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

[lovelyredthread]

[Pavlova listened raptly to her descriptions, eyes sparkling. He's always been kind of curious what it would be like to play in the river. They had mulled juice baths and all sorts of different amenities at the Garden of Delights, but making too much of a fuss generally got the wrong type of attention drawn to you. So he could only do that kind of thing the few times he could sneak a moment to himself.

... it's part of why he's taken his time exploring this place. He knows once he's seen it all, he's going to get bored fast.

It's one gilded cage to another for Pavlova Cookie. Its been a long time since he could ever consider himself free in any capacity, so that fact barely registers to him as opposed to her, as the hero of freedom. This must really suck for her.]

Fruit sharks?

[Oh, he's fascinated. He's been watching the wildlife mill about all day, absorbed in stories only he could read as he looked at them. She's probably caught him talking to the animals in the house already by this point.]

Do you know why things are so different here?

[lilyberation]

I...

( honestly, she's beginning to suspect that the world beyond earthbread- that the world where the witches walk freely, live freely, far away from their creations, is not unlike this world. it terrifies her. and the last time she blasphemed, she wound up inevitably dying.

she falters, and then smiles again. we don't talk about the witches, or cages, or the stifling feeling of being chained down. )

I'm not entirely sure. Though there's things we know, like chocolate and gingerbread, as we are now in these forms they seem far less durable.

The fruit sharks are sharks that take on the hue and patterns and, in some cases, shapes of fruits! They're very friendly as they swim through the air and water, but they will defend themselves fiercely. They live by the sea, which is a three-day's travel from here.

[lovelyredthread]

[Hm. That was a flicker of something not good. He can't be sure exactly why that upset her, but he supposes anything about home would run that risk given... well, that they can't go back, that he knows of. His dad had told him as much.]

I've never been to the sea! Maybe dad will go with me sometime, they sound like they'd be fun to play with!

[his wings flutter in excitement. It doesn't even cross his mind to try going on his own. In part from habit and in part because he doubts his dad would want him running off for three days without warning.

That said he is extremely curious about the state of shark relationships. Are there factions between the fruit types? The star-crossed lovers potential...]

Oh right what are we picking fruit for?

[It doesn't really matter, he already decided he'd do it, but he was curious.]

[lilyberation]

It's probably for the best that you go with someone, and I think he'd enjoy it there too. Last summer, we all spent the month there... There's little cabins to stay in, so you won't have to worry. Just watch for the tide, one of the caves floods at night.

( dad... it's so, so strange to think of shadow milk with such a title. and yet, she never once saw herself as a mother either, but here she is taking care of the hatchlings. ... and perhaps pavlova cookie himself. )

Just for some snacks. The fruit trees and berry bushes are gifts from the guardians, so they taste extra good.

[lovelyredthread]

[ We all.

He doesn't have to ask who that refers to, so he doesn't. It burns below the surface though. He wants to ask about Pure Vanilla Cookie. He wants to hear what she has to say about him even if he can read the whole thing himself. It's always more exciting to hear about it from the person themself, how they yearn for their loved ones. He has to be a charming person for both White Lily and Shadow Milk to be so shattered over this. Especially given what he's to assume his father has done since he saw him last. ]

It's a shame I missed him.

[ That's all the comment he gives for now. ]

I'd probably be able to fly out of there if it started to flood. I can float a little bit without using my wings, just not as much as dad can.

[ ... He wouldn't be able to get enough lift with his wings alone, and he's well aware of it. The state of his wings wasn't really a secret in the garden, so he assumed she knew about it and that's where the concern came from.

That aside, it seemed like every question he asked prompted at least three more. ]

Guardians? I'm guessing not the same kind that you are.

[ Does he have to be careful around here? More than he already was? ]

[lilyberation]

...

He... would have loved you so very much. Dark Cacao w- is more private... but he is a good man too.

The whole town had been there at the time. But we wanted to go back, just us. For a vacation.

( ... that's all she says. it hurts too much, the plans that can't happen, the smiles they can't see anymore. )

Regardless, I would prefer you not risk it. And I'm sure your father would agree.

( ... that is SUCH A STEPMOM THING TO SAY, and they aren't even past the initial mess stage- )

But not exactly. I will resume guarding the Silver Tree, as well as the kingdom. Guardians of this realm are minor deities, protectors of the realm and of special elements- like Moder, she is the Guardian of the Forest, meaning she is the demigoddess of this forest, and our captor has stolen her throne. Aurora is the Guardian of the skies, Callan the lake... if you look closely, you can see little spirits who protect specific animals, that is their guardian. But they don't get involved with us the way the greater Guardians do.

[lovelyredthread]

[ The look she gets is... loaded to say the least. He doesn't respond right away, accustomed to holding his tongue when he thinks it'll get him in trouble. He's not sure how she expects him to believe that Pure Vanilla Cookie would love him with such intensity when his own mother had treated him like a little doll to be owned, not raised. Pavlova knows and understands every form of love from observation but he couldn't say he's experienced very much of it in his life. He has Shadow Milk now, but there was a point where he wasn't even sure that he loved him, since he never came back.

