[1969] The Beach Concert

[Ashdown Crier]

It's unseasonably warm for a November afternoon, but that's how things always are when Ezra Fitzgerald is involved. Ask anyone, they'll tell you: the sun shines bright, the wind blows warmly, and tanning comes easy. On the air is the scent of the sea and driftwood smoke, something cooking, the laughing and the sounds of many people having fun.

Anyway, the concert is in full swing by the time you arrive: a slow-moving protest song that everyone there seems to know, something about bodies coming home. That's right--Vietnam's still a thing now. Ezra's voice is low and taut with something that sounds like tears as he croons, amplified over the guitar he plays. His bandmates are attending to their own instruments; one of them, a familiar-looking girl, is crying earnestly into her guitar.

All the action is happening off the stage (actually the platform that had once housed a small bank of lifeguard towers). People share food from picnic baskets and late-sixties coolers; the distinctive tang of marijuana is partially masked by hot dogs and burning marshmallows and sunscreen. Just enough for plausible deniability.

Among the crowds, whether they're on the stony beach or up on the grass, are familiar faces.

To the north, around a particularly fantastic bonfire, stand Juniper and Nasir. They are giving Algernon the cold shoulder. Rabbit is lone wolfing it with a flask of something that might be paint thinner, judging by the pungence of it.

To the south, around a somewhat-smaller bonfire that sports burnt marshmallow smores and incredibly spiked lemonade, sit Rylan, Finn, and Leila. (Vivien, a nine-year-old child, plays nearby in the ocean. She has caught a crab. It is really ******** cute.)

To the west is the stage. As the set winds down, the Dead-Eyed Hipsters cluster around the back of the stage to smoke a cigarette and drink some water. Ezra is there. Preacher, the drummer, is patting the crying guitarist on the back and rolling her eyes. Melany is also there, fiddling with an amplifier.

The mood is solemn, but not depressed. There is a feeling of hope in the air.

Full cast bios here.

 

[Ashdown Crier]

persuasion.
Making it successfully through the meta will be largely predicated on the characters' ability to find the information they need in a timely manner. Persuasion is not an easy thing in an era where the player characters don't belong, so this is much tougher than it sounds. Persuasion is based on a single d20 roll for every question you ask or favor you request. This means if you make one roll to get an NPC to give you an answer to your question, that doesn't carry over and mean they'll answer your next question. You must roll anew for every new question.

Please remember we are roleplaying. Just because you roll high doesn't mean that a character will automatically open up to you and spill all the beans; you still have to earn their trust first! Consider spending a little while buttering them up or intimidating them first: particularly successful attempts will earn persuasion roll bonuses at the discretion of the GMs.

Each NPC has a different threshold for persuasion, which is in the cast post of your main thread. The lower the number, the easier to persuade. Low-rating NPCs are unlikely to have valuable information to share, however.

Sharing information will be vital to the event. You may create your own PRP threads in the event forum for this purpose.

If you chose to purchase an upgrade to your ability to persuade in phase one, please note this at the top of your post. There are three or four people handling each thread, so this makes it easier for all of us to keep track of who's got what bonuses.

Quick Reference of Persuasion Rolls
Sunny Shore: N/A
Marlene Greenmantle: N/A
Leila Townhome: 16
Cam Rylan: 10
Preacher Maria: 14
Melany Dubhslaine: 8
Juniper Wilcox: 6
Rabbit Vaughn: 4
Algernon Mixlin: 14
Nasir Vasile: 4
Finn Derouen: 10


Please quote iloveyoudie to interact with:
Algernon Mixlin
Leila Townhome
Cam Rylan
Nasir Vasile
Finn Derouen


Please quote kuropeco to interact with:
Maren Greenmantle
Preacher Maria
Juniper Wilcox
Rabbit Vaughn


For any NPCs not listed above (Ezra, Melany, Vivien, etc) please quote shibrogane.

 

[Ashdown Crier]

combat.
Combat will be very simple. Combatants roll 1d20 per round. The lower number takes five damage. Everyone has a pool of 25hp, which is persistent throughout this section of the meta: unless healed by another character, your hit points will not increase or decrease outside of combat. Should both combatants agree (oocly), the fight can end or be interrupted before a combatant is knocked out. Reaching zero means that your character cannot join any other fights for the rest of the meta unless healed. Some fights have the chance to end in death or incapacitation: these will be clearly labeled and clearly avoidable.

