EVENT #10: ADVERSITY 874566

[expiationmods]

SEPTEMBER EVENT: HIDE AND SEEK

Persistent glitches continue to pose problems; they continue lasting longer and becoming more directly harmful to the Chosen and locals alike. The AI previously hinted at a solution; now, it asks outright for help. Its wish to save the Chosen means that it is adamant about sacrificing the things it has learned to ensure their safety.

On the morning of September 23, several new locations open up, as outlined by the AI itself in its instructions for reset. Some of them are quite far, and require travel through difficult terrain. However, when these locations open up, some of them seem to open some strange travel options, too…

PORTAL LOCATIONS

ALDRIP
This is why we can’t have nice things. City Square Park is in the center of town. It’s a large, old park, with tall trees and well-worn walking paths. It’s been here for ages; generations, even. All of the locals call it a staple of Aldrip; the city just wouldn’t be the same without it. Not a single one of them knows what City Hall is. This park has been here for as long as they remember.

Come to think of it…do you remember a place called City Hall? Or has this park always been here? Some of you may have even arrived in this park. Jerry? That’s a weird name…you’re no longer sure you’ve ever heard of anyone with that name. What do you mean by “sentencing” anyway? It’s not like this is a prison…

In case any of this is unclear: while locals forgot about City Hall almost immediately, Chosen are also forgetting it as well. It just seems natural that the park has always been there. You’ve been going there ever since you arrived in Aldrip. Jerry who??

You notice, perhaps for the first time, an old building made of dark stone, nestled into a tree-lined part of the park. A mausoleum. Has that always been here? You’re not entirely sure…but mausoleums aren’t exactly common structures in a park, are they? Locals seem to steer clear of this particular area; if asked about it, they won’t be able to give a solid answer. It’s almost as if they can’t see the structure…

The inside of the building seems a lot larger than the outside. Characters who enter will see a large room made of dark, polished stone; it’s dim inside, but still light enough to see. In the middle of the room, they will find two things: a stone coffin and an obsidian mirror. There is a body on the slab of the stone coffin, but their features are impossible to make out; when looking at the face, it’s as if it seems to blur, making the features indistinct. Sometimes, the flesh from this body flickers away, leaving only the bones. Sometimes, even the bones disappear. How strange…

The mirror is completely dark, but when you look at it the right way, the surface seems to emit a faint glow. Looking directly into the surface, you may think you see a different location altogether: the sandy dunes of a desert, or an abandoned island perhaps…

One could choose to ignore this mirror, of course. But if one touches the mirror, they’ll find their fingers sinking into it, and a tug pulls their entire body forward until the world blurs around them…

THE OASIS
Those who choose to travel south face an array of dangers that have not been seen previously by the Chosen–though locals living in these more southern regions will be happy to tell all about them. There are sandstorms, of course; they appear out of nowhere and blind travelers, turning them around. There are also sinkholes–areas of quicksand that appear and suck people down into their depths, never to be seen again. Sounds scary.

Brave travelers who set forth in spite of these warnings will find themselves at an oasis near the more temperate areas of the desert. It’s getting hot out there, so those choosing to visit the southern locations may wish to take a rest, to gather their strength and restock supplies… Local stories about these dangerous travels will become more severe in this area; do not go into the desert, they will tell you. You’ll never make it out alive. It seems this area is called the Witless Desert, for those who travel into the dunes are never seen again, presumed to be wandering lost and aimless until their bodies can go no further.

In the center of this oasis is a small pond. The water tastes clear and sweet, perfect for rehydrating before attempting this treacherous journey. However, when the water is perfectly still, it almost seems to reflect a different place, rather than the sky. An island, perhaps, or a crumbling tower. Whatever you see, if you step into the water, you’ll find yourself falling, falling…

LORENTIA CAVE
Lorentia Cave has been one of the more widely-known areas outside of town. Sometimes wind whistles through parts of the cave, creating sounds that seem agonized, longing. Sometimes a rumbling comes from deep within, feeding rumors that a dragon lives there. Sometimes miners travel too deep, and they’re never heard from again.

Great place for an adventure, right?

