panopte: (Default)
panopte ([personal profile] panopte) wrote in [community profile] achates2024-09-17 10:10 am

[DAY 1-]



The night drags on.

The moon, full and bright, illuminates the world below as demons rise in indulgence of the hunt. All those who are not securely tucked away become prey, whose blood runs freely down the streets, whose screams fill the air in symphony, whose lives are snuffed out one by one as the night grows darker- but not quieter, no. Towards the far west, wind picks up in a deafening howl that tears through the forest violently enough to uproot trees, followed by a thunderous explosion atop the wall that sends large chunks of rock crashing down on parts of the immobile train, creating shockwaves felt all the way into town. Dark clouds gather overhead, smothering the moon and unleashing a downpour that continues unrelentingly until dawn, when the paltry sunlight behind the clouds is only enough to see that the rain that falls is in fact blood, thick and warm, coating the rooftops and the streets. Rivulets trickle towards the east, where they spill over the edges of the world and into the cavernous abyss of a mouth below.

Those who sleep will dream. They dream of being flat on their back, lying on hard metal, a warm breeze caressing their cheek, the faint scent of cherry blossom in the air. They dream of their bodies feeling like lead, heavy and unable to move, hardly able to breathe— and all the while in complete darkness. Whether they give in to exhaustion or struggle valiantly against it, they will eventually open their eyes to a different scene: of somebody's home before here, you and that person reliving the very last memory they had before waking up in the train just yesterday. It's a memory that culminates in darkness. Give in. Struggle. Open your eyes again and again and again, and eventually you will wake up to what you wish were just another bad dream: the unfortunate plane of existence we call reality.

It may not be a good morning, but it's morning. If characters glance at their COMP, they will see a bright number 7 on the screen that disappears as their chosen AI chimes in with a good morning greeting ("Whoa! Congrats on surviving the night, boss!" or "Yikes, you look like shit. Did you get any rest at all?"). Pulling up the map function shows fewer blue ally dots as expected, but perhaps unexpectedly, much fewer red enemy dots as well: there are very few demons to be seen, and those that are, show little interest in hunting unless they are attacked first. The forest is still and quiet, red Mandrake leaves littering the floor in abundance but the demons remain rooted underground, the Hares of Inaba huddled snug within their dens, bird demons taken roost underneath the canopy to keep out of the blood rain. The concert hall is silent today, guards at the door watchful and ready to snipe intruders. Inside the powerplant, the giant Ooze spreads lazily across the first floor, filling the space wall to wall, acid seeping underneath the front doors and burning its way outside. Indoors, outdoors, demons keep to themselves, seemingly sated.

It's almost peaceful. If you didn't know better.

The drizzle of blood tapers off over the course of Day 1, replaced by normal rain once night hits. The water that falls is clear, though bitter and metallic tasting, and the stormy weather continues for several days more. The temperature outside dips, even during the daytime, and the hunger that continues to persist (unless you're BB, who ate a Pixie, maybe) is made worse by the appearance of a hot dog stand that has been set up in front of the school building. Its existence in this place is wholly suspicious, entirely nonsensical, manifested as if out of a yandere devil summoner fever dream— and yet the mystery meat smells divine, and you are so so hungry.

"Hee-ho! Get your hot dogs here-ho! What? What kind of mee-hee-t is in it, ho? Don't worry about it, ho!"

LOCATION
hot dog stand
STRENGTH
ice
WEAKNESS
fire
INFORMATION:
Jack Frost is a spirit originating from England who brings in cold weather during the winter and is responsible for the frost that forms on the windows of homes and buildings. Though it is usually friendly and innocent, it also has a mischievous personality and will freezes those it dislikes to death, smiling all the while.

SKILLS:
Mabufudyne: heavy ice damage (multi-target)
Megidolaon: mega almighty damage (multi-target)


NOTE: This demon is non-recruitable.

Can anybody resist that cute face? never mind the sales pitch. Jack Frost will operate on a barter system, though it really only seems interested in people's gemstones, or if they're willing to slaughter and bring it a Katakirauwa in exchange for a cold but still delicious hotdog dressed up in any variety of condiment. For those who muster the courage to go demon hunting to earn their meal, they will find that a single hotdog will stave off hunger for up to three days. For those who gave up their gemstone instead, K5 will be screaming at them not to do that, but also, please tell me. Maybe they'll rethink the offer, noticing that the gemstones they'd found on their person now feel slightly warm to the touch- growing warmer when in proximity to another person's gemstones, their colors more vibrant, stones faintly glowing as if with internal light.

