2nd Event: Choices We Make

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Arrival


Not all characters (known as Wickie, singular or Wickies, plural) arrive at the same time, surprisingly enough! That’s life for you. Some Wickies find their way to the island at a pivotal (or very mundane) point in their life, or even after or during their death.

Wickies who were standing or walking often find themselves entering the town South Sister, located on Lighthouse Isle, through an open doorway. Those that were laying down, or sleeping, tend to be found lying prone in beds, bathtubs, showers, couches, and similar places within the cottages on Cottage Row. There’s no rhyme or reason to it all! To Wickies familiar with the era, they will realize that everything looks as if it’s come from the ‘90s.

The house which a Wickie finds themselves within could already be occupied. This includes walking into a fellow Wicke, waking up in the same location, or accidentally scaring a room full of people with their sudden appearance.

Oops.

C-C-Changes

Thankfully the fog has gone down to what it was before, a slow creeping crawl over the ground. And too, the monsters of before are gone, leaving the town much like it was before. Well...close to what it was before.

For now the season's have changed, from a lingering summer to a cooler fall.

There’s new foods to try, even if some things like lattes cause people to slip into warm boots and tie up their hair, and soups make people curl up under blankets on the couch. And it also means decorations of all sorts, made of the leaves from the forest, orange, yellow and red things and...we can not forget...

Pumpkin overflow

Pumpkins! They're everywhere. Wickies will find pumpkins infused into all sorts of things, like coffee, ice cream, even spaghetti options! It's wild.

There’s also many jack o'lanterns. They have been placed everywhere in town, outside homes, and even small ones have been made into table decorations. The Jack o lanterns have very cheerful faces, and seem to watch Wickies every single move.

That is, until a Wickie bashes or otherwise abuses a pumpkin. That's when it changes- there seem to be more of them. Their expressions change to that of anger, sadness and disgust. None of them attack- yet. But their faces become more and more horrifying, as they follow the Wickie more and more- outside of the bathroom perhaps, or found on top of them as the Wickie wakes up in the middle of the night.

It shouldn't matter right? They're only pumpkins.

What a ride

Funny enough, with the pumpkin invasion, there also comes a dull colored horse wandering about the island. Its head is drooped, and it looks depressed and lonely. The horse is tame on approach and will accept pats and treats, even from those who are obviously not human.

But it also wants something, for all that it seems to be begging for attention. It wants someone to ride them, seems to even be begging for it with its big eyes. The horse will help Wickies to figure out how to mount; it will even stand beside the Town Center benches, rocks, or even go down in order to make it possible for the Wickie to get onto the horse’s back.

That’s when it changes. The Wickie is immediately wrapped in chains from their barrel to the Wickie’s waist. The horse turns a coal black and the Wickie’s clothing changes into that of a soldier's uniform, with a hand either holding a whip modeled after a human spine, or a jack o'lantern.

The Wickie cannot get off the horse on their own, no matter how much they struggle. As the horse moves throughout the town, they will go anywhere from a walk to a full canter, seemingly impervious to any magic or physical attacks. The same cannot be said for their unfortunate rider.

If the rider is hit, or simply in pain, the Wickie will feel an impulse that grows and grows until they scream a name of someone in town, someone they know.

And the named will drop, paralyzed. Paralyzed wickie are likely to die within minutes, more so if they are too close to horse and rider. The horse will happily trample anyone on the ground to death.

Even without the impulse, should the Wickie rider use anyone’s name, that person will drop, paralyzed, and unable to breathe.

There is only one way to possibly save the rider: scatter golden objects in their path. The horse will shriek, and promptly buck the rider off, before running away. Just make sure to catch the rider, or at least cushion their fall: they have no way of saving themselves until they hit the ground.

Heart game: confession

Current residents of the island may remember this particular beeping alert, and how it doesn’t go away, no matter what they do! That is, unless they open up the Heart Game, and answer the question.

Welcome back everyone! It’s so good to see you again! Now let’s play that game, Confession! And the question isssssss…

How do you celebrate the changing seasons! Don't be shy!

Comments

IG-11 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian | Spoilers for Chapter 8

[beskarad]

[ARRIVAL]

[The sudden creaking whine of the door may not be enough to startle this cottage's occupants. The slow footsteps approaching the door, maybe. But if that's not enough, consider the rhythmic whirring of servomotors that accompany said footsteps.

A strange, spindly machine, nearly two meters tall, enters the room. Each step it takes is rigid, deliberate, but soon it comes to an abrupt halt. Not only does it seem to become aware of its unfamiliar surroundings, but something else seems to have given it pause. Its optics leer down at one of its mechanical hands, its digits slowly curling inward.]

...I still function.

[The emotions behind that cryptic statement are difficult to decipher. But after a beat, the droid lowers its hand and says, in a dry, almost clinical sort of tone:]

Running diagnostic.

[The blood red sensors that line the droid's cylindrical head rotate in a full 360 degree arc as it takes in its surroundings.

Life form detected.

IG-11's optics swivel in the other occupant's direction.]

Identify yourself.

