Portals and Portents - RPLOG
Participants
Date
30/09/2017
Log
Though the high priestess of the Dusk Dragon's strongest duties lay with her, Tova still had ties to several of entities in good standing. The dreams had come to her, like others who had ties to Inari, and she heeded its call. Coming to the shrine during the midday hour, the dragon woman projected an air of calm serenity about her, surveying the shrine proper while striding along.
It was never hard to hear a whisper of something going on, strange dreams for a few lucky or unlucky few have greeted his ears. It was a hobby of Escherr's to know what was going on around the city. So with that in mind he made his way to the shrines, after all having a diety owe you one couldn't hurt buisness either.
There was but one supernatural being Edel followed, and she followed them enough to name her own business after it! And enough to count herself a shrine priest. If she was going to be here anyway, today, sweeping up the stone and tending the shrine, she might as well look into the strange happenings. Smoothing down her ornate silk robes, she sets aside the broom once others seem to be arriving, and wanders over into the neighboring shrine to take her own place among the inquisitive.
Not too much major happens without the rumor mill starting up, and given the not insignificant number of Kitsune/Tanuki/Nekomata dedicants that are about, the mill was certainly in high gear. Phosphorus figured that the potential of supernatural intrigue would outweigh the potential danger of checking the scene out, so the panda decided to stalk her way into the shrine in her typical fashion, showing up at the gathering group with nary a word or whisper.
To answer the call of Inari was foremost on Emacs's mind as shi entered the shrine. Shi was no priestess, nor avid zealot, but shi knew the scope of hir duties to him. Shi enters the shrine with a measured, careful gait, deferring to other that shi passes. Shi was uncertain and anxious, but as shi continued,a sense of calm fell onto hir as shi got further, a measure of a smile could be seen emerging upon hir face.
The messengers of Inari had invited hir along, so she resolved that shi was surely good enough to be here. Hir robes were plain and simple, undyed fabric worn over the armor shi was accustomed to when fighting. Shi hoped it would not come to that today though.
Where supernaturals were concerned, Mokou held a disturbingly simple outlook upon them. They exist. Beyond that, their nature was obscured in mystery as much as the nanites themselves. So when it came to her ears that there was something stirring, those drawn from what had been Shinto belief, from those of Eastern lore were about, it was not with panic or fear that Mokou reacted. It was a saddened sigh and a slight change in the day's plans. After all... a shrine that had not been there in years gone by... Was not what she expected. So her work in hand, her day hardly at the cusp, she set out. Perhaps something would come of it.. perhaps she would simply take use of the garden she's heard of. Twas yet to be told...
As those hearkening to the beckons, whether directly or indirectly, collected toagher at the shrine, the grounds were filled with an assortment of civil mutants. Dedicants and mystery-seekers gatehred at the spot of worship and dedication until a hush falls over the crowd...
The sky's light distorts, becoming a rosy hue even in the midst of the day, and a pair of lights form before the shrine, lofted to tower over the shrine's exterior. One light is fire and gold, the foxfire dancing into the vague visage of a many-tailed fox whereas the other is burnt oranges and gay browns, banding before displaying thee semblance of a raccoon dog bearing a swell, full sac. Though abstracted form the light, the figures are unmistakeable for their shapes. Voices mingle together, androgynous in that they're masculine and feminine at once, the sound fading in like an echo but stronger in volume.
"Daughters, Sons, Allies, and Friends... We have come to you with matters of concern," The voiec emitting seeming a hint more feminine and coming from the foxish vision overhead. The other vision, a hint more masculine in tone, but still about as androgynous, emits, "Affairs have taken place from afar, and our brethren have fallen mute. We are unable to clearly hear what has transpired, and, without the aid of you, our dedicated, we will not be able to investigate nor provide aid where needed."
Pausing to let the impact of what they've conveyed sink in for a moment, the visions of light projected overhead look over those present somberly.
