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deercountry2023-08-08 05:02 pm
terriblepurpose) wrote in deercountry2023-08-08 05:02 pm
Player Epilogue: August
AUGUST 2023
PROMPT 0: THE CALL
PROMPT 1: THE STAIRS
PROMPT 2: THE CHASM
PROMPT 3: THE TEMPLE
CODING
With the Reckoning's gift, Sleepers can now explore far past their previous bounds. August rolls in hot and humid, and as more Sleepers begin to travel, many - both within Trench and far beyond its walls - are struck by a new unease. Some Palebloods wake from fragmented, unfamiliar dreams of a stone staircase that rises into the sky until it is swallowed by clouds. Darkbloods may glimpse a looming shape which blots out the stars, there one moment and gone the next. And all Sleepers may feel a strange gravity, as though something is trying to draw them in two directions: up into the sky, or down into the earth.
It isn't difficult to follow the call. The actual location seems to change on a whim. One day, the call may come from just past the edge of town; on others, it is distant, out in the untamed wilds.
It isn't difficult to follow the call. The actual location seems to change on a whim. One day, the call may come from just past the edge of town; on others, it is distant, out in the untamed wilds.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
extreme heights
Somewhere in the land, different every day, is a spiral staircase. Rather, it used to be a spiral staircase; the visions were far more pristine than the reality. Shards of pale, crumbling stone hang suspended in the mist. They lead up into the sky, chunks of ruined staircase hovering like stepping stones. Be careful: pieces may give way beneath your feet and send you into freefall.
As you go higher, the steps become blanketed with glowing flowers, stirred by the wind into rhythmic, eerie whispering. Around these flowers, Sleeper powers fail - enough to drop a flying Sleeper out of the sky.
At the top of the staircase, way up among the clouds, is a floating temple. The structure is ancient, crumbling, built of the same pale stone. Its grand doorway stands open, choked with the same glowing flowers. Thick bands of mist shroud its foot and its spires; the top of it can't be seen.
If a Sleeper reaches the doorway alone, the mist whips into a sudden maelstrom, powerful enough to drag an unlucky Sleeper back into the sky. But if they come with a companion, the mist boils up into a new shape. It's a sky Pthumerian: a dragon of wind and vapor, with a voice like moaning wind.
None may pass without a witness. Who stands at your side?
If it does not like your answer, the raging winds begin to rise. To earn passage, you must truthfully define your companion: are they your beloved mentor? Your dearest friend? A disappointment? When it senses truth, the dragon disperses into mist, and the doorway stands clear.
TL;DR:
- There's a floating temple in the sky! It rejects solo travelers with a powerful blast of wind.
- To reach the temple, you can fly or climb the crumbling spiral staircase. Beware of the power-nerfing flowers.
- To enter the temple, you must confess who your companion is to you.
Somewhere in the land, different every day, is a spiral staircase. Rather, it used to be a spiral staircase; the visions were far more pristine than the reality. Shards of pale, crumbling stone hang suspended in the mist. They lead up into the sky, chunks of ruined staircase hovering like stepping stones. Be careful: pieces may give way beneath your feet and send you into freefall.
As you go higher, the steps become blanketed with glowing flowers, stirred by the wind into rhythmic, eerie whispering. Around these flowers, Sleeper powers fail - enough to drop a flying Sleeper out of the sky.
At the top of the staircase, way up among the clouds, is a floating temple. The structure is ancient, crumbling, built of the same pale stone. Its grand doorway stands open, choked with the same glowing flowers. Thick bands of mist shroud its foot and its spires; the top of it can't be seen.
If a Sleeper reaches the doorway alone, the mist whips into a sudden maelstrom, powerful enough to drag an unlucky Sleeper back into the sky. But if they come with a companion, the mist boils up into a new shape. It's a sky Pthumerian: a dragon of wind and vapor, with a voice like moaning wind.
None may pass without a witness. Who stands at your side?
If it does not like your answer, the raging winds begin to rise. To earn passage, you must truthfully define your companion: are they your beloved mentor? Your dearest friend? A disappointment? When it senses truth, the dragon disperses into mist, and the doorway stands clear.
TL;DR:
- There's a floating temple in the sky! It rejects solo travelers with a powerful blast of wind.
