To Prepare For The Future

[trpmods]

Preparing For The Road Ahead

Suggestions were put forth. Information was shared. A quiet means of weighing in was offered after He Rows took a chance to publicly comment on what they thought was the best choice going forth. And so the answer finally came, a decision settled upon.

Which means it’s time for action on a few fronts. Thankfully some guidance was quick to come once all of the He Rows relayed their decision up to the ship itself. Venidelosia, or Losia to anyone who was not Tony Stark, had been silent for a few hours before at last sending back a message.

Thank you, He Rows, for weighing in on the matters at hand. And for all of your assistance. I have analyzed the data provided and compared it against my own databases when errors were not triggered. Then I listened to the things you have expressed. The opinions brought to me have been that knowledge should be granted in full to the Agrii, though many were concerned over the potential fall out.

Therefore, I would like to put forth a suggestion: a full disclosure of all gathered data regarding my crew to select members, preferably their leaders. Allow them to consider this information and how to best present it to their fellows, in hopes of not creating a panic. I am not able to prevent you from following your instincts and sharing all, but I beg that you allow the four leaders and their support to sit with the knowledge for a few days to prepare themselves if you do not wish to respect their opinions.

Overwhelmingly, it has been indicated to me that you wish to follow the will of some Agrii in allowing them to attempt the planetary surface. Before motions are made to this end, please select some of your number to negotiate what requirements the natives will ask for to better allow for their own comfort with new arrivals. I will also work with the leaders in preparing for the idea of planetary living. If there are supplies in my holds that might facilitate preparing the cities for those of my crew ready to brave the surface, please ask me. It is my wish to see them safe, even if they are not within my halls.

While these ends are researched, I request and require the assistance of what technical and computer specialists are available among you. In my attempts to determine how the pods I have been told about function, I seem to have encountered additional glitches. So too when attempting to determine means with which to return you home, or even navigate from this system easily. These bugs must be purged for us to reach our ultimate goal of finding out more of my crew’s origin as many of you have requested. It would be unwise for us to set out in exploration when my systems are so frequently overridden since my awakening.

Thank you all for the seriousness with which you have proceeded upon these discussions and the thought and care you gave to them. I believe you will serve as good role models for my crew going forth. If you require me, please reach back out to me through this contact frequency, or come to myself in person to speak. I will continue to not monitor the incoming feeds of the planetary surface unless specifically invited to by an individual present at the place of observation at the time of observation. Good day.

And so the general shape of decisions are made.This means He Rows have new tasks to set themselves to, and perhaps their own excitement might make this a rush order. But typically their tasks fall into a few clear categories: negotiating with the Plantkin, helping Venidelosia with her bugs and glitches, breaking the news to the Agrii, preparing ships for possible long term voyage, and preparing Temba just in case the Plantkin agree to having a few more inhabitants. There’s nothing to stop anyone from working on multiple fronts, and surprisingly enough, there might even be more unexpected help than He Rows might be expecting. Why’s that?

Apparently, Venidelosia isn’t the only one grateful to the He Rows for all of their hard work. A few hours after her announcement there will be a simple message coming from an Agrii message account, with two signatures on the bottom.

To He Rows give thanks. Because of quick smart work, Ny Ak still lives and now wakes up. Ship is happy and has hope. We make this for they from parts. Hope work good. So say An Nu and Greens.

And an extra thank you from those of us of Blue, for how you helped keep the peace and helped us care for our own. The smart of the Blues helped find the pieces so the Greens could make these devices. They have basis in things we have seen built here, and things seen from watching travels. They are made to be what Venidelosia calls ‘reprogrammable and customizable.’ These sound like good words. Please let us know how else we can help. Expect more Blues to message you to learn to talk He Row languages better. Your friends, Te Mi and the Blues.

