INTO THE WOODS ※ GAME EVENT

[wildestmods]

INTO THE WOODS

The faerie faire goes on into the evening, the faire filled with the sounds of revelry. For those who've spent the day there, the cool evening air is welcome respite from the bright sun that's shined all day. Those who still have some faerie gold might even want to invest in a cloak if they haven't gotten one yet, because it may get chillier as night falls.

As evening descends and various floating flowers start to glow to provide light, the spring faeries start to bring out night-time merchandise and amusements, like brightly-colored phosphorescent flower jewelry. Fireflies are charmed to blink in different colors and magical fireworks paint the sky in vibrant light. They're quieter than normal fireworks, but there are still satisfying snaps and hisses.

It seems like it'll be a pleasant night at the fair and those only just arriving in the evening will find a charming scene opening up before them.

But one thing that isn't noticed as evening begins to fall is the way the winter faeries suddenly slink away into the rising dark. Or at least it isn't noticed until it's too late. Some of the summer faeries start to react to it with alarm.

"Where did they go? The winter faeries are supposed to provide security, they signed an agreement. Go tell Ponto and get some faeries with warding magic to shore up the wards." Faeries start flying with purpose to speak to others that need to be put on security. "We can handle it ourselves but we need to get enough people out to the borders."

"Should we disperse the faire?"

"No, there's no sign of any threats and if we re-ward it, they'll be safer here than people scattering in the woods at night. Even if we had the bad luck to be attacked before the wards are re-done we can defend them with our magic - and we're contracted to."

Unfortunately that bad luck hits too soon. While the faeries scramble to re-do the defense wards, an unearthly fog rolls in. Terrible screeches start to rend the air, sounding similar to the screams of foxes. Warning bells ring from warning wards placed in certain areas of the woods.

"Nightrenders!" someone calls out and people in the crowd start screaming, gathering their loved ones closer. Horrifying beings start to pour into the faire and the hand stamps of all the people who bought tickets ahead of time start to glow. Faeries rally around those people, casting powerful defensive spells. Due to the panic, several stalls start to go up in flames due to knocked over cooking fires. Fortunately the stalls are small enough for people to escape them easily and spread far enough apart that they can be avoided, but smoke joins the fog in the air.

If a faerie sees one of the squad of otherworlders, and their lack of glowing hand stamp they're quick to offer a warning. "You have to run! The people who bought tickets ahead of time entered into a magical agreement of protection. The warding takes time to charge. We can do nothing for you, without slow-charge wards we're not powerful enough to protect you. The Nightrenders will devour your brain, or your soul."

Apparently that little disclaimer about not being fully protected that some of them read while coming in (for those that had arrived earlier in the day) was more important than it seemed.

The faeries always point the same way, still trying to help the people without tickets. "To the north! There's a place in a canyon with a large, glowing crystal. It looks like an abandoned market and dwellings. You'll be safe there, the magic of the Heartstone will protect you."

USEFUL LINKS

Setting Background/FAQ | Major NPCs


NIGHTRENDERS

The beings known as Nightrenders start amassing on the faire. Their movements are quick but clumsy, as if every one of their movements is made up of a hundred janky, smaller fits and starts, like they're made of clockwork. The faerie magic summer faeries use seems to do no more than stagger them back or temporarily knock them over, but at least makes it clear to the squad that they at least can be knocked over and slowed down. At the very least it seems to take them some time to get off the ground and back to their feet.

Attacks

They attack anyone they see in different ways. Some they wound with massive claws. Or they squeeze someone's torso and nearly suffocate them to give them a chance at possibly chomping into the heads of their victims to get at the brains. Most dangerously of all, they breathe in with a loud sucking noise, clawed hands guiding the magic that lets them drawn out someone's soul to devour it. It looks like a small delicate thing, sometimes in the form of a glittering star or a flower, as its drawn out of the victim's mouth.

This process can fortunately be interrupted if the Nightrender is attacked. As long as the soul hasn't been sucked into their mouths, it goes back into the victim.

