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sticksandbones2023-10-04 03:16 pm
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2023-10-04 03:16 pm
Entry tags:
- !event,
- !tdm,
- arknights: gnosis,
- arknights: irene,
- arknights: mizuki,
- baldur's gate iii: astarion ancunín,
- baldur's gate iii: taliira a'daragon,
- digimon survive: haru,
- elsword: add,
- elsword: elsword,
- fate: bb,
- i'm the grim reaper: brook,
- jujutsu kaisen: toge inumaki,
- murder drones: n,
- original: caoimhe ailbhe,
- original: felicity morais,
- original: kiera canorus,
- original: lancelot,
- original: luca aurelius
Event & TDM 005
SPOOKY SCARY SKELETONS
WAKE UP
cw: immolation, sinkholes
When your eyes open, you’re lying in crisp, blackened grass. The sky is dreary, the world around you is still and silent. Were it not for the ash raining from the sky or the acrid tang of burnt flesh, it might almost feel peaceful. Familiar-feeling memories wash over you — a town burning, the cackling of an unknown beast, the shrill screams of friends and loved ones dying a slow, painful death—
Where did that memory even come from? You’d better shake it off and rise to your feet before the ash buries you, too. It isn’t real… right?
The town you’re in is dilapidated and charred. Something snaps under your feet, and when you look down, a bone lies pressed into the earth, perfectly broken into two neat pieces. You press on, toward the destroyed remains of houses — some missing roofs, some collapsed in on themselves, others still weathering the test of time — to where the trees are vibrant and orange, to where the grass has regrown and the buildings stand tall. You press on… and your foot catches in the mud, a hole opening up beneath your feet and dragging you in. If you’re quick enough, you might be able to escape the collapsing earth before it buries you alive in years of muck and decay. If not… perhaps you’ll be lucky, and someone from the nearby settlement will bail you out.
Hopefully you won’t have to wait long.
When your eyes open, you’re lying in crisp, blackened grass. The sky is dreary, the world around you is still and silent. Were it not for the ash raining from the sky or the acrid tang of burnt flesh, it might almost feel peaceful. Familiar-feeling memories wash over you — a town burning, the cackling of an unknown beast, the shrill screams of friends and loved ones dying a slow, painful death—
Where did that memory even come from? You’d better shake it off and rise to your feet before the ash buries you, too. It isn’t real… right?
The town you’re in is dilapidated and charred. Something snaps under your feet, and when you look down, a bone lies pressed into the earth, perfectly broken into two neat pieces. You press on, toward the destroyed remains of houses — some missing roofs, some collapsed in on themselves, others still weathering the test of time — to where the trees are vibrant and orange, to where the grass has regrown and the buildings stand tall. You press on… and your foot catches in the mud, a hole opening up beneath your feet and dragging you in. If you’re quick enough, you might be able to escape the collapsing earth before it buries you alive in years of muck and decay. If not… perhaps you’ll be lucky, and someone from the nearby settlement will bail you out.
Hopefully you won’t have to wait long.
KEEP MY HEAD TOGETHER
Somewhere on your body is an intricate, black mark that doesn’t come off no matter how hard you scrub. Perhaps there are two, or even three, or more. You don’t exactly remember getting these small, medallion-sized tattoos — it’s almost as though you woke up with them. Better make sure no one’s drawing on you in your sleep.
As the day progresses, the effects of these marks become apparent. Suddenly, everything hurts — a dull, throbbing pain as if you’ve been stabbed. Perhaps the pain is quick and sharp, like you stubbed your toe on the inn’s coffee table. Perhaps it slowly burns, like hot coffee accidentally splashed on your lap. No matter what the pain is, you feel it at less of an intensity than you would if you’d actually done these things. Later, you might meet with the person who shares a mark with you, and maybe they’ll tell you — they stubbed their toe, they spilled their coffee, someone randomly stabbed them, how weird is that?
These marks link you and your partner(s) — any pain they feel, you’ll feel, too, albeit at half the intensity they do. If you’re sharing that pain between three people, it’ll be at one third the intensity.
Negative emotions, though? Those, you get at full throttle. If those you share a mark with cry, you’ll cry, too; you feel their rage at being stuck here as though it were your own; you long for home, and you miss a mother that isn’t yours. Fight through your blurring sense of self, friend. Surely you’ll get used to it soon. After all, these will stay on your body for the rest of the month.
