Event - Lullaby

[apocalypsehowmods]

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Lullaby

➥ For You Never Shut Your Eye

(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, supernaturally-induced sleep disorders/somniloquy, needles/injections)

The line between waking and sleep is beginning to blur. People will find themselves sleeping far too much, but it never feels like enough. The music is growing more prevalent and persistent throughout town. The effect is still weaker within the building, but as October wears on, more and more people are affected and ADI staff are more intent than ever to find the source and also figure out how to block the effects. Characters will find themselves conscripted (between Halloween Party preparations) into assisting with building or testing anti-music and sleep devices along or with helping to try to track down the source of the music.

For those helping to build and test devices, there is an R&D lab in the basement levels of ADI that will be available. Devices native staff have been able to devise include:

• Headphones that play different frequencies to try to cancel out the sound of the singing.
  
• An armband that periodically stabs a small needle into the arm with a small dosage of adrenaline.
  
• Headbands set to a constant low vibration.

The efficacy of all of these devices is… questionable, but perhaps others may have their own expertise to lend to the efforts, attempting something on a broader scale than just personal protection devices.

For those helping to track the source of the music, finding it seems to be impossible, but there is a definite pattern that characters will note as the days pass. The epicenters of the music are moving, migrating out of the graveyards and converging on ADI Headquarters. As this goes on, the building will become less and less of a safe haven, the music penetrating its walls and affecting the staff there more heavily. You might find yourself having to help a neighbor who's fallen asleep while working. Or you might not even be able to fully tell they've fallen asleep as they sleepwalk and talk almost like they're actually still conscious. Even those who have never been prone to sleepwalking and talking may find themselves affected and… far more open with what they say when in the unguarded state of semi-unconsciousness.

➥ Till the Sun Is In the Sky

(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, thanatophobia, character death, death by poisoning, blood, choking, emetophobia, death by crushing)

By the 25th, some people may find waking up to be a challenge in and of itself. But they do manage to wake up. Seemingly. Perhaps the day is much like any other, heading to ADI or out around the city, grabbing coffee and- something is wrong. Something is very wrong. That cup of coffee you just drank had tasted a little different than usual. A touch of almond to it? It hits you that your throat is burning, bile and blood rising up and choking you as you hack and gasp and vomit. Your legs grow weak, you're losing control of everything, falling, dying.

And then you wake up.

Just a nightmare. Just a bizarre and horrible nightmare. You head out and… is this home? You're home! Or maybe… wait, this doesn't seem right. Have you gone somewhere else? Some things might be familiar, memories intertwined and mixing with fantastical elements, some your own, some not. You notice people you recognize, ones who might be as confused as you are. This isn't where they should be and they remember dying, too. Or seeing you die or someone else. It doesn't make sense, but somehow, they remember they had a dream they shared last night. And then something falls from above and nearly crushes you or your partner. Or maybe it does crush them, and you're suddenly looking at a dead body as the world and this nightmare that feels so very real becomes more and more hostile. Maybe something falls on you.

And then you 'wake up.'

➥ When the Blazing Sun Is Gone

(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, thanatophobia, character death, body horror, detailed description of painful physical transformation, description of the loss and regrowth of teeth, violence, mental status alterations, temporary power-loss, spiders)

Even with people dropping left and right thanks to the odd sleep effect taking hold, ADI staff are hellbent that their Halloween party will not be completely ruined. And on the 28th (a little before the actual holiday), everyone wakes up. Or… seems to. For those trapped in dreams, it will seem very much that they've woken up, the music has stopped, and they can actually carry on. For a few days, it even seems like things are normal. The party on the 31st is a blow-out bash. The entire first floor of ADI HQ has been transformed with decorations. The canteen is serving festive food and has set up a dance floor with holiday-appropriate music playing. Some of the offices feature additional activities, including party games like bobbing for apples in a trough that's been brought in, a guess this gross food booth, and more general party games. For a quieter time, there are also areas set up with board games and card games to play. And for some extra fun spooks a mini-haunted maze has been set up with faux spiders and webs, along with other goofy-looking monster creatures.

It's around 9 PM when the music and lights suddenly cut out. There's nothing for several seconds. Then, a voice begins to sing, filling the halls of ADI. It's a young girl's voice.

"Bye-bye, bye-bye,
Quickly you will die,
On the morning will be frost,
And you’ll go to the graveyard, the graveyard.

Grandfather will come there, too,
And he will bring the coffin.
Grandmother will come along,
Her tears, they will not soften.
Mama sings the prayer song, then,
And falls down on her knees.
Daddy takes you to the grave,
No one can hear his pleas.