Turning her face up towards the images projected, Tova listens intently, and her brow knits. Piecing together the visions from the dreams with what news she'd heard, some assumptions niggled at her mind, but she sorted them aside, waiting to hear what facts could be established before making any true deductions through the crystalline facets of her mind.
Having been one of the first to arrive the rodent settled into a position of sitting on the mossy cobblestone and overlooking each to arrive. If he had to hazard to guess a few probably heeded the call with some link to the proper deities of these scattered shrines. Not to say it wasn’t tempting to dedicate oneself to these strange, supernatural like beings, but being tied to one never felt like the intelligent idea and keep to a monotheistic nature. Each being had some sway or control over what lay within the bubble, and for now these three had something important or event changing to summon those to help. If the city was to be viewed as a working organism these deities were the organs.As the lights started to show and voices rang out together the rat turned to look to the source, hearing what was said it seemed his idea of something being off in the city was not a bad assumption. Looking over the group again and even including himself it may have him wondering just how much desperation was in the air if the simple masses were to be involved, this though was something he lived for and dedicated to in knowing the world and even the supernatural aspects. Not being directly connected Escherr felt he should wait to say anything, least until those that chose to worship such things spoke first having a strong connection.
Edel places her arms together, sleeves linked as she listens to the words from beyond. She had heard mention of the things that happened over-seas. She could only assume that is what was being spoken of. "What would you have us do?" She asks simply, long, fluffy tail sweeping back and forth over the stone in slow, lazy movements. "I am all for another trip to the east, if that is what you wish of us, but more information is always a boon."
Phosphorus was dedicated to naught but her work, but that doesn't prevent her from moving in closer to the center of the group, nodding to familiar faces while the light show started. She shifted her weight a bit to rest in a more comfortable position, passively listening to the voices speak and agents respond, looking towards the ethereal beings with a bit of a quirked eyebrow and tilted ear. She's already trying to piece together what's properly going on, but that doesn't externally show.
Looking up at the light of the sky, feeling the power of something beyond hir, listening to what these inscrutable and powerful beings have to say, Emacs felt speechless, frustrated, and impotent. If gods could not do it, how could anyone? Shi cools down again, resolving itself into certainty, if they want hir and other mortals to help, then they must have some idea that mortals would be better at what they need.
Emacs determines that shi can't really add anything to this conversation yet, if it's not actually just an announcement by a pair of gods in the sky.
Where the world beyond met the world so fettered, Mokou could only look up, wondering for a time. Lights coalessing into form and spectacle, the lass only spent a moment in though, her hand instinctivly running to her comms, flicking it to record. The words that pounded out, echoing through her ears though... they seemed to burn. Their words cut and shod light upon what she'd been digging around through. The history that was shown, the records that were recorded by these... beings. Silent for a long time, but now? Now...
The fennec wrapped her tail about her leg, gazing up at those swirling collection of lights. They were. And they mattered. So when they were silent... When they could not hear something she could but bite her tongue. Something had happened... somewhere beyond where the... the rest could reach. Europe? Where she had heard a few had drawn interest? Japan? The radio was up, but monitored like it was the end times. Suppose it was... "Help... You need our help. To find out... something." A simple question followed, but a single word. "Where?"
After the pause, while questions and queries were voiced, the visions shimmer and pulse, and silence collects over the crowd again. The foxy vision emanates, "Help is indeed needed. Though our influence is presently hindered, we are not without means, but it requires you, the loyal, the curious, to help seek out answers..." and then the dogged figure adds, "We will be openning a way, a means to travel between, for you to pass through to the other... area. There is a point that is still strong enough to our ties there that we can transport you between. We ask that you venture there with care."
"Something of your world, a calamity, has been interfering with the strength of our ties, the paradigm of our connection, affecting your world's 'magic', there, your... machines and affecting the landscape..." the mildly more masculine voice continues before the fox adds in, "What ills that have occurred will undoubtedly still be permeated through where you must explore and investigate. It would be wise to protect yourselves and guard against potential harm. Its nature... we are not familiar with, but you are resourceful, and we trust in your ability to unveil truths to this mystery..." They again fall silent for this all to sink in.
