⬣//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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[cccorp]

NPC - HEAD ADMIN

[selfconcept]

[ There's a guy who's been roaming through all Root Towns that looks like this. Though if you're smart and don't forget the game's basic functions, you can see that this is Hien by checking his character information. His entire head is bandaged and sometimes he looks like he's having a huge headache from his body language, such as occasionally putting the palm of his hand against his forehead.

He can be seen in all root towns, fighting off the monsters with the occasional leaf tornado with a huge AoE. Take care not to get caught up in it. The monsters will also meet the end of Hien's staff as if he's using it like a one-handed mace. He seems to be using physical attacks while waiting between cooldowns of SP regeneration that he casts on himself. He can heal and restore his own SP. He can go on fighting forever. You better be out of his way.

That said, if you're injured and need healing? For an easier time, just ask one of the other Harvest Clerics. Maybe Nanashi? That kid is nice. Because unlike Nanashi, if Hien thinks you got injured due to what he thinks is a stupid/careless/reckless mistake, he will not heal you and tell you to fuck off. That said, if you are currently standing on "good" terms with Hien, he might actually heal you regardless of the reason. Might get scolded though. Lightly. Maybe? But be careful not to take advantage of his "goodwill", because not even his heals can fully mend serious injuries. Just look at him holding his own head sometimes. He wouldn't be like that if he could fully heal himself all the way.

As for the weird monsters with green shields? Hien can buy you some time, but how? Only one way to find out.

Anyway, he can sometimes be seen chugging coffee during the short downtimes. How does he drink coffee with all those bandages around his face? Don't worry about it.

If you want him for anything else, he can be seen at the following locations other than Root Towns until patch 7.0:

- Filmabend Theater, watching one of the movies in complete silence
- Dog Park, being buried in dogs as usual
- Wanderhalle Library, putting a normal-looking book(!!) on the shelf

... or wherever else you want him, really. Let me know! ]

[dissimulative]

i - SP-efficient strategizing

[ Oria has been handling his own battles pretty well, especially in ??? Root Town. He knows people don't come up here and it's his favorite solitary spot whenever he wants some peace.

Monsters do not give that peace.

That's why Oria is out here with a little bit of vindictive personality into play, but should you choose to come over to the ??? Root Town, be careful because there is a Skate Rat Ark that is cruising through the skies and... attacking the other monsters? Yeah. It also looks a bit battered, as if it's some sort of deteriorated version of itself. It spreads a large fire AoE that gets rid of many lesser monsters, but leaves the ones with shields unscathed because it's impossible to do damage on those for him. For the enemies that the fire can't reach and don't have shields, Oria shoots his gun, a basic attack that will leave them stunned for five minutes. It's easy to gather them up for the Skate Rat Ark to roast again.

ya boi is a necromancer--i kid. He's just using Powder of Revival on monsters that seem to have the most value, because these ingredients? They're hard to come by now. ]

Don't hit the flying thing with the coffin that's spitting out the fire or you owe me some extremely rare materials!

[ Needless to say, Oria has this area under control. Kinda. He's trying so hard to avoid the ones that are shielded. ]


ii - break time

[ At Familienspaßtag Center by Bave and Duster’s, Oria can be found in the bowling alley with the above scoreboard with lots of X's and /'s, but there's the occasional low number sprinkled here and there. When he finishes the round, he looks up at the scoreboard, clicks his tongue, and erases the scoreboard when he sees you coming over... It might be a little too late for that, but it is what it is. ]

Hey, there! Wanna play?

[ At least he seems a little chipper about it.

Or he can be seen at the tables where they're designated to eat large slices of pizza. And yeah, Oria will be scarfing down a lot. By the time you see him, you'll see four empty paper plates stacked on top of each other. He's always had a big appetite and after killing all those monsters, he'll definitely need more energy to get through them. ]

wildcard

[ Anything else goes! ]

[curvaceous]

ghosts and goblins

[ Just a month ago, Kara would have fought these monsters recklessly, without a care in the world. Now, with the knowledge that materials are harder to come by, she's starting to take fighting more seriously. That being said, the monsters are very high level, some 25 levels above her, and she'll need the help she can get.

At least she's doing it in style, though, with an elegant, imperfect white dress, with lilies sewn onto its skirt in uneven patterns. It was special armor, made for this sort of thing, so getting it a little beat up won't hurt anyone. It's just another nice skin, in the end...

Kara sees a Disco Knife approaching. It's level 75. It's above her. If anyone is in the area, she'll ask: ]

What level are you? Quickly!

