officialnotice | expeditions.

expeditions.

EXPEDITIONS

VALLEY COUNTY, ID. CIRCA 2997 A.D. Almost a thousand years after the collapse of civilization as we know it, the world is a great and perilous unknown. From what little intel has been gathered so far, bastions of safety are almost unheard of... In fact, only one such bastion is currently known: The humble town of Wayward Pines, home to what remains of mankind.

But for many, expeditions outside of the safety of the fence surrounding Wayward Pines are a crucial part of their everyday life. It gives them purpose; it allows them to utilize skills that would otherwise sit dormant. If you can't imagine living each day for your 9-to-5, for your doting spouse and 2.5 kids, or for whatever BBQ that Jerry happens to be throwing this month — expeditions might just be for you.

( ! ) BEST VIEWED IN SATELLITE MODE BY CLICKING THE TOP LEFT 'MENU' AND THEN THE BOTTOM LEFT BOX.

THE EVER-CHANGING MAP. While maps of the mountain range and even the state at large are provided for navigation assistance to anyone who dares venture outside, quite a bit has changed in the course of the last millennium. Roads and towns are in ruin. The architecture of the landscape itself has shifted pretty dramatically, in places — find Wayward Pines on an olden-days map, and you're hard-pressed to make out so much as a hint of the southern cliffs.

One of the primary projects of note in these expeditions is the development of a new, more accurate map, pictured above. This map will be updated monthly with the results of each expedition, and will include locations discovered, supply caches, notable and moderately stationary dangers, and other such landmarks of note.

WHAT DO EXPEDITIONS ACCOMPLISH? Each expedition outside the fence accomplishes one or more of the following short-term goals:
BUILDING THE MAP. As stated above, each new identified location (large or small) will be added to the interactive map here on this page. It will also be added to the IC 'area map', accessible from the phone of each individual in or within five miles of Wayward Pines.

LOCATING RESOURCES. Supplies are plentiful now, and sure, possibly even for the foreseeable future — but one day they'll run out, and Wayward Pines need to be ready. While few outright 'supply caches' remain intact so long after humanity's downfall, there are plenty of valuable natural resources to be discovered in a land long untouched by humanity.

PROTECTING CIVILIANS. Aberrations aren't the only danger awaiting you outside the fence. Honestly, they may not even be the biggest danger. Each new hazard or threat is reported back to Ortech Labs, who will then begin to troubleshoot a solution in order to ensure the safety both of the civilians and of future explorers.

ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. While goals pertaining to survival will always take precedent, Ortech originated as and continues to be an applied-research lab at heart, and frankly, the world outside of the fence is an absolute gold mine.
More overarching goals include creating further safe havens in the form of fortified outposts, keeping an eye out for any sign that humanity has managed to survive beyond those that came from Ortech's cryogenic ark, and looking for clues on exactly how characters arrived here, in hopes of eventually finding a way to help them return home.

TO CLAIM AN EXPEDITION. Multiple expeditions are available to be claimed each month by qualified individuals. The process is pretty simple:
GAIN CLEARANCE. Characters must gain clearance in order to venture outside of the fence. Those who can't pass basic clearance screening are not allowed to leave the fenced zone unless accompanied by two individuals who have already been cleared. ( This process is handled OOCly for convenience; see the Clearance page itself for more details on how the screening goes down on an IC level. )

SELECT AN EXPEDITION. Each available expedition will have its own comment below. Each listing will include the general itinerary of the expedition (where, for how long, etc.), what kind of hazards will be encountered, and if applicable, any specialized criteria an individual must meet beyond simply gaining clearance. This could be an area of expertise, for example, or a physical skill, or a specific occupation. It may also require a set number of participating individuals.

The listing will also denote whether the expedition is or is not a choose-your-own-adventure. For most expeditions, parties will receive the mission briefing in full upon claiming it - but a select few will deliver a partial briefing and a fork in the road, and how the expedition actually progresses depends on your party's choices therein.

CLAIM YOUR EXPEDITION. Leave a comment under the expedition you'd like to claim, stating that you'd like to claim it and which of your characters will be participating. At current, you may only claim one claimable expedition per month (expeditions in which only one team may complete the assignment), though you may participate in any number of non-restricted expeditions throughout the month provided they're one at a time as the laws of space-time tend to mandate.

GATHER YOUR PARTY. Maybe it's a solo mission. More likely than not, it'll require multiple individuals, whom you'll need to pull together in order to properly undergo this expedition. After claiming an expedition, you have one week to report back with who else will be accompanying your character, or else the expedition will go up for grabs again in the interest of fairness.

CONFIRM YOUR PARTY. Drop another comment on the expedition top-level with your finalized team. If the mission includes specialized criteria, include a note on who fits those criteria.

