middleofsomewhere | Swirling Consequences Ongoing

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Swirling Consequences Ongoing

SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: ONGOING

QUICKSAND 11-13 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
COMMS ~ ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

OVER THE YELLING HEIGHTS...

As they arrive at their destination, the Voidtreckers are quick to get to work into the various jobs that need them. The Blues have slowly but steadily been doing their best to fulfil all three of their tasks. They've worked to locate locals and to get them aid after being cut off, and have been searching for those from other worlds. A few helped with the dralite work, but took priority in helping people and leaving the dralites to others.

Orange have largely focused on collecting herbs, doing some work to help farmers relocate their animals, but only a few helped the dralite with their nests. At least there will be plenty of potions, teas, and craggy leaves to hand out, with the leaves sure to help the stressed out animals yet located.

For the Purples, they've been working well to clear the roads and ruined layouts of farms and villages to give better access around the Yelling Heights. A few have helped in escorting their fellow team members and the locals in getting around.

As for the Reds, they did what they do best: going on the offensive. They've been working to get rid of the voidblobs, but don't have much interest in setting up safe perimeters. A few voidtears, however, have been located, and hopefully that will help everyone push forward in the next few days of the mission.

Overall, the farmers are thankful for the help so far, and a good decent have been assisted. They will help Voidtreckers as they need it, and have tools on hand that can be borrowed. They will be willing to assist with the voidtears, if only able to push back any voidblobs, or to make sure Voidtreckers get back somewhere safe afterwards.

The storms have increased, changing the spotty but sunny days into more rain and wind. The choral singing can be heard more, even if one isn't near a voidtear, causing an increase in animals becoming stressed and spooked. Fortunately, transgates - quick travel gates - have been set up between the Weary Wanderer (near the forest and scrublands), one in the largest village on in the farmlands, and one can be accessed around the scrublands. These will help with some of the travel.

Animals are scattered around the scrublands and fields between farms, some unfortunately perished over the first few nights, but also some safely brought back to their appropriate farms. Adult dralites will be more hostile around people, spreading out father and bothering farmlands, screeching up a storm that stuns most people even from a distance. Their young can still be found, alive or not, and they will leave with either, though with wails for their deceased child. Even capturing them and leading them back into the forest will do some good.

↪ Prompt: There's a farm not too far from the Weary Wanderer that Albany asks for people to go to - some earmuffs can be taken along to help with the sound, along with earplugs. The reason becomes clear as soon as Voidtreckers approach it, where dralites can be circling around it. A woman greets whoever comes - "Thank ya for coming out here, I know you're working hard" - and leads them to the cause.

There's a ditch where trees have fallen, their farm bordering the forest. The cries of younger dralites can be heard, but the adults are squabbling amongst one another, and people who try to approach the fallen wreckage can thwapped at by the adults.

What will be the best course of action? To bruteforce the paralsying wails and peckings and to get at the trunks? Or to pacify these disagreeable winged things? Voidtreckers can also come here and find a displaced person or two taking shelter. (B2, B3)

While a good portion of the roads have been cleared and managed, there are areas away from the Weary Wanderer that need help, where the Ciyesia mountain suffered its damage and plenty of the farm animals and more secluded farmers have been cut off from help. The great chinchillas and the voidblobs are taking advantage of the ruined roads to kill and take animals (the chinchillas), or just to ruin them as they're found (the voidblobs).

↪ Prompt:"We're gonna need all the hands we can get. Can some of your folks come with us 'round Ciyesia? We're having trouble to getting to some of ours in a tricky part, and the animals that way - oh, they're nasty."

There's a trail - or most of a trail - that goes around the side of the Ciyesia mountain, leading over to a smaller collection of hills. While good work has been done on clearing up, around this area there's still a fine slide of rubble that's scattered over the walking paths. Those with sturdy arms are necessary to clear the wreckage, but also to deal with the voidblobs, great chinchillas, and even the dralites in this area, with the latter preferred to be pushed back to the forest. The farmers coming with the Voidtreckers will help to round the animals, but they'll need help dealing with the trouble along the way.

Doing this will help them gain access to a few farms, grateful to find visitors, though their families will be around, trying to deal with trouble. Find them on the road, with animals or in a troubling situation with a voidblob, and do what you can to help. (P1, B1, R1/R3, O2)

While Voidtreckers have worked hard to get rid of them, larger voidblobs have been spotted, and are becoming a bigger issue across the community. Further perimeters will need to be set up to keep them away from the farmlands scattered around, using good coordination to cover as much ground as possible. The voidtears as a result are easier to find, as blobs can be easier to spot if people are on watch, but are tougher than the result blobs: as tall and wide as a newsagent storefront, they will take more than one or two people to deal with them. Their speed can be unpredictable, and they're sturdier than the smaller variants, having a more gelatinous ability to move - even to rise high or to spread out.

It is advised stronger Voidtreckers deal with these - coming in with little experience or just a blade will be dangerous.

↪ Prompt: "We're seein' some of those big boys out around the fields. I'm telling ya, they're fast bastards. Think you can help us get rid of 'em? Anything you need, we've got your backs."

