logsinthenight | INTRO LOG: APRIL

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INTRO LOG: APRIL

INTRO LOG: APRIL
MAN ME A SAND

characters: everyone.
location: the harbor, as well as the rest of town.
date/time: april 1-3.
content: beacon's newest batch of residents arrives on the ferry. explosive sand bottles send everyone careening into the dreamy past. some forest spirits learn a couple unhelpful lantern-haver words.
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.

•••
Scattered throughout the ferry are colorful bottles of sand! They're sitting atop packages in the cargo hold, lining the railing of the deck, even rolling around on the deck itself or nestled in bed in the newcomers' bunks. They're all over the place, and they're pretty! You feel compelled to pick them up, to check out those neat sandy patterns or take one home as a souvenir. Heck, maybe you just want to kick the rolling bottles out of the way so no one slips.

But when you get too close to the bottles, they burst like little firecrackers, showering everyone in the vicinity with sand. Contact with the sand doesn't seem to do much at first! But whether the effects hit you after a few minutes or a few hours, you'll start to feel in desperate need of a nap. And hey, a quartet of forest spirits has made their way onto the beach to sing along... in their best approximation of lantern-haver speech! Pretty cool that these forest spirits have picked up a couple of genuine words instead of hoots, but, uh, attempts to talk to them will just get them riled, and they'll croon about man door hand hook car door more loudly. They're singing in your weird language, what more do you want?

Anyway, once you've come into contact with the sand in the bottles, you'll need to lie down and sleep soon or run the risk of passing out on your feet.

Once asleep, you'll find yourself in the sunshiny Beacon of the past! This may feel familiar to some of you, but don't worry, the spirits don't seem to have any nasty tricks up their sleeve this time.

You're welcome to spend as much time in dream Beacon as you like, but once you're ready to head back to the waking world, all you need to do is hail a cab.

•••
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.

please turn on your sandy hands.

BONFIRE SQUARE

It's winter in Bonfire Square, but though the path underfoot is caked with snow and a gentle breeze whistles through barren trees, the sun shines bright overhead with only the occasional cloud to interrupt its warmth. It's chilly, but pleasantly so, and it seems you're already wearing the appropriate outerwear for the occasion! How thoughtful.

Real, live people meander around through the square, though they all seem to be wearing gas masks—unless they're one of you, of course. The dreamy extras don't seem to know you're there, even if you shove them or scream in their faces. They just go about their business, carting grocery bags from the general store or ordering another pint in the Invincible. At least they're not bothering you.

The bonfire crackles in the center of the square, magnificent as ever, and someone's laid out a whole table of goodies to roast over the fire! Marshmallows and s'more supplies, hot dogs, chestnuts, pie irons... If you've got a wintery snack in mind, you'll find the supplies to make it at the table. There's even a hot cocoa stand set up next to it.

DOWNTOWN

Downtown Beacon is bustling on this lovely autumn afternoon. There seems to be some sort of outdoor festival happening! Booths line the street, selling handmade goods and treats as musicians and street performers entertain the mask-wearing crowd. None of the residents seem to notice you're there, but that could be a blessing given that you don't have any cash to exchange. Instead, you're welcome to pluck woven bracelets and hand-painted ceramics right off the tables. Enjoy them while you can, as they can't leave the dream with you.

Food trucks sell tacos and bar food and pasties, and Kickaxe Brewing Company has an outdoor booth selling craft beers, including root and birch beer for those not interested in a buzz. If you'd like to get out of the brisk autumn air, you're welcome to catch a movie at the Delft or grab lunch at the soda fountain.

THE VILLAGE

The village is alive and experiencing a breezy, peaceful spring. The odd elderly can be seen on their porch, lazing in a rocking chair. Children scamper along the road, laughing muffled cries of joy. Although they don't notice you, following them will lead you right to the main source of fun: Boneset Park has come alive! Outdoor sports equipment of all kinds are available in different bins, the baseball field trimmed and chalked. Families dot the bleachers, sporting cracker jacks, hot dogs, and ice cream. Get a whiff? The familiar ice cream stand is stocked as a full-blown snack bar, and all available flavors and condiments are surprisingly, well, normal!

