sticksandbones | EVENT & TDM 022

EVENT & TDM 022

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

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[great. the coffee is already brewing, and now he has this stuff... oh, well. at least he knows it's here.

... actually, fuck it, he's a six-cups-a-day kind of guy anyway. time to gather some whole beans and see how to work this grinder... and if it can even do what he needs it to.]

I think I can handle it. [his tone isn't actively hostile anymore, at least. just distracted; he's focused.] The tech here is weird. Some of it's... primitive, and some seems really advanced. Weird mashup.

[He tries to take a step, but the pain that shoots up his leg is agonizing. He feels his breath hitch, and does his best to swallow it down. A query is cast into his mind, and met with both indignation and fear. I told you this was beyond me, The Phoenix responds.

It doesn't look good. But even if the Phoenix can't stop it in life, it's only a matter of time until he comes back. And the last thing he wanted to do was burn down half the clinic (again) as a result of his return.

Nor does he want to burn down the barn, either.

He pushes forward just long enough until they're out in the grass. Each step hurts more than the last. He can't tell if his vision is blurring at the edges, or if it's the sweat on his brow that's merely begun to run.]

Kiki... [He slumps a little further down.] Can I at least have a second to breathe?

[Out in the open like this, he poses less of a risk, at least.]

[they can tell, easily, how much he's struggling. as much as they want to give in to his request, for the sake of his own comfort, they're fully aware of how little time they have. they could just pick him up, but surely he'd fight them...]

Absolutely not. [but this is cruel, forcing him to hurt, even if it's for his own good...

fuck. they can practically taste the anxiety rising in him. shit. their voice lowers, now that they're both outside. they hate asking this, but beasts, the other options are torture him or allow him to lay down and die.]

Do you want me to numb you?

[Frustration courses through him for a brief instant. Of course they would make this difficult. Lately, all they've done is sit and fight him, clinging to that childish stubborness. He wants to take them by the shoulders, beg for them to listen.

But he stops before he can. He can't blame them for their fear. They're both familiar with venom black as night, the feeling of losing someone because they didn't try hard enough. How could he ever begrudge her desperation.

The clinic won't help. It may only make things worse, but if it will make Kiera feel better for even a few minutes. he'll allow it. Despite his best instincts, he nods. Unfortunately, he swiftly finds that the movement leaves him unbalanced. His entire body begins to pitch forward, and he can't seem to find the strength to lift his arm to brace himself against the fall.]

[...]

I've never heard of a Valentinian.

[isidor thorns arknights. go to your room.]

[It continues to hiss, swivelling its little head around until it locks onto a direction—an innocent-looking bush, just a scant few steps ahead and to the left of the path. Karte fucking hates this bush.

... nothing is really happening, but. whatever is in(?) the bush rustles, and Karte starts squirming hard. Unhand them, human!!]

[despite offering, kiera finds it damn near impossible to make good on their word. especially when luca goes slack and tries to eat shit --

they catch him, just barely, arm tightening around his back. at this point, they don't seem to have a choice in staying or going. given that his legs won't work anymore, they finally allow him to lower to the ground, and they join him.

even now, they sense his irritation, but even worse, they smell the beginnings of fear. just the slightest hint, but -- beasts. out of every emotion, fear has always been the most enticing to kiera. but as it comes off of luca, they find themself repulsed and horrified and... helpless. they can't bring themself to make good on their word. their heart pounds in their chest, in their throat and ears. kiera has never been one to allow panic to rule them, or to pretend like a horrible situation is just a dream or a test of faith. so why do they feel so desperate for a pinch or a miracle?]

Luca. [they hate the way their voice trembles.] You can rest for a moment, but you have to keep speaking to me.

Of fucking course you do.

[Sigh. He sheathes his sword, however reluctantly, and takes a step back to maintain a talking distance between them. Like dear god kiddo, get out of his bubble.]

Look. I don't want trouble as much as you want to cause it, I'm sure. We've got Rhodes Islanders here, and people from outside of it and Terra entirely. Don't make your life a living hell and try to get along with people, alright? I can promise you most people aren't going to do you dirty.

[Ugh. He sounds so fatherly. He really is soft for this lot of losers here, isn't he? Just like the greenhouse on the landship all over again.]

[His eyebrows go straight up at write a report. What the hell, the first actually useful person he's met here??

