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

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Uh, no? Stars don't talk.

So you're from the future... but you're back here, which means it didn't end. And that's supposed to make me trust you? Do you know what you're talking about?

[Maybe the loops wouldn't be as bad if they had a few months to live through instead of a couple days, but it's still not very encouraging. They would prefer no looping, thanks. No more going through the house, no more struggling, no more repeating the same conversations and the same jokes in the same places...

Still up in the air if this is even the real Odile talking to them (the real Dile... stars that's a good one actually).]

[ It takes a second for her to smooth the grief from her expression. She was right. If this is Loop before they Changed, then she can't help them, can she? Of course, this is a memory, nothing she did would have mattered anyway. But it's such a blow to be right here, to have the answers, and still be completely powerless.

She shakes her head. ]

I'm not looping. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but I'm... a guest, I suppose, in this time and place. When I leave I'll be where I was, as if I never left.

So you're going to leave after this.

[Even if she's not real, it still stings. The first time anyone has tried to help, and she's still going to leave? What's the point in trying to give them hope when she won't explain anything, won't tell them what they have to do, and won't even stay to help? Is that really what she'd do if she found out?

... oh. Hah! That's it, isn't it? She said was going to leave anyway... is this what she's been like all along? Did they read too much into it all?

This whole time, they thought that maybe their friends cared about them, but when they finally reach out and ask for help... have they really been so stupid?]

I get it. You still need me to... do whatever it is that fixes this, right? So you can go back to your life in Ka Bue?

Well... forget it! I quit! Go save the world yourself, since you're smart and know everything already~

I told you, I'm not leaving you here by yourself.

[ Her emotions under control now, she levels a determined glare at them. ]

I know that I'm able to leave. I don't know what will happen if I choose not to.

To be clear, since you seem to have the wrong idea:

I am choosing to stay by your side regardless of your decision because you're a dear friend and I am worried about you. Not because the King is freezing Vaugard in time, not because I need you to do anything, but because I care about you and want you to be happy.

Even if I'd rather stay dead than try again?

[... all of this has been a lot to try to process, and they already feel like they reached their limit long ago. So maybe this is real, or it's not. Maybe Odile never cared about them at all, or maybe she did! Does it matter anymore? Does anything?

They sigh, anger fading back into apathy. They don't have the energy to keep this up.]

I'm tired. I just want to rest.

[... that star has had plenty of time to fall, now close enough to bathe them both in its soft waves of light. It thrums, warm and sweet and overflowing with Craft.

They hold out their palms to catch it, because it's what the script would call for.]

[ She has to clench her jaw to keep her expression steady, but her voice is gentle. ]

Even if you come back as someone different.

I'd rather not come back at all.

[Oblivion is all they really want at this point. An eternal, uninterrupted peace. If they could go back and change their wish, they would've made that part clearer.

... but it's too late for that now, isn't it? Even if they changed their mind here, this is only a memory. Nothing can take back what's already been done. This isn't a mistake that can be looped away, no matter how much they wish for it, no matter what wild scenarios they imagine. The facts are already set in stone.

That day, at their lowest moment, they were utterly alone. What could they do but accept the Universe's help?

They stare into the light cradled in their hands. Knowing what comes next, it's a lot less appetizing than before.]

... It's okay. You don't have to keep pretending for me.

Oh? What is it I'm pretending?

[ She keeps her eyes on their face. She hates this. She hates hearing them talk about longing for death. She hates knowing what they end up with instead. She hates that she didn't get to hear it from them. She hates that any of this happened at all. But like it or not, she's here, and pointless as it is she can't stand the thought of allowing them to go through this alone. ]

You're smart, Researcher. I know you must've figured it out by now.

[They've already shown too much to try and hide it. Oh well, haha! This is what they get for not saying it sooner!

Stars, this is somehow even worse than their first attempt at a confession. At least back then they had the decency not to make a big show out of it... she didn't ask to see this. She shouldn't have to.]

