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

[eidxiety]

Aww, it's not that good. Really, my best spells are all about healing and shielding~. And my combat magic can only be done outside. I don't want to break anything.

[He makes vortexes. That's kind of not inside magic.]

But yes, I'm from a group of adventurers~. It's my job to keep them safe. The other healer in our group is... [Scrunches his nose up,] Ten? Thirteen? Or something like that, haha, she's only a kid. Last I saw her, I was teaching her basic first aid.

[He hopes :) his friends aren't dead :) Laby can be trusted with the healing but also his friends are reckless assholes—]

But, if we get separated, we can't communicate like you can. We got this device once... it was called a "walkie-talkie" or something, but it's not like we just have those. It's very difficult to contact people many miles away where I'm from.

[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.

[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.

[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...

[eidxiety]

Unfortunately, none of us really had a choice. Mr. Crane and Mr. Jellyfish have been here for over a year. I really don't want to be a downer and say "get used to it", but we can't leave this dimension. I know you miss your... significant other, [that is not the word he used Ain] and I know your job is important, but that's how it is right now.

[He doesn't want to be a downer, he says, but also... yeah, buddy, you're gonna have to get used to it.]

[reydelostests]

H-haha- my?

[Elysium turns red when Ain says Thorns is his "significant other", but he also...doesn't........correct him.....okay Elysium keep drinking the Copium.]

W-well...this wouldn't be the first time I've been stuck somewhere I didn't mean to be.

[Cough he's legally someone's slave cough cough]

I'm just going to have to adapt.

[He's sure someone will come looking for him...soon enough.]

[eidxiety]

[Ain has decided to be perceptive and notice that. Ooh... Mr. Know-it-all's love affair with a mystery man!! He must know more.]

Are you new lovers? Haha, you blushed just now~. What do they look like? Are they cute?

[reydelostests]

Wh- Ah-

[Elysium's feathers...they're puffed. His head looks like it's been scrubbed with a staticy balloon. Now that Ain has put it in such explicit terms...there's no beating around the bush now.

He makes a funny noise in the back of his throat, glancing off to the side.]

We...we're not, er. Actually...

[He laughs, weakly...but it just sounds a little sad. Wistful.]

His name is Thorns. He's...the most beautiful Aegir you've ever seen. [He's not going to know what that means.] Dark hair, deeply tanned skin, auburn eyes that look like the sun...he's a little soft spoken, and he doesn't always let people in on what he's thinking, but. ...he's amazing.

[eidxiety]

[Ain's tail is wagging-wagging now. Aww!! How cute!! Are you guys going to get married— also he knows what an Aegir is he talks to Mizuki!!!]

Ooh! You should tell him that~. I'll help you look for him so you can.

[Ain doesn't say the obvious "sometimes people don't show up with you" because... well, that would bring the mood down, and he has a feeling Elysium already knows that. He hopes that everyone else can find their people that they miss in some capacity.

Anyway, half of what Ain gets from that description is "very hot fish" so he will keep his eyes peeled for a very hot fish. Unfortunately to Ain, everyone is hot, so.]

How long have you had feelings for him? [haha lol]

[reydelostests]

[Bro Elysium WISHES they'd get married. Like, they're practically married as it is, but you know.]

It's...been a while.

["A while"]

But I don't want to make our friendship weird or anything. You know? We already...just work so well. I don't want to ruin that.

[He looks down at his hands as he says this, worrying his fingers with his lips pursed in a thin line.]

I would sooner pine my entire life than lose him.