I'd sit there and look at the deserted lakes and I'd sing

[singmod]

MARCH 2024 EVENT

PROMPT ONE — EXIT STRATEGY: With the way via the main road a no-go, Methuselah finds a potential and very dangerous way out of the Milton area: the Milton Mines. During the Aurora, the Interlopers must find a way to safely navigate the mines and find a way through.

PROMPT TWO — BRAVE NEW WORLD: Interlopers make their way into the Lakeside area, and are free to explore the more of the Northern Territories: a place of both industry and leisure.

PROMPT THREE — THE ECHO: On Aurora nights, the aftermath of the Darkwalker's attack on the Interlopers continues to ripple through the community — with a painful affliction.

EXIT STRATEGY

WHEN: Mid-month.
WHERE: Milton Mines.
CONTENT WARNINGS: claustrophobic situations; potential injury/maiming; potential electrocution/electrocution injuries; potential burn injuries; hyperthermic situations; exploration horror;


Unusually, Methuselah returns to the town around the middle of the month. He is looking pleased and will ask that the Interlopers gather in the Community Hall. Once gathered, he climbs onto the small stage at one end of the Hall and explains that following last month’s Feast, he set out to try to find a way out of Milton, and he believes he may have found a way out.

He goes on to explain that although the Milton Mine has been closed for many years, there may still be access through the mine. The mine had two entrances through either sides of the stone, one on the Milton side since many of the residents worked the mine back in the day, but there was also an additional entrance on the opposite side, which led to a railway track that allowed easier export of coal and precious materials towards the coast. Having gained access, he believes the mine seems to mostly remain intact, but not easy to get through. However, he discovered that during the Aurora, the old mine and its electronics came to life — meaning a way through is certainly possible during those times with the added electronics in play.

It is not much, and it is certainly incredibly dangerous, but it is something. There is certainly no way out towards the south; towards the north might be the Interlopers’ best chance of finding a way out of Milton.

Methuselah will ask for any volunteers to join him in trying to find a way out via the mines, taking them up north and then waiting for an Aurora to happen before they can then make their way through and explore the mine system. Anyone is free to sign up, and he suggests someone drawing up a sign up sheet so that Interlopers have an idea of who is leaving the town on the journey.

The hike towards the mines is a long one, taking a few hours on an incline to reach the northern mountains. Waiting on the Aurora may take time, so setting up camp is the next step — waiting for night and hoping the skies fill with night soon. Interlopers are free to explore the mine beforehand, but will find a lot of it locked up tight. With areas unreachable without power and the darkness suffocating, they won’t get very far.

When the Aurora does finally come, the mine will come to life: the system’s lighting will come on throughout, albeit flickering and a little unreliable. Machinery and track systems whir and groan as the mine slowly cranks itself into functioning once more. While there are maps of the system to help Interlopers navigate the system — showing a second entrance labelled as ‘Lakeside Entrance’ — the true difficulty in getting through lies in wait.

Interlopers will find that parts of the system have been partially flooded: with the frigid water in places mostly ankle deep and others reaching no higher than knee-high on an average-height man. What’s worse, is the half-destroyed electrics ravaged by both time and the Aurora mean plenty of loose wires hanging here and there. It’s possible to accidentally catch yourself on them, meaning burn injuries and mild electric shocks — but care should be taken in checking if these wires may have fallen into these flooded parts. Stepping into these live waters will be far more deadly. They will also find that the electronically-powered gates that open through into areas may not function, with the fuses having been blown.

Gaining access through the mine is not impossible, however. It will simply require a little bit of legwork. One of the larger caverns of the mines houses a fuse board. Characters can switch off sections of the mines in order to traverse them safely, find new fuses in toolboxes scattered through the mines in order to open the gates and make their way through to gain access to the elevator of the mine — which will also require new fuses, in order to power the electrics to get it to function.

It is perhaps, most frustrating, that once Interlopers get the elevator working and head downwards into the final section of the mine, that they will come across hand-cranks — allowing them to use the elevator without the need for electricity. But at least the hard part is over, and the Interlopers now have a way through from Milton that doesn’t require relying on the Aurora to power the mine’s electrics.

On the lower section of the mine, there will be a handful of more gated rooms to get through before reaching the Lakeside Entrance, and more wires and flooded areas to traverse. But you can taste it: something on the air. You’re close.

You’ve made it, Interloper.

BRAVE NEW WORLD

WHEN: Mid-month, onwards.
WHERE: Milton Mines (Lakeside Entrance); The Ravine; Lakeside area.
CONTENT WARNINGS: themes of exploration/survival; themes of peril; acrophobia; potential character/npc death from falls; potential injuries, potential cold injuries/hyperthermia risk;

Coming out of the mines, you will be greeted by a small mining camp and railway track enclosed by mountains on both sides. It’s incredibly sheltered here, with little wind chill and not as much snow on the ground compared to some of the more open areas of Milton. It may be best to rest here for the rest of the night. There are several portacabins that were used to house some of the former miners, along with additional cabins with one being some kind of foreman’s office, one that served as a kind of mess hall and one for bathing/toilet needs.

While there is little in terms of supplies left in there, some scraps may be found here and there — plus the cabins will provide decent shelter from the cold, which may be the last Interlopers will get ahead of the long walk down through the mountain track and into Lakeside. There is also plenty of coal left lying around, too — allowing for Interlopers to craft fires to keep warm. Even with it being sheltered, it’s still cold out.

In terms of where to go from here, the only way seems to be to follow the track. It’s a long walk, but rather straightforward if you keep to the tracks. A good few hours of it, but it’s quiet — and there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of wildlife or windchill here. It almost seems too easy, or as easy as it could be in regards to a long walk through thick snow.

Until you come face to face with the ravine.

The world opens up to you, with the tracks stretching over a huge valley via a… mostly sturdy-looking wooden and steel bridge. There doesn’t seem to be any way around it, no alternative route of getting over to the other side. Crossing the bridge is the only option. Care should be taken, with Interlopers now being vulnerable to the wind and the snow-laden tracks. As sturdy as the bridge looks, it seems to creak and groan under the weight of a single footstep. There even appears to be the remains of fall train-carts in the depths, from some unfortunate incident years ago. It’s probably fine.

Crossing the bridge and continuing down the tracks will eventually have the world opening up even more — you’ve finally reached Lakeside. Thick boreal forests crowd around the tracks, and in places, Interlopers will note that the tracks have buckled and become badly damaged. When they find roads, they will also find them in similar states of disrepair from beneath the snow. Following them for another hour or so will eventually lead to Lakeside’s Maintenance Yard. From here, there is a road, with directions: signs pointing towards Milton, the Coast, Lakeside Resort and the Carter Hydrodam.

For those interested in searching the Maintenance Yard, they will be greeted by a large, fenced in building. Fortunately, a great deal of the fencing has been damaged with the bad weather and it is easy enough to gain access. The place is a bit of a mess: scrap metal, wood, and dissued trucks and cars litter the yard, along with wood that can be used for kindling and firewood. Inside the Maintenance Yard, it is a little bit of a mechanic’s dream. There’s plenty of tools in this place, and even a forge which could be used for crafting if someone has the patience to fire it up and keep it hot for long enough. There’s plenty of stores of coal, at least. But in terms of a living space, there’s not much else other than a small break room with some comfy chairs to catch some quick shut-eye. Searching the Yard for any letters or such will reveal a similar theme to that of Milton: difficulty in reaching the Mainland with postage and correspondences, the lack of staffing, and the problems with wildlife. There are also complaints and concerns over growing dangers of small quakes causing damage to the roads and rail system.

Following the road towards the Lakeside Resort is a mostly quiet and pleasant enough trek, as long as one keeps close to or on the road there as much as possible. The Resort is largely secluded, even if it is around the actual lake itself, and it’s easy to see just why this place would have been a popular vacation place.

