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
onerthes: (05)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-13 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Her satchel was only so full, but at the same time? It did seem like perhaps they should be getting out of here. there was only so much that they could care, after all, and it would be better not to weigh themselves down just in case. A quick nod and she grabbed a few more of the stones to put in the sack.

Starting to move, she motioned for him to come with. This definitely seemed like a very good time to get back to the topside.
siriusly: (why do you gotta be so contrary)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-09-15 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Manabu lets her take the lead, swimming out of the lower deck a distance after her, lingering at level with the upper deck and looking around - really looking around. How long ago...did this vessel sink? Where did it come from? What other shores did it see? Who manned it? Where they natives, or like him and Vira-Lorr...?

Much to question, but so few answers to go around. Glimpses of fish passing by catch his eye in the peripheral and shake him out of that brief trance of thought.

He'd sigh, but...underwater, it's weird enough to be down here without an apparatus. Oh, well.

He follows the shape of Vira-Lorr to the surface, satchel heavy and weighted with the spoils of their search.
onerthes: (06)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-15 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Her own focus was on the swim. Despite being easy going about everything? Vira-Lorr wasn't particularly hell bent on remaining in the dark depths of the ocean longer than necessary. this was Mariana's realm, and she disliked the intensity of her presence, even protected.

Soon, she was at the surface, coughing up the excess water and getting a good, long lung-full of air while she waited for him to catch up. God, getting water out of her ears was... ugh. "This was definitely something to remember," she muttered as soon as he caught up at the surface.
siriusly: (i wish you'd stop......)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-09-16 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
"Glauughhhh-!"

Manabu surfaces gracelessly, hacking on seawater as he returns to a proper air-breather. He has to work to push some of the wet mop of his hair out of his face and find where Vira-Lorr is.

"All good?" he asks, treading water. "We, we better get back to shore before we really wear out...or something weirder happens."
onerthes: (12)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-17 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
She nodded, coughing up the last of it, pushing towards the shore one step at a time. When they'd found the sand, she set the bag down and flopped, panting. honestly, this much swimming was exhausting no matter what.

"That was certainly something. I'm not sure what we'll gain from this, but it is at least something. Are you alright?"
siriusly: (ahahaha......what............)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-09-17 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Swimming really is the ultimate exercise, isn't it? Manabu's wiped, laying on his back as his omen rushes over to lick at his face before going off to check on Vira-Lorr.

"Yeh-yeah," he puffs. "I'm good. Just...hoo...I don't do a lot of swimming, eh, eheh..."
onerthes: (05)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-21 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
She flopped down and panted, looking up at the sky and laughing softly. "Gods, but I don't swim nearly that much. Ever. I try to avoid the water around here normally, so this was a lot, but perhaps these will be worth it," she said, holding one up and squinting at it.

"It will probably be frustratingly and tantalizingly close to the truth and we will learn absolutely nothing but feel like we've progressed in the process though. So I'll just add it to a wide collection of these sorts of nicknacks..." Blink blink. Did she just SAY all that? She usually kept the cynicism under the wraps.
siriusly: (ahahaha......what............)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-09-22 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Jeez, Vira-Lorr," Manabu laughs breathlessly. "At least let me be the downer first; you're the smart one, you know? If you don't have confidence, no one should."

He sits up with a grunt, shaking sand out of his hair and batting Magnet away, setting him off to sniff at Vira-Lorr.

"Best I can do is play gofer...you and Ryuu and the other folks with better brains are the ones I have to trust to find out if it's useful stuff or not. I'll take some to him, some to the Archive...you hang onto the rest?"
onerthes: (06)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-24 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I always have a cynical side. I just hide it behind the smiles so people don't worry. When you can see the future like me, you learn to know there's a lot of unpleasant options," she said, before whipping her hand up and coughing into it, her eyes a little wide. "I... seem to have lost my internal filter. I usually wouldn't say that openly."

Getting up slowly, she brushed herself off and shook her head. "Yes. That sounds like a good idea. Ignore my rantings. I'll take a look into this and see if I can determine something of note."
siriusly: (whoa what wait hang on)

[personal profile] siriusly 2022-09-24 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Manabu blinks, frowning softly up at her as he considers her off-hand words. He does look away, feeling a wave of embarrassment as she coughs, but he'll mull on those words for a while thereafter. Has he...been burdening her with a need to pretend? To hide? That's no good...

Sorry, Vira-Lorr: He can't ignore the rantings. He might do the opposite, actually!

But until then, he gets up, pulling his satchel up and slinging the strap over his shoulder with a huff.

"Right. Let me know if you find out anything weird, and I'll do the same, okay?"
onerthes: (Default)

[personal profile] onerthes 2022-09-25 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Nope, no burdens. She did this with everyone, because she preferred to give off a vibe of being someone who was entirely in control and that everything would be fine, no matter what.

"I will. Don't worry too much. I'm sure it won't be life threatening whatever it is. We'll be in touch," she said, smiling over at him.