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event } take me down to paradise city (part one)
WHO: All passengers signed up to skate on over to Xanadu.
WHAT: Ya (fake) dead. Enjoy your (fake) afterlife!
WHERE: Anywhere in the city!
WHEN: First week of the event (Feb. 20-27).
WARNINGS: Add these to your comment subject lines as needed! Please don’t get yourself killed right away but if you can’t resist please make sure to fill out the death page.
You return to consciousness bathed in pleasantly glowing light and find yourself seated in a comfortable chair in the center of an arena. There’s soft, dreamy pop music playing quietly, and you feel calm, entirely at peace despite your strange surroundings. You feel no reason to stir from your chair or investigate what’s happening - probably because you’ve been drugged into a docile state. Don’t worry, it’ll wear off eventually. For now, you feel content to sit and wait for what happens next.
While you wait, if you look around, you’ll see the stadium seats are packed with people, their chatter a quiet hum behind the music. There is a raised platform in front of you where three people of ambiguous gender dressed in regal robes are seated in high-backed chairs, and above them, some kind of hovering screen displays a generic welcome message in stark lettering. You’ll also discover that you are one of several people seated in the center of the arena. Again, you may wonder where you are and why you’re here, since you don’t remember arriving, but you do not feel any initiative to find the answers to those questions. All will be answered in time.
A triumphant fanfare sounds, and the arena goes quiet, still except for the person on the platform seated in the middle, who stands and steps forward. They give a hearty welcome to the crowd gathered, and an extra special welcome to the small group on the ground, then introduce themself and the other two as the City Council, a group appointed to ensure everything here is kept in smooth running order. This city, they explain, is called Xanadu, and it is a place of perfect bliss that is home to only the most exemplary individuals who have moved to the next stage of their existence - in other words, the afterlife. Yes, you are all dead, but you have been given a place in paradise for the rest of eternity. Isn’t that nice?
The crowd in the stadium breaks into a wave of thunderous applause, soon quieted by the Council member speaking with a wave of their hand. They continue, explaining that you’ll be shown to your new homes and introduced to your soulmates, a partner who has been determined as perfectly compatible with each individual’s essence. A small group of volunteers has gathered at the base of the podium, ready to guide each pair to their new home as they’re called forward, one by one:
Julia Bellamy and Lady
Near and Matt
Mammon and Alex Reagan
Juuzou Suzuya and Kankri Vantas
Murmur and Jonathan Sims
Congratulations, and again, welcome to Xanadu!
Volunteers lead each pair of soulmates to one of the small, pastel-colored houses situated in a cul-de-sac in one of the nearby neighborhoods. Furnishings and the shag carpeting inside are plain and beige, but the volunteer-guide explains that they can be personalized to the inhabitants’ liking by making requests from the magic closet. These closets will instantly produce clothing and whatever other items you’d like. Likewise, whatever foods you most desire will be found in the fridge or cooking in the oven whenever you ask for it. Both the closets and the kitchens run on technology that is new to Xanadu, and some of the kinks still need to be worked out, so requested items may not be exactly as you asked for. But hey, you’re in paradise! You’ll be fine.
The guide goes on to explain that there isn’t much in the way of technology to be found anywhere in the city - no phones, no computers, and none of the stresses that come as part of the package, and requests for such items from the closets will encounter errors. This is all for the common good, of course. But who needs electronic devices when you have a beautiful city to explore? The city itself is massive, designed in a glitzy late 70s-early 80s roller disco aesthetic, enclosed in a shimmering golden dome, full of glittering skyscrapers and lush public gardens. Soft rock music floats through the air via hidden speakers to set the mood. The weather here is always pleasantly perfect early summer, and the atmosphere is pristine - not a single trace of smog or other pollution. That’s because there are no manufacturing plants or vehicles to be found anywhere in the city. Modes of transportation in Xanadu are pedal bicycles, your own two feet, and roller skates. Strap on a pair and roll around the neighborhoods, or to cover longer distances, head down to an electric rail station, where you will strap in and be pulled along to your destination on your skates at high speed.
By the time the orientation is over and the guide has departed, leaving you to get to know your soulmate and settle in to the comforts of eternal paradise, that drug you’d been given will have worn off. So, newlydeads, what will you do next?
WHAT: Ya (fake) dead. Enjoy your (fake) afterlife!
WHERE: Anywhere in the city!
WHEN: First week of the event (Feb. 20-27).
