crystal malfunction memevent

[faderifting]

crystals get fucked
(a meme slash tiny game event)

The Inquisition’s sending crystals are typically very reliable and not susceptible to accidental transmissions or misdelivered messages. They’re also fairly limited in function and security.

The latter is something that researchers in Skyhold are working to address, when they have the time. Unfortunately, one of them—maybe a little angry about having to work alone on First Day, maybe day drinking while she does so—has now made some significant errors while meddling with proposed improvements. And from the beginning of the day on Wintermarch 1, the sending crystals will start behaving badly:

Messages might transmit to the wrong person.

Messages might transmit to the right person but also a few additional unintended people.

Messages might transmit to everyone at once.

Pieces of old conversations from any point in the last year or so might leak, either to individuals or to everyone. Delayed messages of that sort will sound distant, like they’re coming from the end of a long tunnel.

Attempts to transition from a public to a private conversation will sometimes fail.

Crystals may start transmitting to people or to everyone at random, without being touched.

All of this could occur at any time—sometimes at the beginning of a conversation, sometimes midway through it, sometimes when someone isn’t using the crystal at all.

The problems will start out sporadic enough to seem insignificant or like probable user errors, but grow increasingly common as the day wears on, until the issue is identified and corrected at Skyhold in the early hours of Wintermarch 2 and the tipsy researcher disciplined accordingly.

This meme/event is game canon. You can decide among yourselves if there’s something you would rather try out for fun with no consequences and/or retcon after the fact, as always, but unless otherwise established by players, this is really happening. Threads done in this post can count toward activity rewards.

Additionally, this specific post is for open top-levels that anyone can tag and threadjack. Think TFLN in style/format, missing pants optional. Don’t post closed or locked conversations here. If you want to do specific misfires with specific people, you can use inboxes. You can also post to the rookery comm if you want to use the event for a more visible gamewide open post.

Comments

[indissection]

Perhaps, my lady, we ought to read it together and see if we might understand Ser Oskar's perspective a little better.

[the_cleric]

[Enchanted by this suggestion, Jester gasps quietly.]

Oh my gosh. Like, we would read it out loud to each other?

[indissection]

[ It's very difficult to resist a laugh. ]

If you would like. I could be the lady and you could be Oskar.

[the_cleric]

[Jester gasps, again, in the exact same pitch and timbre.]

Yes. Yes, and I will do a really really good voice for him. And I will bring cake, and milk, so we can have snacks and stuff while we are reading together. Oh, my gosssssh, this is going to be soooo much fun--

[indissection]

It sounds like a wonderful thing to do together. [ Softer, now. ] Shall I bring anything, my lady?

[the_cleric]

You better believe it! Umm, you can bring... Well, what's your favorite cake? Or pastry? It could even be doughnuts, or cupcakes... I am totally not picky. And then we can trade, and share, and taste new stuff.

It will be extra better.

[indissection]

I’ve not eaten much in the way of cake, but I’ve always enjoyed the small ones with cherries. [ A soft hum. ] I’ll see if I can find those and some doughnuts.

[the_cleric]

Yessssss.

[So pleased by this plan and these suggestions that she's nearly breathless, Jester covers her mouth with her hands.]

Ahh-- [a happy squeal that she makes through her fingers, muffled] --I love cakes with little cherries! I cannot wait! We are going to have such a good time.

[indissection]

[ This is the most utterly charming thing to have happened to her since she arrived in the Inquisition. There's something much, much softer about Sidony as she speaks again. ]

It is going to be marvellous. [ She's already making plans to get the damn cakes. ] When shall I come?