extra mission log 1 : the island of dancing animals

[imaginarymods]

EXTRA MISSION : LOG ONE

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Mission Dossier | NPC Information | Setting Information | Questions

"Being a detective in real life isn't like it is in stories. I can't solve this one alone."

A New Transmission.

[On the evening of August 8, the network finally cracks to life with one very frantic message.]
"Hello sirs! I finally got this thing working — or it started working, I'm not sure it was me — anyway, I'm — I'm Angus McDonald! I'm a detective. S-some of you know me, you worked together to help me solve a mystery and I — I need your help again.

Something's missing, um, in my head. Memories. I know I should know some things, but when I reach for them they're gone. There's a Relic on this island, I know that much, but I don't know where or what it is. I don't know where the Director is, or the Bureau, and I don't know where the Hunger is but I know — I know it's out there. It's close. It's coming.

If you can hear me, if you can help me, please come find me. I know we can figure this out, but being a detective in real life isn't like it is in stories. I can't solve this one alone."

The Island of Dancing Animals.

The island of Baisla has been hospitable to you Reclaimers for the past few weeks, its Animalian hosts eager to share knowledge, housing, food, and work with your seemingly-shipwrecked souls. The menagerie wastes no time introducing Reclaimers (and, for some reason, a few Lyrabar socialites and pirates) to their vibrant music, energetic dancing, enhanced technomancy, and magical connection with the runestone beasts of the southern ruins. Though there has been no sign of any member of the Bureau of Balance while you've been here (and no one to brief you on a mission, of course), a light appears in the form of some direction from one Angus McDonald.

The mysteries don't stop with you, either. As beautiful as this island is, there are certain... oddities.... such as the shimmering barrier that surrounds the water at all times, keeping everyone in. Or the Gilded Wall, rumored to hold back a terrible evil.... or the glitches that seem to keep cropping up. It seems every moment spent here is accompanied by a newer, fresh mystery. Some questions loom more than others, though: Will your investigations uncover the secrets behind this island and your — and Angus's — lost memories? Or will your search for the last Relic leave you marooned?

G-G-G-Glitching

By now you've noticed those strange glitch-like images all around you on the island; fruits that don't quite "load" correctly and instead display fruit-shaped static; otherwise-ordinary-looking but immaterial trees and lampposts with miscolored squares and rectangles pieced out of them; even natural stone walls that can't be climbed as they display nothing but what appears to be a warped, miscolored stone-texture; and so on.

The more adventurous Animalians have discovered that using different path actions can fix these glitches (or worsen them, depending). They don't have much other intel on them, but tampering with the glitches seen around the island may lead to some.... interesting outcomes... Success will certainly earn the gratitude of the Animalians, who would really like their island to not look like a heat-damaged VHS tape.

A Wall of Gold

Some of you may have encountered the consecrated Gilded Wall and its strange magic-dampening properties as you've gotten the lay of the land. It's a pretty noticeable landmark, both opulent and foreboding. The Animalians have discouraged you from getting too close, referring only vaguely to its necessity in keeping the residents of Baisla safe. Some of them don't seem to want to talk about it, in the sense that speaking of evil gives the evil power. Some of them, though, just don't understand the history well enough to explain it.

But there is someone on the island who understands the history, because he was there to see it: Elder Marinero, who the Animalians may eventually point you towards if you're particularly persistent in asking after the Gilded Wall. However, if you try to ask him about it in Common, you may be out of luck; he only speaks Animalian! Magic and old-fashioned studying will certainly be a boon in communications with this stubborn old bat. If the Elder is a bust, it's possible to get past the fussy Animalians to investigate the Gilded Wall yourself. Try to test your magic by the wall again, and you'll find that it's working now. Surely someone can figure out what's got the islanders so spooked about this great golden landmark.

A History in Ruins

On the other hand, maybe the Strange Ruins will have a hint on your current predicament. They're a wonderful experience for the academically-inclined, regardless of your interest (or lack thereof) in the Gilded Wall. Animalian archaeologists and tourists from Lyrabar are a common sight at the Strange Ruins, both groups often being guided by Professor Jerry or his assistant, Kipper. Prof. Jerry explains that these ruins are what Animalians have based their practice of magic on for all of recorded history; they're much older than even Elder Marinero! You can enjoy the sights with the tourists or lend a hand to the archaeologists--including Angus, whose sharp detective instincts have led him to the murals in these ruins. He doesn't know why, but these images call to him. He's certain they have something to do with his missing memory and the location of the Relic! Perhaps deciphering some of these images will help him solve this mystery. Or at least (re)teach you some pretty cool path actions!

Runestone Rubble

If you want old stuff that's less academic, check out the Coliseum. You can watch all kinds of cool fights here--or participate in them! Of note are the large, animal-like creatures made of glowing stone, which feature in many of the challenges. They say the eccentric magpie K.V. of K.V. Labs is the resident expert on these beasts, as well as the rest of the magitech on Baisla. It might be worth paying the lab a visit if you're curious about the nuts and bolts of it all--but if the Coliseum is your kind of place, you're probably more interested in punching than studying!

