Lesson of the Day : Home is Where the Heart is aka Notes are a Pain to Organize
So. I've been here for three or so months EDIT : a year and a half now, most of that time spent when not getting sidetracked trying to find a way out again. There's not much information that can be readily found about exits, and what little is available remains rather discouraging and doesn't add up to very much, but I've compiled various bits, observations and theories in all that time.
Because I know some people were interested...
A) What Exits Look Like
Each exit for each person to each homeworld is supposedly unique, no two looking exactly alike. However, there does seem to be quite a few similiarities found between some of them. The most common form of gateway back seems to take on the appearance of A) a strange door that did not exist before B) a window in the air that opens into the other world C) some sort of sucking vortex (this kind seems capable of bringing bits of the environment or even other people into the new world with the original person) D) no scene change at all, the person merely walks from the City back into their homeworld, perhaps without even noticing.
The first two types of doorways have allowed people to post farewells before their leaving, the existence of the last two I've only learned upon the return of the people to the City or from what was left behind (eyewitnesses and damage left by the vortex)
B) Who Finds Them
I. Other People, Other Worlds
When one finds a gateway, in whatever form, out of the City it seems to inevitably lead back to that person's homeworld. I've yet to have any confirmation of someone finding a gateway to another world on their own, but most people's exits go unremarked and unseen, so it may just be a matter of no one knowing it's happened. When two people from two different worlds (or two different times in the same world) try to use the same gateway, it seems that most often they will end up seperated back into their original world and original time. However, it's been confirmed that very rarely people can get dragged into another world's closing gateway and end up in that other world. (This is mostly been associated with the vortex type of gateway.)
II. Active vs Accidentally
Gateways back home have been found both accidentally and on purpose. Accidental finds seem to greatly outnumber purposeful, but that may just be a consequence of more people not currently looking for a gateway than those who are. More on this in the No Desire to Leave section.
III. The Dead
Those who are dead are supposedly not able to leave the City at all. When one dies in the City, one must find a way to be brought back to life before there is any chance of returning home. If one is already dead before being brought to the City then supposedly that person is stuck here for good.
But then, what happens to all the dead who have disappeared in the City? Quite a few people personally have known them-- myself included-- someone who was dead in the city or completely dead who has just vanished one day, exactly as the living do when they find a way back home. Where did they go? Were they eaten by the city? Did they go on to a more natural afterlife?
Who really knows if the dead truly can or cannot leave the city? Maybe the entire concept is just a lie to make us sacrifice things in order to bring someone back to life here. It's not really something I'd be willing to risk, but perhaps something to keep in mind. EDIT 09/07/08 There have been multiple cases of someone who was dead in the city disappearing and then returning, either with or without their memories of this place. The portraits of the dead have appeared within the Hall of the Missing, but tombstones for them have also appeared in the graveyard, the exact meaning of the latter being unknown. I'm almost tempted to try digging up one of those graves to check if--
C) When They Can Be Found
It's been theorized that there is a type of barrier surrounding the City, keeping all of us in and everyone else out. If this is true, than it seems that the barrier tends to weaken every other week or so in order to allow new arrivals to enter the city. b>EDIT 09/07/08 Although this pattern has often been broken within the past year.
This may only indicate that only the other side of the barrier that allows people in weakens at this point. However, while it seems that people can find exits out of the city at any time, I've noticed that there does seem to be a trend of more disappearances (and suppose exit-findings, unless the City really is eating some of these people who disappear) occuring right around the time of the new arrivals.
The idea of a barrier seems bolstered by the mass exodus of people that occurred around the middle to end of May 2007. A far greater amount of people than normal seemed able to find their way out, and while not everyone who left during that time has returned, a few of them have indicated that they somehow knew they might be able to leave at that time.
EDIT 09/07/08This has actually happened off and on throughout the years, where someone or a group of people from the same world begins to somehow sense that they are 'needed' back home and then suddenly an exit will open for them or a form of magic that is usually surpressed by the city will allow them to create their own exit. In these cases, the people almost universally return with their memories intact after they have finished with their event in their homeworld and before too much time has passed within the city.
I've also heard that when the deities changed over from old to new, the barrier on the city was weakened so much that people were able to come and go entirely at their own will.
EDIT 09/07/08 The physical existence of a barrier around the city itself keeping its inhabitants from wandering out into what appears to be the rest of this world has been more than confirmed, although if this is also the source of what is dampening everyone's powers-- especially teleporting magic that should allow people to leave the city-- is still only theorized. More on this in the Barrier & Group Attempt sections.
D) How Long It Will Take
I. Finding a Way Out
It seems there are people here for going unto three years who have yet to find a way out and people who disappear (home presumably) once again after only spending a few days. Once again, the answer seems to vary from person to person, situation to situation.
ADDENDUM 08/12/07 : I was able to discover a gateway at something of one of the worst possible moments. (And therefore was unable to use it.) So perhaps this matter is somehow related to timing? (This may also be related to the desire to leave theory, in that it makes finding ways out even more frustrating.)
II. In and Out Again
Even if someone does find a way out, they will often be retaken by the city (perhaps their being here once somehow makes them more subsceptible?), often from entirely different points in time. People who return to their homeworlds sometimes lose their memories of the city entirely as is true for some people who return to the city once again from their homeworld. Some people lose their memories of the city once back home but regain them upon re-entering the city. And some seem to retain all their memories of both worlds... once again it seems variable.
II. Time Between the Worlds
Perhaps, one of the most persistant questions is how much time passes back in our homeworlds while we're stuck within the city. Unfortunately, this is also variable. In most cases, time seems to pass far quicker in the city than back in our homeworlds. Months spent here can be weeks or minutes back home. However, even here there's really no set ratio... someone can spend two months here and return to their world to find a week has passed while someone else from the same world and time can return and find half an hour has passed.
It's also possible that the same amount of time passes between the city and the outside world. Unfortunately, there's no real way of being absolutely certain until one has returned. I have yet to have any confirmation of cases where time passes quicker in the outside world than within the city, however. Thank goodness. ADDENDUM 2/16/18 : Time passing quicker in someone's homeworld has been confirmed by multiple sources at this point. So it is possible for no time, little, the same amount, or even more time to be passing back in one's world than the time spent in the city.
EDIT 09/07/08 From various research it seems that the most common occurance is for little or no time to pass back in someone's homeworld --ie they return to same moment that they left-- but this is not always the case. There has been examples of people returning to find that years have passed.
