EVENT #9: ADVERSITY 6468468

[expiationmods]

EVENT #9: INFECTION

When characters wake, they’ll find a message splayed across the screens of their tablets; it reads clearly:

⚠️ GNOSIA INFECTION DETECTED

THE ERADICATION OF YOUR EXISTENCE IS IMMINENT; PLEASE TREAT THE INFECTION ACCORDINGLY. YOU HAVE 7 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PROJECTED DESTRUCTION.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ELIMINATE THE GNOSIA.

As their devices flicker to life, another message follows shortly thereafter, a single word, one of the following: GNOSIA, DOCTOR, GUARDIAN ANGEL, AC FOLLOWER, or CREW. The word fades as quickly as it appears — characters will know instinctively what they must do, whether they’d be typically predisposed to it or not. Some may know less about how their role functions than others.

The game has begun. The air has changed, as if time has slowed to a halt. Aldrip is perfectly static and still, and a sense of foreboding will soon come over the city.

DAYS 1-2

The borders surrounding Aldrip have been sealed off by an invisible barrier. It cannot be pierced or damaged in any way. This is the first sign that something has gone terribly awry. Chosen will notice it: the way the city closes in on itself, the buildings much closer knit to one another, as if trying to ensure everyone has as much proximity to each other as possible. NPCs are present, but “lagging,” so to speak, often glitching out or taking longer to “load”. A sense of uncanniness permeates within the city – as if everyone is caught in a waking dream.

CREW are hit with it first: an overwhelming instinct that allows them to tell the truth apart from lies. They won’t realize what it is initially, but when they interact with others, they will frequently be saddled with a nagging instinct that indicates how truthful a person is regardless of the context they’re speaking or acting within. This instinct does not apply to every single interaction and manifests differently for everyone. DOCTORS will feel more in tune with the body, more keenly aware of anatomical knowledge they may not usually possess. GUARDIAN ANGELS will feel an urge to protect someone – or conversely, find someone to protect. GNOSIA will begin their transformation and AC FOLLOWERS will be drawn towards GNOSIA. GNOSIA can recognize other GNOSIA, but not AC FOLLOWERS.

Much of the city still operates despite the Gnosia infection; the NPCs seem largely unaffected by it. And yet when you interact with them, they are visibly off kilter, as if programmed incorrectly. Some may even appear as people from home, only to then glitch back to their normal selves. There is still a sense of calm over the city, but the first 3 days are an opportune time to host and participate in meetings, begin witchhunts, find hiding places and either choose to travel in groups or by your lonesome. Beware of the night: that’s when the Gnosia are most likely to interfere with the space time continuum and make their kills. Anonymous channels will be opened up to cultivate discussion.

Days 3-5

The tension wraps around everyone in Aldrip. Shadows gnaw at every corner. The city is far quieter, the darkness imposing, contributing to the evergrowing sense of paranoia.

CREW will begin to experience prophecies of the immediate future. Visions of what’s to come. Whether or not they’re at liberty of disclosing this or if anyone will believe them is the real question.

GNOSIA will have a go of it: in dreams, your worst memories, regrets, fears, everything you’ve compartmentalized in the hopes of forgetting and letting go of, will play on repeat for the duration of these days. Other Gnosia and AC FOLLOWERS may even intrude on these dreams and catch a glimpse. It will bring out the most vulnerable and darkest parts of you, especially in the presence of other Gnosia. This may lead to friendly fire – or it may be a bonding experience.

The HUMAN SIDE will experience the opposite in these dreamwalking scenarios: you will dream of your loved ones from back home; the things you cherished and were forced to leave behind when you came to Aldrip. Wracked with homesickness, you may begin to wonder: how willing are you to turn on the people you’ve come to care for here? How far are you willing to go in pursuit of victory?

DOCTORS and GUARDIAN ANGELS will experience manic highs and adrenaline rushes when they successfully treat or protect people. Their energy levels will increase, but they will also become prone to reckless or stupidly happy behaviors they would not usually engage in.

On these days, an especially peculiar event will take place: Chosen will wake in the square outside of City Hall, facing each other with a screen dividing them. The screen will project a series of questions; if they answer untruthfully, it will flash red.

The questions are as follows:

01. DO YOU LIKE HURTING PEOPLE?
02. WHO HURT YOU THE MOST?
03. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?
04. HAVE YOU KILLED SOMEONE? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT?
05. WHAT WILL YOU SACRIFICE TO BE HAPPY?
06. WHAT DO YOU HATE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF?
07. WHAT DO YOU HATE MOST ABOUT OTHERS?
08. WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF MURDER?
09. WOULD YOU HURT THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU?
10. WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU?

At the end of the questionnaire, characters must vote whether or not the person they’ve been matched with are Gnosia or Human. If both characters answer the same thing, they will find themselves “tethered” to one another, either mentally or physically, and will be forced to spend the rest of the night together. If both characters answer differently, they will be free to go. Will you be cruel enough to share what you learned with the others?

DAYS 6-7

As the population of the city thins and the NPCs grow more sparse, Aldrip begins to resemble a ghost town more than it does a metropolis. Desperation is potent. Buildings are blocked off. People have retreated into themselves, makeshift clinics to treat Gnosia infection have been created, and the typical liveliness of the city has whittled down to nothing.

GNOSIA will be more volatile than ever; their instincts to kill will extend to fellow GNOSIA. It doesn’t matter who they murder – so long as they’re able to find a victim, be it amongst their own or otherwise, they will gladly take it. The aggregate consciousness of the Gnosia will be stronger than ever. GNOSIA and HUMANS alike will hear each other’s internal voices in bursts, all at once, and be privy to things they shouldn’t be.

DOCTORS and GUARDIAN ANGELS will need more help than usual. Their abilities have slowly drained their energy reserves, and they will find themselves veering into deep emotional lows alongside being saddled with a physical exhaustion they cannot fight. Alliances with CREW and former Gnosia will be pivotal in their path to victory. In these final days, CREW and AC FOLLOWERS have heightened stealth that make it significantly harder for them to be detected by Gnosia. Use this to your advantage.

