EVENT 30

[sticksandbonesmods]

I CALL MYSELF A SHELL

A USED UP BULLET CASING

The air is cold, the sky dreary. Ever since your return to Aldric’s Grove, the chill in the air is as bitter and sharp as a knife. The scent of stew from the General Store’s windows is comforting, almost as much as the teas Ydalir is handing out if you pass by her tent. Nene puts baskets of her fresh produce on every doorstep or before the doors of people’s rooms in the inn, and Evan and Rillian join her sometimes, the two also handing out sweaters or cloaks. It’s not going to be as bad as last year, but a bitter winter is coming. It’s best to be prepared, isn’t it?

As the winter approaches, plantimals busy themselves to prepare as best they can, too. Pinecone squirrels harvest away nuts while one by one birds move as close to warmth as they can — and that may well just be Sehul and Aurora’s domains. The river water is clear as ever and even colder, with only the blessed trees and bushes still flowering and bearing fruit.

Yet nothing prepares anyone for the green mist, knee-high at the lowest, waist-high at the highest. It smells earthy and grassy, almost floral like a garden,and it pours out of the research hall.

There’s a chill in the air. Something… strange is happening, yet again.

THE AFTERMATH OF SOMETHING LETHAL

The mist is not the only thing that follows. In your homes, walking around the slowly rebuilding town, resting in the inn — all over, there are ghosts, and they all look painfully familiar. After all… it's not every day you get to see your face without a mirror.

Ghosts of the former residents of the Grove have followed where the mist flows, fragments of history that are part of you given form. Some look pristine, like they’d simply gotten up and got dressed like any normal day. Others look bloodied and wounded, clearly killed and still persisting. None seem bothered by their state — if anything, the lot are curious about the changes that have been made to the Grove, or about you.

Of course they know you. They know your pains, the life you’ve lived, they’re part of you after all… though some ghosts know the full extent better than others. You must have something you want to say, don’t you? Or… maybe you’re approached by the ghost of another soul, with something else in mind.

AN ECHO OF INFLICTED EVIL

cw: a brief instance of animal death

Within the heart of it all stands a woman almost eight feet tall, maybe more. There is an unearthly glow to her green eyes, and she wears a black gown that looks like it’s meant for a funeral and a garden party in the same day. Draped in her arm is a basket as she talks to various blooms, and occasionally she may… pluck at a passing by animal, placing a silvery light within the basket as the animal comes to a stop and finds its final rest.

She looks at each resident of the Grove as she walks, poking and pulling at things that cannot be seen — from the air, from the buildings, from you-

And then she keeps on walking, pausing only at the fog barrier.

“... What a troubling scene this sets. And the rot in the roots… beastly, isn’t it? What a shame that I cannot be here in full to set this straight.” She hums thoughtfully, before finally she stops and sits down.

“Come along now, then. I’m sure you all have questions.”

So, will you talk to Morrigan the Lady Death?

... SO COMES SNOW AFTER FIRE ...

With talking to Morrigan comes a task: close the door once more. Once this is done, the Grove settles again, a blanket of quiet settling over the little village finally. Time passes, and once the first snow starts to fall, Heimr calls everyone to the inn. White snowdrops are painted along the banisters, the door frames and windows, and warm spices and savory smells waft through the air.

Renard is dishing up different plates as you come in, and he smiles radiantly with a wave. Later on he might show off some of his creations, or hand you an instrument.

Music flows through the dining room as Ydalir feeds the fire, and some of Callisto’s meads and wines — flavored or simple honey — eventually turn up on the table. It’s nice not to be alone, right?

Unfortunately it might be ruined when Heimr sets out what looks to be a deck for UNO. And a stack of other board games. But UNO is the killer, here. UNO may just ruin your carefully-crafted friendships with everyone here. …please don’t let it do that. You’ve already been through so much together, and there’s so much more to come.

Spark Notes

summary

A USED UP BULLET CASING Fall is here and winter is fast approaching. The residents of the Grove are trying to help take care of player characters after the past two months of hardships... but one night, a green mist spills out of the Research Hall.
THE AFTERMATH OF SOMETHING LETHAL All throughout the Grove, the ghosts of your past lives linger waiting to speak to you- or to the ones you love. They know your life, though the intimate details may vary, and can be touched. And linger they will! They're very curious, you know.
THE ECHO OF INFLICTED EVIL Morrigan the Death wanders the town, poking and prodding at the magics in play. Whatever she's found, however, they have decided can wait. After all, you probably have questions, don't you?
... SO COMES SNOW AFTER FIRE ... After the Door to the Afterlife has been closed- presumably by you, someone's got to do it- and Morrigan has presumably also left, Heimr decides it's time for another community meal. And this time, he brought board games! Please do not kill each other over Monopoly.

out of character

Welcome to November! Thank you very much to Jami for allowing us to use their past life plotting and location for this event, and to Aspen for helping facilitate it ICly!. This has been a long time coming, and now you get to meet another force of nature: Death!

AC will be check-in for November and December before resuming regularly. September and October are the last TDM of the year, and we encourage you to reuse them as desired if current players wish to test new characters, or if new players want to break the ice! We check the TDMs regularly.

updates

Any potential updates, such as characters damaging something important or whatever else, will be put here.

submissions

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

code

Comments

[bluebasketballed]

[well, congrats, genya, you're headed the exact same way as akaza?? who is currently clenching his teeth in frustration. why can't this guy just shut up and leave him alone.]

It's none of your business! Back off!

[namuthing]

[Genya pauses after a moment, then outright sneers.]

Guess you wouldn't mind if your pet demon slayer found out about it either then, huh?

[And with that, Genya takes off running in the, uh. Vague direction of the River. Is he following the path? Maybe, maybe not.]

