Site-wide plot idea: virus

[Rhindeer]

Just an idea that's been floating around in my head for a year or so...I don't have it all worked out at all, just a basic idea, but if a lot of people are interested, we can all work out the details together of course! ^_~

Okay, the idea:

Say a group of Connlaothian researchers happened to somehow develop a virus that targeted possessors of magic. The virus could act like a flu, not showing actual symptoms until about two weeks after being contracted (from my research on viruses, viruses tend to be the most contagious in that period of time before there are actual symptoms) which, of course, allows plenty of time for it to spread. Symptoms and all that can be bad...survivable if you're really tough, but especially harsh on the weaker and younger, and mortality rates can be high or moderate...again, this can all be hashed out. XD And of course no one has to kill off their PCs unless they want to, though there can be lotsa NPC death!

Anyway, this sort of plot is the type that could unite the whole of the site, even the remote reaches of the world, like the isles (for instance, if an infected person travels abroad...since signs wouldn't start showing until later, it would be easy to infect such areas). Yet, at the same time, those who aren't interested in a site-wide plot can easily avoid involvement. ^_^ Just stick to your own plots and don't go around sick people! XD

I can see a lot of different possibilities and side-plots and the like spawning as a result...even international drama and suspicion and the like (I doubt Connlaoth would be very open about any involvement XD).

Heck, for a twist it doesn't even have to be Connlaoth that is the source of the issue, but Connlaoth could be a scapegoat. That's an idea of course, though!

Aaand...I'm rambling.

Anyway, this would by no means be an insta-plot. There would of course be lots of preparation time before the virus was developed/released, and then of course a period of time before any effects would actually start showing. All the details need to be worked out, as well, like how it would be created, who would do it, what the effects would be...

And then of course there would be all the plots involving how to solve the issue...

Just an idea!

Ideas? Comments? like? No like?

Discuss!

[Anonymous]

Of course, viruses mutate, which would probably be even more like in hosts with magical abilties... so in the end, it might not just be the magic users who have to afraid.  Sounds like fun.

[Anonymous]

sounds good. actually we could make it so that Necro-whatever spread it in an effort to get rid of teh rest of teh nations. necromancers do deal with infections from time to time.

[Anonymous]

I was hoping you'd say something like this, since you mentioned it as an example of site-wide plot.  I'm thrilled with the idea and would be willing to help in any way I can (even if it's just sit back and enjoy the ride).

[Anonymous]

Heh cool that sounds great and man why did I make Randuil a mage >_<  heh I gues it is just more fun for me to act sick and stuff *shrug*

[Rhindeer]

Whoaaa...I like the idea of it mutating in magic-users. It also brought to mind a really weird and random image of some really bizarre side-effects occuring in hosts with magical abilities. XDD Ahem, anyway! Yeah, that's definitely an idea, for there to be mutations down the road! That could be really interesting...bwahah...

Yay, looks like so far people are interested. ^__^ Randuil, you don't have to have your character get ill if you don't want to! XD Personally, I think I'll have fun making some of my charries sick if this goes through, bwahaha.

Hmm...Necromantia...I don't think they'd intentionally make a virus like this. Lots of Necromantians are mages themselves, so they'd have to have a deathwish to do that! *coughs* Okay...somewhat bad pun...the Necromantians' religion is based on Death and suicide is accepted, but...I don't think they'd want to wipe out their own population!

The way I see it, it'd probably have to come about as an accident (experiment gone wrong or something like that) or intentionally. Connlaoth, for instance, dislikes mages and magic in general. However, I don't know what Nightcandle's plans are (she's in charge of the kingdom! XD) so I was thinking it could be something unrelated to any of the kingdoms. Perhaps some people/group of people...terrorists or something...were responsible? Again, in this case if the group was low key, there's a LOT of potential for there to be a lot of scapegoating going on! Chances are, Connlaoth might be the first to be blamed! Or even Necromantia since Necromancers have a reputation for dealing with viruses. Or Adela for some other reason, and Serendipity for another. There's a lot of potential here for a bunch of "blame games" and turmoil!

So, first things first! I guess the stuff that needs to be worked out if we do this plot (and, mind...imput and help by anyone and everyone is wanted! Everyone that wants to be can be involved in some way ^_~) is the following:

1. What should the effects of the initial virus be? What kinds of symptoms would you like to see?
2. Who is responsible?

[Anonymous]

i love site-wide plots of any kind, so naturally im digging this idea.  the only problem i can see is how anyone would have the ability to create the virus.  keep in mind that, in a medieval time period, few if any people at all would even know how illness is spread, let alone being able to manipulate viruses.  almost everyone at that kind of era would think illness is a punishment of the god(s), and leave it at that.  i agree that connlaoth would be the most likely place for such an attack on magic users would come from, but the people i could even remotely see being able to create the virus would be some sort of alchemists, which also happen to use magic.  the true culprits would have to be some other organization wanting to unleash the disease, and then blame it on connlaoth, most likely to start a war between the kingdoms.  now, i know that vharzyym has become a four letter word to some of you, but it is one of if not the only organization i can think of that's in existence that would really have the means (again, possibly, maybe) and the motive to release this kind of epidemic.  

well, those are my thoughts on the subject...

