Recollé Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
recollecters) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
recolle2019-02-17 05:56 pm
recollecters) wrote in recolle2019-02-17 05:56 pm
Entry tags:
February Event Pt 2
EVENT
PREMISE • RULES • FAQ • TAKEN • RESERVES • APPLICATIONS
REGAINS • HIATUS/DROPS • PLOT SUBMISSIONS • CALENDAR • MOD CONTACT • NAV
REGAINS • HIATUS/DROPS • PLOT SUBMISSIONS • CALENDAR • MOD CONTACT • NAV
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Some mild body horror/the appearance of lots of eyes (Prompt 2) and encounters with flesh-eating monsters (Prompt 5.)
Some mild body horror/the appearance of lots of eyes (Prompt 2) and encounters with flesh-eating monsters (Prompt 5.)
Prologue.
It's been a strange few weeks, hasn't it? Things might have seemed quiet and simple for many of you as you worked to boost your defenses and formulate items of balance. Some of you may have completely ignored it. Nothing was actively attacking the city this time and it may have been easy enough to figure out how to reign in your emotions. There's something driving you toward trying though, and though the iridescent sheen on your skin doesn't wear off, in the days leading up to the 17th you'll feel yourself growing stronger and more powerful. Your agility's up, along with a slight boost in strength and speed. Should you experiment, you may even find that you bleed and bruise less easily. Was this what the liaison meant about making preparations? It's hard to say given he was out of office for a while thanks to some of you.
Regardless, it's on the evening of the 17th that the clock runs out and your phone chimes again. The map you've obtained via completing this test mission will take over your screen, a red light flashing to draw your attention to the location of your silver door. The QR scanner remains embedded in the center of each door, and at this time, you may scan your newly generated QR codes. The door swings open, allowing you to peer straight into the dark and soon something materializes in your hands. Is…that…dog jerky?
Never mind that for now. Along with the jerky comes a new text message, a mass announcement to all on the app.
I got a read on the layer below. Find the centers and dismantle them to sever the bonds under the city. Clear the areas, search everything, and watch out for monsters. Their numbers grow the closer you get. Any questions, listen to Anna.
While it's not much, it's something. Naturally, you don't have to do anything. You could completely ignore the message and close the map. The doors won't pull you through themselves, but they'll remain opened almost indefinitely until used. On the other hand you may wish to attend to them lest someone off the app falls through.
Onward and forward, brave travelers.
It's been a strange few weeks, hasn't it? Things might have seemed quiet and simple for many of you as you worked to boost your defenses and formulate items of balance. Some of you may have completely ignored it. Nothing was actively attacking the city this time and it may have been easy enough to figure out how to reign in your emotions. There's something driving you toward trying though, and though the iridescent sheen on your skin doesn't wear off, in the days leading up to the 17th you'll feel yourself growing stronger and more powerful. Your agility's up, along with a slight boost in strength and speed. Should you experiment, you may even find that you bleed and bruise less easily. Was this what the liaison meant about making preparations? It's hard to say given he was out of office for a while thanks to some of you.
Regardless, it's on the evening of the 17th that the clock runs out and your phone chimes again. The map you've obtained via completing this test mission will take over your screen, a red light flashing to draw your attention to the location of your silver door. The QR scanner remains embedded in the center of each door, and at this time, you may scan your newly generated QR codes. The door swings open, allowing you to peer straight into the dark and soon something materializes in your hands. Is…that…dog jerky?
Never mind that for now. Along with the jerky comes a new text message, a mass announcement to all on the app.
I got a read on the layer below. Find the centers and dismantle them to sever the bonds under the city. Clear the areas, search everything, and watch out for monsters. Their numbers grow the closer you get. Any questions, listen to Anna.
While it's not much, it's something. Naturally, you don't have to do anything. You could completely ignore the message and close the map. The doors won't pull you through themselves, but they'll remain opened almost indefinitely until used. On the other hand you may wish to attend to them lest someone off the app falls through.
Onward and forward, brave travelers.
I.
Those who enter the doors will find themselves immediately and indefinitely falling through the dark, passing by several walls of fire, rock and soot. Dark swirls of blues and greens and purples flash before your eyes, and as you finally land you'll find yourself on a rocky shoreline next to a dark, inky river. The rocks will jab into your hands and feet, pinpricks that force you to move as your eyes adjust to the darkness.
The river gently laps against the shore, acidic and black as hand-like structures appear in the waves. Try not to draw too close; this river has the ability to make you into a blank slate...literally. The river of souls will pull you in, and as the hands lovingly wrap around you to drag you down you'll find yourself losing track of time. While you may fight them off and save yourself from the waters, it will be increasingly difficult to recover the features (both physical and emotional) that make you who you are.
On the other side of this rocky plain is another river, just as dark with white wisps floating above it. The water flows faster here, rapids bubbling underneath as it quickly moves south. There are no hands in this river, but it does appear to be a bit shallower.
