plot roll | lights out

[groundrules]

Image source.

LIGHTS OUT | MINARAS

Critical systems at various military, academic and medical institutes in Minaras malfunction, suffering anything from brief but recurring glitches to complete breakdowns. They require urgent, expensive and sophisticated repairs linked to gears: cogs, wires, keys, grease and steampunk microsystems. Corrosion appears to be the main culprit.

Unfortunately, the industrial barons of Minaras are unenthusiastic to donate the necessary repair resources. In a public message, high councillor Arabella and other government officials subtly encourage good citizens to liberate the supplies, alluding that light crimes committed in the process will be pardoned.

Careful: the barons didn’t make their wealth by leaving their assets unprotected…

✘ OBJECTIVE: Barter, win or steal parts from reluctant industrialists and study the repair areas.

■ Characters working at Minaras public institutions notice a sudden spate of operational errors: lights go out completely or temporarily, while watch ship communication systems are frequently disrupted. Civilian clockwork droids stop moving or fleetingly refuse to acknowledge citizens (this does not apply to droids assigned to the party). Several factories suspend work.

■ Brief light outages strike residences and public areas. Citizens stumble or drift on unlit roads — a few approach you mutely with unshed tears in their eyes, catching your hand to drag you to their homes. If you go, you will find nothing amiss beyond the eerie quiet, while your hosts pointedly stare at you as they enter their beds and silently weep. This stops once lights come back on. Citizens cannot explain what they were doing and remembering their own actions in a haze.

■ Characters with access to the military may overhear that basic production services have not been performed in Minaras for some time. Some say the current outages were inevitable: lubricants, routine parts and processed coal are in short supply, with the army considering whether to requisition.

■ Eager to turn distress into dance, the wealthy aristocracy hold several candle-lit parties. Here, characters can overhear Minaras’ industrial elite has long felt the brunt of the government’s fixation with medical progress. Much of the processes that keep the city running have been relegated to private suppliers, and the barons feel pressured to sustain Minaras. Some favour rebelling against the high council, with a few admitting they have been contacted by Remembrance terror group leader Chrichter.

■ Those affiliated with medical units make dark discoveries: in the absence of light to support cryogenic conditions, several living and dead subjects seem to rapidly deteriorate. The dead show signs of internal rot, while the living cough blood and develop high fevers. They are swiftly isolated.

■ At the government’s behest, public service buildings, formal bounty hunter abodes and several taverns offer pamphlets, maps and instructions to steal repair parts. The government will not pursue this theft. Read the fine print: this pardon does not extend to major crimes (permanent injury, murder, the annihilation of a baron’s home or factory). You can trade parts in for a handsome 30,000 governmental coins.

■ The pieces needed are: specialty factory cogs, pipes, high-density fuel — a precious handful of which can power an entire watchtower — and product or recipes for efficient lubricants.

■ If you enlist to hunt parts, shady bounty hunters will share loose maps and observations on the basic daily patterns of the barons’ factories or households, to help you infiltrate. You will also receive basic weapons and a stiff drink.

■ Some of the items you seek sleep in safehouses, others in the barons’ own homes, while some are in factory warehouses. Most parts are secured with codes you can learn by following your targets, or receive from government sources. You may need to pretend to be a factory worker to enter work spaces, or a servant to infiltrate a baron’s home.

■ Beware droids, guards and berserk watch ships. You’re safe if you’re trapped and turned in with public authorities, who will furtively release you — but you may need to break yourself out, if barons take justice in their own hands.

■ Those with technical ability can also offer to conduct repairs once parts are secured, gaining access to one institute of their choice: a watch tower, a medical unit (pick between academy or care centre) or a factory. Pair up for this one, and ask up to three specific questions!

■ Report in with your liberated goods. No pressure, but we will need at least three parts recovered by 20 September to return Minaras online.

QUESTIONS

NPC ACCESS: ARABELLA

Comments

QUESTIONS

[groundrules]

Call centre for Minaras' IT Big Bang.

[blackscales]

Hey -- if Wrathion and Vanessa run a scheme to get people to donate how effective would it be?

