april event, phase one: seeds of unrest 🌱

[beleos]

THE BEGINNING

Summertime in Springstar has been on its way out, heralding the arrival of fall; winter has likewise given way to spring in Highstorm - at least, according to the calendar. Yet there is an unseasonable bite on the breeze - one growing as frigid as the mood among Meris and Zenites in their cities. Between Alenroux’s occupation and talk of ‘the Blight,’ worries have been on the lips of the citizens with increasing frequency - and with good reason. The reports of plant life dying, of objects crumbling, of people whose bodies are deteriorating are dominating the rumor mills and local papers.

Everything comes to a head early in the second half of Pelu.

After an unusual pocket of commotion in the Seat of the Tribune and the courtyard of Yima’s manor, an urgent announcement is made on behalf of both cities: both Great Trees have been quarantined, and no one is permitted in either location without clearance. New rumors spread of an ‘incident’ that saw those in the immediate vicinity of the Trees rapidly demonstrating symptoms of an illness that was becoming all too easy to identify. It had stricken with frightening speed; not long afterward…

The unrest had spread into the streets, and it wasn’t just about the Blight anymore.

Cetina and Kathova wasted no time in reaching out to the Bearers via Communion to offer them guidance from their leaders and incite them to action.

SPRINGSTAR: THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE

Day by day, changes unfold that render the city increasingly dangerous...

ROOTS:

Vine-like roots have begun to thread the streets, creeping upon and over buildings, spreading outward from the Tree in Heliopolis. Over the next two weeks, they will continue to grow in size and become more troublesome, slowly blooming ice-like leaves that radiate a sickly glow.

• GROWTH: Contrary to the Blight’s normal behaviors, some people and things around clusters of vines or leaves can experience a burst of vitality, growth, and splendor as if transforming to beyond peak condition. In a normal citizen, this may result in an almost manic level of energy, reckless behaviors, and aggression. In objects, they become more durable and efficient, but dangerously so - for example, a stovetop cooks faster but burns uncontrollably hot. In plant life, this results in overgrowth that can overwhelm and choke nearby flora, objects, or even people. Then, they burn out an hour after exposure and immediately succumb to a dire state of Blighted.


• CHILL: The temperatures will continue to drop throughout the next two weeks. It will be coldest where vines have clustered and outright dangerously so near where flowers have budded or bloomed in great numbers. This will force some people from their homes.

TIME POCKETS:

In seemingly random parts of the city, areas referred to as ‘time pockets’ have populated. There is no way to identify a time pocket but to stumble into one.

• REGRESSION: NPC’s in these areas will appear to freeze in time once a Bearer has breached the pocket’s radius but appear normal from the outside. Time within has halted at the point the pocket manifested ( typically covering an area like a city street or inside a single large building that sees regular use ). Objects can be freely manipulated but will not fall if thrown, etc.
  • The pocket cannot be left until the Bearer has achieved their objective. Attempting to exit the way they entered, they’ll run into an unseen barrier that is painful to the touch, a sensation of frigidity that travels to their Shard.
  • Their goal will be to locate a past version of themselves hidden from immediate view. This past version of themselves can be from any point in their lives but must be from a moment when they felt extremely vulnerable, isolated, wounded, or fearful.
  • Once finding this past version, they will feel the compulsion to either find a way to reassure their past selves somehow or kill them. Whether it is the Bearer themselves who performs these acts or another Bearer in their company does it for them, as long as their past selves are pacified enough ( to player satisfaction ) or dead, they will gain immunity to the pocket and may leave. The immediate area will remain frozen, however, and the past version will be revealed to be made of roots that will shrivel and die.
  • Note: Bearers will be able to see other Bearer’s past selves, even after they have been freed. Whether the past reflections are capable of speech while functional is up to player discretion.

HIGHSTORM: THE ROOTS OF CHANGE

The snows continue to fall over the city, feeling brittle against your skin...

ROOTS:

Vine-like roots have begun to thread the streets, creeping upon and over buildings, spreading outward from the Great Tree in Yima’s manor. Over the next two weeks, they will continue to grow in size and become more troublesome, slowly blooming ice-like leaves that radiate a sickly glow.

• SACRIFICIAL: [ CW: self-harm ] Where the roots snake and gather throughout the city, NPC’s in several locations are falling victim to the quiet, slow pulse of the flowers and their buds. They will sit and stare at the flowers for hours, unblinkingly, as their body begins to succumb to the Blight. If they are disturbed in any way - a loud noise, an attempt to move their person, etc - they will calmly look up from their worship and crack off a piece of their brittle body before returning to their reverie.
• In order to save them, a pair (or more) of Bearers must sneak up on the NPC - one using a pacifying spell given by one of the faction leaders while the other crushes the flower. If the NPC is not pacified before the flower is crushed, they will become hysterical and the Blight will rapidly consume them, causing them to perish. If they are pacified and the flower is not crushed, the spell will wear off within ten seconds with the same result.

