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abraxasooc2024-04-12 11:06 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2024-04-12 11:06 am
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EVENT 18: EMERGENCE - OOC POST
Event #18 - OOC Plotting
On April 6, the storms evolved into an uncontrollable tempest. Lightning strikes with powerful rain and wind. Floods begin to swallow crops, homes, animals, and people alike. With portals disrupted and tightly guarded borders breached by a power no one can stop, authorities in all three territories turn towards their only solution: the Summoned. They believe that the Summoned can reach out to the source of their unique powers and stop the turbulence by approaching the heart of the Singularity.
Characters do not have a choice. They'll be asked to cooperate for the sake of the world and the safety of the natives, but refusal is not an option. The threat is great, and the territories are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their citizens and land from the Singularity's unstable behavior.
Characters do not have a choice. They'll be asked to cooperate for the sake of the world and the safety of the natives, but refusal is not an option. The threat is great, and the territories are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their citizens and land from the Singularity's unstable behavior.
Please note when finalizing your character's AU details that character-based lore and actions, if widespread, should be generic enough to apply to multiple Gods or causes (i.e. there can many reasons for a storm). Specific lore aspects (i.e. your character is believed to be responsible for the setting sun) must be contained to individual villages or cults. Additionally, beliefs that center your character in people's minds based on a common event or natural phenomenon (shooting stars, earthquakes, illness) cannot be stated as universal.
In short, try to keep your character's impact on the world from affecting things for everyone on a broad and unignorable scale. On an OOC level, this is to avoid conflict with other player plots or written histories. If you're not sure, just ask!
In short, try to keep your character's impact on the world from affecting things for everyone on a broad and unignorable scale. On an OOC level, this is to avoid conflict with other player plots or written histories. If you're not sure, just ask!
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Gateway
By APRIL 18, authorities have made a decision. They order the Summoned to be rounded up and taken to the Singularity's crater.
Territory Response
Thorne and the Free Cities will try to secure cooperation by appealing to the Summoned's tendency to want to help the common folk or each other. What about the miners they fought so hard to protect? The fishermen in Nott? Aren't these people's lives important? Guards won't go out of their way to harm resistant characters or mistreat them, but they have orders to follow. Resistors will be placed in special locked carriages and may be restrained as necessary.
Solvunn will appeal to the Summoned's sense of community. Unlike Thorne and the Free Cities, their coercion is more subtle: the entirety of the commune, including neighbors, the elderly, and children will beg them to go, making it exceptionally difficult to refuse. If your character would still say no, please ask us about your character's specific circumstances in that case.
Solvunn will appeal to the Summoned's sense of community. Unlike Thorne and the Free Cities, their coercion is more subtle: the entirety of the commune, including neighbors, the elderly, and children will beg them to go, making it exceptionally difficult to refuse. If your character would still say no, please ask us about your character's specific circumstances in that case.
At the Crater
Once at the site of the Singularity, the Summoned will be forced towards the crater. Instead of being drawn into the Horizon, they'll be pulled into an emergent future reality.
A thick fog will descend around the crater throughout the event period. Characters can only vaguely glimpse other Summoned nearby. The natives will be none the wiser. Depending on how long your character has interacted with the Horizon and the magic of Abraxas, their experience entering the crater may differ:
A thick fog will descend around the crater throughout the event period. Characters can only vaguely glimpse other Summoned nearby. The natives will be none the wiser. Depending on how long your character has interacted with the Horizon and the magic of Abraxas, their experience entering the crater may differ:
◎ Characters who are new or who do not engage with the Horizon and/or magic will be sucked into the reality immediately.
◎ Characters who have been in Abraxas for 1+ year and who have engaged regularly with the Horizon and/or Abraxan magic (using their gains or actively learning magic) will be able to walk partway into the Singularity's crater before they're sucked in.
◎ Characters who have actively engaged with the Singularity outside of the Dimming (i.e. not during periods of dormancy) at least one time, and who received a unique response will be able to walk up to the Singularity. They will be compelled to approach it and touch it, whether they want to or not.