I'm not your Siffrin. What happened back then was my own fault, you don't have to keep feeling sorry for me.

Besides, you wouldn't exist at all if I'd succeeded! So it's fine! It had to happen. You understand, right?

[ Ah, they remember now. She's not sure if that's a relief or not. She still can't leave them here, and it seems she still can't change their mind. ]

Do you really trust me so little? I haven't said anything I didn't mean. And whether it had to happen or not, none of this has ever been your fault.

But it is, isn't it? I made the wish, and I couldn't handle it. My fault.

... I believe you when you say you mean it, but you don't need two Siffrins. It's fine, really! You don't have to change anything. Just treat me as the same old Loop you always have.

[They've gotten to know each other here for awhile, after all. They're not strangers. They were going to tell her eventually! The Fighter knew, and nothing really changed after that! They can still be... housemates, or allies or whatever, just like before, and the only difference is she knows a weird little fun fact about them now.]

[ They don't need two Siffrins? She can argue that it isn't their fault another time. She frowns and crosses her arms. ]

You may have been the same to start with, but the two of you are clearly different people now. And even if you were still the same, I don't recall agreeing to any rule that limits the number of people I can have in my life.

I had my suspicions to begin with. I had hoped to hear it from you by choice, not by being dropped into your memories against your will. I apologize for that.

Hah! It's fine. You didn't come here on purpose. I was going to keep putting it off anyway, so it's better to just... get it over with!! Rip that bandaid!

[they are Not Okay with any of this, actually, but if they keep saying they are maybe they'll get over it faster. this is definitely how that works.

They start to juggle the star a little, as it's getting uncomfortably hot to keep holding like this. They didn't really give themselves much time to think about it back then, but wow, this thing is seriously a hazard, it's not even subtle. Why did they ever think sticking it in their mouth was a good idea? Is this just how Wish Craft works sometimes, or were they already fucking it up trying to eat the damn thing? Stars, that would be their luck...]

Well... we're both awake now, so I guess that's the end of the show! You said you knew how to leave, right? I'll be right behind you!

[ Her frown deepens. She's still very concerned, and the hot potato isn't helping. ]

Do you know how to leave? I don't know how all this works, but I do know that people have gotten trapped in that... web-like material.

Of course! [No.]

... Wait, you're not actually stuck in that, are you?

[ She eyes them suspiciously. ]

No. There are... things, in town. Like ghosts, almost. They have a way of capturing your attention, but they don't seem to be harmful.

Oh.

[... They have to think about that one. They don't actually... remember how they got here. Or what they were doing before. Which isn't that unusual, but.]

... I think I came in a different way than that. [the temptation of stargazing might've been a trap]

[ She was afraid they might say that. Either they're trapped in that stuff right now, or they're... a memory of consciousness, maybe? She knows she isn't really here. Maybe they aren't either. ]

If I can't contact you when I go back, I'll come and find you.

Good thing I can be my own searchlight, teehee~

I guess I'll see you soon, Researcher. Watch your step out there! Wouldn't want to get stuck trying to save someone else!

[That smile is really starting to strain their face... maybe not having a mouth wasn't so bad after all. Please, just leave so they can die alone in peace.]

[ She gives them one last concerned stare, then sighs. ]

See you soon.

[ And slowly, she fades away.

Back in reality, she tears herself away from the ghost that caught her attention and immediately calls Loop. ]

[To them, she fades, and they're left standing alone once more... but the ghosts still linger, unbeknownst to Loop. They wait a little while before taking their final bows—the explosion of burning light that follows doesn't translate well to this shadowy illusion, but the details here aren't important. Their form jolts, flickers, then burns away, leaving not a trace behind.

...

Yeah, they're not answering. If she's lucky, they collapsed somewhere before climbing onto a roof.]

[ WELL time to assemble the search party. Starting with somebody more comfortable with heights than she is, since they might just be asleep or something. ]

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EVENT 021

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