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The End

It's often said that nothing can last forever. And it's certainly true here.

When I joined this game over four years ago, I did not anticipate the vast history I would be becoming part of, nor that I would be closing the book on that history myself. As of today, Paradisa is a game that is 9 years old, with a combined total of 63,473 posts and countless numbers of characters and players. Over this time, Paradisa has been host to epic journeys, great battles, horrific nightmares, enduring friendships and romances, complete absurdity. The very fabric of this game has been written in the idea of loss and what people can do to overcome it, but also in the idea of endless possibilities. I'd like to thank each and every person who has been a part of this game, and especially to the mods and helpers who have helped shape the rich history and lore these stories have been built on.

Just because the game is ending doesn't mean these stories will end. The tales of the past will endure in the hearts of the people who wrote them, just as the story of the castle will continue, whether or not anyone is actually around to write it.

AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2015, PARADISA IS CLOSED

Final Gifts

On the 24th, residents may return to Paradisa, via this log.

Today, on the 25th, residents will wake to find their castle gifts, if they have any, as well as the mysterious and unique key each person will achieve. In their room will be a personalized door the only the key may open. Unlocking it will reveal a scene from their own world, as if it were just a step away. Because it is.

Only the person with they key can open their own door, but any number of people may step through it, if they wish. Beware, though. It's a one way trip, and memories will still be lost on the other side. But when and if you want to go back is entirely your choice, which is truly the gift Paradisa is giving to it's own.

Feel free to use this post to share what gifts they receive and what they'll be doing with their key? Will they stay forever? Will they stay just long enough to stay goodbye? Will they follow their friends to their own world? The end of their story is yours to shape.

Welcome to Cair Solemme

Reminder that the second plot log is up and going HERE.

In short, someone from the castle arrives to warn the residents that they're in trouble. They may follow him or stick it out, but they'll have to deal with the White Walkers and their minions following the snowstorm. Yep.

So, lacking much in weapons and powers, it's probably best to follow the man to the castle where it's safe. Or not.

Finally, characters are invited to stay in Cair Solemme, which they will do for the night and today, the 23rd. The residents range from standoffish to borderline hostile if approached, excepting your guide. Of note, powers are returned to full strength inside the castle walls.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here

Entry tags:

intro

+1 death fangirl

Hi guys! I'm Kae, some of you probably remember me from like... way back last year or thereabouts. I decided to take y'all up on the coming-back-for-endgame thing, so Aradia is returning for one last Christmas. She'll have her memories from her previous stay, but she's also been canon-updated, so to her it's been three years since she was here. Please bear with me her if any details get mixed up or forgot!

Looking forward to playing with you guys again, even if it's only for a short time ♥♥♥

Winter is Coming - Plot Start

As if to ring in the height of the winter season, residents will wake up to find themselves whisked away from the castle yet again. Characters will find themselves in a rustic winter village, surrounded by snowdrifts and deep pine forests, somewhere in the midst of mountains. The village itself is a smaller, less developed version of the City Royale, and shows signs of inhabitants that have long since abandoned the area. Despite this, there are sparse decorations like that of the castle lining the streets and winding among the living pine trees. It's all very quaint and picturesque, like a greeting card or a Thomas Kincade painting. But when the novelty wears off, characters will realize they're on their own here.

How do they survive?

1. Characters will arrive dressed in one outfit of heavy winter clothing.
2. The empty cabins and homes are still stocked with everyday items from clothes and beds, to cooking gear, to tools. However, there are no proper weapons to be found.
3. Pantries and stores like the abandoned general store will still have scattered stores of dried food goods.
4. The woods are plentiful with game...if you can find a way to hunt them.

Also, please remember:

- Powers are severely weakened. For example, a person capable of casting a fireball would at most be able to light a candle. People with immortal immunities will have those only function at a fraction, meaning a slight resistance.
- The kissmas decorations are still present and active during this part of the plot.

