seasonsrpg | Event #19: Fourth Wall: The Second One; The prelude

Fourth Wall: The Second One
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Door To More

SUMMARY

• A mysterious portal dimension, x444y444, has been found and dubbed "Nega-Ellipsa"
• Signs of strange activity have been reported
• The Research Centre is looking for volunteers to investigate it

Part 1

On March 13th, a call is sent out from the Research Centre, specifically the department that's been researching portal dimensions. They want to enlist the help of otherworlders in investigating a specific dimension that's different from the others.

Those who arrive for the briefing will be told that the dimension at coordinates x444, y444 has been dubbed Nega-Ellipsa. Preliminary study has revealed that it looks like a copy of all of Ellipsa as it is now, with no apparent restrictions on size, even if other portal dimensions are generally the same size. Some other things look odd and offputting, enough that the Research Centre wants people to come in and check it out.

The strangest thing is that some of the preliminary explorers claim to have seen other portals in the dimension, when normally access to a portal dimension is controlled by whoever controls its portal gun (that being the Research Centre in this case). They haven't been able to close these portals, nor can they go through them. It seems the weird portals might be entry only, no exit... or only able to be used by someone or something else.

Part 2

Volunteers are accepted right away, and the portal is opened up in the Research Centre lobby and able to be accessed by anyone who comes in to help for the rest of the month. Just to be safe, the portal is set to only allow people in and out from Ellipsa, so that no monsters or anything else that might be lurking inside the dimension can come in.

Researchers wish everyone a happy End-of-Winter Festival before seeing them off. Then it's through the portal.

Season Wars: Visions

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SUMMARY

• Visions appear to people in the city, brief images of places in Nega-Ellipsa
• They may also see brief still images of people in there, both in-game characters and fourth-wall visitors
• The End-of-Winter Festival (as seen in the February 2024 TDM and the March 2025 event) is still going on in the city

Part 1

The strangeness isn't limited to those who went off on the mission. Brief visions are flashing before the eyes of people in Ellipsa as long as the portal is open. Someone may be going about their day and see an image floating in the air of the Research Centre being upside down, a monster in the wrong Segment, or two buildings spliced together.

These are all images from Nega-Ellipsa. What's more, it isn't just scenes and settings that appear. Someone may see a brief still image of the people inside. Is that someone from your home lost in this other dimension? The Research Centre has no answer for the visions, but something is clearly trying to lure people in.

Part 2

All this strangeness hasn't stopped the annual End-of-Winter Festival celebrations! While the seasons only change in Nightwake's core with its artificial weather, this festival is an old mainstay carried over from when the first people came to Ellipsa.

It's a good distraction from the worries of this whole thing going on in the portal dimension... or it would be if that weren't on everyone's mind. The traditional bonfire dances in every district have masks available as always, but among the mythical figures, there may be masks of strange shadow creatures with glowing symbols on their faces. Those same monsters, dubbed Marked Shades, are all the gossip ever since they were spotted in Nega-Ellipsa. Even the plays being put on have Marked Shades added into the story of Spring chasing back Winter... whether it makes sense or not.

But hey, at least the pancake breakfasts are the same as every year, and who can say no to free food? Especially with all the maple syrup being brought in from the Autumn Segment this year.

Gather 'Round the Fire

✦ | ✦ skip to part 1 | ✦ skip to part 2

SUMMARY

• On March 31st, the last of the fourth-wall visitors are safely returned and their portals closed
• The portal to Nega-Ellipsa is shut and under the control of the Research Centre, who will study characters' findings
• Everyone else returns to Ellipsa to contemplate what happened

Part 1

On March 31st, those who went to explore are called back. The final tasks have been completed to close the other portals inside Nega-Ellipsa so that Darkness can't spread from there into the homes of those who came to visit.

That also means that the visitors have all been sent home. Whether they're new friends made in the past few weeks, old friends who haven't been seen in a while either from Ellipsa or the otherworlders' homeworlds, or even old enemies confronted again, they're gone now, and their absence fills the air even when returning to Ellipsa. If luck turns that way, much like the last time something like this happened, some of them might show up again. But until that time comes, it's up in the air.

The Research Centre accepts all reports and gives their condolences to anyone whose world or friends were in sight, though they are happy to hear that those people will be safe now. The research gathered will contribute to the ongoing study of both portal dimensions and establishing a method someday of allowing otherworlders to come and go as they wish once the Darkness is defeated.

OOC TIPS

• Ask event-related questions here!

• The event will run from March 13th to March 31st.

• This post is only for current players. The 4th wall post is happening here. Feel free to use this as a general mingle for other things happening while the event goes, too.

• Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a separate entry (like to your musebox or character's journal).

• Remember to content and spoiler warn as necessary!

• Reminder that this month is Activity Check-in month and check-in ends on March 31st at 23:59 PST.

code bases by tricklet