World Travel OOC Post

[savmods]

Welcome to the world of Namalos! For now, characters have a respite from the hazards of Avagi, although the limitations of this world (as well as the behavior of the locals) may encourage them to find a way back. But before we dive into more information on the current difficulties, we wanted to offer a quick summary of the circumstances surrounding the plot—both as an aid for new players and a recap for older ones. Avagi: A Recap       About three hundred years earlier, Avagi was known as the Ingress Complex: a massive space station bridging the twin worlds of Thisavrou. A multiversal hub of trade and culture, Thisavrou was founded on the transport provided by a portal called the Ingress. Capable of inter-universal travel (and pulling in hapless individuals at random), the Ingress' inner workings filled the complex that was named after it—along with housing, research labs, and other accommodations for the native Savrii and their guests. A surge in new arrivals possessing unprecedented destructive power precipitated conflicts with the Savrii—led by the "intermediaries", secret telepaths who used their abilities to enforce lasting peace and prosperity at some individual cost. While this conflict was building, so were two other hazards: the energy draining storms outside Thisavrou, and a being named Mother, who claimed to be looking for a child that the Savrii stole, and offered the newcomers alliance. Events culminated in a victory—followed, immediately, by betrayal. Mother used her new allies to get close to the Ingress, and then shattered it, allowing the storms to decend on the twin worlds. But portals of the Ingress' silver light appeared in the wake of its destruction, bringing the survivors to somewhere (and when) unexpected: the remains of the shattered Ingress Complex, three hundred years in the future. Some parts had, apparently, stayed sealed from the storms, and held signs of habitation in the centuries since. While no other inhabitants remained in the immediately accessible regions, they did leave records... and a name for their repurposed home. Avagi. Over the several months since, the new Avagians have settled in. They've repaired living spaces and chased out pests, along with more dangerous hazards that followed them to this location. The bursts of silver light have persisted, bringing new arrivals and, at times, allies. They've twice coalesced into stable portals, offering gateways to and from peaceful worlds where Avagians could gather resources. But the portals were closed when a more serious disaster struck: the failure of life support systems that provided breathable air. Resourceful inhabitants had already been reaching out, and managed to detect another population of survivors across the remains of the station—along with another surviving threat. Over the course of the last month, the population split: one group staying with their home, to repair and rescue what they could, while another travelled across the outside of the station, trying to reach the other group of survivors and deal with them to acquire supplies needed for repair. This journey was brought up short when the away team came across a breach: a region of the station where the storms outside had penetrated through, and went on to corrupt several inhabitants. While observing the storms could cause smaller changes, those fully exposed withered to Mirtos—parasitic avatars of the storm's hunger, who menaced their former allies... but were deterred by fragments of the former Ingress, and the light it generated. Working together, the population managed to activate two such fragments, aiming to deter or destroy the Mirtos with the energy inside. They were successful. Something spoke in the cracks between the worlds. And of all the words it said, a few carried clearest. "Find them." Your arrival on Namalos is not entirely without purpose... though finding "them" may take at least as much work as finding your way home. Jobs Characters are strongly encouraged to pay the Namalans' hospitality back by taking part in some kind of temporary work. No need to find a job that suits—the locals will send characters where they can be of use, no matter how suited or extremely unsuited they might be for the task. Technicians may be assigned to physical labor, combatants to factory work or crafting goods. A single mistake will earn reproachful looks or sideways glances, but those who fail repeatedly at basic tasks, or (horror!) impede others in their efforts may find themselves shunned, shamed, or encouraged to report to Central Authority—the same fate, incidentally, that befalls those who dodge out of work entirely. While players are welcome to select work for their characters, you can sign up HERE to be assigned a temporary duty. Disruptions As orderly and safe as this society is, Avagians will have no time waiting safely until a means of return is found, right? Yeah... we didn't think so either. As described in the log, those attempting to explore will find watchers observing their activities, and certain activities will receive more disapproval than others. Violence and lawbreaking appears to be all but unknown among the locals, and outbursts of any kind will draw unfriendly glances. But the true crime in this society might be less apparent: damaging or disrupting productivity, whether personally or with others. Shove someone in the street? Their smiles will become decidedly more strained. Play loud music outside an office building's window? You'll be firmly escorted to Central Authority. Those who enter the structure come out changed... if they can be seen leaving at all. While some amount of minor foolery can be presumed to slip by, please comment here for specific consequences if your character persists in exasperating the Namalans. This includes, of course, taking advantage of their hospitality without working. And prying too far anywhere unwanted. Namalos is (OOCly!) intended for exploration, and characters will unearth more information—and prompt new responses from the locals—the more they dig into how this world works. This may involve your way home, the mysterious "them", or what exactly has these people so in sync. We strongly encourage asking questions, and a header has been provided for that below.

