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

[lupusxylem]

[..............hold the fucking phone.

Wolfwood is Out in the cold against this better judgement, mostly because the Wraiths have been wandering pretty damn close to the houses and he doesn't like that. Best to try to keep them driven off as much as possible, since not everyone is a fighter and equipped to do so...

But before he can get to the most recent contingent of them, he spots a newcomer in the distance, wielding a cross-gun of his own with a very similar sort of shape. Um. Hang on.

...

He recognizes him. Not the gun, but the face of the man holding it.]

Did you do that?

[Jerking his thumb towards a recently-exploded Wraith.]

[eschatons]

[Wolfwood may know Ciel, but Ciel sure as fuck does not know Wolfwood. Nor does he know that Ain owns TWO PLUSHIES of him and the rest of their crew. Like man he is just out here trying to Live, why are you all freaks.

Anyway. Ciel is... hoogh. He feels like he just climbed out of the Abyss all over again, which is extremely weird because the last thing he was doing was nagging Raven about his bisexuality, as good friends do y'know — which is pretty far from the Abyss itself. They're very much long past that phase of their lives and yet...

Playing it cool despite the fact he's only Kind Of holding himself upright, Ciel sort of jerks a thumb at what was once a wraith that's slowly going to reform over the next ten to fifteen minutes.]

Sure did. What do you think? Did it look cool?

[You look fucking pathetic right now stop trying to look put-together.]

[lupusxylem]

[Oh, Wolfwood knows Ciel. It's kindof hard not to when Ain just has a plushie of the guy. He hasn't even shared direct memories of him yet and he knows Ciel.

He doesn't yet tip his hat in that regard, though, sizing the other man up first as he hefts his Punisher over his shoulder, as if showing it off. Yeah he too has a heavy gun-]

Only saw the last few seconds of it, if I'm gonna be honest. Don't get too cocky yet, these things are gonna regenerate soon.

[Hmm...he glances towards the Inn, nodding in that direction.]

If you wanna talk, we should get inside first so we ain't jumped.

[eschatons]

Cool gun.

[Let's compare weapons. Preferably the ones on our backs first.

Ciel hauls himself off the wall, Very Cool, and nearly falls the fuck over immediately. That snowflake necklace is taking it out of him, and the wraiths nearby are floating closer. Sacrifice, they demand. Fuck y'all, he thinks.]

Nothing to be done if they regenerate, I guess.

[Inside they go! Luckily inside isn't very far when you're literally leaning against the wall because a snowflake necklace is trying to suck your life out. They'll get in just fine, just as a wraith tries to tug the ponytail at the back of his neck. Whew.

Now that they're in, the cross-gun is going against the wall, but he'll take his gunblades over to the inn couch with him. You know, just in case one of those things breaks the window.

God why is he so tired.]

[lupusxylem]

[Oh...Wolfwood is not used to compliments from strangers, and he's suddenly realizing he doesn't know a damn thing about Ciel really other than the fact he's a really good cook apparently. He's also really hot I mean-

Wolfwood huffs under his breath as he leads the way towards the Inn, responding as they make their way inside while inevitably trudging in snow as they go.]

Thanks. Didn't think I'd ever see someone luggin' in one that looked so...similar.

[Punishers are. Unique. Why didn't Ain ever tell him about this thing? Or maybe he did, and he forgot. Hm.]

You got three...?

[He continues, following Ciel's example as he leans his own Punisher up by the wall.]

[eschatons]

Honestly, me neither. Wild coincidence, right?

[This guy smells like cigarette smoke. Ciel does not actively smoke (Lu would probably skin him) but he knows the scent. He used to be an assassin, and he can count on one hand the number of clients who didn't smoke cigars or otherwise.

When prompted, he holds up one of the smaller gunblades for Wolfwood to look at, freely offering it over. He can't be shot by it; it's unloaded, and more than that, it draws off his energy rather than actual bullets. Sure, he could be slashed by it, but Ciel cannot be killed in a way that matters.]

Yeah. Think it's overkill? The two smaller ones are gunblades, so don't cut yourself.