Thankfully, you're allowed to do that. Respected Baisla warriors and fearsome magitech beasts are happy to meet you in battle to test your mettle. You can fight your fellow Reclaimers here too, for fun and bragging rights. Victors are rewarded with a variety of prizes, though you never know what you're going to get. And the experience of battle is its own reward, paying dividends in keeping your mind and body sharp. Maybe you'll even learn something about the beasts or gain some loyal fans with your performance in the fights. There are three potential routes you can take: fighting your fellow Reclaimers for some clout, fighting the island's elite Animalian warriors for a variety of rewards, and the most difficult (but exciting) battles of all: taking on the magitech beasts and their handlers, something even most respected Baisla warriors fall short of accomplishing. The rules of the Coliseum are as follows:

1.) Show respect and good sportsmanship.
2.) Only those signed up may fight--no outside help once the battle has begun.
3.) Nonlethal bouts only. A victor is declared once surrender or incapacitation occurs.

Island Hospitality.

Cafe Calamari

The Bureau of Balance is missing, which includes Bender! How will you ever get your magical grub on?

At Café Calamari, of course! For some reason, Chef Miso Fou is here smack dab in a saltwater lake in the middle of the island. His cute little swim-up tiki bar caters to the Reclaimers especially with a very familiar menu, as well as a few new courses and the exciting potential of new dishes, should you request them! The aesthetic really seems to vibe with the tourists that flock to it, though the food is not always to everyone's taste.


...But something's a bit strange there, or rather, someone. A goose named Ronaldo paces around the area trying to get the attention of newcomers and convince them of weirdo conspiracy theories about the lake under Miso Fou's bar!! He carries around crayon drawings of otherwise-normal-looking jellyfish with pictures projected in their domes, but most Animalians and tourists alike pay Ronaldo no mind. He's well-known for his... unorthodox ramblings. Could there really be something to his suspicions? The locals certainly don't think so!

Boardwalk Boogie

Looking for supplies, food, or perhaps even a job? Head down to the Brightway Boardwalk for just that! Night and day, the island's economic hub is always at least simmering with excitement, if not bubbling over! Especially with all these tourists and new folk around to entertain. Located just behind most of the seaside cabanas, the Brightway Boardwalk is more than just a bunch of studios, businesses, and fish markets; it also hosts the grounds for the seasonal Dance Competition.

The Boardwalk Boogie Band plays nearly every day at the Boardwalk Square, where one can usually find the island's mayor-of-sorts, a cow named Lola. A tall Astrologian in a starry cape, she makes a cutting figure... if not elusive. Lola might actually be a bit hard to get a hold of, what with a new Dance Competition coming up. If you manage to stop her, she'll simply urge you to join in; after all, non-locals have a place in the competition as well! Dance teams are limited to 3 people for out-of-island entries. You have plenty of time to practice before the big Boardwalk Boogie night, which starts at sunset and ends at sunrise. It seems like Boogie Night is all the island can talk about and studios are even offering free classes lately. Why not jump in and learn to dance?



...Unless you aren't interested, of course. That's just fine! The boardwalk connects to the harbor, where Captain Baxley and his mixed-bag crew pull in the island's share of fish every day. They seem a bit disoriented by being unable to sail out as far as they usually do, but the fishing fare near the shore is just as well. They'll certainly put you to work if you seem bored or they need the help! The fish market caters to early risers and the sea-side taverns cater to late sleepers. Here is where you'll find experts in a wider variety of paths, and even a few fox Vulpish who might be willing to train with a Reclaimer or two.

Scenic Spots

If you're still looking for more places to hit up, there's still quite the array of areas! Academics can refresh their path actions or read up on Baisla at the Roswell Center, a hospital up north that also hosts a pretty good library and all sorts of studies. Just to the west of the center is the scenic natural resort Las Cascadas, or the Cascades. Though most of this smaller island is simply a lush, naturally-organized paradise perfect for relaxing and hanging with platypuses, the highest areas of the Cascades also provide a vantage point where the curious can see the dark mist past the Gilded Wall.

For the more hunting-and-monster-fighting-oriented explorer, the Foggy Forest on the mainland is home to huntable animals and animal hybrids such as frog-squirrels and raccoon-crows. Once you deal with the glitches, the forest also bears the fruits the Animalians love so much; you might be able to strike a sweet deal if you offer them for trade! They will warn you, however, not to venture too far into the forest....

On the outer islands lay Miaoteo's Workshop, where Reclaimers in need of equipment can trade fish for weapons made right in front of them; Elder Marinero's house where Animalians gather for oral retellings of their history; and even an unclaimed island perfect for camping. Try to avoid that last island if you don't want trouble, though; the pirates lurking there don't seem as friendly as those on the mainland.

Check out more to explore on these areas in our Setting Information page!

Island Wilds.

The Crystal Lagoon

Surrounding the main island is the Crystal Lagoon, picturesque still waters full of gorgeous reefs that resemble crystal, which are teeming with docile wildlife like gentle sharks and jellyfish. The ecosystem here is bountiful and full of life -- ideal for the Reclaimer who wants to study, or just cool off and relax. The locals will shoo you off if they see you making too much of a splash, as they prefer these waters remain undisturbed!

It's curious, though. With so much algae and reef underwater, one would expect the waters to be more on the shallow side -- but if a Reclaimer chooses to dive down, they may discover that the waters run much deeper than they might expect. The water itself becomes darker, murkier, as they stray from the coral...

