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
tealeafs: (shedding your petals graciously)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-01 06:20 am (UTC)(link)
"I.. think I'm ready."

Sure, there's still some nerves, but Chizuru is pretty sure that she's not going to be able to get rid of those until all of this is over. It's a lot, after all, opting to go down into the water, unsure of what might be awaiting them down there.

So the girl turns in the direction of the water, already starting to wander back there now she has left her posessions with the Omen.

"It's still a little scary.." She at least dares to admit that to Nara'a. It's not like they haven't spoken about a lot of stuff with each other before, after all. "But surely we'll be alright as long as we're together, right..?"

She hopes so, anyway. Chizuru has to tell herself that in order to be brave enough to actually do it. And she knows she has to do it, just to make sure she didn't miss an opportunity to maybe be able to go back home.
aetherweaver: (serious)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-02 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
"I understand. And it'll be all right. I'll keep you safe." He's been in the water a lot of times - he's gotten good at swimming away from trouble if need be.

That she's scared makes sense, but he nods. "If it starts getting bad we can turn back. I understand that you're scared, but I've got you." He's sure that things are going to be all right, but he wants to reassure her, after all.

"Just hold on to me and we'll speed along."
tealeafs: (of my destiny bend like a bow)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-03 05:54 am (UTC)(link)
It helps, the reassuring. It's not like Chizuru hasn't been in dangerous situations before, after all, and she knows that she always feels at least a little bit better and safer in those when she's with someone she trusts. It makes her feel like she can be strong.

And Nara'a - of course he falls right into the category of people she trusts. He's been so consistently kind to her that Chizuru can't even imagine he'd lead her astray, even under pressure.

"Okay."

She steps over until she's right next to him, and then does move to latch onto him. She's trying her best to move out of the way so he can still move though, otherwise they're going to have trouble moving underwater in the first place.

"I think I'll be fine once we're under the water. It's the first steps that are the scariest, you know..?" Because you don't know quite yet what it's going to be like.
aetherweaver: (smile)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-06 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
He doesn't mind her latching onto him - he seems to keep moving at the same pace. It's kind of cute... "I'm sure it'll be all right." He reaches back and strokes her hair for a moment to try to calm her.

Nara'a keeps going after that, taking step after step into the water. "I understand. It's a little scary... but I'm here for you. You can just hang on." And there's nothing to be scared about as far as he's aware.

He stops when the water is up to Chizuru's shoulders. "Are you ready?"
tealeafs: (oh heavenly wind)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-09 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes."

It's a soft agreement, but it's an agreement all the same. Chizuru has to be ready for this right now, and she knows it. She can't back out right now - not when she really wants to see what's down there, in case it's important.

And she feels like right now she's in the best circumstances she could be in the first place, really. Nara'a is being so kind and patient about all of this. She doesn't even mind the way he pats her hair. No matter how skittish Chizuru can be at times, she appreciates physical contact from people she trusts, and Nara'a truly is one of those people. Instead it just feels reassuring, more so than anything else.

"I'll try my best to hold on." So she won't be swept away once they're underwater. That might just be the most terrifying scenario to her, really, being separated like that. "So we can go under now."

There's a slight pause, and then she adds, a tad more shy but sounding genuinely grateful: ".. thank you so much for being so kind to help me.."

She just wants to have said it now. Just in case something does happen when they go underwater.
aetherweaver: (running)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-10 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
"All right." He nods and feels her hang on. He's about to dive down before she says that and he just smiles. "Of course. You're my friend."

He dives down, not bothering to take a deep breath because he doesn't need to. He heads into the algae and starts swimming downwards, letting the currents carry him when they're heading the right way and pushing against them when they're not.

It's not hard, and they speed along as they dive deeper. He turns his head to check that Chizuru is still doing all right.
tealeafs: (shedding your petals graciously)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-13 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
Chizuru does take a deep breath, just in case, but thankfully it does seem like she can just breathe underwater.

