The Sleeping Pill

[Jules]

OOC: This is the plot we've come up with so far. Since not everyone was involved in the brainstorming, feel free to suggest anything, changes, additions, whatever. Maybe you need clarification? Ask! If you want to change something about "The List" below (explained in the plot), it's completely up to you.

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The world has changed. Things get smaller, more efficient, faster, and humans struggle to keep up. The drug company Dekwic has proffered a solution to the desperate masses. Little did they know what an effect it would have.

A little blue pill, no bigger than the fingernail on your pinky, take one and all you need is one hour of sleep. It allows people to forgo stages of sleep, putting a person directly into REM within seconds of consumption. Slowly, it’s popularity spread until everyone was taking them. They stimulate a pleasant dream, forcing it on the occupants. People passively accept this, but there’s another population who can’t lie down and accept this.

They’re starving. Nightmares and Dreams, unless powerful enough (see list), cannot break into the subconscious mind of the mortal anymore. Suddenly, too suddenly, a wall has been erected between the majority of the Isle of Morpheus’s population and their primary source of nutrients. Everyone will be affected. Those strong enough to break through the stimulated-dream caused by that pill have the power to help.

But will they? There is clearly room to benefit here. Feed yourself and then sell the extra joy or fear at outrageous prices. There will be riots, there will be protests. And there will be a schism. Those who are being fed but not able to feed themselves will be looked down upon by those still starving.

But one, unexpected and overlooked group will keep their wits about them. Marelocks have long been a third wheel to what for so long was a world divided in precise-halves. Most of them blend into either Nightmare or Dream society (i.e the Ira family is of mixed blood, but clearly are all Nightmares). But some don’t take a distinct side, and they are tired of sticking out, of not having a place of their own. The famine has granted them the opportunity, since they don't feed on Fear or Joy, but simple human emotion. The Simulated Dream does not affect their gathering of this.

They decide to gather the foremost scientifically inclined minds they can find and set about working on a way to create fake fear and joy, which they hope to use to ingratiate themselves into the society. Most of them have a mind turned only to peace and resolution, but some are more bitter than others…

What will happen? Where does you fall? Can you support yourself? Do you need help? Are you willing to share? Or are you looking to make a profit? When riots break out, and people begin selling survival for astronomical fees, how will you keep your head above the water?



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THE LIST
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Powerful enough to break through Simulated Dream:

• Alexander
• Jack
• Johnny*
• Vince
• Simon*
• Iseabail
• Mary
• Henrietta
• Calcifer
• Samantha
• Mercedes
• Seth
• Gavin*
• Camilla

**They are powerful enough to break through the Simulated Dream, but cannot provide for others. What they can gather is barely enough for themselves.

[redtopaz]

Very nice, dear! I like it : )

Question: Can Marelocks gather both fear and joy or can they only survive without being able to 'gather' at all?

One idea I had (and noted on the discussion thread) is that these Dreams/Nightmares who can break through cause humans to hallucinate. Humanity fights back, seeking to destroy the dreamworld all together. This will likely be later in development if we go with it, but I wanted to get it out there as a suggestion.

I'm going to try and be very clear with how I think my charries will react.

Mercedes: Can break through the 'wall' and gather food. She immediately tries to start a charity or 'soup kitchen', but is quickly exhausted working single handedly to supply two cities and the outlying countryside with fear. She can't even gather joy and has no means of supporting Dreams. Still, she views this as her civil and professional duty. To 'serve and protect', after all.

Nex: Bleeding heart that he is, tries to think of things he can do but isn't very useful. Tries to create a spell that will break through human subconscious or put humans to sleep. He's not very good at it, but he tries. He is in no immediate danger of starvation due to his Marelock nature.

Annie: Survives off her daughters 'harvest'. Gets first pick, too. Mercedes always puts family first. Annie doesn't seem inclined to do anything, as her babies and husband are cared for. Occasionally helps at 'soup kitchen'. Donates money to LOS, so Mercedes can take time off from her regular duties to focus on her 'food drive'.

Dren: Keeps to herself, as always. Cons suppliers out of food when she needs it. Maybe someone could persuade her to try and help with developing a solution...?

So, that's my bit. As a REMINDER, please try to be as explicit as possible to avoid confusion! If you have an idea, don't worry about being premature or pushy, go ahead and put it up! All of our ideas deserve consideration and if we open them up for discussion early on, we will have better luck controlling who is involved when. : )

[Jules]

Okay, for the Marelocks, I'm pretty sure this is how it works. Marelocks that had been granted a energy (something to scare or bring Joy as) obviously use Fear or Joy. But the ones who have not been assigned such an energy don't use Fear or Joy at all, but feed off human emotion.

I like you're idea about humans fighting back later on, but would they know about Nightmares and Dreams, or would they just be retaliating against the hallucinations without knowing what/who they were harming?

As for your characters, that's good. We talked about Dren being included in the group of scientists working for a cure. Just one thing, Mercedes would definitely not have to work alone. Quite a few of our Nightmare characters are probably going to share, and since there's only two Dreams who can share, we'd have to assume some are helping that exist, but aren't one of our characters, if you know what I mean. Although I do think a lot of characters will be feeding friends and family as a priority, as supposed to sharing with the masses. I know that Camilla will, for the Dreams, be working to feed everyone she can.

[redtopaz]

Great. So 'unaffiliated' Marelocks survive just fine during the time of 'the pill'. That's what I was after ^^. I still think Nex falls in that category.

As for Mercedes not working alone, that's great, too! If you could let us know which characters are going to be philanthropic and which are not, please do. For clarity's sake.

Since it's rather difficult for me to be on at regular times, could you please post most of what's discussed on MSN here so others can have some say in it? Thanks! : )

Oh! And the humans... I think it'd be kind of fun to have them start looking in to the cause for the Nightmares and happening upon Morpheus. Maybe only one discovers it and the rest of humanity thinks they're crazy, or maybe it becomes a public revelation. : ) Who knows?

[Cozy]

Gorgeous! I am so sorry that I've been out for so long, guys ;o; School was absolutely miserable this semester. Luckily! I am now on break, AND I have the easiest class load EVER for next semester (whoohoo for graduation!), so I am back!! I love you all and I missed you ;o; Molly gave me a heads up to this new stuff, I'm so excited! Hopefully you'll still have me? ::plead and love::

[Miss Jack]

Maggie-- I am so delighted to see you back! Of course we'll have you. And since no one can be on regularly, the plan is to take things slower.

Alex-- what we talked about on MSN is pretty much what Julia has already said. Born Dreams or Nightmares (or Marelocks) are GIVEN a fear or joy to sustain them. Alexander (part Dream, even) was given the fear of hell, which obviously directs his aura in a more Nightmare fashion.

Marelocks that are granted subconscious energies that remain ambiguous, as in, do not fall to either side, can survive on ambiguous emotions. The more pure (more Nightmare or Dream) your aura (DNA/make-up) is, the more pure your fear or joy needs to be to survive.

So the Marelocks that float in the middle can survive on human emotion that floats in the middle, which is basically everything.

Therefore, these Marelocks are not affected by the hunger issue because they can easily feed off the stimulated dreams. However, they can't exactly share what they're eating, unless it's with other Marelocks.

We didn't necessarily decide which characters would be philanthropic, as you say, or not. Though, we can clearly decide that now.

Alexander will of course be willing to help his family, and it's a big enough family, with enough friends, he'll probably be mostly helpful, though he's a far cry from the more charitable, selfless attitude of Mercedes.

Jack, naturally, is going to try and feed as many as he can because that's his responsibility as king. He's also going to keep tabs on Finola through Simon to see how the "cure" is coming along.

Samantha... well. She'll feed David. She might feel inclined to help if someone asks her personally, but mostly, someone will have to petition her to the cause, otherwise, she's not likely to be super helpful.

Vince isn't a super giving guy, but he is loyal and dutiful, so he'll help. He'll probably assist Mercedes in her soup kitchen, and give her a break with LOS duties.

Simon and Johnny would help, but they're not going to be providing any extra quantities of fear.

As for the human idea, I was actually thinking up a character...

A scientist that would study in depth WHY some of the stimulated dreams were failing. What was stopping them? And they would discover a type of life force present during the stages of dreams, not present when the humans are awake, etc.

Anyway, I think they could get involved with the Isle of Morpheus... in many ways. Mankind might think these discovering humans are at first nuts. And Nightmares and Dreams could find this human and threaten them to stop giving pills to certain humans, so their minds would be open to the less-strong Nightmares and Dreams, etc.

But we can work the human thing in midway-ish too...

ONE LAST THING.

If we're going to make this work, at least to a degree, I think everyone should make a point to post at least once a week. Is this reasonable for everyone?

