voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post August]

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

...Just so we're clear, your world does know about evolution, right? Lifeforms changing across generations as they adapt to their circumstances?

That aside, the Titans were dying out because some arsehole was preventing Blades from maturing into new ones. The prick's dead now, so it shouldn't be an issue any longer. As for the World Tree, we found out that if you actually start at the bottom it's a giant elevator, so not much actual climbing happened.

Ummmm. [No. No, he's not familiar with a world's evolution. His blank, wide eyes are enough to spell out that much. Still; it's been seven hundred years since the gods have been swallowed, and his world... Esteban's world is changing. Bit by bit. He knows that much.]

Well, that's a dis'ppointment. [he grumbles, a light frown marring his usually sunny expressions.] Trees're so much more fun t' climb. An' Elevators're the worst.

[His entire face pinches at the mention of elevators, still feeling the too-tight walls, the metal doors, the corner of a box too small for him to spread his wings. He absolutely loathed the experience, and if time hadn't been of the essence-- and the people needing to be moved requiring the adapted small room-- he never would have stepped into one.]

[So he's happy enough to grin and turn to her again.]

Tell me 'bout evolution? How'd that come about in y'r world? I thought the Architect was y'r god, an' he created ev'rythin'?

Not really, he just used what was already there. 'S'why he's called the Architect and not "the Creator" or something. As fer evolution, well, you know how folks tend to look at least a bit like their parents? I don't have time to get into genetics as a whole, but it's basically that on a massive scale. Living beings find mates with advantageous traits, they have offspring, and that offspring has those traits. Keep that up for a few millennia and the being can change almost completely, and that's how evolution works.

[Yeah, that makes sense. He'd asked earlier if the Architect was their creator, but she hadn't answered so directly. Guess he has his answer now.]

I know genetics! [He protests mildly. Winces a bit, though his lips are quick to quirk upwards.] I know basics of genetics. Traits passed down fr'm parents to children. [There's a brief pause as he figures how much he dares say before he adds a reckless shrug.]

I'm a hybrid, so I had to learn some of it. [And...] There's been a lot more mixed-races too. Since the gods died an' the lands shifted an' the seas churned. It's... the world's changed. There's change in its heart? [He tries, but he's not sure if Nia would quite understand him. Still, he gets it. Sort of.]

[But... back to it.]

Wh'n you say 'humanity 'volved from scratch... [Now he seems to be getting lost though. It's one thing for current races, existing races to shift and change. But evolution from the start? It's harder for him to put the pieces of the puzzle together.]

Yeah. Core Crystals reacted to beings that had traits that could lead to the revival of humanity. We Awoke to protect and empower them, making them more desirable to others of their kind. It took a hell of a long time, but we eventually succeeded. Several times over, probably. Not everyone on Alrest has these, that's for sure.

[Nia looks up, her ears flicking to show her point.]

Gormotti probably had some sort of feline as a common ancestor.

[So, uh. Esteban's not sure how to react to this. There's levels to what Nia is saying that he's not sure if his mind is too much in the gutter or not enough.]

[The easiest path is probably to just ignore it; and Esteban's satisfied enough to do just that, thanks. 'Dians now he can't help but try to imagine Nia as a matchmaker trying to push two people together.]

[OUT! Enough! Stop that!]

[~~There's still a tiny snicker that escapes him before he can reign it in though.~~]

[It takes him a moment to register what she means, trying to understand evolving them... to humans?]

You mean that you-- Blades-- started with cats? An' got humans? [It... wow. It kind of makes sense, the same way that if Esteban had kids, they'd probably be more... take more after their mother-- ~~and isn't that a sting that he can't focus on right now~~-- but he'd still, there would still be some of Esteban in their traits. But then, wasn't that what she said? That it took them forever?]

Did you-- get humans from different animals? [He's trying, but that's a lot to wrap his head around after all.]

Yeah, it wasn't just cats. Simians, reptiles, anything that could work. Only a relative handful actually did, but that was plenty. Bipedal form, opposable thumbs, higher thought processes, Blades encouraged all those traits and more for countless millennia.

Edited 2022-08-25 21:45 (UTC)

[So... she really did play matchmaker.]

[Somehow, Esteban can't really wrap his head around that, finding it so odd. Or, better; if he considers it like his father's research at cross-breeding plants...]

[Actually, that's kind of worse. His brain hurts at the implications, and in truth, Nia had mentioned that her memories were reset? So he doesn't think she would remember either? It's a bit of a mess, and one Esteban is fully satisfied in leaving aside, thank you. His poor brain.]

Hey. 'F you've helped rebuild humans from scratch... [he pauses, his head shifting to the side. There's something there that makes him curious, but it's hard to put into words.] Did you guide their... growth?

[That... probably doesn't make much sense.]

Their culture? Their tools an' homes and' how they understand the world?

[He's not sure if it's a good idea. He's not sure if it's a bad idea. It's just... If Titans-- and Blades-- are immortals, how much did they decide for these fragile humans?]

[Was it for the better? Was it for the worse? Esteban can't tell.]

Nope. Sure, there were some Blades that ended up in positions of power, but humanity formed it's culture more or less by itself. What culture would we even give them? All we knew was the world around us and what was programmed into our Cores, and a handful of useful skills does not a civilization make.

Oh.