Bye-bye, bye-bye,
Quickly you will die,
On the morning will be frost,
And you’ll go to the graveyard, the graveyard.

As the last notes of the song fade away, all hell breaks loose. Those who had been wearing particular sorts of costumes, ones that are more monstrous in nature, may find themselves transforming, growing, twisting, shifting. It's not a clean change, but a violent, agonizing one that cracks bones, tears and reshapes muscles and tendons, pushes out teeth to make room for new ones. Those transformed will find themselves compelled to chase, to hunt, to kill anyone they can get their claws, teeth, or other appendages on.

For those who stay themselves, it's not just their transformed friends who pose a danger, but the decorations they've set up, as well. Those fake giant spiders and webs? They're no longer fake. Neither are any of the other demonic little creatures. The goal of everything in ADI and even outside for those who manage to make it out the doors, is to remind you how very, very mortal you are. Those typically possessed of fantastic abilities will find that they have been sapped away. There's no calling on magic or innate abilities. You are mortal and you are going to die like everything mortal does.

In the chaos, characters will catch glimpses of a young girl flitting amongst the chaos, seeming unperturbed by it all. Trying to catch up to her or speak to her is fruitless, but she's there, and she's humming that song from before.

➥ When He Nothing Shines Upon

(cw: supernaturally-induced fatigue/malaise, thanatophobia)

Those who are killed at the party will find themselves waking up wherever they actually fell asleep a few hours or even days ago. If your character was one of the lucky few who somehow managed to escape the effect, you'll notice people waking up all over ADI HQ and elsewhere. There are no signs of damage on the bodies, but those who died in the dreams will find themselves feeling incredibly weak and generally ill for several hours to several days after the experience.

The music has actually stopped, and this time, it would seem you've actually woken up. Depending on how long you were passed out for, that may be a more unpleasant experience for some than others. There's a message posted from a random ADI employee's phone a few days later to the network:

Mr. S was right. This was fun! I'll have to come back next year to play with you. - Ava, the Lullaby Girl

P.S. Sorry for stealing your phone, horsegirl67. But I wanted to say, hi. C:

Unfortunately, there are no further messages and attempts to respond to the message will receive no reply for now.

But... fortunately…? All of the Halloween preparations are still up, and there's a festive party to attend if anyone actually feels keen on trying it in real life. Pam Ruan, the main organizer is bloody-minded about it now and will have her God damn Halloween party, but those who work themselves up to attend out of festive spirit or morbid curiosity will find it a distinctly muted affair that breaks early in the evening.

Happy Halloween, Gloucester!

➥ Mod Notes

• GENERAL - Players are welcome to play NPCs for themselves when they are needed in a thread. If you need more information on general behavior for these types of NPCs, please feel free to ask! In general, the information provided in the prompt should be sufficient and you're welcome to make up any details beyond that for your specific scene. The Lullaby Girl (Ava) can be seen throughout character dreams, but they will not be able to interact with her during this event. They will either wake up or simply find that the physics of the dream are warped and she cannot be reached or there's a sheet of glass between her and the character or whatnot.
  
  
• FOR YOU NEVER SHUT YOUR EYE (15-24 October) - Characters are welcome to develop their own devices for attempting to stop the music. Characters will have modern day technology available to them along with a few slightly more advanced electronics and tools. Please do not go too out there. This isn't Tony Stark's array of tools and the like. But characters can create additional devices to test within reason. Some of them may be more or less effective, but with how sporadic the effect is, it might be difficult to tell what's actually working or not. There can also be negative side-effects from devices, if you'd like to play those out. Characters with the appropriate magical charge may also attempt to supernaturally block the music, but this will not be condoned or facilitated by ADI. Characters searching for the source of the music will not be able to find it, just discover that it is moving. For characters who are sleep-talking, they may find themselves unusually honest. They may or may not recall conversations with other characters and all that they told them.
  
  
• TILL THE SUN IS IN THE SKY (25-27 October) - Characters will experience repeated nightmares of dying in a shared dreamscape. They will remember every time that they die in the dreams. Feel free to get as creative and gruesome with this as you would like. These are dreams and fantastical situations that might not actually happen (e.g., a robot showing up and shooting a laser through your character) may occur. Players are welcome to introduce elements of their memories into the nightmares and mix those memories around between characters who might wind up in a dream together. Please ensure all top-levels are appropriately tagged for any and all content warnings. Add content warnings as you go along, if needed. Dying in the dreams will trigger the sense of waking up. This can be a fake wake-up or characters might actually wake for a short while and find others passed out around them.
  
