Thanks, everyone! Made me smile a bit that everyone popped in so quickly.
Wanted to get a feel about thoughts for the 'death-forecast'. Is that cool with everyone, or is it preferable that I take another way of introduction? I went with that idea because it kind of throws our characters into a group, together, without necessarily forcing any previous interaction. There are a lot of other options that I could go with, but that's my personal preference. I think it lends a certain air to things, given that it makes the possibility of them knowing each other (either in passing, or as friends or what-have-you, or even not-at-all) more tangible; but also an air of immediacy...given that their predicted deaths will probably be within three hours after the end of the broadcast. (that's kinda in the works, but I'm thinking of making it pretty quick. either 'three hours' or 'fifteen hours')
My idea is that, once their names are listed off; they're gathered by the Guide. So we'll be moving fairly quickly in this RP, at least in terms of the big set-up and getting everyone into a group and prepared for Pygmalion's Gallery.
Now, for the first actual OOC comment! (at least it is, as I'm typing this)
If that flavor intro seemed a little disjointed, it's because I've chopped it a bit; taking away the part that would've made it very similar to the Interest Check's Prologue? section. (which I suggest you check out, if you haven't) I cut that out to actually make part of the introductory post with. Setting up Darius was kind of an interesting thing, but I think it would've given away a little too much to have it be from the Observer and Mahin's perspective; so I'm going to leave that by the wayside, for a while, and add a little bit more mystery to the whole thing.
I'm getting to work on my character after I go eat. I...uh...haven't done that, today.
Edit: As per the usual, I'm way open to questions or anything of the sort. I didn't say that above, so I might as well say it here. Pshehe.
Went ahead and posted up the OOC Thread! Sorry it's kind of a mess right now, ahahaha, but I wanted to get it done/started up today! There's a CS Skeleton there, and I'll have my character up here in a little bit.
This is where the Expanded stuff will go. I figure it'll get kinda...wordy, so I put it in its place.
Crumbs. You are really asking me about Resonance. Are you not the one who came up with the concept?
Seriously...I thought I had all the answers. Turns out, I don't. So, why don't you do something; since you're going to be absent for a good chunk of the story...if I have my way.
I see. Regardless of my status as a character, I suppose you intend to use me to pontificate in your place? As some form of "very meta" communicative methodolgy? Or would this be more in line with your idea of how to introduce core elements of the "mythos" you are trying to-
People don't want to read me using you as a goddamn sock puppet all day. Certainly not with me using you to berate me. Resonance explanation, please.
Resonance can most easily be equated to the antiquated idea of "chi", found present in many things; this reference-point is adequate because it gives us insight to the very nature of Resonance, which is, its self, a form of nature. All things contain some level of Resonance, as it is literally the Anchor that binds them to their plane of Corporeal Reality. To understand Resonance, one first must understand the differentiation between the perceptions of Non-Entities and Prime Entities-
Not yet, they don't. That's for later. Stick to the basics.
Simply put, Resonance is a stream of data that permeates what can be seen as Corporeal Reality...the place in which a Prime Entity's consciousness experiences mundane stimuli. This stream of data is more equatable to a moving body of water, rather than something that exists in a constant, but moving, form of stasis; leading to possibilities of areas with low Resonance concentrations. While a low Resonance denotes the first stages of a destabilizing zone in Corporeal Reality, there exist more tangible problems with high Resonance levels. Entities fully Anchored to Corporeal Reality, while usually being unable to harness Resonance without risking their "soul", or being outright unable...depending on which frame of time you observe, can be "infected" by prolonged exposure. "Infection" usually erodes the Resonance Pathways inside of a Natural Prime Entity rendering their entire existence as a part of Corporeal Reality moot; converting them into a Non-Entity form of being. Given that most Prime Entities have a very defined sense of "self", most accept the transition from Prime to Non-Entity as a form of "end"...leading them to become a part of Resonance, as a whole; their remnants broken down and used to Anchor other Resonance-touched objects or entities.
