humiliatious | Amphitheater Multiverse: The Wastelands

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Amphitheater Multiverse: The Wastelands

Amphitheater Multiverse

The Amphitheater is a mysterious place. It's in the space of a blink that you appear outside one of its many entrances. You're beckoned inside, taken to the center, where the showrunners assign you a role. Another blink, and you're no longer surrounded by rows of crowded seats. The crowd and cast have disappeared. Whatever role you were given, that is your life now, even if only for the duration of the performance. Be careful, though. It's easy to get lost in the role you were given. It's not uncommon for performers to forget who they are.

Performance: The Wastelands

It's a scenario which has fascinated since the very inception of story-telling: What happens after the world ends? It seems that's what's occurred here. Shops and houses are left empty of life, looted of supplies. Strange, mutant plants grow wrap around buildings and overtake forests, which infected animals slip out of to attack. Towns are less so towns, and more so guarded fortresses which only allow certain individuals in and out. Supplies are scarce, and trade has devolved into a bartering system. Camps of survivors are scattered throughout the countryside and abandoned villages, with some bigger groups splitting up into factions. Infighting is common, as well as altercations between groups. The world has become temperamental, anxious, everyone always prepared to attack. Those affected by the mutation find it even harder to survive every day, met with a whole host of biological and social obstacles. Everyone's goal is to survive. What role will you play?

Dramatis Personae

scavengers & survivalists

Scavengers and survivalists survive on their own as best as they can. They are loners who travel from settlement to settlement, trading supplies they've found before moving onto the next place. Some prefer to live off grid entirely, and only interact with others when passing in their travels. Others hide away in cities and towns, away from the eyes of the factions that govern them, stealing what they need. Generally, these types believe that others will slow them down, and are concerned more with their own survival than anything else, which makes them poor companions.

leaders

The world as all knew it may have ended, but so long as there are people still alive, they will need leaders. One might lead a small settlement with only a handful of people, merely interested in surviving. Instead, one might be the leader of a powerful faction in a major fortress city, with hundreds at your command. There are religious leaders, as well, which devotees follow faithfully in all that they do. Whatever the case may be, the leader is, at the end of the day, someone responsible for the wellbeing of the many others that depend on them.

traders

Traders are apocalypse-made merchants who survive by collecting and selling items between settlements. Some of these merchants travel, moving from settlement to settlement and providing goods for travelers on the road, and some reside in settlements, providing goods for the town. They may sell anything from rations to weapons to medical supplies, and generally tend to have good relationships with leaders, due to their many connections. They are good salespeople, exceptionally clever with words, and may convince you to leave with something you don't need, or give them something you do.

the affected

No one is quite sure what caused animals, plants, and people to all start changing - why some are affected, and others aren't - but some strange mutation took hold after the world came to an end, rendering some something between human and beast. They are not mindless, and they are not hungry, but they have been known to attack - transform into monsters which blindly lash out until their prey has been disposed of. This only happens when they are provoked, however...

hunters

Some believe that the affected must be disposed of, studied, or otherwise detained until an explanation for their condition can be found. There are a few leaders, both religious and otherwise, who claim to be researching a cure for the strange affliction. They hire hunters to find the affected and bring them to their headquarters. Other hunters have more personal reasons for wanting to seek out the affected and dispose of them.

devotees

In times of great crisis, such as these, people find themselves desperate for a guiding light to follow. Devotees pledge themselves to leaders, objects, gods, etc., and follow them dutifully no matter what they're asked to do. Some religious factions condemn the affected, while some celebrate and welcome them, and others still that want to research them; likewise, there are some factions that welcome anyone, some that only welcome allied factions, some that welcome no one. It all depends on what one has decided to devote themselves to - the point is, they're devoted.

OOC

Hello! Welcome to Amphitheater Multiverse, inspired by former game 7Dead's AU/amplitheater premise. Essentially, characters enter a magical amphitheater that is holding a performance (this time it is "The Wastelands," a post-apocalyptic story), and they are cast in roles. This transports them to the setting of the "play" - essentially one big collective AU you can TL and play in (your characters can either be aware they're in a play, completely lost in their roles, some combination thereof, etc.). You can play out multiple roles/enter & exit the amphitheater more than once.

