//EVENT027.EXE

[reparator]

Who: Bachelors/Bachelorettes #1-60 and you!
When: IC: 6/7 ; OOC: 3/15
Where: CERES' new Dating Experience
What: There's no way to get to know each other quite like going on a date.
Rating/Warning: PG-13 for Questionable Situations and a healthy dose of violence. Please let the mods know if the rating needs to go up, or the log needs to be locked!

---

//event027.EXE

Love is in the air in Cerealia -- or, well, it is in ViViD anyway. And nobody cares about your lives outside of ViViD, so that's all that matters. It's an artificial love construct, but for you sad, lonely, little people, it's probably good enough, right? CERES is on a mission to find you your other half, your soulmate, your one and only, and this is how they've decided to do it -- through technology and abuse of your private information! Welcome to your new love life, courtesy of ViViD. For your convenience, CERES has automatically generated dating profiles to help match up the new arrivals swiftly and speed up the "get to know each other" process. Nothing like some not-entirely-agreed-to speed dating to break the ice and improve new relations! You're going to be here for awhile, so you may as well get to know each other. For the older residents, well... you may very well find your soulmate here! You don't want to miss out on that. That would just be an unfixable tragedy. So here, use the handy-dandy profiles and find your new honey. After all, the information on these profiles is 100% accurate, certified and verified by Mosley himself. Why would you ever doubt that? I've never actually been on a date before. Not that there haven't been offers but I'm just too busy a guy! I think to myself, "Mosley, me, guy who's talking to himself, why won't you go on a date with that nice lady who just asked you out?" And I reply, "Oh, you gorgeous bastard, I'm satisfied with my life as it is already! I don't need love." After all, what is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.

