Mid-Month Announcement: June

[simpathis]

— MID-MONTHLY MOD ANNOUNCEMENT: JUNE —


EVENT THINGS HERE WE GO!


» CALENDAR

---

Here are the dates you should know for the rest of the month. The main calendar spreadsheet can be found here.

• 6/19~24: PRE-EVENT: Can You Feel The Yan Tonight?
  
• 6/25~30: EVENT: YOU'RE AS COOOLD AS ICE
  
• 6/24-30: Activity Check.
  
• 7/01~7/07: AFTER-EVENT: Who knows~ Placeholder.

EVENT TIMES MAY VARY but that's our estimated schedule!

From cold to hot to cold again to maybe hot? This weather is getting weird, and it's all reflective of what's to come. This section is just giving a little blurb with more details in the rest of the post, but should at least give a quick glance.

For the rest of the week, everything will actually start warming up and feel quite pleasant. Perhaps...a little too pleasant. Enough to make you want to curl up next to your favorite person or thing and just relax, not wanting to leave.

The following week, however, will have a harsh cold snap. Good news, it won't be like hell froze over, but things are going to get a little frosty.


» APPLICATION CYCLE REMINDER

---

Just one last final reminder that applications are closed for July and will reopen in August. This means there will be no Test Drive this month, but we will have one at our regularly scheduled time in July!



» EMOTION TRACKER UPDATE

---

As always, it's kind of early to tell where the Emotion Tracker is going.

As a reminder, this is just a "mid-month" check to give everyone an idea of where the Emotion Tracker stands. If you haven't had a chance to submit your threads, don't worry! You can still fill out the main survey here. LAST REMINDER: For those who participated in the Crystal Theft event, those with stolen crystals must use this form. Do not use the general form. This is just a last call for those who may have forgotten to fill it out by now!

Here is the screenshot for this month so far:



Just a little -1 for the overall totals. It'll be very interesting to see the end result after the event. In terms of breakdown, Daimonia has the most negative, with Elios right behind. But of course this is just the mid-month so really it's hard to really "report" anything concrete.

That said, certain emotions are important for this month, especially in regards to the event! Read further to find out how!

Finally, we'd like to make some clarifications about how to categorize emotions and how to fill out the survey. For some Arehtei it's pretty straightforward, but others have a lot of "middle ground" emotions that could go one way or another. For example, for Sosyne the general spectrum is "calm through anger," with calm being the positive side. We'd like to point out that other emotions can be considered positive for her, too. Emotions like excitement, surprise, relief—that's still positive. We'll be revamping our reference chart and the survey form so that it won't be as misleading.


» ELIOS EVENT: QUICK SCHEDULE CLARIFICATIONS

---

Before diving into the details of what's going down, we'd like to explain a few basic things in regards to how the upcoming event is structured, especially in regards to IC:OOC time.

For the PRE-EVENT, OOCly it's scheduled to run from June 19 through June 24th, but ICly it's actually going to last until about roughly the 27th. That is because...

For the MAIN EVENT, OOCly it's scheduled to run from June 25th through June 30th, but ICly it's actually going to last 1-2 days. Thus ICly, the main "shit hits the fan" moment occurs roughly on the 28-29th.

We realize this may seem a little confusing, but so long as you remember that the main event is actually 1 IC day, then you're good.


» PRE-EVENT: CAAAAN YOU FEEEEL THE YAAAAN TONIIIGHT

---

Starting today, from June 19 through June 24, everyone is getting a taste of what Elios is feeling and trying to do. Don't worry, it's nothing extreme...yet. That's for later. But there are a few warning signs that those who are aware of Elios's current condition can quickly pick up on within the next couple of days.

• Opt-in. Just making it clear from the get go that this is an opt-in kind of thing. Everyone's going to notice the weather change, but not everyone is going to be affected by it. Only those who wish to do so.
  