Nodding slowly as she takes in the resonant voices that hum down from the projections, Tova mentally muses and analyzes the information. Whatever calamity had occurred, her mind turning mroe and more towards what had been heard over the radios, it must have changed the landscape, changed how things related and touched the other dimensions, but, more importantly, it had interfered with the nanites, the 'machines' mentioned. There were certainly a couple sources of influence that could hinder, and fewer than that on a broad scale.
Escherr stood some and put his paws within his hoodie pocket looking to the two creatures some and giving a shrug. "Say what you will about us but you are correct, we adapt to many situations. I am all for a road trip though. Always telling myself I need to get out more." It was a bit interesting though trying to come up with what could be worse then what already happened to some places, curiosity nagged at the back of his skull though. Even more concerning was if the machines of this land were weakened or compromised there it would make some things a bit tougher.
Edel nods slowly, bouncing idly on her paws. A trip! Exciting. She was eager. Life had grown dull lately, and this was the kind of adventure she longed for. And for a noble goal, too! "Well, I am ready," she says, patting the sword at her hip. "For whatever comes, be it friend or foe." She roll sher shoulders, tail flicking again. "I will find whatever I can, and I shall return to tell it all!"
Enemy unknown? Ills? Danger? Phosphorus emits a quiet, weary sigh, pulling her rifle up into her hands and checking the magazine. The panda was not a stranger to dealing with unknown threats, but that didn't make it a less difficult task. Not to mention, trusting any sort of arcane transportation system that the supernatural beings would have them use. Whatever they encountered, she only could hope that it could be stopped with conventional means. It'd save them a whole lot of heartache. "Can you tell us anything besides this? Any... fine details?"
Wearing hir nanite power suit under the robes, Emacs was suddenly very aware of it. A sneaking suspicion worked its way into hir head, "Radiation." shi whispered to hirself. The bombs dropped, and the contamination felt acutely by the machines at such fine scales. Shi felt nauseous. The world shi thought was near indestructable was suddenly in jeopardy.
Emacs barely noticed the questions asked, absorbed by hir own concerns.
It took a few moments for Mokou to catch up with what had been said. It was rolled over, and... confussing. some calamity that had broken connection in part with the nature of the beyond. Something that interiered with their... machines and the land. Some cataclysm. Her ears dipped, a quiet question never breaching her lips. The events of what had been created as of late... What had come though the coms... Pieces were put together, but the full story too terrible to consider. What it would imply... Her eyes scoured the crowd... finding a few others queasy. They had seen it too... had heard it...She shook her head. "Very... very well. Where shall this gate be... And when." Not a question. A foregone conclusion.
Assent and questions mingle together in the crowd, a burbling hub-bub that again dies down as the two projections subtly flare, a soft pulse of intensity, and the foxier one emanates, "The portal will reside here, where our tie is strongest..." And, with the abstract light image's motion, poles root in the ground, planting themselves before shooting upwards and growing thick and sturdy. Appearing crossbeams snap into place to create the classical arch. Within the containment of this archway, light blooms and begins to swirl and whorl. Both images flare again, and the light intensifies within teh arch, particles effervescing from the center as it bleeds out, erupting outwards briefly before settling back into place, a flattened spiral saucer of light.
The voices come again, in tandem this time, "... here is the gateway that will cross you to the other place, to where the calamity has struck.. to its fringes where we can still touch strongly. Those who can bring back details and ascertain... the cause and meaning... will be rewarded..." Their emanating voices are a bit more wan from the efforts shown, it seems. "Until then, we leave you to venture... and explore."
With her eyes growing wide, Tova watches the display of the extradimensional powers manifesting before them all, a clear proof of some of what they are capable of. As the projections fade from view, the Dusk Dragon looks around at the others present to ensure she wasn't the only witness to this.
