012-014 » even the air itself was grey

[villagemod]

WHO: Everyone.
WHERE: Eastern/Central Mathias.
WHEN: Days 012-014
WHAT: The weather is behaving strangely. Again.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. PM this account to have a warning added!
NOTES: Plotting post over here!

RECOMMENDED ♫ Michael Andrews "Liquid Spear Waltz"

DAYS 012-014
“The overcast skies had the colour of deadened stones, and seemed closer than usual, as though they were phlegmatically observing my every movement with their apathetic emptily blue-less eyes.”
—Simona Panova, “Nightmarish Sacrifice”

Rain has returned to Mathias. While those who remember the storms from nearly two weeks ago may fear reprisal of such tumultuous weather, this rain is far tamer. The cloudy grey skies let loose a steady drizzle that remains constant from start to finish, which is in itself, perhaps, a bit unusual. The patter of droplets against windows, small streams forming in the roads and on grass as the ground becomes saturated, all of it may seem normal to some, but a little too normal to others.

What is without question abnormal, however, is the sun. Though it cannot be seen distinctly behind the thick grey clouds, its light remains as constant as the rain throughout these three days. Hour after hour, regardless of the time of day, there is light in the sky. Unchanging, an inescapable reminder that Mathias is not home, and none who are brought here have any control over what will occur in this place.


NEW ARRIVALS
Once again, more unfortunate souls have been brought to Mathias by unknown means, deposited at the edge of the forest near the empty houses that tell of those who once lived in this strange little town. They may find themselves wandering through the trees until they encounter the strange fog that envelops the town, or stumbling upon the rotting remains of houses that have felt the passage of time more than others.

---

LOCATIONS
LIGHTHOUSE Residents will notice the lighthouse to the north of Mathias, situated on a cliff that is above the town level. Even the most observant individuals will not have noticed it before now, which might be quite unsettling to some. There is no path available to reach the lighthouse at this time, though residents are welcome to try — they will be blocked by fog in the forest and a sense of unease that becomes debilitating if they walk too far along the beach.

NO NEW LOCATIONS are available for exploration at this time. Residents are welcome to further explore available locations, including utilizing AP rewards at locations they may have previously explored.

CONDITIONS UPDATES

— CLOCKS continue to be unreliable. Some may keep irregular time at different rates, while others have ceased to work at all, each having stopped at a different time.

— VOICES are not openly haunting our residents, though they may still be occasionally encountered in the more heavily decayed buildings where some rooms seem to almost swallow whatever light tries to enter them.

— WEATHER conditions are both typical and atypical for late fall. Temperatures consist of chilly "sweater weather" days and nights that can dip below freezing — you don't want to be outside without a coat when the sun goes down. A constant light rain continues for all three days, only stopping on the night of the third day. And for all three days, there is constant cloudy grey sunlight, with the sun unable to be seen and tracked from behind the cloud cover. Darkness will return to Mathias on the third night when the rain stops.

— FOG continues to block the way of those wishing to travel further than the Town Hall, and all who venture into the forest will be met by its impenetrable wall after a few hundred yards. The fog will allow none to pass; those who try will find themselves overcome by fear and panic so intense, they can physically do nothing but flee back the way they came.

OOC UPDATES

— HOUSING LISTINGS now have a permanent home! A few of these may have been missed or information might have changed, so please do submit updates as needed, including if your character moves into a new location or if there are rooms still available at said location.

— NEW PLAYERS are still arriving with each new log, so make sure to keep an eye on our ooc intro post. (An easy way to do this is to track the post — click the bell icon, select More Options, and track when someone makes a new top-level.)

— INFORMATION may publicly be shared between characters at the bulletin board in the town hall. This is meant to be a permanent place for pieces of the Mathias puzzle to be shared and archived to both help information be shared ICly and to allow new players to easily dive into the mystery.

— THE CALENDAR has been updated through the end of the year. With the approaching holiday season, we will continue a lighter log schedule, but as always, players are welcome to create their own logs, conduct intensive investigators, and make more terrible decisions. (The mod is always happy to enable these shenanigans, never hesitate to reach out with ideas.)

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOG?

HOUSING DESIGN/EXPLORATION

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Comments

🔥 john constantine | open to all | will match format

[hellblaze]

( Want to plot? Drop a line over at the OOC Comment or ping me over at whisperstars! )

➝ day 12 [ narrative/closed ]

[hellblaze]

someone will call, something will fall.

