Hijinks Mingle

[potentite]

Who: Everyone!
Where: Anywhere around the hub!
When: Days 103-105
Open/Closed: Open mingle!
Notes: See this post for details on the moon prompt and this one for the telepathy/dream/spirit prompts!



[A | Flower Gleam and Glow]
[The nearby moon is still passing close to the hub island, meaning the effects are still in play. Perhaps now is the time to stop and smell the large lit up sparkling moonflowers that have bloomed? Or be annoyed by the mosquito-like insects that came with them.

Alternatively, the deer seem to draw some sort of energy from the moon's light. Given their size, at least their sudden aggression and proximity to the base camp isn't the worst thing in the world but a kick would still break a rib or other bone so be careful! Possibly help each other deal with these cute but troublesome fauna.]



[B | Eavesdropping]
[For some reason, the telepathy will suddenly get rather wonky. Characters won't know why it's happening, though of course no doubt there will be ponderings, but it means characters won't be in control of their ability to broadcast — or more specifically, not broadcast — their thoughts. Time to find out secrets of an embarrassing nature. Or maybe something sadder is going on in your character's head.

If this wasn't bad enough, the area around the signet might experience burning or tingling. Just try to keep a lid on your brain for the day and distract yourself from any annoying pain.]



[C | Talking In Your Sleep]
[Or maybe your character just doesn't have the most interesting thoughts. Maybe they're busy thinking about pie instead of their upsetting childhood. That's fair. Pie is great.

But surely sometimes it haunts their dreams. With the telepathy running amuck, it's no wonder dreams and nightmares are leaking through, too. Of course, it doesn't have to be an accident. Feel free to grab a friend and share a fanciful dreamscape together on purpose! But for those nuts that are tougher to crack, accidents can and will happen.]



[D | Who You Gonna Call]
[Last but not least, as Friday rolls around, there seems to be something odd going on with the island. If your character is inclined towards the spiritual or supernatural, they'll no doubt notice the strange heavy thickness hanging around. There are whispers in the air and all of new energy just feels solemn. Might be good to give people a heads up and keep an eye on it.]

Comments

c

[rootbound]

[curls up around himself and whatever thing is chewing on his arm, shuddering and coughing, tears dragging acid-feeling furrows down his cheeks; not immediately interested in trying to get up and take a look around, thanks]

Nnghk--

[rootandbranch]

[the thing chewing on your arm is scaly and warm in a familiar way, but far too tiny; it may be hard to immediately recognize the familiarity what with your MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS. it keeps talking, though, letting out a startled little squawk at his movement.]

--you're alive!

[rootbound]

Hhhurts.

[forcing his eyes open, turning his head blindly in the direction of that tiny voice, and then lies there, breathing hard, unable to muster more effort to do anything else or talk for a bit]

[rootandbranch]

If it hurts, you're alive--

[the voice is immeasurably relieved. it takes a couple of minutes for your eyesight to start to clear, so you've got a bit of time, at least, to get your breath back.

as visibility increases, you can notice a few things:
- it's cold here. frost rimes the walls and floor.
- you appear to be in some huge, hollow structure, with water trickling very slowly in through a couple of leaky bits. it groans from the weight of water overhead.
- the surface next to your outflung hand seems to be strangely pitted and fragmented, as if it's made of many other tiny things, almost like shredded cardboard. you have a strong sense that you don't want to examine the materials more closely.
- the thing you're curled around has bright reddish scales and is the size of your torso. it's still making anxious little noises at you, and trembling in your grip.

everything still hurts, so it's fine to take your time with all these revelations.]

You're not going to die, right?

[rootbound]

Huh...?

[concentrates blearily on...pulling his outflung hand over until his arm is also circled around Geir, gingerly. ok. that is one perceptional problem solved out of like, hundreds. progress.]

[rootandbranch]

If you're still talking, that's a good sign... um.

[does Geir have red scales?]

