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sinfucks2025-02-27 09:29 pm
synfluxmods) wrote in sinfucks2025-02-27 09:29 pm
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TEST DRIVE #9
TEST DRIVE #9
▶ 001. ARRIVAL / CAFETERIA. (KYOTO BASE)
It happens in the blink of an eye, a dash of time – you're taken from where you were. What you were doing... it isn't important anymore, and slowly, you give up the desire of your normal life. When you awaken, figures are looking down on you from a surgical table.
"Yeah, this one will do; let's take them to the rest." That's all you see before losing consciousness again, only to wake up in a pod with many others.
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, as I'm sure you will have many," a female, robotic voice says.
Just then, you regain consciousness in a pool of stasis liquid along many others. You realize you are underground. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.
When the pool mostly drains of its liquid, each Outsider will find themselves in what appears to be a large pool of some sort; they are underground. The base in Kyoto isn’t fully equipped with individual pods, and so the newly arrived will find themselves in a tangle of limbs, or depending on when they wake, utterly alone in this vast space. While normally they arrive in their undergarments, there is a chance that they could arrive totally nude due to lack of resources in Kyoto. Those who are not nude, however, may find themselves in whatever undergarments LILITH could provide for them at the time. Maybe it's something basic and simple like whitey tighties, or something saucy like a lingerie set, maybe matching Hello Kitty bra and panties. When they fully regain their bearings, they will be ushered into the medical bay space right across from the stasis pool, in which several grey LILITH-issued yukata will be prepared for them.
If a character has any accessibility needs, they will be found here. It's about then they will feel a sharp pain at the back of their eyes, almost like there’s a foreign body lodged on the inside of their head. This pain will subside quickly as their body adapts to the changes, but there will always be a sensation of something being not quite right; that their bodies have been changed forever. They would be correct in thinking that. In the stasis pool, all Outsiders have been surgically fitted with ocular and brain implants that will enable them to communicate with LILITH and the rest of the crew, as well as providing them the information they require. Almost like a computer screen has been loaded into their brains, they will see a loading screen as the implant completes its download. A questionnaire will then pop up, waiting for their answer. A voice, robotic and feminine, will also read along in their brain for them.
█ █ █ LOADING COMPLETE … BEGIN ORIENTATION …
The system will give Outsiders one chance to provide a truthful answer and choose their username and civilian identity. Should they refuse to cooperate, the implant will download the answer directly from their brain (and give them a username or civilian name against their will). This questionnaire will then be posted on the network for all to view and reply to. Almost like an ice-breaker, if you will. LILITH wants all their newest recruits to learn about each other! Also, current Outsiders will see that their Syndata Files are now accessible for all to see. (If you would like your Syndata file to be private for some reason, just assume it is inaccessible for some reason.)
Outsiders will receive a quick brief about their situation: they will be told that the year is 2279 and they have been taken to Neo Tokyo, one of the last bastions of mankind in a world terrorized by various Kaiju and monsters. Only a third of the population remains, and LILITH has gathered talented people from other dimensions here as a last ditch effort to save humanity. Outsiders are free to continue asking LILITH questions through their implant, but there’s no guarantee that they will provide them with a straight answer …
Outsiders will also notice an implant in their dominant wrist. This implant has a barcode in it that will enable them to purchase goods from the local stores in Neo Tokyo. They will receive a starting balance of 15,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 100), which is barely enough for a few good meals, groceries, and supplies. They can view their current balance through a hologram window projected by their ocular implant.
The mess hall at this base is on the surface level; not underground, and while larger, it does have a lot of empty space that still needs to be fitted in. The kitchen can be seen and one or two robots are busy stirring pots and preparing the dishes. The current offerings are a spicy turtle soup and deep fried vegetables roots that have been cultivated at this base in Kyoto. Not all the veggies used are a hit, some more pungent than others. There also seems to be several mystery meat dishes for those who wish to explore a new culinary world. Some are made as lab meats, and some most definitely come from smaller kaiju, but nobody needs to know that. Additionally, as only so much robotic staff could be brought over at a time, and since most are being used to rebuild parts of this base and the one in Tokyo— Outsiders will also be encouraged to make their own food. The recipes will all be made available on their oculars, but considering these meats come from various sources, they’re not all guaranteed to be tasty.
Someone else is here to check in with the newcomers; none other than Dr. Spim, the lead medical doctor here. A genius in an adorable, cat-sized body.
"Yeah, this one will do; let's take them to the rest." That's all you see before losing consciousness again, only to wake up in a pod with many others.
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, as I'm sure you will have many," a female, robotic voice says.
Just then, you regain consciousness in a pool of stasis liquid along many others. You realize you are underground. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.
