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deercountry2023-01-08 10:04 pm
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Entry tags:
- *event,
- altaïr ibn la-ahad: tea,
- anakin skywalker: michele,
- ange ushiromiya: jelle,
- battler ushiromiya: chrono,
- beatrice: mila,
- caitlyn kiramman: mesi,
- chizuru yukimura: jelle,
- darth maul: shade,
- izuku "deku" midoriya: tea,
- jason kolchek: kacey,
- jinx: bekka,
- kd6-3.7: moz,
- lord asriel belacqua: min,
- luna lovegood: cheryl,
- luz noceda: pedro,
- maria thorpe: jaina,
- martin blackwood: lucy,
- mike enslin: aeri,
- nico di angelo: xae,
- peter graham: jhey,
- robby keene: ree,
- robyn goodfellowe: oggy,
- scorpia: gore,
- sharon da silva: lunare,
- terry silver: cass,
- trevor belmont: michele,
- venus: kari,
- vi: aeri,
- wanda maximoff: jade,
- willow rosenberg: lucy
turned dreams into an empire
JANUARY 2023 EVENT
A NEW CITY
TOWARDS A CURE
ROTTEN TIMES
CODING
Due to the cyclical nature of Trench, last year's January prompts are available for use. Please be sure to mark if your prompts are from this year or last year to avoid confusion when plotting/playing.
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A dark, cloudy sky over a city street lit by lanterns.]
[Image Two: Dark woods with spots it up by moonlight. ]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Two, mostly melted candles burning in holders. ]
[Image Two: A spider web on top of sticks and berries. ]
Prompt Three
[Image One: An apple cut in half and clearly rotting. ]
[Image Two: A person lying in bed with their head on their arms. ]
Prompt One
[Image One: A dark, cloudy sky over a city street lit by lanterns.]
[Image Two: Dark woods with spots it up by moonlight. ]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Two, mostly melted candles burning in holders. ]
[Image Two: A spider web on top of sticks and berries. ]
Prompt Three
[Image One: An apple cut in half and clearly rotting. ]
[Image Two: A person lying in bed with their head on their arms. ]
WHEN: January
WHERE: Outside Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Seemingly living buildings, possibly paranoia and/or heavy anxiety, blood, beasts, hauntings
WHERE: Outside Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Seemingly living buildings, possibly paranoia and/or heavy anxiety, blood, beasts, hauntings
Those who continued to charge their compasses will find that they are finally able to go farther than they ever could before. They will have started to glow, much the way the pieces did back in October when they were searching for their other half. There will be a pull towards the new city skyline, urging the holder to explore.
The journey to this new city takes time. For the average travelling group, it would take a week to get to the edges of town. For the fastest movers, it would still take roughly four days. The forest seems to get strangely thicker and denser as the city gets closer, before it suddenly disappears and opens up to brick streets and stone, gothic buildings. The aesthetics are very much like Trench, clearly built around the same time period. However, unlike Trench, this city has been completely and utterly abandoned.
Old, rusted lanterns are attached to the sides of houses, without any candles or oil to light them. At night, the bricks lining the street almost seem to glow, allowing for people to see their path in front of them, but not much beyond it. The buildings loom above, massive shadows with an almost unnerving quality to them. At night, sometimes one could get the strange idea that the very stones of the buildings are alive: are actually moving and breathing.
There's also an unpleasant sound that follows around as the city is explored. A low hum in some places and outright whispers in others. They could be mistaken for the wind or creaking window panes that never got nailed shut. Othertimes, the whispers can become so clear, one would think that there was someone standing right next to them. These clear whispers can only be heard by the person they are directed to. The words will be direct and harsh, usually targeting a person's worst fears and insecurities, memories that still haunt them, or targeting characteristics that they hate the most about themselves. It's like having a personal ghost bully, but they can't be intimidated into being quiet, no matter how hard one tries. Hopefully you have strong self-esteem.
Those who continue to explore the city will find much of it barren and useless. The buildings are overgrown with plants and some even have trees starting to break through the stone floors, leaving cracks and rubble on the ground. Thick vines have taken over many of the streets, dark in color, and they almost look like they're pulsing when they're hit with moonlight. Another interesting thing to note: some of the trees surrounding the city, as well as the trees within the city, house the delicate mushrooms that help the ill Pthumerians. They seem to be in a much larger, more sustainable supply in this city. Maybe it would be wise to take some back home.
