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methuselah ([personal profile] singmod) wrote in [community profile] singillppl2024-09-05 06:00 pm
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September 2024 Event Plotting

SEPTEMBER 2024 EVENT


PROMPT ONE — PAINFUL REMINDERS: An Aurora briefly connects the Interlopers to their homeworlds, and with it are able to receive items from home — but these ones will bring no comfort to them.
PAINFUL REMINDERS — CONTENT WARNINGS: potentially upsetting themes; themes of loneliness/isolation.

PROMPT TWO — THE ENEMY WITHIN: Strange and familiar occurrences begin in Milton and Lakeside, growing in frequency and danger for the Interlopers. Who can truly be trusted among their numbers?
THE ENEMY WITHIN — CONTENT WARNINGS: kidnapping/attempted kidnapping; attempted murder; murder; vandalism; arson; assault; animal mutilation; corpse mutilation/manipulation/desecration; themes of peril/terror; possible character/npc injuries; possible character/npc death.

PROMPT THREE — BAD BLOOD: The Forest Fighters finally come to Milton, and with it: they bring the yawning grave.
BAD BLOOD — CONTENT WARNINGS: attempted murder; murder; vandalism; arson; assault; mentions of blood; themes of peril/terror; possible character/npc injuries; possible character death/npc death; actual NPC death.

PAINFUL REMINDERS


WHEN: 5th - 9th of September.
WHERE: Everywhere.

For many, the sight of the Aurora is now one they have become used to. There have been plenty of them over the year that has passed since the Interlopers first came to the Northern Territories. Often, they have been a sign of great danger, with plenty of unsettling and unnatural things happening when the skies light up. Other times they have been the herald of aid — a link between Interlopers and Enola, gifting them with abilities to help them survive in this world. There is no real knowing what kind of force the Aurora is, truly. And there is a tension that holds amongst the Interlopers as the day turns to night and there is the soft sound that grows louder.

The ethereal, high-pitched chorus of sounds, is difficult to place. Perhaps it sounds like voices, or discordant strings. And with it, the low-drone of electrical buzz — punctuated with the echoing pops and sharp cracks. The sky is alive with sound, and with it comes the swirling streaking of colour against the inky black of night, growing brighter and brighter as time goes on — greens, blues, pinks and purples shifting and dancing across the night. And much like every Aurora before this one, the electricals of the world come to life too. Homes, streetlamps, cars long-stranded in the snow. Man’s world comes alive, buzzing and flickering precariously.

But there are no ghosts like there once was a year ago. No terrible weather, no poisonous fog. If one could call it a ‘normal’ Aurora, that’s what it appears to be. But there is something else in amongst all the light and noise. Snatches of things: whispers of conversations, names called, laughter and tears.

You realise you recognise these voices. They are the voices of home. Perhaps you hear your mother, your siblings or friends. Whoever they are, you can hear them. And although they might not be able to hear you — for one brief night, the Aurora has connected you, bridged the gap between your world and this one. You may sit for a while, simply listening to the voices, relishing in hearing those from back home. If others join you, you will find yourself compelled to speak of them: to share in stories about those from back home — the connections you share with them.

It’s strange, though. These voices do not fill you with comfort or joy. Instead you are left with feelings of sadness, anger, and isolation. The Aurora has connected Interlopers, but now you feel so cut off from home, cut off from friends and loved ones — reminded of everything left behind. Everything you long for. Everything you have lost.

Something strange skips through the sky, a warping of the sound. It’s unsettling. Something feels... wrong, somehow.

It’s not just the voices that will remind you of this. Something else comes through the Aurora after that night. A small token will be brought through. Whatever the item may be, when you go to sleep and next wake, you will find said item. It may be placed on your bedside, on your desk or dining room table.

The item, you will find, will bring you a reminder of pain. Of sadness. Of horror. Perhaps it’s something you haven’t thought of in some time. Maybe it is something that has lingered in the back of your mind. Perhaps it is a part of you, waiting to be uncovered. A sign of something to come. A painful reminder of your past, or an ominous omen of your future.


THE ENEMY WITHIN


WHEN: The month of September.
WHERE: Everywhere.

It starts with strange happenings at night, things left to be found by the next morning. Those within Lakeside many find themselves unsurprised by it, given their location, but the scenes found in Milton are a foreboding sight.

