❪ event ❫ spirited away

[natha]

PRELUDE     I'll get straight to the point, Thesaens. Dranbu is in dire need of assistance. I have received confirmation that the disappearances we were investigating last month have... escalated. Be cautious as you make your way through Josa Forest. Ideally we could go straight through, but it seems the main entrance to Dranbu is overgrown with thorns and vines, and there's a bit of a glitch with the rail system - the train is having trouble recognizing the Dranbu station as a destination. I've uploaded a homing beacon to your devices with this message. Once enough of you have arrived in Dranbu proper, it should communicate with the train and register it as a stop. With any luck, that will make getting back and forth much easier for you all from now on. Best of luck. Entry to the forest is not only overgrown with vegetation, but seems to be growing at an increasingly alarming rate. Any attempts to clear the vines will be met with even larger ones growing in its place, and it only confirms Nurray's findings as true. The only way in is across the sound from Nadril, entering the forest from its snowy back yard. It doesn't stay cold for long; as one ventures further into the forest, the snow will disappear, as though it was completely out of place in the first place. The red sun's warmth will take its place soon after— and before long, you'll feel too warm for the clothes you came with. That's when you know you've entered the heart of Josa Forest. WITHIN THE FOREST     The forest seems to be thick with a profound presence that can’t be ascertained. While venturing through it, one will feel like there are being watched or followed. This feeling will only intensify as metallic-scented drops of rain begin to fall between the clearings in the trees. Unfortunately, what many don’t realize at this point is that this is how the forest itself eats. How it subsists and lives through the minds of those who eventually get lost in it. Wandering this far in is akin to walking into a lion’s jaw, or rather… straight to its stomach. But, the forest has a way of making one stay. While it swallows someone up, it shows them sinfully beautiful and picturesque sights. Even showing them people or things that are familiar to the lost. All of which will urge them to go in deeper and deeper. But, while the forest begins to prey on the mind of their victim— they will suddenly hear an elegant and alluring voice urging them back. This voice promises them comfort and safety. Promises to be kind and open. Promises she has a place for them where they will never feel displaced or unwanted, or lost. Before they can fully accept, they will find that they are whisked away in Barthala’s embrace. Some will be taken, wiped of all their previous memories and inserted new ones. Others will find they have no prior memories at all of themselves, only urged to go on with regular life. What is prevalent is the forest's desire to turn you. Metamorphosis is a phenomenon that occurs only to certain individuals, and there is no rhyme or reason to them. Some adventurers would find themselves changing by the minute, the hour, or the process may even take days and weeks. The forest toys with you, but it only wants to draw you closer to its core — as though there's a story there it wants you to see and understand. Will you go on anyway, knowing the forest has already has its claws on you? I. ALL ROADS LEAD TO — Exploring the forest is not a perilous experience - Barthala's blessing ensures that paths remain clear of any dangerous obstacles, and keeps anyone who enters the woods from losing their way. However, it will not always lead adventurers where they want to go. Stressed? Your path leads to a meadow, grass drifting gently in the breeze. Tired? You'll find your way to a tree with roots perfectly curved for a nap, the shade a peaceful retreat from the sunlight. The hungry will find streams full of fish or bushes laden with berries, and the curious will come upon elder trees, unique and beautiful. Only those who are truly satisfied with their circumstances, with themselves, can forge their own path, and venture to Barthala's Grotto. II. BARTHALA'S GROTTO — The deity's home is host to an abundance of life. Butterflies drift through the air, brilliantly colored and unbothered by any intruders. Foliage blooms in a rainbow of colors, many plants unique to this area alone. With trees arranged to provide a canopy over the path and small clearing, the scene is something out of a fantasy. Any plant life taken from this area will not survive long, though even in its dead, dried state, it retains a curious beauty. Explorers and creatures finding themselves in this area will suddenly find their clothing to be an unnecessary burden - what could be better than feeling the wonders of nature against bare skin? There is nothing unbecoming about such a natural state, any perverse inclinations are an aspect of personal preference. While the presence of Barthala can be felt here - a warm, comfortable sensation emanating from your core - she is nowhere to