sticksandbones | EVENT 021

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EVENT 021

Solitary Voyage

The first light of dawn does not come this morning. The moonlight outside continues to cast its muted glow over the Grove, still high in the sky. No matter how long you wait, no matter how many minutes or hours slip by, the darkness remains, and the silvery sentinel refuses to yield to the sun. It also appears bigger than usual, its surface etched with shadows that seem to pulse with a life of their own, and you swear there weren't this many stars peppering the night sky last night.

Despite the oppressive night that looms above, there’s an odd sense of calm. No werewolves prowl the streets, no ominous howls echo through the trees, or other dangers that usually seem to threaten the Grove. In fact, it's not making it more cold than usual, either. The ice on the river, once a solid barrier, begins to chip away, revealing glimmers of water beneath, giving new life to the creatures that call it home. A handful of the baby Seaborn even flop out of the water to explore the world, as if it's entirely new to them and hasn't only been a month since they've been unable to be on solid ground.

The only thing that the perpetual night seems to be affecting is the local wildlife. Disoriented and confused, they flit about in a daze, their natural rhythms thrown into chaos. The diurnal creatures now wander aimlessly with their instincts dulled. Someone should probably feed these poor critters before they forget how to forage for themselves.

The Grove also seems to be sans one sea jelly. Hope no one booked their therapy appointment this month.

The Reef is Immortal

It was the loud creaking that caught your attention first, a sound that reverberated through the ground like the groan of a ship caught in a storm. There's a... tree? Or, wait, no. That can't be right. It's colossal, easily taller than the supposed "limit" of the sky barrier, but it's also... blue? There's a smattering of bioluminescent patches that give a white glow, especially under the pale moonlight. The "branches" swayed unnaturally, each one moving independently, like a thousand skeletal fingers reaching for the heavens.

With the coming of this "tree" also comes something some of you may be familiar with - the Nethersea Brand. It's a blue, web-like membrane that more resembles flesh than what anyone would like to admit. Contact with the membrane is not recommended as it invokes a creeping dread that gnaws at the edges of your mind and locks your muscles and bones. It wears off... eventually, but if you don't get out of it in time it'll continue to chew at your nervous system.

It is not localized like it was last time, either. It spreads and expands to cover all of the Grove more and more with each moment, every hour swallowing more and more land, with just a few exceptions. One, the Inn's lobby, which is protected by the Inquistion's Fireplace inside. And two... surprisingly, the River and its banks, where the Guardians (and the Behemoth) seem to be taking solace from the threat.

The baby Seaborn are not aware of many things, but they are at least cognizant that some of you don't seem to do well in the Brand, with some control over what it covers. If you're by the river, they seem to be able to control the brand just enough to free you, chirping in an innocent manner. You do not know what they are saying, but you can imagine it's something along the lines of "Hi! What doing!" There's less of them in the river currently, but the few that are around are nesting on Moder or following Sinann around. They do not sense the distress. They are just babies.

The Mass of Sorrow

The sensation of being trapped in the web-like brand is suffocating, a foreign sensation of the boundaries that have been blurred between your identity and the collective consciousness of others. Each time you succumb to the nervous impairment, it feels like you’re slipping through a veil, where the lines between your thoughts and those of others dissolve into a swirling mass of emotions and memories.

You can’t shake the feeling of grief that lingers in your chest, a weight that seems to grow heavier with each passing moment. It’s as if you’re mourning something you can’t quite grasp—perhaps the remnants of your own past, or the fragments of lives that are not your own. When you finally come to again, rising up from the brand to attempt to move again, you'll notice you have tear stains against your face you don't remember crying.

It's not easy to escape the brand, either. Between the rough terrain flesh-y webs make and the way it slowly neutralizes your nerves, it's a wonder you can keep moving at all. But more than that, there's this... voice...

"Embrace... Our Warmth..."

In short moments of clarity, you remember... dreaming? Remembering? Commiserating...? Something. Whatever the case, you were in someone's mind. Maybe your own. Maybe someone else's. Maybe even something from the forest - the brand is taking all prisoner, after all.

Best hope We Many doesn't share anything you don't want anyone to see, because it doesn't seem like you get much of a choice.

Elegy of the Outliers

Those holed up inside are not entirely forgotten. While the warmth of the fireplace and the kin of the river may keep the brand at bay, the persistent weight of grief and sadness still reaches those within. It is the curse of an ancient being long gone, a sorrow that lingers like a scar. Yet, this sorrow can be softened by the company of those around you. Distractions, warmth, and togetherness serve as reminders that collaboration is, as always, the answer.

