M00K
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Retired
Posts: 58
OOC Username: M00K
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Post by M00K on Jan 22, 2023 19:44:32 GMT 9
 THE PRECIPICE CROWN
1. ILLUSION AND DELUSIONOn Midwinter's Night, the longest night of the year, the sun sets on the Misty Timberlandsā and never rises.
There is something wrong with the dusk that falls upon the misty valley. A chill, not just in the air, but in the back of the mind; a chill that sends cracks through brittle cedar bark and sense of self. In with the fractures come doubts. Why try? Why bother? Why fight back?
The solstice swells, filling the winter woods with the overwhelming command:
Sleep.
On this night, Midwinter's Night, twelve players receive an invitation. And they arrive one month later, on foot, on mounts, crawling from their caskets and spawning in to previous checkpoints with a timeliness that could come only from anticipation. The momentary light of Fast Travel is snuffed out like candle flame as the last of the guests arrives at the precipice shrine.
It's strange, but the mist seems to shape something new on this unnatural night. Faintly, you think you can make out an [tangent= ]iron gate[/tangent] at the edge of the lavender fields; ornate bars that arch high up to the lower boughs of the evergreens. It seems to become clearer as you look at it, as if slowly manifesting from somewhere far away.
"Stop right there," a languid, lilting voice drifts through the air, unbothered as the parasol-shaped seeds floating between the trees.
THE CREED guild emerges from the treeline, a group of villainous-looking cronies clad in black leather. M00K:Claw saunters through them, making her way to the front.
"I see y'all got an invitation," she murmurs, crimson-lipped, and holds up her own slip of paper between two fingers. Brandy-colored eyes flick through the trainers as if perusing a magazine. "...My, my, what a gorgeous bunch. I don't suppose you wandering souls would be interested in an..." She stops to draw on her long cigarette, letting the smoke escape in a thin stream that mingles with the mist. "...alliance at this little soiree."
THE CREED start to cheer, then quickly fall silent as the sound echoes uncannily through the darkness. There's a thump as a Pokemon falls out of one of the trees above. It's a Sneasel, and it hits the hard-packed ground without so much as stirring in its sleep. One of the guild members rushes to turn it overā its face is peaceful. Blissful, even.
As if it's dreaming of something beautiful.
"Now, you may agree or you may not," CLAW drawls on after a moment, choosing to ignore the falling Pokemon. "But the way I figure, if something happens to this little "heir apparent"... well, we might just have ourselves a little election. I'd sure appreciate all y'all's assistance." Her Musharna floats behind her, purple vapor coiling from its body like a teakettle, eyes glowing a dim red.
CLAW gives you a viper's smile. "And here's just warning: don't get in my way."
The southern temptress doesn't wait for your answer. She turns and saunters through the half-formed gates, disappearing into sweet-smelling mist.
LOADING: WORLD EVENT<THE PRECIPICE CROWN>
As you approach the gate, a UI prompt appears.
> Select Partner (1)
A list of all the Pokemon in your box opens up, waiting for your selection. Any trainer with more than one equipped subclass gets an additional popup:
> Select Trainer Subclass (1)
As your choices are keyed in, the Pokemon you chose appears at your side if it was not there already, and any ambient aesthetic effect you might have had from an additional subclass fades like foul weather. Itās a good feeling. You feel warm inside. Peaceful. Comfortable.
Sleepyā¦
As the gates swing open, the illusory Dream Palace manifests before you. With each step further into the unknown it grows stronger, clearer, until the damp ground becomes cobblestone beneath your feet. Your clothes, too, are overlaid with something newā the uniform you were promised, formal enough to suit a winter ball.
But as you pass that threshold, you also suffer a moment of brief disorientation. A shattering sound reverberates through your temples, like breaking ice.
What just happened?
You are a servant...
Where did your Pokemon go? Did it not come through the gate with you? You were supposed to do this togetherā
You are not yourself...
Like two sheets of tracing paper held up to the light, your mind is cluttered with the presence of another as a strong hand seeks to overwrite your consciousness. For those who resist, the pressure is intense, like rising water in a sinking ship.
Someone else fills your eyes, your ears, your nostrils, burying you beneath a tide of beautiful delusions. Different truths. Different thoughts. A distant voice is screaming and that might be you, but you canāt tell which oneās which anymore. Itās time to make a choice.
Perhaps you focus, fight through, pull that drowning person from the depths.
Or perhaps you just close your eyes and tell itā Shhh.
THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR. | NOBLE | SERVANT | | You are not yourself.
You are Duke/Duchess <name> of <name.>
You want to impress the Princess tonight.
Perhaps sheāll favor you.
Perhaps sheāll choose you.
The others want to hurt her.
You would never hurt her.
You would never hurt her.
Forget that other voice.
That person is beneath you.
|  |  | You are a servant.
You are happy to serve.
This is your place.
You do not ask questions.
You do not speak unless spoken to.
You were born to cater to your betters.
You love this job, servant.
This is your life.
Forget that other voice.
Itās just trying to distract you. |
[tangent= Mechanic #1: Favor Players may earn the Princessās Favor by complying with the delusion. A player must obey all aspects of their delusion in a post to gain +1 Favor. This rule is absolute. Unbreakable, unbendable, and cold as ice.
There is no compromise. Give in to the dream, and you will be rewarded.
Rebel, and face the consequences.
The effects of Favor are unknown.]ABOUT: DELUSIONS[/tangent] INSTRUCTIONS
WELCOME TO PRECIPICE CROWN! The goal of this dungeon is to let players stretch their creativity to the limits and roleplay with minimal interference. That said, some players may find this challenging. Try to push yourselves and look at this as an opportunity for self-expression, exploration, and a chance to craft something truly unique!
This dungeon will be an (almost) entirely in-character experience. You will not be given information or instructions that your characters don't share. Information will be communicated via the USER INTERFACE section (see below) with helpful tooltips for any OOC information.
I will be controlling the User Interface, mechanics, and triggering Scene Changes. You will be controlling the rest of the narrative! You may not contradict any information in the mod posts. If you make incorrect assumptions, you may simply be corrected later.
Your actions will drive this World Event from beginning to end. Have fun!