When the pool mostly drains of its liquid, each Outsider will find themselves in what appears to be a large pool of some sort; they are underground. The base in Kyoto isn’t fully equipped with individual pods, and so the newly arrived will find themselves in a tangle of limbs, or depending on when they wake, utterly alone in this vast space. While normally they arrive in their undergarments, there is a chance that they could arrive totally nude due to lack of resources in Kyoto. Those who are not nude, however, may find themselves in whatever undergarments LILITH could provide for them at the time. Maybe it's something basic and simple like whitey tighties, or something saucy like a lingerie set, maybe matching Hello Kitty bra and panties. When they fully regain their bearings, they will be ushered into the medical bay space right across from the stasis pool, in which several grey LILITH-issued yukata will be prepared for them.
If a character has any accessibility needs, they will be found here. It's about then they will feel a sharp pain at the back of their eyes, almost like there’s a foreign body lodged on the inside of their head. This pain will subside quickly as their body adapts to the changes, but there will always be a sensation of something being not quite right; that their bodies have been changed forever. They would be correct in thinking that. In the stasis pool, all Outsiders have been surgically fitted with ocular and brain implants that will enable them to communicate with LILITH and the rest of the crew, as well as providing them the information they require. Almost like a computer screen has been loaded into their brains, they will see a loading screen as the implant completes its download. A questionnaire will then pop up, waiting for their answer. A voice, robotic and feminine, will also read along in their brain for them.
█ █ █ LOADING COMPLETE … BEGIN ORIENTATION …
Name:
Username:
Civilian Identity:
Age:
Species:
Origin:
Blood Type:
Syndata File: 🎉 NOW PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE 🎉
Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?
The system will give Outsiders one chance to provide a truthful answer and choose their username and civilian identity. Should they refuse to cooperate, the implant will download the answer directly from their brain (and give them a username or civilian name against their will). This questionnaire will then be posted on the network for all to view and reply to. Almost like an ice-breaker, if you will. LILITH wants all their newest recruits to learn about each other! Also, current Outsiders will see that their Syndata Files are now accessible for all to see. (If you would like your Syndata file to be private for some reason, just assume it is inaccessible for some reason.)
Outsiders will receive a quick brief about their situation: they will be told that the year is 2279 and they have been taken to Neo Tokyo, one of the last bastions of mankind in a world terrorized by various Kaiju and monsters. Only a third of the population remains, and LILITH has gathered talented people from other dimensions here as a last ditch effort to save humanity. Outsiders are free to continue asking LILITH questions through their implant, but there’s no guarantee that they will provide them with a straight answer …
Outsiders will also notice an implant in their dominant wrist. This implant has a barcode in it that will enable them to purchase goods from the local stores in Neo Tokyo. They will receive a starting balance of 15,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 100), which is barely enough for a few good meals, groceries, and supplies. They can view their current balance through a hologram window projected by their ocular implant.
The mess hall at this base is on the surface level; not underground, and while larger, it does have a lot of empty space that still needs to be fitted in. The kitchen can be seen and one or two robots are busy stirring pots and preparing the dishes. The current offerings are a spicy turtle soup and deep fried vegetables roots that have been cultivated at this base in Kyoto. Not all the veggies used are a hit, some more pungent than others. There also seems to be several mystery meat dishes for those who wish to explore a new culinary world. Some are made as lab meats, and some most definitely come from smaller kaiju, but nobody needs to know that. Additionally, as only so much robotic staff could be brought over at a time, and since most are being used to rebuild parts of this base and the one in Tokyo— Outsiders will also be encouraged to make their own food. The recipes will all be made available on their oculars, but considering these meats come from various sources, they’re not all guaranteed to be tasty.
Someone else is here to check in with the newcomers; none other than Dr. Spim, the lead medical doctor here. A genius in an adorable, cat-sized body.
"So sorry about the weird question, but because of the previous damage done to the NEO TOKYO BASE, SYNTHIA has been acting kind of funny lately. Apologies for that. We are working quickly to fix her so she can return to purrfect operation."
▶ 002. KYOTO: THE BASE.
The Kyoto base was originally built as part of a large temple and its smaller structures, blending into a traditional yet modern building. As a result, it has all of the fixtures one may find in a temple, including several tori, as well as other areas of quiet meditation. If it weren’t so overgrown, a lot of the sights could have been considered idyllic at one point.
While Outsiders were encouraged to go to the bunkers after the mess of Tokyo, they are now offered a space within the base in Kyoto, as well. Though, the catch is that they have to help rebuild it. While the robots have been quick to rebuild the most important parts of the building, including the area for the giant stasis pool, a barebones research facility, the mess hall, and some rooms, it’s clear it’s still a work in progress. As mentioned, it has some area underground, such as the stasis pool and medical room.
The rooms available are designed as a traditional washitsu, where there are tatami floors, and futons to sleep on. As not all the rooms have been prepared yet, Outsiders will also be required to room up during their stays in Kyoto, unless they prefer to travel between the Tokyo bunkers. Each room can hold a maximum of three (3) people, four (4) if they push their floor futons very, very close.
