logsinthenight | INTRO LOG: FEBRUARY

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INTRO LOG: FEBRUARY

characters: everyone.
location: the harbor, as well as the rest of town.
date/time: february 1-3.
content: beacon's newest batch of residents arrives on the ferry. rastus gathers the town for a debriefing meeting.
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 glowing 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.

•••

On February 3, after the newcomers have had a chance to settle in, everyone's tablets will ping with a message from @rastus!

Come tob onfier squae.Pl eaas , we wikll disucss our orogress sincereeluy rastuaas I am th ebonfire keeeeeeepr.

...Followed by another message a few minutes later, this time from @keeper

Omg will everyone head down to Bonfire Square for Rastus' town meeting please? He wants to recap what you've all learned so far!!!

And can someone please teach him that he can record an audio message and then send it to everyone instead of looping the whole dang town in on a group text?? 😂😂😂😂

Assuming you do indeed head down to Bonfire Square after all that, what you'll find is this: a series of benches and tables have been set up surrounding the bonfire, and there's enough seating for all of Beacon's residents. As people take their seats near the fire, the barkeeper forest spirits from the Invincible toddle through the crowd with trays of hot chocolate and warm cider, along with a sampler tray of acorns and pinecones, if that's your thing.

Once everyone's here and settled, sipping on hot drinks and maybe busting a tooth on an acorn, Rastus hobbles forward to address the crowd:

"Crrk. Hello. I am Rastus. I tend to the bonfire. I have tended to the bonfire, mrawk, for years and years. You are doing, rmmm, well. Good."

He nods to emphasize the point. Yes, you are doing good.

"Talk. To each other. Share what you have learned. Yes. Crarrk. It is important."

He nods again, and then... shuffles back over to his post near the bonfire, waiting for anyone who might come by with an interest in torches. Seems it's up to you all to get each other up to speed?

Luckily for all the newcomers who may find themselves confused by their sudden arrival here, their tablets and the town have some resources available for getting acquainted with their new situation! 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.

ooc.

Hey there, wonderful players, and welcome to In the Night! We're thrilled to welcome so many new faces into the community, and you've come at a great time! Alongside this intro log, we have our very first cat herd, which is essentially a recap of the plot thus far, as well as a rundown on a ton of great info to help get you started in the game.

But don't feel like you have to read it all right this second! ICly, Rastus will call everyone together for the town meeting on February 3 to give new characters (and players) a chance to get their bearings before smacking them in the face with all the plot. This log will cover both the ferry arrival and the cat herd meeting, so feel free to bounce around in time in your toplevels.

Remember, too, that all of the plot info available in the cat herd can now be considered common knowledge! Newbies and oldbies alike, feel free to assume that your character learns as much of that plot info as you like at this meeting, regardless of whether or not you thread it out.

And of course, go ahead and introduce yourselves on the OOC intro, as well!

DELIVERIES

The following packages can be found in the cargo hold:

The monthly store restock
For Sora: A gameboy(?), 3 CPR/AED kits, a dozen CPR/first aid training manuals, two packages of capiz shells, a set of candy molds, a caldero, and 3 gameboy games: 3-D World Runner, Decapathon VII, and Sheep It Up!
For Crowley: A variety of clockwork equipment, a large clock face, and the goods
For Jason G: 2 bulletin boards with materials for mounting, 3 packs of pushpins
For Lucius: A manual sewing machine
For Castiel: A dozen flasks of holy oil and a pillowcase-sized satchel of various natural spell components
For Duster: A double bass, complete with a case
For Prompto: A polaroid camera with enough film for 50 photos and a folding sword, which is cruder than the example he gave but roughly the same size
For Aziraphale: A large crate of snowshoes, jackets, and coats in various sizes, a bottle of wine, and a bouquet of red, white, and pink roses tied together with an elegant bow
For Javert: A large crate of various fencing gear and 3 fencing handbooks

If you submitted an item request last month and we've missed it here, let us know!

QUICKNAV
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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The temperature isn't raising and it's really fucking cold outside, and yet, he still finds himself at the town meeting at bonfire square. Because, sure. Why not. And because he found time for all the other ones, so why not this one? Even if it's hosted by the bird-person and it's outside.

He huddles down against the cold with his hands buried deep inside his pockets and his collar turned up, and it's still just so cold.

Until he finds a seat closer to the fire and slides in next to Eliot.]

Yeah? Just wait, things are probably just going to get worse. Things just has a way of doing that around here.

[ Eliot's glad that there was a pile of clothes here already for him. His Fillorian clothes, beautiful as they are, definitely do not hold up to the chill well. And Eliot's always a bit on the colder side. So when Quentin settles in beside him, Eliot shifts closer, hoping to suck whatever warmth he can. ]

Beautiful optimism, Quentin. On the plus side, everyone looks really good. The soft flicker of fire and dim lighting really does wonders for a person's complexion.

