Ruby City OOC

STATE OF THE CITY
February 2017

Happy February, Ruby Citizens! The shortest month of the year, so let’s make it an amazing one!

January was a good start to the year for us on the mod team, as we made a great deal of progress on long-term goals to improve the game for all of you. More on this below! We'd like to take this time to remind you that we are always looking for input on how to make your RP experience better, so please stop by the Suggestions Post and drop us a line if you'd like--all comments there are screened. The Plot Submission Post is also always open. Got an idea for a game-wide plot? Hit us up!

We’d like to take a moment to say thank you to all the players who gave us feedback about our events this month, particularly the Hit On All Sixes event. The response to our impromptu poll gave us good insight into how to move forward, both with that event and with events of that type in the future. We really appreciate your perspective and wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you!

A couple more links, and then we'll get to the good stuff! Our General CR Meme is up again; we encourage you to check it out, be brave, ask new people for CR. Nobody here bites--probably. And if you're feeling that new character itch, why not check out February's (brand-new, improved!) Test Drive Meme? Better yet, do that and drag a friend along with you--the more the merrier!

NPC Profiles

WHAT'S HAPPENING
☆ As you may have noticed, we’ve entirely revamped our test drive to make it more dynamic and appealing to potential new players! We are planning to occasionally switch up certain sections, in particular the monster section, so that the test drive is a little different every month.
☆ We have made a lot of progress in straightening out game history details! There is still some work to be done, but things are much further along than they were last month, and will be solidified in the near future.
☆ In tandem with the above, we are working out how to improve NPC activity for a more positive PC and NPC dynamic.
☆ The calendar is up to date! As a team, we are going to be planning several months ahead from here on out, so you will be able to see when events will be in the upcoming months.
☆ We have updated the tagging system! Each tag is now formatted ‘character name (canon)’, for ease of organization.
☆ We have posted to the Enable Me meme! If you know anybody who might be interesting in joining us, you’re more than welcome to point them our way, too.
☆ We are working on a quarterly player feedback poll, in an effort to get player input on where they would like the game to go, what’s working, and what isn’t. Look for that coming up!
☆ The Crane Game, Emporium, and Mailbox remain open!

---

It’s a fresh start in a fresh new year, but some things never really change. With Kindness on its usual up and up and Charity close behind, it can only be so much longer before the overall manner of the city begins to affect it more directly. The stores are acting oddly, certainly, with people finding they are arriving home with far more than they originally picked up (Mary Poppins effect, anyone?) with their grocery bags - or pockets - bursting the moment they step through their doors. The city may be being a little too generous with its.. generosity.

The unusual irritation levels experienced in the previous month will break, and all at once, leaving people with an almost tangible sense of relief (though they may not be able to pinpoint the source). Along with this comes an ease in speaking to new people, relative to each individual’s personality.

Of course, the extent of effects are up to player discretion, and, as usual, remember to include a vice-virtue with your Activity! As the points rack up, so do the larger city-wide effects, opening up new opportunities for characters and players alike.

It sure is strange, isn’t it? How jukeboxes have started popping up everywhere. Jukeboxes shouldn’t even work here, given the general lack of electricity. Also, these aren’t even plugged into the wall, so what gives? And given that they’re popping up everywhere, not just on street corners and in public places but in every business and even a few of the larger residences, it’s pretty clear that something isn’t at all right here.

If you guessed that the spontaneous jukeboxes are holiday-related, you’re at least partially correct. Nothing is ever simple in Ruby City, but there’s an obvious connection between the jukeboxes and Valentine’s Day, which is coming up fast. How obvious? Well, as it turns out you can’t actually select songs at these jukeboxes. No, how they work is: you just walk up to them . . . and they start playing! That’s not spooky at all.

As for what they’re playing, well, it depends on who you are. If you’re currently experiencing big dokis about somebody, the jukebox will probably play a song about pining, about loving someone from afar. If you’re perfectly happy flying solo, the jukebox will play a song about how you don’t need no significant other. If you’re feeling fondly about your BFF, you’ll get something along the lines of this. If you’re a little yandere, well, your song will probably be terrifying. And so on! Get creative with your music choices; after all, the jukeboxes won’t be around for long.

. . . Just kidding.

The jukeboxes were embarrassing, but pretty harmless, around Valentine’s Day. They’re about to get a little more sinister, though. If you have any dirty laundry that needs to be aired--and honestly, we know you do--never fear. The jukeboxes are all over that, too. Starting the day after Valentine’s Day, when a character gets near a jukebox, it’ll spontaneously start playing a song, but this time the song will be a little more personally revealing. The song will hint at a secret, something your character doesn’t want anyone to know. This could be a relatively benign secret (like having stolen a pen one time despite swearing that you didn’t) or something very serious (your name is Inigo Montoya, I killed your father, I’m not prepared to die).

Interestingly, each character seems to only get one song this event. More specifically, each jukebox around the city will play the same song every time the character gets near any jukebox. Almost like they’re communicating somehow? Well, that’s probably no big deal.

As a note, there are songs out there about pretty much any old thing, even (especially!) murder. Feel free to ask fellow players for help brainstorming! If you’re in a bind and can’t find a song that represents your character’s secret, though, you can come up your own song to haunt your character if you’d like.

In some cultures, breaking a mirror is said to lead to seven years of bad luck. In Ruby City, this usually would have no effect, no matter how superstitious residents may be about their household décor, but for the tail end of February and the beginning of March, the results of a certain broken mirror will be felt throughout the entire city, more tangible than any simple wives' tale. Somewhere in the city, a mirror has been smashed into a distinct seven pieces and scattered across the winter landscape. Citizens will be tasked with putting it back together, being given clues...and a certain very persuasive motivator.

Beginning on the 26th, residents will start to feel slightly off. Or, rather, not slightly, but completely: characters will be impacted by the broken mirror in a very noticeable way, in that one or more of their defining traits will be reversed from what they may usually act like. For example, a character that can usually be relied upon to stick to their word and tell the truth may suddenly seem evasive and caught in lies, or a character that is typically very frugal may suddenly decide to turn a newer, more generous leaf.

The truth is, these aren't your characters at all, but split versions spawned from the breaking of the mirror. These mirror selves cannot exist at the same time as a regular version of the same character, but players have the opportunity to freely switch between the two versions, or simply opt out of the event's effects altogether. Mirror selves may want to stay in the city, and hinder progress made on the search for the shards of the mirror.

As stated above, this event has many ways to be played, so to speak, in that players can opt to mirror their characters for the entire duration or only for small parts, or participate by helping in the mirror search, or participate only by having characters interact with their CR and develop relationships, or simply opt out altogether! A more detailed post on the mirror shards and other event opportunities will be going up on the 20th, but until then, consider how the mirror may affect your character.

Weather Report

In a sharp change from the unseasonable warmth that January brought, February quickly turns bitterly cold for many and the snow that falls finally seems to match the chill in the air. It would appear that the freezing rain and sleet experienced at the end of the first month of the year wasn’t a fluke, but while the weather in February still runs cold, it doesn’t feel quite as maliciously harsh. There is certainly enough snow for snowball fights and the steep temperature drops overnight freeze the top level of the snow to a delightful crunchiness.

The river freezes, too, though the water can still be moving underneath. As the sun sets, this creates an eerie effect as the water running through the city performs its usual ‘trick’ of running a bloody red for just long enough to be noticed.

Nothing is too unpleasant, as long as you wrap up warmly and wear shoes with good grip. Watch out for that black ice, especially out on the boardwalk. No one really wants to take a dip in the sea in the middle of winter.

The cold weather has finally settled everything into hibernation that should be, the trees that lost their leaves in the autumn are still sadly bare, and only the hardiest flowers are still poking their heads up through the snow. There are still several different kinds of creatures trying to take refuge in the warmth of people’s homes, and if they are not chased off they will only attract more of their own. If you’re fine with that one spider, how will you deal with a dozen? (fire)

Along with the (generally) more harmless things creeping inside people’s homes and hiding under their porch steps, there is also a problematic amount of activity from hobgoblins living in the city. While they usually keep to themselves, something is driving them out of their colonies and causing them to attempt to attack people walking too close by. They are small, and cannot be seen by anyone who is not spiritually sensitive in some way,

Fortunately for all of you, the wendigo is wendigone--Rosalind Lutece and Kurama handled this problem, although not without a fair amount of struggle on their part. Thanks, you two. Try not to get possessed again, Ros.

And finally, there is a new creature in Ruby City as of this month, and this kind won’t even try to eat you! Be sure to give the new chocobos a warm welcome, as they’re intelligent, friendly, and highly trainable. Also, way cute.

Along with the supplies acting strangely on the whole, as noted above, the stores seem to be getting into the ‘theme’ of the month with an overly abundant supply of cake, chocolate, chocolate covered fruit, chocobo-shaped chocolate…

… and flowers that seem to find their way into your shopping whether you want them or not. Most of the time, they are strangely appropriate to the person carrying them.

Closer to the end of the month, there will be a higher amount of eggs, flour, milk and sugar - perfect for making pancakes. The packets even have recipes for pancakes on the backs, would you look at that. Do you know what goes really well with pancakes? Chocolate.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Ingrid togamint || SKYPE@Taekotogami
Anne passiones
Kit ankeel

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information

Anything you want to let everyone know about? Let us know!

We are off to a great start this year, and we have all of you to thank for this most of all. You have been incredibly helpful in giving us feedback and sticking with us through rocky patches. We as a mod team are feeling very positive and confident moving forward - 2017 is the year of Ruby City becoming its absolute best!

Don’t forget to check into our Activity Check post, which will go up on the 5th. As a reminder, this AC we will be accepting threads from December and January, since we understand this is a busy time of year for people.

