My blind optimism to blame

[reddosmod]

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.]

[NAVIGATION]

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

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

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

Comments

[hearuthinking]

Yeah, all right. I'll just do a starin' contest with this fella.

[The ghost can't really do much else against them, right? Its one weapon is disabled]

Hurry up, though. It might have friends.

[asas]

[ running—! sprinting! off shōyō goes to, first off, relieve his uneasy gut. because he’s been holding back the ugly feeling of sickness for too long.

luckily, what’s done is done far away from prying eyes, no one wants to see him get queasy anyway! shōyō may take about anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes to find shovels to borrow— but it’s done! once he returns, there’s on shovel in each hand. ]

[hearuthinking]

[Jason waits. He does try to talk to the ghost a bit, apologizing again and assuring it that it will be at rest soon. It does not look assured. He still has his knife out, just in case, but the ghost doesn't attack him. It really is helpless without its tongue.

He turns when Shoyo comes back]

Thanks. Too bad these blood powers don't help with this kinda thing.

[asas]

[ it’s still there, to their dismay (or not!!). shōyō has two shovels in hand and has a little more color to his face after the breather, trying his best not to look at the floating, menacing ghost waiting for it’s grave.

well, time to find a soft enough spot to dig. shōyō begins stabbing the ground with the tip of the shovel. he’s never dug a grave before— he has no idea if you need to take softness into account. ]

Hah . . . [ he didn’t have any power, in general, including blood. ] What kind of blood powers do you have?

[hearuthinking]

[As creepy as this thing is, Jason would much rather know where it is than have it hover off somewhere. A few feet deep should be good enough, so that's what he aims for as he digs. He pauses at the question]

Oh. I can hear people's thoughts. I've been workin' to get some control of it.

[asas]

. . . Can you hear my thoughts?

[ suddenly: one fear, manifesting in the form of “crap, then he knows i threw up!” ]

[hearuthinking]

[He had a feeling Shoyo was going to be sick anyway; he didn't need thought-listening powers for that. Jason chooses not to respond to the thought he just heard and save Shoyo from embarrassment]

I've been workin' on it so I can control when I listen in and when I don't.

[asas]

[ if he looks actually relieved to hear that, tension off his shoulders and interpreting it as he will— it’s because he is relieved. despite jason now knowing everything about the trash can in town and the granny who tried to whack him with a cane for being indecent. ]

Oh, hah— That’s good!

[ and a-digging they will go! ]

[hearuthinking]

[He lets out a little snort at the thoughts going through Shoyo's head. Poor kid. There's no shame in getting sick after a fight like they just had]

Hey. If I didn't say it yet, you did good. All that self-defense training is really paying off.

[Hopefully that'll boost the kid's spirits a little]

[asas]

[ ‼️ praise, direct hit. shōyō even has to pause as he digs the shovel down with a foot. ]

Oh— Thanks, man. [ honor . . . a touch restored! ] Think I could get better in some places . . .

[ like getting so nervous and grossed out that he hurls. but that’s been with him . . . since the beginning! the only difference now is that games don’t get him so nervous anymore. maybe there’s hope? ]

[hearuthinking]

We'll work on it in the next class. As long as you keep on doin' your best and workin' to improve, every little step forward counts.

[He gives Shoyo a pat on the shoulder and continues shoveling. Eventually he judges it deep enough. He turns to the ghost]

There you go. A nice spot of Earth for you to rest in. I don't know why you were hung, but you can be at peace here.

[The ghost looks less angry. Perhaps? It hovers toward the open hole and seems to be happy. Maybe?]

[asas]

[ mm, he was right about that. shoyo was valid proof all his life hard work does get you places, even if it takes a while. even if he was short, he didn't need to wish himself some inches taller— he worked to jump higher.

already having a thin layer of sweat beading down his temples by the time they were down, shoyo steps back and rests his weight for a moment on the shovel. it doesn't take long for him to straighten up, take a deep breath in, and regard the ghost: ]

I'm . . . Sorry, that happened to you.

[ even though he doesn't know the reason, but it's sad all the same, isn't it? ]

[hearuthinking]

[The ghost stares at both of them. It sort of bows its head a little, as thanks or acknowledgment of their words. Slowly it starts to lower into the grave they made. When it's low enough, Jason reaches over and unloops the noose around its neck. There's a little shiver from the ghost and it closes its eyes, looking content.

Without the noose, the ghost can lay down properly. For a moment its body lays there in the dirt, and then it sort of shimmers around the edges and fades away]

Huh. I guess we did it. I think I heard it say "thank you".

[asas]

[ watching all this— is an experience. it’s ghastly and frightening and at the same time now he’s at a point where . . . it’s hard to look away. there’s still ice in his stomach but now it’s different. once the ghost lays to rest and disappears— shōyō feels a shiver from head to toe, feeling his skin pickle with goosebumps. ]

Hhhhhholy crap . . . [ the air even feels warmer— once his shoulders seem to relax, shōyō claps his hand on jason’s. ] —I don’t think I’m gonna sleep tonight.

[ he laughs awkwardly, but in good will. ]

[hearuthinking]

[He gives Shoyo a pat on the back in response. It was gross and terrifying, but in the end it was sort of nice. He feels good about putting the ghost to rest. Whatever happened to the person in life, he hopes they found some peace now]

I couldn't have done that without you. But maybe you steer clear of the portals until they're gone, huh?

think we can wrap up here! (i have ghost feelings)

[asas]

[ —right. shoyo nods and begins walking with the other back into the direction of his little place in crenshaw. if jason was going in the same direction, cool. if not, shoyo gives a thumbs up before he walks ahead. ]

That's what teamwork's about.

[ you do stuff you can't by yourself! ]