As the day progresses, the effects of these marks become apparent. Suddenly, everything hurts — a dull, throbbing pain as if you’ve been stabbed. Perhaps the pain is quick and sharp, like you stubbed your toe on the inn’s coffee table. Perhaps it slowly burns, like hot coffee accidentally splashed on your lap. No matter what the pain is, you feel it at less of an intensity than you would if you’d actually done these things. Later, you might meet with the person who shares a mark with you, and maybe they’ll tell you — they stubbed their toe, they spilled their coffee, someone randomly stabbed them, how weird is that?
These marks link you and your partner(s) — any pain they feel, you’ll feel, too, albeit at half the intensity they do. If you’re sharing that pain between three people, it’ll be at one third the intensity.
Negative emotions, though? Those, you get at full throttle. If those you share a mark with cry, you’ll cry, too; you feel their rage at being stuck here as though it were your own; you long for home, and you miss a mother that isn’t yours. Fight through your blurring sense of self, friend. Surely you’ll get used to it soon. After all, these will stay on your body for the rest of the month.
THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
A week into October, a skeletal visitor comes rattling into the Grove, wearing a top hat on its bare cranium and a name tag on its ribcage: “Mr. Bone-Jangles”. Mr. Bone-Jangles cannot speak, but he’s very excited to take willing people into the burned town and lead them toward the far north of it, where a small army of fellow skeletons have put up a circus tent. Pumpkin-shaped flags decorate the scorched remnants of a street, and mysterious skull-shaped lights float in the air. Mr. Bone-Jangles joyfully motions to the tent, where a banner placed over the tent-flaps reads “MASKERADE”... you assume this is meant to be “masquerade”, but it would be rude to point out the spelling error. Skeletons don’t have brains.
Before you can even enter the tent, Mr. Bone-Jangles’ employees direct you to a smaller tent set up to the side, demanding with clacks of their jaws in morse code that you put on your costume and mask. Costumes are optional; masks are not. Luckily, all of these are free. The costume tent itself is entirely empty save for one giant mirror which, when gazed into, shows you standing in your outfit of choice. Once you exit the tent, you’ll be wearing that outfit, and the skeletons will hand you a wooden mask in any design you feel suits you, matching or not. Where did your old clothing wind up? Great question! They’ll be teleported back to your bed in a wrinkled heap, but you don’t have to worry about that until the party stops. And speaking of that mask… when you put it on between the party start at 10pm and end at 6am, it won’t come off no matter how hard you pull until 6:01am approximately.
The skeletons insist you don’t try to tug your skin off, though, and instead direct you inside the masquerade tent itself. It’s almost akin to being teleported to another dimension — a grand ballroom is decorated with classic Halloween decorations, a buffet of spooky-themed snacks is laid out on the tables, the music is almost too loud, and a lounge is set up off to the side for those who’d like to rest between dances. If you lack a dance partner, worry not — the skeletons are more than happy to waltz with you. And, if you’re of age, they’ll serve you any liquor you’d like.
Stay too late, though, and the skeletons will kick you out. They’re stronger than they look and aren’t afraid to toss you like a wet rag onto the burnt streets. Once the party ends for the night, you won’t be able to get back into the tent no matter how hard you try, so don’t leave anything behind!
Before you can even enter the tent, Mr. Bone-Jangles’ employees direct you to a smaller tent set up to the side, demanding with clacks of their jaws in morse code that you put on your costume and mask. Costumes are optional; masks are not. Luckily, all of these are free. The costume tent itself is entirely empty save for one giant mirror which, when gazed into, shows you standing in your outfit of choice. Once you exit the tent, you’ll be wearing that outfit, and the skeletons will hand you a wooden mask in any design you feel suits you, matching or not. Where did your old clothing wind up? Great question! They’ll be teleported back to your bed in a wrinkled heap, but you don’t have to worry about that until the party stops. And speaking of that mask… when you put it on between the party start at 10pm and end at 6am, it won’t come off no matter how hard you pull until 6:01am approximately.
The skeletons insist you don’t try to tug your skin off, though, and instead direct you inside the masquerade tent itself. It’s almost akin to being teleported to another dimension — a grand ballroom is decorated with classic Halloween decorations, a buffet of spooky-themed snacks is laid out on the tables, the music is almost too loud, and a lounge is set up off to the side for those who’d like to rest between dances. If you lack a dance partner, worry not — the skeletons are more than happy to waltz with you. And, if you’re of age, they’ll serve you any liquor you’d like.