WARNINGS: Add these to your comment subject lines as needed! Please don’t get yourself killed right away but if you can’t resist please make sure to fill out the death page.
You return to consciousness bathed in pleasantly glowing light and find yourself seated in a comfortable chair in the center of an arena. There’s soft, dreamy pop music playing quietly, and you feel calm, entirely at peace despite your strange surroundings. You feel no reason to stir from your chair or investigate what’s happening - probably because you’ve been drugged into a docile state. Don’t worry, it’ll wear off eventually. For now, you feel content to sit and wait for what happens next.
While you wait, if you look around, you’ll see the stadium seats are packed with people, their chatter a quiet hum behind the music. There is a raised platform in front of you where three people of ambiguous gender dressed in regal robes are seated in high-backed chairs, and above them, some kind of hovering screen displays a generic welcome message in stark lettering. You’ll also discover that you are one of several people seated in the center of the arena. Again, you may wonder where you are and why you’re here, since you don’t remember arriving, but you do not feel any initiative to find the answers to those questions. All will be answered in time.
A triumphant fanfare sounds, and the arena goes quiet, still except for the person on the platform seated in the middle, who stands and steps forward. They give a hearty welcome to the crowd gathered, and an extra special welcome to the small group on the ground, then introduce themself and the other two as the City Council, a group appointed to ensure everything here is kept in smooth running order. This city, they explain, is called Xanadu, and it is a place of perfect bliss that is home to only the most exemplary individuals who have moved to the next stage of their existence - in other words, the afterlife. Yes, you are all dead, but you have been given a place in paradise for the rest of eternity. Isn’t that nice?
The crowd in the stadium breaks into a wave of thunderous applause, soon quieted by the Council member speaking with a wave of their hand. They continue, explaining that you’ll be shown to your new homes and introduced to your soulmates, a partner who has been determined as perfectly compatible with each individual’s essence. A small group of volunteers has gathered at the base of the podium, ready to guide each pair to their new home as they’re called forward, one by one:
Near and Matt
Mammon and Alex Reagan
Juuzou Suzuya and Kankri Vantas
Murmur and Jonathan Sims
Congratulations, and again, welcome to Xanadu!
Volunteers lead each pair of soulmates to one of the small, pastel-colored houses situated in a cul-de-sac in one of the nearby neighborhoods. Furnishings and the shag carpeting inside are plain and beige, but the volunteer-guide explains that they can be personalized to the inhabitants’ liking by making requests from the magic closet. These closets will instantly produce clothing and whatever other items you’d like. Likewise, whatever foods you most desire will be found in the fridge or cooking in the oven whenever you ask for it. Both the closets and the kitchens run on technology that is new to Xanadu, and some of the kinks still need to be worked out, so requested items may not be exactly as you asked for. But hey, you’re in paradise! You’ll be fine.
The guide goes on to explain that there isn’t much in the way of technology to be found anywhere in the city - no phones, no computers, and none of the stresses that come as part of the package, and requests for such items from the closets will encounter errors. This is all for the common good, of course. But who needs electronic devices when you have a beautiful city to explore? The city itself is massive, designed in a glitzy late 70s-early 80s roller disco aesthetic, enclosed in a shimmering golden dome, full of glittering skyscrapers and lush public gardens. Soft rock music floats through the air via hidden speakers to set the mood. The weather here is always pleasantly perfect early summer, and the atmosphere is pristine - not a single trace of smog or other pollution. That’s because there are no manufacturing plants or vehicles to be found anywhere in the city. Modes of transportation in Xanadu are pedal bicycles, your own two feet, and roller skates. Strap on a pair and roll around the neighborhoods, or to cover longer distances, head down to an electric rail station, where you will strap in and be pulled along to your destination on your skates at high speed.
By the time the orientation is over and the guide has departed, leaving you to get to know your soulmate and settle in to the comforts of eternal paradise, that drug you’d been given will have worn off. So, newlydeads, what will you do next?
Murmur | OTA
Everything about this was wrong.
Despite the rather severe drugging they'd inflicted on him, no amount of sedation had quite managed to wipe the rather permanent look of faint disgust from Murmur's face. The place absolutely stank of the infernal. They probably thought they were funny, pulling this off, somehow managing to actually sedate an angel. His safety mechanisms had kicked in, the various wards written into his vessel activating to lock down his power while he recuperated so that he wouldn't appear as more of a threat than a mere fledgling. It was useful for flying under the radar, and preventing a pre-emptive extermination.