Eventually– the skies of the city darken and time skids to a halt.

The week has ended. Everything stops.

Who has claimed victory? The Gnos, or the Humans?

Wildcard

Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it can’t happen. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments below! Otherwise, get to tagging!

♡

Comments

QUESTIONS / COMMENTS / CONCERNS

[expiationmods]

[cursegod]

"At the end of the questionnaire, characters must vote whether or not the person they’ve been matched with are Gnosia or Human. If both characters answer the same thing, they will find themselves “tethered” to one another, either mentally or physically, and will be forced to spend the rest of the night together"

Just to clarify, this is if both respond with HUMAN or GNOSIA? Also if the Gnosia is matched with a Human, does anything happen if they kill that person while tethered?

[hotproblems]

re: the questionnaire, will it also flash red for Bullshit Answers? like, do you like hurting people? -> my favorite color is blue!

[solitarysoul]

Is there a standard amount of time killed characters will stay dead?

[endcaller]

This question is probably stupid but re: The questionnaire-

-Can characters see each other through the screens?
-Are they answering out loud in real time or writing their answers? (which are then revealed to the other person for the voting)

[homeostatic]

heyyy would anything neat/weird/unusual show up on a tricorder scan, if Bones were to wave his over a Gnosia?

[foxphorus]

Is the questionnaire screen able to be broken, walked around, etc, or would it be impossible for the two involved to access each other physically until it's done?

EVENT CATCH-ALL

[feintofhart]

For the duration of this event, Claude is a guardian angel, a task he will be taking seriously -- and a power he will be using to the best of his abilities as he figures out what's happening and begins to plan a full-out counter-assault, hoping to trap the Gnosia until a cure is found (or, potentially, kill them).

He has kitted the Apothecary out as a temporary war room; gone are the bottles along the walls, the garlands hanging from the ceiling, the charming bits and bobs and sachets of teas and tobacco, replaced instead with arms from the weapons stashes he'd put together a year ago, with swords, spears, bow and arrows and other such medieval weapons at the disposal for those uninfected or those who are able to pass as uninfected. To a select few, he has a selection of poisons available, largely non-lethal but deeply, deeply unpleasant. On the table of the Apothecary is a large map of Aldrip, and he'll provide basic food and drink for whoever doesn't wish to venture out into the wider market.

He'll be out striking back against the Gnosia, particularly if they're already culpable in the maiming and murder of others. At the beginning of the event, he'll be hopeful that this will be over soon, but as time wears on, he'll grow more mercenary and temperamental, more eager to take harsher measures, and worn down with paranoia and exhaustion.

My plotting comment is HERE -- please hit me up for plotting, or feel free to use the resources I've outlined here to your own ends if you'd like your character to be poisoned, have access to poisons, use the Apothecary as part of their home base as well, etc.! You can hit me up on that comment, or on PLURK. :)

[baldrshand]

[It's another terrifying and deadly month here in the city of Aldrip.

Ethlyn is sitting at the counter, copying out Sha-Ming's network message to have a hard copy just in case the tablets begin to malfunction. She has confronted corruption before, seeing dear friends being twisted against their will into enacting a monstrous will. But one sentence in particular is more frightening than the rest.

Gnosia can kill you no matter how fast or strong or smart you think you are.

She remembers trying to talk Noel and Marianne out of serving the monster's will. Treating afflicted individuals from the corruption of the sea. It sounds as though there may not even be time to do that. She looks around at the armory that now festoons the walls of the Apothecary.]

I think I will be able to remove the... infection. [She's not sure how. But even if the screen of her tablet hadn't flashed the word DOCTOR at her, she would try anyway.] But it's going to be difficult if they can just bend time to strike me down at will.

[The words get heavier on her tongue as she says them. She's confronted the possibility of death and danger before now. But to realize it might be a certainty--that she might have to experience it a second time--it looms before her like a mountain of ice.]

ANGE

[feintofhart]

[ Of everything that's happened in this world thus far, Claude thinks that this may be his least favourite.

The world switching on its axis and plunging them all into an alternate reality was unsettling, but ultimately workable. The human sacrifices to that enormous sea abomination was tragic, but easily fixed. The massive creature rising out of the earth and destroying the village had resulted in more death than Claude cares to consider, but in the end, they had worked together to recoup.

This? Pitting friend against friend, manipulating minds, watching people fall around him in acts of increasingly horrific violence, playing on his natural sense of paranoia and fear? This is the worst its ever been. Even with Ange, Claude hadn't known whether or not to trust her, regarding her suspiciously until he relented and made the foolish decision to trust her simply because he wants to, and because the thought of sharp-tongued, eagle-eyed Ange taken over by some beast out for blood is more than he can bear to imagine.

So he lets her in. And when that doesn't immediately backfire, he keeps her around as much as she wants to, though he can't help the nagging fear of what may happen to her out there. Ange is clever, but she's small and slight, not particularly gifted with a bow, and while she's in possession of magic, he doesn't know how far that will go in protecting her from what's prowling out there. They decide mutually that they'd like to speak privately, away from the people who have hunkered down in the Apothecary, and he leads her upstairs to his modest apartment, one that clearly doesn't see many guests; only one chair is used, the top of the second dusty with disuse, the place cluttered with books and projects and potions, and not truly meant for anyone else's eyes.

He sighs, shoulders sagging a little now that he's not having to try to help coordinate whoever else is willing to work with him. ]

One month without this place messing with anyone's minds would be nice, [ he says sourly, reaching to flick his curtains shut so that no potential Gnosia will see them and strike. ] Have you run into any of them yet?

YURI

[feintofhart]

[ While Claude has made no secret of his intentions of stamping out the Gnosia one way or another (he's hoping for another; if they can just put them out of commission and heal them one at a time, his heart will feel lighter for it), his home base is meant to be safe, secure. And so anyone who wants entry has to get through him in a neutral area first, one where he'd let the others, chiefly Ethlyn, know where he was going and who he was meeting with first.

