04 - week four

[afflictionmods]

WEEK FOUR

Saturday comes to a close, and it’s time for some rest and recovery. Perhaps the TLC you deserve will come this week, or perhaps the nightmare will continue. It’s hard to say with things being so strange around you, from Wei Wuxian’s disappearance to the sudden addition of objects and places and creatures from your homes. Who knows what this week will bring? Nothing ordinary, that’s for sure.

You wake up on Sunday to an increase in those little glimpses you saw yesterday. What were snippets of songs, locations that might’ve seemed familiar, and creatures that were dormant, are now all alive and whole. When you go to the karaoke bar, the songs you once knew are there. Monsters and animals are alive and sentient. New business are abound. Vehicles are operable, and perhaps some of your old belongings are back, too.

However, some of these things aren’t even things that should exist outside of your dreams. They may be far too strange and unusual to be real, or just things you don't remember ever seeing. The only thing you remember about these things in particular is that they were, quite literally, in your dreams this week.

That being said, every few hours, all of these things from your homes and dreams fade out and get replaced by new sounds, places, beasts….only to maybe come back again at another time.

Well. At least there's one constant here: You’ve got a handful of new locations to look at, with the fog having spread once more, and they aren't going anywhere. There aren’t as many new places that are native to Estelline this time around, but that may be for the best, considering everything going on.


SETTING TRACKER

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEWSPAPER SUBMISSIONS + EDITION #1

SAGE / FLORENCE / LORELEI

MEM SHARE DETAILS

OOC NOTE

OOC: Details on this week can be found here!

Also, we have a lot of participants for the news activity from last week. Neat! Everyone who participated in some capacity will have a small polaroid camera delivered to their doorstep. There's limited film, though - 10 photos per camera. It doesn't seem like there's any extra film at this time, either.

Finally, there will not be any weekly tasks this week. You guys are going to be busy with memshare and dreamscape stuff; instead, enjoy the Estelline University Newspaper!

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[sicklysweet]

a; cw violence, animal attacks | mhyk spoilers
[Stepping through the portal will take you into a grand hallway - or what might have been a grand hallway, once, of some elegant castle like you would see in a fantasy movie. It’s hard to tell now, though, with the thorny vines covering the walls and blocking you off from going any further. They seem to be moving, as well.

There’s a red-haired man with eyes that mirror Owen’s standing in the hallway, sword in hand. He has the expression of someone who’s trying desperately to salvage a terrible situation, but he can’t completely mask his frustration and fear.]

Don’t you feel bad for all those people locked away in that dark castle?

[The redhead’s voice is pleading, and it seems like he’s trying to convince Owen of - something.

Owen looks terrified.]

I…

Don’t you feel bad for me?

[Owen’s voice is softer than you ever would have heard before, trembling with emotion. He sounds - looks like someone entirely different. Even the redhead seems taken aback.]

I’m still locked away. Still left behind. And yet…

[...]

You’ll save them, but you won’t save me?

[There’s a sharp growl, a giant three-headed dog appearing behind the redheaded man. He’s surprised, but he can’t stop Cerberus from latching onto him and tearing.

Owen’s face has gone cold, lips pressed into a trembling line, but he… still doesn’t seem like himself.]


b; cw violence, probable eye gore
[There’s a group of men in the distance - and only two of them are standing. Owen looks horrifically smug, his old, beat up suitcase hovering next to him as he faces down a red-haired man with yellow eyes. He’s in some sort of uniform, sword drawn with grim determination on his face.

Both of Owen’s eyes are red.

He notices you before the other man does, a cold smile crossing his face.]

Are you a friend of the knight’s? It would be rude to interrupt.

c; cw alcohol
[The world on the other side of the portal is cold. It seems like it’s the dead of winter, but isn’t it so handy that you’re actually in a bar right now? Everything about the bar screams luxury, even if glancing out the window most of what you can see are buildings in the middle of construction. The bar itself seems like a place that has been preserved in time while the world progresses around it, and it certainly seems like a place people enjoy considering there’s quite the crowd.

