THE ADVOCATE ORACLE - A RIP VAN WINKLE IN TIME

[beleos]

Sweet dreams are made of Bliss

As the twilight falls, and bearers begin to tuck in for their evenings on the night of the 15th of March (OOC time) and whether they tuck themselves into bed fully, or simply drift away in the middle of their dinner, work, indulgences, or what have you; bearers will fall into a deep, deep sleep. Perhaps you slump in your chair, or you wrap your arms around a teddy bear, or partner, or cup a precious shard in your sleep, it doesn’t matter, because as you drift away, into a sleep that seems to tug you under like the undertow itself, a question will echo in bearer’s minds: “If given the choice, would you show compassion in the face of adversity?”

It sticks with you, even as you fall into a dreamless sleep. As if it rotates in your mind, over and over, letting you worm over that. You know for certain what it is, that it is the calming, soothing voice of the Oracle, reaching out to you across the ether, telling you – promise you – that if you accept its promise, you will find that the Oracle could be in your hands. That thought leads you to dream of something else – of home, or your loved ones – of what you are fighting this war for. Even as you dream, you feel a presence next to you, and unlike the Harbinger’s winding, rough digging, this is more akin to a friend, who is asking you soft, coaxing questions. Things like: what was your childhood like? What were your friends like? What did you do? You cannot help but think of them, think of your home and your loved ones. Of where you came from, and how it made you what you are.

The advocate seeks to understand you, and where you come from. You can feel it, that overwhelming Acceptance and love from it, even as you reminisce, compelled to answer the multitude of questions, you can feel something building behind you, around you. “Don’t you want them all to understand this?” the impression is given through communion, and you cannot help but answer: yes.

Click your Heels together, Dorothy!

As you awake for the first time, it’s alien, the world that meets you. New smells fill your nostrils, new sights, the gravity is perhaps different than you’ve gotten used to on Kenos, even those slight shifts enough to make the world feel wholly different. You remember the advocate’s words, and it wants you to feel what it feels. Understanding. Compassion, and perhaps there is a sense that doing so would hurt yourself in turn, if you understood too much. That is the advocate’s way, after all, isn’t it?

You feel an inexorable, slight tug in your chest. Something subtle and gentle, the slightest of sensations, that gives you a direction. You know it, your mind only just now comprehending the advocate’s confusing impressions via communion, that there is something of this world’s… Soul/center/heart or whatever word you want to use for it. Something about this world that will help you along your path, and help you with the results you so desire. You know it will not guarantee a victory, but surely it will help. Especially as your numbers dwindle from world to world. You are left with an impression from the Advocate -- if you die, they cannot bring you back. There is apology in this, but alone, one oracle is limited. Only united, can they truly change your fate.

The lingering presence of the advocate starts to fade. You know this is a bearer’s world, if not your own. You look around, to see perhaps a familiar face nearby? Or perhaps you are alone. Does it matter? You know that this place belongs to a bearer, but whether they are a friend or an enemy, one has to begin to determine that. You’ll need your wits, you’ll need your strength and resolve to make it to the end of this, won’t you?

After all, as bearers were recently reminded: this is War. This is not simply the fate of this world, but perhaps all, as it will require you to find the answer to this question. So you start to move, you start to look around, explore, and search. For the soul of each world, for the bearers that lie dreaming within, and your foes that will seek you out. Stay steadfast, for the way out will come, if you make it to the end. The longer you spend in each world, however, the more the shadows look darker, and deeper. Hungrier. The more the spaces seem smaller or compressed. As if there is something gnawing away at the sides, making their way to the heart.

Around the world in 60 seconds 12 hours

When you find yourself at the end, when you close your eyes – only a blink, but it hangs, as if the momentary motion is enough to suspend you into a suspended space before. You can see the two options stretched out before you – metaphysically – the impression of it. A long, long shadow cast over one. As if there is a presence hovering over and above, like waiting jaws, ready to strike. In the other, there remains…nothing. It is not pleasant, it is not comforting, it simply… is. A sense that there is now a lack of anything, almost like it had never existed before.

Does this world have value? You can feel the Advocate ask. Do you want to give them a chance to live? Or does should this world cease, is there nothing here to save?

And though you are compelled, required to answer, you know this question for what it is. Short-sighted. Both, in the end, will lead to its destruction, but which will you choose? Will you allow the world to continue, even with that long shadow cast, like a hungry beast with snapping jaws; or will you erase it from existence and spare it that oncoming apocalypse?