[lupusxylem]

[Damn, okay. If Ciel is just going to hand the gun over, of course Wolfwood will take it to inspect it. He knows guns, so he's immediately looking at every part to study how it operates, though he can't say he's ever used a gunblade before. That kind of technology, hard-light or whatever...isn't really a thing back home yet, he's pretty sure. Or, if it ever was, it's relegated to being lost tech that he never would have had his hands on anyway.]

I mean. Yeah, probably. Sick as hell though.

[He wants a gunblade now. What the fuck.]

Listen, this is gonna sound weird, so like. Don't freak out on me.

But are you...Ciel?

[eschatons]

[look, maybe he can steal these when i kill ciel in the woods after this tdm— they just wouldn't work tho lmao.

"This is gonna sound weird" is a standard turn of phrase in the El Search Party, and in fact he's pretty sure Elsword says it daily before saying the most standard shit an 18 year old could possibly say, so what—

Oh.

The good news is, Ciel is so Lu-addled right now he literally thinks nothing of it and just blinks wide-eyed at Wolfwood. He can think of one reason why Wolfwood would know him, and that is:]

I am, yes — tell me you heard it from a short girl with long white hair and blue horns.

[lmao. worse, even.]

[lupusxylem]

Hate t'disappoint, but no. He's a tall twink with silver hair who says "tee-hee" a lot. As an actual word.

[So you know HMM WHO COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE-]

[eschatons]

[...]

Ain is here?

[Okay, well! Healer! That's good!! We like healer!]

Is anyone else? [Pause. Hold on—] How long have we been here? I saw him yesterday — we were near the Steel Wall giving Raven hell.

[You know, for being bisexual, like good friends do. Welcome out of the closet or whatever your friends are assholes.]

The only reason it's "yesterday" is because I woke up here in bed, which means at some point I fell asleep, and woke up in another location. [Where Lu :( ]

[lupusxylem]

Yep.

[Ain is here!! He can't help but be kindof amused by that response, like yep, he knows what you're feeling right now, Ciel. You may have known Ain for a long time, but Wolfwood is dating the guy.

The usual questions come as expected, so Wolfwood will start counting things off on his fingers as he explains.]

Elsword is here, but I don't think it's gonna be the Elsword you know. [Ominous] Add was here, but he ain't right now.

[He is in the Garden, but he isn't going to try to explain that in the same breath right now, it'd just be more confusing.]

Oh yeah, Chung too. But I don't really know the guy that well. How long...for me it's been like, a year? But it's hard to say if that's true since time here is kindof fucked. Ain showed up some months after I did.

[eschatons]

[HOLD ON, PAUSE—]

Months?

[Wolfwood. You are giving this man a fucking crisis.]

Where did Add go? [Wait until you hear that Add's a doctor—] If he's been stuck with Ain this whole time, I imagine he'd wander off, [ciel] but not if Elsword is around, too.

[Wait until you hear th—]

If time here is "kind of fucked", this is probably some sort of time bubble, right? Something like Henir's Space?

[lupusxylem]

Add... [Okay never mind guess he's explaining this NOW] We don't always stay here, permanently. Don't really know what causes it or why, but it just...happens. I do know he's fine, he's just not here in the Grove. He's in a place we call the "Garden".

[He won't explain further unless Ciel asks. He hopes Ciel doesn't ask to go there-]

Dunno if I'd call it a time bubble, exactly...but somethin' like that. We still measure time by days and shit from what we're able to tell, but it's hard to really know how long it's been.

[eschatons]

[I'm going to be nice and spare Ciel the momentary "my idiot friend is dead" shock and horror. Add's gardening. Weird, but whatever, he probably found a robot in it or someshit.]

Right.

[Time bubble weirdness... Henir's Space weirdness... although this feels quite different. Ugh, Lu would know if she were here. (Lu would not know.)

The momentary panic abates, and he just feels heavier. The snowflake necklace is gradually melting down against his shirt and he's completely oblivious to it. Too tired. Too drained. Too limbs-are-heavy. He hasn't even grabbed his gunblade back from Wolfwood, he's just sort of Existing right now.]

What a mess... ah, sorry. I didn't ask you for your name. I appreciate the infodump.

