logsinthenight | INTRO LOG: OCTOBER

INTRO LOG: OCTOBER

characters: everyone.
location: the harbor, as well as the rest of town.
date/time: october 1-3.
content: beacon's newest batch of residents arrives on the ferry. scavenger hunt prizes are awarded. the ferry capsizes in a blaze of glory.
warnings: n/a.

welcome to beacon.

It's dim, and the room won't stop swaying, gently rocking you back and forth. A loud sound startles you fully awake, a deep, moaning call: a foghorn. As your eyes adjust, you note faint red light streaking through the room from a tiny, round window.

You've found yourself in a private room, lying on a bed. The last things you remember are the events that led up to your death. Beside you is a folded tablet and a lantern that glows steadily with a healthy flame.

You're on a ship. And that ship is docking.

Making your way to the deck, and eventually the pier, you find only moonlight to greet you, and a dark forest beyond. There are other people here, each with their own unique lantern, and many of them look just as lost as you are. On the ferry you've just disembarked from, the speaker system begins to play a song.

In the distance, across the waters of the lake, you can see the tall silhouette of a lighthouse, its red light slowly turning.

•••

Luckily for all the newcomers, the tablet and the town have some resources available for playing catch up! In fact, as soon as they're prompted to enter a network username, an app containing all sorts of useful welcome information will launch. Newcomers can always check out the weekly bulletins and the records in town hall as well, and everyone's welcome to get in touch with the NPCs through their inboxes.

When the ferry docks, it seems as though you've been spared from any weirdness this month! It's good to have a break now and then, isn't it? And if you participated in the scavenger hunt, you're probably eagerly awaiting your promised prize—

But, ohp, what's that sound? Is that the ferry's engine firing up again? The ship roars to life again as some brave mutineers overthrow its autopilot system. Crowley and the Winter Soldier man the ferry's control room while Aziraphale flits between the cargo hold and the deck, attempting to assuage any accidental kidnapees with reassuring words and cake.

Unfortunately, the joyride is shortlived. Between the ferry's complex control panel and the haphazard attempts to override it, all the group manages to do is send the boat charging full speed ahead—which would be great if it wasn't facing the beach. The ferry jolts forward and careens smack into the dock, tearing down the entire structure and punching a sizeable hole in the ferry's hull.

Well, that could've gone better. But there's no time to dwell on the mistakes of the very recent past! The ferry is sinking, and quickly! Looks like you'll have to scramble if you want to save what's left in the cargo hold before the whole thing goes under... And that's gonna be awfully tricky without a dock.

Oh, and maybe save the new arrivals? Make sure they don't drown? But, then again, if they go down with the ship, they'll just show up again in the church... The same can't be said for the restock for the general store!

As smoke billows from the damaged ferry and the last the harbor disappears into the lake, the Lighthouse Keeper appears on the network with a pretty straightforward question. Also, the ferry's song changes, so. That happens.

ooc.

Hey there, wonderful players, and welcome to In the Night! For this intro log, you are officially without a chaperone. Rastus is back at the bonfire, Will is characteristically elusive, and Robin is, well, you know where she's at. It's up to the veteran residents to fill in the new folks.

And regarding the ferry disaster... Well, you have some options. Here's what you need to know:
This is a player plot organized by MJ, Xy, and Gail! A big thank-you to them for providing us with this intro log event!

Whether or not your character and any packages addressed to them are affected by this plot is up to you! If you would like to assume your character avoids dealing with this chaos and somehow grabs their delivery without issue, go right ahead!

Similarly, if you're looking for an opportunity to make your character's life harder, injury and death are always on the table! Or maybe it's your package that takes the abuse, lost forever to the lake's depths or washing up all waterlogged a week or two down the road. In short: How you engage with this plot is entirely up to you.

What happens to the ferry and the dock? Within a couple of hours, the ferry will sink completely, and anything on board when it goes down is lost forever. Which bodes super well for the ferry, huh? Sure hope the next batch of newcomers has some strong swimmers. Oh, and the dock is gone, too. If you want it back, you'll have to rebuild it.

As for Crowley, Aziraphale, Bucky, and anyone else on the ferry or dock during the collision... Hope you boys like concussions, bruised ribs, and a broken bone or two, because you've got 'em! The exact injuries are up to you, but they're the equivalent of a semi-serious car accident.

One last thing: The fate of the shop restocks, including all of the food for the month, depends on you! Let us know if your character will be participating in the rescue attempt. In exchange for letting us beat up your character, you can save a portion of the month's supplies! We'll let you all know on October 3 what the rations for the rest of the month will look like.