  
• Unusually warm, peaceful weather. As mentioned earlier, the weather is going to be very pleasant for quite a while. The warm winds are soothing, making anyone, even the most temperamental, to feel calmer and more relaxed. But don't be fooled. This sense of calm isn't the work of Sosyne (although she does get side benefits). It's also going to affect individuals in varying degrees.
  
  
• Level 1: Seeking comfort. Those who are susceptible to these "pleasant, warm" feelings will find themselves seeking the company of that which they enjoy most. That can be an activity, an object, a person, a place—whatever it is they love. They might even get a bit clingy, but not overly so. Just as long as they can be there, they are content.
  
  
  • Remember the tender care. Regardless of how they "seek comfort," there is one important quality that should be incorporated: a sense of tenderness and care; a real display of true affection. Yeah, this isn't going to seem creepy at all...
    
    
  • Warm to the touch. The effect from the Intro Log where any displays of affection would result in a freezing touch is gone! Huzzah! Instead, they will feel pleasantly warm and soothing.
  
  
• Level 2: Growing obsession. While some may just want to get all clingy and be "sweet" about it, there are those who may go a step further. or leap, depending. Not only are they being overly attentive, but they are also wanting a lot more from the object of affection. They also tend to get more jealous, that want to keep their love to themselves. IMPORTANT: While there is increase of these feelings, those affected are not full blown obsessive or possessive enough to actually try and keep everyone and anything away. They will just have more of a tendency to do so and will be more likely to display displeasure, but not necessarily act.
  
  
  • Caution! Because this isn't necessarily healthy, and some characters may have "unconventional" forms of love or displaying their love, we'd just like to remind players to 1) not go too overboard; and 2) make sure you have permission from relevant parties. Remember, characters aren't going full "obsessed" or "yandere" mode, they're just displaying more signs that continues to grow over time.
  
  
• Level 3: Let's stay here. This is probably going to be the one that causes the most alarm. The affected are still affectionate, be it "love-dovey" or "possessive," and will start to want to stay in Empatheias, including those who were hard set on leaving. It's as if they now realize all the warmth and happiness that can be gained here, and the sadness they would feel if they left their beloved things behind. It's going to be more of a constant wish or desire, but some may start to try to act on it, like purchasing permanent homes or make plans (couples, beware of sudden confessions and/or marriage proposals). But really—wouldn't it be nice? Doesn't seem so bad until they start to turn into ice. That's right, the more intense they feel about this, the more they will actually start to frost over. It will start small, perhaps not even noticeable, but there will come a point where parts of their body will begin to have a nice coat of ice.
  
  
  • Caution! The freezing is a gradual process, and the assumption is that the affected will be stopped and won't completely freeze over. But if they are not then it's possible to have someone turn into an ice sculpture before the week is over. At that point, they're going to need to be thawed by intense feelings of hate, anger, and despair.
  
  
• Resisting. There are a number of reasons why someone may not be affected. Could be they're just so heartless they don't know how to love. Maybe they're already content with what they have that it's difficult to push for more desires. Perhaps it started to take hold, but the character realized something is strange and has a strong will to ignore it. Or there could be so many other things going on in their life, they don't even notice anything different. Finally, it just plumb didn't work. Elios isn't exactly focusing too much here, the influence only just arriving so it's still like a little wave creeping up the shore.
  
  
• Pushing back. So what about those who are affected. Is it possible to snap them out of it? Of course! As mentioned several times, this isn't a super powerful thing, so while difficulty may vary, it's very possible for someone to either snap themselves out or have someone else help them. Here's a few ways:
  
  
  • Rejection. Rejecting any of their attempts is going to put a damper on their mood pretty quick, and since they still want to keep things peaceful and happy, they are more likely to stop.
    
    
  • Reasoning and pointing out flaws. It's not too late to reason with them! If they can see that what they're doing is unhealthy or harmful, then the influence will break. This method will be the most effective, as it will help try to make them see the problem instead of just pure emotion.
    
