He wasn't late. Just arriving no earlier, at all, than was remotely acceptable. Because he didn't want to fucking be there. It was nothing more malicious than that. Guin could read a goddamn site map. Could keep himself fed, watered, laundered, caffeinated. When a need arose, he'd hunt down whatever was on the other end of it. Point was, given back the who-knows-how-long this whole affair turned out to be, he'd figure out some better way to spend the time. Wouldn't be hard.
Still, low as his expectations were, Chi-00 managed worse. Ankle-shattering, really. He'd swayed to a stop just inside the door, his scan of the small, settling crowd fixing once, twice. Christ. So. That's how it was. That's just how it was gonna be.
Well. Spared him figuring out a few texts, anyway. Didn't it? No. Not really. He'd never been one for silver linings. That shit was always thin as tinfoil, when you really looked at it.
So he sat. At the back. Nearest the door. Easy to see everything he might need to, from there. Easy to leave, first, after however these my-dumbass-callsign-is-s were done with. Not that it mattered too much, in his case; what the hell could a codename really do for him? Hardly any of his life at all was on record. At least, outside the Foundation itself. And the closest thing he had to connections, people to keep compartmentalized away from all this - if he'd been the kind of moron who figured he could pull that off, which he never was - were here. Or dead. Or gone.
The get-to-know-yous dragged on for a little longer, out there; Guin, he'd set his combat boots flat on the floor and closed his eyes. Against the simmering fluorescent lights, all these eyes he did and didn't know. Didn't do dick for the noise, of course, echoing off the glassy walls of this too-small room. Couldn't close them out, either. Both of them, the last two people he - Christ. Both of them. Vera, with that loved-thin green jacket slung over the chair next to her. Like she was waiting for someone. That someone they'd been waiting for, ever since that night in the snow. And Nadia, wound tighter than any steel trap. Could see that grip she had on herself working all the way up her arms, caught between her teeth, the lock of her jaw.
He'd seen them. They'd seen him. And they'd all have a goddamn year locked into this, to - do their jobs. Together. Again. Shit.
He could do that. Sure. He could do this, too. Wasn't even any microphone in hand, onstage crap. Guin stayed put as the first impressions kicked off, tracking the room's interest from person to person. His own ticked to each face in turn, then away, as he listened to everybody storm or stumble through their introductions. Then - then all that attention settled on his shoulders. He didn't stand. Just spread his hands. Present. Accounted for. "I'm, ah - Dying Breed. Apparently." Which was funny, seeing as... he had something like a laugh about it, anyway. Only vaguely like a laugh. "All you need to know is: I'll do whatever I can to get you out of any trouble you're in. That'll be the case even if I don't like you much. And if all you are is pieces, then - same goes. I'll get something of you home, if I can." He side-slid his jaw, feeling the tug of that still-newish scar, tight. His stare had found the analog clock tick-ticking on the wall; it glared back, like there was something else he was supposed to say, or do, but... God, there was always something. Wasn't there? That's what all that debriefing always came down to, right? That there was always something you should've done different. Would've, could've.
His cut-up cheek twitched - snarl-like, a glimpse of teeth to it - as he lipped a cigarette out of the pack he'd fished from his tac pants. "But chances are you won't hear shit from me until we're in the field in any kind of way. Or unless this place goes to hell." Guin scuffed the low knuckle of his thumb across and around the socket of his left eye, squinting as he considered his matchbook. "So - until then. Uh..." Another toss of his hands, a half-shake of his head. "Watch out." On that dead-flat note, he rocked out of his chair. "Taking a fifteen, boss," he rasped, flicking a loose salute in the general direction of their new commander, presumably. Then he did precisely that.
As you login to a work computer at Site-φ’s main base, you notice a new notification in your SCiPNET inbox. As the computer renders the splash image at a snail's pace, you squint at the title. The Phi-thon? It turns out to be a monthly newsletter... but what catches your eye is the announcement of a new member for THE BROKEN SCALES OF THEMIS.
𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒖
The monthly menu for March, as curated by CHEF DE CUISINE Fulgence Carême, will be available for a limited time alongside the regular menu with meat, fish, vegetarian, as well as vegan options for our staff.
BREAKFAST (6AM - 10:30 AM)
Sausage Royale Croissant Roll
with cheddar cheese, beef sausage patty, two strips bacon, fried egg. Garnished with dill and parsley. With spiced ketchup to taste.
Salmon Belly Royale Croissant Roll
with wild salmon, crème fraîche, spinach and collard green hollandaise, topped with ikura-style salmon roe and salmon skin cracklings.
Mushroom Royale Croissant Roll (V)
with grilled portobello, cremini, and king oyster mushrooms, crispy shallots, onion jam, and a herby rosemary sauce.
LUNCH (12 PM - 5 PM)
Cheese & Leek Croquettes
with yukon gold potatoes, confit pearl onions, and black garlic chips.