USER INTERFACENEXT CYCLE IN 24 HOURS
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Yggy Br00ks
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Pikachu Fan
Round 2
Posts: 406
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Kenneth Garfield
OOC Username: M00K
Arena Points: 68
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Post by Yggy Br00ks on Jan 22, 2023 21:02:10 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/1028264618818289684/1066678520488669285/yggifer2~png Upon seeing the group of people gathered at the Precipice Shrine as she arrived, Yggy let out a jubilant whoop. "Woo! Can't believe I got in in time!"Yggy waved her invitation cheekily in the air, grinning. It didn't matter that she hadn't met half of these people beforeā Kenny would chat to anyone with working ears, and he wasn't prejudiced against deaf people either. "It's kinda like winning the lottery, right?" His mom bought a ticket every month. He wished she could see himā herā now. It was a pretty crazy story. The blonde had torn up Beta Island from one end to another trying to get enough Pokemon to sacrifice (yikes) before she'd realized those Pokemon probably went to the Everworld. You know. Seta land? Seta-who-hated-Yggy land? Yeah, no way was she gonna explain that next time she whited out! "Anyway, so I didn't do all the sacrifices or whatever... but then I got an invite anyway, for some reason! Hahaha! I didn't even catch a Fennekin." She laughed, voice echoing eerily, then stopped. Man, there aren't very many people here, though. Maybe the time on the invitation had been past some peoples' bedtimes. Or it had just been really hard? Weren't there usually more people at World Events? She waved at orioncayge , Lucky Guy , and manish , then trotted eagerly ahead towards the weird dreamy gate dungeon entrance. Lavender stems broke beneath her Running Shoes, releasing a soothing scent. "Hey! Hey guys, it smells nice over here!" the tomboy yelled, beckoning the others. "C'mon!"> SELECT PARTNER (1)Uh. She had to pick just one Pokemon? Who's the fanciest one... since we're going to a fancy coronation thing... Her first thought was Dingo, her Snubbull. He was already wearing a dress, and that was pretty funny. "Heh heh. But nah, I gotta go Watson," the blonde said out loud. For a moment her finger hovered over the sad, grayed-out Dewott icon in the first slot of her box. Then she seemed to pull herself out of her thoughts. Pixels blurred around her outline as she moved her finger down, selecting the Dewott in the second row instead. The Water-typeā wait, it was a Ground-type, it had a type modā materialized next to her. <Where are we going?> the otter asked, falling in step beside her trainer as they approached the ghostly palace rising out of the fog. Whoops. Yggy had forgotten to turn Poke-Speech back off. She pretended she couldn't hear her. "Time for a cool grownup party, Watson! You hyped?"<Again, I'm not Watson. And Iā wait, what was that?> Whiskers arched in alarm as the Dewott spun around, scalchops already in her paws. <Someone spoke. It sounded like they saidā>Yggy heard it too. A crashing sound. She clutched the sides of her head as something squeezed her brain like they were forcing too many notes into an overstuffed binder. Stop it! she tried to yell, but the delusion swamped her mind like laughing gas at the dentist and before long she was walking along, whistling and swinging her arms, clad in a snappy new tuxedo like she was on the way to the prom. "Ahoy, fellow countrymen! I am... Duke Yggy of Yggdrasil," she announced herself in her most impressive voice to all the people coming through the gate behind her. As soon as she said it, it seemed to become true. She puffed up her chest self-importantly, feeling more secure in her noble status. "Which of you is the Princess? I'm gonna impress her so bad." Wait 'til she saw her fastball pitch. No spoilers, but it was awesome. ...Where's Watson?...Who was Watson? Someone better forgotten about, that part of her mind reassured her, and Duke Yggy pushed away her doubts. "Shall we?" she said, offering her arm graciously to the closest Noble. Unconsciously she fell into the male role, despite her appearance. Maybe the suit gave it away. FAVOR: 0 | ? | ? |
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Cleo
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Soldier, Poet, King
Player Character
Posts: 107
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Olivia Rivera
OOC Username: Izzy
Arena Points: 30
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Post by Cleo on Jan 23, 2023 2:07:19 GMT 9
#s://media~discordapp~net/attachments/656837544247558144/1066742461642321950/transparent~png When Olivia's alarm goes off that evening, every inch of her wants to roll back over and sleep.
Only the carefully worded alarm titles, PRECIPICE EVENT DO NOT DARE MISS, and having to deal with the ten other alarms she'd set not even minutes apart keep her from doing so.
When Cleo blinks open her eyes several minutes later, about a foot back from the Shrine she'd deliberately logged off atā¦ every inch of her still wants to curl up and sleep. Not even seeing Tuesday further down the lavender field does much for her exhaustion, though she does offer a small wave and subdued smile.
"I should've made coffee." Not that she thinks it would've done anything.
The ever-eerie mists seem heavier tonight, its cold tendrils seeping into her bones and coiling in her lungs. The anchor of wintery dread slows her every move, her every thought. Only sheer anticipation for this event keeps this tired ship chugging along.
After all, she'd not spent this whole last month avoiding all spoilers at work about this event just to not do it. No way.
So, yes. She'd do it. She'd walk towards that gate. Eventually.
Maybe.
Her feet really, really don't want to move.
Yggy Br00ks 's shout is the lifeline she needs. She clings to it, pulling herself to the gate, one reluctant step after the other, until iron towers over her, still obscuring the destination beyond.
> SELECT PARTNER (1)
The UI mocks her, several empty boxes appearing. Save a single one. Kipza. "Lucky you," she murmurs, almost snide, and selects him.
The Mudkip materializes at her feet, blinking curiously. His face immediately tightens. <We're at the shrine?>
Whatever curt response she has drifts away on a passing breeze, and she finds herself following it towards the palace. Cold exhaustion melts, a warm, content sleepiness curling around her instead. It purrs in her ears, promising further pleasantry with each step closer. This is even better than coffee.
At least, it is, right up until she takes one wrong step and that cozy feeling reveals claws, piercing through her mind.
She recoils from the sound but she cannot escape. It is inside her, drowning her, overwhelming everything she knows. She gasps, trying to find some air, trying to think but she cannot, it won't let herā
The panic mutes, muffled under layer upon layer of heady lavender. All she can hear now are her kitten heels clicking against cobblestone, the only sound Cleo dares to make as she approaches. She bows her head in deference to the nobles as she passes, eyes kept low.
When she's past them, she hurries towards the palace, towards the servant's entrance. Back there, to the side. Where it's always been, as she's always known. Her hand touches the knob.
<You can't go here yet!>
Cleo's brows furrow at the box suddenly in her vision. Whatā¦?
No questions!
Not even inā¦?
No! Questions!
The lavenders in her mind, save for a single stem, settle back into place. Cleo turns around and waits, as she should, to be allowed to do her job.
FAVOR: 0 | ? | ? |
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manish
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G.A.Y.
