deercountry | I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

DECEMBER 2021 EVENT

Hello! We are trying a new style of event this December with archival-like entries that characters can ICly find in the Archives. This should allow characters to be able to plan against certain events that occur in-game and do research ahead of time, during the event, or after the fact.

The idea is that these prompts will provide you with all the possibilities characters could theoretically face from the prompt. We hope this leaves more open-ended opportunities for people to engage with. Anything mentioned in the excerpts could be an experience characters encounter. You can always ask for clarification on any prompt on the plotting page.

This is a way to keep all event prompts relevant since new characters would be able to "read up" on these events/excerpts by visiting the Archives or other such resources for information about past events and what they can anticipate from the setting.

We hope this new style makes sense and is fun for players to work with! They will rely on players creating more of the atmosphere than the prompts, but we think that the prompts will provide the perfect guidance as to what the atmosphere should feel like. Enjoy!

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Holiday themed antler decoration.]
[Image Two: White stag with perfect, circular antlers with bits of ice attached.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Sculpture of white rabbit with neck caught in a snare. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Person in red cloak and wolf mask turning around.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Puppet making bloody snow angel in snow.]
[Image Two: Bloodied hands wrapped in bandages clenching.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

WINTER MOURNING

WHEN: Begins in December and can last until the end of Feb.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Spoilers for various canons, survival situations, forced memory share

[A passage from Rituals of Trench: Remembering Our Pasts reads the following:]

"A long-standing tradition to celebrate Bone Season is for Deerians to collect antlers and bones salvaged from natural resources and create decorative home accents. These antler-bone decors are known formally as Winter Mournings and can be found in almost every residential home throughout Deer Country. Winter Mournings can be made to look like wreaths, candle holders, or simply an antler with a bow hung up on a wall.

Winter Mournings is seen as a way to honor one's past tribulations and how one has managed to survive and overcome hardships during their life. Winter Mournings serves as a testament to survival and a willingness to keep surviving even when things look bleak and dismal.

Creating Winter Mournings is considered a blessing to the Pthumerians Dorothea, Remina, and Argonaut. You will know if the blessing was accepted once your Winter Mourning begins to glow like the moon. Touch your Winter Mourning and you will be pulled back in time to a memory of a specific time when you or someone else had to survive something physically or mentally challenging. For some, it is merely a memory that cannot hurt, but for others, you may want to proceed with caution as it has been known to pull people physically back to times of war.

One cannot choose which memory they wind up in if it is their own, a friend's, or a complete stranger's. Winter Mournings was designed to create a sense of union and empathy among residents and is meant to open your mind and heart to those who have suffered around you. It is time you explore your past, or someone else's past, with an open mind and see how the other side has lived through hard times. These memories are known to be from adolescence, adulthood, or sometimes even futures that have not yet happened or timelines you have never known. After all, Remina sees all past and all history. That means they see all of your past and history too.

No memory lasts forever though. Once the memory has been concluded, you shall be brought back to the present by the Winter Mourning Stag: a great white beast with a circle of frozen antlers. It will come to you when the time is ready, and you will return to the present like waking from a dazzling dream.

Experiencing Winter Mournings can stabilize one's mood and provide restful sleep after, even if the memories may be difficult to swallow. It truly is a tribute to honor past horrors and traumas. Some memories are painful to remember, but forgetting them will never do anyone any good either. So hang your Winter Mournings and remember what matters.

Survive another day. You are worth it."

FAQ

1. Winter Mournings can produce new memories every time you touch them or the same memory.

2. Characters cannot choose what the memory is.

3. Characters can arrive in each other's memories regardless of if they already know each other. Multiple people can experience the same memory.

4. You can either experience the memory as a memory you can't touch or experience - or you can physically be in the memory and have to survive the situation as well. If you die in memory, your body will die wherever you had been touching the Winter Mourning.

