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sticksandbones2024-10-04 11:32 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-10-04 11:32 am
EVENT & TDM 017
WHO ARE THEY?
WAKE UP
Grey, overcast skies. A touch of autumn rain. The smell of crisp apples and fallen leaves, and the crunch of grass underfoot. Pumpkins growing along the path and out of the walls of the buildings and on the rooves and wait what—
You’re not sure how you got here, but does it really matter? There’s something more urgent happening. As you stare at the pumpkin growing out of the wall by your head, something small and coin-shaped bonks you right on the noggin. As you look up, you’ll realise that the rain is gradually becoming less and less wet, and more and more… candy.
It’s raining candy. Wrapped candy, mind — the sky doesn’t want any food safety issues! No razor blades in the chocolate this year! — but candy nonetheless. Chocolate coins, taffy, sour candies, you name it, all coming down gradually before an absolute deluge of goodies pour down upon Aldric’s Grove. Some of them include wrapped bags of microwave popcorn and, yes, the occasional toothbrush. If you’re lucky, you might get clocked in the head with a mini pumpkin!
…don’t be lucky. Maybe get inside and wait for the trick-or-treat storm to pass, and make some friends while you’re at it. Surely the people who’ve been here for a bit can explain this one? Surely…?
You’re not sure how you got here, but does it really matter? There’s something more urgent happening. As you stare at the pumpkin growing out of the wall by your head, something small and coin-shaped bonks you right on the noggin. As you look up, you’ll realise that the rain is gradually becoming less and less wet, and more and more… candy.
It’s raining candy. Wrapped candy, mind — the sky doesn’t want any food safety issues! No razor blades in the chocolate this year! — but candy nonetheless. Chocolate coins, taffy, sour candies, you name it, all coming down gradually before an absolute deluge of goodies pour down upon Aldric’s Grove. Some of them include wrapped bags of microwave popcorn and, yes, the occasional toothbrush. If you’re lucky, you might get clocked in the head with a mini pumpkin!
…don’t be lucky. Maybe get inside and wait for the trick-or-treat storm to pass, and make some friends while you’re at it. Surely the people who’ve been here for a bit can explain this one? Surely…?
A BONE TO PICK
At midnight the day after the candy storm ends, a distant rattlin’ sound can be heard. From the forest surrounding the Grove comes the clickety-clack of dry bones as what appears to be a small army of skeletons assembles. At the head of the phalanx is none other than everyone’s favourite friendly skeletal spirit, Mr. Bone-Jangles. If anyone happens to be up at this late hour, he’ll wave hello and greet you… by plucking one of those pumpkins off the wall or out of the ground, breaking it open by ramming his skull into it, and handing you one half.
It’s full of candy, just like the skies were. Has anyone cleaned up the candy sitting on the ground from last night’s storm…? This is too much! Just as someone tries to tell him that there’s too much sugar here, he breaks open a second pumpkin, which contains fully-baked pumpkin pie that uses the shell of the pumpkin as the crust. Sigh.
This will be your entire month. Mr. Bone-Jangles will hand you sugar-filled pumpkins if he thinks you’re getting too sad or uncomfortable at any point, and his skeletal entourage follow behind him, loudly playing off-key music like the worst marching band you’ve ever heard. You’re not entirely sure how skeletons can play the trumpet — they don’t have lungs! — but it doesn’t really matter. It’s happening. You must deal with it. He’s not taking “no” for an answer.
Cheer up! Stop being depressed! Try Not Thinking About It™!
It’s full of candy, just like the skies were. Has anyone cleaned up the candy sitting on the ground from last night’s storm…? This is too much! Just as someone tries to tell him that there’s too much sugar here, he breaks open a second pumpkin, which contains fully-baked pumpkin pie that uses the shell of the pumpkin as the crust. Sigh.
This will be your entire month. Mr. Bone-Jangles will hand you sugar-filled pumpkins if he thinks you’re getting too sad or uncomfortable at any point, and his skeletal entourage follow behind him, loudly playing off-key music like the worst marching band you’ve ever heard. You’re not entirely sure how skeletons can play the trumpet — they don’t have lungs! — but it doesn’t really matter. It’s happening. You must deal with it. He’s not taking “no” for an answer.
Cheer up! Stop being depressed! Try Not Thinking About It™!