The main temple ground is currently being retrofitted into a training ground. While there is no simulation room, they do have hologram options in which characters are able to choose to fight with several different kaiju, as well as general soldiers, and they’re even able to link memories from their oculars to fight against– whether this be an enemy from their respective home worlds, or otherwise. The only issue is that their powers haven’t been scaled yet, so enemies which seem weak, can be strong, and vice versa. LILITH also wants to be sure Outsiders get as much practice as needed, even without the simulation rooms, and so all manner of futuristic weapons will be offered to play around with.
While many have been made familiar with certain spaces at the base, including the mess hall, or the medical bay, there will also be a general map of the rest of the base, and Outsiders are free to explore those freely. Just like with the bunkers, there are communal baths, and even a library. Most of the reading offered here are of older texts, but there will be some books that were on base that may have been moved sometime between last year. They may have even mistakenly put up books salvaged from the base that may be personal items, whether that is a diary, notebook, or even doujinshi that Outsiders could have been keeping. Surely some of these doujinshi don't look like you, right?
Getting settled is priority number one, however one glaring issue will be made apparent during the initial week of them moving onto the base in Kyoto. The monks who were residing nearby, or even utilizing the abandoned temple spaces on the outskirts of the base, all seem to have issues with the Outsiders being there. As such, LILITH hopes to offer them assistance in exchange for giving up those areas. Monks will be asking Outsiders for help with numerous tasks, and are allowed to call upon any Outsider they see— whether they need them to clean some of the halls of their own living spaces, or even to help cultivate plants nearby. Some may even ask them to put on a performance appropriate for their cultural celebrations. It’s never too late to learn something new! On the bright side, in two weeks time, they will (probably) be out of everyone’s hair, right?
While Outsiders were encouraged to go to the bunkers after the mess of Tokyo, they are now offered a space within the base in Kyoto, as well. Though, the catch is that they have to help rebuild it. While the robots have been quick to rebuild the most important parts of the building, including the area for the giant stasis pool, a barebones research facility, the mess hall, and some rooms, it’s clear it’s still a work in progress. As mentioned, it has some area underground, such as the stasis pool and medical room.
The rooms available are designed as a traditional washitsu, where there are tatami floors, and futons to sleep on. As not all the rooms have been prepared yet, Outsiders will also be required to room up during their stays in Kyoto, unless they prefer to travel between the Tokyo bunkers. Each room can hold a maximum of three (3) people, four (4) if they push their floor futons very, very close.
The main temple ground is currently being retrofitted into a training ground. While there is no simulation room, they do have hologram options in which characters are able to choose to fight with several different kaiju, as well as general soldiers, and they’re even able to link memories from their oculars to fight against– whether this be an enemy from their respective home worlds, or otherwise. The only issue is that their powers haven’t been scaled yet, so enemies which seem weak, can be strong, and vice versa. LILITH also wants to be sure Outsiders get as much practice as needed, even without the simulation rooms, and so all manner of futuristic weapons will be offered to play around with.
While many have been made familiar with certain spaces at the base, including the mess hall, or the medical bay, there will also be a general map of the rest of the base, and Outsiders are free to explore those freely. Just like with the bunkers, there are communal baths, and even a library. Most of the reading offered here are of older texts, but there will be some books that were on base that may have been moved sometime between last year. They may have even mistakenly put up books salvaged from the base that may be personal items, whether that is a diary, notebook, or even doujinshi that Outsiders could have been keeping. Surely some of these doujinshi don't look like you, right?
Getting settled is priority number one, however one glaring issue will be made apparent during the initial week of them moving onto the base in Kyoto. The monks who were residing nearby, or even utilizing the abandoned temple spaces on the outskirts of the base, all seem to have issues with the Outsiders being there. As such, LILITH hopes to offer them assistance in exchange for giving up those areas. Monks will be asking Outsiders for help with numerous tasks, and are allowed to call upon any Outsider they see— whether they need them to clean some of the halls of their own living spaces, or even to help cultivate plants nearby. Some may even ask them to put on a performance appropriate for their cultural celebrations. It’s never too late to learn something new! On the bright side, in two weeks time, they will (probably) be out of everyone’s hair, right?
▶ 003. KYOTO: REBUILD .
Kyoto itself had been largely abandoned before the Outsiders first stepped in last year. Since then, some pockets of civilization that existed nearby have made the move to Kyoto in hopes of a better life. Additionally, those who have been scarred by the battle in Tokyo have decided to also make this move. Some originally from Kyoto, are grateful for the help of the Outsiders as they can finally return to their old family homes.
Outsiders are expected to use this time off from battle to not only assist the civilians in their efforts in rebuilding their lives, but to also help create an impact in Kyoto!
This is where the Outsiders are able to assist in pitching their idea of necessary infrastructure to Kyoto. As of right now, there are only so many resources, and whichever ideas are most well-justified will likely end up becoming a part of Kyoto. As of right now, the civilians themselves seem to want hospitals, shops/entertainment businesses, and even parks! Outsiders will be expected to help not only plan these ideas out, but to go around and rally support for these projects, which can be them creating annoying ads via oculars, participating in city hall debates, and/or even clogging up the network on why their idea would be best.