The library is appropriately quiet, but lively, with townsfolk bent over a good book or quietly studying as a group. Happy readers of all ages can be found around the village, and the collection is pristine in its maintenance. The rec center is bustling with activity, indoor sports equipment available for use in the gym, spectators on the basketball court just as they are outside. There's plenty of room to grab a seat or join in for yourself!

THE HARBOR

Down at the harbor, it's summer! Mask-wearing beach-goers are sunbathing on the sand or splashing around in the waves, taking full advantage of this warm summer day. Kayakers and the ferry tour the southern cliffs, with the ferry stopping by the dock every now and then to pick up tourists. Take a ride, if you like! The boathouse is also equipped with extra kayaks, canoes, fishing gear, and any sort of beach necessities you might need to enjoy a relaxing day.

The massive ore dock looms near the mouth of the river as masked children play along its foundation, some carrying ice cream cones from the ice cream stand on the dock. How they're eating it is a mystery, but it doesn't seem to melt despite the hot sun. None of the masked beach-goers seem to notice you, but you're more than welcome to join in the festivities.

On the cliffs to the north, the lighthouse gleams, its bright white pain shining in the sunlight.

ooc.

Hey there, wonderful players, and welcome to In the Night! We're thrilled to play with you.

If you haven't already, you might want to check out the April gameplan and the recent mod announcement to get acquainted with the game! There's also the game history page to check out, where you can find all the plot info that's been uncovered so far. The game history page is due for an update, and we'll be getting the March update posted as soon as we're able!

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
A lot of medical supplies. The supplies are plentiful enough that everyone may handwave finding common first aid supplies that will help to triage injuries sustained during the Wild Heart event. The supplies won't immediately cure wounds, but they will help to prevent infection and ensure proper healing. There's even an assortment of painkillers, ranging from over the counter pills to IV morphine (though, hm, it seems each character will only be able to find one dose of the hospital-grade stuff, no matter how hard they search)
For kidnapped characters: A small package containing a bottle of over-the-counter painkillers, a bag of rice to be used as a hot/cold pack, a week's supply of Xanax, a coloring book and markers, a blank journal, a bag of Epsom salt, a lavender-scented bath bomb, a plush blanket in their favorite color, and a book titled PTSD SURVIVAL GUIDE
For Sora: Three crates full of assorted breakable pottery, four large tarps, and a pallet of large, flat sheets of plywood
For Matt: Three 12-packs of various brands of ginger ale, a braille scanner, a bouquet of orchids, and a very soft blanket that seems to somehow be made of smoke though it's very touchable and warm
For Carmilla: A cooler full of individual human blood packages, a personal-sized telescope, a box set of the entire Series of Unfortunate Events, and a crate of Zoobooks

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

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

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[The big guy with the metal arm pauses at the edge of the dock to peer in the direction of a boy crouched on the sand, poking blankly at his tablet. ... licking it. Well. Somebody clearly doesn't know about modern technology. Soldat wipes at their face one more time, to get a little more of the weird sparkly sand off, then heads over, setting their current load of boxes down and crouching just out of arm's reach, so as to be a little less threatening to the kid.]

Hey. Everything okay?

[It's Soldat's default question, these days. It's a good starting point.]

Edited 2020-04-02 06:04 (UTC)

[Senri looks up at the man with a small frown. 'Is everything okay?' That's a good question and he takes a moment to consider it. He's in a weird place, his friends are nowhere to be found, and this strange little box is blinking at him and he doesn't know what it wants him to do. He's just so very confused.

So.... no. He shakes his head.

Things could absolutely be worse, but everything is not okay.]

[(Aw man. Poor kid. Yeah. Just died, woke up on a ferry, and now has a weird flat thing he doesn't understand. And a big metal-armed asshole bothering him. Ah, shut up.) Soldat came in on the ferry absolutely panicked, so already Senri is doing better than they did.]

Anything I can do? I can show you how to work that.

[Nodding at the tablet.]

