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Runes: The Forest A play-by-post fantasy/horror *narrative* campaign for five players. Players: • Cloacamazing! as THE ARTIST • Grandicap as THE DAREDEVIL • Shellception as THE JOURNALIST • bifauxnen as THE PEN PAL • wologar as THE LOCAL _________________________ Sign-up thread can be found here. Anyone who wishes to spectate is still welcome to join! Discord link is in the sign-up thread. Mechanics: Oracle deck:  During worldbuilding, this very cool crow oracle deck will be used to provide some story inspiration and talking points for your characters. I will ask the players or spec chat periodically to choose a card out of a spread of face-down cards. If you're short on inspiration, players are free to ask me (or spec chat) to draw a card, or multiple cards, for them at any point in the game. The cards work like prompts, and are not meant to indicate successes/failures. There's no wrong way to go during worldbuilding, so take creative liberties — if you're out of ideas, or if there's anything you need/want, just ask! Runecasting:    Onyx (black), bloodstone, carnelian (orange), and aventurine (green) runes will be used for casting. The amethyst (purple) runes will be added into the other sets for balance. The primary way of determining successes/failures in this game will be casting runestones which have a chance of landing "face-up" or "face-down" in any combination. Five runestones will be used in each cast unless otherwise stated, and the success rate is determined by the number of "face-up" runes: • 0-1 "face-up" runes is a critical failure • 2 "face-up" runes is a soft failure • 3-4 "face-up" runes is a success • 5 "face-up" runes is a critical success There are 25 runes in each set, including 24 alphabetic runes and 1 blank. The blank always counts as "face-down". If you draw a blank runestone, it will be removed in your next cast as compensation (i.e. you will be guaranteed not to draw the blank). If you cast a critical success, it will count as a regular success. Additionally, you will be granted a one-time use "guaranteed success" for any future cast you choose. I will ask you which set you want to use when a runecast is required. Note that for balance purposes, each set may contain a couple of runes from the purple (amethyst) set. Trust me, this will improve your odds! But if you really want to play on hard mode for some reason, you can ask me to take out the purple runes. Characters: The character archetypes are listed in the sign-up thread, along with some questions to help you get started on character development. You may post your character sheet (name, summary if you want, image if you want, and answers to the questions) in this thread. Additionally, you may want to agree on where you're sitting in the taxi as we start the game — it's an SUV, so there are two seats in the row behind the driver, and two more seats in the back (three if you count the middle). For THE LOCAL and THE PEN PAL: you are free to send letters back and forth during worldbuilding to establish your relationship with each other. For THE LOCAL: if you want to RP a scene in the village while waiting for the others to arrive, you're welcome to. I will respond accordingly to set the scene, and throw in some NPCs if you want interaction. RP intro will be posted once all character sheets (or placeholders) have been posted! WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 10:48 on Apr 10, 2023 |
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Nov 21, 2022 11:25
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Cassandra Ca$$-Money Miller Cass is on her 3rd gap year from her communications major, she took the time off to explore the world and just never stopped. The first year and a half were great, she backpacked across Europe, stayed in hostels, went to South America and hiked the jungles and the mountains, and then the money started running out. So she went on the internet, threw up a gofundme and begged. And to her surprise, it worked. It worked really well. Her stretch goals were all extreme sports related, skydiving, bungee jumping, and it really drove engagement. She opened a Discord and a YouTube channel to document her journey, and her next stunt and never looked back. What really started bumping her up in popularity was when she started putting up 2 day twitter polls with what she was going to do next, and doing and going there without hesitation, dropping into unfamiliar places, with unfamiliar challenges and just winging it. Because of this background, she has really upped her EDC (Every Day Carry), to be prepared for every eventuality, but more times than not she also ignores risk and danger if she thinks she can get a good shot. Her follower count is approaching 100K and she needs to hit that to feel like leaving school was worth it. She craves the validation, and adulation, of people she's never met, and doesn't realize yet that it won't fill the hole in her soul. Personality