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wildestlogs2021-10-31 08:54 pm
wildestmods) wrote in wildestlogs2021-10-31 08:54 pm
INTO THE WOODS ※ GAME EVENT
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
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!)
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.
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.
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.
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!
Maybe you decide to do none of the above. Go nuts!
❧ 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.]
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Having said that, Ange runs in the general direction of the Nightrenders. There she goes! Doesn't even look back, doesn't even give a word of good luck -- she just takes for granted Cammie will see that, shrug, and take everyone in the right direction. These people's safety is what matters, after all!
This is all absolutely a bad idea and there has to be a million better plans, but this definitely isn't the first time Ange does something impulsive and reckless and puts herself in potentially mortal peril because she thinks it's the right choice.
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"Wait, wha— oh, for fuck's—!"
Cammie spins on her heel, not quite a full 360 but close. What does she do now? She can't just leave Ange to run at the Nightrenders without help, can she? But if she goes after her, she might just end up incapacitated, and the people they just rescued would be left on their own. But if she doesn't, then—
"North," she says to the others, "You— we— you need to go north. Now. Get out of the faire."
Should she be going with them? Should she not? Will the 6 be alright if she turns to try and drag Ange back out of danger? Will Ange be alright if she goes with them? Fuck, she hates choices like this.
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The Nightrenders' aura. Of course those large claws gave her pause, and of course the thought of getting so close she wouldn't have at least a couple seconds of warning was a tad too reckless even for Ange. But the aura, though...it's like a miasma that could trap her if she gets too close. Just the proximity already starts influencing her with dread and fear once she's in the general vicinity, although she just thinks it's what you'd expect to feel in such a dangerous situation.
Once she ran in an arch to have some distance away from Cammie and everyone else, she shouts: "Right here!" The Nightrenders turn towards her, starting to move in the opposite direction of Cammie. They're quicker than Ange expected, though! Without not even a moment to pause, she begins drawing them away.
Her general plan was to lead them away and then follow by the edge of the forest, making a curve through this all and towards the north. Still...such a thing would only work if she manages to lose the Nightrenders and stay away from their grasp in the first place! But it was too late to come up with something better. Not having any other choice, she ran towards the forest, unable to see Cammie and the group of defenseless people anymore.
Cammie perhaps would be able to keep track of her to some extent, though. Ange really does keep hollering and shouting to keep the Nightrenders coming after her for a while. If anything goes wrong, Ange wouldn't hesitate to be as loud as she can.
no subject
Cammie paces on the spot for a solid few seconds before making a frustrated noise, mostly directed at herself, and pivoting towards where Ange went.
"You lot, run. Just— run."
And then she's taking off after Ange, because unfortunately for her being recruited by GL and her time on the rig has really ramped up her team instincts and desire to help people. It was so much easier when she was just a solitary hacker in her bedroom doing shit for cash and the fuck of it.
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Despite being pursued by supernatural creatures that very obviously would cause her death or worse -- her soul being consumed, even though she's not fully aware of that part -- Ange seems to be doing decently well, at first glance, at least. Still, she's only human, with a limited amount of endurance despite how good she seems to be at running. The Nightrenders probably don't have such limits. Ange climbs over objects strewn all over the place and dodges around obstacle, trying to put some distance between her and the Nightrenders, but it's not working too well!
Once she judged she had led them away from Cammie and the rest, Ange finally stops hollering at them, saving her breath, and focuses on running. Along the way, she takes a wrong step, making her stumble. One of her feet stepped on uneven terrain. Ange gasps, the sting of an injured ankle stopping her for a second. It's not broken or sprained, luckily, but it still hurt. Running probably will make it a far worse injury.
no subject
If she's honest, Cammie has no room to judge—that she's even still in the fray at all is because she ran back in after Saturday helped her, she's made her own share of reckless choices today. But she'll think about that later. Right now she wants to make sure Ange doesn't get herself killed, the people from the tent at least have safety in numbers going for them.
The problem is keeping up physically. She's not unfit, Cammie, not by any means, but she's not super fit and it's been a long couple of days between the rig and here; she's tiring. She has to cut around obstacles the long way, has to be extra careful not to land flat on her face, as she tries to catch up without running into the direct path of the Nightrenders herself.
But it isn't hard to keep track of Ange, what with all the shouting; her rabbit ears are more sensitive than the average hearing person's ears and they can swivel, turn, track sound as it moves. So when she stops hollering? It stands out.
"Ah, fuck—"
Pinpointing where she last heard a shout, Cammie grabs her sword off her back and pushes herself to run a little harder.
no subject
Ange decides to keep running. Such decision is forcibly changed when she feels a pang from her ankle. Ah, shit, seriously...? Looking around, she sees the nearest tree. Climbing it is difficult, having to rely on her arms the most, pulling herself upwards onto the branches. At any moment she expects the Nightrenders to catch her, but she manages to get up on the tree, catching her breath.
It's terrifying, she actually feels terrified. One, two Nightrenders notice her -- she having gotten up there a tad too slowly. The one good thing of what she did was that it made her pretty visible for Cammie. Knowing she didn't have too much time left, Ange looks around, thinking, trying to come up with a new plan. Jump onto another tree? Jump to the ground? Climb higher? Come on, Ange, think...!
no subject
She knows she's getting close when the aura starts prickling at the back of her mind, trying to drag those memories back up again and send her to her knees. But no, not this time, she can't afford to let that happen right now.
