reddosmod: (Default)
Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2022-01-08 12:48 am

Gain the weight of you then lose it

JANUARY 2022 EVENT
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Prompt One
[Image One: Woman in an elaborate blue dress with high collar staring at camera while people dance in background.]
[Image Two: Woman in pink dress touching chest and smiling at camera while people dance in background.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Explicit gif of snake shedding its skin and a new viperlike snake coming out of the old skin.]
[Image Two: Gif of eyes gazing at camera and right eye turning yellow.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Image of rock snake with fire glowing in its mouth.]
[Image Two: Gif of a snake made entirely out of flames hissing.]

SNAKE DEN
WHEN: Evenings throughout January
WHERE: The Red, Cellar Door
CONTENT WARNINGS: Alcohol/Drugs, possible NSFW scenarios, forced honesty, mood altering substances.


Around Trench, Sleepers will find a gold-edged flyer pinned to most doors, lamps, and posted around stores and throughout the market. Some may even find the flyer pinned to their front door:

MADAM GENEROSITY INVITES YOU TO THE SNAKE DEN
Hello darling and dearest Sleepers! Do not let the cold dampen your spirit or weaken your hope. Do not allow our differences to divide us; do not let the frigid drive you to isolation; do not hurt your soul by forgetting one another. They say snakes cannot thrive in the cold, yet here I am, defying it, thriving despite it. You can too. We must persist. We shall persist. Not with violence and bloodshed, not with pollution and corruption, but with unity! With compassion and fun.

I invite you all to join me at The Red every odd evening of January! Welcome to the Snake Den! A little Talent Show I throw occasionally to remind Sleepers of their profound potential for greatness and awe! Come be flashy on stage or to support your friends. After the Talent Show is our famed Fashion Show. Do you have eccentric outfits you would like to show off? Now is truly your time to shine!

The evening will be filled with plenty of food and drink for all. We shall dance, we shall show off, we shall persist and defy corruption together. Let my lovely Night Walkers shine and keep you company for the evening. Find some new friends, have an illicit affair, or just come so you don't have to be alone for a night. You are all welcome...And don't worry, I've enchanted the Red so that none of your powers can cause any damage while inside the building. Feel free to really make a light show with your fire! It won't hurt anyone.

I so look forward to seeing all of you there.

With Love,
Madam Generosity
The Red has been elaborately decorated for the Snake Den spectacle. Enormous golden statues of snakes have been placed throughout. Golden lights glitter above. Servers carry about golden flutes of champagne, soda, and sparkling water. You can order other drinks at the bar. While the invite has gone out to Sleepers, there are some regular Trenchies who have come to show their support. To perform in the Talent Show portion, one simply needs to go backstage to prepare with the rest.

A female Trenchie named Dorothea seems to be directing the acts. People can perform multiple times. Talents performed can include music, comedy, dance routines, or little skits. After the Talent Show concludes, a Fashion Show will be put on, and everyone is encouraged to join. You can get your hair and make-up done elaborately backstage and find eccentric outfits to try on if you're not so happy with the one you showed up in.

Going to the Snake Den at this time will cause incredible stress relief. Even those who are typically shy or introverted will find themselves soothed at the Snake Den. Giant pillows have been thrown about so people can puddle in together and snuggle up. Private rooms have been created out of silks for some private conversations or interactions.

There must be something in the drinks or the snacks going around because it becomes easy to become a much more outgoing version of yourself at the party. It may increase friendliness or touchiness and relax people's usual reservations. Who knows? It might encourage you to go up on stage and show off a bit or talk to that handsome stranger who has been eying you the whole night. Regular intoxication from alcohol/drugs is possible as well which means some people might not need the additional encouragement.

Regular dancing occurs after the Fashion Shows with various musicians performing on stage to fill the night up with plenty of mood melodies. As the evening prolongs, the lights dim and things become quiet and soothing. Since paleblood magic is exceptionally strong this month with honesty, attendants of the party may find themselves being more open and honest about themselves. Hopefully, you don't confess anything too vulnerable about yourself...