be found. Only one will have the opportunity to pass under a veil of willow branches and emerge to the cool air of a clear-as-glass spring. Another nearby grotto is home to a plant with intoxicating effects. Just smelling the leaves is enough to entice most animals, and consuming them has effects on both mind and body. More easily amused, with thoughts that weave deep and distant, along with increased sensory perception can bring the user on a pleasant trip lasting up to five hours. III. INFLUENCES — (18+) Every five days, a weed scattered in patches among the forest underbrush blooms. The flowers are small and white, unremarkable except for how clustered they grow. When their petals fall, after only hours of blossoming, pollen drifts through the air. It clings to clothing, to hair, in the throats of the sensitive animals dwelling in the forest. Even those unaltered by Barthala's magic can be affected. The locals of Dranbu claim the pollen enhances fertility, but in practice, it simply serves as a poignant aphrodisiac. Those affected won't differentiate between the warmth of another or their own, a simple need to experience sexual ecstasy overwhelmingly pervaded. The pollen loses its potency after about three hours, leaving behind only a sweet smell. YOUR NEW (NEW) LIFE    Adapting to an entirely new setting isn’t always so simple. People often say that assimilating oneself to the environment happens fluidly, and before you know it, you’re a part of it. In Dranbu, these words hold an uncanny sense of truth. When you awake, your day begins like it always has. Your daily routine meets largely unchanged, except a few tinier details. Perhaps, you’ve realized your true calling is an occupation within the villages itself. Maybe in farming up strange medical herbs, maybe in acting as a witch doctor for the people, or maybe you find yourself drawn to the arts and you really enjoy sculpting fellow villagers in the nude. Once you commit these tasks, you realize, it feels like what you’ve always done. As if it were natural, as if you’ve done them for years, and maybe you have? At least that’s what your gut is telling you, and slowly your memories will too. At the end of the day, when you return home, you realize you’re not alone. You have a partner who shares the same values and whom you love deeply. Or maybe a spouse whom you’re always arguing with. But, even that will feel as commonplace as the rest of your day. All you know is that the day that might have started off not being yours is entirely yours and yours alone. IV. THE HUNT — Those taken by the forest, animal features adorning their bodies, will find that their palates have changed as well. Carnivores crave raw meat, while herbivores don't mind snacking on a patch of grass or pulling leaves from branches. For most, there's no reason to cook a meal; once prey is captured, instinct says dig right in! It can be a gruesome sight, mangled bodies gorged upon leaving bloodstained faces, but it's natural. As is the hunt itself - any size of game can be found in the forest, and no one will go hungry for long. The magic that dwells here ensures a catch even for the clumsiest predator. Just take care not to stalk one of your own. For a hungry predator, there's no difference between a deer and a deer-like human. THE BOUNDARIES BEYOND     For some, placated is synonymous with bored. While there is a sense of wonder in the beauties of nature that adorn the woods, serene forest life isn't for everyone. Those seeking more adventure can explore the challenging slopes of Waco Mountain. Barthala's influence is weaker on those bluffs than in Josa Forest itself, so thrill chasers won't be disappointed. Lose the path, slip on loose rocks, fall into a stream and spend a night wet and cold, there are many perils that come with traveling a mountain-side. Scattered ruins offer some shelter, their walls carved with images resembling Barthala, a dragon, and three other stranger creatures. While the deity's pacification does not flow as deeply through this region, all are still save from mortal wounds, and the veil cast over their memories will not lessen. If you have made it this far, however, there is no reason to try to return to the main city of Dranbu. Accommodations are always available in the neighboring villages: Phares in the north, and Stroln in the south. These villages are in friendly competition with one another, and will tempt travelers with women and men of their kind in order to draw in business to their hotels. FINAL OOC NOTES     No REP is available for this log. REP will now be primarily available through achieving NPC quests, which will be available on the 19th! Please keep an eye out for that! Dranbu is entirely available for exploration! You may find that most of Wyver and Olympia Flora/Fauna may be found in the forest as well. For more information on your characters' (opt-in) Metamorphosis, please refer to the November Outline! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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Captain Jack Harkness | Doctor Who/Torchwood