This is where he meets Yuri, someone who he's aware is a deeply unfortunate newcomer to this increasingly awful place, armoured and geared up, a sword at his hip and his bow a looming presence upon his back. He hasn't figured out a good way of telling Gnosia from Human, and he's not certain if he ever will. All he has to rely on are his instincts, which isn't something he's happy about -- but if they don't work together, they'll really be doomed. ]

Yuri, isn't it? Claude von Riegan, at your service. [ He's missing his signature smirk. He thinks that whoever this man is, he'll forgive him for it. ] I've got a few questions for you, if you don't mind.

s'chn t'gai spock >> mixed.

[ashaya]

[ please don't respond to this comment! this is just here to serve as a net for the mixed starters. you can find them all here! you can dm this account or contact me on the discord server for anything you might want! you can also hit me up over at askefise. ]

Jim Kirk | Star Trek AOS

[finalfrontiersman]

ooc: got some open prompts on the STEM catch-all log; for closed stuff, please feel free to hit me up via the regular routes - PM, Discord, Plurk, or Jim’s contact post.

[ open ] Jim & Spock, Gnosia Tag Team

[ open ] Jim solo run

Ragna the Bloodedge | BlazBlue

[rebellions]

1. world's gone insane ( days 3-5 )
cw: human experimentation, child abuse

[ Any person unfortunate enough to have been assigned the role of either Gnosia or AC Follower may stumble upon a dream that doesn't belong to them. The room they find themselves in is completely empty of any furnishing save for a plain bed by the wall. The only source of light is coming from the outside corridor, separated from the area by steel bars. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together ─ the place is a cell, and it's currently occupied ─ though you'd be excused for not noticing his presence at first.

In the corner of the room, a young boy is curled up with his knees pressed against his chest. He's pale and obviously malnourished, which only adds to his overall frail appearance; he can't be older than seven or eight, though his small build makes it hard to tell for certain. If one is familiar with Aldrip's local terrorist, Ragna the Bloodedge, they might notice this boy bears a striking resemblance to the man, although his hair is golden instead of white and both his eyes are colored green. He's wearing simple white shirt and pants that wouldn't be out of place at a hospital, and his gaze is fixed on the floor without making any indication he's noticed the intruder.

A small noise comes from the corridor, and a man can be seen walking past the cell, pushing a cart filled with a bunch of dolls... or at least, that's what they look like at first. Upon closer inspection, however, they turn out to be corpses of children, all similar in age and appearance to the one residing in the back of the room; their bodies are twisted into unnatural positions, lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling as they're being wheeled somewhere deep into the facility to be disposed of.

As that gruesome sight disappears at the turn of the corridor, two new figures appear in the view and approach the cell. A man and a woman, wearing white labcoats and chatting lively as they open the door and enter the room, walking past the intruder like they're not even there, directing their footsteps towards the boy in the corner. It's hard to follow their conversation, as they keep excitedly naming numbers and values of some scientific processes no one is probably familiar with. Finally, they come to the stop, and all the laughter and pleasant talk disappear completely, as they look down at the child and the atmosphere shifts to cold professionalism. The man says a string of numbers and letters that's entirely too long to memorize, before following it with a simple "It's time for testing".

The boy doesn't lift his gaze, and the only movement he makes is tensing up slightly. After a brief moment of silence, he opens his mouth, though his voice is to small and weak only the last part is audible. ]

..ing.

[ The scientists seem caught off guard by this development, as if they're perplexed by the very idea of the kid talking back to them. Somewhat encouraged by that reaction (or rather, lack of retaliation), the boy licks his lips nervously before trying again, this time louder, as he looks up at the two adults. ]

I'm not going.

[ The two exchange troubled looks, and the man lets out a sigh. Just when it seems like they might honor his decision, the man suddenly grabs him by the arm and pulls him up by force, causing the boy to gasp in both surprise and pain. He tries to wiggle his arm out of the adult's grip, but to no avail. As he struggles, the woman pulls a small syringe from her pocket, preparing ]

Let me go! I said I'm not going! I don't wanna...!

2. beast within me ( days 6-7 )
cw: dissociation, blood, violence, murder, cannibalism, etc.

[ These final days of the "game" feel like he's stuck in a dream; everywhere he looks, he sees nothing but darkness that seems to have swallowed the city whole. It's like his brain is covered in dense fog, and thinking takes a great amount of effort. Something deep inside him, the same voice that's been nagging him and encouraging him to do his part as a Gnosia throughout the week has changed, now telling him it's okay not to think too hard about anything. It's tempting to listen to its advice, since he's already tired as it is... so maybe it's fine to just let it go. See how things play out. What's the harm?

...

Once the sun begins to set, Ragna begins to stalk the streets of Aldrip in search of prey. A local or a Chosen, a Gnosia or a human, a friend or a foe, none of it particularly matters to him. There's no rhyme or reason to where he goes or who he attacks; no logic to be found in the bloody trail he leaves behind him. All there is this all-consuming hunger, an animalistic need to sink his teeth into a living being, feel it squirm and struggle as life fades from its eyes.

But even with the thrill of warm blood being splattered across his face, even with pieces of entrails sticking to his fingers, it's not enough. It's never enough.

Maybe you're trying to protect others from becoming victims. Maybe you're trying to figure out how to cure others. Or maybe you're here to find some prey yourself. Regardless of the reason, you find yourself at the wrong place, at the wrong time. A scream pierces through the darkening sky, and at the source of it is one of the locals working at the inn, who found himself cornered by a predator on the prowl, his right arm replaced by black-and-red claws and a dark shadow covering the right side of his face. Ragna grabs the man's arm with his claws and rips it off effortlessly, tossing it aside with a wide grin as the other shrieks in pain. It ends just as quickly as it began when Ragna leans forward and then jerks his head to the side, tearing the man's throat out with his teeth. The lifeless body tumbles to the ground as the man watches it with a spine-chilling smile on his face.

