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.
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PHASE I [ 6 00 ] 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. ] |
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no subject
You would be correct. [ The glow disappears from Genos' hand and while nothing about his demeanor changes, he isn't looking to attack Varric anymore. So that's a good place to be in. That is, unless he tries to dash off with the goods. ]
I received this body as a result of nearly dying. It allows me to carry out what I was not able to do when I was a normal human.
[ Genos will note the way the man speaks with the implication that he has also seen quite a bit. ]
no subject
[ he can sense that he's out of the fryer, at least enough that the hairs on the back of his neck aren't raised anymore. it'd probably be a nice time to get his ass outta here, but he'd be lying if he said if he wasn't interested in a story. sure, he's usually the one telling them, but he's always liked an autobiography.
and then retelling it later, salted liberally with wild falsehoods and dashing heroics. that's way more interesting than a pack of basic necessities. ]
But if you're not in the mood for stories, I'll leave you alone to... [ be... a cyborg?? ] ... whatever you were doing before.
no subject
Or..something like that. ]
I don't mind. [ The pause drags out a bit longer as Genos tries to think about how to really say it. His master had told him to keep things to a 20 word maximum but that isn't really a story. ]
The reasons are unclear but a mad cyborg—another thing similar to myself—attacked my family when I was younger. I was to die that day except the a kind man who had been chasing the cyborg found me and saved me. However, I also begged him to turn me into what you see before you so I could get revenge.
[ All serious and plainly. ]
no subject
.... except for the delivery. so serious. so plain! it's like he's talking about the weather. and not even dramatic weather, like storms pounding against the windows, lightning flashing while the trees bend, ready to snap and destroy everything in their path. it's more like... 'morning jan, it's pretty nice out today, how'd writing those reports last night go? jim still snoring too loud? ]
And... how's that going? Work in progress? [ the guy looks young still, but hell if looks are any real indication. ]
no subject
I've been chasing the mad cyborg for four years prior to this place hunting him, however I have not been able to confront him just yet.
[ Though he has heard whispers and a potential lead into figuring out who was responsible for it all. But until Genos gets the opportunity to—he won't name anyone responsible for it. ]
no subject
How old are you?
[ seems like a lot for a guy that doesn't look older than... maybe 22? ]
no subject
[ Again, sadly extremely upfront and honest about it. Close with the age thing though. ]
no subject
How about this. I'm pretty good at finding things out - if I hear anything that sounds like it might relate, I'll let you know. Sound fair? [ for an incredible failure of attempted larceny ]
no subject
[ Genos doubts he could find anything about the mad cyborg here given the circumstances but he won't deny the help though— ] However, if you're good at finding out about things perhaps your skills could be better implemented elsewhere. There is a group of people working to uncover the truths and secrets of this place. While I do wish to continue my hunt, I know that he is not my priority at the moment.
[ Well, if Varric's goal was for Genos to completely forget why they were even having any sort of confrontation at all, it has worked. He might remember eventually...maybe. ] If you would help us with that, it would be beneficial to us all.
no subject
Secrets of this place, huh? [ he was already planning on doing that, actually, so there's no harm in agreeing to that. ] Sounds like something I can do. It'd help if you could tell me what you know, personally. Gotta get started as soon as possible, right? [ soaks up info like a sponge... ]
Doesn't gotta be now. Maybe some other place. Less monsters.
no subject
Of course. There will be a document of compiled information that I can share with you once we are both free of this place. However the monsters are still a somewhat common occurrence.
[ Not that is a huge deal when it comes to him. ] Do you require any sort of protection in regards to monsters?
no subject
Oh, great. [ at least he's sort of used to dealing with the daily abomination. but, oho? the kid's offering muscle? he doesn't exactly have a warrior with him, and those are always good against monsters. ]
Why? You offering?
no subject