deercountry | now your tearin through the pages and the ink

now your tearin through the pages and the ink

DECEMBER 2022 EVENT

Due to the cyclical nature of Trench, LAST YEARS EVENT PROMPTS are also open to players. Please be sure to mark if you are using this years prompts or last years prompts to avoid confusion for players.

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Animal paw print in the snow. ]
[Image Two: A close up of a hissing cat's mouth. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Hands underneath cracking ice. ]
[Image Two: A dark, snowy river bed in the woods at night under the moon and clouds. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A woman lying in the snow, her face covered by her hair. ]
[Image Two: Bloody handprints in the snow. ]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

WHEN: December
WHERE: Throughout Trench, particularly near the woods.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Paranoia, fear, violence, possible murder, reality questioning

Dorothea seems to be off. She's more skittish than usual, even to those she may have formed even the slightest of connections to. Her own patrons will notice that she still acts like a cornered animal whenever someone gets too close. Her hair might puff up, she shrinks back from touch, and she's quick to bite if she feels she has to defend herself. People can put two and two together pretty easily: whatever illness that has made the Tower so odd has spread out to others.

The fear she's feeling will slowly start to spread out through the month. Those who have Dorothea as their patron Pthumerian will start to feel the impacts earlier than others, but soon it's going out into the general Sleeper population. It starts off with a tiny voice in the back of the mind, one that alerts danger, even if there isn't anything immediately threatening in the area. It's quiet at first, but becomes louder and louder, until the fear becomes overwhelming.

People will start to respond to it with their natural instincts of fight, flight, or freeze. Some people might try to blend into the background and keep away from strong social settings. Others might start to lash out, fighting with anyone who crosses their path because they could be the threat. People can even go so far as to try to kill those they're close to simply because they don't trust them to be safe.

But that rational side might still try to break through. The constant tug of war can leave people questioning what's real, where the danger really is coming from, or if there was any danger to begin with. It's hard to get the answers or to calm down enough to look for concrete proof when the heart is racing as fast as it is, clouding the mind from being able to handle reason.

If a Sleeper fights their natural instinct and tries to trust others, the effects seem to lessen, but they never fully go away. The small underlying feeling of fear will be there throughout the month, no matter how hard someone tries to fight it.

Note: Not everyone will be hit by this curse. You may opt-out by simply having your character not be effected. For those who are already dealing by paranoia or distrust from their blood impacts, the effects will be that much stronger and more difficult to fight, and more likely to escalate to violence.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

COLD AS ICE

WHEN: December
WHERE: ???
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible drowning, being trapped under ice, claustrophobia

It feels like a dream, but the world around is so solid and real, it's hard to tell if that's true. Everything is pitch black at first and the Sleeper stuck in this new place will feel a heavy weight on their chest. What's most noticeable right off the bat is how cold it is. Colder than it was back in Trench, an almost stabbing pain all over the skin, and it wouldn't be over the top to worry about frost bite. The pressure that's pushing onto the Sleeper's chest will become more noticeable all around them, like there's some sort of vice grip on their entire body.

A beam of moonlight breaks through the darkness and it's then that they are able to tell where they are: under water. Trapped under the ice of a large lake, one where shore seems completely out of reach. Swimming to the top will make it clear that while the ice has cracks on the very surface of it, they're superficial, and it may feel difficult to break through. Trying to use powers to break through the ice will make it clear very quickly that powers don' work in this water.

Is this it? Is that the end? Continuing to swim to try and find a hole may feel pointless, but those who choose to will eventually find that they run into another Sleeper or two. It's hard to communicate underwater, likely, especially when it seems like the omnis don't work to project thoughts to one another the way they usually do. But if the Sleepers can figure out how to communicate, they might find that coordinating their movements to push up against the ice will start to make a loud, rumbling noise fill the water.

The ice is starting to crack. It just takes team work.

Fighting one another or resisting will bring about the very obvious feeling of drowning. Even those who can breathe under water will find that they are unable to in these moments. The only option to get out is to work as a team. So long as they cooperate, Sleepers can break a hole through the ice, escaping the frozen water.

