Deer Country Network

(OOC TL;DR: progress day is a holiday in the arcane series. the two dumbass sisters decided to celebrate it by doing the hot sauce challenge and eating seafood. they get to one particular sauce where they cry and die. not actually die on camera but jinx turns into a squid afterwards and vi gets mad at the sauce for turning baby sis so she consumes it all because idk, stupidity. sisterly love bonding!)


[a slow exhale as vi leans away, a sheen of vileblood sweat glistening on her brow. (on closer inspection, should one care to look: it’s on her neck, too.) her cheeks flush with that telltale green sheen, her mouth opens as if to speak and …a small burp comes out. it could also be a word. It is a word. that word is :]

Fuck.

Heh, what’s the matter, big sister? Strugglin’?

[ jinx, who is also sweating just a bit, smirks over to the other with her cheek resting against her palm.]

( LONG POST IS LONG. ALSO WATCH US WHIP AND NAE NAE )

[Vira-Lorr was in the Luminarium, getting the last transfusions to deal with her little ... problem, thanks to Riteior. It was, as always, something of a process. But the fact that it was one of the attendants that she knew through Albert was what prompted this message. She knew that he kept to himself mostly, but given his tendency to remain in the background and out of the limelight, she did want to make sure that those who knew him would be aware in advance.]

For those who have not been made aware, and were receiving treatment from Dr Adrian Winters, formerly known as Albert Wesker, he has returned to the ocean. I know that he was of assistance to a few of us through the Luminarium, and one of my research partners. So, it seemed best to make sure that you were made aware.

I don't think that he would want a great deal of fuss made in his departure. He was a curious man in his way. But, all the same, I will miss his perspective.

To those who were at all concerned? I believe I have compiled his notes and mine on the Antidote experiments, and should be able to proceed with a refined mix next month. Also, are any of you members of the Blood Ministers? I find myself in need of a physician who I can trust and, while I appreciate the people of Trench, I still have some lingering paranoia.

[Maul looked immensely pleased and delighted with something just off-camera that he just had to share with the rest of the network.]

I have discovered it. The most magnificent batcat to ever exist.

[He turned the camera to face the batcat in question. It looked like....well....there was no denying it bore a shocking resemblance to a cat which had inspired a popular twenty-first century meme. The only difference was the batwings this one possessed, currently in a relaxed stance as it eyed Maul with feline curiosity. Other than that, the grumpy little cat was exactly the same as its long-ago predecessor.]

I will hear no arguments to the contrary. This creature is perfect.

[The feed pulls up on Wesker, who sits on a rustic bench in the rear courtyard garden of Arklay House, now overrun with a wild growth of odd-looking vaguely lily-like orange flowers which seem to bend and lean toward him, almost as if drawn to him.]

Until further notice, if you're coming to Arklay House for treatment, a consultation, or a social call, use the Lantern at the front door near the street, not the rear door, in the enclosed courtyard. The new spring planting isn't to be trusted, at least for now. I will explain to those who enquire.

[He shifts slightly, clearly changing the subject to something more personal which some part of him hesitates to address.]

But a more pressing order of business... Has anyone heard from Ariadne recently? I had a basket of pomegranates which I'd gathered in my attic which I was going to brin to her, and her device isn't picking up.

[With a note of foreboding, he continues.]

I trust no one has seen her going to the sea?

Uhm, hi . . . My name is Ahiru.

I'm looking for someone. His name is Fakir. I . . . can't seem to find him? And I don't know where he is. Maybe someone can help me look?

He looks like this.

[ she holds up a picture. clearly a perfect artist's rendition of fakir. ]



He also scowls a lot and looks like he's bored, but he's very nice actually! He's a ballet dancer and uhm . . . [ ahiru fiddles with her dress. ] . . . I just want to make sure he's okay.

[ Clad in his black hero uniform, Shouto stares at the camera with all the seriouness of a brick. ]

Contact me if you're missing a pair of eggs. 