Curious indeed.

Deep Foggy Forest

No Animalian would dare wander here, as there are whispers of terrible creatures lurking within and other strange happenings... But if any Reclaimer should venture out here against their advice, they'll find a peculiar atmosphere, indeed. Despite being part of the Foggy Forest, there's a marked difference in the visuals alone. The foliage itself almost seems to be hostile: denser, more like a jungle, gnarled and threatening to trip you at every turn. The fog pervades, making it difficult to see more than five feet in front of you. Even some of the trees seem to be in decay.

The glitches, too, are more threatening in this place: black sap, glowing fruit, vines that clip through the ground and grab you, patches of quicksand that seize you the second you make a wrong step, insects much larger than you’d ever expect to see them, and so forth.



Worse than that, the further in you go, the more you may feel as though you're being watched -- every so often, you catch sight of something monstrous and grotesque in the corner of your eye -- but as soon as you move your head, it's gone. Strange, indistinguishable whispers fill your ears, just louder than the buzzing of insects, and well. Best to be alert. Most creatures you may encounter are not hostile, but the more time you spend here, the less the forest seems to tolerate you. Your luck may not last so long.

Tread lightly, Reclaimers.

Whispers in the Water

Speaking of peculiar happenings, there seems to be more strange happenings afoot. Or... aswim, rather. If a Reclaimer should be swimming around Miso Fou's Bar, the Crystal Lagoon, or the Cascades, they may find themselves hearing voices.

Some unfamiliar, some familiar -- some so familiar, actually, that Reclaimers may hear words they could have sworn they've either said themselves or heard another say to them -- giving them the strangest sense of deja vu.

The voices subside just as abruptly as they began, leaving the source difficult to identify.

A note from your Navigators.

Welcome, Reclaimers, to your first Extra Mission Log! Thank you for sticking with us! We hope you'll enjoy the plans we have for you in this mysterious adventure to find Lucretia and the missing Relic.

We have a couple of fun signups available here, including a special NPC interaction! These particular signups will be open until August 13th at 9PM EST. Regular NPC interactions can be found here!

For adventure rolls head over here and to order food from Miso Fou, head over here! Please direct any questions here!

Thanks for playing, and happy navigating!

NAVIGATION ⯈



code bases by tricklet

Comments

RNG

[imaginarymods]

Want to roll for a specific action or outcome? Reply to this comment!

Please note that when submitting for RNG and CTAs, you must provide the paths of all characters involved. This is to facilitate mods using archetype-specific bonuses and keeping track of path-specific skills.

[ribticklers]

PATHS: Sorcerer/Wizard/Technomancer

Sans will approach the gilded wall! He is going to use his liveriver here, first having it approach the safe side of the wall just to make sure there's nothing magically dangerous about touching it, then (storing the liveriverer so he can bring it up with him) he will use Misty Step to reach the top of the wall. With Academic boosting his range to 60 feet and not requiring him to see his destination, he should be able to make that easily enough. What does he see from the top of the wall?

[hxppythxughts]

Sayori's Paths: Bard, Wizard (Find Familiar, Comprehend Languages, Academic - Healing Word, Mage Hand, Levitate), Technomancer


Sayori is going to be taking a trip to K.V. Labs! This is a dual-purpose trip.

1.) She's morbidly curious about the glitches, and since the lab is a hub for tech stuff, she'd like to get the opinions of the technomancers studying there on what they think could be causing glitches to happen like this. (She'll ask K.V. too but I will put that in K.V.'s thread.) If they've got accessible books on their research, she'll poke around those too with her one single INT brain cell, searching for anything that might give her a clue.

2.) But she's going to be totally enamored with the magitech beasts once she gets there. So she'll hang out in the field where they're being studied for a while! While out there, she will go for a friendly but gentle approach, and she'll try to cue off how she sees the lab techs interacting with them to learn what they respond to best.

But, having also remembered that she's a poet, she is going to see if perhaps they might enjoy.........some poetry.

So she'll read some of her poems to the beasts with Bardic Inspiration! If they seem to enjoy listening to her, she will gently incorporate small illusory effects with Prestidigitation into her readings (like dustings of sparkles or rainbows) to entertain them. She won't approach any one kind of beast over another, so she is just as likely to hang out with a glowy rock tiger as she is a glowy rock bunny etc. She just wants to make some beast friends.

Re: RNG

[ribticklers]

PATHS: Sorcerer/Wizard/Technomancer

Sans will be checking out the technomancer lab! Is the magitech they use similar to the liveriverer (which was built by Lucas and runs on emotion-based magitech), or different?

[ribticklers]

PATHS: Sorcerer/Wizard/Technomancer

Sans will be hitting up the libraries and boardwalk for astronomy books and star charts! He's noticed by now the sky glitches and changes to other things, so he'll be looking for information available on the sky as far as what it's actually supposed to look like.

[aceso]

Christine's paths: Dancer/Chemist/Astrologian

1. Christine would like to visit the Roswell Center to learn about the history of the island and see if there are any free first aid kits or something she can take with her. What history can she learn?

