Hugtopia OoC

Despite the haunted goings-on, there are as ever attempts to keep Havenwell in high spirits, especially now with their established fledgling relationship with Shoremere. Naturally, the spirit of the season is coming into full swing with decorations and candles available just about everywhere one thinks to look. And while most are largely ordinary, one can happen across some with a little extra 'festivity' to them.

There are all sorts of provided decorations for the season--leaf garlands, synthetic jack o'lanterns, fake cobwebs, scented candles, just about anything one could want to make themselves as festive a display as they should ever want or need. However, in some cases the decorative efforts might just go noticed by some less-than-ordinary force, and any number of things might come along with the new fall atmosphere.

Maybe everywhere you go, sudden unpredictable showers of leaves follow you. Or your hair color continually changes to any number of warm fall colors to match the decor. Does the inexplicable smell of pumpkin spice or apple follow you everywhere you go? Or perhaps you come home one day to a gathering of small plastic skeletons having a dance party on your lawn, and abruptly find yourself in a silly costume befitting the seasons. Any number of things in the nature of the Halloween season could happen, with no clear connection between specific decorations and their unexpected side effects.

It starts with a comically large nearly 8 foot tall candle in the city square one day that appears overnight around the mid-month mark. Then on random days at dawn, the candle shoots out a bright blue holographic flame along with some (thankfully) biodegradable glitter, and a doorway opens in the candle to reveal three colorfully dressed natives, cackling with delighted glee. The three natives emerge saying, “It is our time, Sisters!” or “Brothers, it is upon us!” depending on the day, and boast colorful, eclectic outfits in either green, burgundy, or pink. Once released, they link arms and start marching through the city, looking to cause mischief in any way they can.

Most of the natives don’t seem entirely bothered by this trio of weirdos now haunting their city, and even stop to take pictures with them on occasion, or ask them to sign autographs (which they will happily do), but offworlders may find them a little more…annoying.

Flash Mob: You may be shopping, eating, reading a book, strolling through the Botanical Gardens, anything - when suddenly you hear music start up out of nowhere. The Trio emerge, jumping up in a splash of glitter and confetti and begin singing an undeniably catchy tune, including call outs to the audience and somehow? A light show? Natives in the crowd will begin dancing as if they’re being compelled (“Oh nooooo, I can’t stop mooooving!”) and will call on anyone in the area to do the same. If you refuse to dance, natives will start trying to goad you into it, offering their hands to pull you up out of your seats, doing increasingly embarrassing dance moves like throwing a fishing line and trying to reel you in, etc. Whatever it takes to get you up and moving to the beat! Those who staunchly refuse to partake will be summarily booed by the singers and dancers alike, but those who decide to get into the mood and dance along will be applauded and - once the song ends - will find a particularly delicious candy thrown in their direction as the Trio cackle and disappear into the city once again.

Calming Circle: If you’re out and about, you may find yourself suddenly surrounded by the Trio as they link hands and dance a circle around you. “We’ve caught you! We’ve caught you! Now we’re going to eat them up! Oh, they’ll never break our circle, because they don’t know we’re so weak to love and tenderness! Oh ho!” they chant as they spin around you, skipping and cackling away. Of course, you’re free to push past them and run, but they will continue to hound you if they spot you again.

But the easiest solution is probably just to listen to them when they so negligently give away their darkest secret. Any prolonged affection shared between you and another person will have them crying dramatically, clawing at their faces like they’re being burned. “Noooo!! How could they have known! Affection! Our greatest weakness!!” they’ll scream as they scurry away to find their next “victim,” leaving a small but delectable candy treat for you behind.

