reddosmod: (Default)
Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2022-04-08 01:03 pm

My blind optimism to blame

APRIL 2022 EVENT
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Prompt One
[Image One: A large green butterfly.]
[Image Two: A woman staring in a daze at light orbs floating around her face.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A volcano with meteors falling down around it.]
[Image Two: A ball of quivering light hovering in the dark with woman standing in front.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A woman staring at a mirror-like humanoid being staring back at her.]
[Image Two: A woman in a field of grass with humanoid-shaped flower sculptures nearby.]

MIGRATION OF MOONLIT BUTTERFLIES
WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Hopelessness/corruption, heavy themes of mental trauma/health, killing of gentle creatures.


Excerpt from BEASTS OF DEER COUNTRY Chapter 12: Migrations:

"One of the most beautiful natural phenomena of Deer Country is the migration of the mysterious Moonlit Butterflies. These giant creatures are most often the size of a house, with exceptional wingspans. Fear not: they are not violent creatures. Most will fly well above the city of Trench, leaving trails of glittering orbs of light that fall all throughout the city. However, it is common for some Moonlit Butterflies to land and rest throughout Trench. Despite their massive size, these creatures appear to weigh very little, able to rest harmlessly on homes, lampposts, and the like. Don't be surprised to find some scattered throughout your neighborhood.

They have a gentle aura about them and are most famous for their behemoth wings which glow a radiant green. They are aptly named due to their ability to store immense power from the moon during April and are seen as distant children of Argonaut. Being near them will enchant the air with the scent of amber and fresh linen, and you may hear a soothing song emit from these beasts.

Despite their rare and incredible beauty, it is wise to not linger in their presence no matter how captivating they are...And they are captivating. Many residents of Trench have been known to stop and stare, enthralled by the wings or the orbs of light that are shed by the butterflies. Those who have been staring for too long will have an unnatural glowing green glaze over their eyes, obscuring their pupil and gaze. This is known as the Moonlit Drain.

These butterflies do not gather all of their energy from moonlight...but they gather it from hopeful beings as well. It is why they gather among populations of sentient beings. They soak up all hope in the area and the longer you stand in their presence, the more hopeless you may become. Standing in the presence of a Moonlit Butterfly has driven people to rapid, severe corruption in under ten minutes. It is best to avoid these butterflies no matter how mesmerizing they may be to look at.

The little orbs of light are actual manifestation of everyone's hope. Touching them may restore hope and they can be gathered into jars for future treatments of corruption. They do not "go bad" as they are the essence of emotion. One way to restore hope to a corrupt or beast-ridden soul is to slay one of the Moonlit Butterflies. They are incredibly easy to kill as they are naturally delicate and non-hostile.

Be warned: the one who slays a Moonlit Butterfly will be consumed with instantaneous corruption and possibly even beasthood. But once the butterfly has been slain, anyone in the surrounding area besides the killer will have corruption alleviated. Killing a Moonlit Butterfly has been known to fill people with incredible grief and guilt. Few have survived."

WONDERKIND
WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible spoilers per canon, time/vortex style presence, variety of possible monsters.


Excerpt from an essay titled "The Wonderkind Pthumerian" from the book The Curious Nature of the Weakest Pthumerian: Argonaut and Misconceptions:

"Most of the other Patron Pthumerians are known for exceptional strength and durability during trying times. It is only Argonaut in which people think of weakness. They believe the Patron to be a fickle, tiny thing with little worth, but there is a unique and powerful quality to Argonaut that should not be overlooked.

This is the phenomenon known as Wonderkind. It has only been known to happen once every few years and only ever during April, but those who have seen it would testify to the hidden strengths of our explorer Patron. There is much to be said about curiosity and resilience, after all. Argonaut has wandered through the lives of many without most ever realizing it. He has likely seen into your own life, curious about the odd Sleepers that show up on the shores of this world.

Wonderkind appears as a meteor shower, but these are no meteors. Balls of flaming light will fall from the sky, silent, beautiful, striking, and somewhat ominous and terrifying. They rain upon Trench in intervals throughout April. They do not crash into the city so much as glide throughout. These balls of light are shimmering orbs that have split open time and space itself into unraveling cocoons, exposing portals into worlds foreign to this one.

These portals cannot be entered for they are not portals out of this world...But portals into this world. Sleepers have claimed to find beloved items and pull them out of these portals. Some may find old pets that come out to greet them. It can be a lucky and cherished event for many. Tragically, these portals do not seem to be able to bring in sentient beings applicable characters, but you may be able to talk briefly to a loved one who isn't yet in this world.

But that's not all that can crawl through these portals...Monsters from other worlds have been known to flock to these portals and make their way through. Monsters from your worlds or other worlds slip in to wreak havoc on the streets of Trench. It is during this time that it is of the utmost importance that our Hunters take up arms and protect the vulnerable. If you recognize the monsters or disasters from your world entering ours, then please, make sure to caution those against it.

The portals close after a few hours and cannot be manually closed by anyone. Nothing can be sent into portals, but one can stand by a portal and guard it for potential dangers. Portals from your world may reappear several times throughout the month, so don't let your guard down for even a moment, and always expect the worst even when hoping for the best."

Quick Facts:

1. Respect the setting. Do not bring in monsters that would be capable of destroying the world/city/etc.

2. Things like unique plants/items can be gained through these portals.

3. You do not need to engage with portals from your own canon. You can invent new worlds, engage with other canons, or alternate universes. It's up to you.

FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT
WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Instant beasthood, corruption of soul, draining of soul, replication of soul, mistreatment of sex workers/night walkers.


An excerpt from a journal kept by a Night Walker named Charlotte Finch. Finch was known for being one of the first established Night Walkers and was known for her advocacy on the front of Night Walker work and its relationship to beasthood. This journal is kept in the Archives. It contains content pertinent to Beasthood yet, unfortunately, due to ongoing biases against Night Walkers, this journal is kept in the autobiography section rather than the section for beasthood. Good luck finding it.

"the job of the Night Walker is, of course, undervalued by this world. we do our best to soothe the troubled souls of this place and yet they continue to doubt our worth. what must we do to convince them? must we wield blades to show them how we fight? must we shed blood to prove our dedication? must we pick up books to show our intelligence? nei, we not do that. we sleep beside our worn hunters and rest heads upon the chests of scholars and hold the tired hands of architects. we guide the way to light in a way disciples could never.

all us are valuable, it be true, but why must the night walker be left to the wayside? why must our duties be written off? why must it be that it always a night walkers blood in the streets that leaves no tears to be shed? nei, nei, it is hatred of those who understand the soul and body have a close connection.

you know what i believe? these souls of ours change the landscape of our bodies. you cannot have one without the other. when the soul is corrupt, it only be natural that the body corrupts, turning rigid and hideous and monsterous and beastly. aye yes i have seen it myself, though none of the others believe except for other night walkers.

you see, there is a shape that comes to us in the Long Night of april, a shape much like our own. looking like a person ought to look but with no face and no features, like a mirror glimmering in the shape of you. they look like us, and they will mimic us. these odd mirror beings is the shape of our soul, you see, and once it finds you, it will copy you, and you will be driven mad! mad! how does this thing move as you move? how does it replicate what you replicate?

aye, it is your soul, my friend. your soul in a shape you can see. or something like it, may not soul be in your lexicon. it is you, as you are it. it is the Tether between you and beasthood, see what i say. the Tether will begin to soak into you if you let it, if you let it consume you, and it will consume you rapidly. people have been known to be ravaged by the Tether and turn into beasts within seconds, AYE yes, seconds, not minutes, into a vicious beast. the Tether wins.

But you need not let it be a victor, my friend. you see, we proved it, we did, us night walkers, we proved to lay with the Tether is to soothe the Tether. Allow yourself the kindness of another soul, another companion. touch and feel and express companionship. holding the hand of your lover or your friend or your brother or sister will cause the Tethers to weaken before ye very eyes! i do swear it, my friend, i should not lie on a subject i hold so dear.

you see, when we hold one another dear, when we cherish one anothr truly and wholly, we abate the darkness in our souls. listen to your companions, my sweet friends, and let your souls heal, and you can stop the Tether from consuming. you see, you see. surely you see. this is what it looks like. the Tether is always with us, but only in April under this moon can we see it always and will it be vicious and invasive. do not allow it.

do not allow it."

Quick Facts:

1. Tethers will take the exact body shape/size of you and mimic your moves. They may follow you around for several hours/days. Once they decide to "consume" you, it will be quick. It will essentially look like your body is turning metallic and then you become a beast.

While Charlotte states it happens in a matter of seconds, this can happen in several hours/days as well. Depends on the character and their general resolve.

2. People can be pulled back from this through emotional support whether verbally or physically and general acts of kindness. It's the sincerity that matters here. You do not need to be familiar with the person to help them.

3. Everyone can see each other's Tethers so you can determine how severe someone's Tether has become. The more severe the Tether, the more silvery the impacted person will look.

4. Tethers cannot be destroyed with weaponry/attacks. Trying will only hurt the person they are mimicking. You could actually kill someone by trying to "kill" their Tether. The tether will vanish with those who died but reappear once they have reincarnated.
CODING
encyclonepedia: (blue: up)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-04-13 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[Being someone who's worked to rid his city of devices that can have a somewhat drug-like addictive effect when used enough, Philip isn't a fan of the term "take the edge off". However, he also hasn't been a resident of this place long enough to make any judgements. This man might have exactly the right idea.

