, he glanced through them and then at the boy.

"Though you are not used to it have you been shown how to type on a data pad?"

Sorry that it is your turn today to deal with the medieval children, Zhak..

Especially since even that question seems a tad difficult for Inigo to answer. It's the term 'data pad' that trips him up, really, even though he's frowning and thinking as he tries hard to give an answer here that is both serious and helpful.

"I have.. typed. On the train."

Just by the way he says the word 'type', it's very obvious that he's still not entirely comfortable with it.

"I've mostly had to figure it out by myself, and I can do it slightly by now because of that, but I still can't quite make it look as neat that way." (Not to mention that it absolutely would take forever if he had to type out everything he wrote.)

"Well. There is always time to learn."

He turns and sits, gesturing for Inigo to sit down next to him. "It is an important skill, and if you are to communicate with void ministers regularly it is one you will need to perfect."

The boy seems a bit unsure about things and Zhak can understand that. He knows a little of the history of these voidtreckers and he knows they are not from void active worlds and indeed have not entered the void voluntarily.

So he gives him an encouraging grunt. "I can see from what you wrote and your neat hand that you are an intelligent man. It will take just a little practice for you to master this. I will help you type out your message."

Sorry Inigo, you are now in data pad class.

Did Inigo expect to end up in data pad class here? No.

Does he feel great about it? Not.. necessarily? Mostly because he feels like he has a lot to do here, and he sure didn't calculate any time into his schedule for sitting here and learning how to use one of these things. It feels a little awkward, and it makes him only more antsy.

But on the other hand, he can't just reject someone from the ministry when they're offering help. Especially since he's being told he'll need it in the future..

So he does move to sit down next to the other, glancing between the guy and the device.

"If you're truly sure that it will only take a little bit of practice.." Inigo sounds unsure of this. Him trying to learn any sort of technology has never required only a 'little bit' of practice.

(At least the compliment registers somewhere in the back of his mind, and maybe at some random other time, he will randomly recall being called an intelligent man for once.)

Zhak just nodded at him as he sat. He appreciates that there is lots to do here but there is always a lot to do here and everyone cannot do everyone all the time. Taking a moment to learn something new was important.

"I am sure of it." He slid the data pad over to him, a message already open and the keyboard up.

"How good is your memory?"

What a question to start with. Inigo looks half-unsure of how to answer that question, especially when he doesn't know what specifically is being asked of him here.

"Uh. It's pretty alright if I try.."

That's a very honest answer. After all, he did memorize Yuki's system number by heart, despite the fact that it was nothing more than a row of long numbers.. But on the other hand, he had been super motivated to remember that.

When he's less motivated, things do tend to slip his mind.

"Why?" He asks, glancing at the data pad for a moment before looking at the other.

"Because it is a lot easier if you memorise where at least some of the most common letters are. You will have to decide for your self where your hands should rest, to be as close to the letters you will need as possible. Every language is different of course."

But that was a good start, knowing where the keys were. "The more you can type without having to look for letters the more efficient you will be."

Oh, sweet Naga.

Not only is this about learning some new technology, but at the same time he also has to memorize the placement of things to be able to use it?! This is why he can't understand what's so wrong about good old writing, it's so much easier to do!

But Inigo, being very brave during this mission, manages to withhold any whining. Instead he just nods, determined to stay strong through this clear torture.

".. Alright."

Brave last words.

"It's just about pressing the right letters, isn't it?" It's just that it always takes forever! No way memorizing the keys is going to make that any faster, he refuses to believe it!

"Yes, pressing the right keys in the right order. Having the muscle memory to know where those keys are placed is important, it will mean you do not need to look for the key each time."

He smiled at him in a gruff but hopefully reassuring way. "Once you master this you will find it much easier to send messages and communicate with others throughout the void."

"Well, then.. let me get to practicing!"

That's the only way he'll get better, right? He's just got to look at this data pad thing, look at the letters, and try to.. somehow memorize their order enough so he can properly type.

If the other isn't planning on letting him go soon anyway, then Inigo might as well make the best out of this situation and try to actually master this skill.

Zhak nodded at him, looking at him with approval as he began. He was a mostly encouraging teacher, giving him tips and correcting him gently.

Soon the whole message was typed up and ready to send.

Fissures of Time: Start

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we can probably wrap this one here!

okay!