Bewitchery!: Glitter bomb to the face! You’re probably minding your own business, chatting with a friend, having a nice meal, praying at a temple, whatever it is that people do, when an absolutely obscene amount of biodegradable glitter gets sprayed all over you and your companion. The culprits are, of course, the trio of tricksters and they wiggle their metal fingers at you, waggling electronic eyebrows as they declare you’re now under a truth spell. You have to confess a truth to your friend or they’ll gobble you up right then and there! If you refuse, they’ll just throw more glitter at you and stare uncomfortably until you finally relent, so you may as well. It doesn’t have to be a big truth or even anything all that shocking, but once a truth has been told, the lead “spellcaster” will toss some candy into your hands and then the three of them will slink away, vowing to get you another day….

However annoying you find their antics throughout the day, it seems darkness is the Trio’s greatest enemy, for as soon as the sun starts to set, they screech and run back to their candle. They dramatically shake fists at the sky as they retreat, crying as they go, “We’ll get you next time, my pretties!!!!” before the doors close and the blue flame turns off.

Anyone who sticks around long enough after will see three regular-looking natives sneak out the back of the candle later, returning to their normal lives until the next time they decide to bring their strange act to the city. If asked about the “trio,” however, they’ll feign complete ignorance and shock that they could miss such colorful people running around. What a shame! Maybe next time!

The corridor is completed, and after a month and a half of steady work progressing well beyond the barrier, and the sound of tools hammering away above the rumbling southern storm has finally lulled as well. An invitation is sent out across the network:

Residents of Havenwell,

You are cordially and enthusiastically invited to partake in the maiden voyage of the Crystallight Rapids. We are to depart at 0900 on the 15th of Achtom from the temporary southern station. Our journey will take us into the storms beyond the city barrier in search of what else may exist beyond our borders. We intend to journey as long as the tracks are viable, barring any danger too great for the train or our staff to endure. We cannot guarantee the safety of our passengers, but those with great strength or the ability to defend themselves and those around them are especially welcome. If your spirit of adventure is high, please join us!

Those who venture out to the address provided will find an extended track (looped around to meet itself, to allow for it to turn around) through the corridor and into the edges of the city proper, and a small building set up as a much smaller version of the restored station out in the wilds. Resting at the edge of the track is the Crystallight Rapids. Sparsely decorated and built to be structurally sound more than beautiful, it is nonetheless standing out amidst the familiar architecture of the city. The front engine has numerous gleaming crystals embedded throughout its construction, and a line of crystals can be seen across each side and along the top. They are the same type of crystals that built the corridor, of course, pulsing with a soft light and built to create a protective, breathable atmosphere within the train as it journeys beyond the barrier, which means that for the first time, protective exosuits aren't required. It isn't a huge train- just an engine, a handful of passenger cars, and two storage cars. Functional and safe, with room for improvements and luxuries later, if all goes well. Being something of a test drive, this return-trip journey is free for any who wants to come aboard, but space is limited, so be sure to arrive on time!

The train will depart and venture first through the crystal corridor, and then into the grim landscape beyond with little fanfare. The tracks are in surprisingly good shape, all things considered, and those watching the windows might notice a handful of grimy robotic forms scuttling slowly in and out of underground shelters, poking at the tracks before and after the train passes by. It seems that whatever ancient technology existed ages ago had a high commitment to automated railway maintenance, and the shelters were equally well-built, so they're quite durable. Sections where those robots are not found, however, require a bit of extra work. The secondary storage container includes a set of extra pre-built railway tracks, and if the tracks ahead appear to be in disrepair, the train will stop and request volunteers to help out. There are a few options on how to proceed:

1. if you can't or won't help, swing by the dining area of the 1st passenger car. A few replicators are available for self-serve, and if you're feeling generous, maybe put together some lunch for everyone hard at work outside. You can get food, mingle with your friends, and admire the... gruesome wasteland out there. Maybe keep an eye out for whatever might be lurking outside.
   
   
2. assist with track repair. Brute strength and gentle mechanic hands are the combination they're looking for. Can you hold that tool for a minute? Can you hammer that metal bit into place? Shine that light a little closer? Oh, perfect, thank you for your help.
   
