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

[m1895]

[ He wants to live in the moment forever, watching Kostya smile, sharing his joy, knowing that he's the reason for it. The new things are even better received than he thought they would be, and they do fit, they fit like a glove.

'How's it look?' he asks, as though he's not aware of the fact that anything would look good on someone like him, and Vasiliy can't help but to smile back and offer, ]

Very handsome. It was made for you.

[ And then, unexpectedly, Kostya catches him in another hug, a tight embrace that engulfs him in the warmth and strength of his body, the familiar smell he missed so desperately—his hair, his aftershave, his clothes. His heart races, feels like it's going to burst, warmth rushing through him and gathering in his face. He'd do anything if he knew this was going to be the result. He'd go back out there and walk all the way to lakeside and back in the snow if he knew it would lead to this again.

He hugs him back and, in what is perhaps a moment of weakness, a little bleed of what he's been trying to keep contained, though probably innocuous to the other— ]

I'm so glad. I've missed you.

[sputnik]

[ The assessment — compliment — visibly warms him, like sunlight filtering through cracks in the window blinds as it lifts into the sky. Konstantin's pleased, flattered, happy, all slightly different emotions on their own, but collectively forming one state that's almost too much for him to take. He knows at the root of everything making him feel this way is the fact that Vasya's home and safe. He can't remember ever feeling this relieved, this happy.

It's all-too natural to hug him, he wants to again and again, and he's giving the other man another affectionate, full-bodied squeeze as the words come.

'I've missed you.'

Nothing changes in Konstantin's body language; there's nothing perceptible. It's only something on the inside that flutters, strange and— not unpleasant, not that, but.... something that flinches. Only a little, and not away from Vasiliy. Away from something else, some part of himself.

He's never.... missed anything so much that he would fight to get it back. Even Aleksei—.... he doesn't miss the boy; he never even met him. Fighting to get him back comes from a place of... obligation. Of guilt. There's never been anything that's his outside of a role and a title.

Except this. Maybe this. For as long as it lasts, this necessary little cabin, this necessary safety and stability, but none of it matters without Vasiliy, who feels like so much more than just necessary. He's— his friend. His only real friend. Konstantin knows he would fight to keep him.

...It's scary, up under everything, for a man who's never allowed himself to become attached. Frightening to admit it. He can't remember ever saying the words before. ]

I've missed you, too.

[ It comes softer, not quite subdued, just— softer. He stays there for a moment before he pulls back, enough to look at him, hands staying clasped on Vasiliy's forearms. Yes, he'd fight to keep him. ]

I'm glad you're home. It hasn't been... It's not the same without you.

[m1895]

[ Kostya missed him, too. His heart beats faster, again, as Konstantin regards him after telling him this, saying (almost) everything he wants to hear. God, he wants to kiss him, and he can only hope that Konstantin doesn't pick up on it, carefully and deliberately keeping his eyes on the other's and nowhere else as a more subtle smile ghosts across his lips. ]

The whole time at camp I kept wondering what you were up to. How the farm was doing, if I'd chopped enough logs to keep the fire going until I got back. But I knew you'd be able to hold it all down. You did.

This place has made a farmer of you, Konstantin Veshnyakov.

[sputnik]

[ Konstantin grins at that, giving Vasiliy's forearms another warm squeeze and subsequent pat before he releases him again, takes a step back and towards the sofa, ushering him to Come, come, sit. ]

I won't pretend that it's been a walk in the park. I think we run much better as a two-man operation.

[ He's peeling the jacket off to drape carefully over one arm of the sofa; he'll hang it up properly soon, but for now he wants to give Vasiliy his focus. And it's nice and warm by the fireplace; he settles into his seat, turned to face him. ]

But I kept busy learning some new things. I found a field guide at the library — for things like foraging. And I've been learning how to ice fish. Maybe now I can actually fix something for dinner that isn't just old beans from a can.

[m1895]

[ Vasiliy makes himself comfortable on the cushion beside the other, drawing up one leg as he regards him, smiling broadly, genuine. It's good to know that Konstantin's had something to do in his absence, and that he's been alright—and it's useful, a source of food they haven't been able to tap yet. ]

Ice fishing!