A log for the first day is up HERE, after which characters are free to make their own posts or logs for day to day living in the Christmas village.

A second log will go up on the 22nd, and will involve the visitor, the snowstorm, and the stay in the castle the day after.

A third log will go up on the 24th for the journey back to the castle.

Entry tags:

loss

One last loss / Paraversary!

This month marks two years in the castle for Rise! Between that and the probably-insane amount of wishing she's done for new clothes and shoes and bath products, the castle's dropping one last loss on her before her actual Paraversary hits towards the end of the month (and the game ;~;).

Backdated somewhat to the 5th, Rise will spend a few days deaged to around five or six years old. Unlike last time, this will be a mental and physical change - she'll still have her castle memories, but they'll be altered to make her believe she's always been that age. This means instead of her super friendly and outgoing teen self, she'll be a super awkward and shy little girl, and quite probably terrified of anyone she's not already friends with. She'll open up a little more with her friends, though! (So she can still be perky and cute and potentially a brat to Conan, etc.)

Following this, on the 9th, she'll be going in the opposite direction: aging up to her mid-twenties for a few days. This time, she'll believe she'd been sent back home for all those years, where she's successfully made her comeback as an idol and transitioned to a career acting in films as she grew older. Following her character growth from shy little girl to outgoing but uncertain teen, adult Rise will practically ooze confidence. Be afraid, be very afraid...

There'll be an open log for both losses and Kissmas shenanigans as soon as I can write it out! If anyone wants to plot anything specific out, let me know here or contact me via PM or Plurk @

purpleminiskirts! Whether we already have CR or not, let's do all the things~!

What better time of year for the pitter patter of little feet?

Perhaps the Castle is annoyed at Thranduil for trying to dodge the poinsettias by just staying outside, or maybe he wished for something or maybe it was just bored, but one way or another, starting tomorrow he's being turned into a kid for the next week or so.

He's from before the fall of Doriath (you're welcome, Galadriel) which for those people who don't speak Tolkien basically translates to 'literally everything is not literally the worst thing yet', and is gonna be pretty young. He is also not going to be a prince and is going to be deeply confused when people tell him he's going to be a king, because excuse me no the king is Thingol, and where exactly is this Mirkwood?

Have fun keeping track of your dad, Legolas. And have fun convincing him of who you are.

Entry tags:

mod post

Regarding Apps and Endgame

Just a quick additional note on some adjustments to policy for the final month. After being approached with the idea, I've decided to allow former players/characters to re-join the game without applying during this period. Meaning, if you had a character in game before, you can re-join the game during the month of December without submitting an application. Additional losses will not be necessary in the case of returning with memories, but old losses will be retained. All you need to do is comment to the new character page before requesting to join, so I can recognize the character account.

Any new characters or players must still apply, though I will try to make the process as quick as possible for interested parties.

If you have any questions, ask it here or send me a private message.

Hello, Paradisa!

It's your friend Kraks, here with a resident from times past; Noble Two (aka Kat-320) hails from Halo: Reach! Her Loss is the HUD features in her armor; essentially, she'll be playing with the 'Blind' skull on, for those familiar with Halo. ;)

I can be reached on Plurk @ krakatau easiest!

December Event Schedule

On the first day of the month, the castle will undertake its usual winter transformation. Instead of a thick blanket of white, the landscape will enjoy a light dusting of snow, and the snowfall will be a constant but slight throughout the month. Despite this, the snow itself will never get any deeper than an inch or two.

Inside, the castle will decorate with usual fervor, though somewhat more classy with fresh pine wreaths and a huge tree in the lobby, all of which are trimmed with sparkling red ornaments, golden bows, and poinsettia.

KISSMAS | December 1st – 25th

In observance of tradition, the castle will again encourage residents to get friendly. The culprits this year? All that poinsettia in the decorations, of course. They can be found in the decorations, in pots in your rooms, and in giant lighted topiaries lining the road towards town.

