MISSION: THE DARKEST WILD

[ximilian]

● ● ● M I S S I O N   1 0 . 0

GHOST IN THE MACHINE • IN DEEP WATER • JUNGLE RULES • THE FLOOR IS LAVA • FYI

// INTRO. GHOST IN THE MACHINE  

It’s the middle of the day when the ping! of a new mission file is broadcast across every crewmember’s communications device. Whether you were in the middle of your meal, or occupied in one of the other rooms, you might want to pause for a moment to check on the file and hear what Viveca has to say.

// VIVECA

Hi all, your next mission starts tomorrow morning. It’s looking to be a lot of survival in the wilderness, so pack accordingly. The orb is in a volcano, but I’ll try to get you as close to it as possible, so you can go get it and get back in.

You’ll have the rest of the afternoon to figure out what to pack with you, and it might not be a bad idea to seek some advice from those more experienced with the great outdoors; and when the morning comes, it is time to head to the teleportation platform once again.

It’ll be up and running when you arrive, its’ hum now a familiar sound — and beside the platform, Viveca awaits the entire team to shuffle in. Once everyone has gathered there, she takes a quick headcount and then smiles.

// VIVECA

Right, good luck, everyone. If everything goes well, this shouldn’t take too long.

With that, the machine’s hum grows louder and louder, its lights blinding —

And then all of a sudden the lights shut down, the hum of the engine cutting off as if by a knife’s edge. Perhaps you are part of those who are left standing on the now-quiet platform, Viveca’s quiet curses in the dark the only other sound … until sudden laughter is carried into your comms, a woman’s voice echoing in your ears.

Or it may just be that you are one of those that the machine takes with it, suspended in the middle of nothingness with the multiverse surrounding you, waiting to be pulled towards the right direction — in your ears, there is the whisper of many voices, telling you what you must do in order to receive their help.

And then, just before you can open your mouth to shout for help, you find sand beneath your feet.

Somehow, some way, you’ve arrived on Noth 11X8.

TOP

// PART I.IN DEEP WATER  

The pale yellow skies of Noth 11X8 are dark and storm-filled when you arrive. Rolling thunder booms in the distance, and fat raindrops fall around you, leaving you drenched in seconds. At your feet are the pale sands of the island’s shoreline, and stretching out beyond that are the wild, torrential waves you’re meant to cross.

You might take a moment to gather your wits about you, but it won’t take long to realize there are fewer of your number than you last remember. If you try to reach out to the missing crew, you’ll only find static through your earpiece… similar to the way it sounds whenever you try to reach Viveca or Degar during a mission.

Wherever the rest of the team are, whatever happened to them — those are answers you won’t find in the wilds that stretch out around you. What you do know is this: there is an orb waiting for you on the next island over, and the faster you get to it, the faster you can hope to find your missing people and finally get the sand out from between your toes. (You know, if you’ve got them.)

1.0   Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as if the storm will let up any time soon. (In fact, it won’t until seven hours later.) Those of you who are perhaps feeling antsier than the others might genuinely consider attempting the trip even with the waters raging as they are. Who knows, maybe you’ve got skills and abilities of your own that would make the journey from island to island mere child’s play.

2.0   Maybe you notice the giant turtle dragon peacefully slumbering along the shoreline, whose entire length, as far as you can see, stretches the distance between the two islands. With its tough, armored skin and the rock-like formations along its shell, the turtle dragon almost appears… hikable. It’s definitely a risk, but is it any riskier than braving the churning waters yourself? It doesn’t even seem to notice the commotion happening all around it, so what are the chances it’ll notice a little ant like you crawling along its body?

Of course, you can always choose to wait the weather out. By the following morning, the skies will have cleared, and you can now see the main island in the distance. There, rising right out of its center, is the volcano that houses the orb. Thanks to the mission file you know it is active, but right now it sits dormant, save for a faint cloud of crackling energy floating over its peak. The more you look at it, the more unsettling it becomes, until eventually you find yourself forced to look away.

You refocus. One quick look around you will make clear that the turtle dragon has disappeared, likely sinking back under the cooler waters to avoid the rising heat from the planet’s trinity of suns. The air is thick and humid now, tasting of the previous night’s rains, but the ocean is calm and welcoming. What better time to venture out than now?

3.0   Daylight reveals the smaller island to be rife with natural resources that can easily make a handy raft, should you have the skill to fashion one. The trees alone would suffice: tough wood, sturdy and flexible leaves, vines for rope, and sap so sticky and waterproof it would give any artificial glue a run for its money. (Careful not to get it on your hands! The only way to remove the sap from any surface is to use the juice of the tree’s fruits ... a fine idea of course, except for the rank smell that lingers for at least two days.)

4.0   Further investigation will reveal the planet’s fauna to be just as helpful as its flora. Basking along the shoreline are a herd of irkals. While the males are only about 2 meters long, the females average around 3 meters from the tips of their snout to the tips of their tails. They are friendly and playful when approached, to the point where it doesn’t take much cajoling for the irkals to wade into the waters with you. By that point, why not test your luck? This time around, fortune favors the friendly — any who attempt to get a ride off of one of the irkals will find them agreeable. In fact, they might even make a race of it…

5.0   Should you choose a more direct route, you’ll find the waters during the daytime a tepid temperature, just a degree or two shy of feeling uncomfortable. Swimming the distance will clock you in somewhere under three hours, and the trip will be (miraculously) relatively uneventful. Save for the group of irkals, the waters are quiet. As you get closer to the main island, you may happen across a lone gevvin hanging around just outside of the shoreline. Though it will find you curious and swim closer for examination, it won’t prove aggressive unless provoked first.

TOP

// PART II.JUNGLE RULES  

Regardless of how you get there, the moment you step onto the main island’s sands, you can feel the difference. The air here is thicker, almost tangible and electric. In fact, the closer you get to the island’s center, the denser the atmosphere around you will feel, as if something invisible is physically trying to prevent you from approaching.

But that’s a problem for future-you. Right now, you’ve still got the rest of the island to get through. Those of you with teleporting abilities or enhanced speed will find they no longer work accurately, and the more you try, the more disastrous every outcome gets. Hopefully you’ve packed some water to keep hydrated, because it looks like you’re stuck doing it the old-fashioned way.

At least the view is nice. Like the island you first landed on, the main island is overrun with nature, with plenty of vegetation and fruit to provide sustenance. Flora of various kinds thrive in vivid, brilliant colors, providing a lush backdrop to your otherwise tenuous trek.

6.0   But as the day wears on, the planet’s suns prove to be an obstacle all on their own. In the middle of the day when the suns are at their highest in the sky, the heat will be so unbearable that only a handful of seconds under direct light will result in second degree burns. It may be in your best interest to find shade and shelter with your fellow teammates until the worst of the mid-afternoon sunlight has passed.

7.0   Nevertheless, the majority of your traveling will probably be best done during the daytime. At night, Noth 11X8’s only moon plunges the planet into a bone-piercing chill. Even if you can withstand the freezing cold, what little moonlight that manages to make it through the tree’s canopies makes for overall poor visibility, hindering any productive travel.

8.0   And be careful not to get too distracted by the scenery either. Many dangers await you on a planet deemed ungovernable by its own neighbors. Apart from the creatures of interest listed on the mission file, the island is teeming with wildlife who may not take too kindly over being disturbed. They may be encountered during the day as you're trekking through the island, or at night when you're trying to rest, so make sure to familiarise yourself with them beforehand so you know what to look out for.

• Zhen’e: Amphibious, herd animal. Usually stick to swamps and rivers, their tough headplates (which they use to ram into their enemies) make for good shields.

• Dregzeok: Nocturnal. They hunt in pairs using their razor-sharp horns/antlers and the glowing orbs along their body, which gathers energy from the planet’s moon to create concussive energy blasts.

• Bladed Iris: Named for their coloring that matches many of the island’s wild flora, these solitary reptiles main weapon are the numerous spikes along their tail and frill. If that doesn’t work, they can also spit out a corrosive acid the same orange color as their markings.

