INTRO LOG #1

[bequiet]

INTRO LOG #1
Muzzle and Mute
Content Warnings: Disorientation, memory loss, confusion
Themes: Arrival, survival, exploration, horror

You wake, standing. A thick, muddy red dust coats your skin and clothes - it sticks to your tongue and blocks your vision. Inhale and it chokes you, exhale and your breath puffs out in front of your face in a transparent maroon cloud. It tastes of copper, tangy and harsh. Movement is difficult, every limb tingles and aches. Look to your left, your right. Evenly spaced in each direction stands another person indistinguishable in every way from the next. You're disoriented and lethargic, unable to grasp onto a single thought. A pinprick of light blooms ahead and grows steadily larger; a door has opened.

Hands grip your wrists, push at the small of your back and guide you out of the darkness into a room with four walls and a thin, sagging ceiling. The plaster is peeling, the air is musty, and the floor is slick. White plastic piping juts up from the center and curves into multiple spouts, clean water flowing in uneven streams. Those hands pull your clothes off and clear the dust from your body, redress you in handsewn jumpsuits. By the time they’re through, you will have begun to come back to yourself.

A finger is pressed to your lips. Kind eyes meet your own and a single word is whispered - hush.

Led out of the room in a line, you’re taken down a short hallway and into another, much larger room. There’s a woman waiting for you there, a child hugging her leg, and a cloth bag in her hands. She reaches in and pulls out a device, passes one to each of you. Once finished, she begins to move both hands in graceful gestures, a language. One of the people who helped you lifts their device and the screen lights up, tracks the woman’s hands. Letters appear on the screen and you understand the device’s purpose. She tells you what she knows and it’s not much.

This world is haunted. Noise attracts them, so it is not allowed. Communication is through body language, soundless writing, and the device. She tells you that your feet must be light and your mouth never used. There is a community outside these doors, where you can survive together, but only if you agree to one thing: complete and total silence. You'll have time to talk it over. You may ask one question and receive one answer.

Acceptance allows you to journey outside. The ground is marked in pathways of sand, lining the paths to each building and everywhere in-between. You notice that the locals hold their devices always, aloft and glance to it often. It will not vibrate or make a sound to signal a message. Notices appear. Rules. Guidelines. Feet on the sand and never anywhere else. To open a door you brush your fingers along the hinges - oiled and you may enter. If not, take the brush from the can sitting nearby and coat the metal with the dark liquid.

Now, you're to settle into your new home.

The Man in the Hat
Content Warnings: Heavy lifting, following the rules, alcoholism
Themes: Moving in, survival, exploration, horror

Once you’ve claimed a room for yourself, it’s time to acclimate to the community. Natives will ask what you need and take you along the sandpaths to different areas in the city to gather supplies - furniture and the like. Heavier items will require assistance and will take longer. Houses are mostly empty so if you and your housemates need something, you’ll have to carry it and put it inside the home. Do not make any noise or the natives will refuse to help you. Getting to know your housemates is key to a smooth transition. They are going through what you are right now; take the time to get to know them. Make house rules.

As the first day gives way to night, the natives can be seen moving at a faster pace outside. They’re hurried, though not frightened. Some even smile at you. When the sun sets behind the ruins of what was once picturesque Reims, your device will signal that it’s time to meet at the center of the community. There, natives will stop each person and give them a small gift - a trinket, a token to show that they are trying their best to make all the new arrivals feel at home. These are all items from the character’s home or from another character's home (they will not be anything that belongs to anyone else). Small, soundless and either something taken during the application process or something brand new. They will have no powers to speak of and are meant to be a momento. If asked, the natives found them the same way they found each of you.

Then the party starts. Sort of. A soundless, stitled kind of celebration. Fun is meant to be had, but it’s not an overly joyous occasion. The natives simply don’t know how to cut loose. There will be extra food in the form of one and two; Phillipa even brought some of her homemade bread. If you stumble across a man wearing a hat, the only man in town who does, and agree to go with him when he offers to show you his house - he’ll gift you with a jar of hooch; it’ll burn on the way down.

