there's a monster in my closet

[reddosmod]

MAY 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Half man, half goat gazing through the sky in front of mountain.]
[Image Two: Deer-like skeletal creature talking in a forest.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Bees crawling out of and over a calm man's cheek.]
[Image Two: Humanoid figure with honeycomb skin.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Skull beside dried flowers.]
[Image Two: Red wilting flowers. ]

[NAVIGATION]

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

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

SELF EVALUATION

WHEN: May
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Body horror, heavy themes of dysphoria and body dysmorphia, acceptance of self, forced physical transformations.

---

An excerpt from Book of Bausphomette:

"They say you should walk a mile in someone's shoes before casting judgment. The true rhetoric can be applied to Bausphomette's version of 'self-evaluation.' It shouldn't come as a surprise that a Pthumerian would have a very different idea of self-evaluation than the typical person, but here we are and I'm going to give you a heads up: don't freak out about the fur.

Or scales. Really, it could be anything, but when your body starts to change into something you can't recognize, you're not going crazy and you're not turning into a Beast. Or okay, you're turning into a beast but not a Beast with a capital B. You will be yourself, have your normal personality, your normal thoughts, your normal habits...You just...Won't exactly look like yourself. People have been known to turn into minotaurs or sprout ten wings or become half-goat on top and all fish on the bottom. Either way, you're not going to be physically recognizable.

But you will be yourself. You will just have new vocal cords or have to learn a new means of communication. Telling your loved ones about your sudden transformation might be a bit alarming, but I think that's kind of the point. Bausphomette seems to believe the monstrous transformation will allow people to consider different parts of themselves that are usually hindered by social judgments. Are you really happy with yourself enough to not mind being a beast? How does this impact your relationship with your body? Does your body matter to you as much as you believed? Can you adapt to this new body and come to love it?

Granted, not everyone has hated this process. It has made some parts of life especially exciting...If you know what I mean. Thankfully the process doesn't last! The general idea is that once you have accepted something about yourself you will begin to turn back to your usual body! Of course, for more stubborn folks, this has been known to take a few months...Try not to be too stubborn or resistant to the new change! ...It will only make it worse."

QUICK FACTS 1. Your character can have various monstery attributes during May. They should be monsterous - not cute little ears or a non-distracting tail.

2. The lesson the characters learn can vary greatly and depend on what players choose to explore.

3. Feel free to go as heavy-handed with the body horror. Your character can magically just wake up with the body or go through some painful transformation.

4. Characters should NOT have mental alteration during this period. The point is that they are still themselves regardless of their new appearance.

5. Have the size of the beast be appropriate to the setting's size.

6. Temporary powers can be gained through the beast's body for the month. Do not break the setting.

HUMMING IN THE SKIN

WHEN: May
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Increased bouts of mindless violence, optional insect-based horror, insects in skin, honeycomb in skin, bodies as hives for insects, extreme body horror.

---

An old article clipping was gathered from a newspaper that used to run in Trench. It seems like the rest of the article is missing except for the end:

"And, he said, "They will say that I have shed innocent blood. What's blood for, if not for shedding?"

We do not know what this Sleeper's intent was, but we do know the impact lasted. Reports of symptoms include feeling as though your skin is humming, that there's itchiness you can't quite get rid of like something is always crawling over your skin and around inside of you. Some people claim that this remains a mental only terror that keeps them up at night. Some have been known to scratch open holes in their skin and pull themselves apart just to make sure they aren't filled with bugs. We wish we could say that it was only a paranoid curse, but it seems there is some foundation to the concern.

Some who have gotten cuts or other injuries at this time will discover various insects, but especially bees crawling out from exposed wounds. Once you have gotten an injury, the humming seems to get worse. A descent to madness happens swiftly, but all at once, you become calm and content with the situation. Your skin slowly becomes honeycombed, bees moving in and out of you freely. You become a walking, talking hive.

But of course, that's just the worst-case scenario. For the most part, people who are itching mindlessly seem to be driven to bouts of violence, wanting to get rid of the feeling by randomly attacking those nearby. Strangely enough, the bloodshed during these attacks does not seem to contribute to blood pollution.

Instead, blood shed during this time of month seems to be instantaneously soaked up by your immediate surroundings. The bees from these people have been seen flying everywhere, and instead of collecting pollen, they seem to be collecting blood magic. Either to bring it back to their walking hives or using it for other deeds..."