The resort is a collection of a dozen luxury cabins dotted around the edge of the lake, each of them with a decent amount of space between them for privacy. The cabins themselves are sturdy and well built, but look far more modern and almost designer in terms of style - with huge almost floor to ceiling windows and spacious porches for that perfect lakeside view, and open plan rooms and balconies. Each of the cabins contain multiple bedrooms, suitable for vacationing families and mix both modern technology and more rustic means of heating homes — making them ideal for all weathers.

A couple of the cabins are not completed, appearing to be a kind of expansion of the resort that was not finished. Build materials still remain here. Some of the cabins on the furthest side appear to have become victims of vandalism, having been broken into and completely trashed with windows smashed, furniture missing and broken, and any goods completely ransacked from the place. There are perhaps five cabins out of the twelve that remain fully intact and may contain useful items such as food, basic medical supplies and tools, and will certainly be excellent shelters for those looking for somewhere to stay.

There is also a Camp Office, situated at the east side of the lake. Used as a kind of main office of maintenance for the cabins, along with an office or tourist centre of sorts. It has a decent stock of hiking and outdoor essentials. The Camp Office does also have a small living space upstairs — presumably used by Lake staff or rangers, with a wood stove and kitchenette, along with a bathroom and several bunk-beds. It appears that the Camp Office wasn't abandoned until a short while ago — no more than a couple of months.

Following the road to the Hydrodam is a trickier one than the one to the Resort. There is a higher volume of predator wildlife here, with wolf howls closer and more frequent. With the current state of wildlife’s behaviours, it is likely to face attacks from wolves on the way there. The Carter Hydrodam has clearly seen better days. It seems to have fallen into disrepair and may have only been run by a small skeleton crew. While the Hydrodam is gated and locked up tight, it’s possible to break in through the gate and gain access.

While the lower dam is currently out of bounds, Interlopers will be able to get into the upper levels of the main building of the Hydrodam, which consists mostly of offices, maintenance rooms, a medical bay, and rooms banked with control panels, plus staff areas. The med bay is relatively well stocked, but might need a little forced entry with certain medical lockers and cabinets. Tools and other useful items can also be found here, along with bunk rooms, a small canteen and bathrooms/showers. It might be possible with some work to get access to hot water here — the showering systems run on a back-up furnace system, and while some of the pipes are broken, it might be possible to fix them to get the hot water system up and running again.

Following the road to the Coast will find a dead end. The bridge that heads over towards that direction has been damaged beyond repair, and there looks to be no way of getting around it. Perhaps, much like with getting out of Milton, there may be an alternate way of getting further south, but time will tell.

But for now, here is an entirely new region, ripe for the picking. While it appears some places have already seen minor scavenging (with the exception to the vandalism and looting of some of the resort cabins), Lakeside is largely untouched. It is full of game to hunt, an expansive lake to take up ice-fishing in, and indoor locations to search through for supplies. Some Interlopers may decide to stay here permanently now that it’s easier to travel between Lakeside and Milton.

THE ECHO

WHEN: Aurora Nights, the month of March.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: supernatural/otherworldly afflictions; themes of grief; themes of loss

There are roughly no more than ten Aurora nights during the month of March, and everything occurs as usual: the insanely bright colours swirling in the skies before you, the crackles and pops of static in the air providing percussion to the strange, ethereal chorus of almost-electrical sounds. The electrics of the world around coming alive with its usual sputtering and falters. There is much mystery to these strange, almost supernatural phenomena — but they almost feel like a kind of staple in the Northern Territories.

But on these nights something different happens.

If you listen closely, the sound of weeping can be heard on the air. Those with the Aurora Call Feat will be particularly drawn to the sound, and will hear it more clearly compared to their fellow Interlopers. It is the sound of a woman, and those paying attention might be able to recognise the voice it belongs to: it is the same woman heard over the static of radios and televisions in December and early January. The same woman that spoke to Interlopers, telling them to sleep, with the promise of help — thus granting some of them powers. It is the same voice that screamed out the night La’an Noonien-Singh died, and the night of those recently killed in the church.

She is… grief-stricken. Her weeping is a raw and anguished thing, and the more you listen, the more it seems to grip at you. You feel her pain, maybe it echoes within your own. Those you have lost, those you have failed or hurt — a reverb that grows stronger as the night continues. It is an all-consuming pain, its depths endless. It brings tears to your eyes.

You carry this pain, as she does.

You feel it in your very bones, in your flesh and sinew. It’s an exhaustive pain, and as the night progresses, you find yourself incredibly weary. In a strange state of fatigue that won’t even allow you to sleep.

You may find yourself going in search of comfort amongst friends, or loved ones. To hold a hand, to embrace them — to not be alone in this pain you feel.

But it is a pain that is too great.

On these nights, you will find yourselves alone, without the comfort you would otherwise lean on. You will not be soothed by that comfort of others. For as long as the Aurora lasts, reaching out and touching others will bring real physical pain to you. It will hurt to touch others, and physical contact will produce a sharp biting pain, even for those who may not feel pain otherwise. Too much. It’s… too much.

Some of you were told once, in a dream: “Don’t you understand it now? We are all connected. The Aurora connects us.”

Once the lights in the sky fade, that pain will finally ease and the woman’s sobs will go quiet — but it will return once more, when the next Aurora comes.

FAQs

EXIT STRATEGY

1. It is entirely possible for NPC Interlopers to die in the mines due to electrocution, and players are free to use NPCs — we ask that players give mods a heads up so that the masterlist can be updated accordingly.


BRAVE NEW WORLD

1. The lower dam is currently completely physically impossible to access. The door that leads there is jammed shut. Characters will notice half-frozen water leaking on the floor around the door.

2. It is possible to find bodies in Lakeside, however there is a... suspiciously low amount of them, and the rare ones found by characters will have been there for some time. They will have appeared to have died of exposure.

3. Wolves can be found in Lakeside, and their tracks are incredibly common. Interactions with wolves can happen in the exploration of this region, and they will behave much like they did during the September event and be incredibly hostile to players.

4. Bears are also common in Lakeside, and their tracks can also be found. They technically should be still hibernating, and much like wolves — they will be aggressive towards Interlopers. Keep your distance!

5. Lakeside unlocking comes with a Companion Event of an Interation with a new NPC!

THE ECHO

1. Essentially: physical touch with others will bring Interlopers physical pain. Sorry about that.

2. It is possible for Interlopers with Aurora Call to attempt to reach out to the woman. Those interested can inquire into what that interaction may be like! They can find out what that entails here.

PLOTTING POST

Comments

Harry Goodsir | The Terror | OTA

[bestsir]

1. Exit Strategy

When the decision is made to explore the mine, Goodsir offers to go with the exploration party—which may seem odd to anyone who doesn't know about his experiences in the Arctic. However, he is capable for the most part—he's a perfectly competent hiker and is readily available to help anyone who might get injured.

Inside the mine he's less comfortable; being underground makes him anxious. Still, he keeps going, and though he experiences a mishap or two, he comes out in one piece on the other side.

2. Brave New World

Goodsir's first order of business in the new places is to search for medical supplies, consolidating a cache for anyone who decides to stay in Lakeside, and loading up others to take back to Milton. He's tempted to stay in Lakeside, but he feels that he's too settled in Milton, and so makes a plan to visit Lakeside for a few days at least once every month. He spends two whole days just in the Hydrodam medical bay, examining all the equipment and supplies with fascination (although he will need someone to explain how all this stuff works).

3. The Echo

When Goodsir hears the woman's voice, he answers back and the results are very interesting indeed. He's going to want to talk to anyone else who heard the voice.

4. Wildcard

Goodsir will be spending a fair amount of time in Lakeside to start. Then he returns to Milton with a new stash of supplies, and goes about his business.