FAQ:
1. Characters with mental abilities may be able to resist the honesty sway if they consciously realize it is happening.

2. Any talent can be performed on the stage.

3. The flyer is magically enchanted so that people who touch it will feel unusually excited to go to the Snake Den.
THE SHEDDING CEREMONY
WHEN: Begins in January - Effects may be permanent. Players choose when the effects wear off.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Forced modification of body, possible themes of body dysmorphia, shedding/peeling skin, burning/eating dead skin, alternate versions of characters, possible genderswapping, possible alteration of personality/memories.


[A passage from Rituals and Reality; Chapter 2: The Shedding Ceremony. Found exclusively in Gaze:]

"Worshippers of Madam Generosity believed that the shedding of snakeskin was symbolic to the shedding of an old life and the acceptance of a new life. The skin left behind was a reminder of past trials and tribulations, and the skin you walk away with is evidence of all that you have learned and experienced. In ancient times, Sleepers would ritualistically select one of their own to sacrifice to Madam Generosity. Eventually, Sleepers would come to learn that Madam Generosity did not appreciate blood sacrifices. Due to her gentle nature, she encouraged Sleepers to pay tribute to her in other ways.

Thus came the Shedding Ceremony. Sleepers would rub away chapped skin and set it afire in a bowl. They would reflect on lives left behind and the new life they had been given in Trench. Over time, this created a powerful magical experience that persisted beyond the original ceremony. The Shedding Ceremony is both a ritual and an enchantment.

As January begins, Sleepers may find that their skin has become dry and brittle. The generous application of lotions and oils may soothe the skin, but neglected skin can begin to peel off. Although it is a painless experience, it can be rather gross to look at and a bit itchy. Then one day, you simply fall asleep and when you awaken, you are an entirely different version of yourself. You will find a nearly perfect replica of your old self in a shed skin nearby. Your new body may be stronger, faster, more powerful. Old scars may be healed, lost limps replaced...Or you might be an entirely new gender. Some have even experienced becoming a different species. Some awaken as an older or younger variation of themselves while others find that they have become an alternate version of themselves.

These effects have been known to last for a few days up to months at a time. In some scenarios, the effects have become permanent. Some believe it to be a curse while others believe it is a gift. It may happen multiple times and take a few sheds to return to your original body. It is believed that ingesting your old skin or burning it alleviates the changes and brings you back to your original body faster. Generous application of lotion and oils can prevent the Shedding Ceremony altogether for some - or at the very least, slow it down."

FAQ

1. Characters can avoid this prompt altogether via the application of lotion.

2. If you decide to permanently change your character in a big way (ie; changing their species/gender/age) then we do ask that you update your character on the taken page to reflect that they are now an Alternate Version of a character. This would open up the original character to be applicable to new players.

3. This can change blood types for those interested in trying on a new blood type. You can either temporarily change a blood type or permanently. If you permanently change a blood type, let us know on the Blood Type page and update your information on the taken page.

4. You can play out the transformation as explicitly or non-explicitly as you want. Maybe characters see the changes happening under their peeling skin or just wake up in their new body. The peeling does not need to be any more graphic than what you would typically see on dry skin.

5. You can alter a character's gender, species, age, blood type, or switch to a general alternate version of a character (ie; Coffee Shop AU, an AU of your character but with different powers, an AU of your character if they came from a different canon or timeline.) Please have fun with this and explore the possibilities for as long as you like!

Unsnakely
WHEN: All of Bone Season
WHERE: Anywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible injuries or death from burns/fire.


[A journal entry from the Wayward Watcher that can be found in the Archaic Archives reads:]

"Do not trust the naked snake trails of January. They exist to trick you into a sense of Madam Generosity's comfort. The Good Pthumerian leaves snow tracks in her wake, but the Unsnakely leaves melted trails of snow. This creature has spent centuries cloaking itself to rope in those who devotedly follow Madam Generosity. The kind people of Trench look to snakes as a trustworthy, compassionate symbol filled with good intention.

