june event.

[falsitates]

JUNE 15, 2021

The heatwave has passed and the weather has never been better. The city is full of life once again, and the streets are busy as people return outdoors to enjoy what summer has to offer. Everything appears to have returned back to normal.

For everyone, but you.

The newcomers are given an envelope that is either addressed to their current residence or placed in their belongings. There is no return address, and inside is a New York state government-issued ID. It appears to be authentic. The residents, on the other hand, receive a similar envelope, but with a SIM card. There are no other notes.

Are these your rewards?

  MISSION BOARD

Your phone vibrates.

It doesn't stop until you pick it up and when you do, it's cold. The buttons do nothing as it shuts down, unresponsive to whatever actions that you take. Then, much like last time, white lettering on a black backdrop appears.

WELCOME TO WEEK THREE.
A NEW MODULE HAS BEEN UNLOCKED.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT.
OR YOU MAY CHOOSE TO USE IT.
AUDENTES FORTUNA IUVAT

A new section has been added to the app. It reads as 'missions'. There are currently three tasks available right now.

  BEGINNINGS OF A FOREST

The barrier continues to grow in size. Vitae's outskirts are gradually, but surely, expanding, and in its new area is a sea of trees. There has never been a forest surrounding the city, yet one is unmistakably forming. It's small, extending outside for less than a quarter-mile, and asides from its sudden appearance, there's nothing unusual about it. Only trees, the barrier, and the nagging feeling that someone is watching you.

Nobody in the city seems to notice. When questioned, they claim that the forest has always been there. In fact, the city was created in the heart of a forest, and it has remained that way since its inception. None of them are aware of the fact that these trees were never there until now.

It's as though the forest has always been there.

  DECISION TIME

By the end of the day, your phone vibrates again. A new message appears.

ALLY?
BETRAY?

One of the two choices must be selected. Otherwise, you won't be able to use your phone.

Make your choice.

Comments

[stormsoff]

No no like
Sigh
Okay so
I'm a spectral
Spectrals can see spirits and ghosts
We're either tool users or mediums
I'm just the second one
(Tool users just use STUFF that spirits possess instead of being directly possessed by spirits)
.... I don't know
I wanna say yes because it creeps me out
It's like no one's ever died here
But I don't really know for sure

[tsunotarou]

So... Possession of things is a thing too?

I'm sure people have died here, it's an old city, but I can't be sure unless I check the obituary records.

[stormsoff]

Yep
Like I said, tools and mediums
Normally I would explain this more fully
Sorry to give you the cliff notes version
I can give you the whole lecture sometime
No, I know
They must have
But it’s LIKE they haven’t
That’s the part that’s weirding me out

[tsunotarou]

Cliff notes seems good enough, I think. I'm getting it, at least.

Makes sense, it sounds really weird that there's no ghosts whatsoever. Have you looked around the weird barrier?