ximilia | Recent Entries

Not everyone here has been here long enough to know the name Emerton Haughtford. [He'd have been perfectly happy never to bring up the man's name again where Viveca and Degar can see it and be reminded of the painful past, but everyone being on the same page about things is more important now.]

If you don't know it, then read up on the orb we collected on the station more than half a year ago. Our survival could very well depend on it. Miss Sabriel has taken notes on the mission here.

And listen to Miss Viveca's warning. When the orbs corrupt someone, they have access to their mind. Don't trust anyone, no matter who they are.

[ooc: in the linked doc, Sabriel's notes can be found under the mission labeled "??? orb" towards the very bottom.]

ananym

What the fuck.

I lost my fangs?

kovach

[ sometime, after a very devastating experience in the tower, a tired, strained voice is heard: ]

I got the orb from the Tower.

[ and how he really wishes that was it. but they weren't teleported back to the station as they normally are, which means ... ]

It took me back out into the Plains. This isn't over until we get that second orb.

[ see it through, he thinks. ]

lostdestiny

[ This video comes whenever is timeline-convenient for Shinn to have regained consciousness. In the video, Shinn is in a large, empty cave chamber that some may recognize as part of the Dai’a Svar tunnel complex. He looks dusty and disoriented -- like he’s spent a chunk of time passed out on a cave floor and just woke up, which he has. His voice is slow and leaden and hurt; if anyone is really zooming in, his lashes are damp and clumpy from being on the verge of crying. ]

The Dai’a Svar are working with an orb. They already knew about Hahn's deal and the spark draining the planet and they don’t care. They’re gonna drain this world and move onto another one for fresh energy.

[ As he speaks, he’s quickly but woodenly arranging desert survival gear and weapons into a backpack, getting ready to track the people he’s lived with for the last few weeks and for a fight at the end of the trip. ]

I don’t know where they are right now, but --

[ He pauses for a moment, then slaps his cheeks and shakes his head, shaking off the woodenness. When he picks up again, his voice has more conviction and energy. ]

-- but stop them! Stop Garam!

mienai

[The most unfortunate thing happens, the day the powers start fluctuating:

Two network entries are clumsily posted at the same time, despite the two subjects involved being apart.

And with the very same energy.

In fact, the only sound you can hear in your head is:

ALONG, HORRIFIED SHRIEKS, ECHOING ONE ANOTHER IN PANIC.

In one network video, A floating set of (nice) clothes gesture frantically at herself, and it's quickly clear by the voice that it is none other than Rita Farr. Invisible! Unseen! But still (tragically) just as loud as ever.

And in the other video? Hagakure's high-pitched yell leads to the sight of... a skin-colored puddle on the floor, with a teenaged girl's clothes sitting on top of it. Yes, that blobby, tiny pond is actually the girl you usually can't see. Not that... you can really tell what she looks like right now. There's a mouth yelling in there somewhere? And an ear...? Floating on the surface...?

Ah, yes.

The invisible girl and the elastic girl have switched powers.

...and the results thus far are deafening for anyone else on the network.]

singlelogbridge

I’ve learned crucial information about the history of the world and where the original orb that came to this world might be. Please everyone listen carefully.

I met a woman named Jaima Bryn who was the first chief of the Vo'a Mahdin.

Chief Bryn was part of a team of researchers who studied the spark a long time ago. It wasn’t forbidden then and those who were proficient in its use could extend their lives by at least several centuries.

The research team was led by a man named Rehil Hahn, the Hahn of Hahn’s choice.

Their research team discovered that the spark wasn’t innate to anyone, but was drawing on the world’s life force itself and destroying the world in the process. That’s why things suddenly wither and die or decay over night. Anyone using the spark in secret is still draining the planet of life.

The team tried to warn the world about what they’d learned but people wouldn’t listen. They’d come to rely on the spark too heavily. They weren't willing to give it up.

Rehil Hahn took matters into his own hands. He made a deal with the orb. According to Chief Bryn, "he said that because all refused to listen, he would take matters into his own hands." His orb deal decimated the population, murdering more than half of the world’s people in the blink of an eye. It’s what created the plains. Not just people, but entire cities crumbled to dust.

Chief Bryn and two of the researchers who remained became the chiefs of the three clans that exist today.

A fourth woman named Kal Chomai became the guardian of the orb. They built her a tower without any way in and she remains inside to this day keeping guard over the orb.

The only way to enter the tower is to speak the names of those four researchers: Jaima Bryn, Gawen Klass, Havila Maas, Kal Chomai. The orb should still be inside.

