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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
no subject
I say something wrong???
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... You know what? Forget it! Forget I asked! I don't even want to know! He can do whatever the fuck he wants, that's none of my concern!!
[sure sounds like it's his concern but ok lmao]
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I'm really sorry, Mister Add. I didn't mean to upset you...
Is... this because you also like Elsword? [ Maybe all Adds IS the same- ]
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Anyway, he is immediately back to spitting tsundere anger the moment Mizuki even begins to type that—] No, I am not interested in Elsword! Why would I be interested in Elsword?! Just because some other version of me has a taste for soft-hearted idiots doesn't mean every version does!
I have no interest in romantic partners whatsoever! [folding his arms in a huff] I don't have time for idiotic things like that. I'm busy with my research, and various other topics of personal interest...
[like... like robots, and cats... yeah.]
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I’m going to assume you asking why you would be interested in Elsword is a rhetorical question. As for everything else… I’m genuinely sorry if I upset you. If you wanted to talk about it, or let me know what I did wrong so I can avoid it, I will listen. I’m very good at taking orders, and even better at talking through someone’s thoughts with them…
Or if you just need someone to vent to, I have no personal judgements towards anyone. You could do that, too.
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......
.........]
... I haven't even seen him in years. Mine probably... moved on already...
[Dynamo makes an especially sad bebeep!! :( and gathers itself up to give him a hug. There, there...]
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Here would be the point where Mizuki would put a hand on his shoulder or something along those lines, but he figures that would make things worse for Add, not better. He tilts his head for a moment, then shakes it. ]
The Elsword I know has the "Illuminous Phenomenon". It makes his memory really, really bad.
But he works so, so hard to remembering his friends. He says it's hard to remember their faces sometimes, but he's still doing everything he can to think about them and remember them and who they are to him.
I know people from different universes can vary immensely, but if your Elsword is anything like that, he still cares. I guarantee it.
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[How does he even begin to explain it? Talking to a stranger he'll never see again is easier than someone he knows, sure, but—how can he explain why it's so different? Why the way he fucked up was so bad he had to leave without a trace, and only now found he courage to try and find them again, but he's still full of doubts? What if they don't want to see him again? What if they find out the real reason he left, and they start hating him?
He grapples with his emotions, making another frustrated whine as he pulls his head back up, staring at Mizuki like he might truly hold an answer for him.]
Just— imagine your Add wasn't doing great, and then one day he disappeared! No explanation, no proof he's alive or safe, no way to track him down, no further attempts at contact for years, just... nothing. And then he shows up again, and you're supposed to accept him back without questioning it?
There's... a lot of reasons, I just... I just can't tell them it all. I can't.
1/2
2/2
He doesn't say anything until Add finishes, wishing he were in the therapy building so he had his clipboard, but he can just consider this here. It's not like they're going to be bothered too much, right? He gives the Dynamo by him a few little pats until he feels like he's ready to respond. ]
I don't have to imagine it. That did happen. I know he's alive now, of course, but I haven't spoken to him since he disappeared.
And... "without questioning it"? No. I would definitely question him. I think I'm angry. I think I would yell at him. But... that's only because I care so much about him. And... maybe also because he kissed me without ever talking about that again. I dunno. It's a lot to unpack there.
... But I'd accept him back. Always. It's why I got so excited when I saw you...
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[burying his face in hands again like why does this AU copy have so much going on.
the only person he's ever kissed is.................
but. He groans again, trying to pull himself together (was his arm sliding out of its socket? don't worry about it, the fragmenting is normal). Despite everything, Mizuki is... making a valid point. With evidence. See: the fact that his copy here did the same, for whatever reason.
It's something solid to use as an example. How his friends might react, if he made it back again. Focus on that and not the... the other thing.]
... it's the questioning I'm worried about. And... if they could accept me, if they knew the reason...
[Maybe Noah still wanted to be their friend after all the murder attempts, but... would the rest of the Search Party still care for him, if they really knew what he'd done? It's never not going to bother him.]
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He's fine, though, it's all good. Pointedly not going to talk about it, though Mizuki does uncomfortably look away for a moment after. ]
If I'm being honest, I can't say whether or not things will go well. I don't know your companions well enough. But... mmh... I think you should give them a little more credit. You care about them, right? You want to see them? You want them to accept you? Then, the first step would definitely be to approach them and talk about it with them.
I think you'll find you'll be surprised the sorts of things friends are willing to accept, especially if they can see you're doing your best.
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Add leans back in his chair, sighing again. Dynamo seems a little less worried now, even if they're still sticking close to him. He reaches up to cradle one of the drones in a hand.]
First step is always the most troublesome.
... I've already come this far, so I'm doing it anyway. If it doesn't work out... I'll just leave again, so it hardly matters.
[He has other friends now, too, so he won't have to be afraid of having nowhere to go back to. He'll just take Noah and go somewhere else.]
...
Hmph. Knowing me, yours is probably doing something stupid... if you need someone to kick his ass, I suppose I could take a slight detour on my way out.
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[ And as for his offer... Mizuki "laughs" -- the best he can, anyway, without a voice. It's a smile and a little shake of his shoulders, along with light exhales. Ultimately, though, he shakes his head. ]
It's alright. Though, I do appreciate the concern. You're very kind, Mister Add.
It should be on his terms, though. And he's got Elsword, anyway, so I'm not worried. Besides, I imagine... if you really are able to find out a way out of here, they'll probably wanna go back home.