transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

[initiates]

Date & Time: Oct. 24th
Location: The Initiative Hold
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been led to a banquet room within the Hold.
Warnings: None.

NOTE: This takes place during this plot, though the plot log will not be posted until tomorrow. The Transports already in game have returned from their mission to find the island overrun with monsters. The log is set within the safety of the Initiative Hold, however, so while characters will be aware of what is going on outside, they can otherwise go about their business as usual if they choose.

--

You've just been hustled and bustled through mazes of information and literal, wide corridors of the Initiative Hold and you've been equipped with your weapon—be it a gun, a sword, or even your existing powers. They've handed you this light netbook and a small pouch of coins (or a debit card, if you're more inclined), and there are several Transports before and after you going through the very same motions. You can hear the Greeter's voice as she walks alongside large groups, telling them all about the history of this place and sharing with you your purpose here in a hurried and urgent tone. She looks worse for wear, pale and gaunt, though is putting a great deal of effort into maintaining her energy and professionalism for the new Transports. "I am truly sorry that you came at such a bad time. That wasn't intentional, I assure you."

She leads the way through the Initiative Hold. The walls bear the occasional claw mark as a sign of the misfortune that has plagued the island, but it hardly seems deserted anymore due to the other Transports recently returning from their mission. After turning several corners, you arrive in a large room that has been transformed into a makeshift banquet hall. The food presented is perhaps not as luxurious or bountiful as one would hope, but it is certainly enough to go around, and isn't inedible by any means.

"We wanted to try and make this up to you," she explains. "It's meagre, but we did not have much time to prepare." There are a number of Transports already present, some looking over the long banquet table, others seated throughout the room at large, round tables meant to each seat eight people. The mood is grim, despite the Initiative's efforts to raise morale.

Before the Greeter turns to leave, she is reminding you that it will be perfectly safe to explore the Hold, the courtyard, the housing building, and even a several block radius around it. "Hopefully things will be back to normal soon."

Welcome to the banquet. Welcome to the Initiative Hold—and most importantly, welcome to Exsilium.

Comments

[futurarex]

[There is nothing of this that Arthur likes. The sword at his side is not his own--they didn't have his sword, they had everything of his but his sword, so even though they've armed him otherwise there's yet something about this that makes him feel a hostage, an unwilling guest at this feast.

The tension in the hall is thick. Arthur does not eat. Nor does he sit down. He stands with his back to a wall, his hand on the foreign sword, eyeing the room at large. There is some magic at work here, some foul spell that's brought him here, when he ought to be in Camelot, defending his kingdom and his people. A prince doesn't desert the field of battle, and the discontent makes his hand tighten on the sword. Morgana. She must somehow be to blame for this, and if he feels any spike of sadness at her betrayal, he doesn't acknowledge it. He studies the room, seeking something familiar, some chink in this spell. He must return to Camelot, no matter what this Initiative has said.]

[alwaysforhim]

[He's been here for hours now, talking to people, making friends, trying to discover the spell behind this-- but in sharp contrast to Arthur, Merlin's wariness has mostly faded. He's happy now, happy and eager, delighted to be in such fine company. (But of course, they allow magic here; how can he not be happy?)

But that happiness is nothing compared to the sudden joy he feels upon spotting Arthur. Arthur, his Arthur, glaring and wary and with his hand on his sword, looking fine and fit, just as he had the last time Merlin saw him. With a shout he races over, waving wildly.]

Arthur! Arthur!

[futurarex]

[And then there's Merlin, and a jab of something very much like relief runs through Arthur, which he sort of dislikes. If anything, he should be more nervous at the sight of Merlin, because Merlin goes hand-in-hand with trouble--no matter how useful he truly is (and it's not as if Arthur is going to outright admit that anyways, not even to himself).

He pushes away from the wall, his hand still on his sword, and closes the distance between himself and Merlin. Why the hell is he smiling?--but then, of course he's smiling, it's Merlin.]

Merlin! Where are the others?

[alwaysforhim]

I don't know-- god, I don't know, I know Lancelot is here somewhere, but I haven't yet seen him. I didn't know you were here; I've been looking for you for hours now--

[He has a sword hanging at his hip, a slender but sharp thing that he keeps pushing out of the way irritably.]

Are you all right?