    
  • Cold as ice. Giving them the cold shoulder and ignoring their attempts will be very effective. They don't want to be ignored after all! In the case that their love is toward something inanimate, taking it away or depriving them in some ways will work just as well.
  
  How difficult or easy snapping is will be up to the players and will likely also depend on the character. But, they can be snapped out, and more importantly it does not get worse. The affected might feel a little huffy, but in their mind, the risk of hurting or losing their objection of affection is greater than trying to use more force.
  
  
• Foggy minded. Those who are snapped out will realize that they've been behaving strangely, and that alone might make them more aware and resistant to any further attempts. But there may be some who are still susceptible and fall into the trap again, perhaps even getting worse.
  
  
• Creeping frost. Despite the warm weather, frost will start to form around the edges of the island. It won't be until later in the week until it's more visible, but anyone outside of town may notice it a few days earlier. Even the lake will feel a little chillier despite the warm atmosphere.

Phew, that sounds fun to deal with right? TL;DR things are unusually warm and people are starting to feel more affection than usual to the point where they may even want to stay and start turning into ice.

So if all of that is the pre-event... What does that mean for the main? We'll get there, but there's something else that needs to be mentioned first.


» BAITING ELIOS

---

A plan has been in the works to try and bait Elios away from the island so that he can't directly harm it like last time. It's a plan that was similarly employed with Peromei and worked fairly well. By the end of the week, it's going to be clear that not much time is left.

Allura, Komaeda, and Red will be the main organizers for this attempt, but they will need support to help channel emotions to Elios as well as protection while they focus on drawing the bird. This is especially so as there will be hostile environmental effects, ranging from Elios's special bird minions to tendrils to various frosty creatures.

As for the actual location, they are setting up in a place within Simpathis's domain. This means apathy is everywhere, which will help rebuff a lot of Elios's overwhelming love. There will still be some influence, and emotion effects and things like dunamis can still work, but it will be much less. There will also be a risk of apathy affecting those down there, but with all the emotional charge going on, it won't be as bad as it could. So there may be some who will feel less inclined to help, maybe even take a nap, but it won't take much to get back into things. And hey—maybe utilizing apathy will help.

They won't be alone, either! Peromei will be helping to lure Elios in, and Sosyne is ready to punch her brother with all her might. Piphron will also be there to help shield everyone with his grumpy distrust. This also means that everyone involved will have protective charms that will help combat any negative atmosphere and, you know, help them breathe/stay alive down there instead of instantly "consumed" by the world. They can also serve as back-up to help "zap" or "thwap" those affected by apathy back to work. Or in Piphron's case, roll on them.

OOCly, the log will go up Friday, June 23rd, but ICly it is occurring around June 28th. Basically, the baiting ritual is the catalyst that will spark the main event that will immediately follow.

Keep in mind that if a character is down here, they won't be able to participate in the madness that will be inflicted on the island. There will be no "instant travel" back, so choose wisely! In terms of logging, we'll be handwaving the ritual/"baiting" part and will focus on the action.

If you're interested, fill out the form and sign up here. Sign-ups close on Thursday, June 22nd. Log will go up Friday, the 23rd.


» HELPING PEROMEI, PIPHRON, AND SOSYNE

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Since the two sisters are trying to deal with their stupid love obsessed brother, they will need your help! And the kind of help they'll need most are actually the emotional kind. Not only will any emotions garnered during the event will help, but there are also rituals to help focus for the both of them. More importantly, the emotions they receive will help determine how effective they are.

Peromei is going to need balance in her emotions rather than a particular side. It's important that she remains hopeful that her brother will return to his senses, however too much hope can make her a little too complacent and not fight as hard. So she'll need some despair to keep her mind alert, the fear of everyone's doom helping her focus. But too much despair and she might lose that hope and falter. Thus it will be very important that she doesn't swing too much one way or the other. (Side note from the team: SEND ALL INTERNAL SCREAMING OF ALL FORMS it'll work.)

