sticks and bones. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sticksandbones2024-08-02 09:35 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-08-02 09:35 am
EVENT 015
BUY MORE CRYSTALS
COME RAIN OR EVEN MORE RAIN
Today, progress has been made in the Grove. The sun shines brightly on the cleaned-up remains of what used to be the “Burned Town”, now lovingly just called “north” for lack of a better term. At night, a small handful of stars finally shine in skies that have been empty for millennia, and birds sing loudly throughout, overjoyed now that they’ve felt the stirring of the long-dead Sky Guardian. All is peaceful. All is right with the world.
…and then there’s the sound of familiar, watery laughter from the Lake Guardian himself, having returned to the Grove for whatever reason he could possibly have, standing by the well and performing a jaunty dance on his scrawny legs. He spins around the well once, twice… and then the skies darken and the clouds swell, and suddenly it’s raining buckets, soaking you and everyone else to the bone immediately.
“It’s a gift for freeing me!!” Callan shouts joyously, unaware of the fact that gifts are usually nice things and not biblical floods. “Enjoy it!!”
Well, it seems like this will be the rest of your month. The rains don’t abate at all, but they do come with one gift that actually seems worthwhile: Any plant that stays out in the rain for long enough will suddenly spring out of the earth at gargantuan size. Enjoy your giant crops — they’re still edible! — and your flowers the size of pillows, everyone.
…and then there’s the sound of familiar, watery laughter from the Lake Guardian himself, having returned to the Grove for whatever reason he could possibly have, standing by the well and performing a jaunty dance on his scrawny legs. He spins around the well once, twice… and then the skies darken and the clouds swell, and suddenly it’s raining buckets, soaking you and everyone else to the bone immediately.
“It’s a gift for freeing me!!” Callan shouts joyously, unaware of the fact that gifts are usually nice things and not biblical floods. “Enjoy it!!”
Well, it seems like this will be the rest of your month. The rains don’t abate at all, but they do come with one gift that actually seems worthwhile: Any plant that stays out in the rain for long enough will suddenly spring out of the earth at gargantuan size. Enjoy your giant crops — they’re still edible! — and your flowers the size of pillows, everyone.
FURNITURE STRIKES BACK
If staying out in the rain isn’t exactly your thing (who could blame you, really?), you might consider heading back inside and spending some nights in. It’s been a while since everyone had a break without being exposed to water for way too long, and what better way to spend a night than curled up in bed in a nest of blankets?
As you drift off to sleep to the serene sounds of the river flooding, there’s a sudden loud bang, like someone slammed a door. You open your eyes and don’t see a thing… so back to bed you go, only to hear it again. This time, as you lurch out of bed and desperately try to figure out who the hell is slamming doors this late, you’ll see your door opening and slamming itself. Opening again, and slamming. Soon after, the windows follow, and as you rub your eyes, your bed suddenly bucks and throws you to the floor.
Cool. Phenomenal. What just happened?
Perhaps you go to the inn couch to try sleeping there, but alas, the old couch has had enough of you and will summarily flip you back onto the floor, losing its cushions in the process. If you turn your anger toward the furniture, it will — strangely — attack you right back, chasing you down on bizarrely-animated legs that furniture simply should not have. The coffee table might bite, or the cabinets might start flinging cups at you.
If you are patient, however, and if you clean the furniture off — wash the pillows, scrub that mustard stain out of the cushions, sew up a hole your dog chewed into the mattress — it will stop throwing a tantrum. Finally, you can use furniture for its intended purpose.
As you drift off to sleep to the serene sounds of the river flooding, there’s a sudden loud bang, like someone slammed a door. You open your eyes and don’t see a thing… so back to bed you go, only to hear it again. This time, as you lurch out of bed and desperately try to figure out who the hell is slamming doors this late, you’ll see your door opening and slamming itself. Opening again, and slamming. Soon after, the windows follow, and as you rub your eyes, your bed suddenly bucks and throws you to the floor.
Cool. Phenomenal. What just happened?
Perhaps you go to the inn couch to try sleeping there, but alas, the old couch has had enough of you and will summarily flip you back onto the floor, losing its cushions in the process. If you turn your anger toward the furniture, it will — strangely — attack you right back, chasing you down on bizarrely-animated legs that furniture simply should not have. The coffee table might bite, or the cabinets might start flinging cups at you.
If you are patient, however, and if you clean the furniture off — wash the pillows, scrub that mustard stain out of the cushions, sew up a hole your dog chewed into the mattress — it will stop throwing a tantrum. Finally, you can use furniture for its intended purpose.