Crawling through the hole in the ice will bring them out of a manhole in a random street of Trench. The lake will be gone and the water too. Those who don't crawl out fast enough behind their teammates will find that the hole disappears entirely and they're forced to start all over.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

NOW YOU SEE ME

WHEN: December
WHERE: Trenchwood
CONTENT WARNINGS: Murder, demons, supernatural, violence, abuse, other awful fairy tale themes

There's one thing that's always nice about the holiday seasons lining up across so many worlds: people get to share the stories of their homelands with one another. Traditions are passed down, legendary figures are explained. People will find that they're even more compelled to share stories from their home, whether it's about a winter holiday they deeply enjoy, or even fairy tales that they were told as children. Th urge to share will feel completely natural, even if it's just to one person rather than a whole group.

But there's always a catch in Trench. As stories are shared, the figures that they're focused on will start to manifest throughout the city as actual, real beings. Santa Claus, shoemaking elves, Snow Queens... Anything is up for grabs, but they won't be exactly like the figures that people spoke of. Their eyes will glow a deep red and their skin will be covered in bleeding wounds, dripping red paths across the snow. These strange versions of these legendary beings will haunt the streets of Trench, attacking anyone they see who doesn't look like them.

It will become clear that there's violent demons about as Trenchies (or even Sleepers) start to show up dead in the snow. Their deaths never seem to be gentle, but instead a clear product of a frenzied blood lust. People may have been brutally stabbed, or ripped to pieces and scattered. Even if the characters in a Sleeper's story were good people, even heroes, their Trench counterparts only want to destroy.

Killing these demons at least seems to be extremely easy. Luring them in with a blood sacrifice is probably the simplest, but people can try to find them and corner them throughout the city as well. Destroy their eyes and the demons will vanish. This can be done by attacking the face directly or by cutting off the head and destroying it. This information is not readily available however, so it will have to be done by trial and error until Sleepers can start to share the information with one another as the month goes on.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Robby sees the bottle when it's presented to him, vision still a little dazed, but takes it without a fight. His hand trembles, but he puts the drink to his lips and throws back his head to make it go down.

It tastes like shit, but he swallows and drops the bottle. A look taken at his dad, though he already knows there's blood there on him. Still: ]

You should-- too.

[ He's only waiting to stand up for some hope the slur in his head will go, but give him a minute to try, even if the potion won't kick in that quickly. No matter if it still hurts -- his leg is going to keep hurting like a bitch for a while, anyway. ]

[He watches Robby for a minute as if expecting the potion to have some sort of instant reaction.

But the next words that come from Robby knock him out of that and he shrugs.]

Yeah. After you're good.

[That was his priority. Johnny didn't care what happened to him as long as Robby was safe. And he doesn't wait for Robby to stand up either. He kneels down and moves to lift Robby up in the best way he can without agitating the injured leg.]

Let's get you home.

We'll figure out what to do next from there.

[Johnny's fully aware that could mean staying or leaving. And he's okay with that too.]

[ There's a grunt as he's picked up, a sound that might lead into a protest if the way he grabs and pulls at the shoulder of Johnny's shirt is any indication. But Robby seems to think better of it, though he doesn't let go. He just keeps a hold of it to stop his arm from hanging, his eyes closed to help him ignore this.

Because it's humiliating for him. The first time in ages outside of the dojo that his dad's seen him, and it's like this, carrying him. When he already feels weak nine times out of ten in this place, is. There's a fight he wants to start in his throat, about how this doesn't mean anything, it doesn't make anything better between them. Fights between them are so easy to start.

Even just a simple asshole might suffice, but he doesn't let out any of them. Robby's omen - watching the pair of them initially, knowing the way Robby wants to struggle, but doesn't - leads them back on the route that Robby had been trying to take, to get them to the house. It's along one of the farther out roads, the omen nodding to the house as it comes into view, then hurrying ahead so as to disappear through the door in smoke.

As they close in, they'll see the door's been left open, ajar, into a small front hall. There's a living room on the left, to the right the kitchen. ...and an omen coming down the stairs doing its best to drag down some towels for the pair.

But before any of that, once they get to the porch, Robby will try to demand in a sullen voice: ] --I can walk myself in.

[ He has to say he tried once to be defiant. ]

[Johnny can feel the tension between the two of them once he's got Robby off the ground. That part of him that's always expecting a fight is ringing in the back of his head. But he tries his best to push that down and ignore it. There were more important things to worry about and he didn't want his own fear to push him away. He also keeps his mouth shut hoping to avoid starting something himself.

