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

code

Comments

QUESTIONS

[sticksandbonesmods]

INVESTIGATIONS

[sticksandbonesmods]

Please use the following form for investigations:

Character(s):
Location:
Action: What are they looking for? What are they doing?

<b>Character(s):</b> <b>Location:</b> <b>Action:</b>

MONSTER SUBMISSIONS

[sticksandbonesmods]

For monsters you came up with that you want to share with the group (please base them on your character's traumas!), please give us the following info:
- What they look like
- How they attack
- If they roam, stalk, are stationary, etc
- Any other relevant behaviours

For monsters you need the mods to come up with, please give us:
- Your character's traumas (multiple is fine) but not their fears; there is a (pedantic) difference between "I was starved nearly to death (trauma)" and "I don't want to starve(fear)"
- Appropriate trigger warnings/cws where they apply, please!

Your fear monsters from the last event will not be reappearing in this one!

Kyojuro Rengoku | Demon Slayer | Current Player

[tempurahair]

i. You're on Fire — Around Roseroot, pre-chaos

[With only a month of experiences to be had in the Grove, Kyojuro Rengoku settles almost too easily into this new town. He finds a simple home to settle into, the door left open for someone he's sure is following behind him.

But when he turns, the man isn't there. Maybe it isn't surprising. The sun had risen shortly after their arrival, and the demon was likely hiding out from it. It wasn't as if they were required to stick together. Nevertheless, Kyojuro makes a note to leave the door unlocked that evening.

Not once does he think to question how dulled his senses seem to feel, like a fog has crept into his very mind. That guiding star in the form of Akaza's demonic presence no longer registers within the back of his mind. As far as he's concerned, it's probably normal. He's simply grown used to it.

Nothing to worry about.

Free to explore, Kyojuro makes his way through the cuisine of the town. You're sure to find him by sound first, an absolute cacophony of "tasty" and "delicious," along with any other joyful exclamation you can imagine.

Don't worry. He'll share!]

ii. The Way You Dance With the Devil Tonight — Around Roseroot, in the fog

[The sound of shattering glass wakes Kyojuro some time later. He's lost track of the days spent within the murk of town. The fog presses in thicker and thicker still, while the buildings seem to rot in within themselves. Familiar faces are no longer commonplace. Isolating as it all is, Kyojuro's first thought might have gone to the use of a blood demon art. But dulled as his senses are, it's hard to make heads or tails of whether or not one is actually present.

He can't even find Akaza through the mess. Perhaps that's why he wakes so quickly, in hopes? that the demon has finally come bursting through a window. Kyojuro might even forgive him for the property damage, relieved as he might be. But there is no sign of the other man, nor a trace of a broken window.

His mind drifts outside, wondering if, perhaps, the source of the noise has come from beyond this home. But when he steps through the door, blade in hand, he sees them.

For the past day, shadows have been dancing at the edge of Kyojuro's vision. Now, they take shape. They wear uniforms similar to Kyojuro's own, but move with uncanny, jerking steps. They don't look to him, don't even utter a single form of address.

But they march. Forward the group goes, until they have assembled before Kyojuro. As the wind blows, he swears he detects the scent of sake, just barely. Their arms, behind their backs at first, drift forward and —

Kyojuro only has seconds to dive to the side as the first launches, javelin-esque hand aimed straight for his solar plexus.]

iii. You've Got That Last Dance Look in Your Eyes — Around Roseroot, in the fog (CW: Alcoholism, Gore, Child Abuse, Emetophobia)

[The days pass in a blur. No matter where Kyojuro goes, they follow. He can hide for a few hours, collect his thoughts and tend to scrapes and bruises, but eventually they find him again. He's avoided any egregious wounds, but the scar on his chest still lingers and aches when he moves too quickly.

But that isn't what he's worried about.

For days he's heard the sound of sobbing. The faint traces of sake he occasionally detected in the air now stain every breath. It makes him want to gag, but he doesn't have time for that. He has to keep moving.

A shout, one he could swear was his name, breaks the silence. He whips around, and finds another collection of slayers. They stand at nine in total. Blood stains their clothing, viscera drips from gaping wounds on their stomachs, their throats, every inch of their bodies.

They stop before him, just as before. Only this time, their attacks do not come without warning. Instead, he hears the shattering of glass, followed by a shout in a voice he could never forget.

"I am the last of the Flame Hashira. You can't take my place."

