❪ 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

Comments

[sullenstallion]

"It's not little demon, it's Dylas."

He crosses his arms just like she does and pouts. He might be tall but he's not bringing any maturity to the group. His tail flicks to and fro, stirring up leaves as he tries to pick a road for them to follow. Unfortunately for the both of them, Dylas is a little hungry so if he doesn't stop thinking about that they'll end up in a meadow overflowing with carrots.

"We'll go this way, even littler human," he says with a resigned sigh, finally picking a path to the left. He starts off without checking to see if she's following...but then he stops to make sure she is. He can't abandon someone in the woods, he'd feel really horrible about that.

[hellzone]

Yoshiko is indeed following. Even if she's not certain this is the right way to go, there's safety in numbers. Better she stick with Dylas and die together than die of starvation, by herself, in these woods that are kind of nice but also have a lot of lizards and bugs so she's not sure how nice they are.

When he looks behind to check and make sure she's following, Yoshiko gives Dylas a confused look before she jogs forward to catch up.

"It can be little demon and Dylas. Little demon is a term of affection for those wayward souls who Yohane has placed underneath her protection."

And she strikes a stupid pose.

[sullenstallion]

"Affection?!"

He bristles at the word like she just told him something much, much worse. Like, she told him his tail wasn't fluffy or that he wasn't good in a fight. His face contorts in shock, but he also blushes a little. Dylas is thankful again that he's tall, because it means he can point his head a little higher and hope that will be the end of that.

"Most men don't want to be called little," he corrects her, starting to walk now that she's caught up. "Wait. I'm the one protecting you, alright? It's not the other way around." He wasn't even going to admit to that second part until his own protection was brought up.

[hellzone]

"Well most men are silly," Yoshiko retorts, as if it's obvious. What's wrong with being called little, there's nothing wrong in being called her little demon. It's objective truth (sort of, possibly).

Though as Dylas mentions that he's protecting her, Yoshiko frowns a little. Objectively...that's true. He would be protecting her, because she knows one bit of magic and even if this guy doesn't know any magic, he looks like he might know how to fight. But her dumb make-believe bullshit takes hold and before Dylas can say anything, Yoshiko holds that stupid pose and continues talking.

"Of course Yohane is the one protecting! I have mystical powers and the legions of the damned on my side! That's perfect for protecting people."

[sullenstallion]

He huffs, because he's very sure he's not the silly one in this duo but he doubts arguing it is going to get him anywhere.

As they walk, the path talks them alongside a river. And is that a lake in the distance? Yep. Because it's Dylas, he's hungry, and all he ever thinks about is fish. Right now, he's thinking more about what Yohane is saying, at least, but his stomach is thinking more about trout.

"You're a summoner?" His ears perk up, and his tail gives a swish as he turns around, intense gaze drifting downward as he focuses on her. "That's...really impressive, actually. I had no idea. I've met a lot of wizards, but I've never met a summoner."

[hellzone]

"That I am." And Yoshiko strikes a dramatic pose, knowing full well that she's bullshitting this. All Dylas has to do is ask around and he'll see how wrong she is! Why is she even saying something like this?

"Of course, I rarely summon the legions of the damned. More often than not, I draw upon their power to boost my own, inner strength."

Maybe he'll believe that? She hopes?

[sullenstallion]

He stares at her for a long moment. The pose is bullshit. He knows that much. Somehow, it's the pose that bothers him more than anything. With his hands on his hips, he leans in, looking almost like a gangster as he scrutinizes her, not even smiling...

...before he nods his approval.

"That's a good call. If you go around summoning the damned without any warning, you're just going to freak people out."

He. Sounds impressed again. His tail even sways a little to suggest as much. He straightens back up and, instead of walking off, looks at her expectantly, like he's waiting for her to catch up and walk next to him instead of behind him? He's recognized her strength in battle.

