estoria | //EVENT023.EXE

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//EVENT023.EXE

Who: Everyone + ~~the ghosts of Christmas past~~ the ghosts who aren't the ghosts of Christmas past
When: OOC: 12/16 to 12/23 ; IC: 4/22 to 4/26
Where: All around Cerealia
What: We have some new friends visiting.
Rating/Warning: PG-13 for violent and dangerous situations; please let the mods know if the rating needs to go up or the log needs to be locked!

//event023.EXE

The metaphorical sun is shining today -- until it isn't. All of a sudden, there's a creeping sensation up your spine, and the sense that something bad is coming. The day seems a little darker. And those closer to the source who are in their homes in the residential district will understand that sensation better than anyone.

The pure of heart throughout the city who have been feeling under the weather lately will suddenly feel a terrible sense of all-encompassing dread overcome them. A loud metal groan will echo throughout the city as once again, the city undergoes surprise renovations. But today it is not what has been keeping the residents in – but rather some surprise visitors who have wanted out.

And there's a message on the wind, one that might be heard for anyone who listens hard enough...

Murderers.

Murderers.

Murderersmurderersmurderers.

//SCENARIOS.EXE

PHASE I

[ 900 ] 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. ]

//RUN.EXE

Welcome to Cerealia's DECEMBER event! Please visit the OOC information here, and should you have any questions, feel free to ask them here! You can also check the FAQ for more general inquiries. This event will last from 12/16 to 12/23, or IC 4/22 to 4/26. Should this event log hit Captcha, there is an all-purpose overflow here. Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[it's almost immediately the way stahn's head dips as he breathes out a sigh of relief. his body slumps a little, though his hands remain clasped over her shoulders.]

You're okay... good. That's a relief... [okay as in "she recognizes him and isn't about to take a suicide leap" which. is indeed a good start to him.]

What's wrong? Did I frighten you?

[ "My lady, you were about to willingly put yourself in grave danger," Kazfiel cuts in, deep voice only the slightest bit anxious. "This man dragged you back." ]

... What? [ Wait-- Otome blinks again, now incredibly disconcerted, and looks past Stahn. ] I was about to jump?

Yeah.

[he says it, and it's obvious that stahn is pretty serious right now. and this isn't the sort of "oh, you're sick and i'm worried" serious. it's more grim, it's much more in line with the serious side of him that he's tried to keep contained to dealing with problems of his own world.

but his concern for his friends trumps that, so that side can't be hidden away. he finally drops his hands to his sides before he continues.]

You snapped out of it just in time. If I got here any later... I'm not sure what would have happened.

[ It's Stahn's unusual level of seriousness, the way Kazfiel had sounded so relieved... and when Otome looks back towards the edge, and down...

That's... not a drop she would have survived. And she'd almost done so willingly? Unbidden, her mind flashes back to the time she'd had to run into the lake after someone, the dazed way he'd appeared, and she remembers just now, that there had been some sort of pressing need to follow--

She wavers, then, closing her eyes against a sudden, lurching nausea. ]

I--

[ Probably need to sit down. ]

Hey—!

[it's more of a worried yell than anything else, but seeing the way otome looks, it seems like she's going to collapse if she stays like this. so he reaches out to grab her arms, motioning to move her away from the edge.]

Let's get you inside... maybe just to lay down for a while. [he'll act as her crutch if she needs it and guide her where she wants to be. anything to get her away from this place and somewhere that she can relax and get her mind straight.]

I think I just need to sit... [ It's said a little thinly, but moving away from the Sky Bridge will definitely help-- her state of mind, at least. She can walk, so he shouldn't have to worry about hauling her, even if it's clear that what happened shook her up pretty badly. ]

Well, let's get inside anyway. [regardless of where she ends up sitting. he thinks more than that would be better for her, but he's not going to push it.]</small Come on, we can take it slow.

[ Take it slow she will... nice and easy steps, even as she sighs. So much for not troubling anyone-- ]

I'm sorry, Stahn... I seem to keep worrying you, don't I?

