synflux | PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disaster, PTSD, mind-control, psychological trauma, violence, delirium from heat, temporary blindness, hallucinations, dead bodies.

▶ 001. STORM CHASERS.

After weeks of searching for clues on the kaiju and missing people, the desert landscape begins to blend together. Didn’t you pass that cactus earlier today? That rock formation looks exactly like the one you passed the other day. It’s natural to loop back around when conducting a search but doesn’t it feel like everyone has been going in circles more frequently?

The heat isn’t helping either. Temperatures start to rise and continue to rise to all time highs. The sun is unrelenting and the only reliable shelter they have are their campers. Prolonged exposure outside will result in heat exhaustion, dehydration, and delirium.

Warnings will be sent to the Outsiders via their implants to keep them up to date with the weather as well as providing health tips such as reminders to stay hydrated or seek shelter during the hottest parts of the day. They will also receive warnings for sand storms and tornadoes called dust devils. The storms start of short and relatively weak but gradually begin to last longer and become more powerful. Pretty soon, Outsiders will not be able to see ahead from the dense sand and wind.

Outsiders will be told to chase after the storms and if they progress far enough, they will begin to find traces of people. They will find random belongings, articles of clothing, and occasionally, human remains in varying states of decomposition. Eventually, however, they will start to find survivors suffering from extreme fatigue and dehydration. They speak incoherently to themselves and as soon as they regain their strength, they try to run into storms while calling out to things that people can’t see.

Outsiders can wait for emergency caravans to arrive from Vegas to take survivors back to the city or they can take back the survivors themselves and use the opportunity to restock on supplies.

▶ 002. THE STORM CALLS.

The sandstorms increase and grow stronger until eventually, they last entire days. The sands shift, the grounds shake, and something thunderous can be heard in the dust. It becomes harder to see out in the desert and it’s almost like the storms are trying to hide something. At the edge of a storm, sharp eyed Outsiders may catch sight of a great shadowy serpent in the heart of the storm. Messages to their implants will urge them to get closer and investigate but be careful.

The storm grows stronger as they approach and the camper vans may slow down or get stuck in the shifting sands forcing some of them to proceed on foot to make visuals. Eventually, they will get close enough to finally establish clear visuals on their target: A giant sand worm. It’s size is not immediately clear due to the poor visibility and it being partially underground. However, the worm also sees them and when it does, it glows. The light catches on and reflects against the sand particles and that’s when it hits some of the Outsiders: A sudden splitting headache followed by an inability to look away.

Some outsiders may suddenly find themselves entranced by the worm; hypnotized. They will begin to see mirages and hear voices calling out to them in the storm. Captivated Outsiders will find themselves wanting to run into the storm to chase after the phantoms, some of them images and figures of people from their past and present back home. If anyone attempts to stop them, they will become irrational, violent, and turn on their friends and allies. Some Outsiders may begin to view their allies as enemies and attack, turning on one another in a gruesome frenzy. Some of the hypnotic beams will effect those still in their campers, turning on their friends and other Outsiders.

Outsiders will have to restrain each other to keep them from running into the desert or harming each other. In the chaos, the worm disappears into the storm. The psychic effects of the monster will weaken after the worm disappears and the storm dies down but it may leave some characters feeling overwhelmed and confused in the aftermath. Some will remain in an erratic state for several days, occasionally acting normal. In the insanity of all of this, Outsiders may have picked up another Outsider into their camper van for their protection or camper parties remain shuffled. It's up to the ones unaffected by the psychic attacks to watch over the others while retreating from the desert.

▶ 003. CITY OF DREAMS.

Following the disaster of the first sighting, LILITH will order characters to return to Vegas so they can assess what happened. En route to Vegas, some Outsiders may notice some side effects from the prolonged exposure to the sandstorm. They may experience shortness of breath and coughing as a result of breathing in so much dust. Furthermore, they may experience a splitting headache or pain behind their eyes. Their implants may lag, glitch, or go completely offline which will render them temporarily blind in one or both eyes. It seems that the fine sand and dust combined with whatever psychic damage the worm did may have messed with their implants and crossed some sensors which is all the more reason to return to Vegas for treatment.

