SOLMARA

[etrayamods]

⏵ LEAVING ETRAYA ⏴ Whilst most individuals will be making their way to Camp Etraya, the select few that have volunteered (and those who Aurora chose to be the fifteen she could support travel for) will be directed to come to the hospital, where a portal made of a swirling purple energy awaits. Aurora will meet them beside it, several backpacks placed by her feet by companion bots on their way out to their camp duties. "I'm sorry I cannot be of more assistance," Her voice is soft, hesitant in a way Aurora generally is not. "I would send my back up in this body to accompany you, but I am... using an extensive amount of my own resources just to keep this portal open, and I want to ensure our city is safe, too." Each name has a name on it, or a symbol that represents the character it has been brought for. For those who do not recognize their packs, Aurora will lift them and offer them out herself. They all contain basic survival needs, including breather masks, modular tool kits, hydration capsules, thermal cloaks, solar-charged lanterns, ration packets, medkits, as well as items specific to them that they may require - medication they may require, sunscreen, anything Aurora could think of that they may need that she could pack away. Once they've all gathered their packs, she raises a hand to gesture them towards the portal. "Your earpieces will continue to function, but will not be able to reach outside of their protective barrier. I understand some of you may have the means to communicate over long distances without the assistance of technology or magic," her eyes linger on Nate Grey momentarily, before she addresses the group as a whole once more, "And I would, if you can, lean on that to reach out to those who remain behind. While they may be on their own mission, I have left it... open, as best as I am able to. I wish all of you the best of luck. And please do be careful - I cannot guarantee your return from death should anything happen to you on Solmara." Lips press together tightly. Aurora hesitates, before offering, "I would, if you could, keep a look out for Ithaqua. He is still registering as one of mine, but I have not been able to find him within Etraya." The portal awaits them. Aurora will still be beside it to answer any further questions as best as she can, but she cannot step through alongside them. ⏵ OUTSKIRTS ⏴ Once they've stepped through the portal, they will find themselves in a small forested area full of barren trees called the Mirkwood Strip. Even the air in Solmara smells different: stale, and musty, despite how dry the environment around them looks. Where Etraya was covered in greenery, Solmara is covered in sand. It's a ruin of torn up roads, steel skeletons where buildings had once been, and jury-rigged machinery can be found throughout the city bubble. Scorched earth beneath a blood-orange sky, it barely feels habitable, let alone like a place for those competing to save their own worlds. Its outskirts are near-empty, full of those who have left Alrys' good graces and a few patrols to keep the half-starved deserters from rising up against her. There are a few individuals wandering among old buildings who may look a little less torn up: city bubbles are initially designed to suit those who will be arriving, after all, and some of these citizens look at home in sands and heat, even if the lack of nutrition is less than ideal. Some don't require it, but are fed by the bright light in the sky itself. Everyone outside the large barrier Alyrs has put up around the hospital and the numerous buildings around it are either fighters, scavengers, or left over torn-apart corpses, waiting to be revived or worse: too torn apart to be revived in their original bodies. Either way: most this far out will know they aren't meant to be here if they blend in well enough: Alrys may have eyes on the hospital to look for any new arrivals, but outside of her scouts, who would know? If they wander closer to the barrier surrounding the city, they may find small cracks in the shell that protects them from the planet's hostile environment - not quite big enough to fit an entire body, but big enough to pry open so one could make it out. Perhaps this is where the warning of the incoming Solmarans had come from: someone slipping out and trekking across the planet to leave behind the banner. Where Etraya has wildlife, Solmara has predators. Large creatures hide amongst the dunes, in the trees, the caves, and mountains, just waiting for the opportunity to get a nice-sized bite out of an unfortunate traveler. ⏵ SOLMARA ⏴ But they didn't arrive here as tourists: the Etrayans came with a mission: figure out what's wrong with Borealis, and free the citizens of Alrys' control. And do so so - they'll need to get passed Alrys' defenses, break through the gates she and her people have put around the main buildings, and infiltrate the hospital. This is where her defenses are strongest, where they will find multiple groups of her soldiers ready to take them on, if they aren't careful to avoid them. And just like Etraya: they have a varied bunch. Some are strong, powerful. Some may be able to see the Etrayans moves two steps before they decide to make them, may be able to easily remove them from the equation. But the further they get, the more hesitant her forces may seem. Those who had been on Solmara previously will note: this isn't normal. Something's wrong here, different. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ This log is only for the characters chosen to visit Solmara, as discussed with Aurora. Please feel free to reference Ashlee's map, as this is what we will be using to guide characters through Solmara! As mentioned previously, we mods will be watching this post closely and will be guiding characters along to assist them in getting to their goal. Our intention will be to boomerang tags back as quickly as possible, until this mission is finished. To this end, we ask that any tag that you want the mods to respond to directly have "@mods" in the subject line, so we don't step in when it's not our time yet, and don't miss anything directed our way. Feel free to respond to this log in any format that works for you! We would recommend breaking up into smaller teams to make navigating the city easier, but do ask that you keep to at least teams of two or more, to make it easier for us mods and allow your character to have interactions that aren't just against NPCs/mod tags providing guidance on moving forward. If an OOC thread of what happens as characters move forward is easier for your group, please begin that in the mod queries comment on the Solmara Plotting Post. We'll get back to these threads as quickly as possible, too. This can be used to ask a question such as "What if Accelerator sneaks in passed the barrier and tries to blend in as a guard, what could he find?", "What monster is outside of Murkwood and how would they respond to intruders?", or something like "Max will be going up to some of Alrys' guard and reporting he was able to successfully complete the mission, how will they respond and can he get to Alrys directly like this?" For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the Solmara Plotting Post. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[cantilevers]

