[ 1] overview
[ 2] site and community updates
[ 3] new players and characters
[ 4] plotline // dominion
[ 5] plotline // transition
[ 6] plotline // thread
[ 7] plotline // off-wildcard // aeonis
[ 8] plotline // off-wildcard // demonworks
[ 9] plotline summary // story
[10] plotline summary // time table
[11] afterword



[ 1] overview

It's that time again! Or rather, it's been that time for about three months now. I rather recall my vehemence not to let it come this far the last time I wrote a newsletter, but life has been unkind with its timings.

Or, in short, I suck.

What's this newsletter about? Well, aside from the obvious that is the transition from Dominion to Thread, the closure of plot of the former and an introduction into latter, we've had some site changes since the last newsletter.

Meanwhile, Kor's still off doing her own thing with ChaoticRedder and Kaelas, which is beginning to come to fruition. She's also going to in Europe soon, which may well shift plot emphasis elsewhere as new RP pairings become possible. I know that I, for one, am quite curious!



[ 2] site and community updates

First things first: #dataclaw has seen a rule change. Or rather, a rule amendment. Where we used to have two rules (no sexuality, no insulting each other), we now have a third. Due to #dataclaw being something of a sanctuary for several players of The Abyss City, who, very frankly, largely would like a break from the drama cesspool it's made up of, the topic is pretty much forbidden. So, no talking about The Abyss City in #dataclaw (or 'silk, for that matter), unless it's a tiny thing and over in five minutes.

Glad we spoke about that.

Site changes while no one everyone was looking!

(1) Images can be uploaded to the wiki now. Yes, this is actually a change. We were that sad a corner of the internet before.

(2) We have a new fancy image thumbnail selector. But, no, you still can't delete images without a permit (read as, admin going into the database to fix your shenanigans).

(3) The scripts serving zip files have been adjusted and should now be far better at, er, updating the damn things. Additionally, for backend folks, know that log files for sessions are now handled a little more robustly. However, no, the whole 'automatic folder creation for new news archives' still doesn't work.

(4) Dazzling CSS change! Approximately 20% more space on the entire site, for free! And I've made the wiki's previously extremely hideous 'Recent changes' page beautiful.

Good to know I have my priorities worked out, isn't it?



[ 3] new players and characters

We've had a bunch of new player sign-ups that all fell through the proverbial cracks. This is where I'd give a shout-out to them and hope they receive newsletters, but then, that worked so well in the past, didn't it? Thus, skipping to the part that's actually interesting for you guys!

Pending:

Shoe hasn't played in a while, but has a new character, Tyler Reisland, whom he plans to introduce at next opportunity.

Morgrim, meanwhile, has a draft of a character called Hakumele, who is... a dolphin. Not just a dolphin avatar - in fact, it doesn't - but a dolphin. Hakumele hasn't been played yet, largely because we're still doctoring around on back story and other such inconvenient details, but she should be hitting a sim near you soon!

Played:

Jennifer Blades has a new artificial intellig- pardon, a-life! Crimson is Kor's nod back to Crimson Feather's second incarnation, though of course not quite comparable in ability or function, but with a very... generous personality overlap. What will come of this one is hard to predict.

Unregistered:

Normally, I wouldn't bother mentioning these, but there's half a session already written up with this character, thus noteworthy: Coquette (owner of the Ravenblack City community's Bite 'newspaper') has created the character Nellethiel, who ties into my still-pending Nechku character's story. So, with a bit of luck, we'll introduce both of them into the plotline soon; though Coquette needs to pass a few speed bumps in her real life first.



[ 4] plotline // dominion

Still hosted in Colmar and trying to come up with what exactly to do, most of the Citizens end up opting for the death of Shahrivar, especially given Joukahainen's guidance in the matter.

One of the main party members to not so readily make the decision is Frederick, prompting Joukahainen to try and convince him in a private debate [#086], pointing out the logical inconsistency that Shahrivar is seen as omnipotent (albeit not omnipresent) but claims to be unable to reverse the process of Goloka's expansion into Eden.

