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

[chickenchoicejudy]

[The admission catches Ryan by surprise, but he's more curious than concerned. He raises an eyebrow, wondering just how much they know. Do they know about the train? Either way, it means this Min-Gi knows some of the worse things he's done and still chose to comfort him, and that means so much to Ryan. Of course he would though. Even if he isn't his Min-Gi, he's still Min-Gi.

He nods at the description. That's where they're at, and both of them are scared to lose each other, but it's just like any other time they haven't been on the same page. They need to talk, even if it sucks. They know how to change it, they just...have to do it.]

Sure. Does that mean you have one in mind?

[If he's being totally honest, it isn't about the stars at all. He just enjoys hearing him talk about them. It's kind of soothing, even if he feels a little like he asked him for a bedtime story like a little kid. Ryan is usually the more talkative one between the two, but it's always felt like a treat when he gets Min-Gi going about something. A lot of the time it's a mutual interest, like going back and forth about music opinions, but even if he doesn't know much about the stars it's nice to hear this Min-Gi talk about them.]

[outofsynth]

I have a few in mind.

[He'd love to share all of them, but he knows he can't. Min falls silent, deciding on the best one he can end on. He could tell one designed to guide him, but they've already had conversations about that, and the first story had been Min and Ryan's own story. Perhaps it would be nice for him to be able to switch off from that for a while.

He looks across the stars, eventually landing not on a constellation, but a singular star. Bright and large in an otherwise empty spot in the sky.]

That's Polaris. Back home we have a saying.

"No matter where you go, the stars can always guide you home."

But the truth is, you only need one star. It's Polaris who will guide you. It looks as though it's almost directly above Polaris Landing.

Long ago, Polaris brought together many travellers, all with the promise of discovering their perfect home. They trusted it. After all, why wouldn't they believe the word of the brightest star? The travellers came from all over, each having their own tale of how they came to join the group. Some were desperate to escape their pasts, while others sought excitement and adventure. Some of them cared only about finding a place where they could settle.

Diverse as they were, the one thing that united them was Polaris. By day they would rest, or sit around sharing stories of what they would do when they at last reached their destination. By night they followed it, marvelling at its beauty.

When at last they reached the land that Polaris brought them to, they were dismayed. With nothing to be seen for miles but snow and a river so frozen they couldn't see it at first for what it was, how could this be the perfect home Polaris had promised them?

Polaris did not seem upset by their complaints, however. "Patience," it told them. "There are those among you who can build shelter. There are those who know how to dig through the ice and fish. Some of you are skilled in raising children. The more adventurous among you will be able to establish trade with far off places."

No one was happy with its platitudes, but what choice did they have? A blizzard would soon set in, and there was no time to turn back. Two of their quickest were chosen with the task of bringing back supplies after the coming storm had settled. The rest of them set to work building, or gathering what little food they could from the barren land in which they had found themselves.

The following months were tough, but as it turned out the former travellers were even tougher. By the time the snows thawed, at least as much as they ever do so far North, they found the desire to leave had all but gone. Polaris had been clever with who it had chosen. In just a few short months they had built a town that would last far beyond the people who had founded it. True to its word, they had found the perfect home not just for themselves, but for all who chose to follow Polaris from that day on.

[chickenchoicejudy]

[Polaris, true to the story, is easy to spot and easy to keep his focus on as Min-Gi tells the story. The story reminds him a little of hearing about early settlers in history class, but this Min-Gi tells it in a way that strikes a chord. It's carefully crafted and told, and...well. Ryan can relate a little more these days to being pulled into a unsafe situation and needing to make the best of it.

The settlers feel real. He'd be frustrated too, if he followed a star for ages only to find a frozen wasteland to make the best of. At the same time though, they found good in it - not unlike the good he's found in the Grove. Good company can do so much in dire circumstances.

In a weird way, the origins make him feel like he understands their past selves just a little better. He's quiet for a moment after the story ends, absorbing it all.]

...You're a really good storyteller.

[He should have said so after the first story, but now it's the only thing he can think to say. If he could, he'd listen to him tell more star stories for hours.]

[outofsynth]

[It's not the first time that Ryan's given him that same compliment. It feels different coming from this version of him. Less intimate, but no less meaningful. He loses some of the composure this older version of him seems to have, looking embarrassed.]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[He goes quiet for a moment, gaze drifting back up to the stars.]

We heard a lot of stories growing up. We told a lot. It helped pass time when the nights were too dark for anything else. They mean a lot to me. Just as much as music does.

I'm glad I had the chance to share some with you.