072-078 » pages of possible futures

[villagemod]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: Mathias Township proper
WHEN: Days 072-078
WHAT: The future is set in motion once more.
WARNINGS: (PM this account to have a warning added!)
NOTES: Plotting post over here! Next log will be the weekend of July 31.
MOD NOTE: The week did not go as planned. Apologies for the delay on this log and thank you for your patience!

RECOMMENDED ♫ Marco Beltrami "Bad Omens"

DAY 072
“The visions are fragmented and a dark cloud spreads
like spilt ink across the pages of possible futures.”
— Garth Nix
Blue skies greet residents on this bright new morning filled with summer sunshine. It's a day when birds would normally be singing, when there would be boats taken out on the water, children laughing and running through the streets. But in Mathias there is only silence, eerie and almost deafening in its absoluteness, and those blue skies do not stretch on forever. Far off on the horizon are dark clouds stretching ominously in all directions, never moving closer or farther away. They are always there, dark and angry, as if waiting... For what, who can say, but they will remain there for the days going forward, circling the town like a shark circles a meal.

Despite that dreadful darkness in the distance, there is some good news. Residents will also wake to find that their previously missing belongings have returned to them. Clothing and other personal effects are right where they should have been, as if they have always been there, and there is no sign of them having been returned by someone or something. They're just there.

That is, however, the extent of the good news. Residents who visit the Town Hall will find the bulletin board much changed, and those who have thrown caution to the wind and made use the sedatives found within Baneberry Hall will begin to find themselves changing as well. They are easily distracted while awake and plagued by nightmares while asleep. They dream of Mathias burning, fire spreading from the east until it consumes everything in its path. With increasing intensity as the week continues, they will wake with terror gripping their chests and sweat covering their too-hot skin.



THE NEW ARRIVALS
The newest arrivals to Mathias will wake up on the lawn of Town Hall, at the center of the little town square. There are shops all around them, with houses just beyond, and at first glance, everything seems almost picturesque. Except for the silence that is at times so complete as to be maddening... Welcome to Mathias.

---

DAY 073-075
With those dark clouds still hanging on the horizon, some residents may find themselves watching the ocean a little more closely, searching for signs of whatever it is they are beginning to sense is approaching. If they do, they will find those signs, for every so often a dark shape will appear from out of the water before disappearing a few moments later. Residents are welcome to try getting a better look at those shapes, though moving to higher vantage points will be ineffective and swimming may not be the best investigation method.

Nightfall strengthens the sense of that elusive something. Though nothing can be seen in the darkness, there is something out there. They can feel it when they are outside themselves, a heavy presence that their animal instincts warn them against, urging them to flee to safety indoors. But once inside, they can hear whatever is out there in the night, the sounds horrifying and yet utterly indescribable and beyond the limits of their perception.

There is no way to glimpse what might be making those sounds, nor is there any way to properly record them, though attempts may be made to do so.

---

DAY 076-077
The strange occurrences of recent days continue as something attempts to lead residents out into the southern forest should they venture within view of the treeline. Unrecognizable voices may call out incoherently or the sounds of someone moving through the trees may pull at their attention. Or, perhaps, a dark figure entering the forest will catch their eye, pulling them to follow the possibly feminine figure with no discernible characteristics.

Whatever it is, it will lead them along the paths or even away from their relative safety, winding this way and that until they're completely lost within the expanse of sun-dappled trees that seem innocent and threatening at the same time. There is nothing left to do but continue following that figure that is always just ahead at the edge of sight.

Eventually, the trees stop and there is a stretch of clearing, the sky a crisp blue overhead, sun shining down and yet—

That dark figure is still shrouded in shadow, as are the other four that have joined it. All slight with long hair, something feminine in the way they stand with hands held out at their sides, facing outward in a line along the edge of the ravine that borders the township, though for some reason their features cannot be focused on enough for true comprehension. They stand there in silence as if waiting, so close to the edge that a strong wind could easily knock them over into oblivion. A concerned resident might try to stop them; a curious one might try to finally get a better look at the figures that led them to this place. Regardless of the reason, any movement into the clearing toward them will end in the same result.

All five figures step forward as one and disappear into the nothingness below.

