Event & TDM 003

[sticksandbonesmods]

I AM THE WILD

WAKE UP

You open your eyes.

It feels like you’ve been here before, like you’re finally home. Today, the sun shines brightly, brilliantly, on the open forest clearing making up Aldric’s Grove. Vines wrap around old buildings, overgrowth covers ruins of what once were homes and shops, and weeds poke up through the cracks of foundations. Before you stands an inn, a well, and one hundred beautiful flowers peppered throughout the clearing. Be not fooled by their beauty, wanderer; should you stray too close, the flowers are happy to bite.

Fret not, however; should you seek escape from the carnivorous foliage, the inn is plenty safe from attacks. Perhaps you ought to get acquainted with others like you, lounging in the lobby with nowhere to go. Perhaps you should find yourself a room, a place to stay. After all, room and board is completely free of charge! Should you dig through the bedside table of your new room, you’ll find only one thing within: A Polaroid photograph of yourself from years ago. You were younger, then — or, if age doesn’t define you, you were different. Still, you remember posing for this photograph… don’t you?

If the photo is too much for you, a trip to the river might offer respite. The oppressive fog wrapping around the grove and obscuring much of the distant forest some miles out won’t let you wander too far. Luckily, there’s a stretch of river perfect for a round of fishing, playing in, or simply relaxing by. Mushrooms grow along the banks and on the trees, but remember to say “thank you” to the forest if you take them. You wouldn’t like the consequences otherwise.

HEY

cw: madness, hallucinations

You might have had luck avoiding the gnashing fangs of the flowers thus far, but they begin to get restless and aggressive the longer they go without feeding. They can’t quite uproot themselves and chase you down, but they will stretch their stalks as far as they can, unfurl their petals and try to wrap sharp leaves around your legs and anything else within reach. If you aren’t careful, their fangs will pierce your flesh, and they will drink from you until they drain you dry. Shout for help if they latch on. Surely someone will come to your aid.

…just try not to look at them much. The flowers take passive abilities of anyone they feed from, and that means they possess powers of their own. Stare for a moment too long, and you’ll begin to see your nightmares brought to life, feel a crawling down your back like one million insect feet, a grappling at your ankles as something tries to drag you under the metaphorical tides. Black tendrils sweep over your eyes, they grip the facades of buildings, they tear your friends to shreds and eat them whole. Focus. Focus on that voice telling you to snap out of it, on the people around you waving their hands in front of your eyes. It isn’t real. Blink, shake your head, and clear your thoughts.

Or don’t. “Give in,” a sultry voice murmurs, “Let me consume you.”

IT'S ALRIGHT

cw: auditory hallucinations, animal butchery

From the fenced-off, locked-up manor to the northwest of the Grove, a spill of magic begins to leak out from boarded-up windows. It’s gradual at first before it suddenly bursts, and that’s when everything starts to go haywire. The Manor’s heart aches, friend. Something in that house is oh-so-miserable with no way out… and it intends to make you feel its pain.

Every regret you’ve ever had — every word left unspoken, every lie you’ve told, everything you believe you’ve done wrong — those feelings are brought to the surface and magnified. No matter where you look, what you do, or how much you try to distract yourself, those emotions will always bubble to the surface.

You might think wandering into the forest will help you flee from yourself for a time, but as soon as you cross the threshold, the path back to the clearing closes behind you in a rustle of leaves. The only way out is forward, it seems, but the forest won’t play fair. The path will shift unexpectedly, blocking your route, forcing you to backtrack, but never quite allowing escape. All the while, voices fill your mind, chasing after you no matter where you go. They are the murmurs of those you have wronged, the murmurs of a conscience slighted.

Seeking out a companion in the labyrinth will quell them, for a time. Should your heart weigh too heavy, confessing to your labyrinth-partner what you’re grappling with will absolve you of your guilt and leave you feeling clear-headed enough to escape. At that point, the forest, too, seems content to let you solve the maze without interference.

Should you escape fairly, without harming the labyrinth, you’ll be rewarded: A freshly-hunted game animal from your homeland is dropped at your feet just as you step back into the clearing. Enjoy it, for you will not have the opportunity to get another. The forest only allows one round per person.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU

The residents of Aldric’s Grove have had a rough time here, but not everything has to be bad. On the night of the new moon, the Shopkeeper leaves his store for the night, and alongside the Trader — who normally sits outside the inn by her stall and her giant turtle — he constructs a bonfire some distance from the carnivorous plants. Nearby to it are tables with a feast set upon them, free for everyone to enjoy. There’s music playing from… somewhere. Don’t think about it too hard. The wispy, sentient shadows that comprise the Shopkeeper and Trader are happy to dance with you, too, if you ask.

Enjoy your night, friends. You’ve made it to the end of the month, and you deserve a break.

SPARK NOTES

CLICK TO EXPAND!

WAKE UP

Welcome to Aldric's Grove! Watch out for the carnivorous flowers. There's a photograph of you in the inn, by the way. Don't worry about it.

