auroraexpress | Entries tagged with !events

Who: Everyone
When: Day 59, morning
Where: the Aurora

[It's morning, though you might not know it from the darkness that remains outside. But there is an annoouncement on your Chain to brighten up the day regardless:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas. They'll get their basic welcome message and a prompt to view the IC Guide.

As you go out to greet them, you might find that the entire train has been decorated! By whom is not readily apparent, but there's streamers and heart-shaped balloons adorning all the hallways and many of the additional cars besides which. It's festive!

You know what else is festive? The candy hearts sitting in bowls around the place. They all have generic, cute messages on them like "I ♥ You," "Be Mine," "Text Me," "Forever," etc. Try one out! Though you might find they carry some effects when you try one out....

♥ Pink Hearts These hearts will cause an empathetic bond! For the next few minutes/hours/rest of the thread, you'll find yourself connected with the nearest person in arguably the most intimate of ways....

♡ White Hearts You just can't help it after you chomp down on one of these hearts-- you've got a song on your lips bursting to come out! You may even feel up for dancing. Go forth and be your best, most musical sellf!

♥ Green Hearts You know what that person you're talking to RIGHT NOW needs? A hug!!! At least, that's the urge you'll get the moment you pop a green heart into your mouth. Although handholding also seems to get rid of the compulsion, so hey, there's options!

♡ Blue Hearts The very next thing you say after you eat one of these bad boys comes out in poem form! It doesn't have to be good poetry, mind you. Limericks, haikus, anything goes! At least it's mercifully brief?

And so it goes. Enjoy your icebreaker and make that fresh meat feel welcome!]

[[OOC NOTES: As the monthly prompt, the candy hearts will continue until next month's placements. If you have any questions, please ping the mods via the q&a. Thank you!]]

trainmasters

Who: newbies + everyone
When: Day 56, late morning
Where: The Aurora and surrounding area

[Yet again this morning, you get an announcement on your Chain:

WELCOME NEW HEROES

Newbies are waking up in their rooms, in pyjamas or in nondescript team-coloured underwear. As usual they get the basic welcome message, as well as a prompt to view the IC guide.

When you're done welcoming them, or while you're at it, you'll notice that while clocks say it's late morning, the sun has still not risen. As it was on the first Star, the sky remains dark and empty and the air somewhat cold. Not cold enough for the frost you see on the windows, though...

From a distance, the frost looks like a typical wintery pattern of ice, beautiful and delicate. But on inspection it's not frost at all -- it's a sugary mold climbing up the sides of the train and, outside the immediate clearing, growing in thick fuzzy patches on the trees and bushes.

Touching or inhaling this mold will cause your skin to start to crystallize painfully into sugar. Physical affection will heal you, but it'll also give you a psychic link to the person you touched. For a few hours you can sense eachothers emotions, and in some cases even share thoughts or memories.

The mold will last for the remainder of the OOC month, but who knows what else tomorrow will bring!]

trainmasters

Who: everybody
When: Day 55, daytime
Where: The Aurora, and...?

Right on schedule, in the morning a message blares over the intercom in The Construct's robotic voice, loud enough to be heard in the nearby jungle, and coming from anyone's Chain who happens to be out of range:

The Aurora will be departing Origin Star in one hour. All heroes please proceed to your team carriage. All residents of Origin Star please stay at least 100 feet from the train during takeoff.

The Prince of Stars would like to remind you that non-heroes are at extreme risk of corruption should they leave the purified sector. Likewise, heroes who remain on Origin Star will no longer have the protection of the Aurora's Prism and may face unknown adverse effects. We sincerely apologize for any concern and ask that everyone give their full cooperation as we proceed to our next mission.

Thank you, and stay positive!

PCs have exactly one hour from this notice to say any final goodbyes to the townspeople, and gather any last materials from the jungle. The Construct gives a warning at 15 minutes, at 5, and at 1, and then the outer doors and doors between cars close and lock and the train begins to lift off.

Outside the windows you can see Origin Star slowly drift away into the sea of stars for 10 minutes or so, before the train begins to warp -- a fantastic show of blurred light and square sparkles lasts about another hour, before the Aurora comes out into a starless, sunless sea above a Star coloured in shades of pink and white and brown and speckled in rainbow.

As you approach, you notice things are looking rather... delicious? The scenery below appears like some fairy tale witch's cottage, made of cake and candy and other such sweets, with lakes of chocolate and peppermint trees. You can't see what all is out there yet, especially given the darkness, but you can catch a glimpse of colorful somethings moving below.