Outsiders may become lethargic and experience vivid daydreams while they are awake or regular dreams while sleeping. In these dreams, they may relive memories. Some of these memories may be pleasant but others may be traumatic or things characters would rather keep secret. Unfortunately, being in close proximity to someone suffering from these effects will force a link through a glitch in their implants and drag other characters into the dream.

These links will function similarly to how simulation training works. The dreams they visit appear to be very realistic and characters can experience pain and be hurt within the memory. They will be able to interact with the memories. While in these memories, they can try to wake up the memory holder to bring them back to reality. Who knows, maybe helping each other understand what is real and a dream may even make them more resilient to the worm’s attacks the next time they go into the desert...

▶ 004. REST & RECOVERY

As characters recover from the psychic effects and implant glitches, LILITH will try to assess everyone’s biometrics to understand what happened. Characters who need therapy or counseling after reliving some horrible memories of theirs will be provided sessions via their implants. They now understand that the worm has some sort of psychic mind control power that it can use on victims. It is currently too dangerous to go back into the desert until they can come up with a proper defense against it.

Outsiders will be ordered to stay in Vegas and focus on recovery, given two queen side bed hotel rooms again OR if they would prefer to stay in the camper vans, that is also fine, with their same room mates or new ones. They are confident that they can fix the implants with the right upgrade but they aren’t sure what to do to stop people from following the call of the desert and making them act erratically. What is important is that LILITH sticks together.

In the meantime, those who have recovered, and even those who are experiencing these issues are ordered to remain close to one another; a buddy system of sorts. Each Outsider will be given designated groups to keep tight watch over one another while in Vegas. They will be responsible for physically checking on those in their groups and making sure one another’s whereabouts are properly tracked in order to avoid losing anyone to the desert.

LILITH encourages Outsiders to hang tight and wait for instructions before adventuring back out into the desert.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

In light of the results of the scheduling poll, here is our first event with a preview of the kaiju. All side effects from either the sandstorms or the worm kaiju can last for as short or as long as players would like.

For the daydreams/memory share, players can decide how they would like characters to experience the memories, whether it plays out in front of them like a movie or if they're reliving it by acting out the scene all over again or a mix of both. We encourage you guys to have fun with it and use whatever format feels most comfortable.

As always, feel free to leave questions under the QUESTIONS thread. All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards June AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. STORM CHASERS: Outsiders, still in the now expanded Mojave Desert, face problems with heat and sandstorms, resulting in dehydration and delirium. Still, LILITH encourages them to press onward in their camper vans and desert approved attire. Many dead bodies are found, but those that survive, Outsiders can keep an eye on survivors until emergency care can come pick them up.

2. STORM CALLS: A glimpse of the creature causing the problems is seen beneath the sands surface: a giant sandworm. It attacks LILITH recruits with psychological damage, causing Outsiders to hallucinate memories of their past, act erratic and violent and turn on LILITH crew. Outsiders are tasked to wrangle in one another and retreat back to Las Vegas to recover.

3. CITY OF DREAMS: Seeking refuge back in Las Vegas, character's implants go haywire from the psychic attacks, causing a memory share between characters that are close enough to one another.

4. REST & RECOVERY: Outsiders are placed in hotels again, or if they prefer to stay in the camper vans. They are tasked to keep an eye out on one another and sit tight for further instructions while LILITH assesses their data and next move to wrangle in the sandworm. Outsiders are to wait until given instructions.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1. Radio Check-In.
— "Keep it together! This is no time for panic."

[ The appearance of the worm throws the entire Outsider group into disarray. Ratio is doing his best not to be influenced by the worm's power, whatever it is (and he can hear the voices, sometimes see people—Professor Rond, he thinks he spots in the distance, close to the sandstorm, but it is foolish to think the man, so advanced in his years he can't even speak coherently, let alone move without aid, would be on this planet)

(...he hasn't visited Professor Rond in a long time, has he? He must, before the man passes.)

While you're dealing with whatever chaos has erupted on your camper van, you may suddenly receive an unsolicited call from a Dr. Ratio. ]

This is Dr. Ratio. What is the status of your van and its passengers?