Which is.. a strange sensation, that's for sure. But at least it also means that she won't drown down here while attempting to cling to Nara'a, so it's definitely for the better. Her hold on him is still relatively tight though, like she's trying to make sure they won't be separated down here. It'd be a disaster, even with Chizuru being able to breathe. There's no way she'd be able to make it back up to the surface by herself.

".. don't worry," she manages to say when Nara'a glances back at her. It's weird, being able to talk underwater like this, but there's got to be something going on with the sea today.

Something that made it glow in the first place.

"It's a little scary still, but.. I'm doing fine."

Physically, anyway. She's not drowning, and maybe that's all the girl can ask for under the current circumstances.
aetherweaver: (serious)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-14 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
"That's good." He floats a little bit, just taking in the endless ocean around them before he continues diving down, kicking along until a large shape starts to loom in front of them. He tilts his head curiously and takes out his omni.

The light from it shines ahead of them, and the faint pattern of wood becomes visible. With something that large, made out of wood...

"A ship?" Here? In this sea?

"Does that mean there was trade and such here at one point?"
tealeafs: (as you bloom again)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-16 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
".. well, the pirates still linger.."

And Chizuru doubts that they're just there because they want to capture unsuspecting squids who are only just turning into humans. They must have shown up there one day for a different reason - to rob actual ships. Not that Chizuru has ever encountered pirates before herself, but she's heard enough stories about them that she knows that's how it works.

The girl pauses after saying that though, still clinging to Nara'a, but shifting a little bit so she can take a better look in the beam of light his Omni is generating.

"But that must have been a long time ago." After all, they haven't seen any trade ships arriving ever since they themselves showed up in Trench. And Chizuru has been here quite some time now. "This looks like it's been down here for a long time already.."
aetherweaver: (eh?)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-16 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Pirates?" He hasn't seen any pirates - he'd be very interested to, though. "I'd like to meet them... ask them things about where they're from." They have to be from somewhere.

He nods at Chizuru's assessment. "It looks like it. There's a lot of damage... I wonder if that was monsters trying to get at trapped sailors..." Maybe that's morbid, but that's just a risk of sailing. Some ships never make it home for one reason or another.

"The Navigator only knows how long these have been down here..." ... Right, she wouldn't know that The Navigator is a name for one of the gods of Eorzea. "But maybe there's still things inside. Do you want to go look?"
tealeafs: (shedding your petals graciously)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-18 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
The girl softly hums in confirmation at that last question. Now they've come all the way down here.. they should at least see what's inside the ships, right? It must be important if it guided them all the way down here.

.. even though she sure hopes there's no monster left. It's a thought that only occurs to her now he's brought it up.. but she feels like she'll be safe as long as she's with Nara'a. He'll be able to get them out of trouble if there is any, right?

And while they make their way over towards the entrance of the ships, or rather, a hole made thanks to all the damage done to the boats, she softly says: "I don't think you really want to meet those pirates.. They were really scary last time around. I think they hurt all the people they managed to capture.."

And the last thing she wants is for Nara'a to get hurt.
aetherweaver: (confusion)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-18 07:55 pm (UTC)(link)
He makes his way over easily, diving down to get near the hole in the hull. He takes out his omni and uses the flashlight function to look around. He doesn't see any shining scales or light reflected off of eyes, so it's probably clear.

"Ah. Those kinds. Those do exist in my world, though usually most just want plunder and then they'll go away. Those that hurt others... it's against the Code, from my understanding of it. Though some don't care about that."

He can hold his own in a fight, but he doesn't want to make Chizuru worry - so he drops it. "I don't recognize this style of ship... it's similar but slightly different to what I'm used to. Of course, there's lots of kinds of ships... but it doesn't look quite the same."
tealeafs: (as you bloom again)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-19 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
".. really?"

Look, the part about the pirates in his world is surprising to her too - but what she's replying to here, and seems even more surprised about, is what he's saying about the ship. Chizuru hasn't seen enough back home to really be able to compare, but that's exactly why she's instantly willing to believe Nara'a's words here. He's got more experienced, after all.

