EVENT & TDM 029

[sticksandbonesmods]

WAKE UP

A house springs up in Aldric’s Grove one day. That comes with the usual tidings of autumn — the leaves change colour, the air gets colder, pumpkins and squash start growing out of the sides of buildings and damaging rooftops, and people emerge out of caskets in square graves that have yet to be covered.

…

Yeah, all of that is normal. You may find that people here before you are willing to help pull you out of your grave, if you ask nicely enough. Maybe they’ll even tell you that you aren’t dead! Yet.

But don’t worry about that. Let’s worry about the house, which is inhabited by the dead — specifically a family of skeletons, who wave everyone, new arrival and old citizen, within their walls. A cloth sign hanging on the awning outside reads “BONE-JANGLES HAUZ! COM IN GET FUD”. The Bone-Jangles are a family of eight — Mr. Bone-Jangles himself wearing a sheet ghost costume for Halloween, Ms. Bone-Jangles wearing a pumpkin hat and an apron as she sets food from your homeworld on the table, and their six skeleton children (“children” may be generous, as these are full-sized adult skeletons, but is your baby not your baby no matter how old they may be?) are wearing various animal costumes. Bees, wolves, cats, the sort.

If you just crawled out of a grave, they permit you to use their shower before dinner. The water pressure is a touch too low, and the soap is several hundred years old, but it’ll get the dirt off.

You return to dinner with the skeleton family and several other Grove residents who came for the party, and despite the oddness of the situation, it’s a lovely time. At the end of the night, before everyone plans to head off to Roseroot — a city to the north, just over the mountains, which you are hopefully informed of by your peers before they all ditch you here to go on vacation — Mr. Bone-Jangles hands you a bag of microwave popcorn and an oversized chocolate bar. Trick-or-Treat!

A note attached to the inside of the chocolate bar wrapper reads in Ms. Bone-Jangles’ curly handwriting: “Be cautious on your journey tomorrow morning.”

You go to sleep holding the well-wishes close to your chest.

…WAKE UP?

What do you last remember?

You were somewhere. Not here. Not within this city. Were you at home? With your friends? At the bar, the cafe, one of the churches, the General Store? The Bone-Jangles’ house? …How did you get here?

…that’s right. The truck. A truck had barrelled through the woods a week ago, with two people stumbling out of it and telling you they could get you out of here. The truck was small, though — at most, it could fit six of you, and that was assuming all six of you packed light for the journey. You talked with who you were journeying alongside as you rode in the bed of the truck, while two others in the vehicle proper got to talk to the drivers. The ride had been bumpy, the car travelling at a medium clip through rough terrain. At one point, the car’s driver had shouted that those of you in the back should “hold on tight” and floored it, nearly jiggling someone next to you out of the back seat as you approached the mountains.

You did not remember the mountains being so close to the Grove. Weren’t they much farther away? You remember the—

The…

…

You’re in Roseroot! The truck comes and goes throughout the day, dropping people off before it turns around and heads out again. Some of your peers who were particularly fast or could fly might have opted to simply follow alongside the truck. Maybe if you can find one of them, they can help you bring your stuff further into the city? Where are you going to live from here, speaking of? In a house? A mansion? A hole-in-the-wall restaurant? You feel like you’re missing something as you wander the beautifully-paved streets on foot. You remembered to pack your toothbrush, right? A change of clothes?

The thought of “someone” comes to your mind, but the silhouette is blurry. A person nearby you asks if you remember two gargoyles with purple skin, and a shadowy woman with her turtle, and a kindly shopkeeper with salt-and-pepper hair, that they think they might’ve left behind in the Grove. You shake your head.

You would remember people like that.

THE CITY OF ROSES

Roseroot is a beautiful city, truly. Every building is beautifully designed, roses of all colors and sizes growing from the ground floor to window boxes to special trellises and even on the rooftops. It's almost overwhelming. A river flows through it, framed with stone sidewalks and curved wooden bridges. Warm streetlights line every few yards, illuminating it even in the dark. Museums and theaters can be found all over, and there's even an aquarium! … It's only got water and plants, but it's there. Truly, this is what one might expect from an affluent city dedicated to flowers and scholarly pursuits!