Ultimately, the train lands on top of some kind of small plateau, next to a river -- and this Star's Prism, which glows balefully black, with a strong sense of unpleasantness wafting from it. The river is thankfully between you and it, but you're still parked awfully close. When the train is fully stopped, the Construct announces:

Congratulations on your safe journey. We have arrived at the Confectionery Kingdom. Please note this sector is currently completely corrupted. Likelihood of imminent danger is: extreme. Scanning and protection of immediate area will take six hours. Proceed with utmost caution until systems have completed setup.

From here, you can go outside, if you so choose. The plateau the train sits on, it turns out, is made entirely of brownie. Unfortunately, if you try to eat it, it's disgustingly salty. The river full of honey tastes good, however, as long as you're willing to brave the lemon-peel eels which give painful electric shocks. The grass is also sweet -- spun-sugar like, it shatters easily but seems to grow right back as soon as it does.

You don't have much time to enjoy it yet, though. As warned, there's imminent danger -- after mere minutes, the air is full of crackling growls, as you're beset by something resembling a very weird zombie nightmare. Faceless moving gingerbread men as big as a person approach in droves, smeared in rancid frosting that smells horrible and makes you feel light-headed. They'll try to grab hold of anyone they catch, and should they catch them, they'll tremble and beat them bloody, possibly even to death.

Despite their nimbleness, the gingerbread ghouls are hard as rock and not easily broken. They can be temporarily defeated by turning them to mush with water, but once dry their crumbs will roll together and they'll resume their old form. The only way to really beat them is to accept their resentment -- give them a hug and they'll crumble, their dust blowing away in the breeze.

Somehow, you must survive the next few hours... Good luck, Heroes of Distant Stars!

[[NOTE: We're still taking train upgrade suggestions here through the 12! The upgrade poll, along with the close of this event, will be posted on the 13th! Also, apps are open and will close on the 14th, so if you have an app in the works or a friend to invite, have at!]]

trainmasters

Who: EVERYONE
When: Day 54, sunset
Where: all around Origin Star

At first, when all the totems have been deactivated and everyone has returned to the Aurora, it seems like the dire situation has still not been resolved. The sky is still dark, the miasma still floating through the air.

But then, after an hour or two, you hear the clear ringing of a bell-tone, as you've heard every time Origin Star's Prism has reached a new level of purification. If you happen to be on the beach, you'll see it too -- glowing a paler and brighter green and sending off waves of white light.

Out on the Final Island, another scream resounds. In the distance you see tendrils rising, massive vines lifting and curling into the air like tentacles. They grow, and grow, and grow, into monster of unimaginable size, screeching all along, the concentrated remains of Malice on this Star. They lash out, bridges across the sea coming right at all of you!

But before they reach the shore, the Prism shifts fully to white, and light explodes from it, bright and warm and full of square-shaped sparkle. The darkness in the sky recedes, and as the pink-and-golden beams of the setting sun touch the island, the monster screams one more time, and then... dissipates, leaving behind it a picturesque scenery, white stone ruins surrounded by jungle and dotted in colourful flowers.

On your island, equally wonderful things are happening. Any remaining emotional effects you may be under fade, and the monsters in the jungle transform back to their original shapes as normal flora and fauna. The jungle blooms in front of you, becoming a visual feast of flowers, birds, and butterflies, and off towards the remains of the town you hear the sounds of people.

In fact, some of those people are appearing right around the train -- showers of sparkles coalesce into the forms of living people, some with many wings and some with a deer's body. They're confused and alarmed at the moment, but alive and whole. Even the girl that was brought back from the far island is waking up, and within the magic bottle you found on the third mission, echoes of a soul can be sensed by those with the power to do so.

You receive a message on your Chain:

☆: Hey, look at that! You did it!
☆: That's one Star down, nine or so to go!
☆: As a reward, we've programmed in a new Bond for each of your teams, so check the board in the lounge to see those. We'll also be giving you a new train car, so keep an eye out for that announcement!
☆: Unfortunately, you can't rest on your laurels too much. Take tonight to get some rest and take in the fruits of your labour, and tomorrow morning we'll head to the next location.
☆: And, to be more formal... Congratulations, Heroes of Distant Stars. Through your efforts and your bonds, you've restored love and peace to this sector of the universe. I, Cardamom, Prince of Stars, my Circle of Knights, and all the people living in this sector, thank you with all our hearts.
☆: Now, let's party!