The concept is: they turn up to the parties of loads of rich barons with factories etc looking for potential investors (are they business partners? Are they COURTING? rumours!) and just continually express how really they want to invest in a place that CARES about Minaras, that PUTS Minaras first, you know like donating required parts that's the kind of business they want to put their huge bags of money towards if only someone would impress them it's truly so tragic what is happening they just really care about Minaras.

[groundrules]

Okay, I'm gonna guess this is you guys trying to work around the fact that your characters aren't really thieving prone, which — good hustle, why not. Sure.

But... preserve the malicious spirit. Clean the house with them.

[biomed]

Can the crying citizens be coaxed into talking while they're upset? Will they react to characters with light sources (say McCoy here shining a penlight in their eyes)?

[thedreamer]

Heya! My very loose idea thus far in my head, is if the Doctor and any potential thread partners are able to secure the necessary parts, my ultimate goal is to try and get him access to one of the medical units.

Basically, via this option - Those with technical ability can also offer to conduct repairs once parts are secured, gaining access to one institute of their choice: a watch tower, a medical unit (pick between academy or care centre) or a factory.

I guess I just wanted to ask if that would make sense as he's affiliated with Eidris. Additionally, because he's affiliated with Eidris, I assume he can't speak with High Councillor Arabella but just wanted to double-check that!

river / una

[groundrules]

As a renown military aviator, who has definitely not falsified the majority of her reputation, River is kept abreast of the latest and greatest in Minaras' military gossip. Una can also glean the below, given her military exposure through the watch ships. As part of the most recent grapevine instalment, our good ladies can learn (and prospectively pair up for any follow-up investigation, up to you!):

■ The Minaras planes purposefully avoid interaction with Eidris dragons, which were significantly more efficient at eradicating Minaras' aerial forces during the last leg of the conflict

■ This has been made more difficult in recent years by the fact that radars only intermittently catch temperature indicators from dragons. They often have to rely on visual (and if close enough, audio) cues to spot a dragon in the distance

■ Minaras military has received through High Councillor Arabella a complaint from Eidris king Thivar III, voicing discontent that Minaras may have purposefully targeted the dragon Ariste. Arabella has formally denied any involvement, but privately asks the military if they didn't accidentally (or otherwise) author the attack

■ Military and watch forces find this ridiculous and point to a history of Thivar blaming them for various unidentified aerial hostilities, at times when Minaras ships were no where on premise. Minaras ships have meanwhile suffered repeated fire damage that they haven't rushed to blame on Eidris, even though they suspect this is the work of dragons.

■ Some damaged ships reside in Minaras watch harbours

[thedreamer]

Hey there~ the Doctor and Red are trying to infiltrate a factory to steal some parts. Would it be feasible for his psychic paper to work if he was trying to fake some credentials? It doesn’t always work in the show, particularly if he is trying to fake something too unbelievable.

(I also forgot to include this on his initial inventory when I apped so I am happy to just have him trying to talk a good game instead!)

LIBERATED GOODS

[groundrules]

Link your threads with finished part heists procurement* by 20 September...!

*it's totally fine if you haven't finished the whole thread — just the part where you've liberated materials

[growlies]

The Doctor and Red have successfully liberated some goods/parts.

[blackscales]

You can at least see the angle Wrathion was taking in this top level -- obvs understand if it doesn't count but it's all I got rn, which is better than nothing!

[somebadnews]

Una and Five in the eleventh hour heist at a factory. Thread is ongoing, but for your timeline purposes.

[thedreamer]

The Doctor and Vanessa stealing some parts! Ongoing thread with some chaos about to happen maybe. Probably.

NPC ACCESS | ARABELLA

[groundrules]

High Councillor Arabella is beauty, brains and face — and you're the lucky, lucky (?) 1% who can put up a starter here, if you want first-hand interaction with her. The only request is to please bring in relevant plot questions and be available to finish the thread by 20 September.

anduin

[groundrules]

With the start of the blackouts, renown bounty hunter Anduin may observe an increase in bids posted by nobles who want their runaway droids returned.