• CHILL: The temperatures will continue to drop throughout the next two weeks. It will be coldest where vines have clustered and outright dangerously so near where flowers have budded or bloomed in great numbers. This will force some people from their homes.

TIME POCKETS:

In seemingly random parts of the city, areas referred to as ‘time pockets’ have populated. There is no way to identify a time pocket but to stumble into one.

• REFLECTIONS: NPC’s in these pockets are moving in surreal blurs, pieces of them moving forward as others move backward, some changing as if time were rapidly passing as others remain frozen still. The Bearers’ surroundings are distorted as if reflecting multiple realities simultaneously.
  • Their goal will be to locate a tall standing mirror situated alone in the center of the time pocket’s radius. The Bearer who first touches their reflection ( henceforth called “mirror-Bearer” ) will cause the world inside the pocket to suddenly stop, reflecting a comforting environment they have fond or pleasant associations with. The mirror will be gone.
• Something or someone the mirror-Bearer highly values, deeply misses, or sees as imperative to their character, goals, or desires will be present. If they make contact with this object or person, the Time Pocket loops and sends them back to searching for the mirror - but they will have no memory of this occurring. Their partner, however, will recall everything.
• Both Bearers will be released if five loops occur without the mirror-Bearer being stopped from causing the loop or if the mirror-Bearer is stopped from reaching their goal for five minutes ( willingly or otherwise ). The longer they refuse to make contact with this object or person, the more tempting and dire the need becomes inside of them.
• Once the Bearers are released, the Time Pocket disappears. If they manage to avoid contact with the temptation inside the Pocket, the roots and flowers in this area will be withered and dying, buying the NPC’s and buildings in this location some time. Otherwise, they will be thriving and dangerously blooming.
• Note: the mirror will not respond to the non-mirror-Bearer once it has been touched the first time.

ENTREE-TING HELP

The Tree of Life is in danger, and you know it. Both Yima and Cyrus have directed all Bearers who might listen to increase visitation to the Tree and monitor it for signs of the Blight - of its leaves changing color, of any frostbitten bark, of its roots withering.

And then, during a moment in which you find your mind at ease, at rest... you dream, even if dreaming is unnatural for you. You dream of yourself sitting beneath the massive bows of the Tree's breadth, at peace. The perpetual dawn's glow warms your skin in a way that seeps into your bones, leaving you certain you are safe from harm. The Tree reaches out, and though it cannot speak to you in words, you feel it is trying to convey a message: one of urgency. One of plea.

But you cannot understand...

Soon, the branches of the Tree are reaching out to others. You cannot see them, but you know they're there; a spiritual tether connects your Shards together, bringing you all into a place of wordless unity. And once your fellows have been summoned, you know what you are here for.

You feel it rather than see it: some meager, barely-there brush of something cold in the warmth of the island's comfort. The Tree is already infected, and the clock is running down for all of you.

When you wake to yourself, a feeling of dread not entirely your own will chase you, and you will find a single violet leaf in your hand.

MISC NOTES

• Bearers start with immunity to the Blight. They will not succumb to the effects of the Blight even if they handle the vines and flowers directly without precautions or care.
• The above effects will occur in small clusters and are not yet spread city-wide during phase one. The escalation of frequency characters will come across problematic clusters or Time Pockets will be slow building.
• For context, it takes about a month from infection to death or dissolution for the average person or object to succumb to the Blight. By the 21st, it will be three days to a week.
• Bearers will be directed by Cetina or Kathova to make efforts to protect the civilians and investigate the manifesting changes around both cities. Both factions are working on their own methods to attempt to counteract the Blight, but neither has produced a failsafe solution.
• The roots will remain mostly outdoors, for the most part, these first two weeks.
• Tensions will slowly ramp up in Alenroux, and there are checkpoints for any non-PC visitors to screen for signs of infection.
• Player characters who die inside the Time Pockets are dead and need their Shards brought to the Tree of Life for revival.
• HAVE FUN!! ♥

CODING

Comments

[wolof]

[ It's hard when your world operates on tropes. To be fair, she did commit genocide so. Maybe not so unfitting. ]

You would think, hm? [ She asked, though her tone is not abrasive. It is not a sore spot, mostly, because though she had temporarily left Meridian, that was a feature of her history, rather than her conviction. ]

How could one be a true villain, with nobody to terrorize, dear? [ She asked, though her tone is mostly chiding, joking. ] Though there would be a new world -- I do not presume that I would be left to my own villainous ways -- if one were to follow Zenith. Besides, I cannot believe that the Last Dawn has come yet in mine, and if it is -- I want to bring it back, before I give up on it all.