[faceofbeau]

All roads lead to... a different grotto? [Open]
There's something about being planetside, out in the open- in a forest even- that's more refreshing than words can say. Not that Jack's ever been all that much for forests, but there's something to be said for nature, and for mankind's tendency of embracing it. And, after the year he'd had, well. The fresh air is a welcome change. So welcome, in fact, that he finds it almost hard to remember his purpose, why he's out here; there are lives at stake, people have gone missing. They need to be found. Since his continued search of the stasis pods had yielded no results yet, and he still wasn't ready to face Ianto, answering the call to find Dranbu and its missing residents had seemed the perfect opportunity. Yet, now that he's here...

It should disturb him, probably, how easily his attention slides. How often he finds himself thinking not of the search, not of a mysteriously missing village and its people, but of the forest in which he searches. The air is fresh, cool and soothing; the lush vegetation, so much of it unique and alien, is fascinating, the scents of the flora far more pleasant than the sterile air of the station, or the acrid smoke of the Valiant before that. The wildlife, well. It's stayed out of sight, out of reach, present but elusive, nothing more than shadows through the trees, a distant sensation of eyes upon him, watching from afar, but nothing to be concerned about. It should disturb him, how easy it is to focus on how inviting all of it is, rather than on his search... but it doesn't.

Instead, it's simply... pleasant. Inviting. Everything about the forest is inviting, welcoming. And, really, it's the perfect escape from everything he's been struggling with both before and after waking up here on the station. So when he comes across a overhung grotto tucked deep into the forest, set at the end of a burbling stream, he doesn't hesitate to stop and take a bit of refuge there. There's a lone tree within the grotto, nestled just by the water side and glowing a luminescent green that catches Jack's eye. It's here that he makes his way to, finding a spot among the tree's large old roots to sit and rest, a lone dark form within the warm glow of the wood.

His eyes slide closed as he sits; he doesn't sleep, the need for sleep long in his past, but he might appear to be asleep at first glance. It's not until he hears footsteps through the undergrowth of the grotto that he ruins that appearance of sleep by callng out with a bit of a smile.

"Care to join me?"



A Hunt... of sorts. [Open]
He's not hungry really. Not that the tantalizing scent of prey isn't enticing, not that he wouldn't enjoy the taste of fresh meat, he's just. Full, mostly. He'd been lucky enough that, not even half an hour ago, he'd come across a large gathering of scaleberries that had been perfectly ripe. They'd made a delicious dinner, and he'd even tucked some into the pouch slung around his hips to take back to Prior, but while they'd satisfied his stomach, they hadn't satisfied his need to hunt. So here he is now, stalking through the forest after- well, someone. He's not sure exactly who, he hasn't caught sight of them yet, but he'd heard them as they trampled loudly through the forest, and he'd thought.

Why not? It could be fun to meet someone new. And why not have some fun with them while he was at it?

There's a clearing up ahead, he knows, having passed by it before. His large, triangular ears shift forward, taking in the sounds of his 'prey' as they move. From the sound of it, they're just now entering the clearing; it's a perfect ambush point. Jack grins toothily, his sharpened fangs showing, were there anyone close enough to see, and he moves stealthily towards the edge of the clearing. Behind him, his long, bushy tail twitches to one side, then the other, a clear indicator of how much he's enjoying himself; the sandy red fur- the same shade as most of the incredibly fine fur that covers his exposed skin, save the white strip that runs down his neck and the insides of his arms- is puffed out with excitement. Then, he's reached the edge of the trees, and it's there that he crouches in the shadows of the undergrowth, just out of sight.

