asgardchrysalis | EVENT LOG: (UN)SAFETY MEASURES

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EVENT LOG: (UN)SAFETY MEASURES

Who: ANYONE leaving Asgard to build an outpost
What: the (Un)Safety Measures event
When: January 14 - 22
Where: three days north of Asgard's kingdom
Warnings: claustrophobia

❧ january 14-16: departure.

On January 14, the gods summon everyone to the castle ground to announce that Asgard is moving out to face the newest threat on the horizon. what seems like the whole of Asgard prepares and departs the kingdom. From the youngest to the oldest of the able and willing, all hands are needed as this mission serves two highly critical purposes: to defeat the current threat and to build outposts that can be used as midway safe houses on missions like these.

Similar to the last time Asgard embarked on such a journey, a long train of wagons guided by the eight-legged horses and several of the gods passes through the thicc barrier of the forest into what appears to be a blinding light for any that remain in the city. As the caravan breaks through the treeline, that brightness barely fades as a blistering sun gleams off of what appears to be a solid landscape of pure ice. An odd chill travels from the top of your head to your toes as Honir calls out "Hold onto your limbs!" in a strangely cheerful warning to match the unusual warmth that envelops you afterwards.

Over the course of the next three days, the caravan travels northward through the strange landscape of Yggdrasil in winter. It seems like ice and snow rise and fall at whim, clear skies turning into a swarming blizzard from one stretch of land to another. It's like it can't quite decide what type of winter it would like to be, and the caravan is left to navigate and make camp through this fitful weather. On January 16, the caravan halts as the gods declare this to be the safest point between the kingdom and where the Qliphoth is growing. Construction of the outpost will begin here in the morning, as those moving on to destroy the wretched tree prepare to confront the demons of another world.

❧ january 17-18: setting up camp.

On the morning of January 17, everyone sets upon their separate tasks as those prepared for combat continue onward to travel. All of the wagons and most of the horses are left behind at the budding settlement - the terrain ahead is far too treacherous to risk losing them along the way. But all thoughts of demons and infernal trees seem distant compared to the pressing immediacy of the task at hand.

The gods weren’t wrong: This is likely the safest point between Asgard and whatever mayhem is occurring farther north. Tucked safely out of the elements in shallow valley between two small mountains, the outpost benefits strongly from the sun peeking out over the ridge as it balms the chilly sting of the wind with a diffuse sort of warmth. It’s a warmth that Wanderers will need as they set to work constructing a fallback point for the unimaginable things that those who continued might endure. There’s a job for everyone, big or small, from building temporary housing to assembling defenses to taking stock of all the medical supplies they’ve brought along for the trip.

Honir, meanwhile, has chosen to stay and protect the outpost. Though he doesn’t seem to actively dwell on it, those who knew him before the Battle of Wights can likely tell that he was humbled considerably by his experience. It more than suits the needs of the moment, as he and any willing volunteers scout the immediate area outside of the mountainous inlet to make sure that the outpost is safe.

Alas, even Honir doesn’t think to account for threats from below.

❧ january 19: hidden intentions.

( ! ) content warnings: claustrophobia

On the morning of January 18, your characters will wake up to discover that some of you are missing. Surely they were there when you went to sleep, but an odd number of Wanderers and native Asgardians alike seem to have vanished in the night. Searching the encampment and the surrounding area turns up nothing of use, awkwardly delaying construction between the need to finish this project within a few days and the absence of those that came to build it. A scant few more disappear suddenly throughout the day without anyone seeing or hearing anything more than a vague crunching sound and then silence.

As it turns out, answers come with the still of the night: Those who find themselves awake near the edges of camp hear a faint but unmistakable shouting, coming from beneath their very feet. Characters that have disappeared up to this point are buried underground beneath a thick layer of solid earth and stone. More people begin disappearing, this time in plain sight as stone shifts and pulls them into the dirt. Screams fill the campground as people try to save their friends or find the source of the chaos… Not to mention the shouts of alarm as those who try to dig too violently find the ground itself throwing things back at them, betraying this as the work of some sort of subterraneal creature.

But even as that chaos erupts around them, most of the Wanderers seem to vie for a peaceful resolution (based on the comments on January’s event post), and in fact, some go so far as to attempt to calm those reacting violently.