His hands slam to his ears, just like he remembers needing to do. He isn't sure if it's the impact, the feeling of his balance upending from the attempts to re-rupture his ear drums, is why his mouth swims with bile, or if it's the smell in the air. And he doesn't seem to notice the way the monsters have taken notice and converge upon him.]

iv. Don't Let Your Heart Die — Wildcard

[Do your worst. Just fuck me up.]

Min-Gi Park | Infinity Train | Current Player

[outofsynth]

DEAD MAN'S PARTY - Bone-Jangles Hauz

[Between the final night of the circus and Ryan's recent rejection, Min's not exactly in the mood for a party. If he didn't think it would make Ryan worry more for him to skip it, he almost certainly would have stayed home.

As it is, he actually manages to have a pretty nice time. Some of the offerings are things he doesn't recognize, but there are plenty of foods he knows only too well from Earth. The Korean dishes don't quite measure up to his mom's, but they're still a welcome change after going so long without, and after the pineapple debate he's practically obligated to take a few slices of Hawaiian pizza.

He'll gladly offer his recommendations when it comes to the foods he recognizes, or ask questions when it comes to the ones he doesn't.]

SKELETONS - Roseroot, in the fog

[The skeletons that pursue him after the fog falls are nothing like the Bone-Jangles family. These ones seem unlikely to have any treats in store if they catch up to him. While Min-Gi is still so far removed from a fighter, he does at least have some means to protect himself now. He's learned his lesson from the circus, and this time he keeps his mini-synth firmly in hand.

Its scope is limited, however, and intentionally or not it seems a few of the skeletons have banded together. He's not backed into a corner yet, but it feels like they're closing in. He's still trying to save his ammunition for the last minute, so he turns to give a desperate look to the unlucky person who's found themselves in the same predicament.]

Do you think we can make that gap?

[It's fairly wide, but narrow enough it wouldn't be impossible for one of the skeletons to successfully make a grab for one of them.]

MIND THE DOCENT - Roseroot, in the fog

[Even within the shelter of the still mostly intact building he's managed to find it's far too cold. He sits out of the way in a shadowy corner, tugging his jacket tighter around himself in an attempt to keep himself warm.

There's no point going back out there. Everyone's out for themselves anyway. It wouldn't matter if he lucked out and ran into a person instead of a monster. He doubts they'd want to deal with him. His mini-synth sits a few feet away on the ground, discarded carelessly with the stylus still out. He'd had to use up the last of the soundwaves to get himself in here unseen. It'll be as useless as he is for a while yet.

Behind him, the shadows seem to grow darker, something he seems to be completely oblivious to. Actually, he seems pretty oblivious to everything. His knees are pulled up close to his chest, and behind the glare he's giving the ground just beyond his feet his eyes almost seem empty.]

WILDCARD

[Hit me up at thlayli or PM me if you have ideas for anything else!]

Vildred Dayern | Epic7 | Current Player

[bladeascent]

i. city of roses
a) arrival/splorin

[The proposition to get out of here had been nice, considering everything, but Vildred can't help but feel like this is all some sort of trick. Call it a knight's paranoia. Still, he won't stay behind — he feels like he should go with everyone, escort the truck in case they're attacked or something. He's expecting to be able to make a return trip and just be That Guy who takes up a seat but otherwise helps out.

The drivers do not let him do this. They drop him off, and before he can blink they fucking leave.

Okay. Uh.

He's here now!]

I suppose we check this place out. I'll follow you.

[Did you expect to be alone on your vacation? Yes? Too bad, you have an overprotective Guy here now.]

b) retail therapy

[Okay, so this town is empty. Cool, and not at all an omen, definitely. Still, everything seems to be functioning in some strange way. There's running water, the house he's occupied is normal, there's electricity, there's food... in a way, it feels like he shouldn't be complaining, but he can't shake the feeling that this will all come crashing down. His brain feels a bit like it's full of holes, to be honest. Things are missing. He knows they're missing.

Still, there's nothing productive to be done in festering, so Vildred decides he's going to go do something. This leads him to what appears to be a strip mall, all the lights on and mannequins in the windows showing off outfits — some of those mannequins look, uh, familiar-ish? like a girl he saw back at the Grove he thinks? — but that surely isn't an issue.

He wouldn't call himself fashionable, exactly, but while he's here... he may as well go inside. If you're outside with him, you may just be dragged in, otherwise he'll find you in the store proper.]

