WEEKS 9 & 10

[linkupmods]

WEEKS 9 & 10

AS YOUR BONDS DEEPEN...

The charity event and the dreamscapes have come to an end... and the Fashion District seems a little better than it once was. Your efforts are being recognized, acknowledged by the environment and by Braphine herself. There's still work to be done - the thinning fog allows you to venture even further into the Office District, where there are stronger foes lurking around the corner and in dark alleyways.

Speaking of Braphine, she is pleased by your progress as a group thus far, and has given characters a little blessing: If there is something you've always wanted to tell someone – whether it be how you feel about someone else here, someone at home, a secret you've been holding in, or something else entirely – but have lacked the courage to do so, you may find the strength to say it now. While the God of Conflict forced ugly truths out of you, Braphine would like ones that come from a place of willingness without fear. This sensation will last until the end of your stay here.

How nice, isn't it? To feel like you're finally starting to get somewhere with your fellow Chosen.

The God of Conflict, however, thinks otherwise.

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR...

The world around you has seen a few changes. There are the positives, thanks to your efforts in completing commissions and forming connections, both of which aid Braphine.

However…

If you look in any sort of mirror, window, puddle that will give you your reflection, The God of Conflict is there, looking back at you, gazing at you eerily, freezing you and holding you in place.

"Well, well, well. Fancy running into you here, Chosen. Tell me…do you really believe that you're aiding Braphine in her mission? Do you really think any of the bonds that you've made here matter all that much, so much that it'll stop me, in the end? Don't make me laugh. We'll see how much your flimsy little chains hold up in time."

And then, just like that, he's gone…not without another little gift, though. You will be surrounded by 2-3 Nekyia Shadows once he disappears…in the real world. The Shadows, notably, will not attack unless provoked, and the locals will not be able to see them. As always, the only way you can attack them is through using your Personas; as soon as you engage in combat, you will also disappear to the locals like the Shadows.

For those who decide not to fight them, they will simply stare at you as you leave... but they will each briefly flicker into another form: The God of Conflict. But before you can say a word, they’ll disappear.

However, should you choose to engage in battle with them, any harm done to the environment or the locals themselves through the battle will be tangible. If you slam a Jack Frost into a building, it will leave a dent, in other words. The locals will not be able to see the actual fight, but they will notice the weird explosions and damages happening to them and around them. An important thing to note is that, being outside of the Nekyia, you will drain energy faster as you fight them, but you can defeat them with your Personas as usual otherwise.

THE DARKEST BEFORE DAWN.

So, maybe you didn't spawn a Palace, or even create a weird Nekyia environment like Soujuurou and Joshua have. That, however, does not mean you are free of your Shadow selves.

However, you are trapped with them. If you venture into the Nekyia, every so often when you look over your shoulder, they may be there, watching you, taunting you, following you around, even interacting with people (yourself or others) as if they were corporeal-- blink and you may miss them hovering over your shoulder, and turn the corner and you may just see them in the distance.

What follows your Shadow selves even after you return back to the safety of the dorms are the nightmares... which you find yourself having a little more often than normal. If you happen to stumble into a shared dreamscape, it looks... slightly different from when you last saw it. The nightmares always end the same way, though, even if the dreams are different: your Shadow self is staring back at you, haunting you before you wake up.

For anyone who has already confronted their Shadow selves, however, there is a glimmer of hope. In the Shadow's place is the best version of yourself, reminding you that although this is a nightmare, it does not have to continue forever. You have changed thanks to the people around you. Perhaps this is Braphine's reminder to you that she is still here, and despite her quiet, she's still watching.

Speaking of quiet, though…

…Has anyone checked on Mina lately?

And why does a certain brown cat keep on pacing in the dormitory hallways?

( OOC: A few limitations to keep in mind regarding this prompt:
• Shadows can now appear exclusively in nightmares, in the Nekyia, OR BOTH.
• Since the Dream King has not been vanquished yet, those who want to continue the dreamscape prompt as your nightmares are free to do so (this is optional though). Your Shadows are going to be here regardless!
• In this prompt, Shadows are NOT going to possess any characters. They are haunting you in the Nekyia (and may engage with other player characters, should you desire to go that route)!
• On that note, you can let your Shadows manifest however you'd like – they can yap, they can be completely quiet and stand menacingly, they can appear in quick glimpses and jumpscare you or linger for as long as you're in the Nekyia. They can stick to you or talk to others. Either way, everyone will see each other's Shadows.
• At this time, Shadows cannot be defeated outside of Palaces and mod-run mini-events.
• The same limitations apply to those seeing their best selves over their Shadows. )

WEATHER FORECAST

Balmy weather with a light breeze. Weather looks fair and comfortable for the next two weeks but don't forget to wrap up warmly or risk catching a chill! You wouldn't want to fall sick, would you?