Mechanics
The event is based on the following mechanics:
◎ A gradual realization that characters do not belong in the emergent reality, spurred by one or more important catalysts.The IC Event Log will have prompts to guide you, but players are encouraged to thread any scenarios they come up with. The emphasis will be on self-discovery, lore, and CR development.
◎ Uncovering the meaning of the Summoned's connection to the Singularity and Abraxas.
◎ Interacting with elements of the reality that are normally difficult to access, including the Singularity itself.
Passage of Time
The emergent reality is 800 years in the future. It will play out according to this timeline:
◎ 3 weeks will pass in the standard reality (real world).The IC Event Log will be divided into two sections. In the first half, characters are fully submerged in the emergent reality. They will not realize they're from the past. In the second half, characters will begin to reawaken. See Reawakening for more details.
◎ 3 months will pass in the emergent reality (future AU).
Guidelines about how to approach your character's AU history, abilities, lifted restrictions, and an outline of the new setting are on the ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION post. Be sure to review those details or submit for your assignment if you haven't received one. Characters must have an assignment to participate.
Setting Descriptions
You can reference the information as needed or ask us for additional details at any point. Because of the dreamlike nature of this AU, don't feel like you have to get every detail down. Potential inconsistencies can be explained away via imperfect recollections.
Memories
While inside the emergent reality, characters will suffer some memory loss. The severity is entirely up to you. Memories may be blurry or entirely gone. They can encompass game memories, canon memories, or a combination. The loss might contribute to a major shift in personality or it might reinforce your character's current beliefs.
Players are welcome to choose whether they want to lean into any corruption aspects or retain their character's core morals. The Singularity, the Gods, and the environment will not play a role here. Rather, any changes to a character's arc, for better or worse, will depend on their disposition, relationships, and personal choices.
Players are welcome to choose whether they want to lean into any corruption aspects or retain their character's core morals. The Singularity, the Gods, and the environment will not play a role here. Rather, any changes to a character's arc, for better or worse, will depend on their disposition, relationships, and personal choices.
◎ Memory loss can be patchwork. It does not need to be linear. For instance, a character can recall all their canon memories but forget all of their memories related to important CR who have dropped.There's no "right" way to approach how memories work. You can stick to one of the options above or combine them. The main point is that characters must lose a bit of something important to time since regaining those memories is a central feature of the event.
◎ Memories can be replaced by versions that have twisted over time. For example, a character might recall an act of betrayal where there was none.
Actions and Consequences
How the Summoned interact with the setting and the Singularity will impact both themselves and the world. Balance is the most important aspect characters will discover. Actions can have consequences, and the existing Gods will step in to prevent any new Gods from threatening this delicate ecosystem if their actions cause too much distress among the mortals.
◎ Summoned who IGNORE their abilities and/or the Horizon will find their tether to Abraxas weakening. They may regularly blank out or become confused about where they are. They will begin to bleed magic built up from disuse and corrupt the land or people around them by unleashing more magic than the earth can sustain. This can exacerbate an unsettling condition in the Witchwood, where the demigods roam.The above is not to dissuade you from leaning towards an extreme. You're encouraged to use this mechanic to explore your characters further. However, characters will have to confront the damage they're doing to themselves and the world, and should be aware they might cause conflict with other Summoned, Gods, or even mortals who may turn to other Gods instead.
◎ Summoned who ABUSE their abilities and status as Gods, and/or do not interact meaningfully with the world outside the Horizon will begin to lose more of themselves. They may forget additional memories or struggle to distinguish what's real. They will begin to absorb magic from overuse and corrupt the land or people around them by soaking up life-sustaining magic. This can exacerbate an unsettling condition in the Witchwood, where the demigods roam.
Event Interactions
We'll expand on the interactive options on the IC Event Log. Below is a general overview:
◎ ECHOES: A form of "prayer" heard through their connection with the Singularity. Characters do not need to directly touch or approach the Singularity, though they can if they want. They will each be able to "hear" the relic through the same tether-like feeling that links them to the Horizon and access the voices beseeching them from anywhere.
◎ DEMIGODS SPAWNS: Demigod spawns are monstrous beasts that form when the Singularity or the Gods are out of balance. Players can make up their own demigods to add to the "population" in the Witchwoods. Demigods can be a challenge to fight even with their new godlike status. Characters cannot kill their own demigod spawns. They must get help from another Summoned to destroy it for good.