Hey. Do you think that jacket would look good on me?

[This man wears Only jackets, please help him get taste.]

ii. wow it's silent hill

[Imagine Vildred's surprise when everything goes to shit! (There's none, no surprise whatsoever, he is in fact extremely prepared for the worst at all moments.)

The most important thing in his mind is helping people get out of the city. If both you and him have to sneak through it, so be it; some of these monsters seem particularly blind or not very smart, and that at least makes the job a little easier. If you can just find an exit...

...which is the problem...

The exits aren't where they were when the town first became inhabited again. The paths he carefully mapped in his head aren't open. The fog is too thick to see through in most cases, and there doesn't seem to be an easy "out". He wonders if it would be safer to hole up indoors, but ideally he'd like to just... leave. Get you out of here and turn around for the others.

It's as he's thinking of that, that he hears a heavy footstep, like that of a fully armoured knight. When he turns to look over his shoulder, said knight is in the distance, stabbed through with seven different blades. Vildred gives it a wide berth, thinking to himself that it's best if something that huge and well-armoured doesn't see the two of you, and then the light glints off of the swords just enough for him to realise they're engraved. From this distance, he can't see them, but...]

Hey. I'm going to go over there and kill that thing.

[BY YOURSELF??? After all this sneaking?]

iii. wildcard

[you know where i live]

Re: QUESTIONS

[mooninthewater]

Hi hi two questions

1. Do we still remember Suri/the goddesses? Since like knowledge and belief is a big thing I can see those parts of our memory not being tampered w but I just wanted to know!

2. In silent hill there’s like. Radios/TVs etc. in places that are “““Safe””” that end up playing distorted memories or things said to the character that hurt them, etc. Do we have any of that here by chance~? (“This isn’t silent hill rubie it’s just based on it” OK BUT HEAR ME OUT-)

[sticksandbonesmods]

1. You remember Suri and the Goddesses. You do not remember Zonari. Hope this helps! :)!

2. Hm. I will allow this on the basis of Rule of Cool.

Firefly / Sam | Honkai: Star Rail | current player

[dreamunchained]

Travel;

[You don't get Firefly, for the trek to Roseroot -- you get Sam, flying alongside one of the trucks in a burst of flame. When the truck comes to a stop, he settles down on the ground next to it, his head moving to and fro as he scans the nearby area for any immediate threats.]

Hm.

[Nothing of interest! Which was a bit jarring, actually. Sam had tried to test the limits of how far he could fly pretty early on in his time here, and he'd been as boxed in as everyone else. What was different? What had changed? His train of thought is derailed by people pulling their stuff out of the truck, and he moves over to look at the nearest person with more than they ought to have packed and extends his hand.]

Allow me to carry some of your burden.

[Easier to focus on what he could do than to worry about what he didn't know.]

City;

[Firefly stares into the storefront of a nice looking boutique shop, squinting in puzzlement with her hands on her hips. As soon as someone walks by, she waves them over, gesturing to the mannequins that lined the inside of the glass window.]

Am I going crazy, or do those look like me?

[She's not crazy, unfortunately. It's not 1:1, especially with the different outfits, varying gender, and different haircuts, but it's pretty darn uncanny.]

Iron Cavalry Knights;

[When the town officially shifts, so do the mannequins. Their various previous attire is exchanged for plugsuits, and when you approach, they slowly creak to life, be it from a storefront with a broken front window, inside a building, or off of the very ground itself, as if laying there dead, ambling after you with hands outreached, gurgles sounding from their mouths. Now, even more than ever, their faces look identical to Firefly.

If Firefly sees you trying to hurt one of them, she'll run over, desperation written across her face.]

Wait, wait, they--!

[The gurgling changes. "You let us die...", whisper the mannequins. "You didn't protect us." Firefly winces, turning away from the approaching Knights with regret written across her face. "Your time is almost up, too."

Her eyes snap open wide.]

The Swarm; (cw: bugs)

[Hope you like bugs, because you're being attacked by insectoid creatures! But before you have time to truly react, there's someone else already on the case. Sam slams onto the scene, fire searing as he immolates the few creatures that were flying towards you. The last one alive is still rather small, and he crushes it into ashes in his hand, before letting it scatter to the wind. Turning to you, there's a tilt of his head and an urgency in his voice.]

Have you seen more of these creatures?

dead mans party

[dreamunchained]

Oh! That's an Oak Cake Roll!