• Thrilqoils: A symbiotic species, each thrilqoil is host to at least a dozen qoils (miniscule, gnat-like insects). While relatively peaceful, they can be very territorial of their nests found along low-hanging branches of trees. Just one sting can cause the flesh to swell up to the size of a small melon.

• Swamp Boars: Found only in swamps, their tough plating make for good armor. Though these herbivores keep mostly to themselves, they have been known to maul and gore any would-be threats.

• Khulgruns: These giants can be easily confused with the trees found scattered near rivers, but the khulgruns themselves are not actually the wood, but rather the glowing bulbs encased within them. Once fully matured, a khulgrun will burrow itself into a tree, uproot it, and use it as a vessel for its body.

• Oltir: While a useful plant during the evening, ingesting the bulbs of an oltir will cause the eater to feel incredibly intoxicated for the next three hours as it digests.

TOP

// PART III.THE FLOOR IS LAVA  

Despite it all, you reach your destination. By now, the orb’s power is downright palpable in the air surrounding the volcano. Gravity feels stronger, making each step heavier than the last. At its peak, pink-purple clouds swirl overhead like a brewing storm. Maybe you feel a sense of unease at the sight of the omen, but you also know how close you are now. There, nestled into the volcano’s caldera, sits your ticket out of this hellscape — the orb.

Then it happens — a daunting rumble.

9.0   Like a tidal wave, the rumbling ripples through the volcano, making the ground beneath your feet shudder and groan. Without any further warning, scorching lava spews out from the opening, erupting into the air and running down its craggy sides. Riding the fiery currents are magma crabs, looking for an easy meal by snatching up any scorched creature the lava leaves behind. You’ll probably want to get out of the way.

And yet, you know you have to find a way to brave the lava and the fumes of the active volcano, because leaving the orb there is not an option — so it's in your best interest to put your thinking caps on, plan with others, and figure out a way to get to your goal.

TOP

F Y I

• The events in this log take place during two weeks in the middle of November. The members of the team that get teleported will return towards the end of November, while the rest of the crew remain behind on the station.

• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.

• To submit a suggestion for the orb retrieval, please do so HERE.

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

TOP

▶ NAV

Comments

QUESTIONS.

[ximilian]

For any questions regarding the events or information on this log, ask them here.

[morethan084]

Hi mods! Are there any limitations, aside from the usual limitations of Daisy’s powers on missions during this one? :)

[laviny]

Hello mods! Just wondering if high tech night vision goggles would help with the night visibility issue at all?

[oiorpata]

is the orb still visible inside the volcano? like, is the lava moving around it?

[drawsblood]

I noticed some of the wildlife on the island have parts that can be fashioned into shields or armor. Would this prove helpful in some way to orb retrieval? Are these parts heat resistant to some degree?

Re: QUESTIONS.

[shishkabob]

if Dante eats even like a teeny bit of the Dreogzeok raw what’ll happen to him? he’s a pretty durable guy so he can survive any effects but I just wanna know what happens to him for his hubris. like does he get alien salmonella??

(if he cooks it do any negative effects go away?)

ORB RETRIEVAL.

[ximilian]

Please leave your suggestions for how the team might go about retrieving the orb found within the caldera of the volcano.

Other participating in the mission can then comment around and +1 the suggestions their character would agree with.

Suggestions and voting will close November 19, 2022.

[morethan084]

With the volcano’s eruption in full swing Daisy will give Gwen a boost up to the caldera with her powers. Gwen will then web up Andy and Joe(because yolo doesn’t apply to them) and lower them into it. They’ve also got grappling hooks that Natasha and Yelena offered, in the hopes of making the retrieval of the orb easier. Daisy is also ready to catch anyone up there with her powers as well, should they need it.

What could possibly go wrong? A lot.

(Totally up for more ideas in the comments, this just was hashed out with a few others yesterday on the network. Mods, I’d say I’m sorry for the chaos but you’re all probably used to it by now.)

Rosinante | OTA

[callada]

In Deep Water: 3.0

The storm is a disappointment, but Rosinante is determined not to let it become a setback. While the rain hammers the island, he sets to work - and there's a lot of work to be done, so no time to waste.

He quickly recruits anyone who's willing to help. "Let's knock down some trees. The more hands, the better - a couple rafts, each with a mast, and some paddles," he explains. The distance looks short enough to the next island that a sail is secondary to rowing, but why not have both?

He's brought a large duffel bag with saws, hatchets, nails and rope - so it's not exactly a fully-stocked tool shed, but anyone who wants to help should be able to find themselves a job.

--

And eventually, the sky clears and it's time to launch. With a grin on his face and a paddle in hand, he steps onto a raft - and sure, it teeters a little, but it's more than big enough for him and a few others. "All aboard," he calls out, and looks over at that foreboding volcano across the water. "Time to go find ourselves some trouble."

Jungle Rules: 7.0/8.0

"Should've wrapped those tools in blankets," Rosinante mutters to himself as he stokes a campfire, then stuffs his hands back into his pockets. Survival in the cold isn't new, but damn is it not much fun. Luckily, he did think to bring a basic mess kit, the sort of thing he'd hauled all over the North Blue - and so he has a pot filled with instant noodles boiling over the fire.

"You hungry?" he asks. "Come warm up."

--

The smell of food and the warmth of the fire attract some non-orbers as well. As he's about to serve up the last of the noodles, glowing lights glint from the trees behind the campfire.

Glowing lights that highlight the faintest outlines of antlers and stocky bodies. Hm. He sets the stirring spoon back down and watches the pair of creatures curiously - which is exactly when one lowers its head, and the lights begin to glow brighter, before it fires a blast that strikes the sand beside the fire, throwing the flaming logs into disarray and knocking Rosinante backward. The second creature prepares to charge - right at you.

The Floor is Lava: 9.0

The ropes, stripped from a raft, become useful here as Rosinante loops one around a large boulder to provide an easier way for any behind him to climb up a sheer scree slope. The thick black ash coats his face, hands, and clothes, but he remains undaunted.

Just as he finishes a knot, though, there's a violent shudder from the mountain. He loses his footing - and his cigarette, which here feels redundant, honestly - and goes rolling down the side of the volcano. By the time he manages to grab onto a rock to stop himself, he's probably earned a hundred new bruises - but that's clearly the least of their problems, as a vent opens not far from where he'd just been, releasing steam, sulfuric gases, and a white-hot jet of lava, which rains down as scorching hot cinder.

Maybe the rope's still intact, but there's now a glowing hot fissure between you and him, and the top certainly didn't get any closer. "Got any ideas?" he yells out over the rumbles of the ground itself threatening to strike again.

Wildcard: Have at it! I'm open to anything. Hit me up at tinylongwing. And as always, feel free to reply with brackets if you don't care for prose, I'll do either.

3.0 | Raft Building

[dr_unconscious]

"On it," Clayton calls over the pounding rain, jogging to the tree line with heavy steps in the soggy sand. He's just about managed to pull on a raincoat, but it's too little too late - Clayton is well and truly soaked. Making sure his backpack full of supplies has become a bigger priority than Rosinante's instructions, so he pauses to drop that off under a tree and throws a few larger leaves shed in the storm overtop.

Then it's back to work. "Think we oughta focus on makin' shelters first," Clayton suggests, shaking the hair out of his eyes before reaching for a hatchet. "Folks're gonna get hypothermic if we don't give 'em somewhere to dry off."

Clayton | Open + Closed

[dr_unconscious]

4.0 - OTA

[There wasn't really any point in trying to cross to the other island on arrival, in Clayton's opinion. He doubts there's any shelter on the other side of the shallow sea to make the trip worthwhile, and attempting such a journey would've just lead to getting people drowned. Instead, he hunkered down at the border of the forest with the beach, set up a makeshift but sturdy-enough lean-to with tarp to keep enough of the rain out to sleep a couple hours, and now he's back at it in the early morning.]

[Except, his attempts at fishing up breakfast have attracted some curious guests.]