E) Ways of Finding Them
First, I'll get out of the way the two most common theories on finding exits out of the City, as unfortunately neither of them will be very helpful for those of us actually actively looking for them.
I. Luck
This is probably the most commonly held belief regarding exits here. Everything is random, including how or when or why someone will find an exit back to their homeworld. Nothing can be done regarding exits-- outside of being killed and stuck here or striking a deal with a deity. If this is true, then it shouldn't matter if someone is or is not looking for an exit at the time, it will happen or not without any outside influence. And so I think I'd continue looking anyway, because if this theory is right, looking won't hurt, but if it's wrong, then not looking may very well.
II. No Desire to Leave
Another popular theory that has quite a bit of evidence to back it up as well; this is the troublesome one that may conflict with everything else. There are several variations on this-- people will find an exit when they stop looking for one, people who have no desire to leave will have a greater chance of being forced to leave, people need to lose interest in the city to go back home, etc
The gist is that someone's chances of finding an exit greatly increase if that person does not want nor is actively looking for an exit. We know that it's not true that someone has to have given up entirely, because people who have been looking for exits have been able to find them as well. But the bulk of exits do seem to be found by people not looking for them (merely because most people aren't looking or is this theory really true?)
This theory also appears to be backed up by the last year's mass exodus, where no one I knew to be actively looking for an exit found a way out, yet plenty of people I knew who wished to remain in the city found their way home (or rather out.) Merely a coincidence or maybe something that was only true for that one exodus? The nature of the City certainly seems aggravating enough that this may well really be true. If the place is powered by our emotions-- especially negative ones-- as theorized, then keeping in the people who want out and popping out the people who want to stay in seems a good way of generating that.
EDIT 09/07/08 This seems to be disproven by the more recent mass exodus at the end of August 2008 where even people who had been involved in the group effort to test the city barriers and force a way home (which would seem to be the very antithesis of not wanting to leave) also managed to exit the city.
Outside of inducing amnesia, I'm not sure how people who actively wish to leave would go about finding an exit this way. I suppose one could go about pretending that one has given up on finding an exit or trying to convince oneself of such. This is a theory I probably won't be trying out for myself until all other methods have been exhausted (read : I give up).
ADDENDUM 9/24/07 : A corollary to this theory and mentioned, during a curse day, by one of the strange invaders who seemed to know so much about the the City and the people trapped within, is that one must "lose interest" to leave this place. I have noticed a trend where those whose posting to the network and general activity within the city have tapered off seem to disappear from the city in greater numbers.
This is not always the case as people very active within the city have also found their way out of here, but it happens enough to be noticeable. While the network is a good avenue for communication, why are we so inclined to post things to the network that would be better dealt with in other ways? Is the city compelling us to do this? Are those who no longer interact so much beginning to slip from its grasp? Many people have begun referring to this as the 'Severing All Connections' theory, where it's our jobs, friends, and other activity in the city that keeps us here.
I've been testing this particular theory for a few weeks now --and it has been testing to try and remain so distanced-- and while I, obviously, still remain in the city, I have found that I am far less affected by curses than previously. Coincidence or is there something to this theory afterall?
ADDENDUM 9/24/07 : I'm afraid my efforts at this theory have spectacularly failed, due entirely to me and not the theory itself. It's something I'll continue to pursue to some degree or other, but as I was having rather good success with it, if someone else should like to try who'd have better self-restraint at not getting involved...?
ADDENDUM 5/04/08 : The theory that one can only leave by not looking for a way out has been pretty much disproven by some people actively opening doorways to their homeworlds using their own powers. Those people ended up returning to the City shortly and their creation of the exits does not seem repeatable, but it should not have been possible at all if the 'no desire' theory was completely true. The people's ability to create gateways seems linked to their needing to return to their homeworlds because of some circumstance that had cropped up there. So it seems there may be some sort of tug-of-war going on between the worlds-- this place and our homeworlds-- over where we end up.
III. Purpose is Fulfilled
Another theory maintains that people will be able to leave the city once their purpose in the city has been fulfilled. The problem here being, that one would need to figure out exactly what is one's particular purpose to be drawn into the city. A common belief is that we've been brought to the city to power it with our (probably negative) emotions. But then how would one's purpose as a battery be fulfilled? Maybe by giving up all one's negative emotions?
There's also the theory that everyone has been drawn here merely as entertainment for the deities, the powers of the city, the strange cursed people who say they are 'watching us' or something(s) else, in which case being as boring as possible would probably be the ticket out of here. (Acting like a boring hermit much like in the severing connections theory although with a different reasoning behind it) supposedly quickening the time before one gets booted out.
The last of the really popular theories for why certain people are brought into the city revolves around the ticking and the supposed end of all worlds. But, outside of that sacrificing mess back in the Spring of 2007, there doesn't seem to be anything particularly resolved or fulfilled regarding that matter and yet people are still finding ways out.
IV. The Fountains
The fountains at the center of the city is the only known way-- outside of a deal with a deity or something such-- to get in contact with a homeworld. The visions theirein can be the past, present, or future, all truth, all lies, or painfully half and half. The fountains also appear to be the most popular point for new people to arrive in the city. I seem to have a sort of connection to them as I keep ending up in them myself.
It seems logical that something that already exists as a bridge between the worlds would also have a way of getting back, but I have yet to confirm any such instances regarding the fountains.
And now, finally unto the methods that have actually worked for people who were actually looking for an exit...
EDIT 09/07/08 : V. The City Barrier
1. The Basics
The island that this city is situated on is surrounded by some type of energy barrier. This has been confirmed as being in the waters around the island, the sky above, and --hardest to find of all-- in the labyrinth Underground, effectively cutting off all physical means of escape. It has been theorized that this barrier is also what is cutting off people from their normal teleportation or other magical means of escaping the city.
The barrier itself seems to take on different attributes depending upon the person coming up against it-- sometimes as an invisible wall, an area of energy that cannot be passed through, or even at times it seems to take the form of nothing at all whereby someone will just end up going around in circles when they try to reach the edge of the city. Unfortunately, it often takes on the latter form for me whenever I try to study it.