2. Blinded.
— "...I may be in need of assistance."

[ The headache that occurred immediately after witnessing the sand worm hasn't gone away. In fact, it's gotten worse over time, though he's done his best to ignore its effects and try to help. But now, back in Las Vegas, they are safe. ...safer.

And it's then, as he steps out of the camper van, that a sharp pain erupts behind his eyes, causing him to gasp, and suddenly—darkness.

He's been blinded.

Ratio will be found nearby the camper vans, trying his best to deal with the sudden onset of blindness. He can't even call on anyone for help through the ocular implant... help a poor guy? ]

3. Once More, Dreaming.
— "...I have little to hide."

[ Congrats! You've won the dream memory share roulette and have fallen into one of Ratio's dreams, which are all fairly lighthearted compared to some of the others you could have been thrown in! Below is a list of one of the dreams you might find yourself in: ]

a. Interviewing the Great Genius Dr. Ratio
[ You find yourself deposited in a sleek, sterile looking environment. To your side, a large window opens into the vast expanse of space. There are other spacecrafts in view: ships passing to and fro, and a much, much larger ship a little further aways, receiving most of the commotion. A planet sits below, reddish in hue and covered in swirling, violent storm clouds.

Behind you, researchers pass by, discussing the latest in their fields, complaining about colleagues, or rushing to places they need to be.

You find yourself interrupted by the clearing of a throat, and find the source to be a man with an alabaster head, dressed down in a plain sweater, slacks and a lab coat, arms crossed and looking displeased. ]

Are you here to waste my time? Gawk at the Xianzhou ship after you're done with the interview.

b. Exams, Yet Again
[ You find yourself deposited... in a spacious lecture room. It is full to the brim with students of all ages and species, but it is silent save for the slight movements of each student as they concentrate on the exams before them, displayed on tablet screen in front of them.

You, too, have one such tablet screen in front of you, open to the first section of the exam. A timer ticks ominously in the top right corner of the screen. You look at the questions.

It's gibberish. Something about Imaginary Forces and Fundamental Construction Theory and Type Manifestation. A closer look at the course code written at the top of the exam page indicates that this is an advanced graduate level course you've found yourself dropped into.

A man with an alabaster head is standing at the podium at the front of the room—clearly, the proctor.

Welp. Good luck, poor soul. ]

c. Ruan Mei's Poor Creations
[ You find yourself depositied in a run down, dimly lit laboratory. Looking out the windows tells you that you're on some sort of space station, as the outside is an inky black with stars glittering in the distance. A beautiful blue planet hovers just below the station.

Walking around and investigating doesn't tell you much about what might have happened down here, but suddenly you hear a ghastly wail. It is not the wail of some monster out to get you, but one of sorrow and grief. Should you follow the noise to its source, you will be met with these strange creatures.

'Ruan Mei, Ruan Mei! Why doesn't she love us?' the creatures cry, and you hear an aggravated sigh from the side. The source is a man with an alabaster head, shaking said head in exasperation. ]

Such irritating, noisy creatures...

d. Aventurine's Sentencing
[ You find yourself deposited in some sort of grand, lavish meeting room. You're not alone. Beside you is Dr. Ratio, standing by a bookcase, observing the proceedings in front of him. There are two men at the center of the room: one may be familiar, as it is Aventurine, another Outsider on base, while the other is not. A man with wings protruding from behind his ears, and a spiked halo hovering above his head.

The following exchange proceeds, an interrogation of Aventurine of Stratagems, an IPC ambassador, by Sunday, Head of the Oak Family, where Aventurine's plans to trick Sunday are ruthlessly revealed—a betrayal by Dr. Ratio, who was supposed to be Aventurine's partner in this endeavor—and the casting of some sort of spell upon Aventurine, sentencing him to death in seventeen system hours.

Nothing you do seems to matter as none of the people in the room seem to react to your presence. You can't do anything but watch it play out, until Aventurine leaves the room, and then Sunday, having graciously allowed Ratio to peruse all the knowledge stored in the books of this room. His reward for the sell-out, it seems.

