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sticksandbones2024-01-05 07:59 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-01-05 07:59 am
Entry tags:
EVENT & TDM 008
LET IT GO
WAKE UP
It’s strange, how as the dawn of a new day finally arrives, coinciding with the howling winds dying out, classic, adorable snowmen seem to have popped up all over the Grove overnight. The fog wall has yet to surround the barren remains of a town that once was, but it’s visible once more in the great distance.
Not that you can see it immediately. Something covers your eyes, and you can feel something heavy and frigid wrapped all around you. As you struggle more and more, the crunch of snow echoes through your ears as you step free- and when you turn back to examine their prison, you’ll realize one of the snowmen was you.
Meanwhile, old residents will get to deal with more and more people popping out of snowmen like daisies, and must remember that this is just their life now. It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.
Though, maybe you ought to help them before frostbite sets in.
Not that you can see it immediately. Something covers your eyes, and you can feel something heavy and frigid wrapped all around you. As you struggle more and more, the crunch of snow echoes through your ears as you step free- and when you turn back to examine their prison, you’ll realize one of the snowmen was you.
Meanwhile, old residents will get to deal with more and more people popping out of snowmen like daisies, and must remember that this is just their life now. It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.
Though, maybe you ought to help them before frostbite sets in.
MIRROR, MIRROR
The quiet couldn’t last forever. You should have known that something would happen, especially with the fog beginning to make itself known again. And this time, it’s something quiet. As you wake up one morning, there is a mirror on your nightstand — it’s silver and round, able to fit comfortably in your hand and wreathed in crystalline snowflakes.
And as you look into it, your reflection twists into something still undeniably you, but… have you a temper problem? Too many lies? A sadistic sense of humor? All of your worst traits are dragged out and reflected on the mirror, and no matter what, it keeps ending up wherever you are — and whoever else looks into the mirror will see this awful, terrible you, too. All of your worst characteristics, all the things you try to hide, unable to be hidden.
Maybe you keep trying to hide it. Maybe you let it stay wherever it keeps turning up, following you like a particularly terrible walking salesman, or maybe you break it. Regardless, nothing seems to happen… for now.
And as you look into it, your reflection twists into something still undeniably you, but… have you a temper problem? Too many lies? A sadistic sense of humor? All of your worst traits are dragged out and reflected on the mirror, and no matter what, it keeps ending up wherever you are — and whoever else looks into the mirror will see this awful, terrible you, too. All of your worst characteristics, all the things you try to hide, unable to be hidden.
Maybe you keep trying to hide it. Maybe you let it stay wherever it keeps turning up, following you like a particularly terrible walking salesman, or maybe you break it. Regardless, nothing seems to happen… for now.
WITH SHARDS OF ICE
“For now”.
Late into the night, everyone wakes up to a sudden, terrible chill. When you open your eyes, you’ll find that you aren’t in your inn room or home, but instead within a giant castle made of ice. It must be a ballroom of some sort, a grand hall glittering in the moonlight — but looking out the window shows that the world beyond the castle is but a frozen wasteland of more blizzards and nothing else. Though you’ve been granted some of your gear — weapons and some supplies, and coats if you’re lucky — you’ll find that the temperature is dropping steadily, while something approaches…
Peek out the door to the main hall and you’ll see what’s coming so noisily. An army’s worth of hallowed ice knights with all sorts of weapons are marching to the door, intent on slaying the intruders. Should they get close, they’ll attack; should they land the killing blow, you’ll instantly freeze into a solid block and shatter.
And if you broke the mirror that haunted you? On top of all of this, you can feel yourself gradually growing colder, physically and emotionally, and your magic, if you have it, takes on an icy flair that you may find difficult to control. Maybe it's your feet that start to turn to ice first — maybe it's your fingertips. But as the night goes on, you’ll steadily freeze solid, and like any fairy tale, only an act of true love could possibly save you. Good luck figuring out what that actually means. True love’s kiss? A genuine compliment? A hug? What could possibly save you from your fate?
Those of you who survive until morning, who don’t become solid statues of ice or die within the castle’s walls, will be lucky enough to witness the sun coming up through narrow windows the size of your forearm. All around you, the castle starts to melt, dripping freezing water onto your head. For as much as you try to run before you, presumably, drown terribly…
…your eyes will close, and you’ll wake up in your bed, drenched.
