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singillppl2024-06-01 05:57 pm
singmod) wrote in singillppl2024-06-01 05:57 pm
Entry tags:
June 2024 Event Plotting
JUNE 2024 EVENT
PART ONE — A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME: The Darkwalker claims another victim, and that is only the beginning of troubles for the Interlopers as they face a month of endless night and green gloom.
A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME — CONTENT WARNINGS: death of playable character; supernatural death; mention of dead body; themes of death; supernatural beings; themes of terror; themes of peril.
PART TWO — POLAR SUN: As June continues, Interlopers are faced with food insecurity as wildlife flees; tensions grow as they face hunger and the Darkwalker's continued influence. On the day of the Summer Solstice, the tension finally breaks and violent chaos descends upon Interlopers.
POLAR SUN — CONTENT WARNINGS: themes of survival; food scarcity/food insecurity; supernatural weather; altered mental states; mental manipulation; themes of violence; potential character injury; potential character death; potential NPC death.
PART THREE — REPRIEVE: The end is in sight, and an ally comes to the Interloper’s aid.
REPRIEVE — CONTENT WARNINGS: blood.
A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME
WHEN: June 1st, then onwards.
WHERE: Milton area; Lakeside area (Carter Hydrodam).
The evening is quiet and still. May draws to a close and while the sun does not completely set, it dips low enough below the horizonough for the sky to grow a little darkdim with twilight. The midnight sun is almost upon the Northern Territories, the air is warmer than it has ever felt — even if it remains chilly. If this is summer, it is but a gentle brush of reprieve against the unyielding winter. The Interlopers wind down for the night, many turn to their beds to sleep, others sit awake and ponder their existence in this world. They think of home, of loved ones, of their predicament here in this place. The Forest Talkers, the strange beasts and monsters they’ve encountered.
The moon wanes in the skies, nestled amongst the stars. For those still awake to notice, they can see it: slowly, one by one, the stars begin to go out. Then the moon's light is swallowed whole, and a blanket of green gloom descends upon the Northern Territories.
The sky is dark and green and terrible. Many of those will recognise it, what this means and what will come. Others will not understand it, not know what it is that awaits them all.
They will soon find out: the Darkwalker comes.
Under a green sky, a cold fear washes over you — squeezing the breath from your lungs. Interlopers will find themselves overcome with that fear, and everything in their bodies and minds tells them to run. To flee. And so you run, heading for cover. Curtains will be drawn, some may hide under beds, within closets or wardrobes. Some desperately attempt to conceal themselves, make themselves small, unseen. Some Interlopers, in that fear, may rush to friends or loved ones to hide with them, others may simply cower alone — crawling and whimpering away from the night. The fear is irrational, unable to be overcome — even by the bravest or most stoic of Interlopers.
For those within Milton, it is further away but is by no means less potent: Interlopers will find themselves frozen with the constant loom of the Darkwalker’s arrival — even if it does not come to Milton. Those within Lakeside, however, will feel the true force of this presence: more like a knife edge — painfully gripping your heart as it draws close.
The Darkwalker howls: indescribable, unnatural, demonic. Low moans and groans. It comes from the east, the faint booms of footsteps in the distance growing ever nearer. It is coming, once more. It's coming for one of you. And still, you are powerless, unable to do anything. And it is an agony, awaiting its arrival. You cry, you whimper, you cower. Curling up for some shred of comfort, and finding none.
For those in Lakeside, through the fear, they may be able to note the path: a straight line from the east towards Carter Hydrodam. It seems to go on forever, building into a crescendo. Your heart beats so hard you fear it may burst from your chest, as if you might die of fright.
There is an almighty sound; the Darkwalker devours and even with the distance you can hear it. The sound of gnashing teeth, and… laughter. There is no scream, no bright light in the sky — Enola is silent this time. There is only that laughter, echoing off into the night.
The skies do not return to normal. The green gloom hangs in the air. It is done, but it is not yet over. While the overwhelming fear dissolves away, but a kind of… dread remains on the air — almost palpable.
The Darkwalker has devoured another. Braver souls who go out to investigate into Lakeside will find just who has been devoured once they reach the Hydrodam — although it may be a day or two before they will find the body in the medical bay.
At least it is cold enough that the rot does not fully set in — but death will certainly be here.
