❪ 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

[stuns]

[ juno wears a shocking amount of emotion on his face, so a lie is easy to tell from across the room, especially when it comes to a situation like this. one that juno's never actually been in. he shifts his his shoulders a little in the water, a hot itch down his spine letting him know that they're very much wandering off the beaten path of just hungry kissing. he feels the throb of that mark just under his ear, against his throat, and closes his eyes for a moment between a vaguely measured breath in.

he eyes the faint ripple in the water, the stretch of shadow that retreats almost as quickly. good. it can stay there.

he thinks about all of this a beat, evaluates it with fingers flexing just faintly along the grip on his wrists before he lets out a laugh, a little breathless, low. his eyes level as seriously as he can be with his entire body thrumming on the inside, just beneath his skin.

it's a question that warrants an answer, one that juno comes to easily, eyes unwavering now. he's sure. ]

Yeah. Well. We'd be done here if I didn't.

[ fuck flowers, juno makes his own decisions. he thinks back to sharing wine that one night, the warm buzz of it. he'd gone in for that too. dragging his teeth a little against his lower lip he tips his head. ]

'Bout you?

[ why not turn it around and be certain? ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren seems satisfied with that answer and that it's honest, though his smile does pinch into a bit of amusement at the way Juno puts it. His thumbs circle on Juno's wrists briefly, as if considering something, but it's not his answer that he's wondering about. That comes easily, with the slightest smirk and narrow of the eyes that seems to ask whether Juno thought he'd back out at this point.]

Mmm, I'm fine with it. Though I guess there's only so much we can do anyway. [Lack of anything to prepare someone with and all, though that's not the only reason Ren's thinking, and he eventually settles on making that point just for courtesy's sake.] I'm not very experienced with this, I'll admit, but I know what I like and I'm good at figuring out what other people like. So I'll be more than happy to make good on that belt threat if that's the kind of way you want to do this...

[His head slips to one side, nearer Juno's ear, to say that, his voice suddenly about an octave deeper and even more amused than it had been a moment ago. The thumbs that had been circling are suddenly tense and tight again, pressing down in a way that's not quite painful, but sharp and calculated.]

[stuns]

[ the touch is enough to get him arching again in retaliation, the kind that begs for friction again, as shocking a jolt at the earlier touch had been. there's a breath, like he might be thinking about it for a moment, steadying himself against the running water a moment before he gets too swept up in the moment.

when he speaks, his voice pitches into a rasp - he has to clear it briefly. ] There are options.

[ juno can think of more than a few that send heat crawling up his skin pleasantly. ] Belt's a [ good ] start. [ he's learned to do more than his fair share of things with his hands behind his back, not exactly in this nature, but it just comes with the territory of his work. it transitions well into what he likes. he's never breathing a word of that out loud because ren's already got too much on him. ] I can work with that.

[thedarkbond]

[That little rasp makes Ren's lips curl that little bit more into an almost predatory smile, and once Juno confirms his interest (Ren had suspected it, but he's going to have to temper his usual manner of going full speed ahead with toying around with people), he nods a little in approval and releases Juno's wrists for now, letting his fingers slip down the forearms until he finally gets to the actual point of the motion and moves to loosen the buckle of Juno's belt. He could use his own, but Juno's doesn't have a skirt on it.]

I'll play around with that, then. If I'd known things were going to end up like this, I would've brought something nicer...but I guess I'll have to keep that in mind for next time.

[He offers a playful wink, before leaning forward to kiss Juno's forehead as he continues removing the belt.] I'm sure I can think of some creative options for us, too.

[stuns]

[ the kiss to his forehead is weird and unexpected, and juno sits up a little, braced by his palms under the water. it's cool against his skin, not enough to wash away the feverishness, or the pollen that's already done its job, but it incites movement in him. he's not just going to sit there. instead, he reaches out with his fingers, threading them through ren's hair again bringing him forward to press a kiss to his mouth again. he doesn't need to look at what he's doing. who looks at what they're doing when they're taking off someone's belt?

against his mouth, he murmurs a little bit after one kiss, hand sliding a bit down the back of ren's neck, ] Let's see what you've got then.

