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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He pushes the mattress a few more feet with one hand, and it slides rather easily. He could.. probably carry the whole thing, except it's a little awkward and off-balance, so for now, this is where he's at. ]

Fufu, nonsense. Besides, I'm in search of a very particular mattress. [ One fit for an Emperor. ] One that gives off the correct feeling, where I can lay my hands upon it and know that it is the one. This one is not it for the person who seeks such a thing, but it may be the one for you. At least, I believe that if a pea were to be placed beneath it, you would not know it was there.

[ Wow he talks a lot, but hey, now he's in the right position to lift the mattress up and onto his shoulder. ]

Anyhow, fair maiden, please show me where you would like it!

[ She doesn't mind his talking at all - in fact, as a fellow chatterbox, she brightens up a little at seeing someone so positive. ]

Haha, okay! [ Smiling, she starts off a little further to the left end of where many of the beds are being set up. In her mind, there's safety in numbers.. sort of. As long as she keeps an eye out. ] I'd help you with carrying it, but Misa isn't very strong...

[ She lays on her cute idol persona, making sure she doesn't advance too far without him. ]

But I promise I'll help you look for your particular mattress after! Deal?

[ Considering the deal being presented to him, he figures that... well, there's no point in refusing; Wataru doesn't dislike many things, but doing things by himself is pretty high up on the invisible list there.

So his smile is quite bright when he turns to look at her, the mattress balanced above him turning in sync. ]

It's a deal! ♪

[ But by now, he's close to where she's standing, judging the distance between the closest mattress and this one. ]

Here? It's close by, but there's potential for privacy, too.

[ She gives him a peppy nod, stepping back out of the way a little to give him more room to set it down. ]

That should be fine! I don't want to be too far away from everyone... that would be a bit scary.

[ Normally, this is the opposite of what she would want, but as things are - it'd be too risky to be by herself. Probably? That's the best she can guess. ]

You're going to stay with the group too, aren't you?

[ A look out across the mattresses spread out tells him that this is probably going to be the communal place. He could suggest it, but... ]

Fufu, I don't think I'd mind it. It'd be like a sleepover, something I've yet to experience in this life! [ Wataru is not exactly keen on sleeping in front of other people, but he's somewhat used to it now—before it was like being backstage, and when you're always "onstage" things like eating and sleeping were shameful to be caught doing sometimes.

But before coming to in the water here, he'd been sharing a room with three others for some time, even if that time was short. Still, having roommates isn't like having a sleepover! He's seen them in the movies! ] But I'll likely place myself in the kingdom my partner has claimed, wherever it may be.

He's quite tactical, though, and it will likely be within shouting distance.

Oh, your friend is here? I'm so jealous...

[ Misa clasps her hands together, overacting her sincerity just for the drama of it all. It's true, too - she'd feel a lot better if she at least had a familiar face around. Or maybe this person just makes fast friends? Either way - jealous, of having someone to call a partner around. ]

Not that I want any of my friends to have to swim in that gross water like I did. But it's nice that you have someone to look out for you, um— [ She tilts her head. ] What did you say your name was?

[ There's a noise of agreement from him. He agrees that it'd be better if he were the only one here; he also knows that he's powerless by himself, no matter his strength and ability to adapt and endure. Like a single hair is weak by itself, but stronger when woven with others, that's Wataru. ]

My parents shared their family name with me—Hibiki ☆ —and then gave me the name Wataru all for myself, so I am your... [ Drum roll please. ] Hibiki Wataru...! ♪

[ What a weird way to say your name. ]

[ Misa finds this... not weird at all! In fact, she's entertained!!! She laughs, playfully, feeling nothing but encouraged to match his dramatic and joyous energy. ]

Hibiki Wataru ~ ♪ [ She sing-songs his name back at him, ] I'm Misa-Misa! But just Misa is okay.

[ On the inside, she's thinking it's probably for the best that she doesn't let anyone here know her last name, even if the other so easily gave her his... it's just being safe. And she knows if she makes up a fake one, she might forget it or mess up. Besides, that's what her stage name is for. ]

You must be... some kind of celebrity? Your hair is such a cool color!

[ why dwell on this scary mall when they can talk about, this! ]

[ 'Misa-Misa but just Misa is okay' is slotted into his memories as "Mimi" now. Or something similar. He may change it before he gets to use it, as you do. ]

Fufufu, do you think so? I change it for every period of my life... ♪ I always consider cutting it to surprise people, but then another person comes along to tell me how surprising it is and before I know it, I've already changed my mind!

[ He's looking down at the ends of it, though. Thoughtful. ]

However, that water down below certainly did nothing for it. I'll have to keep an eye out for a dye that might not be expired.

[ This is extremely important, actually. ]

Aw, me too! I'm hoping we won't be here so long that my roots will show or something... that would be awful.

[ It IS extremely important in the grand scheme of things. Misa folds her arms behind her back, backing up a few paces in the direction from whence they came. With her mattress situation all taken care of, she's more than happy to have a fun conversation while helping someone else. ]

Not only does that stuff stain, but I heard it's toxic or something, too. Hopefully it doesn't damage your hair too much.

[ So, it's time to resume the search for the right mattress for his Emperor, hm. On the walk back towards the place where he found the other one, his steps are so light and almost skippy that it's a bit like he's floating cheerfully along the floor. ]

Fufufu, perhaps... if you see a brilliant reflection in the distance in the future, please consider that I may have gone bald and keep your beautiful locks far from the water from then on!

[ Re...assuring... ]

INTRO LOG #1

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