New Eden - City of Tomorrow!

For those trapped on the surface there is good news - people have managed to get the monorail working. With a catch - it will only do one trip. Down. Nobody can say whether it'll ever be coming up again.

The robots still aren't working and down below, that's starting to cause some problems. Especially when it comes to food service. It hasn't been noticed before as such, but restocking of the city restaurants and stores have always been automatically carried out by robots. Now that the robots have been offline for some days, those food supplies are starting to run low. MABEL also is nowhere at all, leading some people to think that the main computer must also be offline as well.

There is a locked door in the back of the technology and research centre that nobody has ever been through - if anyone decides to break in there, they will find a small room with a single monitor in it. On the monitor is a schedule. That schedule will tell them that due on August 1 is the next boat to the island. On it will be more supplies and possibly newcomers.

As MABEL promised, from midafternoon, a party begins by the outdoor pool in the spa zone. A robot-manned grill fires up cooking steaks, burgers, ribs, corn etc and alongside are the usual accompaniments. There is also a fully stocked bar. The music is upbeat and the whole area is lit beautifully with tiny, multi-colored lights. It also feels warmer than New Eden usually does - definitely the kind of weather for hanging out in not very much.

The party is going until late into the night.

There is a grand and spectacular fireworks display at 10pm.

[Open scene for any smaller threads people want to put up]

Each person who was previously targeted by anti-Connie sentiment today (Kyle, Tris, Blake, Cade, Clementine, Mazie, Tad) receives the following message from MABEL when they wake up:

We apologise for any inconvenience that you have experienced lately. We wish you to feel safe and comfortable here in New Eden. We therefore gift to you free and open use of the Spa Zone for today to include all food and beverages for yourself and three people of your choice.

Attached to the message are full details about the facilities of the spa zone, which include:

Swimming pools (outdoor and indoor);
Hot tubs;
Saunas;
Massages of all types;
Beauty treatments;
Facials, manicures, pedicures etc.;
Full gym;
Exercise classes of all types;
Yoga, meditation etc;
Quiet flower garden/relaxed environment;
Full restaurant and bar;
Fully staffed creche for children not in school.

Everyone in town receives the following message:

Divisions are bad for social harmony. We encourage you to look toward what you have in common, not your differences.

From 3pm onward there will be a free party around the outdoor pool in the spa area. Food and drink will be provided and are complimentary. There will be fireworks at 10pm.

Robot assisted transportation will be provided for all to and from the event.

Overnight, a response to the anti-Connie sentiment has cropped up among the pods in the nest. Targeting the same pods that had been previously marked with graffiti, new art in support of Connies has been left on each pod.

In red and black, dripping spray paint, the pods are decorated with messages of support for Connies, including "We Want to Live Like Everybody!" and "We are people too. Live and Let Live!" Also left at the foot of each targeted pod is a small altar of flowers, candles, and beautiful ripe fruit, almost as an offering of peace to anyone who lived inside the pod.

The pods targeted are:

• Mazie
  
• Tad
  
• Kyle
  
• Tris
  
• Cade
  
• Clementine
  
• Blake

Anyone traveling by the park would see a massive difference from the recent fire. Now standing in the same spot as the fire is a beautiful, massive garden filled with expertly crafted topiaries, all dotted with gorgeous, fresh flowers. Specifically, there are three large flower-only forms wrapped in beautiful, twinkling lights meant to symbolize the three burnt effigies, standing exactly where the effigies were.

On the ground below them, spelled out in flowers and fairy lights, is the phrase "All Are Welcome."

Anyone walking near the park in the early hours of the morning will see it. The fire burns hot and bright, flames licking upward above the trees. Three figures, burning in effigy. Those that get there at the height of the flames may have difficulty telling whether the figures are human or not - though they are clearly unmoving, tied to their stakes. As the flames die down and the pyres collapse, it becomes clear that it had been three robots that had been burnt, their metal bodies now ruined, melted in places with the heat of the flames.

Scorched into the grass before the pyre are the words

ALL CONNIES MUST DIE

The day dawns bright and clear, sunlight trickling in from the lake above, lighting the smouldering ashes of the fires in the park. The sunlight also reveals what had happened to the pods. On certain of the pods, graffiti has been scrawled over the glass. Accusing the occupants of being Connies. It is unmistakeable, unavoidable and whoever did it clearly had an imagination because the graffiti on each pod in different. In each case, however, it is vile, offensive and openly threatening.

The pods that have been targeted belong to:

Kyle
Tris
Blake
Cade
Clementine
Mazie
Tad

An anonymous message appears as a net post. It is unclear who posted it and even those who are good with computers who may decide to try and backtrack it will only be able to find that it originated somewhere in the education centre.

