PLOT

[lucetimods]

Plot Overview

You start off the game as what the locals refer to as a "New Feather." A bit of a clever term, coined by one of the residents and just picked up and carried by the others through word of mouth. You arrive with a little pair of miniature feathered wings on your back, which are more a hassle than anything else and so usually ignored. Well, except for when they’re injured or ripped off; in that case, very bad things happen. So it's probably a good idea to take care of them.

Once you get settled, it's just a matter of trying to understand the situation; to the best of everyone's knowledge -- disregarding any theories flying about -- this world is called Luceti. There's a barrier that encircles the village and its adjoining ocean, preventing further exploration beyond those boundaries. The groceries and all other stores are replenished seemingly through magical means: housing is free; everything is free. It's a pretty sweet deal. Several of your fellow captives have even opened up shops of their own, either to occupy their time or simply because they just like to do...whatever it is they're doing. Otherwise, all are provided for by the Malnosso -- the organization running the entire show.

There are many different people and many diverse cultures represented within the barrier and you can spend your time getting to know them all. Also, there are the spirits -- invisible, intangible manifestations of nature -- which can be harnessed and used to perform elemental magic. In Luceti, the animals talk; however, they usually don't provide very stimulating conversation since they are no more intelligent than normal animals. The library is chock full of books and scrolls containing information on Luceti’s nature as well as information about other worlds: namely, the homes of your fellow captives. There’s even a Battle Dome where you can fight holographic enemies or else simulate locations from any world. For at least a week or so, you should have plenty to do.

But then there are the experiments. Once or twice a month, very strange -- and occasionally ludicrous -- occurrences will take place. People will change shape or change personality. The environment will warp drastically or a disease will spread. Something out of what passes for the ordinary in Luceti will happen, whether it affects you directly or simply your surroundings. In Luceti, these changes are temporary -- although there have been rumours of other enclosures not being so fortunate. When there aren't experiments, there are kidnappings. These seemingly random abductions are perpetrated for individual study time. Usually those returned are left in a state far worse than when they'd been taken. In rare instances, these unusual changes may linger indefinitely.

Finally, there is the war with a threat more ominous than the captors currently holding Luceti’s reins. A fanatical group of cultists dubbed only as the ‘Third Party’ seek to permanently kill every single person in the world through a process they refer to as a sacrifice. Commanded by the General, they are constantly engaged in war with any who would oppose them. Unfortunately, just living is considered enough opposition. In order to fight this war, your new captors may send you off to battle these foes, whether you like it or not.

Definitely the bruise on the perfect apple, that. But it’s not an entirely hopeless situation. There are those on the outside concerned with your plight. From soldiers to eccentric scientists, you’re not completely alone in this. The people in this world, your captors included, aren’t all powerful. They need you, possibly more than you need them. They’ll even ‘pay’ you to go on missions for them, even if the wages seem cheap. Although they all have their own angle and motives, they might just be trying to help Luceti. Anything is better than stagnation. Nothing could be worse than absolutely no change at all.

Ultimately, there is something odd about the whole set up. What's the point of the wings? Where did the Malnosso come from? Who were the original Filial? There are no history books in the library to speak of, and so that resource is a no-go. People don't stay dead; instead, they return with what's called a Death Penalty. Something precious is taken in exchange for a second chance at life. Why? And what, precisely, is Shifting? Too many questions and not enough answers.

Maybe asking just isn’t enough. It’s your job to find out.


Plot NPCs

Luceti has a set of NPCs designed to keep the plot going, to provide the world's history, and to (on occasion) aid in character plots. Their posts usually are found on the malnosso journal. Additional NPCs, both player and mod created, are tracked here

