(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]

[ He's very good at appearing unassuming. His intentions right now are fairly innocent, as far his usual ones go, and he's really just looking for any sort of distraction. ]

I'd think I'd remember a face like yours is all. [ Wee woo, flirt alert. He steps towards the cabin to bridge the distance between them and smiles all the while. ] The pleasure's all mine, Simon. I'm Professor Quintalian, but you can call me Quin.

So you've already set up house, hm?

[notpunkjustdaft]

[ Fortunately (unfortunately?), Simon is completely oblivious to the fact that this is flirting. He thinks it's just a weird thing to say, because his face, he's sure, isn't that remarkable.

He glances at the little cabin, then at Quin again. ]

Seemed like the best thing to do.

[kinkprofessor]

[ Unfortunate for Quin, but probably the best for Simon. Subtlty isn't exactly his forte though so it's only a matter of time. ]

It is nice. While I usually also appreciate a view, I figured I might be able to study a bit more undisturbed further back in the woods. [ A little bit more privacy to conduct his eventual experiments. ]

But I don't think I'll truly want for views with people like you around.

[ A little more overt. ]

[notpunkjustdaft]

[ Simon wonders what people like him means. Is it because of his wings? His tail? They haven't made an appearance here yet, but he can feel them beneath his skin, itching for freedom. He's worried that just thinking about them will make them pop. He's worried how anyone would know about it. ]

What's it you're studying?

[kinkprofessor]

[ Cute, Simon. He's trying to say you're cute. It seems like he's not getting anywhere, but that's fine. He's a persistent man if nothing else. ]

Oh, a variety of things! My main focus is in the field of Xenobiology, however, so I work on cataloging different alien species and learning as much as I can about them.

[notpunkjustdaft]

[ It's a good thing Quin keeps talking, because Simon has no idea what Xenobiology is. He knows what aliens are.

He had no idea they were real, and it probably shows on his face when his mouth hangs open a little in disbelief. ]

Like - Real aliens? Things from outer space? That's well cool.

[kinkprofessor]

Of course! Actually, you're all aliens to me as I am to you.

[ As he says that, there's movement beneath the shoulders of his lab coat. Out from the edge of his sleeves pokes two tentacles that twine around his hands and extend out a little past his fingers. ]

In case you wanted proof.

[notpunkjustdaft]

[ Simon's eyes go a bit wide. It's not because he's suddenly afraid of weirded out (he's faced things a lot weirder and scarier than a guy with tentacles). Just, you know, as a young man with a wing and tail problem, he's never seen anyone else even remotely like him.

He's aware his mouth is still hanging open as he sets aside the broom and steps down from the porch. Maybe, Simon thinks, he ought to bring up his own condition. What would his friends do?

They'd tell him to be careful (and he'd ignore them).

Simon decides to not say anything yet. He knows he can't keep it secret forever. He doesn't even want to, but he still doesn't actually know what's going on here. He does, however, leave a little space between himself and Quin while he looks at the wriggling tentacles. ]

Were you born with them or did something happen?

[kinkprofessor]

[ Ah. There's the reaction he loves to see. He doesn't seem scared by the extra appendages, which is a good thing, but certainly interested. ]

They're a byproduct of genetic experimentation so, no, I wasn't born with them. [ His species wasn't very exciting, honestly. ] It took some time to get used to them, but now I can't imagine life without!

[ One of the tentacles reaches out a little further. It waves back and forth idly in the air in front of Simon. ] They're just like extra limbs, extensions of me.

[notpunkjustdaft]

How long did it take? To get used to it.

[ Simon feels like he's used to his wings. He wouldn't say he's comfortable with them yet. Sometimes, sure. Honestly, he's not certain he'll ever fully embrace them, but seeing this gives him hope. ]

How do you hide them? Do you show people a lot? Do people care?

[kinkprofessor]

It took six months of physical therapy before I was functional again. After that, it was just a few months of adjusting and learning how to utilize them properly.

[ It's been about a year since it happened, he realizes. It feels so much longer than that some days. ]

They can be tucked into pockets of skin on my back so unless I'm going shirtless, no one would notice. I've shown a handful of people here though and they seem interested more than anything else.

[notpunkjustdaft]

That's wild.

[ Simon wonders if that's possible with him. He has a lot of questions but he doesn't even know how to articulate most of them, so he decides to just let this information sit for now. ]

Like, really cool.

[kinkprofessor]

You seem very interested in what people might think of unusual appearances.

[ Suspicious. Of course, he won't outright say that but he might as well have. ]

Not everyone will be accepting, I'm sure, but most seem to want to work together here rather than cause any issue.