Opening Log: Town Town Hall Meeting

[diceofthegods]

WELCOME, ONE AND ALL

The modest, high-roofed meeting hall is all done up in fresh cut flowers and gold ribbon. A sign reads:

above the door threshold.

Inside, chairs and tables are set up in front of a speaking podium. Many tables also line the back of the room with an assortment of delicious refreshments. There are placemats and tableware for all to utilize along with spares stacked in the room.

There are finger sandwiches, fresh cut fruit, vegetables, salads, and a variety of roasted meats. It’s nothing fancy but rather a classic farmer’s potluck-style arrangement. It highlights the simple, earnest living of many locals in the town of Town.

You are welcome to come in, grab a plate, and serve yourself whatever refreshments you desire!

CONVERSATION CARDS

Shetland Set by Kammen & Swan

1:03 / 5:35

▶︎

Click here to listen.

Described often as folk music with some pop ambition, Kammen and Swan play songs featuring fiddle, piano, voice and percussion instruments from Celtic countries around the world.

code

Once you've gotten some food and pocketed some condiments for home, you may notice something else sitting at the table before you.

There are conversation cards for anyone who is at a loss of how to break the ice with their fellow offworlders or locals alike. There are one stack for each each table so plenty of topics to potentially discuss.

While you're more than free to come up with your own, you can also request a card here from the moderators. These ones might be more peculiar than the average conversation card, but that could be what some who might be especially averse to socializing need!

ASK CHARLIE

Arrivals are given a few hours to eat, mingle, and get to know each other before Charlie takes up post at the podium and clears his throat.

"Hello everyone! I appreciate you coming. I hope you all have been enjoying the food, please let me know if there are any accommodations you may need or if nothing is to your taste."

Anyway, I... Well! I wanted to take a few minutes to answer some questions. Both from our local residents and those of you who are visiting from other worlds. I know I have spoken to most everyone already, but I’m sure you have extra questions that you’d like answered. I will do my utmost to make sure I give you suitable answers, though much of this situation is still a mystery to myself as well. That said, I hope we can join hands and find our way together to ensure everyone gets back to where they need- or want to be."

He gives a clearly nervous smile, obviously not used to speaking to a crowd.

"So please, one at a time, feel free to raise your hands and I will call on each of you to address your inquiries or concerns." He gives a small bow before preparing himself for what the new residents have to offer.

Notes

⁂ Welcome to the first Town Town Hall Meeting! Get to eat good food, have fun conversation, and ask Charlie any questions you might have directly! So as to not overload Owen, please limit it to one question per character for now!

⁂ A reminder that the quest board is active as of this log! Get to questing as you settle in to Town and help the locals out to increase your reputation.

⁂ We have an OOC Intro / Plotting Post for the game opening available here! Going forward, plotting posts and game events will go hand-in-hand but for now we wanted to allow a space for people to introduce themselves!

⁂ If you have any questions, suggestions, or other feedback then you can feel free to let us know here!

⁂ Full Navigation ⁂

Comments

[recreator]

"Ahem."

Emet-Selch has been listening in polite silence as others have presented their questions, taking note of anything he deems particularly interesting or of future import. Now he seems as if he's quite run out of patience, thank you, although one hand is raised halfway in a show of exaggerated meekness.

"I wish to pivot the discussion, if I may."

He's not truly asking for permission, but he allows a pause in case there are any overt objections. His gaze falls on Charlie, his brow furrowing. Emet-Selch isn't one for frivolous pleasantries, yet when he speaks he enunciates clearly so that even those in the back might follow his words.

"You mentioned previously that this world is recovering from a 'great calamity'. What more can you tell us about it? I should be especially curious to learn what led up to such a world-altering event."

[ophiuchusrising]

"Pivot away!" Charlie says with much nervous enthusiasm. Though there is an instant shift in his demeanor when Emet asks his question. His smile fades for just a moment and there is a hesitance. He looks to his side, almost as though looking for someone to help him, but no one is there.

"Ah. Yes the... the calamity." He shuffles uncomfortably, fidgeting with his quill.

