recolle | CITY EVENT LOG

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CITY EVENT LOG

EVENT

The New Administration
Wait, what?
*[ooc: please be sure to read all mod notes at the bottom!]

The third is when everything seems to start with a bang. On the third day of February, several crashes and bangs are heard and the sound of creaky metal ripples through the air. Those who look outside will see a sight for sore eyes. The moon and the stars brighten the sky and the dome is nowhere to be seen.

Instead, anyone in Tisse will find yet another addition to the wonderful city of Recollé. At the very top of the Towers sits a penthouse with wide windows and an empty office building, soft lights glowing and illuminating the area.

The city goes silent after that, but at the top of the hour every single Retrospec user receives a text from a user named Zee Carlisle.

Nice city you've got here. They weren't kidding when they said I would fit right in. I've always wanted to live in a city like this. Jo, Maury and the rest of the team have given you a little bit of a breakdown in preparation for our little project, but they recruited me to step in. Seems like a lot of you want a more personal experience here with us at Retrospec. So let's talk. Get to know each other. I'll go first. Zee Carlisle, Hiring Manager. Nice to meet you, etc. I've been watching you for a while, Retrospecters. Kind of a unique group you've got going. I like it. Here's the thing. We've been experiencing some problems out of our control for a while now. The director's been trying to keep things under wraps for the last year, but HR and R&D finally convinced the higher ups that we need help. So. You want the whole story? Here's your story. The storms are getting worse. You might've noticed. Calls are down, mail's down, communication as a whole is down and isolating you into this teensy bubble of a city. It's why the dome went up, had to protect our resources and start isolating the sources. More areas and more people even outside of your little group here are being affected, but you guys are the only people who can help us. Some of you passed your assessments with flying colors and I've already sent messages. You'll leave for your assignments in the morning at 9am, congratulations. As for the rest of you, welllll…consider this an interview. You see...as a Hiring Manager, I'm looking for recruits for our new project. The Recollé Restoration Initiative (going forward known as the RRI) is a project we designed here to not only help us, but to help you help us help you. Make sense? Cool. You may ask, "Why should we trust you?" which is a completely fair question to ask. And hey, you don't have to trust me or trust them. But I think you might be interested to know that you and I have more in common than you think. As a user on the network, you can contact me via text, phone or email. I'll also have some office hours and more resources than you could ever dream of. But enough about me. Here's your first assignment.

I.

On the morning of the fourth, users going through their assessment period (i.e. those of you who are working inside the city) receive a diagram from Zee. In this diagram, a dot labelled "Recollé" sits in the center and in the four cardinal directions are different labelled dots. To the south is Pesgare. To the north is Magatus. To the east is Respatrum. And to the west is Bosuma.

Citizens will find that they are able to leave the city limits now and can explore the open areas leading to these four points. While they will not be able to visit them just yet, they will be instructed that they must work together to begin structuring paths, roads, or forms of transportation between the main city of Recollé and these four locations. Zee may take requests and provide items should users ask, but it's up to you to work together and start brainstorming the best ways to create maps and connect these points together.

But the best way to do that is to start exploring, right? Hit the road and grab a friend to begin getting a lay of the land. Southward leads residents to the beach while northward leads them through the forest, east and west giving way to desert and open field areas the further they travel. The expanse of directions seems endless, but eventually citizens will find that they will hit a point where they're unable to enter. An "ACCESS DENIED" notification will pop up on their phone, notifying them that they've reached the entry points of the special assignments volunteers have been sent on.

But even with restricted access, there's plenty to be done and plenty to take care of as part of the initiative. Flora in the area needs to be identified and the fauna may be a bit problematic if you aren't careful. Some of these plants and creatures may even look familiar to you, but many of them won't!

Off-roading and camping are encouraged and despite the fact it's February the weather seems to be amendable to these ventures. Clear as many of the monsters as possible to make way for the paths, report your findings to your hiring manager, and look out for each other as you start to shape the land.

II.