Cursed Aura

But the whole thing is complicated by the magical aura caused by the Nightrenders. When they draw close, everyone around them is choked with fear, grief, and dread. Some succumb to visions of their worse memories playing out in their heads over and over. Some might be able to still stagger away in this state, trying to see through the visions, especially if someone helps them along, but others will find it nearly impossible to do anything other than curl on the ground. It is unknown why some don't have the flashbacks or can power through them more than others, though it's thought that those that repress their bad memories or negative emotions struggle more.

Anyone that helps someone who's having visions may get a glimpse of their memories - and empathically feel a flash of the pain, fear, rage, or grief they felt during the memory. If two people try to help each other move forward when both are having visions, they may transmit glimpses back and forth.

Weaknesses

The Nightrenders cannot be destroyed, only knocked down, or slowed down. However, those with "holy" weapons, spells, or powers, or those who have weapons, spells, or powers that can hurt "ethereal" beings or evil spirits will find they can cause them enough pain that sometimes they run away. Spells and abilities that create magical manifestations of good will and happiness, as well as spells of light, or purification can also harm them and drive them away.

THE SISTERS

The Nightrenders don't speak, but some have the misfortune of hearing two voices echo out of the fog. The come in stereo, only just slightly out of sync.

"Chosen Ones, you must be so confused. You've become lost in the forest, and the Dark Lord's nightmares already pursue you. Fortunately for you, our mistress desires your company. You'll adore obeying her will. Don't run, embrace a better destiny."

Two woman in white masks and straw hats, with cloaks made from the feathers of ravens, come out of the fog, body language almost identical. No eyes can be seen through the eyeholes of their masks, just darkness.

They start attacking, and when they beset their victims they stop speaking, refusing to talk or answer questions, instead filling the air with wild, mocking laughter. One wields twin katanas, the other a kusarigama with a painful claw at the end of the chain that closes down when it hits something.

Nets

While they're extremely willing to injure the squad they seem to be trying to capture them instead of killing (albeit capturing them after they're maimed), occasionally tossing out nets of glowing silver of moonlight. Being caught in the nets renders someone paralyzed and weak, a deep cold settling into the marrow of their bones. Some may even hear the shrieks of dying loved ones, whether they've actually died in reality or not. The Sisters apparently have the strength to carry even the largest of the squad in the air and will attempt to fly away when someone is ensnared.

The nets are difficult to destroy, but can be with great force of some kind. It has to be aimed at the part closest to the Sisters' hands, because the force required to break the nets would also injure those trapped inside them. The cold and paralysis fades when the victims are free, but some of the rescued may feel weak and need help staying on their feet. Unfortunately, even when they're broken, the nets of moonlight seem to be something they can recreate within several minutes.

Smoke Monsters

For some, they don't attack directly. Instead, one of the sisters pulls out a pipe and smoke monsters pour out of it. They try to drag their victims closer to the sisters so they can be caught in their nets. Fortunately, they can be destroyed with enough force.

While the Sisters seem impossible to injure, they can at least be caused pain with extreme enough attacks, something that makes them teleport away before risking any further injury.

PROMPTS

a) RENT
Uh oh, a Nightrender has you. Either it's squeezing you so hard you're suffocating and about to chomp into some juicy brains, or it's in the process of sucking your soul out through your mouth. In either case, you're likely broadcasting visions of your worst memories in small flashes to whoever is near. You're in desperate need of rescue and the summer faeries can't help - their magic is all but useless on the Nightrenders if it didn't have time to build by a covenant. Only others that fell into the Wilderlands like you did can save you.

(Feel free to provide multiple memory options ala a memshare, but keep in mind they'd only be flashes instead of a full memory!)

b) NABBED
The Sisters have got you, their smoke monsters are trying to drag you away, or you're still trying to fight them to avoid being caught. It'll be a lot easier if you have help - otherwise you're outnumbered and possibly outclassed. The only way to stop them is fight back hard enough that they feel you're not worth the effort and teleport off.

c) RESCUE
Perhaps you're not affected by the Nightrenders or are just good at powering through the haze of painful magic they're inflicting on the area. Either way, you're out to help the people around you. Perhaps you run into another member of the otherworlder squad that needs saving - or maybe they join you to protect a third otherworlder, or a denizen of the Wilderlands that also forewent a ticket and is therefore at risk. Unlike many of the people from other universes, many of the denizens of the Wilderlands are powerless and thought they were in for a day and night of safe fun.

