Seasons Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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seasonsgreetings2024-03-15 12:11 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2024-03-15 12:11 am
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Event #7: Knocking on the 4th Wall (Inside the Metaverse)
Knocking on the 4th Wall
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
On March 14th, everyone received a message. The Research Center is ready to try another test to find ways to beat the Darkness. This time the test is not done with the robots that were previously used, but instead everyone who volunteers will be participating in a virtual reality simulator. They're asked to come over to the Center on March 15th.
The researchers will explain that the purpose of this simulation is to see how several fully powered power holders fair against the Darkness. They have gathered enough data on it and the dark energy in general to determine the effects it will have on nature, monsters and wildlife if the barrier is taken off. This is the only safe way to actually test their theories.
After all the necessary explanations, everyone is asked to log in to the metaverse. Anyone logging in may notice that there are a lot of glitches as they enter.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, anyone looking at any kind of a screen (their own device, television, a digital advertisement, etc.) will have their mind sucked into the metaverse, due to the virus residing in the program. Their bodies will be left in a sleep-like state wherever they may be.
The Research Center staff intended for all otherworlders to start near the Research Center so they could get used to the metaverse in peace. There are no natives in the simulator, so testing out powers around the city would have been safe as well. However, because of the glitch, people can appear anywhere, either in the city or anywhere on the segments (save from the one closed off location).
Sometimes the scenery and items in the world glitch a little bit, reminding anyone that this is the metaverse. Except the glitches weren't meant to happen. Luckily they're all mostly aesthetical, but some items may work differently than they should. You have a spoon? It actually works like a fork.
Luckily, this doesn't mean they will be without any items. They can open a menu with the device on their wrist that lets them get anything at all from Riki's Rewards during the simulator without any cost. They can think of this as special opportunity to test out all kinds of items before buying them, as they work exactly the same as they would in normal space.
For some reason, the Shady Shop also appears in the menu. That was not anyone's intention as the items are, well, shady.
Other than the two shops there are basic potion and magical item menus that people can use where needed. Even vehicles, such as airships can be summoned through the menus for easier traveling in the segments.
Some might find the glitches concerning and wish to return and tell the researches about them. The problem with that is is that clicking "Log Off" won't do anything at all, even if it's supposed to boot someone out of the metaverse. But that's not the end of the strange things going on.
Along with the otherworlders that were participating in the test, others start to join in as well due to unforeseen circumstances. Luckily, they have the same "settings" as everyone else, so they're not completely without aid wherever they end up in. They also have all of their powers unlocked for the duration of their stay in the metaverse (including all animal transformations).
As part of the strange glitch going on everyone also has access to any powers from previous worlds, if they have experienced other places before. It would seem the powers can also be shared through the item inventory, should anyone want to temporary use another world's abilities. This is possible with even a person's native powers.
And as if that wasn't enough, people who weren't on Ellipsa start appearing as well. Anyone who doesn't currently have a body on Ellipsa has a mark somewhere on their body, signaling that they're just data. This mark is somehow related to the characters that has it and emits a faint light.
All of the people who are just visiting will also be able to enjoy the metaverse the same way as anyone else. They have been sorted into a Seasons and have access to full powers - and the same item inventory. All that's different from the others is that they have no physical body to return to in this world.
During the metaverse adventures, people are able to communicate through their devices, but the messages will not go out to the "normal" network. So the messages are only between those in the metaverse, but at least the network works the same way as it would in the "normal world".
Happy communicating.
The goal of the metaverse is to have a safe environment to test powers against the Darkness. All of the barriers have been taken out, except for the one surrounding the city of Nightwake. The city acts as a safe haven to anyone who needs a break or doesn't want to fight.
Everyone is encouraged to go to where the barriers used to be and use their full, unlocked powers against everything and anything the darkness throws at them to see how well they can fight against it.
Thanks to all powers being unlocked, destroying enemies powered up by the Darkness is a lot easier, but pushing back the approaching darkness still needs something more than just raw power. Though with enough power holders of different seasons working together and
Due to the barriers being off, all creatures are stronger due to the Darkness's influence. Even creatures that normally have no danger level can now at least do Dark damage. Some Slime especially may seek vengeance.
Unfortunately, due to the weird glitch in the system, everyone inside the metaverse is able to feel pain when they originally weren't supposed to, to make the experience safe. It feels very real, and there's a chance any non-lethal wounds will appear on the person's real body.
The Darkness is slowly expanding from all sides. Very slowly, at a snail's pace. Everything it touches turns into black sand, before transforming into something different. Some may even recognize the things that rise from the sand, as they're monsters, fauna or people from their own world, made into more twisted forms. They may even be creatures from a popular media from back home... or at least, someone's home (players').
If a Power Holder walks into the Darkness, they won't immediately turn into anything. Instead the transformation is slow and painful. Leaving the area will stop the transformation, but any damage already done remains. If the person changes completely, they might lose their sense of self completely and attack anything in their sights.
What they turn into depends on the individual (player's choice) and the only way to reverse the changes is to die. Luckily that isn't permanent even in the metaverse. The person just gets booted out, but can re-enter anytime they want to (or in this case; is forced to). This was told to anyone before entering the program, so they could go all out and test limits as much as they want.
A screen appears either when someone dies or gets forcefully booted out of the metaverse. It has two options: Remember or Forget.
