A New Platform [Intro Post September]

[voidtreckermods]

The train returns to the Void base with speed. There is a considerable sense of urgency, no doubt shared by the voidtreckers themselves. There is some damage to the train, which those on board work on fixing.

The scientists back at base await them nervously, along with any voidtreckers who stayed behind. There's good news at least, in that the tether looping worked as intended.

Permission is sought for void technicians to enter the train and fix any damage. Any voidtreckers who wish to are welcome to use the tools and help repair, while others can report to the scientists about what they saw in the eye of the storm. Or perhaps they wish to just eat and rest; no one will stop them from going to their quarters.

Once everyone is up to speed, there is a renewed sense of urgency. Another answer and another problem to solve. A few days later, on the last day of Symphony, the ministry gathers everyone again.

"We have something for you. It is not as finished as we hoped it would be, but we feel that we need to move now. Your efforts of reaching out have been notable, and we want to help with that. We have developed some focus crystals that we believe that if used as a focus in the void, could allow you to reach out further than before, and try and pull a larger amount of people back.

We have also found a way to... Temporarily lock you all to your craft and this station. It is but one step on our attempt to untangle your tethers, and it will make you as stable as we can manage. We think doing this is key to blocking the craft's ability to draw in new souls."

She looked serious. "However. We know how important those you have lost are, and how vital it is to find them, and so we want to give you this chance. There is always risk. We cannot promise no one will slip away when your craft opens the link to the station, but we hope the loss will be minimal - the gains greater.

"We also can't promise you will reach everyone you seek. But we will hold those tethers, even if we cannot draw them back here with you. We can promise that after all this is done, we will do our upmost to return them to where they belong." Her face looks as if she is very aware of the enormity of that promise.

"After you bring your people on board, we will lock down your tethers. Then once you are as secure as we can make you, we will deal with... Everything else." She looks resolved.

The next day, the train is loaded up again. The focus crystals are pretty large, each needing to be carried by a couple of voidtreckers, unless they are those far stronger than their fellows.

The train once more leaves the Void hub, carrying the voidtreckers on, hopefully their minds focused on the souls they are seeking.

---

PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 20
(Tribulation)

---

BEFORE ARRIVAL

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Tribulation. 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 bright and sunny. 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

They've been here before. On a platform waiting for a train. A train that they may have been on a few days or a few months. But then they were gone, they have vague memories of leaving, of walking through a fog filled platform through the barriers. Then nothing.

Until now. 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 20 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. The sun beats down on them, the air is warm and still and the fog sits heavy.

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. Perhaps old friends.

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. CLU, Eva Iden'no, Heero Yuy, Jin Zixuan, Zenos yae Galvus 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. Depending on when they were last on board the train may have changed a lot, 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 Kidney Beans, 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.

For those of red team interested in their reward they will find a box of cake pops in the luggage carriage. There is enough to share with their new teammates.

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 back, 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. There is much for your fellow voidtreckers to fill you in on. We will remain travelling for a few days before returning to the Ministry Hub."

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 back to the Void.

---

NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS

Comments

Garrett | Thief | OTA | CW: arachne/monster descriptions

[themasterthief]

I. Arrival

The first thing Garrett did as he awoke was reach back and pull the hood over his head and zip up the jacket as far as it would go. Then he pulled his long, thin arachne legs towards his body and folded them as neatly against his back as he could. His scorpion tail also folded up along his spine and the pinchers rested nonchalantly against his collar bones. All this to be less noticeable as the monster that he was. That and, quite frankly, Garrett never liked to be noticed in the first place. Becoming a monster just made it worse to be noticed when it happened.

There wasn't really anywhere to hide here either. He tried his best to blend into the crowd instead. As the fog spread out and the train arrived, Garrett got a sense of deja vu and realized belatedly that he hadn't returned to Ryslig--no, this was somewhere else he had been brought to before. The Voidtrecker Express he read on the side of the train and it came back to him. He'd spent a few missions' worth of time here.