[ooc: please threadhop as desired!]

oiorpata

[ andy appears, barely ten minutes after joric smuggles her not!corpse out of the arena, and she hurries to share what happened without thinking much of it - thus she's looking a little bloodstained but unharmed otherwise. it's spattered obscenely across her neck, with some flecks into her face, remnant of what could be a throat slitting. ]

Don't ask. I found the fucking orb from Amaryllis Grove.

[ she'll grab a towel of sorts and start wiping down. ]

It took over Jial Bryn, of the Daughters of Twilight. I challenged her to a duel for leadership to see why her family kept winning and what might happen, and it turns out she's possessed now or some shit. Recently infected. It's interested in fucking up this world even more.

The good news is the orb thinks I'm dead and can't share its existence with everyone, so we'll have the element of surprise, whatever happens next. It doesn't know we know about it.

[ did the orb murder her? maybe a little bit. ]

Maybe stay away from the shadow of Jial Bryn until we have a plan. They don't fight fair. Do we know anything about her second in command? Her reaction to the challenge was the only differing one.

shadysided

We made it to the tower.

[She sounds plenty winded, and much like the others involved, the terrain and creatures haven't been super kind to her. But unlike poor Natasha or Yujin, she at least has smaller, less concerning injuries; scrapes and scratches, with the worst of it being the shallow cut left by one of those annoying desert devils that has been haphazardly wrapped in bandage out of the Qiankun bag that Wei Wuxian gave her so long ago.

Also, she is very clearly sunburnt.

Nobody should have let the ginger run off without sunscreen.]

It's hard to doubt now that one of the orbs is definitely in there; I'm pretty sure we heard its voice. Their voices? There were overlapping voices. Usual orb bullshit. It said 'You will not have me'. I suppose it could've been voices that belonged to the people involved, but the orbs have a habit of sounding like that, so...

Anyway. The place is totally impenetrable from typical weapons from the Ximilia. I used the biggest gun in my arsenal and didn't even leave a dent in whatever the tower's supposed to be made with. Actually, the shot kind of just... shimmered? Like there was some weird magic coating, or something. Ergo, orb bullshit, or maybe someone involved who has some crazy strong s... park energy?

There's no doors or anything to get through, either... so what or wherever the true entrance is, it's gonna be annoying to find it.

... We might have seen the person who made the deal, too. At least, I feel like it could be them, since deal-makers aren't usually far from the source. It was a lady with curly hair and dark skin, in a green dress — just a green dress, actually. It definitely wasn't something you could just run around in the desert wearing without getting yourself killed. We're pretty sure she was really there, because the others found a footprint where she'd been standing.

[She shifts, looking a little concerned.]

I swear, I think I heard her say 'help' — when the voices spoke. I mean, it might have been someone else talking, but... I don't know. I just think whoever made a deal, they must be really, really stuck in it. Hopefully you guys in the Roof have been finding some stuff out for the other orb, too? I think we're all getting pretty close...

And — Yujin and Natasha, are you two doing okay? The others got to you to help, right?

[YOUR SAFETIES HAVE BEEN A CONCERN.]

softshoes

(ooc: this post is related to sherlock and co's search request! as always threadjack & discuss away :|b)

For those of you in the Plains: Mr. Holmes, Miss Natasha, Miss Ziggy, Dr. Watson, and I did, in fact, decide to investigate that odd tower that is visible in the distance. The four of them are continuing on today. I've stayed behind, as I was injured during the journey.

[And Yujin certainly sounds injured, if the strain and exhaustion in his voice is any indication. While he's not struggling to speak, per se, it's enough to make the voice-only post seem deliberate.

Oh yeah he should probably CLARIFY--] M-my wound isn't life-threatening, by the way! I just can't travel on it, is all. I am not in immediate danger.

[He clears his throat.]

At any rate. If there is any trouble at the tower, I thought it might be helpful for everyone to know where we were. And if anyone else is in need of aid, please don't forget that your teammates are within reach via the earpieces.

Be safe, everyone.

chilloutdickwad

[It's Curious Robot o' Clock.

And as he has tended to do lately, he has a lot of questions with regards to humanity (or just - general sentience as an organic being with free will).]

I will need a name. Please advise.

It is part of the orb's request, that my 'personal goal' requires I allow someone else to name me.