Whether the barrier can be seen or not by a person also seems to vary from person to person and time to time. However what seems to lie beyond the barrier around the city can be seen by all and always appears to be the continuation of the seas and skies that can be seen within the city island's territory. There has been no confirmation of anyone ever observing any land mass, people, or anything different on the other side of the barrier, although it has been theorized that what we are seeing is merely a mirage and that something else entirely awaits beyond for anyone who gets through it.
This barrier seems to often have more benign defenses than the barrier around the machinery of the doom clock situated at the center of the city, the latter of which almost universally shocks anyone who tries to touch it and dumps them off into the fountain area above. This however is not always the case, as the city barrier reacted quite violently to an aggressive en masse breach attempt against it.
2. Individual Attempts
Attempts against the barrier have been--much like all other attempts to leave the city-- done by the odd individual or in pairs. The reaction of the barrier has also differed between confirmed attempts. Someone who tried to leave via the sky barrier slammed into a wall that knocked them back to the earth, other airships or flying people who have tried to leave have found themselves unable to go beyond a certain height even if a physical wall was never encountered.
Those who have pitted their magic against the barrier have also had differing results from it being absorbed entirely, petering out before the barrier, to an example where the energy bolt passed through the barrier uninhibited and was tracked through its passage outside.
3. Group Attempt
The only known group test against the city's barrier took place at exactly 8:21:08 August 5th 2008 City Time.
a) Theories After months of planning, discussion, and computer simulations, it was decided that the best -- and safest-- way for an entire group to go up against and test the power of the surrounding city barriers was to have each participating group evenly scattered across the farthest reaches of the barrier as opposed to a more dangerous strike at-- no, best not to mention that. This included several locations across the sea and skies and a single one beneath the earth that had been scouted out ahead of time. Most locations were picked far from the city proper to try and contain any backlash during the event from the general populace not taking part. A map of the strike locations can be seen here.
The prevailing theory-- or rather hope-- in this case being that an evenly distributed strike against the barrier would stretch, thin, or disrupt it in such a way that we would be able to observe a true representation of what lay beyond it before a complete catastrophic penetration of it was completed, thus hopefully giving the participants a chance to pull back if something untoward reared its head during the operation. Thus each participant was to push against the barrier in whatever way was most fitting for them, whether magically, physically, in person or through the use of ships and missiles. It was hoped that scattering the groups would also lessen any particular backlash by scattering that as well, instead of one strike perhaps taking out the entire group if they were together.
A year and a half of research and the computer simulations run specifically for this event pointed towards the most probable outcomes being 1) a reaction similar to what is encountered when an individual goes up against the barrier or 2) an escalation of such a reaction.
The first case would have been the optimal outcome in my estimation, as it would have allowed the group to probe the barrier at their leisure for weak spots, reactions, and other further information that could be later used in other tests and perhaps even bring the barrier down eventually. An escalation of the barrier's normally rather benign reaction would limit what and how long the group could test it with their powers, depending upon how violent said reaction would be. But even the reaction in itself would be telling, since no one really knew how the barrier would act to such a multi-pointed probe.
Other less probable outcomes include a partial or even complete (if even less probable considering the limited fire power we were pitting against it) collapse of the barrier upon the attack, something I know that many of the other participants were hoping for. It varies from world to world and power to power, but some energy barriers dissipate completely upon being breached while others react much like a normal physical barrier with a single hole in it. The most probable outcomes for such a breach seemed to include nothing observable changing or a large enough hole allowing people to escape into the other parts of this world, all or part of the group test participants being thrust back to their home world, the supression of teleporting magic lifting allowing people to leave at their leisure, or the power that holds everyone in the city entirely evaporating, thus sending everyone home. While there is nothing that has been researched or observed to indicate this, other more dire reactions to a breach -- such as the destruction of the city or release of a vortex-- can't be completely dismissed.
b) Outcome
The city barrier's reaction to the group attempt to push against it was immediate, and unfortunately for all involved, was the rather violent escalation of its methods normally seen. The most common reaction was the barrier reflecting each person's power back at themselves, although that was not always the case as mine was absorbed as usual. Of course, the barrier wouldn't reflect back a power that would have healed my nearby allies. However, the backlash was not merely limited to that and actually varied from person to person, even for the people within the same group or standing right next to each other.
The various reactions to the barrier test include being knocked unconscious, being physically knocked away from the barrier, drained of magic, teleported into the fountain, Square, or ocean, losing your memory of the event, and having wings withered amongst others. A full recovery from the effects was made by all affected usually within days but in some cases up to a few weeks later.
Despite what had been feared, there appeared to be no direct reaction from the deities to this event. While precautions such as filters against the deities had been used during discussions leading up to this, there had been some entirely appropriate concern about the deities being able to access the entire network anyway and so the final time of the attack was only spread about in person. Yet it's entirely possible that the deities knew exactly what and when this was taking place and may have taken actions on the barrier itself. That everyone who took part in the barrier test was able to reach it and in some cases see it might even point to it being tweaked for this specifically.
A few weeks after this, there was another mass exodus of the city which included the leaving of several people involved with the barrier test (another point against the theory that those who look to leave are less likely to leave). Whether this had any connection at all to the test remains to be seen.
However, despite how briefly the actual test was run, some very interesting things were learned and recorded by the people who came to observe but not directly take part in the event. Upon the moment of the attack, shock waves rippled through the barrier, and outside of reflecting everyone's powers or weapons against them, it seemed to balloon and warp under the more heavy attacks, although still showed no indications of breaking. The missile attacks of the airships seemed to have the most affect in this case.
Outside of the barriers direct reactions to this, to those observing the scenery outside the barrier seemed to ripple with a faint blue tint at times, but otherwise did not change at all nor show any indications that what was being seen was some mirage or hiding something else behind it. This seems to further indicate that there really is a whole world out there beyond the city's reach.
Unfortunately, due to the barrier's immediate and violent reaction to this type of test, it's not something that bears repeating as it is now, but is something that perhaps can be built upon in the future.
c) Group Invasion
And while this marks the only group attempt to penetrate the barrier from within, presumably it was already breached en masse from without during the invasion of the Stewards during the beginning of the New Year, 2008. While the Stewards' promises to take people back to their homeworlds proved a lie, their ships did somehow manage to get through the outside barriers into the city. Unfortunately, we were unable to gain control over one of said ships before the deities and a flight of harpies destroyed all of them. There is some doubt whether this was a true outer invasion of the city or just some long running curse that the deities' or powers of the city were pulling over everyone.
