⬣//SPREAD, CONTAMINATE, ERADICATE

[cccorp]

>>Famine // >>Death // >>War // >>Conquest

⬣//AN ILL OMEN

You've had a chance to adapt to your new circumstances and make peace with what your life has become… hopefully. If you haven't, don't expect life to get any easier.

A few things have changed in recent days. Healing no longer works as effectively as it did in the past. If you're in the habit of behaving recklessly, don't expect one of Fragment's few healers to pick up the slack. Broken bones will now remain broken no matter how many healing spells are cast on your shattered limbs. Damage to organs can't be repaired with the wave of a wand.

What's more, HP and SP restoring items have gotten harder and harder to come by. Potions are no longer available for purchase at generic NPC shops and gatherable items needed for crafting have become fewer and fewer in number, limiting your item making options. If you've gotten into the bad habit of injuring yourself heedless of the consequences, it's time to rethink your lifestyle. Playtime is over.

⬣//PAY IT NO MIND

Think of the three core memories that have formed and shaped the person you are today. Some will think back fondly on family and friends while others have been jaded by the ill treatment they've received from important figures in their lives. In any case, it's of little concern to you now. One of those three precious memories has vacated your mind, taking with it a vital piece of you that you can no longer get back.

You may choose one of the three key memories listed on your application to be taken away from your character. Choices are limited to the memories supplied in your application and additional memories submitted for the previous memshare event or not eligible for convenient plot-induced memory loss. Choose wisely, because you aren't getting it back.

⬣//GHOSTS AND GOBLINS

And Sky Fish, and Disco Knives, and Evil Armors…

Has anyone noticed the monsters around town lately? Which town, you may ask? The answer is all of them.

Monsters have invaded Root Towns in large waves, attacking anything and everything in sight. Any lovingly crafted signs or other furnishings you've erected around town are easily torn to shreds and destroyed by the monsters who have come to roost in your once safe Root Towns. On the plus side, PvE and PvP has now been enabled in all Root Towns, which is excellent news for those who wish to combat the monster invasion and those who can't seem to help hurting themselves and others.

These monsters range in level from 50 to 75, and while many of them can be defeated with a bit of ingenuity and teamwork, some of them boast impenetrable shields that no regular attacks or spells can break through. They are also immune to status/potion/armor effects.

When in doubt, turn to your fellow players for support. There may be some among you who know how to deal with these impossibly strong monsters, but there's no guarantee that they'll want to help you.

⬣//WHISPERS ON THE WIND

A lilting, boyish voice sings to you in your sleep. His voice sounds familiar to you, tickling your heart like a call from an old friend, but this is no friend of yours.

"You had every chance to abandon this world and return to your own. What stopped you? Was it ego? Hubris? In any case, it's too late for regrets now.

They say the world is what you make of it. Doesn't the same hold true for reality?"

The voice will periodically visit you and your sleep, but the moral of his message never changes: you did this to yourself. You were trapped here because you chose to look the other way. If anyone is to blame for the current situation, it's you and you alone, but there is a̸̬̲͔̘͈͚̠̫̘̬̗̖̋͑̉̓̿͛̈́̋͐̃̾̈̕̕ͅń̵̩̱̠̫̖̬̲̻͉̝̈́̀̀̚͜͜o̴͍͎̣͔̤̝̲͍̺̿̒t̴̨͚͓͍̜̮̥͊͑̿̈́̉̂̐͜͠͝h̷̨̨̦͕͖̙̞͙̗̗͎̬͛̂̾̋̅͜͜͝ȩ̸͎̭̙̜̯͎̯̳̮̘̲͒ȑ̸̡̧̢͓̠̦͙͇͍͎̭͑̈́̓̿̓̅̑̅̌͑̈́̕͝͝ ̴̧̼͕̟̬̰̞̮̗͔͈̬̙͍̈́̀w̵̗̖̩̘͇͖̲̩̫̣̗̙̲̌͜a̷̛͎͋͑̃͛̆̈̋̑̋͠y̴̡̬͕͈̗̫̯̟̯͊͐̌̀̐͑͘͝͝.

Another h̶̦̘̤̘͐͑̿̂̏̎͋͝o̴̧͖͚̖̜͓͂̏́͒̑̈́͝͝p̶̡͙̏̉̿̎̀̑́̈̆͌̉e̷̡̡̦̣̯̘̺͍̟̰͍̤͛̀́̚͝͠. Will you heed that voice and call to it?

>>Navigation

Comments

[aphonik]

<< Don't really know what you expected. >>

[ There's a pitiful mewling noise from his hood, and he shoves the paw that shoots out past his neck back. Back, creature.

Anyway. ]

<< If you get sick of it, why don't you just make something else.

[insinning]

I was thinking of what was easy to make with abundant materials--

[Oh. Was that a voice change? Sinclair glances over from the dogs--and

Is that also a cat. Sinclair hesitates, but. He signs back. His executive manager is mute too after all. He had to learn to join the team]

<< Is that a cat? >>

[His signs are a little clumsy with disuse but]

[aphonik]

[ Is he eating those fucked up fish from the beach, he wonders-

Dosei is, admittedly, caught a little off-guard by Sinclair's response, brain whirring to compute it for a second. It's been a while since someone's actually used it back. ]

<< Your signs are sloppy as hell. >>

[ it's not that bad he's just being rude.

