achates | [DAY 1-]

Entry tags:

[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!"

JACK FROST

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

My call...?

[ There's surprise in her tone, mild as it is. It keeps coming back to this, doesn't it? Once again, she's been chosen to take the lead... ]

... They're guarding something. I want to know what it is.

[ With quiet firmness. ]

We may need to use force.

[Onward it is then. Armin nods.] If it comes to that, then we'll do what needs done.

[Negotiation if possible - that's always been Armin's preference, but rarely practical enough to work. He won't hesitate~~, bitch!~~.

[He extends an arm behind Kate's back, inclining his head to look her in what should be a face. He's gotten used to the soot and shadow by now. It doesn't unsettle him much anymore.]

I'll hold onto you and ferry us to the other side. When you're ready, recall your Bugbear, and we'll go.

[ She inclines her head to look up at him, though as always, her expression is a mystery. She nods.

The Bugbear is recalled and they nyoom past the demons (though not as swiftly as she thought they would. Is the hallway longer than she thought, or...?). As they do, Kate looks to see what it is they're guarding. ]

... The principal's office. It looks like they're guarding that room.

[ And there's probably no getting in there without a fight. ]

Edited (tagging before i had my morning coffee) 2024-10-04 15:23 (UTC)

[Damn the luck. Stopping in the middle of the blizzard certainly isn't ideal, and he wouldn't want to without warning. It's best for them to reach the other end, regroup, then decide what their next move is. Armin's concern, however, is the speed (or lack thereof) with which they move through the hallway. They should have been able to traverse it in mere seconds. How much fuel is he burning while they lag behind?

[They can't rush in, headstrong. He waits until they reach the other end of the hallway, safely out of the blizzard.

[He wastes no time.]

We'll have to decide if it's worth the fight. I'm not sure what might be in that office, but I'd hope for records of some fashion. Information like that would definitely be valuable, but I'm sure we're not the first to search.

[Some honesty:] I've had some difficulty coming to trust everyone in a place like this, but from what I can tell, the group seems largely concerned with helping each other survive. Maybe we should check our devices to see if anyone else has managed to explore this area.

That being said, if you're the type to only trust what you can see, I couldn't blame you.

It's true... I'm not good at trusting people. Not after...

[ Kate holds a hand over her chest and trails off. The day before she arrived here, she faced a betrayal that cost her everything. She should have been more cautious. But...

She shakes her head. ]

But the findings of others are valuable, I think. I wouldn't want to dismiss that as a resource. I know that I can't do all of this on my own.

[ Even though there is a small undercurrent of frustration and regret at that. She wishes she could. Sometimes, she thinks that she should. Isn't it wrong to put people like Armin at risk just to sate her own curiosity? To ask him and their demons to fight those creatures blocking the way for Kate, just because she can't do anything by herself? ]

I know this isn't exactly a comfort, but I can't imagine we'll be leaving this place again without some time spent playing the game. That being said, we may have the opportunity to return to this place once we've seen what the others who have explored have to say.

[Armin finds the odds of anyone he saw from home being in that office to be very slim.]

Perhaps we should divert our path to the library for now.

[ Kate remains standing and facing back at the demons guarding the doors. Once she's set her sights on a goal, it's hard to turn away. But... ]

... I suppose you're right. All right, let's go to the library.

[ She probably shouldn't sound disappointed, considering how happy she was to hear that there's a library to visit in the first place. Chances are that she'll find that excitement again once she has those books in her sights, though. ]

[Armin doesn't like the feeling of relinquishing a goal either, nor does he like having to nudge someone in that direction, but that path may as well have been a dead end for his own interests.

[The library will benefit them both. It probably is best that they don't get dragged into all of that for now.]

I'm not sure quite which direction to go. [Though, he begins creeping down the hall way regardless.] If you do, feel free to lead the way.

[If not, they'll wander on together until they find it.

[Armin searches every windowed door and dark hallway for a familiar face; finds nothing.]

I think it's this way. Come on.

[ Kate was in the school before, at least, so she has some idea of the layout. Even if she didn't get much time to calmly take things in before. So she leads him to the library, and once inside, she takes a few moments just to gaze at the shelves full of books.

