♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

[hugtopiamods]

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.
  

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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.

Comments

[firstbump]

It's impossible to rub the back of your neck in embarrassment when embraced so closely. "Gods, you—don't have to quite say it like that...."

[ancestor]

"What do you mean 'like that?'" She swings her hips, knocking against his side in a playful gesture. "I thought it was a rather good way to say it, compared to other options!"

[firstbump]

"It sounds too grandiose. Like I'm supposed to be perfect or something." His eyes twinkle mischievously at being bumped, and he bumps her right back with his own hip. "The gods know I'm not."

[ancestor]

"But you are. You needn't be flawless to be perfect to me, Ardbert."

Her words are spoken matter-of-factly, in a manner strongly reminiscent of Era. Unlike Era, however, Hemera is briefly knocked off balance by the retaliatory bump. She huffs out a laugh.

"And you can't tell me you won't think the same of Astraea when you meet her one day."

[firstbump]

That's logic he can't argue with, so he just sighs and gives into her. "Being a parent changes the whole world, doesn't it?"

[ancestor]

Hemera falls silent for a few moments, considering her words before speaking again.

"I'm not sure," she admits. "Your soul was created from mine, but I am not your parent. I played no role in birthing you, nor raising you. I couldn't watch you grow and learn and become the person you are today. I was not there for you."

Her tone is wistful. Sorrowful. Mournful. She presses an absentminded hand against the flat of her stomach and leans her head against Ardbert's shoulder, letting him guide the way.

"...I think it must change everything. How could it not? I know something in me changed the moment I met you."

[firstbump]

Guide he does, his arm gentle around her. Ardbert tries to commit this moment to memory. It's the closest he'll have to a proper mother, but more importantly, his days with Hemera are coming to a close.

Both their hearts are full of sorrow at the soon parting.

"I wish you could have been," Ardbert says softly. "But I won't let that wish take away from what we have in this moment. And someday, I'll share moments like this with my little girl."

[ancestor]

His words are met with a hummed note of agreement and nothing more, with Hemera content enough to enjoy his presence as best she can in the limited time they have left. She tries to commit each moment to memory despite knowing deep down that it won't matter in the end.

"I had a plan, you know."

She breaks the companionable silence a handful of minutes later, lifting her hand from her stomach to wave it in the air with a small flourish. A golden, glowing rune dances between her fingertips, leaving a sparkling trail of aether in its wake. Each spark begins animate behind them, mimicking the movement of fireflies.

"When I reached my first millennia I would fill in the required paperwork, then be put on waitlist once approved. I knew I would be denied, but I could petition the verdict once every half-century. I would petition until I was approved, then wait until it was finally my turn. By then I should be near ready to be a mother..."

It's difficult knowing that all her dreams will end long before they ever see fruition, but she does her best not to dwell on it. She flicks her wrist and the magic fades from her fingertips.

"You will be a wonderful father when the time comes, Ardbert. Of that I have no doubt."

[firstbump]

It matters that she tries to Ardbert.

He lets the silence linger, simply enjoying her company as they walk nowhere in particular. It feels nice in a different way than he feels with Era. Being one of the youngest members of his friends group, it has that sort of familiarity, but also a mix of his time with his father.

"Gods, it still seems so strange you'd have to ask." Ardbert watches her fireflies with a comfortable wonder. "... I hope you're right. I think instead of thousands of years, I'll be ready in only a few. We have to make sure our worlds are safe, first, and then we can let ourselves be happy."

[ancestor]

"Our birth rates have always been low to account for how long our lifespans are," she explains. "Our world would be unable to sustain us if we reproduced any more rapidly."

It made sense to her, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"New souls are precious gifts from the Star itself, and children are held in high regard. There are more who wish for a child than there are children who can be born. It's only natural to have a strict process to decide who has the honour of trying to bring new life to the world.

"While I've good genetics, I'm widely considered to be a bad influence by the older generations. Until more of them step down from their positions I'll likely always be viewed as an unfit choice."

