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sticksandbones2024-09-06 11:16 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-09-06 11:16 am
EVENT & TDM 016
A CREEPING FURY SETTING IN
WAKE UP
You don’t recall how you got here. Hell, you’re barely sure “why” you’re here in the first place. But the fact is, by the time you come to your senses, you’re already standing in line out in front of a tent with a big sign on it: FREE STUFF! FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!
Others who have been here longer are aware of you, of course. They watched you ambling around on autopilot for two hours before the sign went up, and then you suddenly hopped into the queue (and maybe even cut in line! the horror!) before the brain fog cleared. Where are you? Why are you in line? Do you even want free stuff? All of these questions can only be answered when you see what the free stuff is.
…it’s random junk. Random magical junk, mind, but when a woman made of solid shadows hands you a wand that apparently summons a small amount of pigeons “per day, until it breaks”, you take it. Or, perhaps, the item was a crystal ball that only shows you made-up scenes from a book. Or it’s a hand-fan that blows only warm air, or a pen that writes all of your letters backwards despite the fact you yourself aren’t doing that… anything quirky and stupid is within the realm of possibility, and Ydalir is trying so hard to get rid of her failed magical experiments. Please. Please take these. Her tent is overstocked and she needs to start anew.
And to those of you who are new here, she’ll offer a friendly greeting and wave, and ask you how your head is feeling after that strange wandering session earlier. Don’t feel pressured to answer; the line needs to keep moving, after all.
Others who have been here longer are aware of you, of course. They watched you ambling around on autopilot for two hours before the sign went up, and then you suddenly hopped into the queue (and maybe even cut in line! the horror!) before the brain fog cleared. Where are you? Why are you in line? Do you even want free stuff? All of these questions can only be answered when you see what the free stuff is.
…it’s random junk. Random magical junk, mind, but when a woman made of solid shadows hands you a wand that apparently summons a small amount of pigeons “per day, until it breaks”, you take it. Or, perhaps, the item was a crystal ball that only shows you made-up scenes from a book. Or it’s a hand-fan that blows only warm air, or a pen that writes all of your letters backwards despite the fact you yourself aren’t doing that… anything quirky and stupid is within the realm of possibility, and Ydalir is trying so hard to get rid of her failed magical experiments. Please. Please take these. Her tent is overstocked and she needs to start anew.
And to those of you who are new here, she’ll offer a friendly greeting and wave, and ask you how your head is feeling after that strange wandering session earlier. Don’t feel pressured to answer; the line needs to keep moving, after all.
HOUNDS ON YOUR HEELS
At some point as the summer fades into autumn, something in the air changes. The surrounding woods and its foggy walls have felt tenser than usual, like something is waiting for you to slip and fall into jaws just waiting to snap shut around your flesh — but nothing happens. Not initially, at least. But keen eyes will soon see a plethora of fairies, long sleeves dangling over razor-sharp claws like a praying mantis’s arms, hair tied back in loose buns, all wearing masks with a single watchful eye painted upon them. As your gazes meet, they giggle and disperse.
And then there are more. And as more gather, watching the paths you take, the houses and buildings erected, the way you move through the gardens, they begin to screech like cicadas. Like alarms.
It could be the lumbering, moss-covered frog that leaps towards you from the lake, large enough to match a car. It could be the wood and stone-crusted bear, spears and arrows collected in its haunches like decoration and not the injuries they clearly are, standing taller than anything you’ve ever seen. It could be the long, winding dragon with lichen dripping off of it, coiling through the trees. Regardless, the fairies are calling to your location and one of them is going to answer.
They chase with an almost single-minded perseverance, with claws and sticky tongues and fangs — stealth is the key, so long as the fairies don’t rat you out again. Though they can be fought, they cannot die in a way that matters — just as easily as flesh tears, it will stitch itself back together and hold a grudge.
Every broken twig is a signal to your location. Every brush of wind in the trees and the grass could be the monsters stalking after you.
It’s time to play: Hide and Seek.
And then there are more. And as more gather, watching the paths you take, the houses and buildings erected, the way you move through the gardens, they begin to screech like cicadas. Like alarms.
