lifeaftr | February Event: The Sound Resounds

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February Event: The Sound Resounds

FEBRUARY: THE SOUND RESOUNDS

Who: Anyone who wants to deal with some crystalized monstrosities!
What: Something buried becomes unburied
When: February 16th and onward
Where: How could something so terrible reflect so much light?
Warnings: Potential warnings for character illness and body horror; be sure to mark your headers if things get more intense!

I Wish the Tide Would Take Me Over
The Water did a lot of work with the heavens to get that cloud cover to be nudged aside so that you all could access those floating islands. And hopefully you'll be able to get quite a bit out of those fragments of reality while you can still traverse them, because what awaits you on solid ground isn't going to be anywhere near as pleasant.

It seems as though the effort of unveiling those islands has put a lot of strain on the balance of water surrounding Ensō. So much so that those flooded caverns underneath the island have started to overflow. Not very many of you might be left to remember, but those caves already weren't most ideal to go trekking through, even without the discovery of the horrible, humanoid creatures that frequented those areas. The consequences of adventurers' first (and last) excursions into those caverns can be read up on right here, for the curious.

The important part is that, after an awful lot of adventurers perished down there, the Storyteller was able to get everyone to safety (only after being the one to send them down there unprompted in the first place, it should be noted), and immediately prevented the problem from escalating by sealing the underground shut. And for years, that solution has more or less worked out just fine!

Until now. On the morning of February 16th, travelers who live near the monkey compound or the mountain temple will hear a loud rumbling, like the sound of rushing water...right before those big stone doors break violently open and water comes pouring out.

It's highly recommended that those who live in either of those regions, or those who keep any important belongings in those regions, do their best to evacuate immediately. It might be possible to rebuild or repair any damages that might be done to those surroundings, but the immediate danger will be very much present at the event's start.

We are happy to leave the choice of damage to individual homes and resources up to you, but at the very least, you can expect that much of the area surrounding both the monkey compound and the mountain temple will be flooded for a few days at the very least - and suffering a great deal of water or structural damage at the most.

Burn Down Our Home
The more pressing issue will be, in all likelihood, the hulking green, humanoid shapes that look to be composed almost entirely of a greenish crystal. Almost immediately after that initial flood of water sweeps over the area, the creatures known as the quartzalcoatl are going to start spilling out as well. While they move slowly, you definitely don't want these things to so much as touch you, for they're capable of spreading a crystalizing "virus" that will steadily consume living tissue and cause crystalline growths to start spreading throughout the body.

This virus is just as awful as it sounds. The crystalline disease spread by the quartzalcoatl cannot be repelled by regenerative abilities, and characters with chances of immunity at 50% or higher will have to RNG the results. Even worse? The local fauna on Ensō is going to be just as susceptible to the spreading virus as any of you. It's in your best interest to dispose of these creatures before they start consuming everything on Ensō.

Now, you could just...shatter them and hope that'll be enough. These things can be destroyed with the application of enough force, though you'll probably get overwhelmed if you don't have some kind of strategy on hand. As we mentioned, you really don't want this infection to spread to too many other parts of the island. The last time this infection swept through the ranks of the adventurers, there was no known cure...but fortunately, such is not the case this time! There is a way to cure those afflicted, as long as the affliction is recent - which is to say, that it occurs during the course of this event.

An important thing to keep in mind this event is that much of these quartzalcoatl have been down there for a long time. Those who either succeed in killing or curing any of the quartzalcoatl who originated in the caves (that is, any that were not formed because someone got infected during the course of this event) will find that when they break apart, it will be to something...familiar. For ease, we have unscreened any comments from that event from our Deaths page, and will also be linking the item claim thread for an idea of what other items you might uncover from the dead.

If you want to find something extra special in some quartzalcoatl, however...we've got a special thread for that, in case you go busting open any of these things that were stuck down in those caves before this nightmare began. Just let us know, and we'll be happy to give you a personalized treasure to uncover, if you so desire!

Things Have Gotten Closer to the Sun
So, for those of you who don't want to resort to pure brute force, you have two options, listed below Characters should be advised that if they undertake one solution, they will not be able to go to the other god for the other - the Storyteller will not help someone who has accepted the Water's aid, and vice versa. There will be advantages and disadvantages to aligning yourself with one or the other, just as there will be advantages and disadvantages to aligning yourself with neither!