What is the importance of a name, to a human? I've used a name someone from my universe called me, to help conceal my identity; it did not feel like it belonged to me, but it served its purpose temporarily. Instead, I have a serial number associated with me. Something equivalent to an I.P. address to monitor me as an individual within Skynet...

What does it mean to you? Your 'name'?

Do you care for it?

drawsblood

[ The video starts with a dead thorn bush across the street from the place Joric has claimed as his own. There are people walking past, so he goes inside and shuts the door before the feed switches to audio. There's nothing of note to see in this place anyway. ]

That bush was alive when I left this morning. It's not the first I've noticed either. Strange things are occurring, like my heat crystal cracked and some food I had just traded for went bad within hours. I work with a few people and I asked them about it. They say it's common and it happens all over the city and the Plains among the three clans.

I asked for examples and here is what they said: their stored meat rotted quickly, a sword's blade rusted overnight, and a sister's hair turned white over the course of a day. There was also a rumor that children in a family lost the color in their eyes. Part of this seems like time moving quickly, like the rust or the bad meat, but others don't fit. The girl didn't age; only her hair turned white.

[ A brief pause, then he continues. ]

I thought if it doesn't have to do with time that maybe it has to do with something being drained away, like the eye and hair color, but I can't make that fit the idea of a rusted sword either so I don't know. I thought I would bring it all to you and ask your thoughts.

[ He simply isn't smart enough to think up reasonable answers. ]

[ooc: this comes from joric's search request if you want to see the whole thing! ]

lostdestiny

Is there somewhere safe that civilians in the city could go if things got dangerous?

[ Oops, his general support for Dai'a Svar principles ran into his family trauma and overriding goal of keeping normal people safe. Hopefully this is vague enough that it's not really selling #teammagicalliberation out.... ]

hadbadays

[ Desert heat isn't really anything new to him, but last time he found himself in a similar situation, he was way more prepared. Or, rather, the army was more prepared. But he's managed to see to shelter, for now, and what he really wants is to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Which means finding the orb.

And so ...

He wipes some sweat off his brow, and clears his throat. ]

Those of you who got dropped in the desert-- What do we think about that tower that's uncomfortable to look at? I think we should check it out, but I get the feeling that's not something you do alone.

((OOC ETA: Get in touch with Sherlock's player by the end of today 16 January if you want to join in on this search request!!))

groupiedrifter

[There's a little fuzzy interference, with choppy dialogue that seemingly devolves into panic; perhaps someone had broadcasted snippets of an unfortunate situation by mistake? Newt's obvious voice bleeds through: "Grab my hand!" and middles with a voice that sounds like Yzak definitely saying "You're stuck, too, you idiot!", followed ceremoniously by what appears to be Ryunosuke's voice, which ends with, "Dr. Geiszler, I've got you - oh."

Or something to that effect. It's a little hard to make out. But what does finally come through is the view of Newton, Yzak, and Ryunosuke, enjoying some quality time stuck together. Quality time of the unsexy stuck together kind, Newt will admit. But kind of interesting, in a 'this is really bad' kind of way.

Ryu, take the floor.

High pitched, clearly trying not to panic and failing:]

[Ryu:] So, um, if anyone’s listening–! oh god please let there be someone listening– It seems like we’ve maybe gotten ourselves a bit stuck here?

[Nailed it. Indeed, all three are up to their waists. Newton's short fidgety ass is up to his ribs in quicksand, because of course he is. And he is also in the middle of trying to survey this sand that they're in, as Ryunosuke frets and Yzak speaks in frustration on either side of him—]

[Newt:] It's fine, guys, quicksand is denser than water; we'll be able to get out!

[Yzak, ignoring Newt, practically pushes Newt's head forward to get a better look at Ryu as he huffs:]

[Yzak:] I don't live on Earth! How the fuck would I have known what quicksand looks like?!

[Ryu:] Do you seriously think the average Earthgoer knows what quicksand looks like?! It’s not exactly a common threat on the streets of Tokyo!

[Newt wiggles a little, and proceeds to sink another few inches. He really should be panicking more than this, and yet — all he can manage, tapping his finger on his lips, is a puzzled:]

[Newt:] ... I think the quicksand here is not dense enough to get out, actually. Could someone out there bring us a rope, or something? I'll shoot you guys some... landmarks... or something. Or maybe just find me like the Find My Phone App.

[Ryu:] Eh–?