Frederick is deeply struck by the possibility of Shahrivar lying to the population to get free snacks and considers the proposal to destroy her - only to surface a few days later with hardened resolve, believing Joukahainen, their only source of information, to be manipulating them. He declares to his companions that he intends to go to Goloka to protect Shahrivar from them should they go through with their plans and proceeds to stalk off, before being wrestled down by the others - though not before smacking Sirena hard with a stick which tarnishes all future interaction between the two characters. [#087]

At Elizabeth's urging, he's taken along as a captive while the rest of the Citizens plot to kill Shahrivar. They move from the outskirts of Colmar into central Colmar to attempt to synchronise themselves with a faction of humans who have the same goal - but Joukahainen's attempts falter due to the deep mistrust they have toward him, being an Oracle. Frederick is oblivious to these efforts, continually tied up in a hotel room, occasionally bantering with his 'guards', such as Sethiss [#088], dabbling in morbid topics such as his own designation as Citizen and the logical expendability of his own life in the eyes of the Citizens despite their refusal to acknowledge it.

The Citizens pass through to Goloka after sedating Frederick in Eden to prevent him from gaining an abrupt physical advantage over them once they're in the other world. He wakes to Sirena guarding him and has a fumbling philosophical conversation with her, but nothing substantial comes of it, though they return to loosely amicable terms. [#089]

Regarding the main plot arc, unfortunately, the Citizens' have long since found out that poisoning Shahrivar won't work because of the dragon deity's immunity to toxins. It leaves them with the option of taking Shahrivar on directly, and Adrian and Teiresia spearhead the planning stage as well as the actual attack. It doesn't go perfectly well, though, since an old fiend of Joukahainen's - Cassian, another Oracle - frees Frederick in time for him to interfere, albeit not prevent Shahrivar's death, instead contributing to it by accident. [#090]



[ 5] plotline // transition

As the simulation collapses around them and the Citizens are dropped into Razor, it becomes apparent that Joukahainen, much to his endless dismay, is an autonomous Puppet. Rather than get destroyed at the end of Dominion as he'd desperately hoped he would - being a self-aware Puppet perceiving his binary existence a terrible curse - he not only lives on, but lives with the burden of his entire home having been destroyed due to his actions, as well as the resentment of the Citizens toward him for his manipulative ways.

Frederick, most enraged about having another genocide on his hands, confronts Joukahainen with it by physically assaulting him, tempted to throw him off the edge of Razor, before deciding that the worse punishment would be to let the Puppet live. [#092]

With the initial brawl dying down, the Citizens focussed on analysing Razor for a way out. Much like Darkscape, it gave the appearance of being a link hub, with each platform attached to a blue orb just beneath it, stuck to the central spire that makes up the entire sim. But the most promising goals are the glows at either end of Razor, and the Citizens slowly made their way down.

Unfortunately, rather than the much sought after way out, it turns out that it's a link out to Darkscape, where Frederick promptly uses the opportunity to bugger off into the labyrinthine branchworld with hope never to resurface. Again, Elizabeth's insistence stalls them, along the desire of several Citizens to think about which link to take, since link hubs are few and far between, but most likely to contain a link out.

While the Citizens are in Darkscape, Joukahainen and Elizabeth address the server, the Puppet hoping to request mortality, but being weaned off it by a philosophical discussion about his worth - in slow and in English due to Elizabeth being a human onlooker, and sidestepping speech in favour of faster methods of communication between binary entities strikes Cyrex as rude. [#096] With mixed feelings, Jouka returns to the Citizens.

After a few days of link exploration for some kind of pattern grant no insights, it's back to trying to convince Elizabeth to leave Frederick behind, to the point where she (privately/secretly) requests an audience with Cyrex yet again, asking for his help. It's granted, and after some bickering/convincing, Frederick tags along again, giving Elizabeth a personal vow not to run off on a whim again.

