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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[ The scene opens with familiar faces, but these belong to a distant time. The pair both wear white lab coats over their plain clothing beneath, one somewhat less orderly than the other. Elijah dashes past; Gabriel stoops down to pick up a sheet of paper that has fluttered to the ground after escaping from its owner's hold. His warning for Elijah to mind her step fades away as the dream blurs and shifts.

Gabriel comes into focus alone, gloved hands counting keys, marking off entries in a logbook: the time, the date, a list of names. It has become something of a ritual — but then, it's essential to confirm these details each day, to ensure that access to restricted areas is monitored at all times. It's necessary to repeat the process three times, leaving nothing overlooked. The same applies to every corresponding door. Naturally, the contents of the supply rooms must be reviewed on a daily basis as well, their use recorded.

The slightest error, a second's careless oversight, could result in irreparable consequences. Precautions followed without exception eliminate that risk. No measures are excessive, taken for prevention's sake.

Nothing identified as a potential hazard remains unaddressed by the end of Gabriel's rounds. The doors are locked, but he stands over a patch of floor, nothing there, though his gaze rests on it until something neither audible nor visible pulls his attention down the hallway. Moments pass in silence. One hand drifts to his throat, fingers catching like claws in the collar of his turtleneck shirt drawn up to his chin.

Maybe there are footfalls somewhere around the corner, but no one appears. When Gabriel turns to face March, he sees someone else instead, and he answers that memory: ]

...As I've said, I'm fine.

[ It's... confusing, at first, because those people kind of look like Malkuth and Yesod, but dressed like scientists. And before she can dwell on that, it's just the Yesod-lookalike now, who looks...

... Uncomfortably distracted? She's not sure how to describe it, but he speaks to her now and she first glances over her shoulder to make sure that he's speaking to her and not someone behind her.

But there's not the right kind of recognition from him, so he's probably seeing someone else.

Carefully-- ]

Why wouldn't you be fine?

Precisely.

[ As if to prove his point, the response is flat, and Gabriel's features are devoid of anything now, wiped clean to purge all emotion from his expression and clear away the things picking at his composure. If anything, Michelle should be watched closely. She won't follow in Elijah's footsteps, but her concern, in this place—

Gabriel blinks. They have work to do, he meant to say, but for a moment, a figure some paces from this spot accepts a dropped page of notes with a sheepish look that gives way to something brighter, like the red of the headband tucked into her hair, the yellow of the pen clutched between her fingers. The apparition's mouth curves into a smile — and then the corridor is empty where she stood.

Gabriel blinks once more. Nothing was overlooked. ]

...Don't forget to wash your hands.

[ His own are trembling, inexplicably, before he tidies them away by crossing his arms. ]

... [ Well, that's a slightly fussy thing to say, which is in line with what she knows of Yesod, but a little too fussy to just say to her. In her opinion.

Especially when his hands are... ]

Are you cold?

[ Cold...? He has already explained the reasons behind his recent decision to avoid exposing his skin as much as possible, but he will repeat himself, if he must. ]

We work in a hazardous environment. In addition to the dangers of corrosive substances, dermal absorption of chemicals is a risk that we should acknowledge. Once they enter the bloodstream, damage to one's organs can occur. Constant exposure is no different from... willfully injecting them into one's body...

[ Yet no one else follows his recommendations in this regard. Not outside of the experiments.

Gabriel's fingertips press against the sleeves of his lab coat, several layers of fabric forming a barrier between his nails and his skin. ]

[ ... Huh. What a very specific example to site, and March's eyes narrow thoughtfully. ]

So it'd be better to wear like the... full-body suits, right? I've just seen people in regular clothes, though. And coats.

[ Which look cool, sure, but no one seems to be as covered up as Gabriel is. ]

... I didn't ask because of your layers, though. Your hands were shaking.

[ He might have voiced his agreement that full-body suits would be the ideal approach, regardless of the looks that he has noticed from the others, but her commenting on his hands causes them to squeeze around his arms tightly. The dream itself takes on that tension, an undercurrent of roiling emotions.

There is no warmth here, where they tell themselves that their accumulating sins are justified. ]

...Were they? I'll reiterate that I'm fine. I appreciate your concern, but an examination is unnecessary.

[ So he says, though turning his head reveals traces of red marring the side of his neck, past his shirt's collar. ]

All of you, on the other hand, should indeed be more careful.

[ Oh. That... skin irritation? Is he injured?

Something warns her against doing what she usually does, moving into his space to touch him, but her gaze does settle on his neck and she pushes past the immersion a little. ]

Yesod, are you hurt?

[ Not Gabriel. She doesn't know him. She'd never had the chance to. ]

[ "Yesod"? His eyes narrow slightly in puzzlement at first as he glances at her, questioning, but the name is enough to prompt a flicker of recognition, more than that before long. Their surroundings grow hazier. Yesod lifts one hand to his neck, brushing the ends of his glove-clad fingers against his skin where March's gaze has come to rest. ]

...March?

[ They stand in a familiar place, retrieved from the past, and the events that occurred here happened a long time ago. The things that March heard just then must have sounded bizarre. ]

The one and only.

[ With a sheepish little smile as she offers him a wave. Sorry to intrude on your private memories, buddy. ]

Hi?