wise, she is happy and bubbly when she is streaming, or trying to get one of those TikTok drinks for exposure, but when the cameras are off she doesn't hide her entitled side. Questions • You were told nobody wanders outside the village at night, for unspecified reasons. Unfortunately, the daylight hours are short, and the nights are long — and the daredevil in you urges you to try your luck. Do you believe in superstition, or do you think you're ready for anything, with the right preparation? I wouldn't say that I'm superstitious, but I am a believe that we don't know everything about our surroundings. I believe in ghosts, but in the benevolent spirit kind. Just people who died with a strong attachment to a place, and then their spirit kind of lingers there, you know? They let go eventually, but I think their goal is to share with the world the things they loved, and its our fault for not seeing and understanding them. If I open myself to the universe I'm sure what the universe gives back to me will be filled with the same love and kindness I exude. And on the other side of the coin, if I put out negative energy, which I'm trying to keep in check, negative energy is what is going to come back to me. That being said, preparation is key, I make sure my EDC is stocked whenever I go out, your intention affects your action. So I guess, both? I think I'm ready for anything as long as I keep my intentions focused, but that doesn't mean I don't prepare for any given circumstance. A failure to plan is a plan destined for failure. • What are your expectations for this trip — are you an outdoor enthusiast looking for a cool place to explore, or are you mostly here to dig into the eerie side of the stories? I think this trip will be great to expand my brand. Extreme-Tourism is where I have been so far, and I've gotten a decent following, but I think I'm ready to crack 100K followers, and this place is untapped potential. I think I can fund this trip completely on exposure. This sleepy town is about to wake up and they'll have me to thank for it! Where are you sitting? Back row, left side to get the natural lighting, also setting up my ring light and backup battery bank, getting ready to stream an intro, riddled with factual inaccuracies, about this little town and why I diverted here, and what I have planned.
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Nov 21, 2022 14:25
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Samuel Skíðblaðnir Karlsson Samuel Karlsson, humble servant of the Lord, at your service. I was born and raised in Skogen, a beautiful village close to nature and some sites of historic import. My kinsmen stubbornly cling to the old ways, those of Freyr and Freyja, but I know in my heart that they will see the truth in time. I'm also an embroiderer by trade. Do not huck your cloth! Bring it to my shop! Eh, got to make a living. • What is the reason you've never travelled outside the village? Have you ever told your pen pal? Skogen is home to the holy church of St. Philimine. Every stave has been blessed by Pope Gregorius VII himself. I've taken it upon myself to protect its sacred walls from forest indignities. However, this town is full of heathens! It makes me sick to see them uphold their demon worshipping ways. But, they are family and I love them. My attempts to guide them to the light take most of my strength, but I will not renege my duty. For years I have tried to seek aid from bishops to lead our brothers and sisters out of barbarism. They do not answer. Could it be that the entire country has been beset by the Devil's machinations? I weep at the thought. In desperation, I began to send letters to everyone I could. I went through mailing lists and newspaper ads. I even wrote to a radio station once. Amongst mockery and insults, some virtuous people replied to me and began to call me their 'pen pal'. They don't seem terribly interested in joining my pious fight but at least they don't share the demon worship that infests Skogen. Thus, I have kept in touch. • About three years ago, a newlywed couple arrived to spend their honeymoon here, but they left in a hurry after just one night. You suspect the forest spirits don't take kindly to outsiders. Have you left any offerings to appease them this time, or have you chosen to wait and see what happens when the newcomers arrive? Forest spirits!? Nonsense! There are no spirits, just demons. Yes, they are very real. But they're no mylings or vätten or whatever names my kinsmen give them. Demons enjoy taking known forms, those of myth and tradition, to make themselves recognizable and lead us away from the Lord. That newlywed couple must have not known how to deal with them, Lord bless them. It is most useful to know the ancient stories to protect yourself from demonic guile, so I'm well informed on folk lore. Some kinsmen even ask me about the "spirits" when they need to deal with one. Ha! Rest assured, I will never provide these demons with "offerings"; just bait and wards. 
