[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

[khuimods]

"Something," Al'amar says, averting her gaze. "I don't know. Nothing felt normal on that island - nothing felt real. It might have been the fog but I think it was part of something else."

Her breathing was becoming more rapid and she seemed to realize this, and her gaze turned inwards.

"Meoni didn't make it."

She seemed reluctant to say any more on the matter.

[afoolsgold]

"Meoni didn't make it."

There are two survivors before them now, and this one the Fool surmises must be Al'amar, of Devin's dreams. He looks between the two haggard women, his brows drawn together into a frown of unhappiness and dismay for them, and then to Devin as though some part of him hopes that his friend will have seen some piece of the puzzle that the Fool has overlooked.

He takes a breath and turns his eyes to the pair again. "I am so sorry," he tells them softly. He reaches out to Eitria as though he might touch her arm, before thinking better of it.

[annihilist]

The fog had followed them here. Like Al'amar, Devin had a gut feeling that it masked the truth rather than being the problem itself. He tries not to do more than glance at Al'amar's missing hand.

"Do you know how you made it back here?" This is, Devin thinks, more important than how they vanished. And, since there are two of them, they might be able to piece their own story together better than separated, given how disoriented everyone must be.

[khuimods]

It's probably a good thing that the Fool didn't touch her, else Al'amar might have leapt clear out of her skin. The bustle of the pier filled with chaos and people is overwhelming, and even though it's a reminder (welcome) of being back, it's also a bit Too Much right now.

At Devin's question however, her entire demeanor changes, becoming closely guarded and, to the observant, distressed. "No," she answers. "I... I don't know how. It just happened."

[afoolsgold]

All of this, the Fool suspects, is Too Much for Al'amar and Eitria. He looks from them to Devin and suggests quietly, "Perhaps we should let them get some rest, and try speaking to them again later."

Then, with a subtle and slightly untrustworthy glance in the direction of the Sentry, he adds lowly, "If we are allowed to do so."

[annihilist]

The change in demeanor could be anything. Devin tends towards suspicion, but he's also fully aware that trauma is difficult to talk about at the best of times. If the two women are concealing anything, it could just as easily be that their experience is too distressing to repeat as intentional evasion. He doesn't have nearly enough information to give credence to the latter.

"I doubt we will any time soon," Devin replies just as quietly. "They're not likely to allow members of the general public to speak with the crew for quite a while." He nods to the pair. "We ought to let you rest and recover, even if it may mean we won't get the chance to talk again. It may help if you write things down," Devin suggests. "The Sentry will want an account of what happened, and I've found writing is often easier than having to speak about it."

[khuimods]

Al'amar is plainly relieved that the topic isn't pressed upon, and Devin's suggestion is much better received than it might have been had that avenue been pursued. "I'll try to," she agreed. "But I... did they look for us? They must have, I know, but... how long before they gave up? We thought after the first year, there was basically no chance of being found..."