… It's just… empty. Not a single soul aside from the lot of you can be found. Businesses still provide services, but by who, and how? The answer eludes even the most curious of folk. If you choose to steal, dine and dash, break in to something, well. You can, and nothing is going to stop you. But the emptiness of it all is jarring, isn't it?

Of course it's not. This is how it's supposed to be!

As the days pass, however, the beauty begins to fade. Flowers wilt. A strange substance seems to grow out of cracks, creep up windows, grow. The beautiful sky gets darker, cloudier, drearier. A fog creeps in. And when you sleep- and you will sleep- you dream. Maybe it's the sweetest dream of your life, and maybe its a nightmare. Maybe it's something incredibly silly! What a pity that the dream doesn't stay in your head. Or stay as pleasant as your dream might have been.

Soon the fog is so thick, you can barely see the next streetlight. And you are no longer alone. But the trucks are gone, and the city borders seem to have vanished.

A PLACE YOU CANNOT LEAVE

The fog does not fade. But sometimes, you can hear something- just out of sight. The giggles of childish, cruel whispering. The sound of glass breaking, footsteps dragging across the pavement. Twisted beings born of your worst traumas shamble through the fog, lashing out, hunting, seeking, wanting. Every day the remains of Roseroot grow more dilapidated, some buildings even crumbling and collapsing while others cease existing all together. Roads vanish or twist to loop around into giant circles. Safety is growing limited, but how does one escape?

That may be on the forefront of your mind, but it's not something you can focus on- not while you're fighting off these monsters.

How does one get supplies when grocery stores are claimed by sudden bursts of an all-consuming rot? How does one sleep when those monsters could be anywhere, when one has to keep moving?

Fight on. Protect yourself. The way will show itself soon. You just have to outlast your pains made manifest.

MONSTERS ENCOUNTERED

This list will be updated as the event goes on, but feel free to pull from any monsters from our toplevel below as well in case updates are delayed!

An unholy, angel-like being found stationary in a warehouse. The top half of her body hangs down from a portal in the ceiling, and no matter which way you face, she can twist around to track you. Her wails and sobs cause hallucinations, panic attacks, dissociations, and crippling self-doubt; when characters are distracted, she will attempt to sever them with two oversized swords.

A shambling, undead, fully-armoured knight with seven swords stabbed into it, most of which through the back and one of which through the head. Each sword is engraved with words; five of them say “sacrifice”, one says “the one you loved most”, and the last says “hubris”. The knight wanders the city streets and attacks indiscriminately.

Seven assassins wrapped entirely in black robes and bandages to hide their identities. When they are being looked at, they become stationary, therefore they try to spread apart within their pack to keep most of them able to move. They move like glitchy robots with jerking and seizing limbs, yet are fast enough to slit throats in an instant, and largely stick to alleyways and tight corners to get a drop on someone.

A hand-monster called the Docent, who hides in the shadows and exacerbates negative emotions and insecurities. Even if you can't see it yet, if it's nearby, you will feel cold and miserable. Its physical form is made up of hands and if it catches you, it will add yours to the collection.

Mannequin-like people who look similar to Firefly, wearing plug suits and acting as mannequins in storefronts primarily. They will not "activate" until you come close to them, where they will be like dolls that creak and crackle and either start moving or pull themselves up off the ground to slowly chase you. They are dangerous in numbers, not as much as a single unit. They only speak if Firefly is around, saying things like "you let us die", "you didn't protect us", etc. By the end of the time in Roseroot, most will default be splayed on the ground all over looking dead, but they aren't.

The Swarm, a mass horde of diverse insectoid creatures with the sole drive to propagate and spread. They're big, and can hide invisible if they choose. They will start in small numbers, but slowly spread throughout the town during the end of their stay. They will swarm you and attack if they see you.

A young man with cat ears who has been burnt to a crisp and is still smouldering, who will wander the city and attempt to set people on fire.

A pack of small robotic bears with various weapons who run around indiscriminately and try to kill anyone they see. Despite how armed they are, they are easily defeated, but they roam in extremely large packs.