Uh, yeah. Sure.

The bird-person, Rastus, is talking. Reminding them to share information like that wouldn't be easier if people stopped fucking dying and there's a whole new slew of people who just-- vanished.

Maybe it's all connected to the lanterns and how they change, the cracks that might spring up any second, the... changes that comes with it.

Maybe that's how the spirits came to be?

He glances up at Eliot, the firelight really is making everyone look prettier. Somewhere deep inside, Quentin's heart clenches painfully.]

Enjoy while you can, because it's the only light in town. Or, well. There's torches and the lanterns, but. It's not the same as here. Are you settling in okay? Nothing... weird happening?

You mean, nothing weird besides all this?

[ Eliot sips his cider, raising his eyebrows. ]

You know, it's not so bad. Midge is incredible. You know I love a fashion queen, I think I'm going to have to expand the closet room or else between us, clothes might take over the whole cabin. Though the way she makes food, I'm probably going to end up not fitting anything I own. Especially with my emotional eating.

Uh huh. Besides all the regular weird. Don't worry, you get used to most of it.

[A beat and Quentin shrugs.]

I did. Get used to it? Most of it. And I am just not going to talk about clothes with you, you know that it all looks the same to me.

[The patterns, not the cuts and Eliot always picks something just right. Something that makes it hard to look away, or makes it hard to not look and keep looking. Eliot always stood out in a crowd.]

So. Once you're settled, I have something I need to talk to you about. About the weird and about this place.

I got used to Fillory, I can get used to anything.

[ Eliot downs the rest of his cider, letting the warmth spread through his chest. Then he turns to look at Quentin properly. ]

Why can't you just talk to me about it now? Isn't that what this whole gathering is for? Filling in everyone?

I want to fill you in, not everyone else.

[Not just because there's new people here, and not just because it's a crowd and it would mean standing up and trying to hold everyone's attention for long enough to get his point across.]

Okay, so. You know you died? And... I'm really fucking sorry about that, Eliot. And now we're stuck here, trying to find a way to make sure the World Eaters don't-- eat everything. That's why we are all here.

[There's more, there's always so much more but they were all dead-ends and a waste of time, even if it did give Quentin something to do. Sitting in the library for days, reading through old books and old news papers from other town and probably other worlds.

But nothing about how to kill World Eaters.]

If we fail, there's a reset and everything starts over. Not for us maybe, but for the town. And--and there's-- hold on, I can show you.

[Quentin pulls his tablet out and pulls up the map of the town and the additions Daylight made to it.]

We know there's a portal here somewhere, and it's being used to get supplies and more people? It can get things from our world, El. And if-- I was thinking, I am going to find this radio tower and I'm going to find a way to send a signal back to our world. Through the portal.

[ Eliot wishes he had more cider. That's Quentin's "I'm Up To Something" voice, the sort of tone he gets when he's about to dump a lot of information that Eliot may or may not be interested in, but Eliot knows he's going to listen anyway because he always does. Maybe he doesn't retain the information well, but he listens.

And, sure, for the first little bit, Eliot isn't really taking it too much to heart. He's heard the spiel, after all, but when Quentin pulls out the map, Eliot can't help but be intrigued. Maybe it's because he's still a bit in Quest Mode whether he likes it or not. ]

Wait - A portal? Like … It could be connected to the Neitherlands?

[ Because Eliot knows it's not just Fillory and Earth that go through there. They'd been lost there, after all, and there had been endless fountains. It stands to reason that this portal could be connected through there. And if there's a portal that goes to the Neitherlands, there's a portal to Fillory, and -

Right. They're dead. ]

Great. So when are we going Tower Hunting?

[Nodding, Quentin starts pointing to several places on the map. The dangerous places (always near water-- the lake, the river and its siren song) and the places he's been thinking about going to, except for how he didn't because--]

Things have been pretty weird since Christmas and I just. Didn't. But there's a hotel downtown, and if there's anything left behind by the other groups who came through here, it's going to be in that place. People always leaves shit behind in hotels.

[There are the great blank spots on the map, too. The dense forest almost impossible to penetrate and there's the fun fair, for killing kids. The furnace, for the bodies probably.]

I am going to look for that? The furnace and the Ferris wheel. It-- Eliot, the brochure said it was good with kids. That it would take them to a better world. There's someone who-- Peter? We're going, once the weather clears.

[ Oh.

Quentin really is just filling him in, and he’s not asking Eliot in a weird, round about way to go on an expedition with him. Eliot can’t really blame him. They’d had their quest moment together, and it had been perfect, but it hadn’t been a real adventure. He’d turned down Quentin’s request for a second quest.