The ravine so deep that the bottom cannot be seen and wide enough that the other side is tantalizingly out of reach. At first, there is the sense that safety is just beyond if only they could get there, but with that sensation is also the knowledge that if they stay here, death will be a certainty. The edge seems unsteady, like getting too close would set it crumbling and send them tumbling into that as well...

That is when those who do venture to the edge see the truth of the ravine and what lies beyond it: nothing. There is a neverending dark nothingness below and beyond this ravine, beyond this town, and there is something staring back from within the dark.

---

DAY 078
As morning arrives in Mathias, so too does the storm. Those clouds that hovered in the distance move in quickly, plunging the town into a twilight-like darkness. The rumbling that breaks the silence is like that of a thunderstorm but infinitely more ominous, signaling something approaching that is not meant for the world of man. Within just a few minutes, the residents will learn why as lightning arcs across the sky, the cracks of powerful energy echoing through the air. Those branching spikes at first remain in the sky, but then suddenly they crash down to meet the earth, striking the Lighthouse. The sound of splintering wood and pierced metal fills the air, followed moments later by the roaring crackle of a fire raging into existence. Those cracks and crashes continue as the lightning moves inward, hitting the forest, the beach, and the Grey Gull before moving down Phillips Drive to attack the homes left rotting by time.

While the lightning eventually retreats to the sky, the fire spreads with purpose. It leaps from building to building, consuming everything in its path. It is a living, breathing thing driven by a need to devour. There is no stopping or controlling the almost sentient entity, for it does not behave as fire normally would — it skips buildings before doubling back, burns when there's nothing to fuel it, and seems to almost actively pursue residents fleeing to safety. Ultimately, the fire consumes everything east of the Library, from Jackson Boulevard to the beach and the northeastern forest to the Lighthouse; for an unknown reason, it does not venture farther inland than this.

Ash falls from the sky like snow throughout the town as the eastern half of Mathias glows a terrifying raging red. Residents may seek sanctuary in businesses along the square or in areas in the western half of the town, though the latter will not be without its own risks and consequences.

---

SANITY LOSS

There are multiple opportunities for sanity loss within this log. All instances of such should be reported before the next log.

— BANEBERRY SEDATIVES These will effect all who have taken them, regardless of type, quantity, or frequency, until the storm on day 78. Each night of nightmares will result in 1 point of sanity loss for a potential total loss of 6 points.

— FIGURES IN THE FOREST All who witness the figures jump into ravine will suffer 3 points of sanity loss.

— SEEING BEYOND THE RAVINE Any who see the truth of what is beyond the ravine will suffer 7 points of sanity loss that cannot be recovered. Additionally, any Madness that results from this sanity loss begins immediately.

— DEATH BY FIRE All who are killed by the fire lose 3 sanity points and gain the Madness pyrophobia for seven days, which should be reported. The pyrophobia will be experienced at an intensive level for the duration of the Madness.

---

CONDITIONS UPDATE

— THE WEATHER Summer has arrived in Mathias, bringing with it warm days that average 70°F and comfortably cool nights.

— THE FOG has maintained its recent boundaries.

— Residents may now wander the southern stretch of the forest surrounding Mathias Township — it is possible to leave the paths but potentially unwise to do so.
— The fog has also retreated from the western section of town entirely.
— Access to the northern section of the forest is still blocked beginning a few dozen yards past the treeline; this section of fog will urge residents to stay huddled within the town proper by inducing a physical reaction of panic and fear.

— DISAPPEARANCES AND DEATHS have ceased for the moment but they're sure to begin again soon.

---

OOC NOTES

— ENDGAME We are officially heading into endgame. Over the next few months, things will begin ramping up and moving toward the always planned conclusion, with the last log projected to go up between the end of October and middle of December.

What does this mean? Essentially, hopefully, this will mean more opportunities to dig into the mysteries and lore of the game, as well as more chances for your characters to creep toward insanity. However, how things progress and what information comes to light will depend upon character interaction with the setting and involvement with the mysteries of Mathias.

— ITEMS FROM HOME All items from home have returned to the exact state and location in which they were last seen. This includes all clothing and possessions they had on their person when they arrived in Mathias (or, for arrivals in the previous log, what they should have had). Items from home that were left behind by other characters no longer in the game have also returned.

