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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
eudaimonikos: (a boost over heaven's gate)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-18 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Michael shrugs.]

Yeah, true. But demons get to commission custom skinsuits, once you hit a certain rank, so you don't really see anyone too strong with...you know, a really stupid face or anything.
entreats: (i wouldn't even mind)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-18 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[ .. there's a lot of implications there she could think about, both when it comes to demons and when it comes to witches. Like the entire difference of a witch's appearance not really being a suit, for one.

But what she instead can't help but ask is: ]


Does that mean you commissioned yours?

[ No judgement! Just curious. ]

Is this what you wanted to look like? [ Were you out there voluntarily opting to look all Ted Danson-y, Michael?? ]
eudaimonikos: (consequences)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-18 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh! No, actually...this was the first human suit I ever had. Just kinda held onto it.

[He contemplates the back of his hand idly.]

I mean, I'm used to it. And by the time I could've commissioned one, I'd already spent a long time with my friends, with this face. It'd be weird to just show up with a new one after all that, wouldn't it...?
entreats: (through the hidden door)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-19 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I guess it would be. Kind of.

[ After all, it's not just like getting a haircut. Or even plastic surgery, and most people would already have to adjust to the latter. Instead his entire appearance would change.

It's definitely a little strange, thinking about it. ]


I'm assuming those friends weren't demons either. [ Since she figures at least demons are probably used to the other demons changing around forms? But if said friends were humans, then it definitely would be more to adjust to. And she knows Michael did have human friends back home. ]
Edited 2022-01-19 22:30 (UTC)
eudaimonikos: (problem of other minds)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-20 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
No, no, my human friends. It'd only be a problem for them - Janet would be able to tell.

[And so would any other demons, but also fuck them?]

But like I said, it's not as if I'm dying to get another one. I'm used to seeing me like this, too. All the things I hated about it to begin with were things that you'd have in any other body. Like elbows!
entreats: (where is the one who can change me)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-20 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well, at least it's nice that Michael is used to his skinsuit? And doesn't hate it? Ange can't even imagine what it'd be like to be stuck with some appearance you'd hate for that long.

Though out of all possible annoyances Michael could start about, this apparently wasn't the one she was thinking about. Since Ange's eyes grow a little wider in surprise. ]


.. Elbows?

[ She might be moving her arm a little, like that's supposed to magically make her figure out on the spot what's so annoying about elbows.. ]

Seriously? Of all things, that's the worst part about the human body experience? [ At least she's not judging. Ange is more just baffled. ]
eudaimonikos: (eternalism)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-21 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, not the worst part. But they're weird, right? So restrictive.

[He bends his own arm back and forth. You have to remember the guy has tentacles.]
entreats: (but they were never yours)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-21 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I mean.. It'd be worse if we didn't have elbows.

[ Probably? Maybe? Look, Ange can't even imagine what the tentacle experience must be like, since most of her squid memories are so hazy that they're basically not even there.

But what she's actually imagining here is: ]


Just think of what would happen if you couldn't bend your arms at all.

[ Imagine that life, Michael.

Just walking around while T-posing all day. ]
eudaimonikos: (repetition)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-22 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
You basically already can't.

[The tentacle experience is a LOT more flexible! Versatile! The most useful!]
entreats: (she's not good enough)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-23 10:15 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ange stares at him. ]

One day you're going to wake up being unable to move your arms at all, and you're going to really regret saying this. [ OMNIOUS...

Not that Ange is cursing him or anything. Though she wouldn't put it past this place to do that to someone, she's mostly just speaking incredibly hypothetically here. ]
eudaimonikos: (start over again and again)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-23 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[Michael laughs.]

Sure, it's always something around here.
entreats: (reach out; hold back)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-24 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Exactly, exactly! That's why you shouldn't jinx it like that!

[ Ange nods. It's said in a way that's definitely energetic by Ange standards, though it doesn't seem completely out of the ordinary for her. It's more just like she's having a really good day or something. ]

Even if you think elbows suck, I'd still hate to live without them. I'm pretty fond of my body the way it is right now.
eudaimonikos: (what we owe to each other)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-25 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, that's nice.

[He seems sort of wistful over it, actually. But it's passing.]

I mean, don't get me wrong. I like this one fine.
entreats: (i wouldn't even mind)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-25 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ange pauses for a slight moment. ]

.. but?

[ It comes out of her mouth slowly, but then the rest follows a little more quickly as she clarifies. ]

I mean, if there is a 'but'. It kind of feels like there is. [ But that could definitely be her reading too much into it. ]
eudaimonikos: (in the details)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-26 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
Mmmm...no, not really. It's a good suit.

