MarinaNova OOC

Hello, Marinanites.

After careful consideration, we the mods have come to the decision that it's time to shut down the game. It's been running for well over eight years, passed through five sets of hands and seen a lot of changes. We feel that it's time to let it go out with a bang rather than fizzle. We'd like to thank you for this time and all the wonderful memories we've made in this little corner of the internet.

But before all that, we have a big four-week long endgame event that I hope will bring some closure to the whole ordeal. If you've played a character here before that you've since dropped, you're of course welcome to bring them in for one final bash! Either way, the game will shut down for good on September 4.

( Timeline of events )

Questions, comments, concerns? Put them here. Otherwise you're welcome to use this post to plot for the end of the world.

There's something strange in the neighborhood for all of Day 437 — perhaps not Ghostbusters level of eerie but certainly worrying if you've been in prison for any length of time. The effects of these eerie glitches include:

• Small portions of the prison - trees, smaller structures, objects - disappearing and then reappearing.
• Ghost imprints of past inmates, or even past interactions. They're translucent and flickering, maybe replaying like a bad hologram.
• Music from previous day posts playing out of nowhere, and then disappearing.
• An assortment of smells, sensations and eerie feelings that are difficult to place and even more difficult to ignore.

None of the effects will be harmful to the residents, and can't be interacted with in any way. Things will go back to normal on the morning of day 438.

Here are the scheduled events for the month of June! Individual plotting posts to come as we get closer to them!

Day 435 - July 3-9 - OPEN
Day 436 - July 10-16 - Boss Cakes
Day 437 - July 17-23 - Ghost Void
Day 438 - July 24-30 - Spray-can Madness
Day 439 - July 31-Aug 6 - OPEN

Do you have suggestions for future events you'd like to see, or something player-run you want us to schedule in? Maybe your character runs an organisation that could use some free advertising? Your caretakers are here for your every need!

On Day 434 (June 26 to July 2) the caretakers will be doing what they usually do and tinker with your code — specifically the code that determines what kind of powers you have. Those of you who are just normal everyday people may find yourselves with a few extra tricks up your sleeve, while the super powered folks may find themselves... well, not all that super. (Or maybe extra super for the day.)

Hold up, how does this work?
For the sake of cementing some stability in the dome, all code gets run through a sieve now and then. Sometimes errors pop up, meaning one code + another code = new code! Therefore characters have the potential for picking up new powers for the duration of the day until that's all patched back to normal. On the flip side, currently "super powered" individuals may lose a power or ability for the day as well, or find themselves with a power they previously didn't have.

Can powers stack?
Yes! If your character already has a power, they can keep that while also getting something new for the day. You're also welcome to double down on several powers, or swap them out throughout the day if you can't decide on just the one!

What kind of powers can I have?
That's for you to decide! There is a generator here if you want to get some inspiration, but just keep in mind that your abilities must not violate other character consent (without checking first, aka mind reading/ control or any other invasive powers) and it cannot and will not allow characters to escape or alter the dome simulation itself.

What counts as a power?
That's up to you! It can be something as fantastical as flying or shooting lasers with your eyes, or if you'd rather strip off the super-strength and make them into an Average Joe that's cool too. We're allowing some flexibility for this event, so no need to stick to the strict comic-book definition of super powers. If you're not sure about anything, feel free to ask in the questions comment below for clarification on what's good and what might not fly so well.


Questions? Ask them here!

On day 432 Mary and Jaden have set up a display of sorts in Sector 0 of inmate photos. These photos will be put up on peg board displays for inmates to peruse, collect and take home if they wish.

Photos during this event can be from the past, present or potential futures and can be actual photographs they remember or moments captured on film where no camera was actually present.

This post is for plotting and sharing photos your characters may find on display! There will be a mingle put up on day 432 as well.

Questions?

Here are the scheduled events for the month of June! Individual plotting posts to come as we get closer to them!

Day 431 - June 5-11 - Birthaversary party (player run), Spa Day.
Day 432 - June 12-18 - Picture Day
Day 433 - June 19-25 - Museum exhibit: Technology of the Past
Day 434 - June 26 - July 2 - Power Play

Do you have suggestions for future events you'd like to see, or something player-run you want us to schedule in? Maybe your character runs an organisation that could use some free advertising? Your caretakers are here for your every need!