If you go to the Water for help, they will bestow upon you their blessing and a powerful symbol that might appear to be familiar, to some. Once you accept this gift, the Water will inform you that need only engrave or draw that sigil somewhere on the crystal casing of the infected and recite the following phrase:

"We live and die free of the draperies of our fiction."
Once this incantation is uttered, the crystal will harden and drain of color and then start to crack and flake away, leaving its victim disoriented and frail and probably quite confused, but alive. The central drawback to this is that as long as the sigil remains on them, they will be unable to contact the Storyteller for any reason - including Item Requests and Death Penalty Removals! The Storyteller will be, in fact, incapable of even perceiving them. The sigil must be removed if your character wants to contact or interact with the Storyteller again. The sigil will be present on the character's body even after the crystal has all flaked off, whether cut into their clothing or dug into their skin. It'll have to be...removed in whatever way you see fit if you want to make use of the Storyteller's services again.

On the plus side, you now have the Water's blessing, and with it the sigil magic that will not fade even once the threat of the quartzalcoatl has passed. Those who take this route may now use it to repel or keep the Storyteller out of any area they wish. This magic will work virtually anywhere, with the exception of the Storyteller's temple. Those who align themselves with the Storyteller may find themselves extremely uncomfortable with remaining in any area engraved with the sigil.

If you go to the Storyteller for help, they will bestow upon you their blessing, along with one of their little paper birds. Once you accept this gift, this bird will silently follow you about. You need only direct it and instruct it by drawing a line across the ground and issuing the following phrase:

"Take your leave, never to return."
Once this incantation is uttered, the quartzalcoatl will not pass the line you draw, even if the physical line is obscured or destroyed. The area of effect is somewhat limited - the incantation will only work on an area of five feet across at a time - but it will ensure your protection from the creatures for a long, long while. Just the same as the case with the Water's sigil, this ability will endure even after the event's end, and your paper bird will continue to follow you, though you can bid it to stay behind or take its leave if you wish. Anyone who aligns themselves with the Water may find themselves extremely uncomfortable with crossing any such line as well.

By February 29th, the primary threat of the quartzalcoatl and the flooding of parts of Ensō will have...receded to manageable levels, one way or another. The Storyteller will reseal the doors to the caverns, this time for good. So it's recommended that you shepherd any of these quartz abominations into those caves before this happens, in the case that you never want to see them again. Though you could always just...kill them. That works too.

This doesn't mean that the threat of the quartzalcoatl will be gone completely - whether or not the quartzalcoatl are completely exterminated or not depends on how thorough you all are in dispatching them.

I Could Bring Paradise
Of course, there's a lot going on in the background as well. Characters are not required to face this threat, as it is only present on Ensō; you're free to explore any other minor events listed on our Monthly Rundown post. You are always free to create your own individual logs and posts as needed!

Also remember that if you died this month or this event, to fill out the corresponding form over on our Deaths page! Due to the possibility of a cure, death penalties will NOT be reduced for the duration of this event.

If you have any questions about this event or any others, please feel free to ask them over on our Monthly Rundown post!

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As ready as I'll ever be.

[Crowley has never been much of a fighter. Fighting requires effort, after all, and Crowley is much too leisurely for that. His attacks are usually calm and calculated. Preventative measures, nothing this defensive. How the times change. Still, he doesn't need them getting too close to the cottage. Especially if even the dust is dangerous. Crowley moved forward, swinging his shovel like a mad man. He uses it bluntly to push one creature backwards to give himself more time and room, then swings it to a second, crippling it's midsection. Oh... and he's screaming. As if it would do anything to help.]

[ Must help something. Something about adrenaline and 'gearing yourself up'. But how the hell would they know? They've never been this strictly physical and so close to mortal, and there had always been far more interesting things to do than study anatomy.

Aziraphale rushes forward, and the entire movement feels unnatural. He finds one of the creatures that's already far too close into their garden, heads toward it and-- hesitates. It all happens in a couple of seconds at most - he stops, and he stares at it as it lurches forward, arms outstretched, but it never has time to touch the angel, as the sword breaks through (not slices, which he can't really tell would be worse or better) its midsection and sends it tumbling down onto the dirt in two pieces.

He stumbles back a few steps, once again the physical effort of doing such a thing catching him off guard. But he's going to have to get used to it real fast, as there's far too many of them around for him to keep faltering. ]

[Crowley hears the smash, and after taking out the first creature he'd pushed back to begin with, he turns quickly to check on Aziraphale. ensuring his safety. That's when he sees the torso rolling through his garden.]

Augh! Mind the vegetables, angel! Really.

[ He somehow has time to give Crowley a look of vague irritation in the middle of all of this, but there's no time to dwell on it for long. Another creature pushes past the bushes right next to him and he stumbles away with a startled sound, grace entirely lost.

Get it together, angel. You can do this. You're made to do this.

Oh, but he's never been what he was made to be.

Gripping the hilt tight, he goes for the arms first this time, enough to make it stumble to the side. Before it can regain its balance, he goes for the head, grunting when the sword makes contact.

Oh, he hates it. He hates it. Hates it hates it.

