PHASE I [ 9 00 ] The peace of the morning in the Residential District shatters just as the wall caves through. It’s a small segment of wall -- no more than five feet across at most. And yet the crash and groan of the metal being stretched is ominously accompanied by the distinct piercing screech of metal and another sound. A raucous noise, a combination of ungodly wailing and sharp, victorious laughter spills forth from the hole left in the wall as a myriad of ghosts and spirits erupt from the newly created exit. Characters with any type of spiritual sense will find themselves nearly overwhelmed by the amount of negative ghostly energy that suddenly floods Cerealia and characters with no sense of preservation will find any attempt to enter the hole blocked by the fiercest of ghosts, met with deadly force if they try to pass, as the ghosts won’t hesitate to do things such as reach straight into your body to try to stop your heart.
These ghosts are out for blood, and they don’t seem to stop no matter how you try to talk to them -- they just hiss out, over and over again, “Murderersmurderersmurderers.”
From there, the ghosts move on. Their true target, after all, is CERES… but to them, there’s no difference between the character players and CERES. They’ll go for whoever gets in their way, phasing through walls and becoming tangible long enough to reach for characters before fading away again. Characters with special abilities will find themselves in a similar state. Their abilities may increase and decrease in power sporadically, or be completely gone. They may attempt to cast a spell only to find that the wrong spell is cast instead, or an attempt at healing may end up a more dangerous spell. Be careful with your own magical skills!
Those with items or powers specifically intended to ward off spirits will still fulfill their intended purposes when used – unless malicious spiritual energy gets to them first.
PHASE II [ 1400 ] It seems the ghosts have more tricks up their sleeves. It seems that a not-so-friendly ghost has decided to play a game with you. It doesn't matter where you are, or what you're doing, because a moment later a voice calls out -- Hey. Can you see me? -- and once you turn your head, you’ll come face to face with a surprise.
Who is it in this world (or your world, or any world) that you have managed to disappoint the most? A family member? A friend? Yourself? They face you now, eyes full of sadness, and they say, “I need you to do something for me.” Without another word, they’ll turn away and begin to walk. Your vision grows foggy, focused solely on the need to do whatever this person wants – they need you, after all. Your legs move to follow them, unless you manage to somehow resist.
But you apparently don’t seem to notice that you’re the only one who can see this person – or that they’re leading you stray toward that monorail track with the sound of the train coming closer, or that busy intersection, or right off the sky bridge.
PHASE III [ 600 ] Other ghosts don’t feel like borrowing faces in order to inflict damage. No, they’ll inflict their damage on a far more personal level. They manifest suddenly and without warning – then all it takes is a simple touch. A ghostly hand reaches out to you and it feels like the cold wraps around your heart, and your vision skews, and then... they leave just as suddenly as they came.
Those who have been around for awhile may very well recognize the ghosts, at that.
But the damage has already been done. Depending on a character’s assigned sense, they will feel one of the following changes:
Sight: Hopefully you aren’t in the habit of bending the truth. Dead men tell no tales, they say. But what happens to a living person unable to tell lies? Any attempt at telling any lie or falsehood will cause the character to feel as though their throat has closed off, and they can do nothing more than choke.
Smell: The cold passes, but in some way that it never really leaves. And then everything seems perfectly normal. Nothing has changed, right? You're fine -- except that in a short period of time with how crazy things are, it becomes apparent that you're unable to feel pain. The damage to your body is the same as ever, but dangerously, you can't feel a thing.
Taste: It would appear as though the ghosts have a sense of humor. From those who rest in eternal slumber, try a few days of being unable to sleep. Everything seems fine at first... but slowly but surely, that lack of sleep will start to take its toll.
Hearing: Most others would feel relief once the ghosts left, finally a moment of peace. But you? You don’t feel anything – nothing kind, anyway. Rather, you have been left unable to feel joy. Everything seems either bleak or as though it simply has no emotional impact at all.
Touch: How many deaths have been caused in the name of heroics? Apparently in an attempt to keep future casualties down (or perhaps for their own laughter), the ghosts have left you unable to be brave. Suddenly, a situation you'd face fearlessly is one that has sent you running, panic sharp in your chest.
These effects will last throughout the event, if a character is caught by them.