It could be the lumbering, moss-covered frog that leaps towards you from the lake, large enough to match a car. It could be the wood and stone-crusted bear, spears and arrows collected in its haunches like decoration and not the injuries they clearly are, standing taller than anything you’ve ever seen. It could be the long, winding dragon with lichen dripping off of it, coiling through the trees. Regardless, the fairies are calling to your location and one of them is going to answer.
They chase with an almost single-minded perseverance, with claws and sticky tongues and fangs — stealth is the key, so long as the fairies don’t rat you out again. Though they can be fought, they cannot die in a way that matters — just as easily as flesh tears, it will stitch itself back together and hold a grudge.
Every broken twig is a signal to your location. Every brush of wind in the trees and the grass could be the monsters stalking after you.
It’s time to play: Hide and Seek.
‘TIL THERE’S NOTHING LEFT
cw: supernatural parasitism & energy/life-force draining
… And where do those captured go, when all is said and done? None of the Seekers actually kill them after all — they may carry their unfortunate victims within their mouths if they are large enough to do so, but as soon as one is captured, they leave.
Though it’s risky to try and track them through the woods, those who try or stay awake during their capture will find themselves taken down a winding path in the fog. One can also bribe a fairy or two to help — or at least not rat you out. A shiny object or food — berries, honey, the fresh-killed heart of that songbird on the branch, all work fine to win its favor for a time. Eventually, they’ll find themselves up a path to a gargantuan tree covered in glowing boils — it’s something that manages to dwarf even the whale-sized moose that may wander by wordlessly, impassive to your plights as moose are wont to do.
Sickly motes of light waft through the air and gently-glowing flowers bloom all around the land, moss glistens against the bark and dirt and perhaps if this place was not so warped by evil, it could have been beautiful once. Coiled around the tree is a vine where the captured are tied to, and they will feel…
Tired. Compliant. Don’t you wish to sleep? The tree needs you. Don’t struggle. Don’t resist. Sleep, and dream no more…
Keen eyes will see the skeletons of former victims further up the vines. As the tree feeds on its captives’ life force, fairies and the Seekers stand guard, only going out to fetch more victims. Do you make the attempt? Or will you come back with reinforcements?
… And where do those captured go, when all is said and done? None of the Seekers actually kill them after all — they may carry their unfortunate victims within their mouths if they are large enough to do so, but as soon as one is captured, they leave.
Though it’s risky to try and track them through the woods, those who try or stay awake during their capture will find themselves taken down a winding path in the fog. One can also bribe a fairy or two to help — or at least not rat you out. A shiny object or food — berries, honey, the fresh-killed heart of that songbird on the branch, all work fine to win its favor for a time. Eventually, they’ll find themselves up a path to a gargantuan tree covered in glowing boils — it’s something that manages to dwarf even the whale-sized moose that may wander by wordlessly, impassive to your plights as moose are wont to do.
Sickly motes of light waft through the air and gently-glowing flowers bloom all around the land, moss glistens against the bark and dirt and perhaps if this place was not so warped by evil, it could have been beautiful once. Coiled around the tree is a vine where the captured are tied to, and they will feel…
Tired. Compliant. Don’t you wish to sleep? The tree needs you. Don’t struggle. Don’t resist. Sleep, and dream no more…
Keen eyes will see the skeletons of former victims further up the vines. As the tree feeds on its captives’ life force, fairies and the Seekers stand guard, only going out to fetch more victims. Do you make the attempt? Or will you come back with reinforcements?
DON’T LOOK BACK
… But regardless of the hostility from the forest, the game must come to an end eventually. And in return for surviving, upon whatever throne he sits upon, the Black Sun offers the world a bit of power as the victims recover — those who perish to the monsters will awaken within their beds, unable to remember anything for a total 24 hours and with floral growths blooming around their scars — but after the initial panic, those who can will confirm that there is no Corruption in these wounds. They may fade, or they may not. Those who survive the month will only carry whatever injuries and weariness they gained over time.