Gazing out at the brand, one will notice shadows moving along the fleshy web—shadows that seem hauntingly familiar. Loved ones move through the Grove as if it has come alive again, as if the threat of an obsessed, fallen deity has vanished, and things have reached some form of normalcy once again.

Upon closer inspection, the observant may discern that these are not true apparitions, but rather the brand's way of storing memories within We Many's consciousness. It is a surreal experience, reliving moments through the Seaborn that drift freely about. This phenomenon is both unsettling and captivating—perhaps it could even make for compelling television while you remain trapped inside. Yet, the sight of a loved one, even as a mere shadow, may also be overwhelming, pulling you away from your current sanctuary.

Be careful out there.

Spark Notes

summary

Solitary Voyage is this moon's journey. The expected dawn fails to arrive, leaving the Grove shrouded in an unusual, persistent moonlight. While the darkness disrupts the local wildlife, causing confusion and disorientation, it also brings life to the river as baby Seaborn venture out.

The Reef is Immortal, bringing forth a colossal, bioluminescent "tree" in the Grove, accompanied by the spreading menace of the Nethersea Brand, a blue, web-like membrane that induces paralysis upon contact. While the Brand expands across the land, the Inn's lobby remains safe, and the baby Seaborn near the river seem to possess a surprising ability to help free those ensnared by the Brand, blissfully unaware of the surrounding danger.

The Mass of Sorrow is the experience of being ensnared in the Nethersea Brand. Personal identity blurs with the collective consciousness, leading to overwhelming grief and confusion as emotions and memories intertwine.

Elegy of the Outliers, or those sheltered from the Nethersea Brand, still feel the Arbor's weight of grief and sadness, a lingering curse that can be eased by the warmth and companionship of others. As shadows resembling loved ones move through the brand, it becomes clear that these are not true apparitions but memories stored within We Many's consciousness.

out of character

This month's event has been written entirely by Rubie! Please be nice and say thank you Rubie! Enjoy your memory shares and your eldritch horrors, and remember that questions asked should be asked in public channels and not DMs if they're related to this month's event. Have fun!

updates

Any potential updates, such as characters damaging something important or whatever else, will be put here.

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ February Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

code

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Elsword, age 13, is very much trying to figure out a way to separate the two right now. Why are you fightinggggg stop fightingggg— and meanwhile Ain, who is Off His Leash, brushes a hand over his collar as if offended and straightens it back out.]

Did you die?

[GIRL]

[Wolfwood looks directly at Elsword, and growls:]

I'm gonna kill him.

[Then, to Ain:]

You're gonna be dead when I kill you.

[Elsword is so distressed right now—]

Wolfwood-hyung! Ain probably didn't mean to crash it!

[Ain continues to look at Wolfwood just. Completely flat. No emotion whatsoever.]

I'd be happy to leave you in the wreckage to be gut by the next round of bandits that come through this area, since you're acting just as barbaric.

Ain!!!!

[Elsword you better hold him back because he's about to start swinging-]

Me?! Bein' barbaric?? You almost fuckin' got all of us killed and you can barely muster more than an offended sniff about it! Fuck you.

[Elsword's very small but very strong hands are tugging Wolfwood back.]

Guys!!! Enough!

[Rena looks like she's five seconds from stepping in too, but Ain can be held back by Elsword like, alone. So.]

I don't have time for this. I have to get to the El.

[And Wolfwood can follow or not, it doesn't matter. Ain Is Going.]

[Wolfwood literally hisses under his breath, like a caged tiger. He wants nothing more than to grab Ain and throw him OFF the next airship they board, if he's honest...

Sorry Elsword, but Wolfwood is not following Ain. He is too pissed off. He will turn to Elsword again and growl:]

What the fuck is his problem? He doesn't even act like he wants to be here.

Uh... well, he's a pretty focused guy, isn't he? Aren't you also a Priest of the El? I'm sure you kinda understand why he's stressed, right?

[This is very much a little kid trying to problem-solve. Rena will pat Wolfwood's back in a motherly way, and Aisha remains off to the side huffing.

Ain, ahead, cuts a corner as he marches to destinations unknown, following his senses more than anything else. The airship wreckage is left behind in the deserts of Bethma as he heads back toward town, and eventually he gets so far that it seems like he blips out of sight...

Mid-sentence, Elsword cuts off and blankly looks ahead, squints out at the desert, and...]

Sorry, uhhh! What were we talking about? You didn't get hurt in the crash, right?

[Whoops. Seems Ain's old memory-deletion kicked in!]

