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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
"Guess I just sorta picked it up at some point in all the loops?" He chuckles awkwardly, hands falling as the Craft spell begins to take effect. "Y'know, watching Mira and all that."
no subject
Her breathing is still rough, but she's starting to relax a bit as the pain in her ankle fades.
"It's a useful skill to have. And impressive, to have picked it up from observation alone. I assume you didn't take time to study the theory?"
no subject
Admittedly, he's never really thought too hard about it. Something just clicked after a while of seeing Mirabelle do it. It only occurs to him now that that might not really be very normal.
"It's not like you had to study every new thing either, right? There was that time during all the...y'know." They gesture vaguely, like that might manage to convey that time I got all big and boss fight-y. "You stopped me from looping."
They figure she just figured it out as they went, given there surely wasn't any time to sit down and research something like that. But then again, this is Odile. If anyone could squeeze in a bit of insane theoretical Craft study in the middle of a mad dash through the House, it'd be her.
no subject
She smiles fondly at him, but it fades quickly. If it was such a simple matter for them to learn, they'd probably have done so before reaching Dormont. They certainly had reason to. How much repetition must it have taken for him to learn without really meaning to?
"But are you alright? Should you be using so much Craft?"
no subject
"Oh! No, I'm fine!" He plasters on a smile, trying to be reassuring. "Time is weird here, so I've already had like...two months to recuperate?"
no subject
But she recognizes that smile. She scans his face with narrowed eyes, looking for any sign of fever or fatigue. It's hard to tell when they were just running for their lives. She doesn't think Siffrin would lie, but that smile means he's not being entirely honest about something.
"...I see."
no subject
But, ah. He's just making her worry more. Damn.
"Loop is here too! They've been here the whole time, so it's not like I've been all alone."
Granted, he had Loop in the loops too, but this feels different. Loop feels more present here, freed from their role as timeloop assistant and just as lost as Siffrin.
no subject
"I spoke with them earlier, actually. Are they always so evasive? I only got them down from the roof by accident."
no subject
Putting it mildly, for sure. But he can't really get into the details without spilling secrets that are Loop's to share, so he jumps on the easy opportunity to shift course.
"How do you accidentally get someone off a roof?"
no subject
"They fell," she states grimly. Why anyone would think a roof is a perfectly fine place to lounge...
"While trying to leave the conversation, if I'm not mistaken." Ergo, somewhat her doing, but not at all intentional.
no subject
"They fell? Were they okay??" It's wild that he seems more stressed about this than the person with the fear of heights. Granted, she doesn't exactly look happy, and she doesn't really know Loop – or at least, she doesn't know she does, and she sorta kinda doesn't?
no subject
"They were fine. They caught themselves on the edge and were able to jump down. We spoke for long enough afterwards that I'm confident they weren't hiding a sprain... assuming such an injury is possible for them." It definitely took a few years off of her life, though. She shudders.
no subject
Assuming they're fine in all this, at least. It's probably not the safest time to be stubborn about living outside with dragons and whatnot prowling the area.
"They can definitely get hurt," Siffrin says, frowning. "We, uh...got into a fight a while ago. I've seen them bleed and all that."
no subject
"When was this?"
no subject
"A few weeks ago?" A slightly sheepish smile. "There was a town meeting at the cafe and we almost got kicked out."
Yeah, fighting with Loop is unfortunately not an uncommon situation, even if you're limiting that to fights that escalate to violence.
no subject
"It's not like you to get into fights," she finally says, doing her best to sound gentle. It mostly just sounds quiet.
no subject
"They started it?" he says, though it doesn't sound like he's entirely convinced of that since he adds on a moment later, "I mean, they threw the first punch. I guess I was probably bugging them, but they were being an asshole..."
no subject
She smiles slightly.
"Yes, I'm sure they were. It does seem like a hobby of theirs."
no subject
Siffrin frowns slightly. Absurdly, despite everything, they can't help the hint of defensiveness that rises in them. Is it protectiveness of Loop, of the only I get to say that variety? Or is it more personal than that? It could be both at the same time, with the situation being what it is.
But that's a stupid instinct, so they smother it and focus on the other implication there instead.
"Wait, were they rude to you?" Goddammit, Loop.
no subject
"That's just the impression I got," she reassures him. "Though 'asshole' might be a little harsh. It's more that they seem to enjoy annoying others."
no subject
At least she doesn't seem to outright hate them? That's good, right? He doesn't really know how he's gonna go about wingmanning that friendship, but he knows Loop would just avoid everyone if left to their own devices.
But that's a problem for later when everyone's safe and there aren't monsters outside trying to eat them.
"Are you okay now? I know I'm no Mirabelle, but..." He shrugs and gestures to the ankle she'd been limping on before.
no subject
"I'm worn out, but my ankle seems to be fine. Thank you, Siffrin."
no subject
Ironically, with outside being dangerous territory at the moment, lazing about here feels like perhaps the wisest course of action.
no subject
"Yes... I woke up here this morning. But I take it that sort of thing isn't unusual?"