【fallen stars vs TREE】

[berriah]

Punch A Tree Log

SHRINES LORE DROP LOCATIONS FAQ NPC CONTACT MAY MINGLE MAID WEEK CLAIMS LIST

❤

A Twisted Rumor

It's the day after the Fallen Star Meeting regarding the recent rumor. As morning brightens the city's night, stories are making their way from the bottom level to the top.

"The cherry blossom tree isn't going to hurt us, is it? It looks so scary."

For those who have learned the truth about rumors, this may especially distressing to hear. There's no time to wait: If anything is going to be done to save the tree's spirit, it must be done now.

The current plan is to address the tree spirit's wish to be remembered and acknowledged by holding a picnic by the lonely cherry blossom tree. Fallen Stars hope to reenact the lively Reblooming parties that had been happening on the upper levels all month. This tree, though the origin of that tradition, exists at the bottom level of Starsand City: Where spirits and kami are still feared. The hope is that this party will soothe the raging spirit and bring it peace... and, ideally, bring back all of the people who have recently gone missing.

But the meeting also ended on a note of caution. If the spirit will not peacefully give up the missing people, then more drastic measures may need to be taken. And... Spoiler alert, but this log is titled tree FIGHT.

Timeline of Events

This log will operate a bit different from normal! It's also an experiment, so if it doesn't work then apologies in advanced! In order to maintain an easy-to-follow timeline of events, there will be a top-level for each stage of the encounter. As the encounter progresses, new top-levels will be added to reflect each stage of the Rumor.

Character top-levels are still welcome, but please try to use the top-levels for time sensitive threads. Threadjacking is welcomed & encouraged, though please be respectful of one another. And of course, make use of the feedback section!

Backtagging is also still welcome. Event stages will be staggered over the course of the next week & past threads still have time to make an impact. Please don't feel rushed!

!

Timeline of Toplevels

OOC Check-In - There will be IC consequences for participating!

Feedback - Yell at me

Questions - Ask questions, Get Answers

---

The Night Before - For preparation during the night.

The Morning Of - For preparations before heading out for the picnic.

Hanami on the First Level - The picnic that was planned at the meeting.

A Shift in Tone - Reacting to the battle start.

Battle Guidelines

• Battle A - VS Tree Spirit
  
• Battle B - VS Bread
  
• Battle C - VS ???
  
• Battles D - VS Lost Spirits
  

Aftermath - Victory Party!

code

Comments

OOC Check-In

[berriah]

There will be minor consequences & potentially rewards for characters who show up for the hanami picnic! Please make my life easier and check your character in here.

Feedback

[berriah]

We're trying something new, so please be vocal about whether or not it's working.

Questions & Answers

[berriah]

Any questions about the prompts, event, etc. that would make roleplaying easier for you!

Re: OOC Check-In

[veileddreamer]

Tau is here doing her best.

STAGE ONE: the night before

[berriah]

s t a g e /// O N E

After the meeting, Fallen Stars are left to return to their homes and get a good night's rest. For those that are still antsy, there is plenty that needs to be done in order for the hanami picnic to be a success. Posters will be drawn and put around town to encourage civilians to participate. And in order to accommodate a large crowd of picnic goers, a lot of food is going to need to be prepared.

Fortunately, Team Hanami does have a base of operations. The cafe where the meeting was held is currently unused, due to its owner having gone missing. There is not only a kitchen and ingredients for food, but there is plenty of room to work on art projects.

The cafe will remain open to Fallen Stars all night.

STAGE TWO: the morning of

[berriah]

s t a g e /// T W O

When morning comes, the Starsand City is oddly quiet. The weather is mild and clear of clouds, just as the streets are clear of people. People are nervous about leaving their homes and without no reason: The number of disappearances has only increased over night. The empty streets make the gathering of Fallen Stars in front of the cafe stick out that much more.

There may still be some tasks to complete before everyone heads out. Posters still need to be hung up, food needs to be prepped, and picnic baskets need to be packed. Throughout the early morning, curious civilians will pop by the cafe and investigate the posters. But they shy away without asking any questions.

STAGE THREE: hanami

[berriah]

s t a g e /// T H R E E

Traveling to the lowest level takes a long time. A combination of winding staircases and glass elevators can be utilized to gradually reach the spirit fearing Level One. The city on the bottom level has the same skies as the upper levels, despite after four levels of city built over it. Buildings down here are not as colourful or jeweled as the ones Fallen Stars may have grown accustomed to. There are no shrines on the street corners, no colourful spirits wandering about, and generally no traces of magic.

