jumpscares | ( OPEN ) GAME START.

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( OPEN ) GAME START.

▶ WHO: Everyone.
▶ DATE: July 9th, 2015 (Day 1)
▶ WARNINGS: Blood, violence, general zombie horror.
▶ SUMMARY: You've met with a bad... however that line goes. Welcome to Earth.

GOOD MORNING!

Please try and ignore whatever it is that you just heard. It should only last for up to a minute... maybe.

It... it is morning, right?

There are no windows.

There's a light, but it's barely considered one. The compound runs on a solar generator, but that doesn't mean it has a lot of power. The light seems to be hanging from the ceiling, swinging precariously. That's when you might actually start to wake up, sit up, find the things that are familiar to you... and then some of the things that aren't. It'd be wise to explore the small room you're in before leaving through the steel door, but there's nobody around to tell you that.

Outside is a tightly knit compound, just as dark and metallic as the room. The hallway you're in houses dozens more doors identical to yours, and if you're unlucky there may be more people poking their heads out through them, just like you. There's a dull glowing sign that reads MEDICAL BAY but not all of you remember being hurt. Some of you may be just fine, apart from the memory of the sound you heard when waking up.

The Medical Bay is stocked with enough medicine to last a couple of months. There's almost everything that can be found in a hospital. Somebody was thinking ahead.

Outside of the Medical Bay are more doors, some are even locked—many aren't. There are living quarters, a food storage, a kitchen, some laboratories; even a room full of computers and nothing else, all with a screen asking for a password. There's only two doors out of the compound, a vehicle bay with what appear to be a few military jeeps and trucks, and the front doors. It's on the inside of the front doors that something is painted in bright red, flecked with what smell like blood:

DO NOT GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT A GUN AND WATER.
GUNSHOTS ATTRACT THEM.
HOLLOWS IS 1.3 MILES NORTH OF HERE.
GOOD LUCK.

And on the outside of the doors, if you choose to open them:

THE WORLD ENDED JULY 3RD, 2015.

Now... how long ago was that? And where is this place? Luckily for you, Hollows is a small town that can be raided. It hasn't been too long since the apocalypse—surely you'll be able to find something there. Batteries, food, weapons, maybe some people—and what you're guaranteed to find. Them, whatever that means.

Outside of the compound there's a fence with a single gate. Nothing can get past this unless you let them in for tea, so be careful. There's a shooting range and a large shed full of weapons and ammo, enough to last two months if you're careful. Guns, knives, anything that would be used by the military and police is hidden away in the shed. There are even a few hunting bows with arrows.

If you climb up the ladder to the top of the wall, there's enough room to walk along the top. There's definitely something moving in the distance, something you should definitely be worrying about. Maybe it's time to get a good look with a sniper rifle...?

Oh.

It's gone.

Maybe it was just a trick of the light. Regardless, it's impossible for everyone to stay in the compound forever. There are nefarious things at work! The choices are to go to Hollows, stick around, or go somewhere else. Really, the world is almost a blank slate. Maybe more of a used slate, but still yours to explore.

When the night comes, you should be hiding. The screamers, the ragers, whatever the hell they are, are running full tilt through the streets and across the landscape, running through anything in their way, ripping apart anything alive. If you don't make any noise, they won't notice you. Especially since they're stuck listening to each other. But if you get noticed by one, it won't be long until a horde forms... you might be able to outrun one for awhile, but they don't seem to let up on their breakneck pace. Maybe someone should have told you how to kill them.

OOC NOTES.

There will be zombies in Hollows. Whether you meet them on the way there is up to you. Apart from the undead and the animals (maybe somebody should let those poor creatures out of their houses) the town is completely deserted. In fact, the closest thing you can find to a human are the bodies of those who died without being bitten, and there's even few of those. You can find anything you'd find in a normal town here, and are free to loot and raid the houses and stores—the cops won't be coming, after all. The power is OFF apart from what you can find that is solar powered or still has a charge. If you're lucky and find another town while exploring the first few weeks, you might find an area that still has power—thank hydroelectricity.

Just keep in mind travel time... and travel expenses.

You have creative freedom over everything else. The world is open. The only stationary places are landmarks and cities—if you want to go to Texas and talk to the poor astronauts stranded up in space, it's there. (Might be a long trip, though...)

