RAIN & MEMORY SHARE

[spoofer]

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: Rain has come to the world, and with it, comes whacky memory share phenomena— certainly not all of which is wanted. Characters are driven to find shelter and solutions.
Date(s): September 30-October 7
Warnings/Notes: None specific, please warn in your subject headers

Awash In Memory

The landscape after cruelty which is, of course, a garden

The Rain

At first, it's just rain, expected to last a week. A swirl of silver cotton-candy clouds in the sky that rolls into a mist, and then a drizzle that freckles the gutters and chases people to their cars or into the shopfronts. It's nourishing and not too cold— a good excuse to share an umbrella or maybe just fitting of a shitty, blue mood if you would like to walk around in a billowy coat like the King of Pain.

Gimme Shelter

It can be a cute or enormously embarrassing way to meet people, pretty much up to you. Fall in step with someone under an offered umbrella, or dart around like a panic with a pizza box or plastic bag over your head. Maybe you'll just find an overhanging tree branch or store awning to tuck yourself under. Hopefully you're stuck with someone you like.

Quite a few restaurants seem to be offering rainy day specials, including Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, comprised of hot cocoa and half-off a second cup if you're buying for a friend. You probably won't be the only one there.

However, for those of you who are taking the weather more seriously, the citadel has opened for shelter. Here, there are beds aplenty scattered throughout, and the bar and lounge is open with its terrible soundtrack as well as plentiful if repetitive food and drink. Residents are also exchanging resources of their own, including harvested foodstuffs and clothes. You can also check out the control room to see the meteorological analysis and forecast... which is behaving a little unpredictably, but-- it'll probably be fine.

Like My Mood

Alternatively, #mood.


Maybe everything sucks because you got stood up for a date or otherwise rejected recently-- it's a good time to storm around tragically in the street. Alternatively, if you're the happy type, there is an entire musical dedicated to the fine practice of dancing in the rain. Who needs musical accompaniment when you have the rhythmic drubbing of water on the earth and the sweet smell of petrichor?

Or maybe you're in the mood to talk. Certainly, there's an increasing sense of nostalgia going around that's stronger and more widespread than the average effect of poetic weather...

Oh Shit

However, the downpour steadily intensifies over the next few days, and soon after F.A.T.E.S. issues a warning— D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. has hijacked the climate. At first, there are only a few concerns— herds of animals coming into the city seeking shelter. Be careful if you find a herd of bison gathered under the highway overpass, or your kitchen is suddenly full of fairies. Hell, maybe you're a Good Samaritan, trying to rescue some hapless native cat or other.

But then it begins.

The Memory Share

As the rain grows heavy, the nostalgia turns into something unexpected. Characters who touch one another find themselves sharing brief sensory memory. These can vary from the sudden and terrible pain of old battle wounds, to the overwhelming, heart-pounding joy of welcoming a new child to the family. The scary thing is, these memory share are uncontrolled, and might come from even the shortest, most accidental touch.

The Telexistence Temple

News from your fellow residents: Era Ra and Ezekiel won visions during the fair. And now Era has information to share, that uploading memories at the Temple can lock and protect them from the involuntary release, as well as fortify the defenses of the city. She's also talking about some kind of a key hole there, which you can check out yourself. Weird!

You can teleport East from the Citadel to the Temple, or you can walk there on your own two legs. Weather allowing.

Within the Temple the chamber lays behind a large round door covered in inscrutable carvings. It's surprisingly bright in here now, in contrast to what Era's message held. It contains numerous strange beds, all of which are now online, having awakened in answer to the rainfall. The characters must lay down on while the daemons connect to a holographic interface.

From there, the memory share becomes intuitive even for the most technologically impaired of Xistentia residents.

The Temple Chamber

If you should choose to share, you may control who sees it; filter it to someone of your choice, or leave it open for everyone. You may post anonymously, but visual cues of identity cannot be erased. Pain is muted and impressionistic, but pleasure tends to be evocative enough. It's the way the mind works. Daemons will flag graphic or commonly disturbing material. With every new memory shared, the rain seems to be lessening.

You can also choose to lock it away, preventing anyone from seeing it for at least another month. Unfortunately your memory will not help to shield the city, but at least it will stop embarrassing you. Let's hope it doesn't provoke any intrusive questions in the meantime.

After 48 hours, enough memories have been shared. The sky over the city and the sphere of forest surround the urban bounds develops a barrier that looks almost liquid, translucent. Though residents can pass through it, it cuts the rain down to half. A few hours later, the storm wanes out and stops entirely. The shield also fades away, and the animals begin to ebb as well, back into the wild. It's only been a week, but it might feel much longer.


The memories will dissipate from storage in a month, regardless of whether or not they're viewed again.

Comments

MEMORIES (spoilers abound)

[astralera]

☘ OPEN MEMORIES (eorzea & othard tour + meet the primals)

[ After her fears had been eased somewhat, Era decided to take the opportunity to share more about her home world. She had visited more places than even most adventurers, and each one was something special.

It takes longer than she thought it would, but she wanted to make sure to censor out the moments where someone paid unwanted attention to her race. With Ishgard it was impossible to find a memory without at least one person eyeing her with distrust - or even disgust. She did her best to focus on the memories of awe at such a marvelous city in the sky, and not the guilt and mourning she had been experiencing at the time.

The end product is a nice tour of Eorzea and Othard that Era is quite proud to share. Her deep love for her home is a constant undercurrent even when other emotions are at the forefront of her memories.

