❧ 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

[arcielwaath]

[You'll hear the sounds of a busy restaurant slowly fading away as the CAT is... apparently carried out the door. A face comes into view: a young girl with purple hair, matching eyes... wearing a restaurant's mascot-girl-ish uniform. She looks...absolutely baffled.]

Huuh? So what is this? What... kind of town is that? Is that even real? You can't see the Tower!

[bonnypiperlad]

Aye, it's quite real. [The young man responding to her looks considerably less baffled, although he does eye that purple hair curiously for a moment.] I've been there before, although I don't think I've seen ye there.

[Which isn't a good sign, and his mouth pulls off to one side.] What Tower would ye be talking about, though?

[arcielwaath]

[She shakes her head.] No, I've... never been there. I haven't seen anything like that before! It looks so... organized! Not even Clustania is that planned-out!

Whaaaaat? What do you mean, "What Tower"? The Tower!

[bonnypiperlad]

Look, there's more than one tower I've seen since I've started traveling, so...oh. Ye mean something from your world! Is it in this cluster mania place ye mentioned?

[You'll have to forgive Jamie. He sometimes comes up with his own words for things.]

[arcielwaath]

My... world? What?

[You'll have to forgive Finnel as well. She usually has so many thoughts going through her head at once that she gets a little stubborn when it comes to new information that breaks the norm...]


Cluster--! No, Clustania! The city?

[bonnypiperlad]

[He shakes his head.] I'm sorry, miss, but I've not heard of it. Is that your home?

[arcielwaath]

[She nods.]

Yep. I'm from Clustania. But... where are you from? I mean, if you haven't even heard of Clustania...

[bonnypiperlad]

I'm from Scotland. Er...that's a place on Earth. I don't know if ye know that name or not. But, these people, the ones that gave ye the CAT and put up the message? They took us from a lot of different places and brought us to that town.

[arcielwaath]

[She shakes her head. She's about to comment that she's never heard of Earth before, let alone Scotland, but the rest of what he says gets her attention. Her eyes go wide.]

They took you? Wait! Are you trapped? Do you need help?

[vengefulagent]

That was a facsimile town known as "Luministi" and that...was the fake mayor.[then he processes what else she said] Wait, did you say 'the Tower'?

[arcielwaath]

E-Eeehh...! [Armor! Oh goddess! She abruptly straightens her posture!] H-Hello, sir! I-I didn't realize this was an official channel! Sh-should I tune to another?

Uhh... Yeah! Yeah, I said Tower! I mean, of course! [Slightly nervous laugh goes here~!]

[vengefulagent]

[he can't help blinking, somewhat surprised by that reaction] Ah, stand down, soldier. It's all right. This isn't exactly an official channel of any kind, so you're not intruding.

Are you from Metafalss by any chance?

[arcielwaath]

[She visibly relaxes, smiling for him.] Okay! If you're sure! I couldn't figure out this thing anyway - it's so weird! Is it even a Telemo?

Metafalss? [She shakes her head slowly.] No... [And then, she lights up with a realization!] Hey! That's where Cocona said she came from! That other Tower!

((OoC: In which Maggie tries to pick the canon point that would confuse Wash the least~ ^^;; ))

[vengefulagent]

I am. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. [a Telemo? well, that rings a bell.]

[tilts his head slightly] You know Cocona?


[ooc: It's all good so far! o/ ]

[arcielwaath]

[... Oops. Her eyes go a little wide.] You know Cocona? Wh-Where are you from?

[vengefulagent]

Not...me personally. And I'm not from your world. [short pause] It's all a bit complicated, but I know of Cocona because of her brother, Croix.

[arcielwaath]

[She frowns again. That’s an unfamiliar name...] I didn’t know she has a brother. [... Realization!] Ohh, that’s who she was talking about! Wow! [She smiles again.]

So you’re not from Sol Cluster at all? And not even Met- uh... the other Tower? [blink!] Then how are we talking with this thing? Just what is it? [She tilts the CAT a bit -- it distorts the image, but she at least catches what she’s doing after a second and straightens it again with a small, apologetic nod. Hearing that he’s not with the Archia Think Tank despite clearly being a military person seems to have dispelled some of her worries.]

[desertdaggers]

Ah- well- your Tower wouldn't be there, I'd think. That might be the closest thing they've got… You haven't been there, have you? [peering closely]

[arcielwaath]

Huh? Been there? In that town? [She shakes her head.] No, that’s why I’m confused! It doesn’t even look real!

[desertdaggers]

Mm, I didn't think I'd seen you around… It's a bit odd you've got one, though… mm, I think that happened before… [mostly thinking out loud]

It doesn't? [blinks] Not to you? So what it's like where you're from, then?

[arcielwaath]

Happened before? [blink!] So you know what's going on!

It's not like that, that's for sure! [She grins a bit. She swings the CAT around to show what looks like a city located entirely underground -- stone and metal walls encasing the streets and buildings. But then, she gets an idea!]

Oh! Hey! Hold on! There's a really good picture over here on the wall!

[You can hear the sounds of a busy restaurant in the background as she apparently walks back into the bistro she'd just walked out of. She points the CAT at the wall, and Hawk will get a good look at this picture here.]

That's Eternus Shaft from the outside! That's where I am - in that city in the middle there.

[desertdaggers]

Ah, well, some of it! What would you like to know?

[he whistles] Oh, wow… I've never seen anything like it! Even the dwarves' village was a little more… rudimentary, but don't tell them I said that. It's lovely- Eternus Shaft, you said?

Have you lived there all your life, then?

[arcielwaath]

Well, where did this thing come from? Why do I have it?

[She laughs a little.] I don’t know who the dwarves are, so I can’t. But yeah! It’s pretty here! And that’s why whatever town they showed me doesn’t look real... how could it be? There’s no Tower, no support structures... nothing! How is that possible?

Um... no. Heh. I lived in Clustania. It’s higher up the Tower. [And if she can help it, that’s all she’s saying about that!]

[desertdaggers]

I'm not too sure I could say why you have it- [which isn't entirely true, but saying 'it might be a sign you've been picked to be stolen from home' sounds like a bad idea.] -but essentially, it comes from that town- or that's where we got ours, at least. I'm not sure if it was made there, or- well, on the space station supporting it, rather.

Haha, well… most of it's on ground level. [He makes a horizontal gesture with his hand.] There's not as much need for support structures. And- I think, if you build it well…

[he nods] So, there are places like that all through… that's incredible.

[arcielwaath]

[She moves back outside as he's talking -- much quieter! She can hear herself thing! -- and her eyes go a little wide at the mention of a space station.]

A what? Y-You mean... Something up there? In space?! That's incredible!

[And then her eyes get even wider.] Ground level? But... But what about the Sea of Death?! Are you even on the same planet I am?!