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The Figments: An
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The Figments: An
The Figments: An RP
When man had reached outward with all his might, searching for some unattainable glory, he transformed the world into something inglorious. Now riddled with disease, filth, and overcrowding, man had only one choice left: to reach inward...
It is the near future and the overpopulated planet is run by a corporation known as Rose Corp. The elite upper class, known as Landowners, buy real estate from Rose Corp... but not the kind you're thinking of. The Landowners commission entire virtual worlds, and the Creators at Rose Corp build them. For a very steep price.
In turn, the Landowners found their own ways to make money. When VR implants finally became legally mandated for every citizen, the Landowners saw it as an opportunity to welcome the public into their worlds, and into their admission fees. They had everything from high-tech neon cities to sprawling medieval kingdoms to treacherous pirate-infested seas. If you could think of it, you could probably go there. The best part was, civilians didn't even have to leave their homes to visit.
These were prime conditions for business, and the massive influx of customers helped bring the Landowner's visions to life. And yet, these worlds still felt a bit empty... that's when the Figments were created. Artificial intelligences designed to be background characters, to add a sense of realism. They were no more than a few lines of code and several billion pixels, but they seemed genuine. With this development, the worlds became all the more popular, the Landowners became all the more rich, and Rose Corp continued to become all the more powerful...
***
So, so sum it all up, this is a Sci-Fi RP about a series of virtual worlds that can be accessed by the public via a virtual reality implant and some hefty admission fees. Here are the roles you guys can have:
Landowner - A member of the rich upper class who has commissioned Rose Corp to create a virtual world for them. The Landowners decide the theme, but everything else is left up to the Creators to design. Each Landowner is the administrator of their own world, and has full jurisdiction to come up with laws for it. Some fall into a role, becoming a monarch, president, or supreme overlord, while others pay someone else to do the leading for them. The richest Landowners have more than one world.
Creator - A scientist who works at Rose Corp HQ and is paid by the Landowners to create worlds for them. Nothing much to explain here.
Civilian - An ordinary member of society, who usually does not live in the most pleasant conditions. If they are well enough off, they can afford to access the hub world from their VR implants, where they can then travel to any world for varying prices. While in each world, they are expected to play along with the laws set in place by its leader. Some only visit occasionally, while others spend their entire lives there, only taking short breaks to eat (virtual food is tasty, but is sadly lacking in nutrients).
Figment - An artificial intelligence created for one specific world to fill one specific role. The Figments have consciousness but are not aware that they are unreal nor that they are living in a simulated world. They can die, but this rarely happens due to the legal system.
Kronos Corps - An undercover police force and a militant branch of Rose Corp that patrols the worlds and searches for miscreants. If they discover a transgression, such as illegal entry of a world without paying, or breaking the law of the land, they will trace the perpetrator's real-life location and send a squad there to detain them.
RULES:
Try to have a variety of roles. My character will probably be a Creator.
1 character per person, please.
There is, however, no limit to how many people can join.
No OP people, Mary Sues, etc. etc.
I will post my character after the first person posts.
CHARACTER SHEET:
Name
Age
Gender
Appearance
Personality
Role in Society (choose one of the five listed)
Background Information
Other (optional)
I felt compelled to create this RP since my Floating Islands RP has been quiet for quite some time now. Hopefully this won't be a complete and utter failure! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Have fun!
submitted by J.B.E
(April 25, 2018 - 6:53 pm)
(April 25, 2018 - 6:53 pm)
Sonja~
BANG! I hear the double doors of our house- well, mansion, slam shut as my father storms in. From my room upstairs I can just catch my mother Natalia offer timidly, "W-what is it, Leo dear?"
"Marauder's Cove has simply disappeared- disappeared! Been deleted!" He shouts in a white fury. "And someone is responsible for this, I know it! It has to be a Creator." "...Can I... get Mrs. Marner to get you something to drink?" Natalia tries in a tremulous voice. She is afraid of his rages because he has hit her before.
"Don't be ridiculous, Natalia! I'm going to Rose Corp this instant, and I'm suing them!" And before Mother can try to ease his anger in her fearful way, I hear the doors slam again. Laying down the book I had been reading before, I sigh. I find it hard to feel bad for my father, so cruel and arrogant and greedy. His worlds are what bring him money, and money is his god.
At times I find myself wishing I had inherited my mothers wispy flaxen hair and prominent, wide blue eyes rather than nearly every aspect of my father's appearance. Father is all over the papers, of course, being one of the richest, most celebrated Landowners ever.
The reporters will most surely be swarming our home today or tomorrow to get in a story about Leo Hawkes and his world that has disappeared. I hate the flashing lights of their cameras and how they press in on you...