2

[solitarysoul]

The dam makes him jumpy, but he comes to visit Goodsir looting it sometime in the second day. Most of its unfamiliar to him to, but he's really there to take notes and carry things.

"Do you think we can take any of the machines back? I guess they wouldn't be useful." What with no power and all.

2.

[meadqueen]

Since their misadventure in the mines Randvi has been a bit more gun-shy about electronics than she’d ever been in Milton. However since she's planning to return with the first group leaving this new place, she winds up touring the hydrodam anyway. Anything they do take from here will have to be carried through the water and other hazards that had awaited them there the first time.

“Is there anything valuable to you here?” Hopefully this healer knows a bit more about all of this than she does, this room is entirely unintelligible to her. “I am thinking of how to pack the sledges for the return trip.”

Levi | Fear & Hunger 2: Termina

[solitarysoul]

starters in comments
plotting | ConnectiveTrick | content warnings

Exit Strategy

[solitarysoul]

I - preparing
During Termina, just before he was taken to this place, Levi developed the habit of pocketing any ammunition he could find. He'd kind of needed it during the war, too, but that was more looting bodies than cabinets and trashcans. In the early days of being in Milton he kept up this habit, and even had a hard time not pocketing any if he still found it. He couldn't use all of it, of course, his rifle only took .303 shells, and while he had a backup hand gun he didn't need much ammo for it.

He'd put up a note on the message board that he'd hand it out to anyone who asked, but he didn't feel quite comfortable just leaving all the extras anywhere so he'd found a spot in the basement of the community hall to hide it all in. But he went through it every so often, to do inventory and give himself something to do. Now that Methuselah had returned with a possible lead seemed like a really good time to do that. He's pulled out the bag and is now sorting the ammo out by type on one of the tables in the community hall. Not only did he not trust the old man, but there were sure to be predators out there. He needed to know what they had available and what needed to be taken.


2 - camp
The group had made it to the mine easily enough, but getting through the mine wasn't as simple. So they'd been forced to make camp and wait for an aurora to come. Levi wasn't good with people and he'd come along as security detail, so he spends most of the time near the edges of camp, patrolling or standing nearly at attention, on look out for anything dangerous out in the forest.
He sleeps very little during this time, usually during the day when most other people are awake. When he does sleep its troubled, but thankfully he doesn't wake up screaming while the group is camping together.

Brave New World

[solitarysoul]

I - resort
Everything in and around Milton was so strange, but it was the luxury cabins that perplexed Levi the most. The rooms were so big and the furniture seemed so fancy and...unnecessary. Sure, the view of the lake was nice, but did they need almost a whole wall to be dedicated to a window to see it? It all felt so strange to him. He felt more out of place here than anywhere else in Milton.

The cabins were clearly for people with money; was this how rich people lived? Had Marina grown up in a house like this? The amount of beds seemed to imply only one or two families lived in these, but he just couldn't picture it. He could fit a whole battalion in here, did people really need this much space? Was that why people kept claiming houses and living alone in them?
It was all so weird. He looks to his companion, "Do you think people really lived like this, or its just for some crazy get away?"


2 - the damn dam
The dam had Levi on edge. He knew it wasn't the same, but the cold, industrial corridors felt too much like the halls in the bunkers he'd been through in Prehevil. It wasn't the same. He kept telling himself it wasn't the same, but he couldn't be entirely sure. So far no stitched together creatures or nightmare monsters had shown up, but he had no idea what was going on here. That meant he couldn't be entirely sure that what had haunted Prehevil wouldn't show up here. He hated it, but he couldn't just pull back and cower. He had to keep going forward; he had a job to do.

He'd come along to protect the others, so he's carefully going through the halls and rooms of the dam. His rifle is in his hands, just in case, but his grip on it is tighter than it usually is. Maybe don't sneak up on him.


3 - cat?!
Levi'd split off from the others for a bit as they searched the Camp Office, since it was faster to search areas if they didn't all stick together. He wasn't really sure what he'd expected to find, but a tiny kitten trapped under an overturned flower pot was not it. When he pushed the pot over, trying to find out where the strange pleading noise was coming from, she'd rocketed out and up his leg.

He should have left her behind, but she was so small and terrified he just couldn't. He tried looking around for the mother or family of the brown and white puffball but came up with nothing. When it was time to return to the others he left some jerky behind with the cat. That was either a horrible mistake or a wonderful choice, as after the starving kitten ate her fill she followed after him.

He doesn't notice his stalker at first, in fact someone may need to point it out to him. Eventually he notices, though, and decides that he can't just leave her.
She was an orphan, just like him. He may not have found any parents but he knew in this world the possibility of them being alive was slim to none. Especially if the poor starving thing was following him, so he relented. The rest of the trip he could be found with either a small norwegian forest cat trailing after him or nestled in one of the pockets of his oversized coat.

He doesn't really know how to deal with animals, though, so he's just playing it by ear. Maybe someone would like to help, or convince him to name the kitten?


((forgot to mention it before, but ill match style if youd rather do brackets or whatever! this goes for all the prompts.))

The Echo - for Bigby; cw: kids being sent to war, child abuse, domestic violence

[solitarysoul]

The first Aurora Night hadn't been that bad. Going through the caves he was able to keep himself busy or at least thinking about what was happening to keep from slipping too far into his memories. But the next...he didn't have that. There was nothing to distract him from the pain. He's lost so many...hurt and failed even more. It all started with his mother, who he failed to save, and ran through he left the army. So many people he could have saved, he just wasn't strong enough. Squadmates lost...but the worst was the kids. They were all kids, really, but the last squad he was in seemed so much younger. Maybe because they were all younger than him, maybe because he was actually in charge. Then they died, following his orders. He hadn't even had the strength to stick with them in the end. He'd just left. He tried to tell himself that the squad leader disappearing would at least delay the mission, tried his best to hint that they should all go without being obvious about it.

Levi had no idea how that final mission went, but he knew when it was given to him it was a suicide mission. By leaving he'd tried to delay it, but it was just another way of failing them, wasn't it? That was his whole life. Failure after failure, somehow still alive and moving despite all the dead bodies he'd left in his wake.

He'd probably failed those he met during Termina as well. Mostly Marina, Abella and Olivia...he'd gone with them to finish following the trail of those strange machines. But instead of doing that he was here, and they were not. If they were left behind then he failed them as well, it wasn't his choice to come to Milton but it hardly mattered. So many choices he had made ended in failure and bodies. Bodies he'd never be able to make it up to.

He'd never be able to change what he'd done, but there might be a way to ease the pain for a bit. He just had to get through the night, right? Everything faded when the aurora did last time, like so many other things the aurora brought. He just had to survive until then, then he could go back to...surviving, he guessed. Trying to help the others here, maybe in some way make up for what he'd done.
Kate had said those drugs weren't really good for this, that they were highly addictive and people abused them. He believed her...but he'd seen the morphine in the dam's medical bay. The medics used it a lot during the war, and it had eased his mental pain almost as much as his physical pain. He didn't need much...just a little. Just to get through the night. Please don't remind him that another Aurora Night was bound to happen. Thankfully, even if he manages to find it, its locked up tight.

peter parker — the amazing spider-man

[webshootings]

[ plotting comment | jortles for further plotting. ]

( exit strategy ; ota )

[webshootings]

[ Peter's instinct is, of course, to volunteer to go through the mines. But, when he thinks about it further, he realizes that he could be more of a hindrance than anything. He's new, he's still unfamiliar with things, and he doesn't have access to the powers that he'd come to rely on. Peter tries to tell himself that he went for years without but those abilities being absent now makes him feel a little hollow.

So, he elects to stay behind. Milton itself is still a brand new place for him and he wants to find out more. He could ask, sure, but he wants to feel useful somehow. Maybe he'll be able to find out something that others haven't. Or maybe he'll just get out of his own head for a little while.

