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

Mary | Ib | ota

[withsadness]

GENERAL STORE;

[After she's, at least seemingly, gotten over the fact that she's dead, Mary can be found for awhile roaming around the general store. She...looks a little lost, and her face is twisted in a sad sort of desperation as she apparently realizes she's not going to find what she's hoping for.

If you aren't the type to approach a wandering child yourself, she'll be the one to initiate. Mary tugs on your sleeve (or your shirt or your pants if you don't have sleeves).]

I can't find anything for coloring...

THE INVINCIBLE;

[Apparently, Mary has decided that the decor here is much too lacking in the department of color! If you're still looking for a room and end up all the way down at 310, or perhaps simply want to get an idea of who's situated themselves where...or maybe you're even one of her own roommates, you can find her humming to herself as she sets a can of red paint down in front of the doorway. It takes her some fiddling, but she manages to get it open, and then, with the appropriate amount of childlike fervor, she dips her hands straight in.]

He-he!

[Giggling only stops her for a second before she slaps her hands onto the door.]

TOWN HALL;

[Or you may find that Mary has taken a keen interest of the Cocker Spaniel-headed individual. She rocks on her feet in front of it, humming as she takes it in. And then, as if she fully expects a response:]

What's your name?

[There, of course, is no response. Still, Mary is unfazed.]

It's okay, don't be shy! I'm very nice. We can be friends, too.

AROUND;

[At any given point, it's easy enough to find Mary wandering around the town. She's found for herself a sketchbook of sorts; it's meant likely to be a notebook for a survivalist, but she'll take what she can get. She also hasn't found any crayons, so while she waits to see if she can persuade Rastus to getting her some appropriate coloring supplies, she's still got that red paint bucket it one hand and her lantern in another. Where ever she sits, she fingerpaints, undoubtedly getting little smudges all over the place (including her own face) in her wake.

If she hasn't interacted with you yet, she'll be a little shy when approached, maybe a touch guarded, but that insecurity melts easily away and she'll ultimately give anyone a sweet smile.

Notably, of course, she stays away from the fire, deliberately avoiding it in a wide arc when at all possible. Other than that, anywhere's open game.]

roommate pls why

[callada]

[While exploring around the town - if one can call it that - on the second day here, Rosinante certainly notices Mary flitting to and fro occasionally. She looks like she's having fun, or something like it, which is nice to see given their reason for being here. She brings a certain kind of light to the town; one nothing to do with that fire she avoids.

Later that evening he returns finally, lantern in hand and cigarette between his lips. One of the last. His makeup won't last forever either and until he knows what to give himself for a new look and new life, he's going without. He sees Mary and her lantern from the opposite end of the hall, at the top of the stairs, and works out what she's up to on his way there. Right. Finger painting the door. ... Cool.]

Hey, Mary. Mind letting me through?

[withsadness]

Okay!

[She says...without un-blocking the door.]

Put your handprint next to mine, first! Everybody will know this is our special house, because it has the red door!

[callada]

[He looks at her, at the door, and at the paint. Boy, oh boy. If this were Baby he'd just pick her up and move her himself but this kid he barely knows and he doesn't really want her to hate him. It had been fine with the others, and it hadn't worked anyway. This one seems more fragile, but maybe he's just being sentimental. There are a lot of emotions running high in this place.

But he also doesn't really want to get paint all over himself. She can paint the door all she wants, that can be her thing. So he kneels down, closer to her level, and holds his hand out, fingers spread wide, a few inches over the top of the open paint can.]

Dunno, I think my hand's too big. Sorry.

[withsadness]

Oh, no!

[She looks horribly, terribly disappointed.]

Then the door won't look nearly as special...

[callada]

[How committed to not getting paint on his hand is he? After a moment he decides - not very. He could probably talk his way out of it, but there's also a sink inside. If he leaves to sleep somewhere else someday, he can scrape the paint off the door. It's not that big a deal.]

Well, maybe I can...

[What a revelation, as he curls his hand into a fist and sinks it into the paint. That is not a pleasant feeling, really. It's cold and slick and not. great. But he's apparently cursed to feel sentimental toward her out of regret for the others, so what's done is done. He squeezes his hand back out of the can, then presses a very large red handprint next to hers.]

Town hall

[ryanreynoldsvoice]

[Pikachu had overheard a small child speaking without getting a reply and as such ventures a little closer, curious. By this point a small sling for his tablet has been made so he may wear it as a backpack without having to drag it and his lantern around. The lantern, however, he still carries in his mouth, and he must pause to set it down near the child before he can speak.

Settles back on his haunches he gives her a hesitant sniff. ]

Are you always this friendly to strangers, kid?

[withsadness]

[The question immediately puts her on the shy defensive...but then, of course, she turns around. And seeing exactly what manner of creature is talking to her only makes her face light up.]

I like making friends!

[ryanreynoldsvoice]

I mean, sure, who doesn't? But sometimes you've gotta be careful about who you are making friends with.

[Ear-twitch]

Particularly in a new place.

[withsadness]

Do you want to be my friend?

[Did she just not process anything that he said?]

My name is Mary!

[ryanreynoldsvoice]

[blink. blink. Well, that's not...exactly the intended outcome of what he was saying....but it's....sweet.

He tilts his head, half-smiling.]

I've never been asked that before exactly.

[Another moment of thoughtful pause before he smiles fully.]