Catch [???] Winks

The last world’s fate decided, bearers float in an endless sea of stars. You can see them all, spread before you. Intermittently, they wink out, swallowed into the darkness, consumed as the shadows, that inky-black nothingness grows ever-larger. It looks upon you, bearers. It is nothing, but you have its attention, and your blood runs cold, your limbs frozen. You cannot move, you cannot speak, you cannot breathe. You feel it, the power of being drawn into it, like it wants to consume you. Like it knows you.

T̸̢̼̯͓̬̘́̀̋̆͊h̷͔̣̱̝͍̬̣͕̄̂͗̆͒͌͜ͅẹ̶̱̩̅͒̿̇͠ ̵̭̹͇͖̔̀ṃ̸̢̧͙̟̼̜͌͆̍͝͝ͅo̴̟̞̓̆̇̐̆͊̽͆̂̀r̶͈̺̮̠͙̗͌ę̸̤̻̈́͐͂̓̊͐̂͆ ̵̡̛͎̩̳̤͔͚̱̼̆̒̓y̴̺̞̹̺̝̤͂ǫ̷̡̣̱̥͊̈́̓͑̕͘ű̵̼͜͜ ̶̨̨̝̟̘̱͇̲̻̪̊͂̽̈̒͊f̴̱̐͌̌̓̋̔́̀͝i̶͖̤͎̬̝̦͒̂g̸̳̰̟̀̓̽̈́̐h̸̼͍̮͎̊̅͗͊̈͋̽̀͘t̴͔͚́̓,̷̨̧̱̠̙̠̙̱̒̍̽̾ ̷̖̰̼̬̟͐̊̂t̶̖̄͂̅̃̍͐̊̑̅͜͝h̴̢̛͙̪̞̫̝̺̋̅̿͛̇̚͝͝ͅͅȩ̶͉̤͍̠́̈͑̏͋̚͘͝ ̸̢̨̧͚̖̤̪̬̪̀̉̐͗̂͆͑̚̕̚c̴̠̩̳͎̲̪͔̟̈́͂̉͑́l̶̡̲̻̣̘̏́ͅo̶̢̧͔͈̬̳̰͈̝̻͌̋̆̃͒͗̏͘ş̴̪̺̣̥̎̽̿͗̒́͛̕̚̚e̴̺͍̤͖͂̇͑͂̋͂̆̾r̴̨̩̈́͋͠ ̷̧͚̲̩̖̋͒̉́͗y̶̘̖̝̑̈͊ǒ̵͚̽u̵͎͍̇̀̏̊̕͝ŕ̷͎̜̘͙̀̋ ̶͇̲̝̞̖̝̣̘̝̬͋d̷͔͈͔̀̿õ̴̝̯͇̹̘̏͗͜ö̵͚͓͆m̵͉̦̫̥̦̞̫͐̆͐̿͊͒͌͋͜.̷̼͈̻̥̜̾̏͐̾̐͆͘͜

You gasp, as you startle awake, and open your eyes for the first time in a long time.

CODING

Comments

VOTING

[beleos]

Even if you do not thread in the world, please still cast your vote by 03/27/2024 so that we can have an accurate tally! The votes will make a difference in what our world looks like moving forward. Rather than forcing you to list every world that your character chose yay/nay on (unless you want that???), we have a handy method for the madness:

<b>Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released</b> <i>Tally your character's IC choices and submit them as a number. IE. 5 Worlds Preserved & 5 Worlds Released. ( Yes, the language of the choice is important to the Advocate! )</i> <b>Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer.</b> <i>Did you wake them, or let them sleep forever?</i> <b>Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World.</b> <i>Remember that ONLY KEEPING the Shard of the World doubles that TYPE of vote, destroying it does not add or subtract anything.</i>

As always, ask any questions here!

DREAMER SHARD TALLY

[beleos]

If your character kept their own dreamer shard after either being given it or receiving it at the end of their world, and they have preserved it through the life of the event, please comment here and you will receive a surprise!

[a_noble_flame]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 Preserved. Alice refuses to release any of them.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Kept one, her own. She also found Jade's shard and returned it to Jade.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. She found the shard to Silvergrove (Jade's world) as well as Hayame's world (with Jade's help). She kept both.

[hauntedking]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released
31 worlds preserved; they deserve a fighting chance.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. He kept his own shard. He also found Link's and returned it to him (with Yuri).
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. He didn't destroy any. He found and kept the one from "his" world.