The volunteers head off to the mines and Peter hopes that they're successful in what they're trying to do. He hopes they come back. It sounds dangerous but isn't everything?

Once the volunteers have left, Peter does his best to find enough gear to keep himself warm and safe while he trawls around Milton. ]

You know, I used to like snow. Thought it was pretty. I think I'm gonna change my mind.

[ He's talking to himself. When he realizes that's what he's doing, he just shakes his head. Focus, Peter, focus. He doesn't even know where to start. ]

( brave new world ; ota )

[webshootings]

[ Peter isn't with the first group that goes out but once a way through has been established, Peter does push through into Lakeside with the others.

Even though things look ramshackle and broken down now, Peter can tell that this had to be have been a nice place once upon a time. Probably a place he wouldn't have ever come but he can tell it might have been a nice spot away for a lot of people.

Now, it's just a collection of scrap material that he knows needs to be scavenged. Peter spends a little time staring at the vandalism, trying to pick up anything from it until he starts to wander down the road and into one of the cabins.

His breath blows out chilly in front of him before he rubs his hands together and starts to pick up things here and there to take back.

His scientific curiosity eventually leads him to the Hydrodam. When access is gained, it's the control panels that draw him in and he sits in front of them for awhile, touching buttons and trying to see if he can get anything to work. ]

rabbit's foot -- a v general ota

[ployboy]

Tim, for once, is willingly left behind.

Having gotten wind of the upcoming expedition he instead starts to (for once) make himself useful. Any intrepid traveler who admits to not being the best of hunters (or the best at traveling) will be getting a small but practical parting gift of dried meats. Paradise Farms does have its slaughterhouse, after all. And for all his bumbling around, Tim is a quick learner where it counts.

There are a pair of emergency blankets to hand out.

At Marche du Lac, Tim will help any adventurer barter for a better price on assorted other supplies or he'll take on their debt. He's unsure about the whole thing but that's... that's surely not deterring anyone from venturing out. So he'll try to keep a lid on the worries.

Don't be too surprised if Tim manages to dole out insightful, good advice for adventuring and field first aid.

[guidemyway]

Ruby was pretty good at hunting. But while she had mostly travelled across her world on foot in some way or another, she wouldn't exactly call herself good at it. Look- Say what you want when you lose three maps over a couple weeks you lose the right to called yourself good at it.

So Ruby's taking the chance to stock up on supplies while she can. Except- She's kind of staring at the shelves aimlessly trying to think of what she'll actually need to take with her.

She eventually picks up a flash light and looks Tim's way.

"Do you think this flash light goes with my bag?"

They're both red.

Ruby Rose | RWBY

[guidemyway]

Exit Strategy

Ruby simply was not about to let people go out and explore a new area without her. She had been quick to sign up for the expedition and even quicker to gather up her things for the adventure. ...Except it would still be a few days before the Aurora came around to make it possible to actually start the expedition. So sue her, she was excited.

Her silver eyes shine with anticipation when the night finally comes and they start to travel into the mine. She's got an old red back pack slung with her gear slung over one shoulder, and her trusty scythe in it's collapsed box form strapped to her back. A handy dandy flash light bobs around in her hand as she looks around around the mine. Occasionally she'll hum along some sort theme music and flash it in someone's face, or at a random object she's found when she hits a dramatic sting in the tune.

When they come across one of the more flooded areas she'll grimace as she taps her foot against the water. “This had better be worth it for a dumb fuse...” She'll mumble before stepping into the water. And then the more dramatic squeal will come out. “Cold, cold, cold COLD!” She hates this a little more than she did a second ago.

Brave New World

A

The mine was cool, but getting out to the other side is even better as far as Ruby is concerned. She doesn't seem to care for the any sort of danger as they pass over the ravine. In fact she might just be the kind of jerk to step a little more firmly and loudly just to hear the bridge groan in protest at the steps, then let out a little cackle afterwards as she continues along. Eventually she scans the train wreckage down below and let's out a whistle.

“Yeeeash. Would not want to have been on that. ...Again. I guess I have been involved in more than my fair share of train crashes before.”

B

Now it's the Maintenance Yard that really gets Ruby excited. In fact she cheers in excitement the second it comes into view and quickly picks up the pace to start exploring. There's a plethora of “ooo's” and “aaaah's” as her eyes catch sight of any sort of usable tool or material.

But it's when she she opens up the door to the workshop and catches sight of the forge that she stops and just stares in awe for a long minute. Her hands rise up cup her cheeks and just says very wistfully.

“We are going to have so much fun together. ....I'm finally home.” Sorry. She's kind of a nerd.


The Echo

After the Expedition Ruby has returned with the group to Milton. But her intentions aren't to stay full time. Seeing the forge on the other side along with the ample opportunities when it comes to hunting. She's at least a little more convinced that she can do a little more good over there than she can do here. So it's on the night of the aurora that she takes some more time to pack up anything from the house that she had originally picked out for herself with the intent to at least free it up for someone else who would need it more.

As she's finishing packing up a weight starts to drag and twist at her gut. ...It's not just the pain that she can feel through the aurora. It's the weight of the burdens she had brought along with her from home. She glances at the green gem sword, and the photo of her friends from home and feels a couple tears slide down her cheeks. She gathers them up, along with her bag and steps out of the house to head toward the community center.

[Wild Card]

[Feel free to choose your own adventure or hit me up at jjabarrett on plurk or discord to plot]

B

[solitarysoul]

Huh. Levi wouldn't have pegged Ruby for the type to love this sort of place, but he supposed he didn't have any idea what mechanics were like. Not all of them wore coveralls and threw wrenches.

"You like this stuff, huh? I can't really tell what any of it is."

Kate Marsh | Life Is Strange

[castitas]

Undecided on the OTA prompt as of yet. Closed starters for definite!

Contact heolstor / _heolstor for plotting. Plotting post is here.

— ota

[castitas]

[ itw. ]

vasiliy yegorovich ardankin | original — historical/(secret) revenant

[m1895]

i. look at one another, short of breath, walking proudly in our winter coats
exit strategy — base camp. ota, max 2 takers please! cw: smoking

[ Vasiliy goes because it's the right thing to do. Because, while there are medical personnel on this trip, none of them are specifically trained as first responders—he bears that burden alone, at least for the time being, his deep navy winter jacket with its reflective star of life pulled over a flannel and undershirt and fleece, making him easily and immediately identifiable to anyone who might need help.

The trip up the mountain is easier for him than some others, toned muscles and a well-conditioned cardiovascular system put to work, but even so, his shoulders ache with the weight of his kit bag by the third hour; his legs burn. Any of the cold of their environs is long forgotten behind the generated heat of such prolonged exertion. He thinks of Kostya—it's a good thing he's not here, despite how badly he knows the space commander wanted to attend. He wouldn't have gotten very far.

When they finally reach base camp, he takes a few moments to sit down on a tremendous rock where it erupts from the ground and catch his breath. He can feel the bone-chilling cold of the stone through his pants and thermal underwear but can't bring himself to care, far too preoccupied with the familiar ritual of pulling a cigarette from the pack in his breast pocket and lighting it.

Once he's had a good several drags, he walks the camp, checking in with those who seem a bit worse for wear. ]

Are you okay?

ii. the rest is silence
exit strategy — the mine. 1 taker please!
cw: vomiting, post-traumatic stress disorder episode, references to torture/execution, attempt to smoke

[ He didn't anticipate the effect the mines would have on him, but he should have, being that he knew in advance he'd be traveling deep into the bowels of the earth. Even without walls, the smell is familiar—it would seem underground smells the same everywhere, even across an ocean. It smells too familiar; the air is too damp, the acoustics here the same as the cement halls that populate his memories.

