Aterat; Out of Character Community

The sporatic rainstorms of the previous months have abated, leaving Aterat and its environs warm and humid. The encroaching mist is still a problem, but it doesn't seem to be creeping any closer, either. So very odd.

Another odd thing passerby may notice is a new shop front present in the market district. It isn't uncommon to see new arrivals opening businesses, but no one seems to be taking credit for this one. It appears to be under construction, and while improvements to the facade seem to be moving apace, no one ever sees anyone actually working on it, either. Lockpicks won't open the door for anyone industricous (and morally gray) enough to try, and the expansive front windows are blacked out.

(Event credit goes to Whimsy!)

As another month rolls around, things seem to carry on as usual around Aterat as they have for a while now, but as the days pass, people might start to notice that there’s some kind of trend spreading across the city. It starts in small waves at first, nothing that would strike anyone as particularly odd.

One might come across a group or two of the younger locals gathered in the late summer evenings around a fire telling stories to either spook or amuse their friends, each story more wild than the last in an attempt to ‘win’ the game they seem to have decided to play. Best story gets the last s’mores and bragging rights until the next game! Who doesn’t love that? But it’s just good, innocent fun at the end of the day.

Then there might be the odd group at the pub sharing a weird tale or two that they remember from their youths, or heard from a coworker that sounds a little tall even by Aterat’s standards… Probably the product of a little too much ale and the late hour, right? Sure… Strange, though, that more than one person finds themselves claiming to have seen or experienced something similar to the story in the nights following. It must be a coincidence and nothing more…

From there, the inevitable shift continues, moving from the shopkeepers in the market to the guard and onward through the rest of the city. It seems like everyone’s got some kind of story to tell, and they’re incapable of keeping themselves from sharing it with whoever might be around to listen… And as the stories spread, the odd sightings and experiences get more frequent by the day.

The only commonality people might offer if someone asks around is they thought they saw someone out of the corner of their eye just before they felt the need to share. No one is quite able to describe them, beyond a woman in a long, dark gown and a large leather-bound book tucked under her arm.

Finally, the one group that hadn’t been among the storytellers so far is struck. Those not among the ‘locals’ start to feel the terribly odd compulsion to share something as well. A nagging thought tugging at the back of the mind, a story or legend, recalled that they need to get out. Maybe it’s something they have firsthand experience with, but can’t quite prove it happened to this day… Maybe it’s an old tale that they heard growing up or was shared by a friend that stuck with them. It could just be some legend handed down over time that no one quite escapes from hearing once in their life. But whatever it is? They have to share it, and their hand reaches for the tell-phone without even realizing it.

Before long, the story is shared. Maybe a couple people message back to talk about it, laugh a little at the silliness or theorize about what truth might be buried at the bottom… The sharer might feel a little tired, but the weight on their mind is lifted and they can go about their day as normal beyond that.

Until… The story comes back, and not by word of mouth…

For the month of August there is now an unknown entity that lives off of stories roaming around Aterat.

The basic idea is it will creep up on your character at some point in time, and compel them to share a particular tale from their world. Whether it’s a ghost story, an urban legend or a piece of folklore from their own world, your character will find themselves unable to keep from opening up the Tell Phone network and sharing. The feeling will dwindle and go away once the tale has been shared, the entity satisfied. Because the story has been drawn from your character’s mind, they might notice they feel a little tired after the fact.

The magically inclined and attuned might be able to tell as it happens that they’re being affected by something outside themselves, but they can’t stop it either. There is also the off chance that those who are particularly observant of their surroundings (Magically inclined or average person) might think they see someone in the shadows or out of the corner of their eye before the feeling hits, but again, they can’t do much about it. The entity won’t let your character see her more than once if she realizes you know she was there. Plus, once she gets her free meal, she leaves pretty quickly.

That said, her being satisfied doesn’t mean that it’s over.

A few hours later, your character (and potentially those who heard the story) will find themselves confronted with the subject of the story shared! Depending on what the tale was, this means that they could be dealing with any number of situations.

Some examples include (but aren't limited to!):

Maybe your character is lucky, and they shared a story about a spirit/creature that’s totally benign, known for being particularly ‘helpful’, either imparting wisdom or doing nice deeds around the house or business…!

Maybe they were less than lucky and shared a story about a mischievous spirit that’s known for playing pranks...

Maybe your character shared something a little less fun to think about and now there’s a ghostly figure wandering the halls whose mournful cries keep people up at night.

Or maybe your character got dealt the worst hand of all and shared a story about something known to be quite unsettling as they follow at best, or are deadly hunters at worst.

In order to end the effects, your character might need a little help from someone else! Or maybe your character knows just what to do, and is saddled with the task of helping people who heard the story too. Or maybe it’s a whole big epic team up to deal with it between a couple or more characters!

So, The tone for this event can range for each character from quirky to exciting or downright scary! The choice is yours!

At the end of the month, the entity will simply return to its slumber with a head full of new stories. Any lingering spirits/creatures will disappear at that time and things will go back to normal.

Considering the wide variety of canons/world types the characters in game come from, it should be a really fun way to get creative and collaborate! Of course, this is not mandatory, it’s just something to have fun with for those interested!

It isn't mandatory to be involved with the manifestations of any stories shared, either, so feel free to use stories told as a springboard for new CR as well!

