ai_nnihilate: (pic#15661386)
Kuroneko, Satou ([personal profile] ai_nnihilate) wrote in [community profile] starsand2022-05-20 12:21 am

【MAY RUMOR】



.

A Twisted Rumor


There's another rumor circling through the city and this one is getting out of hand. It has twisted and skewed, evolved and mutated into something impossible to ignore:


"If you interact with the Fallen Stars, you'll disappear.


For the past week, this is exactly what has happened. People in town are disappearing and in their usual places are piles of the same black, glittering sludge that bled from the SpaceTime Shrine. People are becoming hesitant to help the Fallen Stars, even asking them to leave properties they once stayed in or not giving them free food and supplies. It's forcing Fallen Stars to help each other out and it's also putting a lot of strain on the Kami, who all insist that the Fallen Stars must be helped. Rumors and their real consequences be damned, apparently.



But there is hope. In a world powered by faith, that sort of power is especially important.




!
Out of Character Notes

  • All setting changes are optional. You are never forced to interact with the events.
  • The OOC aim of having characters kicked out of old housing is to force characters to live together & share information. Your character can keep their home if you'd rather not deal with this prompt.
  • Not all civilians will be cruel. It is possible to find and surround your characters with kind npcs.
  • Jobs will be scarce for Fallen Stars. Prompt B gives them an employment opportunity.
  • Kami and spirits are still kind to the Fallen Stars.
  • Fallen Stars can still use their currency from Maid Week to purchase food and housing.




  • (A) Late Night Stroll
    It's passed midnight when you feel something tug at your hair. Was it the wind or a hand? You can't tell, but you can't get back to what you were doing either. Whether you were sound asleep or focusing on a task, or even deep in conversation, your mind cannot get back on track.

    You can feel that tug again. In the distance, you can hear the loud hum of a out-of-tune radio and hear familiar voices. They get louder as you follow them through the city, until you reach a familiar landmark. The TimeSpace Shrine, which is now oozing more black, glittering goo than ever before. In the darkness of night, it almost looks like a melted sky of stars.

    The sound became unbearable once you got close to the shrine. Fortunately, all that it takes to shut it up is to touch the shrine. Unfortunately, that task will probably feel very difficult. The humming is loud and you can hear familiar voices mixed into the radio static. It's as if someone is tuning a radio that broadcasts your important memories. Whether they are extremely happy or horrendously sad, these moments that should be yours can now be heard by anyone around you.

    Once you touch the shrine, the sound abruptly stops. You may find that you aren't the only Fallen Star who was lured to the shrine tonight either. The humming occurs only on one night and for all of the Fallen Stars, though some might sleepwalk through the experience and not remember it later.


    !
    Out of Character Notes

  • The tugging feeling will stop after an hour, so it is possible for a person to ignore it and never investigate.
  • Memories are broadcast to anyone near the shrine.
  • The sky is clear on this night and the weather is mild.
  • This prompt occurs on a Friday night.




  • (B) Dark Like Stars
    Earlier in the month, you were seeing illusions of people from home. People whose form melted into black, glittery goo when you got close to them. Those illusions stopped appearing, but the puddles they had left still remained. The number of citizens has become thinner and it's speculated that they were somehow the ones who turned into goo, while you mistook them for another person on chance.


    Most people are afraid of the puddles, too. So in order to clean the city, a reward has been announced for anyone who helps. Put the goo in a container, bring it to the Shrine of Curiosity, and you'll be rewarded with whatever you need to survive. Something that might be especially appealing to Fallen Stars right now, when the citizens are reluctant to offer aid.


    For the most part, this is an easy job. You're given gloves and containers and advised not to touch the goo. The containers are a bit heavier than they'd be if filled with water. But they also whisper. That's probably not normal. And if you touch the goo, it leaves your skin itchy. A rash will form, one that looks eerily like cherry blossom petals. Rinse with warm water and you'll be fine in a few minutes.





    !
    Out of Character Notes

  • Payment for this job can be very generous, including permanent ownership of property.
  • It is possible to research the goo.