[ The argument with Zed hadn't gone well. Surprising absolutely no one. There had been a reason why John tried to avoid the topic for as long as he had. Nothing good would come from bringing up what happened with The Man... and thereafter.

The worst part was he hated that Zed was right. If seeing her cross lips with Corrigan had bothered him so much, then he should have done it first.

He woke up in the old familiar home of the Mulcalley's. He had stalked off the night before after the argument, disappearing into the night. He blinks a few times at the soft pit-pat, pit-pat at the window. John raises his head from the floor of the bathroom (at least he had enough sense to go there), watching the rain hit the window. there's a moment where he tenses, waiting for a sense of dread and fear to take over, but... nothing.

Ah, thank God.

Instead he rolls over and pushes himself up. Which is the wrong idea to do. Oh, hell. He hasn't had this bad of a hangover in a long time. Moonshine and emotions - bad mix that. Good thing he didn't intend to move from that spot the rest of the day. No one would come scratching after him and he is more than thankful for that. ]

➝ day 13 [ the grey gull ]

[hellblaze]

things must change, we must rearrange them, or we'll have to estrange them.

[ The next day comes, and John pulls himself from the Mulcalley home. Pack of cigarettes in his trenchcoat, and a new shirt underneath the black tie. Moonshine and him didn't quite agree, apparently, but that wouldn't stop him from another round. He closes the door behind him and gives a gentle pat to the door. There's an odd sort of reverence he's felt since seeing the occupants of the home. As always, he lights a cigarette and hops down the stairs.

Time to retrace his steps and look a bit more into things he had seen when he first arrived. First up on that list?

The Grey Gull.

He flicks up the collar of his trenchcoat, secures his scarf and heads off into the gentle patter of rain. ]

[endlessflask]

[ Eliot's not really sure what he expects to find. He's already been made very aware that this is a town without alcohol and therefore a literal hellhole, but, hey, maybe he can use a reveal spell and find a hidden cellar or something.

Or maybe he just needs to keep doing things so he doesn't think too much about how he still has no idea really where he is, why he's here, or how to leave.

Either way, he finds himself at the Grey Gull, armed with an umbrella and a coat that's a hair too big on him, but heavy and warm. He sets the umbrella against the bar just as he hears someone else coming up on the old restaurant. ]

Come on in. It's not exactly warmer in here, but at least it's dry.

[hellblaze]

[ If Eliot can get a reveal spell to work, John just might kiss him. Just, putting that out there.

John looks up a t the sound of the familiar man. A smirk is given to him and a cigarette popped into his mouth. A stroke of the lighter brings it to life and he gives a deep inhale. Time to focus on something that isn't Zed or the Rising Darkness back home. ]

Coat's a bit too big for you, mate. [ There's a grin in his tone despite the moody look on his face. ] Enjoying the alcohol free bar?

[endlessflask]

Well, if you know where there's a tailor around here, you can absolutely point me in the right direction.

[ Or a sewing machine. Eliot could probably take it in himself, but it's so tedious. Anyway, beggars can't be chooses, right? A slightly too large coat is better than no coat, and at the question, he just sighs.

No alcohol is so sad. ]

I'm actually hoping to find some cake or something. Or some rainbow Chips Ahoy.

[hellblaze]

[ There's a snort at that. ] This place doesn't have a functional existence. Let alone a good tailor.

[ Sewing machine? Could have one in the houses somewhere. The art people in town apparently lived in the house he and Zed had shacked up in. Well. He hasn't been back to that house in two days now so. ]

Kitchen's stocked in the back. Not sure if they've got cake though. You may need to make that.

[endlessflask]

I'm more skilled in different areas of baking.

[ Will he make a cake? Maybe. If he can't find anything else, then he might do it to just keep himself from losing his mind a little bit. But he's hoping there's something already made lurking in a cupboard. ]

Honestly, I'd just eat a bag of chocolate chips anymore, and I'm not as ashamed to admit that as I should be.

[hellblaze]

Oh, a baker? Start a sale out in the yard. People would be thrilled.

[ It is a serious suggestion despite the sarcastic tone coming from him. He's just bitter and mulling over emotions that he doesn't want to deal with. Though, he takes a seat at the bar. ]

Not sure why you'd be ashamed by it at all, mate. I just fry an egg in the morning with a cigarette and call it breakfast.

