PHASE I [ day one ] Now, hopefully you’re not the type who takes their sweet time waking up. You’ve once again been dumped into a random part of the jungle but there’s really no opportunity for you to relax. You’ll quickly find that you’ve been lumped into two groups: the Unlucky and the Extremely Unlucky.
For the Unlucky, you’re going to feel your equilibrium just about ready to go as soon as you open your eyes. You’ve barely been caught on the edge of a cliff, resting on the slope and the slightest movement could send you careening over the edge. Get it together, grab the edge before you end up with the others—
The Extremely Unlucky have been dumped unceremoniously right into a pit of quicksand. The more they struggle, the more they sink, and they can feel the thrum of energy in their veins of what appears to be the very ground itself welcoming them into its embrace. What’s that? You’re not ready to go yet? Well better hope that the Unlucky get it together in time to save you.
PHASE II [ day one ] Occidi still remains nowhere to be found, but those of the earth affiliation will find themselves imbued with a natural sense of direction and where to go. It’s as if the very ground beneath their feet has been marked with an unseen path and they automatically know to follow it in a certain direction. But where are they going? Who knows.
Those brave enough to follow will find themselves led to a hole in the wall – literally a giant carved out tunnel into the face of a cliff side. Just be careful, it’s rather dark inside. Anyone who wanders in will find themselves going up, down, apparently in spirals and it’s hard to say whether you’re below or above sea level anymore. Yet it’s hard to mind since the walls of the place are lined with beautiful, reflective crystals that gently emit their own light. It’s a natural wonder—
Up until you touch one of them anyway. Coming into contact with one of the crystals will lead to its intense amplification of the vibration. It shakes. It shakes and shakes and shakes violently and – what’s that sound? The sound of the tunnel collapsing behind you? Ah. Better run then.
Try to avoid any of the holes or unstable ground or cliffs. Who knew spelunking could be so dangerous?
PHASE III [ day two ] Occidi is finally seen again out in the forest and it’s made clear that the invisible path that the travelers were drawn to was meant to lead to her. She nods once in acknowledgment of your progress and then turns and continues to walk. She will not answer questions if called out to. It will not take long for it to sink in that the entire forest is quiet, there is nothing stirring in this part.
At least, until characters look too long as the trees. Then, it all begins to slowly come alive. The leaves shake gently as the trees wake up out of their slumber, their roots stretching gently out of the ground as they rouse, and the groan of their trunks as they move slowly in response to Occidi’s presence.
They do not answer questions, but they speak freely. They whisper, “All will return to Occidi” and “The Bridge has come back to us”. They inquire, “But where are your families?” and “What are you?” Yet they continue to muse to themselves, mumbling at passersby without answering their responding questions.
Walk quickly. Those who dawdle for too long, looking to make conversation with the trees or otherwise, will begin to suffer from hallucinations of seeing their families within the forest, gravely injured. The hallucinations stumble and grab onto each character, begging them, “Don’t leave me.”
And you really don't want to stay in that forest when night falls, or you probably won't ever come back out -- but there will be one more moving, whispering tree amongst the forest.
There are hints that there are people living here, but it is impossible to find them amongst the moving, writhing branches and ushering trees; you may catch a glimpse of wide eyes from a greenish face beneath leafy hair if you look, but they'll disappear quickly soon afterwards, protected by the trees. It seems they've heard about a little happening in the jungle and they're not all too willing to chat now.
PHASE IV [ day three ] Finally, finally Occidi will come to a stop deep in the forested areas. Here, there are buildings made out of tree branches, perfectly built so as to not harm the trees or their surroundings. It's clearly a central village area, though there are still no people to be found, and the village itself is a bit of a mess; with scraps of metal scattered around the clearing, and burn marks on the trees.
Occidi won't answer any questions as to that, merely saying “Mine once lived here. But look at what was done to the others…. Not even the help of others could salvage what happened here.” Her normally level and tempered voice carries a string of anger.
Without another word, she disappears, leaving all here in the area. There are heaps of sheet metal scattered amongst the debris. After enough digging, one will be found bearing the emblem of CERES.
On the other hand, poking around the village itself might yield something interesting; deeper into the jungle, in an old, building made next to a giant tree, there appears to be a shrine of some sort. There is nothing odd about that, of course. But the shrine is covered in what was once old blood, and there are crude knives stacked on the shelves around it.