Finally, after eleven days in Darkscape, the Citizens link out.



[ 6] plotline // thread

And then the players Morgrim and pinkgothic got themselves lost [#102] in the expanse of the dream/astral world [#104], never to resurface. The end.

Well, almost, but not quite.

The Citizens linked into a simulation named Thread wherein everyone is a plushie version of their default avatar, and appropriately sized, in an otherwise fairly standardly modern environment. Having woken into a store, they're almost promptly found by an employee of the same despite it being after closing time, and she, Jess, takes them home with her after offering help. [#097] Unfortunately, it turns out that Jess has a cat, which fashions itself into a formidable foe on at least one occasion. [#098]

Of course, note that I said 'standardly modern environment'. Magic, especially of the plushie-animating sort, is a rare, if not entirely absent commodity. Jess spends a lot of the next few days trying to find someone with an inkling of a clue. All in all, it takes her nearly a month to work her way from 'New Age corner store' to 'someone who knows someone who knows someone well and truly into magic'. The plushies are promptly packed into a spaceous carton and carted off, passed along as they are.

The next time they see daylight, they're introduced to a man called Jonathan, who seems thoroughly curious about them, distantly so before before realising they're actually sentient, not just animated. A little creeped out by his so casual acceptance of their nature as walking, talking plushies, the Citizens are left with Jonathan. [#099]

The coming days involve both Jonathan and the plushies trying to read their way into literature that might be useful in solving their predicament of being 'trapped in plushie forms', which is what the Citizens presume the quest of the sim to be.

Of course, interpersonal issues still exist; and Joukahainen goes out of his way to speak to Frederick, hoping that in their shared plight (what Frederick is to Eclipsed, Joukahainen is to Dominion), advice might be gotten, only to be briefed as to Citizen motivation and the dangers inherit to it as per Frederick's perception. Despite tensions, the two part on slightly better terms than they'd gone into the conversation with. [#100]

Jonathan, suspecting the plushies to be animated by a locus rather than the magic directly sitting in their fabric and/or stuffing, begins to inspect the plushies for signs of one, beginning rather benignly with Frederick [#101], on whom he discovers Adrethyrian's sunstone. Presuming it to be the locus, it takes Frederick's entire convincing power to explain that it's not, and that he should please treat it especially carefully. Jonathan, not entirely convinced, hauls in Adrethyrian to speak to him, as well, and the situation is resolved as per Frederick's statements.

Finally deciding that research has stalled several days later, Jonathan decides to quite literally search for the locus inside the plushies - it's been established that the plushies can at most feel strong discomfort, not pain, so his moral threshold is accordingly low. He takes Adrian aside, who volunteers for generic help, and then freaks him out badly as he reveals what he intends to do, to the point where Adrian tries to fight him off; but to no avail. [#106] On the upside? It confirms the locus theory without a shadow of a doubt. It even confirms that the locus can be removed, replaced, and even rudimentarily transferred to other objects.

Also, two and a half months after the offence, Frederick Pasquan finally mans it up and apologises to Sirena for smacking her with a stick back in Dominion, who accepts. The two share a conversation about the hardships so far, especially pertaining to Frederick's - to Sirena, faceless - 'demon', Dread. [#109] They decide to explore Sirena's theory - that the dreams are server-induced and the 'possession' a manifestation of a split personality - with hypnosis, but as Sirena frankly sucks at it and Frederick apparently suffers ADHD, that goes nowhere. [#112]

In the meanwhile, Jonathan shares his findings from his session with Adrian with the Citizens [#111], all but asking for volunteers for a test whether a locus could be transferred between plushies. Frederick and Sirena initially opt for it, but in part because of Frederick's beanie filling causing Jonathan to dislike the idea of cutting him only, and in part out of Elizabeth urge to mother Frederick, it ends up being Elizabeth and Sirena instead.