It's not just the outskirts of the city and open areas that need help. Some citizens who have lived here for a while may remember that February 3rd is traditionally known as Founder's Day, a holiday set up by the city to celebrate the foundation. In the days leading up to the third, banners, signs and all kinds of advertisements have gone up reminding everyone that this year is the 100th anniversary of the city's foundation. However, as the third approaches, Founder's Day comes and goes without any sort of large celebration. In fact, the annual parade is cancelled and instead citizens gather to discuss a more trying matter.

Breaking news hits the airwaves that Mayor Mayer, the entire city council, the head of police, the fire chief and other prominent figures of the city have disappeared overnight. As newscasters record TV footage in front of City Hall and the police station, Retrospec users will receive a new message.

Uh. Well, that was unexpected. I wasn't really counting on something like this coming up but let's roll with it and count it as part of your assessment. You want your city to keep running the way it did? Find your mayor and the others. But hey...it's your city. What if you didn't?

Under your feet, blue pulses of light run under the streets and the sidewalks, energy thrumming beneath you as all lights lead back to the subway tunnels again. Will you be a hero and follow the lights to rescue these people? Or will you be a face of change and leave them to perish and redesign the city?

Those who do enter the tunnels will find that a new route has opened, a mouth to the left of the main entrance from the city. Unlike the other dirt-filled vine-and-rat-infested tunnels, this one is a sterile and bright silver path with floor to ceiling panels on one side of the tracks and floor to ceiling mirrors on the other. The path seems to stretch miles and miles under the city and the further you walk, the narrower the path becomes. The sound of wild animals echo through the tunnels from the other sides of the panels, and the mirrors to your left reflect skeletal forms of both people and animals alike. The closer you get to the end though, the louder the sounds grow and the panels to the right slide open to release several chimera-esque creatures who will do everything they can to guard the silver door at the end of the tunnel. These creatures can be defeated by normal means, and they will not hesitate to attack anyone who gets close.

Is it worth fighting to save these people? You decide. Those who defeat the creatures and find themselves at the silver door will receive yet another message.

Hang tight, I am grouping you with some of the others to finish this thing.

III.
Later on the fourth, no matter where you are, you may find something heavy resting in your pocket. A small colored stone shaped like a heart appears and even while tucked away safely it burns brightly. Holding it, the heart feels as though it's pulsating and you're flooded with an overwhelming sense of love for something special whether that's a person, an item, or an ideal. All users find themselves in possession of a stone, and soon another text comes through.

If you're anything like me, you're probably wondering what's up with the rocks. Had the techs run some tests on these. Don't freak out, but you might want to be careful with them? They're working as fast as they can but bits of your soul energy are tied directly to those stones. You break it or make it lose its shine, well, hard to say WHAT might happen.

Users who keep their stones on their person in their pockets or in a bag will find that whatever emotions they're dealing with will transfer to whomever they encounter. Feeling happy that the sun's back? Everyone around you will wear a smile. Stressed out that your loved ones volunteered for a mission and they're out who-knows-where? Everyone around you will pick up that same nervous energy. The stone's color will fade if you ignore these feelings and even worse, fissures may start to form if they continue to be ignored.

And though you may not know it yet, shattering the heart is the worst thing you could do: if the stone breaks, the thing that you love disappears from your mind completely. All memories and emotions associated with this heart will vanish without a second thought.

IV.
What's that smell in the air? Is it love? Close, it's cherry blossoms. It's a sickeningly sweet scent that occasionally blows through with the wind, strongest in the city and more faint the further you travel. However, citizens beware as invisible assailants appear to be on the prowl. Without warning, you may feel the prick of Cupid's arrow from behind. Though the effects only last two hours maximum, they're fairly inconvenient while on assignment. These effects include:

-Heart-shaped pupils
-A violent whirlwind of rose petals appearing any time you make eye contact with someone new
-Your emotions are intensified
-Your emotions are flipped. People you have a fondness for may now disgust you, or people you normally argue with may become your best friend

Inconvenient, yet manageable, right?

