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[TDM] September 2023 (again!)
SEPTEMBER 2023 TDM (part 2!)
You wake up, completely alone in an unfamiliar place. The forest around you is awash in the pleasant coolness of early autumn. Any time-telling devices have stopped working and nothing looks familiar. But the visitors center has maps and information on the area, and with a bit of looking around you find the name of a nearby town: Ashbrook.
Welcome to the (second) TDM for September! Please direct any questions you may have here.
Welcome to the (second) TDM for September! Please direct any questions you may have here.
Object Terror
What:
A haunted house with some haunted hitchhikers
When:
Evenings in October
Warnings:
Varies, see here
As the air chills, the nights cool, and the leaves dress up in autumnal splendor, the yearly spooktacular surprises begin to take root in the town once again. While Turnit Around Turnip makes their auspicious charms the focal point of their sales – it's good for casting away evil spirits and bad luck, you see – there's the rising excitement of Miss Fortune's Mystery Manor returning as well. It's a rather old house, normally abandoned with "private property" signs hung with care and watched over carefully by the local force to ensure no miscreants find their ways inside, but with fall sweeping in on the northern winds new signs have appeared.
Come on by! They say, decorated with colorful leaves and pumpkins stickers. Harmless as can be, skeletons greeting any who should pass with a hand perpetually raised. Feeling brave? Test your courage in this year's haunted house!
Bring a friend, it implies, or maybe a date. It'd be a nice time to try your luck with a little "physical comfort" as the teens like to say.
The yard is decorated with all sorts of 'spooky' bits and bobs, like inflated ghosts and a cauldron spilling out smoke. Hands from the ground. Shadows in the window. Maybe even a face or two, but it's plain to see they're just illuminated cutouts if you dare to look too long at them. Within is much the same affair, with cobwebs both real and fake in the corners of the rooms, a worn red carpet indicating the pathway through the haunted exploration. There's your usual jumpscares, closets opening and cabinets banging, dolls that blink and books that fall on their own... A ribbon that wraps itself around your feet, paintings whose eyes follow your every move, the hand of a skeleton grasping your arm that definitely was not moving before–
The guide had mentioned, you remember, that a number of the possessions here had come from possessed homes and individuals, knick-knacks that had a life of their own, and allowed out only this time of the year. Employees who work the haunted attraction can attest to suddenly finding hitchhikers when they'd gotten home, and warn with almost a joking tone to make sure you're not a victim yourself! How funny, charming, and definitely not going to happen.
But it does.
Some of the "haunted items'' look pretty nifty. A pocket watch that tells time backwards. A doll that bleeds from the eyes. A book that always falls open on the same pages, paragraphs describing the gruesome death of a young couple at the hands of some fictionalized serial killer with each sentence underlined in a dark, dull brown and dotted with the same. Easy to take, easy to fence off to the right sucker – or just to keep as a souvenir. Steal if you'd like.
Others seem to find their way home in a less natural way, tucked away in your pocket when you go to protect your digits from the chilly fall air or sitting in the entryway of your house. That large painting of a mysterious woman wasn't in your bathroom when you went in, but one look into the mirror and she's staring right back at you, judging your teeth brushing techniques. Just fascinating, unusual things like that – and they'll always find their way "home", too.
TL;DR
- A haunted house is in town, and in that house are haunted objects
- One way or another, these objects will find a way into a characters home, where they'll cause various spooky effects
- You can make up your own item and effects, or comment here to have the mods generate one for you
- Existing characters are allowed to request a haunted item, but we ask that they not post top level comments on the TDM itself
What:
A fundraiser with completely normal food
When:
Throughout September and October
Warnings:
Memory loss, delusional thoughts, aggression, violence, food that's been tampered with
Where there is fall, there is bound to be fundraisers galore – that's what the odd pop-up shop that seems to appear overnight is for, probably, though the most forgettable face on the planet running it won't say one way or the other. It's "getting pretty chilly out there, huh?" and "say, how about you take a few ciders off my hands" for starring topics, and to his credit the food and drink he offers does look absolutely delectable... not to mention perfect for the cooling weather.
