❧ Off-Season 3 - Whispers Out of the Ether

[luministimods]

[Someone has been in the Luministi Research Labs.

To the untrained eye, everything is still in its place despite the undetected intrusion. Not a paper has stirred. No chairs have been pushed out of their original positions in the slightest. Not even a single blade of grass in the town square has bent or crushed. Yet something has changed.

Perhaps it's a slightly different tang in the air. One check of the life support systems, however, will tell one that the oxygen mix is the same as ever. The strange objects and rooms from the old citizens are still there as well, so still and untouched as the rest of the things in the town generally are. Even the remnants of the old Neptune sundial outside the library and the stone sundial in the park have been left alone.

The intruder smiles, knowing it is only the beginning. If the test goes as planned, then perhaps...

As quietly as the intruder came, the intruder now leaves without a trace. There are several observations to be done.

No sooner does the intruder leave, a video begins to play on all CAT units that shows a rather beautiful montage of the town while a kind gentleman's voice speaks. Some will recognize the voice as belonging to Mayor Caligin.]

Hello and good morning! It gives me great pleasure to be able to greet you and welcome you to the Town of Luministi. My name is Constantine Caligin, Mayor of Luministi. I am sorry I am unable to greet you in person, but there is always something to be done here in town hall! Surely you understand.

While I have a minute though, let me give you the highlights of our great and beautiful town.

Here in Luministi, we strive to maintain the integrity of our quiet small town life while slowly bringing in new blood and new technologies. One look at our fine, eclectic town square and you will see how well we are progressing! There are many new and exciting places in town for you to explore, like our fabulous restaurants, recently renovated cinema, and our famous library. We welcome any feedback about them, from convenience to pure aestheticism. Our latest additions are identical housing developments situated in the west and east of Luministi's town borders and we hope you enjoy the accommodations! They have been built with the ideas of comfort and ease in mind.

Unfortunately, that--[there is a slight disturbance in the audio, as if the original has been altered]--will be all for today. This has just been merely a test. Soon, you will see what joys your stay in Luministi will bring you. And it will bring you plenty of joy and happiness. So much so, you will never want to leave.

Not ever again.

[And on that note, the video ends on a rather ominous shot of the town hall, and unintelligible voices begin to whisper to fill the void the video broadcast has left...]



Plot Details: Off-Season 3

Welcome to Luministi's pre-season Fourth Wall event! If you have never participated in 4th wall with us before, the portion above the cut there is an IC continuation of the story that has been in the making for the past two seasons (a summary of which can be read here if you are curious, but it's not required reading!) But unlike past events, the majority of our in-game characters are off on different journeys or are even back home in their worlds! The town itself has been pretty empty for a while, so the video that was mysteriously broadcast just then will be everyone's view of the town.

Now, for those of you new to the game, the CATs, or Communications Audiovisual Transmitters, are personalized communication devices about the size of your palm, and for this day only, visiting characters will have this device. They'll have found it randomly on their person with no idea how it even got there. From a video broadcast standpoint, you'll be able to see the the immediate surroundings of the person you're talking to. More information about the CATs can be found on the FAQ page, which also has some handy tips about how the game is run and other questions about the game that aren't answered elsewhere in the mod journal. But if you don't see your question answered anywhere, please don't be afraid to ask!

In-game time, this event lasts a day, but you can tag for however long you want!

If visiting players do app into the game when applications and reserves open on April 14th, 12:01am EST, they will be able to remember the video of the town and everyone they meet the moment they show up in the town of Luministi for real. Yeah for ready-made CR, right?

And for returning players and those still in play in off-season shenanigans, here's the link to the most recent batch of updates, especially regarding things I'll need from you guys. I think I have just about everyone, but it's here again for your convenience! And character-wise, it's up to you what your character was up to when that somewhat familiar broadcast came over the CATs. Just when you thought you were safe from the town again, huh? Alas...

This event is merely a preview of what is to come in Luministi's third and final season. All of the storylines and mysteries introduced back in June 2010 when the game first opened will be brought to a close, and how it all does will be up to everyone involved. There are choices to be made and tasks that need to be accomplished--but only if you do it. Not doing something also will result in something, but whether it's for better or worse, well... You'll just have to come along for the ride and see, won't you?

luministi formally opens May 19th, 11:59am EST. I look forward to seeing everyone here! ♥

Now, let the fourth-walling commence! Have lots of fun~

Comments

[vengefulagent]

[Wash kind of...stares at the black cat. it's a good thing he isn't superstitious, or else having a black cat cross his path (albeit virtually) would just figure with the kind of day he's having.]

...A talking cat. [another short pause] Well, now I've seen everything.

[yep, that definitely answers those questions of yours, Sophie.]

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie looks quite as stunned at his appearance] Oh goodness! [she pulls her head back for a moment before poking curiously at the projection again] Talking cat!? Now why would he think that? I can't speak!

[but considering what he just said, it seems she can. frowning, she asks curiously:] Agent Washington, can you understand me?

[vengefulagent]

[he merely raises a very skeptical eyebrow at her words, not commenting on the fact that he could hear her say all that. as it is, he's vaguely wondering what all this says about his sanity...]

I can, but I'm...not sure I understand what's going on. The last time I saw you, you were a human, Miss Hatter.

[fortune_sought]

Well, yes, of course I was! This is just a spell, after all.

But that isn't right. [she ducks her head, troubled] I should be a cat. And I don't think those other men understood me... [not that she gave the soldier much of a chance to try, but still. if they'd heard her speaking, wouldn't they have reacted differently?] Now that is strange.

