EVENT & TDM 012

[sticksandbonesmods]

IT'S GONNA BE MAY

WAKE UP

You open your eyes, and with a jolt, find yourself within the clearing of a miniscule town surrounded by trees and thick, black fog. Despite the ominous backdrop, nature seems to be thriving — it’s a pleasantly chill spring day, as far as anyone can tell, and everything is vibrant and blooming… even some of the animals. At some point, a friendly old dog with red fur approaches, carrying a basket in his jaws. Inside are blackberries and apples other fruits. Did he find this himself? Or did someone give them to him to bring to new arrivals? Regardless, he very clearly hopes that you’ll share.

A giant golden brown turtle sits by a tent, napping in the sunlight. Two statues sit in the courtyard by an old well — a haloed woman marked as the Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe, and a gentle woman looking adoringly at her counterpart, marked as the Goddess of the Moon, Ourania. If you pay your respects, the air feels gentle and warm in the day, and like a fresh cool breeze at night.

As you explore more, perhaps the bloomed animals will approach — a mossy squirrel, or a frog who happens to also be a lilypad. It’s charming, almost. Whimsical and kind.

Shame that the wall of fog looms ever on, watching. Waiting.

SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID

cw: hallucinations, compulsions, near-death experiences

For a while, spring seems gentle, almost. Peaceful. The previous month may have been full of jokes, but things are actually safe. Of course, that can’t last forever. Every night, a purple, shimmering mist floods the town. It does not breach the doors and windows, even if left open, but looking at it is… enticing.

Should you give in, the mist is cool and gentle, swaying around you like smoke. The longer you stay in, the more your eyes feel blissfully heavy. Soon, you find yourself surrounded by loved ones, in a place that brings you joy — a childhood home, a vacation spot, some place warm and safe and dear to your heart. Everyone is playing and having so much fun. Join them! Join them!

Of course, by the time you do jump into the fun, you’ll find yourself awakened with a start, just about to fall into danger. Perhaps you climbed a tree and were about to leap to the ground from too high up. Or maybe you stuck your head in the river and your lungs were about to empty. Regardless, the happy dream shatters with imminent danger, and perhaps you’d better hope that someone else is nearby to help you. … Especially since with each night you give in, the more enticing the mist is the next night.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

At some point, the mist is forcibly dissipated and instead the moon shines brightly, almost like a spotlight. Investigation will reveal an absurdly large capybara that seems more like a vehicle than an animal, even with the jasmine flowers hanging off of it, siting down with the ‘door’ accessible to anyone willing to climb in.

“Come with me, and I will bring you to a night of festivities.” is all that it says when asked. And it knows that you will — you’re all curious as kittens, after all. Once the last person takes a fuzzy seat within the capybara, it slowly stands up and begins walking through the woods, and for the first time, everything seems peaceful. Normal, even. Why, there’s not even a monster or misshapen, grabby tree! Just a moonlit forest, and fireflies in the distance.

Eventually it brings you to a small but beautiful cabin, crouching down to let everyone out again. Outside is a layer of marble surrounded by pillars decorated with sheer fabrics and an abundance of lilies and calendula, jasmine and marigolds, hydrangeas and gladiolus. A buffet table has also been spread out, and within the cabin are changing rooms with a multitude of ornate gowns and suits, alongside sitting rooms and other potential necessities — though you get the feeling that you should still be on your best behavior here.

Gentle music plays from an unknown source. The capybara is resting, until it’s time to leave come sunrise. For one night, everything is at peace. You may as well enjoy it, and dance to your heart’s content.

SPARK NOTES

CLICK TO EXPAND!

WAKE UP

Welcome to Aldric's Grove! The fog wall is a little creepy, but worry not: A dog has brought you a snack, and the plant-bearing wildlife are pretty friendly. If you've been here for a while, no worry: You, too, are getting a basket of treats from the dog.

SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID

A purple mist fills the Grove at night, and stepping into it makes you experience a euphoric dream... shortly before you wake up because you nearly walked into death. Be careful, because the mists are addicting, and you may not have an easy time avoiding their temptation the following nights.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

For one night, the mists clear up and peace settles over the forest. A giant capybara gleefully takes everyone to the site of a grand dance, where the clothing and food are all free, and the music swells with joy. Dance your hearts out until dawn breaks, and then the capybara will take you back home.

OOC

Happy May! This is a reminder that TDMs are game canon. Enjoy your dreams, enjoy your prom night, enjoy the capybara. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!

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SUBMISSIONS

QUESTIONS
INVESTIGATIONS
TDM NPC CONTACT
PAST-LIFE PLOTTING

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Comments

[lupusxylem]

[That's fine, just don't join your pigeon brethren and decide to poop on them and he'll allow it.]

I'm startin' to get the feelin' that almost every world other than mine is just magic, in some way.

[Like yes, No Man's Land has ~aliens~ but he'd consider that more advanced technology future bullshit than he would magic you can't explain.

But also he's from a canon point where he hasn't yet seen Vash lose his shit and turn the JuLai tower into a giant flower lady so I mean--]

[eidxiety]

Uh-huh.

[Said nonchalantly while he flits about and looks at the rest of the church. Shiny... lack of water features though :/ the church in Elrianode has like fucking moats and stuff.

He has never seen a cross in his life and he's assuming this is some holy thing. He's Looking at it. Why is it shaped like math???]