At first, it doesn’t seem to matter.

But then, the earth starts to shift. Those who have yet to be unearthed seem to be spat back out onto the surface, gently and with what could almost be considered deference. And then comes a gnomelike figure, about the size of a football with stone-brown skin and hair down to his feet, crawling up from a hole that didn’t seem to exist before he had need of it.

“I believe an apology is in order,” he says, twisting at a corner of his beard. “It has been quite an age since the Steinnbregðr have seen humans in these parts, and with such magics.”

“We just wanted to take a look atcha,” comes a younger voice not far behind him. It’s now that you see a number of other figures peering up out a dozen more inexplicable holes in the earth, though these new arrivals keep themselves hidden from the nose up. The girl who spoke had popped up a bit in her excitement, but she too ducks back into her hole under scrutiny, tacking on a - “Gorbit says you brought gods.”

The others all murmur with quiet agreement, some nodding, others looking nervous. They, too, just wanted to look at these humans. To learn.

“We made you fear for your lives and your kin, yet none of you harmed us,” the first gnome continues as if he hadn’t been interrupted. He looks from Wanderer to Wanderer, from face to face, and even in his generous age his eyes glow with an almost childlike intrigue. “Do you think it possible that we might... try again? From the start, with quite a bit less borrowing of your people.”

The Steinnbregðr people have extended an olive branch. If rejected, they’ll disappear back into their holes, nary to be seen again. If accepted, they’ll answer Wanderers’ questions, share their knowledge of local resources, and assist in assembling the outpost to the best of their ability… All the while taking every opportunity to observe the Wanderers with wide inquisitive eyes, or even tug at clothing to ask a burning question about the Wanderers, the gods, Asgard, or humans as a general concept.

(Though we won’t be outright NPCing the Steinnbregðr, there will be a top-level in which we’ll gladly summarize or handwave interactions with your characters, answering questions and perhaps even forming a budding CR.)

❧ january 20-22: return.

With the Qliphoth destroyed and the outpost established as best it can be, the caravan makes its way back to Asgard on January 20. While the load is a bit lighter for the supplies it took to build and battle their way back home, some carry new burdens and memories of the strange happenings that took place here. The magic the gods warned of has shown its powerful capacity to overwrite the landscape of Yggdrasil, and new creatures in the world are becoming increasingly aware of the Wanderers' presence.

All along the three day journey back to the kingdom, the gods and the natives can't help but discuss and speculate what this means for the future. A nervous energy travels back to the city with them in spite of their victories, the vast and mercurial landscape of Yggdrasil providing a frigid reminder of their isolation at the heart of it. Asgard may come to contend with the fact that they are safer within their kingdom and the veil of obscurity - and the fact that the veil has been lifted, leaving an open window for them to see out into the dangers of the world, and for the world to look back at them.

[ OOC NOTES: This is the event log for the (Un)Safety Measures event! Your characters are in the process of building an outpost to serve as safe housing for ventures beyond the kingdom when a clan of rock gnomes begins "stealing" characters underground for observation. Because the majority of you elected to proceed with caution instead of aggression, you were able to entreat with the gnomes to understand their presence and motivations, and enough of you actively sought to make peace with them that they have become tentative allies to Asgard for the time being. If you want to discuss interactions or ask questions about the gnomes, you can do so in this thread below. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to hit us up on the mod contact page! Enjoy! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Damned ground is attacking me! Stop that!

[There was a dull sound as the ground shifted a tiny bit. It was a dull, loud 'whud' that came when she slapped the base of her spade down at whatever was doing it. Seconds later, she was back to digging, yelling as a third clod came. They were tapering off quickly, though, because she wasn't giving up at all. If they couldn't dissuade her, maybe they could others.

The shifting of the ground started again, but it was more like soil was moving each time the spade struck, which meant she was getting closer, the sounds of panting barely audible.]

How... deep did they put you?!? You can still breathe, right?!?

Attacking you?