A phantom that specifically stalks Till, covered in blood and with several bullet wounds through various parts of his body. Characters who spend a lot of time around Till may have to watch out…

Shadows shaped like people on the walls, always watching, whispering, giggling, pointing. If one gets too close to them, they can reach out and attack like a particularly brutal child bully might- and like children, they do not know when they are going too far.

Shambling skeletons or rotting bodies dressed in strange village clothes, waiting to drag whoever they seek out into the earth.

An almost giant skeletal bird caught ablaze, trapped humans within its ribcage forming a grotesque heart. It does not fly, and molten poison drips from it.

Young men and women in a black uniform, half-gripping swords. Their footsteps sounds like bottles breaking. Soon enough they are accompanied by their killers as well.

A very tall priest in holy regalia... except his face is a mass of writhing blue tentacles of varying lengths, singing the song of the Seaborn. He shambles like he no longer remembers how legs work, swaying like a drunk almost, always wandering and reaching for his target. He sings a song of an unknown language, haunting and mesmerizing. If somehow you anger him, he will throw rocks at you... and if he gets his hands on you he will absolutely try to eat and/or assimilate you.

A monster that changes shape whenever you blink. It is normally faceless, and usually appears to look like some abomination-adjacent version of people you know.

A monster that wears clothing of a holy priest, with far, far too many arms. It "attacks" by trying to grab onto you and try to hug you almost comfortingly, while two hands strangle with rosary beads.

A creature that takes the form of something in the water- you'll never truly see what it looks like. But if you get too close to the river, something will reach out and try to drag you under.

A headless mannequin dressed in kingly finery, wielding a heavy sword. It wanders in search of one person, but will stop to kill anyone else it finds too.

An Ifrit, bleeding from a wound not unlike the ones Joshua inflicted upon Clive. It's furious. It's terrified. It will see your death done.

Shadows that, while not the most harmful things, will whisper, gossip and grab and pinch and punch and tear! They say things to characters reflecting their deepest insecurities. In short, the shadows are school bullies.

Two figures, a man and a woman, sewn together by the half. They bicker in a ghoulish language at each other, but are largely uncaring of others. When they find Zoey, they all but descend upon her, both wanting her for themselves and uncaring if they pull too hard in one direction or another. Their grip is like iron, and they're capable of tearing others in half.

A man-shaped monster whose head is a black skull. He wears a suit, tie, and gloves, and carries a rotating number of weapons- pliers, knife, scalpel, hacksaw, hammer, anything that might be used for torture, smeared with blood. Sometimes he just has a gun. He moves in an uncanny, inhuman jerk, and prefers his victims trapped and isolated. He will passively darken the area around him, turning working lights dim, and is accompanied by the sound of a power drill and his own creepy laughter.

Something dark, mostly shapeless, but the size of a large man, with bat-shaped spikes coming out of its head. Or maybe they're bat ears? He is able to shoot projectiles with deadly speed, sharp enough to gouge a hole in metal. They disappear like smoke once they've hit their mark. When faced more or less head-on, shoots a grapling hook at its victim with enough force to seriously maim, uses it to pull them close and break their bones. May appear suddenly from behind and break bones before you have a chance to react. He moves sometimes as a literal shadow, but when outside of shadow form, moves with grace and speed. Sometimes his presence is accompanied by flashbangs, smoke, and the sound of radio static or ringing in your ears. Otherwise, it is completely silent and doesn't even breathe.

A monster wearing armour and carrying tomahawk axes, with crablike appendages protruding from her abdomen that have pincer-claws. The semi-congealed gore that drips from them can be sprayed at enemies. As she talks, she claims to know "what you really are" and can absolutely back that claim up.

A brutish monster that is constantly on fire. He moves quickly enough to "blaze past" you, and likely set you on fire by proximity. Otherwise, he boasts impressive and inhuman strength.

A doll with swords through it that leaks toxic ooze as it moves around. Slow and moves around pathetically, looking as if in pain, and moving as if crying. Gives hugs instead of attacking, but the swords through it will hurt you if you let it, and the toxic ooze feels akin to acid.