He considers actually pouncing, but decides against it for now. He doesn't know the stranger out there in the clearing yet, doesn't know how they would react. Instead, he calls out, his voice as teasing as his wide grin,

"You know, if this were an actual hunt, as lovely as you look? I think I'd rather enjoy getting a taste of you in more ways than one."



Your new (new) life... and where the hell did your artwork go? [Open]
The small store tucked into the edge of the market that Jack calls his own doesn't have much up by way of display at the moment. Somehow, and he has no idea how, he's seems to have lost all of his artwork; it's more than a little frustrating. There's not much he can do for it at the moment, as he's looked everywhere, asked around to everyone he could find, and no one's seen any of it. It seems he just has to roll with it, and start anew- and start he has. There's only two paintings on the walls to show for his art; one of a rather handsome man of the feline persuasion, laid out on a chaise with not a scrap of clothing to act ask any kind of modesty, done in bold strokes and colors; the other painting is done in even more vibrant colors, a clear portrayal of the very market the store is set it, the varying people milling the market done is quick, undetailed strokes.

And then there's Jack himself. He's in the middle of working on another painting, sitting near the front of his stall in clear view of the market. The subject of his painting is tucked out of any clear sight-line of the market, half hidden behind a hanging curtain; she's as nude as the day she was born, posed carefully in a twisting form that looks like it would take some skill to achieve. Every so often Jack looks from his canvas to his subject and back again with clear concentration; the animation of his bushy tail, its black tip flicking in all different directions belies his otherwise still form, as does the way his large ears shift back and forth with every sound from the market.

When the sound of footsteps catch his ears, they twitch visibly, and after he finishes his current stroke, he looks up to see who's approached his booth. His grin is warm and wide, disarming and a clear change form the look of concentration he'd borne before, and as he sets his brush down, he offers,

"Well hello. My name's Jack. Are you looking for a piece of work, or maybe looking for some work? I'm in the market for models at the moment."


[OOC: For the last two prompts, think fennec fox for Jack's animal characteristics. He has large triangular fox ears; extremely fine sandy red fur covers most of his body, although it fades to white along his front and the insides of his limbs; his teeth are noticeably sharper than normal, with all of them resembling more pointed human canines; his tail is bushy and full, hanging down to his knees when still, and is tipped in black fur; his nails are noticeably sharp and somewhat claw like, although they still look mostly like human nails.]

Your new (new)... lover? [Closed to Ianto Jones & Prior Walter]

[faceofbeau]

[For Prior]
"I brought you a treat."

The words are a greeting, delivered with a warm, wide smile as Jack sweeps into the little place that they've called home for... well, he can't remember exactly how long they've been here for, but it certainly feels like a lifetime. He moves about the main room with the ease of familiarity, dropping a leather pouch onto the little table before where Prior is sitting. It lands with a gentle thud that betrays the carefulness with which he'd actually set in down, in contrast to the way he'd originally swung it off from where it had been fastened at his hip. He leans, then, on the arm of the couch beside the other man, his tail swaying languidly back and forth for a moment before finally draping down to rest along Prior's shoulders. Inside the pouch, should Prior look, is a collection of ripe scaleberries; most are whole, but there are a few of the tops left from where Jack hadn't quite been awhile to stop nibbling at them.

"How was your day? Anything exciting happen?"



[For Ianto (& later, Prior)]
It's the end of the day, and Jack has only just finishing closing up his little shop. He's finished a third painting to add to the stall walls for display- or sale, if anyone takes a shine to it- and he'd dismissed his model only half an hour ago with a warm smile, a kiss to her cheek, and a promise to call her again sometime, maybe when he was ready to start replacing his lost sculptures rather than paintings. His purse is light- as it's likely to be until he's created more works to sell- and he's in the mood for some fresh air after being in his stall at the busy market all day. It's with that thought in mind that rather than taking the short and direct route, he heads out into the forest surrounding Dranbu for a 'long way home' to his lover. Prior shouldn't mind a little delay, and if he does, well, he can always come looking for Jack- he's not straying too far into the forest, after all.

