Deer Country Mod (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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deercountry2023-02-08 06:25 pm
reddosmod) wrote in deercountry2023-02-08 06:25 pm
Entry tags:
- *event,
- ahiru: timmy,
- altaïr ibn la-ahad: tea,
- alucard: timmy,
- anakin skywalker: michele,
- anakin solo: ellie,
- ange ushiromiya: jelle,
- anna amarande: celene,
- ariane yeong: floral,
- beatrice: mila,
- chizuru yukimura: jelle,
- darth maul: shade,
- echo: kaito,
- elster: zero,
- ezra bridger: lis,
- fiddleford mcgucket: inkwell,
- jinx: bekka,
- kainé: ava,
- keith: sailor g,
- lance: charley,
- lord asriel belacqua: min,
- luke skywalker: skyla,
- luz noceda: pedro,
- maria thorpe: jaina,
- peter graham: jhey,
- rey: valkryie,
- ritsuka aoyagi: jax,
- savage opress: vette,
- scorpia: gore,
- sharon da silva: lunare,
- sunny: cake,
- the abomination: alba,
- trevor belmont: michele,
- vi: aeri,
- xuan he: prox
and my heart went 'boom!'
FEBRUARY 2023 EVENT
BAD LUCK OF THE EARLY WORM
GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU
LONELY HEARTS CLUB
CODING
Due to the cyclical nature of Trench, prompts from the PREVIOUS FEBRUARY are available for use again. Please note when you are using this years prompts vs last years prompts when plotting or writing top-levels to avoid confusion.
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A broken mirror with a woman looking into it, pressing her fingers against the glass. ]
[Image Two: A rose lit up like embers. ]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Neon hearts glowing on a wall. ]
[Image Two: A pocket watch on top of a book page. ]
Prompt Three
[Image One: A young woman with dark hair standing in the snow with red flowers. ]
[Image Two: Footprints in the snow. ]
Prompt One
[Image One: A broken mirror with a woman looking into it, pressing her fingers against the glass. ]
[Image Two: A rose lit up like embers. ]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Neon hearts glowing on a wall. ]
[Image Two: A pocket watch on top of a book page. ]
Prompt Three
[Image One: A young woman with dark hair standing in the snow with red flowers. ]
[Image Two: Footprints in the snow. ]
WHEN: February
WHERE: All around the city
CONTENT WARNINGS: Curses, violence, danger, misfortune
WHERE: All around the city
CONTENT WARNINGS: Curses, violence, danger, misfortune
Everyone has their own streak of bad times. There are some days or weeks whre it feels like nothing is going right. Most people would try and tell say that it's just the tendency to focus on the negative. That it can be relieved by writing down all the good things that happen in our lives, because we have a tendency to only ever focus on the bad. And maybe most of the time, people are right! Maybe the idea of luck really is just perspective.
But not in Trench. Not this month.
No matter what way it's looked at, bad luck seems to be clinging to some people. It might start out small, with simple things like knocking over a favorite drink or snack, or ruining a project that had hours invested into it. Then it might become bigger. A person might start to trip over things and injuring themselves, they might get lost in a blizzard and nearly freeze before finding their way home or to someone they know. Eventually, it could even become undeniably dangerous. The person impacted by bad luck could start to notice corruption levels rising quickly, they could start to turn into a beast at random, they could start to attract violent beasts to them and put themselves or others at risk with heavy battles. The possibilities seem to be endless and none of them are good. Did someone break a mirror? Or twenty?
It will be easy to see that this isn't just impacting one person. Sleepers and Trenchies alike seem to be being plagued by streaks of bad luck across the board. Luckily, the locals seem to know what to do about it. Bad luck pops up from time to time, and of course there would be a ritual to help cleanse it.
Small vendors will start to pop up through the city selling wooden carvings that they promise will absorb all the bad luck that's been going around and dispell it with a simple ritual. A drop of blood from the person impacted and a drop of blood from someone they are close should be placed upon the carving. The blood types of the persons involved should not match (i.e. Coldblood/Coldblood would not work, but Coldblood/Warmblood would). It must be left to soak into the wood overnight, leaving behind deep red stains. The carving must then be placed with a fully bloomed rose and burned in the entrance doorway to the home of the inflicted. The ashes should then be placed into a container and kept somewhere in the home for the duration of February, to make sure that the bad luck stays away.