And Crowley's garden is going to take a hit from all of this, too. ]

[Crowley shoots back a look of I-hope-you-know-you-will-be-responsible-for-miracling-the-plants-back-together-later, hoping Aziraphale can read his mind in the moment. And then he thinks something much more embarrassing as he watches Aziraphale swing his sword so galliantly and immediately revokes that hope, as continuing to read his mind would greatly damage Crowley's ego.]

OI!-- to your left-!- [Crowley waves as he sees another one coming through the bushes.] Erk--wait--uh--my left!

[Remember you love him, Aziraphale. Remember.]

[ He'll be happy to remember that if he's alive to do so.

The angel's quickly finding himself out of breath, and widely aware of just out of shape he is. Not that he'd ever have to put as much physical effort to swing this bloody sword as he would have if he was a little less mortal.

He's almost too late in spotting the next one, turning to find a pair of crystalline hands already far too close for comfort, startling the wits out of him, made clear by the way he just shouts: ]

--Fuck!!

[ He drops out of the way in the nick of time, but entirely ungracefully, losing his balance and dropping his sword as he goes. The creature loses their balance too, missing the angel and toppling forward. ]

[Crowley's face feels hot. His jaw might even be dropped. He has no time to process any of his because Aziraphale has fallen and the creatures are falling fairly too close for comfort.

He lunges forward, swinging with renewed focus; Crowley isn't about to let anything happen to them today... especially when he now has something to never let the angel live down again.]

Aziraphale-- Run.

[Crowley takes out another creature at it's midsection, running for another. There only seem to be a few left, but Crowley isn't counting his blessings just yet.]

[ Aziraphale scrambles back to find the fallen quartzecoatl struggling to get up. He looks around quickly, breath still not regained, taking in the numbers, the dropped sword, Crowley, the way they just keep coming, the gradually ruined garden, and he's just--

He's just-

Pulling a deep breath, he scrambles back up and runs clumsily for his sword, trying to swipe it without touching the creature right next to it. But as soon as he recovers it, the shadow of another hulking quartz beast looms over him and his eyes widen as it reaches for him, mere inches from his face..

He suddenly appears behind it, barely a thought to make it so. There's half a second where he turns around, and then, with barely any pause, he raises his sword and drops it down onto its back. It gets stuck, and he pulls, yanks, unable to get it free. Panicking, he impulsively slams a foot down on it and yanks his sword free, stumbling back, and causing the creature to lose balance and fall..

Has he mentioned he hates this? Because he does. Still, he raises his sword again and goes for the neck this time, before it gets up, and the weight of it keeps the first one down.

His breath may never settle before this is over. He looks, and one of the creatures is somehow moving towards the open door of the hut.

Aziraphale, for some reason now yelling, goes to catch it before it enters.]

[The yelling is a bit of cause for alarm for Crowley, who was pushing a quartz creature off of him with his shovel held horizontally in his hands. As his head turned to make sure the angel was okay, the beast pushes him back, nearly crushing the demon's head with a large crystal foot. Luckily, Crowley is a rather slippery creature, and rolls off to the side just in time. It's enough for the creature to misstep and take a fall, which Crowley uses as an opportunity to grab his shovel off of the ground and bash it's head in. Several times. As many times as it takes for a shovel to break quartz. And all the while he's beating this thing to death over and over with a fucking shovel he's spewing his own string of curses, all of them ancient and incoherent in nature.]

[ Action heroes they are not - not even heroes to begin with - but they're at least doing a good job of not getting killed or infected.

If one of these things doesn't end the angel, the running about and overwhelming panic might, but, still, he catches the beast before it enters the hut, swinging for a leg and causing it to come tumbling down. Good thing his hands might as well be glued to the sword down, as he strikes down again to keep this one down.

His head is spinning. His corporation, once again, blatantly too physically and too attached, lungs and muscles burning, and he doesn't think the rush that overcame him will last for much longer. Although, really, "think" is giving it a generous description, as coherence of thought seems to have left the building for the time being. ]

[Crowley is currently trying to ignore all of those burning feelings in his limbs. He groans, trying to keep himself focused as the last of the quartz beasts stumbles in. He swings at it desperately, huffing tired breaths and falling a bit off balance.]

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!

[ Aziraphale turns when he hears Crowley curse, and, in one last burst of adrenaline, he's quick to rush over, sword raised, and ports himself behind it, yelling as he swings for the head.

And in one last terrible smash of metal against quartz, the beast is cracked and toppled over, a piece of the sword definitely breaks and flies off somewhere, and Aziraphale nearly meets the ground as well. ]

Edited 2020-03-30 23:00 (UTC)

[Crowley was hardly a damsel in distress, but his angel coming to the rescue was certainly heartwarming regardless.

