Deer Country Network

[CW: wide-scale destruction, arguably domestic terrorism, but no people are shown being hurt]

[At first one might be forgiven for thinking someone has started broadcasting a vintage sci-fi film. It's not in black and white but it feels like it should be. People run, panicked, through the streets of a small town. Smoke billows from multiple flaming buildings. Rubble litters the ground, signs have been pulled up and bent like pipe cleaners, and above it all wheels a great winged shape that occasionally belches more flames from a maw brimming with fangs.

It's a pterodactyl. Its eyes are glowing red and big as car tires, its back is lined with spikes, and if you look close enough you can see the seams on its neck where the metal plating fits together to allow it a truly terrifying range of motion. It's a mechanical marvel and it's the best indicator that this isn't a vintage movie, because it is at once both too sleek and moving in a way that is too lifelike to be an old animatronic or stop motion monster. It is very, very real. It swoops in low and snatches up a car in its clawed feet, spiraling upward again before launching it through the window of a laundromat.

Fiddleford watches all this from the roof of an adjacent building, one that is notably not on fire. He seems remarkably unbothered by all the destruction going on and is making no move to run in the opposite direction. He also looks like complete shit, but what else is new? His hair is messy, he looks like he hasn't shaved in days, there are dark circles under his eyes. That's standard Fiddleford. What's a little nonstandard is the almost-manic expression on his face and the box he's holding in his hands. It looks like what you'd use to control a model airplane, only chunkier and obviously home-made. It's covered in switches and dials and blinking lights and buttons. He flips one of them and the Homicidal Pterodactyltron lets out an ear-splitting scream that sounds like metal tearing. He wheels it around again, turns on the flames, and draws a scorched line up the street behind a few stragglers who are still scrambling to get out of this part of town.

The memory flickers. The fire was red a second ago and now it's blue and then the whole thing sort of stutters like a skipping VHS tape and then it's over and there's Fiddleford, looking just about as shit now as he did then, only a lot less feral and a lot more sheepish.]

... I swear on my life there's a proper explanation for this. It just, ah, it looks real bad without context.

[Which... you know, that's true. But it's also very 'cool motive, still wanton destruction' and he knows that, deep down, which is the problem.]

content warnings: discussion of menstruation and puberty, baus-related beast transformation, complex yet flippant feelings about dead mom stuff

[ Alice's body has been up to some distressing changes. She's under the impression that every single one of them are normal things that happen to a young maiden of a certain age, which is not entirely correct. She has questions, and absolutely does not trust any of the people she lives with to give her a correct answer. Hence, the decision to ask absolutely everyone in Trench at once, because shame is something that happens to other people. ]

( tragic victorian orphan seeks life advice )

[ Luna Lovegood is perhaps the best she's looked in months. Despite the exhausted look about her, and the expression of queasiness — she's void of any trace of Corruption. She's been spending the past several days sleeping, and not sleeping; trying to calm her stomach from the copious amounts of wild animals she'd devoured as a beast. While sustenance for her in Beastform, her stomach now she's human again is... far more delicate. But the worst of it has passed, at least. And Peter has been a blessing for her, making sure she's alright — even if eating has been a little bit of a struggle.

She sits in her room, sat on her bed with her knees curled up to her chest, still dressed in pyjamas. Her Omni rests on her bedside as she begins the broadcast. She's anxious; her brow drawn down in a sorrowful frown. It's important, though. People deserve apologies, even she deserves no luxury of apology in return. She hurt people, quite a lot — and while the memories of the latter half of April are foggy at best, she knows she's done some terrible things. ]

I realise a great deal of people may be very upset with me right now. I would have done this sooner, but I... needed a little bit of time to sort out my mind. [ She's still trying to do that, but it's now or never. ]

I remember the butterflies, and then... it gets a bit mixed up after that. [ It was like... falling down a very, very deep hole. Slowly slipping away from herself, and into something cold and dark and twisted. ]

I'm sorry. I know I hurt a lot of people, I know I— I think I killed people, too. I know I wasn't myself, I became someone terrible and then something terrible. A monstrous Beast. [ It hurts to refer herself as that. No beast is monstrous. But she did monstrous things. That is... simply how it is, and she's ashamed of herself. ] I know people might think it isn't my fault, that I became a Beast — but I still did those things. I barely even know who I did them to, I don't remember much.

But I'm very sorry.

[ She doesn't expect forgiveness, not at all. She's alright with that. Luna's quiet for a long tome, just leaving the apology there. But after a while, she inhales and continues. ]

I was lucky. My friends found me, my boyfriend found me. They brought me back. They knew who I was even though I was a Beast. I can only guess others haven't and won't be so fortunate. [ How many times have Sleepers been killed as Beasts? How many will be in future? ]

I've been doing some thinking, the past couple of days. How to... maybe help Sleepers, somehow. Back home, someone very important to me, a hero to me really, led the way in the study of magical beasts — he's one of the greatest Magizoologists known to Wizardkind. He offered a great deal of insight into beast behaviours, abilities and how best to care for them — compiled it into a textbook.

I'd... like to start doing something like that, but for Sleepers in their Beastforms. I want to do it as my area of study at the School of Mutter. An encyclopaedia of Sleepers' forms of Beasthood, noting their appearance, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. But also how best to help them, calm them down. Bring them back.

