Intro log: Welcome to The Resort!

[foundationmods]

INTRO LOG

Before you even open your eyes, you can tell something is not right. It's cold. Not quite unbearably so, but cold enough that you can take notice of it. And as soon as you open your eyes, you will be able to see why it's so cold: you're in the middle of a snowy forest, with only a single two-lane road cutting through the thick trees.

Unfortunately, you seem to be without transportation. Fortunately, you are wearing warm clothes and snow gear, so freezing isn't an immediate problem. But without transportation, you're in for a long walk ahead of you.

There are others around as well. Other people, just as lost and confused as you are. Everyone seems to be lacking any memory that might explain why everyone is here. As far as anyone knows, all of you were just ripped out of your previous lives and dumped here on this snowy road, wearing snow gear and having any items that are important to you already on hand. And for some of you, you even have a new power, one that you somehow instantly know how to use...

Two ways to go: forward and back. Despite having no indication of which way is the 'right' way, you feel drawn towards one direction in particular. Going 'back' is possible, but you get the feeling that you will be even more lost if you try. And given that you have no food or water on you, it's best to keep moving forward.

So, are you ready to walk? Because you have a long road ahead of you.



((Welcome to The Resort! Your characters will have any objects or animals with them that they should have given their canon point, but are dressed in cold weather clothing.

This prompt is just the first part of the intro log. New top-levels will go up over the course of the weekend as everyone progresses from 'where the hell am I?' to the resort proper, and to getting settled in. For now, just start with this prompt. We'll link further updates here for easy access.))

Comments

[blutsauger]

[The last few minutes of Medic's life have been... taxing. After all, he was in hell for most of them. And of course, everything would fall apart again just after things began to look up.

He doesn't know where Heavy is. Or the baboon infant he was holding mere moments before. He can't even find the corpse of the Classic Heavy. His clothes are no longer blood-stained and torn; he now has one of his thicker winter coats, the old Ushanka-hat Heavy got him years ago, and a scarf.

Idly, Medic wonders if the devil had managed to outsmart him. He had asked for another 50 years on earth- but he hadn't specified where. Then again, he's pretty sure there was a clause in his soul contract preventing that sort of subterfuge.

And he doubts the devil would've given him this new "power", either. He'll certainly have to do some tests on that... But first, find shelter.

It's only when Medic finally stands up and begins to brush the snow off of him that he feels the tell-tale fluttering of wings by his heart, inside his coat.]

Archimedes! When did you get here?

[Hoo.]

No, I have no idea, myself. What do you remember last?

[Coo-hhhoo.]

Yes, that adds up. I see.

[Yeah, he's gonna be busy talking with his bird for a while. Feel free to interrupt.

Once he's done catching up, Medic will, of course, trudge along with everyone else down the path. Try not to make eye contact, or he'll wander over and ask something along the lines of:]

Is your memory altered, too? What do you think caused it, drugs or brain-scooping?

[escardos]

You can talk to birds!?

[ flat doesn't even wait for medic to come to him. as soon as he seems him talking to the bird, he gets so excited that he just has to talk to him! ]

What else can you do? Can you talk to lizards, too? Are you like the bird whisperer?

[blutsauger]

Well, only if they want to listen and talk back, yes. Communication is a two-way street.

[Archimedes hasn't made a proper appearance yet, still huddled inside the jacket. But his coos are loud enough to hear from a modest distance.]

I know nothing about lizards and how they speak, unfortunately. I doubt they have much to say beyond complaining about weather.

[escardos]

Well, it is cold. I think most reptiles would be dead in this weather.

[ He Wants To See Bird! but just listening to the coos is good enough ]

Wait, does that mean that your bird can actually think intelligently? That's so cool!

[blutsauger]

All of them are intelligent in their own way. You just can't assume they're incapable by comparing them to the human mind, ja?

[Archimedes pokes his head out from under the coat collar, curious.

He has his own hat.]

[escardos]

Ah, that's true! All beings are necessary, after all, not just humans.

[ flat smiles when he sees archimedes, fascinated by the little bird ]

Amazing! He's like your sidekick!

[rosebridled]

[ Chu-Chu senses the presence of that bird and takes a defensive stance from his position on Anthy's shoulder!!

Which is what prompts her to look in Medic's direction, because she sure wouldn't have made eye contact otherwise. ]

Well, out of those two options, I think drugs would be more likely.

[blutsauger]

Oh, I don't know. Brain-scooping is often better permanent method, as drugs often need to continuously be dosed. Though the side effects are, ah, worse.

[Archimedes remains bundled away, and has no knowledge of Chu-Chu's presence. Yet.]