~time forward~
The house is mercifully peaceful. Down in the kitchen I can just hear pots and pans clanking as Mrs. Marner prepares supper. My little gray cat, Willow, is curled against my side.
And BANG! For the third time today, the front doors slam as my father storms in yet again. I heave a sigh. Tonight will be a very long evening...~
(May 16, 2018 - 5:03 pm)
(May 16, 2018 - 4:57 pm)
(May 18, 2018 - 4:11 pm)
I really don't want this to die either. I guess I left it in an awkward spot, so I'll continue?
Ross~
"Death before dishonor? Is this someone's idea of a joke?" I spit.
"Keep your shirt on," Ben says. "Whoever did this, they knew we were gonna be here to see it. This message must've been added after the world was deleted, for only the eyes of the Creators. The people who would naturally be accused."
"Yeah, but added by who? Uggh, this still makes no sense!" I reach out in a rage to tap the screen closed, but my finger slips, instead flicking the screen upward and revealing... more text?
"Hey what's that?" Kathleen cries, as soon as it blinks into view.
"It's some more code..." Ben replies, observing my screen again. "...But I can't read this. I don't even recognize what language it's in."
I peer at the new message myself. She's right, the code is written in cryptic symbols that I've never even seen before. After asking around, it becomes apparent that no one can figure them out. I save the message to my implant in case we need to look at it later.
Ben shakes her head. "Well, if we had any doubts about it before... this is meant for us. To solve."
This statement brings my frustration to a whole new level. "So what we're all saying is that someone, or something, is well aware that our livelihoods are at stake here, and they're turning it into some kind of game?"
There is a grave silence among us, until I see Charlie's avatar visibly flinch in reaction to something. I follow his line of sight until I spot what makes my anger quickly melt into alarm.
Across the plaza, I can see three or four figures standing inconspicously, in black jumpsuits and shiny black masks that completely conceal their faces. It's clear that they don't want us to know, but they're watching us from afar. Looks like Leo's accusations have even convinced Kronos of our apparent guilt.
I curse under my breath. "They've got cops on us already. We can't stay here."
"But what about the code?" Kathleen asks, her voice filled with anxiety. "We can't just leave it unsolved, there must be like some online deciphering site, right?"
"We all know that won't work," I reply. The internet, as great a source of information as it might have once been, has been reduced by Rose Corp to a tool with the sole purpose of spreading its influence. The only thing we would find there would be corporate propaganda. Propaganda, I might add, that I do regret my indirect involvement in, but a man's gotta make a living somehow.
No, there is only one place left where we can truly find the answers to life's mysteries.
"I think we should pay my old friend Harlow a visit."
~~~
Hopefully this is going in an ok direction? I wanted to give Scout's character something to do.
(May 20, 2018 - 9:12 pm)
I'll post right after school! I already have most of it written, now I just have to copy and paste.
(May 22, 2018 - 10:24 am)
As we start to walk away I see the cops start following us so I grab onto Ben's sleeve and tug lightly. She doesn't notice at first so I jerk her arm down and instantly she stumbles but at least I got her attention. I pretend to help her up I whisper loud enough for only our group to hear in a shaky voice. "They're following us, we need to lose them. I know a tunnel to get to our destination," I proceed to send everyone the directions through my implant and grin evilly and whisper "good luck keeping up." before I dash away like the very demons from hell are chasing me.
I zigzag through alleys and lead the Kronos corps cops away from my group. Most think of me as weak because of my size but actually I'm pretty strong and fast. I dart into an alley and using my speed I run up the wall, do a backflip and land on the wall between two alleys. I look down at the one to my right and I meet the gaze of my stunned friends and I salute them before I jump down and roll ro absorb the impact. When I hit the ground I stand up instantly it seems that the man that apparently is my supervisor says "WHAT THE HELL, YOU COULD HAVE WARNED US, ALL YOU DID IS GIVE US DIRECTIONS AND RUN OFF! AS A CREATOR YOU ARE MY CHARGE AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU I'LL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE!"
I sheepishly smile and rub the back of my neck as I say "You wouldn't have believed me, also if I told you the plan you wouldn't have let me carry it out."
Ben pulls me into a bone crushing hug and when she lets go whe says to me "Kid, you scared me-"
"I'm not a kid-" I start to say but Ben says nah you're smaller than me, you're a kid.
"I'm 24."
"No, you're not" Charlie retorts
"Yes I am"
"No you're-" He starts before Ross interrupts him
"He's 24, I'm the one who qualified him for the job" Then I realize that I haven't talked this much to anyone except Owen.
I can almost hear him now; "Awww Little Nox is growing up." Then I realize that I didn't imagine it and he is actually standing right behind me. I then double over coughing and Owen states "Oh god I killed him."