But there's nobody here to answer any questions about that.
Welcome to your new home.
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Welcome to Cerealia's October event! Please visit the OOC information here, and should you have any questions, feel free to ask them here! You can also check the FAQ for more general inquiries. This event will last for the month of October, or IC 3/15 to 3/30. This log will last from 10/15 to 10/22 or IC 3/22 to 3/26. Should this event log hit Captcha, there is an all-purpose overflow here.
There are 36 characters with the element of earth.
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ii
Apparently so. [ a frown. ] ... I don't think it's safe. I can hear rock shifting in there.
Re: ii
You can hear that in there? You think it's unstable?
no subject
I can't be certain... Caves and rockslides aren't something I have any experience with. But something doesn't sound right to me.
[ and his ears are pretty good. ]
no subject
You think we have to go in there anyway? Or is there a way around?
no subject
I don't know. If we walked for long enough, perhaps we could go around... How long that journey would take, I don't know. [ frown. ] On the other hand, it'd be preferable to being crushed by falling debris.
no subject
....
[What if Haru was on the other side of this cave though? Could Dotanuki really risk leaving his side for a week after spending so long underwater?]
We have to go through. You have your weapon with you, don't you?
no subject
He just hopes he doesn't regret going with it. ]
Yes. [ an additional affirmation is given by his tapping his cane against the ground once or twice. ] Though our enemy is mother nature, and I doubt she'll be much harmed by blades.
no subject
Dotanuki draws his weapon and steps forward, glancing over at Zara.]
I can trust you to watch my back?
no subject
I'll do what I can. I must warn you that I can't see terribly well in the dark.
[ ... not any worse than Doutanuki can, probably, but he comes from a world of cats and wolves that are as able during the night as they are during the day, so it seems worth mentioning, to him. ]
no subject
[He takes a breath and steps forward, entering the cave. There's a dim light in here, emanating from rocks embedded in the walls, but it's still not enough to really see by. After a few steps, Doutanuki pauses and squints into the tunnel ahead.]
Looks like it keeps going down for awhile. Last chance to turn back.
no subject
... Well, we've made our choice, I suppose. Let's not travel half-heartedly, [ Zara responds; rather than confident, he sounds resolved to this path. Even if they didn't decide to go in, he feels like they would have ended up here anyway. ]
What's a "tantou?"
no subject
[The feeling of the rock hanging over his head makes him unconsciously hunch lower. He doesn't like being underground. It reminds him too much of the decades he spent unused and rusting in warehouses, gathering dust, unwanted. Being here with the barest light illuminating their path, it brings back memories he doesn't want to have - enough that he almost misses the question.]
...Huh? [He looks back at Zara, processing what he heard.] Oh, uh, they're a kind of short sword. Usually used for protecting fancy lords. Them and wakizashi have pretty good night vision.
no subject
Ah, I see. Like a personal dagger... of sorts. [ except a human. ] They have human forms like you do, as well?
no subject
[He can see the tunnel is starting to curve downward and it sends a shiver up his spine. Down means they'll be heading closer to the sound of the rock shifting, and closer to the chance that they'll get trapped here. The tension causes his hands to curl into fists, but he keeps going.]
What about you? Do all people where you come from have animal parts?
no subject
Zara shakes his head. ]
No, there are Huma - humans, that is - as well. They have no beast form, no tails, and small, round ears... as you know, I suppose. But we beastmen treat them as equals nonetheless. Since the human image is what we all have in common, most of us believe we're all connected in some way.
no subject
Are there fewer of them than you? The beastmen?
no subject
[ there are certainly fewer Rabitz than Huma, but he has to imagine that they're outnumbered by the Katze and Hund and Ratte... ]
Is that strange?
no subject
I guess it's no stranger than anything else I've heard here.
[He stops as the tunnel starts to get darker and squints.]
Looks like it gets deeper from here on. Might want to take a light with us. You got anything?
no subject
... Unfortunately, no. When I arrived here, I didn't have my supply case with me. Do you?
[ or else they're going to go into this in the dark... hard mode engaged. ]
no subject
Dotanuki shakes his head at the question.]
Swords don't really carry around fire with 'em. [A lot of them would flip out if they did.]
Maybe we try to pry out one a' these rocks an' take it with us?