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.
• This post is open to tag and top-level by everyone! Those arriving for the 4th wall can write 4TH WALL or VISITOR on their post and/or link their top level here!
• 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: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I can start with any of those that interests you...since I don't know Never Have I Ever."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"The problem with Never Have I Ever is that when you're centuries old, you've done everything. But I don't mind it if you want to."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
He pauses to take a drink. "Macaque...being, well, him...just showed up and offered to try and connect us so that we could understand what her deal was. So he touched her, then I touched him and it was a bit like one of those mind melds in a movie. I was able to ask her her name and how she knew me, and she kind of used pictures to answer. Her name's Ash, and she's protective of me. So...I still couldn't leave her there since she wouldn't let me, but Macaque offered to leave a portal in the stable os she could see me at home and she agreed to it. But...I'm pretty sure it was because she could be half in the house, because she spent the next week or so just laying in the portal. Which means someone went to the stables and there was just a rabbit butt relaxing on the floor."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. It was either that or Cole lived in the stable until they got the addition built."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"Oh wow. Hehehe. That is too funny. I'm guessing the rabbit has a nice hutch now all for her. What a darling. She must be from that Fancier group I saw. The Cult of the Smoke Rabbit. Makes sense why she's so protective of you. She's gotta be Smokey's whole lotta greats Granddaughter or something by now," Tobias explained.
"She still following you everywhere? Except into this place, obviously."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"Cult of the Smoke Rabbit? Smokey has a cult?" he asks, more than a little dumbstruck. You just...don't expect to hear that about your pets. "...Ash does, if I'm out too long. But why is there a cult with Smokey's family?"
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
So he just listens for now, not expecting to make much sense of it.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"Yep. The Cult of Smokey, as I call them. Smokey has a whole cult. They raise giant rabbits. Mostly for riding and some for battle. They got rabbit armor and everything," Tobias explained casually like he was giving directions to the local Starbucks. When weird becomes the new normal.
"Not entirely sure how it started. But they worship the Smoke Rabbit, the ancestor of all the rabbits at the Cuniculture. They worship Smokey. Knowing how things go, I bet Smokey got into some hedge fruit that enlarged her and after everything that went down, boom. Rabbit cult."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"...So...Never Have I Ever?"
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"Just don't ask me to start." He'd have to just make shit up out of nowhere to come up with something he's never done that's not gibberish.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I can start. The rules are simple. You take a bite of sandwich or a drink of hot chocolate if you have ever done the thing mentioned. Simple. It's done to get to know each other. So for instance, if I say, Never Have I Ever had to babysit magical artifacts, if you have done that, take a bite or a drink."
Tobias took a bite of his sandwich.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Cole also takes a bite out of his sandwich, because Acquisitions Department, babysitting magical artifacts was just the job. "I don't think it'll be that hard to think of things we haven't done. I guess I can start." He thinks for a moment. "Never have I ever...been to another country back home."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I've never..." He has to think about it. "Been to space with my actual body." With shadows, sure. He tested their limits all the time.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I have not been to either. Man I'd love to go to another country or space! That would be so much fun. Alright. Never have I ever...gotten bitten by a cannibal."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Cole doesn't take a bite for either of them either. "Space would be cool to visit...and I guess not impossible. And I can say I'm lucky enough to have never been bitten at least. Okay...Never have I ever ridden public transportation by myself."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I've never... uh. Died from... being... shot out of a cannon." He had to string together some truly nonsense terms to come to that.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"That would be most unfortunate. Pretty sure Wil E. Coyote did that a lot," He laughed.
"Never have I ever been eaten alive."
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Cole doesn't for being shot out of a cannon, but when Tobias mentions being eaten alive he does take a drink from his hot chocolate while staring at the handle of the mug like it's the most interesting thing in the world.
"...I've never had a dog." Finding something simple and mundane? Yes. Yes he is.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Cole drinking on that eaten alive thing though, that is so noted. Did Tobias do that on purpose?
"I forgot about owning animals. Not something I can get behind." He wouldn't want to be someone's property.
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
"I had a pet dog once. His name was Mittens. He was a good dog," Tobias recalled.
"Um...so about that...eaten thing. You wanna talk about it or...is it too hard to talk about it?"
Re: Because it had to be. Also 2
Macaque should remember a vague mention of a kid by that name Cole is very fond of who got hurt saving their asses from something they couldn't escape, from one of their late night cuddle sessions.