Deer Country Network

[ Those who know Blake likely haven't heard from her in the last couple of weeks, and when she appears on video, it's with ashen skin and dark smudges under her eyes. Her shoulders are hunched, though she's still gentle with the silvergrey-scaled baby dragon she's cradling in her arms. ]

I know there's a lot of people out there doing research into the mechanisms of this place, and probably even more people making bloodstones and other protective gear. Neither of those are my specialty, unfortunately, but I have do something to offer.

I've gathered the crystals and the squid ink from the remains of my death, and I want to give them to those who can use them best.

[ The dragon in her arms yawns sleepily, smoke curling from its nostrils, and though Blake smiles down at him, the expression's wan. ]

Sooner would be better. I'd really like to get the remains of my body out of my room.

[ 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.

[All viewers can see at first is the top of his head -- bobbing red hair as he adjusts the camera. After a second it jerkily settles on his grinning face, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

He lifts his hand.]

Yo! Resident new kid here. Already had some helpful beach-goers gimme the ropes, so thanks for that. Just a couple questions if you don't mind.

[He coughs into his hand off camera -- behind him seems to be greenery, a forest of some sort. If you have very good hearing, you might hear the trickle of a river nearby.]

About this curse shit. Like how when I got here some people turned into eight year olds or something. How do you unfuck that? Or do you just wait around forever until it decides to go away? Because that would really suck.

Same question about that corruption stuff. How do you... [he makes a vague gesture with his hands] Un-corrupt?

[ When the feed turns on, Chizuru is already moving to politely bow. ]

Please excuse me..!

[ Even while making a public post, apparently she just can't help but start off like this.. At least the girl is quick to upright herself once more, properly looking at the screen now. Something about Chizuru definitely seems a little shy or nervous, but the girl speaks all the same, doing her best to keep her voice from shaking with nerves. ]

I.. was wondering something. I've already been asking around a little, and it doesn't seem like everyone is hearing it, but.. are some other people also hearing those odd whispers? I keep hearing them all the time..

[ Chizuru frowns a little. ]

It feels like they're saying something important, but I can't make it out. I'm worried though that-- um, that maybe it could be a warning, or something like that. So if anyone else has been hearing it and has been able to make out what they're saying, or if anyone has tips on how to be able to tell what whispers are saying better.. I would really appreciate hearing about it. [ Another quick bow. ] T-Thank you.

Need a few volunteers to help a project out
Gonna start blasting a pathway through the woods onto the next city
I have a compass to get us there but could always use others
Need some folks on hand to keep monsters out of the way if the blasts dont do it
Better for us to have something of a proper roadway especially since the lamps went on the fritz
And didnt stake down at first anyway
So lets at least make a path to follow so folks are less likely to get lost
Since that seems to be the thing lately
Roads gonna start out at the outpost first since thats a fair midway point and already accessible
After we get that path to riteior we can carve out the remaining from outpost back to the waystation
If youre in let me know we can meet up and start setting things in motion tomorrow or so


[ooc sign-up here c:]

[Local man sits at his kitchen table, arms folded and a coffee mug in front of him. He looks... worried. Concerned. And is clearly preparing for a Speech.]

My name is Shiro.

I'm one of the Sleepers who came here from Deerington, the dream world. I don't actually know how many of you out there are in the same boat anymore, so... with a choice like we've been given, I don't know how many of you remember the last time we had one like it.

[He means the vote that ended the dream.]

That vote ended with Julia Sodder's death.

I want to think it's because a lot of us didn't fully understand the consequences. I want to think it was because a lot of people were hurt, afraid, and thought they were doing the right thing. Or they just wanted to protect the people they knew. Regardless, Julia Sodder died. The people she'd brought into her world to save her... they let her down.

[Deep breaths Shiro, because it really sounds like you were trying to say I let her down, there. He folds his hands, and props his chin up in them.]

You can probably see where I'm going with this.

I'm not saying don't give this Pthumerian your opinion. At this point, inaction is probably the worst idea we've got. These beings - they're a part of this world whether we like it or not. They have been for longer than we can probably realize. [He grimaces.] Aside from one...

[Friggin Mother Mercy/Superior.]

We should be careful, I think, to do anything that cuts them off from their world. Even if we think it might help the people we care about. Protect them. We could end up doing something we really regret.

[There's a long pause, Shiro debating his next words.]

Like always, I'm open to explaining anything to people who have no idea where I'm coming from. I'm more than happy to talk about what happened in Deerington. The way I see it, maybe that will help us understand this world.

My name is D, for those of you who aren't familiar with me, I organized and designed the Outpost.

For several months Snow White and I have been speaking with the beast commonly called Deerlona, the first Sleeper to arrive in Trench, named Ramona.

She says that when she was released from the nightmare world the waking world was already soaked in blood pollution but beasts were just beginning to emerge, but she could tell they would be permanent. Most things were in chaos, but that as corruption and beasts became more common the world became more balanced.