5. Palebloods are capable of altering memories or how they or others experience memories.

6. Characters can be pulled into memories at random - as long as one of the characters in the memory share is touching a Winter Mourning at first.

RUN, RABBIT, RUN

WHEN: Month of December
WHERE: Everywhere/the woods
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of hunting, ghosts, curses, attempts at animal violence, hunting people based on blood types.

[An excerpt from Legends of Trench: Curses and Causations reads the following:]

"One of the most notorious legends of Trench is without a doubt the tale of The Huntress and the Hare. Most Trenchies have been told this tale since they were children, but for those unfamiliar, settle in.

This story begins with a mischievous god and an ambitious huntress. The Pthumerian Dorothea loved to play tricks on hunters trying to survive the Bone Season, setting animals free from traps and remaking the traps to catch the hunters instead. One day, a darkblood Huntress was fed up with Dorothea preventing her from catching food for her family and decided to settle the score. The Huntress began to hunt for Dorothea specifically, but it is no small feat hunting the god of trickery and survival.

The Huntress started to rely on her darkblood powers to alter reality to make the perfect traps. Innocuous trees turned into glue traps that anyone would stick to until they were freed by a darkblood or death took their pain from them. Walking through bushes would snag legs and necks, effectively trapping whatever creatures were unfortunate enough to wander for food. Magical snares and beartraps lock around victims with unrelenting force, leaving people and animals to try for help until they cry no more. While this took many innocent lives in the woods, animals, and people alike, it never seemed to work on Dorothea.

Dorothea continued to outwit the Huntress until she eventually drove the Huntress insane. The Huntress died without ever catching Dorothea, but they say her vengeful spirit awakens in winter and begins to set her traps yet again. The Huntress sends her traps and her dead animals after vilebloods and warmbloods to spite Dorothea and hope to maybe catch the god's attention. But Dorothea is no passive god. Dorothea spurs vilebloods and warmbloods to defend themselves against darkbloods and coldbloods.

Infamously, this has created enormous tension between the blood types during December some years, and it is said that the blood lust has caused the types to begin hunting one another regardless of old friendships and alliances. Beware the Huntress's curse. Some believe darkbloods and coldbloods can still hear her haunting commands and cries from the Trenchwood.

They say there is no ease for the tension between the bloodtypes until December has passed, but some believe palebloods may provide relief if they are willing."

FAQ

1. Characters will increasingly feel the urge to actively hunt one another using traps/etc.

2. The Huntress's curse includes undead animals/beasts chasing after warmbloods and vilebloods and magical traps. Players can invent unique traps for their characters.

3. There will be an innate urge to chase/hide from one another.

4. The curse can be broken by paleblood intervention, character death, or a gradual wearing off by the end of the month.

LOCKJOINT

WHEN: All of Bone Season
WHERE: On Sleeper bodies
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mild body horror, blood magic curses, physical curses, cures through blood ministration/blood letting, possible skin removal, injuries, possible death via starvation/exposure.

[An passage from The Sleeper Condition; Chapter 13: Bodily Aches and More. Found exclusively at the Lumenarium:]

"Generally speaking, Sleeper blood allows Sleepers to navigate this world without the fear of illness and disease. However, no organic body is perfect, and Sleeper blood has its own set of ailments to fret over. Blood Ministers have studied the phenomena of Lockjoint for years now and believe that it is linked to the crystalization found in Sleeper death, though the exact connection remains unknown.

Lockjoint tends to begin and last throughout Bone Season. Some Sleepers may never experience it, but for many, it becomes a reoccurring issue to dread each season. This condition forces blood magic to gather at the joints and effectively lock up. Sleepers find it difficult to move their bodies at the bends, fingers, knees, shoulders, etc without some form of discomfort. Minimal lockjoint can be painful and annoyance, but critical lockjoint can be fatal.