Aw--c'mon bud, you're scarin' all the fish! [The irkal frolicking around the end of his fishing line obviously doesn't understand what he's saying, but it does perk up at Clayton's attention and makes a fun little chittering noise in reply. It's very cute and difficult to stay annoyed at.] You prob'ly catch 'em a lot better than I ever could, eh?

7.0 - OTA

[The drastic change between daytime highs and nighttime lows make Clayton very happy that he didn't pack light. A wide-brimmed hat and thin, white shawl, combined with plenty of sunscreen, has kept him from getting too badly burned during the day; now at night, a thicker waterproof jacket keeps his core nice and warm by a crackling campfire before retiring to his sleeping bag under a tree.]

[Dinner tonight: Fresh fruit, grilled, with a grab-bag of trail mix for anyone that wanders past. There's also three extra bags and a lot of twigs next to his feet, full of familiar ingredients to some. Graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows. Clayton's already dived into one and is roasting a few marshmallows on a stick, rotating them for an even char.]

[Yes, they are in the middle of a forest full of terrifying alien monsters next to a volcano. Yes, it's been a miserable hike so far. But does that mean Clayton can't take advantage of the downtime to try and raise morale a little via distraction? Maybe if one of the aforementioned monsters smells the burning sugar and also wants a s'more, but that hasn't happened yet, so please, just let him have this.]

9.0 - Closed to Gwen

[It's when they finally start climbing the volcano that Clayton begins to regret not packing light.]

[One hand over the other. A simple mantra, it keeps Clayton going as he fumbles his way up the steep, craggy hill, heavy pack pressing and dragging his stomach into the rock face. His backpack must weigh a thousand pounds right now, and so do his arms, and his legs. Should've hung it in a tree somewhere, that would've been smart.]

[Too late to turn back now. Clayton slaps another hand down, gasping for air, and tries to pull himself up. But he doesn't move; he simply isn't strong enough anymore. His feet push and scrape listlessly against the loose basalt, going through the motions of continuing the climb without making any progress.]

INJURY WILDCARD
[[ Considering the hostile environment and what the personal mission is for everyone, Clayton is going to be a very busy man. Feel free to build a prompt where your character is hurt and needs a doctor, or is seeking him out for someone else, and I'll work with it! Or give me a shout on plurk (manicmuse) or discord (manicmuse#4821) and we can work out something specific. ]]

[construing]

〈 a hand comes down on his pack and pulls him up, pack, man, and all. 〉

Not the time for a nap— Oh my God, man, did you bring the kitchen sink too?

〈 the voice issuing from beneath is young and perhaps familiar from the previous mission. gwen holds him up by his pack lest he pancake into the side of the volcano.

the atmosphere is oppressive in a way even gwen definitely-not-a-volcanologist can tell is not normal. venom writhes in discomfort from the heat, but it remains wrapped around her in spider-woman’s colors, mask over her face to help her breathe. a slight bow to her back is the only visible sign of her exertion. 〉

steve harrington | open + closed

[spikedbats]

3.0. into the blue - ota

[ It's not too often that Steve has to make such a difficult choice, but clearly these missions are challenging in their own ways. On the one hand, he could disembark on his own, swim from one island to the other. He was swim captain and a lifeguard, he can definitely do it without a problem.

But there is a clear difference between swimming in an Olympic-sized swimming pool and swimming in open water. Not to mention, if he chooses to swim, getting his supplies to the other island would be an issue.

But on the other hand, there are limited resources. If swimming means having to make fewer rafts, maybe he can bite the bullet. He just has to find someone he trusts to bring his trusty knapsack with the spiked bat sticking out with them and rendezvous once they both reach their destination. In exchange, he'll help build a raft with them. Easy peasy. ]

Listen, just. Be careful, man, I wanna see you and this bat on the other side, yeah?

5.0 freaking me out - ota

[ Steve originally sets out with the intention of swimming alone. But if he is accompanied by anyone, he will keep an eye on them, make sure to remind them to take breaks if they're feeling tired, and tread water with them until they continue.

Everything seems to be going swimmingly until they reach the final stretch of their journey, that last half hour grind. Steve had been doing so well with not letting the psychological effects of being dragged down through a lake get to him until he sees the gevvin right near the shoreline. Suddenly, he feels like his lungs have seized up, forgetting to breathe. Shit this can't be happening, this can't be fucking happening, he was so close. ]

FUCK! [ is all someone nearby will hear before Steve's whole body goes rigid and he finds himself sinking. ]

6.0 staring at the sun - ota

[ As soon as Steve is reunited with his knapsack, Steve makes the ill-advised decision to isolate himself. Which lasts for all of about ten minutes before he recognizes that direct sunlight is not only making it difficult to think straight, just from how hot it is, but that his skin is already starting to feel kind of itchy.

Hawkins didn't really have much in the way of hiking trails, so Steve didn't even think to come prepared with different layers of clothes, to account for all kinds of weather. It's too late now, though, but Steve is pretty sure staying somewhat covered is probably better in the long run than suffering from third degree sunburns all over his torso, so. He reluctantly rejoins his fellow teammates. ]

If we keep this up, we're not gonna survive long enough to find the damn orb. Anyone know how to build shelter or wanna find natural shade with me? [ At some point, maybe he will open up about his panicked episode from earlier, but for now, he's just going to shove that aside for the sake of the team. ]

8.0 into the woods - closed to gwen

[ It's funny. When he first showed up on the space station, Steve had his initial concerns that he wasn't going to be able to integrate the way the people in charge seemed convinced he would. It's not that he's not good at making friends. He had been mister popular all those years ago. But once his crown was stripped, he lost sight of who Steve Harrington really was, deep down. Without the little nuggets to look after, was he really anyone that someone else would want to be friends with?

And now, after the previous mission, he's got this renewed hope. Maybe it's the talk with Mr. Harris that gave him some direction, or maybe he and Gwen just naturally understood each other in their own way, as tends to happen when you find out the universe is a lot bigger than you first thought it was.

But now as they're trekking through the jungle, Steve is more than happy to have her trekking right beside him. ] I feel like I'm being lulled into a false sense of security.

[ It's too quiet, he wants to say, but he's at least trying not to jinx them both. ] Maybe I should keep my bat handy, just in case.

9.0 badass crater of badassitude- ota

[ At this point, Steve is probably relegated to moral support. This feels like the world's most dangerous Frogger game, and he's so exhausted from everything that transpired to get him to this point that he can't even fathom making their way any further.

But, at the same time, they've made it this far. Steve can't just give up at the finish line. That's not the Harrington thing to do. ]

Okay, full disclosure, I am all tapped out. But I will do my damnedest to make sure we get to the orb without dying, so if you've got any creative ways of getting to the orb, by all means, please share it with the class.

wildcard!

[ As always, if none of these prompts suit your needs, please feel free to hit me with something else. Here is my ooc plotting thread, and I can be reached at aoneknifestand to discuss specifics. ]

[construing]

〈 pushing aside a broad, green leaf, gwen comments, 〉 Are you saying you have a bad feeling about this?

〈 the joke falls flatter than is her wont. gwen's picture currently sits next to the definition of morose. beneath the canopy of the trees where there is, blessedly, some shade though it does nothing to combat the humidity, a dark cloud hovers over her head.

they are down roughly half the crew. the desire to find the orb is as much wanting to get out of here as finding out what happened to missing friends and teammates. odds are they are still on the station; had they been dropped on another island they could establish contact. gwen tries not to let her thoughts derail into the catastrophic, but it gets harder when she tries to sleep. maybe that is why the insomnia has been hitting. (she ignores how her insomnia started exactly eight days ago. the specificity is its own answer.)

steve is right, though. she cannot hear the calls of birds or larger animals. venom magnifies her unease, more when she realizes spider-sense is quiet. it should have already gone off.

fuck, not again. 〉

Keep the bat up, 〈 she urges, as she steps forward to take point.

she carries no weapons, not even a bag unless her wristlet counts. (as a bag of holding, it does.) when she flexes her hand, a long white trigger extending from her wrist to lie in the center of her palm is visible. 〉

joric | original character

[drawsblood]

// PART I.IN DEEP WATER
3.0

[ While it turns out that later he'll be riding over on one of the irkals, for now Joric is here to offer his labor towards the building of a raft. Knowing they would be roughing it outdoors, he brought a hand axe and has been cutting down branches and vines to use. However, seafaring is something he definitely doesn't know how to do so he's merely the provider of the supplies. As he chops, he looks to someone nearby. ]

You know how best to construct this thing?

