♥ November (Malom) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

November (Malom) Event Log

Though the apparitions from the labyrinthine tunnels have been contained and sent past the once-sealed door, the question of what else lies beyond it still remains. Throughout the early days of a brisk late fall month, the native researchers work tirelessly to decipher the mysteries of what the portal might lead to.

And, perhaps more importantly, what to do about it.

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❥ PROMPT I: Time For Some Eggsploring

Residents may notice that throughout the early part of the month, researchers diligently monitor the tunnels and previously-sealed door. Day and night, they labor at deciphering the mystery that is the portal, combing through old, archival texts and corrupted, digital files alike. It is not in vain, for by mid-month they make two breakthroughs! By their observations, the researchers conclude that this is the entrance to the mysterious Crawling One's realm, and both the candles and the spirits that pass through the veil are heading towards something, perhaps the Crawling One itself. The second discovery is that there is now a proper way into realm! How, one might ask? By wearing a modified exosuit that's embellished with an excessive number of conduits! In order to traverse the Crawling One's Realm, they will need to wear this modified exosuit that protects them from the effects of the realm. Much like wandering beyond the barrier, coming in contact with the mysterious, dark environment will rapidly deplete one's vitality, so be careful! If you're feeling creative, or maybe need to lighten the mood of that gloomy zone, it is encouraged that explorers build or purchase masks for themselves, to add a bit of flavour and colour to their suits. Representing their temple animals, or something from home to remind you of what you're fighting for… it might build morale, or even protect your identity from whatever is down there. Who knows, it could save your life later. Whose face will you wear?

What lies beyond is, unfortunately, something of a maze. Miles and miles of weaving tunnels, paths going up, down, back, forward, any direction one can conceive. They cross into each other, sometimes they cross through each other, which ought to be impossible, except the nature of this realm is completely unknown. Explorers who cross through such tunnels might hear echoes of those who are on the other path- footsteps, voices, crunching stone. If you listen very closely, you might even be able to share a conversation and pass notes about what you've found.

And what can you find? Well, a few things.

There are no fiends found within this realm, only Apparitions– all of which are oddly tamed and docile, at that. Follow their solemn progression deep into the cold, dark void. Maybe they'll lead you somewhere useful- towards a new path, a useful shortcut, or in the case of some poor, lost explorers, a way towards help or home.
Many, many crisscrossing tunnels, including a few that cut in and out of each other as mentioned above. There are occasional folds in the fabric of that internal space, which can be pushed through (some gently, others with more force). Going through these veils can cause someone to be teleported elsewhere in the tunnel. Use this method to find shortcuts! …Or get hopelessly lost. It's a gamble you may or may not want to take.
Animals! …Wait, animals? What are they doing here? It turns out, once the tunnels were properly opened, a bunch of the familiars from every temple scurried, scampered, and flew right down to it. (Those in the mineshaft can enjoy the visual of ravens carrying mice, dragons carrying cats. You're welcome.) They'll be sniffing around, clawing at doorways and specific directions, searching for… something. Sometimes their instincts are good, and they seem to know where they're going. Other times, they're as lost as you are. If you come across some of the familiars that seem distressed or confused, maybe give them some support: feed them, pet them, give them a little cuddle or a ride on your shoulder to let them rest their little feet and wings. Who knows, that little bit of R&R might help them recharge enough to guide you better on the next fork in the road.
There seem to be an awful lot of bones in this catacomb. Ha ha, weird, right? For this spooky tunnel full of ghosts to have bones? Actually, what is weird about it is that a bunch of the skeletons found are elongated, like that of snakes or the worms encountered in town. They shouldn't have bones, yet here they are.

The ultimate goal is to fully map out the tunnels, at least to the extent that you find out what exactly is going on down here- what happened, or what is happening, that caused the tunnels to be closed off? Why is it full of ghosts? How can whatever is going on here be stopped? Maybe whatever lies at the end of these weaving pathways will provide an answer.

❥ PROMPT II: Now For a Swift Eggs-it

By month end, the tunnels should be thoroughly mapped enough that a route to their ultimate destination has been forged: at last, the lair of the Crawling One has been found. Explorers can venture a little ways into the lair before they are discovered, but do be careful. Your safety cannot be guaranteed when you go too far and awaken the beast within.