Stay too late, though, and the skeletons will kick you out. They’re stronger than they look and aren’t afraid to toss you like a wet rag onto the burnt streets. Once the party ends for the night, you won’t be able to get back into the tent no matter how hard you try, so don’t leave anything behind!
DON’T CHASE THE DEAD
Turns out, the masquerade isn’t just for one night, but for every night for the rest of the month. On the second night of the masquerade and on from there, ghosts appear in droves, gathering at the party and in the burned town for a night out. No matter how hard you try, you can’t get their attention; they’ll merely pass right through you as if you aren’t there.
Some of the ghosts look eerily familiar to you, like people you knew in the past who aren’t here now. It could be your mother, your brother, a close friend, or maybe your old neighbour or coworker. Each is dressed in masquerade attire, each intends only to party until the sun comes up, and at that point, each ghost fades from the world as if dissolving away into nothingness.
They’ll be back the next night, of course. And the next. And the one after that. Until finally, the last day of the month rolls around, and the ghosts aren’t there. If you come to the burned town at 6am, you’ll be greeted by the sight of the skeletons packing up their tents and decorations. And if you stick around until 7…
Mr. Bone-Jangles takes off his top hat and takes a bow, waves one last goodbye, and then him and his skeleton crew take a dive into the sinkhole that was, somehow, underneath the masquerade tent the whole time.
Some of the ghosts look eerily familiar to you, like people you knew in the past who aren’t here now. It could be your mother, your brother, a close friend, or maybe your old neighbour or coworker. Each is dressed in masquerade attire, each intends only to party until the sun comes up, and at that point, each ghost fades from the world as if dissolving away into nothingness.
They’ll be back the next night, of course. And the next. And the one after that. Until finally, the last day of the month rolls around, and the ghosts aren’t there. If you come to the burned town at 6am, you’ll be greeted by the sight of the skeletons packing up their tents and decorations. And if you stick around until 7…
Mr. Bone-Jangles takes off his top hat and takes a bow, waves one last goodbye, and then him and his skeleton crew take a dive into the sinkhole that was, somehow, underneath the masquerade tent the whole time.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
You find yourself in a burned-down town. As you try to leave, a sinkhole opens beneath your feet and sucks you in. Screaming for help is a viable option.
Everyone is now sharing pain and negative emotions. Please try not to get stabbed so that your partner(s) don't have to also feel stabbed. You can pair up with as few or as many people as you want, as long as you're paired up with minimum one other person.
Welcome to the masquerade! Mr. Bone-Jangles hopes you have a good time. Masks and Halloween costumes are provided free of charge, but be careful, because donning the masks between 10pm and 6am makes them unable to be removed until the party stops at 6. There's tons of food and drink, and liquor for those who are old enough to have it. Just don't stay past the party's end or the skeletons will yeet you out onto the street.
The masquerade goes for the rest of the month, and after day 1, it'll be frequented by ghosts who look like people from your past. They don't seem to notice you and will float through you if you stand in their way. At the end of the month, the skeletons pack up the party, the ghosts disappear, and the skeletons jump into a sinkhole underneath the masquerade tent. Goodbye! Happy Halloween! Mr. Bone-Jangles sends his regards.
Welcome to the fifth TDM & Event Log of Sticks and Bones! This log is game canon. The prompts are meant for all players, current and future, so have fun! Our applications operate on a rolling basis, so applications are open with no end date unless we suddenly cap players. If there are any questions, please direct them to the "questions" header below.
❖ None yet!
TDM TOPLEVELS!
❖ Vash (Trigun Stampede)
❖ N (Murder Drones)
❖ Rin Tohsaka (Fate/Stay Night)
❖ Rui Ninomiya (Gatchaman Crowds)
❖ Ain (Elsword)
❖ Hiyori Iki (Noragami)
❖ Taliira A'Daragon (Tav) (Baldur's Gate III)
❖ Genjiro Chibana (Handead Anthem)
❖ Haru (Digimon Survive)
❖ Samatoki Aohitsugi (Hypnosis Mic)
❖ Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil 4: Remake)
❖ Grusha (Pokemon: Scarlet & Violet)
❖ Woljif Jefto (Pathfinder: WOTR)
❖ N (Murder Drones)
❖ Rin Tohsaka (Fate/Stay Night)
❖ Rui Ninomiya (Gatchaman Crowds)
❖ Ain (Elsword)
❖ Hiyori Iki (Noragami)
❖ Taliira A'Daragon (Tav) (Baldur's Gate III)
❖ Genjiro Chibana (Handead Anthem)
❖ Haru (Digimon Survive)
❖ Samatoki Aohitsugi (Hypnosis Mic)
❖ Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil 4: Remake)
❖ Grusha (Pokemon: Scarlet & Violet)
❖ Woljif Jefto (Pathfinder: WOTR)
no subject
He does offer a strange look at Mizuki's argument, though, since... this has become second nature to both of them, hasn't it? As much as Add likes to pretend he's a selfish person who doesn't care about anyone else, the rest of the El Search Party sure did rub off on him. Besides... small risks like these are good for building trust between allies, right?]
