deercountry | All men must die, but first he must live.

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All men must die, but first he must live.

SEPTEMBER 2021 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Woman holding skull in bag. ]
[Image Two: Plants sprouting out of earth.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Woman rocking back and forth in dark.]
[Image Two: Woman rowing down river with corpses on stakes on horizon.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Beef cake man breaking arrows off of shield with a sword.]
[Image Two: Beefy man slamming axe into troll-like creature, spraying blood.]

[NAVIGATION]

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

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

GROWING PAINS

WHEN: September
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Minor blood ritual.

September, for many in Trench, is considered a month of personal sacrifice. It is the month of self-actualization and promise. To grow your future, you must first be willing to sacrifice your past. You cannot walk forwards while walking backward. All throughout Trench, natives can be seen in yards and on plots of land digging small holes and planting a variety of items. Some plant seeds, some drop in a ring, others bury small parts of a body. But the ritual is simple: bury something that represents your past and seal it with a promise for your future.

You can write yourself a note or cut off a lock of your own hair. The ways in which people do this are limitless since it's a largely personal experience. Find a small patch of soil and dig yourself a shallow hole. Bury the item inside, say goodbye to who you used to be, and cover the item up with dirt. Once you are done, you must shed at least one drop of blood onto the sacrifice. It must be your own blood willingly given. Once the blood hits the soil, a small flower will miraculously grow out of the earth within seconds.

A single, powerless flower, but this flower will be completely immortal. You can either keep it on the patch of land or dig it up and bring it home. The flower will be a representation of your progress in Trench: if its petals wilt, you are lingering too much in the past. If it is in full bloom and vibrant, you're on the right path to a better future. If the flower starts to rot, you're heading down a dangerous path.

The flower may not be able to sway you one way or another, but it may serve as a valuable reminder of the kind of life you wish to lead. Some people abandon the flowers entirely and never bother with them. After all, there are no real consequences if you let the flower rot. If a character is dropped, their flower will fleck away like dust. Many believe that the flowers are made of the same stuff omens are made of.

You can dig up other people's flowers and watch their progress (make sure to get player permission) instead. After all, not everyone will care enough about their own flowers to really observe them closely. The flowers can come in any species or size, even fictional flowers, but they will only be replicas. Meaning if your character's flower is typically used for healing, there will be no healing properties in this replica. The flowers cannot be destroyed.

Many natives in Trench will repeat this ritual a few times every couple of years since the ritual is for letting go of the past. After all, the promises you make to yourself now won't be the same promises you make to yourself ten years from now. People change and so too will their flowers. What the characters bury is largely open to interpretation.

RIVER OF REGRET

WHEN: September
WHERE: Some obscure location within Gaze
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mangled corpses of loved ones, birds eating corpses, themes of regret.

You will find raven feathers all over Trench. They may drift through the air, lightly touch you, or you might decide to pick one up. The moment you come into physical contact with a feather, a conspiracy of ravens tears through the air and scoops you up into a whirlwind of feathers and caws. It only lasts a few seconds before you're deposited into a canoe drifting along a still river. Another Sleeper is in the boat with you. You pass beneath massive stone walls carved into the likeness of Never Mind and his ravens.

The world is silent around you. There is no rain here. Instead, sunlight pours through breaks in the clouds. Sunlight dapples across the water and golden-red leaves of nearby trees. It's more serene than most places in Trench.

You turn a corner and smell it before you see it. The picturesque summer day is dampened by the stench of rot. Then you come upon them: corpses. Corpses tied up to posts with barbed wire, corpses put through spikes and suspended in the air. Ravens flutter to and fro, picking at strips of meat. It isn't until you're close enough that you realize you recognize the corpses.

They are the corpses of people you have hurt. And that doesn't just mean people you killed or physically harmed. These are the bodies of people you have deep regrets towards: a lover you wronged, a best friend you lied to, an enemy you wish you had forgiven. Not everything is as black and white as murder, after all, and this grisly graveyard of mangled bodies says as much. Sometimes our regrets haunt us like the dead, and it seems like yours have followed you to Trench. You might even see your own body up on a post or the body of your canoe companions.

You have one of two choices: ignore your regret or face it.
Choosing to ignore your regrets doesn't seem to have any ill consequences at first. You pass by the corpses and continue on your river voyage. But the water grows thicker, and you come across the same corpses only in a worse state. The situation gets progressively worse each time you ignore it, and the river gradually becomes a river of blood and gore. The stench becomes insufferable and you will become increasingly corrupt. Some may even turn into beasts right there on the river.