Go be life partners with someone else, and then he probably lost any chance of Quentin wanting him as an adventure buddy.

And, sure, the mention of someone else’s name makes Eliot a little jealous. Mostly, though, he just feels stupid for naturally assuming that he’d be going when he literally just got here. So he does what he does best, which is smile his softly amused smile as he tips into Quentin to bump their shoulders together. ]

If there’s one thing I can guarantee about you, Q, it’s that you always find what you’re looking for. I’ll make sure to have drinks ready for your triumphant return. Whenever you go.

You're not coming?

[It sounds petulant, maybe. Startled, certainly and Quentin's head snaps around to look at Eliot--

Jesus.

Bonfires should be illegal because whatever he wanted to say kind of dries up on his tongue and Quentin just sits there, straight-backed and heart-broken, staring a little helplessly at Eliot.]

The-- uh, okay. So the radio tower? We can go whenever. When you're ready, because I already have my bow and a torch, and. Really, I have the bag all packed.

[It's been packed and ready to go for a month, maybe more. Just gathering dust by the front door of the cabin because Quentin was too drunk most days to get out of bed, or off the floor at the Invincible.

Things are... better now.]

I can’t hog you on all the quests.

[ That’s a nice way of saving Quentin from feeling obligated to invite him, Eliot thinks. He doesn’t want to third-wheel on a Ferris Wheel party.

At least, though, he has the radio tower. ]

I literally have no plans for the foreseeable future so we can go try to call
home whenever you want.

It's less like quests and more like trying to not die and still find a way to solve this, but thanks?

[That ferry wheel, though.

Quentin turns back to the bonfire, tablet still powered on and on his thigh.]

You're going to need a weapon. A good one, and hiking gear. Food, water, all the rest of it? I have that, and we can share it, but it's--[and there's a catch in his throat] it's too dangerous to go out in to the forest without a weapon. A sword? There are swords at the armory and knives in the general store.

Right.

[ Nope, he definitely still feels stupid. Eliot puts it down to still being in a new place. It takes time to adapt, and, like Fillory, there's a lot happening that he doesn't understand yet. He might never really understand it, but at least he might grow used to it.

He swipes another cider off a tray that ambles by him. ]

I'm not that great with swords. [ Or weapons in general. ] Can we enchant one?

You can try?

[The fire is mesmerizing, the way it flickers and the sparks flying up like fireworks. The only kind they've got here, because everything is dead in a dead world. Even light.

Which is just so stupid.

There are things here that don't make any kind of sense, and if Quentin hadn't grown up with Fillory and the way a world can still work, even if so many things about it makes no sense at all-- well. He might be more annoyed about the fact that the stoves all work, the cabins are heated, but there's no electricity and no way to make it work.

Invisible pipes?

Magic?

Who the fuck knows.]

It has a pointy end, you could just take one and stab it at things?

[And die. Again. But there was no way Eliot was going to die alone again. Even if this means Quentin will have to get a tracker from Peter and stick it on to him and follow Eliot around from afar.]

There are classes? Out by the rec center, some people from here are pretty good at fighting and they hold classes. One of them is pretty good with a sword--and. Oh, he has these swords that can shoot ice but even when they can't, they're still. Pretty cool. I got to hold them once.

[ Eliot's idea of recreation is lounging in a chair while someone brings him drinks and feeds him chocolate. But he's already getting the sense that he's not going to get by here on charm and magic alone, so maybe it'll be worth looking at. Maybe he can actually be okay at sword fighting if he had any practice in it and not just a rousing rendition of a showtune classic instead of a training montage. ]

I think stabbing is more complicated than sticking someone with the pointy end.

[ Or is it really that simple? Assuming that whatever he's stabbing gives him enough clearance to just run it through. Otherwise there's probably defensive maneuvers involved. ]

I can move things with my mind, you know.

[ Just. As a reminder that, you know, he's cool, too.

This cup of cider doesn't last as long as the other one before it's emptied. ]

Okay. Pointy weapon. Practical hiking attire. Shouldn't be hard to get.

I know.

[Quentin rubs at his face with both hands, sliding them both in to his hair after to get it behind his ears-- which, still doesn't work, because this is dead-city and he stuck still trying to grow out Brian's weird haircut.

The habit of tucking on it lingers, though.]

I know, okay. It's a lot more complicated than just-- but. Okay, so you already know that you've... kind of been here before. You died, it wasn't great and now you're back. But El, you need a way to defend yourself and magic is-- magic works a little different here. It's not as fucked as when we lost it all together? But it is still not great.

[Weeks of fighting his way through the forest, dragging Eliot's sleeping body behind him and trying to not die because that would be the end for both of them, and Quentin swallows hard.]

