epidemiology | EVENT ★ RECOLLECTION DAY

EVENT ★ RECOLLECTION DAY

WELCOME HOME

Audentes fights its way through the maze, bests the portal guard, and finally, the portal activates. Audentes is faced with a choice, and after some debate, the following conclusions are reached: the correctional officers, annoying as they were to have to deal with, were only doing their jobs. They're to be allowed through the portal with Audentes, and returned to their native planets. The prisoners, most of them murderers or worse, will be given the choice of being conscripted into ALASTAIR to do some good, or left behind in the maze. And, finally, Mavahari. It's agreed that it would be too dangerous to let her go, but she had been helpful through their struggles in the maze. She's taken prisoner to be brought back with them, a decision she clearly doesn't appreciate. She glowers, but doesn't resist.

With these things decided, Audentes, the correctional officers, nearly all of the prisoners, and Mavahari step through the portal . . . and it's quite a festive scene they'll arrive on.

Audentes is the talk of the castle today -- all the teams currently in Oska had been following the drama as best they could and rooting for Audentes to return home safely. They're delighted to have them back, and Audentes is showered with jovial appreciation and celebratory drinks as soon as they arrive. In fact, the Recollection Day festival technically ended already, but they kept the party going just so that Audentes wouldn't miss it. And yes, technically they did fail the mission on Leramzen and another team had to pick up the slack . . . but you can't win them all, right? The general opinion is that they did their best, surely. And ALASTAIR's biggest team of newbies survived, which is the important part! Anyone still injured from the ordeal will be ushered straight to the medical center to be cared for, no excuses. The (former) prisoners are taken away to be shown their new jobs and posts, the correctional officers are guided toward the outbound transportation, and Mavahari is shown to a holding cell.

If there is any shadow on the party, though, it's an undercurrent of muttering: Audentes isn't the only one that's had run-ins with Zymandis. More and more teams are beginning to see signs of them, and some teams present have even run into them directly. Some fought their way out, some snuck out . . . and some didn't survive it at all.

There will be memorial services held for George on the second day, as well as Team Kuran, who didn't survive their encounter with Zymandis last week. Friends speak up solemnly, fondly remembering good times had with the fallen recruits. But the somber mood doesn't last long, as recruits pay their dues and then return to the party to celebrate ALASTAIR's cause, how far it's come, and its successes so far.

The other teams head out after three days of celebration, leaving Oska to Audentes. They'll have three full weeks to recover from their ordeal and rest up for the next mission -- better make the most of your time!

RECOLLECTION DAY FEAST

The entire castle is draped festively in ALASTAIR purple and silver once again. In one of the studies the traditional feast has been set up, with the kitchen porting food directly into this room, where it's set out along long tables at the edges of the room. You can find anything here, food to suit any kind of diet from any kind of planet at all. There are no promises that all food will suit all diets, though. But still, if you want to try the bubbling pot of orange with the little worms that keep trying to struggle out of it, no one's going to stop you.

Oska's designated storyteller, a gently green lady who seems to have recently burst into large pink blossoms, stands at the center of the room, nursing a wineglass full of something silvery and addressing the room at large. She seems to be going over the history of Oska, to anyone who will listen.

The gist of it is that Oska was once an entire world, densely populated and well known for its music and carefully bred hunting companion animals. However, its energy was severely unbalanced, and the world was swiftly coming undone. ALASTAIR recruits of the time realized it was the very animals the natives so loved that were the focus of all of the planet's energy, but by the time they had finally figured it out and began to cull the animals, it was too late. This little scrap is all they managed to save. What locals remained eventually died out, being too few to repopulate by themselves, and ALASTAIR opted to move in and reclaim the space, so as not to let this world go entirely forgotten. With their very base of operations as a reminder of what can happen to any world at any time, ALASTAIR of today is not likely to forget the necessity of their mission any time soon.

Come for the food, stay for the slightly depressing story, and leave again fuller and maybe a little more somber than you were before.

THE OBSERVATORY

This room is usually home to a large telescope, a ceiling that slides open, and a lot of gauzy, ethereal decoration. Today it's been cleared out for what seems to be a room-wide, three dimensional documentary, playing on repeat throughout the festival. Images of a vast star system are projected into this room from no identifiable source, floating holograms the viewer can walk between and admire from any angle. A deep, soothing, presumably male voice speaks over the moving images, describing the action as it unfolds.

In the beginning, there was one universe. It was vast and eternal, and most importantly, self-sustaining. There was no reason to doubt it would go on forever. The images at this point are on a cosmic scale, an impossible number of tiny stars swirling in silent patterns. We don't know what shattered the harmony, we only know that shatter it, it did. We call this the Cataclysm.

