reddosmod: (Deer 2)
Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2022-08-08 09:32 pm

he ate my heart

AUGUST 2022 EVENT
EXTRA WARNING:

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Prompt One
[Image One: The shore line lit up by some sort of bioluminescent organism. ]
[Image Two: A sunken pirate ship covered in algae, seaweed, and suffering from wood rot. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A tentacle wrapping around a persons hand. ]
[Image Two: A close up of someone's shoulder which is turning black and cracked and dripping water. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A statue of a human face, split in half, with a golden devil mask between the two halves. ]
[Image Two: A number of golden hands reaching up for a white sphere. ]

WE GLOW SO DIM
WHEN: August
WHERE: The Ocean
CONTENT WARNINGS: Deep diving, possible drowning, possible death


Early on in the month, the waves start to have a strange look to them. They seem a little brighter, even at night, and it's then that it hits you: the waves are glowing. It's easy to at first to brush it off as the bioluminescence of certain types of plankton, but the way it moves and sparkles has an other-worldly quality to it that can't be explained by science. Those who look even closer at the glow will notice that it seems to be forming some sort of path into the watery depths.

Those who choose to follow the path despite the angry waves and awful storms that plague the seas this month will find that the ocean seems to be at its calmest along these illuminated, watery roads. Diving down to follow them won't require any equipment, as Sleepers will find that staying within the glowing path allows them to breathe under water when they might normally not have been able to. The pressure changes don't seem to be impacting anyone who follows the light either, allowing them access to deeper depths of the ocean than may have previously been explored.

Continuing to follow the path will lead Sleepers to a series of ship wrecks under the water. These ancient vessels are rotted and covered in seaweed, but anyone who is familiar with the cultures of Earth will notice that they seem to come from all over the world and their styles vary by multiple centuries. But all the ships seem to be covered in this same, strange glow that has brought people here.

Exploring the ships will lead to multiple different discoveries. There are chests filled with ancient artifacts: carvings of squids, statues of various sea creatures that feel a little off somehow, and stones carved with a strange text that is almost impossible to decipher. The artifacts are covered in strange, rust-looking stains that penetrate deep into the materials they're made of. These artifacts can be brought back to shore, and if someone were to try and ask the Trenchies what the writing said, they would only be able to say that these are clearly texts of the Old Ones from long before any recorded history that Trench has in its Archives. When asked about the sea creatures, they'll think it's obvious: these are Mariana's various forms from over the years. The off qualities are her unique takes as a Pthumerian on the creatures of the ocean.

Prolonged exposure to these statues of Mariana will cause people to become more bluntly honest, more open with their emotions, and often much more prone to large outbursts from said emotions, both good and bad. However, Sleepers who keep these statues near them will also find that they are able to keep more control of their blood powers. It's up to each individual if it's a worthy trade off.

If you leave the path, two things can happen: Sleepers will either turn into their squid selves and can continue to swim or they will drown. There will be nothing of interest outside of these paths, just typical ocean creatures, and maybe some of those monsters that have been crawling out of the watery depths as of late.

MONSTER WITHIN
WHEN: August
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Body horror, mentions of potential cannibalism/vore, possible death, contagious curse


Soon after people start to explore the ships, a strange occurrence will start to sweep through the city. Locals start to mutter something about a curse, one that seems to only be impacting Sleepers. The early signs that there's something off is an increase in strength and stamina. For example, Sleepers will find that they might go to pick up a chair or a mug and it shatters in their hands. Some people may find that they are incapable of sleeping. Others might find they're able to move quicker and for longer periods than normal.

If they look themselves over, they will start to find small patches of skin that have started to gray and blacken. These patches will be cracked, almost scaley, and will be consistently damp no matter how hard you try to dry them off. As time passes, this odd rash will start to spread, taking over more and more of the body. The torso might start to swell and distort, making Sleepers feel particularly top heavy. And eventually, suckers will start to form on the arms and legs.