I'm Pikachu. Your new friend, Mary.

general store

[policier]

( Javert looks a little distressed, too, walking around the store knowing he doesn't have enough money with him to pay for anything. He knows they're allowed to just take things, but Javert, having built himself up from nothing, has never been comfortable with accepting charity. He's looking through a rack of clothes when Mary comes up and tugs on his sleeve. Javert looks down at her sad expression and scoffs. )

Nonsense.

( He places his hand on her shoulder briefly, his touch awkwardly comforting, but stiff. )

There's got to be some paint around here somewhere. Come on.

this melted my heart

[withsadness]

Thank you, oh, thank you very much!

[Mary's despondent expression begins to clear at his reassurance, even if it's stilted. She might not have even noticed.]

With your help, I know we'll find something! We have to!

mary is making him SOFT

[policier]

( Of course they will. Javert wouldn't be a police inspector worth his salt if he couldn't find a simple collection of coloring materials. He leads her on through the store, looking toward the taller shelves that might be out of Mary's reach. )

You don't need to thank me, child.

( He likes feeling useful, and Mary isn't as much of a bother as he made it sound, when they first met. )

I could use the distraction.

[withsadness]

Sometimes it's nice to hear people say polite things even if they don't have to.

[So she's not taking it back! She just holds tightly onto him as they scour. And sure enough, what do Javert's grown up eyes see bit a small pack of crayons out of Mary's reach on a higher shelf! There aren't very many colors, but...it's better than nothing at all.]

[policier]

( Javert notices them right away, and pulls them off the shelf to present them to her, his voice gruff but genuinely curious. )

Is this what you're looking for?

( He's never seen crayons before, but it's not like it's too difficult to figure out what they are. He presses the box into her open hand and wraps her smaller fingers around it. )

See, what did I tell you? All you needed was a police inspector's help.

around;

[equinoctials]

[ It's easier to run into someone who gets around as much as Mary does when Riku's keeping himself busy by doing much the same. He's found that the town of Beacon doesn't lack for opportunities to make oneself useful, be it sweeping and mopping the Invincible floors and clearing rooms of excess furniture (even if he doesn't actually live there), or identifying and nailing down loose boards down by the docks.

At the moment, he's sorting through a small stack of large stones he pulled up from the outskirts, trying to find one reasonably flat and of sufficient size to plug a pothole in one of the streets. The backpack at his side is half full of wet sand. It's not mortar, but he hopes it'll be enough to keep this slapdash patch job functional until... whenever they can get access to something better?

Mary's lantern has her feet and bucket of paint casting a strange shadow and Riku glances up from his work, pushing at his silver bangs with the back of a gloved hand. ]

Hey, Mary. [ One glance at the paint and the corner of his mouth twitches into a smile. ] Gonna paint the town red?

[withsadness]

Uh-huh! But I don't want to use it up, so I'm being very careful...

[This is her special red-colored commodity.]

What are you doing, Riku?

[equinoctials]

There wasn't anything else at the store?

[ Riku has been there a few times. Except the things he was looking for, like food, tools, useful everyday stuff for exploring or just basic living, didn't include arts and crafts. It was Sora who thought of Kairi in that fashion, finding her a little pocket knife for her to do her crafts with.

Riku's more pragmatic and utilitarian. Sora has a knack for touching hearts. And Kairi is responsible, dependable, and still makes time for whimsy. They'd like her, he thinks. ]

This? Patching up a hole.

[ Filling in the gaps around the stone with wet sand has left his half-gloved hand caked in grit, but it's serviceable. ]

I can't help but feel like it's missing something. What do you think?

[ It's probably kind of lame - Riku feels lame suggesting it - but she seems like the type who might like the idea of beautifying a pothole. Rain may even wash away her paint. Inviting her to participate in something this mundane in a decidedly imaginative way just feels like something the King might have done. ]

[withsadness]

Hmmm...

[She definitely doesn't catch what his intent is, but nonetheless, it leads her in the right direction, and her face lights up as she comes to the obvious solution.]

Oh! I can draw flowers on them! Wouldn't that be so lovely?

[equinoctials]

[ Lucky for Riku that she's sharp and imaginative, because Riku's not exactly great at this. He's not a natural at befriending everyone like Sora. ]

There you go.

[ This time, Riku smiles, as much encouraged by her enthusiasm at the idea as he'd hoped she might be encouraged by the opportunity. ]

Something to brighten things up around here. Right?

General Store

[carriedbylight]

( It's hard for Kairi not to notice a small girl wandering around the store, especially with her light blonde hair. It reminds her of someone else, someone very close to her who had also been lost for a long time. So she approaches the girl, crossing her arms behind her back and putting a warm smile on her face. She wants her to feel as comfortable as possible, after all. )

We'll keep looking. And, hey, if we can't find any crayons, then we can make paints out of other things. Did you know that you can make paints out of plants and some foods?

( Kairi lets her hands drop from behind her back, offering out one of her hands. )

My name is Kairi. It's nice to meet you!

[withsadness]

You can make paints out of those things?

[Clearly, she didn't know. She sounds absolutely amazed, and Kairi's overall supportive attitude puts her at ease. She takes the hand that's offered to her.]

My name's Mary! What other things do you know how to make?

[carriedbylight]

Yeah! Next time you find some flowers, berries, or even leaves, you can use them to color things.

( Kairi gives her hand a little shake before releasing it, smiling warmly at the girl. She doesn't know how someone so innocent has ended up here, but she can't help but feel like she wants to help her. )

Hm, well...I know how to make keychains out of seashells. Things like that. Maybe if I can find some, I'll show you how.

[withsadness]

Seashells! Seashells!

[Mary jumps up and down.]

That sounds so pretty! We can make them for everybody!