Soft-shell Crab Tempura Burger
with deep-fried whole soft-shell crab, pickled cabbage, sorrel, arugula, iceberg lettuce, ponzu vinaigrette or parmesan mayo. Comes with old bay fries.
Heirloom Tomato Preserve Flatbread (V)
with arkansas traveler, aunt ruby's german green, hillbilly, and purple calabash varieties. Comes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip.
DINNER (5 PM - CLOSE)
Slow-roasted Pistachio Lamb
with mint and pistachio crusted lamb leg, roasted cauliflower and new potatoes, horseradish cream, and truffle-infused gravy.
Pan-seared Yuzu Scallops
with hazelnuts, clementine slices, and yuzu beurre blanc sauce. Comes with a light slaw salad.
Crispy Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom Platter (V)
with a medley of grilled wild mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus, and quinoa-wild rice pilaf. Garnished with walnuts and vegan pesto.
DESSERT
Fresh seasonal berries with Chai-spiced Clotted Cream
with strawberries, blueberries, currants, blackberries, and gooseberries. Chai spice contains clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger.
Coffee Caramel Frozen Brazo de Mercedes
with blended coffee ice cream, peanuts, cashews, and warm caramel sauce.
Vegan Raspberry Coconut Mousse Parfait (V)
with silken tofu, agave syrup, raspberries, and layered with vegan dark chocolate cookie crumble, and topped with roasted coconut shavings.
𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈
All personnel please be advised that there is a WEATHER WARNING in effect from 0100 to 2400 on March 29th; heavy cloud cover is expected to sock in during the early hours, accompanied shortly by freezing rain and sleet. Blizzard conditions should be in full force before 0500. Barring direct orders from Site Director Osterholz or, if applicable, MTFC 𝑆𝑀𝑂𝑂𝑇𝐻 𝑂𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐴𝑇𝑂𝑅, any unnecessary outdoor activities should be curtailed. Remain indoors. Do not be alarmed when blinds are lowered and locked in position; this is normal procedure at Site-φ in the case of extreme weather. There is nothing to see in the snow. You are not missing out.
𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝑺𝒊𝒕𝒆-𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆
by SECURITY CAPTAIN J. Kato
How about that forecast, Site-φ! In honor of what’s probably going to be the last blizzard of the spring (don’t hold me to that, I’m no meteorologist! :D) Site Security will be hosting a bonfire at the campground the evening of March 28th. Come get cozy before the storm hits! BYOTTB (Bring Your Own Things* To Burn).
*Adhering to all regulations re: flammable substances and safe use of the communal campground, found under Hazardous Materials (Reg. F-451) and Outdoor Recreation (Regs. C-10 through -14) in the Personnel Handbook.
RSVP! →
📍 all muses are welcome to attend this open event, taking place at the on-site campground on the evening of March 28th. These threads may be written whenever you like before the act closes, so long as they are dated to that time! several bonfires will be set and maintained by site-φ security personnel from nightfall to midnight. hot chocolate and non-alcoholic cider will be available; muses are welcome to bring food and/or shredder-ready paperwork, photographs of regrets, evidence of wrongdoings, unwanted papercrafts, and disappointing research to burn. there is also an optional interactive roll for a random [𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙴𝙳] element!
𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒆'𝒔 (𝑰𝒏)𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒔𝒉
Following several hospitalizations linked to the most recent serving of Frankie’s Famous Fish last month, all waivers have been destroyed and future shipments of “fish” scratched from the order. Anyone who sees or smells “fish” should report this to Site Security. Site Administration would like to stress and remind personnel not to try Frankie’s Famous Fish at the cafeteria; do not believe the rumors the dish gives you powers if you survive. If anyone has seen Frankie, inform him that the HR Department and Director Osterholz desires a meeting. Immediately.
𝑫𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒓 & 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕
The Security Department will continue to offer self-defense and weapons handling classes. Additionally, Op. 𝐷𝑌𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐵𝑅𝐸𝐸𝐷 has been ordered to conduct combat readiness assessments on all members of MTF Chi-00. When asked for comment, he replied: “That so?” and stated that they should “Be on time.” Requests for elaboration were met with a smile, precisely one nod, and what may have been a laugh. Additional, remedial seminars can be arranged with Captain Kato in advance of your assessment.
BOOK A TIME! →
𝐿𝑎𝑏 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠
Lab spaces may still be booked through the Head of Research at Site-φ. Please let them know what you intend to research, and be advised that lab space is in slightly shorter than usual supply due to “a Newt-related incident.” Newt, who is a good dog, does not understand what this could be referring to. Neither does anyone else who was in the lab at the alleged time of the incident. Head of research insists that Newt “knows what he did.”
SUBMIT A REQUEST! →
📍 players are welcome to request a lab space for their researchers by contacting rp mgmt. please note that requesting a space as a themis member would immediately jump the line of the other scientists at the site. some themis researchers, depending on their prestige, may be given a full team of lab assistants to aid in their noble pursuit to secure, contain, and protect.
𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 𝑺𝒊𝒈𝒏-𝑼𝒑𝒔
The Walking Club, a group of highly-intelligent pack of dogs, is looking for new members! remember — DON’T WALK ALONE. That is a formal directive, not a request. Joining the Walking Club is especially critical given the WEATHER WARNING soon to be in effect; any personnel who need to move between site buildings while the WARNING is active must contact the Walking Club. The correct way to contact the Walking Club is to step through the nearest door, close it behind you,* and whistle as loud as possible. If you are not a good whistler, that is okay! There is no such thing as a bad whistle if you put your heart into it! The Walking Club will still hear you and arrive shortly.
*If Newt has chosen you as his walking buddy, you are advised to brace yourself against the door before whistling, to prevent injury.
𝑺𝒊𝒕𝒆-φ 𝑱𝒐𝒃 𝑩𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒅
The following “odd jobs,” which are in no way “odd” or “unusual,” are currently available, on an as-available, non-urgent basis, personnel schedules permitting. Consider being a Site-φ neighbor and lend a hand if you can!
GROW-LIGHT GARDEN ASSISTANT
posted by HEAD GARDENER S. Oz
Do you appreciate site-acceptable greenery? Do you feel “well”? Do you enjoy communing with the earth, unto which our mortal flesh will someday return, if we are lucky? Join the Grow-Light Garden Staff!
BRING: your own garden-ready gloves and/or knee pads.
DO NOT BRING: negative energies. Seriously. Do not. For everyone's sakes.
EDIT: This position has been filled.
SUPPORT ARCHIVIST
posted by HEAD LIBRARIAN and ARCHIVIST Dr. W. Zai
While Junior Archivist M. Leitner recovers from unwise choices as regards his seafood intake, the Site-φ archives are in need of additional hands. These hands will, ideally, be experienced in standard archival procedures.
EDIT: This position has been filled.
CONTACT NOW! →
📍 players are welcome to pick up supplemental odd jobs during their time at site-φ. you can pick up an odd job by contacting rp mgmt. however, please note that these listings are first-come, first-serve, and muses may be fired from their position if they are unable to fulfill the job’s requirements (posting a monthly prompt). however, these positions may also reveal more of site-φ’s mysteries. there is also an optional interactive roll for a random [𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙴𝙳] element!
𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝑶𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒛'𝒔 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝑹𝑬: 𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑰𝒁𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵
by DIRECTOR B. Osterholz
Good evening. It has been brought to my attention that our new additions here at Site-φ may be in need of a reminder as to the appropriateness of fraternization among personnel at this highly clandestine installation. To reiterate what was stated during onboarding and in the welcome brochure: “making eyes,” “canoodling,” and/or “partaking in the horizontal tango” with fellow staff members is not allowed at Site-φ. As you all know, the nature of our work demands absolute dedication and focus. Surely any rumors of anyone engaging in such acts on-site are, indeed, no more than crass rumors to razz the newcomers.
Due to the sheer number of staff here at Site-φ, acknowledgments in the Phi-thon are through user submission. Thank you for celebrating your fellow Phi-thons.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃ℎ𝑖-𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎… 𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑃𝑌 𝐵𝐼𝑅𝑇𝐻𝐷𝐴𝑌!
JUNIOR ENGINEER K. MADDOW, March 4th
Happy b-day, K!!! Engi life is the best life! Couldn’t have made that particle blaster without ya! See you at Holly’s, a round on us!
— Your pals at Engineering.
ASSISTANT RESEARCHER C. VATYA, March 13th
The Site-φ Researcher will be 50 this year. Thank you for all your hard work, encouragement, and good humor. From all of us in the 'Pataphysics Wing of Research and Development, we wish our fellow a happy birthday.
WELLNESS COUNSELOR J. Oyuun, March 20th
“The best gift you could possibly give me is to attend your mandatory wellness assessment. Anything more extravagant would, in fact, be inappropriate, given the nature of our strictly counselor-to-client relationship. But I also wouldn’t say no to more crayons or holographic stickers from that one place in Hōuston…”
MTF CHI-00 OPERATIVE 52 PICKUP, March 20th
Happy birthday. From a secret admirer.
If you’d like to announce or contribute to our monthly newsletter, contact the Phi-thon via SCiPNET. →
📍 players are welcome to guest write or submit an in-character announcement for the monthly newsletter by contacting rp mgmt! reach out to us for more details.
Please enjoy a complimentary All You Can Brunch Buffet Ticket from us at the Phi-thon. Please note these tickets are valid for one person for one-time use. As Director Osterholz has advised in previous Phi-thon issues, ticket trading is not permitted on Site-φ.
📌 OOC GUIDELINES & HINTS!
