EVENT & TDM 020

[sticksandbonesmods]

BITTER WINDS HOWLING

WAKES AND AWAKENINGS

Are you one to find yourself plagued with nightmares? Do you dream at all? Well, worry not, because tonight you find yourself in a somewhat alarming peace. You’re asleep. You’re aware of this. Yet, you feel incredibly lucid, all the same.

You hear the sound of water, like you’re under the ocean waves. You don’t see anything, but it’s almost as if you can feel others around you, despite not touching anything at all. They’re your… family? No. Friends? No. You don’t seem to be able to find a word to describe them. They’re important to you! …You think. Who are they, again?

You think they’re trying to speak to you, but all you can hear is the sound of gentle currents and air bubbles. Or maybe this is what they’re saying to you? You don’t know. Dreams are weird, aren’t they? But then they sing. It’s the prettiest sound you’ve heard. It’s the most haunting sound you’ve heard. It encourages you to move, at last. You didn’t realize you could. There’s a light that filters through the surface of the water…

…and you wake up. You feel strangely refreshed, like that’s the best sleep you’ve gotten in ages! You also feel… distantly sad, like you’ve just remembered something horrible that happened a long time ago.

It’s probably nothing.

For the rest of the month, you find sleep comes easy, and dreams are soothing. How uncharacteristically nice! Maybe don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

A BITTER ARRIVAL

You wake up to bitter cold. It's dark, the winds howling and whipping through the air, snow battering anything not sturdy enough to stand tall against it... and even the trees seem like one more push could knock them over. This isn't a forest you know, yet it seems like home. If you're not prepared for the cold, the warm lights of a small town will guide you, call to you, and your heart yearns for warmth. As you stumble through the heavy snow and harsh winds, something heavy hangs from your neck and the winds begin to form words with your own voice- SACRIFICE... END THIS WINTER WITH SACRIFICE.

As more voices join the wretched wails, your eyes feel heavier. You're almost to the town, though. Is it one of the houses that you wind up knocking on? Or do you manage to get to the inn, big and tall and radiating more warmth than anything you've ever felt? Regardless, you are no longer alone, but the cold still aches and clings, and something with your voice still calls it's omens outside. Only when you melt the heavy snowflake-shaped amulet hanging around your neck in the fires does the cold abate and the foreign copy of your voice fall silent.

A COLD RECEPTION

In the forest of the lost, the worst winter you've ever seen has finally set in full. The lake and river are both frozen over completely, and even the most hardy of beasts have hidden away from the cruel blizzard. The sky is dark, the winds are sharp and the freezing temperatures permeate most buildings, creeping in like a thief ready to steal the breath from your lungs if you aren't careful. Even fires seem to bend to this cold, save for the ever-burning, ever-blinding light of the fireplace in the inn- though she's long since gone, it seems one woman's faith still protects those in the Grove. Shadows haunt the clearing and amongst the winds and even the deafest ears can hear the voices howling alongside the storm, always demanding the same thing: a sacrifice.

When shadows flicker across the window, that is when you know you aren't alone. Ghastly wraiths of frost and ragged sleet fly through the air, and it's hard to tell if they are commanding the winter winds or if they are working in tandem. Regardless, the cold seems to be enhanced by their presence and if they catch you alone outside, they curse you with a frost so deep it pierces the heart and spreads. To some, it may be familiar, like turning to ice from within. To others it may be entirely new. But it spreads slowly and with agony while the wraiths make their demand once more and then vanish. Thankfully, a bit of kindness can melt the ice, but the winter wraiths are always willing to inflict the curse again...

... But you are not powerless. So long as you don't go alone, so long as you have a weapon, you can fend these things off, for a time. But they will be back.

They must have their sacrifice, after all.

BEACONS

Not everyone can fight though. Not everyone should. The only peace that can be found is in the sleep that follows that odd dream... but eventually the large shadow woman known as the Trader, Ydalir, makes her way through the snow to find you. With a warm furry blanket and a cup of tea, she gives you a small kit.

"Build these lanterns and hang them in the window. Be a light in the dark, loves." Is what she says.

The lanterns consist of wood, paper and a little cup for a candle. They can be in any shape and color, and when you hang them in the window the candle sparks into light. As frost clings on the other side of the window and the snow shrouds the outside world and veils what lies beyond, you can see other lights. Other lanterns, shining brightly. It may not be much, but it is still a sign. A reminder. You are not alone in this blizzard.