Come morning light, the area of the river will give off a bright glow. Investigation will yield a lot of pain in the eyes, like looking directly at the sun, but eventually it dies down and residents of the Grove can properly have a look at the river again. Those that do may find themselves pleasantly surprised. While clouds shield the skies most of the time, over the river there is a gentle, warm sunlight and blue skies. The abundance of riverside foliage has grown, with new species available for those who can recognize such things — and the water, crisp and clearer than ever, holds more types of fish and amphibians as well. Besides the apple tree — Sinann’s gift for freedom long ago, and Moder’s blackberry bush — new is fruit available. The apple tree is flanked by a peach tree and an orange tree, while the other side of the riverbank houses… …A durian tree.
Some Guardians are grateful. Callan is Callan.
Perhaps best of all though is that Sinann itself has grown in size and in power: in fact, as you approach, it floats above the water to give a greeting.
“Thank you once more for your help.”
Come morning light, the area of the river will give off a bright glow. Investigation will yield a lot of pain in the eyes, like looking directly at the sun, but eventually it dies down and residents of the Grove can properly have a look at the river again. Those that do may find themselves pleasantly surprised. While clouds shield the skies most of the time, over the river there is a gentle, warm sunlight and blue skies. The abundance of riverside foliage has grown, with new species available for those who can recognize such things — and the water, crisp and clearer than ever, holds more types of fish and amphibians as well. Besides the apple tree — Sinann’s gift for freedom long ago, and Moder’s blackberry bush — new is fruit available. The apple tree is flanked by a peach tree and an orange tree, while the other side of the riverbank houses… …A durian tree.
Some Guardians are grateful. Callan is Callan.
Perhaps best of all though is that Sinann itself has grown in size and in power: in fact, as you approach, it floats above the water to give a greeting.
“Thank you once more for your help.”
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
WAKE UP
Welcome to Aldric's Grove! New and old residents alike are being gifted free, joke magic items from Ydalir's tent while she does her autumn cleaning. Please take these, she's desperate.
HOUNDS ON YOUR HEELS
Little insect-faeries watch your every move. Suddenly, from the barrier, you're being attacked by various monsters trying to capture you and drag you off. Better run. Better hide.
‘TIL THERE’S NOTHING LEFT
If you're caught, you'll be dragged to become food for a large tree that drains your life force directly. If you aren't rescued in time, you'll die slowly and peacefully.
DON’T LOOK BACK
Those of you who die will come back the next day with temporary amnesia lasting 24 hours. It'll clear up after, and all of your memories will come back as if with magic. But, in the end, you've won the game, and that means ample rewards: More fruit trees, and the River Guardian growing more powerful after all this time.
OOC
Welcome to September's TDM! Reminder that all TDMs are game canon. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out! We have several toplevel comments below for randomizing any result you want this month, including the magic items from Ydalir if you're having a hard time making something up.
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
SUBMISSIONS
no subject
[Dipper's nonjudgmental reaction does help calm him down some, but honestly? Danny does not have the bandwidth to explain his whole backstory right now, even if he felt comfortable doing so. Which he very much does not, to some guy he just met, in some weird alternate dimension that he's not familiar with. So.]
I'm fine. Can we just... not talk about that right now?
[Danny slumps into the closest seat, resting his arms on the table and fidgeting with the bell in his hands.]
I'd rather hear what the deal is with this jerk forest god we're supposed to beat up or whatever.
[Though it might be telling that that's the comfortable topic. Going head to head against obnoxious and insanely powerful supernatural beings? He does that all the time! Surely it won't take
more than two episodes worththat long to figure out defeating it and find a way home. Right? ...wait, did Dipper say he hadn't been home in years...]no subject
Okay, man. As long as you're sure.
[He can leave it at that for now! He will actually hurry off to get his hands on the stuff for Coffee. Danny may note that Dipper just. Walks behind the counter. He works here it's fine. He'll come back with all the proper stuff. ]
I wish we could just throw a punch at him. I don't recommend it, though. Like I said, he's basically The Forest. Going out into the forest to pick a fight hasn't ended well for anyone here so far. There's basically evil fog covering most of the place outside the Grove that will disorient and harm you, there's also monsters running around, and Entity itself is a sadistic jerk that will find ways to mess with you.
no subject
Evil fog, no body to punch, monsters everywhere. Great. Sounds worse than the ghost attacks back home. What's this thing want with us, anyway?
no subject
Now we come back to the reincarnation thing.