There are a couple of buildings that seem like they might hold useful information for those who choose to explore them. One is City Hall, a large building with all the gothic characteristics one would expect: buttresses, arches, spires, and even gargoyles line the edges of the top of the building. Looking away from the gagoyles might make it seem like they're changing positions or their wings are flapping. Inside the building, some of the stone has crumbled and is broken on the marble floors, but for the most part, the foundation seems to have held up. Moss is the biggest issue, coating the walls and much of the furniture throughout the building. Even the cabinets. Opening the cabinets will find mostly rotted and unreadable papers, but some of them look like they could have been town records at one point. Comparing them to records found in Trench will show that the city was founded around the same time, maybe even a little earlier, but there's no indication of when or why it was abandoned.
Another location that can be explored is a library. This building is not as intricately decorative as others, the windows have been smashed at some point, and vines have taken over much of the building. But it was clearly well funded, as the inside is filled to the brim with books. Most of the pages and covers are falling apart, destroyed by the elements over the years, or were shredded by the vines that took over the bookcases. There are still a handful of books that look like they're intact and possibly readable. The language isn't familiar, but for someone who is good with translating, or who has abilities that help them to translate text, they will find stories of varying worlds, just like the Archives back in Trench, as well as a few local legends and folklores. They all seem to be formed around the Pthumerians: one or two mention the Patrons that we've all come to know and... feel something about, prbably not love. The Tower is a common character in many. Another popular Pthumerian throughout is also... Riteior.
Which makes the final location characters may find of interest less surprising: a church that was clearly dedicated to Riteior still stands tall. A few other worshipping areas throughout town also exist, dedicated to minor Pthumerians that are unfamiliar to Sleepers, and whose names have been lost to time. There are also a few alters dedicated to some of the Patrons as well, particularly the Tower and Madam Generosity. But Riteior's church is the largest of them all and the decorative windows made of blood stones show just how important he clearly was to so many people.
There is a door in the back of the church that seems to be glowing at first. It becomes clear quickly that behind it, there is a great deal of red colored light shining through. It pulses gentle, never going out entirely, but clearly having a bit of a flicker to it that could cause some people, especially those with light sensititivies, to have extreme headaches.
NOTE: Currently, it will not be possible to set up a lantern in the new city or near its edges. The city itself seems to be rejecting the possibility. This restriction will be lifted in the near future!
The journey to this new city takes time. For the average travelling group, it would take a week to get to the edges of town. For the fastest movers, it would still take roughly four days. The forest seems to get strangely thicker and denser as the city gets closer, before it suddenly disappears and opens up to brick streets and stone, gothic buildings. The aesthetics are very much like Trench, clearly built around the same time period. However, unlike Trench, this city has been completely and utterly abandoned.
Old, rusted lanterns are attached to the sides of houses, without any candles or oil to light them. At night, the bricks lining the street almost seem to glow, allowing for people to see their path in front of them, but not much beyond it. The buildings loom above, massive shadows with an almost unnerving quality to them. At night, sometimes one could get the strange idea that the very stones of the buildings are alive: are actually moving and breathing.
There's also an unpleasant sound that follows around as the city is explored. A low hum in some places and outright whispers in others. They could be mistaken for the wind or creaking window panes that never got nailed shut. Othertimes, the whispers can become so clear, one would think that there was someone standing right next to them. These clear whispers can only be heard by the person they are directed to. The words will be direct and harsh, usually targeting a person's worst fears and insecurities, memories that still haunt them, or targeting characteristics that they hate the most about themselves. It's like having a personal ghost bully, but they can't be intimidated into being quiet, no matter how hard one tries. Hopefully you have strong self-esteem.
Those who continue to explore the city will find much of it barren and useless. The buildings are overgrown with plants and some even have trees starting to break through the stone floors, leaving cracks and rubble on the ground. Thick vines have taken over many of the streets, dark in color, and they almost look like they're pulsing when they're hit with moonlight. Another interesting thing to note: some of the trees surrounding the city, as well as the trees within the city, house the delicate mushrooms that help the ill Pthumerians. They seem to be in a much larger, more sustainable supply in this city. Maybe it would be wise to take some back home.
