THE FRACTURED WORLD: ARRIVAL

[modormenace]

 

A

rrival for some goes all but unnoticed. It's a sudden shiver, the sensation of being watched... and then nothing at all. Life continues serenely as it always has. The only indication of any change comes with sleep, wrapped in dreams: vague and distant echo imagery of another life, melting away in the morning.

 

F

or others, arrival is a sharp jolt. In the space of a single blink, they find themselves in an unfamiliar world, surrounded by the trappings of a life they have not lived. They are replacements, spirits taking possession of bodies belonging to people very much like themselves...

 

A

nd for the rest, arrival is a procedure. Routine. Those ported in to the Fractured World wake hazily in the comfortably dim light of the Porter room, laid out on an exam table. Their wounds, if they remember having any, have been healed— and even those who remember their own deaths find themselves miraculously restored. As they regain consciousness, an automatic audio-visual presentation is triggered. Regardless of their backgrounds or physiology, all imPorts 'see' and 'hear' this message as if in their own language:

"Greetings, imPort."

The voice is calm and gently authoritative, almost certainly selected by committee.

"On behalf of the Synod and all imPorts it represents, we welcome you to the planet Earth."

A decidedly non-humanoid robotic arm holds out a palm-sized device and rather insistently demands the new arrival take it. This is the imPort's comm, used for accessing the Porter's database of information, as well as the communications Network— though it won't receive communications from outside the Porter building until carried through one of the many Gates set up in a long, crescent-shaped array on the far side of the room.

As each Gate is approached, information about the faction it leads to flashes up on the comm device's screen. Which will you choose?

THE WHITE TOWER SANCTUM AURORAE KRAKOA HOUSE OF M EMPIRE OF LIGHT EQUALITY BEFORE LAW THE TWIN CITIES OLIN VALE EDEN SEEKERS OF THE NEW DAWN NORTHWESTERN IMPERIUM GREEN PIECE MAD BURNISH LUMINARY

Comments

[scleras]

[It's that slime. Not who he expected to see in this place, but he's still feeling lost. He can't even use his previous knowledge of this creature's temperament to judge how to react as they could be completely different here.

He straightens, brushing hair away from his face with one hand.]

Yeah. Sorry, I'm just irritated about a pattern I was working on. I spent all morning on it and it didn't come out the way I wanted so now I have to start from scratch.

[He sighs, forcing himself to relax.] I shouldn't take it out on my door.

[rimuru]

ohh, artists block? I'm not any good at arts and crafts at all. rimuru hums ] jane is very good at drawing, you could probably ask her for help on things like that.

Is your door broken? [ well, he can probably fix that, at least ]

[scleras]

I think it's fine.

[Uta opens it and closes it one more time to make sure, though it's the least of his concerns.]

And thank you, but no. This is something I have to figure out on my own.

[He finally turns his full attention down to the slime, irritation held in check through great effort on his part.]

What brings you bouncing around today?

[rimuru]

[ the little slime nods. or well - shakes its body. it does sort of look like a nod ] I get that. I hope you can figure it out.

And uhm- well, it's not official business! But I'm going around the place making sure everyone is alright. We got some newcomers, and it's my job to make them feel welcomed. [ well, rimuru took it upon themselves, actually ]