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buttrinthum2023-10-10 09:26 pm
OOC INTRO + INTENSE EVENT PLOTTING: OCTOBER
• OOC INTRO + CR MEME •For new players, welcome to the game! And for current players, thanks for sticking around! This post will act as an ooc intro for new players, a CR meme for everyone, and a place to make some plans for our next event which will go live on October 12th. You're more than welcome to get a head start and make closed logs for your plotting.
Below you will see the CR meme form + the Intense Event in all of its entirety... You may use this to plot out the rest of your month!.
cw: horror elements, hallucinations (auditory, visual, physical sensations), mood altering elements (fear/discomfort), shared visions, emotional distress linked to loved ones, nightmares linked to harm and death.
It can start off as a prickling sensation on the back of the neck.
For some, it might be familiar - the strange feeling of being watched, as if the gaze of something is unblinking, stalking their steps as they move around Somnius. Turning, looking around, there reveals nothing unusual, nothing that might be out of place, even if the town can sometimes be a little on the… Weird side. But it doesn’t stop there, and the more characters try to resist, the more they try to search for the watching, the worse it becomes.
As the hours go by, it seems to grow in its intensity. What began as just the odd feeling of being watched and observed grows and grows into what can only be described as fear pressing down and almost overtaking the body. Shadows appear in the corner of your eyes, the feeling of phantom hands or breathing brushes over the skin, sneaking into character’s physical space and trying to overtake it.
If characters try to ignore the strange, phantom feelings, it may result in feeling as if the strange sensation is determined to get at them. It gets worse over time, from fleeting touches and the appearance of strange images in their eyeline - shadows, shapes, the hiss of a creature in their ear. The sounds will depend on what the characters fear the most; it could be an animal, a person, a sound, an echo - but the more they ignore it, the more profound and real the illusions become.
The intensity of these illusions and hallucinations can vary - but the more they are ignored or denied, the worse they become, to the point where it could be the only thing that can be seen and heard.
What may become obvious to characters who have been in Somnius for a little while is that their particular hauntings seem eerily familiar. Those who might have seen a rather suspicious message may recognise that some of the things they inadvertently confessed seem to be coming to life around them. The person they love most of all can sometimes feature in these strange visions - often too far away to say or do anything, but with a sense of hopelessness, as if something is happening to them.
If the person you love happens to be present? It becomes harder and harder to see the real them. Only the illusion seems to break through.
The townsfolk don’t seem to be at all affected by the strange goings-on, as if they’re totally blind to the strange magic, but if asked for help? They offer one thing: things are always better with a friend nearby. Perhaps a little company might help people face their fears better? It seems as though physical touch with someone else is something of an anchor - or it could lead to you sharing your fears with one another. Perhaps whatever is causing this only wishes to cause havoc.
When characters go to sleep, the strange illusions do not stop. They emerge instead as nightmares - ranging from memories returning to haunt, visions of events from the last few months going far worse than reality, or the worst things a character can imagine stalking their dreams. Some might be trapped in these nightmares for hours - but, as the townsfolk said… Sharing is caring. Having someone to cuddle might just ease the burden.
cw: ghosts, emeto, possession, blood, wounds
If waking nightmares and fears aren't bad enough, the atmosphere around Somnius just feels oppressive as the month settles its tendrils in. Locals certainly seem to be on edge as the month gets to be about halfway over, spending the daylight hours preparing for something on the horizon. Most of them, when asked, refuse to answer any questions when asked what they're doing. They seem avoidant as they have in the past, and depending on how characters have interacted with them in times like these before they might even be a little more hostile than usual, saying that they don't care what happens to them, to stay out of their way they have THINGS to do! More generous townsfolk might be inclined to tell characters they need to prepare for The Waning. It's cryptic at best, but those who are observant will definitely notice there's a certain level of harried preparation.
Special Lanterns are being hung outside townsfolk's homes, and they glow an eerie blue green at night. There's a special stall for these lanterns but the cost is strange. Not only do they require the blood of 2 to 4 characters to make, but they also seem to require a ritual amongst those who contribute. Crimes and wrongdoings must be confessed before the magic will take hold and the lantern will be lightable. Luckily, this only has to be done once, but the more guarded the crime the brighter the lantern will glow at night, which is important...
