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imaginarylogs2020-08-08 08:15 pm
imaginarymods) wrote in imaginarylogs2020-08-08 08:15 pm
extra mission log 1 : the island of dancing animals
EXTRA MISSION : LOG ONE
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.
"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!
no subject
If Mira chooses to go further, she will be entering a high risk high reward scenario with high potential for character death. Would you like to proceed?
no subject
(the left, if y'all want me to choose here i just woke up)
no subject
Once Mira turns left, she enters a long tunnel that winds and meanders some distance under the earth. It is cold, being so far underground and surrounded on all sides by crystal and water. Every surface of this tunnel, like the entrance chamber, is reflective crystal. At every corner, Mira will see multiple reflections of herself reflected in the reflections.
If at any point Mira chooses to turn back and return to the entrance, she won't be able to find it. The only way out is through, and through, in this case, means through this mirror maze.
The majority of her journey is extremely monotonous. It takes a long time to make any sort of progress, all while not knowing for sure whether she's made progress at all. There is absolutely no distinction between one section of maze or the other. When she comes to a branching of paths, one looks precisely identical to the other. When she comes to a dead end, turning back the way she came rarely seems exactly like the way she came. She will be here long enough to get hungry, to get tired, to feel physical exhaustion. And to get cold, of course.
Is Mira claustrophobic? Does she have a fear of being buried alive? Does she struggle with isolation, or mirrors, or the concept of doubling? Tell us, if you don't mind, how Mira will feel in a seemingly endless mirror maze. Her reaction will help us determine what challenges she may face going forward.
no subject
So yeah. Seeing double, triple, quadruple? That's gonna freak her out. Just a little. (A lot.)
As for your question about struggling with isolation... Oh yeah. If there's one thing that absolutely terrifies her, it's the thought of isolation. And she begins to wonder if she's going to die down here, all alone. Nothing is scarier than that. And, if she's cold and tired... that definitely makes all of this feel a thousand times more intense.
no subject
Mira's in for the long haul down here. Survival under these circumstances is a matter of endurance and the ability to stay sane while making logical navigation choices in a highly disorienting environment. This is a pretty tall order for such a small girl, and sadly, she struggles from the start.
The first leg of the maze has her in top form: as alert and well-oriented as anyone could expect, under the circumstances. She travels for hours, running into dead end after dead end, frustration building, until finally she has to pause, just to close her eyes. (DC 13; +1 WIS = 5 + 1 = 6; next roll -1) Unintentionally, she sleeps. Behind her eyes is a fragment of a memory, one that some part of her knows is hers, something that hasn't happened yet or happened so long ago it's been forgotten. This dream is Mira, pinned behind glass, banging the flats of her hands bloody against the translucent material and screaming, though no sound can be heard. After some time, she bangs so hard on the glass that it explodes — and she wakes.
The dream leaves her groggy, upset, and much more frightened by the mirrored surfaces around her than she was before, no matter how much she tells herself it was only a dream. The second leg of the maze has her jumping at every imagined sound, chilled down to the bone. (DC 13; +1 WIS -1 loss penalty = 4 + 0 = 4; next roll -1) At some point she begins talking to herself, maybe as if to her dog or another loved one or truly just to calm herself down, but once she starts she finds she can't stop. Words fall from her lips without pause; her mouth goes dry and her throat sore with overuse. Nothing is thought without being said.
It's in the third leg that things truly begin to deteriorate. The wall, floor, ceiling remains glass, but streaked through with veins of black spotted with color, the shine of opal. This should make it easier to determine what is real and what is not, but it doesn't, because sometimes the veins don't stay on the walls and floor and ceiling. Sometimes they stretch across the center of the passage, leading Mira to turn to avoid running into a wall only to find it was never a wall in the first place when she runs into the real one. If she passes her hand through the veins, they disappear like smoke, only to reform a few seconds later.
(DC 13; +1 WIS -2 loss penalty = 9 - 1 = 8) The last dead end Mira hits before she has to stop and rest for a few minutes brings with it some kind of revelation. When her palms touch glass, she becomes convinced, she is certain that she is Chosen for something. She doesn't know what, or how she knows, but her knowledge is certain and unshakable. Some greater being wants her for some greater purpose. She has to get out of here in order to fulfill that purpose, whatever it is. (No matter how grand or petty that purpose might be.)