WINTER IS COMING | December 10th – 24th

Residents will wake to find they are no longer in the castle but in a rustic village surrounded by woods, though some of the holidays decorations will seem to have popped up to decorate the living trees and streets. Until the 22nd, residents will have to survive mostly on their own, living on what seem to have been left behind or hunting. Powers will be present but significantly weakened. On the 22nd, a mysterious stranger will come upon them at the head of a snowstorm. He will warn that monsters are arriving that they have no capability to fight, and will lead them through a mountain pass to the castle on the other side. One of the other five castles. Over the next two days the castle will be besieged. The residents of this new castle, driven to fear and paranoia by their castle, will be convinced to follow the Paradisa residents through the Insolitus door to the castle on the 24th.

FINAL GIFTS | December 25th - ?

Residents will wake to find two gifts from the castle. First, residents may receive, at player choice, one personal gift. As usual, this can be nearly anything that is no larger than a motorcycle. Secondly, each resident will find an elaborate key, tied with a bow. Along with the key is a door inside their room. In gratitude for bringing it new blood, the castle will grant everyone still remaining a chance to return home of their own free will. The key will open a door that will allow them passage to their home. Only their key will open their door, and the door will remain until used. The door only works one way, and the rules for returning home still apply.

Will they stay forever? For just a while longer before parting ways? Or will they step through immediately and return to their lives? The choice is yours to make.

Entry tags:

mod post

The end begins

When I proposed the future of the game three months ago, I set the plots that followed as a test of how the game was going to do with the metaplot and players remaining. A test, I believe, that we’ve failed. While Paradisa as a whole is still full of wonderful, talented, dedicated people, it’s become apparent that it cannot sustain. Both regular plots and the metaplot have little chance of progressing when our speed is what it is, and I see now that I cannot make Paradisa be the game I wanted, or really let its plot develop as its history and lore deserve. While this isn’t an easy choice to make, especially considering how certain I was in the beginning of what I could do to make Paradisa into something better, I feel now that it’s the right choice.

Accordingly, December will be the last official month for Paradisa. I’ve set up a plot schedule (to follow), that should allow some manner of closure for the characters, and in the end how you leave the castle will be your story to write. In light of this, all activity requirements are henceforth suspended.

On January 1st, 2015, Paradisa will close forever.

A more fitting farewell message will come at that time, although maybe there’s little that can be said to do justice to all the memories and history.

Thank you all, in the meantime, for being a part of the journey.

Hiatus

Just letting everyone know that won't be around much for the next week or so. I'm headed out of town tomorrow for the holiday and won't be back till Sunday.

Entry tags:

expedition

Mineas Well + A bonus event!

The main log for the expedition has been posted, HERE.

As usual, this is free for backtagging. The major things the expedition will have discovered is that, perhaps unsurprisingly, Flora and Goldfleck appear to be long gone, the tree itself is dead or dormant, and she had maps that indicated the location of the remaining castles.

There may be more to discover as things are played out, but feel free to ask questions here!

The expedition group itself will officiall return on the 22nd.

Secondly, while the expedition group is gone, the castle will get a visitor.

A single ghostly turkey.

It will wander around the castle starting today and won't disappear until Thanksgiving Day. Note that is completely peaceful, if not a bit noisy, unless you eat any turkey. It will chase anyone that does, though it can't actually hurt you. The ghost turkey is free to be NPC'd at your leisure.

+1 Elvenking. Again.

Hi guys! Remember me?

I am back with Thranduil, the fabulous king of Mirkwood and Legolas's dad because apparently I couldn't stay away forever. This time around, in addition to the loss of his wedding ring, he has lost that magic elvish immune system of his, leaving him able to actually get sick. In the interest of him not dying immediately of like a cold or smallpox or something he's gonna be getting a basic immune system in return, but this shall not protect him forever.

As with last time, you can reach me at

emeralddarkness or ceruleangarnet @ aim, or pming me if you need to!

Entry tags:

Reminders and Mineas Well

Two things, Paradisans!

