redshiftlogs | july 2020. welcome to the void.

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july 2020. welcome to the void.

Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Monthly Mingle
When: The Month of July 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. the quake.

It starts with a rumble that builds to a roar, as the interdimensional cruise ship still hovering over Anchor lifts and repositions itself. The ground shakes as it pulls into the air. Shakes as the ship rumbles its way to a spot off toward the other side of the city.

As the ship falls still, the ground...keeps shaking?

Triggered perhaps by the movement of the ship, an earthquake rocks Anchor and its environs, a violent bucking thing that gives Anchor a violent shake, causing a few cracks in the walls at the higher levels. But it isn't just the structure of the upper city that suffers...the shaking opens a massive sinkhole out in the desolate plains beyond the colony. It's not a long trip to get there, with a radiation suit and one of the all-terrain vehicles. It's even close enough to be walked if you've got the time on your hands. (Still need that radiation suit, though.)

b. the sinkhole.

The pit isn't a uniform hole going straight down into the ground. From the observation windows in the upper levels of the city, anyone looking hard enough or using a set of binoculars can vaguely make out the chunks of stone and dirt collapsed unevenly into a cavern, creating a sloping path into the recesses below. It isn't just a sinkhole with a finite ending - the sinkhole opens up into a natural set of caverns, one that goes deep into the planet. Both strange and familiar crystals dot the cavern walls, glowing faintly at first but slightly brighter as the tunnel darkens - a few more turns into the caves and you wouldn't be able to see without them. Their glow is soft, dusky, not enough to disturb nocturnal creatures.

And creatures there are, though many of them aren't hostile. Giant bat-things, sheltering eggs they seem to have somehow cemented to the ceilings. Little salamander-like creatures that seem to feed on the crystals in the walls. Even nocturnal or cave-dwelling creatures that characters might recognize from home.

Of course, the place isn't without its dangers. There are sand worms here, too, albeit much smaller ones than those that guard the sand-covered city. These are a mere six feet long, the mouths not yet full of teeth. It’s almost like they're babies. And is that...an egg, in that corner? A cluster of them, really, with squirming shapes inside.

Hopefully you don't run into anything bigger than an adolescent.

As you travel deeper into the caves, the radiation starts to rise and the glow of the crystals grows weaker. Saltwater ponds in the caverns here boil with heat and gases that will probably kill you if you fall in, though there's no harm in getting a sample of that water or the plume of noxious green gas that just bubbled out of it. Maybe it can tell you something interesting once you analyze it back at the lab in Anchor.

c. what lies beneath.

It's when the lights go out and characters need artificial illumination to go on that things start to get weird. The walls here and there are unnaturally flat, like they've been planed smooth in preparation for building and then left untouched in the dark. The walls and ceilings of the caverns seem to clink occasionally, making sounds like rain on a tin roof heard from very far away.

And then the caverns end.

There's no warning, no change in the appearance of the cavern walls, nothing to indicate that this is where things stop. You just find yourself looking at a smooth, slightly curved wall that bisects the caverns no matter how far you follow it. It shines without illuminating its surroundings. Touch it, and you'll feel a faint hum, the origin of which can't quite be identified. Digging downward will make it clear that the humming wall goes deep, sloping gently. Like a shell, almost, in its roundness - a very large shell.

It’s not breakable, however. Not nearly that fragile. And there's no question of its artificiality. There is nothing natural about the smooth, curved shape of this...whatever it is. The surface is smooth and unmarked, and will remain so, no matter what kind of damage characters try to inflict, whether attempting to break through or to take a sample of the material. Any scans simply show that the material is unknown. A big question mark.

Well. This is awkward?

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Any mod questions can go here!

So! Homestuck trolls are raised by animal companions called lusii, who are generally nocturnal (like most Alternian fauna) and forge their parental bond with the young troll within underground brooding caverns. Would it be cool if a few of these are present?