◎ OLDER GODS: The Gods that came before the Summoned exist. Players may request an interaction with a God. The mods will then select one to enter the thread. Interactions will not be long, but the Gods will answer characters as equals.
◎ HORIZON: As described on the Assignment post, characters will feel a powerful connection to the Horizon, which they can now enter effortlessly without having to meditate first. They'll consider it their "true home" and may expand their domain to be as complex as they want. A domain might contain surrealistic elements similar to what the Summoned previously glimpsed. Entering the Horizon will no longer leave behind their corporeal body. If they're in the Horizon, their physical form will not be outside it.
◎ AMONG MORTALS: While in their true God forms, characters will default to being unseen. They must actively choose to become visible to mortal eyes. Additionally, they cannot be seen by mortals, even when they choose to, unless the mortal is seeking them. This only applies to full God forms. They can appear to all mortals when taking on a modified and scaled-down form. As an example, a character can walk into a tavern and mingle as a human-sized God with a couple of extra wings or a pair of horns. However, if they arrive as a 30-foot God, they will not appear to anyone except the individual who is praying to them. Typically, though, Gods will pick an alternate form to communicate with mortals such as a symbolic animal or through visions.
Reawakening
The first half of the event will allow players to explore their characters while fully absorbed in the emergent reality. The second half, however, will result in a reawakening, brought on by several catalyst incidents that slowly bring their faded memories back - and, ultimately, their true consciousness.
Multiple catalysts and/or catalyst incidents are possible and encouraged. Come up with as many scenarios as you want!
Catalysts
A catalyst can be any encounter or experience that holds significance to your character and reminds them of one or more of their faded memories. They may have this interaction themselves or witness it. For example, they might rescue another player character that reminds them of a time when they were once rescued. Or, they may observe some children and recall a childhood friend.
Catalysts can occur organically, by engaging with the setting and stumbling over the catalyst themselves. Or, they can occur through other characters who are experiencing their own reawakening and may be seeking answers and/or are attempting to awaken others.
With each catalyst, a character regains another small piece of themselves, which might cause these effects:
Catalysts can occur organically, by engaging with the setting and stumbling over the catalyst themselves. Or, they can occur through other characters who are experiencing their own reawakening and may be seeking answers and/or are attempting to awaken others.
With each catalyst, a character regains another small piece of themselves, which might cause these effects:
◎ Temporal cracks will form in the emergent reality. Areas on the map that don't normally exist will flicker out of focus or they'll briefly "see" their normal form reflected instead of their god form.How your character reacts to the revelation and its effects is also your decision. They might resist their reawakening and require others to intervene. Or, they might embrace it and take on the goal of reawakening others.
◎ If a character doubts the reality of their godlike abilities, those abilities might become difficult to control.
◎ A character's Horizon domain might start to revert back to its original design
Returning to the World
Characters will return to the real world once enough of the Summoned have experienced their "reawakening." To keep things simple, the exact percentage will be vague.
The main indication of reality changing is that the sky will begin to show cracks. As more and more of the Summoned reawaken, the cracks will spread and lightning from the real world will begin to appear. Characters may even glimpse the Singularity reflected upside-down in the sky above. Eventually, the entire illusion will crumble, bringing everyone back to the real world.
The main indication of reality changing is that the sky will begin to show cracks. As more and more of the Summoned reawaken, the cracks will spread and lightning from the real world will begin to appear. Characters may even glimpse the Singularity reflected upside-down in the sky above. Eventually, the entire illusion will crumble, bringing everyone back to the real world.
Unawakened characters can observe the cracks or they can be oblivious. You can decide based on whether you want your character to be distressed (or convinced) by the crumbling reality or if you want them to remain blissfully unaware and/or refuse to acknowledge the truth.
Notes
Event Organization
We'll provide two sections in the comments of the IC Event Log:
◎ WORLD BUILDING: You can submit world-building aspects such as a shrine dedicated to your character, a new monster or demigod, or similar. There's no approval process - this will just be for other players to reference the details. If you want to submit something but are unsure if it might break the event, ask us first.