Something somewhat similar occured in the Spring of 2007, although in that case it was merely a hellhound, talking cat, and harpy that entered the city at the bequest of something called 'the guild of strings'. What connection these events (loosely called the 'end of the worlds' plot since everyone's homeworlds were threatened during it) had to the deities or those truly in charge of the city is still up for debate.
VI. Walking Out
The City is surrounded by a forest surrounded by an ocean. What keeps everyone from simply wandering out on their own? Different things seem to happen when people try to find a way out that way. Going over across the ocean, people seem to either A) run smack dab into an energy barrier of some type B) somehow find themselves circled around and back where they started C) find nothing but more and more ocean until they give up and return on their own.
It's been unconfirmed whether someone has ever made it to the lowest level of the Underground. I've tried myself, but it's like a labyrinth down there, so eventually I gave up and came back topside. I don't think anyone has physically shifted and tried to go straight down through the earth? Such doesn't seem really sensible for finding a way out, but logic doesn't seem to be this city's forte. EDIT : 09/08/2008 The confirmation of an Underground barrier seems to indicate such escape through that way would be impossible. As for going up this seems to present the same difficulties as going over the ocean... either some type of unpenetrable barrier is encountered, the person randomly falls out of the sky, or they proceed up and up and end up going nowhere at all.
I haven't heard of anyone being able to leave the physical confines of the city area to an outside area, however, there are plenty of confirmed reports of people walking around internally in the city suddenly(or not so suddenly) finding themselves walking right into their homeworld. The world shift can be dramatic and immediately noticeable or gradual and unmarked.
I may have done this myself, recently. Walked through the northen forest here into a mountain range back in my homeworld and then walked right back into the city. (Speaking of which, has anyone here found a mountain pass in the northern forest?)Either way, this theory can be easily checked out by simply wandering around or exploring the city. (Indeed, it would be pretty hard not to be testing this theory unless one is a shut-in within a building.)
VII. Hall of the Missing
The Hall of the Missing is the creepy place that chronicles all the people who have come before in the city and managed to find a way out. It seems only logical that a way of escaping would be found here. However, as the rooms keep shifting around, this is a very hard place to explore and I'm still unsure how exactly some of the previous people were able to find a way out here.
VIII. Through the Doorways
Some people have found their way home merely by stepping through doorways, or rather more specifically apartment doorways. It may merely be a coincidence that it was apartment doorways that triggered the exits, as most people live in the apartments and thus would be going through their doorways quite a bit. However, I've been apartment hopping since arriving here (and I know I am not the only one as well) and have yet to find any such exit that way.
IX. The Library
Within the vast expanses of the library at the Academy are books that cover topics that span all the different worlds. Supposedly. But apparently one has to think of the opposite sort of book to find the one you're looking for. Or think of nothing at all. Or... well, it's tricky anyway. I'll get the hang of that someday.
A few people seem to have found their way out of the city while at the library, one seems to have maybe gone into a book to do that. Details are sketchy and I know many people go to and fro from the library all the time without ever finding a way out.
X. ...Patterns? ADDENDUM 08/12/07
Even though I was unable to use it at the time, I managed to find a gateway home while intentionally searching for one. Various incidents in the city found me wandering around the northern forest for various unrelated reasons. An exhaustive search of said forest finally revealed the presence of a gateway back. Perhaps other people might notice certain patterns that might point towards a specific location in the city as well?
XI. Deal with the Dieties
The one supposedly surefire way of finding an exit back to one's homeworld is striking a deal with a deity. Their prices are high, too high I've always been told, and usually paid out in the currency of memories, power, or something equally precious. I've yet to actually meet someone who used this method, so I unfortunately have no details. (Did the deal actually work? Were the memories or whatever that was lost continued to be lost in the homeworld? If anyone could answer this, it would mean that they were eventually taken back by the city anyway...)
I've hung out at the deities' office building quite a bit, especially when I first arrived, but have yet to ever meet one that way. Getting in contact with them seems best over the network with uh... some gifts proffered to put them in a better mood for dealing, it seems.
ADDENDUM 9/25/07 : I have personally struck a deal with a deity to find a gateway out the city for my sister. So it certainly can be done. The price was more or less sacrificing one of my powers and the deity assured me that things lost in deals in the city should remain lost back home. Unfortunately, she returned to the city within one day, so I can not personally recommend this method.
XII Curses : On April 1 2008, there was a curse in the city that seemed to be granting people's wishes. That included wishes to return home. Unfortunately, the trips home only lasted as long as the curse itself-- one day. And with the time differences in-between the worlds, people didn't necessarily end up spending the full day back in their homeworlds. I, for example, ended up spending only a few minutes back in what was presumably my world (I certainly had no chance to confirm!) before being dumped back into the city the next day.
There has also been an oft-repeated curse where strange people who appear to know too much about the residents of the city come flooding in for a day. Some of these people claim to that they are the ones in charge of the city, its residents, and our coming and going. I tried following the crazy directions one of them gave me for exiting the city, to no avail. Of course, being part of a curse, anything these strange people say must be taken with a heaping spoonful of salt.
G) Studies & Polls
A LINK to my first poll on this or any really subject. It can basically be summarized as this...
1) Most people here have never found a way out and no one admits to having left and come back more than four times.
2) The vast majority (but not all) of people were not looking for a way back.
3) All who replied were only missing at most, a couple minutes from their homeworld.
4) About 30% of the people have had some other version of themselves present in the city at some point.
EDIT 9/07/08 : Later polls now indicate that people have come and gone (with their memories intact) over five times to and from the city now. There is still no indication of what may have come to pass in the city or the people within it much longer than three years ago.
So, there it is, a whole lot of nothing in the end, I'm afraid. People who were interested, I hope you found at least something helpful. This is simply a summary of what I can understand of the reams of notes I have, if anyone should wish to see them. Maybe they could make better sense of them than me. Everyone else... you're still reading this?
If there's anyone out there I haven't yet spoken to who's left the City and remembers any details about it-- what happened, how, anything in particular-- I'd appreciate any added information. Especially from those who struck a deal with a deity to leave.
[[OOC : Since Riou promised to show some chars the 'notes' he's been compiling since arriving; I needed to get this up before Nanami arrives in the city and he starts losing the will to leave at all. This is only based on in-character stuff, so some of the observations *coughs* dead people *coughs* are bound to be wrong-o. Edit Strikes = Not There. His notes don't actually exist, so anyone who'd want to see them can make up whatever they think they say. ^^;]]
Because I know some people were interested...