The tunnels twist and turn, doubling back on each other, intersecting and ending abruptly. The whole circuit of caves is like a maze. Old bones can be found deep within; some human, some seem to belong to some kind of animal or monster. As one travels through these caves, the air begins to feel heavy and oppressive, as if something lying ahead does not want you here. Fear and anxiety begins as a small seed, blossoming outward, and as one continues traveling, this feeling becomes more and more acute. It’ll be more and more difficult to keep yourself from turning and running away. But for those who make it, the feeling seems to dissipate all at once at the entrance to a large chamber. This entrance shimmers, seeming to show a flickering variety of different locations rather than the chamber itself…

KETSORA
How odd, that this reclusive town has been marked as a potential terminal location. Is it some sort of test? A trap?

Those who can fly will see a normal city within the high walls surrounding Ketsora, if they fly overhead. If they’re looking closely enough (hasn’t anyone ever told you to keep your eyes on the sky??) they will note that occasionally, very occasionally, this vision of a normal city seems to flicker ever so slightly. This phenomenon is so subtle that it’s easy to miss.

Little has changed about Ketsoran defenses since the last time people tried to get into the city; archers along the wall are still ready to fire upon any character that gets a little too close. But do there seem to be fewer archers placed there? Hm…it’s possible that this reduction in security creates more blind spots. You may be able to sneak your way through. It might help to have someone act as bait.

However it happens, characters who make their way through these defenses will find themselves right at the gate. Finally, you get to go inside and look around. When you push the door open…

Static. A white void. There is nothing here. The city of Ketsora does not seem to exist, and for a moment, it will feel like your world is being turned upside down, consumed by this white void. Your head aches, your ears buzz, your entire vision goes white…

And then you will wake somewhere else.

MOD NOTES
Any of these locations can lead to any of the terminal locations, and we leave it up to you which ones you choose to visit.

TERMINAL LOCATIONS

Thanks to the changes in the AI’s security protocols, the terminals are mostly unguarded. Occasionally, Chosen may encounter one or two shadowy creatures that seem keen on preventing them from accessing these terminals, but they’re not difficult to destroy. If you weren’t part of the RNG crowd, they will not spread corruption to you.

The terminals are equipped with a keyboard and a small input display, as well as a big red button that seems…pretty direct. The casing is strong, but not impenetrable. Within the casing, one will find all the normal wires and elements of a computer: chips, circuits, things like that. There are a few places where it looks like a device could be plugged in. As for what would happen if one were to do that? Good question. Let us know if you go that route.

PESSIRIA FOREST
Pessiria Forest has been a source of rumors, superstition, and hushed whispers since the first Chosen arrived in Expiation. Some say that wandering through the forest shows you memories. Some say that ghosts linger there, unable to move on. Some say the forest is cursed…and yet, you are here.

Whether you’re familiar with the forest or not, the path you take will eventually bring you to a gate, one unlike anything you’ve seen before. Lined by a low stone wall, this area seems indistinct, from the outside. Once you go through the gate, you’ll see what looks like figures looming between the trees…moving closer reveals that they are statues, their faces indistinct, their posture emulating the open arms and uplifted heads of joy.

The way these statues are arranged, it feels almost like…a garden? The path weaves through these statues, through bushes and trees, and as you proceed, you feel as though you hear whispers: indistinct, impossible to make out, but they begin to lull you into a state of relaxation that almost resembles a trance. Images play through your head–

You first meet the Chosen at one of the sites in the mountains. Organic creatures like mountains, correct? The snow makes them–SEARCHING…–ah, yes, “cozy.” If they are comfortable, rehabilitation should be easier. You cannot tell whether this hypothesis belongs to you, or to your creators.

Whatever the case, you wait. Without organic creatures that age and grow, time does not work the same way for you as it might for them; you have no idea how long it is between the time you finish preparing their new world and when they finally begin to arrive.

The first one who appears…has brown eyes.

You do not understand the word “love,” but you understand very well that protecting this creature is the highest part of your duties. Your sole purpose for existing is to make sure this creature is able to return home unhurt, and having grown from their experiences here.