Shortly after finishing that, Era recalls Amanda's interest in the gods of her world and decides that it wouldn't hurt to share some of her fighting experiences as well. It doesn't take much from there to create a highlight reel of sorts where she initially comes face-to-face with each Primal. There is no fear in her memories - just determination, an unyielding desire to protect her loved ones, and a low boiling anger.

((1 (ARR + HW), Susano, Lakshmi, Shinryu {phase 2}))

The Mothercrystal comes next; memory of an infinite expanse of space lit by an enormous crystal. Peace and comfort are the most prominent emotions whenever she encounters Hydaelyn herself. She shares the moment she regained her blessing from Hydaelyn, to give a further glimpse of the Mothercrystal's Light.

And a last one for Amanda - meeting Migardsormr; father of the dragons. ]

☘ ACCIDENTAL MEMORIES

[ Happy: Lord Hien's first address to his people.

WTF: Meeting Hildibrand.

hello darkness my old friend:

Walking through Ishgard and being stared at with contempt; people whispering cruel words to each other behind their hands, loud enough still that Era could hear them. 'What was he thinking, taking a dragon mongrel of all things as a ward?'

Waking up, scared and confused outside of Ul'dah. Realizing she has no memories; being stared at as though she were the leading attraction in a side show.

The loss of a friend; the birth of the Word of the Mother.

When she took a moment to warm up and was poisoned for it.

The death of a friend.

And another.

Why
couldn't
she
save
them. ]

[remarkablymodest]

I apologize, [ he says, before he really registers what happened. They'd been walking in the rain, he had gone to grab Haurchefantd from where he rested in her hands- Next thing he knew, he was home. Only it wasn't the Ishgard that he remembered so fondly. Instead, it was as seen through a foreigner's eyes during her worst.

When the city-state had opened its gate to accept aid from the Eorzean Alliance, Aymeric himself had been aware some of its citizens wouldn't take kindly to newcomers. They were known for being insular and rightly so. The Auri, in particular, were looked upon with harsher criticism than the other races that entered. They shared features of the Dravanians - despite having no relation to them whatsoever - and that caused a strange tension that he'd noted but had not known how to fix beyond doing what he could to be civil and diplomatic. ]

For my people, for... my own skepticism when we'd first met. [ He will not pretend he was uncertain that this small Au Ra was who Haurchefant had practically raved about. ] But you have more than proven yourself to me and the people of Isghard now, I should hope. Anyone else who still has any qualms with your presence within her walls can speak to me.

[astralera]

[ If anyone had to be privy to her private memories at least it was Aymeric and not a stranger. She would have preferred her friend witness something else, yet thankfully he doesn't seem to realize it wasn't from a time before the war ended, but after. The more often she visited Ishgard the more often she heard disdainful whispers from other women around her, and occasionally men.

She doesn't correct Aymeric's assumption, nor does she tell him that no one would dare bring up their opposition of her presence to their beloved Lord Commander. ]

Your Temple Knights are dear comrades to me and treat me well. Ishgard still feels much like returning home whenever I visit.

[ Mostly because of those of House Fortemps, the Temple Knights, and those in the Brume. Most other places still have a slight unwelcoming air that has only gotten worse the more often she comes to visit Aymeric. ]

[remarkablymodest]

[ It's likely for the better that he remains ignorant to this fact; for as much as he loves his city, there are certain aspects of it that had never sat well with him. He'd be disappointed to know that some of his people's blatant xenophobic tendencies still rear their ugly head despite the lengths Era has gone to prove herself an ally and a friend. Not to mention sullying House Fortemps name in such a way. It isn't anything he'd stand for. ]

I'm relieved to hear it, [ he sighs, still a little bit... unnerved by the idea. But he'll try to take Era's reassurance to heart. ] Coerthas may be bitterly cold but your presence has certainly warmed it in the best of ways, my friends.

[astralera]

[ Era is certain that Lord Edmont would do his utmost to quell the whispering were he aware of it, which is why she will never tell any of the Fortemps about how she continues to be treated by some. People had side-eyed them prior to the end of the war due to how open-minded they were and how they claimed three outsiders as their wards, and then again when Edmont stepped down as the head of house Fortemps. She would rather not give them any cause to ruffle any more feathers during such a tumultuous time.

Aymeric's comment about warmth brings warmth to her face; a blush and a smile. ]

Coerthas would not be so bearable were it not for the kindness of you and your ilk.

[ Aymeric, the Fortemps, Lucia, Hilda... There are enough friendly faces that Ishgard is not entirely unwelcoming. ]

[remarkablymodest]

[ Aymeric usually doesn't let his personal feelings outweigh reason but he admits when it comes to Era it's a little more difficult a balance to strike. He's more inclined to protect her - as a dear friend, moreso than the Warrior of Light -and do everything in his power to ensure that she always feels welcome in Isghard. He's happy to know that despite the whispers she might still hear, that appears to be the case.

Now it's his turn, however, to seem a bit taken off guard. He smiles, no shortage of warmth in it. Nothing so obvious as a blush but he is certainly flattered. ]

A kindness you shall always receive for as long as it is in my power to assure as such.

[astralera]

[ Were the weather not so inclined to invade one's privacy Era would have taken Aymeric's hand. As it is she keeps her hands to herself, fingers twitching once as she refrains from reaching out to her friend. For not being overly accustomed to physically affectionate gestures she has grown fond of holding hands. It still leaves one hand free to defend herself and others with in a pinch and isn't as difficult to extricate herself from as a hug. ]

Which shall be a long time, I hope.