epidemiology | EVENT ★ WELCOME TO ZETA-12

WELCOME TO ZETA-12

Recruits arrive on a relatively calm, placid afternoon on the tundra. The snow is sparkling white and completely untouched, the sky overhead is a dazzling blue that seems to go on forever. The new arrivals have hopefully dressed warmly, though, because the temperature isn't nearly as nice as the weather. It's well below freezing today, helped not at all by a nippy breeze that stirs to life now and then.

THE TUNDRA (WEEK 1)

Not far off, the scene grows a little less tranquil. Here the ground is raw, ripped up and shredded by the recent, skidding passage of an asteroid on its way to a violent stop. Snow has already begun to fall and soften the torn up earth, but it's a long way from looking whole again. The asteroid itself sits huge, the size of an office building, half buried in the ground and cracked open. The interior of it is a silent labyrinth of stone, and here and there basketball-sized clear, jellylike balls can be found: the squidge eggs. There are no adults in sight, although there are many pools of spilled liquid here and there, presumably from eggs that didn't quite make it.

The eggs nearest to the outside air are cold, some of them even starting to solidify. They'll need to be warmed up if they're going to pull through. All eggs should be kept warm, but some of them are strong enough to pull through anyway if neglected — while some of them are going to need a lot of attention to make it through. Those eggs that do make it will eventually begin to soften, and 24 hours after the recruits arrive, will finally blink open their black, beady eyes and unfold into the squidge shape everyone will come to know and (hopefully) love. A small handful of squidges that hatch won't seem to imprint on anyone. These squidges are standoffish and sullen, but follow the group at some distance.

Any time after that, the journey begins. Recruits' jewelry will pull up a compass when needed, with a blinking red light urging them on south. The journey begins whenever you start walking.

The weather stays fair as the recruits head south, and the snowy plain is fairly uneventful, but eventually an impasse is reached: an enormous lake. Its shore is studded with beautiful snow stars, and may as well be an inland sea, for all that it seems to extend before them; that flashing red light asks that they cross straight over it. The water is iced over, but not thoroughly and not reliably. Even now, before any attempts to cross it have been made, there are cracks in the ice, great floating chunks that have broken free of the crust and would give a nasty surprise to anyone attempting to step onto them.

The first choice is a simple one: take your chances with the ice and attempt a crossing? Or do you venture east or west and hope it has some sort of end that won't take you weeks out of the way? Please choose one of these options to determine how your character fares.

As the journey takes them on, plantlife makes a slow return to the scenery. First it's the water cactae, proving a welcome relief to anyone tired of melting snow for water, if you can get into them. But eventually the temperature drops even further, and a forest begins to spring up around them. The first few days of it are chilly, sometimes even still snowy, but further on the plants are beginning to get a little more colorful.

THE FOREST (WEEK 2)

The second week of the journey is entirely under the leafy canopy of the forest. There's green all around, and the sun is warm whenever it breaks through the leaves. There is much more food to be scavenged here, although you couldn't possibly have made it too far through your food rations, right? Meals can be supplemented by berries, roots, or edible leaves, although it's suggested you find some way of quickly telling what's poisonous and what's nutritious. Here and there are plants trying to bite back, too. Do you hack these apart, or just give them a wide berth? The learning eyes of your squidge are on you, whichever option you pick.

Eventually comes another obstacle, not unlike the earlier frozen lake. This one, though, is a sheer drop. A deep, seemingly bottomless chasm has been slashed through the forest. The good news is that you won't have to find your way around it this time! There's a thin spit of land joining the two sides, only wide enough for two people to walk abreast, provided they don't mind getting cozy. You could walk right across… but you'd be leaving your squidge behind.

It turns out that squidges are terrified of heights. They want nothing to do with this, and would much prefer they just live out the rest of their natural lives on the near side of the chasm. The choices are these: A squidge must be sweet talked into crossing, calmed and comforted for several hours, or, if you must, forced into it. The squidges collectively are doing a lot of nervous wailing just at the suggestion of crossing, but a forced squidge will do a lot of screaming, even for days afterward. Recruits will find that they have an easier time of it in a group with at least one other person and their squidge. Although they still clearly hate it, they can handle it better in groups. But take heart: on the other side of the chasm will be a grove of large winefruits , a reward for the haggard parents. Just make sure your squidges don't partake as well, that wouldn't go well.

Please select an option below to determine how your squidge will be gotten across the chasm.

The forest begins to thin out again after the challenge of the chasm, and finally begins to warm up. In fact, it's getting a little muggy. It's easy to feel drowsy in the sunlight dappling through the leaves… or maybe that's the magical poppies. Seemingly innocent little red, purple, and yellow flowers begin to line the way. They're generally harmless on their own — but they're rarely on their own. Any recruits who lie down in the vicinity of a batch of magical poppies may find themselves slowly overtaken by dermal vines. Discretion is most definitely advised, as recruits finally make it to the swamp.

OOC NOTES

This log ICly and OOCly covers two weeks! Characters may proceed at whatever pace they'd like, but going too quickly or too slowly will mean they travel alone. (And those going too quickly will probably have to contend with screaming squidges, who prefer to travel at the speed of an easy plod.)