wologar fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Dec 27, 2022 |
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Nov 21, 2022 16:34
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Gabriel T. Sobol  Some people live with their head in the clouds - for young Gabriel, though, his was more drawn towards the darkness, and whathever lurked there. An avid reader since primary school, he'd devour any mystery and terror stories he could get ahold of. Which were actually a lot, by virtue of actually being the third son of a well-meaning librarian that loved having the kid around and controlled instead of running around in the street. Inherited or borrowed, or just bought with his allowance, young Gab soon got a whole head of dark stories boiling inside him, begging to be let out. He began to write as a teen, mostly the awkward stuff that doesn't really get shown to anybody; but he soon gained the confidence to enter, and even win, a few school writing contests. He knew full well writing would not pay the bills, though, so when the time came, he chose to pursue a career in journalism - which finally led him to a local reporter position for a medium-sized newspaper. Not much, but getting a first-place seat to the latest crime investigations made up for all the time spent writing pieces about the new road tax system. And it also helped keep filling his head with ideas, of course. Some of those were even published, under various pseudonyms, in not-too-bad magazines. Now out on holiday, he knows where he wants to go. A colleague with roots near there tipped him about all the good stuff that just kept happening - most of it too strange to be told to anyone else, but Gab was the perfect intended audience for those stories. He put together a small fund and, when holiday season came, well, there wasn't much of a question, was it? What's your reputation as a reporter: are you a hotshot, or are you an underdog? Are there any fellow journalists that you're hoping to rival or impress with your upcoming story? I guess I stand on that grey zone where I am not the office coffee boy, but also, no journalist ever became famous by doing pieces on some rich old lady's lost dog, you know? I'm not important enough that anybody would want to compete with me, though I hope I will be soon! Also, this is just a job for me - my real call is to get to know what really is out there that we're not being told about. Finding out about mysteries, and what lies underneath - that's my dream job! If I can impress some people with my research skills, well, I will not say no! When doing research into the local folklore, you found out that there is a small temple in the woods dedicated to the old gods, that the locals sometimes present offerings to. What's the strangest offering you read about? Oh, man. Yeah, you check those touristy webpages, they show you all those pics of shrines cowered in flowers and little animal figurines and all that jazz. Tourist trap fluff, all of it. The real offerings they won't tell you about, and lemme tell you - it's real dark stuff. The Old Gods aren't the sort to appreciate plushies, they prefer the blood and bone type of offerings, if you catch my drift. A blood offering is a serious thing. It is a deal, one you don't get to walk out of so easily, y'know? So there are those kinda stones, they look like your regular pebbles, except they're black, they said it's some kind of meteorite stone I think? Anyway you take seven of them, you engrave them with specific signs, and then you drop some of your blood in them, and that's the pact. They say the rocks drink the blood... and then you offer them at the altar side up, and every rock is a wish, and every time you use up one, one rock turns face down - when the last rock turns, the pact is sealed... I hope I get to see them... Where are you sitting? Middle row, behind the copilot's seat. Gotta see everything clearly! Shellception fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Nov 21, 2022 |
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Nov 21, 2022 18:11
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Chloe Martins  Chloe knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist, any kind of artist. She has by this point gone through quite a lot of artistic pursuits, from metal sculptures, to painting, to wood sculptures, to painting, to writing, to writing picture books, to embroidery, to knitting, to, you guessed it, painting again. She kind of keeps coming back to it. The sad truth is, the paintings are the only things that sell. To the dismay of Chloe's agent, every phase of productive painting is followed by a phase of her deciding that painting is too boring and metal basket weaving is where she'll make her real breakthrough. The current situation is even more dire. After it turned out that, no, metal basket weaving is not actually where it's at, Chloe steadfastly refuses to go back to painting, stating that she is completely disillusioned with all kinds of art ever. She knows she should paint something to pay the bills, but the last experiment left her in an artistic slump that no mere sketch can pull her out of. She hasn't found any new absorbing interest either. You've heard that this place is beautiful, but sometimes dangerous. Are you looking for something serene or something more exciting to inspire your work? After putting up with my general antics for the better part of eight years, and this particular one for five months, two weeks, three days and fifteen hours, Melanie, my agent, finally snapped and gave me an ultimatum: A) Paint something that sells to tide you over, B) pick up any kind of new artistic pursuit, no matter how ridiculous or C) quit the artist business. Obviously C is out of the question, I can't think of anything for B and I already tried A for the past five months, two weeks, three days and fifteen hours, thank you very much. It's clearly not working. So I came up with option D: visit this interesting locale to come up with inspiration for A or B. Melanie agreed to the prospect of scenic countryside landscapes to sell to rich citypeople. Personally, I'm hoping for something more along the lines of B. Your great-great-grandmother came from this village. Obviously, you never met her, but you know she never spoke about her birthplace. You inherited an old silver locket with a small family photo inside, and you've brought it with you. You have a lot of questions — the reason why your great-great-grandmother left the village, why she never talked about it, whether you have any living relatives still there. What do you hope to learn while visiting? There's the additional thrill of learning more about Great Great Grandmother Sophie. I have heard the rumours about this village, and I kind of hope to find out something really thrilling, like her escaping from a strange cult to elope with Great Great Grandfather James. Maybe she was even supposed to be a virgin sacrifice to the elder gods? ...They don't still do virgin sarcifices, right? ...Does being married to my art count? Cloacamazing! fucked around with this message at 20:10 on Dec 10, 2022 |