[endlessflask]

[ Eliot's not sure if he should be pleased or perplexed that his drug joke went unnoticed. Maybe he should be pleased. Unless John means to say sell drugs in the yard, which, you know, also doesn't sound like a bad idea. ]

At least you get to the egg part. I try to maintain a seventy percent liquid diet. It's how I keep my figure.

[ He's joking. Mostly. ]

So, what brought you here? Eggs to go with your cigarettes?

➝ day 13 [ not the grey gull ]

[tinstar]

[The previous day had been spent getting his proverbial 'house' in order and Raylan found himself antsy and eager to get out and stretch his legs. Honestly, he was looking for ten minutes of silence by himself, spread a little thin over the past few days. He'd never spent so much time in such close contact with people and they were all good and nice enough, but he hadn't lived like that in years upon years.

So he donned his hat and jacket, similarly popping his collar up to keep whatever drizzle made it past his hat off his neck. He knew he was bound to see people as he strolled up the street, hands in his pockets, but John was the right kinda person for his eyes to fall on.

He lifted his chin and the brim of his hat in greeting.]

John. Headin' off to the trees, you busy?

[John, at least, had some answers and while Raylan still wasn't fully on the Magic boat, he was smart enough to know that there was something magically fucky with it.]

[hellblaze]

[ John turned to look at Raylan, new blue jean looking shirt included. An unlit cigarette sticking from his lips. He nodded in greeting before giving his trenchcoat a bit of a shake. ]

Marshall of the Wheelbarrow! Looks like you survived the moonshine. Good, we need a man in blue ready to bring law and order here. [ A cheeky greeting, but it was obvious his whole heart wasn't in it as it normally would be. ] What about the trees?

[tinstar]

[Raylan scoffed. Clearly his heart wasn't in it, or it would have been better. More accurate. Raylan had never worn a uniform in his life.]

Survived it? Hell, John, I've been drinkin' that shit since I was 17. [It was a little rough but nothing he couldn't well handle.]

Soon as I find a jail and someone to put in it... I was gonna go try to find a way up to the lighthouse. Means goin' into the trees and here, I figure it's better to not do that alone. Considerin' your skills with the weird and inexplicable, thought you might wanna join me."

[hellblaze]

...Color me impressed, Raylan. [ He was impressed. Huh. That'd explain how between the two cowboys they made the moonshine. There was a mental note about that. ] Guess everyone needs a hobby when they can't fill up the local jailhouse, eh?

Well, it's not like I'm doing much else today. Other than throwing rocks at the bloody ocean. [ A shrug. ] Lead the way.

[tinstar]

More like hobbies to keep me outta it, when I was that age. [The admission came with a crooked curl of his smile.] Didn't start puttin' people in 'em til I was 21.

[He nodded his head up the road as his long legs started him again in that direction.]

Throwin' rocks at the ocean, huh? Workin' on your throw or tryin' to 'stick it to the waves'?

[hellblaze]

Our esteemed Marshal wasn't always a law abiding citizen. Really, mate. You need to stop giving me reasons to like you. [ John forced a small smile of his own. He quickly gave his cigarette a light with the lighter, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. ] Did the cowboy hat come after or before the law bit?

Tried of whatever bloody bastard runs this town ignoring me. Thought it might relieve some pent up anger.

[ Surprisingly, John could keep up with Raylan's stride easily. He was just quieter than normal - licking his wounds, as it was. Though part of him wished the rest of the town had left him alone for a few more days. He needed to find somewhere to hole himself up instead of just lashing out at everything.

That would be, if he was actually intelligent and took care of himself as one should. ]

[tinstar]

[Raylan scoffed and smirked.]

After, but not by much. Walked into a hat shop one day and tried it on. It fit.

You wanna get attention, burn down a building. Maybe the town Hall, ain't shit useful in it anyway, expect the bulletin board. Figure we can take that out.

Take it your argument with Zed ain't helpin'?

➝ day 14 [ the beach ]

[hellblaze]

unpredictable like the sun and the rainfall.

[ Ah. The Beach.

If there is one place in Mathias that instills John with a beating rage? It's this one place. He doubts it'd make sense if he explained it to anyone. It isn't so much the beach itself, but the feelings he had upon awakening on it. Especially considering that he knows something is out there that brought that fear out. The fear that felt so dangerously close to seeing that bastard demon Nergal in Newcastle gripping into Astra. That helpless fear -- and John hates the idea of being helpless against something.

