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

"Setting it up," Eli picks up the box and holds it up briefly. He starts off again, looking for a place to set the device up. "The name's Eli, by the way. Eli Vanto."

"Good to know, nice to meet you. I'm Tidus," he gives back jovially; eyes swinging around, not about to let up when it's nature that's grumbling about their presence. His hand has emptied of his blade - gone, disappeared, packed away in another space and replaced by a dagger that he's decided is going to be easier to manage than a longer sword.

Well, maybe. Hopefully. "You okay if I use magic around here? Nothing big - just if anything comes grabbing us again. Plants don't like fire, right?"

Maybe that'd be good and okay to risk? It's not like 'forest fire' is really going to be a big deal...

"Ah, so you're Tidus. Taiki told me about you." He's yet to meet the other guy, Roland, but Tidus seems nice enough and he didn't hesitate to come save Eli.

"You can do magic?" That gets Eli's attention big time. "And make fire? Like something out of a fantasy book?" Eli read his share of fantasy books during his childhood.

"Taiki!" The name is repeated fondly, where one doesn't need to look at his face to see the smile it elicits. He doesn't feel the need to ask what was said, but he'll focus on Eli's actual interest here - with a small laugh.

"Yeah, sure, like out of a fantasy book! Just some though - I'm not like some of the people here. And my fire's really weak next to water. I just learned it for fighting - I'm better at other magic. Like making people move faster?"

There's definitely an offer there, if Eli wants to take it.

"In my world, there is no magic. I mean, there's the Force, but I've never seen anybody actually use it." Mostly because in his time, the Jedi are all gone, and he's never met Darth Vader. Not that he'd want to meet Vader, if half the stories about him are true.

"Making people move faster, you say? Do tell."

"Ohhh, Force." There's recognition in the word at least, but he'll hold back (but maybe he knows Leia? Hera?), and with the request to tell, Tidus offers:

"How about show? Turn around." To face him, Tidus means, since he doesn't mind stopping and showing off some for the guy (showing off is part of his job, after all). He's holding a hand up in a fist by his chest, but nevermind that. It's not in any position to punch anyone.

But if Eli's ready or doesn't want to back out, he'll go ahead.

Eli hears the recognition, and makes a mental note to ask Tidus about that. Either they're from the same galaxy after all or Tidus knows someone from Eli's galaxy. Possibly Hera. Eli hasn't taken a head count of everybody who comes from his home galaxy yet, and so far he only knows about Thrawn and Hera.

"If you insist." Eli stops and turns around, facing Tidus. He automatically raises his hand in a defensive position, but lowers it when Tidus doesn't hit him. "Alright, go ahead."

His mouth pulls in a bit of a smile, but with the assent, he closes his eyes and turns the fist towards himself - and around it starts to gather small wisps of white light, coming off around his body and then reaching the fist like a focal point before disappearing.

All happening in a few seconds, which Tidus is already opening his eyes, a small grunt before he turns the fist around into an open hand in Eli's direction.

And it may be - may very be likely - strange for a person who's never experienced it - the sudden rush that spreads out through his body, the rings of gold externally that surround him, circling briefly with a speed that isn't too fast to witness - at least, not for Eli now. There's a new weightlessness about him, a vigor he'll find; and as long as Tidus and his spell hasn't startled the poor bloke too badly, Tidus will be grinning, eager to encourage, "Move!"

Even just walking will be swifter, easier. Fortunately, his senses won't lag behind either with his body's newfound speed.

Eli is momentarily startled by the red glyphs around him, having not expected the magic to manifest that way. It passes in less than a second, and Eli doesn't feel any different. For a moment, he wonders if maybe it didn't work, until Tidus says something.

Eli walks forward, and suddenly he's outrun Tidus by several meters in just a second. He stops in place and turns around so Tidus can catch up with him. "That's amazing!"

There's already a grin on Tidus's face before Eli looks back. Just witnessing the spell in effect on a new person is usually fun, and no one's had any troubles with it yet. Good, when it's his easier spell to cast!

And when he's done it once, it's easy to cast a second time. Tidus makes the fist again, giving it a quick shake before he flicks it his way. Now Eli can see the momentary symbol of a fast-forwarding clock hand from a different perspective, before Tidus carries himself over to him with a light - yet fast - jog.

"Yup! It'll last a while. I can give you somethin' later so you can do it for other people, if you're interested! But for now-"

He tugs on the top of his shirt.

"This place is hotter than the real world!"

"Oh that is cool!" He'll have to tell Thrawn about this. They can probably come up with a million ideas on how such magic might be useful. Eli can just picture how much of an edge they'd have if he could speed up their TIE fighters, or his own reflexes.

"You think this is hot, try summers on my home world."

That gets a laugh out of Tidus. One semi-distracted, as he has to pull his arm off a vine trying to be touchy. "Hey--" You, behave, wildlife.

"I don't mind some heat - but tell me you've got a beach to go with it. A breeze! I want the whole package, not a stuffy--" here, he's gotten out a knife, cutting into the vine. "--greenhouse!"

"Depends on where you are. In the northern hemisphere, there's a continent that's mostly desert, but the town I grew up in was close to a beach, and there's lots of other beaches around Lysatra. There's also rainforests and cold deserts, depending on where you are."

Eli bats away a few vines, setting his gun to stun and shooting at another that goes for his ankle. He's relieved that it seems to work on plants too.

Fissures of Time: Start

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