"It's a very long story, in honesty. There are a great many details that- well I suppose it would warrant it's own meeting. I can... work on that. An account of events. Those events." He's stalling.

"In short, a uh. A I guess you could call her a god. A celestial dragon. Powerful being, part of the race of dragons that created this world and its people. Well she decided she didn't like how things were going so she. Ended things. She tried to end everything." Ah, he thought he was over this but it still makes him nauseous.

"She attempted to erase men, beastmen and all who walked the world besides dragons. Dragons who opposed her were purged as well. Still, she got more of a fight than she bargained for which sent her into a slumber to recover her power. Meanwhile the world was set back to essentially... nothing. Everyone who survived had to start over. Thousands of years passed and the event fell to obscurity and myth. Then after a while she awoke and tried again. Were it not for a group of heroes that took up arms against her, she would have succeeded, but she was at last vanquished." He sounds like he's reading this from a book now, no tone or candor. Automatic.

[recreator]

Emet-Selch's intense gaze doesn't leave him for a moment, taking in the obvious agitation, the way Charlie's eyes wander anxiously as if he's looking for an answer he doesn't wish to give.

It's not an unfamiliar story, and though Emet-Selch's expression might be severe, to his credit he does not interrupt even once as Charlie recounts the tale, even with the awkward stops and starts, even as the emotion seems to drain out of his words completely by the end, leaving something empty and pervasive behind. If Emet-Selch had to venture wild a guess, he would say that Charlie lost something precious as a result of this calamity, and not just his world. Friends and comrades, perhaps. A mentor, a lover, family... It reminds him uncomfortably of the emptiness he's felt himself, on more than one occasion since then.

But this was thousands of years ago, was it not? Surely long before the time of their newly-appointed "god".

"I've the time," he says at last. "If you would be so generous as to prepare such a meeting, that is. Your account has been very informative, though it naturally begs more questions."

He makes a vague sweeping gesture with one hand. "What she saw that so troubled her, for example. Why she deemed it her responsibility to take such irreversible action against the rest of the world, her people's creation - even some of her own."

Emet-Selch pauses. It may seem for emphasis, to let his words sink in, but in reality he also needs a moment to breathe. Well. Such things are difficult to forgive, he supposes. Some things one never forgets.

"I should also like to learn more of your band of heroes, and those who sent her into slumber during that first conflict. Another time, perhaps? I'd hate to be responsible for making this meeting run late."

[ophiuchusrising]

Despite the fact that Emet has not been unkind, it's hard to really ignore the way his gaze seems to bore into Charlie's very heart and soul. He's lost in the idea now of how to answer all of those questions.

Why she deemed it her responsibility to take such irreversible action against the rest of the world, her people's creation - even some of her own.

The answer to many make him feel ill. Even thinking of it at all brings a vague wave of nausea washing over him. And then Emet is talking about the heroes and prompting Charlie to answer and he visibly snaps back to reality after delivering the Amaurotine a very clear thousand-yard-stare.

"Right! Er- yes of course! All of this I will prepare in a... a presentation of sorts if you would! I believe I should be able to cover everything fairly concisely." He pauses to scribble down a few notes so quickly it's any wonder that even he would be able to read them later.

"Not to worry, your inquiries are entirely understandable and will be answered thusly, in due time."

[recreator]

What a look that is. What a look, indeed.
Seems this world has quite the storied past.

But see, that's the fun part, isn't it? He never specifically asked those things, only made it clear that he had questions about them and desired more information.

It doesn't take eyes like his to see that Charlie is overwhelmed, and although he could certainly attempt to scare this man into submission, it wouldn't be productive. Nor does he expect him to reveal everything immediately and all at once. Better to keep him comfortable.

Still, he has shared more than Emet-Selch expected and seems eager enough to appease them. That's something in itself. Probably.

"Well I do love a good history presentation. Reminds me of my bygone days back at the akadaemia," he replies with an affected shrug. "Nor was I particularly worried. I'm certain we'll all get along just swimmingly."

"I thank you for your time, Charlie. Both now and in the future. This has been most illuminating."

Never let it be said that Emet-Selch has no manners, though whether that makes him more or less intimidating remains to be seen.