These listings are supplemental features for enhancing your experience immersing into Site-φ’s world. Feel free to interact in any shape or form, be it directly or indirectly referencing them for open and closed starters, pager chats, self-paras... and even doing TTRPG rolls, or conversing with the NPCs 1-on-1!
Based on your muse’s movements, new information, features, and subplots may be unlocked as these plot points develop. This game is responsive to you; your actions will directly affect the environment. All in all, however you wish to spend your time at Site-φ, we hope that it'll be a fun and memorable experience!
There was a bagel looking at him. He swore the blasted thing had gained an invisible eye, located exactly in the center of the thing where the hole usually was. He couldn't see the eye, of course, but he could feel it looking at him. He wasn't about to be deceived by the thing that turned his stomach and set his teeth with the feeling of Plaster of Paris swimming past them like a particularly terrible cream cheese. Nope. He was not about to be betrayed by what he saw and what he knew because what he knew was...
Don't think about it Loch, he reminded himself sternly. Don't even consider it. There might be someone with Cerebro around here and they could be watching you to see how you react. Don't worry. It's fine. You made the needed arrangements before you left, set up funds and vetted everyone as meticulously as you could. How he'd ended up working here, he didn't know but that didn't matter. Loch had done his job. He knew he had. The bags that remained under his eyes were proof enough of that.
But...
But.
How could he be sure █████ hadn't ended up here with him? He'd worked so hard to ensure his sister would be safe and he'd arrived on that helicopter alone, but then hadn't everyone? What if she was here, beneath his feet in some cell too thick even for her to dig through. How could he know, without access to the cameras, the card swipes, the electronic fingerprints everyone leaves behind? How could he know, when he was running blind into a wall?
Loch tried again to empty his mind and fixed that bagel with a death stare he hoped would incinerate it like it was Alderaan. He looked, and tried not to think.
DECLASSIFIED DETAILS: Director Osterholz receives word from his superiors. Although he protests, there’s no avoiding it. MTF Chi-00’s first mission is underway.
FOR PLAYERS: 𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑖. 𝑐ℎ. 𝑖𝑖. (𝑑𝑖𝑠)𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑦 is live MAR. 31, 2024. Welcome to the first official MISSION EVENT; this post is part one out of three. Please follow the OOC Requirements for activity. All players' participation is mandatory for this STORY BEAT. There are no SIDE STORIES in this chapter. Godspeed, Themis.
“Osterholz speaking,” the grim-faced director of Site-φ intones, his index finger lifting off a button on the intercom system built into his large desk. The square device is an abnormal growth on the bright walnut wood, abstractly toy-like in its retro curves and pops of teal plastic against steel.
“Already? According to the reports, some of MTF Chi-00 haven’t done Combat Assessments.”
Anyone who would be foolish to eavesdrop on the Director’s conversation would find themselves listening in on a one-sided conversation. Half of the audio is seemingly void of observable sound. The Foundation isn’t one so easily spied on, certainly not for a project of this substantial caliber. Cognitohazards, like poisons, have beneficial uses as well.
The Director shrugs back into his office chair, the single comfortable thing in the suite. Buckley Osterholz is a hardy man, but his husband Evan’s insistence on an ergonomic chair convinced him to reconsider the long nights at the office.
(You’re not getting any younger, Buckley. Please get the chair for me?)
Director Osterholz hasn’t seen Evan in years.
Osterholz leans forward in his chair, irked by the Voice That Cannot Be Heard. Damn data-pushing bureaucrats. His thick mustache waggles as he schools himself into indifference.
The Director replies to the provocation, “My reasoning is you’re not really giving your Golden Boy a chance here to prep his team, and yet you still want — my apologies, it wasn’t my intention to — that won’t be necessary. I understand my position in Operation: THEMIS. I’m just not sure that — Hm. Alright. Understood. A helicopter will be readied by the thirtieth. When can I expect my Communications Department to receive files from Headquarters?”
In 48 hours.
Osterholz withholds a sigh. With decades of experience commanding Mobile Task Forces, he knows when something is grossly underprepared. If Themis hadn’t taken the position seriously now, they would have to learn on the job. He just hated that the lesson was to survive.
“Right,” the Director says, “I’ll contact 𝑆𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 and Chi-00.”
He reaches over and clicks the button again, the leftmost in a row of five on the intercom system’s panel. Silence. Absolute silence this time around. Osterholz finally sighs, slow and low.
(Deep breaths, Buckley, deep breaths. You know what the Doc said about your blood pressure.)
The Director unclips his pager and sends a mass text to the members of MTF Chi-00.
He sends another to the Mobile Task Force Commander, sympathizing with the arduous task at hand.
𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖. ℝ𝕖𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣. - 𝕆.
📌 OOC REQUIREMENTS!
⒈ We will be dropping our official homebrew tabletop rpg game guide on the FoundationHQ Discord server to start building character sheets. Players must contact the admin team on the WORKSHOP channel.
