Welcome Center Log | August/Sept/October 2014

[ironwood]

The city isn't exactly in a lull at the moment, but there is a tense sort of equilibrium that has settled over Keeliai. The Palace of the Landed Sky is still blackened and possessed, the barrier keeping people out -- for the most part. The handful of possessed kedan that still remain inside seem to have given up entirely at trying to chase off those who come too near the barrier, perhaps sensing that their dwindled numbers are insufficient to protect against another full-fledged assault.

There's a feeling of waiting in the city, though edged with a cautious optimism that perhaps Malicant has trapped himself in the Palace, as no further moves have been made. Was everything a ruse? The consoles have been restored to full working order, and surely the Enemy would not have let that happen if it could have been prevented. The summer is reaching its height, and people are figuring out how best to get one with their lives.

For new arrivals to the city, there is a delicate balance between welcoming them and making them feel safe, and making sure that they understand exactly the severity of the place they've come to.

As always, the Welcome Center does its best to provide new Foreigners with whatever they need to help get them settled in Keeliai. From providing them with information on how to use the consoles to making sure they have starter funds, to guiding them through the districts to finding their new housing, to making sure they know not to say the M-name and don't play with the glowing lanterns.

Volunteers from the existing Foreigners to assist with these orientations are always needed and welcome, just speak to someone in charge.

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OOC: New characters wishing to thread out their arrival can comment here, as well as any threads taking place in the Welcome Center during this month for existing staff or people who want to volunteer!

Comments

[wintershepherd]

Brilliant blue eyes flickered slightly at the wording, though Anton's plain phrasing certainly took the edge off the question. Still, he generally preferred to be known as 'Jack' first and everything else second. But since he'd been queried directly on it, little point in being coy about it.

"I'm a spirit. Spirit of Winter, to be exact."

[gistful]

That was unexpected. Unexpected enough that the surprise and respect showed clearly on Anton's face. The only legends about Jack Frost in Ireland were ones that had come from outside the nation, but Anton was too well-travelled not to have heard some of the original tales.

"Jokul Frosti." He bowed more deeply than before. "It is my honour. I hope this weather has not been too inclement for you."

Legendarily, nearly all the myths and legends were true--or had been, at one stage. Some claimed that the spirits of seasons and places were still alive, but slumbering; Anton couldn't make a judgement. He'd never seen them. Nor was he such a fool as to deny the possibility of their existence.

[wintershepherd]

"Guilty as charged," the winter teen replied wryly, feeling a little awkward in the face of the respectful bow. "And yeah, the heat's kind of a drag but at least I'm doing better than last year."

A pause and then, "Guess the immediate recognition explains why you could see and hear me right away."

[gistful]

Clearly the spirit didn't require to be connected to his own weather in order to survive; that was good, or else he likely would have expired once the heat began. If anything, Frost's last comment proves his existence relied on something else.

"So you do require belief to survive," Anton noted quietly. "There have been many who claimed so, but we have seen none of your kind for centuries, in my world. We are less for it."

[wintershepherd]

"It's... complicated," Jack said with a shrug, because it really was. On one hand, he'd lived three hundred years (albeit lonely ones) without any believers at all and been fine, but he'd also seen the other Guardians brought low when belief in them was attacked and extinguished.

"Just 'cause you don't see us doesn't always mean we're not there," he answered with a smile. "Obviously I can't speak for your world, but that's how it was in mine."

Then he decided to move the conversation away from himself. "You're acting pretty relaxed about this whole worldhopping thing."

[gistful]

"I hope it's so in mine," Anton said simply, and then let Frost change the subject. "I have been familiar with the concept of interdimensional travel for some time," he explained. "A friend recently returned from another dimension, and Shunting--magical travel between dimensions--has been a legitimate, if unreliable, discipline for centuries."

Besides which, panicking never helped anyone, and Anton least of all. Panic led to terror led to despair. He couldn't afford that. It had been a long time since he'd panicked about anything.

