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

[psychokinesia]

[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]

[eidxiety]

[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.

[psychokinesia]

[Ain keeps leaning over him and getting real close and Add is just staring into his eyes with a stupid look on his face. Something between embarrassment and affection and the confusion that permeates his feverish state of being... he should tell him to knock it off, he thinks, and then doesn't say that at all.

And now Ain is laying on top of him. Cool. He can be normal about this.

It's hard to stay focused enough to come up with a response... but. He's been out for a long time, is that it? Ain missed him... and. And Ain got hurt. He remembers that part. It's easier to focus in on that than to think about why he keeps staring at Ain's face. His expression sours, turning to face the back of the couch instead.]

... hafta keep you out of trouble. Since no one else is. Tch.

[He can't help but feel like it's his fault, somehow. Even in the mental haze, he can remember that mark on Ain's waist clearly.]

I won't allow it. Next time...

[eidxiety]

["I'm not getting into trouble" dies on his tongue. Yeah, he's getting into trouble. He quite literally promised Wolfwood he'd make it out of the fight with the Forest alive, and now he has that nasty scar to show for it, memories missing and modified, and all he knows is he's definitely missing some but the what still eludes him.

This is not a conversation for while Add is dying on his couch and likely won't remember this entire discussion, though.]

Wow~. My knight in shining armour~. [You know what he will do, though, is be a little shit as usual.] Are you going to stick by my side to make sure I don't wander off and get eaten by some strange creature? It means you're going to have to stay in my room with me, haha.

[okay laying it on a little thick there, whore]

[psychokinesia]

If that's what it takes.

[His eyes lose focus again, not a hint of sarcasm in his tone. It's unusual for him to be so candid... but he's not thinking straight, and in this moment all he can think about is that his friend got hurt, and it shouldn't have happened.

It's not the first time, either. He's been careless before.]

I should've been there... 's my fault.

[eidxiety]

[Ain decides that Serious Add — serious in the sense that he's not even responding to Ain's usual purposeful nonsense — is something that is super uncanny. He almost wants to snap his fingers in front of Add's unfocused eyes and ask him if he needs to go to the clinic, but something in the back of his brain stops him from getting up. No idea what it is, it's going into the mental filing cabinet of unknown emotions until further notice.]

What, were you going to take the hit for me? [He'll be serious too, then.] Do you know how devastated I'd be if I had to watch you die in front of me?

[He is Laying On Add... and he is going to readjust for the third time, moving his body up before laying back on top of him again so he can attempt to look him in the eyes. It's hard to do that when he's using his stomach as a pillow, okay.]

I don't want anything to happen to you either. And there was... nothing anybody could've done.

[psychokinesia]

Heh. I'd block it. Wouldn't die. [skill issue lmao he'd be fine obviously? He would choose Not to die.

He's intentionally not looking Ain in the eyes anymore... but this position is still fine, even if he's sore as hell underneath. For a guy who hates being touched he sure is relaxed like this.]

... 'sides, 'm easier to put back together. You don't have Nasod tech. Queen could do it.

Instability from high El energy concentration, no Nasod framework in place... too messy... high chance of incompatibility... [he starts mumbling technobabble to himself. Sorry Ain but you'd make a terrible Nasod, you can't use this excuse on yourself as a counter. Add would be fine if he got chopped because he'd just get a new lower half but you can't do that. Check and mate.]

[eidxiety]

You're dumb.

[(affectionate) (but oh my god)

He does not say "I couldn't put you back together I'd be the one healing your dumb ass", and he also does not bring up that the labrat nerds could also glue Add back together. God, he cannot give this man any dumb ideas.

He flops his cheek over onto Add's chest and sighs.]

Don't make me put you back together any time soon, alright? You'll make me cry~ you wouldn't like me if I cried~.

[Ain has never cried in front of this man in his life so have fun imagining that.]

[psychokinesia]

... quality parts... Steel Wall... salvage the defence system... core has to be strong enough... high El affinity...?

[... he's still mumbling to himself. Might be plotting out how he might reconstruct Ain as a half-Nasod. You know. If the worst came to pass.

Actually, wouldn't that be even better? Ain as a half-Nasod... replace the ripped-out torso with metal and wires fused with flesh... a beautiful core he can hold in his hands... his hand wanders, tugging out from the gap in the couch to find the side of Ain's face, tracing over his ear, his cheekbones, twirling in his hair...]

Kukukuku... you're more beautiful this way, don't cry...

1/2

[eidxiety]

[ HELP ]

2/2

[eidxiety]

[So there is, for obvious reasons, a complete disconnect here. Ain cannot read minds, he can only hear the shit that Add says with his mouth, and right now he's having an Entire gay crisis.