I don't know how long it's safe here. I'm sorry.

[rootbound]

[he's not really sure it's Geir but it sort of looks and sounds like him; he holds on anyway on that basis. better a strange anchor than none at all]

S'okay. Don't...think I can move.

[rootandbranch]

What should we do...?

[your armful of dragon cuddles closer. apparently, Geir or not, your hold is comforting for it.

the pain is ebbing a little, at least, now that you're out of the water. it's slow, but you may be able to move again with effort in a couple more minutes.]

[rootbound]

Don't know...

[gathers Geir up against his body and crawls a little further up the...whatever he's on...with his eyes shut, wincing]

[rootandbranch]

[the substance under him crunches kind of horribly, going almost pliant before pricking at his hand and knees. oh my god??? possibly continuing not to look at it is a good choice.

his new companion keeps talking, unintentionally cryptic but unable to quite stop its panic-babble.]

It should've risen by now. Something must be holding it down.

[rootbound]

What...don't want...anything to rise. I'll--I'll be sick.

[yeah just. keeps going blind. if he doesn't find a solid thing to lean against soon he'll just try sitting up on his own, though]

[rootandbranch]

[you can find the horrible crunchy icy wall, that works. it wasn't too far.]

D-don't be sick either...

[rootbound]

Trying.

[leans up against the horrible wall and pulls his armful of red dragon into his lap at last. opens his eyes...]

[rootandbranch]

[he's underneath... now that he can see more clearly, it's some kind of huge ship, overturned on the seabed. he's in a curved indentation along the side. a massive anchor is wedged awkwardly between a rock a few dozen yards away and the hull, straining, and the whole structure creaks a bit with the effort to rise in spite of it.

the hull of the ship that he's been crawling on and which arches above him is made of human toenails and fingernails, so that's nice.

the dragon looks exactly like Geir in the face as it stares up at him. the shape is right. the eyes, a darker red than its scales, are right. but the color is wrong, it's much too small, and there's not the slightest bit of recognition as it searches his eyes.]

Try really hard?

[rootbound]

[uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

okay fixes his eyes on the dragon because that's much much much more reassuring than eyeing up the Naglfar, he's just gonna, he's just, he's going to put processing that off for a little bit longer...]

G-Geir?

[rootandbranch]

[there's a palpable hesitation, then the baby bares its stupid tiny fangs at you. there's a note of desperation in its voice, but no more recognition than before.]

I-it's Jormungand--

[it sounds more panicked and pathetic than anything, in this context, hiding in a boat made of dead men's nails.]

[rootbound]

[oh.

well, whoever it might be, Vern has spent enough time with Geir to lose his healthy fear of fangs. draws his knees up instead and puts his head on them, the baby serpent a little more enclosed in the warm space of his body, shielded]

...it's okay. I won't leave you.

[rootandbranch]

[the baby dragon is stunned silent, going quiet, face mushed against your chest by the pressure of your knees. you don't feel teeth.

after a moment, it starts to shake.]

[rootbound]

[steals a hand in and strokes its warm side. petting it, cradling it like this, makes him hurt more. he doesn't care, he finds.]

Shhh.

[rootandbranch]

[Naglfar shakes around them, the rage of the water outside and its own efforts to rise making it groan again. it might not last long, on the ocean floor like this.]

I-- I don't like it. It's me out there, but I don't like it. I'm scared...

[it's almost a sob.]

[rootbound]

It's--okay. Well, it's not okay, but--

[a hitching, sobbing little laugh]

--it's okay to be scared. No one ever said...Ragnarok was going to be peaceful.

[rootandbranch]

What are we going to do?

[the baby dragon's voice is very small.]

[rootbound]

I don't know.

Can we leave?

[rootandbranch]

O-only if the ship rises. I-- the anchor is holding it down.

I'm scared...

[rootbound]

...

If you want to go, to get away from all this, I'll help you move the anchor.

I--I'm scared too. I don't think I can do it alone.