It's quiet here too, with an odd stillness in the air. The cherry blossom tree in question can be found in the center of a city park, where all of the other plant life has died overnight. Even those without spiritual sensitivity will be able to hear the tree's spirit sobbing. Black goo seeps from the bark and blossoms continue to gather in its branches.

The place chosen for hanami will be marked out with colourful blankets and loaded baskets of food. Though the tree cries and seeps goo, none of the icky black substance will reach the blankets. It seems to be gathering right at the edge and building up, as if there is an invisible glass barrier around the tree. As the picnic goes on, this sparkly sludge continues to inch up the barrier as if it is trying to climb over the top. It will not reach the top, even after the trail extends six feet up.

Reaching the tree itself is still possible. The goo will very slowly trail anyone who steps beyond the invisible barrier. It does not seem threatening, but more curious: Like it wants to be a part of the party and to investigate the people who brave the barrier.

STAGE FOUR: the shift

[berriah]

s t a g e /// F O U R

The hanami viewing seems to be going well. With every hour that passes, more and more civilians are showing up to watch the unraveling events. Some stand on the sidelines and watch with concern, while others begin gathering on the empty picnic blankets. They still seem shy of the Fallen Stars, but people from the bottom and top level alike have begun to gather for the picnic. Some of them hold posters that told them to come, some bring their own baskets, and many of them fondly talk about the tree that started the reblooming tradition. The conversations wistfully twist to the same thought, over and over again:

"How could we forget about the tree that started it all?"

The sobbing of the spirit begins to quiet. Its bloom-filled branches, which tower to the sky like cumulus clouds, emit a warm, pink glow. For a few minutes around noon, the bleeding tree gives off a somehow happy aura. Watching over the people of the city one last time, it begins to shed the many petals it had artificially gathered. As the petals fall, Fallen Stars will briefly see a memory play through their minds like a daydream: It's one of the early hanami parties, from before the world knew about spirits. The tree's spirit warmly watches the people holding picnics, thinking in a mature voice; "I was happy to love this city."

... Until the peace is abruptly snapped. Those sensitive to spirits and magic will feel it first: A strong pulse of magic expands from the tree trunk. The spirit can be heard screaming apologies for having such a selfish wish, repeating over and over that they only wanted to love the city's people one more time. They don't want to hurt people-- Please, don't let them hurt people!

The petals turn into the black goo and rain down on the area surrounding the tree. The picnickers within the barrier will see them splash on an invisible roof, but those who are too close to the tree will feel the acidic rain lightly burn their skin. As the goo runs out of the tree, it leaves a dying husk behind. And gradually, the goo begins to take monstrous forms--

A familiar voice can be fainting heard under the cacophony of agonizing screams: "Remember my warning."

---

This is a reaction post for everything going to shit. There are different top-levels for the battles themselves. When engaging the tree in battle, please use one of the battle top-levels so that I can keep track of everything!

STAGE FIVE: can you beat a tree in battle??

[berriah]

s t a g e /// F I V E

Below are the battle threads! They are all occurring simultaneously, so please only have your character participate in one of them. You may play multiple characters across multiple battles.

Battles A, B, and C will be open to 4 fighters each. The monster will respond every 2-4 replies, depending on pacing/reactions. If more than 4 fighters accidentally end up in the same fight then that's fine too.

Posting order will be NPC - PLAYERS - NPC. In order to keep the thread moving the players will not be restricted to a reply order.

Battles D are 1on1 battles and non-combative responses. I reply more swiftly here.

Battle A: VS Tree Spirit

Battle B: VS the consequence of your actions

Battle C: VS something ? ? ??

Battle D: 1on1 fights!

[veileddreamer]

[As much as Tau doesn't like large crowds, she also didn't want to be alone in her room before everything. So she brought as many of her sketchbooks and art supplies as she could to the cafe. They're all spread out over the table she's claimed, but in piles specifically for each thing. She gets to work, determinedly sketching small versions of possible poster ideas. She has to make the best one. If she makes the best one, then everyone will come by, and she'll have her family back. Even though she seems very engrossed her art and thoughts, she notices when someone stops by her table.]

...Can I help you? Or...Do you wish to help me?

[veileddreamer]

One:

[Tau has gathered up a large stack of posters, enough to make it hard to comfortably carry, but there's still pleanty more. She wasn't used to putting forth this much work. Omichron and Mikale owe her one when they get back. When she sees someone else entering the cafe, she speaks up.]

