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

[ For a very long moment, Rafe simply stares as his fingers twitch and tighten around the slide. The sheer audacity of this kid coming over to start shit and for no discernible reason so far as he can tell. Maybe another day Rafe would've let it slide and chuckled indulgently at the youth of today, patted him on the head and moved on. But this has not been a good day by a long fucking shot.

And then he smiles. Not a smirk or a sneer. A smile neither manic or menacing, pleasant enough at first glance — until you notice it steers a mile clear of Rafe's eyes.

As methodical as he was taking the guns apart, he puts the parts down in their proper place, folding the cloth over them to avoid any new dust as he stands up. The better to loom over this little shitkicker. ]

Do we have a problem?

[ His voice is calm, quiet. Again, pleasant as anything without taking those cold plastic eyes into account. ]

[ This would be one of those moments Theron, Calixta or just about anyone in his group would tell him not to go making trouble. But, he's never been very good at controlling impulse , he's been better but it's still trying.

So, when Elden see's that smile he's visibly reminded of the Vizier of Fellengar. One that doesn't quite touch the eyes and Elden can definitely see it in their eyes. Something not right and a bit unsettling. He's not afraid but...definitely not the time to be making enemies he thinks. After all, this guy might be some kind of caster or well...it wouldn't take much for this guy to physically overpower him.

So, Elden holds up the mug he had with him. ]

No, I was literally just coming over to offer you some water.

[ He doesn't cow to this performance but he's at least going to try and calm the wasp nest he just kicked. ]

Really now.

[ Rafe calls bullshit, and would say as much but he much prefers letting the silence stretch out three beats past "uncomfortable" and into "squirming." It's a talent he's honed over the years and Rafe wields it as well as he would an epee. After all, fencing and negotiations all boiled down to the same elements at the end of the day. Poise, form, and above all else timing. ]

Here's some friendly advice. [ "Friendly." ] The hospitality business isn't for everyone. I'd find a different line of work.

[ He leans in the bare inch, firelight turning his ice blue eyes to unblinking amber. ]

Quickly.

[ All right than. That didn't work to diffuse this bomb. This is reminding him a little too much of Aylsa and her own dominating personality. Especially considering how close this guy was getting. If he threw a punch Elden might consider wasting a spell on him if only to show he wasn't completely helpless.

But, when he bears down on him, Elden's eyes intensify, brows furrow and his hand goes to wave the air. The friendly advice definitely not sounding so friendly. ]

Oh, for the love of...know a threat when I hear one.

[ He opts not to reach for the knife at his side because he doesn't want this to escalate but he folds his arms. ]

Look, I was genuinely coming over to offer water until you decided to be all...rude faced. [ Gosh, he feels like he could swallow his own tongue right now for thinking of apologizing but the gold eyes try not to roll. ]

If I apologize for being...spiteful... can we not start a brawl?

No, that was an invitation for you to leave. I don't bother with threats. And I don't punch kids.

[ After all, threats rely on implication, on a possibility that can be bribed away with the correct behavior. Rafe operates in certainties. The difference between if/then and just and. For example, if he wanted to slap this kid in the face he would state as such and then do it. No "or else" dicking around.

But he doesn't. All Rafe does is strand up straight as the plastic smile falls away revealing a cool, deeply unimpressed stare. ]

You make a habit sticking your nose in the middle of people working to offer them something they never asked for? [ This is the kind of hippie crap they peddle in Williamsburg. ] Again, I'd reconsider your choices.

[ He's beginning to think very differently, like this man might actually go around punching kids. If the creepy hollow look in their eye was any give to it. Finally, Elden throws his arms in the air as a visual sign of giving up. Fine, if this guy was going to be aggressive Elden was just going to leave it here. As the others would say "Quit while you're ahead, Elden." ]

Fine, whatever, leaving now.

[ And he'll turn and just walk away about a good thirty feet from the man to another spot at the fire. He'll just wait for the guy to go back to work....then he'll take his revenge. ]

See? Now you're getting it.

[ Rafe rolls his eyes at the kid taking this long to take a hint, shaking his head as he returns to his seat. Christ. His guns are out again in short order and he continues as he was, now that he has the light to see by. ]

[ Oh he got the hint but he was hoping for a better outcome than what happened, but hey, he can forgive the man's rudeness.

And by forgive just wait a solid ten minutes for the man to focus on that tool they were cleaning. Just long enough for them to hopefully not even suspect what was about to happen.

Elden keeps an eye on them from his spot thirty feet away, his left hand pointing from behind his knees. He mutters the celestial words under his breath, tracing his fingers to cast create water.

And whether Rafe is quick to catch it or not there would be a void that opens above their spot to drop down a fresh 8 gallons of water onto whatever would be there. ]

[ Ten minutes is enough to get his gun reassembled, which is all the luck Rafe is going to get. There's no warning to be had and no reason to be looking to the sky before it happens — eight gallons of water slamming down onto Rafe's head, knocking him flat on the ground and his guns out of his hand. Completely soaked from head to toe, he splutters and scrambles back to his feet to try and get some bearing on whatever the fuck that just was. ]

What the hell?! [ He practically spits the words out, one hand shoving hair out of his face as he glares around the bonfire. ]

INTRO LOG: JULY

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