When I stop coughing I state "You are the worst Owen."
He winks and says "You know you love me." as I groan.
~~~
Owen is annoying, Nox knows parcor and has athsma
(May 22, 2018 - 11:56 am)
Charlie-
Death before dishonor. I feel myself involuntarily flinch. I knew it. Even before the meeting I knew- I felt that horrible feeling of something inevitable was about to happen. And now it happened. I was being pulled into a whirl of disaster, or at least unpredictable circumstances. First Hawkes, now he’s suing, and suddenly I’m trying to track down a hacker, who could, very likely, be dangerous. This isn’t how life was supposed to be. I need things to go well for once! And my Niece and nephew need a stable person to live with, yet their living with me.
Soon Ross is in a frenzy, and attempts to close the screen, but accidentally taps something else. A page of cryptic lettering shows up.
“Well,” Ben says slowly, “ if we had any doubts about it before... this is meant for us. To solve.”
Ross retaliates, and frustratedly asks that this could’ve a... game? That’s it. I’m done trying to be the good guy. There is no way I’m going to risk my job and my life to track down a dumb hacker! I’ve heard about what happens in these sort of situations , and there is no chance I’ll go along with it. I attempt to shut off my VR, but a cluster of people clad in black catches my eye. Kronos. Man do they work fast. The cops are on to us- no... their on to me. As soon as the rest of the group notices, they start to walk the other direction. But the Kronos cops start slowly following us. I’ve got to get out of here.
Suddenly Nox takes off, and the rest of the group scatters. And I’m left clumsily trying to shut off the darn VR. Quickly a Kronos worker comes up to me asking exactly what I was doing.
“Would you believe, trying to track down a hacker?”
The officer gave me one of those stares cops give you when you say something stupid, and we both jump back into the real world.
“I didn’t think so,” I mumbled.
——
Ugh! It seems that I can’t write any more or add to the plot any. Really sorry!
Im thinking of having Charlie be kind of like an Anti villain... or at least a misunderstood good guy lol! Soon though, he’ll be under surveillance of Kronos, like with Rose Corp and stuff, so he’ll be going along with the group, just to (hopefully) get out of being accused.
@Darkking
Hey, I’m not really comfortable with words like ‘hell’ so, if possible, could you not use it? Thanks, and no hurt feelings intended.
(May 22, 2018 - 4:07 pm)
That's reasonable, I shall refrain from using that word or anything like it.
(May 22, 2018 - 6:30 pm)
Galelia
~~
I am left in the confusion, following the sound of voices, I find them, tripping and falling on my face. " Stupid blind eyes... stupid dress...." I mutter as I catch up, feeling a little lost as I say timidly, " Where are we? I-" I bump into the others and fall back down again. " oof. This is going to be a looooooooooong trip." I stand up, and cautiously step forward, keeping my palms outstretched...
~~
(May 22, 2018 - 5:32 pm)
Ben~
"I think we should pay my old friend Harlow a visit." Ross says, and we start off. I'm just a tiny bit annoyed that the rest of us follow him, not that I'll ever admit it.
As we walk off, Nox tugs on my sleeve, hard, tripping me. I give him my best "why on earth did you think that was a good idea, you idiot" face and he helps me up, whispering to the group as he does so.
"They're following us, we need to lose them. I know a tunnel to get to our destination," He says, and we all recieve directions through our implants. Then the kid just grins and sends us an impish look saying "good luck keeping up" as he does so. And then he tears off like a bat out of Hades, looking insane but effectively distacting all the guards.
We follow the instructions, which mostly seem to go through the backalleys of the plaza, avoiding being seen. After a few minutes of walking, Perranth backflips out of nowhere, thankfully in one peace.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU COULD HAVE WARNED US, ALL YOU DID WAS GIVE US DIRECTIONS AND RUN OFF! AS A CREATOR YOU ARE MY CHARGE AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU I'LL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE!" Somebody yells, but I'm not paying attention mainly because I'm grateful the kid wasn't caught.
"You wouldn't have believed me, also if I told you the plan you wouldn't have let me carry it out." Nox says, rubbing the back ofhis neck as he smiles sheepishly.
I give him a big hug, with which I may or may not be trying to crush his bones for scaring me like that, and say "Kid, you scared me-"
"I'm not a kid-"
"Nah, you're smaller than me, still a kid-" I retort. And he is- he's what, five foot one? He can't be older than nineteen.
"I'm 24."
"No, you're not" Charlie replies.
"Yes I am."
"He's 24, I'm the one who qualified him for the job." Ross says, looking slightly smug.
