meadowlarklogs | EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

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EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: December 19th to the end of the month.
WHAT: Event aftermath, Winter Solstice, Christmas.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Character death, self-sacrifice, drug use. Further notes at end of log.

> EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

Zerzura's demise is a very near miss. Three out of four of the bombs detonate, with numerous Mycenaean guards' lives taken as a result of the assault. It's probable—even likely—that numerous Displaced were injured as a result of this attack. Just as the last bomb seemed likely to go off, everything stopped. As in: the scene ended, shifting, putting all of the Displaced to sleep. Zerzura won't end. Or will it?

The return from Zerzura will feel like waking up from a long nap. Instead of anyone waking up in their beds, they will find themselves on the ground beside the man-made river that runs down the center of New Amsterdam. The ground beneath them will be moist with recent rainfall. Anyone who was still in the throes of a fantasy and believing themselves to be a part of Zerzura will find themselves tossed out of that existence. Anyone who died at the precipice of the spear will still recall their actions vividly: their mind and body hitting a point in which it was finite, slipping away. There may be some room for doubt regarding their deaths. After all, they're very much alive now.

There are two constants among the Displaced when they observe themselves and others: that all of their chests are glowing with that familiar blue glow, and they'll all experience a feeling of serenity. This feeling won't come from any of the Displaced themselves. Much like the intrusion of the empathy bond, it will feel as if it's coming from elsewhere. The problem is that it's always there: there is no way of disconnecting, at least for now. The good news is that the serenity will begin to fade within the next day, and with it, the blue glow will go away as well.

All of the Displaced can't remain at the riverside. If they linger too long, it will begin to rain again. The rain itself will only be a light misting against their faces at first, before turning into a heavier downfall. If they're wary of returning to their lives initially because of the blue glow, they'll soon find that the people of New Amsterdam seem to look away from them as they trot through the city to return to their lives. This is a temporary sensation, seeming to have overtaken the city's citizens for the time being. Within a day or two, the blue glow will be met with the same paranoia that was fostered by the UN following the abduction of Kurt Fischer.

What can they do now? Aside from the feeling of serenity, little will have immediately changed for the Displaced. The best thing they can do is try to return to their lives as if Zerzura never happened.

Some things to check in with, though?

WORK. Upon realizing that the Displaced disappeared yet again, El worked overtime to make sure that all of the Displaced wouldn't lose their jobs. After all, that would mean they'd likely have to give up their housing, and Morningstar would need to financially step in to help. Not all of the places of employment will accept these excuses, especially since El can't put together a doctor's note without it promptly being verified as falsified. It's ultimately up to anyone's discretion over whether their character lost their job.

CHANGES. Some of the changes will appear out of nowhere: a dream that's shared, or a memory that's passed on rather unwillingly. It's time to explore what's happened, and even theorize as to why this has happened. And those objects that were the core of remembering who they were, back in Zerzura? They're permanent fixtures from now on. And what about those Union Attacks? For now, they may have an interesting place in the fighting rings. Time to convince the people running those shows to start including doubles matches.

PLANT LIFE. All around New Amsterdam, plants will begin to grow. These plants are varied, and they'll make an appearance anywhere that they might be allowed to grow. Is that a sink that's frequently full of water? Now it's mysteriously stopped up by a plant that's growing through the pipes. While all this plant life may seem like a miracle, having plants growing in every part of the city will quickly prove to be a problem.

HOLIDAY SEASON. The good news about everyone's trip to Zerzura is that they didn't miss Christmas—or rather, the December 25th edition of it. The city is still covered in Christmas trees and ornamentation. The stadium is still hosting a holiday market.

> WINTER SOLSTICE

In the days leading up to the Winter Solstice, there will be an uptick of paintings around New Amsterdam hinting as to where this year's party will be held: Sunpeak Garden. While there won't be any official notice, anyone interested or curious is free to visit this location on the day of the Solstice (December 21st) to see what's going on, and it will go on for the next three days, ending on the morning of the 24th. As they draw closer to the location itself, they'll find the botanical garden secured by a large, overarching tent, preventing rainfall from getting into the garden itself. On the air, there will be the scent of something being smoked—which they'll soon learn is a set of goats that seem to have been acquired by whoever put on this shindig.

