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

The Claimed.

[mermaidcursed]

A young girl who's been clearly put through the ringer - from the flowers and sprouting leaves blooming from her skin to the vines wrapped almost too-tightly around her wrists and bruises that she can't hide to the black veins, to the wooden legs stained with blood, the Claimed thoroughly lives up to her name. She looks terribly tired, and seems to jump at every sound and shy away from every glance her way.


Notably, the flowers dare not touch her.

[amhran]

[ Caoimhe too seems to be startled at sounds of others that they make, so when it was the two had come at a crossing of paths. In a sudden jolt from the others appearance, her body twitches, momentarily easing only to be seized quickly by a rigidity. The suddenness of an enamor of movements, leaves her breathless at first - but quickly she whispers, ]

H-Hello?

[mermaidcursed]

( nene absolutely jumps, eyes wide- )

Ah... um. H-hi. Add brought me here.

ADD DID FUCKING WHAT?!?!?!?!

[amhran]

Oh...

[ That is... That is - Elsword's friend, a very important person to them. ]

Are you... Okay... Your clothes.... I-I can... M-Make them clean if you want..?

hi sheep

[mermaidcursed]

... Could you? It's been too long and- it's... all I'm permitted...

me pulling out a gun

[amhran]

P-Permitted...

[ WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?!?!??! ]

Can I come closer....? I am going to put my hand out and... Cast a spell c-callled prestidigitation It makes it so I can make things clean.

[ She learned the spell because after Sylas's death... She... Wanted to be connected that way, he use to run around the towns they visited and randomly cast the spell all over, making it clean... Bc thats normal to do for him I guess. ]

our first reapp had to come back with a bang!

[mermaidcursed]

( it means what it means! and it means that the girl doesn't have a lot going for her. but she listens quietly and nods.

seems she's not especially talkative. )

[mooninthewater]

[ For what it's worth, Mizuki is very good at not making any sounds. It's kind of his job to be stealthy — near assassin-like, even. His camouflage certainly helps, too, hiding him in plain sight from… well, everyone, but maybe now he should say something? This poor girl looks exhausted.

Excuse the sudden voice coming from Nowhere: ] Excuse me, are you alright?

[mermaidcursed]

( nene IMMEDIATELY screeches and jumps, whirling around- ...


she does not recompose herself, at all. she just looks vaguely even more frazzled. )

Um- ... yyyyyyes?

[mooninthewater]

[ Sorry, Nene… ]

Are you… lying? It's hard for me to tell, I'm not very good at those kinds of things…

[ His insight score is -20. ]

[mermaidcursed]

... Maybe a- a little, but, it's not something that can be helped... s-so! You don't have to worry about me.

[mooninthewater]

You sound so certain. But this is my first time meeting you? How would you know I can't?

[mermaidcursed]

No one can.

( the forest whispers in her ear, pull back, come home, this boy can't help you and she tilts her head slightly to listen, eyes cast to the ground. )

You're Mizuki, right? ... You should be really careful, this place isn't the most friendly sometimes.

( ... girl don't just say people's names like that )

[harmacy]

[It's a day or so later when he seeks her out again—she's not hard to find, thanks to the Dynamo she took. Add is looking a lot better than he did before, though his face is still covered in bandages and he hasn't fixed all the rips in his coats. At least he got the bloodstains out...

but that's not what's on his mind right now. He smiles as he draws near, and... it's mostly genuine, which means he looks tired and a bit guilty underneath.]

How are you feeling today? Has anyone been giving you trouble?

[mermaidcursed]

( nene tries to say something and falters- she, too, carries guilt for the previous day, but...

...

well, he did blatantly try to hide behind her in the face of care in a way he didn't want to accept. that wasn't- it wasn't acceptable. to either of them, and to elsword.

notably, while the fringes of her dress are still tattered, the dirt and grass and bloodstains have been removed. )

Mm... no, not really. ... Did you get some sleep?

[harmacy]

A little. [he passed out at his desk and ruined the soil samples... it's probably fine.]

I was worried you might try to run back into the forest... I know my methods weren't the most fair, but I'm glad you came. I wouldn't have been able to rest easy if I'd left you back there by yourself.

I don't regret the final outcome... but I'm sorry if I scared you. I should have been more careful.

[dying on purpose wasn't actually his plan, so... it worked, but it was far from a smooth operation. kind of embarrassing, really.]

[mermaidcursed]

I probably will have to leave soon. It doesn't want me to stay for long, and I can go on my own or get dragged out physically. ... But I'll try to come back.

( she





super doesn't trust add not to fuck around and find out even more, honestly. or elsword, know what he knows of her.

or anyone in the grove, honestly. they're all batshit altruistic. except maybe the bird guy? the bird guy wouldn't go in without backup at least, probably.

nene is quiet, idly playing with her hair for a moment. )

... You have to be kinder to yourself. If not for your sake, than for everyone else... I don't- I don't want to have to watch you die f- three times, now.

[harmacy]

... Would it be possible for us to meet somewhere else? Not here, or the garden, but somewhere in between? If I had a way to reach you, or even just send a message...

[He knows the forest is dangerous and also hates him in particular, but you never know... maybe someone else could go in his place, maybe they could arrange something. If there's anything he can do to reach her by himself, any way at all besides dying...

If he had the supplies on hand, he'd already be installing a secret tracking chip on her. She's right not to trust him. The question is, would it be better to deny him an excuse to get into trouble, or to give him enough information so he doesn't try something stupid on his own?]

I'd prefer regularly scheduled check-ups, but I can settle for a line of contact. Is there anyone who might be able to reach you?

[mermaidcursed]

Mm... there's paths through the fog, but you have to be able to find them. The general store has something to help with that. Those... should be safe. I stay in an old church in the woods. It's...

... where the forest and I met.

couple days after the divorce arc-

[simplicitas]

[Decidedly when ADD IS NOT AROUND because he's being avoidant—]

Hi. Um... I'm sorry for the other day. I didn't mean to scare you.

Re: couple days after the divorce arc-

[mermaidcursed]

( she's trying to get an apple from the tree by the river... she is too small. please help. )

... It's not your fault. I think... nothing about that day was gonna go entirely right, to be honest.

[simplicitas]

[He will reach up and pluck one for her. He's 5'5", 5'9" WITH the heels, thank you very much. Here you go.]

...probably not. But thanks for bringing him back. I'm glad he's... alive, if nothing else.

[mermaidcursed]

( APPLE... she will treasure it.


for like, 30 seconds before she takes a bite. which is also treasuring it, really.


she wants to cry, it's so delicious. but nene is quick to somber up again. )

... Has... he told you anything yet?

[simplicitas]

We haven't spoken since he came back. He told me to leave, and I snapped at him. I shouldn't have... and I want to see him again and try to sort this out, but I'm giving him space.

[Elsword takes a deep, shaky breath. He thinks he feels... guilt? Is this guilt. Fuck. It's not very strong, but there enough to make him wonder.]

I miss him, but... there's nothing I can do if he doesn't want to talk to me.

[mermaidcursed]

... He doesn't want to talk at all, I think. He's... trying to be brave in his own way, but the things that happened there really scared and hurt him.

( she had warned add. but maybe it really is for the best that she's the one to tell elsword. )

Add found me in the Garden, a resting place in the heart of the forest. My mom made it before things got too bad, so it... represents what she wants. A place to sit and rest before you keep going. But it got twisted, like everything else here, so if you linger too long you risk... fading.

But on the opposite end, if you're too close to the brink, it can bring you back. You just have to leave before the effects reverse.

... He was... I brought him there. He needed it.