Tales From The Northern Territories #3

[singmod]

TALES FROM THE NORTHERN TERRITORIES #3

Greetings, Interlopers! Welcome to your third of your bi-monthly updates, known as Tales From The Northern Territories! The purpose of these little ‘newsletters’, is to touch base with players on how things are going within the game and the fallout of the event of the previous month. In addition, these updates will also provide some extra information on NPCs, along with any additional happenings that might be going on within the game — which may be hints towards the upcoming Test Drive Meme!

Before we jump into things, here’s some dates for your diary for this month:

Activity Check — 1st - 5th
Test Drive Meme — 7th - 10th
CR Meme — 15th
Reserves — 15th - 19th
Applications — 20th - Month End


First up: some announcements / housekeeping:

CONTENT: As a reminder, there will be no event this month. Players may still play out from the January event, or create their own open post for more general posts. They can also use TDM prompts in their opens posts, too!

It was decided to swap around the CR Meme and the IC/OOC Meme around last month, and with that — players had the Anon IC Meme to play with! This month, players will have their bi-monthly CR Meme.

INFORMATION: The Areas page has now been updated, which includes a little extra information of things in Milton, plus a basic map of the town, and the Community Hall's floorplan.

HOUSING: The Housing Spreadsheet has now been updated, which now includes street names! I've taken the liberty to enter in those living in the Community Hall, Church, Farmhouse and Outskirts from the old sheet. For everyone else: please take a moment to claim your character's housing! You can find the spreadsheet: HERE.

JANUARY'S EVENT

The Aurora: Nascence: While Auroras will continue into the months of February and March, they will not be accompanied by dreams/powers that came with the three day Aurora in January. The woman's voice that was once heard over the radios/tv static/etc. at the end of December and into January can no longer be heard. It has gone completely silent. It seems that whatever or whoever it is in play that has given Interlopers new abilities has gone, or stopped.

Adust: Following the actions of Interlopers, it seems as if the ghosts have been put to rest and will no longer make an appearance after January. While the graves of Thomas Barker and his sons can be found in Milton's churchyard, there are no graves for Mrs. Barker or the daughter. Interlopers investigating will have discovered that the fire certainly wasn't arson, an electrical or kitchen fire — and must have started another way. And while it may be difficult finding electronic records, there are likely other ways in finding information on the rest of the Barker family — but Interlopers may need to put their heads together to find out — should they be interested in this.

The Visitor: Interlopers suffering from their Visitors will hopefully have been freed from the grip of the being by now. While the Visitor will no longer come to visit after January ends, those still stuck with their Visitor will do so until they have been freed by their fellow Interlopers.

AND NOW... THE WEATHER

Daylight: From mid-January and into February and March, daylight finally returns to the Northern Territories. From February, Interlopers will see roughly five hours of daylight per day. By the time March rolls around, this will have doubled to ten hours of daylight per day — and continues to lengthen as the month continues.

Weather: The weather is still incredibly cold and frigid. Temperatures can finally rise a little into the late afternoons thanks to the few hours of the sun warming the world — but not by much. This is still is still incredibly bitter weather. Even with spring on the way, it doesn’t seem as if winter is releasing its grip on the Northern Territories. Snowstorms and blizzards are still incredibly common for both February and March.

Aurora Frequencies: Following January’s heightened Aurora activity (including the three full day Aurora), Aurora frequencies are… strangely low. With barely a handful occurring over the month of February. March will see an increase in Aurora nights — with no more than ten occurring over the month.

NEW HAPPENINGS IN FEBRUARY

Back Luck: It seems as if Interlopers will be particularly down on their luck in the earlier half of the month. As if nothing seems to go right, no matter how big or small. Traps not catching animals, fishing lines breaking, fires taking longer to start. The winter weather is making everything so much harder for them, and they could do with a bit of luck.

Dog Tracks: New sets of tracks can be found around Milton, that of a large dog. It looks like it might be the same dog Interlopers had trouble with is back again, only this time there is no barking to be heard in the wilds or around town. Like with the dog that bothered them a couple of months ago, it cannot be tracked down and found. Interestingly, along with the tracks, tiny pieces of vine and foliage can be found in amongst the tracks — close examination will reveal that it does not appear to be native to the Northern Territories.

Foraging: With the growing sunlight in the world, a little of the snow has melted — creating some cold and damp conditions in the thickest parts of the woods in the wilds of Milton. There are some places where there is very little, if any snow at all. This has allowed for an abundance of mushrooms to flourish in the wilderness. It’s not everyone’s favourite vegetable, but it’s something.

NPCs

Methuselah will be once again out in the wilds of the Milton area, and can be found by Interlopers who go out for hunting. He will always share his fire and food with those who ask. Close to the middle of the month, Methuselah will be returning to town. His sled will be loaded with fresh deer, rabbits and fish he has hunted, along with foragables he has collected. He has fared much better this time, now that the Stoorworm is gone. He will be returning to the Community Hall, and preparations will be beginning for yet another feast.

Once again, he will ask for donations from the Interlopers towards the Feast. The previous batches of Interlopers will be welcome to attend with the Newcomers. For some it might be a rare chance at a decent meal. He will also graciously accept any help from Interlopers wishing to offer their time in harvesting animals, cooking and setting things out.

Whilst he is not a particularly talkative man, Methuselah will speak to Interlopers regarding their dream they had last month — a topic that was brought up by Lalo Salamanca, and he will note the drawing Kate Marsh had pinned to the notice board in the Community Hall. If he is questioned by Interlopers, he will confirm that Lalo's information that has spread among the Interlopers is from him, and retell the story of the Darkwalker:

"I know of only one thing such as you described. It is an old, old story. Often children would try to frighten one another with it. The Darkwalker. The Abomination. The Devourer. The Ending of Everything. It is said that the Darkwalker will awake from its slumber and swallow the world whole. One head will swallow the stars and moon and sun. Another will swallow the seas and lakes and rivers. The third will swallow the land, and every living thing upon it — and only then will the Darkwalker be satisfied and return to sleep once more.

The dream you all had, the voice you have heard (and that I too have heard) — I cannot be certain, but I… do believe it is possible that this is the Darkwalker of that story. I am sorry, Newcomers. Truly.

There… is a saying in these parts, and I mean it, more than anything now: may the Darkwalker never catch you."

When he is able to, Methuselah will also be found at the grave of La’an Noonien-Singh. He will place trinkets at her grave: Ptarmigan feathers and bird carved in wood. He will be found sitting in a contemplative silence, or perhaps he may be gently speaking: sometimes they sound like some kind of prayers or some kind of funerary rites, other times it almost sounds like stories.