THE AMAZING BASE.

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? Welcome home, nerds.
WHEN? Outside time and space, in the aether between dimensions.
ANYTHING ELSE? There is also a fish. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13.

MYSTERY FISH;

question the mystery fish

DEPARTING GALLIPOLI

The order comes the day after the Marie Antoinette sets sail:

PACK UP AND GET READY TO MOVE OUT. WE'VE DONE ALL WE CAN HERE.

DEPLOYMENT: BASE.

WE NEED TO RESTOCK. BE PREPARED FOR MORE TRANSFERS ON ARRIVAL.

STAY SAFE. TIME-STEP EXPECTED TO BEGIN WITHIN THE HOUR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU NEW TO COST: FIND A SECLUDED SPOT AND TRY NOT TO EAT ANYTHING BEFORE THE JUMP.

The Time-Step

The transfer begins like a vibrating heat on the collar bone, just a hum of sensation.

But the vibration spreads. Veteran COST soldiers often refer to this phenomenon as "the buzz". The feeling builds, not unlike standing near a great engine or the wind-rattled branches of a massive tree. There is a long moment of motion sickness and you can't be sure if the world is shaking you from the inside out or the outside in. It may be better to close your eyes against the growing nausea, as the world blurs out of focus.

A star shines in the distance. You may hear the faint rustling of leaves. Some swear they hear voices in this moment, indistinct words echoing off nothingness. Others say they feel a touch of the divine, that the eyes of the eternal look down upon you. Ancient bones rattle just out of earshot, cold and brittle and nothing more than the suggestion of sound. Or maybe it's only an illusion, brought on by the powerful technology grafted into your skin.

One thing is for sure: One moment you are here and the next you are not.

The shift takes you from whatever solitude you could find aboard the Marie Antoinette to the temperature-regulated hallway of what looks like a very poorly put together space station. Droids rush up and down the long hallway, fixing broken bits of machinery or just chattering with each other. A few crows sit on high ledges, looking down and watching. Someone mutters something about a centaur around the corner.

And you might just notice, provided you were in Gallipoli long enough to acquire stowaways, that the parasites lurking on your skin are mercifully gone.

For new arrivals who didn't experience Gallipoli: You, too, will appear in this long hallway, filled with droids and crows and humans (still filthy and clad in ANZAC uniforms, carrying battered equipment from the first World War). And you'll be wearing the minimal COST-issued athletic underwear and holding whatever one item you were allowed to bring. Surprise!

READ THE BASE INFOPAGE.

home away from home

Those who have been to BASE before may find a strangeness to it all: BASE seems...still. The windows show a verdant world instead of the usual aether (though with the typical paranoia), and the halls are bereft of all but a few crows. A man stands at the end of the long hallway you arrived in, waiting for you to get your bearings before he speaks.

Except, you know, he's not a man. He's a centaur.

"It's been barely a week since you left, by my reckoning. But for you, I'm sure, it's been much longer. Still, much has changed. You may have noticed we are...becalmed. This is due, it seems, to an error in our ways. We kept something that does not belong to us, several wild creatures that are meant to be free. They seem to have psychically called out to their home, and their home responded; we are now somewhat stranded.

"But let me explain—the Aether is the nexus between worlds and times, but it is not a dead thing. Creatures live in it. We have crashed onto the back of one such creature, a mighty beast, as large as a small country and entirely undiscovered. We have found why the creature has intercepted us: we have accidentally taken captive some of its children. Shapers, the wild creatures I mentioned, it seems they form a symbiotic bond with the creature, and live happily within its stomach."

He frowns, considering this.

"Shapers, I should mention, are creatures that briefly infested our fair BASE. The issue was dealt with, though we kept some for experimentation. The coelacanth took issue with this, it seems. It can speak, of course; we are stranded very near its head, and if you wish to ask it a question, I implore you to do so. The creature is older than creation—older than me—and only speaks once to any creature it encounters. It's said its wisdom brings kings to their knees."

His eyes crinkle in humor.

"My name is Chiron and I am the caretaker of this place, for those of you whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting. More importantly, I am a trainer and a teacher of some experience; if you wish training or schooling of any sort, do summon me. I will be happy to assist."

