INTRO LOG #1

[collectedmods]

INTRO LOG #1

Welcome to Collected’s first Intro Log! The information we’ve provided about the setting is not exhaustive - feel free to interact with the setting as you see fit. Rather than have specific prompts, our event posts throughout the game will generally have information listed out like this and players may come up with their own prompts.

If you have questions about the setting or the intro log, please ask them HERE in the comment thread! And most of all, have fun, shoppers.

PROMPTS

The first thing anyone does is gasp for air.

It’ll feel like the first breath you’ve taken in years. That’s right; before you can even become aware of your surroundings, the most immediate thing they’ll process is that you’re in water. Foul smelling water - like rotten eggs and decay. It’s pitch black, and you’re swimming in it with only your head above the surface. If the smell doesn’t deter you, the longer you stay in will; the water stings to have on your skin, chemical in nature.

So - you need to get out. This water can’t be okay to stay in. Once you’ve gathered enough about your surroundings, you’ll see that you’re inside a mall, of sorts. There’s a large (non-functioning) escalator in front of you that will lead you to the semi-safe havens of the second floor - but be careful, because everyone’s going to be gunning for that only exit.

» Once on the second floor, exploring will lead you to a few notes of interest: Long windows and tall glass doors show the conditions outside. The sky is a burnt orange, and there is a thick sort of fog on the horizon. Nothing for miles in every direction - just an empty parking lot, completely devoid of life or any sign that anyone has come across this place in many years. Even so, you’ll find the windows and doors unlocked, so getting outside is easy… the problem is what’s out there.

A trip outside will make it instantly clear why you see no life outside the mall’s walls: exposure to the radioactive sun outside causes your skin to bubble with welts, and the thick, toxic air of the outside is impossible to inhale without keeling over. It’s blistering hot, too. Even non-organic creatures would melt or be eroded by the sun’s radioactive qualities. One thing is abundantly obvious: you cannot survive outside. Not now, at least. Those who receive a burn or other damage from the conditions outside will discover that strangely enough, upon returning inside the mall, the wound begins to heal up on its own. Slowly, and extremely painfully, but it’s healing. That’s strange…

» Another thing of note is that there’s a food court on the second floor. There, you’ll find a variety of abandoned restaurants that have varying amounts of non-perishables inside - canned vegetables and preserved meats, as well as dusty old jars of sauces and the like. There are a few walk-in freezers with hefty locks on them, but if the locks are broken or picked, there’s actually some frozen rations, as well! Many of them are not labelled, so the dining experience will be pretty hit or miss. None of the stoves or cooking appliances in the food court work anymore, either, so you’ll have to get creative when it comes to cooking up these ingredients. (Or just, you know, eat them cold.)

» Throughout the mall’s bathrooms, water fountains, and gym showers, you’ll find that all the water in the mall is suspiciously clean. Like, way too clean to be normal in a place as run-down and clearly abandoned as this. You’ll find that toilets flush completely fine, and shower water heats up (eventually). Should you be grateful, or concerned?

» There’s an electronics store on the second floor, as well, along with a internet cafe. Should you try to turn on the computers in the internet cafe, you’ll find that it only opens to the same forum page: a site called Mall Watch. It’ll prompt you to make an account and password if you try posting to it. In the electronics store, you’ll also find that any phone you forage for and try to boot up will also only open up to this forum page. Weird!

» If you’re looking for a place to sleep, the department stores of the mall still have a variety of furniture sets collecting a lot of dust. Then again, no one’s around to tell you where to sleep - and maybe you don’t trust all these new faces you arrived with. If you’re okay sleeping on the floor of a random store, more power to you.

» You’ll probably want to do something about your clothes that were stained by the black water on the first floor.. try foraging for some clothes! Looking around, you’ll find that some clothes stores have some stock left over, though everything’s generally a mess in clothing stores - it’ll take you some time to find anything that’ll fit you. Looking around enough on this second floor, you might end up stumbling across some of your own belongings or clothing, or those of your peers.

More than anything, the longer you explore and scavenge the mall, you’ll recognize how eerily silent it is. If not for you and your peers here, this place would be totally desolate. Clearly, there’s no one around for miles, and as far as you can tell, you’ll only be able to survive here for as long as the supplies here last. No one’s coming to save you - no one even knows you’re here. In every sense of the word, you are alone.

For now.



NAVIGATION

Comments

[teaserving]

What am I, your errand boy?

[Though the sarcastic remark is made, Abbacchio is notably taking the backpack anyway because he's a tsundere bastard like that.]

If I run into her again-- [which he will, because he has plans] --I'll hand it over to her. I'll just say I found it, if that makes it easier for you.

...What's your name? She never brought you up. Not surprising, but I figured it'd be better than saying "hey you".

[fireglowup]

[He opens his mouth, then closes it. He's told the truth so far, so there's no point in stopping now. He's tired of hiding, anyway. fuckin drama queen]

Zuko. [He almost elaborates, but no: just Zuko.] And--thanks. Uh, again. I'll probably have to face her eventually, but the more time I can get the better.

[teaserving]

Leone Abbacchio. ...And don't mention it. I'm not exactly a stranger to family struggles, just not on a royal scale.

[He pauses, then glances away.] Anyway. I guess just hit me up if you need help with some shit you don't recognize or something.

[fireglowup]

[Zuko actually smiles at him. Look at that!]

I will. And--

[He stops there, because he doesn't actually know what to offer in exchange. What's he even good at? Swords? Firebending? There's no use for either of those here, and everything else he could help with anybody could do. Still, though, it's only polite to extend the same courtesy.]

I can... help move stuff around, I guess? If you need it. [He runs a hand through his hair sheepishly, like he's apologizing for not being as useful.] Or if you need anything... set on fire?

[teaserving]

Actually... both of those would be kinda helpful. I was planning on moving a mattress on my own but I wouldn't mind another hand.

[Abbacchio smiles wryly, then goes to stand up as he dusts off his pants.]

And trust me, your firebending is going to be pretty helpful in this place. I guarantee a lot of people don't even know how to make one, and it'll save time for those are trying.

[fireglowup]

Sure. Anything I can do.

[Zuko can't help but smile at him, because in truth this whole interaction has been pretty surreal--in a good way. He's not used to people just taking him at face value. He's not used to dealing with people he hasn't hurt before, who didn't know him from before he got his shit together.

It's nice to be trusted without having to work for it, for once. Abbacchio reminds him a bit of Toph for that reason, which can only be a good thing.

Congratulations! Zuko Will Now Die For You.]