EVENT & TDM 024

[sticksandbonesmods]

MONSTER MASH

WAKE UP

Where were you last? Do you remember falling asleep, thinking you’d wake up in your own home, your own bed?

When you open your eyes, the room you’re in doesn’t feel like your own. In fact, you’re almost certain you didn’t fall asleep here. You’re given only a short few moments to get your bearings before the door to that room opens, the doorknob jiggling as whoever is on the other side is unlocking it. Is it a library study room you’ve found yourself in, or an inn room that doesn’t belong to you? A home that isn’t yours? A business after-hours?

An unfortunate few of you may find yourself face-to-face with the real owners of these rooms, homes, and businesses — and surely they’re just as confused as you are. The lucky ones might instead find themselves being “rescued” from their sleeping states by a heavily scarred man with dreadlocks and an impossibly sunny demeanour.

“Mornin’, sunshine! Up and at ‘em!” he’ll say, hands on his hips and the door held open in a way that says he expects you to simply come follow him, whoever he is. “You ain’t where you’re supposed to be, but I’ll bail you out before the person who owns this place knocks your teeth out for trespassin’. It’ll be our little secret, ‘kay?”

TRANSPOREMATION

cw: body horror, monster transformations, fungal parasitism

As usual, Aldric’s Grove is something of a hot mess, and that’s especially true lately. Aside from random people popping into existence in various buildings, there’s a bit of a fungus problem lately. A wee little problem with cute little mushrooms. …a major, unignorable, horrendous problem with some very large, purplish-coloured mushrooms, fruiting on still-living trees and the forest floor. They look quite similar to meadow mushrooms, but far, far less harmless. While eating one won’t poison anybody too badly — aside from an episode of horrible stomach pain — stepping on them or touching them at all will cause them to shower you in a spray of spores, all of which suddenly curve around and cling onto you as if they have a mind of their own. Any attempt to remove them, to wash them off, to brush them away from your skin and clothes, only makes the spores cling more stubbornly. Soon, they’ve started to root under your skin, unable to be pulled out.

The resulting transformation is, for what little it’s worth, extremely swift. Perhaps you feel it, perhaps you don’t, but the spores leave you fundamentally changed no matter what.

Your bones lengthen and rearrange, grinding together underneath your muscle tissue. Snapping, creaking, where new joints form over the breaks. Wings rip through your back in a spray of blood and torn flesh, the wounds healing themselves over a short second later. You drop to the ground as your back legs become something foreign and new, toes bursting free of your shoes, claws digging into the soil as you writhe on the ground. Your spine elongates, the muscles in your neck tense and relax as it gets too long. The spores are deciding what to do with you, it seems, as extra eyes rapidly appear and disappear over your body alongside feathers and scales. Within the span of sixty seconds, it seems the mushrooms have come to a decision on what you should be, and the transformations it inflicts on you rapidfire begin evening out.

Whether that leaves you something wolflike, catlike, ghostly, chimeric, or otherwise… that seems to be up to the spores. Regardless, you’re no longer in your own skin. At least you’re still “you”, and at least you haven’t lost much more than your old form… right?

…

Well, not to worry. Try your luck stepping on the mushrooms again! This time, they might be kind enough to revert you back to normal… assuming they don’t turn you into a different type of creature instead.

TIME TREKS ON

For the foreseeable future, many people are “stuck” outside their normal bodies. It doesn’t mean that life in the Grove stops, however, as people flit from building to building — assuming their monster forms didn’t bar them off from entering most of them anyhow — and their daily routines continue. From the Church of the Golden Sun in the north of Aldric’s Grove emanates a lovely, warm light, inviting all who are loyal to the Goddesses within its halls and barring the Corrupted or those loyal to the Fallen Sun from entry. Describing it as a “church” may not entirely be accurate; instead of an altar, there sits a throne that automatically prevents anyone who isn’t the Goddess of the Sun from sitting on it (despite the fact she isn’t currently there). Instead of pews, the first room is a large combat arena, golden weapons hung up on the walls that are free to use if you need to spar. Thankfully, the doors are large enough to accommodate most monsters, though the halls in the back may not be sizeable enough for anyone over eight feet tall.

Within that church, the kilns in the back are fired up, pottery baking while animal spirits resembling lions and dogs mix paint with their paws. It’s difficult, being a little guy — help a critter out? You can paint a selection of finished pottery when you’re done, which they’d tell you if they could speak to you. If they bring you a flower-shaped plate or a vase in the shape of a tulip and a paintbrush, will you figure out what they mean? If you don’t, that’s not a problem, as they’ll nudge you toward the pottery wheels and get you clay to work with. When you make your own thing, they think you’ll be more willing to paint with them. Hope you brought your art hands, assuming you have any at all after those mushrooms got you.