Player Character
Posts: 493
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Manish
OOC Username: GreySquid
Arena Points: 10
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Post by manish on Jan 23, 2023 3:28:22 GMT 9
Manish had a bad feeling about this. A really really bad feeling. And it wasnāt just because he found the Precipice spooky. Okay, well, it was partially that. As he made his way through the valley to the location marked on his map a heaviness settled on his shoulders. Manish was used to a weight resting on his back, but not like this, though. This feeling was all encompassing, wrapped around his shoulders and onto his neck. It felt as if he was pulled towards the forming iron gates by a noose. > Select Partner (1)It wasnāt even a conscious thought to choose a partner, the mists of the Shrine took over his mind, made his thoughts murky. He selected Cereal and the cat appeared in his arms. Not even Cereal's droning could break through the fog in his head. > Select Trainer Subclass (1)Again, it wasnāt a choice, there was only one true version of himself: Manish was a Gardener. Choices made, Manish stepped through the mist towards the group. He recognized them. Right? He was sure he did, but the reasons why were hazy at best. Were they allies? Could anyone truly be an ally? The whispers in his mind told him ā noā and who was he to doubt them? But who was he? There were flashes of something; of fighting legendary beasts, of waves crashing on a boat, digging in dirt, laughter, a smile on someoneās face as they say his name, the feeling of someoneās hand in his, rising into the sky on his own powerful beast. But those were all distant thoughts, dreams of a dream, nothing that he needed to concern himself with anymore. Who was he? Oh yes. Thatās right. āI am Duke Manish Jolitt of Amanita Phalloides.ā Manish was his fatherās son and the mantle felt right. This was who he was always meant to be. Better than those around him, standing tall and sure, crown of thorns on his head, a necktie on his throat like the most fashionable noose. He looked down his nose at the teen offering up her arm. How adorable that this child thought she could win favor of someone like the Princess. This was a game for adults, but if this kid thought she could play, well, everyone had to grow up at some point. There were flashes though. Something there, of a blonde teen welcoming him, helping him pick up something important. Important? Was it important? A feeling of falling through the floor under a desk, a void, nothing. Ah yes, thatās right. It was nothing. Manish gave his most condescending smile, the one his mother taught him. āA pretty smile will get you far, dear. If you smile enough no one will see the knife in your handā whispered one of the voices in his head. āSuch a charming young gentleman,ā Manish said as he walked around the offered arm. He was Duke Manish Jolitt of Amanita Phalloides, he did not take someone elseās arm. It looked as if they were stuck waiting outside. It was amusing, a power play he assumed, making the crowd of guests wait. That was fine, he could wait, Father taught him how to wait. āEmpires werenāt built in an instant. Be patient, wait for your moment, if you play the game correctly you wonāt need to build your own kingdom, you can take someone elseāsā whispered another voice. There was no leaving, the invitation had already been accepted. It was too late to turn back. The noose had tightened on his throat and now he had to wait for the floor to give out beneath himāto wait for the drop. FAVOR: 0 | ? | ? |
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ibis
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Player Character
Posts: 123
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Pace Mahmoud
OOC Username: Evan
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Post by ibis on Jan 23, 2023 4:30:09 GMT 9
This whole situation was ooky-spooky, sure, but it was exciting, too. Reminded him of plenty of things - job interviews, stuff like that - where you had to be very specifically on your guard. No dabbling around with whatever, no joking around: things would turn sour if you did, especially if nobody got your jokes. The gate was wrought-iron and heavy, mostly just in it's atmosphere, but the pull towards it drew something else, too. Something deeper, at the back of his mind.
Pace - but no - Ibis's arrival amongst the group felt comfortable. He hadn't met most of them before, but there was a weird sensation that maybe he had? Was it a case of the almost-mets, like with the people you slip past on the subway every couple of mondays at the same time, so you learn to recognise eachother's faintness? Or was it the trick of the event, the whole fancy air of this thing, invitation and all, making them seem closer than they were? Substantially, Ibis noticed, that a selection of this crowd were obviously not servants, dressed much more fancy than he was. And others, too, he noticed, had a drabber style in comparison. Other servants, he imagined.
Tsk, He thought to himself. Servant? That's no fun. He hoped it was the "sneak around and bitch quietly" type of servant-ing and not the wait on hand and foot type. Something the the back of his head rang heavy as he thought that, like a gong or bell. Why did it hurt so hard to try and remember, or think at all?
> SELECT PARTNER (1)
Oh. Well... that was a good point. Who to bring? He thought of Bibi, so laidback she would probably drip her leaves in the wrong fancyman's cup of tea and get them kicked out. Of Hadid, briefly, so prone to rage that he may well break something. Not good fits... Risha, though? Ibis tapped decidedly on the Vulpix's icon and he formed beside Ibis' feet as though he had always been there. Risha was the kind of fox who knew about manners and stuff, for sure.
As the two step together to the crowd proper, Ibis swirls for a moment, as though feeling the after-effects of a fist to the side of the head. It was as though he had no idea how he'd arrived. He looked behind him - no carriage. Had he... walked? Hm. That must be it, surely. As per his job, of course - he was not of station high enough to catch the carriage or mount a steed. Of course he walked. "Risha-" He calls, and looks down, and sees nothing. Risha? Risha... not a name he'd heard before, so why had he...
He shakes his head, feels the clag of something at the back of his mind, ignores it and stands alongside his fellows in the crowd. "Not open yet...?" Ibis asked, about the palace, to nobody in particular.
FAVOR: 0 | ? | ? |
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Tuesday
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Battle Legend
The Creed
Posts: 1,602
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: MartĆn 'Mars' MarzĆ”n
OOC Username: Stells
Arena Points: 138
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Post by Tuesday on Jan 23, 2023 4:58:41 GMT 9
#s://img~nickpic~host/Czh0Tx~png When you have nothing left but dreams and memories, when illusions appeal more to you than reality, will you answer the call of the abyss?Tuesday is in a wicked mood when she spawns by the edge of the Precipice, her eyes of ruby and sapphire meeting the darkness she has grown to be so familiar with. A gelid breeze sways long auricomous hair, carrying the scents of lavender and evergreens. When she looks in the direction of the breeze, she sees it: the IRON GATE and everyone who gathers near it. Are they friends or foe? The Alchemist takes a deep breath, looking to the Precipice to which she had given so much and that had also recently taken so much from her. Hands clap together, mismatched eyes closing in a prayer that is left unspoken. A prayer for WISDOM. When her eyes open once again, her gaze falls upon a familiar face. M00K:Claw. The Creed's guild leader. Her guild leader. What is her guild up to? Does C.L.A.W really intend to get in the way of the heir's coronation? There's an overwhelming floral taste in Tuesday's mouth, growing bitter by the second ā as if spoiled lavender. Her loyalties might lie divided, yet there's too many people here for her to confront C.L.A.W and find out the truth about her adores guild leader's intentions. Instead, the Alchemist chooses to wait until they're in the palace, watching her guild leader cross the gates. > SELECT PARTNER (1)The UI prompt steals her away from her concerns, but the choice is as obvious as it gets. Through her time exploring the Misty Timberland, one single PokĆ©mon has accompanied her. One single PokĆ©mon that she met when she first begun her journey in UNOVR, and who has been her loyal shield ever since then. When Ancile is called to her side, he's silent, never one to speak unless addressed. A loyal servant, always. A loyal servant.... > SELECT TRAINER SUBCLASS (1)Two images appear before her: the golden fingerprint of the Alchemist, and the snowflake of the Freezer. Alchemist has always been her favourite trainer subclass, and it's undoubtedly part of the essence of who Tuesday is in UNOVR, butā... but if she's only going to have Ancile by her side, then the right choice isn't that. Freezer is selected, and the moment the choice is processed by the system, it feels as if all of Tuesday's ambition and greed vanish into golden specks that are carried away by the Timberland's breeze. Another deep breath. Leaving frost in her wake, Tuesday steps through the iron gateā... Iām quite tired of fish.
