MISSION: BAD COMPANY, PART 2

[ximilian]

● ● ● M I S S I O N   4 . 2

INTRO • THE DREAM DEFERRED • YOUR WAKE UP CALL • FYI

// INTRO. WELFORD BRANSON  

It is barely past twilight in Scorpion’s Bend, the twin suns having just set, taking their light with them — but the moons delay, and so darkness lingers over the town as Lan Xichen’s conversation with one Welford Branson comes to an abrupt end. At the same time, all around the town, the team will notice the town natives around them stilling — some freezing in the middle of a sentence, a man with a fork in the air, a woman mid-step on the street, some youngsters with their mouths open in laughter. All of them become statues in less than a heartbeat; still, eyes vacant, like everything that made them seem alive has been taken away.

And then — a reverberating sigh, echoing heavily in the ears of all the Orbers. What follows are words, spoken by a chorusing voice now familiar to most of the team —

“Well now you’ve done it.”

The orb’s echoing sound is filled with disappointment, even annoyance.

Some may see that amidst all the frozen townspeople, an old man runs, clawing at his thinning hair. Some of you may hear his words, muttered, desperate:

“I don't understand, I thought 'twas just a bad dream, everyone was fine, don't understand, what in the name of the Eight could've done somethin' like this —”

The disbelieving mumbles trail at his wake, making it clear he does not know what is going on at all — in fact, you may have a better idea as to what has happened than he does. But as you turn to follow him, open your mouth to yell at him to stop... everything around you shatters.

The lights in the buildings grow dim and break; the smell of food disappears; the horses in the stables simply fade away. You notice that if you were wearing or carrying something you bought while here, it too disappears, your clothes turning to those you had on upon arrival, all equipment shimmering away slowly.

But perhaps most importantly… the frozen statues of people crumble into ash right in front of you. It may fill the floors of the now-silent, dusty and worn-down houses, or it may blow away with the harsh desert wind — whichever it is, sans the team, the town of Scorpion’s Bend is now devoid of people.

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// PART I.THE DREAM DEFERRED  

The town that now surrounds the team is very different from the one it used to be — the houses are quiet, filled with sand and dust; doors broken, tables turned over, drawers open and mostly empty, aside from anything not valuable. The beds in Thornbush Inn are ragged, insects of various sizes skittering along the floors. The Saloon is dusty, furniture broken, and a lone piano stands in the corner, half its keys having crumbled away. The door to the Mayor’s office is ajar, a banging sound repeating as it hits the wall in time with the wind.

1.0   In the corners of the Sheriff’s office, the school and the church, the embera slither along, searching for food; owl-shrews hide from the Orbers on the streets, while feathered coyotes howl at the five moons now lending their light to see the town’s destruction better. The team may be the only living humanoids, but they are not the only living beings in the town anymore; in the absence of people, animals have made the town their home. And coexist they must, now, to survive the rapidly dropping temperature of the night that has fallen upon them.

2.0   The next morning, as the moons disappear underneath the horizon and let the two suns bring out their scorching rays once more, the team wakes up to the reality of having to survive Scorpion’s Bend… with very little supplies. So search the empty houses, for they still stand; the fire that has burned away the people has not touched the buildings… but they have not been immune to the passing of time, or the harsh weather in the desert. You may find clothing, basic equipment, pots and pans left on a now-cold stove; but no valuables, no money, no gems, no jewelry, no weapons.

But amidst your search through the town, remember that what you need, first and foremost, is to find water and something to eat — it will not be long until the suns are high in the sky, and some of you are already in desperate need of proper nourishment, without being left to endure the scorching temperatures the days on the planet of Badrock bring.

3.0   But should you want to brave the heat, you’ll find it is now possible to leave the town and venture out into the desert. Out there, the rock dragons search for prey, while bald vultures circle above your head in groups of three or four, their shrieks growing in volume the farther you walk. If you show weakness, any weakness, they strike — and the dragons, sensing their chance, are not far behind.

And when you least expect it, the ground underneath you trembles, like a small earthquake is approaching you… and then you see it: from the sand, a whale surges up, then another, and another, arcing through the air like suspended there, before the sand swallows them once more. Should you get too close, you too may be swallowed underneath the sand; unless you’re very, very careful, or have in your arsenal something else that may help you to deal with these near-immortal giants that have swam across the deserts for hundreds of thousands of years.

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// PART II.YOUR WAKE UP CALL  

Time passes at a snail’s pace without the comforts of the town you were used to. Scorpion’s Bend is now a wasteland you must survive, and it clearly isn’t easy. Some of you might question whether retrieving the orb is still an endeavour worth pursuing after all of this, but the rest of you know that it is. That you’ve come this far and you’re nearly there; you just need to band together and form a gameplan.

As the suns begin to set over the horizon on yet another grueling day of scorching heat and rough, dry sand in the ghost town of Scorpion’s Bend, you might begin to hear a distant thunder that has nothing to do with an oncoming desert storm or otherwise. It rattles at the already weakened structures of the old Saloon and the General Store, bits of broken glass and debris vibrating with the raucous sound of clattering hooves, feet, and paws. And as the sound of the invasion grows louder – you’ll hear the unmistakable manic howling and bellowing in accompaniment: these are the Bouldersnakes that some of you have already heard much of.