There are some exceptions to the five damage rule:

>Your character has a firearm. Firearms inflict 10 damage, but they also subtract 3 points from your roll. You must call that you're using a firearm when you make your original roll and this cannot be retracted.
>Your character is using magic. Magic inflicts 10 damage, absolute, no matter what your opponent rolls, but it takes a round for your character to focus enough to make it do. So you'd call magic (with no roll) in the first round, take 5 damage from your opponent, and in the second round (if you're still standing) your opponent takes ten damage from you. You must still roll to dodge their attack.
>Your character is healing another. Healing doesn't require a roll. You just post that you're healing and who the target is, and they regain 5 health.
>You can't perform two actions on the same round. You can't attempt to block and heal at the same time; nor can you attempt to attack and heal.


ADDENDUM:
In a 2v1 situation where one character is attempting to block for another, all characters still roll. Blocking doesn't automatically succeed. For the block to be successful, both characters (blocker and blockee) have to roll above the attacker. The attacker takes no damage in this situation.

Formula:
A = Attacker
B = Blocker
C = Defended

A outrolls B + C: A succeeds in attacking C, C takes 5 damage.
A outrolls B, but not C: B takes 5 damage, block is successful.
A outrolls C, but not B: B fails to block, but does cause damage to A. A + C take 5 damage.
A is outrolled by both B and C: No one takes damage. Block is successful.

 

[Ashdown Crier]

xxx  

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun Kuroda 25/25

After meeting up with some people at the campus as he had stated, Shun made with his way on towards the beach party, not entirely certain what to expect here. He could already hear the distant sound of music. It was hard to make out the lyrics from where he was. There was also the scent of weed in the air. Great.

Coming in from the parking lot, he spotted one of the bonfires with a few people hovering around it. There were... a few slightly familiar faces. He tilted his head at Leila, trying to figure out if she was like Algernon at all. Someone he knew, just younger.

He glanced around at the others nearby, then motioned towards the stage. He had to take a moment to think about what late sixties lingo was.

"This concert is pretty groovy, hm?"

God, that was painful to say. Groovy.

Kolina

Since you might have followed?

Chiickadee

Guessing Chel tagged

WHOEVER ELSE WHO MIGHT HAVE GONE WITH TOO

iloveyoudie

I don't know

Kuropeco

Who plays who

 

[MoonRazor]

Directions weren't necessary to find the concert. The sound of the Dead-Eyed Hipsters drifted across campus, drawing them closer. Even in the flickering light from the two bonfires, the crowd was easy to see.

"Where to begin..." Rylan mused, scanning the mostly-unfamiliar faces that remained difficult to make out in the bonfire light. It didn't help that he wasn't sure what they were even really looking for. He was about to pick the easiest beginner's option and move to join Shun when Ves stopped him with a hand against his chest.

"Isn't that...?"

Rylan followed her gaze across the bonfire, settling on a man who was most definitely... himself. The words caught in his throat. That was him, that was the one from the ID. Him. A frown rippled across his brow, and he managed an indistinct "huh" sound.

"Better divide and conquer, hm?" Ves said finally, letting her unmatched eyes slide to glance up at him. She pointed toward the other bonfire, other familiar faces. "You go over there. I'll go see to them." She gave him a push.

---

Rylan to North group

The thirty seconds Ves had given him to recover from the shock of seeing his alternate self wasn't quite enough, but Rylan made his way to the roaring bonfire anyway, half lost in thought until he almost walked through Juniper and Nasir. He came to a halt, blinked at them, and then arranged his face back into its usual sunny smile.

"You guys responsible for this bonfire? It's, uh. Fantastic." It wasn't the word he usually used to describe something like this. The firefighter in him eyed the blaze and hoped there was a permit to go with it. "This is a good turnout." He nodded toward the crowd.

-----

Ves to South group.
+1 to Persuasion rolls

She watched Rylan for a second to make sure he hadn't been rooted to the spot before making her way over to the smaller bonfire for her own bout of investigation.

