Zenith : In Character → Threads, Logs, Events

Who: Billy & Rhett.
Where: Mansion to hospital, and on the way back.
When: Morning; somewhere between the latter half of 9 and 10.

( the bad news is we have to get examined. the good news is billy has rhett to keep him company. )

Who: Evie and Jack
Where: En route/Kitchen
When: About noon

( the lesser of two evils )

Who: Cecilia and open! (multiples okay!)
When: About 10:45 in the morning and on
Where: Hospital level B2, hallway

( Read more... )

Who: Val and OPEN
Where: The path back to the mansion
When: Around 10:45am

( ...and everything just gets all the stranger )

Who: Reginald and Cecilia
When: 9:30ish
Where: The road to town

( Read more... )

Who: Chase and Kiley
Where: In transit from the hospital to the mansion
When: around 5pm

( Maybe it was better this way )

Who: Billy [Narrative]
When: Morning, 8 a.m.
Where: Mansion

( And no one's gunna save you )

Who: Noah and Ariel
Where: headed for the forced medical visit
When: 9:15 a.m.

( following orders )

Who: Owen [Narrative]
When: Morning, 9:30amish
Where: Mansion/The Hospital

( like a dog with a shock collar )

Who: Marco and Lennon, and if anyone else wants to come along that's okay too.
Where: Downstairs, then on the path to town.
When: Around 11

( Just a hop, skip, and a jump. )

Who: Evie
Where: Her room
When: Morning

( seriously, what kind of sick joke is this? )

Day 3.

Weather: No huge change in temperatures. At night temperatures hover in the low 50s, but climb steadily once the sun rises. There's a high of 74° Fahrenheit, with a rise in humidity. It's pretty cloudy out, so maybe rain's on the way. Not like anyone can check the weather channel.

Events: Once again, anyone who fell asleep anywhere but their own room will wake up in their bed. People who took their bracelets off? They're back on. Are you getting the picture yet?

The computers are blinking again in the morning. Once checked, a message will be waiting for them. It reads:

Greetings.

We have two requirements of you today. First of all, upon closing this message, a program will automatically launch on your computer. It contains several tests and puzzles. You will be required to complete these before your doors and windows will unlock.

At some point today we shall require that you report to the hospital in town and undergo a physical. We have supplied a map of the town for each of you that may now be found in the foyer. Upon reaching the hospital, follow posted signs to the elevator. Those who have previously explored the hospital will discover that the elevator controls now feature a laser scanner. Scanning your ID bracelets will unlock access to level B2. Once there, find an exam room with a green light above the door. You will once again need to scan your ID bracelet to gain entry.

We will grant you the luxury of choosing when to go for your physicals, but we will not allow this privilege to be abused. We require that each of you report for your physicals before 17:00 hours. Those who do not comply will be punished.

Thank you.

They're not kidding about the puzzles. Today, even each captive's bathroom door won't open until they're completed. They're all pretty standard, if a bit random. Standard logic puzzles and math problems, as well as everything from word jumbles to mazes. It's worth noting that no one has to get perfect answers. On the questions and puzzles, it doesn't matter if they're answered or completed incorrectly. If a character truly dedicates themselves to answering everything correctly (or trying to), it should take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, whereas blowing through keysmashing it can be done in less than ten. Once they're done they simply disappear, and the doors and windows audibly unlock - unless the individual didn't post on the Zenith network yesterday. In which case, that person will still need to do that before they'll be released.

But hey, what about those physicals? That's the important thing, right? Sure enough, in the foyer is a round table underneath the chandelier, and there is a pile of precisely 24 maps of Mount Zenith. There's no map key, though. There are only two identifiers on the map - a star above the mansion, and a red cross over the hospital. The hospital is a little over 3 miles away. The average person can walk a mile in about 20 minutes, give or take. Considering the fact that - once again! - everyone wakes up around 8 in the morning, there's plenty of time for everyone to walk to the hospital and have their physical.

Perhaps some of the captives will think that access to a doctor means forcing out a few answers. At last, human contact! Someone who knows what's going on!

How about... no.

As promised, boarding the elevator at the hospital and scanning their ID bracelet takes them to a new level of the hospital, previously unaccessible. From the second those elevator doors open on B2, things are going to get trippy. For one thing, any captive that's looked around town even the slightest bit is going to have realized that the town looks like someone hit the 'pause time' button somewhere in the 1950s. Even the elevator is a perfect frozen-in-time sort of antique, enough so that the laser scanner amongst its controls is almost jarringly out of place. One boards the elevator on the ground floor, amongst faux-marble tiles, ornate wood and crown white molding and wainscoting, and exits on B2 into a sleek hall of stainless steel. The long, bright hallway features twelve rooms, six on each side, each looking strong enough to stand up against a bomb blast. Above each door is a single, tiny light. The light will be green if the room is available, red if it is occupied. Next to each door is a small screen and scanner. Upon scanning their ID bracelet, the massive metal door will slide open. Once the captive steps inside, the door will slide and lock shut.

The rooms are a whole new level of disorienting - and a whole new level of fucked up. They look like something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie. Everything is white, sterile, and beyond high-tech. There is a table in the center of the room, surrounded by strange equipment. Upon entering the room, a recorded voice plays, instructing the subject to please remove their clothing and lie on the table. Once they do that, several robotic arms come out of the equipment, and... yeah. The absolutely only good news about this is that the robots are apparently capable of cleaning the tables between exams in case anyone shits themselves. The 'robots' perform a routine physical, and occasionally a recorded voice issues instructions. The cherry on top of this shit sundae? They also draw blood samples.

So, how does all this work, you may ask? What if a character flat-out refuses to fall in line? What if they don't show up before 17:00? What if they refuse to get on that table?

We are so glad you asked.

Everyone still has that tender spot on the back of their neck. At any point in the day, if a subject refuses to cooperate... ZAP. A little electric shock that seems to travel down to the base of their spine and out to every last nerve ending they have. The first time anyone experiences it, it's going to lay them flat on the floor in unbelievable agony. There may be subjects within the institute willing to deal with that pain and keep fighting, but they'll just keep getting zapped again and again, at ten minute intervals, until they do as they're told.

After it's done and the 'robot' dismisses the patient in an almost cheerful voice, their bracelets will no longer grant them access to exam rooms or level B2.

It is worth noting that the only subject to have a unique experience in the physicals will be Marco. After his blood is drawn, he is injected with something. It's not clear what, but the symptoms of his withdrawal will ease immediately, and grant him relief for at least four hours.