(no subject)
ALL ABOAAAAAAAARD
...and welcome to the City Express.
Calendar dixit: this Fri → Sun will see the Midnight Express event, and if you decide to throw your characters into it, they too might find themselves dangling a ticket like the above for a trip worth remembering > )
The following is just for the characters whom you choose to get into the plot, mkay? This is definitely NOT obligatory, and if you want your character to sit this one out, s/he can stay above ground in the regular City area, and still be privy to all public network communications.
SETTING
→ characters are trapped in a 13-wagon train (of which only the first 12 are very large, furnished with seats and passenger facilities; the last is more modestly sized, empty and cooler in temperature), making its underground way at very high speeds with four stops / day. Stops will receive special announcements.
→ the train indoor compartments have a more classical look, with very large window panes and newly polished floors that reek heavy chemicals (upon investigation, scientist/medical-types might recognize the smell as the fragrance of a popular anticoagulant.)
→ characters either wake up in the train on very early Friday, or freely, enter it at one of the underground stops. Mind that once in the train, they’re there for the remainder of the ride; when the train stops, people can get on the train, but they can’t get out: unborn_of_this will be on the prowl, denying exit (so please keep this in mind: although you’re not obligated to involve your characters in the main plot, if you get them on the train, they’re there to stay for the rest of the ride)
→ everyone in the train will find a ticket similar to the one above on their persons (in a pocket, in their hands, etc) as soon as they’ve boarded. Naturally, the seat/compartment/lottery figures will differ, and the train conductor (recognizable, to the knowledgeable, as the Hall of Portraits keeper :D) will be walking around to stamp the numbers.
→ Like in a real train, characters are not obligated to stay put in their seats. However, the people seated in the same area would probably at least glimpse each other, so it might help to either comment here with a line on which compartment (1-12) you’d like to host your character OR to put that kind of information in an OOC note, if you decide to post during the event. There’s no real limit to how many people wagons can host, but it’d be nice to not have 100 people in the #3 and just two in #11, or something equally disproportionate. Also, this is a great opportunity to build more CR, so don’t be afraid to throw your character in with a new and unexpected bunch of people!
→ throughout the entire journey, characters may notice that, whether they’re alone or with company, they can no longer hear the Clock ticking. Finally, peace and quiet?
→ characters will still have their network devices on them, though the pieces might operate more clumsily because of underground connectivity issues.
→ a couple of friendly (?) NPCs will be around to sell the 'basics' (food, drink, at steep prices : ( ) , to point and laugh, or just to point a few dutifully biased incriminatory fingers
→ while the train is in motion, if characters glance outside through the windows, they’ll be able to make out images of their home worlds in the promised apocalypse; occasionally, they’ll also be able to see the figures of people from said worlds who aren’t in the City, desperately trying to knock on the windows, grab, or claw at them ( sleep well during your trip, guys :) )
→ spiritually-sensitive characters may get a feeling of uneasiness, or even hostility, as if the train just doesn’t want its travelers there; paranormal investigations and findings depend entirely on their players.
→ characters will be allowed to get off Sunday night at the last stop, leaving them in the City underground.
WHAT WE NEED:
Twelve (count’em, 12!) plot!death-victims from among your lovely characters. First come, first served! If you’d like to get involved in this, please fill in the following, and we’ll contact you with more information about it.
[character name]:
[character eljay]:
[your e-mail address]:
There will be a death exemption for characters involved with this, so don’t shy from putting them down!
If you take this route, try to be around for the plot - you don’t have to be here 24/7 or anything like that, but submitting your character for this, then going completely MIA for the weekend might be difficult to work with. Likewise, if you get your character involved, please don’t withdraw last minute. We’d love at least a short notice, to make the necessary arrangements.
Okay, guys, that probably looks like a lot of info, buuuuut don’t let it drag you down, or anything? Just play it by the ear, have fun with the weird setting + the oddity of having characters cluttered in a tight space with people they may or may not want to see, HAVE FUN? Or maybe try to get your more detective-types figuring out what's going on, hur hur...
All questions welcome!