Other townsfolk busy themselves drawing sigils on occupied homes and on tapestries that are posted around the perimeter of the graveyard near the white windmill. These sigils are made using the dirt and clay from the graveyard itself, and are intricately drawn with much care spent on just how they're written. Younger generations of the townsfolk will even offer to draw these sigils on the characters themselves. It doesn't matter where, an arm, their back, a leg, their face— the location isn't important. But the material is. It's the same stinky, slick concoction made from the graveyard dirt, and it is hideous. Once it's on the character's skin it's near impossible to get rid of, and what's worse is stuff starts to grow from it. It's all organic, don't worry. Moss, mushrooms, a little slime. It's all almost miniature in size, growing only where the sigil has been drawn.
As the Moon rises high in the night, full and bright, the Graveyard awakens, but not with anything undead. The spirits of the creatures that live here are restless, pulled from the earth by twisted magic that characters may have been made aware of should they have the trust of the townsfolk. These spirits are not benevolent and in fact, have one goal in mind. They want to walk the earth and feel the sun on their faces just like the living would. They will seek out unwarded townsfolk and characters, using their spiritual power to overtake the character's control of their mind and body. In the shadows and the daylight, it's hard to tell what's wrong. Listless and just not quite right, characters might just complain of aches and pains and want to be left alone. Others might be inclined to travel to the graveyard, into the darkness and they definitely want you to come with them.
It's strange that it's the moon that has pulled these spirits from the earth, since it is also the moonlight that exposes what's really going on with those who are acting strangely. Ghosts have tangled themselves in and around their chosen victim. Some sit up on their shoulders and grasp their necks, others are dragging along behind them while holding their ankles. Others still might even partially merged with their victims, pulling at their faces or arms. It's gruesome to see, but this is their weakness now that they can be seen, their hold on their victims is weakened and it is possible to get the victim to listen to reason and get them help. But how?
Guess you're going to have to eat dirt. Literally. It's a nasty solution, but the townsfolk insist that much like the solution the sigils are drawn with, the graveyard dirt is what holds the properties to quell the spirits. Forcing victims to ingest graveyard dirt fresh from graves will do the trick. They'll have to keep it down for a little while of course, but after a while it doesn't matter so much. The spirits will then be expelled from the victims bodies in an almost violent manner. They'll leave behind wounds and bruises from where they were holding onto their victims for one, and second, their victims will feel week for a while afterwards. It'll be important to keep those affected by this under close watch because once possessed, they're more susceptible to being possessed again.
Luckily, by the 25th, the threat of The Waning subsides, and there will be little to worry about in the night again. Except— those sigil tattos might be around for another month or two... Hopefully you didn't pick something on your face? Or let a child draw them...
cw: forced situation, potential character specific triggers (trick)
Throughout the month of October, residents of Somnius will see a new face coming to town. A large faun, standing nearly ten feet tall, with a mystical satchel around his waist– he’s here to spread some magical (?) cheer. Unlike back home as some Dreamers may know, trick-or-treating consists of residents going around the neighborhood and knocking on doors to receive a treat. It’s a little bit of the opposite, here, as the faun will travel to certain areas of Somnius. He’ll start at the castles, then the cottages, the treehouses, mushroom houses and then the hill houses. At each neighborhood, he will knock on the doors of Dreamers (and only Dreamers; not the townsfolk) inviting him into the middle of the neighborhood for a fun game.
“Gather around and play my game! I have a special surprise for each and everyone of you!”
Dreamers are encouraged to sit in a circle on the ground with the faun in the middle. An unsettling feeling will fall over them anytime he looks at them in the eyes and he will approach each and everyone carefully. Once characters are in a circle, they will find they are immobilized and cannot move once they have taken a seat.
“Trick? Or a treat? Reach into my bag and find out!”
Only when characters have received their trick or treat may they be willing to move once more. The faun will continue throughout the month before disappearing into the labyrinth.
Dreamers who wish not to participate in his game will not be affected. Dreamers are only welcome to play the game once. When asked who he is, he will say that his name is Naiche and dwells from a land that is long since forgotten.
The trick or treat prompt will be an RNG Prompt with the outcome being good or bad for each character. There is no option for wanting only a good outcome or a bad outcome and no chances to re-roll. Characters may make a prompt based on what neighborhood they reside in to see who may be in their circle at the time of receiving their trick or treat. Trick or Treats will close on October 18th CST.
no subject
TREAT
A treat!
Tighnari will receive a potted plant that looks like a plant he has never seen before. Holding the plant under sunlight will heal injuries. The best thing about this? It works on everyone. Just let them hold the plant under sunlight! It can also produce sap that can be used as a poison against enemies. Dip arrows in it and fire, splash it on their bodies, have them ingest it.. it will cause temporary paralysis.. enough time to flee! But it will cause no harm to Tighnari. The plant cannot die. Use it to your aid.