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Nov 21, 2022 19:15
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Kayla Robinson  As a child, Kayla's parents set her up with a couple pen pals to encourage her reading and writing skills. She loved it so much she kept accumulating new ones, and continued the hobby even as she grew up. In the age of the internet, Kayla loved being able to write to anyone, anywhere, but physical letters always felt more real and meaningful. Kayla predictably went for an English major, and despite making all the cliched jokes about being unemployable, she had no issues finding a decent office job. It terrified her - was this what the rest of her life was going to be like? She started frantically testing out any and every way she could think of to work for herself instead. Freelance transcription, editing, copy writing, self-published romance novels (under a pseudonym with absolutely no wink-wink references that could be traced back to her), and finally... YouTube of all places. Kayla didn't take that idea seriously at first. She preferred to live a private, anonymous life and the thought of having to keep up a "brand" repelled her. Something about influencers mugging for the camera, begging for likes and subscribes, and posting cartoonishly shocked faces over every thumbnail deeply disgusted her. Maybe because it seemed just as bad as having to hold down a real job, still having to sell your soul. But she stumbled into something that actually fit: "KaylMail". Kayla started by just sharing some of her techniques for making her physical letters more special and beautiful, things she'd picked up over the years. Her calligraphy and papermaking videos actually got a small dedicated following, which grew as she branched out into writing tips in general: how to overcome the blank page, how to get into bullet journaling, how to format a letter to reach out to an old friend. She didn't want to pander for more followers and wanted to try and preserve some privacy, so it became a bit of a trademark for her to have her hair hiding a fair bit of her face, always wearing her blue beanie (which she'd never wear while out and about in real life), and using text boxes instead of speaking most of the time. Once her audience found her, mostly other introverts who shared her aesthetics, she could justify starting a Patreon now, and could direct people to her store to buy fancy pens, journals, or beautiful handmade cards. She had finally made an actual living out of this. And now that she had an honest-to-god self-employed career... she could finally afford to try and travel, like she'd always dreamed of doing someday. Are you normally an extrovert who loves to meet new people? Or do you like to keep your social activities to a minimum, vastly preferring the pace of written communication? I always love meeting new people, especially people from different places and different walks of life! I like to think I do well enough at socializing in person... I'm a good listener if nothing else. People usually appreciate getting to tell their own story, and being heard. But I do find that written communication is very preferable to me. It allows me time to gather my own thoughts, to make sure I'm being as clear as I can instead of stumbling in the moment. And it's easier for me to be heard as well, but without having to interrupt anyone. I suppose that rhythm of writing and replying got ingrained into me as a child. Your pen pal promised to show you around, but cautioned you not to stray too far on your own because the village isn't used to seeing many outsiders. You suspect this isn't the full truth, based on the other things they've told you. Do you plan to play the innocent tourist card, or will you fall in line with local expectations? I certainly don't want to be disrespectful to Samuel, and I'm more than happy to get my bearings first before I go wandering too far astray! Especially since this is my first time actually traveling abroad. I've spent so long hearing and reading about faraway places and longing to see them, but I haven't ever had the opportunity to go in person until now. If I'm being honest with myself, I'm a bit scared of proving myself to be a naive and clueless outsider. I don't have any practical experience with navigating a foreign place in person. But I don't know how long I'll be able to stand it before I just pick a direction and start hiking. I don't want to disrespect this opportunity either, to appreciate the beauty of nature around me. I love finding quiet places that feel like my own. They're perfect for journaling. Where are you sitting? In the far back row, the side opposite Cass. Just gazing out window and soaking it all in. Bifauxnen fucked around with this message at 04:44 on Dec 25, 2022 |
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Nov 21, 2022 20:47
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Cassandra 'Ca$$-Money' Miller After finishing up her intro, recounting vaguely spooky warnings of not leaving the village when the moon is out, sure to get a nice sweeping shot of the quaint architecture out of the windows behind her, she abruptly turns the camera on Kayla. And this is my new BFF, Kayla, we met on the plane, and we got to talking. This is her first trip abroad, and I couldn't let her do it alone! Kay, is there anything you want to say to the world, your hopes, your dreams, at the very least plans for the weekend?
