redshiftlogs | august 2019. welcome to the void.

august 2019. welcome to the void.

Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Second Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of August 2019
Where: Around and outside the city.
Warnings: Please add any warnings in the subject lines.

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

a. bright spots in the darkness.

The redout and accompanying power outage has been going on for over a week now - even though someone must have managed to get the generators up and running so things are a little less dismal, that doesn't mean that everything is fun and games. The generators are enough to power the essentials, like lighting, the MedBay, resident sat phones, sanitation facilities...basically just the things that make life livable instead of kicking the whole city back to the dark ages.

Sometime during the second week, though, around the end of July, residents might start to notice bright spots in the darkness, mostly around the Agricultural levels. Little bobbing blobs of bright blue or vibrant green or glowing red that move soundlessly through the night, poignantly noticeable because everything else is so dark. At first, and from a distance, they might look like your typical swamp gas fake ghost, little glowing smudges in the darkness. Could be promising...but it could be dangerous too.

If residents are brave enough to head up to the Agricultural levels in the darkness and investigate the source of the light, a mildly harrowing mission, they will find that the source of the glowing is...animals. Barely differing from the usual animals one might see in a daylight in the Agricultural levels, these animals prove to simply be nocturnal versions of the usual animals that might survive in the wild and who have made their homes in the faux forest and grasslands. And when everything else is dark, these creatures roam the night, letting off a curious and almost radioactive glow.

There are, however, a slightly wider variety of these animals, who are descendants of animals exposed heavily to radiation that mutated but did not kill them. While there are the usual deer and wild horses, foxes and monkeys, rodents and insects, there are also domestic creatures that seem to have thrived in their glow-in-the-dark forms where non-glowing ones were picked off by predators. Anyone investigating may find glowing kittens and puppies, domestic mice and rats, snakes that are open to being touched, and even a few more exotic domesticated pets like ferrets, hedgehogs, turtles and foxes. While these creatures are still wild, they are the descendants of domestic stock, and with a little effort and coddling, they might turn out to be passable pets, once they're scanned in the MedBay and found to not give off dangerous radiation.

It's not all puppies and kittens, though. Some of these seemingly predatorless glow-in-the-dark creatures are mutated, just like their regular counterparts, but to a more extensive degree. Keep a close eye out while you're trying to tame that adorable glowing purple kitten, because you might find yourself as the prey to a huge mutated lizard or spider, or maybe an oversized glowing wild warthog.

Nighttime exploring, after all, is for the brave at heart...and comes with pros and cons!

b. nightmare swarm.

As if the mutated glow-in-the-dark creatures in the Agricultural levels aren't bad enough, there's something new in Anchor to cause problems. A couple of weeks after the generator room was opened, strange apparitions start showing up in various places around the city. At first they're nebulous clouds that gather in places where there's strong evidence of past violence - in the upper levels of the city where there's serious fire damage, near the security station, hovering outside the armory or wherever there are burns and gouges into the stone walls of the city. But as the month wears on, the clouds start to take shape, and some of those shapes might be very familiar.

Starting at around August 8th, whenever a resident passes by one of these ominous clouds, it will start to coalesce into a solid form, the particles coming together into a concrete shape - the shape of fear. Whether the particles coalesce into the shape of a monster or villain from a character's homeworld or previous game setting, the nebulous representation of their worst fear, a person or thing from their past that evokes a terrible memory of trauma, or even just a generic horrific monster that would particularly frighten that particular person, it's something that is guaranteed to terrify. Essentially, they will turn into the worst thing that your character can imagine.

And these representations of fear? They're not ghosts, they're not digital afterimages, they're not apparitions or holos. They're real, or at least they feel real, they can do real damage, and they're almost impossible to kill. The best way to survive an encounter with the nightmare swarm? Run fast. Because they're generally confined to areas where the echoes of old violence linger, and the quicker you leave those areas the better. Get into whatever light you can, get somewhere safe, and the fear creature will dissipate back into a nebulous cloud, lying in wait for the next victim.

c. power up.

