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

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?"

Re: I

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier sits gloveless and without his heavy, outer parka by the fire. He doesn't do his typical nod of acknowledgement with Jopson, it isn't necessary with someone so in-step with him, even after all this time.

He tosses a bit of kindling into the fire.

"Not an escape," he guesses. "A foe, perhaps? More buildings? But I doubt it will lead us out of this valley. There's something here that wants us to stay."

Re: I

[lieutenantsteward]

"I don't understand what an escape would even mean for these people," he says softly. "If we find our way out, to a place in our future, with people and a world that remembers us only from history - what sort of escape is it?"

He spreads his hands out along the fire.

Re: I

[goingtobeunwell]

Jopson hits exactly on the point that had been rattling around in his brain these past months. "I'm beginning to doubt nothing lies beyond this world, Thomas. It's a place unto itself."

He glances around at their surroundings and points towards north. "If we trekked that way and continued, we wouldn't find our arctic."

Re: I

[lieutenantsteward]

He looks up, light reflecting in his eyes as he shakes his head. "Then what is the point of it? Survival? Living another day?"

Re: I

[goingtobeunwell]

"The point is that it gives us hope, especially when it look like there's none to be had."

He feels the warmth on his remaining fingertips, remembering all those times he tried to feed his men hope instead of poisoned food.

"The point is control, Thomas. Feeling like we have some control."

V

[load_aim_shoot]

It was stupid to go out at night. Raju knows that, distantly. The thought has sharper teeth than it usually would. He hadn't been able to sleep, after he'd given up on the idea of being calm and still he'd been pacing, trying not to listen to that damned unearthly sobbing on the air and listening to it anyway, and when he'd started to smell burning around him, he'd gone out. He should have made a plan, gone some place that couldn't burn, done something else.

Done something. He should have done something.

The snow is sharp against his legs, seeping through his clothes. He's finally started layering scavenged clothes underneath his, but he's forgotten his blanket. He's kneeling, back bowed, numbing hands curled against the ground, waiting for forgiveness from people who can't answer. Maybe whoever that damned sobbing in the air belongs to is, too. She should have kept it to herself. Crying won't change what's been done, and what hasn't.

The snow is melted in patches around him, some of the patches hardened into frost or ice. His eyes are dry, but sobs keep catching in his throat. The worst part is that this is that it's new, being so unable to stop thinking about it. That he's fallen into some kind of routine here where the pain is only sitting in a quiet corner of him, where he's been content to wait, where waiting without doing doesn't kill him. Where he doesn't spend every second thinking about every person that he's hurt, who all need him to go back and keep doing it.

One of his fists draws back and hits the frozen ground hard and it punches a raw noise out of him, and somewhere beyond his bowed head he hears the noise of the flames bursting over something, and starting to eat at whatever's around it. "Baba," he hears out of his mouth, what he wants to say after he wakes up sometimes, to no one, voice forcing words one broken piece at a time out of a throat that doesn't want to let them go. "I'm going back! I want to, I promise! I promised."

His lungs don't want to let his breath go either and his chest heaves for a moment, trying, then he forces it out with another one of those raw noises as that distant weeping echoes from the sky.

Re: V

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier is meticulous in his search, looking through all the little corners where he might find Raju working in his notebook or nosily prying into someone else's business - fondly meant, of course. He finds neither hide nor hair of him, and eventually, with great reluctance, has to give up and turn back for his little hunting cabin. He'll find him in the morning, Raju's sure to be fine.

His first inclination that he might have inadvertently stumbled through someone's path is a shallow, slushy puddle. That definitely shouldn't be, and his alarm rises when he sees yet another puddle, quickly followed by the smoldering of small, already dimmed fires that have nearly burnt themselves into the ground.

Crozier curses as he pushes through sludge and half-formed ice. It's most definitely a trail, the fires fresher, the pools more water than ice as he comes closer and closer to the source.

It's undoubtedly Raju. He can hear him speaking -- calling? Who is he talking to? Crozier approaches very, very carefully.

CW panic attack-ish stuff for probably the whole thread. just a lot of emotion at once

[load_aim_shoot]

His breaths push through his chest. Someone at the corner of his vision is moving slowly, carefully. He remembers the way that they’d moved that way while they’d been getting into position, gradually, as if they didn’t know that he could see.

