TIAMAT EVENT (CARETAKER)

[soulping]

( as you venture inside, you see clear signs of . . . something. there's more fur, more blood, more metal, and the air seems thicker.

the blue liquid trail leads you to. . .

a huge hole of darkness.

the air around it is warped, strange, almost like it isn't truly there at all. you don't get a good look at it before it sucks you inside. you do, however, definitely catch sight of the giant sigil that's been scratched into the floor. it may be familiar to some of you.

then—

you're falling. falling, falling, falling, but there is no ground in sight. there is only darkness and the faint glow of blue liquid trickling downward. it's quiet here, so quiet that you can only hear the thoughts inside of your own head and the steady drip of liquid.

ᴅʀɪᴘ DRIP ᴅʀɪᴘ DRIP ᴅʀɪᴘ.

then there is PAIN. it starts in your chest and sears its way across your limbs like a wildfire. it hurts, it hurts, it hurts. it hurts so bad that your vision tints red and all the thoughts sap from your head. you are alone with nothing but the sound of dripping and the sound of your body contorting. pop. snap. your body is changing, but you can't register any of it. you only know pain. it's enough to make one wish for the sweet release of death.

it feels like it goes on for years, one smeared eternity of blinding hurt. it hurts, it hurts, it hurts so fucking much! there's nothing you wouldn't do to stop it! nothing, nothing, nothing!

thankfully, you don't have to.

it all fades away like nothing as soon as your paws touch the ground. you feel better! great, in fact! strong as a hundred men and faster than any wildcat.

you let out a impressive snarl before finally blacking out. maybe that was all a bit too much? )

Comments

b R e A t H e

[munify]

( remember that part where the pain faded away? turns out that was a lie, but only sort of. there's a dull ache in your limbs as you wake up on the cold floor of a cathedral. you know this place.



you're groggy and your limbs feel heavy, you're so big now, but there is someone else here. she's kneeling down near all of you, gently holding a lantern in her hands. she smiles at you, but you're not sure if she can even see you. )

I apologise. I would prefer that you did not wake up on the floor, but I could not carry you any further.

Re: b R e A t H e

[fuhrinkaed]

[plz hold your nerd needs to restart.]

Ugh... Woah. That was a little intense.

You... you transformed us?

Re: b R e A t H e

[tatsumi_textiles]

[ That hurts. That hurt then and it hurts now, and something's wrong, but there was something else, something important- ]

Where is he?

Re: b R e A t H e

[carptricks]

[U M]

[give him a moment he is staring at his hands-- paws???-- with a very ??? expression]

Who. . .?

[and then he glances up at the woman, his half-question clearly directed at her]

Re: b R e A t H e

[wakeupsheeple]

[ laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs and ]

Re: b R e A t H e

[suzinkazan]

[This doesn't feel good. She needs a second to reset, especially considering being so much bigger.. messes with all her perceptions.]

W-what?

Re: b R e A t H e

[withmyownfists]

[ well. his place... certainly seems familiar. even if everything hurts and seems somehow wrong and off. ]

No, I'm... Sorry, did I pass out?

[ trying to pick herself up already tbh ]

Re: b R e A t H e

[likebigboats]

Were you hoping to put me in your bed instead?

[Healthy ways to deflect focus from all the pain.]

i N h A l E

[munify]

( down the winding stairs, you once again enter near darkness. the only light you have the faint blue emanating from your lantern pendant. at the end of the hallway, you see a large intricate golden door.



as you approach, you hear a soft voice whispering to you. )

Answers, answers, answers! Don't you want an^sw_ers? I wish for answers! Answer me, answer me, answer me! Answer my questions! Hee-HEE! But you must agree on the answer! As a group! No discord, no discord!

F I R S T

[munify]

How are ale and love just the same? Just the saaaame?

ANSWER (1)

[munify]

Yes? Yes? What did you decide?