//SCENARIOS.EXE

PHASE I [ 600 ] Gooooood morning, new ViViD compatriots and gamers! You’re not going to get a lot of time to adjust and recover from your sudden retrieval from destroyed and sad code, really, because as soon as you arrive, fresh and new to Cerealia, you’ll be faced with a profile. Oh, look, it’s your face! And… a quote attributed to you? And your favorite object? Hopefully those details are correct, because there’s no going back now. You’ve become an otome love interest. For those who aren’t brand new to ViViD, you’ll be presented the exact same profiles -- but you’ll have to pick one. You know how this works, pick the love interest you want to romance and sweep them off their feet. Better pick the right route too because, haha! You wouldn't want to end up naked and alone in a basement again! That would be crazy. Just pick some rando hottie instead, it's no big. Or, well, that’s what they say. But then you’re dumped into a ballroom, dressed up to the nines in finery, and surrounded by other milling NPCs. You're given a moment to process the whole situation before a genteel-looking older man who seems to be running this party steps up to the microphone. Gently, he clears his throat, and welcomes everyone to the party ("Haven't been to a party this fine since I had all my teeth!"), and then he gestures to a pile of weapons in the middle of the room and finishes cheerfully, “Anyway, whoever survives can leave this room -- enjoy!” It looks like the NPCs aren’t messing around; they’re immediately diving for the weapons, so you might want to get a move on. Welcome to the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games. PHASE II [ 1000 ] When you burst out of the ball room, possibly covered in the blood of your enemies (your poor dress/suit!), you’ll find yourself in what looks to be a sprawling jungle. In reality, it’s a circular arena, and if you travel far enough, you can reach the walls, though they’re electrified with no way out. If you try to get past them, you’re going to fry yourself before you accomplish anything else! Where's the fun in that? The bigger problem is this: there are some unfortunate monsters on the prowl (don't they... look a little familiar?) in the jungle, and they are ready and willing to eat up anyone who crosses their paths. They’re drawn to the scent of blood -- and, even more so, the scent of people in love. So hey, if you're in love right now, it might be a good time to run. Otherwise, you're the top target and about to be hunted. Have fun out there, lovebirds! Meanwhile, the NPCs (or even your fellow player characters?!) are out for blood themselves, so nowhere is truly safe. Was that... was that a scream for help, or someone coming to get you? PHASE III [ 1145 ] At some point, you’re going to need supplies. It starts to feel like you’ve been in here for days without any food or water (but that’s weird, wasn’t this ViViD session supposed to be just a few hours -- ) and you’re starting to feel the effects. So, time to get in touch with your inner man vs wild. There are animals to hunt (deer, rabbit, etc.) and if you can fashion a spear or use a weapon you scooped up in the chaos, you can kill them for food. Alternatively, you can just try stealing some supplies from your fellow players. That's probably a saner option. Which leaves you sneaking up onto their camp, full of sneakiness, and more sneakiness, and a little bit of stealth, you reach out and... Suddenly, there are lights on you! Cameras! Cheering, adoring crowds! There's a narrator narrating every step you're taking (loudly) and there are fans hanging on your every move -- Oh, did that wake up the other player and/or bring monsters roaring down upon you? Whoops. The perils of spectator sports like the Cerealia Hunger Games, really. PHASE IV [ 1400 ] You did it. Someone came at you, and you killed them. Their blood is on your hands, but it’s fine -- it’s just a program in a game. Right? Except when you look again, it’s someone you know. The corpse of a person who’s very important to you in so many ways is lying there on the ground, blood still warm but clearly dead. They’re solid to the touch. They’re there, and they look just like that person you care about so very much. Your heart hurts. And you’re the one who killed them. Then, without warning, it starts to rain because ViViD is nothing if not good at sensing the mood. PENALTY [ why o'clock ] So. You died. This isn't really that surprising, considering it's the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games. People die a lot in games like these. It's the price of love. Don't worry, though! It's just ViViD, so it's not like you really died. You'll get reconstructed, good as new, and they'll toss you right back onto the battlefield. Except, well... it seems like something's a little different. For one thing, you've got claws instead of hands. You can't seem to speak, either; all you can manage is garbled growls and sharp noises. And, worst of all... you're really, very intensely hungry, and you can smell blood (or people in love, that's an even better scent). So yeah, you're one of the monsters now. Don't worry, it only happens the first time you die in this game; if someone valiantly slays you again, you'll come back good as new, a normal person in the Games. What a weird glitch. There's no way that's on purpose or anything, right? No way! [ 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 March intro log! For your convenience, we have compiled the characters' arrival experience here, and should you have any questions, feel free to ask them here! You can also check the FAQ for more general inquiries. Should this event log hit Captcha, there is an all-purpose overflow here. Thank you!

Comments

[hairysituations]

( PHASE I ) ❝ WELL, SHIT ❞

[ how'd they go and dig that quote up for his profile? you say one thing while contemplating some poetry...

... haha, just kidding. but he is vaguely amused, though a weird profile is honestly at the bottom of his list of worries at the moment.

but still, if you've decided to pick this charming rogue based on his penchant for getting far too engrossed in his supposed love interest and having odd affection for deadly cleaning robots (... yes), he'll wink once they've both materialized somewhere he'd imagine attracts a few pickpockets. He gestures to himself, an inward sweep of his fingers, ]

Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and occasionally ... creepy date. You made a good choice - I may be 119, but I still look great. Totally outweighs the whole possible stalker aspect, right? [ he's incredibly flippant in his attitude, shrugging his shoulders before sparing a glance at the man at the mic --

good thing he actually has his own weapon. he makes a quick grab for his crossbow, Bianca, already playing defensive, ]

How about this - we team up against these nutjobs, and I won't stalk you for the next 119 years of my life. Deal?

( PHASE II ) ❝ SEEING LITERAL RED ❞

[ there's blood in his eyes. he wipes it with the back of his glove and blinks, trying to shrug off a few bites and shots that got past his defenses. he's fast, but it's not easy being an archer when enemies are on you all the time. spitting to the side, he crouches in the bushes, Bianca poised and ready for action should one of those monsters come along. hell, who can you trust in a situation like this? dog eat dog.

he'd already set up a few traps in the area to alert him if anyone's coming. that, and to cripple anyone that comes too near, should he need to trigger that. he's not the strongest head on, and he's already hurt. there's no way he's going to go down without causing some serious damage to someone else.

there's a scream - he turns, still hidden in shrubbery, aiming Bianca at what looks like an ... abomination about to close in on someone.

thunk.

an arrow goes and hits the thing dead in the eye. it falls - though this one wasn't particularly big - and Varric waits to see what the person he saved will do, arrow trained on them just in case they do something suspicious.

he calls out, ]

So, how murderous are you feeling?