A backup weapon in case it fails? Or, you know, if you-- some of them are huge. Very huge. Enormous. I don't think you can just move all of them with your mind.

[ Moved a whole fucking bus back before he even knew what he was doing, is what Eliot wants to say. Instead, he just feels annoyed that he feels so out of his depth and he can’t just do what he always does, which is just act like it doesn’t matter. ]

Yeah, I get the picture, Quentin. Maybe I’m not really the best person to go with you.

[ Which sucks saying. It sucks because Eliot wants to go but he doesn’t want to fuck it up and get them both killed. He doesn’t want Quentin so focused on keeping him alive that something happens to Quentin. ]

Let’s face it, you just admitted that my only useful skills aren’t useful at all.

Jesus-- fuck! No.

[And for all of his not-looking at Eliot because of the firelight and the month and half spent missing him like he'd miss his arm, Quentin is very well aware of just where Eliot is and how close he's sitting, when he twists in his seat to look at him.]

That's not what I'm saying? I'm saying, you can't just-- we can't just walk in there and not be ready. I'm saying I don't want you to die again.

If your kinetic magic is strong enough, sure. No problem. But have you tried it yet? Like, really tried it? I can mend things and I'm pretty good at it, but when I was helping rebuild the church, I couldn't go on for more than maybe an hour. And then the headaches and the nosebleeds start.

[The spirits had been relentless, coming at the town in waves and droves, teeth snarling and claws-- well, clawing and they still hadn't figured out a way to stop them.]

I want you on this quest with me.

[ Eliot sticks his hands in his pockets, looking at the fire. Any excitement that Eliot had, whether it was brought on by the hope of contacting home or just the lingering effects of getting the last key at last before he got here, is fading away. Or maybe he'd just hoped to try and get back a hint of something that he lost, because he's an idiot who pushed Quentin away first chance he got.

Either way, Eliot lets his gaze shift from the fire to the darkness looming behind it. ]

You said it wasn't a quest.

[ He's just trying to turn this conversation back around to something easier. ]

If you're ready to go, waiting for me could take weeks.

Yeah, okay. But it's kind of a quest? It's still-- something that has to be done and I can do it, so why the hell not. Right?

[There's a lot of people here, some talking quietly to each other, like he and Eliot are doing, or standing up to explain what they've seen. Learned. What's been forced on them while they were asleep and what the rest of them saw while awake.

Places, names and everything is just this drone of voices in the background.

Quentin shrugs, gesturing a little at -- everything.]

It's not like we have to hurry. And I could use a week or two. To just-- [Get sober, get his head on straight and push all of it way down deep again. All the feelings that want to well up and spill out, but can't.

He remembers the key quest.] There was a blizzard? A few weeks ago, and I need to read up on some things. A few weeks is fine, I can wait. The tower can wait.

[ Eliot's not really paying attention to any of it. He should be, because it's probably important, but Quentin's important and he'll make sure Eliot doesn't fall behind. ]

Great. A few weeks. It'll give me time to find an aesthetically on-brand hiking outfit. I'm thinking a neckerchief for a little flair.

You haven't been to the general store yet, have you? Because the clothes there are-- not like that. Most of it is kind of black? Or orange? Nothing fits right, and some of it smells weird.

[Like mothballs or clothes left damp in the attic for too long. Not that Quentin is fully clear on what that really smells like, but a quick guess would be-- like the clothes in the general store.

But it's warm and it's there.]

You'll need boots, too. And rope. Unless-- [he flashes a quick smile at Eliot] you plan to just move me up the tower with your mind.

[ Maybe another time, Eliot would appreciate the joke. Not right now, though. If he's being honest, he doesn't even know if he could do anything useful with it. Brakebills hadn't really given him a comprehensive education in it. Mostly, Eliot thinks he just associates it with all the other horrible things from his childhood so it's probably so supressed it doesn't exist anymore. ]

Yeah. Boots and rope.

[ He can't even have a goddamn neckerchief in this place, he guesses. So much for resting in peace. ]

It's, uh, really cold out here. I think I'm gonna head back to the cabin. Wanna walk with me?

Uh.

[Sure, always. And it's right on the tip of his tongue to just say it, to get up and follow Eliot anywhere.

Quentin shakes his head.]

I, uh. I don't live near you? And I want to listen more. Maybe someone will know something important.

[And he wants to not go back to the empty cabin to wallow in misery, and he wants the light back--

He clicks his tablet off and stuffs it in to his pocket.]

I'm on the network. As supernerd, but without the 'e' in super. You can hit me up, or. I am at the library most days? Eliot...

You just died. It's-- are you okay?

INTRO LOG: FEBRUARY

ii. February 3rd

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