(There are numerous species of lusii, which can range in challenge rating from tiny, harmless and adorable to huge, bloodthirsty and terrifying. However, all but the very largest individuals would probably be easy prey for an adult sandworm.)

We don't see any particular reason they couldn't be there, so go for it!

Sweet! And next question - in Recolle, Ami had regained her own lusus (or Aradia's, technically, but they're the same person so tomayto tomahto). Would it be possible for her lusus to have wound up in this cavern somehow, and could it come back to Anchor with them?

This depends on a few things, mainly what the size and scale of the lusus is, and also whether or not the lusus would be an appable character on its own. Could you give us more details?

Sure thing! Ami's lusus is bigger than a wallaby, but smaller than a kangaroo. At its full height (standing on its heels kangaroo-style) it's shorter than her.

It wouldn't really be an appable character, as it's just an animal. Its intelligence is comparable to a smart dog - it can follow commands to an extent, but can't learn to speak or write, etc. Also, it sees her as its offspring and doesn't really have a purpose apart from her (ie. it's not likely to listen to anyone else). That said, the relationship goes both ways - it'll try to take care of and protect her, but she has to do the same for it.

It eats mostly grass and insects, and while technically not domesticated, it's generally not aggressive unless its offspring is in danger. It doesn't have any powers or anything.

Edited 2020-07-06 04:01 (UTC)

Thanks for the additional information! From this description, her lusus would be fine to show up in the caverns and come back to the city.

If photos are taken inside the caverns, would it be possible for any of them to find their way back to Anchor? Is network reception dodgy down there, or is it non-existent?

Thank you for your question and sorry for the delay in answering! Reception should be just fine in the caverns and there's no reason they couldn't bring photos back to Anchor.

Let us know if you need anything else!

You're fine! Thanks mods. <3

The Quake

He has spent the day in the upper reaches training alone, there is a lot in his head he is trying to work through and it's all bubbling up and it has him seeking solitude. Not common for the Rain Guardian who is forever embracing new friendships, even in his time on Anchor short as it has been in comparison to others. His skin is itchy, he is restless. Sweat sticks dark hair to his forehead and his companions sit on the sidelines as he moves flawlessly through each step of his routine. To an outsider, he appears in complete control, comfortable in his work out. To anyone who has seen him fight, there is a wild edge to his blade. Something less tame than the tranquil rain of flames that move with each sweep of the weapon. If any have come upon him before the quake hits he never notices. Caught in his head, his body moving, all he can do is feel and react.

He is mid-step when the ground buckles beneath him and the sound above nearly invades right into his brain. He stumbles, blade returning to bamboo as he tucks his body into a roll, coming up next to his companions the sparrow fairing better than the dog as the bird has the option of remaining in the air.

"Are you okay?" Kojiro goes to his shoulder, Jiro he picks up and places on top of his head. Taking possession of the three short swords there he pivots sharply on his heel and is rocked by the earth once more. Right, when he thought he got his sea legs Yamamoto pitches forward, taking several hopping steps before catching himself. He uses the three short swords and his flames to propel himself into the air.

It's this move that grants him a look at the sinkhole and his eyes go wide "That can't be good...." He floats there, flames keeping him in the air with the sparrow fluttering on his shoulder and a confused looking pup peeping over the top of his head.

The Sinkhole

It needs to be explored, which means Yamamoto will start checking in and around Anchor to see if anyone plans to go out. After he makes sure the people he cares for and or has met since arriving are okay. He won't go out alone, promises to keep. But he is interested in the sinkhole that looks anything but normal to him. With it that close to the colony it's better to know what's out there right?

Hopefully, he can find a companion or two to come along. More than that, hopefully, there is something out there that can help with the wild edge of his blade.

Edited 2020-07-07 07:10 (UTC)

She hasn't gone anywhere yet, but she knows she can drive the vehicles they have and she isn't adverse to wearing one of the radiation suits. For now, she's on one of the mid-levels with a pair of binoculars, as close to the outer edge of the colony as she can get and craning over a railing as she peers out at the far-off edge of the massive opening that has appeared.

