INTRO LOG: JULY

[inthenightmods]

INTRO LOG: JULY
IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN

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

QUICKNAV
comms	|	network • logs • memes • ooc
pages	|	rules • faq • taken • mod contact • player contact • calendar • setting • exploration • item requests • full nav

Comments

number five | ota

[fogey]

days one through three:

[ the main thing five doesn't do is keep still. he can accept being dead; he did his part, and he can only hope it was enough. has to be enough. but this whole business about the the lighthouse keeper, performances, resets -- now this is a particular flavor of bullshit he can't accept. first thing's first, though.

you might find him in the general store, calmly sorting through clothes until he can find a white collared shirt in his size. he's wearing one, of course, but underneath his jacket and sweater vest it's ruined. or maybe he's eyeing the hand tools, apparently torn between a heavy hammer and a small axe. like, he's not planning on killing anyone today or anything, but you never know what you might need. if he notices any scrutiny, he'll look up with a frown. ]

Something to say?

[ it's also possible he just. took something out of your hand to take a look at, because apparently you didn't seem interested enough in it!!

other times, he teleports into the town hall and the church, clearly intent on discovering as much of this place as he can. he walks around the town hall, closely examining the busts; and takes an interest in the candles at the church. he almost trips over the trapdoor ring, truthfully, and spends a moment trying to tug it open. huh. if he notices someone else around, he might say, ]

Ever seen anything like it?

[ or, if he accidentally barges into someone's new sleeping quarters -- ]

-- I didn't know anyone was in here.

day two, mor...ning?:

[ five had had no interest in rooming at the inn. too crowded, for one thing, but truth is that crowded is a pretty subjective measure for him. even the academy had felt crowded, those days back home, after decades alone. besides, there's a lot more he intends to do around here than sleep, like a plebe.

all of this is true.

but come the next day, five can actually be found fast asleep on one of the benches near the bonfire, blazer wadded up under his head. he looks shockingly un-demonic?? incredible. try not to startle him awake, however; that probably won't. end well. ]

wildcard:

[ i'm open to anything! feel free to ping me with any requests or just hmu with a wildcard prompt! i'm also happy to set any thread after tdm threads, so just let me know if that's what you'd like. ]

general store

[withsadness]

[Mary, in fact, does have something to say...but maybe it's not exactly what he would've been expecting after their initial conversation about rudeness and manners. She points to the axe after considering the two weapons that he has his eyes on.]

That one!

[fogey]

[ jesus fucking christ, mARY. why...this....

he does look a little surprised, but not entirely startled, because lbr he grew up with diego. ]

Why that one?

[withsadness]

Because...it looks like the most fun! You can swing it, like this!

[She demonstrates a swinging motion with her arm without having anything in her hand.]

Or you can throw it, and it'll stick to things.

[fogey]

How much experience do you have with axes, Mary?

[ just curious. just. asking. this is normAL. ]

Church

[reigniter]

[The Church was really intriguing place and Ignis was trying to glean and learn from it as much as he could. But to no avail. It seemed that as much as he pushed forward, the information keeps pushing him back. And, as a person that's not used to sitting around without any information, he finds himself wandering back to it again.

It's not like they have anything else to do, now that they are dead.

And he would miss the question if he wasn't wondering about the same thing, staring right at it. He's been losing himself in thoughts ever since he arrived, you'll have to forgive him.]

Only in extremely old buildings. They were built in castles, mansions, and citadels, usually leading to a cellar or a basement. [Ignis frowns.] I am not sure what kind of use would a small church have of it...

[fogey]

[ five crouches, as though taking a closer look at the trapdoor might answer his questions. he tugs at the ring again, but of course that's fruitless. ]

A cellar or a basement, [ he echoes. ] Or a place to hide -- something. Relics. People. [ he glances up. ] Secrets. And, surprise surprise, it's locked.

[reigniter]

[Secrets. In a place that deems itself 'afterlife'. Is it dangerous, or is it there just to keep their minds entertained, distracted? Because, honestly, Ignis is more worried about the woman that resets people.]

Or even more of these candles. We might never know. [Ignis sighs and looks at the altar. The light the candles emit give him a weird, unsettling feeling, but he doesn't say anything.]

This place seems to be built upon secrets.

[fogey]

[ oh, the lighthouse keeper and the resets are about at the top of five's list of worries. but until he can find out more about all that -- there's the town. (the possibility of distractions, though, is a good one; one he hasn't yet considered.)

at the mention of the candles, he looks back towards the altar as well, moves a few steps in that direction to scrutinize those again. ]

Too right it does. "Some things are best learned on your own," my ass. Even the people supposedly here to help us are keeping secrets.

church.

