+ Anyone up for a game of Pool? +

[vitaelamorte]

So, over on the Bulletin Board, you'll see that there's an event this weekend! But where was the NPC post? Well...there wasn't one! That's right, for the characters in-game, this event will come without any IC warning. But there's a little more you need to know about these Eight Balls and how to defeat them.



Eight Balls

Eight Balls are low-level angels (according to Dominion canon) and they are furious over the fact that their god has left them. They're out to attack and hurt anyone they can, and to take over Wonderland for themselves. They are unable to create their own bodies or forms though, so they have to possess human beings. Anyone who is possessed by an Eight Ball will wake up possessed at the start of the event, and having an Eight Ball inside of them will cause some physical changes as well:

• All eight balls have short, blackened, jagged teeth, sufficient for ripping out human throats. They will also all have black, spider-like veins on their skin, and black eyes that resemble the “8” ball of a billiards game. These traits can be hidden if an Eight Ball wants to, but most will not go through the trouble.


• In addition, regardless of how strong the human they have possessed is, Eight Balls are inhumanely strong. They increase the strength of their vessel to the point where they can leap unnatural distances, lift objects beyond the limits of normal humans. They can also easily snap necks and break from restraints.


• They can use their fangs, claws, and wings as shields, and the tips of these are sharp as blades. They can manifest large black wings from their upper backs in order to fly (and when not in use they can be hidden). The Eight Balls can also elongate their vessel's tongue and use it to attack their victims.


• In addition to these abilities, they can also perfectly mimic the voices of others, smell humans from a great distance away, and scale walls with their bare hands.


• However, Eight Balls are not very good at driving human bodies. They make jerked movements, as though the Eight Ball is puppeteering the human like a marionette. It will be exceedingly difficult for Eight Balls to successfully act as though they are an ordinary human, and people who have been possessed by Eight Balls will be easy to identify.


• If a person being possessed by an Eight Ball is particularly strong-willed, it may also have some of the person's personality traits or be affected by some of their memories (particular when they're around people important to their vessel). Also, depending on the vessel's strength of will they might remember everything or they might not remember anything about being possessed at all - or somewhere in between.

And that all sounds terrible! So, how do you defeat an Eight Ball and/or save the person being possessed by it? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. There are three ways to go about it:

• Mass Explosions: If an Eight Ball and its vessel are destroyed beyond recognition (via an explosion, fire, something along those lines), the Eight Ball will be killed permanently and the human vessel will revive as a normal person. However, this will use one of their mansion deaths.


• Empyrean Steel: Empyrean Steel is something particular to Dominion canon, a celestial metal that can slay an Eight Ball. ONLY Empyrean Steel will work; blades made of anything else will not be effective. Like with with the explosions, if you slay an Eight Ball with a weapon made of Empyrean Steel the Eight Ball will be killed permanently and the human vessel will revive as a normal person. However, this will use one of their mansion deaths. Empryean Steel weapons will be available from the closets...but there is a big catch. More on that in a moment.


• Prayer: In Dominion canon, an Eight Ball can be expelled from its vessel by performing the Prayer of Eviction, which Michael will be informing people of during the event. Normally this requires someone with particular mental abilities (clairvoyants, things like that), however for this event some ordinary people might find that they are able to expell Eight Balls from their human hosts through simply praying for them to leave. This does not require praying to any particular diety of any particular religion (though they can, if they would) but it does require having absolute faith that praying will work. If they don't, whether it's because they don't believe in prayer, or because they have doubts as they're trying, or because they think it's silly, or for ANY reason, it will not work. Only those who have unwavering faith will be able to defeat Eight Balls this way. This will expell and kill the Eight Ball, but will NOT kill the human vessel...immediately. However, depending on how much strain the Eight Ball put on the vessel and how much damage the vessel took before the Eight Ball was expelled, the vessel will probably require serious and likely immediate medical attention.


• Electrocution: This will not kill an Eight Ball or expell them from their vessel, but they can be stunned and knocked unconscious by an electric shock.

This is all well and good, but the closets will not be working correctly. Oh, they can get things that don't have anything to do with the event just fine, and we're not depriving them of food, but when anyone attempts to retrieve a weapon from the closet, the closets will only give them one particular weapon and it may not be what they asked for it the first place! In fact, it might be entirely useless! Just for fun, we're going to raffle off weapons for this event! Comment to the appropriate thread with your character journal, and we'll roll for the only weapon you'll get for this event using a random number generator! They'll be tiered as such → Level One Weapons are actual useful things, Level Two Weapons are explodey things for making explosions and/or fire, Level Three Weapons are things that can be used to electrocute Eight Balls, and Level Four Weapons are useless items that either just happen to be made of Empyrean Steel or could maybe cause some hint of a spark but will ultimately just not be practical. So if we roll a 1 for you, we might give you a sword made out of Empyrean Steel and if we roll a 4 we might give you a pair of Empyrean Steel nail clippers.