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Nov 21, 2022 22:13
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PART I: THE DRIVE A brisk wind whistles through the woods as the noontide sun sheds an even glow on the treetops. The daylight hours won't last for long. Clouds paint the sky a monotonous grey, a sign that the first snow of the season is likely soon to come. There are no other vehicles on the freeway as you head toward your destination. It feels somewhat lonely, but it has a certain beauty to it. The foliage thickens as you cruise along, majestic evergreens populating the landscape. Your taxi driver, a young fellow by the name of Anders, has his eyes on the road and the car radio at a low volume as chatter starts from the backseat. "So," he starts, attempting a casual conversation with his passengers, "what brings you all to Skogen? It's not much of a tourist destination, you know." WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 19:05 on Nov 24, 2022 |
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Nov 21, 2022 22:46
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Grandicap posted:Cassandra 'Ca$$-Money' Miller Kayla Robinson A short but awkward beat passes while Kayla realises Cass is talking to her in social media mode. Ever since KaylMail started to really grow over the last couple years, she's had some people reaching out to do collab videos, but never been put on the spot like this in person. She isn't wearing her beanie and decides against trying to hurriedly unpin her bangs. It's not like she's never shown her face on the channel at all... it'll be okay, right? Cass' followers would probably think she's pretty boring anyway and skip over the whole scene... Oh! Hey! Sorry, I was getting lost just looking out the window, haha. Kayla gives a shy little wave to the camera For hopes and dreams, well... getting to finally travel has been a dream of mine for a long time. I guess for now I'm just hoping it goes well. I should probably go back and watch some more of your videos Cass, just to get some kind of idea what I'm doing. Kayla takes this opportunity to bring out her beanie and pull it down low over her eyes for a visual gag, like she's shrinking and hiding away I've lived a bit more of a sheltered life, you see...
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Nov 21, 2022 23:47
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Samuel Skíðblaðnir Karlsson [letter]pre:Dear Kayla:
I hope everything continues to go great with you and your channel. You know I don't really understand that social media stuff
well but it's always a joy to read how happy it makes you. I know the Lord smiles when kind souls find happiness. That's why
I must ask you to reconsider coming to Skogen. Don't get me wrong. Skogen is a beautiful place and I'm sure you'd enjoy the
views that I've described in print so many times, but you are too pure to witness some of its traditions. I dare not put them
in writing for fear of clouding your thoughts.
A long time ago, I promised to show you around if you ever came to visit, and I will honor that promise if this letter doesn't
reach you in time. However, it'd be safest for you to stay at home. These are troubled times, Kayla. Forgive me for being so
blunt and forgive me for writing you such a short letter this time. I had to rush to the post office as soon as I received your
last message. I hope it reaches you well before you make any rash decisions.
Best wishes,
Samuel.
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Nov 22, 2022 00:31
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WindwardAway posted:A brisk wind whistles through the woods as the noontide sun sheds an even glow on the treetops. The daylight hours won't last for long. Clouds paint the sky a monotonous grey, a sign that the first snow of the season is likely soon to come. Chloe Martins "That's kind of why I'm here actually. I'm a painter of sorts, and I have heard that there are some incredibly beautiful spots in this village that I would like to paint. Is it true that the local church is mostly still the original building from when your village was founded?" After learning of her planned destination, Melanie had spent several weeks gushing about pastoral beauty and natural innocence, which should come in handy if someone wanted to, say, not explain the merits of abstract art to a bunch of country bumpkins.