And this is but the beginning of the Interloper’s troubles.
POLAR SUN
WHEN: The month of June, up to Midsummer’s Eve + Summer Solstice.
WHERE: Milton area; Lakeside area.
In the coming weeks and days, and weeks, the green gloom lingers. From the Darkwalker’s attack, there is no sun. No day, no night. No stars or moon or sun. No Auroras. Just the gloom and biting cold. Life becomes increasingly hard on Interlopers: higher expenditure on fuel — fires and lanterns are imperative to keep the darkness and the cold at bay.
With the green gloom in the air, the wildlife becomes more scarce — as if it has been frightened away into the deeper parts of the wilds. It will be harder to bring in fresh meat in both Milton and Lakeside, and Interlopers will find that they will have to rely on whatever stores they have — and perhaps even rationing for a while.
And it’s not the only thing frightened. Even with the debilitating fear that comes with the Darkwalker’s attack gone, there is still a kind of fear that lingers on the air that slowly eats away at the Interloper’s resolve over time.
Interlopers will find themselves anxious, on edge. Some will be prone to anger in their fear, others prone to fits of melancholy: tearfulness and sorrow. Between the cold, the lack of fresh game and the fear on the air — it’s no wonder spirits are low. Bickering and minor upsets between Interlopers are likely.
They call it the midnight sun, the polar day. It's opposite is the polar night. This is neither and both. On the day of midsummer's eve, that fear on the air is even more palpable. The air feels a little stifling at times, as if the pressure is all off — often quite oppressive, a strange kind of tension. There is something brewing, a low burning thing that begins from the moment Interlopers wake — heavy and sharp in their chest.
’So, Interloper. What will you do now?’ A voice sneers in your ear. The very same voice that has haunted Interlopers since the very beginning. The Darkwalker finally speaks after all these weeks of gloom since its most recent attack. ’When all is gone, when even the sun does not rise? What will you do then?’
A nervousness sits within you as you remember the Darkwalker’s words. What will you do if the sun does not rise? If the darkness is all that is left? If the food runs out? Your wonderings will continue to gnaw away within you. The darkness is hollowing.
’Will you lean on others, like you have always tried to do?’ the voice continues. ’What bonds you hold with them, the ones with those around you. But how strong are they, truly? Can you trust them? Will it matter when your belly is empty and your heart is low? Perhaps it is time to see.
’Never forget, Interloper. I am the Rot. And I will rot within you.’
As the day progresses into the Solstice, that tension lingers in the air, and the wonderings within you continue to wear at you. You find yourself becoming more and more agitated as time goes on. Those feelings that have been brewing for some time now have started to grow close to boiling. You may snap at others, grow restless, become enraged at the tiniest of things — the upsets wildly out of proportion for the smallest slights or issues.
You find your thoughts wandering, too. Perhaps it is to someone you know in this place, or perhaps it is to someone previously unknown to you. Maybe you have an issue with this person, or perhaps the voice’s influence extends further — not only adding to your agitations but creating them, too. A slight, a grudge, a bias.
You feel a bitter gnawing within you. The nightmarish green gloom above you persists and everything bubbles up from within. From the dark, the anger within you become too much. The tension finally snaps.
For some, it might come out as a vicious argument where you air your grievances, or finally let slip the things you’ve been holding close to your chest. A verbal beat down, incredibly hurtful in nature. For others, things may be drawn to getting physical. A literal beat down where your fists grow bruised and bloody, or perhaps even worse. Whatever it is, you want to do damage to someone else — there is darkness here, and so many things come out in the dark, don’t they?
Like a ripple, all around you: all hell breaks loose. Chaos erupts, and the air is filled with violence.
Let’s hope you might stop, or someone else stops you, before someone gets killed.
REPRIEVE
WHEN: Circa three days after the Summer Solstice.
WHERE: Milton.
All things must come to an end, even the most violent of deadly storms. In the midst of the seemingly endless violence of the night, you find yourself outside. Maybe you're fleeing from another Interloper, maybe you're desperately trying to reach someone you care for, maybe you're simply trying to find somewhere new to hide. Interlopers are hunting one another, blood lies on the snow, bodies too — some breathing, some not.
Perhaps it is a trick of the light. Perhaps it's the Darkwalker’s influence still warping your already frayed mind. Or it's the blood in your eyes, your battered and bruised body struggling to get through it all.