Perhaps some lamb, instead?Ah, there it is. The circlet grows cold, much colder than ever before. Breaking ice. A presence in her mind. Pressure. A tight hold that makes her feel as if her head will explode. Hmmmmmm. I suppose it'll do.Tuesday has felt this twice before. Never like this, though. Never soā...  The maid claps her hands together, a soft smile upon her lips. When gazing towards the DREAM PALACE, a single feeling overtakes her heart: joy. Joy to be here. Where is Ancile? Is he not also happy to be here? It's the night of the coronation of their beloved princess! They should rejoice! Oh, and there's so much to do! So manyā... So many threats to the heir.She sees them all around. All these selfish nobles who, like Yggy Br00ks, wish to impress the princess. All these servants who think they can serve her princess better than her. How dare they. Who do they think they are?Reaching into her inventory, Tuesday makes her journal physical and calmly tears out of a page, neatly folding it and placing it into one of her apron's pocket along with the pen. Then, she retrieves something else... something sharp and dangerous. A SHARD OF MOLTRES' EGG. This is placed in a pocket as well. For what purpose? What's her goal? The endgame? There is no defying the rules tonight, at least not just yet. There is no finding loopholes and attempting to outsmart the game. Tuesday carefully smooths down her dress, she stands tall and proud (as tall and proud as a 5'2" catgirl maid can get, which is quite proud, to be honest), and when stepping towards the DREAM PALACE, a single thought repeats itself in her head: Protect your liege.
FAVOR: 2 | ? | ? |
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Valentine
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Soldier, Poet, King
Player Character
Posts: 186
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Logan Denman
OOC Username: Haberdasher
Arena Points: 60
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Post by Valentine on Jan 23, 2023 8:11:47 GMT 9
Logan almost forgot about the event he had signed up for at the last minute, truth be told, and it takes a bit of last-minute scrambling for him to log in to the game at the right time, approach the Precipice in all of its strange glory and wait for things to unfold.
What would he have to face there?
Or, perhaps more to the point, what would Valentine have to face there?
Because it was Valentine standing before the Precipice now, Valentine whose nostrils filled with the sweet, almost sickly scent of lavender in the air. A pretty scent, but at first, she pays it little mind.
The NPC, too, is noticed by Valentine, but not her main focus. She doesn't really know who that was supposed to be, or what the significance of the connection to the "Creed" there was. Brushing up on game lore beforehand might have been a good idea, but the warning that popped up upon just thinking about logging out was enough to assure Logan that it was too late now. Nothing left but to keep moving forward...
> Select Partner (1)
Valentine had to think about her response to the prompt. She didn't want to leave any of her Pokemon behind, really, but only three were seriously considered as possible companions for the dungeon. Nova was always sweet, and the Rowlet had a special place in her heart as a starter Pokemon. Grim was... a character, and Valentine did like watching the Weavile carry out his shenanigans. But as Valentine looked through her box, she hovered over one of her newer acquisitions and knew the choice would be a simple one.
She had a Legendary Pokemon now. Mew, no less, which had been a favorite of hers for years. And it didn't hurt that the Pokemon had a cute, upbeat name ("Wynne" sounding like "win" wasn't just a coincidence, after all), or that her aesthetic matched Valentine's own closely. Valentine didn't know Wynne that well yet, but what better time than now to get to know the Mew?
Valentine's own flowers still bloomed around her--she had no other subclass yet, though gaining a second one was certainly a goal for the future--but their scent was lost to the wind, overpowered by the lavender around. It felt right, though, her flowers and those flowers almost seeming to join forces. It was a warm feeling, a comfortable feeling...
...and Valentine let out a yawn, and Logan wondered briefly if he should have sneaked in a power nap before all this...
The gates opened wide, and Valentine stepped through, smiling, ready-
What was that noise? Where had it come from--it couldn't really have been inside her head, could it?
And wait, where was Wynne... what was happening...?
Her mind was... was... why was it so hard to think...?
And then she blinked, and it passed, and she knew who she was again. She was a servant here, of course, in uniform to prove it. Who else would she be?
(The old her hadn't put up much of a fight. Logan barely knew who he was, after all, and Valentine was still learning the same. He, and she, both fragile identities were easily overpowered by the force that took hold of their mind as if it were their own.)
The brief thought of a missing companion was easily dismissed. Why would anybody be here to help her? That wasn't how the system worked. Nobody needed to help her--she was the one who helped others! She was a servant, and she was here to help, here to serve, as best she could...
And servant Valentine noticed with a grin that she already had a Favor to her name, so she must already be doing something right!
FAVOR: 1 | ? | ?
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diva
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Player Character
Posts: 173
Trainer Class: Charmer
Player Name: allen collins
OOC Username: cupid
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Post by diva on Jan 23, 2023 10:59:31 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/273948810382671884/1066895540010360852/Kaguya~Hime~SINoALICE~600~3329977~jpg Back to back events were wearing and tearing on him. As soon as the Chanda Mama event ended it felt like he was pulled straight into another one. Of course he'd signed up for it but that wasn't really the point. The point was that he'd managed to get more coffee and make sure to take care of @peacemaker's emails before the next event pinged him in earnest. He needed a shower and maybe some real food. But that could happen after he finished this event. And he'd still be able to make it to work in time in the morning as well if he made sure to just grab something on the go.
Allen knew that it had become a bit of an obsession for him. But he also didn't have anything else outside of this. Nothing for himself. And he hadn't even started this for himself. He'd started it for Nikoli. But the drive to become perfect in absolutely everything he did had taken over once again. And now he needed to be perfect at this event. He absolutely had to be. There were no excuses as he pulled the headset back on and logged back in.
If he wasn't perfect then what was his purpose?
Nothing.
Logging in felt the same as usual. Especially since he'd been logged out near the precipice shrine thanks to the last event she had managed to do. She hadn't seen much of a purpose in leaving the general area since she was just going to be going back there. It was nothing new for her to find her way to the Palace, the event marker letting her know exactly where she needed to move to. The large gate looming over her as she read through the prompts.
Select Partner:
Easy. She typed in her newest companion, the Flabebe Opal. It was still a young Pokemon but it fit her theme of fairy. And matching the class to Pokemon was usually the best way to do these sorts of things. At least that's what she thought. Even if there wasn't any combat you never knew what sort of bonuses you might get from joining in on a matching theme.
Select Trainer Subclass:
That was also easy. She'd recently maxed out the Charmer class. And what better place to use that than a fairy tale sort of setting? At least that was what she assumed it was that she was going to be participating in a place like this. So far this all seemed extremely standard for an event like this. Though usually the game automatically read what subclass you were using she thought? Maybe it was a flavor text or a confirmation thing though as she stepped through the gates.
And all of a sudden with in
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her mind there was a strange disconnect between body and mind. As if they were almost completely separated in such a way that she thought the shock was going to cause a force...