Load.

The fire flares and grows, not spreading over the forest but settling into a low wall curving halfway around behind him, eating up bushes and snow and scattered trees. The movement is coming from that way too, and he looks around—

For a moment Raju’s eyes are wide. Then his head sinks down again, eyes squeezing shut. His body holds itself lower, and his fingers clench into the ground. It would have been better if whoever came across him now had been a stranger. The tips of his fingers hurt. His chest and throat hurt. He tries to figure out if he’s embarrassed.

“Francis.” Raju’s voice breaks in the middle. He takes a moment, trying to breathe, but the rest of it doesn’t come out any smoother. “You almost startled me.”

He hadn’t meant it to sound so plaintive. The flames behind him lower a little and quiver the way Raju’s indrawn breath quivers, hold still when Raju’s breath holds, quiver again when he tries to breathe out. Francis could have come more quickly, more carelessly than he had. If he had, and if Raju had— He’d meant it to sound like a warning.

[goingtobeunwell]

“It’s a good thing I didn’t.”

The wall of flame was a fairly clear sign that he needed to be careful, but a silly thing like smoke and fire isn’t going to turn him away from a friend. He takes another step forward, crackling fire be damned.

“I can tell you’re wanting to be alone,” he says, words less cautious than his step. “But you’re clearly in distress. I found the trail you left behind.”

[load_aim_shoot]

Wanting to be alone. Does he? It's hard to think. It's that damned weeping noise coming from the sky, from the aurora, from the inside of his head, from nowhere. If he could take a full breath, he could think past it. He can't tell if the noises that he's making now are sobbing or if his breaths are just that heavy. He tries to think.

"I don't. I don't want—" But these feelings that aren't his, that are, if there's one thing they're good for, it's a reminder. Responsibility. This man doesn't deserve to get hurt for this, not after everything he's been through. And Raju— he wants to be the man who pulls Francis to safety, who helps him with repairs, who jokes with him like a man who knows how to stand up straight and be presentable, who's in control of himself. He needs to get control of himself.

The fire shudders for a moment and then draws inward, smaller but brighter where it stays, compressed.

"I'm not in distress," he tries, rasping. "I don't have to be. I'll be alright."

It won't work if Francis thinks Raju can't even look at him. Raju looks at him. Raju's chest heaves. His expression is as plaintive as his words had been before, as he drinks in the sight: a friend, nearly in reach, wanting to help. Raju had turned away from Seetha when it was needed, and from Akhtar too, if by accident then. He can survive this. Francis won't even be gone forever. Only gone tonight. Raju can do one thing for one person, can't he? His expression hardens, and his fists tighten. His breaths move a little faster.

"We'll all have our troubles tonight." He makes the words small and hard so they can fit out of his throat. That's as convincing as he can make them. A shudder spreads from his stomach over his shoulders, from the cold. "Mine are going to pass. It's alright. I'm alright."

[goingtobeunwell]

“You’re a terrible liar.” At least in this moment he is, every muscle so tense Crozier thinks he may snap like the string of a fiddle. No one wants to be a burden, no one wants to look weak in front of other people. It’s a hard thing to admit frailty, body or soul, especially when your strength has been a pillar for someone else.

He takes a few more steps forward, the Aurora ringing in his ears. He doesn’t need to share an empathetic bond with a mysterious woman to feel someone else’s pain.

Raju is alone. He has a life he’s been plucked from, duty and purpose and family, if Crozier were to guess, and everything is new and terrifying. His body isn’t even his own anymore.

A few paces from where Raju has rooted himself Crozier drops onto his knees in front of him. His expression is open, ready for the anger or melancholy or hopelessness that might get thrown his way.

“Raju — is that your first name, or family name?”

II

[guidemyway]

Ruby was mostly gathering her things to make the trip to stay over near Lakeside and the Maintenance Field more permanently. As such she's got a larger backpack that she's looking to fill when she comes across the Crozier in the community center. She gives an awkward little wave as approaches, remembering the first time they talked the other month.

"Hey there. How've you been holding up?"

Re: II

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier places a bundle of firewood down onto the floor and raises his head. The young monster-slayer looks like she's packing up properly.

He nods gently in return to her greeting. "As well as anyone else. You look like you're about to move out."

