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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
He's not disbelieving Angus, just pointing out that the mural is now even weirder. Returning to that memory question...
"I've got more facts and concepts than dates up here right now. I remember doin' the Candlenights thing twice, but it ain't like I remember everything in between right now."
no subject
"I'm just a kid. I'm a whole lot younger than these murals. Maybe I'm wrong. This is all supposition."
Even memories are unreliable. Dates, on the other hand, are hard fact; it causes him clear distress that Sans's memories aren't so concrete.
"That's true. There could be other information we're missing. Even if there isn't, so much time is unaccounted for that it could be more than a year since that last Candlenights memory and we wouldn't know! Maybe time isn't something that can be relied on as a stable factor here, sir. Maybe facts and concepts are all we have to go on."
He rubs his chin.
"The fact is that I know these murals are important. Even if I don't have concrete evidence to back this up, such as memories of a time when I understood what they meant, I still know this to be a fact! And the only person whose judgment I would trust so strongly would be my own. So let's work on the idea that my feeling is right. The facts and concepts in this mural are these two figures and this book. The best way to build on those concepts is to look for more information on them in the surrounding murals. Will you help me look, sir?"
no subject
Rather, Sans doesn't really like being relied on too much, though he can't remember why. He wouldn't want to let Angus down. But he will give it a shot.
no subject
“Thank you, sir! We’re gonna look so hard that our eyes fall out, maybe!”
Maybe not that hard. But Sans does find something curious, and remarkably quickly. (No DC; 17) In a dark corner of the Ruins, there is a mural in the same faded colors as the figure opposing the monster in the main mural. This painting, however, is focused only on the figure’s face.
Her shock of white hair stands in stark contrast to the luminescent black creeping over her brown skin. It’s slid up her neck and the corner of her jaw, covered one ear, and is still climbing. There are flickers of color in it, but most of it is a bottomless pitch color that it’s shocking has survived so pristinely, weathered by years. Some spaces of the blackness seem to be forming shapes, subtle pinprick points of differing sizes. The expression on her face is complex. The twist of her mouth speaks to rage, absolutely blinding fury — but her eyes spell fear.
Still, she’s easily recognizable. If Sans remembers Lucretia, that is.
no subject
no subject
Through his trembling fingers, he speaks. "I remember this. I remember. I remember this, I was there, Sans, I saw her! I tried to stop her but it was too late, she wouldn't listen, and she — it was already happening, she was already like this and it wouldn't let her go!"
Tears are pouring down his cheeks and over his hand. His whole body is shaking now. Now, he's really starting to remember.
no subject
"D'you remember the details? What was she doing you wanted to stop? Is this picture some kinda metaphor or was this actually happening?"
no subject
The hand on his shoulder is grounding, but he still has to cover his face to shut out the world for a few moments. It's all just too much, the memories pouring in all at once and nearly impossible to make sense of. Too many images overlapping each other in his mind, and he doesn't know which ones need to be sorted through first. Even Sans's question seems to be lost on him.
And then.
"Angus! Angus! D-Detective McDonald!"
A voice comes from behind Angus and despite it using the title Niely most often uses, that voice definitely isn't Niely's — nor is it coming from a person at all. The wall that Angus and Sans have been inspecting is changing. The pigmented silvery paint that makes up one of the illustrations of the dragons has begun to move, dragging itself through the wall like a cartoon, pressing its paws against Angus and Sans's side of the wall like glass.
"Angus, I know this is really hard right now, and really scary but — but you're not here alone. I need you to remember. Your memory, Angus — your memory is the key to all this! And — and — and I'm here, I'm watching, I'm with you. Whatever you remember, whatever you see — don't give up! And don't forget—
There's strength in asking for help!"
The dragon seems to scratch almost desperately at Angus, but all of a sudden the illustration lays still, leaving only the idea of a baby dragon with its arms outstretched, pleading.
Angus just . . . stares at it. Eyes wide as saucers, hands fallen to his sides. Eventually, tentatively, he presses his hand to the dragon in the mural.
"This — this isn't a metaphor. This is real. This—" He turns back to the mural of Lucretia's face. Reaches out to it, then draws the palm of his hand across the stone to the mural of the woman wrapped in thorn. "Happened. Somebody put a curse on her. On — no, not her, on her staff. And it spread to her. The Hunger—"
A long, shuddering sigh. His shoulders shake under Sans's hand.
"I told her that we could help her if she let us, you and me and everyone, but she just — she just gave up. That's when it started happening. It took her over, sir. Right in front of me. And I couldn't stop it."
no subject
Sans is going to touch the mural with his free arm, though--are these rocks those technomagically conductive ones used in KV's lab?