But they reach the door and he hears Robby finally speak up- And there's a part of him that wants to ignore him and keep carrying him. He's too hurt to walk on his own.

But Johnny stops and looks to Robby.]

Yeah- But you probably shouldn't.

...If I let you- Will you at least lean me to keep your weight off that?

[ There's a deep breath Johnny will hear Robby take. He doesn't look at him, even if their faces are this close. ]

Are you gonna give me a choice? [ It's sour, but not a no. ] I'm not dying.

[ Probably. He still feels like shit, and those words are better said without a calf that feels like something awful, without the slight heaviness in his breath. But he wants to keep some semblance of pride, thanks. ]

I'm giving you one right now.

[And Johnny will shift to set Robby down, making sure to stay on the side of his bad leg if he'll let him support him.]

Look. I know for a fact I can't make you do anything here. But...

Is walking up there with a bummed leg what you really what you want to do?

[ Success, he's down on one foot. He tests the injured one once, the pain not in his feet, but as he applies more weight. It's not impossible, but he's not that stubborn, doesn't hate Johnny that much. ]

Just take us to the kitchen? It's on the right. [ Even with his irritable reply. He's grabbing onto his father's arm regardless, ready to be helped inside, while in that time, his omen has gathered the towels near to a table where some chairs have been pushed out for sitting on. It's been waiting at the door for them, but will walk into the kitchen as they do, keeping out of the way. Unfortunately, there's only so much the creature can do. ]

Right-

[Johnny looks past the irritable tone. It's hard for him as there is always that immediate urge to fight back. But... He was helping and Robby was letting him help. That mattered to more to him than anything in the world.

That same sense of terror was pulling at his gut, but he didn't want to back down.]

Right.

[He keeps it short and simple. Anything more and he knows he risks pushing things too far. But he does his best to support what weight Robby does decide to leaning on him for the moment.

He guides them along to the kitchen and sees the towels and chair that the omen has set aside. Once he's got Robby seated he'll take a look around. His own injuries sting but he's still more worried about Robby leg at the moment.]

I- Uh- You- Or we should get bandaged up.

Do you have any frozen peas or anything?

[ He's still dizzy a fair amount, his limbs can't decide if they're jelly or weigh like bricks, so it's good that he's got his dad to help him. Robby grunts as he settles in the seat, steadying his vision for a second, but already peeling off his rucksack. ]

He's got the potion, [ Robby's omen speaks for him, still with a distorted version of Robby's voice. But his son does speak next, the bag on his lap. ]

--Can you put that kettle on? It works. [ You know, since...not many places have kettles. But not all places have Tory and her abilities to pop into existence anything she remembers, and to hook them up to lunar energy. But that's not why Robby speaks with less a bite now, a tad quieter. He's gotten his first good look at his dad, his clothes bloodied and just-- a mess.

It twists at his gut with guilt, just making the self-pity worse. ]

We need to get cleaned up, [ he goes on, regardless. ] Before we get out any ice. There's-- bowls in the cupboard near the window. The bandages are in the drawer under the sink.

[ Which are all by each other, the sink sitting under the window. He's managed to get out the other bottle, and he thinks about it before holding it out; not knowing if Johnny's going to insist grabbing everything first, or if he'll deal with himself, first.

Robby can't complain, either way. He can't even help right now. ]

[Johnny just stares down at the omen for a second. He never knew what to make of these things. So it's easier when Robby speaks up and starts telling him what to do. This he was good at.

He moves over toward the kettle and places it on the stove. It takes a second as he figures out how to work it but it comes on.

From there he reaches over to cupboards and drawers to get the bandages and bowls. Before long they're at Robby's side.]

Yeah- Let's get you cleaned up first. That's my priority here. I'll be okay.

[He's bloody and bruised and definitely not okay. There's a blink and he sees Robby holding out the potion. There's a moment where he does consider pushing it away. He was stubborn and more worried about Robby than himself at this moment. But- He remembers what LaRusso told him about caring for Robby's feelings too. He pauses and takes the potion.]

Okay- I guess I probably should take one of these too.

