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

[ The thought intrigues the demon. Why look for a way to save something so...beyond help? Chin Yisou shakes his head no. While he readies to pull more centipedes from the shadows, the demon watches as Lazarus takes action. ]

Don't get bit!

[ The rabid animal snarls. Its eyes target Lazarus with a deranged hunger. Even as the centipedes cling to its fur, the beast is mobile. ]

[L is less "taking action" and more "creating more space between the rabid beast and himself through retreat." Either way, it seems to have done more harm than good, and the creature continues to advance even with the centipedes hanging from it.

Spontaneously and unexpectedly, a bush catches on fire near the wolf. L's demonic form does more than just look hellish, but it's a question of how much he can control it.]

[ The demon stands back. He watches with a grim delight as the beast overturns in flames. The rabid animal retreats- eager to alleviate the burns across its body. However, from a distance, the two can see the beast collapse to the ground. ]

Don't worry.

[ Chin Yisou places a consoling hand on his friend's shoulder. He, may be upset. The demon observes. ]

It's better for them to have rest.

[ The demon stands with a sympathetic look. What he doesn't want is to cause offense. ]

Burning is a terrible way to go, and I wouldn't have preferred for it to suffer.

[He's upset, just a little, but he hides it well. He's had to hide his distress at the deaths of human beings, after all.]

At any rate, it seems like our problem is solved, so we should be able to continue.

I see.

[ Chin Yisou frowns. He sympathizes with Lazarus. As the continue through the forested path, the demon falls silent. His eyes glance from the trail to the other. I wonder if he feels a little better. Before Chin Yisou can decide whether or not to ask, a note appears. There, nailed to a tree is a weathered envelope. ]

Could this be a trap?

[ He wonders out-loud. As the two observe the envelope, they will see that its been there for a while. The demon tugs at the mysterious object and it rips free from the nail. ]

Do you think, we're being followed?

[ Chin Yisou asks his fellow investigator. Although the parchment is worn from the elements, he cannot be too sure that the sender is far away. ]

Frankly speaking, anything could be a trap. Some things are must more likely to be than others.

[His brow furrows, and he leans closer.]

It's either that, or the sender knew we'd be coming this way regardless. He could be a paleblood with powers of premonition...

[Though he sounds doubtful about this. He thinks it's more likely they're being tracked.]

The noise that wolf made when it attacked wouldn't have been difficult for someone with the skill to pinpoint our location and trajectory with relative ease.

[ The demon takes his input with surprise. ]

I could never tell if he was a sleeper or not.

[ Chin Yisou taps his chin. ]

I guess we should keep our ears poised for any oddities. Perhaps ought to look for another clue.

[ The two press further into the forest. Within several laps, they come across a tree with an opening in the base of the trunk. ]

What's this? Some sort of den?

[ Chin Yisou bends down to the bed of leaves covering the hole. He cannot say for certainty, but feels that a clue is nearby. ]

there's a monster in my closet

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