4.0

[ Joric is as eager as anyone to reach the big island and get this trip over with, but after gathering supplies for a raft he's started to doubt if it's the best way to get across. They'll have to do a lot of rowing and steering to make sure they don't veer off course. What if there are other methods?

The irkals sunning themselves on the beach are only too happy to play with approaching people and as Joric arrives where they're gathered, he sees he's not alone. Someone else has decided to see what these creatures can do. ]

They seem friendly enough.

// PART II.JUNGLE RULES

6.0

[ Joric comes from the snowy mountains and his people like to say they were gifted by the gods to be able to not only endure the temperatures, but thrive in those conditions. The trade off, however is that they're more sensitive to heat. The more the temperature rises, the more they feel uncomfortable, so before the suns even fully rise, Joric is struggling. Sweaty, uncomfortable, and cranky, he finds shelter under the canopy of trees before anyone else so that by the time the others seek out shelter he's already seated with his pack open and supplies set out. He sits with his shirt off but has at least toweled off so he doesn't stink quite so much. Small favors. He's chewing on rations and looking grumpy, but he sweeps his stuff towards himself so there's enough room for someone else. ]

I wondered when anyone else would start to feel it. Night cannot come soon enough for me.

8.0

[ Joric has no problem with being out in front of the group to be the first to encounter the dangers of the island. Sword drawn, he walks ahead in the now bearable heat of evening as they look for a safe place to make camp for the night. But there's a rustling in the underbrush. It would be great if it was some small creature that's taking off at the sight of people, but with his notoriously shitty luck it's probably a predator. He's on his guard and quick to draw the attention of another in their group equipped for battle. ]

Be on your guard. Something stirs up ahead.

// PART III.THE FLOOR IS LAVA

9.0

[ When the lava trails start pouring down the side of the volcano, Joric doesn't think; he just reacts. If the person beside him is small, they'll get grabbed around their middle and hoisted at his side like he's an American football player running it down the field. If they're a bit larger he reacts by dropping a shoulder and throwing the person over it before taking off. Protests are expected but he'll hold onto the wriggling figure (or passive one) until he deems it safe once they've reached the bottom where he sets them back down and they can assess the situation.

If a person was lucky enough to not get this treatment from Joric and he's rushed back down alone, they still need to decide what to do when they meet up. ]

As if this wasn't hard enough. How do we approach this now?

{ closed } for gwen

[drawsblood]

7.0

[ He's not completely immune to the cold, just far better at handling it than most. It's a gift of the gods that he can feel the chill across his skin as a minor inconvenience and not something stinging or biting that he feels he must escape from quickly. No, he can handle this and he would be happy to do all his exploring at night if only the moon wasn't so blocked by the trees. He settles for a flashlight and heads out with his sword at his hip. But he's not alone. ]

There is more to you than meets the eye.

[ He has yet to discover her true nature beyond her ability to wolf down as much food as he can, if not more. ]

Daisy Johnson | OTA

[morethan084]

ARRIVAL

[Surviving in nature is not something Daisy has too much experience with, but she’s done her best to pack for it. Clothing(including her suit), food, water, and some toiletries all shoved into her duffel bag. As well as a flashlight, and of course a gun.

What she wasn’t prepared for was the absolutely torrential downpour as soon as they arrive. Which quickly soaks her to the bone. Squinting against the rain, Daisy raises a hand to try and shield her eyes.]

We need to find shelter!

[She shouts against the downpour to anyone who might be within earshot.]

3.0

[Daisy is the farthest thing from a builder, but she doesn’t hesitate to help, or attempt to, build the raft in order to get across to the main island.]

This feels like something straight out of Gilligan’s Island.

[She says to the person next to her as she wraps leaves around some of the wood, pulling it as tight as she can make it. Satisfied with the sturdiness of it she goes to reach for another one but her hand seems to be stuck to the two pieces of wood she’s managed to tie together.]

Uh…

7.0

[The stark contrast between the heat during the day and the freezing cold temperatures at night remind Daisy of their mission in Scorpion’s Bend, but she at least packed a little better this time. Well, she at least has more clothes to layer on anyway. Tossing a few more pieces of wood into the flames of the fire someone else had built, Daisy takes a seat next to someone.]

Talk about whiplash. I almost miss the heat now.

WILDCARD

[Have something else in mind? Feel free to write something else below or PM/message me on morethan084!]

3.0

[foolintherain]

[ Same hat. Deprived of his grace, Castiel is determined to prove himself useful despite his lack of ability to do much of anything or help in any way. He can, at least, carry bamboo and palm leaves from the small island's interior to the shore, and hold the rods together as they're tied. He looks at Daisy at her observation and deadpans. ]

Is that the name of a similarly dangerous and potentially lethal island where you're from?

[ Poor Gilligan. When Castiel sees Daisy's tied her hand to the wood, there's no judgmental twist or curve of laughter to his expression. There's almost no shift in his expression at all, save that he looks mildly... charmed? He sets down the additional poles he'd been carrying and, meeting her eyes to make sure it's alright, begins to pluck at the knot she's tied, to free her hand. ]

jyn erso ✧ rogue one

[realists]

𝟸.𝟶 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍 ✧

[ jyn can't be arsed about the rain, she's already 100% wet and her pack is stowed safely out of the rain so her change of clothes and rations won't get wet, but the rain itself isn't going to stop her from exploring the island. it rained so often on lah'mu that jyn was mostly a creature of mud and grass stains for the majority of her memorable childhood.

and there is a giant creature, so big its breaths are making the nearby leaves and sea grasses rhythmically sway despite the raging storm, she can't help but investigate. maybe not the creature itself, but tiny creatures huddling under the hulk of the animal, shielding themselves from the worst of the rain. ]

Clever little things, aren't you, [ jyn murmurs as she sits down in the shadow of the turtle, watching the tiny rodent-like animals watch her. ]

𝟹.𝟶 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 ✧ ( just one thread here is preferable; first come, first serve; cw: panic attack )

[ it's only in the light of the three suns that jyn is struck by the idyllic beauty of the island paradise. white sands, crystal clear sapphire waters, the light of the suns so bright the horizon seems to glow white, blotting out the blue of the sky, nearly blinding as they rise. this island paradise promptly has jyn's hands shaking, skin ashen, breaths unsteady and pained.

the panic bubbling in her stomach quickly turns to a broken, watery gasp, eyes scanning the beach wildly. ]

Cassian! [ she knows he is here on the beach, constantly aware of where he is like a pair of binary stars, but that doesn't stop the way her chest feels like it's caving in or the way she whirls wildly around trying to find him, quickly heading toward hyperventilation. ]

𝟺.𝟶 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚒𝚛𝚔𝚊𝚕𝚜✧

[ eventually she calms down, enough to work toward their goal of getting to the other island. eventually even she manages to get to the edge of the shoreline, though it takes her a fucking while. if there weren't a pod of irkals sunning themselves by the shore she probably would have ignored it entirely, but the siren call of new and fascinating animals helps her push down the near-constant anxiety sitting like a stone in her chest.

which is what finds her, after a very long time, sitting in the sand with an irkal's head in her lap, ticking under its chin. she seems totally chill now, seems being the operative word, so check out this proof that therapy animals work! ]

𝟽.𝟶 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚑 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗 ✧

[ jyn knows better than to stay in the sun once they reach the main island but despite staying in the shade and keeping her long sleeves on — she always wears long sleeves, no one gets to see her bare wrists, you sluts — and the scarf usually looped around her neck instead drapped over her hair, her cheeks are pink and her nose is clearly burned. she is suffering.

but she would take that over the cold. she hates the cold, shivering and trembling as she curls her arms around herself. cassian packed her a jacket because he prepares for every inevitability, but she's still cold and annoyed about it, muttering under her breath about cold ass planets.

it's bullshit! ]

This is rubbish.

