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

[bladeascent]

[If this world is their origin point, everything Vildred has done for the last seven timelines makes so much sense. He needs to ask the other him how long it took to come out of the closet. (It didn't take that much time at all, Vildred. It was a non-issue.)]

... [He feels so called out, his face is burning again. What the fuck.] Smaller me didn't even know what being gay was, no way.

[So yes—]

......I really needed Ran to tell me I was gay sooner. [HE TRIED TO] He knows exactly how I act, he's the one who trained me, I bet he'd have known.

[HE TRIED TO TELL YOU BECAUSE HE'S IN HIS OWN SITUATIONSHIP WITH HIS OWN WHITE-HAIRED ANIME BOY OF COURSE HE KNEW WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING TALKING ABOUT]

[divinechains]

...Is "gay" a way you act? [ Ras does not know anything. He is also still unclear how people can just like One Gender. This is all very confusing to him. ] I am not so sure someone can pick up on the sex of human one likes based on their actions...??? Unless it is explicitly kissing or coitus with another human, I suppose.

[bladeascent]

You know, stereotypes are hard to explain, and I don't think I necessarily am one. But I guess that's why someone else would've known and not me. Stereotypes aren't usually to be trusted though, they're a grain of salt thing. Like.

[He's brushing his hands through Ras' hair as he says this.]

Usually a common stereotype is that big muscular people aren't into things like watching musicals or painting, but the reality could be that that person actually just works out and cares about fitness on top of the arts. You don't have to worry about learning stereotypes. Actually, it's probably better that you don't. They create biases.

[Humaning... is complicated.]

But yeah, I guess you can act gay. The tailor, for example. [you can't be this mean to ain he's trying his best]

[divinechains]

...I suppose this is another thing I will struggle to wrap my head around. Humans are unique to me. I would not be able to really pick out discerning traits easily like that.

[ Besides maybe their empathy and intelligence, but that aside??? ]

Even you can be confusing at times. Yet, the things that make you "you" are immensely comforting to me, anyway. Is that not strange?

[bladeascent]

I'm an enigma in that way. [No, you're a dork who laughs at his own jokes.] I don't think it's strange. The things that make you "you" are comforting to me, too.

[He laughs, again, but this one is softer this time. More muted, reverent, and his fingers run through Ras' hair as he gazes up at him. Propped up like this, he has the best seat in the house to seeing all of Ras' little microexpressions, which... aren't many but they're still cute, okay.]

...That has to be true, because clearly I've loved you in other timelines. I just wasn't aware of it until... an houuuur-ish ago.

[divinechains]

...Do you truly think so? [ Clearly, they are in love here. Unless kissing wholesale on the mouth is something non-lovers do, but he doesn't think that's the case??? People don't usually, like, do that... ]

On the one hand, it is a nice thought. But on the other, I would truly feel foolish for not disclosing my unending admiration for you sooner.

[bladeascent]

I mean, you said you saw past-us kissing, didn't you?

["Unending admiration"... Vildred wonders what he did to deserve it. Of all the heroes on Orbis, of all the people Ras could and does choose to surround himself with... why him? Vildred would say he's hardly more important than anyone else. He's a General, sure, but he's also a dork who avoids getting too downtrodden, and he's almost certainly not as strong as his father was (despite the awards) and he definitely isn't some royal with the sway to captivate entire battlefields. He's just... a guy. Just Vildred. Ras could have the world thrice over if he only asked for it, and yet...

His hand falls to the small of Ras' back, the subtle curve of his spine, and his tail lazily drapes over the Heir's legs, the fuzzy tip tickling against Ras' ankle.]

I think the past-life you here must've disclosed it, if it makes you feel better.

[Did they ever have time in their other timelines to get this far...?]

[divinechains]

I meant regarding the lives... that I can remember. [ He's still having Feelings about Not Being Diche's Vessel in a past life. He didn't even consider he could exist without her, so this is still something he's finding hard to swallow. Which is hilarious, given the context of hiding the reincarnation from everyone himself. How is he taking this harder than Vildred is?

It doesn't matter, though, he supposes. It's hard to be anxious and upset about something like that when the more important thing is keeping his focus. That Vildred loves him. Truly and genuinely loves him, as Ras always has. It's... hm. He's not sure he knows a human word good enough for this feeling. Relief, love, joy, guilt and surely others all bubble in his heart like a pot that'd been left to boil on too high of heat. He isn't even sure he knows how to convey any of this to Vildred, either. They so casually are together, cuddling on the couch, as if it were something they've grown accustomed to from being together for so long. But this is still new. Maybe not the affection, but the intimacy for sure. ]

What makes you say that...?

[bladeascent]

Besides the kissing?

[Intimacy is new. Cuddling, and being too close to each other... maybe closer than "just friends" should be? That's not new at all, and comes instinctively to Vildred without him giving much thought to why he's like this. He truly, really, isn't this touchy with anybody else. Not even his own mother got this many snuggles out of him.

He wonders if he should tell Ras later about the dreams he's been having about the two of them. That feels like a whole other level of intimacy, the sort that comes with a territory deeper than they've ventured so far. Every time Vildred thinks of all the little moments leading up to this one, he can't help but think he's a fucking idiot for being as oblivious as he's been. Regardless, that thread seems like it should be brought up later, considering...

Mm. Vildred carefully tucks his arms against Ras, tail too, and sits up, then starts moving off the couch.]

I think it was the way I saw them... us, kissing. One of the many times. [He doesn't move too far, just to the nearest wall to press Ras against it while still holding him up with one arm. The other is, of course, bracing against the wall proper.] It was like this.

[And then he leans in to kiss Ras, curious himself as to how this is much different than just a standard smooch, and uh.

Yeah this sure is a bit spicier isn't it. He's realising the error of his ways. It does not convince him to stop though.]

[divinechains]

Oops