Generous as Jack Frost is with providing dubious sustenance, it's a different story when it comes to the vending machine beside its stall. Inside are various drinks guaranteed to be cold, and include bottled water, coffee, teas, juices, blood and tears and many other questionable unlabeled liquids among its touted 100!!! varieties of beverage ("""beverage"""). Two problems: 1) there is no selection button, so you do not get to choose your drink; and 2) the machine will only take macca. Where to get macca? Figure that out yourself and earn your drink gacha.


[ Locked pending: SCHOOL investigation ]


[ Locked pending: GREENHOUSE investigation ]


[ Locked pending: HOSPITAL investigation ]


[ Locked pending: CONCERT HALL investigation ]


[ Locked pending: POWERPLANT investigation ]

OOC

»
Since I know a handful of you are still working on apps, this event log in general will be open to all players, but Investigations will be closed to current players only. See below for more information.

»
On Day 1 only, wild demon encounters will be scarce and it will rain blood all day, after which the weather will transition into normal rain and demon encounters will also return to normal rates, less during the day and more frequent after dark.

»
When characters fall asleep any time in the next several days (including victims of the concert hall lullaby that will begin again starting Day 2, as well as inadvertent naps for those of you who are like lmao yeah whatever, i don't need sleep, i'm fine), they will be able to see the circumstances around other characters' canonpoints. This dream may take the form of being a bystander, or from the point of view of the character, whichever would be more fun/interesting to play.

»
Players can advance time by posting new logs set on the current or next IC date— don't be afraid to advance time as needed! Plot beats will be adjusted accordingly, and there'll be ample warning if plot necessitates a deadline or specific event date for any reason. If you have any trigger warnings, please let me know here! Comments are screened, and warnings will be listed in the log format post for player awareness.

»
As characters investigate different locations in the setting, more aspects of the game will be unlocked and will be updated in the post above. In summary, from the previous TDM event, characters have found doors sealed by barriers in the school, greenhouse, and hospital. The concert hall and powerplant are still both heavily guarded by demons that prevent thorough investigation until dealt with.
rimingcouplet: ((alice) talking)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-19 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
Sleeping someplace with that many people during this kind of disaster is just asking for all your stuff to get stolen or worse. No thanks.

I saw, yes. We need to figure out what all the victims had in common so we know what we need to protect ourselves from ASAP. Unfortunately, without corpses to examine, it's going to be hard to dig up leads.
hauntedsnowfall: (z acadimi thinky 03)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-09-19 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
( ̄Д ̄)ノ What a remarkably negative outlook to have. I suppose I can live with that, as I have remarkably little in my possession.

[ Except the Pristine Dagger. But he'll sooner use it than let another steal it from him. ]

Agreed. It's a shame Rosie was unable to stop the man from leaving. I think having one or two people keep watch is not a bad idea. Princess also has some good ideas, but it primarily works for the church.
Edited (forgot the kao emoji smh) 2024-09-19 03:18 (UTC)
rimingcouplet: ((alice) pointing)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-20 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I travel light, too. It's about the principle of the thing.

The house I'm crashing in is secure, if nothing else. I can talk to one of my roommates about sleeping in shifts in case one of us decides a trip down to the endless void is a good idea.

...hold on. Why are you using kaomoji? I took your for a stern, overly-serious medieval type.


hauntedsnowfall: (z acadimi sad 04)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-09-21 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
• ᴖ • And if the one who is on watch decides to trip down the endless void?

ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ Not to worry, Rosie taught me the crucial necessities of such things. Do you also not know how to use them? They are for indicating your 'tone' so others can properly interpret your short messages.


[ ...At least he was told they were crucial. He's fairly certain they're necessary. ]
rimingcouplet: ((alice) grumpycat)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-22 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
Lock the house from the inside. Put the key in a bowl of water, freeze it. If they're conscious enough to try and get the key out of the ice, then the noise from it shattering will wake everyone else up. Granted, if all three of us succumb to the call of the void, there's not much we can do, but that'd be true even if we tied each other up.