A shambling amalgam of corpses and heads much akin to the Cramped Casket that pulls itself with its many arms across the ground. It easily spans around 12 feet tall. At the very front of it of it is the upper half of a young boy. It attacks by slamming itself into the ground where you stand, and is otherwise silent... unless you are Elsword, in which case it asks, "why didn't you save me?"

A monster that looks like a pirate that's on fire. Permanently. To most, it only appears to be leaving scorched earth in its wake. To Mizuki, it looks like everything around it is burning. It attacks with a cutlass, and otherwise looks mostly humanoid.

An ambling monstrosity that easily towers any house and building. It moves slowly, and seems as if it's "sliced" down the middle, with two "heads" and a mangled body. One arm carries a harpoon, one arm carries a kitchen cleaver. They mutter conflicting questions that, if you answer, you'll be contradicting the other. "Should we go left?" "Should we go right?" asked simultaneously, so answering "yes" would be answering both. Things like that. To kill it, you have to pick a head to cut off, and if you choose wrong, it instantly grows back and you'll have to try again.

A small, cute puppet with a circle of knifes protruding from its neck. It constantly cries and attacks by trashing around like a child. It doesn't even seem to be aiming for anything specifically, but its thrashing is so wild and erratic the knives in its neck are bound to hit you anyway if you don't put distance between the two of you.

An angel with wings and a halo of light that towers around 10-12 feet tall. It's head is replaced with a bouquet of flowers and it's hands are fused together in a constant prayer.Everywhere it walks, it leaves flowers behind, but they wilt and decay and rot within seconds and stay as a stain upon the land. It attacks by summoning blades of light from the ground under your feet. If you listen closely, you can hear soft singing.

A cloaked being with black crystals growing out of it who floats along the ground. It freezes anything it touches solid in blackened ice, and a trail of said ice follows after it. The air becomes frigid when it is close by.

A loud, ravenous monster that is majority mouth with waaay too many teeth. More dog-like than human shaped. Does not have eyes and thus cannot see, but can hear a pen drop. While it will bite to kill, it plays with its food. Lashes with claws and attempts to do anything it can to hurt you as much as possible before you break.

A mass of black crystals, the shape appears to be in that of Faust. Its arm is replaced with that of a crossbow. Its bolts are enough to shatter concrete. Despite being made of stone, it is very fast.

A monster that takes the shape of prey animals, starting off as smaller ones, then becoming larger ones as it stalks you. It does not necessarily attack, keeping a distance. But the more it watches, the more starved for food you feel. You haven't eaten in a while, have you? Are you hungry? Are you going to die because you can't eat? Aren't you just a waste of space if can't kill something to feed yourself? Killing it won't be easy, as it is fast, but if you do manage to, it will fall to the ground immediately as rotten, disgusting mass of meat that is not safely edible. The monster will spawn in again as it's smaller form all over again if not eaten.

A small army of husk-like creatures. They're just so hungry. Won't you help them? Won't you feed them? They appear like demons, with the stronger ones looking like some of Mystery's old friends...

A large, train-sized worm patterned in purple stripes. They have four eyes above their gator-like mouths which are full of sharp teeth. Their backs are ridged with green shark fins. Sandworms burrow through the ground at alarming speeds and feast on the dead along anything else they can catch. They aren't picky.

Spark Notes

summary

WAKE UP: Good morning! It's autumn! New arrivals are crawling out of graves, Mr. Bone-Jangles has invited everyone to his house, and everyone is having a nice little family Halloween get-together.
…WAKE UP?: Do you remember your old life? The people you left behind? ...of course not! You barely remember the truck ride over here! Welcome to Roseroot! Enjoy your vacation!
THE CITY OF ROSES: Roseroot is a beautiful, empty city. It's clearly a wealthy place, connected with nature, but you lot are the only ones there. ... That's how it's supposed to be, of course. But something forces you into sleep, and when you dream something awakens. ... Now that it's awake, something is making the city rot.
A PLACE YOU CANNOT LEAVE: The city is falling apart, rotting, vanishing and looping into itself and you are not alone. Monsters born from your trauma are out to hunt you down. Thankfully, they can be killed. You just have to keep fighting, even as places of rest and food dwindle rapidly.

out of character

Hello everyone! Welcome to our October TDM. This is a reminder that TDMs are considered game canon. This is our last TDM of 2025! November-December will be check-in AC and we will be back to our regular schedule with a TDM in January 2026. If there are questions, please hit up the toplevels below.

updates

None yet! Important updates about how characters interact with the log and change the course of events will be placed here.