[ Regardless of the answer, however: ]

It's coming. Fight with me!

ΔEdgy Youthful Hangout

[ Kara seeks reprieve at the mall. Naturally, she'd come here for the fashion and grab some pieces for Glamour members. When she's there however, she can be found in the fast food area, idly picking at a burger. Her chin is resting on her hand, with her elbow propped up onto the tabletop. She's staring at the burger, but her mind is wandering elsewhere, it seems, with the distant look in her eyes.

If anyone approaches, she'll glance up at them, move her arm and straighten her back, and manage a ghost of a smile. ]

Did you want to sit here? [ A shrug. ] Table's all yours. I'll move.

wildcard

[ Hmu with anything ]

[weaseled]

[Cool, a toilet paper mummy! It's a shame Yael isn't feeling the Halloween spirit quite as strongly as Hien is, but that's fine. He isn't here for fun and games.

When Yael catches Hien skulking around the dog park, he recalls the ball he'd taken from a certain pup and retrieves it from his inventory. His ball arm leaves much to be desired, having favored football over baseball in his youth, but it'll work well enough as an improvised weapon.

Yael patiently waits until Hien's distracted with the doggos before winding up his throwing arm and lobbing the tennis ball right at his head. Please die.]

[selfconcept]

[ That ball hits right on the back of Hien's head while he's playing with his little pomchi and other dogs and he winces behind all those bandages wrapped around his head and face. That really hurts. It hurts so bad.

He doesn't whip his head around, but he turns slowly to see who the thrower and. Who's this? A new beta tester? He inspects Yael and oh, he's not new. That shows how much his memory id deteriorating. Thanks, curse source. ]

... What do you want?

[trollophoroi]

I must say, I love the new look.

[ Who's an asshole who talks in a movie theater while the move's playing? This guy, ayyy. He had shuffled in silently during one of the louder sequences at sat himself right down almost directly behind Hien. He's one seat over from it, meaning he's free to kick up his feet on the back of the empty seat actually next to Hien and rustle his bag of popcorn loudly. ]

So, what is it that we're watching?

[selfconcept]

Jaws.

[ Well, at least Fandaniel is putting his feet up on the seat next to him instead of Hien's. It's the small things. He doesn't really mind to hear him talk either, because he's not really here to watch movies. It's an experience when you watch things in other people's perspectives, how a life could have gone in a fictional world, how other people react... humans learn by watching. ]

And thanks. It was inspired by you.

[ Asshole. ]

i

[trollophoroi]

[ What was that? Don't hit it? Fandaniel has merely come a-wandering into the ??? root town looking to pick up what items he can scrounge from the marketplace NPCs and he's treated to this, Oriade 1v1ing a lot of mobs... or is it 2v1ing, with the help of the shaky-looking coffin rat cruising about, spewing fire everywhere? ]

Oh? I'm sorry, did you say take it out? [ He calls back far too sweetly as he equips his tome, preparing a spell. ] Why, certainly! I rather think I could take it out with one shot, even!

[trollophoroi]

[ Jaws... Fandaniel knows of the movie, though he's never seen it. Ha, a giant killer shark, wasn't it? ]

Was it? Interesting. Were your spells already so weak that you couldn't manage a cracked skull?

[dissimulative]

I can take you out in one shot if you don't quit it!

[ Is he serious or bluffing? One way to find out. ]

[selfconcept]

You saw my spells' efficiency yourself.

[ During the tournament--if he just sat back and watched Hien slaughter monsters in the root towns, that too. ]

It's been happening to all healing spells game-wide with a scarcity of crafting materials, so take care of yourself, lest you get into a situation where you die earlier than you expected. I have yet to see you try to kill me yet.

[trollophoroi]

[ Fandaniel should not be wasting SP... and so he won't, in a way. Instead of flinging a spell directly at the zombie ark, he instead pulls out three additional problems from his tome. Poof, poof, and poof, three goblins poof into existence. ]

Quit it? Quit what? Why, I am only trying to lend a few hands!

[ Those three goblins? They are going to begin darting about and flinging objects at the ark from around the area, heeheeheeing away as they do. ]

[trollophoroi]

Mm, quite egotistical of you to think the killing that I do will be you. The game is simply full of targets, don't you agree?

[ And Hien can't — or won't — protect them all. They truly are all on their own, aren't they? ]

But yes, I did notice the sudden lack of mats I get when I go out farming. Very odd. Is this another part of CC Corp's game?

closed to matoba

[selfconcept]

[ After killing a bunch of monsters, healing people (maybe), and raising walls to momentarily protect people from the green-shielded monsters, he finally returns to Telophoroi's @.home and knocks on Matoba's door. He's been visiting a lot more lately, mostly because he wants to spend time with him. Yeah, that's right. He actually wants to do that. Amazing.

