♥ May (Ealom) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

May (Ealom) Event Log

Despite the fact that spacetime has been a bit questionable in recent days, the seasons carry on as they should. Spring has begun to grow warmer, the scent of flourishing local flowers often in the air as they are set out to decorate native shops and homes with a burst of lively color. On a larger scale, the march of time flows as inexorable and steady as ever; the question is if that will remain the case for long.

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❥ PROMPT I: Days of Future Past

Randomly throughout the city and following days, the scenery immediately before you may begin to waver as if rising steam distorts the air. The aura shimmers, then suddenly solidifies into a thin, golden line that abruptly opens sideways and upwards forming a window, which cannot be physically interacted with. Stand before this "window" long enough, and you may begin to see imagines of a past Havenwell...

1. For those who have explored the city limits of Havenwell, they might be familiar with the ruins. If a character is atop a roof and looking out at the city scape, this vision depicts these ruins as destitute no longer. Instead, the buildings remain upright, tall, and in pristine condition. The tops of these buildings are crowned with small gardens, and their terraced architecture allows for flower-covered vines to spill all the way from the roofs to the paved streets below. The metropolis glimmers like a treasure trove in the waning sunlight, peaceful and grand. Continue watching this vision, and little lights within the buildings begin to blink on as evening dips into night. Within some buildings are those still toiling late at work, while other residents greet their families as they return.

Curiously, some of those preparing to have their dinners with their family seem to engage in some sort of familial prayer, joining hands and reciting words. Others link hands and stand with their backs touching, tipping their heads so that the back of their heads touch, a ritual that some off-worlders may recognize.

As for appearances within this window to the past, the locals are now flesh-and-blood. They are humanoid in appearance, bipedal, with two sets of eyes, one nose, and a mouth, but some have a few others features. Some sport feline-like ears puffing atop their heads, others have some that are distinctly more mouse-like, rounded as they converse. A family of those with scales, horns, and a tail, similar to the statues in Rawna's temple, begin to dine. A loving couple toasts to each other, and as they raises their arms, their luxurious wings almost sweep the ground.

2.For those who are walking by the research towers, another window appears, depicting how the facility appeared before. Two researchers leave the campus in good spirits, sitting on a bench just outside. One of them holds a clipboard while the other sports a briefcase and thermos. While you cannot peer further into the vision, a snippet of their conversation can be heard clearly.

"OM1 was a success, wasn't it?" The research chimes, bringing a hand rub at the feathers upon his chin. "That's great news. Thing's get better for the planet soon."

"Yeah, I can't wait to get out of this body in general," the second researcher laughs as her pointed, fluffy ears atop her head swivel in the direction of her companion. "I'm tired of these ol' bones already."

"Old? You're a decade younger than me!"

3. Outside of the temple of Ainea, two locals, their bodies fully metallic, are having a discussion. One is draped in the stole of a priest, while the other wears a white lab coat.

"The satellite didn't work," the researcher says. Frustration and defeat can be heard within his voice. "We haven't given up on making a beacon, but we can't afford to send another. It's up to the congregation now."

"Peace, friend," the priest replies. Although his tone is calm, it is no less morose. "It's in the gods' hands now."

These scenes, among others (which you are free to write, taking inspiration from the lore collection along with some newly released entries!), can play out for passers-by, scattered throughout the city for the rest of the month. Some are unique, some will repeat; some are inconsequential, some feel startlingly important, as though you can feel what those in the memory must have felt in the moment. It's a strange experience, overall. As if the world is remembering itself.

❥ PROMPT II: The Antiques Homeshow

With all the windows to time opening up here and there in town, the city is buzzing with excitement and nostalgia as the natives' memory banks are jump-started by familiar sights thought long gone. Seeing their old selves and visions of their old haunts has them invigorated in a way most haven't felt in centuries. But as time wears on, people will start to notice that the windows aren't just for looking through.

