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

ii.

[outofsynth]

[Okay, yes, Min-Gi had been looking. He's more used to non-humans than most from his world, but he still hadn't expected to walk in on a giant cat man grooming himself on his quest for coffee.

Having already been accused of racism once he's quick to shake his head, turning away quick enough it's actually now kind of weird for him to approach the kitchen counter. He's forced to turn back, not sure where to look.]

No. That's okay. Thank you.

[Why did he answer that like it was an actual question?]

[rabbithearted]

[... god, this guy is even more awkward than he is. he also responded probably in the best possible way -- that is, politely and pretending he didn't actually see it.

luckily for min, cat man was on a quest for coffee, himself. though he washes his hand first, he's not an animal. as he scoops some grounds into the coffeemaker, he huffs under his breath.]

... It's a public space. [that is, val knows he doesn't actually have the right to kick min-gi out.]

[outofsynth]

[Is that directed at him? Min squares his shoulder, trying to look more like he belongs there as he fetches himself a mug.]

Oh. Yeah. I know.

[Val has apparently had the same idea as he had, which could be awkward if he's still mad that Min-Gi saw him... well, there's nothing to call it but grooming. He picks out a second mug in the hopes that maybe helping him might make him more amenable to sharing.]

Is there enough in there for two?

[rabbithearted]

[anxious, self-soothing grooming, for sure. like hell he'll admit out loud to anyone here how uncomfortable he is.

min's efforts aren't lost on him. he would have put in some extra scoops anyway, but a stranger doesn't need to know he'd do them any favors.]

Looks like it.

... There a grinder or a mortar and pestle around here somewhere?

[outofsynth]

Yeah, hang on.

[It's a relief to be able to contribute something. It makes him feel less like he's intruding. Min fetches them for him gladly, setting them down with the mugs.]

Was there anything else you wanted? It can take a while to figure out where everything is.

[Said like he didn't just recently arrive himself...]

[rabbithearted]

[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.

[outofsynth]

[Oh. Min hadn't expected him to actually use it now. Or if he was going to, not for more coffee.

He refrains from questioning him on it for now.]

Yeah. I think some of that's because of people finding ways to bring stuff in from home, but it's still pretty wild.

[rabbithearted]

[fiddling with the little machine for a moment, familiarizing himself with it -- but he snaps to attention when min-gi says that.]

You can do that? How?

[outofsynth]

Have you met Ydalir? She might be able to help if there's something you really want.

[He doesn't know if it works for everything, but he's seen people with some pretty out there stuff he at least assumes they didn't arrive with.]

[rabbithearted]

No. [that doesn't mean he won't snoop, though.

speaking of snooping... val only thinks to check the various cabinets in here after he's already half-ground the coffee beans. he stops and stares at the grinder, radiating deep, dramatic despair for a long, silent moment.]

... So who is Ydalir?

[outofsynth]

She's a trader. She can sell you magic, but also things you wouldn't normally find here.

[If he sounds a little tentative in his explanation it's because he's still finding his feet himself, but he at least has a slight edge on Val.]

[rabbithearted]

[oh. that's actually really fucking helpful to know. he's feeling generous, now.]

How do you take yours?

[he nods to the coffeemaker -- it seems just about done.]

[outofsynth]

Cream is fine.

[Actually, he should get some out. He could probably find that much without Min's help, but since he's making the coffee already it's only polite.]

I'm Min-Gi, by the way.

[rabbithearted]

[he could, but min-gi being helpful is netting him bonus points.]

Valentine. [valentine is going to have a little coffee with his sugar, apparently. and the cream, after he passes min-gi's mug of coffee over to him. look at him, being polite!]

[outofsynth]

[Min-Gi is being less polite with the look he gives him at the sheer amount of sugar, but at least he refrains from commenting. Just adds the cream and hands it over to Valentine.]

This place takes some getting used to, right?

[Just. Desperate for a topic that will distract from how over-sweet his coffee must be.]

[rabbithearted]

[oh that was SUCH a big-brained move on min's part, because before he opened his mouth, val was raring to switch right back into attack mode. don't judge him!! he's flawless and you're just a plebe who doesnt understand true decadence!!!

thin ice, min-gi. thin fucking ice.]

... Yeah. Can't say I'm big on being trapped in another plane against my will. [which... is a whole can of worms he doesn't want to think about, actually, time to chug coffee instead.]

[outofsynth]

[Look, he's already offended so many people. He needs to get at least one person on his side without getting into some kind of weird dispute.]

Yeah. I don't think most people are a fan of that.

[Min will. Do the same. It only offers a moment of reprieve, but he'll take what he can get.

Besides. Coffee is good.]

[rabbithearted]

Weird thing to have in common, but I guess it comes with the territory of being here.

[he kind of hit the lottery with val, because this kitty is a lot spicier without his twenty cups of coffee.

speaking of which, he wastes no time at all in brewing more as soon as he's done with this one.]

You want more? [see, this? this is uncharacteristically nice. or maybe he's just putting ten scoops in because he wants the whole pot for himself.]

[outofsynth]

[Min still isn't even quite done with the first, but even if he wasn't... one is plenty. He shakes his head.

Val, you aren't really going to drink all that coffee. Right? Right??]

I think this is enough for now.

[rabbithearted]

[val's turn to judge min, glancing between his not-empty cup and his concerned face. he shrugs both shoulders, the one hand flipping dismissively.]

Eh. Your loss. Personally, I haven't had my fill unless my heart's trying to bust out of my ribcage. [he is, in fact, going to.]

[outofsynth]

[Min laughs. He wants to believe he's joking, but... he can see the pot. It's right in front of him. He knows exactly how much Val put in there.]

I don't know if that's recommended.

[rabbithearted]

[ok, time to be a dick again. val's brows pull down and he shoots min-gi a look.]

Did I ask? You're not my mother.

[outofsynth]

[Wow, okay. Min raises his eyebrows, holding up the hand that isn't holding his mug.]

It's not like I'm trying to stop you.

[rabbithearted]

Well, I still don't need you judging me. [aaand they're back to square one. sorry, min-gi, this cat is capricious.]

[outofsynth]

Who says I'm judging? I'm just making sure you know it's probably bad for you.

[Is it worse for cat people? Better? Min has no idea, but he's assuming moderation is still key.]