deercountry | There's still cobwebs in the corners

Entry tags:

There's still cobwebs in the corners

Who: Fern

laminae and open.
What: Event and non-event starters for the month.
When: Throughout September.
Where: Around Trench.

Content Warnings: Lich trauma, war, children involved in war, murder, violence, bug omen, body horror.

River of Regrets (Throughout September)

[The last thing Fern remembers doing is picking up one of those feathers, and a whirl of even more feathers as those ravens descended. He's unceremoniously dropped into a boat and, looking like a terrified cat with his sharpened teeth and slitted eyes, looks around frantically, forming a grass sword in one hand. Thorns shoot up along his arms until he realizes he isn't being attacked, and they sink back down into his grass as he starts to relax.

Where is he now? That was like something out of Deerington and even though this new place seems to have sunlight piercing through the clouds he doesn't like it. Scowling, he leans over one side of the boat, then the other to get a good look around, in the process rocking it dangerously. Sorry boatmate, he doesn't care that much.]

What the flip was that?

Bloodsport (Throughout September)

[It really only takes a small push to get Fern diving back into his love of fighting. Any excuse to fight is, in his opinion, a good one, and so when he hears about Bloodsport and The Gate he immediately heads over there. A good distraction from the stresses of settling in is what he needs, and what better way to distract himself than fighting some poor sucker? The locals even seem pumped for it so hey, maybe this city just has a very healthy appreciation for fighting like he does. Nothing wrong with that.

It doesn't take him long to find himself down in the arena. There might be a Sleeper opposite to him, or maybe it's himself, another Sleeper, and a large monster looming over them - it doesn't matter to him. He look raring to go.]

This is gonna be sick!

Moonflower - Voices (Partway through September)

[It's been a long, long month. Between Luz and Varian's increasingly frantic behaviour, cephalopod trauma, and being forced to talk about regrets he'd like to keep shut away, Fern hasn't been getting much in the way of sleep. What little he was getting decreased even further with the start of those voice and those feelings invading his head. They scare him, even though he's been through this song and dance before. An invasion of foreign thoughts and feelings in his mind, ones that don't feel like his own even though they always were - it's like it's happening all over again, though this time his mind has settled on the idea that it isn't his own mind causing it all.

Oh no, it has to be something much, much worse.

He knows the Lich has been able to get into people's minds. He knows there should be a Lich hand out there in this world, lurking somewhere. It's clear who the culprit is.

When he has the time he wanders through Trench, looking for any signs of a giant monster claw hand skittering around, but there's nothing. That doesn't stop him though - if anything, that makes him even more stubborn and even when he should be stopping and resting he keeps going. He can be found throughout the city - Cellar Door, Prufrock, Willfill Machine, Gaze - and when he sees someone who looks worth approaching, he walks on up, one hand held against his head. He's abandoned his grass hat today in favour of someone more Trench-appropriate, his extraordinary long, flower-filled hair tied back into an elaborate braid. It's a very impressive braid, though those with a knack for flora will notice most of them are of the toxic variety - death caps, poison fire coral, nightshade, oleander, water hemlock, and others.]

Hey, you haven't seen a big claw hand around, have you? Yellow fur? Looks like it got cut off someone?

Moonflower - Death Song (End of September)

[By the time the end of the month rolls around Fern is officially having a bad time. The noise and feelings have gotten louder, much louder. Or maybe he's just been worn down so much by everything that's gone on that it feels worse than it actually is? He isn't sure. It doesn't matter. It's too loud in his head and it keeps on going, even when he tries to sleep, until the end of the month, when the cacophony hits its crescendo with one very beautiful, very long, very painful song of death.

On the upside, this confirms to him that whatever is going on with head isn't being caused by the Lich. He's realizing with a sudden horror that all that noise is coming from other plants, even though he has been distinctly aware of his inability to communicate with them since his time back in Ooo. Apparently this world has seen to it to correct that small matter, and here he is, getting to listen to dozens upon dozens (hundreds?) of flowers dying together. What a great start to a new world.

He's outside when it comes, having been wandering around looking for the Lich. The operatic song flowers straight into his head and Fern reflexively winces covering his ears and trying to block it out. But it's too much, and there are too many of them, and he just wants it all to stop -

Any unfortunate passers-by might be getting bowled over by one of the half-dozen thorny vines snaking out of Fern's body and attacking anything in his vicinity. He doesn't notice what they're doing, or the additional thorns and spines and more toxic flora shooting up all over himself. Even the roots in his legs are reaching out, trying to break through the cobblestone to get at the earth underneath. His whole body is shifting to something more pointed, something less human, and something that looks a lot more hostile. Sleepers from Deerington might recognize the shift from back in the town, though it was rare and only happened when there was too much going on in his head to handle.

Looks like Trench can be just as rough.]

Date Time - For Varian (Early September)

[A date in a new world seems like a fantastic idea. Not only will they get to explore their surroundings, but it has to be a good distraction for Varian. There's nothing more attention-grabbing than exploration, and in the alchemist's case getting a hold of more alchemy supplies. It's a perfect plan and absolutely nothing can go wrong!

Nevermind the main reason they're going on this date is because Fern's increasing worry about Varian's mental state. He had thought that coming to a new world in one piece would mean things would be okay, that they'd be okay. Seeing Varian grow increasingly anxious and agitated, leaving half-finished science experiments everywhere, not sleeping....

It's concerning. It's hugely concerning. The longer this goes on the more useless Fern feels. He should be able to do something, help his boyfriend through the trouble he's having, but nothing seems to be working. He's desperately hoping this does, somehow.

Once Fern is ready to go he heads downstairs to Varian's lab, poking his head in.]

Ready to go? You got your list of stuff you need?