It starts with a giant tree, nearly 4 stories tall and meters thick, popping up in the middle of the Entertainment District's streets. Then scattered reports of outer city buildings and areas suddenly disappearing, replaced with tents or campfires. Finally, it happens - your own home is now host to these weird time windows and your things are experiencing the same problems as areas around the city.

Maybe your replicator has just turned into an actual pantry, with perishable food items that may or may not be familiar to you. Weird fruits and vegetables, something that seems like flour? Or is it salt? A salty flour that’s apparently some sort of yeast? Who knows! Good luck finding out. What about your bed? What used to be a comfortable double with plush pillows is abruptly a straw mat with mice! Or a giant four-post canopy king-sized bed made for a room that is definitely 6 times bigger than what you have, and it has completely subsumed your room to the point where you can’t open the door anymore. Hopefully you’re cool with climbing in and out of the windows instead!

Maybe the changes are less obtrusive for some. Their favorite coffee cup is now a jeweled goblet. Their clothes have gone from the height of modern fashion to the height of “what era is this?” fashion. Their carefully cultivated garden is now a wild, overgrown jungle! The time windows seem to be sending in objects from every era, past and future, creating havoc both big and small across the city.

Thankfully, however, these changes don’t seem to be permanent. If the object is removed from its window area, it reverts back to its original form over time. However, damaging anything from the past has unforeseen consequences in the future, so do be careful. Cutting down that tree could mean a building in the future doesn’t get built, or removing a flower from the jungle may lead to the extinction of a known Havenwell plant! Or maybe it does nothing. Time is weird that way. Good luck with stepping on that butterfly effect!

❥ PROMPT III: Powering the Conduits

Another joint announcement comes from the researchers and priests, and they are happy to report they've been investigating and fine-tuning the prototype crystal conduits as developed by a few off-worlders. These past two weeks, they've been vigorously testing and retesting the prototype's effects on the caustic atmosphere of the outside world. Whereas the first version caused a thinning of what heavy, mysterious miasma hangs in the air, it was unable to project a proper barrier or last long. They hope to refine what the dedicated off-worlders started, and for that, they need volunteers.

Specifically, they need volunteers to help charge these individual crystal-conduits' with the power generated through touch! Researchers will be handing out these small, amber-colored crystals to those who are interested in helping, encouraging the off-worlder to wear the and hold someone's hand, hug them, or be especially lovely-dovey-kissy-wissy with whomever their SO may be. This is in the name of science, it's very important. But be warned, since these are still being tested, a few unlocking people may have experience a couple side effects:

Creating One's Own Personal Barrier: It seems rather counter-intuitive, but when the crystals are overcharged, they may automatically project a barrier that expands, pulses in an unstable fashion, and then shrinks around the wearer and whomever they're engaging in touch, trapping you both. Thankfully, this will last a few minutes at most before the barrier vanishes.

Siphoning Power: Some of the crystals may have been accidentally programed to take too much power from those wearing the crystal-conduit, causing whomever is wearing the gem to rapidly begin to deteriorate in energy and health. Effects can be a little as feeling tired, to outright collapsing.

When your crystal-conduit is fully charged, the researchers ask that they be delivered back to the towers for further analysis.

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This event will run from 15 May to 31 May. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Comments

[tempusfinis]

[ ...Well. That's that, then. Rather than be completely discouraged, though, it only seems to put his mind to more work.

Machina once again turns to face the window, but, if Nico is partial to remaining holding hands, then that's where his hold will stay. Otherwise, they can part.

Without missing a beat, he continues] So. The gods are probably stronger, but not strong enough to commune anytime. Was there any way to speak to your gods... or your dad... in your world? Regularly, I mean.

[wakemelater]

[He expects Machina to let go, and when he doesn't, Nico twitches, but also doesn't let go.]

That's possible.

[Unfortunately, sensing life-forces didn't extend to detecting gods or their power levels.]

I could visit my dad in the Underworld, if I needed to. Other gods...It depends. You can pray to them and maybe they'll answer. Usually they'll send dreams, prophecies, signs.

There's also sacrifices. Nowadays, that means burning a portion of your meal, instead of killing animals.