Please follow basic DWRP etiquette, don't be a jerk, use CWs in subject lines/read them. Play anyone you want - canon characters, OCs, fandom OCs, AUs, CRAUs, etc., etc. This event is open for anyone to play. You do not need to know me or be on my plurk list or anything like that. If you have any questions, please direct them here, or hit me up on plurk at

pantheraliam (just note that I don't add people unless I know them). Have fun, be safe o v o;;

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[The run begins with Armin stumbling, Aubrey's hand tight in his. They've been walking for what feels like months, maybe years, but suddenly, it feels as though his legs don't work. When he starts to fall, Aubrey has to help pull him back up, but then, they're both running, right toward the entrance of the Amphitheater. Before they enter, Armin skids to a stop, catching Aubrey by the shoulders and turning to face her.

[Her. His hand comes up to tuck pink hair away from brown eyes. He hasn't seen her in...far, far too long.]

Aubrey...

[He laughs, his hands both coming to cup her face. He kisses her lips.]

Aubrey.

It's so good to see you again.

[This location is probably perfectly secure when it comes to most would-be thieves—but not Kenny. Kenny eyes Akira thoughtfully, his stance deceptively casual. This kid's got some real spirit, at least. That's a quality that's not so easy to find in this shitty world. That's why Kenny didn't shoot him immediately, opting to speak first—and possibly shoot later.

He could find supplies elsewhere, sure. A career criminal like himself finds it relatively easy to kill and steal to get what he wants and needs. But there's no reason for him to leave this box behind, since he'd happened across this place. He's already here, and he doesn't mind sparing himself extra effort later. Also—he might just be a little amused by this standoff.

At Akira's question, he laughs, a short, sharp sound.]

How 'bout your life? I'd say that's more than fair. A real bargain.

[That’s right. Nothing bad ever happens at farmhouses in post-apocalyptic settings. They will not find a single cannibal.

[Oblivious, Aubrey nods back. She tugs Sunny in closer, still walking, refusing to wallow.] We’ll find shelter there. [In the encroaching dark, she can’t tell if it’s the Horizon they’re looking for. But intact buildings seem like a rarity out here, and she’ll take it over the empty open.

[Every so often, she checks the sky for a trusted palisman. The branches for the zip of maneuvering metal. The shadows for a surprise flame in blue.

[Nothing.

[Around the farmland’s fields, only a rickety fence stands guard. Aubrey half expects barbed wire. But she scrapes her nail bat against a plank, and it snags nothing. A squeeze for Sunny, then. They’ll keep moving.]

[Aubrey tilts her head slightly. It is where she’s heading. Isn’t? It would make sense. There’s a spot by the water she likes to take her friends. Hero knows about it. It does make sense. And she trusts him, despite how their reunion kicked off.

[She nods.]

The lake.

[And,]

If we’re going to work together, you should know it’s not just me. [So I want you to be okay with everyone.] So no funny tricks.

i. survival of the fittest

[This whole place is bizarre—not least of which is the repetitive certainty that keeps returning to remind him he's supposed to be dead. But he's very clearly not dead. Dead men—for instance—can't jump, and Kenny can do so easily, leaping from building to ruined building almost as if he learned how to fly somewhere along the way. Weird and unreal as all this is, it's where he is now, and he can adapt to it. That's what he does.

And, decidedly not dead, Kenny's currently striding confidently across an aging roof, using his high vantage point from the top of an abandoned town hall to look down on the world below, scanning the area for anything (or anyone) useful or interesting.

When he catches sight of someone, he can't help but draw closer to investigate—either out of curiosity or simply a desire to stir shit.]

Hey! Thought everybody knew, kids and idiots are supposed to stay home these days. Better go back where you belong.

ii. adversely affected

[His mind is never silent. He can't rest. There's always a kind of buzzing in his mind, like electricity—a resource which has become so rare these days. He feels electric himself, as if all that lost power is gathered inside him, longing to be released in a lightning strike.

The common wisdom about the affected is that they attack only when provoked. That's partly true, except for the fact that every one of the affected has a different threshold for provocation.

For Kenny—it's enough for him to sense someone nearby. That awareness makes the current in him jump, and his mouth fills with the taste of iron and ozone. He doesn't stop to wonder who it is who's drawn dangerously near him in this wilderness, or why they're here. He leaps forward and lashes out with inhuman speed—a sharp blade flashing in each hand.]

iii. hunt or be hunted

[This dump used to be a tavern, many years ago, when there was a town here. Now, the town is a ghost, the bar is crumbling, the walls are dubious, and the floor isn't that much more convincing. It still counts as a shelter, though, and down in the cellar—well, the booze that can still be found down there is what drew Kenny in and why he stays, making it a "headquarters" of sorts, not that he calls it anything so official.