   
3. search for the automated repair bots. For them to not be mending the tracks, something must have happened, and the train staff will ask for volunteers to do some search and rescue. A group will be handed a decent-sized crystal that one person will need to carry (they have backpacks available, don't worry); the carrier of the crystal should stay in the center of the group, so the light and the purifying magic covers everyone. The bots themselves are quite large, perhaps the size of a horse, so you'll likely need help to drag one back with you. Locals will be on hand to help with repairs at the train site. If all goes well, the automated bot will be fixable. If not, the map will be marked, the bot will be stored, and it'll be mended as soon as possible and returned to its duty. Be sure not to venture out too far while searching, though. It's quite dangerous still, and you wouldn't want to be left behind. When you hear the train calliope, it's time to go. Two toots, and the train's rolling!
   
   
4. guard the train. It's a wild and angry world out there still, and plenty of danger can sneak up on those at work while the train has stopped. The usual suspects can still be found out and about, but the further south the train goes, the harsher the storm, and with it brings the occasional miniature tornado, carrying within some odd-looking large shellwalkers that, when thrown loose, scuttle around in angry confusion and lash out at anyone (or anything, be it train or track or that crucial steam vent required to run your transportation) they come across with their huge claws. Sometimes they fall out of the tornadoes. Sometimes they'll try to snap you as it spins by. Sometimes, if you're unlucky, you might be picked up and carried off, in need of a rescue from an unexpected crab tornado. A crabnado, if you will. Where in the world are these things coming from? Either way, it would really help everyone else if you'd fight some crabs.

Overall, the journey will take most of the day, and in the last hour or so, those watching the sky will see something begin to shine through the storm: tiny glimmers of a bright white light, shining upwards and arcing like a rainbow, fighting its way through the clouds.

After a good 6-or-so hours of train riding (full of stop-and-start for the nonsense going on above), the storm begins to clear, and a lull at last arrives. Entering the eye of the storm, the skies part, the clouds turn from black to grey to white, and at last your destination appears: a large rocky range, curved at the edges, tall enough to resemble a mountain. The tracks lead through a tunnel at the base of the stone, a dark passageway that at last opens up into a... city? Could it be? Above the tracks is an overhanging gateway with a barricade beneath (which is of course what causes the Crystallight Rapids to stop its movement). The gateway reads, in somewhat rusty and disused lettering: SHOREMERE.


(click here for full version)

The town of Shoremere is a moon-shaped cove, with a smattering of housing on the main shore that looks surprisingly like Havenwell's central. The buildings cluster together in collective neighbourhoods, like small creatures huddled for safety and warmth. One huge building rests in the back, opposite the train tunnel, bright blue and gleaming in the light of the open sun. A familiar statue can be seen in the town center, but instead of four figures, there stands only one: a soft-featured woman with finned arms and legs, gills on her neck, reaching joyfully towards the sea.

Ah, yes, the sea. It won't take long for new arrivals to notice it: a long stretch of yellow and blue along the inner curve of the town's crescent, where a beautiful beach of sand and stone meets open water, clean and blue for miles. On one side, a walkway stretches out into the sea, where houses have been built on sets of stilts or floating docks, Maldives-style. The other side has rows upon rows of trees meticulously planted, and a long building of semi-transparent viridian material is nearby, giving the whole area a visage of green. At the very tip of the south crescent stands a magnificent lighthouse, a windmill on one side spinning lazily in the sea breeze, the light of its peak shining for miles- those perceptive enough to have seen it through the train windows can now recognize this to be the source. The air smells of salt and sweet potential. Overall, it's lovely.

Of course, it isn't perfect. On the edge of that miles-long beachfront, the continuation of the storm outside looms loud and ugly, pressed up against the same sort of magical barrier that exists in Havenwell, ready to smother the town as soon as its protection drops. Flashes of lightning occasionally tear through the storm, giving the town something of a violent backlight that everyone tries their best to ignore. And the barricade at the end of the train tracks implies that the residents here were not expecting pleasant company any time soon.