Characters who journey into the Nekyia when it is getting chilly may find that Shadows in combat may be randomly afflicted with Freeze during combat.

COMMISSIONS

REAL WORLD COMMISSIONS

NO HORSING AROUND

The zoo is looking for volunteers! They need hands available to feed and clean up after the petting zoo animals in particular. You won’t be dealing with lions on this job, but you will be face to face with goat kids with a penchant for headbutting, so do take care while you work!

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

A new writer is in town to promote their book at the library! The problem is... very few people signed up for the meet and greet. Library workers are looking for volunteers or, really, anyone off the street who can be convinced to at least attend the poor author’s reading and fill out the room a little. Those who do end up attending will be treated to a reading of a high fantasy tale with romance, trysts, and a surprising number of werewolves, but those who manage to stay attentive may just notice a suspicious individual slipping in partway through... A disgruntled netizen has decided to make a mess of the author’s first meet and greet, and will get violent unless someone stops them.

DABBLING IN DELINQUENCY

Some of the students on the island have decided not to return to the classroom after all - instead roaming in packs around the city and causing general mischief. Try to turn them back on the path of decency! Especially when the boldest of them decide you’re a prime pickpocketing target...

NEKYIA COMMISSIONS

FANDOM WARS

“Disgusting... Anyone could pick up that slop and read all kinds of depraved things... People who write that stuff should just die.”

It seems someone got a little too into fights online about books - because their gripes about today’s tales has created a Shadow in the form of level 39 Thoth in the Nekyia. Worse yet, those who are inflicted by Rage by this Shadow cannot be cured with a simple spell - instead, those afflicted will find themselves venting out their frustrations for their battle companion to hear. The effect ends once the battle is completed, or they finish getting everything off their chest, whichever comes first.

KILL THE LIGHTS

“Don’t they see? There’s so much money to be made! If we just expanded our influence...”

A crooked politician trying to drum up support for military activity has generated quite the shadow. A level 40 Eligor can be found deep in the Nekyia’s business district, muttering to himself about all the profits to be had with a little conflict. Needless to say, things will get very, very bad if he goes through with it - take him down before he can start anything!

HORSING AROUND

The Nekyia business district is overrun with Unicorns teaming up with Ganesha to make quite the formidable team of a fierce fighter and a powerful support. That said, those who defeat the pair may just find that their foes have dropped quite a useful healing item...

(OOC: Please turn in your threads for this commission on the rewards page to receive a Bead Chain, which fully restores HP to all allies (maximum 4 including the user) and is valid for one time use during any battle. This is only valid for the first turn in of the commission.)

OOC

READ ME!!!!

Welcome to your log for Weeks 9 and 10! Feel free to use this log for any developments that happen during the next two weeks. There will be no log next week.
We're heading into endgame and AC is due 30 September, Monday, at 2359 EST! The boon for this month's AC has been updated as well - please have a look!
For plotting, please feel free to head over to this post on the OOC comm to post your plotting top levels.
For Nekyia commissions, you can assume that the Shadows will respawn until they've been beaten enough times to go back to normal.
Palaces are still going strong - sign ups for Atem (here) and Kirumi's (here) capped palaces are still open, and sign ups for our FFA palace will be going up later today.

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

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Comments

[strawsandals]

What's a-

[ ...movie... Aaaaand here we are in the Nekyia again. ]

Hey-!!!

[linkupmods]

[ you are indeed in the nekyia! but somehow, unlike the previous two encounters, it seems almost... cheerful? it's bathed in an absolutely not ominous red glow.

surely this is fine.

anyway, characters who follow the map will find themselves being led to the sunset city grand cinema! would you look at that, maybe you will get those movies after all, because it looks like a fully functioning theatre, unlike the rest of the other empty buildings in the nekyia. there's the box office/cinema entrance, the concessions stand, as well as several movie posters around the lobby of the cinema. ]

[goei]

[Well ok. Maybe it isn't a trap? Izou is going to check out whatever looks like the most exciting movie poster.]

Is it actually just a movie after all?

[linkupmods]

[ what makes you think this is a trap, izou????

when izou makes his way to the wall of posters, the one that catches his eye is the poster for a pg-13-rated historical documentary. there will be quite a bit of blood but no swearing, sadly.

the poster also depicts several soldiers and a blurry flag in the background. ]

[strawsandals]

[ !! Wait, these are so cool? Hello? What are these movie posters all around the lobby?

Sorry. He's acting like a kid in a candy store. ]

[linkupmods]

[ they're movie posters showing the latest offerings in the cinema, clearly!

the first poster that catches yoon's eye is for a pg-rated vintage b-movie. the poster is in black and white, which is probably why it stands out from the rest - but there's also a sign proudly proclaiming that this is a re-run movie!

the poster itself has the ominous depiction of a giant clown mask and several ufos, if yoon knows what they are....... ]

[ledbythewind]

[Man who has never been to a movie theater before looking very curiously at the concessions stand, especially the popcorn machine because lbr that's kind of fascinating.]