As of now, you may earn sparks via your new team bonds, which are displayed in the lounge with all the others. For the evening, there'll be free sweets and champagne in the lounge car. It has no special effects and is just good plain fun! You'll also hear cheerful electronic pop playing from the intercoms all over the train, because your patron is Like This.

Speaking of... after a bit, Cardamom will be hanging out in the town handing out food and supplies to the people and explaining the situation to them, if you wish to join him. You may also speak to Lily, the girl brought back from session 2. Thyme will be around as well, but he'll be busy helping the townsfolk settle, so won't have a toplevel in this post.

Additionally, after a bit, the next train upgrade suggestions gathering will appear, so make your wishes known!

fairwind

Who: explorers
When: Day 54, early afternoon
Where: The Final Island

[After returning from the second mission with a little extra cargo, Thyme waits another 20 minutes before calling for the third and hopefully final round of totem hunting.

One more. If you have the energy to help, climb aboard.

Characters attending session 3 may now board the airship. As it flies, they'll get their briefing:]

If you haven't gone in yet, please pay attention.

Your objective is to find and deactivate a totem -- a source of Malice in the target area. You'll probably come up against enemies, but try to defeat them by showing them positive emotions, not through combat. Defend yourselves if you have to, but keep in mind killing things won't purify them.

This is the last totem as far as we can tell, so it's vital that you get to it one way or another.

[You land, this time, in a clearing in front of a ruined temple. The heavy bronze doors, cast with images of stars, have swung open, and one has fallen from its hinges to lay in the grass.]

fairwind

Who: explorers
When: Day 54, noon
Where: The Final Island

[At nearly noon, Thyme's airship returns from the island with the first session's explorers. Everyone receives a chain message:

Time for round two. If you want to go, gather up.

Those who wish to go looking for the second totem can now board the airship. It waits around 20 minutes -- long enough for a quick break for those who are going twice in a row -- but then heads off again with its new crew. Along the way, everyone gets a lecture:]

Okay, for everyone who missed it the last time, here are the rules:

You're not looking for a monster to beat up. You're looking for a totem, that you'll have to deactivate by showing positive emotions. Any creatures you meet on the way can also be beaten with good feelings. Some can be killed, but that's not purifying the soul, so try to avoid it.

[When you arrive, it's at a damp sea cave. The airship hovers over the water, leaving you access to the only viable ground -- a narrow, salt-crusted stairway leading up into a tower.]

fairwind

Who: explorers
When: Day 54, morning
Where: The Final Island

[As promised, two hours after the initial announcement, the train shudders slightly as if in preparation for a Trial. On your Chain is a short message:

If you want to deal with this problem, come on out.

Step out of the lounge car and you'll find a cozy but sturdy-looking airship hovering a few inches above the ground. Its only occupant is Thyme himself -- a small young man with many white, feathery wings sprouting from his back and head. He's familiar to some and new to others, but regardless he looks like he's feeling a bit awkward to be here, and rather concerned about the situation in general.]

Before we start, get the idea of slaying the demon out of your head. This is Malice. You're going in to purify. That said, we're detecting three sources of corruption on the small island, so we'll be doing this in three steps. They're likely totems deliberately set by someone, so you'll need to find and deactivate one each trip.

You're probably going to be up against a lot of creatures, but you need to fight them with your feelings more than your weapons. When you find the totem, throw your positivity at it.

Got it? Let's go.

[Board the airship and it'll take off with lightning speed, though somehow the ride is quite smooth. The ship darts over the ocean and around the back of the island, where you get a breathtaking view of the ancient ruin that takes up a large part of it. The airship stops at a small outcrop, dominated by one large stone door, slightly ajar.]

Here you go. Try not to get killed.

trainmasters

Who: E V E R Y O N E
When: Day 54 all-day
Where: E V E R Y W H E R E

This morning, just after dawn, you're awoken by a wail so deep and loud it makes your chest rumble. An eerie noise that feels supernaturally wrong, it's like a roar and a screech intertwined, multiple voices lashing out in anger and pain all at once. The sound last several long seconds, before facing into a distant hum.

Should you follow the noise towards the beach, you'll see that the corrupted island across the water is surrounded in a black miasma, floating into a sky that appears to be stained with bruise-like purple. For a little while it remains contained, but after a few minutes, there's a heart-beat like pulse.

Once

Twice

Thrice...