[webshoots]

[ searching the town hall had resulted in a whole lot of nothing — beyond the busts, anyway, the ones that had managed to startle peter way more than he'll ever admit to; after that, he'd moved on to the church. his spider-sense hasn't warned him of any immediate threats, no impending doom, no unwanted — or honestly, right now entirely wanted — villains lurking around any corners. it's a disappointment, if he's honest: the town is quiet, quieter than he's ever known new york to be, and it's unsettling in a way he's not fully prepared to acknowledge.

the church itself, peter thinks, could be something out of a horror movie: if there's going to be anything untoward, this is where it'll be. his lantern is strapped to his back in a rucksack made from webfluid — whilst he knows he's going to have to be cautious with the use of his webfluid, rastus had mentioned being able to fetch items not readily available in the store and whilst he hasn't thought about the hows and whys too deeply just yet, it's an option he's prepared to keep as a last resort.

hey, maybe rastus is like doc strange—

—the church isn't empty. the candles had attracted peter's attention first, then five, then the trapdoor, and the question is followed by a brief silence, one where peter's attention shifts from the trapdoor to five and back again. ] —Uh, less than you might think, actually. [ beat; addendum: ] That's not a no, by the way. [ he steps closer, leaning forward to peer at it slightly more closely. another beat, another glance between give and the trapdoor. ] —You need a hand with that?

[fogey]

[ truthfully: five had had a moment, pulling on the trapdoor ring, where he really profoundly missed being the size of a nearly sixty year old man. he doesn't usually spare a lot of thought to his new(ish) appearance, but it'd be nice to have some more muscle mass behind trying to pry a door open.

which is to say, yeah, he does need a hand with that.

he might even admit it, except -- ]

Was it Halloween before you got here? Seems a bit on the nose.

[ dying on a halloween, that is. very appropriately slasher movie. ]

[webshoots]

I know I don't look my best right now, but the guy with the hockey mask is back that way. [ no, five, it was not halloween. what do u mean you don't encounter grown men running around in spandex on a daily basis? and okay, the guy is actually a woman, and she doesn't look a whole lot like jason, but— peter holds up a finger. ] —Not Friday the 13th, either. [ beat; whatever, let's move on. ]

—So, Professor Plum with the candlestick in the church, why are you trying to open a creepy trapdoor in an empty death town alone?

[fogey]

Suit yourself.

[ let's move on!! the man in head to toe spandex is clearly not overly interested in explaining this right now, and he doesn't quite care enough to push. was the pun intentional? five'll never tell.

anyway, that is...not actually where he expected that question to end up, and it shows in the quizzical look on his face. do you not regularly run into children who do potentially dangerous things alone, gosh!! ]

Why do you think? To find out what's below, obviously.

( day two )

[jigsawn]

( well, billy had the same idea as five except he actually managed not to sleep. he doesn't plan to, especially if he doesn't need it. whatever beacon may represent, he believes it has little to do with peace. otherwise, he wouldn't still be tormented by his past.

death has done little to ease him of his anger and guilt, so he doubts it would make the nightmares go away.

after spending yesterday gathering supplies and getting a better lay of the land, bill has once again found himself back at the bonfire. luckily for five, he isn't very loud or disruptive. when he wakes up, he might see a masked man idly sharpening a knife nearby though.

not creepy at all. )

[fogey]

[ would you believe him if he said this weren't actually the first time he's woken up something like this? working for the commission was a wild ride, man.

he registers the sound before anything else, identifies it before he's even fully awake. his eyes open and he teleports, on instinct; reappears hardly a foot away from where he'd been, where billy sits. thinking, of course, in terms of intimidation technique -- active threat -- he doesn't have a goddamn weapon but has that stopped him before? --

and so, naturally, says aloud, ]

Nice mask.

[ as though unperturbed. ]

[jigsawn]

( if he had noticed there was some kid sleeping on the bench, he clearly didn't care enough to keep his weapon out of sight.

but to be clear, he isn't trying to scare him or anyone else for that matter — not that there are a whole lot of people around the bonfire right now. he is just minding his own business and, if sharpening a knife will prevent someone from approaching or bothering him, all the better. he isn't going to stick around for long anyway.

bill does have enough consideration to stop what he's doing and lower his blade when he hears a kid speaking to him though. )

Thanks. ( he looks over at him. ) Made it myself.

