[EVENT] THE FOG COMES - Ship's Return

[khuimods]

Characters: ALL
Date: July 10
Location: Aifaran Harbour
Situation: The Narrakra has returned, but those aboard are not the same as when they left...
Warnings/Rating: Creepy descriptions of things?


The night of the Narrakra's return, fog poured into Aifaran's harbour. It was thick, soupy and cloying in the summer heat, swirling and shifting with every change in the air, but never dissipating. Many Dreamfolk may feel heavy tension in the air, an eerie stillness about the night that seems unnervingly familiar. But beyond the occasional, inexplicable power outage, nothing seems to be otherwise amiss.

The Narrakra limps into the dockyard port on a single engine in the early hours of the 10th, steering itself erratically toward the nearest berth. The dock workers, having not expected to see a Sentry ship sliding out of the pea-soup fog, are quick to raise the alarm, which is hurriedly passed to a runner to bring to the nearest Sentry outpost. Heavy pylons keep the Narrakra from outright running into the dock itself, as the engine sputters and dies, leaving the ship without steering.

The ship itself is in poor condition, metal hull dented and scarred as if it had been in combat with some great sea beast. Deep gouges, like something had hurled sharp points into the metal sides and pulled, some even deep enough that glimpses of the hull's structural support can be seen. In other places on the exterior, what appears to be an advanced stage of corrosion and rust have affected sections of the ship, but not in any uniform way. A handrail might be corroded to the point of the metal disintegrating at a touch, but the stairwell next to it still gleaming as if it had just been put into place.

---

OOC Notes: This is the culmination event for the Ships in the Night plot that's been ongoing for the last few months, although the outcome will play into future metaplot. Characters can witness the Narrakra's not-so-triumphant return at the docks, speculate on where it's been and what could have caused its disappearance, question the crew (if they can get past the Sentry), or sneak aboard the ship to do some reconnaissance and potentially find things...

Links: OOC Questions | On The Docks | The Survivors | Sneaking Aboard

Comments

Questions

[khuimods]

Questions about the Ship's Return event can be asked here.

Eitria!

[afoolsgold]

I would like for the Fool to sit down with Eitria and talk to her about her experiences, but would prefer it to be something that could be threaded out with other players' characters. Would it be possible for me to get a summary of what she would tell him?

Re: Eitria!

[khuimods]

The NPCs are available for threading, either one on one or in a group thread! We'd prefer that players discover information this way rather than through a summary, since the information revealed will largely depend on what questions are asked.

Re: Questions

[iseeall]

ALSO, another question other than Leo looking at the rust and grime, will anything actually happen if he touches the fungus with his hands?

Re: Questions

[khuimods]

The mushrooms are fairly toxic and contact with skin will cause a rash. Ingesting any of the fungal matter or breathing in the spores will also cause disorientation or minor - major hallucinations depending on how long one is exposed to them.

the Narrakra itself

[afoolsgold]

okay so Kit and Rutile are exploring the Narrakra! We have some questions and would like a little guidance from our very gracious mods with how to proceed.

We'd like to know:

- rough layout of the ship (also what make - is it a steamship? i get the vibe it's something like a steamship, tech levels are still vague)
- especially interesting things to find
- what kinds of things can be collected as samples

is there a specific direction we should be having our characters explore to uncover plot-relevant info?

thank you!!

Re: the Narrakra itself

[khuimods]

-It's a medium-sized military vessel, probably analogous to something like the Bob Hope Class cargo ships, so while not the biggest ship in the fleet it's still pretty big and in precarious shape, making a thorough top-to-bottom search by one or two individuals impossible in the narrow timeframe they have.
-It's fairly standard in layout. There's three decks - top level consists of the captain's quarters and the bridge. Second level is the cabins, recreational area and mess hall, and the third lower deck contains the engine room and cargo bay. The machinery is what you'd see throughout Aifaran albeit a bit more advanced because this is (was) a top-of-the-line Sentry vessel. What they would see is a mixture of magic, biology and tech (notably the work of the Muin and Kedanese engineers), but the keen eye may recognize Chihuelan tech mixed in. Like the rest of the Narrakra, it would be in a sorry state of disrepair.
-The fungus, insect carapaces, and rust can be taken as samples. There's also that carcass on the lower deck. Depending on where Kit and Rutile explore, there may be other samples that the crew have gathered.

