The Shimmer Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shimmermods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
theshimmer2020-07-18 12:17 am
shimmermods) wrote in theshimmer2020-07-18 12:17 am
Welcome.
WELCOME
The Shimmer is beautiful.
There are a lot of things that may or may not have been expected upon your arrival here – the walls of concrete and steel, the others that were brought here with you, the others that weren't brought here with you but have been a constant source of information and instruction and blatant, brazen surveillance – but the fact remains that this world does not seem, inherently, to be an unkind one. Foreign in some ways, perhaps familiar in others; either way, it's a world teeming with life, and with people, and perhaps most jarringly it's a world with beauty, and nothing you've seen otherwise is quite as repulsively and grotesquely beautiful as the Shimmer.
It defies desription, really; the boundaries of it are barely visible during the day, just a thin iridescent sheen encompassing the trees and thick-growing vegetation of the mountains, sweeping ever-closer and closer still to the boundaries of the compound you've been living in but are greatly unlikely to have come to call home. It cascades heavily down the face of the mountain, nestling into the tops of trees before it swallows them whole, arcing up into the sky so far that it hurts your eyes to try to find the crest. It seems almost ravenous in its grace; whatever it touches, it seems to consume.
At night, it's a different matter; it glows and dances in defiance of the bright lights of the compound, glistening bright like the Northern lights - a bit too low to the ground, a bit too far south, a bit too warm this time of year, but the effect is breathtaking. All the colors of the borealis seem to blink lazily at you as they twist in and out of view, sparkling scattershot among the remnants of a town about two miles off that has long since gone dark with abandonment and disuse.
Your mission begins tomorrow.
Your mission begins tomorrow and maybe you're ready for it, maybe you aren't; maybe you're trying not to think about it too much. But the fact of the matter is that there's a rooftop observation deck, open-air and about five stories off the ground, and it's granting you an optimal view of the surroundings and the Shimmer and that darkened town not too far off, and there are no other buildings around for miles. The air is balmy and humid, a little too warm to be pleasant but lacking the roiling heat of the day, a light breeze rendering the entire thing an acceptable respite from the training grounds within the building itself. The only sound this high up and this close to the Shimmer are those made by the people who are here with you – some you know, some you don't. Some are more recent arrivals than others; some have been here for just as long as you. You've all had information taken down about you, the results of which have been provided to you on a small device you found in your room, so perhaps it feels as though you know these people already.
Either way, the night is young, the sun having dipped below the horizon less than half an hour ago, leaving you with perimeter lights that are too bright and the ever-present, watchful glow of the Shimmer; there are tables set up around the balcony for you to use, to eat or socialize or just...sit. You haven't been deprived by any means, but the food that's been provided out here for you tonight is noticeably better than usual; perhaps they know it's the last time you'll eat well for a while. Perhaps it's an apology. Perhaps it's nothing to look into too deeply.
Feel free to stay out here for as long as you like; enjoy each other's company. Or don't let yourself enjoy it too much; it's up to you.
However you choose to do it, perhaps it's best to make sure you have no regrets.
There are a lot of things that may or may not have been expected upon your arrival here – the walls of concrete and steel, the others that were brought here with you, the others that weren't brought here with you but have been a constant source of information and instruction and blatant, brazen surveillance – but the fact remains that this world does not seem, inherently, to be an unkind one. Foreign in some ways, perhaps familiar in others; either way, it's a world teeming with life, and with people, and perhaps most jarringly it's a world with beauty, and nothing you've seen otherwise is quite as repulsively and grotesquely beautiful as the Shimmer.
It defies desription, really; the boundaries of it are barely visible during the day, just a thin iridescent sheen encompassing the trees and thick-growing vegetation of the mountains, sweeping ever-closer and closer still to the boundaries of the compound you've been living in but are greatly unlikely to have come to call home. It cascades heavily down the face of the mountain, nestling into the tops of trees before it swallows them whole, arcing up into the sky so far that it hurts your eyes to try to find the crest. It seems almost ravenous in its grace; whatever it touches, it seems to consume.
At night, it's a different matter; it glows and dances in defiance of the bright lights of the compound, glistening bright like the Northern lights - a bit too low to the ground, a bit too far south, a bit too warm this time of year, but the effect is breathtaking. All the colors of the borealis seem to blink lazily at you as they twist in and out of view, sparkling scattershot among the remnants of a town about two miles off that has long since gone dark with abandonment and disuse.
