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apocalypsehowooc2024-01-11 05:12 pm
apocalypsehowmods) wrote in apocalypsehowooc2024-01-11 05:12 pm
Entry tags:
The World You Find - Game World End State
The World You Find
And then… it's over.
Whether by its own power or some outside destructive force (perhaps several people working together, in fact), the portal collapses completely. Bonnie and Reyes are gone. A few others are gone, but most of those who have fallen through to this place remain. And they are in danger. There are no Fears to harry the steps of those who flee the Wolfe House, not immediately, anyway. It seems the strongest focus of their power is the portal, the people who left with them. So, the terrain is treacherous, the house falls around them, but if those left can make it out… there's freedom. After a sort.
Outside, everyone will be able to watch as the Wolfe House collapses in on itself and sinks into the morass of Dogtown. Whatever emotions pervade the air, those left behind will find themselves with two options: remain and become swamp creatures or return to the world beyond the woods. For those who make the journey outward, they will discover that the fence has vanished along with most of the hazards they've encountered over the months.
It's a lovely stroll in the woods, really, even if it seems to go on substantially longer than it ought to. The sky is aflame with the final light of the day when they reach the edges of Gloucester and look upon the city they left. Everything seems… fine? No terrible signal creatures or the screams of people in the distance. No monsters prowling or burning pollen floating through the air. It's a cold, early January day.
The first sign of something amiss is a high-tech drone that zips by overhead and then pauses to return and flash a large, digital advertisement for McDonald's Hamburgers in front of those left. Further changes become clear once the drones leave and people make their way into Gloucester proper. This is not the place they left. Not entirely. The bones are still there, but much of the town has been rebuilt, retrofitted, turned into something brighter and newer.
What's going on becomes obvious when anyone chances to find the date:
January 11, 2039
It's a new year, just at the turn of a new decade! Everyone's stroll through Dogtown took fifteen years. Those left may make what they will of the relative future. The old ADI Headquarters and housing are gone, replaced by rows of affordable housing. Someone seems to have been working on improving that aspect of the city since everyone has been gone.
Bonnie's Flophouse is still where it was, but not as it was. The neighborhood it sits in isn't flourishing, but it's certainly not the rundown slum from years ago. It's been renamed, as well: The Bonnie Boarding House. Under the care of Skye, formerly known as the Visionary, and Cole, it has become a safe haven for homeless individuals touched by the Entities, a place where they can work to resist their affiliations together. Not that everything goes well there. But it's a place of measured hope and effort. And some interesting app development under Cole's watch. Secluded as he is, much of his time has been spent on building his knowledge and skills and working with Skye to earn money and try to influence the local town council.
Things seem to have been looking up for Gloucester for the past fifteen years with only a few supernatural incidents to speak of. With the return of everyone from Gloucester, those touched by all the Fears, darkness and terror loom on the horizon.
Those left have returned to a better place… but Corruption follows in their path. As does a fully-realized avatar of the Spiral who has only one person they care about. Milo has followed all of you home.
➥ Welcome to the Future
Beyond the above description of Gloucester, there are changes in this world that will become apparent as time passes and characters look into the events of those missing fifteen years.
ADI no longer exists as a business or legal entity, and there are no continuing traces of the influence it held over the governance of Gloucester. All of its buildings are long gone, and there's nothing supernatural or even particularly remarkable about the housing that's taken their place. Whatever tear in the universe dumped our intrepid characters into ADI's lap has healed over as though it had never happened. For now.
Gloucester and Dogtown themselves are… normal. Surprisingly, perhaps even shockingly normal. That's not to say that the aftereffects of city-wide trauma aren't still felt; it's been only fifteen years and many residents of Gloucester remember the spiraling events of 2023 all too well. Most people simply don't talk about it. Not out loud, and not where shadows might be listening. Gloucester still has more than its fair share of the Entity-touched, but somehow less than its fair share of cults and supernatural events.