The only way to proceed through this land is by crossing one of these two rivers. Even if you walk along the shore, the route is endless and you'll find yourself in an infinite loop. Those who choose the acidic river will suffer their consequences of loss, while those who choose the faster route will be struck by blinding, deliberating pain all over their body except for one particular place. Perhaps this is the small of your back, or your big toe, or even your heel. Though the pain is overwhelming, crossing to the other side will leave you powerful and invincible. Nothing can touch you or harm you…unless someone finds your weak point, that is.
No matter which river you cross, you'll find that what lies beyond are several buildings crushed and crumbling around you, black poplar trees in bloom, and the sound of silence as small, ash-like flakes float through the air. You'll recognize buildings such as the Towers, the Stardust, and other staples of the city that are wrecked beyond repair yet still standing. This land is a direct mirror of the city you love and left behind, though a few buildings are missing. Franchises that appeared seemingly overnight such as Big Bang Burger, From Dust til Dawn, and Rainbowland are nowhere to be found. The city is fairly empty, though every now and then an anguished groan or screams of pain can be heard echoing from somewhere far off. Buildings can be explored and ransacked, allowing you to stock up on supplies or items you may find useful. While most of what can be found are everyday items such as non-perishable food items, clothing and small gifts such as books and toys, a little digging will also lead you to find weapons such as crossbows, flamethrowers, healing items such as those found from the Moogle shop and Circus of Values and even items like tranquilizer darts and bear traps. Despite the path you take through the city and all districts available, your feet seem to lead you in a certain direction.
At the end of your path, three wrought-iron gates stand before you. Oh, and in front of these gates is a sleeping friend. Do your best not to awaken the creature, though he is easily roused and will attack on-sight. With a bit of luck and strategy you can slip right past him and in through one of the gates.
Will you continue? Or will you turn back?
Those who enter the doors will find themselves immediately and indefinitely falling through the dark, passing by several walls of fire, rock and soot. Dark swirls of blues and greens and purples flash before your eyes, and as you finally land you'll find yourself on a rocky shoreline next to a dark, inky river. The rocks will jab into your hands and feet, pinpricks that force you to move as your eyes adjust to the darkness.
The river gently laps against the shore, acidic and black as hand-like structures appear in the waves. Try not to draw too close; this river has the ability to make you into a blank slate...literally. The river of souls will pull you in, and as the hands lovingly wrap around you to drag you down you'll find yourself losing track of time. While you may fight them off and save yourself from the waters, it will be increasingly difficult to recover the features (both physical and emotional) that make you who you are.
On the other side of this rocky plain is another river, just as dark with white wisps floating above it. The water flows faster here, rapids bubbling underneath as it quickly moves south. There are no hands in this river, but it does appear to be a bit shallower.
The only way to proceed through this land is by crossing one of these two rivers. Even if you walk along the shore, the route is endless and you'll find yourself in an infinite loop. Those who choose the acidic river will suffer their consequences of loss, while those who choose the faster route will be struck by blinding, deliberating pain all over their body except for one particular place. Perhaps this is the small of your back, or your big toe, or even your heel. Though the pain is overwhelming, crossing to the other side will leave you powerful and invincible. Nothing can touch you or harm you…unless someone finds your weak point, that is.
No matter which river you cross, you'll find that what lies beyond are several buildings crushed and crumbling around you, black poplar trees in bloom, and the sound of silence as small, ash-like flakes float through the air. You'll recognize buildings such as the Towers, the Stardust, and other staples of the city that are wrecked beyond repair yet still standing. This land is a direct mirror of the city you love and left behind, though a few buildings are missing. Franchises that appeared seemingly overnight such as Big Bang Burger, From Dust til Dawn, and Rainbowland are nowhere to be found. The city is fairly empty, though every now and then an anguished groan or screams of pain can be heard echoing from somewhere far off. Buildings can be explored and ransacked, allowing you to stock up on supplies or items you may find useful. While most of what can be found are everyday items such as non-perishable food items, clothing and small gifts such as books and toys, a little digging will also lead you to find weapons such as crossbows, flamethrowers, healing items such as those found from the Moogle shop and Circus of Values and even items like tranquilizer darts and bear traps. Despite the path you take through the city and all districts available, your feet seem to lead you in a certain direction.
At the end of your path, three wrought-iron gates stand before you. Oh, and in front of these gates is a sleeping friend. Do your best not to awaken the creature, though he is easily roused and will attack on-sight. With a bit of luck and strategy you can slip right past him and in through one of the gates.
Will you continue? Or will you turn back?
II.
Those who enter the first gate will find themselves in a desolate suburbia. It's quiet and calm here, the screams from before lacking and the sun just a little brighter. However, it feels as though everything here is just a little too perfect. There isn't a clip of grass out of place, nor a spot of paint missing from the matching trim of each house. Every building in this large neighborhood matches in size, shape and color, and the sleepy street lulls you in further.
As you veer away from the entrance of the cul-de-sac, it becomes a little more clear that something is amiss. Though the area is perfect and beautiful, you're overcome with the sensation that you're being watched. A small, skin-crawling sort of feeling washes over you, and should you catch a glance at your hands the sensation appears to be more literal than you'd like. It's tiny, almost innocuous movements as small ripples appear in your exposed skin, a feeling of pressure somewhere in your head as slow changes overtake you. Some of you may develop claws or scales, while others will find horns beginning to sprout from your forehead or furry stripes mark your body.