There's a blue jay perched on her shoulder and a black cat at her feet. Another cat, with eight legs and a somewhat 'squishy' appearance, is creeping around on the nearest ceiling just waiting to air-drop onto the first unsuspecting person that walks underneath him.

"What do you think, Talwen," she mutters to the bird, who only looks at her in response. She notices Yamamoto then and waves to him, holding out the binoculars in his direction.

"Look."

Yamamoto raises his hand with a wave, the pup perking upon his head because of people, and no matter what these three do like people. Plus, look at the craziness outside, time to touch base with people and make sure everyone is alright. Of course, Poison and her companions seem to be in good shape, which is a good sign. He'll use his flames to get Jiro and himself over to them, Kojiro is happy to take flight and travel alongside.

He lands near her with a grin, never knowing he has stopped himself right underneath a feline of the squish variety that will promptly join Jiro atop his head. It's one of those things, it's okay because squish is still adorable and because the pup kind of blobs under the squish as if he is okay with it and Yamamoto just laughs.

"Yo! I think we've got company." He reaches out, taking the offered binoculars "Thank you." Then he is peering through and the laughter dies in his chest, okay that is not normal. Sure, he is no sinkhole expert but he is pretty sure you are not supposed to be able to go inside them like this one appears you can.

"Someone needs to check that out." Clearly, he wants to, it's no wonder, first of all, it could be dangerous and he feels apt to protect himself and anyone who went with him. Second, okay it is a walk-in sinkhole, how is he not supposed to want to see where it goes? It's like Pandora's box and he just has to open it.

The first thing that Anderson does is airdrop onto the newcomer's head, and it says a lot to Poison about the boy that he doesn't react badly - or really react at all. The octocat seems perfectly happy where he is, curling his fuzzy, squashy tentacles against the sides of Yamamoto's head, so Poison just smiles and gives the binoculars a little wiggle of encouragement before he takes them from her.

"Weird things happen here all the time," she says speculatively. She's been looking at the sinkhole for at least twenty minutes and hasn't seen anything lurking around the rim, but that doesn't mean anything.

"But you're probably right, and you won't be the only one thinking it. We have suits for the radiation, and vehicles to get out there."

He is used to pets who are not like those that they would be used to. He has an Akita and sparrow who come from a box and have his dying will flame on them. He gets it, plus squish or not, the guy seems happy enough snuggling Jiro, and the pup looks more than happy to do so in return. So much like his boy that one, readily accepting even of strange things like octocat. The curling tentacles make Yamamoto smile.

Once he's looked through the binoculars, he'll even give one tentacle and affectionate scratch. After all, Uri likes scratches, so most cats will, right?

"True, it's not like Earth so much." He does not see anything, but he is not naive enough to think it means it is safe. All it means is what's out there is lurking he bets. When he looks at Poison, he is comfortable smiles; when he looks at the sinkhole, his eyes take on a sharpness. His body tense and ready, he has to go out there, he can't resist.

"We should head out; maybe we'll find others getting ready to go?" If not, they are in a pair; it's better than him going on his own. He will probably go on any treks that are made out there: Yamamoto Takeshi, sinkhole tour guide, his new job.

The octocat does indeed appreciate scratches as much as any other cat might, and pointedly curls one tentacle around the young man's finger to hold him there for further attention.

Poison, on the other hand, is focused on what is on the other side of the glass - that opening in the ground so far away from where they are, and yet tantilisingly within reach. Like everything else peculiar that happens around here, it's just begging for someone to go out and take a look at it. She has her fingers tight around the rail, as ready to go as that sharpness in Yamamoto's eyes.

"Mm. There will be others." She tucks her hair behind her ear in a quick motion, then glances over to him again. Her deep purple eyes are keen. "But I'm ready to go right now. How about you?"

That will just earn him more, ask Uri, the large cat often manipulates the hitman into many scratches. He has a soft spot for cats or animals in general. Really, the guy can be one big soft spot he is fooling no one.