Elsewhere in the world, the Entities seem to have as much power as they ever did during characters' time here. Cults rise and fall, rituals are attempted only to falter, and the cycle goes on. ADI may be gone, but most of its people are simply dispersed. A contingent operates throughout Appalachia under the leadership of Neil Grace, apparently successful so far in dodging an alignment with the Hunt. Their casualties are high, but they continue to fight back the darkness without becoming a part of it. Pam Ruan joined their ranks five years ago; though, Skye and Cole will be able to tell others that she held vigil in Gloucester for a decade, waiting for anyone to return from Dogtown. The last to hold out hope. Out west, there are rumors of a more monstrous offshoot of ADI, Rae Hargrave having become a grim-faced Warden whose lawless pack of hunters are no more human than the things they chase down in the night.
Technological advancements have followed more or less the trajectories one might expect when looking to the future from the end of 2023. There's more automation than ever, and while there are drones and robots everywhere they are, unfortunately, mostly found making and selling fast food. AI has advanced past the point of passing the Turing test, though the jury is still out on whether any of the artificial intelligences in existence are truly self-aware. Privacy online is a thing of the past, and advertisements are literally everywhere. On the bright side, though, the past fifteen years have seen huge advancements in the field of prosthetics. Adaptive robotic prostheses are more functional and accessible than ever, thanks to certain key technological developments being made openly available about fifteen years ago, as well as the proliferation of 3D printing.
Wolf Pen is hardly a thriving community. Between the meddling of both FYRE and Copernicus, Zyrian Steel's company, the town is even more of a ghost, tucked away in Appalachia. There are still a few familiar faces kicking around that place, but most have moved elsewhere in the state to escape. One such escapee is intrepid reporter Cindy Parsons. Cindy got their big break in investigative journalism uncovering a significant amount of corruption within the ranks of Copernicus and followed on with an expose of Michael C. Etcher, the reclusive billionaire. Mr. Etcher seems to have died under mysterious circumstances fifteen years ago, leaving behind a vast estate to a single heir, a woman only ever referred to as 'Fortune.' Their recurring segment 'Fortune Favors the Bold' on West Virginia public television highlights developments in the quest to find Fortune and demand answers from her. Etcher seems to have been outed as developing psionic and biological weapons for unknown persons after his death. Who is Fortune? Where will she be next? And what does she know about M.C. Etcher and his work?
The survivors of Dogtown's grand ritual will find that their return heralds a shift in the wind. Gloucester's reprieve from the influence of the Entities is over, or will be if more than a handful of them choose to remain here. The combination of a place and people both touched by every Entity has a certain power to it, a certain inherent instability. Even so, without a hand to guide a ritual, it will be only that within their lifetimes: a measure of instability that draws the Entities' attention closer than one would desire. Dogtown may yet be the site of another ritual, but it will likely be centuries in the making.
➥ tl;dr: Congratulations! You survived Dogtown and it's fifteen years later. With so many people staying, the Fear Entities have remained relatively strong in this world, but it seems that Gloucester and Dogtown, at least, have had a reprieve. ADI is no-more, but there are offshoots of it across the country. Former members who are trying to fulfill its mission with or without the Hunt. Unfortunately, this means characters have no physical homes to return to. They'll need to start fresh without ADI's assistance.
At least Bonnie's Flophouse seems willing to help! Now known as Bonnie's Boarding House and run by a more politically savvy Skye (aka, the Visionary), who has found their voice and purpose in helping others, and a more tech savvy Cole Guttuso (aka, Pyre), who remains hidden and heavily invested in app development and research into innovative skin-grafting techniques.
Characters returning to Gloucester bring the Entities on their heels, unfortunately. They'll need to disperse or risk another build-up of Fear-based energy in Gloucester and the return of more sinister forces. The world is theirs, though. Time to make of it what they will.
Milo has chosen to stay with characters in this world, rather than returning to their own, but their bargain with ADI is no more. Should any non-human character desire a glamour to move freely in this world, they will need to negotiate it. Hope you brushed up on your fae legalese for any contracts and deals.
From this point forward, Apocalypse How is an Open Sandbox. Players are welcome to create their own narratives and have adventures trying to fight or give in to the Entities.