A) What Exits Look Like
Each exit for each person to each homeworld is supposedly unique, no two looking exactly alike. However, there does seem to be quite a few similiarities found between some of them. The most common form of gateway back seems to take on the appearance of A) a strange door that did not exist before B) a window in the air that opens into the other world C) some sort of sucking vortex (this kind seems capable of bringing bits of the environment or even other people into the new world with the original person) D) no scene change at all, the person merely walks from the City back into their homeworld, perhaps without even noticing.
The first two types of doorways have allowed people to post farewells before their leaving, the existence of the last two I've only learned upon the return of the people to the City or from what was left behind (eyewitnesses and damage left by the vortex)
B) Who Finds Them
I. Other People, Other Worlds
When one finds a gateway, in whatever form, out of the City it seems to inevitably lead back to that person's homeworld. I've yet to have any confirmation of someone finding a gateway to another world on their own, but most people's exits go unremarked and unseen, so it may just be a matter of no one knowing it's happened. When two people from two different worlds (or two different times in the same world) try to use the same gateway, it seems that most often they will end up seperated back into their original world and original time. However, it's been confirmed that very rarely people can get dragged into another world's closing gateway and end up in that other world. (This is mostly been associated with the vortex type of gateway.)
II. Active vs Accidentally
Gateways back home have been found both accidentally and on purpose. Accidental finds seem to greatly outnumber purposeful, but that may just be a consequence of more people not currently looking for a gateway than those who are. More on this in the No Desire to Leave section.
III. The Dead
Those who are dead are supposedly not able to leave the City at all. When one dies in the City, one must find a way to be brought back to life before there is any chance of returning home. If one is already dead before being brought to the City then supposedly that person is stuck here for good.
But then, what happens to all the dead who have disappeared in the City? Quite a few people personally have known them-- myself included-- someone who was dead in the city or completely dead who has just vanished one day, exactly as the living do when they find a way back home. Where did they go? Were they eaten by the city? Did they go on to a more natural afterlife?
Who really knows if the dead truly can or cannot leave the city? Maybe the entire concept is just a lie to make us sacrifice things in order to bring someone back to life here. It's not really something I'd be willing to risk, but perhaps something to keep in mind. EDIT 09/07/08 There have been multiple cases of someone who was dead in the city disappearing and then returning, either with or without their memories of this place. The portraits of the dead have appeared within the Hall of the Missing, but tombstones for them have also appeared in the graveyard, the exact meaning of the latter being unknown. I'm almost tempted to try digging up one of those graves to check if--
C) When They Can Be Found
It's been theorized that there is a type of barrier surrounding the City, keeping all of us in and everyone else out. If this is true, than it seems that the barrier tends to weaken every other week or so in order to allow new arrivals to enter the city. b>EDIT 09/07/08 Although this pattern has often been broken within the past year.
This may only indicate that only the other side of the barrier that allows people in weakens at this point. However, while it seems that people can find exits out of the city at any time, I've noticed that there does seem to be a trend of more disappearances (and suppose exit-findings, unless the City really is eating some of these people who disappear) occuring right around the time of the new arrivals.
The idea of a barrier seems bolstered by the mass exodus of people that occurred around the middle to end of May 2007. A far greater amount of people than normal seemed able to find their way out, and while not everyone who left during that time has returned, a few of them have indicated that they somehow knew they might be able to leave at that time.
EDIT 09/07/08This has actually happened off and on throughout the years, where someone or a group of people from the same world begins to somehow sense that they are 'needed' back home and then suddenly an exit will open for them or a form of magic that is usually surpressed by the city will allow them to create their own exit. In these cases, the people almost universally return with their memories intact after they have finished with their event in their homeworld and before too much time has passed within the city.
I've also heard that when the deities changed over from old to new, the barrier on the city was weakened so much that people were able to come and go entirely at their own will.
EDIT 09/07/08 The physical existence of a barrier around the city itself keeping its inhabitants from wandering out into what appears to be the rest of this world has been more than confirmed, although if this is also the source of what is dampening everyone's powers-- especially teleporting magic that should allow people to leave the city-- is still only theorized. More on this in the Barrier & Group Attempt sections.
D) How Long It Will Take
I. Finding a Way Out
It seems there are people here for going unto three years who have yet to find a way out and people who disappear (home presumably) once again after only spending a few days. Once again, the answer seems to vary from person to person, situation to situation.
ADDENDUM 08/12/07 : I was able to discover a gateway at something of one of the worst possible moments. (And therefore was unable to use it.) So perhaps this matter is somehow related to timing? (This may also be related to the desire to leave theory, in that it makes finding ways out even more frustrating.)
II. In and Out Again
Even if someone does find a way out, they will often be retaken by the city (perhaps their being here once somehow makes them more subsceptible?), often from entirely different points in time. People who return to their homeworlds sometimes lose their memories of the city entirely as is true for some people who return to the city once again from their homeworld. Some people lose their memories of the city once back home but regain them upon re-entering the city. And some seem to retain all their memories of both worlds... once again it seems variable.
II. Time Between the Worlds
Perhaps, one of the most persistant questions is how much time passes back in our homeworlds while we're stuck within the city. Unfortunately, this is also variable. In most cases, time seems to pass far quicker in the city than back in our homeworlds. Months spent here can be weeks or minutes back home. However, even here there's really no set ratio... someone can spend two months here and return to their world to find a week has passed while someone else from the same world and time can return and find half an hour has passed.
It's also possible that the same amount of time passes between the city and the outside world. Unfortunately, there's no real way of being absolutely certain until one has returned. I have yet to have any confirmation of cases where time passes quicker in the outside world than within the city, however. Thank goodness. ADDENDUM 2/16/18 : Time passing quicker in someone's homeworld has been confirmed by multiple sources at this point. So it is possible for no time, little, the same amount, or even more time to be passing back in one's world than the time spent in the city.
EDIT 09/07/08 From various research it seems that the most common occurance is for little or no time to pass back in someone's homeworld --ie they return to same moment that they left-- but this is not always the case. There has been examples of people returning to find that years have passed.