Facing your regrets means talking about them, even mildly, to your canoe companions. You simply need to acknowledge the corpses, acknowledge the slightest truth to your feelings towards those regrets. When everyone in your canoe has acknowledged their regrets, the ravens will come for you once more. You will be brought back to Trench and awaken in the School of Mutter. Those who faced their regrets will discover that they have been gifted a white gold compass. The compass's needle will always point in the direction of the nearest Lamp Friend no matter the chaos going on in the world. But the compass only works once you have calmed down and focused.

QUICK FACTS

1. Each boat can hold up to 4 people. There can be multiple canoes in the same area.

2. If you try to leave the boat, you will drown in the River of Regret.

3. This does not have to encompass every regret someone's had. It can only represent one or two things. The regret should have to do with another individual or one's self. Something like "I regret not going to college" wouldn't necessarily work within the parameters of the prompt.

4. The river can only be accessed by touching a fallen raven feather. Touching a raven feather attached to the bird or a quill does not count.

5. Characters can engage with this prompt as many times as they touch a raven feather.

6. Characters with no regrets will not see corpses, but they will still be able to interact with characters who do have regrets.

BLOODSPORT

WHEN: During the Blood Moon
WHERE: Everywhere but specifically, The Gate
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, fighting, forced aggression/violence, forced fighting.

The Blood Moon invokes religious reverence among Trenchies. September and October are the ultimate months of sacrifice to pay tribute to the gods and the blood that rules this world. An energy begins to swell among Trenchies and you keep hearing the same word whispered excitedly around the city: "Bloodsport."

As the Blood Moon floods the streets in red, you begin to feel antsy, like you don't know what to do with yourself. You're not necessarily angry, you just have an abundance of energy. You don't need to be told what it is: your blood is reacting to the moon. The Blood Moon enhances blood powers significantly and you're simply not used to that yet. You don't feel in control of your own power or maybe even your own mind. At least until you exert some power, some force. Slam a door shut or swing a sword, shoot some electricity or spit some poison and you'll feel at peace with yourself. That nervous energy will ease out.

Only to come back twice as strong. It starts to put you in a real fighting mood and you start to realize why the locals call this Bloodsport. Hunting down beasts and monsters might seem like the fun thing to do right now, but the real attraction for Bloodsport takes place at The Gate. You can hear the roaring crowd blocks away. Hundreds of Trenchies have settled in to watch Sleepers duke it out with each other or with locked-up monsters. Maybe join in the fight. At least you know the other Sleepers there want to be there...Right?

Unfortunately not. Those who resist Bloodsport will find themselves passing out more and more frequently. Eventually, they will be taken by Mysterious Forces to The Gate to be pitted against other Sleepers and monsters. Some Sleepers will be forced into a gladiator-style fight that they either must win or die trying. Most fights at the Gate do end in death, but there are some circumstances where someone surrenders. Of course, that never stops their opponent from killing them anyway...Hopefully, you're fighting someone who is still relatively reasonable. Both parties can be resistant to fighting, but they will feel obligated to fight each other. If they don't, monsters will be unleashed into the arena and your situation will get a whole lot worse.

Bloodsport can greatly enhance a Sleeper's ability and many believe it is a gift from the Pthumerian gods. It is generally considered an advantage to Sleepers during the Season of Blood to prepare them and train them to hone their skills for the Season of Bone. Many believe it is wisest to submit to Bloodsport and let yourself get used to the motions of violence in order to survive the remainder of the year.

QUICK FACTS

1. Casual physical training will alleviate Bloodsport feelings. You could get through the month just by jogging around a lot.

2. Characters forced to the Gate will not remember how or when they arrived - they will just wake up and be thrown into the Gate by some shadowy force.

3. Characters who willingly participate in violence/fighting will feel temporary relief from Bloodsport only for the feeling to increase.

4. Effects of Bloodsport last as long as the Blood Moon shines through September and October.

5. You can treat symptoms of Bloodsport with calming techniques such as aromatherapy, meditation, medications, etc. Can be based on what would ICly help calm your character but it should require a lot of it.

6. You can invent the monsters/beasts that are at the Gate. They should be killable creatures and easily captured for the purpose of the Gate.