(She's dreamed about that shit almost every night for months, it should not be this debilitating.)
She knows she's really close when she catches motion above her eyeline up ahead, and looks up to see Ange, up in a tree. The closer she gets, the stronger the aura presses down on the back of her mind, but she keeps going, until she's at the foot of the tree Ange is up. Right by the damn Nightrenders.
Right. This is fine. Cammie hefts her sword up, and shouts, "Hey! Back here!"
Maybe if they're distracted it'll give Ange time to do something, then they can figure out how to actually bail the fuck out of here.
no subject
Well, no time for musing! Having gained some time, Ange looks around. They're at the edge of the forest. They must go to the north. Ange looks in her pockets, evaluating what she has at hand. Nothing...except for a mirror. Mirror she didn't have before, one she already found out can float and is used for communication--
...
...that's it. This place is so full of strange qualities and objects. Ange may not know how it all works, but...right now all they have to do is survive, and to do that, using what they have is the only way. If this works then maybe they're saved...!
Ange talks to her mirror, hoping Cammie will hear it through hers, and gets ready to jump off the tree:
"Shout something into your own mirror in three seconds. Then get ready to move towards the south."
There's some magic making them teleport around. She's pretty sure it's the same magic that forces you to stay close to the rest of the party, so if they can use that, they could gain considerable distance from the Nightrenders immediately. What better way to do that than to go in the exact opposite direction of where everyone else is going?
Having given instructions to Cammie, Ange throws her mirror, aiming some feet behind the Nightrenders. Do these mirrors work so conveniently? She doesn't know, but they just need one fleeting distraction. Cammie's voice coming through it may be enough!
no subject
Cammie almost jumps out of her damn skin when the mirror starts speaking—not the first time it's turned on, no, but christ—and for a moment, she's confused. South? Why south? What is Ange playing at?
Except Cammie is clever, good at thinking on her feet, and it is only a moment before the pieces start to click together. So when Ange throws the mirror down, she grabs her mirror and waits those last two seconds to shout into it:
"Hey! Look at me!"
And hopes to go it works.
no subject
Time to run! She turns to Cammie for a moment once they're going, though.
"...I'm sorry for that one"
For running away and putting herself in danger like this, she means. If it wasn't for Cammie arriving, she probably would have gotten caught. At least Ange has the decency to sound apologetic, even if it's hard to tell from how exhausted she feels, both physically and emotionally.
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Cammie re-sheaths her sword on her back so she can actually run at full pelt, because being able to use it doesn't mean it's not unwieldly when you're running.
"Cannae say I wouldn't've ever done the same," she says, because yeah, she kinda did earlier, even if she doesn't say that. "Those folks are on the move, ye did buy them the time at least. An' that was a good plan to give us this time."
She can be charitable! She'd rather not have had to run in to save someone, but she'd be such a hypocrite if she got truly angry right now.
no subject
She had been about to reply to that, when suddenly everything around her changed. Instead of forest, there was a wider path, presumably leading north. The Nightrenders, unable to move immediately, were left behind somewhere else in the faire grounds. Once she noticed the danger was gone, at least for the time being, Ange sighed, stopping. This really had been a rough evening so far.
"At least you're not hurt, right?" she managed to gasp while she tried to catch her breath.
no subject
Cammie stumbles as what would've been her next step doesn't land where she expects it, but she catches herself before she lands flat on her face. Bending over, hands on her knees, she exhales in relief.
"Nope, not hurt. Not more than the odd scrape and bruise I already had from runnin' around helpin' folks." Which is more than she's used to having, but beggars can't be choosers or whatever. "You?"
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"I think I took a wrong step at some point, I have a sore ankle. It's nothing some rest can't solve"
And if it turns out to be worse than that, well, some healer in the party should take care of it, she supposes.
"That was terrifying...I hope those people you rescued got away safely"
Those people Cammie rescued. Ange hardly feels like she contributed to that, given how she needed some rescuing herself. She feels pretty stupid about her actions, truthfully.
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"We both rescued 'em. No tellin' if those things woulda come for us otherwise. Better ways, maybe, but could've ended up worse."
She straightens up and looks around. The itch to get back in there, keep doing something to make up for her own weakness when confronted with the nightrenders alone, is still there.
"Be careful on that ankle on the way up north, yeah? Don't go makin' it worse." God, she sounds like Yaz. "I'm sure ye know that, though."
There, better. Less like a nagging mom.
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"I do, thanks. The name's Ange Ushiromiya, if I haven't mentioned it already"
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Cammie flashes a smile.
"Cammie MacCloud, nice to meet ye Ange. Sorry that it's under such batshit circumstances, but I'm kinda gettin' used to that, what can I say."
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Not that she has gotten used to them. Being pursued by these creatures? That's a new one, but as far as she's concerned, everything that happens to her these days count as 'batshit circumstances'. Not that Ange is getting used to it at all, she just is good at making it look like she has herself under control.
"Does this really happen that often to you? You did say you're getting used to that"
no subject
Cammie shrugs casually, y'know, like this is totally a normal casual thing. It's more affected than she'd let on. "Second of these alternate worlds I've been in, and that's not even gettin' into my life back home, so, yeah, kinda gettin' used to the weird."