On August 2nd, the dust storm causing the redout and power outage will subside, and a stiff wind will take its place, washing away about two thirds of the red sand piled up on the dome. This fortuitous change in weather will make it possible to start work on getting the power back up. Residents will be able to exit the city through the usual channels so they can work on clearing the dust out of the various installations outside the city that transform wind and radiation and sunlight into power that keeps the city up and running. After they're cleared off, residents can start to get the power up by making repairs to the dust-damaged computer systems. Thankfully, once the power installations outside the city have been cleared off, an automated computer subroutine will boot up on some of the computer panels in the common areas of the residential quarters, with a user-friendly guide to repairing sand damage to the power system.

Mind you, the user guide assumes that residents have a lot of tools, supplies, and assistant bots that the current population doesn't really have on hand, so user-friendly or not, it's tougher than the system seems to think it is.

Thankfully, there is another option. Anyone with a particularly tech-savvy mind who's encountered the nightmare clouds might have picked up on it already, but the clouds are actually swarms of nanites. Released from the room that held the generators, these nanites were originally intended to conduct repairs on the city (there was a reason that room and those generators were so pristine!) that have been corrupted and are malfunctioning due to the ambient radiation in the city that has only increased since their creation. Anyone with even a basic knowledge of computers (and a very strong spine) could collect a sample of the clouds in one of the containment units from the labs or the R&D area, where the semi-functioning computer can be used to work out what's wrong with the nanites...and fix them.

If characters are able to work this out and deploy repairs to the various swarms around the city, those nanites might be super helpful for fixing some of the malfunctioning tech around the city. Food for thought!

d. the wreckage in the wasteland.

Once the emergency situation with the power is sorted out, residents might become a little curious about what caused all the trouble in the first place. The dust storm was, after all, initiated by a loud crash landing outside the city. With the dust storm abated and the windows in the Observation Area cleared off, residents will be able to see the wreckage of a spacecraft crashed into the ground, several miles out from the city. Far enough away to make it impossible to see any identifying marks, but close enough to be a tantalizing mystery for anyone so inclined.

Adventurous souls will be able to suit up and trek their way out to the site of the crash in the battery Jeeps to see what's going on, risking the rough ever-changing terrain and the possibility of a red shift, to see what might be salvageable from the crashed ship, or just in pursuit of knowledge. Once those characters approach, they will find the hulk of a badly-damaged spacecraft, about as big as a medium-sized cruise ship. The hull is badly burned, with tears in the metal, and it will be obvious to anyone who's got any experience with space travel (or even anyone who's watched enough sci-fi movies) to see that the ship didn't do well on its slow fall through the atmosphere. The metal is melted and punctured, anything that might have extended away from the hull has been burned off and lies in tatters, and the sand around the crash site is littered with metal and plastic debris.

But the one thing that's still possible to tell from the wreckage? It probably came from Anchor.

The ship is pieced together from salvaged materials, the tech will be familiar to anyone who's been in the colony for more than a couple days, and there's even a few corpses of very familiar bots lying in the sand. Approaching a large tear in the side of the hull will reveal a way inside the husk of a ship, giving access to the ship's small crew quarters section. If explorers choose to proceed inside, they'll be able to dig through what few personal items remain and find personal tablet computers and sat phones with their hard drives corrupted but possibly salvageable with the right skillset and the right technology repaired back in Anchor. They will also be able to find a way down further into the ship, though it's dark and clouded with sand and...well, quite menacing.

Because it isn't just the darkness and the danger of the red shift coming while you're trapped down there, or the danger of the ship's hull cracking with the weight of the sand piled up on its shell from the dust storm...but looking into the darkness, there's a flickering bluish glow. Digital and glitchy, it flickers from wall to wall, with the faintest impression of a human form. A face. A hand. The movement of hair or clothing. And then there's the echoing sounds - soft laughter, snippets of childrens' rhymes, unintelligible whispers or mumbles.

Well. Enter at your own risk.

ooc: exploration info.

As you can probably tell, this final prompt is kind of a doozy! While the first level of the ship is available for anyone to explore with the information provided in the prompt, going further into the ship will require mod guidance, via an NPC.

Any questions can be asked in the mod questions thread below, and if your characters have progressed to the point of wanting to explore deeper in the ship, please hit up the NPC request thread with a link to where the NPC should tag in.

Have fun guys!

