INTRO LOG - JULY 2013

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone Where: The Welcome Plaza When: 18th July, afternoon Summary: The new arrivals, freshly pulled from their worlds or others, awaken in a strange plaza... Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. SOME NPC RESPONSES WILL BE SLOW UNTIL THE ONE WHO PLAYS THEM IS PRESENT. The first flickering of a lantern... It's a shuddering breath, a sensation of being pulled to elsewhere and finding oneself pressed against something rather hard with the sound of water coming from nearby. However, before one can fully stir, there is something that lifts you up from the rather warm (yet why did it feel like a chill going down your spine?) stone when you begin to drift off once more. It felt as though someone had thrown you from the frying pan, and then into the freezer - all you wanted to do was sleep... Yet the feeling passes quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It looks like...a plaza of some sort? As they look around them, the ground beneath them is an intricate mosiac - a water fountain at the center of the plaza in this foreign world. There are many buildings around its perimeter, making this location seem like a central hub of whatever town this was. Some may even recognize the peculiar design of the buildings and sloped tiled rooftops as a Far Eastern theme. Were they somewhere along the Pacific? Who knows! But what is quite apparent is this: Along with the many buildings surrounding the plaza, the first thing that is noticeable is the amount of people sitting or standing around you in a similar daze. You are not alone... One building seems to stand out among all the others; one that seems large enough to house all of the completely lost and confused masses gathered here to the welcome plaza. A sign outside the door reads: WELCOME CENTER Newcomers: Please come inside for refreshments and your welcome packets! Odd... This wasn't written in your own language, and yet you find it easily understandable. Soon enough, if you don't enter on your own, someone comes from inside the double doors to usher you and everyone else inside. "Welcome to Saeng Seong! I know you must be confused as to where you are and what's going on, but we promise to explain this to you once we're inside and away from the hot sun!" Whether you go inside immediately or linger outside a little longer, eventually you must come in from the hot summer day, and sooner rather than later would probably be better. You'll find yourself in a well-lit lobby, filled with comfortable-looking couches and chairs. Along one wall are refreshment tables, loaded with all sorts of food and drink, including some you probably aren't familiar with. On the wall opposite are a pair of desks, each with a sign and a person seated behind them - Irene, General Assistance Devin, Technological Assistance However, before you can go over and give them a piece of their mind and ask for questions, the same person who ushered you inside hands you a manilla envelope that contains your welcome packet, urging you to read this before asking the three figures questions that the packet likely answers. Inside it, you will find: a ring with a key and apartment number on it, some kind of cash card, a map and informational guide to the city, and a letter folded neatly on the top - Welcome to Saeng Seong! You are among a new group of arrivals to our city, from many far-apart worlds. We have gathered you here because our city is in a crisis, and we are at our last resorts. The energy of the city is in a slow downward spiral, and is dangerously close to expiring altogether. That's where you come in - you and everyone else we've brought to the city. Unlike those of us here, you have the potential to generate the energy the city needs, but you'll need to work together to do it. Why? Because the energy can only be generated when two people touch each other. Any touch will do, but it must be between two of you who are new to the city. If you don't keep in contact with someone, eventually your energy will begin to drain as well, making you dangerously ill. A few other things: The closed-off sections of the city are closed off for a reason; approaching them will cause your energy to drain very rapidly. We're working to open the rest of the city to you as soon as we can, but for now, please remain within the two central districts of the city. You have been given a key to a one-bedroom apartment in a complex set aside for you and the other new arrivals, near the riverside in the 1st district. You're free to change your living quarters whenever you like, and we encourage you to move in with someone in one of the larger apartments. When you want to change, just come back to this building to exchange your key. We've also included a cash card with a living stipend; if you're unfamiliar with this system, or the network established for new arrivals, you can talk to Devin in the lobby for help. It's what he's here for. If you need medical assistance, contact Mai, one of our nurses - she'll be going around today for anyone who needs help. Again, welcome, and thank you for all your help. Irene Arrival Liaison Back behind you, others still linger, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street in the blistering summer day: WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG (ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[vereinigt]

Shortly after speaking to Irene and coming to the conclusion that this wasn't an enforced vacation Germany will approach America.

"How does that lack of physical contact make one ill?" he asks by way of greeting.

[hamburgerhero]

That was a familiar voice. America looked towards the person approaching him and gave a surprised, "Whoa!"

"Germany! They took you too?!" He offered his hand to the other nation, "Better get in the habit of shaking hands fast Man. That's mainly how I've gotten by."

He didn't bother wasting any time before explaining, "I don't know the details of how it works but there's a special sort of energy involved in physical contact between us visitors. We have to make contact to keep the energy strong in each other or we start to suffer from withdrawal symptoms- not pretty. It's like having a flu or something. I haven't experienced it myself but Canada started to feel it- in other words we're not immune even though we're nations."

[vereinigt]

Germany gives America a look that indicates he thinks America is crazy... well crazier than usual. However, he humors the other nation and takes the offered hand for a handshake.

"Do you believe that they are using us like batteries?" Germany asked. It seemed logical if this energy thing was true at all.

[hamburgerhero]

"It seems they sort of are. See that's another part of the whole physical contact thing. Every time we touch it puts off the withdrawal symptoms and at the same time it generates the energy that they're after. Not long ago they opened up a district in the city that was powerless and had us start up the generators with our touch. Apparently our first group of visitors wasn't enough to power the new district. We experienced several blackouts shortly after it opened. I bet the reason you're here is because they think they need more people to power the city sufficiently."