Sosyne is already amped up on anger, so she really doesn't need anymore of that to help her fight Elios. (She probably has enough of her own anger for that as well…) So for here, she's going to need as many positive points she can get to help keep her balanced and not go full berserk. Last thing we need is Sosyne suddenly turning on everyone else! Feelings of calm will also work, but anything that falls into the positive spectrum will count, including excitement.

As for Piphron, for once he'll want those distrust points to help keep that twisted love at bay. Positive points wouldn't be too bad to at least keep him stable and not feel too grumpy or start doubting everyone. That would be bad.


» MAIN EVENT: HEADS UP

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Since this is already to take in for the day, we're leaving the full main event details until later in the week. But here are a few things you can expect what will happen on the island and start thinking about (especially those who are deciding where to be off or on the island):

• Dates: Sunday, June 25 through Friday, June 30. Dates are flexible and can be extended if needed. Reminder that it's 1-2 IC days.
  
  
• Opt-in/out. Either way depending on how you look at it. But Theasthai and Shaarnath will be safe havens that those who don't want their characters in that mess can be in. We will provide things for them to do as well, so they're not completely left out.
  
  
• Island only. Just to be clear that all of this is ONLY affecting the island, with logging focused on Verens proper. But it should be known that other populated areas of the island will also be hit.
  
  
• Environmental hazards. The following will be threats that will show up and will need to be dealt with: black lava patches of fear, tendrils of self-loathing, giant bird kidnappers, love nest prisons.
  
  
• Love walkers. What happens when you have to "fight" one of your own? Watch out as some people become overwhelmed by Elios's love and their own desires turn into white walkers "possessed collectors of love," freezing everything they touch and helping Elios try to capture people. It's a safe bet that some of those who were affected in the pre-event will be very susceptible to this.
  
  
• Love vs. Hate. Obviously, love is a bad thing and will only fuel Elios's own desires. But hatred is a bit more nuanced, and the way to fight Elios back won't be as simple as dumping hatred on him.
  
  
• Apathy. Heeey, check it, apathy will probably be pretty useful here!

It's pretty bare bones, but again this is just to give everyone a heads up and general idea of what to expect for next week. This will also give folks an opportunity to figure out where they would like to put their focus on. But if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, feel free to chime in! We're pretty flexible about a lot of this, so there's time to make any adjustments necessary.

-------------------------

And that's about it! If you have any questions, concerns, or want things clarified, just comment here. A plotting post will go up with the main event details, but you're free to use this post for plotting purposes in the meantime!

Comments

QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS/CONCERNS

[simpathis]

[nanoscope]

Are those who are aligned with Elios going to feel the effects harder/have a harder time resisting these feelings?

[simpathis]

Oh yes, definitely. Though the ones who are more "hate-filled" will have an easier time resisting as well, so it goes both ways.

[nanoscope]

Okay, thanks for the info!

Re: QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS/CONCERNS

[scannerly]

sorry if i somehow missed it, but what happens if the thing/person they love the most, above all else, isn't in empatheias? would they still be able to feel like they aggressively need them? (and if so, how would that affect level 3?)

[simpathis]

This is something you can play that is easiest/most interesting to you. You could have them really long and need it, and thus act out all attempts to find it. In this case, Level 3 wouldn't apply since they're more likely want to leave the island (which is fine!). Otherwise, you can have them attach themselves to something else that is on the island.

Re: QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS/CONCERNS

[rockyxiii]

Does each level include the levels before it? i.e., could I play with the effects of Level 3 without playing with the effects of Levels 1 and 2? Or is it cumulative, where characters go through every stage on the way?

[simpathis]

You can play them all separate! There's no need for build-up, so you can jump straight to Level 3.

[nailed_it]

It occurred to me that I should double-check this. XD Can affected characters become attached to more than one thing in the case of people? Like a group of friends that they care about like family or do the effects only work towards one specific target?

Basically if a character loves and values their friends/the bonds they've made could they therefore direct their obsession at all the members of the group instead of just one.