( PHASE III ) ❝ CROWD PLEASER ❞

[ well... he did always like a crowd of cheering fans. just sucks that they totally blew his cover when he was about to snatch some supplies. really, this is embarrassing for a rogue, this is supposed to be his thing.

so plan 'a' backfired. time to move onto plan 'b'. after that? there's the rest of the whole damn alphabet.

caught, he holds his hands up and offers a grin. ]

So, I know, this looks pretty bad. [ y'know, he was totally about to jack your stuff, and run away with it. that. ] But instead of stabbing each other in the face, I think we can come to a compromise. A ...less stabby compromise. What do you think?

( PHASE IV ) ❝ REQUIEM ❞

[ what has he done?

he doesn't even really remember doing it. it's just a flash of red and silver, adrenaline, and... regret. the rain pounds his shoulders and he lowers his crossbow, the tip dipping into the mud, but he doesn't care. shit. shityour corpse. everyone else: meet varric's now dead brother Bartrand, covered in blood and dirt. ]

Shit. I didn't even know...

[ he clasps a gloved hand to his face. maybe he'll just drown in a river of mud with all of this rain. ]

phase iii!

[incendire]

[ Genos looks down at Varric and the goods that were stolen from him and...well, it isn't as if he really needed any of it. Save for the oil that was also included in the pack that he was given. Then again, the idea of anyone just stealing from him instead of asking is kind of the behavior he wasn't supposed to commend so Genos does raise a hand—not quite threateningly. ]

A compromise? [ There's a soft glow emitting from his hand. ]

What compromise are you suggesting?

[hairysituations]

[ oh no.... his first meeting with one of his beloved deadly roombas, and he's making a horrible first impression.

not that he can really make the joke - what in andraste's buttcheeks is a roomba? anyway. glowing hand? o...kay, so he's a mage. great. how about a compromise that involves not getting his face burned off? not worth it for a pack of supplies that he could have done without.

but now that he's actually looking at the fellow he'd just tried to larceny, he's curious. ]

Okay... sorry, but, if you're a mage, where are all your... [ he gestures up and down ] you know, flowing robes? What kind of armor is that? [ impressive as hell, sure, but not very mage-y in aesthetic ] Better for magic?

i!

[swordsitter]

[ honestly, haru's so done with vivid that he could scream. he just wants a solid month where nothing insane happens in the colony, but it looks like that's asking too much of ceres. instead, he's.. in a.. dating game. right. honestly, he just wants to get this over with and get home, so he picks the first person that's offered to him, and winds up face-to-face with a guy who's apparently really fond of roombas.

he blinks mildly, a little thrown off by the fact that the stranger is both around his own height and looks like he could potentially twist taller men into a pretzel. he doesn't smile at the introduction--sorry, varric--but his eyes do warm gratefully at the apparent good humour. if he has to be tossed into vivid again with a stranger, at least it's a stranger who's taking this all pretty well. ] Kure Haru. [ a beat, dipping into a brief, polite bow. ] Call me Haru. And thank you, I don't think my spirits would take my being stalked very well.

[ he startles as a voice suddenly starts speaking, glancing back at varric at the suggestion and nodding once, firm. ] Okay. [ don't worry, varric. even though haru looks like a stiff wind could knock him down, there's something in his expression that says he's accustomed to this sort of thing. he reaches into the pocket of his jeans, and pulls out.. slips of paper?? he flings one up into the air with a murmured word, and it shimmers, stretching and reshaping itself into a wakizashi, which he snatches out of the air. ] Probably the goal is just to get to the exit. That's how ViViD usually works.

