❪ 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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frank castle 💀 the punisher

[bellare]

all roads

---

Frank unzips his jacket as he heads deeper into the woods, thinking he's just a little out of shape at first — winded, maybe. But he realizes soon after it's a good ten degrees warmer as sweat starts beading up on his chest. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, especially considering he lost track of the group he came here with already somehow. That really shouldn't be possible with his training, but this place has a way of turning him around; of disorientating him. The heat pulls up under his skin, reminding him of the desert and suddenly, there's a spring just in front of him and damn, does that look inviting. It also can't be real though, right?

He dips his hand in and sighs at the perfectly refreshing temperature. Okay, even if this is a mirage? He's in. Anyone who happens upon Frank will find him in a clearing with his boots and jacket next to him and his pants rolled up so he can leave his feet in the water up to his ankles. It might be hard to snap him out of the scene, but the second someone does he'll be on solid ground again, the temperature just this side of nippy, shivering a little even though he's dry and bundled once more.

barthala's grotto

cw:alcoholism

---

This place is beautiful, even he has to appreciate just how much. A butterfly lands on his finger and he lifts his hand to study the creature before it flits away again. More and more come, landing on his nose and shoulders and in his hair.

"I feel like a goddamn Disney princess," he admits to no one in particular. It doesn't take him long to feel the effects of the plants all around him, and he stumbles until he can sit on the forest floor. He super hates being drugged, it's hella inconvenient. "So much for six months sober, assholes." Frank laughs once, dully, pulling a chip out of his pocket and spinning it between his fingers. So much for this place keeping him on the straight and narrow. Or his version of it, anyway. He tosses it carelessly away from himself in the grass.

your new life

a.k.a. Sheriff Castle

---

Did you do something not-good? Or maybe you've been affected by the forest turning everyone into wildlife. Frank isn't above a little animal control duty. Every time he throws a person or animal-person in lock-up, however, there's this inexplicable tingling at the base of his skull like something is off. But then every time someone smiles at him or brings him a coffee or any mundane thing, he adjusts his badge and hat and forgets what he was worried about. Could be indigestion, or just too much caffeine maybe. He really has to start drinking more water.

He does his rounds every night, making sure the prisoners are comfortable and not causing any trouble. It's not normal that these animals sort of look like people and he's pretty sure they were getting aggressive with each other out in the woods, right? Except he can't remember why that's strange at all.

"Just make yourself at home, son. You're in for a long, boring night." His favorites tbh. Frank makes his way back to his tiny office to catch up on some local reading.

boundaries beyond

---

As he walks farther and farther from the invisible boundaries around Dranbu, it's as if he can physically feel the curse being lifted. He can identify everything that happened to him because of that place and now he's free, but a lot of people are still back there. He swallows and turns back around. Things always go great when he plays hero, so how is he supposed to resist the opportunity?

[ feel free to wildcard him though i'm not going the spouse route for new life memories, feel free to assume any basic cr you like from acquaintances to friends/frenemies. also if you prefer brackets i'll switch style no problem and if you want to plot anything else slide on over here! i'm hotdog#0520 on disco for anything else. ]

BARTHALA'S GROTTO

[emori]

Emori stumbles in what looks like a sleep walk to Frank's side. With a squeak, she drops down beside him. First onto her knees and then back onto her bum. Butterflies swarm her as well, and she shakes her head to make them go away.

"I've seen Disney. On the Ring, in the archives. Before the first nuclear... thing."

She's a little too bogged down by the smell of those plants. Emori smiles at Frank and watches him throw the chip away. "What was that??" She crawls into the grass, fumbling for the chip. "I need to find it, it's lost, I need to find it."

[bellare]

He wouldn't usually miss someone sitting down next to him, especially not someone he recognizes from only - hours? was it hours? - earlier.

"Will loved Aladdin," he says, a little hazy even as her diving after the coin makes him laugh. It's a raucous, unstable thing, but it still counts. "It's not lost. But I'm definitely not sober anymore, so I have to start from scratch."

