Invidia Arrival Log

[cancrymods]

INVIDIA

With the Executors now victorious over the first layer of Purgatory, the only way for them to go is further down. Thanks to the combined efforts of Kingslayer, Ariel and Mona, a path forward has been opened that leads down to the next layer of Purgatory. Rei looks ill at ease about this. If asked, she'll brush off the concern a bit, explaining that she's never gone this far down into Purgatory before and she doesn't know what lays ahead. It might be even more dangerous than the Underside. She's just glad they're all heading down together. So, once everyone's collected themselves... head down they to to the next layer of Purgatory... Welcome to Invidia. Congratulations on unlocking your first major location change in Can Cry! Feel free to use this arrival log to chronicle your initial misadventures in the city of Invidia. Investigation is strongly encouraged here as from here on out, plot progression will moved along by player involvement. If you want to unlock the next Underside, get investigating! All investigations that require mod oversight should be tagged with INVESTIGATION REQUEST in the subject line. Get out there and have fun!

Comments

[pride_of_amarcia]

Well, this kinda worked out! Sorta.

[Or so declares Brainiac, as she tromped down the stairs from the Underside of Limbo into...]

... It's really shiny down here, guys! Come look!

[The question, then, is who reacts to Brainiac's... Typically Brainiac reaction. With some of the team having seen her fight, they're aware she's at least somewhat competent now, which may help... Maybe.]

[discutio]

[a; when the night has come]

[The whole situation was jarring, to say the least. But an accomplishment was an accomplishment. It was beginning to seem possible that they could somewhat literally get to the bottom of this, continuing onward and-]

['Set forth with my blessing, Prince [---].']

[And...something. They had to get to somewhere, for vital reasons. Something...important? The memories were at once vivid and indistinct; he could sharply recall the desert wind and ocean air, a melody from a car radio, the sound of voices and the landscapes of desert road and ocean shoreline alike all ringing with almost perfect clarity in his head.]

[...Who were they? Trying to recall that which was hazy and indistinct only seemed to give him a headache, sitting down under a tree in the park with a hand pressed to his head. No wonder Lion had been in such a state, if remembering things was already so jarring on top of all else.]

[b; and the land is dark]

[Once all or most of that had settled, he found his way to the apartments--poking around an empty one, and specifically the kitchen before all else.]

...Actually, this might just be usable. Provided there's any ingredients to be found that aren't snacks, but perhaps a little improvisation will end up necessary.

[c; and the moon is the only light we see]

[wwwwwildcard!]

OOPS

[doofyissues]

[Iris - Zoe now - recognizes Phoenix from the sleepover. They didn't talk, but that's a look she recognizes - the look of everything being too much to deal with, all the time. Mood, Phoenix.

Aware that they're essentially strangers, she approaches regardless. Her last memory put her in a good mood, so talking to strangers isn't quite as daunting as usual.]

Hey... um, are you okay...?

[discutio]

I'm...not entirely sure. I believe I am, it's just...

[He shook his head in a fruitless attempt to clear it, adjusting his visor.]

My apologies, I think I'm merely a bit disoriented.

a

[crypddyd]

[As if summoned by the mention of his name in the narration, Lion spots Phoenix looking... familiar. Not panicked like he had been, of course. And thanks to his visor it's hard to say if his eyes share the same glassy sheen. But that ache between the ears is familiar.

He makes sure to be noisy as he approaches and plops down on the other side of the tree with a grunt- just enough voice that Phoenix can likely tell who it is]

[emberserker]

Shiny. How descriptive of you. [Wolfsbane rolls her eyes.] I'm just surprised it isn't the exact same city again. It's a different one, but small steps nonetheless.

[discutio]

Ah--Lion? [He raised his head a little, taking his best guess at the source of the sound.] Is...that you?

investigating in prompt b!

[crypddyd]

A- Arrival

[After everything that the dungeon was, reaching a more stable area should be a relief.

It is not a relief. Lion is overwhelmed by the glass and lights and noise almost right away, snarling and keeping close to the others like a very large but very anxious dog. For those that saw him during his... fit... he at least looks much more aware and himself. That glassy disassociation has faded for the most part, but anyone coming on his blindside might still get him flinching away. He's even still in his Executor outfit.]

This place feels like a nightmare...

B - Enterntainment to Housing

[It takes a bit for Lion to feel secure enough to wander around, but once he does he is constantly looking up at the screens. Though never for long, as his lack of depth perception makes his head hurt if he focuses on them for too long.]

That girl... is she perhaps a diva?

[He makes his way to Housing eventually, and finds the mansion- it's the same one from some of the videos! And a thought occurs to him. A realization. That girl, she is no diva, she's-

-he grabs a 'local' Specter, pointing at it]

The woman who lives here, is she your Lady? The local head of a noble house, or your Queen, perhaps? What is her name?