There are a couple of buildings that seem like they might hold useful information for those who choose to explore them. One is City Hall, a large building with all the gothic characteristics one would expect: buttresses, arches, spires, and even gargoyles line the edges of the top of the building. Looking away from the gagoyles might make it seem like they're changing positions or their wings are flapping. Inside the building, some of the stone has crumbled and is broken on the marble floors, but for the most part, the foundation seems to have held up. Moss is the biggest issue, coating the walls and much of the furniture throughout the building. Even the cabinets. Opening the cabinets will find mostly rotted and unreadable papers, but some of them look like they could have been town records at one point. Comparing them to records found in Trench will show that the city was founded around the same time, maybe even a little earlier, but there's no indication of when or why it was abandoned.
Another location that can be explored is a library. This building is not as intricately decorative as others, the windows have been smashed at some point, and vines have taken over much of the building. But it was clearly well funded, as the inside is filled to the brim with books. Most of the pages and covers are falling apart, destroyed by the elements over the years, or were shredded by the vines that took over the bookcases. There are still a handful of books that look like they're intact and possibly readable. The language isn't familiar, but for someone who is good with translating, or who has abilities that help them to translate text, they will find stories of varying worlds, just like the Archives back in Trench, as well as a few local legends and folklores. They all seem to be formed around the Pthumerians: one or two mention the Patrons that we've all come to know and... feel something about, prbably not love. The Tower is a common character in many. Another popular Pthumerian throughout is also... Riteior.
Which makes the final location characters may find of interest less surprising: a church that was clearly dedicated to Riteior still stands tall. A few other worshipping areas throughout town also exist, dedicated to minor Pthumerians that are unfamiliar to Sleepers, and whose names have been lost to time. There are also a few alters dedicated to some of the Patrons as well, particularly the Tower and Madam Generosity. But Riteior's church is the largest of them all and the decorative windows made of blood stones show just how important he clearly was to so many people.
There is a door in the back of the church that seems to be glowing at first. It becomes clear quickly that behind it, there is a great deal of red colored light shining through. It pulses gentle, never going out entirely, but clearly having a bit of a flicker to it that could cause some people, especially those with light sensititivies, to have extreme headaches.
NOTE: Currently, it will not be possible to set up a lantern in the new city or near its edges. The city itself seems to be rejecting the possibility. This restriction will be lifted in the near future!
WHEN: January
WHERE: Trench & The New City
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood rituals, cursed effigies
WHERE: Trench & The New City
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood rituals, cursed effigies
Going through the door with the light will bring characters into a room that looks like it may have once been a nursery. There are shattered pieces of furniture that were once cribs, toy chests, and kids playsets. They're covered in moss and vines, but some of the wood may be salvagable for those who want it.
More importantly, there is one thing that really stands out here: a large hole in the wall that is filled with pulsing red light as well as swirling clouds of fog. Getting closer will show that the hole leads to the same world that people were being pulled into back in September. This Other World doesn't go to the Other Trench, but clearly an alternate version of this current city. The mirrored side is that of the very church you're currently standing in.
Those who went to explore the library will recall reading in lore about Riteior's powers. The reality warping and world-building like powers were clear, given the existence of the Other Trench, but another power that was mentioned was his ability to use his blood magic to create powerful effegies. These doll-like figurines could be of anyone and were often made of other Pthumerians in an attempt to control them. Legends say the abuse of this power was ultimately what made him unpopular among the other Pthumerians, and rituals were created to try and seal his powers away. The back and forth fighting eventually created the Other World that Riteior was banished to and ultimately ruled over.
There are books in the Other Church that will talk more in depth about his effegy creations and how it was that they were utilized. One form of these effegies created an illness, one that altered the very cells within Pthumerian blood and could be spread to other Pthumerians through close contact. This illness was said to have destroyed them from the inside out over a slow period of time. Many of the symptoms listed will line up with ones that impacted Pthumerians have shared with curious Sleepers, or been observed over the past few months: aches, pains, bleeding, power warping, personality changes, memory loss, brain fog, eventual disfigurement, and ultimately, death.
(Those who read about this might remember that, while he never mentioned feeling physically ill, the Tower's lover, Nevermind, was unable to find the answers to the illness (something he's never had trouble with before) and was unable to pull up much information on Riteior, despite having existed at the same time as him. It seems like he may have been more impacted by this illness than he realized.)