2. Since Elder Marinero only speaks Animalian and others listen to his oral retellings, it stands to reason that Christine could get someone to translate a conversation between them. Would he be amiable to that? If yes, then I'll take it to the NPC thread, but I'll want to use Inquire on him for the +2 to investigation.

3. As a Chemist, Christine wants to examine the plant life on the island to see what potions she can make from them using her Herbalism skill.

[mccreehaw]

McCree's paths: Ranger/Bard/Beastmaster

1. McCree is inclined to listen to Ronaldo because he remembers the archives in that mermaid city at Lyrabar. He wants to investigate the lake using his Darkvision to see the farther down he goes and Speak with Animals should he come across any animals in the lake. He has nothing to help him breath for longer than a normal human, though, so he'll have to resurface for air regularly.

2. Along those lines, he'll be doing the same thing in the Crystal Lagoon, despite the protests of the locals. What will he find the farther down he goes, using the same path actions as above?

[feytality]

Paths: Warlock/Druid/Summoner

Maya is going to hang around K.V. labs to try to see the magitech beasts and make friendly! She'll be very nosy about what the techs are doing with the beasts, and try to use her charisma to convince them to let her assist.

She'll also try to befriend a beast by offering rocks and hot dogs as treats, offering to scratch them just right, (they are rock beasts and she's a fool) and using Animal Friendship on an animal close to its species to act as a sort of liason to facilitate friendship. Nick Junior will also try to impress the beast (and the techs) by doing sick flying flips and tricks.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Sorcerer/Ranger/Dark Knight

1. Church is bothered quite a bit by the glitching and would like to help Solve This Mystery! How? Well............mostly by trying a bunch of his magic and seeing if it sticks, bc that's how he do. He'll start at the beach and try some shit on trees and rocks there. Shape Water to just chuck some seawater at them, Thunderclap to blast them with a soundwave, Earth Tremor bc he's running out of shit to try, and if nothing changes, he'll just...chuck a Web around some of the glitches bc at the very least he can cover up some of the weirdness.

2. There's a good chill time to be had at the Crystal Lagoon, and seeing as he doesn't need to breathe and doesn't get exhausted, Church can go pretty far. Is there anything he can see or find in the darker and murkier water, with a combination of his inherent robot bod, Darkvision, and a bit of Shape Water to try and make spots of it clearer (via opacity) if need be?

[spaghettimonster]

Paths: Warlock / Alchemist / ???

On hearing that nobody goes there, Papyrus would seek fame and renown by daring what isn't dared and explore the deep Foggy Forest. It's a little spooky, but there's nothing new in the sensation of being watched - he's been followed and watched a lot since waking, between the vending machine, the other skeleton, and people mistaking him for a necromantic construct.

But not being able to catch the watcher is new and annoying, and he immediately conspires with his warlock familiar to figure this out. If he and the little white dog work together, with the dog temporarily turning invisible and scouting around behind him to catch sight of what's lurking in the woods, can he see it - or anything else of interest around here - through the dog's eyes?

Cafe Calamari

[imaginarymods]

At the Cafe Calamari, you can request food orders from chef Miso Fou. Just like Bender back at the Bureau, however, orders may not turn out exactly as you expect them...

The previously-ordered items that have failed are subject to a re-roll. However, if you have ordered an item that has previously succeeded, you don't need to roll at all! You can safely take that menu item home or eat at the bar.

Please limit yourself to 1-2 rolls at the Cafe.

Check our previously rolled menu on the player's doc or request a special item from the chef.

[ribticklers]

"Surprise me".

Fixed NPCS.

[imaginarymods]

What Angus McDonald Knows

[imaginarymods]

Interested in interacting with best boy Angus? Let us know what your plans are here!

Signups

[imaginarymods]

Dancing Competition

[imaginarymods]

It's time for the island-wide dance competition! You may enter as group of up to three people for a total of five groups!

When commenting to this signup, please include the names of the Reclaimers in your group, the name of your dance troupe, the routine you'll be doing (be descriptive!), any musical accompaniment, and any other details you'd like to include. Path Actions are allowed, as well! Most importantly... Have fun with it!

Signups close August 13th at 9:00 PM EST!

christine | ota, will match brackets or prose

[aceso]

{ exploring the flora }

[ Christine figures that she may as well get down to using these Chemist skills since she has them and goes on a trek around the island to examine the plant life. It doesn't take long before she finds a plant that can provide a great many things and she collects a bunch to start whipping up potions and the like. Find her in her cabana where she's making her concoctions or find her later out on the boardwalk where she's happy to hand out small bottles of insect repellent and pain reliever.

Later on, she ventures to the fringes of the Foggy Forest, wondering just what might be found inside. It might be nice to have company in case things get dangerous. ]

{ roswell center }

[ The ease with which she's granted numerous first aid kits is surprising, but Christine isn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so she's quick to pack them away in her bag for later. Surely one of the Reclaimers will do something foolish and will need a nurse like her. ]

Excuse me? I heard there was a library here. Could I check it out?

[ That request is also granted without fuss and soon Christine is pouring through the books with a look of focus on her face. Unfortunately, the contents aren't really giving her what she's looking for and she shuts the last book with an audible sigh before seeing she's not alone. ]

Have you found anything about the history of this place that isn't so boring it'll put you to sleep?