[She'll pipe up when he asks a question about a particular cake set on the table, perhaps a little too excited after a month of debacle of her and Thorns trying to recreate it. Look! Look! It's finally here!]

It's kinda an acquired taste, though.

ii.

[sparkplugs]

[Cy seems to come out from nowhere, fur on end as she stands between Kyojuro and his attackers. Muted motes of light pour from her eyes, landing on the uniformed figures. The one who'd been about to freezes up, turning jerkily before heading back through the group and away in the direction they came. The movement is strange and unnatural, bumping into the others as it leaves, as though it does not see them.

The same cannot be said for the others. Despite being touched by the motes they don't seem to have been so much as slowed. Cy's eyes are glazed, but she still seems confused as the rest of them continue to advance. She staggers back, spent from exerting her powers.]

Too much. Your turn now.

Aira Shiratori ♡ Ensemble Stars ♡ Current player+muse

[love_swan]

Family Dinner ♡1》Feel free to have your character have pulled the poor terrified thing out of the hole he wakes up
[ Aira's not really sure what to make of this house and family that's just spouted up out of nowhere, and he's not willing to expand on why the mere sight of Bone-Jangles and his family made him white as a sheet and rigid. They weren't as easily hand-waved like the skeleton brothers had been, but it's because of knowing Sans and Papyrus previously that he was able to eventually relax around them at all.

He's still more jumpy than average during that first day, ill at ease for a variety of reasons, but at least not terrified like he had been. By the time he’s been showered off and sat down for dinner, he has some color back to his face and can manage a tense smile at them and the other people that were gathered. He’s been seated next to you at the table, and a big bowl of stew was placed in front of him. Not his favorite by any measure, but it was a comfort food from his world in some places, and a staple of fall. He’s not surprised to see it. He’s more impressed by Mrs.Bone-Jangles’ foresight to force him to eat vegetables. He doesn’t start eating right away though, so you may well notice the boy just picking at the mixture. ]

A Home Away From Home ♡2》
[ He’s scared when he first wakes up unsure of where he is. It takes a moment of fussing before he realizes just where he’s ended up and finds his things. The whole place feels off regardless of how beautiful it is. He’s not really sure why he can’t seem to settle down- their surroundings are beautiful, the buildings are in good shape and while things are dead… that’s not really different than the Grove right? There are things that don’t make sense but… Well, He’s far from someone who could handle that to begin with. He just hopes it’s figured out soon

In the meantime, he’s found a house. Well, house is an understatement actually. It’s closer to a chateau style mansion, with a large courtyard at the edge of town… Normally Aira would never claim something so large and extravagant for himself, but between the fountain out front having a swan as a centerpiece, and the consistent iconography, it felt… too much of a coincidence for him not to stay there. He’s looking around the manicured courtyard when he’s found and he jolts, as though found doing something he shouldn’t. ]

Ah, sorry… I was lost in thought.

Around town ♡3》
[ Finding Aira during the calm before the storm is not difficult. He can easily be found walking the courtyard of the mansion he’s inhabiting, or in town, familiarizing himself with the shops and… getting more and more anxious about the lack of other people there. Aside from the two that brought them there, there aren’t really anyone else. Wasn’t this supposed to be outside the forest’s reach? Where is everyone?

The worried thoughts come and go like waves upon a shore, and that is perhaps the most disconcerting part of it. ]

Oh, hello. It’s nice to see you made it. Do you need help getting settled?

[ Whatever the case, these people are here now, he might as well help get the others comfortable, it’s going to get worse quickly, he fears. ]

Suffocating Fog ♡4》
[ Get worse it certainly does. The fog thickens day by day, the streets fill with monsters until they’ve near on overrun the place, and this home he’d left behind has become a labyrinth of twisting mottled halls and deadly creatures lurking.

He can hear it. He can hear screams in the distance, cries of pain, sounds of fighting- but that’s never been something he’s been able to do much about himself… He can’t help them, he’d only be a hindrance at best. Aira clutches his gem close to his chest, knowing that he is very, very screwed if anything happens to it during this mess.

But if he stays here he’s just as screwed. He can’t hide forever.

