Conclusion of the Alternate Plotline

Things're winding down. With most of the linkshell awakened by the feather, it's time we come up with an exit strategy for this plot that works for the majority of people; unless everyone wants to ride this plot out longer. We could very well go through the Shadow Lord plot arc and the Rise of Zilart missions again before we end this, or we could start working on the conclusion now.

Originally the end was supposed to work in a conflict between those who want to keep their surroundings as is, and those who want to go back. While I'm sure many of us would like to keep the original premise of the plot to honor our plan, it might not work out that way. It's more important that we come up with something workable to RP than that we stick to the plan. If this incarnation of our previous ideas simply won't work for your character or you, let us know. And if you're still excited about what we started off with, say that too.

Mainly we're looking for comments from people about whether or not they want to keep the plot rolling a bit longer to experience some more alt-events or if they feel it's time to push ahead with the conclusion of our plot.

I was never a fan of the alt timeline to begin with, for my part at least the sooner we get back to normal the better.

I didn't get Koumai too involved, nor Raku. Just Vance but I don't think he would be affected by the feather. I'm for which ever though.

I'm still for the conflict idea conceived when this all started. Even if things progress quickly I'd like the chance at that sort of RP.

We need to settle on a premise before we can decide how to get to that conclusion, I have a few ideas.

1) Both worlds are "real", one must be destroyed to make room for the other. All parties have a stake in saving their respective "world" in this manner. Things stay morally ambiguous.

2) Both worlds are "real" and a return trip is possible, however the misplaced souls (our characters) are subject to an all or nothing clause. They all stay, or they all go. This again leaves things morally ambiguous.

3) The alt-timeline is not "real" or a construct, etc. Staying in the alt-timeline will eventually become hazardous for all those involved, or rip a hole in the offical timeline that sets a chain reaction of destruction or some other catastrophic event. This leaves no gray areas on the conclusion however and is my least favored option. How can there be conflict without a reasonable argument for both sides to stand on?

We should settle on the premise first, it'll make it easier to write an IC reason for all of this.

I'd really like to continue with the plot as we had planned to start. I'd prefer an end similar to Sab's #1 suggestion. I think it would make for sme good rp. I think it's possible to fit in the Promyvion idea with it still.

I got into this on the assumption that #3 was the case, I thought it was assumed from the very beginning? I'm not so comfy changing cars this late in the game.

It was mentioned at the beginning along with ideas 1 and 2, the stance we took at the time was a "we'll figure it out later".

The main reason for my support of 1 or 2 is that the XI missions really don't allow for any real character conflict as all of them are grounded in averting world destruction. Creating a situation that is morally ambiguous regarding the outcome will give room for a division.

Obviously it *will* all come to and end and the original timeline will be restored. If we handle it using option number 3 however, it will simply be another string of missions where everyone will agree on doing what needs to be done to ensure survival. Sabby may be a bit crazy right now, but if destruction was ensured she would eventually come around to see reason. It would be no fun that way. I kind of want to play a villian for a bit.

I don't think the initial plan really matters if it contradicts itself though. We always planned on having a confrontation between the two sides be the end of this and even if the third option was seeming preferred from discussion back then, we can't do both. If the world is screwed already then things are too one-sided and there can't be a real conflict going on here.

If a definite right and wrong exist in this situation, how are we supposed to have a meaningful conflict plot at the end here?

Here's my plot suggestion. I think it incorporates enough elements of each plot into it that it might be a suitable solution. Mainly I like it because it ties up some loose ends:



Basic Idea: There can only be one real world in Vana'diel, and it is the world sung of in the Ley of the Immortals. That world is the path through time that the Crystal is destined to track based on the story told by the melody. Only those born of the Crystal can change the flow of time and even alter the Ley of Immortals itself. This effects the Crystal's path through time and causes possible worlds laying dormant to spring to life with the light of the Crystal. During a shift in destiny, life floods into the empty vessels of the new favored path while the old history slowly perishes in the darkness until all that's left is Promyvion and the Crystal has moved on. This is about halfway in progress.

In Short: The Crystal is light a flashlight that shines on a path. When that path is lit, everything in it springs to life and the Emptiness there transforms into true reality. However there's only enough light to shine on one path at a time, while it grows brighter in the Alternate World the light is dimming in our own. If the process isn't stopped the Alternate World becomes the "real world" and our past is reduced to an empty wasteland.

Plot Mechanism: The characters would find this out by speaking with Selh'Teus who is watching the reaction from Lumoria. Lumoria and several other extra-dimensional locations happen to be shared between the two worlds instead of being linked to one or the other, so the phenomenon is limitedly viewable from there. He'd explain the specifics of the plot to whoever visits him, giving us a way to directly explain to our characters what's going on.

