voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post August]

PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 19
(SYMPHONY)

BEFORE ARRIVAL

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day sixteen of the month of Symphony. Points have been updated on the system."
The voice of the Voidtrecker Express welcomes passengers at the same time as always, sometime after breakfast. With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later, as the colours of the void outside the windows blur more and more.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. The weather is sunny with a cool breeze. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."
A lurch and a jolt, and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform.

ON THE PLATFORM

1. THE ARRIVAL

At first, all your character can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. But as their eyes adjust, they find themselves on a platform. The stones are cobbled beneath them and there are small stone shapes lining the edge, decorative in nature. The sun is shining but there is a cold wind, blowing through the platform at intervals, almost biting in its chill.

They stand in clothes not their own, in a style they might not even recognise. They're carrying a rucksack on their person, and for a moment it seems to just be them, alone on this platform. Before the fog starts to subside, and they'll see they're one of Twelve figures: all facing the tracks, and all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies, the latter in one of four colours. Purple, red, blue or orange.

But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, it reads The Voidtrecker Express in gold lettering on the side. Every one of the doors hiss as they open automatically, and out pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. Some are human, some less so, with a majority wearing the same hoodie of four colours as they do, though some sport outfits in a variety of styles.

The train doors close behind them, and the vehicle is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform. A group of people head towards the gates of the platform, their expressions blank and unaffected by their surroundings. Danielle Phantom, Fai. D Flourite, K'zeka Tia, Ruggie Buchi and John Connor They disappear through the barriers, but no one else can - all people can do is wait until the train re-emerges, finishing whatever changes it's making.

2. BOARDING THE TRAIN

After a short time, about ten minutes or so, the fog clears and the doors hiss open again. Everyone will feel a pull when they do, a need to board, and those from the train may encourage new arrivals to board. This feeling grows into one of apprehension and turns worse the longer they stay off-board.

For those that do board, they may find themselves in a few different carriages, but most likely the standard coach. A row of seats sit available, with a few tables between each. More likely than not, some cookies have been set out with jugs of drink, and cups available for pouring.

For those that don't, however, they're likely to attract attention if they're spotted. And if that fails... an unfortunate end will await them.

a. New arrivals will notice a screen and console in every carriage sharing the same message, and a stack of leaflets in holders by them offering further information to the curious (see 'Publications'). There are lavatories available on each carriage on one end, with another console with a deposit box under it at the other. This is the train shop.

b. It'll take some time for newbies to figure out the layout, even if there's only two directions to go in. Go one end, and you'll find the food stores and washing utilities. This month's key ingredient is broccoli, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.

c. Go to the other end, and you'll find the sleeper cabins. Plaques sit on the wall by each door with the names of their occupants, and one of these will be yours - hopefully, they'll figure out that swiping their ticket against the doorpad will open it up to them. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. Room is tight, but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and, the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches full of spare blankets and pillows.

d. At the farthest end in this direction is the luggage carriage, where passengers who have bought items from the train shop will find their purchases. These are scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags, but there's also a small fridge and kettle here with bottled water, for those who want a quiet drink.

e. Of course there are the new additions to explore. A fireplace has been added to the library, complete with a rug and plenty of soft reading pillows. For those less inclined to sit still there is a swimming pool carriage, complete with foam fish. Plenty of fun for all.

DEPARTURE

Spend your time exploring, if you will. But people will have half an hour before a second horn sounds, encouraging any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air to board. After five minutes from this, the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train begins to rumble with activity, and the platform starts to disappear into a fog as the voidcraft moves. A female-coded artificial voice echoes throughout the train.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points, and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void.

NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ian isn't the only one who finds swimming to be comforting. In this new environment, full of strange technology she's still figuring out, water is familiar...even if it does smell funny. With the announcement, however, she slides the door partially open to call in before entering properly.

"You mind some company of the feminine sort? I know some folks get more shy in front of the opposite sex."

Jingyi catches the question as he treads water on the deeper end of the pool, glancing towards where she's speaking from. He does consider a yes or no, breaking it down to a compromise based on his values, and limited shared spaces.

Shrugs don't translate well in water, but he shrugs as he kicks with his feet, and calls out an answer.

"As long as you're not into staring or screaming, I can respect shared space if you can."

Months ago, he might have been more embarrassed. These days he's just aware of voidcraft limitations, and certain of himself.

"Pools big enough as long as I don't go dragon, so do as you want. Unless you're stealing all the water, then don't do as you want, that'd be rude."

He shifted forward, resuming a leisurely swim towards the pools edge, planning to kick off it and swim back the other direction. There's a good mindlessness in repeated patterns, and swimming is different than the running and everything else he's made work in his months on the train.

She snorts at the final remark as she steps into the pool room. She's already wearing one of the train provided swimsuits, albeit in blue rather than her assigned purple.

"Elezen might be a bit on the tall side, but I don't take up that much space as to need all the water."

Normally, she'd just dive in at the deep end, but that might be a bit rude with someone else already there. Instead, she crouches down and slides in head first, pushing off from the wall of the pool toward the other end.

He snorts in turn, not bothering with an answer right away, as he slips under the water's surface before turning and kicking off the wall. He twists around so he's doing a lazy sort of backstroke, about the only way that possible conversation might sustain itself.

Not that he's particularly concerned, all things considered.

"Elezen?" He eventually asks, then stifles a yelp as his hand connects with the pool's edge on the far side, on the shallow waters.

She doesn't bother keeping her head above water, though it does make it a bit tricky to hear her fellow swimmer. It's obvious she's not worried about air when she shows her teeth in an amused grin at the surprised near-yelp.

Sound doesn't travel out of water very well, though, so she surfaces to respond.

"What people where I'm from call tall folks with pointy ears. I know in one other world, we're called elves instead, if'n that's any more familiar."

He pauses, turning over so he's backstroking along as he turns the word over in his head. Elves? Vaguely familiar since on train, but not before. People with pointy ears sound like either the spiritually touched or potentially some creatures who'd gained human form over time... though he'd never met any of them that he knew of.

"Never heard of elves before here," he says, "Ears might get a little pointed, but not really big or anything. Why only tall folks? What do you call short folks with pointy ears?"

Simple, thoughtless conversation, as he didn't care to particularly be thoughtful at present.

She glides through the water on her stomach, leaving her mouth submerged except when she rolls onto her side to speak audibly.

"Thems would be lalafel, if'n you're talking about real short. Don't know of any spoken what are middling height with pointy ears."

His concept of real short ends up being somewhat below average human size, meaning he's entirely wrong in his mental imaginings. It's also not presently relevant, so unlikely to be exposed.

"Huh. Don't we have some average height people here with more pointed ears, or are they only like you?"

He's trying to remember, lazily kicking with his feet, his tail even more lazily propelling him along beneath the surface. His catalogue of details isn't the strongest...

"There were the sali, but they also had horns."

She rolls onto her back so she can tilt her head to the side in thought, then shrug.

"Dunno yet, the roster doesn't show heights. I know of folks with horns, but the ones what also have ears stop aging afore they'd hit their growth spurts, so they're the size of children."

"... That's so tiny!" He says, genuinely surprised. People aren't that small where he's from, except as children in dragon form, or he supposes some of the other spirit forms out there. He hasn't seen them himself, but it does exist.

He goes from laps to treading water, hair plastered against his skull and sides of his face. If anything, it makes his horns all the more visible, and the one strand of hair caught over his left horn.

"So tiny! Why're they so tiny?" He doesn't expect an answer, he's just that surprised.

A New Platform [Intro Post August]

Pool

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