Slowly but surely the boy makes his way out of the mansion and onto the streets, attempting to sneak. He’s not exactly well trained so it can’t be helped if someone manages to spot him… ]

Can Anyone Hear? ♡5》
[ It’s inevitable really, that the monsters would find him at some point. As much as he tried, he’s always been one to stand out at the worst of times. The click of bones knocking together is chilling on its own when it’s headed right for you, and its worse when he catches a glimpse of them and notices what’s hanging from them. Pieces of jewelry, strips of clothing. Unremarkable on anything else, but it marks these as people he knew. He can recognise HiMERU’s necklace or one of the friendship bracelets Hiiro had been wearing. He can recognize that damn headband on one of them and it just proves to infuriate him– as if he’s not wearing the real thing on his wrist right now.

It’s not them, It can’t be, and yet the guilt settles into his gut and weighs him down. He’s seen the purple hellhound patrolling the grounds as well. It’s sniffing for him eyes like a cold fire, its howl hauntingly familiar, like the wailing notes of a song.

It’s hunting him. The shades are searching for him. And now they’ve caught him. After all, it’s just him, he could never have outrun them.

The hellhound launches at him when it finds him, jaws latching around his shoulder in a near miss to tear out his throat. The poor boy can’t help the cry of pain that’s ripped from him as he tries to pry it off, pleading softly for ‘Mayoi’ to let go of him. ]

[digitalgirl]

can i make there be an arcade is that okay--

Mind the Docent

[wild_style]

[ The place had a similar vibe to Shinjuku since he arrived there, he'd noticed. Not the same, but similar. Remnants of those that lived here sticking around maybe? He can't place it, and now wasn't really the time to think about it. He could analyze the specifics of what fresh hell he'd found himself in later. For now... he was fighting his way through.

Happening upon someone else from the grove in one of the houses he ducked into wasn't really in his plan, but he'd learned his lesson on empathy the hard way. ]

Hey. Are you alright?

[ He sees those shadows... He's not sure what they mean, but he'll try to get him away from them. ]

iii

[love_swan]

[ It's funny in an ironic way when the fog rolls in. He's so used to it from the Nest that it's almost like he never left. The biting winter chill, the fog, the howls of unknown horrors beyond his ken. It's like he's been shot right back there.

And like in the nest he's... fine? For a few days at least. Before the loneliness gets to him, before the paranoia sets in, before the howls seem too close--

But it worsens day by day, and soon it's a fight for their lives. He's not sure what drew him out this direction, or if it was simply the only way he could move forward without getting spotted by the skeletons and other monsters he knew were on his heels. Either way he sees Kyojuro get knocked back, and he sees the monsters start to swarm.

... He knows there's not much of a choice in this situation. With a deep breath and all the strength he can muster, he rushes out and yanks Kyojuro away from the crowd of monsters, just enough to avoid the attack they'd prepared. ]

C'mon! Run!

[ There is no room for debate, he's tugging Kyojuro along behind him, the question is if he's going to go with him or not. ]

[outofsynth]

Oh! Because it looks like an oak stump.

[He gets it.]

Why's it an acquired taste?

[outofsynth]

[Min tenses up when he hears the voice, the concern grating rather than reassuring. He doesn't look up, but that doesn't mean he can feel him watching. Judging, probably. After a few moments of heavy silence, he finally speaks.]

Go away.

[He's dimly aware that maybe the stranger could actually worried, but this house is one of the few that's in almost passable condition. Is it more likely he wants to help him, or does he just want to take his place here?

The latter is the suspicion that's creeping further into his brain.]

[wild_style]

[ Ah. Well he probably should have expected a response like that. No one's really alright even if they're physically fine.

He raises an eyebrow at the guy and starts to scope their surroundings. He quietly draws curtains, gathers debris, blocks large gaps and then... puts the debris near Min enough for him to get some use out of the fire he lights. ]

You look cold. 'S going to be a long night if you plan to stay here.

Faust | Arknights | Current Player + muse

[moonwhispers]

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead 1》
[ The feeling of dirt underneath him is far from being new. If anything it was nostalgic in a pointedly unpleasant way that he wasn’t keen on thinking too hard about. The fact it was a hole in the ground, seemingly a grave was disconcerting, but given what would have happened to him in their world it’s also not surprising.

The sound of singing has him scrambling out of the hole quickly, but the bird creature has slunk off to a distance by the time he’s out.

It’s been following him, but it won’t let him near it, and it only ever seems to leave when Eno is there… he’s not even sure if other people can hear it. Regardless, it seems important somehow. He picks up a stray feather, pale, but tapering into a familiar dark shade. Like the feathers themselves were tainted by oripathy. For now he keeps it, but the nagging feeling persists. ]

Mephisto?