{ wildcard }

[ I'm down for anything! Want to drag Christine into trouble? Have her bail you out of it? Go ahead and leave a starter or hit me up at fairandbright or megan#2520 on discord!]

additional prompts

[aceso]

please don't reply to this comment until i edit in more prompts based on rng results.

mccree | ota, will match brackets or prose

[mccreehaw]

{ saltwater lake/café calamari }

[ It's been weeks now and there's been no sign of Lucretia or anyone else from the Bureau beyond the Reclaimers. Not even all of them are here, either. Jack's missing for starters. But it's not like the man isn't good at disappearing, so McCree tries not to see it as a suspicious thing. What is suspicious are the glitches, the lost memories in others, and those weird thorny brambles blocking the way on one side of the island.

Without an assigned mission, he decides to take matters into his own hands. McCree needs to keep busy because if he doesn't then the nicotine withdrawal with leave him in a state he really doesn't want others to see. And a good way to avoid snapping at people is to spend plenty of time underwater. He follows a lead and swims down into the depths of the lake, but finds he can't progress as far as he'd like because of that pesky need to breath. The ultimate irony is that he probably can't hold his breath a long time because he's smoked since he was a teen.

After numerous dives he resurfaces and swims for Café Calamari for a break. He hops up onto a bar stool, wiping the water from his eyes and showing off just what's under that chest armor he tends to wear. ]

Well, there's something down there, are right. Tunnels, or something. Don't suppose you have magical water-breathing powers to help check it out?

{ lounging in the cabana }

[ Despite the uncertainty of the situation, McCree can't help kicking back and relaxing since they're smack dab in the middle of paradise. Steretched out on his side of the couch, his hat is drawn down across his face and his cybernetic arm is lazily brushing against the floor. One might think he's asleep if not for the humming he's doing. Seems like someone has a tune from the dance floor stuck in his head. ]

{ deep foggy forest }

[ Since they're stuck for the time being, McCree figures it's worth it to explore a little deeper, and that includes the forest. Maybe he can hunt up something for dinner. Not that he can cook. Maybe he can hunt up something for someone else to cook them for dinner? His ranger skills should come in handy here.

Without much fear he goes into the thick undergrowth and quickly becomes aware that this won't be as easy as he thinks. He can barely see more than a few feet in front of himself. ]

All right. Maybe they weren't kidding about this place after all.

additional prompts

[mccreehaw]

please don't reply to this comment until i edit in more prompts based on rng results.

sans | ota

[ribticklers]

A; Sans's Snack Shack
[Sans has set up in the boardwalk! Where did he get permission for this. Whose booth is this actually supposed to be. It doesn't matter, because Sans is selling food! The big item of the day: hot dogs! You could go get these at Miso Fou's, but only if you know they're there, and also you would have to walk. Come on, pay up, pay up! Sans also has permanently warm chocolate chip cookies, strawberry lemonade cupcakes, spice root, and regular bottled water.

Will trade food for space books.]

B; Stargazing
[Sans did eventually get his hands on some space books. He had to talk to Ronaldo to do it, but that was a small price to pay. Also, Ronaldo may have a point as far as the weird state of the sky. Sans is midway between doing actual work and just staring at the sky. He's given up trying to get a good enough exposure time on the liveriverer or bracer to get good star pictures, so Sans is actually sitting on the sand drawing the night sky as quickly as he can before it shifts again.

Every time it glitches, he feels a little nauseous.]

Those really get in the way of the view.

C; That Other Skeleton; closed to Papyrus
[Sans has spent a fair amount of time looking through the network at old posts and comments he doesn't remember making. There's a lot to think about, but right now, Sans is thinking about how he mentioned, more than once, someone called Papyrus. It doesn't seem like any Papyrus replied to anything at least as far as Sans has worked back so far, but between this and the photograph--

Well, the photograph is the other topic of the day. Sans's memories are starting to return, but nothing far enough back to hint at the details of that photograph. Between that and the network, the more paranoid half of him relents; he's going to have to see what Papyrus knows, and he's going to have to do so directly.

He tracks Papyrus down a little after the rainstorm ends. He has enough of a handle on Papyrus's movement to be able to make general guesses at this point, and Papyrus doesn't seem to like spending a lot of time outside in the rain, so it's the best time to try and find him in one place.

He doesn't even teleport this time, in favor of just walking normally.]

Hey.

[Sans is almost too casual--there's a deliberateness to it.]

additional prompts

[ribticklers]

please don't reply to this comment!

ogata | ota

[snyaiper]

[Foggy Forest]
[Whatever reason you might be moseying around the outskirts of the forest, you're going to be rudely interrupted by Ogata seemingly emerging out of fucking nowhere, grabbing whatever limb or article of clothing that's within his reach.]

Don't move if you don't want to die.
[Ominous!]

[Whispers in the Water]
[Ogata isn't much of a swimmer, really. After all, he's a cat. But sometimes you just need to soak to get the dirt off, which means the freshwater of the Cascades are where you might find Ogata looking fairly relaxed as he sits in the water...

Until he suddenly sits bolt upright, eyes wide and blown like a startled animal.]

... Did you hear that?

[Misc/Wildcard]
[In general, Ogata can be found skulking around, not being particularly sociable. Recently he's been looking more on edge than he was initially, as if he's suspicious of... something? Everything? Unclear. Maybe you could ask him about it.