PHASE IV [ 1000 ] While chaos erupts throughout the city, some of the more misguided ghosts (but still bloodthirsty, so very bloodthirsty) just happened to run into the wrong part of town and don’t know how to give a proper scaring. One ghost seems to think that it was a great idea to possess a masseusebot from the Spa. You’re grabbed suddenly! You fight for your life but can’t seem to get yourself out of its metal grip! With expert precision that only a robot can mange, it finds your pressure points – and releases all that tension from this Incredibly Bad Day. The ghost inside the robot is confused, distressed -- why is this human suddenly so relaxed? It only wants to murder. But the only illegal thing happening here is how good this massage makes you feel.
Maybe later you’ll walk down the street and get stopped by the ghost that possessed a balloon dispenser. Perhaps a ghost has possessed the friendly McCERES mascot, and is now handing out coupons with murderous intent. And of course, there are always the hug bots...
Look, they tried really hard, okay.
Of course... they might end up possessing technology a little closer to home as well, at which point it's not so funny.
BONUS [ xxxx ] Hopefully you have friends who have ghost-fighting skills. Or ghost-taming skills. Or ghost-bellydancing skills, who knows, we won't judge them if you don't. But what of those poor people who come from worlds where the supernatural is some weird television show?
Worry not, poor souls, for CERES is here to provide! Some time after the ruckus begins, characters will find what looks to be a hand-held vacuum cleaner situated innocuously in their rooms (only one per person, you greedy gus). The logo on the side will helpfully inform you that this is of CERES make, because the paper pamphlet beside your new device? Well, it's more like a picture book. Observe Stick-Man Sully as he uses his vacuum cleaner to capture ghosts! Learn from his stellar example! Do not stick the hose in your mouth or attempt to give the vacuum CPR, there's a big X over that picture. Also of the one where Stick-Man Sully sets his captive ghosts free once more, we don't want that, do we?
Your new ghost vacuum should prove effective against any ghastly ghoul that shoots your way, but beware! Should you capture a ghost and not turn in your vacuum to CERES for weekly ghost disposal, your ghost will serenade you in the wee hours of the morning with its song of choice. If you capture a whole horde of ghosts, well, congratulations. You have a boy band living in your vacuum.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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OTA
[Even as far back as the Han Dynasty, the Taoist beliefs in hungry ghosts were pervasive and informed the base superstitions in their culture. Cao Pi is known among his people as a skeptic, though, neither Taoist nor Confucian and having no patience for superstitions. Not even brushing up against gods and demons has been able to turn him into a believer in ghosts.
But the cold feeling that ripples out after the breach is hard to ignore, as are the visible and sometimes tangible spirits now invading. Cao Pi trusts his eyes, so if he can see them, whatever they are they are real - as real as snake demons he's put his swords through. And from the looks of things, they are the very definition of hungry ghosts: spirits who can't rest, who resent the living, and will make things hell for the living if they can't be appeased.
Before he does anything embarrassing like attempt to build a shrine or set out offerings to appease them, though, Cao Pi would like to investigate. Armed and armored, he heads out onto the streets to see things for himself, whether the ghosts or the people affected by them. Any one of the five days of this chaos, he could be anywhere in the colony; saving people from walking in front of trains, falling victim to unstable powers, attempting to work out a solution, or hastily attempting some folk traditions to try to ward off hungry ghosts, like putting out food or burning incense.
What he doesn't know is that one of those chills was the touch of a ghost which will compel him to speak truth...]
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Besides, fighting gave him the opportunity to observe the powers and abilities of the rest of Cerelia. He comes across Cao Pi and gives pause, half-amused by his offering of food.]
I don't believe ghosts have appetites for such a thing.
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The peasants where I come from think they do. At this rate I'm willing to try anything, since they seem to be able to become incorporeal at will. [he squints down to the pair of swords sheathed at his side] And thus, harder to hit.
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You don't enchant your weapons? [ Judging from looks alone, Cao Pi appeared to be someone of considerable status, more than a common grunt at least. While Kael knew of some warriors who preferred virgin weapons, they usually carried at least one elemental imbued one.]
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His icy eyes narrow a bit at the question, though he refrains from outright scoffing.]
Doing so would require enchantments to be, for lack of a better word, real.
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[ He raises an eyebrow in disbelief.]
You see ghosts in front of you, yet you don't believe enchantments to be effective? [ Nevermind the fact that Cao Pi clearly said real.]