Inmates will wake up on Day 429 (May 22) with a lot less to worry about - or wear. It seems while Jaden and Mary were tending to the data of the dome, something went wrong somewhere and all items of clothing have disappeared for the day. This includes any clothing in your closets as well as the stores. Towels, bedding and other make shift items are still available in apartments and stores to quickly cover up with.

Clothing will return to the dome via overnight file repair for 430.

Opt out? It's plausible that not all the inmates files will have been affected by this unexpected purge, so characters who opt-out retain their clothing and perhaps will feel generous enough to share with the others. Partial opt-outs of limited or single-item clothing options remaining are A-OK too. (ie. Nothing but glittery panties or pasties, etc.)

Questions? Ask them here.

Plotting? Use this post to plot for the event and share whether your characters are showing it all off or not!

On Day 427 there will be a much needed group therapy day, graciously hosted by the caretakers in an effort to help you through these changing and trying times. While it's no longer mandatory, it is encouraged to attend for your own well-being and both Mary and Jaden will personally be there to live by example. There will also be snacks and drinks to keep things light.

The groups will be created through ooc suggestions, and will icly be arranged by the caretakers or by the characters themselves if they are inclined to lead a group. The activities range from drawing your feelings to trust falls or simply talking out your problems - or maybe something more creative! Have fun with this one, marinanites! Your character is of course welcome to attend as many group therapy sessions as they may need!

Truth serum? Those of you who remember the last group therapy may also remember that the characters were influenced by a truth serum that allowed them to speak more freely than they normally would. Officially this is no longer the case, Marina being a free dome of sorts, but the caretakers are still straightening out code and strengthening firewalls. Perhaps there's a string or two accidentally left in there, in case your character needs a bit of a push?

Opt out? Group therapy is not mandatory. If your character doesn't want to attend, they are welcome to stay at home, bottling up their emotions.

Questions? Ask them here.

Plotting? Use this post to plot among yourselves and start therapy groups! We'll link them below as they come up!

Current groups:

• Turning a New Leaf - coping with world separation anxiety.
• Poly-amorous Individuals - how to manage the dodecahedron of love.
• PTSD and You.
• Murderers Anonymous
• Addicts Anonymous.
• Counting Days - Managing Life with a Terminal Illness.
• Phobias and You.
• Impostor Syndrome - you really do belong here.
• Abandonment Issues Support Group

Here are the scheduled events for the month of May! Individual plotting posts to come as we get closer to them!

Day 426 - May 1-7 - Open!
Day 427 - May 8-14 - Group Therapy
Day 428 - May 15-21 - Ice cream Sunday
Day 429 - May 22-28 - Naked and Afraid.
Day 430 - May 28 - June 4 - Museum exhibit: Dildos of the Ages

Do you have suggestions for future events you'd like to see, or something player-run you want us to schedule in? Maybe your character runs an organisation that could use some free advertising? Your caretakers are here for your every need!

We've all had them, the nightmares that seem so real that you feel like they really happened, like you're still in them when you wake up. You can feel your teeth fall right out of your mouth, or the claw marks of a monster chasing you through the woods, or the hot red embarrassment hot on your cheeks in the knowledge that your entire school just saw you naked.

On day 422 (April 3-9) we're making those nightmares a touch more real. For the duration of the day, the characters' nightmares will come to life! How this happens is up to you! It can be something harmless like sitting for an exam that you haven't studied for, or something much more horrific. We encourage you to get creative with this!

If you die in a dream, do you die for real? - Nightmares themselves can not kill you for this event. You can however die as a cause of it. For example, a monster can't kill you but jumping out the window to escape it will. Maybe you're seeing zombies everywhere and accidentally murder a fellow inmate as a result of it? You can of course still believe that you're bleeding out from dream injuries, or something similar!

Multiple nightmares? Shared nightmares? Seeing someone else's nightmare? Sure thing! Feel free to mix and match throughout the day, as long as you talk to the players involved first!

What about afterwards? Will they remember? Will they get punished? The nightmares will remain as vivid memories, just like a real waking experience. The rules will not be in effect for this event, though the characters won't know that!