And the darkness rolls across the sky, bringing with it air filled with black dust motes that smell of mildew. The jungle is quiet, its wildlife in hiding from the Malice encroaching upon it, but you swear you can hear whispers out there. They're too quiet to understand, but you just know they're temping you:

Just let go. You don't need anyone but yourself. Everyone else should just go away.

Fortunately, as long as you stay inside the Aurora, the whispers won't actually cause you to act differently. They'll just be unsettling. Head outside, however, and you'll find yourself growing slowly more irritable and likely to say something nasty.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually everyone receives a message on their Chain, from The Construct. The same message is also aired in a robotic voice over the intercom.

Systems have detected imminent danger. Due to progression of purification, it appears the primary source of Malice on this Star has become enraged. This creature must be purified in order to complete Prism restoration.

Heroes willing to venture into the creature's lair, please make preparations and assemble in the lounge in two hours. A guide will be sent to transport you to your target location and aid your search. Please do not attempt to approach on your own.

Be aware, there is an increased likelihood of malicious creatures approaching at this time. It is advised that you remain inside the train as much as possible.

And remember: Stay Positive! The fate of the universe depends on your healthy bonds.

The announcement will prove quite true: periodically throughout the day, monsters common in corrupted areas of this Star may appear around the Aurora. They will appear one at a time and may be driven off -- it seems the overall purification of the jungle has made them weaker than they were before, but they're still dangerous!

It's time to wrap things up in this part of the universe -- good luck!

[NOTES: Please use this post to mingle freely, make IC plans, and general deal with the overall day of the event! To go and purify the island, there will be three sessions of mod-guided exploradora: 3pm PST & 7pm PST on Saturday, and 6pm PST on Sunday! Sessions happen sequentially ICly, so you can go to as few or as many as you like. If you intend to play, please to go sign up in this toplevel just so the mods have a rough idea of numbers. You can play even if you don't sign up, though!

Also, please check out this toplevel to leave your submissions for your new team bond! Submissions must be in by 6pm on the 6th, or the mods will pick a second bond for you. Thank you very much!]

trainmasters

Who: Everyone
When: Day 51, evening
Where: the Aurora

[It's evening, and as the stars come out you get that text again:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas.

Outside, the fog is gone. In its place is a pleasant evening, its beauty enhanced by tiny, softly-glowing flowers along the jungle paths. Unfortunately, should you peer closer toy may notice these flowers have blackened, curled leaves -- and the scent that wafts up when you step on them will either heighten or dull one of your senses.

But hey, why go in the jungle when you could eat questionable snacks in the lounge again? This time there are towers of round chocolates in varying colours, and sparkle blue and white snowflake decor on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. In typical Star Prince and Knights fashion there is a lot of glitter, and the chocolates definitely have a magical side-effect: in this case, transformation.

☆ Blue-wrapped chocolates cause your character to shift in age. They may get older or younger, and this transformation may be purely physical or may include mental shifting as well.

☆ Silver-wrapped chocolates cause your character to gain animal features -- anything from cat ears to fully becoming a cat is acceptable, and any animal real or mythical is game. It won't change you to a size that doesn't fit in the train, though.

☆ White-wrapped chocolates cause a transformation to a different physical sex.

☆ Black-wrapped chocolates cause you to take on the form of another person -- someone on the train or someone you remember from elsewhere. It won't turn you into anyone you don't personally know, however.

These effects wear off within a few hours, and you can combine more than one. Enjoy your icebreaker and make that fresh meat feel welcome!]

[[OOC NOTES: As the monthly prompt, the flowers will continue until next month's placements. If you have any questions, please ping the mods via the q&a. Thank you!]]

joybound

Who: you??
When: Day 48, evening and night
Where: the library and beyond

[As sun sets today, everyone will receive a message on their Chain:

☆: Good Evening my precious, charming heroes!
☆: It's been awhile since we had a party, so I was thinking you guys could use a pick-me-up.
☆: If you're interested, come down to the library ♥

Should you take the suggestion, you'll find the library has been decked out in fairy lights, with pink glittery star-shaped decorations all around. In the hallway are tables with trays of fruit tarts and fizzy drinks, and there's cheerful electronic music playing over the intercom.

In the center of the library, there's a new hexagonal bookshelf, accessible from every angle. It spins, allowing passengers to browse without bumping eachother around, and on it are a new collection of books. Some you might recognize from home -- if you ever wrote a book yourself, or had one written about you, it's here. Everything from formal biographies to grade school story projects has been brought in, in a delightfully embarrassing celebration of the passengers.

