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.

drivesadesk: (Default)

Convention Floor

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-19 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
[It's later in the week, and Midnighter might see someone doing what he'd been doing earlier. Namely, lurking around in out of the way spots and just staring at the convention goers, without really participating himself. Only in Jonathan's case, he has all the memories that led him to this moment. And in his case, he doesn't live like this normally. In the Northwestern Imperium he can open up and feel safe, but here...he's made so many enemies in the White Tower, and they're all here, and while he knows he wouldn't stay dead if they got a hold of him, he also knows they could make him wish he would.

At the moment, Jonathan is trying his best to look like a strange, mysterious and surly lurker. However, if M gets close enough, he might pick up on the nervous energy pent up inside him.]
heliophilic: M- (Can learn to be into sullen participant)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-20 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Of course M recognizes Jonathan instantly, but like everyone else in this place, he avoids approaching at first until he gets a better feel for things. The alien seemed nervous, but not particularly of him, so he decided to take a chance.]

I don't know about you, but this place could do with a whole lot less dick measuring. We get it, you're all big, tough alpha males.
drivesadesk: (Smile)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-20 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[That's enough to, just for a moment, cut through the tension enough to make Jonathan laugh.]

Oh, I definitely agree. It's definitely a real problem in this place.

[He looks at the man's face, and something strikes him as vaguely familiar, but he can't tell what. Of course, if he'd seen Midnighter back in his White Tower days, his mind would be very unlikely to make any connection between the friendly, open guy before him and the dark and empty murder machine of a man that the Midnighter of this world had become. And if he'd seen him before they overthrow the native government, well...that was a long time ago.]

I'm sorry, have we met or are you new?
heliophilic: M- (Slow down Tony)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-21 01:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Now there was a loaded question. One M wasn't fully sure he had the answer to. Not now.

So he instead tries another tactic... hedging his bets.]


You know, I'm not sure. I've taken one too many hits to the temple these last few years, so my memory isn't what it used to be. You kind of look familiar, but I can't fully place it.
Edited 2020-09-21 01:10 (UTC)
drivesadesk: (Smile)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-21 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
Well, we obviously don't know each other that well either way. I'm Jonathan. I'm with the Northwestern Imperium.
heliophilic: M- (Done my good Midnighter deed for the day)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-23 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a brief pause as, once again, he decides what his next move will be.

He offers his hand.]


Lucas Trent. White Tower.

[There's a name he swore he'd never use again, but desperate times!]
drivesadesk: (really? Wait)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-24 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Jonathan shakes the man's hand. Well, at least he doesn't recognize that name. That's promising, even if the affiliation makes him leery. The man might notice the nerves coming back a little, even though Jonathan tries to hide it behind friendly chit chat.]

Oh, White Tower, huh? What's that like?
Edited 2020-09-24 01:10 (UTC)
heliophilic: M- (I gave you an answer)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-25 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
Cutthroat, but I'm making do.

[Why lie? It's an open secret at this point.]

What about the Northwestern Imperium? Should I switch sides?
drivesadesk: (Default)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-25 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, definitely. The Northwestern Imperium is awesome. I mean, the White Tower has this whole 'imPorts are the ruling class' thing going on, but the Northwestern Imperium is a lot more egalitarian. No secret police, the law's applied the same to native and imPort. Overall, it's pretty nice all around.

[Okay, he probably should keep his mouth shut on why the Northwestern Imperioum is so much better than the White Tower if he doesn't want to piss anyone off, but...well, it's hard when he feels so strongly against the White Tower.]
heliophilic: M- (Not enhanced that way)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-25 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
That was the spiel I got from the White Tower too. Call me skeptical.

[Sorry Jonathan, he doesn't trust anyone at this point.]
drivesadesk: (really? Wait)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-27 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Wait, the White Tower tried to pass themselves off as not seeing imPorts as better than everyone else?

[Because that's a stretch by anyone's imagination.]
heliophilic: M- (Do we care?)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-09-28 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
I mean that's not the direct sales pitch. More like "the premier defenders of truth, justice, and the world way."

[If Supes ever shows up, he really should sue.]
drivesadesk: (Explaining)

[personal profile] drivesadesk 2020-09-30 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, right. Yeah, that's a lie. And, look, we're not necessarily ideal, either. We don't have free press, although we don't really crack down on it if someone writes their own underground newspaper, but it's something. Now, if you just want to be separated from it all on an island without natives, Krakoa's a good choice, but if you want to be someone close to the action, but not in all the White Tower drama, the Northwestern Imperium is a good choice. It's all a matter of preference."

Well, that's more honest, he supposes, even if it's not the best pitch.
heliophilic: M- (But I'm not going to stop)

[personal profile] heliophilic 2020-10-01 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, somehow I was starting to get that bamboozled feeling. I'm also getting the feeling that they don't like folks leaving to other places unless it's to spy on them.

[Still, getting more intel on the other worlds is useful. Jonathan seems to be impartial, which is somewhat surprising given what he knows of this place.]