Bloodsports - For Flynn (During September)

[Unlike probably a lot of Sleepers, Fern is loving his time in the arena. It feels like a way to get all his energy out, a familiar way that he's sorely missed since arriving in Trench. There's been a lot - Luz and Varian's sudden change in behaviour, the poor soil, the lack of sunlight, the creeping paranoia - that have been getting to him, so having the chance to punch a few monsters to an adoring crowd is a wonderful form of escapism.

It's even better when he has someone to fight alongside, and like, two dozen times better when that person is a fellow knight. Fern doesn't know Flynn very well but the guy seems really cool. Older, obviously has the knight thing down, and in Fern's eyes that's more than enough for him to like him. So getting to hang out with the guy, getting to defeat a monster with the guy, that's the perfect afternoon for him.

The downside is that by the time they kill the creature - some weird hydra monstrosity - Fern is more than a little keyed up than a regular person. The cheering crowd is faltering a little as it becomes apparent that his fanged teeth and serpentine, glowy eyes, and thorns that have risen up on his arms and legs aren't going away anytime soon. It looks too close to Corruption for their liking, though Fern is entirely clueless.

Nope, he just looks super pumped as he waves his bloodied battle axe at the dead creature.]

Hah hah! Take that, ya donk!

Killing crab monsters - For Yuri (During September)

[Fern knows what it's like to lose someone close, he knows what it feels like to lose that person and feel so helpless, so angry about it that the only answer that seems reasonable is violence. He sort of gets why Yuri texted him about not going after Maul (even though a small part in his mind is still insisting the guy deserves it), and he gets why Yuri is trying to fill that hole by fighting crab monsters. It isn't the same, but he hopes the guy could find at least a little bit of satisfaction in cutting them down.

And honestly, it's a nice afternoon for him. It's cold and rainy and he's pretty sure sand is getting in between his grass blades, but this is a great way to get out the pent-up stress that's been building up in him all month. Trench hasn't been the easiest world to transition to, so getting back to something familiar (and destructive) is a relief. Between the two of them, by the time they've finished clearing a few caves out they've acquired more than enough crab monster meat to feed a small army.

Fern is actually pretty tired. His body is looking a tiny bit more loose and ragged, and he's covered in crab monster blood and gore, but hey, that's part of the fun. With that last crab dead he starts trying to flick blood off his grass sword.]

This has been really fun, dude.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Varian definitely needs something to take his mind off the piles of everything going on in his head right now. Everything he's trying so far just isn't working. He's tried focusing on his science, but it only holds his attention for so long before the anxiety starts to press in and he abandons everything to try and do something, anything to ease the pressure in his head.

He's hoping the date will help that. If there's one thing he can focus on, he's sure that's Fern. And they were long overdue a date - especially after Deerington falling apart. They haven't had one since the death worm. He smiles as Fern peers into his lab, putting down the glow light he was working on, reaching to grab his backpack to sling over his shoulders, heading over to his boyfriend, pressing a kiss to his cheek.]

Sure am. I put a few alchemy bombs in my bag, if this place works on a barter system, I might be able to use them to buy something if I need to.

[Fern relaxes a little at the kiss. It shouldn't be stressful to see Varian working on some science experiment (especially the grow lights), but with the number of them he's been leaving half-finished around the house... yeah, he hopes this date helps. Getting Varian back to his usual self is the goal here.]

Good idea. That guy who bought the sword off Usagi and me wanted to trade for it. No money involved.

[After they've headed up the stairs and outside he reaches over, taking hold of Varian's hand and causing a few nightshade and cherry blossom flowers to bloom in his hair. If there's one nice thing about this city that he's noticed, it's that no one has given them any dirty looks for holding hands. That's something Fern is quite happy with and it's something he's intent on doing as often as possible.]

So what're we looking for? You need some more test tubes?

[Bless him, his knowledge of alchemical equipment is lacking.]

[The lighting system is something that's been getting a lot more of Varian's attention than most of his other projects. It has a slightly lower chance of being abandoned, but only slightly. He's still struggling to focus on anything for too long- the crippling sense of dread chasing away any real attempts at keeping to one piece of work.]

I'm still trying to decide if that makes things easier or harder for us. I guess it depends on how easily I can trade the alchemy for- if it does well, then I know we've got one easy way to get supplies for the house.

[So he's definitely using this date as an experiment in of itself. Sorry, Fern, he's got important research to gather here. It's a science date after all.

He smiles happily as Fern takes hold of his hand, turning it a little so he can lace their fingers together. It is nice to be able to do this without the weird looks and the bearly-whispered comments the old Townies made about them. If nothing else, this makes Trench an improvement. He laughs softly, bless Fern indeed. He's trying. ]

Well, I wanted to see if I could get a new alembic, my old one's never really recovered after I used it for antidotes. [And then, because he does want to keep Fern feeling involved.] That's the big glass jar that's attached to a smaller glass jar with a little glass funnel.

[Bartering with alchemy would certainly cut one complication in their life down. Paying for things was never a big deal in Deerington, not when a lot of the food was free and they had the junk yard, but that was also a dream. This is the real world, and they need to make sure the entire house will survive.

So Fern doesn't mind too much that this date is an experiment. Especially if it makes Varian happier. He gives Varian's hand a little squeeze.]

Right, that one. [He totally remembers the big glass jar that's attached to a smaller glass jar with a glass funnel and doesn't think of Varian's alchemical equipment as 'glass science doohickeys,' nosir.] We should pick up some apples for Ruddiger, too. Uh, if he can still eat?

[Can you eat when you're made of black smoke? He's pretty sure Reaper, does.]

Date time!

no subject

no subject

no subject

Moonflower- Deathsong

no subject

no subject

moonflower - voices

no subject

no subject

bloodsports o no

no subject

no subject