It's clear that Riteior has found a since September to further break the barriers between his Other World and the world the Sleepers and Patrons live in. It's clear he has begun to create effegies of the Patrons. There are a few choices left to the Sleepers with this information. The easiest would be to leave it be. If you hate the Patrons and want to see them die, obviously that would be something that a character is welcome to do. Knowing the outcome is ultimately death obviously can sway some people in this direction if they wish to see the Patrons destroyed.
Some people might argue that this is unwise, considering how much chaos has come from the Pthumerians being sick thus far. They are worshipped for a reason by the natives and long time Sleepers, so perhaps getting rid of them would cause more pain to this world than is worth risking. The next option is to a temporary solution to the issue: find the effegies and destroy them. Characters who choose to go this route can go into the Other Church to enter the world and try and find Riteior's figurines. It may take time, as he could be located in the Other Trench, and it would take the same amount of days to travel in the Other World as it does in regular Trench. Asking the compass to help you locate the effegies will work: it will glow, leading you through the woods, until you find a small building hidden in the trees.
Going inside will show a series of figurines on a table, but they can not be destroyed by typical means. The texts that discuss the figurines talk about a ritual that can be used to destroy them, one that invovles making a mixture that must include a small amount of every kind of Sleeper blood. Then, a powdered form of the mushrooms from the trees must be mixed into the blood until it bubbles, similar to carbonated drinks. This mixture must then be poured over the effigy, which will dissolve as though it has been covered in acid. This will begin to lift the illness from the Pthumerians, who will take time to recover, usually over a month. However, as Riteior can make more figurines, this solution will not help the Pthumerian illness long term.
The last option involves a little more research. The ritual for sealing away Riteior's powers is hidden somewhere in the books in both the library as well as in the archives in Trench. It's deeply hidden, almost forgotten by time. It will be inside a book with a blank cover, a layer of dust on the binding, and the pages yellowed by age. It's handwritten in a local language that hasn't been used in ages, and may be difficult to translate at first, but comes together easily once the cadence is figured out. Magic of some sort has been placed on the pages to stop those who have powers from being able to translate it with them. It will only be able to be translated through good old fashioned research.
Natives will be willing to help, though, and in the end, the translation will state that the ritual again involves using each Sleeper blood type. It must be mixed with rose oil and the ashes from a burned yew branch until it forms a paste. The paste must then be used to draw a swirling pattern on the ground, one similar to a Celtic knot, though it does not need to be nearly as intricate so long as the pattern has no visible beginning or end point when it is done. Afterward, a Darkblood stone must be smashed, and its pieces scattered over it. It will glow a bright, blinding red, before disappearing as though it was never made at all.
This ritual must be repeated twice a month for three months in order to guarantee the Riteior's magic will no longer be able to impact the Pthumerians across worlds.
More importantly, there is one thing that really stands out here: a large hole in the wall that is filled with pulsing red light as well as swirling clouds of fog. Getting closer will show that the hole leads to the same world that people were being pulled into back in September. This Other World doesn't go to the Other Trench, but clearly an alternate version of this current city. The mirrored side is that of the very church you're currently standing in.
Those who went to explore the library will recall reading in lore about Riteior's powers. The reality warping and world-building like powers were clear, given the existence of the Other Trench, but another power that was mentioned was his ability to use his blood magic to create powerful effegies. These doll-like figurines could be of anyone and were often made of other Pthumerians in an attempt to control them. Legends say the abuse of this power was ultimately what made him unpopular among the other Pthumerians, and rituals were created to try and seal his powers away. The back and forth fighting eventually created the Other World that Riteior was banished to and ultimately ruled over.
There are books in the Other Church that will talk more in depth about his effegy creations and how it was that they were utilized. One form of these effegies created an illness, one that altered the very cells within Pthumerian blood and could be spread to other Pthumerians through close contact. This illness was said to have destroyed them from the inside out over a slow period of time. Many of the symptoms listed will line up with ones that impacted Pthumerians have shared with curious Sleepers, or been observed over the past few months: aches, pains, bleeding, power warping, personality changes, memory loss, brain fog, eventual disfigurement, and ultimately, death.