The locals of these lands are doing their best to help the Voidtreckers, as well as each other. Getting word out to the farther communities is hard, but they have set up a system - flags. Flags made out of any bedsheet that can be found, then put up on wooden logs. They're a call for help, being used especially if they spot voidblobs. It's a desperate attempt at communication, but the voidblobs are troublesome - and more so their larger variant. No fence or barricade works to keep them back, and the best the farmers can do is hope they won't come towards their homes when they roll into their lands. It's also worse if there happens to be a voidtear nearby...(R1, R3)

Finding displaced people will be all the more important, though some have been put forward to aid. Glowing marks around the Yelling Height's forest have been put on the tree trunks to help guide people out of the forest easier from different spots, and another Voidtrecker has been encouraged to create crystal trackers, that can be picked up. These crystals will glow the closer they approach a non-native, nor non-Voidtrecker sentient being - which means both displaced people, and the voidblobs.

Sending people home will require the same anchoring technique used during Jinnjar, Diagad, and similar to the recent events. It only takes one Voidtrecker to return someone to their world, hand in hand they will cross a metaphysical void river, seeing flashes of the visitor's world and life. And Voidtreckers will be just as exhausted as they were getting their own returned to the train... Probably best to share this burden out between as many who are willing.

↪ Prompt: Some displaced people have found their way out of the woods, found around the escorts for those keeping check, or even making their way to Albany's inn or a nearby farm. The locals themselves can't help send them home, but they're used to helping outsiders, warming them up and getting them fed. Some will accept help easily, but others are less keen on approaching unknown houses. (B2)

To approach a voidtear will be a challenge, but as they're found, planning a route straight to them that minimises time will help. Closing a voidtear will require more than one person, a small group even - with each getting under a voidtear and then pressing their anchor button. They will need to focus on keeping themselves grounded and to resist the pull of the void, as they offer their own energy in stitching up the tear. For smaller tears two people should be able to close it but more voidtreckers will be necessary for the larger ones. Colours and music entice them, to just give up, let themselves float into the void... They will need to support each other to keep steady.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Mission Rewards
Notes: A conclusion post will go up on the 26th. Feel free to put toplevels put up at the end of the start log here! Or to re-use portions and to put up fresh posts here. Or to just link them here, have a blast.

Here is a TL;DR of the above tasks: Dralites are everywhere, more aggressive and hostile; farm animals are more scattered and harder to reach, being attacked by chinchillas and voidblobs around scrublands; displaced people need to be found and sent home, and voidblobs now have a larger variant; the voidtears are becoming easier to find, but the effects of the storms are worsening, closing them will be a priority.

Please have your tasks submitted by the 25th to help determine the conclusion of the mission! We will start to count mission rewards around this time too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's a voidtear near to the inn that Tidus and Taiki had spotted a while back, and apparently hadn't yet fully been closed. They knew how to get there, at least with some flying, but now came the job of getting to it and doing the job.

But Tidus didn't want them to go just the two of them - by the sounds of it, dealing with the voidtears would be better with as many people as possible, just so they weren't completely exhausted afterwards (just, mostly). Well, if they took the Taiki Express, that meant another could come along.

And who happens to be the lucky soul to spoken to, as he happens to be spotted at the right (wrong??) time?

"Hey! You free to help us close a voidtear? We're going over to one soon."

It's Naoooya!

Oh, for the love of -

He sighs and wanders over towards them, something that looks like a rapier holstered on his hip. He rolls his shoulders and nods. He might as well be helpful. Anything to get away from the farm animals at this point.

"Fine. I haven't closed one of them before, but it should be a fairly simple process."

He's not sure if Naoya has seen him in kirin form before, he can't remember. But he had seemed to know what a kirin was and so hopefully there wouldn't be too much confusion at the talking creature that Tidus was currently riding.

"It seems to be similar to anchoring, so it will take more of our mental energies than physical."

It made it something that was easier for him to do, in compared to being near battle.

It's neigh neigh time of a different kind from the farm horses, Naoya.

But Tidus hums after Taiki's explanation, a small nod. "Yeah. Taiki should be good for getting us there, and we can take it easy getting back. We've got a few stun nuts if those blobs show up."

Stun (deku) nuts - for when you're too mentally drained to deal with horror rejects.

Oh, joy. He stares for a moment - oh. Of course.

"I've got a weapon, and I can always just blow them up." He doesn't sound concerned. "And my shield can cover the three of us." It's always three on a team unless a demon summoner is lacking allies.

"But if it's anchoring, I've got some experience."

He keeps his opinions on blowing voidblobs up to himself. They are monsters he knows, they do nothing but kill and harm and logically, as a person he knows that they need to be killed. So he can stamp on the very kirin part of his brain that mourns any loss of life even when they are abominations.

"That's good. We do too..." Tidus more than him since he had been one of the last of his friends to be pulled back from their worlds. But he had anchored on the false Diagad world.

Edited 2022-03-25 05:10 (UTC)

"Let's see how we're feeling and what comes up after we're done doing up a tear," Tidus suggests. He might be a tinsy holding back on the killing discussion for Taiki's sake, but his mind is considering more on what they'll be capable of doing after sealing up a tear. Anchoring wasn't an easy experience on the body and mind.

