transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

[initiates]

Date: January 3rd
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been led to a banquet room within the Hold.
Warnings: None.

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. "You're in luck that we have enough rooms for all of you; the housing building is getting awfully full. Please, let me show you into the courtyard."

You pass what looks like huge gymnasiums, all with dummies and targets strewn and splayed around the room. Training areas. There are even classrooms, and a few small offices. You're rushed past a large library while the Greeter informs you that you can find almost all your information there, if you've got the time to look—and trust her, you'll have time. You don't spend a lot of time in the bank, and it's a bit of a blur of exchanges with more and more of these strangely-accented and oddly polite-seeming members of the Initiative.

Soon enough, you're in a massive courtyard bustling with all the other Transports. It's not exactly what you'd expect, and it looks more like barracks than anything—huge walls of concrete and stone, separating you from all of the hallways you'd just passed through. It's raining heavily, and dark clouds loom in the air, though it hasn't turned to snow. It's a chill cold, and there are shelters—long cloth hangings that extend from the walls of concrete to house you from the rain, but not enough. Most notably, the courtyard is filled with a marketplace. Even in the cold and the rain, there are several citizens seated at their covered booths and tables, bundled up against the weather. They're selling all manner of their own handmade goods and foods, and citizens and Transports alike are traveling from one small covered shop to another in search of all manner of necessities.

The Greeter's voice has become so faint now, but you swear you can make it out in the back of the crowds as she tells you, "Good luck. Be safe!"

Her voice is drowned out by the busy marketplace, though even the transactions taking place are somewhat subdued. Nobody is overly happy, really, though most citizens can be found with smiles on their faces. It doesn't seem like they're that shocked to see you, either; even if you're not bound in tattered rags and wrapped in heavy shawls as they are. You're welcome to walk up to a shop, and find yourself something to eat—hey, maybe you'll even find something akin to a raincoat. Or, you can join the others under the coverings against the walls. Where am I? What war? She was talking so fast, and it didn't all make very much sense… did anyone else catch it all?

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

Comments

[sanscoeur]

[Marjolaine was on her way past the wall toward another sodden booth when she heard the strange buzzing and the cloaked one speaking. It was curious enough to halt her steps and have her pivoting lightly on one boot clad foot.

She settled squarely before him, conveniently just out of reach. Her tone had a playful lilt.]

You don't look like a bee.

[Tipping her head she gestured toward his side.]

So why are you buzzing?

This could be really good... or really bad :|

[for_guild_justice]

[His eyes flicked to the woman that suddenly stopped and pivoted in his direction, and the way that she stationed herself was brimming with confidence. Amazing how many of those people were about lately. What ever happened to the fun of making children cry... wait, he'd done that earlier.

He noted that she was just out of range, yet she was in perfect range for him to blow her fool head off. He didn't, thinking it odd she could hear the hum of his rifle. Sturm had nothing but complaints at the moment anyway.]

My rifle is trying to decide if its worth discharging at nosy people. I hope you realize you're still in my range.

Either way should be fun.

[sanscoeur]

As you're in mine.

[Her voice chipper and sweet. In her range for what she doesn't say. It's very doubtful she's speaking of the covered bow.]

Would you like to test it, or shall we be more sociable?

[She honestly doesn't seem to have a preference one way or the other. Maybe she's crazy or cocky. Or maybe there's a good reason for the confidence.]

[for_guild_justice]

[Hmpt, a stalemate already? At least she is kind enough to wear armour which may conceal weapons. It would be a pain to have to call her bluff if she happens to be wear less.]

While shooting on a fleeting meeting happens more often than it should, I would prefer to keep you whole for the time being.

[She might actually want something he can provide. He doubts it, but then again, he never has high hopes for much.]

Did you come to comment on the restlessness of my rifle, or do you have a particular purpose for this meet and greet moment?

[sanscoeur]

[She merely laughs at that, the phrasing as though only he is the one with a choice in that matter. It settles quickly enough.]