Keep applications coming in, keep being good to each other, and keep telling us what you think. And stay amazing!

STATE OF THE CITY
December 2016

Hi everyone! Christmas time is here again, and it is now December!


First, some exciting news. As you all know, we recently opened moderator applications due to the stepping down of Kitten and Duck due to RL taking up a lot of their time. We are very pleased to welcome Anne and Kit to our mod team, along with the addition of Owl giving us an extra pair of hands for event brainstorming. As a group we hope to deliver the kind of game that you guys all deserve, and move into new and exciting things!


Please note that we are always open to suggestions on how we can make this game better for you. Comments here are screened, so there need not be any concerns about raising something that another player may not agree with and we will address anything that you feel needs to be brought up. There is also a plot submissions page with a new addition to make it easier for everyone to submit the kinds of events that they would like to see. We certainly encourage this, and are happy to work with you to make your event fit into the city setting. If you have an idea that you are happy to let us take the reins of, we would like to hear that, too!


Related to the above, this month’s winter events were suggested by Jamie, who gave us some fantastic ideas to use! Thank you, Jamie, and thank you to all of you who have also submitted events: you will see more player events soon!


Our general CR meme is up again this month. Please make some good use of it! You never know what great new CR might come out it. Tag around and let people know that you would like to play with them!


Finally, the test drive is up! If you are able, please take a look and make any potential newcomers feel welcome.

NPC Profiles

WHAT'S HAPPENING
☆ The game history page is still in progress. We hope to have it fully up to speed by the end of the year, as it is taking more time than we anticipated! Like last month, future events will reflect a larger metaplot, making a more cohesive story for all of you.
☆ To follow up on some great suggestions received, we as a mod team are going to work to produce some more serious events in the future--while this month may seem a bit low-key, the new year will kick things up!
☆ This month, we’ll be overhauling the wanted characters page. If you want to place/maintain a request, even if the character is already on the page, please let us know with a comment!
☆ Also going off of a helpful suggestion, we’ll look into ways to promote crosscanon CR in the future!
☆ Over the next month, we may be making changes to the tagging system and adding canons to our tags.

---

Another two-way tie this month--and between the same two virtues! Charity and Patience again neatly brought up the lead, step-in-step with one another. Charity still holds a narrow lead over Patience, though, and...well, Kindness still holds a considerable lead over either. All good things in moderation, as they say--but nothing this month sticks out as particularly warranting that caution. The snow brings mellowness with it, it seems, or at least a feeling of peace.


Just in time for the holidays, citizens will experience an urge to give unselfishly to others, even if their usual nature strays towards Grinch-like. While not necessarily by three sizes, everyone’s hearts are a little larger, making the season a little smoother for everyone. This change, however, isn’t without its oddities: citizens will be consciously aware that they usually aren’t this way, moreso than with any of the previous emotional effects.


Patience’s effect is less noticeable due to Wrath’s second place this month, but, in addition to the above, residents will be a little more understanding with each other...again, hopefully making holiday parties go well.

November brought occasional flurries and snow days, but December dials that up to eleven--or, going by the calendar, twelve. For the entire duration of the month, snow will steadily--and intensely--pile up, creating some significant barriers for everyday activities, such as walking, or...well, anything that could usually be accomplished outdoors. On the bright side, though, this snow happens to be the perfect texture for forming snowballs, snowmen, and other snowaccessories.

Speaking of snowmen, December brings a more unsettling feature to Ruby City: without any identifiable source, large snowmen will appear virtually anywhere in town, bearing distinctive carrot noses and rock smiles. The makers--whoever they may be--have decided to employ a few more creative touches, though. Perhaps you’re imagining things, but does that snowman look like it has the same hairstyle as your neighbor? It’s never detailed enough to be truly uncanny, but residents may note that some of the mysterious snowpeople bear strong resemblance to their fellow citizens--present or past.


Additionally, there are several smaller and perhaps oddly familiar models which seem to form in groups and often in very inconvenient places. Directly in your path as you turn a corner... Just outside the front door of your residence... In the bottom of your ice box...

The snow, while not stopping entirely, eases off as the month ends, as do the snowmen. They still manage to stay around an alarmingly long time, far past the point where any normal snow creation would have melted. It’s a bit unsettling, certainly, but only if you think too hard about it...better not.


Finally, as Christmas approaches, springs of mistletoe begin to appear across the city. In doorways, or anything that could possibly be interpreted as a doorway, they hang perfectly innocuously with different coloured festive ribbons wrapped around the stems. That is, until someone passes underneath. Once they have, they will find themselves stuck under the doorway until someone takes pity and gives them a kiss. However, there's a catch. The kiss will not work if it comes from someone who holds romantic feelings for them, and will be hit and miss if coming from someone who sees them as a friend. Don't let that keep you from trying, though.

While the entire month is filled with a sense of mild “cabin fever”, the week of the 11th is positively unbearable. Staying indoors for longer than a few hours at a time leaves characters feeling extremely uncomfortable and restless, with a profound desire to be outdoors, even in the wee hours of the morning. The effect increases in smaller rooms and rooms with no windows.

Unfortunately, when the effects of this month’s main event are taken into account, navigating the extreme cabin fever becomes difficult: snowdrifts can easily obstruct doors and even windows, leaving citizens to get creative with their methods of getting outside. Maybe it’s a good time to install that skylight you’ve been thinking about, or maybe even consider brushing up your tunnel-digging skills! Whatever the solution may end up being, it will be virtually impossible for citizens to resist the need to leave their houses or places of work.

At this time of year, it is traditional for Chari to - in some way - gift the residents of the city with things that they desired, without any (or few) strings attached. At first, she did this via letters or lists, and then later began appearing in person to sit at the bottom of the Christmas tree in the centre of the city and listen to the wishes of the people.


This time, it is a little of both. Chari will be around the tree during the day and often late into the night, but for those times when she is not there, there will be a small box with a notepad and pen left in her place on a small stool. Those too wary, too shy, or who for any reason do not want to approach her and speak their wish out loud may write it down and put it in the box.


However, be warned. Requests are not always filled in the way that the requestee expects. Especially if they are not specific in their wording.

Weather Report

It’s cold. It is, oddly enough, not as cold as it should be for this time of year, though the snow might make you believe it. The weather isn’t quite right for the amount of snow appearing through the city, and it can often be seen snowing out of a completely clear sky. Sometimes, if you look very closely, it seems as if the snow multiplies while it’s already on the ground.


While it isn’t quite yet to the point where unprotected pipes will start to freeze, it’s worth making sure you are set up for the winter. Most homes are equipped with an open fireplace, even in the apartment blocks, and there will always be some kind person who will chop some wood in exchange for a few favours.

All of the hibernating animals have finally gone to rest, hopefully not inside of people’s homes. The occasional squirrel can still be seen carefully picking its way across the snow, hopefully bound to its home tree. There’s certainly no more nuts for them around: the trees with leaves are completely bare, leaving only the dark evergreens. There are, of course, a few smaller ones of these scattered around for the enterprising citizen to chop down and use as a Christmas tree, but with the snow piling up...that may be more difficult than it first seems.


After last month’s event, the ghosts are more restless, appearing more frequently inside of homes and stores alike. While still mostly incoherent, they appear more agitated, causing a racket without regard of sleeping hours or other times of presumed peace. Residents may find things moved around in their places of living--very slightly, but still enough to be disorienting. Whatever happened in November, the spirits are anxious about it.


The thestrals keep their silent watch over the city, only visible to those who have seen death firsthand. Their numbers have dwindled since last month, but their presence is more noticeable, as they stick close to buildings for warmth...or, perhaps not warmth, as they appear not to mind the snow very much. Whatever their reason, they’re easily spotted around buildings but rarely groups of people outside, sticking to their shy nature.

Given Charity’s continued win streak, the food available is plenty, and richer than usual...if a little less fresh. The fruits and vegetables are fewer in number and less tasty, but their canned counterparts are positively overflowing off of shelves. The baked goods will see a sharp uptick this month, particularly the pies...though, again, they’re not quite as fresh as the past months have been. Out-of-season produce is hard to find, to their credit, whoever they may be. The mysterious pie-maker hasn’t revealed themselves as such, but the quality is fairly good--better than most people could manage.


Oddly enough, even with the influx of food to the stores, the amount of alcohol decreases over the course of the month. It never drops low enough to be truly alarming, and the stuff never disappears from people’s homes, but it is noticeable. There will be scarce champagne for New Year’s...as in, exactly one bottle the day of, unless someone smart stocks up beforehand.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Ingrid togamint || SKYPE@Taekotogami
Anne [Bad username or site: ”passiones” @ plurk]
Kit [Bad username or site: ”ankeel” @ plurk]


Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post


Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information


Anything you want to let everyone know about? Let us know!

Another year, another year…! We’ve gone through a lot of changes in 2016, and hopefully this next year will bring a more cohesive, fun experience to all of you. We love our playerbase, especially how responsive and respectful you all are, and we hope that y’all will like the things we have planned! Our new mods are excited for the task, and as a group, we’re all excited to continue managing Ruby City.


The activity check will go up as usual on the 5th of the month, but do remember that as long as your post or thread was started before the 5th, you can use the activity period to get it up to the length that you need it to be. Please also note that if you are on hiatus, your hiatus period must cover two weeks within the check period (6th - 5th) for you to be considered exempt from the activity check. Remember that you may also list a vice or a virtue with your AC, even if the thread doesn’t meet activity length!


We hope that you have a wonderful holiday season and a joyous new year! Until next time!

STATE OF THE CITY
October 2016

Hi all, and welcome to Spooptober! We have some neat things planned for this month and we hope that you will be able to take the time to enjoy as much as possible.

Please note that we are always open to suggestions on how we can make this game better for you. Comments here are screened, so there need not be any concerns about raising something that another player may not agree with and we will address anything that you feel needs to be brought up. There is also a plot submissions page with a new addition to make it easier for everyone to submit the kinds of events that they would like to see. We certainly encourage this, and are happy to work with you to make your event fit into the city setting. If you have an idea that you are happy to let us take the reigns of, we would like to hear that, too!

Our general CR meme is up again this month, slightly late (as is this bulletin). Please make some good use of it! You never know what great new CR might come out it. Tag around and let people know that you would like to play with them!

Finally, the test drive is up! If you are able, please take a look and make any potential newcomers feel welcome.

NPC Profiles

WHAT'S HAPPENING
☆ The game history page is still in progress. We hope to have it fully up to speed by the end of the year, as it is taking more time than we anticipated!
☆ Following up on some advice received from one of our players, we are going to look into ways to make venturing outside of the city walls more appealing.
☆ Additionally, we are doing further work into the background to add more of a sense of grounding to the overall ‘plot’ of the game. This will be reflected in future events and bring better cohesion overall. We hope that it will be something that you all enjoy!
☆ The events page has a counter added so that you will always know how many player events are in our queue - this will be updated soon.
☆ We are bringing the calendar up to date and planning out events in advance to add some more excitement and anticipation!
☆ Over the next month, we may be making changes to the tagging system and adding canons to our tags.
☆ We are intending to take an active role in the enableme meme going forwards and we hope that you will join us and help us out by letting us know who you would like to see in the game!

---

We had a small win for Diligence in last month’s activity check, though the kind-hearted nature of the population overall is still winning out. Naturally, it’s only a matter of time before that kind of thing begins to turn.. but for now, it is proving to be an advantage.

Diligence is defined by careful and persistent work and effort, and manifests itself in a certain need to be more detail-aware in day to day activities. In those people who already operate in this fashion, their level of focus may sharpen to something like an obsession, leading them to forego sleep and other essential daily things simply to work on whatever project is in their mind.

Please continue to give examples of your characters aligning to certain vices and virtues when you post your AC! As the numbers build, so will the potential for different effects.

Regardless of what else happens during the month, the city reacts to the upcoming Halloween date as it usually does - by providing themed items and foodstuffs to try if you dare.

In the shops, sometimes where one might not expect to find them, are items which may prove too tempting for some to ignore. While some are completely innocent, all have the potential to have specific effects on the brave soul deciding to use, wear or eat them. These items can be divided into three categories - edibles, costumes and miscellaneous. All effects are temporary and will last twenty-four hours maximum.

Edibles
Note: All edibles have the potential side effect of making the person who eats them feel a little sick. This is your own fault - don’t eat so many sweets.
Atomic Fireballs are a ‘spicy’ cinnamon candy that makes your mouth feel hot! Perhaps a little too hot. Goodness gracious, are you breathing fire?
Black Jack Gum is an aniseed-flavoured gum known for turning your tongue black! And your.. teeth… and.. ew…
Bubble Tape comes in several mild fruit flavours and unfortunately starts tasting of nothing very quickly. So.. why does everything suddenly taste like fruit? Weird.
Chuckles are jelly candies coated with a layer of sugar and come in assorted flavours. Just the name makes you want to smile, and.. laugh.. and not stop laughing! Oh dear.
Gobstoppers, also known as jawbreakers, are (as the name implies) a very hard candy consisting of a number of layers, up to 8cm in diameter! You could lose your voice eating one of these, if you don’t break your teeth first.
Junior Mints are a classic candy with a peppermint fondant centre covered in dark chocolate. Eating one of these might bring on some age regression… temporarily of course.
Marathon bars are chocolate covered knots of semi-hard caramel, perfect for a quick energy boost. Too much energy? Better run that off, pronto.
Peeps. Peep. Peep peep. Peep? Peep!
Pixy Stix, full of sugar (or, entirely sugar) are bound to give you a rush. You’ll talk to anyone! Everyone! Don’t want to talk? Too bad, look at this awesome thing.
York Peppermint Patties. Get the Sensation! Biting into one of these will take you… somewhere cold, that’s for sure.

Clothing
Note: All clothing items come in various sizes, and some will change to fit.
Clown: Putting on any part of a clown costume - wig, nose, makeup and various items of clothing are provided - compels you to have some fun at someone else’s expense. Whether this fun is harmless or not may depend entirely on the original personality of the wearer…
Witch/Wizard: Dressing up as a witch or wizard grants some rudimentary and somewhat unreliable magical powers running along the vein of your classic fairy tale. Now, where’s that one person you always wanted to turn into a frog?
Policeman/Fireman/Paramedic: Wearing any part of one of these costumes instills you with bravery and confidence…! And the sudden drive to bring people to justice/teach people about fire safety/save all the lives. Sexy versions of these costumes are also available.
Ghost: It might just be a sheet with eyeholes cut into it, but trying to phase through a wall suddenly seems like a really good thing to try. Mind you don’t get stuck!
Animal: Multiple animals from cats to lizards are available in the form of fun costumes! Put some dog ears on! Have dog ears! Wait, what?
Create Your Own!: Got an idea for a fun costume and side-effect combo? Let us know in the comments so we can add it here!

Miscellaneous
Pumpkins are fun to carve, aren’t they? Sure they are. Except when the insides are suspiciously scarlet. It’s a good thing those pumpkins don’t have mouths, isn’t it--- oh.
Aren’t Halloween lights fun? They’re not watching you. Of course not. That would be silly.
Interesting and spooky cutouts can be put up in your windows! From the outside, it almost looks like they’re moving…
Along with the peculiar cards mentioned below left by trick or treaters who don’t stay to see you answer the door, a different scenario may sometimes arise. On answering the door, individuals may find a group of three or four children standing on their doorstep with small plastic buckets extended. They will only speak the words ‘trick or treat?’ until they get a treat, you ask for a trick, or you close the door. Closing the door will yield another knock, which, if unanswered, will default to ‘trick’. This will result in the playing of several harmless pranks on the household, potentially involving toilet roll, fake spiders, or the classic knock and run. While the children don’t say anything other than ‘trick or treat’, they certainly know how to giggle.

Jane Foster has previously been missing as her player took a short hiatus, but her dramatic re-entry may have been noticed. Mjolnir stops for no man, and its sudden journey through the city easily caused minor to moderate damage of several buildings.

Possessed by the Aether, the evil, glowing red Kool-Aid of the universe, and with no Loki and Thor in the city to help get it out of her, Jane is literally a ticking time bomb of destruction and doom. Along with the personal physical effects that come along with carrying an Infinity Stone inside you, the Aether might also violently blast away anyone who attempts to get too close to its host, potentially interpreting it as a threat.

Unless someone can get this thing out of her, Jane is looking at certain death. Unfortunately, one does not simply remove the Aether from someone’s body, it also needs to be defeated/destroyed on its own terms. While Diarmuid has been picked out to be the one who eventually succeeds in removing the Aether, this does not preclude others from trying beforehand!

As for the eventual defeat of the Aether, there are other options - be it player character intervention or NPC intervention. The possibility is also open for the Aether (and Jane) to be examined. For science.

Full information on how things will progress can be found here and also here, and we are hoping that a few of you will decide to get involved!

Over the course of the month, people may have been getting knocks at their doors in the middle of the day, the middle of the night, and at the most inconvenient times possible for whatever they happened to be doing. When they open the door, there will be no one there, but a folded note will be left on their doorstep (or stuck to the door, or pushed halfway through the letter box). On this note are the words ‘Trick or Treat?’ written in red cursive letters, diagonally from one corner to another.

Whether you keep this note or not, you have now been marked.

This is going to be an event with riddles and puzzles, which we can’t give you more detail on until much closer to the event itself without ruining the surprise! However, we can give you enough to think on, and we hope that you will enjoy the event in full when we reveal all of the details.

In a classically Halloween way, the week following the 24th will be one of gloomy, grim weather and scattered thunderstorms. Even in the middle of the day, it might seem like close to night time, and the lightning (for once) has nothing to do with a certain demon. The city’s hotel, mostly - if not entirely - uninhabited will become the setting for an elaborate “haunted house” which will draw people who have previously been marked with a Trick or Treat card into it with an almost irresistible call. Once inside, the fun begins.

Amongst the typical trappings of a haunted house, certain rooms will also be included that will place small groups or individuals into dangerous and potentially deadly situations that will require quick thinking and problem solving skills to escape. What’s the prize, you ask?

Well, you’ll have to play the game to find out.

More information on this event will be available on October 17th, to give you plenty of time to plot! In the meantime, feel free to have your characters receive the cards - participation will not be mandatory.

Weather Report

Things are starting to cool down, though certainly not as much as one might expect for this late in the year. The late evenings and nights bring a small nip that might redden the cheeks of those not properly attired for it, but during the day the temperatures are still in double figures and at times could still be mistaken for late summer.

In the mornings, after a particularly cold night, those waking early enough may find frost on their windows in a variety of different patterns. Though pretty enough to look at, if they are observed for an extended period of time the patterns begin to cause a sensation of unease as they begin to appear to shift and coil along the surface they cover. It can be easily dismissed as a trick of the light - dawn can play some silly games with your eyes - and once the frost has been taken by the early morning sun no trace of it remains.

When it rains - and it occasionally does - it is in deluges which only give a warning of a few moments of light spotting before the heavens open. Minutes after the downpour ceases, you could be forgiven for believing that it never rained at all, save for the soaked ground and black clouds retreating across the horizon.

Though it isn’t quite winter yet, the cooling weather is prompting several of the creatures more inclined to spend the colder months either hibernating or in a similar torpor to begin making their preparations. The fire lizards have ceased breeding now, leaving only empty nests filled with broken egg shells, and though they can still be found in large numbers along certain parts of the coast they will take any food offered to them without being bound to the person offering it.

The fog and cooler evenings are being utilised by intelligent and unintelligent creatures alike. While red caps keep mostly to their territory in the plains, a few of the braver ones have begun to venture into the park and casually prey on the people who wander through the gates. Aided by wisps, they attempt to draw people into traps.

If wandering the streets late at night, people who are either in groups or alone may begin to feel as if they are being watched or followed. Turning, if done quickly, will reveal only a misshapen shadow moving quickly into the first spot of cover. It may not be discovered until its first possession, but a wendigo has grown bold enough to cross the city walls and take to the streets to hunt for fresh prey.

Ruby City has always been the kind of place that likes to keep with the seasons and October is no different. In terms of regular supplies, there is an abundance of autumn fruit and veg including sweetcorn, squash, grapes, sweet potatoes, and of course, pumpkins. Most are regular in shape and weight, able to be picked up and moved with relative ease, though there are one or two that are a ridiculous size. They are still up for grabs, but try not to hurt yourself while moving them.

The general store is also offering crafting knives and oversized spoons, along with an oddly high number of pie dishes.

Halloween-related items are available, listed in the events section above.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik
Ingrid togamint || SKYPE@Taekotogami
Duck rowaduck || AIM@rowaduck

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information

Anything you want to let everyone know about? Let us know!

Short and sweet once again, since we are already late! We hope that you are enjoying the improved focus in the game in general and we intend to continue tightening up loose corners until everything is where it should be. We also hope (and believe!) that, given time and patience, we will begin to see a rise in player numbers. There is still a little way to go, but all of you here make this game what it is, and we appreciate you!

The activity check will go up as usual on the 5th of the month, but do remember that as long as your post or thread was started before the 5th, you can use the activity period to get it up to the length that you need it to be. Please also note that if you are on hiatus, your hiatus period must cover two weeks within the check period (6th - 5th) for you to be considered exempt from the activity check.

Thank you for sticking with us, we appreciate each and every one of you. Until next time!

STATE OF THE CITY
August 2016

Welcome to August, and the year is moving on fast! Things have moved a little into the background in terms of shuffling and moving the game forwards, and some of the mod team have been dealing with things in their their respective offline lives, but we have definitely not stopped. Some excellent feedback has been given and we are keen to put it to work (more details below).

Please note that we are always open to suggestions on how we can make this game better for you. Comments here are screened, so there need not be any concerns about raising something that another player may not agree with and we will address anything that you feel needs to be brought up. There is also a plot submissions page with a new addition to make it easier for everyone to submit the kinds of events that they would like to see.

Our general CR meme is up again this month, slightly late (as is this bulletin). We saw it getting some good use last month and we hope that it will happen again. If you didn’t get any responses last time, don’t be disheartened! And if you didn’t post, please do. You never know what great new CR might come out it. Tag around and let people know that you would like to play with them!

Finally, the test drive is up, and already playing host to several interesting characters! If you are able, please take a look and make any potential newcomers feel welcome.

NPC Profiles

WHAT'S HAPPENING
☆ The game history page is still in progress. We hope to have it fully up to speed by the end of this month.
☆ Following up on some advice received from one of our players, we are going to look into ways to make venturing outside of the city walls more appealing.
☆ Additionally, we are doing further work into the background to add more of a sense of grounding to the overall ‘plot’ of the game. This will be reflected in future events having more grounding in the game and offering more focused challenges to the characters, and bring better cohesion overall. We hope that it will be something that you all enjoy!

---

In July’s activity check, Wrath won out by a narrow margin. Although Kindness is still ahead overall, continuing the uptick in food supplies (and oddly shaped fruit), it would appear that some weaponry has made its return to the relevant stores. This month, people may find themselves feeling a little short-tempered at times for reasons that they cannot ascertain, with those already predisposed to such things are hit all the worse by it.

The youngest overseer, Chassie Barrows, is still missing. Though some contact has been made and her absence has been noted, she has still yet to make any reappearance. If Tim’s enigmatic comments are anything to go by, she is keeping away for a very good reason.

It begins with a beagle.

It roams the streets and wags its tail cutely at passers by, sniffs and licks their fingers when petted, and runs the moment anyone makes any attempt to take it in. You know the kind. Tan and white, floppy, soft ears. Cute.

Extremely cute.

But soon, they appear again. In small numbers at first, much like the first time, the Strangers dawdle on street corners and gaze blankly into shop windows and into your windows, forming statuesque, aggravating and mildly disturbing barriers to sunlight and the passing of people who need to get somewhere, because we all need to get somewhere, don't we?

They stand and breathe, their stance rigid but casual, empty eyes fixed on nothing, smelling faintly of compost and giving the overall impression of grey and little more. As they stand and breathe - audible, even breaths - it seems that they don't move at all.

Except for when they do.

They reach out, fingers extended, grasping, but when did they move? Did you look away? Did you blink? At its best it is unnerving. At worst, you are followed as you take a quick route home. One is waiting for you at the far end of a narrow alleyway. You turn, but another has appeared behind you, cold eyes burning into yours, hands outstretched.

'What do you want', you may shout in a desperate need to understand, and the answer is a hissing, wheezing breath of 'nothing' that rattles not out of their throat but their entire being.

The days wear on, and the presence of the completely average, unremarkable, audibly breathing but otherwise silently standing figures increases. They cannot be seen entering a room and no door opens to announce their presence. Locks and barriers don't stop them, and that shadow you glimpse in the corner of your eye upon blearily waking may be far more than a simple trick of the light.

First instincts are, of course, to lash out and rid the place of this new and strange invasion, but touching the figures begins a chain reaction of entirely new problems.

"Who's a good boy?"

They ask the question in a heavy, forced monotone, every word pushed through teeth that do not part to allow the words full form. The words are like a barb, stinging through the minds of those that hear them and settling there as a dank seed that quickly takes root. Any doubt, any crack in a person's sense of self provides all that this infection requires to thrive.

The transformation, when it occurs, is first marked by a draining of purpose from the affected individual. They become listless and unmoved by the words of those around them while their consciousness claws in vain attempts to gain traction against the slope it has been placed on. They may fight as they turn, as they drop inevitably into the void, but how does one fight something which one cannot understand?

Then finally, they understand. As the last of what makes them slides away, they understand that all these strangers want is nothing, for there to be nothing, for everyone and everything to turn to nothing. From there, they join the ranks roaming the streets with inexplicably slow movements, wearing a familiar face but unfamiliar eyes. A faint spark may appear when they are spoken to, and they may try to speak, but such efforts are fleeting and marred by a dragging pain that makes talking near-impossible.

"They're no longer coming, they're here, and we cannot stop something that wants nothing."

If certain criteria are not met, the event will end with the sudden and entirely unexplained disappearance of the Strangers, save for those residents who were turned into Strangers themselves. These individuals will require recovery time and some regaining of a sense of self, but the after-effects of what they endured will not be quickly forgotten.

Criteria to be met for the event to meet a more active end are as follows;
⇒ Active effort to repel the Strangers. This may result in more people being 'infected'.
⇒ Attempts to discover how to cure 'infected' people.
⇒ Communication and networking during the course of the event, both in person and not.

We will be keeping an eye on things as the event progresses, but if you wish to tell us in advance if your character is likely to proceed down any of the above paths, do so in the comments! We are more than happy to work with you.

Those turned into Strangers will be left with an odd grey mark somewhere on their body, the shape of which is unable to be properly defined. It may occasionally itch.

The fires near the forest were noticed, and though certain parties were indeed informed that it would happen, they did not all agree with the majority. A warning in the form of a patch of scorched grass and earth near the outside of the city wall can be found, with a single cut flower placed deliberately in the centre of it.

Evidently, someone has been upset by something… but is it a threat?

First, you hear the music. A tinkling, tinny tune with no name that comes from nowhere and with no discernible source. Then, the flashes start. Fuzzy and unclear to begin with, but sharpening over the few days that it lasts, people in the city will begin to see small snippets of a past life that they might clearly remember… and a future one that they may not.

Though they begin as simple images, the sharpening of them comes along with intense, associated emotions, scents, sounds and other sensations. It could be easy to believe that you were actually there, for those few moments, or minutes, or more…

The only thing that every single ‘vision’ has in common is the music, heard before they begin like the herald of a fade-out into a flashback. If investigated, it the tune can be traced to a music box in the possession of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Opening the box and listening to the tune directly acts as a powerful trigger, but anyone attempting it should take care that they do not become lost in what they see.

Weather Report

Continuing with the theme of a hot and humid summer scattered with occasional thunderstorms, August begins bright and warm and looks set to continue in much the same vein. Those used to hotter climes will feel the benefit, while those more accustomed to temperate or cooler weather are likely to feel increasingly uncomfortable as the month progresses. One way or the other, it is time to break out the short and t-shirts… unless you don’t want to, and that’s okay too.

The thunderstorms, when they arrive, bring deep purple clouds and bright flashes of lightning, punctuated by rolling booms of thunder. It seems that they are being magnified by some outside influence, if not produced by one...

Thanks to the actions of one particular elf, the warg population has dwindled considerably. Whether it is through their mortality being proven by fire, or simply being driven away, only time will tell. They are certainly not intelligent enough to consider revenge, or to remember just who set the fires and why. Several corpses may be found across the plains where they expired from their injuries - they appear to have already been scavenged, with any inspection showing neat cuts and closer still revealing that certain organs have been removed.

The rate at which fire lizards are hatching on the beach will ease off through to September, but it is still not too late to investigate, should such a thing appeal to you.

Spirits residing in the river appear to be feeling particularly mischievous of late, and will splash anyone passing by with handfuls of water, disappearing quickly after. They are not at all biased over who they choose to target - everyone is a good mark - and are very adept at making sure that their intended victim gets a good soaking.

Around the mountains, the white dragon has ceased its circling for the time being. Occasionally, puffs of dark smoke can be seen rising from one of the peaks.

The supply situation appears to be improving, and though what is on offer is still very basic, searching to the backs of the shelves will turn up a few boxes of herbs and spices. While the strangely shaped watermelons that appeared last month are still available, they are steadily replaced by those of a normal shape and size as the stocks refresh themselves.

Occasionally, a jar or tin might be prised open to find that what is inside is not what was expected. These ‘surprises’ range from the potentially delightful, right down to whatever your terrible dreams desire.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik
Ingrid togamint || SKYPE@Taekotogami
Duck rowaduck || AIM@rowaduck

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information

Anything you want to let everyone know about? Let us know!

Short and sweet once again, since we are already late! We hope that you are enjoying the improved focus in the game in general and we intend to continue tightening up loose corners until everything is where it should be. We also hope (and believe!) that, given time and patience, we will begin to see a rise in player numbers. There is still a little way to go, but all of you here make this game what it is, and we appreciate you!

The activity check will go up as usual on the 5th of the month, but do remember that as long as your post or thread was started before the 5th, you can use the activity period to get it up to the length that you need it to be. Please also note that if you are on hiatus, your hiatus period must cover two weeks within the check period (6th - 5th) for you to be considered exempt from the activity check.

Thank you for sticking with us, we appreciate each and every one of you. Until next time!

STATE OF THE CITY
June 2016

Good June to you all. We are still pushing on with our shakeup and we hope that you are finding it beneficial to have fewer bits floating around (in exactly the same way that bricks don’t) without any real meaning attached to them. We know that we are, and it makes it much easier to put together more detailed-oriented events without having to take so many things into account. The mod team hopes that you will take each event in your stride and get the most that you can out of them - we enjoy watching you have fun with them!

Please note that we are always open to suggestions on how we can make this game better for you. Comments here are screened, so there need not be any concerns about raising something that another player may not agree with and we will address anything that you feel needs to be brought up. There is also a plot submissions page with a new addition to make it easier for everyone to submit the kinds of events that they would like to see.

Since the general CR meme was not seeing much use, we have elected not to post it this month. However, we encourage you to use this post for all of your general and event-related plotting. We hope that this will work better, rather than having a redundant post that doesn’t see much action, however, we do encourage you to plot around with your fellow players as much as you can!

Finally, the test drive is up for anyone wishing to make use of it.

NPC Profiles

WHAT'S NEW
☆ We have a Plot Submission form to give a solid process to submitting events.
☆ The NPC Profiles have been completely filled out for the first time, giving all sorts of new information!
☆ Additionally, the trackers for monthly deeds (be they virtuous or otherwise) have been added to the NPC Profile page.
☆ There is a page for the Mailbox, where player characters can ‘post’ letters and mementos to their absent loved ones, should they feel the inclination.
☆ Finally, there have been some small revisions to the FAQ/rules to allow for large characters. This restriction was felt to be unnecessary and has been removed.

---

Chassie’s powerful and disruptive, if well-meant stunt has left all of the NPCs in a state of self-warring confusion, though to varying extents with each. Some appear to be handling it quite well, but it can certainly be said that none of them are happy. Since the only feedback on the effects of what she did have come from Chassie herself, the full implications may not yet have been fully realised.

What it has certainly meant, as will become clear while the mechanic develops, is that the day to day actions of the people living in the city will have a very real and cumulative effect on the world around them. The NPC Profiles page now displays a running total for the respective ‘influence’ of the vices and virtues that the NPCs represent over the game environment. How this manifests is something that we will have to look forward to, since there’s no real way to know until the evidence of our resident’s true natures starts to come in.

This section of the SotC will henceforth be used to track changes to the city month by month, with a separate post (to be created) logging previous months.

What would it be like to live in a peaceful, pleasant place, free of any kind of trouble? What would it be like to live with no raised voices, rows of picket fences and neatly manicured front lawns? It could be lovely, but nothing good ever lasts forever in Ruby City, and it can so quickly turn into your worst nightmare.

On the morning of June 4th, the sun is crisp and bright and.. oddly muted. Colours seem drained, almost to black and white, but along with the drain in colour comes a drain in memory, too. You are a citizen of the pleasant, friendly Ruby City, where absolute peace appears to have been achieved in utterly cutting off any connection to the outside world and relying on being self-sufficient. No one questions it, because why would they? As long as anyone can remember, they have lived in this splendid isolation and everything has gone along just fine.

Except, of course, for the fact that it's all a complete lie.

At the start of the event the player characters will find themselves living in harmony with double the number of amicable, passive NPC characters. They will believe that they have lived in this way their entire lives, and those who think differently are shunned and pitied for their 'differences of opinion' (and banned from PTA and Neighbourhood Watch meetings). Families can be set up from canon relations (or not, should you choose), and a firm weight of pacification discourages even the slightest raising of voices. Combative natures are seen as odd, and something to be kept to yourself.

But no one questions it. Why would they? Until they do.

The cracks are small, but there. A smile just on the edge of sinister - uncomfortable in a way that makes you dwell on it - from the friendly old man behind the counter at the general store. The flash of an unnatural shadow in next door's soccer mom's eyes as she catches yours on the way out to practice. Another member of the PTA says something in a meeting and everyone smiles and nods, but only you seem to realise that they just said something about 'taking care of' a rogue team member in a way that didn't sound like discipline. Then, there are the memories. The dreams of another kind of life. Other friends, maybe a different family (or no family), that seem so sharp in their otherness to make you question how real your current reality is.

People disappear. A friend here, a neighbour there, and you start to feel unsettled. Conversations were only ever shallow, but when houses are empty and everyone around you acts as if they were never occupied, it only raises more questions.

Then, things begin to change. Strong outbursts of emotion - any kind - prompt the flooding back of full colour into the affected person and their immediate area. These spots will show their original Ruby City shades, along with any damage or repairs that had been previously covered up by the thin veneer of the event. Memories return with more clarity, leaving a mixture of the old and new with no certainty over which is real.

NPCs react to this kind of change like sharks to a drop of blood in the water, quickly turning on anyone they perceive as different. At first, they can be talked down, persuaded back into their own homes because it's just temporary, she's just under the weather and there's nothing odd going on here at all. The outbursts don't stop, and neither do the reversions of the player characters into their usual selves. No one would blame them for turning on their neighbours, but by this point, their neighbours are clearly not their neighbours anymore. They have turned into strange creatures, their twisted shapes most visible when seen from the corner of your eye, and they will attack with anything they can get their hands on... or just with their hands.

The last few days of the event are a complete counterpoint to the first. Far from the idyllic and 'perfect' scenarios, the player characters find themselves on the wrong side of a witch hunt. NPCs generated in this now patchwork city, along with any player characters who for any reason have not reverted, will not rest until the have rooted out every individual who has become different to them. It would be in the player characters best interests to fight against this onslaught as their memories and powers return to them, or risk problems extending beyond the conclusion of the event...

Reactions of the player characters will matter!

TL;DR
- the scenario is a calm, serene town where conflict is not actively avoided but simply doesn't seem to happen (or so the story goes), but not all is as placid as it seems
- 'neighbour NPCs' are friendly, but will not be able to carry a conversation much past pleasantries
- at first all seems well, but the cracks appear quickly and manifest in memories 'leaking' back to the player characters and strong displays of emotion drawing the 'real' city through the illusion
- NPC reaction is aggressive! They will attempt to attack anyone who they perceive as 'different' or out of place from the imposed scenario
- PROFIT! The aim is survival and self defence, with PC reactions contributing to the event conclusion

NOTE: During this event, your characters may take on any role you wish them to - head of the PTA, local shop owner, anything that you put your mind to. All the better when things start to go.. wrong c:

Now is the time for growing things. Flowers are blooming all over the city - open patches of ground, between cobbles, along the broken down walls… and anywhere that a crack and spot of sunlight might offer a place to root. Outdoors or indoors, nothing short of fire will stop the quick spread and for three days at the end of June the city turns into a veritable garden from top to bottom - a burst of nature that even the imposing black cathedral cannot escape.

The sudden verdant and intrusive growth does little harm, save for some minor structural damage and assault on the allergies of any hayfever sufferer, but several of the flower species are ones that have never been seen before and hold their own peculiar properties for those who might care to examine or experiment with them.

☆ A creeping plant covered in small, blue, star-like flowers centred with yellow causes faint light-headedness when inhaled closely, but brings a dreamless sleep if used in tea.
☆ A large, purple blossom resembling a rose but growing in small bunches attracts bees with its heavy scent, and clears foul odour if burned.
☆ Daisy-like flowers with bright orange petals that stain fingers when picked, their leaves curling against any touch. They clear the head when their delicate scent is inhaled.
☆ An unusual green-hued flower that grows on a vine gives off an odd antiseptic smell and works in much the same way that the smell suggests.
☆ Low shrubs with no flowers but dark red leaves and centimetre-long spikes on every branch do not look particularly inviting, but the sap found when the branches are broken or the bark is stripped gives off a sharp, tangy smell before becoming thick and glue-like when exposed to the air. Pressing two covered fingers together is not advised, as it will be difficult to prise them apart.

These flowers can be cultivated if harvested, but after three days of blooming almost all of them will begin to die off. This will leave some cleanup, but will also reveal the orchard in full fruit and ready to be picked. The flowers and plants will recede quickly but remain on the walls around the city… at least until the cold weather kills them off.

Weekly Weather Report

The weather moving into June is much the same as the weeks that came before it. Warm, a little on the wrong side of too humid and scattered with the occasional thunderstorm that sends every living thing with any sense scurrying under the nearest cover. There is little warning given before the skies open for these downpours, so anyone who gets caught out in one is likely to get very drenched, very quickly.

Flowers are blooming, of course, spelling misery for any allergy sufferers but offering a wide variety of colours and scents. While many will be entirely unfamiliar, plants from the home worlds of anyone who has ever resided in the city can be found in this blooming period. Some may be harder to find than others, but only according to their usual nature.

The dryads in the woods will happily give flower crowns to anyone who comes near enough to be beckoned in by their laughter, though don’t be fooled by their friendliness into thinking that they never mean any harm. They will just as happily lead a person into a fairy ring just to see what happens, and if they will get out, but they do still maintain the sentience to feel guilty about such things and might be heard bickering about the possibility between themselves.

Early in the month, a high wailing can be heard out over the plains. Anyone investigating after night falls will find a wraith wandering through the grass and gentle hills, which will not allow anyone to get too close. If pursued, it will lead the way to a trail of will o’ the wisps, coaxing curious individuals into a soupy bog. Only then will it move in close.

Any exploring the forest may come across strange totems made of wood and animal bones, tied up against trees. Observing them does no harm, but moving or destroying them will surely summon a leshen to the scene - a powerful spirit which can summon wildlife to attack and pushes its hands into the ground to cause roots to burst from beneath any target.

As a slight reprieve from the bare shelves, a few basic goods are showing up once again. Vegetables, fruit - all fresh of course - and a small selection of dried meats still require the residents to supplement with their own supplies, unless they find the meagre options offered by the stores to be to their liking.

Surely there’s only so many things that you can do with a potato.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik
Ingrid togamint || SKYPE@Taekotogami
Duck rowaduck || AIM@rowaduck

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information

Cola was a DJ once upon a time, and is thinking of ways that he can go about setting up something similar in the city. Though the place lacks the kind of radio equipment that he’s used to working with, the call to go back to what he used to do is strong. If anyone would be interested, or wants to lend a hand, let him know!

Maedhros also offers a new CR opportunity in his current project. Jump in here or on the log itself if you want to get involved.

A short finisher today, as we have covered more or less everything in the sections above. We hope that you are finding the game more energised than it has been in recent times, and feel that it is somewhere you would like to recommend to people. If you do, then please do it! We would love new players here, or to welcome back old ones, and the mod team is working hard to ensure that everything continues to run as smoothly as possible c:

The activity check will go up as usual on the 5th of the month, but do remember that as long as your post or thread was started before the 5th, you can use the activity period to get it up to the length that you need it to be.

Finally, as App This Plz went up a month earlier than Fi-mod thought it would, we unfortunately missed it this month. However, we have a shiny ad all ready to go and encourage you to put forth your wanted characters in this list.

Until next time!

STATE OF THE CITY
April 2016

Hey all, here we are in April! If you're wondering where the year is going, I ate it :')

Everything is lagging a little behind at the moment as Fii-mod has unfortunately been ill with a chest infection and various cold bugs for almost six weeks solid. She sends her apologies, and will accept any offerings of home made chicken soup and tea. As of today most things are up to date - anything else will be seen to asap.

The General CR Meme and April Test Drive are currently up for use. Please read down to the closing statement for an update on last month's announcements. We also still have mod applications open until April 8th!

THIS SECTION HAS BEEN BACKBENCHED FOR OVERHAUL.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST YOUR SETS.

Ever wondered what it might be like to live the life of a fairytale princess or dashing hero straight out of a story book? Maybe you haven't. Maybe that's a life you're already living, but a little change is never a bad thing, either. This event can pull from any fairy tale-type story in existence, even ones which are themselves grounded in a fictional canon. The effects that they can cause are as follows;

Mental Changes
Maybe a few confusing or even conflicting memories are adopted that at first don't quite seem to align with your recollection of your real life. A memory of a trip you took into an odd fairy world, accessed through a hole in the base of a tree that can't possibly have happened... right? Eventually, they might block your real life out entirely, leaving you simply unable to remember a time when you were anything else. How dare someone tell you that your father didn't die when you were a child, leaving you in the hands of your wicked, evil stepmother?

Or, maybe you were the wicked stepmother...

Physical Changes
Physical alterations do not only need to happen within the bounds of the form you already have, for the most part. For example, someone taking on the tale of Rapunzel might find that their hair grows to unreasonable lengths no matter how often it's cut. This type of change also applies to the gaining of any magical abilities, though not the knowledge of how to use them. Tales are not restricted by gender, but will not necessarily alter the gender of the person they affect.

Other examples of purely physical alterations may be changes in size, colour, entire species, and even such things as beginning to change into wood (Pinocchio, anyone?).

World-Related Changes
Even the city will not stay the same through this powerful event. The buildings themselves will alter to reflect the stories of the people around them, often in clashing and conficting ways. Every home - occupied or unoccupied - will find itself altered in one way or another by the blend of fairy tales descending on the city. Some characters will directly affect their environment simply by virtue of who they have become - for instance, Sleeping Beauty may cause thorns to grow around every building she falls asleep in.

Story Clash
Many fairy tales are stand alone and were never meant to meet. What might have happened if the Little Match Girl met a kind and good person to rescue her from the streets? What would the Wicked Queen do, surrounded by the beauty of a dozen fae-folk and gentle-hearted individuals? How would everyone cope with an evil fairy who can turn into a dragon? Multiple interpretations of the same character are also permitted (for example, the original Little Mermaid of the Hans Christian Andersen tale may be used, as well as the Disney character of the same name).

This event runs until Sunday, April 17th after which the physical and mental effects on the city residents will begin to wear off. What the event has done to the buildings may stick a little longer, but everything should be back to normal by April 21st. We do not recommend eating any of the buildings, even if they do look, smell and taste very much like gingerbread.

In fact, especially then.

You didn't need to touch anything, eat anything, drink anything or even consciously breathe anything in for this to happen, but suddenly you're finding yourself struggling to tell simple lies. From the morning of April 27th to the evening of April 30th, it will become very difficult, if not impossible for many of the city residents to knowingly utter anything that is untrue.

Stage One
An almost blanket inability to lie, even by omission. You can choose to say nothing, but once everyone knows what's going on that may be just as bad as holding up a flashing neon sign...

Stage Two
Actively blurting out truthful statements is the next step - you just can't keep it in when someone asks you a question! No matter how much you might want to lie, you simply can't do it.

Stage Three
The truth will out! As well as being able to tell a single lie for yourself, you also can't keep from pointing out when other people are lying, even going so far as to try and force them into telling the truth. It's what's better for everyone, isn't it? To hell with anyone who thinks you're taking it too far! If they won't tell the truth, you'll do it for them.

Weekly Weather Report

So much for summer! The weather looks to be on a backslide, with rain and even snow falling on most days at the start of the month. It seems set to be chilly, slushy and icy over most mornings, so be sure to watch your step - particularly if walking by the river. The water nymphs may not be in time to help you should you happen to fall prey to something more sinister.

This unsettled weather may also be a foreshadow of something even more unsettling to come. Didn't Chassie seem terribly upset over something in her last message? For the normally bright and cheerful little girl, that is very odd indeed...

Much like the weather, the local and far-flung wildlife seems unable to settle. Lesser seen creatures may become easier to spot, though still difficult to catch, and beings/animals which would normally show no fear are obviously ill at ease.

It could be nothing? Or, it could be something worth questioning.

IMPORTANT: stocks in most stores have reduced to next to nothing save the bare staples of a basic diet, and not very much of those. Perhaps more alarmingly, they do not seem to be restocking as the month goes by...

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information
Clinic Volunteers (TBA)

Anything to tell us? Let us know below!

The plans laid out in last month's SotC did, quite obviously, not come to fruition in the way that Fii-mod would have hoped. Unfortunately she has spent the six weeks in various states of ill-health, thus the lateness of this post and a myriad of other things.

However, things seem to now be on the mend and almost everything is set to be laid out to yourselves. In the interests of not posting too much at once, this will be done at the coming weekend. What we can tell you is that there will be some alteration in a few game processes, a reduction in NPCs and several tweaks which should ideally make the game both easier to run and far more appealing to play in. We understand that things have become very messy over the past year or so, and it is long past time to work all the knots out. Thank you for bearing with us. <3

In the meantime, please do the mod team a favour and check that all your information is up to date and present in the correct places. Do not post any issues here, please note them down in a comment on the page where the information is wrong/missing. This would be a massive help to us.

The Activity Check is one of those things which is currently running late, but this should be with you before the end of today. We hope that with the addition of one or two more mods, everything should fall into place much more easily.

STATE OF THE CITY
February 2016

Hello, everyone! The slight delay in this edition is owed to the fact that the events gave me more trouble than I expected them to. Ideas can be attributed to our DIO player (but not blame for the delay, that's on me ;D).

The CR MEME and TEST DRIVE for February are both up, so please get on over and make use of them <3

The Rumor War events have far-reaching consequences that aren't only restricted to the few days or weeks following their conclusions. Each event, and those NPCs whose influence over the city itself changes as a result, cause permanent alterations to the way that the city functions and its general appearance.

RW #1 = Success by Charity granted all supplies a small temporary boost, from food to gardening supplies.
RW #2 = Success by Pride rebuilt a section of the city wall, giving some permanent extra protection from the beasts roaming outside.
RW #3 = Success by Kindness temporarily calmed the fierce nature of the more violent wildlife, as well as boosting the medical supplies at the clinic. There was also a temporary increase of stock at the hardware store to assist in the rebuilding of the damaged northern section of the city.
RW # 4 = Success by Diligence gave the restocking gophers the shot in the arm needed to keep food supplies at acceptable levels over the winter.

