SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020: THE SYNOD IS CONVENING.

[modormenace]

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.

Comments

[xue_yang]

"Curiosity. Why would this place want to draw all of us together? Are they trying to get rid of us all at once?" He has heard stories about the ones in charge and so he felt like coming and seeing it first hand. And if they were out for blood then he definitely wanted to enjoy the bath. He looks around the room.

"It's like a whole herd of potential toys for powerful people. The fact that we are locked up here just means they definitely have ulterior motives and all the nice things they seem to be doing is just a cover."

Xue Yang has seen enough of that in his lifetime. All the sect leaders do it. Bribe people into bowing before them.

[deadwenwalking]

"I think if they were trying to get rid of all of us they would have made attending this more obligatory." He didn't have to come. He'd come along so he could look after Wei Wuxian. Of course they could have taken this into account. The might have already had a good idea of who would show up and who wouldn't.

But as much as he hates thinking it - Xue Yang has a point. There's no reason to believe they haven't been drawn into a trap of some sort. Wei Wuxian had probably even known this going in. But it would be hard to pass up the opportunity, especially for someone in his position.

"What are you going to do if they try to drag you off somewhere?"

[xue_yang]

He smirks at Wen Ning at that question. "Fight. What else would I do?" Why would he just let someone drag him off? Of course he would make it incredibly difficult for them. Xue Yang is resourceful and knows he could take on just about anyone. Or at least he thinks he can.

"I may have come here willingly but that doesn't mean I would just let them kill me or whatever it is they intend to do." And he is sure that something interesting will happen. It is hard to think that this many people gathered together wouldn't spark some sort of excitement.

[deadwenwalking]

"They would have taken all our strengths and weaknesses into account, I would think. If they plan on doing anything like that." He knows they have to have that sort of information in this place. It went along with whatever crazy technology allowed them to be dragged there in the first place. If they were trapped here for several days their potential adversaries would have had plenty of time to take note of who was present and bring up their files accordingly.

"Are you sure you could fight them?"

[xue_yang]

"One can never be sure of anything, especially in this world. But I am confident in my skills and that is all I need. If I can't get away, I'll definitely make them regret taking me."

Xue Yang knows how to be obnoxious and he has always been pretty hard to capture. "What will you do if they decide to capture us?"

[deadwenwalking]

"...Hopefully not be near you." He's not even sure himself if he's trying to be funny or if that's a serious answer, because it feels more like the latter. It's not as if he could trust the man to watch his back in that situation. He'd be just as likely to stab it.

"I guess it depends on how it happens." He wouldn't want his escape attempts to accidentally harm someone else.

[xue_yang]

He laughs, obviously not at all offended that the man might not want to be in his presence. He can hardly blame him considering what they have been through. ANd he certainly wouldn't help Wen Ning if he needed it. He has no attachments to the Ghost General.

"I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens, if anything."

He hopes that it does just so he can be entertained and watch the chaos. Even if it means he is captured, watching it all unfold would be very amusing.

[deadwenwalking]

"... If anything," Wen Ning agrees, knowing full well that there will be something.

Perhaps he shouldn't have talked with Xue Yang, as it only upped his paranoia, but at least there's less concern about an altercation between the two of them, or between him and Wei Wuxian. For now.

"Try not to make yourself sick before they drag you off."

[xue_yang]

"Showing concern for me now?" Although getting sick might just be the way to get out of being locked away. No one would want to deal with someone who was physically ill.

He looks amused as he picks up a couple of the other snacks on the table. He would like to try one of everything since most of these things he has never seen before. And being free means he doesn't have to limit himself.

[deadwenwalking]

"I'm showing concern for this place's nice rugs." Wen Ning is pretty sure that someone being sick wouldn't keep them from being dragged off - especially if they're just going to be tossed somewhere else for a while. But he doesn't know anything about anyone's plans for them. That's part of the problem.

"It'll be unfortunate if it turns out there's been something in the food all this time." Very few of them would be able to avoid eating anything for a week.

[xue_yang]

"Then I suppose we all will be sick or dead in a few short hours and their trap would be successful." Xue Yang doesn't seem particularly concerned about it. He has done a little research on poisons so he has some ideas about how to counter their effects if he should start to feel the effects of something. But overall he is not concerned with whatever this place throws at him.

"Might as well enjoy the food before it turns on us."

[deadwenwalking]

Wen Ning suddenly doesn't feel like eating anything for the rest of their stay, however long that ends up being. He wrinkles his nose slightly, an uncommon gesture for him but one he finds appropriate.

"Then I'll leave you to your... what are these, anyway?" He's not sure if he actually wants to know the answer that badly, but that doesn't stop him from asking.

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang shrugs and looks around. Some of the stuff he can name, other things seem familiar but he can't be sure, and other things he has no idea but he is eating it anyway. He's never been one to be cautious. "I'm not really sure what any of these things are. Some of it is better then others."

[deadwenwalking]

"... I feel like I should be asking more about what everything is made of." It's a bit of a belated thought as he glances over the arrangement again. They have so many odd ways of cooking things here.

[xue_yang]

"Does it matter? Knowing what is in it might make one less likely to eat it. Not knowing means you are open to trying all of it." At least that is how he sees it. Many would be scared off of trying something if they find out that what is inside is a little strange. But then they never know how good that thing might be.

[deadwenwalking]

"That logic is horrible." Wen Ning gives Xue Yang the most deadpan look he can manage. "But eat what you want, I guess."

He sure won't be.