It seems like it really works! The tricky part is making sure that the bad luck following doesn't get in the way of the ritual while the blood is soaking over night. It may be best for both parties involved to hunker down together until morning, just in case. Time to break out the small talk. Or the deep, meaningful conversations that can sometimes happen in the middle of the night.
But not in Trench. Not this month.
No matter what way it's looked at, bad luck seems to be clinging to some people. It might start out small, with simple things like knocking over a favorite drink or snack, or ruining a project that had hours invested into it. Then it might become bigger. A person might start to trip over things and injuring themselves, they might get lost in a blizzard and nearly freeze before finding their way home or to someone they know. Eventually, it could even become undeniably dangerous. The person impacted by bad luck could start to notice corruption levels rising quickly, they could start to turn into a beast at random, they could start to attract violent beasts to them and put themselves or others at risk with heavy battles. The possibilities seem to be endless and none of them are good. Did someone break a mirror? Or twenty?
It will be easy to see that this isn't just impacting one person. Sleepers and Trenchies alike seem to be being plagued by streaks of bad luck across the board. Luckily, the locals seem to know what to do about it. Bad luck pops up from time to time, and of course there would be a ritual to help cleanse it.
Small vendors will start to pop up through the city selling wooden carvings that they promise will absorb all the bad luck that's been going around and dispell it with a simple ritual. A drop of blood from the person impacted and a drop of blood from someone they are close should be placed upon the carving. The blood types of the persons involved should not match (i.e. Coldblood/Coldblood would not work, but Coldblood/Warmblood would). It must be left to soak into the wood overnight, leaving behind deep red stains. The carving must then be placed with a fully bloomed rose and burned in the entrance doorway to the home of the inflicted. The ashes should then be placed into a container and kept somewhere in the home for the duration of February, to make sure that the bad luck stays away.
It seems like it really works! The tricky part is making sure that the bad luck following doesn't get in the way of the ritual while the blood is soaking over night. It may be best for both parties involved to hunker down together until morning, just in case. Time to break out the small talk. Or the deep, meaningful conversations that can sometimes happen in the middle of the night.
WHEN: February
WHERE: A magic room in the city.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Reference to mild shocks. Forced honesty. Embarrassment. Lots and lots of embarrassment.
WHERE: A magic room in the city.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Reference to mild shocks. Forced honesty. Embarrassment. Lots and lots of embarrassment.
Honestly, after being in Trench for so long, people should be used to not ending up in the destination they initially intended for. This month, it seems like the city is trying to encourage people to social, to form new bonds, whether they're romantic, platonic, familial, or any other option one could think of. The bright idea this month for that sort of thing?
Speed dating.
It's not traditional speed dating, necessarily. No one is here to exclusively seek romantic partners, although there are certainly options for it. And it's not something people are signing up for out of their own free will. Instead, people seem to simply show up at the event, with no real recollection of how they got there. Maybe they just woke up on one of the comfy couches and found a "Hi, my name is..." sticker slapped on them. Or maybe they were wandering in the snow and got lost, ending up finding shelter in this strange place, and are now forced to participate until the blizzard passes. All in all, it's harmless fun, isn't it? Who doesn't need a few new friends.
Each person will have a small information blurb given about them that can't be seen by the naked eye, but will appear as soon as someone looks at the other party through their omni. What the blurb says is unique to each person, but it might become clear pretty quickly that they didn't write it themselves... Deerington survivors may find themselves having flashbacks to the days of DeerlyBeloved.
Pairings are completely random. People will be given a series of random questions they can ask one another or they can always feel free to make up their own. Anyone who tries to lie or avoid answering a question might feel a small shock from the chair they're sitting in, one that gets stronger with every lie they tell. The after effects of the shock seem to encourage the need to answer the question with full transparency. It's important to tell the truth when getting to know someone, after all.
After five minutes, both parties can either press a button beside their chair to continue talking to the person they're paired with, or they can move on to the next pairing. Both parties have to press the button in order to stay where they are.
Have fun and remember to always be honest!
Speed dating.