[guidemyway]

Her smile picks up a touch when he says that. "I'm glad- I mean, I guess we could always be doing worse." Considering the last Darkwalker attack, it could be a lot worse.

Then she shrugs sheepishly. "Kind of? Sort of? I went and scoped out the new area. ...And I don't know. I guess I think I can do a lot of good over there."

[goingtobeunwell]

They're going to be spread out even further now. It makes him a touch melancholy to think of it, and a little worried. But if this young girl thinks she can make a go of it past the mins, then...

"I'm pleased to hear it. What's over there for you?"

[guidemyway]

That's the part about all of this that bothers her the most. Back in her own world splitting up like this was a sure way to open yourself up to be killed, and she knew they had to work together to get out of here if they were.

"There's a forge there. And it looks like more hunting opportunities. If I can make it things work over there I might be able to bring back more things we need here. ...Having tools and some meat to eat could do us all some good."

[goingtobeunwell]

“You’re not wrong, the more resources the better for all of us.” He tries to give her a reassuring smile, one of his more confident ones. “You’ll be missed.”

Though he doesn’t know her well, he’s fond of her. She has a noble heart.

iv. lmk if this works!

[heckofashot]

His various wanderings eventually lead him outside of town, but not far enough that he's in any real danger of getting turned around and losing his bearings, he wants to be sure that once he starts losing light it shouldn't be too difficult to get back into Milton proper before sundown.

It's quiet out here — quieter, anyway — peaceful in a way he didn't really expect. Likewise, he's not exactly expecting to see anyone. There's a figure not too far away, and it looks like they're… fishing? Snow crunches underfoot as he treads closer, and, not wanting to be mistaken for a foe of some kind, he clears his throat and calls out.

"Caught anything yet?" It sounds kind of like a sarcastic jab, but he is genuinely curious. Maccready might not like fish, but he can appreciate it being a necessity, and having the know how to catch anything at all is nothing short of impressive to him.

it absolutely works!! yay!

[goingtobeunwell]

There have been so many who've approached him in the midst of some task in a brazen, frank sort of way that might be misconstrued as rudeness that Crozier's almost used to it. He feels the jerk of the line and freezes, but when it doesn't happen again after a few beats he goes back to a relaxed sort of slouch over the ice.

"Not yet," he replies, waving him closer with his remaining hand. "Walk slow, the fish'll scare away if you make too much noise on the ice."

[heckofashot]

Maccready takes another, singular step forward, and becomes conscious of the crunch underfoot. He'd really rather not piss off a guy he hasn't actually met yet by scaring off his catch, so he takes his words to heart. Walking slower, carefully watching the ground as he goes, it makes him feel a bit silly, but ultimately it feels no different to stalking a Radstag or an inebriated raider.

Hanging back a pace or so, he drops his voice to a low hush when he speaks again. "Thought the water'd be too cold for 'em…" His knowledge about things that live in the water is pretty limited, considering most of the things that lived in it back home either died or mutated.

[goingtobeunwell]

"Where are they supposed to go?"

He glances over his shoulder at the stranger and offers just the tiniest of smirks.

"They live closer to the bottom of the water when it freezes over at the top. Some of them burrow in the mud, other just sort of hang about in a kind of statis. The lack of food makes them eager to bite."

Crozier sits back. "Ever fished?"

[heckofashot]

"I dunno. Swim somewhere warmer?" He really hasn't given it much thought, though in his defense, he's never had to. Burrowing he can understand, given that he's pretty sure Mirelurks do that so they can sneak up on their prey… God, he sure doesn't miss those.

Taking a step closer, he gives a light shake of his head in response to the question. "No, never had need to. 'Sides, there weren't many opportunities for it back home. Water's too polluted." He's quiet for a moment, pensive, maybe. "Seems like you know what you're doing, though. Like, with all this ice, I wouldn't even know where to start."

[goingtobeunwell]

He keeps himself from laughing - swim somewhere warmer, like a bird migrating - not wanting to inadvertently insult him for the crime of not knowing. It wouldn’t be obvious, would it?

“Polluted,” he repeats, brow creasing. Too polluted to even fish?

“I’m used to the ice,” he answers, oversimplifying quite a bit. “Would you like to learn? It’s not so difficult. Cutting the ice is the worst part.”