There is no specific direction your characters need to go beyond what intrigues you. They'll only have time to explore one - two areas thoroughly before the Sentry wises up and gives everyone onboard the boot however.

the fungus again!

[rutility]

Hi! I know Xar got an answer about the hallucinatory effects of the fungus, so my question is building off of that. Rutile's definitely taking samples of the fungus due to who they are as a person, so some logistics:

1. Rutile's wearing gloves, and also doesn't have skin, so I assume they're safe from dermal toxicity
2. ... They don't breathe? So I'm presuming they'll be safe from the spores as well
3. However, I imagine it's possible for this stuff to cling to their clothing, possibly putting others in danger depending on the potency.

Mostly I just want to make sure these assumptions are correct. If they are unfair, I'm happy to make the concession that "it's a magic fungus and all bets are off" (I don't want Rutile to get away with something they shouldn't).

On The Docks

[khuimods]

The Sentry hasn't been the only ones alerted by the dock workers' discovery of the ship's return, and various people have thronged down to the harbourfront as well to get a glimpse of what's going on. While the Narrakra is too large to obscure, giving people a chance to see just what damages have been afflicted on the vessel, the Sentry has cordoned off a section of the dock that serves as a staging area for unloading the survivors. The excited babble of voices from onlookers carry tones of everything from Sentry conspiracy theories, to speculation that this was a Chihuelan pirate attack, to hushed murmurs about how the only thing this could have been was the Night Fisher.

Nearby, a veritable wall of armed officers have formed to keep one particular group of people from running toward the survivors -- their friends and relatives, many of whom are calling for, or straining to see, any sign of their loved ones. Tiaghae, the Arybar woman who made the video address on the network and who is also Faias' aunt, is among them.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne couldn't stay at the Bridge after he heard of the ship's return. Like many others, he has come to the docks to get a good look the Narrakra and to see what was happening for himself. There were so many rumors flying that it was difficult to sort them all out, but many of them seemed too entirely unlikely for him to consider seriously. (He didn't have the faintest idea what the 'Night Fisher' was, but that was a mystery he could pursue some other time.)

At a first glance it'd be easy to accuse the Sentry of being overly cautious, but once Trahearne was able to get a better look at the ship, he couldn't blame the Sentry at all. The state of the Narrakra was horrifying, the sheer incongruence between its parts like looking at a jigsaw puzzle made of mismatched pieces. The more he took it in, the more unsettled he felt, and the surrounding fog only made it worse. Just like in the visions, the fog almost seemed like a living thing lying in wait for its next victim.

Feeling a shiver go down his spine, Trahearne dragged his gaze away from the ship to watch the escort of the survivors instead, trying to concentrate on that instead of the hulk of metal still looming large in his vision.

The Survivors

[khuimods]

The survivors are, for lack of a stronger term, a bit frazzled. They move slowly though, as if they're uncertain of their surroundings, despite the Sentry's urgent insistence of getting them prompt medical treatment. But their eyes are drawn to the crowd and they spot… you. And there is a moment of recognition.

"I know you," they may exclaim, or possibly utter. "I saw you - through my dreams."

[redlightgreenlight]

As a member of the Sentry, Valdis had an easier time getting in among the survivors. She doesn't really know what Nerrin looks like now, or what he feels like to anyone but himself. He might have died wherever they had been, but the whispers as they recognize other Dreamfolk meant that there had definitely been some connection between them.

"Is Nerrin here?" she asked, "I need to speak with him."

The Pyramid, the roaring, the eyes, the damaged to the ship. Valdis needed to know what else he had seen.

[ilda]

Ilda comes running to the harbour, having bolted the moment she found out about the Narrakra's return. She’s hardly looking her best, but she figures there are far more important things than her appearance.

“Faias? Faias? Are you here?” she calls out, straining her voice so she can be heard over the noise of the gathering crowd. “Faias!”

(closed to Devin)

[afoolsgold]

"I know you. I saw you--through my dreams."

That is not a phrase that the Fool is accustomed to being on the receiving end of, though it does not fluster him as it once might have.

He stands on the outskirts of the crowd of onlookers, but it seems that whatever his connection is to Eitria, they are bound by fate to find each other. When their eyes meet, he knows her immediately, and quickly pushes his way through the crowd towards her.