It's not traditional speed dating, necessarily. No one is here to exclusively seek romantic partners, although there are certainly options for it. And it's not something people are signing up for out of their own free will. Instead, people seem to simply show up at the event, with no real recollection of how they got there. Maybe they just woke up on one of the comfy couches and found a "Hi, my name is..." sticker slapped on them. Or maybe they were wandering in the snow and got lost, ending up finding shelter in this strange place, and are now forced to participate until the blizzard passes. All in all, it's harmless fun, isn't it? Who doesn't need a few new friends.
Each person will have a small information blurb given about them that can't be seen by the naked eye, but will appear as soon as someone looks at the other party through their omni. What the blurb says is unique to each person, but it might become clear pretty quickly that they didn't write it themselves... Deerington survivors may find themselves having flashbacks to the days of DeerlyBeloved.
Pairings are completely random. People will be given a series of random questions they can ask one another or they can always feel free to make up their own. Anyone who tries to lie or avoid answering a question might feel a small shock from the chair they're sitting in, one that gets stronger with every lie they tell. The after effects of the shock seem to encourage the need to answer the question with full transparency. It's important to tell the truth when getting to know someone, after all.
After five minutes, both parties can either press a button beside their chair to continue talking to the person they're paired with, or they can move on to the next pairing. Both parties have to press the button in order to stay where they are.
Have fun and remember to always be honest!
WHEN: February
WHERE: Trenchwood and throughout the city.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, abuse of power, jealousy, possession, supernatural events, possible death from elemental exposure
WHERE: Trenchwood and throughout the city.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, abuse of power, jealousy, possession, supernatural events, possible death from elemental exposure
There's a tale that comes up around this time of year, one that seems to be an old favorite in Trench. Long ago, in the heart of a blizzard, a young woman was found wandering in Trenchwood. She wore only thin fabrics to keep herself warm and had no shoes. Her skin felt cold as ice. The Hunters who found her quickly brought her into town, giving her shelter in a local in to try and get her warm. She stayed for many nights and it didn't take long for the inn keeper to fall in love with her. But she did not seem to return to his feelings and so he was heartbroken and jealous of all the other men who gave her attention. He demanded she offer him something in trade for her stay and when she could offer nothing, he threw her back out into the snow. The woman went back to the woods and some could hear her howling in anguish, carried through on the strong winds of the blizzard. The Hunters tried to find her, following her cries, but they were unable to, and had to return home before they too might freeze to death. The innkeeper was shunned from the town and forced to leave the city for his cruelty, but nothing stopped the howls of the snow woman.
Throughout the month of February, people will start to hear that the sound of the wind blowing strongly through the streets is starting to sound a little more human-like. The woman's cries will be heard in empty alleys, will be loudest near the edge of the woods, and can even penetrate into dreams. The cries might sometimes sound like cries for help, begging for someone to help save her from the cold. There will be a compulsion that sets deep into the bones of some and many will find it hard to resist her call. Eventually, they may even go looking for her in the woods, trying to brave the winter storms to help the lost snow woman.
Those who give in to that temptation will eventually find the snow woman, but she will not be friendly when found. Her skin has turned a pale white, her lips blue, her eyes glowing a bright red, her long hair blowing every which way in the wind. She will rush at whoever she sees, but instead of giving a physical blow to guard against, she will go through any solid objects and latch on to the soul of her target, possessing their bodies. Male or female, it doesn't seem to matter, she simply wants a chance at life again.
Those who are possessed by the snow woman will not realize they are possessed. They will forget why it was they came out into the woods looking for and will return to the city in a daze. As time passes, they will find that they become irritated by any signs of affection, will become physically aggressive towards couples they see around them, and will attack those who care about them most. The spirit does not necessarily hate love: instead, they see affection as a possible risk for all those who love others. Jealousy kills and she wants to save everyone around her from it, as well as keeping herself safe from losing this new chance at life.
Signs of possession outside of the aggression can be noticed by others. The possessed person will have: ice cold skin, blue-tinged lips, they might shiver even when inside where it's warm, and an aversion to fire or warm/hot water.