Mutilated bodies of animals: rabbits, ptarmigans, even deer — mangled and strewn about the streets, blood upon the snow. Some may awaken in the middle of the night to the sounds of their windows breaking, with houses on the Outskirts being targeted more than those in the middle of town. There is… a kind of unrest in the world.

It escalates.

Some may leave their home for the day and return in the evening to find the place trashed: items broken, precious foodstuffs thrown about the place and destroyed. Those within the Outskirts are once again particularly vulnerable, as are those within Lakeside. Fires are started in some of the abandoned buildings of Milton. Something, someone is targeting the Interlopers.

It is hard to pin-point who exactly, and it only puts the Interlopers on high alert. Nothing like this has never happened before. This is new, especially in Milton.

As the month progresses, the acts become more serious. Fires may be started in the middle of the night in Interlopers’ homes while they sleep. Some are attacked in the night, others are taken from their beds. Some killed within their very homes. Of the Interlopers that go missing, their mutilated remains may be found days later out in the wilds.

In Milton, soon enough, someone is bold enough to come out from the darkness, out from the gloom of the night. Interlopers may be attacked in broad daylight — by those they may recognise as newer Interlopers of the community, who appeared from the wilds: lost and shivering, with nowhere else to go. Some of them have been within Milton for a few months now.

Those in Lakeside will face something similar: Forest Talkers are making a move, rogue and isolated incidents — done with sabotaging attempts at hunting and taking a more direct approach.

They have no qualms about being captured or killed, only determined to get rid of as many of the Interlopers as they can. They whisper, they scream: “You don’t belong here. You should never have come here. It wants you gone, it wants us all gone. The end is here, it’s too late for any of us. Nature must run its course. The yawning grave has been opened.”

The attack is on two fronts: the first of Forest Talkers in Lakeside amplifying their actions. The second in Milton, enemies within the ranks of the Interlopers, Forest Talkers hiding as Interlopers.

Within Milton, newer Interlopers will likely be met with suspicion as being some of the Forest Fighters as a result of these individual acts of violence. As the numbers of Milton have been infiltrated, and it’s easy to have mistrust amongst those newer to the community. In-fighting is likely, and the entire town is stuck in some terrible, tense state — unsure of who to trust within their own numbers. In the days and weeks that follow, it remains like this. Acts of violence and vandalism — chaos and disorder.


BAD BLOOD


WHEN: The night of 27th - 28th September.
WHERE: Milton.

Towards the end of the month, the moon is full. They call it the Harvest Moon, but colour seeps into it — oranges and reds: a blood moon, partially eclipsed. The night is calm and cloudless, but there’s an uneasy feeling in the night.

The earth groans, the rumble of another quake that’s plagued the Northern Territories since the beginning of August. It is the only warning Interlopers will get — if they may realise it as a warning. To some, when they look back, it’s a omen, a starting pistol.

They do not come through the Mines. Thanks to the efforts of Interlopers to guard the entrances of the Milton Mines, they know better. They come to town from the south, not the north.
The quakes of August and September have opened a new way from Lakeside to Milton. They are led by their Leader: a man dressed in white, a large deer skull upon his head. And while their numbers are small in comparison, they come armed and with the determination to get rid of the Interlopers once and for all. As they come into town, they launch their attack.

More fires will be set, Interlopers will be attacked with abandon. Shot at, stabbed, beaten. It is a mass execution. They will not stop until the Interlopers, or them, are dead.

Well, the majority of them. There are just under a dozen teenagers and younger people amongst their ranks who have shown hesitance toward violence in the past. Perhaps they can be reasoned with. Perhaps there may be a way to convince them to abandon their cause. There is fear in their eyes. Some of them do not want to die. They fear the yawning grave.

What will do you then, Interloper? Are you willing to fight for your life? Are you willing to take another’s to save your own, or a friends? Will you hide, or run? What choice will you make? The Forest Talkers have long since made their own choice. Now you must make yours.

It is another night of chaos on a town already scarred by the events of June. Interlopers will note two familiar faces in the fray: at some point during the night both Methuselah and Young Bill will arrive. While Methuselah will concentrate on aiding the wounded and trying to shelter Interlopers the best he can, Young Bill will help protect Interlopers from the Forest Talkers with his rifle in hand. But fortunately, it is just for one single night. Ammunition runs out, sides are switched, and people are killed. As dawn approaches, Forest Talker numbers dwindle. Either killed, incapacitated or defected. In the early morning light, bodies lie in the snow both Interloper and Forest Talker alike.

