INTRO LOG - FEBRUARY 2014

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 18th February, evening
Summary: The new arrivals, freshly pulled from their worlds or others, awaken in a strange place...
Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. SOME NPC RESPONSES WILL BE SLOW UNTIL THE ONE WHO PLAYS THEM IS PRESENT.

It's a shuddering breath, a sensation of being pulled to elsewhere and finding oneself pressed against something on the soft and some place cozy. However, before one can fully stir, there is and odd, warm stirring sensation that lifts you up from wherever you've been dropped, when you begin to drift off once more.

Yet the feeling passes quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It's a small room with what some might recognize as a Far Eastern theme when it comes to decor, from the walls to the sofa (or bed) you find yourself on. Illumination is provided by carefully crafted lamps, and even a candle flickering on a nearby desk. The doors are made from paper and wood, with a thin frame; through them it's easy to hear other people stirring, talking, or coming to.

You are not alone...

The people who arranged this room aren't stingy with treats, either. Close by is a plate full of mostly benign chocolates...Though there isn't any milk on hand to go with them. There's also the sound of more noise from further downstairs, and even the faint whiff of something warm and tasty. And to add to all of that, close at hand there's a note that reads:

WELCOME CENTER
Newcomers: Please come downstairs to the lobby for refreshments and your welcome packets!

(PS: This includes milk.)

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, there's a gentle knocking on the door as someone comes from downstairs to usher you along.

"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 you've had a chance to stretch your legs!"

Whether you go downstairs immediately or linger a little longer, eventually you must come down and get out of the small space, 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 warming, comforting 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

Unlike a few waves before, the only people in charge seem to be the people behind the desks. They look a bit busy.

However, before you can go over and give them a piece of your mind and ask questions, the same person who ushered you downstairs hands you a manilla envelope that contains your welcome packet, urging you to read this before asking the two 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 first five 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.

Again, welcome, and thank you for all your help.

Irene
Arrival Liaison

Outside, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street. It's looking oddly bright and cheery against a darkening sky:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[beforetights]

"I don't know."

He shakes his head.

"I just know that there's five districts open, and I bet they'll open even more districts later!"

[darkhourdear]

Hm... that's probably a lot. Though Pharos really has no idea of knowing. He considers this for a moment, but he doesn't stay quiet for long. "Do you have a favorite animal at the zoo?"

[beforetights]

"Hm...I think I like the big curly haired cats! The ones that like to sniff around everywhere!"

They're so big and playful. He almost wants to take one home and pet it.

[darkhourdear]

"Big cats?" Oh, now he's curious. He wants to see those. "Do you know where those are in the zoo?"

[beforetights]

"Yeah. They're toward the center, so you gotta take a few turns to get to them."

[darkhourdear]

Pharos nods. "Ok." They'll just have to look around a lot! He's getting a little excited. He thinks that's the word, anyway.

[beforetights]

Cu Chulainn skips as he leads Pharos to their destination, pointing out the buildings along the way.

"Look, there's the pond. And there's the temple."

[darkhourdear]

Pharos pauses a little as both are pointed out, examining them briefly before moving to catch back up. He'll have to come back and look at those later. "Do you go to either of those a lot?"

[beforetights]

"Sometimes. With my big brother."

He giggles.

"He likes the deer. And his name is Diarmuid. They fit together!"

[darkhourdear]

It takes a moment for Pharos to get why that's funny, but it clicks eventually. "Oh! Because they sound kind of the same!"

[beforetights]

He grins and nods, glad that Pharos got it.

"Of course, he's also more like a bird than a deer. That's because he's very good at singing."

[darkhourdear]

"Really?" Pharos knows nothing about music or singing, which means he's very curious about it like he is everything he doesn't know about. Which... pretty much is everything, at this point.

[beforetights]

"Yes. He even taught me a song."

He clears his throat and begins singing.

"One won,
While two cried who?
And three said me!

Four peeked in the door,
To see if five was still alive.

Six mixes up some bread,
While seven looks for a cow named Bevan.

Eight is great,
And nine is just down the line

And ten is for all the fighting men!"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos listens intently, but he doesn't quite know what to do when the boy is done. "That's a nice song," he winds up saying, smiling a little.

[beforetights]

"It's a counting song. He taught it to me so I could learn how to count. And I taught him the moonwalk, so he knows how to dance."

[darkhourdear]

"...moonwalk?" He doesn't know that word in context, except that apparently it was a dance. That doesn't mean a whole lot to him either.

[beforetights]

"It's a really cool dance that Lord America taught me. You make it look like you're going forward, but you're really going backwards."

[darkhourdear]

How is that even possible? "That sounds really hard."

[beforetights]

"No, it's really easy if you know how to do it. I can show you how to do it after we get to the zoo."

[darkhourdear]

He could teach Pharos too? That's so cool! The black haired boy brightens up a little, nodding. "Ok."

[beforetights]

"Great!"

And just then they pass into district 3.

"Look! There's the mall."

[darkhourdear]

Oh! Pharos thinks he knows what that is, too! "That's where you buy things, right?"

[beforetights]

"Yes, exactly. It's like a lot of little stores all stacked together, so you can find just about anything."

[darkhourdear]

Pharos might be a little proud of himself for knowing that. "What kind of places are there?"

[beforetights]

"Oh, there's lots of shops for clothes. And for toys. And for different things like candles and stuff that smells funny and little statues."