It doesn't go well.

While the experiment itself is a full success, Elizabeth adopts a curse [#113], which adds much confusion to the mix and causes Jonathan to first isolate her and Sirena, both, intending to see if the curse progresses in Elizabeth or manifests itself symptomatically in Sirena. While he's out of the room he left them in separate corners in, Elizabeth meanders over to Sirena for conversation, before abruptly being possessed by a demon who seems entirely hell-bent on spreading the curse, chasing Sirena for a long minute. Fortunately, Jonathan returns in time to prevent it escalating in any form. [#114]

P.S. Silence is having a great time away from everyone else. No, really. [#085]



[ 7] plotline // off-wildcard // aeonis

Aeonis have continued their research on the network. Some media attention has fallen on the phenomenon, though the fact that no one new has been ensnared for months has made interest largely private rather than public, and the two documentations that were filmed on the matter - both which include extensive interviews with Charles Markovik - have been aired all of once.

A group of hackers has contacted Aeonis on the subject, though, hoping to be re-enforcement, but ultimately only serving to give Aeonis itself the necessary excuse to formally axe the researching division. To be fair, it really wasn't getting anywhere.

Investigative efforts are now about as strong as before, though informal only. Charles has connected back with Teo, explained the situation with the server to him, though not his sources and not the details about Maveney, and the two spend weekends updating each other and their enthused helpers.



[ 8] plotline // off-wildcard // demonworks

DemonWorks. That's Jennifer's company, for those of you living under a rock.

Marcus has, by now, of course started his work for Jennifer. Much to his surprise, her secretary, Jaesan, turns out to be a little more complex than envisioned - for example, surprising him on day one by being temporarily female and singing along with Jennifer's pet project, Melody, early at work while Jennifer herself is not there yet [#091].

Of course, with Marcus comes Sofia, who attempts to mesh into the lives of the employees of DemonWorks, going as far as trying to teach Jaesan how to take care of his human, naturally causing much irritation. [#093]

All in all, Marcus' work for Jennifer is anything but flattering - underpaid, overworked and unappreciated. At least, so he thinks, until his last day rolls in and he is offered a more permanent job. While secretly flattered to be (just as secretly) recognised, the two haggle about his future pay until a decision is reached, which includes Marcus being contractually bound to train his replacement when he leaves. [#094]

Marcus remains convinced Jennifer is a soulless bitch, though, until he catches her fretting over the well-being her sister, Sirena, trapped online as she is. Apparently Sirena's twin is quite emotionally distraught in surprisingly... human ways. [#095]

The AIs also spend some time socialising amongst each other. Sofia and Jaesan's different outlooks on AI life are highlighted again during a slumberparty in which Jaesan, yet again, ends up as a girl Puppet rather than in his standard boy secretary one. Melody's inability to gauge social standards also causes some concern in regards to her choice of... clothes. At least she was wearing some, right? Right. [#103]

Eventually, Jennifer's last main project, Melody, reaches completion, prompting her to go out to try and milk money out of her - only to find out that market interest in AIs isn't so stunning. Certainly not given the amount of work she's put into Melody. Getting her arse handed to her by the record label she applies Melody for, [#105] Jennifer flies into rage and threatens to close DemonWorks entirely, as well as threatening Jaesan with archival after having deactivated Melody in the same way already (a blow to Jaesan, who's developed strong protective instincts toward her) and being generally unpleasant. [#107]

Getting it into her head that a-lives should be far more interesting to work with, she pirates a seed and begins to work on it, Jaesan catching on secretly, monitoring the 'lab' as he is. [#108] The first time he sees the result is nearly a month later, where he's introduced to Crimson, who proves to be very rough at the edges - and quite full of himself, of the opinion that he created himself. [#110]

Can you say trouble? Skynet? HAL?



