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childrenofbahamutlogs2025-02-01 12:10 pm
diceofthegods) wrote in childrenofbahamutlogs2025-02-01 12:10 pm
EVENT #2: BRAIN BOGGLING
A CRASH IN THE NIGHT
In the dark hours of a snowy early morning, a sudden BOOM can be heard all across Town. It is swiftly followed by sounds of warping metal and then a screeching crash. Curious, albeit groggy, residents emerge only to find a smoking wreck just a mile outside of Town.
The strange craft appears to be almost nautiloid in shape with wrenched, broken tendrils streaming out the opening.
Much of it is metal although some of it almost seems... organic.
Those who with to get a closer look will be met by Charlie and Dimitri who are already on the job. They request curious onlookers keep their distance since this craft is, without a doubt, tremendously dangerous.
Later in the day, there appears to be an outfit of officials coming from the west to investigate and clean up the wreckage. Thankfully(?), you will all find out soon enough what's going on.
The strange craft appears to be almost nautiloid in shape with wrenched, broken tendrils streaming out the opening.
Much of it is metal although some of it almost seems... organic.
Those who with to get a closer look will be met by Charlie and Dimitri who are already on the job. They request curious onlookers keep their distance since this craft is, without a doubt, tremendously dangerous.
Later in the day, there appears to be an outfit of officials coming from the west to investigate and clean up the wreckage. Thankfully(?), you will all find out soon enough what's going on.
INVESTIGATION & PROTECTION
Deathcard Cabin by Jonah Senzel
4:07 / 13:06
▶︎
From the Inscryption OST: A unique and haunting sound paired with a unique and haunting game.
Charlie reports to the citizens of Town that an Illithid cargo transport. The pilot did not survive the crash, but they appeared to be transporting some kind of new breed of Intellect Devourers.
"We do not yet know what this new breed is capable of, but..."
Charlie does give everyone a rundown of what an Illithid and what an Intellect Devourer is, what they are capable of, and a keen warning to tread lightly. Many dead ones were discovered in the cargo but several of the enclosures were damaged in the crash and the likelihood of escapees is high.
Charlie reiterates: These creatures are to be killed on sight, or contained until someone can kill it. If you are not confident in your combat abilities, please remain in your homes as much as possible and seal all openings to your dwelling. Those who are capable though are urged to begin patrols of Town alongside Slayd, Dimitri and himself to ensure that Town and the surrounding areas are safe.
Please travel in pairs or groups, do not be alone! Attack from a distance when possible. Hoshiko will offer her assistance as a markswoman as well by picking off any Intellect Devourers from a distance that she can for those that are forced to travel alone. (Don't worry about any jokes she makes of her service not being cheap though. Charlie wouldn't actually let her charge you anything.)
Unfortunately, not even they can predict the blizzard that rolls through Town in the midst of all this. If you happen to see anything skittering through the snow, don't panic too much. It could just be a tiny woodland creature looking for a warm burrow to hide away in!
At least you hope it is.
"We do not yet know what this new breed is capable of, but..."
Charlie does give everyone a rundown of what an Illithid and what an Intellect Devourer is, what they are capable of, and a keen warning to tread lightly. Many dead ones were discovered in the cargo but several of the enclosures were damaged in the crash and the likelihood of escapees is high.
Charlie reiterates: These creatures are to be killed on sight, or contained until someone can kill it. If you are not confident in your combat abilities, please remain in your homes as much as possible and seal all openings to your dwelling. Those who are capable though are urged to begin patrols of Town alongside Slayd, Dimitri and himself to ensure that Town and the surrounding areas are safe.
Please travel in pairs or groups, do not be alone! Attack from a distance when possible. Hoshiko will offer her assistance as a markswoman as well by picking off any Intellect Devourers from a distance that she can for those that are forced to travel alone. (Don't worry about any jokes she makes of her service not being cheap though. Charlie wouldn't actually let her charge you anything.)