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ October Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

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Comments

[ancientlight]

If it would not be any trouble... I would be thankful.

( Though, perhaps tomorrow would be better. It is getting rather late. )

And a friend of hers is a friend of mine, as well. I am glad to hear that she has not been alone here.

[tempurahair]

Of course!

[Yeahhh, the second Pure Vanilla says he's interested, Rengoku is reaching for his sleeve and setting right along.]

Not at all! Many seem to care about her and her well being. My understanding is that she had a rather rough few months, but many have banded around her to keep her in good spirits!

[ancientlight]

( So much for the food! Not that Pure Vanilla really minds so much at all. He wants to see his friend.

But, there's something about his words that causes him to pause. )

That brings me joy to hear that she has so many of those who care for her.

But, I cannot help but wonder... Are you certain that you are not mistaking her for someone else? We only just recently said our farewells to one another.

[tempurahair]

[Food is forever! Worst case, Rengoku will just cook for him. What's the worst that could happen

{This should not be allowed to happen, period}.]

Pale hair, red eyes, lilies adorning her form? That is the White Lily Cookie I have met, at least.

[He does slow down just a little, though. Could there be more than one White Lily Cookie? It's a very unique name as far as he's concerned, but maybe it's common in the Cookie world? He's going to feel really bad if he's wrong at this point.]

[ancientlight]

( There's no mistaking it. That described her a T, and it was enough to both make his heart jump and to feel further confused by it all. )

... That is White Lily Cookie. Still, I don't understand.

How is it that she has been here for some time?

[tempurahair]

It is... difficult to explain.

[Chiefly because Kyojuro barely understands it himself.]

There are those in this place that hail from different times. My companion and I arrived here at the same time. As far as my memory serves, it happened right after my own death. He, on the other hand, saw several months pass before his own arrival.

[ancientlight]

( It's unbelievable, and yet... He understands. It aligns with what he had said about White Lily, but a great amount of guilt weighs on him. He has faith that White Lily is strong enough to be on her own, and he's grateful that she has support here, but... It feels like he's failed her again by not being here. )

... I see. It's understandable that if there is something powerful enough to pull so many people here, then it is not unreasonable to think that time may not be a factor, too.

Still, I am sorry. Although this place has given you a second chance, I cannot imagine what you may be feeling with what has happened to you.

[tempurahair]

I admit, it was difficult to fathom myself. For a time, I believed us to be in a sort of purgatory. Now, I have reason to believe otherwise.

[But he won't get into all of that.]

In any case, you need not worry about me! I accepted my death as it happened, and made my peace with what was to come!

[ancientlight]

I have to say, your strength is admirable. I hope that you can make the most of your second chance while you are here.

( To say the least! No wonder he had thought this was a purgatory. )

Still, you have my deepest gratitude. The last thing I wish for is for White Lily Cookie to feel as though she is alone.

[tempurahair]

I will do my best! Though I have dealt with hardships since arriving, I am grateful for a second chance nonetheless.

[Pure Vanilla's words do actually give him a bit of a pause. He blinks once, before glancing away rather sheepishly.]

I admit, she and I are not the closest. I do worry for her, and wish her all the best. that said, I know she is well-cared for and loved by a great many here!

[ancientlight]

That does sound like White Lily Cookie! The last time we had spoken to one another, I had find out that she had become rather beloved in a far off kingdom...

( He looks rather cheerful as he says that. He can't help it. He's so fond of her. )

While we walk together, however... Would it be alright to ask more about you? Good conversation makes a walk with one another all the more pleasant.

[tempurahair]

Ah, so she makes a habit of this?