E) Ways of Finding Them
First, I'll get out of the way the two most common theories on finding exits out of the City, as unfortunately neither of them will be very helpful for those of us actually actively looking for them.
I. Luck
This is probably the most commonly held belief regarding exits here. Everything is random, including how or when or why someone will find an exit back to their homeworld. Nothing can be done regarding exits-- outside of being killed and stuck here or striking a deal with a deity. If this is true, then it shouldn't matter if someone is or is not looking for an exit at the time, it will happen or not without any outside influence. And so I think I'd continue looking anyway, because if this theory is right, looking won't hurt, but if it's wrong, then not looking may very well.
II. No Desire to Leave
Another popular theory that has quite a bit of evidence to back it up as well; this is the troublesome one that may conflict with everything else. There are several variations on this-- people will find an exit when they stop looking for one, people who have no desire to leave will have a greater chance of being forced to leave, people need to lose interest in the city to go back home, etc
The gist is that someone's chances of finding an exit greatly increase if that person does not want nor is actively looking for an exit. We know that it's not true that someone has to have given up entirely, because people who have been looking for exits have been able to find them as well. But the bulk of exits do seem to be found by people not looking for them (merely because most people aren't looking or is this theory really true?)
This theory also appears to be backed up by the last year's mass exodus, where no one I knew to be actively looking for an exit found a way out, yet plenty of people I knew who wished to remain in the city found their way home (or rather out.) Merely a coincidence or maybe something that was only true for that one exodus? The nature of the City certainly seems aggravating enough that this may well really be true. If the place is powered by our emotions-- especially negative ones-- as theorized, then keeping in the people who want out and popping out the people who want to stay in seems a good way of generating that.
EDIT 09/07/08 This seems to be disproven by the more recent mass exodus at the end of August 2008 where even people who had been involved in the group effort to test the city barriers and force a way home (which would seem to be the very antithesis of not wanting to leave) also managed to exit the city.
Outside of inducing amnesia, I'm not sure how people who actively wish to leave would go about finding an exit this way. I suppose one could go about pretending that one has given up on finding an exit or trying to convince oneself of such. This is a theory I probably won't be trying out for myself until all other methods have been exhausted (read : I give up).
ADDENDUM 9/24/07 : A corollary to this theory and mentioned, during a curse day, by one of the strange invaders who seemed to know so much about the the City and the people trapped within, is that one must "lose interest" to leave this place. I have noticed a trend where those whose posting to the network and general activity within the city have tapered off seem to disappear from the city in greater numbers.
This is not always the case as people very active within the city have also found their way out of here, but it happens enough to be noticeable. While the network is a good avenue for communication, why are we so inclined to post things to the network that would be better dealt with in other ways? Is the city compelling us to do this? Are those who no longer interact so much beginning to slip from its grasp? Many people have begun referring to this as the 'Severing All Connections' theory, where it's our jobs, friends, and other activity in the city that keeps us here.
I've been testing this particular theory for a few weeks now --and it has been testing to try and remain so distanced-- and while I, obviously, still remain in the city, I have found that I am far less affected by curses than previously. Coincidence or is there something to this theory afterall?
ADDENDUM 9/24/07 : I'm afraid my efforts at this theory have spectacularly failed, due entirely to me and not the theory itself. It's something I'll continue to pursue to some degree or other, but as I was having rather good success with it, if someone else should like to try who'd have better self-restraint at not getting involved...?
ADDENDUM 5/04/08 : The theory that one can only leave by not looking for a way out has been pretty much disproven by some people actively opening doorways to their homeworlds using their own powers. Those people ended up returning to the City shortly and their creation of the exits does not seem repeatable, but it should not have been possible at all if the 'no desire' theory was completely true. The people's ability to create gateways seems linked to their needing to return to their homeworlds because of some circumstance that had cropped up there. So it seems there may be some sort of tug-of-war going on between the worlds-- this place and our homeworlds-- over where we end up.
III. Purpose is Fulfilled
Another theory maintains that people will be able to leave the city once their purpose in the city has been fulfilled. The problem here being, that one would need to figure out exactly what is one's particular purpose to be drawn into the city. A common belief is that we've been brought to the city to power it with our (probably negative) emotions. But then how would one's purpose as a battery be fulfilled? Maybe by giving up all one's negative emotions?
There's also the theory that everyone has been drawn here merely as entertainment for the deities, the powers of the city, the strange cursed people who say they are 'watching us' or something(s) else, in which case being as boring as possible would probably be the ticket out of here. (Acting like a boring hermit much like in the severing connections theory although with a different reasoning behind it) supposedly quickening the time before one gets booted out.
The last of the really popular theories for why certain people are brought into the city revolves around the ticking and the supposed end of all worlds. But, outside of that sacrificing mess back in the Spring of 2007, there doesn't seem to be anything particularly resolved or fulfilled regarding that matter and yet people are still finding ways out.
IV. The Fountains
The fountains at the center of the city is the only known way-- outside of a deal with a deity or something such-- to get in contact with a homeworld. The visions theirein can be the past, present, or future, all truth, all lies, or painfully half and half. The fountains also appear to be the most popular point for new people to arrive in the city. I seem to have a sort of connection to them as I keep ending up in them myself.
It seems logical that something that already exists as a bridge between the worlds would also have a way of getting back, but I have yet to confirm any such instances regarding the fountains.
And now, finally unto the methods that have actually worked for people who were actually looking for an exit...
EDIT 09/07/08 : V. The City Barrier
1. The Basics
The island that this city is situated on is surrounded by some type of energy barrier. This has been confirmed as being in the waters around the island, the sky above, and --hardest to find of all-- in the labyrinth Underground, effectively cutting off all physical means of escape. It has been theorized that this barrier is also what is cutting off people from their normal teleportation or other magical means of escaping the city.
The barrier itself seems to take on different attributes depending upon the person coming up against it-- sometimes as an invisible wall, an area of energy that cannot be passed through, or even at times it seems to take the form of nothing at all whereby someone will just end up going around in circles when they try to reach the edge of the city. Unfortunately, it often takes on the latter form for me whenever I try to study it.
Whether the barrier can be seen or not by a person also seems to vary from person to person and time to time. However what seems to lie beyond the barrier around the city can be seen by all and always appears to be the continuation of the seas and skies that can be seen within the city island's territory. There has been no confirmation of anyone ever observing any land mass, people, or anything different on the other side of the barrier, although it has been theorized that what we are seeing is merely a mirage and that something else entirely awaits beyond for anyone who gets through it.