With the beasts out of the way, Crowley let himself sit on the ground for a moment, catch his breath, and evaluate what the hell just happened.]

You okay? Did one get you?

[ Aziraphale stood over the last fallen quartzecoalt, broken sword in hand, and took a moment to look over the garden and the creatures they took down. As the adrenaline begins to run out, and everything is far more quiet and mostly peaceful again, he's left disheveled, with an ache in his lungs, and his body feeling unpleasantly like mushed jelly.]

I, hum... Oh... [He brings a hand to his chest, trying to catch his breath as well.]

I'm- fine. [ Safe, anyway. He can feel his arms shake. ]

You?

Fine. Sure.

[And oh-- his poor garden! It's wrecked, probably. But maybe when his angel's rested he could do a bit of fixing to any damage? Time will tell.]

Nothing got me, I don't think... we should... [Still catching his breath, wiping dirt from his face.] Go inside... check for wounds... whatever you're supposed to do after a fight....

[ Well, the angel hardly feels like he could do anything at all. Even standing up straight is taking a bit more effort than usual. This is not ideal. ]

Yes, I-- I believe we...should... [ He trails off, looking at the downed creatures around them, and feeling a particularly unpleasant feeling in his stomach. And his chest. And all of his body, really, none of it feels particularly good right now. ]

Right, er... Inside. We should do that.

[With what little strength he has left, and still shaking with adrenaline, he pushes himself up and dusts himself off, offering a hand to Aziraphale. He's clutched his trusty weapon in his other hand, feeling it necessary to keep with them, just in case something returns.]

Come on, angel... let's go lay down.

[ He looks at Crowley, but his eyes quickly move back to the creatures again, their stillness not really bringing him any comfort or relief.]

But what if there's more of them? What if these are still--

We can't just leave them here. They might spread the- their-- their condition.

[ He still holds the broken sword. Part of the blade is gone, but maybe it could be of use still. You know, before it inevitably falls apart entirely.]

Even more of a reason to rest now, then. [He replies, shaking his hand impatiently for the angel to take so that they can move inside.]

We can. They'll still be here after we've rested. We can clean it up then. Bury them or something... I don't know.

[ Aziraphale gives him an unsure look, but takes a deep breath and steadies himself.]

Right, you're-- you're right.

[ Rather carefully stepping over some shards, he moves closer and takes Crowley's hand, squeezing it to stop his from shaking.]

[Crowley helps him to the cabin, only a few feet away, and there's already a heavy wave of relief just being inside. He turns to shut the door as soon as they've entered, wondering if he should barricade it. ]

Go on and lie down, I'll make us some tea... I'm... my chest's still pounding too hard to rest... I'll be right there.

[ Aziraphale looks around the hut, distractedly wiping dust and dirt off of his shirt, as if to make sure there really isn't any damage, or, God forbid, any hiding intruders. Not that those creatures seemed particularly smart, or able to hide in small places. ]

Hum, alright. [ Only partially listening to Crowley, and in fact looking out the window to the creatures outside. ]

Tea sounds good.

[Luckily the fire has been kept pretty steady in their home, especially since they've been consuming tea daily, needing a place to roast food, etc. Crowley moves their little kettle over the fire, already partially full of water, which he assumes will be enough for them both to split. Once it's ready, he brings two cups to their makeshift bed and hands one out to Aziraphale, ready to flop down onto the bed with his own and never move again.]

[ As the demon goes about making the tea, the angel spends a lot of that time just staring out at the downed creatures, running through any other possible attack scenarios in his head. Would they infect the land? Are they actually dead? How will they bury them if they can't touch them? What about wild animals?

He suddenly comes to and looks around, stepping across the room to the little odd mud pile in the corner. He crouches and looks into it, squinting into the dark, and, to his strange relief, finding 5 beady eyes looking back at him. He stands back up, sighs, and makes his way to the bed, dropping the broken sword next to it, and gingerly, very gingerly, sitting on it and rubbing at his face.

When Crowley approaches with the tea, he smiles faintly up at him and takes the cup. ]

Thank you, dear.

[ He holds the cup in both his hands, welcoming the warm comfort. And he sighs again. ]

That was dreadful, wasn't it?

It wasn't ideal. [He replies, climbing into bed beside Aziraphale and relaxing against the wall for support.]

Once we're sure no more are coming we should think of how to get rid of them all... [He groans just thinking about it, muffling all of the sounds that escape his throat with his tea. It's almost too hot, but Crowley doesn't care. He could drown himself with it right now. Every inch of his body feels sore, and something about the heat of the tea soothes him just ever so slightly.]

Maybe I should have manifested a broom.

February Event: The Sound Resounds

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/CRASHES THRU HERE LATE BUT STILL ALIVE

congrats, here's ur reward for being alive

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