[wintershepherd]

"Fair enough," Jack chuckled. "Have you found anything that you needed, that wasn't in your suite when you got there? I'm pretty good with finding things in the city."

[gistful]

For the most part, the items offered at the suite had sufficed--Anton didn't need much. But sometimes someone needed more than what was available at home.

"Stores," he said, unfolding a map. "Where are the best stores for general household items, groceries, medicines, and building materials?" He likely wouldn't need building materials, but it was nice to know where they were if he needed to repair anything.

[wintershepherd]

Anton was displaying a level of mundane responsibility that Jack would have balked at, if not for the fact that he'd grown up a lot during his tenure in Keeliai and his role in the Welcome Center. So he took up a pen and carefully marked various stores with labels.

"Yun'nel is your best bet for repair supplies and he can usually get something if he doesn't have it. Hirtelli can sew pretty much anything you want."

[gistful]

Anton was the eldest son of ten orphaned children. Mundane responsibility was, fortunately or unfortunately, ingrained to the point that it was nature. Not, of course, that he was incapable of fun ... just the sort of fun most people didn't consider fun.

So he took careful note of the shops Frost recommended, though it wasn't likely he'd need to outsource his sewing. He had time, now that he wasn't running the Hotel. "The Palace was taken," he said. "I presume the police station is now the seat of government? Where on the map is it?"

He had been directed to the Centre, but he didn't have the context to place them both on the larger map of the city.

[wintershepherd]

Obediently Jack added that as well, though he chewed his lower lip as he did so. "Right now the Foreigners are... sort of being self-sufficient. Evandau's -- the Emperor, that is -- been keeping to himself ever since the Palace was taken."

[gistful]

"Curious," said Anton. He would have thought the Emperor would have wanted a certain level of interaction between himself and any newcomers, at least in order to understand them--or control or subvert them, if they turned out to be hostile. He bowed toward Frost. "Thank you, Master Frosti. I believe that is all I require at this time."

[wintershepherd]

He tried -- and only partially succeeded -- at hiding the strange expression that caused. "Uh, just Jack is fine. But yeah, let me or anyone who works here know if you run into something you need. Our staff has kind of shrunk lately though, so it'll probably be me or Zatanna here."

[gistful]

"That is a pity," said Anton, glancing around. "A place such as this seems an invaluable resource for newcomers." He returned his attention to Frosti. "Would it alleviate matters were you to have more volunteers?"

Which, implicit as it was, was of course an offer.

[wintershepherd]

"I try," Jack laughed wryly. "Some days it's harder than others. But a really great woman named Pepper Potts started with a welcoming committee... after she left, all I did was give it a building."

He nodded over at the pair of plaques on the one wall... one for Pepper and the other one for the late Ironwood Emperor, who had sanctioned the Center and even ensured its coveted placement in Central Keeliai, a hard to attain piece of property.

"More volunteers would help," he admitted. "We had a lot, at one point. Now it's just two of us."

[gistful]

Anton spent a moment regarding the portraits. He'd seen them earlier, wondered who they were, but hadn't seen the need to ask; but it was gratifying that those who still ran the Center honoured the founder in such a way.

"If you can give me a few days to get settled," he said, "I would be quite willing to help you attend the Center. I owned a Hotel in my world; administration isn't a difficult task for me."

[wintershepherd]

"Sounds great, but you have to promise not to give me grief about my bookkeeping skills 'cause... I've been pretty much making up everything as I go," the spirit chuckled. He got the feeling that -- JUST MAYBE -- Anton might be something of a perfectionist.

[gistful]

Anton smiled. "When I first started keeping records, I was still learning how to read. As long as you promise not to point out my spelling, I will say nothing about your bookkeeping." He'd just fix it up quietly in the background.

[wintershepherd]

Jack gave an appreciative nod, knowing very well how difficult teaching yourself could be.

"Deal. i'll see you later in the week then?"

[gistful]

"You will. Good day, Master Frosti." Anton bowed once more with another smile, and turned to leave.