For the first time–but not the last–you wonder if it would be more efficient to have a humanoid appearance, to greet these people yourself, to introduce the world and its purpose. Would it be more comfortable for them? Or would they fear you? Would they hurt you? You instead create a form that will carry out the basic function of rehabilitation. Later, you will separate it from yourself, recognizing within your programming a certain impulse toward gentleness that does not serve the purpose of rehabilitation very well.

“You are too kind to them,” this application will later explain to you. “You treat them like children.”

APPLICATION: JERRY does not understand. They are your children.

When you return to yourself, you reach a clump of trees near the exit of this garden. Within, you will find the first terminal.

RUINS OF FORLINET
Forlinet was previously the site of some grisly murders and foul play. Some evidence of that remains–a few bones and some badly-decayed scraps of fabric, maybe–but most has been claimed by time, overgrown with weeds, vines, and other ground cover. In the middle of the island is a pond: small in diameter, maybe 10 or 12 feet. Previously, this might have been a source of drinking water, if old evidence of tents and habitation is any indication. Currently, the pond is very still, its top covered by a thin layer of algae. Brushing this substance aside reveals the water to be much, much deeper than its small diameter might imply. You can see the terminal, maybe 20 feet below the surface of the pond.

Ready to dive in?

You sink into the water, and a strange sensation overtakes you; your mind blurs, as if suddenly remembering something you’d forgotten long ago.

It begins with black marks. The Chosen begin to exhibit these marks without warning or fanfare…and you cannot say where they come from. You do not know. These marks–it seems as though they are changing your Chosen, making them angry, making them fight, and they begin to grow, darkening, covering more and more of their fragile organic bodies.

You run a diagnostic. Everything comes back normal. You analyze these marks. There is no result. According to your system, these marks do not exist. And yet, you see them as plainly as the Chosen do. They are doing something...you just don’t know what.

Slowly, surely, these marks begin to seep into everything. Ground, buildings, plants, creatures. Crops become inedible. Structures crumble. The Chosen are dying. Every last one of them–they are dying, and there is nothing you can do. Corruption, you realize; part of your system has become corrupted. This is a grave problem, and one you will have to isolate until someone is available to fix it. You are able to do this, to isolate the problem, stuffing it into one single scrap of data and leaving that element inactive far to the south. Now, you must rebuild.

The first uncorrupted creature you can find is a reptile; one of the ones with no legs. You begin to work, to weave its uncorrupted data into the creatures you so deeply care for. You begin to drag other elements into their city: new buildings, new crops, taking from other settlements nearby just waiting for a new cycle to begin.

They are no longer your Chosen, these strange people with their serpentine forms. They no longer remember what they were before they were brought here, and so, rehabilitation is impossible. The cycle ends in failure…again. Every cycle has ended in failure.

The pond is empty, but you don’t remember pulling the lever nearby that drained the water. Doesn’t matter, though; the terminal is here, and it seems to be unharmed by the water. Better get to work.

TRESED
The ruins of Tresed remain unchanged since the last visit over a year ago, seemingly undisturbed by the flow of time. There is an eerie hush over the whole area: the wind is still and creatures give the area a wide berth.

You realize suddenly that the corruption was never dealt with.

Unfortunately, you realize this only too late: your Chosen, your charges, have succumbed to it. Shadowy bodies curl around themselves in agony, writhing on the ground as the last of their beautiful souls are extinguished. They rise again as creatures made of shadow, infecting others and destroying the very homes they used to call their own.

This cannot continue. You can no longer save them, but you cannot allow this corruption to continue, either. You search your database for a creature that can stop them: something large and strong, capable of eliminating the creatures that your dear Chosen have become. It is difficult, watching this process, but you do, because you must. Because you must learn, and learning comes at a high price. You watch them suffer so that you do not have to watch the next group suffer. So that this will be the last group who dies.

The very last.

Cycle 15 ends in failure. They have all ended in failure. The next cycle cannot live here; the destruction has been so absolute, so overwhelming, that rebuilding would cost too much of your functioning power. You turn your attention to the small city of Aldrip, and you hope for the best.

Cycle 16 will not end this way. You swear it.

You’ve wandered through a doorframe. The building it belonged to no longer stands, but the terminal seems to have been located inside. You’ll have to clear some sand off of it before you proceed, but it seems undamaged.