IT’S YOU, IT’S ME
Not everything can go smoothly, though. Not that one would call Mr. Bone-Jangles and his marching band of goobers smooth, but at least they aren’t an active threat to you. The same night he appears, so do others. Your “Other” — a doppelganger who looks just like you, thinks like you, acts like you, has powers like you do (or don’t). They know you. They want to be you.
The Others don’t make their appearance too obvious. They hide in the shadows, waiting for the opportune time to strike. Some might even wait until you’re talking to someone else to appear and cry out that’s not me! I’m right here! in an attempt to frame you. In almost every way, they’re the perfect “you” — especially should they get the drop on you and slash your throat, or gut you like a cod, or push you into the well where you’ll fall for an eternity before drowning all alone. Your Other will replace you seamlessly and, perhaps, they might turn their attention to your friends and loved ones next.
Yet, there’s always something “off” about them, no matter how perfect a replica. Perhaps your Other is more temperamental. Perhaps they don’t speak as well, or they speak far more intelligently than you ever did, or they’ve forgotten basic facts about their life. Perhaps your Other forgot that their dear friend’s birthday is coming up here soon. Or perhaps…
…the knife they brandish in broad daylight is a dead giveaway?
The Others don’t make their appearance too obvious. They hide in the shadows, waiting for the opportune time to strike. Some might even wait until you’re talking to someone else to appear and cry out that’s not me! I’m right here! in an attempt to frame you. In almost every way, they’re the perfect “you” — especially should they get the drop on you and slash your throat, or gut you like a cod, or push you into the well where you’ll fall for an eternity before drowning all alone. Your Other will replace you seamlessly and, perhaps, they might turn their attention to your friends and loved ones next.
Yet, there’s always something “off” about them, no matter how perfect a replica. Perhaps your Other is more temperamental. Perhaps they don’t speak as well, or they speak far more intelligently than you ever did, or they’ve forgotten basic facts about their life. Perhaps your Other forgot that their dear friend’s birthday is coming up here soon. Or perhaps…
…the knife they brandish in broad daylight is a dead giveaway?
…IT’S US
If you don’t kill your Other first, they will certainly kill you. The Others aren’t too concerned about any corpses hanging out in broad daylight, easily discovered by the masses where they can try to investigate if it’s “you” or “them”. Their job is to kill you; the method and clean-up really don’t matter, and since they’re the only ones left, they can claim easily that you were the doppelganger all along.
Where does your spirit go when you die to an Other? Deep within the forest lies a mansion made of creaky old wood and worn-down stone, one which no one outside can currently get into. The spirits of those who died are trapped here, left to haunt these halls. It is, ostensibly, a normal-if-decrepit home inside. There are living rooms, there’s a foyer, there are plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms, there’s a humungous kitchen — and as you float through the home, sometimes, a sense of mischief overtakes you. You really want to throw that table at someone. You really want to jump out at someone and frighten the daylights out of them. It’s dark in here, and there are plenty of places to hide.
Sadly for your prankster’s heart, the living — no matter how hard they try, and you sure can hear them trying — have been unable to break in, and they won’t be able to. Yet, standing just outside the iron-wrought fence, a stalwart figure of chaos and bad ideas, holding a greatsword with both skeletal hands… stands Mr. Bone-Jangles.
It seems like a way inside might unveil itself after all.
Where does your spirit go when you die to an Other? Deep within the forest lies a mansion made of creaky old wood and worn-down stone, one which no one outside can currently get into. The spirits of those who died are trapped here, left to haunt these halls. It is, ostensibly, a normal-if-decrepit home inside. There are living rooms, there’s a foyer, there are plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms, there’s a humungous kitchen — and as you float through the home, sometimes, a sense of mischief overtakes you. You really want to throw that table at someone. You really want to jump out at someone and frighten the daylights out of them. It’s dark in here, and there are plenty of places to hide.
Sadly for your prankster’s heart, the living — no matter how hard they try, and you sure can hear them trying — have been unable to break in, and they won’t be able to. Yet, standing just outside the iron-wrought fence, a stalwart figure of chaos and bad ideas, holding a greatsword with both skeletal hands… stands Mr. Bone-Jangles.
