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The Mods of LifeAftr ([personal profile] lifeaftr_mods) wrote in [community profile] lifeaftr2020-01-02 08:51 pm

January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

JANUARY UNDERCURRENT
Who: Everyone!
What: Hey bud, how's it growing?
When: January 3rd to January 20th
Where: Everywhere!
Warnings: This event has a potential for body horror and character death; please mark anything as it comes up!

A Notion Growing Inside Me

Those of you who weren't with us the last time Umui entered the archipelago didn't have to contend with the lethal illness known as the Overgrowth personally, but anyone who remembers it probably doesn't remember it fondly. Fortunately, this isn't quite the same strain of the illness that you had to contend with the last time. It's not unrelentingly and uncompromisingly fatal, for one! That's always nice.

For those that need a primer on the Overgrowth, it is best described as a sickness that overcomes you with floral growth both inside and outside your body that can only be cured by expressions of emotional honesty. Expressions of truths, affections, and admissions of things that you have hidden from yourselves or from others were critical in dispensing of the illness. These could be as simple as admissions of past sins or the revealing of secrets, or as grandiose and overt as confessions of guilt or love. That general idea will remain more or less the key means of curing this strain as well, though the stakes fortunately aren't as high this go around! Which is to say, if you fail to have any grand emotional epiphanies by the time this event ends, you aren't doomed to suffer a character death; symptoms will simply dissipate come January 20th.

So what's this sickness going to be like in this particular instance, then? We're so glad you asked!
You can go the standard route, of course. Adventurers' first brush with the illness saw the following afflicted upon them:
[ ♆ ] Stage One: Germination. Initial symptoms involve fever, coughing fits, numbness to nerves and extremities, and general joint stiffness. Difficulty breathing or performing other basic functions will often occur. Fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and intense weakness or dizzy spells are also liable to occur as the flowers begin to harvest nutrients from the body. This will also generate extreme thirst and periods of intense nausea. Tremors and the sensation of something "itching" from inside are also common. The end of Stage One is usually marked by the act of vomiting or coughing up flower petals or spores, along with a not-insignificant amount of blood.

[ ♆ ] Stage Two: Budding. The floral growths spread more completely inside the body, and begin to grow on the skin or exterior. Difficulty performing basic functions will increase as, for example, airways become obstructed and flowers grow around joints and pinch them still. The site of affliction also yields rashes, blisters, and blood sores as the flowers sprout from the skin. The rate of vomiting or coughing up floral growths will increase dramatically. Flowers often bloom quickly, and very painfully. Numbness in affected areas will increase, oftentimes rendering parts of the body completely inert - a pair of legs claimed completely by blooms, for example, will no longer work.
This was followed by Stage Three: Bloom, which resulted in character death. However, this strain will not advance to this style of Stage Three. All symptoms will disperse by the time Umui resurfaces.

This strain is also rather more erratic, which can make emotional repression more of an inconvenience than a horrifying circumstance. For those who would rather not play around with intense sickness (or who have already endured this once before), you have the option to go that route if you like! With this variant of the Overgrowth, one can become, for example, so embarrassed that they hiccup up a flower. A vicious denial of their feelings may cause them to spontaneously erupt into a rash of dandelion puffballs, seemingly immediately. You might end up walking around with a bouquet for an arm for a few hours. Perhaps mortifying, but certainly not fatal! Isn't that nice?

Unless, of course, you want it to be...

I Can't Fight It Much Longer

Now, while the Bloom Stage isn't present in this strain, it has mutated its progression into a rather nasty end stage. Those of you who succumb a little too readily to this illness, who don't fight off the emotional repression quickly, who don't admit those difficult truths to yourself or confess to whatever you're bottling up, you'll be faced with a potentially horrifying transformation. Potentially, because it is your choice whether or not you see fit to commit your character to that fate - as stated above, this option might simply skip over your character entirely, and the worst they'll have to deal with are cartoonishly over-the-top effects that disperse in due time.

But maybe not all of you will be so lucky. Some of you might discover for yourselves how this particular variant of the Overgrowth has mutated.

We call this mutation Stage Three: Outbreak.
In this final Stage, those beautiful blooms wither and harden into a fungus-like carapace as the illness grows into the victim's brain and shuts down virtually all higher functions. This can sometimes render them almost wholly recognizable, but not always - oftentimes, it's very obvious who this person once was. The victim is reduced to a carrier of the virus, which causes them to act the way you'd expect most viruses to act: becoming intent on spreading. Advanced brain functions such as speech, rational thought, and so on tend to shut off and become wholly inaccessible.

Now that the victim's body is no longer fighting the Overgrowth, the illness lends them increased speed, strength, and durability, making them dangerous foes indeed. They will usually seek to infect others by whatever means necessary - usually via biting or exuding breathable spores - but in some cases, they will simply reduce to base instincts, and just outright attempt to attack and kill whoever is closest.

Unfortunately, at this point, there is no hope of a cure; it's hard to make someone be emotionally honest when they're capable of little more than blunt, animal instinct. At this point, you can either wait for the Stage Three symptoms to disperse come Umui's return, or take manners into your own hands. You can probably guess what that might entail.

If you decide to put your Overgrown friends out of their misery, this will count as a character death. If it comes to that, be sure to let us know on the Deaths page! Death penalties, however, will not be reduced for this event.

Try to Get Through It

Of course, there's a lot going on in the background as well. You're free to use this log as a catch-all for the duration of January's Undercurrent Event, as well as any of the other minor events listed on our Monthly Rundown post. And, of course, you are always free to create your own individual logs and posts as needed.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them over on the Questions header on our Rundown post!
January Timeline
[ ♆ ] January 1st: "This Sucks" begins and lasts until January 10th
[ ♆ ] January 3rd: "Growing Pains" begins and lasts until January 20th
[ ♆ ] January 11th: "No Water is Safe" begins and lasts until January 19th
[ ♆ ] January 20th: Umui returns to the archipelago
[ ♆ ] January 21st: "Impawsible Geometries" begins and lasts until January 31st
LOGSOOCSTORIESMAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )
thermalwind: (come tank with me plzzz i miss you)

ii

[personal profile] thermalwind 2020-01-15 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
With you? Always. [Keith says as he puts down the knife he was sharpening. His right arm is still stiff but it’s been getting better. The more people he talks to and admits the truth, the less pain he feels from it.

The glass-like blade rests back in the niche he made to allow him to sharpen it with just one hand. Keith turns away from his work to fully face Kravitz. The sand and the sea are at his back and the bound braid over his shoulder shifts, exposing the same red flowers as last time, peaking out of his shirt collar.]


I was such a mess last time this happened. I barely knew a damn thing. [He smiles and it warms his violet eyes.] Glad this time I can help a close friend. Tell me whatever comes to mind. Seems to help pinpoint what to say.
thermalwind: but I'm thinking about it (I wont kill you but I'm thinking)

ii

[personal profile] thermalwind 2020-01-15 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[Keith happens to come out of Denny in time to see her fall. He approaches slowly and almost backs up at the sight of petals set in the blood. He closes his eyes.

Everyone is getting it. He walks over and sighs.]
Looks like everyone is getting it again. [He rolls up his right sleeve and exposes the red flowers that have broken free of the scarring in the middle of his bicep all the way down to his clawed fingers.]

I’m further along. How much do you know about this?
counterblows: (϶ to read out my demands)

[personal profile] counterblows 2020-01-15 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Not really. I mean, this was...only the second time it happened here. That I remember, anyway.

[The first being Nastrandir. And that was a...limited thing. Not everybody got fucked up by that, at least.]
motherfucking_ghost: (really shouldn't add to my confusion)

[personal profile] motherfucking_ghost 2020-01-15 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
For real? Did that seriously not throw up any red flags for you people? Everyone should know their CO's name.

I was about to say 'that's fucked up', but I mean, that's Project Freelancer's motto.

Were you guys...you and York, I mean. Were you two friends? Are there gonna be any problems? I can't imagine someone who got on with Delta would be bad news.
counterblows: (϶ of you and me)

[personal profile] counterblows 2020-01-15 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Everything was confidential. We weren't even allowed to talk about any previous deployments.

[That wasn't always a surefire thing, though. The Dakotas, for one, definitely knew each other's, so there was that out the window right out the gate.]

You could say that, yeah. We were.

