deercountry | there's a monster in my closet

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ From one strange sight to another, the Trench provides an Ajin interest. From Squid to Man to...an oddly familiar beast, the day runs with excitement. While trailing close to the beach in his new form, a stranger appears in view. ]

Greetings! Are you injured?

[ The man's voice is distorted in this new form. With the body of a mummified man and a head of a cobra, one can expect an awkward glance. Yet, here is a dragon! Indeed, Trench is becoming more like a video game each day. ]

[What.]

[What is he looking at.]

[What is that.]

[One would probably expect a Real Dragon to be more collected about this. Or roar or do something more intimidating. Some kind of reaction you would see in a legendary beast. Instead, Melius stares. He stares and starts scrambling backwards, throwing up piles of sands and swathes of seawater in the process. The whole reaction screaming NOPE]

[ The creature seems too curious to accept the dragon's blatant discomfort. He continues to walk forward, even while the waves begin splashing him. ]

There's no need to be uneasy.

[ The creature sits in the water and glances at the frightened stranger. ]

I'm Sato.

[ Perhaps giving an introduction will make the other more at ease. Then again, do dragon's talk? ]

[It - it has a name? It looks like that and it has a name? Is this like Bigby's deal? Or - is it a beast? But those don't usually talk, do they?]

[Can he speak? He probably can. The dragons of Tamriel spoke just fine, but that would involve un-clenching his vocal chords. Stopping his panic long enough to actually make the words come out. Which may or may not happen.]

[So he ends up standing on his rear legs in the water, anxiously fluttering wings and lashing his tail. Fortunately - his omen decides to step in. She's a dragon as well, bright red, the size of a housecat, with the voice of a crow.]

[She hovers in the air before him, angling her head back at Melius before squawking:]

Dovahkiin!

[ Sato sits in the sand. He studies the tiny dragon companion. Interesting His gaze returns to the first dragon kind. ]

So, you are Dovahkiin?

[ The creature's head tilts in contemplation. Sato has not seen this interaction before and now he has more questions. ]

If so then we are well met. Though who is this one?

[ Sato points his shadowy claw towards the tiny dragon. Although he is new to Trench, he did not expect to see mythical beasts. ]

[Melius manages a nod. Yep, that's... his title, technically. Even if he's not sure it applies anymore. But it's just easier to agree than it is to try and explain when part of you is absolutely sure your voice is going to obliterate someone else.]

[... his Omen though.]

[His Omen has no issue speaking her mind.]

Aakhahnu! Aakhahnu, julmey.

[Melius looks like his Omen has just said the dragon version of the F-Bomb, and makes a vain attempt to hide her with his wings. She just hisses, and dodges around.]

[ Sato's serpentine head tilts to the side. None of this is making any sense. Why should it? After all, he is speaking with a stranger who appears to have no words. ]

I cannot understand.

[ The creature shakes his head. ]

An omen is new to me. As well as meeting a dragon. Yet, I guess you didn't need any help after all.

[ Sato stands tall with both hands on his mummified hips. ]

S-sorry.

[That's probably a safe word to say. Dragons don't have a specific word for that - they have apologies, but not the exact word. No chance of accidentally setting off a Thu'um. Which is exactly what he does not want to do.]

[Melius hesitates, fidgeting with the claws on his wings. They're about as close to "hands" as dragons get.]

Wh-what. Um. Are... you.

[Sorry for all the stammering. That's just How He Is.]

[ Sato smiles. Though in this form he may look a bit sinister with a serpent's tongue hanging out. It only feels natural to him at this point. Yet, he nods to the dragon. ]

Apology accepted. Though I fear I have no answer for you now.

[ The creature's gaze looks beyond the others towards the sea. ]

Once I came from the ocean...I didn't realize what I was entirely. Yet, now with this new form, I believe that I can reach an answer in due time.

[ He glances back at the dragon. ]

Did you meet a similar fate?

[ Despite the creature's distorted voice, his curiosity echoes through. One can learn much through conversation. ]

[ What. ]

[Okay, no, focus. Think about what this ... person... is saying. So they went from squid to snake-man? Were they not supposed to be a snake man before? Do people not just turn back into themselves after waking up here? Has ... that happened to anyone he knows?]

[Belatedly, he realizes he's been staring in silence, then shifts where he crouches, trying to come up with some kind of decent reply that isn't just "Huh?"]

U-um. N-no. No, I um. I'm... I've been here. A while. I just - I just woke up... this morning.

Like this.

Hmmm, that's interesting.

[ Sato muses. If the dragon has been here before, then why was he stumbling about before? He debates whether or not to ask. ]

Does everyone have an Omen?

[ The creature looks to the other's tiny dragon. The new question seems more valuable than the prior thought. After all, Sato has yet to see an Omen of his own. ]

[Mostly because Melius is just kind of like that. He's just twitchy and nervous.]

I - um. I think so? People just. They seem like they um. They have them.

[Sleepers do, anyways. He hasn't seen any of the locals with one.]

Well that's interesting...

[ Sato pauses to reflect on the new information. He waves to the dragon. ]

Thank you Dovahkiin for sharing this intel.

[ Sato casts his gaze towards the forest. He is happy with this chance encounter.]

Take care of yourself, I'm going to see how I can meet an Omen of my own.

[ He tilts his head as though to smile. With purpose, the creature leaves the dragon behind. ]

there's a monster in my closet

Re: Melius Senyan {The Dragonborn} | Skyrim | OTA

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