  • (C) disappearances
    By the end of the month, the rumor of disappearing has grown louder. Those who did not interact with Fallen Stars are fine and well, but the civilians who did reach out with kindness have vanished. The sun sets one night and seems to take these people with it. Shops once held by helpful civilians don't close that night. If they were in the company of others, then they vanished the moment that everyone looked away or blinked. There is no creepy puddle of black sparklegoo left behind this time: Only a few cherry blossoms, which blow away.

    Over the next week days, "missing" signs will be hung all over the city. Among the signs are two for some familiar NPCs: Omichron Yumeno, who has been helping people settle, and Mikale Reed, who owned a cafe that welcomed Fallen Stars.

    But it isn't just the humans. Perhaps you didn't notice before, but there have always been spirits hovering nearby to protect the Fallen Stars. Despite all of the rumors, these warm and colourful glows have persisted to show their support. But once the sun sets, those helpful lights go out. The city, which is usually lit by firefly sized lights all night, is darker than usual as a result.


    !
    Out of Character Notes

  • It is possible to handwave other NPCs that character interact with having vanished.
  • Not all of the spirits will vanish. Mostly the ones who hung around the homes and spaces of Fallen Stars.
  • Omichron vanished while at her house. Her poster goes up two days after vanishing.
  • Mikale vanished while at the cafe. No poster goes up for Mikale.




  • (D) Hunting the Rumor
    It wouldn't be a stretch to assume that the rumor has something to do with the disappearances. And on top of everything, the reblooming of cherry blossoms trees has stopped. Petals now fill the streets and do not return to their trees by morning. No one is picnicking anymore.

    But one cherry blossom tree is in bloom. Another type of gossip is spreading in confused tones: The singular cherry blossom on the bottom level is in full bloom. The first level of this stacked city does not openly acknowledge spirits or kami, so the people there are disturbed to have their tree rebloom. The petals that line the streets are being swept downwards by the wind. Maybe it's worth checking out?



    !
    Out of Character Notes

  • This prompt will be updated as investigations continue. Check this thread for updates!
  • You'll get your monster battle here eventually.




  • How To Solve Mysteries

    Mysteries will be solved with a mix of OOC & IC clue hunting.



    At the top of the event post there will be a Top-Level for "clue hunting." You can use this to tell the mod team what your character is investigating & get answers as to what they will find.



    Character top-levels may also get NPC interactions.








    aupologizes: (pic#15695083)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 07:31 am (UTC)(link)
    A few questions on my end.

    1) If Hanyuu eats one of the konpeito at this time, would anything happen?
    2) Will Inaba's nullification do anything to the goo if she physically touches it? Actually, will Inaba's nullification potentially cancel out the memory broadcasts as well?
    Edited (i forgor a question) 2022-05-20 07:44 (UTC)
    aupologizes: (pic#15694227)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 07:34 am (UTC)(link)
    Going to actually ask for elaboration here since it's plot related re: Mikale since Hanyuu's been working there and mooching. Is there any specific time of day that he disappears? Also does he disappear when nobody's looking or is it possible to catch him actually physically disappear? If it's the latter, is there a specific way that he does disappear, does he leave anything?
    denouefate: (11. flustered!)

    [personal profile] denouefate 2022-05-20 07:44 am (UTC)(link)
    At the time he disappeared, Mikale would have the bakery open but no customers. There is an oven on with creampuff shells baking. Hanyuu will find the bakery empty, tables cleaned, and cherry blossoms scattered through the kitchen.

    please rescue the creampuffs.
    aupologizes: (pic#15681660)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
    Absolutely rescuing the creampuffs. They're hers now.

    Also going to be cleaning up and taking the cherry blossoms as well; is there anything to sense spiritually coming from them?
    aupologizes: (pic#15690604)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 07:59 am (UTC)(link)
    Oh boy. Follow up question then: what's the level of the pain we're talking about here?
    aupologizes: (pic#15681618)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
    Is there a specific direction the breeze is going towards, besides 'outside of the cafe'?
    aupologizes: (pic#15690600)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 08:31 am (UTC)(link)
    fragment one. (cw: sororicide mentions)

      [ As someone who doesn't necessarily need to sleep, Hanyuu is awake when she feels the tug.