[And then the last time he saw York, it was rigging up his armor to detonate.]
Edited 2020-01-15 23:18 (UTC)
salutosinedelectat: Confused, curious (Huh)

[personal profile] salutosinedelectat 2020-01-15 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ In the two or so months he's been here, Aziraphale has rarely known any true relaxation, if any at all. So he does understand; in fact, he's rather wary, even though the creature is coming off as fairly harmless. You just never know. ]

Keep it? [ Aziraphale looks at it as the wobbledog sniffs and licks the offered hand. ]

Er, well, I hadn't considered anything like that. It just kept following me, for some reason.

Never did see anything like it before.

yakyuuman: (283 homeruns)

[personal profile] yakyuuman 2020-01-16 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh! Good morning, sleepyhead!"

It's not like he's not aware that Ginko is not in his best conditions; he chooses to ignore it on the exterior side of things, round eyes quickly scanning the paler condition of the man's face and all that sweat that couldn't be so easily produced in a cold day unless he's actually feverish... which Jyushimatsu starts suspecting immediately.

"What happened?" he asks, after withdrawing the hatchet and... slamming it into the ground, right next to Ginko's head. No worries, he just needed to put his weapon somewhere, no harm intended. "Did you get piss drunk at Danny's and this is all the hangover catching up to you?"

He pauses, dramatically. "... Oh, right, that guy did say they're not serving drinks for the moment!"
motherfucking_ghost: (heh yeah)

[personal profile] motherfucking_ghost 2020-01-16 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Little baby Freelancer not-David definitely-Washington. Being friends with people.

Hard to imagine.
yakyuuman: (245 homeruns)

[personal profile] yakyuuman 2020-01-16 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ Strike One borks in response. It's a very weird bork, and Jyushimatsu loves it. He loves everything about these creatures. ]

And I'm Jyushimatsu! [ He can't point a thumb at himself as his hands are full of wobbledoggo, but he smiles even wider at her. ] Who are you?
salutosinedelectat: Smile, neutral (Heh heh)

[personal profile] salutosinedelectat 2020-01-16 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ Aziraphale smiles politely as she emerges. He’s still fascinated by the existence of fully sentient non-human creatures, and he never did manage to get a good look at her that other time.]

I’m glad to see you’re fairing better than the first time we met.

I don’t think I ever got your name, though.
salutosinedelectat: Sitting, neutral, talking, Crowley (I like your face)

[personal profile] salutosinedelectat 2020-01-16 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ Aziraphale falters in saying anything else, because that’s a totally fair assessment.

The angel steps out of the cottage, walking over to go meet them, albeit a bit cautious, just in case the large fish somehow breaks through the door.]


So...is it just going to stay in here?
agathokakological: ([102])

[personal profile] agathokakological 2020-01-16 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
I know, angel. Come with me...

[Crowley pulls him up carefully, his arm sliding around the angel to help assist his movements. The makeshift bed is not far off, and Crowley is able to perform some small miracles where it counts. Perhaps a pillow? A blanket? A bottle of water? He isn't sure what would make the angel feel the best, so he waits until he's settling him down again to ask.]

What will make things more comfortable for you? Please don't be stubborn, just answer me.
agathokakological: pass me the bottle ([275])

[personal profile] agathokakological 2020-01-16 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Oh good, more of that. Lovely. 

[Crowley has recently been forced to be honest by this island, a little treat turned into a veritable truth serum. Sure, this was a bit different, but he wasn't really shocked anymore.]

I don't know you, so believe me when I say I truly couldn't care less. Speak your mind.
agathokakological: Humiliating. ([061])

[personal profile] agathokakological 2020-01-16 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh...

[When Crowley read demon confessional, he took it a slightly different way. But this is fine. This is good. This helps him understand this whole... flower poisoning thing.]

So I tell you my sins. And you do... what? Tell me to sacrifice a number of goats?
yakyuuman: (301 homeruns)

[personal profile] yakyuuman 2020-01-16 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ So apparently neither Ichimatsu was aware of how much sickness has advanced on him, and it fills Jyushimatsu with further fear. He wants to grab his brother and throw him straight to bed, but it feels as though not even that will help much against this weird situation... and he wants to talk and make sure his most precious person won't fade away in front of him. ]

A bit? Uh... I saw a guy bleed flowers at the beach, and then another actually coughing them up...

[ It often reminded him of something and he just says it, not afraid to sound stupid. ]

Seems a bit like that one thing we had back home? That fictional stuff people love so much to write about - the Hanahaki disease...
yakyuuman: (301 homeruns)

[personal profile] yakyuuman 2020-01-16 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ He apprehensively watches Zidane compose himself, and after some inner debate there's now a sleeve grabbing the kid's arm for support so they'd avoid tumbling down to the sand.

