[Rule Thread] The Black Boxes

[muldran]

This is the rule thread for the Shadow Court's Black Boxes event. This thread will contain information about what 'stage' the boxes are at, what bizarreness is being caused, and should answer any of your questions about the whole thing. Come on and join in!

(A) What has Gone Before...
The Original Black Box troubled many people some time ago, and was wound up in the Legend of the Dreamsenders. Not much is known about the Box, apart from that it caused many people to covet it - and within it was a protected, powerful magical item. The Box has gone - vanished with the last Dreamsender after a hideous act was carried out...

When Blackrock returned to the land, several mages - and those who remembered the Black Box - gathered, and tried to find ways to protect people from Blackrock. The task fell to Muldran; create a set of items using what was known of the Black Box. These items should be powerful enough to protect people, and then whole communities from the encroaching effects of Blackrock.

The Shadow Court collected magical materials, and then went on an expedition with others to create and empower the boxes. Five boxes were formed - and Muldran then handed them on to people to 'guard'.

And that's that. The Boxes haven't done anything amazing. The people holding them have tucked them into a safe corner of their homes, or discarded them. Another failure by Muldran.

Only it isn't. Because Muldran has a sixth box. A control box, one he created before the experiment. And he's been growing Crystals within it. When Muldran activates the Crystal Box in Rhovanion, the others will awake.

And there's something that's slipped in from 'Outside'. Something very old. Something that has a grudge against those who live in Sosaria. And something that wants it's property back - the original Box...

(A) What Happens to People with the Boxes?
The Boxes are being influenced by something from 'Outside' - don't worry, it's not the Guardian, it's something that has been referred to before. Put it this way, it's powerful and a bit of a bugger, but hey. It's annoyed. That's all you need to know. (But this won't result in you loosing characters, experiencing perma-death or anything daft like that.)

So why would you want one? Well - it's going to protect you - and the immediate area - from Blackrock effects. Of course it is! And you'll also know that other people who hold the boxes will do anything to get their hands on it. They're not to be trusted. Think like an insect hive; you've got your egg, now protect it. And if you can add to it - excellent. Muldran will send 'motivational messages' to people who possess the boxes!

The people with the boxes will start to react in opposite to their main alignment and behaviours. This will get worse as each 'stage' is announced by Muldran (this will be announced on the Shadow Court Forum, a General Forum, and by ICQ \ PM to people who hold the boxes.

This opposite behaviour is gradual - just the odd angry word for a placid person, or a tightwad giving some gold, for example... Yes, that does mean that 'evil aligned people' will become slightly fairer as the stages progress! As the stages progress, these effects become more pronounced.

There's not going to be anything DONE to you that will last forever. While you've got the boxes, you'll gradually want to posses the others more and more, and become a bit more ruthless \ relaxed about how you do it. basically, you should be acting a bit differently from your normal behaviour to show that something has an odd influence on you.

Muldran will ask the possessors to act a bit more extreme with each stage.

It is suggested there are 5 stages of complete posession.

(A) What\When are the Stages?
They're not timed; Mul will announce a new stage by letting people know on a general forum, by PM, IM, etc.

The idea is to keep this event quick paced and fast moving. Don't want it to stupefy. Quick sharp shock.

Please check the general forum \ Vinyamar Library for updates. Shadow Court members will also know what is going on, both for OOC queries and for IC updates!

(A) How do we get boxes from other people
Beg, borrow, steal. Team up. Hit them over the head. Threaten their nearest and dearest. Steal them yourself. Pay someone to steal them. Anything goes.

There may be some people who have boxes that you're 'blue' to - in that case, negotiate to get 'em. Be inventive. If someone's unreasonably holding onto a box, check with Mul - but hey, you're there to persuade. Surely there's something you can offer someone...

(A) What happens if someone looses a box?
Until the next stage is announced, they still want them! They want to get their box back, and still want the others, and still have the character adjustment.

However, when the next stage comes around - they'll then 'thaw out' immediately reverting to normal. And what's worse, they'll realise that the box had that effect on them, and that it's Muldran's fault.

