December Event: No Rest for the Wicked

[lifeaftr_mods]

DECEMBER EVENT: NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Who: Anyone and everyone
What: Your trials by fire
When: December 15th - 18th
Where: On Maati and Ensō
Warnings: Character deaths and violence are both likely - please mark as you go!

The Trials: Only Then Can We Begin

As noted in the OOC info post, your Trials will all begin on December 15th. As many of you will not be deposited into your trials with food and water (or any items of your own at all, in most cases), the Trials will last only as long as December 18th. If you've failed to complete your Trial by this deadline but have not used up all the deaths allotted to you, you will awaken by Maati's mana pool at the event's conclusion. If you have not failed your Trial by using up all your deaths, this will not count as a character death, and you will not need to submit for a penalty; you simply won't be able to obtain the reward you would get if you had succeeded! When your character wakes in their allotted Trial, they will discover that their starting chamber has been inscribed with the name of the Trial, the names of those participating, and the number of deaths they have remaining - though the latter aren't labeled in any way. You'll simply have to learn it the hard way; every time your character suffers a death, the number will go down by one. If it wasn't obvious what those numbers stood for at first, by the time the dying starts properly, it certainly will be. And you probably don't want to see it go all the way down to zero...

Should you reach the end of your Trial, you will step out onto the rocky cliffs of Maati, exiting from one of the seven doors set into the cliffs at the seven points of the island's star shape. You see, those doors you discovered earlier weren't the entrances to the Trials at all. They were the exits. And set into the towering cliffs...why, those house the winding mazes that comprise the Trials themselves.

There will be a top-level below for each Trial. Remember to plan with your groups and communicate with your thread partners! Whether you choose to do mingle-style threads or lengthier group threads is up to you.

Once you know the outcome of your Trial, success OR failure, please do let us know so that we can ensure your character gets the reward that befits their triumph...or lackthereof.

Remember also to let us know if your character uses up ALL their deaths during this event. While death penalties will not be inflicted during Trial deaths, if you use up all the deaths allotted to you and die for real, your death penalty will NOT be reduced.

The Water: Don't Let Them Get Away

The rest of you have plenty to contend with as well, of course. If you've opted out of this month's event, be advise that the waters creeping across shores of Ensō, along with the rest of the island, aren't going to take evasion kindly. They'll seek you out, spread along every inch of the island if they can, until they can find you. There is a top-level below, if you're intrigued! Though if you end up top-leveling yourself, we may very well reach out and find you anyway...

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] December 15th: The Trials on Maati begin, and the water begins to rise.
[ ♆ ] December 18th: The Trials reach their end.
[ ♆ ] December 19th: Those who have "perma"-died in their Trials are revived.
[ ♆ ] December 20th: The monthly Storytelling occurs.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[catpiper]

[They can only run so fast and it's all in the same direction. Every twist and turn makes their footsteps echo and it's easy to track which path they've gone down.

And she's scared-of that kid, for this monster, who is leaking something other than blood and she doesn't know what kind of bandage will help ease that pain. She's scared to stay together because she can't help him. She's scared of splitting up, because there's no guarantee the child will come after her.

He's ushering her forward, but she slows her pace and steps to the side to get, if not behind him, beside him. He's got to escape.]

We have to find the end.

[journalname]

[Asgore certainly won't keep forcing Ren along in front of him if she's doing something else, but he seems confused by her moving to his side. He's stumbling more than running, and his breathing is harsh. Though he keeps a hand pressed over the wound in his arm, fine grains of white dust are still leaking out.]

I do not think -

[One of his horns crumbles away. It was only two shots - but his DEF can't get much lower, and that child wants him dead. Their gun had been empty, when he met the real them. Maybe if they'd been able to conserve their ammunition, everything would've been different.

He can't recognize if this is a corridor he's been in before, or focus enough to tell if it might lead out.]

Come now. You do not have to stay here with me.

[catpiper]

[It's not the first time she's seen someone die. The children vanished, the people around her fell victim to a project meant to save, some ghosts recalled their last moments in vivid detail, others were pouring out grief she simply felt as she ran by.