Information on how to banish the snow woman from another's body can be found in a book of local legends. This book is sold in stores or can be found in the Archives. To save someone from the snow woman, people must tell the possessed person the things they love most about them. It will cause the possessed person to react violently, so it is suggested that they be restrained during the process. The longer they are forced to hear the positive messages about love, the feelings that they can stir up in another (whether platonic or romantic), and the safety that can be found in that love, the more weakened the hold from the snow woman will be. When the possessed person eventually stops struggling, a cut must be made on the back of their neck, before a cloth soaked in warm rose water must be placed on top of the wound. Their skin will begin to steam before a large gust of snow will pour from their mouth, swirling around the room, and smash through the window. It's suggested to leave it open if you'd like to save the glass.
Throughout the month of February, people will start to hear that the sound of the wind blowing strongly through the streets is starting to sound a little more human-like. The woman's cries will be heard in empty alleys, will be loudest near the edge of the woods, and can even penetrate into dreams. The cries might sometimes sound like cries for help, begging for someone to help save her from the cold. There will be a compulsion that sets deep into the bones of some and many will find it hard to resist her call. Eventually, they may even go looking for her in the woods, trying to brave the winter storms to help the lost snow woman.
Those who give in to that temptation will eventually find the snow woman, but she will not be friendly when found. Her skin has turned a pale white, her lips blue, her eyes glowing a bright red, her long hair blowing every which way in the wind. She will rush at whoever she sees, but instead of giving a physical blow to guard against, she will go through any solid objects and latch on to the soul of her target, possessing their bodies. Male or female, it doesn't seem to matter, she simply wants a chance at life again.
Those who are possessed by the snow woman will not realize they are possessed. They will forget why it was they came out into the woods looking for and will return to the city in a daze. As time passes, they will find that they become irritated by any signs of affection, will become physically aggressive towards couples they see around them, and will attack those who care about them most. The spirit does not necessarily hate love: instead, they see affection as a possible risk for all those who love others. Jealousy kills and she wants to save everyone around her from it, as well as keeping herself safe from losing this new chance at life.
Signs of possession outside of the aggression can be noticed by others. The possessed person will have: ice cold skin, blue-tinged lips, they might shiver even when inside where it's warm, and an aversion to fire or warm/hot water.
Information on how to banish the snow woman from another's body can be found in a book of local legends. This book is sold in stores or can be found in the Archives. To save someone from the snow woman, people must tell the possessed person the things they love most about them. It will cause the possessed person to react violently, so it is suggested that they be restrained during the process. The longer they are forced to hear the positive messages about love, the feelings that they can stir up in another (whether platonic or romantic), and the safety that can be found in that love, the more weakened the hold from the snow woman will be. When the possessed person eventually stops struggling, a cut must be made on the back of their neck, before a cloth soaked in warm rose water must be placed on top of the wound. Their skin will begin to steam before a large gust of snow will pour from their mouth, swirling around the room, and smash through the window. It's suggested to leave it open if you'd like to save the glass.
no subject
[ Does Ange ever know.. She tried so hard to stay away from people during her first few months back in the dream, after all, and it just kept shoving her at other people.
He truly is living her experience, if he might be relatively new - Ange sure doesn't remember ever seeing him around, at least, though the entire cave thing could be contributing to that.. - and is already being trust into the most forced of social situations. ]
You just have to find ways of how to deal with other people. Or how to at least avoid getting stuck with the most social ones. There's some pretty dangerous types here in the latter category. [ .. well, dangerous to antisocial types, anyway. ]
no subject
Typically I am capable of adequately avoiding others. But now I'be been unwillingly drawn to something like this.
[ He gestures around them, at the speed dating event. ]
You're right, that I simply need to adapt to these circumstances. But once we can leave, I'll be relieved.
[ And he'll go hide in his cave. ]
no subject
Well, then let's try to survive.
[ "Survive".. the most dramatic word possible to use for these circumstances. But when you're antisocial, this truly is just about survival, okay.
Which is why Ange quickly looks at her Omni before the stupid chairs can give her a shock, reading the question on there out loud. ]
.. "What aspirations do you have for yourself?" Hey, do they want us to do speed dating or a job interview? [ Sorry, Xuan.. Some of these references may be a little bit too specific.. ]
no subject
[ Not that he really understands what that means as a whole concept, but he gets the two words together, and he used to run his own business he understands the idea of questions to ask employees. This particular question though...