[Wolfwood...definitely doesn't quite get what happened there. But it's easy to assume that Elsword is just being Elsword. He's a kid, he spaced out. He's trying.]

Sure, I get it. But we ain't gonna find the El if we die, are we?

[Plus, he hates Ain's attitude- or lack thereof- but Elsword probably already knows that.]

I'm fine. Just pissed off.

We didn't die! The airship crashed, but we're fine! [No memory of Ain in this boy, nope.] Let's go! We can hoof it the rest of the way!!

[This oughta be fun. Hoofing it. To Altera.

Which is in the sky.

Y'all gonna need another airship when you get back to Bethma at the very least.]

Ugh...

[Wolfwood rolls his eyes...but fine, whatever. He's just along for the ride, and Elsword is the de-facto one calling the shots here, despite being the 13 year old in this situation. He'll pick up the pace, then, following in his wake with his hands shoved into his pockets.]

Let's hope our buddy Ain doesn't fall off a cliff with how hard he's wandered off from us.

[Three sets of eyes all glance up at Wolfwood at once. There's a beat of painful, awkward silence, and finally Elsword has the guts to ask:]

Who?

...who? Are you messin' with me?

[Wolfwood pivots on the ball of his foot to walk, turning to face Elsword.]

The guy we were just literally talkin' about? He was just here before he ditched us to go on ahead?

[Elsword pivots on his heel and starts counting. One, two, three, four...]

Uhh, nope! We've got everyone! Unless you snuck someone on board, heheh!

[Rena, hands on her hips, frowns.]

Are you sure you didn't hit your head, Wolfwood? We can stop, if you need.

...what?

[Hi, hello, what the fuck is happening here-??

There's a moment where the memories sort of bleed, trying to worm into Wolfwood's brain to rewrite the narrative. This is how Ain remembers things, after all. What was he even just talking about? Who...?

Wolfwood shakes his head quickly, reaching both hands up to press his palms into his cheeks.]

Hang on. I'm goin' ahead.

[And without another word he takes off, bolting ahead to try and catch up with wherever Ain disappeared to.]

[Yeah buddy, you sure are going on ahead.

Apparently the Arbor doesn't care to show Wolfwood the years between there, but he'll pick up bits and pieces. Memories of the other party members they acquire up to that point — no Lu and Ciel yet, but they're coming later down the line. Flashes of cities, of wastelands, of battles won. More importantly... there are lots of moments where Ain full-stop leaves the party and everyone forgets he ever existed, like some cosmic force snapped their fingers and took those memories away. Whenever he returns, though, those memories come back.

Wolfwood is spared them. No one else is. Not until the flashes come to a sudden halt, and they're standing out on a street corner near the canals in Hamel. The party is much bigger now — consisting of Elsword, Aisha, Rena, Eve, Raven, Elesis, Ara, Chung, and one newly-arrived Add at this point, who has been stalking you guys for THREE YEARS in an effort to get to Eve before he was friendship-beamed by a 16 year old Elsword and now he's stuck here. Ain... hasn't been here for a while. Ain lost his form and has lightballed around, and maybe Wolfwood sees him, maybe he doesn't. The rest of the party doesn't seem to know he exists.

The party... is talking. They've just got done killing some giant spiders that were, uh, eating people — which, hey, that's fun! And y'all wonder why no one in the El Search Party likes bugs, especially Chung who's native to this city, Aisha, and Add, smh. Free of that, though, everyone chats. Next steps, things that were forgotten...]

Didn't somebody say that they need to go to the temple? [Elsword asks, and when Elesis says that they're on their way there shortly, he argues:] No, not us! I'm sure... somebody said earlier... that they need to go to the shrine...

Wasn't it Chung? [Asks Rena.]

It wasn't me. I've already been, so I had no reason to until I heard Lord Rod Ross left for the temple.

[If Wolfwood is perceptive enough, he might notice lightball Ain floating back to the party... but he has no physical form right now, and no one else sees him. Hm.]

[Thing is, Wolfwood is paying attention to everything, because he was still looking for Ain before this. Even as he's rocketed through years of memories, he's still keeping his eyes sharp, peeled for his presence. It won't take long for him to notice the little lightball floating towards them, and that's when it starts to click.

His chest feels heavy, and the way the party grasp at straws to remember- not even knowing what they forgot- makes his head hurt.]

...it was Ain. It had to be.

[He says suddenly, watching and waiting to see how the others will react.]

[No one has any idea who you're talking about, Wolfwood!]

Who the fu—

Ain?