[The rest doesn't seem to actually be directed at the rest of the team (not that much before that seemed directed at the network, either, but...); it seems the network has decided you all needed to be subjected to more bickering, and so it goes:]

[Newt:] Man. If I had my suitcase with me, I could totally study what it's formed with; usually quicksand's just a mixture of clay -- sand or silt, y'know -- and mostly water. [The other two men make noises that imply if they were lesser people, they would have probably attempted to drown Newton by this point. Yzak's expression seems to say that it's not off the table entirely and he still very well might drown him if this goes on for much longer. Newton pulls his cracked iPhone out of his shirt pocket.] I gotta write about this in my journal—

[Ryu and Yzak:] We're sinking!

[Newt:] That doesn't mean documentation isn't important! And we're not any less stuck until someone else comes along to help. This definitely isn't like getting stuck under an orc. You remember that, Ryu? When a orc stole us to be his brides because he wanted our young, nubile bodies.

[Ryu:] Please never use the word nubile around me ever again—

[Yzak:] CAN YOU TWO SHUT THE FUCK UP?! This is all your faults!!

[Ryu:] How is this my fault?!

[Newt:] I tried to save you, Yzak!

[Yzak:] And?! If I die here it'll be even worse now since I'll die listening to this shit!!

[Newt:] Okay, okay, okay, cool down... uh...! Uh! ... Oh! I'll play us some tunes to relax—

[Yzak:] Don't you dare-

[Newt:] Until someone picks up the SOS. [Newt scrolls through the same busted up iPhone, stopping on his music and shuffling randomly onto Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer.] Oh, shit! This is a good one; a classic glam hair metal song. If you need a theme song for being stuck in quicksand, this is the one.

[He seems to vibe for a few lines of the song, before being unable to help himself:]

[Newt:] ♪ Ohh, we're halfway there! Who-oa, livin' on a pra-yer! ♪

[Yzak, halfway there:] I think I'd rather be under the sand at this point.

[Newt, more than halfway there:] ♪ Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear! ♪

[Ryu, just as halfway there:] ... Taking your hand is the entire reason I’m here in the first place...

[Finally, blissfully, it's the end of the entry.]

greenpower

Okay, someone has to say it. What the actual fresh Frank Herbert hell is going on?

[Ivy's taken the time to go undercover-ish, insofar as she's found some of the local clothes and she's not running amok or anything. Not that running amok is her normal MO, but she's pissed off enough that she would be lying if she said the idea weren't tempting.]

So is everyone else not where they're supposed to be? Because I was going down planning to commune with the cactuses and tumbleweed, but instead I'm over here surrounded by people.

[A sigh, then she mutters softly:] I hate people.

[Followed by a beat, then she corrects herself.]

I hate most people, but I guess since I'm here now I'll do my best at the infiltration side of things.

How's that for a fucking pivot.

mienai

[Hagakure is doing alright! Sure, she had gotten stabbed last mission, but who here hasn't been stabbed by someone at some point in their careers? Exactly. She's already feeling much better and has been happily partaking in the festive atmosphere aboard the Ximilia. But there has been something on her mind, and a lot of people seem too nervous to talk about it. She can understand why; change is very hard, and their lives are all going to change in some way after this final mission — if they succeed at it, anyway.

They will, though! She knows they will. They can do anything they put their hearts to.

Or at least, the endless optimism in her says so.

At first, the screen seems empty. But once the shirt collar floats into frame, people will get that sneaking suspicion that it's probably the invisible teen hero that wanders about with enthusiasm.]

Happy Holidays! At least, I think it's the holidays? It's hard to know in space.

I've been enjoying it all with you regardless!

[And then, a handprint indents on her shirt, as she places her palm over her heart.]

Sometimes I feel a little like an intruder... Not that that's a bad thing! You're all just... You're so familiar with each other, and you take care of each other, and it's a really nice thing to see. Ahh, it reminds me a little of my friends at home...

[She misses them, but they would understand how important it is that she see this through.

It's a hero's job!]

Um... I had wanted to ask... Because, well, I'm just a little worried. About all of you. Is everyone... you know... going to be okay? Once this is all over. Will you all be able to... go home? Safely? Or — maybe stay here, if... that's a better option?

I know we're all from different places. Some are scarier than others, so...

[You don't have to see her face to know the earnest sound of concern, at least.]

coordination

Before the location of our last mission is pinpointed, maybe we should have a discussion about what Viveca mentioned regarding the barrier holding up.

Namely, alternatives to every one of us giving up our reason for coming here. She did say to start thinking about it.

The commander's powers notwithstanding, plenty of us on this team undoubtedly possess abilities that could be offered in support. And there are plenty of people beyond us on this station who are aware of our mission and the gravity of what we're dealing with.