[Jules]

I think the human thing is a neat idea, but it might be best for it to come later on, that way we can spin this plot out for even longer =D. Besides it would make more sense. If the pill wasn't working humans would look to find fault with the pill, or the minds of the people it isn't working on. But then, when the Scientists on the Isle find the cure, all the pills will suddenly start working again, won't they? For no reason whatsoever (for the humans, at least). This could be when people decide to investigate.

Maggie, it's great to have you baaack <3


ALSO for my characters

Camilla- will, like Mercedes, work herself to the bone, trying to help with the cure, feed as many as she can and advertise the hospital as a place to get Joy.

Mary- will put her family first, but will definitely help at the soup kitchen once she's sure her family is fed.

Calcifer- will be selling it for ridiculous fees to rich Nightmares from the S&N

David- will be leeching off Samantha and probably keeping away from the general masses.

Marie- poor thing will probably be reduced to going to the soup kitchen.

Zizzy- She'll have to be fed as well, and won't really be up to helping others.


And I can definitely post once a week, no problem.

[Cozy]

I'm definitely up for at least once a week! No prob

As for my characters, poor little Carter is most certainly not able to pull himself through, and will most definitely need help. Mikhail isn't exactly a bastion of power, either, but has money and friends where his abilities fail! (I imagine he'll be sponging desperately off Samantha, if she'll allow it!)

[Princess Katie]

Geez. None of mine made the list! Sucks to be them.

Okay. Here we go.

Finola's going to put all of her energy into trying to find a cure. She's a Marelock, so she'll be a-okay in the food situation.

Bleeding-heart Genevieve is of course going to help the best she can, but she's bringing no fear to the table, so she'll essentially be volunteering at the 'soup kitchens'. She's in no danger of starving, but she might break down a little when she realizes all her animals are gonna starve.

Cherry's gonna get in on selling it with Calcifer. I'm sure they'll be well-fed and quite content. Scammers.

Illie will want to help, of course, but she and Nellie are kinda screwed since they're the only Dreams in a family of Nightmares. I imagine they'd have to go to the Good Hope.

Pia will feel obliged to help, being Queen and all, but I really can't see her getting too much into the spirit. It'll mostly be to keep people from hating on her. She remembers the French Revolution.

I can handle once a week. I'll be back to very-active-if-very-slow in probably a week, so no worries. If anyone wants any of my characters for anything, PM me! <: Haygurlhay!

AND UNRELATED,
Hi Maggie!

[Maestro]

First off, WELCOME BACK EVERYONE! *throws confetti!*

I can definitely post at least once a week! Depending on my schedule, it will probably be more than once! ^^

Anyway, I just realized that we are ALL forgetting that October is Red's now! Which is sad!

Hey, Red, I have a suggestion. Annie basically runs the Opera House, so I figured I should sort of direct this comment to you, haha. Aaaanyway. I was thinking that maybe the Opera House could have charity concerts and things but people would donate fear and/or joy if they can and then that could also help Mercedes' soup kitchen.

Iseabail -- Will help Mercedes take care of the de Zorro family and then the rest of the Opera company, I should think! If she has any left over from that, she'll also help Merdedes' efforts with the "fear kitchen" thing.

Bela -- Will be HIGHLY annoyed at not being able to provide for herself and will put off relying on other people for as long as possible. Which probably means she'll be starving for a bit.

Miguel -- He'll be happy that his family is being fed and will do what he can to help. In fact (being Miguel), he'll probably build Mercedes a place to host her food drive.

Jekyll/Hyde -- He will be working on manufacturing artificial fear AND joy.

Aaaand I've got another character in the works. Muahahahaha! *cough* Not sure why the evil laugh was needed, but it seemed appropriate.

[Miss Jack]

Honey, you know Samantha would definitely help him out, but isn't he a Nightmare? But perhaps she can hook him up some other way.


And okay.



Can we start already? DD:

[redtopaz]

Haha! Whoops! Poor October.

And yes, we can! : ) Who goes first?

Soo...

October (belatedly): Will try and help organize food drives for Dreams and Nightmares. She's got a head for planning, so she'll probably try and figure out a distribution system. Plus, she could be an assistant to anyone working on the cure.

[Cozy]

Whoops! I realized that some time yesterday and went "Hurh, she's totally a Dream." Oh well! Attaining food through money and sex it is! >:3

[demitri]

o.o this idea is really great