He walks along the beach, still in the new shirt, cigarette in his mouth. One can see him counting down the beach front, as if marking how long it is, before he stops. His head tilts back and his eyes go up to see a familiar building. A glower takes his face. That bloody lighthouse.

Though he wonders if his note is still there...

John sighs and starts making his way towards it. If he remembers right, there seemed to be a rather unsafe path on the way up? Maybe he is wrong. The moonshine may have made him misremember a few details. Still, he'd rather beat his head on the metaphoric wall than think about what happened with Zed a few days earlier. ]

[bestfuneralever]

[Exploring is about the best thing to keep himself occupied here that there is. The beach is nice, with easy lapping waves at the shore, a cool breeze from across the water that makes him pull the long leather coat he'd been lucky enough to have on him when he showed up tighter around him. Five has more or less explained what the deal is in this place, but... the problem with that is, there is barely anything to explain so far. There isn't a point to being here, no Handler to face off against, no Apocalypse to stop, and he finds himself feeling a little lost for it.

In his idle wandering, he notices the blonde up ahead of him, counting, what? His steps across the edge of the beach? Weird, but not exactly the weirdest thing Klaus has ever seen, either. He slowly makes his way along, not in any particular hurry to catch up with the stranger, but not necessarily trying to give him any kind of wide breadth, either.

Eventually, the other man stops and glares up at the lighthouse in the distance and Klaus can't contain the curiosity any longer.]

You gotta grudge against all lighthouses, or just this one in particular?

[hellblaze]

[ The beach is nice, ta to that.

By the time Klaus has reached him? John has a good rock in his hand. He pulls his arm back, then releases the rock -- up, up it goes! It falls just short of its target. John sneers at the rock face as even his launch can't make a rock hit the lighthouse.

Oh, Mathias. How you love to torment him. ]

Just this one, and it's bloody beach. [ John turns his head to look at the man speaking to him. New voice, which meant either the bloke is new or one of the few he hadn't met yet.

A puff of smoke escapes him as he finishes his cigarette. He plucks the bud from his lips and launches it into the ocean. Take that! ]

I suppose you must be new in town, eh? Welcome to the most frustrating bloody cursed place on the face of the planet, mate.

[bestfuneralever]

What's wrong with the beach? Beaches are great. [A beat.] When it's not raining, anyway. [Shrug.

He watches him for another moment as he throws some sort of weird little fit at the world around him. Klaus blinks rapidly a few times and frowns.]

What'd the ocean ever do to you, buddy?

[hellblaze]

Most of us showed up either through being dumped in the ocean or washed up on the beach unconscious. That tends the ruin any honeymoon period I would of had with it.

[ He shoves his hands into the pockets of his trenchcoat. It's cold. Not as cold as it had been, but, enough to make him bristle a bit. ]

How'd you find your merry way to Mathias then? Wake up under a light? In the grass maybe?

[bestfuneralever]

Trying to baptize you on the way in, huh? [Okay. He could see where that might leave a guy pissed off at the ocean.]

I was at the edge of the forest. My brother found me pretty quick, at least. Gave me the cliffnotes of Reasons We Don't Go In The Woods.

[Sort of. Five was pretty cage about the why, really. But he made the getting lost and looped back around thing pretty convincing, so Klaus was fine with it, really.]

[hellblaze]

[ That makes John pause. He turns back to the man, eyebrows raised. He hadn't considered that angle before. Course, it would only really apply to the first wave of people. He raises a finger, waggling it slightly as he thinks. ]

If you needed to cleanse the people entering the town under your control... why only do it for the first bunch? Plenty of you sorry bastards are trickling in. Under lights, in the grass, now you in the forest. Doesn't make much sense not to drop the rest of you in the water?

[ he moves his jaw side to side. something to chew on - think about. ]

And what reasons did he say not to go into the woods?

[bestfuneralever]

Uh-- you know, the... baptism thing, that was a joke.

[He frowns, unsure why he latched onto that so hard. Of all the things he'd said... ] Or maybe they're doing it to make you ask all these questions.

[He shrugs a little.] Something about how easy it is to get turned around the further you go.

[That had been enough of a warning for Klaus, personally, at the time.]