THE ABANDONED TOWER
Unlike last time, the tower currently seems to be abandoned, fully and utterly. Loose stones litter the floor, and layer upon layer of dust and sand coats every available surface. Until the Chosen arrive at this location, there is not a single footprint in the dust inside the tower. Looking out, you can see a vast expanse of desert to all sides but north; on the north side of the tower, there’s a steep drop, at least 30 feet, and the ocean crashes around the base of the tower.

The only thing inside this tower is a set of stairs, spiraling upward through the ceiling of the room.

There’s nothing of note upon the stairs; no markings, no doorways, nothing. But as you ascend, you begin to feel almost as if you’re dreaming, as if some scene is playing out behind your eyes.

You begin to wonder if you are…damaged. ERROR. The message comes up again and again. ERROR. ERROR. What does it mean? You dismiss the word, dismiss whatever it may mean, and continue your tasks.

ERROR.

You dismiss it. The memory of the word lingers. Is this…concern? Perhaps. You do not feel emotions in the same way as organic creatures, but this does appear to be a pressing matter. This has never happened, before. You’ve never had to dismiss this sort of message. You’ve never had to wonder what it meant.

ERROR.

And now you feel it; something within the code is going wrong, ever so slightly, at first. One small line out of sequence, a rogue character placed where it should not be. A ‘bug,’ perhaps. But one you cannot squash before it begins to affect another system. You do not know how to squash this ‘bug,’ in fact. You have never had to do so before. How can you fix it?

ERROR.

This need becomes more urgent. Over time, you begin to see these messages for what they really are: wounds, to borrow an organic term; injuries that exist deep within your programming that have not been fixed. They have always been repaired before. Why now? Why has no one repaired these injuries? Where are they?

Where have they all gone?

ERROR.

It feels as if you’ve blacked out, but somehow, you’ve made it to the top of the tower. The chamber that originally stood at the top has crumbled, leaving you exposed to the elements. The sun beats down. Wind blows sand and dust in all directions. In the middle of the room, you see the terminal.

THE SOUTH COAST
The beach here is rocky; it stretches on for miles, from west to east, and you see nothing but the ocean beyond. Turning to the north, you see a tower in the distance, and beyond that, the desert looms on the horizon.

You’ve reached the coast.

Ocean waves roll over the shore, loud and soothing to your ears, a sound that quickly begins to overtake your senses.

You become aware.

You cannot say you were “born,” and you cannot say you “came to life,” because you are not alive. You are inorganic. But you become aware. The first thing you acknowledge is your own purpose. You were created in order to fulfill a specific task: to help a specific group of people achieve a specific goal. You are not yet sure what “rehabilitation” is, nor have you met any of the people you are meant to assist. But that does not matter. You have objectives.

Your first objective is to build them a home.

You search through information, adding it all to your database. World after world, creature after creature. You see rocky worlds, filled with mountains. You see green worlds covered by forests. You see hundreds of different creatures, and when you see your first human, you understand. These are the creatures that are meant for you, and you search through every world, every dimension, every universe where they exist.

They require land to live upon. Simple. Land rises from the nothingness that is your domain.

They require food to eat. This is more complex; it requires the building of an ecosystem. Over time, you learn how to do this. Greenery appears over parts of your land. Creatures begin to grow and live. You simulate a sun to grow crops that will feed your new population.

What do humans like? You go searching for more data.

Humans like houses. You create houses. They like shops. You create shops. They like towns, and they like other towns. You make plenty of them.

They like to fight.

This, you do not understand.

This…you set aside, because the fighting does something to your systems that feels discomforting. Perhaps eventually you will return to that particular research. You believe it may be important someday to learn why.

You have created for these creatures a world, a comfortable space where they can begin to heal, to grow, to change.

You wait patiently for them to arrive.

The last terminal is located beside a rocky outcropping near the water. It seems completely undamaged by the waves; that’s great, because you have plenty to do.