"Yes," he tells her earnestly as soon as he is near enough to her that he doesn't have to yell to be heard. "I saw you, as well." As discreetly as he can manage it, he looks her over for signs of... well, anything that stands out, really.

[corundrum]

Padparadscha is largely unconcerned about the wall of officers between them and the survivors to start with. They're primarily here to see if Faias made it out alive. But when one of the survivors shows that spark of recognition, it's difficult to turn down the quiet connection between them.

Padparadscha first pushes free of the crowd towards the back, allowing themselves a good distance from the pod of people pushing to see the survivors. It's all the space they need for a short run-up, and when they leap from the ground just short of the crowd, the height with which they leap easily carries them over both the gathered people and the wall of Sentry, landing comfortably on the dock.

Any reactions that might receive go ignored for now, their focus on the specific person who had identified them.

"Are you Faias, little one?" they ask, eyes on the survivor. Their tone isn't exactly concerned, but there is a certain curiosity there.

[eyeinfusion]

Judai can admit to himself that he was searching for Nerrin, too, as soon as he'd heard that a ship with the name Narrakra had come drifting into the harbor. Being recognized himself, though...is a...surprise.

"Uh. You should see a doctor..."

First things first, after all. If anyone died here, that would just be unfair. "I—that is, I can help you there." He offers an arm.

[ninjainviolet]

This ship is in, people are disembarking, and one lone ninja is watching all of the activity from a distance that isn't exactly safe, but also isn't putting her in the way.

Her gaze roams over the crowd intently, seeking--though, she's not exactly sure what she's looking for. A familiar face? Voice? She doesn't know.

Until she hears a voice coming from behind her.

She turns slowly, her eyes wide and concerned at the same time.

"Al'amar?" she asks cautiously.

Sneaking Aboard

[khuimods]

The Sentry is largely distracted with getting the surviving crew the medical attention they need, and the guards set up to keep rubberneckers at bay seem entirely too unnerved to do more than perfunctory tasks. There's a palpable air of confusion and fear, and the guards only go where the crowd is thickest. It wouldn't be terribly difficult, if one were so inclined, to slip the ropes and sneak aboard. After all, the Sentry don't seem to want to get any closer to the Narrakra than they have to.

The interior of the ship is in even worse shape than the outside. Everything looks as though it's been there for at least a decade - any cloth is worn ragged, bits and bobs have been repurposed into various makeshift tools, and there are haphazard repairs throughout. The cargo seems utterly spent - no cans of food remain and everything that could have been used for some function has been. There seems to be a decade's worth of decay as well - most metal surfaces show some signs of rust and very limited maintenance.

Aside from the decrepit living conditions, there are strange oily residues and fungi-like growths that cling to corners of doorways and shelves. Insect-like carapaces, dry and brittle, gather near lights had once been, crunch underfoot. In the center of one room there is a pile of bones and shreds of matted fur, the skeleton carcass of a strange, four-legged animal with hooves and long fangs that is not similar to anything found on the archipelago.

Where have these people been? What have they seen?

In the name of Riches & Fame (Open)

[shivvymetimbers]

While he may had joined the Sentry and all that through Valdis's doing, Bastien is still a pirate at heart. So while the blokes are getting a handle on things, this slippery bastard sneaks off onto the vessel when the guards aren't looking. He uses the confusion and fear in the air to mask his approach as he slips into the cargo area of the ship in search of something to steal. If there's one thing Bastien loves, it's a five finger discount on shiny objects.

The ship's interior looks worse than it should. The stairs leading down are ragged and ravaged by decay making it hard for Bastien to keep his footing. While the pirate is pretty surefooted on normal days, he has a tough time keeping his balance here. All the rust and decay worries Bastien, especially since he rarely ever seen a ship in such a horrid state before. He tiptoes over a few of those nasty looking bugs scattering about and over the many rusted barrels in search of anything salvageable.

"Geez, talk about a dump..." He mutters quietly as he keeps tiptoeing around. "Mean to tell me these blokes brought nothin' back with 'em? Bull!" Bastien let's out an annoyed huff as he starts digging through all the rubbish.

we have to stop meeting like this ▸ kit

[rutility]

Rutile has done more sneaking in the last couple of months than they have in the previous couple of centuries, but they don't think twice about their actions when they discover the Narrakra has docked. Stifling yawns - the fog wreaks havoc on their energy levels - they deftly duck around the Sentry and aboard the derelict ship.

