hugtopia_logs | ♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

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♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

kool aid man crashing through a wall then nervously stepping out again

October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

❥ Speaking of Wall Breaking...

The ghosts in town sure are weird, huh? But they're settling down, as the month draws to a close. They're becoming less anxious and random, their behaviour growing sort of… focused. As time passes some of them begin to develop features. They can interact with the world more consistently. You can… hear their voice.

And then suddenly they are people, real and physical and just as confused to be here as you are. They could be anyone, from your world, someone else's world, a place you've never heard of… some of them could even be you, from a different universe, a different timeline, an unknown reality. What does all this mean?

IT'S FOURTH WALL, Y'ALL. Tell your friends, people interested in apping or just playing around in the setting, anybody! Time to break the wall down and have some fun.

This post serves as a replacement for the usual Test Drive Meme, in order to consolidate the chaos a bit. Though it is being posted now, timeline-wise, this shift will occur ONLY during the weekend prior to applications opening: October 30th to November 2nd, after which point characters will either disappear or become permanent residents via the application process. This also means that the rest of the event effects will have worn off, and characters will be their normal selves through the duration of this prompt.

Some ground rules for the 4th Wall event:

For characters/accounts not in-game:

a character does not have to meet application qualifications to post to the 4th Wall Event, except in cases where there is an intent to apply when applications open. Duplicates, CRAU, AU, etc. are permitted for the event.
we do ask that crack shenanigans are reasonably limited, game rules are followed, and that the event involve characters only, not players or real people.
anyone can toplevel! It'll be a free for all. Go wild, have fun.
characters will be given a temporary, low-tech communicator for the duration of the event with limited network access, due to limited availability of the real deal.
you will not arrive with any items/companions beyond the clothes that you wear
check out the Setting or FAQ pages for location details! Also, have a look at the October event log, to see what else is going on these days.

For characters/accounts currently in-game:

players can decide for themselves at the event's conclusion whether or not memories of certain visitors remain, and to what extent; memories could become fuzzy, faces or communication obscured, they could disappear entirely, or they can remain fully intact whether the person apps into the game or not.
network communications with 4th Wall visitors that don't (or can't) app in will be wiped, with the locals citing a data error related to the older communicators being used. Technology can be unpredictable, huh!
any communication exchanges that you WANT to keep can remain with some discretion; for example, if a spouse visits and you happen to take a selfie with them, and they do not (or cannot) app but having that photo of them would give you comfort, feel free to keep it.
Similar to the TDM, 4th wall threads cannot be used for AC or AC Reward purposes unless it is between characters already in-game.

Click the above prompt to expand for details. Timeline-wise, this occurs October 30th to November 2nd. For players currently in-game, if you have any questions, please direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread on the original plotting post.

On this post, we've created both another Questions Thread and a Toplevel thread (see below) for visiting players, the latter so that anyone can track and see who's posted! When you've made a toplevel, feel free to comment HERE to let everyone know.

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Then, I'll ask.

[ She's been this willing to assist, after all. The small child gathers his thoughts and then inquires, as if this is a perfectly normal first question: ]

Why did the gods choose us?

[ His features seem to indicate as much, for a human, though he hasn't stated otherwise. To her understanding human children are less prepared, or so she'd been repeatedly told. It was possible he was different; most seemed to come from differing circumstances. ]

There is no satisfying answer to that, as we do not know the full process to which they operate. The closest we may suppose is that it is most likely they seek out those who may align strongly to what they individually stand for, but they don't look much further for suitability or compatibility in anything else given their dire state.

What they individually stand for....

[ Ken thinks about that. So he was chosen - for his Crest? But beyond that, they're...desperate....?

He's never figured out a way his Crest could be put to use. But there must be one, mustn't there? Something only "kindness" can do.

Rebuilding a world is harder than destroying it. Just like the content's of a person's heart. ]

What you decide to do is your own choice, so remind yourself that even if you were brought here, the gods are not owed your will.

