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

B) because he was summoned-

[eidxiety]

[For once, Ain has his jacket actually on and zipped up. His hood can't fit over his head anymore due to his horn-halo, so he's holding it up to his ears with his hands. He doesn't really have a choice. His ears are cold. :( ]

I'm watching the snow fall...

[You can do that from inside!!

Anyway, Dachie is bolting into the house to go play with Angelina. Hiiii hi hi hi—]

I summon him, I squeez him

[lupusxylem]

You can do that from inside.

[Wow good idea meta text-

Wolfwood will hold the door open only as long as it takes for Dachie to run in and Ain to decide to join them in the warm, prompting him to quickly close the door behind them. It's so windy right now that he'll also stoop down to drag a rolled up towel over to stuff against the doorjamb, mainly in a vain effort to keep some of the windchill out. This is like, a cabin? So it is fucking freezing. Having a fireplace helps, but only by so much.

Over nearby, Mew is curled up in a little bed situated right in front of the fire. He blinks his orbs open and looks like this against the dark fabric of the bed. He wants to go play, but......warm. It's cold.

So he will become an orb and disappear once more.

Angelina, meanwhile, starts barking her head off the moment Dachie comes in and starts to run around in a space definitely too small for such a large dog. Play? Play play play-

Wolfwood, used to it, just sighs heavily as he reaches over to start scooping snowflakes off Ain's hair and shoulders.]

God it's fucking freezin' out there. Lemme make some coffee. Don't worry, it's some of Passenger's, so it's not gonna taste like crap.

[eidxiety]

[The Mew orb...

Ain... what else, he sneezes. Because it's cold, and he has ice magic, and he has not yet put together that this is going to make everything worse. Even if he knows like, two freeze spells max...

Anyway, he's taking his snowy coat off so it can get water all over the floors and sitting down on the couch.]

Haha, okay. I'm not worried, I just don't drink much coffee.

[Sort of hard to get that on the road, y'know.]

[lupusxylem]

[Ain sneezes, and Wolfwood's head immediately snaps over as he fills their coffee pot with water.]

You better not be gettin' sick...

[Why does this sound like a threat.]

We also got some cookies in the cupboard. Yaknow, if you want some with your coffee.

[eidxiety]

I'm not! [Famous last words.] I do want cookies, though. You should just bring the whole sleeve out, or plate, or whatever.

[lupusxylem]

[Ain wants cookies? Color him shocked, shocked I tell you.

While the coffee is brewing, he'll grab the whole cookie box and bring them over, flopping into a sit next to Ain. Doing this causes their tails to sort of flop together, with the spikes on Wolfwood's catching a little against Ain's fatter one.]

Uh huh...so why're you sneezin'? Allergic to Angelina, now?

[eidxiety]

[Ain... wants cookies. Preferably every cookie. He may have upped his cookie-eating habits ever since he realised Ydalir could just give him Ciel's cookies, even though it's probably bad for him to drown his sorrows in cookies like that. He misses his friends. :(

He twists his tail up in Wolfwood's. Get loved idiot.]

No! It's just 'cause it's cold out, but I'm not getting sick. Sometimes you sneeze when it's chilly, which you wouldn't know, obviously.

[Oh my god. Take some cold medicine idiot.]

[lupusxylem]

[The moment their tails intertwine, Wolfwood's tightens its grip around Ain's reflexively. Gotta love having a prehensile tail that you can't quite control yet.]

Whatever you say...just lemme know if you start feelin' like shit, I'll bring you soup.

[And Wolfwood can make a pretty mean soup. Anything you can just throw in a pot and forget he's pretty decent at.]

Sounds like we got a longer than normal winter ahead of us, so gotta stay well while y'can.

[eidxiety]

[Oop, he's being Gripped.]

Haha, I'll let you know. [He will be so fucking sick soon.] I'm fine, though, I swear. I've been in harsh cold before, and I didn't get sick there!

[You got sick out here because y'all went out in the rain and did unspeakable acts, though, Ain. Like that did happen.]

[lupusxylem]

Has it been this cold, though?

[Also yeah ya'll BOTH got the flu because you rawdogged it in the rain, cmon now.

Wolfwood's tail tip flicks a little, which results in him rubbing against Ain's tail with his own.]

Well. Yaknow one way t'stop bein' cold?

[He asks, as if he's not already reaching out to wrap his arm around Ain's shoulders.]

[eidxiety]

Ooh~ cuddling!

[Yes babe, cuddling. You're very proficient at that, it's all you know. Anyway, Ain is curling up against Wolfwood, head tucked under his chin... a bit awkward now because of his horns, so he has to position a certain way unless he wants to clonk Wolfwood in the jaw.

Okay, good. Now his wings are squashed back against Wolfwood and the couch. It's kind of like scrunching up like 70 glowsticks into one little cube, but Ain isn't bothered by it. The wings are very flexible.]

Am I warm enough? [...sneezes.] Do you have blankets?

[lupusxylem]

[Cuddling :) Even with the horns making it a little awkward, Wolfwood will still hold Ain close to his side, and although their proximity has made things like 50% brighter in the room, it's not that big of a deal. The main light source before had been the flickering fireplace after all, so that just serves to make the cozy atmosphere even cozier.

...babe your sneezing.]

You are. But we do got some, hold on...

[Wolfwood whistles sharply through his teeth, which causes Angelina too lift her head from her bed by the fire where she was gnawing on a toy. Wolfwood briefly glances at Ain in a way that says "if you tell anyone I did this, I'll deny everything" before calling to her:]

Ange. Blankie! Where's your blankie?

[And within seconds the black husky is on her feet and bolting across the room to Somewhere, and seconds later the tippy-tap of claws on wood herald her return as she drags a thick blanket over to the couch, pulling it up onto Wolfwood's lap with her mouth.]

[eidxiety]

[Don't worry his whole month is going to be light sneezing and then death and when he comes back: the flu. So lol.

Anyway, this is extremely cute hello—]

Oh! Good girl, Ange!! You're so cute and smart!!

[Leans down to kiss the dog between her doggy eyes. Mwah!]

Nikolaus teaches you all sorts of tricks, doesn't he? Hehe~.

[lupusxylem]

Heh. I try, anyway. We're still workin' on gettin' her to stop stealin' shit outta the trash.

[Angelina...loves paper. She loves to Rip and Tear. There is scarcely a moment when there isn't shit shredded all over the floors.

She's very happy to be praised, and will lick Ain's face. She IS a good girl, thank you.]

But she will bring you stuff. Sometimes. If she don't want to give her toy back she might decide not to.

[eidxiety]

Aww, you gotta get a higher trash can, I think.

[Ain you do not know how dogs actually work.]

Where's your favourite toy, Angelina?? Go get it!

[Tail wag thumping under the blankets... Wolfwood is going to feel his own going with since they're tangled together right now.]

[lupusxylem]

[The moment, the instant Ain asks Angelina to go get her favorite toy, she disappears. She runs to the bedroom, her paws tippy-tapping in the distance. She returns a moment later with a toy shaped like a floppy duck and places it gently in Ain's lap.

Throw :)))]

S'that one, I think.