Opt out? Your character simply won't experience any of this!

Questions? Ask them here!

It's Day 420 (Mar 20-26) in the dome and you know what that means... Everybody Must Get High!

Without cracking a bottle or lighting a...whatever, you may still experience effects similar to being high. Loose interpretations of this are very welcome. If you want to play it more like being drunk that's fine or it can be something trippy like walls of melting colors or just very relaxing and floaty. Maybe you want to just touch and taste everything! Or it could be something a little darker like paranoia, frantic scrubbing of your house, frightening hallucinations, racing heart and sweating, etc.

It can also be a combination of things that may respond differently depending on what else is going on and you're not limited by these examples! If you've heard of a drug's effect and you want to experience it, by all means, go ahead. (Seek a doctor if an erection lasts more than 3 hours.) However, this will not cause death. Not on it's own at least. Your actions while on it could have that effect.

But being high doesn't stop with drug-like effects, does it? No! So, you might experience the day by losing gravity. Everything else could be normal while you're floating around, higher and higher! Or maybe you're as grounded as ever but your things are floating around. Watch your head when those start falling tomorrow!

If you want to combine the various types or go back to back you can.

IC rules will be suspended for anyone breaking them this day. That's not something the wardens will be announcing ahead of time though.

If you have any questions please ask. Plot here!

EDIT: Due to the IJ outage, this event will now end a week later.

Welcome to the Glitchstravaganza on Day 417 (Feb 27-Mar 5)! Rebecca Crane was busy hacking the system on Day 416 and it set off a chain reaction within the dimensional stabilizer making it a little less stable.

You will wake up either perfectly normal (opt-out) or you will have one or more of the following. They can overlap or run back to back. Effects can occur all day or on and off as it works for you and the glitch(es)!

Shrink/Enlarge
You can be the size of an ant or an elephant or anything in between. Anything you were wearing or holding will resize with you, so you can still have access to your communicator and clothing (or maybe you won't.)

Age down/up
You can de-age back to a child too young to normally be allowed in the prison or age far beyond your years or anywhere in between. You can either keep your mind as it is right now with the age-changed body or adjust it accordingly. You can shift within canon or beyond it. Once it is over, you will keep the memories you made during the glitch, but anything from future canon or headcanon would be faded.

Become an animal/have animal features
You might suddenly be a cat or a butterfly or dragon. It can be any earth animal living or extinct or animals from fiction too since this is a very multi-dimensional place after all. However, it must be roughly no bigger than an elephant and if it is some sort of animal with extraordinary powers you may need to self-limit them. Your mind will still be your mind and your communicator will be resized and reshaped to best work for your new form as long as you had it on at the time of the change.

It's also possible to only go part animal instead of full animal. Maybe you're striped or you have a coat of fur or scales or donkey ears or ram horns, etc. You may also pick up some of those animals instincts, but you'll still have your own mind.

Lose/enhance a sense (sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, power)
You can magnify any sense (or a combination of them) to whatever degree you prefer. Maybe you can suddenly see bacteria on your skin or see to the end of the sector if nothing is blocking the view or maybe you can see through things! (You still won't be able to see through things protected by the wardens like the kiosk.) Maybe it's a hinderance because you are smelling or hearing everything around you to the point of being overwhelmed. Existing powers can also be augmented. You might also lose one of the senses or abilities completely and be blind or powerless, etc.

Sex swap
Your mind stays just as it is, but your body will take on new and different characteristics from where body hair grows to sexual organs to muscle mass, etc. It's not a borrowed body. It's you—just a different you.

Icon Journal: If you would like to use a supplemental journal for additional icons, you may. However, any posts or top-levels or first comments you make should be using your game-approved journal. Any additional comments can come from the icon journal!

Rules: The wardens are busy putting things back together again and some people aren't themselves, so they won't be giving out punishments for any rule breaking that occurs. Of course, they're also not announcing it.

Everything will go back to functioning as normal on Day 418.

Questions? Plot here!

Hey, what is this wacky floating robot with the mistletoe? How? What? When? Why? Where?
The mistletoe bots are back on Day 414 (Feb 6-12). They can be found in all open areas outside and perhaps some public places inside like restaurants and shops with all that door opening and closing. They aren't breaking their way in through closed doors, but if you want one in an apartment it's not that hard to leave a door or window open!

