Khu Ioduan Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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ioduanlogs2018-07-10 03:56 pm
khuimods) wrote in ioduanlogs2018-07-10 03:56 pm
[EVENT] THE FOG COMES - Ship's Return
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
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
no subject
A pause followed by short laugh, and, "Yeah, I can see how you'd think that." First a city sewer, now the remains of a derelict ship. They really ought to orchestrate a better means of spending time together.
Kit takes a few slow steps further into the room, and while he doesn't avoid stepping on the bugs, precisely, he does glance down at them with a grimace as the brittle carapaces crack and crunch under his boots. "Like being in the Deep Roads again," he mumbles under his breath, probably an aside to himself, before he glances Rutile's way again, his attention catching on their words. "I know the ship hasn't been gone that long, but now that you mention it, my--visions," he begins, looking decidedly uncomfortable at having to discuss dreams at all, "--took a strange turn. The guy I dreamed of--Nerrin, I think--he seemed... old. Like years had passed for him, not just a month."
Having said the words, Kit grows quiet and chafes a palm against the beard on his chin, frowning. "...but I don't see how that could be possible."
no subject
They have their suspicions, and this is clear from their extended silence. They had discussed the notion that time never truly stopped with Aly only weeks ago, confessing their mutual fears that it would march on in their absence. But this is only a fear, and anything else they might say mere fuel in the flames of confusion.
"I don't know," Rutile softly admits to Kit, their voice almost blending with the steady drip of water and creak of the ship in the background. "I collected all the information I could, but in the end, I have nothing to show for it. The best we can do is gather more information and hope those who know better find it useful."
With this, they turn on their heel, taking a couple of steps toward the door. "I'm going to examine the rest of the ship. Will you accompany me?"
no subject
(dwarves return to the Stone in death, huh? awkward.)
"More information," he repeats, nodding his head in agreement, and drags his attention back towards the rest of the chamber around them, most of it cloaked in shadow. Then he nods and falls into step behind them, motioning ahead. "I think the engine room is that way. I smell old smoke and oil." Strong signifiers for fuel no matter what universe you're in, he suspects.
no subject
As they step into the hall, they're met with much more of the same: to one side is the staircase they descended from, as rust-covered and uninviting as the rest of the ship, and the ground is still littered with carapaces scattered about by shoes. Oily residues cling to the walls and door frames, facilitating the growth of some kind of fungus. Rutile picks some of it off with their fingertips and slips it into another tiny jar. They hold it up for Kit to see. "Are you familiar with this?"
no subject
"Uh, not as such, no." Still, he's not squeamish when he leans in to get a better look at the contents, bewildered by something he sees in it. "I've seen a lot of fungus while traipsing through the Deep Roads in my world, but nothing like this."
Beyond Rutile's shoulder he catches a glimpse of a shadowed opening--a doorway. He juts his chin towards it. "Engine room, maybe?" he suggests, before stepping past them to investigate.
no subject
The stone is cubical and smooth and a deep shade of obsidian. It's hard to tell in the gloom of the ship but examining it in better lit conditions, it will seem to actively repel light. There is no shine or gloss to it's smooth surface, despite feeling well polished. When touched by organic skin, it will give off a strange hum, though it will leave rashes. If Rutile chooses to handle it, they will find that it does not react to them the same way, but also does not leave any marks.]
no subject
They follow Kit into the engine room, wary of the creaking and shifting of the ship around them. The day was already dark and down in the depths it is darker still; the door seems to swallow the two of them whole. As they pass the threshold, their heel lands in a greasy patch and their weight slips out from under them, sending them briefly off balance. Rutile curses and with a deft set of footwork, manages to regain it - but not before reaching out and landing a hand on Kit's shoulder.
"Sorry," they murmur to him, when they're back on their feet. The word is short with frustration. "Did I hurt you?"
no subject
Out of instinct he turns to look at his friend and darts out a hand to steady them. "You all right?" he asks--or tries to ask, before Rutile's question reaches him first. He blinks at the question as though confused, before recalling some of what Padparadscha told him about gems early on in his arrival in Aifaran. Likely, a casual contact like that among gems could have resulted in real trouble.
"I'm fine," he says, cracking a grim smile, "I'm sturdier than I look." Which is admittedly pretty sturdy looking for a fleshy creature, so that's saying something.
He looks away from Rutile's outline in the dark towards the strange stone gem set into the middle of the machinery, staring at it with wary, focused intensity. "I've seen a lot of strange stones in my life," he admits as he approaches it, taking cautious steps across the slick ground, "but that's probably one of the strangest."