On February 14th though things become a bit harder. Yet another message comes through.

Hope you've been having an easier time with the residual effects than I am. You know what makes everything easier? Teamwork. And that's what today's assignment is all about. Happy Valentine's Day.

The first person that you see on this day may be a friend or a stranger, but soon you will find that a strangely magnetic force binds the two of you together. For the next 24 hours, you and your partner will be stuck together and must work together. Whether this is working on the road construction assignment, the rescue mission or just going about your everyday lives you'll have a built-in companion for the day. Who knows? You may even find yourself stuck with up to two additional people, too.

But what if you stray too far from your partner(s)? No worries. A red string will bind your hands together and ensure you're always connected, simply falling away once the 24 hours are up.

THE FUTURE.
So this is life now, isn't it? A year's gone by since Retrospec's impacted so many lives and it may feel as though you're nowhere closer to answering questions. Perhaps you're just starting your journey with the restoration company. Either way, your help is most appreciated and acknowledged. As you work toward the goals assigned to you, you will be rewarded. For an excellent show of teamwork, at the end of your assessment you will find yourself on the receiving end of a brand new memory or vision of a life lost. Some of you may also receive a ticket in the mail to pick up an item at the Retrospec mailbox by Wiffle-Waffle. A message will be sent not long after.

Congrats, you passed. Come to my office in March if you're ready for harder assignments.

Welcome to

recolle's February event!

Please read these notes carefully!

Prompt I may be played with however you want! There is really no right or wrong answer, and as mentioned Zee can be reached at his inbox to provide you with any tools your character may ask for to connect the four points to the city. You are free to make up plant names and what effects they have on the eco systems as well and report these back to the NPC if you wish. As of right now, the only monsters roaming the grounds are those in the above bestiary though other earthly wildlife may be found.

Prompt II will require some coordination! If you complete a thread with someone in which you defeat the monsters and get to the silver door before 2/16 at 9pm EST, please hit up Zee's inbox! ICly (and oocly) your character will be put in contact with the small group of others who have worked toward this endeavor and given the next step to save these important NPCs.

Prompt III will have set consequences! If your character breaks their heart, they will lose memories and feelings associated with something they love. Breaking the stone is entirely optional, and there will possibly be a way to regain these memories later down the line as a reward for the future, but please keep this in mind!

The Future will only be applicable once you've met your freebie requirements for this log! Remember, the requirements for one free memory are 15 comments spread across at least two threads (min. 5 consecutive comments each) using these prompts. For the free 10-20 point item, one of these threads must be with a character you haven't threaded with before!

A mod-posted Retrospec post may go up if necessary to connect city players with group players, dependent on player action!

As always, you may also create your own logs or inbox threads based on these prompts. Any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here.

Happy anniversary, Recollé!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I -- eh? H-hoeeeee?

[...Sakura of course wasn't the only one coming down to check on things. Following the lights. She probably should have figured that. But, well. This probably meant he had the app too, right? So it's. Probably okay if he saw? She hopes. She turns, glancing back to him as Windy activates and tries to bind the creature as she'd commanded.]

I'm...I heard the mayor was missing though. And the lights. I guess I thought somehow they might be connected. Especially with the subway again, but this isn't the way I came before.

-With the Chimera, at least temporarily, holding still, it didn't have much resistance against a fairly large chunk of concrete suddenly hurtling its way, smashing against the beast. It was a solid hit, but only seemed to upset the monster further, screeching at the new foes that had suddenly appeared. Of course, humans did tend to travel in packs...-

Ya'll are gonna kill me with this rushing into danger thing. I'm supposed to be the reckless one. -May clicked her tongue, dashing up and sliding to a stop beside Sakura, the anchor she used already shouldered and ready to go.-

Lemme draw this guy's attention, huh? I'll show him what it's like to rumble with a pirate!

