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sticksandbones2023-12-01 09:16 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2023-12-01 09:16 am
EVENT 007
EBB AND FLOE
A WINTERFUL LIFE
cw: food scarcity
The December snows roll in heavy, and with it, the fear-monsters and little pranksters that harassed you all month disperse into black mist. Whether they were about to kill you, stalking you, or pulling your hair, as soon as the moon hits its zenith, the beasts are gone. The mists float harmlessly into the air, hopefully to never be seen again. Hopefully.
For now, you’re free. The Forest and the Creature within slumber, as the cold seeps into every corner of the confined space you reside in and beyond. No longer will the entities within the woods try to kill you just for putting a toe past the fog wall. No longer does anybody sense a lingering danger. Finally, the Grove is peaceful. You can only hope it’ll last.
Unfortunately, while no mysterious monsters are working to murder you in cold blood, nothing can be done about the river freezing over, cutting off access to fish, and nothing can be done about the General Store running out of meat. The river’s ice cannot be broken nor melted. The grasses and flowers have shrivelled under the extreme cold; the trees are twiggy and leafless. Mysteriously untouched are the gifts from the Guardians — the blackberry bush on the opposite side of the river and the apple tree on the bank near the school continue to fruit throughout the month. Remember to say “thank you” before you feast from what remains.
At the very least, the General Store has plenty of trail mix, vegetables, and crackers. It’ll be a difficult month — but so far, you’ve endured much worse. Surely a little hunger can’t kill you now?
The December snows roll in heavy, and with it, the fear-monsters and little pranksters that harassed you all month disperse into black mist. Whether they were about to kill you, stalking you, or pulling your hair, as soon as the moon hits its zenith, the beasts are gone. The mists float harmlessly into the air, hopefully to never be seen again. Hopefully.
For now, you’re free. The Forest and the Creature within slumber, as the cold seeps into every corner of the confined space you reside in and beyond. No longer will the entities within the woods try to kill you just for putting a toe past the fog wall. No longer does anybody sense a lingering danger. Finally, the Grove is peaceful. You can only hope it’ll last.
Unfortunately, while no mysterious monsters are working to murder you in cold blood, nothing can be done about the river freezing over, cutting off access to fish, and nothing can be done about the General Store running out of meat. The river’s ice cannot be broken nor melted. The grasses and flowers have shrivelled under the extreme cold; the trees are twiggy and leafless. Mysteriously untouched are the gifts from the Guardians — the blackberry bush on the opposite side of the river and the apple tree on the bank near the school continue to fruit throughout the month. Remember to say “thank you” before you feast from what remains.
At the very least, the General Store has plenty of trail mix, vegetables, and crackers. It’ll be a difficult month — but so far, you’ve endured much worse. Surely a little hunger can’t kill you now?
FREEZE THE DAY
During the day, the cold isn’t that bad. Sure, there’s a foot of snow on the ground and more keeps falling, and sure, snowball fights aren’t exactly fun anymore because your fingers get way too chilly way too quickly — but the sun still shines, and sometimes you can stand out in a sunny spot and feel a whole five degrees warmer than you were a moment ago. It’s tolerable. During the night, however, the temperatures dip well below freezing, and the air is so frigid that it dries your skin out on contact. Frostbite threatens to set in within minutes if you aren’t properly dressed.
Fires are harder to light, too, even if they’re indoors. You’ll find that, should you get one lit, it’ll go out within half an hour. None of the buildings stay warm for very long past night, and though they aren’t completely frozen-over, it’s the least bit uncomfortable for those who aren’t cold-faring to cope with. What is there to do, other than grab as many blankets as possible and make a nest or a fort, or maybe even grab a friend and leech their body heat? They don’t need that, right?
While you’re bothered by the weather, the Shopkeeper, Trader, and the two Guardians present within the Grove are entirely unaffected. Rusty, however, is merely a dog. He’ll help himself to cuddling against you whenever he can, including letting himself into your room at night and getting under the covers while you sleep. He will thank you in the mornings by leaving you a simple gift at your feet: A bone he found outside, because he loves you.
…one has to wonder how he broke in in the first place, though.
Fires are harder to light, too, even if they’re indoors. You’ll find that, should you get one lit, it’ll go out within half an hour. None of the buildings stay warm for very long past night, and though they aren’t completely frozen-over, it’s the least bit uncomfortable for those who aren’t cold-faring to cope with. What is there to do, other than grab as many blankets as possible and make a nest or a fort, or maybe even grab a friend and leech their body heat? They don’t need that, right?