[thedarkbond]

[It doesn't take Ren long to slip the belt free anyway, watching what he's doing or not, and though he occupies himself with the kiss for a moment or two after he's done there, he's smiling a little once Juno breaks it to speak.]

If you want me to crush you, you can just ask, you know. [Leaving the belt across his legs for the moment, he reaches up to seek out Juno's wrists, circling his fingers around them again and gently moving to thread them out of his hair. It's a nice feeling and all, but he needs them elsewhere, and as he tries to push them back to where he wants them, he ducks his head and leans in to distractingly worry teeth and tongue against Juno's neck and collarbone to hopefully discourage his resistance a little.]

[stuns]

Oh yeah?

[ distracting is right, teeth enough to draw out a hitched sound, something he tries to hold back at first on impulse. he lets ren guide his wrists where he needs them to be. there's no resistance, more help than anything in terms of positioning, like there's familiarity to it. but he misses that friction from earlier, forming a lump in his throat, making it harder to swallow now.

he pulls back to meet his eyes - the theia glittering bright in one, organic blown wide, challenging in how it holds his. ]

You talk big game for someone without much experience. "Crush me" huh?

[thedarkbond]

[As soon as he hears that hitched sound, his teeth dig in a little bit harder, latching onto a part of the collarbone temporarily. But since Juno is being less resistant than he expected - he's used to the stubborn types who'll fight you all the way even if they decide they're going to follow your lead on something - he circles both his wrists with long fingers briefly so he can retrieve the belt and start working on that.

It's not until he's circled it and pulled it tight once, enough that it's hard to wriggle but not enough that it bites, that he responds with a lopsided smile.] I said I didn't have much experience with sex. I have plenty of experience with crushing people.

[Smile shifting to something more deceptively sweet, he tugs at the end of the belt to accentuate the current tightness.] Is that okay?

[stuns]

Then let's start with what you know and I'll... supplement.

[ crushing sounds like a good start. he shifts his shoulders a little, knows what feels right, feels wrong and so far this isn't bad. wrists together is almost relaxing in a way, and as ren tugs at the belt just a little more he sounds off a bit, a low hum as he tests it with a taut pull. ]

The belt's fine [ said almost too quickly, and then after a moment, he looks ren in the eyes, ] I mean it's good.

[ for as cool as the water feels, the flush on his throat is like a choke hold on him, but the kind he likes. ]

[thedarkbond]

Mmm, I guess that works for now... [A situation like this probably isn't one where he should be taking advantage of it too much, though he can imagine what Juno's probably going to be asking for and it's really tempting to make it frustrating for him to get.

Once Juno clears the tightness of the belt, though, he gives a soft hum of laughter in his throat, and as he winds the remaining tail of it around a little more so it won't come loose, he leans in and edges teeth against that flushed area on Juno's throat, so close that his breath and almost his tongue can be felt when he speaks.]

I thought so. You're making it pretty easy to tell, you know~?

surprise i'm back after literally forever

[stuns]

[ the way teeth tease along his throat just barely are enough to have him swallowing. his throat is tight, unbearable almost, but good all the same as he hears that soft laugh. the tension in his shoulders seems to melt by contrast of the tightness around his wrists, crawling up his forearms just a bit. for a second he glances down, digging a heel in, shifting a bit upwards. ]

Some things I'm not gonna make you guess on.

[ that'd just be silly, though 80% of the time juno would rather always keep people guessing, close or not. he tips his head to the side a little bit, looking at him through the corner of his eye. ] You gonna sit there and whisper sweet nothings into my neck all day, though?

[ juno... ]

wiggles brows

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's smile widens, a movement that can be felt against Juno's throat along with a thoughtful hum before he straightens up again. With his hands no longer needing to occupy themselves holding Juno's wrists, they come up beneath the sides of his jaw for a moment, tilting Juno's head up towards Ren's amused, hungry expression.

As he speaks, he leans forward very slowly and deliberately, so they end nose-to-nose and eye-to-eye.]

Maybe if I felt more patient. I could tie you down and take my time and treat you like glass, tell you you're beautiful and deserve attention and affection, because I think that would break you far better than any kind of violence could.