S E C O N D

[munify]

I have two hands! Twoooo! But I only ever keep them on my face! What am I? Yes, yes?

ANSWER (2)

[munify]

You know, yes? Yessssss?

T H I R D

[munify]

Once more, once more! A nightmare for some, blessing for others! They do know that I judge them all equally! If I am not death, who am I? Who?

ANSWER (3)

[munify]

Easy, isn't it? Hee-HEE!

e X h a L e

[munify]

( the gatekeeper has accepted your answers and the golden doors swing open to welcome you inside. too bad inside only amounts to three steps before you are greeted with another door. this door is much unlike the other. it is simple and boring, almost forgettable with its simple design and black paint.

on the door, there is a sigil. you just saw this before, didn't you? )

Oh, yes!! Another door, another test! Come, come! You must continue your quest! This time I only ask for one thing! One thing!

( blue letters appear in the air before you. they are all the letter n. )



That is it!! That is the answer! Now do it, do it swiftly!

think think THINK THINK

[munify]

It has to do with the mark! The mark! So look close! Look cloooosely!

ANSWER!

[munify]

What am I asking from you? Yesss? You know? You knoooooow!

h O L d

[munify]

Yes, yes! You are most correct! The best kind of correct!


( as your fingers trace along the sigil, the black doors slowly pull apart. it leads to a brightly illuminated room. finally! you are out of the dark and able to see things clearly again. you have entered a stone room with stone columns where the floors, walls, and those aforementioned columns are all decorated with the same sharp blue. thin swirls that spread out across everything like vines. most importantly, at the back of the small room is a tiny altar. it is filled with candles alight with blue flames, countless parchment with messy elvish scrawled across them, and glass trinkets as offering.

in the right corner, the shadows seem especially large. )

Re: h O L d

[tatsumi_textiles]

[ Ochre makes a beeline for the shadows in the far corner. ]

Re: h O L d

[suzinkazan]

[Nnnnghh....]

Wonderful.

Re: h O L d

[carptricks]

[Ochre goes for the shadows, and Kaito goes for the altar. he's learned a bit of Elvish from Clover, maybe he can translate some of these writings]

d E F E n d

[munify]

( you trigger something and the deep shadow from the corner finally uncurls itself. the ground trembles as it steps forward, steps into the light. it is a towering white wolf.

one that you may know as THE CARETAKER. he seems much less friendly than his usual self, gold eyes scanning the room and everyone in it. from his back, he removes a sword almost as large as him and brandishes towards the party. )

Come.

( he says, blade high, and waiting. )

PLAYER REACTION

[munify]

a t T A C k

[munify]

SssSSss^ssssooooo eaassSS_Sssssy is it? You were supposed to F i G h T!

( there is a loud hiss from the shadows, a voice booming with anger and indignance. it is so furious. so, so, so furious. how did this happen? this was not supposed to play out like this! the shadows begin to swirl, twisting and contorting to take on a new form. it begins a wolf with bright blue eyes. )

Kill your friends, dog! Kill your friends, kill your friends, KILL YOUR FRIENDS!

( it continues to distort into something unrecognisable. it growls and hisses as it looks down everyone present. )

Pathetic! P a T h E T i C!! I shall show you how, you overgrown HOUSE PET!

PLAYER REACTION

[munify]

ʞϽO⊥ ʞϽI⊥

[munify]

( with a heavy sigh, the caretaker kneels down to press his paws against his face. )

I am sorry. Truly, I am very sorry for putting all of you through this. I cannot say that enough, but—

( looking around at them. )

Thank you. I am glad you were here with me.

I am sure we have much to discuss! And I ought to properly reward you for a glorious victory! Ah, yes! I will restore your original forms as well as tend to your wounds, please believe that! However, we must depart from here quickly.

( reaching forward, he carves a sigil into the ground. it's there only for a moment, flashing bright blue, before opening up into another hole. he doesn't leave you much say in the matter because the hole is already sucking you inside. )