If your character can figure it out by geography before getting to Hollows, the compound is located a few hours from the west coast, in California.

The way to kill a zombie is blunt force to the head. The head doesn't need to be removed, but significant damage needs to be done to it. This does not include the throat—it needs to be a headshot.

There's also a glaring hint. The computers in the compound, asking for a password. It is impossible to hack at this time. There will be more on this later!

Finally, if your character is exploring outside of the compound (or extensively inside of it) there's a comment here for linking me the thread. You can also PM me! I'll be ducking in with what your character may or may not have found, via a response to the actual RP thread.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS please direct them here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Maybe deference isn't quite the right word for the way this human is treating him if that open questioning is any indication, but it's something close. The towering alien gestures to himself with his non-shifted hand; it's icy white in coloration, leaving trails of freezing mist in its wake.

"I am Glacius," he responds. If he'd known Nux was considering him a god, he might've been tempted to play to that... to make a show of power to put fear in the human, or maybe to demand answers. But ultimately he would've held back; even if it could have been advantageous, he's never been one to pretend to be something he isn't. Powerful? Yes, incredibly so--beyond the bounds of anything most humans had seen, in his own way. A god? No. Wouldn't be here like this, trapped and confused, if he was.

Instead Nux gets the truth. "I come from beyond your stars, beyond your solar system. I seek a way out of this compound, back to my home."

Stars. Solar system? He knows what one of those is and his mind recalls the glimmering points of light they'd see on most nights. In a world where everything was dead but pollution had been buried in sand, the only time they didn't see the glory of the stars was when clouds rolled in thick and heavy.

Nux shakes his head. Doesn't wanna be the bearer of bad news to Glacius, this beautiful and terrifying star-creature, but he's going to be truthful too. Even if he twitches a little shake of nervousness:

"Can't go past the stars 'less you can fly, maybe." He bites his lower lip, all ribbed with scars. Even the polecats, when they tried building bigger masts, they'd just come swinging back down. Higher you got there was some invisible hand that pushed you right back down. That's what they said. Nux didn't understand it, but it was so.

"I have my ways," Glacius rumbles. Beyond that, he's not going to go into details about his mission or his ship to someone he's just met, let alone a human that he's just met. Not being aware of the concept of a multiverse, he mistakes Nux from being from the version of earth that he visited--in fact, having just woke up here not all that long ago, he's still under the impression that he's on that earth, and that his ship is out there somewhere. He's not surprised that Nux doesn't seem to have any idea about the possibility of space travel; last time he'd been on earth they hadn't achieved that level of technology, despite their advancement... though he had sort of supposed that his alien nature would be a clue-in.

"This compound seems oddly vacant," the alien keeps going. "If I was brought here," because he must have been--he sure didn't travel here himself, "What happened to the people responsible?"

This War Boy can't stop eyeballing Glacius. Scanning all over, still marveling over the shine. Will probably never stop marveling over the shine. Looks so clean and it's his entire body-- ! Is he made of chrome? It's bluer than chrome but looks so similar. Words melt into the background as his stare darts all over. Shameless.

Except then he's being asked a question and Nux tosses a glance to the eyes again. He-- does not know the answer to that. The response is a plain, short shrug.

"Lots've people here, though! And other stuff. Like you," he adds. Glacius is not a people. Doesn't know what alien is, so right now he's Other Stuff.

Glacius has noticed the ogling Nux is doing--it's making him a little uncomfortable. If he'd known admiration was the attempt he might've puffed up, but as it was he was in a strange place talking to a strange person and he's still not sure what the human's aim is, here. Is he sizing him up? Looking for a weakness? Or is he just dumbfounded by the concept of a being from a distant planet?

His eyes go wide when Nux brings up that last bit. "Like me? There are others of my kind here?" He misinterprets, narrowing his eyes and taking a step forward. This is bad, he can't let this happen; this planet is ruthless, no place for his peaceful species. He has to find them and free them at once.

The Citadel was packed with bodies. Outside only got cool at night and then it was deadly-cold. Nux is used to heat. Simmering, stifling waves of it that every person gives off, but when Glacius takes a step close there is none. It's a chill. Not close enough to judge just how much but there's nothing warm hitting him with that abrupt step forward.