- To reach the temple, you can fly or climb the crumbling spiral staircase. Beware of the power-nerfing flowers.
- To enter the temple, you must confess who your companion is to you.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
extreme heights
Those who venture down, into the land's many tunnels and caverns, might find something new - and this one is more reliable than the staircase. It is a vast chasm, impossibly deep, with the gleaming spires of a great temple in its depths.
Woven of shimmering blue-green light, a hundred slim hanging bridges lead down to those spires. Down in the depths, the temple's balconies are woven of the same shimmering aurora-light. If a Sleeper arrives alone, they can fall directly through that light - but if they arrive in pairs or more, the light turns solid as glass beneath their feet. As they draw close to the temple, the light rises up into new shapes and speaks with a low, ringing voice:
None may pass without a cause.
If you've ever pledged yourself to a person, an organization, or an ideal - even in the privacy of your own mind - the light takes that shape. You may find yourself staring down aurora-visions of your old mentors, old allegiances, old loves.
Name your masters.
You must name these visions aloud. Worse, you may have to explain them, because the temple's guardian takes more interest in a meaning than a name. It takes its cues from your traveling companions: only when they seem to understand and acknowledge your loyalties does it dissipate, and the doorway stands open.
TL;DR:
- There's a deep, spooky crevasse underground. The same temple seems to reach up from its depths.
- To reach the temple, you can fly or traverse thin bridges made of light.
- The temple will create mirages of every person, organization, or ideal you've ever dedicated yourself to - formally or otherwise. To enter, you must confess those loyalties aloud.
Those who venture down, into the land's many tunnels and caverns, might find something new - and this one is more reliable than the staircase. It is a vast chasm, impossibly deep, with the gleaming spires of a great temple in its depths.
Woven of shimmering blue-green light, a hundred slim hanging bridges lead down to those spires. Down in the depths, the temple's balconies are woven of the same shimmering aurora-light. If a Sleeper arrives alone, they can fall directly through that light - but if they arrive in pairs or more, the light turns solid as glass beneath their feet. As they draw close to the temple, the light rises up into new shapes and speaks with a low, ringing voice:
None may pass without a cause.
If you've ever pledged yourself to a person, an organization, or an ideal - even in the privacy of your own mind - the light takes that shape. You may find yourself staring down aurora-visions of your old mentors, old allegiances, old loves.
Name your masters.
You must name these visions aloud. Worse, you may have to explain them, because the temple's guardian takes more interest in a meaning than a name. It takes its cues from your traveling companions: only when they seem to understand and acknowledge your loyalties does it dissipate, and the doorway stands open.
TL;DR:
- There's a deep, spooky crevasse underground. The same temple seems to reach up from its depths.
- To reach the temple, you can fly or traverse thin bridges made of light.
- The temple will create mirages of every person, organization, or ideal you've ever dedicated yourself to - formally or otherwise. To enter, you must confess those loyalties aloud.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
plant monsters (including parasitic options)
The Temple is ancient. Its halls are round, smooth, and winding; most are deathly quiet. Communication from characters outside the Temple (such as via Bonds) feels distant, as though you're now in a space beyond Trench.
There are no windows, and yet many levels are choked with the glowing, power-negating flowers. Unfortunately, there is also an overgrowth of greenery that wants to kill you. Watch out for shambling mushrooms, tentacle-like plants, and burrowing roots.
On other levels, you won't find any flowers: instead, the air is thick with Blood Pollution. Here, Sleeper powers are stronger but more volatile. Gemstones have been inlaid into the walls and floor in beautiful geometric patterns-- and if you pass near them, you'll trigger the traps. Coldbloodstone hallways erupt with fire or ice; vilebloodstone traps burst into a choking gas; darkbloodstone traps reverse gravity and throw you to the ceiling.
Through every level, Beasts are prowling: the twisted forms of rodents, birds, insects... even long-overcome former humans. Venture deep enough and you will uncover storerooms, gardens, and alchemical workshops. For some reason, it all stands abandoned.
TL;DR:
- The temple is a ruin overgrown with violent plants and riddled with bloodstone-based traps!
- Ambient Corruption can vary heavily, and you can come up with minor Beasts of all shapes and sizes to fight or flee from.