There are enough intact chairs and tables for him to have sat his ass down in one of the former while his feet rest up on one of the latter.

As he looks over his unwanted visitor, he sighs, his expression deeply unimpressed. Although he's tried to quash rumors of his existence, past or present, he still somehow has enough of a reputation left to draw these losers and weirdos out into the wilderness.]

What d'you want so much you came all the way out here, huh?

iv. leader of the pack

[This settlement, small as it is, is run with the orderly precision of a machine. Its inhabitants are severe and strong, more like members of a militia than ordinary citizens. More than that, there's something off about them. They go too long without blinking, and they rarely need to rest. There's a haunted expression that surfaces now and again on their faces, as if they've all seen something they can't bring themselves to believe...

It's difficult to enter this tiny town unobserved—and the odd residents aren't welcoming to strangers. That said, there is a kind of "welcoming committee". When someone new comes to town, they're greeted by a relatively large group of townspeople, and then escorted to meet with the "Captain" who runs this town. Whenever he's free. Some newcomers have to wait a good while to see him. In a holding cell, because you can't be too careful these days.

When Kenny finally deigns to attend his audience with this most recent visitor, he flashes a smile—then belches, loudly.]

So—you lookin to join us, or you lookin to die?

[There's a wry note in his voice, although he's more or less sincere. He's gracious enough to offer options, but there's no guarantee that choosing the first option will preclude the second.]

[or—wildcard me!]

[Focused as Caitlyn is, Kel has a way of making things feel… lighter, somehow. Like a game. It’s the fleeting tug, really; there’s no challenge she won’t take. She doesn’t concern herself with what’s left behind.

[So, off they go, back to where the past has recollected itself. Caitlyn makes a point of not pulling too far ahead of Kel, either; they ought to keep even, as they always have. No one left in the dust, at the bottom of the steps. They’re the ones going down.

[And for now, they can outrun the rest.]

Is it just the two of you? [Innocuous, as the slope starts to level.]

[Loot. So, it wasn’t obtained until the boss fell.

[He nods.

[And, because he can express himself a little better with Eren:] …Lots.

[80 dead, 20 injured? One boss, extremely level-7-dead? Yes.]

[No matter what hell awaits, it can’t take away this. Blonde hair, soft lips; eyes blue as the sea. Aubrey brings a hand to his cheek, the other to his nape; and for all they’ve been close, there’s a fresh wonder to it now.]

Armin…

[When he falters, she’ll always reach for him.]

I love you, too.

[And they could stay in this moment forever, she feels, but…

[Eventually, they’ll move They don’t have a choice.]

[Luckily for Levi, his instincts are just as sharp as whatever's about to lash out at him. He's an infamous hunter, feared far and wide by cults of the affected, unfriendly survivor camps, and loners who know which names to avoid. It's been said that he can see seconds into the future, allowing for him to anticipate almost any move before it comes - which is only a rumor, of course.

[But the shk of the blades leaving their holsters is more than enough. Levi dodges out of the way, drawing two of his own - long, rectangular, unique to anything he's ever seen from anyone else.

[Except for this guy.

[Except for--]

Kenny.

[It's always a pleasant day when Aerith brings her cart out for the camp. Hero is always among one of the first in line. As a would-be "intern" to the settlement's chief medic, he's tasked with making sure the camp remains healthy - a balanced diet is certainly part of that, and becoming more and more difficult to balance. Hero used to love cooking. He doesn't get to do much of it the way he'd like to anymore, but today, there are fresh, colorful ingredients, and he only has Aerith to thank.]

Gosh, Aerith. How did you manage all this? We'll have a few days worth of good meals now.

[Their eyes meet. For a split second, Eren thinks he recognizes the face, but that's impossible. He's a continent away from his friends at least, desperate to return, without a ship in sight. He has no connection to this man, and there's no reason at all not to take the box and dig through everything inside, leave the other only scraps. He lays his palm on top of it, keeping his eyes locked on his companion.]

I don't need much. If you're looking for food, or medical supplies, I'll hand them over to you.

Otherwise, I want first pick. [Valuable items, like Akira's asking about now. Eren isn't all that good with words. It's vital to have something to trade at all times.] You'll die trying to stop me.

['I love you too.' He feels silly for not saying so himself, but he doesn't have to. She says it for him, and they both mean it, they both know.

[He kisses her again, and that's all. He thinks of Eren, thinks it would be impossible to rip him away, but Armin knows they need to move. He laces their fingers, squeezes her hand; turns to face the strange, imposing building.]

