magic, madness, heaven, sin

[reddosmod]

JULY 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A statue of Lady Justice with her sword against a man's throat. ]
[Image Two: A pair of hands covered in blood. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Two people trying to reach one another being pulled back by multiple, disembodied hands. ]
[Image Two: A feminine figure lying on a boardwalk above the ocean. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A pair of black scales held by a statue. ]
[Image Two: A single hand reaching up from the water, implying drowning. ]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

GOOD AND EVIL

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, revenge, possible torture, possible death, mental manipulation

---

An excerpt from the book Thus Comes the Reckoning:

Are we inherently good or evil? Are we hard-wired for empathy? Or is violent behavior our innate reaction when the world has done us wrong? This is something that has been debated for centuries, even in the times Before Sodder. Have we evolved since the Dreamless World? Since the Nightmare? Have the Pthumerians and their blessings made us more peaceful and understanding?

While it is true that our world is more generous and caring than the ones we have read about in the Dreamless World, where in spite of our shortages, we want for nothing that we truly need, the very existence of corruption and beasthood should speak of our true natures and of the true natures of Sleepers. There is no time that this is more prominent in our world than in the month of July, when the Reckoning holds sway.

It is unclear if it is the unbearable heat, the Pthumerian's influence, or perhaps just our true selves coming forth, but each July is the prelude to chaos. The pleasantries die off, the generosity wanes, and we forget the lessons of our more kind and gentle benefactors. Fist fights over minor disagreements, people attacking one another with weapons when they don't get their way or wait too long in line, and murders over the loss of a game. Does the summer make monsters of us all? Or does the Beast Moon simply encourage what is already inside of us?

Sleepers will find themselves encouraged towards violence. Many will be drawn to do evil. They will feel a pull to hurt others, particularly those who have hurt them first. Anger will seem like a natural state and many will find that they have lost all ability to reason when they become even minorly frustrated. Vigilante justice will seem like a great idea. Did someone hurt your loved one? Then tear them apart! Did a person borrow something from you and never return it? End them. Criminal activity will skyrocket, particularly violent criminal activity, throughout the month of July. People will feel more inclined to steal, to damage property, to kill, and to get revenge. Torturing others will seem like a perfectly reasonable idea. It is the month to do so and it might even feel good to hurt other people.

Sleepers will also feel violently protective of those they love. They will want to make sure that the violent crimes happening to other people doesn't happen to their people and they might go to such extremes as locking their loved ones up so that nothing can get to them. It's an obsessive need to protect and not let go. Someone might even feel so inclined as to kill their friends just to make sure that no one else can hurt them.

On the flip side, those who manage to resist the violent urges will be more inclined to help those who are violent. Even if you are someone who has never wanted to help another person, you will be drawn to do good. It's not impossible to talk others down, to sway them to being better people and to remembering who they are. It's just a lot of work. But still, those who are impacted by the good will feel that same need to protect others; only for them, it doesn't have to necessarily be someone they know. They want to do the right thing, to protect people from themselves. Unlike the evil, they will know there are limits, and they will not hurt others in their attempt to protect them. But they may end up being willing to, possibly uncharacteristically, sacrifice themselves to do so.

QUICK FACTS: 1. You can only be impacted by The Good or The Evil at one time. Someone who is Good can be corrupted into becoming Evil. If someone is talked down from being Evil, they can either go back to being their normal selves, or they can become impacted by The Good instead. This can happen as many times in the month as possible, but they can only be Good or Evil at one time. You can not be both at once.

2. Characters who can usually heal demons/possessions/etc. can cure Evil in people. Their powers will work the same as they would in their canon/from their blood powers. Game based items that would normally cure corruption however will NOT work to cure Evil. They will still work to cure corruption/beasthood.

3. The Reckoning can still punish you. Just because you're being influenced by outside forces won't matter to her. If she catches you doing something bad and it isn't for revenge purposes, she will punish you as she sees fit. This is left up to player interpretation.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

FORTUNE'S FOOL

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Star-Crossed lovers, encouraged suicidal ideation, possible death

---

Love. A complicated feeling that puts people into complicated circumstances. And yet, people will find themselves focused on this emotion more so than usual this month. For someone who is already in love, the emotions will become even stronger, almost overwhelming, wanting to burst out of them like a song. For those who were not in love before, they may find themselves suddenly easily falling for others. Maybe they will love multiple people or maybe just one, but love will be an all consuming emotion to those who fall victim to it.