So, nice people will probably point out there's something wrong, and help save other people from the boxes.

Less generous ones will probably express their displeasure in much more physical ways.

A) What happens if I get all the boxes?
Your character is permadead.

Pah, seriously now. If you have all the boxes, good luck; you've got to hang on to them through Five Stages. If there's a single person who makes it to stage 5, with all the boxes, then the boxes crumble (even Mul's box!), leaving one box behind.

The Box will acquire a deadly poisoned Dagger (Mul will hand it over). And it forms the new Black Box. And the possessor is more determined than ever to keep this item. Plus they've got a nasty DP poisoned dagger, that can slay their opponents.

Oh yes, and the 'thing' that's behind the scenes is revealed to them, and the person has a powerful ally...

Will your character stay 'opposite allignment'? That's up to you. If you want to stay that way, fine. But speak to Mul; we could make a further set of events out of that!

(A) Why should we join in?
This is a simple scenario. Muldran and the Court move things on, and let you know, so there's no waiting weeks for things to happen.

Motivate people you play with to get boxes for you. It's meant to be a fun gathering thing, with buying, bartering and stealing.

And yes - it might involve a few fights later on. However, you may have to be more persuasive and cunning than that; not all guilds may be in for the fighting. So persuasiveness, teaming up, and general skullduggery may be the way to go...

Factions can be started up either in towns \ communities - or perhaps one collector wants to ask other people to collect them for him \ her? Afterall, Twothumb could simply offer to buy them all... but then surely another Town would think that they should acquire them before that happens!

(A) So everyone wants the boxes? How do I get rid of mine? Or, our friend has one. He's going nutty! We know there's something wrong with that bloody box. What do we do to get it away from them?
Bathe in pure water? Snog Cal Soulshadow? Get the Covians to dance the tango? Sort out your own cures... but they won't work.

The Shadow Court can help them work, however. Afterall, it's Mul's fault. When things start happening, Muldran will realise something's going on and start figuring out the cleansing rituals to help people break free of their addiction.

And the stuff can't be destroyed, without Mul's say so. Because he's cruel like that. And because it's part of the event. So there. No saying you can't alter how you'll deal with things later - after all, after a couple of stages, the Court may give you the opportunity to destroy the box... but whether you do, or decide something else... well, that's up to you.

(A) Okay - I've got one of these boxes, and don't want it. Or I can't spend time slapping people down who want this damn thing.
You don't want to join in? Awwww! Don't worry, just let Muldran know, and through the power of magical-plot-alteration he'll take the box and the taint from you, wipe your memory and give it to some other unlucky bugger. Consider yourself lucky.

(A) Who has the Boxes?
This will be updated regularly. If you beg \ borrow or steal a box, please ICQ \ MSN \ PM Muldran ASAP so we can update the Tracker. If you loose it, let me know!

At the start of this event:
Control Box - Muldran (SCT)
Box 1 - Kaelyn (DoT) > Box Missing - watch this space!
Box 2 - Flame (DrR)
Box 3 - Taggart (KT)
Box 4 - Lann'al (F^L) > Vierna (F^L)
Box 5 - The Dark Lord (AoD)

The information about who owns holds what in this thread is Out Of Character only - tracking where things *really* are. Don't use this in game - for example, people who participated in - or read the Poste report on - the expedition to make the boxes will suspect they're held by the people named first; so they'd be right in assuming Flame, Taggart and The Dark Lord have a box each...
Don't worry - clues to find out who own's 'em will turn up in game...

[muldran]

17th January 2007

First story posted

At this stage, nothing has happened to the people who currently hold the boxes. People who want to may notice the *sneeze*. And there's a building that has significantly changed in the cold wastes of Rhovanion that you can look into.

People who hold the boxes will receive PM \ ICQ message from Muldran tomorrow which will explain that their box is now active and what that means...

[muldran]

19th January 2007

The current holders of the boxes (as per the OOC information above) each received a dream.

There are no new rules at this stage - just a way to get people ready for the first stage, which will be announced soon. People can feel free to share these dreams with their confidants...