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due to the shock. A force what? What sort of thing could it possibly be forcing? Her body felt wrong for a split second. Like something was screaming to be changed or fixed. But what could that possibly be? After all, whatever happened was what was supposed to happen happened because she was a servant. All she could do was take things as they came. After all. She was content... No... She was happy with her work. Extremely happy. And fortunate to have it. Always fortunate. And she needed to remember that. With shoulders straight and eyes forward she needed to be at her best tonight. After all, the princess would be having her coronation tonight. And anything less than perfect would be
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unfortunate for everyone in attendance. She needed to remember who she was and what she was doing here. Just as always she was here to serve. And with a smile on her face and no complaints she would be ready to do that. After all... what could she possibly have to complain about? Looking around to the other staff she knew, deep down, that they were going to ruin this somehow. They didn't understand the need for perfection. For everything being in it's place. Messy uniforms, slouching, eyes not forward. All of them were going to ruin this. And she would end up being the one to pay the price she knew that. But that was the life of a servant, was it not?
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Sarah Lee
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Soldier, Poet, King
The Creed
Posts: 483
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Barack Orama
OOC Username: Ladybug
Arena Points: 35
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Post by Sarah Lee on Jan 23, 2023 11:24:19 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/835125283592994878/1066892036604690532/E-h9_E0WQAowJsm~jpg An alliance with C.L.A.W
"I will help you," Sarah offered immediately. It was the only polite and logical thing to do. This woman was her guild leader, and hell if she was going to leave her in the snow. Besides, there was just something about strong women that Sarah found impossible to resist.
"If something should happen, you can count on my support."
As C.L.A.W sauntered off through the spectral gates Sarah felt a warm weight settle in her chest. The weight of expectation, and of a plan slowly rolling into motion. The warmth of a single bead of surety in a world of misty ice and melting dreams.
Dream gates leading to an unknown castle, wherein an unnamed princess was to be crowned queen of who knew where?
Sarah approached the gates herself, and a prompt appeared in her UI.
> SELECT PARTNER (1)
"And there it is. Just what we trained for." She had spent a month molding the perfect partner for this highbrow event. She tapped the prompt and selected Braixen from her inventory.
> SELECT TRAINER SUBCLASS (1)
There was only one choice, really. Catalyst was a free, purely mechanical bonus, and as much as she loved Ascended Moltres and her promise of war there was a certain stink to arriving at a Precipice party wearing a shirt saying "I love Birchwild". It's the same reason why she hadn't worn her black cloak, as fitting as it would have been.
At she selected Kindler, that warmth of surety grew in her chest. I'm making good choices. The right choices.
Focus appeared beside Sarah, her lavender fur ruffling in the shifting night air. Her eyes went wide and she gaped up at the mirage castle that lay beyond the gates. A second later her training kicked in and she closed her mouth and stood up straight, clutching her wand behind her back with both hands.
Sarah didn't ask if Focus was ready. At this point it was far too late for that.
The pair stepped through the gates. Hard winter ground became clicking cobbles that rang under her heels, and the Dream Palace shifted into clear focus, like a watercolor painting being snap frozen. This was no dream. This was realer than real. Reality in a world of the virtual. Even for VR this was something transcendental. It was as if someone was silently whispering into her ear, subliminally convincing her that everything here was the truest, most realistic castle in the world.
The mist as as clear as ice, and the ice was stacked and fused as solid as any stone and concrete palace.
Nothing could topple this fortress. She knew as surely as she knew her name was Duchess Sarah of Whitehouse.
Something cracked in her mind, like a tray of ice cubes being twisted. A helpful hand settled the pieced of her addled mind back into place, slotting those displaced segments back into their rightful composition.
YOU ARE NOT YOURSELF.You are yourself.
YOU ARE DUCHESS SARAH OF WHITEHOUSE.You are Sarah Lee.
YOU WANT TO IMPRESS THE PRINCESS TONIGHT.You want to impress C.L.A.W
PERHAPS SHEāLL FAVOR YOU.Who is the princess?
PERHAPS SHEāLL CHOOSE YOU.I don't even know her.
THE OTHERS WANT TO HURT HER.Do I want to hurt her?
YOU WOULD NEVER HURT HER.I might.
YOU WOULD NEVER HURT HER.I might...
FORGET THAT OTHER VOICE.Never forget who you are.
THAT PERSON IS BENEATH YOU.We are all created equal.
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orioncayge
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Bandana Guy
Round 2
Posts: 770
Trainer Class: 
Arena Points: 20
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Post by orioncayge on Jan 23, 2023 16:12:24 GMT 9
#s://i~pinimg~com/564x/5d/9c/9c/5d9c9c29bf38eddfee4c7c741028fcdf~jpg The everlasting night had taken over his home, or perhaps his prison, in the Birchwild. Ever since his run in with some sort of sleeping beauty, he always woke up in the Misty Timberlands in her grave. No good deed goes unpunished no? Still, as the darkness had taken over and lulled everything else to sleep, Orion found himself peturbed. He didn't think they were "far" enough north for this sort of this to happen, at least, nothing about Asper seemed to betray the notion that they were in Scandinavia of all fucking places. And as time went on, the intrigue and worry only grew. First the little pit of horrors that was Chanda Mama throwing them into the very same pit they were approaching now, and now...this. The whole thing sat in his stomach like a lump of iron, cold and hard as he struggled to keep his calm. This game, despite being "kid friendly" had proven time and time again how quickly it could allow itself to go off the god damn rails.
Then C.L.A.W entered the mix, and Orion found his jaw clenching.
He knew their type, he'd seen plenty of them circle around his grandfather before. Vultures that smelled opportunity, and would do anything to seize the moment if the moment was right. Profiting off the misfortune, hard work, or carelessness of others. They did not plant crops, they did not work the field, they simply stole the crops out of the farmers granary. No work, all wealth, that's what his gramps had explained. He didn't know what they had in mind, but he would wait to see if he needed to plant himself in their way, or if perhaps they could be trusted. He doubted it though.
When you lay down with dogs, you wake up with fleas.
Ignoring the viperous vixen, Orion would don his crown of Thorns and feel his muscles swell up even further beyond the already exaggerated physique granted by his class. He grew taller and wider, transcending traditional human proportions for that of some demigod from a fighting anime. He would go over the prompts as he prepared for his delve into whatever clusterfuck this would be.
> Select Your Partner (1)
That would be easy. He would browse the menu and select the Delphox he'd caught and trained just for this event, named Pythia after the famous greek prophet of Delphine. With a flourish of his hand, she would take form standing at waist height looking up to her master.
"Is it time for the party? You certainly look the part."
"Yes."
"Are we expecting trouble?"
"Expect the worst, don't let your guard down for one minute."
"Understood."
With that sorted, he would look to the next prompt.
> Select your Trainer Class (1)
Without a second thought, the fighter pressed the blackbelt option and grinned smugly. Things could take a turn for the worse, and being up an extra pair of fighting hands could be just the ace he needed up his sleeve.
With that all taken care of, he would give his companion a headpat. "Whatever happens, even if shit goes sideways, I will make sure you're safe. Okay?" The fox would look up to him hesitantly but nod.
"I trust you."
And then the dream took them, the first time Orion had "Slept" in the game since his curse/blessing, and thus he let himself surrender to it completely. To find the truth, he would need to dive as deeply into the illusion as possible. He would shrug off his own persona, and adopt a new mask more capable of tackling this situation. Duke Orion of House Cayge, hailing from SouthEden. A powerful imposing figure who's stern aura kept bullshit at bay.