[futurarex]

[Lancelot will be immediately useful as well, so it's just a matter of finding him--but Arthur actually finds himself momentarily distracted at the sight of that sword.]

Is that a sword?

[alwaysforhim]

Er-- yes. They give you a weapon, you know, and I know a sword the best, so.

[He unsheathes it.]

It's rather nice, isn't it?

[futurarex]

Yes, I know they give you a weapon, Merlin--

[He gestures impatiently at his own sword, and barely spares Merlin's blade a glance.]

I'm only wondering why they bothered giving you one. They can't actually expect you to fight!

[alwaysforhim]

They expect everyone to fight, I think. A girl already asked me if I'd like to go out and take her place.

[futurarex]

[oh hell no.]

Sorry, who asked you? And that's my point, why would they expect everyone to fight? Clearly they don't know a thing about you, if they think you're going to be of use with that.

[He nods toward the stupid skinny sword with a little sneer.]

[alwaysforhim]

[He raises an eyebrow.]

Her name is Saber, apparently. And I'm not that useless.

[futurarex]

[oooh, Saber, what a scary and intimidating name. Arthur rolls his eyes.]

Not that useless isn't exactly something to brag about, Merlin. I'd keep that quiet if I were you, which, thank God, I'm not.

[But all that said, he turns away to consider the room at large again.]

Who the hell are these people?

[alwaysforhim]

They're from all over.

[He puts his sword away and turns, regarding the room as well.]

All different places, worlds, times. I've only talked to a few, but they seem friendly for the most part. One of them, Robin, she was the one who told me about Lancelot.

[futurarex]

[Small rocks also strike Merlin as friendly, so that bit of his reply doesn't come as much of a surprise. But Arthur nods, shortly, still studying the room.]

You didn't happen to ask where he was, did you? [But the answer will probably be no, so he goes on:] I'll want to talk to her. Have you heard anything about the people that brought us here?

[acemedium]

[This guy seems a little familiar - but really, it's his outfit that gets her attention. A sword! How cool is that?]

[She watches him rove around tersely (he had to be new, and she couldn't blame him for that) for a minute before bounding on over and waving cheerfully]

Hey!

[futurarex]

[Oh, God. He takes a half-step back, blinking in the face of that cheer. It's all too familiar, a Merlin-ish sort of cheer, and not precisely welcome.

But it's also radiating from a girl, so, courtesy and manners dictate a certain way to handle this, so-- Well, he can manage not to scowl, anyway. And he doesn't have to be friendly back, just.... courteous.]

Yes?

[acemedium]

[Whether or not she sensed his discomfort, Maya bounced on ahead regardless, looking him up and down again - man, a sword, she wanted one like that!]

You're new, aren't you? [She was starting to get into the habit of explaining things, and while not the funnest job in the world - well, it was something to do, right?]

[futurarex]

[His mouth sets into a thin smirk, entirely unnamed.]

Unfortunately. Do you wait here to ask everyone that question, or is there some actual purpose to it?

[acemedium]

Nah, I was just in the neighborhood and you looked like a fish in water. [Or was that fish out of water? Oh well]

But I figure, since I'm here anyway, I could explain.

[futurarex]

[A fish... in water. She gets a blank stare for that one, and then he shakes his head. Madmen and idiots; he's constantly surrounded by madmen and idiots and now weird girls.]

All right, then, explain. You can start with how the hell we return to our kingdoms from here.

[acemedium]

[Your life is so hard, Arthur]

[She does deflate a bit, at that]

... Oh, um... you can't. We're all stuck here for now.

[futurarex]

[THE HARDEST. And wow but he is unimpressed at that answer.]

'For now'. And when will be the time when we aren't stuck here?

[acemedium]

[Maya's starting to wonder if this was really a good idea....]

I dunno about that... I've been stuck here for a while, same as you.

But we could always investigate some more!

[futurarex]

[woooah, wait. he blinks at that sudden decisiveness.]

'We'? [but surely she means a group that already exists here. she can't mean to include him in that.] Tell me, where do these investigators keep themselves?

[acemedium]

Well, um.. they're all over the place. We all get assigned dorms, and we've got a computer thing to communicate with! [USEFUL INFORMATION? ... Maybe]

[futurarex]

You aren't one of them, are you?

[please say no. the thought of any part of his fate being held by her... no.]