GET (GEM)STONED
A bit of raw chaos in Aldric’s Grove is not uncommon; perhaps furniture unionizing and non-stop downpours are the least of your concerns in quite some time. After all, you’re not trapped anywhere. You aren’t underwater, you aren’t playing in some twisted life-or-death game, no one is making the passage of time here any worse than usual…
Of course, if chaos is preferable to true horror, you can always have more of it. On your bedside table or under your pillow, you’ll find a drawstring bag containing a small handful of polished gemstones. As you hold them in your palm or between your fingers and inspect them under the light, you’ll feel something within you stirring.
Perhaps you’re holding rose quartz, the gemstone that symbolizes unconditional love, and you suddenly feel empty and loveless. Perhaps it’s amethyst, the gemstone attributed to calm emotions, and yet you’re feeling the most anxious you’ve ever felt in your entire life. Whatever the gem may be, its meaning is now inverted, and you get to suffer the effects of it.
Luckily, this curse — a gift from, who else, the Fallen Sun — can be broken quite easily. Simply clutch the gemstone in your palm and perform an act that embodies its true meaning, and everything will be back to normal. You’ll be holding a mundane rock to do whatever you want with, including throw it into the forest in hopes that it hits the Fallen Sun in his big, stupid head.
Of course, if chaos is preferable to true horror, you can always have more of it. On your bedside table or under your pillow, you’ll find a drawstring bag containing a small handful of polished gemstones. As you hold them in your palm or between your fingers and inspect them under the light, you’ll feel something within you stirring.
Perhaps you’re holding rose quartz, the gemstone that symbolizes unconditional love, and you suddenly feel empty and loveless. Perhaps it’s amethyst, the gemstone attributed to calm emotions, and yet you’re feeling the most anxious you’ve ever felt in your entire life. Whatever the gem may be, its meaning is now inverted, and you get to suffer the effects of it.
Luckily, this curse — a gift from, who else, the Fallen Sun — can be broken quite easily. Simply clutch the gemstone in your palm and perform an act that embodies its true meaning, and everything will be back to normal. You’ll be holding a mundane rock to do whatever you want with, including throw it into the forest in hopes that it hits the Fallen Sun in his big, stupid head.
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW
When the rains stop at the month’s end, the clear skies yet again show the stars, and it’s a beautiful sight to behold. It’s no galaxy, even with every light in the Grove off so you can see them all — but it’s special nonetheless, especially to those who have been here under an empty sky for so long. The moon itself feels like it casts joy down upon everyone, and a sense of overwhelming peace settles like a blanket over the entire settlement.
Should you visit Ydalir or Heimr at all, they will both encourage you to spend a night camping out, providing you blankets to lie out in the grass with. While it isn’t much, Ydalir has pulled an old telescope from her mirror for those of you who want to nerd out a bit. Snacks, tea, and hot chocolate will be provided to anyone staying out for the night, too. For better or for worse, you’re all here together, so why not bask in a moment of peace?
Should you visit Ydalir or Heimr at all, they will both encourage you to spend a night camping out, providing you blankets to lie out in the grass with. While it isn’t much, Ydalir has pulled an old telescope from her mirror for those of you who want to nerd out a bit. Snacks, tea, and hot chocolate will be provided to anyone staying out for the night, too. For better or for worse, you’re all here together, so why not bask in a moment of peace?
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
COME RAIN OR EVEN MORE RAIN
Callan is giving gifts as all Guardians do. His gift... is a whole tempest. Luckily, the plants will get massive from this. Enjoy your giant produce and flowers!
FURNITURE STRIKES BACK
What could go wrong if the furniture went on strike? Surely it won't toss you out of bed or buck you onto the floor or try to bite you. ...oh, well, if that's the case, you might want to give it some TLC so that it stops.
GET (GEM)STONED
The Fallen Sun's "gift" to the residents is a lovingly-customized bag of rocks. Each stone represents some kind of meaning, but that meaning will be inverted and make you feel the opposite effect from it. To break the curse, all you need to do is clutch the gemstone and perform an act that it originally embodies.
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW
Finally, the rains clear up, and Heimr and Ydalir are encouraging everyone to stare at the night sky. It's beautiful with those few stars in it, isn't it?
OOC
How is it already August?? We don't know either. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out! If you need rocks randomly assigned to you for the gemstone portion, head there and drop us a comment, we will give you rocks.
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
SUBMISSIONS
ii.
He does spot Ain lying down, though, and dips for just a moment so he can come back with an umbrella and huddle in next to Ain. He knows the big hydrangeas are doing enough to shield him from the rain, but extra protection is always nice, right?
He doesn't say anything, just... reaches his hand down... rubs Ain's back. ]
no subject
Ain is a sad, pathetic, wet little bug and pops his head up long enough to blink tears out of his eyes, perceive the umbrella, and then wholesale flops his head into Ezell's lap.