"Awww Little Nox is growing up." Somebody else says, and I turn around to look. So does Nox, and he immediately starts coughing like he's about to die. "Oh god I killed him," the person says. I think I can see Nox smile just a little bit, for a fraction of a second- before he goes back to trying to cough up a lung. "You are the worst Owen," Nox says after he finally manages to stop coughing.
He winks and says "You know you love me."
"Um, so you're Owen?" I ask, feeling kind of stupid for asking what's already obvious.
"Sure am," he says. "I'm Nox's friend, roommate, and sort of adopted brother."
---
Sorry this is late- I had a school trip to DC, tons of homework, projects, and more homework.
(May 22, 2018 - 6:00 pm)
The school that Tyberious and I go to does a trip to DC as well, cool!
(May 23, 2018 - 4:55 pm)
Ross~
We manage to lose the plaza cops, but I have a growing suspicion they might've gotten just a little too close to us. Close enough to trace our real locations. This suspicion is unfortunately confirmed when I see Charlie suddenly vanish into thin air.
"Whoa, hey! Where'd he go?" Kathleen looks around in surprise.
"They traced us," I reply grimly. "It's only a matter of time before-"
Like clockwork, the plaza disintegrates in front of my eyes mid-sentence. In my last frame of view, I can see Ben, Nox, Galelia, and Kathleen all similarly fading out of the plaza, leaving Nox's friend Owen, who is not physically with us, to look on in alarm.
I snap back into the real world, my head jolting backwards and slamming into the wall behind me as if I had fallen. Being disconnected by force is not a pleasant experience. Rubbing the back of my smarting head with one hand, I squint around at the conference room and quickly identify its new occupant.
Looks like they didn't think we were gonna put up much of a fight, because they only sent one cop. Dressed in simple black clothing that doesn't hide his face and sports a clock symbol on the chest, he's a little chubbier and certainly less intimidating than his virtual counterparts, but still has a commanding presence. In his hand is an Implant Disabler, a rod-like device carried by all physical Kronos personnel. He must've just used it to bring all of us offline.
"You have no idea how hard it was to answer a call from right within the tower," he jokes. I don't buy it. He's clearly trying to diffuse any tension that might exist within the room, to make us see him as the good cop. He knows he's outnumbered and he probably doesn't want to use force, but that doesn't change the fact that he's probably payed off like all the others.
I quickly stand up from my chair, noticing everyone else had already risen. "What do you want?"
"Are you Ross Shepherd?" he grunts.
"Who's asking?" I sniff. Man, no one's recognizing me today. Maybe my ego outshines my reputation? I'll have to work on that.
The cop reaches into his pocket and extracts a small, crinkled piece of paper. He unfolds it and holds it between his thumbs and forefingers right where we can see it.
"Sir, this is an official arrest warrant issued by the Leo Hawkes foundation. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you all to come with me."
"Hang on, arrest warrant?" Ben shouts. "You can't arrest us, you still don't have any proof! Where's our trial?"
"You'll get a hearing as soon as Mr. Hawkes is informed of your detention. We just need you somewhere we can keep an eye on you, and where you can't use your implants to get into any more mischief in the meantime."
"Well, can you at least let them go?" Ben gestures to Kathleen and Galelia. "They weren't even originally involved in these accusations!"
"Sorry ma'am, but they're guilty by association. They were with you in the plaza, they ran from the police. Everyone saw."
So it is true. I'm not sure who Hawkes had to pay off to endorse his delusions, be it Kronos or even Scarlet, but it's clear he's just scrambling for someone to blame in the absence of concrete evidence. The people will rest easy knowing their worlds were safe with the criminals behind bars.
The cop's cheap rhetoric doesn't fool me. 'Guilty by association'? Give me a break. There isn't going to be a trial. Not even a hearing. They're going to lock us up, and, with our implants disabled, there'll be no way to keep following that mysterious hacker's little trail of digital breadcrumbs. As stupid as it might be, I have a feeling it leads to proof of our innocence. But now there will be no way to get that proof.
This isn't good.
~~~
So... I'm thinking take down the cop or prison escape sequence? Either way, we're gonna be fugitives soon... (And for the time being we can't use our implants until someone can snag one of those tools from the cops to re-enable them)
(May 24, 2018 - 5:47 pm)
Oops, forgot to finish that second to last paragraph. It's meant to say "...with the criminals behind bars."
I just fixed it for you.
Admin
(May 24, 2018 - 8:48 pm)
Ooo! I like where this is going! Tomorrow I will post, most likely. And I definitely think Charlie would totally take down the guard... but it’s late so I have to go to bed. But I’ll be thinking of what to post!
(May 24, 2018 - 9:30 pm)
Possibly Galelia coule be like ' wat teh heck?! Where? discride where are' exept with better spelling and grammer, because she blind :P. Comic rielief
(May 25, 2018 - 5:08 pm)