[linkupmods]

[ the concessions stand is bright and cheery and the popcorn machine is popping away! it is quite full considering that it's getting ready to welcome new patrons.

other than the popcorn machine, there are also icee machines and several soft drink fridges and snack packets to cater to every possible palate here! how thoughtful.








if richard looks over the counter, he'll see that it's manned by a jack frost. ]

"Hee Ho! Here to see a movie today, ho?"

[speedingticket]

[ Trying to break into the box office, because what is poking around blindly without snooping around where you're not supposed to be? ]

[linkupmods]

"Hey, hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

[ looks like the box office was manned after all, because when rutile tries to break into the box office, there's a narcissus there looking a little indignantly at him. ]

"You'll need a ticket to get in!"

[cleansewithfire]

[ So this is a movie theatre...!

Sunrise heads over to the box office, possibly intent on seeing if she really can get a ticket. ]

[linkupmods]

[ presumably she is not trying to break into the box office like a certain wizard is trying to do, so the narcissus at the counter actually gives sunrise a friendly little wave! ]

"Hello! Do you have a ticket for today's shows? We've got an amazing selection of movies, all very exciting!"

[prozaic]

[Checking out a movie poster not covered by Yoon and Izou because of course, it's art... When did he get here? Don't worry about it!

For anyone really looking at him, they'll notice that his staff is missing, and he instead has a katana strapped horizontally to his back. Anyone who has met Haruka before in a situation that requires weapons will know that this is Haruka's.]

[linkupmods]

[ funny that shalem talks about art






because the poster that catches shalem's eye first of all is the poster to an unrated art house horror-drama film. it boasts winning several indie film awards on the bottom, although strangely none of the awards have any years or award ceremonies attributed to them.

the poster itself though, is of a single boy looking sadly into the distance. the edges of the poster look like they are torn and streaked with blood.

hm. ]

[needsteaplz]

[Saori couldn't remember the last time she went to the movies...was it before she gave birth to the twins? Either way, she decides to check out the concession stand and before she knows she's mulling over what to get.]

Popcorn's already a given so....what next?

[linkupmods]

[ hello! the jack frost is waving at saori over the counter, while she is deliberating her snack choices. ]

"Maybe you should get a snow apple icee, a cold treat is my favourite, hee ho!"

[metagame]

[Atem's here and has been the entire time because I definitely did not oversleep.

What's going on with the consession stand..?]

[linkupmods]

[ there is absolutely nothing wrong with the concession stand! it looks like a perfectly normal functioning concession stand manned by your local jack frost because i'm not typing the entire thing out again. ]

"Hee ho! What would you like today?"

[supherb]

[As nice as a movie date sounded at first glance, Arven tried very hard to keep himself and Mafuyu out of this one because lord knows it would be anything but normal. However, recent discoveries have made it pretty dang hard to do that.

SO HERE THEY ARE.]

All right, what's going on now? Something about weird movie posters...?

[strawsandals]

ARVEN! I didn't know you were in one of these "movies!"

[ POINTS EXCITEDLY AT MAFU MIO!! ]

[metagame]

[Oh! Hey! Arven and Mafuyu are here now!

Atem sips on his icee and waves to them.]

Yo.

[He doesn't mind sipping Nekyia food because it ISN'T OFF THE FLOOR, ELI.]

Are you two here on a date, perhaps?

[Nah, he knows this is some Nekyia bullshit.]

[cleansewithfire]

Oh, hello. Are you here to watch a movie too?

[vogelfrei]

[ For once in his life, McGillis is actually on his phone when this happens - or more like, gets to his phone in time. He arrives at the movie theater fashionably late, frowning.


.... and also he's still in his stage get-up. You get McGillis in full knight outfit and stage makeup. ]

They really never stop coming...

[goei]

[Okay on a scale of 1 to 2 billion how hot does he look in this knight outfit. Does the stage makeup ruin it.]

The hell're you wearing! You're all suited up like Ray!

[WHO?]

[townmusician]

I knew it was going to be something like this.

[Haruka is way too modern and tech savvy to fall for such a blatant scam, but the fact things keep going topsy turvy was enough to get him to click on the sus link anyways. Lo and behold, he's in some movie theater.

He glances at the posters, but he's going to head towards the box office first. Maybe there'll be a key item there?

(And, for those who have been in the Nekyia with Haruka before, they might notice that his usual katana is gone, and he instead has a staff that looks pretty familiar to anyone who knows Shalem. Nothing sus about that at all.)]