It seems like a way inside might unveil itself after all.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
WAKE UP
Welcome to Aldric's Grove, newbies! It's raining candy and the pumpkins are growing out of everything they can, no matter how nonsense it is. The people who've been here for a while probably know how to explain this one. Definitely.
A BONE TO PICK
An army of skeletons with instruments are here to cheer you up. Whenever you're Too Sad or Too Uncomfortable or Too Negative Emotion Here, they will chase you down and play music, and their leader will hand you a broken pumpkin full of sweets. Yaaay!
IT’S YOU, IT’S ME
The peace doesn't last long. Doppelgangers appear, seemingly from nowhere, with the intent to kill and replace you. They're almost-perfect copies, but there's always something off about them. They're perfectly killable, if you're smart about it.
…IT’S US
Those of you who die to your doppelgangers will leave a pretty corpse behind, and your spirits will be trapped in a (currently inaccessible) mansion in the forest until further notice. Your spirits will be quite tempted into mischievious ghost activities while you await your rescue.
OOC
Welcome to October's TDM! Reminder that all TDMs are game canon. This is the LAST TDM of the year; November & December won't have any due to the holiday season. We'll see you guys in January with a fresh new TDM, but feel free to continue playing on this one until then. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!
Living characters cannot currently get into the mansion to stage a rescue, but we encourage anyone who's "gone ghost" to float about in there. The rescue will be a mid-month event for our current playerbase at time of writing.
Living characters cannot currently get into the mansion to stage a rescue, but we encourage anyone who's "gone ghost" to float about in there. The rescue will be a mid-month event for our current playerbase at time of writing.
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
SUBMISSIONS
A.
Instead, he does the quick, logical thing! You know, reaching out into the hivemind. It's probably dusty at this point - Mizuki hasn't used it all that much besides to ping and make sure Elsword is okay.
Doctor Add? Doctor Add, is this you? Did you come back…?
… … …
He can't tell if the silence is because it's not his Add, or because he's done something wrong. He decides the best thing to do is just ask, right? So he goes up, pulling out his phone to type, before turning it around to show this Add. ]
Did the forest change you this much, Doctor Add?
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He looks Mizuki over once, eyes a touch softer. Then, with a snap—a keyboard forms in the air, along with a small screen. Something a little comfier to write with, maybe. The hologram should be familiar, but the colour is off. The Add he knows liked blue more. This one is a bright purple, almost pink, and somehow feels a bit sharper to the touch.
Add's gaze turns back to the bomb in his hands, fiddling with nothing in particular.]
You don't have to turn it around for me to see. I'll hear it. [not as direct as a brainchip tho]
... You have the wrong person. This is the first time we've met.
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He picks himself up and puts on his usual, sunny smile. He's even got a screen for Mizuki to type with instead of using his tiny phone screen! How kind of him to share. ]
It's nice to meet you, in that case! Sorry, you just seemed so familiar. Are you new here? Do you need help? Mister Gnosis has already tried blowing up the forest, if that's what you're thinking about.
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Add hums thoughtfully, still pretending to be focused on his tinkering.]
Yes. Possibly. Just thought it looked interesting, so no. What would blowing up the forest accomplish?
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Stress relief, mostly. Not very productive stress relief, but these past few months have taken a toll on people. I'm Mizuki, by the way. I'm not that useful, but if you need any help, I'll do the best I can.
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Mizuki... [Slowly, as if testing out the name in his mouth... nope, not anyone he knows.] It's Add, but obviously you know that already. If you find that too strange, just call me whatever.
[He drums his fingers on the desk, more or less giving up on pretending to be busy now. The bomb was just something fun to mess with for a bit, to help him relax. Stress relief, yeah. But he'd rather make some headway on a real problem, if he can, and this person seems to be on friendly terms with a version of himself. That could be an advantage, as long as that other self doesn't turn up.]
... Extradimensional pull is unusually strong in this world. Easier to enter than it is to leave. I was only passing through, but got too close and was dragged in... annoying, but not the first time I've dealt with this issue.
I don't suppose you'd know where the dimensional walls might be thinner? If you're trying to escape this place, I'll offer some assistance in return. I have no interest in staying here, but I have my methods of navigating interdimensional spaces.