Animal instincts begin to take over, aligning with the creatures you were born under. You're still very much you, of course, but the changes you undergo only worsen the longer you linger. Trying to run only shows that the gate's locked behind you, iron bars trapping you in this idyllic wasteland.
And it's then that the eyes appear. Blinking open, eyes of all shapes and colors begin to make their presence known appearing over the walls of the houses flanking the street, popping up in the centers of the picture-perfect daisies lining the sidewalk, watching from their place embedded in the picket fences and drawing ever closer. They monitor your every move, scanning you and picking you apart from their stationary place. You can't walk very far without a pair of eyes following you, but for those who look closely you'll find a small CRT TV on the porch of every house. The screens mirror your every move as though you're on camera, reflecting everything you're doing while standing on the street, and though it may become harder to focus one may soon realize that the eyes have it. Small, glass surfaces line the pupil of each eye as tiny cameras zoom in and out to get the best shot.
The answer, of course, is to render them sightless. For every camera that's covered or broken, the picture-esque scene begins to crumble away. The walls of the houses fall, flora begins to wither up and die, and the sky cracks to reveal a larger, more ominous set of cameras from above. It will take more than one group to destroy and dismantle these spy cameras. You may not be able to escape just yet, but you can certainly recruit others to join you through the gates. They'll open wide enough to let new people in at any point in time. Good luck controlling your instincts.
Those who enter the first gate will find themselves in a desolate suburbia. It's quiet and calm here, the screams from before lacking and the sun just a little brighter. However, it feels as though everything here is just a little too perfect. There isn't a clip of grass out of place, nor a spot of paint missing from the matching trim of each house. Every building in this large neighborhood matches in size, shape and color, and the sleepy street lulls you in further.
As you veer away from the entrance of the cul-de-sac, it becomes a little more clear that something is amiss. Though the area is perfect and beautiful, you're overcome with the sensation that you're being watched. A small, skin-crawling sort of feeling washes over you, and should you catch a glance at your hands the sensation appears to be more literal than you'd like. It's tiny, almost innocuous movements as small ripples appear in your exposed skin, a feeling of pressure somewhere in your head as slow changes overtake you. Some of you may develop claws or scales, while others will find horns beginning to sprout from your forehead or furry stripes mark your body.
Animal instincts begin to take over, aligning with the creatures you were born under. You're still very much you, of course, but the changes you undergo only worsen the longer you linger. Trying to run only shows that the gate's locked behind you, iron bars trapping you in this idyllic wasteland.
And it's then that the eyes appear. Blinking open, eyes of all shapes and colors begin to make their presence known appearing over the walls of the houses flanking the street, popping up in the centers of the picture-perfect daisies lining the sidewalk, watching from their place embedded in the picket fences and drawing ever closer. They monitor your every move, scanning you and picking you apart from their stationary place. You can't walk very far without a pair of eyes following you, but for those who look closely you'll find a small CRT TV on the porch of every house. The screens mirror your every move as though you're on camera, reflecting everything you're doing while standing on the street, and though it may become harder to focus one may soon realize that the eyes have it. Small, glass surfaces line the pupil of each eye as tiny cameras zoom in and out to get the best shot.
The answer, of course, is to render them sightless. For every camera that's covered or broken, the picture-esque scene begins to crumble away. The walls of the houses fall, flora begins to wither up and die, and the sky cracks to reveal a larger, more ominous set of cameras from above. It will take more than one group to destroy and dismantle these spy cameras. You may not be able to escape just yet, but you can certainly recruit others to join you through the gates. They'll open wide enough to let new people in at any point in time. Good luck controlling your instincts.
III.
Those who enter the second gate will feel the shift from rubbled pavement to something soft and malleable. The gate swings closed behind you, and the dirt beneath you gives way to your footsteps as you enter a field surrounded by magnificent guardians and fruit-bearing shrubs. The black poplars can be seen from a distance, but you aren't alone here.
Then again, it may be a little hard to navigate through this field at all seeing how there are thousands upon thousands of people here. Faces you don't recognize will listlessly watch you and even beings with indescribable features appear in the crowd. Some are more solid than others, and if you aren't careful you can easily walk right through one or more of these beings at a time. The field appears to be endless but several miles away, one can spot the makings of a small obsidian fortress. A large blue crystal can be seen mounted near the top, pulsating every now and then as it sends little shockwaves through the ground beneath your feet Something in your head seems to urge you forward toward the crystal, the inexplainable knowledge that you have to destroy it nestling between your thoughts and driving you onward.
Though the goal is in sight, it’s a dangerous road to travel on as you make you way across the field toward the fortress. The crowd thickens and brushing through the mist-like beings allows their essence to linger on your skin and seep in. Your appearance begins to change to someone you don’t recognize at all. Your age, appearance, and even your gender may begin to shift as memories begin to fill in, backstories that aren’t your own coming to light. Your motivation to step forward and destroy the crystal begins to waver heavily, and you may even stop moving at all.