[Ren's slitted pupils are focused absolutely on Juno's eyes in that moment, as if seeing straight through him to whatever lies at the core. But he pulls himself back the tiniest bit after just long enough to leave the taste of that threat lingering on the air, hands still against his jaw.]

But I guess you're lucky today. [He's barely finished those words when he darts back in, this time to catch his lips with teeth and tongue once more, grip on his jaw tightening just enough to make interfering with Ren's dominance of the kiss that little bit harder.]

[stuns]

[ oh that’s a threat, isn’t it. that’s a threat and juno, for a minute, can’t actually look away from ren’s eyes. there’s a quality about them - the color, the strangely slitted pupils, that keeps him caught up in them with his breath half held high in his chest until finally the moment breaks. there’s part of juno that’s thankful it does. the intensity of that moment is enough to leave him sighing into the kiss, pressing up into it briefly before pulling back just a moment, enough that there’s barely a breath between them. ]

Real lucky you’re feeling impatient, sounds about right.

[ because juno knows that ren likes the long game at this point. patience seems to be his forte. where juno lacks it, ren has it in spades and it’s infuriating.

the hand holding his jaw keeps him from pushing too far, and while he relents a moment into the kiss, he adds his own teeth for what it’s worth - a sharp nip to ren’s lower lip in exchange, a knee nudging his side as if attempting to bring him in closer now without the aid of his arms. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's long games work best when he's entertained the whole way through, so the long game in a situation where he'd be amused by reaction the entire time is a very real risk. For now, though, he gives a soft breath of laughter to that response, checks Juno's knee with his hip as if to say he's going to have to try harder than that to get him to move the way he wants, then wriggles them a little to settle himself more comfortably anyway even if it's maybe not quite what Juno was intending to make him do.

As soon as Juno reciprocates with that little nip, Ren's own biting gets a little sharper, dragging and almost toying for a few moments before his grip slips free and his hands start to move down. Fingers seek blindly, but come sharp to attention at every patch of skin roughened by scarring or pitted by an old wound. They only explore at first, touching and rubbing and experimenting for sensitivity that he might be able to take advantage of later. Now that he's down to keeping Juno's side of the kiss at bay only with his own mouth, though, the intensity of his kiss deepens, abrupt and devouring like some abyssal creature drawing in prey.]

[stuns]

[ the moment he's told with that nudge to his knee that he has to try harder (it's all too easy to read), he puts his back into it. he doesn't make a vise, but he does direct with a harder push as he's bitten, as ren slides a hand over his scars - sensitive in some places where old tissue still aches in a phantom memory (the dip of his waist, between his ribs -)

he pulls him closer, knees stubborn at ren's hips, ankles hooking as he aims to bring him down more forcefully than before. it might even be verging on rough housing - mid-kiss gone bruising. he wants friction and he's impatient, parting lips to trace the seam of ren's mouth with the blade of his tongue. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Another small laugh rises from Ren's throat at the more firm push closer, as if he thinks it's a little bit cute. His hands, at the same time, focus on those particularly sensitive points he finds of Juno's scarring, fingers pressing and investigating a little bit more intently to see if he can get more of a reaction from them.

When Juno's pulling and kissing gets that much rougher, though, one of Ren's hands departs from the scarring to come upwards. He flicks his tongue against Juno's in the moment before that hand comes to tangle in Juno's hair, then he breaks the kiss as he pulls back firmly, parting them and holding Juno's head back just far enough to make it clear who's deciding the pace here.]

You know, if you're that impatient I'm just going to hold it over your head for longer...unless you want to ask me nicely for what you want.

[His head tilts to one side, somewhere between amused and feigning innocence. It would be nice to hear Juno ask for it directly, and he's not quite as lacking in patience as Juno seems to be right now.]

[stuns]

[ he's mid-kiss when he feels fingers threading through his hair. he tries to brace himself up a little bit, but it's hard with his arms behind his back - and when fingers tighten and pull, he resists only a bit, enough to make it sting and enough to hiss a bit at it. the heat isn't just pooling in select places anymore, it's all over his skin, to the point where when he speaks, it's a little on edge.

not desperate just yet, but flustered for sure. ]

Not sure if I remember how to ask nicely.

