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

cw: vauge allusions to past abuse

[foreversembrace]

[Till doesn't get the sudden change in Bakugo's attitude, obviously, because he doesn't know what's going on in his head. Neither of them know what the other is thinking, which makes for a volatile mix.

His skin prickles at being manhandled and told what to do, but he does keep his mouth shut for what it's worth. Very much a learned response, because the more you talk back, the more you run the risk of getting punished severely for it. Not that he thinks that will happen here, logically, but...the brain has its ways of messing with you.

So yeah, fine. He's standing still, staring back at Bakugo with eyes equally defiant as they are empty...dead. Like he's been through something that's broken him, and only just now has he been forced to come back from it.]

I'm standing. Happy?

hbjbjhl

[nitrotempered]

No, I don't give a fuck if you are happy or not - [ The way his voice sounds - he REALLY, really means this. As if he is confused why Till even bothered asking that. ] I asked you if your head stopped spinning and if you aren't feeling dizzy anymore? [ He hisses his response, continuing his antics of being a volatile person. ]

Fucking answering around what I ask, so annoying and stupid.

[ For all his complaining, Bakugo does not move and is incredibly still and is able to hold Till's weight all on his own. ]

[foreversembrace]

I was asking if you were happy.

[Like, is he even listening-]

Whatever. I'm standing here and haven't fallen over, ain't I?

oh i love when my brain flips it around

[nitrotempered]

[ He misheard, he rolls his eyes and shuffles him forward. ]

Whatever, just don't fall over.

[ Bakugo looks over towards the distance and sees the building where he last was. He'd take Till there and then leave him so the lady could help him out and make sure he didn't have a concussion, which, frankly, was Bakugo's main concern. ]

SHHH UR FINE

[foreversembrace]

[At this point, Till is realizing he's learned a valuable lesson, which is: don't walk over to random strangers in the woods because this is the second time it's gone poorly. This is why he hasn't left his room since he got here!!

But...in the end, seeing other humans- those he deems like him, AKA not changed, or aliens, or whatever you want to call him- is the draw. Till never quite knows what to make of it, because he's had so few others like him in his life. Sua, Mizi, Ivan...they're all gone now, and it feels so much lonelier than he ever thought it would.

Is there even a single person in the Grove who is completely human, with no abilities, no special powers, no changes...anything? He's honestly not entirely sure, at this point.

He tries not to think about it as Bakugo guides him forward, stonily silent as they leave the woods and head back for the Grove.]

[nitrotempered]

[ It's quiet, and really, Bakugo's own mind is on things. He just died and wound up here, has no idea what is going on and hates that he knows no one in this area. Even so, theres some familiarity to it. Anytime he walks around, he feels like he knows where he is going. Even now, as he steps, holding Till's weight with his own. Bakugo doesn't even need to think or try to remember where to go - he just knows where it is. ]

Sorry. [ Katsuki Bakugo knows better, he really did fuck up here. He isn't saying sorry for what, nor will he expand upon it. If he were to be honest, he doesn't even want the other person to say shit. ]

[foreversembrace]

[Honestly, Till really doesn't know whether to take the apology as genuine or not. Bakugo is a direct mirror, and difficult for him to read because of that. One minute he's spouting venom, then next he's trying to help him. Does he feel remorse? Why?

But...as if he's able to sense that Bakugo doesn't want a response, he chooses to hold his tongue and say nothing. Though, it's hard to say if it's for lack of having anything to say, or something else entirely.]

[nitrotempered]

[ Today we found out Bakugo is just going to slam into the clinic like he lives here, so he takes Till into the place like its nothing. He slams the door with his foot, as if he is a rowdy teen coming home from school. Theres a moment where he shouts something like: WEIRD FLOWER LADY??? WHERE ARE YOU??

However, no one seems to answer so far - maybe someone is in the distance. Either way, Bakugo moves Till along so he can sit on a bed and relax for a moment. ]

Sit your ass down.

[lilyberation]

--Ah?

( "weird flower lady"... but more importantly, there's yelling? lily steps out of where she'd been studying, and. oh.

its her angry sons new- patients? guests? fellow captives?

why is one- oh jeeze. )

Can you help him to the back? And can either of you tell me what happened...?

[foreversembrace]

[Till's getting reeeal tired of being bossed around...but he's still woozy and tired enough that he just lets the 'tude slide, for now. Bakugo did help him all the way here, even if it's humiliating to be the one coming in with a bloodied nose.

Sorry Lily this is what happened when you left the boys alone for five minutes.]

[nitrotempered]

You heard the lady. [ He shifts so Till can lean his weight again on him, ]

[ As to answer her question. ] I started it and punched him in the face, so now he looks like that.

[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?

[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.]

[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.

[lilyberation]

...

I'll spare you both the lecture, promise. But please, both of you, be more careful. Okay?

( lily speaks gently as she dabs the wound, wiping away blood and then the residue. )

[foreversembrace]

[Till shoots Bakugo a glare, and it looks for a moment like he's going to say something back. Bakugo and Till are...very much cut from the same cloth, so it's no wonder they got into it.

But...somehow, he's more reluctant to start another argument in front of Lily, especially since she's trying to clean him up. He huffs, his shoulders slumping.]

...yeah.

[nitrotempered]

Im deucing out, [ Bakugo doesn't seem to waste another moment now that he's dropped off the civiliain. He also needs to grab his stuff before someone grabs it for him. Without waiting or missing a beat, he turns to head to the door. Giving the two a wave good bye. ] see ya.

[lilyberation]

Be safe.

( lily calls out, before returning her attention to till. )

The balm is going to smell a bit strongly, but it will clear the bruising up quickly. Would you like to apply it yourself with a mirror, or shall I?

( choice is important in his life- she will give him the option every time she can. )

[foreversembrace]

[Till watches Bakugo leave in silence, his expression difficult to read as he goes. The good news is that he seems more just...tired now than angry, all of the prior fight he had in him having left on the walk over here.

He's actually spacing out a little just as Lily breaks the silence and asks him a question, so it takes him a moment to fully clock what she'd asked him.]

Uh...no, you can. S'fine.