[ Enjoy the wonderful herby gross taste on your tongue, dad. Robby watches him with the slightest of squints, but that's more his head than anything else, his face easing once he looks away from him. The omen moves to Robby's side on the opposite of his father, and Robby starts shifting off his coat slowly, biting back more than heavy sighs from leaving him. ]

I can clean myself. [ Stubborn dad, meet stubborn son. But it's softer than what it could be, something that needs to be said, a reminder before a cold shoulder. Even if leaning down to get to his trouser leg and rolling it up makes him dizzy, have to pause before he gets his hands down.

What else could he do? If he were alone. This is what he would have to do. ]

[Johnny hates it, thanks. It's almost a little childlike how he sort of gags it down. But he's made the attempt here.

He eyes the omen as it shifts more toward Robby's side. Robby's words give him a little pause but he nods.]

Yeah. I know you can do it yourself. I'm just saying I'm here if you need it.

[There's an awkward pause and he shifts back toward the counter and leans against it. He exhales because it's hard for him to talk about this- To say what he really means.]

And I don't mean just like right now- But whenever.

Don't start. [ It's not an instant response, but it's close enough. Something like annoyance needs to grip at his chest, readying in anticipation for what's to come next. Been here, done this before. End it. ]

I've got other people, this was a fluke. [ He's rolling up his trouser leg as he speaks, a bite on his lip as he has to get it over the puncture wounds. ] This doesn't change anything I said.

[ Whatever he said, he doesn't recall. But he's pretty sure it embodied, leave me alone. ]

[Johnny knows the tone. And there’s a moment where he feels that need go back off and get away from the situation.

He knows he’s earned this- that he doesn’t deserve the chance. But he lingers on what he talked with LaRusso.

His hands clench a little harder against the counter.]

Yeah. I get it. I know you can take care yourself and that there are other people here too.

[There’s a pause before he adds in.]

…But is that what you really want?

[ There's a laugh from his throat, a scoff as it comes out bitterly wrung. He's got the pant leg up enough, he thinks, and takes a small pause. ]

You think this is about what I want? Why don't you stay away, and then I can't use Paul to get at you? [ Ah, now he remembers pieces, sarcasm thick in his mouth. ]

Yeah, he's a real badass for putting up with you.

[It stings hearing it said like that. But Robby isn't wrong.]

Yeah. He is. He got dragged into the middle of our and took it like a champ when he didn't have to.

[Johnny wasn't lying about what he said about all that.]

And I set him up to do it. Used him like a shield to duck out of taking responsibility for what was actually going on there.

[There's a pause and he looks down at his hands and then back up to Robby.]

Because I was afraid you wouldn't want me to be there. And instead of actually trying I made a half assed attempt and let shit fall apart.

[ That's the problem with throwing another person in as an attack, isn't it? The answers can still sting, and he wants to chew out Paul for things that hadn't bothered at the time -- just because his dad agrees, and he wants to fight that.

Robby stares at the floor instead, biting down hard on his teeth. He was meant to be over this. ]

Great. [ He finally straightens, enough to look at the table after a second of dizziness. Avoiding Johnny despite the parts of his shirt visible in his view, but there's the bowl there, the cloth he wants to take and wring out. ] Good for you. I bet everyone will be so proud of you for being honest.

[ He does look at Johnny then, a glance, just to say: ]

'Least you tried.

Maybe.

[He gives a faint shrug. He takes in that glance because at least if anything Robby had at least looked at him.]

I only really give a shit about a handful of people in this shit hole. I couldn't care less about the rest of them think. I'm not here to impress, or jump through hoops to act how they think I should.

I didn't try- And I did dealt you a shitty hand by doing it.

[ Why won't he give up already?

It's annoying, throwing shit at his dad and never getting what he wants. Because he's not being angrier, because his dad won't rise properly to the challenge. It has Robby chewing on the inside of his lip as he leans again, starting to dab the cloth around his wound. The medicine's doing more work, but the contact still stings.

He should just kick him out. He should tell him he doesn't care until he actually listens, until he goes himself. ]

Just tell me what you want, [ Robby says instead, tired, impatient. ]

[On any other day, Johnny might haven given up and thrown in the towel. But... He's messed up his chances here more times than he can count and he desperately doesn't want to do it again.]

I just... Wanted to say I'm sorry for all that shit properly.

And- I want to know what you want for real.