[ He must be around here somewhere. ]

Fish Out of Water 2》
[ One way or another he ends up here, whether he’s reassured about the family or was pointed there while looking for something he’s very quickly swept into the hustle and bustle of a household and expected to manage. If it didn’t remind him of those early days at Reunion he may well have frozen when handed a pot and asked to help set the table.

Not freezing doesn’t make him less awkward about it as he settles the pot on a potholder and is guided to a seat before he can slink off. Plopped down between mere strangers, he’s tense. He keeps glancing at the others as though they might attack at any moment. ]

… Is this normal here?

A New Unknown 3》 serves as a starter for any point before the creatures become unmanageable
[ He and Eno eventually decided to leave for Roseroot after some hesitation. He’d still had misgivings, and he’s not sure either of them trusted this situation. But someone Eno liked was going, and if he was going then so was Sasha, that’s just how things go.

That said, the sense of unease only amplified realizing he somehow didn’t remember most of the trip over. Things seemed safe enough for now, but he didn’t trust this. His first order of business was finding shelter for the two of them. It’s a rhythm he’s used to. Taking care of himself and Eno was second nature by now. He even started making note of his supplies so that he could make more arrows and crossbow bolts if he ran out.

Considerations like that led him to the clothing store. Not necessarily for anything nice to wear so much as he wanted to make sure Eno had a coat or something in case of a cold snap. Or perhaps you find him while he’s stocking up on non-perishables. He’s not getting blindsided if he can help it. ]

For Those Left Behind 4》
[ Day by day the fog thickens, settles around the rapidly decaying town like a sickness. At first it reminded him a bit of Crownslayer’s Arts, but her smoke cloud wasn’t quite so oppressive. Going outside at night quickly became a bad idea.

Its like this place was mocking him, really. The first time he saw one- a man with jagged rock-like growths jutting out of his back- he thought he was imagining it, but they only grew more numerous as days went by. They attacked indiscriminately, they had no regard for their safety or the safety of anyone else. He could only call it haunting- he’s sure if he got closer he’d be able to tell who some were meant to be.

Part of him wanted to get upset, the other part knew this was probably a trap. ]

… We need to clear a path out of here or we’re going to be killed.

Wildcard 5》
[ Come at me. ]

[tempurahair]

[It is a truly magnificent display on Cy's part. Kyojuro finds himself watching, baffled as the young slayer about faces and shambles away. For a moment, he dares to hope that this will be it — the rest of the corps members will mirror their companion and turn away. Instead, he is forced to watch as the others shamble forward yet again.

His turn. Cy says it as if it's that easy. And realistically, it should be. But between his ailing body and the familiar faces in the bunch, Kyojuro can hardly stomach the idea of attacking back. A demon was easy — the head could be lopped off, and everything would be done.

This is far more difficult.

Still, standing around will do them no favors. And so Kyojuro lifts his blade for the first time. He breathes in, before moving his sword in the multiple arcs needed for fifth form. Flame takes shape, rising into the billowing facade of a tiger. It roars forward into the empty space between the slayers, drawing their attention.

At least long enough for Kyojuro to bend down and pull Cy up into his arm. He's turned tail and begun to run before the flames die out.]

Stay still! I will get us out of here!

[tempurahair]

[At first, all Kyojuro can really do is stumble along beside Aira. All he can hear in his head is the sound of shattering glass, of a man's voice roaring his every failure into his ears. He doesn't even seem to process who is pulling him along until the slash of a sword just barely misses Aira.

His body shifts then, speeding up enough to practically be at Aira's heels. His frame is just broad enough to take the worst of the blows, should any come. Thankfully, their pursuers are slow and shambling, driven on by another force than their own bodies.]

I'm right behind you! Keep moving!

Ain (Bluhen Route) | Elsword | Current Player

[eidxiety]

i. roseroot time

["It's probably a bad idea to go," says one of the many dream-voices in his head, but Ain knows better than to think he won't be alone if he doesn't follow along after the truck. He doesn't deal with solitude well, he knows he doesn't, and so he heads off with the others in hopes that whatever awaits them beyond the Grove is any good. They get to the mountains and (lwaeioafg,fhwlfh, welfjsifo) wow mysteriously they're in Roseroot!