Unlike many other events around New Amsterdam, this seems to be more private in nature. There is an unspoken understanding that beyond the paintings, there will be no social media posts. Inside of the garden, there will be a lot of plants and decorations carefully molded into sacred geometric shapes. Despite the unofficial nature, whoever put this event together definitely spent their time doing it. This Solstice party isn't a spontaneous thing, and anyone who goes will hear about the previous parties and how the proprietor does his best to make everyone happy.

Anyone who went to the Harvest Festival or Insomniac's Ball will see a lot of the same people working it, complete with some familiar tattoos. They'll be eager to welcome in any of the Displaced, especially any of the ones who tend to be featured in the shrines around the city.

Once everyone's here, they're welcome to enjoy themselves. Under some of the canopies of trees, there will be beds and futons, giving people places to rest. Some of these will be claimed, so anyone who's eager to stick around for a few days might want to get dibs. Otherwise? It's time to enjoy what's been put together:

FEAST. There will be a feast for the next three days. Aside from the smoked goats, there will be a lot of goat cheese and vegetables. These are the people who put on the harvest festival, after all. There will be a lot of pickled vegetables out on tables, salads, and everything else. Aside from cheese for snacking, anyone can partake in some delicious berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries) and nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and almonds—despite the difficulty in getting most of these in New Amsterdam). There will also be figs, because of course there are figs.

FLOWER CROWNS. To go with the more laidback flair of this event, there will be flower crowns available for everyone. They will look more Christmas-like in spirit, like small little wreaths to go on everyone's heads.

ALCOHOL. Of course, what kind of Solstice or Yule event would it be without alcohol to imbibe? There will be mulled wine available, as well as the delicious apple-flavored beverage of wassail. It seems as if these two things never run out. For anyone avoiding alcohol, there will also be some sparkling grape juice and apple juice.

PSYCHEDELICS. Undoubtedly also inspired by Yule celebrations of old, anyone can partake in some species-specific (and at a safe dosage) amanita. Primarily available as a tea, anyone can drink this pleasant beverage and have a good time together.

MISTLETOE. There will be spots all around the botanical garden where the decorators took good care to make the mistletoe stand out. Surrounded by little lights, no one will be able to miss them. That means they can be easily avoided, if that's what someone would prefer!

BALL PROPRIETOR. While he's not hiding that he put this on, he's just as mysterious as before. If anyone wants to catch his eye at this event, they can. They'll need to stand out to get him to talk to them. To do this, reply below! Ball will definitely be interested in any Displaced trying to catch his eye, but it's still up to them to go through the motions.

> CHRISTMAS

As the Solstice party comes to an end, it'll be time to focus on Christmas itself. Around New Amsterdam, this is a deeply commercial holiday. Since most of New Amsterdam's citizens prefer to celebrate Sinterklaas, the day of Christmas itself largely emphasizes purchasing access to Christmas movies and giving gifts to anyone who had been forgotten earlier in the month. For new couples, Christmas Eve acts as a romantic occasion, giving them the chance to spend some time alone. Restaurants around the city will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day specials and feasts—though these will be very expensive to enjoy.

> GRINCH INTERLUDE

Once reports start to hit the news about the rapidly healing atmosphere, a strange cypher begins to appear in the replies of people's posts on Cooltalk. This misfire appears at random and without a pattern. While some of the Displaced will get hit on their Cooltalks, they won't be among the majority by any means. How to get ahold of 100342? A reply might do the trick, or it might not. Drop a message in the questions thread with ideas!

Then again, this message more of a simple response to a slight than anything else, most likely recognizable to the displaced, who are familiar with the cipher's formula:

200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome back to the world of New Amsterdam proper, Larkers! This will act as the mingle log for the month of September since we didn't receive any applications this month. In order to plot out some aftermath, please head over to the CR Meme for the month of September! Our September calendar and Event #006 Aftermath are also up for perusing.

If you'd like to get your character in touch with Ball, please reply to the comment below with how they'd like to stand out! Ball, like all of our NPCs, will act as a means to an end to uncover plot details. With the gates excursion on the horizon, we wanted to make him available for all of the playerbase. Due to time constraints, this means that Gaby won't be available for this log.