The unbonded squidges mentioned at the beginning of the log will be determinedly trailing after the group. They refuse to interact with much of anyone currently around... but may be convinced to take a liking to someone as we get new characters apping in.

Characters have been provided with large backpacks containing basic necessities -- food and water rations, shampoo, soap, etc -- and whatever they decided to pack. They will not be receiving another official supply drop, so it's up to them to make the rations last.

We are also introducing a Bounty Board for Zeta-12! It is entirely optional, but gives you some ideas to spark threads and rewards you for playing them out.

Please remember to select your choices in the threads below! How you choose will determine how your squidge grows.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It isn't as sloshed as a sailor, but Sieglinde has definitely fed her squidge winegrapes. Mommy wanted a little peace and quiet, and she didn't have any brandy on hand.

And it had worked, at least, her grape-colored squidge nodding off into dreamland as Sieglinde looked for a place to rest, riding high on her familiar's withers with the squidge clutched awkwardly in one arm, too big for her lap comfortably.

Alice notices her before she notices the other (not surprising, really), and the greeting pulls her attention, blinking awkwardly a moment before,]

Hello, Alice...

[She might have also partaken in those winegrapes, but barely enough to feel much of anything, just a pleasant buzz to distract her from the fact that she hasn't gotten a good night sleep in a week and the creeping realization that she might be almost as poor a mother as her own had been.]

Sieglinde?

[ Because it's been some time since she's seen her, Alice immediately turns on a heel and makes her way towards her. She practically rushes over her, though, this time, it's not out of just concern, she's happy to see her again. The girl who stands not that far off from her height gets a gentle squeeze of her shoulders as soon as she's in Alice's touch. Alice even offers a warm smile as she looks her over, seconds before she notices Sieglinde's disposition as well as her squidge.

She knows that look and Sieglinde is no longer free from Alice's mother henning. ]

What's this?

[ It's not unusual to use whisky to put children to sleep, but Alice has always had objections to it, herself. ]

Sieglinde, you didn't have those grapes, did you?

[As good as it was to see the other girl back from... Wherever she had gone, another world, another mission, Sieglinde wasn't as pleased with the prospect of fussing- not just from her usual distaste of such things, but also... With all this squidge care going about, she was quite ready to be done with such things. Still, a hand on her shoulder was fine, shifting her awkward hold on her squidge to pat Alice's hand in acknowledgement.]

It is finally asleep, is what it is.

[Her squidge, lily-livered and as fussy as a colicky human infant, had kept Sieglinde up almost every night since their arrival, her appearance beginning to look haggard, with bags under her eyes no amount of happiness at seeing another could hide.]

I do not see why I cannot partake in moderation, honestly...

[She figures she's earned it.]

Oh, goodness.

[ She was already swooping in and helping other people with their squidges, Sieglinde's was no different. In a weird way, it was almost like being back at Houndsditch, though, there was plenty of food and Alice was far more focused. This time, Alice focuses her attention on the squidge, tending it like she would with any infant or small child that would be in her care. Since it isn't an unheard of method to put children to sleep, Alice doesn't berate Sieglinde. ]

You know, my Nanny would try to do the same for us, but my mother never allowed it. She had her own ways.

[ What she knows is her mother would often hold and cradle her, until she fell asleep. Surely, it's good, isn't it? She settles beside it, while holding her own squidge. ]

You, on the other hand, you shouldn't be eating any of it. Come sit here with me and rest. Should it stir, I'll take care of it.

Well this way seems to be working well enough for now-

[And considering she had tried all the methods she'd seen others doing, rocking, cooing, hugging, and all manner of things to little success, Sieglinde felt quite entitled to winegrapes.

But she was more than happy to surrender her ungrateful squidge to another's potential care, so she snorted away the idea that she shouldn't be enjoying herself and instead began the careful task of dismounting from her familiar, urging the canine into a sit so that she didn't need to put any weight on her feet and merely slide off in a somewhat undignified pile of skirts. Her feet might look far more natural now, but she hadn't yet removed the splints yet or begun attempting to walk yet.]

Do you have any food- ?

[Priorities, though.]

[ Here, Alice was in her element, holding both squidges in her arms. It wasn't a burden to her, she enjoyed it more than she could ever express. She was doing something to help both Sieglinde and the squidges and having a purpose helped her mood.

For once, Alice was actually wearing less skirts, mindful of riding pantaloons underneath her skirt. She could only smile at Sieglinde's question, adjusting both squidges in her arm to pull out some rations she's been collecting. ]

Of course I do. Here.

[ Dried fruit was the best thing she's been saving so far. ]

[In contrast, Sieglinde grew almost visible more at ease the moment the squidge was taken from her, though she showed the briefest furrow of brow and grit of jaw in hypocritical annoyance when it seemed happy to go, snuggling sleepily up against Alice and the other of its kind.

Fine- be that way. It was not as if she hadn't already come to the conclusion that it would be far better off with someone else, and yet still masochistically refused to leave her.

Squidges.]

My thanks.

[She takes the fruit instead, quick to sift through it and pick the one that seemed most flavorful, popping it into her mouth.]

- Are those... pants?

[She's not... trying to peep or anything, she just. Noticed.]

EVENT ★ WELCOME TO ZETA-12

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject