The Old Fog (Lovecraftian Horror Freeform) [Interest Check]

Started by Totoro, January 11, 2017, 06:15:24 AM

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Totoro

The Old Fog

It is 1882 in Victorian London. The world continues on spilling into a new era of industrialism. But a strange new phenomenon stalks the streets of the city. Not the familiar fog, nor any man or beast. A white, thick fog floods the streets with each night. It only appears to spread with each passing day, overflowing from the back alleys onto the main roads and steadily beginning to creep beneath home's doorways. It invades everything, an all encompassing mass of choking white mist. It's considered a natural mystery by most, ignored by anyone who could investigate it.

But with each night the Old Fog claims yet more victims. People who step into it find themselves wandering the streets of an altogether changed and twisted version of their city. The world is warped, twisted and surreal to behold. Sickening unspeakable beings stalk through the night hunting the unfortunates who stumble into their plane of existence. Those who are caught are killed savagely, torn apart and tossed aside to inevitably awaken bruised and bloody on the streets of their own city. But they are not all that they were, feeling confused and knowing that they have lost a part of themselves. Perhaps a precious memory, or the capacity to feel an emotion as they once had.

Every time darkness falls and the fog spreads the city loses more of what makes it alive and human at a base level, but all who report these incidents are simply locked away in the nightmarish new asylum built to contain those suffering from this new mental disorder. Nobody is ever allowed to enter or level of their own accord, and the building is policed at all times. The rich and powerful elite lock themselves away behind carefully sealed doors before night falls, blocking the gaps beneath their doors to keep away the inevitable fog. Even victims among the important are locked away with the rest, nobody is safe from the fog or the asylum.

Some people are a little more aware than others though. Victims or the friends and family of victims who are beginning to fear for their lives and the lives of those they love. Perhaps they overheard whispers of a group pulling together to try and make sense of the seeming madness. Nothing concrete, always spoke of in hushed towns and vague hints. But soon they are rumoured to be meeting for the first time, putting their minds together and making some kind of effort at at least finding some loose facts. There is so little known, or solid, that can be pieced together that almost any faint information is incredibly valuable. But it will require a great deal of work to even come close to making any sense of the Old Fog.



Welcome to the game.

So for now this post is going to function as an interest check. Please have a read through of the story overview etc. and then just post in this thread to let me know if you're interested. Feel free to work on a character sheet but the game isn't going to be able to go ahead without at least 3-4 people, ideally more. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll always help out as best I can. If you have an idea for a character that might bend some rules a little I'm sure we can find a way to make it fit. Just to add so people are aware, this game is extremely plot focused. Some smut may occur but it will not be the focus of the game.

First of all the boring stuff to get out the way. Just some basic, sensible rules to help make sure everyone is reasonable and polite to one another. And then I'll be adding answers to any questions I'm regularly asked or that I expect to come up. Please don't feel restricted by the rules as they're only intended to help everyone be able to enjoy the game as best as possible, if there are any you have issue with feel free to let me know.

Thank you for your interest

Rules:

Read- Please, please read through these rules and at least have a reasonable glance through of the other world threads before submitting a character or starting to ask questions. I'll be putting quite a bit of time into world building for this game and would appreciate players understanding the nature of the world they're getting into. This doesn't mean I expect you to memorise everything, and slip-ups happen. I'm sure I'll miss or forget things myself from time to time.

No drama- Do not start or participate in drama either in OOC threads or in PM with fellow players. If you have any kind of issue with another player it needs to be brought to me via PM. Please avoid rudeness, whether direct or indirect. No passive aggression or subtle insulting will be tolerated. Please do not behave in a possessive way towards other players, particularly given the nature of this game remember that it is only a story and we are all playing fictional characters.

No godmoding- Please avoid godmoding other people's characters. There should be no reason to godmode and it can seriously inhibit another players enjoyment if their character's actions or reactions are dictated by another writer.

Writing- All in character posts must be in third person past tense. This is for the sake of clarity and readability as going post to post changing perspective is extremely jarring, and this is the preferred posting style of most players on Elliquiy. A good standard of English is expected and posts should be between 3-5 paragraphs in length. If all players in the scene are happy exceptions may be made but please make sure you are always providing enough for the other player/players in the scene to react to. There will be no hard posting rate rules but players need to be aware of the rate of those around them. For 1x1 scenes the rate can be worked out between individuals, anything larger and plot orientated needs to be kept moving at a 'reasonable' rate. If you are going to be delayed inform fellow players.

PvP- PvP will theoretically be allowed. There shouldn't be a large amount of reasons for it to occur initially but if it is logical within the plot and agreed on by both sides then it is entirely possible. Outcomes need to be believable and everyone has to understand they cannot always win. Injuries are likely to occur and must be considered. Nobody is superhuman here and if for example you break your leg you are only in more danger come the night.