There is a moment of silence as Ratio doesn't move, lips pressed together in a frown and staring at the door, searching for something. Eventually, his eyes turn to you—it seems he was not part of the memory after all. ]

You may ask questions, but I am at liberty to answer as I please.

e. The Cost of the Pursuit of Knowledge
[ You find yourself deposited in a cozy little office. A quick examination of the various papers, books and supplies within will make it obvious that this is a university professor's office, and indeed, Ratio is sitting at the desk, staring down at a piece of paper in front of him with what might be the most dispirited look on his face you've ever seen. It doesn't suit him—a man who is always certain that there is a solution, a way forward, and never stops pushing for progress, for the advancement of humanity.

He drags a hand over his face, and suddenly laughs—it's self-deprecating, full of loathing, shame and guilt. If you look at the paper itself, you'll find, neatly typed, a letter from the Interastral Peace Corporation thanking him for his work on an anti-planetary weapon that has successfully been test fired, resulting in a hefty chunk of an assaulting Antimatter Legion force being decimated, but not without some casualties, including one planet with a civilization of Class 0, and five other planets of lower classifications. The letter invites him to a congratulatory party, asking him to prepare a speech and also informing him that further collaboration opportunities are in the works, along with an upgrade to his security clearance being granted as he has now firmly established himself as a reliable partner of the IPC. ]

Was it worth it, Veritas Ratio? All this, because you could? Just for Nous' gaze?

[ His eyes seem to be looking at you, but not quite. This dream seems a little different—you'll be able to reply, but he won't acknowledge you as an intruder. Only as some figment of his own thoughts that he is talking to. ]

4. Self-Medication.
— "This is not the doctor's prescription."

[ Normally, he would not recommend this course of action to deal with a headache, but even painkillers have proven to be ineffective against a migraine of this magnitude. The pain is far beyond anything he's had to deal with before; he can't even think. He's lucid enough to wait for the painkillers to clear out of his system, but the next solution he decides is worth trying is alcohol.

It's a temporary solution, and one he doesn't intend on repeating should he come upon this pain again. He's read more than enough articles and research regarding the consequences of long term alcohol consumption, not to mention his personal distaste for substances that muddle his mind. But the pain is already muddling his mind, and he would rather deal with the alcohol's effects than the pain.

So you'll find Ratio at the hotel bar, no buddy in sight, having consumed far more alcohol than he would normally allow himself, and just... cushioning his head with his arms against the table, resting with eyes closed now that the pain has been dulled to something far more manageable. ]

5. Wildcard.
[ Always down for some wildcarding! Feel free to hit me up at

tenkomi or on the unofficial discord to plan something! ]

Edited 2024-06-01 06:47 (UTC)

[ alcohol really is the solution to everything (except not really). ishmael is also here to help numb the eternal migraines she's been having for a couple of months now that's been greatly worsened by the worm attack, though thankfully she's on the mend. she just wants to drink for recreational purposes, too.

but huh, that's certainly a sight for sore eyes. don't mind if ishmael gives the good doctor a poke on the shoulder, then the head if he's that out of it. ]

Er, doctor? Doctor?

[ u still alive, king ]

[ It takes a good few pokes to rouse Ratio, and he lifts his head to glare at the one disturbing him. The alcohol softens the glare however, as his eyes are half-lidded from the weight of the alcohol, and the flush of his cheeks makes him seem completely harmless. ]

Stop-- stop prodding at me! I am perfectly... fine.

[ Said with a noticeable slur. Oh, he really has drank a bit too much, hasn't he. But he can't move now, or he'll tumble. He's certain of that. He has to stay put.

Anyway, the woman in front of him... ]

Ish... Ishmael, was it? Is there... something you need?

▶ 001. STORM CHASERS.

▶ 002. THE STORM CALLS.

▶ 003. CITY OF DREAMS.

▶ 004. REST & RECOVERY

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Dr. Ratio | Honkai: Star Rail | Redemption

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ratio radio

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wildcard, baby.

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3e

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3B —

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exams

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2, as told by prophecy

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