It is, quite literally, the force of "animation" that allows a pre-determined entity, or object, to exist within Corporeal Reality. Without it, Corporeal Reality would be as malleable a concept as Null Reality. Humans have found how to harness Resonance, in their later years; through the use of "Esoterics", which is simply the study of so-called "Godspeak"...or, by the layman's phrasing, "Symbology". While they must use machines that function on an electronic and esoteric level, the true nature of Resonance is very much lost on most of the human sprawl. They see it as nothing more than a convenience, little aware that their influence reaches far beyond the small spheres they can see.
You sound bitter. In explaining that, you mentioned a lot of things that probably need to be explained...at some point. Before I let you go, tell us a little about Symbology. Is Esoterics the same thing?
While the common vernacular is to refer to them interchangeably, Symbology is a fairly common practice among humanity...and refers solely to the study of Symbols, or "Godspeak". Symbology is used in place of "magic" by humans, allowing the momentary re-arrangement of reality through the use of a stolen tongue that they do not fully comprehend. Esoterics refers to the study of Resonance, Symbology, Occult Sciences and other such hackneyed drivel. Suffice to say, the study of Esoterics is rather vague.
Though, that does bring to mind the term "Esoteric Grid" which is used purely in the pursuit of Symbology. Before you ask, a Grid is an arrangement of symbols. A Grid can be composed of any number of Symbols that exceeds eight, and does not serve as a completely accurate measurement. Some Symbologists have created Grids that span thousands of characters, in their pursuits. That said, it is safe to say that Symbology draws directly from Resonance and tends to have adverse effects on those who would wield it.
Could one 'transcend' Corporeal Reality through the use of Esoterics or Symbology?
Probably, yes. Why do you ask?
Just curious. That's good, for now. Maybe I should make you explain everything.
You really are quite bad at this, are you not?
Is that a rhetorical question?
You see what I mean. Now, I suppose, since I am saying these things that you have some use for me? If I recall, and I am fairly certain I do, I did not exist until you somehow barged in here.
That's not true. You already exist as a thought. You can't un-exist, ya know. Anyway, I thought this would be a good time for us, and by us I mean you to give some insight as to what exactly the point of the Bond is.
The Bond is an Esoteric Grid formation heavily rooted in Symbology that is long lost to humanity, and justly so. It is something that is far too potent to remain in the hands of a race barely capable of comprehending the precarious nature of their very existence. This particular formation perpetuates the 'corruption' of a Fate Kernel, allowing the Bonded to bypass their inexorable expiration.
And what is a Fate Kernel?
Prodding me along into providing more exposition for your silly games. Very well, I will play along. I am powerless to do otherwise, it would seem. It is a simple concept, Crumbs, and another that you created. It seems redundant to approach me to offer these-
But what is it?
A Fate Kernel contains the major points of data for events in a Prime Entity's existence. Birth and death are the most noteworthy. Variants exist of course, but they are largely inconsequential. Most important is that the Bond removes those determined factors, making the Bonded an unpredictable agent within the existing system. The Fate Kernel its self is nearly as inconsequential as the events it contains, but its contamination or alteration is highly important. Simply because without an intact Fate Kernel, it is possible for a Prime Entity to surpass the limitations imposed on them by their mortal status.
You're heartless! How can you say those moments don't matter! Love is more powerfu-
You believe that as much as I do. Now, moving on.
Wait, wait, wait. You said something about cheating death with a broken Fate Seed, right?
Kernel. Fate Kernel. Yes, but I did not mean it in the sense of achieving immortality. Such a thing simply does not exist within any of the known realities. The Central Entity has a finite 'life-span', even if it is one that exceeds all others. Guides do not have Fate Kernels, but still have a set span allowed for their existence. Moderators do not have Fate Kernels, but will eventually be erased. Observers, such as myself, have our time arbitrated by the Administrators.