Don't worry about that. What matters is that you're okay, Otome. [seriously, he's fine. he's keep a slow pace to match hers, and he's ready if she needs any more help.]

I'm tougher than I look. [ Not a lie. ] That was just a little unexpected.

[ And vaguely traumatizing, but she's also not one to be easily traumatized. ]

Yeah, I believe it. But still... [he doesn't doubt that she's tough, and he would never dream of questioning it. he's just worried; it was pretty scary to see her in that state.]

... It's not a situation you want to see your friends in, right? [ With an apologetic smile. ] No matter who they are.

Right. I don't want you to get hurt... I don't want anyone to get hurt. [friends or not. he just doesn't like that.]

... You're truly a kind person. [ Well, he already knows that. ] So don't worry too much... I'll be fine. And there's still the city to protect.

I know you'll be fine, Otome. You're strong. [he's just worried about the now.] But you shouldn't be alone yet either, so I'll stay for now. [and then he will protect the city. but he can't just go without doing this first, that's not who he is.]

[ This city is filled with tsun teenage boys and shounen protags. Truly.

Otome won't argue beyond that, wincing as her headache so kindly reminds her that it's still very much present and accounted for. ]

I suppose... to make it fair, I can tell you a bit about my world while we're at it. Kazfiel's a part of it.

[ Multitasking, sure. Why not? ]

If you're okay with it then... yeah, I'd like that.

[he's curious about where she comes from—all different sorts of places interest him, after all. he's a bit curious about kazfiel too, even if he hasn't questioned it at all. he probably should have, but stahn could tell he wasn't dealing with an enemy, despite appearances.

so he'll let her tell him these things at her own pace. they're friends... so naturally, he wants to know more about her and where she's from.]

Kazfiel is what you'd call a demon-- they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and types, but they were brought into my world by a force wanting to destroy humanity. So some of the demons are allies who were impressed by our strength, or who put themselves up for auction, but most want us dead.

[ This sure is a happy story, isn't it? She's keeping her eyes on the ground as she walks, just to make sure dizziness doesn't strike again. ]

Ah... I guess it would be tough like that, if they're demons.

[it makes sense, but he's still frowning. demons that want to destroy humanity. it's a familiar story, even if it's not quite the same as what he's dealing with.]

I didn't realize... how many other worlds could have such big threats to them. [it kind of puts things into perspective for him. other people and other worlds are struggling just as much as he and his friends have been. maybe even worse.]

I've heard of worlds that have wars so bad that they drag children into them to fight. I'm glad ours hasn't fallen that far, but some of my friends are fairly young, too. It doesn't seem fair to them.

[ Otome's fine risking her life. But fifteen-year-olds? This wasn't something they should have had to face-- not to mention the even younger kids here. ]

Yeah, it's tough... it's tough in any place where you need to fight for the world, even if they're young.

[the youngest of his comrades is fourteen, so he understands. but he'd also never undermine chelsea's ability to deny her a place in the party because of it.]

I guess no world really has it easy, huh? Even if it's not facing the end, I guess it can't always be peaceful or easy to deal with. [he wonders how many other people here come from worlds thatare in that kind of a situation, though.]

Mm... I wonder just how similar our worlds are. Or if any of us come from a world where everything is peaceful. If this is the first time they've had to fight, or try to defend themselves.

[ She misses it, most days. ]

I think there are... There have to be places like that.

[stahn refuses to believe otherwise. he just can't.] We have make sure we do what we can... so those people don't have to fight as hard if they don't know how. And so they can go back to those places.

[and so they can return to their own worlds and fight for the peace they deserve too. but stahn looks at the bigger picture more than just the narrow view of his own world.]

I agree. Everyone was brought here against their will. So not only do I want to protect them, but I want them to all be able to go home, like you said. I want them to have homes to return to.

[ Whatever that entails. ]

[he nods, though his expression darkens a bit.]

I just wonder... what'll happen for the people who might not have homes to return to at all. [is there going to be a solution that will help them? or will the people who've ceased to exist go back to that nonexistence?

or could they just stay here? he's not sure.]

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