[tempusfinis]

[ Just two dudes holdin' hands for the world. ]

Sacrifices, huh... [ His tone suggests that he's noting this with both interest and distaste.

But more importantly, Nico informs there's more than one way in which to contact the gods, or be contacted by them in his own world. ]

...Then it's possible there could be another way to commune with these gods, too.

[wakemelater]

[No, he gets it. Sacrifices are awful. He preferred not to think on what people did to try and appease his father.]

Possibly. If they are like the gods of my world, there should be many ways to reach them. But there could also be many ways to anger them.

[Though, if insulting a god caused that god to appear, then...maybe it would be worth it. Or maybe you'd be smote into a little greasy puddle.]

[tempusfinis]

[ (Enter: Machina, who does stupid things—) ] That’s another thing worth investigating.

And there’s just the four of them, right? [ He tilts his head and thought. ] One of them has to respond to something. A ritual, a prayer, or sacrifice…

[wakemelater]

[He's all for screaming down a god. Has done it plenty. Has been turned into a flower for his efforts. But he doesn't know the gods here. And he doesn't know what will happen to his soul if he dies here.

Though, investigating doesn't mean doing, so he hums an affirmative.]

We've found documentation that there may be at least two more, but they aren't represented here.

[tempusfinis]

[ ...Two more? That earns Nico a sharp look-- and although his expression is serious, he is truly grateful for the information he's sharing. He notes to himself that he'll have to thank Nico for indulging his questions later. ]

Has anyone tried to commune with them? Or have they given any messages?

[wakemelater]

[At least two. He would not be surprised to learn there are more out there.]

I mentioned dreams before. Some time back, several of us had dreams that carried messages. Mine mentioned a "Winged Lord", as well as a second being that buried itself inside the world. The "Crawling One". But I couldn't tell you if these dreams came from them, or one of the gods here, or something else entirely.

[tempusfinis]

I wonder if they're purposefully being mysterious. [ After a moment of thought, Machina sighs. ]

...Thanks, by the way. For answering all these questions. I'm guessing you've gotten the same for every new person who comes around.

[wakemelater]

I wouldn't put it past them.

[Nico shakes his head.] Not always. But I don't mind. We should all be as informed as we possibly can be.

[tempusfinis]

Yeah... Agreed.

[ Machina nods, then turns his head to look back at the window. The family within are done with their prayers and are proceeding to eat. ]

They look... happy.

[wakemelater]

[He hums agreement, looking at the same scene. "Must be nice" is on the tip of his tongue, but he swallows it.]

They may still be around, in their robot bodies. I wonder if they're still happy.

[tempusfinis]

Maybe. [ He hums, placing his free hand on the side of his hip, speaking slowly. ] You can still be happy without memories. [ In this case, not only the memories of who might not be here but also of who they once were.

But. There is something about seeing this scene and knowing that all within it may have been forgotten, one way or another, that bothers him. But he can't quite place his finger on it. ]

[wakemelater]

[Nico frowns, troubled.] Not in my experience.

But...if you don't know what you've lost, then... [Then maybe it is possible, to be happy without knowing your past. He finds it hard to imagine, though.]

[tempusfinis]

[ Machina seems reluctant to pursue this topic, even if he's the one who brought it up, and so appears to choose his words slowly. ]

They wouldn't know what was lost, but... The answer to fixing this world and for us to return home may lie in their memories. For those reasons alone, these visions probably have some merit.

[wakemelater]

[It's not a comfortable topic. But what Machina says makes sense.]

So we should find more of these visions and gather as much information as we can.

[tempusfinis]

Exactly.

[ He gives the other a nod, looking off to his right. These "windows" could be anywhere, and the city is fairly large...

But he's determined to investigate. ] We should split up. Cover more ground. On our devices, we can record what we find. How about that?

[wakemelater]

Sounds good.

[He doesn't do a lot of recording - has never actually recorded something - but he's pretty sure he can figure it out.

He steps to the left, pulling his hand free.]

I'll send you whatever I find.