[Alright, yeah, it's better that way. He doesn't think Nia quite understood his question, but it's not something he should concern himself with either way. Her world is different than his own, and that's that.]

[He nods, sunshine-bright again, when he darts to the next question, curiosity lighting up his summer-sky eyes as he prods lightly at the blade.]

Hey, hey! 'F you're a crystal core, 're your senses different? Sharper? Milder? D'you see more colours th'n we do? D'you sense heat or cold diff'rently? D'you need to eat? D'you like to eat?

Hey, hey! One at a time, thank you! I can hear better than non-Gormotti, but that's more having the same ears than a Blade thing. Apart from being able to sense Ether that's about it, sense-wise. No, I don't actually need to eat, but it helps if I do. And of course I like to eat, who the hell doesn't?

[There's laughter in his limbs as she tries to slow him down, her careful replies to each of his questions not deterring him at all. She does mention liking to eat and Esteban shrugs an easy shoulder as he replies.]

I mean that maybe someone didn't hav'ta eat, but still like it 'nough to. Like you? [He guesses lightly.] It helps what 'f you eat? Y'r Ether? Y'r focus? Wouldn't that count as havin' to eat?

[Though, no, she probably means that not eating wouldn't make her die, but she wouldn't be in the best of shapes after a couple of months. Anyways, this sparks another flurry of questions, and he doesn't need to linger too long on this thought.]

So what kinda foods d'you like? Whatcha do in y'r free time? I've only seen you in missions b'fore, an' maybe in the greenhouse? Didja take over a spot t' grow things?

[Did he just maybe mistaken her while he was passing through? That's also a possibility.]

Eating makes Blades stronger, at least for a while. We don't really grow and change like other living beings do, so the nutrients are repurposed for a limited boost. I, personally, like Cream Orange Paratha, Snowbaby Potato Salad, and just kinda seafood in general.

Yeah, I've got a spot in the greenhouse. I've been growing my own medical supplies, plus those super-beans Trunks asked for. It's pretty time consuming, but I've never had much trouble with tedious jobs.

[There's wide, blinking eyes as Esteban processes the strange words she's tossed together, completely blind-sided by their order and meaning.]

Wha-- what's a Paratha? [He begins, a light shake to his head and enough confusion to fill the pool he's threading in.] Is snowbaby a type of potatoes? A kinda veg'table? [There's something really grim about the name, but considering her distaste earlier, Esteban is pretty sure she's not talking about actual snow babies, or at least he hopes.]

[At least seafood he can understand! Pity there's none of the fish he'd caught on Jema'grethy left.]

[The mention of Trunks and super-beans gets him to perk up again, but Esteban needs answers before he darts off on too many pathways, and he's patient... ish, for once.]

Paratha's a kind of flatbread, usually with some kind of filling. There are a lot of kinds, but Cream Orange is the best. Snowbaby's just the name of a kind of potato, it's called that because it actually thrives in cold environments. Well, that and because when it's properly baked the inside is all soft and fluffy like snow. Ah, just talking about it's making my mouth water!

So Cream Orange Paratha is a creamy sweet, tucked in a flatbread?

[At least snowbaby potato makes sense, and he doesn't need to add more. It sounds delicious though, and he kind of wishes he could try it. But he won't make that request aloud.]

Y'r food sounds really yummy. [There's a snicker in his voice as he goes on, delighted to know this much from the small healer. There's also the talks about the Architect and the Blades, of course, but this is smaller. Something he can act on-- sort of. He might not be able to make Paratha, but potato salad is an option.]

Okay, what about things y' don't like? [He adds, to keep an eye out for those so that he doesn't accidentally cook something she won't like.]

Ah, I'm not too picky. Live on the road long enough and you learn to eat just about anything. Just don't make anything weird and I'll be fine.

[Pyra set Nia's expectations for good food. Then Mythra set them for bad food. There is a very wide space to fit between these.]

That doesn't mean y' can't have pref'rences. [Or, at least, Esteban doesn't think it won't.]

Stuff like olives or maybe mushrooms? Olives 're the worst. Mushrooms don't have the best texture, but they work when stewed. [He shrugs lightly; those are just his opinions after all.]

Anythin' that tastes too much like bitter herbs isn't really good either. [His nose even scrunches at that, unimpressed by some of the things he's tasted before.] That's includin' some berries.

Well, I can say I'm bloody sick of tea. Between Pyra and Sheba buying it all the time, I couldn't get away from the stuff.

[There's a bark of laughter as Esteban grins at her snippy comment, nodding enthusiastically.]

My father's a herbalist, alchemist, botanist. 'Dians, I wouldn't know where t' begin tellin' you what he does with his days, but I very much know the feelin', [he readily agrees, snickering once more.]

I don' like potions for the same reason. [Despite his grin, his nose scrunches; an odd expression between mischief and distaste.] So I'd much rather come an' see you for healin'.

[Sorry, Nia! You're stuck with him now.]

Ha, you'd better! I'm more useful than some crummy old potion any day of the week. Not that they don't have their uses, but they're kinda one and done. I can keep going for as long as you need me.

Edited 2022-08-30 22:16 (UTC)

Thanks! I'll be countin' on you, then!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A New Platform [Intro Post August]

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Okay! I'm back! I should be more regular in my responses now! Sorry >__<

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Fade-to-black~