He sees her body language and sure, they should see if groups are going. But it's the first thing to happen around here and it's right there. He has his Shigure Kintoki with him. He checked in with Hayato and let him know what was going on.

Really, what else can he do but meet those keen eyes and curled fingers with an enthusiastic smile "Let's go now, then we'll have information for the teams who go out after."

Someone has to be first right.

She grins at him - the sharp, bright grin of someone who was anticipating the answer she got and probably would have gone without him if he'd said no. Poison could be very careful at times and is no stranger to stealth, but she also had the habit of charging into things without thinking it through... and getting herself into often life-threatening trouble.

Poison moves away from the rail and goes up onto her toes to carefully pluck her cat from the top of Yamamoto's head.

"This is Anderson, by the way. That's how he says hello."

Yeah, life-threatening trouble is something Yamamoto can understand. Luckily he is quick thinking and can usually get himself out of him. Especially when he has a friend he wants to protect with him. Besides, who doesn't love a good adventure?

He grins, giving the guy one more scratch "He's a friendly guy, I like him and seems Jirou does too." He's way cool that is for sure.

"My boyfriend has a cat named Uri." Okay, more of a leopard but sometimes Uri is small and kitten-like, sometimes he is huge and kitten-like. He deposits Jirou on the ground now that it seems stable, he won't be taking the pup or swallow, he'll be tucking them safely back into their box and in his pocket while they go adventuring.

"I think he does it to frighten people, so you should expect him to try it again."

Because Anderson is more of an asshole than his cute squashy face gives him credit for. She places him on the ground beside the black cat sitting by her feet, and he immediately begins creeping up the leg of her trousers again, one slow, suckered leg over the other.

"I should put them back in my room before we go anywhere. Bat should be fine but I don't trust Anderson out on his own. Talwen will come with us - he can't go far away from me."

"Tricky one is, he maybe he should be called the trickster spirit." He says it affectionately, he is hard to scare for the most part. Young, he may be, but he has seen some things. Plus, he has done a test of courage or two in his homeworld.

Isn't that the way with most cats? Yamamoto smiles fondly, reaching in his pocket at the mention of returning them to her room. He emits flames from his rings, smiles at his box companions, and has them return to the box, tucking it in his pocket.

"I'll take them with me, but better to keep them safe if we don't need them to fight. I'll walk back to your room with you; I should let Hayato know we're heading out."

Poison blinks several times at what Yamamoto does, seemingly effortlessly and as if it should not perturb her at all. She spends a moment longer staring than she would have necessarily wanted to, then quickly shakes her head and leans down to carefully peel Anderson off her thigh.

"Hayato?"

They do get newcomers now and then and they are easy to spot with how few of them there are overall, but she doesn't know that name.

"Mm, if you want to do that, I can put the cats away and meet you in the garage."

He does not think about how other people may view the box companions, to Yamamoto it is second nature and for them, they are actually not real animals but in fact part of his weapon system. He just loves them and can't treat them any differently. Though he does know he needs to take them with him just in case when they fight as a team is when they are their strongest. Her stare does not seem to bother him, not realizing he may have done something to offend her.

"My boyfriend." He smiles, Hayato had not gotten out and mingled the way the swordsman has. Yamamoto has been telling him about everyone but the bomber needed some time as he came from another, harsher world to Anchor, and had a bigger shock than the baseball player.

"Sure, ten minutes good?" He is not a slow walker and there will be no drawn-out goodbye, the young men are used to other fighting and doing these sorts of things.

His boyfriend. Cute. Poison smiles faintly in response to the one that lights up Yamamoto's face and then she nods slightly to his question. Ten minutes. It's good to know that he isn't a time waster.

Poison gathers up her little menagerie and without a backwards glance she spirits them away to the room that she and Peter share. He's not around when she gets there, but it's not for any kind of malice that she doesn't tell anyone else where she's going.