  
• WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE (28-31 October) - Again, this will be a shared dreamscape where characters will be under the illusion (at first) that all has returned to normal. For those who investigate, everything seems to be real, nothing too off, excepting the night of the Halloween party. Once the Lullaby Girl finishes her song, characters who are dressed in costumes that depict animals or other monstrous creatures may find themselves transformed into their costumes. Transformed characters may gain powers for the duration of this prompt/event related to their monstrous forms without mod approval. Go wild, kill your friends and neighbors, and generally trash everything around you. The decorations that come to life will be attempting to murder all characters, transformed or not. If characters escape into the city, they will find all of the festive decorations out there have come to life and want to kill them, as well. Death is unavoidable for this particular prompt, but it can be something swift and painless or something drawn out and horrible at player discretion. It is the only way to actually wake a character fully. Players also have the option of keeping their characters awake. They will not experience the shared dreamscape and will just be stuck with a lot of unconscious people around them for the duration of this portion of the event.
  
  
• WHEN HE NOTHING SHINES UPON (31 October) - Ava, the Lullaby Girl, cannot be contacted or immediately located, but she will be available in future plots for interactions with characters. There is no immediate information regarding who Mr. S. is. Players may have the general sleep/death malaise last for a minimum of two hours and a maximum of three days. Regular medications for the flu can ameliorate some of the symptoms, but they will ultimately clear up on their own. Characters may wake up in whatever state players would like. Feel free to play out the effects of them having been slumped in a corridor for three days without food or water. It's going to be a bad time all around. Those who attend the real Halloween party will be thanked profusely by Pam and showered with candy. At least they'll get a few HR brownie points?

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[medicative]

The medicine I made for you. It's in my room...

[and the yawn she gives is almost aching, pressing her hand to her own head.]

You need a clear mind to run fast, after all.

[medicative]

Peering from the edge of the closet, Emily's still watching Meredith - and gasps to see the results. Not from fear, but from sheer impressed awe. The zombie has no choice but to stumble back from the force of it, swaying on undead limbs before trying to awkwardly shuffle forward, whatever's left of the brain driving it onwards.

No self preservation means it turns its hissing, teeth bared aggression on Meredith - but she also know how to strike it down, since the injury she already made is pretty sizable.

[septieme]

She shouldn't have said anything about their surroundings, too late to regret that mistake now. The sense of relief has a distinctively bitter aftertaste when he finally lets her go without any prompting of her part, just when she was starting to think she may have to carefully nudge him off with her own two hands.

"We'll get through this, Eric." Somehow. "...There's a med kit in the cupboards here, it could have painkillers. I could look for you?"

It's not going to do a damn thing, and she knows it. Is continuing to talk to someone beyond help and offering meaningless platitudes despite it really any better in the big picture, when the outcome isn't going to change no matter what actions are taken? ...Suppose she can't help it, even when she does know 'better'.

"You still know yourself. Focus on who you are, that won't change no matter what happens to your body." She may sound calm, but she would absolutely not claim to be confident. Staying as himself is simply the best that they could hope for, but why indeed would any of this be happening, if it was 'just' to shapeshift some people through clearly grotesque and painful ways? She did not miss something crawl out of her periphery, either; wasn't that a plastic skull decoration, the thing that moved just now? And in the next moment, what sounds like a muffled scream can be heard over the chaos of this room, coming from beyond the walls in the hallway or the next room over. The situation is deteriorating even beyond them, without doubt...

[medicative]

"Easy now - take your time."

She kicks the chains aside as much as possible, and she's very glad now that she didn't shatter the water jug - it means she can offer it to him once he's back to his feet, since it seems clean enough to drink. As much as he needs, though it won't undo all the damage. It's reflexive then to check her supplies, to wish that she had saved so much as a milliliter for him and that it might ease his damage.

No matter. She has bandages, and tending can happen when he feels comfortable enough to let someone touch him.

(Yet, for all of that, she feels watched, as if someone is looking down into the cell and watching where they stand. Waiting, waiting for the right moment to strike, with fangs loaded with poison.)

"We're going to get you out of this place."

Wherever this is. Going to the door, she presses her ear to it, trying to listen to see if they have a clear shot to run soon.

[septieme]

[insert sugar receive obedience, she can get use to this ngl,

20 seconds... That's barely enough for her to get the sandwiches on the plate, god. What is he, some ADHD 5yo? don't]

...How much sugar do you take with your tea, yourself?

[Just gonna casually ask while her back is still to him, she got reminded since his box of Sleepytime™ is within her line of sight again, okay]

[aelwyn_aberration]

Really?

[She laughs. It's dry, and not particularly sincere.]