[hairysituations]

[ well, Varric is totally 100% okay with having someone who seems familiar with this on his side. he's learned that you shouldn't be deceived by appearances - plenty of mages look squishy, but are some of the strongest fighters he knows. the fact that this kid just threw a piece of paper into the air and did some mysterious shit to get himself a nice looking weapon doesn't do anything to convince him that he's not some kind of mage. ]

Oh, so you're used to this kind of thing. Great. [ More like... sorry kid, that sucks. But, he supposes, after the first time, it probably isn't quite as terrible. ] I'm all for heading for the exit. Never really liked ritzy parties anyway. [ especially ones that are so... orlesian. only the orlesians are slightly less overtly murderous.

he takes quick aim to fend off someone who'd decided to pay them some unwanted attention, letting lose an arrow in their throat, ] Sorry, we don't like date-crashers. [ he glances back to his companion, ] Any guesses on where the exit is?

II

[onerous]

[Yuri sits on the ground a moment in surprise--where did that arrow come from?-- brain trying to process through the events that just occurred. She was alive still, the monster was downed, and the arrow had come from...

Her eyes follow the trail until they land on Varric and the crossbow that's now aimed at her. Slowly she puts her hands up--her sword's been knocked away, a good couple feet away from her. She'd have to scramble to grab it and she has no illusions to the idea that he'd shoot her long before she could even touch it.

It's a good thing Yuri's always been hovering that line between choosing to live or die, because it comes in handy now. She doesn't feel particularly fearful, just sort of resigned. If he was going to kill her, well... Well. It's a good thing it's just a game. It didn't really matter.]

Not very much. [She watches him carefully, looks at her sword, and then back at him again.] I really don't feel like killing anyone. Especially not someone who just saved me-- I'm pretty sure that's rude.

[hairysituations]

I'd say so. But you never know - for some reason, people tend to forget their manners when they're being hunted by abominations. [ but since her weapon's been knocked away and she isn't lunging dramatically for it, he lowers his, letting Bianca rest for a moment. it's been a rough day, and with everything he's been through already, he doesn't have many arrows left to waste. unlike what fiction may lead you to believe, those things aren't infinite. go figure. while his guard isn't down, he sees no need to be threatening. ]

Seeing as I don't really feel like killing anyone either - well, anyone besides monsters trying to eat me - how about we call a truce? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, or maybe some other wise proverb you prefer?

[ he'll even go so far as to step out of the bushes and brush himself off a bit. not much can be done about the dried blood, but hey, he can at least try to look presentable for a young lady. he's got a little class, y'know. ]

ii!!

[hoasen]

[Any monster getting downed is a good thing, so she's okay with that result.

But as he asked, she's pretty sure he means how keen she was on this game. Newcomer ViViD is usually a giant annoyance to her, but she does want to see who arrives. New comrades and all.

A game where you're pitted against each other? Doesn't help.]

Not murderous enough, apparently. But thank you for taking that creature down.

[hairysituations]

My pleasure.

[ and that it was, given how many of those suckers he's had to dodge since coming into this area. and since she doesn't seem like she's ready to strangle his throat (he knows what that looks like by now) he lowers his weapon, not quite ready to sling it across his back, but that's less due to her than... well, literally everything else in this place.

he steps out of his bushes and scans the area to make sure the thing didn't have a girlfriend -- nothing worse than a woman scorned -- before he turns his attention back to her. ]

You hurt? [ isn't everyone by this point? it almost feels like a silly question, but there are some wounds that are worse than others, right? for all his scrapes and skin-deep cuts, he's mostly intact. the knife that thunked into a tree three inches above his head had been fun. thanks, genetics. ]

That looked like a nasty one. [ he nods his chin toward the monster, still keeping an eye on it, should it decide to pop up ]

[outcast]

I suppose just an average amount, at the moment, but— [ oh, well. she sure did almost die, probably, but she was saved by a certain tuft of chest hair, and for that she is thankful. ] —Varric? Oh, Varric, there you are! Um, I suppose I should thank you.. For saving me, that is. So thank you. What are you doing here? In Cerealia, I mean.

[hairysituations]

No need to thank me, Daisy. I've always got your back.