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Ben remains mostly still, but unconsciously mirrors Kieran, allowing himself a little more movement. Kieran really seems to know what he is doing, and the horse isn't getting any more scared as far as Ben can tell, so that's good.]

All my life.

[ There's a little curl of a smile at the corner of his mouth, a private joke with himself in that answer. He'd been a city boy all of his afterlife, too. That was mostly because Klaus wasn't going to leave the city and Ben wasn't going to leave Klaus. He wants to ask Kieran whatever the reverse of the question is, but stumbles in his own head over the wording. Country boy seems insulting and wrong. Rural is so cold and detached. Eventually he just shrugs and adds: ]

Not a place like this, though. Everything here, the technology - it's a lot more advanced than I'm used to.

[ Though he might be a little closer to it than Kieran is based on his clothes. Then again, who can say? Just because he looks old timey according to Ben's sense of what the past looks like doesn't mean that's true wherever Kieran is from. Maybe they've got teleporters and laser guns AND horses and cowboy-looking fashion. Weirder things have happened. ]

You... work with horses?

[Weirder things have happened, but alas, Kieran's as pure old-timey as you can get. That, and nobody in their right mind would trust him and the people he associated with to handle any kind of laser. Pointer or otherwise.]

[The grin never leaves his face--perhaps the longest he's smiled in a long time--as he takes in all that Ben has to say.]

I, uh, yeah. Ever since I was a little boy, really.

[He's not sure how much he wants to divulge about the outlaw life to someone he's just met. Especially not when that someone clearly comes from a place not used to them. Granted, Kieran's less an outlaw and more someone who's constantly dragged along by different gangs, not of his own volition, but that doesn't change where he's been and what he's been forced to do.]

I'm better with them than I am with most people. Just how it is, I guess.

[The glowing horse snorts.]

[ Ben, for his part, can tell that Kieran is perhaps abridging his answer, but he assumes it is because he's embarrassed to be more specific. Probably there are certain people who would look down on him for being from not-a-city, from working with animals. People who would assume he was backwards or unintelligent. Ben isn't going to do that. He's not one to underestimate based on looks or stereotypes. ]

People are - very complicated. And unpredictable. Animals always tell you how they're feeling, I just... don't speak the language. I can see how, if you understand the rules they go by, horses would be better.

[ Then, after a moment's pause: ]

I do better with books than people.

[ He doesn't have to admit it, at that moment, but it feels like he's leveling things for them some. Kieran had admitted people aren't perhaps his strong suit, and Ben had said that he is the same. Of course, being dead a decade and a half hadn't helped his social skills, but the truth is they hadn't been great even before that. He had his upbringing to thank for that, but just because he knows the cause doesn't mean Ben can just undo the effect. ]

[To be fair to Ben, he's not wrong about his assumptions either. Add 'em to the pile of self-doubt and insecurity that comes with Kieran's experience, even with his peers stuck in the same outlaw life.]

[He nods sympathetically along with Ben's assertions about people versus animals. Finally! Someone who gets the security that comes with the clear-cut communication of animals versus the micro-behaviors and double meanings that underlies most human interaction. That little bit of common ground alone is enough for Kieran to count Ben as good friend potential.]

[His head perks up at the mention of books.]

Y'sound like someone I know back home.

[Someone he cares about very much. The smile on Kieran's face falls lopsided, caught between a happy memory and a pang to his heart.]

[He misses Mary-Beth something fierce. Fiercer than he ever thought possible.]

I-I don't have much experience with books, but from what yer sayin', they can't be all that bad!

[ At first Ben isn't sure if that reminder is a good thing - 'someone I know' is a very neutral phrase, after all. But then he glances over and sees that smile and he's pretty sure it is someone Kieran liked, not his worst enemy or anything like that. Still, he knows that reminders of home can be painful in this place. Ben is a hell of a lot happier being in this place than most, and even he has run into some painful moments of homesickness. ]

Someone special?

[ It's a gentle prompt; if Kieran doesn't want to talk about them, he could dodge it with a mere word or two. But if he does want to, Ben has opened that door, invited him to say more. ]

You should come by the library sometime. I bet I could find you a book you'd really like.