[ There's a sad smile, to accompany that, and her fingers twist the bracer at her wrist. ] I learned a hard lesson once, and there are paths that even villains should not take. To do so is to... cross the line from villainy into madness.

[ A line she had already crossed, her tone implies. How does one earn redemption, when doing Good to do so means that you're doing good to seek redemption? ]

[intervener]

[ haha whaaat Akua would never commit a genocide or sacrifice entire cities or anything c'mon, she's such a nice lady look at her??? ahem,

the explanation she gives sure does send up several notable Red Flags, yeah! wow!! Vash's expression doesn't change all too much despite it, and it's the saving grace of her resolve that is a comfort in the end. not wanting to give up on her world - their worlds... yes, he can agree with her on that much.

but before he can open his mouth to offer his reply-- there comes the sound of some shuffling, of slightly uneven, small footsteps from their right and in the space between two residences on an otherwise quiet street.

Vash sends Akua a probing look - she heard that too, didn't she? ]

[wolof]

[ She does hear it, and her head snapped toward the noise, eyes sharp, searching, almost piercing as she looked down the direction of the footsteps. ]

Careful.

[ She says it like an order she expects to be fulfilled, rather than advice -- Akua was that kind of woman -- and she turned in the direction, and held up a hand. There's a whisper of power, before she sent a ball of light from her hand, down toward the space, even as she stepped closer to the space, her eyes narrowed as she tried to peer inward.

Was she taking the step forward because she thought Vash would be done in by any danger? No... well, okay, maybe a little bit. ]

[intervener]

[ whether it's the look in her eyes or the command in her voice, Vash's footsteps come to an abrupt halt as she lifts her hand; he does seem to be deferring to her. he is very still, trying not to add any ambient noise as he strains his senses for who - or what - is lurking behind the wall of the house ahead.

the small ball of light illuminates the narrow space between the buildings, revealing a small boy... a familiar boy, wide-eyed and face slightly bruised and swollen on one side. he's lifting a hand up to shield his eyes from the light, taking a wary, surprised step backward and tensing as if getting ready to flee. ]

[wolof]

[ Akua's feet stop, when the light found him, and her eyes narrowed, taking in the shape of him. From the bruises and swelling, the way he moved back as if fearful. There's the familiar hair, and the mole underneath his eye, that really -- truly cements it in her head. The question was... was it a doppelganger, or was it something different?

Her fingers did not drop, but she took one look over her shoulder, at Vash, to gauge if she should be fearful before she decided that it didn't matter. She was powerful enough that this boy could not stop her, she decided.

Akua, perhaps, had too much pride, at times. ]

You there, come here.

[ She ordered like this was just a random child on the street, and not someone who looked like he'd just been through the worst beating in his life. ]

[intervener]

[ behind Akua, Vash looks just as wide-eyed as the kid - even if it isn't in the same manner of fear and skepticism as the child sharing his features. he's stunned; this is the first time since arriving he's experienced anything like this--

and the little boy takes a step back rather than forward at her demand. he doesn't look like he's going to attack - instead, he seems to be preparing to flee, shooting a look behind him to make sure the way is clear, before--

oh, yeah. there he goes, turning right around and trying to make a break for it-- ]

[wolof]

What did I say?

[ She asked, her tone indicating that she was talking to the boy, and not to Vash, but it's a quick flick of her wrist, that the back of him is pulled by something, tugged back by an invisible force as he's prevented the ability to escape. ]

Children, they never listen.

[ She says it, but she looked back at Vash, and then back at the kid. Hm. ]

Do you know him?

[ Child Vash is slowly getting reeled in, pulled by the invisible force, though she's taking her sweet time about it. ]

[intervener]

[ OH GOD. Little Vash is looking like a deer in headlights as he's being Tractor Beamed(???) into this pretty lady and the idiot guy behind her, making a soft yelp of surprise. his boots scrape and slide across the ground as he tries to resist, but... yeah, no dice--

--and Big Vash takes a step closer to Akua, laying a hand on her shoulder. his eyes are still fixed on Little Him, because... hey, wow, it isn't every day you're staring at your inner child? or. your... past self. or-- you know what? he isn't even going to try and reason what the heck is happening here, ]

Don't ask me how, but that's... me?

[ yes, it is a question. yes, he is very much second-guessing the integrity of his sanity right now. and yes, he looks like he might burn out some brain cells being faced with Whatever This Is. help, ]