Speaking of residents, the arrival of a noisy train at the edge of their home of course brings the Shoremere locals out of their homes to investigate with dread and curiosity, mixed. Visitors will find a mismatch greeting them: some are fully robotic like their Havenwell neighbours, but others are hybrid/cyborg adjacent. They possess the kind of animalistic features that the Havenwell natives have imagined recently, but with metallic limbs, whirring hearts, implanted eyes, hands that can interchange between fingers, tools, or weapons like swiss army knives. They keep at a distance and watch warily while their city's leader - a priestly-looking cyborg with avian-feathered hair and clawed fingers, one mechanical leg peeking out beneath his robes - meets with the lead conductor, and they speak quietly for a little while. When they part, he steps up to greet the newcomers and his own citizens alike, welcoming everyone to Shoremere and recognizing that, no doubt, they will all have plenty of questions, but so long as everyone treats one another with respect and courtesy, everyone will be free to explore and ask whatever they please. Shoremere is at their disposal, and unless someone causes trouble, they'll share and help in whatever way they can. Understandably, the conductor and the priest will have an awful lot of discussing to do, and the two of them wander off towards the center of town, leaving citizens and newcomers to fend for themselves. Maybe... go say hello?

Speaking with the residents of Shoremere will earn you plenty of questions. What is Havenwell like? Are the people doing well? How long have you been here? Are you all so squishy, still with all your limbs? Likewise, asking questions of the people here will net both similar and very different answers to what you'd get in Havenwell. Here is a shortlist of basic information about Shoremere:

• Most of the architecture is built through stone from beneath the mountain (which they mostly leave untouched ground-up as it acts as the perfect barricade protecting them from the storm) and driftwood from the sea, albeit after a round of purification and preservation techniques. However, there are some buildings made entirely from wood, thanks to the availability of swift-growing trees along the shore.
  
  
• The days begin with a dusky morning fog coming off the water, petering off into warm and sunny afternoons, and end with the cool breeze of the sea in the evenings. It's very balmy most of the time, the perfect vacation zone.
  
  
• Main industries and work done here includes sea fishing, produce growing at the greenhouse (that big translucent building to the southwest), preservation of aquatic life, and weaving from natural materials and the various plant life they've managed to keep growing here. Try not to faint at the concept of finding a real cotton shirt after so long using only synthetic…
  
  
• The people here struggle with long-term memory and history in a similar manner but for a different reason; at least half the residents opted not to go fully automated, and thus have retained their flesh bodies, outside of cyborg implants or replacements to reduce their consumption of biomaterial and keep their bodies working in top shape for longer. As such, they live and die mostly natural lives, and some parts of history are just lost to time. Most significantly: there are children, tiny flesh-and-blood creatures with adorable animalistic traits clinging to the legs of their parents and staring at the newcomers. The children, once brave enough to greet anyone, will have approximately eight million questions, so good luck getting a word edgewise.
  
  
• The lighthouse is the hub of spirituality in Shoremere, rather than any temples, and it houses the story of the demi-goddess featured in the center of town. The story goes that Shoremere struggled with violent storms for so long, that once upon a time there were essentially at death's door. One resident of town who was perfect and devout in all ways of life had over time developed the strongest relationship one could imagine with the Winged Lord, and for the sake of her people, she prayed that He might deliver their home from the darkness of the stormy seas. The two of them formed a pact, and through His blessing, she was consumed by the sea. (There is a good deal of philosophical debate revolving around whether this means she drowned herself, or was eaten by a giant fish, amongst other theories but none can say for sure which is true.) Through her sacrifice, the lighthouse was powered with a protective magic, and she was granted immortality as a demi-goddess subservient to the Winged Lord. While her actual name has been lost to history, the locals refer to her as Lady of the Lighthouse (or LoL for short). The temple lighthouse is maintained in honour of her gift to Shoremere, and it is the source of their town's magic barrier.
  