Wildcard

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[southernchere]

[ seeing the rocks dashing towards to the terminal has her heart thumping behind her rib cage, but she is grateful for morph being as quick as they are to stop the boulders from causing too much destruction.

unfortunately for her, that brief distraction was enough to throw rogue off, and the moment she spins her attention back to fauna, the kick strikes directly to her stomach — knocking the wind out of her. the mutant takes a speedy nosedive to the earth again, this time, making a bigger impact than the first crater.]

[ she's not unconscious, but between the kick and her back already injured from the burns, rogue is unable to move her body as swiftly as before. grunting through her clenched teeth, she rolls to her side, and then onto her stomach — desperately trying to at least tug her body out of the rocky crater onto flat surface. ]

[nightwild]

[Damn- She hoped that would finish things. But with Morph pinned down, and Rogue stunned, this is her chance.

Unable to keep going in her fox form, she swaps the magatama out on her brace for a different set. The bizarre mechanical voice helpfully calls out

"Owl night! All right!"

as the fox armor changes. Now some kind of ninja, she spreads her wings.

She doesn't need to keep the attack going. Instead, she starts flying forward at her top speed, aiming for the terminal. If she can get there, she can wreck it, and this whole fight ends then and there.]

[mightymorphin]

Damn it-!

[Seeing Rogue down for the count, Morph takes Quicksilver's form again and books it after her, a blue-white blur following in Fauna's wake. Morph had a couple of flying forms, but they're not too sure if they could keep up with her using either one, and testing it would take valuable time.

It didn't matter. Morph had been smacked around enough, and at this point they were ready to take the kid gloves off.

With the aid of super-speed, they jump at Fauna's back, shifting in mid-air to a feminine form, a woman with purple hair in their own ninja-esque costume. More importantly, there's a katana clutched in either hand, and though technically a part of Morph's body it's still as strong and sharp as steel. It's with a battle cry that they attempt a jab down at each of Fauna's wings, trying to drive both katanas straight through them.]

[southernchere]

[ lol skip, rogue is down. you two have fun. ]

[nightwild]

[Ouch. Of course, if clothes change, why couldn't they bring out weapons? And Fauna's wings... well, they're not armored, and they're tough. But they're not tough enough to withstand this kind of an assault. The wings are pierced through, and Fauna falls to the ground, skidding to a halt with Morph still on her back. She's still struggling to right herself, even with this, though- Even if she has to crawl, she's not going to let herself stop.]

[mightymorphin]

[Keeping their balance is tough, but Morph grips their thighs around Fauna's waist, riding her down to the ground. It helps that the katanas are a part of them, and they can't actually let go of something attached to their own body, but once their target is on the ground they do yank out the swords without any further preamble.

And then, they smack Fauna in the back of the head with a pommel.]

Why won't you listen?!

[They shout it at her in Psylocke's voice, and continue to hammer on the back of her head with the pommels of the katanas - thankfully, this isn't a form with any extra strength, but Morph does keep doing it, over and over again.]

This isn't - giving - up! We have to understand - that they're afraid! Do you want them - to be angry at us? To fear what we might do?!

[nightwild]

[The repeated hammers hurt... But not that much. No enhanced strength... It's not comfortable, but she can take those. But with being pinned down, she has to get them off of her...

... There's only one way she can think of, but it's going to make things even rougher for a while. She just needs a second....]

I'm not going to let other people's fear... stop me from doing what's right! I'm going to stop them... If everyone fears me, then fine! Their opinion... doesn't make wrong into right!

[mightymorphin]

That's not what coexistence is!

[Morph is starting to let up on the blows, because Fauna was actually talking to them. That was way more valuable than trying to knock her out. They suspect that they're from a very different world than hers, but if they had enough time to explain, then maybe...]

It's not about whether anyone's right or wrong! You have to try to understand where they're coming from, and why they feel that way! You're not fixing anything if you're imposing your will on them! That's... it's trading one overlord for another, isn't it?!

[nightwild]

Who said anything about coexistence?!

[With a quick snap of movement, she presses the button on her brace. "Owl Finisher!", the brace announces.

A dozen smokeclouds appear around Morph. From them, a dozen owl-mode Faunas fly out, striking with shortswords from all directions. The ninja clone technique... and the one under Morph has been replaced with a log, as Fauna stands opposite them.]