We've always been pretty good at coming up with solutions and contingency plans.

(( dated to after yulevibes! and consider this an open floor to tag each other to discuss ideas in prep for the voting post on the 20th ~~also since my ass got work~~ ))

servesyouwright

[ First, there's Phoenix's face. He's standing in one of the hallways of the station, so it's all pretty plain. He smiles, waves once, and gets straight to the point: ]

I have a very important question for you.

[ And the camera cuts to show a corner of the hallway instead, where an innocent stepladder is standing. ]

What do you call this object?

groupiedrifter

[Clearing his throat, Newt slides into frame. He actually doesn't look too bad off, considering Yzak had lost his mind for a little bit and kinda wailed on him; bruised up and a little battered like everyone else, he's pretty sure, and complete with a fancy new scar, but overall? Could've been worse. And he doesn't have very many cool scars, yanno... So. It's probably badass.]

... Well, that was not great. Not ideal, even, but that's the way the cookie likes to crumble around here.

Until Degar and Viv get back to us on what it all means, I guess we're just stuck waiting and keeping ourselves distracted. For now. And just in time for one of Newton Geiszler's patented Team Bonding Sessions. Might even be the last one you ever have to deal with from me, huh? If we're, you know. Near the end. Uhm... Anywho.

Birthdays!

Nat, did we miss your birthday? I feel like we missed your birthday; that's totally unacceptable. Everyone, go wish Natasha a happy 350th birthday! And give her lots of presents and snacks, got it? I'll have to get a birthday cake worked into the next movie night; I'm working on it! After we all get a little rest, because that was a fucking doozy. I don't know about you, but I could sleep for weeks.

[A pause, as he scans... some big poster on the wall?]

Oh, yep. Would you look at that? Got some birthdays coming up; don't forget to torment the people on this list if they're around.

Anyway, onto the Teamwork Practice. Fill out this super important tier list I've coded on the network, please. All totally mandatory, as you're all mostly aware, so be sure to share your important results.[It is not mandatory at all, and everyone is very aware.] Or add your own spin on it! Why not? The orb's the limit.

[The attached link to the tier list:]

[Feel free to judge your CR in the appropriate slots. It's good, clean fun!

After a moment, he grins, cheeky and bruised and ready for the next big thing.]

Welcome back to the Ximilia, by the way. You guys know who you are.

ananym

I'm getting drunk.

Who else wants to get drunk.

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Page Summary

singlelogbridge - text; UN: Wei Wuxian
ananym - ( text | un: alucard )
kovach - audio; un: kovacs
lostdestiny - [video; un: shinn.asuka]
mienai - Coinciding Network Posts | UN: ~*~HAGAKURE~*~... & UN: RITA.FARR
singlelogbridge - text; UN: Wei Wuxian
oiorpata - video | un: andy (cw blood)
shadysided - Video | From the Tower! | UN: Stardust
softshoes - audio; un: y.mikotoba
chilloutdickwad - Video | UN: T-800
drawsblood - { video, then audio } un: joric
lostdestiny - text; un: shinn.asuka [wibbly wobbly timey wimey'd to about two weeks after arrival]
hadbadays - [Video, un: dr watson]
groupiedrifter - Video | un: HELP (ft.ng Yzak, Ryu, and Newt)
greenpower - video; un: toxicodendron
mienai - Video | UN: ~*~Hagakure~*~
coordination - [let's talk about all that orb barrier stuff] - text (un: major.yzak.jule)
servesyouwright - [Video, un: alwayswright]
groupiedrifter - Video; un: newt
ananym - ( text | un: alucard )

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// net.work

Recent Entries

text; UN: Wei Wuxian

( text | un: alucard )

audio; un: kovacs

[video; un: shinn.asuka]

Coinciding Network Posts | UN: ~~HAGAKURE~~... & UN: RITA.FARR

text; UN: Wei Wuxian

video | un: andy (cw blood)

Video | From the Tower! | UN: Stardust

audio; un: y.mikotoba

Video | UN: T-800

{ video, then audio } un: joric

text; un: shinn.asuka [wibbly wobbly timey wimey'd to about two weeks after arrival]

[Video, un: dr watson]

Video | un: HELP (ft.ng Yzak, Ryu, and Newt)

video; un: toxicodendron

Video | UN: ~~Hagakure~~

[let's talk about all that orb barrier stuff] - text (un: major.yzak.jule)

[Video, un: alwayswright]

Video; un: newt