![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
MARCH EVENT LOG
At midnight on March 1st, a rolling lightning storm hits Yogen. Thunder crackles, and strikes of Anvil Crawler lighting can be seen lighting up the sky; anyone paying attention to the courtyard may see the explosive strike of lightning hitting the wisteria tree. Petals scatter throughout the air and are carried off in every direction by the wind...
As the month goes on the school will start to look even more barren. As the month goes on, several students start to disappear, with rumors spreading here and there about students disappearing after entering the forest. Those rumors twist and warp, and within just a few days there are rumors of a witch in the forest. But it's not a witch, nor a ghost, or anything else, but a dream, and those who enter will find themselves reminded of such by a soothing voice, the voice of a person they're familiar with, speaking gently in their ears:
"You are dreaming... They have always led and will always lead you here... Remind yourself, this is a dream..."
The world shifts subtly. There are gravestones marking the pathway now, and before long the forest is replaced by a completely new scene. A voice reminds you once more that this is a dream, and that you have always been here. You have always been led to this place. But where is this place? It's the world of a player character. It's nothing more than a snapshot in time. It might be one that they wish to escape, or perhaps a warm memory of a time that they wish to return to, but it is always an important memory to the character.
Whichever it is, the only way is to move forward. As characters move through the memory, characters will soon notice a snake and holly tattoo that spreads over their body will be. It starts small, a clump on one's back, but will spread across all parts of a character's body. It will reach the neck and face last, killing them upon reaching the eyes. As the curse spreads, they will notice changes in the dream including hallucinations, hearing lullabies, and shades that pursue them. They will also notice increased exhaustion and lethargy.
Upon reaching the end of the memory, they will find a glowing ball of light representative of a lost student's soul. Finding the soul will lead to both characters awakening at the edge of the forest, and the character who had been dreaming will be covered with the tattoo for a brief moment before it disappears.
Those who entered the dream may hear that same voice from before that tugs at their mind as the dream fades away:
"Remind yourself, this is a dream, and soon you will awaken. But you are here, as you always have been, and as you always will be... Soon, you will wonder where you were, and each moment after, will bring you here..."
The world shifts subtly. There are gravestones marking the pathway now, and before long the forest is replaced by a completely new scene. A voice reminds you once more that this is a dream, and that you have always been here. You have always been led to this place. But where is this place? It's the world of a player character. It's nothing more than a snapshot in time. It might be one that they wish to escape, or perhaps a warm memory of a time that they wish to return to, but it is always an important memory to the character.
Whichever it is, the only way is to move forward. As characters move through the memory, characters will soon notice a snake and holly tattoo that spreads over their body will be. It starts small, a clump on one's back, but will spread across all parts of a character's body. It will reach the neck and face last, killing them upon reaching the eyes. As the curse spreads, they will notice changes in the dream including hallucinations, hearing lullabies, and shades that pursue them. They will also notice increased exhaustion and lethargy.
Upon reaching the end of the memory, they will find a glowing ball of light representative of a lost student's soul. Finding the soul will lead to both characters awakening at the edge of the forest, and the character who had been dreaming will be covered with the tattoo for a brief moment before it disappears.
Those who entered the dream may hear that same voice from before that tugs at their mind as the dream fades away:
✽ Dreams may be whoelsale memories, or they may be more akin to dreamscapes based on a person's memories or mental state.
✽ The holly pattern represents the pain of love and aches of the heart, while the snake represents the yearning for the dead that consume a person.
✽ The tattoos will be blue or red.
✽ Characters may be drawn into the forest more than once, or require multiple memories to be gone through before reappearing. In those cases, the character who had gone through the initial memory will simply wake up in the forest alone.
✽ Characters who hear the voice upon leaving the dream will be more susceptible to entering and being lost in the forest.
✽ Anyone who is not rescued by the end of the month will be found at the edge of the forest. The tattoo will cover their body and stop just short of their eyes. It will disappear within an hour, but they will be exhausted for the rest of the day.
✽ The holly pattern represents the pain of love and aches of the heart, while the snake represents the yearning for the dead that consume a person.
✽ The tattoos will be blue or red.
✽ Characters may be drawn into the forest more than once, or require multiple memories to be gone through before reappearing. In those cases, the character who had gone through the initial memory will simply wake up in the forest alone.
✽ Characters who hear the voice upon leaving the dream will be more susceptible to entering and being lost in the forest.
✽ Anyone who is not rescued by the end of the month will be found at the edge of the forest. The tattoo will cover their body and stop just short of their eyes. It will disappear within an hour, but they will be exhausted for the rest of the day.
no subject
[ ...Wait. What in the actual hell?
There were multiple things wrong here-- in his haze, he thought for a split second that it could've been her. The voice isn't right, the words don't seem correct. It felt like it could be a dream, in the way that certain features don't truly add up in them.
