[FIELD CLASS] The Theory of Existential Crisis | WRAP PG3!

[Dragain]

"Just now, one of your classmates-" As he spoke, he gestured briefly to Siddie, "-asked if Nians were more than minipets in the past, and the answer is yes. In fact, there are still non-minipet Nians around. After all, there is more than one way for people to be born into Halloween - for example, by combining the Fears of two to three parties at the pumpkin patch. Most of us with parents were brought to Halloween that way."

As to how exactly, he would just... Leave that to Nurse Cricket to explain.

"However, there are also many people in Halloween without parents. They could be ghosts or undead brought to Halloween by a reaper, or were simply spontaneously born from a huge amount of intense Fear. The key words here are intense and huge amount. In fact, all of us had an ancestor who was born through the latter, as the origin of Halloween is Fear itself. The Theory of Existential Crisis states that if your breed loses the power or potential to scare humans, later generations of humans will grow to fear your breed less and less... Making it rare for your breed to be spontaneously born in Halloween," He paused, allowing time for the small group of students to digest what he was trying to explain, since it was a relatively difficult concept to grasp, "It doesn't mean that you'll die out, just that you will have to use the alternative method to bring in fresh blood. Some theorists argue that in the long run, the population might end up being less diverse, and like to label these breeds as being "endangered". However, in most cases, there will still be pockets of Fear from humans who still fear your breed or what you stand for, and that creates minipets, since they require a smaller amount of Fear to generate. So if you ever see minipets in the likeness of a particular breed or person, this is one theory as to why - small pockets of Fear."

Moving behind the table, he laid out five minipet food bowls, and lifted up a big bag of minipet fear candies.

"To further illustrate this point, and answer his-" He nodded once in Neithan's direction, "-question, let's say the fear candy in this bag represent the Fear of one human, and filling each bowl to the brim with food would result in one Nian-person being born into Halloween. Centuries ago, Nians generated, let's say, six scoops of Fear at one go, as they attacked villages around the same time."

He scooped out the fear candies, and managed to fill up three and a half bowls.

"These three bowls are filled to the brim, so three Nian-persons would be born into Halloween. This fourth bowl is only half filled, so it would generate a few Nian-minipets," He scanned the student's faces, and after he was sure that they had seen the bowls, proceeded to pour the fear candies back into the bag, "After humans found out the Nian's weaknesses, and made it a tradition to "scare" it away, they were no longer frightened of it. So, nowadays, Nians might generate about... Two scoops of Fear. However, since they could no longer attack the villages at the same time, this Fear might be sporadic Fear from human scarelings who had been told that the Nian would eat them if they leave the house on the night Nians historically attacked villages."

Like before, he scooped out fear candies from the bag. This time, instead of filling one bowl before moving to the next, he distributed them, resulting in four bowls being about half-filled.

"Because the Fear is not intense or a huge amount from a large population of humans, it results in pockets of Fear, unable to fill even a single bowl at one go. So what usually happens is that minipets are generated - and as we all know, no matter how much certain minipets might resemble certain breeds, minipets are minipets, and people are people," He gently shook one of the bowls before addressing Siddie, "Good observation. Did everyone catch that? Applying the same principles, one of your ancestors was born from an intense or large amount of Fear, probably from humans' primal fear of the dark, or of shifting shadows in the dark of night. Nowadays, although humans had invented ways to light the darkness, that primal fear is still in them - however, it is no longer as intensive or widespread as before. Thus, over a period of time, more shadow-minipets than shadow-persons might be created."

He poured all the fear candies back into the bag before tying up the opening, "Of course, that is all a theory. I subscribe to this theory, and had been refining the processes supposedly involved. I'm sharing this theory with you as I see it as important. You could be future change agents or researchers. Figure out a way to pull pockets of Fear together to become a huge amount of Fear, or improve the way your people scare humans. Maybe even join the school as a professor, and impart your own beliefs to your students... For now, you are free to leave, or stay and ask questions. I'll try my best to answer."

And he managed to keep his usual poker face on throughout.

OOC INSTRUCTION

TL;DR
The Theory of Existential Crisis is basically this:
-- Intense/HUGE amounts of Fear = A person being generated in Halloween
-- Small pockets/Sporadic Fear = Not enough Fear to generate a person, minipets are generated instead
-- Some theorists argue that breeds/species affected by this are endangered (the Nian being an example here)

You get...
+2 points for participating in a GM class
+1 extra if you go over 800 words
--> The maximum number of points you can get is 3!

-- Sorry for the wall of text! I got a little excited/carried away because I loved all your responses. :'DD
-- Leave your minipet sn at the bottom of your "wrap up" post. I'll... Figure something to send later. /terrible  

[phantompanther13]

All this theory sounded interesting and all, she was created the pumpkin way, but her family had strong breeding. It was good to be from tradition.

Still a student Nain, she wanted to meat one of those. If there were one. the Minis were super cute in the mean time. She really wanted to keep hers. But she knew mostly where scarlings came from, the theory was one she heard before.

Minis were more interesting.


