lifeaftr | January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

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

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

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Well, if that’s the case it might be something harmless. [The dog could still decide to eat faces. The islands are such a toss up he hasn’t relaxed in quite some time. Keith presents his hands for the dog to sniff.]

Are you thinking to keep it with you? It likes you enough to follow you.

[Again, it seems safe. He can’t see a reason why it would be a bad idea.] If you found it over by the library there might be more of them.

[ 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.

It has happened a few times. We get an influx of some critter that’s harmless and a few of us take them in. [Whatever this dog is or was, it doesn’t seem afraid of him or the scent of the wolf on him. Keith studies it carefully.]

It could be really young but, without seeing more of them I don’t know. [Keith leans back a little on his heels and climbs back to his feet.] Can you show me where you found it?

[ Aziraphale looks down at the animal(?) again. It is small in size, about the size you'd expect for most small dogs. Pink and ocean blue, it is quite round, goofy-looking, and sports seven legs and six eyes, one located at the back of its head, and its tongue sticks out like it refuses to get back in its mouth. It could be considered monstrous or disturbing, if it didn't look like a silly child's toy come to life. ]

Oh, yes, of course. [ He stares at the wobbledog for another second, before breaking the eye contact and actually walking. ]

I was just making my way from the mana pool, and it simply came out of nowhere.

[ The dog simply trots along after Aziraphale, on its odd number of little paws. ]

[He strides smoothly after him, whistling low for the count of three beats. Out of the shadows a massive blue wolf with glowing teal markings and yellow eyes steps into the open as if it had always been there. The wolf falls in step with Keith and his stride shifts, matching the animal's pace.

If there's trouble ahead, they'll face it.] Do you remember how far or what was around you? Bushes, forest?

[Not everyone pays that much attention but it never hurts to run down the list.] And don't mind Kosmo, he's a friend.

[ Hands held together in front of him in a manner most fussy, Aziraphale double-takes when the enormous wolf steps out of the trees, looking quite startled. Keith's explanation does calm him a bit, though. You'd think he'd be used to strange things here by now. ]

Erm. Right.

[ He resumes walking. ]

I was walking right by the Denny and the other buildings. It simply bounded around the corner and after me. So I'd believe it may have come from the jungle.

[He nods, processing the information and adding to the list of beasts he knows come from the jungle. They really should come up with some kind of fortifications around the buildings.

That could just be his paranoia talking. It isn't long before the Denny is in view.] Sounds about right.

Sometimes I think creatures just randomly appear here. One moment they're just there.

[His hands remain at his sides but his fingers twitch with the urge to gesture widely. He moves his right hand slightly, two fingers extended and the others tucked together. The wolf peels off away from them, heading for the edge of the building.] Kosmo is talking the side closest to the forest, we can look around the other side.

[ Aziraphale watches the wolf move along, then looks down as the small colorful...dog shambles up to his side, panting up at him with its many, asymmetric eyes. While the creature is rather jarring to look at, specially when it moves...its behavior is quite inoffensive. Certainly hard to compare to the screaming lorbies, and the exploding creepers.

He looks at Keith again. ]

Are you sure this is all quite necessary? At least this one seems quite harmless.

[ As far as he can tell. ]

No. [He has gotten less and less caring about choosing his words with care on a given day. It will be hell for public relations when he gets home. Keith shrugs,]

But last time I didn’t play it safe we had a god drugged on their own aspect pull us into dreams and try to eat us.

We ignored the vines following us because they seemed harmless. [He isn’t drawing his weapons but checking it out? That needs done.]

And better to know if we got a bunch around or not. Let people know if they are harmless. It’s nice to find something around here that is.

[He shrugs his shoulders once and scans around them. Nothing so far.] ...if you do decide to keep them I know some ways to handle canines. They’re great friends to have.

[ Aziraphale is beginning to think that this human - or human shaped being as it were, he's not really looking too deep into that - is quite the serious kind.

The part about the drunk god and vines and trying to eat people though, that certainly gets his attention. He's heard a lot about the gods in these islands, but, somehow, no one's actually told him they can be dangerous. Although...he should really just know that from experience. ]

Oh, I...I see. I do suppose you have a point.