Like any normal shopkeep, he's got exactly three stupendous items for sale:
A warm, spicy apple cider perfect for chasing away the chill and easing that homesickness the Visitors might be feeling about now. It just brings back golden memories, sitting by the hearth or surrounded by loved ones, or if one's past is more of the sad type it's those snatches of happinesses, the small kindnesses shown to them and Lady Luck turning her wily gaze their way. It tastes like nostalgia, it just might not be your own.
Second for sale is the dark rustic coloring of maple syrup in its own leaf-shaped glass jug, sweet enough to give the dentist a week's worth of appointments. In fact, the salesman claims that "nine out of ten dentists" recommend it as a mouthwash – he's just joking of course, for legal reasons. Perfect for everything breakfast and finding a place in some beverages as well, take a bottle or two home for the missus (or mister!) to make use of this autumn season.
Lastly is a special spice mix for the culinary connoisseurs of the town, a special blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and his own flair thrown in that gives it a bit of je ne sais quoi (just like how grammy used to make it!): black pepper. Guaranteed to kick any recipe up a notch, he claims it can be used in drinks, desserts, and as a topper for each as well. Just don't do what the kids call the "pumpkin pie spice challenge", or the hospital's the next place you'll wake up.
But of course, it can't be that simple. Each of these food items has a strange effect on Visitors—and only on Visitors, as it turns out. Each of these effects will last for up to an hour, and are as follows:
The apple cider feels so much like home you'll forget you aren't home. Visitors will forget their lives in canon and believe that they are, in fact, their Ashbrook counterpart. They won't gain any new memories to facilitate this belief, however.
The maple syrup is so sweet you could forget all your worries! ... Literally. The syrup causes total amnesia, causing Visitors to forget their canon memories and their time spent in Ashbrook.
The spice mix has some kick! Too much kick. Characters will find that they're hearing other people's thoughts, projecting their own thoughts at other people, and moving objects without touching them. This can happen even around townsfolk, though they'll be quick to dismiss it as their imagination.
And, finally, all of the foods have a chance of causing heightened feelings of aggression, anger, and paranoia. This could just make you a little more snappish in a slow checkout line... or it could drive you to commit acts of violence, even extreme ones, against your fellow residents of Ashbrook.
TL;DR
- A suspiciously normal man is offering spiked food to any interested parties.
- Every food item has a chance of increasing aggression, anger, and paranoia, which could lead to violent outbursts.
- Apple cider makes Visitors believe that they're actually their Ashbrook counterpart
- Maple syrup causes total amnesia
- Spice mix gives Visitors minor—and uncontrolled!—telekinetic and telepathic abilities.
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
What:
It's time to learn magic!
When:
Weekends in September and October
Warnings:
None
As many Visitors were able to establish last month, the Witch of the Woods isn't just a rumor. She's a real person, a stern but beautiful woman who's willing to teach anyone who seeks her out. Bring her a suitable offering and knock three times on her door in the middle of the night, and she'll answer to teach you what she knows of the supernatural and magic.
... Or at least, those are the rumors. The truth is much simpler: flyers, decorated childishly with bat and cauldron stickers, can be found throughout town, inviting the reader to the "Witch's Retreat". They appear as a Visitor glances away for a second to pick something up, or gently drift down right into their hands. Even the most skeptical, scoff-likely of Visitors will find their interest piqued in the days before it, mind drifting back to the promise of help in their unusual situation.
The retreat itself is headed by a middle-aged woman, who's narrowed gaze inspects the people who've come before she grumbles something under her breath and waves her hand.
"Look in the tree holes for your books and pick a partner to pair with — they aren't the kinds of things you'd want to test on your own. First rule: Always have a third hand. Second: Don't do it in public if you can help it. Final: Don't even try skipping ahead, because they won't answer you."
Whatever that means. It's time to learn magic.