Should Anduin pursue them, he will find:

■ These droids do not seem to acknowledge they ever had masters

■ They no longer volunteer the basic care services they previously provided to humans, stating they are not required and represent a non-efficient use of the droid's active time

■ If Anduin takes one of these runaway droids to any of his more gear & tech-savvy teammates ( ex: Viktor, Jens, the Star Trek gang, but anyone with a similar skillset ), they might notice on inspection that the droids are lagging firmly behind their maintenance, with several having scratched or rundown parts. None of the droids are damaged, but extensive use without repairs has led to the natural erosion of their mechanical parts. This does not justify any change in their programming and is purely a physical effect

■ Most of the droids recover their wits once the blackouts end

■ There is no explicit patterns to the make, branding or ownership of the droids that malfunction, beyond that they are all carer droids who are typically tasked directly serving humans

■ If Anduin and friends break down one of these droids, and if Wrathion/Licyn/Beitang Moran are around, they might be able to smell the droids' inner parts are coated in a thin sheen of the same kind of coarse grease as the key they encountered during Arabella's attempted abduction. The grease was used much, much more sparingly on the droids.

Happy hunting!

red | original character | ota

[growlies]

( ooc: if you want to play with red being able to see your characters aura/soul, please fill out my permissions post here. also feel free to hit me up with a wildcard if you want to do something else. ALSO the bounty hunter one or weeping strangers can easily/quickly lead to stealing shenans. i just cracked up at the visuals for both. )

1) Weeping Strangers

( Red blinks in surprise as she's dragged inside of some individual's house without a single word of explanation. ) Uh, Kidnapping? ( She says as they continue dragging. ) Or Fire. That's what you're supposed to shout- Fire.

( Not that she's exactly shouting anything, and she could easily pull from their grip, but something seems wrong or weird. They're supposed to be figuring out what that is, right? No way to solve the mystery unless she follows the clue (or is dragged by the fucking clue. Then the clue stares, climbs into bed, and weeps. Red... stares as well, fetching a broom? to lightly pat them from a distance. Just in case they freak out like Arabella did on the network.

God, here she thought Minaras might be better than dragons being afraid of her all the time, but this is so much worse. She only looks up when this citizen's spouse is dragging in another person. ) Funny meeting you here, huh? They're about to- about to. Yep. ( The spouse begins to ugly weep as they lay beside the original weeper. )

2) Bounty Hunter Mayhem

( It turns out it's hard to make a bounty hunter take you seriously when you look like a teenager - she kind of is a teenager but also definitely is not. The man, Cotton Eye, pffts when she asks for the map and information and calls her a 'girlie' who should run along home. Red decides to learn her lesson from Fei and not go with spit, but does pull the man's arm out from underneath him with a surge of Cerberus-strength and presses him against the table in a cool move that she learned. From Fei. Who is not here to supervise her. Shit. She gathers some ancient psychic intimidation to toss into the guy's head too: )

Hand 'em over. ( It's more growl than human. She can feel something in her bones threatening to shift- So she releases him too quick. The guy's got a partner who looks wary especially with how freaked out the man is that she just released as he scrambles for the paperwork. )

And don't judge a book by its cover. ( She's attempting for recovery. It's not like she can do either of those things again, but thankfully she's not alone in here and/or there's someone walking through the door from the group. Red juts a thumb in their direction. ) And there's my partner.

weeping strangers;

[thedreamer]

[ This isn't the first time this has happened; in fact, the third time for him in as many weeks. That's only because he's been diligently trying to work out a pattern here, trying to parse through any and all details that might help to explain what's going on. Needless to say, for a man who's so used to cleverly figuring things out in the nick of time, the increasingly bizarre and enigmatic events surrounding their time here have been, well, frustrating to say the least. But! He is nothing if not tenacious and stubbornly optimistic; there are answers here, they'll find them.

So, while he already knows and is awaiting the act of being pulled into a stranger's home, he is surprised to find someone else in there tonight, and a familiar face at that. ]

I never could turn down an invitation to a party. Though, I've told them they'll want to reconsider the party theme. Bit morose for my liking.

[ An attempt at some levity, because, well, this whole situation is beyond comprehension and utterly bizarre. Also, quite unfortunate. He may not understand why they're upset and they seem to bounce back well enough when the lights come back on, but that doesn't make it less distressing that it's happening at all. ]

These poor creatures. [ Creatures, because - he's not quite sure what or who they are, and creature is all-encompassing. They're important, though, important to him, and that's all that matters.