The jovial crowd makes the woman sitting at the bar stand out even more, though. None of the other stools at the bar are occupied - it’s just this woman with long, grey hair, legs crossed at the knee as she drinks. People even keep their distance when they go up to order, the bartender looking terribly amused by all of this. Of course, distance kept does not mean there’s no interest in the woman. Some of the patrons even look excited, as if they’ve spotted some sort of majestic animal in the while, with one even leaning over to whisper to you. Though it might be generous to call it a whisper, with how everyone in the bar seems to notice.]

Have you heard what they say about Northern witches?

[Well? Have you?]


d; cw starvation, child abuse, forced imprisonment/captivity, death, past animal death
[It’s dark, cold, and damp. The room you’re in is cramped, with no light to be found. You’ll need to either wait for your eyes to adjust or provide your own light source, because there’s nothing to be found here - and you might want to be careful where you put your hands, because there are thorny vines that have broken through the ceiling in places, crawling down the walls. Their thorns are especially sharp, and they’re trapping you inside.

There’s not much in the room, though. There are the skeletal remains of rodents, an old picture book… and a body shackled to the wall. It’s so small that it must belong to someone very, very young - probably not even ten.

It’s hard to tell if it’s alive, though.]

e; possible cws for violence, threats of violence, kidnapping but in a stupid way these are lighthearted memories i swear
[A rather large manor is ahead of you - it seems absolutely enormous and sprawling, with a luscious courtyard, elaborate rooms, and a forest surrounding the building. Everything about the manor is well maintained and beautifully decorated, and there’s plenty to see depending on what you want to look at. There’s the courtyard you’re standing in right now, naturally, but there’s lounges and parlors, a library, a kitchen, over twenty bedrooms all labeled with the names of their occupants…

Really, pick your poison.]

f; wildcard
[closes my eyes before i write any more… if none of these strike your fancy, just let me know and i’ll write something ✨bespoke✨. cws for these memories can include violence, various forms of death, including suicide, references to chronic illness and hallucinations, bigotry and prejudice… just let me know what you’re curious about and what you’d absolutely like to avoid!]

a

[catarou]

[ He isn't sure what to expect when he finds himself in the hallway. It's unlike anything he's seen before, but there's a distinct... vibe to it. Or maybe that's just Gentaro's brain working in overdrive, because this is an unfamiliar situation, and he doesn't like that.

The voices catch his attention. He doesn't recognize either one of them, but when he turns to look, he's alarmed. He doesn't dare call out or draw attention to himself; he simply listens to the conversation. It feels like a different sort of intrusion, but he hadn't made a conscious effort to come here.

He doesn't recognize the redhead, but he does recognize Owen, who is the cause of his alarm. It's not just how he sounds. It's the words he says. Gentaro's speculation had been correct, then, but it brings him no joy or satisfaction.

How could it, when he knows the sting of being alone, being lonely, of having to fend for himself?

Gentaro says nothing, does nothing, as he watches the dog's teeth clamp onto the redhead. He watches, just as he has this whole time, with his arms crossed and a grim expression clouding his face. ]

cw for violence and animal death continues,,,

[sicklysweet]

[Neither man notices Gentaro - though with the way the redhaired man is being torn apart, that's not exactly a surprise. He struggles, though, calling out to Owen to call the dog off, trying to fight back... But it's useless. He's not strong enough to fight off Cerberus.

And all Owen does is watch, his arms curling around himself. His next words are so bitter, more raw and genuine than anything Gentaro would have heard from him before.]

I played nice. I waited for you like a good boy. And you never came to save me.

[The words he says... they're childish, in a way. Owen sounds more like an angry, frightened child than a wizard who's lived for over a millennia.

He sucks in a breath, glaring at the knight with eyes that match his, still unaware that Gentaro is there.]

Die.

[catarou]

[ Yes, he very much dislikes this. It's more than just loneliness, he realizes. It's loneliness, and abandonment, and the bitterness and pain of being alone and waiting for so long.

Gentaro understands. And, somehow, he feels sympathy for him. Not pity; Gentaro won't insult him like that. It's a strange and unsettling feeling, this unexpected sympathy, and he wonders-- once they're out of this memory, how will it change their dynamic?

... To the present, though.

