The Darkwalker Comes

[singmod]

THE DARKWALKER COMES

Greetings, Interlopers! We have a special little announcement for you:
The Darkwalker has made its first real strike against Interlopers, resulting in the death of La'an Noonien-Singh.

So... what exactly happened?

On the night of the 25th of January, something strange happened with the sky: on an otherwise clear and pleasant (if not terribly cold) night, the stars went out and moon disappeared from view. Instead, the sky became nothing but an empty expanse of black-green. Interlopers will have found themselves over-come with a strange, all-encompassing fear, running for cover indoors. Curtains will be drawn, some may have even chosen to hide under beds, within closets or wardrobes. Some may have rushed to friends or loved ones to hide with them, others may have simply cowered alone. The fear is irrational, unable to be overcome — even by the bravest or most stoic of Interlopers.

Sounds could then be heard. Coming from towards the east, the sounds of unnatural and almost-demonic roars, groans and moans — unable to be likened to or truly described. Interlopers would hear these sounds drawing nearer and nearer — with an innate understand of something coming. This would have lasted for some time, culminating in the death of La'an.

After which, a screaming wail could be heard. Some may wonder if it was La'an herself. But the scream will be recognised as the woman Interlopers heard in both the dream at the beginning of the year, and the dream during January's prompt.

Silence would follow, and then everything would return to normal. The stars and moon would return to the sky, as if nothing would have ever happened. Only... something has.

La'an's body will be found outside in the snow, in the center of town — relatively close to the Community Hall. While there will appear to be no physical wounds, her body will appear contorted — expression frozen in absolute fear. It will be incredibly unnatural and violent to look at.


A massive thank you to Amy for taking the plunge with the game and choosing the Darkwalker option! Sorry to see you go, but what an absolute gift you've left us all. I truly had no idea when someone would go with this option, and I'm delighted as a mod to see someone go with it! ❤


And with that, please feel free to ask any questions or such in this post here.

Comments

[guidemyway]

Okay. First question.

Is there any sign that her body was put there? Or does it look like she just appeared there? Any tracks or signs of a struggle outside of the contortion?

[singmod]

La'an would have walked there herself. The were be tracks showing where she's walked from: likely her home. There would be no other markings in the snow, suggesting that she may have been lifted up into the air.

[desperate_times_right]

A ton of random questions lol sorry but:

- are any footprints (glowy darkwalker prints or otherwise) visible?
- does it look like she died where she was found?
- assuming yes, was she facing east?

[singmod]

There would be La'an's footprints to the spot she walked to. There would also be strange 'waves' made in the snow, hard to define as to what exactly made them, but an intangible green-light-almost-residue would also be found — but will vanish by morning.

She died in the same spot she was found, and it does appear that she was likely facing east.

[desperate_times_right]

Great!!

[jackdawvision]

If someone were to touch the green light-almost-residue left behind, would there be any effects?

Also, if the death is recent, will there be any side effects if someone touches the body for burying?

[singmod]

It is intangible, so unable to be touched. But being close to it will fill Interlopers with a particular chill, unlike any kind of cold. Some Interlopers may remark it feeling like death.

Touching the body will not cause any side effects.

[lanfeared]

Would the Darkwalker respond to any direct efforts to communicate, or would any potential interaction automatically result in Interloper death? (Asking for a friend who is Lanfear.)

[singmod]

It is not interested in communicating with Interlopers, outside of its attempts (such as in during events) to lure them 'into the Long Dark'. Reaching the Darkwalker is very difficult and potential attempts to communicate with it will be unsuccessful.

If persistent enough, they will be met with the following:

'Disappear, Interloper. I will come for you, or you will meet your own end here. Either way, you will go into the Dark.'

(Sorry, Lanfear. The Darkwalker doesn't love you.)

Parting notes

[rescapee]

Some things of note for those left behind to deal with her creepy corpse:

— La'an's CR is welcome to assume she told them about Enola sometime in recent weeks!
— She died wearing her Starfleet cold climate uniform; if someone wants to claim it off her corpse, it's good gear! (And a good potential CR hook if anyone else from Star Trek ever shows up.)
— La'an spent much of her "free time" patrolling the borders of the town and looking out for the safety of the town. Feel free to assume your character saw her on one of her many patrols.

— Inside her house, La'an has left her watch (a damaged diver's watch) in the room Fraser sometimes used along with a note: "Don't lose yourself in this place."
— Insider her house, La'an also left her Starfleet badge with a note for Edward Little: "Stay strong, lieutenant. They need you more than they know."

[friendsfordinner]

We've got another for "notice me, darkwalker-sempai."

Would there be anything of note were someone to immediately book it towards the east, as far out as possible, once the fear has passed?

[singmod]

Of course, of course.

The sounds were coming from the east, initially, and coming west-ward towards Milton, growing louder and louder. And then more 'all around' by the time the Darkwalker reached Milton.

There would be nothing of note if someone does decide to go chasing off east-ward — they'd just end up heading off into the wilds. However, they may notice the strange waves in the snow similar to that around La'an's body coming in a straight line from the east. These tracks will not be able to be followed far, but it would be noted that the tracks do appear to go through any solid obstacle.

[friendsfordinner]

Do those solid obstacles the tracks go through include inhabited houses?

[singmod]

Oh, yes.

Should a character be in one of these inhabited houses, while they will be ignored by the Darkwalker's singular intention of this time (hunting down La'an) — characters will note its presence as it passes through the home.

It may be hard for characters to put into words, but they will feel some overwhelming enormity of the presence. It will be like the ultimate ending of all things, like death itself — an incredibly terrifying and overwhelming experience. It will also feel like some deep, gnawing hunger. Far more than the hunger any human could truly know. The experience may even cause characters to pass out.

[salamanca]

If someone arrived relatively early to this scene, before too many people had been there, what would they notice or not notice? Anything broken, disturbed, etc, or is everything eerily in place? Any tracks? Any... anything?

Assuming this person got there shortly after the Darkwalker left; not in time to see the Darkwalker itself, but not very long after.

Assume this person would not have been present at the scene of La'an's death so they wouldn't be able to make any comparisons to similarities or differences to the scene of her death other than whatever would be considered common knowledge among the Interlopers.

LMAO I'm sorry if any of this is dumb or makes no sense.

[singmod]

Up to the church, from the east, almost as if in a straight line that is not impeded by any obstacles (buildings, cars, etc.:) there would be strange 'waves' made in the snow, hard to define as to what exactly made them.

Within the church itself, nothing is disturbed, even the doors are shut. There are no tracks, but there is an intangible green-light-almost-residue that can be amongst the bodies — but will vanish by morning. It is an eerily calm scene despite the fact there's four people dead. The only possible disturbance would be from where the bodies have landed — as if they have been picked up and dropped — which might have knocked things over in the church. There would be no tracks of the Darkwalker moving away from the scene.

[salamanca]

Are there any injuries on the bodies consistent with being dropped from a height? Skull or bone fractures? Does it look like being dropped might have been part of what killed them or were they likely dropped post-mortem?

Edited because all other q's were answered on the actual post lol. I can't read.

[singmod]

They were already dead by the time they were dropped. It wasn't a huge height they were dropped from, either. Certainly not enough to cause fractures. Some bruising, if anything — considering they didn't have the soft landing of snow that La'an had.

[salamanca]

ty!