No Place Like Home: Outside

[voidtreckermods]

---

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: OUTSIDE

---

HOME SWEET HOME

You find yourself not on a wide station platform, in the clothes you last remember, holding what you were when you went through the glas door. There's no longer a train behind you, no sound of its whistle, with no other passengers around you in similar style of clothing to your own.

You're somewhere familiar, or just - the last place you remember being before your life became tethered to the Voidtrecker Express. A field, a city, a kingdom, or perhaps even a space station. You should be nowhere, yet you find yourself somewhere, despite all odds.

People - if there are people - don't at first notice you; but attract enough attention to yourself, and that will all change. Friends, family - are they near, a phonecall away? It's either everything you wanted or everything you imagined (for good or worse), and it could seem unbelievably real. But it is real - you're off the train, back somewhere you know.

Finally - the journey is over...

---

...If only.
You're moving away from where you arrived, for whatever reason. Who wouldn't? You may be far from home, have business elsewhere, or want to go sightseeing. It's time to return to - and live - your life, and that doesn't include sticking to one place.

But you'll find that when you reach a point, the world becomes...foggy. A fog that you hadn't seen in the distance before it appears, and when you walk through it, you'll find yourself in a place some have already found themselves in.

Because for some passengers, there was nowhere for them to return, and so the barriers lead only to fog, and then straight back onto the platform. The Voidtrecker Express may be stationed, or there may be a blanket of fog where it should be; sometimes, it can be caught trying to leave the station, only to come back a few minutes later. The doors are shut tight, and the windows are obscured, showing nothing inside.

Those who came from somewhere can go back, should they go through the turnstiles again. And if they want, they can take people along with them, too...

---

But sometimes, they go to a world no one knows. They go through the barriers into nothing, a black emptiness. Not space, for those that know space, and it doesn't seem to be the void either. But it is a void, devoid of anything at all. Just a darkness so complete they will not be able to see anything at all, they will only know their companion is there through touch and sound. How they are breathing, how they are living at all, is a mystery; one probably answered only by the SCA on their wrist.

Being there brings an unease deep down inside them. This place is not natural, not somewhere that they should exist in. Not a place that should exist at all. Luckily they are never there for more than a few moments before they return once more to the station, fog covering them like a safety blanket.

A DIFFERENT CORNER: LOCATIONS

In the first couple of days (whatever that means, when time doesn't match up between most places), the only way to move to another's tethered location is by them leading another there. But after that, individuals will show up in other locations when they reach close to the distance limit. Indeed as time goes on everything gets a lot less stable. They may know their five miles perfectly but still one step to another leads them back to the platform. Attempting to return to their world leads them somewhere else entirely.

And there's quite a few places to end up.

---

SETTLEMENTS

• Buddhist Temple, China ( Koumyou Sanzo | TL )
  
• Rebel Camp, Lothal ( Hera Syndulla | TL )
  
• Homestead, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA ( Nell Ingram TL )
  
• Capsule Corp ( Trunks | TL )
  
• School Grounds, College ( Idia Shroud | TL )
  
• City Ruins, beach ( Najaran | TL )
  
• Hakkei Palace, Tai ( Taiki | TL )
  
• Gusu Lan, mountain sect (China) ( Lan Jingyi | TL)
  
• Lotus Pier, riverside, China ( Jiang Cheng | TL )
  
• The Endless Abyss, Hell ( Shen Qingqiu | TL )
  
• Hyrule Castle Town ( Zelda | TL )
  
• Haven Palace ( TL )

COMMUNITIES

• Spaceport ( Yondu | TL)
  
• Mobile Station Base ( Kiyoiri )
  
• Arkwood, Town (Ryo | TL )
  
• Techstead, Town ( Devero | TL )
  
• Tatsumi Port Island ( Ken Amada )
  
• Mor Dhona / Town, Mountain, Lakes ( K'zeka Tai | TL )
  
• Hyrule Field & Lon Lon Ranch ( Link | TL )
  
• Ishigami Village, Japan ( Senku Ishigami | TL )
  
• Aether Paradise/Artificial Island/Natural Preserve ( Katsuya Jonouchi )
  
• Nautilus ( Spark/Clef TL Clef | TL Spark )
  