To create your thread, click on the spool icon on the top right of the WORKSHOP channel. Please name the thread after your muse's codename. Ping the admin team to start distributing your muse's stat attributes, choosing signature specialty and dire drawback, appointing skills, and designating a phobia.
⒉ Do not date any new threads after MARCH 31. Players may write any backdated threads before the date, but please refrain from speculating future events. The outcome of this mission event will affect the story that comes after.
Players are welcome to wrap up any threads from previous chapters. If dropping threads, please contact any thread partners to establish concluding headcanons and write up a short summative ending on the last response.
📍 Character sheet building will be considered an interest check for the game. If a player who has not reached out for an approved hiatus does not contact the admin team to build their character sheet by APRIL 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST, they will be on activity check, no exceptions.
Mission-events are time-sensitive and requires the participation of all our players. As stated in our guidelines, we are a limited-run game. Regular inactivity will affect the group. For any questions or concerns, please contact us through 𝑆𝐶𝑖𝑃𝑁𝐸𝑇 𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡.
Thank you, and we hope everyone is having a good spring break so far!
Below are key clues to the upcoming event, [𝑀𝐼𝑆𝑆𝐼𝑂𝑁: 𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑁𝐷 𝑅𝐸-𝑂𝑃𝐸𝑁𝐼𝑁𝐺], which will commence on MONDAY, MARCH 25. Please feel free to use the FHQ Discord Server's speculation channel to plot and discuss! If players guess correctly while theorizing from these clues, additional information will be declassified when the event goes live.
SILK. Cán năinai, 蠶奶奶. One Denier. Leonard Mascall.
NAME PLATES. Dear esteemed guest...
RSVP, Regrets only.
SUMPTUARY. "Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury or extravagance, particularly against inordinate expenditures in the matter of apparel, food, furniture, etc."
SPEECH. Speech. Speech. Speech. Speech. Speech.
TROLLING. School's open. Shine your spoons.
CUSTOMER SERVICE. Can I speak to the manager?
LITTLE MARY. Join us for a funeral procession.
A FINE KETTLE.
[text credits.]
Black’s Law Dictionary, Free 2nd ed., and The Law Dictionary.
[photo credits.]
Photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash
Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash
Photo by Saile Ilyas on Unsplash
Photo by Photos by Lanty on Unsplash
Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels
Photo by Tim Cooper on Unsplash
Photo by Al Elmes on Unsplash
Photo by Fredrik Öhlander on Unsplash
Photo by Tony Sebastian on Unsplash
DATE & TIME: FEBRUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 23. Various classified times.
DECLASSIFIED DETAILS: The MTF Chi-00 team meets in the 2F of the Site-φ Base of Operations for their first, great challenge: mandatory workplace introductions. Beyond that, it's a simple week of getting to know their surroundings and hopefully, starting to acclimatize into their new lives.
FOR PLAYERS:
𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑖. 𝑐ℎ. 𝑖. (𝒅𝒊𝒔)𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 is live FEB. 19 - FEB. 29, 2024.
FoundationHQ is now open for interactions! Regular activity requirements will commence today. In our game, players “play at the their own pace,” meaning all that is mandatory for event participation is the STORY BEAT. Other topics and activities listed in SIDE STORIES are recommended to get a fuller game experience, but not required to progress the mainline plot. Free free to use them for jumping off points in starters, threads, self-paras, etc.! Respond as you see fit, and have fun! And watch the world respond to you.
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
UPDATE. ²⁰²⁴ MARCH 1: EVENT EXTENDED TO MARCH 11, 2024.
STORY BEAT; 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠.
You arise, the sun waking up with you over the strips of gray haze that curtain its brilliance. The wan daybreak lights the interior of your new home for the next three-hundred sixty-five days. It is empty, just like your head. Since the flight into Site-φ, intense brain fog has rolled in and settled deep in the recesses of your mind, nesting.
Like a cuckoo child, a parasite, this sense of a waking dream lodges itself in your higher cerebral reasoning, immobilizing any mental processes until you get a sip of water, a smidgeon of coffee, or tea... Then and only then, your thoughts unfurl, leaving behind wrinkled, indecipherable reminders and memories of what you did last night before sleep overtook you.
The alarm rings, and the bedside clock rattles, hopping between its two stick feet. You’re all dressed and ready to go. You don’t remember washing or putting on your clothes. Whose face did you see in the mirror?
A gunmetal pearl Jeep Wrangler Sport, the car the ombudsmen said would come to pick you up, creeps into view, rolling onto the driveway of the resident building. You depart, wanting to arrive on time. Inside, the Captain of the Security Team, Junichi Kato, greets you with a broad, gap-toothed grin. Although the ride is pleasant, you cannot harken any of the captain's live commentary. Your stomach churns as the jeep races through the grayed landscape towards Site-φ’s principal base: a massive colossus of concrete and metal.