Have you seen anything like it before?

[That dodge is unexpected, but it doesn't throw Kenny off. He doesn't lose his balance, landing like a cat, his stance defensive, as his experience and instinct tell him this is a worthwhile opponent, not one of the usual ones who die in seconds—often before they've realized their under attack. It's a quick death, at least.

This is different. That impossibly fast evasion. Those blades—and then that name. It's the name that throws him off balance, figuratively speaking. There's something very familiar about it. About all this...

If Kenny were in a frame of mind to pause and consider, what's happened so far would have been enough to make him do so—but currently, lost in the strange haze that's been affecting the populace, the only thing on his mind is killing. His technique isn't affected, though. He lunges forward, swift and precise, movements flowing like water, blades lashing out.]

[There's a certain warmth to hearing Sunny's voice. The first time they met, he was in a state of such extreme panic that practically all he could do was sob, borderline screaming, but...that isn't how he's meant to be. He's a soft, quiet, strange little thing. He could have just spread his hands out, made a wide gesture - lots - but he didn't. He spoke, and only for Eren to hear. His hand finds the side of the boy's face, thumb tenderly brushing his cheekbone.]

You did a good job.

You should let me know when you're getting ready to run off, though. It doesn't bother me when anyone else does it...

[A girl - bright colors, sharp bite. He barely remembers. They must have met somewhere along the rode. He wonders if she's managed to survive; it's nagging.]

Specific? Nah, not from you.

[Kenny makes a point of visiting a variety of traders. He might not know exactly where those he's familiar with are at all times, but he has a decent general idea of when and where any one of them might show up. Enough so that he can seek them out, when he wants to. Most of them have regular routes. It's practical. As for what they sell, he knows enough about each of them to know who he should be looking for when he wants something specific.

As for Erwin Smith... he stands out, in more ways than one. Considering the nature of his wares, Kenny visits him to get an idea of what he has on him, rather than with a particular item in mind.]

Got anything useful this time? How 'bout we start with that?

[By useful, Kenny partly means weapons. As a hunter, weapons are always on his mind, but Erwin is unlikely to be well-stocked with them. However, Kenny's not unaware of the usefulness of the other things Erwin carries, whether concrete or abstract.]

Oh—!

[She's surprised by the voice suddenly speaking out of the greenery. Turning towards Basil, Aerith reaches for her staff. It's not a hostile move, however. She grasps it briefly, using it to center her balance and pull herself up from where she's been kneeling for so long. This person doesn't seem aggressive, and she won't be aggressive herself unless she has a very good reason to be. She smiles, letting go of the staff again.]

Hello there.

[It's a good question... does she know where she is? She knows her place beneath the earth and the sky, but in the more technical sense, she isn't sure. She knows where she came from, and all she left behind her, but when it comes to her current surroundings and what lies ahead—much more is a mystery to her.]

You know—now that I think of it, I don't know if this place has a name. But maybe it does. I haven't been here long. I've been—traveling.

[Traveling is as good a word for it as any. It's accurate, if not precise.]

It's a pretty place, whatever it's called. That's why I stopped here.

I have my ways. It's a trade secret.

[With a wink, she smiles at Hero. The joke is clear from her tone as well as the wink, as it isn't really a secret. She's always had a way with plants. Now, when the soil's in such a state, her green thumb stands out more than ever before, now that fresh fruits and vegetables are so hard to come by. She also has a keen instinct for where wild plants might be, and some knowledge of which of them are safe to eat. She'll trade food for old guides to edible plants, when she can find a trader who has one.

Aerith could charge much more for them than she does for her produce, in the right markets, but like Hero, she would rather help the people of small settlements like this one eat better and live better. As long as she has enough to get by herself. She's not looking to get rich.]

It's not always easy, but I have to keep my customers happy, after all!

[Eren nods. She's here, she's affected, she's without options - she's in. So, there's no reason not to show her.

[He moves a few paces away, through an open archway that leads down a stone corridor.]

This church was run by a family of noble blood before the end. These tunnels were kept secret, used for rituals.

[Long, turning, twisting. Eren keeps a steady pace.]

[ Really, it hurts Levi, too, but he's very aware of everything that can go wrong with a wound not properly taken care of. A little pain to prevent it is well worth it. So he just steels himself and does what needs to be done -- cleaning, antiseptic, cauterizing, stitching, antiseptic again, bandages -- while his two little assistants do their best to comfort Armin and hold him still. ]

[ The whole thing takes maybe close to ten minutes, but he eventually finishes wrapping the bandage around Armin's calf and ties it off, then gently pats his knee to let him know he can put it down. ]

There, all done. Good job, all of you. [ Then he's taking a napkin to the boy's face, cleaning up the tears and snot best he can. ] Armin, as a wounded soldier you're off duty from all your chores for the next week. You can sleep in the hammock tonight.