  In line with the above, the lighthouse acts as a protective tower, museum, and temple all at once. At the base of the tower sits an open basin adjacent to the main construction, where the water of the sea flows freely. It is equipped with polished stone seats where adherents can sit and commune or pray to the Winged Lord and the demi-goddess who protect their town, who wish to do so while resting in their aquatic element. The locals say that they don't exactly worship either for the most part, as the Winged Lord is long-deceased and the demi-goddess is not a proper god, but it is polite to be thankful to their benefactor, and many people have private in-house shrines devoted to other gods of their choice, so Havenwell's main four also have a place here.
  
  
• The tall blue building in the southeastern part of the arc is a vast aquarium, housing Shoremere's equivalent of Havenwell's zoo and botanical garden. Within is a preservation facility of the various species of aquatic life that once lived aplenty in their world. Large tanks house a multitude of species, some of which may seem familiar, others completely alien. There is also an outdoor area with an observation area above, and sections where visitors can walk down and interact with the aquatic creatures that venture close enough to touch. Particular species of note in the facility are:
  
  • Baemodus: resembling tiny sharks about the size of an oven tray, these are small and gentle carnivores whose unique feature is essentially "mood ring" skin, smooth grey flesh that is splashed with a sudden tie-dye effect of colour when touched. One can always tell which of them has been petted or handled recently, as they are varying shades of rainbow.
    
  • Guyro: large disc-shaped creatures that spin through water like frisbies, using intake/outtake water pressure valves to propel themselves. Once in a while they'll propel themselves right out of the water and hit visitors in the face; if that happens, their tenders politely ask that you frisbie-fling them right back into the water where they belong, thank you.
    
  • Nootjar: they are basically penguins. They have goat eyes and they shriek like potoos, but they're penguins. They waddle around wherever they want, including between your legs, onto your lap, into your luggage...
    
  • Thalassii:oh hey, it's those giant crabs. They live in the basement which there is an underground open water cove, and are very carefully contained behind reinforced iron fences. Do not pet these.
  
  Another portion of the facility of note is one section of the basement which features an exhibit of deep-sea creatures; these include pictures but no life example, most of which are about as terrifying as you imagine the words "deep sea" might conjure. On the other hand, the aquarium's whale-angler fish hybrid mascot is... unexpectedly adorable? Which is good, because his visage is plastered all over the place. There's even a cut-out to take pictures with him. Kids seem to love him, anyway.
  
  
• The northern greenhouse section of town is pretty vegetarian, as their primary source of meat in town comes from fishing. Lettuce, root vegetables (potato-adjacent), and corn-like stalks grow all seasons within the carefully cultivated greenhouse atmosphere. Outside, a subset of tree rows are devoted to the prime local fruits: Dika, the Aellyn form of mango, sweet and juicy in vibrant citrus shades, Gooba, which have a sour peeling exterior and a sweet milk-like pulp within, and Zaibe, which are heavy, hairy white shells that can be cracked open to access the fruit within. They smell like absolute death once opened, so generally their harvest is handled by the wholly robotic types who have no sense of smell, but the syrup inside is sweet as spun sugar and the soft fruit surrounding it tastes wonderfully lush either as shavings or in fruit cubes. It is encouraged that you handle with gloves or utensils, however, lest your hands smell for days.

Shoremere as a whole is quite active and easygoing, and everyone works hard day after day, but they'd be the first to admit that things have been awfully routine for a very long time. The shake-up of new arrivals is a welcome change, to be sure.

If all of the above isn't enough to keep you busy in Shoremere, here's something left only briefly mentioned: the beach. The sun and sand call to everyone who ventures out of the train, and sooner or later you're bound to end up on the shore. If you neglected to or did not own a bathing suit, those can be easily purchased or commissioned by one of the weavers in town. Turns out the Zaibe outer shell fibers make for fantastic stretchy thread materials, and can be bleached and dyed to practically any shade. Swimsuits are also designed for the Shoremerans who have all manner of unusual body features, so they're used to quick custom orders and tail-or-wing based designs. The beach features a few miles of balmy, tropical water temperatures, and mostly smooth waves. Some things to do outside of swimming or sunbathing:

• Surfing: while the water is mostly calm and relaxing, there will be periodic bouts of large waves that loom on the horizon and sweep through the outer rim of the water within the barrier, and when those moments occur (generally for up to an hour each day), there is usually a rush of activity on the sand. Parents will bring their children into shore to wait it out or have lunch, while a handful of adventurous locals will grab some surfboards and rush out to enjoy the ride. Offworlders are welcome to join in the fun, and many of the locals would be happy to give instructions to those who don't know how to surf yet. Maybe you'll find your new passion?
  