"She looks like she's enjoying herself," Ves said, motioning to Vivien as she found a seat near the fire. "Is that lemonade a free-for-all, by any chance?"

A knowing smile at Shun at the word "groovy."

iloveyoudie

kuropeco

 

[lizbot]

America Jones +1 Persuasion

There's familiar faces, familiar faces turned new, and new faces turned familiar over the past few days. The feeling of Ashdown as home smells up abruptly as America weaves her way through the beach. Other Visitors get a small nod or wave, but she avoids the groups for now, there'd been an odd tension at the campus gathering that left her wary of too many together at once.

It is undeniably tempting to get another gander at this young version of Professor Algie, he was different here but still cute. The bristling of Mr. B against her neck has her mournfully moving past, though not before managing a discrete pic with her phone (61%). There's someone else more fully in herind anyway and Sunny had liked the beach bonfires, right? Maybe?

She doesn't see Sunny at all though, hasn't seen her at all since arriving in the past. America doesn't have the words to frame the thought even to herself, but can't help but wonder if the other girl, the way she's so much of forever, means she's only ever at one point in time. The thought is a spiral into other strange ideas she cant wrap her head around and there's a Reason why Time Travel Is For Nerds.

Shoes singing from her fingers as the water licks at her bare ties, America tries to ground herself back in the moment. Her gaze lands on the little girl playing with a crab and the sight is a blessed relief from the moments before. Grinning down at the pair, she asks, "Is its name Frederick von Pinchbottom?"

It’s asked in knowing tone, as if that's the John Smith of crab names. On her shoulder, Mr. Bitterberry comments that its name is probably Food.

shixbrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"His name is Professor Crab," says Vivien, slanting a glance across the beach to Algernon. She holds the crab carefully in both hands; it's enormous, the size of her own head. "He is a cancer irroratus and he is a very, very, very big bug." Her gray eyes flick up for a second and then back down. Her hair, glossy and dark, hangs in a bob cut down to her chin, her bangs all in her eyes. "I am taking him to Space with me. He's going to be my translator when I speak to the moon people."

She is quite protective of her crab buddy, even though he is getting sand (from beneath the stones) all up in her shirt and salt water in her hair.

"You're the lady from the pub," she says. "I saw you leaving once. Are you a sailor? Where have you been to? Have you been to the moon? If Neil Armstrong can go to the moon, so can I."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

America Jones +1 Persuasion

America follows the pointed gaze and her smile dimples up when it landed on the young professor. Was he still a professor? Surely he was still a nerd, so close enough. "Well I can't say I have and I don't know about irroro-toosetses but my horoscope says I'm a crabby cancer, so maybe a moon trip is in my future," America strokes her chin thoughtfully.

"Most places I've been are the sorts stretched across the country, though, not the ocean or space. Y'see, I'm not so much a sailor as an America Jones." Both girl and bird preened for a moment as if that was indeed a most honorable and esteemed profession.

"Are you gonna go to the moon to stay or just to visit?"

shibrxogane

 

[chiickadee]

Chel felt at home here. The sounds, the smells- it was all a sad whisper compared to a modern day music festival. So this was like easy mode really.

She was just about to say Hey Shun maybe I should do the talking when Shun decided to say the word groovy.

And Chel was definitely spending the current moment with a hand over her mouth, laughing her a** off. She was never, ever going to let that go. Not ever.

Chel gave him a slap on the back once she'd recovered a bit and- still mid-laughter- said, "Hoo m'gonna leave this one t'you cowboy. You clearly got this down. Find me f'anythin' psychadelic happens." She gave Juniper a little wave before walking off a ways, snickering, "Groovy," under her breath.

She went straight for the stage. She had the intention of just listening to the music and dancing for a bit (or otherwise preoccupying herself because if they were going to be in the past- ******** it, right?) but instead found that the band was on break. One member in particular caught her eye and any laughter she'd had from Shun's comment left her body in a cold chill. Melany.

For the moment, she just watched the band. Was this Melany in the same way that she was Chel or something different? She didn't quite recognize Ezra or Preacher in the same vivid, personal way she did Melany, but she watched them as well, just in case.

shibrogane

O_O watching u

kuropeco

and u! (for miss preacher)

blade kuroda

kolina

 

[iloveyouDIE]

At the approach of strangers, those around the bonfire gave polite glances but Leila felt like the asian man was speaking to her specifically and she glanced up with an uneasy smile, "Yeah pretty groovy. I love this band..."