"Uh, yes." Nux unknowingly continues the miscommunication. "Lots." He's leaning back just slightly, his hands making fists. Thinks about that lance-arm slicing him in half. He has no armor and no weapons and Glacius probably could, if he says the wrong thing.

He certainly could, but would he? That's another thing. He's not going to hurt anyone unless things seriously go to hell here, let alone think about killing someone. Instead the alien advances again, a jolt of energy dancing across his fingers before he tenses his hand and then dispels it.

"Where are they? Can you take me to them?" he asks, "I must find them!"

There's a flight response to be had here; he should back off. But Nux doesn't. Interest keeps him rooted to the spot even as he blinks, jerks his upper body back just an inch more when Glacius steps close. Can he be hurt in Valhalla? Would it even matter?

"Dunno," Nux replies, dumb. "We can look for 'em. Lots." Repeats that for the third time, giving the creature an uneasy smile as he tries to look him in the eye.

"Yes, yes!" the alien clicks rapidly, about to start moving past Nux--then he has a second thought. He stops. "But this had better not be a trick, human!" Maybe that was the War Boy's angle all along--try to make him feel at ease, feed him a lie to ferry him right where they wanted him. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

"-- No, not a trick!" He's quick to assure otherwise. "Not trickin' ya. I saw 'em! Got a bunch of shiny things, too..."

Glacius is even closer now and it's then he notices the cold. Why cold? Where's it come from? Without thinking a hand is flung out. Tries to touch. The curiosity is overwhelming and he knows seconds later it must be a great disrespect to something that lives above the earth, lives above all of them (sand-scrapers, lizards and bugs, every last one)-- but--

Glacius takes one more step before he feels the human's hand land square on his lower arm, just above where two pale-colored spikes protrudes through the icy epidermis of his elbow. The alien freezes in place, sucking in a breath as he bristles--head snapping up, shoulders rising--and then in the next instant his head has snapped around to look at the hand that's found him. Then his eyes lock onto Nux's.

"What are you doing," the otherworldly being growls, trying to shift himself out of that curious touch.

Edited 2015-07-16 16:55 (UTC)

His hand sticks. Sticks to the arm he's planted a clammy palm on and when he tries to tug it off it sticks and it's so cold-- ! Why's it cold? He manages to jerk his hand away and it's with such force that he stumbles back a bit himself, staring up at Glacius with a panicked look. Didn't mean to. Didn't mean to, don't shred him--

"You feel like the night!" When it got all freezing like that outside, a radical shift from the scorch of the day. Nux sounds astounded. Astounded that such coldness could be packed and condensed into a glittering creature from beyond the stars. His brain can't process all these boggling things.

"What is that supposed to mean," Glacius growls, stepping away himself as Nux stumbles backwards; that had been very unpleasant. It's only when he's put some space between them that the meaning of the human's words click. "Of course I am cold, my skin is made of ice." This is said as the alien rubs at the spot where the human had touched him, like he's trying to clean dirt off. It's nothing against you personally, Nux--he just really doesn't like breaches of his personal space.

One hand grabs his own wrist and clutches it like he wants to rip it off. That cold was so severe it almost hurts. Almost felt like a flash of fire licking at his palm or maybe his own foolishness, like grabbing an overworked engine still steaming-hot. Nux stares at his palm with intensity then tugs his head back up to stare at the creature. Barks:

"Ice!" This was a thing he'd only heard of. The night never got cold enough to turn aqua cola hard. But he'd listened to the stories of history. Snow and ice used to be a thing. They were wondrously opposite the desert.

"Why are you made of ice-- ?!!" He must know the details here.

Glacius' eye twitches at Nux's suddenly raised voice. What sort of answer is this human expecting? It would be like asking someone why they were made of flesh and blood. Because that is what the laws of their planet dictated, that was the rule of their physiology. Even Glacius wasn't exempt from nature's fundamentals; within his icy armor laid a traditionally organic underbody, but he wasn't about to reveal that fact given his secretive nature. "Because my homeworld is a white planet," he answers, "Completely blanketed in ice and snow. My species evolved accordingly; we thrive in the cold, just as your species prefers the warmth."

