voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2021-07-14 07:28 am

So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing



JUST Ā̸̛͇̹̈́͌͐͛̐̋͝Ǹ̵̠͍̲̘͈̮͈̺͔̤͙̳̓̔͑͌̒̓̃́̄̚͘Ớ̶̻̱̄̓͆͂̈́̄̔͋͌̽̀̕͘T̵͙͍͓̻̩͙̻͙̹͎̫̘͇̱̈́̌̓͝ͅH̶̭̻͇̰͈̯̦̹̦̗͐̒́Ẽ̵̡̡̘̳͉͇͚̼̗̣̩͎̞̏͒̈́̏͂̈͝Ř̴̠͋̐͘ NORMAL DAY




"Jinnjar citizens. Unfortunately, all train travel will be closed due to issues on the lines. Members of the Voidtrecker Express have been located around the city, and are deploying trickery to agitate and confuse us. We ask any volunteers at this time to help us locate any suspicious objects and people, and to restrain them.

For the f̴̘̯̰̦̺͖̔͌̋̃ũ̴̢̖̦͙̩̼̺̪͚͍̥͈̜̝͋̌̒̊̚ẗ̶̪̺͕̤̯̞̤͓̝́̑̄̎̊̕future of our city!"




A TL;DR notes version of days/prompts: (click to show)
EVENT BASICS:

DAYS 5 & 6:


  • By now, some people have broken out of their fake lives while some haven't. Tension is rising in the city as people are led to believe this is by the Voidtreckers, which some will believe due to illusions and messing with one's heads is believed to be one of their many tactics.

  • Some oddities are occurring with travel, and glimpses of how the city is made beginning to show. The streams of colour - the void - are getting brighter. Electronics are not working well. Some monster sightings are seen, but not to a large degree.

  • The prompts here are light to give characters and players time to ICly coordinate, as Voidtreckers are being more actively hunted. Some faces are known. You know who you are, troublemakers.
DAYS 7 & 8:


  • The world is really starting to go a bit wild now, with more things disappearing, animals on the loose and more monster sightings.

  • By the end of day eight most people have realised the truth though those who are very susceptible to mind control or very stubbornly wanting to believe in this world will still be trapped, believing this is the Voidtreckers doing.

  • There are monsters to fight, people to keep calm and a plan to make.




[ HOME SWEET...HOME? ] By day 5, the people of Jinnjar are in a state of anxiety more than before. There's those who realise they're not a part of this world, never were, while there's those who still cling onto this life. Health services say that the source of confusion comes from the colour trails that are brighter than ever in the sky, while the D-Force/Heroes have it confirmed - internally and publicly - that there are Voidtreckers amongst them.

The media shows pictures of potential suspects, some Voidtreckers, some not; a man with the same face as two others, one who made a show by creating ice in the middle of the street. Your face may be shown, but don't worry - they're asking people not to play vigilante.

That'll surely keep people behaved.

[ TRAVEL REVIEW. ] As if it couldn't get more frustrating, most of the trains are down. Air taxis are still available for short journeys, yet some people have the bizarre occurrence where they end up in the wrong spot, and even remember going in this wrong direction...but never say anything about it. Those using the tele-pads will also find themselves not always arriving where they should, or worse, suffering intense headaches, swirling colours behind their eyes, their thoughts jumbled for as long as ten minutes before it passes.

You might want to walk.

[ MAKING DO. ] Still, with all the chaos, many are trying to live. You have a life here, no matter what some other force is trying to make you believe,

  • For our HEROES: The cinema has rethought its showings due to the worrying happenings of the last few days. Clearly a boost in morale is needed and so they have pulled out some of the great films of the past. Action films that show heroes beating the bad guys, disaster films where the good guys beat the aliens, stop the natural disaster or thwart the secret agency looking to take down civilisation from the inside, at the last minute. Even the childrens films have taken on a pro-hero and triumphant air.

    It's not quite distraction though, how could it be when every film has a warning before and after. REMEMBER TO REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO DFORCE and WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW. REMEMBER TO WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS AS CAREFULLY AS YOU DID THE SCREEN.

  • Fun Park: It's for the kids, but one of the largest arcade parks has a special discount on everything to anyone who come visit. It's even advertised across the news: For half the price, get amazing fun and even better food! Kids younger than eight or from the orphanages get free access everywhere!

    It's time not to think too hard, and to ignore the trouble! Play laser tag, racing cars or get a high score on the dance mat!

  • Encroaching Dangers: Something new is beginning to happen, as the city continues to shift. It starts at night, those that stay out past when the streets go quiet might see a shadow, might hear a growl.

    Rumours and reports start to spread about monsters on the street.



