collectedlogs | INTRO LOG #1

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

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[The umbrella is the first casualty, and Constantin watches it flip over itself a few times as it clumsily sails out of his hands with an expression of mild surprise. It's more earnest shock when he realizes the young man attacking his umbrella is still moving, and he leans back sharply when a fist comes straight for his face.

What is this. Who is this lost child... Constantin frowns at him for a long moment, then moves to step around him and go pick him his umbrella, eyeing Zuko over his shoulder skeptically as he does.

Then he comes back, so like, that's... a plus? The umbrella is still open; he shuffles back to where he was originally standing and holds it up again, nodding.]

How did you do that?

[He's never seen martial arts before, until now! Show him this fun trick.]

[Zuko stares at him, still not relaxing an inch. Then his eyes dart like he's trying to find any clue that could help him answer this question. Or, rather, figure out what he's even asking. Alas, he does not seem to find any.]

How did I... hit your umbrella?

[Imagine not knowing martial arts lmao..................]

[Nervous child, what else could he possibly be talking about! He glances down at the umbrella, significantly, and then twirls it just as significantly.]

Yes, I should think so! You appear to be unarmed and not using any magic, therefore— show me!

[Come on! Simple task!]

[Give Zuko a second, he's very taken aback. Most people don't react so... cordially to being attacked. Also, he has to mentally backtrack a bit to remember what it is he even did--that's the downside to muscle memory, sometimes.]

Oh. Well... [Giving an impromptu lesson to a hapless stranger was the last thing he expected to be doing today! He sort of... guides Constantin's hand to roughly where it had been before, umbrella pointed out, then he retreads his motions from before, only slowly enough that Constantin can hopefully follow along.]

You just-- [He reaches forward so that he grabs Constantin's wrist with his left hand and twists (gently, it's a demonstration) to break the grip--it was the awkward shape of the umbrella as he hit it with his arm that sent it flying the first time, Zuko realizes now--and with the same momentum brings up his right hand in a fist. He doesn't actually follow through with the motion this time, but it's clear what it's meant to indicate.]

Like that.

[Look, anyone who actually wanted to punch him in the face would have done so by now, Constantin figures - and this kid is, you know, a kid. There's no reason not to politely ask for a demonstration! And so he watches and nods along while Zuko reenacts his attack in informative slow motion, dutifully fumbling the umbrella with, of all things, a laugh.

Surprised? Impressed? Who can say!]

Marvelous! And all in a matter of seconds! Are you a guard of some sort? Perhaps a soldier in training?

[He has only so many points of reference, see. Surely it's one of those...]

If I could— my wrist, that is, if you don't mind.

[Zuko releases Constantin's wrist at the slightest pull, and he'd apologize for it too if he hadn't been distracted by the first question.]

No, I was...

[But he stops himself. He's been here long enough to realize that none of the other people here are from any country he's ever heard of, and there's no reason to call attention to himself. Unfortunately, he's also a terrible liar and knows it, so he (quite obviously) mentally backtracks until he can find a safe true answer.]

A tea... server. [Yeah.

Which has nothing to do with martial arts, does it.]

[A tea server. Hmm. Constantin raises an eyebrow, ducking to grab the umbrella and spinning it idly at his side. Well...]

Then you must have been trained for some reason or another, [is his grand conclusion, waving his other hand.] My cousin is a diplomat, after all, and he was trained in plenty of weaponry and alchemical arts just in case!

[Ain't that just the way of the world? Even Constantin can wave a rapier around, although not particularly well. It's not honestly clear if he believes "tea server" or not, but it is apparent that he doesn't really care if that's a lie.

So it's fine!]

In any case, thank you for not taking my head off on the first day. What an ending!

[Maybe this is one time Zuko's lack of social skills doesn't matter: Constantin seems willing to talk enough for the both of them. It means Zuko doesn't need to elaborate, at least, so he can hopefully avoid tripping over himself for the time being.]

It wouldn't have taken your head off. [In case Connie was wondering.] It probably would have hurt, though. Sorry. [You know. Again.]

[Oh, kiddo, that's not reassuring. Constantin gives him a look, then sighs and reaches over to pat his shoulder. Okay, okay.]

Yes, yes, it's alright. Let's put it behind us! You can assist me in exploring this hallway, if it makes you feel better.

[Zuko looks at Constantin's hand, then at Constantin himself, and then at the hallway behind him, all with the same nonplussed expression. In the hallway are Yet More Shops. Zuko hasn't been through them yet, but he also doesn't have his hopes up.]

Have you managed to find anything other than clothes?

[Not that clothes are bad... or that Zuko has only found clothes himself, but he's getting a bit fed up with this place being full of stuff and very little of it useful. Clothes for days, and a bunch of weird devices that he doesn't understand. Great.]

[Don't be a spoilsport already, Zuko. Frankly, Constantin is owed one (1) exploration buddy time after that terrible attack. He glances at the umbrella, like, other than this thing...?]

I found a cooking pot. [It's back in the Sh*rper Im*ge.] And some linens, that sort of thing... What are you looking for?

[There probably won't be food down here or there would already be more people, he figures, but... surely there's something that isn't total garbage.]

[Zuko groans in a very teenager sort of way. It's a universal constant.]

I don't know, a way out of here?

[It's not a fair very resentment to direct at Constantin, who is stuck here just as much as Zuko is, so without waiting for a response Zuko sighs and proceeds toward the nearest storefront.]

Food's probably the most important right now.

[Perhaps there is food to be had in the R*dio Sh*ck.]

You don't get kidnapped very often, I imagine.

[This is... a joke, but also, if Zuko had been around the kidnapping block like some people present, he'd know better than to expect a way out without a daring rescue and/or desperately cunning secret plan. These things take time.

There's definitely nothing in this R*dio Sh*ck to eat except maybe the rock solid remains of a pack of gum buried deep under debris, but Constantin is along for the ride anyway. Sure, food. He kicks lightly at some broken glass to peer down at the busted gadgets beneath. Hmm!]

Well, this appears to be... I don't know, but I wouldn't try eating it if I were you.

[Zuko scoffs, though he doesn't clarify what that means for how often he gets kidnapped. (Like he'd ever think he could be lucky enough to just stumble upon an exit. Woe is him, etc.) He ends up kneeling in front of a rack of smaller electronics, fingering what is in reality a cheap MP3 player but from his perspective seems like a very strange rock.]

Everything in here is useless.

[It's part melodramatic despair, part actual knowledge from experience. There have been other stores like this, with useless, strangely shaped objects made from bizarre materials he's never encountered before. He has no idea what their purpose is, but he knows they aren't edible.

Shit sucks.]

It has barely been five minutes. Generously.

[Teens? Jesus. Constantin is very familiar with Teen Melodrama, but only in the way that he himself has always been a bit of a dramatic nightmare, not that he's ever had to deal with someone else's sulking. Hush, teen...]

I do recall seeing a cart of sorts with food painted on the side, if you'd like to join me in going a way's further down.

[Let's return to... the A*ntie A*ne's pretzel cart.]

[Zuko wrinkles his nose at the mention of what passes for food here--most of it's not been appetizing, to say the least, but he can nonetheless appreciate the benefit of terrible over none at all. And anything is better than sitting around in this useless store, so. If any missing items are here that they're skipping over, they'll just have to be found by other people.

Anyway: he follows Connie to the cart and peers within dubiously. Maybe even suspiciously.]

What are those? [Curvy... logs? Are they even edible?]

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INTRO LOG #1

zukes....

you don't know his LIFE connie

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