This barrier seems to often have more benign defenses than the barrier around the machinery of the doom clock situated at the center of the city, the latter of which almost universally shocks anyone who tries to touch it and dumps them off into the fountain area above. This however is not always the case, as the city barrier reacted quite violently to an aggressive en masse breach attempt against it.
2. Individual Attempts
Attempts against the barrier have been--much like all other attempts to leave the city-- done by the odd individual or in pairs. The reaction of the barrier has also differed between confirmed attempts. Someone who tried to leave via the sky barrier slammed into a wall that knocked them back to the earth, other airships or flying people who have tried to leave have found themselves unable to go beyond a certain height even if a physical wall was never encountered.
Those who have pitted their magic against the barrier have also had differing results from it being absorbed entirely, petering out before the barrier, to an example where the energy bolt passed through the barrier uninhibited and was tracked through its passage outside.
3. Group Attempt
The only known group test against the city's barrier took place at exactly 8:21:08 August 5th 2008 City Time.
a) Theories After months of planning, discussion, and computer simulations, it was decided that the best -- and safest-- way for an entire group to go up against and test the power of the surrounding city barriers was to have each participating group evenly scattered across the farthest reaches of the barrier as opposed to a more dangerous strike at-- no, best not to mention that. This included several locations across the sea and skies and a single one beneath the earth that had been scouted out ahead of time. Most locations were picked far from the city proper to try and contain any backlash during the event from the general populace not taking part. A map of the strike locations can be seen here.
The prevailing theory-- or rather hope-- in this case being that an evenly distributed strike against the barrier would stretch, thin, or disrupt it in such a way that we would be able to observe a true representation of what lay beyond it before a complete catastrophic penetration of it was completed, thus hopefully giving the participants a chance to pull back if something untoward reared its head during the operation. Thus each participant was to push against the barrier in whatever way was most fitting for them, whether magically, physically, in person or through the use of ships and missiles. It was hoped that scattering the groups would also lessen any particular backlash by scattering that as well, instead of one strike perhaps taking out the entire group if they were together.
A year and a half of research and the computer simulations run specifically for this event pointed towards the most probable outcomes being 1) a reaction similar to what is encountered when an individual goes up against the barrier or 2) an escalation of such a reaction.
The first case would have been the optimal outcome in my estimation, as it would have allowed the group to probe the barrier at their leisure for weak spots, reactions, and other further information that could be later used in other tests and perhaps even bring the barrier down eventually. An escalation of the barrier's normally rather benign reaction would limit what and how long the group could test it with their powers, depending upon how violent said reaction would be. But even the reaction in itself would be telling, since no one really knew how the barrier would act to such a multi-pointed probe.
Other less probable outcomes include a partial or even complete (if even less probable considering the limited fire power we were pitting against it) collapse of the barrier upon the attack, something I know that many of the other participants were hoping for. It varies from world to world and power to power, but some energy barriers dissipate completely upon being breached while others react much like a normal physical barrier with a single hole in it. The most probable outcomes for such a breach seemed to include nothing observable changing or a large enough hole allowing people to escape into the other parts of this world, all or part of the group test participants being thrust back to their home world, the supression of teleporting magic lifting allowing people to leave at their leisure, or the power that holds everyone in the city entirely evaporating, thus sending everyone home. While there is nothing that has been researched or observed to indicate this, other more dire reactions to a breach -- such as the destruction of the city or release of a vortex-- can't be completely dismissed.
b) Outcome
The city barrier's reaction to the group attempt to push against it was immediate, and unfortunately for all involved, was the rather violent escalation of its methods normally seen. The most common reaction was the barrier reflecting each person's power back at themselves, although that was not always the case as mine was absorbed as usual. Of course, the barrier wouldn't reflect back a power that would have healed my nearby allies. However, the backlash was not merely limited to that and actually varied from person to person, even for the people within the same group or standing right next to each other.
The various reactions to the barrier test include being knocked unconscious, being physically knocked away from the barrier, drained of magic, teleported into the fountain, Square, or ocean, losing your memory of the event, and having wings withered amongst others. A full recovery from the effects was made by all affected usually within days but in some cases up to a few weeks later.
Despite what had been feared, there appeared to be no direct reaction from the deities to this event. While precautions such as filters against the deities had been used during discussions leading up to this, there had been some entirely appropriate concern about the deities being able to access the entire network anyway and so the final time of the attack was only spread about in person. Yet it's entirely possible that the deities knew exactly what and when this was taking place and may have taken actions on the barrier itself. That everyone who took part in the barrier test was able to reach it and in some cases see it might even point to it being tweaked for this specifically.
A few weeks after this, there was another mass exodus of the city which included the leaving of several people involved with the barrier test (another point against the theory that those who look to leave are less likely to leave). Whether this had any connection at all to the test remains to be seen.
However, despite how briefly the actual test was run, some very interesting things were learned and recorded by the people who came to observe but not directly take part in the event. Upon the moment of the attack, shock waves rippled through the barrier, and outside of reflecting everyone's powers or weapons against them, it seemed to balloon and warp under the more heavy attacks, although still showed no indications of breaking. The missile attacks of the airships seemed to have the most affect in this case.
Outside of the barriers direct reactions to this, to those observing the scenery outside the barrier seemed to ripple with a faint blue tint at times, but otherwise did not change at all nor show any indications that what was being seen was some mirage or hiding something else behind it. This seems to further indicate that there really is a whole world out there beyond the city's reach.
Unfortunately, due to the barrier's immediate and violent reaction to this type of test, it's not something that bears repeating as it is now, but is something that perhaps can be built upon in the future.
c) Group Invasion
And while this marks the only group attempt to penetrate the barrier from within, presumably it was already breached en masse from without during the invasion of the Stewards during the beginning of the New Year, 2008. While the Stewards' promises to take people back to their homeworlds proved a lie, their ships did somehow manage to get through the outside barriers into the city. Unfortunately, we were unable to gain control over one of said ships before the deities and a flight of harpies destroyed all of them. There is some doubt whether this was a true outer invasion of the city or just some long running curse that the deities' or powers of the city were pulling over everyone.