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Nov 22, 2022 06:52
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Gabriel Sobol On half-hearing the question posed by the driver, he interrupts his window gazing to shyly pipe in. "... am a writer. Looking for, you know, local folklore inspiration, myths, that sorta thing. Some unique legends in this zone, you know?" Although he can't really gauge his audience's faces from his seat, he perks up a little. The matter interests him, and it's clear that if left alone, he'll ramble on and on and on. "Like... that one about the offerings? You guys ever heard that one?"
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Nov 22, 2022 15:04
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Cassandra 'Ca$$-Money' Miller At the mention of offerings Cass perks up and listens for all the places the locals are going to warn them to definitely not go. She presses record on her phone so she can be sure to remember it for later.
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Nov 22, 2022 15:14
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To Chloe: The taxi driver chuckles at your question. "Skogen has been around for much longer than its church," he informs you. "But yes, that church is still in its original form, except for some minor renovations; the locals really like to preserve its history." To Gabriel: From where you're seated, you notice the driver's eyes snap toward you through the rearview mirror at the mention of the offerings. You can tell there's something he knows that he isn't sharing with the passengers. Do you want to pry it out of him, or will you ignore him? (Talking to him will trigger an oracle card pull) WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Nov 22, 2022 |
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Nov 22, 2022 15:44
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Chloe Martins Chlor also turns her head at the mention of offerings. Oh poo poo, don't tell me I was right about the virgin sacrifices. Please please please, Mister taxi driver, just say that this is wrong and all oh poo poo he's doing that weird scary look thing why did I let my friends talk me into horror movie night last weekend shiiiiit
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Nov 22, 2022 15:54
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Gab Gab is loose of tongue, but also perceptive - he does notice the driver's reaction. "They say there are those altars, you know, but not like Christian altars, something older... way older, deep into the forest, you won't find them if you don't know how, not the kinda thing you stumble upon on accident of course!" He pauses to draw a breath, still sideeyeing the driver. "Or at least, that's what I heard! It may be a load of bullshit, maybe?" He addresses Anders directly. "Did you grow up around here? May you have heard those old tales too? What do you think, do they have any basis on reality or are they old ladies' tales?" I'll take that pull! Shellception fucked around with this message at 16:10 on Nov 22, 2022 |
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Nov 22, 2022 15:59
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To Gabriel: Pull time! Pick a card: 
WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Nov 22, 2022 |
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Nov 22, 2022 16:10
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Left!
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Nov 22, 2022 16:18
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To Gabriel: Anders responds with a dry laugh. "I'm not from Skogen, but from a neighboring town. And everyone around here knows the stories. Once you hear them, you never forget them." His eyes swivel back toward the road, but he continues to talk. "When I was a child, my mother told me not to go into the woods after dark, or a dangerous spirit might kidnap me. It scared me enough that I obeyed." Pausing for a moment, he adds, "You would do well to follow her advice, too."
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Nov 22, 2022 16:31
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WindwardAway posted:To Gabriel: Cass Cass leans forward, hoping to pry more than just a vague tale to scare children out of Anders. Have you ever seen one? A spirit I mean?
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Nov 22, 2022 16:50
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To Cass: This one's an auto-pull:  "...Once, I think," the driver answers carefully. "In the distance." "There was a time when I started to doubt the stories, and I went to play with some friends in the forest." His voice grows thoughtful as he reminisces. "It wasn't nighttime, not yet, but the sun was setting. We brought a ball to kick around, and one of us kicked it too far. The ball disappeared into the trees, so we ran to find it." Anders grips his hands tighter on the steering wheel, turning to follow the curvature of the road. "I spotted it finally, in a hollow beneath a tree. But as I went to get the ball, I felt like the woods were watching me. Then I saw a pair of eyes glowing under that tree, and I knew I shouldn't go near. So I gathered my friends, and we left before the sun went down."
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Nov 22, 2022 17:09
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Gab Gab's eyes are as wide open as they can be. He seems to have forgotten whatever he was rambling on, and is instead listening with all the intensity of a particularly literate black hole, while muttering under his breath. "... so freaking cool..."