[Oh, Vander expected that it was random to some degree. When he looked at the people that he had met, there did seem to be a connection between all of them yet there were enough connections that a wide spread of complete life experiences and individualism was entirely true as well. And why not other sentient species represented as much?]

Are we certain that Echo isn't actually the problem everywhere? The fact there are multiple of these is troubling.

[That wasn't what they were here to do though, not yet anyway. They were here on a very specific mission to accomplish two objectives, and that's what they did need to focus on. The overarching conundrum of their situation could be considered later.]

Many are, yeah. We know her tactics are not gentle, but then again, in an inhospitable place like this, extremism has a way of taking root and being called security. [He glanced at Accelerator.] How are you holding up?

[levelshift]

[Accelerator shakes his head slightly. The only real common denominator of everything he's seen so far has been Echo, so logically Echo is the issue. But he can't say for certain, there isn't enough data for him to confirm that.]

Dunno. It seems possible.

[And there's been no real way to determine that, so... who knows. It isn't something they can figure out while they're in Solmara, anyways.

He clicks his tongue in irritation. Right, yeah, people are more willing to latch onto horrible monsters when they're forced into extreme situations. He could see why people did, they haven't been in Solmara for very long and he already finds the place awful.]

I'm fine. I fucking hate deserts. I'm not built for them.

[He's thin and fragile and the last person who should be in this kind of environment. His only saving grace is he can still reflect UV light when his choker is in normal mode, so he doesn't need to worry about sunburns or skin cancer.]

[cantilevers]

Has anyone had any access to Echo directly?

[It was clear that Aurora was far more accessible to them, would answer their questions, even build the world for them. She remained a welcoming party constantly, keeping things smooth while also delivering punch after punch for them when it came to missions and even this unsanctioned action to search out her brother.

He glanced at Accelerator and began to dig through his pack for some of his own rations. He tended to barter whatever he had to earn a sit at people's tables. He would eat in camp and only drink water out in the desert which was... an interesting and unlikable environment.]

Yeah, they are inhospitable. Give me a cave or tunnel any day. I had no idea my scalp could burn.

[Vander was a man who lived underground. He'd had a sunburn before, but it was nothing quite like this. He had had to actually learn to adapt to a desert, and he admitted he still wasn't that great at it.]

You'll be in the hospital under cover soon enough. A few more days of scouting and we'll make our move.

[levelshift]

Nope.

[It's only ever been Aurora, and he knows when people have asked to communicate with Echo Aurora has told them it isn't possible. Accelerator figures it may have something to do with Echo losing parts of themselves whenever they send someone home or bring someone in, but he can't say for certain.

He frowns a little.]

Tunnels have their own problems. [He had a rough time with them back home, since his connection to the Misaka Network could be interrupted or blocked depending on how deep the tunnel was. It's less of an issue here with his backup computer, but he'd still rather not risk it if he doesn't need to.]

Great. The sooner we can get this over with the sooner we can go back to Etraya.