expiationlogs | {EVENT #4} ADVERSITY 2933165.9475

{EVENT #4} ADVERSITY 2933165.9475

AN EXAMINATION OF SPIRIT

MOD NOTES:

Please direct any questions to the corresponding comment below. Note that character decisions and actions taken on these prompts will affect future events, storylines, and relationships with other peoples of Expiation.

You can find the OOC poll here. Please pick from the corresponding options with the appropriate character journal. If you use a personal journal or a journal not part of Expiation, your votes will not be counted. Remember that if your character did something different than what is in the prompts given, leave a comment in the OOC poll entry and link to your comment in the option made available.

We will provide an IC post in exactly ten days with the results of the poll that will wrap up the event. You may mingle on it if you like, but the most important purpose is to share the effects of character decisions on this event.

The various prompts are, of course, optional.

WHEN THE FOG ROLLS IN

On the night of September 10, an impenetrable fog covers the town of Aldrip. When characters wake in the morning, they find that Aldrip has disappeared, replaced by a large, enclosed maze.

Characters will wake up in one of three different levels of this maze, and they may—but don't have to—find that they are not alone. As they explore the maze, they will encounter trials and stumbling blocks both physical and mental. It seems the maze is testing them, poking at their fears, their past, their feelings. Confronting these questions about themselves and their very nature will allow them to progress through the maze in hopes of eventually finding the exit—and hopefully the town along with it.

While they do not all wake up in the same level of the maze, all characters do, in theory, have to complete all three trials in order to leave. This may not be so easy to achieve; due to the nature of these trials, if someone cannot get past one area, they may remain stuck there. Other characters are able to help them confront these issues, and may instead (or in addition) pass through that way if they choose to. Aside from the level where they wake up, characters may approach these levels in any order as they so choose.

THE GROUPS

GROUP A:
Serah Farron
Elidibus
Nakahara Chuuya
Tsunayoshi Sawada
Rei Suwa
Caitlyn Kiramman
Ragna the Bloodedge
Kotone Shiomi
Monkey D. Luffy
Yuja Wightshade (WoL)
Yosuke Hanamura
Astralin Turnont
Dazai Osamu
Ange Ushiromiya
Hythlodaeus
Ethlyn

GROUP B:
Violet (Vi)
Silco
Mizuki Date
Claude von Riegan
Noel Kreiss
Kazuki Kurusu
G'raha Tia
Jinx
Marianne von Edmund
Goro Akechi
Sooyoung Han
Saito Sejima
Nikolai Gogol
Erichtonios
Emet-Selch

GROUP C:
Yu Narukami
Pride
Sigma
Usagi Tsukino
William G Maryblood
Scott Summers
Gundam Tanaka
Quentin Quire
Akira Kurusu
Mitama Yakumo
Med'an
Ken Amada
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Izuku "Deku" Midoriya
Echo

EXPLORING THE MAZE

i. A WINDING LABYRINTH

The walls of the maze are made of stone slabs; tall, solid, and imposing. As far as one can see, there seem to be no cracks or seams in the wall. They're cool to the touch, perhaps a little dampened by the foggy weather. Some of the stones seem to glow with a dim, inner light. Most of the corridors are stable, but some are a little more risky. Walls or ceilings could collapse, leaving passages blocked and some Chosen trapped within tunnels or rooms of the maze.

Some corridors within the maze are less built up, as well, more like dug-out caverns that look somewhat like mining tunnels. In these tunnels, you can find the raw form of those glowing stones, which seem to light the darkness, allowing the Chosen to see at least a bit. They're enchanting, and some may have a hard time resisting trying to pull them out of the walls.

Occasionally, characters may find larger rooms with small tables of food, equipment, and supplies set up. These areas seem to be safety zones, untouched by the trials, where Chosen can eat, rest, treat any wounds, and replenish their energy.

ii. PERILS IN THE DARK

As the Chosen progress through the challenges of the maze—both illusions and real—the air itself may begin to feel more oppressive and heavy, making movement feel very difficult at times. As the week wears on, characters may find themselves worn out faster or feeling more sluggish than normal. More than that, they may find that their emotional lows become more intense: characters may become more easily frustrated, paranoid, scared, or impatient. In general, this seems to exacerbate the worst parts of their personalities.

