Nos'Talgia

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Beatrix III

[SA] Mrs. Hizrihel
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nostalgia.jpg

Overview/Notable Features​ (top)


A place relatively free from external or internal conflicts (Uncanny Valley aside), Nos’Talgia is the Crossroad's premiere tourist destination, thanks in no small part to the enterprising nature of a famous capitalist duck. This fanciful world is divided into four subzones, which also tend to govern themselves as sovereign city-states:

The first is Sweetzerland, a land made of candy— in fact, from the smallest pebble to the denizens wandering this zone’s urban areas, everything is made of some sugary sweet. Even buildings and other constructions are edible, most commonly made of cake or fudge, with frosting and other confectionery decorations serving as materials. It should be noted that the sentient natives of this area of Nos’Talgia are usually quite harmless and welcoming to outsiders, even if there is a very slight criminal presence in the form of petty thieves and occasionally bullies. They will defend themselves from people who might have sweet teeth but are otherwise willing to let it slide if someone takes a bite out of their house. The Candy People are also fiercely protective of their leader, Princess Bubblegum, who presides over much of Sweetzerland.

Another area of interest on Nos’Talgia is The Imagen Nation (I.N.), a place where your art comes to life. Paintings, chalk drawings, cartoons, and other two-dimensional creatures appear in living color within the bounds of the country, from whence they are then free to wander the universe at large. It is not uncommon for inhabitants to draw their own places of residence straight into existence, though seeing the vast array of artistic styles for the first time feels like one is stepping into an Impressionist painting. Bold colors, dramatic brushwork, and outlandish anatomy are a common sight. One of the more prominent figures of land is Scrooge McDuck, founder of the Wondertainment Toy Company.

8-Bitain is yet another subzone on the planet Nos’Talgia. Within the bounds of the metropolitan city, video game logic reigns supreme. A consistent soundtrack follows visitors all around Pixelton, changing into something foreboding when enemies are nearby. In addition, visitors will notice glowing “!” indicators above the heads of Pixelton residents in need of help. The inhabitants of Pixelton are well-disposed towards outsiders and will often invite them to one exciting competition or another, for instance the Sugar Rush Speedway.

Finally, the last subzone is the Uncanny Valley, a place of despair and nightmare. While at first glance appearing similar to the cartoony, sketch-like land of The Imagen Nation, visitors who remain for longer than a few minutes within the Uncanny Valley will soon discover that things aren’t always as they seem. While the place’s inhabitants are undoubtedly friendly when directly addressed, they will often cease speaking to visitors for no reason, staring off into space or going about their business as if the other person had never spoken to them. Alternatively, inhabitants will repeat a single strand of dialogue, regardless of when they were last spoken to, over and over again with no change.

No matter which area you are visiting, physics work differently on Nos’Talgia. A long fall will turn you into an accordion in the I.N., for example. The same fall could cause you to explode into balls of light, only to “respawn” close-by when you’re within 8-Bitain’s area of influence. Within the Uncanny Valley, injured persons slowly fade and grey out as they become more gravelly dirt, eventually collapsing into a shadowy, pulsing mass upon death. However, despite the sometimes outlandish effects, you are still injured and CAN die.

Terrain/Climate​ (top)


Within the bounds of Sweetzerland everything is made of candy or some other decadent treat! Cotton candy forests dot the landscape, with serene butterscotch rivers and lakes interspersed between the treacherous Rock Candy Mountains. Wide open spaces and a single mountain range distinguish this area, as well as beautiful woodlands with plenty of sunlight and shade.

The Imagen Nation is home to a variety of environments due to the ever-changing nature of the place. Snowy fields, blooming gardens, and sprawling cityscapes peppered with a mind-boggling array of architectural styles define this region. Everything is rendered by an artist’s hand, so realism isn’t always a huge factor. Be creative!

In 8-Bitain, the plants, animals, and ground textures appear not quite right and obviously rendered by a game developer, although the quality of these renderings varies. Many objects and denizens walk with jerky, blocky 8-bit movements, and it is not uncommon to see residents “glitch” through walls and other solid objects in sudden bursts of light and static, reappearing wherever they had intended to go.

The Uncanny Valley is nightmarish and terrifying, all gloomy weather and insistent fog. The landscape and plants appear perpetually doused in black ink, often melting into a messy blur before one’s very eyes. The air is also unusually quiet, devoid of any sounds of animal life; only occasionally will a lone traveller hear something, perhaps a slow, shuffling ‘thump’ behind them. One thing is for sure- those who enter this realm leave as a twisted facsimile of their former selves!


Wildlife​ (top)

The animals and plants of Sweetzerland are all made of some variety of confection or another. Expect to see candy floss grass, peppermint bark trees, and chocolate bar stones, among other landscape features made into sweets. Gummy and Confectionary critters wander the land, some of them capable of speech. The primary food source for all candy inhabitants of Sweetzerland is, you guessed it… candy!