He's a bit distracted now; these incidents are brief, and he's trying to capture every detail he can before the lights come back on and they'll need to leave the house. Though it's dark in the room and outside, his eyes adjust enough and he approaches the bed, kneeling down to eye level with the pair of them, studying them, watching their eyes, their expressions, as much as he can take in. He goes around to the other side of the bed carefully, lost in thought. ]

They were afraid, maybe. They needed someone, they came looking for help. They're not alone now. [ He reaches out, very lightly and tenderly pressing the palm of his hand to the back of the person's head, the person closest to him. It's a brief, soothing touch, just a reassurance that they, in fact, are not alone, and he utters the words barely above a whisper: ] You're not alone. Promise. We'll stay here 'til it's passed.

[ He looks up at Red now, a gentle smile on his face. ]

It's good to see you. Not quite the circumstances I would have imagined.

→ winnie

[downswing]

( Lies are spider webs, wet knots of fabrication. Time and inspection weathers them, but strain only spins their noose tight.

In his short, tremulous and deeply unsatisfying history of deception, Lan Wangji learns this: that, to convince a crowd of his false identity as an impassioned man of deep-spirited rebellion, he might have considered a change of clothing. Darks. Leathers. Gleaming, burly furs. Perhaps an artistic, jagged scar that doesn't eclipse the soft spread of his back.

He might also have wished to stain his manners — no please when the first man binds his eyes for the wretched, winding journey down and down and down, and how they stumbled onward. No thank you, when he removes the fetters.

He might, too, have planned out his greetings, when presented with a claustrophobic lair of criminals and madmen and thieves, all obsessively fixated on their common cause, burlap dolls the size of a man watching each door hawkishly. Long blinks, owlish stares, and the faint impression of wishing for what little earth the native rats haven't grazed down to swallow him whole do not, it appears, generate a fond feelings of camaraderie. Who might have known, to tell him?

But above all, if there were any critical fine point to adjust amid his many, many strategical miscalculations, he might not have dragged along the gleeful, effusive spectre of Winnie as his accomplice in his long-suffering sigh. It is hard toil and deep struggle, pretending malice towards a woman you are trying despairingly not to bruise or be bruised by.

Why, even nudging her forward, he tugs gently at her roped hands to ensure them loosened. Behold, a noble sacrifice. If the members of Remembrance squint, she might yet pass for a cake. A sound offering. Now, let him in. )

I have brought you a woman. ( ...indeed he has. Well done, Lan Wangji. True ruthless infiltration. A feat finely done. Now, sing her merits. Recall every fishwife at the market, every old man selling polished brass he calls gold, and convince them of her virtues: ) She is unwed and of accepting temperament. ( Hmmmm, perhaps you can do better, Wangji — ) Soft of hair. Like a rabbit.

( That'll do it. )

[soulsrob]

[It's a sound idea, really, if perhaps it were carried out by literally anyone else.

She looks around with wide eyes, trying to appear frightened into submission, but she's not doing the best job of it. She gives friendly smiles and only stumbles a little when tugged forward, blinking and fluttering her eyelashes a few times to appear confused and bewildered.

...Okay, that part she doesn't have to fake that much. She gives Wangji a look as if to say, 'what, that's all?' before she sighs]

I can also paint, dance, and play instruments, hold a splendid tea party, and recite hundreds of stories and poems from memory. [She grins] I have a very good memory! And I'm plenty decorative.

[You know, in case they'd rather just have a pretty sight for sore eyes sitting about or whatever]

the doctor ➤ doctor who ➤ ota

[thedreamer]

𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜

[ The first night the Doctor is approached by a crying stranger, he is, of course, concerned and eager to help. If there's one thing he can't abide, it's someone crying; he will always care and he will always try to help. As with everything lately, despite having no idea what's happening, he can at least comfort a stranger in need. He speaks gently, genuinely worried, "It's okay. I'm the Doctor, I'm here to help."