There are also other hazards to rescue people from. Maybe a small child has been separated from their parents and is disoriented by smoke, in need of rescued from some flaming tents. Or maybe an elderly person has fallen and is at risk of being trampled. There are lots of reasons people might need help, due to fires, panicked horses, collapsing tents, and panicking crowds.

d) RUN
It's time to run! Perhaps, after some screaming and confusion - and teleportation - you finally grab a buddy and bolt through the woods. You better run fast because the Nightrenders and the Sisters may give up chase at some point but it may take time and moving through difficult terrain in the fog to lose them. Perhaps you and a partner have to help a third, injured otherworlder because they're having trouble walking.

Better head north like the faeries said. The faeries were right that this Heartstone to the north may be your only hope - and you'll have to reach it despite the fading evening light, skies overcast with dark clouds, and fog.

It may be easier navigating in the dark with a partner or two.

e) WILDCARD
Maybe you decide to do none of the above. Go nuts!

OOC DETAILS
❧ Quest magic: Players can handwave that the quest bond magic is tugging the group northward to the safe place, with the mysterious Heartstone. They can also use the quest magic as an excuse for many different threads. As the group tries to run, their scattering movements will affect the magic and cause people to teleport at random, allowing for many different encounters with many other characters. This can explain why two characters that might otherwise stay together through the whole thing might get separated.

❧ Network: The network can now be used. Mirrors can and do float if someone is trying to talk through one and running, and can follow someone as they move, allowing people to communicate on the go or during action. Feel free to start using the network in parallel with the log events.

❧ NPCing: The mods won't be npcing but players are free to npc the actions of bystanders, the Nightrenders, and the Sisters. The Sisters won't speak, just continue laughing, and players can npc their specific attacks, capture attempts, and teleportation. Please just don't have them talk or godmode them dying - they're currently a little too sturdy for that. If you have a question about whether/how something will affect them feel free to ask the mods in the first comment below.

❧ Environment: Feel free to manipulate the environment. There are things left over from the faire people can work with like bow and arrow sets from the competition, horses (which can be temporarily stolen, though we'd like to limit any that are permanently stolen to the (1) horse another player already requested), and even explosive faerie fireworks (they're quieter than the normal thing but still create a big bang). Abandoned stalls also have weapons and supplies to grab as people run for it. If they didn't think to steal or buy useful things during the day, please limit this to only grabbing one or two items as they run, like a cloak or sword. They won't have time to loot for more.

❧ Experimentation: We'd like to encourage people to experiment! Obviously ask other players if they're down first, but it could be fun to do something other than 2 person threads, like maybe 2 PCs banding to rescuing a 3rd. Players are also encouraged to set limitations if they think it'd be more interesting, like locking their final escape prompt from the faire grounds to a single thread partner and playing out the drama of a full escape.

[OOC: Plot is visible so people can see and start plotting together but not open until Nov. 1. The mods will enable comments then.]

Comments

[myagents]

"Mh." he slightly widens his smile like one would open a broken umbrella, clumsily "And what is it that you would like to do here in this place?"

[diedforyoursins]

[There's no reaction to the heavy pounding of footsteps in his direction, only a calm look back over his shoulder upon being directly addressed.]

I am going.

[There's a wry sense of humor in how he says it, a slight smile that feels at odds with the tension in the air. He inclines his head in the direction he's moving, still walking calmly forward.]

Does it bother you? Feeling unable to do more?

[credit_not_blame]

[She threw a rock at her.

She threw a rock at her!

Stacia's surprised enough that she doesn't evade the projectile completely, taking it in the shoulder rather than the face. Still, she can't help but laugh. It sounds like the nightmare version of what the three little pigs heard outside of their houses of straw and sticks, but it's a laugh none the less.]

[hallelujahjunction]

"Do some good. See some interesting things. Meet new folks." The same kind of restless roving and wandering Dan did for so long before being taken to the Rig.