(Those who read about this might remember that, while he never mentioned feeling physically ill, the Tower's lover, Nevermind, was unable to find the answers to the illness (something he's never had trouble with before) and was unable to pull up much information on Riteior, despite having existed at the same time as him. It seems like he may have been more impacted by this illness than he realized.)
It's clear that Riteior has found a since September to further break the barriers between his Other World and the world the Sleepers and Patrons live in. It's clear he has begun to create effegies of the Patrons. There are a few choices left to the Sleepers with this information. The easiest would be to leave it be. If you hate the Patrons and want to see them die, obviously that would be something that a character is welcome to do. Knowing the outcome is ultimately death obviously can sway some people in this direction if they wish to see the Patrons destroyed.
Some people might argue that this is unwise, considering how much chaos has come from the Pthumerians being sick thus far. They are worshipped for a reason by the natives and long time Sleepers, so perhaps getting rid of them would cause more pain to this world than is worth risking. The next option is to a temporary solution to the issue: find the effegies and destroy them. Characters who choose to go this route can go into the Other Church to enter the world and try and find Riteior's figurines. It may take time, as he could be located in the Other Trench, and it would take the same amount of days to travel in the Other World as it does in regular Trench. Asking the compass to help you locate the effegies will work: it will glow, leading you through the woods, until you find a small building hidden in the trees.
Going inside will show a series of figurines on a table, but they can not be destroyed by typical means. The texts that discuss the figurines talk about a ritual that can be used to destroy them, one that invovles making a mixture that must include a small amount of every kind of Sleeper blood. Then, a powdered form of the mushrooms from the trees must be mixed into the blood until it bubbles, similar to carbonated drinks. This mixture must then be poured over the effigy, which will dissolve as though it has been covered in acid. This will begin to lift the illness from the Pthumerians, who will take time to recover, usually over a month. However, as Riteior can make more figurines, this solution will not help the Pthumerian illness long term.
The last option involves a little more research. The ritual for sealing away Riteior's powers is hidden somewhere in the books in both the library as well as in the archives in Trench. It's deeply hidden, almost forgotten by time. It will be inside a book with a blank cover, a layer of dust on the binding, and the pages yellowed by age. It's handwritten in a local language that hasn't been used in ages, and may be difficult to translate at first, but comes together easily once the cadence is figured out. Magic of some sort has been placed on the pages to stop those who have powers from being able to translate it with them. It will only be able to be translated through good old fashioned research.
Natives will be willing to help, though, and in the end, the translation will state that the ritual again involves using each Sleeper blood type. It must be mixed with rose oil and the ashes from a burned yew branch until it forms a paste. The paste must then be used to draw a swirling pattern on the ground, one similar to a Celtic knot, though it does not need to be nearly as intricate so long as the pattern has no visible beginning or end point when it is done. Afterward, a Darkblood stone must be smashed, and its pieces scattered over it. It will glow a bright, blinding red, before disappearing as though it was never made at all.
This ritual must be repeated twice a month for three months in order to guarantee the Riteior's magic will no longer be able to impact the Pthumerians across worlds.
WHEN: January
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Food poisoning, illness, emetephobia
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Food poisoning, illness, emetephobia
For those who have stayed behind in Trench, Madam Generosity's party is still going off the same as one would expect! It's a good place to go to take shelter from the cold and have a good time. Despite her illness, it seems that Generosity is living up to her name once again.
But when one isn't feeling well, they're bound to make a few mistakes. After attending the party, some people may find that they're feeling less than spectacular. Maybe it's just a hangover? Or staying up too late. Either seems reasonable. But the feeling is a little heavier than that, and it doesn't take long to see that you might actually be sick. Looking into it will bring up a simple answer: some of the food provided was definitely rotten, whether visibly, physically so or magically.
Symptoms will vary from person to person. Some might be able to walk away with some minor aches, a sniffle, a sore stomach. Others could end up having some strange things happen with their blood powers: a Coldblood could get the hiccups and set their porch on fire or freeze their sandwich. A Darkblood might sneeze and unintentionally glitter bomb someone rather than giving a spray of usual spit. A Paleblood might cough and cause the people around them to get a surge of empathy or heavy emotions. These blood impacts seem to be unique to each person and have no bounds. Feel free to create whatever outcomes from it you might wish.