I suppose that's true. What does that have to do with the Bond, again?
It has to do with the fact that the Bonded become something outside of Corporeal Reality's rules. Assuming they survive their Proving Ground-
Pygmalion's Gallery.
That is not the name it was given.
That's what I'm calling it. Please, continue.
Assuming they survive...Pygmalion's Gallery and their Guide is successfully sacrificed, the Esoteric Grid will be automatically formed and the Prime Entities will be broken down to their base data. Their Fate Kernel. The data-seed in their Guide will be divided and given to the Prime Entities, overwriting their Fate Kernel and removing the restrictions placed on them by their status as Prime Entities. They then become Bonded.
So being 'Bonded' makes them more capable than an average human, but tools of a Moderator or Observer?
Unlike Guides, there are no Personality Restriction Protocols placed on the Bonded; though there have been attempts. Such input to a mind that remains largely that of a Prime Entity is caustic, causing an inability to absorb the information. This can lead to Delusions forming. It is up to the Bonded whether or not they follow the requests of the Moderator who handles them. There have been instances of Bonded going rogue. Usually this precipitates the involvement of entities outside of the iteration of their originally occupied reality.
However, that is all for now. I am sorry, I have business elsewhere. Please, show yourself out.
The Observer spoke to no one, as it often did, but there was an immediate shift in the surrounding area. The Guide had yet to materialize, but was slowly flowing her way into the Collapsing Space. Where the Observer was flickering static and anarchic hues, Mahin was something different entirely. She appeared completely human, molded in the image of someone who had not too long before been in the Observer's presence; though it might be hard to gauge the 'exactness' of that idea. Time tended to be something that the Observer thought to be a construct of the Prime Entities to quantify their place in the order of things, a nebulous concept of rigid fragments that splintered further and further into curious divisions.
Bits and pieces filtered through, as it watched, the rest filled in by a wavering in the umbral nature of Collapsing Space. A pair of earth-colored eyes peered at the Observer from behind an uneven mop of chestnut tangles, small darkened circles beneath them; slightly biting her lower lip, a smile tugging at the edges of her face. As spasming nothing became filled with her being, Mahin let out a sigh and stretched. She was a little too-tall and a little too-thin by design, and rarely seemed to be interested in her work...but the Observer had come to trust this particular data-entity.
Hey, Mama O, sorry it took so long...it's getting harder to pass between Spaces. What's the deal? Whatcha need? Am I heading back?
It was not a name that the Observer much cared for, but one that it tolerated. Mahin seemed excited, her canter as casual as always, bouncing back and forth on her heels; letting small ripples loose with each motion. The Observer regarded her for a moment before turning away, throwing part of its self away to provide a glimpse into what had necessitated their convening in this moment. As the scene formed, Mahin drew in a sharp breath...then whistled.
Do you understand, now? It should be well within your capacity to deduce what this means without additional information.
The Guide chose not to answer at once, leaning closer to peer in. It was a small apartment, riddled with rolling waves of static. From the overhead vantage provided by the Observer, there was a ludicrous amount of Resonance-based corruption; interference on a level that Mahin hadn't seen before. She watched intently, eyes alight from within, as a figure sat silently; in front of a grouping of machines she could only guess at the purpose of. What intrigued her most was the figure its self, as though the shape of a man had been cut from Corporeal Reality. From what she could tell, he was tall and bald...but it felt wrong as it amalgamated with her prior knowledge. The Observer knew this, as it waited. It did not, however, know how the 'Starlit Broadcast' functioned; or who was behind it. Mahin placed a hand lightly on the Observer's shoulder, nodding and taking a step back.
You want me to investigate, get a group ready and stop this thing before it spreads any more interference. I gotcha.
That is your current mission, at its most basic, yes. Please see to it that this is dealt with quickly.
Hi, again! It's me and it's you, doing the things we do.