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Mizuki, on the other hand, only has experience with it through video games. ]
The rules of this place are a little funny. I don't see these walls you're talking about, but I know the force keeping us trapped here does wane during certain days or hours, rather than certain places. So... more bound by the laws of time than that of space?
Does that help at all?
Also, I don't need help escaping. I've decided I'm staying here. I just want the Forest to stop torturing people for fun. I appreciate the offer.
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[but it is still helpful. He pulls out another holoscreen for himself, tapping something into it. Lots of Complicated Space-Time Math, probably.]
I'll prioritize tracking temporal fluctuations... you said it's a particular "force" trapping people here? What do you know of that force?
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[ Are all Add’s this note-take-y? Hm. Mizuki isn’t really looking over his shoulder, but he is just sort of staring at Add whenever he isn’t typing. ]
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He doesn't have that much to type for now, though, so once he's done he leans back and Mizuki can get a better look at his face. Unlike Doctor Add, this one doesn't bother to put on any air of pleasantries. The scowl is just his resting bitch face. The tattoo under his eye is also different, each line a little too long to call it a lightning bolt shape. And...
Well. It's not exactly a scar anymore, but the jagged glowing lines around his throat are visible under the edge of his collar. That's something Doctor Add never had (as far as Mizuki knows, at least).
He also looks like he's never brushed or cut his hair in ten years, which may or may not be true. An absolutely rat of a man. Doctor Add would be aghast.
But the current Add stares back at Mizuki staring at him, narrowing his eyes once it lasts long enough to get self-conscious over. Okay, he also kind of wants to know...]
"Doctor" Add... what kind of doctor?
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...? Oh? Did you not want to be a doctor, too? [ That makes sense. He looks over at Dynamo for a moment, lulling his head in thought, but eventually types again. ] I never really asked his expertise, but he seemed to pick up the slack in what we were missing here in the medical department. He seemed fond of studying specimens and neurosurgery...? He was also my acting commander for a while as well...
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Oh, that one. [making another face. he fuckin hates that guy (himself)] No, I never had any desire to be a doctor. That two-faced idiot lied about his credentials from day one, so I doubt he's much of an expert either. People-pleaser, weak willed, gave up without even trying...
[... trailing off awkwardly, after remembering that the guy he's talking to is allied with that version of him he's insulting. He coughs, sitting up a bit straighter.] I guess he might've picked up a few things, though... anyway.
You don't seem surprised. Are alternate realities common knowledge here?
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I think you're being a bit harsh. Seeing as he's a different version of you, that's not surprising, but I would never say he gave up. If anything, Doctor Add truly did try to do his best. He wanted to understand, but he didn't give up his kindness in doing so.
[ Mizuki seesaws his hand in the air at the question before typing again. ]
Yes and no? It's a proven theory where I'm from - my home world, not this place. If you were to ask anyone here from Terra, they may tell you that it's not a surprise. There are others here as well that likely share the sentiment from their own worlds, but I think just the fact that there are people from planets with similar names, yet wildly different experiences, it's not uncommon for people to put it together.
Plus, Elsword... Doctor Add's Elsword is not the same Elsword as Ain's, who a lot of people have met, which I think might be a pretty big tell for people...
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He's still totally right, though. Ugh.
Ignore it. Focus on the parts he actually cares about, unlike some idiot alternate-self of his. The mention of Ain and Elsword certainly gets his attention.]
So they're both here, too... [and... he doesn't look especially thrilled to hear it, honestly. Uncomfortable, maybe a little anxious? It's been... a very long time since he's spoken with any of them, after all, and if they're not even the versions he knows... he wanted to see them again, sure, but not like this.
He sighs, slouching. A pair of dynamos float up to his shoulders like they're giving him a little robot back massage (they are).]
Noted. [............] ... The information was useful. Thanks, I guess.
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You don't need to thank me. I didn't really offer all that much. There's a lot of smarter people in the Grove who would be able to help out more than me. I just... was hoping [ A pause. He shakes his head, and simply writes "Disregard." Not important. Doesn't matter. ] I'm just sorry I couldn't offer you more.
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... if there's something else you wanted, get out with it already. Since my original offer was useless to you.
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But if you mean for just me, umm…
…
Are you also touch averse, Mister Add?
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... Why?
