EVENT #11: ADVERSITY 4590683

[expiationmods]

EVENT #11: REMEMBER YOU ARE MORTAL

This event takes place in conjunction with a player plot that is open for participation! Participation in that plot is not needed to experience the world effects outlined in this log. You can find the log for the player event here!

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)

-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11

The moon looms large and full over the buildings of Aldrip this morning.

… Wait. The moon?

It’s true: Aldrip seems to have settled into an eerie perpetual twilight, lit by the full moon and little else. The ambient lighting is dim, but not dark, still light enough to see by. Which is good, because nothing else seems to be serving as a source of light. No sun, no street lamps–nothing. How odd is that?

In fact, it seems that no electronics are working during this strange week. Tablets don’t turn on, computers won’t work, even the lights inside the houses are unresponsive. STEM club’s dark web devices remain capable of some rudimentary communication, however.

The Dark Hour permeates Aldrip entirely. Well. Almost entirely–more on that in a minute. But first: monsters of all kinds will be more prominent during this time. If you would like to add new monsters to the bestiary, you can do so here! Monsters will be more aggressive and enterprising, freely roaming the streets of the city and attacking more boldly than they otherwise would.

Now, all is not lost, here. Because some Chosen-owned spaces remain immune to its effects. Notably: the Inn, the Willow Clinic, and some other player-run businesses can serve as safe houses, as well as some storehouses that were constructed long ago. The lights will still go on in these locations, though the network restrictions above still remain in effect.

For the most part, monsters and other event happenings will avoid safe houses, though if you’d like to play around with that, we see no reason why you shouldn’t. Just remember that characters and players who choose to limit their participation in the event are making use of these spaces, and be respectful of that.

As for outside of the city…who knows? A thick, impenetrable mist surrounds Aldrip, keeping all characters within the city for the duration of the event. Anyone who may have been outside of Aldrip before the event began will mysteriously find themselves inside the city as the Dark Hour takes hold. Better make your way to a safe house…and good luck out there.

MY OWN WORST ENEMY

Who is the monster and who is the man?

It seems that monsters aren’t the only obstacle roaming the city. The Chosen may find themselves facing doppelgangers, of themselves or of fellow Chosen. In terms of appearance, they may be identical to the Chosen they reflect, to the point of being difficult to tell apart. Some may have minor changes–different eye color, different clothing, things like that. But in many cases, it may be impossible to tell which is real and which is not based on looks alone.

These doubles reveal a dark reflection of the characters they look like: their deepest fears and regrets, repressed desires they refuse to admit, feelings and experiences they’ve never told anyone about…all of these things and more will come to the surface with them. These doubles desperately want to see a character’s accused crime confronted, and they will do anything to make that happen, even resorting to violence if they must. The doubles have all the original powers and abilities of their real counterparts, making them extremely difficult (but not impossible!) to fight one-on-one.

Some characters may find themselves inexplicably drawn to their doppelgangers, as if called by some force. They may feel compelled to seek them out, as if they’re unable to rest so long as their double roams free. This is an optional effect, but should you be looking for an excuse to get your character out and about–please feel free to utilize it.

Doubles can be injured and incapacitated, but not killed; the only way to eliminate them is through acceptance and recognition. Characters do not have to do this alone; in fact, having some moral support or coaching may prove useful. Confronting the double and accepting or seriously reflecting upon the crime they’re charged with will make the doppelgangers first turn docile, and then disappear, leaving the original character feeling lighter and more sure of themselves.

A MINOR TECHNICALITY

What happens to a simulation when the electronics stop working?

Good question.

Occasionally, you may see what looks like a strange, thin line, just from the corner of your vision. Early in the week, trying to look at this line straight on reveals…nothing. It seems to vanish.

As the week continues, this strange happening seems to intensify, bit by bit. By midweek, Wednesday or so, you’re able to look at this line head-on. It seems to be a small crack, little more than a hairline fracture, outlined in light. As the weekend creeps closer, this crack seems to grow, bit by bit, becoming more pronounced, the gaps between it getting larger.

By the weekend, it’s wide enough that you can see through it.

What you see is difficult to describe. You seem to be looking into a large metallic structure, so large that the end seems to curve off into the horizon. How far does this go on? There’s a ceiling overhead, so high up that you can’t make out details. Much of this structure seems to be empty within, but you see a floor at foot level, made of metal.

The gap is wide enough that you can stick your hand right through it. When you do so, you begin to feel a strange tingling, starting at the tips of your fingers and extending to the part of your arm that goes into the crack. Nothing about your hand changes, really, but when the tingling subsides, you get the strange sensation that you’ve been unable to feel anything with that hand, up til now. Something about the air against your skin feels more real, here. As if your senses were muted before…

The crack never widens more than this. It is sometimes visible to just one person, and sometimes it can be visible to a group. This crack can appear in any surface, in any location, but it always looks the same and always reveals the same structure within.

Interesting…

ENDING

In conjunction with the conclusion of the player plot, the Dark Hour comes to an end one week later, on November 18. Monsters vacate the city, the sun reappears…this happens slowly, over the course of the day. By Tuesday, the network and electronic usage is restored. By Wednesday, the crack in the world seems to be gone for good. By the weekend after the event, all doppelgangers seem to have vanished.

This is fine, we always say. And it is! Everything is back to normal!

…

Or is it…?

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

[nightwild]

[Fauna looks at him.

