epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

THE EARTHQUAKE

One day, early in the morning before the mechanical rooster at Amos Zephyr's farm even crows, there's a sudden rumble in the distance. Perdition's Rest shakes and the ground roils, knocking things off shelves and startling the mechanical horses in their pen. Look out the window and you'll see Qorral locals blearily stepping out into the street, murmuring anxiously amongst themselves: Earthquake.

Ever since the argecite mines started to dry up, the Qorral colonists have been turning to fracking in order to pull all available argecite out of the planet as quickly as possible. The technique has caused more and more earthquakes to shake the planet, though the fracking fields are far enough away from the town that damage is minimal.

However, the fields and mines aren't as lucky. The mayor rushes out into the street, his assistant and Sheriff Holladay flanking him, and asks for any willing heroes and adventurers (that means you!) to venture out to the fracking fields and assess the damages. Though the tunnels aren't being actively mined, there were likely miners and other workmen inside, so there will be rescue needed as well. Get your provisions ready and hop on the train: you're going to work.

THE FRACKING FIELDS

The fracking fields are a wide open swath of land peppered with looming, iron machines going on for miles. These machines are the Qorral's final attempt at scraping the last remnants of argecite from the planet before abandoning the colony and moving on for good. This destructive practice is causing obvious instability to the planet, but they don't seem to care. This is what their species does: seeks out argecite, mines it, and moves on.

The fields are dry and dead, with no plants around -- and now, after the earthquake, there are sinkholes. The iron machines are falling into the sinkholes, slowly being swallowed by the planet, with desperate workers trying to pull them back out. They could use the help -- but be sure not to fall in yourself.

Grotesque alien birds circle overhead, searching for the dead or the dying, workers caught in the collapsing earth. Save them before they're swallowed by the earth or swallowed by carrion birds -- and if you're too late, the locals would be happy to have their loved ones returned to them intact.

Also found in the fields is the Argecite Refinery, a massive factory filled with machinery meant for the refining of the crystal before it is to be shipped back to the Qorral home planet. The outside of the factory is surrounded by a 610cm (20 ft) tall electric perimeter fence, whose energy shorts out sporadically after the earthquake cracked the service box. If you're quick enough to make it through one of the gaps in electricity, don't relax quite yet -- there are malfunctioning guard drones throughout the facility, the earthquake rattling their sensors and making it impossible for them to tell friend from foe. The drones resemble dogs, though they are capable of folding their legs in for aerodynamic superiority when they take flight. They are equipped with energy lasers to destroy, sticky glue to slow trespassers, and a thin blade in the tail to poison attackers. The poison is quick-acting, causing hallucinations and fever, but it is not deadly.

Inside the factory, the machinery has collapsed in on itself from the earthquake; electricity sparks from damaged wires, dangerously nearby spilled oil drums or pools of standing water. Fire can start at any second. There are factory workers here that need rescuing, but also a variety of inanimate objects, including barrels of argecite, machinery parts, files, computers, etc. Anything that isn't bolted down needs to be moved outside of the factory before it explodes. Of course, no one is really keeping track of what's inside...

THE MINES

The Qorral have been digging in the mines since arriving on this planet 30 years ago, but recent efforts have shifted to fracking after the argecite veins slowly became depleted. The mines are still maintained by a skeleton crew of workers, making sure there is no build-up of dangerously flammable gas and patrolling the tunnels to look out for cave-ins -- which, after the earthquake, have happened in spades.

The tunnels are winding and deep, turning in on each other and ending in dead ends or sudden, steep drop-offs into the dark. There are workers trapped within, and some at Perdition's Rest have said that their thrill-seeking relatives -- typically teenagers -- have gone missing. It's possible that they have found themselves trapped in the mine, so it may be a good idea to look out for them as well.

And even deeper in the mine, there is a writhing, pale danger: sand worms, blind and hungry, wait in the dark. The earthquake has begun to drive them further up the tunnel, their tooth-lined maws open as they slither through toward the surface. Those focusing on the fields above may find a straggling sand worm or two, thrashing wildly in pain from the unfamiliar heat of the sun. This will definitely put a damper in the rescue and recovery efforts, so take them out as quickly as you can -- with as little damage to the fracking equipment, please.

OOC NOTES

Please direct all questions pertaining to the mission to the dossier page to keep questions and responses in one place for easy player reference. General game questions should be directed to the FAQ.

If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Bounty Board for side missions! Remember you can also request bounty missions or submit player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Shuyi can sympathize with that sentiment; wanting to prove oneself unafraid, capable and independent when there was nothing farther than the truth. That pesky impostor syndrome. She has suffered from it all her life it seems.