Those trying to hunt down the leader will see him slipping inside an empty cabin, heavily wounded. Following after him, they will find him settling himself down to kneel on the floor. The white of his tactical gear stained red with blood as it blooms from his wounds. Slowly, he removes the deer skull from his head to reveal a clean-shaven man in his late twenties with a shock of white-blond hair. His eyes are blue, calm.

He sets the skull down, panting and sweating. He is dying. He is not afraid.

“My name is Mallory, not that it matters now. We are dead, you and I.” he says softly. “We exist in a dying world.”

He is in much pain from his wounds. He moves again to sit cross-legged on the floor. A hand touches the bloodied fabric of his front and he laughs humourlessly.

“You don’t understand, do you? The end must come. That is the order of things. The end must come so the world can be reborn. That is how it’s always worked. When the world is swallowed, it will grow again from the earth.”

It is a story. The story of the Darkwalker. Some believe it to be the end of the world, but Young Bill had once said there is another telling of the tale. A creation myth. The Darkwalker swallows the world and returns to its slumber within the earth. Within it, everything its swallowed grows again and the world returns.

“We fought against man’s actions to ruin this place, not knowing our true purpose. The Devourer has shown me the truth, and I sought to put that into action.” His head tilts to one side. “The yawning grave is opened. Does new life not grow from the decay? It is a cycle. The grave and the cradle.”

He finds it difficult to breathe, but he presses on.

“You fight to live. You come here and you do not see what you are. You are only delaying the inevitable, perverting the true course. Prolonging the suffering. You are the Interlopers, you are not part of nature’s design. The Darkwalker does not want you here. And where it fails, we have tried to succeed.”

There’s another laugh, something catching in his throat. He coughs, blood bubbling from his lips.

“And failed. For now. The First Cursed cannot hold it forever. She, too, delays the inevitable." Even as he is dying, he still have the energy to sneer. He speaks of Enola. "A woman who plays at being a god. What right does she have? All must go into the Long Dark. ... As will I. Return me to the grave.”

Mallory’s head dips, his body sagging. He inhales once more and then stops.

FAQs

PAINFUL REMINDERS



1. Players must sign up for items. See the toplevel below.

2. Items will face the same warps/nerfs as everything else that is brought into the game.

3. Items can be no bigger than something your character can reasonably carry.

4. While items do not have to belong to your character, there has to be a good reason why they’d receive such an item — ie. something related to your character.


THE ENEMY WITHIN


1. The Forest Talkers within Milton are a number of NPCs that have been pre-selected from NPCs who arrived in April and August. Not all of them will show their true intentions as the month goes on but will continue to stay hidden.

2. Two NPCs killed in the June Event were also Forest Talkers. … Good… job?

3. The following NPC Interlopers will out themselves as Forest Talkers at this stage: Devon Busswood; Rita Yee; Realm Lovejoy.


BAD BLOOD


1. Following the events of this prompt, Interlopers now have an additional way into Lakeside. It’s still rather dangerous: it’s through a partially collapsed cave system that ends into abandoned bunker on the Lakeside side. The game map will be marked accordingly in due course.

2. Some Interlopers may recognise a familiar face in the Forest Talker ranks: the man who was kidnapped by Interlopers previously in July has returned. Looks like he made good on his promise. He's come back to cause problems.

3. The following NPC Interlopers will out themselves as Forest Talkers during the attack: Jackie Blackmore; Ross Huguet; Jennifer Kitchen; Daniel Kresco.

4. As a reminder of numbers: around fifty Forest Talkers will show up for the attack.

5. There is an OOC vote on the fate of the remaining Forest Talkers, the link is here.



PLOTTING FORM


desperate_times_right: (Default)

Re: ITEM SIGN UPS

[personal profile] desperate_times_right 2024-09-09 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Player Name: Tess
Character Name: Chloe Frazer
Item: Pin from a hand grenade.
Relevance: In Uncharted 2 Chloe is pulling some kind of deranged quintuple cross, but after he saves her from execution near the end, Chloe throws over her badguy boyfriend Harry to try and escape into Shambhala with Nate and Elena. As a consequence of this their badguy boss gets really mad at Harry and stabs him a bunch of times then sets him loose in the temple holding a grenade without a pin. Chloe is there when he lets it go, and the explosion kills him and seriously injures Elena, who had been trying to help him. It's a reminder to Chloe of past mistakes but also of her better qualities: despite being dismissive of risking yourself to help people for most of the game she's the one who carries Elena to safety even at great risk to herself.