[ he comes out instantly once he realizes it's her, lowering Bianca and peering around just to make sure that there are no other people ready to jump on them lingering around. it's quiet... but he doesn't trust it. but at least he found merrill! it makes dealing with all these crazies totally worth it. ]

What am I doing here? Looking for you, of course. [ sort of. he gives her a small smile and shrugs his shoulders, ] What, not happy to see me? [ baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no mo' ]

I.

[heiroglyphs]

Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.

[Not that that means anything here, but since we're being formal. She reaches out with one hand, a rapier materializing in a flash of white light. ViViD is a weird place, but the inventory system is pretty convenient.]

And that sounds like a plan to me. Hope you're a good shot with that thing.

[hairysituations]

[ hot damn, an heiress with a rapier? that's giving him a novel idea. inspiration comes at the oddest times, doesn't it? lone heiress to a diamond company that her uncle is trying to grab. she must battle him one on one after he tries a hostile takeover, during a ball he'd thrown for his goons.

"how dare you, uncle!" she cried, her diamond rapier appearing as if by magic in her hand once she reached into the sky, white hair glittering behind her like the stone they so viciously fought over, "i'll make you pay for what you've done to mother's company!" her uncle snarled as he hid behind his dressed up dummies, keeping as far from her as possible. his gnarled beard only barely managed to hide the sneer on his lips, but she knew it was there. "fight me, you coward...!"

oh wait. no, there'll be time for this later. ]

Don't you worry about Bianca. She won't let you down. [ with ease, he holds his crossbow out for a clean shot in a man's chest, one ready to throw an ax in their direction. ] This happen at all the parties around here, or am I just lucky?

iii.

[bropane]

[ "varric and tadashi have a little talk", says the commentator! and thank god it doesn't just announce what they're about to talk about? ]

Yeah, I'm not going to stab anybody, no matter what.

What do you have in mind?

[ also, wow, you're tiny... tadashi's literally hovering over him. ]

ii

[yaayaa]

[Nakigitsune stares at the arrow, over at the guy who shot it, back at--no, it's probably better to keep looking at the guy pointing a weapon at him. And so he stands, frozen, sword still in his hand, as the fox on his shoulder opens its mouth and--]

Nakigitsune isn't feeling murderous at all, as long as you aren't an enemy!

iv! bffs reunite and angst

[kirkwalled]

[ hawke misses her armor. she's still stuck in the dress from the ball and despite the fact she's got a sword now, it's still just this side of too much and she'd like to go back to the city now.

but it's vivid! vivid always has a goal in mind, has something you must complete first to get to the goal and then it's spit you right back out without even a thanks. hawke's used to it at this point, she's been here long enough, she knows how this works.

what she isn't expecting is to come around a tree and spot the back of a familiar dwarf. what she isn't suspecting after that is the sudden downpour of rain that's really just... well, thanks, vivid. she lifts a hand to shield her eyes and squints, taking a few steps closer. ]

Varric? Is that you or have I finally lost it? [ a pause ] One could argue that I've lost it many moons before now but I like to be optimistic!

[ . . . ]

... Varric?

iii!

[adornmental]

[A less stabby compromise?? Sounds like a lot of work, gosh.]

Hmmm... I dunno if I'm really feeling all that generous!

[...Though honestly, he doesn't actually seem all that miffed. If anything, he's saltier about the fact that this guy apparently has more adoring fans. So many that they'd even ruin his attempt to ransack a pile of supplies!

Kashuu - (who does indeed have a sword out, like he's ready to get stabby, but isn't pointing it anywhere but the ground just yet) - gives him a once-over.]

But you could try to pitch your idea anyway, I guess.

phase iii!

[ukakus]

[If by "supplies" you mean water, water, and more water (seriously, where's the food?) — then, yeah. Trying to snatch Touka's supplies. Very bad idea. She looks like she's trying to decide between wringing his neck, and shoving her foot so far up his ass, it'll come out through his nostrils.]

Unless that compromise involves you leaving? No. Fuck off, you shitty bastard.

phase i.

[undaunts]

Sounds good to me!

