afflictionmods: (Default)
affliction mods ([personal profile] afflictionmods) wrote in [community profile] theafflicted2022-05-21 07:30 am

00 - prologue

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! )
totaltrashfire: (feel somethin again)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-22 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kind spirit? What? Does this guy think she's a ghost?]

...Empty booooottles.

[Boo. Like a ghost. Get it? You get it.]
cloudalike: (044)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-22 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I see...

[ He doesn't get it. He takes it very seriously; he will seriously add it to his collection of serious spirit knowledge and seriously ponder what could have once been in those empty bottles. ]

Empty bottles, hm. Mundane, and at once, mysterious.

[ And with that thought to distract him from his panic, he finally turns from the wall and - blinks. ]

... A cat spirit?
totaltrashfire: (was recess in second grade)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-22 09:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[How could he not get her wonderful and hilarious pun!?]

I'm not a cat or a spirit. I'm a person!

[Is that not obvious? She can talk! Cats don't talk!

(Her ears wiggle when she says it.)]


A very alive person. I think. I hope...
cloudalike: (012)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-22 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
You're right, of course. I would never presume to deny your person...hood... But cats don't... talk...?

[ And then he just stares at her silently. Because cat. ]
Edited (omg I'M SORRY I MISREAD ) 2022-05-22 21:37 (UTC)
totaltrashfire: (I hope that you're missing me)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-22 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
They don't!

[Good job, Chongyun!]

But I do, because I'm a person! [Is it that hard?]
cloudalike: (049)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-22 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Al... right...

[ Well, she is what she says she is. So he slowly nods, just once. She is a person and not a cat. But also maybe not a catperson. ]

I don't mean to offend, and I'm sorry if I did. This situation is really weird for us both, I imagine. It's not everyday one is spirited away...
totaltrashfire: (hello hello)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-22 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, yeah. ...Wait, is that what happened?

[She looks around, like she's expecting a ghost to pop out of anywhere right now.]

I remember something burning me, and then I just woke up here.
cloudalike: (040)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-22 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I believe so. Do you also have this [ alleged, BY HIS OWN WORDS: ] cursed mark on you?

[ He holds out his arm, glove off and sleeve rolled up. ]
totaltrashfire: (they got drunk)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-22 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Uh...

[She looks down at her own arms - she isn't wearing sleeves, so it isn't hard to find it, as it makes a naked spot in her fur.]

...Well. Cursed mark confirmed. [What does that mean??]
cloudalike: (007)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-23 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ He doesn't know what it means yet, but he's determined to find out. ]

I've read that particularly nasty spirits will mark their victims, so they can always track them down.

[ In other words: he has absolutely no experience with this. ]
totaltrashfire: (they got drunk)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-23 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
You've read that? In some kind of spirit tracking guide?

[Makes sense to her.]

But if they can follow us... are we going to get attacked by ghosts?!

[No thanks.]
cloudalike: (039)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-23 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, I'm an exorcist, so that's what I've studied since I was a child. My name is Chongyun, miss. What's yours?

[ He quickly taps his chest with a fist. ]

I promise I'll do my utmost best to protect us if or when we're attacked.
totaltrashfire: (won't you help me sober up)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-23 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm Mae Borowski! You can just call me Mae.

[She's more interested in what else he said, though.]

An exorcist, huh? So have you killed a lot of ghosts? I'd feel better if you've killed a lot of ghosts.
cloudalike: (008)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-05-24 06:39 am (UTC)(link)
Truthfully, most of them just run from me… However, once they run, they never return.

[ Which might help her feel better anyway. ]
totaltrashfire: (I hope that you're missing me)

[personal profile] totaltrashfire 2022-05-25 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
You must be pretty strong if they run at the sight of you! Even though you don't look very intimidating.

[No offense.]