[ Given he'd started this line of questioning by asking why he was chosen, it seems reasonable to state it as such. ]

Individuals behave according to their own levels of comfort, so it is understandable that such things will shift, with time or acclimation.

[ More pondering. But - she's right, isn't she? It's just like how, although he was a Chosen Child, he isn't blindly following what he thinks is expected of him. He's doing what he feels he has to do because they're things he has judged to be that important.

He nods. ] I can...take my time.

[ In a way, that's relieving. If he knows he's in this adventure for the long haul, then, maybe some of this pressure....

Ugh, he thought he was better at this now. And he supposes he is. But it's still hard. Ken swallows, trying to relax. It's going to be okay. He's going to be okay.

He can do this. ]

Being surrounded by strangers... likely does not help your feelings.

[ The fact that he seems to be thinking a lot... is sort of written on his face, there. ]

[ Caught out. Ken clears his throat. ]

....You can tell?

[ But, in a way, her naming it makes it all make more sense. So some of this resistance is resentment - he'd finally been able to become part of a group and now he has to do it all over again, and that's daunting. He can feel that way while still noting the importance of being with people. Human hearts are like that, they can feel contradictory things and all of them are true. ]

I can tell that you are already wondering what might be asked of you, or what you might have to do.

[ Which are... questions that one might have, certainly, but ones of someone who seems likely to be taken advantage of at that rate. ]

All of the Otherworlders are in a similar position, strangers though we may be.

[ That's a good point. Ken can already tell the stark difference between people who've been brought here to help and people who are from this world. A world that's dying from lack of affection...

He chooses his words carefully as he walks. ]

I'm unused to many things. I thought I was improving, but when I arrived, I panicked.

[ This may be what he feels worst about. Has he really not changed? Is this really what he's like? ]

What if I'm...not enough?

... You would not do any worse than anyone else brought here in these circumstances. This area has already shown signs of improvement, and many of us brought here have not felt ourselves particularly suited for that. And the gods will continue to call others so long as there remains a need, and so long as they have the strength.

[ Which... may not sound particularly comforting either, but just keeping it real. It's not like she really knows how to speak to "children", specifically. If he's already asking those deep sorts of questions and already prepared to take on a responsibility that he doesn't fully understand, the least she can do is offer some measure of preparation toward how he may choose to handle it.

So she hopes, or at worse she's needlessly scaring him, if he is unable to grasp the message in what she says because of his own personal situation. His words ring true to her in other ways. Her ears lower, but she continues. ]

The best you can do is continue to... improve yourself, if that is what you were doing in your own world. Something like that can certainly be difficult to do in even the best of circumstances.

The best I can do...

[ So it's working.....That's reassuring. Ken doesn't want any world, even a world he's known about for only a few hours, to wither without affection the way he almost did.

As for the rest - well, the answer always keeps being the same, doesn't it? Always do what he needs to do. Always move forward.

And if he's not enough, he's not alone.

He gives himself a moment to think about this, walking in silence. "The best he can do" is a slightly new take on this for him, but he thinks it makes sense...just has to turn it around and examine it a little more thoroughly. ]

[ She's said a lot just now, so for the moment, she'll let him percolate with his thoughts, see if something else crosses his mind to ask.

It's not much further to go, maybe a turn here or there to get out of the Entertainment District and keep going. As well as determining whether there's anyone familiar for him at all for certain ... or not. ]

[ Ken continues to think, but the sight of something resembling their objective in the distance snaps him back to the present. ]

Is that it?

[ The statues meant to represent the gods are quite large even in the near distance, certainly quite different from the architecture that surrounds them otherwise that would make them noticeable. ]

Yes, that's correct. It shouldn't be too much longer before we arrive at the fountain itself.

[ Though again; she's not a great judge of time on foot, but it's been reasonable so far. ]

I know you have a lot on your mind already, but there are other aspects you may want to consider, if you've not yet thought of them.