THE EXPEDITION BEGINS. Upon confirming your party, you'll receive a link to a top-level in the Expedition Archives. The Archives is where all expeditions briefings will go, as well as talking through any forks in the road and any relevant Q&A between the party and the mods. This page that you're currently reading is specifically for the posting and claiming of expeditions — expeditions are deleted from here once they're underway to keep things from getting too cluttered.

BUILD YOUR OWN EXPEDITION. Characters who have gone on two or more expeditions are able to propose their own expedition outside of the fence. Each proposed expedition currently requires Ortech approval, which may come with or without some revisions to the plan as proposed. Once the proposal is approved, this will be treated just like a normal expedition, going through Steps 4, 5, and 6 from the above list.

Unfortunately, the ability to propose your own expedition will not be available until mid-June. This is to allow the playerbase and characters alike to acclimatize to the expedition process, not to mention the other brand-new facets Arc II has to offer. When we open up custom expeditions, we will make an announcement, and you'll find a brief copypasta where this paragraph once sat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

ASSIGNMENT #0

MISSION: Patrol the outside perimeter of the fence. (Recommended orientation expedition!)

TEAM COMPOSITION: Any! (Provided they have either clearance or an appropriate chaperone.)

DESTINATION: A big ol' circle around Wayward Pines.

ESTIMATED LENGTH: 1 - 2 hours? (A little over 2 miles, with some fairly steep paths up onto the cliffs and then back down from them.)

THEMES + CONCEPTS: Exploration, familiarizing yourselves with the area, very little danger (chance of running into an abbie if you feel like tossing one at your characters, but that's optional).

MOD INVOLVEMENT: Basically none.

ETC: This expedition does not need to be claimed! This is intended to be a simple, routine thing that anyone can handwave or RP out at any time. We have no blurb or adventure planned for this one, though we can answer questions on the FAQ if needed! As such, some world-building info to work with will be provided as a follow-up comment.

Edited 2019-04-12 04:42 (UTC)

The route is fairly straightforward and marked on the map provided: Exit through the northwestern gate, hook right (northeast) to climb up to the plateau, follow the plateau clockwise most of the way around the perimeter, then climb back down and head back to the gate.

Upon exiting the gate, you'll see that the gate opens up into a stretch of what was once a road (note that this wasn't apparent from the other side of the fence - the road out of town has been completely cleared away within the fenced area), though it's in deep disrepair. The path to the cliffs takes you off that road pretty much immediately, however, through a narrow cleared path through the woods right up to the base of the cliffs. The path up the side of the cliff is stable but steep, and has been carved wider in places to make sure to accommodate foot traffic safely.

From the top, the view is spectacular. The valley is lush and green, and the cliffs that seem so imposing from the town's streets look from this vantage point not unlike a cozy nest of trees to cradle Wayward Pines in safety. It's worth noting that while you're on top of these cliffs, you'll feel a milder version of the fatigue one typically feels upon approaching the fence surrounding Wayward Pines. If you peer out over the edge of the cliff (which we don't recommend, that's how people die), the fence is visible about 20 feet down, flush against the cliff face and painted to mirror the pattern of the rock.

Facing away from Wayward Pines, the plateau stretches for a few hundred feet before sloping down in elevation and breaking off into what looks to be more forest. Hardly as impressive as the valley, for certain. Best not waste too much time here - it's not like you won't be able to admire the view for most of the hike.

The plateau is relatively flat the entire way around to the edge of the cliffs at the southwestern corner, though it's a bit rockier and more difficult to keep your footing if you stray away from the first ~30 feet adjacent to the cliff. Landscape features and points of interest along the plateau leg of the journey:
A point of interest might be the tidy solar panels along the the eastern cliffs (characters are welcome to examine these) - they're large and well-maintained, which is good because they power the entire town.

To the direct east, the plateau slopes up into some sharper, less friendly-looking ridges.

Looking south from the southeastern cliffs, it's possible (if you squint) to make out what seems like a road winding its way through the mountainside.

To the direct south, the plateau slopes into forest very briefly before jutting back up into another unfriendly ridge.

As you come upon the end of the plateau trek but before you begin your descent, an even bigger swathe of green stretches out before you, interrupted only by low mountainous hills that barely break through the tops of the trees. Speaking of the trees, the forest seems incredibly dense in this area, like some sort of evergreen jungle.

From there, it's time to climb back down the cliffs. The trek down is longer but noticeably less steep, which is probably why they recommended you make the trip clockwise rather than vice versa. Heading north along the fence, a path has been cut through the forest to guide you, which is fortunate considering how much of the undergrowth is unfamiliar and offers the general impression that it might be dangerous. The trees are, of course, just as massive in scope as those within the fence, though here they somehow manage to seem more 'wild', untouched by human hands.