This part is clearly an artist's interpretation. Slivers of light snake across the universe like the cracks in a broken window, shaking apart the entire scene. Some of the broken sections implode onto themselves in beautiful colors; some of them spread out and consume their neighbors. It's beautiful in a way, and probably completely visually inaccurate to whatever the real event looked like. The voice continues:

The Universe became the Multiverse. The harmony is broken, and the energy no longer balances out. Worlds are thrown into disarray and chaos, some burning out immediately while others struggle on as they are able. There are even dozens of iterations of the same reality existing in some places, just barely splintered from one another and overlapping in impossible ways. The shards of our formerly united reality are nearly limitless.

There are flashes of worlds as the narrator's voice continues. Each one lasts no longer than five seconds, filling the room and then flashing into the next scene. These are flashes of real worlds, broadcast up from the mysterious Viewing Hall and all of its mirrors down in the dungeons. Recruits watching diligently enough may even catch sight of familiar scenes.

This is ALASTAIR's duty. We travel from reality to reality, doing what we must to equalize the energy. The necessary tasks can vary wildly, as wildly as the realities themselves do. In some worlds we find great success, snatching them from the brink of destruction and allowing them to continue on, rebalanced. Some worlds cannot be saved.

The images shift, this time replaying old, completed missions. The variety is huge here, too. One team of blue humanoids dressed in ALASTAIR purple struggles to pull a mammoth out of a tar pit. Two small, doglike recruits dash through a dark alleyway, dodging laser fire. A team of something human-shaped but bundled up in spacesuits climb carefully through the weightlessness of space along the outside edge of an enormous spaceship.

The narrator has just one more line to add: Ours is no easy task, but if not us. . . who?

The informational recording fades out, and five minutes later, plays again from the beginning.

TRAINING ROOM

The training room has been repurposed for the festival, and anyone looking to actually sharpen combat skills will probably go away unsatisfied. A tropical beach has been simulated, complete with simulated drinks and hors d'oeuvres and simulated staff to serve them. It's the picture of luxury and relaxation, and even the heat of the sun feels real as it beats down on palm fronds and thatched rooftops, the breeze soothing in just the right way.

The water is the perfect temperature, with the waves mild and gentle, perfect for lazy pontoon sailing or fishing off the pier. Unless, of course, anyone takes up a surfboard from the waiting row of them -- like magic the waves rise up into impressive swells, ideal for riding.

The simulation has been coded to reflect the time of day in realtime, meaning that as the sun sinks down outside in Oska, it does the same here in the training room. A bonfire is lit and gentle music is piped in for the evening, with the simulation continuing through the night and to the next morning.

So pick out some beachwear (there are racks and racks of provided sizes and styles near the shift from sand to jungle, and even several changing rooms tucked between trees), grab some sunglasses, and enjoy the beach trip!

COURTYARD

If anyone remembers the mounts brought to Oska by Uruz and Dagny last Recollection Day celebration, they're back again -- it's an entire menagerie of strange and exotic animals from all sorts of planets, each of them large enough to ride. From horses to horselike, from lizard to avian, there are creatures of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. Last year the game was taming them, but this year they've all adjusted to their new roles in ALASTAIR with varying degrees of complacence.

Now, trainers are finishing up the mounts' schooling, and other teams are welcome to give it a whirl as well. An obstacle course has been set up, complete with tunnels, hurdles, water obstacles, and more. Anyone who manages to ride their mount around, over, and under each challenge successfully will be given a prize: a delectable, sugary treat with a commemorative gold coin inside (so don't eat too fast). Extra points to anyone who picks one of the ornery or dangerous mounts!

Also present in the courtyard is a new addition to Oska, but despite appearances, it's not intended to be ridden -- a gigantic, steel dragon lies peacefully in the grass, purple light visible between the metal girders that construct its body. Say hello to Oska's new guard: Hector Elmonor Iskander I, a dragon soul that Team Ambrosia rescued on a recent mission, who has been given a magitek body in exchange for keeping Oska safe. Although it may look frightening, rest assured that the dragon is patient and friendly -- still, though, it's not advised to try to use it in the race. Those metal spines are sharp.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to back to Oska! This event will ICly last for 3 days, at the end of which the other teams visiting the party will ship out to their missions and leave the PC team to unwind with Oska all to themselves. Don't feel obligated to stick to just this log -- this period of downtime lasts for 5 weeks OOCly, and we encourage players to make their own plots and logs for the duration of it! If you have any suggestions for gamewide mini plots during this period (or in general!), feel free to suggest them.

For information about ALASTAIR's HQ in Oska and what to expect there, please see here. You may also want to review the IC info pages, as there have been some additions!

For characters who were present during the Asterion Prison ship, their forehead tattoos are still present. They can be removed via nanobot at Oska's medical center.