“Great chat, by the way!” The Captain chuckles as he helps you out. It’s cheery. There’s no hint of sarcasm or a single blister on the man’s ego. Therefore, the bright-eyed sincerity is worse; do you tell Captain Kato you recall nothing?
After check-ins in the lobby and passing through checkpoint screenings — standard security measures, every seasoned employee of the Foundation knows this — you receive your modified pager and a temporary Level 0 Clearance keycard. According to the secretary, the photographer rejected the headshot you sent earlier before your arrival. They wish to schedule a private photo shoot with you later in the week to capture the “essence” of Standardized Employee Identification Cards. As you mull over what that could possibly mean, the elevator dings.
The second floor. The office space bears signs of recent remodeling, showing that it’s cleared out and set up for MTF Chi-00, also known as “The Broken Scales of Themis,” also known as your team. Across the hall is a large conference room with glass walls. Someone has drawn the blinds. A man is already sitting inside — legs crossed, elbow propped on his knee, and chin rested in the palm of his right hand — and he fixes his gaze straight at you.
Logic kicks in; it must be your new commander. Dark eyes track you as you continue to move forward. You pause near the door. Waiting, waiting. Come on, get a move on. Your will, that quiet but ardent nudge inside you, propels you forward.
You enter the glass-walled room, and the bearded man stands up to shake your hand. He says, “Mornin’,” his tone is raspy but unexpectedly soft and polite compared to his casual attire and gruff appearance. The commander gestures for you to sit, and you find one suitable.
It’s silent but tense; the Commander looks downright bored. You feel it, the heavy fruit of compulsory small talk dropping — then the door opens again. Another welcome. Wash and repeat. The seats fill with bodies, mouths exchange hellos, and eyes start to scout and hide amongst the ranks. Some steeled, armed glares promising retaliation; some wobbly, seeking a guardrail; sixteen pairs orient themselves to the lone man standing, who steps forward.
“Well... Guess I’ll go first.”
📌 OOC REQUIREMENTS!
⒈ Post an in-character introduction to the team, no minimum or maximum word limit. This will be your character's first impression to the team! Have fun and format it however you'd like. Dialogue, script, narration, what have you!
⒉ React to others' in-character intros; how does your muse feel hearing their introductions? Players may respond directly to other's tumblr posts via the reply feature, via reblog for a longer form response, send a smoke signal (...maybe not the last one...), and there is no word limit.
For these reactions, even one-liners and gif reactions are allowed! Three (3) reactions are mandatory to pass this event check. If you'd like to react to all the muses (we highly suggest doing one-liners, you wacky animal!), special subplots may be unlocked for your muse.
📍 If all muses receive at least three (3) reactions within the event, a huge bonus will be unlocked for the first mission for all members.
SIDE STORIES.
Based on the results of the group's discord theories regarding our first event preview, some side stories have been declassified. Good job, everyone! And there are some side stories which are yet to be discovered by you. Even if some events are “classified,” we hope that our players take a leap of faith and go for what interests them the most! Who knows where that rabbit hole leads...
𝐼𝐶 𝐴𝐶𝑇𝐼𝑉𝐼𝑇𝐼𝐸𝑆, 𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑆, & 𝐼𝑁𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑇𝐼𝑉𝐸𝑆.
𝒇𝒆𝒃. 𝟏𝟗
INTRODUCTIONS; the members of themis introduce one another, some meeting for the first time, others shying away from too-familiar faces. after first impressions, where does everyone stand with each other?
PHOTO OP; the site photographer would like to take a photo of your muse for their employee identification card at site-φ. it is highly recommended, or you'll be carting around a level 0 clearance card all throughout the base, which may affect access.
📍 players are recommended to either dm or submit photos if they'd like a personalized graphic as well! a sample ID will be posted on the FHQ DISCORD.
TOUR OF THE FLOORS; HR has appointed ombudsperson A.J. to take the themis members on individual and group tours of the main base facilities. the mtf chi-00 team are shown the above ground floors, as well as the basement floors B1F-4F. 𝑆𝑀𝑂𝑂𝑇𝐻 𝑂𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐴𝑇𝑂𝑅 has access to B5F+, and peeked at B6-7F. 𝐷𝑌𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐵𝑅𝐸𝐸𝐷 has been briefed on B7F's current persons of interest. notably, the guided tour does not enter any of the current containment floors.
RECEIVE YOUR PAGER & WELCOME PACKET. at the end of the day, you receive your pager, your means of remote communications throughout the site. every pager is fitted to be functional anywhere on the mountain, with message storage and also the ability to assign contact names. although it is a secure private communication for staff in the area, be mindful, pager messages can be traced. with your pager, you also get a small welcome basket comprising of a tiny plastic house plant of your choice, a site-φ stationary kit (notebook, writing tools, a small protractor), a bag of authentic german pretzel chips, and an all-you-can-brunch site-φ cafeteria buffet ticket.