DAY SIX: HELP FROM INSIDE


[ AID. ] DIAGNET is full of videos but one that has started doing the rounds is of a small droid and a cat. It's not hard to see why it has gone viral, the cat and cleaning droid are chasing each other around an apartment, caught on a home security footage. The cat tries to catch the droid but every time it gets close the droid turns to chase it and the cat runs away. It has been uploaded with stirring orchestral music, which adds to the madness.

But... For those Voidtreckers who have already regained their memories that little droid seems familiar indeed. As do the sounds that punctuate the music.

beep beep beep boop | boop

boop boop beep | boop boop boop

boop boop | boop boop boop | boop boop boop | boop beep | boop beep beep | beep beep boop | beep beep beep | boop

boop beep boop beep | beep boop | beep beep boop beep | beep

boop boop boop | beep boop beep | boop beep beepp | beep | beep boop beep

boop beep | beep beep boop | boop | beep boop beep | beep beep | boop | beep | beep boop

Of course it might not be anything, just weird droid sounds that haven't been fully edited out of the video.

[ MOONDUST CAFÉ. ] It might be that they figured out the message or, it might be that a friend is dragging them to the cafe. But for those that make their way there, they will find the Moondust Cafe is a bustling cafe on the edge of a park, near local transport links.

For those that say the right words, a slightly bored looking teenager manning the counter waves them to a side door. "Best sit downstairs, service will be quicker."

Downstairs has a fair number of tables and booths and is lit by coloured lighting making everything look a little obscure. There's soft music playing, not loud enough to make it impossible to hear each other but enough to make it a little harder for evesdroppers.

Mingle, discuss. This is probably the closest to a safe space there is.

[ LOST & LOST. ] You may have spotted it already - that is, spotted what's missing. There's been the pets, the birds in the sky, a pen or apple or wrench from the garage. But now, with every single bad thing going on, more is starting to disappear. Machines stop working, from air conditioning, freezers, your Jinnjar MP3 player, to TVs and more.

And in some business buildings, even entire rooms are gone, their floors empty of more than the door you opened to find this out. Even the heroes seem worried and they quickly clear any affected areas, chasing away bystanders and sealing off whole wings of office blocks.

None of them have answers though, except that this must be the Voidtreckers doing. After all who else but that group could have power enough to do such damage?


DAY SEVEN & EIGHT: UNRAVELLING


[ OVEREXPOSURE. ] Everything is starting to escalate. The headaches are getting regular the more you're outside, buildings are starting to go missing around the outskirts. People see parts of the city flickering, and when they reach certain sections of the city, they find they can't go beyond it.

Life tries to go on, but as more areas of the city begin to be sealed off and considered dangerous, even those who are most stubborn about pretending everything is normal can see that is is not.

[ LET LOOSE. ] The breaking down of the city has caused a lot of chaos, but one of the biggest problems are that parts of the zoo have vanished. Walls, fences, enclosure roofs. Meaning that the animals inside are no longer confined and are now prowling the city streets. Real birds now fill the sky that the fakes left empty.

And they aren't all that's there. Twisted creatures are becoming more common on the streets of Diagad. Creatures that look almost like animals but warp and twist between them, one moment a bear the next it has horns and then it is a wolf. But no matter how they look those claws and teeth are bad news for everyone.

[ CRUMBLING, CRUMBLING. ] By day eight whole streets are disappearing. homes, houses. people need to be moved in closer around the congress sector. Colours crackle through the sky like lightning and the world shakes often.

It's not just the infrastructure but the memories of those in the city. Dreams have come realities and all but the most stubborn have begun to realise that this world is not their own. They are from another place. What is going on? Why are they in this city? Who are these people who are their 'family'?

Confusion and anger are growing in the streets and it is perhaps time for the Voidtreckers to come out of the shadows.
worthallthis: (but i did it)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-21 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
"Whatever sense you feel comfortable answering," Soldat says. "I mean. I'm not doing so great, but I didn't attack the illusion and then disappear for a day and a half. So. Gotta guess you're kinda worse."
azrthmtrnznthos: (sad-eyes-closed)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-21 12:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't think even Senku was expecting the response we got." Raven said quietly. Or maybe the other had counted on more people show up. "I didn't have time to teleport--myself or anyone else."
worthallthis: (Default)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-21 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"What happened?" Soldat asks. "If it's okay to talk about. All I know is you vanished." And now she doesn't seem very okay.
azrthmtrnznthos: (unsure)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-21 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"It...we..." Raven started slowly. "We tried to dispel one of the bigger illusions. Senku wanted it's attention--we got it." She didn't like how shaky her voice was at the end there. Or how stuff on the walls was rattling in reaction to her emotional distress.