On other occasions, Chosen may feel as if they are being watched. They get the feeling that something lurks in the shadows of the maze, that they are being watched or followed. They may hear something scratching or skittering across the walls. When they look…there is nothing there, nor any evidence of creatures stalking them through the halls. Characters who had bad luck in the Casino are particularly prone to this feeling; occasionally, they may feel as if someone—or something—is tugging at their hair or clothes, or breathing against their neck. Try to keep your head, Chosen. The hardest part is yet to come.

THE TRIALS

iii. A DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL [TRIAL A]

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what location or event triggers the beginning of the trial; it seems to be different for every character. Chosen will find themselves in a long corridor, laced with fog. As they progress down this corridor, they begin to see and hear hallucinations and illusions that highlight their greatest insecurities: their flaws, their weaknesses, the darkness they suspect dwells within their soul.

These illusions may come in a variety of different forms. Perhaps they experience voices or images of peers issuing criticisms that they fear are accurate, or they may face a shadowy figure that bears their appearance that embodies all of their worst qualities. The form these illusions take is up to you, the players, and whether other characters are able to see those illusions can also be decided between players. Confronting, challenging, debunking, and/or accepting these criticisms and claims is the key to exiting this level.

Once they have confronted this challenge, the illusions and hallucinations stop immediately. The fog lifts, revealing a turn in the maze they didn't notice before. They may progress in their exploration.

iv. THE SHAPE OF YOUR FEARS [TRIAL B]

Similar to the first trial, this seems to trigger with little warning or fanfare. At some point in their exploration, characters will find their way blocked by something representing their deepest fears. This can be literal—a dark hallway for those who fear the dark, as an example—but can manifest in a myriad of other ways, too. A character could see someone from their past that represents this fear, or a monster, or an object or memory of something that connects to that fear. These fears will be made tangible and visible to anyone around them, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. In order to progress, they must be able to pass by these fears, and may do so in any way the player chooses, whether it requires fighting a monster, negotiating with an authority figure, finding a light in the darkness, or anything else players and characters can imagine.

The nature of this trial can be as massive or mundane as you, the player, chooses. Whether they need to simply turn on a light to abate their fear of the dark, or whether they need to take down a massive beast to confront something bigger, the area they find themselves in seems to accommodate the size of their trial. Once they have confronted this fear, it disappears, revealing a hallway that might not have been there before, allowing them to progress.

v. IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE [TRIAL C]

As with the first two trials, this one seems to emerge from the darkness when a character is ready to face it. They enter a room lined with obsidian mirrors. When they approach these mirrors, characters are confronted with memories related to the crime they have been charged with. This can be a specific moment or a series of moments related to their crime either directly or indirectly. Characters may become lost in these memories and may need help navigating through them from other people: the longer they remain lost in these memories, reliving them again and again, the more they run the risk of losing those memories entirely, either permanently or temporarily. Only by addressing the crime, the way they feel about it, the relationship that crime has to reality and to who the character is, can characters be free of this particular trial.

Once they have surpassed this trial, characters find themselves able to step back through these obsidian mirrors back into the maze, where they can continue their journey.

Navigating all three trials elicits no special fanfare or celebration. Upon completion of the third trial, they find themselves in a foggy corridor, where they will find an exit from the maze.

OPT-OUT AND AFTERMATH

Those characters (or players) who do not wish to interact with the maze will occasionally find quiet corridors that mysteriously place them outside the maze, unable to reenter. They will find that the town is, indeed, gone, as are their living quarters—hope you don't mind roughing it for a while. However, thanks to recent efforts to bolster the town's supplies, some of the underground storehouses organized by Claude and Marianne seem to remain intact and are available as temporary emergency shelter, should your character choose not to camp out.

After one week, the maze will disappear and life in Aldrip returns to normal. As for the locals? They don't seem to notice that anything strange has happened at all. Maze? What maze? Strange weather we're having this week, eh?