𝟾.𝟶 𝚑𝚒𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 ✧

[ she hates the cold, but she loves hiking, so of course she attempts some of it during the night, but the weak light and the torches cassian also packed don't illuminate enough to safely make any headway at night.

aside from the sunburns when the light peeks through the canopy, the heat doesn't bother her as much as the cold so she powers through, happy to be away from the beach finally and she is actually pretty excited to climb a kriffin' volcano.

what is the worst that could happen? she dies? ]

𝟶.𝟶. 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍 ✧

( go where your heart takes you )

4.0

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

[Zhao may have been a city boy through and through but he could never resist the siren call of taming a wild beast. Back home he was the proud owner of a tiger. Now here he was attempting to tame a sizeable marine creature just so he could pet it. At least these guys seemed friendly enough.

He was trying to lure them over with some of his rations--a sizeable chunk of the meat he brought with him. They didn't seem to care for the dried meat as much but he had packed a few fresh things for the first day or two before they would go bad and these guys seemed very interested in trying new food.

Zhao glanced over at Jyn. He was smiling brightly, thoroughly charmed by these creatures.]

You're a natural. These guys are freakin' cute, aren't they?

[Grown-ass male gangster leader not afraid to call something cute and enjoy it. Zhao for your presentation and judgement. Enjoy.]

Zhao Tianyou | OTA

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

I. Part 1 - In Deep Water

2.0
[The rain was the worst part of this trip right off the bat. Zhao hated it. But, coming from an island himself, he was used to sudden downpours out of the blue. He was just also used to convenient stores being all around and every one of them selling cheap umbrellas since it was all too common to need to buy a new one. None of that here.

So, instead, he found himself attracted to the largest creature visible. Not only did it make him fondly think of Xuánwǔ but it's giant form looked rather cozy despite--or actually because of--it's large and spiky bulk. He made his way toward the turtle.

Zhao didn't think of hiking the beast but he did find a nice dry spot beneath its shell. Touching it didn't even bother the creature and he ran his hand along its tough skin and rock-like scutes. Eventually he put his back against the creature and sat facing out towards the rest of the island. Anyone that joined him would be offered some of his rations--the first to go being the most perishable, a sweet bread he had baked and hadn't wanted to leave behind to rot on the station. And a little meat, lightly spiced, to counter the sweetness if desired. Enjoy.]

4.0
[The next day Zhao discovered the giant turtle left (and boy was he thankful he hadn't been squished when it decided to depart) and some of the Orbers working on making rafts or whatever. He helped for a bit as the reasonable thing to do. But eventually got distracted on his way to find materials.

The irkals were playing along the shoreline and they were extremely adorable to watch. He found himself surrounded before he could even think to object (if he had wanted to, which quite frankly, he did not) and laughed as they circled curiously around him. Their sounds were cute, too. He reached out cautiously to see if he could pet one. They were cute but rather large and as any wild animal could easily harm him whether on purpose or by accident. Zhao was fearless though. That was sort of required when one owned a pet tiger.

He offered one a piece of his meat rations and watched as it sniffed curiously at it. Then quickly snapped it out of his hand and gobbled it up greedily. When it asked for more he obliged.]

Okay. You've got me. You're entirely too adorable to tell no.

[If he was lucky, maybe it would trade the free meal for a ride. It would be more fun than riding a raft or boat or whatever to the other island... probably.]

II. Part 2 - Jungle Rules

7.0 + 8.0
[At night, Zhao missed his former lovers. Kaidan's extra-warm biotic body would have been especially welcome right now. But Majima was most recently on his mind--he'd left the station right before the mission came around and now Zhao was truly alone. Well, he had friends but he wasn't feeling that right now.

The cold, however, was enough to spur him to make an offer if anyone took up space near him. A night spent cuddled under blankets together to converse heat. Completely innocent. He just wanted to stay warm at night, and not be alone.]

[During the daylight hours, travel felt slow and sluggish due to the midday heat combined with all the flora they had to push through. Zhao was a city boy through and through, and all this wilderness was easily his Achilles heel. Some of his abundant patience was wearing thin. He needed someone proficient with this sort of thing to help him out.

The plus side was that he was a good fighter and willing person of strength. He could help out with physical problems with relative ease. And he was always ready for a fight so if any of the local fauna got too "friendly" in the worst of ways, he was there to defend others and attack the offending creatures.]

III. Part 3 - The Floor is Lava

9.0
[This was the part of the mission where Zhao pretty blatantly noped out of the mission. Fuck this shit! There was fucking lava spewing out of this volcano! Where was their protective gear? He wasn't about to get burned just by wandering too close to the molten lava running down the mountain side. That was bullshit.

Of course, the gangster was acutely aware that they needed to retrieve the orb. So far they'd always come away with one in possession. That was an impressive track record. He'd hate to lose now.

While he hung back, he wondered what they could do to get it. He wondered if anyone could get in there easily with an imperviousness to the heat or something. Maybe some of the magic users had tricks up their sleeves. Or maybe even their was an area less covered in lava the weaklings like him could traverse.

It was time for discussion! And then hopefully action. He hated to be left standing around uselessly.]

IV. Wildcard!

[[As always, hit me up with anything else! PMs, plotting post, or AisuYoukai if you need me!]]

2.0

[foolintherain]

[ The turtle dragon is an impressive creature, and surprisingly docile. It's surprisingly to see someone so comfortably sat beneath it, and sheltered from the storm. Clever. Making a split decision, Castiel joins Zhao beneath the shell and immediately lets his head drop against the creature's hard scales, pantingly out of breath from the storm, soaked through in a way that's very uncomfortable, and frustrated by the entire situation. His thoughts spiral in misery so completely that he looks startled to be spoken to, and his brow furrows as he looks from the bread up to Zhao with confusion. ]

I don't—

[ "I don't need to eat," he begins, only to realize, with his grace drained as it is, that he's actually feeling a sickly kind of hollowness in his stomach. Still he hesitates. ]

We don't know how long this mission will take. Shouldn't you save the food you've brought for yourself?

Minimus Ambus | OTA

[legalcy]

1.0

[Minimus was a lot smaller this morning. Gone is the outermost layer of armor that allows him to drive around as a small car, and his truest form that turns into a turbofox is his tool for the mission. He knows deep in his Spark that he made a terrible first impression with that mode (and no forgiveness can rid him of said guilt) and if he is to find justice for this harmful secrecy, he has to show that he is collected and restrained both as a robot and as an animal. The secluded, wild area would be perfect.

That is, until he is dumped into the stormy islands of an organic planet. With a sigh, Minimus remains on the beach, going through all of his Cybertronian contacts and keeping watch over the waves. Nothing. Communication is blocked, and all he has left to do is to observe the environment for future dangerous weather patterns.]

3.0

[Some may recognize the metal fox. Others will immediately know that the metal animal doesn't fit among the dense jungle. Minimus keeps to himself whether he's noticed or not; he's forgotten how to move quietly as a beastformer. The ghost in the previous planet could reteach him all of the fine motor skills when it comes to stalking, but here, his footsteps alternate between quiet and crunchy. At least there is nothing hunting us here, he tells himself, perfect to regain my bearings.

Thankfully, his nose is sensitive in this mode, which offers a slight advantage in scouting the area. One thing of note is the trees, particularly the odd sap oozing from a branch torn off during the storm. In a moment of (retroactively recognized) stupidity, he presses his nose against the liquid to inspect it for poison.

It's not, but now it's stuck on his face. He wipes at it with a paw, which transfers half of the glue onto a new surface. The tree bark is the next solution to rubbing it off, but after a few minutes in dry air, the liquid has partially hardened, and Minimus finds himself half-stuck to the trunk.]

