00 - prologue

[afflictionmods]

PROLOGUE

It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing – something strange begins to happen. There's a sudden burning sensation that wraps around your right wrist and part of your forearm. If you glance at the affected area, you'll find that it's...glowing.  The glow is pale blue, and it's so bright that it hurts to look at. The burn itself isn't so painful that you feel like keeling over just yet, but it does hurt nevertheless.

But before you have time to try to soothe the pain, you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy. Perhaps some of you may attribute this to any injuries you may currently be sustaining. For those who were previously unscathed, however, there's quite possibly no explanation for this other than the sudden appearance of the mysterious burn on your arm.

There is no time to mull it over, though, because it is the last thing that you see before the world suddenly fades to black.

-----

When you regain your senses, your vision is blurry; but when it starts to even out and you survey your surroundings, you find yourself sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair. Looking around you’ll see rows and rows of chairs, all facing the same way towards a desk, a podium, and an empty wall. A projector hangs from the ceiling and the lighting is bright and artificial... For some of you, it might be reminiscent of a college lecture hall. For others, you might have never seen anything like this before.

Your wrist, by the way, feels perfectly fine...though there’s now some kind of strange marking on it. It looks like a scar of some sort, and if you choose to touch it, it doesn’t feel inflamed or damaged in any way...but that doesn’t mean you don’t experience any pain. Perhaps the last thing some of you remember is a hard-fought battle, and the aches from your injuries still linger; some of you might not even remember getting hurt, and yet, your body aches like it has; for the lucky ones who feel fine, well. Pray that it lasts for a little while longer.

Because the moment someone gets hurt – emotionally or physically – there’s a small chance you’ll feel it, too. Where and who and what it’s coming from, though, is on you to figure out.

In front of you on the desk is some kind of device – a tablet, for those of you who are familiar. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be capable of doing much of anything right now, other than take photos and videos with the Camera app. There's also a translating app for those of you who need help reading some of the text around campus, as it is all in English. (Verbally, however, you can understand everyone in your own language. Tablets are also in characters' native languages.) It seems to be incredibly durable and hard to break, but you may want to be careful with it regardless.

Something shifts in your pocket (or...in your socks/shoe/what have you, if pockets aren't a thing) as you move around. Should you reach in and feel for it, you’ll find some kind of card – those who are familiar with modern technology will recognize that this is some kind of card you need to swipe. It has your name and a photo of you on one side, and the back of the card has the word "KEYCARD" on it.

There are also other people here, scattered throughout this mysterious classroom you’re in. In fact, there’re a bunch of you — 29 others, to be exact.

And now... you’re free to do whatever you want. Mostly anything, at least, given that once you step outside and explore, you’ll notice an ominous fog behind the various buildings within view. Still, this is a good time to get your bearings, check on what you have - and don’t have - and talk to the people around you until orientation starts.

-----

( OOC: Welcome to your Intro Log! The partner system is in effect for the Intro Log, meaning that yes, pain share is happening! For some notes regarding the partner system, your character will not know who their partner is upon arrival. It’s entirely possible that they find out now if their partner gets or is already injured, or if they can pick up on their mood. Otherwise, they’ll find out later today...!

Anyone who tries to leave campus grounds will have to enter through the fog, but no matter what, they will mysteriously wind up back onto campus grounds. And for clarification, the keycards are what characters need to gain access to their dorms!

Finally, we will have an NPC Reveal at 6pm EST today! )

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[undertakings]

[It only takes an instant. A shrill scream, the whistling of shells in the air and then the impact. Compared to all that, the pain in his wrist barely registers as he pulls the person next to him down to duck for cover, shards of glass flying in all directions as the window in front of them shatters completely. In the face of all that, perhaps falling unconscious isn't an entirely unexpected outcome, but waking up in a lecture hall rather than an infirmary bed is enough to get him to blink briefly in confusion as he takes in the surroundings quietly, turning his head slowly to look around at the room and his current company.

Furrowing his brows, he slowly raises a gloved hand to his left temple and brushes against it briefly before lowering his arm, frowning as he looks at the unsullied fabric. He stays seated for a while longer after that, lost in thought with downcast eyes as he pays little to no attention to whatever else is going on around him. Finally--]

...It's quiet.

[That comment, muttered quietly to himself, sounds more contemplative than anything else. Moreover, it also possibly ignores whatever screaming is happening in the background, but meh. Meh!!!

After having had ample time to gather his thoughts, Shin finally leaves the lecture hall (but without the tablet oops) and starts to roam aimlessly about the campus grounds. He drops by each location at least once if only just to see what's there, but eventually reaches the fog, which he squints at a little before trying to walk through, only to find himself effectively going in circles as he just enters and exits back where he started. This probably looks kind of stupid but he doesn't let that stop him from trying a couple more times but in other directions!! Either way, he does get the message after a point, but anyone is free to just watch or popcorn this, he won't care.