"You really look like shit," he'd honestly say, but refrains from doing so. ]


Uh... you okay?

[ Zidane looks like he's about to speak up, so Jyushimatsu just... waits, after asking that. ]
suspecteverything: (grin)

i

[personal profile] suspecteverything 2020-01-16 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
[Jules spends a lot of his free time down on the beach. It's quite and usually well away from people, which means less noise and intrusive thoughts in his head. One person, however, isn't too bad. This one is actually rather entertaining. He has no idea what she's fighting, but hey, it's still fun to watch. He'll just keep lounging back on his elbows for the time being.]

I'd say one bloody nose is enough, but I've met a lot of beings that are thick skulled enough to come back after a lot more than one.
eudaimonikos: (either/or)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2020-01-16 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Michael shrugs, spreading his hands.]

Don't think that's part of the flower disease.
suspecteverything: (relaxed neutral)

2

[personal profile] suspecteverything 2020-01-16 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
Usually Jules doesn't get involved with other people. It's better to keep his distance for a variety of reasons. This time though, he can't help it. He can tell this kid is new here, and he can't turn away. Nineteen is still a kid no matter what Quentin - or any other 19 year old - might say.

"Because this place uses us a puppets for its own entertainment. The more torture it can put us through the better. Might as well try to get used to it. Happens all the minsid time."

It seriously pisses Jules off, but he's going really going to go into that right now. Quentin needs help. Thankfully this isn't the first time Jules has dealt with this crap. He knows the cure for it, though Quentin probably isn't going to like it.
suspecteverything: (oh yeah?)

[personal profile] suspecteverything 2020-01-16 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
The hell would I care?

[Probably back to the same place all this crazy shit comes from. Makes about as much sense as anything else around here. With the shark gone Jules flops back down on the sand. Outwardly he probably looks completely nonchalant and comfortable, but he can be back on his feet and in a ready, fighting position in a second. He trust no one, Jyushimatsu included.]

Never even seen whatever that thing was before.
reflash: (Sending “K” as a response)

[personal profile] reflash 2020-01-16 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
[He freezes, claws just having snipped off yet another flower from his wrist. The metal third eye in his forehead swivels up to study the stranger even though Yukio doesn't quite make real eye contact for a second.

He does look up, after a short moment. He can do this.
]

Thank you for the advice. [His smile is forced, and his voice is harsh from the illness, but Yukio is always nothing if not polite. His hand drops to the ground instead of just clawing his skin off to get at the itch building underneath, and he pushes himself to his knees, then stands to his feet. He braces himself against the tree he was leaning on.]

I have heard enough information [he can't get through a sentence without taking a gasping, raspy breath] about it. I work in the clinic.
forwearemany: (other side)

[personal profile] forwearemany 2020-01-16 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
(And they begin to replay back recordings from prior conversations.)

They figured out how to...fracture one instead. Fragment him. Torture him with countless no-win scenarios, false scenarios where he was responsible for agent deaths in the field until he started breaking parts of himself off, just to cope with the stress of it.



They split into different...traits. Reverse - Reverse engineering a multiple personality disorder. One fragment was his logic. One was his trust, and so on. They were assigned to agents, set to run equipment in the field.

They didn't know what they were missing. They could tell that something was wrong with them, that they belonged to something greater, but they couldn't access any of the memories of what that was.


(Wash told them quite a bit, apparently.)

agathokakological: ([139])

[personal profile] agathokakological 2020-01-16 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Isn't that how a confessional works? 

[Crowley asks this but he's never witnessed one himself. Consecrated ground is usually involved. He's only heard stories, seen films, you know the deal.]

If not, then what?
forwearemany: (other side)

[personal profile] forwearemany 2020-01-16 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Uncertain.

(Their headflaps ripple and they chatter.

They pull up their files.)


Known teammates currently residing in this location: Church, two females of unknown designation.
eudaimonikos: (a treatise of human nature)

[personal profile] eudaimonikos 2020-01-16 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know how a confessional works.

[He says, sort of like he thought that would be obvious.]

The point's just to try and stop the flowers from killing people. I wasn't here for the last time, but apparently confessing your deepest, darkest feelings will make it stop.