America could see that doubtful look in Germany's eyes. It wasn't surprising that it was hard to believe but he'd tell him what he knew any way.

[vereinigt]

Germany listened to America talk. One of the great things about America is that he will talk forever if allowed, and usually gave away useful information, though usually he went off on an unrelated tangent.

"Should they not be looking for a more sustainable and responsible form of energy than looking for people from other places to provide their power for them?"

[hamburgerhero]

"A lot of us have been asking that already. Canada and I have both been talking it over and trying to get in contact with the people in charge here. Their leaders are really stubborn and difficult to reach though." He gave a sigh. Even after a month of trying. Having access to higher people on Earth counted for nearly nothing here.

"It's weird. They have really fancy technology here- more advanced than ours but I've seen no sign of solar, wind, or hydro-electricity generators."

[vereinigt]

"The nation seems to have a bad boss if they won't even hear alternative ideas," Germany said. He had some experience with bad bosses, especially the unreasonable type.

"Perhaps they do not have access to that technology," Germany said.

[hamburgerhero]

"True. There's always the chance it hasn't been invented yet. There are several really tech friendly people here from other worlds though- perhaps between them and getting the government to listen to us, we can help them solve their problem in a different way."

Actually America was living next door to Nikola Tesla, but that story could wait.

"When I talked with that lady Irene before she said that the people of the city voted to bring us here. This is some sort of democracy supposedly. No idea if it's actually an effective one, but that's what she said."

[vereinigt]

"Propaganda can cause a bad boss to be voted in and for the people to make poor choices," he stated softly. Propaganda is a powerful thing.

"Perhaps we should demonstrate those technologies," he said. "It would be easiest to build wind turbines, however, I am not familiar enough with this place to know if they would provide enough power."

[hamburgerhero]

"I haven't seen any sort of propaganda yet. It's strange. You'd think they would tell us the name of the person in charge. I'll have to try asking again," America said. Now that he thought about it there were still several other mysteries about the city that would be out of the question in any city back home.

"It wouldn't hurt to try. We'll need to ask a lot from the locals before we can build any thing but maybe if we can demonstrate to them that wind turbines can be used instead to generate power, they'll consider building more and start sending people home. Some wind power would be lighten the load after all even if it can't cover everything."

[vereinigt]

That was odd, how do you hide a ruler of any sort from his or her populace so that they didn't even have a name? "How long have you been here?" he asked. It may seem like a non-sequiter, but it would help him think about this logically.

"Wind turbines would only be a start," he said. "Once those are proven, solar panels and hydro-electric can be tried."

[hamburgerhero]

"I've been here since the beginning of June. But I haven't been all over the city yet. Most districts are closed off even to a lot of the locals if I understood correctly. It's... really weird around here. The building I'm living in for example- they have an entire library downstairs but when you try to find info on the city, the most you get is tourist-like guides. There aren't any history books. There's no... Saeng Seong embodiment to speak with us either." The mysteriousness of the city didn't help the visitors' confidence in the local people. America himself tried to focus on the energy crisis, the one thing the visitors seemed to be partly in control of.

"There's plenty of sun around here and a river so I think all three types of energy could work out."

[vereinigt]

A library, oh thank god, Germany would die without being able to look at books. "What building has the library?" yes, this trumps everything else in order of importance.

"No country and no history?" that seemed rather suspicious to him. "Places do not just appear fully formed, even if new land is added to a country, it takes time to incorporate and organize. I would like to see these other districts."

"Hydroelectric and Solar both require more manpower than wind power. Once a wind turbine is proven successful, we can get more people involved to building a dam on the river or building solar panel. Do you think they have a large source of silicon somewhere nearby?" he asked. Not only do they require more manpower, but more planning, too. A hydroelectric dam would probably solve the energy crisis, but if not placed in the right place would potentially flood the city.

[hamburgerhero]

"Building two contains the library. There must be some sort of history around here even if it's not written in books. We should try bothering the locals for information." Apparently a lot of the locals liked to keep their mouths shut.

"There aren't any factories in the districts open to us so far but they have to get their materials from somewhere. Right now we're only allowed in districts one to three."

[vereinigt]

Germany nods, he's going to be a frequent visitor to America's building just for the library. "One of them has to know something," Germany said.

"Just because we cannot go to another district does not mean we should not be able to see them. And what of the local people living in other districts?" Germany is going to be trouble.

[hamburgerhero]

"I suppose we could try going to the edge of one of those districts, but if I were you I wouldn't go alone, just to be safe. I think some of the people haven't been living in their regular homes, staying in areas where there's more power or available light. I haven't confirmed that yet though."

[vereinigt]

"Are they afraid of the dark? You stated there is plenty of sunlight. Are the nights particularly long?" he asked.

[hamburgerhero]

"I think the days here pass at about the same rate as at home. When it gets dark out, they rely a lot on lanterns and candles for light and save the electricity for other electric devices."

[vereinigt]

"Then what is the power needed for?" Germany asked. Sure, there were other electronic devices, but light was the big electrical draw.

[hamburgerhero]

"Machinery and computers are my best guess. The buildings around here look old but they all have fancy technology on the inside. You should look around town for yourself," America said. "I really think some of the technology here is more advanced than what we have back home. How else do you think they brought us here? I've been told by one of the locals that they used a machine to do it."

[vereinigt]

"Seems like a waste of energy." Germany thought for a moment before shaking his head, he wasn't going to continue with this. He would need to talk to the locals.