[Sorry Add you can't curse you're only 19 and this game is rated PG-13 still at this point! But it seems like Elsword's brain is working; he's always been the one who carries memories of Ain even when Ain hasn't been there, entirely. Weird little flashes here and there that are inconsistent, but they do remain. Especially in moments like this...

Glowbug gets close to Elsword, obnoxiously close, practically "on his shoulder" close, and just like that, their natural El Energies collide and Ain pops back into being. At least he got rid of those blue highlights years ago and got Fruity.]

Ah... Elsword...?

[While these two have A Moment, Add crosses his arms and just Looks at Wolfwood.

Who the FUCK—]

[And just like that, Ain is back!! Not the dick version of him, but another version that Wolfwood hasn't met before, a version from the past. Closer to the one he knows, though...

Ugh, yeah. This one is FRUITY, so he's getting there.

He feels eyes on him, though, and looks over at Add with his gaze narrowing.]

What?

[Legally speaking Wolfwood would have known this one if the Arbor hadn't jumped them through three years in the span of about ten irl minutes, but Ain is still kind of a dick even if he fruits up at this point.

I'm not going to paste a whole bunch of dialogue here but Wolfwood I need you to understand how Ain talks to Elsword after he Ains again. This man is down Horrendous.

Meanwhile, Add looks between Wolfwood and whoever the fuck this guy is, looks at the rest of the party clustered around him talking like he's been here the whole time...]

You're all acting like this guy has been here the whole time.

Yeah, well. If I try to explain I don't think you're gonna believe me, anyway.

[Because so far, well...it's not so easy to try to convince people that someone they never remembered was there in the first place was actually, you know. There!!]

Do you remember? Now that he is here?

[Unfortunately Add joined up with the party while Ain was lightballed, so uh. He sure does not, and his expression says as much, an irritated twitch in his brow. Motherfucker he just said—]

How would I remember someone who hasn't been here before?

[Soon enough, though, the two A named boys are going to go toe to toe in front of God, Wolfwood, and everyone. Or, well, most of the party is moving ahead because Hey Yeah The Temple, so it's becoming a walk and talk scenario. Wolfwood can hang back where he pleases; Ain walks along after Elsword, swinging his pendulum between his fingers, while Add floats along on Dynamo.

There's a quiet hiss between them, but to Wolfwood who's Not Really Here but Here, he'll get to listen in regardless. These are Ain's memories, after all.]

What exactly are you supposed to be? Those guys didn't even remember you... Then you showed up out of nowhere and slipped right in, as if you have known them all along.

[Ain smiles. It's dry and sarcastic and bitchy, in a way Wolfwood will surely recognize by this point.]

...Let me make a suggestion. I know you don't belong to this timeline. You are probably from... a long time ago. I'm not sure how you did it, but it doesn't matter. I really don't care what you are trying to do. And I'll never be interested. So why don't you offer me the same courtesy?

So just shut up and mind my own business?

Very good, Mr. Ancient.

[The boys... are fighting. Kind of. Add looks weirdly pale, and Ain is clearly riding that high.]

[Wolfwood walks along, not invested in their goal the same way the people who actually lived this are, because he's more focused on the conversation that Add and Ain are having that he can overhear. And boy oh boy, it's blackmail time! Wolfwood nearly laughs aloud when he hears it. Granted, he feels like he lacks a lot of context for Add's situation, but in the end it matters less what's going on as much as how Ain is reacting to it. The girls are fightinggggg.

He keeps his mouth shut, for now. He'll wait until Ain steps ahead and Add is by himself again before he speaks again.]

Guess that answers that.

[The girls are fighting and if KOG weren't COWARDS they'd have made Ain's line "good boy" instead of "very good", I'm js.

Add will scoot along on Dynamo next to Wolfwood, clearly annoyed. They can stew in their mutual annoyance of Ain together, while he mutters:]

Unbelievable. That guy isn't human.

Yeah, no shit.

[Wolfwood out here cursing in a...what rating is Elsword-]

You get what I was sayin' now though, right?

[Checks the website. There is no rating. Based on the amount of times Ain says "demon bastards" I'm going to go with Teen because I know you can get away with calling someone a bastard in Teen games but you super cannot get away with calling them a bitch-ass motherfucker like I think they should let Add do, so.]

Tch. Yeah, so what's the deal? Why are you immune, and they're not?

[He's jabbing his finger forward, nebulously at Elsword's back. That Bitch Right There Officer. That one Friendship Beamed him.]

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i had to open the elwiki for this yw

heheheee Im special

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