There are also some who may get hit truly hard by the food poisoning in Trench. They will be hit with more classic symptoms, like fevers and chills, vomitting, body aches, and more. They could become weak and vulnerable, needing the help of another to care for them, put a cool cloth on their forehead, fall asleep at their bedside, until they feel better. Classic hurt/comfort is the goal here. You know what to do.
Regardless of severity of symptoms, they should clear up within 72 hours. After effects, such as weakness and dehydration, can last longer, but people should start to feel back to themselves within a week.
But when one isn't feeling well, they're bound to make a few mistakes. After attending the party, some people may find that they're feeling less than spectacular. Maybe it's just a hangover? Or staying up too late. Either seems reasonable. But the feeling is a little heavier than that, and it doesn't take long to see that you might actually be sick. Looking into it will bring up a simple answer: some of the food provided was definitely rotten, whether visibly, physically so or magically.
Symptoms will vary from person to person. Some might be able to walk away with some minor aches, a sniffle, a sore stomach. Others could end up having some strange things happen with their blood powers: a Coldblood could get the hiccups and set their porch on fire or freeze their sandwich. A Darkblood might sneeze and unintentionally glitter bomb someone rather than giving a spray of usual spit. A Paleblood might cough and cause the people around them to get a surge of empathy or heavy emotions. These blood impacts seem to be unique to each person and have no bounds. Feel free to create whatever outcomes from it you might wish.
There are also some who may get hit truly hard by the food poisoning in Trench. They will be hit with more classic symptoms, like fevers and chills, vomitting, body aches, and more. They could become weak and vulnerable, needing the help of another to care for them, put a cool cloth on their forehead, fall asleep at their bedside, until they feel better. Classic hurt/comfort is the goal here. You know what to do.
Regardless of severity of symptoms, they should clear up within 72 hours. After effects, such as weakness and dehydration, can last longer, but people should start to feel back to themselves within a week.
Darth Maul | Star Wars
While Maul was still himself during the month, he'd reluctantly visit the Snake Den. Socially awkward when he wasn't actively antagonizing people or planning to kill them, he hung about on the edges of the gathering. At least he really liked the outfit Madame Generosity had left for him this year.
Not one to like the spotlight on him unless he had specific reasons for it, he didn't get up to volunteer during the talent or fashion shows, though he did like to watch what everyone else was doing. He'd just sip on one or two drinks throughout the night, occasionally making conversation with anyone he knew.
"Enjoying yourself?" He asked of those who were nearby to him.
II. Shedding Ceremony - cw: physical and mental child abuse mentions likely in these prompts
Age 8
[Maul knew this place. This was the strange city, the kind that didn't have ships that could take him to other places. He couldn't sense his master here either. Used to being on his own, he would wander the streets, taking what he needed to keep himself warm or to eat. He didn't see stealing as wrong. Even at this young age, he knew survival wasn't always guaranteed unless he took care of his own needs.
He was shy and skittish, often running off or jumping to a high ledge when anyone got close to him. Maul had experienced too much cruelty in his life to trust easily. He also didn't talk much, preferring to just observe what was going on around him. Even people who could get him to stay put found that he possessed a nervous energy, flinching away from anyone who tried to touch him or even moved too fast.
But anyone who was remotely kind to him would find a small horned shadow following them about. The Dathomirian kit had experienced so little of it in his short life that he felt drawn to those who showed him a modicum of decency.
Eventually, he'd be able to relax and play like an normal eight-year-old would. Well, perhaps not quite like a normal one. After being raised the way he had, Maul could sound a little creepy to those who heard him playing. He'd build a bunch of lumpy snowmen, grab a big stick, and start whacking them to pieces, saying things like:]
And then you kill them and kill them and then they are dead and blood is everywhere!
[He was innocent about how morbid and unnatural that sounded for a kit his age to be saying, putting the snowmen back together for another round. Othertimes, he'd build a snow fort, and hide inside of it while pelting passerby with snowballs using the Force. One could hear a small childish giggle coming from within the fort at times like this.]
Age 15
[With as distrustful of people as his eight-year-old self had been, Maul as a teenager was doubly so, having gone through now ten years of cruelty and abuse. This version of himself had been at the academy on Orsis, a place that turned children and teenagers into assassins. It was a harsh place filled with nothing like mercy or kindness.
