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

[hourglasshalfempty]

"I see." So she may even know less than he does. Raistlin has several questions about this place she describes, but they are in a bit of a situation and it's not immediately relevant. He continues to peer at the ground, calculating.

"I wasn't far from the northern edge of the faire when I was captured. Where am I now?"

[zerg_rush]

Speaking of calculations...Kerrigan looks up and to the right while she considers it. "Couldn't have been running more than a minute, and with the extra weight and lousy terrain and visibility, not much more than two, three hundred meters farther north."

She glances at the ground below and develops a small smirk. "And about four meters straight up."

[hourglasshalfempty]

"Then we may be near this so-called heartstone." They're farther than he'd thought, but he hadn't been the in best position to measure. He looks up, trying to peer through the trees.

"Perhaps if you're able to climb higher, we can get a good look at it before whatever is there gets a look at us. I don't particularly wish to run from one trap to another."

[zerg_rush]

Kerrigan is in disgustingly good shape, and adrenaline is a hell of a drug. Of course she managed some serious distance.

"Not a bad idea." Speaking of disgustingly good shape, when she rises again, she doesn't bother using her arms to help. Without a hundred pounds of cranky mage slowing her down and throwing off her center of gravity, climbing a tree is nothing. Kerrigan looks up to determine a decent route.

Ah, there we go.

Rather than maneuver around Raistlin to get to the trunk, she sprints farther out along the large branch, up its gentle slope. It brings her close enough to her target for a heart-stopping leap into nothingness. Well, heart-stopping for Raistlin, possibly, if he thinks she's going to get herself killed and leave him stuck up a tree. That she'll miss the jump doesn't occur to Kerrigan, and indeed, she doesn't, catching a smaller, subsidiary branch above her head and letting her momentum carry her up and around so she lands perched right side up and a good ten feet higher than before.

Repeat similar maneuvers until she disappears behind leaves and the descending night. Damn thief-acrobats.

[hourglasshalfempty]

Raistlin raises an eyebrow, impressed and pleased despite himself. He knew his rescuer was competent, but he hadn't been able to see exactly how much so, given that he was dangling over her shoulders.

Since she clearly knows what she's about, he turns his attention to the ground below, watching. If they're both wrong, and there still are those creatures about, they either haven't found them or they're lying in wait. Either way, someone has to have eyes on the rear while Kerrigan scouts, and since he's the only one available, he'll have to do.

After a few long moments of stillness and silence - and then a few more, because Raistlin is nothing if not patient - he calls up softly.

"Any sign?"

[zerg_rush]

This literally her only skill set, Raistlin.

"No movement nearby, but the fairgrounds might be slightly on fire," Kerrigan's voice comes drifting from among the leaves. Fortunately, the grass there is nowhere near as dry as her voice right now. It's probably the cured wood of a stall or two burning.

"There's a break in the forest that turns into a canyon a couple hundred meters north and it's glowing, so the fairies were right about that much. The light's not constant, but it's not flickering like bad power grid would. ...Or firelight," she tacks on. If Raistlin's using herbs instead of an inhaler to treat his asthma, he probably doesn't know anything about electricity, either.

She's not going to get anything more by staying up there and squinting against the night, so Kerrigan descends, reversing her course from branch to branch with considerably less acrobatic panache this time, since going down she doesn't have to fight gravity. She stops on the branch above Raistlin, not wanting to risk any vibrations sending him off-balance. Sure, he's standing on a big, thick branch, but over their brief acquaintance, she's formed a dim opinion of his athletic prowess.

"Looks about as safe as it's going to get," she says from her crouch, pale gray armor and pale skin making her ghost-like in the gloom.

[hourglasshalfempty]

He doesn't know what a power grid is, and he doesn't dismiss it. But he will ask about it later; now isn't the time to swap stories about the wonders of their respective worlds.

"Then we should take the opportunity to move now, before the window closes." He points to the ground, still leaning on his staff. "I've noticed a game-trail. It's heavily overgrown, but that will only help conceal us, and it's heading north. I can move quietly far easier than quickly."