[rosebridled]

[ Hm. ]

That does sound permanent.

[xenoqueen]

[Ripley shrugs, looking determined to keep trudging along the path.]

All I know is that I was lying in stasis, floating through deep space, and now I'm not. There obviously had to be some point in which I was taken out and plopped down in the middle of nowhere, unless I'm dreaming.

[She says it all in a matter-of-fact tone, not looking towards Medic.]

And I sure as hell hope it's neither, because I'd like my wits about me.

[blutsauger]

Oohh! Interesting, interesting. Tell me, what was stasis like for you? I've never had the pleasure, myself.

Oh, I agree, but they're both certainly possibilities, with different methods of reversal.

[xenoqueen]

[...That's not unsettling at all, Medic, thanks!] It's just like a long, dreamless sleep. Helps when it comes to traveling for long periods of time without anything to occupy yourself with.

[Ripley can't help but cast a weirded-out look towards Medic--and then she sees a moving lump in his coat. For a second, her brain jumps to that chestburster--but...no, it's probably just something like a snack or...she doesn't know.]

What's that you've got in your coat, there?

[blutsauger]

Interesting- so while you're in stasis, you have no idea of anything that's going on around you? How do you wake up? What? Oh. That's Archimedes. [Said matter-of-factly.]

[xenoqueen]

The computer wakes us up depending on--

[She pauses. Then, in a flat tone.]

You say that like I'm supposed to know what that is.

[dereban]

I'd like to hope that our memories are altered... but why do you think that?

[ While Inaba herself isn't outright denying it, there's a bit of curiosity tinged in her tone to ask about it. ]

[latebluemer]

Hmph, I'd hope not. I've had enough of memory altering or whatever they do these days.

[Blue Angel is good at faux-casual when it comes to these things by now, but there's still some stiffness to her reply, because too many things have happened recently for her to be sure of herself. It doesn't matter whether she's in Link VRAINS or somewhere else; the infiltration of technology doesn't stop or slow for anyone.

So she can't rule anything out. It's very annoying.

For now, she focuses on keeping warm where she's curled up on her hoverboard, looking curiously for the bird that was around earlier but not bringing it up for the moment.]

And I've never heard of brain-scooping, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want that either.

[blutsauger]

Fair enough, ja? Personally, I'm rather well-informed on brain-scooping, so I may be able to figure out ways to prepare memories removed through that. If I had an extra supply of brains, first, of course.

[latebluemer]

I wasn't asking for details, you know.

[It's a little bit sharp, because who just walks up to strangers (teenage girl strangers!) and starts talking about brain piles and removing memories with that kind of wording? And she may have implied a question, but she totally wasn't asking for that kind of detail??

He's going to get the side-eye from her for a little while before she gives a little huff.]

That's pretty creepy. I don't think any of us want you messing with our brains or anyone else's, if that's the way you do things.

[blutsauger]

[Medic looks confused.]

I... wasn't even going into much detail? Believe me, you will know when I go into detail about brain-scooping. Much worse.

And I wasn't planning on messing with anyone's brains? [He holds his hands up defensively.] You are all so jumpy. I'm not performing any experiments without permission.

[He's got standards, at least with civilians who didn't have a contract they signed explicitly saying they were cool with getting random animal organ transplants and invulnerability devices. And he's sure as hell not performing experiments on teenagers, God.]

[latebluemer]

... I didn't need to know that either.

[She doesn't need to know how much worse it would be!! Her imagination's going to run wild!!

There's a definite sigh there, but she doesn't bother to apologize -- of course she's jumpy, and she's fully aware of it, but she likes to think she's earned it with her history. There are plenty of people she knows a little too well who wouldn't ask or even think of asking. So...]

Just be more careful with your words. If none of us know how we got here, no one is going to be very happy to hear too much about brain-scooping or memory manipulating or human experimentation! Okay? [it's partly real advice and partly just her being petulant] It's good to hear that you have some standards, I guess.

[geckodad]

Drugs. Last I checked I got no scars that hint random lobotomies.

[Iwai doesn't seem too concerned about missing memories -- at least he doesn't let it show. He is unsettled, but he isn't going to let it show right now]

[blutsauger]

A truly skilled surgeon can avoid leaving noticeable scars, my friend. Or at least place them strategically!

[geckodad]

Strategically as in where?

[Tell him more, pal]

[blutsauger]

Well- for example, you can actually perform certain brain surgeries through the nostrils! Very innovative. [That's real by the way]

[geckodad]

You don't say.

[Well that sure isn't unsettling at all! Iwai rubbed his nose with a hand, distracted by those eerie thoughts]

Would that leave any signs that happened or anything?