villagemod: (sᴛᴏɴᴇ)
The Village Mod ([personal profile] villagemod) wrote in [community profile] villagelogs2020-12-05 01:22 am

018-020 » what he hides

WHO: Everyone.
WHERE: Eastern/Central/Western Mathias.
WHEN: Days 018-020
WHAT: The fog recedes!
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. PM this account to have a warning added!
NOTES: Plotting post over here!

RECOMMENDED ♫ Graham Plowman "Edge of Darkness"





DAYS 018-020
THE HIDDEN REVEALED

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”
— Benjamin Franklin


As the sun rises in the distance above the sea, the fog slips away from the unsettling town, winding through streets and across buildings until it is nestled soundly in the forest. There it waits, ready to snare any who dare test its limits — residents would do well to remember what happened the last time they encountered the fog so intimately.

With the fog receded, the western portion of Mathias is now revealed and available for exploring. There are more businesses on the town square and even some on the street that runs off the square. The schoolhouse is nestled by the southern treeline, not from the little makeshift cemetery at the end of Jackson Boulevard that is courtesy of a few kind residents in town. To the far north of the square is a sprawling garden, now covered in snow, and a greenhouse that once supplied the botanical shop. And to the west, beyond the square, is another residential district of the same size as that to the east. What is different, however...

These buildings are all in some form of decay. From the beginnings of rot to completely collapsed and little more than a pile of proverbial bones, none of these homes are anything resembling livable. Well, as far as one can tell, at least. For between the streets of Hill Lane and Stine road there is a crack in the earth. A dozen feet across and fifty feet down, the crack extends from one side of the forest to the other, either end cut off by the fog. The view to the other side is clear but there is no way across.


THE NEW ARRIVALS

There are quite a few new faces in Mathias on this day. Awaking throughout Day 018, they will find themselves laying in the snow beside that unsettling crack in the earth, houses both quaint and decaying surrounding them as the snow begins to cover their bodies. Best get inside and warm up, dears.




SPECTRES IN THE NIGHT

The days are short now that winter seems to have set in unseasonably early. Though the clocks in Mathias fail to properly keep time or sometimes even work at all, the sun rises around 8:00am and sets at 5:00pm. There is far more darkness than light in these days, but in that darkness there is, in fact, light.

In the distance all across Mathias, there are lanterns lit against that darkness. Their lights dance across the snow, the warm flickering shining like tiny stars and offering an almost ethereal glow to the crisp white snow. It would be a beautiful sight to behold... if it weren't for the shadowy figures that held them. With partially raised arms, the figures hold the lanterns and walk the streets of Mathias, drifting in between buildings and disappearing into the forest. Still yet, there are some that simply stand in place, as if waiting for something or someone.

No matter where or when these figures are seen, they always seem to be facing away from our residents, and attempts at reaching them are all for naught. They will fade from view if one gets too close, and return to sight when that distance is regained. And in the morning, those lanterns may be found in the snow, their lights extinguished but their glass somehow still warm.


STRANGER IN THE SNOW

Those investigating the western part of Mathias and venturing near that inexplicable crack in the earth will have the most unsettling feeling of being watched. Most of the time, there is nothing there and no one to be seen, but then—

On the other side of that expanse, sitting on a porch, in the shadow of a home, or standing in the oddly moonlit street, there is a man. His features are shrouded in darkness and not much can be discerned about him, but instinct tells you he is dangerous. There is a sense deep in your bones that he is maliciously amused.

He makes no move to speak, nor will he respond to any attempts on your part. Instead, he sits, or he stands, and he watches. By the end of Day 020, all sign of him will be gone, along with the eerie feeling of being watched.







LOCATIONS


Unless otherwise noted, all new locations have working electricity and other utilities.