The Witch — if pressed, she'll begrudgingly allow the students to address her as 'Ms. Spinner' — will force characters together with a surprisingly powerful shove of her hand if she passes and you aren't already paired with someone too, so don't think you can get out of this little exercise by going solo! You can't. As far as the promised spirituality goes... listen to the voice within, find your inner peace, and the rest'll come naturally. The Witch isn't too pressed for you whelps to understand off the bat, though she won't leave you out on a limb either.
With the turning of the seasons, the Witch has a new spell to teach: protection against intruders. Combine rosemary and bay leaves in a stone bowl and set the mixture alight on your doorstep. Mix the ashes with rock salt, then sprinkle on the window sills and thresholds of exterior doorways of your home.
The Witch warns that this spell won't keep anyone out (Invest in a good lock, she advises instead), but it will make uninvited visitors feel uneasy about entering your home. Sometimes that's enough.
TL;DR
- The characters — Visitors, as they're referred — are able to learn basic level magic with the help of the Witch.
- Pair up and practice. This is essential to the process, and the Witch will force unpaired individuals to partner up.
- Any higher level magic won't come to the character; it may feel like there's a kind of blockage, even to those who're used to magic themselves.
- The Witch isn't open to questions about the town in particular (are you here to gossip or learn?) and won't answer anything about it, so stay on task if you want answers to your questions.
A Day In The Life
New Visitors may wake up in the woods, but that's not where they're going to be spending all of their time. They have homes, jobs, work, entire lives they need to attend to. They'd better get to it!
A Visitor will be instinctively drawn towards both their home and job; they will always know how to navigate the former, and may find the tasks they perform at the latter suspiciously easy. Outside of that, their life will be incredibly normal for the first few days. No one will acknowledge the strangeness in the woods, and a Visitor's insistence that they're not from around here will be treated like a joke.
And then suddenly it's weird again. They wake up one day and realize they have a different job, perhaps even a different home. They will lose any instinctive understanding they may have had of their old job and gain similar understanding of their new job. Visitors will retain all of their memories of their previous job, but if they bring it up to the townsfolk none of them will have any idea what they're talking about.
TL;DR
A Visitor will be instinctively drawn towards both their home and job; they will always know how to navigate the former, and may find the tasks they perform at the latter suspiciously easy. Outside of that, their life will be incredibly normal for the first few days. No one will acknowledge the strangeness in the woods, and a Visitor's insistence that they're not from around here will be treated like a joke.
And then suddenly it's weird again. They wake up one day and realize they have a different job, perhaps even a different home. They will lose any instinctive understanding they may have had of their old job and gain similar understanding of their new job. Visitors will retain all of their memories of their previous job, but if they bring it up to the townsfolk none of them will have any idea what they're talking about.
TL;DR
- This prompt is meant to allow players an opportunity to experiment with the role mechanic, without forcing them to retcon their threads if they receive a markedly different role after applying.
- Retconning is, of course, still an option - but if you want to give your character another bit of existential confusion, this is the prompt for you.
OOC Notes
If your character dies... While characters may die during the TDM, these deaths do not count towards a character's death count. If a character dies, they will vanish the instant they lose consciousness. The dead character will reappear safely back at the nearest visitors center, and both they and any witnesses will have only a hazy recollection of the event.
If you have any questions, please direct them here.
If you have any questions, please direct them here.
no subject
[ It's a good distraction. Too good, in some ways. If Lottie was more inclined towards self-doubt, she'd wonder if Simon was even real. But she knows better. What difference does it make? She called out to the wilderness, and it answered. He doesn't know this, but the ritual worked.
The disinfectant stings. Lottie bears it. ]
That's nice of her. Although it can't be the worst thing in the world, being a newt. Your only job is to sit on a rock and soak up the sun.
[ You know, as opposed to wrangling a whole soccer team that's hanging by a thread. ]
What kind of rituals did you do? Back when you still did them.
[ Since they're not doing any rituals anymore, obviously! Totally. But Simon does keep mentioning his experience, and so Lottie figures it's worth it to ask. ]
no subject
That all takes time, which includes humming wistfully and nodding at the concept of being a newt. Now, there's a life for you, even if he suspects he might make as poor a newt as he does a human being. Still, lower expectations would be nice.