And if that wasn't enough to make you blush, there's also a slew of new books about you... The trains Heroes have been written in to a variety of fairy tales. In one story, you may find yourself a knight on a white horse rescuing your teammate and riding off into the sunset. In another you're a fairy godmother. You may even be a witch or a dragon! Given enough time, you'll probably find a story that puts you in just about every role, in a cast with just about every other passenger, teammate or no.

Be careful, though -- at random chance, reading a story about yourself might make you feel like acting out that role in real life! Those effected by this will consider other characters from that story to be their roles as well -- if your teammate was your Prince Charming in the story, you'll think they are in real life! All in a harmless, bond-promoting way, of course. This effect will wear off after an hour or so, and one character can be afflicted multiple times.

Will you get lovingly teased by over-the-top fanfiction? Probably. Will the library be covered in glitter forever? Definitely. Is it worth it...?

Well. Prince Cardamom thinks so. He's also joined in for the night, and will gladly play out stories with you, or face your ire. Enjoy the party!]

[[OOC: There's a prince toplevel here, though as always threads are subject to mod energy levels. If you'd like to handwave your character asking questions/etc, please feel free to poke Cleo#9893 @ discord and I'll work out what kind of information you might get! Thank you!]

trainmasters

Who: All the lovely Heroes!
When: Day 44, morning
Where: Around the train

[ It may have been only a few days, but did that heatwave feel like it lasted forever to anyone else? No? Either way, it's gone now. Bringing with it a blessed coolness. Actually wait, it's cold-- too cold! Worse yet, not even going into the train seems to really help. Fortunately, someone seems to have been kind enough to leave some nice, fuzzy blankets lying around. Too bad it doesn't seem to help much unless you share them with someone...

Either way, you're in luck because you've got some new teammates on the train! The notification appears cheerfully on everyone's Chains:

WELCOME NEW HEROES

Enjoy the cold...? ]

[[ NOTES: You're welcome to make team posts if you like, or intro directly into this mingle if you haven't already. Until next month's placements, the cold snap will persist-- along with the lovely blankets lying around. Enjoy! ]]

trainmasters

Who: Heroes! Old ones, new ones...!
When: Day 42, afternoon
Where: Around the train

[ Good news, everyone! Those pesky cicadas are gone at last! You might have even had a chance to relax, except....

Except for the heat wave.

It's like the worst parts of the last dregs of summer come to torture you with excrutiating heat. It's heat so bad you could swear that you've started melting yourself the second you step outside. It's terrible. At least with the cold you can add more layers on, how are you supposed to deal with heat?? You can't just walk around naked??

(That's not a suggestion.)

Here's the thing about the heat, though: It's bad enough that it's causing mirages-- mirages of people you may even recognize, people who are lost in the dark. People who will try to lead you into danger, people who don't want what's best for you after all....

That aside, you may or may not have noticed that there's some new teammates on the train! The notification appears cheerfully on everyone's Chains:

WELCOME NEW HEROES

And you may find yourself wearing a label you can't seem to remove until you've spoken to at least one other person: "Hi, I'm ______! Talk to me about ______!"

There's a mischievous giggle in the wind that you may recognize as the same one that ran the plants and secrets game. ]

[[ NOTES: You're welcome to make team posts if you like, or intro directly into this mingle if you haven't already. Until next month's placements, the heat wave will persist. Characters stand the risk of seeing castmates not in the game until that point, mirages from the heat. Enjoy! ]]

trainmasters

Who: darers, newbies, and everyone else!
When: Day 40, dawn
Where: around the train

[After several hours of Kiss or Dare, the bar lights go off and you're let out into the grey pre-dawn. The Cat isn't one for ceremony, so there's no closing fanfare -- but in the sky are new stars in cobalt, pink, & violet. Congratulations to the winners!

You could go home and get some sleep, but you might have a rough time with that. As the sun appears in the sky, there's a horrible ruckus -- the sound of what seems like a million cicadas suddenly springing to life. They're staying in the canopy, not causing particular problems with buzzing around, but they are deafening.

Occasionally, you may hear one particularly low-pitched cicada noise. If you do, cover your ears, else you become hypnotized, overcome by a destructive urge. Those effected will find themselves compelled to act out violence on inanimate objects -- it's only property destruction, but the longer you're effected the more likely you are to lash out at anyone trying to stop you.