  
• Fishing: a pond is all well and good, but there's something special about ocean fishing. The town has a very active fishery on the residential side, so if you're keen on giving it a shot, there's always a spare rod available somewhere amongst the community. Toss a lure off the shore, or join one of the fishing boats as they take their nets further offshore for the hardier prey. There are all kinds of strange alien fish to be captured, and the locals can teach you which are safe to eat and which are used for other things (such as lantern oil or armor scales). Those who join one of the net crew will be awarded their share of the catch, as long as they put in the work to earn it.
  
  
• Sweets: a Shoremere special! Since the beach fruits are so beloved and grow so well, they're very common in cooking, and they make for great desserts. The beachfront has a stand that is always open with a series of wonderful fruit cups, juices, and parfaits available for the thirsty beach-goers. However... well, it is the latter half of the month, so completely at random, the sweets may have some strange effects:
  
  • Dried Dika Sugar Slices: self-explanatory. for some reason, you may feel compelled to run dramatically through the waves a la Baywatch. Are you on camera? Whatever, you deserve to be on camera. Strut your best stuff.
    
    
  • Gooba Milkshake: a lovely citrus foam mixture with crushed ice. You suddenly really want to visit the aquarium and play frisbee with the Guyro. The Guyro would love it if you did. The aquarium staff would love it if you didn't. Only you can decide who wins that battle of wills.
    
    
  • Sweet & Stinky: Dika and Zaibe fresh cut bricks in sweet syrup. Nothing actually happens with this one, turns out. But the paranoia of something changing after you drink it will stick with you for like an hour afterwards, so you might be insufferable to be around for a while.
    
    
  • Trio Parfait: all three fruits mixed together with a sweet ice cream formed from Gooba's milk. You gain the ability to transform into one of the aquatic creatures of the region. That's pretty cool, right? Downside is, you can't really control it or pick which one. Maybe you'll be a badass shark. Maybe you'll be a seal. Maybe you'll be the potoo penguin and just wail annoyingly at people until someone throws you in the water. Thankfully it only lasts like an hour, so you can try another parfait to see if your luck improves. That shark is definitely gonna come to you eventually.
  
  
  If anyone questions the Shoremerans about these weird effects, they are most likely to sigh, "Does that not happen in Havenwell? Must be nice. The flavour's worth it, though." And really, it is. They're all delightful.
  
  
• Sleepovers: if you'd rather spend the night in town instead of returning to Havenwell, the locals don't exactly have a plethora of extra housing or hotels, but they do have a wealth of hospitality. Visitors will have a few choices in where to sleep.
        One: You can bunk with one of the local families (who would become your 'host' and be responsible for feeding you dinner and housing you for the night), which would be the warmest and most comfortable option, and will most likely net you a delicious meal, but can theoretically also come with a) gawking, fascinated children or doting grandma-types who talk your ear off until midnight, and b) the cultural expectation that when they come visiting in Havenwell, you'll return the favour for a night as well. This is a voluntary gesture, so no one will be housed with a local who resents their invasion, at least.
        Two: pitch up a tent, grab some blankets, and spend the night on the beach. Not the comfiest of ways to take shelter, but for those who like more privacy and don't mind the outdoors-y life, the ocean breeze and the sound of the waves can lull you to sleep quite effectively, and the night bonfires make for good storytelling or the toasting of s'mores.
        Three: have a sleepover at the aquarium! the least private, because it's still very much a public building, and there are no accommodations so you'll all be bundled together in a pile with pillows and blankets on the floor somewhere. But hey, the place has bathrooms, and wouldn't it be charming to sleep underneath the overhead tank tunnels, counting fish and imagining you're sleeping underwater?