"What do you think is different? Or.. um, is it hard to describe..?" She could understand that. Especially since he's saying they're slightly different. Besides-- "I guess everything here in Trench is pretty different from what we're used to.. But if you recognize what's different, maybe we can tell what these ships were for. Or why they're making the water glow."
aetherweaver: (Default)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-21 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, the middle is wider than what I've seen... if I had to guess it came from a long way off. For a closer trip you'd use a small, fast ship." But this thing? It's huge compared to some of the ones he's seen. "And the design is... I can't figure it out, but there's something off about the decorations. Like it's close, but not the same."

Even through the gloom, the metal parts of the ship reflect from the glowing algae. Swirls and patterns line the edges of the ship, with a dolphin on the prow. "It's... strange. Do you want to go see what's inside? There might be something in the hold that might tell us where this is from."
tealeafs: (as you bloom again)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-22 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Chizuru nods.

"Let's go look."

If they're all the way down here, then they might as well, after all. There's just the risk that there's some danger waiting for them inside, but.. it doesn't seem like that's the case. After all, these ships are lying here so still at the bottom of the ocean, like there's nothing at all moving in them.

So if Nara'a moves closer towards the ships to try and find a way in, Chizuru will continue to cling onto him, moving along.

And speaking up, now she's had a moment to think about what the other brought up. "So you think it's.. a trader ship, maybe..?"

Chizuru has heard of those, even if she hasn't seen them much in person. Not even back home.

"I mean, why else would a ship come here from far away..? Especially since most of us arrive through the sea, rather than on a ship." So it can't be people from another world arriving the way they do every month.
aetherweaver: (serious)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-23 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think it's definitely possible. Even if it's not, it had to have come from somewhere. Maybe here, but... I haven't seen ships like this around, have you?"

Unless it was people from before coming to this place, but he's not certain how likely that is. Surely people would know about something like that, right? He shrugs at the thought and dives down, easily kicking his way into a hole in the side of the ship.

Barrels, both broken and not, litter the bottom - or side, really - of the ship. There's a flash of white as Nara'a takes out his omni to shine a light but... ah. It's a skeleton, crushed underneath some of the barrels. It seems to be clutching a strange statue, though - one that doesn't seem to have any algae or anything growing on it.

"... That's weird."
tealeafs: (making the raging waves)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-26 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry, Nara'a - but your question is lost entirely once they take a look into the ship. After all, it's hard to think of reasonable answers to reasonable questions when you're suddenly faced with a skeleton.

And it's not like Chizuru hasn't seen bad stuff like this before. She comes from a war, after all. She has watched dying men, she has seen corpses. But it's one thing to be on the battlefield and expect that, and it's another thing entirely to just randomly come across one during your daily life.

So the moment the light falls on that skeleton, Chizuru lets out a shriek. Considering they can stand here, there's technically no longer any reason to cling to Nara'a - but Chizuru still does in the light of this, ducking behind him like she's trying to hide and clinging onto him from behind. The girl is clearly scared, to a point where she can't even get herself to say anything quite yet.
aetherweaver: (uh oh)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-26 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
He looks confused at her shriek for a moment before he realizes it's the skeleton. He spent his whole life growing up around the remains of beasts... he never really saw the skeleton of a person for a long time, but it doesn't bother him.

... Maybe it should.

He reaches back and puts an arm around Chizuru's back, trying to hold her and calm her. "It's okay. It's dead. It's not going to hurt you." He's pretty sure, at least - he's fought skeletal enemies before, but this doesn't seem like one of them. "... Do you want me to move it for you so you don't have to see it?"
tealeafs: (when i live by your side)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-28 06:47 am (UTC)(link)
"U--Um!"

Those are two different statements to grapple with in this moment. Because Chizuru knows a skeleton couldn't do anything to her, but that still means something killed this person, or they died here.. which isn't a great thought, knowing that both of them are standing right here now. And then there's the fact that the fact that there's a corpse is just.. sad.

But then there's that other question, and that one does require her to say something out loud. Which is still hard, so at first the girl just furiously shakes her head, before managing to say: "N-No, it would be disrespectful to move them.."

Even if it's just a skeleton. Chizuru definitely feels like she always ought to honour the dead. Their remains included.