9.0

How are the others doing? [Minimus stops to turn around. Gravity isn't much of a burden to him, not as a loadbearer, but most Cybertronians and especially humans would have trouble with the immense gravitational pull, made worse by the uphill hike.]

Water? Do we need water? How many minutes have passed? We need to check your vitals - [He marches downward, watching for anyone who looks exhausted or - more importantly - about to collapse.]

Wildcard
((Feel free to write up a custom starter or plot with me a mutanthairything))

wildcard.

[construing]

〈 two days in and this mission can bite it.

born and raised in the concrete jungle and gwen's conclusion—as she sits under branches webbed together to create a dense shade, trying to beat back the humid heat with a white fan made out of the same delicate threads that make up her canopy—is that humans perfected indoors for good reason. in case nature was not annoying enough, the heat has sapped what remained of her will to leave.

then the smell comes. 〉

Eugh! 〈 starting in disgust, she finds the one moving object nearby. 〉 What did you roll in?!

Castiel | OTA

[foolintherain]

• 
  air
  
  [ After he's received the mission file, Castiel does a bit of exploring around the station in search for supplies. He walks slowly, occasionally stares at walls, or looks up and sighs in frustration. In his right hand, he has a duffle bag, though you might not be able to see what's in it just yet, other than, by the shape of it: very little. He stops in his searching now and again to crouch over some supply or another: a can of peas, a video game controller, a roll of toilet paper, to ask presumably God, or whomever might be listening: ]
  
  How does one "pack accordingly" to be human?
  
  [ Is there a way to decline a mission, Castiel wonders. With his grace depleted and still on the mend, he's feeling more like a liability at this point than anything. (Spoilers: he's not wrong.) ]
  
  




• 
  water
  
  [ The woman's laughter and myriad voices to follow, along with the vast emptiness and sense of floating was incredibly disconcerting, and Castiel is left shaken as he pulls himself upright through the torrential rain on the beach. He looks around. Despite the storm, its rain and buffeting winds, it's a relief from what came before it. He squints through the storm, taking stock of those around him who've arrived from the station... And those who haven't. ]
  
  Dean?
  
  [ He shouts it, he thinks it, he sends message after message that only reach static, and there's increasing frustration and fear in his barked shouts, because he doesn't know what that liminel dark space was, and if Dean is trapped there... above all other places in the infinite universe, Castiel does not want to go to that one looking for him. Maybe if he just shouts louder, he'll find him here instead... ]
  
  




• 
  earth
  
  [ The jungle is scorchingly humid by day, leaving Castiel (in his trench coat and business casual attire, because of course he is) soaked through with sweat, lips cracked and eyes sunken with dehydration, because the canteen he'd brought ran out of water hours ago and the cans of beer and lukewarm soda somehow have only made him thristier. He tries to keep up with the party, but he's woefully unprepared and falls further and further towards the back of the ranks as the day goes on.
  
  By night time, being soaked through with sweat is no longer cooling, and though he's pulled his coat over his head and curled up into a ball by some kind of base instinct or memory of human behavior, he's still shivering violently in waves when his body has enough energy to do it. ]
  





• 
  fire
  
  [ Miraculously, Castiel hasn't died on the journey and has managed to reach the volcano with the rest of the party. The climb is hot and exhausting and appropriately hellish, and the sight of the orb is less of a relief, more of an added frustration, than it would've been at the start of this mission. ]
  
  How do we reach it? Should we ask for its help?
  
  [ An objectively terrible idea, unlikely to work, but with his grace still diminished, walking into lava himself to grab it is out of the question, and he wouldn't suggest anyone else endanger themselves the same way. ]
  
  

earth

[deaddrop]

[Natasha falls back a bit when she notices Cas struggling to keep up. She shouldn't really be surprised, considering. She can't keep from glancing down at his shoes, silently judging.

It's not his fault. Clearly he had no idea how to prepare for this mission, or else he wouldn't be out here dressed like a disheveled data analyst.

She makes a mental note of that.]

When was the last time you had something to eat?

[It's fairly clear he hasn't been drinking. Not that all of them aren't looking a little worse for wear at this point—Natasha's managed to get a sunburn across her nose that she'll regret when it starts peeling, and chapped lips and dirty hair come with the territory—but even so he's clearly fairing worse than the others.]

The suns are getting real high. Might be a good time to find some water and settle in for lunch and a rest.

"the soldier" | ota

[restored]

// PART I.IN DEEP WATER

[Later, perhaps, he'll question just how different their transporation felt. Will wonder why it took so much longer. Why they were ever stuck in a void in the first place. And, more importantly, why part of the team was left behind. But that's a question for another time and place. Another person. For the man that was wiped away the moment that he was woken back up and given access to their newest mission file. From the second that the Soldier was given the orders to prepare for survival, and a deadline to be ready by.

So it isn't James Barnes who steps out onto the shore. Isn't Bucky who starts to survey the area. Who tries to take it all in and figure out where the threats lie. And when he finally turns back to the rest of the team, it isn't Bucky who mutters the simple words of-]

Ya gotov otvechat.

[Ready to comply. Words said towards the first person he comes across. Whether it's his Handler, or another operative, it doesn't matter. He knows his position here. He hasn't been given a unit to lead. Hasn't been granted the ability to make those decisions for himself. So that means he has to defer to the orders of those around him.]

// PART II.JUNGLE RULES

[By the time they finally make it to the island, the Soldier is on full alert. Is left scanning the area of potential threats. With the team all focused on their shared goal, their safety is his priority. Their protection is his purpose. So between the weapons he's brought with him, and the comforting- Familiar metal disc on his back, the Soldier is ready to take on any threats that make themselves known.

Of course, that doesn't account for the weather. And while the Soldier had been trained to keep going no matter the environment, even he isn't able to avoid the burns. Even he can't make it through the nights without almost collapsing from the cold. But it's only when he's called over by members of the team that he actually finds shelter from the burning hot suns. That he ends up huddled up against others, lets himself savor the warmth of fires that he's been granted access to.

So as much as he knows he should be there, guarding the team, the nights are one of the few times where he ends up dropping his guard. Where his role as the Winter Soldier slips from his grasp a little, and the more human side of him appears. There are even moments, however brief they may be, where he talks with others. When he risks asking questions. But they're few and far between. And more often than not, those lapses in conditioning are simple displays of curiosity. Of watching others talk, rather than keeping his focus on their surroundings.

Which is why, when a pair of dregzeok's slip their way in to the camp, it takes him longer than it should to realize. Why, when the first crunch of undergrowth catches him entirely by surprise. But the moment it does, he's on his feet, gun drawn and shield up. Because whatever it is out there, it's not going to touch a single member of the team.]

// PART III.THE FLOOR IS LAVA

[By the time they finally make it to the volcano, the Soldier is running on fumes. Between the trek, the weather, and just how unlike his previous teams this group are, he still feels entirely off-balanced. Feels like something is missing, though he can't put his finger on why. The name he's been given, that other people seem to be using for him, still feels odd. But despite how long they've already been on this mission, he hasn't had a chance to analyze why that is. Has simply had to accept things the way they are, because there are more important factors at play here.

When the creatures start to appear from the volcano, the Soldier- Bucky is on guard. Has his gun back in hand again. Quite how he's meant to tackle something like this, he doesn't know. The metal of his last arm wouldn't survive contact with lava. But he has no idea about his new one. Doesn't know if the shield would fare much better. But those creatures are standing between them and their goal, and he knows this is a fight that nobody here is going to back down from. They need to get that orb.]

// OTHER

If it isn't already obvious, Bucky's been triggered to be The Winter Soldier for this mission. He's currently working under the idea that the other orbers are the team he's working with, but they aren't necessarily his handlers. So as mentioned in his plotting comment, if you want your character to be hurt by him, have at it. He won't say no. :3

And just to note, he'll need to make contact with the orb by the end of the mission so he can...make a stupid deal. So I'm 100% here for team ups on how they actually get the thing.