- Feel free to scavenge stores of food, water, and bloodstone-crafting supplies.
The Temple is ancient. Its halls are round, smooth, and winding; most are deathly quiet. Communication from characters outside the Temple (such as via Bonds) feels distant, as though you're now in a space beyond Trench.
There are no windows, and yet many levels are choked with the glowing, power-negating flowers. Unfortunately, there is also an overgrowth of greenery that wants to kill you. Watch out for shambling mushrooms, tentacle-like plants, and burrowing roots.
On other levels, you won't find any flowers: instead, the air is thick with Blood Pollution. Here, Sleeper powers are stronger but more volatile. Gemstones have been inlaid into the walls and floor in beautiful geometric patterns-- and if you pass near them, you'll trigger the traps. Coldbloodstone hallways erupt with fire or ice; vilebloodstone traps burst into a choking gas; darkbloodstone traps reverse gravity and throw you to the ceiling.
Through every level, Beasts are prowling: the twisted forms of rodents, birds, insects... even long-overcome former humans. Venture deep enough and you will uncover storerooms, gardens, and alchemical workshops. For some reason, it all stands abandoned.
TL;DR:
- The temple is a ruin overgrown with violent plants and riddled with bloodstone-based traps!
- Ambient Corruption can vary heavily, and you can come up with minor Beasts of all shapes and sizes to fight or flee from.
- Feel free to scavenge stores of food, water, and bloodstone-crafting supplies.
(frozen comment) QUESTIONS
Sharon Da Silva | Silent Hill
I.A
I.B | NETWORK
▌ ▌ ▌ II. THE TEMPLE
II.A
II.B
▌ ▌ ▌ III. WILDCARD
[ Want something else? Feel free to throw it at me, no plotting necessary. If you're uncertain or would rather plan something out, DM me or hit me up on
II.B
Kill it later, fix this now!
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Yeah, let me just find the right bloodstone real quick, Taro. [ Despite the situation, there's a hefty amount of sarcasm in her tone. She rises as the wolf bounds toward them, its mouth opening up wide, revealing rows upon rows of yellowed teeth. ]
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[It tries to get around Taro, but the tanuki turns into another wolf, growling at the first.]
Back off, asshole.
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II A.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop the dangerous mushroom and its spores].
Ok. Two options. I've got a light wind spell that will get them out of the way, kinda stuck in its own little mini cyclone. The other option is using my plant glyph to root it in place. Either option, we still might have to deal with spores. We'll have to be pretty fast.
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Plant glyph. [ She responds quickly. ] I think the wind spell might disrupt the spores in a way that wouldn't work well for us.
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[Luz already had a mask over her face, makeshift from having dealt with the mushrooms in the past].
The last time I dealt with one of these guys I had a total Don Quixote moment. It was pretty embarrassing, but it could have been WAY worse.
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IB
[Maul, as usual, is gonna Maul.]
Re: IB
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[Progress for both of them!]
Paul Atreides | OTA
[ cw: extreme heights ]
ii. the chasm
[ cw: extreme heights ]
iii. the temple
[cw: none]
iv.
[ Feel free to contact me at
II. mha spoilers for his canonpoint
He turns and wanders back to Paul when he's done inspecting another bit of the rocky edge. Paul is pacing, though he makes use of it when he combines it with vigilance. Midoriya has his own feelers out, but Danger Sense can't cover the entire chasm and isn't foolproof. He tugs down his filter mask to where it usually hangs around his neck.
"Is there something I should know?"
It's not that he doesn't trust him, but Paul tends to be quiet about things that trouble him. Or maybe he's caught something about their surroundings that Midoriya missed. Never underestimate a second pair of eyes, which is why Midoriya accompanied him in the first place. It's dangerous to go alone.
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It feels better to be together like this. There's no one else in the world Paul trusts quite so much with his safety, although he wishes he could trust Midoriya more with his own. Perhaps he should. Midoriya has been so much more careful lately than he used to be - as Paul has.
They might be good influences on each other after all. That, or it's the idea of Kaworu's wide eyes filled with sorrow (or annoyance) if anything happened to either of them.
