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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no subject
I told you, it's special. [But now isn't the time to be petulant or rude, she supposes, so she holds the camera up so he can see it a little better] The film has the power to exorcise hostile spirits. But they have to be attacking me first before it will work.
I don't really know too much more beyond that, however. I didn't make the camera, or the film.
no subject
Zoro eyes it for a moment and then relaxes his shoulders, scratching at the back of his neck]
Eh, I don't need to know how it works. But since these things are hard to hit, I'm pretty useless. At least they don't sap your energy when they touch you.
There's a lot of 'em, though. Think you can fight all of 'em with just a camera?
[(ooc: before I forget again, I'm down with her seeing a memory of Zoro's: taking Luffy's pain)]
no subject
[HOW CHEERFUL... His question also makes her hesitate. The Type 07 film won't ever run out, but it's power is the lowest. The largest group she's fought at once has been about 5 or 6, but even then she'd been able to mostly group them together and get shots in all at once...] I can try.
[Which is effectively a 'no,' but Yuri straightens her shoulders out anyhow.] I have to try. Sitting by and doing nothing when I can help would be much worse. Besides... Death is rather cheap here, isn't it? It doesn't really matter what happens to me.
((OOC: Noted! <3))
no subject
Death is never cheap. If you're willing to put your life on the line for the people here...I won't stop you. But what can they do? The ghosts. They can't actually hurt us, can they?
[he's seen them pop in and out of walls, floating around, and despite the murder chant he's not as concerned. He hasn't seen them possessing robots yet...]
no subject
[She rolls her shoulders, uncomfortable.] Either way, it's probably best to assume anything you go against has some kind of trump card, right? Or something like that.
[She also considers what he said about his weapons being useless and tilts her head] If they possess something, you can fight them that way, too. Maybe get your weapons blessed...? I don't know if that would do anything.
no subject
Doubtful. Besides, Kitetsu is a cursed sword already...it probably wouldn't work on it.
Possessing things, though. I guess if these things are real, that means they can do those sorts of things. [which brings to mind...] Does your camera work on possessed people, or do you got any other way to fight someone like that?
no subject
[Actually that's a good question. She can't recall ever having to fight a possessed object before.] I'm not sure, actually. Usually it only seems to work at actually hurting spirits when they're trying to attack me. I think it might expel the spirit from the person or thing normally, but I won't know unless I'm faced with it.
...Please don't go and get possessed to test this theory.
no subject
[aaaanyway. Zoro sniffs a small laugh.]
Nah, I wasn't gonna. More like, you probably need a bodyguard if you're gonna go around snapping photos. At least till you know whether or not you can un-possess someone like that. When this kind of shit happens, you don't go out alone, plain and simple.
[you know, like him]
no subject
She tilts her head up somewhat, acknowledging what he's saying. She'd rather not have a bodyguard, if only because it'd mean fewer people getting involved or in danger, but she understands where he's coming from.]
...Are you volunteering?
no subject
[the smirk falters for a second. He can't not think of them, but even so.] ...what's left of 'em can take care of themselves. They won't die from something like this. Other people will.
no subject
And she can understanding wanting to learn how to protect friends. So Yuri takes a breath and nods lightly.] Alright. I can't say 'no' when you say it like that...
I'm Kozukata Yuri. I won't be able to fight if they possess anything that can physically attack, so... I'll welcome any help you can offer.
no subject
[he can leave Luffy and Sanji to their own devices for a bit while he tails this girl, finds out what he can about ghosts, and keeps her from getting hurt. Shh yes he's a pirate who protects.]
'Sides. If it turns out you and your camera are the only things that can take down these ghosts, no one in their right mind would let you roam around alone.
no subject
[She looks vaguely amused, but responds rather humbly:] I'm sure I'm not the only one that can fight them. I'm just probably the only one that uses a camera for it.
[Her gaze goes to his swords again, curious.] Are you a...samurai? [Or maybe just a general swordsman?? She doesn't know okay things get Weird when it comes to different worlds and all.]
no subject
[even if he's not talking about the ones from his world - he's gathered by now that there are samurai in many worlds, and they tend to have the same philosophies]
no subject
[She tilts her head curiously.] ...You're really a pirate? [A pause and she adds, with a little embarrassed cough] Sorry. I don't not believe you--Honestly, with this thing about different worlds and all I can't afford to assume otherwise--but, I've never met a pirate before. I thought they'd be...different.
[Flashbacks to Peter Pan and Captain Hook...]
no subject
It's no big deal. Yeah, I'm a pirate. We're not all the same, there's lots of different kinds of pirates. [slight smirk over his shoulder] Big ones, small ones, and everything in between.