I'll need an accurate description of them before handing them over. 

[Ronan's sitting in a chair backwards, tipped forward so only two on its legs are on the ground as he plucks a few chocolate-covered peanuts off a vine-like plant growing on the desk and shoves them in his mouth with all the grace of a teenage boy that's spent the last couple years very unparented. He's tall, broad-shouldered, with hooks of black ink on his skin that curve up his neck, beyond his tank top. His physique speaks to physical exertion as a hobby as much as for exercise, his hair buzzed close to his skull.

Honestly, Ronan had hated cell phones even back home, so this whole thing makes him cringe internally. But whatever, he was doing this. At least he can have his Omen do it. He regards his night horror with glacial blue eyes that imply venom, not kindness as it broadcasts him to the network.]

As an entitled jerk back home, my idea of cooking mostly revolved around ordering takeout from this pizza place and waiting for it to arrive at my door. Which isn't really the vibe I get here.

So I'm looking for beginner-friendly recipes with a low risk of disaster, if anyone's got any.

I mean, I could make poptarts in the toaster and the cookies you took out of the fridge and put in the oven, so I'm not inept or something. Just never had much reason to go beyond the sort of cooking you could do in a microwave.

[He pauses, considering a moment as he rocks the chair back and forth on the carpet. A juvenile raven creeps into the frame from behind Ronan, moving towards the desk surprisingly stealthily for a giant black bird; he seems unaware.]

And you know, if anyone's willing to show me some stuff, that'd be cool. Not for free- I'm sure I can come up with something to trade for it. I'm good at getting things off tall shelves, street racing, punching people, and some other shit. I'm sure we can figure out a trade of some sort.

[He considers ending it there, but instead, hesitates. And in a hilarious show of burying the lead--]

So, the whole squid thing. Did that feel weird for anyone else? I mean, weirder than weird. Familiar or something. Like deja vu? Like you'd done it before, or.. been something like that before?

from your perception i would like to know your thoughts on the pthumerians.

i am aware i could inquire the natives, and indeed i shall do just that. however, i would appreciate an unbiased viewpoint and any information you care to add from your own experiences.

i am no stranger to them necessarily but i find myself needing to know more.

i must.

Since everyone else is asking questions:

Bonding Pacts: How revealing are the connections? Can you feel everything the other is feeling? Can you keep anything private?

Has anyone had a bad experience with a bond?

Did your bond help with corruption or beasthood?

Did you regret getting one?

[ ...and then another, since he might as well: ]

And unrelated: How many times have you died here? Does it have side effects?

[ By the 15th, this post will have disappeared off the network. ]

[Maul was sitting outside on his roof, the snow softly coming down around him, hood up so they didn't land on his head. There was a soft, contemplative look on his face that he didn't often wear. For those that knew Maul, they'd realize there was one big change. His eyes, which had constantly been a golden color before, were now instead a grey-brown.

Next to him, looking perfectly fine with this cold weather due to the fur that made him little more than a ball of fluff, was his Mankey, named rather fittingly Cranky. Though Maul seemed unaware of it, the Pokémon was imitating his master in body language perfectly right now, sitting down with his arms folded and staring off into the distance. Mankey see, Mankey do and all that.

There was a long pause before he began the video. He was woolgathering and trying to put everything together, saying it in just the right way.]

For anyone I teach, classes will commence again now that I am back. [There was a pause.] In case you were unaware, I made a long journey to my home galaxy for about three years, though I understand I was only gone for about a week here. I had....quite the experience just before I came back with the Dark Side of the Force. I had to face a great many things about myself and learn some hard truths. But while I could not accept what it had to offer me then, I think I am ready to now. To let go of the past, to put some of my pain behind me, to gain more power than I ever thought I could.

[Always with the search of power. He couldn't help it, such a thing was ingrained into him by now.]

