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Entry tags:
- adam parrish (trc),
- amanda perry (sgu),
- andrew minyard (aftg),
- arthur stuart (velvet goldmine),
- axel johnson (oc),
- blue sargent (trc),
- declan lynch (trc),
- era ra (final fantasy xiv),
- farraige oconell (oc),
- hanako rosalina nurumi (oc),
- jim kirk (star trek),
- john (taz),
- john murphy (the 100),
- joseph kavinsky (trc),
- katniss everdeen (thg),
- kenzi malikov (lost girl),
- rafaello d’este (oc),
- ronan lynch (trc),
- shane (oc),
- spock (star trek),
- vanyel greyjoy (skyrim),
- vex (lost girl),
- will solace (chb)
Mingle Log #1: Landmarks of Xistentia
Characters: All characters who opt in
Summary: A party to mark the first wave of incoming characters in Xistentia, punctuated with weird physics and an unexpected trip to the heart (or mind) of F.A.T.E.S.
Date(s): Late May 2017
Warnings/Notes: Sexual content and other potentially offensive or triggering material to be noted in headers.
It starts with the daemons, because of course it does. At sunset, they begin to ring and beep and urge you to follow directions through the city. For those with animate daemons, be they animals or people, the programs are even more intrusive. Pushing and pawing and urging you to get up and go. The destination is not far from the first reclaimed parts of the city— a tall tower covered in overgrown moss and trees, located near the beach, the Westernmost edge of the city. Even with the chaos of vegetation growing over it, it's clear that the building is a miracle of technology and style.
"Connection is essential," the daemon tells you. "However, genital contact is not required."
You have reached the Central Citadel, and it's time to party!
But F.A.T.E.S. is as susceptible to peer pressure and trendy trends as anyone else! Early birds will find that the atrium lounge is a true mess at first. Birds nesting in the ceiling, thorn plants all across the floors, and the bottles and cups at the white bar are empty. As parties go, this sucks. However, within a few minutes of the first arrivals, changes begin to overcome the club area visibly. It is exactly the same as the way the city has begun to accommodate the visitors, but far more accelerated. Soon, the lights begin to power on, filling the room with ambient illumination. Plants recede, but do not disappear entirely. High above, the ceiling suddenly morphs to display the starry night sky. And most importantly of all, there's booze.
With any luck, someone around here knows how to bartend, because F.A.T.E.S sure does not. Various liquors from across the multiverse are available, along with drink umbrellas, speared olives, mixers and wedges of fruit. However, the cocktails that automatically fill the glasses vary in taste from acceptable to horrific. Luckily, the bar does not keep anyone out.
If you're more than thirty minutes late, the kinks have worked themselves out. The party is now in full swing. F.A.T.E.S. has surrendered drink mixing duty to various refugees[1], resulting in much more palatable alcoholic beverages. Someone even found chicken fingers, which are making the rounds.
However, it appears that the invisible supercomputer is still trying to DJ. Predictably, the music ranges wildly based on the listeners-- one moment, you have 17th century lute music; the next, Trance. Blink 182 may even make a brief auditory appearance. It is not particularly easy to dance to this nightmarishly incoherent soundtrack, but it does provide a cross-section of multiversal experiences, for those of us who care about that kind of thing.
Alternatively, you can explore. The Central Citadel is filled with odd rooms. In the presence of only one or two explorers, the tidying effect doesn't happen nearly as quickly. Characters may find jungle-eaten conference spaces, computer laboratories, or even more sophisticated situation rooms thronged with vines and flowers. Somehow, the screens and monitors seem to work just fine with blossoms poking out of the harddrives. Rooms with beds are available as well, some of them already pre-carpeted with romantic roses. You might also find your way into a gym, where slightly rotted bokken and a dusty boxing ring nonetheless make for an interesting way to meet people who aren't into roses and laptops.
Characters who meet new CR at the Citadel have a special experience. When the two (or more) individuals get to talking, their daemons both abruptly interrupt with a very important, not at all loaded question. "Do you want to see something cool?" If the daemon was too big to come inside, the question is posed via earpiece or whatever other device.