If you haven't yet, please also make sure to review the mod announcement post about the future of the game for the next few months and beyond.

If you have any questions about this log, please direct them to the calendar page. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Sebastian is taking his time to explore the beach, since it’s far more that than any enjoyment. There are wonders that people take in seeing such a sight, and he knows the looks of amazement well, but he’s long past feeling any such thing. His interest ends up only being curiosity,because the sea itself looks vast, but so does every sea that he’s seen, and sometimes even sailed upon. Instead, he’s curious about the hows, since this is quite a marvel to be here.

It’s as he’s coming down the beach that he sees a horse in the distance enjoying itself, and it does get his smile to quirk lightly. Even simpler creatures could enjoy simple pleasures, it would seem. But it’s about when Hayame stops, realizing she has an onlooker that Sebastian realizes that he’s a bit mistaken. He had expected only a horse, but he sees the other half, and for once, he’s actually quite surprised. ]

My… A centaur?

[ He’s surprised enough that he doesn’t immediately apologize, but. He’ll probably get to that quite quickly once Hayame reacts. ]

[Staring across the way at what by all appearances is a human man, Hayame's face suddenly stiffens and colors slightly in embarrassment at being seen during such a childish moment. Quickly, she rolls onto her side and gets her hooves under her, human arms reaching to get palms on the beach and use them as a place to push off from, shaking grains of sand off her coat and quickly struggling for dignity and grace.

With sand stuck all in her long black hair and tail.]

Jinba.

[She corrects him quickly, even knowing at this point how futile such a thing was, when most people she met in this place knew her race only by that peculiar word "centaur".]

[ Seeing how she gets up is equal parts fascinating simply to see how she moves in the first place and amusing in just how flustered she is to have been caught in such a moment. He does his best not to stare considering her reaction and her correction, but her reaction does make his response an easy, but seemingly quite sincere one. He gives an apologetic smile, and dips his head to her. ]

Ah, excuse me, Jinba— I have never heard that term, but admittedly, I never expected I may meet one.

[ Which is quite true, naturally. It seems even a demon can be surprised, which pleases him. ]

And pardon me for intruding. I did not mean to interrupt your afternoon.

[No one really seems to have heard the term. It's just another reminder that her culture was not those of these people, that it was so far removed in terms of behavior at times that she felt like an alien. And that was not even taking into account obvious physical differences.]

Few seem to have.

[Either heard the term or met a jinba, both. As for interrupting her afternoon... well, this is hardly her stall, she can't actually begrudge him despite her still slightly reddened face.]

[ The curt reply gives him a much better idea of why her face is still so red, even though it’s relatively little in the way of direction overall. He’s good at reading people, but it’s easy to pick up on the fact that Hayame is just a rather straight-laced woman, so catching her in a moment of anything else is quite embarrassing.

...Really, shame must be quite an inconvenient thing.

But he does have to fake it, so there’s another slight duck of his head. ]

Well, pardon me all the more, then. It must not have been the first time you have heard this...

[It is difficult to regain her dignity without being obvious about it, holding back the urge to shake her lower half or flick her tail to dislodge sand from her roll. She crosses her arms to contain the desire, but can't stop herself from a twitch or two.]

It is not.

[And perhaps just one stomp of a back hoof.]

You humans are the more populous in this "team". As you are in all things.

[Breeding at least was something humans excelled at better than her kind.]

[ Her comment gets him to quirk a smile, even breathing out the tiniest note of a laugh. To her, it would have to seem like amusement at her expressing it at all, but no, his amusement is definitely the fact that he completely agrees. It’s times like these that it’s almost a shame that he can’t tell her the truth. Not that he would give her the whole truth, but even to say, “Well, I am not human, you see…” would be quite satisfying. ]

Ah… Well, I suppose humans are quite common when you put it that way…

[ But alas, he can’t. His words are careful, not counting himself among them, but implying that he is through his overly formal way of speaking. ]

Is it quite difficult, then? I imagine it is not ideal to be surrounded like people so unlike yourself. [ That is a purely curious question, though he does add quickly, ] Ah, excuse me— Here I am, asking you such questions, and I have yet to introduce myself.

[ He places a hand on his chest, then dips into a boy. ]

My name is Sebastian Michaelis— A servant of the Phantomhive family. [ He straightens, then shrugs ] Though I do not imagine many people would have heard of my master.

[It's difficult. Not only mentally, to have come from a world not yet in its 17th century, a world torn apart by war and of a race that was bought and bred like cattle, but also physically, in the sense that most all things in Oska and abroad were created to be convenient to the bipedal.

But she does not know this person, (likely wouldn't admit to such even if she did), and so she sidesteps the issue completely in favor of the more direct requirement of the conversation.