Do a little good before he dies. Make the sacrifice his sister made, his daughter made, when they died for him, worthwhile.

[myagents]

"Well, you could do that on the Rig too." he shrugs "There has to be something else."

[diedforyoursins]

[Is there anything worse than running for your life and seeing someone just meandering along giving you a pleasant smile?? Probably not.]

Perhaps. Or maybe I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.

[Not knowing is wonderfully freeing. He can't remember the last time he didn't feel a constant sense of obligation, the fog of orders or instincts or plans tinging even his leisurely moments. The vague notion that he should go this way with the others is sort of similar, but he can't even begin to guess what it will lead to. It's nice.

Anyway. The airy, unhurried response is probably not the sort of answer she was looking for. Especially not with the nightrender behind him righting itself after its first failed attack and now debating between targets.]

III

[diedforyoursins]

[Somewhere in the middle of the nightmare flashes is one perhaps just unfamiliar enough to help snap Dan out if it – a mixed sense of resignation and gratitude, an awful crunching sound, a decapitated head splashing into a pool of orange liquid – as something presses the nightrender back a bit, relieving the weight on the man's chest.

The monster is far from gone. It seems only inches away, stabbing and clawing only to be blocked by an invisible barrier that flashes and crackles with energy with each impact against it. But there's a soft voice by Dan's side, a soothing contrast to the hell within and without.]

Is it more than you can bear?

[Kaworu can't deal with the nightrender. He can't do more than hold it at bay for the moment. But he seems unconcerned, standing over the prone man with his hands in his pockets and a thoughtful expression on his face.]

[diedforyoursins]

"You shouldn't have had to."

It's a weird moment for this, for sure. He's a solid presence despite his thin frame, unflappable and unflinching despite the creature furiously trying to get at them. He keeps his hands to himself until she leans on him, and then as if taking that as permission to help, his other hand gently catches her elbow, providing at least that small bit of stability and support.

And all the while, his eyes are only on her, intensely and unsettlingly red.

"The memory is worse," he says simply, like there's nothing at all disconcerting or even impossible about the montage of brutalizations. "It's more than a Lilim should be able to bear alone. But you aren't alone right now, are you?"

Unfortunately, his calm demeanor is a bit counterproductive in prompting rage. Unless one happens to find that unflappable chill infuriating, anyway.

a4; slides in here

[oldbookshop]

Aziraphale is taking a hardline stance against the theft of souls on this particular evening. Which is an understatement, of course, because he tends to have a hardline stance against the theft of souls in any context, but still.

The sight is a special sort of horrifying. Having been, in theory, created to be a Guardian of some sort from the beginning, Aziraphale can't help a burst of impulsive protectiveness that he never got all that good at tempering. He absolutely, under any circumstances, cannot stand by and allow this to happen.

He'd handed off his improvised weapon earlier, so as needs must, he opts for a new one.

Neat thing about hurling a bucketful of blessed water onto a Nightrender: they scream and they hate it. The Nightrender drops Ronan and stumbles back. Whether it's for a good measure of time or only for a minute remains to be seen, but with any luck, it's enough.

Aziraphale scrambles for the young man on the ground, settling on his knees with no space for frivolous thoughts about the state of his clothing--

"Oh, don't look so disappointed," he's saying. There's fondness to his tone, the sort that turns into a smile, but his eyes are overly bright. It's as close to crying as he's maybe ever been. He lets his gaze dart around in the car a little bit, can't bring it to settle on Crowley in his ridiculous beatnik getup for more than a moment. "Perhaps one day we could... I don't know. Go for a picnic. Dine at the Ritz."

Aziraphale can't shake off the unbearable thought of losing him, can't shake off the thought that he might play a hand in it.

Crowley takes a breath to say something, and Aziraphale loves him, and he's never felt more wretched in his existence--

He's too focused on desperately trailing the progress of this young man's soul to let the memory do more than pull a short breath from him. Bigger fish to fry, as it were.