[by which, of course, she means that part is strange. clearly nothing else is]

[vengefulagent]

[sarcastically] Oh! Well, that just explains it all then. [not that he doesn't still have his reservations]

[he's silent for a moment, just listening to her talk] ...You are a cat. You're just able to form words and sounds like a human would.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie doesn't understand the reason for that attitude. she snaps back:] Well, what did you expect it to be?

Yes, and that's the strange part! It's not much of a disguise if I still speak, is it? I'm quite certain the men I saw a bit ago couldn't hear me speaking at all.

[vengefulagent]

Some...odd quirk of this device, perhaps? [or, you know, other things. it's been one hell of a week]

I'm pretty sure your disguise is still working. They didn't comment on the fact that they were speaking to a talking cat, right? [short pause] Wait, what other men?

[fortune_sought]

[thoughtfully] I suppose it could be... To be honest, I'm not certain how I have this CAT at all. I certainly haven't been carrying it!

Well, no, though I suppose they didn't have much chance to. [mostly because she nearly clawed the soldier's eye out and they got out of there] I think they were travellers, but I didn't get a very good look.

[at this point, there's a soft mew behind her, and Sophie turns. this reveals a tiny kitten, old enough to have his eyes open but hardly more than that. Sophie licks him and adjusts her position to wrap around him]

[vengefulagent]

[he's about to ask more about the men she had seen, but the reveal of the kitten takes him aback somewhat]

...You were still pregnant when that spell hit you. [the statement sounds more surprised than it should] Miss Hatter, what exactly has happened?

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie is quiet for a moment as she gives Morgan a good cleaning--it's a good opportunity to think about how to explain. but then she turns back to Agent Washington, looking rather reluctant] It's a long story. Two weeks ago, or something very near to, the castle was stolen by a djinn. Howl used the cat spell at the last moment so it wouldn't see me, but...well, when it took the castle, I landed here. I think I'm somewhere in the mountains north of Kingsbury now.

[vengefulagent]

[he looks away for a moment, waiting for her to speak, but returns his attentions to her once she begins to speak]

A djinn. An actual djinn. You live in one hell of an interesting world, Miss Hatter.

But how weren't you taken when it took the castle? [insert catapult joke here]

[fortune_sought]

[sourly] "Interesting" isn't the word I'd use at the moment. How utterly monstrous, breaking into people's castles and stealing them!

[she looks uncomfortable] I'm not certain. Everyone was yelling, and then the castle just came off from on top of me! And quite as suddenly, I was here in the mountains.

[vengefulagent]

[ignores her sour tone] You're lucky that's the only thing it did.

I see. [for her sake, he decides to change the topic. he can't do anything to change the past anyway] What is your...um. [falters for a second, debating word choice] Your baby's name?

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie's expression is crestfallen as she snaps:] Yes, I do know that! [and she firmly does not think about the fact that she doubts that's all it did]

[she's relieved by the change in topic] This is Morgan.

[Morgan, meanwhile, is curious about this hologram. he steps away from his mother, his movements wobbly and his stubby, bottle brush-like tail swishing back and forth as he tries to balance himself. when he gets close, he starts to bat at the image being projected by the CAT]

[vengefulagent]

[...he's having a hard time imagining what it'll be like for the baby when he's turned back into a human and can't do cat things like...well. that.] Morgan, huh? Named after anyone you know back home?

[fortune_sought]

No, but Howl didn't seem to mind it, so I'd say it's a good name. He did go on so with the most presumptuous names! [they may have had a row about this. or two]

[Morgan continues happily batting at the hologram for the moment]

Do you have any children, Agent Washington?

[vengefulagent]

I see. [he can think of a number of presumptuous and ridiculous names--unfortunately, half of them are made even more ridiculous when applied to a kitten.]

[shakes his head] No. With the kind of life I lead, there wouldn't be any place for them.

[fortune_sought]

Oh, I see... [that seems rather sad to her, actually]

Oh! I'm sorry I didn't ask before. Are you well? [the kitten distracted her. newborns are like that; you understand] Are you still in Luministi?

[vengefulagent]

[it doesn't bother him any. children simply never factored into any equation]

[he simply shrugs. that's the kind of question he likes to avoid giving a real and completely honest question to.] As well as can be expected when simply stepping outside earns Croix and I the attentions of hundreds of people within the vicinity. [though in this case, it's all entirely true]

[fortune_sought]

[she frowns] Are you having difficulty with the...erm...people who watched the program as well?

[Jamie had mentioned trouble like that to her before, but she's still having difficulty with the concept]

[vengefulagent]

[he sighs heavily before he begins to answer] Unfortunately...yes. Yes I have. Croix and I have worked out a system where one of us walks around as ourself while the other investigates dressed in a disguise. It's been surprisingly effect.

[fortune_sought]

[she frowns, trying to picture how that might work] So you haven't been able to do anything together?

[and what happens to the one walking around as himself? but she'll hold that question for the moment. after what Jamie said, she's not sure she wants the answer]

[vengefulagent]

Not really, but it works. We can still cover as much ground and keep things quieter for each other.

[regards her for a moment] So... What is it like being a cat? Can you still do your magic?

[fortune_sought]

What have you discovered so far?

Oh, it's rather like you'd expect. And, ah, yes. [though she sounds a bit embarrassed] I can make myself into a bigger cat, at any rate. It's quite handy if I need to scare anything away.

[vengefulagent]

[lord, where to even begin? ...after a moment's thought, Wash opts for the most recent discovery] We've found a storage facility that our good friend has recently accessed. Not sure what we'll find in there, or if he's even using it as a temporary home, but we're going there nonetheless.

[he raises an eyebrow, thinking that's not...very magical--or in the very least, not what he'd think of when it comes to something like magic. then again, he shouldn't be one to criticize when nothing even like that is possible in his world] I see. Let's hope your son doesn't pick up on that trick or it just might make your life that much more interesting.