If your character already possesses a weapon that would help them fight the Eight Balls, then they will still have their weapon during the event and are free to use it! This is mostly for characters who don't have any other means of defending themselves, since the closets are beginning to malfunction.

Finally, in addition to the issues with the weapons, the closet will also begin to spit out entirely random objects at random times, as if the mansion is hiccuping. It will not prevent anyone from getting anything they need from the closets, but it will be mildly obnoxious. All other effects will end as soon as the event does, including the restriction on what weapons someone can pull from the closet, but the closets spitting out random objects at random times will continue not just for a couple of days after the event, but until the next mod event.

That should be about it! As usual there will be a FAQ thread and this post is here for all of your plotting needs. Have fun, guys!

~ Koji

Comments

+ FAQ +

[vitaelamorte]

Please ask any and all questions here and I'll get back to you ASAP! ♥

Re: + FAQ +

[glazes]

2 questions!

1. magic will be working as usual, I assume?

2. will any mean of "destroying beyond recognition" work? I mean would tearing apart one entirely do the job? or what about elsa's ice powers, if she freezes one entirely and the breaks the ice ( hence the body ) to little pieces?

+ WEAPON RAFFLE +

[vitaelamorte]

Comment here with the character you want to receive a random closet weapon, and I'll roll and give you something according to whatever tier you get!

- One character per comment please! You can sign up more than one character but that will keep it neat and tidy.
- No rerolls! If your character doesn't like the weapon they get, they're going to have to either trade with someone ICly or improvise with what they've got.
- They can otherwise use the closets normally, but this weapon will be the only weapon they can pull from the closet from the 26th to the 29th, no matter what other weapons they ask for.
- Again, if your character already has a weapon that could be useful they are more than welcome to just use that.
- You cannot ask for items from a particular Tier unless you want a random Tier Four Useless Weapon because they will all be really funny and dumb. Anything that's actually useful is going to be randomly raffled off.

SOUND GOOD? Alright, then go for it and I'll get your random weapon assigned to you ASAP!

[oversight]

Tier four, please!

[minimoff]

Raffle for Tommy Shepherd, please!

[notready]

please give charlie something! anything from anywhere ♥

[eatsyourscience]

:D!

[itwouldbeatragedy]

:D! x2 combo!!!!

Re: + WEAPON RAFFLE +

[failedparenting]

John has his own arsenal but only silver or shooty things. So raffle pls!

[what_he_needs]

I will be doing a post for Michael for the event, with Claire and Charlie, and it will have options for fighting/killing the 8balls or attempting to evict them.

Elimination
If anyone wants to join the fight, learn how to kill them, or anything along those lines, then comment here. Since the 8balls are characters in the games, I can see some people not wanting to kill a loved one or friend, so evictions or even subduing a character might come into play. Michael can help with both.

Evictions
This is a bit trickier, cross canon and all that, but for this, it'll be faith based. If the character believes they can use the prayer to evict the angel out, then it'll work. If anyone that wants to try and do it, fail or not, and if they want Michael to specifically help their character attempt it, just let me know here.

[hashtagging]

Loki would be very interested in learning how these Evictions work.

[notready]

SO CHARLIE HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH THESE THINGS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING

they are gross and they are mean and they want to basically rip your throat out and can sometimes look kind of like this yay right so. charlie is mostly going to be trying to help michael and claire get control of the situation in whatever way they can and probably address wonderland peeps at some point to help them learn how to fight off these gross things.

kind of looking forward to charlie maybe rescuing some people and being a badass and also maybe getting rescued by others while yelling out all sorts of directions (most of which she’s gotten from michael since killing them beyond blowing them up is something she hasn’t quite learned yet from her canon point). she does know how to use a gun (sort of) and tends to do things that are foolishly brave WHOOPS so yes let’s do some stuff and kick butt + take names

also maybe a potential barricade somewhere????? revisiting paradise falls via the diner or something sounds about right :’D

[eatsyourscience]

The diner is our go to place for a safe zone. Souji can help barricade people in there?