BENEDICT BOOKS Nestled quaintly on the square surrounding the Town Hall, a thick layer of dirt covering the front windows. A portrait hangs at the front of the store to illustrate the namesake of the little shop... that may, in fact, not be so little. Dust covers everything in sight and detritus litters the wooden floor, as if someone left the door open and allowed half the forest inside. (more info)

MATHESON ANTIQUES Also on the town square is an antique store that is a lesson in chaos more than culture. The items within are stacked haphazardly, creating narrow aisles running throughout the space. Furniture, light fixtures, old revolutionary and civil war memorabilia, all of it is jumbled together with no rhyme or reason. Indeed, one wrong move could create an avalanche of aged wood and peeling paint.

POE'S CLOTHES Located on the town square, this shop carries only the basics. Loose jeans in a few sizes, khakis, solid color dress shirts and blouses, flannel in various styles, socks and underwear.

SPIN RIGHT ROUND RECORDS On the square across from the beauty store, the music shop is as dusty as everything else in this town has been. Tables line the walls of the long shop, filled with rows and rows of vinyl records, while a few wall shelves display cassette tapes for sale. One side of the store is for New items, while the other holds the Used section with items for resale. Residents may recognize some of the artists but many are unfamiliar to them.

CLINIC Outside the decayed, crumbling building just north of the square is a still miraculously intact sign with the name of the clinic's doctor, Dr. Ken Suzuki. There is no way to treat patients in this location, but with care, some salvageable supplies may yet be found in the remains.

BARKER BOTANICALS Not quite a flower shop and not entirely an apothecary, the botanical store to the far north of the square is something of an amalgamation of both. With a few broken windows to let in the rain, parts of the shop have been overtaken by nature, the house plants growing beyond their pots and rotted flower petals littering the floor to tell of seasons past. The still unclaimed walls are filled with decaying plants and jars of dried herbs and other vegetation, along with a few essences and tinctures.

GREENHOUSE A few dozen yards from the botanicals shop is a sprawling garden, now covered in snow, and a greenhouse that once supplied the botanical shop. The glass is still miraculously intact, though covered in grime so thick that one cannot see inside.

GALLERY The gallery is essentially a large empty space with framed and matted black and white photographs of the town lining the walls. There is a small selected of prints available for sale near the front entrance, and a few rooms at the back of the building — a dark room for developing photos, a small office, and a locked room.

MOVIE THEATER This single-screen theater is quite small, having only 40 seats, but there is a large collection of movies in its storage room. These are all old film reels however, so hopefully someone knows how to thread a film projector.

HISTORY MUSEUM Across the street from the Historical Society, this once esteemed wooden building has seen better days. Windows and doors are boarded up and there is visible rot and decay on the exterior walls. Part of the roof has fallen in and the accumulating snow threatens to collapse the rest of it as well. It is not wise to venture within.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY This brick building has also seen better days, though in a different sort of way. Where once had been carefully cataloged collections and cozy reading rooms for aficionados of local history, there are now stacks of bankers boxes and weathered tomes in every nook and cranny. There is no organization to any of it, everything seeming to have been stashed in a hurry and then left forgotten. Anyone who dares to dive into this archive will need to devote quite some time in order to find anything worthwhile. They will also want to bring their own light source — the electricity does not work here and the windows are quite dark from the accumulated dust and grime.

SCHOOLHOUSE A much smaller school than most of our residents might be used to, there are only a half-dozen rooms in the building, with a few comprising classrooms, meeting areas, and workspaces. All ages were taught here, and one might almost imagine the sound of children's whispered voices and distant laughter while within the empty building.





CONDITIONS UPDATE
SNOW continues to fall in Mathias. Days 18-19 see light snowfall that very slowly accumulates, but the snowfall turns moderately heavy on Day 20 and sees significant accumulation. The temperature hovers just below freezing and dips lower when the sun goes down.

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.

THE FOG has receded from the town proper and much of the eastern and northern beach. The path through the northern forest to the lighthouse is now also clear.

DISAPPEARANCES continue to plague the town. While Daisy Johnson has returned, Zed Martin, Rey, and Quentin Coldwater have now vanished without a trace.