"I had a dream last night about a chasm," Paul says, forthrightly, "I thought it might have been more of the pull, and I think part of it was...but I also plummeted to my death when I stepped on this bridge alone."
He extends his hand to Midoriya, smile widening a bit wryly.
"If we step together, at least you can catch me."
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Paul is being honest with him. Midoriya's heart aches. Sometimes he thinks about revealing the secret of One For All to him and Kaworu. He's not sure if he can, or should, or even how to do it. The letter to Class A didn't go over well. It was impersonal, and he'd already run away by the time it was delivered.
He gives him a small gentle smile, but it's brief. His focus is limited, and it must remain vigilant. He doesn't like imagining Paul tumbling like a leaf into the oblivious maw of the earth. He slides his hand up to clasp his forearm in lieu of holding his hand.
"Technically we don't have to step at all. But let's walk normally before we try Float."
The bridge seems stable. He curiously steps on the light with his Iron Soles like a person touching a moving sidewalk or rubber playground mats for the first time. Even without the danger, these grand landscapes have a way of making one feel like a small child.
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;u;
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joke's on deku, neither of them are normal
and it's additive weirdness too
oh he's getting such a good grade in weird
not beating the allegations
i'll always be here to ruin cute things with a steel chair
it's very effective...
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/wrap!
/wraparoni
III. The Temple
When Paul finally does spot her, she won't even be human at first: he'll see a crow with a cowboy hat, followed by a small owl who's sticking close to her. The crow appears to regard Paul, then cock it's head around before Luz finally detransforms, taking some well deserved gasps.
"P-paul," she stammered, choking down another coughing fit. "Fancy seeing you here. What are you up to?"
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"You heard about this too, then," he observes, rather obviously. "I'm doing a survey of the area. There are some fungi here I've never- "
What stops him from launching into a ramble about local fungi varietals isn't self-awareness, although that might be nice, but a distant sound in the chamber. Paul stills and perks up, then glances back at Luz.
"Forgive me. I'm getting carried away. What are you up to down here?"
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Luz Noceda | The Owl House
She didn't appreciate almost flying out of the shy, stupid mysterious steps! That was a bit of a shocker, and had certainly made Luz think twice about using her magic right now. So she settled for having Owlbert on her shoulders safe and sound while she climbed the steps herself.
She couldn't shake the dream of it though: something faint and foreboding, yet oddly compelling. And it had to be, for Luz to continue ascending even as the flowers prevented her from using magic. Luckily, she didn't need magic for everything, though she was hoping there wouldn't be anything here she needed defending from, or she'd be in a bit of trouble.
But she'd get up there, darn it, that was for sure. She just wasn't sure what would be waiting for her when that happened.
The Temple
Yup, this was about what she expected. If anything, it was long overdue. Violent traps, evil plants, death at just about every corner. Luz looks pretty annoyed at how she should have expected this but didn't.
The relative quiet of her life in the past few months had clearly gone to her head.
[A]
Not that she was going to reflect on that NOW. For the areas with beasts and death defying odds, you'll find yourself paired with a pretty agile companion! Whatever her surprise, Luz is fast on her feet, Owlbert helping her to maneuver the both of you from gas and the elements, though the reversal of gravity was definitely going to throw things off for obvious reasons.
[B]
The places where powers are nerfed are going to be far more difficult though, as Luz did rely on her magic a bit, and not having that will reduce her to girl with fast reflexes dodging quite a lot of near misses. Luckily, her glyphs work, even if she's limited by tapping them and not being able to cast them.
[C]
We did it! Barely! Luz is pretty banged up and exhausted, but at least they managed not to die! Which just makes her all the more curious: what exactly IS waiting for them now? Good time to explore what's left behind, maybe even have a talk?
The Stairs
It wasn't the first time this place had taken away his Force powers but each time it felt like he was losing one of his senses, as if he was once again blind or had suddenly gone deaf.
Re: The Stairs
Plus, Darth Maul was here anyway, and that would be rude even if she wanted to.
"I can at least help be your sense though," offered Luz. "What can't you feel right now?"
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Sorry for the wait!
No worries! My laptop keyboard had to be replaced anyway, so I was out of commission for some time.