She made herself take a deep breath, to calm herself. "It punished us." Moving to bring her knees up to her chest, arm curled around them and huddling in her cloak. "I'm...trying not to focus on it right now. There's too much to do. I can deal with it when we're all safe again."
worthallthis: (lookdown-sarge)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-22 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
Soldat's been there. Having to fold up their terror and pain and anger to complete a mission. They understand punishment. They nod solemnly. "I won't ask." Instead, distraction: "You know Misty? The. The wife of the guy I was? You met her a couple times, outings with our daughter. Who, uh, is Kitty. But Misty, she's my. She's from where I came from before. Yondu thinks she's really here, not an illusion. She's remembering now, too."
Edited 2021-07-22 04:37 (UTC)
azrthmtrnznthos: (casual conversation)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-22 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm glad you get to see her again, but sorry she's been brought into this mess." Raven said, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder in sympathy. "And...on the train, when this is over, I will need help."
worthallthis: (lookup-sarge)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-22 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
They blink a couple times, but do manage not to twitch away from the touch. Progress! "Of course. Whatever I can do."
azrthmtrnznthos: (Basic smile and content)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-23 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
"Thank you. It can wait until then." There was genuine gratitude in her voice. "I trust you, as you already know." She trusted him to do whatever was necessary, should she become a danger. As well as she trusted him with smaller things.
worthallthis: (Default)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-24 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
"Don't know how useful I'm gonna be." Talking is not their best skill, here, nor is physical comfort. "But I can keep you fed. And in music. Keep you company."
azrthmtrnznthos: (casual conversation)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-24 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
"You listen. And company....I'll need that." Raven responded softly, moving to curl up around her drawn up knees once more. "How bad is it out there?"
worthallthis: (tactical)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-24 07:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Not great," Soldat admits. "People are getting really divided. Some are more paranoid, but a lot are. Are remembering being other people. And so they want to help. And the more people remember, I think the harder the world is to maintain. It's breaking at the seams. I think it's gonna. Come to a head soon, somehow."
azrthmtrnznthos: (casual conversation)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-25 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Raven listened quietly, and nodded at the end. "I think whoever did this bit off more than they could chew, with all of us. But...it's still incredibly powerful."
worthallthis: (good work soldat)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-26 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
"It's the thing from the last three missions," Soldat says grimly. "Has to be. The train said as much when we were arriving, and it's the same tactics. Did you ever try the group training courses at the gyms? They're our missions, only from the other side."
azrthmtrnznthos: (If you say so)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-26 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
"I...hadn't." Raven said, but that was just disturbing. "Now I'm glad I didn't."
worthallthis: (guilty)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-26 06:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, it wasn't fun," Soldat agrees. "Especially once I actually remembered them instead of just felt vaguely offended by them. I. Don't know how much good I'm gonna be fighting somethin' like that. I don't even have my guns."
azrthmtrnznthos: (casual conversation)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-28 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"We really weren't prepared for this mission this time, huh?" Raven mused, a bit sadly. "And somehow I think you'll still find ways to be effective, Soldat."
worthallthis: (Default)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-28 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, we didn't even disembark," Soldat says. "We were snatched. No time to prepare at all-- I don't even have my combat uniform." And they have absolutely no idea what happened to their lantern, if it's invisible somewhere on their person, or shrunk down and illusioned into something else, or... what. Because it's clearly not here.

They're not going to tackle the likelihood of being effective against a thing of magic that throws illusions at you. They've already had to sit out a couple battles in Beacon because that was the tactic of the enemy, and they couldn't fight it.
azrthmtrnznthos: (blah)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-29 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
"You're too capable to not be effective somehow." Raven said, still believing in him. But she sighed as well. "Any tips for me?"
worthallthis: (planning-sarge)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-07-29 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
They sigh a little, thinking and scrubbing a hand through their hair. "Aside from sit this one out? Keep your distance. Focus on what's real. Stick with a buddy who can help pull you out if you need it. Your magic will probably be more useful than a gun would be, honestly."
azrthmtrnznthos: (casual conversation)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-07-31 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
"Thank you. For coming to check on me." Raven hoped she could do this. She would manage some how.
worthallthis: (friendly)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-08-01 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
"You're my friend, I was worried." They free up a hand from around their knees to reach over and grip her shoulder gently. "Rest some more, okay? And stay safe. Your face is all over, out there."
azrthmtrnznthos: (Basic smile and content)

[personal profile] azrthmtrnznthos 2021-08-03 02:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll do my best. If I need help, I'll ask." Raven said, managing a genuine smile. "You're my friend too."