InsaneJournal

FEAR ITSELF EVENT
All crimes may be equal in MarinaNova, but all criminals are not. Some are pacifists. Some fight to protect. And some just want to watch the world burn.

The day begins in the dark: Technical difficulties
At the start of Day 250, everyone will be greeted with a static daypost and a lack of "daylight" because the artificial sun will not be rising. There will be sporadic power outages leaving everything completely black except for whatever flashlights you have on hand. However, it won't be out long enough to create a significant problem with food supply, temperature, or oxygen. It will not affect the communication system except that you can't see a video created in darkness. The kiosk will be effectively down for the day, and bots will appear offline.

And you aren't alone: Raptors
The raptors have been released to play and feed in Sectors 0-5. They tend to be about human-sized, reptilian with purple feathers attached to their upper arms, and adept at working in groups. They're predators and they won't hesitate to prey on inmates. Expect sharp teeth and and sharper claws along with quick, muscular bodies and powerful tails. They will also be plentiful.

So you get scared, but that's normal, right?: Fear Effect
The situation is ominous and dangerous, but for some veterans of the prison, it's not entirely out of the ordinary. What is new is that every so often you might just turn a corner and get an intense feeling of foreboding and maybe your heart is beating too fast and you're just a little too afraid for the situation or for your usually composed self. If this happens you've entered a fear effect radius. They will appear and disappear throughout the dome randomly. If the fear you're feeling gets you to run you'll just calm down again. If you freeze in place the effects will only grow. Instead of a general fear response you may experience something more specific to you. If you're afraid of creepy crawlies you might start feeling them on your skin. If you're afraid of heights you may experience vertigo and a sense that you're about to fall. There's nothing actually there. It's just you and your fears, but sometimes that's enough, right?

What's causing all this?
Okay, so there is something there. Someone actually or several someones depending on how you view this lifeform.

ENTER: VAPOR. A new criminal who managed to catch a ride in on a transfer of Sector 6 criminals. It may seem silly to break out of one prison just to go to another, but MarinaNova is not cleared for containment of a criminal like Vapor, and initially—briefly—even the wardens and engineers will be unaware of their presence.

Vapor is one and they are many. They shape shift from solids, liquids, and gases: ever changing, and pulling from their surroundings and memories—theirs and yours. Vapor can speak telepathically though there may be an adjustment period with all you different life forms. Of course, communication isn't necessarily their priority. Vapor feeds on fear. They won't hit you or crush you. They won't even touch you, but they'll get under your skin and into your mind if you let them. Peeling back all those protective layers to find what really scares you.

[ These images of Vapor represent only a tiny portion of the physical manifestations of fears they can reproduce. Actual shape-shifting movements are more fluid and organic. ]

Generally, this will come in the form of the more passive fear effect radius. In this case you may see some movement or a brief glimpse of a figure, but it will be hard to distinguish and separate from any of the illusions you may be seeing, but there might be a little more contact for some people...

Six characters will be able to interact directly with Vapor!
Respond to this comment with whichever character you want to enter in the raffle. One character per player! We will draw the winners on Saturday, December 14, so have yours in by Friday night. If you enter you are committing to be able to play the week of the Fear Itself event. The characters in these threads will be subjected to more specific manifestations of their fears in the form of illusions, so be prepared to give us information on the fears. They may also be privy to game plot information since Vapor knows something about MarinaNova you don't!

How do I opt out?
There is no full opt out for this event. However, if you stay indoors you can safely assume the raptors are being kept out. They aren't as good at doors as Jurassic Park would suggest. It is also easy enough to assume Vapor didn't pass by close enough for the fear effect to grip your character. But sporadic power outages and lack of daylight will still be a thing.

What if my character would stay indoors, but I still want them affected?
Maybe they left their window open. Maybe Vapor just passed by their outer wall. Maybe they went out before they realized how bad it was.

Can my character fight?
Absolutely. You can fight and even kill the raptors if you want! Your character is unlikely to know Vapor is behind this or to assume it since there has never been an attack from inside before. If you are one of the raffle winners, however, you are more than welcome to give fighting Vapor the old college try. Depending on the characters involved it could have some effect! We can always discuss this in more detail with raffle winners.

Can my character get hurt/die?
They can definitely get hurt. The hospital will run intermittently, but there's always the clinic too. They still can't die unless you actually want to leave the game as per the information in our FAQ.

How is this going to end?
The wardens and engineers will eventually contain Vapor long enough to send them back, and then Sector 6 sentinels will be sent in to round up any remaining raptors while bots work on the technical damage and repair anything that may or may not get damaged through the course of the event. Expect some minor glitches and repair crews on Day 251, but no more fear effects or raptors.

Will my character be punished if they have to throw a wall at a raptor or something?
No. Because of the nature of this unfortunate incident, the wardens will be waiving all punishments. However, this is not going to be announced ICly, so your character won't know they have more free reign than usual. If this leads to "end of the world" sex, please know your character will get red banded even if there is no associated punishment.

Questions? They go here.

Plotting? Use the post to talk amongst yourselves. Notifs are off, so make sure to use the question thread if you have a question.