The only problem is that love isn't always accepted. People who are deeply in love will suddenly start to feel persecuted and judged from those around them. They will feel as though their love is unallowed, that the person that means the most to them is being rejected by their family, their friends, by society itself. It doesn't matter if that's the truth: there's just something inside of people that makes them thoroughly convinced that their love is not meant to be. Star-Crossed. Unattainable.

There will be an increased urge to solidify that love as being real and unbreakable. Maybe this is done through fighting back against those who are saying no. Maybe it comes in the form of secretly saying vows and loved ones spiritually tying themselves together forever. Or maybe in the end, the only true way that lovers feel they can truly be together... is in death. All of these will seem like reasonable options— or maybe even the only option. Love is never ending, after all, even if life is.

QUICK FACTS: 1. Anyone can fall in love with anyone else. It doesn't have to be the character that you're already shipping with if all players agree! You can fall in love with someone you know, someone you've just met, or even a total stranger. Love is a gift to everyone, right??? Who needs pesky things like introductions.

2. You do not have to commit suicide. You can, of course, and many will definitely feel drawn to it with the basis of the prompt, but it is not required. Please make sure to mark all threads accordingly!

3. The persecution against your relationship does not have to be real. You can, however, tie this into the first prompt, and have even the smallest slights be reason to think that your love is persecuted. Similarly, people who are impacted by the first prompt may be more likely to actually shun those who are in love. Feel free to work with it however you see fit!

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

OUR OWN PRISONS

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over, but particularly by the ocean.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Self-hatred, judgement, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, possible drowning.

---

Everyone has personal flaws. Things about themselves they don't like, reactions they wish they didn't have, habits that they want to break. Sometimes the awareness of flaws can outweigh the awareness of our strengths as well. It's easy to get caught up in the feeling that we're less then perfect, that we'll never be able to fix ourselves no matter what we do.

This month, those feelings seem to be amplified. Sleepers will see flaws everywhere; in the people they love, in the Trenchies, and most heavily in themselves. Feelings of self-hatred and judgement will be amplified and even those who are usually confident in themselves will find that they're suffering from it. Sometimes these feelings may manifest as a simple bout of anger and depression; but for others, it can become more severe quickly.

Those who find themselves suffering heaviest from these feelings will feel called to the ocean. Maybe it's a desire to go back to a squid form, a place that's simpler and more straight forward. Or maybe it's the unbearable heat that's putting these thoughts in someone's head and they'll feel like going for a swim would cure it. But there's something inside everyone that knows that if they go into the ocean, they might not come back out again.

Sleepers will feel like the ultimate judgement is waiting for them out there. If they are seeing flaws more in themselves, being by the ocean will amplify feelings of suicide. If they're seeing flaws in everyone else, they might feel compelled to bring those people down to the ocean to drown them. The ocean, associated so heavily with rebirth, could be the very thing to cleanse people of their imperfections, after all. Maybe it would be a favor to everyone if someone just gave in and tried to fix themselves and others. For the good of Trench.

QUICK FACTS: 1. These feelings can cause people to become more corrupt. The longer they are exposed to these feelings, the closer they will get to high levels of corruption, and eventual beasthood.

2. Because these feelings can cause corruption, they can also be relieved through the same methods as corruption. Talking, touching, Moon Drops, get some therapy, whatever the player chooses.

3. People who do not address their feelings and/or who spend too much time by the ocean will inevitably deal with feelings of suicide and/or homicide. Please be sure to handle these topics appropriately and content warn your threads.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

[tealeafs]

[ .. oh gosh.

Chizuru is rather impressed with the way the boy suddenly spoke up. She was worried about him being too meek to do anything about the way he was getting harassed here, but apparently she was wrong - because Chizuru really didn't see that fire coming, the energy in his voice and actions as he moves to speak up.

But there's not much time to think about that. Someone speaks up at the end, and Chizuru has a flash of paleblood-fuelled instinct.