Unfortunately, not even they can predict the blizzard that rolls through Town in the midst of all this. If you happen to see anything skittering through the snow, don't panic too much. It could just be a tiny woodland creature looking for a warm burrow to hide away in!
At least you hope it is.
PROMPT #3
Hybrid intellect devourers are unique from the regular ones in that the goal is not to kill their target, but to gather intelligence and act as a kind of spy network.
They will flee when confronted directly by greater numbers, but will attack a lone target. They do this by jumping at the target's head and wrapping a wet tendril around their neck. They will choke who they've wrapped around if anyone tries to remove it. They are also far more likely to try and attack sleeping target (hence the advice to keep your homes closed!).
These hybrids emit spores that will keep the target asleep during feeding. Their primary goal appears to be infiltrating the targets' minds and absorbing some of their memories. The target will have their mind left mostly intact... though they may suffer short term memory loss, confusion, distress, fatigue and head pain.
Here's where the fun starts!
Once one of these critters has fed on someone, they are onto their next target. When a fed Intellect Devourer feeds from another target, that target may absorb some of the previous target's memories. This can span across multiple victims and be erratic in whose memories taint whose mind. The memories will cross-pollinate in the form of dreams or waking visions and hallucinations.
If one of these creatures is killed, it will explode, releasing a powerful psionic wave and the memories it had absorbed from any recent targets. Anyone within ten (10) yards of the dying creature will be afflicted with extreme head pain in the short term and also witness the memories of it's previous victims.
Enjoy your muddled memories and leggy brain-hunting!
The outfit of people who have come to investigate are from New Svihelen's disaster containment squad and are investigating the hybrid creatures and the possible reason for an Illithid ship to crash here of all places. Right now, the running theory is that interference from the selfsame summoning circle that brought you all here could have caused the interplanar navigation systems of the ship to malfunction but nothing has been determined yet.
Eventually, these creatures will all be rounded up and taken care of. They are persistent and stealthy though in their efforts to survive above all else. Charlie assures that they're doing all they can to make Town safe once and for all but it will take some time.
They will flee when confronted directly by greater numbers, but will attack a lone target. They do this by jumping at the target's head and wrapping a wet tendril around their neck. They will choke who they've wrapped around if anyone tries to remove it. They are also far more likely to try and attack sleeping target (hence the advice to keep your homes closed!).
These hybrids emit spores that will keep the target asleep during feeding. Their primary goal appears to be infiltrating the targets' minds and absorbing some of their memories. The target will have their mind left mostly intact... though they may suffer short term memory loss, confusion, distress, fatigue and head pain.
Here's where the fun starts!
Once one of these critters has fed on someone, they are onto their next target. When a fed Intellect Devourer feeds from another target, that target may absorb some of the previous target's memories. This can span across multiple victims and be erratic in whose memories taint whose mind. The memories will cross-pollinate in the form of dreams or waking visions and hallucinations.
If one of these creatures is killed, it will explode, releasing a powerful psionic wave and the memories it had absorbed from any recent targets. Anyone within ten (10) yards of the dying creature will be afflicted with extreme head pain in the short term and also witness the memories of it's previous victims.
Enjoy your muddled memories and leggy brain-hunting!
The outfit of people who have come to investigate are from New Svihelen's disaster containment squad and are investigating the hybrid creatures and the possible reason for an Illithid ship to crash here of all places. Right now, the running theory is that interference from the selfsame summoning circle that brought you all here could have caused the interplanar navigation systems of the ship to malfunction but nothing has been determined yet.
Eventually, these creatures will all be rounded up and taken care of. They are persistent and stealthy though in their efforts to survive above all else. Charlie assures that they're doing all they can to make Town safe once and for all but it will take some time.
Notes
⁂ The partner plotting post for this event/quarter is also up!
⁂ Additionally, we have a state of the game post available for people to read about updates, clarifications, and housekeeping items!
⁂ If you have any further questions or feedback about this event specifically, please comment here!
⁂ For even more ambient event music, you can check out this this playlist!
⁂ Full Navigation ⁂
⁂ Additionally, we have a state of the game post available for people to read about updates, clarifications, and housekeeping items!