The correct answer is "Yes." And with that, the characters are abruptly transported to The Telexistence Temple, on the Easternmost edge of the city. The sudden quiet seems deafening; the darkness is almost blinding before one's eyes adjust to the lines of light running through the tall stone walls. It is much cooler here than it was at the Central Citadel, but it has its own eerie dignity.
"In the future, this is where you may access information about your worlds. Recovery information, save points, and both passive and active world entry points are located here." A beat. Possibly the daemon is watching you stumble around. "Most of the tools have been disabled in order to prevent damage from inebriated users."
However, two pieces of technology continue to cooperate. First, a huge slab of glossy black stone the height of a desk, emitting holographic Head Up Display upward, the Chronological Cartographer. Your character must touch the device. Immediately then, a bright flowing diagram of data begins to spin through the air, whirling with lines and circles and familiar names. It is a chart of the worlds your characters have lived in before and the people they have met in the past timeline. The splitting point to Xistentia is clearly marked, and your future here is a red line wavering in darkness. Toy with it a little, and you'll even be able to pull up significant dates, friendships, enemies. Moments of transformation. F.A.T.E.S. remembers it all, and it is only a quick teleport from the Citadel. (Fortunately, it is also a quick teleport back.)
Second, there is a monitor with another HUD. It displays a HUD with a single prompt: Amenities needed?[2]
Starting the next day, the Temple will be accessible to all characters at all hours. Those granted access the night before will be able to find their way back with companions.
Footnotes
Summary: A party to mark the first wave of incoming characters in Xistentia, punctuated with weird physics and an unexpected trip to the heart (or mind) of F.A.T.E.S.
Date(s): Late May 2017
Warnings/Notes: Sexual content and other potentially offensive or triggering material to be noted in headers.
Mix and Mingle
Landmarks of Xistentia
It starts with the daemons, because of course it does. At sunset, they begin to ring and beep and urge you to follow directions through the city. For those with animate daemons, be they animals or people, the programs are even more intrusive. Pushing and pawing and urging you to get up and go. The destination is not far from the first reclaimed parts of the city— a tall tower covered in overgrown moss and trees, located near the beach, the Westernmost edge of the city. Even with the chaos of vegetation growing over it, it's clear that the building is a miracle of technology and style.
"Connection is essential," the daemon tells you. "However, genital contact is not required."
You have reached the Central Citadel, and it's time to party!
EARLY BIRDS
But F.A.T.E.S. is as susceptible to peer pressure and trendy trends as anyone else! Early birds will find that the atrium lounge is a true mess at first. Birds nesting in the ceiling, thorn plants all across the floors, and the bottles and cups at the white bar are empty. As parties go, this sucks. However, within a few minutes of the first arrivals, changes begin to overcome the club area visibly. It is exactly the same as the way the city has begun to accommodate the visitors, but far more accelerated. Soon, the lights begin to power on, filling the room with ambient illumination. Plants recede, but do not disappear entirely. High above, the ceiling suddenly morphs to display the starry night sky. And most importantly of all, there's booze.
With any luck, someone around here knows how to bartend, because F.A.T.E.S sure does not. Various liquors from across the multiverse are available, along with drink umbrellas, speared olives, mixers and wedges of fruit. However, the cocktails that automatically fill the glasses vary in taste from acceptable to horrific. Luckily, the bar does not keep anyone out.
FASHIONABLY LATE
If you're more than thirty minutes late, the kinks have worked themselves out. The party is now in full swing. F.A.T.E.S. has surrendered drink mixing duty to various refugees[1], resulting in much more palatable alcoholic beverages. Someone even found chicken fingers, which are making the rounds.
However, it appears that the invisible supercomputer is still trying to DJ. Predictably, the music ranges wildly based on the listeners-- one moment, you have 17th century lute music; the next, Trance. Blink 182 may even make a brief auditory appearance. It is not particularly easy to dance to this nightmarishly incoherent soundtrack, but it does provide a cross-section of multiversal experiences, for those of us who care about that kind of thing.
Alternatively, you can explore. The Central Citadel is filled with odd rooms. In the presence of only one or two explorers, the tidying effect doesn't happen nearly as quickly. Characters may find jungle-eaten conference spaces, computer laboratories, or even more sophisticated situation rooms thronged with vines and flowers. Somehow, the screens and monitors seem to work just fine with blossoms poking out of the harddrives. Rooms with beds are available as well, some of them already pre-carpeted with romantic roses. You might also find your way into a gym, where slightly rotted bokken and a dusty boxing ring nonetheless make for an interesting way to meet people who aren't into roses and laptops.