If you can fight through it and hold on to who you are, the distance seems shorter and the energy radiating off of the crystal is almost palpable. Made of thick, sharp glass, this gem may be broken by physical or magical means, cracking and fragmenting with each hit. Getting up to the highest point of the fortress may give you trouble, the walls almost too slick for climbing and too high to jump. Working harder and working together to break in will be a viable option as well, and it’s only when the crystal breaks that your curse will be broken, too.
The shattering of this crystal will free you and the thousands of souls around you from the bonds tying them here. Let’s hope you have the strength to do it.
Those who enter the second gate will feel the shift from rubbled pavement to something soft and malleable. The gate swings closed behind you, and the dirt beneath you gives way to your footsteps as you enter a field surrounded by magnificent guardians and fruit-bearing shrubs. The black poplars can be seen from a distance, but you aren't alone here.
Then again, it may be a little hard to navigate through this field at all seeing how there are thousands upon thousands of people here. Faces you don't recognize will listlessly watch you and even beings with indescribable features appear in the crowd. Some are more solid than others, and if you aren't careful you can easily walk right through one or more of these beings at a time. The field appears to be endless but several miles away, one can spot the makings of a small obsidian fortress. A large blue crystal can be seen mounted near the top, pulsating every now and then as it sends little shockwaves through the ground beneath your feet Something in your head seems to urge you forward toward the crystal, the inexplainable knowledge that you have to destroy it nestling between your thoughts and driving you onward.
Though the goal is in sight, it’s a dangerous road to travel on as you make you way across the field toward the fortress. The crowd thickens and brushing through the mist-like beings allows their essence to linger on your skin and seep in. Your appearance begins to change to someone you don’t recognize at all. Your age, appearance, and even your gender may begin to shift as memories begin to fill in, backstories that aren’t your own coming to light. Your motivation to step forward and destroy the crystal begins to waver heavily, and you may even stop moving at all.
If you can fight through it and hold on to who you are, the distance seems shorter and the energy radiating off of the crystal is almost palpable. Made of thick, sharp glass, this gem may be broken by physical or magical means, cracking and fragmenting with each hit. Getting up to the highest point of the fortress may give you trouble, the walls almost too slick for climbing and too high to jump. Working harder and working together to break in will be a viable option as well, and it’s only when the crystal breaks that your curse will be broken, too.
The shattering of this crystal will free you and the thousands of souls around you from the bonds tying them here. Let’s hope you have the strength to do it.
IV.
The third gate swings shut immediately after you step through the threshold and there's no wonder why. The dimly lit, dank building sits merely yards ahead of you and the door's wide open and hanging off the hinges. Glancing at the buildings nearby just outside of the gate one might realize that the location of this facility is in the same space as the Wiffle-Waffle waffle house in the city of Recollé. Trying to step around the building appears impossible as it seems to shift with you, the door appearing before you with every movement. It's only when you enter the building that the lights flicker on from above, a soft buzzing noise filling the empty halls and giving you an overview of the area.
What must have once been a refined, beautiful facility has become dismal and rotten, cracked and falling apart with every step. Several rooms line the black and white marble hallways, each growing more desolate and dingy by the minute. Expired medications fill cabinets hanging from the wall, overturned gurneys will block your way, and as you split up and explore the sound of several beating hearts will begin to echo above the buzz of the lights. Medical charts for past visitors may be found as well indicating both physical, mental and emotional ailments that those who checked in were seeking cures for. Dated around seventy-some years ago, many of the words have smeared and smudged to become illegible.
It's only once you reach the back of the facility and begin to explore other levels that it becomes a little worse. Comfortable hospital rooms are replaced by iron-barred cells and wire bird cages meant to house adults and children alike. Glass cases fill in the spaces of walls and shelves and small, multi-colored organs seem to thrum under a watchful eye. The skittering of something clawed and alive echoes through the empty facility, and it's then that you may remember the liaison's words a bit too late.
"Their numbers grow the closer you get."
Guided by the scent of fresh opponents, panels in the room begin to burst open as swarms of creatures arrive. Some of these monsters appear to be interested in devouring you, but others will go straight for the organs instead to try and break the containers and take them for themselves. Those who attempt to stop them will be met with claws and gnashing teeth, and the wendigos will change targets immediately. Though rabid and feral, each monster also bears a small, tarnished bracelet with an identification tag attached not unlike a house arrest bracelet that bounds them to this building.
The wendigos will block the path and it becomes a question of whether you plan to try and pacify them, sneak around them, or outright kill them. Those who have dipped in the fortifying river will have an easier time fending them off, but should you be bitten the salvia seeps in rabidly and insatiable greed overrides your senses. You've always wanted to turn on your friends and rip them from limb to limb, haven't you?
The wendigos are after something as they continue trashing the facility, opening new walls and panels to reveal rows of active observation monitors, computers, and intricate cages binding organs and jars of colored smoke. Rows and rows of data fly across the screen, alarms being fed to someone afar that you've broken into this layer of existence and are working to dismantle everything. The wendigos are driven by the scent of human flesh and a tortured mind, but a clever strategist or even someone with dumb luck can trick a wendigo into destroying the research rooms. Be careful with the physical assets available to you; allowing a wendigo to touch the smoke or consume an organ will be another soul lost. Fight your way through the facility and destroy everything inside. Cut off the point of communication and kill the signal going out to free the souls and destroy the wendigos. It's then and only then that this area will be cleared and the hospital will fall silent.