Late into the night, everyone wakes up to a sudden, terrible chill. When you open your eyes, you’ll find that you aren’t in your inn room or home, but instead within a giant castle made of ice. It must be a ballroom of some sort, a grand hall glittering in the moonlight — but looking out the window shows that the world beyond the castle is but a frozen wasteland of more blizzards and nothing else. Though you’ve been granted some of your gear — weapons and some supplies, and coats if you’re lucky — you’ll find that the temperature is dropping steadily, while something approaches…
Peek out the door to the main hall and you’ll see what’s coming so noisily. An army’s worth of hallowed ice knights with all sorts of weapons are marching to the door, intent on slaying the intruders. Should they get close, they’ll attack; should they land the killing blow, you’ll instantly freeze into a solid block and shatter.
And if you broke the mirror that haunted you? On top of all of this, you can feel yourself gradually growing colder, physically and emotionally, and your magic, if you have it, takes on an icy flair that you may find difficult to control. Maybe it's your feet that start to turn to ice first — maybe it's your fingertips. But as the night goes on, you’ll steadily freeze solid, and like any fairy tale, only an act of true love could possibly save you. Good luck figuring out what that actually means. True love’s kiss? A genuine compliment? A hug? What could possibly save you from your fate?
Those of you who survive until morning, who don’t become solid statues of ice or die within the castle’s walls, will be lucky enough to witness the sun coming up through narrow windows the size of your forearm. All around you, the castle starts to melt, dripping freezing water onto your head. For as much as you try to run before you, presumably, drown terribly…
…your eyes will close, and you’ll wake up in your bed, drenched.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE FRESH SNOW
The morning after that dreadful night, things… settle, again. Aldric’s Grove is quiet, and clear sunlight glistens across the snowy plaza and radiates off of frosted trees. Even now, the apple tree and blackberry bushes are unfazed by the cold, though the fruit may taste crisper and chillier than usual. Those that died within the castle return to life, feeling colder than normal for the rest of the day, but there seems to be no lasting damage. And, everyone who participated in the castle “game” receives a mysterious gift: A wooden coin with a sigil on it, resembling a clock with backwards hands behind a shield, attached to frosted pinecones, red berries and sprigs of mistletoe. It feels warm and protective.
You go outside. It’s been some time since anyone’s seen anything from the woods, let alone something that doesn’t want them dead — so imagine one’s surprise when a small family of deer can be seen walking amongst the trees. Birds alight to the branches on rare moments, and it’s surely a sign of something, that life has begun to return to the forest despite the deep snow and deeper chill.
Never mind that one of the deer has an extra set of antlers and another has three eyes. Never mind that the birds sound like people. Never mind that the rabbits have blood on their maws.
It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.
You go outside. It’s been some time since anyone’s seen anything from the woods, let alone something that doesn’t want them dead — so imagine one’s surprise when a small family of deer can be seen walking amongst the trees. Birds alight to the branches on rare moments, and it’s surely a sign of something, that life has begun to return to the forest despite the deep snow and deeper chill.
Never mind that one of the deer has an extra set of antlers and another has three eyes. Never mind that the birds sound like people. Never mind that the rabbits have blood on their maws.
It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
WAKE UP
Good day, new arrivals! You are now a snowman. Hopefully people who have been here a bit longer are willing to give you a blanket or ten.
MIRROR, MIRROR
A mirror appears and starts following you around, reflecting what you think are your worst traits or worst version of yourself is. Other people can look into it and see the awful you, too. You can break it and it'll leave you alone, or you can let it stalk you all month.
WITH SHARDS OF ICE
Welcome to the ice castle! It's cold, but you have your stuff with you, and it's not unlivable. Well, until the frozen army of knights starts marching in with the intent to kill everyone inside, anyway. One lethal hit from them will make you shatter into pieces. For those of you who broke your mirrors, you'll gradually grow colder both physically & emotionally, and eventually start to freeze solid. Don't worry, though, you can be saved through the power of love.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE FRESH SNOW
Dawn rises on the Grove and the dead come back to life. Everyone who participated in the castle game receives a magical charm, though they don't know what it does so far. Animals come back to the Grove as well! ...why do they look like that?