( All your Mistletoe Day details )

The wardens will call all the bots back in before Day 415.

Questions/Plotting
Questions go here. Plot on this post!

Tired of the same-old of every day life? Curious to see what the future may hold? On Day 411 (January 16-22) you'll get the chance to do just that in our Time Hop Event. Twenty years have passed in prison. Physical changes and fake memories have been implanted to fill out the gap — what's your character doing these days? Are they still crushing on that other person? Is their hair turning grey? Have they given up all hope of escape, or are they still fighting the good fight to get home? You decide!

Will they remember this after the event? That is up to you, the player! You can have them remember everything or nothing or perhaps some of the things, like waking up from a dream.

Don't want to grow old? That's fine. You can stay in present time with your present memories, gawking at all these old timers that used to be your friends. Lucky.

Questions? Ask them HERE! Feel free to use this post for plotting amongst yourselves!

On Day 407 (Dec 19-25) characters will get a bit of home for the holidays from the wardens! Mind you, time and seasons are meaningless here so it's not ICly any sort of holiday.

ONE item from home (or a previous game if you're that kind of character) will just be somewhere your character will find it. Your pocket, table, foot of your bed, in a vending machine you use. Feel free to get creative with it.

It could be good, bad, or indifferent to the character. It can be something from any point on your character's timeline: (past, present, or future!) It can be a keepsake, picture, book, game, uniform, etc.! Yes, maybe even a weapon or pet!

Check with Mods
• Pets
• Weapons
• Magical Items
• Objects or creatures that have the ability to communicate beyond the capabilities of a normal house pet.

Automatic No's
• Nothing the size of a car or bigger.
• Nothing from a canon you aren't part of.
• You can't wish for more wishes. (What?)

Check a gift with the mods here!

The Day 404 ERROR event will start November 28. (See what we did there? 404 Errors!) You know, when you're using the computer lab, and you try to load something, but your page isn't found. But why limit it? There are so many glorious errors to enjoy!

ERRORS: (examples/guidelines)
• Turn on the light switch and nothing happens or it turns your lava lamp on. (Should we ask why you have a lava lamp?)
• Try to send a private message on your communicator and it goes to everyone.
• Look for the mustard in your fridge and it's not there.
• All your left shoes could be missing.
• Maybe you even have trouble remembering things or you can't see out of one eye!
• Can't access your power, but you now have the ability to summon bacon. (It's not all bad!)
• Errors will be somewhat minor and personal.
• They can happen in soooooooo many different ways. Feel free to mix and match! Some errors may correct themselves as new ones form.

ERROR PROOF: (examples/guidelines)
• The shielding around the dome itself.
• Secured areas of the prison.
• Nothing is likely to be directly life threatening. If you have a pace maker it will work just fine. However, if the shelf holding all those books is suddenly missing then it's really your fault if you don't get out of the way in time.
• Errors don't affect a wide-scale area or all/most players. Saying the sky is orange and full of shrimp would be too far reaching.

Opt Out: Everything works fine for you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Paperwork: All will be in working order by Day 405. Discuss in comments. Questions here!

Hold on to your broomsticks, Marinanites, it's time for the Day 400 Anniversary.

Those of you who've been with us for some time might remember the anniversary festivals for day 300 or even 200, and we're following tradition with another festival for day 400. This time we're lowering the temperature and painting the trees a bright orange for a good old fashioned Halloween Festival! All in good fun, of course... or is it?

Ready to get all the details? Of course you are!

Costumes: Costumes will be available and even encouraged, whether home made or picked up in one of the many stores. Be warned though, some of the costumes may come with a side effect of a curse, effectively turning you into whatever or whoever you're dressed as! This can mean walking around with real kitty ears and tail for the day, or passing through furniture because you decided to be a boring sheet ghost - or something else! It's all up to how you wish to interpret it!