It's simply in her nature to do things like this without too much consideration to how much danger she might be putting herself in. She heads straight down to the garage afterwards, assuming that is where the young man will meet her.

Yamamoto is to the garage in less than ten, his box secure he has a wide grin on his face as he sets his sword aside to start getting into a suit and ready to go out.

"Hayato told us to be safe, he'll be available if we need someone to send help."

He would have without Hayato's influence rushed right out without a second thought. But the bomber reminds him to be more responsible and thus he has prepared, should they need it. But it is clear, he is excited, dangerous or not he wants to see what's out there.

"have you been out before?"

"Oh, thanks Hayato."

He's not there, but she's sure that Yamamoto will remember to tell him when he sees him again. And of course he will see him again, because absolutely nothing is going to go wrong while they're out taking stupid risks on a planet that can kill them.

Nothing is going to go wrong at all.

"Mm, I've been out. I even drove one of the vehicles. Peter was terrified." She shoots a grin over to the boy. "But I didn't crash."

He grins because she is right he will be certain to let Hayato know she said thanks, he is just that kind of guy. They both have that same confidence, whatever comes out there they will definitely make it back.

In one piece even, maybe, who knows but they are coming back and Yamamoto does not doubt it one bit.

"I have driven a motorcycle, not a car, so I'll let you drive." He laughs, even if Peter was scared he trusts her and he is hard to scare, in truth if she drives a little wild he may end up laughing and seeing it as a good time. As it is he starts suiting up, making sure to keep his weapon outside his suit and making sure he can get out of it fast enough to access his flames if he needs to. He is ready when she is.

"Hah, alright." Peter had been right to be scared, but he had also been the one to let her drive... so that's really on him. It's hard to crash the things, anyway, given there's a whole lot of nothing out there to crash in to.

She pulls on the suit like she's done it a hundred times, and when she's ready she gives Yamamoto the thumbs up.

"You sure about this? I won't judge you if you change your mind."

Peter probably has a little more common sense than this guy then or more it's that Yamamoto can shut his fear off and live in the moment. Some times this is a good thing, others it can turn out real bad, real fast.

It all just depends.

He is grinning inside his suit and flashes her a thumbs up, pulling that blade over his shoulder.

"No way! I'm excited." And the look and body language say it all, sure he should probably have some trepidation here but Yamamoto is raring and ready to go.

Peter's common sense is up for question, but he's generally got his head on straight... Generally. When it comes to Poison, one might say he has a tendency to lean into whatever she wants to do and push aside the consequences.

Poison doesn't mind.

"Great. Then hop in."

She pulls herself up into the drivers seat, comically small in front of the wheel and in a seat that is clearly meant to hold a larger person than her own tiny frame. "You might want to put on a seat belt."

There are just times that adventure beats common sense by a long shot, it's as simple as that and this is most definitely one of those times. It's his first time really outside of the dome-like this and he would be lying if he said he was not at least a little, okay a lot excited.

"Alright!" He hops in the vehicle without a second thought. When he looks over at her he can not help but laugh, it is not a teasing laugh but his usual, good-natured laugh.

"Got it.." He gives a firm nod and straps himself in before giving her a thumbs-up as best he can in the suit.

She grins at him, and once the garage door has opened up far enough (with all the whistling and rushing of air that comes with it) the vehicle jumps forwards and then shoots off out onto the sand.

Poison, in a word, drives it like she stole it. With no concept of when she should be slowing down she leaps the thing over dunes and it's only a solid suspension system that keeps it from falling apart.

As they start to near their destination, however, she does ease off the gas. There's nothing about sending them flying into a pit that sounds like a good idea to her.

Now here is where most people would grab ahold and probably get a little nervous. Not Yamamoto, when they shoot out like that he gives a whoop of yeah you got it excitement.

It's like being in a race car and if he's honest, this is fun as hell. Maybe they should go out driving just to go driving, he'd like to try this! Self-preservation what is that. Instead, he is bouncing along, laughing, and for once just feeling like the dumb teenager he is. He hasn't felt that in a long time, it's good.