[ he shifts a little against the fingers playing along a particularly sensitive patch of skin, enough to have him arching just a little bit more, breathing a tick heavier. ]

[thedarkbond]

[That's a good tone to Juno's voice, Ren thinks, and there's already a fresh smile creeping across his face at the sound of it, before he even registers the actual words. When he does, there's a faint, humoured sigh, and Ren moves his fingers from the sensitive patch he's toying with momentarily.]

Is that so... [Keeping that one hand in Juno's hair, tilting his head back a little more firmly so he doesn't get the pleasure of seeing this in full, Ren curves his head downwards. A brief, playful flick of the tongue against that sensitive patch between Juno's ribs is all the warning he gets before Ren latches on, tongue and teeth, and begins to tease at and work the scarred skin between the soft, pressing muscle and sharp, pinching bone.

He's barely been at it a few seconds before he first lets up, resting his chin against Juno's chest with a self-satisfied smile.] Is that refreshing your memory at all...?

[stuns]

[ juno regrets nothing in this instant, his body tensing only briefly before giving in to mouth and teeth against the tender stretch of skin. the sound that leaves him isn't one that manages its way out often, a faint whimper caught between his teeth as he arches into. a sigh follows, half a laugh, leaning into the hand that's holding his hair and his head back.

the bit of pain and the sensitivity only lasts so long — seconds that stretch long, but not long enough — until he glances down at that cat-like smile. he wets his lips a bit and flexes just a little against his bindings. ]

Kinda, [ it's warmer, closer, like giving in but in a way juno only knows how: fighting until the sensation's got him pinned down completely. ] Memory's not so fuzzy. Been years since I've asked nicely for anything, though. Usually I just kind of —

[ and with that he lunges, some upper body strength, maybe a little surprise, maybe aiming to knock ren over just a bit and straddle him if he can. because just because he's got his hands tied doesn't mean he isn't going to put a little fight into it. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's just stretching upwards a little, half-expecting some kind of retaliation, when Juno makes a move. He knows too many people who'd be too resistant to just letting themselves submit to take for granted that Juno is just going to sit and take it. The actual moment of it is immediate enough, though, that he reacts a little too instinctively, and the shadows in the water churn underneath him...

...thankfully, he realises exactly how much letting that reaction play out will probably ruin things. Instead, while Juno's attack does knock him back, it does so only far enough for Ren to hit a barrier behind him. A barrier made up of the several shadow tentacles he might've accidentally called up when Juno lunged at him, now being used to keep him pushed upright enough that straddling him isn't really an option.]

Hmm, I don't think I like that much... [Very deliberately, Ren pushes back - with the support of his tentacle wall aiding his physical strength disadvantage - and rearranges his legs as he speaks, going for the straddle that he assumes Juno was going for on his end, but just far enough away that the idea of grinding against him to speed things up is frustratingly just barely out of reach. One hand goes up to take Juno by the jaw, nails digging in delicately like a warning.] It's pretty rude to take advantage of me having to hold back so I don't break you apart in the not-fun kind of way, don't you think? I thought I was being generous and everything.

[stuns]

[ he feels the bite of ren's nails against his skin, just enough to remind him of who has the upper hand in this particular situation. juno's jaw works lightly against that grip, breath coming a little faster as his eyes glance at the vague, writhing shadow of his tentacles that seem to be holding ren in place, keeping him from falling all the way back.

his gaze lingers on them a moment longer before he breaks his line of sight from them. ]

No one said you had to hold back.

[ his voice is steady, fingers flexing behind him a way that works the muscles along his shoulders. ]

[thedarkbond]

[That's the kind of reaction he was expecting, though Juno's choice of retort has Ren letting out a rather theatrical sigh as he flicks his fingers and one of the tentacles comes forward to touch at Juno's cheek. It's sort of a prodding, experimental motion, and Ren's watching Juno's expression rather closely to see if he reacts more visibly.]

If you say things like that, I'm going to take you at your word. You know that, right? So you'd better be really sure that you mean it.

[It's about seventy percent playful to thirty percent a legitimate warning. He doesn't want Juno to try and bravado his way through when he's really not enjoying himself, because that would just make it regrettable for both of them.]