rekindleme | EVENT: Exploration

EVENT: Exploration

There's a nervous feeling to this morning. More than a few people milling around the giant gates of Districts Five and Three. Among them are officials, giving safety and advisory talks on what to expect outside, and hoping that people will listen: it's not safe outside the walls, there is an energy drain in place that can only be held off by keeping in contact with someone (and that only lasts so long) plus a reminder on where the signal was pinpointed. Somewhere off to the north east of the city...And to be careful out there, above all else.

True to the announcement, the city gates open in the morning hours with plenty of heavy rattling noises to mark the occasion. And with that, all that's left is to step through the gates to the world outside.

Out there it feels like there's a near permanent coating of rust and ash on every surface, determined to work its way onto your mouth and into your lungs. Looming out of the shattered remains of streets and sidewalks are crumbled buildings that look like gaunt old skeletons of the familiar Saeng Seong locals. There's a stillness to the air that can weigh heavy on one's shoulders…And can probably get all the more heavy if you're not keeping up contact. You DID bring a buddy along to help you explore, right?

The company is probably needed, given how empty and desolate the outside feels. Save for the occasional groan of a ruin falling a little more apart...And perhaps a skittering of something close by.

Welcome to the dead zone ringing the city. Best look alive out there.

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Nonetheless I'd sooner not wear them myself. Gods only know what I would invite otherwise... [And back into the bag goes the mask for now.] or if the priestesses would speak a word of it were I to ask them.

[For all they didn't know, and for all Saeng Seong's people weren't speaking to each other let alone the guests, some part of him wondered why he would even expect otherwise. But perhaps generosity was among this world's surprises.

Now freed, his hand wet into a pat on Freya's shoulder. More contact if nothing else.]

What of those devices you mentioned?

It would not hurt to ask, I suppose, even if they do not answer. [Of all the things the people of the city are, dangerous doesn't appear to be one of them.

In response to his question, she draws out three small objects: two clear hand-sized devices showing an error message, and another brick-sized one in black with two speakers--though she wouldn't know them as such.]

I do not know what uses these may have, or if they have any at all. I suppose I shall see if they are what Irene and the others seek once we return.

...I suppose not. [He wasn't used to being able to ask questions without strings attached. Especially when it came to priesthoods.

The little machines Freya brought out, however... well, they weren't what he was expecting. A little bit underwhelming, really.]

They're a bit like the lightscreens in Saeng Seong, are they not?

As far as I'm able to tell, though they appear to be made of a different material. I admit I was fascinated by the fact that they are transparent and yet manage to display an image as well...

[She brings one in front of an eye to gaze through it at Ramza for a moment, then after a moment of examining it again, she returns the other two objects to her pockets.]

I still wonder if my world might ever achieve something like these without magic.

I might have mistaken these for magic at a glance... Saeng Seong's version is impressive enough and well beyond my ken.

[He peers back through the screen- it wouldn't have looked so different from a pane of glass, were it not for the luminous image or its malleability in her hand.]

But if your world could find the secrets of airships, mayhap such devices are not so far off.

[He gave a quick glance back down to his own bag.] ...Come to think of it, I had passed a shrine not too long ago; if you've the time to spare, I could lead you to see it.

Perhaps so, if the war ceases and allows it... [Lands that get destroyed or focus entirely on weapons won't be able to accomplish it, she knows that. Things like this would be useful for communicating with others, and she feels that such conflict doesn't generally lend itself well to that.] Another reason to strive to end it, I suppose.

[She returns the glass-like device to where she had stored it, giving Ramza a nod.] I would like that, thank you. Even if we cannot return it to them, there may be something we can do with it.

Ah... [He needed to mind his words a bit more; he didn't know the specifics of Freya's struggles but all the same he knew it was a sore point he'd sooner avoid striking with his words.

He hastily pressed the latter subject.]

A few minutes' walk westward of here. I caught a glimpse of it through a decrepit building's fallen walls. I should tell you, it's not especially grand...

