(event) WAY DOWN WE GO

[vestigemods]

EVENT LOG: WAY DOWN WE GO

AUGUST 14TH - 24TH

► THE BASICS

Not halfway into the month of August, the lake starts to recede - slowly at first, but then in great leaps and bounds until only a foot and a half of sun-warmed standing water remains. The lake going dry is concerning, for certain, but it's hardly the least of our problems... because on the lake bed is a hatch, askew and emblazoned with an unknown but eerie insignia, and beyond that hatch lies nothing but trouble.

Over the next few days, a brave and reckless team of explorers delve into the cave beyond - what is later revealed as a maintenance tunnel, just before the ceiling of that very tunnel caves in and traps them from both sides. Their supplies are limited, and phone signal is shaky at best. And what's worse, not more than a day or so later, the lake begins to fill back up, water pouring down into the open hatch. Can those who remain stage a rescue in time to save the explorers from drowning?

► MOD NOTES

• This log is a general dump for all log threads pertaining to August's Way Down We Go event - and in lieu of the lack of catch-all for August, you can feel free to do non-event log threads here as well! Go ahead and utilize vestigenet for any event-related network posts you'd like to make.
  
• The main chunk of the event takes place between the IC dates August 17th (reveal of the hatch) and August 22nd (the latest the spelunkers can be freed before they drown). No rush leaping on this event post, since I know most folks are honestly still plotting about it.
  
• All event information can be found on the July Event Infopost!
  
• Please take special care in this event to label your top-levels with identifying information such as the IC date, any prompts specifically pertaining to event roles (spelunker, rescue efforts, etc), and/or 'non-event' for any non-event prompts you may include. Just trying to keep things organized!
  
• I'm going to help solidify the plotting efforts over the next few days to help make sure everyone's on the same page, but none of it will be set in stone just in case latecomers want in too. If you want in, chime in on the spelunkers, rescue efforts, or support roles top-levels as applicable!
  
• Any questions can be directed to this top-level or, for a quicker response, to Trace on discord/plurk.

Comments

[kinkprofessor]

[ It is hot out here! For more reasons than just one, but- He digresses. ]

A year or so, maybe. [ After the splice, he lost quite a bit of time. It took six months, they'd told him, to recover to a state he could function. Even now, he still isn't completely recovered and might never be. But that's alright. He works with what he has. ]

Yes, that's right. And it did at first, but now- It's just like having an extra arm. Or eight! [ To demonstrate, a tentacle slithers out from under his sleeve and waves side to side as a hand would in greeting. ]

[porndealer]

[None of that sounds fun, Huaisang will pass on genetic fuckery.

When that tentacle slivers out he'll take a little step back "cowering" behind his fan. He'll get use to then eventually.]

Sounds exhausting. That's too much thinking for me.

[Then he'll consider-]

What were you doing before? Hanging from the tree like that?

cw: mention of past drug use

[kinkprofessor]

[ That's probably a smart idea. He almost ended up with fins instead of tentacles, after all. It would have been a lot more like The Shape of Water instead of Dream of The Fisherman's Wife up in here. ]

It's not for everyone. [ It's not for most people. ]

Ah, well- I was trying to clear my mind. [ Detox, Quin. The word you're looking for is detox. He can already feel the itch of craving beneath his skin starting up again. Hm. ] This situation has been quite a lot to take in. I just thought taking some time to think might help me find a better way to approach it all.

[porndealer]

[Fins... doesn't sound as interesting or uh... useful as tentacles.]

Oh, so you mean meditating? Guess I ruined it, sorry about that.

[Now that the initial fear has worn off he's actually quite interested in this Quin guy, with his tentacles. Even if he's not a hundred on board of them touching him yet.]

... I can leave if you want to get back to that, meditation is very important.

[kinkprofessor]

Nonsense, you didn't ruin anything. I'm actually glad for the company. I'm still getting used to everything and friendly faces help more than solitude.

[ He has been trying to get to know his neighbors. Intimately. ]

Maybe we could meditate together sometime? Or a group session if people are interested! I think fostering a sense of community would be nice.

[ He really just wants to lead since he finds himself at a loss without being in a position of authority. Details. ]

[porndealer]

[Quin, you know maybe a booty call network post is in order. Looking for all sexually librated fun beings.