The sigh that escapes her speaks volumes of just what she thinks of said 'older generation.'

"With my skills I could make an attempt without approval, but that would be unfair to the others." Hemera sighs again, loud and dramatic. "That said, I'm hardly going to go out of my way to prevent having a child naturally. After all, who am I to deny the will of the star?"

Her smile turns impish at that, eyes sparkling at the thought of throwing the much-touted excuse of it being the Star's Will back in everyone's faces.

"And if the star's will happens to involve things both taboo and prohibited, I'm sure a certain dear friend would be equally disinclined to resist it."

Hemera snickers at the thought. Eventually her giggles fade, leaving her to wrap her arms around Ardbert's and giving it a loving squeeze.

"There is no need to hope—I am right. I could never be more certain of anything than I am of this."

[firstbump]

Ardbert is mirroring her impish grin by the time she finishes talking. Really, who is she to deny the will of the star? If it's going to happen, it'll happen.

She hugs his arm, and he comes to a stop for a moment, resting a hand on one of her arms. He lets out a content sigh. It's nice to be the younger one for a change.

"I'll just have to take your word for it, then." Ardbert chuckles, the mischievous glint in his eyes softening. "I doubt I could win an argument with you, anyroad."

[ancestor]

"You're a thousand years too young for that," she laughs. "And I've a few hundred years of lessons in rhetoric under my belt."

[firstbump]

Ardbert pulls a face at the idea of a few hundred years of lessons in rhetoric. Does he really need to say anything?

[ancestor]

"It was only boring some of the time." As difficult as her schooling was she can't deny she always enjoyed learning, and the schools taught her a great deal. "We were also taught music and the arts, physical education, history, geography, maths, biology, phantomology, geometry, creation magics, creation theory, reading and writing, how to properly research and document your research, and myriad other things... I quite liked music lessons, and physical education."

She exhales an amused laugh. "If I remember correctly, that was the class Hades skipped most frequently."

[firstbump]

Ardbert look of horror at that very long list is only half-faked. "How can one learn so much without losing their bloody minds? My Pa taught me how to read and write, my numbers, some history and geography, and animal handling. The physical education I handled on my own free time...."

[ancestor]

"You know what we can do with our magicks," she points out, bemused. "What do you think would happen if we weren't taught as much about the world as possible?"

Hearing about Ardbert's youth is still bittersweet, but Hemera loves hearing about it all the same.

"My mother taught me about the flora and fauna of our region, and how all living things were deserving of equal respect even if they lacked in a soul," she offers a tidbit of her own in exchange. Memories of her childhood before Amaurot are few and far between, but she treasures them as best she can. "You would have liked Mama."

[firstbump]

He nods at that question—they had to know everything they could, least they harm the world around them.

Ardbert listens to her every word about her mother then replies, almost shyly. "You're right, I would have. ... what is it like to have a mother? You know I never knew mine, and I-I've never had anyone I could properly ask."

[ancestor]

"I—" His question catches her off guard, though she knows it shouldn't have. "It was... Very warm. You know that warmth that blooms in your breast when someone who loves you smiles at you? Like... being wrapped in the softest of blankets, and knowing nothing bad will ever happen so long as you're engulfed by it."

Hemera closes her eyes, trying to search for the memories. "She had such long curls she never tied back. It shined like copper, and was warm as the sun rising over the ocean. She was my whole world. She was my Mama."

[firstbump]

He smiles softly at her as she speaks, even though she can't see it—or see as his eyes sadden as she continues. "I know the feeling, aye. It's a good one. Even better that you can remember it."

[ancestor]

"I hope to never forget her, but I know it will happen one day," she murmurs. "It has been centuries since I could last recall her face... What pictures existed were lost in the flood."

[firstbump]

Ardbert rests a gentle hand on her arm, eyes full of understanding. "I can't remember my father's face, either, truth be told. And we never had pictures."

He understands.