sticksandbones | EVENT & TDM 012

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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh! That sounds delightful! Please, I would be most eager to try some!

[ You have activated his sweet tooth card.

He nods gently to the list of recipes, eager to aid and try his hand at a few taste tests.

Then his joy fades a little, for what he is about to do. ]

Your forgiveness.

[ Quickly, so Passenger doesn't have time to really react, Pure Vanilla reaches up with his hand to quickly and aggressively drag his palm against the stone on Passengers forehead. Using enough pressure to deliberately cutting himself on it. Then he will fuss softly and clean up any blood he may have left on the man. ]

I'm sorry...

[You know. Passenger has lived through a lot in his life. From having his professor assassinated, to detonating an Originium bomb part just to make sure it didn't fall into the hands of people who would use it for evil, to being enslaved, to taking revenge on those slavers and the Lord Ameer that killed his professor in the first place by spending twenty years of his life on some convoluted revenge plot. It's a lot to cram into 37 years of life, and yet, in those 37 years...

He has never had someone purposely infect themself by using him as a conduit. That sort of thing doesn't happen on Rhodes Island, or on Terra, not unless the person is suicidal or part of some death cult.

There's blood trickling down his forehead, which Pure Vanilla winds up cleaning off, but on the second pass, Elliot snatches the wrist of his now-Infected hand and stares at the wound with an expression bordering on enraged. Were Passenger more outwardly emotional, his facial expressions might actually reach that threshold.]

What would compel you to do that? [He asks, voice sharp as the crystal on his forehead.] Do you have any idea what you've done?

[Passenger infected himself long ago with that Originium bomb part... and Doctor Kal'tsit, his saviour and most resented person, had said those same words to him. Oh how the tables turn.]

[ His wrist being grabbed isn't shocking, and Pure Vanilla doesn't try to pull it back. Instead he lets the other hold it and stare at the wound, the trickle of blood already slowing due to Vanilla's healing. He sighs softly to the scolding, managing to look contrite, his ears back and flopped down. ]

I do. That is why I asked for your forgiveness. But I cannot ask someone to undergo the experiments I must perform to cure it. I do not know what they will entail, or how painful they will be. And I fear if I had asked, you would have declined.

[ Why Passenger? Well, he was the one he encountered first, and maybe a little bit of Gnosis blame there for telling him Passenger doesn't have much longer. If it's unique, perhaps Passengers infection will help him cure the other faster. ]

You need not worry, my friend. I will cure it, it is only a matter of time.

[ If he even caught it... his Souljam might have prevented the infection. It's a good thing he plans on breaking it. ]

I am truly sorry I sprung it on you.

You're either insane or suicidal, and at this moment, I'm leaning toward it being both.

[His scorn is from caring, even though it doesn't sound that way. If Passenger didn't care, he would've simply looked at Pure Vanilla and shrugged and said "have fun with your rock cancer". His grip on the healer's wrist is firm as he watches the blood flow stop.

It is, in his mind, too late. If his Souljam stopped it, Passenger wouldn't know; Oripathy infects open wounds on first contact, and in his mind, there's nothing that could get in the way of it.]

Not even the most talented medics of our time have yet found a cure for Oripathy, and they, too, are Infected. I do not have much longer to live — I would have consented to experimental treatment without the need for self-sacrifice.

[He was going to add "we should wrap the wound", but it seems like it's closing on its own. Reluctantly, Pure Vanilla's hand is given back to him, and Passenger only breathes out a brief, frustrated sigh.]

[ He will let Passenger continue to scold him, his expression softening into a gentle look of understand. He understands Passenger is mostly emotionless due to the Oripathy, so for all this ire to be here.

He gets it, and he understands, and he's touched. That there's enough care there to be angry about it.

The only hardening of his expression is Passenger saying he would have consented. ]

No.

[ That one word carries with it the very reason he was the Leader of their little band of merry Adventurers. That shows for years he was a King. It's firm and final, with a power behind it that says not to argue. When his hand is finally released, he sighs gently and lets it fall, leaning on his Staff a little. ]

I am over two-thousand years of age, my friend. I have learned far more than I have any right to have learned. I will discover a cure. For you, for Phantom, for anyone else who has the infection coursing through their veins. And magic can be temperamental. Painful. I will never ask anyone but myself to go through it.

[ He reaches out with his uninfected hand and gently brushes some of Passengers hair from his face, tucks it behind his ear. A Grandfatherly touch. Soft and caring. ]

You will have many more years, my friend, I promise you.

You are but one-fifth of the age of Doctor Kal'tsit, who has yet to find a cure herself. Your confidence both amazes and confuses me. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but you are not Terran. How do you expect your complete unfamiliarity with Oripathy and Originium to aid you?

Forgive me, but what would being a Terran do for me, if your Doctor Kal'tsit has not cured it, nor any of your other people?

[ He's not trying to be rude either but he knows how the words will come out, and he sighs. Plus tens of thousands, huh? And nothing? No, something seems shady. Either truly not that age or- ]

Ah, we are both getting ahead of ourselves. There is no guarantee I even caught it. I - as you pointed out - am not Terran, and there may be a chance the disease simply does not do anything to me. There is also my Souljam, which tends to prevent things such as this.

[ And he smiles a little, thoughtful. ]

If your scientists and doctors, with their knowledge, have discovered nothing than would you not agree an outside point of view may be needed. A new method, new tests, a new angle.

EVENT & TDM 012

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cws: mentions of child slavery and suicide

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