Duke Cayge found himself milling about outside the palace, towering over the rest of them as an imposing figure. Lords and Lady's alike flocked to this event like Mareep in order to court the lady's favor. Sycophants and snakes alike, writhing in their twisted pageantry. All sorts of gifts and offerings alike were bandied about as servants scurried underfoot. It put a sour taste in the Duke's mouth, like spoiled lavender tea. He didn't intend to play the game their way unless his hand was forced. He'd already proven his allegiance to the princess, and her boon drifted around him as sat, patiently poised to take the social stage. A spectral orchestra wafted an ominous tune around the giant, as if a warning sign of his mood to those around him. His prophetess had wandered off on him, and whilst he didn't need her insight at the moment the mere gall of it irked him. This agitation would only be amplified as he scanned the crowd looking over the peasants and his peers alike with a similar disdain.
So many born with a silver spoon in their mouths, who had never known what it was like to be hungry or poor. Those men of always, always with something or someone to care for him. The Cayge family had carved itself a place on the stage with iron and blood, a macabre legacy of brutality to those who stood in their way, but treating those within their camp with intense loyalty and adoration. The servants, on the other hand, should have warmed his heart, but all he saw were ants groveling beneath the feet of those mightier than them. Helpless pawns waiting for a larger force to send them marching along on their orders.
It made him sick.
Still, the Princess would hold her court, take her crown, and then she would play favorites. Orion wasn't here to play the game, he was here to win. Balling his fingers into fists, the massive mountain of a main would stride through the crowd. His sheer aura and presence cowing those around him into moving out of his way, even if they didn't see him coming. Unhindered by the crowd, he would scan for one of the servants before his eyes set upon Tuesday .
"You there." He would grunt at the catgirl who seemingly stirred some form of...deja vu within his mind. "Bring me a drink, something stiff like Brandy or Whisky. No ice." He would command in cold steely voice. He didn't bother to watch her scamper off to fetch it, instead he would turn his gaze upon the other members of nobility to arrive. House Whitehouse had sent their envoy, but Sarah Lee had yet to open her mouth or make any action of note, but these were simply the opening acts. manish of Amanita Phalloides was abound as well, someone he knew of but not much about. As boys they would cross paths at various events like these, and they'd even pulled eachother through some tough situations along the way, so he would at least receive a warm nod from the steely giant, perhaps the friendliest gesture he'd give off all night. Lastly his eyes danced over the Scion of house Yggdrasil, Yggy Br00ks . The young tomboy had equal parts audacity and bravery to dress as a man to this event, and was acting quite the fool. He imagined their noble chaperones were all collectively palming their faces at the moment. He recalled being a young lad once, so he was not...unsympathetic, but his grandfather had not spared him the rod growing up and he'd fast learned that sort of behavior earned you a beating in private. A few other servants caught his eyes, but as of yet they'd not proven themselves useful. Situation appraised, all he could do now was wait, and hope that damned maid brought him his drink in a timely manner.
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Post by Furrlicity Purrfection on Jan 23, 2023 16:29:28 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/607035775124504589/1066966017949044807/raidicon~png The time comes. Anticipated. A new event.
The C.L.A.W. leader stops them. Furrlicity does not care for her. He already has a leader and already has connections he cares far more for. It is easy to ignore whatever she spews.
> SELECT PARTNER (1)
The choice is easy. A quick tap and his Sobble on his shoulder. Tiramisu gives the stink eye to everyone around them, curling her tail around her trainer's neck protectively.
> SELECT TRAINER SUBCLASS (1)
Another easy choice! Furrlicity taps on 'Charmer'. The aesthetic hearts fade from his aura. That's all that happens visually. But internally it feels like his heart is being ripped out. The connection with inari is tore away and he feels empty. Heartbroken and lonely. A whine escapes his lips.
Then the fog settled in. It would find easy access. Like holes already boared into wood it could slip right inside. Except. Except. What lived in those holes was still there.
Corruption, while dormant, nipped and tore at the fog. Sank in teeth and infected pieces and parts in ways familiar but unexpected.
YOU ARE NOT YOURSELF.
YOU ARE KING PURRFECTION OF THE BIRCHWILD
YOU WANT TO SAVE THE PRINCESS TONIGHT.
PERHAPS SHEāLL FAVOR YOU.
PERHAPS SHEāLL JOIN YOU.
THE OTHERS WANT TO HURT HER.
YOU WOULD NEVER HURT HER.
YOU WOULD NEVER HURT HER.
FORGET THAT OTHER VOICE.
THAT PERSON IS BENEATH YOU.
Furrlicity is not the snarling beast of a man he was at the Bronston manner. But the person he was melts away. Back straighter, he stands tall and looms over the others gathered. His Crown of Thorns twists, plump blue berries to match his outfit hanging in clumps. His Briar Bud appears, like a guardian, bouncing around his feet.
Thee oranges of a fading Autumn day followed him like a cloak, shimmering behind him. An Unseelie Fae in this court of lies.
The Dream Palace shimmered and twisted as he approached, strike tall and wide. It became more clear the closer he got.
He stopped at the doorway, pushing past whoever else may be in his way. A sharp look was given to anyone too close. Who were they to get in the way of a King? His eyes settled in on ibis. A click on the tongue before his voice rumbled past his lips. The smell of soot and burning logs kicked up around him, a late fall evening around a campfire.
"You. Here." Narrowed and fierce, he would allow Ibis a moment to comply before continuing. "Why are we being barred from entering?" The order isn't direct but it is there. For Ibis to find out.
A single berry, ripe, dropped from his crown. It splattered on the ground, the inside inky and black. It seemed to throb and sink into the earth. An infection waiting to catch.
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Lucky Guy
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Soldier, Poet, King
Player Character
Posts: 359
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Lucky Guy
OOC Username: AleDog#9110
Arena Points: 30
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Post by Lucky Guy on Jan 23, 2023 17:41:40 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/416309430318137345/1066744664364941403/image~png Lucky was a servant boy who had grown into a fine young man of his own right. He had been a part of this special palace for a long time, and was a man that many in these halls could depend upon. It would not be uncommon for a guard to recognize his face, yet dismiss him all the same-after all, now that he was a normal man who had become of age, there was nary a need to watch over him anymore.
Once upon a time, in these same halls, a guard would have then kept an eye on him, however. His name alone was not his reason for staying within the palace walls. It was said, as some know, that he was once a young boy who was cursed with a touch of gold. In his faintest of memories, Lucky could swear that he remembered a girl who brought him out of the glimmering prison of his own device. She was regal beyond compare, and if Lucky ever would be given the choice he would grant her the crown in a heartbeat, for no-one was surely as fitting as she.
It was these same thoughts that brought about age old childhood wishes upon the boy that he could one day grow up to be a beautiful noble princess like the girl who had brought him to the palace. Yet he never met that girl again, nor did he have time to dream-he was a boy without a family name of his own, and it was much more prudent he learn to balance trays and the glasses atop them, all without turning them to gold, nonetheless.