Death- Death is not only a possibility but expected. Within the Old Fog all characters are absolutely going to be killed sooner or later. A particularly lucky or skilled character may live longer than most but at least in the Fog there is only so long you can evade the nightmares. These deaths do not need to be at all sexual in nature (And are generally unlikely to be), and how graphic they are will be up to the player.

Communication- Communication with fellow players is vital. If you are looking for a plot or idea make sure other people know. Always be polite and friendly and I have no doubt you'll have no trouble finding someone to write with. If you have any confusions with either the story or another players character it can almost always be resolved with a reasonable discussion about the problem.

Time Accuracy- While this is an alternate timeline with many differences. (The precise nature of these wont be revealed until later into the story.) For the sake of characters this world is very similar to Victorian England in 1882. Therefore your character does not own a car. They certainly don't have an automatic weapon or anything like that. I don't expect the language to be flawlessly time accurate at all times, but I don't want character making references to things that don't exist. Or general very modern language/slang, it'd be jarring in the setting.

F.A.Q

Q. Can I play a monster? A. Initially, no. But as the game continues and the nature of the Old Fog is uncovered a little more I may open up monstrous roles to those who already have human characters. If the game has too many players for me to be able to NPC enough monsters I will either look for a second GM to help NPC monsters or give players an opportunity to write monstrous characters.

Q. Can I play a villain? A. Hard no on this one. The mysterious figures concealing the nature of the Old Fog are a huge plot point that I wouldn't want to reveal to any player apart from a 2nd GM if one becomes necessary. That and their shady, behind the scenes nature would end up having nobody to interact with.

Q. What genre is this story? A. Overall, absolutely horror. It will primarily focus on historical and science fiction elements. While it contains monsters these are not fantasy creatures and will be more reminiscent of aliens.

Q.How guided is this group game? A. The overall world is fairly laid out although room for suggestions is absolutely there. However the way the group of people choose to go about exploring the world whether it's trying to live normally, focusing on survival or trying hard to resolve things is going to be entirely up to the players.

Totoro

The City and the Fog


The Setting

London, England, 1882

A ghostly fog has overrun the city of London, each witching hour from 12 am to 1 am it floods into the streets. Approaching from the river and drains it spreads into back alleys first, and then out into the main roads. Now it has finally began creeping under windows and doors into peoples homes. Upon entering this fog people are transported to a twisted, warped parody of their city. This land is a never-ending nightmarish maze. There are no people, this is almost no light and the fog is overwhelming. It is impossible to even see across a room as here the fog permeates every part of the world.

Monstrosities and nightmares given life stalk through the darkness, hunting for the unfortunate who have wandered into their world. They attack without thought or mercy, savagely killing anyone they find. These people then awake, once more, into their own reality. Their bodies covered with strange cuts and bruises and their mind feeling strange. As if the fog has entered their mind and clouded out a part of their brain. Perhaps a memory, perhaps an entire emotion, nobody who dies in the fog truly recovers as themselves. All those who return from this strange land speaking of the nightmares they were met with are locked away in a new Asylum. This building, Hoodlocke, towers amid the London streets as an imposing threat to the mentally ill and unstable. Nobody who has been taken to this asylum has ever returned, and its entire staffing from guards to doctors appears to be a closely guarded secret.

To the public it is little more than a fresh remour, a boogeyman tale to unnerve and make use of the strange fog. Any who discuss it overly or begin investigating it are immediately deemed mentally unwell and taken to Hoodlocke without trial, never to be seen again. The tales of the Old Fog are invariably vague and uncertain, bringing agonizing memories to the victims who have kept their suffering locked away and avoided becoming an addition to Hoodlocke. It seems impossible to remember specifics, the time spent there blending into one dark pit of memory.

Points of Interest

The City of London: London itself can be considered nothing less than a titan among the cities of the world. It is a living, breath world unto itself without any true comparison. No place in existence is anything quite like it. Every street, building and alley is alive with the busy work of the millions of inhabitants. In truth the city as a whole hasn't even noticed the strange phenomenon, it is far too busy a place to stop and care for the troubles of the people. Those important enough to be able to effect change are deep within their manors by the time any risk could be presented to them. And after all it's easier to bury the mad than it is to solve their problems. There is little thought for the city as a whole but for the work focused citizens to continue serving the country with their hours.

As of late this marvelous city has only expanded its empires on the modern world. The study of the world is flourishing ever since Lord Crowell bought and renamed his estate in the center of the city. His vast fortunes have already led to the opening of Blackwall Library and Laboratory. The investments into both science and industry have propelled the already successful city into a new era, soaring beyond the surrounding world. He is a front runner to become the next mayor of the city given his spectacular political campaign, having made such great donations to science, industry and even the church and made pledges to help all groups of people he has no real enemies in the entire city.