If you have any questions about event aftermath, please hit the thread on the Aftermath Post here. If you have any questions about this log, go to the questions thread on this post!

> NAVIGATION

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Whyever would I mind?

[She thinks to go and get a better look, but remembers the bundle in her arms.]

Excuse me a moment.

[She hides the weight that hinders her by adjusting the bundle of clothing as she goes, heading into the bed room to deposit them on her bed. She is back out a few moments later, noticeably less burdened yet with the very same smile as she goes to take a closer look.]

Truth be told, I prefer a more natural look. Have I spoke to you of Dragonstone?

[ rey shakes her head, a curious expression on her face inviting daenerys to explain further. she doesn't want to interrupt verbally, wants to leave as much room for daenerys to tell stories as possible. it has always been what rey survived on. ]

It sits upon the sea's edge, between Westeros and Essos. It is my family's ancestral home, carved straight out of its mountains. The stonework is unlike anything you might see in all of the land, forged by dragonflame and the massive dragons that once called it home.

[Nothing like the cityscapes she'd now grown expectant to see.]

I had only just landed before I was called here. Truly a pity.

[ ah. put like that, she can imagine it right at home on ahch-to -- if only because it's the easiest point of reference for her, and the stonework stands out so strongly in her mind. rey smiles. she can think of luke only fondly, now, even with her frustrations -- and the fears she still has, about her loss of the force. ]

I miss the ocean.

[ she admits this quietly. ]

I'd only barely gotten to see it for the first time before coming here. But it was fathomless. I remember looking out at the first time and thinking it could swallow me. [ and it had been beautiful, for that. ]

It likely can.

[Probably not the most comforting response, but the Dothraki had feared the sea for a good reason. Sure, they had called it poison because they could not drink it, but given how long it'd taken her to even get close to the sea herself -- she could not blame the fear.

Leave that to the Greyjoys. She was better with the sky.]

The plants add life to the room, and I have not kept much in the way of possessions to add myself.

Don't worry. Neither have I. More plants than anything. Although, Prompto offered to do a photo for me. [ she can at least bring decorations to the apartment, as offering. but then she deflates somewhat. ] Only ... I haven't heard from him lately.

[ that troubles her. she sighs and straightens, satisfied with where the plant is. ]

Or Poe, actually.

[ her old roommate, who had been responsible for the plants. of course, her stuff had been cleared from that apartment a while ago -- by ben, given that she couldn't approach it. she puzzles over that a moment. ]

[Daenerys nods in understanding. She had not heard from Prompto in some time either. Poe, she did not know well enough to say. But a piece of her still wondered after Jon's absence, even though she knew he was gone from them.]

I have no doubt furnishings will come with time.

[She had said the same thing to Jon, but had never really followed through. It was part of making a space a home -- but she hadn't had one of those in a long time. So long as she was with those close to her, that had always been enough.

She suspects that will be much the same, here.]

Are you certain you do not need help moving more of your things?

It doesn't look like you should be offering to help with lifting anything.

[ she offers it up bluntly. rey isn't going to dodge around it, even for daenerys' pride. they're alone here. better to get this out in the open before kylo joins them, given how daenerys has reacted in the past to having her weaknesses aired. ]

Did it happen in Zerzura? [ then, after a moment, ] Have you seen a doctor?

[She is clearly unappreciative of Rey's comment, though she does not outwardly say so. It's in the way her brows knit, and the way she lets the silence hang as she moves to find somewhere to sit. Better that she had at least chosen this moment, when they were alone, to inquire.]

It did.

[More silence follows that, as if she's debating whether or not to answer that second question.]

Unless you know of any Displaced with discreet access to medical equipment, it is not an option to do so.

I do.

[ she's abrupt in declaring this. she won't let daenerys squirm away from it as an utter dismissal. ]

Dr. Strange. Clarke. Either of them could patch you up at the safehouse.

[ probably, they could come by here too. she'd seen strange do it for damian, at least. it's important to consider that possibility, given that she doesn't know the extent of it. but more importantly: ] Would you let them?