[fogey]

[ hard to say if five jumped to the worst conclusion because of the commission, or because of growing up umbrella academy. some combination of the two, more than likely; constant vigilance drilled into him, and the admittedly unnerving sight billy makes doesn't much help. ]

Don't think there are any houses around here you can trick or treat at.

( barging into a room prompt! )

[sunborne]

Oh no! It's fine!

[ daylight is used to folks just- barging into places. especially sleeping quarters. life on a starship with over a hundred crew members makes you learn that personal space is little space, at best of times.

after setting down the box of items he was just carrying, daylight waves off the not-really apology. he's also grinning to show he doesn't mind the intrusion because honestly? it's actually nice that someone else is here. helps keep the place from being too quiet since most of the others have also opted to explore the area. ]

The person who's going to sleep here isn't, well, here yet so I don't think they'll get mad. And I was just helping them move their stuff into here because they opted to not stay at the Invincible.- [ which is weird to day because he knows people are offering to be roommates but he's best friends with nightbreak so.

now that he gets a better look at who came in, a vaguely thoughtful expression comes onto his face. ]

You were on the boat, right? You kind of look familiar.

[fogey]

[ well.

five definitely stops when he notices daylight -- looks up, then up to find his face -- with an expression that starts out surprised, turns incredulous, and then briefly narrow-eyed.

but, in the end, he just lifts then drops his eyebrows. very: this might as well happen. and opts not to comment on daylight's appearance. he has seen daylight around, once he stops to think about, but had been distracted by the situation at hand, hadn't spared much of a thought to the fact that there was ostensibly a robot(??) among them. ]

We were all on the boat, as far as I know. Aside from the men who met us at the beach.

[sunborne]

I knew it! So you're also- [ and this is when daylight stops himself, realising that no matter what he uses to complete that sentence will either:

a) be awkward.
b) be tactless.
c) be a possible combination of both awkward and tactless.

so hmmmmm yeah. let's change the course of conversation with all the grace and charm only a daylight can muster. ]

It's nice to meet you, by the way! I'm Daylight. You're looking for something, I guess? [ daylight tries to make a guess, judging from the first thing that he said upon entering: ] Like a spare room?

I think there are a few more unclaimed spaces just down the hall.

[fogey]

Dead, yes.

[ interjecting right there, calm-as-you-like, because five has no such reservations about tactlessness or awkwardness. ]

Daylight, huh? [ ironic name, in a place like this. ] Five.

[ and then he's waving off daylight's suggestion, shaking his head. ]

Just looking. I don't need a room.

Church

[vereor]

[ Humans and their odd constructs. Angor's taken to wandering and actually looking at the structures these humans have built here. Normally he'd be too focused on his mission, his...purpose, to really ever care. But this place was spacious enough that he could fit comfortably without slamming his horns or head into a ceiling that he's stuck around for a little bit longer than he would normally.

That is until he sees Five again. He might tilt his head to the side as he lets out a chuckle, which comes out a bit more like a grumble than anything else. ]

You refer to the door in the floor, yes? It's nothing compared to what I've seen, it's nothing special. [ A trapdoor is the least amazing or concerning thing here. Still he might walk over a bend down, a clawed hand reaching out to grab the ring. ]

What lies beneath however... [ that might be something to save your awe for, Five. ]

THIS IS LATE I'M THE WORST

[fogey]

[ it's nothing special, angor says, and he's not wrong, really. five's seen old structures before, trapdoors in them, but none quite so resistant to opening as this one. ]

That thing isn't as easy to open as it looks. Believe me, I've tried.

[ he says, like he doesn't look like a young kid. ]

sleeping quarters

[evulsed]

[ Vanitas is defensive about his space, because it's the first time he's ever had a space to call his own. As such, he's kept a firm eye on the door and when he isn't around, has made sure to leave his Unversed behind.

Someone materializing out of nothing isn't unusual to him, Vanitas can do that himself, even if it isn't in quite the same way— but the sudden appearance when he isn't expecting it is enough to startle him. Instead of screaming, or running away, Vanitas turns sharply and summons his Keyblade in a flash of darkness in one fluid movement. Stepping back into a ready stance, he bares his teeth at the other boy, yellow eyes gleaming. ]

Should've looked where you were going, shouldn't you? Get out of my room!

oh my god this is late i'm sorry

[fogey]

[ five just.

looks at him tbh. that kid sure is high-strung -- and this is coming from five -- and, interestingly, pulled something right out of thin air. what that is, he has no idea honestly, but vanitas clearly thinks it's a weapon. ]

Is that supposed to be a threat?

[ ob...viously?? okay, five. ]