Huaisang tucks his fan under his arm and fusses a little nervously at the long thin bangs that hang on each side of his face as he moves to walk a little around "his" tree towards the ones he'd seen Quin meditating from.]

It's a lot here... I don't know if I'll ever get used it myself. Things are so different from back home.

[He sighs, looking up in the trees.]

That's why I was out here. There's a lot of really pretty birds and I like watching them. It's calming. Like meditation.

[kinkprofessor]

[ Don't give him any ideas. Though, to be fair, he'll probably end up putting out a personal notice before long. ]

It does seem quite different for me as well. [ For him, this place is primitive. He's grateful for phone services and working plumbing but after coming from Zenith - aptly named - he finds himself a bit uncertain. ]

Birdwatching is a nice pastime. I might find myself picking up some new hobbies with all this newfound time on my hands.

[porndealer]

[Do it, Quin.

And oh lord, if this place is primitive what would Quin think about Huaisang's home? Absolutely barbaric he's sure. Or primitive with a bunch of beautiful people in pretty flowing robes and swords leaping about and using spirit magic. Either or. A little of column A a little of column B.]

It seems we'll be here for a while, hobbies might be the only thing that keeps us sane.

[Huaisang pulls out his fan again to use it to peer up through the branches of the tree at the sunlight. It's bright, but the fan helps him not go blind. After a moment he'll look down, look over at Quin as he lazily fans himself.]

Is it better where you're from?

[kinkprofessor]

[ It'd be the worst of both worlds for him; archaic and magic? Disgraceful. Still, he'd appreciate the beauty of the people there. It's helping him adjust better here, at least. ]

I'm sure I'll find ways to occupy my time. [ He most certainly will. ]

'Better' is subjective. I'm biased, but... I'd say yes. More comfortable, if nothing else. I miss my AI companion already, honestly.

[porndealer]

[Wow Quin, what do you have against magic? But at least there are a lot of hot people in Vestige. Literally. Huaisang is melting every goddamn day here, even not wearing his robes anymore. Honestly drown him in the lake at this point.]

A... I?

[Every other thing out of Quin's mouth has him questioning everything. He knows what a companion is, but what does he mean by that exactly? Is it like... a concubine or a wife? Or just a friend? What does he meaaaaan.]

Maybe they'll end up here too, your companion. A lot of people from my home are here too.

[kinkprofessor]

[ If he's into that, sure. ]

Artificial intelligence. It's like a person, but in a computer - or network, like here - instead of actually existing. [ It's honestly a monumental effort to make this easier to understand. ]

I'd have to re-make him if I wanted to see him again, I think, but maybe I could find a way eventually.

[ Not that he's actually thinking long-term. He wants to find a way off this backwater planet sooner rather than later. ]

[porndealer]

[Drowning is not a kink for Huaisang, but thank you for being considerate, Quin. Bless the tentacled professor for attempting to explain things, even if it's still mostly going over his head. He "understands", but in the most basic sense in that he thinks that people can be in phones now. Or a person like thing... can be?]

Oooh...

[Huaisang nods his head a little, he gets it. Sure. Mhm.]

Could you make him in a phone? Is that a computer? It has a network, that's how we talk to each other right?

[kinkprofessor]

I might be able to, but it'd require time and I'm not sure if this network could handle the data and algorithms required to run a more complex AI... [ The only thing to distract him, really, it to start talking science. ]

I could make a more simplistic version of him, possibly, but I'd have to have a better understanding of what I'm working with.

[porndealer]

[Just more absent nodding as Quin is saying a bunch of stuff that is way over his head.]

So if the um, the stuff here is good enough then maybe you could have your AI? I hope it works out, it sounds important to you.

[kinkprofessor]

[ He's past the point of trying to simplify, unfortunately. His mind is now only on constructing his AI. ]

Maybe I could. Thank you for the suggestion. It's not necessary but it would be nice to have a comfort of home.

[porndealer]

[Another time, another time. Huaisang gives a little smile from behind his fan.]

Now that I can understand. That's why I like coming out here in the woods. The singing of the birds helps me feel just a little bit like I'm at home.

good place to end??

[kinkprofessor]

Hopefully, we'll find more comforts of home. [ A pause as he considers this. ] Though, hopefully, we won't have to worry about being here long enough that it'll be necessary.