Entry tags:

June Player Plot Log

Who: Everyone
When: June 4rd to June 26th
Where: Earth 91c
What: Thisavrou’s Ingress connects to an alternate, technologically advanced version of Earth.
Warnings: Murder (and mystery!), potential violence, arguably slavery(?)

Important OOC Note: This event features NPC encounters in certain locations, with the NPCs Atarah (misassembled), Alex (outofstock), and Calla (TBA). These encounters may be used to gather information for the murder investigation, influence the world, or just to nab some interesting CR. If you are open to having your character approached by an NPC, please include the phrase “NPC-friendly” in the subject line of your top-level, or in the the heading of your preferred starter(s). Note that your chances of such an encounter may be greatly increased (or even guaranteed) by signing up for encounters on the OOC post. Have fun!

Earth 91c

While scanning through various universes for matching signatures, Thisavrou’s Ingress technicians occasionally find different versions of a single world, not quite matching the signature of anyone’s homeworld and yet not completely alien either. On the first of June, Thisavrou’s Ingress connects to one such alternate world—specifically, an alternative version of Earth.

Labeled “Earth 91c” by Ingress personnel, life on this Earth is fundamentally different than the life Earthlings on Thisavrou may remember. It’s the year 2610 and advancements made hundreds of years in the past have revolutionized every industry on the planet, allowing for an exponential increase in the production of food, goods, and commodities, while the cost in human effort and suffering has fallen to almost null. The result is a near-utopia with surpluses in almost every resource, creating an environment where humans can stretch their creative and scientific wings skyward, where no brilliant mind must be squandered in a life spent on unfulfilling menial labor. Art and technology flourish on this world and beyond, as humans, freed from such quaint concerns as food production and resource extraction, have extended their reach to the stars, even discovering an Ingress on a distant planet and relocating it to a city on Earth.

Upon exiting the Ingress, visitors will find themselves in a vibrant center of technological and cultural exchange, in the midst of a human civilization that seems to be in the midst of its golden age. The technology that made this prosperity possible is on full display throughout Eastgate City. And some of it is very familiar…

Welcome To Eastgate City

Once visitors arrive in Eastgate City proper, it will be very easy to see how exactly Earth 91c became the utopia it is today. Programs, AI, androids—whatever you call them, they’re known as the “Created” here and they’re out in force. They perform a variety of functions on this world, including (but not limited to) manual labor, factory work, personal and professional assistance, system organization, household drudgery, farming, construction, child care, entertainment, and companionship. A large portion of these Created are called “Programs”; they resemble humans, marked as different only by glowing markings that decorate their bodies, some simple and some so ornate and extensive, their wearers resemble walking works of art. Any who are familiar with Thisavrou's own small Program population will notice a key difference, however: the Programs of Earth 91c carry no disks on their backs. There are also AI, owned by individuals or companies, often resembling small, holographic humans who can be summoned at will by personal devices to provide information, analysis, or entertainment. Anywhere you go in the city you’ll see these Created, hurrying along to carry out their programmed functions, stationed in businesses or kiosks, or accompanying the humans (called, of course, “Creators”) who own them. To prevent any confusion between visiting and native Created, all AI characters who enter through the Ingress will be asked to wear identifying bracelets for the duration of their stay. All visitors are also referred to a message broadcast to their TABs for a list of the planet’s laws as they pertain to foreign guests, and as a means of getting in contact with Eastgate’s official ambassador, Daniel Wright.

And yet, for all the pretense of welcome, there’s a strange, tense atmosphere pervading the city. You might be able to see it in the wary glances of organic and AI alike towards more visibly foreign visitors, or hear it in the hushed whispers of a crime too terrible to imagine. Most natives you meet will be reluctant to discuss it with you, but you may be able to put together a few details: an incident occurred a couple weeks earlier in which a Created—a Program by the name of Kess—murdered two humans at a political rally for the rising political star Delilah Handler, a candidate with known ties to the “Equalist” movement—an umbrella term for activists who seek to further Created rights. No one is quite sure how such an attack was possible; the production of Created is strictly regulated so that none possess the capacity for such violence. But, speculation abounds. Some believe that it was a random, tragic glitch. Some blame the Ingress for bringing in some kind of foreign virus and fear that other Created may also become indiscriminately violent. However, the predominant theory is that Delilah somehow altered Kess’s programming and unintentionally created the glitch that caused Kess to snap. This theory is supported both by Delilah’s ties to the Equalist movement, which has been long suspected of editing Created to parrot their beliefs, and the fact that she was a former authorized programmer, meaning she might’ve had the knowledge to edit Kess. Whatever the truth, the incident has cast a pall of mistrust over the normally hospitable city. But for those willing to put up with the uneasy atmosphere, Eastgate has a number of locations available to explore.