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Nov 22, 2022 19:19
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Kayla Robinson Happy to get a reprieve from Cass' camera, Kayla listens intently to the swirl of questions around the taxi driver. She's eager to hear a different perspective on the "demons" Samuel always mentioned. Earlier, Kayla's last letter was posted:Dear Samuel,
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Nov 22, 2022 19:28
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WindwardAway posted:To Cass: Cass is pretty open to the existence of the supernatural, but glowing eyes? Hasn't he ever seen a nature documentary? And how many years ago? Stories like this have a way of percolating in the brain, and gaining more poignance as time from the event increases. She considers for a moment just letting it lie, maybe give a non-committal umm-hmmm, or something, but that thought barely has a moment to roost in her head before just blurting out Sure it wasn't a fox or something? I had a dog, where if you caught him in the right light, looked downright possessed or something. Cass is packing up her camera and lighting, putting it back in her bag. All of the tension she felt earlier, the aching and straining to hear about the spirits in town, is leaving her body like the drain plug had been pulled out of a baby pool. If that's what this town has to offer, maybe the detour wasn't worth it. She was going to hike an active volcano! Cass's mind is already on the next thing, trying to figure out how to salvage this. Maybe they have that thing where you jump in a frozen lake and then go in a sauna. That might get some views if she wears a bikini...
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Nov 22, 2022 20:03
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Samuel [second to last letter]pre:
Dear Kayla,
The rash has gotten worse. I consulted the local medic but her treatment was, as usual, lacking.
A mish mash of herbs and some vinegar had only the effect of turning my skin green for a few hours.
At night it gets so unbearable that it has made me think of leaving the village to find a real
doctor. But then daylight comes and the usual strains of the day focus my mind on what's truly
important: my duty to the church and the village. Mayhaps this rash has a mind component, like
those that your therapist tells you about.
The church remains well, all said, but I found a new vole nest during my last inspection. I took it
upon myself to collect planks and glue to repair the damage, although I haven't yet decided on
how to deal with the voles. I may just let the large cat that skulks around the church take care of
the infestation.
The old bed and breakfast by the forest entrance opened its doors again. I don't know why they
bother. It's not like we had many visitors even before the newlywed couple fiasco. But, as usual,
Old Gertrud doesn't let reality put her down. I hadn't seen her so exuberant since the circus
visited over two decades ago.
Have you made any progress with your TV channel? I don't like TV shows because I find they mostly
strive to promote the worst of humanity, but I know that you would never lead your viewers to sin.
I wish you all the best.
Warm regards,
Samuel.
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Nov 22, 2022 22:12
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To Cass: "I'm sure it was a spirit," replies the taxi driver firmly. "Those weren't animal eyes. They were something else entirely." He glances at you in the mirror as you pack your gear. "There was a noise, too. It wasn't like a dog's growl, or a fox scream. It was peculiar, like someone was talking, but instead of a voice it was the sound of tree leaves, if trees could talk. I'm sure this sounds crazy to you, but I know what I saw and heard."
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Nov 22, 2022 23:55
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Cass Cass nods, but has already written it off as a misremembered memory from years past. The sound of leaves? Totally out of place in a forest...
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Nov 23, 2022 00:07
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Chloe Chloe decides to ignore the spooky stories talk and watch the landscape outside instead. It does look beautiful. Maybe she will actually draw some landscapes here, but hide a few unsavory elements in there. Spooky glowing eyes in the forest... Note to self: Do not go into the forest alone to paint. She glances at her fellow travelers. Not bringing the loud one, that's for sure. Maybe the quiet one?
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Nov 23, 2022 06:37
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Gab The driver's slightly dejected tone is enough to snap him out of his thoughts. "No, no, absolutely not! You are not crazy, I'm pretty sure you saw a forest spirit! I uh... I don't remember the name, but there are those, like, big cats, but not cats at all, they're like ghostly and all, and they abduct human kids, they take them to another world, the ghost world... and then once there was this guy that swore he lived in this small Icelandic town you know? Just nobody knew him and nobody almost understood his speech and turns out they checked the church records and he had like, disappeared 320 years before? And he said he got lost in the forest and he just saw this bright eyed creature and followed it and then it led back to his house, only it wasn't his house no longer of course..." He stops to catch his breath a bit, and allow his thoughts to catch up with him. (Maybe got a bit too enthusiatic there? Oops... Hey, hey wait, what's that over there, in the distance?? It can't be, can it??) "Hey, that... mound, is that... a viking burial???" (... so loving cool...) Shellception fucked around with this message at 11:38 on Nov 23, 2022 |
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Nov 23, 2022 09:22
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Chloe Chloe's head snaps around. "Really? Where?"