Despite bringing in a fair amount of food supplies to start, not only growing some of the food they had successes in raising via the lab, growth time is still a huge factor, especially as the LILITH-grade greenhouse is still in the works. In the meantime, Outsiders will be expected to hunt and gather their own food. Kyoto is still largely overrun by some populations of smaller boar kaiju, and even off the coasts of Osaka, there are several fishing spots available. As for whether they’re safe for consumption, everyone will get a ping on their oculars which includes a whole archive of signs of what is safe or unsafe to consume. Some will also find some fish will still be supersized and may take more than one Outsider to reel in.
Who doesn’t like a bit of risk to go with their fishing?
( After the TDM, characters will have the opportunity to rebuild Kyoto in a meaningful way, just like playing a game of the sims! In the next event, players will be encouraged to share their ideas for infrastructure and LILITH will provide assistance with building it. Interested characters may even have the opportunity to take up roles in running and governing the city following that. As a mod team, we are looking forward seeing the fruits of a player-run city. So rally your ideas and let's make Kyoto a great new place to live! )
Outsiders are expected to use this time off from battle to not only assist the civilians in their efforts in rebuilding their lives, but to also help create an impact in Kyoto!
This is where the Outsiders are able to assist in pitching their idea of necessary infrastructure to Kyoto. As of right now, there are only so many resources, and whichever ideas are most well-justified will likely end up becoming a part of Kyoto. As of right now, the civilians themselves seem to want hospitals, shops/entertainment businesses, and even parks! Outsiders will be expected to help not only plan these ideas out, but to go around and rally support for these projects, which can be them creating annoying ads via oculars, participating in city hall debates, and/or even clogging up the network on why their idea would be best.
Despite bringing in a fair amount of food supplies to start, not only growing some of the food they had successes in raising via the lab, growth time is still a huge factor, especially as the LILITH-grade greenhouse is still in the works. In the meantime, Outsiders will be expected to hunt and gather their own food. Kyoto is still largely overrun by some populations of smaller boar kaiju, and even off the coasts of Osaka, there are several fishing spots available. As for whether they’re safe for consumption, everyone will get a ping on their oculars which includes a whole archive of signs of what is safe or unsafe to consume. Some will also find some fish will still be supersized and may take more than one Outsider to reel in.
Who doesn’t like a bit of risk to go with their fishing?
( After the TDM, characters will have the opportunity to rebuild Kyoto in a meaningful way, just like playing a game of the sims! In the next event, players will be encouraged to share their ideas for infrastructure and LILITH will provide assistance with building it. Interested characters may even have the opportunity to take up roles in running and governing the city following that. As a mod team, we are looking forward seeing the fruits of a player-run city. So rally your ideas and let's make Kyoto a great new place to live! )
▶ 004. PUPPETMASTERS.
While the new beginning is exciting, things never stay calm for long. Outsiders will receive a briefing that there is trouble afoot in Awaji Island, an island close to Osaka. Awaji Island, now mostly deserted, was once known for its traditional puppet theater. These puppet shows, of course, have not been running for decades, but they are still remembered fondly by the people who used to live there. Following a mass exodus by the citizens living there a long time ago, these puppets now lay abandoned in the theater, untouched for decades.
Recently, LILITH has received reports of puppets coming to life and walking the streets, causing panic within the small population still residing in Awaji Island. First, they were simply feeling their feet, roaming the island with no real aim in mind and giving the residents a scare. Eventually, they have started to attack people. It was reported that a young woman was ambushed by animated puppets, and all that was left of her remains were bones and tufts of hair.
Outsiders will be mobilized immediately to Awaji Island with the goal of dealing with the situation. They have the option of boarding a LILITH-issued ferry to the island, or donning an Ocean Gem, gem-like implant that temporarily gives them the gills and tail of a marine creature. These gems will be provided temporarily to all Outsiders requesting them and will need to be returned following the mission. Please note that the transformation can be quite uncomfortable.
Upon arrival on the island, they will be tasked with hunting down the animated puppets, investigating the situation, and eliminating the threat. The capture of one specimen will reveal its true nature. Within the hollow body of a marionette, there appears to be an infestation of ant-like creatures, and much like hundreds to thousands of tiny puppetmasters, they are animating the puppets and using them for protection. These insects have learned to move within their marionettes in a way that’s similar to humans, and within the marionettes, they will attack as humans do, brandishing readily available weapons such as knives and farming tools. When the shell of the puppet is cracked open, they spill out, swarming the nearest human they can find and attempting to eat them or infest their body.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Marionant
HEIGHT: 2cm
WEIGHT: 2g
CLASS: No threat when alone, moderate threat when in a swarm
LOCATION: Awaji Island, Japan
ABILITIES: When in a swarm, they act in a hive mind and are highly coordinated. This allows them to take down much bigger prey. Razor sharp mouth pincers with a mild, stinging venom that can become lethal if a prey gets bitten too many times. More durable than your average ant, able to withstand 100kg of force without being crushed. Shows ability to think and plan their movements when working as a hive mind. When they infest a body, they seek to control it while eating up its insides, turning that body into a puppet slave.
