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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[ Vanitas' head jerks up, the gold of his eyes cutting over to land on the approaching figure. His gaze slice the length of him before he realizes who it is he's looking at: that boy from the network, the one from that flag game. Bruce, he thinks his name was.

He straightens up as the distance between them closes, and although Vanitas pulls himself to his full height out of reflex, he still isn't anywhere close to being level with this guy. That doesn't really change anything about his demeanor, even now Vanitas is used to being one of the shortest people in the room, so he juts his chin out and points down at the package he'd been examining without looking at it. ]

This has my name on it.

[ Something about the way he says it sounds like a challenge; like he's daring Bruce to fight him on the fact. Or maybe like he's accusing Bruce of pulling this thing out of the water and keeping it for himself, despite the fact Vanitas' name is scrawled across the side. ]

[There are two things he could resemble- a child or an interrupted thief. Bruce has certainly caught both before, seen pairs of wide eyes turn in his direction, seen hands freeze in mid-air. By extension, one of two reactions could follow. He could jerk his hand backwards, a subconscious betrayal of one's understanding that what they're doing is wrong or that they don't want to be seen doing it. Or he could go on the offense, use a territorial approach and challenge the interruption.

This might be the latter in it's own way.

The boy who pushes to his feet hasn't drawn a weapon though he does come to full height. His hands are empty at his sides and it isn't in Bruce's nature to see someone's palms that way and consider them unarmed. He sees the potential instead. But the words he levels aren't entirely an accusation- he announces it the way people place flags on unexplored countries. He's staking a claim.

And Bruce, who has already asked for something and who has already made his peace with the possibility that now he might never get it- doesn't bristle. He crouches down instead, to see the name written across the side with his own eyes. That's unexpected. He'd grabbed anything he could floating around in the deep, hoping to gather as many supplies as possible. And there's at least one personal crate instead.

Bruce's head cants very faintly to one side, a small signal of his curiosity but also the assurance that he's not interested in fighting for it. Vanitas is right. The package is his.] Did you ask Rastus for something?

[ Bruce comes closer and defiantly, Vanitas doesn't make any move to step back and give him the space to inspect the package. Really, he doesn't really care whether the other guy would believe him or not— it has his name on it so whatever is inside is rightfully his. He watches him like a hawk, like he's ready to kick him down if he tries anything funny, but he doesn't actually make any defensive gesture.

At his ankle, his lantern moves and the Flood creeps out from behind his leg. The black flame in his lantern is dim compared to everyone else's in this place, but it still casts light up along his leg and into the creature's red eyes as he stares at Bruce, now down near it's level. ]

No.

[ His eyes cut away, up toward the distant shimmer of the bonfire where Rastus usually dwells, before coming back. ]

This is probably something else.

[ Robin had said, after all, that if they gave her pictures she'd send them something... and he can't imagine where else it would have come from. ]

[They've spoken before- Vanitas, his brain supplies. And while Bruce is peripherally aware of the way his head turns, that his attention is drawn off in the direction of the bonfire, his own remains significantly closer to the ground. It isn't doubt that had prompted him to check the name written across the side so much as it's curiosity- an ever-present desire to see things with his own eyes. To know for himself. But instead of lingering on the print, he comes face to face with the rat again. Not an ordinary rat, not a rabbit either- but something else. Something he doesn't recognize. It hides behind the boy's leg and peeks out not with the uncertainty of a frightened pet, but rather...

It reminds Bruce of being a child. When he too used to hide behind his father.

His gaze lifts in time for them to meet, to look at one another- before he straightens in kind. The distance between them is small enough that it could be pressed as an advantage, to make a statement if not a declaration. That might be what Vanitas is trying to do. Time will tell. This is probably something else isn't shaped by notes of surprise because there's no uptick in his inflection. There's no invisible question mark. Not entirely unexpected, then.

Bruce takes a small step not backwards, but to the side; in doing so he leaves the package squarely in Vanitas's space. It isn't accidental.]

Do you want to see what's inside?

[Instead of looking anywhere else, Bruce reaches for his waist- withdrawing, and then offering, a short folding knife.]

[ Bruce steps back and while nothing in Vanitas' expression really changes, there's something almost mildly appraising in the way his gaze lingers on his face— then drops to the space between them.

This guy... he must be ignorant, or just stupid, to arm him. Vanitas might not have a lot of worldly experience, but he's been in this town long enough to explore and create his own understanding of things. What the other boy is holding looks like nothing more, at a glance, than a folded handle— but pressed into it's side is a blade.

Vanitas wouldn't need it to kill him, if he wanted to. There were a lot of people here with great power, magic similar but different to his own. There are even those that could match him in a fight— but Vanitas doesn't need his hands, or even a weapon, to wring the life out of someone. At his ankle, the Flood shivers, it's ears cocking up like it's suddenly taken interest in the situation.