[ It shouldn't be a surprise, really, after what happened to Naminé herself, but she still spends a moment trying to process this. Quickly enough, however, her concern wins out; ]

Be careful...! If it pulls you down, too--

[ Well, then they'll both be stuck, and she likes that even less than being stuck herself. But soon enough a different kind of surprise cuts her off as she feels some of the ground shifting very slightly above her, and automatically goes still out of sensible caution. She's squinting at the darkness, trying in vain to see if it's getting any lighter when she calls back a preoccupied, ]

I can breathe. [ More importantly; ] Is that you this time? I think the ground's moving again...!

[ Which means it had better be Terezi doing it, or else they might be in for more trouble. ]

Oh, if it thinks it's pulling me down it has another thing coming!

[Which, thankfully it seemed to grasp, because the clods were stopping their assault. She was dedicated and these little gnome things didn't really want to put up a fight, not in the traditional sense. When the ground moved with the latest spade, she stopped for just a second and shouted down.

Yeah, that was me. Here, let me try pulling the soil off since you can breathe. Claw it down so I know how deep!

[She got down and started scrabbling it so that the soil made its way out of the ground until she could feel... was that an arm? She reached for it, fingers coiling around, pressing and pushing towards the hand in a hunt for it to give support and because she needed to feel it herself.]

Is that you, Namine?

[ This is one of those times when Terezi's scrappiness is a comfort. Naminé attempts to comfort herself with the idea that her moirail's pretty tough - not to mention that the clod-throwing does sound as though it's ceased, if only due to the lack of any audible response to the same. Perking at the command, Naminé immediately makes to start complying. It's a bit of an effort, though, getting the range of motion. ]

I'm not sure I--

[ -- No, forget it, there's no giving up now. She cuts herself off with a shaky huff, then manages to wriggle her way into scraping awkwardly at the soil. It gives more easily than she expected, and all of a sudden - a hand grabs her arm? Naminé makes an obvious noise as she startles, instinctively flinching before she realizes what's happened. Her fingers grab more urgently for Terezi's than Naminé would have meant for them to once she recognizes the intent, her grip stronger than usual in her distress. The soil's begun crumbling around her and she turns her head away from it, coughing through her, ]

Yes--! Can you-- can you pull me out?

One second!

[She clenched over the fingers and then let go. There was an obvious loud digging, though the angle was different. Now that she knew where Naminé was, she was going more vertical, hauling at it to get the part over her friend's upper body off. That would let her get her into the air and able to be pulled out.

It wasn't as fast as she wanted, but very soon she was clawing it off of her face and reaching for Naminé's shoulders, sighing in obvious relief as she started to try and do just what she'd asked.]

Come on, let's get you out of here. No more dirt naps, k?

[Her sense of humor in times of stress... not great.]

[ It takes a moment for Naminé's fingers to relax enough to let go; for just a second there's a squeeze instead, as if she's afraid to relinquish her hold. But she's a reasonable girl and she manages to force her hand to release Terezi's, no matter the little surge of distress in her chest. Naminé even succeeds in staying quiet, in only moving enough to assist when it seems safe to - and soon enough the light of the outside breaks through the dirt and she takes a ragged breath, blinking as her eyes try to adjust.

Then Terezi's pulling at her and that's all the incentive Naminé needs to sit up, instinctively trying to get herself both as far from the dirt and as close to her moirail as possible. The blonde's legs present a bit of a problem when she tries to shift them, half-buried as they are, and pull her attention away long enough to leave her blinking in a slightly dazed confusion at Terezi's comment. But it catches up with her eventually, and Naminé shakes her head firmly; ]

No, [ she agrees with emphasis, trying not to sound as unhappy about the prospect as she actually feels. ] No more of those.

[ She's holding it together pretty well, but - her shoulders are shaking. All of her is, really, even as she lifts a weak hand to brush some of the dirt from her hair. ]

[Terezi was freaking out internally a little. Digging where she could, keeping her arm around Naminé's shoulder, making sure that she could get her legs to wiggle and then pulling to tug her out of the earth was giving her something to focus on, but at the same time there was the nagging thought that she'd almost lost her in here, that there were several that she'd almost lost. If she hadn't been here, would they have... after all, Naminé was so quiet most of the time. Would they have even found her?

Once she had her out, she was trying to lift her, to pluck the lighter girl up and get her away from this hole, away from the ground.]

You're staying off the ground until we know for sure what's going on, do you hear me? I'm... you're ok, right? I mean, obviously not, but you're not hurt are you?