The most severe cases of lockjoint documented have shown Sleepers to have crystalization form over their joints, rendering parts of their bodies completely immobile. Some Sleepers have been found dead in this condition, all their joints crystallized, and it is believed most died from natural causes thereafter.

One can determine they are experiencing lockjoint when the coloration around the joints begins to darken in color, typically looking like a bruise. Calcification may occur rapidly the more magic a Sleeper uses or the more they expose themselves to outside elements. It is imperative that Sleepers remain properly clothed during Bone Season, even if they are coldbloods, and to invest in enchanted clothes that can lock in heat.

A known cure for lockjoint is the art of bloodletting. Puncturing the joints with small incisions seems to allow a release of the built-up magic and can provide immediate relief to the Sleeper. Catching lockjoint early is imperative. Alternative methods are soaking in hot springs and salted water.

Those who are in a more severe state will have to carefully have the crystals removed. This will likely remove the skin as well. Local anesthesia is highly recommended for the procedure. This process is known to leave scarring. The crystals can be saved and used as bloodstones from whoever they were harvested from. If you find a Sleeper dead from lockjoint, make sure to harvest the crystals as they are incredibly valuable.

This curse is believed to stem from Sleeper blood magic congealing within the body in contrast with the atmospheric magic of Bone Season. There is no known prevention for lockjoint. Lockjoint can impact all Sleepers regardless of bloodtype or the material their bodies are made from."

FAQ

1. This impacts characters regardless of blood type or their body - meaning it can impact characters with metal/plastic/plant/wood/etc bodies.

2. Players can choose how rapid or severe this gets and how quickly they can be healed.

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I see.

[They want to protest, say that they can fight the monsters, but Lysithea would be the expert. She's fought them before, Chara's only fought against monsters that may have been comparable but, how can they know?

Hmm. Their LOVE is stronger than anyone else's on this battlefield, except for perhaps the masked mages. But this isn't their old world.]

I will follow your orders. Shall we dispatch of this Death Knight, then?

[She nods.]

He is an ever persistent thorn in my side. ...Honestly, I try to be a reasonable person, but I can't say I'll be sorry to see him die. If only in a dream.

[the death knight is the worst]

...Do you have a name, by the way?

[Do they have a name? Complicated question!]

Chara.

[* The true name.]

I know your name, Ms. Lysithea. You own the bakery. It is a pleasure to properly make your acquaintance, however.

[Now, to spot this Death Knight...] What does your Death Knight look like? I need to know what I'm looking for.

Oh -- my fame precedes me.

[She pauses for a moment to reflect on her feelings about this and finds that it pleases her.]

It's nice to meet you, Chara. When this is done, you're welcome any time, of course.

As for the Death Knight... he's very obvious, honestly. He's an eyesore. Here, come this way.

[She strides forward and -- somewhat bizarrely, the universe seems to accommodate their needs. The world fades to a strange color of sepia and events seem to occur in double-time, the two of them now removed. The mage battalion swarms forward and does battle, crossbow bolts rain from the sky, a ballista is overrun, and then...]

Now.

[From a fort in the distance, a man wearing a horned death mask emerges atop an equally flamboyant mount.]

[They smile and look up at her with a nod.] Yes, I think I'll stop by. [It's a genuine smile, but they still come across as vaguely sinister. They're just a chuuni.

They follow her pace, folding their arms behind their back like a servant waiting to be called. They don't act too surprised – maybe a bit disappointed – when the dream speeds up, shaping around their intentions. When the Death Knight appears, Chara lets out a chuckle.]

That really is an eyesore. [They summon the dagger as they step forward.] I'll remove it for you. [And then drop off the castle wall itself. They're gone in an instant, and they certainly never hit the ground. If one were to keep their eyes trained on the death knight, a blur of green, brown and the faintest glow of red can be spotted just behind him.

The dagger pierces him through the back. They dig it in further, after it's already enough to kill him, and then they are gone again.

It takes them about ten seconds to reappear, coming up from behind Lysithea at a casual pace. They are well and truly splattered with blood at this point.]