WHAT ELSE YA GOT? (WILDCARD)

Just because there’s not a prompt for it doesn’t mean that your character’s actions aren’t acceptable. If you wish to do anything that hasn’t been directly addressed by the prompts, leave a message for the mod team to say what your character would do. If you choose to go down this path, note it as a comment on the OOC poll when it goes up, and leave a link to your threads so that we can take all actions into consideration for the next State of the Game.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(Tap to open)

1. Starting Trial B - You can't save them (SPOILERS)

Every end is the same.

Emet-Selch sees himself travelling back in time, a stranger in his own home, with but a single goal in mind: the aversion of calamity. The survival of his home. The continuation of their people.

The first time, he's delayed and kept from meeting anyone of importance by the infuriating slow pace his people work at. Had they really been like this? He cannot argue his way past them and all the lessons of rhetoric he once held close to his heart fly out the window. And so, because he is unable to do aught of note, the future ends in fire and desolation as before.

The second time, he draws too much attention for his outlandish dress and features. No-one believes him when he claims to be Emet-Selch, and his impatience only adds to the impression of madness. His own people intern him with all the best of intentions and he finds himself trapped there until the Final Days come once more.

The third time, he remembers to don the communal robes and white mask. He slips through Elpis, finds Hermes' bird, and unmakes her in an instant. But he has come too late for her sisters have already gathered at the end of the universe to plot their end. Without Hermes' expertise of the aetherial currents, their star perishes like all the rest.

The fourth time, he goes back further and tries to stop Hermes' creation from seeing the light of day. He strangles the early concepts. Slaughters the subsequent sisters that are made. But no matter how many he kills, Hermes simply creates a hundred more, until Emet-Selch can no longer keep up and they are set free beyond the bounds of Eitherys' atmosphere, to know despair in the stars above.

The world ends in fire again.

And again.

And again.

And again, even on the four hundred and twenty-seventh attempt. Emet-Selch is tired but undaunted. This is nothing compared to over ten thousand years of subtle manipulation of the mortal races. He will not rest until he finds the end he desires.

But right now, he can be found slumped against the wall of the maze, gathering his strength before the next vision starts. Above him, a thousand, thousand blue, long-tailed birds form a whirling cloud, whispering despair to any and all who listen.

2. Trial A - Second-best

The last thing he expects to see is his old friend. The second-last thing he expects to see is his old friend wearing the red mask of his station. The stern countenance of Emet-Selch's mask does not look so intimidating on Hythlodaeus. In fact, it looks exactly the opposite. The man's easy-going smile makes it look positively gleeful.

Combined with the Ascian robes, however, the real Emet-Selch cannot help but view it as sinister.

"Our plans are going well, Hades. Black Rose has decimated the Source. They're all fighting over what's left, of course, but give it a few centuries and we can start on the next calamity."

"Ah, is that so..." His 'friend' sidles closer, razor sharp from their smile down to the tips of their lethal-looking gloves.

"When the Rejoining is complete, all three of us will be together again: you, me, and Azem."

He closes his eyes. "If you had taken my place from the start," he whispers, "perhaps the plan would not have gone so awry."

How was he supposed to pass by THIS trial? As if he could ever lay a hand on his oldest friend.

3. Trial C - Genocide

This obstacle is far simpler. It's simply a mountain of dead bodies, piled until at least half the height of the maze's walls. An insurmountable obstacle, unless one is willing to tread upon rotting corpses to pass by. Emet-Selch stares at the nearest ones, only to realise that he dimly recognises some of the faces.

Shaking himself roughly, he levitates and begins to make for the top of the pile. Yet...no matter how long he travels, the end never seems to come within reach. Perplexed, he halts and looks back the way he came. He seems to be perpetually stuck halfway. Does this maze want him to walk on his own two feet...?

4. Wildcard

If you have another idea in mind or just want a scenario not listed above, feel free to DM me or leave a comment on the plotting post.

There are many things about this maze that are puzzling at best, unpleasant on average, and terrifying at worst. But hearing his own voice is a new one for Hythlodaeus, especially when the words are not things he's ever thought before. Though the maze does not make it easy, he tries to follow the sound...