[ He almost asks if Kieran knows how to read - the old-timey clothes and manner suggest he might be from a different time and you couldn't just assume people are literate, but he can't quite bring himself to ask, in case it's completely insulting.

Instead of that, he looks sidelong at the horse, whose tail is flicking but whose ears aren't facing backward anymore, and who seems a little less restless, at least to Ben's eyes. Without turning to Kieran, he gives a small shrug. He isn't sure why he chooses to say what he says next. Maybe what Kieran had said about getting along with animals more than people had made Ben trust him, a little more than he'd be inclined to otherwise...]

I grew up in a place that could be... bad. When things were hard, I would pick up a book and lose myself in somebody else's story for a while. It made things easier. To forget about my life, temporarily, and just - get lost.

[Kieran's cheeks, nose, and the very tips of his ears immediately heat up at that first question; he averts his gaze away from Ben's and rubs at the nape of his neck, unsure about how to answer.]

[Then the rest of Ben's words come and he's reminded even more about Mary-Beth's fascination with books--how she used them to escape into her mind, away from the harsh realties of the kind of life they and the rest of the outlaws lived. Kieran can't quite find the strength to avert his gaze from the ground back to Ben's face just yet, but he does finally respond after a few moments.]

Sh-she... yeah. I guess you could say she's someone special. Least-least to me. I dunno if she, uh, if she...

[...if she reciprocated those feelings. Mary-Beth had been the kindest to him in all of that camp since the beginning, and she seemed like she genuinely enjoyed his company, but he couldn't allow himself to think that highly of himself or the situation to make any confident assertions about her feelings.]

[He clears his throat. That's a lot to reveal, so he pulls back.]

W-What I mean is... this someone back home, she, uh, she said a lot of the things you did just now. About how her books helped with dealin' with all the hardships the lot of us went through. If they helped you with the same thing, too, then that's a good thing. I'm glad fer ya!

It's just, uh, it's not somethin' I think I can join in on, though. N-Never really learned how.

[ The blushing and body language and averted gaze are telling a whole story that, when combined with Kieran's little smile earlier, strikes Ben as a sweet one. Bittersweet, when he remembers that Kieran is separated from whoever this person is. There hasn't been all that much room (see: any) in Ben's own life for romance, but there had been books, at least. Underneath all his practicality, it's possible Ben has a bit of a romantic streak. No one tell his siblings.

He wonders if that woman had felt the same, and what kinds of hardships they were that she needed to escape. But there's definitely no way of asking that without being super weird and invasive, so Ben just nods, a little smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

And then, without him needing to ask, Kieran is saying that he is excluded from that particular method of escapism because he never learned. Which, in turn, means he was never taught. Almost certainly from a time before public school was widespread and mandatory, then. It also meant that he'd either been raised by people who couldn't read, themselves, or by people who didn't care about him enough to teach him. Ben's probably cynical for even considering the latter option but that's just where his brain lives.

Immediately, and without the slightest hesitation, he says: ]

I could teach you, if you'd like. I've never done it before before, but I can try, and I think I would probably figure it out. If that is something you're interested in, I mean.

[ Maybe it will help KIeran to feel more connected to this woman who is special to him that he's separated from. It isn't as if Ben is lacking in free time. And besides - it would be good to be able to help someone. Not in the way that he is most used to - by scolding them into better life choices, if it's Klaus, or by killing dangerous people, for everyone else. Helping without any violence at all.... would be quite a thing. ]

[For a moment, Kieran looks taken aback by Ben's offer. Not that it caused him any offense, but that it came so quickly and readily.]

[So far during his stay at Anchor, nasty business with the station shaking and those nightmares-made-real aside, all he's really encountered has been kindness. No matter the person or where they came from (or when), everyone has been nothing but gentle and accommodating towards Kieran and his various... quirks.]

[Unfortunately, he has little to give in return. Sure, he's good at listening to people's problems and doing chores, but that's not nearly enough of an even exchange to make him comfortable with all the help he's getting.]

[So the shock turns into a slow nod--not one of acceptance, not yet--but one of understanding. It's a wonderful gift Ben's offering. Kieran never thought much of reading in his own time and place, but in these new circumstances, it seems like that particular skill is becoming more and more important. And, as Ben has figured out, special.]