Good thing the hypnosis is broken by hugs, because this will be lasting for awhile.

Maybe it's the noise or maybe it's just bad timing, but the arrival of the cicadas is accompanied by the arrival of some new teammates! As always, the notifcation will appear on everyone's Chains:

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[[NOTES: Announcements and placements are up over here. You're welcome to make team posts if you like, or intro directly into this mingle. The cicadas will be here until next month's placements, so please feel free to interact with them in your own posts throughout the month. If you have questions, please comment to the announcements post. Thank you!]]

trainmasters

Who: everyone
When: Day 39, morning
Where: the train!

[Morning dawns on the Aurora with a bang -- literally. A huge crack in the air, like nearby lightning, rattling the train. Look outside in the direction of the still-corrupted island, and you'll see a towering ray of black, malevolent light shooting out into the stars. It continues for a few seconds, flickers, and dies out, leaving no trace of its brief presence.

In its wake is a silence that makes your ears ring, interrupted shortly by the sound of an alert on your Chain. There's an administrator message for you:

★: Hi everyone and good morning!

★: Thanks to all your hard work, we've been able to add two new communal cars to the train. Enjoy your new gym and library! We weren't sure what books you'd like, so we grabbed whatever came to mind. Hope they suit you!

★: Oh, and we noticed a spike of malicious energy just now. No idea what it was, but I'd keep your eyes peeled extra until we've figured it out. It might have something to do with how close we've gotten to purifying this Star.

★: Anyway, thanks as always. And remember, keep positive!

True to the prince's word, you'll find your two new cars attached to the back of the train. Pass through the garden car to find the new gym. It consists of several rooms: a weight room, a room of various machines, a studio for yoga or dance, and a training hall fully equipped with practice weapons according to the tastes of everyone already on the train. Each room is entered from a small lobby containing a few couches and a vending machine that pops out custom smoothies and cold water bottles -- which somehow only works after you've had a workout.

Behind the gym is the library. Near the entrance from the hall you'll find a terminal with a list of all available books. Searching a title will give you the location of the book on the shelves. If a title isn't currently in the library, you may request a copy be added, and it will show up within a few minutes. The library currently has two floors of shelves, containing books that characters who are or have been on the train would find familiar. If the book is common in your character's world or they have a close knowledge of it, they can probably find it here. There are, however, a disproportionate number of romances...

There's also a central reading area, with tables and comfortable chairs for studying or lounging. And a good thing, because if you attempt to remove a book from the library it'll disappear right from your hands to return to the shelves. No late returns for you, ~~Crow~~ lazybones!

For now there's no further activity on the corrupted island, so you may as well enjoy the fruits of your labour!]

trainmasters

Who: Everyone
When: Day 36, early morning
Where: around :)

[In the wee hours of the night, you may be woken by an increasingly loud clear, bell-like tone, a beautiful resonating sound that fills the air. Then, suddenly, a flood of strange square-shaped sparkles appear, floating around like magical fireflies, bringing with them a pleasant warmth. They increase in size and volume until the air itself whites out with a bright but pleasant light. While you can't see, you can hear the bell, and the distant rushing of water.

Abruptly, the sound stops, and the bright light fades to reveal... no particular changes in the immediate area. No visible ones, anyway, besides a break in the rain. Audibly, on the other hand... suddenly, the air is full of birdsong. While a few tropical birds already existed in the nearby jungle, there are far more of them now, especially in the direction of the abandoned town.

Should you head that way, you'll find that the area has been purified -- while the buildings are still a bit damaged and overgrown, the monsters have been replaced by normal lizards and a few chattering monkeys, and the plantlife is now mostly harmless. As the sun rises, millions of new flowers will bloom in its warm rays. Unfortunately, there are still no residents. But their belongings are now yours to shuffle through, or to preserve for their potential return -- it's up to you!

Past the town you'll see that the wetlands on the opposite coast of the island have also been revived. A mangrove swamp grows lush and mossy, with remarkably clear waters full of tasty fish. Wetland birds nest in the trees, and frogs (now without any poisonous ones mixed in) chirp away in the night. This area, however, is not completely harmless -- while free of corruption, there are still perfectly normal alligators!

Head back towards the Prism on the beach, and you'll see that it's now glowing green, and the sea is clear and beautiful much further out than before. In fact, it seems the entire island you're on is now purified -- you can swim all the way around with no trouble. The island itself turns out to be about 8km in diameter -- the rest of the surface is taken up by ocean, now full of healthy fish and even some dolphins!