But back to it being wrong. First being the fact they even could sedate him, that was worrying. Then following it up with all this afterlife nonsense. They weren't dead, Murmur couldn't die, and the other mortals weren't deceased either. He kept his mouth shut during the entire bullshit tour, his scowl uninhibited as he stared down their tour guide who just ignored him.
Once they were left to their own devices he was free to ignore his intended domicile for later and attempt to make some sense of their surroundings. Looking like a skittish, angry cat wasn't Murmur's usual demeanor but he sure was wearing it well right now as he prowled around trying to find anyone to talk to that wasn't from around there. This whole place had him on edge.
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Detective-ing goes a long way when someone's obvious about their body language and dismay. He didn't even have to be a super-brain to understand it. "You alright?" in the classic meaning wherein he was sure the man was alright, just not alright.
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Conveniently here was one now!
"Not particularly," His response in a flat monotone that didn't exactly match his rather tense body language. "What do you make of all this?"
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He knew that wasn't what had been meant, but he came the few more steps closer to talk. "There's some cuties around so I guess it'll be alright." With a pause he tilted his head, more letting Murmur lead the conversation, which was a better way to find out what was in someone's head
for those of them without cool abilities. Matt definitely had more to say about the place, but gathering information was his job.no subject
"Does it not strike you as odd that Heaven would be so... limited?"
Outright insane is the word he'd like to use, but he'd rather not cause too much panic. As for the comment about cuties Murmur just shot him a clearly perplexed look as though he had absolutely no idea what the guy was talking about or why. Sorry, Matt, he's very clueless in that department. Murmur was pretty bad at leading as he did much the same as Matt, even if he did have sneaky cool abilities that allowed him to cheat. "Cuties aside, something isn't quite right about this situation. Don't you agree?"
Granted he knows it's off but he's not sure he can just come out and say 'this definitely isn't Heaven I would know.'
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"Lightnings, noises and thunderings. Haven't heard 'em. Earth quake? Haven't felt 'em. Thanks Revelations. Psalms said God's pretty loud so that could've been old interpretation of loud speaker and the voice did sound pretty damn majestic if you ask me." No one asked him but if they did. "Multi crowned, white, blood dipped horses with fire eyes and names unspeakable to anyone but him followed by mirror image horses ridden by more white-clothed angels I don't see. They've probably figured out that dirt and war is hard to get out of white before we got here though 'cause the bible was written like... long time ago.
"I don't see any crystal cities or gemstones, but that could have been lost in translation or something King James decided should be in there. I don't remember twelve pearly gates with multi-layered stone walls around them. Don't remember some old guy telling me that I shouldn't have done half the shit I did with my life before I got back to what I needed to do." Looking upward, he gestured to the sun with one hand over his eyes to do it, "Looks like we got a sun so technically there should be a moon and I've seen its moving shadow so that indicates a rotation."
Looking back down he scanned the area again, "Small exploration but I don't see a giant tree I'm supposed to yank fruit off of and heal nations with leaves. I mean if you found that one I've got a few nations that need healing." With a shrug of his shoulders he turned his attention back to the guy with the simple question who got a very complex answer. "So I guess so if we're going off of classical representation of heaven but like I said I didn't ever think I'd like how it was I just hoped I would if I got there one day. Why?" Thank you for coming to his TEDx Talks.
See they could've been talking about the cuties.
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Fascinating. Although, a point of interest: "They were most certainly not angels." He spoke with a certainty that didn't exactly sit with their circumstances. Moving on.
Again, as Matt continued, Murmur nodded. "Is it not strange to consider, however, that a being whose voice spoke into existence all we know and do not know would require something so mundane as a loud speaker to get his point across?" It didn't fit, is what he's saying.
"Fanciful and creative writing processes aside, let us return to something more testable. You are presently experiencing hunger, I trust you could also claim to be aware of both tactile sensation and temperature. Try pinching yourself, pain?" Because if these things existed it was highly unlikely anyone here was dead. Granted Murmur knew better, but it was the human he had to convince.
"Why? Simple, I believe we are being manipulated. To what end, the question remains, but I am quite certain we would be safe in assuming not one good for those of us swept up in all this nonsense."
Oh no this is much better than cuties.
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Jon’s too dazed at first to do much but follow along with the weirdness, let himself be guided to his new intended home, keep watch for any clues that perhaps The Stranger succeeded after all and this strange new world is how it’s chosen to remake the world in its image. But there are no sentient mannequins, nothing weird in The Stranger’s way - just a different kind of weirdness, one Jon can’t quite put his finger on defining.