That's... that's mighty kind of you, Ben. But I don't have anythin' to give you in return.

[The nearby mare snorts again, her ears perking upright as she lowers her head to start foraging for some grass. It seems like she's far more comfortable with the two humans in her presence, what with their preoccupation with talking with one another and not trying to eat her.]

[Which gives Kieran an idea...]

U-Unless, uh, unless you wanna learn about takin' care of horses? Don't know if it'll be much help, but I'd be happy to teach ya.

[ Perhaps it's wrong, but Ben can't help smiling more when Kieran calls his offer mighty kind. The accent and dialect are just delightful and there's no way around that, even if it isn't something he would tell Kieran aloud. There's just no way to put it that wouldn't sound condescending or mocking. But he likes the way Kieran speaks.

And when Kieran brings up that he has nothing to offer in exchange, Ben just shrugs his shoulders. He turns to look at the horse when she makes a sound, but Kieran seems unperturbed so it must not be any cause for concern. ]

You don't have to give me anything in return, y'know. But if you want to teach me, I'd like to learn.

[ He's honestly more interested in an excuse to spend time with someone, and interested in having a goal to work towards, than he is in learning about horses themselves. Sorry, glowing horse. You are a means to a friendship end. ]

Do you mind if I ask what year it was, before you came here?

[Glowing horse doesn't care as long as she gets to munch on some grass.]

[Which she's doing now, leading Kieran to believe that she's 100% chill at this point. Awesome.]

[He smiles when Ben expertly placates his need to be reciprocally useful. It lifts more weight and more stress from his shoulders, leaving him with a lighter feeling in his heart.]

[They're going to be good friends, Kieran can tell, and that's an exciting prospect.]

It, uh, it's eighteen ninety-nine fer me.

[He's not surprised by the question, and his tone reflects that.]

...You one of 'em future folks, too?

2019.

[ That smile of Kieran's is infectious. The horse has calmed down, and he has met someone new and kind, and he has things to look forward to, and he is making friends and talking to someone who is from the past, and Ben realizes all at once that's he actually... happy. Maybe it shouldn't be such a surprise, being happy. But it is.

There's an increasing giddiness in his voice as he asks: ]

But what's 120 years, anyway? [ Ben is joking as he says it, but there's an element of truth to it, underneath. ] I bet all the important stuff's still the same.

[Speaking of infectious, it feels like Ben's getting hyped, and Kieran can't help but share in that optimism, too. It's been so long since he's had a chance to let down his guard and be himself.]

[So even though he's faced with the staggering idea that he's speaking with someone more than a century in his future, again, he takes it in stride.]

That's a popular time for a buncha folks I've talked to so far. Or, uh, close to it, anyway.

Can't say much about the important stuff stayin' the same, but, uh, I know about a c-couple of things that changed! Like... man alive, what's it called again...? Uhhh...

[Give him a second.]

...airplanes! Yeah! Do you, do you have airplanes where you're from, Ben?

It seems like the early 21st century is the norm, but I've met some other outliers. It's not like you're the only one.

[ He wonders if any of those people that Kieran has talked to were his siblings. He hadn't reacted to Ben's surname, but then again, the others might not have shared it. But a part of him - and he's not quite sure why - hopes that Kieran hasn't met any of them yet. That for now, this is someone that only he knows, separate from his siblings.

Kieran's question about airplanes only delights Ben further, and he nods. ]

Yeah, there are airplanes. And cars, and televisions, and cameras, and microwaves.

[ He's not sure how many of those Kieran has heard of or encountered here, bu they are the first things that spring to mind as everyday technology that wasn't around in the late 19th century, to the best of his knowledge. Maybe cameras? He's not so sure about cameras. ]

But I bet even in 1899, ice cream was delicious, and families were complicated, and people did stupid ugly things because of pride, and stupid beautiful things because of love. That's what I mean by the important stuff. Everything else is... well, it matters, but it's not fundamental.

[ They're still just people, after all.

Turning to look at the glowing horse, which has heedlessly wandered a little closer as she grazes, Ben asks: ]

What was your plan before I showed up? I mean - for the horse. Is there somewhere safe you can take her?