In the gloom, you see it. See her.
A woman, dressed in furs, stones and shells glimmering on her chest like armour, stands in the snow before you. Thin and pale, eyes sunken. Her chest heaves with each breath as she looks around with wide eyes. Her hands are bare and bloody. It drips slowly from her fingers. Is it her blood? Or someone else's? You cannot tell, but you cannot mistake how thick it coats her skin.
Her head turns to look at you. You are stunned, but not frightened. Even through the gloom, after a moment or two, her eyes widen in recognition: she knows you.
Slowly and silent, other than her noisy breathing, she draws close to you. Maybe in turn you draw close to her, closing the distance between you. Up close, her eyes are blue, and sad. You cannot mistake the sorrow in them. She is tired, weary. Her hair is dark, worn loose and long. For some, you feel as if you've seen her before, but you can't quite place her face.
Softly, she says your name.
For some, there may be no recognition. This woman is a stranger, who knows your name somehow. She has been silent the past couple of months, after all.
For others, hearing her speak brings a sudden, jarring realisation: this is Enola.
She’s here. Enola. All this time, she’s whispered to you in dreams, in static, in the very air itself.
She raises one hand, dark and dripping in the green light. Lightly, her fingers brush against your chest. You don’t feel the pressure of them, don’t feel the odd heat of blood — only the weight of her stare as she holds your gaze. It’s a long moment of peace in amongst the chaos.
You feel her exhaustion, a tiredness that sinks into your very bones. Apologies, too. You have never known anything like it. But there’s something else too, something that takes a moment or two to put your finger on. Defiance. A renewal. Something shifts in the air, a growing tension, different from the kind that’s been held on the air throughout the month. It’s the coming of a storm, the rolling clouds, the growing rumble of thunder before the first lightning strike.
Enola nods, her expression grave. She pulls away and turns from you — her head lifting towards the skies as she walks. Her arms raise, bloodied hands twisting and tensing before her. They curl, almost into fists, and she makes a gesture: the slow tearing of something huge and invisible before her — a shriek spilling from her lips. A battle-cry, a last stand, a wail of agony. It echoes.
The sky cracks and splits open before you, dazzling light and colours blinding your vision into pure white. The world tilts too hard below your feet, and you don’t remember passing out.
When you awaken, Enola is gone. The skies are clear and blue, the sun is high in the sky. As you pick yourself up from the snow, in the harsh light of the polar day, blood has never looked so red. The horrors of the night laid bare. Interlopers are dead, but the Darkwalker’s influence is gone. For now.
In the wake of Midsummer, all Interlopers can do is try reconcile. Bury the dead, rebuild, lick wounds. But that feeling in the air still remains — that different, new kind of tension that has come with Enola’s appearance. The first of the lightning bolts has struck, but more are coming.
FAQs
1. Alexander Hilbert has been devoured by the Darkwalker. His remains can be found in the Hydrodam. The following note has been left by Kates concerning his death: ‘Sveta gets possession of his research notes + blood samples + creepy lab journal because it's all in Russian, lmao.’
2. Information on the Darkwalker’s attack can be found here.
3. Usually, after the Darkwalker attacks, the sky would return to normal. This won’t happen. Instead, the usual atmospheric changes that occur during Darkwalker attacks will remain in place as June continues..
1. For an idea how the setting appears for June, it's like what you see in the game during the Escape The Darkwalker Challenge. Inside, there'll be a degree of green shades to rooms etc via what comes through windows but with it being lit up via fires and light sources, the gloom will be chased back.
2. Characters are free to use this event to kill NPC Interlopers. Methuselah and Young Bill are off the table, as are two marked NPC Interlopers. Please let Mods know if you intend on doing this for record keeping!
3. These acts of violence can be physical or verbal altercations, players are encouraged to work with the prompt however they'd like! However, anything potentially world-altering (ie. building destruction) must be first discussed with mods.
4. Interlopers under the Darkwalker's influence can be stopped in a number of ways. Showing genuine care and compassion in the face of violence is one way. Knocking an Interloper out is another way. Sometimes killing an Interloper may be needed, or simply restraining them and keeping them locked up somewhere so they can't hurt anyone else until the night is over would also work.