Other aspects...?

[ And she's willing to share them with him. She's guiding him through this. That's a lot, for a stranger to do. For him. A stranger saw him in need and decided to help him.

What can he do but listen to her? ]

With circumstances as they are, we are all limited to the confines of the city.

[ Which isn't always too evident at first, but having that sort of knowledge is important. ]

You'll likely want to prioritize finding a place to stay, once you've finished having a look around.

[ --Oh. Right. He's going to be staying here. Which means -

Housing. Food sources. Clothing, potentially. Everything his family used to provide, he has to look after for himself now.

As understanding sinks in, he looks a little sharper. ]

I have many practical things to do.

[ ...That's strange. He feels better when he realizes this. Why? Because it's something to think about that isn't fear?

--Maybe not just that. Maybe looking towards a concrete future is more grounding than a hypothetical one. ]

That is correct.

[ His understanding of the situation is important; his personal growth may as well have been another goal for him, but he'd have to make sure he understood the space he was in better to do so, let the rest come along as it might. ]

There are homes that are open to Otherworlders when they first arrive without a cost, so you may want to look at those, or see if anyone is looking for a roommate, as some often do. Better not to be alone... but that is your call. Otherwise money in this world... is mostly granted by how much contact you may have with another, unless you are able to find some kind of work.

We're paid for helping.

[ That's definitely one way to encourage people to pursue their intended mission. At his age, will he be able to get a job--

No, Ken can do this. There is a god who believes in him. He has to live up to that.

Should he look for a roommate, though? No-cost housing is nearly unheard-of to him, and very accommodating.....But is it counterproductive to be by himself.......But won't he just be underfoot in someone else's home......

But living alone might be choosing solitude because it's easier. ]

I might....look for a roommate, then....

[ If he can find someone he's comfortable around, that would actually be really nice. For now, however, the sentence even feels weird in his mouth. ]

Yes... your communicator should have a program which allows you to access your accumulated funds. Although you may want to see about having them replace that for you at the temple.

[ It's still a little baffling that his would not be as technologically up to standard as the rest. ]

[ They'd do that? That's something he can ask for?

--He'd better, though, shouldn't he. If that's his primary method of communication and tracking other practical matters, if he doesn't, he might miss things. And it'd be his responsibility for not requesting a new one. ]

That's likely best.

[ Regarding their current quest, though....Ken looks around. There are no small, wandering patches of green. No one underfoot, or hiding from scary strangers (that he can see). It's just their first stop, so he shouldn't get discouraged....

And even should this search prove fruitless, giving up on himself would only make Wormmon sad. Ken can't do that! ]

[ The streets are relatively empty, all things considered; some of the tall robots standing and chatting in a few areas, the statues looming above, each bearing their unique representation of each god all assuming the same pose.

No ordinary people seem to be around. Maybe whomever he is searching for has sought sanctuary on one of the benches, or in the shadows, or a higher perch? It's all free for him to look around and determine if this is the case... though she can tell, his gaze seems to already be mostly downward or at odd angles as his glancing around begins. ]

Any are there signs to look for?

[ That might be indicative of whom he's seeking, that is; to be fair, they haven't even exchanged names, though she's always a bit later to realize that. ]

Signs?

[ Oh. Hm. Ken considers this. ]

There might be webbed nets around. He'll either be low to the ground or clinging to a higher surface.

[ What else......that Ken does not realize is completely useless given the aforementioned cart going before the horse he's done here.... ]

He might call for me.

[ Webbed... nets? Ah. ]

So the companion you are looking for is not of your species.

[ That helps a little better in knowing where she should be looking, even if the partner is more likely to see them first. ]

[ Ken nods - should have led with that, but he can at least be aware that dwelling on his oversight won't help Wormmon. ]

He's about this big. [ Ken gestures. ] He speaks like you or I do, but he resembles....a bug.

[ There is no way around it. Wormmon is, in fact, a bug. ]

♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

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