Escherr whistles some to the display. "Impressive fanfare, then again wouldn't expect any less" Giving a bit of a chitter and chuckling some as he looked around to the group seeing many doubting faces, well except the overly excitable one. "Come on now stop looking like we are attending a funeral. Not every day we get asked by gods. Just think if survive may get something nice." Shrugging off most of the worries, little to do when you are in a worry. "Besides if hide and turn tail who says whatever is there won’t come here."
"Ah... Radiation." Edel murmurs, ears twitching when someone else mentions it. She never thought about that. Did the place get blasted? That would be unfortunate. And here the tanuki priestess was hoping the whatever happened over seas was some kind of magical rejoining the planes- Or something grandiose of that nature. Oh, she'd have loved that. "Wishful thinking, I suppose," she mutters to herself. "Some extra precautions will need to be made." The display of a portal itself was pretty, but not exactly new to her. Not enough to pull her out of other thoughts, at least.
"Once more, unto the breach." Phosphorus mutters, watching the rapid construction of the arch with a bit of a raised eyebrow, observing the activation of the gateway with a sigh. Nothing suprises her anymore, not now in the world in which rapid construction is the norm, rather than the exception. Radiation was... unfortunate, and she did have a suit of the nanite power armor, though she would prefer not to wear it. That is, if it even was radiation. The panda starts walking towards the portal, intending to just get closer, but not necessarily go through.
Looking at the portal, Emacs put up the hood and helmet of hir nanite power suit and enters. Uncertain of the what lies beyond the threshold,but absolutely certain that it will be interesting. Hoping it will not be the charnel house shi expects. Maybe the gods are just asleep, but shi knows that the odds are not in hir favor.
A planar rift of sorts. Mokou couldn't help but let a slight chuckle fall from her lips. How not months ago she'd call it impossible. Now though? Now it simply made her wonder how long till Zephyr would make money off it. It swirled and cast strange shadows... the lass simply moving slowly closer. A grim facination pulled at her, ideas she dare not entertain bubbling just beneath the surface of her mind. But... if the beyond was anything like here... Her muzzle fixed itself in a steady, sturdy expression. Flat. Bland. She slowly weaved her way through the crowd, at least thankful for her stature in that regards.. Before slowly looking up at the arch. "Torii. Classical, without the second beam," she murmured, a slight sigh falling from her lips. "What a strange... new world..." A curse lobbied at the one who held a grip upon her as she stood there... At the threshold.
Spying the fellow clad in the Nanite Power Armor entering into teh portal, Tova purses her lips and looks around, seeing at least another approaching it. She calls over towards the panda, "Careful... that one at least pushed through wearing something to guard against potential ill environs, like water, gas, and any number of unknown variables... do you really want to pass through just yet without protection after being warned by the powers that be?" She heads up to the portal itself, standing besides it, looking at those that might approach.
Escherr moved about and approched the portal and stared up at it, almost tempted to touch the light show of the portal. "Personally I don't have any of the gear to gaurd against such problems." Ears twitching to the comment about the powers that be and motions around some "They seem done talking, or could of warned us without anything cryptic. Wouldn't send us into danger wihtout knowing right?" Giving a shurg some knowing many would just to watch the common folk slip up. Taking out a cigarette and taking a drag on it. "Fuck it I like to gamble" Moving to step through.
Edel eyes the portal for a moment, and those two heading within. "While I might like to gamble from time to time, not with my body. And while I might be incredibly curious to see what's on the other side... I would like to make sure it is either safe, or that I have proper protection first. While I love leaving bubbles, I tend to avoid... Ah, radiation."
"Yes, yes, I just need to get the suit on first... I know they're climate controlled and all, but I still hate wearing them." Phosphorus grumbles. She typically wears the base "armor" without the helmet due to the minor strength benefit it confers, but wearing a piece of insulated headgear is... detrimental to awareness. At least, in her opinion, it is. She rummages the helmet from her pack, placing it over her head and starting to check seals. The panda glances up over at the agents entering the portal already, shaking her head. Not how you conduct an assault.