Mayor might be missin', but this is a little big for just one person. [ Nevermind a little girl the same age as his baby sister? But if she's got some kind of - ability, then she's maybe got a little more going for her than the average small girl. He watches the Card activate, bemused even as he moves closer to her to make sure that whatever she's doing, she'll have someone to cover for her.

... and then, of course, that sure is a familiar voice to go with the huge chunk of concrete that sails by and hits it. ]

You sure as hell've got some timing, May. [ But he cracks his knuckles audibly. ] Looks like you've got some backup to find the mayor, little lady.

H-hoeeee? May-san?

[Like this is the first time May has come to help her out. Still, Sakura does give a nod. If May wanted to help distract the thing while the others tries to work on attacking it or restraining it somehow more. She can't object or complain on the assistance, really.]

U-um, I can help protect us? With Shield?

[Letting them know of her abilities seems like a good idea about now. Though May is probably more familiar with it in comparison to the other guy. She holds up the Shield card to show him, at least.]

However you guys wanna do it. -May rolled her neck and popped her knuckles. She lowered the anchor holding it ready before dashing in. Yep. She was definitely the reckless one.-

Hey ugly! -She called out as she swung the anchor forward in a wide arc.-

[ Yeah, he's not even remotely shocked by her barging forward. There are a few questions about her anchor, and apparent extra strength, but Kuro is going to focus on the task at hand right now. This is probably more than he bargained for, except he's not going to just leave them to it down here. ]

Give 'em hell, May. [ He'll be staying out of the way of the anchor, as the chimera faces off against her. His attention shifts to the girl - who apparently also knows May - when she holds up the card. ]

I saw you use the other one. [ Realization, as to what she's talking about, even if - ] I don't get it, but you look like you know what you're doin'. [ A reassuring grin. ] We're in your hands, yeah?

I just figure, if it might help from us getting hurt from this.....whatever it is.

[It's like multiple creatures combined into one somehow. Like some crazy experiment. Or something like that. Regardless, she gives a nod when they seem to agree to her using Shield. She twirls her staff, slamming it down on Shield as she calls for it to raise a protective barrier around the three of them. A bright light and small gust of wind accompanies it, with the magic circle under her feet.]

-The wind came up just in time to avoid the beast's counter swipe, its claws being pushed away by the rushing air. May bounced back a few steps, twirling the anchor in front of her to put up a shield of sorts of her own, daring the thing to approach and possible lose that arm in the process.-

Where we headed, huh? I can try to knock this guy out, but we have no idea if more are coming, so... escape route, ya feel me?

[ Most people would probably be freaking out, finding themselves thrust into this kind of situation. Kuro, instead, eyes the monster as Shield goes up. ]

We got some cover, now, so it'll be easier... you were coming down here to help the Mayor, yeah? [ He looks at Sakura, then at May. ] Knock him around and throw him my way, May. If you want to get deeper in, little lady, we'll get you there. We just have to get to where this guy was blocking us off.

Like he's guarding something? Or someone. If we just make it past this creature, maybe the mayor and the others are past him?

[It's a guess. She hadn't found the mayor yet, so she has to figure probably that he and the others missing were further ahead. Were past this point. It's just getting past that might prove difficult. But she is trying to help where she can, at least. She grips her staff a little tighter, watching the other two, keeping an eye on the creature.]

Well in that case... Keep me covered, Kuro! I'm gonna swing for the fences! -May made certain to step clear of the other two before she took the anchor in both hands and began to literally spin on her heel, letting the weight of the anchor carry her momentum, faster and faster until she became not unlike a human top, barreling towards the monster.-

Makes sense, don't it? I'm not a big thinker, but there's gotta be a reason him and - [ The remains - he makes a gesture, indicating where they've been left behind. ] Big guy is down here for something.

[ He reaches down to touch her shoulder, moving forward but not stepping any further. If she believes in her magic, then he will, too, same as he believes in the wild top that May's turned into. Surrounded by weird things as he is, he'll keep a level head and prepare himself for when the creature gets slammed. ]

I guess. But e--eh? Hoeeeee? May-san.....?!