[simpathis]

It can be a group! The more the better in the eyes of Elios....8D

[nailed_it]

OH BOY. 8'D THANKS ELIOS. And thanks Mods. X3

[avimagus]

I'm a little confused: are the baiting Elios part and the ritual part(s) happening in the same place? Since the sign-up for the former includes whether they're helping with the latter too.

[gottacatch]

I can help with this! Yes, both are in the same location. The ritual is what helps to bait Elios (by supporting Peromei via the ritual to come to where they are).

While some may want to come over to help with possible combat than to aid in the ritual, it's also possible to help with the ritual portion before anything like that happens.

Unless you mean these rituals, which then, they happen in Verens and before the baiting occurs.

[avimagus]

I did mean the ones you linked! I guess what crossed my wires was the word 'ritual' for both, whoops. Thanks for answering!

[gottacatch]

No problem! It's definitely confusing, we need a new name for the ones I linked. :'| Glad to have helped.

[oathkeeper]

This is probably a silly question :U but I just want to make sure so I don't jump the gun. Is there going to be a main log for the PRE-event stuff or should we post our own logs/threads?

[simpathis]

lol just got to you on plurk BUT FOR EVERYONE'S EDIFICATION—no log for the pre-event since it's more "loose." There will be designated logs for the main event instead.

[questionablewit]

Newbie question! Should people who've only just arrived do the emotion tracker?

[simpathis]

If you feel comfortable with it! While the points will help determine a few things, it's by no means mandatory for everyone to submit.

BAITING ELIOS SUPPORT SIGN-UP

[simpathis]

For those who would like to help in baiting Elios, especially for combat support, sign up here! Deadline is Thursday, June 22nd. The log will go up the following Friday.

<b>Player:</b> <b>Character:</b> Character | <user name="JOURNAL"> <b>Alignment:</b> <b>Help with Ritual?</b> Y/N <b>Combat support?</b> Y/N <b>Notes:</b> Anything you'd like to mention.

[hopedout]

Player: Len
Character: Hajime Hinata | hopedout
Alignment: Piphron
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Hinata himself will prioritize combat support over the ritual when it comes down to it but he will do both if necessary!

[mincingminuet]

Player: Ax
Character: Penelo| mincingminuet
Alignment: Thras
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Penelo would focus more on combat support since she's more familiar with that than the emotional rituals. But if necessary will join in.

[peacewithouttyranny]

Player: Byte
Character: Soundwave | peacewithouttyranny
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Soundwave will focus more on combat support since he's more accustomed to it but, if necessary, he'll do both.

[shepherds_pie]

Player: Ryuuto
Character: Sorey | shepherds_pie
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Sorey's more than happy to help with both. If there are too many combat supports, he'll help out those doing the ritual.

[whiteknightmare]

Player: Kiki
Character: Suzaku Kururugi | whiteknightmare
Alignment: Elios
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Still a lot of hatred but he can probably help with other emotions that would be good, too. Also, he's definitely more used to combat support, too.

[rockyxiii]

Player: Tomo
Character: Juzo Sakakura | rockyxiii
Alignment: Elios
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y (see below)
Notes: He will probably be more useful for the ritual, since he can really only punch things.

[melioristically]

Player: Li
Character: Lelouch vi Britannia | melioristically
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Nnnnot without a weapon.
Notes: He's genuinely good with handguns and swords (best if it's a light blade, like a rapier), but he is so very good at internal screaming. And hey, put that ridiculous multi-threaded brain to work, he can send out several different feelings at once without getting distracted or headachey!

[invigorates]

Player: LiLi
Character: Lioriley | invigorates
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: not ideal for combat. totally focused on the ritual tho.

[contribute]

Player: Zetsu
Character: Mikleo | contribute
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Mikleo is willing to help with both, especially since for Sosyne he's filled with positive / calm for anger whalemom. But can priotize the ritual if too many in combat.