"I-I'll be fine, it's just.. I.. didn't expect to find that down here at all." Now the shock seems to fade a tiny bit, it reveals more sadness in her facial expression instead. "It's so sad.."
aetherweaver: (Default)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-28 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"... If you say so." He does move closer to the skeleton, examining the strange idol clutched in its hands. "Some sort of religious artifact, I presume..." He wants to grab it, but Chizuru wants to not move the skeleton so he doesn't.

He does move one of the barrels experimentally, grunting a little. "Gods, this thing's heavy. Must be full of cannonballs or something like that." Presumably that's what crushed the person, given the position. He lets the barrel slide back into place with a dull thud as it impacts the other barrels.

"It... is. But we might see more. Are you okay with continuing? We can go back if you're not." He doesn't want to scare her... but he's not going to lie to her.
tealeafs: (when i live by your side)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-09-30 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
Chizuru isn't too sure whether she's okay. She's mostly worried about the potential danger involved here - and not just for her own safety, but for Nara'a's as well. She'd never forgive herself if something happened to him while they were exploring down here together, especially when she doesn't think she would be able to do much to defend him if some sort of danger popped up..

.. but she also hates the idea of cancelling the rest of this investigation, just because she got a little scared.

She clenches her top with one hand, forming it into a fist - just trying to give herself a bit of courage here. Be strong, Chizuru..!!

"We can keep going."

There's a hint of fear in her voice, sure, but her tone is mostly firm. Like she's made up her mind.

"I'll.. try to be better about it." Not as easily startled, though it's hard to not be. "So please don't worry about me. Let's just.. head further into the ship, and see what else we can find."
aetherweaver: (serious)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-09-30 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"... If you're sure. We can go back whenever you need, okay?" He's pretty at home in the water, and he's seen far scarier things than a skeleton. He starts swimming parallel to the floor, heading up the length of the boat. "There should probably be a - aha."

He opens a latched door and reveals some stairs. The omni's light reveals a number of barrels and other things all slid to one side of the ship, gravity pulling them down in a pile. "Let's see what's in here." He swims over the stairs into the hold, careful to make sure there's no skeletons around. He doesn't see any at the moment...

"It looks like someone was in the middle of a card game." There's the rotted remains of playing cards in the pile next to an overturned table. He swims a bit closer, fascinated. "The suits look a little different from what I'm used to." There's hearts and diamonds... but the others are circles and triangles.
tealeafs: (to stain my path)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-10-02 10:00 am (UTC)(link)
She does take a peek at the cards when he brings them up, though they don't seem very familiar in the slightest to Chizuru.. which could be a cultural difference, she figures, or maybe it's just that she's never been around cards much in the first place.

It's why she instead turns to look around them more.

"I guess they must not have anticipated that they were going to sink.."

Not that anyone goes out on a ship anticipating that, mind you. But if these people really were in the middle of something, and their bodies are still left in here..

"Maybe they were totally caught by surprise by.." Chizuru's voice trails off, thinking of what could make a ship sink out here in a place like this.

Quite a lot, huh.

".. something."
aetherweaver: (eh?)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2022-10-04 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
"I guess not... though I think they must have rushed to the top. I don't see any bodies around here." Or smell them - not that he can smell much underwater. He's not a shark, he's not adapted for underwater.

Caught by surprise... "Either they hit a rock or something hit them. That was a pretty big hole we swam through..."

But what could hit them that hard? Some creatures, maybe... but he has no real idea what sort of monsters lurk out here, other than the ones that came to shore a bit ago.
tealeafs: (shedding your petals graciously)

[personal profile] tealeafs 2022-10-05 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
Nara'a is right. There really don't seem to be any bodies around here, other than that skeleton they found. Thankfully so, considering Chizuru isn't exactly sure how many bodies she could have handled here before she would have freaked out too much at the situation as a whole.

But the lack of bodies makes it easier to look around. To glance around them, until her eyes land on--

".. do you see that statue there?" Chizuru raises a hand, pointing at it. "It looks so.. odd."

Kind of like a sea creature, but not like one Chizuru has ever seen before. Like it has been twisted, somehow.

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