Your mission begins tomorrow.
Your mission begins tomorrow and maybe you're ready for it, maybe you aren't; maybe you're trying not to think about it too much. But the fact of the matter is that there's a rooftop observation deck, open-air and about five stories off the ground, and it's granting you an optimal view of the surroundings and the Shimmer and that darkened town not too far off, and there are no other buildings around for miles. The air is balmy and humid, a little too warm to be pleasant but lacking the roiling heat of the day, a light breeze rendering the entire thing an acceptable respite from the training grounds within the building itself. The only sound this high up and this close to the Shimmer are those made by the people who are here with you – some you know, some you don't. Some are more recent arrivals than others; some have been here for just as long as you. You've all had information taken down about you, the results of which have been provided to you on a small device you found in your room, so perhaps it feels as though you know these people already.
Either way, the night is young, the sun having dipped below the horizon less than half an hour ago, leaving you with perimeter lights that are too bright and the ever-present, watchful glow of the Shimmer; there are tables set up around the balcony for you to use, to eat or socialize or just...sit. You haven't been deprived by any means, but the food that's been provided out here for you tonight is noticeably better than usual; perhaps they know it's the last time you'll eat well for a while. Perhaps it's an apology. Perhaps it's nothing to look into too deeply.
Feel free to stay out here for as long as you like; enjoy each other's company. Or don't let yourself enjoy it too much; it's up to you.
However you choose to do it, perhaps it's best to make sure you have no regrets.
no subject
He's never really been one for solitude (he's even less for having that put out there in front of god and everyone on a fucking profile? wow, rude) but he's not really going to complain too much; he's pretty easy, honestly. Maybe a bit too much so, given that we're all about to go off into Weird Mountain Hell tomorrow and he has no idea what to expect even with the extremely sparse information they've been given about the whole situation. It's almost exciting in its own way, as much as anything not involving immediate and wanton destruction is exciting to him, and as such he can be found leaning up against the railing of the deck, staring out toward the Shimmer with a look in his eyes that's perhaps surprisingly intense.
The sharpness of his stare doesn't match the casual nature of his words; he's not looking at whomever it is that decides to join him over here, but the greeting is friendly enough.]
So. Last chance to place your bets – how shit do you think our odds are in there?
[...anyway,
He isn't too interested in conventional socializing, but he can be found at the tables later, seeming downright fascinated by the food even if he's not eating a whole lot of it himself.]
These people have an insane budget to spend on people they're sending to die. I'm kind of impressed.
railing
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tables;
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Railing
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Like always, he's carrying a briefcase with him and it's always close at hand. He doesn't seem tense or nervous at all despite the proximity to the Shimmer or the coming mission, and he'll approach anyone who seems like they're going to spend this last gathering holding up the walls.]
Don't tell me you're nervous...? Surely our lovely hosts have prepared us for anything we'll find in there, ja?
[...Is that sarcasm or is he being genuine... It's kind of hard to tell with Yeager. Also his accent is very German - it's possible you've heard him speak the language or at least drop a few words here and there. That's just a thing, no big deal.
Anyway, eventually Yeager moves to sit further away, where he spends a brief time just watching the Shimmer. He doesn't really have any sort of reaction to it; it's more like he's just observing it. But that doesn't last long, and soon he's using that device to flip through the profiles. It's not like it's the first time he's done this, but it gives him something to do with himself. He lingers on everyone else's profiles, but has zero interest in looking at his own. Feel free to bother him if you want?? After all, he did a lot of that to everyone during training.]
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approach
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further away;
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approach;
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Further away
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wallflowering ways
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Even so, that isn't going to stop Felicia, though she's going about this final little party with the same sort of animated brightness that she usually does. Felicia can primarily be found over by the railing, looking out into the grotesque mass that is the Shimmer with something of an awed expression, before looking to anyone nearby--]
It's hard to believe that something this beautiful could possibly be so horrible for the world, isn't it? I've seen something like this back home, but it's really, really strange in comparison to that! It's kind of weird to see, right?