Her dim opinion of his physical fitness can't hold a candle to his actual condition. Dark as it is, she almost certainly hasn't realized that the packet of herbs he's been coughing into has blood-flecks on it.

[zerg_rush]

"Sounds good." Carrying Raistlin isn't fun for either of them, and Kerrigan doesn't want to risk triggering another asthma attack with even a leisurely jog. "You said you'd need a hand getting down...?" She lets the sentence trail off into a question. Without an immediate threat, she's not going to sling him around like a bag of laundry. Maybe he just wants her to hold his stick to free up both hands.

[hourglasshalfempty]

"Unfortunately. Normally my staff would - it's not working as it ought." He grimaces, pained at having to admit that much. "Once we're on the ground, I should - "

He's going to say 'be able to handle myself,' but then he remembers the state of his magic. And the power of the things hunting them. His expression gets even more pained. The woman's already saved his life once. Now he has to ask her to consider saving it again?

On second thought, death is preferable.

" - At the very least, I can cast spells without interference."

[zerg_rush]

"None of my gear is working, either," Kerrigan says, instinctively smoothing over the awkward moment. Some undercurrent to his thoughts tells her there's more behind his frustration than just wounded masculine pride, but she can't unpick that knot without violating his privacy, so she sticks that in the pile of all the other things with no explanation she's come across lately.

It's a huge pile.

"There'd have been a whole lot more dead monsters, otherwise." Very few things can shrug off anti-materiel rounds to the head, as it turns out. She huffs thinking the loss of all her high-tech equipment, but since there's nothing she can do about it at the moment, Kerrigan shoves down her annoyance to focus on the things within her power to deal with. "Anyway, I can make this pretty painless, but I'm told it feels weird."

[hourglasshalfempty]

Raistlin exhales in what could be a snort or a very soft laugh.

"Indeed. If I could do here what I normally can..." And he trails off there, realizing he's saying too much. The situation is what it is, and griping won't change things, or solve the problem in front of him.

"I would be most grateful for your assistance. And I am well accustomed to 'weird'."

[zerg_rush]

"Okay," Kerrigan says, and promptly doesn't move. Her eyes narrow as she focuses, reaching out with her mind rather than her hands. As gently as she can, she wraps Raistlin in her telekinetic grip and eases him off the branch, lowering him unhurriedly to the forest floor. It is, in fact, a lot like feather fall, but Kerrigan's psionic grip doesn't resemble that of the magic Raistlin knows. Whatever power she's tapping comes from another source.

Once he's settled, she releases her hold and follows much more quickly, hopping down to the branch where he'd been standing, and then slipping off. She can't properly grip the enormous branch, but lets the friction of her gloves against the bark slow her slide and turn a worrisome drop into an easily managed one.

"There we go." Kerrigan dusts bark bits off her hands. "Where's this game trail of yours?"

[hourglasshalfempty]

Raistlin does twitch a little as the woman's strange magic wraps around him, lifting him from the branch and lowering him gently to the ground. It is magic, he's certain, albeit of a kind he's never encountered before. Tonight is a night for new experiences. If he survives it, he's sure he'll find them enriching.

When she lands, he points silently to the opening in the underbrush. It's a very faint trail, almost invisible. He wouldn't have seen it, except that his cursed sight turns the world to winter; without leaves on the branches bending over it, it's much easier to see.

[zerg_rush]

"Damn, good eye," Kerrigan says with a nod. She almost reaches for her rifle to swing it to a patrol carry before she remembers it's just a very expensive club right now. "You want point or rea—"

At that moment, the multiverse remembers things aren't allowed to go smoothly for either of them, and thus Kerrigan delivers the final r to midair as she's teleported back to the slightly-on-fire fairgrounds.

"What the fuck."

[hourglasshalfempty]

Raistlin stares at the place where the woman was, before the wave of magical power had snatched her away.

This is really just not going to be his night, is it?

He doesn't know where she's gone, and has no way to find out. Lacking any other options, he begins to pick his way along the game-trail, alone.