It's not uncommon to feel as though you're being observed, in this stretch of woods. Don't let the mild, modern-day creatures within the fence fool you: There's not quite such a gap between human intellect and that of the wildlife, in this derelict world.

( ! ) If you want to encounter an aberration, there are a few options. The forest section at the end is a good option, as well as along the woods on the sloped part of the northern plateau. Due to the fence's proximity, however, your character will have to wander a little off-course in order to encounter one! Not far, just a few-hundred feet will do.

MISSION #1

MISSION: Collect samples of flora + fauna of a mutated, evolved, or otherwise foreign nature.

TEAM COMPOSITION: Any size (recommended 2-4). Prerequisite: One academic* for sample collection purposes, one combatant to keep an eye out for danger while collection occurs.

DESTINATION: The lush evergreen forests to the west of Wayward Pines. At minimum they're aiming for Zone 1, but ideally they'll strike out and reach Zone 2, as that's much more rich in flora/fauna diversity.

ESTIMATED LENGTH: Not long to travel to - the Zone 1 begins 1/3 mile from the fence, while Zone 2 begins about a mile out. The actual duration of the trip depends on how long you linger to gather samples before returning.

THEMES + CONCEPTS: Exploration, discovery, and the various things that accompany encountering plants and animals you probably shouldn't fuck with.

MOD INVOLVEMENT: Moderate - you let us know where approximately they're going to explore and how that search is going to go and we'll let you know what they encounter at various legs of the journey.

ETC: This mission can be claimed any number of times by any number of individuals parties, but unlike the basic patrol (which can be handwaved/assumed), you do need to claim it so that we can provide you with what your character discovers.

* (An 'academic' could just be anyone with diligent attention to detail who can identify when a plant or animal is Not As It Should Be and can collect a sample with care not to damage or degrade it. Botanists/zoologists or similar professionals recommended but not necessary.)

Edited 2019-04-12 04:37 (UTC)

MISSION #2

MISSION: Aberrations have overrun a cache of Ortech vehicles which could be used to improve mobility outside of the fence on an exponential level. The aberrations need to be destroyed or driven away + a temporary perimeter fence (lightweight/carryable, provided by Ortech) needs to be established.

TEAM COMPOSITION: Highly dangerous, 4 - 6 skilled combatants recommended. Individual with mechanical skills also recommended in case vehicles aren't in the condition Ortech left them.

DESTINATION: The cache is in a lot on the side of the road located at the red X.

ESTIMATED LENGTH: The trip to and from the site should take ~1 hour each at a brisk pace. The actual mission's length varies based on the strategy used and the combat prowess of the team.

THEMES + CONCEPTS: Combat! Lots of it, ending in the vague chance of body horror if people get bit by an abbie and don't get it checked out at the hospital later. This is also arguably our first outpost by virtue of being the first area outside of the WP fence that is being secured in any way, but that's just semantics.

MOD INVOLVEMENT: Moderate - we give you the route + the general state of the cache, you let us know your team's strategy (if any), and we let you know approximately how that'll go down.

ETC: This can only be claimed by one team, but that team can be any size y'all's hearts desire.

Edited 2019-04-12 04:49 (UTC)

MISSION #3

MISSION: Investigate the bizarre electromagnetic activity within the Rainbow Peak basin. Identify the source + resolve the situation with the goal of ensuring continued safety in Wayward Pines.

TEAM COMPOSITION: Any size. One academic recommended but not necessary!

DESTINATION: The Rainbow Peak basin, located east of Wayward Pines.

ESTIMATED LENGTH: The trek there and back is fairly long (4.5 miles), likely taking about 2 hours in each direction due to terrain. It's recommended the team keep an eye out for somewhere vaguely abbie-proof to rest for the night as you get closer to the basin, to keep from having to duck out early in order to make it back by dark.

THEMES + CONCEPTS: Investigation. Science? Potentially some horror, depending on how y'all want to go with it. Survival, if staying out overnight. Optional combat.

MOD INVOLVEMENT: Moderate-heavy - We'll give you the route + a description of the place and will guide you in steps through the investigation and resolution.

ETC: This can only be claimed one time, though a rescue team (3-4 combatants) will be dispatched by the second evening if the expedition team has not yet returned.

I would like to claim this expedition for Ikrie.

Roger that! Let us know when you've finalized your team and we'll get this show on the road.

Looks like the final version of the team is gonna be: Ikrie, Alex, Alloran and Raven

Hop on over here to get started!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

expeditions.

#00 -- ROUTINE PATROL

the deets

#01 -- SAMPLE COLLECTION

#02 -- RECLAIM A TRANSPORTATION CACHE

#03 -- INVESTIGATE THE SIGNAL

Re: #03 -- INVESTIGATE THE SIGNAL

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