But watching this gentle monster get attacked and turn to dust before her very eyes-knowing that it's because he needs to face the child behind him and unsure of how to make that happen, if it should happen, why it needs to happen-

She tries to get behind him. Maybe offer some kind of cover, because it doesn't particularly matter if she gets hit. It's not going to change the outcome for her, no matter how bad she wants live she's desperate to live, but it might make a difference for him.]

I'm going to stay. I'll be right here.

[journalname]

[Asgore stops moving as Ren slips behind him, turning to track her movements.]

No, no, there is no need for that - [Somewhere, logically, he knows that the other child is incapable of harming her. But it's hard to keep track of all the facts and mechanics of this place, while his body is dissolving back into dust.] - this is only between them and I.

[catpiper]

[She didn't ask for his input!! And tries to push him forward, tries to think of a way to stop the dust from coming out-]

If you can't fight back, you have to keep going. Don't stop.

[journalname]

All right, all right...

[He'll just keep going then? He doesn't see why she's so concerned about him, frankly, but she won't get out any faster if he makes her stand here and deal with him.]

But if I fall behind, you must go on. You should get out of this place.

[catpiper]

You only have one tally left.

[Is the protest that comes out of her mouth. She has at least a couple. It's riskier for him to be left alone.]

[journalname]

That is all right. Death does not last here.

[Those children, even if these shades are not truly them, deserve to take his life if they want it. The fact that he'll probably just come back again only makes it a lot easier to let it happen.]

[catpiper]

That kind of thing doesn't matter.

[He shouldn't have to die. No one in this maze should have to experience that over and over and over again until they get something right.]

[journalname]

Of course it does.

[Asgore would never make that argument for anyone else. He couldn't let another person experience death, simply because it wouldn't stick. But for him - well, that's different. He's done it before, and with any luck he'll do it again at some point. He doesn't want to live forever.]

I will be okay. No matter what happens here.

[catpiper]

[It's hard. So hard. His arm is oozing dust, there's a looming threat behind them and he had given up before walking into the maze. It was over before it began and she thought she could help, but-

The way he's speaking-like it's inevitable. Like there's no chance he can survive against a small child-a kid that's impossible to raise a weapon towards for that reason.

Why is it a kid? How could it be a kid?]

You promise?

[journalname]

[He smiles and leans down to offer her a big hand - the one on his injured arm, the other is all dusty now.]

I promise, it's all going to be okay. I will see you on the islands.

[catpiper]

[The hand around hers-it should be comforting, but it's impossible to shake the sense of dread, of hopelessness, of guilt-

She's not going to leave him. Not until she has to. Not until his final moments, if he can't manage to face his demons, because no one should have to die alone.

It's all she can do. So her fingers wrap around his and she tries to avoid gazing at the dusty remains of his other arm and-

Keeps walking with him. She can at least do that-stay until the very end. She can hope and hope they're able to find a brighter path, an exit, anything to save him from failing.]

[journalname]

[Well, Asgore's certainly in no position to refuse her. He's sorry, though, that she's going to have to be here for this. Children shouldn't have to be so close to death.

Speaking of which.]

You...you're the king, right?

[This is a different child entirely, green-souled with a dirty apron tied around their body and covering most of their outfit. There's a large frying pan in their hand, nearly dragging along the ground.]

Are you going to take my soul?

[catpiper]

[As she's about to respond, make an attempt to take the lead again-

There's another kid? One she doesn't recognize, but they cast some quick judgement on the supposed king beside her. It must be another trial for him.

One in front and one behind-]

Their soul?

[journalname]

Yes...

[Asgore gestures vaguely to his own chest, about where the glowing heart is hovering over the child's. But he seems pretty focused on the new kid.]

I am not going to take your soul.

You could. It's okay.

[catpiper]

[It's a bizarre exchange with an ending she's unsure about. Take the soul of a kid and-

Ren tries to offer some kind of silent encouragement, squeezing his remaining arm because-

She has no idea what to do. No idea what to say, except direct a question to the child, who is willingly trying to offer their soul up.]

Why do you want him to?