WEAKNESS: Fire or drowning in water.
EXTRA NOTES: It is very difficult to stop them once they have started infesting a body. Avoid this at all cost. Seek medical attention immediately if you or a teammate has been infested.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Rescue civilians from the ant kaiju.
✖ Avoid infestation or lethal bites.
✖ Use fire or water as it is their weakness.
✖ Seek out their nests and destroy it without letting them scatter.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO: Linking Photo (cw: bug illustration)
Recently, LILITH has received reports of puppets coming to life and walking the streets, causing panic within the small population still residing in Awaji Island. First, they were simply feeling their feet, roaming the island with no real aim in mind and giving the residents a scare. Eventually, they have started to attack people. It was reported that a young woman was ambushed by animated puppets, and all that was left of her remains were bones and tufts of hair.
Outsiders will be mobilized immediately to Awaji Island with the goal of dealing with the situation. They have the option of boarding a LILITH-issued ferry to the island, or donning an Ocean Gem, gem-like implant that temporarily gives them the gills and tail of a marine creature. These gems will be provided temporarily to all Outsiders requesting them and will need to be returned following the mission. Please note that the transformation can be quite uncomfortable.
Upon arrival on the island, they will be tasked with hunting down the animated puppets, investigating the situation, and eliminating the threat. The capture of one specimen will reveal its true nature. Within the hollow body of a marionette, there appears to be an infestation of ant-like creatures, and much like hundreds to thousands of tiny puppetmasters, they are animating the puppets and using them for protection. These insects have learned to move within their marionettes in a way that’s similar to humans, and within the marionettes, they will attack as humans do, brandishing readily available weapons such as knives and farming tools. When the shell of the puppet is cracked open, they spill out, swarming the nearest human they can find and attempting to eat them or infest their body.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Marionant
HEIGHT: 2cm
WEIGHT: 2g
CLASS: No threat when alone, moderate threat when in a swarm
LOCATION: Awaji Island, Japan
ABILITIES: When in a swarm, they act in a hive mind and are highly coordinated. This allows them to take down much bigger prey. Razor sharp mouth pincers with a mild, stinging venom that can become lethal if a prey gets bitten too many times. More durable than your average ant, able to withstand 100kg of force without being crushed. Shows ability to think and plan their movements when working as a hive mind. When they infest a body, they seek to control it while eating up its insides, turning that body into a puppet slave.
WEAKNESS: Fire or drowning in water.
EXTRA NOTES: It is very difficult to stop them once they have started infesting a body. Avoid this at all cost. Seek medical attention immediately if you or a teammate has been infested.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Rescue civilians from the ant kaiju.
✖ Avoid infestation or lethal bites.
✖ Use fire or water as it is their weakness.
✖ Seek out their nests and destroy it without letting them scatter.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO: Linking Photo (cw: bug illustration)
▶ 005. THE RIFT .
Following the events of the month before, Mt. Fuji has now been cordoned off and put under restricted access. This means that no civilian may go anywhere close to the area. Outsiders are given patrol duties in groups of 2-3 around the area and instructed to eliminate any stray kaiju that try to rear their head out of the rift. These kaiju can include common kaiju such as the boar kaiju, the coconut crab or the yamadenki. These shifts are designed to not last very long, as prolonged exposure to the rift can result in rift poisoning effects (headache, nausea, impulsive behavior, hallucinations). It is not recommended to stick any part of your body through the rift, given that we are working with what we don’t understand (please contact a mod if your character decides to do this).
While nothing seems out of the ordinary at first, reports pour in within a few days of trespassers spotted within the restricted area. With a large, visible portion of Mt. Fuji now destroyed, it’s only natural that civilians will become curious. Against their better judgement, a group of civilians have sneaked into the restricted area during a change of patrols. There is little video record of how this had happened, but being near to the rift without LILITH’s protective suits has made for a devastating consequence for the foolish and daring group. Mutations! Outsiders will come across several mutated humans, their bodies mangled with grotesque growths. Some of them might have developed tentacles, some others multiple eyes or hardened shells. They flicker between lucidity and ferociousness, at times crying and begging to be saved, at other times trying to kill and eat people.
The orders are to subdue these people and bring them back to LILITH for further investigation and treatment. While lethal force is highly discouraged, LILITH will not extend punishment toward Outsiders who see fit to exterminate the threats as a last resort.
While nothing seems out of the ordinary at first, reports pour in within a few days of trespassers spotted within the restricted area. With a large, visible portion of Mt. Fuji now destroyed, it’s only natural that civilians will become curious. Against their better judgement, a group of civilians have sneaked into the restricted area during a change of patrols. There is little video record of how this had happened, but being near to the rift without LILITH’s protective suits has made for a devastating consequence for the foolish and daring group. Mutations! Outsiders will come across several mutated humans, their bodies mangled with grotesque growths. Some of them might have developed tentacles, some others multiple eyes or hardened shells. They flicker between lucidity and ferociousness, at times crying and begging to be saved, at other times trying to kill and eat people.
