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[killerwaves]

INTRO

Whoever you are, wherever you were, the last thing you remember is the salty smell of the sea breeze and a distinct tickle of electricity across your body. Enough to cause alarm perhaps, but in the next moment it all goes black, or blue to be more precise. When you stir into consciousness, those fuzzy sensations are all that you have as an explanation, though there's certainly more to experience around you.

The warm bright rays of the sun, the rhythmic cresting of the waves into the shore, the unfortunate feeling of sand sticking to you everywhere, because you're lying flat on your back on a beach without a beach towel. At least you're not alone, and at least it doesn't seem like you've been completely dumped unceremoniously, as there's orderly space between you and the 27 others who share your predicament. Whoever left you here probably could have dumped you into a pile, but they have better manners than that.

However you decide to react to your sudden vacation, you'll find that you're dressed just as you last recall and that you have at least one possession of yours on hand. Whatever else you had on you appears to be affected by baggage routing, unfortunately. You'll also find a key inscribed with a particular bird and a strange device in your pocket, ostenstibly some type of cellphone from the period when blackberrys were all the rage. A pop-up window will greet you when you turn on the device, prompting you to pick a username (this pop-up can be ignored for up to 24 hours) and also walking you through a basic tutorial on its functions. For now, it seems like the public network isn't running, but the direct message function is availiable. It ends with a cheerful blurb instructing that "For further questions and help, please contact one of the hotel staff!"

As there's nary a soul that seems to actually work here on the beach proper, it might be worth it to explore. Around the resort are robots manning the buffet, sweeping, and even making cocktails if you want to drink your problems away. While they'll answer to basic commands, provide you with a map of the island, or even be happy to tell you the weather, they're incapable of engaging in any meaningful dialogue. Any questions or demands they can't answer will yield the statement to please contact the administrators.

Whoever they may be, but they'll show their faces eventually. Probably.

((OOC: Welcome to Last Resort! Poke a mod in the discord if you have any questions. The NPC meet and greet will take place at 5PM EST/2PM PST today! ))

Locations Cabanas PCs Network Device Main Nav

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Comments

[diabolizes]

Black clothing can wick the heat away, even if it does absorb heat from outside sources more quickly.

[ He's also grown used to it. ]

I'm grateful for it too, especially knowing we don't have to cook for ourselves. [ Wei Wuxian squats down, rummaging underneath the bar. ] What sort of juice are you in the mood for?

[chrysaline]

I've never heard that. That must be useful...

[ She shoots upright, wobbling just a little before catching herself on the bar again. ]

Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean you needed to get it for me. You're another visitor here, aren't you? Like me.

[diabolizes]

[ He holds up a hand, indicating for her to stop where she is. ]

I am, but please take a seat, miss. It's as simple as pouring juice into a cup, so I don't mind doing that for you.

[chrysaline]

[ She wobbles a second longer in indecision before she sinks back down. ]

I would really be in the way if I fainted, wouldn't I? Thank you. What's your name, um... sir.

[ What is the politeness protocol for fellow abductees? ]

[diabolizes]

[ He doesn't want to say she'd be in the way exactly, but well... she would be.

Wei Wuxian grabs a nice pink cup, popping open some orange juice and pouring it three-fourths of the way full. ]

Wei Wuxian. And yours, miss?

[chrysaline]

[ Yeah, no, she would definitely be in the way. But she perks up a little for his excellent taste in colors. ]

Psyche Callista. Can I call you Wei? Or, should it be Sir Wuxian? [ Help... ]

[diabolizes]

I'll accept Sir Wei.

[ He smiles, sliding over the cup. ]

And would you prefer Miss Psyche?

[chrysaline]

If we're here long enough to get to know each other, I hope you'll just call me Psyche.

[ Juice...! A hero. She reaches over to take the cup in both hands and smiles at the cheerful smell of oranges. ]

Thank you. It's silly... so many things here are strange that it feels a little comforting to see something so normal.

[diabolizes]

I feel the same way. It's why the bar here was comforting to me... I recognize a lot of the liquor.