The look comes and goes, he doesn't comment. No, the Ancient Heroes have no reason to care for him, son of the beasts, their enemies. He can believe that they are kind, though. Hollyberry Cookie's kindness and love for others was ultimately her own undoing, after all. Sacrificing her own happiness for those around her until it burnt her out. And yet enough pride to not want to listen to someone who was younger even if they would know better. Frustrating. ]

Yeah, dad has always been kinda fussy over me.

[ Fussy may be a strong word. It made sense he'd spend his time visiting the garden with him, but that was the impression it left as a result. Not that Pavlova minded the attention. He kind of missed it. Maybe he could find a copy of one play or another in the library if there was one and they can read it together like they used to. That would be fun. ]

Wait, so if there are Guardians are there rules and stuff? And the one keeping us here...

[ Evil forest??? not again.... ]

[lilyberation]

( the lack of answer doesn't draw any response from her- it's a loaded subject, she knows, and that's not even with any potential insight as his enemy. and talking about the men she loved so hurts still. )

... It's good that he is.

( but that's all she'll say on their relationship. she knows she's an outsider, after all. soon the scent of fruit, flowers and water wafts through the air- the river is glittering, as clear as she'd said, and the various fruit trees are both flowering and fruiting. )

... The Guardians simply protect the place they live. If there are rules, it is to be good to the world, and those around you. But our captor has taken over the forest, and commands it like it's his army. He is cruel, and and vicious.

The Goddesses worshipped here, Ourania and Beiwe- they are trying to help us. But this is his domain now...

[lovelyredthread]

[ His expression hardens a little. It's weird to hear that from her when she whipped around like the idea of Shadow Milk having a son was some mind blowing thing. He doesn't know if she's talked to him about that yet or what. ]

... I know things are bad, but they weren't always. Dad's a good person he's just...

[ Hurt. A little unhinged and unstable. Can he even say anything when he didn't see the worst of it? Can she? He bites his lip and shakes his head. She won't take him seriously. ]

Oh, the fruit trees. Did you bring something to put the fruit in? I can fly up and get the good ones!

[ Scary how good he is at about-facing for a child. ]

Why would he use it like an army if he wants to keep us here?

[ ... He doesn't say it, but the implication of his mother's method being more effective hangs there. He's not tempting fate with that one. ]

[lilyberation]

( she's not surprised he's defensive. but it's also... so very complicated. there's so much jam on his hands, and despite- despite the progress they've made, she also knows she cannot just... overlook that. )

I don't doubt that he loves you, and that he loves Pure Vanilla Cookie. And that is good. But that is not a kindness he extends to others. It's something that he and I are working on for ourselves. It's something we have to work on. That's all.

Anyways...

( she holds up one of two canvas bags, smiling. after a moment, a lil guy pokes its little face out though- it's white with red eyes, and faint green tints around it's paws.

it blinks.

and then it goes peep. )

--Oh! Vernal, you'll have to get out of there-

[lovelyredthread]

He used to, though. He used to care about everyone and everything. He's not--

[ He's not going to argue the point further, though. He already knows she won't listen. Adults never listen to him. He just has to remind himself he's lucky she didn't kill him immediately on learning who he was as he cuts himself off with a frustrated huff.

She can think he's a sentimental kid if she wants. She's not completely wrong. ]

Oh!

[ He perks up a little seeing the little round creature, and just like that he's acting cheerful again. The animals at least he was unabashedly fond of. He reaches in to hold and pet the little critter before returning it safely to the ground by her feet. ]

I guess it wanted to go on an adventure today!

cw hallucinations :)

[lilyberation]

... We're all still healing, from many things, Pavlova Cookie. Give it time. Please.

( but that's the last she'll speak on this, and she smiles fondly as pavlova takes vernal. the little mochi of a critter beeps happily, nuzzling into his hands before settling there. apple picking? no. vernal picking.

a soft whisper and the scent of vanilla wafts by- be patient, my love, he's still young- and the ghost of him is gone when she blinks. ... ah, she must be tired still... )

He does like to stick with me, as we're bonded. But I hadn't expected him to be in the bag!

[lovelyredthread]

[ He giggles softly as Vernal nuzzles his hands. He's a little distracted while she's having her hallucination but it's... probably for the best he only catches her expression after its passed. He tilts his head at her a little. At least she seems to come back to her senses soon after. Maybe she was thinking? He'll put a pin in that for later.

... still, he takes her hand and squeezes it gently. ]

He's silly. I like playing with him. Maybe he was playing hide and seek?

[ He can't actually talk to the animals, but he can understand them better than most since they aren't immune to his ability. He doesn't quite understand what she means by bonded, but he can ask later. Pavlova smiles at the little puff ball. ]

I think you won.

