reddosmod: (Default)
Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2023-02-08 06:25 pm

and my heart went 'boom!'

FEBRUARY 2023 EVENT
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. ]

BAD LUCK OF THE EARLY WORM
WHEN: February
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.

GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU
WHEN: February
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!

LONELY HEARTS CLUB
WHEN: February
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.

CODING
possessum: (𝟎𝟔𝟏)

[personal profile] possessum 2023-04-03 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter feels a hand at the back of his head, eyes widening slowly with those soft strokes. But he isn't pulling away from the touch, not like he usually might, because sometimes there are moments he can't. ...Doesn't want to. There have been other strangers over time to hold him, and Peter's fallen into them like a child. He still feels so small, some days. Most days. He misses his mother, no matter how much he may have also feared her. He wishes his father would've held him this way.

He closes his eyes, letting himself be small, and held. The arms are moving around him into a hug, and he lets himself go a little limp, tilting against the man. Nara'a says all the things Peter wants to hear, needs to hear, wishes he could hear. Wishes he could sink into the way he physically sinks into the other man. But something bubbles up in him, small and ashamed.

"I think... I think maybe I did deserve it. I— did something horrible, something.... evil. My soul— I think my soul's bad."

His voice trembles, wet around the edges. It's the thought that haunts him constantly, and why, even now, he doesn't really resist Paimon the way others might have tried to. He deserves this. And he isn't strong, or brave, or good.

Whispered with a soft sound— "I'm not a good person."
aetherweaver: (upset)

Heavy Endwalker spoilers

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2023-04-04 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
"No, Peter, no." He shakes his head and smiles a bit shakily. How dare people treat this sweet boy so horribly? He can feel anger rising, anger at the people who had to have hurt him so much to make him feel this way. Sure, Nara'a was teased, but not tormented enough to think that his soul is bad.

"It's not. Believe me, it's not. I've known people who are truly awful, and even then... it's not their souls but their actions, their lives and decisions that have become bad. Things happen to people and people react, and they can make many choices. That doesn't mean there's not some spark of goodness at their core."

Even Fandaniel was once Hermes, a gentle soul with a love of life - and it was only in facing existential dread that he turned to despair. Even Zenos, someone who he still considers to be far beyond any redemption possible... even he pulled through and did something good. Even if he did it for his own ends, there was a spark of hope there.

"And you? You're far better than many people I've met. You care about people. That's a sign of goodness, if nothing else. You didn't deserve what happened. You deserve better than you were given. And I know that's hard to believe from a stranger but... I believe in you. Even if you can't believe in yourself."
possessum: (please touch my heart with your tongue)

[personal profile] possessum 2023-04-12 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter listens, his heart thumping hard, but his upset kept quietly, soft exhales. Again, he wishes he could lean into the words, but..... he can't. What he'd done... ruined.... how he'd ruined it. It's unforgiveable. What he'd done to his family. To— Charlie.

Of course his mother would hate him. Fucking hate him. At the core of himself, Peter knows he deserves that hatred.

So he sits there unmoving, listening to the man's words, the softness, kindness of them, but knowing he doesn't deserve that much generosity. Someone who would tell a stranger they believe in him.... it speaks to this man's character. Peter feels the familiar beast that lives within him, deep in the pit of his stomach, the guilt — tighten itself, so much it hurts and he gives a soft sound. He didn't mean for this person to care about him, to believe in him — it isn't fair to Nara'a.

Something tenses in him suddenly, an odd shudder that slips down his spine. Hating himself is usually a numb detachment, but sometimes he feels it like a knife cutting inwards. Peter feels himself withdrawing a little, wanting to shrink away. He opened up too much, and now someone's worried about him, cares about him, someone who has enough to fucking worry about. He hates how easy it is for him to crumble. It's fucking pathetic.

"I'm— sorry. Sitting here like some dumb.... kid, about to cry on you.... fuck." Peter gives his head a slight, rigid shake. "You shouldn't— have to. But thank you. For.... listening. I'm sorry."
aetherweaver: (neutral)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2023-04-12 07:13 pm (UTC)(link)
He feels the other twitch and - oh. Did he say something wrong? He hopes not... he frowns and lets the other pull back if he wants, even if that's not what Nara'a wants. "No, it's okay. I don't mind. Really, I don't." Maybe it's a way to hide from his own problems, when he focuses on others - but that's something to unpack another day.

"There's no reason for you to apologize. It's okay, Peter. ... I hope you know that you can always come talk to me if you need someone to listen to you." His voice is calm, patient - probably a little British to Peter's ear, though not very distinct. "You're always welcome to come to me." He takes a step away and just... sort of hovers there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"You're a good person. Even if you can't believe that." He has to believe in other people, he has to. He has no other way of living - of existing -B other than that.
possessum: (to the one that she adores)

[personal profile] possessum 2023-04-14 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
It's definitely not anything the other man has done, but rather Peter's own... wounds. It's.... strange, hard, aches to hear someone think so nicely of him, be so kind to him when he doesn't deserve it. Something in Peter can't help shying away from that, shirking like it hurts: a thumb pressed into a bruise.

But he can see that Nara'a is affected by his tension, and the younger boy offers a little smile, sincere even if it's soft.

"No, I— I really appreciate that. Um..... everything you've done today, you've— just to have someone there to listen to? And talk to. I know it can't have been easy to talk about everything, but... it means a lot."

'You're a good person. Even if you can't believe that.'

Peter's eyelids give another soft flutter, and his mouth parts slightly, glancing downwards. It.... reminds him of Luna, again; this man reminds him of her, with some of the things he says and... how he says them. She's always done that — believed in him when he couldn't do it for himself.

"Thank you. I'm....... I want to try to be.... better. A better person." His smile wavers, another lump in his throat that he swallows against. He doesn't think he can ever be a good person, but maybe he can be... better than this. Maybe.

"Maybe we can help each other. Try to stay sane in this fucking place." He manages a little echo of a laugh.
aetherweaver: (smile)

[personal profile] aetherweaver 2023-04-14 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
He pulls back a little, holding Peter's hand gently. "I think that's a good thing to try to do. We're all slowly getting better." He'd like to hope so, anyway. The alternative is worse. "I'd like to help each other. You're already being a big help by getting me these books, and again by just... listening to me."

He doesn't open up all that easily but... there's something about Peter that reminds him of himself. He can't help it. "I'm not always on the network, but if you message me I'll answer. I promise. So if you need anything - whether it's someone to talk to or someone to help fight off a Beast - you can call on me."

"It's important to have friends here, for many reasons. Partly to stay safe, but... also because there's a lot of good people here. You just have to not be too afraid to talk to them. Or... listen, a lot of the time." He's not sure how long Peter's been here, but... well. That's just from his own observations at least.

"Deep breaths, Peter. Keep your chin up. You can do whatever it is that you want to do. I'll help you however I can."