The third gate swings shut immediately after you step through the threshold and there's no wonder why. The dimly lit, dank building sits merely yards ahead of you and the door's wide open and hanging off the hinges. Glancing at the buildings nearby just outside of the gate one might realize that the location of this facility is in the same space as the Wiffle-Waffle waffle house in the city of Recollé. Trying to step around the building appears impossible as it seems to shift with you, the door appearing before you with every movement. It's only when you enter the building that the lights flicker on from above, a soft buzzing noise filling the empty halls and giving you an overview of the area.
What must have once been a refined, beautiful facility has become dismal and rotten, cracked and falling apart with every step. Several rooms line the black and white marble hallways, each growing more desolate and dingy by the minute. Expired medications fill cabinets hanging from the wall, overturned gurneys will block your way, and as you split up and explore the sound of several beating hearts will begin to echo above the buzz of the lights. Medical charts for past visitors may be found as well indicating both physical, mental and emotional ailments that those who checked in were seeking cures for. Dated around seventy-some years ago, many of the words have smeared and smudged to become illegible.
It's only once you reach the back of the facility and begin to explore other levels that it becomes a little worse. Comfortable hospital rooms are replaced by iron-barred cells and wire bird cages meant to house adults and children alike. Glass cases fill in the spaces of walls and shelves and small, multi-colored organs seem to thrum under a watchful eye. The skittering of something clawed and alive echoes through the empty facility, and it's then that you may remember the liaison's words a bit too late.
"Their numbers grow the closer you get."
Guided by the scent of fresh opponents, panels in the room begin to burst open as swarms of creatures arrive. Some of these monsters appear to be interested in devouring you, but others will go straight for the organs instead to try and break the containers and take them for themselves. Those who attempt to stop them will be met with claws and gnashing teeth, and the wendigos will change targets immediately. Though rabid and feral, each monster also bears a small, tarnished bracelet with an identification tag attached not unlike a house arrest bracelet that bounds them to this building.
The wendigos will block the path and it becomes a question of whether you plan to try and pacify them, sneak around them, or outright kill them. Those who have dipped in the fortifying river will have an easier time fending them off, but should you be bitten the salvia seeps in rabidly and insatiable greed overrides your senses. You've always wanted to turn on your friends and rip them from limb to limb, haven't you?
The wendigos are after something as they continue trashing the facility, opening new walls and panels to reveal rows of active observation monitors, computers, and intricate cages binding organs and jars of colored smoke. Rows and rows of data fly across the screen, alarms being fed to someone afar that you've broken into this layer of existence and are working to dismantle everything. The wendigos are driven by the scent of human flesh and a tortured mind, but a clever strategist or even someone with dumb luck can trick a wendigo into destroying the research rooms. Be careful with the physical assets available to you; allowing a wendigo to touch the smoke or consume an organ will be another soul lost. Fight your way through the facility and destroy everything inside. Cut off the point of communication and kill the signal going out to free the souls and destroy the wendigos. It's then and only then that this area will be cleared and the hospital will fall silent.
INTERLUDE.
It will take work in all three areas and breaking down the sources of power in order to free the layer beneath the city from Vanderweele's grip. Should one area receive less attention than another, the damage done will begin to unravel and repair itself. The magic in place will strengthen and the layer will remain unstable and in Vanderweele's control. Talk to one another, Retrospecters. There are break periods between tasks you may use to update one another, strategize, and even tap out to take a breather.
Under the watchful eye of the wizard, you'll wish to stick together. Do take care not to get in over your head.
It will take work in all three areas and breaking down the sources of power in order to free the layer beneath the city from Vanderweele's grip. Should one area receive less attention than another, the damage done will begin to unravel and repair itself. The magic in place will strengthen and the layer will remain unstable and in Vanderweele's control. Talk to one another, Retrospecters. There are break periods between tasks you may use to update one another, strategize, and even tap out to take a breather.
Under the watchful eye of the wizard, you'll wish to stick together. Do take care not to get in over your head.
V.
What about those of you who choose to stay behind? The city remains, outwardly, normal as ever. The sun's shining, the birds are starting to sing again, and doors around the city appear to have a dark energy lingering around them visible to those who pass by. A black, swirling layer seems to block out the silver glint of the doors and as you look around you'll see the blue thin lines running through the ground pumping energy directly into them. With this mass encompassing the doors, your friends who have gone beyond may have a hard time coming home. The lines grow easier to see as days pass, but de-powering them will take a bit of effort. You can try to break them apart with gardening tools or standard exorcise methods, but the curious and the determined can start to follow the lines back to their source.
As you track the leylines through the city, you’ll find yourself being led right to the very center of Recollé and the ground beneath you becomes softer and easier to sink into. Lying in wait under a layer that’s grown thin rests a grotesque entity whose eye appears to be shut. Asleep and dreaming, this entity’s tentacle-like arms are moving and pulling the energy lines to rearrange them around the city, fueling the different doors and changing the direction of the darkness. It seems like it’s made itself at home and is something that’s been there for longer than you may know.