[ The smell of it is familiar to him, including the fruit juices. ]

I'm used to water too, but not like this.

[chrysaline]

Are you that fond of drinking, Lord Wei?

[ That gets a little giggle, but she looks over at him quickly. It didn't sound rude, did it? ]

I've been to the ocean before... but this isn't a place I recognize, either. We're really not in Vasilios, are we?

[diabolizes]

I just might be that fond of drinking, haha!

[ He absolutely is, and he doesn't seem to be offended by it either. How could he be, when it's true? ]

And no, we're not in Vasilios. We aren't in China either.

[chrysaline]

[ Since he's taking it in such good humor, she gives in and laughs too. Although she trails off after a few seconds and turns to look out at the ocean again. ]

I've never heard of China, either. How strange. You don't think... perhaps we died, or something like that?

[diabolizes]

We haven't died, I'm sure of it.

[ He knows enough ghosts to know that this isn't the afterlife. ]

If you ask me, I believe someone used some sort of magic on us to bring us here. I felt it in the electricity all over my body before I awoke on the beach.

[chrysaline]

I suppose that's a relief...

[ He seems very confident, so he must know? She sighs and takes a soothing sip of her juice. Sugar will fix the worst of this. Maybe. ]

I felt that, too. Is that kind of magic common where you're from? People in Vasilios aren't granted powers like that.

[diabolizes]

There is a similar weapon back home that emits a purple lightning, but there was no reason for me to be struck by it at the time.

[ That would have been quite the shock to his system... heh. ]

Where I'm from, magic is a lot more abstract than taking the form of fire, lightning, or water. It's largely spiritual, borne from cultivation.

[chrysaline]

I see...

[ PUN JAIL FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS

Psyche is making the wide, attentive eyes of someone who is trying very hard to follow. ]

Um... "Cultivation"? Does that mean you can train it? That's amazing.

[diabolizes]

[ I CANNOT BE CONTAINED ]

Essentially, yes! You create magic through your own spiritual power. Once it's strong enough, you can project that power outwards.

[ He doesn't know how complicated that might sound to someone from an entirely different place, so he tries to keep it somewhat vague. ]

[chrysaline]

So it isn't strange at all, where you're from! I can't really picture that. What kind of magic do you use, Sir Wei?

[ On the confusing spectrum of "alarming situation" to "strange but whimsical story" this is gradually sliding towards the latter. ]

[diabolizes]

[ Sorry, Psyche, he's about to turn it right back to alarming. ]

I use magic involving ghosts.

[ Also fierce corpses, but he'll spare her that little detail. ]

[chrysaline]

[ ????

That gets a long stare, like she's trying to decide if he's playing a trick on her. And then an even longer pause as she mulls that over. ]

Ghosts? Speaking to them, or...?

[ She stops again, apparently drawing a blank for what else someone could do with ghosts. At least he didn't mention the corpses. ]

[diabolizes]

Having them do my bidding.

[ He smiles. ]

Don't worry, I won't summon them right now.

[chrysaline]

That's kind of you. I've had so many surprises already today.

[ She's never had to consider in her life whether she's afraid of ghosts. Instinct says people are scarier, but if ghosts are just people then maybe...? ]

...Isn't that a little sad? For the ghosts?

[diabolizes]

[ He shakes his head. ]

They already have plenty of resentment built up that they aren't sad. [ But that just sounds sadder, doesn't it? ] I've made friends with quite a few of them, but truthfully, there isn't much you can do for their lot in life.

[chrysaline]

Mm... do you think so?

[ But he's trying to cheer her up, so she shakes her head after a moment. ]

I'm sure they're still glad to have a friend. I can't promise I won't be startled. But if you summon them around me, I'll try to get along with them, too.

[diabolizes]

[ Oh... that's a very sweet sentiment. ]

I'll warn you if I do, how's that?

[ He isn't in the habit of doing so, but he can for Psyche. ]

Though, to be honest, I haven't heard a single spirit since arriving. It's unusual for me.