This message arrives at the same time as a collection of large crates appear in the Whale Comb Sent Her. Look, they were even kind enough to give you crowbars to help open them. And inside… A little fleet of new programmable robots along the lines of the groundskeeping ones that exist in Sh’Ka. Some are clearly set up for carrying things, others for cleaning, and still others for repeatable tasks like measuring, hammering, or stacking. Any turned on will just set about the task suited to their build in their immediate area, and they respond to verbal commands. They also obey when told to stand down for review. Their programming is an interesting conundrum. It is a mix of wonderful pathing algorithms and how to move their various parts and recognize commands, but they aren’t set up for complex series of commands. The code is pretty clear and wouldn’t be too difficult to change either, so enjoy using them for whatever makes sense.

Oh, and good news… They don’t have command receivers other than audio input or direct interaction with the built in command pads. This means a reduced chance of outside interference with their work, or that they are actively spying. Isn’t that a relief? With these new toys He Rows might be able to put in some work to help restore the city further, or automate some of the daily tasks they go through so that they can be busy elsewhere. And speaking of elsewhere...

By midafternoon a perhaps-familiar form descends from space to settle into the hangar. The Palm Cottage has returned to Temba? Anyone who is there to see it might find the ramp opening and… The Wanderer rolling out? The ship won’t open up for anyone who attempts to board it, and when The Wanderer leaves, it pauses to shudder. Anyone who had spent time on the Palm Cottage might get why: it was the ship most heavily decorated with wood.

Once its distaste is shared, The Wanderer immediately rolls off into town, where it finally comes to a stop and sets up ‘camp’ by the Greenhouse. It takes some time and, like when it first came to Temba, it starts to rattle its body until it shakes up a great summoning thuum. Within an hour, dozens of Funfronds and two Barrys have arrived. Any He Row approaching will be greeted by The Wanderer.

“This One spoke to the great realm of metal and has heard of what was suggested. It brought me back down to help speak with and for the littlekin. To ensure there is no confusion. I have seen the creatures proposed, and while they intrigue, they seem dangerous and reckless. So I must be honest with the littlekin, and ask you to be as well. This is fair, as they were given no voice before. They summon kin from the other dead place of stone now. But talking can commence.”

For those who come by but who are not as interested in that, well, there might be something around that catches their gaze. One little Funfrond stands away from the others, looking quite frustrated. Its cap is a hot pink shade, one not suited for hiding out well, and with a sort of moss-like structure around the edges. And it was definitely… Well, not nervous. Annoyed. Yes, very annoyed. Either through direct Communications use, or through the interpretation of The Wanderer or others, the reason becomes clear.

Some of the new Frondlings got excited at the idea of coming to the surface. Unfortunately, it turns out that these little Frondlings love to play hide and seek. This keeper Funfrond has apparently not had an easy time finding their charges. The surface is so much larger than the Warrens area they are born and raised in, which means they could easily get lost. And who knows, maybe helping to find the playful Frondlings will earn you some good grace with the Plantkin. Questioning reveals that there are about twenty around town, and as they are young examples of their species, they all come in speckled pastel colors. He Rows should feel free to go around town and check in all sorts of places to figure out where these little ones have gotten to.

If this doesn’t please you, heading right on up to the Agrii vessel to meet with Venidelosia to help with clearing out her bugs is always an option. A number of green-faction Agrii have gathered together and, under the guidance of the ship, have created a few devices around the main console. They actually look like… headsets and gloves wired right into the mainframe. What could the goal here be?

“Welcome,” she greets any He Row who comes to help. “The code which corrupts continues to dance and elude me. It must be hunted. But I do not know how it moves, how it changes. It must be come upon unaware, and for that, I must go into stasis. To become more like I was. Yet this will render my code hard to access. Therefore, I have created an attempt at a middle ground. I will go into stasis and you will use these devices to visually access the code. It will be a synthetic environment for you to engage with and hunt down what is wrong. Would this be agreeable?”

And so they will get to go, in singles or groups, into the code to find where things have gone wrong and take it down. This will be a battle for specialists taking place in a whole new way. Will they be able to find the malicious code and purge it to grant Venidelosia full freedom to serve the desires of Agrii and He Rows alike?