It taught me to let go of fear and pain and instead learn to care about others, to keep anger close, but never to let it turn self-destructive. Things many of you have told me here but which I did not want to listen to. But who am I to deny it when the Force itself tells me such things? [There was a soft laugh.] Well, I have returned and don't plan to go anywhere, much to the misfortune of some of you.....But this has proven an interesting experience, one I shall take heed of going forward.

everyone post cute pics of your omens here
or other pets if you have them
those are fine too

[There is literally no ulterior motive here. Sunny really just wants a collection of cute animal pics. And maybe it'd be good for keeping people calm, eyebleach style. He includes a picture of his own omen, Mewo. Apparently he's taken a picture of an already existing photograph.]

also
is there any way to make physical prints from the omni camera?
so the pictures could be put into a photo album
thanks

[Huaisang doesn't know how to make it anonymous, but he knows how to make a funky new name, so— close enough. This isn't even important enough to be anonymous, he simply has... overbearing brothers. Of a sort.]

HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP!



HELP!

[Okay, surely that is a good enough attention-grabber, so moving on to the real (not that urgent) problem:]

Hello! I have a problem, and I need someone to solve it!! I'll owe you one!! Please don't look away or new and worse problems will undoubtedly arise next!!!!

How do you get corruption out of a thing? You know, an object? Can I do that? I've already read about how to get corruption out of a person, but this is different. It's starting to stain my floor...

If it helps, it's something from my home. I don't know if that matters, I really don't know anything about this stuff.

Obviously, I don't want to touch it!! But it's going to be a hassle for me if I can't clean it up. If you help me out, I'll be in your debt!

[Hm he used that one already, well—]

Please help, it's so embarrassing!!!

[ The feed opens to Ozpin's library in the rebuilt Clockhouse: gone is the overgrowth of red and blue flowers, and instead the room is a clutter of green and purple furniture, overwrought gold filigree, and a few cleverly hidden carvings of butts. He has clearly tried to position the camera away from most of the chaos, so it centers Ozpin at his desk with a stack of fairytale books. He still looks pale and gaunt with simmering Corruption; there is a glint of vampire's fangs in his polite smile. ]

Good evening, Sleepers. For those who do not know me, my name is Professor Ozpin. I teach those who would stand against monsters, and in payment I often ask for the stories they've brought from their worlds... fairy tales of heroes, villains, and fools. I find there is always a grain of truth in every fable, and certainly wisdom to be gained from the sharing of it.

I am one of those who was present in the dream called Deerington. I find that our numbers feel lower, as of late... and I fear that someday, the stories of that dream shall be lost.

A few among us may recall the August of two years ago, a festival of peace and music. We honored the death of Cynthia Sodder, now reborn as the Moon Presence, with stories for her spirit and flowers for her grave. [ He takes on a wry, more distant smile. ] To lay flowers on a grave is an old tradition indeed. But I think it's the stories that are of more use - for the one telling them, not only the one told.

Cynthia was a being caged by the stories told about her. Her daughter, Julia Sodder, suffered the same fate. Many Sleepers remember her as a child... but in this era, the people of Deer Country only seem to remember her by the nightmares she brought to life.

A very wise young man [ his smile softens ] once helped me see past that view. I thought, perhaps, in this month of quiet and reflection, we might share more hopeful stories with the girl now lost. Her spirit still dwells in Sleepy Town, and so - myself, Oscar Pine, and Paul Atreides - now propose a new festival, in the spirit of the season. We shall gather at those grand wooden gates to tell hopeful tales of heroes, of community, and of mistakes that did not mean the end.

You see... the end we chose for her was a mistake. I should like to undertake some act, however small, to ease her eternal pain.

[ that got weirdly dire, thanks Ozpin ]

You may find us at the gates of Sleepy Town for the remainder of the month, telling what stories we think a lost girl may choose to believe in. I hope to see you there.