And indeed her attention seemed to be split and distracted between watching the stage eagerly, tapping a foot along (and knowing the words), and watching the girl play by the sea. She looked concerned suddenly to see a stranger talking to Vivien and sat up just a bit straighter to make sure it was alright.

People joining them had both older men glancing up, both Finn and Rylan were talking politics it seemed before they were joined around the fire. Both had a tired look to them, though possibly for different reasons. Like Leila, Cam kept an eye on Vivien playing in the distance while all the while tapping his foot to the music.

"Have a cup if you'd like, but it's got bite," Finn smiled a bit at Ves, but his brows rose, "But introductions are usually nice before asking for free drinks." He had the gravity of a man who had Done Things and a little respect could go a long way.

blade kuroda

kolina

moonrazor

Nasir and Juniper sat on a log by themselves but the bonfire was large enough that there was plenty of room for everyone. Both Algernon and Rabbit seemed out of earshot even though they resided around the same fire.

"It was like this when we got here," Nasir smiled brightly up at the newcomer, "But I did throw a log on.." He scratched his head with a sheepish look, "I think maybe we'll roast marshmallows or something soon.." His eyes darted to Juniper as if for verification.

kuropeco

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun shot both Juniper and Chel a glance, taking note of their amusement with his attempt to blend in. He also noted America off to the side, playing with a little girl. The trio here must be the ones keeping an eye on her, judging their reactions.

If the somewhat familiar appearance wasn't enough, her voice was enough that he was relatively certain this was Leila. On the other hand, the two men with her... Was that Finn? He wasn't too familiar with the park ranger, but there was a sort of resemblance here. He wasn't sure if it was him or just a relative of sorts. If it were... well he looked older.

This was all very strange. He also made a note to avoid the lemonade.

With a tilt of his head, he listened to the music now that he could hear it a little more clearly.

"I am not familiar with this band, myself. But I can dig these tunes. Music with some flower power is always pretty far out. Someone mentioned it is a local band?" he asked.

The slang was going to be the death of him.

Iloveyoudie

Someone kill him

Kolina

Chiickadee

 

[Grey Dragon]

(Kaleb Sullivan 25/25, +1 to Persuasion)

Although he was not very comfortable in these kinds of situations, Kaleb was even less comfortable at the thought of getting separated from the others from his era. Some were no more familiar than the desk attendant at the youth shelter he stayed at, or the older gentleman who had employed him as an emergency dish washer, but the bond of being in the same situation was strong enough to keep him following.

When he arrived at the beach party, as per the dozen flyers he had accumulated, he wove his way through the crowd like a shy little shadow until he found a familiar face. Juniper was the friendly anchor he felt safe enough to gravitate to, and once again she was surrounded by a couple more he knew. Her friendly smile had been the most reassuring thing he had seen since this whole mess started, so it was next to her he came to stand.

Kolina

Good thing he found the correct Juniper. XD

 

[kuropeco]

Maren Greenmantle simply winked at Shun, her eyes twinkling. Standing somewhat near to the smaller bonfire, she held a stick in her hand that was laden with about six marshmallows, all of which are held over the fire to be roasted properly.

"Groovy," she laughed, sweeping her hair out of her eyes again. "That's one way of putting it, yes."

blade kuroda

------------------------------------------------------------


The break was much needed, Preacher leaning back on her stool and swiping the back of her hand across her forehead. The others were milling about, getting water, retuning instruments, and sneaking snacks, but she stayed where she was onstage, watching the rest with an inscrutable expression on her face.

There was a girl with violently colored hair watching her, Preacher's gaze landing on her face momentarily; but a second later, she turned away, frowning in disinterest.

chiickadee

------------------------------------------------------------


Beside Nasir, Juniper lifted her head, quietly tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. She glanced sideways at him, then at the man in front of them, a tentative smile dawning across her face as she said, "Yes, it...it seems like we'll be getting started soon. S'mores and all," she added, with a gesture to the fire.

"Are you liking it so far?"

moonrazor

iloveyoudie