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

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Comments

[jesterlies]

Crumbs.

[This place appears to have an infestation problem. He completely drops the other snake as he looks down to find the one that's sunk it's fangs into his foot. He has a split second to send a message to his other half and so:]

Hoo hoo, reeeeeally sorry about this one Vanilly-

[There comes the pain. That sure is a scream of agony that is both vocal and seared through his very being rattling through his Soul Jam as the venom pumps what feels like molten honey through his veins, climbing up his leg until it lights his spine and nervous system on fire.]

[lilyberation]

Wh-

( lily can do little but watch, it happens so fast- one moment he and one of the snakes are both in the air, the next he's bitten and screaming and she knows she failed. )

NO!

( she sweeps the area clear with a push of magic, landing beside shadow milk- his foot, okay, she can work with that.

unceremoniously, lily scoops him up and hops back to the staff. maybe its adrenaline, maybe she's just that fast (its the adrenaline) but the next thing they know, shadow milk is on a bed in the clinic and lily is a hurricane going through the supplies. )

[jesterlies]

[She really wasn't lying about the pain. He thought maybe she was playing it up some to scare him, but he should have known that, he would have clocked it as Deceit. No, this is his own fault, isn't it?]

[He barely has any memory of what happens after that, he does not recall the trip to the clinic, White Lily carrying him, or being put in the bed. All he feels is this horrible pain clawing through his body and the deep, bone cold chill that seems at odds with the fire in his blood. This is miserable, this is worse than Death. He doesn't think he's felt anything worse than this since maybe when his Soul Jam had been split in two.]

[He's simply no longer present, barely responsive. In fact he might be worlds away from the clinic right now with the sort of things he's begun mumbling.]

..I-I gave you ...what you wanted...why. Why do you reject-

[Should Lily come check on him, he's already deep in hallucination territory. His fever is strong and- ...there is something strange about his right eye. The bright cyan it was before seems to have shifted into a golden color.]

[lilyberation]

( as lily works to alleviate the pain- lavender tea, primarily, since many pain medicines are also blood-thinners and she can't risk him bleeding more. and she's not sure it will work. for a brief moment, she hesitates to touch him at all, but- she must be able to access and clean the wound, and so she must maneuver him to even do so.

as she works quietly, steadily, she can't help but worry.

lily eventually wraps the bite with a bandage, and then...

...

she sits beside him, gently pushing his hair out of his face. the gold... ... so much she doesn't understand. )

They aren't here, Shadow Milk. You're safe, now.

[jesterlies]

[He takes a rattling breath. There is still ice under his skin, and a warmth in his mind. He feels pain from so many directions, and though the medicine Lily has given him has settled him considerably, he can feel it further- like a feedback loop.]

[But for now, he seems to be caught up in a memory. Pained though he is, his tone is strikingly different than the theatrics of the Jester normally.]

Truth... so easily discarded... can I give them nothing else...? I'm so ...so weary...

[It seems like maybe he's drifted off, before he stirs again.]

He's in pain-

[lilyberation]

...

( lily tries to feed him more tea and medicine between his words, then eases him down into the bed once more, a warm damp cloth draped over his forehead and eyes. she listens as she brings out more blankets for him, and sits vigil. )

... Tell me. I'm listening.

[jesterlies]

Truth is ...bitter medicine. Difficult to swallow ...yet necessary but ...so many would rather reach for the sugar pill. The placebo. Lies are sweeter...so much easier to digest. To accept.

[His tone, again, sounds strange. Almost like a different person, someone who sounds to be in great conflict with themselves, but their voice is soft and imploring. Sad. Lost]

...I can no longer hear the Light of Knowledge ...it's dark.

[lilyberation]

...

It is easier to accept the comforting, but nothing grows in comfort. It's perhaps the first harsh truth people must learn. But they don't.

( she's quiet, moving the blankets closer to his chin. be warmed, you wretched clown. )

[jesterlies]

...It is a garden that will die ... why did they leave...? I only wanted...

[And then he takes a harsh breath and falls silent. Sleeping, though fitful.]

[He will sleep for some time, exhausted from the pain and poison. Will Lily stay with him? Or will he wake up alone?]

cw: suicide ideation

[lilyberation]

...

( she doesn't know what to think, or feel right now.

shadow milk has brought her nothing but pain, even powerless as he is. if not for him, elder faerie would be alive. if not for him, she would still be dead. if not for him, vanilla would not have had to face such a crippling pain that he rebaked. if not for him...

...

she's losing vanilla, even now. she can feel it.

but he is in pain. alone. lost and afraid, and perhaps reliving the worst days of his very long life in his mind.

it hurts. she doesn't want to pity this man, understand him. she doesn't want to see him, know that her husband would spend his time with him. she doesn't want to care.

but he will wake up to her tending to him still, an unreadable expression on her face. )

[jesterlies]

[When he does finally come around, it is no grand thing. Just a gentle stirring, and then a very long, pained groan as the consciousness finally catches up to him.]

...I think I'm officially over having a body, thanks.