As far as keeping busy/contributing to the island economy, he's going to be spending a lot of time fishing. You also might find him poking around the ruins silently or curled up in the darkest corner of his cabana scrutinizing some... pieces of paper? Hm.]

whispers in the water

[rockymountaindie]

[ Honestly, Alex doesn't like spending much time submerged in the water either. At least...he has something of an aversion to it that he doesn't understand? But anyway.

It's nice to look at, at least. It's peaceful! So much of this place, glitches aside, is peaceful.

That's why he doesn't at all expect Ogata's startled reaction, as he walks up. ]

H- hear? Hear what? No? [ And- he tries to listen again. ] What?

church | ota

[motherfucking_ghost]

cuz I'm stuck in the sunshine riptide
[Church can at times be found chilling out in and around the Crystal Lagoon, because this is a beachy paradise and he's going to take advantage of it, gdi. Mostly he's soaking up the rays and taking a dip in the water. Do either of these do anything for him, a Big Robot Man? No. Does it keep him from doing it? Also no.

The voices, though. The whispering voices? That's pretty creepy. He's pretty sure he hears his own voice? Which he's not okay with. But he can't figure out where it's all coming from--and maybe it was just some hallucination, out in the sun too long? Maybe a glitch. Hrm...]

Did you...hear something just now?

[Unfortunately, while he ends up curious about the Lagoon and how it seems to go a lot deeper and darker than one would expect, on the verge of finding...something...overhang to somewhere?...something manages to sting him.

Which also shouldn't do anything to him but momentarily hurt, but it does, and he lets out a long series of yelps and curses as he fumbles back to shore, pretty out of it, looking almost like he's drunk, still yelling up a storm, and just...like he just plain passes out facedown in the sand. Occasionally he comes to, yells some more, looks as much of a wreck as a walking suit of space age armor can, and passes out again.

He'll...be good in an hour, but I mean, maybe someone might want to help him out?]

dancing all alone in the morning light
[Boredom is the name of the game, and he does need some kind of currency to pay for shit like. Weapons. He's still uncomfortable with the fact that weapons (and magic) are apparently necessary around here, because that's never a good sign, but whatever, he's a soldier, he can deal with it. So it's likely he'll be doing some odd jobs around the Boardwalk, until he either gets frustrated, bored, or mouths off to customers enough to get kicked out to find something else. You know who doesn't mind a sailor's mouth? Pirates don't, and he's never been fishing, but he can lend them a hand, too. Especially since he's pretty good at hauling large catches without equipment.]

you came back like a wave when I was feeling alright
[Along the beaches, right around where they first all came ashore, he's testing out some of his apparently sorcerous(?) magic out on the glitches. It uh.........it doesn't go well, and anything he throws at the trees and rocks just seems to make them bigger. He's got a bunch of elements and magics to test, though, so he might be at it a while, and then wonder why the fuck any of this would make it worse.

You could catch him trying to cover up the glitches with webs when he feels like he's exhausted his options, but spoilers, those make the glitches bigger, too.]

Oh come on.

beach

[mccreehaw]

[ McCree comes across the armored guy slinging magic spells like it's going out of style and he has to just stand back and watch for awhile. It's kind of horrifying how every spell enlarges the glitches and he's starting to think he'll have to step in to stop the guy from causing the glitches to swallow the whole island, but eventually Church reaches the webs phase of his plan and McCree steps forward with a casual swagger to his step. ]

Seems like the best thing to do right now would be to let 'em lie. They get bigger no matter what you do.

Papyrus

[spaghettimonster]

[doing some multiple comments for multiple prompts fun time, so i can customize icons for each of them and very casually sneak additional prompts in. hit me with brackets or prose, i'll match your style!]

* Please don't think about this anymore. (cw: glitch face, disassociation)

[spaghettimonster]

[Early in this span of time, a skeleton visits the deep Foggy Forest. He enters despite the warnings of... strange happenings. Glitches, decay...? with a canine familiar at his side, in search of... something. To brag about. Uncover mysteries, maybe. Face dangerous foes, maybe.

...It's all a little unclear, right now. Later the same day, a skeleton wakes at the edge of the foggy forest. No canine at his side, no excitement over his discoveries. No face on his skull. A shifting mass of glitches where other people have faces.

Something happened in the forest, didn't it? And the skeleton didn't like it, he thinks. He stands, eventually. Walks away from the forest, whatever happened there, vaguely in the direction of the cafe and boardwalk.

Most of the Animalians give him a wide berth - it's alarming to see someone's face glitching that way, and they're not sure if it's catching. But he isn't moving with any hostile intent, unlike the glitch-faced entities beyond the Gilded Wall, so they let him pass. He doesn't think he's hostile. He... doesn't think. Who is he? Papyrus, wasn't it...? What's a Papyrus?

He moves vacantly through the area, stopping at the cafe's edge to dangle his feet in the water and stare at the rippling reflection without a face.]

Yuri | Doki Doki Literature Club | OTA

[quiescis]

[A: network transmission]

Hello...? It seems I’ve been whisked away to another far away story and I’m not sure... what’s going on?

My name is Yuri. If there is anyone who can see this message and respond I would appreciate that...

