INTRO LOG: APRIL

[inthenightmods]

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
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pages	|	rules • faq • taken • mod contact • player contact • calendar • setting • exploration • item requests • full nav

Comments

[sunsbreath]

[ Ephrim shrugs. Fair and true. If it ends up hurting him later, that's when he'll deal with it. He's dead, after all. Not much more harm to be done. ]

Getaway. [ Not a terribly strange name for a pala-din, especially of anchor make. (Although, now that he's given this one a once-over, he doesn't look much like the anchors of Alcyon at all.) ] Ephrim. You wouldn't happen to know a man named Tabard Alon, would you?

[discountstarscream]

You have the distinct honour of being the only man I've ever formally met, Ephrim.

[At least Getaway thinks this human is a man. He has never been as involved in alien movie viewing parties as the rest of his crew, so humans and their gender are still a vague mystery to him. He, at least, knows a human when he sees them.]

I guess that means you need to make a good first impression, hmm?

Anyway, who's Tabard Alon? Someone you think I should know?

[sunsbreath]

[ The long hair may have thrown Getaway for a loop, but he's got it in one. Ephrim wouldn't have been thrown by an error, anyway.

Ephrim simply closes his eyes instead of rolling them, which he might have done as a younger man. What, him? One-armed Ephrim with unkempt hair and dirt-stained boots? Hardly a worthy representative of his kind at all. ]

You look similar to beings back in my own plane. Automatons called pala-din, anchors. Tabard was... if not their king, then their representative. [ He shrugs. ] If you know not of such things, or have never heard the names Samot or Fela Malle, then I'm afraid I've wasted your time.

[discountstarscream]

Automatons? Ah, I see, you think I'm an AI.

[His voice is light, but he feels some anger at this offence stirring.]

I am a Cybertronian from the planet Cybertron. We are created by our planets and other Cybertronians, so there's no other species involved in our creation than us.

But hey, no worries, right? Now that I'm dead I guess I have nothing but time.

[sunsbreath]

"AI"?

[ Ephrim frowns. The term is unfamiliar to him, along with this talk of Cybertron and planets (what is a planet?) but he listens willingly and nods at the end. It's true that all pala-din and their anchor counterparts are man-made or created by gods, who... perhaps are a species of their own? Ephrim doesn't know. Doesn't care anymore. They're dead or gone. Or killed him. It's fine.

He bows his head, but only just. He doesn't see any need to sour relations with this individual quite yet. ]

I meant no offense. There was nothing lesser about the pala-din in Hieron, unless one lets their prejudices about being made rather than born obscure the truth.

[ He pauses, looks Getaway in the eye. This is a bit of a feeler non-question. How does Getaway feel about automatons? Ephrim thinks Getaway had made his stance clear, but he wants to see if this Cybertronian will say so for himself. ]

In any case, it does appear that we find ourselves in an excess of time. [ And he'll just... hide a yawn behind his hand. 'Scuse him. ]

[discountstarscream]

[That touches a nerve in a way Ephrim could never possibly understand. That's the sort of non-question you should never ask an MTO, especially an MTO like him. What does a human know about the difference between being "made" and being "born?"

But Getaway has no reason to pick a fight with a human, so he'll just have to set Ephrim on his shit-list and leave it at that. So with his usual casual, carefree air of a rogue, he continues the conversation.]

No offence taken.

But! Enough about me. Let's talk a bit about you.

I guess it's true that humans cannot just replace or regrow their arms?

[He asks, gesturing to Ephrim's missing limb.]

I always heard that they couldn't, but I never believed it.

[sunsbreath]

[ Poke a dragon and get burnt, as they say. Ephrim doesn't recoil, but his gaze does flatten, narrow. He doesn't have any particular interest in what this Cybertronian wants, but if this is how those of Cybertron polite, if ill-intentioned and pointedly nasty, conversation, then Ephrim is walking on some thin personal ice. Either his patience breaks or his temper does first. His composure will go regardless.

After a moment of gobsmacked thought, still with a frozen frown on his face, he all but hisses. ]

We do not. Some choose to replace their missing parts with living metal. I did not. [ He continues to stare. ] Is it so strange to you that we continue to live with what we lack?

[discountstarscream]

[The subtle intricacies of human behaviour escapes him, but he has that very vague feeling that he may have offended his human companion. On the one hand: Good. Eye for an eye. On the other: He hadn't meant to, which is annoying. If Getaway is going to upset someone, he'd prefer to do it purposely.]

Hmm, sore subject?

My apologies. I meant no offence.

[There's a touch of petty malice in his voice as he echoes Ephrim's words back at him.]

How about a subject change to keep it civil?

[sunsbreath]

[ Ephrim would have refused outright as a younger man. As a younger man, he had better things to do than socialize with strangers on Ordennan ships; conversation was a tool to get exactly what he wanted, not a mode of enjoyment.

Here, he pauses, taking note of his breath as it comes in and leaves. ]

It's for the best, I think.

[ He pauses, casts around. ]

What is a "planet"? [ There. General enough. Tangentially topical. Hopefully not loaded with anything. ]

[discountstarscream]

[Hoo boy, if that's the level Getaway has to work at then he has his work cut out for him.]

A planet? A planet is a huge hunk of rock and/or gases that hurtle through space and usually rotate around the sun. Earth is a planet, for example, and, supposedly, this place is one too. Maybe.

What did you call the world you lived on if not a planet?

[sunsbreath]

[ Ephrim stares in polite disbelief. Space, a hesitant yes; some means of rotation, yes. A hunk of rock? As in a chunk of material unbound? What a strange concept. ]

The Rhizome. Hieron, previously. A mass of land, then a mass of trees. No talk of things traveling through space. That is what the celestial bodies did. [ ... He's trying very hard not to look curious. ] Your planet... traveled around the sun? Did I hear that right?