5. Talismans made by Heartman back in March with a Ward Sigil against the Darkwalker will come into effect during this prompt. It's been an ongoing process, with new Interlopers being offered them from their arrival. Players are free to choose what kind of talisman they received, or if they chose to get one at all. Their effectiveness is dependent on the type of blood used on the talisman.
— Animal Blood: Interlopers carrying talismans using blood from animals found in the world, such as deer, rabbits or wolves will find themselves more susceptible to the Darkwalker’s influence and disposition towards violence. They will be much harder to break out of the hold over them, and become almost frenzied state.
— Monster Blood: Interlopers carrying talismans using blood from any creatures or monsters that Interlopers have encountered in their time in the Northern Territories, such as the Serpent from December’s TDM will find there are no negative nor positive effects. The talisman is essentially useless. and Interlopers will fall under the Darkwalker's influence.
— Interloper Blood: Interlopers carrying talismans using blood for Interlopers will be offered protection/resistance from the Darkwalker’s influence and disposition towards violence. They may be slightly affected but will have their wits about them more compared to others. If the blood came from an Interloper with an Aurora Feat — this protection/resistance will be largely increased, an the Interloper may even feel braver, less affected by the fear in the atmosphere.
— No Talisman: Similar to the Monster Blood Talisman, Interlopers will be affected typically by the Darkwalker's influence in due course.
There are no additional affects with an Interloper using their own blood, just if they have an Aurora Feat or not.
6. Animals owned by Interlopers will be more frightened and will want to hide away in the build up — they will be disturbed by the world. Mostly lying down and whining/restlessness. They may display some signs of aggression on occasion, but not to the same degree of humans.
7. Forest Talkers are hidden away and will not be able to be reached during the Solstice.
1. Enola can only be met alone, but she will appear to all Interlopers in Milton.
2. Enola will be nowhere to be found afterwards, there are no tracks to be followed. She has simply vanished.
cheryl | zombie boy + angel girl
Player Contact: heolstor.plurk / _heolstor on Discord.
Pacing: As a general rule of thumb: a slow bean.
OOC Limits: Any serious maiming/injury to Kieren is a strong no, due to his inability to heal. Character death is also off the table, ty.
Character Name: Kieren Walker
Canon: In The Flesh
Aurora Feat: Free Runner aka gotta go fast. Kieren's got enhanced sprinting/stamina abilities, but with the caveat that he needs to now eat brains in order to sustain himself. FUN.
Event Ideas:
— A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME Kieren might be up to investigate with being a Free Runner so I imagine he'll be around to head to the dam/join any expedition out to Lakeside to investigate the Darkwalker's attack afterwards.
— POLAR SUN Formal Announcement that Kieren's kicking off cannibalism, albeit zombie-related cannibalism (still counts). Kieren will have an Animal Blood Talisman and I'm going to be having Kieren go rabid without actually going rabid — ie. how zombies act in his canon in their untreated state. Kieren's a Free Runner, and he'll be slowly starving over June with the lack of animal brains. Under the Darkwalker's influence during the Solstice, Kieren will be snapping and getting incredibly violent. He'll be murdering and then eating the brains of an NPC and will generally be in a violent rage and difficult to be reasoned with.
In terms of dealing with him, if anyone would be down for that I would much prefer it to be via non-violent means — restraining him and tying him up somewhere until people can work out what to do with him/until the period ends.
I am also down for Kieren attacking other Interlopers and them getting away from him — which wouldn't be difficult to do. He might be a Free Runner but he's also a zombie, and a skinny beanpole of a boy with very little muscle on him. Maybe he tries beating you with a blunt object? Maybe he bites you? I am DOWN to CLOWN.
— REPRIEVE He won't be meeting Enola, but he'll certainly be coming to his senses. Plenty of room for delicious fallout from The Events. 👀
Anything Else?:
Character Name: Kate Marsh
Canon: Life Is Strange
Aurora Feat: Aurora Call. She's starting to get a better handle on it and use the ability to talk to others, particularly others with Aurora Call. But... if you've heard prayers/bible readings/hymns in your head since January, 100% chance that's been Kate. Sorry, guys.
Event Ideas:
— POLAR SUN Kate has Aurora Call, so she's going to be particularly vulnerable this month, mentally and emotionally. She's going to be particuarly low/prone to depressive episodes and sensitive to the emotions of others. She's going to be trying to keep busy and will likely do her best to keep an eye on Community Hall stores in the face of rationing, etc.