[The response comes from a very cheerful young teen, so it's probably good that this is their bargain, because that would be illegal, Varric. She doesn't seem bothered by it, at least; instead, she pulls out her weapon, unfolding her scythe to its full and unnecessarily large size.

Seems legit.]

Let's take 'em.

PHASE III

[corona]

[ Stabbing other people isn’t usually at the top of her list of things she’s eager to do anyway, but there’s something about smooth-talking personality types…

Rapunzel lifts her face, which is about as blood-spattered as it usually is on a lovely jaunt through ViViD, blows the feathers off her forehead, and then lifts her spear. ]

I like stabby compromises. [ No she doesn’t. ] Buuuuut I’m open to punching… kicking… strangling, shooting… Why, what kind of compromise did you have in mind?

[ Because she is fast running out of steam pretending to be a badass. ]

I

[feytality]

[Well, she didn't exactly pick him for a date. More like they happen to be close together when the party really starts. But she's Maya, so of course she'll play along]

119? You're still young! I'm 1000. [says the teenaged girl who is so short they're pretty much the same height. But-- according to her profile, she's definitely a 1000. And running with it.]

Sorry, I think I'm a little too old for you. But we can definitely team up! [She says, weaponless. She's also gotten herself a lot of attention in her attempts to stop the murderfest. Looks like they'll have company soon]

We just gotta ditch this place, right?

[and she's awfully perky for someone who's about to be the target of various murder attempts]

phase ii

[liven]

[ Shijima had heard the abomination behind her, of course. She's a cat - even if she's wearing the form of a girl of maybe thirteen - and she's been alive for centuries. She's good in battle, even if she's terrible with people. She immediately turns towards the source of the arrow, and her hands glint with the metal claws hooked over them, but she doesn't move.

Just cocks her head to the side and stares, eyes cat-yellow in the dark. ]

No more or less than usual. You may as well come out, child.

[ Assuming she's older than everyone until proven otherwise: the life. ]

[stagewright]

I was kinda interested in what "deadly roombas" were. Is it like, some sort of floor-cleaning ninja?

[ Trucy honestly picked a profile completely on a whim. She hadn't realized this "dating sim" of new people involved LOTS OF MURDER!!! though in retrospect that should have been pretty obvious, since Cerealia. All the same, she flashes Varric a cheerful grin. ]

Sure! I'll help out as much as I can. I can throw knives? Super well. And archery, I can do that, too.

[ But knives are what she has on hand. ]

I'm Trucy Wright! Magician extraordinaire. ...Stage magician, by the way, in case you thought that might be super helpful.

ii

[buttonedup]

( Cassandra has never been more pleased to see Varric in her life, and the mere fact that such a thought has crossed her mind is enough to make her both groan in disgust and also briefly forget just how terribly furious she is with him. She eyes him warily because even she is not fool enough to get on the wrong side of Bianca, but all the same she still holds her sword in a defensive position. She, like Varric, is splattered in blood, but considering their adventures together that is nothing unusual.

What is strange, however, is this: the Seeker is wearing a dress. Oh, but the Maker has a sense of humour, for she has so often been finding herself stuffed into gowns whenever ViViD has taken her lately. )

When it comes to demons? Always.

( Now, assure her that you're just not another figment of this game's imagination, dwarf. )

phase ii

[sortileges]

[ Well scream isn't quite accurate, more like a "shout of surprise" and Merlin had been about to save himself when Varric's arrow cut through instead. He leans back against the tree he'd been using as a means of cover, mostly to give his ankle a rest as it's messed up by now.

He gives him a look when the crossbow is pointed at him instead. Considering it would take time to be fired and go through the air and he could stop it, it really isn't a threat. There's a lot of effort that would go into that though, and what would the point be when the other just tried to save him?

He holds both hands up, and considering his leg is propped in a way that it doesn't hurt he goes to walk only to yell out and............... fall flat on his face.

Good going. ]

Really not very. [ It's all he says once he's turned his head to look at the other, absolutely done with this level. He doesn't remember his entry here being this difficult. It just called him fat. :( ]