Now, this is the OOC thread for Echoes: Starlit Change and I'm Crumbs. I'm sure you know that, by now, but sometimes it just bears repeating! This is an idea that I've loved to toy around with over the past little while; being that it's set in a universe that has been a favorite of mine (and a friend of mine) for quite some time. We're going to be a bunch of high-school kids approached by Mahin, after their names are called off on a 'death-forecast' provided by a man who calls himself Darius, who is running a pirate radio station called the Starlit Broadcast.
Beyond that? Well, we'll see! I have some pretty big plans, but I'm not sure if they're all going to be implemented~
If you've kept up with this since the Interest Check then I wanna say 'thanks' and I hope that you're looking forward to this as much as I am! Below will be a lot of the information from that thread, along with the Expanded sections.
Pardon the mess while I get stuff added, sorted and generally worked out. ^_^
Hati Station; Named for the wolf who pursued the Moon in Norse mythology, Hati Station is something of an antiquity compared to more modern Stations. It is hardly large enough to warrant the classification, bearing only four notable cities, and would likely not have, if it had not been one of the first created. Its founders, the Monotome family, originally opened Hati as a mining station; digging deep into the heart of the place...ripping out what valuable minerals they could and abandoning the place for two generations.
With the return of their attention, and, surprisingly, their migration, Hati underwent a century long stretch of redesign and redevelopment. Now, instead of the harsh structures of the asteroid's younger days...Hati is a tourist destination. Or, rather, it is popular for one particular destination. Though the Nebula Resort is highly expensive and reclusive, it sits just above the second most notorious of the Cardinal Cities.
As a whole, Hati is a place of divisions. That much is apparent from within East City; the massive wall that divides Nebula and the city its self almost always visible...regardless of how hard you try to ignore it.
East City; A sprawling metropolis, bustling and ever-changing. East City is, as the name implies, the easternmost Cardinal City that was founded around the original landing site of the Monotome family's army of laborers. Surprisingly, it is one of the more practical cities; nearly everything lining up perfectly to the grid-like layout. While not so sinister as South City, East City has a similar reputation; with high crime rates and a quality of living that would be laughable in most other cities.
Poverty is common in the southern reaches of the city, following a bizarre gradient as one walks farther from the Wall. Famous for its number of abandoned warehouses and poor education system. East City is the most temperate Cardinal City, in terms of weather; due to the strong monetary influence behind Nebula Resort's presence. Most of the people in this city long for a better life. Go figure. More than likely, this is the area we're all going to be from...or at the least, the area we're going to be in at the start of all this.
Pygmalion's Gallery: A reality separate from Corporeal or Esoteric reality, considered a Decaying Space by those who are aware of its existence. To those who are not entirely keen on the Gallery's spatial nuances...it is a testing ground. A gauntlet of ever-shifting scenery and a nonsensical parody of reality's rules. One moment it can be a glass room lined with marble pillars, in another it can be a series of twisted catwalks over a yawning void.
The Gallery is inhabited by creatures called Delusions; phantasms created from various incorporeal phenomenon. The most common cause for Delusions are human beings, themselves. As humans have grown more numerous, more ambitious; so too have the Delusions. These Delusions often seem to thematically match the space they inhabit within the Gallery.
To access the Gallery is difficult without the aid of a Guide; one who is ordained by Observers or Moderators to serve as their liaisons into Corporeal Reality. Usually, Pygmalion's Gallery is sealed, a Guide watching over its locked gate until the time comes that they are instructed to seek those to undergo the trials within and form a Bond.
More to come.
Resonance; A term used in Esoteric studies, commonly understood to function alongside technology to produce fantastic effects. While not commonly a visible phenomena, it has been suggested that Resonance tends to be transparent; moving ever outward in small ripples. Human beings cannot directly harness Resonance, as they are inherently unable to tap into it. This has spurred Restech (colloquial name) to become the most common commodity, an surprisingly inexpensive.