So, it's your fault that you're here, having the living shit beaten out of you? My fault that I'm the way I am?

Humans have such funny preconceived notions of their own importance. You live such tiny lives, and yet you're convinced that in your time you can really make waves, swim against the tide pushing you into the role that those far larger than you have asigned you.

It's admirable, as much as it is sad. [She reaches into her jacket and pulls out the gun. She's not pointing it yet, just looking at it.]

[forethinking]

(Ren does nothing but glare intensively, but Aelwyn must know by now that he won't budge. Everyone has terrible shit happening to them, but how they react to it, how do they use it? Absolutely on their hands when they have a choice to turn it into strength.

It is his fault, actually, in a way. It's not his fault that police brutality is a thing, but he did let himself get captured, didn't he?

Since the beginning, he was ready to forfeit his freedom to protect those he loves. It's simple, but Aelwyn won't listen. Never does, isn't going to start now.)

[forethinking]

But you have Rome. How is your world?

(Is it from an earlier time? It makes no sense that the man would know what Rome is, but not the United States in any other circumstance.

But then, he speaks with such cute eagerness that Ren bursts into laugher, hiding it behind the stiletto nails he put on for the event.)

I can. Do you want one?

burns, disintegration

[forethinking]

(Each cell of Ren's body is devoured, obliterated by the light, and he doesn't even have time to acknowledge how it hurts. Unfortunately, it's not the first time he's been through this, albeit this one was much more instant than the last.

When Ren awakens, it's not where he expected them to be - back at that beast's lair, ready to die once again before he can shoot it. This is much more comfortable, but it makes Ren squint at the thought that this, too, is a nightmare. How come? It's just so pleasant...

He rises to his feet, still in Phantom Thief attire before he pulls the mask to the side, tucking it on his hair. No reason to keep his identity secret now that Stephen has already caught up on it.)

Hey. I'm here. Where are we now?

[aelwyn_aberration]

[In fairness to her, Ren, you've never said any of that to her. She'd actually agree, for the most part, but there's a big difference between their situations. She thinks it's telling that Adaine responded to the abuse their parents put her under by becoming angry enough to rage against her and everyone like her. But she does understand that, to some extent, it was a case of Adaine meeting people who wanted to do the right thing.

The only people who have ever shown Aelwyn any form of kindness have been monsters capable of far more evil than she is. Eventually, you just settle in the dark with them.]

You know, these confrontations of ours get horribly dull when you do nothing but stare.

[She lowers the gun, and levels it at his head.]

Come on, hero, give me something to work with. Some reason not to blow your sanctimonious head across the wall.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[She hisses at that, cocking her head.]

Well, yes. The weak get crushed by the strong, and the strong get crushed by the stronger. That's the way of the wheel. It's a well oiled machine, isn't it?

Bad luck on your end, being so low on the food chain.

[She lets him get some distance from her before she leaps forward like a frog and lands less than ten feet away, pushing a pitcher of kool-aid on him in the process. Sorry Stephen. She makes a swipe at his leg, more seeking to hurt him than actually cause any serious injuries.]

[forethinking]

"Oh, so you do have experience. Shouldn't be that different."

Ren, on the other hand, does not to that extent. Heisting and combat are his best skills, and so far, only one has been gotten some use out of. Curiosity, however, does get him to come a little closer, bringing stiletto nails to his lips before he points.

"What were the most interesting?"

[aelwyn_aberration]

[She stares at him, her eyes half-lidded as he drags her along. The cat just smiles at his politeness.

They enter a long hallway of similar chambers, inside of each are a series of glowing blue orbs. There's people in there, but it's hard to focus on any of them. They're not important to the dream.]

...Why are you helping me? [She mutters, finally.

Kalina, taking the opportunity to skip ahead, manifests on the other end of the hallway, pointing to a staircase.]

[forethinking]

What am I running from?

(He should wake her up, shouldn't he? Ren picks up his phone, trying to figure out the best ways to wake someone in her condition.)

[forethinking]

Because this is inhumane.

(She might have committed crimes, but he's been there, too. This is not how you make someone repent, and well, he doesn't know the full extent of the issue, she might be innocent, she might not be. It doesn't matter. This is not how you treat someone.

As they reach the staircase, Ren gently takes her arms to wrap around his neck, respectfully as always.)

Hold.

(And he takes her into his arms (Princess Carry TM), so that she doesn't have to strain through the stairs.)

cw drowning

[forethinking]

(He feels like he's suffocating, with the blood pooling his lungs getting coughed into his mouth and in succession, spit to the floor. It may reach a syringe or two, if she looks at the floor. The way Ren sees it, it's much more comforting to have Aelwyn murder him than Akechi at this point - he's tired of explaining that he has forgiven him only for his subconscious to ruin that over, and over, and over, and over.