◎ HANDWAVED DETAILS: If you're open to handwaving certain details, you can comment with your character's name, and other players can reply with aspects they would like to handwave with your character. Since the emergent reality spans 3 months, we recommend handwaving smaller details and focusing on key incidents to thread out.
Event Schedule
To allow room for players to get things started, the event post will be going up before the actual in-game date the event occurs.
The IN-GAME EVENT will ICly take place APRIL 18 - MAY 10.
The EVENT POST will go up APRIL 17 for players to participate in.
The WRAP-UP POST will be rolled in with the INTERLUDE on MAY 12.
Ability & Transformation Gain
Characters will receive an ability gain for their participation. For this event, you can choose a stronger gain than typical, though please keep things reasonable. While this gain can be anything, we strongly encourage you to consider a gain that suits characters' experiences throughout the event. See Reward Gains to learn more.
Additionally, you may retain one small physical transformation from your character's altered form on top of the gain above. Retained traits should be minor and may not grant extra powers (i.e. eye color changes can't have sight enhancements). Reasonably minor traits include claws, small horns, scaly patches or scars, or similar. Wings or mermaid tails are too large. Retained traits are visually and physically permanent (as opposed to physical changes that only occur when an ability is active or upon command.)
To request your gain, submit it as usual on the upcoming Activity Check form.
Additionally, you may retain one small physical transformation from your character's altered form on top of the gain above. Retained traits should be minor and may not grant extra powers (i.e. eye color changes can't have sight enhancements). Reasonably minor traits include claws, small horns, scaly patches or scars, or similar. Wings or mermaid tails are too large. Retained traits are visually and physically permanent (as opposed to physical changes that only occur when an ability is active or upon command.)
To request your gain, submit it as usual on the upcoming Activity Check form.
Plotting Form
You can use the plotting form below to make plans. Don't feel like you can't change your mind afterward regarding appearances, catalysts, and other elements. Feel free to use this space to brainstorm.
Questions and Answers
Be sure to check out the Q&A section on the Assignment post, as well. If, after reading both sets, you're still unsure about anything or your question wasn't covered, please hit up our Questions thread below!
- I want mortals to fear my character during certain periods or seasons. Is this possible?
- This is possible only if contained to individual sects or villages or the time between visitation is on a vast scale. For instance, a character may represent a "plague" that visits a different village every 50-100 years. However, a character associated with visiting different towns several times a year to curse a handful of people with delusions or disease would result in the older Gods stopping them.
- What about territories and borders? Are characters restricted from going home or anything else?
- Details about your character's general abilities, lifted travel restrictions, Abraxas's environmental and cultural landscape, and other important setting information are available HERE on the Assignment Information post.
- What if I want to play out only threads from the second half (the reawakening) but not before?
- You may do this! The purpose of the two halves is so that players who want to explore their character's immersion during the first half can do so without being disrupted by other characters telling them immediately that the reality is fake.
- Will there be consequences after the event for characters who resisted?
- No, unless your character will behave especially violently upon return or waking up. Please discuss with us if this will be the case.
- What are the demigods exactly? Can we make our own?
- Demigods are simply stronger and larger monsters that roam the Witchwood. They do not have any sentience and cannot be controlled by anyone, including the Gods. You're welcome to make up your own! They can be anything, and may even be based on canon creatures that you've incorporated as part of your character's assignment. Please limit your creations to one or two per character, just so there aren't too many running around.
- How do relationships as a God work? What about offspring?
- Relationships with other Summoned and with mortals are possible. Please ask first for relationships with a specific Old God or Cardinal God. There are rumors that descendants of Gods exist, but these are very rare and unconfirmed. You can include those rumors in your backstory if you like! However, in terms of creating visible offspring as NPCs to interact with during the event, we recommend avoiding it due to how infrequently it happens and for the sake of simplicity. Additionally, please refrain from creating children that occur pre-God ascension.
- I'm not sure how to make up my character's AU history. Are we allowed to skip that entirely?
- Yes, if you would prefer to skip over that entirely, you can just have any memories before the event's formal start date be a blur or inconsistent.