There are many ways to anticipate the Unsnakely's presence. Besides its melted trails (that eventually turn to ice in the cold), you may notice pockets of comfortable heat. While many believe greenery is a good sign, do not be fooled by the melted patches of grass you find. These are not symbols of an early spring. They are symbols of incoming destruction.

The Unsnakely is not of blood or soul; it is a blood curse of the earth, a product of Blood Pollution. It's a creature made out of rock, with no pulse, no soul, no mind. Molten lava pours through its body. It moves in and out of the earth without disturbing the surface, transforming from rock into small beasts or a snake the size of your home. It looks to spill blood to freshen its own magic and its choice of weapon is its size and the fire it breathes. A furious Unsnakely will light up in flames and can bring great destruction to its surroundings. People have lost their homes to the Unsnakely and of course, people have lost their lives.

The Unsnakely, no matter the size it takes, is as fast and lethal as a typical snake. It cannot truly die, as it is a curse of the earth, but it can be physically destroyed by immense blunt strength or coldblood abilities whether fire or ice. Typical ice abilities will not work against the snake - they must come from a coldblood source. Enchanted coldblood items will be effective against the Unsnakely.

The Unsnakely can spit fire like venom and boil the air around it. It can be difficult to get physically close enough to land a blow due to the suffocatingly hot temperature rolling off its body. It traditionally hunts in the streets and in the woods, by the beach and among the cliffs. Once someone has slain the beast, it returns to the earth where it rebuilds itself over a period of 2-3 days. It primarily hunts during Bone Season, preferring to use the cloak of Madam Generosity to its advantage.

Since this is not a traditional snake, it has no desire to "eat" anyone. It will simply roast you alive - which is arguably worse for some. Its fire burns hotter and brighter than regular fire, and it is a slow, agonizing death that has caused absolute madness in some. People have claimed to see strange visions in the smoke that pours off of the Unsnakely, causing distortion in battle. Do not inhale too much of the Unsnakely's smoke as it will cause intense vertigo. Remember: this is a creature of deception.

Lastly, it would be beneficial to know that the Unsnakely cannot hear or see. It responds to the vibration around it. Some who stay still may get the upper hand, but the creature can feel the vibrations of your heartbeat if your pulse is unusually elevated. Good luck, fellow Hunters. Treat burns by the Unsnakely with vileblood. I know it sounds mad, but the vileblood seems to attack whatever cursed heat comes with burns from the Unsnakely.

Take care of yourself,
- The Wayward Watcher"

FAQ
1. Characters who can manipulate earth can contort/stop/fight against the Unsnakely's natural body. It will take great control to fully control or dismantle the body.

2. Coldbloods with fire abilities can similarly control the fire of the Unsnakely with great control.
CODING
threelayers: (10)

b

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-12 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Neopolitan happened to be there as well, which was surprisingly... half way decent for herself, given that she wasn't exactly the most ... chatty of souls. So, sometimes that urge to divulge was just salvaged by the fact that she wasn't really good at doing that.

She shrugged and smirked at the stranger, lifting a glass before taking her omni out as she did so and typing with her thumb, causing the words to appear right above it in a little hologram.]


Welcome to Trench.
Home of bad decisions.
forwantofahorse: (Confident)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-12 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[Sayo returns the mock-toast, smirking back... although the expression is hollow, since she's too bitter to put any real witchy oomph into it.]

I can make plenty of bad decisions on my own without some soon-to-be-shoe-material empty nester god making them for me.

[She's insulted Madam Generosity many times over the past half hour to try and test her patience, but unfortunately, the Pthumerian cleaves to her title and hasn't risen to the provocation.]