[Of course, Felicia will also be over by the tables--mostly looking at the various foods and...honestly, going for all of the vegetables and salad she can. Her diet has always been a bit unique due to her allergies, but good lord. Of course, once she finds a place to sit, she'll also be checking over some of her supplies again that she's brought out, going through the first aid kit.]
Let's see...bandages, check! Splints, check--oh, these are really nice quality, they should hold up very well! Blanket...well, this is a nicer blanket than I was expecting! It's a little plain, but I guess it doesn't need to be much except good for an--eep!
[Of course, Felicia's butter fingers lose grip on the blanket while she talks, and that's the moment when a breeze decides to go by and blow the blanket out of her hands. Oh gods dammit--]
W-wait, come back! I need that!
[...She's absolutely going to be chasing that blanket, please, someone, help her--
Never the less, once that's taken care of, Felicia will just be sitting at the tables quietly for a bit while trying to work the device with the profiles on there--she's gotten better at it than she was weeks ago, but it's still a little weird. Still, if she sees nearby, she'll wave you over!! Come on and sit with her, friends.]
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tables
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tables
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blanket botching
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Anyone who looks to be... reasonably sociable will eventually be approached by Gabriel, maybe a little too excited at the prospect of venturing into what is completely unknown and likely very dangerous.]
Kinda excitin', innit? I've never seen anything like it before.
[Given the mysterious German job title he has, it probably implies he's seen some things.
Later, at night he can be found sitting on the balcony, enjoying the food that's actually incredibly good for once, though mostly he spends a lot of time gazing out into the Shimmer.]
It's as beautiful as it is eerie, isn't it?
night
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socializing!!
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socializing
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socializing
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Given the climate of this region... oh, maybe this flower would grow here... or maybe that one? Yes, they're lovely this time of year, those would be nice to see. Or... ah, perhaps...
[Later, she can be found at a table making sure that she has everything prepared for tomorrow. Her meal has been barely touched, seeming entirely focused on the task at hand going through her kits. When she gets to the first aid kit though, she falters for a moment, frowning at it for a long moment before she shakes her head and seems to dispel whatever feeling overcame her to go back to inspecting supplies.
Her device is sitting out as well, but she doesn't seem to have actually looked at it too much. Or maybe, she hasn't noticed or cared that her profile is a little odd when you go to compare it to everyone else's here.]
railing
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table for 2, name for 1
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Maybe it wouldn't hurt save some food for tomorrow. Not a lot to look forward to with freeze-dried rations.
[If they were lucky they might have time to hunt, but he didn't exactly have his recipe book with him. Who knew what they'd get.
Afterwards he goes and stands away from the table he'd been using. Normally he'd get up bright and early to see to his regular training, however considering they have a mission he wonders if it's worth doing a little extra now. He puts his hand on the hilt of his sword, looking at the space they have here.]
I wonder if I should get in some extra training tonight. I'm not sure I'll have enough time tomorrow morning.
[Going to bed early and sleeping was an option-- but it doesn't seem like that sort he's keen to consider first. Maybe it's just nerves but he's not really keen to waste the precious time they have.
After that's settled though, before the end of the night, he finds himself leaning on the railing looking out at the shimmer. It's quite a sight to behold.]
...kind of unsettling. This isn't the first sign of disaster of seen that's manifested as something beautiful. Maybe that's why I have such a bad feeling in my gut.
inventory;
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inventory
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Inventory
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What she is interested in are the weapons and equipment their charming hosts have sought fit to bless her with; she's currently examining the handgun as if she's never seen one before in her life, bouncing it back and forth between her hands and appearing to marvel at how lightweight it is. She's left the shotgun back in her room (as much as it pained her to do so), but she's wearing the grappling hook on her belt to acclimatise herself to having its weight on her side. Regardless, though, all of the equipment she's been given feels centuries more advanced than anything she's ever come across in Bowerstone.
Hmm. Probably worth remembering that it likely is centuries more advanced. Still - it's jarring, but in a good way. Battling against whatever the hell is in that light with her traditional weapons would be...nerve-wracking, if the stories are anything to go by.
Later in the night, she's holstered her handgun and is sitting at one of the empty tables, trying her best to work up the courage to...interact with her fellow Shimmer-fighters but content to be distracted by the food, for now. She's never been overly good with social situations that don't involve strategy discussions or battle plans, so she'll be staying over to the side with her plate of food, eating it in a way that makes it obvious she's fighting the urge to inhale it all at once.