Mokou looked slowly up to the swirling spiral of light. The portal that was to be.. an adventure. The fennec lass glanced back, her ears flickering at the dragon lass whom warned those whom entered. A sigh fell from her, before she shook her head, "You are right. We don't know what is past this, nor what will be beyond untill we try. And besides.." A sigh fell from her lips as she shrugs, "You don't know when one of the other people will come along, and try to close this, or shut it down. And... perhaps... it may close on its own." A slow shake of her head, the lass gesturing closer to the portal. "So for now...?" She shot a sad smile, walking quietly closer, moving up to the portal. A wash of strange... peculiar... sensations? Feeling? She couldn't tell. Only brushing past... Through.
On behalf of her Patron, Nekomata, Maya has shown up. Unlike the last time, she's actually prepared for some danger, being clad in the form fitting nanite power armor that makes her look quite robotic from the outside. She purrs softly. "So this is the portal Oka-sama told me about." She looks about for familiar faces, hoping to meet someone before she takes the leap through the portal.
Letting out a soft sigh when the individual doesn't head the warnings of deities and peers alike and simply goes in without protection, Tova heeds her own warnings and pulls out her own rudimentary nanite power armor and slips into it, fastening and securing before sealing the helmet overtop. She looks about before she, too, slips through the portal.
Edel rolls her shoulders, offering a wave to Maya as she starts to suit up, herself. It takes her a few moments to squeeze into it all, and then her nanomagic reforms an... Approximation of her robe over it. More as decoration than anything. Can't go off to new lands looking like a brute. When that's all done, she turns and starts for the portal.
The portal seems to have a consistency akin to watery gelatin. As figures enter, the most eager and or brazen, it's as if they are sucked into the congealing light, encased within. Though some may have entered sooner, their arrival is fairly simultaneous, passing through the portal's exit-point in the same stride they'd entered with, as if the transition had never happened. To most, there's nothing different about the feel due to their suits, but, to Escherr, a sense of nausea strikes almost immediately. Something akin to fire-ants crawling along his skin, a permeating heat that bubbles at the surface moves through his body. This is not pleasant at all, and it doesn't seem like it's going to stop or be adjusted to!
The scenery is that of a modern Japanese shrine's Zen garden, though visual details show that there's an ill effect, here. Browning a whithering combined with singe marks on the terrain allude to the effects of fallout and still-permeating radiation, though on the outermost fringes.
Tova takes a look over the shrine's grounds and back over the hill's cliff, across the landscape, and she telecomms to nearby comms, "Are you all seeing this?" except the signal is a bit staticy and garbled.
Escherr not having the same protection he could feel that watery gelatin consistency of the portal, it was strange to say the least. Then hit with a sickness that made him rest a bit against the portals outlining pillars trying to work with it, more sheer will then anything. "Well god are assholes" Trying to chuckle some, all the power they show and can't offer some sort of defense. He went this far and is already affected, not having a suit though it seems a bit pointless to turn back and miss out. Leaning back against the pillar some though he looked over the land, having seen art of these sort of places before well this. While affected tree petals almost were an eerie beauty.
"This is lovely," Edel comments, stroking her chin as she takes notes. Though her tea house is supposed to be more Chinese inspired... Well. These days, who would tell the difference? "A pity what has happened to it all... I wonder why..." She taps the side of her helmet in thought, looking around. "Well! So much for my hope of moving out here. Maybe we can get a door to China or something, later."
Much of what's said while wearing hte helmet is garbled due to the intererence.
Angry beeping starts to emit from some part of Phosphorus' suit, her dosimeter rather insistently trying to get her attention, the panda fiddling with it for a second to mute the device. She opens comms, notes how the radio signal is clearly rather incomprehensible, and instead approaches Tova and calmly places her helmet visor against the dragon's. "Try doing this, instead, if you need to talk to someone." Her tired voice is definitely more clear than the scrambled radio, but the conduction of dome to dome produces an odd distortion effect. "Do you have a dosimeter? Or a geiger counter? Anything of the sort?"