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Bella is red-cheeked and grinning, clearly enjoying every second in this weirdly all-women bar. It's like a secret clubhouse! Several of the buff female hunters turn at Luna's approach, smiling appreciatively, but Bella doesn't seem to notice, bouncing over happily.]

Luna! I know, right? I've never met so many friendly people in one place before. [She's swaying a little, which means she's almost certainly been treated to a couple drinks by the ladies. This can only end with someone dancing on a bar.]

They do like to cheek-pinch a little too much, and call me 'baby witch'.

[ Which is.... fine??? Of course. It's nice?? It's friendly, not mean-spirited at all. This isn't like the teasing she's known back in Hogwarts. It's more.. playful? She's just a bit bemused about it all, rubbing at her very pink cheek with a faint smile. The only one who's ever called her a 'baby witch' is Paimon, and that's something else entirely.

Oh, Bella. Luna gently puts her hands on the girl's shoulders to keep her upright and not swaying as much. She's chosen to stick to tea, which they've had to have someone bring some from upstairs. Tea for the baby witch! ]

.... Have you noticed there isn't any men here? [ It is... very notably women. Not men. Although there's some who look like both, and some who look like neither, too. But... no, no men. Which is... not something she's come across before. And everyone's so friendly. Ladies being... very friendly with one another.

.... Oh. ]

... I think— [ Oh, this is. She's very red in the face right now. ] I think this is supposed to be a lady-only place for... ladies who like ladies.

Oh. [Bella absently reaches up and rubs her cheek in sympathy. The ladies have mostly taken to tugging gently at her hair or putting their big, strong, weathered hands on her back to get her attention.] I, uh...think you're a very grown-up and capable witch? If that helps?

[At Luna's gentle pointing-out of their company, Bella turns and looks around with an almost comical expression of surprise.] ...woah. You're right, there aren't any men. So this is a...

-- oh. [Her turn to turn red!]

Oh, that's nice—! [ That helps. In all honesty, she doesn't mind it. She supposes she is technically a baby, considering witches and wizards of her world can live for centuries? And she's... barely nineteen. But yes, thank you Bella. She is very grown up and very capable!!

Luna's still red in the face as Bella realises just what this bar is. This is... it's fine! Everything is fine! This is just... new. They're just flustered. Although Luna pauses, genuinely worried for a moment — her brow pinching in uncertainty. ]

... Am I even supposed to be here—? Like I mean, I don't have a girlfriend...? [ Is this a pre-requisite...? ] And well, girls are... they're nice like that, they're pretty and strong and— [ SHE IS VERY FLUSTERED RIGHT NOW. ] but— but I have a boyfriend...?

[Listen, they're the same age, and Bella feels like the oldest person in the world sometimes. That might just be because she likes old lady stuff like books and cooking and sewing, but whatever.

Peeking over at the lady hunters, who smirk and wave and wink, Bella buries her face in her hands again.] I have a girlfriend. I don't...need another one? I-I mean, we're very content in our relationship? I don't -- oh my god, I've never even been to a regular bar!

[Then, after a beat:] Oh, you and Peter are official? Congrats.

[ Well, that technically makes them both old ladies because same. She is hereby old lady witch. ]

I mean, I've been in a regular pub— [ One that's kind of reminiscent of this: The Hog's Head isn't too far off this place. But it's not even that much of a help. She's very flustered, nevertheless. ] But, ah... not... not this kind of pub. And well, I mean... we can just— I mean we can be here in a... non-romantic capacity, right—?

[ Right?! ]

... Oh—! Did I not tell you—? [ Oh, yes. That's a thing now, yes. ] Yes, he asked me to be his girlfriend at the Prom. I suppose a lot of other things kind of got in the way...

[They're practically members of the same old lady knitting club by now.] I, uh...I think so? I mean, we haven't been kicked out yet, even if we're both...taken. Technically.

[Still, this is important information!] Oh, that's awesome! Congrats! I mean, even with all the...craziness that came after.

Then it's a promising start. [ There's a pause. ] Although I wonder if we should check—?

[ HEY NICE HUNTER LADIES IS BEING SINGLE MANDATORY TO BE HERE. ]

Thank you—! [ Is she blushing? Just a little. She's very happy about her love-life now; the fact even such a thing exists in her life, really. ] I suppose nothing's really changed, we're just carrying on with how we were — exploring... things. [ There's a vague gesture. ] But there's something very nice about saying he's my boyfriend, you know?