      She doesn't resist it; instead, she goes and quickly flies to where it is--this time, she doesn't bother to hide the horns that adorn her head. But when she reaches near the shrine, those around her can hear a memory.

      A long, far off memory. For those who have heard Hanyuu's voice before, they'll recognize it, but there is something evidently more mature and adultlike.

      But there is also another voice in the air: one that is of a younger girl unfamiliar to most, if not everyone here. ]


      "Why must a child kill and bury her own mother?"

      [ Hearing that familiar voice alone, with those words makes her flinch. ]

      Ouka...

      [ And yet, the broadcast continues: ]

      "Do not ask, my child. I am not human. My horns prove that I am a demon. The role of a demon is to bear the burden of the calamities that befall the human world."

      "Why must you, one woman, bear all the sins of the human world!?"

      "People live their lives lost in sin. And if they cannot push those sins onto someone else, they cannot go on living. No one wants to bear that burden. They push it back and forth, trying to make others take it. But if I, a demon, take that burden and let the people drive me away... then, the people will be free of the fate that causes them to doubt each other, to fight with each other. And so, my child...strike me, drive me out, send me drifting down the marsh and sink me in the swamp. This is the destiny I accept, as one who is not human."

      "I do not understand, mother! Indeed, you cannot hide your horns. But are you saying that those horns alone make you something inhuman? Even with those horns... to me, you are nothing if not human!"

      ...It has been so long since I've heard your voice. I wonder why I'm hearing it now. Is it because I've once again accepted my role? Is that what you're trying to tell me...?

      [ Of course she's speaking aloud, but all of this is audible for everyone to hear, and people who are around might notice Hanyuu's upset as her face scrunches up slightly. ]


    fragment two.

      [ As someone who's been helping out at the bakery, promising herself that she'd use this time to help others, when she notices Mikale is just absolutely gone, replaced with cherry blossoms that scatter across the kitchen and an oven that's turned on, she almost freezes.

      Before realizing that she should turn the oven off before the creampuffs get burnt, or worse: the entire bakery sets on fire.

      Immediately, Hanyuu frowns deeply, instinctively thinking it's her fault.

      And so, she says a few simple words: ]


      ... I'm sorry. This must be my fault.

      [ Of course, she eventually turns to leave, following the petals all the way to the bottom levels.

      And when she realizes that the petals have led here, she finds herself in shock, eyes growing wide as she rushes over with quick hurried feet to check out the cherry blossom tree, to see if there have been any changes to it since the last time she was here.

      But there's definitely a disturbed look in her eyes and if one pays close attention, there's also something knowing there. ]


    fragment wildcard.

      [ Come at me, punks. Feel free to message me for a personal starter either via PM or via plurk [plurk.com profile] tsundereban, but you can also hit up my plotting post, too. ]
    dereban: ([m] 113)

    [personal profile] dereban 2022-05-20 08:36 am (UTC)(link)
    are there microscopes to find asking because what would happen if you put the goo under a microscope, what would you see
    dereban: <lj user=berriah> ([m] 7)

    [personal profile] dereban 2022-05-20 08:51 am (UTC)(link)
    option one:

      [ Also someone who is awake at late hours, she feels a bit of the tug. And while something like that is something that she probably shouldn't be actively leading towards... investigation is in her blood.

      So here she is, out at midnight.

      But she has her nullification on, so none of the broadcasts are her memories, but she sure can hear others, so that's fun. Time to not turn off nullification for the rest of the night!!

      If you're in the midst of a memory, she's going to attempt to put a hand on a shoulder, which will alleviate things for the time being. ]


      Looks like this came in handy after all. But we'll have to find the source if we want to stop it for good.


    option two:

      [ Inaba is officially Library's Little Helper now. And honestly, it's a win-win for her, because she wanted to investigate the goo in the first place and now she's getting paid for it?

      Although she's not so sure about getting housing. Sure, she's an adult and all, but there's a lot of things that she isn't entirely good at.