Junpei was nice... even if he was mad at her before. Her ears droop as she approaches... Like she thinks she's going to be rejected.]

Is that really okay?

[coolerjunpei]

[She looks rough, but then again, most people coming in and out of the inn these past couple days do. Junpei's sure he doesn't look like he's in top form himself, just tired around the edges.

Either way, he gestures for her to come up the stairs, insistently.]

Yeah, of course it is. I'll steal you something to eat if you don't want to go all the way inside.

[At least sit up here with him! And technically it won't be stealing either, they're giving food away, but it's the thought that counts.]

[nightwild]

... I want to stay inside... I don't want to go out and fight anymore.

[She follows him obediently. Meekly, even.]

But I have to.

[coolerjunpei]

Oh, uh, okay. That's a swerve, but sure.

[Give him a few minutes, he'll get it. He stops at the door to wait for her before pushing it open, then.]

You don't have to do anything, anyway. Just by the way.

[nightwild]

I do have to. Because no one else will.

[The vibe is different from her normal fighty self... "Lost puppy" seems most accurate as she follows.]

[coolerjunpei]

Nah, people have been coming in and out from fighting for like, two days? Probably longer, but I wasn't here when the power went out.

[Even Charles keeps going out there to swing a bat in people's defense, which might be part of the reason Junpei has been loitering on the steps. It's fine, he's on a new quest to get Fauna some food, please continue following.]

Hey, uh, are you... okay?

[nightwild]

[Is she okay...?]

... No. I'm not. I've never been okay, but no one cares. I have to do everything myself. I don't have anyone. I'm all alone...

[She stares up at Junpei with eyes that are just too yellow.]

[coolerjunpei]

[Junpei looks at her with open concern, but he figures, well, he more or less got through to her last time... he thinks. So it should be fine this time.

Give him a second to grab a bowl of some mystery stew from where a row of bowls are being set out for the taking, holding it out for her to take as he gestures again so they can go sit in a corner or something.]

I'm getting you food right now, so... disagree. C'mon, sit down.

[He looks at her for an extra beat, and then he notices her eyes, and then it's like a switch flips in his brain and, oh. Where is the other Fauna, he wonders... hoo boy.]

[nightwild]

[She takes the stew from him, at least, and sits down with him... though for now, she's just staring at the stew.

can shadows eat? good question!]

... You're nice. But even you'll abandon me eventually...

[coolerjunpei]

[eat the stew, shadow girl this is a test-- no, it's not.]

Wow, uh, I don't know what to say to that.

[His kneejerk response is honestly to be a little offended? He's not a therapist, that just sounds uncharitable to him, but give him a second-- he shakes his head.]

Dunno about who else you talk to, but I'm persistent. Like a bad penny.

[nightwild]

[OKAY OKAY JEEZ SHE'LL EAT SHE'LL EAT]

... Even my own parents did. Everyone will abandon me eventually.

[coolerjunpei]

[Good, it's Stew Time.]

Well, I'm still sitting here, so don't worry about it unless something actually happens. Trust me, you're not gonna get anything out of getting stuck on the 'oh no, what if they do this and that and this' bullshit.

[nightwild]

[you mean... time to stew in my own issues?]

... Don't you think I deserve it, though? After all, I tried to destroy the world.

[coolerjunpei]

What, here? I dunno, it's not like you did it.

[He shrugs and gestures vaguely around them, like, see? They are still sitting here.]

Besides, I fucked off from helping anybody with anything during that reset bullshit, and nobody's mad at me about it.

[nightwild]

No. Before. That's the reason I was brought here.

Because I hate the world. I want to destroy it. I tried to. Because you can't make a better world while the current world still exists.

[who cares about aldrip.]

[coolerjunpei]

Oh.

[Don't say who cares, do not say who cares, she clearly cares--]

Well, I don't think that's... uh, true? I mean, literally? You don't fix anything by wiping it out first.

[nightwild]

The Goddess told me. She could fix the world, but we had to get rid of the current world first.

[SHE CARES A LOT, JUMPY]

[coolerjunpei]

Okay, no offense, but— that sounds like complete bullshit. Like you were lied to, I mean.

["Source: dude trust me" energy all over that one, he thinks. But even if it's true somehow—]

Anyway, it doesn't matter. Shit happens.

[nightwild]

... If it was a lie, what else should I have done? How else could I make the world a just place?

[coolerjunpei]

Nothing, I guess. That's not your job. The whole world isn't your responsibility.

[He shrugs; it definitely takes a while to get here, where it sounds like self-preservation instead of apathy.]

[nightwild]

[This may be Fauna's Shadow.... but she is still Fauna.]

I won't accept that. Someone has to. The world has to change. I won't accept the world as it is.

[coolerjunpei]

Okay, but why does it have to be you? Just you? You're one person.

[nightwild]

[... She looks down...]

I don't want to have to be the one who has to do it, either. But no one else will. Everyone else lies. Everyone else says they want justice, but lie and cheat and would hurt others just to benefit themselves.

[coolerjunpei]

[He looks at her for a moment in silence, frowning, then he sighs.]

Look, I get it— I know people are pretty shitty. Trust me, I know. But I don't know how to convince you that you're allowed to live your own life without being miserable all the time.

cw: referenced transphobia

[nightwild]

I've never been allowed that.

[She stares into her stew bowl....]

Ever since I was born as a boy, that was never allowed to me. My life became other people's gossip, other people's mistakes to fix. I wasn't allowed to live as myself until I started hurting people.