Judging by how some of these people are reacting to that thing...this adventure will be interesting.]
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Just what sort of truths are you hiding within you...?
[He mutters aloud to the beautiful lights emanating from the Shimmer. One team made it out, yet another is going in. What did they discover, and what warrants a second expedition? There is so much that they weren't told. But that just makes him all the more eager to find out for himself.
Of course, he has already been given quite a surprise, tucked away in the supplies that were handed out to him. Sometime later, he can be found at the tables, going over a book of what appears to be notes. It's in the same unrecognizable script that the map was...so this must have been from someone in the group that returned. If that's the case, the name he managed to make out adds an entirely new layer to the mystery.
Anyone who approaches will be handed the book.]
Tell me something: Are you able to understand any of this?
[Only one word is recognizable: Heinwald's own name.]
tables;
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Tables
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gettin' the book thrown at him
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But he's never been one for nostalgia. ]
Nice of it to let us in without a ticket, I suppose.
[ Later on, he'll be over at the tables, where he casually looks through the same old profiles on his device again while he's eating, because checking his GHS whenever he's bored is habit at this point, and this is apparently as close as he's going to get at the moment. He definitely doesn't seem particularly anxious, though maybe he should be. ]
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rail against the dying of the light etc.
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The fresh air was a welcome respite. The alien landscape in the distance... would take a little getting used to.]
Before the sun went down it kind of looked like an oil sheen. Now it looks almost like it's alive.
[She's not really speaking to anyone in particular, she's more just thinking out loud.
Sometime later, Grace can be found with some of her own supplies laid out on one of the tables, taking stock of what she has and what she can do with it. Oh, and there's a small plate of food shoved off to one corner, as if forgotten.]
tables
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BRIEFING.
She isn't a tall person, but she has the sort of presence that fills the room; an aura that commands respect. She's straight-backed and attentive, though she's left her dark hair long for the night; it's wavy in a way that implies it's used to being tied back tightly, but tonight demands no such thing, and so for the time being she's left it alone.
Her clothing is surprisingly casual for the evening, but the guards she has with her are in the usual government attire, the sort you've become accustomed to seeing among those that have been escorting you around the base. However casual she's attempting to look, however, it seems that she can't quite shake the air of strictness and protocol, of procedure and a chain of command she's made her way up, but not quite high enough.
The look in her eyes is hard, the sort that implies that it may never be enough.
She doesn't smile in greeting, when she comes upstairs to join all of you; she simply arrives, and she makes her way to the railing, and she waits until she has everyone's attention.]
My name is Vitali. [Her words are clipped and forceful; unkind in the way that implies that she simply doesn't have time for kindness.] My associate and I have been overseeing your training, and we have to say that we're pleased with your progress, and with your success. We know this world has been a massive change for some of you; well done on your quick adaptation.
[She pauses for a moment, looking out at the group.]
Tomorrow, you will enter the Shimmer; you are to do what you deem necessary. But remember, the Shimmer is a threat. That is something you cannot afford to forget, no matter what happens in there – it is a threat, and it is to be treated as such.
The town below us was taken by the Shimmer not long ago. It's remained unresponsive, but we received notice that some remained behind to be taken along with it. That's where you will start your mission tomorrow – seek out any survivors that may still be there, and retrieve them from the area. If none exist, you are to proceed as normal.
If any questions remain – regarding the mission, or anything else you might want to ask – I recommend that you get them out of your system now, since we won't be in contact once you're in there.
Good luck to all of you, and godspeed.
[And that, for the time being, seems to be all; she turns her head a bit, looking at the Shimmer as it glistens beyond the railing, watching it for a long moment. She'll be present here for a while, for you to get your questions out.
Perhaps surprisingly, she can also be found later at one of the tables, seeming...rather out-of-place and unrelaxed, and she isn't touching the food – that's for you guys, she's not going to take what isn't hers – but the fact remains that this is a less immediately dire setting; she's still keeping a close eye on everyone and she's chosen a table where her back won't be to anyone, but...who knows, perhaps she'll be slightly more willing to talk to you like a person and not like she's giving a briefing now that we've all had some time.
Probably not. But perhaps.]
later;
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later
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later
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later;
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