❪ 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

[personalwar]

[ As sharp as the wolf might be, it isn't quite smart enough to realize that the way Gabriel has shown its back is a deliberate action, that it's meant to coax it closer.

All it can see in that moment is more prey, and while it wouldn't be able to make use of that much meat if it killed the human, it does want to chase it out of these woods.

And so as soon as it's close enough, it leaps forward, front legs outstretched and claws extended, ready to cleave down the human's back. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel waits until the last possible second to make his move, wheeling around with inhuman reflexes. He's at a disadvantage by having two legs instead of four, but he hopes, if the wolf can be surprised, that it's surprised by the maneuver. He makes contact with the wolf mid-leap, then lifts a leg up to kick it away.]

There you are, you son of a bitch.

[He squares off, something of a wild grin on his face at his recognition of the wolf's more unique features. It's a bit difficult to swallow, how this thing could possibly be Jack, but he's been in these woods too long to balk now. He can only hope he's made Jack angry enough to lunge again--the last thing he wants this to turn into is a chase.]

[personalwar]

[ There's a lot that takes the wolf by surprise. Not only the human's unexpectedly quick reaction, not only the kick that throws it back with a yelp before it can really sink its claws in, but also the human's face.

It's been happening a worrying amount lately, these strange interactions where it feels some sense of kinship that keeps it from attacking with any sort of ferocity. At this point, can it really be called a feral beast? Is something wrong with it? It's as if it's on the edge of it's mind, but not close enough to grasp.

It lands with little damage done, eyes fixed on the strange man as it tries to find an explanation for the familiarity felt deep in its chest. It growls in warning, not sure what else to do with itself as it tries to figure out what action to take next. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel's a little surprised when the wolf doesn't lunge, but perhaps it's just sizing him up. He's still half expecting Jack to bolt, especially now that it's clear this is not going as planned. Still, he's not about to let this opportunity slip through his fingers as they square off.

Slowly, so as not to startle the wolf, he reaches for the bait he'd used to lure it here in the first place, and holds it just out of reach. If it's brave enough to try and take it, it'll have to get into Gabriel's space, first.]

[personalwar]

[ No matter how long it spends staring, the wolf can't place the familiar face, the familiar scent. There's no reason for it to feel anything other than disdain for a human, and it can't decide if it wants to attack, to run, or to do something else. (What else is there?)

The human offers up the carcass, but instead of handing it over, he seems to want to draw the wolf closer. A stupid move. The wolf is too careful to narrow the space between them, and instead it lets out a noise between a growl and a yelp, something demanding, as it paws the ground in front of it.

Give it here. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel can be patient if he really wants to be, and this seems like a situation that calls for it. He stays motionless, hand outstretched, but Jack doesn't budge either. They're both impossibly stubborn, and he bets that hasn't changed.

What he can do is play to animal instincts. Surely the wolf can't resist a free meal forever, even if it's coming from someone extremely untrustworthy.

Gabriel scoots forward a few inches, stretching his arm out a little more. Jack will have to meet him halfway on this one.]

[personalwar]

[ If nothing else, at least the wolf has inspired the human to make the stupid move first in this situation. As much as it might want to hold its ground, there is that hindbrain that's more at the forefront than ever.

Ultimately, the wolf decides that it can rely on its superior speed and reflexes to snatch the meal away without putting itself at greater risk.

It lunges forward with snapping jaws. If it ends up taking half of Gabriel's hand with it, well, that's his problem. ]

[gravemistake]

[While this is happening and the wolf is distracted, Gabriel’s other hand is reaching for the net. It’s sturdily woven, with weighted edges. He doesn’t doubt that Jack could escape from it if he really had the time and patience, but Gabriel is betting on the fact that he’ll be far too angry to really puzzle through something like this once he’s caught. All he needs is just a few more seconds—

The instant the wolf’s jaws close around the offered food, Gabriel is springing into action. He whips his other hand around, swinging the net over the wolf and then pulling, trying to pull his feet out from under him.]

[personalwar]

[ As far as the wolf can remember (and all it can really recall is days spent hunting on its own in the woods), it's never had someone come at it with a net like this. It had been too focused on the food to even realize what Gabriel had in his other hand, or to process it.

So when the net lays itself over it and weighs it down, it panics, growling and snapping and flailing around to make any and every effort to get free somehow.

To its credit, it doesn't take it long to realize that the best way to get out is by tearing through the material with its fangs. ]

[gravemistake]

[For a moment, he's surprised that even worked--perhaps he was expecting Jack to be smarter than the average wild animal, but lucky for him that it doesn't seem to be the case. With his legs tangled up in the net, it's very easy to get the upper hand, especially with his enhanced strength.]

Nope.

[No biting his way out of the net, if Gabriel has anything to say about it. He throws himself bodily over the tangled-up wolf, trying to wrap his arm around its neck to keep it from thrashing.]

Not today, idiot.

[personalwar]

[ The weight suddenly added onto the wolf in the form of Gabriel's 6'1" bulk is similarly unexpected, and the panic increases as it whines and growls and does everything it can to try and get away.

Since it can't actually wriggle its way out of the net or escape from Gabriel pinning him, all the wolf can really do is try to fight back. Even if it can't move its head because of the chokehold, that won't stop it from swiping with its front paws and kicking wildly with its back legs.

It's hard to imagine that Gabriel could walk away from this without a few scratches. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel holds fast--he's dealt with a lifetime of pain and injury, in battle and otherwise, a struggling animal underneath him is not going to deter him, even with all the claws and fangs. He doesn't necessarily expect Jack to give up anytime soon, but he's just as stubborn. All he has to do is outlast the struggling.]