Who knew all it took was a dangerous race towards possible more danger to make a guy feel like a kid again. He missed this familiar thrum of adrenaline and as they slow he drops back against his seat with a wide grin.

"That was great!" Apparently drive it like you stole it is just this hitman's style.

Having someone along who enjoys the ride is a lot easier than having someone beside her who is white-knuckling the seat while they bounce across the sand like a stone skipping on water. Going out driving just to drive isn't something that's occurred to her, but she might just be up for it if it's suggested.

She grins right back at him when he speaks, and puffs a bit of hair out of her face inside the radiation suit hood.

"You want to drive on the way back?" Poison asks, and she unbuckles herself to hop out of the seat once they roll to a stop. "You can if you want to."

Yamamoto is definitely going to suggest it; he can be serious. But he is also a guy who likes to have fun, he'll have to talk Hayato into coming along, maybe Poison can convince Peter to join. Either way, these two will be back behind the wheel sooner rather than later or at least the hitman will.

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" He follows her lead, unbuckling he jumps down, hitches his blade up over his shoulder and gives her a thumbs up as best as he can in the suit as he walks around to stand by her.

"Ready?"

[ This isn't the first earthquake Ami's experienced here in Anchor, but it's certainly a doozy. She was in the library when it hit, and only narrowly escaped a deadly cascade of falling books - but she's already back in there by the time Yamamoto comes to check on her.

They've met in person a handful of times at this point, and he's proven to be one of those guys who's really easy to get along with. Being totally unfazed by her appearance earned him some brownie points right out of the gate, and his positivity and eagerness to help certainly don't hurt.

When he arrives at the library, he'll find her hard at work rounding up fallen books and sorting them into piles. It's a thankless job, but somebody's gotta do it. ]

Yeah, I'm fine. That was a big one, though, wasn't it? Did something crash-land out there again?

[Of course he'd come to check on Ami, he was enjoying the times they hung out and he often tried his best to slip Japanese phrases in while he was slowly picking up an English phrase or two from her. It was like going to school but a lot more fun because he got to learn from a friend, he's always had an easier time that way.

As soon as he arrives as they begin talking Yamamoto is gathering books, helping to put them where they belong. He gives a chuckle cause that is an understatement. Nothing crashed or maybe it did, either way something made a big hole.]

Yeah or something, the cruise ship is gone and there's a huge sinkhole that looks like you can walk down in it, I was thinking about going to check it out.

[ The help is much appreciated! Shelving is a pain in the ass as it is, without her telekinesis. Ami pauses mid-gather, though, surprised. ]

A sinkhole?

[ A meteor streaks across the night sky. It's a small one, but she still feels the ground rumble with its impact. Excited, she packs up her tools and races toward it, and finds it's left behind not a crater, but a cavern. Can it be? Was it right under her cartilage nub this whole time?

Ami blinks and shakes her head as Anchor's library comes back into focus. A memory...? It's been ages. But apparently those didn't stop being a thing that can happen. ]

... When are you thinking to go?

[Yamamoto blinks, wondering if maybe she is thinking about something as Ami seems to drift off, he waits a moment til she speaks again then smiles wide answering both her questions at once.]

It's got stairs or something going down it. This was my last stop on my way to the garage! You wanna come?

[He would love the company and two is better than one, he already saw everyone or got a message on the device so he was heading out ASAP.]

[ And come to think of it, what the hell's a "cartilage nub"? - Wait, that's not important. Ami nods without even thinking it over, springing to her feet. ]

Sure! You know how to drive?

[Yamamoto could not say but who knows maybe they will figure it out when they get out there, it's an adventure anything could happen.]

I've driven a motorcycle, how hard can it be! I picked that up pretty quickly!

[What could go wrong?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

july 2020. welcome to the void.

QUESTIONS.

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Takeshi Yamamoto || OTA

sinkhole | hope this is fine! :V

absolutely :D

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sinkhole!

Woooot!

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