It sucks when it wasn't even his fault, but right now he isn't really thinking about that.

oh geez i used brackets too late now sry friend

[emori]

[She's still fondling the grass when she repeats his words.] Aladdin. Blue man made no sense. [His laugh startled her and then-- she started to laugh too. It was hyena like, high pitched and almost childlike?]

I'll find it. I'll get it. [Her mutated hand has a mitten over it, and it just flattens the grass. Emori's other hand finds the chip and she holds it over her head like a certain green-clad adventurer does with items.]

whatever you wanna do lmao

[bellare]

[ that noise startles him, transporting him back in time though he's thankfully still too fucked up to feel any certain way about it. frank frowns when she finds his chip and shakes his head. ]

You keep it.

a-thank ye

[emori]

[Emori crawls lopsidedly back to his side, holding the chip in her smaller hand. She crosses her legs under her and stares at the chip in front of her face.]

Cool.

[firetouched]

This seems like Danny's thing, honestly. He doesn't mind the chill of the snow at the forest's entrance, and he doesn't mind the heavy heat as he continues in. The nature has an alarmingly soothing effect on him, and there's an urge to find a place to sit down and simply appreciate it.

He thinks he's found it, a clearing with a gentle pool that looks like something off a meditation focused instagram. Too bad the guy in the water makes it a little less insta-worthy.

Still, Danny's not going to scoff at coming across someone. He can't be the only one wandering, after all.

"Hey."

[bellare]

Frank looks up only as Danny comes in close, but his eyes are glassy and mostly unseeing. He doesn't recognize him so it's easier to skip over him or something like that. The 'hi' gets a soft twitch up of his lips before it disappears again, and he merely nods in greeting, waiting to see if the other man will join him maybe. Though, he still seems listless (if complacent) overall.

[firetouched]

Oh. Uh. Danny pauses and watches a bit, and he's starting to feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, in that way when you know something's wrong but you can't quite figure it out. He takes a few cautious steps forward.

"Are you all right?"

[bellare]

Does he even really have a litmus for 'alright?' Frank sighs, blinking to refocus his gaze, but when he opens his eyes... everything's different. Again. The pool is still there, but there's a frost all around it, like Winter creeping in. He's standing on the shore without remembering climbing out, shivering at the effect of damp clothes in much cooler temperature than it was only a second ago. He reaches for his trappings, strapping on his gun and pulling his coat back on to try and wick some of the water away. There is something seriously strange going on in this place.

"Can you repeat the question?" It's so dry it could be a joke - or maybe he really didn't hear/understand. It's anyone's guess.

all roads.

[america]

"Might not wanna spend too long in there."

The voice is kind but with a natural air of authority, like maybe he's the kind of guy used to giving orders or offering good and solid advice.

Steve stands on the dry side of the stream, star-spangled shield in one hand and the other reaching up to push loose strands of hair away from his face. (He could probably do with a haircut, but it's hardly a priority.) These days he doesn't much care to keep his Captain America identity as clean and prominent as he had back home; more than half of the people here have never even heard of him or the Avengers. His uniform is worn and frayed, the star on his chest a dingy silvered emblem with half of the shine that it once had, but his expression is mild.

"If what I've been hearing is true, anyway."

[bellare]

He looks up, less concerned than he might usually be, but the impression of orders - however subtle - have him snapping out of his reverie. The pool is vanished and in its wake a light snow. Frank is fully dressed again without going through the motions, coat bundled over his throat and boots laced high on his shins. His back is flat as a board which might give something away, but his gaze is still somewhat vacant like he isn't completely sure what's going on. Maybe he doesn't care if it's going to be this way.

"I'm not big on rumors," he admits, he believes in what he sees. It's an adjustment when everything here that he sees is decidedly unbelievable, but he doesn't seem to be cracking under the pressure just yet.

[america]

"Under normal circumstances, I don't tend to be either," Steve agrees, "but then these aren't exactly normal circumstances."

Being on the constant alert is a better way to keep your limbs intact than getting a little too caught up in the flora and fauna surrounding you.

"If you're feeling a little too at home here, that's the first sign of trouble."

[bellare]

It doesn't really bode well that Steve didn't seem to notice the entire world changing around them and Frank's face screws up as he tries to replay what just happened in his mind.