Yet still Maul had managed to find some friends there. He wanted to talk to people his own age but the scars of Sidious' treatment were already apparent. He no longer knew how to relate to his peers or even have so much as a simple conversation with people. By now, his focus was instead on scanning places to see where all the exits were and observing a person to see what would be the quickest way to kill them quietly.
For the most part he just stuck to the shadows, hood up over his head, trying to figure out what he was doing here. Was this another test from his master? It had to be, there was no other reason he'd have ended up in a strange place without any memory of how he'd gotten there. He just wasn't sure what he was meant to be doing here. If he failed, that was sure to mean punishment when his master returned for him. His emotions, usually so well shielded as an adult, were bleeding over. Anyone who was near was sure to pick up on them, a tangled knot of anger, fear, unhappiness, and that small tentative spark of hope he still possessed deep within him.
It wasn't easy to get him to stay in one spot and talk with anyone for too long, but just like the other versions of Maul, this one was quick to respond to genuine kindness and compassion directed towards his way. Those who approached him just had to be careful. He was rather feral and wouldn't hesitate to bite.]
III. Unsnakely
Of course Maul would have ended up fighting the beast eventually. Water was wet, the sky was blue, and Maul would end up battling whatever there was to be encountered in Trench on a month to month basis. It was inevitable that at least for a few days this month he would be drawn to fighting the snakelike monster.
One could find him out near the edges of the city in a bare patch before one reached the cliffs by the sea battling it. His acrobatic fighting style came in great handy in avoiding the fire it keeps spitting out towards him, though once or twice he was caught across the shoulder or forearm. A quick dash of snow on the injury and he was back in the fray ready to kick ass. This year he knew better on how to defeat the beast and it showed in his confidence as he fought.
Really, he could have used some help even if he looked like he was having the time of his life. He'd finally reached the point where he honestly would accept help from certain people if they offered it to him, as long as it didn't take away from the obvious enjoyment he was getting out of the encounter.
IV. Rotten Times
[After the party, Maul had started to feel poorly. This was odd in and of itself. The last time he'd been sick had been quite a while ago in Deerington when the flower rats had bitten him, causing an unnatural fever that hadn't abated until Reaper managed to thoroughly clean the injury out.
This time he felt more like he was coming down with a cold or something. He felt cold and clammy much of the time, shivering despite bundling himself up in a number of layers. Then he'd feel the opposite, burning hot and sweating like he was far too warm. He couldn't keep anything down and spent most of his time lying on the couch, alternately reading or sleeping.
Anyone who came by would find him in a miserable state.]
Are you here to put me out of my misery?
V. Wildcard
Want something different? Give me a poke at either my plotting post,
II
What do we do when we're done? [ The children of Silent Hill occasionally build up mounds to hide behind when they get into snowball fights but it's never been something she's had the chance to participate in (she was often an unwilling target, though). ]
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He was having a lot of fun now despite the freezing temperatures. He'd never experienced snow before this point.]
We can throw snowballs at people!
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We have to make sure they want to join us first, though, okay? It's not fun to get hit by a snowball when you don't want to be. It can hurt. [ But, if no one wants to play snowball fight with them, she would let Maul throw snowballs at her. ]
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ii age 15
she's still got some swagger, but it's neither as earned or as practiced - and there's a true 'devil may care' in her manner, she's known horrors and hard times, but they've been interspersed with much that is good - and she hasn't yet lost her second family. gone are the tattoos, the relentless self blame, the but one thing hasn't changed - she's looking for her sister.]
Hey.
[a nod to the kid as she jumps down from a wall and into the same shadows. he looks like he's doing the same thing she is - casing the place, the people. maybe he just woke up here, too?]
You seen a little girl with blue hair?
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But the girl didn't seem to want to fight him. Thought he kept a wary look on his face and took a few steps back to put space between them, Maul shook his head.]
No. I haven't.
[He was certain he would have remembered a human or near-human with hair that color.]
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Shit. [heavy sigh] I'm looking for my little sister. [a nod to his hip.] What'cha usually carry?
[and a quick glance out at the milling crowd.]
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ii age 15
A twig.