[sterngaze]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds preserved! Liem is too lost in the Meridian sauce to condemn any world, even the shitty ones
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Kept his own dreamer shard
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Didn't manage to grab any world shards

[wolfish]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds preserved. Yuri's not about sacrificing lives needleesly.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Yuri kept his own. He and Dimitri retrieved Link's and returned it to him.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Didn't keep or destroy any.

[damnpire]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds preserved.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. He destroyed his own Shard and kept none.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Did not keep or destroy any.

[kaientai]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 Worlds preserved! Ryouma believes every world deserves a chance~
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. He's keeping his own Shard.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. He didn't destroy any Shards. He helped Nebula get the Shard for her world and gave it to her.

[narsinssist]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 5 Destroyed, 26 saved (thanks drizzt, it is torturous! great idea!)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. He didn't do anything with anyone else's! (And idk what's happening to his but it's a surprise I'm writing so w/e)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. n/a

[dreamflowers]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released All worlds preserved. Jade does not think she is even remotely qualified to judge an entire world based on just a handful of hours of being there, no matter how awful they might be.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. She kept her own after Alice got it, and did not destroy any. She'd have been able to return Hayame's from the filly she bargained with.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. She kept her own Shard (also Alice). Did not keep or destroy any others, but she did return Alice's that she found by chance at a vendor stall.

[bakedapple]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released Link is voting to release all worlds, except for those worlds he recognizes as belonging to Meridian characters whom he knows desperately want to go back. So this ends up being, let's say, a 10-21 split.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Link did not claim any for himself, but he did receive his own from Dimitri and Yuri, which he chose to keep.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Drizzt's World, which he chose to keep, doubling his vote for "release."

[cyfaredd]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released Howl voted to release all worlds — mainly because he's very sure none of the worlds they visited were real. Whoopsie
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Found his own and kept it.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. N/A

[picketship]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 16 preserved before he gets dissipated (sorry he doesn't actually get to downvote Raphael's house)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. He kept his own dreamer shard!
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Destroying the SAMWAF's world shard by dropping it down an elevator shaft, oops.

[erbe]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 Worlds Released
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Rin's Dreamer Shard was destroyed
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. She did not reach anyone else's World Shards

[tresemme]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 30 released, 1 preserved.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. None. (Unless…?)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Ignored. He’s just a little guy and that’s so much responsibility, despite knowing that it would make things better for his team.

[eightfoldfiend]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds released. Oblivion has come, better to end their suffering now and build something new.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Kept his own, didn't destroy any.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Neither kept nor destroyed any.

[semicharmed]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds released. Matt thinks this whole thing was a dream/otherwise unreal.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Matt's keeping his own Shard, did not interact with any others. Is he gonna have to kill his double ...?
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Matt didn't reach any World Shards.

[sheezit]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds preserved! They all deserve the chance to fight for survival!
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Found and kept his own.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Kept Zanado's (aka Byleth's) World Shard.

[corvidant]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds destroyed released. Just an equal opportunity hater.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Akechi found and destroyed his own.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Destroyed 2 World Shards: (Rin's) Zelretch's Dungeon and (his own) Maruki's Palace.

[wolof]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 released, these aren't real people (ill reduce the number if she gets dissipated btw)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. she did not get any! Thwarted again!
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Also thwarted here!

[zauneyete]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released As many released as he lives through (once we decide when he's getting bodied lmao) 29 or 30 probably?
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. no and he shattered his own fuck that other version of him he's the best version of himself
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Fought with Demeisen over his world's shard but it got destroyed in an elevator shaft while they fought over it (lmao); obtained Ransylvania's shard with Chloe (and probably gave it to her to vote) he's just helping mentor the youths for the better 🤭

[settingup]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 worlds released, he doesn't believe any of them are truly real.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Nothing to report
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Nothing to report

[kinaesthesia]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 Released
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. She kept hers.
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. She kept the one from her world and Yuri's world.

[punkisntdead]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 31 fake-ass worlds released
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Nada
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Nabbed the one from D's world with Silco, which she might be in possession of?

[diegeticmusic]

Worlds Preserved vs. Worlds Released 28 worlds preserved and 3 worlds released (she's zenith but no reason to destroy something existing)
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the Dreamer. Only kept her own
Report any kept/destroyed Shards of the World. Did not keep or destroy