[personal profile] load_aim_shoot 2024-09-09 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
And new experiences are so important. this will enrich him as a person
meadqueen: (Default)

Re: ITEM SIGN UPS (cw gory description rip)

[personal profile] meadqueen 2024-09-09 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
Player Name: Tess
Character Name: Randvi
Item: A wooden box containing her husband Sigurd’s right arm
Relevance: Very shortly after her canonpoint (he is on the mission that will lead to this right now) Sigurd is captured by the Order of the Ancients. One of their paladins will hold him prisoner for around a year, doing all kinds of not very pleasant things to him to try and awaken the sleeping god in his head. One of those things is flaying and then cutting off his right arm at the elbow, since the god in his mind, Tyr, had also lost an arm. The paladin leaves this arm in a box for his sister Eivor to find while she's searching for him. Finding Sigurd’s arm puts strain on Eivor and Randvi’s nascent relationship for obvious reasons, and leads directly to the death of Sigurd’s childhood friend Dag in a duel that Randvi tries but fails to prevent. This also foreshadows huge changes in Randvi’s relationship with Sigurd - she had lived with him for a year five years prior and barely since, and after he is rescued she has to care for him full time. It's the thing that leads to her seeing him as a whole person, and also the primary factor in the dissolution of her marriage and subsequent friendship. Also interesting at this point in time because she has been worrying about how he will react to her own maiming and… well. Also since this is in the future for her, her status at home will be in question because she won't know if he's alive or not.
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
I feel like these two definitely need to bump into each other again sometime soon — whether during the event or later on, if that works better! But goddd after what went down in June and then The Trial... there's truly some good follow-up food to the recurring theme of "Doing The Right Thing / When To Take A Life" etc... So now that Ned's faced his first Necessary Murder (and has been agonising over it ever since), I think it could be really interesting to have him talk with Raju again!
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
I have not forgotten that I owe Crozier an Apology Thread, and I would still totally be down to do that this month, if you have room on your plate for it! Maybe before shit really hits the fan — or could do after; I'm very flexible for anything!

Also might be having Ned's item be a pocket watch chain....... because I saw "ominous omen for the future" and thought ahhhh wouldn't that just be the absolute worst :) It would be especially awful since Crozier would be the only one who'd understand the relevance... Sorry to burden you with yet MORE cursed knowledge, dad....
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
WRONG ACCOUNT but I love Sveta & Kostya's friendship so much and always need more of it... This month could be a good one for him finally starting to rely on her for some actual Medical Help, if you like! He's going to be staying out of the fray as much as he can, but maybe he gets some kind of injury along the way and doesn't want to worry his EMT boyfriend Vasiliy, so he goes to her? It could lead to him finally showing her that X-ray of his alien pal in his guts.... Svetlana Nazarova, doctor to all things spooky...
guidemyway: (Otherside)

[personal profile] guidemyway 2024-09-09 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
My favorite!
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
Time to meet your new bro, Kieren.... It'll be very fun because I have no idea exactly how this thing might react until I actually get into The Situation — he might be more chill towards Kieren initially, or he might get hissy... Either way, we doing this B)
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
I'm so here for it! I can truly see Ned getting injured more than once.... multiple healing help for this guy... so I would love for The Doctor to help him not die!

I haven't planned out any specific injuries or the extent of them yet, BUT I am down to clown however / can let you know more thoughts on that once things start kicking / if there's anything in particular that would be fun or meaningful for The Doctor, I'm here for it B)
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
YESSS give him the healing.... although he'll feel so guilty about any negative effects for her.... but hell yeah, give this girl all the naps she deserves!

I still need to plan the exact injuries / extent of them but will let you know more deets asap 👀
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
I have been WAITING for this.... all my life..... I still don't know exactly what his injuries / the extent will be, but I will definitely let you know more deets. Time to see Wynonna Gone Feral 👀👀👀
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
Ned would absolutely want to check in with James just as much, so that would be perfect!! He has been trying so hard to Keep An Eye on everyone from the Expedition... impossible task... Though he can turn into a wolf? now? so he's able to cover more ground... at some point he probably needs to tell James about that little zinger - assuming it doesn't come up in their current reunion thread!

