EVENT & TDM 022

[sticksandbonesmods]

THE SERPENT UNDERNEATH

WAKE UP

Being out in the woods is, for some people, an ordinary day. You may or may not be one of those people — you almost certainly don’t remember going camping, do you? — and yet you emerge from a tent and think to yourself, hm, that’s quite odd! Where is the nearest civilization anyhow? If you’re brave enough, perhaps you set out to seek it, walking toward where you think you hear noise in the far distance. It sounds a bit like cheering. A party? A bonfire? You can’t be certain, not at first.

As you step onto the worn trail, something nearly clocks you right in the head. A nimble dodge to the left and a quick glance at the ground tells you that it’s some kind of tree branch made of… flesh? It’s certainly flesh-textured, though the colour is a deep blue that glows white. It seems to be rapidly rotting into the ground, and as you look up… a giant, several hundred foot tree of a similar eldritch makeup is falling apart before your eyes. Your walk back to civilization will be full of dodging probably-dead flesh tree bits.

Should you make it in one piece, the source of the noise becomes obvious: the people making up this small town are cheering and yelling about something else of eldritch makeup. It seems that some of the creatures who have lived in this civilization’s river for the last year, the Seaborn, have decided to evolve to be capable of flight. Some residents of this town seem extremely enthusiastic with this. Some are wary. Some simply don’t care.

You? Well, that’s for you to decide.

Welcome to the eldritch horror fae woods, dear friend. Enjoy your stay.

A SNAKE IN THE GRASS

While the black fog returns, some paths are left clear, or at least not as impacted as other areas of the woods. Mist fades in and out, and even if you aren’t one for nature, surely exploration can sing its siren song when the size of the town is too small and all the faces look the same. Paths line themselves with daffodils and chamomile flowers, with arctic poppies and clearings of wildflowers- foxglove and lavender especially prominent. They’re lovely, all of them, and bloom far more rapidly than anything else should be this early into spring, this late into winter, but they do.

But something creeps beneath the flowers, and something large digs through the earth, leaving upturned grooves in the dirt and grass, trails of flattened mud and roots with only bushes of camelia on the outskirts left behind. It’s quiet in the forest, not even birds singing. It makes the hiss of tongues all the more noticeable.

If you’re lucky, you might see a purple and grey stone shift in the distance, gone just as quickly as it was there. If you aren’t, you don’t see its much smaller, flower-patterned counterpart strike from the shadows. Snakes are working their way into the Grove, hiding in bushes and under steps, anywhere they can lurk and strike the unsuspecting, and their bite is venomous.

One bite brings excruciating pain, bone-deep cold, an increased frailty of the body and hallucinations. A second bite brings a deep, nightmare-filled sleep. A third bite brings death. All of them scar with a black sun over the bites, a mark of divine wrath — the Fallen Sun sends his regards, and his hate.

Those who perish to the snake bite will awaken in their bed in a few days, feeling nauseous and weakened, but…

'NEATH SERPENT'S GAZE

… This simply isn’t tenable. Between the paranoia and the snake’s stealth, it’s hard to feel safe outside of your home, and maybe inside, despite the fact that once again your homes offer refuge from the forest’s attacks—they hadn’t once upon a red, hot summer, after all. How did they face this last time? It was a flower, wasn’t it? And the new flowers in the forest seem special, if only because of their strong growth compared to the rest of the forest.

But if you go into the woods, two large stone snakes wait, ready to protect the natural gardens. Breaking them does little but slow them down for a time, and their bite is both larger and their venom stronger—the true version, the one that crippled a household in seconds. The severity of the symptoms are worse, murderously so, but survivable if it’s not the third bite.

They block the way, ambush would-be travelers, coil around the flower patches, and will not be stopped. Does this confirm that the flowers could help? Or are they simply protective of their master’s property? Is it play?

Regardless, they wait and watch.

CITIES & BONES

When all the violence of the month ends, and thank goodness for that, you decide to head to bed. For once, you might sleep well — there are no threats of snakes making you wonder if you or your friends might die tomorrow, and the Grove as a whole feels much safer. It’s as if someone or something is guarding over it — different from the Guardian Deities and the Goddesses as a whole.

For the next several days after the snakes disappear, your dreams are strange, as if you’re receiving a vision from another world. A modern city, so different from Aldric’s Grove that you’re not entirely convinced it lies in this dimension, blinks in neon lights behind your eyelids. Between the cacophonous sounds of motorized vehicles rushing by, the din of people talking in a language you don’t understand, and the distant electrical humming from the street lights, perceptive dreamers might hear something else:

The soft clacking of dry bones.

Spark Notes

summary

Wake up: You were apparently camping. You don't recall this. As you head out toward the sound of civilization, bits of giant blue flesh-tree nearly hit you in the head. You'll have to dodge the remaining flesh tree bits as it crumbles while you walk back to town.

A Snake In The Grass: Flowers spring up far too early in the season, and the fog wall returns. Purple and grey-coloured stone snakes begin to attack from the bushes and flowers where they're hidden. One bite brings cold and frailty, a second bite brings nightmares, and a third bite brings death. All bites scar with a mark of the Black Sun.