The Center for Created Oversight and Affairs

One of the largest structures in the city, this sprawling facility is made up of multiple interconnected buildings and courtyards. The Center for Created Oversight and Affairs (or the CCOA) manages almost every aspect of Program and AI life, from their creation to related policy-making. Though most of the buildings are off-limits to visitors, there is a museum open to the public with exhibits that display how Programs and other AI are created and the role they play in Eastgate’s society. Simple, easy-to-understand exhibits explain that Created are coded by highly trained programmers using advanced computers, and that those meant for “outside use” are then made tangible through a complex “reverse-digitization process.” There are regular tours through the museum, delivered, of course, by beaming Created docents.

Though security in the museum is relatively light, all other areas of the facility are heavily guarded and monitored.

The Gardens

Marked only by a neon sign showing a flower in bloom, The Gardens is a popular, high-end entertainment venue, which includes a bar, lounge, dance floor, and casino, all connected by a verdant courtyard. As one might guess from the name, the entire venue has a botanical theme that extends not only to the interior and exterior decor, but also to the Created who work there. These Created include Programs marked by very thin, fine circuits on their faces, wrists, and ankles that are wrought in a delicate floral pattern and are named after flowers corresponding to their circuit colors. These Programs serve a variety of functions here, from running the casino games to keeping the venue clean to accommodating the requests of the venue’s various guests. There are also holographic AI, resembling foot-tall humans with insectoid wings, stationed at the bar who can help you find a place to sit, direct you to the venue’s various attractions, and place an order for drinks (though the bartender himself is human). Visitors here can drink, dance, or gamble the night away, though they should be warned: fighting and destructive behavior are not allowed on the premises and violators will be removed by the venue’s (human) security.

Manufacturing District

On the outskirts of Eastgate lies the center of production, a vast maze of factories and refineries that produce most of the goods consumed by the city. Here, Created outnumber humans several times over; after all, they staff all of the factories. In fact, there are some factories that operate almost entirely independent of human supervision and are only given a general inspection a few times a year. If you speak with the right people, you may even hear word of a factory that has ceased to be a factory. For those who can rub elbows with the criminal elements of Eastgate, “Rook Manufacturing” may prove a useful place for your less-than-legal needs. Here, visiting AI can get their mandatory bracelets removed free-of-charge—and any organics wanting to see how the other side lives can purchases these bracelets for themselves, if they have something worth trading. AI can also pay for illegal upgrades; even a full function change isn’t out of the question, though the side-effects would be severe to say the very least. However, even with such services available, unfamiliar guests shouldn’t expect a completely cordial experience during their visit. A certain AI is known for testing newcomers’ patience—quite literally, as it turns out. Finally, those interested in challenge rather than commerce may be interested in Rook Manufacturing’s next offering: a chance to fight with willing, combat-ready Programs looking to try out their new upgrades in the ring. All fights MUST be non-lethal. Attending the fights is the leader of this operation, a green-circuited Program by the name of Atarah. Judging by the awed hush that falls over the assembled audience when she appears, it’s no secret that she commands a great deal of respect here—from Creators and Created alike.

Missions Available

♖Visitors to Rook Manufacturing may hear excited rumors that Atarah is looking to recruit outsiders for a more meaningful kind of fight. There are whispers that something precious has been taken from her and her fellow Created by a faction that identifies as “Extinctionists”—a movement that opposes the very existence of Created in the outside world. And she is willing to pay any sum to anyone who is willing to get it back—if you can prove you’re worth her time.