[C-C-CHANGES]

[Droids do not require food or drink for sustenance. Organics, however, do. And this strange new place is occupied by many organics.

He hasn't been able to find much in the way of supplies just yet, but for some reason or another, IG-11 felt the need to procure rations. It could prove a useful way to make allies. Allies would increase the probability of successfully resolving this mysterious phenomenon.

Every once in a while, he'll acquire a new target - wandering up to them with purpose before offering them a cup.]

Would you care for a refreshment?

[He looks intimidating, but at least he's polite?]

[WILD CARD]

[Up for something completely different? Feel free to PM me with anything else!]

Arrival

[313_248_317_60]

[If Connor were privy to IG-11's internal readouts, he would have objected to one word. "Life". As things stand, he finds himself with plenty to observe. The uncovered casing. The stiff, robotic gait. A machine, clearly—but just as obviously, not one of Cyberlife's design.

He tilts his head, scanning more closely.]

Connor model #313 248 317-60.

[Two fingers come up to tap at his jacket's right side as he speaks—where the same serial number, prefaced with a large RK800 glows from the material. Apart from the clearly branded outfit and a small, blinking light at his right temple, the android looks visually human.]

What are you?

[beskarad]

I am Eyegee-Eleven. A nurse droid.

[The stranger's introduction forces IG-11 to reassess his initial diagnostic. The glowing letters and numbers that have manifested on his jacket are written in a different script than IG-11's accustomed to, but for some reason it doesn't require translation. Curious.]

Arkay-Atehundred. You are a human replica droid?

[313_248_317_60]

[A nurse 'droid? Connor stares at the clumsy, inefficient design, all hard edges and metal joints. Surely it's joking.]

All Cyberlife androids are designed to imitate a human appearance.

[Right down to the breathing, blinking, and scornfully raised eyebrows.]

Who manufactured you?

[beskarad]

[Fortunately for IG-11, he seems to be oblivious to the other droid's skepticism.]

I am a product of Holowan Laboratories. I am unfamiliar with CyberLife.

[For that matter, where IG-11 comes from, HRDs like this one are a rarity. But more to the point:]

What is this place?

arrival!

[grice]

[ when a droid comes out of the bathroom (???) and you've just entered the living room with a gift— a bag of miniature marshmallows-! the sound already tips falco off (a boy no older than 12) that sends him scrambling back at the sight of the whirling mechanisms of something that reminds him of a tank. oh, boy, that doesn't look like the kind of android mister connor was. the boy stands upright, erecting his back and clutching a bag of marshmallows at his side, but tense with a rising sense of uncertainty, maybe even fear in his eyes. okay, just— take it easy and calm down. maybe he won't shoot. ]

F—Falco Grice. Sir.

[ should he be using. sir???? no sudden movements until he knows what's up. maybe. ]

Are you . . . Looking for someone?

[beskarad]

[Whether or not Grice should bother to address the droid with honorifics, he won't bother to address. That being said, once he realizes it is just a boy, IG-11's body contorts itself into a more relaxed sort of position... if you could call it that.

He raises an interesting point. Is it possible the others within his party have been spirited to this location?]

I had been traveling with four individuals. Three adult humans and a child of unknown origin.

[grice]

[ that still looks Ready For Combat in the eyes of a weaponized child but IG-11 tried its best. there's nothing pointed at him, at least, and that's enough for falco to force out a calming exhale that nearly puffs his cheeks. okay. this is civil. ]

Do you know what they look like?

[beskarad]

Yes.

[A beat before he elaborates.]

One is an older adult male with dark skin and neatly-trimmed facial hair. One is a female with a larger build and markings on her left arm. The other adult male is a Mandalorian, clad in beskar steel armor. And the child, as stated, is of unknown origin. Green skin, large eyes and ears.

Have you seen any of these individuals?

c-c-changes

[ragsnbone]

[ Wu Xie looks up at the droid, his nose scrunching in thought and then down at the drink. There was a moment where he might actually accept it, but then he catches a whiff of it - it still amused him that he could smell things again - and then pulls back a little, giving a shake of his head. ]

Not really. I think the spices in that stuff isn't good for my lungs. [ Not that it has stopped him under different circumstances. But he doesn't trust these free lattes stuff showing up. ]

Thanks anyways.

[beskarad]

[How strange. Especially considering how prominently advertised this beverage had been back at the store.

The droid regards the beverage in his outstretched hand, then looks back up at the young man.]

Would you prefer caf? Or perhaps some tea?

[ragsnbone]

[ It was strange, but Wu Xie rather be a little more careful in this place than he had back home. After all, here he does not have the network needed to help keep him upright. ]

Tea is best, especially if they have one with honey and ginger root.

[beskarad]

Understood. Please wait here.

[And without waiting for acknowledgment, IG-11 is on the move. Let the search for the right refreshment begin.]

wildcard

[muffled]

[ now that he had to figure out how to ensure the welfare of the child, the mandalorian came to know he had very little idea of how to do that. his hope, perhaps goal, was to find someone to do it for him. there was omera and her village at one time, but it became clear the child would not be safe without him. at least not for now.

he comes into fruit basket when he thinks all is quiet, a pod following him in lockstep. once he's further into the store at the baby aisle, he unlocks the pod and pulls the child out of its cradle. ]

Alright. [ he starts gruff, lowering himself down to get on one knee. the child looks up at him expectantly. ] We're going to find you a book today. You know how to read, right?