BONUS ADVENTURE: THE TEMPLE
Characters who meet new CR at the Citadel have a special experience. When the two (or more) individuals get to talking, their daemons both abruptly interrupt with a very important, not at all loaded question. "Do you want to see something cool?" If the daemon was too big to come inside, the question is posed via earpiece or whatever other device.
The correct answer is "Yes." And with that, the characters are abruptly transported to The Telexistence Temple, on the Easternmost edge of the city. The sudden quiet seems deafening; the darkness is almost blinding before one's eyes adjust to the lines of light running through the tall stone walls. It is much cooler here than it was at the Central Citadel, but it has its own eerie dignity.
"In the future, this is where you may access information about your worlds. Recovery information, save points, and both passive and active world entry points are located here." A beat. Possibly the daemon is watching you stumble around. "Most of the tools have been disabled in order to prevent damage from inebriated users."
However, two pieces of technology continue to cooperate. First, a huge slab of glossy black stone the height of a desk, emitting holographic Head Up Display upward, the Chronological Cartographer. Your character must touch the device. Immediately then, a bright flowing diagram of data begins to spin through the air, whirling with lines and circles and familiar names. It is a chart of the worlds your characters have lived in before and the people they have met in the past timeline. The splitting point to Xistentia is clearly marked, and your future here is a red line wavering in darkness. Toy with it a little, and you'll even be able to pull up significant dates, friendships, enemies. Moments of transformation. F.A.T.E.S. remembers it all, and it is only a quick teleport from the Citadel. (Fortunately, it is also a quick teleport back.)
Second, there is a monitor with another HUD. It displays a HUD with a single prompt: Amenities needed?[2]
Starting the next day, the Temple will be accessible to all characters at all hours. Those granted access the night before will be able to find their way back with companions.
Footnotes
- Some may be NPCs! Please avoid killing or maiming them without mod discussion first.
- Go here and fill out the form, reply to that comment, if your character is going to take F.A.TE.S. up on the amenities request.
a
If we're the ones programming it, shouldn't it know what we like already?
[ Logic, right?
It's very obvious that Ronan knows nothing about algorithms. ]
no subject
It's not quite that simple. We're not...exactly programming it so much as teaching it. It's been given...ideas about what we like? It's been told humans like these individual drinks [she waves the bottles] But not what combinations we find palatable. It will inevitably stumble on a few decent ones on its own eventually, but it will take awhile for it to figure out what works a majority of the time.
[she bites her lip, chuckling] I've got half a mind to try to figure out how to tweak its algorithm myself, though, to speed up the process a bit. But that might be more effort than it's worth at the moment.
no subject
He preferred when things were dictated by magic. ]
What do you make of this? [ He gestures to the room, the vegetation, the music, the... everything. The program they're in. Ronan has a lot of questions about it - questions he doesn't really like thinking about it, because he's never questioned his identity before and this new development is making him wonder way too many things about his own humanity - but he's not about to ask them to a total stranger. ]
The whole program thing, I mean.
no subject
Well, that's a pretty loaded question. [she sighs, shrugging a bit] I mean, in terms of the basics--the...idea that all of our universes are part of a--network, of sorts--it's bizarre, but it's also logical. At least, in that it's...following the rules and laws of what I know about computers and their programs in my world. Which is more than I can say for some other things I've seen other places.
And disressingly, the idea of a semi-sentient virus wanting to destroy everything isn't that outlandish either, given the things I saw in my world. [she smirks] I'd love to be the scientist who could tell you it's impossible, but even if I hadn't already seen pretty strange things--it's given me proof enough that at least a good part of what the daemons have given us is true. I'm trying to not think about the ramifications of being part of the program though. Which would be a lot easier if it was a better bartender
no subject
Ronan likes logic, and likes things that make sense. He's still not entirely sure that any of this does. ]
What kind of rules? Are we talking like, Asimov?