If it were required.

[There is some impatience in her voice this time. It's not like she did not know she was injured, after all. She'd been resting since she and the others had come back from Zerzura (minus moving her minimal amount of belongings, of course). There were other factors involved -- factors Rey is likely going to want to hear in exchange as to why she had not been taking care of herself.

She thinks of it again, the sound of bones cracking, the way she felt having the transformation grip her, and watching it happen in someone else. There are only bits and pieces of the memory, particularly the way it had felt for her teeth to cut through scales, but enough to make her pinch her brows in an effort to clear it.

It's the first real sign she's let loose of being in deep distress.]

I do not wish to discuss Zerzura.

I didn't ask you to.

[ she asked if the injury had happened there. and now her concern is the injury. rey's not in a hurry to dig into zerzura, the feeling of knowing a family that had loved her and then losing it. giving that up had been harder than anything, made easier by knowing that it was never real.

no. she does not want to discuss zerzura. ]

But I want you to see someone about your injury. I can have Kylo bring his bike over, so you don't have to walk all the way to the safehouse, or we could ask Clarke to come here.

They will ask.

[Another frustrated, stressed huff comes out of her, and it becomes apparent that she is trying to keep her emotions tightly under control, and doing a poor job of it. But the emotions, fear or anger, are muddied thanks to her efforts.]

And I do not know how I would answer.

Then don't. It's none of their business.

[ surely they can assess and treat a wound without knowing what it came from. rey doesn't think that sounds impossible, but she also doesn't know anything about wound care. as someone who concertedly avoids letting people get into her business though, usually just by the blunt silent treatment, she doesn't see the issue.

still. her voice is gentle yet firm as she says it. she doesn't want to let daenerys slip out of getting medical attention, but she's also not heartless to the way it seems to be stressing her roommate out. ]

[She does not understand. How could she, without having witnessed it herself? And thus, she has a decision to make: risk the treatment, and perhaps having to avoid discussion at all, preparing Rey and getting it out of the way to potentially avoid the unpeppered discussion in front of a stranger, or rebel harder and risk driving Rey off.

Daenerys starts to shake her head and back away toward her room, as if planning to cut the conversation off there. Instead, she shrugs herself out of her cardigan, and it immediately becomes obvious as to why she had been wearing it.

Her lower back is completely ravaged, carved with deep jagged bite wounds made by a creature that does not appear to be anything immediately recognizable. Around the cauterized wounds are damaged black scales that will look more familiar to Rey, accompanied with some ripped fins that run along her spine. Their presence seems to hover because of the injury rather in spite of it.

This. This is what she cannot explain. And given the way she glances over her shoulder to look at Rey, she is not showing her in hopes of dissuading her, but for guidance in avoiding the subject with strangers.]

Edited 2019-10-26 04:22 (UTC)

[ when daenerys shrugs off the cardigan, rey draws a deep, audible breath. it's not quite a gasp, but it certainly walks the line. more like breathlessness, the sound is quiet, awed and commiserating in equal measure. it's a bad wound. but more baffling, more surprising, is what lines beneath it. ]

Did this only start in Zerzura?

[ she wants to be clear -- wants to understand. her own powers had changed there. or, she thinks they had. grown, at the very least, in an unexpected direction.

she draws a little closer, inspecting. there's no way to hide it, really. ]

To that level...yes.

[Daenerys subconsciously wants to replace the cardigan to keep from drawing attention to it, but the purpose of taking it off in the first place was to try and soften the awkwardness of later encounters.

She shifts her weight and swallows her anxiety.]

If they ask you a question you don't want to answer, say you don't remember.

[ that's what she settles on. it's a poor excuse, but it doesn't invite further questioning. and rey is quick now to dismiss the idea of not wanting to talk about it as a valid reason to side-step treatment. ]

But you have to have someone look at this, or it's going to get worse.

It may not. My skin is... tougher.

[Because of the scales. Because she can turn into a fucking dragon. She swallows it down. Rey is not going to relent, anymore than she might if the situation were reversed.]

Fine.

[It is quiet, anxious, defeated in a way. She knows well when she is being unreasonable.]

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EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

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