The Old Fog: The Old Fog is a shrouded, dark mystery. There is little known about it's nature at even a basic level. Even the smallest of facts are only painful memories in the minds of the unfortunate. The Fog that perpetrates London's streets is only ever present for a single hour of each day in the dead of the night, and as soon as that hour ends it will vanish as quickly as it appears. And it only takes a handful of seconds enveloped in the fog to be dragged helplessly from London into the Old Fog itself.

This world is a different place to ours, filled with nightmarish, alien creatures. There are no people or animals whatsoever and yet it appears to be a mirror of London. The only real difference being that this place sprawls on to the furthest horizons and then continues far over them, an endless string of foggy cities. Not that it is ever truly possible to see this, as the place is perpetually shrouded by the thickest fog imaginable. It fills every room, even underground places that fog should never reach. It limits vision to no more than a dozen feet, anything past that is little more than a white blur.

Throughout the surreal place echo the sounds of predatory creatures. Low grunts and piercing shrieks ring out as they hunt for those dragged into their domain. These creatures are almost indescribable, impossible and alien beings that seem to live only to hunt and kill. The Old Fog is steadily showing signs of its victims, with some rooms being barricaded tightly while others show evidence of a failed defense, often with the horrific remains of victims splattered across the floor and a torn down door. With each passing night the gory horrors pile up, only adding to the terror of the Old Fog.


Hoodlocke Asylum: Hoodlocke is a new asylum, built in the name of aiding the mental state of the city and fixing those who can no longer function correctly. With each passing day it seems more and more inmates are admitted to the towering, imposing building. It is patrolled constantly by its own security, separate from the police. These men all wear a simple, dark uniform and have steely looks on their faces. Anyone seen trying to approach the asylum is warned to stay far away, lest they be seen as an escaped inmate and locked away in the madhouse.

Hoodlocke is stricken from many public records, and even the police are barred from entering it. No warrants may be made to search it, and there are dark rumours that those who investigate it always end up locked within its walls. No recognised doctors operate there, and all of the staff seem to live in the building itself. Rumours as to the nature of the building fly wild in hushed conversation. Tales of demonic rituals, satanic doctors, an asylum staffed by evil ghosts. Anything to explain away the likely altogether darker reality.








The House of Roses: The House of Roses is one of the most elegant and expensive bordello's London has to offer. Situated near the city center it is the height of class and will only accept the wealthy and important as customers. However many of the working girls and barmen are of far poorer blood, as it hires exclusively based on talent as opposed to background. It is one of the few places that allow the social elite to brush with the base of the ladder, even including full conversation. It is here that many secrets of the important are spread down to the lower classes, and filtered out among the city at large.

The most frequent topic of conversation as of late has of course been the fog, with the rich telling their favourite waiters, barmen and girls to keep themselves far away from windows and doors when they sleep, and to try their hardest to block the fog out. They tell of a letter that was spread among them to warn them of the danger of the fog, and suggesting to block up the base of their doors and stay away from windows. Madam Rose herself, a figure of intrigue, is particularly reclusive and quiet. Most of her patrons and staff have never met her and only deal with her through intermediaries.







The Bear and Griffin: The Bear and Griffin is one of the cheaper public houses and something quite opposite to the opulent decadence of the House of Roses. It is a place for workmen to rest, relax and drink after their day is out. Almost never visited by the higher classes, it is a place of heavy drinking, rowdiness and much more. These days it is commonly filled with the rumours spread down to the poor of the strange fog on the streets. Tall tales are spun by the drunks, seeing if they can get a rise from the more skeptical members of the community.

The barman and owner himself, George, is a jovial and friendly man who enjoys spending his time around the working class and appreciates a simper life. He has little time for fine things but he's well known as one of the best barmen in the entire city, so long as you can stand the slightly chaotic nature of the bar itself. He has only a few rules, the biggest being that he allows no violence inside the bar. Not that he particularly cares what his patrons do once they're on the streets. He's grown a little different recently, feeling anxious over the widespread rumours surrounding the fog. Of course as a barman he hears many tales of nightmarish experiences but almost always those who mention it disappear away. He now stays very quiet about the strange happenings and prefers to just hope life will return to normality.






The Crowell Estate: The Crowell Estate is one of the largest landmarks in central London. Built within its own well kept and beautiful grounds the manor house itself is a newly built marvel, costing untold fortunes to put together. There is a large perimeter fence around it, and it's even patrolled by private guards who make sure nobody intrudes on Lord Crowell's home.