So he's not the most imposing person here when he approaches Maul, crouching down a bit to be closer to eye level. ]
You alright, kid?
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I'm fine.
[The words came just a little too quickly to be the truth and he didn't quite meet the human's eyes. Maul had the soft, not-yet-broken voice and small short frame of a kid who hadn't quite gone through the throes of puberty yet. He'd end up being a bit of a late bloomer in that respect.]
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i
"More than I was around this time last year. How 'bout you?"
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Clearly, he thought this was happy news to be sharing, which would have been apparent after his network post at the beginning of December.
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IV
I'm far too cruel of a mistress to let you off easy.
[This was what he got for actually eating food at these parties. In Neopolitan's opinion, he should damned well know better. Bah, nah, she knew there was usually a compulsion to take part, but it was fun to kick a friend when they were down. So she was over here with a cold compress and something that smelled... unctuous and fatty. It was probably two of those chicken soup cans that someone had left on her door.
Walking over, she gave him a wicked grin and set the soup down, just out of reach. No knocking that away. Nope! She reached over to offer the compress for his head.]
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[Maul said grumpily though without much heat, wrapping the blanket more tightly around his form as he talked. The smell of the soup was both delicious but he was afraid what his stomach would do if he tried to eat it. Still, he glared at Neo when she set it down out of his reach.
The glare disappeared when he closed his eyes as he accepted the cold compress for his head. The paradoxical nature of feeling both warm and cold at the same time actually felt great in his weakened state.]
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Age 8
For now, he watches in amusement as the little Maul murders snowmen.]
They never knew what hit them, I'm sure.
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They have been sub--subjegated!
[Maul said proudly and with the eager nature of a child who clearly doesn't quite know the meaning of the big words he'd been taught. As he spoke, some of the snow he'd smashed into the ground began to lift back up into the air and reform the snowmen so he could go another round with them.]
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IV
Upon coming in, she saw very clearly that he was NOT].
Darth Maul?! How did this happen to you?!
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I don't know. Bad food perhaps.
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II -- Age 8
So comfortable, in fact, that they hadn't noticed the snowball until too late.
It smacked them on the side of his head and earned a startled yelp. Ro, the young apprentice ecological worker of a skinshifter from a land that a certain blind bird in town called home, stopped in their trek and looked around.
It had been a while since they had stopped to play with snowballs, and they were down for a little fun.]
Come out, come out~
[They called in a sing-song tone while they scooped up a pile of soft snow.]
You're not just going to invite someone and leave them waiting, are you?
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He formed another snowball and peeked his head out over the top of the snow fort he'd created. With his distinctive skin color, he stood out in sharp contrast to all the white snow surrounding him.]
II - Age 15
So, when he sees Maul, looking young and angry and terrified, Luca knows he must be going through something very similar to what he'd faced the year before, so he approaches cautiously.]
Hey. Are you ok?
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I'm fine.
[The words came quick, too quick and automatic to be the truth. Maul was worried. His master had left him on other planets before, but at least when he did he always told Maul was his purpose was there. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing in this strange city and was afraid he'd fail at the unknown task his master had set out for him.]
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II
[He lands on his butt in the cold snow and yelps, scrambling to his feet.]
Mother says you're not supposed to kill people, just animals...
[But his voice shakes when he speaks up, posture all tucked in and nervous.]
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It's okay. They're pirates and bad guys 'n so that makes it alright.
[Maul gave the snowman another satisfied smack and knocked part of the snow to the ground. He saw the large ears and tail on Nara'a and assumed he was an alien just like Maul was.]
Are you a Zygerrian?
[Maul had never actually seen one in person but he had heard they had catlike ears on their heads.]
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iii
great.
giant snake monster near the beach. he rolls his achy shoulder and sighs aloud while Magnet growl-ruffs at his feet.
they say there's no rest for the wicked, but he's been working hard to be a good guy, you know? ah, well...]
Head's up!
[Maul gets the warning just before laserfire peppers the unsnake's hide beside him, trying to aim for the fresh cuts Maul had been working to sear into the beast's armored hide.]
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He made sure to get out of the way when the laserfire was directed towards the Unsnakely. Well, this was about to make things very interesting! Maul swung his lightsaber back and then wound up for another blow, this one with more power behind it.]
This shall be a glorious battle!
[Maul said happily.]
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