Also laughing because this probably isn't the best month for it, but at some point, he and Irving need to have James over for a formal dinner at their cabin... I believe they both have their epaulettes here; they just put them on for him...
guidemyway: (Your memory ever-lasting)

[personal profile] guidemyway 2024-09-09 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
Ruby is down for violence if Eren is! She usually tries to lean toward the non lethal against humans if she can, but she is also fiercely protective of people so isn't afraid to set that guideline aside!

She also later on could look into forging Eren a weapon, or helping him track one down.
goingtobeunwell: (smirk)

[personal profile] goingtobeunwell 2024-09-09 02:18 am (UTC)(link)

I am still totally down for the post-argument thread! The boys gotta make up - although Crozier doesn't hold a grudge against Little for their little fight, because that guy made some fair points. We could do before the big Forest Talker showdown, absolutely! Especially if Little's going to be walking around with that chain....

He's just going to take it from him and chuck it into a tree. No! You stay away from chains, young man!

copacetic: (12)

[personal profile] copacetic 2024-09-09 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
That sounds good! /o/ Jane would def be like wtf are you doing...threatening them is just going to scare them more if he was doing that. Maybe he starts threatening them and they start acting out so Jane tries a gentler more manipulative approach.

(And that all sounds good! Lalo will basically be living/sleeping in the staff headquarters whenever he's in Lakeside since Doe's Retreat burned down RIP. We can thread or handwave, it's up to you!)
fidior: — 𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 (Default)

(The Terror / specifically Edward Little ending spoilers within!)

[personal profile] fidior 2024-09-09 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Player Name: Jhey
Character Name: Edward Little
Item: a gold pocket watch chain
Relevance: Unbeknownst to Edward right now, the item has significance to his ultimate fate. His death involves being found by Captain Crozier: Edward being the last of the crew left alive, mind gone and face mutilated: adorned in several pocket watch chains. No one knows the exact circumstances leading to this — what specifically did Edward Little Bear Witness to? Therefore, this item will be an appropriately mysterious, ominous omen of his future! Only poor Crozier will understand its significance...
thedreamer: (023)

[personal profile] thedreamer 2024-09-09 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Trauma bonding = best bonding. I love the sound of this! Perfect mash up and definitely looking forward to it! Were you planning to do a top level by chance? If not, happy to set something up!
thedreamer: (026)

[personal profile] thedreamer 2024-09-09 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
HMMM I was trying to ponder a way for the two to become combined possibly, but with the worst of the attacks coming more towards the end of the month after the Aurora, thinking that won't work as smoothly, unless you aren't necessarily opposed to a time skip within a log? Maybe they first meet over the Aurora and since the Doctor would want to help and lend support to her if he could, but will also equally struggle to open up in the reverse, it could be on the shorter side of things depending how the convo goes, and if we wanted to, they bump into each other again later in the intense fray? If that is too convoluted, I'm totally good just sticking with a more straightforward either/or option and just seeing how things play out organically!
flambeaux: yelling with teeth (threat yell blood)

Louis de Pointe du Lac | Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

[personal profile] flambeaux 2024-09-09 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
Player Name: Tea
Permissions & Contact
Pacing: Struggling to come off hiatus and get back in the groove.
OOC Limits: Louis is probably not killing teenagers because it makes him (more) depresso.

Character Name: Louis de Pointe du Lac
Canon: Interview with the Vampire (AMC)
Aurora Feat: Free Runner = hangry vampire

Wanted CR: Idk the town is on fire and people are dyin??? I don't mind negative CR, as it's a great(?) way to tease out stuff Louis hides. Just be mindful that he can get mean and bitey. Louis gives dad vibes, but honestly he's a terrible father, not out of malice but just he's a very flawed individual.
Unwanted CR: Dalliances are not advisable with a man who is simultaneously single, married, divorced, separated, widowed, and cursed af.

Event Ideas:
Painful Reminders: Louis is receiving one of his daughter's* diaries and hearing her voice on the wind. She dropped not too long ago, so it's a bad time for a depresso espresso.
Bad Blood: An unnamed NPC is setting Louis's house in the north of town on fire, but Louis is going to drain his blood and be really well-adjusted* about it. He's not been eating properly, so he's really hungry and blood tastes really good. Then he'll probably go kill anyone else who is attacking because he's a hot mess who has to leave a trail of destruction in his wake.

*citation needed

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