![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
modormenace) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
f20202020-09-15 12:53 am
- allison hargreeves ⧓ krakoa,
- anders ⧒ the white tower,
- beckett mariner ⧓ twin cities,
- cecelia ardenbury ⧓ olin vale,
- count dooku ⧓ the white tower,
- david alleyne ⧓ krakoa,
- declan lynch ⧓ sanctum aurorae,
- finn onaru ⧒ the white tower,
- fuu hououji ⧓ eden,
- jin bubaigawara ⧒ twin cities,
- jonathan walsh ⧓ northwestern imperium,
- kang ⧓ seekers of the new dawn,
- kylo ren ⧓ sanctum aurorae,
- lucina ⋈ ␣,
- luther hargreeves ⧓ krakoa,
- midnighter ⧒ the white tower,
- number five hargreeves ⧓ krakoa,
- padmé amidala ⧓ luminary,
- pepper potts ⋈ the white tower,
- rey ⧓ the white tower,
- ronan lynch ⧓ sanctum aurorae,
- rude ⧒ olin vale,
- stephen strange ⧓ the white tower,
- tony stark ⧓ the white tower,
- wei wuxian ⧓ house of m,
- wen ning ⋈ house of m,
- xue yang ⧓ sanctum aurorae
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020: THE SYNOD IS CONVENING.
THE SYNOD
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.
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
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.
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.
panel
This, above and beyond every other part, is the piece of David's speech that resonates through Diego's entire body, a certainty beyond any other. People save people. It's such a simple statement, but the idea seems so frequently lost on people. Perhaps it's never being in the position to be one of the people saving people; maybe it's just the nature of human condition, to look to something, someone, else to fix everything, little difference between the reverent ways people look to technology and the way religion stares to the sky in hopes an invisible God or Goddess might save them all.
The problem is, Gods and Goddesses are just ideas; technology is there, in people's hands at all times, and in the wrong ones, it could be really, really bad.
Still, Diego was there for the panel, as he was for all of the ones featuring one of his fellow islanders. Support of each other is such a big leading force behind Krakoa, he wouldn't dream of being anywhere else.
Eventually, David is done with the Q&A portion of things, sliding off stage to allow whoever's next come up to the podium. That's when Diego approaches him with a casual demeanor, despite every ounce of stress he feels, both from the Council member, and his own swirling in his chest. "You seriously still don't know how to surf?" He can't help the amused smirk on his face at the idea of it. What? Granted, he understands the immense number of responsibilities that fall onto the Council's shoulders, particularly with his sister being among t hem, but seriously, David? We live on an island.
Re: panel
Once they are a bit away from the path others might walk right into, he pitches his voice low and soft, conspiratorial even.
“I know how to surf. I went to school with a girl from Hawaii for whom it was a favorite pass time. That was back when I had my psychomimetry, so I mostly have her skills in every movement of my muscles. But I haven’t actually ever tried to use them. Never the time.”
no subject
"They say you're supposed to make time for fun things, you know." He muses, keeping the conversation just this side of lighter-hearted for anyone that may be trying to listen in. An innocuous conversation that clearly isn't important to bother paying attention to, move along, eavesdroppers.
no subject
Which was a way of saying he didn’t agree but all the people who were wiser in these matters did. David sighed and started to walk further from the stage.
“So, think I came on too strong with my message?”
no subject
At the question, Diego shakes his head. "Nah. Gotta push that point home, you know? I think you applied the exact right amount of pressure on it, and let it speak for itself."
no subject
One hopes he let it speak for himself, but he isn't certain. So for now, he just continues his walk.
"This has all left me so impossibly tired. They don't want to listen to me no matter how sensible the point is."
no subject
“You’ve got more reasons than most to be exhausted, David. And we both know this is the least of it.”
no subject
Which, of course, he knew would never happen.
no subject
Especially not here, where tension rules the air and everyone is some fake persona of themselves. Has he mentioned how much he hates the politics of Synods?
no subject
David would be content to just shoot himself in the foot over the Synod stuff if he thought it would get him out. Or if he thought it would get them political clout.
no subject
no subject
But really, they should have allowed for additions to and removals from the board. He was ready to retire please.
"Leading isn't worth it."
no subject
no subject