Spark Notes

summary

wakes and awakenings will bring you into a strange dream of being with many being, important ones, and a haunting song. Despite the melancholy feeling, it also brings a month of restful sleep no matter what.

a bitter arrival is how our new arrivals find themselves: lost in the woods in the middle of a terrible blizzard with only the faint lights of the Grove to guide you to safety. While you wear the snowflake amulet, the winter wraiths can use a mimicry of your voice to make their demands and curse you with a lingering freeze- only melting the amulets in a fire will set you free and silence the copy of your voice in the cacophony.

a cold reception shows just how bad the winter's gotten, with impenetrable ice freezing both the lake and the river solid. the wraiths curse whoever they see with turning to ice from within, but a genuine act of kindness or love will save their victims. the wraiths can be fought, but only with a companion or two, and definitely not with your bare hands. ... they will return though, again and again.

beacons grants perhaps a bit of hope in this dark winter- ydalir brings people supplies as best she can since the cold doesn't affect her shadowy body and there is nothing for the wraith to freeze, and she also brings a gift- a lantern to craft and hang in the window to show the others in town that you're all still here, cutting through the darkness.

out of character

Welcome to the first TDM of 2025! Regular AC resumes this month and as you can see, we're changing things up a little. TDMers are welcome and encouraged to reach out on our plotting post linked below. We're so excited to start the new year with everyone, and may the horrors stay in writing... because they are resuming now.

updates

❖ AFFOGATO COOKIE has used a magical artifact as a sacrifice. This has resulted in the blizzard lessening but still being present and the wraiths being banished from the grove, but still haunting the forest. There are further effects but they will come in to play during a player plot. ... Get your sacrifices in still though.
❖ MAYOI'S prayer to Ourania the day of the fight with Suri invoked a blessing: an aurora shines through the sky, and anyone in it's lights will be gradually healed and soothed.

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ January Plotting (Open to TDMers)
❖ Sacrifices (Plot relevant, open to all)
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

code

Comments

[reydelostests]

[Sorry Ain, Elysium is still convinced you're a Vouivre-Sankta, somehow. He knows you said you weren't Terran, but like. What ELSE is he supposed to think?

Elysium is fine...........for but a moment. The INSTANT that curry kicks in he is floundering to grab his drink, which unfortunately is warm cider so it's not like, super helpful in lessening the spice. Aaaaaaa]

I-it's so hot!! Why is it so hot-!?

[He's opening his mouth and fanning his tongue now, as if that's going to help. He is Hispanic yet somehow STILL too white for this.]

A-also I don't know! Th-there...a lot of people are affected like that, I've not-ah-ced-

[He thunks his torso onto the table and waves weakly at Oolong.]

C-can I get an Ayran, please...

[eidxiety]

[Pouting!!!]

No! You're not my Mr. Guardian!!

[.............

But no Mr. Guardians would do this to him, so Ain eventually relents and opens the door. The bunnies hop out of Chung's way, and Ain just

goes to a booth and lays in it.]

[reydelostests]

Oh, really? I made a device like that for my partner, Thorns. We've...been unfortunately separated for a time, so I wanted to be able to still communicate over the long distance.

[He's making them sound like boyfriends straight up]

I don't intend to overstay my welcome here, but I would be more than happy to show you how I made mine, assuming this place has the right parts.

[shineprism]

( frustration and disbelief wash about in his heart before the door opens again and he's even able to process it. chung stumbles in, carefully sidestepping the rabbits as best he can, and then it really hits him.

'mr. guardian'...?

his chest tightens and chung whips his head up over to the other. )

... Ain?

[beckonsbliss]

I can only hope it will be enough. I've... no desire to see what this 'sacrifice' may be.

[beckonsbliss]

( the microexpressions between two cunning furries must be ridiculous. which is to say, she's already regretting that slip of vulnerability.

nevertheless she smiles pleasantly, chin in hands. )

The lady may wish, yes! A pleasure, though, Will.

[sailingfor]

It's Sargonian.

[Thanks, Thorns. Thanks so much for that explanation. Anyway, Oolong is going to go get Elysium some Ayran. It will be back shortly.]

Haven't you travelled the world? Shouldn't you be used to this?

