multiversallogs | How many goodly creatures are there here!

How many goodly creatures are there here! :: GAME OPENER

Welcome to Baedal.

These are the first words newcomers hear when the door opens and they are invited into their new world. Some fuss, some fight, some need time before they have the courage to step outside. Others, shell-shocked or jaded, go quietly along with the proceedings.

They are given brief instructions; a repeat of what's described in the pamphlet and a door key.

Please stay in your room. There will be dinner soon.

It's been almost a day for some. For others, only an hour's wait. The latest newcomer is lead straight from the arrival room to the dining hall where candles and lanterns have been set out to compensate for failing electricity. (Those who have been here longer explain about rolling blackouts.) The food, however, is warm, varied and plentiful. Seating is open, and less conventional chair are available to those who need them.

There are many strange faces around the table, the majority of these recent arrivals. The proprietor of the Valhalla Inn is here, as is some of her staff. The Sheriff of Mog Hill is introduced, his function detailed. The reason for the dinner is explained:

It's a celebration. A new cohort has finally been officiated; CeidaryBlue523. Your cohort. Please. Introduce yourself. Mingle. Get to know your fellows, they will be your brothers and sisters for as long as you live in this city.

((OOC post for discussion and coordination.))

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A familiar face makes things more bearable, and a familiar face he knows can offer intelligent insight, doubly so.

"I did, but it didn't do much to explain the hows or whys of our situation. Is this your first time out of the room?"

"It is if you don't count what was practically a sprint to find some fresh air. Being locked in a tiny room for hours will do that too a person."

The last statement is a gentle nudge to see how long Adrian was held.

"Yes, it will." Adrian doesn't give any indication that he's been here for significantly longer, just a hint of exasperation in his voice at not being in control of the situation.

"At least we don't seem to be the only ones. Maybe someone in the crowd here knows more. Shall we divide and conquer, Mr. Luthor?"

"Now that's a heartening phrase to hear first thing out of the arrival room," says the nicely-dressed young man waltzing up just in time for the last, a bit like some ambition-seeking missile. (Okay, so possibly the suits tipped him off.)

"My apologies for the interruption, gentlemen. Are you settling in all right?"

"Depends on what you mean by settling in. I'm not sure I've been out of that room long enough for the phrase to be appropriate."

He's not complaining, just stating fact and wanting to see what information that would uncover as a result.

Not one to allow a bit of displacement throw him off his game, Lex offers the man a hand in greeting. "Lex Luthor. Would you be the welcome party?"

Adrian is pretty good at spotting ambition-seeking missiles (and he appreciates when they're pretty ambition-seeking missiles), so he greets the man with a pleasant, serene smile.

The kind of smile Jack is probably very used to seeing.

After Lex has offered his introduction, Adrian nods and extends his hand as well. "Adrian Veidt. And as for settling in, I almost think I'd prefer to refrain until I know more about exactly what that entails, and why."

That's also the kind of smile Jack is used to pretending he hasn't noticed at all. (Except for a quick glance, just there.)

"Jack Benjamin." He shakes with each of them in turn. Ignore the eye tag going on over here, Lex. "I'm part of the party that believes you should be welcomed, to be more accurate."

"Unfortunately, I'm not overflowing with whys and wherefores. The Personification Initiative is obnoxiously enigmatic about that." A small frown. What can you do. "What I can tell you is you're not dreaming, you really have been abducted to some alien city against your will, and it is sadly unlikely you'll be able to return of your own accord. All we ask of you while you're here is that you try to carry on as you otherwise might."

The look exchanged between the two others registers, but Lex gives it little more attention than a mental note.

Jack's mention of 'all we ask of you' causes him to inwardly bristle but outwardly he keeps the same stoic poise as always. "So you're here to intercept us and dictate what we should and shouldn't do." His tone is flat and Lex slips his hands into his pockets, regarding Jack with an appraising tilt of the head.

Adrian raises his eyebrows slightly, but the smile on his face doesn't falter, and his stance is considerably more open than Lex's (it's an old habit that he doesn't intend to break now, lying with body language).

"What exactly is the Personification Initiative?" It's not that he isn't interested in what the man has to say to the first question posed to him, but there's no point in asking it twice. And perhaps a bit of good cop/bad cop will have useful results.

"God no, I'm not that invested." Though not unkindly (his own body language is aiming toward 'harmless'), he gives Lex a bit of a look. Like he's going to micromanage the lives of 2.7 million people, come on. "If you'd honestly rather wallow, go right ahead."

"As for the Personification Initiative, they're the ones you have to thank for all this ostensible 'immigration.' They choose who to take and when, and put out those quaint little pamphlets – so I'm sure you've noticed there's something of an agenda at work, but your guess is as good as mine as to what that is."