OOC
Happy January! TDMs are game canon as a reminder, and if you'd like to plot with people for this event, head over to OOC plotting. While it is not known to player characters at this time, the charms granted as a reward for the ice castle can undo one future negative effect (i.e. a major death). They are a one-time use item. As for how characters discover this information... idk, we'll see how y'all decide to utilize those. :)
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
no subject
[They don't often have run-ins. Something about putting them on the same squad when Passenger is making 300 lightning storms across the battlefield... He's kind of a hazard and Mizuki is kind of electrocute-able.
He takes the mirror and sets it aside. It immediately teleports back to the wall.]
Yes. I believe they are the truth, at least, mine is. It would not show such scenery otherwise.
no subject
65% dodge chanceincredible dexterity, it's still a risk that at least Kal'tsit wants prevented. Plus, being an ambusher, Mizuki's generally off on his own while on missions, anyway. He's pretty sure his usual squad hardly know who he is?Anyway, he's avoiding looking at the mirror. Because. You know. Fire. ]
I guess... that's true! Maybe? A lot of other people seem a little sad about theirs, though. So what kind of "truth" do you think it's picking?
no subject
["But you do," says Elliot in his head, "you regret that it had to come to that at all."]
no subject
Aegir,Victoria, Leithanien, Columbia,Sami,Kazimierz, and, of course, Bolivar, before he was picked up by Rhodes Island. Despite knowing the Sea of Clariside extensively, he can't really say he's ever stepped foot in Sargon, sans maybe - maybe - along it's shorelines for camping. And even then, it was likely still Iberian territory.So, suffice to say, he doesn't know a lot about the place. These names don't mean a whole lot to him. "Lord" Ameer must've been a pretty important figure, then? Political? Mizuki's never really grasped politics. Like, in Higashi, for example. His town was so isolated and self-sustaining that he never really got to learn about the political strife going on there. He still believes his country to be where the fun video games are made and that's it.
But Mizuki doesn't need to know anything about the place to catch that question Passenger asks. "Surely". And yet, he sounds unsure? God, Mizuki wants his clipboard-- ]
That sounds like some pretty heavy stuff. [ "My mirror shows me! And also Us!" ] I don't think that's a question I can answer. Do you think it's nothing to regret over?
no subject
[But many of them died. Passenger likes to think he's cleaned his hands of their loss — but the niggling voice in the back of his head reminds him that he has not.]
My target is long buried within the sand, and I have moved on. [no u have not lol. He frowns.] Though, I did not expect to be reminded of the act so soon, playing as a movie before my eyes.
no subject
So, then, "I do not find vengeance to be a regrettable act" should be something that Mizuki pays attention to? Gnosis said something similar, and at this point there hasn't really been anyone from home who hasn't voiced something similar. But Cicero had said he was proud of Mizuki. Proud of what, though? That Mizuki was too cowardly to make a decision? That Mizuki wanted so desperately to make the people who had hurt him to feel said hurt tenfold, yet couldn't pull the trigger?
… Too heavy questions. Not the time. This isn't about Mizuki. Doesn't matter, doesn't matter, doesn't matter. ]
If it's "soon", does that mean this happened recently? Oftentimes, it's harder to "move on" from things that are recent. And even then, there's a few things that serve as reminders - no matter if they are implicit or explicit - that will make "moving on" to "falling back".
Not to say this is something you're struggling with. [ He's actually mostly talking about himself here. ] Just that it's okay if you feel as though you've regressed in any way?
no subject
[He shakes his head, patiently folding his hands in his lap. Little Elliot in his head leans forward a bit, regarding Mizuki with a certain curiosity, unbeknownst to Mizuki himself.
"Listen to him. You think you're above being haunted by your own actions because you're confident they were correct, but you are haunted. ...Am I going to be haunted, too?"
Passenger's head tilts vaguely in the direction of himself, but he makes no other indications he's having this conversation.]
I won't beat around the bush, Mizuki. You seem well-versed in this practice, so I shall extend honesty unto you: I do still see the fires that ravaged my home, set by my hands, when my eyes close. I do not believe my actions were incorrect, even if I regret the loss of innocent life.
[Passenger gets a badge for "emotional honesty" now.]
no subject
But I have learned that just because something might not be incorrect, or have been the lesser of the evils presented to you, does not mean you cannot carry guilt over it. I think finding your own atonement for it and seeking out forgiveness for yourself is important to letting those things go so you're not tormented by the thoughts.
At least, in my experience, that's how it goes.