The Death Knight rides no more.

[Lysithea does not protest this time, trusting in the abilities of her... gremlin attendant. She does not avert her eyes, either, and when Chara reappears, her gaze remains on the Death Knight.]

I don't know what it means that I enjoyed that, a little bit.

But thank you.

...Would you like to watch the end with me? If you... want to try to avert it, you may. But I believe this might be unavoidable.

Tell me... if you think anything could have been done.

[And now, the corpse of the Death Knight fades, as does the battlefield around them. Lysithea and Chara stand some distance away from the raised standard of the Adrestian flag as the scattered few remaining combatants gather. Church soldiers - two wyvern riders - the eclectic group of students Chara had viewed at the beginning of this vision.

And there is Edelgard. Clad in red armor, wielding a great axe that seems as if it must be too large for her to hold out. A man with a weapon that looks almost more like a whip than a sword stands facing her.]

Look. It's time.

[They nod. It's entirely fair to enjoy violence, especially when seeing it inflicted against the enemy.. Chara used to enjoy it, that feeling of power over another person. Now they neither enjoy it nor abhor it. It is the way of things, in the same way that a normal person needs to drink water, they need to destroy.]

I'll watch. I've never seen a battle at this scale, it's interesting. [They watch the church burn and the battle steadily peter out as their numbers are drained, and the only emotion in their eyes is curiosity.

This plight is meaningless. It's a memory of a meaningless war fought by humans. It all could have been averted. This Emperor could have never been born, those who are commanding these squabbling children could have had their throats slit before it could come to this, and perhaps this side of the battle could have been better prepared. And if Frisk were here, they have no doubt that they'd want to resolve it with words. But it's all fruitless when it comes to this day itself. They see what Lysithea meant.

Edelgard catches their attention though. The man with the strange sword does too but they're fairly sure that's the tyrant in question... Hm.] She looks a lot like you, don't you think?

[An explanation of the unfolding events on the tip of her tongue, Lysithea chokes as Chara comes out with this unexpectedly astute observation.]

Er.

Yes.

I would learn much, much later that there was a good reason for that. ...No, we're not related.

[The reason would take an entire memory on its own to explain, so Lysithea will simply append:]

We... experienced similar things as young children.

That's the Professor, before Edelgard. My teacher - and the man who leads the forces of the Church of Seiros. Edelgard's primary goal here is to destroy the Church. She believes it to cause untold suffering.

[...Lysithea pauses as she reflects on the irony of that statement.]

[Chara nods with a hum. They might ask more about it later, but for now they're satisfied.

They can't really comment on the politics of this world. They don't go here. They also can't really criticize Edelgard's methods. A war on a massive scale was the end-goal even when they were just a kid with a rotten heart who had delusions of being a hero.]

Interesting. [They assume that 'The Professor' is simply his name. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing they've heard. And they do sense...

DETERMINATION. Hm.]

Do you disagree with her on the church? I am unfamiliar with the politics of this world, as you might expect.

Edited 2021-12-28 12:14 (UTC)

...

[She responds after a significant pause.]

Edelgard speaks of the corruption spreading within like a blight, and the truth we have yet to understand. I wish she would explain it. I wish she had spoken to us.

In truth, I do not disagree.

But I cannot agree... with her actions.

[There is little time for further discussion now - Edelgard makes the first move, rushing in with an axe blow strong enough to split any foe in twain, but the Professor is ready for her advance. Back and forth they parry and thrust and strike as the surrounding armies watch in silence, none willing to interrupt this battle.

Chara might perhaps appreciate the techniques on display here. It is technical, perhaps even artful. Finely honed combat strategies perfected over a continent's lifetime for the sole purpose of bringing about the death of your opponent.

And even though she is watching this for the second time... Lysithea feels the unbearable tension in her body, watching this display.]

