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

[partymagician]

[ When he finds himself in the lecture hall, Fai doesn't know what to think. His first realization is that he's fine, physically, at least. He may be sore in the spots where he was injured, but he's somehow dry and... alone. He doesn't have his magic either. Hm. All of it is strange and leaves him reeling, to the point that all he can do is slowly take in his surroundings.

When he finds the keycard, it feels like the lack of any injuries and the fact that he isn't soaked makes more sense. Sort of. He still feels uneasy, so Fai takes his time looking around the lecture hall. It seems more like he's idling around, but he's trying to get a sense of what this room actually is.

Eventually, Fai leaves to go look around. Might as well see if he can find his companions or more information about this world and pretend that everything is perfectly fine. It's easier that way, after all.

His first stop is the bookstore, where he looks through the books. He picks up one in particular—a math textbook—and stares down at the numbers. Yeah, he has no idea what this is and it doesn't seem like it's particularly useful either.

For anyone nearby, he'll hold up the book. ]

They've got some interesting reading material here, hmm?

[ Eventually, Fai finds himself in the common area. He immediately stretches out on one of the couches. ]

Ah, not bad! [ If there's someone else in the room, he turns to look at them. ] Want a snack?

[ He stopped in the convenience store earlier, so he's got a small bag of chips in hand. ]

bookstore

[selfconcept]

[ For some reason, he ended up here and when Fai holds up the math book at him, he just makes a face and turns away like a hissing, prissy cat. Do not make him do math.

[partymagician]

...

[ Target acquired.

Fai walks over to where this stranger is facing and holds out the book again. ]

[selfconcept]

[ No?? Stop this, you fiend. Hien's frown deepens and walks away from Fai. Go away. ]

bookstore;

[fabulation]

[ Xingqiu takes a brief glance at the math textbook Fai's holding up...looking considering despite the fact he likes books, but that's not his type of book in the slightest.

In fact, he has already canvassed the bookstore, and there are still unusual ones to what he's used to or heard of, but well within his realm of interests. Classical literature, fiction, the works.

Right now he has an example of the first three in his hand. ]

Yes, they do. Have you seen what else they've to offer besides that?

[ He raises the piece of random classical literature he has already been reading. ]

[partymagician]

Bits and pieces.

[ Fiction doesn't particularly interest him, and English textbooks are something that he will just completely avoid. He isn't trying to do any real learning here. ]

Truthfully, I was hoping for some information about this entire... [ He pauses, having no idea what this place is even called. ] Complex, but I haven't found anything yet.

[fabulation]

[ ... ah, yes.

Right.

Well, Xingqiu may have gotten so absorbed into the book that he has been relatively distracted. Not that finding information about the place has not been a priority... ]

That would be helpful, wouldn't it?

Well, if we keep looking, we'll find something useful soon enough, correct?

common area

[goodfaiths]

[ Oh, this guy seems comfy. Honestly, he may as well be, given their current situation... Riku shakes his head and holds up his own bag of cookies. ]

No, I have one of my own! Looks like we all took what we could, didn't we? I'd be surprised if we didn't empty out the place by now.

[partymagician]

[ Fai opens up the bag of chips since the boy has his own snack. He takes one out, chewing on it thoughtfully. ]

Hmmm, we might be told to forage for our own food tomorrow.

[ But he is completely unbothered by the thought. ]

[goodfaiths]

I hope they'll restock the area... They brought us here after all, the least they can do is feed us...

[ That's the assumption, anyway. ]

You don't remember how we got here exactly, do you?

Common area

[mirrite]

[Congratulations, Fai, you are the first sane person he has met so far, which means you automatically get points in his book.]

... yeah, sure. What've you got?

[Don't mind him just taking a seat in one of the other nearby chairs for the moment-- he's not rude enough to ask Fai to scooch over when he looks so comfortable!]

[partymagician]

[ Fai studies the bag, tilting his head to the side before shrugging. ]

I've got no idea!

[ Since he doesn't want to get up and because Marcus sat in another chair, Fai decides the best way to deliver the mysterious snack is to chuck it right at him. ]

Think fast!

[mirrite]

Hey--

[Fortunately Marcus has good reflexes and manages to catch the bag without spilling more than a couple of chips. THAT WORKS, HE GUESSES.]

Next time warn a guy before you do something like that...

[... technically he did, Marcus.]

common area!

[cloudalike]

[ It's not like he has any money on him, so he really should accept what's being offered for once. ]

Thank you for offering. [ But. ] If I could ask what kind of crackers those are...?

[partymagician]

[ He looks at the bag, unable to read any of it. ]

...I must admit, I have no idea. I had a bag of these earlier and they were plain... they tasted like potato.

[cloudalike]

[ Oh, plain! Good, good. He looks less apprehensive with that question answered. ]

Plain potato crackers sound perfect. I was a little worried they were going to have some sort of spice on them...

Bookstore

[vedr]

That's a lot of numbers... Is that a manual?

[ He had a pile of books in his arms he was going to read... But now he's been squinting to look at Fai's textbook and curiosity's gotten the better of him, ]

Kind sir! I ask to take a better look that book you have to see for myself its value! I'll return it to you, I promise.

[partymagician]

[ Fai easily hands it over. ]

Take as long as you like!

[ But he wonders if this man will ever get to it when he has all those books in his arms... ]

[vedr]

Oh I wouldn't keep it too long from you! you had obtained it first for yourself, no? [ He's actually going to look at it first and set aside the other books. Otherwise yeah he'll be here all day.

Opens it. Closes it. ]

It seems I was mistaken on the content's... um... intentions! What a formidable piece of literature-!

[ He'll hand it back. ]

wildcaaard

[selfconcept]

[ Whenever Fai makes it into the dorm room, he'll see Hien already there, lying down on the bed and staring at the ceiling. Every once in a while, he looks at his tablet from the same position. His information out like this doesn't particularly bother him, since it largely doesn't matter. In fact, he decides that he just doesn't care. It doesn't have anything written about him being an Overseer other than he's Very Old.

He decides that doesn't matter either.

He's so close to falling asleep despite having slept a lot already... ]

[partymagician]

[ Fai eventually comes in, arms full of clothes and notebooks and snacks. He makes a beeline for his storage and starts organizing everything.

It didn't surprise him to see Hien's age on his profile, but it is interesting that they're partners. He wonders why. It was a shame that Fai's own age is on there, but what can he do. It's out there now. ]

Did you have fun at orientation?

[selfconcept]

I wasn't there.

[ He sighs as he puts the tablet down and goes back to staring at the ceiling. ]

Technology sure is convenient. It's too bad we can't work remotely though.

common area

[vivens]

[ when fai comes to stretch out on one of the couches, sabo will be sitting in one of the chairs with a book in his lap flipping through the pages skimming over the images and words. he'll perk up when asked a question. ]

No, but thank you; I've helped myself to a few myself. [ he'll casually produce no less than five different candy and granola bars from his coat. ] Say, you didn't see anyone behind the counter when you were there, did you?

[ might as well. ]

[partymagician]

[ He situates himself on the couch so he can at least look at Sabo while he's talking. ]

Nope! I guess that means we can take whatever we want.

[ If not... oh well. ]

[vivens]

Until someone comes to tell us otherwise.

[ given that it hasn't been a whole day so they don't know about what restocks and what doesn't. ]

...but I'm sure even if someone did show up later, we could explain ourselves.