Gentaro remains silent and unmoving. He could intervene, but he doesn't have a death wish. Even if this is a memory, he doesn't want to fuck around and find out. He's already risking enough, being fairly out in the open like he is. ]

cw gore

[sicklysweet]

[Soon, the redhead stops fighting back. Cerberus doesn't let him go, even if he's a bloody, mangled mess. Throughout this all Owen watches impassively, but then...

There's a shift.

Owen blinks, an annoyed look crosses his face that's then wiped away as he looks at Cerberus.]

What's with you guys? What's in your mouths...?

[He hasn't noticed Gentaro yet, all of his focus taken by the half-dead knight in Cerberus' jaws. There's notable panic in his voice as he demands for Cerberus to let him go, before eventually banishing the dog entirely. The knight lays on the ground, and Owen pays no mind to the creeping vines.]

b

[selfconcept]

[ After taking a look at his surroundings, Hien tries to make himself as least imposing as possible. When he notices both Owen's eyes are red and the other's eyes are gold, he thinks this is the moment that Owen told him about back in the bakery.

... ]

I'm not here to interfere.

[ Yet. ]

Go on.

[sicklysweet]

[Oh? Owen looks at Hien curiously for a moment - it doesn't take much to tell the man's not quite human, but he doesn't feel like a wizard either.

Some other sort of monster, perhaps?

The knight tries to use the momentary distraction to attack, but Owen steps out of the way of the swing, a blade of ice piercing the man's forearm as Owen tuts.]

Are you a wizard or a knight? This display is pathetic.

[The words get to the knight - for Hien, it's obvious that what Owen's said hits on something he hates about himself, something that he's been trying to desperately deny about his entire existence. Something he's been hiding.

Owen can't feel that, though, stepping closer to the man until he can reach out and grab his face.]

Is your magic really so weak you won't even use it against a big, scary Northern wizard?

[He has one last chance to prove himself - or one last chance for Hien to intervene.]

[selfconcept]

[ Owen's antagonizing is really something else. Hien would probably do the same if he felt like mocking someone, but. Hm. There's something that doesn't sit right with Hien. So a small portal opens up near his hand and a bundle of wires drop.

With a flick of the wrist, the portal disappears and the wires try to wrap around themselves around Owen's wrist--the other that's holding the other man's face. ]

If you're such a big and scary thing, stop picking on beings lesser than you.

[ His voice sounds... normal. His eyes are still the same though.

And yeah, Hien intentionally said it to belittle the other guy because he wants to see his reaction. Awful. ]

[sicklysweet]

[The words and wires get Owen to pauses, but he doesn't pull back from the knight. The redhead glances over to Hien, though, and there's - shame, self-loathing, resentment, fear, but underneath it all there's a stubborn determination and desire to protect his comrades, his country.

Owen sighs, annoyed.]

I thought you weren't here to interfere?

d!

[imitationsoul]

[ ......

Well. She kind of hates this. Even if it isn't her in the chains, she instinctively understands that feeling of desolation and the memory of it stings.

For a moment, Miach merely focuses on even breathing. Then, she crosses the small distance between her and the child's body. Touching its wrist to check if alive, unless there is response to her approach. ]

cw child death, starvation

[sicklysweet]

[The child's body is cold. There's no heartbeat to be found, either, and its chest is still. There's blood on the front of its threadbare clothes, covering its chest and finger tips too... The child is terribly thin as well, skin stretched tight over its bones. It seems like its well and truly dead, left to rot in chains.






And then the body twitches. It's only slight, jerky motions at first, but then red eyes are opening, rolling around in their sockets before settling on Miach, gaze focusing after a moment. The boy takes a raspy breath, then two, then three, then his chest is rising and falling.]

Are you...

[He coughs, throat raw, and he needs to take a moment.]

cw child death, starvation

[imitationsoul]

[ ... oh.

That is not what she expected. Miach has seen dead children before. Watched one of them over hours, just to see what would happen and because there was nothing else she could do. None of those children had ever come back from a demise so... final-seeming.

She takes her hand back, not frightened but certainly cautious. ]

... a hallucination? Maybe.

cw child death, starvation

[sicklysweet]

Oh...