[ Admittedly, it's a relief that she didn't witness the rest, unless he was unaware of it — that examination and his lashing out, the days that followed, ending in what must have been a mess of a death to clean up. Searching his memories uncovers nothing that he can make sense of himself around that time, little to decipher but a tangle of paranoia and anguish. His skin still itches with it, and he fights the lingering urge to tear at himself, focusing on March's smile, her hand waving at him, as if these are perfectly ordinary circumstances. ]

...Greetings.

[ He sounds distant, not quite present and fully himself yet. ]

My apologies, I feel...

[ Too many things all at once, off-balance as a result, not unlike the initial feeling of remembering the past. ]

...

Yeah, I bet it's even weirder for you. You were living in the past and dealing with someone who technically showed up in your future.

[ But she reaches out, to grasp his hands, take them both in hers if he doesn't pull back. ]

You were... struggling with something painful, weren't you?

[ The ghosts of that past have yet to settle; something of Gabriel wants to flinch away from all contact, perceiving the threat of an invasion that will force him to confront every painful truth stifled here day after day. But those days are a closed chapter whose contents won't change, and this is March. Yesod doesn't withdraw his hands, responding after some moments to let his fingers curl around hers lightly. They are human fingers, for now, encased in these gloves, the scarring and fresh marks concealed until this body is gone.

Vaguely, he wonders whether the touch would feel different, if his hands were bare. ]

...I often asked myself whether that incident could have been prevented, but we did nothing before that, either. And this... Monitoring keys and doors was meaningless.

That must have been beyond frustrating. Feeling like you couldn't do anything to change things for the better, and it's not like you could go back and prevent things from happening.

[ His fingers curl around hers, very lightly, and March gives his hands a gentle squeeze. ]

You're the kind of guy who thinks way too hard about other people, but at the same time, I don't hate that about you. You had your hands full... well, you probably have them full here too.

[ He can feel the slight increase in the pressure applied as March's hands squeeze his, and he lowers his gaze to regard them. Her observations give him pause. ]

...I am grateful that the circumstances here are different, comparatively.

[ It doesn't feel as though they are suffocating day after day, every action futile — or contributing to the problem. ]

And I'd like to believe that I've learned from my mistakes.

That's pretty amazing, then. I've met a lot of people who, I guess, have been making the same mistake for years and who weren't able to let go of them. It never really ended well for them, either.

[ Stellarons really do ruin everything. ]

And I'm glad you're in a better place, just. Overall.

[ Glancing up from their hands, Yesod looks at March with some surprise. Amazing, she says, but he can't claim that he has done any better for much of his current existence. It's only in hindsight that he can reflect on his decisions and choose differently, going forward. ]

...I must confess that I counted among those people for too long, even though rules and regulations could never make a difference.

[ He shakes his head, quiet before he searches March's expression. ]

Thank you for bringing me to my senses, in any case. And you? Are you all right?

[ First the desert, and then the glitches and shared dreams... They haven't had much time to recover from one thing after another. ]

Yeah, I'm okay! My head just hurts a little.

[ For now. But at least she's being honest. Saying she's completely fine when he's seen her in so many states of... Not Okay... well, he's probably learned to recognize the signs. ]

But I can keep trucking, so no worries!

[ A headache is cause for concern, in his view — it could be a symptom of any number of things. "No worries" is rather difficult to achieve, considering the situation in the desert, and there must be no shortage of upsetting memories to witness, even if they aren't March's own. ]

Nevertheless, you should rest as much as you can, and ensure that your fluid intake is sufficient.

[ For his part, Yesod feels odd, still, preoccupied with what he has experienced through Elijah's final moments, more so than what his memories contain. Is that why he and March are here? ]

Ensure that...

[ She trails off, then heaves a sigh. ]

And you're gonna be doing the same, right? Just in case?

[ He's also gone through it, and he's probably gone through worse. ]

[ It occurs to him, belatedly, that his advice sounds strange, similar to don't forget to wash your hands. It would be hypocritical to tell March that there is no need to worry about him. She cares for her friends — her concern is understandable.

What can he say, then? ]

...I suppose I could ask Malkuth to disassemble me for the time being.

[ That should keep him from adding to the dreams drawing others into these memories to experience. ]

Disassemble?!

[ Hello??? She's already shaking her head, vigorously. ]

Absolutely not!! You're staying in one piece, Mister!

[ This reaction catches him off-guard, too. Then again, his idea isn't a normal solution to contemplate — of course it sounds alarming. Perhaps it's best to discard it. ]

It wasn't my intention to cause you further worry, March. Nor do I want Malkuth to feel responsible in any way...

[ Most likely, anyone resting is easier said than done, at the moment. In some instances, certain dreams appear to trigger linked memories. ]

And we both know she would. [ With a sigh. ]

Just... we'll figure out some other way to get through this, okay? But taking you apart is definitely something I want to avoid, even if it'd be temporary.

[ Yes, they've both seen enough of Malkuth shouldering too much.

He'd like to reassure March, he finds, strangely reluctant to part ways without accomplishing that, but the words would seem empty, if he can't predict what else will be forced out of them and upon others, the longer this continues. All of it should be temporary — they can only hope that it's brief. ]

...Let us keep trucking, then, as you've said.

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PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

▶ 001. STORM CHASERS.

▶ 002. THE STORM CALLS.

▶ 003. CITY OF DREAMS.

▶ 004. REST & RECOVERY

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

city of dreams A

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cw: vague self-harm references

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