However, you haven't cleared this Star yet... about 2km from the Prism shore there's another, smaller island, mostly taken up by a some kind of ancient ruin, the sea immediately near the island is black and oddly still -- should you enter it, you'll find the water is still alive, reaching up to try to drag you down into the waiting mouths of unseen horrors. Get past this and you'll find the ruin a trap-filled nest of corrupted snakes, tiger monsters, giant man-eating geckos, and an overgrowth of plants that are almost entirely deeply poisonous. The halls and passages are full of caustic slimes that take on the form of your fears -- basically every enemy you've faced so far is now concentrated on this tiny island. The last baston of Malice on this Star is a deadly one.

But you've made some amazing progress! Almost as if in celebration, a flock of little blue birds settles in the Aurora's clearing, chirping away in the trees. Their song makes you feel celebratory, too -- hearing it greatly increases one of your positive emotions. Joy, love, trust -- some part of you is feeling great!

What a good time to respond to that ChainChat Message asking for upgrade suggestions...]

[[OOC NOTES: CONGRATULATIONS on your TWO levels of Prism purification, guys! There is a toplevel for ICly suggesting train upgrades here, so check it out! You can submit more than one suggestion if you wish, as there will be two upgrades added. Next week we'll post a poll, and the week after the upgrade will be implemented.

The updates to the Setting page to reflect this post will be made soon, so keep an eye out!]]

fairwind

Who: everyone
When: Day 32, morning
Where: the clearing

[As the final session of exploring the town ends, it's getting close to dawn.

There's a break of about an hour, while the explorers return, licking their wounds. Then, a flash of dark, violet sparkles, and a petite young man with many many wings appears, standing atop the train.

Some of you have heard his voice before, speaking of justice in Trials. You might've heard about him, and how there's "something wrong with him", too. This is The Angel, and his wings are dyed a deep black, with feathers falling out in a sickly way. He doesn't look too pleased, but he also doesn't look like he's about to attack.]

So, you searched. What did you find out? I want to know if you really think this universe is worth saving.

If it's not... Then there's no point to your existence, is there?

[Well. He's not attacking yet, anyway. He is taking a moment to gesture at your deertaur companion though -- a wisp of black wind is pulled out of his mouth.]

I'll give you one chance.

[At least your dead companions are safe? They're waking up now in their rooms, none the worse for wear. But they remember dying, and they have a deep sense that they've seen a kind of void no person should ever look into.]

fairwind

Who: explorers!
When: Day 31, night
Where: The Jungle

[The sun has gone down when the heroes receive an unmarked message:

This Star has secrets you should know. If you want to find them, follow the light.

Should they look outside, they will in fact see a light -- a thin but bright pillar rising from the overgrown town out in the jungle.

It's still raining, still covered in frogs, but there's definitely something going on.

And in the direction of the beach, there's also a faint, bell-like ringing. But that's not what's calling you right now... is it?]

[PREMINGLE ★ NOTES ★ SESSIONS ★ AFTERMINGLE]

trainmasters

Who: Everyone
When: Day 30, afternoon
Where: the Aurora

[Though the sun should be high in the air, just after noon the sky clouds over, and a steady drizzle begins. While gloomy, it's not particularly harsh, and the warm weather means you might even enjoy being out in it! In fact, the relatively thin and patchy clouds mean you may seem rainbows here and there. It's quite nice, really -- except, that is, that there are now tiny frogs everywhere. Near the train they're safe, but closer to the corrupt areas they're toxic.

At the same time, you hear the jingle associated with an official message from your Chain -- the usual "newbie time" balloon animation and text:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's new blood are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas.

For the first hour or so, it seems that'll all that'll happen today. But then there's that all too familiar Trial feeling...

...Aaaand a flashy pink convertible has arrived in the clearing. It's followed up by another message:]

Hello, everyone. Your ever-grateful Prince speaking. It's been awhile and we've got some new faces, so I'm here to answer a few questions.

Buut to spare myself a little, I'm limiting it to one question per hero. I'll tell the truth, no matter what you ask, as long as it's at all reasonable! After that though, I reserve the right to cut you off -- but I won't, probably, if you play nice.

Sooo, how about you come outside and see me?

[Message sent, Cardamom gets out of his car and unfurls a big, incredibly sparkly silver umbrella. It looks like the most intensely holographic nail polish you can buy, and the raindrops only make it worse.]