The orders are to subdue these people and bring them back to LILITH for further investigation and treatment. While lethal force is highly discouraged, LILITH will not extend punishment toward Outsiders who see fit to exterminate the threats as a last resort.
▶ 006. AFTERWORD.
Welcome to our 9th TDM! All TDM threads are game canon and characters who don't app will be glitched out of this world. As the TDM will act as the event, existing characters are heavily encouraged to participate. Please use this format for top levels: CHARACTER | CANON | CURRENT / NEW CHARACTER.
There are currently 15 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
Use the code provided in the ARRIVAL prompt if you'd like to participate in the ice breaker, and place it in your top level along with your other prompts. Anything such as civilian name or username can be marked as UNDECIDED if you're unsure of what you'd like your character to have for now. Though it says 'Orientation', existing characters can still participate in the ice-breaker. Current Outsiders will have their Syndata files accessible for all to see. New characters will not have a syndata profile but players can write a short blurb about the character for this.
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 points each and will count towards March AC.
There are currently 15 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
Use the code provided in the ARRIVAL prompt if you'd like to participate in the ice breaker, and place it in your top level along with your other prompts. Anything such as civilian name or username can be marked as UNDECIDED if you're unsure of what you'd like your character to have for now. Though it says 'Orientation', existing characters can still participate in the ice-breaker. Current Outsiders will have their Syndata files accessible for all to see. New characters will not have a syndata profile but players can write a short blurb about the character for this.
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 points each and will count towards March AC.
TDM #8 BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. ARRIVAL PROMPT (KYOTO): Newcomers arrive with ocular and brain implants, and are given a breakdown of the premise with an icebreaker orientation to complete. They arrive in the Kyoto base in a communal stasis pool which is underground.
2. THE KYOTO BASE: Most of the base in Kyoto has been rebuilt. It sits in a large temple which has been modified to accommodate for LILITH's needs. There is a giant stasis pool, a research facility, a mess hall, dorm rooms, medical facilities, a library, a training ground and a communal bath. Each room houses 3-4 people. Outsiders may fight in the training grounds, where they can train against holographic monsters or enemies from their home world. Outsiders will need to appease disgruntled monks by completing chores around the base.
3. REBUILD KYOTO: Civilians have started to move back to Kyoto in search of a better life. Outsiders are tasked to support them in rebuilding Kyoto. Gather ideas and rally support for these ideas. This is a lead in to a future event where players can present their ideas for mod consideration. Outsiders are also expected to hunt and gather their own food in the mean time. There are many boar kaiju available for hunting in Osaka and fishing spots available.
4. PUPPETMASTERS: Outsiders take a ferry or Ocean gem to Awaji Island where there is trouble afoot. Puppets are coming to life and attacking people! Inside these puppets there appear to be a swarm of ant kaiju that are highly dangerous. Eliminate the threat at all costs.
5. THE RIFT: Following the last event, there is a huge open rift at Mt. Fuji. Outsiders must take patrol shifts of 2-3 and kill any kaiju that jump out of the rift. Civilians are banned from visiting Mt. Fuji, but a group of civilians trespass illegally and become heavily mutated from rift exposure. Subdue these mutated humans and if necessary, kill them.
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ii
[ Aaaaaaaah what the hell Athrun is LILITH material after all? Athrun could have been here during Brasov and Shinn could have made him do all the talking about "don't kill all those people 'cause you're pissed off"? Aaaaaaaah why does this guy show up in the most annoying way possible? Shinn's shoulders square and his brows knit and his hands ball up and his metaphorical hackles go up the more he keeps thinking about it. ]
You're late!
[ Ughhh at least no one expects him to salute this time. ]
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It isn't as if I knew to come here, Shinn. [He barely knows what "here" is, c'mon.] Late for what?
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[ What the hell, that speech it's harder than Athrun made it look!
Though underneath the obvious layer of irritation, there's some smaller signs that Shinn is still genuinely upset by what's gone down since he got here -- his shoulders hunch slightly as he mentions stuff went wrong, and his voice cracks a touch. ]
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Shinn... what happened?
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A whole town got wiped out except a few kids -- a town we were supposed to help.
[ His words are slower, more deliberate now -- this frustration comes from a deeper and longer-burning place in him, and it's directed at LILITH instead of Athrun. ]
And LILITH let them do it.
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He just got here, he doesn't know much about LILITH yet. But from what he's been told, it doesn't make any sense.]
Why? They claimed to have brought us here to fight monsters and save humanity. How could they justify something like that?
[Or maybe they didn't. Maybe they don't even care. It wouldn't be the first time an organization has immediately disappointed him.]
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[ He will give LILITH that and only that before getting agitated again. ]
But it wouldn't have happened if command gave half-decent support, or the tech worked, or people spent five minutes planning to keep civilians out of the way before the fighting started, or if more of the people here just cared -- !
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Did you say vampires?