[ the child tilts its head, babbling a noise out incoherent. ]

Hm. Well, I can always read to you. [ this is the way, as it were. he tilts his head and sees a little section of the shelving that has books lined up at the bottom. perfect height for a child to pick up. ] Ok. Go find what you want.

[ and, after a moment, the child reluctantly turns around and starts to move toward the shelves. it has no idea what it is doing. ]

[beskarad]

[Framed in the doorway is a droid that should be all too familiar to the two of them. He'd decided to venture to this location in search of rations and supplies for any potential allies, but he has a secondary objective as well: locate the Mandalorian.

Grice had informed him that a Mandalorian had likewise been brought to this strange new place, but the droid couldn't be certain that it was the Mandalorian he knew. Not until now. The faint light from outside catches against the mudhorn signet on the hunter's shoulder pauldron. And at his feet...]

There you are.

[The child appears to be safe. Healthy. Content. But this mysterious island is no place for a child. With renewed purpose, IG-11 enters the store and starts to approach them.]

Resuming primary directive.

[To nurse and protect.]

[muffled]

[ the sudden sound of a voice gets the mandalorian jumped to his feet, pistol out, trained on the newcomer. for a moment, a long moment, he hesitates because he can't believe what he sees. ]

I.G.?

[ ...no. no, IG-11 was destroyed. this must be another unit of the same model. fear spikes in him. things can take a real bad turn real fast if he doesn't ascertain--

as he contemplates his next move, the child has taken notice of the droid. it makes a happy noise and immediately starts waddling as fast he can toward toward the familiar visage of a friend. the mandalorian panics, gun still up he calls to the child. ]

No, stop! He's not Eleven!

[beskarad]

No. The child is not mistaken. I am Eyegee-Eleven.

[Once the child is close enough to the droid, he'll lower himself down enough to gingerly lift the little green boy up in his spindly arms. He then sets his sights on the Mandalorian, whose voice print is a confirmed match with that from his memory banks.]

And you are the Mandalorian, Din Djarin. Are you not?

changes

[coraza]

[cloud is not sure how he feels about this droid approaching him purposefully, and has half an instinct to draw the sword from his back—except the question has his hand lingering on the hilt of it, steady in how he remains unmoving.]

[wait, a refreshment?]

Uh... [put it down to having to fight plenty of robot-like monsters. he drops his hand and glances around himself to see if there's anyone else that could be the target for said question.] What's in it?

[dubious...]

[beskarad]

[That is a rather large weapon for a human of this stature. IG-11 silently makes note of this, his optics focused on the cup in his hand.]

This beverage was prominently advertised at the supply depot. It is called a "pumpkin spice latte."

Ingredients: Milk, sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin puree, annatto, salt, potassium sorbate -

[He'll keep going on like this unless Cloud dares to stop him.]

[coraza]

[...cloud is in fact so impressed by the listing of ingredients that he doesn't find it half as annoying as he should. rather, he keeps on listening, past the potassium sorbate and into territory of words he has no idea what they mean.]

[after a moment, he does finally concede.]

—right. I get it.

[it's some kind of warm beverage that tastes like pumpkin. for some reason, he feels compelled to take it at the same time, as if that would make the droid cease with the listing.]

... [it smells nice, as he takes a small sip from the cup.] ...are you a new feature in this island?

[what]

[beskarad]

[what]

I believe our captor's intent is to make me a resident. Much like the others that have been brought here.

[He doesn't seem offended by the question, at least.]

arrival

[merging]

[Congrats IG, you've found a kid sitting in a bathtub. Of all the people and droids sent to hunt him down, Ezra doesn't think he's ever dealt with an IG unit. Still, he's certainly heard of them and he knows what it usually means when someone like him meets a droid like this.

So he just shrugs and answers,]

Jabba the Hutt?

[Look, he's got other things to worry about, like why he's not somewhere in hyperspace on the Chimaera.]

[beskarad]

[The droid warily regards young Jabba, his sensor array whirring.]

Scans indicate that you are not a Hutt.

[An interesting theory then occurs to him.]

Is it possible that you are, in fact, adopted?

[merging]

I am! How'd you know?

[He feigns surprise despite the fact that he is obviously not a Hutt, scans or otherwise.]

You see, I was just some orphan until Jabba found me and took me in. Treated me like his own son. [Ignoring the fact Jabba has an actual son] Taught me everything, said I could take his name, proof I was a real Hutt where it mattered. In my heart.

[beskarad]

[Long, metal fingers lightly brush against the droid's chassis as he considers the boy's story. IG-11 had been taken in, too. Reprogrammed by Kuiil. It isn't the same, but a comparative study is a helpful means of assessing data.

What would Kuiil say about this sort of narrative?]

That... is a touching story.

[He's trying.]