Standing too close will engage the creature, tendrils slithering up to wrap around an ankle or a wrist and bound you in place, a touch opening your mind’s eye and changing the reality you perceive. Around you you may see visions of your loved ones in pain, or oversized bugs ruling the city, or talking animals that encourage you to try to fly. The strange and uncertain begin to filter into your mind, slowly bringing themselves into reality to change the city one more time.
Breaking the bonds tying you down or simply destroying the leylines will awaken the creature. The earth begins to rumble the more it’s disturbed until eventually it uproots itself, moving to other parts of the city. It will attempt to change the reality of anyone in its path, but depending on where you try to fight it, it will retreat in the opposite direction.
Drive this creature away from the city and send it packing. It’s the only way to stop the cycle and stabilize the world around you for now, allowing for the doors to be cleared and to bring your friends home from the sixth layer.
What about those of you who choose to stay behind? The city remains, outwardly, normal as ever. The sun's shining, the birds are starting to sing again, and doors around the city appear to have a dark energy lingering around them visible to those who pass by. A black, swirling layer seems to block out the silver glint of the doors and as you look around you'll see the blue thin lines running through the ground pumping energy directly into them. With this mass encompassing the doors, your friends who have gone beyond may have a hard time coming home. The lines grow easier to see as days pass, but de-powering them will take a bit of effort. You can try to break them apart with gardening tools or standard exorcise methods, but the curious and the determined can start to follow the lines back to their source.
As you track the leylines through the city, you’ll find yourself being led right to the very center of Recollé and the ground beneath you becomes softer and easier to sink into. Lying in wait under a layer that’s grown thin rests a grotesque entity whose eye appears to be shut. Asleep and dreaming, this entity’s tentacle-like arms are moving and pulling the energy lines to rearrange them around the city, fueling the different doors and changing the direction of the darkness. It seems like it’s made itself at home and is something that’s been there for longer than you may know.
Standing too close will engage the creature, tendrils slithering up to wrap around an ankle or a wrist and bound you in place, a touch opening your mind’s eye and changing the reality you perceive. Around you you may see visions of your loved ones in pain, or oversized bugs ruling the city, or talking animals that encourage you to try to fly. The strange and uncertain begin to filter into your mind, slowly bringing themselves into reality to change the city one more time.
Breaking the bonds tying you down or simply destroying the leylines will awaken the creature. The earth begins to rumble the more it’s disturbed until eventually it uproots itself, moving to other parts of the city. It will attempt to change the reality of anyone in its path, but depending on where you try to fight it, it will retreat in the opposite direction.
Drive this creature away from the city and send it packing. It’s the only way to stop the cycle and stabilize the world around you for now, allowing for the doors to be cleared and to bring your friends home from the sixth layer.
NOTES.
Welcome torecolle's February event part two!
You can claim three freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for heading down into the sixth layer and exploring the rotting city below. This thread must be at least five comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by choosing a gate and working to help dismantle the objects and buildings there. This thread must be at least five comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by working in the city and trying to destroy the leylines. This thread must at least five comments from you.
-While the leylines will make it harder for characters to leave the sixth layer, players will have the freedom to send their characters in and out of the area as they please. While characters must complete a task once they're inside one of the three gates, they will be able to explore the main city on their own and then come back.
Finally, any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for additional information as well!
Welcome to
recolle's February event part two!You can claim three freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for heading down into the sixth layer and exploring the rotting city below. This thread must be at least five comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by choosing a gate and working to help dismantle the objects and buildings there. This thread must be at least five comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by working in the city and trying to destroy the leylines. This thread must at least five comments from you.
-While the leylines will make it harder for characters to leave the sixth layer, players will have the freedom to send their characters in and out of the area as they please. While characters must complete a task once they're inside one of the three gates, they will be able to explore the main city on their own and then come back.
Finally, any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for additional information as well!
no subject
He readies his blade to strike, snarling at her... or whatever enemy he's seeing in her place.]
F̹̱͈͕͔͉͛ͯa͉l̤͉̞̂ͤ̃̎ͦ͂͌l ̪̪͎͙̜̩͌͆ͮ̎̅͋t͍͚͈̝͚͙̮̿o̭͈ ̮̮̫̼̮̓̐̊ͥ̅͗ͯř̭͍̱͎̭̝͒́̉͂ͪu̥̹͎̪̺̭̮͒ͩ̄̈͂͐̀i̝̺͖͙̍̀̋̚n̩͉̻̖͑̉ͅ!̺͇͚̗͉
[And it's at this point that he goes to strike... or, well, he would, if a certain someone didn't go and knock him off-balance.
He does not succeed at his initial attempt to cleave her in half, thank goodness, but there's still the very real possibility he got some damage in before being knocked to the ground.
Rean turns his gaze to Crow, and for a brief moment, he almost looks... hurt. But that moment quickly passes, and soon enough it's clear that Rean's now seeing two enemies he needs to take down. His eyes narrow, and he moves to return to his feet.
Good job, Crow.]
no subject
You can thank me later, Rean.