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[Come on. He knows Shinn doesn't like him but that is literally the least charitable interpretation imaginable of what he said.]
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[ Shinn's arms fold and the word comes out in a snap, his reflexive defiance toward Athrun overtaking his unhappiness about how LILITH operates. ]
You should know what kind of crap you're getting into.
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Okay. Backtracking a little, then. Vampires? He will shelf his incredulity about vampires. Apparently they're here to fight monsters. Vampires qualify.]
I'm sorry that you - and the people of that town - had to endure something so terrible. I'm sure you did everything you could.
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Apologizing isn't gonna do anything.
[ Rather than an apology, what he wants is for Athrun to be Athrun and take over yelling at people about doing the right thing so Shinn can go back to just running around smacking things with a big sword. Athrun is an annoying, bossy, insufficiently-Kira-respecting, punch-happy, over-thinky, incomprehensible guy, and the two of them will never get along for an extended period of time. But. Deep, deep down Shinn trusts Athrun to want and eventually do the right thing, maybe even better than he trusts himself to do the same. ]
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[There's too many gaps for him right now, having just arrived. He's not looking for ways to defend LILITH, here, he has zero loyalty (and zero reason to be loyal) to them. What's important to him is what they're being told.]
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In October, LILITH got a distress signal from a place out in Transylvania. We went out there and it wasn't messed up by kaiju like the rest of the world -- it was old-timey and quiet and they'd never heard of kaiju. The people there said it was because some Lord of the Forest looked out for them.
... it was peaceful. It was nice.
[ He can't stop a very faint note of wistfulness from slipping into his voice there. It reminded Shinn of being a kid and dammit he liked it before it got weird, even if it didn't have indoor plumbing. ]
But we got cut off from LILITH as soon as we showed up, and then couldn't leave the area around the town and tech like the mobile suits stopped working. Then some people disappeared -- Yzak was one of them, but not President Clyne. [ He definitely puts some emphasis on that last part. Taichouuuuuuu doesn't need to freak out; Lacus didn't get kidnapped on two Eastern European trips in a row. (Also Shinn has def reverted to calling her by her title now that she's not here to tell him to call her by her name. Sorry, taichouuuuu's girlfriend.) ] People were mad about the kidnappings. Only one or two of them wanted to do anything about getting the villagers out of the way if fighting started. So when LILITH got in touch and we could leave the village, the villagers were all in the way.
-- and it's not like the village people weren't a pain about it! They didn't want anyone messing with their "Lord of the Forest" stuff! But they were a load of farmers with shovels and stuff, and most of these assholes with special ops or magic powers or whatever weren't thinking about knocking them out instead of killing them!
[ He gets more agitated there and knows it, but dammit, Godzilla picked Destiny up and used it like a big club to McMurder people while Shinn was being a good boy and trying really hard to do non-lethal stuff! Shinn scowls and glances down for a moment before raising his head again and picking back up. ]
And yeah, some of the villagers turned out to be vampires. They attacked Outsiders, they attacked village people, it was a mess! But then LILITH told people they could kill anyone interfering with fighting the kaiju and getting people back -- !
[ Shinn has to take another breather here, and, hm, why is he glancing over toward Kaga? (Damn, it's a good thing that Kaga benefits from Shinn blaming everyone but crazy city-destroying girls for crazy city-destruction.) He can't keep up the briskness about this part; he's sullen and miserable and still hates both that Outsiders got hurt this bad and that Outsiders hurt other people so badly in retaliation. ]
The villagers stopped fighting after the kaiju died -- the "Lord of the Forest" thing. But what happened to the people who got kidnapped was pretty rough, and so....
Outsiders wiped them out anyway.
[ He tilts his chin defiantly, on the off chance that Athrun calls him out for something. ]
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It's still a lot to take in. Beyond the mission itself, the fact that monsters like kaiju or vampires are real at all... it would be unbelievable if not for his current situation (being transported here at all) and that those he trusts telling him so. Shinn would be a terrible liar, and Cagalli wouldn't tease him about this.
It paints a grim picture of LILITH, to be sure. It's one thing to take out a foe causing problems in the middle of a mission. He doesn't approve necessarily of deadly force when non-lethal would work, but from a commanding standpoint, he gets it. Those are... normal, unfortunate orders. Shinn himself knows how that goes; he'd been ordered to destroy Athrun's mobile suit during his "betrayal", despite knowing Meyrin was with him, and was innocent. Goaded on by orders and comrades, many actions are easy to justify. How many innocent survivors of Heliopolis were on the Archangel when he, Yzak, and Dearka (and Nichol, god) attacked it over and over? When the escape pods were destroyed? None of their hands were clean, not really. Was it okay? No. But it's so easy to judge in retrospect.
After, though. When the fighting stopped. There's no sufficient excuse, no rationale. Capture, prosecute, and punish those responsible. Put the work in. But destroying it all, killing everyone? That's revenge and murder, plain and simple. The wrong form of justice. As often as he clashes with Shinn, this won't be one of those times.]