He's easy to contact, often found in the library, the training area, his capsule, or elsewhere in the station, attempting to fix what he understands and arguing with crows.

"We intended to spend this time exploring, for this is a rare opportunity to discover more of an entirely uncharted world. I hasten you to see if anything on the coelacanth can be of use, but be careful. Take only what you need, not what you may want. I intend to learn my lessons well; these creatures are not pets. Takes food, water, and any materials of use to us for our survival and perseverance, but no more. We task you with this: explore the coelacanth, and see what of it can be understood. Bring us back samples, but do try to interrupt the natural habitat as little as possible. We are guests here."

He bows and the action shows a slight limp in one of his back legs.

"I would join you, but I am far too old for such activities. Still, do pepper me with any questions you should encounter. I am always available on the network, or in person, within this hulking mass we call home."

And then he leaves you to find your capsules and rest.

CAPSULE ASSIGNMENTS

Once you've found your room and settled in—perhaps taken a shower, collected clothes, and eaten—a droid will approach you with camping equipment and give you a brief explanation of how to access and use the database. It's time to get your gear and go.

Of course, you can decline. You can stay and tend to the fort, maybe try and clean up this patchwork jumble of metal and machinery. But seeing the sights on the back of a giant fish flying through non-space? Who can say no to that?


the undiscovered country.

BASE's airlocks open into a lush valley, vibrant with color and rustling with life that has thrived on the coelacanth's back for millennia. It's a striking shift from the rot and gunfire of Gallipoli, unmarked by shrapnel, bombshells, and never-fresh air.

No, the air here is clean in a way that can leave you breathless, untouched by pollutants and stirred into a gentle breeze. It's a marked departure for anyone used to a more modern Earth or rough equivalent; letting the air sit on your tongue leaves a crisp, unsullied taste behind. And the whole forest feels alive, in a way that reminds you of how small you really are.

A white crow perches in a tree near BASE's exit, too high up to properly engage but a stark contrast to the bright leaves around her. She merely watches recruits come and go with a shrewd eye, feathers fluffed against the light chill. There are other crows scattered throughout the wilderness, some easier to find than others as they flit through the trees, sit on camping equipment, or hitch rides on the hoverbikes.

Besides those brief flashes of black feathers, however, you're left unsupervised.

Try not to fuck up anything too badly.

EXPLORE:INFOPAGE|DATABASE
talk to a fish | destruction report

NAV. NETWORK LOGS OOC MEMES PLURK

Comments

[excelsus]

You can hardly fool me, I can see right through that smooth facade of yours into your sassy depths. [Whether or not Dorian really does is up for debate, he could very well be teasing him.] And therein lies the problem, what am I supposed to do with him on the base? Let him wander the halls like a street urchin? Leaving little presents here and there?

[They both know Dorian doesn't mean presents.]

Joyous, yes, but he's hallyracket, I'm afraid he's going to prance right over the edge of a cliff.

[Okay, yes, it's a little endearing too, but Dorian is ever the realist.]

There it is again. [Such cheek, Chiron, it's amazing!] I suppose the practicality is all in our design, unless you are a Qunari...I am not entirely certain what the purpose of the horns are other than to prevent them from properly getting through a door.

[Giving the hart another quick glance he tipped his head at Chiron and raised an eyebrow.]

Now, now you. Hush. I can't have it going around that I'm concerned. If others found out then where would I be?

[horsepowered]

I believe those are more recent sassy layers, building up like geological stratta, and whose existence are probably owed to you. [Dorian's just the kind of person who brings that side out, what can one say?] In truth, I'm not sure. That may be worth asking the other Chiron, as he might have insight or be able to assist in ways I can't. Goodness knows it'd be nice to have a room with some illusion of greenery.

[Chiron does pause to give the concern consideration. It could happen, but so could any other danger.] You'll have to trust him not to do that, I'm afraid, unless you have all the time in the world to watch him like a hawk.

[Well, either way.] You'll need to explain. Qunari being...?

[Oh Dorian. Chiron shakes his head.] Is it that bad to have it be known that you have a good heart?