[muldran]

20th January 2007

Second story posted

An overview of what Muldran told some of the Courtiers...

[muldran]

20th January 2007

Third story posted

...and what Muldran told Gorthyn, one of the high-ups in the Court.

Rules Update: Nothing new happened to the holders of the boxes at the moment - but don't be surprised if you receive some communication from someone who has 'only your best interests at heart' urging you to contact Muldran about the true nature of the boxes...

[muldran]

23rd January 2007

Meeting in Trinsic took place (was advertised in the Poste and around a few notices)

Muldran cast a ritual to deactivate the boxes. Flame - present at the time - had an ominous feeling

[muldran]

24th January 2007

Fourth story posted

STAGE ONE IN PLAY!

All Black Box holders will receive some information in PMs \ ICQ ; please check for further details.

Now the boxes start exerting an influence on the holders, and they may start acting slightly different from their normal behaviour...

[muldran]

30th January

Fifth story posted

STAGE ONE still going on; notes sent to blackbox holders preparing for stage two.

[muldran]

4th February 2007

Sixth story posted

Stage TWO now in operation; Black Box holders will have received some information regarding their behaviour!

New Rules: These items come into play from 2pm on Sunday 4th!

Okay - Stage 2? So the Black Box holders have black dragon scale armor gloves on? What does that mean?
Really? It means nothing has changed in regards to what they can do. They haven't got mystical powers... But it's obvious now that the boxes are doing 'something' to the people holding them.
The people with the boxes don't see the blackness around their hands; and for gameplay purposes, it's almost a magical effect - just visible everytime you look sideways at someone.
The Box Holders have a little more info on what will happen. But people should now realise that Mul's cries of 'all's well' isn't really holding on now.

Something going on then?
At 7:00pm on Sunday 4th, Muldran will be at the location referred to in the sixth story as he recovers from his battle with Snaeval. From there, he's going to warn people about those with the boxes... and kick off some more trouble.

How do I get a box?
As with the rules above - over the dead body of someone else. Or, by persuading them they should part with them. If you can 'get through' to someone, try it. They may be amendable to you talking to them, if you're being reasonable - and if *they* still are reasonable. As to whether the box holders give up the boxes, that's up to them...
But remember - if you do try and destroy them at this stage, they're not truely destroyed... not until we've figured out someway to get rid of them...

PvP stuff?
Yes, if both parties are amenable to it! As with polite Rules of Engagement, it's a good idea to notify someone that you're going into battle with them. And the winner CAN take (or retain!) the Black box. They should also take the blackrock \ black dragon armour pieces that person has. (Hey, defeated person. Play fair, and hand the things over.)

[muldran]

6th March 2007

In the intervening month, people have moved to find things. Here's a summary of things up to date - and new rules...

Things have been static but for the occasional story. Taggart acquired an extra box, and gained some additional 'infected signs'.

The Court tried to stop the boxes during a ritual on Monday, which has resulted in...

The box held by Lann'al has had it's energy drained and is inactive - Lann'al and Vierna will no longer have any odd effects, nor will they be driven to collect the other boxes (by the box, that is!)

The box held by Flame has had it's energy drained and is inactive - Flame will no longer have any odd effects, nor will she be driven to collect the other boxes (by the box, that is!).

However, Flame did pick up one of the boxes that Taggart previously held, while he was unconcious! She will not be infected by this box for a while yet, so is immune to any bad effects at the moment.

Kaelyn's box, which was passed to John, nicked by Snaeval, eventually ended up with Taggart.

The Dark Lord shattered his box, disapating the energy - but it had to go somewhere...

The Control Box, which Muldran used to try and drain the other boxes was taken by the Knights Templar, and is currently held by Taggart.

People who own Boxes:
Taggart (one box, plus the control box)
Lady Flame (one box, previously Taggart's!)

People who possess the boxes have been sent additional instructions today.

[muldran]

The End!

The boxes are empty of their energy.

The Control Box is falling through the void.

You can now unstick this thread