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

[lilyberation]

( lily is quiet, shrinking shamefully under his gaze, like the injuries she sustained are something dirty, or wrong. it's- it's hard. but she leans against him and inhales- )

I tried to continue our research into Oripathy with- with Truthless Recluse Cookie. But it was in the wake of grief, and he has been... he tried. But he's still... different. ... I wasn't ready. But I couldn't admit it.

When we tried, I saw visions of Shadow Milk Cookie. It scared me, and I lost control of the threads.

( that is... also shameful to admit, as the new guardian. )

The clinic is... repairing itself.

[purevanillacookie]

Oh... oh my darling...

[ He pulls her back in against him, tucks her tight as she leans in, strokes up and down her back soothingly under her braid. His frown grows heavier and his heart aches. He wishes he had been there.

And he feels her shame, the way she shrinks in on herself, and shakes his head. ]

Oh, love, do not blame yourself. Do not let it eat at you. There are always truths we hide from ourself, and the biggest one is that we are ready to move on when we are not. I am sorry I was not there for you, I fear I am not yet strong enough and there are many things I must come to terms with before I am, but I beg you. Forgive yourself.

[lilyberation]

... You know I've never been good at that.

( lily carries crimes from their school days on her shoulders still- granted, that was... pretty cataclysmic. but the point stands- the only cloak she wears more than her actual cloak is the one cast from her sins, guilt that she can't let go of, because she can't make up for it no matter how hard she tries.

lily holds onto him, though- if she lets go, will she lose him again? )

I miss you. So much...

[purevanillacookie]

I know, my sweetheart...

[ Boy, does he. Yet someday he hopes she will be able to look at herself in the mirror, and tell herself she's sorry. Until then, he will hold her and forgive her for her. Squeeze her like he can fit her broken pieces back together. ]

I will be back, my love. I promise you. There is nothing that can keep me away for long.

[ He turns to rest his head against hers, the memory around them beginning to feel strained. There's only so much he can do against the brand, especially while as worn as he is. ]

Do not give up hope. You and Cacao both. I love you, White Lily Cookie. Promise me you will yet keep faith.

[lilyberation]

... It's so hard. Everything I've seen since losing you tells me- tells me I need to stay away, even if you do come back somehow...

( it comes out a whisper, a confession just for him and she hates the words tumbling from her tongue. but it's true. )

[purevanillacookie]

[ Oh that hurts, his rebuilding heart tightening like it's about to shatter in his chest all over again. But he understands. He's... seen the memories. Here and there. What has happened. How they hurt around each other.

But he shakes his head, tightens his hold on her like he can meld them together. ]

I understand, my love. But forgive me for being stubborn and saying no.

[ He smiles a little, turning his face in against her hair. The memory of a scent. ]

I have lost you too many times already to allow it to happen again. When I am back, we will talk. We have so much to say, and I fear we have shied away from it all. We hurt because we try to save each other.

[lilyberation]

Huh-?

( lily balks, because. well. what do you mean 'no'- especially in the wake of what she's seen in these memories! and she's been horrid, always, even when she tries-

... and yet, she can't break away.

... )

... All I've ever done is cause pain... And you have been no different. Even though I want to...

[purevanillacookie]

[ No is no. Pure Vanilla refuses. This is his wife. This is the woman he's loved since he was a child. He squeezes her softly to him, shaking his head. ]

Have I not caused you pain as well? I did not speak up back at the Academy, I pulled away instead. I did not follow you, when I desperately wished to, fearing what was to be found. We have both struggled to keep the other safe, and all we've done is-

[ He sighs and shakes his head again, smiling. ]

We will talk, my heart, upon my return. I will hold nothing back from you anymore. I love you. I truly love you, and we have lived a very long time. Life has it's hardships, and as for as much love as there is there is pain, but we will get through it. Together, my love.

[ Please? ]

[lilyberation]

( she can't even begrudge him for walking away, back then- look what she'd done, what she'd do in the future. how many of his lines has she crossed? and yet... and yet... and yet.

lily's breath hitches and she wraps her arms around vanilla's neck, burying her face into the crook. )

Don't keep me waiting much longer, I beg of you...

[purevanillacookie]

[ And his arms go around her waist proper, as he leans his face into her shoulder in return. Tucks her in as tightly as he can in this memory that's fraying at the edges. ]

I promise. I promise, my heart. It won't be much longer. Wait for me.

[ He pulls back to put his hand to her cheeks to move her head so he can give her a soft, sweet kiss. ]

I have to go, I fear. I can't hold on any longer.

[lilyberation]

( she wants to beg him to stay, but she can't. she knows it won't work, will only cause more pain... but she holds on still, blinking away hot tears yet again. her eyes hurt, terribly so, and she's so tired of crying. )

... I love you. Please... don't forget this, ever...

[purevanillacookie]

And I love you. More than words can say. No matter who I currently am.

[ But he can show her, while the memory falls apart. Shifts the scenes to faded ones of their time together. Of all the times he's watched her, smiled at her, the way his expression always lit up around her.

The way his world always bloomed brighter when she walked into it. It causes him to fade, however, his smile sweet as he turns fuzzy, ghost like, before disappearing and the memories slowly come to a halt. The last one is their reunion in the Faerie Kingdom and the memory of his sheer joy at her opening her eyes. ]

[lilyberation]

( lily tries to speak, but then things shift again, and for perhaps the first time...

everything makes sense. (doesn't that make her crimes worse?) everything makes sense and her heart hurts so, so badly. but if he says to wait, that he'll return- she will wait.

even as guilt claws its way in, as anxieties rise again, she'll wait.

she'll wait. )