"So it took her over. And the staff. Or I guess the staff first, yeah?" Sans is trying to work through the implications here, but that's a complicated situation right now. "So, uh--okay, pretty sure any of us tryin' to stop that on their own wouldn't work, so don't beat yourself up about it. Your eyes didn't even have to fall out before you started rememberin' stuff. Just gotta let the others know."
no subject
Angus seems to be having some trouble with the don't-beat-yourself-up clause of this conversation. He's no longer shaking or crying, but he looks extremely downcast, staring down at the ground with a deep frown that is just not ten-year-old boy appropriate.
"But I'm a detective, sir. I should be able to figure things out and present solutions. And I wanted to protect all of you."
. . . Wait. He looks up at Sans suddenly.
"Eyes fall out?" He squints a little. Should he be worried? Should he cover them up?
no subject
That is definitely not true.
"So, uh, these rocks ain't magic. You had them start talkin' to you before?"
no subject
Shaking his head, he adds, “No. They never moved or anything. They’re just paintings, sir, they shouldn’t do anything.” He doesn’t ask if Sans is sure his magic is working correctly. He knows better by now. Instead, it’s time to think outside the box. “Could there be someone inside the rock, possibly?”
no subject
Anyway, those rocks. "Seems like it'd be a tight fit. But hey, one way to find out." And Sans knocks twice on the mural, complete with a "knock, knock", because knock knock jokes are how you find out if people you can't see are in places.
no subject
For a second or two, nothing.
Then there's a glitch in the wall. A very brief one and less noticeable than some of the others have been; it's more like the entire mural goes sort of pixellated and the colors adjust a bit too starkly. It doesn't look right. But a blink later and it's back to normal, except that the dragon in the mural is sitting up on its haunches, facing Angus and Sans.
"Who's there?" it says, in that same voice used before, sort of nasally and anxious — and then there's the sound of someone slapping their forehead with their palm with far too much reverb added. Belatedly, the dragon slaps its forehead, too. "Wait, I know the answer to this one."
What's that sound. Off in the distance. Getting louder. It's—
A musical interlude.
The dragon in the wall begins to sing. And dance. This is happening.
"Ahem! Hey! Listen to me!
You've asked who I was so now I'll show you my beat
I'm Mr. Universe, I'm everything, sorry we couldn't meet
in better circumstance
but second chances
don't seem to come cheap
Nevertheless you called for me, Angus,
well, maybe not by name
Your voice reached past the stars
it woke me from the frame-
work, broke me out of my plane
busted out the window pane
on the fourth wall
now I heed your call
and look at you all
When you were destined to fall,
you all saw
a different ending to reach for
and now safe mode's on
so you can all catch on
to the trauma you forgot before you got your island on!
And I could spend my time weaving
what you believe in
til the fabric of magic is darned
with existential yarn
Angus you might not recall our last meeting
In all due fairness your chances were fleeting
with a wish on a book you found yourself entreating
for one last chance to keep the hunger from eating
With your last seconds passing we needed more time
so I took what a second means, changed it, redefined
you can buy more with dollars than dimes
then put everything on rewind
'til you find
the clues to your questions of what's left unanswered
but really Angus if you'd just take a chance you'd
see that the things you're afraid to remember aren't so bad!
Okay, so the whole story's sad
But remember
you're a member
of a group, a society
that can save the whole universe and everything inside of me
if you trust what you're finding and just believe in yourself
I promise in no time you'll find all the help
that you need to get back to where you need to be!
I just needed you here long enough to free
her, you, and do what you needed of me.
You called out for my help, I am your answer!
It's time to solve this mystery a little faster.
You know what you need to do and where to go to do it
And when you do what you have to do, I promise, you'll all get through it."
The dragon sits back down in the mural and goes still.
no subject
Sans feels dizzy. He keeps his hand on the wall, to keep himself steady, and grins at Angus.
"Hey, look at that, you were right."
There's more to say about getting a whole song about their situation but for now, Angus, thoughts?
no subject
That's the first thing he says. He still hasn't looked away from the mural or, in fact, blinked. Time. Time.
"Did I . . . ask for help? For more time?" He shakes his head. "I don't remember that, but I don't remember anything."
Then again, they needed it. They badly needed more time, if the memories that are trickling back in are true.
no subject
Sans is not singing it, though, sorry.
no subject
It's too soon to give up, that's for certain, no matter how disorienting his jumbled memories are.
"I wonder who we should ask first? I would probably ask you first, sir, but we've already been talking. Somebody else who knows a lot of things."
no subject
Sans is not actually going to make Angus sing it. Angus is probably not going to realize that, though.
no subject
"Wh-what? What, no, I can't — sir, I can't sing! You sing!"
He will not stand for this!!
no subject
Sans is speaking literally right now.
no subject
Angus, meanwhile, is getting close to screaming.
no subject
...
...
...
"Write it down."
no subject
All the air goes out of him pretty quickly.
"I can do that."