His heart races in his chest and measured breathing does absolutely nothing to stop it. His hands shake ever-so-slightly as he fights to focus, to push back the irrational sense that his life is in immediate danger, but his body doesn't listen. The memory of how cold and hard the floor was under the bones of his knees as he lowered himself onto them with his back turned to his executioner eclipses logical thought. He doesn't want to die. He knows he's in no danger here, at least not that type of danger, but every step deeper into the mine is forced and deliberate. He doesn't want to die. He doesn't want to die. Raw fear in its truest form makes his body go cold, severing him from his surroundings.

Vasiliy fumbles at his breast pocket and manages to withdraw a single cigarette only to realize once it's in his mouth that he can't light it here. What is he supposed to do? What the fuck is he supposed to do?

He's trapped in here. He's completely at these people's mercy—sure, he has a loaded gun tucked into his waistband, but he's at their mercy. They could kill him right now. Another shaky breath, another step forward, deeper into the earth. The rush of excess adrenaline is sickening, turning his stomach, tingling in his extremities, and the next thing he knows he's bending forward and vomiting onto the rocky ground, supporting himself with a hand against the wet stone wall.

As soon as the heaving stops, he's wiping his mouth and moving forward again, as would be expected of someone wearing the uniform he's wearing— but it doesn't escape his notice that someone has stopped to look at him. Great. ]

I'm okay.

[ See? Still trudging along with everyone else. Perfectly fine. Just scared shitless and, as "millenials" would say, triggered out of his mind while doing it. ]

iii. it's a long way down to the bottom of the river
exit strategy — the mine. 1 taker please!

[ Vasiliy sees the electric shock the instant it happens, a flash of white against the dark background of the cave—and smells it, the unmistakable smell of burning human flesh. Water splashes as the unlucky victim falls backwards—and, after the split second needed to see them surface alive and confirm that the water itself isn't lethally electrified, as Vasiliy jogs towards them. ]

Where are you burnt?

iv. for kostya

[m1895]

[ He knows what he needs to do when the expedition is announced—but it's hard this time in a way it never has been before. This time there's someone to leave behind—and, for the first time since his death, there's someone to mourn him, should something happen.

Further—who will take care of Kostya in his absence? If he dies, how will he find food for the thing when the grouse in the pen run out? Who will chop wood and bring back supplies on the days he's too incapacitated to stray further from bed than the bathroom on the other side of the wall? He feels sicker and sicker the longer he thinks about it, and still he turns it over and over in his mind, like he'll uncover some third answer he didn't think of the other hundred times, one in which he goes and stays.

It should be an easy choice to make. It's simple calculus: the lives of the many other interlopers, together, are worth more than one man's, even a Hero of the Soviet Union, but he wants to stay with him, wants to continue knowing where he is, if he's safe. Guilt fills his core like lead as he walks home through the snow—and it's immediately amplified when he opens the door and sees his housemate, obviously happy to see him, without any idea of the news he's about to drop upon him. He swallows. ]

Kostya, I have to tell you something.

Francis Crozier | The Terror

[goingtobeunwell]

I. Exit Strategy - Closed to Jopson

Francis Crozier decidedly doesn't enjoy the idea of scouting parties leaving Milton. The worst can happen when they're separated, the worst will happen, but who is he to say they shouldn't explore? They must explore for the good of the community, they must find a way out of this microcosm and back into actual reality. There's a big, wide world out there, Crozier's damn well sure of it.

He doesn't volunteer to go through the mines proper. He can trek with the best of them, climb and navigate, but he's not a young man and he'll most assuredly only hold them back. He stays at the entrance while the others go inside, keeping a careful watch in case the worst should happen.

Though God knows what he'd do if faced with the worst. Thank god for Jopson, reliable and steady and canny. He wouldn't have gone at all had Crozier not volunteered.

II. Brave New World - OTA
[Feel free to run into Crozier anywhere in Milton -- he's checking on folks!]

Since leaving the iglu (though admittedly the initial move was not by choice), Crozier makes a point to be present in Milton and areas adjacent. Milton's familiar enough, he supplies the Community Center and checks in on people in a neighborly way, gentle and worried in tone and not at all authoritative like an old sea captain.

He only makes it through the mines and back again to Milton twice, and it's a difficult journey for him. He's winded and tired, worn; it's not good for old bones. Even when the path is more cleared he knows he can't make the trip consistently, though he keeps all this knowledge to himself for the time being. He doesn't want others to see him as a burden quite yet.

In Lakeside he walks to the coastal bridge and follows the train tracks. He fishes and stays in one of the nicer resort homes - beds are good, he'll admit that much - and then decides to pack his things and trek out to the Hydrodam.

III. The Echo - OTA

Crozier sits quietly under the Aurora most nights. These lights are more violent than the ones he knows, and not just because of the very quiet screaming in the air. They flicker intimidatingly, the faux-electricity is enough to make the hairs on his arm stand on end.

IV. Wildcard - OTA

He's got a few areas that he likes to frequent. The spa, for instance - got to take care of those old joints! The churchyard and the community center, the outskirts of town and the edges of the forest. He hunts and traps and fishes, and as he comes and goes he watches the young people of the town take care of each other. It's hard not to be hopeful at the sight.

The only person he's wary of is Hickey, but the man's got his little group now and has expressed that be plans to leave well enough alone. It's enough for now, and with the new areas found, it's a far bigger world for all of them to occupy than just two, small ships.

V. Closed Thread w/ Raju

It's natural to bond with people when trapped in a stressful and hostile environment. People can be so good when faced with the unimaginable. He's seen the kindness and compassion firsthand, the way men who otherwise would never interact find strength in each other and care for one another even at the bitter end. Crozier's found such an unexpected friend in Raju, and now he's worried as all hell about him.

He's seen the build up for a while now, the holes in his blanket, his lack of sleep at night, his nomadic wandering. He's been kind as he's pushed and prodded at him, patiently asking if he's done any experimentation in control with his newfound gift, a concerned friend hoping that his other friend's taking the right steps not to be so damned miserable. He wants to continue to reassure him, but he has to find him first.

I

[lieutenantsteward]

Thomas worries for the ones who went through. The Aurora makes him uneasy now, more than uneasy, and the weeping settles, shrouding his mind and giving him nothing else to think about.

He kneels down near the fire he's made, setting his rifle to the side. It has one shot ready, but he can only hope that he doesn't need it.

"What do you think they will find?" he wonders. "There on the other side?"

Eddie Munson | Stranger Things

[satanicpanics]

[ plotting comment | muttonchops | poultrylegs @ discord ]

open starters to follow

Brave New World; OTA

[satanicpanics]

Maintenance Yard

[ It’s not at the top of his list, but Eddie loves cars. He loves driving them and working on them—preferably legally, but he’s well acquainted with both sides of that coin—and what he can peek of the maintenance yard behind the fence is a little corner of heaven.

The fence is so dilapidated, he doesn’t have to jump it so much as he has to shimmy through the gaps, and then he’s inside, free to help himself to the dragon’s hoard of scrap metal and vehicles. He peeks under the hoods of pickup trucks and vehicles that must be past his time, considering he doesn’t recognize any of the models. He mostly finds lots of corroded batteries and rusted engines that no one is ever going to get to work, even with a full tank of gas. ]

Well, that’s not getting repaired.

[ That’s fine. Other ways to bide one’s time. He slams the hood of a truck closed and skims the yard, and goes to pick through the tools instead. He comes back with a sledgehammer and begins to chant: ]

Two men enter, one man leaves. Two men enter, one man leaves. Two men enter, one man leaves.

[ He grins and brandishes his weapon with no intent to hurt anyone—just to mess around. Yes, he is making a Beyond the Thunderdome reference for those of you who know your Max Max films. ]


Lakeside Resort

[ This is…nice, actually. Nicer than Milton in that there are actually spots where the landscape is free of snow. Eddie was beginning to feel like he was losing his mind in that void of white, but a change of scenery helps.