Several of the NPCs are still mistrustful of the people residing in the city for reasons not yet revealed, but some are open to conversation and even questioning, up to a point. A number of those whom are are being cooperative are making attempts to persuade others to do the same, with varied results. The benefits of success would, of course, be that the Virtues and Vices holding stronger and more reliable abilities will be more willing to be helpful. NPCs can be contacted using the NPC contact pages, but please be patient! Some of them take longer than others to answer their watches.

The weekend heralds the Chinese New Year, and the beginning of the Year of the Monkey. Ruby City has never been a place that restricts itself to the festivals of one culture alone, and this is one that simply can't be missed. Naturally, we can't just let everyone have a good time and be done with it. That would just be too easy!

Beginning with a fireworks display on the night of Saturday, February 6th, small stalls will pop up in several locations around the city, and the streets along with any houses in range will find the atmosphere around them subtly changed with red and gold decorations hung up, spanning the street and the entire height of the buildings. Lit only by glowing paper lanterns, everything in these areas will seem vaguely fuzzy... and doesn't that food just look and smell delicious? The stalls will also provide small trinkets and traditional fare of the Chinese New Year, including small fireworks, red envelopes, lanterns containing candles, and symbols of good fortune.

It isn't the food, however, that you need to be careful of. Simply setting foot in one of these peculiarly enchanted areas can prompt the start of potentially dramatic emotional, mental and even physical shifts. Please see details below, and remember(!) this is all in good fun - nothing about this is really dangerous.. right?

Each of the four festive areas is also discreetly marked with three of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Entering one of these areas can 'mark' an individual with one of these animals, after which they cannot change it by moving to another area. The changes are subtle and may vary, depending on how long an affected person remains inside the enchanted areas and indeed when they were 'marked' (this is a pot luck and may not hit on the first visit). Starting with simple personality changes (which may enhance or directly conflict with existing traits), the effects of the Zodiac Signs can range all the way up through a complete personality overhaul, even into physical alterations related to the associated sign. These may be mild - for example, tiger stripes and claws, sharp hearing or an acute sense of smell - up to a full physical shift (please note that if this happens your character will not be able to talk!).

Finally, individuals may find that their social compatibility with others is eased or reduced, depending upon their sign and that of the other person.

NOTE: A log will be provided for your use during this event.

[BLUE ZONE] Along the road behind the Cathedral
SNAKE: The sixth animal of the Zodiac, the Snake startled the Horse out of its place to reach the emperor and win a spot. Those affected by the Snake - a powerfully sensual sign - will gain a heightened intelligence and wit and a tendency to act as if they know more about a subject than they are saying. While Snakes do not lie as a rule, they are not adverse to double-dealing and their reputation for being 'sneaky' is often well-deserved.
Ambitious, a Snake may find it hard to accept criticism and if coupled with a bad temper can be prone to lashing out.
Ox, Rooster | Tiger, Snake, Pig

DOG: The eleventh animal of the Zodiac, who could have easily made it sooner if he didn't stop for a bath. People influenced by the Dog sign will become fiercely defensive of family and friends, to the point that they will refuse to acknowledge warnings about their loved ones behaviour. They will find it easy to forgive transgressions and hard to hold grudges against friends, with their rare displays of violent anger always justified and wrongs quickly forgotten.
Dogs will find themselves good and eager listeners, always ready to give aid.
Tiger, Rabbit, Horse | Dragon, Sheep, Rooster

TIGER: The third animal of the Zodiac, the Tiger made it across the river after a difficult swim against heavy currents. Tigers may find themselves becoming short-tempered and easily riled up, not wishing to accept help in any difficulties they face. Problems with putting what they want to say into words could lead to problematic misunderstandings, even amongst good friends.
Aggressive and easily provoked, those touched by the Tiger will find it hard to relax and take things as they come.
Dragon, Horse, Dog | Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Monkey

***

[ORANGE ZONE] In the open space by the Train Station
ROOSTER: The tenth animal of the Zodiac, reaching the bank along with the Goat and the Monkey. People influenced by this sign may feel like they can take on the world and everything in it, but will lose sight of the smaller things and neglect personal relationships in the process. They desire praise, but behaviour that seems self-centred can often rob them of it.
Roosters do care for their friends.. when they emerge from the many things they have taken on and remember that they are there.
Ox, Dragon, Snake | Rabbit, Rooster, Dog

RAT: The first animal of the Zodiac, the rat gained his place by cheating the trusting and helpful Ox and pushing his close friend the Cat into the river. People affected by the Rat may gain a certain appeal in their interactions, but exhibit opportunistic behaviours and underhandedness in their dealings with others.
But even the Rat isn't all bad. Creative and resourceful, these people will find that ideas to solve problems will come quickly, but possibly at the expense of others that they involve in their schemes.
Rat, Dragon, Monkey | Rabbit, Horse, Sheep

GOAT (SHEEP): The eighth animal of the Zodiac. Sailing on a raft with the Rooster and the Monkey, the Goat made it safely to shore with the help of friends. Those taking after the Goat will get a shot of creative talent (or an enhancement to their own), as well as a confident and noble streak that will prompt them to step in and help others when they are in trouble.
They will be generous and kind-hearted, but can also be easily upset by strangers and their stubborn nature means they will argue a case until the very end and find it difficult to accept their own faults.
Rabbit, Horse, Pig | Rat, Ox, Dog

***

[PINK ZONE] In the Grove
RABBIT: The fourth animal of the Zodiac, the Rabbit made it to the other side of the river by hopping over logs and rocks in the water. Individuals taking on the characteristics of the Rabbit will be gifted with a heightened instinct for recognising sincerity in others and an uncanny ability for sensing falsehood. The closer the relationship, the more easily attempts at deception are realised.
A boost in chasrisma makes them more attractive to other people. The Rabbit is a realistic and uncomplicated creature, but finds it difficult to plan ahead and is easily overwhelmed.
Dragon, Sheep, Dog, Pig | Rat, Tiger, Rooster

HORSE: The seventh animal of the Zodiac, the Horse was nudged into seventh place by a fright from the Snake. People affected by this sign will find themselves more talkative regarding any and all subjects, eager to hear opinions but not so quick to accept them if they go against already rooted prejudices.
Not short on charm, the Horse can easily make friends and love a bit of gossip.
Tiger, Sheep, Dog | Rat, Ox, Horse, Monkey

DRAGON: The fifth animal of the Zodiac. While the dragon could have easily won, the noble beast instead assisted the Rabbit into fourth place by creating a gust of wind to blow him to the bank. Dragons, like the Tigers, will find themselves becoming quick-tempered but also prone to worry about the results of their actions. Their attention to detail will be greatly heightened, but perhaps to a point of excessive fastidiousness and ignorance of the feelings of their family and friends.
They may resolutely follow tracks which ultimately lead nowhere, despite knowing that they are likely to meet failure.
Rat, Rooster, Monkey | Ox, Tiger, Dog

***

[RED ZONE] Around the Observatory and park lake
MONKEY: The ninth animal of the Zodiac, sailing to shore with his companions the Rooster and the Goat. Monkeys will find their sense of humour improved and be granted an uncanny ability to make jokes. However, this confidence also comes with a kind of arrogance that can easily alienate others. Their good humour, though, can often serve to bring friends back.
Taking risks will seem more appealing, but the Monkeys' inherent good luck often brings success.
Rat, Dragon | Tiger, Horse

OX: The second animal of the Zodiac, unfairly cheated out of his place by the crafty Rat. Those taking on this sign's aspects will find themselves feeling far more honest and trusting, with any existing sharp temper calmed and softened to an urge to try and simply accept people as they are.
The Ox, though, is still a dangerous creature when angered, possessing great physical strength. Despite their good natures, it is still best to play nice.
Rat, Rabbit, Monkey | Dragon, Horse, Sheep

PIG: The twelfth and final animal of the Zodiac, the Pig made it into last place despite falling asleep on the way. Those influenced by the Pig will gain courage and independence, but on the flipside will also become trusting and naive in such a way that they will easily fall prey to tricks.
Their concern for others is genuine, but easily taken advantage of.
Rabbit, Sheep | Snake, Monkey

***

[ALL ZONES] Bonus!
CAT: Pushed into the river by the Rat, the Cat didn't make it to the Jade Emperor in time to be selected for a place in the Zodiac. Anyone in any of the festival zones may be unexpectedly influenced by this betrayed creature.
Those who are will experience an overwhelming feeling of loss, whether imagined, prompted by current events or related to a past event. This will be followed by anger at those around them - particularly if someone is associated with the Rat - and a potentially uncharacteristic flare of temper. While this may die down, the individual will continue to feel as if they have been cheated and will treat everyone with suspicion.
Becoming closed off and surly, those affected by the Cat are difficult to reach but open up once their trust has been gained. They will fear betrayal as if it might be around every corner, feeling devastated if they perceive it to have happened.
Rat

After the event ends, any physical changes which have been gained will be quickly shed. The mental alterations, however, will take a little more time to wear off and may need to be actively fought.

Valentine's Day is never a holiday which is left to slip by in the city. On the morning of the 14th, every resident will find a red rose left in their home, along with a chocolate or cake in a small glass box. Each of these sweet treats will seem plain until the box is opened, at which point a message will appear on the inside of the lid. This message, should the treat be touched or eaten, will grant (or afflict) a 'type' of love on the unfortunate target.

♥ Family/Friends Dear One, Good Pals, Hug Me
They're the person you need when you're at your worst. Your best friend or trusted family member. They are the one who will always be there for you.
❣ Romantic It's Love, You and I, Say Yes
Puppy love, true love, enduring love. Whatever it is, you have it with your special someone and you know they'll always love you back.
ღ Unrequited Yours, Hard Luck, Find Me
They never really saw you, but you never saw anything but them. Maybe being lovelorn doesn't suit you, but you can't help it.
❤ Obsessive All Mine, Just Me, You're Mine
They're yours. They've always been yours. Why can't they see that? You'll get them to love you, whatever it takes.
❥ Admiration Wow, Heart Throb, You're Fab
They're amazing. You don't need them to love you, you just need them to notice you're there and maybe some of their amazingness will rub off on you.