[So far, he hasn't had any contact with the other Hargreeves! Ben gets to have this cowboy friend all to himself for at least a little while.]

[And all this new friend can do is nod along with Ben's list of modern marvels, trying his best to file these strange words away for later (although he knows about cameras and cars--well, technically train cars, but the foundation concept is there). It's not enough to overwhelm him, unlike his first introduction to the things that exist far in the future. Ben's managed to catch Kieran in a moment of relative zen when compared to his initial arrival to Anchor. His mind is clear and open, free of that fear and confusion from appearing here... and the horrific circumstances that surrounded that entry.]

...Yer right. About all of those things. [His grin turns into something a little more reflective. He's still smiling, just thoughtfully.] When things settle down, I'll swap some stories with ya. Just so we can figure out just how much the important stuff's stayed the same.

[And with Ben's next question, Kieran turns to face the mare. He places his hands on his hips and blows out of his mouth, cheeks puffed as he thinks.]

Honest to God, I didn't really have a plan at first. Just wanted to see how wild she actually was.

Doesn't look like she's too spirited, so I think she'll be good for ridin' soon enough. I think I wanna get her over to the barn over there in a week or two, see if I can get her roped up with a practice bridle and some reins.

I'd like that.

[ He means it, too; Kieran feels easy to talk to, which is very far from being the norm, for Ben. He's usually a lot better at listening than talking, when it comes to anyone other than his siblings (hell, anyone other than just Klaus). But he feels like he could share some stories with Kieran without it being all that difficult. He's actually kind of looking forward to it. ]

I didn't even realize there was a barn, here.

[ Ben had explored the Anchor, but his time in some areas had been haphazard. Clearly he's missed some things. Like barns, and glowing horses. ]

It'll be good for her to have a home.

[ So much of this place is designed for humans, not horses. And it only seems right she should have someone looking after her. Someone qualified, like Kieran. ]

So you're just going to... hang around her for a few days, let her know you're safe?

[ That seems like the only intuitive reason why Kieran wouldn't just take her there right away. But then, he isn't looking to lock her up. He wants her to go willingly, so he can train her, and ride her around. Ben wonders if, when Kieran has her used to carrying humans, he might give it a try. Riding a horse was, obviously, something he'd never done before. It would be... fun. ]

Yeah, yeah I think so.

Looks like whoever was here before us tried to put together some kinda ranch with a buncha livestock along with the other farms. This girl here may be the last of whatever horses they had. Or maybe she came from 'em. Haven't seen any of her family around, at any rate.

[He falls silent for a few moments, still listening to Ben, but also glancing over at the still grazing mare. He can kind of relate to her current circumstances.]

Don't know why she's glowin' like that, though.

[ Ben accepts that easily enough - it is clear there were people here before them who had a much more functional and sustainable setup in the Anchor, and he can see how a ranch would be a part of that. Not something that would have occurred to him, but then, this isn't his area of expertise. ]

I don't, either. Some kind of... bioluminescence? Maybe she's got some jellyfish DNA or something. Doesn't look like it's hurting her, though, does it?

[ Not that he is an expert at this either, but the horse seems healthy enough, as far as he can tell, and there are no obvious signs of pain. He feels like he's read a few sci-fi stories where hybrid animals were created; maybe they'd done something to this horse or her ancestors to achieve that glow. ]

Nah. She's not in any pain or anythin'. She's doing just fine.

Ain't that right, girl?

[Kieran shoots her another glance and the horse looks up at him as she snacks on some grass. Satisfied that she's grown at least a little more comfortable around humans, he turns away and claps a friendly hand on Ben's shoulder.]

I think she likes havin' you around.

[ A friendly shoulder-clap! Between that and the suggestion that maybe this animal not only isn't afraid of him, but might actually like having around, is enough to elicit another one of those rare smiles from Ben. It flashes across his face, sudden and surprised, like he's a little out of practice with being happy. ]

Yeah?

[ Maybe Kieran is just flattering him but honestly, if he is, Ben's willing to be flattered right now. He had been wondering if he should offer to leave again while Kieran acquainted himself with the horse, but instead, he stays, and watches, and feels... hopeful. Good. Happy to be in this place. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

august 2019. welcome to the void.

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