[Said with all the affection and mirth in his heart. White Lily truly is the best of them.]

You may! You can consider me an open book!

[ancientlight]

Ah, not exactly... You see, White Lily Cookie tends to travel alone. She often has her own goals in mind.

At home, she often pursued any knowledge that she could, once she wanted to know something.

( He hasn't forgotten that he wishes to know more about his newfound friend, but he rarely does pass up a chance to speak fondly about White Lily. )

[tempurahair]

[Well, there are no complaints from Kyojuro about that! He's more than happy to talk about others. While his knowledge of White Lily might be small comparatively, he's still happy to learn about her.]

It is strange to know she was such a solitary soul! It seems she is well-regarded and beloved by those here. I would call her a leader, in a lot of ways!

[ancientlight]

I believe her time in the Faerie Kingdom is still fairly recent for her. She grew so much during her time there.

( He smiles fondly at the thought, though his heart sinks a little. That was a whole other life he had known nothing about. He still regrets not understanding her better. )

She's always done her best for others, while having a vast knowledge of the world around her. It is no wonder she is regarded as a leader here.

[tempurahair]

Then I suppose I should be all the more grateful, knowing that I have met her after such a period!

[Not that he thinks he would mind any particular form of White Lily Cookie. He cannot imagine her as anything less than the bright, caring soul that she presently is.]

I am excited for you to reunite with her! I imagine that growth will be a wonderful thing to witness in person!

[ancientlight]

Ah, well.... I am afraid that we had parted ways a while before then. And yet, even hearing about stories of how a friend has grown feels significant.

( To say the least. )

We had split up again before coming here, but our journeys have often lead us down different paths.

[tempurahair]

And back together once more, it would seem. That is how you know you are fated friends, I think!

[It can be the only reasons for their paths to continually deviate and come together as they have.]

She is lucky to have you!

[ancientlight]

Ah, that is sweet of you, but... I am the lucky one. I feel fortunate whenever our paths cross.

( He offers a warm smile. )

And may I ask how the both of you met?

[tempurahair]

Ah, that is a bit complicated, I suppose. There is a long-distance communication system set up, and we were introduced by a message she sent.

[He thinks about avoiding the details, considering how grave they were. It seems like a story better told by White Lily herself. That being said, he does quickly add:]

Be advised that when you do see her, you may need to write your words down, or sign them if you are familiar. A recent incident caused her to lose her hearing, you see. I will let her tell you more of the specifics, but I did want to assist you when you found her!

[ancientlight]

( A communication system... It's something he's intrigued by. What kind of system was this, exactly? Surely, it's something he'll find out soon.

But, then he mentions her hearing and his expression falls, and guilt further makes his stomach sink. )

I truly do appreciate your help. With her hearing impaired, is she alright otherwise?

[tempurahair]

[That pleasant smile falters in the slightest. Kyojuro finds himself glancing away.]

In truth, I do not know. We have been through much over the last few months, and I only barely understand what it is that she went through. I think that is a question better posed toward White Lily Cookie herself. I would hate to say too much or too little of her condition otherwise.

[ancientlight]

( He has so much to ask White Lily. And now, with the knowledge he has, he's only all the more anxious to see her. )

... You are right. You have my apologies. Rather... What about you? Have been been fairing alright?

If there is anything that needs healing, I can give my own magic a try.

[tempurahair]

Oh, you need not apologize! [He's right back to that jovial laughter.] I simply know that whatever information I have pales in comparison to her truth! Admittedly, I arrived just before she announced this change, so my frame of reference is not what it should be!

[An enthusiastic nod is offered up.]

I am quite well. The healers of this realm saw to mending the worst of it and keeping me on bedrest for the rest of it! Still, I know many cannot claim the same. They will no doubt appreciate your efforts!

[ancientlight]

I see. It does sound as though the both of us may still be rather new. I appreciate your kindness all the more.

( To say the least. Explaining as much as he is, taking him to his friend -- it's a selfless act. He only wishes to return the favor later. )

Is there? That's wonderful to hear! Not only is that beneficial to those here, but there is joy in helping others.