♔ Knowledge of foreign technology, particularly as it relates to artificial intelligence, is highly valued by the CCOA. Those with expertise on such technology, whether from Thisavrou or their own world, will be paid 200 sencs for a seminar on the subject, assuming they can provide new information about technology not yet present on Earth 91c. It’s possible a charlatan might be able to give a seminar on a piece of technology that doesn’t actually exist—just hope that there’s nobody from your own world in the crowd who might be able to call you out.

OOC: If you have any questions about the event or setting, please post them here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

     For a moment Cayde wonders if he should be taking offense to that. He stares at 76 who's there laughing on the ground. Standing in an awkward sort of stance himself, Cayde wouldn't have really been ready for any surprises either way, and it's perhaps a handful of seconds before he begins to find himself chuckling as well.

     The break from the fighting seems to discourage a few of those who had been watching as they mill off to wait for the next contenders. Not that Cayde minds all that much. It had actually been kind of fun, now that he's had some time to reflect on the previous tussle.

     "So, what'dya think? Quit while we're ahead? Grab a few drinks at the Garden?" he calls over at the Soldier.

76 stays on the ground for a few more moments, until he’s sure that the fight is over—can’t be entirely sure about silent agreements, but probably the laughing helped. When Cayde offers it in return, he knows that they’re done.

“Sounds like a plan.”

He makes a note that Cayde can, in fact, drink, then he works on getting himself back upright. 76 dusts off his fatigues, and straightens.

“I take it you know where you’re going.”

Lead the way.

     Cayde seems to grin, nodding over at the guy. He dusts himself off a little as though reminded to do so as he sees 76 does the same, not that it really seems to do a thing for him.

     "Oh yeah, one of the first places I scoped out," he admits. Granted he hadn't actually caught a drink when he did, having gotten a bit sidetracked. But now's as good
a time as any to make up for it. Gesturing at the man, he turns to exit the ring.

     "You buying?" He's kidding. Maybe.

Look—getting imaginary dirt off your fatigues after a spar is an integral part of the cool-down process. As is, sometimes, alcohol. Cayde might be kidding, but it seems the fight has brought out 76’s more good-natured side, so he offers a shrug and a nod.

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

Money’s not really an issue. He can afford a few drinks.

“First round.”

     That's a sure way to score bonus points with Cayde. He wouldn't have been terribly disappointed if 76 had said no, but it looks like he'll be getting at least one free drink after all. With a laugh, the Exo glances back over, waiting until the man's caught up so he can clap a hand over his shoulder in that typical sort of buddy-buddy gesture.

     "Sounds good to me!"

     To the bar!!

76 is a little more reserved about the outing, and of course it’s impossible to see his face, but he’s good-natured enough. There’s a momentary flinch at the hand on his shoulder, as he hasn’t exactly prepared himself for being touched, but he shrugs it off quickly enough, trying to downplay the reaction. He knows it’s a little odd, and chooses not to acknowledge it.

The bar isn’t far, thankfully, and rather predictably, 76 chooses the shadiest corner he can find. He may have had a satisfying spar with his new acquaintance, but he’s loath to trust this place as a whole. Throwing caution to the wind is what he does.

He’ll wait for Cayde to settle and for their drink orders to be in before he attempts to start up conversation.

“Where’d you learn to fight like that?”

He can make a few guesses, but given his own background, thinks it’s a fair question to ask.

     It's not a reaction that goes unnoticed, but Cayde doesn't broach the subject although he makes a mental note.

     At least the way to the entertainment sector isn't difficult to navigate, and he doesn't blame 76 in the least for being wary about the surroundings. The Exo keeps his own gaze moving as he can, but he relies on his Ghost to notify him of anything unusual, tucked out of sight as it is. He's not letting the thing float about where someone might try grabbing it, after all.

     While he doesn't catch sight of Calla, Cayde supposes it's all for the best as he makes himself comfortable. In the low lighting his eyes stand out all the more, glowing blue optics that tick over in the Soldier's direction once the man finally speaks up again. "Eh, picked it up here and there, self taught mostly." It's as honest an answer as he can come up with. He can't quite remember if he'd trained any and it transferred over when he became an Exo, or if it was part of programming, but he's sure that a lot comes from adapting to whatever slobbering things came out of the Darkness that were too numerous to keep back with gunfire.