Nowadays, he always wore a sleek pair of gloves to wall off his touch from the rest of the world. He also beheld gold beneath these gloves, a measure to ensure that his curse be locked away in his palms where it belonged. He qas a servant, and servants were to be normal. Lucky was not only normal, these days, but also reliable and a hard worker, to boot.
He could almost say that he was happy with himself.
Tonight was the night of the grand coronation, a place where the most pure of nobility would celebrate lavishly, just as they deserved to as the highest of class. Lucky was lucky to so much as be able to aid their night. He needed but a few more adjustments to his attire and preparations for the party. Then, and only then, would he would be ready for the most important night of his life. FAVOR: 0 | ? | ? |
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Ruby
•
Lionheart
Player Character
Posts: 178
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Dr. Ruby Walker Ph.D.
OOC Username: Magnere
Arena Points: 70
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Post by Ruby on Jan 23, 2023 18:22:08 GMT 9
#s://i~imgur~com/QuIo3YX~png
"You look so adorable!" Mom would say to Ruby as she got ready to leave out the front door in a cute, simple dress. "Why, I remember getting my first invitation to a party. Me and your father were both there. Ahh, memories." She sighs dreamily, causing Ruby to roll her eyes a bit.
"Mom, this is not the first time I have been to a party. This is just the first time I have received it via a strange invitation, like this." She waves the invitation in front of her, even as she hoists her backpack up onto her back. "I admit, I have no idea what to expect, but it sounds interesting."
"Then you have a lovely time, my dear." Mom smiled warmly, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the teen's forehead. "Don't forget, if it gets too stressful for you at the party, you can always call me, I'll come to pick you up."
Ruby smiled softly, nodding her head. "I won't. Thanks, Mom."
And she turned and walked out into the night.
A guild emerges from the woods themselves as they approached the gate, revealing their leader had an invitation of their own. An alliance? Election? Clearly, she planned no good, and already Ruby was growing worried. It was just supposed to be a party, right? Some lovely ball, perhaps? In truth, she had absolutely no idea, except that it perhaps had something to do with the darkness that pervaded the Timberlands. Sleep seemed to be an ever-present threat here as of late if the falling Pokemon was anything to judge by, and it was a good thing she brought her DREAMCATCHER CUSHION in her bag. Just in case, she wouldn't want to forget her dreams when he woke. Perhaps there could be some insight as to the condition of this place.
But she was here to party, right? Or at least, she hoped it was a party and not some trickery like the CLUE movie from 1985. Now that she got reminded of the movie, she almost wished she hadn't. Please let there be no secret murders tonight.
Approaching the gate, the UI prompt appeared and it almost startled her for a second, so used to ignoring her UI, and turning it off for a more realistic experience. Was she really only allowed one pokemon with her inside? She summoned her Indeedee, and it quickly stood dutifully by her side.
"Greetings, Dear. I trust you are feeling well enough to join me for this event, tonight?"
The Pokemon nodded in response, ever loyal, ever faithful, and ever ready to serve.
"Thank you. I'm putting my faith in you. If I am in a conversation I clearly dislike, might you pull me away politely?"
Once again, the Indeedee nodded and gave them a soft smile.
"Bless you, Dear. Always so sweet to me. Let's-" She paused her words, a sudden sensation washing over her. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back home in bed. Warm, and comfortable, the rest of the world didn't exist, just nice and sleepy, and everything felt right. It was definitely not a natural sensation, and while her internal alarm sirens immediately wanted to blare, Ruby herself shut them down. She had expected sleep, this was fine. Wasn't it? Expected to fall into a dream?
Her legs moved almost on instinct, moving into the gate as she approached the Palace before her. It was such a beautiful sight, as her eyes fluttered open, only to reveal she was dressed entirely differently than before. Was this some kind of kimono? She had never worn one before, why would she wear one now? What happened to her dress? Disorientation overwhelmed her and her head spun. What was this? What was really going on? What kind of party was this?
It's just a dream.
She thought to herself. Or was it even her that said those words? Her thoughts were getting muddy, and she was torn for a moment. What even should she do about this? As a trained psychologist, it should have been easy to pick apart the foreign intrusive thoughts, study them, pull them apart and find out where they came from.
But the truth is, she didn't want to.
If this was all just a dream, then her actions didn't matter. Everything would be fine the very moment she woke. If these intrusive thoughts were coming from somewhere else, was there really any harm in letting them take control during a dream? No worries, no stress, just time to rest.
And she was getting really sleepy...
Perhaps paradoxically because of Ruby's understanding of the mind and its inner workings, as soon as she stopped trying to figure it all out and just let herself sleep, to allow herself to fall into the hypnotic dream-like trance, she was out like a light.
And someone else was here.
Just who was she, exactly?
Her name is Duchess Rubella of the Ruby Islands, and her new thoughts spill into her mind like they were pure instinct. As if they had been her all along. A soft smile had formed on her face, but it was layered with levels upon levels of deceit. She didn't get to her position in life, without taking full advantage of everything she had. In fact, it was downright manipulative. Her intelligence turned into something more devious, a woman unafraid to use her understanding of the mind to trick people to get what she wanted. And tonight would be no different. She was just a young girl, cute, innocent, and harmless. Oh, how wrong everyone truly was.
Tonight was just another game. Weaving words and promises in conversation just like a dance, and it was her field to play. Her time to prove to the Princess that she was deserving of her favor. It was only just a matter of time before everyone was twisted around her fingers like puppets on a string.
She stood calmly outside the Dream Palace by herself, the thought of her Pokemon completely abandoned. She would wait patiently with a soft, falsely nervous grin on her face as she examined the others around. Nobles of all types of dispositions from lands far and wide, with unknown goals and potentially dangerous threats, to the servants raised to take care of their betters, goals, and desires completely unknown.
Win or lose, at the very least, she could tell tonight was going to be very, very interesting.
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Tuesday
•
Battle Legend
The Creed
Posts: 1,602
Trainer Class:
Player Name: MartĆn 'Mars' MarzĆ”n
OOC Username: Stells
Arena Points: 138
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Post by Tuesday on Jan 23, 2023 19:59:01 GMT 9
#s://img~nickpic~host/Czh0Tx~png When you have nothing left but dreams and memories, when illusions appeal more to you than reality, will you answer the call of the abyss?>> YES. There isn't even a sway of the golden cat's tufted tail when she gracefully turns on her heels and looks at orioncayge. Mismatched eyes falling upon the nobleman yet never meeting his gaze. A servant is not worthy of meeting a noble's gaze. "As you wish, sir." A curtsy, a soft smile, a tone as sweet as lavender honey. What a brutish man. So curt and ill-mannered. He doesn't deserve the attention of the princess.NĢ“ĶĶoĢ“ĶĢ±nĢ“ĶĢ¬eĢøĢĢ ĢµĢĢ©oĢ“ĢĢ²fĢ·ĶĢ² Ģ“ĢĢ±tĢøĶĶhĢ¶ĶĶeĢ“ĢĢŖmĢ“ĶĢ® ĢøĶĶdĢ“ĢĢ©oĢµĢ½Ģ.ĢøĢĢ» Her gentle smile does not fade when she walks away with a purpose. The Alchemist would take the chance to poison him for his behaviour. The Alchemist would smirk and teach him a lesson. The Alchemist isn't here tonight. There's only the maid. The maid who lives to serve. The maid whose name does not matter. The maid who'd do aĢ·ĢĶnĢøĶĶyĢ·ĶĢtĢøĢ¾ĢŗhĢøĢĢØiĢøĶĢ«nĢ¶ĶĢgĢµĢĢ to please the princess. The brutish man is one of the princess' guests, and so she'll serve him as well. For now, at least. Play their game.She does not panic, she does not fret. When approaching the palace's gates forces her to turn back, she reconsiders and knocks on a nearby window until a servant within answers. She barely even looks at them. She does not see their face. Do they even have a face?The maid is about to open her mouth when something rings in her mind. A reminder. YOU DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS SPOKEN TO.