[failedparenting]

THIS IS RIGHT UP JOHN'S ALLEY WHO WANTS TO BE A MURDER VICTIM or attempted murder victim whatev

[ofletters]

DAD SON TEAM UP POWER ACTIVATE

[hashtagging]

Tommy will be doing his superhero thing and punching Eight Balls in the face while trying to rescue people. He'll be completely useless for Evictions, though. However, he also will be getting sticks of dynamite from the closet. While this makes him kind of roll his eyes because they're mostly useless to him, he would be more willing to share. FREE EXPLOSIVES, anyone?

Loki will be mostly protecting his own, as expected. He will be able to, however, perform Evictions. Because he believes in himself. Very much.

If you'd like to do anything with either of my boys, please let me know!

[eatsyourscience]

Following in dear Tohru's footsteps, Souji will do his best to maintain a safe zone in the diner. He is also available to heal anyone who might need it and will gallantly frolic off to help anyone in need if necessary. As luck would have it, he got an Empyrean steel sword that he actually knows how to use, so he may actually be able to help folks out. :3

I will happily volunteer Kaneki to be some manner of injury/death victim. (Also, if anyone wants a calorie conscious drink, he's got a 12-pack of Empyrean Steel Soda Cans filled with Diet Coke. :|)

PLOT WITH ME GUYS, come on.

[fireheaded]

maybe antimony can help lock down the diner? she has Fire Powers she can help

[mourning_ghost]

If anyone would like to attack and potentially injure a sentient bird, Nageki is available. Otherwise, he'll do his best to find someplace safe to hole up since he's kind of useless in this sort of situation.

[fireheaded]

hi

antimony will be taking her blinker stone back from elsa. just so she can set some 8balls on fire. other than that she is getting a sword she doesnt know how to use and can try and flail at them with it. its not empyrean steel tho so her best bet for actually killing an 8ball is trying to fry them??? would this work???? unsure. but shell try to help people as much as possible

amethyst stubbornly refuses to get a weapon when she already has one that will totally work except it wont. she has no way of killing an 8ball lol im 100% on board with her getting poofed at some point. like having to reform. she might come back all wrong because she has Problems with reforming so yay

[powerofmabel]

PERMISSION TO HAVE MABEL AROUND WHEN SHE POOFS.

She totally needs that in her life. Also girls fighting together yeeey.

[thneedifestdestiny]

The Once-ler is absolutely getting possessed by an Eight Ball THAT IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING. He'd make the most ridiculous puppet with his long long limbs. I...wouldn't call the Once-ler extremely strong willed, so he probably won't be very much like himself at all aside from some gratuitous references to his biggering days. The animal that wins has got to claw and bite and kick and punch; the animal that doesn't winds up someone else's lunch, etc etc. If someone needs their character murdered I'd be more than happy to oblige, but I'm also totally okay with someone killing him off too. /o/

I don't have any particular plans yet for James or Wirt but they're both staying human and I'll be keeping both of them alive this time. ♥

[powerofmabel]

MABEL will fight, though she will be... pretty ineffective about it. She's mostly in this to keep her dumb possessed brother, so if anyone tries to hurt Dipper, you'll probably have to go through her. She'll be using her grappling hook to get innocents to safety, once she's sure Dipper is safe, and be all precious and heroic.

ROCKET LOVES BLOWING SHIT UP. Pls bring him all explosives and things that explode, and spare mechanical parts and he will build so many bombs.

GOLD has literally had enough shit in his life and will be avoiding this entirely. If an eight-ball gets too close to him, it will either be set on fire or poofed in the ocean.

[failedparenting]

So how do you feel about MAbel and John teaming up.

[krmvgivv]

DIPPER is getting super possessed. That's just his life. Mabel's gonna save his ass LIKE SHE DO but I'm totally down for him getting injured/injuring other people on the way there. IF YOU WANT TO BE KILLED OR MAIMED BY A 12 YEAR OLD LET ME KNOW BASICALLY. Because ahahaha. Trauma is FUN. He's very strong-willed so there'll be a lot of his personality in the eight ball and he'll remember e v e r y t h i n g. Unfortunately. He'll be healed relatively quickly so after that he'll be using an Empyrean steel butterfly night to try and hassle them until Mabel can pray the demon out because lol he'll try but Dipper isn't capable of that kind of faith. TOO MANY DOUBTS. Even after it works for him. EITHER THAT OR HE'LL BE IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THIS PROBABLY WILL NOT BE EASY ON HIS NOODLY TWELVE YEAR OLD BODY.

HOOK has a badass empyrean steel weapon coming his way so IF YOU WANT SOME AWESOME FIGHT STUFF HE'S DOWN. It's not a sword but it's close enough that he'll be pretty competent with it.