How did this happen? I've got a lot of ideas on this. I have italics'd my favorite one.

• The simplest would be that their meddling in the past altered the Ley.
  
• People's regrets, wishes, or hidden desires along with their power to change time mentioned in WotG by Cait Sith caused this.
  
• This is the result of a Trump Card that Emptiness left behind in someone which seeped into the Maws and twisted their power to draw people into the dormant world in order to bring it to life. Ties up a few loose CPM ends.

Solution: I think it's best to keep this simple and focused on the plot of conflict, while still being reasonably dramatic. For this reason it'd be best if the way to stop the process is rather direct; the "anchors" of light to this world must be destroyed. The anchors would simply be all of our characters. Upon their death in the Alternate Plot they'd return to the Crystal and simply wait for the light to "shine" back on our world, when it does they would rebegin their normal lives. Whether or not they remember what happened would be up to each player to decide.

Basically we'd have to kill everyone off in the alternate world in order to end it, which makes for good conflict, uncertainty about the method of 'saving' the world, and good drama. Thoughts?

I never thought highly of the alt-arc, I'd prefer it be wrapped up sooner than later.

Not that I'm a part of this storyarc, but it seems to me you can still have a conflict with the third option if the folks who want to keep the timeline together refuse to believe that they're dooming both worlds. That also makes those who support the alt timeline more of a defined villain without them realizing it. A key part to overcoming them could be convincing them of the necessity to abandon the alternate timeline, despite their wishes to keep it going.

It becomes tragic for the "villains" if there were defined, good reasons for them wanting to keep the alt timeline going, as if things in that world were much better overall for them or those they loved. They may even refuse to leave, staying behind through the bitter destruction of the world, but the efforts of the "heroes" still resets everything back to the regular timeline, leaving the memories of what could have been to haunt the "villains" as they go back about their lives in the normal timeline. Assuming the memories carry over.

Best to leave the question of memories up to the individuals behind the character.

New avatar go go.

I personally like the idea of Number 1, and Ayv's story works out for me. End it early or not, I don't mind that much, although I prefer it goes on a bit longer (apologies to those who don't want it that way) since it makes up for more conflict.


Also, from what it seems, the WoTG storyline might actually allow for characters to be on one of the two sides, although still unsure of that thus far in the story, when our characters reach that point we too might be unsure and take sides, or something. We'll just have to see.

Also, Ayv's solution to the thing, I might have interpreted it wrong, but it involves us going suicide?

What we're going with:

Basic Idea: There can only be one real world in Vana'diel, and it is the world sung of in the Ley of the Immortals. That world is the path through time that the Crystal is destined to track based on the story told by the melody. Only those born of the Crystal can change the flow of time and even alter the Ley of Immortals itself. This effects the Crystal's path through time and causes possible worlds laying dormant to spring to life with the light of the Crystal. During a shift in destiny, life floods into the empty vessels of the new favored path while the old history slowly perishes in the darkness until all that's left is Promyvion and the Crystal has moved on. This is about halfway in progress.

In Short: The Crystal is light a flashlight that shines on a path. When that path is lit, everything in it springs to life and the Emptiness there transforms into true reality. However there's only enough light to shine on one path at a time, while it grows brighter in the Alternate World the light is dimming in our own. If the process isn't stopped the Alternate World becomes the "real world" and our past is reduced to an empty wasteland.

Plot Mechanism: The characters will find this out by meeting with Celestial Avatars who are shared between both worlds.

How did this happen?: People's regrets, wishes, and hidden desires along with their power to change time mentioned in WotG by Cait Sith caused this. There will be other unknown factors never expanded upon mentioned for the purpose of future retconning if necessary.

Solution: Going back to what we originally planned, the world was supposed to be irredeemable. This can be preserved without effecting the conflict between characters if the revelation that the world cannot be saved is presented after the conflict occurs.

As for the details of "reversion", the best mechanic is that it will only be possible to do so if everyone from the other world who is still alive leaves the Alternate World and stays absent long enough for the reverse course to begin. By leaving they could go anywhere that's a seperate realm for all intents and purposes (i.e. Promyvion, Al'Taieu, Avatar realm, etc.). Without the "anchors" there, the process will stop in its tracks, resulting in undoing of all that's been done the return to normality.

In other words, the characters who want to return will have to force those who do not wish to go back, to come with them and leave the realm; which will stop the process of the world coming to life, sending it back into nothingness.

Anyone dead before the reversion will be restored after.

The revelation about the world being doomed will be saved until it needs to be released (i.e. after one side wins or the conflict reaches a point which would result in serious permanent RP damage).