Something somewhat similar occured in the Spring of 2007, although in that case it was merely a hellhound, talking cat, and harpy that entered the city at the bequest of something called 'the guild of strings'. What connection these events (loosely called the 'end of the worlds' plot since everyone's homeworlds were threatened during it) had to the deities or those truly in charge of the city is still up for debate.
VI. Walking Out
The City is surrounded by a forest surrounded by an ocean. What keeps everyone from simply wandering out on their own? Different things seem to happen when people try to find a way out that way. Going over across the ocean, people seem to either A) run smack dab into an energy barrier of some type B) somehow find themselves circled around and back where they started C) find nothing but more and more ocean until they give up and return on their own.
It's been unconfirmed whether someone has ever made it to the lowest level of the Underground. I've tried myself, but it's like a labyrinth down there, so eventually I gave up and came back topside. I don't think anyone has physically shifted and tried to go straight down through the earth? Such doesn't seem really sensible for finding a way out, but logic doesn't seem to be this city's forte. EDIT : 09/08/2008 The confirmation of an Underground barrier seems to indicate such escape through that way would be impossible. As for going up this seems to present the same difficulties as going over the ocean... either some type of unpenetrable barrier is encountered, the person randomly falls out of the sky, or they proceed up and up and end up going nowhere at all.
I haven't heard of anyone being able to leave the physical confines of the city area to an outside area, however, there are plenty of confirmed reports of people walking around internally in the city suddenly(or not so suddenly) finding themselves walking right into their homeworld. The world shift can be dramatic and immediately noticeable or gradual and unmarked.
I may have done this myself, recently. Walked through the northen forest here into a mountain range back in my homeworld and then walked right back into the city. (Speaking of which, has anyone here found a mountain pass in the northern forest?)Either way, this theory can be easily checked out by simply wandering around or exploring the city. (Indeed, it would be pretty hard not to be testing this theory unless one is a shut-in within a building.)
VII. Hall of the Missing
The Hall of the Missing is the creepy place that chronicles all the people who have come before in the city and managed to find a way out. It seems only logical that a way of escaping would be found here. However, as the rooms keep shifting around, this is a very hard place to explore and I'm still unsure how exactly some of the previous people were able to find a way out here.
VIII. Through the Doorways
Some people have found their way home merely by stepping through doorways, or rather more specifically apartment doorways. It may merely be a coincidence that it was apartment doorways that triggered the exits, as most people live in the apartments and thus would be going through their doorways quite a bit. However, I've been apartment hopping since arriving here (and I know I am not the only one as well) and have yet to find any such exit that way.
IX. The Library
Within the vast expanses of the library at the Academy are books that cover topics that span all the different worlds. Supposedly. But apparently one has to think of the opposite sort of book to find the one you're looking for. Or think of nothing at all. Or... well, it's tricky anyway. I'll get the hang of that someday.
A few people seem to have found their way out of the city while at the library, one seems to have maybe gone into a book to do that. Details are sketchy and I know many people go to and fro from the library all the time without ever finding a way out.
X. ...Patterns? ADDENDUM 08/12/07
Even though I was unable to use it at the time, I managed to find a gateway home while intentionally searching for one. Various incidents in the city found me wandering around the northern forest for various unrelated reasons. An exhaustive search of said forest finally revealed the presence of a gateway back. Perhaps other people might notice certain patterns that might point towards a specific location in the city as well?
XI. Deal with the Dieties
The one supposedly surefire way of finding an exit back to one's homeworld is striking a deal with a deity. Their prices are high, too high I've always been told, and usually paid out in the currency of memories, power, or something equally precious. I've yet to actually meet someone who used this method, so I unfortunately have no details. (Did the deal actually work? Were the memories or whatever that was lost continued to be lost in the homeworld? If anyone could answer this, it would mean that they were eventually taken back by the city anyway...)
I've hung out at the deities' office building quite a bit, especially when I first arrived, but have yet to ever meet one that way. Getting in contact with them seems best over the network with uh... some gifts proffered to put them in a better mood for dealing, it seems.
ADDENDUM 9/25/07 : I have personally struck a deal with a deity to find a gateway out the city for my sister. So it certainly can be done. The price was more or less sacrificing one of my powers and the deity assured me that things lost in deals in the city should remain lost back home. Unfortunately, she returned to the city within one day, so I can not personally recommend this method.
XII Curses : On April 1 2008, there was a curse in the city that seemed to be granting people's wishes. That included wishes to return home. Unfortunately, the trips home only lasted as long as the curse itself-- one day. And with the time differences in-between the worlds, people didn't necessarily end up spending the full day back in their homeworlds. I, for example, ended up spending only a few minutes back in what was presumably my world (I certainly had no chance to confirm!) before being dumped back into the city the next day.
There has also been an oft-repeated curse where strange people who appear to know too much about the residents of the city come flooding in for a day. Some of these people claim to that they are the ones in charge of the city, its residents, and our coming and going. I tried following the crazy directions one of them gave me for exiting the city, to no avail. Of course, being part of a curse, anything these strange people say must be taken with a heaping spoonful of salt.
G) Studies & Polls
A LINK to my first poll on this or any really subject. It can basically be summarized as this...
1) Most people here have never found a way out and no one admits to having left and come back more than four times.
2) The vast majority (but not all) of people were not looking for a way back.
3) All who replied were only missing at most, a couple minutes from their homeworld.
4) About 30% of the people have had some other version of themselves present in the city at some point.
EDIT 9/07/08 : Later polls now indicate that people have come and gone (with their memories intact) over five times to and from the city now. There is still no indication of what may have come to pass in the city or the people within it much longer than three years ago.
So, there it is, a whole lot of nothing in the end, I'm afraid. People who were interested, I hope you found at least something helpful. This is simply a summary of what I can understand of the reams of notes I have, if anyone should wish to see them. Maybe they could make better sense of them than me. Everyone else... you're still reading this?
If there's anyone out there I haven't yet spoken to who's left the City and remembers any details about it-- what happened, how, anything in particular-- I'd appreciate any added information. Especially from those who struck a deal with a deity to leave.
[[OOC : Since Riou promised to show some chars the 'notes' he's been compiling since arriving; I needed to get this up before Nanami arrives in the city and he starts losing the will to leave at all. This is only based on in-character stuff, so some of the observations *coughs* dead people *coughs* are bound to be wrong-o. Edit Strikes = Not There. His notes don't actually exist, so anyone who'd want to see them can make up whatever they think they say. ^^;]]