But onto brighter topics, which are one of his only favorites. Said paw returns, only to be followed by a face, digging it's little nails into his shirt as he smirks. ]

<< It's Bastard the Second. >>

[ He says this like he's proud of it. ]

[insinning]

[ Honestly, maybe. They deserve it though? At least it's not the friendly fugu ]

<< I know. I'm rusty. I only ever spoke to my executive manager like this. >>

[He'll fix it!!! They get a bit sharper as he remembers though. Sinclair leans to the side to get a better look at the cat]

<< Why would you name your cat that? >>

[The movements are sharper. Indignant. Poor cat?? Cat seems happy though]

[aphonik]

[ You know what? Fair enough.

Luckily, Dosei won't bully Sinclair's skills any longer. It's impressive enough somebody around here actually knows ASL. Ganba, Sinclair...

He can read the tone behind those movements, and there's a beat before Dosei smiles. It's not a really happy one, really. Considering it's on him, it probably looks more ominous. ]

<< You wanna find out? >> [ Do you? ] << Come here and I'll show you. >>

[ With that, he promptly yoinks the cat from his hood, surprised hissing noise his response as he holds it out in front of him. Still smiling. Still standing there.

Menacingly. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair yelps and jerks back. Cat???]

<< Is he always like that? >>

[aphonik]

[ Cat! Cat that is getting closer, as Dosei takes a few steps forward. He can't really sign like this, so the voice synthesizer kicks back in as he slowly closes the distance. ]

Dunno what you mean. He loves people. [ This is punctuated by another hiss. ] Don't you wanna find out?

[ Does this count as bullying... ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair looks at Dosei for a long moment. Then he shoves something into his mouth - a slice of Tres Miel - and holds his hands out with resignaton]

Isn't this just making your cat unhappy?

[aphonik]

[ Victim acquired. Since Sinclair is so willing, Dosei will nonchanlantly deposit the creature in his arms...where it proceeds to dig it's little nails into whatever exposed flesh it can as it makes itself comfortable.

Dosei shrugs. Back to the hand signs. ]

<< No. The fucker likes attention, but only when he decides who gives it to him, and when. >> [ As Deto has been unfortunate enough to find out. ] << Same as my real cat. That's why he's a bastard. >>

[insinning]

...it seems like a self fulfilling prophecy.

[Well, he can't sign like this, so he'll cradle Bastard the Second in his arms, despite the little nails pricking at his arms. It deserves little scritches behind the ears]

Wait, I thought Hien programmed all the animals in this game.

[aphonik]

[ Dosei is pleased, even if he doesn't show it. His smile does falter at the mention of a certain someone else, and he promptly blows a raspberry. Very mature. ]

<< What. Isn't he a bastard? Wouldn't be surprising if all his animals were bastards, too. >>

[ A momentary pause, then a shrug. ]

<< Besides, it's pretty tame. If it were even more like my cat, it would have just tried to bite your fingers off instead. >>

[insinning]

[Lol. Sinclair will just not answer that question]

He seems to have a soft spot for animals...

[Scritch scritch scritch]

...I didn't realise there were cats that could get that angry.

[aphonik]

<< Hope they stage a mutiny, then. >>

[ Sometimes, you're salty.

Dosei plops himself next to Sinclair on the bench, leaning his head all the way back to look up at the sky. Luckily, he doesn't need to see to sign.

<< I got mine from a shelter. Hated kids. Didn't like being touched out of nowhere. He still bites me sometimes because he's an asshole. >>

[insinning]

[You know what, Sinclair wont disagree with that. Maybe they should all stage a mutiny.

He glances over. Ah. He thinks he understands now]

Maybe he just doesn't understand how to play nice yet. [like someone here] Do you miss him?

[aphonik]

[ he doesn't know what you're talking smh ]

<< He gets along OK with my other one. It's other people he hates. >>

[ Spoiled attack housecat...there's a pause as he tilts his head up a bit further.]

<< I guess. >> [ His features crunch. ] << More like I don't know what's gonna happen to him now. He hates my siblings and my dad. My dad hates him. >>

[insinning]

...cats are pretty good at avoiding people they don't like. A cat like that knows how to take care of himself, I'm sure.

[Not like a dog...]

Would your siblings feed him at least?

[aphonik]

<< Maybe. >>

[ It's true he's pretty self sufficient...he just likes demanding attention. There's a long stretch of silence as Dosei seems to contemplate for a moment before answering proper. ]

<< My sister's not even in the country now. Or maybe she came back because of all this shit, who knows. Ezra wouldn't. They'd probably forget. >>

[ His frown deepens. ]

<< Niko would. I guess. >>

[insinning]

Then, try having faith in Niko.

[Kittyyyyy]

[aphonik]

[ There's a brief moment he seems to contemplate that...emphasis on the seems. Then he makes a vague groaning noise in the back of his throat. ]

<< Can you not sound like some shounen protagonist. Next you're gonna say 'I fight for my friends' or something. >>

[ This is also him avoiding commenting on how little faith he has in his family. Little meaning 0. ]

[insinning]

It's kind of part of one of my guild descriptions.

[ Sinclair says. He's nerdy enough to know what that means. Also he definitely did that on purpose]

[aphonik]

[ Ew. ]

<< Ok, nerd. >> [ Derogatory ] << Just don't ask me to hold hands with you for some weird power-up. >>

[ Get this shit outta here!! ]

[insinning]

That's okay. I'm sure I can find other people for that.

[help. this is too funny. ]

[aphonik]

<< Gross. >>

[ He makes a gagging noise. Very mature. ]

<< You guys are way too touchy. Weird as hell. >>

[insinning]

Who else?

[ Sinclair is trying not to laugh...Finally he is Older Than Someone else in the room...]

[aphonik]

[ Giggle if you dare. He's the one with free hands. ]

<< You. Tylor. Half this game, because I'm pretty sure I blink and someone across the street is cozying up somehow. Fucking weird. >>