[And he began making tracks for it.]

But small enough to carry, if the beasts have cleared.

I hope that we are lucky enough for that. [She's ready to fight, of course, but the less danger, the better. It means they won't have to waste the precious time they can stand out here fighting a few overgrown dogs and cats.

She follows him closely, looking forward to examining it even if Ramza's words about it are true. She wants to take the opportunity to satisfy her curiosity while she can.]

[It was a scant few minutes' walk and another minute's searching before the two of them arrived at a structure that was barely more than a few walls and a foundation; and, thankfully, by then it seemed the aforementioned beasts had either long since fled or moved onto more lively prowling grounds.]

Here it is...

Perhaps for its diminutive size, the shrine is one of the few portions left intact; a small, ornately-roofed facsimile of a home (or possibly a temple) with a table as its foundation, with shelves lining the rear wall and a set of pillars at the front. If it once held sacred contents, they were there no longer.]

I wonder what it once held.

[She approaches the construction, kneeling to get a better look.]

We can only guess until we find something... Out of all of us, certainly there will be someone to come across them. [She's really grateful for the amount of people who have chosen to explore the ruins. Not only does it make success more likely, it means there are more people to team up with against the monsters and fatigue.]

It doesn't seem right that these would have held masks like those you've found. I would not know what else would count as a "relic" here, however...

Mayhap someone had taken it back bereft its housing. At first sight I had no such time to carry the shrine proper, after all...

[Though as he gives the shrine's frame a nudge, a tip to check its weight- it didn't seem too heavy for the both of them to carry- it does bring some questions of its own to the forefront.]

...Do you not find it odd that these treasures weren't taken before we'd arrived? There are people who yet live outside the city, are there not?

[The question is worrisome, if she's entirely honest with herself. What the surroundings are telling her is that no one has been out here for ages, and it's a little concerning. In her world, the Mist is certainly a barrier to travel, but it's entirely possible to find other cities and populations. The world is alive, if struggling.

But with this place...]

I... cannot say. With the air's draining effect, it is likely not safe to stay here. I've never heard them speak of other cities... I imagine they must be isolated. [At least, she hopes that's the case.]

I've not heard of it either; If there are others, let us hope their walls have held... or that the looters have been few in these lonely wastes.

[He runs his hands along the small shrine looking for a place where he can grip and lift it with relative ease, and- after steeling himself for a moment to gather his strength- he hefted the frame off the ground.

A bit heavy to carry entirely by himself, but he could manage in a pinch.]

Then again, I know not how news nor messengers would cross these wastes...

It seems hoping is all that we can do at the moment.

[Freya moves to stand opposite him, to test the weight herself. They could probably move it together to the entrance of the city and return to explore more, but she wonders if she wants to take the time to do that now or later.

After a few moments, she lowers the side she picked up for now.]

Perhaps someone may find ways to do so today, if this signal they spoke of could work outside the city.

Mayhap even on foot; knowing that in groups we can yet endure outside the walls, I wonder if a farther-reaching search is soon to come.

[It's a little odd to see her change her mind and let go the shrine, but after all the walking- and fighting- the two of them had no doubt done, they could stand the break in their busywork. He lowers his end back to the ground as well.]

...Come to think of it, I've heard the locals do not thirst for touch as we do; do you think they would suffer the same out here?

I imagine they must feel some of the effects if they refuse to step outside of the city walls. I have no doubt that it is different from what we feel, though I could not guess exactly how...

[She watches Ramza, feeling somewhat bad to have asked him to take her to the shrine. The truth is that she wants to explore a bit more; she still intends to help with the main objective. The dragon knight tilts her head and brings a hand to her chin, looking a little apologetic.]

I suppose I was mistaken in what I thought these might be like... I'm sorry for the trouble, but would it be alright if we were to meet back here later to take this back into the city? It seems it would be less travel if we were to do so on the way inside, than to take the extra trip...

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EVENT: Exploration

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