[Keep it together Terezi. Don't let them see you freaking out.]

[ The blonde has the good fortune of being too concerned about getting fully out of this situation to imagine the what-ifs. They'll come soon enough, as they always do, but for now she directs the full brunt of her attention toward recovering her ability to stand from the soil.

Only it seems that in the end that isn't necessary. Naminé stiffens slightly, not expecting to be lifted up, but it only takes a brief couple of seconds for her to accept it, one hand finding Terezi's shoulder a little clumsily to try to keep them both steady. Naminé is a terribly light girl, perhaps even more so than she looks. ]

Okay, [ she agrees before she's so much as thought about it, because even having her feet touch the ground right now makes her nervous in an instinctive kind of way. Except after that her brain catches up with her, and she adds a belated, ] … But I can walk, [ or so she assumes, ] if I'm too heavy...!

[ Although honestly she sounds hesitant to even offer as much as that. She's still shaking like a leaf - perhaps more obviously while she's being held - and her fingers unconsciously curl into the material of Terezi's clothing. ]

I-- [ It feels like she or ought to be hurt - or rather it feels like a surprise that she isn't. She's not in any pain, but the experience seems like one that should have resulted in some sort of injury. It only occurs to her right then how odd it is that she's physically fine. ] I think - I think so.

[ That she's okay, that is. ]

Nope, not too heavy and I'm gonna play the hero for a minute, so...

[She was starting to walk once she'd hefted her up, cradling her arm underneath the girl's knees and starting to carry her away from the hole in the ground. No, she wasn't the strongest out there, but Naminé was light enough that this wasn't going to be a serious issue. There were carts nearby that they could find shelter in, after all, and catch their bearings.

The way that she shook, it worried Terezi. She sniffed the air, tempted not for the first time to check for lies, but she trusted Naminé to tell her if there was actually a major problem. She was probably just scared, right? As she brought her over to a cart and started to rest her down, she grunted and looked around.]

You... want me to stick around for a bit? Make sure nothing's coming after you?

[She wanted an excuse not to have to go out and find others now that she'd found her, but she also didn't want to say it.]

[ Naminé bows her head slightly at the answer and offers no further protest, fingers tightening in their places. The soft noise she makes could be construed as an agreement, but other than that she's noticeably quiet, eyes on the ground in front of them. Perhaps very reasonably, it's hard for her to trust any step either of them makes at the moment.

The girl finally seems to untense when they reach the carts, and then only partially. She edges her way over onto the platform as Terezi sets her down, knees naturally drawing in toward her own chest, but-- the blonde stops short of actually letting go of the other girl. She'd intended to, surely, but Terezi's question makes Naminé look up at her in brief alarm, as if she hasn't actually thought that far ahead yet. (Of course Terezi would have other people to help.) Naminé tries to will herself to shake her head, but instead what comes out is, ]

Please. [ Faltering, she unconsciously shrinks in on herself - not by much, but noticeably, as if she feels guilty for asking. ] Just-- just for a little while.

[Terezi smiled, probably for the first time in a few hours, when the shrinking violet in front of her begged her with a please to draw her back in, to keep her here. She pulled her legs up off of the ground as she sat down on the cart and curled her arms around the girl. The others had this covered. They were digging folks up and there were going to be answers. She could spare a few minutes... hours, whatevers.]

I'm not going anywhere, Naminé, and I'm not letting anyone nab you again, ok? You're safe. Your friend Riku's safe. You're going to be fine.

[ The blonde has no pride to speak of, so it isn't wounded by having made the request, but she feels guilty all the same. That, more than her shyness, has always been what makes her hesitant to ask for help; she doesn't want to be selfish, doesn't want to burden others, and it's not as though she's accustomed to someone taking a vested interest in her emotional well-being. Physical well-being, sure - yet even knowing that their arrangement, their moirallegiance implies that they both ought to look out for each other's peace of mind, it still feels like she's asking too much.