He scurries around the resort, looking for ways to waste his time. You may catch him attempting to break into one of the more luxurious cabins. His old man would be proud. At this point, he’s owning up to his lockpicking abilities rather than taking shame in them. It’s a brave new world, and crime apparently comes in handy. He crouches down to sus out the lock, then pops right back up to call out to a fellow Interloper: ]

Gonna go out on a limb and say you don’t, but…you got a paperclip? Bobby pin? Something like that?

[ But mostly, no matter where he is, Eddie keeps a nervous eye on the lake. He never goes too close to it, but if someone else attempts to venture closer, he’ll reach out and grab their sleeve, almost on instinct. ]

Maybe, uh—maybe don’t do that.

r.j. maccready | fallout 4

[heckofashot]

>> 01. around milton — ota.

[ An expedition to the mines, to see if they can't find a way out through the other side. By rights, Maccready should be jumping at the opportunity to follow along — he desperately wants to get back to the Commonwealth, but in reality… Well, he's not sure that he'd be of any real help. There are other people willing to go, people who have been here longer, who are more trusted among the number here. Maccready is new, hasn't had a real chance to get to know people, definitely isn't equipped for such a trek, and, above all, he thinks he'd probably just be in the way.

So, staying behind it is.

Maccready will be periodically at the community hall, seeking warmth and shelter, and occasionally food. He's easy to spot, tucking himself away in a corner and quietly doing some light maintenance on his rifle. It's probably unnecessary, obvious that he's trying to keep himself — and his hands — busy or distracted. If he's not in the community hall, he's out and about in town, ducking inside some of the buildings to get a general idea of what exactly is around town, but he's looking for some supplies, too. He's managed to grab himself a coat from somewhere; an oversized green thing that blends in with the rest of his clothing, a furred hood all but hiding him away, but he could use some other bits and pieces too.

He doesn't like to be too reliant on others, and so with fewer people in town, he takes the opportunity to look around some of the cabins, heading towards the outskirts of Milton. At least once, he ventures as far as the church, though he doesn't get too close, nor does he go inside, merely observes from a distance, contemplative before deciding he's had enough. ]

>> 02. evenings & the echo - ota.

[ Evenings are a bit more of the same. He's less focused on outright exploration, and more interested in seeing what he can do to be of some help to those of them who've stayed behind, you know, in case trouble finds them. He'll offer to taking shifts of any patrols, and despite his usual predilections, he won't turn down company if anyone wants to pair up. On these particular nights, he seems more subdued, serious.

Whether on a patrol, in town, or peering out of a window in the community hall, he can be seen watching the aurora, eyes roaming over the waves of light as they slowly dance through the night sky. He's never seen anything like it before, and he can't deny that they really are impressive to see. In spite of that, though, they feel like an omen of sorts; the lights were seemingly how they arrived here, and now he's left wondering if they're key to how they can leave.

When the voice of the woman reaches them, even as unclear as it might be for Maccready, he doesn't seem to be entirely unaffected. Thoughts of home, of Lucy, of Duncan, they're all brought to the forefront of his mind with uncomfortable clarity. He actively seems to retreat away from wherever he might be when it happens, and if followed or spotted during these quiet moments, he can be found lost in thought and fidgeting with a wooden figure. ]

>> 03. wildcard.

maccready's new, so i'm looking to start building his cr this event! if nothing here works, then you can throw whatever at me, and we'll make it work. for additional plotting, find me at incognico_ or peep my plotting post.

— closed to tobi.

[heckofashot]

[ There are many unknowns that await the volunteers in the expedition group, and it's not that Maccready doesn't think they're capable — the opposite, really, he's sure they are, and it's why he's fine hanging back. Besides, he knows at least one of them is more than capable of handling himself when faced with increasingly dangerous situations — and before the group of volunteers head out proper, it's that person he's hoping to catch. He doesn't need to, but…

He can't get away from it, there's a weird sort of feeling in the pit of his stomach, something gnawing at the back of his mind; like what if they don't come back. They still may as well be strangers, and in spite of that there's a kinship of sorts there — they're both from the Capital, other people here might be from worlds with bullshit, but it's not their brand of bullshit.

So, yeah, he's loitering not too far from the community center in the cold, nervous energy radiating off of him as he tries to make himself look busy and puffs away on a cigarette like they're not a finite resource. When he does catch sight of him out of his peripheral, he looks every part a man on a mission — which, he is, he supposes. ]

Hey, you got a second? I know you're probably in a hurry to get going, so I won't take long.

[ Why does this feel all kinds of wrong? That foreboding sense of dread is back again, seeping into his thoughts. They're not friends, and he really shouldn't care so much. ]

Jessica Hamby | True Blood

[lilredvamp]

[ devimelete | plotting comment ]

Exit Strategy

[lilredvamp]

“Don’t you see the starlight, starlight?”

Jessica didn’t feel safer in Milton. That’s her only reason for her to join the exploration crew. She figured if getting out through the mines is a bust, then she’ll find it easier to stay in the minds for various vampiric reasons - mainly to stay out of the sun. (And to get out of that damn chest.)

That said, joining the crew was a little difficult. They left at daytime, which Jessica couldn’t join for obvious reasons, so she had to wait until nightfall to join them. It was a few hours of climbing and that was a pain in the ass. By the time Jessica arrived in camp as a disheveled teenager with mismatched clothing coming out of the dark woods. Jessica sat down on the nearest fire, not really caring if she jostled someone, and was ready to roll over and die again.

took off faster than a green light “go”

It was less than an hour after Jessica’s arrival did the Aurora arrived. She was hoping for more time for rest, but she dared not complain as she’s certain she made a bad impression for her late arrival. She didn’t want to tell a bunch of scared people she’s a vampire while in a cramped space.

When Jessica heard of the mines, she thought of stuff she saw on tv. The railings, the carts, the lack of light. She didn’t think of the electrical grid, the occasional shocks, and the many, many gates. Every shock and burn Jessica endured resulted in a snarl and her fangs revealing themselves, though she is quick in hiding them. Still, she’s subconscious of the fact someone might seen them.

People were getting exhausted, including Jessica, so a break was in order. The only equipment she had on hand was flashlights, firewood, matches, a camp teapot she may or may not have stolen, and her two bottles of TruBlood, the synthetic blood for vampires. Further away from most people she started a small fire to heat up a small portion of her TruBlood. It’s absolutely inedible when cold and have to be warmed to mimic a normal body temperature.

However, it’s one thing to stick it to a microwave, it’s completely different to warm it over a fire. And she’s not exactly the most killed at keep a flame going.

“Fuck!” Jessica cursed as she noticed her fire was being reduce to smolders again.

Wynonna Earp | Wynonna Earp

[pacificator]

— plotted starters —
[ plotting | repeatandfade ]

(Bigby Wolf)

[pacificator]

[ Fun as it is to take a break from reality in a luxury cabin with Holland March – even without electricity – there's too much to check out here in Lakeside for her to sit on her ass and do nothing. This place hasn't been picked clean like Milton, and it was home to a much wider range of people before whatever happened happened. Dolls isn't here and neither is Black Badge, but she finds herself wanting to sniff out any secrets, anyway, wanting to take the road as far as she can.

But it's fucking dangerous out there, the wolves here are crazy, so she's not going alone. And maybe Bigby wouldn't normally be the first person she asks for company, but she's got her own reasons for not bringing March or asking Little.

Besides, he's way scarier and more capable than either of them, and if they're going to be dealing with wolves, she'd prefer to have one of her own on her side.

(Still hard to believe he can turn into a gigantic wolf, but, hey. Everyone has their thing.)