But it's not enough. The locals are completely tasteless, so how could he hope to satiate his hunger with one of those? Aaah, there needs to be something, someone that can quench this thirst, even if just for a moment─

That's when his gaze finally lands on the witness to his previous meal. He stares at the newcomer briefly with a blank expression, before the corners of his mouth curl up in a smirk.

A fresh prey has arrived. ]

wildcard
[ If you're interested in anything else, feel free to hit me up at psychelocks or game discord and we can hash things out! I'm open to anything, let's get murdering :3 ]

closed | CHAIN

[rebellions]

[ This might actually be one of the weirdest things that's happened to him in this world, and he's been here for a year, so you'd think he's already used to this kind of shit. But finding himself in front of the City Hall building, staring at some odd screen with another person standing across him, is... new, to say the least. And not necessarily in a good way. ]

What the...?!

[ Ragna glances around in an attempt to get his bearings, but whatever little information he can glean from it only makes him want to blow up the City Hall again. As if the whole roles shit and everything that comes with it wasn't messed up enough, now it's some kind of quiz show they're being forced into? What kind of sick joke is this supposed to be? ]

Hey, Featherweight Lady. Any clue what the hell's going on?

Tifa Lockhart | Final Fantasy VII: Remake | Guardian Angel

[truestrike]

a; Days 1-2

[Tifa is drawn out into the streets despite herself. She has no clue what is going on, or the level of danger the city is facing, but something compels her out of finding safety for herself. There are others that need it. Others that need her. She can feel it. What isn't completely apparent to her yet is what she needs to be saving anyone from. Or who.

Everything appears normal enough until she begins to notice the locals behaving a bit...odd. Freezing in place suddenly. Repeating a movement over and over like they're trapped in some kind of loop. It unnerves her enough that she tries to keep her distance and avoids interacting with them. There's nothing she can do to help them.

And then, finally, a loud scream pierces the air, sending a jolt throughout her body. She moves on instinct alone, running towards the sound. Finally, she's found what she's been looking for. What her purpose is. Rounding the corner into an alley, she catches a glance of a figure standing over another but she doesn't stop moving long enough to get a good look at either one of them. One second she's running, and then she's attempting to land a spinning kick at the standing figure. This is what she's here to do.]

((ooc: you can be the person she's attacking or the person she's saving. everyone can get in on this.))

b; Days 3-5

[Unlike some others who might be annoyed to be having their sleep disturbed by this random truth telling experiment, Tifa is running on high spirits, her adrenaline still pumping from the last rescue she accomplished. It helps that she hasn't exactly been sleeping much these past couple of days aside from an hour or two here or there. She can hardly rest when there are so many people still needing saving.

Whether a familiar face or a complete stranger, she flashes a smile at the person standing on the opposite side of the screen. She has no desire to linger here too long and wants to help push this along. Even if the questions are a tad...uncomfortable. And she had thought the okcindr questions had been bad.]

I can start us off if that would be easier.

c; Days 6-7

[After days of running on boundless energy and emotional highs, she's unprepared for it to dry up so quickly all of a sudden. There's a bone deep weariness in her body, making her slow and sluggish. But there's not enough time to catch up on the sleep she's been depriving her body. Nothing is finished yet. There's still people who need her help.

Besides, it's not as if she needs to be running around the city to find the Gnosia. Why do that when playing the part of the helpless and alone victim will lure them right in? She purposefully wanderings into isolated areas, slowing her steps and hunching over as if she's too weary to keep going, or has been wounded. And then she waits for someone to take the bait.]

d; Wildcard

[ooc: I'm wide open for the event so if there is anything specific you would like Tifa for just let me know. Feel free to PM me or hit me up at NearTheHeart]

b

[coordinatroll]

[ Once she finds herself standing in front of a screen filled with very personal questions and an unfamiliar woman (who, much to her dismay, she can tell is certainly not one of the Gnosia), Mitama has to wonder what the purpose of this development is. On one hand, the nature of the inquiries suggest this is meant to be an exercise meant to give humans a chance to discover the identity of their adversaries... on the other, it has forcefully dragged people out of their hiding, giving the Gnosia a chance to strike. A fair arrangement, with pros and cons for both sides.

Setting that aside, the girl smiles brightly at her companion, clapping her hands together. ]

It looks like the intention is to have us stay here until we answer those, so it's probably for the best we get through them as fast as possible! It's not safe out here, after all~

[ Not that she particularly cares about her safety, but keeping up the appearances is a part of the game. She eyes the first question, wondering if lying is allowed... but for this one, there's no need for her to even try. ]

That's a no!

[ On her side, the question disappears as the questionnaire proceeds to the next one. So far, smooth sailing. ]

Fandaniel | DOCTOR; OTA (cw: suicidal ideation)

[endcaller]

DAY 1: THE INN

[Fandaniel is sitting on his bed and tinkering with a welcome robot in his lap when the tablet beside him lights up.

At first, he ignores it, but then something compels him to pick it up and read the message flashing across the screen.

⚠️ GNOSIA INFECTION DETECTED

THE ERADICATION OF YOUR EXISTENCE IS IMMINENT; PLEASE TREAT THE INFECTION ACCORDINGLY. YOU HAVE 7 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PROJECTED DESTRUCTION.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ELIMINATE THE GNOSIA.]

Gnosia?

[He puts the tablet down and returns his attention to the robot.]

Sounds bad, hm?

[A rush of excitement lances through him. If the eradication of his very existence is imminent, let the Gnosia come. He hopes they make the end brutal. He hopes it hurts.

The screen of the tablet lights up a second time, interrupting the Ascian's thoughts. A single word flashes before him:

DOCTOR.

Fandaniel clasps his hands in his lap, gazing intently at the word as it fades. Doctor...

Yes, he is a doctor. Thousands of years ago he'd been a healer to his people. Is he not still a healer now? The infected need his help.

The thought is intrusive and jarring. Help? Him? He wants the Gnosia, whatever they are, to win.