In the opposite wing from the pottery room, the kitchen is going strong, the smells of freshly baked bread wafting down the hall. Here is where Ydalir is, the shadowy woman wearing silks who normally casts magic and sells items, who turns to you and extends a flour-covered palm. Come here! Let’s bake something together — it’s the least she feels she can do, since she can’t exactly eliminate the fungus problem. There’s a host of food sitting in the dining room nearby already, with Heimr and Renard setting the table, Heimr nitpicking the setup while Renard focuses too hard on decorating with garlands and candelabras.

If you can’t fit into the dining room for any reason, one of the three will bring you food. They’d hate to see you go hungry, after all.

IT NEVER ENDS

While the Guardians themselves are immune to the transformations — Moder is, in fact, eating the mushrooms when no one is nearby to get spore’d — it doesn’t mean they’re not enjoying the fact that some of you can now spend more time with them in ways you couldn’t before.

Those of you with wings or flight abilities are invited by Aurora and the newly-resurrected bone dragon Sehul to come flying. Though Sehul won’t land in the Grove (too many buildings too close together for a hundred-foot dragon to feel comfortable, you see), they’ll land on the seaside, and even invite you to race them there. They do have something of a body mass advantage, but when they eventually win, they’ll fairly concede that it doesn’t really count. Aurora, meanwhile, wants desperately to teach you to do a midair flip.

Those of you who find yourselves suddenly aquatic will be literally accosted by Callan, who swims up into the river for once only to wrap his tentacles around you and drag you off toward the lake with a watery laugh. He expects you to do the same to him in return, but the Guardian’s extreme strength might make it difficult. Worry not, because if no one comes to your rescue, Sinann will chide him until he lets go, and show you the nest the baby Seaborn have built at the deepest point in the river. You’re welcome to live with them for a while, if you want. Their pastime is singing, and they’d love to sing with you.

And to the folks with a sudden craving for plants, Moder will gladly show you where the best snacks are — her favourite trees to reach into, the best flowers to eat, a fragrant patch of wild herbs. She’s happy to stroll through the forest with you, calmer than her peers are. If you need a ride on her mossy back, she’ll accommodate, so long as you don’t mind her telling old tales of a world long gone.

The final Guardian, Zahliya, doesn’t seem too keen on playtime, and will simply perch in various locations throughout the Grove to keep watch, as he normally does. Gifts of food given his way are rejected for the time being. He has a job to do; why don’t you go play with everyone?

It’s a beautiful, sunny day. This world isn’t often peaceful and playful. You should take advantage of it before something horrible happens… you and everyone else here know the good mood can’t last too long.

Spark Notes

summary

WAKE UP: Welcome to the Grove! You've found yourself in someone else's home/business/room it seems. Good luck explaining this one, but maybe Renard will be in time to bail you out?
TRANSPOREMATION: The mushrooms in the woods will spray you with spore clouds if you're not careful, and then transform you into something else. After a potentially-painful transformation, you'll find yourself in a new, more monsterlike body for a while.
TIME TREKS ON: Despite the monster mash, Beiwe's church is going strong, providing an opportunity to get creative or cook some dinner. Ydalir, Heimr, and Renard are all happy to see you and invite you to a home-cooked meal. They'd probably appreciate help with the dining room decor, too.
IT NEVER ENDS: Despite the transformations, it seems like the Guardians are all super pumped to spend time with you guys in their own domains. Many of them will invite you and your friends to hang out, some more politely than others. It's peaceful for once, so why not take them up on that?

out of character

Happy May! Here is your usual reminder that TDM threads are game canon. Per our plotting post (linked below) please keep in mind our rules for the monster transformations, and have fun!

updates

Any potential updates, such as characters damaging something important or whatever else, will be put here.

submissions

❖ NPCs List
❖ Questions
❖ May Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations
❖ TDM NPC Contact

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Comments

[thebladebringstheflame]

You opened yourself up to it, kid.

[Flamebringer wants to say "you're not exactly passing as a straight guy either" but he'll be So Good right now and not continue opening his mouth. Glad that they're at the stage of friendship where Flamebringer can razz Till and won't immediately get beaned with a large stick or something though.]

[unheiring]

[The last thing Luca wants is someone else cleaning up his mess alone. He makes his way to some of the scattered papers, gathering them up as he does. He hopes no one had any work they were attached to in here. He already feels bad enough.]

I should feel terrible. [He mutters this, more or less under his breath. The look Gnosis gives him keeps him from arguing any more, though. No sense being self-pitying when someone else seems to be just as experienced as him.]

I'm fine. Rattled but... unfortunately even this has become normal for me.

[thebladebringstheflame]

[God, okay.

Flamebringer will be honest with himself: He doesn't know how to deal with this situation. Delicate moments have never been his forte, he's too abrasive and loud for them, but right now it seems more important to try rather than to let Stan be mindless out here alone. Someone else might not realise who it is, and what if they get into a fight?