Anyway. "You good with climbing on? Taiki," he switches his attention to, some mirth in his tone, "--we should see if any of the people here have a two person saddle for you!"

Heh heh.

"I can keep my balance." He glances at Tidus, then at Taiki. "I've been riding since before saddles were really a thing." As long as Tidus doesn't mind grabbing or being grabbed, it shouldn't be that much of an issue.

"Unless you need a saddle?" It's a bit of a jab, but he's in the mood for teasing. He might as well get it in now before they're all too tired.

He was very old then, or his world was very new. Because saddles have been a thing for a long time. On earth and he assumes in the twelve kingdoms.

Tidus gets a kirin glare, not very effective as he is on his back and it's hard to turn fully to see him. Also not effective because he's not actually mad. "I don't." He said softly, though his tone shows that he knows they are just teasing.

"You know." His focus was more on Tidus, since he feels more comfortable teasing the former than Naoya who he does not know so well. "In my world it is considered a great honour to ride a kirin. We don't give lifts to just anyone."

He wasn't a normal kirin and he was far from his world and he liked flying.

Edited 2022-03-26 04:59 (UTC)

'Before saddles were really a thing'?? Sounds like someone comes from a stone-age world, doesn't it!

And a kirin glare is a difficult thing to tell, without too much exposure. There's a spot for Naoya to climb up to when he's ready (behind Tidus -- he called shotgun!!), while Tidus gives an impressive-sounding ohhhh to Taiki's declaration.

"Hear that? You'll have to tell your friends when you get home you got to ride a kirin! Taiki must be in a good mood if he's fine with us boasting about him. That's what I like to hear!"

Will that make his friend shy to point out? But Tidus finds it fun, anyway.

Just old, Tidus. He's not Senku, after all.

He climbs up behind Tidus and settles in, patting Taiki's side softly. "You're right. I'm not sure that they'll understand the significance, but you're not wrong in the slightest." Naoya puts a hand on Tidus' shoulder just to keep them both steady and grins.

"Let's get going, then. The voidtear isn't going to seal itself."

It does make him a bit self concious and he ducked his head even as Tidus and Naoya climbed on. Once they were steady he launched into the air, flying towards where the void storm was.

He was quiet as he did so. Normally talking and flying was no problem but there was a strange aura in this void storm, it made it harder. Everything harder.

Tidus likes what he's hearing from this guy, and how he's being with Taiki. But it's a fond exchange that doesn't get to continue for long as they get going. As with all rides to the voidtears, the moody winds and rain come upon them, worsening the farther they travel within its space; the choral singing of the void more of a wail that fades in and out by the wind carrying it, but growing louder the closer they get where they need to.

Tidus keeps quiet, feeling the weight of the atmosphere changing around them: reminiscent of anchoring, the draining effect to the body that nibbles away at them at first, but will become apparent the longer they stay inside this space. A weight on that being that will continue to become heavier, will start to play tricks on their eyes and their minds.

Taiki knows where to go. And it's as they start to see glimpses of colour that Tidus, holding onto Taiki's mane for support, leans and says in a voice over the weather, "Fly lower!" to their transport. It'll be bad for any of them to get too close to the tear, but he especially doesn't want anything to happen to Taiki mid-flight.

Naoya is silent as well, taking in the sights and the sounds of things. The Void he's in now is different from the one he knows, and any sort of scientific observations are ones that he's going to have to write down later.

Fortunately, he remembers everything anyway. It won't be an issue to document later.

He feels the group descend and adjusts how he's sitting so he won't flail awkwardly if they do touch down. His experience with dragons is helpful here, even if the body types are vastly different. "We can close this one quickly, I think." As long as there aren't other... complications.

He does as he is told, dropping down so they are beneath the tear. It's harder here, with winds and void song swirling around them. He aims to land just below it and manages, with a bit of a jolt. It's not his smoothest landing but hopefully his passengers are alright.

"I think so... It doesn't look too big."

It is a small jolt, but Tidus isn't shy about how he leans against Taiki, a good grip on his mane. Waiting until Taiki speaks up and Naoya has, he speaks up then himself.

"Then let's hurry! We'll get off and get started!"

Tidus will be off, soon as Naoya is - but he won't jump straight into starting up his SCA, turning to Taiki.

"Do you need to change back? I'll cover you."

He hops off and starts walking around the rift, just to get a better look at it. "Hm... curious. But I can cover you as well, should anything appear."

Naoya taps at his rapier and grins a little bit - probably a little too eagerly.

"As long as your transformation doesn't take long, we should be fine."

Oh. Um. That's also an issue, if they get attacked whilst he's transforming, or at all. He did need to change back, it still felt more natural for him in his human form. Perhaps it always would.

"Yes please." He said to them both and hoped that Naoya was busy enough looking at the rift. There was a gust of wind, lost quickly in the storm as he twisted, hooves turning to hands and feet.

He reached out to Tidus to grab some clothes, hurrying for both the privacy and also the cold.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Swirling Consequences Ongoing

( for taiki, naoya; voidtears - order is whoever tags first )

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