Strange New World

[scalpelofmarmora]

Who: Ulaz and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Nariba Relia
When: various


Exploring - "Shopping"
[Ulaz had found some of the stores that Nariba Relia and was currently wandering through them. He was rather curiously studying some of the fruit that was there. He didn't really seem to have much interest in eating as far as someone else could tell. Almost like he was expecting it to do something strange]

Exploring - Amusement Park
[Guess what Ulaz had found... the amusement park. Even not really knowing what it was supposed to be it was still rather creepy. So he was currently standing by the front gate watching it do its thing]

Hunting... okay maybe not
[He'd decided he wanted to check out the local wildlife, check to see if there was anything worth hunting. He'd heard about others doing it in other systems and it would be a good way to get fresh meat.

Except he didn't get too far outside of the city and into the desert when he spotted some of the local "fauna" off in the distance. At first glance he had thought it was five hooved creatures traveling together in a tight pack, but when they turned more to face him, he realized they were actually conjoined in a odd mass.

Oh what fresh hell is this?

Also no hunting for him]

Broadcast
[There was something very disturbing about this planet. Everything seemed too... perfect. In that fact, it was strange. He explored through several abandoned residences, finding doors unlocked and appliances working, but no residents. The stores seemed to be fully stocked, though everything in the entire store smelled oddly like citrus. Out curiosity, he had knocked over a display of fruit in one of the stores only to watch bots move in sometime later to clean it up... and the display was back up the next morning.

Odd... very odd]

What theories are there about the planet? It seems to me like the city is stuck in a time loop of some sort. Curious though that it does not effect the entire city. Greenery in the city is dying and several building are not being cared for the way most of the city is. It doesn't explain about the residents though and what is going on beyond the city.

If you have not been out there, I don't suggest going to look.

Comments

[Broadcast]

[padadin]

"What is going on beyond the city"? "Not going to look"? [Both of Shiro's eyebrow raise. Ulaz, buddy, what have you been doing! WHO IS WORRYING WHOM NOW.] What has happened since you went exploring, Ulaz?

[Broadcast]

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz might ask why Shiro hadn't looked at what was going on outside the city, but then again... the library]

There are animals out there. Some of them are fine, but there are some...

Something tells me they are not right. It's not even that they look different than what I have seen before. They just... shouldn't be the way they are.

[padadin]

[He did look outside, it was just good old nature! Excuse him for not going monster hunter!]

I noticed some animals when we flied, but nothing out of the ordinary. Do you mean more like monsters? Abominations?

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Well, he hadn't been planning on monster hunting either]

Well, monster, no. Abominations is a better word. Animals that don't seem to move quite right. Animals that seem to be fused together in such a way it is surprising they can still move.

[padadin]

[What Ulaz describes fits a very stereotypical sci-fi movie. It makes Shiro look down at his book and consider the information they've got so far.]

Do you think they've been exposed to some kind of energy, like radioactive? Or could they be experiments?

[scalpelofmarmora]

In my opinion? They don't look like they have been experimented on. There seem to be no normal ones of these species that I could see. If they were, it has been some time since they escaped or were released.

It seems like a mass genetic mutation if you compare them to similar animals elsewhere. Possibly radioactive.

Either way, I wouldn't recommend hunting them for food.

[padadin]

[He winces at the words genetic mutation because yikes. That adds a whole new creep factor to this place, geez.]

With all the free food out there to take, I don't think anyone will go hunting. Except maybe Sokka, we should let him know.

[Although the guy is smart enough to know not to eat certain stuff right??? omg sokka no.]

The next question then is, are we being exposed to such energies by staying in this city?

[scalpelofmarmora]

[It seems to be the best way to describe it and probably the most accurate]

I would hope they wouldn't. I wouldn't trust it. You have been in the library; if you see anything on native animal species, I can look to see if anything compares.

If whatever caused it is still ongoing, yes. If not, it depends on the intensity and how long it has been since. We would need something to check radiation levels. It could also potentially rule out if it was radioactive.

[padadin]

I've been concentrating on the terraforming project and its technology, but I know I've seen information on the ecosystem. I'll separate those books for you.

[Thanks for giving him more work, Ulaz! Woohoo!]