Just enough instinct to grab Shoyo's arm and tug him out of the way, with this time and entire pumpkin landing on the spot he had been only a moment ago. Certainly harder to get hit by than just a tomato.

The girl stares at the now mostly broken food item with her mouth hanging open, but then quickly turns towards Shoyo. ]

M-Maybe we should just get out of here!

[ You know, before either of them gets seriously hurt. Who knows how far these Trenchies are willing to go, even if she still doesn't understand why they were harassing this poor guy in the first place.. ]

[asas]

[ well shit, that could’ve been him. as of it hadn’t been bad receiving threats, but to have just nearly been assaulted by an item that could knock him out? absolute yikes. shōyō doesn’t think twice when the food/throwing woman nearly shrieks to blame them for a throw she committed. ]

—Good idea!

[ get back here! she cried out, but shōyō has already taken the girl’s wrist and taken a run for it. ]

[tealeafs]

[ Thankfully Chizuru is rather easy to tug along. Partially since she's relatively short, but also because she's providing absolutely no resistance. The moment the guy is tugging on her hand, she's already moving right along with him, trying to move her feet as fast as she can.

.. which is to say, not that fast. It's not like she's slow, but she's definitely not an Olympic runner either. And when they're moving down the street, the sounds of at least a few Trenchies chasing them as they still yell insults, Chizuru is starting to sound like she's rapidly getting out of breath. ]

W-We.. [ Even forcing out words sounds difficult for her. They come out between hurried breaths. ] We have.. to get away..

[asas]

[ he could run faster, but— that’s leave the poor girl in dust. he can hear it too, right behind them and moments away from catching up. he should use these moments wisely and make sure they get out of here safely, especially the girl.

shōyō makes a sudden stop with the end of his heels into cobblestone, bends his knees and his back forward in a hunch and says, with urgency: ]

Hop on, quick! I promise I gotcha’!

[tealeafs]

What?!

[ Of course that's her initial reaction. It's not every day that Chizuru is told to just hop on, after all..

But while she'd usually protest this a little bit more, much too worried about being a burden on him, she knows that she doesn't have that luxury right now. The people chasing them are getting dangerously close, after all, and the last thing she'd want is for them to get caught by an angry mob just because she was hesitating on whether to get on his back or not...

So Chizuru just gives in. Thankfully she's definitely not very tall or heavy, so it's possible for her to hop onto the boy's back without breaking it - and she moves her hands to cling on to his shoulders, trying to make sure that she won't drop off if it ends up being too much for him after all. ]

I.. I'll pay you back later! [ She squeaks.

Politeness requires her to at least say this right now. ]

[asas]

[ legs hooked and buckled? set. back straight, deep, steady breathes— this was cake next to his workouts, he's just going to have to hustle on the energy for it a little faster than anticipated. shoyo is on it the second he has a safe grip on the girl. chizuru will be relieved to see that he is fast, even though short legs produce lesser strides. no matter! he has the beef to give it the burst. ]

You already did—?!

[ they're getting away quite easily. shoyo doesn't know where he's going, but he often completes his jogs by the farthest shore. ]

[tealeafs]

[ Oh, thank god that he's this fast. It's actually kind of impressive to Chizuru, considering he does have quite something weighing him down here.. but he manages to move like that all the same.

She knows she sure wouldn't be able to pull it off the way he's doing right here. And for a moment Chizuru is a little too worried that anything she does here could throw him off, so she tries her best to not move. To not talk. To not even breathe. (The latter, obviously, does not last very long. But she did try!)

When he speaks up again, it feels rude though to just totally ignore it. Chizuru is quiet for a moment after he says it, but then she lightly shakes her head, clinging to him tighter. ]

I haven't done anything that not anyone would've done for you..! I can't imagine anyone leaving you at the mercy of those people, especially for no reason at all...

[asas]

[ phew, okay. it looks like they’re out of range. enough that when shōyō looks behind him, the coast seems to be clear. nothing but cobblestone floors leading back into the market, and forward: the way to the boardwalk (although they were quite far from it still!).

shōyō hasn’t put her down, but he does keep his back straight, hold her securely and continues to breathe! ]

Well, you did what they didn’t, so . . . I’d say you’re already winning.