While you’re bothered by the weather, the Shopkeeper, Trader, and the two Guardians present within the Grove are entirely unaffected. Rusty, however, is merely a dog. He’ll help himself to cuddling against you whenever he can, including letting himself into your room at night and getting under the covers while you sleep. He will thank you in the mornings by leaving you a simple gift at your feet: A bone he found outside, because he loves you.
…one has to wonder how he broke in in the first place, though.
PARTING IS SUCH SLEET SORROW
Midway through the month, the snowfall begins to pick up. While the Grove hasn’t quite hit blizzard territory yet, the snow is consistent and unending, especially late at night. On occasion, mixed in with the delicate snowflakes, are tiny golden lights. Should they go untouched and unobstructed, they’ll simply fade away when they flutter to the ground. But should you, say, catch one on your tongue with the other flakes, or have one brush your hand, or purposely try to grab one?
It will float through you, into you, and your mind will be transported elsewhere. To the past, as you were when you were here originally. It is a vision of your past life, of memories long lost, of a “you” that isn’t “you” as you are now. Whether the golden light has you spectating as if you’re seeing yourself on a television screen, or acting the part of the old “you”, that matters little to the vision the golden light wanted to show you. It will end when it wants to end, you see. You could get an hour of a memory, or a single minute, or three whole days. It might have even dragged in another with you, someone nearby who was hit with a ball of light themselves or happened to pass by.
For those of you who have avoided this fate, you get to bear witness to those that are affected — they’re standing stone-still wherever they last touched the golden lights, eyes closed, as if asleep while standing up. You can try to rouse them, but they won’t wake until they’ve fully experienced the memory being shown to them. The best thing to do might be to drag them inside so they aren’t icicles when they come back to reality.
It will float through you, into you, and your mind will be transported elsewhere. To the past, as you were when you were here originally. It is a vision of your past life, of memories long lost, of a “you” that isn’t “you” as you are now. Whether the golden light has you spectating as if you’re seeing yourself on a television screen, or acting the part of the old “you”, that matters little to the vision the golden light wanted to show you. It will end when it wants to end, you see. You could get an hour of a memory, or a single minute, or three whole days. It might have even dragged in another with you, someone nearby who was hit with a ball of light themselves or happened to pass by.
For those of you who have avoided this fate, you get to bear witness to those that are affected — they’re standing stone-still wherever they last touched the golden lights, eyes closed, as if asleep while standing up. You can try to rouse them, but they won’t wake until they’ve fully experienced the memory being shown to them. The best thing to do might be to drag them inside so they aren’t icicles when they come back to reality.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
A WINTERFUL LIFE
The Forest has gone to sleep for the month. Unfortunately, the river is frozen, and it's hard to come across much food, save for what grows upon the Guardians' gift plants by the river. Luckily, the General Store seems to have some sparser amounts of food throughout the month.
FREEZE THE DAY
It's cold outside! Below freezing, actually! And for some reason, heat indoors just doesn't stick. Luckily you can cuddle with friends, in your own nest of blankets, or with Rusty, who is somehow breaking into everybody's bedrooms even if you've locked all your doors and windows. Hello, hi, he loves you and he is cold.
PARTING IS SUCH SLEET SORROW
Golden lights fall amidst the snowflakes. If you come into contact with one, you'll close your eyes and dream of your past life within the Grove. You might even unwillingly pull someone else in with you.
OOC
Y'all how is it already December. If you'd like to plot with people for this event, head over to OOC plotting. Reminder that AC for the month of December is check-in only, which means that if you're not feelin' it you can simply put in a "hi I still go here" comment and exit for the rest of the month. It's the holiday season, after all, so we don't expect you to give up family time for our silly little game. Regular AC will resume in January, and that will also be when our next TDM occurs. Happy holidays!
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
no subject
From where Tenzin stands on the headboard (that is Not where he was asleep last night?), he makes a noise that might be bird laughter.]
...
Where.
[Accidentally brushes his foot against Rusty, sits up on his elbow, squints—]
How.
no subject
[Did one of them leave it open? It's the only way he can think he could have gotten in...unless Rusty can just open doors with his doggy paws.
Sesa grimaces as he shifts to lay on his back, trying very hard not to stab Gnosis in the eye with one of his horns as he pulls his arm out from under himself, flexing his claws to try and get feeling back in them. It's already hard enough to bend his fingers in this cold, he doesn't need to have the blood flow cut off to them too. Then he glances up and oh, hi Tenzin. We just have the whole menagerie in here don't we.]