Cartoonish-looking animals and talking plants with faces inhabit the I.N., often with whimsical colorings and nonsensical anatomy like what you’d find in Wonderland; for example, bicycle horn ducks.

8-Bitain is home to a host of classic video game species! Among them are Goombas, Koopas, Waddle Dees, Chao, Lumas, Piranha Plants, Pikmin, etcetera, although these may all be found on other Worlds, as well. Remember, just like all the inhabitants of 8-Bitain, animals in this area appear to “jump” from frame to frame in blocky movements.

If you’re looking for a fright, the wildlife that inhabits the Uncanny Valley is certainly spooky enough. There are aggressive creatures which mimic the shape of certain objects such as chests, cupboards, and pianos in order to lure prey in close. Horribly disfigured humanoids wander the shadowy terrain searching for ‘company’, though they are uncommon, and malevolent spirits beckon to travelers from the gloom. There are less terrifying animals, like deer and wolves.


Points of Interest​ (top)


8-Bitain
Sweetzerland
The Imagen Nation
Uncanny Valley

Factions and NPCs(top)


Wondertainment Toy Co
--Scrooge McDuck

Independent
--Princess Bubblegum
--Fix-It Felix Jr
--Bendy
--Dark Link

Errata​ (top)

  • The most common form of currency here is gold Coin with Scrooge McDuck's face on it
  • Much of Nos'Talgia was changed following the impact of a meteor years ago
  • Nos'Talgia is roughly the same size of Earth (minus the piece that's missing)
  • While physics and appearances vary across Nos'Talgia (the sun looks like a gumdrop over Sweetzerland), time are gravity are relatively 'Earth-like' unless locally alerted for one reason or another
  • Nos'Talgia imports many 'normal' versions of things from across the Crossroads and commonly exports candy, video games, and other entertainment media
 
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Arbiter

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Faction Quests
“Do Your Dew-ty” (Faction Quest)
Quest Giver: One of Princess Bubblegum’s ‘Soldiers’ or a Wondertainment Co. employee
Quest Length: 5,000+ words
Quest Location: Sweetzerland (Various)
Quest Prerequisites: None
Quest Description: Oh no! A boat of tourists has capsized in the Mountain Dew River!

Unfortunately, the ‘soldiers’ of Princess Bubblegum are much too neurotic and scared to do anything about it, so that means that they’ve sent out an urgent message to adventurers in the area to help them out.

Seems like stuff like this sorta happens all the time, so if you successfully manage to get the travelers out without drowning in the highly-caffeinated green drink yourself, then Sweetzerland might put ya on speed dial to come bail them out in the future...

Quest Reward: Standard Coin Reward and + 3 Influence with Wondertainment or Sweetzerland

Repeatable? N

World Quests

“National Lampoon’s Crossroads Vacation”
Quest Giver: A Travel Agent in 8-Bitain
Quest Length: 5,000+ words
Quest Location: 8-Bitain and Sweetzerland (Various)
Quest Prerequisites: None
Quest Description: You’re having a nice, sunny stroll through 8-Bitain when a travel agent pops out to let you know he’s got the deal of a lifetime for you: a vacation in Sweetzerland!

Busy from a rough life of adventurin’? Well, this travel agent has a special deal for you to head off to Camp Crystal Light! You’re given your very own Gingerbread Cabin (well, that you share with one other person) and they have several days’ worth of fun and games for you to participate in! And don’t forget the outside-the-rules activities of the night time, like skinny dipping in Apple Cider Lake!

Unfortunately, all that fun is destined to be interrupted by the wicked machinations of Jelly Belly, who lives at the bottom of Apple Cider Lake and always shows up to try and spoil the wholesome experience. Jelly Belly is unkillable, but perhaps you and your fellow campers can banish him back to the bottom of the lake!

...until he reappears the next time those dumb travel agents book another camp...

Quest Reward: Instead of the normal Quest Coin payout, his quest grants the following item, which may not be further upgraded/customized/etc. Players may not pool word counts.

Consumable - Candy Cane Machete (275)
Damage 2 (200)
-- Self/Other (+50)
-- Removable (-100)
Healing 10 (2000)
-- Self/Other (+250)
-- Removable (-500)
-- Limited: Only When Eaten (-500)
-- Activation (30s): Must Eat (-1000)

Repeatable? N

"The Greatest Show Unearthed”
Quest Giver: Suspicious Advertisements
Quest Length: 20,000 words
Quest Location: Nos'talgia
Quest Prerequisites: Must have completed "An Arbiter's Plea" and at least 2 other Unmaking quests
Quest Description:

Even with the world of Nos'talgia in relative peace and momentarily 'safe' from the Unmaking...there is still an uneasy presence about the world. Scattered among the various major cities and locations on the planet, unsettling and eerie new places have begun to pop up. Carnivals and circuses and fairs, theme parks and attractions of all types, fun and games for the whole family!