But as far as the butterflies taking something from him - are they? It's hard to tell just yet. He'll keep his eyes away from them for now, focus on the strangest of strangers and hope that the creatures don't approach on their own.]


What do you know about them?
hearthebell: (Staying in the room I was born in)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2022-04-18 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[While perhaps not as casual or blithe about drug use as Paul is, L is pragmatic about it. If one is too tired to work, there are things for that; if one needs to work more creatively, there are things for that. Apparently, if one's hope is being sucked away by beautiful meek butterflies, there are things for that as well.]

Some things. I know they're called Moonlit Butterflies, and that they're not aggressive. One's advised not to stare at them for too long, but...

[He falters, sets his jaw. As logical as knowing that might be, actually being in their awe-inspiring presence is very different.]
encyclonepedia: (torn)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-04-22 12:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Philip's gaze turns back down toward the blank pages of his book - hardly blank to him, of course - but the keywords given don't provide him with the information he's looking for. He shouldn't be surprised that these creatures don't exist in his world. All the knowledge of a planet is apparently far less useful once he's left it.

He turns the page as if it matters and steps closer to the taller man, crouching down at his side.]


Can you tell me more? I'd like to create a data entry.

[It's immensely frustrating not being able to immediately pull up thousands of files on a topic.]
hearthebell: will credit if found (One more soul to the call)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2022-04-27 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
Not much more. I've only been able to research in the Archives so much since these things appeared. You're familiar with them, I'm sure?

[L takes no small amount of pride in his ability to navigate the often insanity-inducing corridors and shelves, reliant just as much on intuition as logic. He's sort of custom-seasoned for that type of task.]
encyclonepedia: (light)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-04-28 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
The Archives?

[One could almost say a sparkle appeared in Philip's eyes when the word is said. He shakes his head, a thoughtful hand going to his chin. Whatever else of interest there is to be found nearby right now, his attention is 100% on this subject now.

An archive means information about this place that he doesn't have - information he'll need to add to his own mental library himself.]


No, I haven't been here long. Where are they?
hearthebell: Official Art (Lost is my heart but my new soul stays)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2022-05-08 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
[L blinks his round, owlish eyes, appearing genuinely surprised.]

Someone who seems so intent on building a database of knowledge could surely benefit from them.

[It's weird that you haven't already found out about them, he doesn't say, because that would sound judgmental and shitty, and he's learned through a trial by fire that making friends in Trench is actually pretty damn important if one wants to survive.

Especially when L's always been a natural at making enemies. Friends, or at least allies, are indispensable.]


In Gaze, along with the School of Mutter. I spend a great deal of time at each, so we'll probably run into each other again if you likewise begin to frequent them in pursuit of knowledge.
encyclonepedia: (library)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-05-08 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[For a while after arriving Philip had been a little preoccupied with finding out the extent of his abilities here. At first he thought he'd bee completely detached from the Gaia Library, as his connection to it was a connection to the earth itself and he was no longer in that world. However it appeared it still existed within him - a backup copy, if you would. It simply didn't cover anything new from this place. It didn't update automatically, that was up to him.

This new information... he sees it as new books on the shelves, sealed with locks that he has to find the combination for. It's a daunting task, but this knowledge could be important to his survival.]


Gaze... I see, thank you. I'm afraid I get easily distracted without my partner. I should have looked into this sooner.
hearthebell: will credit if found (I finish kissing my death)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2022-05-09 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
You had a partner who kept you on track?

[He sounds surprised, actively, this time.]

You seem like the sort to keep others on track, in truth.
encyclonepedia: (side)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-05-09 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
It could be mutual, but admittedly he was... is better at it than me.

[If Philip found something that really peaked his interest (which happened quite often over some of the most mundane things) he wouldn't be able to stop looking up facts on it until he was satisfied, which typically involved going over everything the Gaia Library had to offer on the subject. He could be torn away from such things if matters were important enough, but without there being anything life threatening to worry about Shotaro would generally sigh and leave him to his research.]

I suppose I'm still a bit selfish when it comes to that.
hearthebell: (I hope I become a ghost)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2022-05-10 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
In my experience, truly selfish people have no idea that they are. Self-awareness is a very valuable and underrated asset... you know what your greatest challenges are likely to be, and you can work with them to make the best of a situation.

[It's actually pretty optimistic, coming from him!]

encyclonepedia: (fascinating)

[personal profile] encyclonepedia 2022-05-10 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe the most selfish.

[He smiles at that.]

But self-awareness doesn't do anything if you don't act on it. So at least for a while I need to pay attention to what's important and not get lost in my research like a kid finding Wikipedia for the first time.