[ 9] plotline summary // story
only for Wildcard proper; much flavour removed

The Citizens opted to kill Shahrivar in Dominion, which prompted Frederick to protest. For a while, Joukahainen tried to convince the boy, but that only backfired, and the Citizens chose to drag Frederick along as a captive so he couldn't screw up their plans to either fulfil their quest or bring the sim crashing down, either way; anything to escape it. The driving force behind it is definitely Joukahainen, who's ulterior motive is a grand-scale suicide to end his life as a self-aware Puppet.

It doesn't quite work. They manage to kill Shahrivar and end Dominion, but Joukahainen is an autonomous Puppet and thus doomed to continue functioning. He opts to tag along with the Citizens.

The Citizens pass through Razor and Darkscape, both which are link hubs, and both which are analysed to the death by the Citizens hoping to finally find a link off the network. Of course, no such luck. After a side quest in Darkscape involves trying to reel Frederick back in from having run off - again - and some philosophical chatter between the server and Joukahainen, the Citizens link into Thread.

There, they find a world fairly modern in genre, excepting that they've all become plushie versions of their default avatars. They're passed from person to person until they reach someone who's magic-savvy, starting from the employee of the toy store they woke up in that found them.

Jonathan, while strictly an ally, occasionally stretches that definition, such as cutting open Adrian to find the locus that animates him, or later trying a locus-transfer between Elizabeth and Sirena. That later experiment is when the troubles really start - Elizabeth comes away from it cursed and ends up in solitary confinement so she can't spread it.



[10] plotline summary // time table
only for Wildcard proper; much flavour removed

[22 JUN] Joukahainen attempts to convince Frederick that killing Shahrivar is best way out of the simulation.
[27 JUN] Frederick announces his wish to protect Shahrivar and is wrestled down (after smacking Sirena with a stick).
[02 JUL] The Citizens pass to Goloka, taking Frederick (sedated at the time) with them.
[03 JUL] The Citizens kill Shahrivar and Dominion ends, spilling them into Razor.
[10 JUL] The Citizens pass through the bottom link in Razor to Darkscape. Frederick buggers off, prompting Elizabeth to try and find him.
[11 JUL] Elizabeth and Joukahainen speak to the server about Joukahainen's mortality and worth.
[19 JUL] Elizabeth secretly asks the server for help finding Frederick. He's found and Elizabeth is transplaced to speak to him, then returned to the Citizens.
[20 JUL] Frederick returns to the group.
[21 JUL] The group picks a link to link out through and ends up in Thead. Jess meets them and carries them home.
[24 JUL] Jess uses the day to speak to a friend who owns a New Age store, to no avail.
[25 JUL] Jess gives up on the phonebook yielding anything of worth.
[01 AUG] Jess' New Age store friend calls back remarking he might know someone, hooking her up with them for the next weekend.
[08 AUG] After being convinced the prior day that the plushies will be taken care of, Jess packs the plushies and hands them over.
[12 AUG] The Citizens are unpacked at Jonathan's place.
[15 AUG] Jonathan does his first physical check for a locus in the plushies (gently, though).
[22 AUG] (Dread inflicts a dream on Sethiss in which her body is dissolved and she's forced to use different 'senses' to perceive.)
[28 AUG] (Dread drags Sethiss and Frederick into a dream after a quarrel between them. It freaks them out good.)
[04 SEP] Jonathan cuts open a plushie (Adrian) in search for the locus - and finds it.
[05 SEP] Jonathan informs the Citizens of his new insights.
[11 SEP] Sirena and Elizabeth locus-swap, resulting in Elizabeth's curse. The dragoness avatar is later possessed and tries to forcibly spread the curse to Sirena.



[11] afterword

Oh dear god whatamonsteralloveragain~.
I don't even know if what I typed makes sense anymore.

Please kill me. Kill me now.

[2010-09-12 21:34: Kor informs me that Melody was, indeed, archived; that wasn't just something Jennifer said. Ergo, after fixing a few typoes, I've amended the DemonWorks blurb slightly to contain it.]