Please, we've both braved far greater dangers than a few waving tentacles. [not that Add should have jumped in because Mizuki could definitely snap him in half but he's not gonna mention that part, they were all having a moment] You could've hurt yourself as well, and then my job would be more difficult. You've calmed down now, haven't you? So everything is fine.
no subject
Yeah, Add's right. I've gotten hit with way worse before, and I managed to dodge most of them anyway. And I don't really care about the mess right now. I'm just glad you're doing a little better.
[If he just squeezes Mizuki tighter... he definitely will have more room to squeeze Add, too. Get squished nerds.]
You can talk about stuff if it bothers you, too. We're here to help.
1/2
Mizuki leans into both of them, definitely trying to hold onto whatever he can. He's just a little desperate at the moment, but… this is… nice? This is nice. It's almost like a breath of fresh air, he thinks. Between the feathers and the drones, Mizuki feels… relaxed? And it's so strange. There's a moment where he thinks it's selfish of him to find these two so soothing, after he's wrecked their home like this. There's a moment where he thinks it's cruel, to be a part of this when they should have this time to themselves. But there's also a part of him that decides he wants to be selfish, because the alternative right now hurt. If his comfort lies in the two of them, so be it.
"You've calmed down now, haven't you? So everything is fine." "And I don't really care about the mess right now. I'm just glad you're doing a little better." It's simple, yet means the world to Mizuki to hear this all the same. How lucky he is to have friends like this. How lucky he is to have such brave and kind people to follow.
Maybe it's okay if he talks to them.
He opens his mouth, ready to at least give them a little bit of an explanation to his little breakdown, since they deserved that much… ]
no subject
We fixed it. [ His tone has shifted. Was he crying seconds ago? No he wasn't. ] What happened doesn't matter anymore, we took care of it, and it's all better.
no subject
but that's not important right now, since Mizuki is suddenly... glitching? There is still an underlying feeling of grief that isn't his own, but... Mizuki says he's fine, and he's saying "we" again. Add raises his visible eyebrow, wishing he could analyze this change in more detail. It's interesting... who is this "we", really? Another aspect of Mizuki, or...?]
... Kuku, there, isn't that better? [Curiosity aside, this seems totally fine with Add. He relaxes, choosing to accept that Mizuki has his emotions under control. Maybe it's not the best method of dealing with emotional problems, but if it's good enough for Add—] It's fine now, so we can put it behind us if you want.
[... well, the distraction also serves to take Add's mind off his own problems, so it's a success? they are totally 100% fine now.]
no subject
So Mizuki might have the Illuminous Phenomenon—]
Uh. [Guys?] If you guys are sure... I guess you do feel less distressed, kind of...
[It took him only a little bit to clock whose emotions are whose, which is incredibly ironic considering how many he lacks.]
...Being able to shut off your emotions sure is handy. [ /sass ]
no subject
Mizuki's feelings are still… there, of course. It isn't like We Many could stifle those. We just wanted Mizuki to not be so upset again. He knows that. ]
I… I'll go see if Mister Heimr will replace the stuff I broke.
[ He's going to try to wiggle away here. Maybe if I stop rolling below a 6— ]
no subject
Still... Add is hesitant to let go. Not because he wanted the comfort too or anything, but even if he can accept that the emotions are all under control, he's not about to let Mizuki run off while this situation remains a mystery. He's only just now noticing how his arm is aching like Elsword's probably does... Add loosens up on the hug, but keeps a firm hand on Mizuki's shoulder.]
There's no need to bother him with that right now. It's still early. [let the man sleep] Anyway... we should analyze the situation properly before we split up. There may be a way to turn it off.