[He says it to no one in particular. to himself. He often talks to himself because he has spent for very many eons alone it's just what he does. He doesn't catch Lily nearby until she moves a certain way and the fabric of her clothes catches his eye.]

[He goes very still.]

[What...oh. Oh that's right, the snake got him. Ugh, and after he had dodged what, two? Was trying to do a good turn and catch one of them? But his FUCKING magic failed him. AGAIN.]



[Very tentatively he tries not to make a huge deal out of making absolute sure his soul jam is still where it's supposed to be, and that he is not tied down to the bed or something. This is the Guardian after all, so he shouldn't take chances.]

[lilyberation]

Don't move so quickly. You've been out for a while now, and the venom is still in you.

( guardian, yes. but a healer first, right now. she doesn't even look up from what she's doing as she speaks. if he's awake, if it's anything like the others, there's still going to be some pain that won't go away. )

Lavender and chamomile will help ease the pain, but that's it. Are you able to stomach anything right now?

[jesterlies]

[Caught. He stills his hand.]

[He's deeply uncomfortable being this much at her mercy, and it shows, honestly.]

You ...you really weren't exaggerating, were you? Gotta say, zero-star review for that experience.

[A Pause.]

...Can't guarantee it. Maybe. Wait- [Something else also suddenly hits him.] Vanilly- he got a front seat ticket to that whole mess, Guardian. Has anyone checked on him?

[lilyberation]

He's fine, now, don't worry. So long as you take care of yourself, he will continue to be fine.

( she's not going to tell him to his face that him passing out helped, but like. it did. )

But I wasn't going to leave you unattended- as my patient, before you can get up in arms.

[jesterlies]

[He nods and ...looks relieved? For someone who used to delight in hurting this man, it sure seems he's changed his tune.]

[And also ...if he had snatched an ounce of lucidity during that he likely would have told her to put him out herself.]

Hn.

[You can he was thinking it the moment she clarified, but rather than snipe out some scathing retort, he just sort of ...watches her cautiously before settling back down in bed.]

Unmatched professionalism, I have to say.

[Does he feel so poorly that he's unwilling to kick a hornets nest for once? Or is there something else? hard to say.]

[lilyberation]

( oh, she knows. in their brief separation, things happened- she doesn't know the private things, but it's hard to miss them spending so much time together, exploring together... something's shifted and she hates it.

but unmatched professionalism is accurate, because she isn't saying anything. )

I take this very seriously, yes.

( ... so if it is the former, she's not taking the bait this time.

lily comes to sit at the bed side. )

I need you to try and take some tea. No more than you can handle, currently. Can you sit up, or would you like assistance?

[jesterlies]

[And he watches her like a hawk. It's not exactly that he's doubting her words. He can see that what she is saying isn't Deceit and he doesn't need the Soul Jam to tell him that, really, it's just that he doesn't understand why, professionalism be damned.]

[He knows who he is and what he has done.]

...I can sit up fine.

[And he does try, though he winces, obviously still in pain. Ugh, he still hates this.]

Why are you helping me?

[It's not accusatory, but it is very confused.]

[lilyberation]

Because you are in my care, and because I am not so heartless as to leave someone who tried to help me to crumble.

( simple, isn't it? )

[jesterlies]

[...Well. Yeah, it is, he guesses.]

[The answer does stymie him a moment before he sighs and weakly waves a hand.]

Faaaair enough!

[Though it makes him feel weird. He did help her, and even he isn't sure why exactly. Sure he can blame it on long-term self preservation, but he also knows something else had acted in that moment, too and he deeply doesn't want to address it.]

[lilyberation]

Mm. Will you need help drinking?

[jesterlies]

No, let me have it.

[He will hold his hands out. If he can't fucking hold a mug of tea then he is going to peel himself out of this body in indignation. This helplessness is not something he is enjoying very much.]

[lilyberation]

( she will do just that then- it's a light cup, at least, and she'd already made a point of not filling it all the way for this first drink. )

[jesterlies]

[His hands shake more than he likes, but he does take hold of it. Stubbornly he drinks it down.]

[The relief is palpable, though. It takes the edge off, and for someone inexperienced with feeling pain this acute in thousands of years, it makes a world of difference.]

...What are they? The snakes?

[lilyberation]

I'm not sure on the specifics. Last summer, a similar attack occured but on a smaller scale, and we knew it was one of us turned traitor but since returning to our side. It struck several in our house- myself and Clotted Cream Cookie, and then Mizuki, who was bitten three times.

It was... to spite Vanilla, after he'd freed our captor's most beloved toy from corruption.

But this is not one of us- it looks like several small golems, and the poison seems weaker than what was experienced back then...

not really here

[purevanillacookie]

What-

[ And wherever Pure Vanilla is at the time, he's going to drop like a sack of bricks to the sudden pain and the screaming in his head, and across his soul. Oh how he wishes he could close the connection, even just a bit now, but no. No they went and blasted the door to that off it's every hinges.

What a swell time we're having here, folks. ]