HEY

The carnivorous flowers are now causing visual hallucinations and madness. Try not to look at them too long. Maybe buddy up for the time being, to make sure that the forest's whispering voice doesn't drag you too far down.

IT'S ALRIGHT

A flood of magic hits the Grove. Characters will be subject to reliving and re-experiencing all of their regrets, and should they wander into the forest to escape, they'll be made to play in the forest's maze game. The forest won't play fair, but seems to relent when you confess to a companion what's on your mind. And hey, that makes your heart weigh less heavy, too. At the end of the line, you'll get a reward of fresh meat as long as you didn't try to cheat!

I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU

The Shopkeeper and Trader are throwing a lighthearted bonfire party. Dance the night away and eat your heart out!

OOC

Welcome to the third TDM & Event Log of Sticks and Bones! This log is game canon. The prompts are meant for all players, current and future, so have fun! Our applications operate on a rolling basis, so applications are open with no end date unless we suddenly cap players. If there are any questions, please direct them to the "questions" header below.

UPDATES

❖ For those who enter the inn in the morning, a breakfast spread of scrambled eggs, bacon, smoked fish, roasted tomatoes on the vine and assorted fruits wait for you.
❖ Several patches of the murderous flowers seem to have been electrocuted, lit on fire or cut.

TDM TOPLEVELS!

TDMS

❖ Shalem (Arknights)
❖ Toge Inumaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)
❖ Jade Leech (Twisted Wonderland)
❖ BB (Fate/ Grand Order
❖ Akki (Original)
❖ Nikaidou Eisuke (Tsurune)
❖ Arthur Pendragon (Saber) (Fate/ Grand Order)

(CODE)

Comments

[neverleave]

[Instant respect for Elsword for not accepting the "game" - ]

He didn't seem so affected, though. No plant growth like you said the girl has.

[amethystic]

( fr fr elsword's a real one )

I think Add's been trying to cut it out- so it gets trimmed regularly. Even then, it's under his armor most of the time. But he's also not been here nearly as long.

[neverleave]

[His eyes grow distant for a moment as he imagines evil plant growths being cut with a giant sword.]

Then who's been here the longest? If people get brought from different realities, it had to start somewhere.

[amethystic]

( yeah )

Before us, it was just the Shopkeeper, and he says the Trader- his sister- used to live here too. They're good to us but... stupidly cryptic. I can't tell if it's grief or if they want us to figure shit out ourselves.

As for the newbies specifically... Myself, Elsword, Add, Caoimhe and Rennuid. That's all that's left of the first batch. No clue what's happened to the rest, but we were all in the first arrivals.

[neverleave]

[Natsuno figures that whatever happened to the rest, it wasn't anything good, but he keeps this impression to himself.]

Maybe they have no choice but to be cryptic. Something like a seal or order they can't resist.

[amethystic]

Entirely possible. I've seen similar things before- nasty work, honestly, especially what it does to the mind. Especially since... they used to be human. A transformation like that probably has some clauses.

[neverleave]

And whoever or whatever transformed them has the clause.

You're a mage, then?

[amethystic]

Witch! The difference being "mage" is a job and "witch" is a species where I'm from. There's some overlap but also not nearly enough.

[neverleave]

So how does magic work in your world? I'd assume a witch's magic would be innate, but if mage is a job that means anyone can learn it, right?

[He seems a bit more animated now. The way magic varies across the multiverse is always interesting.]

[amethystic]

( she's just gonna launch into teacher mode with glee, and will unfortunately not give natsuno room to interject for a few minutes, sorry- )

Innate magic and teachable magic are different types, basically- they tap into mana, yes, but the types of mana they tap into are like... the difference between salt water and fresh water. It's the same but different, and most people can only do one or the other... and some people are the equivalent of an anadromous fish.

Innate magic usually falls under a natural affinity that steers how their magic shapes, but it's not a requirement. My affinity is misfortune, so I excel at curses and hexes, but I also can manipulate luck on a certain level. But on the other hand, I've got garbage luck in general. Other affinities are probably more like you might expect- elements and the like.

Learned magic can be anything and is more limited by imagination and strength than anything- trying to quantify it is difficult and unreasonable on most levels, but it also doesn't have the same oomph as innate magic.

There's also magical items that can be used, of course, but those vary between "a pen that never runs out of ink" to "every doomsday artifact from every rpg ever crammed into one", honestly.

Oh! There's also those with innate magic who are something called Wellsprings! This means that they're a walking fountain of magic, which both amplifies their magic and makes them a source of it as well. I'm one!

( felicity ends on a high note, and then... realizes she absolutely dominated the conversation there for a minute.



whoops. )

[neverleave]

[Natsuno doesn't mind listening. It's important to learn what the other residents can do, find out potential allies. Plus, it's always interesting to learn about magic... even if he's reminded of absent friends who would appreciate it so much more.]

So you're... a well of misfortune? Your curses must be powerful.

[amethystic]

You got it!

( gold star for natsuno, honestly. )

And they are- it was actually a problem as a kid. ... It's fixed now, though.

( mostly.



don't worry about it. )