DELIVERIES

The following packages can be found in the cargo hold:

The monthly store restock
For Daylight: A variety of gardening tools piled into a wheelbarrow, as well as packets of seeds for the following plants: Boneset, dogtooth violet, starflower, Carolina springbeauty, pipsissewa, bloodroot, red columbine, narrowleaf blue-eyed grass, harlequin blueflag, and purple pitcherplant; he will also receive a translation for the following: An invitation to join the speaker as company
For Aziraphale: A record player, the complete discographies of a variety of bands (Abba, Rob Zombie, Tool, Hanson, Eiffel 65, and Spice Girls), a two-tiered wedding cake, and packets of seeds for the following plants: Strawberry, cherry tomato, cucumber, blackberry, carrot, potato, raspberry, and pumpkin; he will also receive a familiar copy of a familiar book: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, along with a blue ribbon that reads "BEST IN SHOW"
For Bruce: A handheld metal detector and a rechargeable battery for it, a chisel, a climbing harness (that, according to the packaging, is the #1 Safety Rated!) and a 50 ft. coil of rope
For Cao Pi: A go board
For Rosinante: A sextant, and 3 cartons of cigarettes; he will also receive a translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "Danger! Run and hide!"
For Kuai: A basket of 16 mooncakes, as well as incregredients for more
For Javert: 3 pairs of handcuffs, a greatcoat in Javert's size, and a trunk full of swords in varying styles and conditions; he will also receive an electric chainsaw
For Kol: A record player, the complete discographies of a variety of bands (New Kids on the Block, Weird Al Yankovic, Sound Garden, Ke$ha, INXS, and Spinal Tap), a cooler full of blood bags and ice packs, and an assortment of stamps; he will also receive a translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "I'm lost" or "Need directions"
For Elena: A journal; she will also receive a portable generator (powerful enough for a single power tool or small appliance; can be charged through a typical wall outlet)
For Xayah: A thick journal and a glass vial of black ink; she will also receive a sizeable roll of barbed wire, as well as a stuffed animal
For Ignis: A spice restock (with a few new ones mixed in!), 3 paired of leather gloves, and... 12? pairs? of glasses? They're all in slightly different prescriptions, though. A variety pack!; he will also receive a power drill (runs on a rechargeable battery or can be plugged directly into a wall socket)
For Riku: A wood stove, a set of paints, and 5 canvases; he will also receive a translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "Looking for water" or "Thirsty"
For Matt: A rosary and a Braille Bible... which is more of a collection of volumes, really; he will also receive a translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "Looking for food" or "Hungry"
For Noctis: Two complete sets of the Lord of the Rings series (except, wait a minute... they appear to be the novelizations of the movies); he will also receive an SD card that, when plugged into a tablet, will upload GPS directions to a new location...
For Rosalind: A crate of basic all-purpose lab equipment, a fancy microscope, an emergency eye wash station, a mortar and pestle, a lab coat, a Lite Brite, and... the things she needs to make things float, whatever those are; she will also receive a pair of dousing rods (that will actually point in the direction of water, checkmate atheists)
For Jason: A translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "Sympathy" or "I'm sorry"
For Coraline: A translation for the rough equivalent to the following phrase: "Teach me"
For Eliot: A bottle of hospital grade painkillers (it contains 10 doses and functions similarly to Vicodin)
For Allie: A bottle of strong antibiotics (it contains 10 doses and can fight off most any infection)
For Vanitas: A portable camping stove (runs on a portable battery or can be plugged directly into a wall socket)
For Hope: A soldering iron (runs on a portable battery or can be plugged directly into a wall socket)
For Quentin: A cannister of foaming bandage (can be used 5 times to immediately close a wound/stop semi-severe bleeding)
For Mary: An SD card that, when plugged into a tablet, will upload GPS directions to a new location...

If you submitted an item request last month and we've missed it here, let us know!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He lets out another hiss, this one definitely directed at her.]

If I were back in my own world, this wouldn't even matter at all. This would be so easily taken care of, gone with a thought.

Well, you're not, [hiss is, of course, ignored, because she's still mad.]

So you better suck it up. You have only yourself to blame for being in this state.

[He looks at her, and his expression is a bit astonished]

You're not a coward. Why just stay put and accept your fate?

[She stares right back at him, a scowl marring her face and making marks underneath her eyes more prominent.]

You jump to assumptions. The same way you jumped the gun and tried to steal this ferry without consulting anyone.

You are not alone here.

