modormenace: (Default)
modormenace ([personal profile] modormenace) wrote in [community profile] f20202020-09-15 12:53 am

SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020: THE SYNOD IS CONVENING.

All fourteen Gates simultaneously reverse polarity. For the next seven days, and only these seven days, any imPort stepping through a Gate will arrive safely in the Porter building: the only place on this fractured planet that can safely contain the energy of the imPort community in its entirety.
SO IT BEGINS
THE SYNOD
THE
DEATH
TRAIN

While the Gates are the simplest form of transportation, those making the journey to the Synod from the White Tower have the option of travelling by train, if they wish. Despite the playfully grim moniker, there haven't been any recorded fatalities on board the Death Train in many years. Or ever, really. Raw, untamed entropy doesn't do anything as simple as kill.

For that delightful reason, passengers will be reminded at frequent intervals not to attempt to leave the train once it enters the active zone of the Porter's defenses, or to do anything that could jeopardise the integrity of its shielding.

The journey is relatively comfortable and takes approximately two and a half hours. A limited menu of pastries and alcohol is available from the buffet car. The smallest tables seat two.

 

As the train passes through the entropy-saturated wasteland of the Deathdome, the view from the heavily tinted windows of each of the train's four-person cars is impossible to comprehend: every atom of the landscape is in a constant state of flux, scattered in endless possibilities across the multiverse.

WELCOME CARPET

Inside, you get the impression of three towers; no view from outside is possible. You're totally sealed inside for the week, by the same Fate-built tech that shields this place from the ravages of cosmic radiation— the train station is built into the structure, entrance tunnel hermetically sealed.

You're greeted by welcome robots, primitive little things full endless enthusiasm and covered in dents. What they lack in intelligence they make up for in persistence and durability. Each and every ImPort is assigned their own personal robutler.

Though they tend to hinder more than help.

Boop boop boop boop. They provide you with a complimentary swag bag. Inside is one (1) t-shirt, one (1) top of the line tablet (pre-loaded with this year's Agenda and a simple game app that looks suspiciously like 2048), a stress ball, personalised souvenir pen and eraser (but no pencil), and of course, a lanyard keycard for accessing the comfortably adequate accommodations provided for all attendees.

Given the week-long Synod, your room itself is a decent suite, furnished with dark colors, redolent with a smell you can't quite place. You may find yourself assigned an unexpected roommate, which may feel awkward considering you'll find arrayed on the beds, a half-dozen complimentary tickets to the spa, restaurants and the power gym, with its preternaturally durable equipment.

Robutlers constantly remind: do not attempt to leave the Porter facility or do anything to jeopardise the integrity of its shielding.

CONVENTION

Talks and panels take place in the convention area, which feels like a miniature city within the Porter's defenses, a hive with padded audience seats, wide stages, and complete with holographic audiovisual equipment that's curiously compatible with presentation software from every city.

Here, ImPorts will present and debate various topics regarded as major concerns for all. [OOCly, players are invited to suggest topics! Scroll down; they will be added below.]

This is also something of an expo, where cities practically demonstrate— or show off their good works. From the latest hovertechnology models to demonstrations of healing powers, playful duels in the forcefield-enclosed stages to magical books that temporarily transfer skills on touch, this is the place to pretend you're showing off your cards... while playing the most important ones close to your chest.

PANELS AND DEBATES

PRESENTERS
TOPIC
Joseph Kavinsky vs [N/PC]
White Tower ImPort Overpopulation and Dimensional Instability
Tony Stark and other technopaths
How Technology Will Save Us
Joshua Foley
The Mysteries and Intricacies of ImPort Physiology
Count Dooku and volunteers
ImPort Factions Must Align Against the Shared 'Resistance' Threat
Jin Bubaigawara (x3)
The Twin Cities are NOT Dimensionally Unstable No Matter What You Heard
Kang
Bridging Old and New: Maintaining Infrastructure with Limited Modern Resources
EVENING
EVENTS

Every night of the Synod, ImPorts gather to dine in a grand hall with a ballroom party. Each dinner is hosted by one ImPort city, gruntwork complete with robutlers-- which guarantees food safety, and complete with multiple cuisine options, cultural decor, and entertainment.