[He sets down his empty cup.]
So, this place used to be a thriving functional town eons ago. Long enough ago that when we unbound a time stasis spell on part of the town, buildings just straight up disintegrated.
This asshole, the fallen false God, was locked up in a temple but some people let him escape. He more or less obliterated this place, killing almost everyone, but a spell was cast to send out a bunch of the souls from the town to be reincarnated rather than absorbed by the guy.
[Dramatic pause.]
That's us, by the way.
no subject
[Danny gestures with the hand holding the bell again. Ding! His hair's now bright blue.]
So my past life was here in RPG Town, and now it's dragging us all back? I mean, talk about your past coming back to bite you, but what about my life now? It's kind of, you know, important!
no subject
I get it, man. Mine, too. We're trying to solve the situation so the people who do want to leave can get back home. We're just stuck right now until we can. Speaking as someone who's been dimensionally kidnapped multiple times, it's always way more complicated than it should be to get out of these places.
[He will knock back another cup of coffee.]
That said, this place is set up nice so you won't have to rough it or anything. Rooms at the Inn are free, there's plenty of amenities, and the economy is based around stuff you scavenge from the riverbanks.
no subject
[He's already thinking about that whole thing with Pariah Dark again. This situation sounds way too similar, honestly.]
Well at least Forest Jerk could've brought my friends with me, or something. Mom and Dad are gonna tear the whole town apart looking for me... and then probably blame it on ghosts.
[Danny stirs his coffee idly, staring into it. He sounds resigned and disappointed about that last comment, but not cynical - it's not that he doesn't believe in ghosts, it's that he doesn't think they deserve the ire. He does perk up a little as Dipper mentions the accommodations, though.]
Well, good to know I don't have to like, work fantasy fast food or something to not starve. If the food here also doesn't reanimate and try to eat you back, I'm calling that a win.
no subject
[Passenger was a kind of stoic guy but he has absolutely seen him strike shit with lightning before.]
Anyway, what's important is that the people here are generally really cool and will make sure everyone's got what they need. If you ever need anything at all, you can hit up a guy named Pure Vanilla. I've actually crashed with them a bunch since my family isn't here, either. [Yet. He's about to get a crazy surprise in a few hours.]
...Can I ask about the ghost thing? Or is that too personal.
no subject
[That doesn't sound like a ghost name. It's too... cutesy?
But then, of course, Dipper asks about the ghost thing again. Danny knew he couldn't keep it swept under the rug for long. He sighs, thinking for a moment, fiddling with the bell in his hands some more. (Jingle! The new color is a deep red. None of these really look as good on him as his original black hair.)]
You can really just... see that? ...So what do I look like, to you? And, I mean, the fact that you haven't completely freaked out kinda already says a lot, but what do you think about ghosts, anyway?
no subject
[Best rip that bandaid off first.]
Anyway, yeah. So I’m something called a Paleblood, which means I have a certain kind of blood type attuned to a special kind of blood magic that makes me sensitive to spirits. I can’t get the whole picture, obviously but you have the same kind of ghost aura.
Anyway, ghosts are …kind of my specialty? I used to run a side hustle making house calls to peoples houses for exorcisms. Not for benign spirits who arent causing issues, I mean like, violent spirits that try to hurt people, that sort of thing.
no subject
[Danny rests his chin in his palm, more or less looking at Dipper but his eyes still flicking about as he calculates exactly how much he should say.]
Well, you just admitted that not all ghosts are bad, so you're already like five steps above my parents, who don't even think they're sentient. And they "study" ghosts for a living.
[Wow there is a LOT of bitterness in his tone. And yup, the air quotes are back, albeit one-handed right now. (Bing! Strawberry blond.)]
By which I mean they build a lot of weird junk and then try to hunt the ghosts. Which are mostly their fault anyway, because have I mentioned the giant portal in the basement? Anyway, my town is like, SUPER haunted. Mom and Dad aren't exactly great at lab safety either, so my sister Jazz and I have been getting exposed to ectoplasm basically our entire lives. I'm not really surprised that my aura looks uh, ghostly.