He takes his time with his stroll; the forest, blessed by Barthalla as it is, is always inviting, always enticing. His gait is easy, slow and steady; his tail moves smoothly behind him, swaying as it pleases, occasionally catching a leaf or twig here or there. He doesn't pay it any mind- he can always brush out the sandy red fur later, and it's more trouble than its worth to worry about it now. His ears twitch this way and that as he takes in the sounds of the forest, and the more distant din of the village beyond that. Then they perk, as they catch something much closer than he'd expected.

Jack stills, even the motion of his tail pausing mid-swing, and his brows furrow. His large, triangular ears shift forward, to catch as much sound as possible, and his chin raises as he sniffs at the air. There's someone nearby- and headed his way. Someone unhappy, if the sound of oddly lilted cursing is any indication. Maybe they're lost?

It doesn't take much to follow the voice and the ruckus they make as they shove through the forest underbrush, and it's only a few minutes later that Jack finds the man behind the noise; he's clearly not from Dranbu or either of the other local village, not with how clearly unfamiliar he is with the forest, and Jack has to bite back a laugh as he realizes that the man's clothing is caught up in some brush. He moves forward without a thought, reaching with claw and finely furred hands to tug expertly at the plant holding him hostage.

"Here, let me help."

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto has been having a hell of a time with this forest. He'd had more than one reason to answer the summons to this place -- he does love a good mystery of course, but he'd also needed some time to take his mind off of the conflict that had cropped up in his personal life as well. And focusing on trying to get to the bottom of this had sounded like a good idea at the time.

Circling around the forest, winding up anywhere but the destination that he had had in mind, Ianto's not so sure that he's made the right decision in the end. He can't think of why the forest wouldn't lead him to the city itself, when it keeps leading him to everything else he might think he needs. Though subconsciously he has an idea that maybe it's because he really doesn't want to be here in the first. Well, it's too late now, he supposes, as he sets himself out to try to find the city for the hundredth time.

And immediately gets himself caught up in the underbrush.

It's not like he hasn't even worn appropriate clothes for this scenario, he had made sure to dress appropriately for trekking across not only the forest but the snow of Nadril before. Jeans, jacket, long-sleeved tshirt and flannel button down (John's that he's stolen and refused to give back, even now), scarf, gloves, the whole nine yards. Backpack full of supplies. And now of course he's stuck. Because while he's dressed the part, Ianto's never been much of a mountaineer himself.

"Oh for the love of..."

He jumps nearly three feet in the air as a local suddenly appears to help untangle him.

"Christ, I. Thanks. Sorry, this thing is..." He trails off awkwardly as he catches a good look at his rescuer and realizes two things. One, the man seems to be some sort of Fox creature, covered in fur, with claws and a tail. Two, he seems look an awful lot like Jack. An awful lot like Jack...

[priorly]

[Please forgive me, I bellyflopped this whole month but will backtag forever.]

A treat?

[Swift and skittish, Prior doesn't let Jack's arm rest long around his shoulders before he's twisting and pushing up onto his knees to turn and greet him with a gentle brush of lips to the corner of his mouth - before deliberately peeking past to one side, then the other.

A pause, for dramatic purposes, and he looks round to pretend to notice the little pouch waiting innocently on the tables.]

Oh, and here I thought you brought home one of your models.

[With a mock pout accompanying the punchline, Prior tips back to snag the bag and peer into it. Small, brown ears flick with interest at the smell alone, but he plays down the smile working its way onto his face.]

I suppose picking up dinner will have to do.