[bluebasketballed]

[at first, akaza is infuriated that this punk would stoop so low as to tattle -- but then he makes to bust off of the paths, and boy. would it be a hell of a lot worse for him if he let the forest eat genya than if his attempt at making things right got spoiled.

his own deer gets dropped as he crouches, then leaps with all his might at genya. akaza snags the human by the back of his collar, plants the balls of his feet against a tree, and uses it to ricochet the both of them back over the path. for pulling that stupidass move, akaza aims to yeet genya straight down onto the ground before akaza lands on his own two feet like a normal person.]

What the hell do you think you're doing?! I told you not to get yourself lost or killed!

[namuthing]

[If Genya had any idea what it was, he might have compared himself to a pinball the way he's shot back and forth before finally being spiked like a football. As it is, he finds himself spitting out dirt and glowering up at Akaza. A few of his bones feel like they might have cracked, and he's definitely going to bruise.

Nevertheless, he smirks up at Akaza.]

That big of a deal, keeping it a secret?

[Don't mind him, he'll crawl to his feet. He has no idea where his deer wound up, but it doesn't matter. He's even lighter now, and can make a second attempt at running off.

... At least this time he keeps to the right path.]

[bluebasketballed]

[this is great. akaza should have fucking known better than to trust this short-fused brat to help, here.

yet again, akaza gives chase, but this time it's in an attempt to straight up tackle genya to the ground.]

Cut that shit out!

[namuthing]

[Genya can feel Akaza coming. Even with the scant bite he's had, he's still powerful against the demon's full force. If he had just a bit more strength -

But then, that's the perfect idea, isn't it? He twists around as soon as the thought crosses his mind, allowing Akaza to outright tackle him and send him hurtling toward the ground. His body aches, then screams, but he keeps enough of a grip on himself to lean up and sink his teeth straight into Akaza's shoulder.]

[bluebasketballed]

[akaza wishes he could take any pleasure in a fight right now, but this is nothing short of annoying at best. he grabs a fistful of genya's hair and yanks with measured strength, trying to pull him off without breaking his neck.]

Quit! Fucking! Eating me!

[yes, he is aware of the irony. fuck you.]

[namuthing]

[Genya knows he hasn't had nearly enough time to let the blood and flesh take effect, but nevertheless, he fights back. He throws a punch, hard as he can, right at Akaza's jaw.]

Quit - fuckin' - trying to fuck with the Grove!!

cw dental trauma mention

[bluebasketballed]

[the slayer still has some of his power, and he's already leagues above a normal human, so the punch absolutely lands hard. there's a crack upon the connect, but this time akaza makes the effort to spit blood and a tooth out of the brat's fucking reach. his cheek will bruise within the minute, but he knows it'll vanish almost as quickly.

still, it isn't the fight that puts a desperate note in his tone. this is so fucked. even when he's trying to do the right thing, it still can't go his way.]

I'm not trying to fuck with anyone! I'm trying to make it right!

[namuthing]

[Akaza is wise to spit the tooth away, not that it matters all that much. There's enough strength beginning to pool in his limbs that he doesn't need to bother. Instead, he shoves the entire bulk of his body upward, shoving Akaza off him at first, then down onto the ground.]

What the hell does that even - mean!

[And just for good measure, he'll punch Akaza a second time.

... It just feels good to actually beat up a demon, man.]

[bluebasketballed]

[really, genya could keep swinging. akaza will toss him around, but still can't bring himself to actually try hurting him in return. as it is, he briefly sees a bang of white when genya's fist connects with his temple. it's strange, to be on his back on the ground and looking up at his opponent. this hasn't happened to him in years.]

If I tell you, will you calm the hell down?!

cw: drool

[namuthing]

[Again, a flash of something else crosses through Genya's mind. Distinctly, he recalls being somewhere else, pinned to the ground at first with someone standing over him, then face down and feeling something crack against his back, again and again and again.

It's enough to send him tumbling back off of Akaza, once again hissing and spitting as he presses the heel of his palm to his head. He squints off in Akaza's direction, half-blind and still salivating.]

I'll hear you - fuck - out. No guarantees from there.

[bluebasketballed]

[whatever the hell is wrong with genya seems to be in his stupidass head. akaza doesn't know if that's more annoying or reassuring, but if it gets the slayer off his back long enough to even try talking it out...]

The trader needs the eyes -- [even while he's admitting to doing something that might be construed as generous, it seems to pain akaza, given his hesitation.] -- to fix Kyojuro's. And the rest of the meat is to feed people. [okay, saying he's trying to help people is done, time to resume being grumpy.] So you need to get over yourself and go find the carcass you dropped!

[namuthing]

[There is... a lot running around in Genya's head. There's the strnage memories, which paint a drastically different picture of Akaza. Then there's the fact that, once again, he seems to have hastily thrown out assumptions and nearly gotten someone hurt for it.

Most importantly, though:]

You had me runnin' around helping with your gay shit?!

[bluebasketballed]

[out of all of this, akaza just has the one reaction --]

I'M NOT GAY!

[namuthing]

YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE -

[Somewhere in the woods, something howls, conveniently sounding out whatever Genya may or may not have said.

Anyway, he's flipping Akaza the bird, thanks.]

Carry your own deer! I'm not helping with your weirdo demon courting rituals.

[He's storming off down the path once again.]

[bluebasketballed]

[UGH. THIS STUPID FUCKING KID. one day, akaza is going to pummel this guy.

... at least if he's going to be like THAT about it, akaza doesn't think he has to worry about him blabbing to kyojuro.

fine. the shithead can find his own way back while akaza backtracks and lugs TWO dead deer all the way to the shop. and pluck out dozens of eyes in front of poor heimr.]