He's not sure where the impulse comes from, exactly, but without thinking he reaches out to touch the stone's obsidian surface.
no subject
Rutile rolls their eyes and stifles a snicker, because how sturdy can an organic being really be? But Kit seems alright, so they take their hands back and make sure to step forward with more caution. They approach the machinery of interest at Kit's side, taking in the ramshackle appearance of technology hastily broken and repaired. Even with their amateur eyes, it hardly seems stable.
Still, the mess of metal isn't what draws Kit's attention. When he points out the stone, Rutile leans closer to examine it. "It's curious, but not wholly unusual," they say. "Unpolished, it looks like. What I don't understand is why it's set in this metallic mess... I'd have to examine it to know more."
They do not stop Kit as he reaches for the stone; if there was any danger down here, they surely would have found it already. With a sinking feeling they're reminded of their foray into the Opara Core some weeks ago, and learning of the Xunutane that powers the city. Perhaps this small black stone is serving a similar purpose.
no subject
On instinct, Kit jerks his hand backward and turns his palm upwards with a grimace; the surface of his skin is, where it touched the stone, sporting an angry-looking rash that can't be comfortable. "Shit," he mumbles and flexes his fingers, before looking to the stone again warily. "Careful, I think it--burned me, or something."
Muted voices reach them through several layers of deteriorating metal; the Sentry, probably. "Sounds like the party's over." Kit glances backwards over his shoulder towards the darkened doorway leading out of the engine room; if they expect to escape from this adventure without attracting attention, they'll have to book it fast.
no subject
"Let me see," Rutile begins to say, reaching for Kit's hand - though unsure of what they'll actually be able to examine in such darkness - when the sounds of activity outside the room reach them. They follow Kit's gaze to the door and a scowl twists their lips. They'd known coming on board would risk drawing the Sentry's attention, but they hardly want to tempt fate.
The decision takes a tenth of a second. They reach for the stone and wrap their fingers around it; there is no heat that they can detect, though perhaps Kit is simply more sensitive to it, and with a gentle wrench of their wrist they pry it free and slip it into their pocket. "We shouldn't overstay our welcome," Rutile says wryly. "Do you see another way out?"
no subject
We shouldn't overstay our welcome. Do you see another way out?"
A few levels above them come the sounds of argument between the Sentry and some other unfortunate intrepid explorer, caught out before they could escape. Kit privately wishes the duster luck, but their misfortune has bought them both some time. "Let's retrace our steps back through the hold. I was down below before I bumped into you. We can go down, then back up again."
It doesn't fully negate their chances of getting caught, but traveling backwards over ground he's already covered was always preferable to forging ahead into unknown territory, in the Deep Roads. He turns to head back the way they'd come, glancing once after Rutile to ensure they're following.
A beat, and then, "What should we do with that?" He juts his chin towards their pocket, ostensibly referring to the stone.
no subject
If the light had been poor in the other rooms, it is even worse here; the functioning lamps are few and far between and they flicker, signs of poor connectivity or a weak power source. The narrow halls echo terribly. Rutile stays on their toes to muffle their footsteps as best they can, and for a being of stone they do quite well, but their weight on metal was never going to be easily masked. Hopefully, speed and timing will be their allies, rather than stealth.
When Kit glances back and asks about the stone, Rutile holds a finger to their lips to silence him. "It can wait," they say softly.
The hold is small compared to the rest of the ship, and several stories below; it is a feat for Kit and Rutile to escape unnoticed, and they have some close calls around particular corners, but eventually they make it.
It's not until they emerge from the ship and are safely away from the activity on the docks that Rutile relaxes. The sun is just peeking over the horizon; it invigorates Rutile like a full night of sleep, and their energy is visibly changed when they pull the stone out of their pocket. In the early light it seems a hole in the universe, reflecting no light and with no discernible features. "I've never seen anything light this," Rutile says, with some excitement. "It's not a stone familiar to me."
There is no heat coming from it now, they are sure of it.
no subject
For his part, Kit looks utterly exhausted--and probably a little disgusting given the amount of engine oil that is probably all over his clothes and skin. In the dim light of morning he takes in his appearance with a grimace, though he has to admit to himself that some engine grease and bug carapaces are a step up from darkspawn blood that could give him the taint if ingested. Whatever commentary he's about to make is cut off, however, by Rutile's observation... and the sight of the stone.
"Ancestors..."
He casts about them quickly for any sign of the Sentry, then steps nearer to the stone to get a better look at it. He shakes his head. "We don't have anything like that where I'm from, either," he says slowly, but he's starting to suspect that this stone is of another world entirely. He lifts up his hand to consider the rash on his fingers and palms. "Not exactly like it, anyway. Lyrium is dangerous to handle even for dwarves, and we're sort of--born immune to it. This is..." He trails off, shaking his head. "I don't know."
(Maybe it is ingrained in him to be drawn to it--dwarves are all of the Stone, aren't they?)