OOC UPDATES
MADNESS has now been unlocked. Congratulations to Inky for Claire earning the first Madness! Who will be next? (Please be sure to keep your sanity updated regularly; Stars has created an amazing tracker for anyone to use if they'd like.)

HELPERS are officially in residence! Kelly is our Registrar and Stars is our Librarian — both of these delightful members of our community are helping behind the scenes to keep things organized and updated (and doing wonders for the mod's own sanity levels), so please give them some thanks for their hard work!

REPORTING updates is still a thing that your mod and helpers beg you to do. Changes to locations, plot notes that affect the community, and discoveries should be reported over here so these can all be noted in their appropriate places. (For clarification, reported Discoveries are not public knowledge unless a character has ICly shared this information.)

A MAP of Mathias now exists, thanks to our wonderful Librarian! Please note that it is not to scale and there may be a few minor errors due to your frazzled mod. Expect updates in the future as more secrets are revealed.

BULLETIN BOARD — don't forget about it. That's all.


CLAIMING AP REWARDS
Normally, only one AP reward can be claimed per log, but due to the plethora of new and old locations to explore, this restriction is being relaxed. Instead, for this log only:
— Players may spend AP on up to three rewards, though only Spot Hidden may be repeated.
— If a player is spending multiple Spot Hiddens, they must be with different characters and in different locations.

If two characters are investigating the same location together, they may each spend a Spot Hidden on that location. Players should record their spent AP after the AP request has been approved. Sometimes there is nothing to Spot with your Hidden and the points will be "refunded" to use elsewhere.


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cholesterol: 🇩‌🇴‌🇳‌'🇹‌ 🇹‌🇴‌🇺‌🇨‌🇭‌ (give me a little more than that)

[personal profile] cholesterol 2020-12-28 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
What a coincidence. I'm great at guiding.

( And pushing, but she's pushing. They both can't push. )

You warm enough? ( Dean's protective side always hovers beneath the surface, the perpetual older brother, and for a time, son, right there. Once she has a good grip, he turns the rack and leads her to the front of the store, to the door.

Leaving it there, he opens the door, finding something to help prop it open while they maneuver it out the front.
)
cholesterol: 🇩‌🇴‌🇳‌'🇹‌ 🇹‌🇴‌🇺‌🇨‌🇭‌ (the hard things)

[personal profile] cholesterol 2020-12-28 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
( Dean unspools the film, holding it up to the light. )

It didn't have a title.

( Per the mod, the scene depicts a group of maybe 12 people dressed in what might be 1970s fashion walking through the woods along a path and exiting into a large clearing with a massive house in the distance. The footage is filmed from behind and nothing distinctive can be seen about who the people are. Before reaching the door to the house, the film strip frames become blurred and nothing can be made out from there.

He looks back.
)

You want to find the projector?
cholesterol: 🇩‌🇴‌🇳‌'🇹‌ 🇹‌🇴‌🇺‌🇨‌🇭‌ (the distrust is real)

[personal profile] cholesterol 2020-12-28 12:09 pm (UTC)(link)
It didn't. All you need to know. It's been nine years and - however long we've been here.

( Three days by the day-to-night schedule. But, he doesn't trust it. )
cholesterol: 🇩‌🇴‌🇳‌'🇹‌ 🇹‌🇴‌🇺‌🇨‌🇭‌ (purgatory signal)

[personal profile] cholesterol 2020-12-28 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
"FBI," Dean just responds. Nice name drop.

"Is that what you think? This is one big zoo. Some social experiment?" He asks, but he wants an answer. He even looks to Doc to get his input.

