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]

I was with Poe. How long have you been waiting?

[She quirks an eyebrow as she informs him of it, the corner of her mouth turning upward into a smirk. Even with as peaceful as things are between herself and Ben at the moment, she knows that same peace won't necessarily exist for himself and the pilot. That will take more time.

For now, however, she's simply happy that he's actually asked to meet her here. She's still caught up by places with any kind of greenery. After Jakku, any little patch of green is a pleasant surprise and she isn't sure she'll ever grow out of that. To be surrounded by nature in a place that has her on edge is welcome, and earns him a point or two for thinking to meet here.]

[warfares]

[ Somehow it figures that Dameron would be here. The man is like a stone caught in your boot: persistent and irritating.

His expression flickers, lightning quick, as he turns, moving toward the pathway that will take them to the park the fastest. ]

Long enough.

[steal]

[Smiling as he turns away to try and lead probably isn't the wisest thing, but it's exactly what happens. He can't see it, but he likely can feel the amusement radiating off of her.]

You could have contacted me if you were worried.

[Or impatient, though that goes without saying. Her legs have to move fast in order to keep up with his longer stride, but she does so easily. She even pulls ahead a little, excited to get to the park. The sooner they can find a quiet corner to be tucked away there, the better. There's so much she wants to discuss with him.]

[warfares]

I'm not your keeper, [ a lie, at least in his own mind. She is young, headstrong and impulsive; admirable qualities in their way, but right now caution is needed.

He produces his device, typing: ] When we are out in public, places we can be seen, we need to use their devices. Not many can do what we can. It would be wise not to expose our advantage if possible.

[steal]

[That sounds like a terrible plan to her and it shows on her face. As much as their bond confuses and often frightens her, this is the one big convenient aspect to it. Still, she makes a show out of pulling out her device and looking put out as she responds.]

How would anyone ever know? Have you told anyone about it?

[warfares]

Our ability to communicate without speaking would be noticeable, particularly since neither of us know their visual language. [ Something he will be making an effort to correct at the nearest available opportunity, mind. ]

People mistrust what they do not understand. In an environment like this it is best to avoid attracting notice where possible.

[steal]

[She doesn't respond right away, because the last thing he says feels like stating the obvious. That, and she wants to get further away from anyone so she can resort to communicating in a way that makes her feel more at ease.]

Yeah, but no one will know we talk this way if we're careful to make it discreet. And I like hearing you inside my head. It's a break in the silence we've been forced to live with.

[She knows a little of the visual language here though. Demonstrating that to him, she makes a sign. It's repeated a few times before she mouths the word "house". That was one of the first ones she picked up on.]

[warfares]

[ She hadn't seen how quickly the galaxy had been willing to turn on his family out of fear of the memory of his grandfather; hadn't grown up with the stories of how ardently the Jedi were hunted, practically to the point of extinction.

Perhaps he's being over-cautious, perhaps not.

Then she has to go and derail everything by saying that. ]

What do you suggest?

[steal]

[The fact he's actually asking her what she thinks makes her take pause, and smile a little. Her hand reaches out, much like it had that night back on Ahch-To,
when he had come to her while she was alone in the hut. And just like that night, when their hands had first touched, she's cautious as she presses the side of her hand against his, just enough that her pinky can curl against his for a fleeting moment. It's enough of a touch for her to feel the intensity of their bond with full clarity.]

This way. Always this way.

[Her smile grows a little more warm as color rises to her cheeks, and she glances away in order to hurry on ahead. Admitting that she likes the sound of his voice is awkward, particularly since they still haven't fully dealt with the ramifications of what happened with Snoke.]

No one that matters will notice.

[Funny thing is, not many people here matter to Rey. Human life in general is important to her and she wants to protect the others, but on a personal level their opinions of her matter so little that it's laughable.]

[warfares]

[ It's just the briefest of touches and yet it means everything. The reassurance is immediate.

He reaches for her when she pulls back, hoping to preserve the contact a little longer; she slips through his fingers, dancing ahead of him along the path. ] Fine, [ he concedes, following after her at a slightly more sedate pace, turning to study their surroundings. Marking their path. ]

But I would learn their language, if I could. We do not know how long we will be trapped here.

[steal]

I've already learned some. Look.