This curse isn't beasthood in its usual forms; instead, it seems to be some sort of malady in of the magical blood that Sleepers have been granted. If the blood of an infected Sleeper is looked at under a microscope, there will be black patches clinging to the cells, similar to the patches that people see on their skin. If it isn't stopped, the person suffering from the curse will ultimately turn into a monstrous form of their squid-selves: these monster forms are large, aggressive, and able to move on land. They will feel a hunger for destruction and some Sleepers may find in these forms that they are only satisfied if they feed on other, uncursed Sleepers.

There are two ways to lift the curse. One is through a thorough blood transfusion with a blood type that is compatible with your own. This becomes more difficult to do the closer to the monstrous form people get, both due to aggression from the curse, and also due to the fact that the black patches of skin are highly difficult to puncture. Once the blood is completely replaced by fresh blood, the skin patches will disappear over 48 hours and the Sleeper will be left feeling thoroughly exhausted.

The second way to lift the curse is through death. While these monster squid forms are difficult to kill, it is not impossible, and they are particularly susceptible to magic over weapons. Once a Sleeper has died, they can be reborn, and their blood will be completely free of the curse.

The blood malady can be spread outside of those who come into contact with the ship wrecks. People who touch a cursed Sleeper, particularly the scaley patches of skin, will also run the risk of being cursed. It takes roughly a week for the signs of the curse to show, and can spread as slowly or as rapidly as players choose.

LAVISH DESIRES
WHEN: August
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Personality changes, mental manipulation, hoarding, obsessive anxiety, disassociation, depersonalization


The high waves seem to just be getting higher at the beginning of the month. Rougher and rougher seas start to cause something anyone who's lived around water will be familiar with: flash floods. These floods are large, powerful, and fill the streets of Trench. First-floors of buildings may get extreme damage, though they can be protected with physical and magical barriers if people are smart about it. The floods happen multiple times throughout the month without warning, so it may be good to get that protection built up sooner rather than later.

The after effects of these floods aren't just structural devastation though. People who get caught up in the water, particularly those who end up swallowing it, will have one word echoing in their mind on a regular basis: More.

More of what? That seems to be different for each individual. Maybe one person wants more and more food, anything from an extra slice of cake after dinner, to wanting to stuff themselves until they just might pop. Or maybe they want to hoard all of their favorite objects or pieces of clothing, filling more and more of the space in their homes until they're ready to burst at the seems. Some might find it's their emotions that come in excess, with over the top anger, or irregular excitement that leaves them unable to sleep for days. Anything and everything can come in excess and it certainly seems to be this month. Some people may get these obsessive needs to such a degree that they start to feel disconnected from themselves, fractured by the overabundance that has taken over their lives.

If people ignore these desires, they'll start to find they're plagued by hallucinations. Strong, life-like visions that riddle them with anxiety and leave them petrified of what might happen if they don't partake in this gluttonous behavior. They'll feel shaken to the core and slowly go mad with need and desire for whatever it is they've been craving. This feeling of madness can make them become violent, lashing out at those around them, even killing those who try and help them out of belief that they're trying to force them to give in to their vices.

The impact of the water will wear off either after one week without re-exposure, or by using a Moon Drop to help to cleanse the mind.

CODING
siriusly: (crispy m&m's are discontinued)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-08-20 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Tell wh-- [VI WHAT. Manabu chokes on his words as she launches herself forward. is this what it feels like? watching him run headlong into trouble while someone with a brain cell to spare can barely spit out a word otherwise?

he's not sure what to do in the face of such anarchy. such...whiffed anarchy. did she just...miss hitting a giant, beefy horse?

this isn't good.