So many areas of work for the He Rows to turn to. How will they work to prepare for the coming months? It’s all up to them. And there is quite a bit to do, areas to dedicate themselves to and things they can just as easily bounce between. Where will they put their efforts and how much will they get done? That’s entirely up to their own dedication.

FAQ

When is this event from and until?

This event starts on March 11th and runs through April 7th. The new event post will go up on that day.

Are you really letting us do whatever we want?

Yep. A lot of characters seem to have different opinions on where things should go from here, as well as having attachments and goals that diverge. Some people like technology, some people are more invested in rebuilding, and others can be, whether they like it or not, really good mediators. There are even those that are just really good at finding things. The hope is that between all the options, players can find something that appeals to every character.

There aren’t a lot of details in any section, why is that?

We want to provide players with the option of building their own scenarios within the frame of this lighter event. Do you want to explore the Civics center and find two or three Frondlings hiding there? Enjoy your scavenger hunt/hide and seek. Do you and other people going into Venidelosia’s files have a specific vibe you want to build for the file exploration? We want you to have that. Do you have specific goals for changing up these new droids? Have a ton of fun. But if you want more details or help with specific things, please reach out below. We’ll help build a more detailed and custom experience for you.

How are negotiations going to go?

Players have the option of specifically addressing it and talking to NPCs. Just request below for either the Agrii or the Plantkin and they will be provided. These can either be handwaved interactions or direct ones. It will be stated that the Temba plantkin will want some agreements made and understandings reached. The Sh’Ka plantkin want nothing to do with Agrii coming into their territory. Beyond that, what the negotiations lead to will be up to the He Rows to find.

As for the Agrii, they still need to be spoken to about everything. The group of Agrii leaders will be meeting regularly in what used to be a personal room that has been converted. Why there? Well, the room is the closest one to the Medical Bay, so that Ny Ak can go back if need be. They will need to be spoken to and can also be summoned with other characters to discuss everything. And maybe someone strong should be there to make sure violence doesn’t break out.

What kind of preparations might be needed for Agrii to come down?

Places set up for habitation (supplies might be taken from the ship), good areas for them to seek out and enjoy freshwater, places they can have food set up for them, and places set up to teach them how to work to support themselves. Maybe add in some recreation areas as well. If they’re going to learn to live on a planet, they will require their needs being met; but also to have things be as accessible as possible. We leave that up to you to contemplate and work toward. It doesn’t all have to be perfect right now, but the options should be there.

What about setting up our own ships for travel?

The Peanut Party and Glitter Food come with a lot of comfort and space for customization. There are labs, workspaces, growing spaces, and your own rooms, not to mention the cargo holds to put supplies in. Time to make sure they fit your needs for any trips going forth. After all, you want to be comfortable while exploring space and seeking secrets, don’t you?

Comments

Questions and Comments?

[trpmods]

Please offer them here

[thepurpleone]

This is follow-up on that quest for anything suspect in the data point information encoding etc etc. Was Donnie able to figure anything out? Did the AI brick? Uuuh...I think that was all, the boy's been all over the place so I am trying to remember what all he was looking into.

[trpmods]

Donnie was able to get a good idea of how datapoints work, and that most brains actually aren't capable of sustaining two at once. Which is why one overwrites the next, for safety. Swapping a lot can degrade how well one uptakes the next, so swapping a ton is not the best idea. That said, while it degrades how well one uptakes, they can actually access the information better in a strange contradiction.

And yes. It bricked. Twice.

NPC Requests

[trpmods]

Let us know who you want and where

[thepurpleone]

I figure since Donnie's got a relatively good relationship with key members of both people, he'll just take it upon himself to talk to them.

To Te Mi he'd talk about how the natives of Agra Ten have been overlooked and that they might not be too keen on more people moving in. But he'll also ask if Te Mi and the Agrii are still very set on it, suggesting they do a preliminary period to see if it's suitable for them, but only if the plantkin are cool with them.