First, a reminder about our AC policy. Paradisa, as of now, officially operates on Eastern Standard Time. Please take care, especially in regards to last minute posts, that your posts or comments are actually dated before the end of the AC period. Furthermore, the AC period is from the first of a given month to the last day of that month. All posts and comments must be dated during this window.

A poll regarding a potential change of game timezone will go up next month, but in the meantime, observance of this policy is appreciated.

Secondly, the Mineas Well expedition is official underway as of today. There will only be ONE official log for this event posted near the middle of the trip, somewhere around November 17th. If you would like to post any traveling/camping logs or posts during that time, you are more than welcome to do so. Additionally, the paradisabeyond comm was created for expeditions like this, but was done so with the mindset that expedition logs would distract from activity from those not participating. I feel this is not a factor at this juncture, so the paradisabeyond community will not be utilized for this plot.

Entry tags:

activity check

SWEPT FOR OCTOBER

SWEPT
The following characters have been swept for failing to make activity check in the month of October. Please post here if there are any errors or comments.

Tex

Entry tags:

hiatus

Hiatus

Whoops. I thought I had posted this, but as the title says, it's hiatus time!

My hiatus actually started when NaNoWriMo did and will last for the entire month.

Sheena's not going to be knocked out or turned into a statue, but she will be unavailable for the most part as she'll be making sure that Lloyd's house is ready for the upcoming cold weather. So, she and her menagerie will be staying out there for the time being, and she may or may not respond to her journal.

But, if anyone needs her for anything, PM me and we can work something out. :)

Entry tags:

activity check

ACTIVITY CHECK -- ADDITIONAL THREADS FOR OCTOBER

The following characters require additional threads and/or logs to fulfill activity criteria for October. The hiatus post was cleared of any expired hiatus dates, so any of the individuals who were on a valid hiatus during the month of October should not find their characters here. All the terms for activity requirements are detailed here.

Keep in mind that if you do not comment on the hiatus post or let a mod know, your hiatus does not count. It is your responsibility to comment on the hiatus post. Making a hiatus note on the OOC comm does not count.

If you spot any mistakes or dropped characters, please let us know.

You have until November 8th to comment with additional threads from the month of September. Those who do not supply any or sufficient additional threads will be moved to the sweep list.

~~Anna Kushina~~
~~Conan Edogawa~~
~~Dairine Callahan~~
~~Danny Fenton~~
~~Duke Pantarei~~
~~Felix Harrowgate~~
~~Galadriel~~
~~Howl~~
~~London Tipton~~
~~Nita Callahan~~
~~Pitch Black~~
~~Sheena Fujibayashi~~
Tex
~~Wade Welles~~
~~Will Stanton~~

Two Proofs for November
Conan Edogawa
Howl
Nita Callahan
Will Stanton

Dropped

Entry tags:

plot: something wicked

Plot Start

The carnival has arrived. The initial log for the first four days is now up in the log comm HERE.

As mentioned, there are a variety of npcs to interact with including the enigmatic owner Mr. Dark, some of which are occupants of the Dead Zone, including, for those who remember the Terre Haute expedition, a lone collector. If you have any questions about the carnival including specifics about the attractions, the freaks, or anything else, please feel free to PM this account or ask me here.

The following characters will be ensnared by the carnival on the morning of the listed day and will appear as part of the carnival thereafter:

Danny Phantom - Oct 27th
London Tipton - Oct 28th
Rise Kujikawa - Oct 29th

Please rest assured that NPC comments may be slow in coming, but they WILL come. Your patience is loved and appreciated.

And most of all, have fun!

Entry tags:

ashura,
loss

Small Loss!

Heyo!

So, Ashura hasn't been on a non-death induced loss in awhile, so I decided to do a mini-one before the plot starts on the 26th! Ashura will be a merman for a few days! He'll be gifted with a fabulous tail with orange and red scales, and live in the castle pool!

Come and keep him company - he promises to save you if you start floundering.