Quickly, he climbs to his feet, bundles the robot and his tablet under his arm, and bustles out into the corridor.

He calls out to the first person he sees.]

Did you receive a mysterious message just now?

DAY 3-5: ABROAD

[Fandaniel can be found wandering the streets, dancing along sidewalks with a Welcome Robot weaving between his footsteps.

The mania that normally strikes Doctors may or may not be affecting him. He is usually like this.

Beneath his theatrical antics, his silver eyes are watchful, waiting for any sign of someone who might be infected. His initial support of the Gnosia has faded, replaced by an instinct he can't explain. He can help the infected, he knows he can. Though his treatment might be visceral and unpleasant.]


DAY 6-7: ABROAD

[By the end, Fandaniel feels weary, as if his very essence has spilled from him. He might believe he was dying if he had never experienced physical death before. This isn't it. This isn't death.

He's just tired.

These days he keeps to rooftops, slinking along as he looks for any infected while trying not to make himself too appealing of a target.]

WILDCARD

[Want to do something different or plan something more specific? Hit me up on the plotting post here or on the game discord at "denofwolves".

I can post more specific starters as comments below.]

Day 1

[ashesofkatarr]

[Visas lowers her tablet. Doctor. Technically, yes, she understands the basic technique of using the Force to heal superficial injuries and stabilize serious ones before they are fatal. But that has not been her primary duty, neither as a slave to Nihilus nor a follower of the Jedi Exile.

She looks over the man. His mode of dress is... somewhat familiar, at least. Robes and hoods have been familiar to her for a while, even if he doesn't seem like a Force user.]

I did. [She hesitates. If he is a Gnosia, she doesn't want to admit to being his enemy.] Were you given a word?

gwen stacy | itsv

[arachnerina]

[closed prompts below! Gwen is a doctor. if anyone wants to thread with her, feel free to hit me up at crystallium to plot something out!]

closed to peter & bones

[arachnerina]

[Okay, so Jim and Spock escaping and destroying half of their house? Colossal failure on their part. And honestly, maybe not too surprising, given they weren't actually sure if their webbing would even hold Spock. And, of course, it also didn't help that she had no idea how to activate her supposed healing powers to fix them.

But! It wasn't over yet! They could still save this!

They just had to find them. And catch them. And...actually cure them. Easy. Totally.

There were plenty of places they could start looking, but Gwen thought maybe hitting up their house might be a good place to start. If nothing else, maybe they left some other clues in that short time before they all met up? It was worth a shot, anyway.

It would be so easy to just slip in through the window-- it's habit, at this point, as they do it all the time in their own home, but Gwen knows they have a new roommate-- another one of their crew from their world. So, as to not spook him, she's polite and knocks on the front door like a normal person. Only, she's still fully suited up. Better to play it safe, just in case they do actually run into Spock.

So, surprise to McCoy! There are two teenagers in spider-themed costumes at your door.]

Silco | Arcane

[conflictresolution]

Day 1-2 – Business as Usual

[He had seen the warnings and felt the internal shift that allowed him to read people around him better as he interacted with them or watched them converse. People lied in his city sometimes as easily as they breathed, but the new instinct was useful for those that slipped beyond his usual suspicious nature when it came to the truth. Truth was in the eye of beholder.

So, he kept business as usual for the first two days. He moved through each of his businesses, discussing scheduling and items until the glitching became too bad. It was best to present a working organization, so he shifted staff over to the more profitable ventures by day two and temporarily closed the others.

Still, patrons were served, and Silco could be observed more in the open than usual to detect if there would be trouble coming to his establishments. He moved between tables or down aisles or was viewable behind counters with paper in hand and his head cocked towards conversation to eavesdrop – not even being subtle about it.]

Day 3-5 & 6-7

[Silco had retreated to the Flower Shop by the time things began to shift into full swing. While it wasn’t the most secure buildings, it had a rooftop balcony where the plants grew thick and the scent of them obfuscated his presence for the most part. He had supplies inside and by that point, people were disappearing at a rate where there was no point in staying opening.

His businesses were locked down and secured. He could be observed on the rooftop watching the goings on in the streets, able and willing to slip away down into the safety of the building itself. He had no intention of meeting another untimely end, and he had lost touch with Jinx so expected her to be well into the thick of this mess. She was fully capable of defending herself.

He would, of course, speak to people if spoken to while he leaned on the banister that was covered in climbing white roses, purple wisteria, red geraniums, and various species and colours of clematis plants. He looked rather out of place in his usual suit and tie, usually smoking a cigar or reading a book between his observations.]

Closed: Ekko

[conflictresolution]

[As the week began to heat up, the native populous dwindled and images like vivid dreams came to him, Silco had settled for a long-haul on the rooftop of the Flower Shop. Like most parts of the city and especially for anyone that knew him, this would be the least likely place to find him. His usual behaviour was to retreat to the caves or underground; images behind his mutilated eye kept him right where he was.

He just so happened to be leaning on the banister that was covered in flowering plants that filled the air with scent that took the edge off the dread that plagued this place. He rested his forearms on the top of the wood and was in the process of lighting a cigar when he spotted a familiar insect amid his little garden.

He breathed smoke from his nostrils. He knew he'd have to see this little gnat eventually, and there was nothing in the air around the boy to indicate over and above danger aside from the usual threat.]

So, you're back. I do hope you'll be useful this time.

[His tone was casual, and he was observing his cigar over the little intruder.]

Aether | Genshin Impact

[startraveler]

☆ The beginning

[It's starts off with the strange message. The "doctor". That's the role that was assigned to him. Aether walks around the streets, scanning the area, taking in the changes and searching for something... or maybe someone. He'll be approaching people he's met before, checking in on them. He seems to be taking in the situation quite calmly and that's yet another proof that he's used to ending up in weird predicaments.

It's best not to act recklessly anyway. And being a "doctor" he has a way of saving someone, right?

As he walks around, one of the NPCs glitches into a form that is awfully familiar to him. A girl with blonde hair and amber eyes, same as his own. Aether stares for a moment, blinking and clearly affected by the image, even when the NPC's form returns to normal.]