[You're also SPANISH... here comes Oolong, though.]

[eidxiety]

[Noooooooooo don't perceive him he is In the booth.]

"Yours" is elsewhere. I don't know where. But he bites, apparently, and is kind of a raging jerk. And your Elsword and Mr. Ancient are somewhere in the Garden. And I don't know where the others are.

[Where are HIS versions of his friends >:( ]

[reydelostests]

[Bless you Oolong...as soon as he has his Ayran, Elysium grabs his spoon back and starts eating. It's very nice and cool on his tongue, which he very much appreciates.]

Sure sure...but that doesn't mean I do well with spicy things! At least, not this spicy...

[He will offer Thorns some of the yogurt treat if he'd like to try it, though.]

We can head out once we finish eating. Then we'll gather info, like you said!

[sailingfor]

[...yes he is trying that thank you.]

Right. And you'll be back first thing tomorrow morning for your shift cleaning dishes.

[Smiles like :) ]

...I'll be there, too, to help you out. No need to go it alone. [SAID LOCAL MAN WHO LITERALLY WENT TO IBERIA ALONE AND BECAME A PIRATE. ALONE.]

[reydelostests]

[Yeah what about THAT. You LEFT him :(

Takes another bite. He's gotten over the curry spice by now (mostly).]

Really? That's sweet of you...now I don't feel as bad about covering your tab too, haha~

[He's joking, he'd literally give the shirt off his back for you-]

It's so strange that this is how fate has decided that we'd reunite, isn't it? Not that I'm complaining...I just thought I wouldn't see you for much longer.

[Nom...leans against Thorns' shoulder.]

[eidxiety]

Haha... I hope your partner, [edge to his tone that says "romantic?"] is here for your sanity, Mr. Know-it-all, because... we can't exactly leave. If we could, I think a lot of us would've gone home by now.

Oh, but if you could show me tinkering like that, it would be nice of you. Mr. Crane probably has the parts. He's a nerd~.

[reydelostests]

Haha...that is assuming Gnosis would be willing to share.

[Somehow...........he doubts that.

But at the mention of Thorns, Elysium visibly deflates. He's still smiling, but it's clear he looks more than a little sad about it.]

He...he's out at sea right now. Very far away. I'm not sure how likely it is he would be here, since I don't see any oceans for miles...

[...]

Oh, I probably didn't understand you right...but why can't we leave, exactly?

[eidxiety]

One time I fluttered my eyelashes at his husband and he picked me up while totally shirtless~. I think I can convince either of them to give you the supplies.

[You did not flutter your eyelashes you fucking liar, you asked "hey can I room with you guys on the beach" and Enciodes decided to rizz you up because it's Funny, and you folded like a shitty auditorium chair. Don't tell fibs.]

Mm... we can't leave because there's a pissed-off false god in the woods keeping us all here, I think? But if you refer to it as a god, you make it more powerful, so you have to call it things like "motherfucker" and "pissbaby" and stuff. [Ain.] Being mean weakens it~. Or you can just call it "the Forest" and everyone knows what you're talking about. We're all trying to find a way out of here, but it's tough... haha, sorry. I didn't want to bring it up until later, since you were so chipper.

[aneikonic]

There's usually only one thing it is, when it's demanded as these Spirits are demanding.

[ Death. ]

[sailingfor]

[Again: You two morons are practically in each others' laps. Get a fucking room. (They will, very shortly.)]

Something tells me you would have come to sea after me, provided Rhodes Island gave you enough leave of absense.

[It's not like Elysium chased him across Iberia or anything like that. Not this Liberi, oh no. He's so normal.

Anyway, they'll eat their food, and when they have a minute... they'll dip! Just fucking leave! They'll be back in the morning, they swear. It's too cold to look outside, though, so Thorns is carving a path right to the inn... and when they get there he's giving that inquisition fire a WIDE berth. No thank you.]

[shineprism]

( oh god this is so much oh no oh jeeze. "his" ain? ... okay so he super can't argue with that summary but- what do you mean his ain! why is this ain so different? what do you mean his friends are in the garden, isn't that where people go when they fucking die. GUYS WHAT THE HELL. )

... I am. Very overwhelmed right now. ... You must be, too...