In her fervor, she turns back the way she came.
At the end of the passage, just before an abrupt right turn, is the figure of someone who looks a little bit like her, but not exactly the same. The hair is different, the eyes . . . close enough to be family, but not twins. A sibling, perhaps. It stares at her with wide eyes and then beckons before turning down the adjoining passage. In Mira's ear, a familiar voice whispers, You're almost there.
no subject
What else is there to do but press on?
She follows the figure.
no subject
The figure of her brother is gone.
A dozen yards down the passage stands something different. It looks like another reflection at first, as though maybe the passage ends abruptly in another mirror. But as Mira walks, it stays still, its shape not imitating her movements. The closer she gets, though, the more obvious it becomes that this figure is just like her, a perfect doppelganger from top to bottom; even the bags under its eyes mirror hers, after wandering around down here for so long.
Once she gets close, it lifts its head to stare at her. Its eyes are black with luminescent flickers of color in their depths, just like the veins in the walls. Otherwise, it is her. She reaches up to nervously tuck her hair behind her ear; it does the same. She comes to a stop, shifts her weight; it does, too.
If she speaks to it, its mouth will move, but it won't make a sound. If asked to move, it won't. The only way out of here is to push past it, but it seems unwilling to let her do so. This passage is narrow, but there's a small chamber to be seen over its shoulder where Mira might have more space to maneuver.
What does she do?
no subject
The doppelganger is unsettling, and the fact that it looks identical to her current state brings up a lot of questions she's just too tired to think about. She won't try to push past, but she certainly sees that small chamber.
So... it's time to try out some things.
1. She'll use Druidcraft to create an effect. She'll make a puff of smoke to, hopefully, distract and/or disorient the doppelganger long enough to sneak past.
2. Speaking of sneaking... Sneak Attack time, but with less attacking and more sneaking. She does try to unbalance the doppelganger, though, if it comes down to it. Should she have to, she'll use Evasion to get out of the way.
3. She'll use Moonbeam to not only reveal what the doppelganger actually is (if it's anything), but to immobilize it if she has to.
4. If she manages to get past the doppelganger, she'll use Cat Burglar to give her an extra boost to get to that chamber if she needs to.
no subject
She steps, and it steps in turn. She dodges, and it dodges along. She makes a puff of smoke; it doesn’t, can’t, but it performs the same hand motions, moves its mouth to say the same words without sound. Its eyes, unblinking, stay locked on hers. There is no Sneak Attack, because she can’t sneak up on herself; no Evasion, because it knows what she’s going to do before she does it.
It’s starting to look pretty desperate. Until Mira brings down that Moonbeam.
The pillar of light bounces off of every mirrored surface, nearly blinding after so long in the dim. Caught in its beam, the doppelganger spasms and freezes entirely, its mouth opening in a silent scream. The edges of it go fuzzy and ill-defined, wrong, as it tries to change its shape and finds itself caught in place for the first time in its short life. And then—
The doppelganger opens.
That’s the only way to describe it. The space it takes up in the passageway peels back, revealing a hole — a window into something else. An inky, endless blackness with color sparking through. Shaped like a person. Shaped like Mira.
Within the shape, an eye opens. And another. And more.
Whatever action Mira is about to take, something else makes the decision for her. There’s a crash in the distance, the way she came, then a couple more smaller crashes before the source of the sound comes careening around the corner: a soaking wet red umbrella, zooming towards her at top speed. Once it’s close enough, it jabs her in the spine, hard. The message is loud and clear: MOVE, NOW.
This is a good time to use Cat Burglar, as it happens. With quick feet and the umbrella at her back, Mira runs past the chasm that was her doppelganger, that still bears her shape, into the chamber beyond this tunnel. Another turn left, then right, and the tunnel veers up — up — and there’s sunlight, and she’s out—
(And behind her, far enough back that she can neither see nor hear, there’s a soft yelp.
“Woops. Woops woops woops. Okay, just gonna clean . . . this up, and — there.”
The empty space full of eyes pixelates and then . . . sews up neatly, leaving only the mirrors behind.
“We don’t have time for you just yet. Not. Yet.”)
no subject