I don't care if it's for our "own good," or that we're supposed to "have fun," all of this... nonsense party stuff should be getting on my nerves. And the fact that it isn't is... well, the fact that I'm getting angry about how I'm not getting angry is proof enough of how I feel, isn't it?
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-13 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[Neo had given plenty of mock, hollow smiles in her life. Being able to hide her face behind an illusion let her cheat. She definitely was good to do that all over again. The insult to Generosity, though, got a silent chuckle out of her and the grin she wore was a bit more genuine than usual.]

Hah, yeah, there's probably something in the air.
Which I mean literally, as in they probably put something in the air tonight.
To help us relax because she thinks we need to relax.

They do that kind of shit around here.
Some days it's seriously irritating because I don't feel like being calmed down.
forwantofahorse: (Smug)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-15 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
Sometimes you just want to brood to get all those emotions out. Especially if you don't often get the opportunity. Before I touched that poster, I was planning on cutting an ominous silhouette in an alley somewhere since everyone at the house would be coming here and wouldn't be able to give me concerned looks.

[It's hard to tell how serious she is. (While the alley was largely a metaphor, Sayo had been planning to let her hair down at the Clockhouse for the night before getting whammied with a bad case of extroversion. Even if she didn't bother putting on as much as a front when she came here, she still felt resentful that once again she'd been forced to be pleasant.)]
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-18 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oh did she ever know all about brooding. Admittedly, her brooding usually led to a fair bit of stabbing too. But she wasn't going to fault just going through and brooding about things in the slightest. It just matched the mood that she never displayed under all the pink and pretty. She snickered through her teeth and nodded once.]

They don't let you do that around here.
Even if Miss Generosity and Gracious didn't do it this whole town's full of "Good Guys."
They all want to save us from ourselves, trust me.

It's kind of cute, sometimes.
forwantofahorse: (Smug)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-19 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, yes, the concern is adorable when it isn't so smothering that it pisses me off.

[The way Sayo rolls her eyes almost has a physical impact with all the force she puts into it. She really shouldn't be sharing this much with a stranger, but, well, it at least seemed like Neo gets it.]

I know it's my fault for acting so helpless all the time so that they stay off my case, but for people who are so worried about my "autonomy" or whatever, they sure don't think I can actually do anything for myself! God.
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-20 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, they pretty much all rely on surface stuff.
Whatever, if we've got to be here at least the drinks are halfway decent.
You wanna get away from the crowds for a bit?


[She definitely 'got it' at least a little bit. The reasons? Nah, but brooding in a crowd was all too easy to understand. At least there were more quiet sections where they could get away from the throng.]
forwantofahorse: (Default)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-20 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd be much obliged.

[Sayo gets up, some pep back in her slouch now that she's properly bantering with someone. Turns out that it feels just as good to actually exchange witty barbs as it does to write them into her stories. Whodathunk.]

Do you have someplace in mind?
threelayers: (09)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-22 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
Two options

[With one hand, she gestured to her left. There were some curtains set aside around cushions. they afforded legitimate comfort and a little bit of privacy. Didn't have to leave the party for those, and wasn't any walking involved.]

If you want to actually get out of here, though.
There's this place over in Prufrock where all the lady Hunters hang out.
First floor's rough, but it's definitely not around here and it's relaxed.
forwantofahorse: (Confident)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-23 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I want out of here, frankly. And that place sounds quite nice, at least in comparison to here... very well! Lead the way.

[Guess who doesn't understand that what Neo is describing is a lesbian bar?]
threelayers: (07)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-24 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[In fairness, she didn't actually go that since she was married. But plenty of other folks did! And it was definitely a lesbian bar for lesbian warriors, but the pool was good and the drinks were better.

Pointing the way out, she started on her way, heading straight out of the club for the first lantern location she could find. It was a popular place, so there'd be one near.]