[ Something he knows of, certainly, but not something he ever had time or necessity to learn. And that's what it was, in Russia, at least during his own time—recreation or survival, with little gray area in between. ]

I don't mind beans in a can, though. I missed it. It was all jerky and crackers on the journey. No personal touch.

[sputnik]

[ Konstantin settles in beside him, body turned to face the other, one elbow bent and resting against the sofa as he tilts his head comfortably to rest against his palm. There's another grin, a laugh, amused and pleased all at once. ]

It's not as simple as I thought it'd be. Very humbling.

[ His smile softens at the corners as he listens to Vasiliy. ]

What was it like? The journey there? Was it... difficult?

[m1895]

[ Vasiliy's lips press together, ever so briefly, at the question—it's one he should have expected, and yet, he doesn't manage to school his expression into something less revealing (no matter how subtle his changes in facial expression usually are) as he thinks back on the trip deeper and deeper into the mines, the cold, damp dark and the fear that had seized him to the point of vomiting and near paralysis.

All because he... went underground, because a mine had enough of the smell and acoustics of Lubyanka Prison to debilitate him, a grown man, in an instant. (And leave them all thinking he's claustrophobic, as though he hasn't experienced any real things to be afraid of in his lifetime.

It's disgraceful.

But he doesn't share any of this with Konstantin. He can't bear for the other to see him like that, and how would he explain the source of the fear? ]

Very. There was flooding in the tunnel system, and a lot of damaged electrical work hanging down. Several people got shocked by puddles carrying an electrical current.

[sputnik]

[ Konstantin's studying the other man's face carefully — brow pinching a bit at the reply. In the past days, he'd spent countless amounts of time conjuring up mental images of the kinds of dangers that the group might have faced out, and back in. But that surprises him, and his frown tugs tighter, upset clear in his own features. ]

That's horrible. Was anyone.... [ He's never been a man to falter, not for long, but he finds it strangely difficult to voice now. ]

Killed? Not just then, but... through the whole journey?

[ He hadn't kept up with the specific names and numbers of people traveling to Lakeside. (There's some quiet, unpleasant guilt with that realisation, but... he hasn't really been so involved, with other people here. He makes pleasantries, introduces himself, even seeks socialisation with the other "Interlopers", but at the end of the day, it was only really Vasiliy that he'd actively thought about.) ]

tw graphic death discussions, talk of suicide, SA/torture, emeto

[m1895]

Yes. One person. Her name was Terra. She fell off a bridge.

[ He states it in a slightly hushed tone, but matter-of-fact—partly due to culture and partly due to simple exposure. He'd seen dead people before becoming an EMT, before he even turned eighteen—but now, having worked in cities like Moscow and Chicago, he's familiar with that kind of death. It's not a pleasant one—the impact, the internal bleeding. If they're lucky, they go headfirst and lose consciousness after the drop. Not all of them do. He's wondered, sometimes, if the descent feels anything like the span of seconds precipitating the end in which he lowered himself to his knees on the cold cement and waited for the bullet did, but he tries not to think about it.

And there's the fact that it didn't... affect him, not really, not like it affected other people. He's fortunate, that others are likely to simply attribute the deadness to desensitization through his current occupation, to think it's a choice made for the greater good—he has to keep moving, or something like that. And he did, does, but—it's not a conscious choice. At some point, when he was maybe seven or maybe seventeen, he simply... stopped reacting. There were isolated instances that punctured through the exoskeleton, particularly horrid ones—the screaming and sobbing through the walls of his office, sometimes a woman's, come to mind. He does remember one fragment of an instance—stopping in the middle of the same half-finished sentence he'd been staring at for the past several minutes and dropping his pencil to bend over and vomit into the wastebin beside his desk when the screaming took a coherent shape: no, no, no, stop, please, no.

The burn of the stolichnaya that washed the acid from his mouth is so vivid he's sure he can feel it as it comes to mind, phantom pain in a lost limb; he works his jaw slightly, unconsciously, opening and closing his mouth at the recollection, lips barely parting. He's not sure why that stands out when so much of something that happened less than ten years ago is blotted out in his memory.

What does it mean that it wasn't enough of an aberration from the normal state of affairs for him to remember every detail ad any other horrified witness undoubtedly would?

He's been quiet for a few seconds too long, he realizes, and reaches for a cigarette. Lights it, takes a long drag, exhales slowly. ]

It was a good death. It had... meaning. She sacrificed herself.