redshiftlogs | march 2020. welcome to the void.

Entry tags:

march 2020. welcome to the void.

Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Seventh Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of March 2020
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. escape the dome.

It seems the mysterious, massive plant with its giant bud is not going anywhere. In fact, the bud is starting to bloom, which presents a problem - it's starting to press against the dome that protects Anchor. So far, no harm done, but is this really the best way to test the kind of pressure that the dome can withstand? There's got to be some way to bring the plant down without destroying chunks of Anchor in the process...

And uh, you might want to get on that. The plant has been growing, sending out thorny vines into the various levels, and the flowers growing from those vines are, shall we say, aggressive. In fact, they're liable to bite if you get too close, and these things have razor-sharp petals. More eerily, they can mimic the voices they hear, usually using those borrowed voices to beg for help at the end of long corridors or in the back rooms of abandoned shops and restaurants.

b. planetary fly traps.

Following the voices can get a body in all kinds of trouble, because, well. They want to eat you.

In those dark areas where the voices call out there are larger buds, too, ones that look similar to the one now pressing up against Anchor's dome. They're about twice the size of an average human, and they've just barely opened. The colors inside are brilliant, gorgeous, mesmerizing, kind of exhausting... Get too close, and you could find yourself being slowly dragged in through the mouth of the plant into a bath of liquid that saps your energy while also slowly (very slowly, don't worry) consuming your flesh.

Better hope you snap out of it quickly, or have some backup to get you out of there.

c. misfire mayhem.

In case that wasn't enough, there's something funny going on with the comm system again. Texts being sent to the wrong people. Simple things, small things, yes, but also some things that you might have wanted to keep private or off the network. The misfires start on the morning of the 20th with just a few texts going to the wrong recipients, but slowly amps up throughout the day until voice and video calls are connecting to the wrong people. Recordings of conversations, including the audio and video ones, getting sent to completely unrelated residents, regardless of how private the conversation was.

The reason for the malfunctions becomes... well, clear-ish when Creepy Joe appears on the network. He’s in the agricultural sector, petting a reindire and very much not in that secure quarantine where Qubit et all left him. The angle is odd--not from a communicator, but from one of the security cameras overhead. It blinks from one shot of Joe to another angle. Almost like someone is trying to keep an eye on him.

mod notes.

Misfire texts, voice, and video conversations are on an opt-in basis, it is up to each player if they want their characters tormented with their messages being sent to others or receiving misfires. Misfires can be played on this log, on the network, or in IC inboxes.

The NPC network entry will explain some details on why, but characters who were kind to Creepy Joe or who have put in a lot of effort to contribute to the community will find that their messages are getting misfired much less often and the contents are nowhere near as sensitive. Characters who were cruel to Creepy Joe or who have hurt/stolen from others will find their messages going astray more often, and with more sensitive material.

Messages received by characters can include any message posted in

redshiftrp or in IC inboxes, including messages from dropped characters. Have fun with that!

Important but Unrelated: March and April have been designated as check in only for AC. If you have not yet posted your AC, feel free to just put a check-in notice under your character's AC thread. April check-ins can be posted any time on or after April 1st.

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

RRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr.

[ What answer were you really expecting, Arthur?

Lips drawn back to bare teeth, it snarls as that voice echoes from just beyond sight -- I'm stuck! Is anyone out there? -- and it seems to place itself between Arthur and the doorway to the abandoned shop. Like he's trying to shield him from whatever is in there.

But beyond that, the wolf hasn't really paid him much mind, staring ahead at the real threat. He knows Arthur, knows his scent, knows that he is Pack and to be protected. That's all that matters.

And Arthur might have a chance to see that the wolf bears a few familiar scars. Though who would honestly make the connection, at first? ]

[ Look. A man's allowed to talk to animals.

He's only further confused by the wolf stepping in front of him like that, as though it knows he's thinking about going in there against his better judgement. He stares at it in bewilderment long enough to notice the scars, but does indeed not make the connection.

Instead, he lifts his gaze again, and calls into the darkness. ]

Charles?

[ It seems to take a moment or two longer than it should to get a response, and it's not so much a response either. Just another basic call for help. Which is strange, but does that mean he should leave it? He doesn't think so. On the slim chance that Charles is actually in trouble ...

So he tries to step around the wolf. ]

[ Help! I can't get loose...someone help!

As Arthur starts to follow that call, the wolf growls again. Less aggressive and more confused, a whining huff as he turns his head to try and nudge Arthur back. No. Bad! Doesn't he see? Can't he tell what's in there? The smell of it creeps out even now, a vicious green scent invading the nostrils.

He can't very well protect him if he's just going to wander in like some curious pup. ]

[ Once again, the wolf surprises him enough to stun him into stillness and silence. It seems very stubborn, and adamant about ... keeping him safe? At least that whining noise sounded like concern. ]

I can at least have a look. I'll be careful.

[ His answer is the wolf all but shoving its head into his stomach, pushing him back forcefully now and still making that anxious, agitated sound.

Something in that room beyond shuffles, rubble shifting under the weight of whatever movement was happening, but it was still far too dark to see. The wolf doesn't need to see, it smells, it knows, and it wants its Pack nowhere near that mess. ]

[ It doesn't really surprise him that a wolf this size would have so much strength, but he hadn't really expected being forced back like this. He stumbles back, eyes wide and mouth open, and--

Well, now he doesn't know what to do. ]

What the hell. You can understand me?

[ It huffs, the entirety of its body shuddering with the noise, before it tries to push him back further. Clearly, he's not getting the message.

That place? BAD. No go.