[ and then, genuinely: ]

Thanks, Miss.

[tealeafs]

W-Winning?

[ Chizuru squeaks out the word, like it has some sort of Great Meaning to it...

Though not a bad one, apparently, since she's stunned into a shocked but appreciative silence for a moment. He carried her away like this, even though it must have been tough for him, and he's still kind enough to say that to her.. What a sweet boy. Something about him almost feels a little reminiscent of Heisuke - and in a good way. ]

It's no problem.. Though you can put me down now, if they're gone.

[ Mostly for his sake. She doesn't want him to have to carry her for longer than necessary..! ]

.. do you have any idea why those people were harassing you? [ She knows it didn't look like he deserved it, but still! Maybe they can figure out a way to prevent the same thing from happening to him all over again? ]

[asas]

[ ever the good, shōyō obliges in a playful way: he bends his knees, mechanically puts his arms out and makes sounds that are akin to a landing plane. you’re welcome. and chizuru is now free to step off of shōyō airlines. ]

Oh, um . . . No idea? [ he tries to chuckle it off, but there’s a strain in his smile. ] Everyone’s been pretty mean to me lately. I dunno why. I don’t remember doing anything that could’ve, except breathe?

[tealeafs]

[ Chizuru, a poor innocent soul who has never seen an airplane or a robot before, looks really concerned for a moment as she manages to step out of his arms. She turns towards him, looking him up and down for a moment, like she's looking for traces of corruption.. M-Maybe the weird sounds he's making are part of his corruption signs?

He seems alright though, and when he mentions everyone has been mean to him, Chizuru is even quicker to try and scrub her face clean of any sign of concern. She doesn't want it to be misinterpreted as her being critical of him, after all..! If people are really mean to him, then it is clearly now Her Official Important Duty to be super nice to him. To balance it out. ]

I mean, if you can't think of anything you're doing differently, then it's got to be something wrong with those people..!

[ There we go.

She's in support mode. She's ready. Look at her tiny, yet determined balled up fists. ]

Maybe there's some sort of meanness going around that's influencing people all across town..! I can't see why else they'd be mean to someone as nice as you! [ He did carry her all the way over here, after all.

That's the actions of a nice person. ]

[asas]

[ things shoyo will say are chizuru quotes, with her tiny little fists: so anyway, i started blasting—

shoyo just about gasps when she really does start blasting. blasting kindness! the crunch in his brows and the twinkle in his eye tell more than anything: t-two could play at that game! ]

B—But! You were nice! And brave! I don't even know your name and . . . ! You'd nice-kick my butt!

[tealeafs]

[ Now they're just gasping back and forth at each other.

Because Chizuru definitely gasps in the face of what he's telling her here, only to quickly blurt out: ]

I would never dare harm your butt!

[ .. this is clearly important.

Somehow.

L-Look, it just has to be stated! She doesn't want him to have to worry about his butt in her presence, that would make her feel awful! But with getting important fact #1 out of the way like that, it's quickly followed by important fact #2 - which makes her politely bow for him, even if the bow is a little hasty due to the Energy going on in this conversation. She lingers in it though! Got to show the proper respect..!! ]

B-But my name.. it's Chizuru! Chizuru Yukimura.. It's very nice to meet you, despite the circumstances..! [ The involuntary food fight circumstances, she means, not the nice-kicking circumstances... ]

[asas]

[ gasp x2!!! shoyo clutches his chest and gives her a look that says "see?!" she's totally nice-kicking his butt so hard right now!! look at her! she is a woman to be cherished!!

equally, when shoyo bows in turn, it looks like he'd almost break his hips doing so. so brisk! ]

I'm Shoyo Hinata! And I'll protect your kindness with my life, Miss Chizuru!

[tealeafs]

P-Please, not with your life!

[ This is a level of devotion that Chizuru didn't quite expect, and it quickly makes her shoot back upright again. Like it's that important to convey this part to this nice guy..!

Especially since she takes what he's saying 100% at face value. He did already protect her by physically carrying her away from a confrontation, so who knows how far he's willing to go.. Maybe he truly is just too nice for this mortal coil... ]

.. T-Though I guess I can't prevent you from protecting me with.. um, a little bit less than that.. [ Because it'd be sure to keep him from doing something he wants to do, right.