Comments

[savmods]

Shepard's level of success will depend largely on her demeanor. How many points did she put into charisma? For the most part, the traders from other planets are willing to talk if they're not busy with other duties, and would likely enjoy exchanging stories of space travel. Most appear honest when they say that they've never seen anyone travel the way Avagians have—with the exception of one trader, an older man who's been traveling between his planet and Namalos for many years; he hesitates for just a little too long before denying that he's seen anything similar.

As for general questioning, most traders will allow that Namalos can be odd, but are satisfied with their trade agreements. If Shepard presses the point, they will likely become somewhat flustered—they aren't trying to hide anything, per se, but it's clearly not something they want to talk about. If she doesn't back off quickly, this is when a Namalan would step in and attempt to detain her.

[squadgoals]

I genuinely wish I had a charisma answer for you but since Mass Effect works on Magic Good Person Or Mean Person Points, and her Magic Good Person Points are out of this proverbial world, we can assume her schmooze level is of general galactic renown. Doesn't much help if the dice don't roll that way, but you get the picture. Her demeanor is friendly, approachable, and genuinely leaning towards honest curiosity and idle banter. Each conversation is customized for the person she undertakes it with, chattering about travel, space, trade, and otherwise.

When the older man hesitates, she doesn't push, per say—she actually lets it go. But she works the conversation back around to it—maybe even gets him to go out drinking/etc with her, if any of his sort of vice is available for participation. Just chatter between two people, right? Nothing serious. They're both outsiders, right? She just needs to learn the way of things—if only he'd tell her about them.

For now, she doesn't push. Paragon Schmooze conversation options are in full effect.

[savmods]

Nice schmooze levels, Shep.

The man would only speak of this at the spaceport, well away from the center ring of the city, but after quite some time and bonding, he'll admit that some time back, he met a rather dazed offworlder who he took to be another trader, but who mentioned something about "the light" when asked. As far as he knows, the offworlder never hitched a ride away from Namalos, but he's never been seen around here since.

He would leave the planet shortly after.

[squadgoals]

Great, that's a lead, at least. Time to start asking the spaceport folks in a genuinely unknowing and naive way about what happens to people that disappear around here. She frames it as looking for a friend of hers—they were talking a little strange, and now she can't seem to locate them, no matter where she looks. Is that common? Should she be looking anywhere in particular? Is there a center or something she can register it with???

She's just so concerned, you know, about her friend. So if they could help at all, just give her an indication of where a good place to start would be, that'd be, great,,

[magneticfields]

if Shep wants a partner in schmoozing (and isn't too annoyed with Erik) he could help. Or just in snooping to see if they can find any other leads about this disappeared old guy

[squadgoals]

Thanks for that dude, but it looks like she might not need it! I'll update you as things go, should situations change.

[savmods]

For the most part, they would offer sympathy but also bafflement—as far as they know, people going missing isn't something that happens, at least not so they've noticed. The closest thing is the number of former traders who eventually made Namalos their home—not that you could tell they aren't native, as they blend in with the locals so well it's as if they were born there.

[squadgoals]

Welp.

No way is she giving up on this, on account of that being the whole reason everyone was sent here (as far as she can figure) and also because why would she give up now? She keeps looking, asking, schmoozing, questioning, keeps pushing—bit by bit, until she either finds something out, or finally ends up detained. Depending on scenario, I can switch this over to disturbances when she is!

[savmods]

If Shepard pushed it too far and caused an obvious disruption or bothered enough traders, the Namalans would detain Shepard. She would soon find herself engaging in the hazy, routine behavior of the Namalans and be unable to break out of it without aid, as also described here.

However, if she is very careful in her line of questioning and asked various things about the city and its significant locations as well, she could eventually use the process of elimination to determine that there is only one place that no traders or Avagians have or could access: the unobtrusive locked building.

[squadgoals]

Easy does it, then—for now. To the locked building.

First, time to case the building. She approaches it as a tourist, interested in its incredibly unobtrusive architecture, its shy curves, its completely bland sidings. How can one building be so perfect in its unassumingness? It's practically a masterwork. With several discrete scans of her omni-tool for any energy, heat, electronic readings, what can she pull from this bad boy?

[savmods]

Even if the Namalans don't suspect Shepard of inappropriate interest in the building, they do not tolerate dawdlers for a lengthy period of time, although with speed and subtlety she could learn some things from her omni-tool. As Lavellan may also have discovered, its security measures are largely physical locks and thick walls, with no advanced technology to speak of. It is certainly not beyond the ability of Avagians to break into the building—if not for the constant gaze of the Namalans.

[squadgoals]

Cool, cool.

Can we Ocean's 11 this? Because she is going to put together a crack team of misfits and rejects and definitely steal the money complete the suicide mission find the missing Avagians.

[savmods]

We can! Information about Part 2 is coming a little later tonight, and it should give you the information you need (along with the opportunity to ask more questions if it doesn't)!