[[ If your character would like to share a story for Julia (or another NPC), see here for player plot info! ]]

[She’s been here for over a week now. Time to get the lay of the land. The video opens up to a particularly tall blonde woman with a golden skeletal arm and a smirk. She's here to cause problems on purpose.]

Greetings, hello, salutations. My name is Ianthe Naberius. I’m new in town, twenty two, a princess of Ida, unfortunately single and dreadfully bored!

Now, I come to you today, not only to introduce myself, but to ask something of all of you.

Who do you hate most in Trench and why? I’m trying to meet people, network, but it’s so hard and overwhelmingly positive! So consider this an open invitation. Warn me about that dangerous scoundrel who kicked your puppy, seethe about how much you despise me for whatever reason, tell me about your parasocial hateful fixation on one of the local divinity. It can be a minor slight you want to complain about, a friend of yours who owes you two perfectly intact human skulls, or it can be an actual danger to this lovely little community of ours.

Now, before you try to say “this is childish and stupid!” You’re absolutely right, but it is a necessary part of self care to allow oneself to be an absolute cunt once in a while. [Or all the time, if your name is Ianthe.] So let’s not make any grand claims to being above something like this, mm?

Feel free to use the anonymity feature. Or the privacy feature, I guess, if you’re shy or worried about being fileted like a fish.

[He still doesn't trust people, not here. Not anywhere, really. But he has to know. In a place this weird, he has to know.]

I'm just wondering... who here is not human? You don't need to tell me who you are if you don't want to, but I just want to get a sense for how many people who are not human are here.

I can't be the only one.

And a second question: is it safe for those who are not human here? I mean, I am definitely not like one of those beast things and I have no plans of attacking people. But human-dominated places tend to be somewhat unsafe for us.

And if you are some kind of mad scientist type reading this? Fuck off. We don't need people like you on our asses.

[Is that enough of a difference from his usual typing? He'll have to be careful about capitalization and punctuation so it sounds different from him, but...]

[The man who appears on the screen almost looks reluctant to be doing so, allowing the shaggy blond hair and glasses to obscure much of his face.]

...Something strange happened at the place I'm told is called the "Sleeper Farm", recently. A...friend and I had been cornered by one of our captors, and I'd tried without much luck at first to reason with them. But the moment they tried to grab me again, something changed.

Suddenly, they became calmer and stopped attacking, telling us to hurry and run, because they wouldn't have long until their corruption returned.

[It's here that his expression wavers, slightly; he is still uncertain about this, about allowing himself to return among people. And yet -- there's a subtle press under his skin, a restlessness. He has to do this.]

I'm still not sure I entirely understand what that means, or what exactly I did, but I've heard people talk about it. It...happens to us, doesn't it? Over time here. If easing that is something I can do, even for a little while...I want to offer it to anyone who needs it.

[There is a slightly awkward silence that hangs after he's finished speaking, and then, after a few moments, the feed simply shuts off.]

[a photo of the outside of a tavern is attached to the following message:]

This is manabu
I am keeping the roost open nightly this month in case people need a safehouse from all the zealot activity
So if you wind up lost in cellar door you can come here
Lights will be on and incense will be burning
Be smart and try to avoid traveling at night if you can help it
Carry weepers with you
If you need extras i have some to give

Also if anyone has seen any shipwrecks out at the beach let me know
They were there last year with extra provisions
But if theyre not here this time we may be looking at a very lean winter
Stock up

[ It's night, late into the evening actually and her room is lit with candles, so there is a light glow illuminating her face. She looks happy, satisfied even, and it's not necessarily difficult to put together why, when Sasuke, who is at least partially covered by a blanket, can briefly been seen sleeping on their mat behind her as she adjusts to get more comfortable.