There will be a final OOC post from the mods at the end of the month as our farewell. We will be officially answering OOC questions and continuing IC NPC threads until the end of January. After that, each mod will continue NPC threads at their discretion.
Whether by its own power or some outside destructive force (perhaps several people working together, in fact), the portal collapses completely. Bonnie and Reyes are gone. A few others are gone, but most of those who have fallen through to this place remain. And they are in danger. There are no Fears to harry the steps of those who flee the Wolfe House, not immediately, anyway. It seems the strongest focus of their power is the portal, the people who left with them. So, the terrain is treacherous, the house falls around them, but if those left can make it out… there's freedom. After a sort.
Outside, everyone will be able to watch as the Wolfe House collapses in on itself and sinks into the morass of Dogtown. Whatever emotions pervade the air, those left behind will find themselves with two options: remain and become swamp creatures or return to the world beyond the woods. For those who make the journey outward, they will discover that the fence has vanished along with most of the hazards they've encountered over the months.
It's a lovely stroll in the woods, really, even if it seems to go on substantially longer than it ought to. The sky is aflame with the final light of the day when they reach the edges of Gloucester and look upon the city they left. Everything seems… fine? No terrible signal creatures or the screams of people in the distance. No monsters prowling or burning pollen floating through the air. It's a cold, early January day.
The first sign of something amiss is a high-tech drone that zips by overhead and then pauses to return and flash a large, digital advertisement for McDonald's Hamburgers in front of those left. Further changes become clear once the drones leave and people make their way into Gloucester proper. This is not the place they left. Not entirely. The bones are still there, but much of the town has been rebuilt, retrofitted, turned into something brighter and newer.
What's going on becomes obvious when anyone chances to find the date:
January 11, 2039
It's a new year, just at the turn of a new decade! Everyone's stroll through Dogtown took fifteen years. Those left may make what they will of the relative future. The old ADI Headquarters and housing are gone, replaced by rows of affordable housing. Someone seems to have been working on improving that aspect of the city since everyone has been gone.
Bonnie's Flophouse is still where it was, but not as it was. The neighborhood it sits in isn't flourishing, but it's certainly not the rundown slum from years ago. It's been renamed, as well: The Bonnie Boarding House. Under the care of Skye, formerly known as the Visionary, and Cole, it has become a safe haven for homeless individuals touched by the Entities, a place where they can work to resist their affiliations together. Not that everything goes well there. But it's a place of measured hope and effort. And some interesting app development under Cole's watch. Secluded as he is, much of his time has been spent on building his knowledge and skills and working with Skye to earn money and try to influence the local town council.
Things seem to have been looking up for Gloucester for the past fifteen years with only a few supernatural incidents to speak of. With the return of everyone from Gloucester, those touched by all the Fears, darkness and terror loom on the horizon.
Those left have returned to a better place… but Corruption follows in their path. As does a fully-realized avatar of the Spiral who has only one person they care about. Milo has followed all of you home.
➥ Welcome to the Future
Beyond the above description of Gloucester, there are changes in this world that will become apparent as time passes and characters look into the events of those missing fifteen years.
ADI no longer exists as a business or legal entity, and there are no continuing traces of the influence it held over the governance of Gloucester. All of its buildings are long gone, and there's nothing supernatural or even particularly remarkable about the housing that's taken their place. Whatever tear in the universe dumped our intrepid characters into ADI's lap has healed over as though it had never happened. For now.
Gloucester and Dogtown themselves are… normal. Surprisingly, perhaps even shockingly normal. That's not to say that the aftereffects of city-wide trauma aren't still felt; it's been only fifteen years and many residents of Gloucester remember the spiraling events of 2023 all too well. Most people simply don't talk about it. Not out loud, and not where shadows might be listening. Gloucester still has more than its fair share of the Entity-touched, but somehow less than its fair share of cults and supernatural events.