He stops humming at the question. The fabric scissors snicker-snack as he trims the bandage and tapes it in place. ]
There you are. Right as rain. [ He manages a smile for her as he looks up, hoping the strain at the corners of his eyes is lost in the harsh shadows of electric lamplight. ] I did this and that. It was a long time ago.
[ It's a terrible answer. She's more like seventeen than seven, which is old enough to not only tell when someone is avoiding something, but to be disappointed in them for it. Simon sighs and adjusts his glasses with his clean hand. ]
But largely, they were rituals to make things stay the same. Protect things from time, or changing too much over the course of it. And I helped my friends with their work, when I had friends. [ Too much; she doesn't need to be worried about him. ] There I go again. What about you, Lottie? What sort of magic are you interested in?
no subject
There's something sad about Simon's smile, and his answer is certainly sadder. A long time ago doesn't pair well with back when I had friends. It works in Simon's favor, though, because that's the main reason why Lottie isn't mad about his Uno reverse card bullshit. ]
The magic of a place. [ Laura Lee used to call it god. ] The same kind of magic you practiced, I think, or similar. The kind that keeps my friends safe.
[ Lottie rests her uninjured hand over Simon's bloodied one and gives it a gentle squeeze. She does not stop looking him in the eye. ]
no subject
Terrible impulse writhes in him. He wants to tell her to stop everything she's doing, immediately. That it isn't worth it, can't possibly be, if it's left her in such an awful state.
But he doesn't know that. What he does know is that he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave the rest of himself away a piece at a time to protect someone else, and that as horrible as it turned out to be, he'd do it all again in a heartbeat. He also knows that he didn't listen when he was told just what he wants to say to her, and the irony of it all leaves his own mouth tasting like a sucked penny.
Simon curls his fingers around hers, holding them as gently and unconcernedly as she reached out to him. ]
Not many better reasons than that to learn magic. [ If his attempted good cheer is strained and hushed, well. So it is. ] But if you don't mind getting some advice from a silly old man...
When you're thinking about people you want to keep safe, don't forget about Lottie. She seems like a lovely girl. Why, I barely know her at all, and I already like her quite a bit.
no subject
In the distance, Lottie hears the soft lapping of waves against the beach, and knows that sound is only for her. She relaxes ever so slightly into the touch, apparently hungry for the comfort that she's tried to give to Simon.
Is it so wrong, to take? Isn't that what the wilderness does?
She doesn't dare stop Simon from giving her advice. It would be ungrateful. Maybe that's why she's totally unprepared for what he tells her. Don't forget about Lottie, as if there's a Lottie left to forget about. I already like her quite a bit, as if there's something to like.
The waves stop. Lottie loses control, her eyes growing wide, her grip tightening on Simon's hand ever so slightly.
Lottie breathes. And then, because she has to, Lottie collects herself. She relaxes once again, although this time, it's on purpose. ]
Okay.
[ It comes out rougher than Lottie would like. What else can she say to that? ]
Do you still want to make the potion?
[ It's a decent redirect. The healing potion was Simon's idea, after all. ]
no subject
He thinks of Marcy. He's been trying so hard not to, for so many reasons. It's not fair to any of them. His brave, dear Marcy, who won't forgive him for any of this, used to do so much of the same thing. He never let her know how much of that he remembers. ]
Let's.
[ He gives Lottie a quick, earnest smile as he releases her hand. Two towelettes from the first aid kit, one for her fingers and one for his, and they'll be all tidied up to get back to work. ]
Enough droning out of me...time to see if I remember anything Ron James taught me back in the day. Best potion maker in Wizard City, you know.
And yes, before you ask. It really is called Wizard City. Surprisingly uninventive bunch, in some ways.
[ He won't be staying here. After tonight, he'll probably never see Lottie again, and he's under no illusion that a few soft words from a stranger will make all that much difference. But where would he be if not for a few soft words, here and there, over all the years? You never know when things like that will come in handy. ]