Sound Eaters
Content Warnings: Threat, danger
Themes: Survival, exploration, horror, game plot

It’s the second day of your stay, and the natives call for an emergency meeting at the Town Hall. Everyone is paired off (see below) and are asked to walk the perimeter looking for anything out of place and patching any areas that might have been affected by weather. Once finished, the same is done on the inside, and when the community leader is satisfied, the main hall is opened up so that everyone can congregate. Characters, during this time only, are allowed to make sound. This is so that the natives can explain why silence is so necessary...

The Sound Eaters.

In an effort not to frighten everyone, the natives won’t go into the history just yet, but they will warn that when someone makes a sound, it attracts them. They don’t know what they look like because they are so fast. If you’re too loud, then in the blink of an eye, you’ll go through a room reset. This is because either the natives ‘silenced’ you or the Sound Eaters have. They will explain that the room came at the same time the Sound Eaters did and that it doesn’t work for the natives. Sometimes, it doesn’t work on new arrivals. Death, for those born in this world, is permanent. If you attract them, you’ll get someone killed. Hence the need for no noise. During the meeting, the natives will tell each character of their own experiences. Their losses. The families they have left and how they’d do anything to keep them alive. They don’t know if you’ll be reset, but is that a risk you’re willing to take? The meeting will last a few hours and will end on a somber, ominous note - at the end of the month, they are taking everyone to meet them.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun!

NAVIGATION

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Comments

[steal]

[When she first glances his way, it's with annoyance. She's a woman on a mission, and doesn't think she needs company. But since she's sure he's perfectly capable of not getting in the way that look quickly fades away, and she gives a slight smile as she nods. Yeah, he can come along. For now.

It's tempting to speak and ask him his name or what he's planning on doing, but she stays silent as she leads the way without pulling ahead of him. She pulls her device out of her pocket and gets up a quick message.]

If we're stopped, tell them we're looking for supplies.

[oorah]

[ he has deep bruising all over his face, red like the blood is pooling close to the surface. he ignores the way the chill in the air makes it sting, looking over to read the words she writes him. frank is getting used to this game, but he hates it. he wants to learn the sign language the natives use so he can ditch this stupid thing for good.

nodding to her suggestion he flashes her an OK symbol with his hand, easily keeping pace with her as he mills along in the sand. ]

[steal]

[She's never seen that gesture before so she copies it, and turns her hand so she can get a look at it from different angles. It's not hard to figure out what it means, at least, so soon she's nodding and letting her hand drop down by her side. If they're "looking for supplies", it makes sense to start poking into buildings.

There's one up ahead that's off the sand path, and though they've been warned to stay on it she knows her footsteps will fall silently. His better too, because she diverts off the path without missing a beat. The building up ahead was probably a small shop at one point in time, but now it sits empty.

Empty and unlocked, as Rey quickly and easily opens the door just enough to slip through. There's no can of oil here, and so she makes no attempt to touch at the hinges. That rule makes sense, but doesn't apply to them here and now. Neither does the talking rule, as Rey grabs him and turns them so he's pressed against a wall and her mouth is in close enough to his ear that she can whisper. She does it gently, having noted the condition of his face and the fact he's likely been recently beaten. She doesn't want to add to that, or make him react violently.]

Do you trust everything we've been told?

[She doesn't, but doesn't want to sound like she's paranoid.]

[oorah]

[ he's just as quiet, and just as light on his feet despite his bulky frame. he follows after her, and honestly is a little disappointed in himself when she gets the jump on him. he keeps his hands down, braced against the wall as she hisses in his ear. his heart is leaping up into his throat, but at least he won't have to try and figure out a way to silently fight her off.

slowly, after a beat, he shakes his head, catching her eyes in the dark space with his own wet gaze. ]

[steal]

[He shakes his head and she pulls away, deciding that his answer is enough reason to give her cause to look him over. Not trusting what they've been told is a good start. Enough that she doesn't want to risk his own life with her own by continuing to whisper. The device in her pocket is pulled out and she types quickly.]