"I can make lightning, I guess. And...my senses are pretty good." His ears twitch to suggest just that. "There's...another thing I can do, but I hate it, so I'm not going to talk about it."

[hellzone]

He believes her?

Hot damn, Yoshiko's pleased about this! There's a brief moment of confusion across her face before she strikes a dramatic pose again, like she knows what she's doing an dyes, she can totally draw upon the strength of demons. Yep. That's her alright. An actual fallen angel and not a chronic bullshitter.

She'll take the opportunity to focus on Dylas's powers and what he's talking about. And of course, the phrase 'I'm not going to talk about it' makes her want to talk about it.

"If you tell me what it is, I promise I won't tell anyone."

[sullenstallion]

Of course he believes her.

Dylas also feels bad for not being upfront about his own power set, but it's a touchy subject with him. If he tells her he can turn into a unicorn, then Yoshiko is going to realize that he looks like a horse, and then she's going to start telling him he looks like a horse. He likes not being compared to a horse! So he can't tell her. He'll her the same lie he told Waver.

"I guess I'm a wolfman, or...something like that?"

Nailed it. Except he's nowhere near as good at lying as Yoshiko is. He can't even look at her directly, and there's nothing about his ears or tail that look wolfish.

"Just forget about it for now, alright? It's not going to come up. I don't sense any threats nearby."

[hellzone]

Wolfman = werewolf = someone who can turn into a dog = puppy. Yoshiko's keeping her train of thought silent at the moment, though she does brighten up at the idea of Dylas being a wolfman. (Though that tail isn't super dog-like, is it?)

"So what, can you turn into a giant dog and stomp on some threats? That's pretty cool."

She is not forgetting about it.

[sullenstallion]

There's a long silence.

"Yeah. Sure."

That's a horrible answer, and he knows it is, but he's not great at lying. He can't even make eye contact when he delivers the second word. Dylas just wants to move on and keep walking. Besides! It's not far from the truth. Giant horses also step on things. It's.

Sometimes it has to be like this.

"But I'm not doing that unless there's an emergency, okay? And I'm only telling you because you trusted me with your powers."

So they're both lying to each other, but that's probably fine. He doesn't know that.

now I kind dof want there to actually be an emergency at some point, just so they can suck together

[hellzone]

"Perfectly understandable," Yoshiko explains, with a small nod. Because it is! Turning into a giant dog probably like, ripped up his clothes or something like that. Dylas has his reasons for not wanting to do it unless there's an emergency, Yoshiko will respect that.

"Still, my point stands: that's pretty cool."

oh my god some of his powers ARE real, he's only lying about the one!

[sullenstallion]

Turning into a unicorn does rip up his clothes, and the less he has to think about that the better. The most important thing to think about is that he's successfully convinced another person that he's not related to horses in any way, shape, or form. That's something worth celebrating.

"Huh? It's cool? I don't think it's that interesting, but thanks, I guess..." Even though his wolfman ability is false, he still feels flattered by the compliment, and he scratches his cheek. "Your powers are the impressive ones. I've seen some powerful magic, but yours has to take the cake."

well then the emergency will just reveal that they're both liars. :p

[hellzone]

Yoshiko shakes her head as they continue walking through the forest. "A lot of other people here have cooler magic than I do," she admits. "My friend You? She can heal people. And Nott can make this invisible hand thing that she uses to pick things up!"

Healing and mage hand might not be most people's ideas of impressive powers, but in Yoshiko's mind, they're absolutely amazing.

that sounds like a great plan

[sullenstallion]

"My friend was a healer. It was fitting for him. He went back to sleep." He sounds just a little more sad when he says that, like he's tired, but he keeps up the conversation. "You're selling yourself too short, uh...girl." Did he ever ask for her name? "I'm sure your friends rely on you in a pinch."

He's still impressed by her nonexistent abilities, so he attempts to be comforting. He's watching her more closely now instead of just walking ahead, actually paying attention to her.