CITY EVENT LOG

[recollecters]

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!

Comments

[idealest]

[ Sakichi will carry her corpse back. It's the least he can do. ]

... I would say that's a long time. I'm appalled you had to endure so much without my notice.

[admiringly]

[ Thanks, Sakichi. You're a real pal even if you won't try to match her pace. ]

It's not your fault. If you don't app, you won't... you can't notice. I'm glad every time I see someone I know gets it, but I also feel... really bad at the same time. But... seeing you here makes me feel... safer?

[ She sounds a little sheepish. ]

[idealest]

[ He looks at her solemnly for that last part. ]

I'll do everything I can. It's my duty to take care of you.

[ Chiyo has managed this long on her own, but better late than never. ]

Of course, I'll be relying on your wisdom and knowledge as well. Your experience is invaluable.

[admiringly]

[ Hey, do you know who Chiyo Matsuoka really, really loves right now? If you guessed Sakichi Nijima, you'd be absolutely correct. Her heart grows three sizes. It's been so long since she felt like she had an older brother figure who'd look out for her but also didn't treat her like she was glass.

She inhales once, sharply, and her impending smile could rival the sun. She laughs and raises both her arms, completely cheered. ]

Okay! I'll depend on you, Sakichi, and you can depend on me! We're going to show Mr. Carlisle a job he can't have one complaint about!

[ She points forward. Or upwards since they're going uphill. ]

We're going to rock it.

[idealest]

[ Sometimes Sakichi and Chiyo hardly seem related. Especially in times like these, when Chiyo's sunny enthusiasm far outshines Sakichi's dead calm. But his fondness for her doesn't lie, and a familiar, doubtless kind of love blooms in him for seeing her so happy. ]

Well said. Let's put our full effort into it.

[ And off they go! How well will Chiyo survive the march to high land?? ]

[admiringly]

[ Chiyo will make it all the way to the top and then immediately collapse. She downs half her bottle of water in an instant and wheezes for life. Her lungs are on fire, and she flops onto her back, looking up at the sky like maybe it'll save her. ]

Sa-Sakichi... What... do you... see...?

[ She's dying. ]

[idealest]

[ ... Chiyo really did do her best. Sakichi will slow down a little after this.

He surveys the sprawl of land below them. ]

A lot of forest.

[ BORING, but maps don't map themselves. At least the view is pleasant and the air clean, already seeming a world away from the city. He sets his backpack down and digs out a pencil, notebook, compass, and binoculars. Then he sits near the edge of the cliff and begins to chart. ]

You did well to make it here. Rest and enjoy the scenery. The sky is beautiful today.

[admiringly]

N-No...! I'll help map. I just... need a couple minutes.

[ The sky really is beautiful today, and Chiyo pulls out her phone and snaps a few photos. It's hard to capture that kind of blue, but it's good enough.

It really would be a shame if some kind of monster flew into their view, wouldn't it? But at least it wouldn't be boring.

(I'm kidding, but if you don't want me to be kidding, I'm down.) ]

[idealest]

[ I can't believe you even need to ask??

Sakichi spends a few more minutes scribbling and peering into his binoculars before slowly lowering them and holding them out to Chiyo. ]

Do you know what those are?

[ He points to a few specks flying in the distance. Or they were specks, because now they're rapidly approaching, clearly making a beeline for Chiyo and Sakichi. ]

[admiringly]

[ Chiyo sits up to look through the binoculars and yelps, scrambling to her feet. Her phone goes away and the binoculars get stuffed into her backpack. ]

They're monsters! They're going to attack us. Get ready, Sakichi!

[ Out comes her sword. Here's where we'll see if Yato's teaching and Chiyo's confidence equate to something successful. ]

If you can shoot one before it gets to us, please do....!

[ Usually, she's not that aggressive, but there are no negotiations to be had. ]

[idealest]

[ Sakichi scrambles for his rifle, spurred by Chiyo's urgency. He checks it quickly and flips the safety off before finding the trio of monsters down the sight of the rifle, his movements mechanical. He only has one magazine of ammunition to work with, so he can't waste any of his shots...