Afterwards, he finds himself lingering near the bookstore area of the gift shop as he pages through some textbooks. He, of course, cannot read a fucking word of any of it because he left his tablet in the lecture hall, but maybe he's enjoying the pictures? Not that his expression indicates any kind of interest in what he's looking at, and after he's seemingly had enough of one, he just carelessly shoves it back into the shelf before wandering over to another arbitrary section to take out another book and repeat the cycle.]

fog

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is usually one to facetank consequences, but he sees Shin already testing the fog, so he's been standing at the entrance point while munching on some chips, watching him enter and exit again and again. He's popcorning with bbq chips.

This weird person also looks weird with his checkerboard-patterned eyes the moment he opens his mouth, his voice sounds distorted and full of static. ]

Try throwing something into the fog.

[ He says the most mundane thing with it, so the cautious factor is rather low. ]

[undertakings]

[If he's surprised that someone's watching his fog adventures, it doesn't show on Shin's face. Instead, his gaze flickers over to Hien, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly as he listens but he doesn't respond immediately. Sparing the thick fog a glance, he kneels down to pick up a stray pebble before whipping it straight through. Predictably, it only takes an instant for the pebble to come flying back, although Shin sidesteps it almost casually.

On the other hand, that means it's also now heading straight for where Hien is standing. Oops?!]

[selfconcept]

[ The pebble hits him straight in the forehead. Hien's reflexes aren't dull, so he could easily sidestep like Shin does, but he's just too lazy. There's a little bit of blood that gathers, which Hien doesn't realize its existence until he rubs at his forehead.

He looks down at his hand blankly and then rubs his hands in order to get the blood off. Problem solved. ]

Nice throw.

[undertakings]

[He did expect Hien to at least make an attempt at moving, so it's a little unexpected to see the guy just stand there and eat the hit. The whole thing might have even been comical, if it wasn't for the fact that it'd been enough to make him bleed. As such, Shin approaches with near-silent footsteps although he stays far enough to make it an awkward amount of distance to have between two people having a conversation. For what it's worth though, there's a hint of contrition in his voice as he speaks.]

Sorry. ...There are bandages in the health room.

[He tilts his head minutely in the direction of said room as he looks back at Hien.]

[selfconcept]

I didn't dodge, so don't be sorry. It's not bleeding much anyway, so it'll clot naturally in no time.

[ Well... he apologized. He thinks that's nice. His own voice is pretty flat though, but maybe that's just how he talks normally. ]

Were you hoping to escape, despite not knowing where you are?

fog

[exofractured]

[Is Phantom certain he wants to deal with the consequences of leaving wherever this place is? No. But is he content to not poke at the confines of this new cage? Also no.

Having someone else do the guinea pig work for him is appreciated, though.]

Should I take it that there's interference to leaving, or are you simply bad at directions?

[undertakings]

[There's a glance over to where Phantom is, but if Shin's insulted by the jab at all, it doesn't show on his face.]

I can't discount the possibility I might have gotten myself turned around as I was walking, but I don't find it too likely considering the short distance. I don't know if I would call it interference, though... it's like walking straight into a tunnel only to find yourself back at the start.

[His tone is blunt and businesslike, like he's delivering a report or something, but really, even he can't help but think that what he said sounds more like something he'd find a story or an urban legend. Still, he doesn't exactly have anything else to compare it to, so.]

[exofractured]

I don't know what you would call that if not interference. Perhaps it's an illusion or misdirection of some kind.

[Despite himself, he sounds more curious than needling now. He moves a little closer to the fog and lifts a hand before dropping it again with a grimace. Adjusting to magic being turned off is going to take a little longer.]

[undertakings]

Interference in this context implies there was some form of intent involved, doesn't it? I wouldn't normally consider being waylaid by fog to be related to that...

[But in fairness, he does understand that this is also a distinctly abnormal situation to begin with, so there's not really any force behind his rebuttal either. He'll watch quietly as Phantom does his thing though, even if it ends up being nothing in the end.]

...Were you trying to do something?

[exofractured]

If my mirristry hadn't been stolen upon arrival, I should have been able to detect such an illusion. Or other paltry efforts to distort the space around this area.

[At least, he thinks it's this place's fault. Maybe he's just in hell. Maybe that's the same thing.]

fog

[teidaisei]

[ At some point Kawase finally gets his hands on a pack of cigarettes and takes up residence on the perimeter with the fog, watching his smoke curl away into the odd weather. That is until better entertainment comes along, and he's never one to pass up a show of this particular variety.