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zahliya says its huggin' time
It would be very easy to give a flat "no" to this, but. Maybe, he is also feeling a bit homesick, and the typing was making him think about Nene, and if he says no he's going to make this person sad and he'll have to deal with that for the rest of the day, and maybe it'd be easier to just... do the hug? A quick one? He can handle that, right? He's... he's had some practice, with the touch thing...
Mentally he is here, but he manages to force out a reply that doesn't sound entirely forced. Maybe. Sort of.]
S...ure?
Bless you Zahliya
But he’s saying sure! So that means it’s okay! And boy does Mizuki look so excited about it. His hands are off the purple screen and he wastes zero time closing the distance to give this relative stranger a hug. A very full, warm one at that! If there’s a stinger or two that joins in, just ignore it— ]
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Anyway, it's fine up until he notices some ????? extra limbs????? creeping around his back, which is not something he was expecting. Like okay he's met other people with weird body situations but—]
Watch the arms. [A bit terse, but he's in an unstable form right now... the fragmented parts of his right arm and left shoulder aren't exactly pleasant to touch, feels a bit like sticking your hand (tentacle?) in a pile of glass. Also doesn't feel great for Add. He's wincing about it whether Mizuki makes contact or not, though. How much longer does he have to sit through this hug?]
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When he lets go, even though Add might be a bit more grumpy, Mizuki seems… weirdly energized? Like he's gone from a muted melancholy to a bright cheer within just seconds. He's even glowing! …Literally! There's a blue bioluminescent shimmer that he gives off when he's happy.
He turns to Dynamo first, though instead of using the screen and keys, he signs at them. Something he would've used to begin with, but he's still not sure how similar things work with this Add. But surely a drone can understand that, right…? ]
« I know you're different, too, but it's still nice to see you again. »
[ And then to Add: ] Thank you! You're real nice, Mister Add. It feels like everyone's been so upset lately, it's been hard to ask for one of those.
no subject
[... anyway, Add rolls his shoulders a few times now that the hug is over. He's still grumpy and a little embarrassed, but he can only be so annoyed when the kid(?) is acting so sincere about it. He grumbles.]
Yeah, yeah, don't mention it. [literally Do Not Mention It he can't ruin his cool and intimidating reputation this early on ugh moving on] Everyone, huh? What's the situation here? Vindictive fallen god, I assume the primary goal is to get rid of it or otherwise remove the source of the threat, but entities like that rarely go down without a fight. Give me a summary of the past couple of months, I want to know what I'm dealing with. What's the current progress towards the end goal, recent counterattacks or blocking attempts, status of group morale...
no subject
As for Add's questions... Mizuki lulls his head a moment, trying to think of the best way to go about answering. In the end, he just ends up using the fact he has to type to his advantage here, making more concise bulletpoints rather than trying to explain everything. ]
The Forest (VFG):
- Don't call it by it's name.
- Trying to get rid of it. Unsure how. Previously sealed away in a temple. Presumably can be killed?
- Toys with us in the meantime. Plays sadistic "games".
- Possesses the whole of the forest. Doesn't seem strong enough to come out of it? Isn't strong enough to pierce the barrier around the Grove, for sure.
2 Months Ago
- Furniture came to life and got mad at us if we didn't fix them/clean up/etc.
- The forest gave us gemstones that gave us negative emotions (cowardice, anger, instability, apathy, etc.)
- We restored a demi-god (called "Guardians"), and he rewarded us by giving us rain that made the plants very big.
- The gargoyle (Zahliya) who usually hangs out above the church in town went on a quest to find his swords that his moms made for him (the goddesses).
Last Month
- Monsters played chase with us in the Grove. Couple people died and everyone was really exhausted. Morale particularly low right now because of this.
- The River guardian had some of its power restored. A plus for us, since the guardians seem to be working with us.
- As a side note, if you saw the giant moose lady walking around, she's very nice, and I would recommend talking with her, as she seems to know a lot. Bring her flowers, too.
- Also we talked to the Sun god. She's also the former god's sister. She's pretty sure we're gonna have to kill her brother.
This time, last year
- I don't know what's going on with the candy falling from the sky, that's new, but the skeletons roaming around are not. They appeared here last year.
- There was a masquerade (hosted by the skeletons) and also ghosts.
- The forest gave us all marks that forced us to feel one another's pain. Physical and emotional.
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