metamods: (Default)
meta moderators ([personal profile] metamods) wrote in [community profile] metalogs2022-04-30 09:57 pm

APRIL CONFLUENCE





APRIL CONFLUENCE

It comes to the precogs in a flash: On APRIL 26th, a confluence will occur in Little Love. Any available metahumans are requested to take a trip to the tiny town and stand guard.

Just as it has the previous four times, an OMINOUS STORM rolls in. Thunder booms and a bolt of lightning crashes into the field below.... but nobody falls from the sky. In fact, nothing weird at all seems to happen. The storm runs its course and in the end, the night is uneventful. The metas standing guard are left wet, cold, and frustrated.

THE ALLIANCE and THE SOCIETY do a thorough sweep but seem to decide everything is fine. Confluences appear to be winding down once again and all breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

Yet unknown to them, the new arrivals have come through… but this time rather than crashing into the ground, the lightning strike has EMBEDDED THEM deep, deep beneath the ground.

The following morning, the residents of Little Love are stunned to find their FRESHLY PLANTED POTATO SEED has reached full maturity overnight. Curious and wary, one brave farmer wades into the towering stalks to investigate the potential cause. She fails to come back out.

A little later into the week, one disappearance has become dozens. The Alliance receives a call stating that SOMETHING has been calling to the townspeople in the crop field. Anyone who sets foot in it doesn’t seem to be coming back out, and the town is small enough as it is already. 

Once again, you’re asked to go INVESTIGATE.



HARVEST —


Nothing seems off about the fields at first. But a thermal scan reveals just where the missing farmers have gone - they’re IN THE GROUND. Alive, but appearing to be in a deep state of slumber.

And you, new arrival, have been PLANTED right beside them. You may remember a fleeting glimpse of the world rushing by, but that now feels like a bad dream. You’re having a much nicer one down here, surrounded by all your brothers and sisters.  You can HEAR THEIR VOICES in the back of your mind, compelling you to stay here with them forever. The earth around you is like a warm embrace. Why would you ever want to leave it?  Your body will feed it and give your brethren strength. 

Some of you may snap awake at that particular thought. You begin to desperately CLAWING YOUR WAY UP. Your hand breaks the surface and someone screams at the zombie, but someone else is there to quickly grasp your hand and yank you up and out. There are THIN WHITE ROOTS all over you - easily torn off, but unsettling all the same.


PRUNING THE GARDEN



Your captors do not appreciate their garden being invaded. And for every person that’s pulled out of the ground, A MASSIVE POTATO the size of a large dog is disturbed and springs free. They don't appreciate being woken up. 

These YOUNG SPROUTS are full of piss and vinegar, ready to fight anyone who comes too close to their nesting grounds. Others are eager to return to the soil, and keen on adding to the collective by taking you with them.

Meanwhile, the remnants of last fall’s harvest appear to have adopted a persona not unlike that of a SENIOR DOG. They want to be left alone and will lash out at any of these whippersnappers intruding on their space. You may find an unlikely ally in a particularly CRANKY SPUD.  If you're patient, kind, and maybe a little off-kilter (who are we to judge), you can try to ADOPT one of the SENIOR POTATO MONSTERS. Good luck?


ALIEN CAVERN —


For those of you unfortunate enough to be pulled into the earth, you’re in luck - the potatoes seem to be overestimating how much room they have to work with. The next thing you know you’re falling through the CEILING OF A CAVERN, splashing into a shallow glowing river.

There’s NO WAY OUT, and even if you're able to fly, the hole above you appears to have sealed itself up.

Your mouth is full of dirt. Perhaps you feel compelled to DRINK THE WATER to clear it, or perhaps you swallowed a mouthful as you hit the ground. Regardless, swallow any of the glowing water you’ll BEGIN TO GLOW as well.  You’ll also become keenly attuned to the nature in this cavern. You’re probably a little stoned, but your senses tell you all of the organic material appears to possess a RUDIMENTARY SAPIENCE

Follow the stream to its source and you’ll find an impressive piece of ALIEN TECHNOLOGY. It’s difficult to discern exactly what it does, but as its surrounding area is surrounded by exotic looking plants you guess it may be some sort of TERRAFORMING MACHINE. It looks like the bolt of lightning caused it to go haywire and its pushing energy out into the fields, trying to terraform the planet into whatever its now warped parameters tell it to. A VISCOUS BLUE LIQUID is leaking from the tank and into the water supply. And you may feel regrets about drinking that.

Bring it offline. Once the machine has shut down, the POTATO-BEASTS abruptly crash through the ceiling and burrow through the ground underneath your feet. Your rescuers look down at you through these massive holes and as the sunlight strikes your skin, FLOWERS begin to bloom all over your body.