My name is Rey. I think we could both benefit from working together while we're here.

[oorah]

[ he dusts himself off a bit passive aggressively. jesus that was not necessary on any level, but he gets over shit quick. he reads her face for sincerity at the same time he reads her text, continuing to hold back a sigh he'd been since he arrived. he's pretty sure the kind of work she has in mind is the same reason he'd been given such a colorful nickname in the first place, so he passes it along to her. ]

you can call me punching bag

[ joke? who knows, she can feel free to guess because his face betrays no humor at present. he gives her a half a shrug that's meant to mean he'll hear her out. ]

[steal]

[She doesn't look very amused. In fact, she almost looks confused at first. But then she figures it must be a joke and she arches an eyebrow.]

No. I'll call you by your name. If anyone punches you again, I'll take care of it.

[That's right, she can fight your battles for you. No one needs to go around with that many bruises on their face. But just in case he won't read much more beyond what she's just said, she quickly types out something else.]

There are people here from my galaxy. People that need to be watched, but I can't be the one to do it. Do you understand?

[oorah]

nickname [ he points out, and those count. besides, apparently he's not offering his name to anyone but two weird kids and a reporter who bullied it out of him. frank looks at the girl before him properly this time. she had gotten the jump on him, which isn't easy. he's impressed if... wary. she looks young, impulsive. he can work with that. ]

your galaxy, huh? [ he lifts his eyebrows but apparently has no further comment about that. ] you're saying you'll watch my back if i watch yours. that it?

[steal]

[The face she pulls is mildly amused.]

No. You keep track of the people I tell you to, and you tell me if there's anyone I should track in return.

[It's a blunt offer, and she has a sort of confident look on her face that says she thinks he won't refuse. Information is exactly what they need in this place. How could anyone say no to that?]

[oorah]

[ mutual stalking. even better!!! his expression gives him away before he replies honestly. ]

who am i tailing

[steal]

[Aha. He's so agreeable to this that she feels a sense of satisfaction.]

There's a man named Hux. I believe he lives in house six.

[Which she only knows from stalking him.]

[oorah]

[ he KNEW that guy was shady. yes. hale yes ] i'm in house six. anybody else?

[steal]

[She hesitates, but eventually nods.]

There's another man here, named Kylo Ren. Let me know if Hux goes out of his way to instigate anything with him.

[You know, like evil plots or anything crazy.]

[oorah]

description?
by instigate do you mean you'd like this ren guy protected or

[ it's kind of disturbing how easy it is to slip back into this. orders, operations. he's trying not to think about it. ]

[steal]

[Maker, she has to describe Ben now? Rey gives the most practical yet detached description she can provide because this has the potential to be awkward.]

Tall, dark hair that's a little too long, the start of a scar across his face.

And he's the last person here that needs protection. Feel free to punch him if you'd like.

[Because she totally doesn't care. Nope. Not at all.]

[oorah]

okay. usually don't go around punching people unless they deserve it though. [ a gentle dig: does he deserve it? frank files the description away, he'll keep an eye out for sure. ]

do you know what house he's in?

[steal]

[Rey picks up on the unspoken question and pulls a face. To be bluntly honest here or not...]

Oh, he'll completely deserve it at some point.

[To answer his actual question, she holds up ten fingers while shifting her device up under her arm. ]

[oorah]

[ frank nods, he'll easily find this guy then. ] i'll get back to you.

[ on who he might want watched by her, but also about the subjects she proposed. they'll be in touch soon, is basically what he means. ]

[steal]

[She gives a nod of her head and offers him a little smile. He's not a friend, not yet, but he's an ally. She'll put her trust in him.

With a light touch to his shoulder, her eyes meet his briefly, before she slips away and gets back to doing her meddling explorer thing.]