Sakura, who is dressed in a robe, is settled by the window next to her bed. Her cheeks are rosy and she's content, and maybe still a little bit tipsy from too much sake earlier, which would explain her comfort level. ]

Does anyone else ever watch the cycles of the moon? I've always watched it when I couldn't sleep. In a few days we'll have the new moon. Then I realized that the next full one marks the Rinne Matsuri, a celebration of rebirth from Sasuke-kun's and my home where we pray for loved ones that we've lost and celebrate those we still have in a grand winter festival. We decorate trees, give gifts, and have large gatherings with family and friends.

Sometimes I miss my friends and family from back home, but I have so many people that I cherish here, so I'm never sad for long. I think I want to throw a little Rinne festival here, with a celebration party at the clinic. There must be many of us who have lost loved ones to remember, those who have died of course, but also those who are simply not here with us. Oh and of course new friends and family to celebrate. I want a chance to celebrate all of you, those who I've been blessed to get to know, but also perhaps those I haven't yet had the chance to meet. So please mark your calendars to join Sasuke-kun and I at the Wellness Clinic on December 7th.

It also seems like this is a time of year when many people celebrate one holiday or another. Will you share with me the stories of your traditions back home?

[The video starts off a bit shaky and uncoordinated, since Robyn is still getting the hang of using her Omni. Soon it comes into better focus, showing Robyn and her omen, a grey wolf with yellow eyes. From the looks of it, she's in a room at the Waystation, with the walls behind her covered in handprints, wolf pawprints and other symbols done in paint. It seems Robyn has found the room Mebh used to stay in before she left.]

Er, hello. I'm Robyn, and I'm friends with someone who used to live here. Some of you might know her. Mebh... [She pauses.] Mebh Óg MacTíre. [There, she got the pronunciation right this time.]

She painted all these things on the walls. [Robyn moves the Omni slightly to show more of Mebh's paintings, including a large one that's supposed to look like a woman and a wolf in a sort of yin-and-yang position, though it's a good deal cruder than the one Robyn first saw back home in Mebh's den.]

Anyway, if she ever comes back and somebody sees her, please tell her I'm here. You can't miss her if you see her. She's small and doesn't wear shoes and has red hair. Lots of red hair.

[Robyn smiles a little to herself at the thought before turning back towards the wall, seemingly forgetting that the camera's still running. The wolf sniffs at one of the handprints, which overlaps with a wolf's pawprint, and whines. It looks like the wolf can smell something familiar there.]

You know these too, don't you? [She's talking to the wolf now. Both of them look at the paintings in silence for a moment, and then she puts her own hand over the handprint.]

...I'm sorry, Mebh.

[It's not exactly Robyn's fault that she'd been here before, only to go into the ocean and leave Mebh behind, but she can't help but feel a bit guilty anyway.]

[Snow White sighs as she seems to be getting another message not meant for her. She shakes her head and addresses the camera.]

Du meine Güte!

Ich habe ziemliche Probleme mit meinem Omni. Und in Anbetracht einiger der Nachrichten, die ich zufällig erhalten habe, glaube ich, dass wir alle es sind! Ich kontaktiere immer wieder versehentlich die falschen Leute. Nicht, dass es nicht nett wäre, mit ihnen zu reden. Trotzdem möchte ich die Menschen erreichen, die ich erreichen möchte.

[There's a humming sound that comes from the Omni and Snow's image fizzles for a moment before:] If I do say so myself, this is getting a little frustrating. Does anyone have an idea how to fix the problem? Or what could it be?

[Another hum and another fizzle. She is none the wiser that she's not being "translated."]

Ich fürchte, ich bin nicht sehr gut mit Technologie, aber ich werde versuchen, zu helfen, wo immer ich kann. Nun, hier hoffen wir, dass das Problem bald behoben wird.

[One last fizzle and then:] Well, all the same, I hope everyone is staying nice and warm as it gets colder! Please don't forget to be very careful right now.


(OOC: Just let me know if you want replies to be translated by the Omni or still in Google translate German. Hovering over the sentences will provide the translation.)