But Naminé is tremendously relieved all the same when Terezi remains on the cart with her. The Nobody's shoulders relax a bit more than before, and she angles herself into Terezi's hold. ]

… Thank you, [ the blonde murmurs, the quiet no indication of a lack of import. She's about an instant from lowering her head to rest it against Terezi when that name pops up, which in turn has Naminé perking again, though she makes no move to shift out of the other girl's grasp. ]

-- He is? [ Goodness, Riku. The poor fellow-- ] Was he... trapped? The same way that I was?

[Weirdly, the fact that she was here, protecting Naminé in the way that she was? It was good for her psyche. She could feel that she'd saved her, even if she would have preferred just keeping her safe, and that she was now watching over her. There was something so painfully normal to her about it that it was grounding in a time when things weren't very grounded. She curled her arms around her and pulled her in, actually wanting her to be a little selfish like this.

As they talked about Riku, she reached a hand up and put it to her head, trying to coax her against her shoulder.]

Yeah, but we got'm out. He's ok. Kind of a tough little guy actually. Funny story, just actually met him for the first time today, eheh.

[ The familiar thing in all this is the peril, for Naminé. Being trapped has been such a matter of course for so long that it'd feel far stranger if she were completely free. But that doesn't mean she enjoyed a smaller confinement than usual; as far outside of the norm as it is for her to be provided with any manner of comfort, it's still such a welcome development to have Terezi next to her these days. It's grounding for them both, really.

And that first sentence is enough to calm her sufficiently for the coaxing to work. Carefully lowering her head, she lets it rest against the other girl's shoulder. Naminé's eyes search the ground instinctively, but it's with less active concern that she might otherwise have felt were she not in the process of receiving good news. ]

Yes - he's very strong. [ Her voice makes no secret of her relief, all the same. ] I'm grateful you were able to help him. He likes to do things on his own, but...

[ Digging oneself out of a trap like that's kind of a lot to ask of someone. ]

I... don't think any of you were able to really move your arms right, so it's not like he could. But you're safe now.

[Part of her meant that they were both safe, that a lot of people were safe, but the reality was that she was pretty selfish. There were a limited number of people that she wanted to make sure were safe, and Naminé was right there at the top. She didn't even feel like apologizing that much about it, though it was nice to have helped get him out since it certainly kept Naminé from worrying or going out there herself.]

He was worried 'bout you too... he and Sora both, but you probably knew that.

[Actually, given her self esteem issues? Terezi wasn't sure Naminé knew that. So, she tried to slip that in, to make sure she knew, that she heard it. Her hand went up and patted lightly on the girl's head and she could feel her body slowly but surely coming down from the adrenaline high. Oh man, she ached... not doing that again for a while. There were other diggers thankfully.]

Not much.

[ She confirms that reality with a small bow of her head. Despite having already been freed, the memory is fresh enough that thinking about it puts a subtle shiver all through her, which adds to the light trembling still effecting her limbs. Unconsciously the girl slides a hand up the inside of her own opposite arm, as if to reassure herself that she still can. ]

I couldn't move anything very well.

[ And as it so happens, Naminé looks very much like she didn't know anyone had cause to worry about her. She tips her head up to regard Terezi with a hint of surprise on her features, though that expression ebbs as the blonde is patted. Naminé still looks bemused, however, as she admits, ]

I... didn't know they were thinking of me.

[ Hadn't expected it, rather. It's a bit silly, isn't it, to do them the disservice of imagining that she's of no concern to them - but it still slips her mind sometimes that there are people who remember her, now. ]

I'll have to let them know that I... that I'm alright.

[ Yet she doesn't actually make any move to go and do that - doesn't even attempt it. The ground is still too unwelcome a prospect, and she's got no great appreciation for the idea of making Terezi do any walking, either. ]

Why... am I not surprised? Hehe, Naminé this is my not surprised face. Hehehe... [She was kind of stressed giggling right then. It was a confirmation that she was beginning to understand some of how Naminé thought that she was right about this, though it was still something she kind of wanted to deal with a little bit over time.]

We were all worried. They do care about you, silly. But yeah, we should definitely do that. We can send them a message on the bracelet. how's that sound?

[Cause bracelets did not mean getting onto that damnable ground again for now.]

Oh, [ the girl says quietly, though she's well aware after having glanced up that that is not, in fact, Terezi's surprised face. Naminé has the decency to look sheepish, shoulders raising slightly as she tucks subtly farther down into them and into her moirail's. It makes sense to the blonde, in hindsight, why responding that way might have caused Terezi some concern, but Naminé holds her tongue other than to offer a soft noise of confirmation to indicate that she understands the claim of collective worry.