Please use this post to plot as not everyone has the same method of contact!

The rains that persisted through March and April have begun to abate, but they bring with them strange new occurrences. It's most noticeable in the Harbor district first, and from the lighthouse's peak specifically: the mists that enshrouded the horizon on all sides are growing thicker. Where once it was a wall, ever more distant as more land was restored, now it reaches into the sky on all sides to those with eyes to see it, and it is an impenetrable darkness. It hangs there, in the distance, not drifting any closer, but not thinning or receding either.

Ominous though this new situation is, a week passes with this as its only change. The weather becomes steadily warmer, though the nights are pleasantly cool, and aside from the strange change in the mist that demarcates the borders of Aterat and its surroundings, nothing seems amiss. People are concerned at first, and the changes are the topic of many conversations around tables in the tavern and other eateries, but as spring is quickly racing toward summer, talk of other things take precedent soon enough.

Well, until the rumors start to fly…

Note: For clarification (and because I completely forgot a timeframe); the rumors will begin to fly the week of the 7th- the 13th, the actual invasion will begin the following week.

They come from the ranchers first, and those who hunt the more wild places or fish the waters: there are things in the mist, they say. One could almost bargain the tales off as fantasy if not for their similarities. The beasts all seem to vary in size and shape from the tales, though none can give definitive descriptions: some say they've glimpsed squat, round little creatures scurrying about through the gloom, and others claim to have seen the towering silhouette of a beast with claws and a mane of writhing tentacles.

That one sounds the most far-fetched, of course, but who's to say in a place like Aterat, built from memory by two demigods who may not really know what they're doing?

Those intrepid enough to stray near the mists in any direction in an effort to investigate these reports should reply here to get info on what you may personally find. This can be solo or in a group (but know that this is dangerous and a group is suggested).

Those who find it wise enough to stay within the city and away from the walls of mist aren't completely safe, though. You see, there is some truth to the rumors of creatures in the mist and some of them, smaller ones, those who can weasel a way past whatever wards might be keeping them at bay, have a taste for flesh...namely yours. They're no larger than a housecat, round and run on stubby legs, and are shrouded in a fur so dark, it seems to not possess a shine. They have beady little black eyes and short snouts full of sharp little teeth and claws that can do some serious damage.

They can be killed, though, if you've got the stomach for it, and from inside of the body, a small, silver orb of crystal will emerge. It will float two feet from the ground before you, over the body it had recently left, shine a bright light over you, and disappear. One week later, one small, inanimate object from your homeworld will be found in your room. Curious, right?

If you have any questions regarding any of the events, please ask here.

Please use this post to plot!

Important Note: None of the events are required, of course!

After the final midnight of October, the mirrors no longer lead to the Dark Hour and anyone left trapped there awakens in their bed covered in a cold sheen of sweat. Maybe it was all a bad dream?

The weather continues to turn cool and crisp, with chill breezes from the north and west. Shops around town have started selling various ciders (adult and otherwise) and day trips to the market are filled with the smells of cinnamon, clove, allspice, and ginger.

Many bakeries throughout the city are featuring pastries, drinks, and the like featuring a spiced gourd suspiciously like a pumpkin, and...

Were there always this many trees in the city? Every street seems to be lined with trees ablaze with autumn colors. There are even a few in the Harbor District. That can't be right, can it?

We'll get to all that in a moment. First, a bit of OOC information:

» The Test Drive is up, so invite your friends!
» Don't forget to get your activity check in!
» As always, if you see any broken or inaccurate links, let me know!

At some point during the late night between November 8th and 9th, all the trees that have appeared throughout the city, and those in the park, seem to have dropped their leaves all at once.

Seriously, everything had been outside at the time is covered in autumn leaves. It's going to be a monumental task to clean it all up, and while the Aspects do provide everyone with a free place to live, they don't cover lawn maintenance for the areas around the apartments or anywhere else in the city, for that matter. Everyone might want to do their parts.

There's something strange about these leaves, though. You may notice by accident, but the veins in these fallen leaves seem to be...moving. It's what prompts you to pick one up, and as you look more closely, trying to see if maybe it was a trick of your eye, it changes, and suddenly what you're seeing isn't a brilliant red or gold leaf, but a scene playing out in your mind.

It's a memory of yours, no doubt about that, but what made you relive it? And, more importantly, what caused the same scene to broadcast through your communicator to everyone else, as though they're watching the latest streaming episode? You won't know it broadcast until you check, or you wonder why you're getting notifications when you didn't post to the network.

OOC Info: The memories shared will post to the network as a video without the user's consent and isn't able to be deleted. People can respond to the post as though it was one you'd normally make with the device, though, and characters can respond as well. These memories can be anything at all, and as brief or as long as you'd like. You can also post multiple memories if you so choose, but keep in mind if there is triggering content in the memory, it must be under a cut and properly warned for. A proper warning is not 'disturbing content', but explains what type of content is behind the cut.

The chance for the sharing of memories will occur all month or until the leaves are disposed of.

Here's a chance for characters to bond and to share things they wouldn't necessarily with others! Have fun with it, and remember: it doesn't have to be sad or traumatic. It could be the last time you won a game of cards! Go wild!

If you have any questions regarding the event, please ask here.