Someone makes a reluctant call to HQ and tells them to prep the medical team.


AFTERMATH —

RETURN TO HQ



After the potato beasts are taken care of (or adopted?) and the chaos from the strange underground Confluence abates, the guild places a call back to headquarters to bring everyone back with a teleportation spell. The spell reaches out for whatever metahumans it can find in the area and pulls.

All the metahumans who were involved in the Confluence — new arrivals and old — to a white training space that has already transformed into a luxurious waiting room. Everyone present receives a cellphone.

Atomight isn't there in the flesh this time, but there is a broadcast over the network to those stuck at HQ:

Thank you for your help out there. We would like to issue an apology for the way you arrived here. To those of you grappling with your new abilities, please rest assured that this room will give you a much needed reprieve. We have staff on site who can work with you to gain control of you new abilities, and nullifiers if you find it's still too much.

You are the fourth set of newly powered individuals this confluence has brought. To those of you who have been flung far from home, we'll put you in connection with the others. Many of them are here today and can advise you of what your new reality is.

We of the Guardian Alliance are committed to doing everything we can to get you home, and to give you some time to get your feet under you. And as this may be your home for a while longer, I wish to formally extend an invitation to those of you who wish to use your powers to defend the innocent to join us.


Once everyone gathered has been looked over and attended to they're directed to:


THE DIADEM



As always, there is space aplenty for new arrivals in the DIADEM HOTEL. (Though there's a lot of you now, so you'll definitely be matched with a ROOMMATE, possibly at random.)

The Diadem Hotel is a luxury hotel usually reserved for the obscenely wealthy. Its rooms are enormous, the beds quite literally enchanted to offer the perfect night's sleep, and the food would usually cost your life savings just to sample. But don't worry! Everything is COMPLIMENTARY, and everyone gets an Alliance credit card to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards appear to have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back.

You might get approached by GUILD REPRESENTATIVES and invited to join. Depending on your character's actions during the Confluence crisis, they might get approached by one guild and not the other. Recruiters are charming and personable, talking up the perks of being in the Guilds (see more on our FAQ and GUILDS pages). They won't be harassing anyone, but a "no, thank you" might be returned with a "think it over" and offer of a calling card. Be careful, though. You only have TWO MONTHS to join a guild and secure guild housing. If you don't join one or the other, you'll be on your own. Oh well. Live it up while you can, right?


IN SUMMARY...

  • NEW ARRIVALS arrive in LITTLE LOVE during a storm. At first, the Confluence escapes notice, as these arrivals arrive UNDER THE GROUND.

  • At first, sleeping arrivals may feel compelled to STAY underground with their newfound root brethren. Eventually, they realise the error of that thinking and CRAWL OUT OF THE GROUND like freaky plant zombies, covered in roots. "Get this stuff off of me!"

  • MUTANT POTATO-BEASTS also crawl out of the ground with arrivals! You may be able to make an UNLIKELY ALLIANCE with one of these creatures and even take it home with you!

  • Those PULLED INTO THE EARTH can explore an ALIEN CAVERN completely with glowing, questionable water. Arrivals need to shut down an ALIEN TERRAFORMING MACHINE before being rescued by farmers and potato-beasts. Delicious(?).

  • As always, new arrivals will later be transported either to GUILD HQ or the DIADEM HOTEL. Enjoy your new guild perks for the next two months! Decide to join a guild (or not)! Pluck that last stray potato root off yourself and meet your fellow potatoes arrivals.

  • Ask any mod questions HERE.
batricide: (IMG_0180)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't want to get into it.

[ ... ]
fledges: (pic#13650809)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hm. That's not exactly comforting.]

...You're kind of starting to worry me, Damian.
batricide: (IMG_0180)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ........... ]

I'll tell you later, alright? After we get the hell out of here.
fledges: (091)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay.

[But she's going to hold him to that. She jerks a thumb down the tunnel in front of them.]

Let's hope there's an opening somewhere.
batricide: (pic#13105163)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Please. Neither of us are that lucky.
fledges: (103)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I've gotta be the optimist for both of us, huh? Come on.

[And with that, she sets off down the tunnel, still following the glow of the stream.]
batricide: (pic#13105163)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 09:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ he tromps alongside her. taking a few moments to really take stock of himself. right. the arm. he had an arm back home, lost the arm in new amsterdam... and the arm here is lost. kind of maybe a little sized up with dirt, too. ]

I'm just saying, the universe reuniting us at all has probably used up all the luck we have.
fledges: (pic#12597061)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ah, there's that sinking feeling, just like when she realized she'd somehow been missing for months and remembered none of it. She glances up at him sharply.]