When his words don't seem to be heard, when there's no reaction except for the stranger to climb into bed and eventually wake from their distressed stupor, the Doctor is even more puzzled. Though, upon waking, the afflicted individual is immediately met with a bright, reassuring smile from the Doctor and, "We'll sort this out. Don't worry."

He doesn't linger once they wake, of course, except to reassure them that the danger has passed. Though, he does make sure of that himself, and he loiters about outside, tinkering with a few of the many items he's accumulated here, stuffed in his cavernous pockets. For the next few weeks, he continues to return to Minaras around the time of the last incident, to see if there's a pattern, though that yields nothing helpful.

As the weeks pass and it continues to happen and escalate in frequency, the Doctor takes the opportunity to glance through the individual's home, taking note of what's on their walls, photographs, artwork, books on shelves, things that are out in the open, anything of importance that might explain their life up until now and what's going on at the moment. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Do the affected people have anything in common? Is someone targeting them for a reason? Are they important to someone in power? Does it have anything at all to do with the sickness that once plagued Serthica?

The more he can learn from their surroundings, the greater the likelihood that he can help them. Always, he keeps watch outside their home as long as he can, just to make sure he hasn't missed anything, that there's nothing dangerous lurking and coming for them.

One particular night, as he's standing guard outside and tinkering around changing out a few small parts of his sonic screwdriver, he begins to talk to himself out loud. ]

No pattern to the crying, nothing I’ve been able to work out. Nothing of value in their memories. Nothing unusual in their home; ordinary, quiet. I need to think. Come on, brain. Think, think, think. Think! [ He paces in a circle a bit faster now. ] Okay - that note on the dresser, that’s something. Not an answer, another question, a clue. I love a clue.

➤ closed to river

[thedreamer]

[ After a little reconnaissance, he quickly determines he needs the expert skill of the one and only River Song. He does so love a good mash-up and after thinking he’d never actually see her again, he wouldn’t deny being thrilled at the chance for an adventure with her. There’s no telling what awaits them, of course, but that’s the thrill of it all. ]

Meet me at this address. It’s a factory. Bring everything you’ve got, we need to break in and it’s heavily guarded.

➤ closed to vanessa ives

[thedreamer]

[ From one of the public buildings, the Doctor has obtained pamphlets, maps, and instructions for raiding a safehouse to acquire repair parts. He can’t go it alone, he’s more than aware, not least because he’s not affiliated with Minaras, so he needs someone who is. He has to prepare for every possible scenario, of course.

He’s still avoided talking explicitly with Vanessa about what happened at the summit, preferring to simply move on from it in many ways. Though, he’s also well aware that can only last for so long. The time to talk about it will come, eventually, he can’t run from it forever, though it’s his instinct to do so. The fact that he’s not avoiding Vanessa herself entirely is a point in his favor, he thinks.

Breaking into a safehouse doesn’t necessarily strike him as something she’d be eager to do, but he’s also still getting to know her. What better way to know her than to go an adventure together?

There’s no preamble on the Doctor’s part when he decides to enlist her help. He doesn’t even warn her by messaging her on their little devices. He just shows up and stands outside her window, throwing a few small pebbles against the glass to catch her attention. Could he knock? Yes, but there’s the matter of her droid. He could send her a message like probably a normal human would, but why (also not human, so it doesn't occur to him)? And anyway, this is more fun. He’s always wanted to do this. ]

number one ► star trek

[unas]

[ i'm throwing up starters as things are plotted. pm me if there's something you'd like to plot ♥ ]

► five

[unas]

I've got coffee, I need your ideas.

( doot doot location )

WRATHION & VANESSA | FLEECING RICH PEOPLE

[blackscales]

It was quite quickly obvious that this is not.... a usual sort of activity for Vanessa. His pitch had been simple: he has no interest in potentially blowing his cover so early via breaking and entering, even if the crimes are being forgiven. Once it was known he'd been stealing from people, after all, people might be less enthusiastic about buying his favour and might begin to question his allegiances.

He can, however, use his sway to... encourage them down the right path. Vanessa, in her role as heiress, is equally in possession of funding. Between them, then, the leverage is more powerful -- and no actual investing is required. Just the potential of it, dangled over them and keeping them moving forward like a donkey following a carrot.

