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ximilialog2022-11-08 03:24 pm
MISSION: THE DARKEST WILD
● ● ● M I S S I O N 1 0 . 0
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
• 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.
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.
F Y I
• 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: ♪ ♪ ♪
Zhao Tianyou | OTA
II. Part 2 - Jungle Rules
III. Part 3 - The Floor is Lava
IV. Wildcard!
2.0
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?
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Aren't we all here together? [He shrugged.] Besides, I made some things before the mission file made it's way to us and didn't want it to go bad. So I packed it and now I need help getting rid of it before it spoils and rots in my pack.
You wanna help?
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That's a very kind offer. Thank you.
[ He accepts the bread, before even eating it, though, he observes. ]
It takes a measure of selflessness to share one's meal. Not everyone would be so generous.
[ Not that Castiel hesitates to eat once he's accepted the bread, though; having food in his hands somehow only increases his hunger, and his first bite is practically too large to chew. ]
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Dude, watch it. That kinda shit doesn't have to be pointed out, man. Just say 'thank you' like a normal person and leave the rest alone.
[Despite his words though, Zhao wasn't actually offended so much as embarrassed by being called out. He gave the angel one final weird look before glancing away and not-really-at-all hiding a slight smile across his face as he watched Castiel begin to eat from the corner of his vision.]
one eternity later 😩
Thank you.
[ He answers as directed, but without apologizing for his misstep, and unmistakably sincere.
Surprisingly hungry now that there's food in his hands, Castiel is quick to dig in. He takes two overly-large bites into the bread and meat concoction, and a hum-like purr rumbles through his throat at the taste. He observes aloud, cheeks chipmunk-full. ]
This is delicious.
no worries. 👍
Which was only compounded by the way the man ate the food. He wanted to laugh a little but he managed to refrain. He nodded once though it was more an effort to hide his mirth at the other man's expense.]
Thanks. I grew up in a restaurant so I guess I know my way around a kitchen or two.
🙏
I've never cooked anything. What was that like, growing up in a restaurant environment? Did you enjoy it? Obviously, you learned a great deal.
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Ahhh, yeah, I guess it had its perks. [He shifted slightly.] Gran only spoke Chinese but her recipes were the best. But I learned a lot from watching the actual restaurant cooks rather than family, I guess.
[He paused and considered.] Never cooked at all?
4.0
[ he pauses for his own break, drinking some water and calculating his own rations as the man - zhao, he thinks - feeds some of his to one of the irkals. ]
You are wasting your food. They have their own sources already. Ours could be finite.
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You're not wrong. But look all around. There's plenty to eat out here. Certainly more than the last time we had to forge for survival. If I can stomach burnt-chicken-snake, I think a few sea creatures and whatever lives on these islands should be easy by comparison.
Besides, [he held up a piece of fresh meat] no sense in wasting it. Or are you saying you'd rather I feed you instead? [He finished with a cheeky grin.]
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A similar situation has happened before? [ that's a more valuable point of conversation as far as cassian is concerned. ]
[ there's no reaction. ] Do I look like someone who does not know how to feed myself? I don't need you to put words in my mouth either.
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[Despite his words he only looks marginally offended. More like 'offended for the sake of it' rather than serious at all. He shrugs it off in the next second, only to answer Cassian's question.]
Sure. We had this one time where we went to a place that looked like there was a city--and even felt like it for a time--but it turned out to be an illusion created by the orb there. When the illusion broke, so did all the fake food and other supplies that normally would have been in a town like that. The most abundant food source after that were the bone-tail snakes that ate ash and tasted like really burnt chicken. We spent about a week living like that if I remember correctly.
Fun times.
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[ hearing about the other missions is far more interesting to him. it confirms more of the hallucinatory abilities of the orbs, as if the horror show of his first mission was not proof enough. but it's somewhat of a comfort to add it to the known patterns as he continues to put together how this all works. ]
Snakes are a good source of protein. [ a pause. ] And is there a way to tell if these creatures here are real or illusory? Multiple cases of orb induced hallucinations seems like it might make it more of a concern.
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[Yet he's smiling as he says it. A glint in his eye. Amused.]
Sure, just like most meat. [He shrugged.] Not my area of expertise. I suppose you could ask one of the magic users or someone. Sometimes they can't tell the difference until it's too late anyway though.
In my experience, it's just as easy to simply keep moving forward. We'll all get to the end eventually, somehow or another.
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Magic users are not the only ones allowed to have opinions on magic. [ they might understand more specifically how it works, but the outside perspective is just as important as far as cassian is concerned. but it does tell him zhao is not an aforementioned magician. what he says about moving forward tells him more too. ] How was it figured out the last time? If the food was not real, I assume the hunger became a sign, as as you have said, perhaps they will not notice it right away either.
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Oh, there are plenty of opinions to be found on magic. Just like everything else. But opinions don't equal facts, nor do they amount to much whenever you're fishing for useful information. [But he just shrugs again and keeps on smiling.] Worse than that... it wasn't actually obvious to us that we slowly starving to death until after the illusion broke. It made us feel like the fake stuff we were eating was real enough.
We finally found the orb and...fucked something up? So the illusion broke. And then we were just stranded out in the middle of nowhere with a ghost town and no supplies and the local wildlife.
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4.0
Right? They are so cute. I’m going to try to ride one.
[Why swim or build a raft when you can ride a giant otter? This is a no brained.]
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You think they'll let you?
[They were really friendly. Maybe they wouldn't mind the company? They seemed sociable enough just like Earth otters to enjoy playing with each other and the new people that had joined them on their island.
Zhao liked the idea. A slow smile was spreading over his lips.]
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[Which is to say she won’t know until she tries, but she’s definitely going to try.]
We need to build some trust first, though.
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[Had to try some to win some. Losing wouldn't be so bad this time around, he hoped. Just meant a less fun experience on a boat or swimming over like a lunatic. He wasn't that into physical exercise. Martial arts forms would do for him, no swim days needed.
Anyway.]
Ok. How do you build trust with an oversized otter?
[Feed it more meat? He held out a piece to one of the irkals that was waiting for his attention to return to it instead of his fellow human. But then what? Would it be enough to entice it to carry a person across the water?]
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[She asks the question as she pulls a bag of jerky out of her pocket. It’s helpful to know if he has any experience with animals or training them. ]
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[He says it as casually as humanly possible. She had started off as a cub but soon grew to full adulthood, and Zhao still called her his "little lady." He adored that tiger.
But she was still a tiger. And even he had to be cautious around her. Still, he figured he got the picture. Of course, trust building with a wild animal tended to take a long time. They didn't have that much time here.]
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You have a pet tiger and you are worried about the friendly space otters?
[Seems like a tiger would be harder to deal with than these creatures who seem to have personalities similar to golden retrievers.]
How did you build trust with your tiger?
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[Although in reality it's a high possibility. Friendly or not, they were wild animals and could turn at any second. But he wasn't worried about it, truly. There was a difference between worrying and wondering how to convince an animal to let you ride it...]
I raised her from a cub. And she'll still eat me if I turn my back on her. But she's very cuddly any other time~.
[She once tried to eat his soon-to-be best friend. Good times, good times. (Of course, that was Wang's fault rather than his own. Long story short: be careful who you hire to run your restaurant.) He still loved her, and now paid extra attention to her whenever he could spare the time. Well, when he wasn't off gallivanting across space-time continuum or something.]
I don't exactly ask her for rides either. You got a plan for that? These aren't exactly space horses after all.
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