	John: The Scientist. Played by Akai A scientist once affiliated with the Malnosso, he has now defected and works primarily alone. He is responsible for controlling the barrier and curing the Death Penalties, along with other little jobs here and there. He takes requests on occasion, but only at his own whim. John lives under the Battle Dome, protected by a private barrier. He shares a history with both Jacob and ANI's creator, though the details of it are unknown. An extremely eccentric and rather cold-blooded character, he is a researcher through and through.
	Jacob: The Traitor. Deceased (previously played by Eggy) A one-time captive like the rest of Luceti, Jacob landed himself a job with the Malnosso through a very strange series of events that he has yet to reveal. Now he acts sort of as John's go-for, occasionally appearing in the village and manning the bazaar. He's sarcastic and can be sort of a jerk, but is much more reasonable than John. Basically, if someone treats him with respect first, he'll return the gesture. While he can be paranoid and a bitter individual, Jacob also feels a lot of empathy and pity for the captives. Jacob was sacrificed by the unknown intruders during the August 2009 event. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
	ANI/ANI's creator: The Observer. (previously played by Eggy & Aly) ANI is the Automated Neutral Intelligence system created as a knowledge repository that stands impartially between the captives and the Organization. Although ANI hasn't been heard from in a while, her creator -- known as Rem to the Luceti Project -- surfaces from time to time to converse with or alternately advise Luceti's subjects. Currently, she is affiliated with a second, nearby enclosore: Kin'cora.
	Bil: The Eccentric. (previously played by Eggy & Masa) The blue man. Really scatterbrained and eccentric. From Romania. John fanboy. Considered to be an expert on Shifting, though his mannerisms make him appear incompetent. After a coup, he took over the Malnosso organization as its CEO. However, he later was forced to spend a year hiding in Luceti, underneath the Battle Dome. After being nearly hunted down by his enemies, he died of old age in June 2012. When he reappeared in 2013, he was now in a younger body. Circumstances has made him a traitor to the organization.
	CJ: The Manager. Played by Kyo (previously played by Masa) The man in charge of "MARS", the Malnosso Assigment and Reward Center. A businessman through and through, he's a middleman who doesn't deal with things like Shifting. Gruff and unsympathetic, he's made it clear that MARS is a business and not a charity. While not antagonistic to people in Luceti, he's not exactly a friend either.
	The Commandant. Played by Akai The leader of the Malnosso Security Forces. She doesn't speak to the village often and usually only on draft-related matters. She's focused solely on victory and hasn't shown herself to be sympathetic to people in Luceti. In battle she has shown herself to possess incredible skill and power. She is one of the General's most notable rivals.
	Davis: The Specialist. Played by Kyo (previously played by Masa) A high-ranking soldier in the Malnosso Security Forces. A man of many talents, he does a lot of work with volunteers/draftees from Luceti and other enclosures. He claims to have been from an enclosure himself. He has demonstrated superhuman strength. It seems he may have been once an inhabitant of Luceti, in a previous cycle. He does not have access to the journal system.
	Carol: The Liaison. (Previously played by Aly) A kind-hearted woman who has spent the majority of her life in the enclosure system. Now cooperating with the Malnosso, she acts as a liaison between the Organization and their subjects. Carol currently moves from enclosure to enclosure evaluating whether regions or projects have developed to the point of pursuing new opportunities with the Organization. Like Davis, she was once a resident of Luceti.
	Molly: The Intern. Inactive (previously played by Emily) A young woman originally associated with the rogue faction in the Malnosso. After being abandoned in Luceti, she was taken in by Bil as his assistant, until she was kidnapped in May 2012. She has shown herself to be sympathetic to Luceti. She speaks with a noticeable stutter.
	The General. (Previously played by Eggy & Masa) A leader among the cultist group known as the "Third Party" by those in Luceti. A powerful warrior first seen when he led an invasion into Luceti itself. He has been seen twice since, once invading the Malnosso's underwater facility and later their moon base. Unlike other cultists, he has been known to actually speak to those from Luceti, even allowing them to leave unharmed. Aside from being inhumanly powerful, he is able to use his blood to create powerful and deadly Shifts.
	Zompano: The Count. Previously played by Kris & Masa) The former CEO of the Malnosso, he was known in the early days to taunt the first residents of Luceti with his sing-song voice, all while referring to them as his mice. A cruel and vain man, he took pleasure in authorizing a variety of cruel experiments. He was ousted by Bil and eventually turned over to the cultists for sacrifice. Instead of dying, Zompano has since taken over the cultists and sworn revenge on the Malnosso and Luceti specifically.

Tyr: Deceased. Previous proprietor of the weapons shop. He seems to be held in great esteem by Jacob and the Malnosso, and was described as a "hero-type". Died during John's experimentation.