4.0   The Bouldersnakes are not a group to be taken lightly, and have garnered the fearsome reputation that they now hold for a reason. Kicking up dust, they arrive like a cloud of chaos in different sizes, shapes, and forms. Some have the ability to shrink and grow in size to match their opponents in physical size and weight. Other Bouldersnakes are agile and quick; and others yet are superhumanly strong and robust – either way, they make for formidable opponents when you, yourself, have been weakened from weeks of a lack of proper nutrition and sleep. The individual members of the Bouldersnakes are like a band of bloodthirsty brothers: from all walks of life and all colours and creeds, with a severe and mean streak to them, who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

What goals, you ask? Should you listen carefully, their leader, riding a winged lizard-like creature, shouts to their underlings:

“Find it! This is where it told us to come to. We missed it last time, but no more! I don't care what we have to do, we're getting our hands on that thing!”

As it so happens, you are not the only crew in search of that elusive orb; the Bouldersnakes have been tracking down the whereabouts of this mysterious and all-powerful object themselves, burning through towns – quite literally – to get it. News that Scorpion’s Bend has seen a resurgence of life and might still be the resting place of the orb has the bandits seeking out the town again. Their first round through Scorpion's Bend about a year ago had them coming up empty-handed (save for a few bits and baubles), but this time they are determined to find what they've come here to find. Though if there’s anything left here to salvage... they’ll ransack as they please.

Whether you confront them head-on or they catch you in hiding, they won’t easily back down from a fight. It will be best to keep your distance if you can manage it, and hope that they’ll pass you by. But the Bouldersnakes have their weaknesses too: once maimed, they still bleed, and none of them are immortal, though they are notoriously difficult to kill based on their talents alone... and when they carry weapons, too, well — those not accustomed to battles may find it best to hide. And even for those with fighting experience under your belt, teaming up with your fellow Orbers and combining your shared skills will be your best chance at survival.

5.0   By the time the suns have disappeared and the moons have risen, the Bouldersnakes invasion will make the bandit attack from the other night seem like a childish tussle. The Bouldersnakes don’t play nice and have adapted to the harsh lands as ruthless survivors. They arrive like a wave, many equipped with weapons: guns, sabers, pistols and small knives. A few others have engineered their own specially crafted weapons made of metal and magic (in the shape of guns, blow-torches, and blades) that wield a special element harnessed from mined ore called ‘pulsefire’. It is this pulsefire, glowing a deep blue (like the hottest colour of flame), that has the capability to destroy all living beings and allows the bandits to systematically ravage unsuspecting towns down to ash, reap its benefits (either for the town’s riches and wealth, or and especially: for any supply of ore), and then leave without a trace.

The best way to fight against pulsefire is to acquire weapons of pulsefire of your own and best a Bouldersnake before they best you. (Think high stakes, noon-time duels of the pistol.) Of course, this is a very risky and very dangerous affair as one shot by pulsefire could mean your untimely demise and the element itself isn't easy to put out either, so it might be best to work in teams to strategically disarm and swipe a pulsefire weapon to use before they manage to overwhelm you.

NOTE:   If your character is alive, your character will be vulnerable to the effects of pulsefire. Unliving things such as buildings and infrastructure will not be affected. Pulsefire has a slow spread-rate over unliving things, but its effects on the living are instant. Once in contact with the element, pulsefire quickly consumes the living body and spirit until it is turned to ash. Putting pulsefire out over unliving things is relatively easy, but once pulsefire has touched the living, there's little to no chance of making it out in one piece.

All through this, you must still remember your goal — it is not to stay in Scorpion's Bend, or even fight the Bouldersnakes, but to find the orb... and that means finding Welford Branson. How will you convince him to give you the orb, when all signs point to him not even knowing what it is, or what it has done? That is what you must decide... if you survive the Bouldersnakes in one piece, of course.

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F Y I

• The events in this log take place ICly right after the end of the NPC thread.

• The voting for how to get the orb is now open! Please head HERE to submit your idea for how the team should proceed to get the orb, or +1 others’ ideas.

• The conclusion of the mission and the return to the station will be posted on February 13.

• If you have questions about anything in this log, please direct them HERE.

• And finally, your soundtrack for this log: ♪ ♪ ♪

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Comments

[firstroar]

[a fresh little pulse of relief escapes him, able to assuage the worries that Jim's distress for Finn's state. it eases some of the conflict straining his features, even pulls a brief flicker of a smile out of the corner of his lips, before he rises up on his toes so he can plant a gentle kiss on Finn's cheek.]

Thank you.

[he withdraws, hanging onto Finn's wrists to pull him along to sit down with him on the blankets and cushions ferreted down here from above and other buildings.

nodding to a satchel nearby:] There are station rations left. You should have some. We don't know...how long this reprieve will be, after all.

[hatejakku]

[ Blue's relief creates his own and is able to make a tiny feedback loop of positive emotions. At least they have that, despite everything else going on.