Donnie'd enlist in the Wanderer's help after explaining the situation, but also asking for feedback and thoughts on the matter. Maybe they can have a little plant meeting. He won't go into detail about the Agrii's situation but he'll mention the key parts in that it wasn't their choice being brought here to begin with, but they don't know where else to go and some would like to try here, if the plantkin are open to it.

....I'm up for threading a thing if you want as well!

-edit: unless...that all's already been covered? I just reread all the stuff so maybe it is...

[trpmods]

Happy to thread these out. Sorry for the delay. Would you prefer threads or handwaves?

[thepurpleone]

Mmmm maybe handwaves might be better? I honestly don't know where the month went.

[trpmods]

Alright then. Te Mi would agree with Donnie, especially since Ga Re is so nervous because of storms. But he would not want to go down if Donnie's other friends are not comfortable with it. He will work to get the other Agrii to agree to this idea. He thinks Ny Ak, now that they are awake, will approve.

The Wanderer will happily facilitate the conversation. Especially since Donnie is so good at information (and it wants to study the Agrii). Donnie will be met with anger and refusal from those plantkin in Sh'Ka. They do not like the changes that were made with the stone trees and do not want non-He Row strangers there. Meanwhile the Temba plantkin are a bit more willing to talk. But they want to negotiate a bargain with the Agrii. Would Donnie facilitate this?

[thepurpleone]

Donnie will get kind of anxious with the Sh'ka residents. He's not sure how to deal with angry people who aren't necessarily angry at him and might process it as something personal even if he's just the messenger. But he'll be glad to leave them alone and tell them he'll convey their wishes.

He'll feel a little better dealing with the Temba residents and would think it more than fair that they want to work something out, so he'll help facilitate this, yes.

[trpmods]

Wonderful! Wanderer will try and deal with the Sh'Ka Barrys, but in the mean time the Temba delegation wants some agreements. First, no Agrii is to harm a plantkin. if they do so, they must leave the planet. They will not be treated poorly again, with their cultures plowed under for outsiders. In addition, the Agrii are not to ever go into the Warrens unless invited by a Funfrond elder. This is important. Children cannot invite them.

Both the Temba Funfronds and Barrys want the Agrii to help with monitoring the local plants. They are not as good with water based things and will expect help there. And there should be some generosity given in extras of unused foods being left near the mines entrance for the Funfronds, and fresh fruits harvested from tall trees in the greenhouse be left at a place set up by the Barrys. If they are going to be here, they will help the residents. The He Rows have not had to do this because the He Rows have been reasonable and seem to respect them more.

[thepurpleone]

As these all seem entirely reasonable, Donnie will do his best to explain in detail, and the reasons in hopes to make the Agrii understand why there are such expectations of them. But he will also ask that the Plantkin be open to offering help and to be patient with the Agrii because they need a lot of guidance since these Agrii have never lived on planet before, and will have a lot of learning to do when it comes to providing for themselves.

[trpmods]

The Funfronds will consult with each other for a time to try and consider this question, but the Barry just nods. At least they can make decisions quickly. The Wanderer promises Donnie that they will do their best to assist as well, trying to serve as an interpreter. The Funfronds, upon hearing of language difficulties, will become concerned again. How are they supposed to deal with newcomers when they may not be understood? Will there be those who can speak to them like the Thinking Animals do?

[thepurpleone]

Donnie will explain that a lot of the older Agrii are a bit childlike in understanding, very naive. But the younger ones are eager to learn and help, and are much better with communicating. He'll convey to the Funfronds that he will talk to the Agrii to emphasize the need for good communication between peoples.

He'll also explain the situation and concerns to Te Mi, and suggest that if any of the Blues have interest in serving as translators, that would help everyone immensely. He'll also suggest that the Agrii be willing to observe the customs of the Plantkin and ask for help as well as explanation as needed. That's alongside the stipulations set by the Plantkin.

Sorry for the delay

[trpmods]

The Funfronds will seem very confused that the adults are more like children, though the Wanderkin will reinforce the point that it very much agrees that the youth of their number seem far more reasonable and engaged in learning. This will meet with the Funfronds as an agreeable arrangement should negotiations go well.