But he's a little tired even though he does come over with a gift of some sorts--a container full of yakisoba that he'll get out of the inventory when he's invited inside. That's why he knocks on Matoba's door and waits for it to open...

Even after all that, he forgot that his head is fully bandaged apart from an eye hole. ]

[selfconcept]

... Well, you said it yourself.

[ Hien mumbles a little under his breath, but then sighs. ]

Fuck if I know. Don't you want more items, or did you hoard enough like a chipmunk preparing for hibernation?

me when i immediately forget a different recent tag ayyy

[trollophoroi]

Did I?

[ good thing memory loss is going around right now so i can pretend i'm not an idiot ahem anyway, Fandaniel has to pause and think back, recalling that little fit of rage from before. Right, he had, hadn't he? ]

I suppose I did. Mm, but I rather think I would save you for last. [ Supposing he himself survives that long. ] I do have a very pretty hoard locked away in Telophoroi's vault, though. I just wouldn't mind adding to it...

[dissimulative]

[ Oria gives Fandaniel a dead look as he shoots one of the three goblins. It doesn't die, but it will stay stunned for five minutes. ]

You're always so bad at feigning stuff, Fandaniel.

ii

[deto]

[ deto's coming over with his own pizza... s... he, too, has four paper plates held by nimble fingers attached to hungry teen hands. when he sees the free seat at oriade's table, he pauses ]

Hey. That seat taken?

[worldbent]

[One can never be too careful with the current situation. Hien's knock is met with the door opening a crack and the point of a blade. Matoba wasn't any class that could handle one, but with the game's status now of PVP enabled practically anywhere (and Telo always being so at that), he has little room to spare for trust.]

[His eye, sharp and cunning and ruthless in the moment, flicks to observe the results of his inspection, and he only relaxes when he sees that the player in question is Hien. His expression melts into mild surprise, and then exhaustion as he takes in the sight of the man and his bandages.]

When I told you not to go breaking any unnecessary bones, that included yours, [He sighs, opening the door more widely to let him in and flicking the large kitchen knife back in his hand. It's deposited into his inventory again.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien just looks at the knife like... where did Matoba get that, but he won't ask. It's not important. He unravels the bandages once he gets inside and sits... on the floor? The futon? Wherever he's usually allowed. He puts the hood back on, but even if it falls off, you can't really see any damage. His head looks normal. Mostly internal damage... as if he doesn't already have a forgetting curse on him already, this might as well give him brain damage.

But he's always had a sturdy head, so he thinks he'll be fine regarding the physical damage. ]

I was caught off guard that time, and my spells no longer thoroughly heal this level of damage.

[ He's the level 100 guy with the max HP heal, so if he can't, no one can.

Though, really. He wasn't really caught that off guard. He expected it and was too soft. ]

[selfconcept]

Sure, I'll hold you to your promise.

[ It's not really a promise, but it might as well be--at least to Hien. ]

If you have a sizable hoard, I guess you wouldn't need any more either.

[worldbent]

[It's for cooking :) ...Not that Hien would believe such a silly excuse, but as long as he's not going to do anything about it he doesn't have to worry.]

[Matoba's room is still a little sparse, but since he's started having to actually live here, he's crafted a few more pieces of furniture to fill the room with. His futon is still in the corner, piled up with cats, but now there's also a simple wooden desk with a chair in another corner, and a few cushions on the floor around a low kneeling table. Hien is free to any of these spots, but Matoba seats himself on one of the cushions at the table after closing the door.]

"Caught off guard" ... I wonder if you just didn't guard properly. [Wow, called out or what? Matoba is no less sharp with the man than usual, but as he watches him unwind the bandages, his eye is flicking around and searching for signs of damage.] I don't see any wounds, so why the bandages?

[dissimulative]

Nope. All yours.

[ He even gestures with a free hand. At least he's not talking with his mouth full. ]

How've you been lately? Getting adjusted well?

[selfconcept]

The wounds are more or less closed up, but I still need to keep it bandaged or I feel like my head will split open.

[ Headaches too. Comes with having your head hit pretty hard multiple times. And yes, he fought even with the headache. There's a fresh roll of bandages in his hands and he's about to start wrapping them around his forehead at least... unless Matoba shoots him a look for whatever reason, then he won't. ]