Was it... just me?

☆ The questionnaire

[It's getting increasingly harder to stay calm, but Aether is trying. He's grown wary in the past few days, but that doesn't change his resolve to help. The sudden request for them to take part in some questionnaire is really suspicious. Just why at a time like this?

When Aether finally sees the questions he can't help but make a face. There doesn't seem to be a way out of this, though. He peers at the person across from him and his expression shifts into something more supportive. He's not alone in here and they all need to have each other's back, especially at times like this.]

Do you want me to start?

[It's just a couple of questions. Surely, it'll be fine...]

☆ Wildcard

[Aether is going to be generally trying to save people, doing some investigating, making sneaking around during the night. Feel free to make up your own scenario or contact me at spiritualwhisper and let's plot!]

questionnaire

[aeolianmode]

[ Of course. Of course Sunday would find himself stuck with the very person he'd been trying to avoid this entire time. Aether offers him a supportive look, one that Sunday does not return. Expressions of reassurance mean nothing, given the treachery that's arisen among the Chosen throughout the past week.

He shakes his head. ]

No. I do not mind sharing my answer first.

[ After all, this question's easy to answer. ]

...I do not enjoy hurting people. I presume your answer may be similar to mine.

[ Aether might have a strong sense of resolve, but Sunday can sense that the lad probably has a gentle soul. ]

Ruca Milda | Tales of Innocence

[demonicbookworm]

◆ Day 1

[There's a young man probably rushing towards you, expression very much alarmed.]

H-Hello, I apologize, but how are you feeling? Is everything okay?

[Not long has passed since the massage was received by everyone. Ruca seems to be running around, asking various people about their well-being. He is a doctor, it's his duty to find the "patients" that would need his help, isn't it? Especially taking actions right away seems like the right choice.

Ruca is especially concerned about the people who's helped him so far (he doesn't dare to call them friends, he doesn't know if they would be okay with that!) as well as members of the Arztenritter. He's only recelty started helping out the latter and there's already such a crisis going on!

Is this... normal here? He's still so new.]

◆ Day 3-5

[All of this feels so surreal.

The idea that he could potentially face people who previously showed him kindness makes him conflicted. At the same time, he knows that he has the ability to save people now. That it's not all lost. The sense of paranoia is suffocating, especially when he has all those flashbacks to how badly distrust ended for him and for everyone in the past life.

He wishes he could clear his head and just focus.

But maybe eventually the sense of duty wins, because if you didn't encounter him sulking, then you may also see Ruca in a quite opposite mood. When he manages to heal someone, he can be seen outside even after the dark. He seems to be strangely confident and completely blind to any danger, just venturing onwards in search of more opportunities to be useful.

It may be best for someone to stop him...]

◆ Wildcard

[Choose your own scenario or contact me at spiritualwhisper and let's plot!]

For Yuri

[demonicbookworm]

[Ruca doesn't understand the reasoning behind this event, but maybe he doesn't need to understand. A part of him wants to believe that it's something that is supposed to help. Sadly, when he sees the questionnaire and reads every single inquiry carefully all his hopes melt away like ice thrown into fire.

Is this really something they have to answer? These seem... cruel. Like it's just a part of a sick experiment.

Nervously, Ruca looks at the person paired with him and his eyes widen when he realizes it's Yuri. On one hand, it's comforting to see the man. Ruca knows he can depend on him. Yuri has been nothing but kind and supportive (with a bit of teasing).

At the same time... The answers to some of those questions will be awful and Ruca is afraid he will somehow disappoint Yuri. But maybe it was unavoidable.]

Mr. Yuri... [He pauses, then makes up his mind.] Let's get this over with.

[No matter what happens... he wants to trust Yuri.]

yosuke hanamura | p4

[garbagecanned]

Day 1-2.

[Yosuke has no fucking clue what a Gnosia is. but he'd seen it on his tablet, seen the network text of the person cautioning them against them. he was one. what did that mean??

it meant there was an instinct to kill something that was starting to get louder into his mind. it was the thought of looking at Yu's dead body, that made him leave their house, going to work or something. being anywhere but home except for a few hours.

do you see him working? not that there's a whole lot of people today, and you might see him scrolling on his tablet with shaky fingers. do you see him walking around? he'll be extra jumpy. or you might see him getting something to eat -- if he bumps into your character, he's just as liable to drop his food and try to get out of the confrontation.

subtlety was never his strong point.]

Day 3.

[he's out and about again. the feeling of dread is getting worse, of wanting to kill. he knows that he can't, and he won't. he just won't.

but on top of those feelings, he's getting new ones. of remembering when he was jealous of Yu, jealous of him being popular, of being the leader... just everything about him. an AC follower or another gnosia might see a vague scene of Yosuke punching Yu. about it feeling good. but this scene isn't the canon one -- it's more violent, as if he's fighting Yu to be on top. instead of being equals, like he'd wanted in the first place.

he ends up standing over a bruised Yu, grinning and mouthing the words I won, though you can't hear it. but he looks like he's yelling it, shouting his victory to no one in particular.

OR

the scene that others might witness is a small group of boys hanging around him.

"Thank god we got rid of that loser."

they're talking to him like he's not there, but he certainly is. but he's unable to move, but instead just watches as the boys turn their backs to him and keep gossiping.

"Yeah, the only thing he was good for was his money. He tried too hard, man."
"Did you see that he kept texting us? Pathetic."
"He's a nobody, so Inaba will be right at home for him."

he throws something that's in his hand finally, to try to bring him back to this reality. it might be a bottle, his tablet... something. the crashing of it seems to bring him back to his senses almost, but he still seems... dazed.

is he good?]

Anytime after Day 3.

[when Mikey cured Yosuke, the first thing he'd felt was relief. that instinct to hurt, kill and destroy no longer existed. but a new feeling had overcome him in the days afterwards, even though the two had tried to talk to him about it.

shame.

he'd almost tried to kill Mikey. when he was unsuccessful, he'd gone after Yu. killing Mikey would've been one thing. Yu would've been extremely upset, maybe even furious with him. but killing Yu would've been unforgivable.