She'll have a Interloper Blood Talisman thanks to Heartman, with will also come with the bonus of having the Aurora Feat — meaning she won't be getting affected all that much by the Solstice Rage. However, I am here to get her fucked up. I don't think I'll get any takers for doing actual damage to her, so I'll likely have an NPC do it but Kate's gonna be falling victim to getting attacked by a fellow Interloper who has some murder in mind for her. I have some tentative plans in place for whoever's saving her at this moment in time but honestly I'm down for making it really suck for her.
In addition, she'll also be trying to quell any rage in other Interlopers which could have varying results! She's here to defeat the Darkwalker with the power of love and friendship. Clinging hugs to stop people/calm them down are on the table, lads.
— REPRIEVE I'm gonna have her meet Enola. So I'm down to have her talk to others about Enola afterwards. Also here for any aftermath stuff with her being injured, etc.
Anything Else?:
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Tossing his hat in the ring as an option for savior (not that she'll be short of those lol so no worries if you go with someone else!)
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Alternatively, Fraser could be the one who finds her passed out in the snow after meeting Enola and maybe helps patch her up? She'll definitely be getting injured, so if Jhey does confirm, maybe Ned stashed her away somewhere to hide and she went out to see Enola and Fraser finds her after?
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*equivalent of
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I... honestly don't know if Kieren can be knocked out (canon, why are you so weird) but fuck it if he can sleep let's just say yes. Just go tie him up and tuck him away somewhere until the light comes back dsjkfhskjd
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even if he couldn't knock him out proper, he'd figure out how to restrain him and then hide him at his cabin; especially if other people are gonna be mad at kieren — he'd kind of look at it in terms of kieren had his back so he has a debt to repay.
additional canon things: i dont know if maccready is technically irradiated, but i'm sure he won't taste good regardless
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I could have him def break the skin but not take a chunk out of him so he doesn't end up completely fucked! lmao... sleepover at MacCready's... he's gonna feel so bad afterwards....
mmm fizzy flavoured...
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i imagine mac's already got some ghoul bite/scratch scars, so what's one more to add to the collection anyhows, realistically maccready trying to pull away and elbowing him or something is probably what would end up doing the most damage, so mr. walker is free to take a little chunk of neck meat!! (delicious?)
oh absolutely the world's worst sleepover...
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jknshdkfjsd just a lil chunk... a pre-dessert.... not as nice, give him them irradiated brains!!!
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Kate, on the other hand... sorry kiddo. On the plus side, if Kate wants to get into the post-midsummer community garden on the ground floor, Chloe might offer because she feels bad lol.
Randvi will be trying to help out at the hall as well so they could potentially meet up there.
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lmao Chloe trying her best, bless. Also I really need to get a thread in with Randvi and Kate again soon!
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Especially after her own cannibalism moment she will stand by Kieren lol!
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Cannibalism buddies just standing together as they're cancelled...
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Also yes!! Poor Konstantin gonna be SWEATING when he hears about Kieren killing someone. :')
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If you need Kate to be fucked up, I can offer Jessica to bite her. I can handwaved Jessica have recently fed by someone by the time it happens so it won’t be as fatal but still be fucked up and have bite marks. (Or if Kate happens to have some silver it will burn enough for Jessica to stop and run away.)
If that’s not up your alley, Kate can help Jessica calm down. Bible verses won’t work for her (as it will remind her too closely of her father’s abuse) but just words of reassurance will work.
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I would be totally down for Kieren coming across Jessica and getting into a scuffle with her! He could probably bite her arm or something in the fight? He'd be relatively easy to fight off since he's a skinny bean pole — and it'd be a really good way off kicking off some CR with them!
Kieren will be absolutely horrified later on and will never stop apologising....
Re: cheryl | zombie boy + angel girl
of the NPC he killed. Would Kieren appreciate a tupperware of brains? 🙃no subject
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It breaks my heart but maybe Louis will not be so nice to zomboy. Maybe hangry Louis is a bit of a murderous jerk! Meanwhile, the brains rot and/or freeze in their little tupperware...
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Louis would be valid. Alas poor brains, we hardly knew ye...