Plot

[lucetimods]

You start off the game as what the locals refer to as a "New Feather." A bit of a clever term, coined by one of the residents and just picked up and carried by the others through word of mouth. You arrive with a little pair of miniature feathered wings on your back, which are more of a hassle than anything and usually ignored. Well, except for in the case of being injured or ripped off; then very bad things happen. So it's probably a good idea to take care of them.

Once you get settled, it's just a matter of trying to understand the situation; to the best of everyone's knowledge -disregarding any theories flying about- this world is called Luceti. There's a barrier that encircles the village and the adjoining desert, preventing further exploration beyond those boundaries. The groceries and all other stores are replenished seemingly through magical means; housing is free, everything is free. It's a pretty sweet deal; several of your fellow captives have even opened up shops of their own, to occupy their time or simply because they just like to do...whatever it is they're doing.

There are many different people and many diverse cultures you can spend your time getting to know. There are also the spirits -invisible, intangible manifestations of nature- to harness, so that you can perform elemental magic. The animals talk, although usually they don't provide very stimulating conversation. The library is chock full of books and scrolls containing information on the nature of Luceti and other worlds, homes of your fellow captives. For at least a week or so, your character should have plenty to do.

Well, and then there's the experiments; once or twice a month, very strange -sometimes ludicrous- occurrences will take place. People will change shape, change personality; the environment will warp drastically, a disease will spread, something out of the ordinary of Luceti will happen, whether it affects you directly or just your surroundings. Usually these changes are temporary; there are only very, very rare cases where people altered by these experiments or curses keep their new forms or frames of mind. When there aren't experiments, there are kidnappings; (seemingly) random abductions by their captors for individual study time. Usually those returned are left in a state far worse than when they'd been taken.

Definitely the bruise on the perfect apple, that. It's not an entirely hopeless situation, though; two traitors to the cause seem to have taken it upon themselves to "help" the people of Luceti. They call themselves John and Jacob. Whether or not anything good is coming of it has yet to be seen, but it's better than stagnation. Nothing could be worse than absolutely no change at all.

Not to mention there's just something odd about the whole set up; what's the point of the wings? Where did the Malnosso come from, who were the original Filial? There are no history books in the library to speak of, so that resource is out. People don't stay dead, but return with what's called a Death Penalty; something precious is taken in exchange for a second chance at life. Why? And what, precisely, is Shifting? Too many questions and not enough answers.

Or maybe someone simply hasn't asked the right questions.