That is a reasonable response. It certainly seems like a complicated entanglement. I'd like to hear the full story surrounding this when we are not stuck inside of it, if that's okay with you.

[Chara's solution ended up being the complete destruction of the world. In their case it was the only conclusion that they could ensure would stick. They can't really speak on what's extreme or not.

The fight is impressive. Chara has never been classically trained in swordsmanship or in combat, their fighting style is born out of the instincts of a feral animal clawing for survival. But these two have mastered their craft. There is a familiar hum resonating faintly in both of them, but it's far more prominent in the Professor. Interesting...

Chara watches as Edelgard's axe catches the Professor's neck, and blood oozes down his side. Chara's eyebrows raise, they hadn't truly expected either of them to die but –

And then the moment is erased from time and the fight resumes, and Chara is left staring in confusion. Had they... imagined it...? Or... Ah. So that's what it is, the hum of determination. Some kind of limited control over time... It's a power that they are deeply familiar with, even in this new world.

They cross their arms like they noticed nothing and turn to Lysithea, both to observe if she noticed anything as well and to speak to her.]

Who will win?

Edited 2021-12-30 07:58 (UTC)

[She does not see it. The connection to the divine had not been a part of her life - in fact, it had been so conspicuously absent that outside forces had seen fit to forcibly implant an artificial form within her against her will. Neither does she have Chara's particular brand of DETERMINATION even if she has plenty of her own, mortal moxie. But her fists clench and her breathing quickens, and when the child speaks, she gives a faint start.]

Who --

He will.

...In a sense. It will happen...

[And here, the Professor's whip-like sword lashes forward and at least, contact is made. The blade tears through Edelgard's arm.]

Now.

[She staggers back. And here comes the part Lysithea had failed to notice the first time - a quick turn of the head, a quick nod to another member of the army.]

And here is where everything unravels.

Give my uncle the signal.

What a shame.

[They pout. Their tone doesn't betray their emotional state but they actually feel a bit cheated, mostly because they dislike losing, and in this particular battle they were fighting on Lysithea's side.]

I suppose we were at the special attack section of the boss battle. But I suspect this would be those demonic beasts you mentioned...

[They look at Lysithea, puzzled. They pat her arm twice, gently and hesitantly.]

Erm... there, there.

...I'm not good at providing comfort.

[The... special... what? But this question is quickly superseded by the poor attempt at physical comfort, and Lysithea looks down at the child with faintly astonished eyes.]

Oh --

[...She has no idea how to respond to this.]

...Thank you. It's... fine. The past is --

[Whatever she is about to say is interrupted by a flurry of activity. The wounded Emperor turns and strides off - simultaneously a terrible roar rings out as in the distance, a hoard of great beasts erupts forth from the horizon, flanking another wave of red-armored soldiers.

The Professor is retreating - yelling at the Seiros soldiers to turn back, protect the gate, evacuate the civilians. Beside him, a woman in priestly robes appears and places an arm gently on his shoulder.

And Lysithea, looking at Chara, nods grimly.]

It's time. We must go.

Let us watch the destruction from somewhere safe.

[Chara shrugs. They tried. They watch the attack, watch the monsters tear through. They'd be lying if they didn't think that the sight of the destruction was in some ways cool. Not beautiful, because it's quite ugly objectively speaking, but it's... cool.

* The thought of future interesting boss battles fills you with DETERMINATION.]

Where would you like to go? I should be able to take you along with me when I use a shortcut.

Back to the gates --

I... want to see what happens, actually.

[Lysithea gazes at the woman and the Professor for a moment longer before she turns to the child and nods, accepting his unusual offer at face value.]

Keep an eye on them. I never did really figure out the exact sequence of events. If I can do so now, it would be... a relief.

As you wish. [Chara will clutch Lysithea's hand in a fairly loose grip and pull her alongside them as they walk. There's no feeling of motion sickness, no bright lights, no flickering reality, the only sign that they've teleported is that they are now a bit closer to the professor and the woman he's with.]