But reports will have to wait for later. He folds his arms and listens, giving Mizuki his undivided attention.]

... Hmph. Pissing it off is inevitable, so that's an acceptable loss. Progress is the more important factor. [and they've made a fair bit, by the sounds of it.]

So, what would you say is the plan from here? Is there a clear path forward?

[The numbness doesn't come, but Luca can't bring himself to argue. As they both settle onto the ground, he can't help but curl closer to them. They've always felt cool to the touch compared to Luca's elevated temperature, but now they feel downright icy. He doubts it's a good sign, but he won't mention it aloud.

His head lolls, resting upon her arm. A sigh leaves him, as he tries to find something to say.]

'm sorry. Didn't mean to get you so worked up.

Yeah, you have. I'm standing right in front of you.

[two can play this game.]

[there's still that voice of reason in the back of their mind, saying that they need to get him help sooner rather than later. that no act of goddess or beast will change what's coming. but... when has kiera ever refused to roll over at their brother's behest? all they can do is try to comfort him.]

Don't apologize. [they immediately sigh hard as soon as the words leave their lips.] No, do, actually. You should never have put yourself between that thing and me. [... and they wilt.] I should never have let you work so soon after envenomation.

You think I'm not calm right now?? [please, that poor snake is about to split in two from how hard he's crushing its wee rubber spine]

Some jackass keeps putting traps over these worthless Nasod decoys. I'll "calm down" when I cave their fucking skull in for wasting my time! So? Who fucking put this here?!

[He shoves the offending item in Wolfwood's face, which appears to just be some scrap circuitry haphazardly thrown together. Would Wolfwood know anything about this? Probably not. But Add has decided he does, so, good luck.]

You worry too much. The Phoenix -

[He casts his mind out, expecting to hear another irritated harrumph. Instead, his mind simply echoes back at him, an endless void within his own mind. He grasps again at the connection, but can only feel the faintest flicker of flame.]

Ki - [They'll feel the brief spike of panic, even as he cuts himself off. Whatever happens, he can't tell them. He won't scare them in these final moments. He doesn't want it to be a bleak and hopeless rush for naught. Not when they can enjoy the spring breeze.]

- reminds me of when the snows first melted. When I took you by the hand and showed you the orchards. When we found the first dandelions.

'm sorry I haven't been that boy for so long.

[The bite at least gets something of a flustered grunt out of him. Alright, lick the ashes from his mouth while you're at it, why don't you?

He takes a step back as well, the cigarette burnt out to the butt now. Flamebringer isn't one to throw the butts on the ground, and instead incinerates the rest to ash with a small fire in his palm. The ashes fly free on the wind, and then he pivots on his heel, facing away from Wolfwood and jamming his hands into his pockets.]

Come to the tat shop again sometime. Let me add to that piece on your arm.

[If Wolfwood had wanted something to represent his partners, well, wouldn't he want a more permanent reminder of the mark Flamebringer's left on him, too?

Maybe this is sort of like a promise.

He pulls his hand out of his pocket and gives Wolfwood a wave over the shoulder.]

Don't get killed, sheygets. See ya later.

[how is it that that breaks them? the sensation of hot tears spilling down one cheek and pooling under their eyepatch is so foreign and uncomfortable and embarrassing, they don't know how to react. not to themself, not to luca.]

Beasts, shut up, Luca. [there's no venom in their words, only something small and pitiful, like the child luca dragged across the estate.] Don't say that. Don't apologize for... being you.

[... they realize that before this moment, they haven't really accepted that this is luca, now. for so long, they've wanted him to be as he was. the innocent child in him is just as dead as the one in their own soul. and maybe it hurts knowing about themself, too... but that's something they can dwell on later, when luca is healed.

kiera knows it's useless. knows it's all but spitting in the face of all the suffering luca has endured over the years since cyrus' death. but they regress, anyway. luca might recall a time when a young kiera believed they were alone, crouched in front of the phoenix's effigy and thanking it for their family.]

Please. He's all I have left. [and echoed words that luca himself won't remember.] I've been faithful to You most of my life and only ever asked You for one thing. I fully intend to keep my word, but I can't if You let him die. Fight this False Beast -- find the strength to heal him.