Good news about this place?
It's definitely not Madame Generosity's speed, if you ask me.
forwantofahorse: (Default)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-25 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Sayo was still in awe at the lanterns—she's yet to place hers, but the convenience they provided was incredible. Especially considering the monsters everywhere that she'd really rather not have to risk dealing with whenever she went on an errand.]

That's good to hear, at least. Finally, I can get back to being a near-compulsive liar.
threelayers: (02)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-25 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[As they slipped out the door and stopped at the Lantern, Neo just laughed silently and cocked an eyebrow over at Sayo. Ok, that deserved a comment.]

Not that I'm telling you how to do your lying game.
But most people don't open with "I'm a compulsive liar."
Think 'The Gate' when you touch the lamp.
Sapphora isn't far from there.
forwantofahorse: (Shocked)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-26 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I owe you for finding me an escape route, so you get a scrap of genuine, non-coerced honesty.

["The Gate," huh-

And suddenly, she's there. Sayo stumbles, eyes wide.]


...my.
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-27 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[She winked at her and motioned, turning down a side path from the Gate. They weren't here to get into late night colosseum matches after all. No point in turning Sayo's attention to how obvious it was that she was still getting used to the teleportation. It still jarred Neo, but she was used to hiding that kind of thing.

Up ahead was a multi-story, almost gaudily colored building that stood out from the others. It looked to be about four stories in all, and quite the hopping place, considering Generosity's party...



It seemed some people weren't partial to Generosity's soirees. Hunters like Neo were definitely in that category.]


No guys allowed for the most part.
Figured we'd just get a booth on the second floor, glass of wine and relax.
forwantofahorse: (Default)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-01-27 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Normally I don't mind the company of men, but tonight? It'll be one less thing that gets on my nerves.

[Sayo wasn't expecting something like this to be Neo's club of choice, but she knows that appearances can be deceiving. And besides, maybe something more relaxed is exactly what the doctor ordered (posthumously) after the busyness of the Snake Den. She throws open the door, craning her neck inside before striding in.]
threelayers: (02)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-01-31 09:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[She nodded briskly. Guys could be annoying as hell. So could girls, but no need to add that. Holding the door open, she ushered Sayo in and made for the stairwell that went upwards. The first floor was a little rowdy, though not too rough. Plenty of hunters all lounging by the bar. More than one gave her a salute she returned. She'd been working with these for the last few months. They were getting used to the pink-haired, pint-sized little terror.

But up a story, as she ascended, it got much more quiet. There were booths set aside, and the bar was more easy and relaxed. She waved to the bartender and pointed to one of the empty booths before getting a nod and smiling back to Sayo. Somewhere that they weren't going to be disturbed much.]
forwantofahorse: (Default)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-02-02 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
[Something changes within Sayo as the aftereffects of Madam Generosity's "patronage" wear thin. Her shoulders hunch inward, her expression becomes thin and strained without the atmosphere of the party buoying her (no matter how much she wished it hadn't or denied that it did at all). She sighs, leaning against the bar counter as she sits down. She felt the burden of having to carry on as if she wasn't just the cheery Shannon but also a freewheeling socialite more than she would feel her hangover in the morning.]

...forgive me if I'm less talkative now. I'm less congenial without a snake forcing me at mental gunpoint to be a social butterfly. [She snorts.]
threelayers: (02)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-02-03 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[Neo nodded, and ... it didn't seem like anything really changed. The effects were wearing off on her too, but her expression seemed to remain static, unaltered, just slightly bemused as she leaned into her seat and set the omni so she could type on it idly. She had the look of someone who was at their ease, unless you looked a little closer.

The whole thing kind of felt like a very 'plastic smile.' It was like a front that she had up for so long that she didn't know how to turn it off, or care to.]


Oh, I get it, and no worries.
It's not exactly like I'm the most talkative person out there after all.


[A pause, and then she laughed silently to herself and extended one hand, typing on the omni with the other.]

