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

code

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[ Izuku came to a stop shortly, taking in these new surroundings. One hand tugging at the yellow cape as a small frown etched itself into his face.

He'd long since learnt to not back off from situations like this.

So his green eyes ticked up to the peculiar looking owl, then to the doors that stood openly. It could be a trap or an ambush, and something could be waiting to attack him but his steps carried him forwards all the same. He had danger sense active, so if anything did mean him harm?

Izuku knew he could act quickly if he needed to, in that case. ]

[He does feel welcomed, but that's the problem, isn't it? The idea of having to go through all of this again, with a new group of people who want him to stick around... he's not going to make the same mistake twice, though.

He thinks on it for a moment. Hmm.]

Who's Mr. Crane and Mr. Snow Leopard?

... [ Oh why did the mood suddenly turn so sour? Ezell knits his brows together, trying to still be helpful, but maybe hide the answer just a bit. Just until he figures out what the sudden animosity is for. ] Colleagues of mine. Why?

[Yes! And he was right, obviously! Look at how right he was for this innocent observation! Jeez Louise.]

[He sets the doll down and makes to step away. To his question, Shadow Milk tilts his head, tilts it maybe a little too far and then rights it again.]

Really, I don't know what you're talking about. I have noticed the little rabbit has been avoiding me after our conversation some time ago, so I must assume something I said has upset her. My dearest little blueberry, that was certainly not my intent, though I will admit to having been in, as the youth will put it, a State, when I first arrived.

[It's an apology but he sure as hell isn't going to say it.]

[awkward. he should pretend he's not so pissed about it (he is still pissed about it)]

Ain mentioned them. I wanted to ask about something.

[ Ezell folds his hands over the table with a small sigh. His expression levels out for the first time this conversation, mostly unreadable. ]

I'm going to assume Ain did not make you aware of this, so I'll go ahead and just let you know, Add. I'm an empath. I can feel the emotions of those around me as if they are my own. And I mean no ill will towards you for this, but I can tell you are incredibly upset about something they did. I assume then, you do understand my hesitance in telling you?

[Oh boy. Add is having a rollercoaster of emotions at this revelation, which quickly turns into a horrible feedback loop of panic, embarrassment, and trying to Be Angrier in an attempt to cover up all the other awful awful vibes. Sorry Ezell has to experience this with him, no one is enjoying this.]

You didn't think to mention that sooner?! [this is worse than having his brain hacked, at least he knows how to fight back against that] My feelings are none of your fucking business, stay out of my head!

[ Ezell winces. Not exactly a surprising response, given everything, but it still wasn’t the expected one. It does still sting with the implications that Ezell is being intentionally invasive.

He attempts to stay calm, if just to ensure to Add that he really is harmless. ]

I had assumed Ain would have brought it up. My apologies. That said, it is not something I can turn off. My life would be a whole hell of a lot easier if I could.

But I’m not “in your head”. Not really. I don’t know your thoughts or anything like that, just the emotions.

Is that supposed to make it better?! [i mean. yeah actually it does, but he's not thinking about that part rn. He stands up, pancakes abandoned.] Just— stay away from me, got it?! I'll figure the rest of this shit out on my own! Stay out of my way!

[He points threateningly as he starts backing out of the room, stepping carefully to avoid tripping on any cute bunnies.]

[ Well… at least now he doesn’t have to worry about giving Add the names of his coworkers. It doesn’t make him feel better. He doesn’t even try and stop Add. He just stands from his seat and picks up the abandoned plate of pancakes to take over to the kitchen looking… well, just sad.

He doesn’t want his empathy either. He can’t exist in crowds without getting headaches and it sucks to know when people are lying to him about something they do want to keep quiet. And just feeling how people feel about him in general has been such a bummer here. Dion’s jealousy, Clive’s skepticism, Wolfwood’s frustration… and now Add. ]

Alright. I’m sorry.

The plants are nothing but your typical dungeon trash mobs. You big burly men with guns and swords will be fine while Will concentrates. You have my mod promise until you don't anymore.

