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

[nuraridouman]

I just might.

[They might as well be playing shogi or chess with their carefully calculated back and forth. Not even the Gnosia-infection can override Douman's obsession of competing with Seimei(s).]

My. That's unexpectedly insidious for a man who could just say the word to one of his shikigami instead. Does that mean that you like to watch them suffering?

[But it's his turn isn't it? Douman thinks for a brief moment and then answers for the screen]

Personal, and their suffering adequate to what led up to it.

[foxphorus]

How strange, then, that I've no memory of you or anyone like you.

[ Short encounters that easily slip the mind for one party but have a tremendous impact on the other are more common that one might think. He's had plenty, he's sure, and maybe that's part of what the mask is for if he allows himself a moment of ego--to hide someone he might have otherwise recognized by sight. Considering this spirit's strange aura it might also be possible he managed to slip through Seimei's notice for some time, watching, listening, and that thought is...well. It's more than a little disquieting.

There are also spells that play with one's memory, if he were to consider the other end of the mundane-magical spectrum. But he's not about to put a pin anywhere on it until he gets a few more answers. ]

It would seem we're of similar mind on at least one point.

[ No time to dwell on what that might mean for them, 'cause the screen's got a new question.

09. WOULD YOU HURT THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU?

Narrowing his eyes, not breaking contact all the while, ] If necessary.

[nuraridouman]

I am a nurarihyon. A youkai who has no presence, and whose blessing and curse is to be able to go wherever I please without anybody paying me any mind.

[He is bluffing again, but it's also not like he is telling any lies. Douman had wondered for a long time if Suzaku had had any hidden intentions by turning him into a youkai like that, but by now he is convinced that it was just how the dice had fallen that particular day. Or maybe his being a powerful Onmyoji had interferred. In any case he had revived as a troublesome new breed of youkai rather than just another tengu.]

Of course. And likewise. I won't pull any punches if you give me a reason to.

[Another approving green flash, and then they are at the last question. Douman's fingers curl like claws against the fabric of his pants for a moment in anticipation.

10. WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU?]

I honestly don't know. Probably not.

[Who knows what he would do for Seimei -- or Haruaki, more like it. He'd risk a stupid amount of things, but Douman can't imagine himself willingly give up his life and jeopardy his dream just for one person. Not until he can be sure that Hyakki Academy and all that it stands for would flourish even without him.]

[foxphorus]

[ Ah, he finally has confirmation. He's never met a nurarihyon in person, at least not as far as he recalls, so he couldn't be sure if said lack of presence was intentional or a byproduct of the spirit just being himself. At least now he has a better idea of what it feels like to recognize later.

But man, what a doozy of a last question in a series of questions that were already awful to sit through with another person. Given Nurarihyon's answer, however, it seems he won't take offense to Seimei going the reasonable route with his own. He's not quite so altruistic as to let himself die for someone he just met and is, honestly, a little annoyed with. ]

As it stands, no.

[ Accepted, and for a moment the screen goes blank but not dark. Perhaps it's tallying the results, perhaps it's loading up the newest question, but when it finally appears it's slightly different than the others.

PLEASE SELECT THE IDENTITY OF YOUR ASSIGNED PARTNER.

A. GNOSIA B. HUMAN ]

[nuraridouman]

The new and seemingly final question get a laugh out of Douman. That's it? This is was all those previous oh-so-ominous questions lead up to?]

Haha, this is really just like in one of those killing game stories. Now let's see...

[What should he do. Since he is Gnosia himself Douman knows that the one opposite of him isn't. He could feel if he were. But that doesn't mean that the other could do the same, and wouldn't it be fun to cast the suspicion on a Seimei for a change? There is so telling how their answers will influence the outcome either. Is it a blame game where it's best when they both pick the same and seek to 'spare' the other side? Or is it about figuring out the truth? Or does it not matter at all, and the supposed 'monster' will be smithed, no matter if the one making the call is right or wrong?

Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions~ What would the real Seimei do?]

I think I'll do this.

[He leans forward and picks the HUMAN option. It's a risky move, but gambling is Douman's favorite vice.]

[foxphorus]

[ With all the casual talk of sadism and murder, it would be understandable for most anyone else to come to the conclusion that this man was either already crazed or a gnosia.

To Seimei, however, that's just the natural inclination of some spirits, especially those who've experienced violent ends themselves. Something to watch out for in the future, but not an immediate sign of infection needing to be cured. (Being a little annoying is also not sufficient grounds for accusation, satisfying as the idea of cleansing this man and having him take everything back might be.)

So there really isn't any big reason not to give Nurarihyon the benefit of the doubt. If Seimei's wrong and Nurarihyon tries something he still has the ability to cure him, so if being wrong is the only real punishment here... ]

If you'll pardon the slight inaccuracy.

[ Seimei chooses HUMAN as well, and once again the screen blanks into loading mode. The final string of text that comes across is a simple THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION and shortly after the entire thing shuts off. ]

[nuraridouman]

[Douman furls and unfurls his fist lightly as he rises to his feet.]

Nothing to apologize for.

[He'd meant to attack the other right away, but knowing Seimei he's on high alert right now. And for all his hate and aggression Douman doesn't want to run facefirst into his exorcism powers. That had already smarted the first time it'd happened.]

This whole ordeal was quite the waste of time tough. If you'll excuse me.

[and with that he'll try to powers to vanish and appear a good distance away with the plan of following Seimei until there's a better chance to strike.]