Elsewhere in the world, the Entities seem to have as much power as they ever did during characters' time here. Cults rise and fall, rituals are attempted only to falter, and the cycle goes on. ADI may be gone, but most of its people are simply dispersed. A contingent operates throughout Appalachia under the leadership of Neil Grace, apparently successful so far in dodging an alignment with the Hunt. Their casualties are high, but they continue to fight back the darkness without becoming a part of it. Pam Ruan joined their ranks five years ago; though, Skye and Cole will be able to tell others that she held vigil in Gloucester for a decade, waiting for anyone to return from Dogtown. The last to hold out hope. Out west, there are rumors of a more monstrous offshoot of ADI, Rae Hargrave having become a grim-faced Warden whose lawless pack of hunters are no more human than the things they chase down in the night.
Technological advancements have followed more or less the trajectories one might expect when looking to the future from the end of 2023. There's more automation than ever, and while there are drones and robots everywhere they are, unfortunately, mostly found making and selling fast food. AI has advanced past the point of passing the Turing test, though the jury is still out on whether any of the artificial intelligences in existence are truly self-aware. Privacy online is a thing of the past, and advertisements are literally everywhere. On the bright side, though, the past fifteen years have seen huge advancements in the field of prosthetics. Adaptive robotic prostheses are more functional and accessible than ever, thanks to certain key technological developments being made openly available about fifteen years ago, as well as the proliferation of 3D printing.
Wolf Pen is hardly a thriving community. Between the meddling of both FYRE and Copernicus, Zyrian Steel's company, the town is even more of a ghost, tucked away in Appalachia. There are still a few familiar faces kicking around that place, but most have moved elsewhere in the state to escape. One such escapee is intrepid reporter Cindy Parsons. Cindy got their big break in investigative journalism uncovering a significant amount of corruption within the ranks of Copernicus and followed on with an expose of Michael C. Etcher, the reclusive billionaire. Mr. Etcher seems to have died under mysterious circumstances fifteen years ago, leaving behind a vast estate to a single heir, a woman only ever referred to as 'Fortune.' Their recurring segment 'Fortune Favors the Bold' on West Virginia public television highlights developments in the quest to find Fortune and demand answers from her. Etcher seems to have been outed as developing psionic and biological weapons for unknown persons after his death. Who is Fortune? Where will she be next? And what does she know about M.C. Etcher and his work?
The survivors of Dogtown's grand ritual will find that their return heralds a shift in the wind. Gloucester's reprieve from the influence of the Entities is over, or will be if more than a handful of them choose to remain here. The combination of a place and people both touched by every Entity has a certain power to it, a certain inherent instability. Even so, without a hand to guide a ritual, it will be only that within their lifetimes: a measure of instability that draws the Entities' attention closer than one would desire. Dogtown may yet be the site of another ritual, but it will likely be centuries in the making.
➥ tl;dr: Congratulations! You survived Dogtown and it's fifteen years later. With so many people staying, the Fear Entities have remained relatively strong in this world, but it seems that Gloucester and Dogtown, at least, have had a reprieve. ADI is no-more, but there are offshoots of it across the country. Former members who are trying to fulfill its mission with or without the Hunt. Unfortunately, this means characters have no physical homes to return to. They'll need to start fresh without ADI's assistance.
At least Bonnie's Flophouse seems willing to help! Now known as Bonnie's Boarding House and run by a more politically savvy Skye (aka, the Visionary), who has found their voice and purpose in helping others, and a more tech savvy Cole Guttuso (aka, Pyre), who remains hidden and heavily invested in app development and research into innovative skin-grafting techniques.
Characters returning to Gloucester bring the Entities on their heels, unfortunately. They'll need to disperse or risk another build-up of Fear-based energy in Gloucester and the return of more sinister forces. The world is theirs, though. Time to make of it what they will.
Milo has chosen to stay with characters in this world, rather than returning to their own, but their bargain with ADI is no more. Should any non-human character desire a glamour to move freely in this world, they will need to negotiate it. Hope you brushed up on your fae legalese for any contracts and deals.
From this point forward, Apocalypse How is an Open Sandbox. Players are welcome to create their own narratives and have adventures trying to fight or give in to the Entities.
There will be a final OOC post from the mods at the end of the month as our farewell. We will be officially answering OOC questions and continuing IC NPC threads until the end of January. After that, each mod will continue NPC threads at their discretion.