Show you around. Get you someplace to stay and something to eat. If you want.

Edited (html is so fun) 2020-04-03 02:09 (UTC)

[Nodnod. Yes if this guy can tell him what this thing is and what it wants, that would be great.

The offer of someplace to stay and even food is very generous. Senri is lucky he met someone so nice right away.

He holds out his tablet to his new friend. Please reveal its mysteries.]

[Soldat accepts the tablet, looks over the screen, and says,]

This is your tablet. It's got things on it that help us communicate. Talk and write and take pictures. Play music. There's a map.

Before you can use any of it, though. Need a username. What do you want to be called? Want people to find you with?

[Senri's brow creases in confusion as he listens carefully to the explanation. So it's called a 'tablet.' Hmmm...

He can't read or write so that's not something he's going to worry about and the phrase 'take pictures' is just strange. What pictures? Take them where? The idea that it can play music is impressive though. And there's a map inside it?

He might be even more confused now so it's a relief to move on to a topic he understands.]

Senri.

[His name is Senri, so naturally that's what people should call him.]

Senri.

[They enter that in for him. That unlocks the rest of the tablet-- they impatiently swipe past the start of Aziraphale's welcome message, they'll make Senri listen to it later-- and they hold the tablet over to show him the mass messaging system.]

This is where you can make messages. Voice or text. Read or listen to other people's messages even if you don't talk. The map is here.

[They show him the application button for the map, open it up to show Senri the layout of the town.]

And the music is here. Press the image of the little bird to open it, like with the map.

[He shows the button for the Songbird app. Those are, as far as Soldat is concerned, the most important things in the tablet right now. Definitely the things a new kid needs to know.]

[This is a lot to take in, but it all sounds very impressive. Especially the map. But music is nice too. He's still not completely sure why you would need a tablet to talk to someone. Just... talk to them.

And the way the sounds and pictures change with nothing more than a touch is fascinating. He reaches out a hand tentatively to poke at one of the buttons, just to see what happens. Although it honestly doesn't matter. It's all amazing at this point. A letter appeared! A random app opened! It might as well be a magic trick.

He does have a question though.

Well, okay, a lot of questions. But one stands out to him.]

Why...?

[He's not too sure why something like this is necessary. Maps do just fine on paper, you can talk to people anyway, and make music with instruments. Why does he need this...?]

Why-- what?

[Not really expecting much of an answer, given Senri's general monosyllabic responses so far, Soldat just attempts to guess with a more thorough explanation.]

Well. The map gets updated whenever we find a new place. And we all have a copy. The messages I guess so we can all talk, even when we're very spread out. Beacon is big enough that it takes an hour to get to the hotel from the inn. The music is just nice to have. I listen to it a lot.

[It's handy. Convenient. Personal. One doesn't have to know how to play an instrument to have music, here, or be right next to someone to talk to them. One can send a message from their bedroom on a bad day and tell people who care about them that they are okay, just can't come out today. Or from deep in the woods to tell people of a potential threat.]

[Oh! A small measure of understanding finally dawns on Senri's face. This 'tablet' can be used to talk to people who are far away. That could be useful. He gives a slow nod. He'll definitely keep this thing around. And the lantern too, since that has obvious uses.

With that settled, he moves on to the next thing. His new friend, who he looks at questioningly.]

Name?

[He wants to know what to call the very nice guy helping him out.]

[Oh good, because they're not sure what else they could have said to explain it. There's some relief in their little smile at the much easier question.]

Soldat. Nice to meet you, Senri. Do you have anywhere to stay yet?

[They're gonna guess not, since he's still sitting on the beach, but it's important. Especially given how rainy and chilly it's been.]

[Soldat. He's going to want to remember that.

He shakes his head distractedly in response to the question. He doesn't have anywhere to stay yet but that's not important right now. To Senri, the important thing is making sure Soldat is in his book.

He stashes his tablet in the leather bag on his belt and then pulls out a book. Then he starts looking around for something he can add to represent his new friend. Usually it's flowers or leaves, but beaches are not exactly ideal for that sort of thing. Hmm...

Give him a minute here...]