The household frequently entertains all manner of guests, including the higher ranks of the military, important members of the clergy and politicians. Only the social elite are ever allowed to these exclusive events, which are catered to be a heavily vetted and carefully trained staff. The Manor itself is home to Lord Crowell alone, who has no known relatives. He is a prominent figure in the city of London believed to be the likely next mayor. His career in the political world has been short but nothing short of explosive, with a charming demeanor and particularly deep pockets greasing the wheels of society.


Totoro

The humans and their nightmares


This section will be updated to include people of interest and notable creatures of the fog as the game comes together.

Totoro

Those who face the Old Fog




Insert Character Name Here



Full Birth Name: (please use a reasonbly era-appropriate full name)
Aliases and Nicknames: (Any casual name they may go by)
Age and Birthdate: (At the time of the game it is November 1st 1882)
Gender: (Character gender. Anything at all is welcome here.)
Home Country: (Most likely to be English or at least British. However absolutely anything is welcome so long as you can find a reason they're in London.)
Occupation: (What do they do for money? Characters cannot be high level politicians, police officers or other 'important' individuals, for plot reasons.)









Physical Description

Height: (Height in ft and inches or cm)
Hair colour and style: (What colour is their hair and how do they wear it)
Eye colour: (Simple enough)
Body type & Description: (A short description of their body type. Are they muscular, thick set, overweight, skinny, curvy, petite? Can be as long as necessary to explain.)
Unique Features: (Anything unique such as a tattoo or scar)




Personality and Biography


Personality: (What are they like? What do they care about, like, dislike and how do they tend to act.)

biography: (A general idea of the life they've lived. Preferably including a little more detail of the recent month since the fog started to spread. While unlikely to be much, what do they know about it?)




Sexuality and preferences

sexuality: (Anything goes)
Player O/O's (Link to or simple player O/O's list)
Character O/O's (Idea of characters O/O's)




Additional Information

Anything at all you'd like to add or that I may have forgotten.


[float=right][img height=300 width=300]https://placehold.it/300[/img][/float]
[center][size=18pt][u][b]Insert Character Name Here[/b][/u][/size][/center]



[b]Full Birth Name:[/b] (please use a reasonbly era-appropriate full name)
[b]Aliases and Nicknames:[/b] (Any casual name they may go by)
[b]Age and Birthdate:[/b] (At the time of the game it is November 1st 1882)
[b]Gender:[/b] (Character gender. Anything at all is welcome here.)
[b]Home Country:[/b] (Most likely to be English or at least British. However absolutely anything is welcome so long as you can find a reason they're in London.)
[b]Occupation:[/b] (What do they do for money? Characters cannot be high level politicians, police officers or other 'important' individuals, for plot reasons.)






[hr]

[center][b][u][size=14pt]Physical Description[/size][/u][/b][/center]

[b]Height:[/b] (Height in ft and inches or cm)
[b]Hair colour and style:[/b] (What colour is their hair and how do they wear it)
[b]Eye colour:[/b] (Simple enough)
[b]Body type & Description:[/b] (A short description of their body type. Are they muscular, thick set, overweight, skinny, curvy, petite? Can be as long as necessary to explain.)
[b]Unique Features:[/b] (Anything unique such as a tattoo or scar)

[hr]

[center][b][u][size=14pt]Personality and Biography[/size][/u][/b][/center]


[b]Personality:[/b] (What are they like? What do they care about, like, dislike and how do they tend to act.)

[b]biography:[/b] (A general idea of the life they've lived. Preferably including a little more detail of the recent month since the fog started to spread. While unlikely to be much, what do they know about it?)

[hr]

[center][b][u][size=14pt]Sexuality and preferences[/size][/u][/b][/center]

[b]sexuality:[/b] (Anything goes)
[b]Player O/O's[/b] (Link to or simple player O/O's list)
[b]Character O/O's[/b] (Idea of characters O/O's)

[hr]

[center][u][b][size=14pt]Additional Information[/size][/b][/u][/center]

Anything at all you'd like to add or that I may have forgotten.



Totoro

Inspirations and Ideas

This segment may be kept a little barebones to avoid revealing too much.

Character Ideas List:
-A barman or 'Working girl' at Madame Roses (not all working girls are prostitutes, some are only exotic dancers)
-A low level police officer
-A private detective
-A curious amateur scientist
-A worker at the Bear and Griffin
-A priest or religious man
-A former soldier
-A foreigner who is a stranger to London (A traveller? A refugee?)

Worldbuilding stuff

All inspiration (Art, games, movies etc.)

Horror Inspirations
-H.P Lovecraft
-Silent Hill
-Dark Souls/Bloodborne
-Darkest Dungeon