[[OOC NOTES: As the monthly prompts, the rain and frogs will continue until next month's placements. You can find more info on them in the announcements over here!

If you want to tag Cardamom, there's a toplevel here. If you have any questions, please ping the mods via the q&a. Thank you!]]

trainmasters

Who: everyone
When: Day 21, night
Where: in your beds

[Tonight just after dark, one of the many kinda of plants in the still-corrupted jungle bursts into bloom. Those who are nearby will see huge yellow flowers unfurl, smell sickly sweet and letting off a cloud of sparkling golden pollen as they pop open. But even if you're nowhere near the flowers, this bloom will effect you too -- it's a windy night, and the pollen is blown in the direction of the Aurora. Anyone outside in the evening will find themselves dusted in the shimmery stuff, though it appears to have no ill effects.

Once affected characters fall asleep, however, they'll find it wasn't so harmless after all. Their dreams will be vivid and deep, and not fully their own. Dreamers may wander in and out of eachothers' dreams, experiencing them sometimes as an interloper and sometimes from the perspective of the dream's owner. Anything that happens to you is still "just a dream", but you'll wake up remembering it as if it were a memory.

Sleep well, heroes.]

[NOTES: This is a good old standard dream post! Dreams can be anything -- a look into your character's psyche, a memory, or something totally nonsensical. They can be funny or traumatic or whatever you'd like them to be.

If you want your character to "host" a dream, you'll be in charge of running it. Include any content warnings in your toplevel! Characters can travel to as many dreams as you want, and don't have to host a dream to visit one. Tag out at will! If you have any questions, please ping Cleo on discord. Thank you!]

trainmasters

Who: everyone
When: Day 20, afternoon
Where: on your Chain, and elsewhere!

[As the sun sails past noon, a bright light engulfs the Aurora. Like the train's namesake it's a shifting shimmer of greens and yellows and, mostly, a deep pink. There are the familiar square sparkles as well, floating around the colours for a few solid seconds.

When it fades, the previous heavy atmosphere lifts. Any characters still effected by the shadows will find themselves cured, and everyone's given a mild boost of soft, warm contentment. After a pause, a message arrives via Chain and on the lounge screen. The Construct's neutral voice reads it out over the intercom as well:

Attention, Heroes of Distant Stars.

Last night, due to an unexpected development, an agent of Malice was able to infiltrate the Aurora's defense systems. Fortunately, we have now succeeded in improving defensive parameters.

However, due to increased energy use, we require your aid to maintain current conditions. In order to foster positive energy production, the Prince of Stars has authorized heroes to organize Trials, with certain limits.

Trials must encourage Heroes to bond with one another.

Trials must be competitive, but must not value betrayal over cooperation.

Heroes or Teams who organize a Trial are not eligible to win.

Heroes or Teams who organize a Trial will receive 800 sparks as thanks.

Those who wish to organize a Trial will find an application option within my user interface. Organizers will be provided with materials and an appropriate illusory space, termed a "trial zone".

We offer our apologies for this breach of security. Please see your lockers for a compensation gift. The Prince of Stars and Circle of Knights remind all Heroes to beware the influence of Malice. Developments in our research will be reported via this method in the future.

As always, we thank you for your bravery and service to the Light.

After the message is sent, characters will in fact find a present in their lockers. Presents are single, small items personalized to each person. All are no bigger than a small kitchen appliance or craft set, and have a real-world value of less than $200 USD, but may be items specifically from home.

Additionally, in the lounge there is now a box on the wall with a slot in the top and a label that reads "feedback/suggestions". There are blank slips of paper and ballpoint pens provided. The box cannot be moved or destroyed.]

Aurora Express: A Panfandom RP

Entries tagged with !events

INTROS + MONTHLIES

INTROS + MONTHLIES

Event: Worldhop #1 | Part III

Event: Worldhop #1 | Part II

Origin Star Finale: Session 3

Origin Star Finale: Session 2

Origin Star Finale: Session 1

Event: Worldhop #1

INTROS + MONTHLIES

(no subject)

EVENT: BLANKET FIC

EVENT: ~~Heat Wave~~

EVENT: The Sound of Summer

EVENT: Upgrades x2!

Unlock! (2)

EVENT: ORIGIN'S ORIGINS (Aftermingle)

EVENT: ORIGIN'S ORIGINS

Let's Play 20 Questions

EVENT: Mr Sandman

Event: Mirror Image Part 2

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