[But...well. Michael doesn't wish that he were in his natural shape more often; he can't. But maybe it would be nice if he could feel like that about it.]
entreats: (Default)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-26 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Well.. If you say so.

[ She has no reason to doubt him about that, after all. If there really is a but, then he's apparently not willing to share that with her - and that's fine. And otherwise there just isn't, and then it's even more fine.

So Ange just casually shrugs. ]


I guess we're technically all wearing suits now anyway.

[ Since they are all squids now. No matter how odd that is to think about. ]
eudaimonikos: (Default)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-27 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
Do you think of it like that? I mean, does it feel that way?

[Michael feels the same as ever; from his perspective, nothing has really changed. But he has no real idea how anybody else feels about it. They've changed back, haven't they? Is it really like having another shape inside?]
entreats: (and i know you know everything)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-27 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ange pauses, seeming like she is putting some serious thought into it before she answers. ]

I mean.. Not really?

[ Then again, it's not like she assumes she'd know what it feels like to be wearing that kind of suit. It's not exactly a thing for humans. ]

Mostly since I don't really remember much about being a squid. I don't even know how long I was like that before getting to Trench. [ It's all a big haze, honestly. ] So.. right now, this [ Ange gestures at herself as she says it ] just feels like me.
eudaimonikos: (moral agency)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-28 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
Hm.

[Michael steeples his fingers, thinking.]

I guess it feels that way for me, too. I - [He hesitates, glancing over his shoulder, and leans in to continue in a lower tone.] - I mean, it's not like I feel...you know, tentacles, when everything's hooked up right. This is basically my body right now.
entreats: (where is the one who can change me)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-28 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
.. oh. I thought it kind of worked that way.

[ At least she has the decency to lower her voice, but.. she is being pretty honest here about her misunderstanding. She kind of thought Michael always felt like a squid under the human parts? Why else call it a suit!

(Demons are weird, clearly.) ]


Has it felt different for you at all? Between back home and here. [ Ange doesn't really know how the whole squid shift worked out for Michael when he's just.. always been one, after all. ]
eudaimonikos: (supervenience)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-29 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
No, it's... [Hm. He's never had to explain this to anyone. Mostly because of how fervently he avoids the topic.] I can...separate from it a little, if I focus. Move around a little inside. But I'm not literally using it like a puppet. This is just...

[He waggles his fingers demonstratively.]

Moving, I don't know. It doesn't feel any different at all - it's like nothing changed for me, coming here.

[Obviously some things did. The blood and all that. But washing up on the shore that way was sort of just...how it goes, for him.]
entreats: (the world will close the exit)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-30 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ange seems to listen with great attention as he speaks, since this information is pretty interesting. Even aside from the fact that she feels a bit more interested in it because it's coming from Michael - Ange thinks this is objectively interesting information. ]

Huh. I guess that must mean your form is somehow compatible with this place.. [ It's not something she lingers on for too long out loud, not wanting to make Michael too awkward, considering his issues with all of it.

But she's still thinking about it. ]


I guess that must mean we're all like you now. Except maybe slightly less aware of.. [ She waves a hand, as if to say 'the whole squid thing' without saying it out loud - mostly for his sake. Ange honestly never even thinks of it until she's confronted with it again. ]
eudaimonikos: (universals)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-01-30 05:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, no, don't say that.

[It's almost like he's trying to reassure her. They're squids, and apparently remain squids still even within their human forms - but it's not really the same thing, right?]

I mean, you aren't demons.
entreats: (and i will be dead)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-01-31 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I am a witch.

[ Something Ange can say more and more casually these days. It's really just become a full on part of her identity, rather than something she actively and awkwardly struggles with. ]

That's only one step away from a demon, right? [ ... ] Kind of.

[ Not that she knows if they even have witches in Michael's world.. She can't remember him having talked about them before? But the existence of witches and demons is tied relatively closely together where she comes from.

Either way, Ange seems entirely unbothered by this aspect. She'd much rather be a demon than a squid, though she's tactful enough to not say that so bluntly around Michael. ]
eudaimonikos: (I got dreams of my own)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2022-02-01 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Is it? Really - we don't have them, is it?

[The only real witches Michael knows are Luna and Ange herself, both of whom have always just seemed like humans with magic to him. He knows Ange works with demons, of course, but - well, almost by definition, he knows a lot of humans who do.]

cw: mention of drowning

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