Ugh. Man, caring about people is hard.

He flattens himself in the grass some distance away, decides that just sitting on his taur-tummy is not as nonthreatening as he'd like it to be... and so he flips over onto his back, paws in the air to show that he's Totally Safe and Very Soft. He supposes he'll have this conversation with Stan while looking at him upside-down with grass blocking his human eyes.]

Look, I'm not mad at you. I'm just shocked is all. It's Flamebringer, by the way, in case you forgot.

[untosufferers]

[Nods, and then Andoain walks away, end thread— just kidding. Though he does still nod, and offers a polite smile as he walks some distance up the bank, able to tell that Min-Gi is protecting something.]

Then, that's good to hear. I hope you don't mind the offer from a perfect stranger.

[He's an older man, gaunt cheekbones revealing fatigue and maybe some bad habits with regard to taking care of himself.]

Are you lonely in the river? I've noticed many people here seem to be terrestrial.

[untosufferers]

[Andoain is also mentally ill and that hasn't stopped him probably, get good idiot—]

Less "propping it up" and more... hammering it into the ground and the wall, so that the vines do not steal it. Trust me, they will. They can be quite difficult to remove once they've decided to cling to something, thus it is better to redirect them, in my experience.

[If the vines are going to grow, you might as well give them something to grow on that isn't The Fucking Wall.]

Mother Nature likes to reclaim places that have been settled. But vines can provide natural homes for insects, rodents, and reptiles, and some may flower besides. I think it gives a certain colourful aesthetic, unlike the drab whites in the churches of Laterano.

[shineinthelimelight]

[He has no idea what Oripathy is!]

Oh, this?

[He slides his hand over the mark as the flames dissipate.]

It's my tacet mark. Do you not have one?

[He moved his shirt out of the way more, not that he needed to, his chest is clearly in view. But he's so generous, letting Thorns have a good look at the mark. Only the mark, obviously, nothing else to see there.]

[outofsynth]

[The change in tone helps. It feels less like an interrogation than her previous questions had, and the camera is still away. He relents slightly, though he remains at a distance for the moment.]

Have you seen the mushrooms? They've been all over lately. If you stand on them...

[He hesitates before he flicks his tail out of the water to show it off, briefly enough he's pretty confident she shouldn't be able to get any more pictures of it even if she wanted to.]

I don't know if there's a reason behind what people turn into, but it seems like it could be almost anything.

[sailingfor]

[God Thorns wishes that was him, not knowing what Oripathy is... and also yeah no his gay ass is Looking. He's been given permission and he's Not hiding it.]

No. [translator's note: "no" is spanish for "no". Hope this helps!] Is it painful? Does it usually warp like that when you use your Arts?

[Aka his magic... hi, the pirates are from different worlds.]

[outofsynth]

[Min's painfully aware of how ungainly he looks, and he really is making terrible progress. He tenses up, pausing as Gnosis offers his help again. It would be so much easier if he took him up on it. The problem is needing to be carried somehow feels even more humiliating, especially by someone he doesn't even know that well. His cheeks burn as he imagines it, angry at his own incapability. Once again he's helpless in a world where everyone else seems to be anything but.

It sucks.]

I can do it.

[But...

His gaze lingers on the mini-synth. Even if it didn't have its magic, it's irreplaceable. Whether he keeps hold of it or tries putting it in his pocket it could easily be damaged while he's moving like this. That's not a risk he can afford. He holds it up reluctantly, wishing he had better options than trusting a near stranger.]

Can you hold this? It's important to me.

[notsonewbie]

I have seen the mushrooms, but I've never not see them.

[She's new here, after all. Her experience with the Grove is extremely limited. But she doesn't hold it against him too much. Not when he's confirmed her suspicions, after all.]

Well that's... unpleasant. [She doesn't want to think about what manner of monster she could turn into. What if she became a worm? Gross!] You seem to be managing well enough though.

[shineinthelimelight]

[These are terms he's not familiar with, but he's able to pick up on the meaning fairly easily. Different regions may have different dialects for things! Who knows!]

No, it doesn't hurt. [He leans back, his arms now resting on the top of the couch. This does nothing to hide his chest. His chest is always exposed.] After getting it, I mean. Now it's just there.

To answer your other question, though, yes! The more I use, the more it warps and moves until I've built up too much energy.

[And then the anchor comes out. Dwbi]

[sailingfor]

[...

Sorry Brant, he's leaning over to poke the mark. He wants to see if it's a hole or if it does anything. Lads is it gay to put your fingers on another man's chest?]

Fascinating. No, I don't have anything like this. My Arts are mostly centered in my metal arm here. [you know the one he's poking your boob with]

[shineinthelimelight]

[He absolutely does not stop this from happening.]