[ He bites at his leather bands, tight around his wrist, and looks ahead, over her head, for a moment. ]
Yeah, I'm trying not to think about the being part of a program, either. [ Because it scares him, because it doesn't make sense, because it puts into question everything he knows and everything he believes in, and he can't have that. ]
no subject
[the laws did stay a part of popular conciousness for a reason, after all. They made sense. Well, when they weren't the reason everything went to hell, anyway.
She sighs, nodding] Yeah. I think all of us will be. Unless there are people who from places where they were aware they were part of--oh god, no, I'm not even going to consider that because down that road you run into the Matrix and every movie that made me want to throw popcorn at the screen. [she likes cheesy scifi as much as the next 80s kid, but her inner programmer wept sometimes okay]
It does raise the question of how many people here are from places that didn't even have telephones, let alone computers and...everything. How different is this from home, for you? [she was bad at small talk when she wasn't at the end of the world, she knows it's grasping at straws but it's a step up from talking about the weather]
no subject
It's... different. But where I'm from, we have phones and the internet and shit. Just not that advanced.
[ At least, he's pretty sure. He would happily missed out on any technological advances, but Gansey probably wouldn't have let him. ]
Like, we don't have talking robots that look like our pets, but we got smartphones, and tablets. [ He looks at Chainsawd, perched on his shoulder. She croaks out, Kerah!, then turns away from his ear, like she's more interested in looking out at the room. His gaze falls on the vegetation. ]
But what I don't get is the - plant stuff. It's been receding since we got here.
no subject
[she's still not sure how safe it is to talk about her work at SGC, even now. She probably will sooner rather than later, under the circumstances.
She turns to the plants, grinning a little] I've been thinking about that. I think it's...because of us. Like...it needed…[even with her knowledge of programming, of alien machinery, it's not easy to find the right words to explain the ideas she's starting to form about what's going on] Input? Sort of? Like with the drinks, kind of. There was nothing here to tell the program that it should do something about the plants--or telling the plants that they shouldn't grow over the furniture, maybe. But then we came, and it sort of...figured out that we needed them to move?
[she shrugs] That's just an educated guess. I've seen some other artificial intelligences...adapt, similarly.
no subject
But. He's got to admit that Amanda, and their conversation, is kinda fascinating, and he keeps on thinking of more questions he wants her thoughts on. His careful mask of indifference is slipping in the most obvious way, and he finds that he doesn't really mind. ]
So, the plants - organic, or artificial? Makes sense they'd be another part of the main program, right?
no subject
[is there something wrong with her that she's smiling a bit at the idea of taking a vine apart to look for signs that it's something else? Maybe]
I'm pretty sure the animals are purely organic though, so the plants probably are too. Well, the animals besides these things [she smiles at the gray parrot on her shoulder] But I think since we're apparently a part of...everything, it should be safe to assume that other living things are too, and are really alive. Just...in a different way from us? Like--they were in stasis, probably, until we came here and gave the signal for them to come online. [she's mixing up a few different types of terminology, but she's also sipping at her bitter drink because while it's not good, she needs alcohol pretty badly right now]
no subject
So you think we are organic, right?
[ He wasn't about to open himself up to check - despite what Gansey might have thought for a while, Ronan had never been suicidal. But it was something he'd been mulling over since he got here, since he was told he was inside a program, right now.
Nothing better than that to make you question your own humanity. ]
Like, we're like in the Matrix, or something.
no subject
I think we are as much as any thing else here that's moving and eating. I think, under the circumstances, we might have to throw out traditional defintiions for organic though. But, to be fair, I'm a programmer, not a biologist.
[she polishes off her sour drink, pretty sure she'll regret that sooner rather than later]
I think the fact we're all very much aware of where we've been and where we are makes this a fair bit better than the Matrix, at least. Honestly, as amazing as all of this is...I think getting hung up on what we are made of or...[she waves vaguely; strong alcohol combined with the fact she doesn't drink much mean she's losing her usual wit about all this a little] isn't as important as...figuring out how to fix everything.
no subject
[ Especially when one isn't a programmer, or a biologist, or any kind of scientist. He may know where he is, and why, but the how is what sticks to him.
He sounds angry, but it's not directed at Amanda. He's reminded of watching Gansey die, Adam sacrifice himself. It's different, but not different enough. World view, reframed. Dangerous thoughts. ]
It's not all that easy to not focus on it. Where would you start to figure out how to fix anything?