[lupusxylem]

Oh. Right.

[Let him just-

Do a really sexy alarming thing by reaching out and literally ripping the necklace off Ciel's neck. Like, grabbing and popping the lead around Ciel's neck, assuming it is indeed that easy to break. And if it's not, well, sorry in advance-

He'll hand the gunblade back in the same movement.]

Yeah yeah, don't mention it. Everybody gets one.

Name's Nicholas D. Wolfwood. People just call me Wolfwood.

[eschatons]

[What an odd last name, thinks a man who hangs out with a guy whose name is essentially John God, and another guy whose family put El in his fucking name.

Also, colour him surprised at the way this fucking guy just reaches over and yanks a necklace he didn't even know he was wearing off? He patpats his chest like. What. Wheremst. That was melting on him the whole time?]

Th... thanks. [Girl, what the fuck.] So, uh. I guess I should ask you how the others are doing, right? My friends, I mean.

[Haha, maybe you should only ask about One of them since the others are Unknown. Minus Add, we've covered Add.]

[lupusxylem]

Sorry. Newbies have been showin' up with those on, they're another present from the Wraiths. You don't wanna keep it on long enough for it to melt away.

[He's just going to walk this over to the fireplace and chuck it in there, goodbyeeee.]

Anyway, they're doin'...fine. Ain's prolly at the Bakery right now, or he might be visitin' the guys at the cabin. Either way, he's okay.

[Well. For Now!]

Elsword's with Mizuki at the therapy buildin', I'd reckon.

[eschatons]

[.....who are The Guys.]

Just "fine", huh? [Elsword is getting THERAPY?????????] What's Elsword doing in therapy?

[CIEL, HE NEEDS IT]

Wait, does asking that break some kind of medical laws here...?

[lupusxylem]

They've all been taken away from their homes, "fine" is the best you're gonna do in this case.

[It's a little different for some, who are either dead or have nothing much to go back to...but yeah. Even Wolfwood, who despises where he's from, has a reason to go back.]

Also I dunno if he's actually gettin' therapy or not. That's just where Mizuki lives, cause he offers therapy to people.

Also: fuck if I know. There ain't really any "laws" in this place. We kindof hafta govern ourselves, if you could call it that.

[eschatons]

[Right, so Elsword has friendship-beamed another... that tracks honestly. (Wait until he realises that this is the Elsword who Came Back Wrong.]

We normally wander together, but I guess home is where your friends are, right?

[Ough, and Ain is super clingy...]

So, what's the situation here, other than my friends being largely missing? I assume this place has its share of problems, right?

[lupusxylem]

For those who got friends, anyway.

[Shut the FUCK UP you have SO many friends here don't even try to deny it.

Anyway, since they're inside Wolfwood can't legally smoke without someone trying to kill him over it, so he'll pull a sucker from his pocket to pop into his mouth to give his jaw something to work over while they talk.]

Anyway...s'prolly better to too say what isn't a problem, here. This Grove is a prison, and we're all trapped in it. You can't leave, and if you try you'll prolly die out there against the fog wall that keeps us here. There's a creature in the Forest that thrives on tormentin' us all, so...if you're here for any time at all, I hate to tell you that's what you got to look forward to.

[eschatons]

[Quirking a brow...]

You seem to know a lot about where people typically hang out, for someone who claims not to have friends.

[He flips his wrist, though, watching Wolfwood out of the corner of his eye.]

Right, evil megalomaniacs and pocket dimensions, essentially. Got it. I'll solve it by tomorrow morning. [Ciel.] I'm an assassin, after all.

[lupusxylem]

Uh huh, yeah. You and everyone else who shows up here says that. I'm an assassin too, and I've been stuck here for over a year, now.

[He shakes his head, the candy clicking audibly against his teeth.]

If you don't believe me, go talk to your friends. They'll say the same thing.

[eschatons]

Hah. Are you going to take me to them? I don't know where this bakery is, or who "the guys" are.

[lupusxylem]

I can. The "guys" are my boyfriends. This includes Ain.

[You know!! Just fucking dropping that as he rises to his feet.]