[May is spinning really fast. Wouldn't she get dizzy? Is she sure she is okay? But Sakura figures it still best to keep her distance, especially with feeling his hand at her shoulder. Stopping her from approaching, even if she wanted to and ignore the potential risk of getting too close to May like this. Sakura watches, wide eyed as May hurtles towards the creature.]

-The chimera had no idea what to do with May the Spinning Death Wheel, and attempted to lash out at the girl, but that proved to be a terrible idea. Each smack of the anchor against the monster's visage resonated in the room.

wham wham wham wham wham!

The beast was knocked back, waaay far back colliding with a wall finally and collapsing into the ground as May finally slowed to a stop, slamming down the anchor in order to steady herself.-

Yeah! Take that, you... you... h-hang on... -With the way she was stumbling, though, Sakura's concerns were proven absolutely right.-

Oh... oh god... I think I'm gonna...

Jesus - [ Honestly, yeah - Kuro is going to stay back here with Sakura, because May spinning like that with the anchor is a lot to deal with at once for them, and they're not even on the receiving end of it.

Only when the monster crashes to the ground, flying through the air, does he remove his hand. Because he's going to make sure the damn thing stays on the ground where May's put it, and he figures that this is the better option of who to go tend to the apparent one-man wrecking crew that's not looking too hot. ]

Go ahead, little lady. I think I trust you to cover her a lot better'n I can when you've got the cards up your sleeves that you do.

May-san? Are you okay......?

[Sakura isn't even really considering her own safety, more focused on helping May. On keeping the other within the boundary of the Shield under the card's protection, and in wanting to help the other if possible. At the least, May has stopped spinning by the time Kuro allows her to move to check on May. As Sakura ignores the creature in focusing on her friend. A smaller hand to her shoulder, noting the stumbling, the way she was leaning and steadying herself with the anchor.]

I kinda wanna vom...

-Well that was blunt, but she definitely seemed physically okay besides the dizziness and nausea.-

[ Trusting his old friend to Sakura's care, Kuro goes over to investigate the monster that's been left in its heap. He reaches to his waist, undoing his belt so that he can whip it out of the loops with a quick snap. It's certainly not the kind of material that would hold something of this size for very long, but he's going to make sure that it'll at least be hobbled and slowed down long enough that, should it wake up, they'll be able to have a decent headstart. ]

You gonna do it, now's the time to do it, May. Just take a second to steady yourself, yeah? [ He kneels down to try and secure the chimera's legs together. ] Little lady, what kinda cards you got there?

A-ah! You feel sick?

[Poor May. Sakura seems more distracted with trying to calm and comfort the other to notice Kuro approaching the monster. Whatever that creature is. Her smaller hand rubs at May's back sympathetically before she blinks, catching the question about her cards. She pulls them out, six in all.]

Mirror, Fly, Windy, Shield, Sword and Glow. I guess they're pretty self explanatory? More or less.

You got, like... magic cards? -May was trying to pay attention through her nausea. It was mostly working, but her face was pretty pale and she looked like she was going to have trouble standing.-

More or less. You got something really impressive going on there, I think.

[ Even he can get it, and he sounds genuinely impressed and sincere as he says that.

But then Kuro ties the belt as tight as it'll go, before he gets to his feet again to come over to the two of them. He angles a little to check May out, frowning, reaching out to help Sakura support her by the other side. ]

What do you wanna do, then? Both of you - 'cause we can wait a little longer, if you need it.

Um, well. Maybe Windy could restrain it but. I'm not sure if that would be enough to stop it following us after we got past? But y-yes. They were made by a sorcerer named Clow-san, apparently.

[Sakura is doing her best with what she has at least. Though of course she is more focused on May right now than in dealing with the creature. Which Kuro seems to be managing anyway for the time being. Before thankfully coming to assist her in helping May.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

CITY EVENT LOG

Look she had no idea there were remains or chimera involved somehow okay?

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