He takes two steps towards the screen, fists balled up at his side. He's barely even noticed the streaks of blood, focused on what he's looking at. If whoever was doing that voice wanted him good and pissed off, they're off to a great start. ]
I can't make you out at all. Show yourself.
[ His voice is firm, steady. Not sure what he'd even do if the answer presents itself, but someone's poking around and he's not having it. ]
no subject
[The mask falls, the voice now sounding like... nothing at all. An absence. Negative space. Words falling into place on a screen. The screen flickers, the static disappearing to show a silhouette that is perhaps familiar... a white-outlined silhouette as if lit from behind. It leans forward from the surface, gives a small wave, fingers going down and up on a delay.]
Hiya. Hey, while you're here, here's a question. It's always good to start conversations with a question, right? Breaks the ice.
[The figure tilts it's head.]
Who d'you think has it worse, the person someone will do anything for, or the person doing anything for them?
no subject
This bastard-- ]
You already broke the ice when you decided to make that voice, asshole.
[ But, fine. If it'll get him closer to what he wants-- ]
It's the person doing anything for someone. They'll claim that there's no boundaries to what they'll do, and constantly find that pushed. Does that settle your question?
no subject
Normally he'd have had a little demonstration here, but budgets, you know. Teaching is so underfunded these days.]
Sure does! You have to wonder why celebrities say fame isn't all it's cracked up to be, huh? So hard... having all those hearts and minds... It keeps turning into a tedious argument... and nobody gets anywhere like that.
[Divided, in two, constantly torn on any issue... you can't move forward if you're in a deadlock!]
Ahaha, of course... whoever has the most on their side is who wins! So looks like the people who will do anything have it better... because they'll all agree they do.
[The shadow tips it's head to one side.]
Ain't that right, Mister Suspicious Student Council?
no subject
It was still something that he felt he should live up to, regardless. The pressure might be off in this school, but that didn't mean he could rest. Especially when he had to deal with so much over the past couple of months. ]
The measure of that fame is what you do with it. It's easy to want it that badly, but you have to hold yourself up to a different standard.
[ Which, he starts to realize the depressing reality in. ]
Whether you use that to lord that position over others or use it to help the less fortunate. Or, as you say, to gain favor and have a loyal gang at their side.
no subject
[What is power, when you get right down to it? Is it just the ability to be selfish? The figure leans forward, settling into a comfortable position.]
Here's a new question then: How do you tell the difference? Take this. Two people saying they're doing something for your good, they're helping you. And they do! Pretty nice, right? One says 'I helped you, so you owe me later', and the other says 'I helped you, but you don't need to do anything.' Which one do you think is the nice one? Which one do you think is the liar?
[There's... some interesting scars on Shin.]
no subject
[ Fairly interesting, after all. It doesn't take him that long however, to answer his second question. ]
Nice is subjective, but looking at it on its face, the liar is usually the second person. It would be easier to say that there's no need to reciprocate, but they would be quick to bring it up when they need a favor.
Still, that depends on their character. You wouldn't know if they're telling the truth until they bring it up again.
no subject
[Present circumstances notwithstanding... they do make this sort of thing trickier don't they, turning death into maiming and forgetting into death.]
I see, I see. It's always the ones trying to put you at ease, isn't it? That's the way the world works! Only being able to tell a trap by putting your foot in it and hoping it doesn't close... life is rough for sheep, huh.
[The silhouette tilts it's head, as if listening, assessing, then leans forward on the base of the screen, arms folded, one lowering to search in an invisible pocket before withdrawing to reveal a small blue diamond-shaped prism held between thumb and forefinger. It feels... flat, unreal, more like a shape rather than a physical object, and the shadow examines it like a jeweller, holding it up and tilting it back and forth.]
Ahaha, one more question and I'll let you go... Shirogane. Which one are you?
[You're here, after all. Went into the woods for a reason, and haven't walked away for a reason.]
no subject
[ That question was absolutely outside of what he was thinking. The concept of being a general in a war-- while sure, it often felt that way, nothing was quite as serious as sending someone to their death. Nor was there a reason to feel like he had to take the bullet for anyone.
Still, between being a person and a sheep... of course, he felt it in his heart, buried deep. Miyuki Shirogane, in his mind, was hardly a suitable leader. He still had too many flaws, hardly truly commanded the respect of his peers that he had amongst the student body during his life. Even that was falling by the wayside as it came to his own student council.
And yet, he was still capable of making his own decisions. Able to direct a crowd to pay attention to someone's ideals, after they'd been unable to communicate them. Right. Even if he wasn't at this high school... ]
I'd lay down my life before I ask that of anyone else.
[ So he says. It's most likely bullshit, but that's how he feels in the moment. ]