[ She's very smitten. ]

They didn't ask at the door or anything. [Bella doesn't want to get kicked out of this neat bar place for having a girlfriend, okay. They've bought her like 4 rounds of nachos -- one of which is now set on the table near where she and Luna are chatting. Bella is definitely getting a stomachache from all this cheese, so she'll settle into a seat and beckon Luna to follow.] Help me finish these?

Mmm-hmm, I get what you mean. [She picks up a chip, nibbling at the corner.] Having a name for it doesn't really change anything...but at the same time it kinda does? Like, saying "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" makes it feel so much more...real.

That's true. [ One should likely not look a gift-Abraxan in the mouth, shouldn't they? Especially when there's also free nachos over on the table. Snacks are always welcome, and she smiles following Bella to sit with her. ] It's quite amusing they have such a thing as nachos here.

[ Considering all the... blood and aesthetic of this place. It feels like the sheer opposite of Deerington, where the usual mundane things are now the rarity. ]

Mm, very much like that. [ She picks up a chip, only to find a huge amount of cheese upon it. She frowns, trying to lift it higher, stringy cheese half-stuck to the rest of the plate. It will not break away. This is... problematic. ] We never really bothered to call it anything, it just was, and it was something we both enjoyed.

[ Labels are overrated, and yet— ] But it also kind of feels... I don't know, normal. To have something that everyone else can have. I suppose neither of us thought we'd get to have a relationship.

I know. They've definitely got some...weird things in it, though. [There are chips and cheese, of course, but there are also lots of weird mushrooms? Maybe eat around the mushrooms, girls.

Bella picks up a chip of her own, stifling a laugh as she uses it to carefully cut through Luna's long cheese string.] There we go. And I know what you mean. I used to hate being normal, but after...everything in Deerington, it's nice to have something that isn't completely bizarre.

I never thought I'd say I'd miss the Hart Mart. [ But she doesn't mind weird mushrooms, it's not bad in terms of protein. ] Fortunately I do have some bits and pieces left over from Deerington which I can magically duplicate. I managed to end up with my house here with me.

[ Granted it's a little different-looking compared to Deerington, it's definitely still her house. There's a grin as Bella helps her with the cheese, finally able to shove the nacho in her mouth. It's pretty good! She considers Bella's answer for a moment as she chews, head tilting slightly. ]

Why did you hate being normal—? [ She's genuinely curious. ]

Mmm, me too. I miss frozen veggies. They make things a lot easier. [There you go, Luna, she'll just scoot all the weird mushrooms your way. You're welcome.] Yeah? What else came with you? Our place kinda...crumbled before we left.

[The question has Bella pausing for a moment, fishing out another not-too-soggy chip.] It's...kind of dumb, but...I wanted to be different, back home. I always felt like I didn't fit in with other...people. If that makes sense. I wanted to be...special.

And poptarts. Or those very sugary chocolate cereals. [ Frozen vegetables do indeed make everything easier. And then kept for so long, too. It's certainly a very convenient way of keeping vegetables. But the candy, the breakfast cereals. ]

Pretty much everything, I think. Even the house is... oddly bigger. Like it's the same, but different. Helga came with me, too. [ There's a pause, her brow furrowing sadly. ] Gerald didn't, nor my Haunter. Peter's dog Rex didn't come, either.

[ She misses them. Helga misses her companions, too. ]

I don't think it's dumb at all. I think everyone wants to be special in their own way, it's quite universal. [ She's thoughtful for a moment, reaching for another nacho. ] But the weird thing is, everyone is different, special. Just with being yourself, you're different. And sometimes that means you don't fit in with other people, but that's alright.

[ She shrugs, smiling. ]

'Normal' is quite a strange word. I don't think anybody's normal, not really. We're all just... exceptionally ourselves. Sometimes it's just a little hard seeing that.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I miss poptarts. They're so sugary and bad for you. [And she can cook real tarts. But sometimes you want something mass produced and full of preservatives, damn it.]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Bonerhorse came with us -- uh, he's a skeleton horse thing -- but other than that, we just have our Omens. Mine's a sheep, which is...kind of ironic. [She laughs, a little weakly, reaching for another chip. Maybe don't get into the "stupid lamb, sick masochistic lion" thing, Bella.