Oblivious to how grating he is with his frantic questions, Nux only bestows an astonished look at Glacius when he answers. Is it possible for a person to look more awed than the War Boy does in this instant? A white planet. Completely blanketed in ice and snow. Not a thought given to how the extreme end of the spectrum would be, Nux is only enthralled with the vision he gets. It must be so beautiful. So nice on this-- "planet". Is that what it's called? Someplace like what he's walked on, but elsewhere. Up past the stars.

Magnificent. His mind is mush.

"That's one of the most shine things I've ever heard," Nux breathes, his voice lowered. Got chills thinking about it. Thinking about things he's never really thought about before.

The alien is surprised by the sudden change in tone, but the reverence there serves to soften him. His gaze falls on the War Boy, and he nods. "It is beautiful... one day, I will return. But not before my task is complete." Too much has been left on this planet. His ship, his technology... and now his own kind, if what this human is telling him is true. He must see to all of it before he can go home and feel his homeworld's cold embrace. "If you help me find my people, I am sure they will look upon you favorably."

Ice creatures, looking upon him favorably! It brings to mind the all-seeing eye of the Engine. Machine-gods that float above and grant glory to their followers. This is something Nux wants: to be looked upon favorably.

"-- Yes! Let's find them!"

Them still being everyone else in the compound. The miscommunication continues as Nux starts an enthusiastic walk in some direction. Any direction. Has no idea where they're going.

Glacius nods resolutely, following Nux easily with long, even strides. When he inevitably finds out that the human was just confused and there aren't other ice aliens, Nux isn't in any real danger, though Glacius will be highly exasperated. Until that revelation occurs the War Boy has a towering alien trailing along after him, one that still seems highly defensive given this situation.

"Where did you last see them? Were they imprisoned--were they harmed?"

They're wandering the halls, and at some point Nux is running a hand over his shorn scalp, stopping and wondering if they'd already gone past this point. Hard to tell since everything looks so much the same - could argue that for the barren rock tunnels of the Citadel, but he'd spent most of his life there. Knew every little crag and scratch. This place... unfamiliar.

He whirls around to Glacius. Looks concerned.

"Ehh-- no. Just walkin' around. Lots of 'em coming from everywhere, seems like. Not just the Fury Road." And, well, there's a verbal confirmation that he doesn't know what he's doing.

Glacius furrows his brows--studying Nux, listening to his words. This really doesn't make a lot of sense. Lots of his people on this planet? A select team would make sense, maybe, but they largely did their best to stay away from this ruthless world... and he'd heard of no missions that had been arranged to this place, aside from his own. Secrecy was paramount for his kind. This doesn't add up.

"Are you sure you saw others of my species--or are you just saying that there are others like me, other... outsiders?"

Others like him. Outsiders. That works. Works better than what Nux was trying to think of and failing, and he snaps his fingers, points with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, outsiders. That's right." A quick nod as he pivots to face the hall again and start marching right back off. There's gotta be someone around here. Saw a bunch of them before.

Well. Glacius suffers a pang of exasperation; here he is, following this human around under nothing more than a false understanding--the blind leading the blind, essentially. The alien emits a quiet grumbling sound, dropping his hands for a moment and rubbing at his icy temple. The only saving grace of this scenario is that he figured it out before he wasted too much of his own time on a search that would yield no results.

"I have no business with outsiders," Glacius explains, "My duty is to my own people." Well, that's not entirely true; his mission was to protect both his kind and humanity simultaneously, it was just that humanity wasn't supposed to know about it. "Perhaps you should have clarified before leading me in this search?"

Nux stops his shuffle-step right in place, looks yanked backward when he turns to look at Glacius again. All that elation is gone. Now he looks kicked again.

"Sorry--" Nux blurts, winces. "Didn't see no ice people yet. Just you." Yeah, they've been over this. Still he looks apologetic.

Glacius tilts his head, considering the human before him--almost like he's surprised by the apology. The War Boy's demeanor seems so different, suddenly. His desire to help had clearly been more genuine than the alien had supposed. The icy being huffs from his gills, sending clouds of freezing mist into the room.

"I cannot begrudge you," he responds, "It takes strength to acknowledge a mistake, and thus your apology is noted and accepted. In a way, this makes things simpler." It's better, he tells himself--now none of his people are at risk, just him--as it should be, as it has always been. He can endure the loneliness of separation a little longer still knowing that the rest of his kind remain safe.

( OPEN ) GAME START.

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