SN: phantompanther13  

[iloveyouDIE]

Jil was actually interested in the theory and a small notepad was pulled from inside of her overcoat for the ghoul to jot down notes. She knew the dangers of falling out of FEAR, literally and figuratively, and only through creative reproduction had her colony been able to thrive. They didn't rely on power of bloodlines, but mere numbers and the strict control of who bred and when. There was no thought to love.. only need. They needed numbers. They needed new generations. So all were required to provide their FEAR to the next generation when situation called for it.

It only reinforced to her how important her role was. As the future leader of her people she must ensure that they stay populated, stay relevant. She did not want Beholders to go the way of Nians. Never did she want to see that her own people were 'endangered'.

Jil finally tucked her notepad away. She didn't have any questions so she only loitered long enough to peek once more under the dark covering and tease the Nian she'd caught.

[sn: iloveyoudie]  

[Smerdle]

The Nian's cage wiggled in his fingers as the creature struggled to escape even though subdued by black cloth. Brenley didn't notice. His attention was focused on Malcolm, his mind running through a million ways that he might use this new knowledge to further his research. He had never thought of minipets as anything more than mild, occasionally pretty irritants, but it seemed they shared the same sort of FEAR as the more self-aware beings of Halloween, at least on the most basic level. Maybe he had been on the right track when he'd fed Screech all of those plants just to see what they would do. At least he was no longer worried about de-evolving in the event that the humans grew less afraid of his kind. Bren shifted his weight, setting his cage at his feet. The boil cleared his throat. Okay, fine. He was mostly not worried about any of that.

Though he had a thousand questions about what he'd learned here today, now was not the time to ask them even though he'd been prompted to. Instead, he muttered a brief, "Thank you for the class," and took his leave.

sn: smerdle  

[Sable Eye Cerena]

Tansy's family was not in the habit of keeping or caring for minipets -- coming here to Amityville Academy had opened her eyes to the sheer variety of them, seeing how it wasn't uncommon for other students to wander around with their own menagerie of them. Tansy tried to remember if there was anything special about the minipets in her village, if she could see how they might have been more than piddly creatures... Or if there were even any that might have been Yule Cats, given a more immediate supply of Fear.

The Nian that she'd caught shifted in its cage, and the sudden movement broke her from her thoughts. Tansy pursed her lips and resisted the urge to lift the cloth and peer in at it -- the sudden change in light was bound to distress it even more. Tansy mumbled a very quiet 'thanks bye' and headed for the portal. She would need to stop and get some supplies if she was going to take care of it properly...

[sn: cerena]  

[Alicia Firestar]

Millie quietly took the lecture in and jotted down a few ideas in a notebook. Not real notes, just the ideas and concepts she found interesting -of particular note, ideas for future careers. She nodded to the professor and headed for the portal exit.

sn: Firestar  

[Kaefaux]

The theory was... an interesting one. His question answered, both by the other student, then expounded and elaborated to the brim by the professor, Neithan was lost to his own thoughts. He'd no concept where he came from--was it by a burst of FEAR, or pumpkin? In moments like this, the fact was a gritting, nagging one. It would be food for thought to address in the confines of his room to say the least.

Still, as he looked down to the Nian still grumping away under the dark cloth, he could see the use of such a theory. It was a warning and a tool. A reason to motivate for either end of the spectrum. How many other races were 'endangered'? Was his own? He was... curious. Huh. A reason to spend a bit more time in the library, it seemed. Giving a quick 'thank you' the balrog left, an almost energetic beat to his steps as he, indeed, headed right on towards the library. Not that he expected to find much, or really even knew exactly what he was even looking for. But for the moment, it was a goal and a purpose. He had new thoughts and a theory to ponder. Questions, perhaps even for a future.

[sn: kaefaux]
 

[prolixity]

Siddie nodded thoughtfully. The theory made total sense to her, and Professor Malcolm had confirmed her suspicions. The praise made her smile. She'd been right, and she'd been noticed. Her race was an old one, and mostly pumpkin-born now, but fear of the dark would never quite go away. He parents had taught her that she was a descendant of one of the oldest and most primal fears that humans had, and whatever else she thought about her family, she was still proud of that.

She peeked under the table at the cages. "Will you be releasing the Nians, Professor?" she asked. "Were they caught for the class, or is this a sanctuary for them specifically?"

Dragain

sry Malcolm she's very interested in minis <3

sn: prolixity  

[Dragain]

"I to-" Malcolm paused briefly, his brows furrowing, "-borrowed them from a Minipet Sanctuary out of town for the sake of research. I will be releasing the ones caught in class today, and probably round up the rest later." Or probably round up the rest with the exception of one or two; nobody would notice one or two missing Nians from such a huge Minipet Sanctuary. Besides, they would be much happier here, where there is lesser competition for food and shelter...

"Why do you ask?"

Prolixity

NEVER BE SORRY

 

[prolixity]

Siddie glanced around. The other students were leaving after dropping off their cages. She should probably just go on, but -- "Do you need any help with rounding the rest up?"

Dragain