EVENT 021

[sticksandbonesmods]

Feeding from the Ocean

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

Comments

[eidxiety]

Ooh~. I don't have that either. [Ain.] How abouuuuut I pay you later? You know, with that other thing that you couldn't begin to think about what it could possibly be?

[lupusxylem]

[Damn you Ain and rousing Wolfwood's curiosity. Like, he would LIKE to actually get paid, but he never thought that would really happen to begin with, sooo...]

Fine. Guess I'll accept that, for now. Specially since you're gonna let all this worm meat go to waste.

[eidxiety]

Aww, I'm not wasting it~. I'm letting you guys eat your fill first.

[Sure king. Sure you are.]

We'll have to go somewhere quiet to make deals like that, though~. [He's going to keep being vague about this like a little goblin for the next 32904 years, sorry Wolfwood. Enjoy your worm meat Wolfwood.]

[lupusxylem]

[Are you guys about to fuck in Wolfwood's memories because that would be really funny-

Wolfwood, meanwhile, still seems completely oblivious as he leans forward and grabs one of the skewers they made, not hesitating at all to start eating the tough meat. It's not good, in fact one would wager it's pretty bad actually, but Wolfwood hasn't eaten a decent meal in days so this may as well be five star cuisine as far as he's concerned.]


Whatever you say...just don't think you're gonna pull the wool over my eyes, if that's what you're tryin' to get me alone for. You'd end up regrettin' it, trust me.

[eidxiety]

[Ain would jump him in his brain. Honestly he probably will. When Wolfwood wakes up from the Arbor-induced hallucinations he's going to realise that he got brainjumped by Ain and had gay marital lovemaking with Flamebringer all in the span of probably like three hours of memory sharing. That's going to go great when coupled with the trauma of Ain's general existence in the past life and also the trauma of his existence in his current life. Aka: Horny and sad, at the same time!]

Aww, I'm a nice boy~. I don't do mean things to anybody, unless they're mean first. [Squishes Wolfwood's cheeks in his hand, and then... okay fine he will Try this worm meat. Fine. FINE!]

[lupusxylem]

[Wolfwood is going to have the weirdest experience once he comes out of this memory. Like, he's going to be horny, but also cry? Not exactly a winning combination, there.

Ah well. At least for now, he gets to enjoy watching Ain try worm for the first time. Meryl continues to staunchly refuse to do anything with it which hey, suit yourself.]

Tastes like shit, right?

[Wolfwood sneers, ripping off a chunk.]

But the smoke helps. And it's protein, you ain't gettin' this anywhere else.

[eidxiety]

I think that's an understatement. This is like dumpster-diving for scraps and deciding that you're better off eating the soles of someone's shoes when you can't find anything else.

[Ain is going to be CURSED with this horrendous taste on his tongue for the rest of time, thanks. But he supposes food is food, and he should be grateful in a place like this...

He's going to stretch out across everybody's laps and lay back in the sand as he eats this. Unfortunately, Meryl gets his feet. If she's not eating it means she can be pillow, right?]

[lupusxylem]

[Yeah no she is NOT eating the worm meat, Ain probably saw Wolfwood tease her with it a bit ago and she unsurprisingly wasn't further convinced. She will try to steal her hat back from Ain, though, if he's going to just put his feet in her lap.

Wolfwood, despite the tenuous position he's in at this point in his story, seems genuinely happy for once. Like, that smile on his face isn't forced, which is a rarity to say the least.]

Couldnt'a said it better myself. Dig in, cause we prolly won't have another decent meal for a week.

[Inb4 they immediately burn all the calories off by [redacted] in Roberto's van (do NOT tell Roberto).]

[eidxiety]

[He doesn't want to dig in :(

Meryl will easily be able to take her hat back from him, assuming she can reach anyway because Ain is tall and she's getting the feet but y'know— after that round of bullying ends, he'll lay back and eat this nasty-ass food.

It's so gross. It's soooo bad.

Ain, at least, will finish his hunk of meat and try to think about other food, like... ...lollipops he supposes.]

