[EVENT; TRUTH COMPULSION] AFTERMATH OF CLAN JAGAIZ BATTLES

[ironwood]

Characters: Everyone, NPC and Foreigners alike!
Date: February 12th-18th.
Location: All over Keeliai, with a grand party in the Courtyard of Public Opinion on the 17th.
Situation: As the main family heads return to Keeliai, they bring with them a very strange thought virus that seems to spread rapidly throughout the city. Before long, anyone who's been exposed to the source of the virus finds themselves not only incapable of lying when asked a direct question, but actually compelled to tell the truth.
Warnings / Rating: None yet; please warn in individual threads as necessary.

OOC NOTE: This is an opt-out event, but the compulsion will still affect Keeliai as a whole. That is, even if you choose to leave your character unaffected, nearly every kedan your character meets will be affected, and will act accordingly. Questions regarding this event can be asked on February's itinerary, located HERE.


The Inciting Incident:
In the Jagaiz exhibition matches - the ones the Keeliai family heads were invited to - several Tavimbian natives present kedan and Foreigner combatants who win their matches with odd little crystals. The crystals aren't very different from the Xunutane, for those who have been lucky enough to take a tour through the Artery Levels; they're meant to be little good luck charms, or souvenirs (though no one actually uses the word souvenir.) Each family head's combatant takes that little crystal home when they return to Keeliai.

The Problem:
Within twenty-four hours, anyone who's touched one of these crystals directly is physically incapable of lying, and strongly compelled to tell the truth when they're asked a direct question. The strange virus seems to spread by touch as well; within twenty-four hours after that, anyone who's come into contact with anyone who's touched a crystal is also affected, and so on and so forth, spreading out across the city.

The more removed a character is from the little crystals, the weaker their compulsion to tell the truth. On top of that, variances in the crystals themselves can also dictate how strong the compulsion is, which means how badly a character is affected is entirely up to their player. Has your character been fighting in Jagaiz matches? Chances are they're telling the truth to anyone who even looks like they're about to ask a question. Has your character been avoiding Hatal completely? Then they probably aren't affected, or are only affected at the lowest level. In between those two extremes, there's a lot of wriggle room for determining how affected you want your character to be and how badly you want them to screw up.

Please note that if a character is affected, then they are physically incapable of lying. The compulsion to tell the truth is what varies. Some people might get by simply by keeping their mouths shut tight; others might wake up one morning and feel so compelled to tell the truth that they can't stop themselves from turning on a console and telling it all their deepest secrets. (There's a spate of console posts from the kedan combatants who fought in the exhibition matches, for example, confessing everything from trips into the red light district to open hatred for the Snakes.) It all depends on how exposed to the source they've been, or on variances in the crystals and in the Dreaming -- how badly a character is affected has nothing to do with the character's own mental resilience, though characters are free to ICly assume that!

The really odd thing about this strange virus is that it seems to affect everyone regardless of circumstances. This means even characters without organic brains can be affected.

Anyone who asks the residents of Hatal about it will receive congratulations! Apparently it's not an uncommon effect, but not always a reliable one; the stones can be passed down but leave entire generations unaffected. Unsurprisingly, the effect has been appropriated by the Sabonile as evidence of the Xunutane's favour -- the priests will assure the residents of Keeliai that it's an opportunity for them to prove their character to one another (or an opportunity to change it, if need be!)

While the Sabonile can't cure the effect (and won't understand why you'd want to, being radically honest themselves), they will be able to reassure Keeliai's populace that the effects wear off given time. They also willingly provide 'comfort rooms' in their temples. These rooms are places of solitude for those who would rather meditate on their truths than blurt them to everyone they pass. Physically they don't really do much, but they're an option for those who are driven to interact with others yet don't want to embarrass themselves, and provide assurance that the Sabonile won't let anyone be bothered if they want to ride out the effects in (relative and non-harmful) solitude.

The Coping Mechanism:
Party!

No, seriously. The family heads, about halfway through the week, decide that if nearly every kedan is going to be compelled to tell the truth, then we might as well celebrate that fact and get everyone's dirty secrets out into the open.

All day on February 17th, kedan gather in the Courtyard of Public Opinion for a grand party. Several have bandanas or scarves tied over their mouths (or around their heads or necks) to indicate asking them questions might be dangerous; others gather in large drinking games, to which they'll happily invite any Foreigner who wants in. Each of the family heads will be in attendance, and each will be -- however grudgingly -- open to questions.

There will be a starter for the party below. For all other shenanigans related to the truth compulsion, please feel free to put up starters for your own characters! Threads can take place anytime during the week, and anywhere on the turtle's back or in Hatal.