He watches Shin's first few attempts in silence, though his lips curl ever upward each time. And then, when he stops: ]

I think you're finally getting somewhere.

[undertakings]

[Although he's more or less given up on this endeavor, Shin still hangs out right at the edge of the fog as he glances back at Kawase, shrugging at the commentary. He doesn't know this person, but he's seen those kinds of smiles more times than he's ever cared to, so he ignores the provocation.]

There's a limit to how many times you can attempt something before you recognize your time would be better spent doing something else.

[teidaisei]

Do you really think you've hit that limit, though? I think you could try a few more times. [ He was enjoying the entertainment, though it looks like it is short-lived. After a moment: ]

You must have something else in mind, right?

[undertakings]

Not particularly. [Possibly the dullest answer he could give, but it was true. He'd only made the multiple attempts because he'd never encountered anything like it before, but he wasn't actually that invested in figuring it out.]

But if you're that curious, you can take a look for yourself. There don't seem to be any hostiles around, although I can't guarantee there aren't any wild animals on the other side.

[If he somehow managed to make it over there, anyway.]

fog!

[cloudalike]

Some sort of barrier, I would think. Probably something to do with the marks on our arms.

[ Hi, Chongyun approaches him from behind having watched him do the same science experiment over and again. He appreciates science, sure. Thank you, person. ]

[undertakings]

[Can't believe he's the science guy here even though he doesn't even have high school science under his belt. Standards sure have fallen.

Anyway, Chongyun's words do get Shin to glance down at his right arm for a moment.]

...What makes you say that?

[cloudalike]

It's a common practice. Convicts, for example, are sometimes marked with a collar or a brand. And spirits leave traces on the places and people they want to keep track of. Something has to mark us as prisoners to keep us trapped in this place. I don't imagine whoever - or whatever - is in charge of this place will be sharing a similar brand.

[undertakings]

[He falls silent as he considers all this. There are parts that do make sense and parts that sound more like they belong in a work of fiction somewhere, and he's not entirely sure how to make of it all yet. None of it really shows on his face though.]

Do you have experience with these sorts of situations, then?

lecture hall (?)

[ignihidden]

[yo is that a FREE TABLET, get in the pile]

[(he'll have to give this back later i'm sure)]

[undertakings]

[it sure is a free tablet, have at it idia!!


because he sure as fuck is not going to come back to retrieve it, although I guess at some point when he wanders back for the Instructor and TA talk he'll notice it's gone, but well. Not like it was really his in the first place.]

foggy foggo fog

[unsinksyourship]

[




At some point when Shin comes out of the fog he'll realize that he has company. Literally. Tamamori has started just walking into the fog as well, because an experiment always needs more people blindly and haphazardly bumbling into it. He does not know how science works.

There's a small wave as he walks in. Walks out. Watches Shin walk in or out. They could probably repeat this for a bit. But eventually Tamamori sticks his head in and then takes it out again. Squints.]

Does this fog taste weird to you.

[undertakings]

[Honestly, it's hard to tell if Shin even notices Tamamori's presence at first. While he'll be careful enough to stay a certain distance away from the other man to avoid any accidental collisions, the only acknowledgement the wave will get is a single fleeting sidelong glance as he makes an attempt to walk in the opposite direction as Tamamori while in the fog.

By the time Tamamori sticks his head in the fog though, Shin's more or less had enough of these little experiments and looks over when that question(?) is asked. It's probably hard to tell if Shin's judging him or not because his expression remains as indifferent as ever, but there's a long pause before he answers.]

I haven't tried tasting it.

[unsinksyourship]

[Well, he's used to people with poker faces of various kinds, so he's not particularly offended even though he was the one who crashed the party anyways. Tamamori is here to take advantage of others' homework, in part, of course.

He doesn't do anything like avoiding Shin in the fog, because who thinks that far ahead in a stupid situation like this; bumbling is as bumbling does. Sorry if he steps on your foot in the gloom at any point. At least he's probably lighter than most people.

At any rate: Tamamori doesn't feel like detecting any judgment, so he doesn't.]

Isn't it just natural to try anything and everything in a crisis? Especially when nothing makes sense! [it's not like he got bored in the middle or anything] Well? What have you learned?

[undertakings]

[Normally, he'd be better about avoiding people who are bumbling around, but the fog is thick and part of the point of the exercise was to test if going in different directions changed where he exited. So at some point Tamamori probably did get him in his blind spot and landed them on a collision course to stupidity. I don't know!! Either way it'd probably be worse for Tamamori and all of his 5'3" of height, because Shin has 6 inches on him.

Anyway. Not going to dignify the first question with an answer, but he will talk about the second one.]

That the direction you move in doesn't seem to affect where you end up. I don't have a way of confirming my position when I'm in the fog, but it doesn't seem as simple as going around in circles.