"That's right. Back where you belong, easy as anything, you can do it-"

He is really not emotionally prepared to handle watching a human(? awfully shifty for a human, but it's not as though he's seen a soul in this particular context before, either) soul dissipate like mist. So he's going all in on choosing to believe that it a) will be going back where it needs to be and b) could use some encouragement, in lieu of having any of his normal miraculous capacity to help it along.

[hallelujahjunction]

"Sure, but on the Rig we had to be certain places at certain times, eat what they fed us, wake up when they wanted us, know that running would get us zapped. You really don't think this is more open?"

[millenyal_pink]

She narrows her eyes and gives him a strange look, more than a little unsettled at his unnatural calm.

"Dude, what the fuck are you?" she asks, more than a little rude. Sue her, she's in pain.

She would absolutely find his serenity infuriating if she wasn't being bombarded by memories and emotions she would rather not be dealing with right now.

[credit_not_blame]

"I can run," Stacia answers, face half-buried in Bunny's fur. "I've got four legs if I feel too wobbly on two. Is everyone out who needs to be? I'm too scary for kids, and the creepy twins suck, but I'm pretty good against the Nightrenders."

She doesn't want to run if there are still people to help here.

[myagents]

"Well..." he pauses for a moment to think about it "I suppose you are right. I must not be used to being able to go out much."

A quiet, bitter chuckle follows.

[hallelujahjunction]

Dan knows giving Price any personal information at all is a risk, but Price has seen memories of Dan dismantling a landmine as a child, and there are some things Dan can share that are less close to the bone.

"When I was growing up, we'd live months at a time in a bunker underground. When we finally came out, there'd usually be a few days, maybe a week, I don't know, where we'd just be trying to figure out how to exist in the world again. Every time I ever got out of jail felt like that too."

[myagents]

"Is that why you feel the need to be free to this extent nowadays?"

He asks as if it's a bad thing. Needing a prison is perhaps even worse, no matter how much 'structure' to justify it with.

Well, if this is the case for Dan, no wonder he seeks death, he doesn't feel free anywhere, or at least not from his own mind.

[hallelujahjunction]

"No." Dan laughs. "I just real hate being told what to do."

He would go back to that bunker, that warm, safe place with all his loved ones intact and happy, any day. But he never can.

[myagents]

"You get used to it."

He smiles softly. There are many implications in this response, all possibly terrible, but he has learned not to dislike rules. Everything being regimented, one way or another, has become home. It's why he misses Project Freelancer, after all. Well, one of the many reasons.

[bringinghopewithme]

"Catch your breath first." They have time for that. "Are you hungry?"

Shifting is hard work, Stacia's been hit with one of the major weapons that work against her, and there's a lot of fighting to do. He doesn't like letting a kid back into battle, even a werewolf kid, but desperate times call for resource allocation. He halves a chocolate egg and gives it to her.

"You need your strength if you're gonna get back in there." He ruffles her hair gently. "I missed you, kiddo."

[hallelujahjunction]

"I'd rather die than get used to it."

Dan would rather die than a lot of things - death is appealing - but this is a particular sticking point. One of the few things he can define himself by is that he's his own steward.

[myagents]

"I can't argue with it." he smirks "I used to say that too."

And look at him now.

[hallelujahjunction]

"Just because you changed don't mean I will." Dan kills his cigarette stubs it out against the ground. He doesn't want to litter, but he can't see any alternatives. He huffs a sigh. "Whoof, I'm starting to feel this liquor. We ought to find Concrete Blonde some water."

[myagents]

"...Concrete Blonde?"

He hasn't learned the horse's name until now, and is rightfully surprised. What an odd name choice.

[hallelujahjunction]

"Yeah. Horse names are always a little funky."

Concrete Blonde was his kid's favorite band, "Tomorrow Wendy" her favorite song. He won't tell Price that. He may open up about some things, but he'll never open up about Ellie to Price.

He gets up and groans in pain. "Shit. That real hurts."

[myagents]

"Really? I didn't know it."

He gets worried as soon as Dan groans in pain. He gets up as well.

"Daniel! Are you alright?"

[hallelujahjunction]

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tweaked my back pretty hard." He places a hand to his lower back, straightens up, and takes a breath. "Walking around'll help."