So, on the topic of cursebreaking:
- The spell was not cast, but rather is a collection of negative energies. If Will has talked to Nene and gauged her at all, it'll feel like her upset + years of agonizing torment + like something cruel whose name starts with an S and rhymes with Hurry was exacerbating it and enjoying it (+L +ratio)
- It is aligned with the element of Plant, specifically corrupted plants/the Forest's magic as a whole. It is different than the plant/earth magic of Moder, and the plant/life magic of Sinann.
- Redirecting the curse is... difficult. It will feel sticky to Will, like trying to remove a whole fly off a glue trap without having parts come off. A good counter-element to this is, likely unsurprising, Celestial magic; barring that since it's not suuuper accessible, Fire seems to partially do the job and break the "sticky" hold.
- Will is now the proud owner of Sticky Ball Of Curse, which he can redirect to one of the objects or monsters in the vicinity. Choose your favourite rock, tree, plant monster, or random flower.

[Oh gross! He hates that! But 'lifetimes of death and torture sticking to a place' is kinda a classic 'natural' curse- he's sure if this wasn't so tied to That Fucker and the corrupted woods this place would be super haunted instead.

Thankfully Fire is his element- not enough to break it for Real (if he even could, with Suri being involved, regardless of if he didn't overtly cast it) but getting it Away is good enough. Holding it for even the short time needed to redirect it into a near by rock feels Bad and he makes a mental note to get Purified as soon as they return. You know, just to be safe. He considered one of the monsters but that just seems to be asking for it to get Super Powered.

He jumps down from the bell, snatching up the now Super Cursed Rock, and holding it aloft and yelling:]

Who can get this thin' as far away from town as possible!

take lily's hole to the nsfw channel smh smh

Kiera enters Lily's Hole™ and (i am forcibly dragged offline and ostracized from the dwrp community)— well, it sure is dark in here. Enough natural light filters in through the various holes for Kiera to easily tell the following:
- most of the "junk" and "useless shit" from the last time this place was explored was cleared out and removed. the remaining crates are full of a fresh stock of useful items (???) such as fresh food (things that will keep at sea — so dried meats, trail mixes, the works) and bottled fresh water. there is a crate of musket balls that's left uncapped with a very, uh... janky looking musket laying on top of it. it looks old-timey but like it might have been modified with newer technologies. hm. other crates that have been left open include clothing of various sizes, fabric, extra sails... you know. Supplies™.
- it smells fucking musty down here
- the lower decks and especially the storage they fly into seem more structurally sound than the rest of the ship
- this is a pretty typical old-timey cargo ship. it LOOKS like a pirate ship at first glance, but it's far too small and lacks key components for one (a berth/gun deck, brig, etc).
- judging by the holes in the lower deck, this ship should have sunk a while ago, but it is not only in shallower waters but seems to have been propped up somewhat recently
- it is moldy. this is a wooden ship with a poor finish. that bitch MOLDY. did i mention the MOLD and the MUSK and the MOIST yet.

Yep, exactly.

It looks like there are no guaranteed safe spots in this cave to stand where high tide won't kill you. However, someone could tread water at the very top of the cave where that single dry pocket is for (checks notes) 6 hours and be fine!

[razlo smashes a bitch coming for wolfwood's 6 and he Hates that. he really hates it! it would be sooo funny to watch wolfwood get eaten, but livio won't LET him!!

thankfully, will provides him with the perfect excuse to not have wolfwood's back.]

I gotcha! [he's wide open, will, go long --]

That is correct. A God could be denoted, if you did not believe it to be a God. It would suffer some power decreases. However, even one belief is enough to keep it going, albeit its light may be less luminous. If people were to stop believing in me, my power would decrease. Likewise, the more belief I receive, the more I can command the forests. The Guardians can truly "die", but I did come back after my death. Whether that is because of the off-cycle of life and death here, or simply because we as deities cannot... I do not know.