Magnet is maybe taking a leaf out of Vi's book in that he heard the good omenly advice, but is instead thundergunning it out to catch up with Vi, launching his little doggie self at one of the horse's legs. this is his tried and true act of annoyance and distraction, pulling a bit of the heat off of people and onto himself like the valiant little warrior he is. it's familiar enough a turn that it snaps Manabu out of that two-second stupor. the rope is cast aside and his gravity saber drawn. he shouts indistinctly, rapping it harshly against the old stone of the church wall beside him before starting forward to further divide up the irritated horse's focus. that, perhaps, will give Vi a moment to recover.]
faceblocks: (wha)

[personal profile] faceblocks 2022-08-21 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[she's no sooner up and on her feet than she's dodging a different end of the beast - this time with a bit more success as (???) the speed of reality (???) seems to be working correctly now.

what the hell was---

oh no. so many things going wrong here. the steed? not so much a swing and a miss as a swing and a stop, so yes, the tiniest of wins here: this, apparently, is one way to piss off a horse.

but it's not just pissed, it is now insulted. it was interrupted - by ...this? for this? eyes full of equal amounts of disdain and fury, the murder horse kicks at omen, lowers its head to snap and slash.

that book, magnet? the worst book, please do not take any more leaves from it, the owner has absolutely taken leave of her senses. but also? it's a successful distraction you brave little dude - as is the clang of metal against stone.

for a moment, the horned head raises - ignoring any further assault that magnet might be unleashing below - and turns, takes in manabu and lets out a terrible cry.

vi again readies her fists when its attention shifts.]
siriusly: (MY WHAT.)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-08-22 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
[Vi's intentions here are to win a horse, right? maybe? Manabu forgets. he forgets and is honestly more invested in either scaring the thing off or straight-up putting it down before it attracts others like it - or worse things. so after flinching from the bonechilling sound of the beast, Manabu grits his teeth and points the saber forward, firing a couple warning lasershots off-target in a bid to unnerve it.

...why would a horse unfamiliar with lasers be scared of it; this thing isn't following horse rules where literally anything will terrify it! now it's just mad and--]


Oh no.

[and charging his way.]

GYAH!!
faceblocks: (let's go)

[personal profile] faceblocks 2022-08-23 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[lasers are happening. she's solely focused on the steed, but she's sure that's manabu's doing - and they make a nice arc of light as they zoom past - proving again that this fucking animal is scared of nothing and re-triggering every bit of her ridiculous determination to Impress. This. Horse.

perhaps there is mercy in the air - perhaps it's the little seahorse in on vi's person - it couldn't prevent that last bit of blood fuckery, but in her second attempt at hitting the horse, she strikes true.

not as hard as she could - but how does one toe the line between a respectable hit and a bonebreak? it's different than fighting the beasts that attack - different even than fighting a person, and the only thing she can think to do is pull her punch a little. let's not have a repeat of launching someone (somehorse?) into the air, okay?

it's all muscle, what vi slams her fist into, and the steed skids sideways a bit, stumbling and regaining its footing as it lets out a growl (can horses growl? this one can), and delivering a swift kick toward vi that she's unable to dodge - possibly because she's not trying to - she is 100% trying to fistfight the back end of this horse.

who decides that while vi is an annoyance of a larger scale than perhaps, magnet, this other person is shooting lasers and shouting and yes, that is where it is heading. with great interest. also, yeah, it's still mad.]
siriusly: (ACTION YELL)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-08-24 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
[look: Magnet is true to his name! he sticks around. he's still stuck to that leg, flopping around like a rogue beanie baby, though the next change of gears will likely be the last his little jaws can handle before being jolted free.

meanwhile Manabu bristles, static fluffing up his hair and popping off the ends as he sees the horse starting to gun for him. no more shooting for now - he needs to move, though...though he's not going to outrun a horse... outmaneuver, maybe? he glimpses the pink of Vi's hair and veers toward it, trying to run a wide circle the horse has to bank hard to follow.]


Whatever you're trying to do-- [he veers and sprints past her.] Do it now!!
faceblocks: (defeat)

[personal profile] faceblocks 2022-08-25 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
[she has succeeded at step one: it's pissed. step two's a bit tricky, because this is where she needs to impress it, and that is pretty impossible at this moment. this animal is anything but impressed it is giving her a very angry equivalent of "speak to the hand i am done".

as manabu sprints past - his words loud and clear (somehow through the thickness of her skull) and this is it - there is no time for failure (funny, because ...all of this) - she moves as fast as she's able, which is faster than her blood has allowed before - a burst of energy and strength she's wrenched up from a well of despair she's been desperately trying to ignore - the beast's raised head - these are the things that allow her to slam this thing with a swift uppercut.

it's a good hit - but this is not an ordinary horse, and it's fueled by spite and confusion as it shakes its head, white eyes rolling, teeth snapping at the air before twisting its body into a maneuver of preternatural grace and pure fuck you - kicking out sharply against vi's head before it just bolts away from the both of them, the building and - fuck this shit (and the omens you rode in on), i'm out.]