     "Yourself?" he asks, seeing it only fair to turn back the question.

"Military."

76 is perfectly fine disclosing that bit about himself--it's obvious to anyone who spends more than a minute thinking about it. Even his full alias indicates some amount of time in the armed forces, so it's one of very few things he'll willingly tell strangers. It's obvious anyway.

Still, he likes to keep the conversation trained away from himself if at all possible, even if it means drawing attention to something Cayde is currently trying to hide.

"He want a drink, too?"

It's a sort of roundabout way of inquiring further about this "Ghost" thing. Perhaps a little transparent, but hey. 76 isn't subtle.

     The response isn't surprising, gaining a nod from the Exo. There had been more than a few hints just by the way the man seemed to carry himself. In a way, 76 reminded him of Zavala, except easier to get along with. That's a definite plus.

     The Ghost peeks about, hovering closer to the table as it glances from 76 to Cayde and back again, its vertices shifting slightly. "Oh, I'm fine, thanks," it replies- yes, it speaks! "I'm not quite sure how I would go about partaking of a drink, in any case."

     Cayde chuckles. "Probably better that way. At least one of us should stay sober."

Oh, it speaks. Well, maybe this is a little awkward, but to 76's credit, he takes it in stride. He hadn't exactly meant to put them in a position where Ghost had to reveal itself (himself?), so now he feels a little apologetic to have made the joke.

"So he's, uh. Your partner?"

He can't deny that he's interested in the function of this thing and Cayde's relationship to it, and that's the easiest way for him to ask.

     Neither of the two seem too bothered by it, although notably, the Ghost remains close and floating lower than it usually would. This Earth had such strict rules and insisted on dividing beings between one category or another, and technically neither Cayde nor his Little Light fit in either. Certainly people around here might object to the Ghost wandering around without supervision, especially with the added tension around the city.

     And Cayde doesn't exactly want someone wandering off with his pal either.

     "Partner's a good word for it," the Exo concedes, nodding thoughtfully. "Always on the look out, keeps me from getting killed-"

     "That's one thing I didn't miss while we were in the Tower."

     "What, you'd rather be stuck in meetings listening to Zavala?" Cayde prods a finger at the Ghost, who flutters its vertices in mock agitation.

76’s shoulders relax a little, now that he knows he hasn’t offended by using an improper term. He’s still coming to terms with the existence of alien races and cultures, even after so long on Thisavrou. No matter the cultural differences, however, 76 can certainly appreciate having someone who keeps you from getting killed. That’s a thing he definitely understands.

He watches the banter for a moment, which tells him a great deal of what he needs to know, and it’s hard not to smile a little under his mask.

“Sounds like you two have been through a lot.”

     Cayde pauses to take up his drink shortly after they have been brought over to the two. He swivels the glass about a little, watching the liquid within.

     "That's an understatement if ever I heard one," he laughs. "But then a lot's happened back home. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place but I heard it was Earth- or an Earth. Didn't get my hopes up after I heard that guy's announcement since I sure as hell don't remember any kind of situation like they've got here, what with programs and 'Creators' and 'Createds'..."

     Which is a big hint dropped, not that Cayde keeps his origins a secret. But he's apparently anything but an alien, if he calls Earth home.

“I heard it was an Earth, too.”

76 is still trying to wrap his mind around things like alternate universes and worlds and timelines—he imagines that if Winston were here, he might have a better explanation, but for now all he can do is take things in stride. He has to admit there are some uncomfortable similarities between this place and his own Earth, but that’s something he certainly plans to keep to himself. No need to air his own robot-related dirty laundry, especially in a place like this.

“It’s not uncommon. The Ingress is inter-dimensional. Don’t understand much about it, but I guess it’s a parallel universe thing.”

It's not something that the Exo had ever thought about before. There were enough things to deal with in one reality, and you were kept pretty busy that you didn't really get to wonder how things would be in an alternate solar system. Why delude yourself?