And then he cries harder. He's sorry you must hate him because he's annoying and bad and evil or whatever—]
no subject
Ezell is miserable and lost basically all of his passion, but he’s nothing if not amazing at faking a smile. And he does so, for Ain. He pets his hair the moment his head is in his lap and gives a very gentle hum. ]
It’s alright, Ain. I’m not going anywhere until you feel better, okay?
no subject
He scrubs at his eyes and sniffles, but at least Ezell is helping... while Ain's brain goes on about how he's being an inconvenience and he's bothering Ezell and Ezell is going to get a cold like Ain has and die and—
Sniffles, sobs.]
I have... [flips his wrist around] ...I'm anxious.
[ :( ]
no subject
It's okay. These feelings have gotten worse for a lot of people - you're not alone in this. Especially not right now. Until you feel better, you can stay here, okay? Would you like me to keep talking to you? I can give you a decent distraction.
no subject
[Sniffles more, scrubs at his eyes. He is sad and pathetic and needs to be held.]
I'm gonna become one with the ground and diiiie... [no,] and everyone's gonna forget about me because I'll be dead...
[...yeah Ezell might need to distract him.]
no subject
[ He is being held! Ezell is making sure to brush his hair with one hand and hold onto him with the other. ]
You know, back home, I used to be a field executor. Essentially, we are enforcements for the Law's will, and we make sure the peace is in order and such. But I didn't necessarily want that sort of job. I was generally better with clerical work, but... mmh... I accidentally blew up my testing room when I was applying for a job like that. So they decided I'd be better off in that role instead.
no subject
I'll stay with you, then... [sad Ain noises :( ] What do you mean you accidentally blew a room up? Do you carry bombs in your pocket?
no subject
I mean... yes, I do. But that's besides the point. I was taking the exam, and sometimes it involves things like learning how to diffuse bombs or create them for certain circumstances. There's a lot of demolitionists back in my home town, so... um, I made my bomb just a little too well. It was impressive, but a little destructive. So they saw me more fit in the field executor role.
So, essentially, it's my job to make sure other angels aren't breaking any rules.
no subject
Please don't blow me up, I've broken a lot of rules but that's because they were stupid rules!
no subject
Even if you had broken any rules, which I doubt you have, I wouldn't blow you up. Usually, they would just be put on parole - you don't have to worry. And, besides, I broke some rules myself. I was trying to protect someone I really cared about, but it meant I had to do some stuff that the Law wouldn't really be happy with.
I care about you, too, Ain. I'd protect you no matter what if it came down to it.
no subject
Okay... [sniffles. rubs at his eyes.] H-haha, I'm sorry, I'm fine. [no???] I'm not usually this... emotional, but I'm having a bad time lately. I dunno.
no subject
...
Can you sit up for me? Just for a moment.
no subject
[If he's fine, he won't annoy people by being over-emotional. If he's fine, he can help others. If he's fine...
Ain scrubs at his eyes one last time and sits up.]
no subject
[ He waits until Ain is sitting up wholly, then gently settles a hand against the side of his cheek. Once he coaxes him to look at Ezell, he leans forward, pressing his lips very softly against Ain’s. The other had mentioned he was cute, and he’s pretty sure they’d been flirting? Surely this much would be fine. If nothing more than to let Ain know that he really does want him here. ]
1/?
2/?
3/4
Ain clears his throat a little when they part, clearly trying not to make any embarrassing squeaky noises.]
H-haha... you didn't give me any time to prepare!! Hold on—
4/4 okay thanks
Smooches him real hard.]
no subject
I don't suppose I did give you time, I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know that I care about you and want you here in the best way I know how. I like seeing you blushing, too, so that's certainly a bonus~
no subject
Do you— [squeaks anxiously,] also like boys??
[
ain,]
no subject
I think you're very cute, and I've enjoyed your company.
no subject
[He's having a hard time with everything because of the anxiety bees that won't leave him alone. He's having a worse time because as far as he knows, totally platonic and for-fun kisses exist. That's what spin the bottle was about. He's having an extremely hard time because a lot of him still hurts after the Affogato Incident™, even with the apology note.
Some shit sort of sticks with you, man. And right now, Ain is non-functionally anxious.]
I had to make sure, that's all. I didn't want to assume.
[...casually reaches out and holds Ezell's hand.]
no subject
[ He squeezes Ain's hands the moment he's holding onto it, reaching his free one back up to his head to comb through his hair. ]
I was worried... seeing you so sad, you know? I suppose I should've asked before just acting, though. Sorry about that.
no subject
No, haha, it's okay. I think you're really cute, and I don't mind! I just wanted to make sure it wasn't just you doing that 'cause I was sad and that's it. ...so you do like me? Actually like me?
[oh my god ain]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)