So she, too, pretends she knows what should be done amid the unfolding chaos. Some are rushing to rescue the machines, others prioritizing survivors and too many only trying to keep busy with no idea of the best course of action. She can't claim to know either, but the man she finds herself standing nearby seems to wear his self-assurance like an old, worn coat. He seems easy to follow.

With a quick nod, she grasps at thin air as if it's sand, then pitches her hands in an arc, hurling white light toward the barrier that seems to agitate the electricity even more. Moments later, parts of the gate begins to disintegrate, atoms breaking apart and destroying its neighbors in an unstoppable chain reaction. She remembers to hold up a hand to stop him before he runs through the doorway she just created. ]

Not yet. It may kill you. [ Speaking of. ] Is it survivors you seek?

[It's a good thing she puts her hand up, as Félix had started forward, curious to inspect whatever her strange ability is and how it seems to eat at the gate itself. Even with the warning, he leans forward, curious to watch as it dissolves the metal as though it's fine spun sugar in water and finds he can't quite look away even as she asks her question.]

Those not foolish enough to insist on remaining inside at least. [He confirms.] And as for the others... well maybe they can be dragged out against their wishes as well.

[There's also the matter of useful trinkets or information as well, but that is something he's less inclined to offer freely, aware that his liberation of such useful items might be misconstrued as something so crass as looting, which is clearly different.]

[ There was a time when she found it fascinating to see the very fabric of matter unraveling before her eyes, but now she tries not to look too closely lest it remind her of past mistakes she can't afford to remember. Surely regret and inaction would be worse. She needs to keep moving on, find a way to fix things. ]

Shall we decide on who gets to do the dragging?

[ She flashes him a smirk, making light of the situation, before stepping forward to the gap she created in the fence. She reaches to test the wire, drawing back before the electricity can sting her, before turning back to him. ]

I hope it does not offend you to have to bow to pass this threshold.

Why would that offend me?

[It's an odd question in his mind; bowing his head to certain others is something Félix would resist but bowing his head to pass through a doorway is hardly the same thing. It's simply necessary if he needs to gain entry.

As the unusual woman has already approached the fence, showing that it's safer now, Félix follows suit, standing by her and studying the edges of the gap curiously.]

If it's safe to pass, I can lead the way, my dear. You can stay behind me where it's safer.

Bowing at thresholds denote submission to whoever reigns in the place you enter.

[ But of course. This is a different world, a different universe, perhaps, and she knows nothing of this man except for what her prejudices say of people who look like him. Very little, that is. Still she smiles in amusement when he insists on leading the way for a lady. ]

It is safe. [ And she does step away to let him go through first, still with mischief in her eyes, oddly placed as it is given the situation. ] But I have never assured you that it is safe to reveal your back to me.

It also means not losing your head to a trap or banging it on a door frame. [He points out wryly, giving her an amused look.] Or do you assume that any time you're forced to bow your head for any reason you're immediately showing submission to whoever owns the land you're on?

[Strange as well is her response to his offer and Félix pauses to look at her and then, raising an eyebrow in challenge, takes a step back from the fence instead of through it.]

If you're going to be that way about it then, by all means lead the way.

[ It is only custom for the host to enter first, denoting that one's home isn't set with traps. But this is no one's home, though they've made themselves welcome, and she was the one who made the door. With a chuckle and a nod, she steps through first, stopping just beyond to wait for him.

It hardly occurs to her that there would be guard drones beyond the fence. ]

There. Now you may lead the way.

[He follows with care not to brush against the edges of the opening just in case and smiles with utmost charm at her words, exactly as he's used to in Montaigne.]

And offend you with assuming that you've assured me that it's safe to show my back to you when you've done no such thing? I would never.

[Inclining his head in a bow that's well-practised and a touch mocking, Félix sweeps his arm in a grandiose gesture for her to lead the way.]

Please, after you, my lady.

[ Tricky. This song and dance is familiar to her. Like handshakes to signal trust. Like sharing a cup. She smirks as she steps over the threshold, showing her back to him but only for a moment, because just as quickly, she twirls on her feet and walks backward while beckoning him to follow. ]

Shall we now consider this a clean slate?

[ But it's then that she makes the mistake of stepping in the view of one malfunctioning guard drone, which whirrs into action and lets out a sinister growl to signal an attack. ]

[He doesn't answer, just lunches towards her and makes to shove her out of the way of the strange metal creature's path as it races towards them. It's fast, faster than Félix would have guessed even with the realisation that it's not a proper creature at all, and while he tries to shove the girl clear he's not certain it's enough as it's upon them a moment later.

The creature's tail lashes around as it uses its weight to try and bear one or both of them to the ground, and Félix hisses as he feels a sharp bite from the tip of the tail. It's hopefully not a terribly deep wound, but it would be better to be done with this quickly. Just to be safe.]

EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

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