At least he knows how to bow, if not where to put his hands. She returns the gesture, equine foreleg extending to bring her body lower to the ground for the motion.]

I am Hayame, a warrior in service to Lord Ninurrta, prince of the great Noah clan through which flows the blood of dragons.

[She has learned not to expect people to know to whom she refers, there are too many in this place from too many worlds, so she adds enough description to tell this man just who it is she is serving- and how impressed he ought to be.]

[ It really is interesting to see how the mannerisms of a horse blend with that of a stoic woman, and in a way, he’s nothing short of delighted. For a creature as old as he is, anything novel is extremely rare, and so inwardly, he has the same sort of excitement at interacting with her and watching her as he might seeing an impressive new piece of technology. Of course, it’s much more acceptable to show his wonder at the latter than at a person, so his outward temperament is still just as neutrally pleasant as he tends to keep as a default.

As he straightens from his bow, he does allow some of that feeling to bleed through, since looking properly impressed by the full description seems appropriate. In truth, titles don’t quite mean much to him, but they certainly do to humans. ]

My… That is quite impressive, Miss Hayame. It must be a great honor to serve a distinguished prince. [ He chuckles, then adds: ] My master does not hold nearly so lofty a title, I must admit, so in this, you would certainly outrank me. My master is an Earl of English nobility, so his work is simply to defer to the wishes of Her Majesty the Queen.

[A servant to a lord, then. She does not know this title "Earl", or the title "Queen" as well as she knows Ministers of the Right and Left, Captains of the Third Rank, or Imperial Consorts... but she can make the connections in the right context, unlike with things more foreign to her such as ALASTAIR's technology and magic.]

There must be little work for you here.

[Which could mean many things... but what she assumes he will take from it is her intent- that he must surely be a domestic, by the way he dresses and the way he looks and calls himself a "servant" and not a "vassal"... and that surely a domestic is not at home upon battlefields.

Surely.]

[ He laughs, and though it’s warm and pleasant, it’s still just a bit sheepish. Sebastian shakes his head lightly. ]

Well… It is certainly not tending to the manor, but on the contrary, I see no shortage of work to be done. I do try to have quite diverse skills, since my master surely demands them.

[ Which is misleading, since naturally it’s impossible to guess everything that Sebastian is capable of from his appearance alone. He’s polite and unassuming, and as such, it’s hard to imagine him being accomplished at anything but those household chores. ]

Like what?

[He says diverse skills, but she has seen the Oska castle- though she avoids it whenever possible. Magical... suits of armor seemed to do chores there, or... some other sort of magical madness.]

Well, whatever my master my ask of me. He has high expectations, and it is my duty to serve his wishes to the letter.

[ He definitely sounds proud here, so it's clear that he holds a positive opinion of servitude. He's not embarrassed by being beholden to another person at all. ]

I am his cook, his gardener, his bodyguard— Whatever is necessary.

[Now that is... disappointing. Part of her had almost hoped that he would say something to surprise her. Something... not so domestic.]

Well, perhaps then ALASTAIR shall have you serve them at their castle, and you will be spared these "missions".

Oh, I would hope not. They seem to have that handled quite well, though I have no complaints with helping out if it is requested.

[ In a way, he’s almost envious… How much easier would his life be if he could replace the useless Phantomhive servants with the ones here? It would certainly save him many headaches, but at times, he does wonder if Ciel picked these people only to irritate him. But that’s not quite the topic of conversation here, so he bows his head lightly. ]

I may not look the part, but I can handle myself quite well in a fight, you see. The bodyguard portion is actually more frequent than I would like, since my lord tends to undertake dangerous work.

[He's right- he doesn't look the part. At least, not to her, who is used to people looking a certain way for certain tasks. She looks like a warrior, a hunter, and he... is wearing clothes that fit his form... very snuggly.]

... dressed that way?

[She can't help but ask.]

[ Of all the things he thought she might object to or take issue with in that assertion, he hadn't guessed the way he was dressed would be one of them. He cants his head to the side lightly with a nod, but it also comes with a mild chuckle. ]

Well, yes. It is the uniform that is most proper for a butler.

[ He looks to his suit as if looking at it would provide a little more insight to give, but he shrugs. ]

It is far more comfortable than it looks. It is bespoke, after all.

... I see.

[She definitely did not. How very tight the pants seemed, tailored so closed to the line of his hip and flank, how restrictive seemed the long sleeves. She herself wore a top that fit to skin, but her arms were bare and free to reach for bow or sword, and despite her apparent sense of human shame that led to clothing the human part of her, her equine half wore nothing you wouldn't see on a normal horse, such as leather harness.

But she has one more question in her.]

And all the servants in your world dress so dark?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ RECOLLECTION DAY

2.5

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