The trail is long and windy, but she keeps pace at his side, keeping an eye on the woods, her hand never far from the ivory grip at her hip. ]

It's times like this I really miss trucks.

james t. kirk (au) — st:snw — ota

[itio]

TOWARDS LAKESIDE

EXIT STRATEGY — [ He can't imagine many people being especially fond of the mines, but for the most part, Jim handles it well. It's a good thing he's used to smaller enclosed spaces, and the fact that the most time he's spent on solid ground was on Luna, the deep tunnel colonies built into Earth's satellite. Granted, this is far less pleasant, humid, run down and dark, but he can cope.

He's got his phaser on him too, which should work during the Aurora at least. He doesn't think he'll need it down here, or he hopes so anyway. He's mainly focused on helping anyone who seems in distress, whether nervous about being underground or injured from the long hike, and he won't hesitate to step closer, hovering close though without actually touching them. ]

Hey, are you doing alright?

[ If he spots anyone walking too close to exposed wiring, or about to step into possibly live waters, he'll be quicker to rush over, hand on their arm to get them to stop. ]

Hold on! That might not be a good idea.

BRAVE NEW WORLD — [ It's a relief to be out of the mines, if only because it means they've found a way through. The world opens up just that bit more. Jim has nowhere to go back to, but more areas to explore increases their chances of survival, and that's what he plans to focus on.

The opportunity to get some rest is welcome, after what they've gone through. Taking up one of the cabins seems the easiest and most logical choice, and Jim manages to find a blanket just to fight off the cold and try to catch some sleep. He'll look up if someone else comes in looking for shelter, speaking up before they walk back out. ]

Come in. There's enough room for two, I think.

[ When he can't fall asleep, though, he'll go outside instead, either build a fire or make use of one already lit up to throw the one or two canned goods he finds forgotten in the cabins together, plus a couple other things he'd brought with him, managing a sort-of broth, sort-of soup. It's not the tastiest thing but it's at least edible, and whether the scent or the guy sitting by the fire lures anyone closer, or he actually goes around knocking on doors, there'll be a mug or bowl filled with a small amount of the broth ready for whoever approaches. ]

Here. I'm short on spoons, but you can just drink it.

[ Facing the precarious bridge in the morning is probably more difficult to Jim than anything else they've gone through so far. But if he's afraid, he doesn't show it, instead looking over to anyone who seems far more concerned than he does, offering them a hand and a smile. ]

Hold my hand. We can make it through together.

[ Reaching Lakeside feels like a small victory, despite the state of disrepair of most infrastructures. Nothing that surprises him especially. He allows himself a moment to just walk around the place, taking in the surroundings, but his interest will be mainly in the buildings. He heads to one of the cabins, looking around for any supplies he might find there, as well as studying the overall space with some interest. It could make for a decent place to settle, the only issue being that it's so far from Milton.

Hiking gear is what interests him most at the Camp Office. He's got some layers on but none of it is especially designed for long hikes, not to mention most of it looks old and worn, so he starts shedding some layers, undressing from the waist up completely so he can get a thermal undershirt on, then wiggling out of his shoes and pants to switch them for something lined and at least partly waterproof.

If anyone walks in when he's halfway with undressing, he's definitely going to be startled. If he's with his pants down, he's most likely going to lose his balance and land on his ass. Very graceful. ]

BACK TO MILTON

CATCHING UP — [ He sticks around Lakeside for a few days, gathering supplies and tools, taking notes of anything of use, and seeing what everyone else manages to gather, but eventually he heads back to Milton, both to catch anyone else up on what he's seen while in Lakeside and to bring some supplies back with him.

He'll be seen around the Community Hall more often than not, with the occasional visit to the hot springs where he takes the opportunity not only to bathe in actual hot waters, but also genuinely relax. On either location, he'll welcome anyone's company, offering an easy smile if he notes their attention or sees them coming his way.

Outside of that, he'll keep busy helping around however he can, gathering supplies from the wild in the company of others (he doesn't feel especially secure in risking getting too far from Milton on his own just yet), and most notably, going through any vacant housing so he can figure out where he's going to settle in. He doesn't mind simpler, less furnished housing, or even with a few broken details he might need to fix, but he'd rather find somewhere with sturdy construction, an undamaged roof over his head, and ideally, some form of indoor heating that doesn't rely on electricity. Feel free to join him for any of that, he'll more than welcome the company. ]

Brave New World; what state of undress he's in when she walks in is up to you!

[pythianwoman]

After everything, Zoey was itching for a chance to leave Milton for a bit. Itching to DO something. More than just scrounge, build her still, and work on her map and try and put together the too numerous pieces into something that made sense. So when the opportunity arises, of course she went. And not only because it’s more to add to the map she’s making of the area. There might be more information there. And supplies. But mostly information. They know at least a little bit about what happened to the people in Milton, but if they can find out if something similar happened to people elsewhere…

More pieces to add to the puzzle. More clues that might be useful.

The resort is interesting, and she takes the time to explore, to make notes and sketches of it before she starts venturing inside buildings. Looking for supplies, journals, anything. Everything. The first place she goes is the Camp Office. Plan is to start there and work outward. She doesn’t expect anyone to be inside. Or, she doesn’t expect anyone to be inside getting undressed.

So she just opens the door and steps inside.

Zoey Westen | Original Character

[pythianwoman]

starters to come in the comments below, plotted and OTA
plotting! | ThriceWiddershins

Lalo Salamanca | Better Call Saul

[salamanca]

BRAVE NEW WORLD
Lalo grunts a little, straining as he uses a wrench to force a bolt back into place. The damages to some of the pipes is more extensive, and might need more than just a wrench and some screws, but for right now, this is what he's chosen to start with.

OPTION 1: FOR THE NON-PIPE-SAVVY
He stands precariously balanced on a chair, stretching to reach a pipe in the ceiling, and he can feel the sweat start to bead and drip down from his brow. He wipes his forehead with a hand, but that's not enough.

"Rag?" he asks his companion distractedly, holding out a hand for it to be placed into his hand.

"Thanks," he'll say gratefully, if/when he gets one, and use it to dab his brow. He give them an exhausted smile and grab the pipe with both hands, like he's trying to shake it. "Think it'll work?"

OPTION 2: FOR THE PEOPLE WITH SKILLS
Right now, Lalo is contentedly watching someone else work. Occasionally, he might light a match so they can see, or dab at their forehead with a towel like a nurse would for an attending surgeon.

Uncharacteristically, he's quiet, not wanting to break their concentration.

OPTION 3: AFTERWARDS
Moment of truth! Lalo is standing just outside one of the shower stalls with someone else by his side. He looks at them, waiting for them to yank the faucet on.

"Okay," he says. "Do the honors!" Now it's just time to see if it'll actually work...

((OOC: Plotting comment here! As a sidenote, I am taking it easy and I'm going to be p slow right now, but I still thought this would be a fun and low-stakes way to generate some more positive CR!))

Louis de Pointe du Lac | Interview with the Vampire (AMC) | plot first

[flambeaux]

Louis, Southern gentleman to a fault, usually doesn't like looking anything but his best, but practicality wins out if he was going to come here at all. His ski jacket and deerskin boots are no different from the scavenged motley of the rest of the party. Gone are his fancy suit and hat, and he left the pomade at home. His curls spill softly out whenever he removes the toque he scavenged.

He is seen only at night, hunts in secret, and sleeps in unknown locations. Otherwise, he is a quiet traveler within the group, not much of a survivalist but graceful of step and helpful when needed.

Echo in the Mines

cw: kind of self-harm, self-deprecation, depression

It's an Aurora night, which means electrical power in the mines. After working the machinery and getting zapped a fair few times, the group is exhausted. Then the same woman who was on the radios starts putting out her otherworldly signals. Every collaborative touch brings pain. Louis thinks this is a fitting punishment for himself, but he's not so keen to bring pain to others.

The group takes a much-needed break.