After all, none of them are truly interested in anything beyond themselves. Beyond becoming richer. None of them have shown the slightest interest in giving money to the poorer citizens of Serthica, who simply struggle on, and even now they discuss rebellion instead of helping Minaras. Or perhaps they think this rebellion will help Minaras.

Wrathion has doubts, but for now he does what he can while blending in.

The candlelit meal the two of them occupy with the barons is full of hushed voices, frustrations, disgust and suggestion of rebellion.

"Of course, Lord Howe, I share your interest -- it is only the current climate, you understand. With all these... troubles, this talk of unrest, of robbery, of insecurity -- I simply am not certain this is the best time to invest. Once the city is stable again, once they have everything they need I am sure we can speak again. Surely a factory as prosperous as yours has something to spare for the cause, even?"

"Now now, Lord Lowther, we are on the same side I assure you. This instability is simply... bad for business, and I have concerns that if it is not addressed quickly that we will not be overlooking crimes -- that we may be hit with taxations and high criteria to meet. Surely you agree this is all best resolved quickly and quietly? Give them everything they need now, get things stable, and then... once things have settled, we can discuss other options?"

Some things work better than others, of course. At one point, when he had spoken of fear that riots might break out and that the stealing might damage profits he'd noticed more interest. If he had time to better assess all these barons he might be able to hit them with more personal concerns, but they are on a time limit.

As the evening begins to wind down, he tries to casually find a quiet corner he can linger in with Vanessa. Her chaperone, of course, is keeping everyone a respectable distance away -- but he is a business partner.

(Even if, when questioned, he has deflected by saying he wouldn't speak about private matters. It will inflame curiosity while saying nothing, and give people reason to consider their investments a joint prospect.)

"I hope," he offers softly, "you have found the evening... enlightening?"

Tiring, he is sure, but still. There is a greater good, here.

[matermali]

While no stranger to hiding behind a veil or only sharing half-truths, Vanessa has been encumbered by deception ever since awakening in this world. Is it still a sin when it's for the greater good? Is it wrong when those being tricked have made themselves the fool? These are questions best left for the dead of night, when doubt's whispers can ambush her in the silence of her room. At the moment, highborn chatter and the occasional clink of dinnerware keeps one from worrying too much over the morality of her own actions. At least she and her companion act with others in mind, while it's clear that few others at this party ever think about anything but their own purses.

That, and their safety. The city may fall down around them, so long as their person and belongings remain secure. They seem quick to spout rebellion, at least until her partner reminds them of the importance of stability when it comes to making money. How are they to invest when the future is so fragile, after all? Vanessa seizes on this tactic, understanding better than most how well fear can motivate a person.

She has been surrounded by such self-serving businessmen off and on in life, especially when attending balls in her youth. In London, a woman had no place discussing business with the men, so Vanessa will play her part to the women instead. She will take a shining to the wives and mistresses of any baron who seems more unwilling to listen to Wrathion's reminders. Observant as she is, she can find the women with pliant ears and too much time on their hands; such time is better spent parroting opinions that Vanessa gently leads them to discovering.

Oh yes, a new lace would brighten up that pelerine. Hopefully the taxes don't rise, so that Lord Keating may still shower you with lace and jewels for the coming season.

No, I certainly hope that the darkened streets don't invite riots. ...Though, I have heard of a robbery at a shop near my home. Didn't you say that your daughter visits that quarter, Lady Beckham?

It is wearying, both on mind and soul, but she does well to hide any of her exhaustion while in the company of others. That is, until she finishes nursing her glass of wine and asks her droid to go fetch another, to which she finally lets a sigh escape. With nobody but Wrathion close enough to catch it, it's the first moment of freedom she's permitted herself this evening. She's quick to smile, though, so that he doesn't think that she regrets her part.

"I should think that the others here have had more opportunity to reach such enlightenment, by way of your clever guidance. Out of all the strangeness I have found in this city, the men here are frightfully...common." Though, she must catch herself there with an apologetic shake of her head. "Present company excluded."

Her companion is certainly anything but common, though this hasn't been the time to unwrap that mystery. Too much small talk, of which she is no fan of, but does understand the necessity of it.