video | un: quibbler

[creidim]

[ The feed opens to... an unusual sight.

It’s no secret there’s been... bad blood between both Luna and Maul over the years, ever since she was part of a trio of magic users who cursed him a couple of years ago. There’s been... several very public call-outs on the network ever since then, too. Maul has been very vehement on his hatred towards the witch, and Luna has been equally open about her own distaste for the Sith Lord.

Which is why it’s a very curious thing to see the two of them currently sat together, albeit neither of them look particularly delighted about it. Although there’s a silent civility between the two of them, which for those watching is... quite a huge deal. ]

Hello, everyone. [ Luna speaks first, waving at the camera. ] We have some news for you all.

[ She looks to Maul briefly before clearing her throat: ]

In Deerington, death was a… process. Upon dying, we traveled to the Death Realm, which was created with the combined magics of Ramona Derwin, who we now know as Deerlona, and Cynthia Sodder — Moon Presence. Within this place was another, known as the Seventh Door. Sleepers who had died in the Dream were able to travel there once the door was unlocked, and a version of Ramona was held within.

For our sacrifice of life, she would grant us an ability. Her magics were able to mold our essences into a form… a deer, to be precise. We would be ourselves, but at our most purest form. However, when we became this form, we were granted abilities, too.

Unfortunately, when the Dream ended, we believed this form was lost as we were no longer linked to Ramona’s magic.

[Maul finally spoke up, sounding a touch sullen over working with Luna but otherwise at least in control of himself.]

After much research, we developed the theory that since Ramona used magic to seal herself off in a separate dimension where time no longer exists in a linear fashion, there is always going to be a version of her that is there and able to be accessed if one can only figure out the way to do so, regardless of what happened to corrupt her into a Beast in the present. We eventually created a ritual which allowed a doorway to be bridged between Trench and that dimension once again. I won’t go into the details. They don’t matter. All you need to know is that we succeeded. There is now a way to be transported to the pocket dimension to that version of Ramona who can grant us great power.

[He lapsed into silence, allowing Luna to take over once again.]

Life in Trench is… terribly difficult. [ Luna may have her own personal reasons for obtaining this form again, there is a very good reason to allow their fellow Sleepers access to this form again. ] It would be good to have all the help we can. Regardless of Ramona’s desperate actions in the end, she did genuinely want to help— dying wasn’t permanent because of her and Cynthia.

You don’t need to trust the Pthumerians or Ramona herself. I don’t. But I have accessed this ability before and can assure you it has been given to the Sleepers without any strings attached.

Provided you have died at least once in either the Dream or the Waking World, you’ll be able to perform a small and relatively simple blood ritual to…. get your copy of your key to the door, sort of speak. From then on, all you’ll need to do is a small ritual each time you want to use the ability.

I can provide instructions immediately to those interested, but I’ll work out a way to get the information out more easily to everyone at a later date.

A note of caution to those who go through with this. It is possible to lose yourself to the deer form and its instincts if you stay in it too long. Many of the deer which roam the city were once Sleepers who have since forgotten they ever had another shape. They can no longer change back. There are ways to bring one back. You must know a person well and know what motivation would be enough to make them change shape once again. [For Maul, it was challenging him to a fight or engaging him flat-out in one that got him back, though he was hardly going to mention that on the network.] And to show you how it is done–

[Here it was that Maul went slightly off-script. He and Luna hadn’t discussed this part but Maul had always been extra and dramatic as all the Sleepers already knew. So he’d had the ritual prepared to go. All it needed was a small amount of his blood to work, so he gave a few drops of his Vileblood to complete it. To those watching, all they would see was Maul dissolve into purple dust. When it reformed, there would be a very spooky-looking deer in his place. Somehow, it seemed to fit Maul’s personality completely. He pulled himself up to his full height and tossed his antlers back as if to acknowledge that he knew just how dramatic he was being.

… Maul absolutely did not mention this part. Luna visibly looks confused for a beat and then stares widely as he dissolves into purple dust and the form of a deer takes his place. Her expression shifts in a flat look. Really, Maul—? ]

... Well, if anyone has any questions...

ooc: Blue is Luna, Red is Maul. | ooc page for this mechanic is here.

Comments

un: eudaimonikos

[eudaimonikos]

Huh.

[This is...definitely a reaction to seeing them working together. He'd only talked to Luna about this previously; he hadn't realized Maul was involved! Not that he minds - Michael's the last guy to go around holding grudges about past misdeeds.]

That version of her is still willing to do all this? Well, I guess it probably hasn't been that long for her.

un: quibbler

[creidim]

[ Mm. Yes. This collaboration has been... an experience. Sometimes people with mutual dislike (putting it mildly) end up needing to work together. ]

Given we believe this is an alternate Ramona who hasn't gone through the experiences of the Ramona who's here over in Sleepy Town, yes.

Although I'm not quite sure if this alternate Ramona is actually a person or just some kind of... magic projection—?

video | un: graham crackers

[possessum]

( There's definitely a healthy dose of apprehension, seeing Luna and Maul in the same space, even sitting together.... but Peter knows this means a lot to her, what she's been working on. He's just quietly trying to keep an eye on things.

Of course, then Maul goes and turns into a creepy deer all of a sudden, and Luna's looking surprised.... (even if in her calm Luna way.) )

Is uh... everything okay?