Because he is not going to let you kill your sister. Your best friend.
Crow's eyes harden right there, with an almost heartless expression as he raises his gun up again, Freeze Shot forming right for those legs. Maybe Raina'll be smart enough to see she's outmatched in this fight...maybe she'll run and narrow this fight down to two variables.
His gun fires that ball of crystallized ice, hoping to get Rean's feet caught in it for just a moment. That's all he needs as he pulls out his cell phone, pressing it into his fist to make sure it doesn't get dropped.]
no subject
It is, however, enough to slow her down and she's definitely bleeding.
If she wasn't already reconsidering her course of action the first time she was hit, she sure as hell is now, her greed shifting into focusing on herself rather than her desire to destroy a concept that she firmly believes that she cannot have.
So.
Yeah, she's going to actually be smart and sit out of the fight proper as she's clutching at her injury with her arm in a lame attempt to stop the breathing, hence while she would want to run - her instincts are telling her to do exactly that, in fact - she's trying to keep her distance between the two; not getting any further involved in this fight.
Good luck with that, Crow...!! ]
no subject
Rean sees the shot coming and manages to get out of the way enough that only one of his feet winds up trapped, and even then he could probably break out of it with some effort.
At this distance, though, he doesn't need to in order to do damage.
With another growl, he raises his blade and cleaves into the air, sending the resulting shockwave hurtling toward Crow.
Might want to call 1-800-Elliot a little faster, there, Crow, because as soon as that's done he's turning his attention to his trapped foot, digging for his ARCUS. What's the point of fireballs if not melting ice?]
no subject
Freeze shot hits its mark, although not completely. One foot was better than none at all, and he's pretty sure it's his marksmanship that he has to thank for that. Relief floods his body for a second, turning back to his phone to put Elliot on speed dial--
Oh.
His eyes widen as Rean roars, sending that shockwave directly at him. And while Crow's reflexes are pretty catlike, there's no way to avoid that attack. The shockwave rips into his shoulder, from the top down to his side, sending him against the wall with a sickening impact. Blood seeps out onto his clothes, not as deep as some cuts he's seen but certainly enough to be an issue.
Damn. He left Tear with Elliot...
ELLIOT!!
His mind's swimming from the pain, holding his phone up to his ear and letting it ring. At least the underworld has reception...]
Elliot?
Elliot, listen. I need you here stat! Rean's gone nuts--his hair's white and his eyes are red and he's attacking everything he can lay his eyes on. Like his own sister.
I'm trying to keep him distracted but I could REALLY use you right--Don't you DARE break out of that ice, Rean Schwarzer!
[He's just going to aim that gun right for Rean's ARCUS, trying to fire it out of his hands without HITTING him.]
no subject
Crow-?
[oh, Oh Crow's talking a mile a minute and none of it's good. Elliot feels the blood drain from his face. This is...this is very bad]
Oh no- I'm on my way! I'm just a few rooms over, just hold out until then!
[He hangs up the phone and starts running for the room. Crow you're gonna have to keep them at bay for the next minute before help arrives]
no subject
thiś ̴is w͝h͝at ̶i͢ ͘wa̡s ̡tr̶y҉in͝g͜ ̢to ̶s̶top. ̷i͠s͝n̡'̶t ͏it̛?͞
̀
hav͠e̡ ҉í f̶ai͏ļęd͡ y͟o̸u a̷ga͡i͏n?
́į'̡m ̧s̸or̕r͠y
Hitting the thing he's holding for dear life without hitting him is... going to be pretty much impossible, sorry, Crow. On the plus side, though, that makes him an easy target to hit.
He lets out a cry, pain and shock from the cold, followed by a noise that's still not even remotely human but manages to sound something akin to despair.
So, Rean's incapacitated for now, more by his own misery than Crow's shots. He probably could struggle through, if he really wanted to, but hat's not really the case right now.
Which will be good for when Elliot shows up! Unfortunately, it does leave him (and Crow) pretty open to whatever Raina decides to do from here.]
no subject
does she really want this?
-to fulfill that desperate need to get what she wants, even if it means hurting someone to do just that.
Maybe she's at a disadvantage, but surely Crow wouldn't see it coming if she goes in with a free claw to strike soon after Rean's knocked out, right? ]
no subject
So instead, he generates a playing card out of thin air, throwing it down into his leg. The card dissolves as soon as it hits his pant leg, covering him in a slight sheen for just a second as he holds up his arm.
That claw might strike, but it's going to feel like she just jammed her fingers into a brick wall.
Not today, Dragon Satan.]
no subject
That's...pretty random.
Well even more random is that beneath their feet, flowers sprout up from the floor and bloom until they are standing their own beds of colorful flowers. Over the calming music, there's the sound of birds singing? The singing comes from three teal song birds who flutter down from the ceiling and land on each of their shoulders.
As they do? The three of them will be hit with a wave of healing magic. Any injuries they got will start to fix themselves up- maybe completely if they're lucky. Not only that, but for Raina and Rean, it'll feel like they've been brought back to their senses. Even any remaining wendigos in the room will be pacified and cleansed.
The music will end, and the birds will disappear into light as the healing finishes.