They press a gloved hand to their mouth in horror when they find the organic debris that has grown and died throughout the vessel. Rutile had made peace weeks ago with the knowledge that living things were far more vile than the Lustrous, but what happened to the crew that they couldn't maintain basic cleanliness?

The horror passes. Time to get to work.

Rutile has been sneaking small jars from recycling bins at the Dreaming Bridge to store materials in; they pull some from their pocket and begin scraping samples from everything that looks vaguely curious. They won't be able to do much with them - biology was never their expertise - but the Academy will likely be grateful for samples procured before the Sentry ruins the site.

[makebelieveavenger]

Even as distracted as the guards were, Alice would have been tough to spot. Her thin frame and dull attire made it so attention just tended to slide off her, and she liked it better that way anyway.

What she didn't like, however, was anything rooting around in her mind, and no mistake, someone had been in her mind. Eitria's shocked exclamation at the dock had confirmed that this had been a two-way door.

She slipped under the ropes and kept to the shadows until she was up the ramp and aboard the ship. A crunch under her boot elicited a disgusted sound from her, but she fished the Yimo out of her pocket, and photographed the carapaces. She even picked one up with her handkerchief, wrapped it, and pocketed it.

The carcass... if it could even be called that anymore, was even more perplexing. She took more pictures, from various angles.

"Surely someone will know what this is," she said to herself, pressing on further into the gloom of the ship. She'd come here to see if she could find answers, but thus far all she'd gotten was a fresh batch of questions.

[eyeinfusion]

Even if he were spotted, it's very easy for Judai to create a distraction. But Judai would have put his hologram-creating Duel Disk on his arm anyway. The ship is creepy, and while it isn't the first dilapidated ship he's seen, the fact that he's also seen its crew earlier makes it more present, more unimaginable what they'd gone through.

Of course he heads for the main engineering room first; the place Nerrin had rushed to when things had started to go wrong. Of course Judai doesn't know anything about engineering and even less about this particular ship, but there had also been...shadows in the vision.

...The fact that it's dark here doesn't help. Judai looks around, once, twice, then loads his deck into the Duel Disk and plays a card. A hologram of a bright humanoid appears, softly illuminating the surroundings with its glow.

"Thanks."

The hologram nods as Judai begins poking around.

open

[whattail]

Konoe had to know more about the visions and pain that he'd been suffering from for what felt like ages, and agile as a cat he snuck aboard the ship. He hadn't eaten much in a couple days but his body was hardy and frankly, was starting to get used to the flashes of empathy.

As he traversed into the ship, though, he had to hold a clawed hand up over his nose from the smell of whatever was on this ship. It was...off. Konoe's ears were swivelling around for any scrap of sound-as were his eyes-but he didn't get too much further before there was a lance of pain through his chest.

"Gkh!" Konoe muffled the sound as he thumped against the wall. The feeling of panic and confusion was crashing into him like a muddy stream of water and it was all he could do to force the nausea down.

[iseeall]

Sneaking in wasn't the hard part, as Leo was an expert in not only getting places he probably wasn't supposed to be, but happened to have the supernatural ability to control other people's eyesight. The hard part was figuring out just what to do when he was in there.

Obviously Leo brought his camera and yimo, and began snapping pictures of anything he saw that was important. He was very wary of touching anything since it all looked off, even to his eyes, but he got fascinated by one of the fungus that was growing, slowly reaching out and poking it with a finger as he leaned down.

for Zephyr!

[psituational]

X doesn't miss when the alarm goes up about the return of the Narrakra, but by the time he arrives at the harbour, the docks are already swarmed with people.

Maybe, he thinks, eyeing the Sentry soldiers, that might work in his favour. The ship itself isn't well-guarded. Everyone, even the Sentry, seems terrified of it. For good reason, too; the ship looks like it's returning from a sea battle that raged for decades.

X takes a step, then stops. Maybe he shouldn't be sneaking onto a possibly haunted ship like this on his own. He takes a second or two to send a text message to Zephyr:

Zephyr, the Narrakra came back, and it looks like the crew survived. Meet me at the docks?

Less than a minute later, X slips under the rope. What can he say? Old habits die hard.

Change of plans, I sneaked onto the ship. Meet me there?