Manabu! You--

[did it! we did it! fuck yeah, we--hey]

---I thi---

[vi turns toward manabu but her feet are no longer under her - she's on her ass with a thud, a slow spill of greenish blood beginning to run down her temple.]

D-did we---

---ow. Wait a...[pressing her glove to her head.] ...where'd it go?

[somewhere hoofbeats echo and slow and finally stop, as an angry nightmare drags its hooves into the ground in an annoyed effort to remove any hint of vileblood.]


Edited 2022-08-25 03:44 (UTC)
siriusly: (AGRO NO!!!!!!)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-08-25 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Manabu didn't dream of looking back or changing course when the risk of getting run down was still palpable, but that heavy clobbering sound of hooves on bone rattles him enough to skid to a stop and whirl around on a heel. maybe the sinking feeling in his gut helps stabilize him, but he's quick to find himself watching Vi plop down into the dirt like a ragdoll.

he didn't see the hit, but he can still tell: this ain't good.]


Vi!!

[danger or not, Manabu's not about to leave someone in the line of fire when they can't defend themselves. he hustles back, all but baseball sliding down to her side to grab hold and keep her upright by the shoulder while his other arm swings forward to point the saber at the horse.]

I think we gotta cut our losses now, Vi-- save it for a round two another day!
faceblocks: (ouch)

[personal profile] faceblocks 2022-08-28 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
[she doesn't want to cut her losses. she also doesn't want her blood dripping into her eye and possibly making that ...numb? is that a thing that can happen? nope, not finding out - not today, vileblood - she's pressing her hand harder, and if she could simply will it to stop bleeding, she would also count that as a tiny win, but she can't.

vi hears that slide - feels manabu's grip up and under and she leans in - on - until she's up and stumbling on feet as he points his saber outward - between them and a disgusted unicorn that remains in place, even as it paws the ground, snorting. (get. this. blood. off. my. hooves. really is the motivation here - and it glares as it screams, fixing manabu with its icy glare.]


Hnnnff---yup.

[so yeah - there goes the blood into vi's eye - so she's going to listen to manabu, she will reluctantly call it, moving backward and huffing as she does so - one eye on the horse as they backpedal as fast as it will allow them. absolutely not looking very cool right now, this dance away from the pissed off murder horse and a saber's length 0 then more - slowly more - between them.

it doesn't follow, but it yells again, and it doesn't give a fuck if that attracts beasts.

the daze is off - and vi's just as much pulling manabu away from the scene as he is her - so at least there's agreement there - they are both moving in the same direction. the smart direction. the direction they should have gone at the outset. fang would golf clap right now if she knew what that gesture was.]


Go, go, go!!

[shelter? probably a good idea. let's hope they are running in the direction of that.]
siriusly: (doing duty deeds dutifully dangit)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-08-28 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
[Vi has some idea on where to go, but Manabu knows. so when he sees the busted-open side of the old church, he yanks her over that way, climbing over the ruined foundation and on toward the lantern standing alone in the most level part of the floor.

the Lumenarium - he has it in the forefront of his mind as those little ghouls bubble up out of the ground to heed his wish before he's even got a hand on the lamppost.]


Give a call on the omni after you've gotten your head checked out. [he tugs her wrist over, forcing her hand onto the post just as the fog starts to kick in. he himself steps away, keen to sticking around. someone needs to guard the outpost, after all; all the hard work people have done so far needs a little protecting, even if it's only a little, given their shared nonsense.

he gives a little salute before she's completely evaporated, unaware that boy howdy is she not a fan of dudes shunting her out of harm's way in favor of shouldering it themselves.]