Now that a safe route has been established, and once they manage to remove the barricade and fix the track so the darn thing can turn around again, the Crystallight Rapids will be making periodic journeys to and from Shoremere every day, once in the morning and once near sundown. The journey takes several hours, and may be subject to the occasional brief stop due to ongoing repairs (or the occasional crab crossing). Over time the journey will go more smoothly and safely, and by month's end will be at most 2 hours each way. Passengers from both towns are welcome, and after the maiden journey, are subject to a nominal dora fee for service and upkeep.

Since passage will be going both ways, that means that Shoremere locals will be visiting Havenwell, too! It will take some time for them to brave leaving town to a whole other city, but a slow trickle of visitors will gradually become the norm. Unlike Shoremere, Havenwell has plenty of spare housing, so there's lots of room for them to take up a temporary residence while they explore. Their focus will be trade for materials and tools they can't easily get in Shoremere (proper metal and metal-related tools, for example), exploring the zoo (their home has a shortage of land animals, comparatively), visiting the temples (many have never seen a full-sized temple to the gods!) and the entertainment district, which is significantly more muted back home. In short, Havenwell is being invaded by a lot of homebody furry tourists, and local businesses will see a substantial uptick in customers. It's going to be lively for a while.

Residents of Havenwell are absolutely fascinated (and smitten, let's be real) by the appearance of real physical bodies, and especially children, when some of the Shoremere families finally come calling. Some are rather grumpy about the noise and the mess, but plenty seem to activate their "doting auntie" programming and begin to spoil the kids. Said kids learn very quickly to take advantage of this generosity. Raise a glass for their poor parents. (The grumbling about noise and mess only gets louder.) The researchers in particular will be sent into a tizzy because the ancestors of their old physical forms will be here! In the literal flesh! And will probably be very annoying to the tourists, asking for samples and to study them. Their requests for research materials probably won't go over too well until they calm the heck down, though, so there won't be much progress on that front for a while.

Characters will be able to trade their resources with Shoremere in both cities- those who get apples from their replicators can trade for mangos, those who do mining or smithing can trade metalworks for wood, etc. This is a great opportunity to experience new things and gain access to resources you might have been missing within Havenwell.

Compared to how the weather and world beyond the barrier was a few years ago, the wilds these days appear far less harsh. While the constant storm of dust and debris appears to maintain its viciousness further out, and it is yet strong enough to obscure whatever source of light there is beyond the atmosphere, its tumultuous gusts are noticeably less harsh closer to the city itself. And, in fact, there even appears to be patches of green just outside the barrier, although the growth rapidly stops at a certain near-distance from the city. All together, this prompts those of the researchers to make an announcement: that they are allowing– no, they are asking the off-worlders for help in Phase I of repairing the mysterious train station to the south. What do they want the non-locals to do? To make a corridor meter by meter or even inch by inch if necessary, by placing the charged up crystal-conduits of last month on poles either side of a path, stringing them together with reinforced cable.

1. As mentioned above, characters will be setting off beyond the barrier. The further characters trek as they set up the corridor, the more hazardous and darker the environment becomes. Further away from the city, even before reaching the train station ruins, light is scarce, and the world is cold, dry, and with winds as harsh as sandpaper. At some point, one's only source of light may be the flashlight attached to the exosuit front or the dim glow of the conduits themselves. Safe travels.


2. Characters will all be given exosuits to wear beyond the barrier, which are custom-fitted to their body, as well as a conduit. While researchers encourage characters to continue engaging in touch as they march into the open, it isn't necessary to participate.They will also all be given a flare to use in case of emergency.