... and for a few moments, she'll stop to watch Armin, too. She's starting to suspect what it is he's really looking for...

But if he looks back at her, she quickly turns her head back to the books before facing him again. ]

I should have known a school would have a lot of books, but still, I'm impressed. The library back in the manor had a... limited selection.

[If it helps Armin's case, he is a bit awed by the volume of books as well, despite some clearly being in disrepair.

[It's true, though. As he searches through different covers and volumes, he also searches down aisles and around corners. He's looking for someone, not something.

[But there's information he came for as well - a consequence of being somewhere where he's already likely to find it.]

We had a rather limited selection where I grew up too. It was difficult to get your hands on all sorts of different books like this.

[He scans over a few pages as he speaks.]

I was hoping to find more information on demons, but there doesn't seem to be much. This one is fiction...

[Glancing up at Kate, he takes the book and slides it into one of his pockets.]

For entertainment, if nothing else.

[ So they have that in common, too: an interest in books, and limited access to them. Kate assumes it's for different reasons, but it's a little comforting to know she wasn't alone in her frustration. ]

That's a shame. I much prefer nonfiction, myself...

[ But she does manage to find some writings about the local area, and most importantly: a map! She takes it with her.

A little time passes in silence, but she glances back at Armin again, hesitant to speak up, but eventually finding the words. ]

Armin... You didn't just come here for books, did you?

[At the sound of his name, Armin turns, smile already prepared; it falters just slightly at her question.]

Ah, well...

[It doesn't surprise him that Kate is observant enough to have noticed. He certainly doesn't feel as though he's been subtle. He feels driven mad.

[He looks calm, though. His smile becomes a bit sheepish, and he holds his palms up.]

I suppose you caught me. It's not that I'm not looking for information here, but as I've been searching today, I've also been hoping to see someone. [There's no use in lying about it, really. He doesn't have to get into the details.]

... Someone who was here yesterday?

[ She offers that gently. If they were here yesterday and not today, then they both know what that likely means. ]

May I ask who you're looking for? I'll keep an eye out, too.

[It's true. They both know what that means. It's difficult for Armin to keep his smile in place; it pulls tight at the corners. To think that he and his friends might have gone through all that Hell, failing to kill Eren, just so he could show up here and die without them.

[Captain Levi, Commander Erwin. This place just wants to add insult to injury.

[It's not fair. Armin is quiet for a moment to long to pass it off as casual.]

I'm being a bit foolish, I think. There's no need to look.

I just can't quite help myself.

N, no! I don't think it's foolish at all! I would surely do the same thing in your situation...

[ It comes out a little more forceful than her usual quiet tone. ]

... I'm sorry, Armin. It must feel terrible to not know for sure. I wish I could do something to help.

[It's beyond terrible, but Armin is used to terrible. He'd like to say that it rolls easily enough off of his shoulders, but of course, it doesn't - sinks down deep inside of him instead. He'd cry if there were still time for things like that. If the last time he ever saw his best friend was throwing down a blade and telling him to take care of himself, he's not sure how he'll continue living - but he's always had to.

[And all the while, that tight smile remains in place, no matter how subdued it grows.

[Kate is kind. He'd want to help her, too, were she in the same situation.]

It's terrible, but. I'll just keep my hopes up. [He's lying.] I can't let it distract me too badly.

Thank you, Kate. Your company really is a comfort.

[ Kate lowers her head, a faint wisp of smoke rising from it. Is her company really all she can offer, though? At a time like this...

But what else can she do? They could already be dead. Saying anything to try to raise his hopes would be meaningless. At most, they can keep looking, while knowing that the more time that passes without an answer, the more likely it is that the worst has come to pass. ]

... Would you like to look at some of the other rooms here?

[It isn't hard to tell that what Kate's doing is a kindness. Armin won't stop looking, of course. He thinks he'll never stop looking, even if the worst really has come to pass. While they're here, that remains his goal. Kate offers that he doesn't have to search alone.

[Armin is grateful.]

We might as well. Thank you, Kate.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[DAY 1-]

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gonna go submit this idea to ori now o7 see if they can swing it

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cw: suicidal ideation

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we can probably move toward a wrap/handwave more exploration and do something new soon! hehe