"I don't wallow, Mr. Benjamin." Lex didn't backtrack or feel the need to validate his reasoning. If Jack couldn't see how an unseen 'we' making requests could be offputting to someone who had just been kidnapped from their world, then he was going to have to work on his sales pitch.

"How long have these 'immigrations' been occurring?"

For the moment, Adrian falls silent, content for now to cede the floor to Lex's questions and Jack's answers. Occasionally his gaze moves out over the courtyard, drawn by the activities of others, but always back to focus on the two men in front of him, letting his mind process the information he's being given and begin formulating some kind of plan to deal with it.

Jack does understand his misstep, he's just more inclined to flippancy than apologies. (Though he smiles slightly, something like approval, at Lex holding his ground.)

"About five centuries, if you believe the official take." Not that Jack has any particular reason to doubt it, but, well, he has watched how official histories get written. "I can only attest to the past year myself, and you're the first in months there."

Lex isn't sure what he believes at this point, but he is thankful for the answers provided at any rate.

"Is it generally considered to be a big change in the nature of the city when there are new arrivals or do people generally not take notice? Is there any kind of consensus regarding recent immigrants?"

He still thinks that kidnapping is a more appropriate term but at the moment Lex didn't want to toe the line much further. He glances over to Adrian to see if the other has anything else to add.

"A year? Have you given up on the idea of returning to your home, then?"

Adrian likes to think that given a year, he could come up with something that would allow him to leave, but he isn't about to disregard the possibility that there's more to this place than what's visible on the surface. A year's worth of accumulated understanding would be invaluable, if the young man proved interested in sharing.

"In a city this size, it's more of a strain than a change. Some welcome it, some don't." He shrugs. "You'll find most people are fairly understanding and willing to work with you, though; doubly so if you have useful skills to offer."

Adrian's question gives him slight pause, however. His apparent pleasantness doesn't falter, but the sincerity behind it does. "'Given up' would be a little harsh. I'm willing to put the idea on hold, let's say." Prison, war, and inevitable martyrdom not being particularly attractive alternatives. (That he won't be sharing.) "I take it you gentlemen have quite a bit to return to?"

"Quite a bit, yes." It's in that moment when the full extent of the situation descends upon Lex and he pauses before continuing. "I can't speak for Mr. Veidt, but since it looks like we're going to be staying here for a while I see no reason not to rebuild in the meantime."

This revelation shouldn't come as a surprise, it seemed like the only natural way to proceed from here. As for greater insight as to what exactly it is that they do, Lex is going to leave that decision up to Adrian.

"You're welcome to speak for Mr. Veidt, his answer is the same." He sees no reason not to continue the business relationship he and Lex have begun, as well, although Jack doesn't need to be privy to that conversation.

He offers Jack an apologetic bow of his head. "I understand. You're right, I have a great deal of business to return to and should not have made the assumption that everyone would share my sense of urgency."

"Completely understandable, Mr. Veidt." No harm done, as it were, though he notably doesn't dwell on the subject any longer than necessary.

"It can be quite an adjustment, but I'm glad to hear you're both willing to make the most of it." A nod to Lex, too, cordial. "If there's anything I can do to help, just ask. The Inn offers two weeks free room and board while you get your feet, and the Employment Office will be open, but I'm afraid there aren't guide books for details like which part of the city to settle in and where to find a decent tailor."

Lex had been a little preoccupied to think about clothes, but once Jack mentions a tailor Lex is reminded of the luxuries of home. A good deal of them might be gone for now, but like everything else, it wasn't something that couldn't be regained.

"You've been quite generous with your time already, Mr. Benjamin. If I do find that tailor I'll be certain to let you know." It's a light and not entirely serious comment but his next question is something he wants the answer to. He withdraws the CiD that he was given earlier from his pocket. "I assume I can reach you with this later?"

"The lack of that sort of guide seems to be a useful niche you'd think someone would have already filled," Adrian muses, but he gives it no further thought beyond the fact that he'll simply have to do some reconnaissance of the city. Which he's likely to do anyway, old habits die hard and he's in a strange environment. That costume back in his room may come in very handy.

He makes a note of Jack's reply to the question Lex asks about the CiD. It will be extremely useful to begin making contacts as soon as possible.

Only having one suit to his name was one of the first problems Jack remedied upon arrival, for the record, but then he's always been overly invested in self-presentation.

"Of course." He rattles off a number once Lex has his CiD out. "I'm listed in the directory under Jonathan Melchishua Benjamin, and on your cohort network as the Independence Front Representative – one of the local political parties, we're trying to improve services for new arrivals."

"In any case, I'll let you gentlemen get acclimated. Good luck to you."

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How many goodly creatures are there here! :: GAME OPENER

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