             -David

[Rhindeer]

Indeed, that was one problem that had occured to me...HOW it would be brought into existence. XD

If a "terrorist" group of mages brought it about, they'd have to be careful so it didn't backfire on themselves. If they are extremist, I could see a member (or a few members) sacrificing themselves by going waaay out away from the group and injecting themselves with it, then walking into a busy village. Something like that that would keep the main group relatively safe.

Technology, though, is indeed the main issue...of course, there are always creative ways to get around that! XD

Now drow...they are technologically advanced, yes? And would have both the means and motive to commit this type of act? I would be willing to work with Vharzyym on this type of plot. What's everyone else think?

Just remember this plot would be everyone's plot, a joint effort. ^_~

[Anonymous]

yes, i believe that if anyone could pull the virus thing off it would be vharzyym.  one, they are proficient in the use of poisons, using them in many of their weapons, as well as to get rid of political rivals.  two, the drow are children of darkness and evil, death causing disease would definately be right up their alley.  three, vharzyym has mages/alchemists that would be as close as capable of doing this as anyone could be.  and finally, vharzyym (and by extention myself and josh, being war junkies) has the most to gain from destroying what semblence of peace and trust there is between the kingdoms, as well as members willing to sacrifice themselves to the cause.


and just so everyone knows, even though vharzyym is mine and josh's little pet project, it will always be of service to anybody who needs a bad guy.  all you have to do is ask (and sometimes not even that!  :D )

[Rhindeer]

Alrighty, then! In that case, we just need to wait for more feedback, and then we can all start hashing out details! ^_~ I can definitely see this as being a fun plot for everyone involved! ^__^

Anyway, in the meantime, now that we have a potential cause...any ideas for some of the effects the virus could have in its hosts?

[Anonymous]

one idea is that the effects could be mostly just really bad flu symptoms or something, like having those infected have their throats swell up and become raw, then start spewing out their guts, and maybe get some nasty skin irritation or boils or something, ane then also have their magical abilities get all screwed up.  like in the early stages, the magic would just like stop working randomly, and gradually, the periods of no-magic would become more and more frequent, and also have magic start to just start acting up randomly and injuring the diseased person, as well as those near them.

i dont know if that made much sense or not.  i was just kind of rambling on, but that's an idea...

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, sounds interesting. I quite like the idea of the virus mutating with exposure to so much magic. I think an interesting symptom would be a mage's power going out of control, they'd just randomly start casting spells unintentionally. Or it could just stop their magic from working, but that's not terribly exciting. Mutations of the magic user could be interesting too.

[Rhindeer]

Ooo! That made perfect sense! Severe flu symptoms + possible skin irritations + erratic magic side-effects. Indeed, I like. <3 If that wouldn't cause panic, I don't know what would!

[Rhindeer]

Mutations of the magic user could be interesting too.

XD That was one of the random images I got in my head. I bet that virus would wreak absolute havoc on a shape-shifter. Ahahah!

[Anonymous]

an interesting kind of side-plot could be when mutations actually changed beings entirely.  

if any of you guys are familiar with the underworld movie (soon to be movies.  one more week baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), the whole race of vampires, as well as lycans is just the effects of mutations from the plague that ravaged middle-age europe.  a warlord named alexander corvinus somehow reacted uniquely with the plague, and his two sons were given the virus through their genes.  one was bitten by a bat, and the other by a wolf, and the two races were born.

in a couple of rare cases, maybe something like that could happen.  it could spawn some interesting sub plots, and maybe change the outcome of the crises with the beings' actions.

(this is what happens when i look at the underworld evolution web site. lol)

[Anonymous]

I'd be interested in seeing it be a little more random with effects on magic; spells backfiring is always amusing, or producing as side-effects to the disease side-effects to magic use (making a magic user "allergic" to their own arts).  Or maybe I'm failing to understand something?  Meh.

[Anonymous]

yeah.  crazy stuff happening with people's magic is  definitaly a must.  it would be interesting to see the different effects on different types of magic users.

[Rhindeer]

I concur! I'd LOVE seeing how magic reacts during the course of the virus. I think it'd be great to play out the effects of magic backfiring, or magic just plain going haywire, or magic producing a result COMPLETELY contrary to what was desired! Or magic-casters indeed becoming allergic to their own magic. There are a TON of things that could be done with that, and I think that would be awesome to play out!

I think the actual mutation part could definitely be a possible side-effect, if a rarer one. ^__^

I love Underworld, too, btw. XD

[Anonymous]

so... it is decided?  are we definitely doing the virus thing?  what i put in my next few posts is gonna depend on if we're doing it or not.

[Rhindeer]

At this point, I'm pretty certain that it's gonna happen given the responses received thus far! Of course, to be safe, I say we should wait until tomorrow to get a bit more input and stuff!