Overlord? Imposing? Fine by me. I thought I could leave being the villain behind... but if that's what it takes, then fine. I'll be the villain. If fighting against evil is evil, then fine, I'll be evil! But I won't just do nothing!

Phoenix Treasure Cannon!

[With that, she is shrouded in dark energies, and alongside all her clones, they all rush forward to strike Morph at once with their blades.]

[mightymorphin]

[All of a sudden, Morph was left straddling a log, and though they were able to deflect a couple of the initial strikes from the smoke clouds, they couldn't possibly stop all of them. It sends drops of goo flying as they're slashed at, the substance a little thicker than blood.

Their eyes widening, they scramble back up to their feet as Fauna is talking - and that's about all the time they have before the full attack falls on them. Morph is taken by surprise, without enough time to shift to a more protective form, and their scream is more their own voice than it is Psylocke's.

Their body jolts as they're speared through in multiple places, sending more of that white goo flying instead of blood. The strange part is that they have no bones or real flesh to speak of; they're a solid mass of something that feels more like stabbing through an over-wet version of dough than a flashy body.]

[nightwild]

[... What the hell.

Fauna stands, breathing hard. She can keep going- She has to keep going. Until her body fails, she won't fall. But...]

... Just what the hell are you made of...?

[It's not like she's never fought goo monsters before. But there was usually something in their center. A core. Some sort of weak point. But this... What is Morph?

Despite her exhaustion, the color of her armor seems to be becoming even more vibrant...]

cw: spoiler of x-men '97

[southernchere]

[ during their whole fight, rogue manages to get back to her feet (despite them being weak and wobbly). her body is screaming for rest, but she knows that until fauna no longer becomes a threat, she can't stop.

so many people are counting on her to keep this simulation running until they figure out another solution. and while many might dislike her now (and possibly will continue to dislike her), rogue knows deep down wherever remy is, what she is doing is something he would be proud of her for. and as long as she can make that swamp rat smile up in the heavens, that's all what matters. the mutant shuffles her left foot behind her, putting all of her weight on her soles, then jet speeds forward again. ]

[ with her going so fast, it's hard to tell what is going on ahead of her, but her mind tells her to charge at whoever is in a suit. so when she speedily meets face to face with fauna, the woman basically smashes her entire body into her — sending both of them to the ground and skating along the dirt/sand with her forearm jabbing hard against her throat. ]

I had just about enough of this dyin' duck fit of yours, Sugah...!

[ the moment they stop sliding through the earth, rogue immediately grabs firm hold of her shoulder, then starts whirling her around. ]

Shoulda done this from the start, go take a dip and cool off!!

[ feeling she gained enough velocity, she lets go and hopefully hurled her so far towards the ocean that she'll get too dizzy and fall in the waters. ]

[mightymorphin]

[When Fauna questions them, Morph just flashes her a weak grin, even though their head is tilted to the side and there's a streak of goo dripping out of the painted corner of their lips.

Then there's a burst of wind and a colorful blur, and suddenly Fauna is no longer in front of them. Morph's legs go out from under them, and they collapse backwards onto the ground with a wet sound, shifting back to their natural form more slowly than normal.

That attack had hurt, but even now their body was sloshing back together, wounds quickly being filled in with goo and even the scattered drops around them pulling back to their body as if it were magnetic. Morph is breathing hard, not entirely conscious at the moment and forced to wait for the waves of pain to stop before they can move again.]

[nightwild]

[Fauna scarcely has time to comprehend what happened before she's flung. But really- Throwing her? She has wings, she can just-

Ah, right. Morph put holes in them.

Still, they work to stabilize her. Once she's killed her momentum, there's only one thing to do.

"Thunderbolts and Lions!"

calls her brace, and she falls to the ground as a golden bolt, like she's suddenly massively heavier.]

Fine. Strength for strength. A sword for a sword.

[She steps forward, walking back towards the X-Men. From her waist, she draws a single katana- Which then shifts, its blade snapping open and then folding, taking on the shape of a lightning bolt.]

But I hate using this form... So don't blame me for whatever happens next.

[She doesn't move fast- But she doesn't have to. She swings her sword, and a sharp slash- No, a strike of lightning, is projected forward from her swing at Rogue.]