— THE FIRE A rough representation of where the fire spreads is available over here.

— REMINDER There are a lot of moving parts to this log, as there will be for all logs going forward. Read the narrative and all OOC notes thoroughly and carefully. Ask questions if something is not clear, but please also look through questions others have asked for further clarification.

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Parker | Leverage

[sharker]

Day 77 | ota

[ She'd started out with good intentions. A voice calling out, glimpses of a figure moving through the trees? Parker's only goal had been to help. If someone was hurt or scared in the woods, she couldn't just leave them there.

But every time she'd taken another step into the trees, the figure had retreated, always just out of reach. Before long, she'd found herself deep in the forest, not sure how to get back. And the person was still there, just ahead. Clearly not lost, not looking for help, but still there, and Parker had been more and more determined to catch up with them, to find out who they were.

The trees had stopped abruptly, shadowy forest giving way to bright sunshine, and she'd stopped, squinting against the light. But the person she'd been following, and the others it had joined, looked like they'd brought the darkness with them, like the sun couldn't quite reach them. She'd stopped, staring, half scared, half needing to find out more.

And then she'd seen it. The ravine, a deep, dark chasm just behind the figures in the clearing. No. Ahead of them. They were facing away from her. Facing the edge. Parker's eyes had widened in fear.]

Hey, watch out!

[ She'd taken a step toward them, reaching out - and the figures had moved as one, stepping forward and then vanishing. Gone. Parker had frozen, heart in her throat, staring at the place where they'd been. She could feel it - the siren call of the ravine, urging her closer, battling with the knowledge that she had to get out, that she had to get away as quickly as possible. But she couldn't run. The mental image of one of the figures who had stepped off the edge dangling just below, fingers desperately gripping roots, waiting to be pulled to safety, had been too strong.

She'd rushed forward, and looked over the edge.


It takes Parker a long time to find her way back to the town. Not because the woods are particularly large or easy to get lost in; in fact, she finds her way back mostly on instinct. But she wanders slowly, eyes vacant and staring, sometimes stopping altogether. Sometimes turning back, looking back the way she'd come as though she could see the ravine through the trees.

Once she's back in civilization again, she continues wandering aimlessly, gazing ahead of her without seeing anything. Eventually, she becomes aware that someone's talking to her. Has been talking to her. Or maybe she'd imagined that, too. She raises her head, looking around to try to spot the person that may or may not be there. ]

What?



(No OOC plotting post this time, but if you want something else, feel free to hit me up via PM or butteredcups, or just write up a wildcard starter!)

day 78 | closed prompts

[sharker]

hardison and eliot

[ She's not sure how they'd ended up in the movie theatre, if it had just been because it was the first building that seemed safe, located on the other side of the invisible line that the fire seemed unwilling to cross, or if it was something else that had drawn them there. But the inside is cool and dark, a relief from the heat and devastation outside. Parker had been so shaken, so upset by the fire and the sudden and complete loss of the only home she'd had here on top of her terrifying encounter at the ravine the day before, she'd retreated almost immediately, hiding herself away in the tiny, dark storage room.

But it's not long before she emerges again. Before she realizes that being alone isn't what she wants right now. What she wants is to be with Hardison and Eliot. Her team. Her family.

When she finds one or both of them, she doesn't say a word, just sits down next to whoever's closest, curling in against his side. ]

neal

[ The fire is devastating. More so than Parker had immediately realized in the chaos of fleeing the house on Stoker with Hardison and Eliot. She'd been terrified, focused only on getting out, and on making absolutely sure that the two of them were right behind (or better yet, ahead of) her the whole way. That none of them would be left behind or lost.

But she'd turned as they were running, seeing the flames leaping up into the air and the frames of the houses collapsing in on themselves. Not only the house she'd claimed with Hardison and Eliot, but the ones next door. And across the street.

All of them. Half the town, gone.

It's hours later that she realizes the true impact the fire had had, before it occurs to her just what it means. It's not just their home that's gone, or the homes of the rest of the town's residents. There had been something else, too. A gift that had been given to her. Entrusted to her, for reasons she still doesn't quite understand.