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I have carried these swords far longer than I've been seeing ghosts. They do quite well against demons made flesh, but it seems they've finally met a challenge they're not up to. It's no fault of Pure Havoc.
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You would do well to find a priest, for the Light is stronger than arcane against the undead. [ For Kael, it's simply a matter of education. Sorcery (particularly enchanting) is near and dear to his heart.]
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A priest of what? A Taoist? Buddhist? Some other?
You seem powerful enough in your own right, yet your usual magics and such may not work here like you think. Even if someone were to be found, who's to say their sorcery will stick to my blades?
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His eyes narrow at the implication that his spells would be ineffective.]
My sorcery works just fine.[Even if the ghosts are making it erratic, details.]
A permanent enchantment might not be possible, but I have never seen a sword that could not be bestowed with a temporary one. [ He would know, he's enchanted a whole lot of weapons, and his tone speaks to it.]
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At a time like this, I suppose beggars cannot be choosers. Where might I find this priestess, in the event I get tired of trying diplomacy and want to put my swords through these vengeful ghosts?
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However, I am more than capable of common enchantments. [ But as much as Kael dislikes humans, this was a matter of pride.]
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[Cao Pi's pride is just as powerful, he hates to have to ask for or accept help if he can go it alone. But he's curious, now, and might as well look into it.]
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Spirits were another matter entirely, but that was restricted to the Djinn who resided within the Dungeons of the world. An individual who could make a pact with such an entity could be granted great power...but, it still had no relation to what was happening within Tellus.
Koumei sought to investigate as well, before the young warriors in his dwelling fell even more ill or decided to act rashly. There had to be an answer...
But he stopped when he caught sight of Cao Pi in full armor trekking across town. Fan in hand, Koumei quietly fell into step beside him.]
...Lord Zihuan, perhaps something lighter would be more appropriate? There's been reports of people falling from bridges, and armor like your's would only hinder you in such a scenario.
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I have nothing lighter. But at a time like this, going out without armor is foolish. I've heard tales of fights and violence already.
It's an unusual situation, though. [understatement]
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[His grip subtly tightened on the handle of his fan in a silent show of his own concern. The situation was beyond his expectations, and it was difficult to form an adequate strategy as everything stood.
Perhaps a trip to the library would be a help. There were bound to be recent news publications in the archives that could be useful for the both of them.]
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[he needs to take stock of his resources, after all. Definitely heading for the library first, in the hopes they have nonfiction now.]
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Remember our prior discussion about the use of fans in war? How are they used on the battlefields you're familiar with?
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Excellent. I have need of a tactician, since none of my usual ones are in this world.
First thing's first: verify the nature of the enemy. If it is an all-new enemy that no one here has faced before, it will take experimentation to find what works against them.
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[He held up his fan with minimal flourish, holding it near his chest just in case something came up.]
My skills are more than what you're thinking. If strategizing was my only talent, I'd hardly be able to stand proudly next to my brothers and sisters.
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[he comes to a stop just up the block from the library to discuss this properly]
Explain, then. I'd like to hear about your talents.
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[He needed to know how far he needed to explain all this-- or how concise he needed to be.]
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There are tales in literature of the wars of the Shang Dynasty, where gods and immortals assisted men on both sides of the succession war. But they are only that: tales.
Then again, in the other world, Orochi did manage to secure the loyalty of men. [including him ahaha...uh.] But he wasn't merely a spirit, he was completely corporeal.
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I understand. In the case of my country, and the countries surrounding it, there is truth to those tales.
Many dungeons have appeared across the lands over the last fifteen years, each one ruled by a Great Spirit-- a Djinn, as we call them. Those who conquor said dungeons are granted extraordinary wealth and power... only if the Djinn specifically allows it. They are sentient and have their own will, after all. They choose those who could be King.
This is because the powers granted to the Dungeon Conquerors are the Djinn's own. So long as the Conqueror carries the seal that symbolizes their pact with the Djinn, they're able to allow their bodies to become a vessel for the Djinn's power. Since the Djinn themselves cannot exist without an anchor outside of their Dungeons, the Conqueror is able to maintain their free will as well-- thus, it's at once both the Djinn having a corporeal form and men being blessed by the gods.
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Every bit as possible as a serpent demon being resurrected from the dead twice and turned into an eight-headed monster...
Still, Cao Pi can't help but look a little wary, as well as curious.]
I gather, then, that you tell me this because you have such a seal.
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