Actually, no, it's not all that difficult, since he does have an ongoing aspiration. ]
Make wine.
[ He misses Chinese yellow wine so he's started fermenting some mash to try and make some. It's going to take months, and even then it won't be good for years after, so it's aspirational! Well, to him. He doesn't get a shock so that must be what counts. ]
no subject
It's not like she'd have a particularly more inspiring answer herself, anyway.
Glancing up from the Omni, she raises an eyebrow as she looks over at him. ]
You don't like the wine here?
[ Ange is not exactly.. a drinks expert.. so there's nothing judging in those words. She has no clue whether the drinks here would be considered good or not, honestly. Hence why she's asking. ]
no subject
[ He nods. ]
It feels pessimistic to start making it, as if to say, I'll really be here for that long. But I think others here from China would appreciate a little taste of home.
[ This is the most he's spoken, apparently he really has some thoughts about wine, even though his flat affect isn't all that different from talking about anything else. ]
no subject
That's most of Ange's mental reaction as she listens to it. Just a vaguely surprised 'huh.' ]
Yeah. Like you said, even if you did wander back into the ocean, someone else could find it and enjoy it instead. [ She shrugs a little as she says it. Sure, it might not be as enjoyable to put effort into making something only for someone else to enjoy it, but.. on the other hand, at least he wouldn't have to assume it was just totally going to waste. ]
Besides, for all you know, you could be here for years. Maybe even the rest of your life.
[ Thanks for this very optimistic message, Ange..
But she's just being realistic here, really. This guy seems like he's smart enough to realise as much himself, rather than delude himself with a fairytale of being able to go back soon, even if he might want to real bad. ]
no subject
[ It's pessimistic, yes, but He Xuan can't deny its truth. They're given a fresh start here - aside from culture shock, he is grateful for that. If it goes on forever, then that's just how it is. ]
Better to make the best of it.
[ A pause, and he shrugs. Since he also doesn't really have any close connections here, he offers: ]
Well, if I disappear, you're welcome to a jar. Huangjiu is at its best after twenty years, but even six months from now it will be drinkable.
no subject
[ That noise would probably be surprised coming from anyone else - but considering how much Ange seems to emote - read: very little - it's.. definitely too muted to be any real surprise.
But even just that slight noise escaping her, coupled with the way one of her eyebrows rises.. It's something, at least. ]
I talk to you once and I'm already very possibly getting something out of it? [ Granted, that hinges.. on him disappearing..
But still. ]
That was easy. You sure know how to make knowing you seem profitable. [ It all sounds a little dry, since it's not like Ange is super interested in wine - it's more just that she's pointing this out as she notices it, really. ]
no subject
[ She's one of the first people he's spoken to and gotten along with - hadn't they covered that they're both introverts? That's enough for him to at least offer. ]
It won't matter to me either way once I'm gone.
[ Though he realize he's making it sound like an inevitability, and his neutral expression quirks with a crooked almost-smile. ]
And I don't intend to go quickly, if it's up to me. So it's not much of a win for you at all.
no subject
But saying that out loud? No way. Ange doesn't feel like making herself look like a pathetic little meow meow, especially not so early on.
So after thinking for a moment, she instead asks: ]
You want to stay here?
[ That's the implication behind him not intending on going quickly, right. ]
Not asking to judge, by the way. I voluntarily came to this place to stay here forever. [ So if she'd judge him over it, she sure would be the pot calling the kettle black. ]
no subject
[ He also wouldn't hate being back home, it would just be lonelier and more boring considering he has mostly retreated to sleep in his sea mansion for a few centuries. ]
Haven't been here long enough to get attached, but I like living by the beach.
[ But casually circling back to her, interested by that tidbit despite himself: ]
You running from something back home?
no subject
But then there's that question, and-- well. ]
Witches? The yakuza on my mom's side of the family? The media?
[ Talk about a true variety of things to run from, huh.. A full on smorgasboard.
And, sure, it may be a lot to suddenly throw out there. But Ange isn't going to risk getting zapped by these dumb chairs, thanks. Even if it means being open about her wild, wild life with the dryest tone possible, like she's talking about something as mundane as the weather. ]
I'm not sure if there was anything I wasn't running from at this point.