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Nov 23, 2022 09:36
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Gab He points through the front window, slightly leaning to the right. "Over there! See the stones, the rounded shape, no trees? That's no natural hill, that's for sure! I heard there were some over here but to see one in real life... just... woooow"
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Nov 23, 2022 09:43
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As Gabriel calls your attention to the burial mound, you catch sight of it. The forest parts to make way for a small hill, what you recognize to be a cemetery of warriors long dead. A cropping of stones in an elliptical pattern adorns the area, but you can't make out what — if anything — is written on them. The taxi slows slightly for you to take in the view. There is a taller, solitary stone off to one side. This one definitely has runes carved into it, along with a cryptic image of some sort of beast, but it's unclear what it's meant to depict. "This area was originally settled by Vikings," Anders informs you. He seems relieved to change the topic. "They came on land from the coast, and they walked for days. Some kind of lesser chief died along the way, and they carried him here to be buried." He points a finger at the runestone. "That stone tells the story of the chief's greatest battles." WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Dec 6, 2022 |
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Nov 23, 2022 10:41
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WindwardAway posted:The taxi slows slightly for you to take in the view. Kayla She gasps at the sight of a real life actual Viking cemetary and blurts without thinking, "Can we stop for a minute to go see it?!"
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Nov 23, 2022 11:11
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Chloe "If that's alright with the others, I would also like to take a look."
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Nov 23, 2022 11:15
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Gab Without even realizing it, he's holding onto the front seat like a small kid at the sight of the beach, and looking about as excited, too. "Can... can we?? Please??"
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Nov 23, 2022 11:34
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Anders sighs. This isn't really part of his job, but someone's going to pay him for the extra time, anyway. Right? ...Right? The taxi slows as he pulls over on the side of the road, and the door locks click open. "You're lucky it's daylight," he mutters. He clears his throat and checks his wristwatch for the time. "Take some photos or videos, and don't stray too far!" By the time he finishes his instructions, some of you are already barrelling out of the doors.
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Nov 23, 2022 12:45
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Gab Half-hearing the last words from the taxi driver, he mutters a "thank you will be back soon!" and bolts out the door. A REAL viking burial ground. He knows the proper etiquette for those places, of course: no running, no touching, no speaking in loud voices, and absolutely no pulling stupid stunts. The dead deserve respect, even those who have been here for literal centuries. The first three rules are proving remarkably hard to follow right now. He manages to compose himself and adopts a brisk pace towards the mound, eyes set on the big runestone, trying to close his mouth and not breath the cold morning air. He hasn't noticed he's leaving everyone else behind. And turns out, he also fails to notice the small animal burrow hidden in the grass. He steps on it, suddenly losing equilibrium - the momentum launches him forward a bit, and he faceplants on the ground.
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Nov 23, 2022 13:25
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Cass Cass spends a good amount of time, meticulously unpacking some recording gear. She has already written off the spirit and Gabriel's plot from an anime by the numbers scary story didn't add much credence to her. If there had been abducted children, you'd think Anders would have led with that. She thinks she can at least get some good B-Roll here, it would be better if it was darker and foggy. Maybe she can add a filter after? She eventually heads off, after the more exited members of the troupe. She tries, mostly unsuccessfully, to time moments where they are out of frame so she can get some slow panning shots of the mound. Then makes sure to get a dramatic pan down from the top of the runic stone. Maybe she can use it in the thumbnail? After a deep sigh, Cass puts on her bubbly exterior and beams. Hey! Would you mind standing to the side for a sec, I wanna get a full shot, just the mound, no tourists. I'll send you a copy later if you want Chloe if you want to paint it.
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Nov 23, 2022 13:28
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Chloe Chloe nods, having already gotten out her sketchbook for a quick sketch. "How far are we from the village?" she asks Anders. "If it's walking distance I'll have to come back for a sunset view."
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Nov 23, 2022 13:33
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To Chloe: The taxi driver scratches his beard. "About 45 minutes, I think. But the sun sets quickly, and I don't think you would make it back to Skogen before dark without a car, or at least a bike."
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Nov 23, 2022 14:47
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