[ She doesn't want it to mean it's how to kill them. No, no. Not at all. It's how best to help Sleepers, so they don't have to be killed. But also knowing how best to deal with them, so other Sleepers don't end up getting killed when dealing with Beasts. Merlin knows how many Witches and Wizards were likely killed by magical creatures they had no clue on how to handle them. Wild animals are just that, they can kill. ]

I could have very easily met death at the hands of a Hunter, but I was lucky I didn't. Knowledge is a very powerful tool, and I believe it could do a great deal of good. [ That being said: ] If people have information they'd like to share about their Beastforms, or how they've dealt with bringing Sleepers back — I would like to hear it for my research.

If you'd rather speak in person, you may find me at Ritual Gig in Willful Machine. [ There's a little pause, her voice wobbling slightly. ] You... may have known it as John Constantine's shop, but moving forward I shall be taking up the reins in his absence.

PIZZA MARKET RESEARCH SURVEY #1

1. What are the best pizza toppings (and nothing weird like anchovies)?

2. Thin crust or thick crust?

3. Do you like orange soda?

4. Do you know how replicate orange soda here?

5. What are your preferred pizza eating hours?

6. How often would you use a horse-based delivery service? Would it depend on what kind of horse showed up at your house with the pizza? Would it matter if the horse was fucking terrifying?

Thank you all for your input.

So. Little Trenchlets. I've been here for awhile- [She has been here four days]- and it's hard to keep track of all these people I keep hearing about. So many rumors flying about and it's all so fucking juicy.

So, I'm alone, horny for context, and ready to show mine if you show me yours.

I heard there was a huge party thrown at a house in gaze. A bunch of teens drinking, doing drugs, and kissing with tongues that they just don't know how to use, and providing uninteresting details about alien worms. Completely trashed the place.

Even worse, I heard they robbed the man who let them into his house. Thankfully, he'd warded the objects so if you see a shifty-looking kid or two with their hand blown off, now you know why! There's a moral lesson in there... probably.

Now it's your turn. You don't even have to sign your name. I'm that thirsty for the D(eets).

((Feel free to have your character post "anonymously" about rumors they may have heard about events or themselves in the trench or rumors they want to make up! I highly encourage threadjacking and silliness. Of course, keep it IC, civil, and consider asking permission from others if you think you should.))

[a girl, straight backed and very poised, wearing a fashionable black dress with ravens swooping down over the shoulders to meet under her high narrow neckline, just wide enough to frame the black buckle of her necklace with a silver needle hanging down. her hair is dark and braided tightly back. it's hard to tell in the lighting if it's brown or red. there is what appears to be a sled dog sitting at her feet in a fashionable matching collar.

the parlor she sits in is a bit chintzy, with elaborate wallpaper. weirwood leaves hang incongruously overhead.

she looks and acts as if she's watched several tutorials on setting up your own youtube videos. her smile is practiced but not unkind.]

Hallo, I'm called Alayne Stone. This is Lady. [she pets her canine companion on the head.] Our gracious hosts have helped me find lodgings in Cellar Door, and work making clothes for the Night Walkers here. I would like to make clothes for all of you as well, but I'm afraid I don't have the supplies. Still, if you bring me good cloth and leather, I would be glad to make you what you want. I can make leather shirts, and padding, for those who have need of armor.

You might ask the lantern imps to bring you to the Rookery. If you find yourself in Cellar Door, it's hard to miss the building with the weirwood growing out of it.

[she gestures up and out at the leaves.]

Thank you for your time. And thank you, to everyone who helped me at the inn and the board walk. You've been very kind. I hope I'll have the chance to return the favor.

Oh! Are there any Architects here who do work on buildings? I might need some help with my roof.

[the vibe is spoiled somewhat as she struggles to turn off the recording feature.]

[As the video turns on, there is yet another tired face of someone resisting their Bloodsport. Really, he's been trying. Oz may be smiling and beaming with energy, but there are dark circles under his eyes and he's paled by the internalized horror of his recent boat ride. This boy is at least very good at faking a chipper attitude and puts that skill to full use over the network.]

He~llo! It's Oz again! And you know what I've been itching to do lately?

[Break things, fight people, summon his weapon and mow down monsters... No, he won't admit to those or allow them. Instead, a peaceful half-truth;]

Ballroom dancing!

I've had an abundance of energy and I need to do something productive. We all come from different worlds, so I bet our dances are veeery different! Anyone want to practice mine? Maybe it'll be a refreshing way to get rid of this energy!

[Without breaking things or exploding. Oz is looking for less violent ways to help people vent their Bloodsport. And maybe some classical dance can distract him.]

TESTING TESTING

Man, I hope this works. Okay. Here goes!

Greetings to the city of Trench, the survivors of the Nightmare, and any of you that just apparently washed up here with no connection to any of this. My name is Dipper Pines and I have a few very important questions for everyone. Firstly:

Sup?

And secondly:

Tell me about your blood. As much detail as you can! What color is it, what’s it do, is it reactive to anything? Does it smell funny? Does it taste weird? Anything you’ve noticed!

Thanks!

PS - I think I’m gonna change my username, so if you see responses from “Alcaid”, that’s still me.