⁂ If you have any further questions or feedback about this event specifically, please comment here!
⁂ For even more ambient event music, you can check out this this playlist!
cw: reference to attempted filicide
"I'm sorry," she says, first and foremost. "You shouldn't have had to work for that? But I get it, actually. My dad also wasn't great and got even worse after my mom died, so- It felt like nothing I could do was enough for him either. It's why I kind of set out on my own when pretty young too." Well, that and the fact he tried to kill her. Definitely wanted some distance after that, understandable!
"How old were you? I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter but- I am glad that you did find something else you wanted to do. Something better. I thought my thing would be music, but... That didn't keep me safe, unfortunately." Charlie did though. At least, he kept her safe from things that weren't him.
no subject
"Oh, that's really bad. I've never even thought about how bad he'd have been if Mom wasn't around. She was the only person he'd listen to during one of his moods."
As much as he does miss his mom, He's not sure if even she could save him if he went back now. Jenk's had quite some time to stew over his ungrateful son. He probably would not literally kill him? Probably. Popp does not even like to gamble normally, let alone with his life.
"I left when I was thirteen, but I wasn't really on my own. I caught up to Master Avan right out of town, after all."
He scratches the back of his neck. How badly is he willing to embarrass himself in front of Rosie...
"At the time, I wasn't second guessing my luck, I was just so happy to be away from my stupid hometown and learning magic and doing well enough at it to get praised. I felt the world light up every time he'd smile at me. He scolded me pretty often, too, but not like, you know. He was nice about it."
Pretty badly, honestly! He's not going to talk about Avan changing his life while trying to suppress any of the raw fondness he feels about him, what Rosie makes of that is up to her! He grumbles a little when he talks about being scolded, but in comparison to the bitter way he talks about his father, it's flavored with an embarrassed sort of affection.
no subject
She listens to him talk though about Avan, which- That's cute. They're cute. For all her teasing, she does hope that things work out between them genuinely. "Sometimes, you just need that person to give you a little nudge I think." For once, she doesn't tease or make anything too embarrassing of it. "Actually, why I like music is because of someone like that. I got... caught up in some bad stuff after leaving my home myself and, well, a person there who loved music taught me all about it." She's simplifying, really, but only because talking about their respective abusive parents was probably heavy enough without adding 'I was enslaved in a fight-to-the-death demon ring' to it all.
"It was one of the only good things about being there with him, honestly, so- I get it! Not exactly the same, but. I did always think of him whenever I performed and it helped when I got anxiety about it. He never actually got to see me finally do it, but- I like to think he would have enjoyed it all the same."
no subject
"I think he'd be glad to see you safe and still singing, too. That's part of learning, right? Paying tribute to the person who taught you?"
no subject
"It is," she agrees. "So, I do want to get back into music here for him." For her, too, but that's harder to articulate. Of course, it's for her! Still, it's easy to think as well that if it's only for her then it doesn't really matter. If someone else is counting on her though? It can be the nudge she needs.
no subject
It's occurring to Popp, once again, that they have a lot in common when you ignore the surface and he is certainly more likely to work on things if other people are relying on him.
"Could you... sing something right now? Something nice?"
no subject
"Sure! Let's see..." Something nice? Well, she's not sure if it's nice in the way he's thinking of, but it is nice to her. So, she hums the first couple of bars before starting to sing: "I never thought I'd be driving through the country just to drive with only music and the clothes that I woke up in.
I never thought I'd need all this time alone, it goes to show: I had so much yet I had need for nothing but you."
finally. popp gets some therapy.
He's not going to outright interrupt but he does whisper "wowwww" more quietly than Rosie is singing a few times, eyes shining.
music therapy for the soul!!
That's all she ever wants to do: help.
When she does, she ends in another soft hum to fade out the last couple of notes. "So! What did you think?"
no subject
"I really liked it! That was amazing! It was sad, but in a good way?"
He wipes at his face in case he's been crying, which isn't actually the case this time. He will be at the inn on music nights.