EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

[futurologists]

RETURN TO OSKA Upon arrival in Oska, new and returning recruits alike will find that something strange is going on. Any attempts to communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you will be just that -- like you don't speak the same language. Let's hope everyone is good at charades, because you're going to be out of luck for a full day. On the second day, a text comes across -- surprisingly intelligible to everyone. Is it over? Well . . . crowley: Hello, Audentes. We are currently experiencing magitek difficulties, as you may have guessed already. Temporal insects have arrived with our latest arrivals, and as you may imagine, we have had our paws full. cherenkov: We are working out how to mitigate the pest problem for good. For now, please put your unpleasantly huge feet to use and stomp them out. Or other such methods. crowley: We have created a quick patch to facilitate text-based communications, but verbal translation will continue to be down until the insects are exterminated. Thank you for your patience. It's not over. TEMPORAL INSECTS This invasive species has worked its way in through the rifts along with the newest batch of arrivals, and information on them is available in the library (provided you can read the language it's written in!). It seems they behave like locusts, living quietly within the space between rifts for many years until their numbers suddenly balloon and they begin to swarm in search of food. These bugs move fast and pack a nasty bite, but are unarmored and easily squished. Each one is about the size of a football, and leaves a little tell-tale slime trail that makes it easy to track. They can cling to any surface, and won't hesitate to leap onto attackers and bite if they feel threatened. One can take a decently sized but non-lethal bite out of someone, but a number of them together will pose a real danger. If punctured or squished they tend to explode into moderately acidic goo that can cause caustic burns if not immediately washed off. They are attracted to any area of high temporal energy, which can be literally any surface, corner, or point on or within the castle and its grounds. As they begin to feed they cause temporal distortion in the area. This manifests as the immediate area seeming to flicker backwards and forwards through time. An insect gnawing at a table leg in the dining area, for example, might cause the area to stutter between years and years of dinner parties, ghostly attendants of all fashions and species appearing and disappearing as they enter and leave the affected area. An onlooker can't interact with temporal distortions directly, but if the insect is left to its own devices, it will eventually eat through all of the temporal energy and render the immediate area gray, frozen, and completely inert. It's highly recommended you kill or otherwise chase off an insect before it manages this, as it can do irreversible damage to a world. For affected Oska locations, please see this post. OOC NOTES The translation errors will continue through the rest of the month. For more information or to ask questions, please check the plotting post here! New bounties are available in Oska! Please remember to fill out your squidge success form before August 31, 23:59 UTC! Filling the form out is mandatory, even if you do not have the 3 squidge threads. You will not pass AC if you do not fill out the form. Characters who have been accepted on August 20th are exempt. Please direct questions relating to the success form here.

Comments

iii omg can i get a two for one special

[winces]

[ sadly, all of haise's words are lost on olivia, who can only stand there quietly as he continues to speak, too sheepish to actually interrupt him. when he finishes, she can only vaguely discern that he means to introduce the man accompanying him, but she is hardly able to make out any name amidst all those foreign words.

and so she smiles, apologetically, waving her hands in the air. ]

I-I'm sorry... I don't know what you mean...

but do you really want this special...

[prodigism]

I don't think she can understand us, Haise.

[ It's clearly obvious that this woman has no idea what Sasaki is talking about. This sure is great, but apparently the texting function on their devices is working so he'll type something up for her to read, handing over his device with a small bow of his head. ]

I'm Haise's superior back at home. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Arima Kishou.

two doves coming right atcha!

[ex_adept136]

[Ah... That's his superior for you. Haise should've thought about the fact that Olivia came from a very different world and probably wouldn't speak either English or Japanese. He flashes an apologetic smile her way, supposing they'll have to rely on their magic jewelry after all.

At least voice to text should serve them well enough]

Sorry Olivia, I should've been more mindful.

kyaa!

[winces]

[ she hastens to summon up her own magitek, ever grateful that they seem to be working by now. ]

It's alright, Haise! Please don't worry about it.

And oh my gosh, it's so nice to meet you Mr. Arima! Haise has told me a lot about you!

[prodigism]

I'm afraid I just arrived, so Haise hasn't properly introduced me or told me much about anyone he's met here. But it's very nice to meet you, Olivia.

[ Say hello to mr. stoic himself. He doesn't really emote properly but he'll manage a small smile for her, just to break the ice a little. ]

[ex_adept136]

[At least the introductions are in progress, though Haise can't help ducking his head a little at the fact that he hasn't gotten around to telling Arima about everyone. It's a far larger squad than they're accustomed to back home, and with all these time-bugs around...well]

I've got a lot to catch him up on still yet, it's true.

[And for Arima's benefit-]

Olivia is my senior here; she's been with ALASTAIR longer than I have, and she's one of the first people I met during my first mission.