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- !event,
- !tdm,
- arknights: gnosis,
- arknights: mizuki,
- arknights: shalem,
- baldur's gate iii: astarion ancunín,
- elsword: elsword,
- fate: bb,
- handead anthem: gara ukai,
- i'm the grim reaper: brook,
- jujutsu kaisen: toge inumaki,
- original: caoimhe ailbhe,
- original: felicity morais,
- original: rennuid tathviel
Event & TDM 003
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.
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.”
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.
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.
CLICK TO EXPAND!
❖ Several patches of the murderous flowers seem to have been electrocuted, lit on fire or cut.
no subject
he takes his eyes away from them-- no, they're surely safe for him to carry around.]
Well, I suppose these one are safe. [he pats them.] I came to this world with them, surely magic can't affect something from another world like that...?
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( which. good. it's awful enough that the flowers are acting like some day of the dead nonsense. they're flowers. nevermind the stolen powers they use-
felicity huffs and shakes her head before sighing. )
... The lavender should be fine. ( you already said that. ) Anyway, I'm Felicity.
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It's a pleasure to meet you, even with circumstances being what they are.
no subject
Mm, I can't complain about good food and a bit of music, really. Better than nothing, yeah?
no subject
Of course. Though, I suppose something like a tent would be nice if we're to be out here for a while.
no subject
( he could do like rennuid tried to do of course, and make himself a little outdoorsy spot, but. well.
demon flowers. )
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not to mention, is it truly free? what's the catch?
no, he can't trust that. so shalem chases a different, but adjacent topic.]
Is it truly that easy to built a house here?
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( she's an architect and they left her out and she is heartbroken over it, truly (no).
but there's so few options here, honestly. she can't blame rennuid for declining the inn, nor elsword for wanting his own space. she can't say she wasn't thinking about it either, but then a nice, handsome boy her age offered a room at his place and like.
she wasn't going to say no. for nice handsome boy reasons but also that is her friend reasons. )
Honestly you'd have to ask either of them for details.
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More than enough, in fact, when he's the one seemingly building these things we need. That's already a lot of legwork bypassed on my part.
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( yes she's eighteen, why do you ask? anyway. )
He's the big one in dark red- a little intimidating, but he and his sister have treated us well while we're here.
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the shopkeeper makes him wary. everyone here makes him wary.]
Exactly... how friendly is he, by the by?
no subject
He's like a sad dad.
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because things can always change, whether they're seemingly a man with a shadowy body, or more solid like the girl he's speaking to.]
Ah, so he's not as imposing as he seems! [then he smilings, sighing softly. shalem hasn't watched him long enough to understand him, after all. it takes him a while to get the hang of anyone, and he hasn't been watching the shopkeeper for long.] Which is a relief... I think.
no subject
( though, she does glance at shalem curiously- )
You think?
no subject
I would prefer not to make assumptions or solidify an opinion on someone without even having met them properly. Perhaps I thought something of him just by looking at him...
[then he just shakes his head.] Of course, I was wrong, and thus I'm reminded that I should keep an open mind.