But she knows she'd lost it. That she'd let it burn.

She doesn't want to look for Neal, doesn't want to face him after what had happened, but she knows she has to. When she finds him, looking as dirty and exhausted as everyone else, she almost loses her nerve. Almost runs away again.

Instead, she approaches slowly, her gut heavy with guilt, a lump in her throat. ]

Neal?

cw: ptsd, mention of burning to death, disassociation

[likeknives]

[All he can see is the fire.

All he can see is the fire and what it did to him, he can remember what it did to him, how it killed him before, and to see it again, but this time--they're here?

He can't...he can't punch fire, he can't do anything except run and help them get away.

His hands are shaking. Badly.

He moves himself in such a way that he can put his hands on both Hardison and Parker's shoulders, as if he has to convince himself by tactile sensation that they're really here, that they're all still here, that they're all still alive.

Are they alive? Sometimes he's not so sure. Maybe they're all ghosts. Maybe this is just his punishment for the horrors he's done.

It takes a long time before his breathing slows. His hands don't stop shaking.]

Are any of y'hurt?

[It's quiet. Gentle. Almost embarrassed that he didn't ask earlier and it took him this long to gather himself up to do so.]

[ofthegeek]

[ Well. Hardison's pretty sure they don't get out of this town without a real bad complex about being out of each others' sights, at this point. The data point on that is mostly that right now, he hates the whole prospect of Parker and Eliot not being at least within acceptable range.

Space if they need it, fine, yes, absolutely. Double the relief to have them both here, once Parker creeps back out and curls up close, yes, absolutely.

They don't make therapists that cover the mess this town has doled out. ]

I'm good. [ Hoarse, mostly, but all things considered about what they got out of, there's worse things to be. He fumbles a hand up to Eliot's forearm, gives it a quick reassuring squeeze before letting go again. ] You guys good?

[ In the spirit of fairness and stuff. ]

i blame dw...what do you mean i have to Tell you to track the thread

[sharker]

[ She can feel the way Eliot's shaking, notices the way he immediately reaches out to both of them without a even a token grumble about it, and immediately feels guilty. She shouldn't have left, even for a moment. She shouldn't have run away and hidden. Eliot's scared of losing them and she understands, because she's scared of that too. It's why she'd been awake when the fire had started, had been there to wake the other two up so they could get out. Because she hadn't slept. It had seemed much safer to stay up and watch them, to make sure that neither of them disappeared. They couldn't disappear overnight if she was watching them.

Eliot's scared and not hiding it, but Hardison isn't scared now that they're away from the fire. Or maybe he is and he's just lying about it. Pretending not to be scared like Eliot used to pretend not to care. She considers, and decides she's not going to lie. ]

No.

[ It's an answer to both of them at once. Not hurt. Not good. She curls herself in closer to Hardison's chest, to Eliot's hand on her shoulder, and feels them. Solid and warm and real and here.

If she stays awake, they'll stay that way. ]

it happens to me too so much lmao

[likeknives]

[Hardison is here and he's talking and he's good. Eliot nods, he's a little worse for the wear, bruises and scratches but nothing serious. Parker is here but she's not doing good, but at this point are any of them doing good?

But at least they're not doing good together.

Somehow, they made it. Somehow they survived something he was sure going to take them all. But they're here. They're here and they're okay. Well, not that okay. But intact.

It takes him a long time before he speaks again, but they need to know. Maybe it's a clue, maybe one of them will figure out something that he's missed.]

I've seen that fire before. I've seen it do that before.

[He finally takes his hands back, but he doesn't move away. He's just gonna be right here, right next to them.]

[ofthegeek]

[ The first and most important immediate step: securing an arm around Parker. She's welcome to the physical anchor as long as she wants it. He'll sit here and let his arm go numb if he has to.

The second step is a little click of realization. It's familiar, overall, Eliot talking about a fire. None of the detail, nothing about the impossible way that this one worked, but-- ]

After you died.

[ It was part of the first conversation they had here, right after Eliot came back. Hardison remembers it less for being something that got mentioned and more for Eliot telling him that he didn't make it out of that one, either.