Excuse me...Would you be willing to help me up up posters?

Two:

[Tau is handing out left over posters to anyone braving the streets. It made her uncomfortable being out when everything was unnaturally still for her city, but she wasn't about to give up. Even when people pass her by, she just tries to chase them down.]

Excuse me. Sir, there is a party...Sir...Come to the-

[And he's gone. This was frustrating.]

He could've at least taken one...

[She shook her head, and glared around, to find her new target.]

[protectshope]

Madoka Kaname, checking in!

[protectshope]

Are you still working on posters, Tau-chan?

[Madoka comes by with her own sketchbook, within which she has been sketching out poster ideas. She's been wanting to try drawing with Tau all night, but she's way too shy to say so directly.]

[fallmushrooms]

Velda's here, have an awkward witch.

[fallmushrooms]

Don't see why not. If we make enough posters, we'll get enough people, right?

[veileddreamer]

One:

[It was awkward to party with a sobbing tree being the focus, but Tau was nothing if not great at ignoring reality. She had good food, and a sketchbook, and that was all she would pretend she would need. Though, part of this was socializing wasn't it?]

So...Uhm...Do you have hanami in your world? Or...Uhm...What kind of things..did you celebrate?

Two:

[Tau has taken to sketching the groups of people at the party, and maybe some of the food and the tree too. Pretty much anything or anyone that has caught her interest. She never asked for permission, because she wanted to get a vibe not a pose. As she wanted new subjects, she would go from blanket to blanket.]

Do you mind...If I join you...for a little bit?

Three:
[After awhile Tau was as curious about the black goo as it seemed to be about the party. She turns from the goo to the nearest person.]

I wonder if they're hungry...

[That's about all the invitation to either join or stop her that she gives, before grabbing a couple cookies from the basket, and heading into the barrier. She would kneel down near the goo and hold out a cookie to it, keeping the other with the intent to eat along side of it.]

Here you go...It is important to...share with each other...

[veileddreamer]

I am.

[She shows off the work she has done. Mainly the thumbnails, although now there is a larger drawing of a the tree that she's currently working on. After a moment, she goes back to that drawing.]

Do you...Do you want to sit and work with me?

[protectshope]

Yes!

[Madoka answers a bit too quickly, as if a prayer has been answered. Which it has! This is what she wanted and she cannot contain the smile that comes with it.

She fumbles with pulling back the nearest chair, all too excited.]

I, is this okay? Will you have room? It looks like you'll need a lot of space??

[veileddreamer]

Exactly.

[Tau nods, and gestures to a chair.]

Feel free to help yourself to my art supplies...Everyone can use them...tonight...

Let us make a bunch of posters...

[veileddreamer]

[The smile was contagious, and Tau responded with one of her own.]

I brought a lot of supplies...to share...I cannot share...if I am alone...

Besides...We can always move another table over...if we need more room...probably...

[protectshope]

hanging up posters

[It's early in the morning and Madoka still hasn't slept. One nice thing about being a rock piloting a magical girl body is that you don't need as much sleep: Her soul gem can heal her exhaustion.

Which means that Madoka has more time to help out. She's walking around the city with a stack of hand drawn posters, carefully taping them to various surfaces. But the tape she's using isn't very sticky. Probably not helped by the morning dew that coats some of the walls and windows.]

Uh... Oh no. Please stick..! Eep! [And in her effort to stick up one poster, Madoka drops 10 more.]

[fallmushrooms]

Sure! Let's see what we have.

[Velda happily starts doodling little flowers on the border of one.]

It'll be hard with the locals thinking we caused all this, though. I've sort of just been hiding.

[veileddreamer]

Yeah...

That is understandable...

[She hesitates speaking up, and revealing herself as a native of Starsand. But eventually decides not saying anything would be more likely to get her in trouble later.]

...But... Not all of us locals believe that, though...It is important to focus on those of us who have not thought the worst of you all...Or those who have not made up their minds...So there is still hope that this can all work out?

[nightwild]

Fauna... helping?

[nightwild]

[Fauna walks in with cold confidence, finds an unoccupied blanket, and flops down.

She hasn't helped with the preparations, at all. Not with food, or getting things together, setting up. That's not what she's here for. She's certain, after all, that this won't work.

Instead, she just sits alone, with one of the baskets, eating and watching the goo creep around.]

Creepy stuff.