If you want me to go, I'll go. If you want me to stay, I'll stay.

But that's up to you.

[ He can feel trails of the water making their way down against his sock, a muddied orange colour when mixed with his blood. It'd be easier just to deal with this than his dad, too, and it's not the pain that eventually makes him sigh, but- ]

What does it matter? Staying, or going? What's the difference? You stay, and what happens? Everything goes back to the way it was? You know, [ he goes on, voice rising, his posture too, the cloth in his hands as he gestures meaninglessly with them, ] this isn't some thing where we sit here and I tell you every reason I'm mad at you. Why should I?

And if that makes me the asshole unwilling to give this a shot, then fine. But if I've been here four months and you can't figure out why I wouldn't wanna bother, then this was never gonna work in the first place.

[ It was the first time you ever visited me, he wants to throw out, but he bites it back instead. Pushes the cloth into the water a little too roughly, letting an orange tinge dye into it. ]

[Johnny shrugs a little helplessly.]

Look- I don't know exactly. I'm trying to figure this out as I go along and I don't really know what I'm doing.

I just mean- If you want to try and work things out. I want to do that. If you don't want to work things out. I don't want to turn you into the asshole about this- I know I've fucked this up enough that you can make that choice. I'll just respect it.

[And that's hard enough to say but he feels his teeth clench slightly at the next part.]

And yeah- Maybe I am a dumbass who can't figure it out. But that's why I'm here asking now.

[There's a pause he let's a hand raise up and rest on his forehead. He didn't feel as bad as he did when he first got here. The potion must have been doing something.]

I want to try and fix things here, but I'm don't know how. And I thought keeping my distance was for the best- I thought it's what you wanted.

I fucked up.

[ He wants to run away.

Actually, he just wants his dad to leave, but it might be one and the same. He's applying the re-heated cloth to his leg, thinking: of how he'd rather be stuck back out there in a vice than tell his dad a damn thing, because there's something less dangerous about that. He's thinking of his last memories with him back on their world, and his dad holding him in his arms. His hand near his neck, his voice soft.

The omen by his chair looks at him, but Robby pretends to be busy with his leg, despite just sitting it over his skin.

(What did his dad tell him? Right--

We'll figure this out.) ]

Maybe it's a sign, [ he says after a while, his voice flatter than it was. He's resting with his arms on his legs, keeping his gaze on the floor. ] You don't know what to do, and I don't want to help. We were always gonna turn out this way, but we didn't want to admit it.

[ He would be too difficult, too hard to deal with. He was always going to screw this up. He was kidding himself, ever acting like he was giving his dad a chance. ]

You should do what feels right -- go where you want. Be with whoever you want. Other people like you. [ Paul likes you. He doesn't give up. ] You should keep doing whatever you're doing with them.

[ Have every single replacement that works better than him.

(But god, at what point does it stop being called a replacement, and just a better deal? The smarter choice?

Right around when the original was never right in the first place.) ]

[Johnny stays silent for a moment. Chewing on Robby's words for a little. It seemed like an easy thing to do- And permission to do it.

If anyone were to guess it might be exactly what Johnny wanted wrapped up on a silver platter.]

Yeah... Maybe.

[And it scares him to do it but he pushes off the counter and walks over to the table.]

But -- This is where I want to be Robby. What we just did- That felt right.

[There's a pause and he adds in.]

Not the whole beartrap thing- Fucking- Don't go and end up in shit like that again.

[ Robby notices, but he doesn't look up at Johnny when he moves over. He doesn't know what he's doing, they're playing at a stalemate, and Robby doesn't want to interact with any of what comes next. He's losing ways to tell his dad to give up, directly and indirectly, though he's trying to find them. 'Fuck off' is sounding a good one right about now.

But the last of what Johnny says--that's easier to grasp, annoyance and all, shooting a glare at his dad. ] You think I wanted to? The shit's been all over the place! And what about you? [ He waves a hand at his dad. ]

Walking around with just your fists? Waiting forever to take the shitty medicine? Everything's trying to kill us, in case you didn't notice!

[ This kind of dumb shit is easy to fire off, to face his dad and get into.

He doesn't even pay attention as his omen quietly pads over to the door between the kitchen and the hall, and sits down in front of it.

(Just in case.) ]

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