In the doorway, there's Elliot with his green orbal violin, looking relieved but definitely winded. That was a heavy duty spell he just cast]
Whew...Sorry I'm late. Is everyone alright?
no subject
His hair returns to its natural black, his eyes to their now-usual lavender, and he's breathing heavily as well.
For a moment, he just looks unfocused, lost.]
I...
[The look in his eyes is one that Crow and Elliot will be familiar with. Whatever took hold of him has let go, but he's still not here, his mind trapped in the memories of Erebonia.
He's a child, now, staring wide-eyed into the gory abyss of what must have been a monster once. The snow at his feet is dyed a brilliant red, and so is he. There's a brush-cutting blade in his hand, thickly coated in the monster's blood.
He did this? But how? And it's then that he hears soft sobs coming behind him, turning to see—]
Elise...?
[And she's there, she's crying and looking at him positively terrified, but—
No, this isn't his sister, is it? It was his sister, but it isn't anymore. Then who is? Who...
Oh, god. Raina.
The memory lets him go, and he looks up. Immediately, his gaze focuses in on the bloodied slashes into Raina and Crow's clothing, and it doesn't take much from there for him to look, horrified, at his own blade and see the blood on it. Just like...
Unlike with the kissing disease, his memories of this are quick to return to him, and if he had any weaker of a stomach, it'd be enough to make him sick right here. As it is, though, he's forcing himself back to his feet. He's unsteady, but it'll be enough. It'll have to be.
He wants to at least apologize to them, but the words don't come. His throat feels like it's closing up, there's a tight knot in his chest, his veins are ice and his stomach is pure acid.
In the heat of the moment, there's only one thing he can think to do.
Turning from all of them, his bangs falling to cast shadows over his eyes, he runs, as fast as his legs will carry him.
Bye, don't follow him.]
no subject
Once the healing sets in, she can feel herself go back to her senses. And yet, the feelings she had just moments before still linger, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. One that almost makes her feel sick to the pit of her stomach and even makes her turn pale in the face, terrified as she takes steps away from the group, distancing herself.
And then there's Reanー
Her brother, who seems to be off in his own little world but seems to see somebody completely different, to the point where he even says a name.
Elise.
She doesn't know who that person is, but she can make a vague and loose guess, but before she can even open her mouth, he turns tail and bolts as fast as he can.
Ah.
That's fine, isn't it? After all, after what she tried to do and wound up practically forcing his hand - at least, in her eyes - running would be the best option. Because she was the one who fucked up, and that's why—
[I tried to make things official with Nagase yesterday, but she turned me down.]
—she hears that voice in her head, almost so clearly like it were yesterday, but she knows what it is. A recollection from her other self.
A sudden memory telling her things she didn't want to hear. Not now, when she's already emotionally kicked down by her own doing! She shakes her head as the rest of it plays out, knowing that the sudden feelings connected to the memory don't matter right now.
What matters is the current situation. She can't stay here. After all, she can't let people just look after her like knights would.
So she chooses the best option.
One that she personally believes would be the best for all of them so that they can't get hurt... no, so that she can protect herself from having people hate her guts even more than they probably already do.
She turns on her heel and immediately flies out of the vicinity, in the direction they came from. Back to the real city.
Bye, guys!! ]
no subject
Well.
Let's just say Elliot no longer needs to feel in debt for all Crow's help in getting his music anywhere.
It works like a charm, too, his skin practically stitching itself back together effortlessly and the bleeding stopped like it never even happened. Were the clothes not torn and stained, you'd never guess he'd been hit there (there may be a scar underneath, but details).
Pushing himself back up to a sitting position, he's able to make eye contact with Rean for just a second before the boy takes off, Raina soon after. The words were a bit muddled from his brain taking in too much stimuli at once, but...he could make out the fear he saw in those eyes, and the painful way Raina backed up from all of them before taking off herself.
That...just left him and Elliot, although he's not even sure where the hell Elliot's at right now.
With a grunt, he pushes himself to his feet, back still aching from hitting the rocks at just the wrong angle...]
Damn...
no subject
[He had been catching his own breath from the magic, so there was no hope of grabbing them before they left the room (okay even if he wasn't winded there was no hope). He can only watch as the two of them run off, his own eyes wide as he's trying to process everything going on.
Basically he's this gif. You know that one. You know exactly what it is.
He's a little stunned as to what he should do. Chase after Rean? Chase after Raina? But just then, Crow speaks up, reminding him that he's there. So excuse him as he rushes over to him]
Crow...
[He's looking over to see if Crow can still move okay, then glancing around to the two directions Rean and Raina went off]
This is bad...
no subject
Tell me about it...
Raina looks like she's heading back up...Did Rean go that direction too?
[Or did he go further down..]
no subject
Um...n-no. I think he went the other way.
no subject
That's what I was afraid of. Raina went back so she should be okay, but I still wanna make sure she's gotten out.
Splitting up sounds like a bad idea, though...
[He looks both directions.]
no subject
[Disney princessing takes a lot of energy okay. That's why so many of them fall into deep magic sleeps]
Rean's the one heading deeper into the place, so we should go after him first?