He sits with Blue and immediately feels himself relaxed, more tired than he thought he'd been. But Finn glances at the satchel. ]

I'm okay. The Force has helped, and I don't want to take your food. [ He weaves their hands together, as if that's the end of that conversation. ] But thank you.

[firstroar]

[Blue could mention that it would get wasted, given how he can barely stomach any of it, but between the insistence of Finn's hands and a recollection of Jim's frustrations puts a cap on that.

he'd said he would put his trust in Finn...so it was time to put his money where his mouth is, in a sense.

he looks down, pulling their hands into his lap, taking a moment to consider the state of Finn's, all dusty and rough from the hard work of his days. he gently brushes his thumb across one of his knuckles.]

I still haven't...found sense of him. That man. I'm sorry. He must be behind that doorway I can't reach. The one...we were searching for when we cornered that man.

[hatejakku]

[ Finn certainly wouldn't allow the rations to go to waste, but that would hardly be his focus if this was brought up. He'd be far more concerned with Blue's health, in that instance.

But, for now, he's entirely unaware. All he's thinking is that he should have cleaned up a little before coming here, the dust on his hands and stark contrast to Blue's hands in his. ]

... The orb must be holding the door closed. But that's okay. You don't have to apologize. These things are so powerful, I doubt all of us together could break a barrier they put in place.

[firstroar]

[Blue hums a soft sound of agreement, but it's clear he's still holding himself up to a high standard out of a mix of worry for his friends and a desperation to prove himself - that he can still help these people, spare them from another more torturous time stranded here. even knowing his limits doesn't make that want any less - it's only natural.]

This is...why we are here. But...I think that extended time...awake on that station... [his mouth tugs.] It's spoiled me a little. I want to go back. I want...everyone to be back there instead. [he shakes his head.] But that won't...help everyone fulfill their wishes, will it.

[but more and more, his wishes are changing. the regrets fueling them, changing - almost as fast as he's fading! more than ever, things are moving...so very, very fast.]

[hatejakku]

[ The wishes... Damn, it's incredible how often he forgets the real purpose of why they're all here. ]

At this point... I think everyone wants to go back, orb or not. I won't say that they don't care about their regrets. We all do. Some will do more than most to make it happen.

But nothing will work if we're all- [ Y'know. Dead.

He sighs and leans a little into Blue, exhausted. ] You're not spoiled, Blue. Wanting everyone to be happy and safe isn't being spoiled. It can't be.

[firstroar]

[Blue sits up a little straighter in response to being leaned on, wanting to be a bit more stable for Finn's sake. he turns his head a bit to let Finn relax temple to temple.]

You're right. [he has to be.] Being soldiers...doesn't erase those kinds of wants. [it informs them, fuels them.] And having...a wish to see better times...that isn't wrong at all.

It's true all along, but...feels truer when I hear it outside of my own thoughts. Thank you.

[hatejakku]

If we don't wish for something better, then why are we even here?

[ Said quietly to himself, as if it's a reminder or a mantra. Finn gets caught up in his own thoughts far too much, too. Who would have thought?

But he takes a deep breath and sighs, his eyes fluttering closed. When he speaks this time, it's definitely to Blue. ]

You're welcome. Sometimes, we just... need someone else.

[firstroar]

[boy, ain't that the truth, the goshdang Mu state of existence.

Finn's weariness...it's near as heavy as the weight against him. Blue closes his eyes and sits in this moment for a few minutes before he gently squeezes at Finn's hands, passing along the suggestion the man lay down and try to get a little sleep, to rest his head in Blue's lap.

it will be alright.]

[hatejakku]

[ Finn tilts his head enough to look at Blue as if to convey that he really shouldn't, there's so much happening, he can't afford to stop yet. Using the Force like he is, keeping himself sustained, he's not sure what will happen if he just stops.

But... a little while shouldn't hurt. Probably. And just the offer of being close is so tempting--

He makes his mind shut up before shifting, scooting away before gently laying down, his head on Blue's lap. His hand lands on Blue's knee, just to touch. ]

Thank you.

[firstroar]

[Blue only needs to adjust a little, shifting the way he's sat to keep his leg from falling asleep as Finn lays his head down. he rests one hand on his shoulder while the other gently strokes at his hair in a slow, soothing rhythm.]

Back on the Shangri-La... She'd do this for me. Physis. She'd rest my head in her lap...and do just this while Alfred plucked away on his lyre.

[hatejakku]

[ He doesn't know who Physis and Alfred are. He's not even totally sure what a lyre is. But as Blue speaks it, remembers, Finn feels like he understands.

Or maybe it's just that hazy feeling of acceptance right before one nods off. He's feeling pretty comfortable right now. ]

That sounds perfect. I'm glad you had that.

[firstroar]

[he can have it, too. to some degree. he can have the recollection of gentle music being played somewhere distant and unseen while someone watches over him, hoping to soothe some of the strain of strife by simple presence and some methodical movements. neither of them would even think to take the moment for granted, so the very notion of doing so is far, far away.

it's hard to stay awake himself! but Blue will keep up for a while longer best he can before nodding off, too; at least by then Finn will get himself a little rest for whatever awaits them all next.]