Hi, why are you touching him you don't normally touch him you've never twirled his hair he's beAUTIFUL??? AA?

So anyway, Ain's entire face goes red, and he nuzzles into Add's hand like a touch-starved cat because of course he does, and if the tip of his tail starts wagging no it fucking doesn't. Stop perceiving him. He may be having a heart attack right now (that's a heartrate increase babe and it happens when a man touches you) (in general) (to YOU specifically Ain).]

I. [why are men like this, why do men rizz him?? he falls for it every time—] Do you. Actually think I'm beautiful? [how high are you on a scale of 1 to 10] Are you just saying that?

[psychokinesia]

[Oh yeah, he's tangling his whole hand in Ain's curls now... even in his delirium, he can appreciate how soft his hair is. Like petting a really fluffy cat. He's definitely not gonna stop now, this is really soothing.

... he sees the shadow of the tail swaying near his feet, pausing as his thumb drags lightly over the base of the horns. Huh. Is he... was that always there?

Add stares, trying to figure out what the fuck he's looking at for a little too long. He forgot all about the dragon shit Ain explained before, but... Ain with a tail... Ain with a tail?]

Huh... Cute. [absolutely dead serious expression. Yeah, Ain with a tail is cute actually.]

[eidxiety]

[There is an internal screaming in Ain's brain now hi hello thanks for that one. He is going to go to the bfs later like "hi what does this mean" and probably receive zero help from them.

Okay, so! Add actually believes that (no he's just high, says Ain's monkey brain, he's on poison he wouldn't mean that). Great, checking that off. Add is touchy... yeah okay maybe he really did die and make this whole scenario up, he's probably still in the Garden because that's the only way he'd be getting horn scritches here.]

Y-yeah... I could say the same about you, you know.

[Stupid conventionally attractive friend with nice arms and a nice chest and nice abs, thinks Ain, as he squashes his face further into Add as if the man is a body pillow.]

Actually, you're much more attractive than I am, since you're all muscular and stuff~. It's only your attitude that needs some work.

[He knows no other ways to rizz this man up, if he doesn't lace it with insults he thinks Add will suddenly snap out of the high and flee into the wilderness.]

[psychokinesia]

[He barks out a laugh, sharp and surprised. This hallucination, dream, whatever it is, it only gets more ridiculous every time Ain opens his mouth.]

Yeah, right. Like your fake-ass is any better. [They're both asshole, don't try to pretend you're any better.] 'Least I'm honest when people are idiots...

[They both can have uniquely shitty personalities. Suck on that, fever dream Ain.

... anyway, it's not like he doesn't know what he looks like. Compared to the average person, Add could be considered a 7 or above on the attractiveness scale. But their group isn't exactly average, especially in terms of musculature. Compared to Raven or Chung or even Elsword... on that scale, Add couldn't be more than a 3 or a 4. He'd be an idiot to think anyone in their group would be impressed by him. Ain would only say something like that as a joke, pointing out how weak he is compared to someone who's actually put the effort in for their whole life.

But he's not trying to impress anyone. He's strong because he needs to be, simple as that. It's a means to an end.

He's strong, and standoffish, so people know not to mess with him. Comparisons are irrelevant.

... even if Ain still messes with him anyway...

He hums, lost in thought for awhile... he, uh. might still be rubbing gently around Ain's weird new scales and horns. Not really thinking about it. Tracing around the shape of it like he's trying to commit it to memory...]

[eidxiety]

[But if Ain doesn't pretend he's much better, how does he razz Add? Checkmate.

The feathered ends of his tail go slap slap against the floor as he wags it. Look, Add may not be as jacked as Raven, but these are not Raven's titties he's laying on. He said what he said. And of course he thinks Add at least took that compliment on the nose instead of overanalyzing it for once.

He's doing it, he's winning at flirting.

While his horns aren't exactly soft to the touch, the whorls of his now-permanent halo curled around them are much smoother, a bit cold. By the time Add gets back to the scales on his cheeks, Ain's eyes are closed much like a contented cat's.]

It's funnier to watch people puzzle out what I'm saying~. [Which no one here does! They all just take him on the nose and nod and go "mmhm that's nice ain :)" and it defeats the whole purpose! Why won't anyone let him mess with them ugh.] You're my favourite to mess with because you get this look in your eye and start sparking, haha~.

[psychokinesia]

[This is the guy who's attracted to robots, softness isn't a major concern. He's still idly rubbing circles over Ain's scales as his mind starts to wander again, breathing slow and deep. His body aches, and he's tired, it'd be nice to fall asleep here...

The words are getting fuzzier, too, but he still makes out enough to mumble out one more reply.]

Heheh... favourite. Look at me, not... [Shouldn't Elsword be the favourite...? What a weird dream. Oh well.

zzzzz]