- Will characters remember every detail when they wake up?
- They will recall the 3-month event period at minimum and may remember the entire 800 years if you like. While some details can be fuzzy or faded, especially events that took place before the 3-month event period, characters will overall remember new relationships formed (or broken), things that were said and done, and feelings or thoughts they had while not entirely themselves.
- Can my character hide or evade authorities?
- No, all characters will be found and rounded up, no matter where they've gone. However, if you're unable to participate, your character will spend the duration of the event unconscious and will wake up with no memory of the emergent reality.
- Is making a new Horizon domain required?
- Not at all! IC, characters are drawn to the Horizon and will likely feel compelled to enter it at least semi-regularly. OOC, incorporating the Horizon into threads during the event is optional.
- What will happen to my character's physical body while it's in the real world?
- Characters will be "unconscious" while in the real world. The fog will remain over the crater around the Singularity. During this period, characters won't experience hunger, thirst, or other physical changes (including hair growth). They'll wake up feeling and looking exactly the same as they did when they arrived there 3 weeks ago.
- Can I link a retained trait to the ability gain?
- Yes! If you would like to have claws as your permanently retained trait and request an ability gain of corrosive secretions, that's acceptable.
- What defines "regular engagement" with the Horizon and Abraxan magic?
- In the Horizon, this includes occasionally altering a domain, creating or keeping sustained life such as animals or pets, and having a domain inhabited by other Summoned or receives visitors. Regarding Abraxan magic, this includes learning new spells or using their Horizon/Event gains. It does not include using canon abilities they arrived with. Generally speaking, if your character has been active in the game and participating in the setting, then they've likely been engaging regularly.
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But if it doesn't vibe ACCIDENTAL NUKE IS STILL ALWAYS AN OPTION, lol.
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CAN I TELL YOU the first time I put Gale back in my party after he got the nuke power I blindly was like WHAT DOES THIS BUTTON DO (I was playing PC w/controller) and just
blew us all up fighting shadows
game over
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Gale like ok.
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ALSO, Astarion is here to help with any awakening stuff you might want to do with Gale!!
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His Dark Urge would have approved of this approach?? He's been taught nuking is good sometimes!
Also Yes! Happy to have Astarion wade into awakening stuff if you want. Do you want Astarion to be actively trying to fish Gale out once he's awakened, or just stumbling on this that happen to trigger Gale's existential crisis (one of many in his life).
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I'm excited for Dark Urge stuff to come up in conversation......
Whichever works best for you! I figured I'd offer with Gale being relatively new and Astarion knowing enough of his backstory to come find him and be like HEY, SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT HERE once Astarion himself has accepted that they can't stay in this pocket timeline anymore (he's going to have a bit of a hard time himself).
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(I've been doing a dark urge re-run making bad choices and live discord-ing Ammay random bits. I just drop kicked the githyanki egg over a cliff. Gale is going to have so many ~ * ~ good memories ~ * ~ to share, Astarion. HIT ME UP ON DISC IF YOU WANT COMEDY SCREENCAPS I GUESS LMAO).
But def either work for me! It really depends how deep you want to wade into the abyss / into realising what his problem is early on! I can def bail him out of the event either way after all. If you want to drag out some of the mystery we can, and maybe do something minor that Gale sort of hesitantly processes but kicks Astarion out before he really Gets It. Or if you want to use it as a catalyst to have Astarion realise what (some of) his problem is you could say something snide about Mystra and unwittingly cause Gale to begin mentally rebooting in real time.
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I kind of like the option where Astarion makes an off-handed comment about Mystra, literally just no filter between brain and mouth in the moment as he's remembering shit for the first time in forever and reboots Gale...
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And sure! Astarion can mentally reboot Gale who is like WAIT......... wait what??
The only question then is, if you want to reboot him awake and still retain Mystra-rery (yes I'm funny thank you for noticing) or if you want some minor dramatic cliffhanger like Gale telling Astarion he actually did it then ejecting him from the tower like 'anyway BYE'
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'...........'
' ANYWAY GOODBYE ASTARION' teleports him outside, resolves to never mention it again
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