[Now to see if Dipper buys that excuse, or points out that mere exposure doesn't add up to what he's seeing. Or wonder why Danny felt the need to make sure he knew that not all ghosts are bad, first.]
no subject
[Spoken with the deadest tone. Everything Danny has explained has given Dipper another stress line under his eyes.]
There is so much to unpack about that, dude, I’m not even sure where to start. Calling ghosts non-sentient is insane when they were literally people once. Sure some take the form of remnant memories and are kind of just lingering emotion anchored to a specific place, but there are plenty that are in full possession of their mental facilities.
[Is Dipper getting a little too heated about this?? Maybe. But this is his special interest and when people are wrong its annoying.]
Also?? They’re just letting some trans-dimensional portal just run in your basement? How the hell has your dimension not collapsed?? Also the ectoplasm contamination sounds like a biohazardous nightmare??
[No, its not adding up but Dipper may come back around to this. He’s too busy being offended.]
no subject
[Danny pops the p, because he doesn't have much else to add to that, really. Dipper pretty much hit it all on the head.]
Believe me, with my dad's aim and driving, they're a menace to everyone else too. I mean, they mean well, I think? They just... keep seeing only the things they want to believe.
[That last remark is punctuated by a drop in tone as Danny's eyes also drop back to the table. Oh, there's definitely something here that affects him directly.]
no subject
[Yeah, there’s something happening here but it looks like Danny doesn’t want to come clean to a total stranger.]
Well. At least while you’re stuck here you won’t have to worry about that unless they show up here. The people here won’t really bat an eye at your funny aura and you’d be surprised by how many people have had a portal in the basement here.
[He shrugs with a smile.]
My true form is a squid and my blood is magic, one of my best friends here is a werewolf, and we have like eight people here from the cookie dimension. You’re in good company, dude.
no subject
Ha! It sure sounds like it. If my parents do show up here, it kind of sounds like they'd be outvoted on how to treat all us supernatural... whatevers. Kinda hope my friends do, though. I bet Sam would love this place.
[Danny pauses, as if something's suddenly occurred to him. His next question contains maybe slightly too much gusto.]
Hey wait, if this is another dimension, does that mean there's a totally different night sky?? New constellations? Can you see the whole Milky Way - well, I guess it's not the Milky Way, but you know what I mean!
no subject
[Oh, look how excited he is suddenly. This is something fun to talk about actually.]
Yeah! The stars are different as far as I can tell. For a while we couldn’t even see them, but suddenly they came back out.
no subject
[It's an energy Danny's matching easily. This is HIS special interest, so he's absolutely gonna zero in on it.]
Does anyone here even know what the local constellations are supposed to look like? If this isn't Earth, I'm guessing it won't be as easy as finding the North Star and the Big Dipper. [A beat and a smirk.] And no, I'm not counting some guy named Dipper as that last one.
no subject
[Cool, nerd time!!]
That’s a pretty good question. You should definitely ask Ydalir and Heimr about that because I’m not actually sure. They’ve been around since we were reincarnated supposedly so they would be the ones to know.
[Danny does answer a question Dipper had though, and that’s about what kind of world Danny was from. His comment on his name gets a laugh put of him.]
[He brushes his bangs back to show Danny his birthmark. There’s the Big Dipper right there on his forehead.]
You sure I don’t count?
no subject
Oh, cool! Is that a tattoo?
no subject
It’s a birthmark, actually. It’s always been there.
no subject
[Danny's hand moves towards Dipper's forehead, but stops short as he realizes that poking at said birthmark might be a bit rude and sheepishly pulls it back.]
So uh, I guess that's why you're called Dipper, huh? Sorry, I just... space has been my thing for forever. I want to be an astronaut someday - well, if I can get my grades back up, anyway. Or get back home, for that matter.
no subject
Yep, though you're the first person to kind of put that together. I think maybe constellations are way less universal than I expected.
[Everyone looked at a name like "Dipper" and didn't fucking question it. Weirdos.]
That's super cool, though. I've heard that's not an easy program to get into so mad respect. Man, I'd love to see what kind of math courses they have to take. [Wistful sigh.]