I imagine Death would be happy to help. I do not think we can reach them from here. Perhaps the fog wall at the ocean's edge would be far enough out? I apologise; I do not have the answer you seek.

judging by the mold, boy, are they glad that they don't have a super strong sense of smell in shrike shape. (i couldn't help the alliteration, congrats on this week's echolalia.) seems whoever was in charge of this ship long ago wanted it to appear threatening or to blend in with outlaws -- a conscious form of batesian mimicry, perhaps. it makes kiera wonder if there's anything nicer in here than some generic supplies, but treasure hunting can wait!

are there any carts down here, broken or intact, that kiera might be able to jerry rig to a horse to bring some of the crates back to the grove?

more importantly... they settle on a sturdy-looking section of the floor and shift to cat (oh, beasts, the smell), then, assuming it holds, wolf (oh, PHOENIX FEATHERS, the STENCH). if the floorboard doesn't try to give out, they'll take their human form at last.

now, kiera is the type of person to have hidden compartments in every piece of furniture they own. they search along the belly of the cargo area, hoping that perhaps the builders of the ship placed a false wall or secret door somewhere... if not, maybe a section with a large area for painting or carving (however the rune-writers choose to do it) that could be convincingly walled off by hand.

[YEET! His aim is, in fact, super good. So it's rocketing right at Razlo's face]

[razlo is a freak of science and thankfully has the according reflexes and strength, so he catches that shit and bolts. just, like, straight past the temple. uh, bye i guess?]

There is distant talks of an uncurable illness in some books in the archives. There are further talks of a cure for poison being some specific flowers found in a garden (re: the 3rd prompt on this log). A lot of it is speculation.

There's nothing mentioning any constructs. Perhaps people back then didn't know they were constructs? Or perhaps they didn't exist? There are mentions of snakes biting, but accounts range from "got bitten by a snake today :) that sucks" and "got bitten by a snake today! dying soon, here is my last will, i leave my estate to such and such".

Opens mod inbox

Closes mod inbox

(no im kidding, anyway)

Yeah you know what? This town? Ley'd. Do not read that outloud with your mouth or you'll get looks. Also I'm sorry if you expect leylines in the CRK way because I'm giving you leylines in the MtG way. maybe they're the same. I dont know.

Most of the powerful magic comes from the mansion. A lot of the natural leylines are pointedly being directed over there. TBD on Rescue Them Kids quest it's still inprog (sorry) but the leylines still point there regardless. Each building and major point are connected (so the inn, the mansion, the school, the well, the lake, etc etc). All very glued together by magic.

I will foist a corpse upon you in a bit. Where is he off to after this, or is he simply staying in town going "yep :) leylines are leying :)"?

WILL!?

[ Clive's tone is very ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY!? as he watches Razlo catch the damn thing and run off, and considering the only two with golden glasses- ]

Fuck... Wolfwood, go after him? Make sure he doesn't drop it on something that's going to make our lives worse.

[ This is Will being demoted. You are in big trouble, Mister! ]

Fucking beats me do you know how hard it is to track down cookie lore across like four separate cookie games that don't always agree with each other? Leylines are Leylines and Devsis can come to my front door if there's a problem

Anyway.

He sees, yes, okay, so this makes sense to him based on what he knows. What he is curious about is if leylines run to the boarder of their little fog dome, or if all the leylines seem self contained? And also if the lines are also connected to Player Buildings and not just Mod Setting buildings.

Is there any traces or remnants of leyline activity leading to the research hall his Past Self owned. The one with the door to the underworld in it-

This is getting away from me, he's checking all of this, but he will happily head into the forest more to trace any that might be heading outside of town.

[It doesn't take that much to mess with him. His eyes have already widened, darting between the coffee pot and Val.]

I don't need half. Another mug's probably enough.

Do you think I want to hear your voice? [ He does. Bakugo reacts reflexively, bearing his arms upwards to block the kick. Noticing that Deku isn't slamming his whole weight into it. Unlike him, who follows up with another punch towards Deku's gut, then means to follow up with a kick to sweep beneath his legs. ] The real question is - WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

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EVENT & TDM 022

(it's okay! I hope you're doing alright!)

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hi it's me wolfie with the tea

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