Are you alright? I didn't roll onto your leg, did I-?
no subject
no subject
[...]
No, your tail is on my feathers, but it isn't as though you're hurting me.
[It's like a light little tug, and if Sesa's tail doesn't move itself, Gnosis will move it with his hand before he sits up and just... pats the dog.]
Good morning, Rusty.
no subject
Sorry about that.
[Rusty will get a little ear ruffle from Sesa as well. Sigh. Well, no harm done, of course he's not going to kick the dog out of their bed. He was cold, so he's allowed to come and go as he pleases.]
Er. Here, let me just...
[Try...to get out of bed, without squishing you. Or having his tail whap you in the face. He's so sorry-]
no subject
Sigh. Okay. Luckily Gnosis is great at dodging tails and such due to living with snow leopards his whole life, so he's less annoyed than his face makes it seem. God, everything fucking hurts.]
Believe me when I say that some accidental tailfeather-tugging is hardly the most of my concerns.
[Such as: How the fuck is the dog in here, and how the fuck is the dog in here when the bedroom door is shut, and did the lab door get left open? Only the latter he asks Sesa, of course, so—]
Do you mind checking if the lab door has been left ajar?
[Fun facts that thing will be closed when Sesa gets there.]
no subject
But truly, how the fuck indeed! Sesa nods and immediately goes to check that out...and is only gone for barely a minute before he pops his head back in.]
The...door is closed, Gnosis.
[Do you mean to tell him this dog closed the door behind him-]
no subject
[Gnosis just sighs into his hands. Fine. Okay. The door is closed. The dog is here.]
At this point, I wonder if it's worth questioning anything that happens here.
[He says this, but he's still gonna question the things happening. He has no reason not to. Something has to make sense. Make the damn dog make sense.]
no subject
Well, it seems no harm was done. Save for the state of our spines, I suppose.
[The cold is not going to help with that, but Sesa has slept on the floor before and been fine, so. He'll Survive.]
Would you like me to make some tea for you? You needn't leave the bedroom.
no subject
(Tenzin immediately makes a Noise about this like hello? Lay down??)]
I'm more than capable of making tea, Sesa. There's work to be done besides, so I cannot possibly stay here for the rest of the day.
[OR. OR. YOU COULD SIT DOWN.]
no subject
[Mostly to...you know....get better? People with broken limbs walk around, obviously, but there's no need to excessively if you have someone who can help you. And Sesa is more than willing to be that person, even if it's something as simple as making a cup of tea.
That SAID...he won't remove Gnosis' agency. If he wants to do it for himself, then he won't stop him. He'll just kindof look on with concern like <8| ]
no subject
Sesa can have some, too, but only because Gnosis is nice (appreciative of his guardianship). And he'll sit down at a workstation with it, too, so that he's not hobbling around with a hot mug.]
There. I made you some as well.
[Tenzin is sitting on the kitchenette staring Daggers at Gnosis.]
no subject
But, well. There's nothing for it but for Sesa to follow Gnosis out of the bedroom, watching him carefully as he goes to make sure he doesn't get his crutches caught on something and fall over and die. It's not like he doesn't think Gnosis is capable with crutches, it's just...you know. Why NOT rest while you have the chance, right???
He said, like a hypocrite.]
Haha...thank you, my friend.
[He can't help but feel like the tea made for him is not just a kind gesture, but a thinly veiled threat. Like "do not question me I will cut you" kind of threat.
Ah well. He'll take the mug regardless and have a seat nearby.]
Here I sit, mightily corrected.
no subject
I like to think I make the best tea in the Grove proper, and all of Kjerag. [Matterhorn is the best chef, but the man cannot make wet leaf drink like Gnosis can, sorry to say.] No one has claimed that I'm incorrect thus far, in any case. I imagine the blends in Sargon are a touch different from what is available here, in any case.
[Probably... spicy? Gnosis is imagining they're very... spicy.]
no subject
You won't catch me arguing with that!
[Sesa makes his own tea, of course, but Gnosis is very good at it. And, Sesa has never been to Kjerag, so hows he sposed to know!]
Though you are correct. Much of our drink is quite a deal spicier than this- [Ahah, see] -as well as the food. Assuming you have the luxury of a hot meal, and not whatever supplies you've been able to procure for a long desert trek.