Given the range of cities represented, food options vary from greasy burgers to six courses of seafood and blue venison, and rarefied vegan fare.

When ImPorts aren't here eating, they're most often talking. Ergo, it's not uncommon for low-key drama to break out, but this year, the majority of Synod days seem to be passing uneventfully.

Fortunately, speeches are reserved for daytime. After dinner, it's time to dance.

 

The last song of the night is always obscure music no one can quite remember the words or melody to afterward. It's a slow dance song meant for two or more partners; the ballroom grows dark and the world seems to fade away. Or rather, it just fades back into one's hotel room.

THE BLACKOUT

On Monday, September 21st, shortly before the Gates are due to resume ordinary function and allow attendees to leave, the Porter building suffers a power cut.

Abruptly, all the lights cut out. Music stops. Your faithful robutler freezes in place, unresponsive— though its internal systems appear to be running, the centralised command hub that it relies on has fallen silent.

Though the robutlers are out of comission, technology-minded ImPorts and their tech drones hasten to reassure that systems analyses are underway. Within a few hours, repairs begin, the estimated time being two days.

In the meantime, thanks to the diversity of powers on hand, there is enough food and water. Candles start to circulate. It might even be a little romantic, if it weren't for the chaos outside. Characters might find themselves trapped in an elevator for a few hours, or compelled to seek comfort from one another.

rebelhealer: (standing around)

[personal profile] rebelhealer 2020-09-19 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
Anders arrives in a hooded grey jacket, his staff strapped to his back. If anyone asks, it's just for self-defense because one never knows if trouble might pop up during this whole event. Anders manages to find Jonathan and sits down on the bench next to him.

"So, you said something about supplies?"
drivesadesk: (really? Wait)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-19 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
"Something like that," he says, casually. Now, he knows Anders has been here a long time, but he also knows Anders comes from a low tech world. So he's going to have to assess the best way to do this. "So...uh...I know you don't come from a world with computers or technology or anything, but do know how to use stuff like that here?"

If not, he'd have to actually verbally tell Anders the information, but he'd rather do it through encrypted flash drive pass offs if he can.
rebelhealer: (pensive)

[personal profile] rebelhealer 2020-09-19 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Anders knows a little about computers, having picked up a few things after being ported in, but he's not exactly tech-savvy. He's been trying to remedy that lately, while still keeping a low profile.

"I know how to use a computer's basic functions."
drivesadesk: (Smile)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-20 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Great, so you know how to do all the important things, like accessing a usb drive, e-mail, looking stuff up online?"

He pulls out a Russian nesting doll. "I'm only asking because this doll has a really neat history, and there's something you'll find really interesting with the smallest doll, and I wanted to make sure you had a way to research it."

He's trying to be as subtle as he can, of course, in case they're being spied on. His years infiltrating the White Tower have made Jonathan very paranoid.
rebelhealer: (smirk)

[personal profile] rebelhealer 2020-09-21 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
"I know how to do all that, yes." He can't type very fast and sometimes he finds things about computers that still surprise him, and thus he's glad Jonathan's not asking him to hack into anything.

Anders accepts the nesting doll, turning it over in his hands carefully. "I think that can be arranged. I'll thoroughly research this." He places the item in his bag, so he can open it in a safe location.
drivesadesk: (Smile)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-22 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Great, glad to hear it." He then leans in close and whispers, "The password is 'from the snake's mouth 15, no spaces."

He's hoping that will be easy enough to remember since...well, this information is coming from the snake's mouth, and there are 15 official factions.
rebelhealer: (casual)

[personal profile] rebelhealer 2020-09-22 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"From the snake's mouth 15, no spaces," Anders nods, voice just low enough for Jonathan to hear him. "I can remember that."

Leaning away slightly from Jonathan, Anders pretends to suddenly become very interested in a statue of a naked man in the corner.
drivesadesk: (Eager)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-24 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, seems you got what you wanted. I'll leave you and the statue alone to get acquainted."

And with that particular choice of farewell, Jonathan gets up to head out. He figures Anders can review the information in his own time.