Darth Maul | Star Wars
[Maul had felt stifled for years now, being stuck in one spot first in Deerington and then Trench. He'd never been stuck in one place for so long in his life save Lotho Minor and that hadn't been by choice. He was used to the whirl of hyperspace and always being on the move to the next planet, outrunning his problems by moving onto the next one.
Now that he had a chance to go elsewhere, he wasn't going to waste it. He was preparing supplies, saddling his Nightmare Steed, and putting Cranky's Pokéball in his pocket when his companion came up. He turned to them with a bright, eager look in his eyes.]
You had better be prepared for the journey. I will leave you behind if you slow me down.
[No, he wouldn't for most people he liked, but it showed how firm he was in his plans to travel.]
Shall we go and see what friendship-building things this place wants to put us through?
B. The Stairs
Up he went with whoever had wanted to accompany him. Before they'd gone up too far, Maul began to look disturbed. "Something is wrong," he said. He held out a hand, closing his eyes as he reached for the Force. When he opened them back up, he looked grim. "My connection to the Dark Side is lessened in this place. Can you feel it as well?"
The further they went up, the more agitated Maul became. "I don't like this place," he growled out.
C. The Chasm
[Maul was on edge when they went into the cavern. He had a bad feeling about this place, even if it was nothing he could put his clawed finger on. Then he saw the figure ahead of him. A pale man, face shadowed by the black hood of a flowing robe, with only his yellow eyes to be seen.]
Sidious....?
[Maul's voice was colored with something usually not heard in it: fear. Then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them back up they were a golden color fueled by the anger and rage he'd called upon to give him strength.]
You are not real!
[He snarled at the vision. He'd banished the real Sidious months ago and refused to believe that this thing was the real deal. If he believed it was just another way this place wanted to torment him, then he wouldn't start to lose himself to the fear that still instinctively rose up in him facing the man who had ruined his life. He could hold onto the anger that would bolster his courage instead.
This is when he'd need whoever he was with most of all. While he'd faced this fear before and conquered it, he still needed his friends and family to help get through it once again.]
D. The Temple
Maul looked more eager to explore the temple than he had the other places. "This place reminds of me of Sith temples I've been in before back in my own galaxy." That wasn't necessarily a good thing. Those places tended to be dangerous on both a physical and mental level for those who sought them out. Maul being familiar with the way Pthumerians ran things the past few years expected this place to be much of the same.
He first looked disturbed when surrounded by the flowers he'd encountered on the stairs. "Not again..." He muttered, more to himself than to whoever he was with. "Let us be on our guard here." He kept pawing at his lightsabers, both of them clipped at his waist.
E. Wildcard!
[Let's do things! Happy things, sad things, developing further CR things! All the things! Plot with me at
A
[ Luke flashed Maul a smile, before nudging him playfully as he pulled his survival pack onto his shoulders. He basically had what few personal objects he had (which was just the knife Maul had gifted him and a weird ball he had found once after one of the many events in this place), and enough supplies to last a few weeks. He was absolutely prepared to rough it if their trip lasted longer than that as well. ]
So, where are we going first, Master Maul?
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[He pointed towards where the staircases were spiraling up into the sky.]
I've been stuck on the ground for far too long. I want to be able to feel like I can move around freely again.
The Chasm
And yet, the moment he felt Maul's fear flood down the bond, he was torn away from his exploring some feet away. The moment he could judge the distance between them, he teleported the remaining distance in an explosion of black smoke that curled around his husband protectively even as its smoky fingers pulled back as Reaper became solid again.
Immediately, he had shotguns in hand aimed at the old man in the cloak.]
You are stronger than him. You've proven that before and you'll do it right here. He's not your Master any longer.
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When Maul saw the smoke curling protectively around him as Reaper solidified himself, he felt a bit of courage bolster within him. He'd gotten rid of Sidious once before and he would do it again if he had to. But the longer he stared at the figure, the more he got the sense this wasn't real, that the true Sidious still lay in the ocean.
He didn't allow himself to hide behind Reaper but instead be brave and face head-on what this place was tormenting him with. Still, he took some comfort from resting one hand on Reaper's upper arm, knowing that if this thing went south, his husband would protect him with everything he had.]
This isn't real. I know it isn't. This place is just trying to test me again, I'm sure of it.
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