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

[prozaic]

[shalem's tail flicks as he hears that-- of course gnosis fell asleep in the lab. of course. despite it being a safety hazard, the medics and scientists will always do the most dangerous things... which is why they require logistics, hr, and administration workers like shalem to take care of them.

oh well. at least this tendency of theirs keeps shalem employed.]

I have already encountered Operator Mizuki, and he reported the same as you-- our numbers here, that is. [it's best that the doctor is not here anyway, when rhodes island needs its tactician more than the offworld stragglers need their boss.]

I wonder what the common thread among us would be, to be pulled into this place... If whatever or whoever did so wanted high-value personnel, they could certainly do better than me.

[succiduous]

[Well. Glad to see that everything is consistent, at least, in regard to who of Rhodes Island is here and who is blessedly absent. They can function as a trio for now, like any other field mission they might be presumably sent on. Other than the fact that the forest wants him to feel bad for his laundry list of crimes and the carnivorous flowers, this is almost a vacation in comparison to some of the things they've likely done.

"High-value personnel" is something Gnosis does not give voice to. If they wanted Karlan Trade's secrets, whoever or whatever is in charge here would have pulled in SilverAsh, as Gnosis lacks the habit of blabbing classified information to unconcerned parties.]

If that were the case, the entity — I'm assuming an entity, anyhow — that governs this place would have taken Doctor Kal'tsit, the Doctor, or young Amiya. [Or even Ch'en, or someone from Rhine Lab... it makes no sense.] That also doesn't explain the others who aren't from Terra.

[Vague gesturing to the others around the bonfire.]

[prozaic]

I can only say what I've observed, Mr. Gnosis. [though if gnosis insisted that he wasn't highly valued in rhodes island... well, shalem would definitely point out that the liberi is a scientist, and the phidia is only a logistics worker. who is more valuable between them? who do people rely on more out on the field?

certainly not the man who is laughing mad.]

As to the other people around... I'm afraid I don't know them well enough to come to a conclusion. I'm feeling a little too tired to mingle right now.

[succiduous]

I hardly expect you to have all the answers on hand. I'm merely musing.

[And being unintentionally (or perhaps totally intentionally) insulting to boot. For all his fancy Victorian education afforded him, he surely didn't learn social graces, did he?]

I only vaguely know some of the people here from a small party one of them held early this month. I was the newest person here until you and Mizuki arrived. If you ever needed someone to provide an introduction for you, I'm more than willing, when you aren't too exhausted.

[prozaic]

[oh mr. gnosis. silly, silly man. he hasn't heard of any talk about him intentionally insulting anyone without good reason, but shalem tends to have thicker skin than most, that he sheds regularly. if gnosis ever decides to change this policy of his and let the insults fly without provocation, shalem can handle him.]

I would appreciate that greatly, Mr. Gnosis. I'm glad to see that you've been well, all things considered...

You and Operator Mizuki both. But given I'm here now, I don't mind if you were to lean on me for the same duties that I perform in Rhodes Island.