'Neath Serpent's Gaze: You've heard of a flower that can cure the poison, but to get there, you have to face two far larger stone snakes who are guarding over nature here. Whether they want to play or simply kill isn't clear. You're in danger of death either way.

Cities & Bones: While you sleep after the snakes disappear, you'll have strange dreams that feel like visions and feel watched by something safe and kindly. While your dreams are absorbed in that of a cityscape that feels almost too real, you can sometimes hear the clattering of bones.

out of character

Welcome to March's TDM and Event! Spring is springing and we've got a lot of really cool events coming up in the next few months. The magic system should debut this month as well, which we're very excited about. It is a slow process but the rewards should be well worth it.

updates

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

submissions

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

code

Comments

[nitrotempered]

AS IF YOU'D EVER BE ANYTHING LIKE ME!! I'm one of a kind. [ He really said that out loud; unfortunately, he is a bit dumbfounded that Wolfwood basically said: Hey, you remind me of me when I was young. What is someone his age supposed to even say to something like that? He hates the attempt at vulnerability that Wolfwood is trying to take with him and denies it by acting as if he himself is better as a person. Rather, has to act that way or else he has nothing. ]

Not my problem if everyone wants to be the same copy-pasted boring mess - that's on them. I don't need anything from anyone - ever, anyway. [ Meaning, he doesn't need anyone to like him to continue being the person that he is. Which, Wolfwood doesn't know that this means a Hero, but, that's what he is at heart. ]

Tch, [ He moves closer, trying to find a few eggs and a pan to cook his own breakfast with. ] wanna fucking bet then?

[goldenambition]

[Will's fur stands straight up]

He's right, the bell is cursed!

[Even backing away his hearing is too good to drown out the song. His animal heritage is all predators, true. But smaller ones. Ones that can and are eaten- the cat side especially. The fear runs hot and cold in him]

Hold them off, I'll see if I can break the curse!

[If it's from Suri he might be fucked though- divine wraith is beyond his skills. But with how old it is it's worth trying at least]

[foreversembrace]

[It's funny because both "Perro" AND "dog" don't mean anything to him. Well, no, that's a lie. He's seen Rusty, and Loop told him he was a dog...and Rusty seemed nice. Are dogs considered pathetic creatures?

Weird.

Till opens his mouth to say something, but just before he can, he hears the low shhfff of something moving in the underbrush...prompting him to lift his left foot and stomp it down on an approaching snake just seconds before it can strike at either of them. He hisses back at it, then kicks it away with the toe of his shoe.

Weeee]

Yeah, but you're like...I dunno. You're not a human, right? You've made it sound like you probably ain't.

Anything is better than being just human, even if you're slow.

[That's definitely what the aliens have beaten into him, anyway.]

[rabbithearted]

[... at least the water isn't on him, he guesses. he'll just have to avoid the teeniest tiniest puddle known to mankind.]

Uh... no? What even is that?

[rabbithearted]

[... god, this guy is even more awkward than he is. he also responded probably in the best possible way -- that is, politely and pretending he didn't actually see it.

luckily for min, cat man was on a quest for coffee, himself. though he washes his hand first, he's not an animal. as he scoops some grounds into the coffeemaker, he huffs under his breath.]

... It's a public space. [that is, val knows he doesn't actually have the right to kick min-gi out.]

[outofsynth]

[Is that directed at him? Min squares his shoulder, trying to look more like he belongs there as he fetches himself a mug.]

Oh. Yeah. I know.

[Val has apparently had the same idea as he had, which could be awkward if he's still mad that Min-Gi saw him... well, there's nothing to call it but grooming. He picks out a second mug in the hopes that maybe helping him might make him more amenable to sharing.]

Is there enough in there for two?

[rabbithearted]

[anxious, self-soothing grooming, for sure. like hell he'll admit out loud to anyone here how uncomfortable he is.

min's efforts aren't lost on him. he would have put in some extra scoops anyway, but a stranger doesn't need to know he'd do them any favors.]

Looks like it.

... There a grinder or a mortar and pestle around here somewhere?

[lilyberation]

This is... a new phenomenon, but it seems to be inspired by a previous attack that targeted my own house. We do get attacked a lot though, in... often unique ways.

The gems that altered our personalities and made our mental illnesses worse was particularly awful for something that didn't cause bloodshed.

( then, to min as she gets her supplies- )

Where is the bite? I will clean it, and then we're going to have you rest once you take some medicine.

... Bakugo, while I treat the wound, can you make some tea for him, please? The blend in the gold jar on my desk- it helps the pain.

[lilyberation]

...

( he seems... guilty. so she won't lecture him. she will, however, start tending to till once he's sat down. )

Once I clean the blood, I have a balm that helps with bruising, and we'll see if ice will help with the swelling, okay?

[outofsynth]

Yeah, hang on.

[It's a relief to be able to contribute something. It makes him feel less like he's intruding. Min fetches them for him gladly, setting them down with the mugs.]