You said "outsiders". That's us, isn't it? Those from other worlds?
[He can't help following Shinn's gaze towards Kaga. He met her, earlier. Was she one...?]
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[ Shinn is still grumbly and resentful and miserable, but also a little relieved that Athrun isn't chewing him out over some part of this. He sees Athrun noticing Kaga and scowls a little deeper, confirming -- though he doesn't seem antagonistic toward Kaga in the slightest, just pissed off at the circumstances. ]
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I was told that we were brought here to save a dwindling population from monster attacks. To "save humanity". Even if they didn't care about such a substantial loss of life from a humanitarian angle [which is already REAL BAD, and his expression conveys that distaste (so try not to have a cow about it buddy)] that kind of tactic is counteractive to LILITH's cause. There was no punishment for it?
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I got punched.
[ Okay, not by command. But for saying “you guys lost so why should I listen to you” which even Athrun didn’t punch him for. (Maybe because it’s hard to punch people in a public restaurant.) (Maybe because Shinn was just bringing up Athrun losing to Kira and not a major metropolis getting kaiju’d.) (Maybe it’s Maybelline.)
More seriously though. ]
When I got here, command was ticked off because a mission in Korea went wrong and a kaiju hit Seoul pretty hard — it’s not like Outsiders killed anyone on purpose, they just didn’t stop the Imugi. Outsiders had to do loads of simulation fights and there were weird punishments like “shame people who missed” and “take people who didn’t screw up out to dinner” and “clean up trash.” People in Korea were ticked off, too — LILITH Japan wasn’t allowed to go back and help rebuild.
But when Brasov happened, nothing. Maybe command felt bad that people got kidnapped, or command thinks we’re too stupid to plan and avoid collateral damage so there’s nothing to get mad about — or command just didn’t care because Brasov was cut off from everyone and no one outside LILITH knew it existed.
[ On that last one, Shinn’s sullenness reaches a level of real bitterness. Is LILITH just pandering to cameras—? Gross.
(Or command has the exact same blind spot for blaming everyone but the cute crazy girl when a cute crazy girl wipes out a city that Shinn does? Nah, can’t be, LILITH would be less of a sausage-fest if that were true.) ]
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He doesn't especially like any of those options. (Could be something else he hasn't thought of, but aren't those three bad enough already?)]
Besides complaining, what are our options?
[Not sarcasm, he's literally asking. What sort of resistance or pushback has been tolerated so far?]
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[ Shinn is upset about a command structure that’s worlds apart from his current “compulsory peacemaking, minimum casualties” modus operandi and about the fact that he can’t see a way to change the situation. But also on the pettiest level, he is also somewhat aggrieved about the pure lack of face time with command. He is used to having a lot of personal interaction with his top brass -- tea parties with his head-of-state, Lacus going overkill on the catering, etc. Where are the tiny sandwiches, LILITH! ]
Even if anyone knew where the hell they are, they've got all kinds of weird tech that keeps the off-limits areas totally cut off. And… they’ve got some sort of way of just knocking people out if it looks like they’re going to hurt another Outsider bad.
… they could probably do something if you tried to just leave, too.
[ This last bit is morose, an awkward jumble of feelings about Athrun leaving before, and Shinn shooting him and Meyrin down before, and also genuinely wanting to give a warning because, uh, Athrun’s got a track record. ]
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Maybe they can find him tiny sandwiches somewhere, though. At the very least Shinn ought to be allowed to chill out and stuff his face while everyone else deals with political drama.]
I expect they keep their distance because they assume they'd get jumped by some of us on sight. Even if they can use the implants to stop us, it would be counter-productive for command to always be walking on eggshells.
[Not a valid excuse, but he can see the rationale behind it. If he was abducting a bunch of soldiers and forcing them into a war they have no interest in, he sure wouldn't be within punching (or shooting, or stabbing, or mobile-suit-stomping) distance.]
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[ He folds his arms and glares ... vaguely in the direction of Tokyo. The direction he thinks Tokyo is, anyway. ]
If they took people who wanted to be here and weren't huge assholes, it could be like Compass.
[ Shinn is audibly wistful. Even during the rough patches and even despite the fact that the fighting wouldn't end any time soon, Compass was the best because Shinn got to just run around saving people with a bunch of like-minded militant pacifists, zero moral ambiguity to it. ]
It should be like Compass.
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[Not really a good excuse either, but he's seen what people will do when they're desperate. Dragging random strangers in from other worlds reeks of desperation because their own resources are far too insufficient.]
At the very least, it would benefit them to have a leadership more like Compass, or Orb. Loyalty is won by being approachable and at least making those working under you believe they're listening. If they want us to trust them, they need to earn it.
[Someone charismatic and idealistic like Durandal, even. It wouldn't make them better but they'd surely be more effective. It sure as heck worked on him and Shinn before.]
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Maybe they brought you here to learn what not to do…
[ He says it ruminatively, thoughtfully! He’s not even actively trying to be a dick! ]
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