logsinthenight | INTRO LOG: JULY

characters: everyone.
location: the harbor, as well as the rest of town.
date/time: july 1-3.
content: beacon's newest batch of residents arrives on the ferry. winters, will, and rastus introduce themselves and explain the situation.
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.

•••
Winters and Will are waiting for you on the beach. Winters flags you down from where he's standing atop a large rock, surveying the gathering crowd. Will stands next to him, though he's monkeying with his tablet and looks rather bored. He barely looks up as Winters speaks:

"First thing's first: I'm sorry you're here. There's no easy way to break this news, so let's just get it over with, hm? You're dead. Or, ah, you've died. Call this the afterlife if you want, or don't if that ain't your thing, but point is, you're here 'cause you died. Those are the facts.

This world's dead, too. You've noticed by now it's pretty dark, yeah? That's 'cause there's no life here, not anymore. And that lantern you've got? That's your life, so to speak. The flame goes out, you die, and vice versa. Keep it close. Should be easy enough to remember on account of how the sun don't rise. You'll need something to see by.

This place is called Beacon, and that's Lake Red Jacket. Town's 'bout a mile down the road, and we've got a bonfire there, but that's the only other light you'll see in this place. Save for the moon and all, though the sky won't do you much good out in the woods. I'll let Rastus explain the bonfire to y'all.

Ah, right. I'm Ben Winters—Winters'll do—and this here's Will Ingr— What? For christ's sake, Dr. Will Ingram. Likes to think he's the brains of the operation, as you can see. If you've got questions about these tablets, he's your guy. Rastus tends to the fire, and you'll find him in town. He's married to his job in a way. And you may never've seen a person like him back wherever you came from, but don't make a big fuss over it. He's a nice fellow. Mind your manners.

The three of us are leftovers from past resets. We came here on that ferry just like you, but it's just us left now. 'Sides the Lighthouse Keeper, but it'll be a bit before you get to meet her. She's got control over the town, see, and if she ain't satisfied with a group's performance, they get the axe. Town gets reset. If she pulls a reset on you folks, a couple of you might end up like me and Will here, giving this speech to the next crop."

The red beam of the lighthouse pulses over the group, over the trees. Winters glances up to watch it swing out over the bay.

"But don't hold it against her. Ain't her fault we're in this mess, and we've all got a job to do, including you.

For now, concentrate on accepting your lot, yeah? We're here to answer your questions, but we ain't gonna tell you all there is to know just yet. Some things are best learned on your own, and some of it we just don't want to saddle you with yet. There's a limit to how long we can stay here safely, that's true, but thing is, we do got time. Time enough to play this smart. Do better than the folks before us did. Settle in, make peace, explore a bit if you're up for it. Use these first couple weeks to come to grips. You ain't gonna be any good to the town if you don't sort yourself out before worrying about what comes next.

So listen up: You're dead. You died. Whatever your old life was, it's done now. None of us can go back, so all we've got is forward. Welcome to Beacon. Could be worse, yeah?"

ooc.

Hey there, wonderful players, and welcome to In the Night! For this intro log, all three NPCs will be available for chatting with, whether your character wants to make casual conversation or ask questions about all this. The headers on each NPC toplevel are there for easy reference as to what each of them are responsible for, but you're welcome to go to any NPC for whatever reason. You're welcome to assume your character has overheard any NPC conversation to learn more about the game. After the NPC threads have died down, we'll compile the info learned ICly and add it to the game history page. If your character would contribute something specific to the game history records, let us know!

DELIVERIES

The following packages can be found in the cargo hold:

The monthly store restock

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Witch hunters.

( the shrug he gives her is very 'what are you gonna do?' )

Angelic witch hunters, even.

[Oh. Those.]

And are you a witch?

Warlock, witch.

( he shrugs. )

There's no difference but yes, yes I am.

Mm.

[It's hard to read her expression, but it'd be a fair guess to say disbelief is an emotion there.]

And how do you define that, exactly?

How do I define being a witch or a warlock?

( was that what she was asking? he can't see anything else that might been to be defined there. )

I could find you a copy of Webster's Dictionary and highlight the words for you if that's what you want.

I should think not, as that refers to men and women who had no supernatural power, but rather who were often already regarded as outcasts in some fashion, and were then persecuted by a church who enjoyed having a scapegoat. On occasion, they pretended to have certain abilities and powers, but this was nothing but misplaced belief and coincidence.

So why don't you define it in your terms.

( ambrose shrugs one shoulder and tosses the catcher in the rye up in the air before neatly catching it. )

Well, persecution by the church is definitely still a tenet of things though we prefer to stay off their radar so persecution becomes a nonissue. Certain abilities and power is also a commonality because those are definitely still present.

( was he being difficult on purpose? oh, probably. )

Can you show me a power?

[Can he? She's curious, not to mention she doesn't quite believe him. Someone can say they're a witch all they like, but that doesn't mean they are.]

Oh, you've put me on the spot. Let's hope I don't suffer a bout of performance anxiety, right?

( it's a cheeky response, one that he drives home by winking before saying a few words under his breath. that's all he does before opening his eyes and smiling broadly.

it might not look like he's done anything but once she finally takes a look at the book in her hand, she'll find that it not great expectations any longer but a the kama sutra because no one said he was mature.

her book is currently tucked underneath his arm, safe and sound. )

[Oh. That's interesting. She isn't even fussed about the prank, honestly, although she'll want her book back before long. But she opens it, skims through it, and yes, it's most certainly the Kama Sutra.]

Now, how did you do that?

( ambrose wiggles his fingers at her and then winks. )

Magic.

( well, what else was he going to say in answer to that question? )

[It's really remarkable how she can make an exhale sound irritable and dead-eyed.]

You know I meant elaborate.

What, you want me to explain how magic works?

( he makes a face and shakes his head. )

It is not something that has a scientific formula behind it. It's something granted to me at birth because of who I am and where I came from.

( and the whole dark lord thing, sure. )

But there must be some kind of technique behind it. You don't just do it, do you, without any finesse or thought?

Everyone has their own...style, I suppose, but it's ingrained. It's not something that's easily explained. I know how to do it because it's who I am, built right into the code of my genetics.

( he could flick a wrist or snap a finger and voila, magic. )

I don't know everything immediately, if that helps. I did have to attend school and practice to get things precisely right otherwise I might raise someone that no one wants to see come back to life again.

( joke. )

[Is it a joke? Is it? She certainly doesn't know, and stares warily at him for a few seconds before holding out her hand. Give her book back. She's keeping the Kama Sutra too.]

I should like to see the range of it, if you're amiable towards demonstrations.

( ambrose does not immediately give the book back. instead, he thumbs through it casually. )

I could be persuaded to show off a little.

( it would take very little persuasion, actually. )

Not right here, of course, since I'd rather not get on the naughty list immediately but when things are settled a bit.

Don't tell me you're frightened. And of whom, precisely? It's not as if there's a police system here.

Besides: surely you have abilities that aren't inherently destructive.

Frightened no but I also don't do magic on command.

( he might not have been frightened but he was a bit of an asshole when he wanted to be. )

And I choose when I want to show off.

Suit yourself.

Are you going to hand over that book, or is petty theft another trick of yours?

I haven't really had the need to steal anything for awhile so.

( he holds the book out to her and grins. )

Enjoy your overly pretentious tale.

INTRO LOG: JULY

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