"It's possible what we brought didn't come with us. If it's about the town. What are the chances someone loots all of us. Quickly. None of us wake up until they're -- who knows where, maybe back in the fog." He just doesn't know. He also doesn't want to think about needing to kill someone, or hold them off, or go after them. He would. He may be love according to Cas, but he has killed.
thering: (Doc134)

[personal profile] thering 2020-12-28 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Even though his knife got him in here, it's true, he'd rather have his guns. Alas, beggars can't choose any damn thing. The beam of light sweeps across the floor of what looks like a storeroom, and Doc takes note of the state of the place. It must have been sealed for a very long time now. His torch doesn't seem to be doing much, and he can't see much further beyond what the light filtering in through the window they had broken in through, so after a few fruitless seconds of looking around more, he clicks the torch back off and holsters it. Best to conserve battery, and free up his hand in case he needs it.

"There are none of those in this town," Doc says half over his shoulder, checking to see that Negan has entered successfully and is following close behind.

"No termites, ants, roaches, worms, spiders." And you would think that there would be roaches everywhere, so. That they're somewhere even roaches fear to tread is saying something.

There are a few shelves near them, with some boxes and what looks like oddly-shaped surplus ornaments as dusty as everything else. Everything further away than that can't really be made out in the darkness. Doc is careful not to step on anything, watching for any brittle or rotting floorboards as he makes his way further inside. Maybe he is just being extra cautious because of the building sense of dread filling him, similar to how he had felt in the clinic. Just this sense of unease that he cannot shake off no matter what he thinks of.

Pushing past the antsy restlessness, Doc makes his way out of the storage room and into the next chamber. He takes maybe two steps in and freezes, feet rooted to the spot, lifting his head slowly as his eyes widen at the sight before them. His lips part as he watches the spores dancing like snow in the wind.
thering: (Doc292)

[personal profile] thering 2020-12-28 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Let's... not test that theory." There is absolutely no reason why they cannot all just live here together harmoniously, and even though he is fairly certain that nothing particularly eventful would happen if one of them really started acting out against another, it is a mess they don't need to put themselves in. Not to mention the awkwardness that would inevitably follow for the rest of the time they would be here together.

"I would think there are easier ways to conduct experiments. And we would not be what I would consider typical of any group." Surely you would need either a group of wildly different people from all walks of life or just one group of similar people to conduct an experiment? The group here does not feel random - he is living with two lawmen and he has yet to meet a priest or butcher or accountant or mechanic; there are no young children or elderly folk - but they are not all that similar either. But Doc doesn't have a better or worse explanation for why they are here.

"A gun is not of much use without any bullets. They could have simply taken the ammunition, but they took everything." Were they worried that their captives would get desperate enough to start melting down their pots and pans? "If they robbed us once we arrived, then there should be a stockpile of our possessions somewhere. While they are mere... trinkets in the grand scheme of things, it does not hurt to be searching everywhere, try and recover them."
abrightboy: (wants to help)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2020-12-28 01:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Malcolm isn’t interested in testing the violence question either, but sometimes curious hypothetical questions slip out of his mouth.

There’s something sour in the way Dean says ‘FBI’, but Malcolm only gives him a curious look before turning his attention to Doc’s analysis.

“A zoo isn’t an experiment,” Malcolm pointed out reasonably, addressing Dean’s assumption about his theory more than Doc’s perfectly thoughtful response to it. “It’s a collection.” He glanced between them. “Of interesting specimens. And we’re certainly that.”
Edited 2020-12-28 13:53 (UTC)
abrightboy: (counterpoint)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2020-12-28 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Fair enough.

[Hit a nerve. That was definitely it.

He drained his cup and handed it back to Dean.]


Thanks for the drink.
fika: (pic#14410162)

omg don't worry, i'm in the same boat!! it's been a Month (tm)

[personal profile] fika 2020-12-28 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[ don't you ever mention his squishy little face again! he's growing into it. ]

Then no. [ surviving in this place was also, apparently, very relative. you didn't need to fight off hordes of hell-knows-whats, but there was murder fog. and protecting yourself against the incremental weather seemed like...common sense.

but, through the growing handful of interactions five has had in this place, he's getting real good at recognizing the look most people seem to give him.

he'd like to say he's used to it, but the reality is, it does nothing to dampen an already shitty mood, and its a miracle he doesn't crack a tooth with how hard he clenches his jaw, and takes a slow sip of his coffee instead. it's already almost cold.
] A difference of interests. [ with a cliffside. his dimpled smile is forced as he takes a very sore step to go around. ] And thanks, but I think I'll be just fine.