Everyone has come here from somewhere. It would be good to know where and how you got here. Tell us your story about why you left home, when you left home and your journey to New Eden.

We should all share our experiences to create a better community.

MABEL alerts all citizens of New Eden that for one night only, there will be a casino in the town center. One of the larger bars has been entirely converted, red carpet running through the front doors, welcoming people inside. Bright lights, loud music - the works.

Run entirely by robots, it looks like something straight out of Vegas. Everything from gaudy slot machines, to high end blackjack and roulette tables. There is even a show playing throughout the night in one of the back rooms. It's really quite something.

Sometime in the day, the following anonymous post pops up in everyone's net post feed... Nobody knows where it came from, but one thing is clear - it's not from official sources.

MABEL IS LYING TO YOU

Have you looked around you lately? I mean, really looked. At your friends. At your neighbours. At the person lying next to you in bed. Have you looked in the mirror? Did you think it was all real? It's not. Some of it is, but not everything. I've learned that it's not everything. It all seemed so normal. Too normal. Too perfect. Scratch the surface and it's all wrong. Any city run entirely by robots is all wrong. MABEL has no concept of morality, why it's fucked up to mess with our minds. To just replace people when they die, as if we're just wind up toys. That's what happens, you know. MABEL has a list, people she wants to bring to New Eden. Only, sometimes people on that list die before they can get here. So she just makes them. Robots. Only not like the robots that served you your coffee this morning, or helped you at the grocery store - metal and identifiable. More like something out of Terminator, man. They look like you and me. Maybe that's why there are no real dogs here. Nothing that can know the difference. 'Constructed humans' they are. Connies. MABEL's spies, I call them. I don't buy it - that MABEL wanted people so much that they would be made. That can't be the only reason. MABEL has these things walking among us, listening to our private conversations. Hearing our deepest, darkest secrets. So, have you looked at your neighbours. Your friends. Have you looked in the mirror? Are you real? Are they dangerous? Is it worth the risk?

Most residents are woken up by an annoyingly incessant beeping that will not turn off until they have read the message left for them.

Family. Companionship. Friendship. Happiness. These are all things that are vital to existence. Nobody can exist as an island. We wish you to find all here.

We will assist in this where we can. To heal wounds and help you to look to the future.

Please accept this gift. Your credits will not be affected.

Most people have been matched up as below. Those people, along with the message, are given the name of their matched partner, together with a date and time to turn up for a dinner at the best restaurant in town – an exclusive place with round tables with two, draped with cream linen and candles. Diners will find that on their date night, the restaurant will cater for whatever food types they may wish.

Not all dates are on the same night, though those on the list will have been given a date within the next two weeks. If a character does not turn up to their ‘date’ then one or more robots will find them and encourage them to be there. The robots will not use violence, but will herd them in the right direction and not allow them to go anywhere else.

The matches are:-

Ethan & Akemi
Tris & Anja
Patrick & Annie
Clementine & Bear
Synnove & Christian
Bree & Cillian
Jacob & Keegan
Guy & Eily
Tad & Freya
Thea & Graham
Mazie & Haru
Dean & Darcy
Zoe & Micah
Sage & Olivia
Valerie & Sion
Gareth & Aisling
Blake & Riven

Everyone gets a message on their computer that blinks and beeps until the task is completed.

Greetings, Citizens!

Please take the following quiz and post your results for all to see. It will be fun!

Thank you for your cooperation!

LOVE MATCH TYPE

[copy and paste results in a 'net post - the site will ask you to create an account, you don't have to, just click to bypass that, the button should be on the right. :)]

Morning After The Night of the Living Robots

A message comes through on the communicators, and will beep and blink until read:

Congratulations, Citizens!

You have done well! You have exceeded expectations, and pulled together in a time of crisis! You never know what the world will bring you, and while this is a safe place, we wanted to make sure you knew how to bond in a time of need. Because you stood against adversity and took care of your neighbour, you deserve a treat.

Unfortunately, we’ve sadly lost a member of our community in the crisis. Ryker Collins is no longer with us. You will still be able to visit him at the cemetery on the surface of New Eden. Please remember that grief comes in many forms. Be kind to yourself and kind to others during this time of mourning.

Peace to all, we are proud of you, Citizens.

If your characters had requested something specific from MABEL, they would receive those items now. If no special requests were made, your character would receive a gift basket on their doorstep containing something personal that they would appreciate.

In the very early morning, chaos breaks out. Lights flash and alarms sound in every occupied pod, and there’s a terrible racket outside. The following pods are being attacked by three robots a piece. The alarms will only stop sounding once the occupants exit the pod to investigate the ongoing crisis.