Another puddle of blood in his mouth gets sput on the floor before he gasps for air,a second or two, perhaps five before he can look at her again.)

Would you listen if I talked?

Till The Sun Is In The Sky

[bossyboiler]

In an effort to keep herself from falling asleep, Kate has been trying out a variety of the ADI provided devices. She is currently wearing what looks like a gray smartwatch around her wrist. Every so often it rumbles and vibrates while every thirty minutes an alarm goes off. It's annoying but so far it's working for her (she thinks).

It's strange. One moment she had been at ADI with a severe case of the drowsiness and the next she had found herself at Any Beans Necessary. She doesn't feel so tired anymore but she doesn't chalk that up to being that strange. Kate has caught herself dowsing at work and has caught herself falling asleep in various places. If not for the smartwatch, she might have fallen asleep while crossing traffic.

Kate hadn't been planning on going into town but since she found herself at the coffeeshop, she put in an order for five coffees. Why not treat her fellow Administrative co-workers with caffeine? Her order has two additional espresso shots because she needs that boost. She is coming out of the coffeeshop when she sees Malcolm and his friend.

As they are standing by the street crossing, she has no choice but to acknowledge them. She could go back into the shop, of course, but then by the time she made it back to ADI her coffee would be cold. Kate had not planned on speaking to Malcolm today but there is that saying about the best laid plans of mice and men.

Kate approaches them with a polite expression on her face. "Malcolm." Her green eyes flash to the friend with him. She flashes another polite smile before using her elbow to hit the button on the traffic signal.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Her expression loses the smug aura she had before as she watches him hack up blood.

She can't even pretend it's not disturbing to see him like this, and her shield wavers a little before she restores her dignity and sits up straight, the gun still leveled against Ren, but more idly holding it there than as if she were about to actually shoot him.]

I would. And I have, on the rare occasions you deem me worthy of your rare explanations. Misinterpretation and jumping to conclusions has always been more your end of things in our little song and dance.

Which is something I'm used to, mind. So I'm aware that's probably at least fifty percent a me problem.

IV (cw: violence, pumpkin monsters

[bossyboiler]

The thing about being costumed as a fall fairy is that it comes with nothing that can be used as a weapon. However, Kate has improvised!

The new song plays as she is on her way back to replenish the party's treats. Kate does not transform but the decorations do. She finds herself being accosted by three-foot tall jack-0-lanterns gone wrong. They converge on Kate. She screams when one of the pumpkin's vines wrapped around her right leg and its thorny barbs sink into her skin. It hurts. It also causes Kate to drop the contents of her baking sheet but not the sheet itself.

When Winter finds Kate, he's going to find her using a baking sheet as makeshift blunt weapon. Her grips is firm and she is going ham with it on their heads. However, there are three of them and only one of Kate. She cannot put out enough damage individually to drive them away. It's all she can do to keep them from further injuring herself.

[abrightboy]

“Kate,” he responds neutrally.

Martin is not so neutral. He smiles brightly at her. “A lady friend; how delightful. I’m Martin. Who might you be?” he asks with interest.

[bossyboiler]

She looks to Malcolm again. There is no way that Kate would call Malcolm a friend certainly not a lady-friend. Kate then looks back to Martin. "My name is Kate." She finds him weird already. He has a manic energy about him that feels more dangerous than just erratic. Martin also seems familiar with Malcolm. However, Kate hasn't yet put two and two together.

"Malcolm and I work for the same company." There. They are co-workers. That is how they know each other.

[abrightboy]

“Of course,” he says. He glances at her cigarette. “That’s a red flag, right?”

[abrightboy]

“Well, you’re very pretty,” Martin informs her. “Isn’t she, son?”

“We don’t work in the same department, Dr Whitly. We barely know each other,” Malcolm informs him dully.

“You have eyes, though,” Martin prompted him. “You’ll have to forgive my son; he’s horribly committed to being interminably morose.”

[bossyboiler]

Oh no. Oh shit.

For a moment, Kate doesn't know how to respond. She is caught a little off-guard because she knows who and what Martin is. 'He tortured twenty-three people to death for fun.' The best thing she can be right now is calm and alert.

She smiles again, out of politeness. "I can forgive him for a great many things. This place takes a lot out of people. You must have just recently arrived here. "

[graveyounglady]

She doesn't expect it, but her new reflexes mean she lunges as soon as she sees him. The first shot grazes over the top of her head, as she goes for his trying to bite the arm he's shooting with and grapple him with her claws.