Why not throw another puzzle piece on the pile, Mathias?

Does it mean something that he saw it? It sure as hell can't be coincidence. ]

[sharker]

[ Hardison's arm around her shoulders helps too. She snuggles into his embrace immediately, unexpected tears pricking her tired, burning eyes. She just wants to curl up with them and sleep. But she can't.

Eliot had told her that he'd died, when he first came here. But not how. Nothing about any fire. She looks up, blinking back the unshed tears as she looks silently up at Eliot, waiting for him to explain.

And just watching him. Making sure he's okay. ]

[likeknives]

After I died.

[He looks guiltily at Parker, not wanting to make this worse, not wanting to scare either of them.

Still, talking about it meant remembering it and remembering it was...bad, and bad enough that he just lived it again moments ago. But maybe talking about it would help them figure something out, find a clue he might have missed.]

When I got...killed the first time, I woke up here, in Mathias, with other people--it was like this alternate version of it. [It still feels strange saying I died and I got killed.] We were all right for a bit, did some exploring and then this...this fire came, just like that. It chased us, like it was huntin' us. And it...got me. That's when I came back here, to this Mathias.

[ofthegeek]

[ Kind of Mathias to go in on a redo where they could all get chased off and rounded up by impossible, almost-sentient fire together as a family. Said no one ever, probably.

He won't pretend he's not glad it wasn't one of them alone, though. Or that the firsthand evidence couldn't potentially be useful. If it ever turns out there's something to it, or something to do about it, anyway. A lot of big ifs on the radar right now.

Eliot's probably not having a great time laying that all out. (Understatement. It's all ifs and understatements.) If the man was more of a routine hugger, Hardison would put one on offer. As it stands, he keeps that offer in his back pocket for the time being.

He doesn't dignify the fact that all of this is impossible with vocalization. They've been pretty far past impossible from day one. ]

I mean, there's no way that's a coincidence, right? It's gotta be connected.

[ Deadly afterlife fire beta testing before the official rollout? Somehow not the weirdest thing he's conceptualized. ] ]

[sharker]

[ Parker looks steadily back at Eliot when he glances at her. She doesn't like imagining it. But she knows what had happened, that he'd died, and more importantly, she knows he'd come back. She can stand hearing him talk about it.

She's just glad she'd never had to see it.

Eliot had, though. And he can't like talking about it either, even if he pushes through and tells them. Hardison can err on the side of respecting boundaries and personal space all he wants. Parker just reaches out and tugs Eliot closer, insistently, until they're all tangled together in a reassuring little pile. Until she almost feels safe. ]

Will it keep going?

[ The fire had seemed to stop of its own accord, as if there was an invisible boundary between the houses on the west side of town and the business district. But who can say that won't change? ]

What if this burns down too?

[conning]

For the time being, he's been set up near the entrance to Town Hall, on a selection of pillows and blankets pilfered from the decaying houses on the untouched side of town. He's got a blanket on himself, put there by someone he was too asleep to notice, and he's grateful for it. Somehow, even with the summer weather, he's got a chill.

He looks up at Parker and feels a wave of relief. Another person he wanted to check on but couldn't really manage right now. "Parker. You made it."

There's an ocean of relief in the words. He shivers a little, and then remembers with a twist of regret that the flower house is gone, along with all the progress he was making to the garden house on King. He closes his eyes for a second, trying not to be heartbroken about the latter. He's alive. His people are alive. That's the most important thing right now.

"I'm sorry you lost the flower house," he says quietly, for lack of a better thing to call it. "Once I'm up and around, maybe we can turn one of the rooms in the Town Hall or the school into a new one."

[sharker]

She hadn't expected him to bring it up himself. Maybe it's good that he had; she still hadn't figured out exactly how to break the news. But of course he knows already. Maybe he'd already gone back and checked. Maybe he'd already gotten over his disappointment in her. Realized and accepted that she'd let him down.

Parker freezes, equally taken back by the almost overwhelmming relief in Neal's expression when he sees her and with equally overwhelming guilt. She stalls for a moment, not sure how to react or what to say, and then looks down at the ground, miserable.

