lifeaftr | October Event: Crystal Clear

OCTOBER EVENT: CRYSTAL CLEAR

Who: Everyone!
What: Your exploration takes a turn.
When: October 20th - 26th
Where: The caverns situated underneath Ensō
Warnings: Character death, body horror, descriptions of illness. Please mark any additional warnings as needed!

Part I: Attack, Attack!
Congratulations! You've successfully gone where no Storyteller has gone or can go, and woken up in the network of subterranean caves buried beneath the island's mass, along with your designated supplies: a miner's cap, a week's worth of food, and both your knapsacks and their collective contents. And the further along you go, the vaster and more sprawling these almost labyrinthian tunnels seem to get. There’s certainly evidence that civilization once thrived here - old buildings hewed from the rock of the cave walls may very well contain old tools, or even salvageable supplies. Careful examination of structures and cavern walls alike will reveal sigils resembling those carved on the doors, each of which will need to be destroyed entirely at the Storyteller's behest. Whatever was down here was advanced enough to dwell without sunlight. But that raises a rather pertinent question...

If there were once people here, where did they all go?

Fortunately, one will soon discover that there's plenty of natural light underground, exhibited by the crystalline growths on the walls. None of them appear to be dangerous, and those attracted to shiny things might even find them useful for picking up or chipping away in order to better light their way. The crystal has about the thickness and hardness of quartz, and bathes its surroundings in a luminous green glow.

The closer you come to the center of the mass, however, the denser the crystalline growths seem to become, until one has to be quite ingenious in navigating them. Eventually, they'll simply be too dense to be squeezed through, even by the smallest and most agile of your number.

That’s when they it will start to become apparent.

Something in the crystal is moving.

Huge chunks of crystal are starting to detach from the center and move slowly, inexorably, toward those unfortunate enough to have explored the caverns. Unmistakably humanoid silhouettes, distorted by awful crystalline growths, most of which have completely swallowed any recognizable features.

...most.

The good news is that the creatures can be shattered, and beaten back. The bad news? Well...

Part II: Retreat, Retreat!
Those who get close enough to the crystalized beasts to get a good look at them will soon make a horrifying discovery - the fact that, underneath those thick layers of luminescent quartz, there was once something that might have been recognizable as human. These quartz monsters aren't native to this region, or indeed, to any region of the island at all. They were formed.

Formed out of the very crystal that you explorers have been touching, picking up, sleeping on, and just generally remaining in prolonged contact with ever since you set foot down here.

Indeed, anyone who has been in contact with the crystal for extended periods of time - sleeping on it or getting dealt a swipe from one of the crystalized monsters, for example - will find that tiny, quartz-like growths have started to sprout on their skin as well. Once the virus has taken root, it will spread rapidly until it has swallowed you whole. Indeed, the unpleasant symptoms will reveal themselves within twenty-four hours of the initial exposure: in addition to clusters of crystalline growths pocking the affected areas, the inflicted will begin to experience intense stabbing pains all over as the crystal begins to grow - both inside and out.

The transformation is slow and arduous and painful, and vocalization tends to be one of the first things to go once the crystals sprout in the mouth and throat. Within the span of about three days since the initial exposure, the transformation will have sheathed most of the physical body in crystal entirely, sealing the victim in a humanoid cast of glasslike green.

It has not been confirmed if the inflicted are sentient and aware of their state of being once they are completely consumed. Whatever their intentions, those are easily overridden by the virus's innate desire to spread to as many organisms as possible.

As this is an event with a high risk of death, the Storyteller will impose death penalties for one week only. Additionally, deaths succumbed during the event count towards the character's total. There is no known cure to the virus, but that doesn't mean characters can't or shouldn't try!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] October 20th: Spelunking begins. Points of interest will be provided.
[ ♆ ] October 22nd: The Quartzalcoatl make their presence known.
[ ♆ ] October 24th: The final sigils are broken, and the Storyteller will return all uninfected to the Islets.
[ ♆ ] October 26th: All deceased will be returned at midday, suffering from a reduced death penalty.

Event Specifics

[ ♆ ] If your character perishes in this event, please let us know!
[ ♆ ] For those who opted out, please see the top-level below!
[ ♆ ] Item claims can be found on the OOC plotting post here!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[They flinch away with Edwards hand comes into contact with their shoulder; distracted from the afflicted, if momentarily. And on the tip of their tongue is a knife of another kind, just as sharp and meant to hurt-

The noise the Batter makes is not human. And they're almost out of time. A ring of crystals burst from the flesh under his eyes, glowing cheerfully against the stain of his blood. And he's struggling against it- practically ripping himself apart in an attempt not to live through it taking him; not to allow it to steal both body and mind.

Chara doesn't need additional urging. Ducking away from Edward, it only takes a few more steps to drop to their knees at his side, knife raised overhead with both hands wrapped around the hilt.

The sound it makes, as blade strikes skull, as bone cracks beneath the force. It's fast. And undoubtedly effective the first time, as they feel bone give way, as their blade sinks down a few inches further than it should have.

No hesitation.

Chara swings down again. And again. And a fourth time over, just to be sure.

Whatever happens when you die here, they hope that it's quiet.]

[It all happens too fast for Edward to even try to intervene. The Batter's sudden shredding of his arms, Chara lunging forward to plunge their knife into his skull over and over--the worst part of it is Edward can hardly find it in himself to be surprised or upset. It's just...exhaustion, and regret.]

[One hand had reached out to try and stop Kidwun, but it slowly drops back down to his side, and he watches them crouched down over the still-transforming corpse. He grimaces, before stepping forward and kneeling next to them once they're done.]

...we need to go.

[Even upon his approach, they remain still, staring down at the body of a--man, who at more than one point-

They were terrified of. Funny, how little he scares them now. A mere husk of what he was, what he is. With or without a soul, a corpse is never quite capable of the terror that a living creature could inspire.

Or perhaps they just can't feel it right now.]

...Go where?

[There's no point in trying to escape.

There's no point to anything.

Their eyes remain trained on the Batter.]

Somewhere safer. The constructs haven't gone very far up toward the tunnel entrance, if you stay up with the camp there you and Kittu will be safer, at least.

[He really, really hopes appealing to the state of their sibling will at least get them to move. Ed starts to reach for their shoulder, but pauses before letting his hand rest on the ground beside Kidwun's.]

I can give you directions from here, and I'll stay here to find the last of those sigils. If we break all of those there's a chance the Storyteller will take those of us left back out, or the doors could unlock. We can still get out of this.

[Silence, as he explains himself. He can give them instruction from here. He'll stay behind, find the last of those sigils. They can still get out of this. If they just stay up with the camp, they and Kittu will be safer, at least.

Chara begins to laugh. Softly at first, until the noise echoes throughout the caverns, bouncing back and creating a chain of high, manic amusement that isn't really amused at all. For the first time since they found the Batter (and well before that) Chara smiles. They smile so wide- laugh so hard, it feels like they'll never stop!

And tears-]

Kittu is dead!

[Roll down their cheeks.]

They're already dead.

October Event: Crystal Clear

cw: graphic violence

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: suicide