3. Despite the improved quality of air beyond the barrier, staying out too long can still result in contracting a mysterious illness that involves chills, fever, malaise, and fatigue. The locals know of this illness as being borne from a mysterious miasma that permeates both air and ground outside. Touch alleviates the symptoms, but it takes time. If one is exposed while still beyond the barrier, characters can use their flare to signal for (player-discretion) NPC support to bring them back to the city. Tents will be set up by the locals to take in any injured or ill characters.

Once the corridor is fully finished with the conduits strung together by poles and cables, the makeshift highway will come to life by a dim, golden light reminiscent that of the barrier. Starting with the conduits nearest to the city, a shimmering, semi-translucent shield appears to dome over each section of the path until finally spanning its entire length, seemingly dispelling any miasma within. Just in case, though, the locals suggest to not remove one's exosuits just yet. This golden-lit corridor has an ethereal quality to it, muting the howling wind outside, as well as providing a sense of safety and warmth. A few local helpers can be seen standing in awe of this grand accomplishment, holding hands or linking arms as they marvel at the replicated barrier, walking down the path slowly. Some of them may even come up and thank the characters for their hard work. If they hadn't been made of metal, they are sure they would be shedding tears of joy.

With the highway finally established, the researchers are calling for the initiation of Phase II, involving more sets of volunteers (they know, they know, they're needy; but don't worry, they promise they'll compensate you with dora!).

• Help with Supplies: Become a runner of supplies from point A to point B on the corridor, passing off items, cords, metal, electronics, to the next volunteer.
  
• Help with Charging the Conduits: Regrettably, the consistency of the barrier surrounding the corridor is patchy in some areas. The locals are asking for help: simply engage in any form touch with someone next to a dimmer-looking conduit. They have even provided plush couches for characters to relax upon. What do you mean, that's not comfy? No worries, they'll also provide a privacy curtain for you. Alternatively, these couches can be used as a resting station for characters in need of a break.
  
• Protect the Corridor: The light of the corridor is bound to attract a few curious and hostile wildlife to its source of light. Those who are brave enough may depart the safety of the corridor's barrier to combat or capture the creatures that would threaten its integrity. Please see below for list of potential wildlife encounters, and note that any engagement with these creatures generates a big risk of exposure to the miasma that may make a character severely ill and lethargic. Working with a partner is encouraged.
  
  For those who opt to attempt to capture some of the infected creatures, specialized nets will be provided to allow for safe catch-and-transport without making contact with the poison they exude. There will be an area designated for the captured creatures until they can be transported to one of the research labs. Some of the crystals have been moved to clear the area, and while they are held there, offworlders are encouraged to attempt a new experiment: can the crystals also purify the poison inside living creatures, as well as the air itself? If offworlders make contact within the creature's and the crystal's vicinity, can they be saved?
  
  If your character ends up capturing one of the creatures, please comment to this comment here noting which ones and how many.

This month, the clergy of Ainea's temple are excited to announce a pop-up café for which people are free to volunteer or attend as guests. Whether a character decides to serve others or be served, the staff of the pop-up offers a headband with metallic mouse-ears on top for all to wear. They come in a variety of different hues of pinks and purples, colors that characters may recognize as being associated with Ainea. These headbands are wired to shift and turn with the moods of whoever is wearing them. The rest of the uniform, which includes formal black-and-white attire complete with frilled aprons, is optional. Featured items on the menu include teas and hot chocolates as well as a variety of (synthetic) artisan cheeses. Volunteers who decide to don the mouse-ears of the café will also be encouraged to serve snacks and drinks within the recovery tents set up for the workers who venture outside the barrier. Feeling ambitious? Those who manage to serve tea or cocoa to over five people in the recovery tents will be awarded a golden pin of a mouse they can proudly display on their uniform! Look your cutest, and get out there! You can also keep those ears.

At the end of the day, the staff will gather the group to take a photo together, local and off-worlder crew alike, to hang up on the temple wall. Supporting each other, coming together, and community through difficult times is a cornerstone of Ainea's teachings.