Was there anything else you wanted? It can take a while to figure out where everything is.

[Said like he didn't just recently arrive himself...]

[lupusxylem]

[It's only because he was this kid that Wolfwood knows what Bakugo's angle is, here. He's trying to convince the world- and himself- that he's something. He's big, he's loud, he's here.

I'm here.

So, he can't completely fault him for that. But, at the same time, he isn't just going to back down from a direct challenge either.]

I sure do.

[He nods towards the stove.]

It's simple. We both fry an egg. Cook it however you want, season it however you want, but just one egg. Then we pull somebody to come try both and tell us who's is better.

[outofsynth]

[At this point a lot of what they're saying is going over his head. Min zones out, nodding as though he's listening while they discuss... whatever. It actually takes him a moment to realize Lily's talking directly to him, but at least once it registers he's cooperative. He stops nodding to pull up his trouser leg, hissing sharply as the fabric catches the wound on the back.]

I'm okay. Just need... warm.

[aneikonic]

[ He does it without thinking. As Razlo lobs the rock, Clive reaches out with Ifrit and enchants the rock as he would otherwise with his own sword, wreathing the boulder in flames. Then hesitates, expecting to feel the creep of the curse, but is greeted with nothing. Excellent.

He draws his sword and nods to Will, before turning his attention to the creeping plants. This is the reason they're here, after all. ]

It would be rude to turn down their hospitality after they came out to greet us. Watch your flanks!

[ And he moves to do just that, positioning himself to keep an eye on Razlo's back and get his own towards Wolfwood, Ifrits flames still called to his hand. ]

[outofsynth]

You are.

[He moves to sit on the edge of the bed, not standing yet, but ready to if he has to.]

Are you okay?

[sesa]

[Ah. Well. Maybe he should have expected that.

Sesa sighs, letting his hands drop to his sides.]

Alright. I won't keep you here, then, if you did intend to leave.

[He looks back at the doorway he's still kindof standing in, both half in and out at this point.

He will say one more thing, though.]

We are all trapped here. I am trying my best to not make enemies. If you consider us to be so, then there's not much more I can do about that beyond trying to prove to you that I do not intend to make your life here worse.

[foreversembrace]

...okay.

[For what it's worth, he IS being a good boy and sitting where he was told to. He's not doing extremely poorly, at least, but he doesn't look great either.

The fact Bakugo is jumping to his defense, saying he started it...Till isn't sure if that makes him feel better or worse.]

I punched 'im too.

[He grouses, like a child.]

[reydelostests]

Hm...you do make a good point. I don't exactly remember any of that either.

[And the fact they both don't seems to suggest there's some sort of supernatural phenomena at work. Why else would they have forgotten a whole month's worth of memories?]

Do you think we should ask the others here if they've experienced something similar?

[He asks as he chucks the gross moldy box onto the sand.]

[lupusxylem]

[God, whatever.

Razlo looks at him and says that, and Wolfwood replies by flipping him a quick bird before he pulls out both Fangs, taking a few steps back so he settles properly with being at Clive's back.

He doesn't even say anything after that, he just starts opening fire (while also making sure Will isn't in his line-of-sight, first.)]

[nitrotempered]

I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING ERRAND BOY DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! [ Is what he says but he's already hands in his pockets, shuffling over to the kitchen. Boiling water comes first, so he will set the water into the kettle. Only to move back around to grab the Gold Jar as stated from her desk. Min will see him mumbling and bitching about stuff back and forth as he goes about making him tea. ]

[nitrotempered]

Not hard enough clearly, [ He seems to add, but his words to him are meaningful even if he is an ass about it. ] so stop walking around like you can pick a fight with just anyone, stupid.

cw: season 7 spoilers

[nitrotempered]

[ Even now more then ever, because he's got something to prove. ]

[ Desperate almost to prove, he didn't just die for nothing - right? Didn't just die, pathetically - huh? ]

The problem there is you've been here way longer, [ He crosses his arm, ready to commit to this, but his point still stands. ] how am I going to know this shit isn't rigged? No, we make 3 eggs each and feed 6 mouths.

There even 6 people in this shoddy place?

[sailingfor]

[Squints.]

Are you not Terran?

[menophesto]

[ Mephisto lulls his head from side to side a moment. ]

It's complicated. I'm not the same human as you, but I'm "human" where I'm from. My race is Liberi, which means I have similar traits to that of a fowlbeast - the things with feathers and wings that fly around.

[ If Till wants to really squint, he'll see white feathers in Mephisto's hair, but they're really hard to distinguish from the actual strands. ]

There's nothing bad about being 'just' human, though. Better that than a God. [ He doesn't care if Suri is still listening. Fuck that guy. ]

[foreversembrace]

[It does take a bit of looking to pick up, but yeah...he can see the feathers. Not that he really knows what a "fowlbeast" is, but as Mephisto describes, birdlike.

Till...makes a face.]

Why would anyone wanna be a God? Gods ain't real anyway.

[Till maybe don't say that out loud--]

[rabbithearted]

[deadpan --]

No, I'm Valentine.