What are you talking about? We were just together.
batricide: (IMG_0179)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ... ah. ]

... No. You disappeared a while back. [ ... ] And I was sent back home.
fledges: (085)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kate's pace slows unconsciously.]

...Oh.

[Just like the last time, huh? That dread only ratchets up, but she asks anyway.]

How long has it been?
batricide: (pic#13105162)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ......... ]

I don't know. I disappeared a little while after you did... We woke back up on the moon. A few months, at least.
fledges: (011)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[That only ratchets up the dread, but Kate tries to shove it down. She slows instead, sloshing into the water to stop in front of him. Her hands go out again, but this time, instead of touching his arms they just... Hover, close but not quite, as she peers up into his face.]

I'm sorry. I must have seemed like such a jerk, acting all nonchalant about it.
batricide: (Second thing second)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-08 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ... ]

No.

[ if anyone here is the jerk? it's him. ]

Given... [ he clears his throat, looking away. ] Given how I treated you, I'm surprised you wanted to talk at all.
fledges: (075)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-08 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[Her eyebrows go up at that, expression plainly curious.]

What do you mean by that?

[She's absolutely gotten frustrated with him more than once, especially when she felt she was being shut out, but she doesn't want to make assumptions here.]
batricide: (pic#13105164)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ god.

he'll just... keep walking. so he doesn't have to look at her while he talks. it gives him a chance to not just say the first thing that comes to mind. ]


After my arm. [ ... ] I didn't blame you for it. Not that you would've been able to tell from how I was acting.
fledges: (072)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-09 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh. That.

Kate follows again, but this time her eyes drop to the stream, following the way the glow shifts with the current.]


I know. But it was stupid of me, sticking my nose in like that.

[Which isn't a thing she admits often, but she still can't forget the consequences. The details are too vivid.]
batricide: (pic#13095525)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
You were trying to help.

[ he glances back at her, frowning, then back ahead. ]

I was desensitized to trauma like this a long time ago. This isn't the first time part of me has been destroyed and needed to be replaced by something artificial or unwillingly donated. As soon as I had a replacement I was over it. [ his frown deepens. ] ... but you had no way of knowing that. I shut you out. And ignored that you were going through your own problems because of it.
fledges: (085)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-09 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
[He did shut her out, it's true, and she's torn between relief at him finally admitting it and the way her stomach twists at that statement.]

Were you really over it? You say things like that, and I can't tell. Are you used to it, or do you just feel like you need to be used to it?
batricide: (pic#13105163)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ silence. nothing but their footsteps echoing through the caverns. ]

I wasn't over her getting one over on me. [ its true. ] But being physically hurt that has never bothered me. Most of my organs have been replaced. I had to be fitted with experimental technology to walk again when I was ten. It might bother me when the arm needs to come off, but as long as I have the replacement, I don't even notice it's gone.
fledges: (pic#12597061)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-09 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
[It takes Kate a moment to respond too, turning that over in her mind. It's such a foreign way of thinking to her that it's hard to understand, but she tries. He's being honest, clearly. Honest in a way that she usually has to drag out of him, actually.]

...Is that what you were so angry about? That she got one over on you?
batricide: (pic#13105162)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ this kind of honesty is... hard.

easier than it was when they first met, but still.. hard. yet if coming to blows with kara has taught him anything, it's that these half-truths are as disgusting as the outright lies his father tells. ]


... She made me feel helpless. That was her goal.
fledges: (108)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-09 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
I get it. I felt helpless, too.

[Not in the same way, sure, but—]

All I wanted was for you to tell me how you were feeling.
batricide: (pic#13095525)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ a short laugh. it sounds tired. ]

I don't know if you picked up on this, but being forthcoming isn't exactly my forte.
fledges: (022)

[personal profile] fledges 2022-05-09 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
You're good at hiding it.

[She says, all gentle sarcasm.]

It's okay. I'm glad you're telling me now. It means a lot to me.
batricide: (Second thing second)

[personal profile] batricide 2022-05-09 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ another laugh. maybe slightly more genuine. her words hang in the air for a minute as he grapples with himself.

he's not a believer in fate. he thinks most gods are smug, arrogant assholes who exist to make mortals suffer.

but.

he stops short. turning to look at her. ]


You... mean a lot to me.

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-09 03:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-16 01:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-16 02:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-16 03:18 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-16 05:23 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-16 22:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-16 23:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-16 23:48 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-16 23:53 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 01:12 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 02:23 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 02:47 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 03:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 03:57 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 04:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 04:11 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 04:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 04:31 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 04:38 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 05:03 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 05:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 05:14 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 05:16 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 05:28 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 05:28 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 06:10 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 06:16 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 07:28 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 15:41 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 15:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 16:14 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] batricide - 2022-05-17 16:30 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] fledges - 2022-05-17 16:36 (UTC) - Expand