IMPOSTERS

WHEN: May-June
WHERE: Outside where flowers can be found
CONTENT WARNINGS: Demonic, violent, blood thirsty flowers?? Parasite style monsters.

---

From Plantlife and You: Trench Edition:

"This is a tricky subject as it does not technically have to do with actual plantlife but rather the nefarious imitation of plantlife.

As spring begins be cautious of the plants around you. It might be lovely to see tulips popping open and other spring delights coming to light. We all like to see the splashes of color pop up around Trench, especially after such cold, long months...But be wary.

Among these flowers are insidious imposters. Telling them apart from the original flowers is almost impossible. You can only do your best to be careful around any plantlife you interact with. They look like flowers, but these creatures are demonic beasts who have perfectly cultivated a flawless mimic. Instead of sunlight and water, they soak in the blood of Trench up through their roots. If you pick the wrong flower, blood will squirt out from the roots and vines.

The bees from Sleeper bodies seem intent on pollinating these exact flowers with blood, leaving little bloody streaks in their wake, but the bees jump between normal flowers and the imposters, making it difficult to properly figure out which is which.

I know what you're thinking: okay, so what? They eat blood, big deal, they are just flowers...

Ha! Did you really think it would be that simple? No, no, these imposters will invade your gardens and your homes. Their little vines will wrap around your foot when you're in the garden or taking a walk. It's not evident at first, but it doesn't take much for a flower to grow on your body. Harmless, painless, but they will suck your blood dry. They have been known as silent killers, parasitic, draining you of life and energy and magic slowly but surely.

And the catch is once you have one flower growing on you, more will come, and it can distort your personality and make you feel or act as though you are drunk. Things won't make sense and you won't exactly know how to ask for help. Your only luck is that someone else will notice. Taking the flowers off requires an icy bath or shower and some serious salt scrub. To prevent this in general, you will want to keep your skin covered thoroughly and not allow pollen to brush against you since that's all it takes. Good luck!"

CODING

Comments

B

[occultfan]

[Since arriving Ada had mostly been exploring and getting her bearings in the new environment and she had enjoyed every moment of it. As odd as that was, Ada found a few things that were very much an interest of hers and so had decided that it was best to see what else was out there.

Today had been a trip to the Cellar Door as she hadn't really been more sticking to the Boardwalk or the house where those she knows lives. She didn't know where she was going or even if she would find anything but she soon instead found herself in a quiet alley way taking a break.

That break wasn't going to last long as her Omen, a Black Cat that she had named Shadow who had moments before been rubbing up against her leg, spotted something or someone and hissed slightly, causing Ada to look over.]

What is i-Ah!

[Okay that was certainly someone with a knife running up to her. Not good. Not good at all with her omen moving she quickly went to move out of the way, nearly falling over in the process in an attempt to get away.]

[fabrications]

[ The bad thing for Akechi - though it's a good thing for Ada - is that when you're rushing full tilt at someone it's difficult to stop or turn on a dime. Ada stumbles out of the way, and though Akechi attempts to turn to follow he ends up sliding right past her. He falls, and though he twists to catch himself on his free hand it still slows him down considerably.

It also pisses him off considerably. The bees lazily milling about nearby don't get any louder, but he swears the buzzing increases in intensity, filling up his head and driving away all his other thoughts. He snarls and pushes himself up, hands and feed scrabbling against the cobblestone until he finds his purchase. Once he does he's tearing off after Ada again - but this time, instead of just trying to stab her, he reaches out to try to grab a fistful of her hair or clothes and yank her to a stop. ]

[occultfan]

[Ada at least knew that when someone attacks you the first thing to at least attempt is to run. She had learned that lessons very quickly when she was caught and threatened to be killed by someone else. So the moment she was able to she looked to the side to see if it was just a one way or if it was a case of being able to go left or right at some point.

Up to some point it seemed straight so it made her nervous but she had little choice as she started to run, heels be damned, but unfortunately her outfit choices were going to backfire on her as her cape was long enough to within grabbing reach. She didn't even make it to the end as she felt his grip against it.