[lupusxylem]

[Everyone eats their fill of the worm (well, everyone except Meryl and probably Roberto who is too busy drinking to bother) and all is well, and eventually the hunters will take their portion of the worm (whether they choose to keep it or sell it Wolfwood could care less) and disappear into the desert night. Vash briefly has a little Melancholy moment (he hasn't eaten since Jenora Rock, you see) before he eventually is convinced to eat, by which point the fire has burnt down to embers and it's time for everyone to hit the hay.

Well...everyone except Wolfwood, who has gotten up and is flicking his lighter as he steps off to have a smoke in private. Though, hard to say if he's just moving away to be courteous (lmao no) or if he's just taking a moment to himself...]

[eidxiety]

[Ain is going to shake the sand out of his coat by bashing it repeatedly against a rock before he wanders off to find Wolfwood. It's pretty easy; he just has to follow the nasty smell of cigarette smoke. Wolfwood is gross. Somehow, Ain is so attracted to him.

If Wolfwood isn't watching, he's going to get embraced from behind, a little "heehee" leaving Ain's lips.]

[lupusxylem]

[Wolfwood is a little surprised when Ain just Appears out of nowhere and hugs him like that, especially when he hasn't exactly been the favorite of the group (can't imagine why). He raises an arm and looks down at him, his other keeping his cigarette held between his lips as he finishes the pull he was taking from it. He'll exhale slowly into the night, desert air before he says anything.]

Were you waitin' for me to be alone t'do that?

[eidxiety]

[This is the payment for your goods and services :) And some other stuff but don't worry about it.]

Yeah~. Didn't you want your payment now? I told you I couldn't pay with money.

[lupusxylem]

That was your payment?

[Wolfwood murmurs, looking over at Ain out of the corner of his eye.]

[eidxiety]

Oh, no, this is the precursor to it. You still haven't figured it out yet, have you?

[He leans up, puts his chin on Wolfwood's shoulder, and then tilts his head so that he can kiss the corner of the man's mouth.]

Do you get it now? Or do I have to explain?

[lupusxylem]

[Oh. Oh.

Okay yeah now he gets it.

Wolfwood's eyes widen, just a fraction, and honestly Ain is so lucky that I HC Wolfwood as being a straight gay man because otherwise this might not have gone over well. Ain can probably sense that though, lbr.

Anyway...this Wolfwood is, of course, far from the more well adjusted(?????) person he is in the Grove in this memory, a lot gruffer, less trusting, prickly and difficult to get along with to a fault. Ain is definitely seeing that first-hand. It's the same way he was when he first got there...but different, too. This is his turf. His home.

And he's got a twink coming on to him.]

...coulda' waited till' we got to JuLai. Fuckin' in the sand is 'bout the worst thing you could do.

[eidxiety]

[Not him a straight gay... look, they may be sharing memories but the real Ain is used to them having ~a relationship~ and that's bleeding over here. Also he's fruity. Sue him.]

We have a truck, [Ain says, at the same instance truck comes to him just. Out of nowhere, bleedover from the memories again no doubt, though he does stall on the syllables a bit. "Truuuck..." like he's unsure for a moment.] The sand doesn't have to get in the way, does it?

Besides, you won't last through even half a round of me, so I'm not worried about it.

[lupusxylem]

Haah?

[Wolfwood pivots in the sand, and suddenly reaches out to take Ain's chin in his fingers, though it's less of a coy tilt of his head and more him actively Grabbing his face and turning it up to look at his.]

And what makes you so sure about that, huh?

[eidxiety]

[Smiles.]

I have high stamina. And you clearly didn't get the hint the first time, which makes me think you don't, based on the fact that wasn't the first thing that sprang to mind for you~.

[lupusxylem]

I think you'd be fuckin' hella surprised.

[He tilts Ain's head just a little bit further, then pulls him closer.]

Just cause I ain't been laid in a couple years don't mean I can't hold my own.

[Squeezes his cheeks a little, then lets him go.]

...meet me at the van.