[goldenambition]

Character(s): Will
Location: the Archives
Action: Once it's clear he's in for the long haul, Will decides to follow a hunch he's had. Everything about this unnatural winter resds as some kind of unfulfilled ritual or pact. His theory is the previous Grovefolk had a deal or holiday they kept up to appease Winter (or this places' version of Her) and now that new folk are here it's expcted they do the same. Spirits and faefolk aren't really known for understanding changing circumstances, after all.

So after some asking around to learn what resources they have, he'll head to he Archive to research religious and early historical texts to try and figure out what sacrifice Winter is expecting. He will 100% try and cozy up to the spirit librarian to try and get a lead too.

[sticksandbonesmods]

Rusty is very patient, but the doggies will lead her, eventually, to perhaps the only room that's actually still standing. ... It looks like it was once a bedroom, but age and the broken window have allowed nature to reclaim parts of it. There's a desk but the wood is rotting. As is... the bed. From the sounds of their steps, there's also a secret compartment beneath the floor.

Wacky!

[thebladebringstheflame]

Ooh, I'm so scared.

[...there he goes into the Church. Wolfwood should maybe follow him before the Wraiths eat his face. Or don't idk I'm not your dad.

Anyway, Flamebringer is quick to spot said bigass gun, and although his flames aren't working at full capacity, he can at least keep his blade lit and hold it near the gun (and not too close to the wood comprising the church) to start to melt it off. If nothing else, his fire burns hot. Just... not as hot as he's used to.

>:(

Angry.]

[thebladebringstheflame]

Gonna be real, I have no fucking clue myself. [He's used to hearing voices, though! So he's been pretty good at ignoring it just because he's having a difficult time discerning which voice is "angry wraiths" and which voice is "the dead Sarkaz souls that surround him". Which idk if Danny would see that, but? If so??? Have fun lol—] People have been melting the necklaces, though. I'd throw that into the fire if I were you. Mysterious items that show up on your person here are never a good sign.

[quirkynote]

Thank you, doggies. I'm so sorry about her.

Oh, this place is a wrecked wreck, huh? For some reason, this upsets her greatly. A.B.A has no idea how people are rebuilding the homes here if they're in such terrible conditions. What? Are they using magic or something?! Oh, wait, probably...

Either way, one room at least narrows down how much she has to search. ...Or it means she's going to have to dig through a lot of rubble later, but easy part first. A.B.A's going to check the rotten desk and bed first, mostly for abandoned keys to add to her collection, mission be damned. But hey, if the desk is locked, it might help out. Who knows. Yes, it's rotten and she can probably pull apart anything that's being stubborn, but think about the keys!! They haven't been used for so long. )': If they even exist.

When she's done digging around, she's going to take her giant key and slam it through the floor to see why it sounds so hollow.

[eidxiety]

[Ain flattens himself further into the seats while the bunnies climb up on him.]

You think?

[He's usually not scathing with Chung — his version, anyway — so his tone surprises even himself. The Ain that Chung is used to, though, probably says meaner things. That's how this Ain thinks about it, given the rumours.]

...sorry. But you're not "my" Mr. Guardian, and I'm tired of being the only one out of my version of Elrios showing up here.

[Not that he wants the others here considering everything BUT ALSO.]

[reydelostests]

Oooho~ Do you think he'd pick me up if I did that?

[Smash cut to Elysium being in the Family Guy Death pose

But the sillies aren't forever...because Ain continues to explain about how they can't leave, and they're being held captive by a.........gggggod? And yeah, it all. Sounds pretty shitty, if he's going to be honest.]

...oh. You're serious about that, aren't you?

[Haha uuuuuuuuh]

I suppose I can be mean if it's for a good cause! As long as some eldritch being doesn't surface and explode my head for calling it a pissbaby.

But that's...mm. Very...discouraging to hear. I really...can't leave Rhodes right now. Mm...

[reydelostests]

Oh, are you kidding? I still plan on doing that if the opportunity arises, if we can ever get out of here.

[You know just. Putting that out there.

Anyway! They eat and...leave without actually doing any dishes, but yeah they'll be back in the morning dwbi. They have!! Things to do!! They need to do a investigating before it gets too much later, or colder...and yeah, Elysium doesn't blame Thorns for doing so. He's just going to put himself between the fire and his partner if he can at all help it.]

It's nice that they've given us our own rooms. Do you know if they're like...marked for us, or something?