"I guess it's possible. At first I thought it might have to do with some kind of time anomaly but things don't match up from the Earth's I've heard people talk about. Wonder how many of 'em are out there..."

"I try not to think about it."

He says that with a shrug, even though he knows full well it's definitely something to worry about.

"When they give you that spiel in the complex, about how you have to stay on Thisavrou until they find your signature? They're matching you up with your world so they can send you home to the right place."

If the Savrii are to be believed, at any rate.

Cayde nods. "Yeah, I vaguely remember that. Thought they had it kind of backwards though. I mean, you'd think there'd be some kind of system recording wherever or however that thing triangulates on a body before they pull 'em in, right?" He emits a snort, shaking his head before he pauses to down his drink in one go. That...seems to be about the best way to do it for him, considering he doesn't have lips to take a sip.

"And if this has been going on for some time, they must have had enough opportunity to work something out." He's been convinced that something's been going on, but he's only been here maybe less than a week so far, and it's the first he's been out of the Tower in years. So he's in no hurry to work things out, especially if people in the same position haven't seemed terribly alarmed by the situation either.

"You'd think."

All of this is very suspicious to him, but he doesn't know enough about it to really challenge anyone in the Ingress complex about it. Ana returned home and came back, though she didn't remember anything about her first stay. It doesn't sit well, of course, but at least he has proof of the Ingress working the other way.

"Doesn't make much sense to me, but I figure they don't offer anyone much of a choice."

Storming the complex seems like a pretty good way to get dead, all things considered.

"Eh, true. Guess it's understandable if they're still trying to work out things with the tech, although who's to say they aren't hiding something?" The Exo shrugs.

Cayde holds no such ambitions at the moment. Maybe if something happens, but for the moment, he's not going to look for trouble if he doesn't have to. Besides, there are plenty of opportunities for that, and some more obviously questionable things happening in this version of Earth.

"Oh, I'm sure they're hiding something."

But 76 is also something of a conspiracy theorist. He'd likely think that something was being hidden no matter what. Though he does recognize that not everyone is going to be as paranoid as he is, he can't say it isn't welcome to find someone having similar thoughts about the whole situation.

"Question is what."

And why.

The way Cayde sees it, it would be stranger if there wasn't something people were trying to keep secret. In some odd way he'd prefer that to these guys actually having no clue as to how their tech works. ...not that it would bring with it its own complications, but that's another bridge waiting to be crossed under thus far only fabricated circumstances.

"What indeed. So how long have you been there? Since being...Ingress'd."

"Almost a year."

Which is frustrating to him, and the frown is evident in his voice, his eyebrows pinched together right at the top of his visor.

"We were on a ship before this, but it was the same kind of thing. Ingress brought us there."

That's... a pretty long time. Cayde stares a moment. "...oh. Well that's reassuring," he says dryly. And yet he finds himself not terribly surprised. I it's still not very fun news. AWOL from the Tower and the Vanguard for that long? Hopefully they'd find a Hunter to sit in during his absence.

"A ship? What happened to it?" Getting accidentally transmat'd to a ship seems more probable than continuing to have people accidentally brought through something more...stationary? No, wait, that still doesn't make much sense. "Why'd they have an Ingress on a ship?"

Too long, if 76 is being truthful. He doesn't say so out loud, but it's clear in his voice that he finds a year to be an unacceptable amount of time. He's got far too much at stake back home to keep wasting time here, but unfortunately, he doesn't have much choice.

"We crashed it."

That's the end of a very long story, but he can start by offering details about the Moira.

"It had an Ingress on board because it was for interdimensional transport. Didn't really go so well."

     While he doesn't mind an excuse to be away, Cayde would have much preferred it be back in his solar system. Little good a Guardian does stuck out here.

     "Well so much for that thought." Surely that couldn't be the only ship around though, could it? Probably plenty of time to wonder about that later.

     "What, you mean like, to transport the ship, and instead it warped people in rather than out?"

Earth 91c

Welcome To Eastgate City

The Center for Created Oversight and Affairs

The Gardens

Manufacturing District

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