Clicking "Remember" will automatically save everything that happened into a person's memory and proceed to boot them out. Clicking "Forget" will lead the person to a series of "Are you Sure" pop up windows. As the very last resort, the window suggests an option to only partially forget events that transpired in the metaverse. Choosing to still forget everything will make the person wake up from a long, dreamless sleep. The memories erased cannot be found later on, as they have been completely erased from their metaverse-selves. Even someone telling them what happened won't sound familiar.
This option is also available for any visitors during the time they're visiting. Whenever they die they get booted out and can be immediately returned to the metaverse (by the power of players) with or without their memories, depending on what they chose.
Of course, anyone can then tell the person about the very crazy stunts they made the last time they were in the metaverse. They could be complete lies, but they wouldn't have any solid proof, other than "I would never do that".
Finally, on March 31st, a message comes from the outside. It's telling everyone stuck in the metaverse that they can finally leave out of their own will and stay out this time. People can then choose to leave immediately be pressing by pressing the "Log Off" button on their screen or take a moment to say goodbye to the temporary visitors of the metaverse.
The screen asking if someone wants to "Remember" or "Forget" appears, once again. This time the Forget option is even more insistent on asking if the person is sure about their choice, especially since the memories that are erased can't be taken back later.
Once everyone who exists on Ellipsa has returned to their bodies, the metaverse will be shut down. All visitors have been booted out and returned to where they came.
• Ask 4th Wall related questions here. Read the 4th wall FAQ before asking them.
• You don't need to comment on the plotting post to participate & anyone can participate in the 4th wall (there's no separate invitation needed). However, if you wish to app in later, you need an invite if you're not a friend of the mods.
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• Check the Opt-in top-level if you're considering bringing in a character that already exists in the game.
• Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a separate entry (like to your musebox or characters' journal).
• Remember to content and spoiler warn as necessary!
• Reminder to players in the game that this month is Activity Check-in month and check-in ends on March 31th, at 23:59 PST.
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
"My heart...isn't easy for anyone to protect," MK admitted, "But you really did help. The candies, the good memories, and Doodleque. You even damaged your soul to come help me. I was breaking down and you did it to find me. To stop me from spiraling. You were right about the monkey form. In the end. I was able to protect Red Son with it but I almost did more damage. I lost myself again. But you came down to find me. To help me find myself again. You did more than enough to help me. You were amazing and I am so proud of you."
MK squeezed the hand again.
"It doesn't help that she's still in my head. I know she's gone but she's still all up in there. The ink curse didn't help either. Like at all."
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
Totally worth a little soul damage if it helped you. I can't remember things very clearly, as I said, but that's a little easier. I remember getting the sense that you needed me, and then it happened before I even really could form a thought.
[ Macaque's free arm slides around MK's shoulders to try to pull him closer. ]
What can I do now? To help you feel more like you're on solid ground.
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
"I did need you. I do," MK smiled again. He leaned in and nuzzled noses with Macaque. "You're definitely helping right now. This is really nice. Just this. Just us. And you? What can I do to help you feel more grounded too?"
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
[ Macaque chuckles in a low way that rumbles through his nose when MK gives him that nuzzle. ]
Grounding, hm? [ Don't mind his flirting, that world has Implications after heart games. ] How forward.
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
"Did you expect me to be anything else?" He asked with his own little attempt at a purr. "I mean, grounding is usually good for both sides. And I did make sure you grounded Red Son when you offered. But it's just us. Right now."
Just them but...shit. He was going fast again. Too fast. He needed...they needed to talk first. He suddenly hugged Macaque and buried his face in the other monkey's shoulder. He needed a moment to think. Hug to delay it and think.
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
Just us, indeed. [ Macaque keeps nuzzling MK with his nose. ] My portals are working again, so--
[ And then MK suddenly hugged him. ] Uh... did I say something wrong?
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
But Macaque said he wasn't going to tie him and Monkey King together anymore. Would this just be MK forcing that? Oh MK didn't know. Still, he knew what he felt in his gut. This wasn't ideal or what they planned but Macaque deserved to know.
"Before we go anywhere. I have to tell you something," MK pulled away from the hug. "Because it isn't right if I don't. I don't feel like it's right if I don't. ...Wukong and I wanted to tell you together when we could. I thought after all this but here we are. So...I started dating Wukong too. On Valentine's Day. Officially."
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
[ Mainly he's doing calculations. Valentine's was after his brain had been rewired, and after he and MK had that fight, so he supposed it was only fair that they didn't tell him sooner. ]
[ And anyway, after everything that happened he's not bothered. Surprised sure, but not bothered. ]
Okay. Thank you for telling me.
[ He hasn't pulled back an inch, and he doesn't do so now. ] Was that all?
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
"Yeah. That was what I wanted to tell you. It felt like the right thing. So if you didn't wanna...teleport us somewhere private, I'd understand. But it doesn't feel like that's the uh case?" MK stared into those eyes, one pale and the other dark. Both on him and their noses skill close and barely touching.
"Pretty sure this place has a copy of my room. Or...we could go to the copy of your room. If you still wanna ground each other."
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
[ He leans forward and gives MK a hard, but fairly uninvolved kiss. Only because he's waiting to swing for the fences until they're not in the park. ] I still want to if you do.
Re: 4 - regular MK, but after some time
"I do," His answer had no hesitation. He knew where this was going and he wanted to keep going. The walls were down for them both. Things weren't going to be complicated anymore. He told the truth and Macaque said he was fine.
This was a home run.
((OOC: Moving this here))