Except...the advertisements and fliers for these places all seem a little too stiff. A little too rigid and cold. To those who have dealt with the Unmaking, they ring hollow, and somehow sinister. Visions of omega symbols and the sound of chilling laughs echo in your head. Maybe it's just paranoia, but you decide to investigate anyway.

You quickly wish you hadn't. The local attraction center you stumble upon is a veritable nest of the slowest, most subtle forms of unmaking corruption. Subliminal messaging and slow-strain corruption, designed to infect the huge crowds drawn in so they can carry it out and corrupt the world again. The grounds are steeped in the kind of cold, artificial 'mirth' that only malicious intent can bring.

And they know. They know you, who have been a thorn in their side before. They know you on sight. They are subtle about it, but they will have you. They'll ply you with games and trinkets and prizes and 'free stuff', to distract you and herd you right where they want you -- a free trip through 'the main event', and the 'funhouse'. You can refuse, and try to fight your way out, or accept...and try to survive the 'show'.

But whatever you do, you have to put an end to this. You have to let someone know. Before it gets too far.

Before it starts again.

Repeatable? Y (Future repeats only 10,000 words, with obvious differences)

“That’s All, Folks!”
Quest Giver: Bugs Bunny
Quest Length: 5,000 words
Quest Location: Nos’talgia
Quest Prerequisites: None
Quest Description:

The Imagen Nation is a peaceful place, ruled by the iron flipper of Scrooge McDuck and his Wondertainment corporation. However, lately, a new sort of problem has emerged – mysterious black holes keep popping up on the ground underneath unsuspecting residents, transporting them instantaneously to another part of town. How inconvenient is that!

You may be walking down the street one day and hear an innocuous “what’s up, doc?” come from the mouth of one Bugs Bunny, a local celebrity of sorts, who seeks to ask for your help with this problem… because, as will eventually be revealed, he suspects that he may be the cause.

As it turns out, Bugs has the ability to summon these magic portals to escape from hunters, but it seems that his powers have spun out of his control. Can you help Bugs fix himself and save the town from these portals’ highly inconvenient appearance? Or will the Imagen Nation forever be doomed to have a distinct travel problem?!

Repeatable? N

“The Most Dangerous Game”
Quest Giver: Cecil Clayton
Quest Length: 10,000 words + 2000 word epilogue
Quest Location: Nos’talgia
Quest Prerequisites: Must have completed ‘Arbiters Plea’ and/or have participated in an Unmaking-themed site event. Must be willing to possibly die (get insurance?)
Quest Description:

The Uncanny Valley has a long and oftentimes horrifying reputation. The Unmaking, likewise, has an oftentimes horrifying reputation. Dante’s Abyss: Conquest and incidents on Cevanti and Opealon have drawn even more attention to the ill-effects of ‘the Unmade’ and the corruption they cause.

As someone who has been at the forefront of combating the Unmaking, you find yourself drawn to Nos’talgia and its ‘Uncanny Valley’. You hear rumors from a big game hunter who is gearing up for ‘a hunt’ inside the Valley. His target? Supposedly he seeks to eliminate a band of rogue monsters that have been managing to emerge from the Valley and attack strangers. More than that, it is believed that these monsters are Unmade, rather than just simple denizens of the Valley.

You find yourself willing to join Clayton’s band, despite the fact that most of the people in the party seem to have questionable morals. Entering into the Valley is often a suicide mission, and this begs the question of whether or not your name will just be one more on a long list of souls lost to the Valley.

Quest Note: This quest carries a 66% chance of death. Writing ‘well’ (as determined by the staff judging your thread) can reduce this risk to 50%. ‘RNG’ will decide your fate, and you’ll be asked to write an epilogue before your reward is processed.

Repeatable? N
 

Arbiter

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Unmaking Status

I had such high hopes for Nos'Talgia. A soft, saccharine world ripe for the taking. Though it is impossible for Darkseid to commit folly, I am not always able to predict the firmamental chaos of the Crossroads. Mickey Mouse evidently wishes to oppose himself to the Truth that is Darkseid, and perhaps I shall grant him an audience. Finn the Human may also be worthy of my concerted attentions.

But Darkseid is the Death that Learns. I will analyze that which these heroes love and cherish, and find ways to turn against them. I will despoil their candied hills, and draw forth the nightmares from the forgotten crags of the Valley.

All will crumble before Darkseid. They will pay for their insolence.

Level Change since last Cycle: +1
Unmaking Quests Completed: 3
Current Unmaking Level: -1
Negative Effects: None
 

Arbiter

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Unmaking Status

Ahh, how fickle the attentions of the Crossroads. With the Karl Arbiter's antics aboard his comet, and my machinations on fathomless Opealon, the once peaceful and vouchsafed lands of this innocent world slowly grow ripe once again for my harvesting.

As yet, my name is still but a shuddering whisper on the fringes of these animated polities...but soon, Darkseid shall be all they know...


Level Change since last Cycle: +1
Unmaking Quests Completed: 0
Current Unmaking Level: 0
Negative Effects: None
 
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