C- Labor

[Once it starts to get dark the lights hurt even MORE to his unaccustomed eye, so he retreats somewhere darker, ending up among the warehouses. He'll likely find a corner and just... pass out there in his cloak. It's fine]

[crypddyd]

Hm... yes.

[He doesn't add anything else right away, giving Phoenix the chance to just rest if that's what he wants to do]

[discutio]

[He seemed grateful for the silence, brow furrowed in deep concentration for a long moment as he tried to commit as much detail as he could to memory before fully diverting his train of thought.]

...Are you faring any better since last we spoke?

[crypddyd]

...I'm... more here. In the now. If you would call that better, than yes.

[There's a slight hint of a wry smile in his tone]

[discutio]

I would call that a fair start, myself.

[Could be worse. It seemed like all the disorientation was on Phoenix's end of the table this time.]

[crypddyd]

Indeed. But my concern is more for you right now. You seem... pained. Though I wouldn't blame you if this damaged loud place was the cause of it.

[discutio]

No, the surroundings are...manageable. [Noisy, but easily tuned out with a little effort.]

I think it likely I've remembered some stretch of time, myself.

[crypddyd]

Ah. I was worried that might be the case.

[It's familiar, after all]

[discutio]

I wouldn't call it...quite so immediately dire as what you described yourself.

[not far off, though]

There was merely a lot to it; I think I may be having trouble making sense of it all.

[crypddyd]

Perhaps writing it or reciting it would help it settle into your mind? I found that helped with mine.

a

[emberserker]

It's tacky, but that's a bit much. Nightmare?

[crypddyd]

It's loud and bright and crowded. How could it be anything less?

[emberserker]

A lot of people would find that inviting, you know. Or exciting.

[crypddyd]

Then they are free to enjoy it.

[He huffs]

[discutio]

...There were four of us, counting myself. I can't quite make out the others in detail and I don't know their names, but I know we were all close friends. I think we were of some importance...royalty and his guards, something like that. We were traveling together for...

[Phoenix trailed off briefly, pinching the bridge of his nose. One thing at a time, in order. Focus, and the broad strokes would become clear.]

--a royal engagement, somewhere across the ocean. We'd stayed the night by the seaside with intent to leave by the morning; but overnight the capital had fallen in a surprise attack.

[Something about what he'd said seemed to catch in Phoenix's mind, a small but no less important detail. Under his breath, he said:]

...Where do I recognize that voice from?

[emberserker]

Well, one hopes we won't be here too long, either. That last excursion took eons.

[schardynfreude]

[Descending the stairs, he is assaulted by the lights, the sounds, the buildings rising higher and higher as they get lower and lower. He seems a little unsettled, even overwhelmed by it all, but he manages well enough.

Right until his feet touch the ground.

He reels back a bit as though slapped, blinking blindly into the lights, and if he seemed overwhelmed before, he is overcome now. What seems so unfamiliar now seems too familiar, and he...is going, he's going to go somewhere, he's going to have himself a sit-down and a think somewhere quieter. Anywhere quieter.]


[Even with some potential help from allies, it's a bit before he feels ready to face this new layer of the world. But eventually he does, with as much of a smile as he can manage to assuage worry. He can't mope (forever), not when there are things to do, places to see.

One of the first things to do is something planned way back up in Limbo proper: clothes shopping. He'll round up whoever expressed interest before, pick up gagglers along the way, and they're going to fashion it up. This is the best place and time for montages of showing off outfits from dressing rooms to groups of friends shaking their heads in disappointment and shoving their suggestions in instead.

Of course...if they try leaving with the clothes without paying... Hey, nobody needed to pay for anything in Limbo!]


[When His Majesty learns His Lesson about no free rides here (except, apparently, the apartments), then it's going to be an interesting time trying to figure out how to barter when they have nothing. Catch him in various states of:

*manning a food truck for some sweet sweet nibbles while the one who manned it goes on an extended smoke break
*hustling about on the train with bags and bags of various stuff from Limbo to trade (mmmmostly conbini things, but also like library books n shit)
*trying to be sneaky taking some things from one place and trading them with another
*showing off his fighting skills as a form of payment, but like, it doesn't actually work the way he thought it would, because he learns people here want actual physical things, or actually helpful services, but hey, he's trying]


[When he isn't back up in Limbo to rest (yes, an apartment would be easier, but...no thank you, plus he enjoys staying with Mona), he spends whatever restful time he can in the park, because...it's at least somewhat calmer even if it's no less brightly lit. Catch him slowly following the river about, or napping under a tree and waking up covered in blossom petals.]


[Ardyn throughout his time here will be much more tired than he seemed before, look more distant and lost in himself, wander the streets like he's expecting something around any corner or looking for something. Gods forbid he acknowledge this, of course!]

[crypddyd]

[The talk of a possible royal among Phoenix's friends was fascinating honestly, and he almost says 'I would not be surprised if it was you, you have a noble demeanor'.

But that last bit distracts him]

What was that? You... recognized a voice?