[He's grimacing, yeah, they mess with each other but not that kind of messing. It's only the platonic and heterosexual kind of playful teasing that goes on between them, obviously...

but he doesn't get to mumble any weird responses to that, because now he's getting tucked in and oough the tiniest movements still hurt he can't do anything to fight this... Ain is leaning in too close and speaking so softly. Still up in the air what parts of this are real and what parts are a dream, but... Ain does take care of everyone, and everyone includes Add.

He trusts Ain, not that he'd ever admit it out loud. Way too embarrassing.]

... you're here, so I'll be fine. [jk he doesn't know what the FUCK he's saying the fever is winning] Wouldn't let any...anything happen. Jus' like... with that cultist...

You... you'd 'member me if I died, right? You'd miss me? [the way he sounds genuinely concerned about this question is probably disturbing, your man is fucked up rn he's getting existential]

...Has Rhodes run you through so much that you've gone soft? I'm not even sure "Flamebringer" fits you anymore, старик. [ Flamebringer might recall this term to mean "old man" on the simple fact that Mephisto used it toward Patriot a couple times. ]

...And quit pretending like you know who I am now. You left. You don't get that right.

[oh, he knows that look. who knows how long he's been paused as he walks by, observing the stiff and far-off look on mafuyu before he decides to say something instead of continuing on.]

Hey, kid. Down here. [his voice is gravelly as ever, but he makes a point to not be his typical amount of loud.] Three things y'can see.

[Honestly, he's about to sit back and resume looking out the window while Add uses him as a footrest until that question hits, and then he blinks in stunned surprise before readjusting how he's sitting. More of a lean into Add's space now, wedging himself in the narrow space between Add and the back of the couch, where he's half laying down just to look him in the eye better with his legs splayed off to the side.

It's not cuddling if you don't physically lay on top of him, after all.]

You're not going to die, Mr. Ancient. [Let's get that out of the way first.] And even if you did, I would go personally fight that False God in the woods to get you back.

[Maybe he should actually just lay on him, this position hurts his spine, and his wings are folded back against the couch... Yeah, second readjustment incoming before Ain wholesale flops his head down onto his friend's stomach and looks up at him from there. Add is too delirious to say no to his hugs right now anyway it's fine. Is this taking advantage of him, yes absolutely, but he shouldn't be friends with Ain if he doesn't want random hugs obviously.

(This is ostensibly not a hug.)]

I remembered you and missed you while you weren't even here. It's nice to have you here with me again.

[ He thinks about it for a second. Shudders again. ]

...Yeah, I'm alright!

[ He turns and hops out of bed. His entire body is shaking when he peers around the curtain to see who it is. ]

Oh, hey MG! Do you know how I got here?

Way more than six.

[Unfortunately.]

But fine, whatever. I'll even let you pick the people, if you want. Make it more "fair" and all.

[He says as he walks towards the fridge to pull out the full egg carton, since they're cooking so many now.]

If this is your calm, I don't wanna see how you act when you're freaking the fuck out.

[Wolfwood lifts a hand to try to push Add's away from his face, his lip curling.]

If you ain't talked to him yet, you prolly want to go see Ain. He'd be able to explain it to you better, but, to put it bluntly: you were here, before. But not...you, specifically. A different version of you? I don't fuckin' know.

If it's somethin' you recognize, then I reckon he left those. You'd be kickin' your own ass.

[WOW you two sure are fucking gay for not putting labels on anything. Like my god.

Flamebringer won't be able to see the way Wolfwood's brows raise towards his hairline as he turns to leave. He's adding to the tat, huh? Well...he can't say he hates the idea of that.]

Yeah. Alright.

[He's imagining another flower...that's definitely what he wants to add right? Right-

He watches him as he goes without following, feeling as if a weight he didn't realize existed had been lifted off his shoulders.]

See you.

[ Idk why I thought 6 people for 3 eggs maybe 3/14 me was cooking something but now we have to make 12 eggs for 6 people we are going to be normal about this.

Unfortunately Mun rolled a fucking 6, so likely what happens instead of the best eggs in the world. Bakugo has no idea where any of the shit is in the kitchen and ends up with some normal ass cooked eggs.

He's so serious about these eggs, though. 6 eggs, he's ready to forcibly make 6 random people eat his 6 eggs and the Gramps eggs - is Wolfwood done with his eggs? ]

READY TO LOSE???

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EVENT & TDM 022

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