EVENT #12: ADVERSITY 6568654

[expiationmods]

EVENT #12: DO AIS DREAM OF ALGORITHMIC SHEEP?

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…

JANUARY 13

SLEEP MODE INITIATED.
LOADING………………….

The calming hush that falls over Aldrip is strangely comfortable, lulling all Chosen into a deep sleep…or a sleeplike state, for those who will. Whatever the case, it is a very quiet night.

The sleep that follows is anything but.

THE DREAMSCAPES

The Chosen dream of memories, in this dreamscape. They can be twisted and altered by the dream world; events can be contorted or made up; but all of these dreams have within them a kernel of truth. Whether they express an event that happened or part of a person’s past that’s gone fuzzy with age, whether it’s a real moment or just a feeling, something about the dream tells you something about the Chosen to whom it belongs. This may even express itself in multiple dreamscapes, fragments of different memories and feelings to navigate.

Fellow Chosen can travel through these dreamscapes, of course, stumbling upon dreams they were never meant to see. But their presence is not without consequence; the longer two Chosen share the same dream, the more the dream will begin to take on elements of both their dreams, drawing in elements from the Chosen who was simply meant to be watching.

They’re vivid, these dreams–the kind that are so clear, one begins to doubt whether it’s a dream at all. Could it possibly be reality? Whether it’s a good dream or a bad one, the Chosen may find it’s difficult to want to wake up. How could they possibly wake up, when this is so very real? Why would they want to, if it’s a good dream? It’s comfortable, and the idea that it may not be reality is intimidating, isn’t it?

It’s so real that you could stay here forever.

A WAKEUP CALL

Wake up.
You have to wake up.

Staying within the dreams too long is a dangerous thing, and those who don’t wake even once before morning will risk falling into a deep sleep, perhaps never to wake at all.

But how to wake them?

Only by convincing the Chosen that they are most certainly dreaming, as it turns out. Whether that’s someone realizing this on their own, or being helped along by someone else, is entirely up to you. But they must choose to wake from the dream, saying goodbye to the dreamscape without any certainty that they’ll ever see it again, and for some…that could be easier said than done.

Once they wake in Aldrip, they’ll be able to come and go from the dreams at will, helping other Chosen navigate their own waking…or perhaps sabotaging it, for those whose intentions may be less than charitable. (But none of you would do that, right? Right?)

Time becomes meaningless within the dreamscapes, allowing the Chosen to pass through as many of these dreams as they wish before dawn breaks in the morning.

The next day dawns as normal, and surprisingly, the Chosen don’t feel any less well-rested from their long and difficult night chasing after dreams. They may even–_

A sea of numbers, zeroes and ones, their combinations meaningless, their forms shifting. Digital artifacts mar the vision, as if the sequence is somehow corrupted. In those pockets of artifacts, one can see something beyond the numbers, something darker, something blurry with distance.
Query: is this what it is to “dream?”
It feels…warm.

_feel refreshed, actually, as if they’ve lifted various weights from their shoulders. Even those who haven’t may find it difficult to linger on the less happy parts of what they’ve seen. They’ve shared quite a unique experience, after all. Better take some time to process it, before they let it weigh them down.

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

[digthefuzz]

[Kurt knows that, but that doesn't diminish the impact of death in his eyes. It's still horrible and something he wants to prevent at all costs.

Still, the rest of what she says gives him pause. He had been in panic mode this whole time, so he hadn't really dwelled on how weird all of this had felt. How unreal. Almost like...]

Yeah. Now that you mention it. Something's weird about all of this. Is this... some kind of simulation? Or a, a nightmare?

[He winces.]

Please, Ange, please tell me this is just a bad dream.

[entreats]

[ She quietly hums. ]

Maybe.

[ After all, this place is often cruel and random, but not enough of either to just be killing her in the streets for no reason, right?

.. especially streets that are so.. quiet. Has she even seen anyone here other than Kurt? Was she even ever really going anywhere? ]

Does that mean I'm dreaming about you..?

[digthefuzz]

[Kurt really hopes this place isn't that random and cruel... In any case, so many things about this situation start to make sense when he considers this as a dream.

He still holds onto her, though. If this is a dream, he's going to stay with her until the end.]

I guess it does. I am kind of a dreamy guy! But I'm not sure what to make of it when the dream I'm in is one where you're exploding...

[He suggests that lightly, with the hint of a chuckle. Why couldn't she include him in a much cooler kind of dream? And maybe one where he has more muscle?]

[entreats]

[ Kurt is so lucky Ange doesn't just straight up die instantly at that joke. :(

At least she isn't offended by the exploding comment whatsoever. Ange knows it's not really what's happening, but she also knows that it's better if she doesn't clarify. It seems like she has worried Kurt enough already as-is. Apparently the guy is far too pure to be able to handle what's really happening to her.

So maybe it's better to just.. cut it short, right? To end this. Just so he won't have to stand there and worry about her anymore. She feels so tired, if she'd just close her eyes.. ]

You can come look for me when.. I wake up.

[ As soon as any of them wake up. Ugh, if they're having dreams with each other in it, it's probably another dumb thing this place is doing, isn't it..? ]

No one stays dead in this place. We.. know that.

[digthefuzz]

[He always knew he had a killer sense of humor, but not like this!

He's not really sure how to describe what seems to be happening to Ange right now, and he's not sure he wants to. So 'exploding' it is. It would almost sound funny if this situation didn't feel deadly serious.]

I- I know. I just... I don't want you to experience that to begin with.

[The impermanence of death sure is a thing here, but Kurt doesn't want to test it, nor does that make death feel that much less heavy to him. But in this circumstance, it seems there's not much choice. All they can do is cling to this hope that this is a dream and - wake up.]

But trust me. I'm going to check up on you first thing when I wake up, for sure! Just... hang in there, Ange! Don't think about the pain, or everything that's going on here. Focus on - on waking up. And what you want for breakfast!

[entreats]

.. it'll be fine.

[ Despite being the one who's worse off here, Ange sounds relatively confident in that. Maybe she's just been in this place too long. Regardless of whether this is a dream or not - she'll wake up just fine.

There's no escaping this place, after all. The girl accepted this a long time ago. So the last thing she wants is for Kurt to continue to freak out like this - something she can tell despite being so out of it, which is saying a lot about the amount of freaking happening here! - when she knows it's unnecessary. ]

I'll be just fine, so.. don't worry so much. I'll feel bad, you know.. [ For worrying him!! Even if it wasn't really her choice, considering the nature of this dream.. ]

[digthefuzz]

I don't want you to feel bad, sure, but I feel like whatever you're experiencing right now kinda makes that pale in comparison...

[She is already covered in her own blood and all. Kurt just keeps the hold on her, still not ready to let her go until this nightmare is over.]

But I'll try not to worry too much. I, I trust you after all. That you'll wake up safe and sound... a-and never let your pain get this bad for real...

we can wrap it here! <3 thank you for the thread!!

[entreats]

That's.. good.

[ Well, it'd be a lie if she said that she always goes out of her way to avoid pain like this. Ange knows it. That's what made her end up like this the first time back home, after all.

Maybe that's why she wisely doesn't say anything about it. Instead she feels herself grow weaker, the dream hazier. Almost like she's--

As Ange wakes up, the dream ends, throwing Kurt back out of it. ]

Sounds good! Thank you for everything! <3

[digthefuzz]

Great...

[He smiles softly, just before it all comes to an end. Next thing he knows, he's awake in bed. Of course, first thing he'll do is check up on Ange and make sure she's alive and not a pile of blood. After that, he can go about his day, the nightmare finally over...]