If we are in danger, I will get us out of harms way.

[* FlEEING is always an option!]

((Whoops, sorry that was unclear! I meant for them to retreat closer to the monastery but still keep those two in sight, but no worries.))

[Lysithea has Warped before - frequently, she Warps others, but there is usually an accompanying incantation and a spell circle, at minimum. To simply step into another place seamlessly is a power beyond her own.]

...That's very impressive.

[She really needs to interrogate this child later. Before them, she watches as the Archbishop places a hand upon the Professor's shoulder and speaks a few words. There is a sudden, blinding light, too brilliant to gaze upon - Lysithea remembers being unable to see clearly for many moments afterwards, only for her vision to be restored in time to catch sight of a great, white dragon that dwarfs even the rampaging Demonic Beasts...

So it is now.

The dragon appears, an ancient power long thought lost from the world, and a great destructive beam pulverizes the enemy army. Safe in the status of their memory, Lysithea holds Chara's hand still, a bit more tightly as she watches it do battle.]

...After this moment, we did not see the Archbishop again. It is suggestive, I think.

[Lysithea is no fool.]

((All good we can just say that they did that instead!))

I borrowed it from an old friend. I'll pass on your compliments when I see him again.

[They were friends at one point, anyway. Ideally, they'll never see his smug fucking face ever again. They watch the transformation with a quirked brow. Interesting...]

So she's a dragon. [Admittedly, part of them wishes they could turn into a dragon too.] I take it that was a sizable secret? Are dragons evil in this world? Their portrayals in the medium of storytelling is always a bit mixed.

Don't say that so casually.

[A hint of a smile comes to her face to have her pet idea confirmed so readily.]

It is unthinkable, you know. It flies in the face of... all we know about our church. Everyone at this battle saw the appearance of a great dragon, but even the veiled hint of a suggestion is scandalous.

We all agreed it was impossible to confirm something like that.

...But yes.

I do believe... that is the true nature of Archbishop Rhea. And so, perhaps, the truth about our Goddess.

I see. Saints and religious heroes are often built on a reputation of lies and half-truths. [Chara's own story was distroted into a happy lie itself. Not even out of any malice, but because they were too afraid to break the image of innocence and hope that had already been projected onto them.]

You think your goddess is a dragon? Or the Archbishop herself?

I think that when we talk about divine powers and divine blood and saints, we're using fancy imagery to cover something much more tangible.

[The dragon's fight with the Demonic Beasts is going poorly. There are too many of them piling on - at this point, Lysithea and Chara are too far away to see very clearly, but...

She notes the small black dot racing towards the scene.]

But ancient dragons are such a level beyond mere human power... why shouldn't they be deities?

[Distant flashes, roars, lethal strikes and sprays of blood. A pained expression crosses her face.]

I never saw him again, either.

The Professor...

[Chara hums. They know for a fact that what people look to as Gods are in fact just building blocks of the worlds they live in, and not the creator itself.

But there is a creator, though you wouldn't know him by looking at him.]

What do you think happened to him?

I don't know.

[She bows her head.]

...In my heart, I don't truly believe he died. Or perhaps that's simply just denial. Here -- it's almost over. Look now.

[Something is happening in the distance. A flash of purple light - the dragon seems to be rearing and bellowing, clawing after something... but there are too many of the beasts and it goes down underneath a sea of black bodies.

And now they turn towards the monastery...]

Almost everyone was evacuated. But the monastery would go down in ruins. This was the beginning of years of war...

Well.

That's it.

Anything else you'd like to see?

I won't pry into your past any longer than I already have.

[They scratch their chin in contemplation.]

If it's any consolation, as an unbiased third party, I don't think he died either. [There's many reasons why someone who lives in the cracks of time might disappear, and none of them are as simple as death.]

Edited 2022-01-12 11:52 (UTC)

I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

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