Ain can't pin it, but he feels like his memories have been scrambled. That's not very nice, considering he's supposed to be able to block that shit! What the fuck!

Already off to a bad start, Ain shuffles further into town.

...

He is immediately lost within the spa, again, within a few hours. This one isn't inhabited by Sirens who want to kill him, and he's not a fish this time either! Truly exciting developments.]

Let's go get our nails done~.

[You are coming with him. You do not have a choice.]

ii. self-indulgent ain bullying

[He feels the tug of something pulling at his psyche before he's aware of what it is. It feels familiar, like something calling out to him, and so he braves the fog and flies through the rotting buildings and crumbling archways until he lands in front of a warehouse.

He can hear the way She wails within the stone walls before he even pushes the door open. Logically, like with most things here, Ain knows this isn't real — the comrades at his side, the ones unseen that Zahran left in his head to assuage his aches, aren't real either. They can do nothing against a manifested Goddess hanging from the ceiling, Her long hair dragging through dust and grime as She pivots toward him.

Ishmael had never been kind enough to grace him with Her presence. No matter how much he had begged for it, She had scorned him, She had likened him to something that didn't deserve to be human. She had told him in no uncertain terms to die.

Her speech is garbled and backwards, but Ain knows somewhere in there is his name. Ainchase Ishmael. You do not deserve your name.]

You have to help me, [he whispers to you, unsure if you're a hallucination or real,] I need to put her down.

iii. wildcard

[you know the drill etc]

[sticksandbonesmods]

hello sorgy wolfie was at a concert—

So arcades are a little high tech for this setting. At most we kind of do early 1900s tech (so very old radios are allowed). There can be a game corner that's focused on board games though!


(The video games and TV in the Grove were Mizuki's regains and aren't powered by electricity, so those are fair game; otherwise yeah we have to keep it low tech. Sorry!)

[astralprojection]

wrong acct but ilu hope u had fun

i understand that's why i wanted to doublecheck :)

Luca Aurelius || OC || Current Player

[unheiring]

i. Teeth of God — Roseroot, pre-fog

[It’s an innocuous question, albeit strange. “Do you remember those gargoyles,” someone asks him. The answer spills out of his lips before he really has time to think about it. Of course not. He would remember something as strange as that.

But an awful thorn lodges itself into his chest when he speaks. He can’t place why, and truthfully doesn’t even consider the idea that it might be because of the conversation he’d had. After all, the more time that passes, the more foreboding things become.

Still, when he finds an old speakeasy to settle in, he finds himself sitting at the bar with whoever might be patronizing it. He pours himself a glass of wine and takes a too large sip. Only then does he finally seem to find his words:]

Do you feel like… something might be out of place?

ii. Blood of Man — Roseroot, mid-fog; cw: implied immolation

[Whatever doubts Luca may have, however, are easily forgotten in the face of what comes next. Regular monsters, or at least monsters that he does not know the meaning of, are one thing. Between flame and steel, Luca is able to move through most of them. Sure, some of the black and white bears get a little annoying, but they’re easy enough to dispatch.

But not what he finds nearly a week into his time in Roseroot. He’s searched tirelessly for a way out. Instead, he finds himself face to face with a horrible creature.

He knows the Phoenix’s semblance by heart. Not only did he live with the Beast within his mind for over two decades, but he still can vividly recall the moment when he plunged that watery spear into its heart.

So maybe he shouldn’t be surprised that it made itself a new one. Not just any heart, either. Burned bodies have wrapped around one another. While most of their distinguishing features have been destroyed by a long extinguished flame, enough remain to ensure that Luca knows just who he’s looking at. It’s one made of the tightly wound curls of an exhausted woman, and the inky black locks of a man who looks more like a fish than a human. An older woman with eyes that might have once been kindly stares out at Luca, something close to hate now lingering in her gaze. And at the center of it all, a man with Luca’s own hair lays. His gaze does not see, instead staring blankly ahead.

He does, however, slide one hand through the ribs of the Beast he’s trapped within. He extends it to Luca for one second, then two — index finger pointed outward in a silent accusation — before finally letting it drop.]

Father —

[It’s the only thing he can choke out before the bird screeches its own hate. The noise causes the long blinded Beast to whip to Luca, poison dripping from its maw. The saliva hits the ground with a disturbing sizzle, almost like acid, as it begins to lumber toward Luca.]

iii. I Will Be What I Am — Wildcard

[U know what to do chat.]