Part I

[laviny]

[Oh, shit, she recognizes this. Fuck. She’s not sure she’s actually surprised, though, with Sam gone. She’s pretty sure the last time this happened was when Sam went into the coma. There seems to be a link.

She approaches him carefully, but with some confidence. The last time he was like this they had worked pretty well together. She’s not sure he’ll remember her, but she hopes he does. Or if not, she hopes she can figure out how to work with him again.

When she speaks, it’s in Russian.]

This is a survival mission. We need to help each other stay alive while we look for the orb.

andromache | ota

[oiorpata]

PART II: JUNGLE RULES
6.0 🗡 BURNING MAN

[ the heat is unbearable. it's not quite like a desert, where keeping herself garbed in loose linens would help, so she ditches her jacket and shirt for her sports bra, changing over her pants for a pair of joe's drawstring shorts he'd packed before mission start. much better. ]

[ andy has gotten burned from prolonged sun exposure before - but the way her skin fries in a matter of seconds is new, perhaps more annoying than anything else. she hisses out a few choice expletives before darting under the shade of some giant leaves. if she is ignoring the wound on her hand, it's because as soon as she's in the shadow, the skin pieces itself back together and the burn disappears. ]

Worst fucking high noon. Stay out of the sun. [ despite complaining about it and despite the no-longer-there burn, andy is in surprisingly good spirits. jungle living suits her. she squints towards the sunlight. ] Good time for a siesta.

8.0 🗡 HUNTING MAN

[ andy is absolutely fascinated by all these alien creatures. she is also, however, very hungry. presumably others are too, so she slips out of camp without really making note of it and disappears into the jungle with her axe. perhaps you follow her! ]

[ or perhaps about an hour later she surprises you when she steps out back out of the jungle, dragging the carcass of one of the local creatures with the full intent of making dinner. she drops it on the ground and digs into a little pouch attached to her belt, pulling out a knife, sliding her axe back in. it's magic!! it's not magic, it's cultivation, but it probably looks like magic. ]

[ later, she has a few pieces of the raw meat skewered and cooking over one of the fires. which animal was it?? good question, she doesn't remember their names despite the guidebook, but she does know it's cooking very well. when one of them is finished she takes a bite and chews it thoughtfully, but when she doesn't keel over or start to feel ill, she assumes it's fine and continues eating. it's kind of boring all things considered, but it's a new enough flavor to keep her satisfied. ]

[ she gestures at the rest. ] Feel free to take one.

PART III: THE FLOOR IS LAVA
9.0 🗡 SURFING MAN

[ far from feeling intimidated by the sudden onslaught of extra gravity or the lava, andy continues studying the volcano with a very curious and interested expression. she loves mountain climbing! it's become her new favorite thing to program in the simulation room, now that she's getting the hang of it. and this volcano - it comes packed with all the extra dangers that thrill her more than alarm her. orb powers included. ]

Maybe we could guide a crab inside. I've never surfed on a crab before. [ or surfed on lava, but the crab part feels more like a novelty to her. she really wants to haul herself up on one of those crabs. ]

PART VI: TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND
0.0 🗡 WILDING MAN

[ hit me up !! plotting comment is here, or find me at communism or romanitas#5368 @ disco. we can wildcard or custom starter etc. ]

Wildcard-ish

[morethan084]

[Daisy’s stripped down to her bra and underwear, absolutely not caring at this point if anyone saw her like this. It’s too damn hot to care. Finding shade was a relief, to a point. To be honest, it wasn’t much better than being out in the sun. At least here though she didn’t have to worry about getting burned.

Speaking of burns, Daisy frowns as Andy comes over to the shaded area with burns scattered across her body. Healing already happening as soon as she’s out of direct sunlight.]

You really should stop doing that.

[She says, knowing full well Andy doesn’t care. Taking the food that’s handed to her, she looks at the skewer.]

You go hunting?

Yelena Belova | OTA

[laviny]

4.0: Irkals

[Yelena chooses to wait out the storm. It gives her time to get her bearings. Once the skies are calm and the suns have risen, she heads out to explore. It really doesn’t take her long to focus in on he Irkals. They’re adorable and playful, like dogs. It makes her miss Fanny.

She approaches them cautiously at first and then with more confidence when they prove to be friendly. She interacts with them the same way she would her dog, treats and games and positive reinforcement.

If you happen to be nearby she might glance at you.]

Want to try to ride them?

7.0: Nightfall

[Yelena is no stranger to cold, but the highs and lows here are, frankly, ridiculous.]

This planet needs to make up its mind. Hot, or cold. Pick one.

[After some fussing around in her supplies she ends up changing into some more thermal tactical gear and putting on her night vision goggles. She takes a thoughtful look around, determining how well she can see now.

So far so good.]

If anyone wants to try to keep going, I can lead us.

[if none of these appeal to you, feel free to toss a wildcard at me! You can PM me or talk to me at etceteras if you want to plot first]

4.0: Irkals

[deaddrop]

Is that a serious suggestion?

[Natasha has been keeping an eye on Yelena but not really engaging. The animals are cute, but not really Natasha's priority.

It's one thing to make friends with them. It's another thing to actually train them.]

Also, what are you feeding them?

Natasha Romanoff | MCU | OTA

[deaddrop]

1.0

[Not the most optimistic start, is this? They're down half the team—probably should try to do a formal headcount, if they can—and the weather is against them. That's right from the drop, too. Natasha figures those won't be their last setbacks. Call her a pessimist, but none of the missions so far have exactly gone off without a hitch.

She paces the beach in the rain, hugging herself against the wind and squinting into the rain. On the bright side, she did pack for the weather. It doesn't make the rain any more pleasant, but at least it means she's dry as she looks out over rolling water.]

Shit.

[She's trained for survival, but it was never a top priority. It's nice to feel like she probably won't be slowing them down, but on the other hand she's not sure she'll have much to add.]

Thoughts how to get across this?


6.0

[Natasha is smart enough to get out of the sun when it gets intense. Even so, there's a sunburn across her nose by the time she gets a makeshift shelter together out of her rain gear and some low branches. There's not space to stand underneath, but it's big enough for a couple of people to sit.

They won't want to stay long, but at least for a while it'll keep Natasha and anyone who wants to join her from baking.

If she sees someone still pushing through, she'll hold up her canteen and shake it in invitation.]

Sit down for a minute? We won't get there any faster if we're falling down.


9.0

[The volcano shakes and Natasha scrambles as the ledge she's perched on starts to crumble beneath her feet. A way that had seemed stable turned to a tumble of stone, leaving her groping for handholds briefly before she found purchase with one hand, then another. What had been a hike turned into a climb momentarily suddenly.

Not a fan.

She casts around her, making sure that no one seems lost or stranded, before she starts climbing to a more stable position on the rim to regroup. The lava flow, thankfully, isn't too close and for the time being is oriented away from her, but she doesn't want to count on it staying that way. Or to test how far from the lava those crabs are willing to venture.]

Wildcard

((Want something else? Let's spin something up.))

1.0

[evasives]

[ he is already wearing a jacket with a hood, which he pulls up as soon as he realizes it's raining, because cassian is always prepared. ]

[ first thing he does is take stock of the entire situation, noting immediately that their numbers seem to be less, but a quick check to the comms shows him no answer from ximilia and he gives no more time to figuring it out - the priority needs to be what's happening on the ground. someone else will be worrying about that more. ]

[ when the woman speaks up, he peers out over the sea with a frown. ]

A boat of some kind would save us our energy for whatever is waiting for us on the next island. I do not suppose you know anything about boats?

CLOSED | GENE HICKS.