Her mind soon went to the last time she was attacked. How powerless she felt, how scared. Those feelings were back but this time worse than ever and unlike that time this seemed more unescapable. Didn't mean she wasn't going to try and pull at her cape to try and pull him off before starting to instead untie it when that didn't work out.]

[fabrications]

[ Akechi has hunted other people before, even enjoyed it, but it's never been quite like this. There's usually more stalking, more laying in wait and only emerging from the shadows at the last possible moment and finishing it in one clean stroke. There's a unique sort of exhilaration to the chase, one that's absolutely intoxicating.

Akechi's hand closes around Ada's cape and he feels a surge of triumph. He's not thinking quite straight, though, and he celebrates a little prematurely. He lurches to a stop, digging his heels in, and gives the cape a vicious yank. There's a chance he jerks Ada to a stop, too, but just as much of a chance the clasp on the cape snaps and frees her. Either way, Akechi has some to a dead stop - for the moment. ]

[occultfan]

[Ada was still for the most part panicking as she kept trying to deal with the clasp, but with the tug it was at least enough for it to come undone finally. But the downside was Ada fell forward instead, hitting the floor with a thud. With the wind knocked out of her for a few moments Ada started to attempt to get up and try running again. After all that was really all she couldn't honestly do, even though RIP cape. She will miss you.]

cw: increse in violence + injuries from here on

[fabrications]

[ Akechi has slid to a stop, but Ada is down, and that gives him a few precious seconds to recover. He flings the cape aside and lunges forward again. He drives his blade straight down, aiming to drive it right though Ada's back. At this point he doesn't care if he hits something else, or even if he misses. Just having the chance to actually strike is exhilarating. ]

cw: increse in violence + injuries from here on

[occultfan]

[She had tried to get away. She did all that she honestly could do as someone who really wasn't much of a fighter. All she could do was try and dodge and flee, which the former was harder to do due to the space.

But she manage to move a little away, but it wasn't enough to actually get away. Within moments she could feel the knife going into her back. The pain was unbearable as she collapsed to the ground further. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try crawling with the strength that she still had, even if the knife was still in there currently.]

[fabrications]

[ Akechi feels his blade tear through fabric and flesh and a sudden, terrible calm washes over him. The lust for violence hasn't left him but it's satisfying to know he's finally inflicted it. He feels steadier now, more focused, less itchy. He feels like he's doing what he needs to.

He yanks his sword back out, the vivid scarlet of the serrated edge now dripping a deeper crimson color onto the pavement below him. He's breathing hard, but his tone is easy-going and light when he speaks. ]

You shouldn't wear such long capes, you know. It makes you easier to catch.

[ Useful advice for the future, assuming that she's the type to come back. He finds he doesn't much care if she does. Whether or not it's permanent, she'll be dead in a moment anyway. ]

[occultfan]

[She could feel the blood seeping out and even though she was crawling in a sad attempt to get away she used a hand to try and cover it, causing her to collapse instead, putting the crawl to the stop.

Was this the way the world was underneath everything she had seen? Bad things could happen and nothing Ada could honestly do about it. As she tried to move again, she couldn't help but feel weak. Those that she knew could of at least done something, but not her. No way.

As she gripped the wound a few things soon started to go through her mind. Those that she loved and cared for. Those who were here and those who weren't. But as she outstretched her hand to try and move, tears slowly starting to form there was only one person left in her mind.]

Onii...chan...

[fabrications]

[ Oniichan, huh? Akechi stares down at her, dispassionate and disinterested aside from noting that whoever 'oniichan' is might become a problem later. But that's later, and this is now, and he still so badly wants to indulge the thirst for violence. It's tempting to drag it out, but he knows that won't really make a difference. She's already effectively gone, and all that's left to do is finish it.

So he does. He steps forward and drives his blade down, through her back, through her heart, straight through her until he feels the blade strike the cobblestones beneath. It's not an easy thing to stab someone all the way through like this, and even though he knows that he just barely puts enough force behind the strike to succeed. He does, though, and once he's sure it's going to take he plants a foot against her back and yanks the blade free again. There. Done.

It isn't enough, though. The buzzing is starting to ratchet up again, and he needs to find someone else.

Still, he does do one more thing before he leaves: he retrieves her cloak and tosses it over her, covering up her injuries and the pool of blood spreading beneath her. He's not even sure why he does it, but at least it's something. ]