theunrivaled | Open Log - Welcome to the Main Camp

Moments ago, there was an earthquake. You might not have felt it, but it definitely happened. The collapsed tents and spooked horses serve as evidence that something unsettling shook the main camp not that long ago. The soldiers and citizens don't seem terribly frightened, as if they've gotten used to the ground trembling by now, but more than one stops to look toward the tall spires of rock separating the comfortable and well-ordered areas of the camp from a deserted battlefield. It's as if they wonder to themselves whether something deep in the pit on the other side might have caused it...again...

And then they realize that something else has happened.

You are here – or near here.

Prompt 1:

Immediately after the latest quake, people simply appear in and around the main camp. The residents don't actually see it happen, but they turn around to find a person where there wasn't one a moment ago. You might be that person! You might wake up inside a canvas tent, perhaps even lucky enough to be resting comfortably on an unoccupied cot. You might wake up on the open ground outside with an awful lot of gawkers standing around you. Or, you might wake up about ten meters down the road from the gates of the camp, in clear sight of the guards and the tents just beyond them. This is definitely the time and place to start grabbing strangers and asking them where you are, why you're there, and what the hell is going on.

Prompt 2:

Maybe it's not so right-away, but you've woken up all the same and had a look around. Maybe some of the soldiers have done their best to answer your burning questions. At least one thing is clear: the natives all dress in simple robes and tunics, the soldiers in similar plate or mail armor, making anyone in other garb stick out like a sore thumb. The women who run the Teahouse have noticed this first, and are doing a fine job offering the utmost in hospitality to the strangers in the off chance that they're allied with one of the lords of the land. They'll make sure you have a place to sleep, a good meal, and the best tea the Han Dynasty can provide. It may be a bit rustic for some, but it's comfortable and pleasant. Can it be worth settling down here for a while? Or is this place missing something crucial – like the ability to use your magic?

Prompt 3:

There's a lot to explore in and around the Main Camp. The various tents set up on different levels overlooking the middle area are open to be claimed, and some of them look a lot more fancy than others. As long as there's no famous lord laying his head there, why shouldn't you? The central ground of the camp contains the Merchant's stall, the Teahouse, and the Armory, as well as the stocks for the misbehaving. The bathing area is downstream from everything else, where the river passes under the rocks and empties out onto the plain beyond. There's a few areas of interest outside the camp perimeter, too, and none of the guards are stopping you from going out there. The main road looks well-traveled and vanishes eastward into the distance across rolling plains. On the west side there are high cliffs of cooled lava separating the camp from the former battleground where the Hydra was destroyed. It's rocky and perilous ground, but the adventurous can climb down winding, crumbling paths into a deep crevasse. There doesn't appear to be anything down here, but those of a magical or mystical inclination will sense the lingering aftereffects of great power.

If one were to travel a short distance northward, they'll find the Wuzhang Plains standing quiet and empty, the fortifications left in whatever half-damaged state they were in from the last battle waged here. There is also a temple along the southern ridge, looking decidedly like it doesn't belong there with more traces of mystical energy at its center. Here, the wayward traveler will be beset by small units of spindly, gray-skinned soldiers bearing spears and swords, no more than half a dozen at a time.

Prompt 4: Wildcard

Whatever floats your boat or isn't covered above! Refer to the Arrival page for details of what is and isn't to be found in the Main Camp.

In time, the Merchant makes an announcement. Not long after the Great Cataclysm, some of the mystic soldiers now guarding the main camp arrived with mirrors they claim to have enchanted so that the scattered warlords can speak to each other from a distance. He is under obligation to give one to anyone who asks, and suggests that they may try it out whenever they have the courage to do so.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's the idea.

[Only Robin could give that saucy a look while actually thinking you're going to be so bored you'll sleep while I get some work done.]

There's a road leading outside of the camp. Shall we gather a few supplies and see where it leads?

[WELL that doesn't sound like napping at all]

Eh? Huh. Sure, yeah, why not. Might as well get a feel for the place, besides just tents and soldiers.

[he glances back at said tents, though, knowing the cook is around. He'll miss them if they get out too far, but he should be able to haki his way back to them. Guy's super good at that.]

[She knew you'd be a sport, and begins moving through the camp, searching for items they'll need.]

You made it sound like you hadn't seen me in awhile...

I haven't. [definitely something he feels like needs to be explained up-front here, just in case] It's been almost a year. The cook and I were taken to another world, something something aliens and stupid shit. They said our world had been destroyed but I didn't believe it.

[he's a little smug about that]

This doesn't look like any place we'd know, even in the New World, so I'm guessing it's also another world.

How odd. It hasn't even been a full day since I stood next to you on Zou, watching Luffy and the others go to bring Sanji back...

[Robin blinks.]