"I promised to keep it safe," she says quietly. "You gave it to me and I...I lost it." She hadn't even had a chance to show it to Hardison, to even decide if she wanted to or not.

Day 77

[likeknives]

Parker.

Parker!

[Eliot's voice comes loud, urgently, not exactly frantic but definitely more than worried.

It's the look on her face.

It's this whole damn town, but he knows the kind of damage this town can do and he's beside himself that despite all of his strength, he might not be able to protect them from it.

But that's not gonna happen, he promises himself. He's gonna protect them and they're gonna get out of here.]

You okay?

[sharker]

[ Okay is relative at the best of times for Parker, and this is far from the best of times. Every time she closes her eyes or lets her mind wander even a little she sees that blackness beyond the ravine, the nothingness that goes on and on forever.

Even once she finally hears Eliot, she just stares at him for a long few seconds, as if not sure who he is or what he's saying, before finally responding. ]

Eliot?

[ She says it too slowly, as if she's half-asleep, or hearing him from a long, long ways away. ]

[likeknives]

Hey.

[His voice is soft now, his brows furrowed with concern.]

Yeah, I'm here.

[He holds a hand out, not wanting to startle her, but offering his hand if she needed a steady touch.

Something bad has happened. It's clear in her reaction, the way she speaks, the way she stares. There's a flare of rage and fear all wrapped into something awful that sits in his gut, that makes the slightest waver in his tone, and a tight muscle in his jaw twitches. If whatever had hurt or scared her had a face, he would have punched it right there.]

I'm here, Parker.

[sharker]

[ She can hear him, and it sounds like Eliot. It looks like Eliot, but other things here had looked like Eliot, too. And they weren't.

She doesn't flinch away, but she doesn't immediately reach out for the hand he offers, instead studying him almost curiously. Detached, as though she's not really there. ]

Are you real?

[likeknives]

I'm real.

[He doesn't think the question's weird at all. No, it's actually a good question.

But whatever she just went through to make her say that...he's so sorry he couldn't protect her from it.

He keeps his hand out anyway, just in case.]

I promise I'm real.

[sharker]

[ But she just nods, turning away to gaze back into the woods again. It almost looks like she's in danger of wandering back there again, if Eliot doesn't stop her. ]

They're not real anymore.

They walked off the edge and now they don't exist.

[likeknives]

[He suddenly goes very quiet and cold and still, though if she decides to run back to the woods he's going to throw himself in front of her.]

Hey, Parker...were you by the ravine?

[sharker]

[ She doesn't answer. But maybe her lack of any reaction, the way she keeps looking into the woods, is enough of an answer in itself.

Eventually, she does speak, though whether or not it's in response to his question is unclear. ]

Forever. Like space. But no stars. Nothing forever.

[ And then it's as though a switch has been flipped. She turns back to him suddenly, eyes focusing on him at last, grabbing his shirt with both hands as she looks frantically up at him. ]

You can't leave, Eliot! You have to stay here!

[likeknives]

[If this was back home, if this was a...normal place he's sure he could come up with something to help Parker. Some advice, something steady, something to hold onto.

But how can you come up with something to hold onto in an endless abyss? When you felt like you were on the precipice of nothing at all?]

I won't leave.

[Maybe the best he can do is be here, right now.]

I promise I'm not gonna leave you, Parker. Okay? This place couldn't get rid of me, and it tried. I'm still here.

[sharker]

[ The reassurance helps some. But not enough. Enough people have disappeared, temporarily or permanently, to make her scared. Even Eliot can't punch his way out of something like that, right?

But he's right. He's still here. She keeps her hands clenched tight in his shirt, letting herself feel the texture of it. Feel that Eliot's real. ]

You can't leave.

[ Her tone is quieter now, subdued. ]

There's nothing else left.

Day 77

[citharede]

[Athena sees Parker wandering at a distance and her own instincts immediately drive her toward the other woman. That vacancy is bad. No question. When Parker looks up, says "What?" to empty air, Athena bites her lip with worry.]

Parker? Are you okay?

[sharker]

[ She's not, clearly. Parker's gaze drifts over and eventually lands on Athena. She just looks at her for a moment, and then smiles in recognition. Maybe she's okay after all? ]

Athena.

There's someone here who worships you.