If you don't have anything in your lab, then you could try asking engineers. But what's your general opinion? Unlikely because we haven't felt the effects or too soon to tell?

amusement park

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Kirk could never resist the opportunity to explore. When given the chance, he loved going dirt side, and now was no different, though it was a lot creepier. He had walked through most parts of the town except the amusement park at this point, which was somehow the creepiest place of all. Maybe that was why he had put it off, and purposefully came to it during the day. He doubted anything would jump out and grab him considering the desolate nature of the rest of the town, but still.

He spotted Ulaz as he came up after considering the border for a bit, raising his hand in greeting. ]</sub>

It's creepy, right? Like a trap of some sort.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz glanced over hearing someone else walking over. At seeing Kirk, he gave him a nod in greeting]

Yes, it does look like a trap. More so than everything else, the fact its completely empty makes it very unnerving. It just keeps operating with no one.

[Well, mostly... He'd seen at least one ride get stuck for a bit, but it was quickly fixed. And no one had been on it anyway]

[universal_charm]

It's the sort of place out of a movie where some demented clown would hunt us down.

_{[ He shuddered, crossing his arms as he considered it. ]}

But it's also kind of sad, in a way. I mean, theme parks are meant to be enjoyed. Seeing one empty... it just makes me wonder what happened.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[There was a long moment after Kirk spoke that he considered that. Yes, that was definitely true. This place had been made for people to enjoy and here it was, doomed to repeatedly go through the motions every day even if there was no one to enjoy it]

It does make you wonder. There were supposedly people to use it before.

Have you actually gone in to check it out yet?

[universal_charm]

_{[ His mouth twitched into a sheepish smile. ]}

No, not yet. I've been - well, not scared, but I would really like some backup going in there.

_{[ He titled his head up at Ulaz. ]}

Want to team up?

[scalpelofmarmora]

[He didn't blame Kirk for not wanting to explore the area behind himself. It was very strange. Even he was unnerved by it]

We can. It would be better to search in pairs. Where should we start first?

[universal_charm]

Let's work from creepy to creepiest, shall we? Let's see if the entrance has any information. That's where things like maps and such would be kept if this was a real park at one point.

_{[ He pointed beyond the entrance gates to the ticket counters and stalls. ]}

[scalpelofmarmora]

Sounds like as good a plan as any.

[Considering he'd never judged anything to the level how creepy it was before and then used that for when to search it.

Ulaz walked over to the ticket counters, looking the nearest one over first before examining it to try and find a map. He didn't even hesitate to wander back to one of the doors that employees would have used to enter the booth and opened it. It was unlocked of course]

There's not much in this one.

[If they weren't investigating a theme park running by itself, this might have looked comical with him inside the booth]

Broadcast

[dandyofawolf]

A time loop is an interesting theory. More so since it only seems to be impacting certain aspects rather than everything.

Broadcast

[scalpelofmarmora]

It seems to explain some things such as the repairs to buildings being done almost instantly, doors returning to an unlocked position, the stores restocking themselves. Those tiny robots aren't doing it. If that is the case, the question needs to be how it happened and why only certain things.

Broadcast

[dandyofawolf]

Which would in turn lead us to the question of what is the source of this loop? It ties in with the how, of course, but it could mean a location with more information we're not seeing presently.

Broadcast

[scalpelofmarmora]

Based on the fact that the desert outside the city is unaffected as are some of the buildings closer to the desert, it is likely in the city itself. I'd suggest underground, but then the plants in the gardens might be affected as well.

Provided they weren't dead before the time loop started.

Broadcast

[dandyofawolf]

I wonder how long the loop has potentially been taking place if that is the case.

Broadcast

[scalpelofmarmora]

If we go by some of the buildings not being affected, it seems to have been some time, but not sure if it has been years.

Broadcast

[dandyofawolf]

So far there doesn't even seem to be a purpose to such a loop. At least not one that I have noticed during the nights I visit.

Broadcast

[scalpelofmarmora]

I agree, there doesn't seem to a purpose. It just keeps going back to the same thing, but there's no way to figure out what the point of it is in this location at least.

Another might have an answer, but the question is which one is that.