[ let him waddle his way to the clinic in peace negan, god! ]
thering: (Doc16)

[personal profile] thering 2020-12-28 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[Doc nods in agreement. Any victory, no matter however small, is worth celebrating. It is how they will conquer their hardships and it is how they are going to get through those particularly dark and difficult days here.]

And what, pray tell, gave that away? [He turns to look at Eliot and cracks a smile.] Do you think it doesn't suit? [He is open to suggestion. He has been happy to adopt the local preference for flannel, and he will change with the times out of necessity although so far it has not been necessary, but he would wear just about anything as long as it isn't too humiliating.]
abrightboy: (secret smile)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2020-12-28 02:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"I have a theory," Malcolm told him, slipping inside behind him. "I'm not sure you'll like it..." He glanced around at dust dancing in the light filtering through the windows. "I think we're being kept by something. Like animals in a zoo. There are certain details of the town that are... wrong, if it's just an abandoned town. Their absence makes more sense if it's an enclosure contrived to seem like an abandoned town. It's not that the people gathered up every single steak knife and jigsaw blade and prescription pill as they fled and left sentimental personal effects and clothes and food behind. It's that those things were never included in the setup in the first place."
abrightboy: (well?)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2020-12-28 03:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Malcolm glanced at him sidelong.

"I'd like to say that's a problem I'm surprised that you have, but maybe you could try not being rude and abrasive for the first five minutes of a new acquaintance," he suggested lightly.
prevenance: (ictNWhe)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Better than nothing, I suppose. There's very few things that are impenetrable, though.

( it could very well be that there was nothing behind that rock and stone but, from personal experience, most of the time if someone wants something to stay buried, they hide it and do their very best to make sure no one gets through. )

I would suggest explosives but if there aren't any pickaxes around, I doubt those are very abundant either.

( it could be that he's joking. he's probably joking. )
prevenance: (sr2pTrj)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
( elijah can't stop a laugh from slipping out at someone calling him, of all people, son. he probably has centuries on this man and here he is, being made to feel young. )

I do appreciate the concern but if I do choose to go and see this fog for myself, I will be fine.

( he holds up the empty glass of moonshine. )

I survived this, didn't I?
prevenance: (Daniel Gillies in The Originals S 05 (66)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
( not often. most of the time it just tends to stoke an already present anger. )

I would never accuse someone of something so extreme without evidence.

( that's not entirely true. he smiles thinly. )

So, we've established that you're not a demon but you've dealt with them? That's all I was getting at.
descendent: (pic#14539223)

[personal profile] descendent 2020-12-28 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Because you're older?

[ she can't help but arch her brow at that. the only difference between them is that he's the boy while she's the girl and his younger brother is wilder than jeremy even on his worse days. jeremy, while capable of hurting a fly, prefers to lash out at her while klaus seems like he gets off on lashing out at the entire world.

keeping her head cushioned against the back of the armchair, she regards him without any sort of sassy expression. elena's tired and she wears it on her face, but not in her voice. ]


Or is it because of what you are? Does that play a difference?
prevenance: (Daniel Gillies in The Originals S 05 (45)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Perhaps because of what we are. When you and your brother have a fight, you yell, you shove, maybe you leave. When we fight, there is the ever present possibility that someone ends up in a coffin for centuries.

( their anger like their love was fierce and uncontrollable. he wants to think they've moved past that but he knows that their differing personalities means it will always be a possibility. )

And perhaps the amount of time we've spent around each other as well. We've been alive and in each other's company for a very long time. It changes how you deal with people.
descendent: (pic#14197162)

[personal profile] descendent 2020-12-28 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Do you resent him?