The Crawling One is an enormous worm, much, much bigger than any of the worms that had invaded Havenwell before, and is festering with dark energy, rancid with the scent of decay. Despite the vibe of its lair or the smell, however, it doesn't look sick or dying. Its movements are lethargic, but aside from all the gloomy magic in this place, it looks healthy enough. That's great in concept, but maybe not so great for those invading its home. It is curled up in a tightly wound ball, pillbug style, around its horde, which upon closer inspection appears to be an underground mountain of bones. Animals, humanoids, and even the dried-out husks of plants and trees act as a cushion for its body. Something lies in the center, but it is too dark and covered by the worm's body to be especially visible. Brave souls who come close enough to examine the horde properly and shine some light in the idea will be able to discover that it is guarding… an egg. And as soon as the egg is discovered, a few of the animal familiars rush past, one from each temple, and curl up against the egg, protective and needy as a mother to her child (though which is which in this combination, it is difficult to tell). Unfortunately, as soon as they're in place, the creatures turn to stone, forced to join the Crawling One's grim horde. Hopefully through their sacrifice, you get the message loud and clear: this egg is your target. You need to save it- and maybe save them. All of them.

The downside of this revelation is that the Crawling One will immediately become aware of your presence, and it is not happy to see you here. Anyone who ventures too close to the horde, or the egg, will be attacked without mercy. It will bite, smash, and devour those unlucky enough to be caught by the wild swings of the worm's head and tail. It seems incredibly powerful… but so are those who were brought here, of course. So how do you wish to steal that which you came here for? There are a few ways…

Explorers can try to talk with, or negotiate with, the Crawling One. It is angry and defensive, very old and set in its ways, but it is still sentient and capable of speech for those who care to try. If you stay out of range of its attacks, it will refuse to leave the horde, so you can safely speak with it and see where it gets you. Who knows, maybe it can be convinced by the right person, or the right argument. If you wish to try speaking with the Crawling One, it can be spoken with here!
Steal the egg. The Crawling One is fierce, but it's not omnipotent. It will surely need to sleep at some point, or could be distracted. Someone capable of a clever bait-and-switch could trade the egg with something else, magic could put the beast to sleep (for a… short time), teleportation magic might do the trick… there are plenty of ways to steal something.
Restrain it. Whether through forceful or magical means, the Crawling One could in theory be restrained or chained down long enough to snatch the egg from its clutches. It won't be trapped permanently, and you'll have to deal with the aftermath, but it's a less grim method than the 4th, which is…
Kill the Crawling One. Not an easy method by any means, but considering the powers of those in town, it might be the easiest. Who knows, it may even be a relief to the Havenwell residents to have the presumed source of all the ghosts, and the poison, and the decay of their world at last vanquished. There is a story that blames this ancient god for all the woes of Aellyn, after all.
Something else…? If you have a different idea, please share it in the plotting comments! We'll be happy to add it to the list.

It goes without saying that any option besides 1 and 4 will very likely result in an incredibly angry god of death chasing the thieves through the tunnels, trying to kill the invaders and take back its treasure. The rest of its horde doesn't matter at all, so it will at last leave the lair and do as much damage as necessary to recapture the egg. You might not manage to get it outside of the tunnel on the first try, and those who fail may die, or barely escape with their lives. Make use of the mapped tunnels, any shortcuts you might have learned, and all the power and wit you possess to flee. Also, once everyone is out again, it is recommended that the door either be re-sealed, or that those waiting outside should brace for one hell of a boss fight. The Crawling One won't be happy to lose its most precious possession, and it's very likely that if it makes it through the door, only its death will grant the city any peace.

❥ PROMPT III: Eggcellent Work, Everyone

With the Egg safely brought from the Crawling One's realm to Havenwell, a team of researchers and temple clerics call for the Egg to be placed within the central plaza, adjacent to the fountain. There, with the statues of their four deities looking over it, the people hope that the Egg will be protected. Except, alone on its pedestal in the plaza, one thing remains missing…

Obviously the Egg needs two very important things: nurturing, and a nest!

A. Help build the nest along with the locals using twigs and sticks from around Havenwell (available with the flora now properly cycling into its autumn and winter months), or donate pillows, blankets, and other plush items for the cause. Note that by the end of the week, the entire plaza will be turned into one giant nest (or pillow fort, if your character is so inclined), with the Egg located in the center.

B. Nurture the Egg by holding it with a partner! This appears to have the greatest effect on the Egg, as its iridescent, golden shell may shimmer in response to being nurtured and cuddled, pulsing every so often with a warm, gentle aura in response. And what's this? It may even appear to grow as if in response to the contact. What's even stranger is that when two people come in comforting contact with the Egg, they will be shown a vision of an area of their homeworlds, that of the last place they were at before being bought to Havenwell.