He didn't know what happened. He didn't have any new memories from home like he sometimes got after being dumped and brought back to places like this. He didn't recognize too many faces even after the current passengers got off the train to greet the newcomers.

"So, we're at this again, huh?" He sighed, resigned. Nothing had ever come of him trying to fight his fate. He supposed this was just one more "adventure" he would have to endure whether he liked it or not.

II. After Departure, On the Train

Garrett essentially headed straight for the dressing room as soon as he boarded the train. He wanted to get back to the place he could, somewhat reluctantly, call a place to rest easy. Not quite home away from home. A nest.

Only it wasn't there. Well, remnants of it still hung in place. But it was clear that neither himself nor the Giant Spider had been here for some time. He didn't know how long yet and he wasn't certain if he wanted to know honestly. That had been his one associate on this train he remembered fondly. A fellow arachnid that did not talk much, just like himself most of the time.

It was a pity. He would make do though.

His first line of business was to refresh the silken lines, sturdy up the webbing and patch up the fading threads, recreate the weakened hammocks with new, strong spider silk. It would take him some time but eventually he'd replace most if not all of the web with new strands. He didn't bother to change the layout--if the Spider returned she'd find it exactly as she left it. His gift to her.

When he wasn't working on fixing the webbing back up, then he was lounging in one of the hammocks while resting. He didn't normally make so much web all in one go. It took a bit out of him.

III. Wildcard

[[Anything else! Garret will probably mostly want to stay out of the way but he'll have to go through the rest of the train eventually (for next day wake up or food eventually). Have at him! I'm good with prose or actionbrackets, whichever you prefer. If you need me I'm good with PMs to journal or hit me at AisuYoukai]]

[myblueskies]

"Yes sir. We brought you back."

Romeo hadn't know him very well, but he recognised him. Romeo had been on the train a long time and he recognised a lot of the people on this platform.

That was good, it meant less people were lost in the void.

[themasterthief]

Garrett was a little startled when he heard the voice from below, and looked down to spot the kid. He recognized the kid in the same manner as someone recognized a fellow student from school that they never really interacted with. But more importantly, that was an interesting reply.

"Brought me back?" He looked up and glanced around. "You mean brought all of us back?"

So, everyone on the platform this time were people who had already gone through this song and dance once before? He thought about that, tried to see if he recognized anyone. He thought he did in that vague manner again, recognized people that had been here during the same time he had.

He looked back at Romeo. "Why?"

[myblueskies]

"Yes sir!" He nodded with a grin. "Because you were lost and we had to try and get you back because some bad shapes are eating worlds and we found where they lived and there's a big hole in the void and that's bad and we got to fix that and the ministry said they could make us not disappear from the train anymore but gave us a crystal so we could try and get some people back so we all thought really hard to try and get you all here."

He paused for a breath. "We got to try and stop the bad shapes."

[themasterthief]

Blink. Blink, blink.

Yeah, okay, give him a moment to let that sink in. That was certainly a lot of words, said in the kind of rush that only a kid could manage, and on top of that it was actually some heavy information. At least it was in as layman terms as it could get since a kid had told it to him.

"...would it have been too much to ask to simply not do any of that?" Rhetorical question and he'd almost regret saying it to a kid but it's not that bad. It's just the general sentiment he's feeling after learning all that. "Do we at least get to go home after all is said and done?"

If that's even possible. Please say it's possible. Or will be after they fix all this bad stuff. He has no idea why they were ever pulled here in the first place or anyone ever solved the how, why, and possibility of reversing it.

[myblueskies]

"I guess you could ask... They'd probably let you stay at the base. The ministry aren't bad people so they won't force people to work for them."

He of course had no idea the question was rhetorical. At the mention of home he frowned.

"I don't know... They are trying to figure out our tethers but I think it's real tricky..."