Maya lands outside the portal, blinking a bit. "Rather pretty." She says to no one in particular. "Eerie, though." She moves to join the female tanuki she recognized from earlier. Of course, she's just going to stick to investigation for now. She shivers a bit, tapping the tanuki on the shoulder. "Do you know this place?"
Looking around at the rest of the party, shi was surprised shi wasn't the first. Emacs looks at the scenery. "Hmm, this is too bad. This must have been such a pretty place" Shi says. "I wasn't aware there were nanites in Japan. They aren't taking this very well."
There's still life though, even though it is withered, suffering an awful time, there is life. Emacs believes that this means that there's reason to hope that this place will recover.
Emacs looks at the unarmored Escher with some concern, "You should go home, this place will kill you, maybe not though, maybe there are still things alive here."
Tova, too, turns towards Escherr, seeing his state. She doesn't ask, though, she does. Moving over to where he leans, she tries to forceably push him back through the portal.
Escherr swats a bit at the arm trying to do so and not having the bulky armor helped his mobility to slip past. Waving off the cocern some or those that look to him. "Just like a bad hangover" Giving a grimicing grin as held his stomach some and moved to walk near the tree. It seemed communcation was limited due to the effect so when he spoke it was most likely to no one. Getting closer some and touching at the tree a bit "It took awhile to fully effect the area and while sick and altered the tree was not dead. This effect had to only be recent in effects. Though rather then stay around he looked about looking for more green, perhapse not the entire area was effected.
Edel looks towards Maya and leans over, getting closer in an approximation of Phosphorus' suggestion. "I do not," she replies. "I am from China, not Japan. This is my first time being here, since I wouldn't count Tanuki's realm as Japan." She returns her attention to the area, ears flicking under her helmet. "Shall we get to searching, then?"
Phosphorus glances at Escherr, before just shaking her head and moving on. Since it was pretty clear that there was no need to expect any hostile beings to jump out and attack them, the panda clicks the safety selector back into place on her rifle and moves it off to the side, letting it hang from straps to the side. Beginning to search the area for signs of anything interesting, she takes a glance back at the others to make sure they're actually, you know, coming. The area is as alien to her as everyone else, but hopefully a keen eye will make up for deficiencies in the other department.
Emacs nods at the suggestion that they look around.
Clearly the Kitsune and the Tanuki have some idea of what we're looking for, shi thinks, we don't though. Shi puts hir head close to the others, "So where to?"
Maya nods. "Searching sounds good." She starts poking her head around, wondering what might be around here as she tries to see if any of the nearby buildings or alcoves have inhabitants that might be persuaded to help fill them in.
The Dusk Dragon gives a shake of her head. If the fellow had a deathwish, so be it. Her kind valued clarity of mind, and this one had obviously made a clear decision.. a wrong decision, but it was clear it wasn't under duress or influence outside his own machinations. She motions to the others with a thumb up, since the comms wren't functioning right to translate words well enough to make out in the garble.
As they start to investigate, several figures exit out from the shrine proper, the activity of their presence having drawn attention to... what looks to be partially-mutated figures.
The mutants don't seem to pose too much of a problem for the prepared group, though Escherr's swiftly getting worse and worse, the nausea increasing, exhasperated by the conflict. The mutants flee after the bout seems to have them at a disadvantage, and, on inspecting those who've been knocked out, their bodies are unevenly mutated. Some are more human in one spot or another, and the forms of their infections aren't like most seen in Fairhaven.
Tova straightens after examining one of them, and she hefts the figure, shouldering the unconscious form. With hand gestures, she motions towards the portal and at herself. Through the visor of her helmet, she scowls at Escherr and pointedly points at him before thumbing back at the portal, but she shrugs, whether he does or not before heading back to bring the findings over to the other side.