You tired yet?

[He won't get an answer, of course, but the way they're positioned means that Jack will have to be the one to give up first--Gabriel isn't going anywhere.]

[personalwar]

[ It's not that the wolf gives in easily, but Reyes has him in a hold that it's difficult to get out of, to say nothing of the man's enhanced strength. Between that and the net keeping the wolf in place, there isn't much that it can do to free itself.

While it doesn't yield entirely, its struggling does become a little more halfhearted.

That might be partly because the wolf finally gets a good look at the man's face, and registers the sound of his voice. Both seem to tug at something within it, something buried deep. Despite all evidence to the contrary, maybe this intruder isn't its enemy. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel feels Jack losing fight underneath him, and he knows that he's won. That should be satisfying, but now comes the problem of what happens next. He's got some ideas--he can't exactly take a wolf home with him, but he needs to be out of the forest so that the same fate doesn't befall him in turn.

Jack doesn't get a very long look, because as soon as it's clear that Gabriel has the upper hand, he's bundling up the net and standing, swinging his captured, immobilized quarry unceremoniously over his shoulder.]

[personalwar]

[ It's bad enough to be restrained by the net, but being lifted up into the air is something that the wolf does not like much at all. It beings to thrash again, if ineffectively, and lets out loud noises, something between a whine and a howl.

All it does is tangle itself up further in its panicked attempts to get free, but the wriggling will make the job of carrying it harder than it should be. ]

[gravemistake]

[Having Jack get tangled further is, in fact, the plan, so no matter how difficult it gets to drag his quarry along, thrown over his shoulder, he weathers it.

Gabriel hasn't thought too much about how he's going to pull this off, but he does have some sort of plan. He trudges them both through the forest, unfazed by Jack's whining and howling. It's not a short walk, but eventually they make it out of the forest and to a similarly secluded place where Gabriel has hammered a post and chain into the ground.]

End of the line, buddy.

[At the very least, he can keep Jack here until some kind of solution is found.]

[personalwar]

[ End of the line is right. The wolf doesn't know what fate awaits it. All it knows is that this can't end well for it, and that the human it thought it might have recognized is betraying it for reasons it can't comprehend.

When it's set down onto the ground near the post, it's panting, worn out after a long walk, most of which it spent futilely struggling to free itself.

It still manages a low, warning growl from within the net, even if it's unable to fight back in any real way. ]

[gravemistake]

[He hopes, by now, that Jack has exhausted himself, but Gabriel still treads with caution when he lowers the net. He tries to keep hold of the wolf with one hand while grabbing the collar with the other, and from there it's a delicate balance of making sure his quarry doesn't escape while unbuckling the collar.

The chain is sunk deep into the ground, and may or may not be magic. He imagines that Jack will have a tough time getting out of this one.

With one firm hand gripping the wolf's scruff, he carefully wraps his other arm around him, slipping the collar around his neck and expecting a further struggle when the wolf realizes what's happening.]

[personalwar]

[ It's no surprise that the moment that Gabriel starts to handle the wolf with any kind of roughness, let alone trying to wrap something around its neck, it flips out. Exhausted as it might be, one can never count out a wild animal. Instincts and adrenaline can almost always fill them with a second wind.

So it jerks its head around and attempts to bite Gabriel, though it still hasn't quite figured out that when it wriggles it only tangles itself up further.

Still, it isn't letting those hands get anywhere near its face without snapping at them. This would likely be easier if Reyes had a muzzle. ]

[gravemistake]

[Something like snapping wolf jaws might deter an ordinary human, but Gabriel is most certainly not one of those. Anything Jack does to him will heal in hours, so he holds fast, even with the threat of fangs sinking into his forearms.

It might be a good thing to get bitten, really. Keep Jack's mouth busy.]

[personalwar]

[ As soon as Gabriel allows it to happen, and the wolf is able to sink its teeth into his forearm, it bites down harder and thrashes its head from side to side, doing what it can to drag its jaws through layers of flesh. If it were anyone else, the creature would be completely mauling them right now.

It won't feel great, but it will give Reyes the chance to fit the collar around the wolf's neck with his other hand. ]

[gravemistake]

[Gabriel grunts, but he doesn't give in. He supposes that if Jack really wanted to, he could tear his arm right off--but he tries not to think about why the wolf isn't doing that.

He'll heal this wound before it even starts to matter, and he's got Jack distracted long enough to get the chain fastened around his neck. Once it's secure, he tears his forearm away and gives the wolf a good kick, if only to get some distance between them. The chain should hold, and then they can go from there.]

[personalwar]

[ There's no reason that the wolf shouldn't just tear the arm clean off, and yet it doesn't go that far. It's not something that it can explain or understand itself, and it isn't in a position to put much thought to it either. Gabriel will have to be the one to dwell on it, when all is said and done.

It continues to whip its head around when the chain cinches around its neck, but at this point there's nothing it can do. The kick comes unexpectedly and the wolf lets out a whining yelp as it's thrown back. It manages to maintain its balance, and quickly finds that it's only able to move in about a five-foot radius. It stares up at Gabriel and starts to bark incessantly, as if demanding to know why he would do this to it. ]

[gravemistake]

Yeah, yeah.

[bark bark bark bark arf bark. Gabriel puts some distance between himself and Jack, watching intently to see if the post and chain are holding.

It looks like they are. For now, he'll get himself out of sight, but stay close enough to know whether or not Jack is able to get free. The real test will be the hours immediately after this capture, before the wolf tires itself out.

Besides, he needs to get somewhere to heal, too. He hisses a little, watching blood drip from his forearm before turning on his heel.]

You'll thank me later.