Effects can be focused on anyone, though those which require a reciprocation of affection will need to have a matching treat. People can also be put into a position to cope with multiple effects, as if the box is not opened it can be stolen or even gifted, consequence-free, to someone else.

Most, if not all of the above will require agreement from both parties, so make sure you confer with the potential object of your affections beforehand! Established relationships are not a requirement.

The sweets will stop working on the 16th of February and may be consumed safely, but it's up to you to work through the mess that getting your emotions everywhere has caused...

Did you ever have a day when you just felt as if you were having the worst luck of your life? No? Well, you're in luck, because today is that day.

The leap year date has always been one of tradition reversals and odd superstitions, and today every law of bad luck is certainly not on your side. Murphy's Law, the Rule of Three and even other, more deadly superstitions are more true and active on this day than any other day of the year.

If it's going to happen, it will.

Weekly Weather Report

Chilly but getting warmer, the snow is now all but gone with only a few small icy patches forming overnight. This is good news for the plant life, which is slowly blooming back into colour with small winter flowers such as the Nepalese paper plant, snowdrop and winter aconite.

Rain high in the mountains means that the rivers both in the north (feeding the lake) and through the city are visibly swelled and at some risk of flooding as the banks weaken. It would be wise to keep an eye on how things progress.

The moderately warmer weather is making for slightly easier hunting, but not by much. That it draws people out only adds to the potential menu for the park creatures and wolf-like animals. Most sentient creatures are still sleeping through the cold, even if the dryads still watching over the forest are starting to get a little cranky.

Some birds are nesting, and now and then a dragon might be seen circling around in the mountains to the far north. Perhaps something (or someone) disturbed it?

All seems to be normal - the essentials, often requiring supplement from outside to make anything like a satisfying meal - and starting in the second week of the month there is an odd abundance of red-themed miscellaneous items and tasty chocolates.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information
Clinic Volunteers (TBA)

Anything to tell us? Let us know below!

The ACTIVITY CHECK will be going up on Friday, February 5th, and please remember that you can use activity from between the 6th of December 2015 and the 5th of February 2016! It has been a time of year with a lot of commitments, and we like to make things as easy as possible.

Hammering out details in the background is still ongoing. Our first priority was to make sure that everything was back to running smoothly! There are still a couple of tweaks to be made here and there, but we are positive about our progress so far.

In the near future there may be a call-out for volunteers to take assistant/helper mod positions at various levels. We will keep you posted!

<3

STATE OF THE CITY
December 2015

Hello, Ruby City players! Fi-mod here, with a personal apology for the lateness of this month's SotC report.

The General CR Meme and Test Drive for December are up and awaiting your posts! There is also a hearts meme on the OOC Community, so go have yourselves some fun.

December can be a busy time, so we at Ruby City prefer not to overload our players with complicated events over the month. After all, we are all here to enjoy ourselves, but we hope that you enjoy what we have to offer.

Do you have a plot idea for the new year? Please let us know! We will take anything and everything into consideration - no idea is a bad idea.

The Rumor War events have far-reaching consequences that aren't only restricted to the few days or weeks following their conclusions. Each event, and those NPCs whose influence over the city itself changes as a result, cause permanent alterations to the way that the city functions and its general appearance.

An early win in the first Rumor War event by the Virtue of Charity gave the city rations a small boost. Everything from food and gardening supplies, to clothes and weapons were made more plentiful. Charity doesn't discriminate, after all. Additionally, a victory by Pride restored part of the wall around the city, offering better protection from the wild creatures outside.

Most recently, a landslide win by Kindness briefly took the edge off the ferocity of some of the more violent wildlife, as well as boosting the medical supplies in the clinic. For a time, there was also an increase of stock at the hardware store to help with the rebuilding of the still partly-damaged northern quarter. The winner of the latest event, if by a narrow margin, was Diligence, giving those mysterious restocking gophers just the shot in the arm they needed to get the food stocks up to acceptable levels for the winter months.

While several of the NPCs are still mistrustful of the people residing in the city, some are open to conversation and even questioning, up to a point. Some of those who are are being cooperative are making attempts to persuade others to do the same, with varied results. The benefits of success would, of course, be that the Virtues and Vices holding stronger and more reliable abilities will be more willing to be helpful. NPCs can be contacted using the NPC contact pages, but please be patient! Some of them take longer than others to answer their watches.

Less of an event and more of a seasonal 'occurance', Friday, December 11th will see the traditional vanishing of the city's obelisk as it is replaced by a festive - if alarmingly blood red - Christmas tree. In previous years, the tree has been somewhat dangerous to approach, with the needles easily long and sharp enough to cause serious damage to the soft and squishy individuals who got too close, but this year it would appear that something is different. The needles are, while still large, not indimidatingly so and though they prickle if touched it seems they would break before doing any harm at all.

At the same time, festive decorations will make themselves available in the general store. However, it's up to you to find a tree - there are plenty growing in the wilds around the relatively safe haven of the city.

That strange, occasionally bothersome fog has been hanging around for a while, hasn't it? No one has commented, nor done anything about it, but now it is going to cause a little festive trouble for the residents of Ruby City.

It begins with a familiar scent, a sound, perhaps a voice that you only think you hear. Something that reminds you keenly of a scene from long past or recent present, or perhaps an utterly unfamiliar thing that you can't recall in the least. For the first few days it's so easy to ignore, but then the dreams start. In true Christmas Carol style, images from your past, present and future flicker through your sleeping mind, until finally one select memory is settled upon and becomes a recurring theme. It may be a fond memory or one not so fond, but always one in which there is a lesson to be learned, however small that lesson may be.

Of course, there's a catch. This is a festive season of giving, and as such, this recurring dream will not cease until Christmas Day unless it is shared. If it isn't, then it may well begin to haunt your waking hours as well. The fog is more than just a peculiar annoyance. Those who decide to ignore their recurring dreams will find them being played out in a ghostly display for all to see when they decide to step outside.

The night of Christmas Eve will be the last of these disturbances. We wouldn't want to spoil your Christmas.

Chari, the city's respresentation of charity, has made a habit each Christmas of finding ways to give each of the city residents a chance to request a gift, which she has filled to the best of her ability. Though she usually steers clear of being directly asked, this year she has decided to change that.

From the morning of the 20th to the evening of the 24th of December, Chari Landry will be able to be found around the base of the city's Christmas tree, listening to the requests of the residents. There's only one small price to pay - she wants to know your new years resolution. If you don't keep it over the following year, the granted gift will be taken away.

And if you lie..?

Don't lie.

Weekly Weather Report | Threat Report

Moving into December, the weather is strangely mild to start, but when has Ruby City ever disappointed when it comes to snowfall over the festive period? Keep an eye on the weather report as it changes week by week, there's sure to be some colder weather on the way.

For now, however, enjoy the warmth and lack of that all-too-common Ruby City black ice.

Winter always heralds a decline in the activity of most of the wildlife in and around the city and it's as noticable as usual, with those inclined to hibernation having long since dug in for the remainder of the year. This does, however, leave a distict lack of prey for those carnivorous creatures whose quicker metabolism means that hibernation is an impossibility.

Unwary travellers outside of the city make for ample opportunities for the hungry wolves, wargs and other unpleasant park creatures lurking in the dark once night falls. Hope your patrols are up to scratch!

As ever at this time of year, the more spirit-like native live has grown mostly dormant. If you happen to spy a glint of metal through the branches while walking through the woods, however, it would be foolish to assume that you're just imagining it.

Supplies for the time of year are simple but adequate, with some festive extras thrown in. Cranberry sauce? You got it. Fried doughnuts? You got that too. Are there sprouts? Yes, there are definitely sprouts.

Fiona hardtostarboard || AIM@LittleBritTeacup
Kitten GrimmKitty || AIM@SilverCrusnik

Moderator Plurk: rubycitymods

Suggestions Post

Permanent Links
Phoenix Wright’s Records
Spiral Training School Information
Clinic Volunteers (TBA)

Chibi-Chibi is hosting a SECRET SANTA player event for the city! Get yourself involved for fun and opportunities for new CR!

Anything to tell us? Let us know below!

Happy holidays, everyone!

We are coming up to the end of what has been a bit of a bumpy year for our little game, and the mod team are more than grateful to everyone who has stuck with us and to all who have joined us over the year! Now, a few small announcements/information bits.

The Activity Check is up and will run until December 13th, with the warning list for those who have not yet checked in going up on the 10th. For the December check, falling on January 5th, there will be a check-in only AC, as is our tradition at this time of year. Additionally, the January check (falling on February 5th) will allow the use of threads from both December and January. We hope that this eases any concerns that anyone has regarding activity difficulties over the festive period, but if you still feel that you need to hiatus, the post can be found here! This information will be repeated at the necessary times, so don't worry too much about keeping it in mind.

The Emporium is now permanently open. Old requests have been purged, save for those which have remained unanswered. Due to the long wait on these requests, they will be granted free of charge as a good-will gesture and thank you for your patience. The Boardwalk is also now permanently available, and will be added to the map on the residences page as soon as possible.

We are working on having some chunks of background/metaplot information straightened out in time for the new year, including information on the NPCs, game setting and overall 'story'. We hope that you will stick with us, and don't be shy in offering up any ideas that you might have that we could use to improve the game! Remember, if you have thought of it, the chances are that someone else has too. Let us know <3