[halfwinchester]

If Dipper ends up in the hospital, Adam might be there! He'd like to know how the little dude's doing or keep an eye on him, WHICHEVER. He could always help wrangle him if need be.

[improvident]

BILL CIPHER is really fucking disappointed that these other horrifying creatures get to take over people's bodies and he doesn't. It's not fair. It's just not fair. As an intangible geometric figure he finds that he has been shorted on this deal, so he'll just have to observe the chaos and rank it from 1 to 10 on the carnage scale.

EVELYN O'CONNELL has been gifted by the closets with A Soggy Box of Matches. Since this is effectively useless unless it dries out, she'll default to the weapons she already keeps on her person: a small knife and a Colt M1911A1. Needless to say, neither of these would likely do much damage against an Eight Ball. STILL, she's not helpless, so I'm down for cool fight things!

NED was bequeathed a large stun riot shield, which should be useful for keeping crazy people off of him. Maybe. We'll see. Knowing him he'll be holed up in the diner again, barricading it shut with Souji and anyone else who needs a safe place.

[glumshoe]

Will got a stun baton, so by his and Ned's powers combined they make a somewhat capable fighting force????

[sorryitasedyou]

Darcy is definitely getting possessed!!!! I am up for all the plottings ever - if you would like to have your character maimed/killed/whatever - let me know. I'm also very okay with someone trying to cure her and her dying in the process since the 8ball's not gonna wanna go.

I kinda really want her 8ball to a be a little sneakier - or at least attempt to be sneakier at first to stay off of people's radar... It won't last though. She'll definitely come across as different to people who know her which means IT'S TIME TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS.

Come one, come all for your 8ball needs.

[halfwinchester]

Adam just shakes his head because why are you such a trouble magnet. Pot calling the kettle black.

IF DARCY NEEDS A NOT-HERO, I CAN VOLUNTEER ADAM? I think if it was clear she was in danger of dying from prying the angel out of her, he'd probably just try to lock her up until the event passes. But if that doesn't fit in with her plans, he's still interested in helping Darcy however he can. :(

[naughty_nurse]

Y'know, I think I will let Mikan Tsumiki be possessed, though she'll try to put up a fight with her Empyrean Steel Misericorde (it is of course such a delight that she's given a weapon of 'mercy', given her... well, I can't say for now.)

I'm up for anything when it comes to plotting! While she may not remember most of this after the event, during the possession she will be screaming I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY when going after people.

[ofletters]

Sam is going to fine; though he was given a slinky, he's got guns and knives and what-have-you on his person. He can protect or cure whoever needs it; during the event, he'll be going around trying to help as best he can.

Snow died a few events ago, so she won't be possessed; she got some gunpowder, so she'll be creating a kind of shelter (if possible) and tending to the afraid and injured.

Ellie is a survival master... er, apprentice. She has a few weapons already on her person and will be trying to kill these things or cure people she recognizes as mansion people (not in all cases, since she's new)!

Dany IS GETTING POSSESSED. She gets a katana but will be possessed early in. Who wouldn't want to possess the pretty dragon queen? Aeryn won't be happy about it, so if anyone wants to deal with a tiny, upset dragon...

Offering up just about anything! I don't want anyone to die, but serious injury, curing, fighting, anything else is up for grabs!

[desertsage]

Claire has first hand experience of dealing with the 8 balls and therefore will be doing everything she can to help everyone get through this event in one piece (not bloody likely)

Part of her plan will be to lead people to safety, the vulnerable ones so she'll be looking for a good place to hide and barricade it in the process. If anyone wants to help with that, please let me know!

I am also looking for someone possessed to kill Claire because really, she's due a mansion death. (I'm evil)

So if you want to kill her, tell me!


And Bela has received a good weapon for killing the 8 balls so expect her to try and fight them. I just realised this doesn't fit in with my original plan to have her possessed. So I am going to go back on that.

I am up for her getting injured though.

Let me know if you want things with either of my ladies!

:>

[avoirfaim]

Well I have zero plans for Hannibal aside from sitting around and watching Wonderland burn to the ground. That said, the closet did hand him an Empyrean steel WHISK, so he could, I don't know, make a really toxic to 8balls souffle? Or wack them really hard with it? I don't know, it actually could be fun to mess with it, see what he can do with it, if any 8balls feel like messing with him while he's minding his own cannibal business.

ALSO if anyone whose character is being possessed wants to KILL HIM? we could maybe work something out.

I am totally open to ideas!

Oh and uh, the closet isn't letting him have any of his suits. Just slacks and/or jeans and leather jackets, or nice summer blazers. No suits.