The depths of this ocean are only getting deeper and deeper. I feel like I can’t catch my breath.

[B: the island of dancing animals, glitching]

[Once Yuri settles enough she manages to collect her things into her bag and slings it over her shoulder. The only way she is going to find her way if she takes a first step. So she starts to wander the island in search of anything familiar. She can feel her old magic starting to tickle under her fingertips and it’s such an odd feeling to blink and know it’s there.

When she wanders across a rather strange looking fruit tree (why does it look so ... blocky?) Yuri can’t help but reach up to pluck a tropical fruit from one branch. It seems to fit in her palm but the shape of it is just ... wrong?

Goodness. This is familiar. Yuri’s head almost aches from the memories of her own body glitching incorrectly.]

I wonder if there is a way to fix these trees as well…?

[C: a history in ruins]

[There must be an answer to all of this. Yuri remembers faintly talk of a relic that had to be found in order for all of them to find a way out. Or a way to find their conclusion.

Searching old ruins seems like a good place to start. She wanders through the old rubble with a careful and nervous air about her. And while she seems like a girl that might be frail, she does have a knife with her. One that was gifted to her some time ago. At least this knife makes her feel steady as she grips it tightly in her hand.

She wanders up to one of the old pictures depicted on the cracking stone. She reaches one slim hand to touch the image. It reminds her of images she’s seen in books before. She seems so lost in thought she might not even notice anyone approach...]

A

[parfaitgirl]

[ She tries not to get too excited. Yuri is kind of a common name, after all.

... But literally who else would say something like that last line but her? Dark, overdramatic, metaphorical (she hopes) ...

It takes everything in her to not sound overjoyed. ]

i can see it
but more importantly
this is natsuki
and you better not have forgotten me or im gonna be really annoyed

mira delacroix | ota

[philoxenia]

the dog prompt
[ Around the island, at some point, you'll probably find that you're being followed. It's hopefully not a sinister feeling, because the culprit just happens to be a... dog? She's pretty small, just a puppy, and she's curious about you! Of course, if you don't seem terribly thrilled.... Mira approaches with an apologetic smile. ]

I'm sorry, she's usually much more well-behaved...

boardwalk boogie
[ Honestly, she's surprised she'd done as well as they had. But, second place? Not shabby at all, considering she's not even a Dancer anymore. After the excitement of the competition and talking to Lola, she's hanging out away from the crowd. She's pretty tired, but at the same time, she's not ready to call it a night just yet.

And she's happy to strike up a conversation. Her doggy companion is dozing at her feet, but she has smiles enough to spare. ]

Having fun tonight?

crystal (un)clear
[ It's several days after the dance competition, a little while after her journey into the lagoon, and she still hasn't quite recovered. She has a few things to talk about with a certain someone, but... her experiences at the bottom of the lagoon and with Angus before have left her pretty shaken.

She's probably not willing to talk about the heavier things with people she doesn't especially know, but she jumps when a nearby rock glitches. If she spots you--and she likely does, since she's especially on edge--she offers a tremulous smile. She's fine. ]

Have you figured anything out about this place?

wildcard
[ hit me up or plunk a starter down if you'd like something else! ]

additional prompts

[philoxenia]

please don't reply to this!

clear rivers

[autumncoming]

i. doctor doolittle

[Clear sits at the edge of the Foggy Forest, square on the ground with her legs crossed. She's in some kind of standoff. In front of her and to the left there's a massive fuckoff German shepherd, panting agreeably. In front of her and to the right there's a massive fuckoff vulture, looking significantly less agreeable — or maybe that's just the face markings?]

Seems kind of unfair. [She reaches out to scratch the dog behind the ears.] I don't remember either of your names. But I know you were my pet [to the dog] and you weren't. [To the vulture. Obviously.] Can I trade the bird for my dog's name?

[The noise the bird lets out is positively heinous. Talk about Hideous Laughter. Jesus. Clear winces.] Well, that answers that.

ii. goth with muscles

[Near to, but not within the Coliseum — for inspiration from the shouting fighters behind those walls, obviously — she stands with her weapon over her shoulders, contemplative more than anything else. Training's paused for the moment, as evidenced by the sweat under her collar, but she looks antsy, like she hasn't quite untensed from whatever she was fighting in her mind.]

[The weapon, incidentally, is a maul. Massive, with carvings of flowers and thorns on the head, plus a central carving of an open book. How she's wielding it so easily is anyone's guess, although maybe it's not so easy after all, if what happens next is anything to go by.]

[Out of nowhere, Clear's eyes go completely black, and her entire body begins to glow a dark purple. Tendrils emerge from her shoulders and wrap around the handle of the maul, lifting it slightly to ease the burden on her shoulders. It's only once the weight lifts a bit that she seems to realize what's happening — and snaps out of it, ducking out from under the maul and letting it slam to the ground.]

Fuck! Why does that keep happening? [Rubbing her temple, she squints at the maul as her eyes return to normal and the tendrils dissipate.] That's not an answer, that's just sarcasm. Try it again.

iii. fire

[The outer islands became Clear's haunts without her really intending them to. However it happened, it's an easy bet that you'll find Clear outside Miaoteo's workshop, perched on a low bench and staring in at the fire of the forge.]