It’s all a bit much.
Whenever Murmur returns from his exploration, he’ll find Jon fussing in the kitchen, attempting to make a proper cup of tea. The attempt is not going well, in no small part due to the fact that there is no kettle to be found.
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And with that rather fruitful outing under his belt he returned with the intention of getting a feel for his new "soulmate," absurd as the very notion was. He'd been too drugged up earlier to be particularly reactive, they'd drugged him quite heavily likely to avoid any unwanted distractions from their grand announcements. That had dulled his senses surprisingly thoroughly, enough he hadn't noticed what his new roomie was.
That was right up until about the time he walked in. Jon got about as much warning as Murmur did for what was about to happen. It hit him like a freight train, this wave of... something. Something dark, something terrible and wicked. A crawling twisting dread that triggered in him this instinctive rage he hadn't yet experienced and did not understand. For Jon's part the warning was the temperature dropping sharply, swiftly enough to freeze particles of water that had been suspended in the air creating something of a glittering effect that, under other circumstances, might have been almost pretty.
Almost, were it not for the shards of ice that had been summoned his way from the kitchen doorway. Murmur didn't understand this instinct, where it had come from nor why he had this sudden inexplicable need to destroy what every fiber of his essence was screaming was a threat.
Sorry Jon, he's usually much more polite than this.
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Well. That certainly was rude, and Jon’s really had his fill of rude things trying to kill him. Time to put his foot down. Expression set in a steely frown, Jon holds a hand up to Murmur and summons a jolt of power from his connection to The Eye. In a deep, crackling voice, he Compels his housemate:
“Ś̶̛̭͙̲͎̦̍̋̕͜t̸͙̮̤͖͔̜̘̎͛̔̊͒̇̓̋̿̈́̆̒̌͘o̶̞̫̻͉̥̞̾͆̓͛̀̀̿͋̍̒̓̈́͌̄̌͊̊͜p̸̢̳̦͚̮͎̯͇̜̣̙̳̱̜̙̫̯̃̈͂͊͂̌̚͝ͅ.̴̤͎̗̠̱̒̀̒͛̅́́͋̏́̉͆̄̃̚̚͠”
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Mid-windup for a more aggressive attack Murmur freezes, looking equal parts dazed and perplexed. Then after several long moments mortified, a red-tint that had taken over his eyes slowly melting into the usual green as he hops back from the doorway, clasping the formerly raised hand around his own throat as though to choke down himself from doing something terrible.
"Ah! I, er..." Oh man, this is a little more than egg on his face embarrassing wasn't it. What in the name of... "Mm, yes. Apologies, though at the moment I expect that sounds rather disingenuous." He really did look deeply ashamed of himself and not just for getting caught in an attempted murder. The temperature faded back to mostly normal, though a faint chill remained. After all Jon's presence still had every warning bell going off for him but Murmur was more civilized than to pull something like this! Normally...
Wow he hates this.
He decided to stay further back while he continued to hold himself in check quite physically. This was definitely not the way to introduce himself.
"Are you quite well?" He seemed to have healed up nicely, that's good. His bad, man.
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“I could ask you the same,” he answers, curtly. “What are you? And why did you attack me?”
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"No," Came a sincere answer, he's definitely not well and he's truly very sorry about the whole assaulting him. At least Jon's proven durable. For the moment he's going to keep his distance while he keeps fighting this down, whatever Jon is, and the fact he doesn't know is even more alarming, truly does set off every warning sense he has. He's going to ignore the first question for the moment, although given the circumstances he thinks the rules might not apply right now. "I... instinct. I do not know what you are, specifically, but you register unto me a threat so great as to demand immediate eradication." He cleared his throat, awkwardly.
"That said, I do apologize. It is not typical behavior of mine to attempt elimination without first ascertaining the nature or intent of the threat you pose."
Which... might not be that reassuring but he's trying here. There are so many eyes... is this what it's like when humans look at angels he wonders?
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Ah, but that's not really the sort of threat Murmur means, is it. An avatar of The Eye certainly poses some danger, hypothetically speaking. With the sort of power Jon possesses, he could be dangerous - except he doesn't really want to be, not without good reason.
"Are you one of them? Us, I mean. Avatars."
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The point being, physical characteristics were hardly noteworthy all things considered.