[A lesson she had to learn as well.]

[He leans in]

Do you think anyone would've let me take their precious little boat away from shore? While it's bringing them back memories of home?

[He leans back]

Of course not. Everyone's getting comfortable. They're getting complacent. Worshipping that person up in the Lighthouse.

[He... kind of has a point there. About the memories. She didn't ask for anything from home, however, only random trinkets she thought she can use.

But again, he spouts some nonsense and she visibly bristles up. Crouching, she grabs the front of his shirt, long nails digging through it for a vice grip, and she pulls him forward again.

Face to face with a glaring, angry Vastayan.]

Listen here, idiot, just because no one speaks of it, it doesn't mean everyone agrees with her. Did you even bother to read about resets, hm? The moment we turn against her, she'll throw a tantrum and delete us.

[She lets go of his shirt, leaving him to fall back against the debris,] I think I told you to stop jumping to conclusions. No one is complacent.

But we have to play the cards we were dealt smartly or we are gone.

[Crowley doesn't even flinch. He's either very used to frightening people or very stupid.

(Spoiler alert: It's both.)

He drops back onto the debris with as much dignity as someone with a makeshift splint can.]

And how do we do that? Playing her games? Taking a bunch of selfies so she can award us prizes?

We could send a team up there to stop her at any time, but no one ever does. They just want to play nice!

Are you purposely that dense?

[She is seriously refraining from raising her voice. The planks creak beneath her feet as she moves to sit down, giving him a serious look.]

They did go. That's why resets happened! [He seriously didn't read any info, did he?!]

And few months ago, people died, trying to just connect her to the network.

If someone even dares put a toe past the fence, the spirits will devour them. She can control them, 90% of the time, and all of them seem intent on protecting the Lighthouse.

She's sketchy, young and prone to acting on impulse. The more you go against her, the worse it will be for you. For everyone here.

[Crowley doesn't read.]

So we just go along with it, until what? Until she grows up and gets bored with us? Until she decides she wants a new group of playthings to torment?

I'm not doing it. I won't be someone's toy. And everyone should want to resist it, too. But there isn't even one resistance band in this whole fucking community---believe me, I looked.

[If only Crowley bothered to read.]

You didn't look hard enough.

[She comes even closer to speak in silent voice-]

There are people that distrust her. Check the network posts from few months ago. When the spirits attacked us, when she got connected to us.

[She was sure she saw at least one person openly distrusting her. And then there's her too. But she won't openly admit that, of course.]

And stop being selfish! Don't you have anyone you care about here?

Oh, I'm sure there are people who distrust her. But who is willing to band against her with some sort of a plan?

Who is willing to fuck up for the chance to live free?

[Crowley is. Of course, he's willing to fuck up for quite a few things. He often does fuck up for many other reasons, as well.

He doesn't respond to the question about having anyone he cares about. He knows Aziraphale was hurt in this trek.]

We can't do that! [She warns him. Again.] Any banding up and attempts at taking her life will kill us all off.

And she doesn't care- she won't make a difference or cherry-pick people to spare them.

I, for one, don't want to be erased.

[She doesn't want people to forget her. Besides, she has to meet Rakan again, right? So she cannot gamble her soul like this. Not when the risk is so high and the reward might not even exist.

She does note his silence on the question, so she takes it as a yes, but doesn't comment on it.]

[Crowley struggles to get to his feet. He takes a tentative step on the splinted leg and winces.]

Then I guess you'll stay here forever.

Not me.

Which I guess puts us on opposite sides, if you're going to try to stop me.

[The look he gives her certainly isn't unkind.]

Thanks for the splint.

[She stands as well. She can still feel some anger bubbling in her but the worst is gone.

This is no different from what her life was. Humans on one side, he tribe on the other.

She takes a tentative step across the planks- they are still creaking rather ominously underneath her feet.]

I won't mourn your death then.

[She turns to give him a sad (?) look-]

But I'll send a prayer for those you leave behind with your actions.

Think twice before you act- it won't hurt you.

[It will hurt the others around you if you don't.]

[He can't exactly saunter away with a broken leg. He can barely hobble, and it's a pretty pathetic sight, to be perfectly honest. But he'll be damned if he asks for help now.]

Think twice about just staying here. There's more to life than a small, dark town without a sun or a future.

Purgatory at least has a chance for redemption. This place is just endless games.

[Is that what will wait for her? Purgatory? Almost feels fitting since back home, once they reach any kind of peace agreement, she'll be considered a war criminal.]

I don't want to stay here, no one does. But no one will gamble their chances so recklessly.