Mr. Priest can't do magic, then? That's okay. I have a... [not friend, he and Add are not friends,] ...this asshole I keep around [oh my GOD AIN] that can't do magic either, because he's Debrian.

[LITERALLY EXPLAINED NOTHING THANKS]

[lupusxylem]

[.........]

You callin' him some kinda insult, or...?

[eidxiety]

Hm? No, Debrians are people. Like, a race?

[Ain doesn't really realise that Debrian is sort of a racist wooooord sorry he's like this. Cancel this man on twitter dot com.]

You know what races are, right? Oh, but me calling him an asshole is absolutely an insult.

[lupusxylem]

'Course I do. But I sure didn't think that's what you meant.

[LIKE, THE WAY YOU SAID IT-]

And yeah, callin' him an asshole was just kindof the cherry on top of that cake.

[eidxiety]

Well, he's nearly gotten me killed before, so I think it's justified.

[This is hilarious considering the one Wolfwood knows is a medical professional and the one Ain knows is a bitchy jock.]

[lupusxylem]

[Yeah funny he says that.]

...the Doctor nearly got you killed? What, was he doin' experiments on you?

[eidxiety]

[There's too much overlap between DB and OM so this is about to get worse.]

Why do people keep telling me he's a doctor? He's not a doctor, he punches lightning and screams a lot. [lmao] Anyway, not on me, no. Essentially, we were in the Demon Realm with Elsword and our other friends, and we needed a quick escape. He activated a portal too early and it sapped all of my energy and left me comatose.

I didn't even get an apology! [HMPH!] The group as a whole got one, but I think I deserve a personal one, you know? I guess it's long behind us now. That was about a year ago, and we're fine now.

[........]

Is he really calling himself a doctor? I know he did surgery on himself in the bathtub at our house once back in Elrianode, but I wouldn't say that makes him a doctor. An idiot, though, that's more accurate. I had to be the one to heal him and all! [He's just spilling all the tea sorry] No thanks for that either!

[lupusxylem]

I dunno, cause he was a doctor?

[Thanks Wolfwood you're not helpful.]

Look, I don't really know what he did or what he was like in his past life. He was pretty weird and cagey sometimes and really liked to try to experiment on people. But he kept a lot of us alive, so I guess there's that.

Him doin' self surgery in a bathtub does not surprise me though. That sounds like somethin' he'd have done.

[eidxiety]

In his past life? —experiments? Mr. Ancient didn't try to run experiments on anyone except for Ms. Queen and Mr. Half-Nasod.

[Wolfwood you will never know these people by their real names.]

But that was only because they were either a full Nasod or, well, half of one. Or maybe one fourth? Mr. Half-Nasod has a mechanical arm, sort of like your leg, haha. Is an arm half of a body?

[The hamster wheel in his brain is turning.]

[lupusxylem]

[Okay yeah he's definitely getting the sense that talking to this guy is going to be consistently challenging.]

Yaknow I have no idea what the hell you're talkin' bout, right?

[The feeling is mutual.]

[eidxiety]

I can tell by that vacant expression.

[Fucking wow—]

Mm... okay, a Nasod body part looks like your leg. Mr. Ancient gets mad when I say this, but a full Nasod is basically just a robot. Ms. Queen is a full Nasod, so she has a lot of metal bits.

[Reaches down to pick up Dachie, who just??? squeal-barks?? Put him back of SHOES

Holds Dachie like a baby.]

[lupusxylem]

[God, Dachsologies are like children. The way it squealed like that has convinced Wolfwood of that much.]

It ain't my fault you started goin' on about stuff from your world I didn't know shit about. Half surprised you ain't callin' me Half-Nasod.

[eidxiety]

That name is taken. You have your own name already. It's "Mr. Priest" because you're a Priest and a Mister.

[You can't be Raven his tits are bigger than yours.]

[lupusxylem]

[Mr. Priest…ugh.]

Whatever. At least you ain’t callin’ me Father.

[He says this just SECONDS before realizing what a mistake he just made.]

[eidxiety]

[The most shit-eating grin spreads across Ain's face.]

Father??? [He blurts, rocking back on his heels and laughing so hard it startles Dachie,] As in "forgive me Father, for I have sinned" or "punish me Daddy, I've been naughty"? Hahaha!!

[lupusxylem]

Neither, like neither!

[Leaning forward on his good foot, Wolfwood points an accusatory finger at Ain.]

Mister Priest is fine, if you really gotta.

[He knows better than to think this is going to work. It’s not like it’s stopped Mizuki.]

[eidxiety]

Mr. Father Daddy Priest!

[More laughter, bright and cheery and very much scaring the pigeons with how loud it is. The one in his hood remains unbothered.]

It doesn't roll off the tongue well, though. You can just be "Mr. Priest"... for now, anyway, haha!

[lupusxylem]

[At this point, the rest of the pigeons have relocated themselves in the upper rafters, all fluffed up and staring at Ain like “bro wtf”. The one in his hood, for some reason, seems completely fine with it. It is chilling, it is vibing.]

I ain’t gonna be held responsible for what I do to you if you don’t keep your trap shut, just fair warning.

[eidxiety]

Ooh... Mr. Priest sure is scary...

[He's not actually scared.]

We'll see!

[Winks ;) ]

[lupusxylem]

Yeah, yeah.

[Huffs.

He turns away, slowly making his way over to a nearby side closet where he keeps cleaning supplies, pulling out a broom.]

Anyway, I came here to clean dirt and pigeon shit, not just to shoot the shit.