[1upzero]

Player: Nica
Character: Chiaki Nanami | 1upzero
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: She can only really help with the ritual, but she will do what she can where she can.

[thornrobin]

Player: Melonbread
Character: Chise Hatori | thornrobin
Alignment: Daimonia
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: She'll be useful for the ritual but if anyone out there needs magic for their combat, she can help with that as well.

[izanyagi]

Player:
Character: Yu Narukami | izanyagi
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Yu will mainly be on the offensive.

[crimsomatic]

Player:/ Bayley
Character: Ruby Rose | crimsomatic
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: She'll probably trend more torwards combat since that's what she's familiar with, but she can definitely bolster the emotions in the ritual, too!

[hadthehighground]

Player: Darkfeather
Character: Obi-Wan Kenobi | hadthehighground
Alignment: Sosyne (Rep)
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: Obi-Wan will be trying to organize the effort to help Sosyne. He also is planning to monitor and be in direct communication with her.

[purrtagonist]

Player: Styx
Character: Akira Kurusu | purrtagonist
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: He'll focus his efforts on combat since he doesn't rrrrreally like dwelling on hatred, but! If needed he'll help with the ritual too.

[sithkabobed]

Player: Gen
Character: Qui-Gon Jinn | sithkabobed
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: His main goal is helping keep Sosyne nice and calm!

[actualhumandisaster]

Player: Zet
Character: Anakin Skywalker | actualhumandisaster
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: Part of the Jedi-Force to help keeping the angry whale in balance

[neveraknight]

Player: Gann
Character: Ahsoka Tano| neveraknight
Alignment: Daimonia
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: She would like to join the Three Wise Men (Jedi group) in helping Sosyne.

[ino]

Player: Kayla
Character: Yamanaka Ino | ino
Alignment: Daimonia
Help with Ritual? N
Combat support? Y
Notes: She can do a wide variety of combat stuff but she can also heal, so she'll be happy to get up front or stay back -- wherever she's needed most!

[incantory]

Player: Monica
Character: Leo | incantory
Alignment: Aiada
Help with Ritual? N
Combat support? Y
Notes: /

[soulacebandage]

Player: Marie
Character: Will Solace | soulacebandage
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? N
Combat support? Y
Notes: He'll likely hang a bit back and fulfill a medic role as needed.

Re: BAITING ELIOS SUPPORT SIGN-UP

[bailedontheempire]

Player: Yubsie
Character: Bail Organa | bailedontheempire
Alignment: SOsyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: He's here to be infuriatingly calm to help Sosyne stay calm

[scatheful]

Player: Julie
Character: Jean Kirstein | scatheful
Alignment: Thras
Help with Ritual? N
Combat support? Y
Notes: -

[riderfist]

Player: Totling
Character: Makoto Niijima | riderfist
Alignment: Sosyne
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Another combat focus! She will help with the ritual if it is needed.

Re: BAITING ELIOS SUPPORT SIGN-UP

[royalfuss]

Player: mocha
Character: Wolfram | royalfuss
Alignment: Elios
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: Good fighter for combat in swordsmanship and fire magic, can participate in ritual if needed, also excellent love-hate emotional battery if given the right subject matter to think about

[swirlied]

Player: Amber
Character: Yuuri Shibuya | swirlied
Alignment: Piphron
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? Y
Notes: He'll help as much as he can with combat, but he'll mostly be focused on the ritual!

[luckyhood]

Player: Yamadori
Character: Makoto Naegi | luckyhood
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? Y
Combat support? N
Notes: Naegi doesn't really have enough experience with Dunamis yet to do anything except really minor non-offensive things, so he'll be best suited to the ritual. I also apologize if it's too late to sign him and Kyouka up, I forgot the deadline was today. OTL

Character: Kyouka Izumi | snowheretogo
Alignment: Peromei
Help with Ritual? N
Combat support? Y
Notes: Kyouka is definitely suited for combat with or without Dunamis, so she'll be able to assist in that area.

SIGN-UPS CLOSED

[simpathis]