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

[cryopathy]

[it takes until they're mostly patched up for kiera to give half a shit about what's going on around them. the voice that carries over to them is so familiar (and so sorely godsdamned missed, lately) that at first, they can't possibly believe it isn't some sort of forest-induced hallucination.

but she follows it with her eyes, anyway, and though she has to squint to look toward them, what she sees is... too real to doubt, honestly. from over against the side of the building, she calls out in a snarl. sorry for the still partially-melted face, if the shroom-licker deigns to glance her way.]

Don't do that! Quit putting random shit in your mouth!

[mushroommaniac]

[Well that voice sounds oddly familiar. And also kind of rude. He glares in their general direction, before sticking his tongue out once more. Thankfully, he thinks better of it and ultimately tucks it away.]

Bitch. [He finally gives them a look and... blinks. Just blinks.] You look like shit by the way. Blaspheme the Phoenix one too many times?

[cryopathy]

[part of her is still convinced the forest is playing tricks on her. this is too convenient, too perfect. she's seen proof the forest knows at least something of their lives back home, so is it really so outrageous that it could recreate someone from her memory?

... she still wants (and very much doesn't want) it to be real, though. as annoying as it is. at least for now, she doesn't let it tempt her out of her sanctuary.]

Oh, fuck off. This is what happens when you touch those things.

[mushroommaniac]

Your face melts off? [A glance toward the spores.] I've had worse.

[They don't make a move, though. At this point they're just teasing her.]

Please tell me there's at least a few non-face melting mushrooms around here? Or at least Something fun to mess with. I'm already bored, and you're clearly in a mood.

[HER FACE! WAS BURNED OFF!!]

[cryopathy]

[if only she could reach through the sunlight and wring their skinny little fucking neck.]

In a mood? Your brain is melted! Look at me!

[even from this distance, she can feel their pulse, smell their blood. (if she's extra snappy at the moment, it's in a desperate bid to ignore how badly her body craves it.) with that, and the sudden burning in the sun, she can put two and two together. she can only imagine the eyes, the ears, the fangs follow -- especially as her face rights itself.]

cw: self-harm

[mushroommaniac]

[Indeed, as their face begins to pull together, Iggy picks up on the features they would rather hide. His mouth twitches down into a frown. He glances up at the sun, then back at them. He's always known Kiera's secrets, or at least a handful of them. He knows what they are, just as he knows what they're not.

Which means something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. And Ignatius, fool that he is, decides to make everything worse.]

What, did I miss something? You look like the same old harlot I knew from back home.

[They absolutely don't. But he'll do anything to keep them distracted while he puts his plan into motion. He balls his hands into fists, pressing down hard enough that the nails bite into the flesh of his palms. He feels the faintest amount of moisture rise up as he does. The entire time, he doesn't take his eyes from them.

[cryopathy]

[this -- is so godsdamned stupid that she isn't sure whether it proves that ignatius is real or fabricated. she couldn't claim to know what ever goes through their head, but --

it's hard, but not impossible at this stage, for her to still cling to thought even as the iron tang of blood flows unobstructed through the air. despite her pupils widening immediately, she cringes, fangs glinting, and turns away. the strain of her muscles is obvious even from a distance.]

What the fuck is wrong with you?!

[mushroommaniac]

[And that tells them both all they need to know, and absolutely nothing, all at the same time. Despite seemingly having no horse in this race, their eyes widen. They bridge the gap, clearly not thinking about the obvious danger as they all but shove their face into hers.]

How? You were turned, yet still have an emotional affect, never mind the self-control. And you have your senses, let's not forget that.

[They almost lift their hands to her face but... stop short of that at the very least. For now, pull their sleeves over their hands to muffle the scent.]

What are you?

[cryopathy]

[kiera doesn't yet have the context to know what ignatius may or may not be getting at. the questions only serve to confuse her. and the sudden proxomity is downright torturous. she curls in on herself, every muscle and joint coiling like an ever more tightly wound spring.]

Do you take vampires for mindless animals?

This is the sort of shit -- this place does with us.

[mushroommaniac]

[He scoffs at Kiera's question. Some part of him knows that they have no idea what he's talking about, Castilla had been more than prepared to slit his throat for having learned of their dirty laundry. But surely even she should be questioning her transformation. He might not understand this world, but there were fundamental truths in their own. People didn't naturally become vampires, they were born into it.]

No, not a vampire. Strigoi on the other hand. [He shrugs.] All my research says they can't resist even the slightest drop of blood. The fact that you haven't ripped my throat clean out is a good sign.

Sidling back just enough to give Kiera roo., he begins pulling off the jacket he's wearing. It's quickly tossed to Kiera.]

Put this over your head. We can probably get you inside of somewhere with minimal extra damage. You're welcome.

cw casual death ideation ig

[cryopathy]

[yet again questioning whether iggy's presence is a trick or not.]

What in the light is a "strigoi?" [then hissed at the very air around them:] You're doing a piss-poor job at this, you know!

[... but the tiny amount of blood on the jacket certainly smells real enough. kiera grits their teeth again, then finally pulls it on in a manner that covers all of their exposed skin, effectively blinding themself. they could be inviting the forest to lead them to their death, but honestly... kiera has always known they'd rather die than live like this. so they'll play along.]

Southwest. There's what looks like a barn past the school. Not a lot of people frequent that place.

[mushroommaniac]

[They roll their eyes as if, somehow, the answer to her question is the most obvious thing in the world. They have the decency to wait until she's properly bundled up and settled, before reaching out to take her by the elbow. They'll lead her in the direction they've been given, giving it a few feet before they start rambling.]

It's what happens when vampires get extra bloodthirsty and greedy I assume. Best way to take over and bend folks to your whim is by sending a mindless hoard of super charged vampires straight at your enemies. But that's just my opinion. No one wanted to answer my questions in Castilla. They were more bent on trying to rip my throat out for being where I wasn't supposed to.

You know. Just another day of the week for me.

[cryopathy]

[there's a muffled scoff from under the jacket.]

Did you hit your head when you got here? "Mindless" and "supercharged" are mutually exclusive.

[... knowing they were hunted while snooping around in castilla does give kiera an extra excuse to Kill, should she ever be unfortunate enough to go back.]