Activities: The Wardens have read up on scary organic traditions and are setting up a real treat for you - literally. There will be bots around with baskets of candy, ready for trick or treaters. You are of course encouraged to trick or treat each other as well! There's a haunted maze set up in the Sector 5 graveyard, complete with spooky animatronics and mood setting lights. If you're not looking to be spooked quite so much you're welcome to join the festivities in Sector 0, where more tame activities like bobbing for apples, face painting and pin the tail on the Jersey Devil has been set up. You'll also find a crafts table where you can make your own spooky masks, make a spider out of pipe cleaners or maybe carve a beautiful grin into a pumpkin!

Food and drink: Other than a veritable avalanche of sweets and candies available throughout the dome, the food carts in Sector 0 will also have season appropriate treats such as pumpkin pie, spiced apple cider, graveyard brownies and pumpkin spice pumpkin cookies. If you're looking for something not quite as sweet, may we suggest the green spaghetti with meat(eye)balls, or perhaps a few hotdog fingers?

Dance party: What would an anniversary be without the dance party at the end of the evening? A dance floor will be constructed on the beach, illuminated with fire pits, torches and the occasional lost spectre. There'll be spooky themed drinks available (no cocktail without eye of newt!) and a good selection of danceable tunes.

Volunteers: Want your character to earn some extra points? The Wardens are more than happy to take on volunteers to help the bots decorate the dome and set up the activities! Maybe your character has a special skill they can put to the test, like scaring small children or telling ghost stories?

Questions? Ask them HERE

On Day 396 (October 3-9) it may take some effort to make yourself understood. Whether it's communicating in full-blown musical theater numbers complete with choreography, navigating your way through iambic pentameter, only speaking in lyrics from Sir Mix-a-lot song, speaking exclusively in haikus or simply being unable to say the word "banana", it's bound to get weird. You may find it perfectly normal, or weird as heck, but either way you can't stop for the entire day! Unless you're one of the lucky ones who escaped, of course. (We call this an opt-out).

Questions? Ask here! Wanna plot? That's what this post is for!

This Monday, September 5 (Day 392) the wardens will perfect the absolute best air currents for the art of kite flying!

To encourage this activity you'll find kites of every shape, size, and style in the various shops. You'll even find supplies for making your own custom kite!

There are also a few giant kites that don't appear to be manned by anyone as they fill the dome sky.

If you have questions, ask away.

On day 390 (August 22-28), random individuals who have been or are being investigated by the justice system will begin appearing in the dome!

Guidelines for the event:

1) 4th wall journals are welcome to join the community and allowed to make their own posts! In the past, we asked you to register for this, but don't worry about that this time. Join the community anytime and we'll let you in at the start of 4th wall and then all week long. 4th wall characters may also tag any open posts with or without joining the community.

2) You can play almost anything! Anyone you can app now (which is most anyone including OCs, AUs, and CRAUs) and anyone we'd normally reject for being underage, oversized, animals without the ability to speak or characters without form. Do not play real people like yourself or Oprah Winfrey. Someone who is a characterization of themselves like Stephen Colbert from the Colbert Report or Wil Wheaton from The Big Bang Theory is fine.

3) Characters apped after the event (in the app round starting September 4th) will be given the option to retain their 4th wall memories. However, you will still not be allowed to bring in characters who would normally not be eligible.

4) These arrivals were premature ICly, so incoming characters will be equipped with a communicator and anything they were carrying at the time except weapons, but it is up to you whether you want them in what they were wearing or the standard orange jumpsuit. You can also choose whether or not they see the standard welcome message. Visitors can appear anywhere in the dome!

5) Please be considerate of the fact that this is a canon event and everyone will remember it afterward. We'd appreciate it if you would not plan anything especially disruptive or massively destructive without consulting castmates and mods. Don't let that scare you though! We may welcome it!

6) The power level of the characters you bring in will be reduced.

7) There is no limit on the amount of characters you can bring in.

8) We encourage you to have basic info on your journal profile like your character's name, canon, and timeline if it is not there already as well as a contact post on your journal.

9) There will be a 4th wall tag for people to add to posts during this week, but character tags should only be used by current characters.

10) There are no restrictions or mandates on current characters posting during this week.


Please note that Insane Journal requires invite codes. We can get you one if you respond here. We have an abundance! Please don't let this be any kind of deterrent for you!

Contact mods if you have problems or questions during the event.

If you have any questions ask them here. Otherwise, you can use this post for plotting, enabling, and begging for certain characters! This includes those who are not current players!