[excelsus]

I'll take that as a compliment. [Of course Dorian will take all the credit for your sassy layers Chiron, with a great deal of pride in fact, if you're going to give him the credit.] I might have to do that...as you can imagine I'm not much of a stable boy either. So there's that.

[Yes, trust, Dorian could opt for trust.] He's too exuberant to watch like a hawk, I'll have to trust his good sense from his good breeding. I only hope he can tell the difference between good plants and toxic ones.

[Dorian can't help but wonder if the hart ate something that's giving him so much exhilaration or if this is just a natural state of not being enclosed.]

Ah, the Qunari, not easy to describe but I will give it a shot. They are humanoid with a sort of dragon-esque appearance to them. They are quite tall, metallic skin, white hair, and the facial features that give you the impression of a dragon complete with horns...and a very inflexible philosophy.

You'd be surprised by how little having a good heart matters in some places as opposed to successes and flawlessness. [Dorian merely offers him a wry smile suggesting that Dorian grew up in one of these places. You don't get praised for having a good heart in Tevinter.]

[horsepowered]

[He hasn't been this sassy in the past! Dorian is the only credible explanation for this new leaf.] There's no logical reason for you to be. I imagine that he wouldn't have been brought here without consideration for resources though, so there must be something.

[Horse storage? Who the hell knows.] It isn't as if any of us know the differences between these plants either, come to think of it. We're all as at risk as he is.

[The only difference is communicating the problem. Regardless, Chiron listens quietly, and as Dorian explains, there's only one thing that springs to mind.] The horn part is something that is familiar to me, as there was one particular creature called the Minotaur that had such features. But...the philosophy is a new element.

I'm aware. [Chiron's smile isn't wry. It's genuine.] The young woman who initially summoned me is much the same way, to the point where I wonder if she'd be better off refusing the heritage that has been thrust upon her as a mage.

[excelsus]

Well he can certainly consume the same gelatinous nonsense that passes for food, so there is that. [As long as it comes close to looking like fruits and grains. Granted the Hart enjoys the stuff almost as much as Dorian, eating out of the need to do so and not for the sheer pleasure of it.]

I suppose that's true, I've not yet tried to put any plants in my mouth yet, but that's not the only way a plant can bite you in the arse, so to speak. [Touching a plant can have untoward effects and...well...did they know whether or not the air they were breathing was completely safe?]

Ah, well, their philosophy tends to abandon the idea of autonomy, they think the world would be a better place under their "Qun." Everyone would have a purpose and no one would be starving on the streets, that's probably a positive...but what it takes to get there? First there's war, next there's conversion and those who do do not wish to convert are brain-washed and if that doesn't work they are killed, and finally thinking for yourself is prohibited. I would never survive under the Qun, not as a person...and especially as a mage considering what they do to them.

[Not something he'd want to experience honestly.]

Probably. I gave up my own heritage, not as a mage, you can't just stop being a mage...but as a family heir. I left behind the gold, the name, the lofty positions in court, all that rot. It's better.

[horsepowered]

Such a reminder does make me glad that I do not need to eat so long as I have mana. [Chiron's opinions on food are pretty unassuming, he'll enjoy a meal as much as anyone, but now being tethered to a mana source does come with a small luxury.]

That's true enough. Scent or touch can be just as much a problem. Mouths are just a quicker route to determining the problem and being able to source is quickly. [Going past a plant several hours ago? Much harder.

But never mind the plants. Chiron leans in quietly as Dorian explains the Qunari and their approach to life, and the growing frown on Chiron's face shows exactly what his opinion on the concept of living under the Qun is. It's disapproving, painfully so.]

Even the Spartans, as organized and domineering as they are, would not think of a system so rigid and all consuming. I cannot imagine a society functioning under such a construct and...I believe I will not ask what they demand of their mages. Better to be ignorant on that, I believe.

[Or at least they both need to have a drink in them.]

For the mages in my world, you can actually stop being a mage in a meaningful way. That's actually tied into being the family heir as well. Curious that this particular fact aligns.

[excelsus]

I imagine you've a steady supply of mana that keeps you away from the generous delicacies our hosts have gifted us? Good on you. [For his part, Dorian is stuck with it and with the weak vinegar that passes for alcohol as well.]