[The boy blinks again, slowly. He looks almost disappointed, as he pushes himself upright. His movement is a bit uncoordinated, and his legs don't move even as he shifts. It makes him frown, and that frown doesn't fade even when he manages to wiggle his toes. Coming back to life can be a very slow process, after all.]

I... almost thought you were here to save me...

[He should have known better.]

b

[escardos]

[ well, that's definitely something that's going on! but flat's smile doesn't disappear as he answers as casually as ever: ]

Nope! I'm just intruding, don't mind me.

cw eye gore

[sicklysweet]

[It's a totally normal occurrence!

Owen looks him over for a moment, before deeming him not much of a threat. There's something odd about him, but, well. Back to business. He was in the middle of something.

The red-haired knight didn't have much of a chance against Owen. Several centuries too young with magic he's never used... He can't stop Owen from grabbing his face and using his other hand to press at his left eye and pull. The eye comes free from its socket with no effort, Owen laughing softly to himself. The knight, for what it's worth, only reacts with only a hiss of pain.

Owen looks the eye over for a moment, releasing the redhead. He still can't move, stuck in place with Owen's magic, but he holds it up, shifting towards Flat.]

How do you think I would look with a yellow eye?

[escardos]

[ wow... big ~*yikes*~. even that's a little much for flat, who doesn't really understand what the hell he just walked into aside a couple theories floating in his head. perhaps a marriage dispute?

either way, when this owen shows flat the eye, he can't help but to tilt his head to the side, his hands on his hips as he genuinely considers the question. ]

Why do you want the yellow eye? Are your eyes bad?

[sicklysweet]

Do I need a reason to want it?

[Because, like.

He doesn't? He actually doesn't. It's just another whim of his he's acting on, and he considers the question for a moment. Meanwhile, Cain is here and he's suffering, but at least he's a wizard so he can tank it.]

I just do.

d

[partymagician]

[ Fai almost pricks himself on a thorn as he tries to get a look around the room he's found himself in, but he manages to steer clear of them as he carefully walks around them. He's slow in his movements, trying to take everything in until he sees what looks like a child.

He hurries over as quickly as he can. ]

Hey. Are you alive?

cw starvation

[sicklysweet]

[It takes a while for there to be a response, but eventually the child’s body shifts and his eyes open. He stares at Fai, almost uncomprehending, before a look that’s a mix of hope and apprehension crosses his face.]

Are you… here to save me?

[He looks awful, even in the dim light. Like he’s been locked in here for ages without food, water, or light…]

cw starvation

[partymagician]

[ Fai has been in a similar situation before—on the brink of death, but he was unable to die.

He works on trying to get the child free. ]

Yes, I am.

cw starvation, kinda sorta implied child death :worry:

[sicklysweet]

[Oh... The boy sniffles, sitting up a bit straighter. The front of his shirt is covered in old, dried blood, and his body is ice cold, but it doesn't seem to bother him much.

The shackles are intense, and it make take a bit of effort to actually remove them. The boy will be still as Fai works, though, trying to keep a brave face even as he sniffles.]

I didn't think anybody was going to come...

C

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is used to grabbing attention through violence, but then there's this. The way she whispers way too close to his ear nearly makes him shudder, but he makes a quick step to the side. Terrible. ]

No.

[ He feels like internally dying. ]

[sicklysweet]

[Hien’s response just gets a laugh.]

They’re even more unpredictable than the wizards.

[The grey-haired woman is looking over, eyes narrowed.]

You never know when they’ll get tired of you! And she’s way scarier than Tiletta, that’s for sure. Haha!

[Hien gets a clap on the back. If he can sense magic, he’ll be able to tell that everyone in the bar has magic - and even some of the decor. The violin playing itself in the corner is definitely cursed.

The grey-haired woman sighs, cheek propped up on her fist.]

You Westerners are too loud.

[Yeah. That annoyed tone of voice definitely matches Owen’s cadence.]

[selfconcept]

[ Please don't touch him... Hien looks so done with that clap on the back. He's not good with people like these...

But. Oh. He squints. ]

Owen's sister?

[ She's pretty. ]

[sicklysweet]

[Rest in pieces, Hien.

Especially as the woman just looks even more annoyed - and a little bit insulted.]

You know my name?

[So, no. Not a sister, apparently.]