She's carefully weighing everything here on the grand scales of diplomacy and politeness, and this feels like the ideal compromise. ]

[asas]

I gotta pay your protection, somehow!

[ and, with that— he’s satisfied with her semi-approval! ]

Well, uh— also! Know any places I can buy food? That back there was supposed to be groceries for the week . . .

[tealeafs]

[ Oh no. That is a problem. Chizuru can't let the poor guy go without food.. especially not when he seems so energetic! Those sorts of people need to make sure to keep up on their food intake so they won't exhaust themselves!

She seems to consider it for a moment, faintly frowning to herself, but then speaks up with: ]

How much food do you need? Do you live alone, or with some other people..?

[ .. is there a plan forming already? It sounds like it. ]

[asas]

[ —!! he can see a thinking cloud over her head, but he can't see the image&mdash! it's all blurry! ]

I have a roommate! [ wait, there was egg— ] And a big chicken!

[tealeafs]

I see, I see..

[ Apparently she's just passing right over the 'big chicken' part. Maybe she's assuming he was a farmer where he comes from, and he happens to have his beloved prize chicken here with him.. How nice for Shoyo! ]

In that case.. [ She nods.

With determination. ]

I can definitely do it! I'll make sure to cook meals for you and your roommates [ IS SHE COUNTING THE CHICKEN AS ONE.. ] for the next upcoming while, until everyone in town goes back to normal..!

[asas]

[ wait until chizuru actually sees what this "big chicken" is, oh dear god. also, oh my god?? shoyo sputters terribly and he nearly yells with a mix of surprise and excitement! ]

You'd— You'd do that for us—?!

[tealeafs]

Of course!

[ Even in the face of his near-yelling surprise, Chizuru just smiles. There's a certain ease to her expression, like all of this feels entirely natural to her.. Something that doesn't even have to be as surprising as it is to him! ]

I mean, I'm used to cooking for hunderds of men back home.. So feeding a few people isn't so hard, you know? [ #humblebrag

Except it's Chizuru, and she'd never brag. It's just an explanation on her end. ]

You should let me know if either of you have any allergies, or anything like that, so I can take it into account..!

[asas]

[ that's about when shoyo's jaw drops completely. this goddess, she . . . ! she came out of nowhere and—! ]

Hundreds—?! A . . . A mega-manager—?! [ what is he going on about— she deserves another bow! ] We're not allergic to anything! Thank you so much, Miss Chizuru—!!

[tealeafs]

[ Does Chizuru have even the faintest idea of what a mega-manager could be?

Of course not. She doesn't have a clue. All she realises is that the boy is suddenly looking very, very impressed, and that makes her a little bashful. Not enough to make her stop smiling, but her smile is definitely more shy now as she shakes her head. ]

R-Really, it's nothing that impressive..

[ She shakes her head. ]

Besides.. I'm just glad if I can help you, you know..? I wouldn't want you to have to go hungry all month, just because something has gotten into the people here. I don't think it's right for them to treat anyone so unkindly, especially when you seem to be very sweet..

[ How could someone want to bully someone like Shoyo? Just look at him. He's like a puppy. ]

[asas]

[ (goofy noises) she said he seemed sweet . . . and on top of that, humble! shōyō isn’t about to let her cook for three mouths without an aid! especially when she’s being—!! huh!! and angel!! an angel about everything!! ]

What can I do to help?

[tealeafs]

.. help?

[ Give her a moment to think over here. Her instinct is to tell him that she'll be fine, but he seems so sweet and eager to help.. She couldn't possibly deny him. It'd be like saying no to an adorable baby animal. But it's not like she can send him to buy ingredients when that's the very problem in the first place.. ]

Um, I'm not sure.. [ Chizuru says.

Gently though. Gently!! She doesn't want to seem like she's saying something here about Shoyo's qualities, because she definitely!! isn't!!! ]

Maybe there's something you can teach me how to cook..? There are still a lot of dishes I'm not familiar with yet..

[ And she always likes learning new ones here. It's like a big cultural exchange! A cultural exchange across time, in her and Shoyo's case. ]