transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

[initiates]

Date & Time: Sept 23rd, 2012.
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings.
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. "This isn't standard," she's saying, walking perhaps faster than most of the people she's dragging around. "We don't normally have so many Transports at once. 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. 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. 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

[defineshinky]

Warp portals? [Wendy is sure that she had that kind of technology sitting around HQ somewhere, but to have it in front of her and free to use? There is no way she's saying now. She perks up considerably.] Yeah, sure. I haven't seen my new digs yet, that'd be a good place to start. If it's not too much trouble?

[healplz]

It is no trouble at all.

[ He turns to the side and waves a hand through empty air, but pauses before it finishes its arc to glance over at her. ]

You will see a spinning blue light on the ground as I cast the spell. Unfortunately, it closes after the caster steps through, so I must ask you to go first. Is that alright?

[ Cuz this spell totally has a limited lifespan, and he doesn't want to spend it convincing her that it's safe to step through. ]

[defineshinky]

Uhhh.

[Well this seems slightly hinky now. But Wendy shakes her head. Honestly, it's not like the situation could get any worse from here. He's a priest anyway.]

Sure? Ready when you are, Ashraf.

[healplz]

[ Oh yeah, he gets that. But entering a priest warp is a leap of faith in general, which takes a little reassuring, because who knows where it could lead! This one though, as he drops his hand and opens a blossom of brilliant blue light on the ground, actually does lead to the front steps of the housing complex. He nods toward it. ]

Go ahead.

[defineshinky]

[Wendy has to bite her tongue from saying anything. Stop being cynical, Watson. You've only been abducted to another world and recruited for a war you have nothing about, no reason to get antsy.]

Cowabunga.

[With that, she steps through.]

[healplz]

[ It's just a split second's journey, and he's out shortly behind her. It's... still raining over here, surprise surprise, and Ashraf starts promptly for the front door. ]

Please forgive the inconvenience — warp portals work best out of doors, with slimmer chance of running into anyone on the other side. [ He pulls open the door and gestures for her to go first. ]

[defineshinky]

[When she emerges in an unfamiliar location but completely intact, she sighs in relief.] Cool.

[Wendy scurries past to get inside, giving Ashraf a grateful nod along the way. Once inside, she removes her dripping wet coat and shakes her hair out, careful to keep the spatter away from the priest.]

Yeah, I could imagine the splinching situations going on there. But thanks. I can finally cross teleporting off my to-do list.

[healplz]

[ He follows after, wringing out that long hair and just... giving up on the robes. They'll drip, it's with big heavy cloth tends to do. ]

I'm glad to have helped. [ A small smile with that one, but then back to the business of being helpful. ] Did they tell you to which room you would be assigned?