Te Mi will listen very seriously to the situation and ponder for a while. Then he will take Donnie with him to another Agrii's bedroom and introduce him to a pair of Blues that look quite similar. They are named Ma We and Ha We, and they are a rare instance of Agrii twins. The twins look of an age with Te Mi and when the situation is explained to them they converse in rapid Agrii-speak before agreeing to serve as the initial translators and being willing to even test the datapoints. They will go down with others and see if other Blues wish to join.

Te Me will then take Donnie to meet with the council. How will Donnie present his case to the full gathering of Agrii (including Ny Ak! He's awake now!)

you're fine!

[thepurpleone]

Donnie will thank the twins sincerely and tell them he's proud of them for stepping up for this important task, and that he hopes they learn a lot and do their best to help both the Plantkin and the Agrii flourish.

He'll be relieved to see Ny Ak is up! And then have a moment of omgwhatamIdoingI'mnotthefaceman before he corrals his overthink and speaks up.

He'll backtrack to touch upon the recent revelations that have been made to the Agrii, and he'll mention that he and his brother are results of an experiment as well, but even though they hadn't been aware of what their original purpose was intended to be, they were given an option to be something more and have lived enjoyable lives. That hasn't changed even when they've discovered their origins. But he'll also say that they've had to make amends to that way of life because they are the minority who wasn't supposed to exist, living in someone else's world. But the Agrii are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live side-by-side with those who dwell in Temba, and have been given permission by those who already live there.

He will put forth the stipulations as the Wanderer and Plantkin have mentioned, stressing that the Agrii must be willing to learn, and to help others, help the Plantkin, and in turn they'll be helped and they'll all thrive. He'll point out that the Plantkin know how things are since it is their home, and because of that familiarity they'll be able to help guide the Agrii, such as preparations for when the weather turns, or where to go in case of danger, what is safe to eat and touch and what to stay away from.

But there are creatures that also dwell in the land, and some of them can be dangerous. So Agrii that know how or are willing to learn how to properly fight to protect (and he will stress that, even as he looks at Mu Ly) those who cannot, will be able to help fend off or drive away dangerous predators that may threaten Agrii and Plantkin alike.

He'll stress that no harm be brought to any of the Plantkin, and suggest that the Agrii do their best to keep from any escalations of quarrels among themselves from getting out of hand as well. Protect each other, be there for each other. The Agrii of Agra-Ten are special and have been together for a long time, taking care of each other like one huge family. That's important to not forget. It doesn't mean that there won't be disagreements- that's normal. But so long as you can all come together at the end and remember your people and the bonds you've made, then you can overcome anything.

The Plantkin are open to receiving the Agrii as guests, and in hope that in time, as both Plantkin and Agrii learn from each other, they'll be family and friend and neighbor.

[trpmods]

The speech is enough to actually earn applause from some Agrii present (Te Mi, the Twins, and interestingly enough, Seeay). Ultimately the Agrii leaders will argue about it just a bit before agreeing to Donnie's plan. Venidelosia will offer to record the agreement in some tangible form for Donnie should it be required, so all parties will remember the rules.

[thepurpleone]

This is...slightly different from getting validation or approval from anyone. But the applause warms him in a different way he's not sure how to describe, a feeling that he clings to, that he's done something here, something that can help, something that will change things. It's only slightly quelled by the arguments to follow, and it feels like Donnie's been holding his breath before they all come to an agreement. From one extreme to the other!

Donnie will be appreciative of that offer from Venidelosia and suggest that at least several hardcopies be made, for the Agrii, for himself, for the ship in case of backup problems, and to be brought to Temba.

[trpmods]

Venidelosia will absolutely agree with making hardcopies for this whole thing. In fact, she's going to suggest that there even be a video form for Agrii as they react well to the medium.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie will second that.

More Details On A Bit Of Work?

[trpmods]

Let us know what you're doing and ask for them here. We'll do our best to help you build a fun small journey.