Was that part of your Awakening?

[Is it rude to ask a man you just met who is fondling your breast if his metal arm is Just Like That or did he Obtain it?]

[outofsynth]

[Min flicks his tail, sending a light shower of water in Ryan's direction at his teasing.

Without any song in his voice it's easier to react the way he normally would, but he can still feel the echoes of it. He feels warm even knowing Ryan's making fun of him, and while there's some edge to the look he gives Ryan as he laughs there's a softness there too.]

It doesn't get boring. I like it out here.

[And he does. He misses Ryan, sure, but he's about the only thing in the Grove he feels any real draw to. Everything else he needs is here already. It's just unfortunate that Ryan is such a big part of his life that he doesn't feel the same without him. Almost like he's incomplete. It hadn't been such a problem when Min had been able to seek him out, but now the ball lies completely in Ryan's court and that has been tough no matter how frequently he comes to visit him.]

You know... you don't have to be a duck to stay here with me. You might like it too if you gave it a shot.

[alphacraft]

[ She stops a respectable distance away, but can't keep herself from stretching her neck out a bit to look closer. Does it produce the fire itself, or is it more like a torch? Maybe what it really needs is a bit of kindling for that paw. Poor thing. ]

...I'm Odile. Do you know me?

[ Maybe a simple question will get a clearer answer. ]

[lilyberation]

...!

( her wings flutter happily- )

This is a song from the Silver Kingdom, where my first love, Elder Faerie Cookie ruled... He would like you. He liked many people, even if he seemed stoic. They loved music so very much. It was built into everything...

[lilyberation]

Ah, that depends on what you feed it... and how much. They can get very big. Like, um- what's that breed I saw in a book- Flemish Giants? They eat fruit jellies and vegetable jellies, and sweet grass... but like all things on Earthbread, they can also eat desserts.

crying i thought i got this-

[lilyberation]

Vernal is a creature from Ain's homeworld, made from his world's specific magic called "El". These creatures connect to their master's emotions, reflecting their growth from the moment of bonding- he feels what I do, and reflects it... but he also has his own heart. He grows as a part of me.

( vernal, of course, is delighted to play, circling around with his little hops as he tries to 'catch' pavlova. beep! peep! eep!

lily laughs softly, crouching to pet him as he passes. )

You could consider him a familiar, I suppose? Ain gave him to me. He has a full grown one called Dachsologie. He's very sweet!


And chaotic.

[lovelyredthread]

Oh, I met Ain.

[ Why he's surprised she knows him, he's not sure. It's not that surprising given she's been here a while. It's really only hitting him now that maybe he's in more danger from the others in the village than he initially thought. Who knows what she's told them. ]

I don't think he mentioned any pets but we were mostly making small talk about art and love.
Oh, and clothes a little bit.

[ He's not going to ask for clothes. Not right now, but it's been on his mind. Everyone in the garden had similar types of clothing, so it has been interesting seeing the different styles here. ]

Maybe I should ask him about magic sometime! It's probably a lot different than ours.

i know YOU don't need the hover text translations but *i* do.

[sailingfor]

[Completely misunderstanding what Brant means:]

Unfortunately, the metal arm has very little to do with my homosexual awakening, gracias por preguntar.

the snort that I just made

[shineinthelimelight]

[He just stares at him for a moment, then he laughs. He's not laughing AT him, promise.]

I do think we are talking about two different things, though that's good to hear!

[wolfetracks]

Ah...

( crème brûlée is a universal constant. fascinating. still, both sound rather appealing... )

Both sound wonderful. ... And a little dessert before dinner's fine now and then. How heavy are they? If they're on the lighter side, I wouldn't mind trying both.

[wolfetracks]

... What, like- changeling fairy stuff?

( admittedly, sidney is not incredibly familiar with magic. he really should brush up on it, all things considered- between the manor and this place...

thorns wiggles and sidney moves like he wants to help, but. uh. what can he even do...? )

You gonna be okay?

[livlaughlove]

[oh, it's like that, huh?? raz's lips peel back and he acts like he's trying to chew on that hoof, without actually touching his teeth to it. he means to look scary, but he actually just looks like a huge snake baby (snaby) gumming their teething ring to death.

also, that mostly-empty head is still emotional enough to smile and whimper at the affection. likely because livio is, too. and actually, he can kiss ain's cheek at the same time ain kisses his!! having multiple heads is great, actually.]

Y'sure are, darlin'. Have fun climbin'?

[livlaughlove]

Ya could catch even more air at the cliffs down at the beach!!

[surely wolfwood's... well, wolf ears can pick up livio's muttering even from way up there.]

I'm gonna beat yer ass.

Babe, if y'really wanna try, y'can. I got you. [because... it's nick. neither logic nor concern for his safety are going to dissuade him.]