Even if she didn't think about it before, she's not inclined to disagree that the others were likely worried for her. They're those sort of people, after all - which is why when Naminé speaks up again, it's to ask a hopeful, ]

Can we? [ That'd certainly ease some of her concern, but-- ] I haven't tried my bracelet since we left the city.

[ Whether or not they still work here is probably relevant to the effectiveness of said plan. ]

Honestly, I haven't either, but at the very least it doesn't matter if it works to start. We can definitely try it.

[She wasn't actually that sure, and it felt more important to make sure that they made the attempt, to help Naminé's mood a little. It also was equally important to stay here, where everyone could see them. That way they'd be easy to find in a pinch. People would know soon enough, and this was a good place.]

You send the message. I think they'd like to hear from you. Just let them know I'm here, ok? That way they know someone's protecting you and I stayed safe too.

Mm.

[ The girl gives a hum of agreement, then turns to regard one of her bracelets. It suits her, truthfully, to have a task to busy herself with, to keep her mind off of the threat that the ground itself represents at the moment. She lifts her head from Terezi's shoulder to facilitate the endeavor, although Naminé makes no move to put any other space between them and remains leaning lightly against the other girl's side.

Eyes cast toward her work, the blonde goes through the motions of trying to start a feed, but-- ]

… No good. I don't think it can connect.

[ Letting her arms fall again, she frowns, but-- it's not the determined sort of frown that would indicate she means to leave the relative safety of their perch. (Not yet, anyway.) That doesn't mean she won't fret about it, however mildly and if only quietly inside her own head. ]

Try not to worry too much. Riku was going to rest until they could help and they know not to be alone. Most of hte people digging are working in pairs. So, it'll be alright. They're safe.

[That bit of reassurance was, as much as anything, a way to give her the excuse to stay right where she was out of a bit of selfishness. Added to that, it helped keep her safe in general, so it wasn't entirely selfish. Still, she wanted to flag someone down soon, to at least get them a message.]

Nobody's been freaking out quite as much lately, so... hopefully they're starting to find everyone.

[ Naminé casts the other girl a sidelong look, knowing full well that worrying to much is a personal failing of her own. Soberly, the blonde gives a little nod, though her expression begins to ease thereafter. ]

I... know they'll look after each other, if they're together. Nothing would stop them from doing that.

[ There's something to be said for such a long-lived friendship, after all. And if everyone's beginning to be found, it's looking likely that the situation is improving. Breathing out one last sigh, Naminé pauses a moment, then carefully lowers her head back onto her moirail's shoulder. The Nobody's trembling has stopped, yet she's left feeling drained. Perhaps for the comfort of both of them, she agrees with a late, ]

It has gotten a bit quieter.

[A little drained described them both, though for different reasons. Terezi's arms shook occasionally when she held onto Naminé, but not from fear or emotional distress. They ached something fierce, and the longer that she stayed here the more she realized she wasn't going to be going out again. The adrenaline, or its troll equivalent, had finished and her body was screaming for her to stop.

She sniffed a little and laughed.]

Good... cause I'm afraid I might not be able to take another step right now, honestly.

[ Now that she has finally recovered enough to recognize that not all of the shaking was her own, Naminé begins to realize her oversight. It hadn't even occurred to her that Terezi might have gone through something just as much as those who were buried did, and now a frown comes to the blonde's face as she takes in the other girl's comment. ]

Really?

[ A beat passes; although she's only just set her head down again, Naminé lifts it once more to peer up at her friend. Tiredness is one thing, but-- ]

Terezi… are you alright?

[At this point, her arms went a little limp and she leaned in more heavily against her friend, before she laughed. Just once. It was a really tired laugh. Losing the adrenaline did not help right now, but the relief was still very present in her body.]

Gonna be so sore tomorrow... dug so many people out to find you. Arms kinda hurt a little. Nothing bad, but they're like noodles. No bood for much.

[She grinned at her when the girl shifted and shrugged. She wasn't bad off, but that much exertion? She definitely needed to rest.]

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