Hm...the mouth is the source of many problems...quite amusing. [Imagine if people didn't have the ability of speech, how wonderful and terrible that would be.]

To be perfectly honest the Qun only works up to a certain point, there are those who abandon the Qun and become Tal'Vashoth. They probably have some sense of ambition and resent their role, but I honestly do not know why some rebel. [Dorian snorts at that, if he didn't have to know he would.] You're probably right, being a Saarebas or a Bas under the Qun is...incredibly harsh.

[Anything that rivaled the harshness of the southern circles was inhumane...and southern circles were pretty inhumane on their own.]

Unfortunately for some, being a mage is not something one can quit, I'm certain if Vivienne could give up being a mage and trade it for being a noble instead she probably would. Being a mage makes her relevant...but that's something else completely.

[horsepowered]

It is a relief. Mordred, I believe, has much stronger opinions on the matter of food, even though we share the same nature. You would probably enjoy and appreciate her opinions. She's frank enough with them.

[As much as an enjoyable aquaintance as Mordred was, there was also no denying that she was rough around the edges and at times, intentionally so. Regardless, it did make her singular, and that was always appreciable.]

If I was someone other than myself, I believe I would intentionally take that statement the wrong way. [Too bad he's not.]

So then how do they maintain it if they have such dissenters? It seems to me that those getting out and away from it would be able to work against them. Or are there nuances I am unaware of?

[Chiron chooses not to inquire any further about mages under the Qun, moving away from the topic as quickly as he can. Some curiosities are best left alone.]

Interesting. It's more literal for magi back home. Each lineage of magi families has what they call a family crest, which...best think of it as a magical organ, I suppose, one that is transplanted from one family heir to the next. It contains that family's entire knowledge, their body of work, and it allows the heirs to call upon that work with no effort at all. The next heir gets the crest and so on. If a mage decides to give up their path, they can quite literally have this crest removed and it will be passed on.

[excelsus]

Mordred reminds me of someone I know with strong opinions and that's something I can handle well enough. [Sera would probably get along great with Mordred...or they would clash, it could go either way. Sera was frank, gave few shits, and did things either for fun or for profit.]

Seems a part of you was at least thinking about how you could take it the wrong way. Naughty. [Dorian is a terrible influence, you need to quit him quickly.]

Interesting question. I suppose it has to do with those nuances, for some I suspect the Qun holds a certain appeal for example if you are incredibly poor or a slave or if you are someone who really enjoys rules. There is also the brain washing and their re-education system...only the incredibly lucky ones get out so the number of Tal'Vashoth are relatively small.

[Of course Dorian's information is second hand, but his people have been fighting the Qunari for quite some time so his knowledge would be better than most.]

Sounds disgusting, honestly...and disturbing, gaining magic without putting in the effort to attain skill. I suppose it's different where you are from, it just sounds like playing with something you barely understand...it typically backfires with mages in Thedas. Aquiring magic is one thing, a demon can whisper into your ear the ways of blood magic and there you have it. Problem is how very little it is understood...but if it makes us powerful why not?

[horsepowered]

Don't let them alone in a room then, they might be each other's undoing. [All Chiron can envision is two Mordreds, and frankly that's a terrifying mental image he never wanted to begin with. Thanks Dorian, he hates it!]

I've no idea what you're talking about. [This is probably never going to happen, Dorian's too much fun to bullshit with.]

If there's a logical order to why people have certain lots and that gives them peace, you mean? [Chiron wants to be sure he's following this, rather than making foolish guesses and being wrong.] I suppose that the re-education thing is unfortunately to be expected, although distressing to hear of. Does the culture produce much beyond a very disturbing society?

[There had to be imports and exports, cities, all of the other hallmarks of civilization and species.]

From the outside, I suppose it is a morbid thing. I believe that most magi view it as a supplement to their own work. It's easier to carry on the family's magecraft lineage if you have instant understanding to what came before, instead of having to spend half a lifetime with the writings of countless ancestors. The practice is fairly old, so they do understand it.

[What strikes Chiron is the little understood part.] Truly, the underlying mechanics are unknown?