[ It's the best replacement for a treat he can think of, considering that they haven't found sugar in a while. "The hammock" is where they usually store food they don't want animals to reach for the night, but for some reason all the kids are fascinated with it and try to crawl into it at every opportunity. It's also safe enough to wait out most passing dangers, which is the main reason he wants to put the kid there for now. Hopefully they don't need to run in the middle of the night any time soon -- but you can never know for sure, and so he prepares for everything. ]

[ Levi finds himself just outside of town, still confused at first as everything -- "memories" -- falls into place. He knows to look for a vantage point, and so he heads into the eerily empty streets, wary of any noises and looking for a decently sized building to scale, but it seems someone beat him to it. ]

[ Someone he can't help but find familiar. Could it be the man who raised him, the one he's (allegedly) been looking for?.. ]

[ Nonetheless, first things first. He scowls and looks up. ]

I'm not a kid.

[ People make that mistake a lot with him, for some reason. ]

[ Viktor's wares are not typical, and neither is the merchant. There's been plenty of words around about the tech he sells and fixes -- things unheard of to many of them here, almost bordering on magic. ]

[ And that's exactly what Levi is looking for when he drops a device on the counter -- a sort of small container unit with propellers and multiple mechanical parts that seem to connect to something else. It looks pretty busted up; the shell is bent as if it had been chewed up by a large animal and one of the fans is broken. ]

[ The man himself doesn't look anything particularly extraordinary -- except perhaps his small stature, but he looks as pale and gaunt as most of them do, deep dark circles under his eyes. His voice is almost soft, but there's a certain no-nonsense determination about him. ]

Can you fix this?

Nope!

[As they round the bend, it becomes clear. This isn't just a little camp - it's a proper fortress, barred off by makeshift walls and barbed wire. Kel lifts his fingers up to his mouth and sharply, loudly whistles, and one section of that metal-scrap wall scrapes open. Kel tugs Caitlyn's wrist one more time - excitement, relief, followed by a laugh. They duck around inside, quickly thanking whoever opened the gate. It's closed again behind them.

[Kel stoops down a bit with his hands on his knees, making a bit of a show about catching his breath. It really wasn't all that far of a run at all.]

Haha. Well...

Welcome to Faraway, as we like to call it. Because it's far away from everything else. [Get it?

[And it is, indeed, a little community - hustle and bustle worth mentioning! There could be at least fifty people here...]

[Hero smiles a bit, some fondness that's too deep-seated to be new. It's odd that he doesn't recognize her, but he understands what she means. She's found her own. That's a good thing.]

Your friends are welcome. You can trust me - and I can trust you, right?

[His question holds no accusation. He's already made up his mind.

[They start walking.]

Would you consider yourself a trader, or did you just so happen to find that med kit I...[He turns to her, raising his eyebrows, then raising two fingers on each hand to make quotes.] "dropped".

[She can only tear her eyes away when Armin does, and even so Aubrey glances to him when she talks.]

Not in person… Maybe in schoolbooks. [Old cartoons? It feels like lifetimes ago.] The, uh… Colosseum.

[Aubrey frowns.]

People fought to the death. For “entertainment.”

[It’s quiet, from the outside. Still, her hand closes tighter around his.]

[He blinks. It sounds a little off-script, that Sunny would just run off without warning. That he would turn around in the middle of the night, take a knife and—

[You have been peddling wares as long as you can remember. Eren just doesn’t like the surprise night runs. And Sunny is safe with Eren. It’s okay.

[He does, however, scuff the dirt a little as he nods. Sorry. Next quest will include Tell Eren you’re leaving. He likes to know....]

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Amphitheater Multiverse: The Wastelands

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i

we make the rules now

kermitnod. toat.

Kenny Ackerman | Attack on Titan

killing me with those brackets

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ii - hehe...hello

b

i (7dead crau too hehe)

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hello nephew <3

I saw that...(making this limboverse fr now...)

2

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i + iv ??? covers you in levis

trader

THE STEPS BRACKETS??? FLEAF??? HELLO??? SDLFKJSDLFJSDFLJ

loss of self occurring in 3...2...

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hehehehe…