If neither of these at-home options appeal to those not exploring the tunnels, there is one more thing you can help with. Plenty of negotiating, bargaining, and a bit of begging on their body-related plight has netted some sympathy from Shoremere, and the sister city has at last generated a list of residents willing to donate some of their DNA to researching ways of growing new bodies for those bereft in Havenwell. There's still a ton of work to be done at the towers themselves, especially with samples rolling in, so anyone who is willing to assist will be given some kits and a list of names, both of which they can take down to Shoremere and track down those very generous individuals. Get a couple of cheek swabs, spit in a cup, and be sure to thank them profusely! And hopefully the names and locations of said individuals are accurate. It sure would be awkward if you walked up to some poor soul asking for their DNA and it was the wrong person.

Samples should be returned to the research towers post-haste so they can begin working on, hopefully, a way to regain their bodies after so very long without hope. You're contributing so much to the growth of this world, and there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

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This event will run from November 15th to November 31st. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Comments

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis is just about to address the giant worm when one of Ainea's mice rushes forward along with the familiars of the other gods they've come to know. Seeing them turn to stone so quickly causes him to take an involuntary step back.

Not that being this close to a GIANT GOD WORM doesn't make him doubt this decision he's come to, but watching the innocent little familiars die to send some kind of message just drives home how serious this whole thing is. He takes a deep breath to steady himself and then turns his attention to the deity in front of him. He talks to important beings all the time. Surely, this is no different.

Actually, it is. The worms that crawl into the Citadel on a regular basis are a lot less harmful than this being is. Even the ones from Niflheim.]

Greetings, O Crawling One. My name is Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII and I was hoping I could speak with you. There is so little knowledge of you and your companion remaining on the surface and I would like to see remedied.

[havenpc]

[The coils shift, slowly turning over on each other, winding around the egg in its burrow. Its response is slow, the sound of it reverberating through the room.]

What do... you seek...? We are not... [It pauses, then dissolves into a rumble that might have been humourous, if not for the situation and the source from which it derived.] ...Hospitable.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis knows how it feels to be inhospitable sometimes. There have been many days when he's wanted to just hide in his bed instead of deal with the realities of being king and running a kingdom. Still, he's pulled himself from his cozy little burrow for the good of his kingdom and people. For the sake of this world, the Crawling One must do the same right now.]

Would you have your lack of hospitality lead to the end of your world and the erasure of your and your compatriot's story?

[havenpc]

Hmmm... it was not... I. This one did not end... the world. This one did not forget... the story.

[It coils more tightly, the egg nearly concealed.]

I have never... forgotten. It is they who forgot.

[kingkingcxiii]

[That is a point that Regis can't argue. He knows that the natives forgot things, though that was not all their fault.]

The memories of their new forms were not as perfect as they should have been, but once they remembered the Winged Lord, they begin to celebrate a day for him. Can you tell me what else they have forgotten so I may remind them? No one wants to be forgotten or to forget the things important to them.

[havenpc]

To live is... to forget. The mind wanes over time. Corrupts... corrodes. They remember... it lived. They do not remember... why.

[The worm shifts, sliding under itself, and the gleam of teeth shines in the meager light of the alcove.]

Why did they... celebrate?

[kingkingcxiii]

They were still piecing together the story from multiple sources, so there were several views on it. Some stories said the Winged Lord was the creator of all things; others though it was an usurper with undeserved power. Others merely enjoyed making up stories about what role the Winged Lord may have filled. In my opinion, though, there was something else they were celebrating as well. They were celebrating reclaiming part of their history. I think you can agree with me that they have lost almost everything that made them who they were. To take back part of that history must have been to be a victory for them.

[He pauses for a moment, wondering if his own experience really can be compared at all to this, but in the end, decides to share it for better or worse.]

I consider myself a historian of sorts back home. There are several times in my life that I did extensive research into my family and my world's history. Each time I found a little tidbit that had faded from memory, I was excited about it.

[And not just because it might lead to a way to help his son. Beyond that, he still felt joy he could return a piece of history to its proper place.]

It must be different for someone like you how has lived for so long. You said you don't forget, so there is no way you can know the joy of rediscovering something like that, can you?

[havenpc]

Hmmm... we... cannot. There is... little joy... in being the only soul... to remember.

[The creature does not appear to be offended by his assumptions that their experience might be comparable, at least. From what little expression or tone there is to glean, at least.]

It matters not. They would rather forget... the joy... of death. Thus they will celebrate... their ignorance. And thus the world... dies.