Mikey had pointed out that he'd felt the same. and now that that situation was turned around on himself, he felt like the biggest asshole in the world. so he still might be keeping his distance when he can while he licks his emotional wounds and tries to get over it. he'll still go about his regular routine until it gets really bad in the 6th and 7th days, but now he seems... out of it. distracted. he's more liable to bump into your character as if he didn't see them to begin with.

finally, he posts something to the network. it's anonymous, though.]

changing our memories were one thing. making us want to kill each other...

it's unforgivable.

if i had done it, i wouldn't be able to live with myself. probably even if it was that person from home.

[he has to talk to someone about it, even if it's the void. he's got to get it out somehow.]

after day 3!

[entreats]

[ Ange doesn't go out too much anymore. She knows better, given the rising tensions with what's going on in the city. Yet she can't fully sit still either - feeling like maybe there's some way to put a stop to this situation if she could just find it. Maybe it's alright as long as she avoids places with people. Less chance of a Gnosia getting to her then, right?

(Usually she wouldn't care so much, but-- every single time she puts herself into the slightest danger she can see Claude's disappointed face flashing in her mind, and she kind of hates it. At least being somewhat careful it is.)

So when Ange spots Yosuke, she knows she should just ignore him. He could easily be one of those things.

But--

He seems strange. Not Gnosia strange. Just.. strange in general. He isn't even looking her way, likely hasn't even noticed her yet. He's wandering the streets like he's some sort of zombie, and despite the fact that Yosuke is not exactly her best friend or anything, it still worries the girl.

At least enough to speak up. ]

Hanamura-san?

abe no seimei | onmyoji

[foxphorus]

[ an anchor for closed starters and such, pardon me. ]

douman

[foxphorus]

[ Aldrip does a great many things to its citizens that could be considered rude. Bringing people here at all to be citizens is among them, but usually not the first thing people think of when listing their grievances. For Seimei, though he would insist he's above such things as petty grudges, he'll never forget the feeling of fear and humiliation at being whisked away in his sleep, left to just wake up in the middle of an unfamiliar town with nothing but his wits and his bed clothes.

He might reconsider the whole grudge thing now, just a little, because surprise surprise it's happened again.

The only change, whether it's a good one or not has yet to be decided, is the context clues. A translucent screen and someone looking just as displaced as him on the other side of it. Someone who, come to think of it, looks familiar. ]

...You.

[ Softly first, to test if he can even be heard from the other side of this thing. ]

You're the spirit from before.

Cloud Strife // Final Fantasy VII:R

[identitycrisiscore]

[ CW: both the Night and Day 5+ Prompts will be dealing heavily with unreality. What happens in the dream, or how Cloud behaves, will likely not be representative of what's actually happening. The Night prompt also has a heavy amount of gruesome death and explicit human experimentation in it. ]

---

[ DAYS 3-5; QUESTIONAIRE ]

[ Of course, Cloud couldn't have a good night's sleep. He already had been trying to fight these... thoughts. These urges. Cloud was no dummy — as long as these urges remained within him, he was clearly a threat. By now, the shadow of 'Gnosia' had clearly overtaken the dwindling city. He needed to keep himself together. Except the Questionaire was clearly attempting to make people rightfully doubt one another. Suspect the person on the other side of the screen. He had to keep himself together.

It's fine, this was something that was easy to be truthful with, depending on the person. Maybe it was someone who wouldn't remember what he said. That'd be ideal. Let him go back to sleep, let him try and taper down this urge, the voice in his head that sounds so agonizingly familiar— ]

...Let's get this over with. [ He barely looks up at the person he's matched with. He had to keep himself together. ]

---

[ NIGHT; A DREAM DISJOINTED ]

[ The smell of smoke is palpable to any AC Followers or Gnosia who wake up in this dream.

Making their way out of a decrepit old manor, any who intrude in this dreamscape will find themselves on a mountainside — a town below them, and an ominous light beckoning towards the mountain's peak. Travel doesn't work correctly, here, you don't so much travel down or up the mountain as you do instantly move between the manor, the burning town, and the reactor at the mountain's peak.

In the town, if you ignore the smell of burning wood, of burning flesh, of the iron scent of freshly spilled blood, you might be able to take in what once was a quaint, lovely little mountain town. Small — almost like the Aldrip of Before. Indeed, sometimes some buildings are those of Old Aldrip. From a simpler time. A time that never existed, but exists nonetheless. The primary hint that this isn't Aldrip is a sign that reads 'NIBELHEIM', illuminated by flickering flames in the darkness. Corpses are strewn about. Burning timber and wreckage lies the worn pathways. The smell of death is all around you, here. And everywhere you see him, in various states of slaughter: A towering, silver-haired man, with green catlike eyes, a long, thin blade painted with blood.

But there is a strange... otherworldly sense to the dream, here. Like you're looking at a half-finished diorama, and the details change when you turn your back on them — was the man who was trying to chase the silver-haired man blonde, or did he have black hair? What about the choked 'Mother' that comes from a burning building near the town square? Did it come from the black (blonde?) haired man? Or did it come from the helmeted military grunt passed out at the doorstep?

This wrongness to the dream doesn't stop if you move towards the mountaintop. Here, a dilapidated reactor leaking a sickly greenish smog seems to loom ominously in darkness. The lights flicker inside, in the depths of the reactor, and you seem to move to a room just outside of the reactor's 'core'. Here, several images seem to overlay themselves. Strange pods full of that green miasma seem to his, destroyed, as humanoid-seeming test subjects litter the room. Sometimes, they look like the black-haired man. Sometimes, they look like a blonde-haired man. Near the staircase is a young woman, long, flowing black hair. Is she alive? Dead? Even if her image weren't terribly inconsistent, it'd be impossible to tell.