Louis takes a seat a little away from them, trying to collect himself before the next push. The mysterious woman's crying has not stopped, and it puts Louis in mind of funerals. There are people Louis has lost, and even more that he's failed. He failed as a son, a brother, a husband, a father.

He rests his arms on his knees and bows his head.

Bridge

cw: fear of heights, ptsd

"It'd be a beautiful view if I didn't have to walk that."

Stretching out over the ravine lit by moon and starlight is a disused bridge. It looks sturdy enough; the calamity that swept the Northern Territories was not that long ago. Louis is tired but game to cross and get to the other side. Louis takes a look over the edge.

"Not sure I..."

When he was human, he disliked small enclosed spaces more than wide ones, and he didn't have a particular fear of heights. But now his knees threaten to go weak, just like in the novels he so often reads. He doesn't know what's coming over him. He can almost taste the dew of fog and low clouds that aren't there, and he imagines them rushing past him if he falls--

"Is that a cart down there?"

Lakeside Resort

After the pain the Aurora brought, Louis could use a vacation. Admittedly, Louis is curious about the Lakeside Resort. What does fine vacation living look like now that the world has ended? The cabins have a strange design, and he identifies it as modern beyond his time. They must have a way to make those ridiculously tall windows retain heat.

He enters one of the intact ones, removes his ski jacket and deerskin boots, and idly rummages through the spice drawer in the kitchen before attending to the chore of building up a fire in the wood heat stove. He glances out one of the large front windows and sees someone peering back at him from the dark outside.

Back in Milton General Store

Marché du Lac is still just a counter and a few shelves, but the stock has grown to fill them now: dry goods, cans, candy, alcohol, cigarettes, even coffee. Louis has been away from the store long enough.

He's back at it in his vest, tie, and pomade, restocking perishables and grumbling about things having been moved around by people (Tim) while he was gone. When he wants to take a break, he sits at one of the little cafe tables and reads.

Bridge

[meadqueen]

“Ruby says it's a train, likely transporting cargo from the mine.” Hopefully not transporting people. “It's like a ship.”

Randvi stands near Louis, carefully avoiding touching him after everyone’s terrible experiences in the mine, feet planted to resist the wind.

“This should not be a difficult crossing, but it's best to be cautious.”

closed to snow;

[bigbaddy]

[ Of course Bigby isn't pleased about the situation.

After all, how the hell would he be? He's still on edge enough after everything that happened so soon in a row. Snow of all people showing up here, being reminded of why exactly that's a terrible thing when the Darkwalker took not only one, but four people right after, and then having to organize that town meeting while Bigby feels like the least qualified person to speak in front of a huge varied group of people. And now he's out of cigarettes because of how much he had to smoke to get himself through it to boot.

On top of all that - there's this. Not the exploration itself. If the circumstances were any different, Bigby might actually be kind of glad for the opportunity to focus his mind on something else for a while, and he knows he does well enough out here in the wild, despite the partial loss of the wolf within him. But Snow is out here too, and they had a dumb argument about it, and of course the argument didn't even serve for anything because she's out here anyway, no matter what he tells her about it being dangerous, no matter how badly Bigby wants to keep her safe in a place that feels designed to kill them. They're just humans here, just mundies, and those are so fragile.

It's why the man looks so incredibly grumpy as the group is hiking their way through nature in the direction of the mines. He's bundled up warm enough in his coat, but his face looks even grumpier than the usual.

Especially when he keeps glancing over in the direction of a certain someone in the crowd. No matter how annoyed Bigby is that she came along, like she wouldn't be way safer in town, he can't just ignore Snow. He never could in the past, and he can't do so right now either. If he isn't going to watch out for her out here, then who is? It's still something he has to do.

So Snow may be witness to the least subtle fact in the history of.. well, everything. One moment she's walking there by herself, and then there's the sound of stomps in the snow - almost childish, like someone is stomping on purpose to show their displeasure - before Bigby is suddenly walking by her side, still looking grumpy.

So subtle. A master of subterfuge, truly. ]

So, enjoying yourself out here?

[ He does not sound like a grumpy kid in grownass adult form, okay. N-Not at all!! It's just your imagination!! ]

[powersuited]

[ They haven't spoken more than two words to each other since the expedition left town.

It's probably for the best, anyway — before they'd decided to start giving one another the silent treatment, they'd had it out in relatively public fashion off to the side of where everyone had been milling around making final preparations to head out, Bigby offering his opinion in that gruff tone of his while Snow had tried and ultimately failed to keep her own voice from rising louder and louder until more than one head had swiveled in their direction. The topic of their conversation had been — what else — him trying to tell her what to do, insistent that something like this wasn't safe for her, and then she'd tried to assert the reminder that he was just as powerless as she was, maybe even moreso without his abilities, and yet she isn't trying to stop him from going with everybody else —

Before she'd ultimately ended up shouting at him, she'd forced herself to be quiet, metaphorically biting her tongue with the rest of her retort cut off before it could explode out of her, and simply stalked away instead of remaining in his space for too long. That would have only triggered another argument.

Since then, she's kept mostly to herself on the hike, her shoulders hunched beneath the thick fabric of her new (well, previously used) winter coat and her boot-clad feet trudging through the snow. The rest of the group seems to be giving her a wide berth too, as if everyone senses she needs time to cool off, which might be for the best given that her cheeks still feel flaming, rendered a bright pink that's not entirely from the outdoor chill.

By the time she hears the sound of heavier footsteps nearing, crunching in the snow beside her, it's all she can do not to visibly roll her eyes, especially when Bigby leverages that question in her direction. ]

Since you asked — [ The implication being that she wouldn't have elected to speak to him otherwise. ] — I'm doing just fine at the moment. It's actually a rather nice hike, don't you think?

closed to river;

[thedreamer]

[ For the man who's traveled the stars so much of his life, never anchored anywhere for long, sites like what he sees now — the lights and colors dancing in tandem across the night sky — are nothing entirely new. But it's new here, is the point, and he'll never quite stop being awed by it, even if these old eyes of his have — at times — forgotten that wonder and needed to see it all again through others. This world and all its mystery still to unravel, this place seemingly removed from every path he's ever traversed in his travels, and whatever exists here has power enough to alter the very essence of his body. Unsettling, certainly, but the Doctor's deluge-of-thoughts-per-second mind remains ever curious, far less than feeling fear of the unknown.

It doesn't mean he isn't troubled, obviously, and tonight of all nights, he's beyond troubled and more haunted by a particular sound. He's wandering and exploring, rarely idle or actually sleeping, and so when he feels a pain that's not his own, when he hears the weeping on the air itself, his thoughts immediately turn to wondering who or what's been harmed.

It's a sound awful enough to compel him back towards the cabin he shares with River, in search of her. He's not good at that, he knows — he wanders often without telling her where he's going, when he'll come back. She might have already gone somewhere herself and he'll need to double-back around elsewhere to find her, but...find her, he will. ]

River?

[spoilers]

( There's a rhythm to life in this place, if the pattern shifts, broken from time to time with another tragedy, another unexpected happening. Likewise, there's a rhythm to life with the Doctor. Oh, she knows his ways well enough after however many years of marriage, but it's different with this one.

He's not ready to be still, not ready to face her. And he's far from ready to accept that, even now, she's moments away from being lost to him. That's how it's always been with them. For every step closer, the space between them seems to lengthen.

So she lets him wander without comment. They each have their lives to lead, even if they're far less exciting here. It doesn't mean she doesn't miss him.

Tonight, she's been drawn outside by the weeping that fills the air. She recognizes the voice. This is different. She can feel her pain, and it feels wrong somehow to hide away inside sheltering from it.

She hears him seconds before he speaks, smiling despite the heaviness that's settled over her. )

Out here, Sweetie. ( But she doesn't turn, still looking up at the sky. ) Who do you think she is? The one who brought us here, or someone just as caught up in it as the rest of us?