• The Underworld, Hades ( Zagreus and Thanatos | TL )
  
• Sanctuary ( TL )

CITIES & KINGDOMS

• Saillune City ( Zelgadis | TL )
  
• New Mantle, City ( Ruby Rose | TL )
  
• Brooklyn, New York City, USA in 2017 ( Jake Peralta | TL )
  
• Azabu-Juban District, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan ( Usagi Tsukino | TL )
  
• Hau'oli City ( Eva Iden'no | TL )
  
• Gauig City ( Little One/Buttercup | TL )
  
• Kyoto, Japan ( Masumi Sera | TL )
  
• Shinjuku, Japan ( Yosuke Otoha | TL )
  
• Kingdom, Evermore ( Roland Crane )
  
• Garlemad, Kingdom ( Zenos | TL )
  
• Kingdom of Knothole ( Mina Mongoose | TL )
  
• Domino City ( Yugi Muto | TL )
  
• Amnity Park ( Danny Fenton | TL )
  
• Garlemald ( TL )
  
• Lothal ( TL )
  
• Los Angeles ( TL )
  
• The First - Crystarium and Lakeland ( Elidibus | TL )

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here.

LOCATION TOPLEVELS: Since it'll be easier for players to engage with settings presented by those offering them, when we see a toplevel for one of the above locations put up, we'll add it to the list! We've also included the OOC comments for settings to the side, so any questions can be left with the player, as well as extra details. Please always speak with the player first if you intend to do anything drastic to the setting!

A REMINDER: Time of log is Poi 22-25, but time within worlds can last up to a maximum of two weeks. Minimum is whatever you want it to be.

During Poi 22 and 23, characters will need to be led to a location to be able to access it. From Poi 24, people will show up in locations regardless of invitation.

The second half of the event will go up during 20th to 25th February (Poi 26-28). But as always, play around in here and do as you like!

If your character's setting isn't above, link us to it in the Questions post, along with your toplevel! We'll add it.

Comments

Zelgadis Greywords | Saillune City

[gathersnomoss]

Platform, First Return
Zelgadis had left, after debate. Ultimately, he needed to know what species his body was, even if it meant finding out the answer wasn’t the one he wanted. Of course, then he learned that the train hadn’t figured out the re-tethering process. He’d been going out to look for answers when the fog rolled in and he found himself on the platform.

He stared in confusion for a bit and then his brain started working. If he’s not tethered to his body, he must still be tethered to the train. “Dammit, you shouldn’t have offered if you weren’t sure you could deliver.” Zelgadis could cope (though he better try to go back to his world and explain some more). Other people might not.

Platform, An Offer
A bit of experimenting let him know the limits to his tether, and that he can return to his own world when he's booted out of it. And, well, he’s feeling generous. “If anyone needs food or shelter until the train figures out what the hell went wrong, I’ve got a friend back home who can cover it.”

Saillune City (with or without Zelgadis)
[If you want to explore or interact with NPCs, hit me up. Check out the setting information.]

first return

[flatteries]

Inigo also isn't sure who can cope and who can't. Zelgadis has always been kind of a hard one to read, so when the other appears on the platform, Inigo is quick to be by the other's side. There's a slight frown on his face as he stares at Zelgadis, as he takes in the words the other is saying.

".. are you alright?"

The other seems to be disappointed by this development, after all. Judging by that 'dammit'.

"It seems like something has seriously gone wrong."

Re: first return

[gathersnomoss]

Zelgadis nodded. "We're still tethered to the train. And not our bodies. I was kicked back here when I tried to leave town to get some answers."

He paused, considering that he was in company. "Hell. I probably freaked out Amelia by vanishing."

[flatteries]

"Wait, someone actually saw you?"

It's not like Inigo would have known. Sure, he was thrown right back into his own world, but he didn't make contact with anyone at all before he found himself right back here on the platform - and purposefully so.

So he's a little surprised now to hear other people were actually talking to others, despite..

"I thought us reappearing here meant that we weren't really back home."

[gathersnomoss]

"Not unless I drew attention to myself. Even people who knew me needed to be reminded I was in the room. Hence my theory that home is real, but the train can't undo the tethers to get us to stay home."