"Definitely not having that problem." He worries his lip and decides to just ask, "Did you see that?" Or is he as crazy as he feels right now?

[america]

Steve takes a brief moment to assess the other man.

"You okay?"

If Steve was supposed to see something ... well, it escaped the keen eye of this long-time soldier. To be fair, a lot of the unfamiliar, magical stuff is a little out of his expertise, and as a result ... missable.

But if there's a malevolent creature to be punched and he can see it, Steve's your guy.

your new life

[motivation]

[ after the animal control, after making the rounds, after reading in his office, frank will go home eventually - home, a small hut where there's a fire and there are furs that can comfortably sleep two and, as far as dutch and frank are concerned, routinely do.

home, where dutch is roasting some meat over a fire.

when he enters, she looks up and smiles. it's a warm expression and she tips her head back in obvious expectation of a kiss hello. ]

How was your day?

[bellare]

[ he's late - again - but dutch never seems to mind. not like... someone else had. was he married before? he looks bewildered a second, but then that self-assurance floods back in as he touches their lips familiarly. there's nothing out of the ordinary going on here, at least, not that he can discern when she looks at him that way. ]

Long. Sorry I'm late. Can I do anything?

[ frank hangs up his hat and moves towards the fire to take over dinner before waiting for an answer. ]

[motivation]

[ he's late again, but dutch doesn't mind because she's got her own tasks, her own life in this village and she's certain that he'll always come home. that his lateness isn't because he's avoiding her.

there's an unshakeable faith in their relationship that she'd say comes from years of being with him, of being sure of him. (sometimes, especially when she leaves the village to hunt down some food, she wonders about that. has she really known him her whole life?

there's a memory of the night of her wedding, of her husband being her way out, of blood on her wedding dress, of running - but that can't be right, can it? she's still here. she's happy here.) ]

You could find us a drink. [ her lips quirk up. ] Something red, I think.

[bellare]

Yes, dear.

[ a gentle tease, smiling softly before vanishing to the cellar to find them some wine. they make it by the gallon it seems, though as he picks up the jug he feels some type of way about it. like there's a reason he shouldn't be holding this... but that's dumb. they drink every night with dinner, don't they? it's harmless. out of habit, he goes digging into his pocket for his AA chip without knowing that's what he's searching for and predictably comes up empty. with a frown, he climbs to the top of the stairs again and goes to relocate his wife. dark hair, dark features instead of light eyes and hair. he swallows, holding out the wine to dutch. ]

I don't think I should drink tonight.

[motivation]

[ the pet name is answered with a playful swat at his backside as he turns to leave and she keeps watch over the fire and meat while he goes to find some wine.

the announcement he makes when he comes back is a surprise. ] Suit yourself. [ but - ] Did something happen today?

[ there's a frown tugging at her brows now. ]

barthala's grotto!

[romancekiller]

[the field of butterflies was almost reminiscent of her first days on earth when she first encountered them except for the fact these butterflies in question weren't subject to radiation. it was nice though as she ventured further into the forest only to come to a stop for a moment she overhears someone talking but it doesn't take her long to notice that he was one of the people that joined their group investigating even though she isn't fully acquainted with him] A Disney what?

[bellare]

[ oh, hi. he recognizes her in a fringe sort of way. right now he can't think of her name or any other details - details he'd usually recall with no effort whatsoever. but the same thing that's making him forget also makes him complacent so he just answers her question, a bit of a dopey expression on his face. ]

Princess.

[romancekiller]

[clarke looks even more puzzled by his words as he repeats but she eventually settles to sit down beside him ] I think I'm probably missing the context since I don't know who or what Disney is.

[bellare]

...Probably a good thing. He was really anti-Semitic.

[ frank sighs, running a hand over and through his hair. suddenly, he's exhausted and he has only this place to blame. ]

At least tell me you know what a princess is.

[romancekiller]

[clarke nods at that because she is all too familiar with that given how it is a nickname she occasionally gets called by some people] Yeah, I know what a princess even if I'm not too familiar with the rest of it.