YOU WERE BORN TO CATER TO YOUR BETTERS.She reaches into her apron's pocket and retrieves the pen and a piece of paper which is soon pressed against the window. She does not need to be nice to other servants. She does not serve them. She is above them. She is the best of them. Soon, she approaches Orion again, a drink on a tray that keeps it from being affected by her Freezer abilities. Her demeanor is gentle once more: calm, soft, delicate, humble, and servile. "500 Full moons old Armagnac Brandy, infused with Timberland mist, sir."That's that, then. Once Orion takes his drink, she leaves with her tray. Does she hope he'll choke? No. She hopes he'll drink. Drink and drink and drink until intoxication makes him show the princess that he's actually no more than a drunk fool. The maid bides her time. She serves, she makes preparations, and she waits, standing right before the Dream Palace's gate.
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M00K
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Retired
Posts: 58
OOC Username: M00K
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Post by M00K on Jan 23, 2023 23:00:21 GMT 9
THE PRECIPICE CROWN
2. THE COURTYARDThe palace is still not open.
A voice rings through your consciousness, appearing word by word at the bottom of your screen as if written by an invisible hand. As it speaks, you see the features described come into being, as if revealed from behind a misty veil. A beautiful marble statue of a slender figure with wings stands just down the steps from the palace. It looks newer than the others. orioncayge, Lucky Guy, Ruby, Sarah Lee, and Tuesday might recognize its face.
The other statues are worn and weathered. They stand at the four sides of the courtyard, marking each cardinal direction. A warrior with flowing hair, sword on her shoulder. A tall, keen-eyed man with a book in his hands. And an older man with a long beard that stretches all the way to his feet, a crown upon his head.
KING [REDACTED] is scratched at the pedestal.
You may be distracted by the sound of a UI Alert in the corner of your HUD. Itās coming from your Active Party icon. <Pokemon now in range!> says the popup. It provides no other information.
You look around at the menagerie of nobles currently milling about the premises. A man spills his wine. A group of women titter about something behind their folding fans. Some have come in ceremonial armor, and some exotic-looking characters must hale from distant lands.
"Notice anything?" breathes a voice in your ear. M00K:Claw, dressed in revealing Servant attire, offers you a tray of finger foods (if Noble) or [tangent=ITEM ACQUIRED: POISON Servants may poison a guestās food or drink once per post (you may choose whether this is lethal or nonlethal). Successfully poisoning a guest collectively earns the Servants +1 INFLUENCE.
Players and Player Pokemon are immune to poison. If a poisoning attempt fails, that guest is confirmed to be a playerās Pokemon. In this way, illusions can be eliminated from the pool.]presses something into your hand[/tangent] (if Servant). "Half these noble folk aren't who they say they are. Now, that's just dishonest." She winks at you and slips back into the crowd, hips sashaying behind her.
Seeing isnāt always believing. There are ways of tricking the eye and tricking the mind. You yourselves are playing a part, and your Pokemon have been similarly clothed in illusion and delusion. Beneath each human face lies someone familiarā though based on the sheer number of guests at the party, some of them may simply be illusions as well.
Of course, firing a Pokeball beam at your fellow party guests isnāt very cultured of you. For those of you with reputations to maintain, a [tangent=ENGAGING GUESTSNobles may engage a guest once per post, either in conversation or other thematic discourse.
Guests will increase or slander Noblesā INFLUENCE depending on whether the guestās Primary Pokemon Type is supereffective against a nobleās Trainer Subclass.
By interacting with guests at the ball, you may collectively be able to narrow down which Pokemon are which!]subtle approach[/tangent] may be best.
{DELUSIONS (COLLAPSED)} | NOBLE | SERVANT | | You are not yourself.
You are Duke/Duchess <name> of <name.>
You want to impress the Princess tonight.
Perhaps sheāll favor you.
Perhaps sheāll choose you.
The others want to hurt her.
You would never hurt her.
You would never hurt her.
Forget that other voice.
That person is beneath you.
|  |  | You are a servant.
You are happy to serve.
This is your place.
You do not ask questions.
You do not speak unless spoken to.
You were born to cater to your betters.
You love this job, servant.
This is your life.
Forget that other voice.
Itās just trying to distract you. |
[tangent= Mechanic #1: Favor Players may earn the Princessās Favor by complying with the delusion. A player must obey all aspects of their delusion in a post to gain +1 Favor. This rule is absolute. Unbreakable, unbendable, and cold as ice.
There is no compromise. Give in to the dream, and you will be rewarded.
Rebel, and face the consequences.
The effects of Favor are unknown.]ABOUT: DELUSIONS[/tangent] PARTY GUEST LIST [tangent= ITEM ACQUIRED: POISON Servants may poison a guestās food or drink once per post (you may choose whether this is lethal or nonlethal). Successfully poisoning a guest collectively earns the Servants +1 INFLUENCE.
Players and Player Pokemon are immune to poison. If a poisoning attempt fails, that guest is confirmed to be a playerās Pokemon. In this way, illusions can be eliminated from the pool.] POISON (SERVANT)[/tangent] | [tangent= ENGAGING GUESTSNobles may engage a guest once per post, either in conversation or other thematic discourse.
Guests will increase or slander Noblesā INFLUENCE depending on whether the guestās Primary Pokemon Type is supereffective against a nobleās Trainer Subclass.
By interacting with guests at the ball, you may collectively be able to narrow down which Pokemon are which!] ENGAGE (NOBLE)[/tangent] Please post your actions on Discord! INSTRUCTIONSThere are two new mechanics: INFLUENCE and TIME. Please track these in your post!
With the game underway, there will be a new thread on Discord called #action-log. Please post in this thread when/if you poison or engage with one of the NPC guests. I will respond stating the effect! Additional Influence may be rewarded/deducted next cycle based on your actions in the dungeon.
You are encouraged to freely RP the NPCs! Even if they're actually someone's Pokemon, remember they all have a delusion affecting their speech/behavior.
Paste this code at the bottom of your post and add the result to TIME (starting at 0)!
Remove the %.
[center][%roll range="1d4"][/center]
USER INTERFACENEXT CYCLE AT TIME:60 OR IN SIX DAYS
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