( Do you need him to Come There as Backup, basically.... )

video; un: quibbler

[creidim]

He didn't mention he was going to do a live demonstration. [ Luna is eyeing up the... rather spooky looking deer for a moment. ] ... He's being dramatic.

[ Whilst she would be far more likely to be cautious concerning Maul, something else is at play here. Which is, in fact, Maul — the abilities this form gives him. They make her feel braver, more emboldened to speak her mind. ]

Strangely, I feel like Maul makes for a much nicer deer than a person.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Guess who is just going to be in the background there, lurking and looming (in a friendly manner!) during the entire conversation. He's looking into your soul, Peter.]

audio | un: sds

[fogsong]

Could you be any more dramatic, Maul? [ But then she mumbles something along the lines of whatever you're cute like that. ]

So... What's it feel like to be a deer? [ She sounds interested and that's a good sign given her general temperament towards things like this. ]

audio; un: quibbler

[creidim]

[ Luna is asking the very same question. She'll let him answer when he comes back to himself, but in the meantime, Luna can also answer this since she's already experienced this ability. ]

Like being yourself, only it's you in a very simple form. It's like the complexities of being a person aren't there anymore. You're just you.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Deer!Maul proudly tossed his antlers as if to acknowledge he was the most dramatic and don't you forget it!]

voice | un: hoody

[theflyingone]

Do you know yet if anything happens to our Omens while we are deer? Can they still be called on?

[ There is the sound of a restless flap of wings. He's asking for a friend. ]

voice; un: quibbler

[creidim]

That's an excellent question—! Although I'm not quite sure, considering we didn't have Omens within the Dream. [ So it's... something that's never happened. There's a short hum in thought. ]

Deer forms are essentially our souls given physical form, much like how Omens are our souls given physical form. The only difference is the type of magic, either being blood magic or Ramona Derwin's magic. And we're the ones becoming the Omens, arguably.

So, I'm not sure if deer forms might cancel the blood magic out.

text | un: duty

[martyrofduty]

Knew Maul was working on it. Good job.

I'm in.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul changed back so he could answer more replies with the use of thumbs.]

Good. You must let me know what you look like as a deer. I'm curious.

text; un: quibbler

[creidim]

Excellent, I can send you the details of the ritual.

I'm sorry you've died, by the way.

text | un: rin

[offinventory]

Can you walk up and down stairs? [ This question is directed at the Maul!deer. ]

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul thought for a moment and then shrugged his broad, shaggy shoulders. He'd never attempted it. Most stairs were not made with beings the size of deer in mind.]

text un: vi

[faceblocks]

[is she kidding? yes. no. kind of and also not really. is it a ridiculous thing for her to consider? possibly. yes.]

So I guess I better take the plunge if I want in on the shapeshift.

text un: sds

[fogsong]

Don't you fucking dare!

text | un: rin

[offinventory]

Rejected.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Look at this deer, Vi. He greatly disapproves of this idea.]

text; un: quibbler

[creidim]

Do you mean to say you... haven't died here yet?

[Video] un: QueenCobra

[abornfighter]

What kind of abilities are granted to your deer form?

[She hasn't died yet, she's not looking to die, but she is curious. Just in case it does happen. It is still dangerous in Trench, despite how much she's improved at fighting and at using her powers.]

video;

[creidim]

I think it's different for everyone. And no one really finds out for certain until they use the ability. [ Not particularly helpful, but—]

I think it's supposed to be something relevant to the person. You're essentially your soul in the form of a deer, so maybe it's something true to who you are.

Video: UN - Runeseeker

[onerthes]

So, you've managed to succeed, and the two of you seem none the worse for wear at least.

...

[She had to breathe. Yeah, that sounded like Ramona. Multiple versions of herself in multiple places. A safety precaution, just in case. In case it went to hell, which it had. Bargain more, hedge her bets more.]

I think we know that I won't be turning back into a deer again. I... I can't trust her, but I'm glad that you two are safe for now.

How... lucid was she?

video;

[creidim]

Getting some of Deerlona's hair definitely had its moment. But yes, we're quite alright.

[ That was... an experience. One she would preferably never want to ever repeat. But... ah, yes. She understands it, Vira-Lorr's stance. Given everything. ]

She appeared and spoke much of the same as she had in Deerington when one entered the Seventh Door for the first time. I feel like perhaps this version of Ramona is more of a magical double, than anything else. Perhaps a fragment of her of some sort. Her magic and its range did kind of elude me, at times.

We couldn't get much out of her.

Action

[survivalthroughhate]

[The deer turned to look at Luna once he’d changed. Maul always felt calmer as a deer than as a Zabrak. The vicious nature he possessed melted away, the anger and rage tempered down into the background as his courage, determination, and willingness to protect came to the forefront.

He did get a bit impatient when he wasn’t acknowledged as she continued to talk those on their Omnis and so he nudged her with his big head.]

LMAO

[creidim]

[ Listen! She has been talking about him! She has! Really! Just sometimes the conversations do tip into going a little further than intended, alright? She's certainly quite engrossed, and not expecting to have deer head all up on her personal space.

... It's quite good that she's very used to animals, even if this is one's soul formed in a particular manner. But she will very lightly scold him. ]

... Can you please not. [ >:( ] What is it?