You realize, you just came to a strange bar with a complete stranger?
Name's Neopolitan, by the way.
forwantofahorse: (Smile)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-02-05 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
[An odd recognition, even camaraderie, lights up in Sayo's eyes when she sees the quality of Neopolitan's smile. It's familiar; the type of expression she's learned to wear for most of her life back on Rokkenjima. It's disquieting seeing it on someone else as she knows more than anyone how false it is, but knowing that Neo is likewise practiced in the porcelain smile makes her seem like even more of a comrade.]

Names are signifiers, but may not point to what they claim to signify.

[Sorry for all the philosophizing, Neo, even when she's quiet Sayo is like this.

She pauses, before cracking a small, genuine smile and shaking Neo's hand.]


Also, I was looking for any lifeline to get out of that place, and you were very convenient.

I'm Sayo. Most people call me Shannon, though; they might give you odd looks if you use my true name.
Edited 2022-02-05 08:27 (UTC)
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-02-07 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[It was a 'trick' admittedly. With her ability to maintain illusions, it was rare for anyone to actually see Neopolitan's real face underneath. It maintained the appearance that she never seemed to take real battle damage, and that she was always smiling a little impishly and childishly. Perfect for keeping people off guard around her. It didn't fool anyone from Remnant anymore, but it was definitely the type of thing that could be picked up this way.]

Shannon's a good, simple name. I'll remember both.
There used to be another name, once upon a time for me, but it lost its meaning a long time ago.
Me? I'm definitely more Neopolitan than I ever was what they named me.


[It was probably pretty damned telling that she didn't refer to 'they' as her mother and father. They weren't really family to her anymore, after all. Just people she used to live under the same roof with, who got themselves killed by being colossally dumb.]
forwantofahorse: (Default)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-02-08 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[Even though she's unskilled in detecting magic, Sayo knows a facade when she sees on. She's practiced at making sure her smile doesn't so much as twitch, that her eyes are always doe-like but never vacant. Whether it's illusion or good ol' fashioned acting skill, Sayo respects Neo's talent. Game recognizes game.]

...Sayo was a name given to me, but it's a name I choose. As opposed to Shannon or anything else. ["Lion Ushiromiya." The name brings as much despair to her as much as it symbolized a possibility of what could've been.] Shannon was a name not so much freely given as assigned. It's what they used to define me; that's why "Sayo" is precious to me.

[While she's not compelled to be honest anymore... sharing a scant few truths with a fellow liar is one of life's greatest pleasures.]
threelayers: (10)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-02-09 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
[It was a truth that was not the same as really telling the 'why.' It was amazing how freeing it could feel to reveal that little truth without all of the underlying truths.]

Vanille was the name I was assigned, long ago.
Darling little Vanille had an imaginary friend, named Neopolitan.
In the end, she was more myself than what they wanted me to be.

Sayo's our little secret.
You're an interesting one, by the way.
forwantofahorse: (Smile)

[personal profile] forwantofahorse 2022-02-09 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Sayo can't help it; she giggles at Neopolitan's confession. There's no malice in it, but no hint of condescension either. She stifles it quickly and shakes her head.]

S- Sorry, it's just...

We're more alike than even I had though, Neopolitan.

...I have a fourth name. It's the most secret one of all, and, well... I inherited it from my own friend just like you inherited yours. I never got the chance to be her aside from a few private moments, but...

She's something I strive toward, all the same. [For better or for worse.]
threelayers: (Default)

[personal profile] threelayers 2022-02-09 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[A pair of drinks were poured and she raised a glass to Sayo, winking as she did. It was easy enough to type one-handed when you'd done it for all of your life like her.]

Well if I'm ever going to hear it? I'll earn that name.
For the moment, why don't we toast to the value of a good name.
Gotta know how to present your face to the world right?

wrap?

[personal profile] forwantofahorse - 2022-02-10 02:57 (UTC) - Expand

Re: wrap?

[personal profile] threelayers - 2022-02-10 19:03 (UTC) - Expand