If he's here, they're going to have a rough time of it. How do we return? We have to find Luffy before he starts a war with Big Mam.

Oh, so we caught up on Zou? Good, that means Luffy took down Doflamingo and...

[stopping short right in the middle of that]

What do you mean, bring him back? What'd that idiot do?

[he shakes himself out of it after a moment of "whaaaaat" and hastens to catch back up to Robin]

...anyway, that means I was right all along. Our world couldn't have been destroyed if life went on and we sailed to Zou and all that.

It's quite complicated, actually, but the long and short of it is he's currently engaged to one of Big Mam's daughters.

You don't remember any of that? We were in Dressrosa only a few weeks ago. How could it have been a year?

[NOPE mentally bluescreened again, this time it's going to take a bit to reboot.

Engaged. That is not a word he wants to hear given the last things he remembers from the colony. It takes Zoro a considerably long minute to rouse himself out of that stupor and respond]

I...no. Like I say, I was in another world. They kidnapped me right after I got done with that rock bastard.

[Robin pauses while Zoro has his moment, it is a lot to take in, after all. Luffy running off to take on Big Mam while others stay behind... she hadn't exactly explained about Wano, so he wouldn't understand. Maybe at some point, when she herself feels a bit more on top of the situation.]

So... time is warped?

[Her brows pinch together.]

Well, I'm no physicist, but that must be the case. Time has moved at a quicker pace for you, even if... you weren't a part of it somehow. But then who was with us on Zou, if not you? What a conundrum...

What was the other world called? If nothing else it'd be nice to have a reference point to speak of.

I don't think it was anyone else but me. Luffy said something while we were there, about other worlds and somehow we come and go. I dunno, don't look at me, I just know this isn't all that weird.

It was, uh. A colony, Cerealia. I don't remember if the world had a name or not. [he's doing that thing where he can willfully put unimportant details out of mind] It has lots of technology we don't but the downside was basically being lab rats under someone's control the whole time.

[Robin leans her head to the side.]

I certainly hope they didn't teach you any unsavory behaviors when you hear the sound of a bell...

[Sorry Zoro, she had to.]

Jokes aside, that doesn't sound like a place anyone would thrive. I wonder if this place will prove at all different, in the end.

Eh?

[undereducated for the...win? Fortunately Zoro just sort of lets it go, obviously she's having a go at him and he's always okay with that]

It sucked. There wasn't anything to fight, nothing to do. Cook was doing better than me, he could work at restaurants and stuff but I'm not like that. [he tosses his head vaguely at the surroundings] Given the army around here, I'm guessing I won't actually lack in anything to fight for real.

[Sanji heard: "Cook was ~~doing~~ better than me" and was summoned.

Or something.

But no, actually he was doing some exploring of his own and now they're all just totally randomly crossing paths. Though it might be that Zoro's green head is like a beacon in the distance and Sanji automatically changes direction so that he's headed towards them.

What's this, though? Zoro's not alone. In fact, his companion is very familiar, though it's been quite awhile since Sanji's been lucky enough to lay eyes on her. It's enough of a shock that it stops him from calling out his usual HEY SHITHEAD kind of greeting to Zoro, instead drawing to a halt as his eyes widen.

And then... Well, this part was just inevitable.

Have a literal tornado-ing Sanji storming up the path towards you both.]

ROOOBIIIIN-CHWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN~!!!!!!!!

[Ah, the whirling tornado of love. Best to stand still and let it run its course. Try not to look surprised. Or laugh too harshly. It is, after all, charming in a way.]

My, my. If it isn't the man of the hour. You're looking well, Sanji. I suppose you don't remember anything that happened on Zou either, then?

[...yep. should have expected this, sooner or later. Literally speak of the devil.

Zoro deadpans at him as usual, since it's so painfully usual as to almost make him homesick.]

Yeah, yeah, get it out of your system, cook. Look who I found.

[He more or less just stands there noodling his arms at Robin for a bit, accompanied by some cooing and a good amount of hearts spewing all over the place.

So, yeah, the usual.

Until Zoro's words draw an immediate scoff from him as he glaces at the man out of the corner of his eye.]

Gonna guess she found you, marimo.

[And then back to Robin!!!!]

Ahhh, don't you mean the man of your heart, Robin-chan~??

[Beams! But don't worry, his expression quickly smooths out into something less ridiculous and actually approaching normal human being.]

You were talking about me? [Then he blinks, brow furrowing a little.] Zou... No, didn't make it there. Last I remember from home, we were about to take on Big Mom's shitty ship. But that was almost a year ago.

[Annnnd now all the durp again.]

IT'S BEEN SO LONG!!! But you're as lovely as ever, Robin-chan! Such a sight for sore eyes!!

Open Log - Welcome to the Main Camp

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