[It might be best to get her attention. She's really staring. Without blinking. Maybe she should blink?]

additional prompts

[autumncoming]

pending. please don't reply!

Michael | OTA

[eudaimonikos]

A. post colosseum

i. post-fight

[After his ill-fated match, Michael walks out of the colosseum in something of a visible daze. The sword he was using is gone, dropped somewhere in the stadium on his way out. He...he feels...he doesn't know what he feels. He's not meant to feel things like this, he thinks, and certainly not this many things at once. He never had before; he'd rather it stopped. 

He's supposed to go get...shells? Rocks, or something? Something like that. The words exchanged in there are a bit of a blur - if anything stands out, beyond the fire, it's the rooster man's face.

So...he'll go get the stuff. It's not because he feels bad. He doesn't feel bad at all, actually, he feels great! He just, um.

He's not quite sure where to go right now. He stands there, looking around, black blood still oozing sluggishly from the cut across his stomach.]

ii. gathering materials

[Okay. Okay. Things are a little better now.

Michael's got the idea of what he's supposed to be doing, and he's gone to handle the easiest part first. Shells from the Lagoon, right? That should be simple enough!

Except, as he walks along the shore, most of the shells are in pieces. And there's a lot of different kinds? He doesn't remember the robot...raccoon thing having any shells on it in the first place, how is he supposed to know what kind of shells it needs? Why are seashells even a part of this?

Shoulders slumped, he shouts to the sky:]

What kind of shells?

ii. were-rabbit

[Late, late one night, there's a cryptid loose on the island.

Which is to say that you might see Michael scurrying around outside, crouching under trees, and ripping up chunks of grass to shove them in his mouth. He freezes stock-still whenever he sees anyone, and he's liable to bolt if anybody tries to come close.

So yeah, that's happening.]

  

iii. dancing queen

[At least Michael had one good time during this event!

After his team's win at the dancing competition, he's flush with victory, and stays for quite a while to party it up on the dance floor. His lucky rose charm is still stuck in his lapel. and he's on the prowl for new people to dance with. Anybody is fair game!]

Hey! You wanna dance?

  

[eudaimonikos]

[After his win at the coliseum, Michael is extremely excited...and, weirdly, sort of pensive. Even after how poorly yesterday went, and all the drama leading up to it, today was the first day he can remember that he felt...like, really good. About himself, about other people, about everything. He's never quite felt like he belongs with anybody on the island, either the bracer club or the animal sort.

Which probably makes for a fun tense roommate situation.

He fully didn't come home last night, and made no effort to let Wash know what was up or where he was going. He usually doesn't; frankly, he doesn't see why the guy would care? But now he's ready to rest, so he bounds up into the cabana with - for once - a big smile! And a big sword resting on his shoulder. Also he's sorta dirty and maybe smells like smoke.]

Oh, hey, you're here!

sayori ♥ doki doki literature club!

[hxppythxughts]

[ this is a catch-all for Sayori's prompts, so more can be added later if need be! if you'd like to tag in with a wildcard, feel free to just reply to this top comment with a prompt. ♥ hit me up at ceesawaseesaw or cee#9435 on Discord if you'd like to plot something specific! ]

♥ I look above; the sky is blue! (OTA) ♥

[hxppythxughts]

[Of course a place like the Cascades would call to Sayori. She's not much for hiking, but she does like adventure, so she's willing to commit to leg day to reach the top of the little island's beautiful waterfall.

Once she's there, of course, it's time for a waterfall ride in her cute new swimsuit!

She howls with delight as she pitches herself down the waterfall, through its ever-present rainbow and into the deep pool of clear water below. She's underwater for an almost worryingly long time, but after a while she surfaces as noisily as she landed, flinging water from her hair and giggling as she wipes it from her face.

She's just reaching out to scratch the belly of a passing platypus when she spots you and lights up. She waves her arm exuberantly over her head in greeting, and also in beckoning.] Hey, hey! You should come swim too, it's fun!!

Honoka Kousaka | Love Live!

[korekara]

[ catchall toplevel for Honoka prompts for this log! this toplevel also counts as the wildcard option, so you can tag in here if u just wanna go apeshit. you can also contact me at superorbital if you wanna plan! ]

arrival - ota!

[korekara]

[ Honoka wakes up with a start, confused twofold over the combination of waking up in an unfamiliar place and not remembering that she'd fallen asleep in the first place. She remembers cool, fresh rain, the shrine with her friends... and then not a whole lot else.

She feels like she should be more concerned about that.

Honoka slowly climbs to her feet – and realizes belatedly that she's not dressed how she remembers being dressed, either. It's a fancy looking outfit, a cutesy heroine costume that Kotori would probably swoon over. It feels comfortable and right even if Honoka doesn't recognize it. In fact, all of this feels a lot less frightening and alienating than logic dictates it should. There's definitely something more than a little weird going on.

She's not alone, at least. Even out here on the beach, she can hear the bustle of life going on around her, so she decides that rather than sitting here by herself... well, she might as well charge head on into it, like she always does.

She pumps her fists a little, trying to get herself energized and then with a little ] Alright! [ she nods to herself and starts making her way up the beach, towards the cabanas. ]

Heeeeeeey! Is there anybody out here? Helloooooo?