Perhaps it's a good thing that Hades has his eyes closed; in his current state seeing yet another Hythlodaeus step into the room might prompt only more despair. Or perhaps not. Regardless, the image that greets Hythlodaeus is a bizarre one: the man who'd introduced himself as Solus, being approached by someone who... looks and sounds awfully like Hythlodaeus, but wearing the red mask of Emet-Selch and some unusual (but stylish, he has to admit) robes.

"... all three of us will be together again: you, me, and Azem."

So says the not-him, and Hythlodaeus lets his eyes flick briefly to the third man in the room. 'Solus', indeed... Oh well, he'll yet have more time to catch out his friend on his lie. Right now, he would like to interrupt whatever it is that is going on.

"Mayhap we should make it four of us?"

Hythlodaeus approaches the pair, the question asked loudly but in his usual cheery voice, and looks between the two. Despite his outwardly friendly manner, Hythlodaeus is on his guard; he's seen enough of the labyrinth to know that it doesn't have many good surprises.

"Good to see you, Solus. Would you introduce me to your friend?"

His eyes fly open and he takes an abrupt step back. Oh, gods, this is the last thing he needs.

"He's--" You. Isn't it obvious? He has been caught in the lie and yet his friend still calls him Solus. "There's nothing to introduce. I don't know them."

The Ascian version of his friend utters a small laugh, stepping forward to reach for his face. "Now, now. Don't be like that. Once the shards are rejoined, we'll have all of eternity to look forward to."

Hades' breath catches. A gentle touch brings his eyes up to meet his friend's behind their mask.

"Let me take care of everything."

Well. Add "being jealous of himself" to the list of unexpected happenings that this maze has brought about for Hythlodaeus. A part of him is amused at that, but most of his mind is filled with worry; the situation seems to take on a dangerous turn, especially given that this other Hythlodaeus does not seem to either notice him or pay him any attention.

Hythlodaeus has no idea what the not-him is talking about, or why he's wearing the mask of Emet-Selch; perhaps it's meant to be a jab at him, at his own lack of ability. But he does not like the way things are going, nor the way Solus - Hades - seems to freeze up at the touch.

He steps forward, firmly taking the Ascian version of himself by the wrist and trying to lower their hand.

"I think that's enough of that. I'll thank you not to hog him all to yourself."

The Ascian Hythlodaeus finally turns to look at his counterpart, a light smile tugging his lips. He lets them push his hand down but does not otherwise move.

"He should consider himself lucky to have you. You had the better sight from the very beginning. You were the first choice for the seat of Emet-Selch. His capacity for aether may indeed be alike to a raging torrent, but we both know who has the finer sense for subtlety, don't we?"

The Ascian fully focuses on his twin now, ignoring Hades who is now staring at the ground with gritted teeth. "If you said 'jump', he would ask, 'How high?' You could have him in a heartbeat if you wanted. He could never say no to you. Not for very long." All of a sudden, their eyes narrow on Hades. "Isn't that right, my dear? You always knew I was the better choice. If I were Emet-Selch, I would never have let the Warrior of Light and her companions disrupt your plans for the First. You simply have too much heart."

"And that is one of the things I admire in him," Hythlodaeus replies, not loudly but firmly. He can guess what is going on here, now, even if he still does not know who this Warrior of Light or what the First is. The words of his twin make him purse his lips momentarily - he knows that he'd felt some pangs of jealousy towards Hades and his proficiency with aether, long, long ago - but Hythlodaeus decides not to let that doubt win this time. A single glance in Hades's direction confirms that he is the one who is in much more torment right now; could this really be how his friend sees things?..

"Besides, it was my decision to nominate him for the position. You do not mean to doubt our own wisdom, do you?"

The Ascian's sharp gaze fall upon Hythlodaeus once more. "With your eyes, we would not have struggled so finding our scattered brethren throughout the ages." They tap a single, tapered claw against Hythlodaeus' chest. "With your cunning, the earliest empires would have flourished and fallen to plan. You undersell yourself. You always have."

Even if Hades hadn't thought himself unworthy before, such thoughts had crept in as the centuries went by. But the one thing which he had refused to yield on had been the idea Hythlodaeus should have to endure all that he has suffered in his place. Hades would not trade that for any comfort in the world.

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV | open

Trial A :)

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Trial B

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trial c

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Trail B as promised

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