Zelgadis is pacing. "Stupid train. It should just call us back and tell us what went wrong. We have contacts now that might figure it out."

Because he suspects the train is so caught up on letting the people who want to go home leave that it can't accept how badly this went.

[flatteries]

He frowns. That.. doesn't sound great. It would explain why they ended up in their worlds, yet are now back here on the platform, as if nothing happened in the first place. The train just never fully let them go to begin with. Which could be on purpose, but when Inigo sees the train appearing and reappearing in some sort of loop, he feels like it probably was a dumb accident.

"It probably doesn't know how to really untether us."

Which is really dumb, because maybe the train shouldn't have tethered them in the first place if it had no way to undo it, but.. still.

"It's not letting us in though." Inigo gestures across the platform with an arm. "The doors are locked tight. I've tried multiple times to open them now, but nothing seems to be working."

[gathersnomoss]

"I realize that I am the last person who should be calling someone else out about this, but there is a time when you need to cut your losses and go find help."

[flatteries]

"Well, if you can help, be my guest."

He doesn't even seem annoyed. At best Inigo seem a little tense, like a tightly wound up spring, but that's just because of this entire situation. Him being kicked off the train, though he didn't want to be. The worry about how everyone on the train is doing. The worry about potentially being left behind like this. Like ghosts in their own world, and on the platform.

"I'm not sure if there's any of us powerful enough to do something that will make the train notice we're here, but we've got to at least try."

[gathersnomoss]

"The comment box is inside the train, and we're stuck outside," Zelgadis said. "Best I can do is try to make something explode, which is probably not actually helpful."

[flatteries]

Honestly, considering the usual amounts of violence the train can withstand, it's true that an explosion is probably nothing to it.

But it's something Inigo hasn't tried yet, and that means he has to cling to this right now. He has to make sure to at least have tried everything, no matter how ridiculous.

"Maybe it might make the train finally notice us," he says - no, desperately hopes.

Because he isn't too sure what else is going to make it notice them.

"I think we just have to cause enough of a ruscus here on the platform that it simply can't ignore us anymore."

[gathersnomoss]

"Given we're stuck on the platform, and whatever worlds we can get to, I'll limit the collateral damage. I could try spelling out giant icy letters if you think it would help."

He doubts it.

[flatteries]

"Be my guest."

Honestly, no plan is too ridiculous when they have absolutely no idea what might or might not work.

So Inigo does what seems the safest here. He steps out of the way, just so there's plenty of space for Zelgadis to work with. So he can do whatever he thinks might be necessary to draw the vehicle's attention towards them.

[gathersnomoss]

Zelgadis considers for a moment, then starts to work, creating patches of ice and frost on the platform spelling out HELP. They aren't in immediate danger, but it's a good universal signal. And the train can translate written language.

It's a small amount of magic, but repeated castings does cause Zelgadis to take a breather after that. "It'll probably melt in hours, but if the train has some sense of magic, it might observe that even if it doesn't see the letters themselves. I'm tempted to start throwing spells at the train if this doesn't work."

After he catches his breath. His magic reserves weren't what they were.

[flatteries]

Thankfully forming ice letters isn't too strange to Inigo, so he doesn't have to get startled by the display. Instead he just stares at the letters and then at the train - waiting, like he's expecting the train to show some sort of reaction to all of it.

But a moment without any passes, then another moment..

.. and then the train suddenly takes off into the void again, causing Inigo's jaw to drop, his mouth hanging open in indignation.

"Hey, how rude is it to just ignore our call for help like that?!"

[gathersnomoss]

"OH, come on. When it gets back, I am seriously going to launch a Flare Arrow at it. Tell people to stay clear."

[flatteries]

"Alright. It shouldn't take long."

If the previous times are anything to go by. Inigo has been watching the train going through this motion a few times already by now, after all, and he's found that it never takes too long for the train to reappear on the platform.

And in the meantime, Inigo gestures at the other people gathered on the platform. Thankfully there's not many, since most are either staying in their own worlds or taking other people there, which means he's just trying to keep a few people from getting between Zelgadis and where the train ought to be in a few moments.

"Though I'm honestly not sure if it's going to pay attention to anything at this rate." It's almost as if the train is willfully ignoring them, Inigo thinks.