The gold of his irises flicks back up into Bruce's face— and he smirks, reaching into the space to snatch the knife from his hand. He flicks the sharp edge out and raises it to his face, turning it forward and back to inspect it, before dropping back into a crouch and stabbing the point into the package— tearing it upward in one smooth stroke.

The Flood shifts back into a relaxed state as Vanitas holds the folding knife in one palm and pulls the wrapping apart to reveal what's inside. ]

[He doesn't pull away. He could. He could linger looking at the knife, he could decline to take it, he could ask what it was. Instead Bruce is left acutely aware that he's being appraised because it's happened all his life- boys at the private school before they'd thrown a punch, crooks and thugs trying to chase him off, murderers and mad scientists and the criminally insane.

There's another pause after Vanitas has the knife in hand and while Bruce can only guess at the thoughts he's entertaining, he doesn't think his conjecture would be very far from the mark. The rat shivers, as if it's cold. It's ears lift as if responding to something only it can hear.

And then Vanitas opens the blade and crouches down- splits the package open in a single, long stroke. He tears at the paper and Bruce stays where he is. There's something almost childlike about the savagery, the single-minded focus on pulling the obstacle out of his way without fear of what might hurt or be hurt underneath.]

[ It's a handful of things; his intense curiousity, his lack of caring for the consequences of his actions, both inherent and learned without any sort of external input to teach him otherwise. Vanitas peels into the package, yanking back the pieces like he's opening a carapace, to reveal—

Well, he doesn't know what it is, and he doesn't bother trying to hide his reaction. His brow comes down, clouding his expression with confusion— a confusion that filters over into frustration. Whatever it is has a lid on it, and Vanitas feels around the front for a latch, pushing the top back and open to show the innards— some kind of circular device with nobs. ]

What's this piece of junk?

[ He sounds incredulous as he picks it up in both hands, turning it around like he's going to find some sort of secret underneath the bottom of it that opening the top hadn't uncovered. ]

[As soon as the package comes apart it's as if the knife ceases to exist. Vanitas casts it aside in favor of pushing his fingers underneath and peeling the layers away by hand, relishing the sound it makes as much as the process. But instead of satisfaction at the end of it there's a change to the shape of his shoulders. There's a crease in the place between his brows.

And he isn't the only one.

Bruce frowns thoughtfully, weight coming forward to rest on the balls of his feet so that he can follow along. To see what's underneath with his own eyes. There's a short metallic thud, an irritated, impatient knock. The twisting of knobs. It occurs to him only as Vanitas is turning the shape over, ready to look inside that perhaps he's waiting for it to respond somehow.]

Oh.

[But this angle also allows him to see it for the first time- not the entire gift, but enough to recognize what he's looking at.]

It's a stove.

[ He knows when Bruce comes down to his level, but he doesn't acknowledge him until he speaks. Then, Vanitas turns his head sharply to cast a narrowed golden look into his profile. ]

A stove?

[ Vanitas doesn't drop the device, but maybe only because it's so close to the ground that it can't really be considered as such. ]

That isn't a stove.

[ He knows what those are. He's had Unversed, on certain worlds, take the shape of them— things with grates that spit fire. A stove goes in the wall and you cook on it— it doesn't look like this little... whatever this is. Flat thing. This could go on top of a counter. What would you cook with this? What would even make the fire to cook on? Unless it's powered by magic, but he really doubts that, given the way everything else seems to work in this place. ]

What a useless thing. I don't know what she was thinking giving me this.

[ He puts both hands on his knees and stands up, quite clearly ready to abandon it to the beach. Maybe someone else might know how to take it apart and do something with it, but Vanitas isn't that kind of person. ]

Edited 2019-10-06 22:39 (UTC)

We could test it.

[He can feel the moment that Vanitas redoubles his attention, looking at the metal object with renewed interest, new context. But it's a note of disbelief that colors his voice and while Bruce takes notice, he doesn't address it outright. He's been meticulous in his study of interactions over the network- taking notes of personality traits, personal connections, priorities, divulged background information, patterns of interaction, and behavioral motifs. Vanitas has been a volatile force in almost all of them. He provokes whenever possible and seems to relish each derailed discussion and devolved moment.

It's something to be aware of. But in Bruce's experience, people are rarely as uncomplicated as their least common denominator. For this reason, the 'we' that he opens with is deliberate.] To see if it still works.

[Vanitas pushes to his feet and Bruce is aware of this too, but he doesn't turn to look. His gaze remains on the stove itself. The design looks sound, despite the fiasco with the ferry. It isn't so different from the one he and his father had used in one of their camping trips, when building a simple fire hadn't been enough.]

A stove this size could be used anywhere. If it isn't broken, it means that you could take this wherever you wanted instead of having it stuck in one place.

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INTRO LOG: OCTOBER

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