Luna's words make her sit back, thinking for a minute, absently eating all the cheese off her chip.] I think...I'm more accepting of myself now than I was before. I was always comparing myself to the Cullens -- my, uh, ex-fiance's family. They're...vampires, so they're super beautiful and strong and fast and perfect, and I just...wanted to be like that.

Never be embarrassed to miss poptarts, they are wonderful. [ Look, she has never had poptarts until she came to Deerington. But also never be embarrassed to enjoy the things you enjoy. Even poptarts. ]

I've met Bonerhorse, he's fun. [ She heard that you named him, Bella. It's brilliant. She's pretty pleased he's here, really. ] Mine's a hare, but I wasn't really surprised at that. I like sheep, though. They remind me of home. Me and my dad lived out in the countryside. And they're gentle, too. Which isn't a bad thing.

[ It's never a bad thing to be gentle. There's a faint smile for a few moments before Bella mentions her ex-fiancé. Her eyes widen at that: Bella was engaged—? ]

You had a fiancé—? [ Is she fazed about the vampire part? Not at all. But then again, she is a witch. She shakes her head, wrinkling her nose a little. ] I should imagine it would be quite boring to be perfect. Flaws make us more interesting, there's always something to work on, to help yourself grow. But I can see the appeal, I suppose.

I'm glad you're more accepting of yourself, though. You should always try to be a little more kinder with yourself, you know?

I like Bonerhorse. I think his name's super clever. I could've named him Rochester or something. [Shaking her head, Bella turns her attention to the topic at hand.] You lived in the country? I didn't know that. In, uh, England, right? [Hence...the accent...

Then she blushes, covering her face with a hand for a moment.] Ah, yeah, I...was engaged when I came here. It's...a long story, but, uh. It wasn't a super healthy relationship -- which I know and understand now. There was a lot of...weird power dynamics and stuff. [She laughs, still sheepish.] Pretty sure there's a big group of people here who'd try to stake Edward if he ever showed up.

I've...grown past it. Mostly.

I think so too! [ Even if the name did originally make her blush when Clarisse pointed out. She can at least appreciate a good pun. ] Mm, I mean my family's from Ireland but I grew up in Devon. There's a lot of rural space there, it's quite ideal for witches and wizards. Less Muggles around.

[ Wizarding children amongst Muggle populations can... be a bit of a headache for the Ministry, sometimes.

There's a little smile as Bella blushes and Luna offers her a little sympathetic smile in return. It does slip into a look of concern as the other girl starts to explain things. Oh, no. That doesn't sound very good, at all. She pauses for a moment, considering: ]

I don't know a lot about relationships, but I think they're supposed 'equal', you know? No one's trying to be better or stronger than the other. You just... try to make things work together...? [ She wrinkles her nose a little ] So if this Edward was being like that with you—

[ She gestures with a chip before promptly popping it in her mouth. Luna might be in that group now, too. ]

I'm glad you understand it, now. I don't imagine that's been easy. Especially when you love someone.

Muggles? [Bella repeats the word, laughing a little on it, just because it's a funny word, okay? But then she nods, understanding.] Ireland, wow. I've only ever been to Europe once, and it was, uh...not really a sight-seeing vacation. [Run-ins with the vampire mafia tend to make pleasant trips impossible.

Then Bella nods, rubbing at her forehead with one hand.] The farther I get away from it -- from Edward and my life at home, I mean -- the clearer it is. He'd do a lot of things like..."for my own good", he'd say, but like, he used to break into my house and watch me sleep, he once sabotaged my car so I wouldn't go see this other boy, he was just...kinda controlling.

[""""Kinda.""""]

Non-magical people. [ She clarifies with a little smile. ] It's what we call them. There's other names for them depending on where you live. American witches and wizards call them 'No-Majs'. Or... 'Wuggles', if you're Peter Graham.

[ He's honestly so terrible at remembering the vocabulary surrounding the Wizarding World, but he does try his best. She hums with faint amusement. ]

I went to Sweden with my dad about a year or so before I came to Deerington, but I'd never even been to America before. [ At least Bella's experienced Europe, then! Even if... it wasn't the kind of holiday one would like. ]

... That's not 'kind of' controlling, that is controlling. [ Luna's expression say it all, really. ] Not to mention very dangerous; he could have hurt you when he tampered with your car! What a horrible person! More like good for him than you, I think!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

All men must die, but first he must live.

harold....

THEY'RE LESBIANS!!!

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