When we asked, Ramona also said she believes Pthumerians are part of maintaining that balance.

She hated Riteor as well. She called him a power hungry hack and she's glad that we chose to get rid of him.

I have sent further questions to her on the possibility of Hali's offer, but Ramona doesn't always respond quickly.

Anyone who wishes to ask her anything should seek Deer to act as messengers; She is very protective of Sleepy Town and also feels a compulsion to attack people.

There are more construction projects this month at the Outpost, but I also wanted to announce that Manabu will be leading a project to construct a road between Trench and Riteor's city.

And on that subject, I am going to ask Hali to take over or prevent Pthumerian influence on that city.

[ It's been months since Jon Sims was on the network, and this time, he's in the frame alone. The alleviation of Corruption couldn't come a moment too soon for this guy, apparently: he still has the haggard, hollowed-out look of a man who hasn't had a real meal in months. There's something profoundly unsettling about his eyes, which are too deep and too green. He never seems to blink. ]

Good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Sims. I am a researcher of what might be called 'the paranormal,' and... a survivor of the place known as Deerington. I've been working with several others to maintain an archive of topics and artifacts relevant to Sleepers, kept beyond the control of the Pthumerian Never Mind.

[ He doesn't even try to mask his distrust: he clearly isn't a fan of the patrons. ]

We are developing a secure location to the north of Trench, though [ impatiently ] I cannot recommend visiting without the use of traveling Lamps. The walk back to town is... not ideal.

More to the point, I am making a request for information. [ This is where he gets cagey, tense in the way of a man hiding something. ] The Archive is now undertaking an effort to create a comprehensive catalogue— a bestiary, I suppose— of recurring threats in Trench. If you have had a particularly upsetting or perilous experience with any being in this city, we would like the written record of your experience. Please submit accounts via text to this network address.

[ It's the second time he's hit the network to ask for personal stories. Those who respond might find themselves writing (or speaking) more freely than they planned to, flashing back to the memory in detail— though in this low-Corruption month, the effect isn't too intense. ]

Thank you.

ps the plants are not edible

do not eat

or cook

it is bad

and it is worse for men and elves because it is bad for me

[tl;dr: Melius tried to taste test the weird plants. It did not go well.]

[The video starts with the sound of a glass crashing onto the ground and a very soft 'oh dear...' as Snow comes into view. Faramund is holding the Omni.

Snow White is covered in tiny bruises and cuts, all of them random and sporadic as if she was careless with a knife or one of her animal friends wasn't quite careful enough with their claws or teeth. The bruises from being knocked into or bumping into things and some are green and yellow from healing, some are fresh and purple, and all of them are small and little. She pushes back a stray strand of hair that has come out from her well-kept bob.

On the floor is a whole pitcher of milk completely spilled and mixed with broken glass. Snow sighs again as she looks at it.

It's literally spilled milk.]

It... [Two little birds hand her a towel, and three raccoons push a bin over to where Snow White is kneeling down. A young wolf brings her a small dust brush in its jaws. She begins to carefully put the bigger pieces into the bin as she turns to look at Faramund.] It seems I'm not having a very good week... [She looked over to Faramund.]

It seems I've upset our kobold, Farmund, though I'm not sure what we did. We'll have to find a way to apologize. [She winces as she cuts her finger on a piece of glass and hisses softly.]

This and the lock snapping on the apple's chest are proof of it.

Does anyone know how to make a kobold happy again? I certainly didn't mean to insult it.

[to those who've been to the rookery and looked up this might be easy to put together, and definitely easier for those who have been inside jinx's treehouse - that's exactly where this pink-haired girl is sitting on the floor, in front of a sofa, holding a can of chicken noodle soup.

there's another can beside her but it's empty and on its side, with a huge hole in it - the pocket knife maul gave to jinx lying next to it.

her other hand holds up a chomper, pride, confusion and a bit of awe on her face - a face that's even more expressive at this age (not a tattoo or a piercing in sight) - before she looks directly into the omni, which fang is silently holding for her. what a helpful omen.]

Now I know my sister's here. See this? Hers, no doubt about it. So where is she? Who here knows Powder? No one better be messing with her.

[she'd say sorry about the soup, but she isn't. though ...this place? it looks like whoever she's staying with keeps a nice home. what a responsible adult they must be.]

[cw: forced body transformation]

gloves for skeletons

skeleton writing gloves

gloves for skeletons to write with

( skelesearch terms )

[ A tawny, aquiline man in a white hood stares at the device which has just clattered to the ground. His brown eyes have widened under dark furrowed brows, frowning apprehensively. He remains very still, as if staring at an agitated snake.

Eventually, curiosity shades into an intrepid hunger glinting in his eyes from beneath the shadow of his hood. He would like to know what secrets this device holds. He reaches forward with one calloused hand-- ]