But one step forward from that room, to the reactor's core, is a still scene - the silver-haired man reaches for a tube, in which something humanoid and yet distinctly alien seems to exist. A plate on her head reads one simple word: 'JENOVA'.

There, the blonde-haired man— Cloud — is most distinct, brandishing his sword in a still image, as he points it at the silver-haired man. Yet his voice rings out.

"You killed my Mom... you killed Tifa! My village! My home!"
"I believed in you... no, not you— whoever the hell you are!"

All these scenes move, but are unchanging, a hint of animation as they seem to replay, over and over again. And as you move, you might glance a look at him— the owner of this dreamscape, walking through the memories, again and again, his face blank as carved stone. You can call out to him, if you want. He doesn't notice you're there.

Cloud didn't need Gnosia's help to see this nightmare again and again. ]

---

[ DAY 5+; THE FATE OF ALL SOLDIERS ]

[ The world was breaking.

Somehow, this pleased Cloud, deep in his heart of hearts. Or so he thought. Or so he thought he thought. Was he thinking at all, anymore, truly? Just a beast running on instinct.

His body never felt more alive. His body never felt more dead. Waking, sleeping, it all blurred together. Much like the memory of this town. The memory of Nibelheim. Of old Aldrip. Why care? None of it was real, and all of it was finally breaking.

Good. The sooner he got out, the sooner he could... what was it he needed to do, again? That's right. The word formed unbidden at the front of his mind. A singular word, but two voices clash as anyone sensitive enough to the voices of Gnosia hear it if they get too close.

"Sephiroth."

Some part of him, smaller than ever, wondered is if this is what it felt like to truly die. Nothing but the broken world around you, a sea of souls each ready for their own homecoming... and yet his body moved sluggishly. It moved quickly, in fits and spurts. He slammed a hand against a wall and looked at his face in the mirror, observing his eyes—

Green, with slitted pupils, like a cat's.

Somehow this shocked him. Somehow this didn't shock him. The arm that caught his stumbling frame dropped limply to his side. He slid against the wall. He felt so full of energy. He felt so tired. What was real? Did it matter?

No. None of this mattered. Only Sephiroth mattered. Only getting free of this trap. This hellish fake-reality. That is what mattered. And if blood would spill to do it... well. It was merely a homecoming after all.

But these are the thoughts of a Cloud who looks like death, who stares at the sky blankly as if he's a puppet with strings cut. Only inside his mind are these thoughts, for the moment. But perhaps... it would be easy to mistake him for something he isn't, right now. ]

---

[ WILDCARD ]

[ If you want a custom closed starter, feel free to hit me up on Discord or over at svensational! ]

AERITH & TIFA

[identitycrisiscore]

[ His vision blurred. He had stayed strong, mostly, though the week. Bloodlust was something any good SOLDIER had to learn to temper in the heat of battle. He had fought monsters before. He just hadn't banked on becoming one.

The voice had become more overpowering as the days wore on. Here, as the clock ran down, as Cloud ran on less and less sleep, as he more and more could not tell where he was— the old Aldrip? The new Aldrip? Nibelheim? Midgar? — it was overpowering. The urge to draw his sword and kill.

But not just any death would do. Something in his body yearned for a particular death. One he had put out of his mind all week. Intentionally got himself separated from the others all week. But that was a Cloud thinking with much more reason than instinct.

He shambled forward. He couldn't find her. No, she was good at hiding, when she needed to... but he didn't have to find her, did he? He could find someone else. Someone who he knew would have not strayed far from her.

Aerith could hide, if she wanted, but Tifa? Tifa was a relentless protector, and he could feel her presence better than he could feel Aerith's.

He stumbled forward, eventually finding his posture. It was so difficult to exert even this much control. To not shamble forward, at the beckoning of the man who seemed at the corners of his blurred, sleep-deprived vision.

He would be able to find Tifa. And when he found Tifa, he'd find Aerith.

And then... and then, this terrible false world would break, and he'd be able to go home. ]

vash | trigun stampede

[skelters]

[ top level for starters, etcetera.

vash is a gnosia so it will be Fun Times. his plotting comment is here, , but basically will be stalking around the city for any rogue gnosia up to no good and trying to stop them from killing or injuring others as much as possible! of course, the impulse is hard to control on his own ...

feel free to hmu to discuss for closed starters! ]

yuri lowell | tales of vesperia | guardian angel

[starringsecond]

[closed starters because i do not have the brains to write ota ones. sorry. but you can still poke me via dm or at soukokus if you want one!]

hi richard.

[starringsecond]

[The past few days have not been kind to anybody, and Yuri is of no exception. He’s done his best, avoiding contact with anyone he doesn’t trust and taking care of himself, but it’s not like he could hide in the shadows forever. He’s tried to save as many as he could, too — but to be honest, this has all been wearing down on him. Sure, he gets to protect someone at least once a day. But that doesn’t guarantee their safety if they end up getting targeted next time. He just wants this all to end, and he hates that this isn’t a problem he could solve with his fists.

What would Flynn do, he wonders? Maybe he would have figured out the source of all this madness by now.

He’s been catching his breath at the park: what once was a bustling hang out spot is now a deserted place, with nothing but plants to keep him company. It’s not the first place anybody would think of as a hiding spot, but it’s an open area with not a lot of places to hide. And Yuri can hold himself well in a fight — it’s one of the reasons why he’s been able to survive this long.

Yet even in such a place he is not completely safe, and someone’s presence is enough for his shoulders to tense. To an outsider it might seem like he’s still lounging casually on the bench, but his hand a firm grip on his sword, if the worse comes to pass.

Here’s the other reason why Yuri has done a great job surviving so far: that saying about how you can sense bloodlust from people? It’s all true. It’s easier when someone is so familiar with it. Takes one to know one, after all. And right now? He could tell that Richard has definitely murdered someone recently.

Oh, and the strong smell of blood was a dead giveaway.

Yuri cranes his neck backwards to get a better look. The bloodstains weren’t so surprising to see.]

I haven’t seen Whitey around, if that’s what you’re gonna ask.