And I-

[-her tall, feather ears perk up and eyes fixate on the floor. There's a crack, a silent one, followed quickly by a louder one as the already broken wood gives in underneath their combined weights.]

-Hey!

[She grabs him for the front of the shirt again, ignores the searing pain in her side and pulls him over to push him towards the safer corner of the broken ferry. She loses her footing in the process, slips and falls down, barely missing the hole from where she just moved him away.]

We should, [she wheezes through pain while trying to get to her knees,] continue the discussion elsewhere...

[Crowley looks at her ears curiously---what in the Heaven is she, exactly? Nothing he's ever seen before. Maybe some sort of bird creature? Aziraphale would probably know the mythology behind it----

And then she's grabbing him, pulling him away as the floor beneath him falls out. He cries out in excruciating pain as he lands back on his injured leg under her. He's never experienced pain like this, he's never felt an injury like this.

It's so human.

He grabs his leg, panting.]

I-I can't---

[Maybe he'll find out if they get on better terms.]

Yes you fucking can, [she pants and gets to her feet, then helps him get up as well. Due to her own injury, she can't support him, not much at least. But she can keep an eye on their surroundings.]

Either you get your ass from here, or you'll sink, along with your plans. Now, move your feet! Hold onto the sides of the ferry.

[She probably shouldn't force a human that never pushed through a battle or a fight with wounds, but there's no other choice now. She's gripping firmly his upper arm and letting him lean on the wall and use his healthy leg for support.]

Edited (wording) 2019-10-03 19:01 (UTC)

[He looks out over the ferry. There's no way he can make this. Not on this leg. No way he can make it before it sinks. He looks at her, injured herself. Not that he cares, he reminds himself, because she's just a pain in the ass and he doesn't care about people at all. Least of all the people in this stupid little town.

But she did just save his life.

He looks around. No one around to see him, to see them.

He steps up and grips her by the arms.]

You didn't see this, do you hear me?

[He takes a breath, and in an instant large black wings extend out of his back, shooting out to either side. He gives an experimental flap and lifts them both into the air, towards the shore.]

What the-

[Okay, how did he do that? Not the wings suddenly appearing- how did he manage to hide them so well without anyone seeing them? All she managed to do with hers is to fold it and pass it as a cape. She can't fly, her body is human and too heavy to be lifted, only float for a few seconds.

This is something else entirely.

She grips again for his shirt as he takes them off into the skies, her eyes unable to resist and look down. There'sthat familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach when you jump high in the air- tension, anticipation, and excitement mixed into one.]

...Looks like you had some tricks up your sleeve.

[And she won't tell. She has no reason to.]

[The world is dark. He won't fly farther than he can see, so he doesn't take them high, and he doesn't take them far, just soaring them over, towards the shore. He moves them there swiftly, before instantly and somewhat gracelessly dropping them down on the shore.

He immediately falls to the ground, gripping his leg. His wings fold up and vanish into the hammerspace, as though they never were.]

A few.

[he gestures to her ears.]

But don't we all.

[She has no complaints about their landing- it got them out and that's all it matters. She can take a bruise or two more.

Rolling over to lie down on her back again, and relieve the strain on her ribs, Xayah breathes out heavily, with a small roll of eyes-]

My ears are not a trick. They are ears and I'm not hiding them to use them as a weapon.

[Was that a joke attempt? Maybe. Xayah has no idea, she's high on adrenaline right now.]

But it's true... everyone has a secret or two.

My wings aren't a weapon.

[He sounds genuinely insulted. He tries to bend his knee and lets out a groan before straightening his leg again. The splint is keeping it in place, but the fall on the ferry definitely damaged it.]

Everyone here has secrets. Maybe that's why we're trapped here.

[She'll just remain laying here, thanks. The leg is now his worry, as are the cracked ribs hers. She seriously can't heal, otherwise she wouldn't be in this predicament to begin with.]

They could be if used properly. You'd probably be able to dash and dodge things without trouble.

[Isn't that convenient.]

Well, there are different types of secrets. Proper secrets and things you just don't know or didn't ask about.

[He's not about to argue with her. He's seen demons use their wings for all sorts of horrible things. Angels too, come to think of it.]

Well, I'm not exactly a fighter. Consider these for defensive purposes only.

[He looks out to the sinking ferry. How did that go so incredibly wrong? They could've been sailing out into the dark waters, back towards where they came from. It was such a good plan. Such a simple, easy plan.]

It wasn't supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be going home. Aziraphale was even going to come back for everyone.

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