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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
schoolingfish: (Nervous human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-12 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"No! I'm telling you, I don't know you or anyone here! Why are you acting like you know me?"

Making it all too obvious that Luca doesn't even know that Alberto isn't someone here, that this Luca has never met Alberto.
imaglyphwitch: (graaa)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-13 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
Boy, she really loved when this place messed with their minds like this and made them forget stuff. She sighed, rubbing her head a moment, and trying to gather what would be the best way to go about this.

"I guess we can talk about that later. In the meantime, while you're here, maybe I can help you relax a little. For one thing, being in land is not so hard, and you can breathe pretty ok, right?"
schoolingfish: (Listening human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-13 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I can breathe, but...I can't swim on land. And why are you being so nice?"

Aren't land monsters here to do murders? And she clearly knows he's not human since she doesn't question the 'on land' thing.
imaglyphwitch: (...with a dark side!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-13 12:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"On land, we just use our feet to walk. It takes a little getting used to, but there are also other ways to move around. I have a staff to fly with, and some people use vehicles!"

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

"Because, well, you're a friend of mine, Luca. You might not remember, but when we met I wanted you to live here. Look around at the room. You're the one that chose its whole theme!"
schoolingfish: (Neutral human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-14 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
He's not sure if he believes her about them being friends and knowing each other, but he supposes as long as she's being nice and not trying to kill him, he can go with it.

"So...I'm not sure what vehicles are or how you fly on a staff, but...um...can you teach me how to walk?"

He figures if he's stuck on land, he'll at least have to figure out how to walk. Once he can get around he can find the sea and try to swim home.
imaglyphwitch: (talking it out)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-14 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
This would be an exhausting thing to explain to him at this point, so yes, she will settle with teaching him how to walk. Boy, but this was going to be an interesting thing to explain to him when he remembered his recent memories though.

"Ok, start by swinging over to the side of the bed. Put your feet at least on the floor, and lean on me a little. We'll do this in baby steps, otherwise you'll just fall flat on your face."
schoolingfish: (Nervous human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-15 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Right. Okay."

He swings his legs over the edge of the bed like she said, carefully scooting until his feet touch the floor and putting an arm over her shoulder to balance himself.

"Okay...and I guess I just...try and balance on my feet like you're doing?"
imaglyphwitch: (we can do this)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-15 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes, that's good! Now, keep your feet flat on the floor and slowly start to move your legs forward!"

She was helping him slowly start to stagger him away from the bed.
schoolingfish: (Confused human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-17 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
He looks at her, positioning his body like hers is, and she'll notice a bit more weight on her for a few seconds as he tries to shift into a position where he's standing on his feet rather than putting his weight on the bed. The, nervously, after a few seconds of hesitation, he slowly slides one foot forward.

"Like this?" he asks, before sliding the other foot forward, wobbling a little and leaning against her when he does so.
imaglyphwitch: (...with a dark side!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-17 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes, that's it! Remember to shift your weight a little bit: some of it is for stepping and some of it is for standing up. It takes some time to get it right, but once you do you'll forget how you didn't understand that in the first place. Just go slow and lean on me when you have to."

She REALLY didn't love the idea of him trying to leave immediately (where would he even go) but first thing was getting him to actually walk. Poor guy.

Luz had to wonder how he did this before. Maybe Alberto helped him?
schoolingfish: (Listening human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-18 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Um...right."

He's not quite sure how to get this, but he clumsily shifts his weight from foot too foot as he slowly makes his way forward, trying to follow her instructions.
imaglyphwitch: (talking it out)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-19 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
"It'll take some more tries, actually, if it feels like your first time."

Ugh, why was Trench like this.

"But I promise you that it might be a good idea to stay put for right now. What you're feeling, it might past sooner than you think."
schoolingfish: (Neutral human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-19 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
"Right. I guess it'll take a while before I can walk normally like you."

Which is frustrating, because he wants to be able to just move already, but at least he's not in as much danger as he originally thought.

"Why would I want to stay put? I could just get to water, then I can move normally and find my way back home! My parents are probably really upset and definitely have noticed I'm gone by now!"
imaglyphwitch: (O MAN I MESSED UP)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-19 12:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"Trust me, even when we start out as babies, it takes a while to get the hang of it. I was tols I didn't walk right for almost four months!"