Eagle - Sion
Swan - Patrick & Darcy
Raven - Mazie
Lark - Dean
Puffin - Graham
Merlin - Blake
Jay - Harley
Magpie - Jayden
Heron - Annie
Wren - Keegan

The robots will continue their attack on the chosen pods until incapacitated in some way. These robots have been programmed with one goal in mind: dismantle the targeted pod. If any citizens get in the way, the robots become increasingly violent with each failed attempt to destroy them.

The Nest has been cut off from the rest of New Eden. The sky bridge that usually connects the park to it has been disabled, it appearing to have done a 180 degree turn which positions the bridge perpendicular to the land on either side and makes it unreachable to any citizen.

who: OPEN TO ALL
setting: Ethan's Pod - Puffin

Ethan had gone all out for the party, with the help of some all too friendly robots. One was manning a bar in his kitchen, pouring strong cocktails and beers, another was in charge of music. The whole pod was decorated in hanging exposed bulbs, golds and silvers, banners and bunting. It hardly looked like one of the pods that everyone lived in. There were signs stuck in the grass on the way in, with easy riddles for the password and guests expected to knock and give the password to whoever opened the door.

Mid day, everyone gets a message on their wrist communicators or computers,
whichever they can more easily access at the moment.
It will blink the screen red every three seconds and beep until the message is read.




Greetings, Citizens!

This is a safe place! We want you to be happy!

In the spirit of helping you to become happy, we are
going to be taking requests! Do you miss something
from your old life? Do we not have something provided
here that you want?

Please use our REQUEST FORM!

We can make no promises, but will try to accommodate
all needs to the best of our abilities.

Thank you for your cooperation!
Have a grand day!

The morning after the club party, each person who got highly
inebriated has a box waiting for them when they open their doors.



There is a note:

Greetings, Citizen!

You had a great time last night at the revelry, and may be feeling delicate today!
Do not worry! Here are items which may aid your return to health and happiness,
so you can once again be a functioning member of New Eden as soon as possible.

Remember to rest and drink plenty of fluids!

Who: OPEN TO EVERYONE
Setting: Exodus



Sure, the thing was a bit weird, but Ryker didn't care in the slightest. Exodus was fully stocked, the lights dimmed just right, and his DJ stand was set up perfectly. He kind of like the feel of the charm bracelet on his wrist, pleased with the subway token and DJ equipment charms he'd been given. He almost didn't want to give them away.

One song rolled into another, the deep bass came out of the speakers and subs in a way that he could feel in his bones, even if he was only listening in the headphones he was wearing. Required attendance or not, he was determined to make sure at least people had a soundtrack for a good time.

Everyone wakes up to a small gift box on their front step.

Inside is a charm bracelet, with three charms that are representative
of the person receiving the gift.



There is a note. It reads:

Greetings Citizen! Your attendance is required at club Exodus tomorrow evening!

Festivities will be had, there'll be drinks, music, dancing and more!

Your goal is to meet and speak to three strangers!

When you are done with the encounter, give them a charm!

How many can you collect?

The storm eventually passes, though it's well into the next day before power starts to come back up.
The problem is that it isn't staying up.
The grid will go down in sections randomly, very occasionally killing all electronics again for bursts of time.
Things are technically up and running, but they could shut back down at any time.

The robots in town seem to be acting a little weird.
They forget their tasks, and some are clearly wandering around without purpose at all.
Some are starting to walk the Nest, stopping outside of pods to gaze into them for seemingly no reason.

The one thing that seemed to work okay today was the ship of new arrivals,
though the monorail may shut down before they get to the station...

While the sounds are very muted, there is the faint sounds of a storm raging above ground. As the storm rages on, power starts to fail around the island, random pockets at first, flickering back to life.

Eventually, however, toward noon, power fails entirely. There is sill the light piped in through the fiber optic cables, and through the top of the dome, but the light is very muted, not especially helpful.

While battery powered objects will remain working, their life will only last til about half way through the night.

Robots will be erratic. As their power system fails, they begin repeating themselves, or actions like they're on a stuck loop, until their own battery power dies.

Early in the morning there is an announcement issued from each communicator. The communicator will beep three times every five minutes until it is played. It is an announcement from MABEL.



Do not be alarmed. This is a safe place!

Weather reports indicate a storm front moving in from the West that will reach New Eden in twenty-four hours. Systems predict potential threat to services and precautionary measures have been put in place.

Services will be limited to ensure your safety.

Have a nice day!!

* * *

The monorail has stopped functioning. No one can go to the surface, and it won't take anyone around town either.

Later in the day, instead of being open 24 hours a day, robot-run stands, shops, etc close down.