[construing]

〈 hood pulled over her head to keep the worst of the rain off, her suit having closed around her body as soon as the first rain drops landed, gwen hurries across the pale sand. a web-line thwips onto the shell of the (gigantic!) turtle; she swings herself onto one of the massive, hard scales. despite the fierce wind and torrential rain, she rises easily.

the other island proves impossible to see through the solid gray sheet of rain. but her bet paid off: hiking the turtle to the other island seems doable. a potentially miserable exercise in this weather; still preferable to taking on the furious waves below or waiting for this storm to pass—whenever that is.

a voice reminds her of the others, and for a moment she looks back. old habits reassert themselves, however. she has always worked best on her own. (a voice not unlike spider-man noir calls bullshit. she shoves it out of mind.) she is about to start further up the shell when she spots movement out the corner of her eye.

a single figure moving in her direction, which soon resolves into a slender man. he, however, seems to be having a rougher time. lightning strikes the island, and the flash of light lasts enough for her to recognize him. 〉

Gene?!

〈 the wind carries her voice away. slipping down the shell nearer to the beach, she opens a voice channel. 〉

Look up!

[preseance]

（ he ain't never one to shy away from hardship, an' inclement weather don't scare him none. but this one... reminds him strongly of gela, an' all the boys they lost in the surf. maybe that's what makes him wary, an' more inclined to caution than his norm — for all that gene's a medic, an' a prudent man when other folks' safety is on the line, he's still someone whose first real jump outta a skytrain was punctuated by his own wild laughter stolen by the wind, so it's a goddamn miracle that sees him take the precautions he is, careful steps an' a length of rope he's tyin' off around jutting features of the turtle's back as he climbs.

boy clearly knows a thing or two about climbin', that's for sure.

when he hears gwen's voice, it takes him a moment to orient onto the fact it's in his dang head, but it ain't too long before he opens a channel back. ）

Gwen?

（ he cranes his head upwards, but it ain't possible through the prevailin' sheets of rain to see all that far. ）

You all right?

joe | open

[malta]

☾ IN DEEP WATER

[ joe doesn't seem overly fussed about traveling from one island to another, in fact he seems to take to the challenge with gusto. he's currently in the process of splitting vines in half to make lashing when the logs are cut down for the raft. ]

If you could take a book with you to a deserted island, what book would you pick? [ how to build a raft would be a good choice. ]

Moby Dick? Gulliver's Travels? The Mysterious Island or is that too on the nose? [ he chuckles to himself, smile bright, amused at his own jokes. he is a joy ad a delight to be around. ] Lord of the Flies?

☾ JUNGLE RULES

[ joe has been pretty even-keeled this whole mission, steady and determined, real conceal don't feel levels of manufactured chill but the cold gets him almost immediately. ]

The fuck is this weather? I am from the desert. [ it doesn't matter that joe has spent most of his life outside of his home, the warmth of the mediterranean sun is in his soul and his soul is pissed about being cold.

he couldn't be closer to the fire unless he was inside the fire and the way his eyes flick toward the dancing flames, he might be thinking about it. ]

☾ THE FLOOR IS LAVA

[ the trek up the volcano is difficult, hard and tiring, but joe has a lot of experience keeping himself motivated when he would rather lay down on the ground until nature swallows him up and he is determined to act like this is just another hike.

which just means he is being very annoying. ]

🎶 Can't stop me now, hear what I say: my feet got to move so get out my way, I'm gonna have my say, I'm goin' to every discotheque, I'm gonna dance, dance, dance, dance 'til the break of day 🎶

[ yes, he is belting out disco. yes, he knows every single word and is dancing up the mountain. yes, he is singing to whomever is closest to him or indeed the air if no one is around. no, it does not sound like joe has ever had a career in singing. he should actually stick to his day job but consider: nothing is going to stop him.

and if someone does disparage his excellent singing, he will comment primly: ] Wham! is next.

☾ WILDCARD

( go where your heart takes you! )

jungle rules

[evasives]

[ cassian is wearing a cozy but utilitarian jacket, because he couldn't bring too many, but he knew he had to bring at least one. and it's waterproof, so he really did luck out in the coat department - not that he usually fails at it anyway. ]

[ even with his coat, cassian sits near enough to he fire that it is impossible to miss the man's dramatic statement. ]

Are there no deserts that get cold at night where you are from?

clara oswald | doctor who

[bossily]

Station; Pre-Mission

Here, take this.

[It's less a suggestion and more a friendly insistence. Clara holds out one of the supply kits she's put time into making for missions, and wants to make sure that everyone going on the mission gets one. Their numbers will be smaller this time around, and a kit of supplies seem like they'll be in order at some point.]

You're bound to thank me for it later, I wager.

A Dark and Stormy Night

What, that? It's perfectly safe!

[Clara stubbornly is refusing to see reason here. Who cares if it's dark and storming? They know where the orb is, all they have to do is get there. Yeah, the water is treacherous and the storm is unpredictable. But what's a mission without a little risk and danger?

She gestures out toward the raging water like it's a babbling brook and absolutely nothing is wrong here.]

Don't tell me you're afraid of a bit of water.

[Amusingly, thunder booms overhead right as she says this, and it actually starts pouring harder. Still, she looks about ready to drag them out into the chaotic waters along with her.]

Tree Carving
[The island is beautiful. Dangerous, but absolutely beautiful. She wishes the Doctor were here to see it, he'd absolutely love it. It's with the thought of him in mind that she takes a small tool out of her supply kit while she and some of the others are taking a break. She sips at her water, but seems to be focused on carving something into the trunk of one of the trees.

She's working on the initials CO + D, when she pauses and glances over at the person nearest to her.]

Bit of help, would you?

Closed to Clayton
We're so close!

[Clara may be short, but she has both hands on her hips and she has stubbornly grabbed hold to the idea that they have to just charge right into the volcano to get the orb as fast as possible. Her new friend clearly disagrees with her, and that's made her a bit cross.

All the others in the group have gone on ahead, leaving the two of them behind to talk out their little disagreement.]

The longer we take, the more dangerous the missions become. We need to end this as quickly as possible.

Closed to Joric
[The mission is going swimmingly enough. But there's the matter of the personal goal that Clara feels she needs to attend to. The Doctor isn't here to see her, and she's generally sneaky enough she doesn't think word will get back to him if she does anything underhanded. So really, it's a matter of deciding to get hurt and risk the Doctor being upset with her (and everyone else for allowing her to get injured in the first place), or arranging for someone else to get hurt and finding a way to keep word of it from ever reaching the Doctor's ears.

Clara generally doesn't harm others. She risks her own life to save others. But there's nothing saying it has to be a serious injury. Just a tiny little bump or bruise would do, she's sure. Which is why she's paired off with the person here she knows the least. Enter Joric.

She's been stopping beneath trees that definitely have some heavy dangling fruit up in them, chatting him up and playfully flirting a bit as she waits for some of the fruit to fall and hit him on the head. When this plan doesn't seem to work after about an hour or so, she crosses her arms over her chest and sours a little.

They make their way in close to the volcano to do some observation, and Clara's perfectly happy to let the matter of injuring someone come to rest. The entire time they're there, all she can think about is that the orb's inside. They know where it is. The gravity out here is smothering, not to mention the ash and general atmosphere is dismal at best. The longer they're here, the worse it is for everyone involved. All they have to do is —]

Geronmio!

[That's the only warning Joric gets before she attempts an impressively graceful swan dive off the cliff they're standing on.]

Closed to Gwen
Finally. Someone who knows what they're doing.

[Clara sighs in relief as Gwen swings over and drops down to be at her level. Gwen is one of the few people on the station that Clara respects the opinion of. And while their relationship has been bumpy at times, she knows that they're a force of nature when their goals are aligned.]

Mind giving me a lift back onto that thing?

[She's a little weirded out by the giant turtle dragon, but she's seen stranger things. So she's taking it all in stride, and is more or less excited for the action and adventure portion of this mission. Crossing the water on the back of a turtle in the middle of a storm?

Bring it on.]

trees!!

[preseance]

（ an' gene, ever-obligin', comes over to her. he's smokin' a cigarette, though he's polite enough to stand deliberately downwind so's it don't blow at her face, an' after a final drag he snuffs the cherry between two fingers an' tucks the chipper above one ear. ）

An' just what'm'I helpin' out with exactly?

（ his accent is near as identifyin' as her own, broad swaths of a deep southern drawl entrenched in every nook an' cranny. ）