[lilyberation]

Hehe. I think so, too. He should stay close while we get the fruit...

( there's an apple tree, an orange tree, a peach tree, a... durian tree, and the blackberry bushes. some are on the other side of the river, but this area is shallow enough to cross safely and there's also the stepping stones closer to vash's home. )

I was thinking of some apples and peaches. What would you like, Pavlova Cookie?

[lovelyredthread]

I can help with those! I think I'm gonna get some blackberries too though.

[ After the big ones, though. He doesn't want to smush them. He thinks his dad likes blackberries too, but he could be misremembering.

This is the embarrassing part, though. He can hover and flit around just fine with his wings how they are, but for anything high up he'd need a running start, what little magic he had and a prayer.

Pavlova got one of the bags from White Lily and looked around at the trees, eventually locating a peach tree with low enough branches. The attempt is... successful, but Pavlova is certainly glad his dad wasn't there to see how pitiful it looked. He'd had to run and jump at it, but he still only managed to get chest level with the branch, resulting in some undignified flapping and struggling as he pulled himself up.

But he was up! And now he could climb up to higher branches just fine. He's happily locating untouched peaches to add to their stock. ]

[lilyberation]

Alright.

( lily watches him carefully, but doesn't say anything. his wings... something brushes against her mind. a mark against freedom. something hot burns in her stomach for a moment and then its gone- she won't draw attention to it. it's not her place.

though she keeps an eye on him, lily walks over to the apple tree and starts picking a few. idly she can see the river guardian swimming in the water and all seems well, for right now.

vernal follows, but runs off to chase butterflies and play in the grass now and then, and then darts back peeping. hi! hiiii! )

[lovelyredthread]

[ Really, he's just glad she didn't laugh at him for it. He's used to compensating for his clipped wings, but it was... far from graceful. He didn't usually have an audience for it.

Not that he has any idea of how her power manifests. He didn't spend a whole lot of time with Silent Salt to have much of an idea of how it might work either.

His bag is about half full of peaches by the time he sees Vernal peek up at him. He giggles and darts behind the trunk of the tree to hide from him, playing an improvised version of peekaboo with the creature. ]

Oh, right. You said you were bonded with Vernal, right? What does that mean?

[ it felt like a very specific word but it could mean several things. He... probably has enough peaches? He got a lot of them. He flies over onto her tree, landing a little lower in the branches from the weight.

He picks a big ripe one from a bough far out of her reach and holds it down so she can catch it. ]

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.

[lilyberation]

He's a sweetheart, isn't he? I feel like if he were from Earthbread, he'd be a lily cookie~.

( which is to say, she feels a sort of... kinship with him. )

He made my outfit today, actually.

( and she's so very cozy in it! yaaaay. )

[lovelyredthread]

[ She says that and he has to hold his tongue. His knee jerk respose was to note that lilies are highly toxic. He knows that wasn't the point of her saying that. ]

Something sweet, anyway.

[ He takes the redirect and looks at her outfit from the branch he was perched on. He hadn't really paid it much mind before. ]

It's nice. He did say he made a lot of clothes for people. Looks like he's really good at it.

[lilyberation]

( lily blinks and then frowns faintly. )

... Did... I say something wrong?

[lovelyredthread]

No?

[ Not... Wrong, anyway. He doesn't really think an opinion on something hypothetical like that could be wrong, really. ]

Just thought it was kinda funny, cause lilies... they're toxic, right?

[ He knows well and good that they are, he lived in a garden his whole life. He could spot a toxic plant a mile away. Pavlova's smile quirks a little into something less happy. ]

But I only just met him, y'know? Everyone has their secrets, so who am I to judge, right?

[ Everyone has that inner darkness. She'd know that better than anyone, right? ]

[lilyberation]

Ah- well... y-yes, but- it was more that, he reminds me of the kinder parts of my village. That's all.

( ... seems she's a bit self-concious, given how she falters, holding her staff close. is... that why he seems so wary with her? vernal stops in place and looks between the two of them, whining confusedly. )

... Ah, don't mind me. I suppose I'm still a touch sensitive. I-is there any other fruit you'd like to bring back to the house?

[lovelyredthread]

Hm?

[ he's gathered an armful of apples by now and is carefully balancing them as he flutters his way down to add them to her bag. ]

Ohh that makes more sense. I don't really know much about cookies that weren't in the garden.

[ She's the only lily he's met, and of course he was only told the bad things. Her situation with Dark Enchantress Cookie, the fact that her being Guardian means she wants to reseal his parents and possibly him as well. He has a lot of reasons other than her flavor and scent to be wary despite her kindness, especially given who his mother was. Malintent guised as kindness is her whole deal. ]

Oh, I was gonna get blackberries, but I can get those later if you're done.

[ he kneels in the grass to give Vernal a playful ruffle. They can play more when he's not carrying fruit! Peaches bruise easy and he doesn't wanna bang them up. ]