And then those gold eyes lift once more, staring into his intently, as if intending to will him to turn around and go. ]

[ If he wasn't already certain that this wolf wasn't going to hurt him, that stare would be far less intimidating. It does make him take a step back, though, only half-aware of it. Then, he briefly looks up into the shop, and back down, lifting his free hand to poke. ]

That's my friend's voice in there. My brother. He's real important to me. Just wanna make sure I ... I ain't gone mad.

[ Although he has wondered that frequently the past month or two. ]

[ For a moment, it doesn't look as if the wolf is going to back down. In fact, he shifts his weight, almost rising up onto his hind legs just to stare him down more effectively. There's no snarling or snapping, just that intense stare, trying to will him to understand.

But, when it seems like Arthur won't be budges, the wolf backs down, making an unhappy noise before looking towards the shop. ]

[ For a while there it really seemed like he'd be bested by a wolf. It just never ends, does it?

It seems it will let him through now after all. He watches it for a moment or two, before finally stepping past, slowly and cautiously making his way past the doorway.

Should have brought a torch or something.

Help! I don't have much time! ]

[ He's not going alone, however.

The wolf proceeds alongside him, though its head is low and as they draw closer, its fur begins to bristle. The smell once again invades his nose, almost astringent green, and it's doing him no favors.

Still. He's not allowing Arthur to go in alone. ]

[ Somehow, though he can't place why, the wolf's presence at his side sets him at ease. Tempted as he is to check on it, he keeps his gaze high, sweeping across the walls in front of him, until he finally sees the shape of something ... wrong.

Then he sees the shimmering, the colours, and slows to a stop, eyes widening slightly.

There's no movement in the room otherwise. No sign of Charles. Is this it? ]

[ The wolf growls, and slinks around to Arthur's back, before teeth snag hold of his shirt. Firmly, insistently, he starts trying to pull him back from the bud currently trying to lure him in.

No time for this! He sees it's bad now, yes? They go? Go now? ]

[ At first he doesn't budge - not willingly, at least, but the wolf's strength is enough to force him back a step - trying to get a view of the rest of the room, see if he can spot Charles. Then Charles calls for help again, and ...

It's definitely coming from straight ahead. From the plant. ]

Is it ... talking?

[ This is bullshit. ]

[ It is very much bullshit, thank you for catching on so quickly!

Again the wolf tugs, straining to pull him back further, but a moment later and there's movement. Slithering vines creeping out of the darkness and reaching for both of them. In response, the wolf lets go and snarls at the limbs of this strange, green-smelling foe, before snapping at one that strays a little too close. ]

[ Next time, maybe just listen to the wolves.

The vines are at least familiar enough and Arthur instantly shoots at one of them while he takes several steps back. ]

Come on!

[ Time to get the hell out. ]

[ It's long been past time, but thankfully Arthur seems to realize that now. That's a relief, at least. The wolf snaps again, seizing hold of one of the vines as it nearly winds around Athur's leg, shaking it viciously and sending shredded plant pulp all over the place. ]

[ Listen. He had to make sure.

But now he's high-tailing it out of there, and he's not about to stop right outside the store either. He doesn't have anything to use to set fire to the thing, so he'd like to put a good distance between himself and the damn vines. ]

[ Upon seeing Arthur's retreating back, the wolf moves to join him, picking up the pace as it gallops after him. Long -- perhaps too long -- muscled legs move in perfect rhythm as he quickly catches up to the rugged outlaw, and only then does he slow.

He's matching pace. Staying at his side, making sure he gets away from this place and back to what the wolf has claimed as its den. Where else would Pack retreat to? ]

[ Once he's looked back a few times and see no vines at his heels, he slows down to a walk, panting for breath as he tries to make sense of the situation. So Charles was never in that room? Was the plant actually talking? Using someone else's voice? What the hell is wrong with this place?

He still needs to make sure Charles is okay. So while it's not guaranteed Charles will be there, he starts making his way to his room. ]

[ Charles had, of course, told Arthur where to find him if he ever needed him. The thing he'd neglected to tell him was that sometimes he wasn't there. Sometimes, if Arthur was looking for Charles the person? He'd be nowhere to be found.

There's a kind of irony in it, going to the dorm room shared by Charles, his lover, and his friends, to look for him. While Charles himself lopes alongside Arthur every step of the way, slowing only once they've reached the door.

One paw lifts to scratch at it, before turning those big gold eyes to Arthur expectantly. Make with the thumbs, already. ]

Yeah, yeah, calm down.

[ He ruffles the fur on top of the wolf's head before he gets the door open. Slowly, to give anyone who might be in there a warning in case there's something they don't want him to see. ]

Charles?

[ This is promptly followed by the wolf nosing the door open further, and without waiting he strides in to the welcoming aroma of the familiar. He pads over towards the beds, sniffing each in turn, but it appears that no one else is there for the time before.

That's less than comforting. Maybe he should go look, bring them back. A thin noise escapes the wolf's throat before looping back around towards Arthur.

Slowly, that big bushy black tail sways, back and forth. ]

[ He raises an eyebrow as the wolf invites itself in. Since there's no response, he assumes it's empty, but waits until he can see as much before he actually walks inside. ]

Great. Can't track him easily either.

[ Is he going to have to try to contact Charles with this fancy telephone? ]

[ There's an answering cock of the wolf's head, regarding him curiously for a moment. Understanding speech like this is...difficult. Far easier to interpret the tone, and he recognizes the frustration.

Yes. This is very frustrating. No one is here except them. The people these smells belong to aren't here, and they should be.

With a grumble, the wolf circles and drops down to the floor, turning its head to lick at a wound from one of the thorny vines across his hindquarters. ]

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point* not poke smh

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