"You..." He considered for a long time, a certain intensity in his look as he, gently, plucked the full meaning of that word from Jon's mind. While for most such a thing often went unnoticed, Jon was now not so very different from Murmur himself, and may detect the slightest almost cool touch at the process. Satisfied he could now answer accurately Murmur shook his head. "No, in fact I am inclined to say that we are by nature opposed. It is my function and duty to maintain equilibrium and established functionality within the known universe. That, and I have never been human."
There's a faint wry smirk at that, given when Jon is were he to choose to look a little closer he'd have probably gleaned that information on his own. Hardly a violation of any Law given the current circumstance.
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"So - what, you think I'm meant to - to destabilize and tear down the entire known universe?" Jon scoffs, then pinches the bridge of his nose. More cryptic bullshit about his purpose. This is giving him a headache.
"What are you, then, if you're not and never have been human? What's the opposite of an Avatar?"
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"The entire known universe may be a stretch," He admitted thoughtfully. "Nor am I even suggesting it is necessarily something intentional, or you alone. Only that you are a part of something that disrupts that balance." In essence, Jon's an Avatar, Murmur just didn't have a word for it yet. And apparently the presence of Avatars sets off all kinds of emergency warnings for him.
Good to know.
As for the next question he fell silent a moment, considering. If he just up and said it he was fairly certain Jon would skeptic obnoxiously at him, despite their circumstances. No, better to show, but still keep the display... semi reasonable.
So he unfurled his wings, far too large for these modest little rooms so that he could only spread them partway, but just for Jon he also unleashed the halo. The blinding radiance filled with eyes and the weight of a being that transcended far beyond accepted concepts of capability and reality. Only for a moment did he let a small piece of his essence touch upon Jon, of something so ageless and terrifying that one simply knew they could be swept away with barely a flick of a wing. Like an ant before a hurricane.
But only for a moment. Just enough to get his point across before he tucked both the light and the wings away, lest they go attracting any unwanted attention. At least it wasn't the wheels. He'll only inflict a few eyes on Jon this time.
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There's more he could argue, but he doesn't have the chance to continue; all words dissolve on his tongue once Murmur gives Jon that glimpse of his true nature. Jon isn't particularly religious or well versed in anything of a celestial nature, but he has absorbed enough about both in a general cultural sense to recognize Murmur for what he is.
It feels ... not entirely unlike being caught in the middle of The Unknowing, though thankfully, much shorter. To his credit, Jon manages not to scream.
"Good lord," he breathes, awed, blinking as the light fades. "You're - you're real? But - how are you here? You don't die, do you?"
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There's one person in their little group that will have some answers. Murmur may have masked himself to look weaker and younger than he was, but Mammon still sensed angel coming off of him and marched up to the angel, demonic presence fully on display. The average human would've just seen a surly young man grab another guy's shoulder, but Murmur could no doubt sense the threatening energy.
"You! You and me, we're gonna talk!"
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Speaking of stupid, Murmur would have had to be to miss Mammon approaching with all his ire and demonic energy ablaze. Murmur could sense it, and strongly debated reacting with ice but instead chose to err on the side of they might just be allies in this particular circumstance, even if he did shoot Mammon an annoyed look at grabbing him like that. Excuse you.
"You could just ask," He commented, raising a brow. For all his ire it didn't necessarily seem directed at him. "But I agree, it would seem we've both fallen victim to whatever foolishness this offensive farce is."
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"So I'm askin' now! And you're gonna tell me." He says it like it's a threat but doesn't adjust his showy posture at all to drive it home. "So this seems weird to you too, huh? The Celestial Realm didn't renovate or somethin'?"
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"No, they haven't renovated when was the last time a policy change went into effect much less an overhaul?" That's just absurd. "And why, even if they had, would they capture us?"
That and, you know, they're not dead.
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"How would I know?! I don't go there!" Keep up, Mumur, you're the angel here! "I don't know! Angels are jerks, seems like the kind of dumb prank they'd pull!"
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Yes, obviously not but he should know something shouldn't he? Apparently not. Murmur just shot Mammon a look like he was speaking crazy. "I am afraid I am not familiar with... prankster... angels." That seemed significantly more in the wheelhouse of demons. But you know, harping on that now was probably not ideal.
"Nevertheless, I think we can both confirm that we are not 'in the know' so to speak regarding this situation. So thus the question falls to what do we do about it?" Because frankly, he's insulted, and he's pretty sure Mammon should be too.
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"Make 'em stop it." It is an immediate answer. Unfortunately he has no idea how to go about doing that.