[ her eyes narrow slightly in thought. does he hate klaus? does he want klaus to be gone for good? how complicated had it truly been for him to stand with her all those times and talk about putting him down? not once did elena second guess elijah's intentions. he had said she had his word and she had believed him.

but she thinks everything—life, love, hate—is a lot more nuanced than a mere giving of a word. ]


You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but... a thousand years and longer sounds like a really long time to feel that way.
prevenance: (eli07)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
I have. At different points in my life, I've resented all my siblings and my siblings have resented me. But, I like to think our family bond is strong enough to get past that.

( he sighs, looking away from her. he gets to his feet and crosses to peer out a window before he turns to look back at her. )

Have you never resented Jeremy?

( he doesn't know a lot about her brother but he knows their relationship isn't picture perfect. )
descendent: (pic#14479238)

[personal profile] descendent 2020-12-28 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ that's a question she both knows and doesn't know the answer to. a little afraid to even think of it, elena looks away from him and packs at her pants. there's some dirt embedded into the threads, most likely from mystic falls. it's proof of what happened after she blacked out. ]

Yes, I have. [ she says it quietly, then tries to hide it behind a big, loud sigh. ] He got to wear his grief on his sleeve and be destructive, and he… has the simple family. I resent the fact that I resent him for things he never asked for.

[ if anyone will understand complicated siblings, it's elijah. stefan would, too, but she doesn't think stefan holds damon in any tight resentment like elijah could and has.

shrugging, she continues to glide her nail over her pants. ]
fika: (pic#14430486)

[personal profile] fika 2020-12-28 11:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ absolutely a general statement. one that would mean something to people who knew what it meant, and one that would sound like a passing comment from a kid claiming to be a time traveller otherwise.

it's interesting that it veers to the former.

five shrugs.
] Exactly. You don't notice it until you try.

For one, I couldn't just jump myself back through time, when I got here. Which would have been the first logical thing to try.

And - spatial displacement is vaguely reliable at best. [ unlike elijah, five has little qualms sharing the details of some of his abilities. this was a...scientific discussion. ]
prevenance: (eli09)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-28 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
It's okay to do that, Elena. It's okay to resent him because you still love him, don't you?

( he knows the answer to that question but he says it aloud so she can see that her love for her brother overwhelms the fact that she's resented him. )

Siblings are an amazing thing to have, Elena, but they can be difficult. They know you so well and sometimes you don't want that. But when you need them, they are there. My siblings will be there if I need them just like Jeremy would be there for you.
descendent: (pic#14538635)

[personal profile] descendent 2020-12-29 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ he can't be there for her any more because she's dead. that's why she's resentful; she's left him alone, he'll spiral, and no one will be there to try and shove him into a better and safer path. he's all alone.

inhaling roughly and deeply through her nose, she tries to push all that down. there's no point in crying over it. she's here, wherever that is, and she's with elijah who, as far as she's aware, is only undead and not dead-dead. ]


He's technically my cousin. [ she smiles then shakes her head, lettig out an amused puff of air. ] At least your family knows how you're all related.
prevenance: (Daniel Gillies in The Originals S 05 (45)

[personal profile] prevenance 2020-12-29 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
Technicalities don't matter, Elena. He's your brother in all the ways that count.

( just like marcellus was klaus' son in all the ways that counted. it doesn't have to be a blood relation to be family.

he tilts his head, fixing her with a quiet look. )


You love him and he loves you. You're family.
descendent: (pic#14539240)

[personal profile] descendent 2020-12-29 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ despite how she tries to lighten and even run away from it, he brings her back. shouldn't be surprising, given how elijah had proven to be a stabilising force even during the business-like moments she knew him.

she sighs and allows herself it. there's nowhere to hide and no reason to. ]


I miss him and I wish he was here. But I don't know what it means to be here. I'm stupidly hoping it's a good thing.

[ a purgatory, maybe—or perhaps being a supernatural creature means they end up somewhere else. it still doesn't explain elijah. ]