𝒇𝒆𝒃. 𝟐𝟎
THE LAKESIDE; 11:48 AM - 6:21 PM. the crater lake is temperate at this time of year. it is temperate every time of the year. the water is great. come on in. [𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙴𝙳]
LAB APPOINTMENTS; there are empty lab rooms within the main base for themis' researchers to conduct their own experiments — related to their current work, right? — that can be booked through the head of research at site-φ. just let them know what you intend to research, and immediately jump the line of the other scientists at the site who've been working for their independent lab space all their lives. some themis researchers, depending on their prestige, may be given a full team of lab assistants to aid in their noble pursuit to secure, contain, and protect.
SCiPNET LOGIN SETUP; for those who haven't been in the foundation long, or have avoided the online access terminal, they will be placed in a short seminar to establish and update their SCiPNET logins. SCiPNET is the main mode of sending emails, consulting the database on SCPs, and accessing sensitive files for those with high clearance. if you're looking to send an email to a fellow staff member, you need a SCiPNET account. SCiPNET does not work where there is no Wi-Fi, so the connection to the database is strictly limited to the main base, as well as other smaller operational buildings around site-φ.
𝒇𝒆𝒃. 𝟐𝟏
WALKING CLUB SIGN-UPS; the walking club, a group of highly-intelligent pack of dogs, is looking for new members! the 8-dog squad is here to keep staff members safe while on the ruff trails of the ██████ mountain ranges. they insist you don't go wandering off alone! also that you have a bag of treats!!
DEFENSE SEMINAR; some of themis' esteemed have no experience with hand-to-hand combat, or handling protective arms. for others, it might have been a while. as mtf chi-00's auditing missions may require coordination in the field, or in the case there is an unlikely event of a security or containment breach at site-φ, the security department will be offering self-defense as well as weapons handling classes.
𝒇𝒆𝒃. 𝟐𝟐
CORNER COFFEE; BARB, the barista on the 3F, has a special on days with "repeating" numbers (i.e. the 11th, the 22nd, and the 33rd). come pick up a personalized drink from her before she closes shop. BARB is definitely a person in-the-know of site-φ's happenings, and who knows what she'll say while brewing your drink... *UPDATE: only available for threads dated on the 22nd, will expire after the event closes.
DESDEMONA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS. the quartermaster, DESDEMONA, is thrilled to see site-φ's latest join the ranks. she'll need to take your measurements, as per her profession. however, if you don't mind staying a while after fittings, perhaps you'd like to assist the gentle old lady with a favor? oh, those rumors? don't believe them. there's ample supply of tiger balm in the infirmary. [𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙴𝙳] *UPDATE: only available for threads dated on the 22nd, will expire after the event closes.
𝒇𝒆𝒃. 𝟐𝟑
(𝐢𝐧)𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞; a ttrpg interactive game element. for more information, click on the link.
FRANKIE'S FAMOUS FISH; a new shipment has come in via air-drop and you know what that means! frankie's famous fish is on the menu for a limited-time only! don't forget to grab a bib, a waiver, and your favorite brand of antacid tablets! will you take on the deadly challenge? *UPDATE: only available for threads dated on the 23rd, will expire after the event closes.
"MANDATORY" FIRST ASSESSMENT WITH WELLNESS COUNSELOR J. OYUUN; to gauge the mental wellness of site-φ's newest, the HR department has arranged 1-on-1 assessment appointments with oyuun, the wellness counselor. they're not one to strictly abide by a schedule, so they've told you that if they're free, which you can literally see as their office is a glass room suspended in the air of the B1F, you can drop on in. they're not much of a talker, but they know exactly what you need to feel better for that day.
📌 OOC GUIDELINES & HINTS!
Side stories are not mandatory, and are features for enhancing your experience immersing into Site-φ’s world. Feel free to interact in any shape or form, be it directly or indirectly referencing them for open and closed starters, pager chats, self-paras... you can even request to interact with the NPCs 1-on-1!
Based on your muse's movements during this event, new information, features, and subplots may be unlocked following the event's conclusion. This game is responsive to you; your actions will directly affect the environment.
As for the [𝚁𝙴𝙳𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝙳] event on the FHQ Discord, stay tuned... and hope luck is on your side...!
All in all, however you wish to spend your time at Site-φ, we hope that it'll be a fun and memorable experience!
Below are key clues to the upcoming event, [𝑂𝑅𝐼𝐸𝑁𝑇𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁 𝑊𝐸𝐸𝐾], which will commence on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19 to SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25. Please feel free to use the FHQ Discord Server to speculate, plot, discuss! The full, declassified information will be disclosed when the event goes live.
𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
𝐶𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑎𝑙 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒
𝐹𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝐴𝑙𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑜
𝑅𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐹𝑜𝑔
𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐵𝑜𝑦
𝑆𝐶𝑖𝑃𝑁𝐸𝑇
𝑃𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑦
𝐽𝑒𝑙𝑙-𝑂
𝐴𝑚𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠
𝐵𝑒𝑛
[photo credits.]
Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash
Photo by Denis Oliveira on Unsplash
SCiPNET Web Terminal by Milky_Way
Photo by Olena Bohovyk on Unsplash
DATE & TIME: FEBRUARY 16. Various classified times.
DECLASSIFIED DETAILS: The MTF Chi-00 operatives individually journey to Site-φ. Disoriented and daunted, the freshly founded team braves forward. This is the advent of their brand new endeavor, the beginning of a new and uncertain chapter - just like every other job they've ever done, for the Foundation. Right?
FOR PLAYERS: Welcome to foundationhq! If we have received your IC blog, you have been added to the upcoming followlist post. Once the followlist is up, invitations to our Discord will be sent out - feel free to introduce yourselves and get plotting! Meanwhile, enjoy our plot prologue. While this prologue is not threadable (as every character was transported to Site-φ alone) consider the [BRACKETED PORTIONS] your first IC musing prompt! Respond as you see fit - a self-para, a journal entry, a list, an aesthetic post... - and have fun!
It has been hours since you cleared the scan to travel into the Cascadian Mountains which houses Site-φ deep in the heart of its remote ranges. Your phone's been taken — standard security measures, every seasoned employee of the Foundation knows this — along with various contraband deemed unfit to travel with you. Weapons, laptops, batteries, anything that gives a signal of where you are, aloe plants. Did you hear that right? Aloe?
However, the Foundation is not one to be questioned. You climb onto the metal steps of the helicopter, its roaring blades scything the air overhead, and enter. You are the sole guest.
The chopper judders into the air, the thrum of the rotor beating at the back of your skull like a second, stranger pulse. As the flight stretches on, and on, and on, you find yourself frowning, measuring the distance, gauging the direction — and giving up, ultimately, on making sense of your course, eyes screwed shut as the worst headache in your recent, obviously quite reliable memory scrapes away at your sense of space and time.
You wrack your brain, anything to stave off the pain lancing at your temples, when [ A SONG FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD STARTS PLAYING, A MELODY THAT REMINDS YOU OF A TIME WHEN YOU WERE A HAPPY CHILD — ONCE. ] Your head plays it through, your lips mouthing the lyrics as the nausea clears. The ringing dissipates with the last note, and a raw urge leaps up in your throat — almost hysterical, breath seized in your chest. Do not forget it, some insensible thought insists. You will need it some day.
You blink, squinting around the helicopter's unwelcoming cabin, all darkly glinting metal and dull plastic and — well, whatever those carefully sealed crates might contain, wrapped in cargo netting and emblazoned with THIS WAY UPs and FRAGILE and BIOHAZARDOUS and DO NOT FEED. Staggering up from the thinly padded seat, you make your way to the back of the cockpit, peering out towards... wherever it is you're going. The mountains —right. There they are, prickling with forbidding, dense trees, darkly green under a searing white-grey sky, all clouds and mist. It's a little much to stare down for too long, so you slump back into your seat, rummage through your carry on bag, and pull out [ A FIDGETABLE, ANALOG ITEM, CAN BE KNIFEY THOUGH YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD REASON FOR IT TO BE ] and start playing with it to pass the time. Minutes become hours . Hours become more hours.
You wake up with a start. You've been sleeping. "Last stop," the pilot — face unseen, completely concealed behind a dark-tinted helmet that they probably... don't need? — hollers, as if there were any other stops at all. Disoriented, you try to gather your scattered thoughts as the chopper hovers, sinks, sets down at last. For a moment, you're unsure, entirely, of what will be on the other side of the fuselage; [ A PLACE OF GREAT PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE, BE THAT POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ], suffuses your senses. Shouldering your bag, you shake off the memory and reef the helicopter door open, eager to be closer to something like solid ground again. The landing pad is rugged, windblown, a scrap of perfectly cleared plateau, the tall undergrowth sheared back from the concrete. An unfamiliar man, mustached and carrying nothing besides the dark bags under his eyes, waits for you. He doesn't smile. You almost give him your name, but he stops you.
"There's a welcome packet for you at your quarters. Maps, important numbers, time tables... Your belongings, what we could get anyway, have already been moved in." His stern gaze ticks side to side, up and down, assessing you for — something. "Get some rest. Freshen up. Stay standing any longer and you're likely to fall over."
He leaves, a firm nod his only goodbye before another site employee escort s you to an incongruous table, paperwork pinned down with what looks like a palm-sized fossil of a trilobite, frozen. You look up, and the Director — at least, you're presuming that was Osterholz — is simply gone, vanished. A.J., your new Ombudsperson, clicks their pen, eager to begin. Are you? Doesn't matter. You're in it up to your still-burning eyeballs, now. Welcome to Site-φ.