Most people accept that Resonance is simply part of their lives, much as people did in the halcyon days of Old Earth...where magic was still wielded among her peoples. Now, it is not uncommon to communicate through a Restech device...to cook with Restech...
You get the idea.
Magic; What do you expect? Magic is dead, baby! Er...kind of. The ability to use magic has dwindled in humanity, making it nothing more than a novelty; even when someone appears who can use it. I mean, after all, everyone has their Core Ability.
Core Ability; An ability that someone is born with. An ability that they can not lose. An ability that is usually within reason. Think about that.
Guide: Appointed by Moderators, or more rarely Observers, Guides are Corporeal data-entities that enforce the will of their patron. They are sapient and self-aware, but operate under Personality Restriction Protocols; ensuring their efficiency in action and adherence to their orders. They can choose any form, but often appear human; given that they are the in-between for Prime Entities and Non-Entities.
Guides have limited control over Corporeal Reality, enabling them to be fierce combatants if made into foes; but a limited access to the Esoteric. They most often function as gate-keepers or agents of 'fate', guiding events as need be. There are usually only three Guides in existence, in any given instance of a universe; and they rarely, if ever, come in contact with one another.
A Guide is necessary for the formation of a Bond, not only because of their inherent attributes...but because their sacrifice is one of the parameters to ensure that there is a small margin of error for that Bond's formation.
Bond: An Esoteric Grid formation that binds Prime Entities together by their Fate Kernels, allowing for them to bypass their inherent limitations. A Bond is a tool used by the Non-Entities to allow Prime Entities to enter Esoteric Space without the standard risk; usually to utilize them where problems exist that Moderators or Observers can not handle.
More to come.
Name: This one is pretty straightforward.
Age: We're gonna be kicking this off with high-school kids...so I say keep it from 'fourteen' to 'eighteen'.
Gender: Also pretty straightfoward.
Appearance: You can use an image (illustrations preferred), or write out a couple of paragraphs about what your character looks like.
Personality: Fairly easy.
Occupation: What does your character do in East City? 'Student' will probably go here, for most; but I want to look beyond that. What else does your character do? If they have a job, or maybe belong to a club it would go here.
Core Ability: This is where things get fun. A Core Ability is unique to an individual, and everyone in this particular instance of Corporeal Reality happens to have one. I expect these to be fairly reasonable, starting out (actually, I intend for them to be crafted with 'growing room') so that they can be expanded on later. For now, this is the only Ability I'm planning to implement. As things move forward, we may be adding more.
Biography: I'll only make you put about three paragraphs into this, if you choose to do it.
Ok, so, I missed my mark...a little! Got my computer functioning though, and I'm getting to work on the OOC right now! Hope everyone is still interested~
Hello guys~! Sorry about the lack of presence over the last day or so. I might've been a little brash in assuming I could use the other computer, as it seems to be suffering some kind of problem as well. I thought I'd take this time to let everyone know that I'm limited to working on my phone, at the moment and it isn't very effective for writing out long posts or...really doing anything on this site.
I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still formulating things and plan to get to work on the OOC and my character tomorrow, if things go my way. If not, please bear with me. At max, it'll be two days before an OOC goes up. If things go well, it will be tomorrow afternoon; after I'm done with a few appointments.
@CrazyShadowy It feels...surprisingly comfy. I'm used to being encompassed by umbrage!
Man I wish it was easier to type on my phone.
@NekoMizu Honestly the show isn't for everyone. it's super slow-paced and lacking a lot of action...but I always loved the psychological aspects of it.
@Pudding Oh gods, yes! I just recently went back and watched the original series. Then dusted off my PS2 and bought Infection and Mutation (both of which I've finished before, but I just love those games.) Picking up Outbreak and Quarantine with my Christmas moneys.
I'm glad ya caught that! No one else has really commented on it!