[ He glances down at the wobbledog by his feet with renewed uncertainty. The animal simply tries to scratch its ear, nearly falling over in the process. ]

Right. Well, perhaps a thorough investigation really is necessary. Just to make sure.

Just to make sure. [He echoes but puts a little gentleness in his. He is just making sure they’re all safe. His paranoia is through the roof on a good day but strange things popping up set it off like a police siren.]

I’m pretty sure I’m just being paranoid. I bet he came this way to escape all the predators in the woods.

[He reaches the edge of Denny as his wolf emerges from the wilderness and shakes himself off. The wolf scratches at the edge of his face. Keith snorts.] Looks like our little guy is a loner. Kosmo didn’t find anything.

[ Aziraphale looks down at the strangely colored creature once more, as it seems to simply just...wobble as it moves, in any way, shape or form. Unstable movements, most probably by the odd number and shape of legs. He's not even sure it has any teeth. ]

I have to admit I don't really see any way it could be dangerous at first glance. But, then again...

[ The angel watches the wolf return, before the wobbledog just....wobbles and stumbles its way over to the gigantic canine, like the most broken tecnicolor spider. ]

[Keith sighs, looking at the wobbling critter. Lance had expressed he was too on edge. Maybe he's right. Kosmo leans forward and sniffs at the strange thing. After a moment the wolf steps forward and ducks its head to look directly at the dog.]

Well, if Kosmo isn't bothered it should be okay. He's got a really good judge of most things.

Probably an instinct from being a...space wolf. Dunno.

[ The wobbledog's tail-- that IS a tail, right? Wags/jiggles in some fashion that may dictate that it is sniffing at the large wolf, and perhaps offering friendship. Or it may be simply too dumb to realize it could be in danger. Either way.

Aziraphale watches the canines interaction, although that last part sure catches his attention. ]

'Space wolf'?

[Keith nods, watching the canines as he relaxes by degrees. They're doing fine. With the larger canine settles down on the ground.] Yeah, I think I heard them called 'cosmic wolves?' I've never seen another one. We met when he was a puppy.

[He scratches at the scar on the right side of his face. It still itches sometimes.] I didn't expect to run into a wolf in space.

"Cosmic wolves"...why, that sounds like it climbed straight out of fiction.

[ Then again, well. Realities and such. Guess there's a world where there are space wolves. ]

Gets better. I usually pilot a giant psychic robotic lion. [His eyes spark with good humor then he says lightly,]

I'm not joking. Space is a really weird place in my reality.

Oh. [ He does look vaguely impressed, eyebrows raised.

There are many things he could tell Keith, but he's lost all sense of reference the moment he started talking to the myriad of people in these islands. ]

I must say, I don't think humans in my world are quite there as far as space travel, but one can wonder if they will be.

Probably one day. It will just take some time until they get that far and standardize the process.

[There’s a lot he could say about it. But it wouldn’t be the full picture. He reaches out to his wolf and runs his fingers through his fur.]

Humans didn’t get as far as the Lions. They’re an ancient alien war machine. We got as far as traveling to Pluto and discovered the universe was and is being subjugated by a massive empire.

[ There’s a lot Aziraphale could say, too, if he took the time to do so. And it’s quite easy to get him started, specially when Crowley isn’t there to stop him from rambling on about literally everything since the Beginning, but he’s polite enough to not bore the young man to tears.]

Aliens and empires... [ He sounds fascinated. ]

You have quite the fascinating history.

So I've heard. [He slips his hands under Kosmo's chin to really scratch at an itch he's seen the wolf scratch for days.]

Kind of throws people when we are dumped in memories or dream scapes...what's yours if you don't mind me asking that.

My world? [ Ah, right.

The wobbledog shambles its way over to Aziraphale, flopping down against his legs. The angel glances down, vaguely pulling a face as he wonders if he'll end up covered in slime again.

Anyway, the question. ]

Well, I am an angel. [ Just like that. It's helped to meet so many different creatures from different worlds here, so he hardly feels the need to hide the fact. ] I don't quite know if that is a concept that you hold where you come from.

But I have made my home on Earth since the Beginning. Six thousand years, give or take. Far more advanced than what you see in this island, for the most part, but not as much as where you're from, it sounds like.

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January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

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