It makes sense to familiarize oneself with others in one's predicament, no? I'm sure your rifle is delightful company, but how far do you think you'll really get in this place when it's the...two of you against the big, bad world?

[for_guild_justice]

I suppose that it does. Makes getting what one wants a little easier that way. [Dog eat dog world in his opinion.]

Sturm and I get by together just fine, and this new situation doesn't ruin either of our days. What of you? You probably don't need anyone, yet you're here in this... 'big, bad world'?

[sanscoeur]

[She tips her head in agreement to the first point.]

Not needing anyone isn't the same as recognizing the wisdom in making connections. Certainly, I could survive in this place on my own. I've been in worse.

[A light shrug of one shoulder.]

I prefer living to base survival. That is more difficult without finding like minded others. Not every net cast yields favorable results. You won't catch a thing if you never cast the net at all.

[for_guild_justice]

[He stares at her a long moment, appraising her for the first time as something more than an annoyance come to make friends with him. No... this isn't his friend, nor even a potential ally. Perhaps an agreement can still be struck?]

As have I. And what sort of connections are you looking to make?

[The corner of his lips twitch, and he assumes a little more casual stance. A hand is always hidden beneath his cloak though.]

I've never been one to cast nets looking for little fish. It's easier to see the hardness behind a smile to know someone might be like-minded.

[sanscoeur]

Useful ones, of course. [Said as though it should be self-evident.]

Let's say I understand the value of a long-term investment. Neither of us has much of anything right now. It won't necessarily always be that way, hmm?

[She's glad the buzzing caught her attention. They seem to be speaking the same language in more ways than one.]

[for_guild_justice]

And how do you define 'useful' in this big, bad world?

[He too knows the value of long-term investments, especially right now in this situation.] I'm listening. What do you propose, woman?

[sanscoeur]

Without more knowledge of what we face, it's easier to define useless.

[She juts a thumb toward the general crowd, many of them looking lost and uncertain, some of them traipsing and buying food and trinkets.]

Let's say I have an instinct about people and leave it at that. Either you know of what I speak, or you don't.

[And if he doesn't, then she has misread him.]

I propose little enough for now. Gathering information, perhaps sharing what we find in time. If that goes well, then at that point we both know better where we stand here and what else might be of use. If it doesn't...

[She shrugs.]

No skin off of anyone's nose and precious little time wasted.

[for_guild_justice]

[His eyes follow the motion of her finger, and he frowns at the sight of so many people rushing around or cooing for lost friends or relatives. It is a very painful sight to him, all those weak people... yet so full of potential information.]

I read you. No sense some and too much of not-sense in others. Useful in their own way though. [Great body shields at worse.]

[He watches the milling crowd for a moment, considering her words. There is strength in like-minded people, especially in a place like this.]

Agreed. In honour of these new arrangements, I propose we exchange names. Otherwise and in outward appearances, we are just two strangers mewling like all the others.

[Of course, in good faith (relatively), he decides to play the gentleman (not really) and give his own first.] I'm Clive.

[sanscoeur]

Very rare is the person who can be of no use at all, in one way or another.

[She doesn't count unwitting dupes as people worth making arrangements with. Those sorts of uses are more often than not impromptu and fleeting, occasionally deadly.]

Marjolaine.

[It's the only name she has ever used as a bard, the only by which any know her who aren't direct targets of her jobs or deceptions. She sees absolutely no reason not to use it here.]

I won't waste your time with further pleasantries.

[Not that she has been particularly pleasant during the course of the conversation.]

Contact me when you discover something actually interesting. I'll do the same if I discover something first.

[for_guild_justice]

[He inclines his head to her a little, accepting and making note of the name. He will see if it's false as well, but in another time. Her current level of pleasantness is fine with him, so he steps back a little as a sort of dismissal.]

I will. Like-minded people stick together for our own benefits after all.

[sanscoeur]

[She nods and slips back off into the crowd, just another rain-soaked figure among many, only remarked when she decides to be.]