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
imaglyphwitch: (Not easily FOOLED)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-22 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, good pick! The one all the Hunters watch from, with the rings? Heck yeah. We can be all "edgy."

[She said that with a little bass in her voice, chuckling. That aside, she hadn't actually gone to this tower, so maybe she'd feel something akin to awe at whatever was happening there]?
cuddlery: (oh gosh)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-23 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
They very one! [She responds with an eager grin while she floats in that direction!] We'll be on edge alright. Ooh, and we can fly through the rings too! Won't that be fun?
imaglyphwitch: (cat hide)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-23 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, that'll be great! They say that you can see and sense a lot of what's going on in Trench from there!

Now that I think about it, I should have tried looking up this place myself! Guess I've been pretty busy.
cuddlery: (eh? eh??)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-23 12:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Right! This idea just keeps sounding better and better!

All the more reason to head over there now. This feels like some kinda bonus free time!
imaglyphwitch: (Fiendishly clever!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-23 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Ok then! Let's do it!

[It takes a few minutes, considering where they were, but once they leave Trenchwood, Luz starts to feel a LOT lighter. They go past several of the cities before they finally make it to Crenshaw, and Luz gazes up at the tower a moment, waiting for Scorpia].
cuddlery: (hooray)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-24 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
Woo-hoo!

[She cheers while soaring through the skies! It seems like they make it to the tower in no time at all.]

There it is! We made it. Okay, we gotta do some loop-stuff! [With that, she starts flying through the ringd excitedly!]
imaglyphwitch: (Plenty excited)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-24 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[It helped Luz that she flew so often, in this case it was just as easy to let herself float towards the tower. Seeing that Scorpia was already challenging her though, Luz grinned and was going through one of the rings herself].

Let's see who can tap them all first!
cuddlery: (salute)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-24 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)
You're on!

[Scorpia gets pumped up for the friendly competition!]

Okay, I'm off!

[With that, Scorpia gets to flying and tapping! But given that she's much less experienced with this form than Luz, she'll likely lose!]
imaglyphwitch: (EEEE)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-25 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
Let's race up there!

[Luz is, of course, not terribly concerned with winning. She just wanted to have fun with her friend, and finally, this out of body thing wasn't quite so strange when someone was doing it with her! At one point she does join hands with Scorpia and lightly pushes the two of them upward]!
cuddlery: (chipper)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-25 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Sure!!

[She races up after her and soars up further with Luz's help! Laughing and cheering all the way.]
imaglyphwitch: (nurture the hearth)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-26 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
[And at this point, Luz is more free floating, hopping around, roaming about the tower itself. The great thing was unlike the Unfathomable Mass, here Luz could feel the importance of the tower, and felt the pull of energy it brought. When she squinted, she could see the "connectiveness" of its conscious: it was a focal point to the whole of Trench, a place where the weak regained themselves, and it made Luz go that much higher].

Can you feel it?!
cuddlery: (giggling)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-26 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[Scorpia pauses and just lets her float up there for a while, soaking in the energy in the air.]

I think so? I'm definitely feeling something! Something that feels really, really whole... and uplifting! [She spreads her arms as she floats up with Luz!]
imaglyphwitch: (soft smile)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-26 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[Luz chuckles, but at this point she does beat Scorpia there, not that she's even keeping count. Once they're at the top though, she looks over at her friend, sitting comfortably on one of the rings].

So how are you getting along with your powers, Scorpia?
cuddlery: (oh yeah)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-26 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I am getting along very well with them! Swimmingly, in fact!

[She tries floating pn her back, as if swimming through the air.]

Floating around like this is just... It's so great. I love just being up in the air like this. I'm gonna miss this if it doesn't last!
imaglyphwitch: (Cloak!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-27 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Good to know! Wait, swimmingly? Are they water based?

[Just checking to see if this was a pun, Scorpia]!

I like it tool. I'm kind of surprised we'd be out of our bodies this long though. I sure hope we don't become atrophied!
cuddlery: (did i do that)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-27 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
Well I mean, I'm talking about this! [She gestures towards herself.] It kinda feels like I'm swimming in the air right now.

[She blinks.]

I sure hope we don't become that either! Is- is that a thing we should be worried about? ...Should we be heading back to - back to ourselves?
a_cute_batata: (pretty messy)

[personal profile] a_cute_batata 2022-08-27 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
No, I agree! I've actually never done it this long before! It's exciting!

[Though Luz knew they should probably figure out how they'd use it in a proper moment it was needed].

I'm pretty sure it is. You know how sometimes you sit in one position all the time, and then your foot falls asleep? That might happen with our whole body.

It might be a good idea to go back now.
cuddlery: (beats me)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-27 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh boy. Yeah, that - that sounds advisable. We had a good trip and a lot of fun, so... right, really sounding like a good time to call it a night! So do we just... fly back to our bodies...?
imaglyphwitch: (...leave the stove on?)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-27 01:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think we need to fly there. I think you just calm yourself, remember where your body is and you just-

[And Luz is cut off, because her body seems to dissipate just as she was saying this. Whoops].
cuddlery: (beats me)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-27 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Luz? Luz?!

[She looks around in concern for a moment! Before she puts together what might have happened.]

Okay, um, calming. Remembering my body, aaand...

[Poof! Now she's gone too.]
imaglyphwitch: (CRASH)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-27 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[Once Luz is back in her regular body, she tried to stir and was immediately overcome by how much pins and needles she felt all over. Nope, nope. Better to stay here and slowly start to move her body. She'd been away for a bit: she'd have to make sure not to ever be gone from her body that long again.

Maybe there'd even be a way to prevent this from happening].

S-scorpia?
cuddlery: (confused with tea)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-28 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
[And now Scorpia's back in her bed, awake but feeling very tired. With how sudden that was though, she picks up her Omni to make sure.]

Luz? Are - are you okay?
imaglyphwitch: (big pout)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-28 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
[The video is on now, and Scorpia can see Luz wriggling around like an earthworm, attempting to try and get herself moving again].

I've...felt better. How about you?
cuddlery: (um)

[personal profile] cuddlery 2022-08-28 10:49 am (UTC)(link)
You... you seem like you're having a time.

[Scorpia says while she herself seems stiff as a board.]

As for me, I'm fine! Just... really really tired. Which is so weird considering all that sleep I just got!
imaglyphwitch: (crushing it)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-08-28 12:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I am. Not a good one either.

[Poor Scorpia. Poor HER].

I don't think we were sleeping so much as traveling. I think our consciousness was still at work.

It might help if we got some actual sleep.

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