And kaomojis aren't an essential part of communication, dweeb. Rosie was messing with you. I'm sure my usual dry, scathing tone comes across just fine without them.

hauntedsnowfall: (z acadimi serious 02)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-09-25 05:54 am (UTC)(link)
( ̄Д ̄)ノ That is quite the plan. I'm glad you've thought this through. Who are you staying with, if I may ask?

( ̄▽ ̄) Actually, you come off as rather sweet and flowery over these little messages.

rimingcouplet: ((alice) talking)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-25 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Hardy har har. Good to know that you understand sarcasm at least.

I need you to do me a favor, by the way. I'm looking for a sparring partner to put what Shun'ya taught me into practice, and since the demons aren't going to oblige me for a friendly bout, someone crazy enough to try and fight a Stonka with a stick will have to do.
Edited 2024-09-26 03:43 (UTC)
hauntedsnowfall: source ? (z acadimi thinky 07)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-09-26 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ Sparring? Alice is not beating the Felix-like allegations. ]

( ̄Д ̄)ノ Typically when one begs a favor it comes with asking if they'd be willing. I'm told it does a better job at convincing the person to lend you aid.

What sort of fighting has Rosie taught you? It may be better to stick to someone closer to your skill level as well- as I have been training all my life I am uncertain if I would be a suitable partner.


[ He isn't trying to imply that he would wipe the floor with you, but less than two days of practice is... Well, it might be better to keep training with Rosie and another peer. Dimitri takes these things very seriously and he wants her to succeed in defending herself. ]
Edited (heck) 2024-09-26 04:39 (UTC)
rimingcouplet: ((alice) discerning)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-26 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
[For a moment, Alice considers just walking away to find someone else who can help, but... Dimitri is the only candidate for this job that she can think of, so unfortunately, she has to be honest.]

That's even better, really. To tell the truth, my problem is that he was supposed to just teach me the basics and help me put the advice my family's resident freakazoid gave me into practice, but as soon as I got into the swing of things, years of combat instincts that I don't remember learning clicked back into place.

I'm fed up with all this memory bullshit. If someone forces me to reach past the limit of where my subconscious reflexes can take me, maybe I'll finally break through whatever's keeping my true past hidden.

Since picking fights with demons will get me killed if this doesn't work, you're the best substitute available.
Edited 2024-09-26 04:52 (UTC)
hauntedsnowfall: (z acadimi sad 04)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-09-26 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
I see... If that is the case, I suppose I am unable to decline. We'll take it slow to best gauge where you're at in skill level. You forgot mention what sort of combat training you were getting. Is it hand to hand, or do you wield a weapon? I am skilled with both a lance and a sword, as well as some minor training with a bow. Hopefully you're not an axe user, I'm very lacking in that area.

If I may ask, what do you mean by 'true past'? Are you another person struggling with memory loss?


[ While Dimitri may be discounting his own brain fog, he knows that both the Princess and Ruka have sever memory struggles. ]
rimingcouplet: ((alice) talking)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-09-27 05:21 am (UTC)(link)
It's not like I'm an amnesiac. I remember a perfectly normal, dull, stifling childhood in a big, happy family. The only problem is that it all feels like it happened to someone else, and none of it explains why I can wield a saber like I actually know what I'm doing instead of flailing it around like the high school runaway I'm supposed to be. Something stinks.

We'll roll with hand-to-hand—I have a hunch that's my area of expertise. Or at least something close to it. Let me know the time and place. I'm looking forward to kicking your ass for underestimating me.
Edited 2024-09-27 05:31 (UTC)
hauntedsnowfall: (z acadimi calm 14)

[personal profile] hauntedsnowfall 2024-10-02 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
I have heard of people suppressing memories if something traumatic happens, perhaps this is what has occurred to your memories.

[ Oh, if only Dimitri could forget. But, then again, it's a terrifying thought. He doesn't want to lose any memories of them... ]

ヽ( ̄д ̄)ノ This day is fairly busy, and I plan to be out tomorrow as well. Perhaps the day after, that is if we haven't found a way out of here by then.
Edited (html kills the man) 2024-10-02 01:54 (UTC)
rimingcouplet: ((alice) talking)

[personal profile] rimingcouplet 2024-10-02 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, please. Like I'd ever be that weak.

[RIP to people whose brains are impacted by trauma, but Alice is simply built different. (In time, this will become very, very funny, in a bleak way.)]

You're on.
Edited 2024-10-02 16:09 (UTC)