He waits for the monsters' features to become visible (how are they flying? how are they seeing?) before firing a burst shot. Boomboomboom -- the noise is deafening, but one of the monsters drops like a fly from the sky. Its friends on either side dodge in opposite directions, curving to catch Chiyo and Sakichi between them.

Sakichi pivots to follow the one nearest him with his rifle, but he knows he won't have a clear shot on it until it's charging in. Until then, he'll be blind to the monster on Chiyo's side... ]

Chiyo. That one is yours.

[ He's counting on her to have his back! ]

[admiringly]

G-Got it!

[ Lessons with Yato, don't let her down...! Chiyo is happy to be relied on, but the pressure is also heavy. She's nervous, and her anxiety jumps with the gunshot going off, but she sums up all her courage.

As soon as one of the Lying Hablerie gets within striking distance, Chiyo darts in and slashes, managing to wound it. It's not defeated yet (she's weak), but it's a start. ]

I think I need to get it a couple more times!

[idealest]

[ Sakichi grunts in acknowledgment, still waiting for his monster to draw near. It swerves in suddenly, its grinning mouth opening wider from some lick or bite, and that's when Sakichi fires again -- BOOMBOOMBOOM... The monster flinches and drops like a fly to the ground before rolling to a stop a few yards away.

He turns to check on Chiyo. It's strange to see his little cousin waving a sword around, but she looks determined and reasonably sure of what she's doing. She and her monster are too close for him to risk shooting to help her, so he keeps his distance unless needed. ]

[admiringly]

[ It's okay. It's okay. She just has to remember what she's been taught and what she's been told. She takes a deep breath and focuses solely on her target. When it come back at her, she uses all her might and cuts into it cleanly. It's not the smoothest strike, but it got the job the done.

The monster bleeds and then dissipates into blackness, defeated.

Chiyo whips around to see how Sakichi is faring. ]

Is that all of them?

[idealest]

[ Sakichi is doing pretty alright! He straightens and takes a last look around them before flipping the safety of his rifle back on. Other than the empty bullet casings littered around him, there's little evidence that a fight just occurred. The bodies all dissolved into nothingness. How odd. ]

It seems so.

[ He looks at her and her sword... ]

Well done. I never thought I would see you fighting something to the death.

[admiringly]

[ She laughs sheepishly as she sheathes her sword. ]

Six months ago, I'd say the same. But I want to be less of a burden and I don't want to run away and hide all the time for safety, so....

[ She gestures at the sword and then his gun. ]

I felt like I can probably control this more than a gun, but if I could choose, I'd like the superpower they gave me back. [ A pipe dream. ] Do you want to scout more? [ Or should they head back? ]

[idealest]

[ Chiyo always does her best, whether it's for art or for swordkilling abominations of nature. It's one of her strongest traits. ]

Let's keep going.

[ Until he's low on ammo, he doesn't plan on turning back. Half-measures are for the weak of will!! He deposits all of his charting equipment back into his backpack and readies up for more hiking. ]

What do you mean by superpower?

[admiringly]

[ Time to hike!! She has to show her mettle and show that he's her cousin somehow. This will be good endurance training...! ]

Oh, last August... or maybe it was last July? [ The timeline is a little fuzzy since the con was at the end of July, but the when probably isn't as important. ] I received a superpower for a month. It came out of a chest like in a video game. I could control solar energy.

[ She really liked it despite how it meant that there was that much danger that she needed it. ]

Other people got powers, too. Different ones.

[idealest]

... I see...

[ He trails off in a way that says he doesn't really see, but an attempt was made. He starts back down the hill at a more leisurely pace than when they came up. Going downhill with a weighty burden is hard on the knees, after all. ]

From the way you speak of it, I gather it isn't worth questioning any more than the way those monsters dissolved when they were dead.

[admiringly]

You'll have to shake down Retrospec for an answer.

[ Going downhill is much easier for Chiyo than going uphill. Gravity helps her rather than fights her. ]

And maybe you'll get a power someday, too? Maybe not as an emergency skill from Retrospec but because it's something from the memories you'll get?

[ As long as those powers means not dying, it's ok! ]