      (Read as: her cooking is still mediocre, even if she's been learning the last two years in order to appease certain people in her life.)

      Nevertheless, she's touching the goo with her bare hands just to see if anything would happen to it... and nothing. She's fine. It still exists, however, so there seems to be some limits. If someone's with her trying to collect some as well, she'll just smile politely. ]


      You want to try helping me run some tests on this? I want to learn what's up with it -- we might be able to find out how to get everyone back if we understand this a little more.


    option wildcard:

      [ Want to play something else that isn't either of these prompts? Feel free to message me via PM or at [plurk.com profile] tsundereban! Alternatively, you may also hit me up on my plotting post as well. ]
    aupologizes: (pic#15681681)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 09:45 am (UTC)(link)
    [ The fact that the tree is oozing goo is not reassuring, In fact, it's the opposite, as now she's going to inspect it further to see if the goo reaches the roots of the tree at all, or if the tree's bark itself is doing okay. ]
    aupologizes: (pic#15681632)

    [personal profile] aupologizes 2022-05-20 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
    I'm sorry.

    [ She apologizes immediately with a deep frown. ]

    If you're the one in pain, then... I will have to take responsibility myself.

    [ Her power is still weak, she knows this. But that's why she decides to take one of the konpeito she's saved up and eats it here. She will need the boost, even if she ends up hearing those loud screams. ]
    nightwild: (Default)

    Re: ! QUESTIONS !

    [personal profile] nightwild 2022-05-20 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
    So, before, Fauna was physically unable to touch the goo, because it tried to avoid her. Is that no longer the case?
    nightwild: (Default)

    Re: ! CLUE HUNTING !

    [personal profile] nightwild 2022-05-20 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
    would it be bad if someone tried to destroy the aforementioned cherry tree on the bottom?

    also same question about mikale for chron- any clues about when/where she vanished?
    nightwild: (pic#15423539)

    [personal profile] nightwild 2022-05-20 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
    a. memories in the night (cw: abuse, transphobia, a cult, a whole lot of violence)

    [A pull to the TimeSpace shrine... well, she normally wants to go there, to continue her attempts at violence. But an external pull is new.

    ... The noise is unbearable. The sound of pain, of suffering- And Fauna's inhuman ears make it louder, amplifying the noise. But she has to continue. She has to get to the top, and put a stop to this, smashing the whole shrine-

    Smash. The sound of shattering glass pulls Fauna from her reverie. She looks around, but there's nothing that can cause that... until an adult man's voice can be heard echoing around it: "What, you're one of those damn freaks? No son of mine is gonna wear a dress." Another sound of breaking glass, and splashing- A bottle breaking. "Get out of my damn house, you ungrateful brat!"

    A young voice, screaming in rage and hate, without words.

    Fauna freezes. That voice shouldn't be... That shouldn't be possible. She can't...

    As her mind is jumbled, another voice cuts in. A younger girl, with a strange, ethereal tone to her voice: "You poor thing... Drowning in despair. I will save you from it... What is it you wish for?"

    "I don't want anyone else to feel like this..." The other voice replies. "I want to be a hero who can save people... I want justice, but there's no justice in this world!"

    "Yes." The girl's voice replies serenely. "There's no justice in this world. That is why I wish to create a new one. Will you help me? To destroy this world full of anguish and despair, and create one of justice?"

    "I- Yeah. Yeah. Let's make a better world..."

    Fauna starts sprinting towards the shrine faster, ignoring the noise. She can't- Why is this place throwing these memories at her?]


    b. wild actions

    [For a while, Fauna can be found just staring at the missing poster of Chron.]

    ... This was my fault, huh.

    [She murmurs aloud, loathing in her voice. But what can she do? If she was smart, maybe she could figure this out. If she was clever, maybe she could figure out a way to bring everyone back. If she was stronger, maybe she wouldn't have gotten Chron involved in the first place.

    All she can do is follow the petals, to the first level, to find that tree in bloom.]


    ... If I break this, will it bring them back?

    c. wild card

    [Got another idea? Hit me up on her journal or at [plurk.com profile] lastbastion and let's go nuts.]

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