[She slows her pace so she can focus on making a sign with her hand. She repeats it a few times, mouthing the word house. That was one of the first things she picked up on, though there are plenty of others she knows too. Language is something she's good with, thanks to having to pick up plenty of others in order to communicate with off worlders that came to Jakku for trade.

This time when her hand touches his, it's a more firm touch so she can help shape his hand into the right sign to copy her own. The initial rush of euphoria that she gets when their hands meet for a prolonged moment of time is distracting, but she works through it until she's satisfied that he's making the right sign with his hand. Embarrassingly, her touch lingers just a little after that, as her fingertips ghost at the edge of his hand once again.

Smiling through her reddened cheeks, she gives a little nod of encouragement. They can learn together.]

[warfares]

[ Every little bit helps, and there are definite benefits in learning what they are willing to teach.

He lets her guide him through the motion; she is patient with him, something he did not expect. ]

Impressive. [ The praise is genuine, even. ]

Though I suppose it shouldn't surprise me, given your knack for picking things up quickly.

[steal]

[She's taken off guard by that, and her hand quickly drops down to her side as she tries to figure out a response. Anything is better than just awkward silence, but that's what they're stuck with for a moment before she can respond.]

I have to learn things quickly. Otherwise I might be left behind.

[He said it himself not long ago. She's nobody. That still sticks with her, and causes her to decide to bring up what she knows they need to talk about.]

What you said to me after killing Snoke. Do you still remember?

[warfares]

[ The question makes something unpleasant slide down his spine. The memory is still fresh and raw, both the exhilaration of victory and the bitter twist of her rejection. ]

I remember.

[steal]

[Then they're on the same page, that's good. Her heart starts to beat faster and she feels a sense of anxiety. This could cause the tide to shift from something calm and happy into something much more intense. The air grows thick with tension between them, and she tries to push through it.]

Do you regret any of it?

[warfares]

I regret the necessity of it. [ It's not an apology and he won't insult her by pretending otherwise.

For all its lack of elegance (something he had realized in retrospect, without adrenaline and desperation to color the memory) nothing he had told her had been a lie. ]

[steal]

[She's not looking for an apology, and she's grateful he doesn't bother trying to offer one. A breath that she doesn't realize she had been holding is softly exhaled, slow and steady.]

If I'm not nobody, not to you, then please - listen to me.

[For as firm and direct as it is, there's gentleness and affection behind her words. Her eyes meet his and this once she doesn't allow her skittishness to cause her to look away.]

Trust isn't something I give easily, and if you break it again there won't be another chance.

[Please don't ruin the fragile but growing faith she has in you, Ben. No more fighting over lightsabers or trying to convince the other to turn. Their focus needs to be on survival.]

[warfares]

[ His mouth parts, as though he intends to refute herㅡshe had heard what she had said, had heard the colder and uglier truth of it, but it seems she has missed the underlying plea to itㅡthen he forces his lips together again, into a tight line, swallowing back something that feels bitter. ]

Fine. [ he offers her a curt nod, an acknowledgement of what is being offered to him. Time will tell whether or not he is able to abide by this, but for the moment he intends to try. It will have to be enough. ]

[steal]

[Fine? That's his response? Her initial emotion is frustration, which quickly gives way to anger with the short fuse she has thanks to the tension of being in this place. But she tries to remember some of what Luke's taught her, about finding peace in the midst of chaos. Maybe not in those exact words, but it sounds like something he'd preach at her. And focusing on that is enough to get her to breathe and not hiss out something at him.]

Fine.

[She echoes the thought, her curt nod mimicking his. And then she steps in closer, close enough that she's definitely standing in his space. She has to tip her head to look up at him and it almost seems as if she's going to speak out loud.]

There must be more than that you want to say.

[warfares]

[ She pushes into his space and he crowds her right back, refusing to give ground, body strung tight like a rope.

His jaw works, ] All that needs be said for now.

[ — so, perhaps they won't be making it to the park after all. ]

[steal]

[Her teeth grit together as she resists the urge to shout. So much of being here is focusing on restraint and it's already driving her crazy.]

We're not doing this here.

[Oh, they're making it to the park. They've come this far and she doesn't want to fight with him. She wants to see the greenery more. So she pushes past him, her shoulder bumping against him. And in case he thinks he's going to stalk off, she grabs hold of his hand to tug him along after her. They can walk the rest of the way in silence.]