Or so her mom said, anyway.

"Really? Where do you think you are, Luca?"

It just occurred to her that he hasn't exactly looked out the window yet.
schoolingfish: (Listening human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-19 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I really hope it won't take four months before I can walk around!"

He definitely doesn't want to be helpless in a strange place for that long. Where does he think he is?

"Um...land? I don't know. Once I'm in the water I can swim around and see if I recognize anything."
imaglyphwitch: (Holy balls!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-20 01:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"To be fair, there's a lot going on in the mind of a toddler, so obviously it wouldn't be the same as someone who was fixated on learning how to walk."

In Luca's case, it might just take him a few hours.

"Uh. No. I don't...think you should go into the water here. That would be a bad, bad idea."
schoolingfish: (Listening human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-23 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Right. And...if human babies are like our babies, they're probably not too strong to start with. I mean, I probably have more muscle because I swim around all the time."

So even if he'd never used the muscles for walking, he still used his muscles for something. Sure, a baby sea monster might swim, too, but they didn't really go very far or fast, and mostly needed to be carried by their parents. Her next comment confused him.

"Why would that be a bad idea? The water's my home, that's where I belong."
imaglyphwitch: (sneaking about)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-23 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Human babies are sorta like flopping jelly when they're first born, and once they learn to crawl they can be walking, babbling timebombs. But once you start them on how to move around, they get to doing it. Just takes some getting used to."

Boy, she really hoped this blew over soon. This was just going to be cringey when he came to.

"YOUR water is where you belong, yes. But I can guarantee you that if you try to go to the water now, you're not only not going to like what you see, you'll be in danger."

She was pretty sure it was Luca herself that told her how much rougher it was in this sea, and Luz had seen one of those monster fish a few months back with Varian and Delilah.
schoolingfish: (Confused human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-24 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
It was Luca who told her that. The temperatures here were more extreme, and there were parasites that hijacked the bodies of dead fish. It's pretty bad. And he, of course, remembers none of it.

"But...why would it be different? How far are we from the Ligurian Sea?"
imaglyphwitch: (can't quite place it)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-24 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Yup, that was what made this even more awkward.

"Let's just go with really, really far, Luca. Far enough that you couldn't just swim there easily, and if you tried, there are things that could hurt you, and no one in this house wants that."
schoolingfish: (Confused human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-25 11:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"So I'm...I'm trapped here?"

He'd been curious about seeing the world, but he hadn't wanted to do it like this. He wanted to be able to go home if he chose.

"How did I get that far away? I've never even left the Ligurian Sea!"
imaglyphwitch: (Kinda maybe)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-26 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Luca. We're all pretty much trapped here. Granted, we're not trapped in this HOUSE, we can leave and the world we're in is pretty huge."

It was really strange to have to explain this all again.

."We all wind up here in a different way, starting as squids coming from the sea and we wash up here. In my case, I came from another town, but you've been here for several months too."
schoolingfish: (Confused human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-29 03:36 pm (UTC)(link)
"So...I guess that means I'll have to learn about land really fast. My parents are probably so worried..."

Which is upsetting to think about. They'll probably think something terrible has happened to him. Then again, he was taken away to a far off land where he can never return from the sounds of it, so it's not like the fears they probably have are unfounded. Of course, he's apparently been here for several months and lost his memory, but...that just means his parents have been worrying for even longer.
imaglyphwitch: (Owl appreciation)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-01-29 06:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"In a few hours, that won't be a problem," Luz said cryptically, "I hope. But it's been said that if you were to ever go back, you'd be right where you left. Hopefully you'd remember a little bit of your friends though."

Luz still didn't know about how exactly all of that worked, though she had heard that when you went back, you forgot everything until you just didn't, right before being back here again.

"And in the meantime, it's not like you don't have a family here."
schoolingfish: (Confused human)

[personal profile] schoolingfish 2022-01-31 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I hope so. But...I'm glad no one back home will know I was gone, because I'd hate to think of them worrying all this time."

Especially since he's never been far from his parents for any length of time.

"I...have family here? What do you mean?"

Sure, he knows she said she's been living with them, but he has no idea how close the relationship is.

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