[Soldat watches curiously.]

What are you looking for?

[Maybe they can help? (Mun in fact has a great idea, if he'll let them help.)]

Memory...

[By way of example, he opens the book to the first precious memory within. A small pressed flower, which he carefully pulls out to show Soldat.]

Crystala.

[That one goes back in, and he flips to another page. This time, it's a black feather.]

Cooro.

[There are a lot of small object between the pages. Mostly flowers, scraps of cloth, or feathers. (Please do!) ]

[Oh. That's cute. Soldat considers a minute, then holds up a hand for "wait" and digs into a pocket. Pulling out a very gently folded piece of red paper. They unfold it, then start making a set of very precise folds... until it takes the shape of an animal.

It's a dog, sitting at attention, with floppy ears and a little pointed tail.

They offer that to Senri.]

Soldat.

[It takes him a minute to figure out what Soldat is doing with the paper. The result is impressive. He's impressed. And it makes for the perfect memento.

Senri accepts it almost reverently and very carefully nestles it into his book. There, now he won't forget. The book is put away again, and he stands up. Now that the book is settled, he can worry about things like shelter.]

[Soldat stands, too, and starts in the direction of the church and Bonfire Square, making sure to keep to whatever pace Senri is comfortable with.

And offers the first real bit of advice, beyond tablet-navigation:]

Keep your lantern with you all the time. If you lose it or leave it behind, it will make you sick, maybe even kill you. Light here means life. So that is your life.

[Senri will keep whatever pace Soldat sets, just following along obediently. He's still listening though.

Light is life...

He glances down at his lantern curiously. He hadn't realized it was this important. He tightens his grip on it and nods at Soldat to let him know he understands.]

[Good. Tablet, light... they're approaching the church, the first point of light in the dark, full of candles. Soldat nods at it.]

That's where you wake up after you die, if you die again.

[A pause, then the gentle but earnest,]

Try not to die again.

[Head tiiiilt? Die again? He's not sure how someone would do that. He's not even completely convinced he died the first time. He's still doing things like walking and breathing. Which are far as he knows are not... dead people things?

But... okay. Senri is used to not understanding things. This is why he relies on his friends to tell him what to do. And he will do his very best to not die again.]

[It is a very weird kind of death, but then, Soldat has died a lot of times, and coming back in and of itself isn't that strange. It's just coming back without techs having revived them, coming back to relative freedom, that's unfamiliar.

They pass the church, and up ahead is the bonfire, and several buildings around it, lit faintly by the glow of the fire and the pinpricks of various people's lanterns.]

The big building has rooms to stay in, food downstairs. There's another building downtown, further away, for the same purpose. This one is close to everybody, though.

[He looks at the large building for a moment. Lots of rooms... food.... Oh. He knows what that is. He points at the building and asks, just to be sure.]

An inn?

[He's pretty sure that's an inn. Sometimes there would be inns in the towns his friends passed through. Nana always wanted to stay in them. Because of beds usually. And sometimes food. But Husky always said they didn't have enough money.]

Yeah, that. You can get a good bed there, and food from the kitchen, or make it yourself in your room. I cook there once a day, for everyone.

[It doesn't occur to them to comment on how it's free. One, they hardly ever had to pay for anything in their own more recent time spent alive, and two, they've been here so long they're kind of used to the thing where the only people who want payment for things is the Night Market.]

[That's fine, Senri is well aware of concerns like that. Husky was always reminding them how little money they had. And he certainly never let Senri have any. So Senri shakes his head.]

No money...

[He's used to sleeping outside though, so he's not particularly worried.]

Oh.

[Soldat pauses, then flashes him a quick, brief smile.]

We don't really do that here. Nobody has any money. Food and board is free. Only thing you need to pay for is stuff from the Night Market, and they barter. Goods and information. No actual money.

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bear_necessities - 2020-04-14 02:24 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

worthallthis - 2020-04-14 05:07 (UTC) - Expand

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INTRO LOG: APRIL

Pier

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Aw, that's so cute!!

origami somehow became his primary coping mechanism, it's awesome

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