[But where to start? He hums, thinking.
... hesitating... feeling kind of nervous again...]
... Mizuki, what was it that caused you to react like that? Did something else unusual happen, or do you think it was from the entanglement? [add vc: is this my fault]
no subject
Just stay here for now. We can help you feel better... and Add's right, there's probably a way to shut it off.
[He is gonna start inspecting Mizuki for black tattoos while Mizuki answers the question, though. Not gonna lift up shirts or anything like that, just looking on where his skin shows already.]
1/2
…
Maybe he should have expected being pulled back in. He didn't, though. Especially with everything that happened, and his emotions still being high, and everything else that just happened. We said he was fine, and surely they could've taken that to mean that he just didn't want to talk about it? He shouldn't, anyway. If he can ignore it, it'll go away. Yet, Add's hands are on his shoulders and keeping him from wiggling out of the drone/feather/tentacle cocoon they've made for themselves, and Elsword is letting him know they can make him feel better, and it's… surprising. He isn't sure how he's supposed to react…?
Oh, but for once, he's told how to feel: ] You should be happy. [ His voice is quiet, and it's not entirely clear who he's addressing? Whatever the case, there sure is tears welling in his eyes again. They're your friends. Isn't that what you wanted?
We'll try it your way.
Okay. He leans back into them and they're both getting squeezed. Not his commander. Not his idol. Not his role models. Not his heroes. His friends. ]
no subject
(He's not letting them go, though. They're stuck in his clutches! And!!! He feels like he's allowed this now…) ]
I woke up and there was the scent of… burning. Burning buildings, burning flesh… I heard screams, I heard… [ What was it? Laughter, or… growling or… people talking? His memories mixed too much for him to know for sure, but whatever it was, he hated it. ] It wasn't a nightmare or anything, I just… woke up and it was…?? I don't know how to explain it.
[ Finding out about the new burnt town later is going to give him those Bristly Feelings, but he'll deal with it… ]
I don't think it was from either of you? [ … Hey, why are they all bound, anyway? Is it with all the people in town, or does he have to get really weird and yandere about being connected with his heroes later?? ] I… Back home, my hometown was raided and razed by some bandits. My neighbors, my home, my mother… myself. [ … He releases them (with his arms, anyway, since there are still noodles clinging to the both of them.) (Sorry for the slime!) to put his hands on his collar. ] I lost everything, so it's hard to get reminders of that.
no subject
He doesn't want to interrupt, though, so that thought is filed away for later. He tries not to frown at the recap, but it's... difficult to hear, along with Mizuki's emotions mixed in. It's unsettling, not knowing where Mizuki's feelings end and his own begin. And when he gets to the final details, that hand on his collar—
He digs his nails into his palms. It's not fair. Why does this have to be what they share?
There's so much that he wants to say, but he swallows it all down. He can't talk about it. Mizuki... is much braver than he is.]
... Shared hallucination from the forest. Elsword, you saw it too? [he feels sick, but he's pushing through it. don't think about the details. focus on the facts...]
no subject
[Mizuki gets squished again. Elsword will not stop, thank you for asking.]
I'm sorry that reminded you of what happened to your hometown. [There's a brief, dim flicker of anger that fades just as quick as it came. How dare they hurt people, how dare they hurt his friend especially.] It's gonna be okay. We're here with you, so we'll help you feel better if we can. Right, Add?
no subject
…Ehe, it's alright. That all happened like fourteen years ago now. I should be over it, but I guess the hallucination just made it all feel fresh. I feel bad that you guys had to experience it, is all!!! Kinda unfair of me if I had just had you guys feel all that and then not told you guys what it was~! That's like watching a movie without sound or subtitles. Hard to parse what's going on!!
[ Those pangs of anger… The pain of nails in his palm… Were they still upset? Had he not explained enough? He's smiling now, so surely that means everything is okay. ]
You don't have anything to be sorry for! I'm glad you guys cared so much about me to check on me. But everything was fine after that! [ He doesn't get to be sad. His life had been great. So many people suffered more than him. Even Elsword and Add surely have had more hardships than Mizuki. What right does he have to be upset? ] A kind, old man found me so, um, that slice in my neck got all healed up, and I'm better now! [ "Mizuki, you hadn't mentioned that." Hadn't he?? Hm. ] He took really good care of me.
You guys don't have to do anything more for me. I'm supposed to be the one helping you.