⬣//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?

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Comments

[insinning]

We're friends. Of course I'm worried.

[He frowns at the impact. If it's still red, he's holding up a sunflower frappe for Tylor]

I'm not--but you should take this. Drink it.

[tylorific]

That's right, we are. So don't forget to take care of yourself too, alright?

[ A blink at the frappe, free hand taking it. ]

Oh, well if you insist. Thank you~

[ The mark is still red, fresh from the last fight. This newer bruise is still forming among the other older, smaller marks from fight. Jumping, landing, sliding, and punching. He sips at the frappe obediently anyway. ]

This sure is tasty. Are you sure you don't want any?

[insinning]

I'm pretty good at that.

[ A pause, as he considers those bruises, the lack of care in the way Tylor handled his own body. He doesn't like that]

Mm...I guess if you don't mind sharing. My crafting level is four now, so it'll have plenty of serves.

[tylorific]

I sure am happy to hear it.

[ And he sounds happy too. Too light. The frappe gets offered up casually for Sinclair to take a sip. ]

Let's enjoy it together, then. What so you say?

But wow, really? Huh, I really should level up my crafting...

[insinning]

--I guess if I'm not taking anything away from you.

[Sinclair takes a sip, but he wonders. Something like this]

Let's take a break back at your guild.

do you say*

[tylorific]

Oh not at all. I have plenty of stuff.

[ Tylor doesn't seem any more fazed than usual. ]

Great idea. [ And if they've still got a hand joined or not, they do now if Sinclair lets him take hold and step in the right direction. ]

Stress isn't very good for you, you know.

[insinning]

[Sinclair lets Tylor take his hand again. It's Tylor. It feels right]

...probably not. But this place is getting really stressful.

[tylorific]

[ A shrug, his usual slouch in place as he walks them down like it's a casual stroll on a normal day in a normal place. ]

Sure, but all we can do is our best. The rest will take care of itself.

[insinning]

...is it really that case though?

[Hmmm. Lets dodge some of those green shielded monsters]

[tylorific]

Well, I think so. Because if we did our best, then there's nothing else that could've been done anyway. So why worry so much about it?

[ Yes, normal place besides pointedly giving the shield monsters wide berth. But he's still too casual knowing another wave could cut their break short. ]

[insinning]

...what if our best isn't based on the best information?

[Well, Sinclair will be Tylor's shield. Strong and determined, getting back to the guilds!!!]

[tylorific]

You see, that's part of it too. We just have to do our best to make sure we have the best information possible.

[ He swings their arms gently, smiling. To the guilds! ]

But sometimes you can't know what you don't know. No one knows everything about everything.

[insinning]

...that's true. [And Sinclair is probably very much aware of how little he knows in this world]

Doing our best, working together...

[tylorific]

Right. [ Said happily with a hand squeeze. ] And there's no reason we can't still try and have some fun.

[ look, guild street! ]

[insinning]

[Into the Good Luck Have Fun guild they go]

Mm. You're still that optimistic about things?

[It's not judgement in Sinclair's voice but tentative hope. Can they really?]

[tylorific]

Of course I am. As long as you're alive, there's always something to be optimistic about.

[ said easy as ever, with a new and subtle twinge of bittersweetness.
He's going to flop on one of the comfy cushioned areas, bringing Em with him if he lets it happen. ]

What are you most worried about anyway?

[insinning]

[There's a note there, strange--he's never heard Tylor's voice like that before]

Right now?

[Sinclair flops down with Tylor, squishing down onto the cushioned areas with him. There's no resistance here]

...losing people I love. We've all developed really bad habits playing this game. That'll take time to unlearn. Yet, if we die here, we die for real.

[tylorific]

Sure, we might die for real if we die in here. But that's no different than real life, is it?

[ Tylor tugs him gently so their shoulders might rest together. ]

Besides, they could've killed us already if that's all they wanted.

[insinning]

...that's the problem. Offline at least...most people aren't running from danger every moment of their lives.

[He bumps shoulders with Tylor, his brow furrowing]

But here...

[tylorific]

Oh, are we running from danger right now?

[ Tylor asks it playfully, mock innocence on his face. ]

[insinning]

[That gets an elbow to the rib cage, Tylor]

Fine, running or hiding, Captain Justy.

[tylorific]

[ There's no attempt to dodge, and his oof is soft. ]

Well, I'm not hiding. I'm hanging out with my very good friend, Chef Em.

[ A beat-- ] Say, want to play a game?

[insinning]

If it's Shogi, I already know you beat Winter all the time.

[Peering up Justy with a frown]

But sure, I'm happy to play anything.

[tylorific]

[ Tylor laughs at that-- ] I didn't realize there were rumors already. I'm going to get a reputation if I'm not careful.

[ He jokes. ]

Do you know how to play?

[insinning]

Mm. You used to play with your dad, right? You can teach me.

[Sinclair doesn't mind losing, at first. But eventually, his competitive spirit will kick in.]