Event - Lullaby

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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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Aelwyn Abernant | Fantasy High

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Hello, Aelwyn, are you ready for the worst week of your life?]

i. for you never shut your eye (and you never woke up.)
cw for references to magically induced sleep deprivation and PTSD

[Aelwyn has been having a really horrific time this entire week. She can't rest, can't trust her dreams, can't focus on anything. Even the work, the planning, it's all going down the drain because how can she plan anything when she's not even sure what's real.

Memory slips and the like are common, and some might even catch her crying to herself in her more and waking moments. But there's one phrase that she repeats incessantly whenever she sleepwalks.]

...you need to listen to me, there's a vault on the first floor.

...there's a vault on the first floor, Adaine. It's where they put our things.

ii. till the sun is in the sky (his destruction will know no bounds)
cw for drowning, natural disasters, shipwreck, celebrity murder, stalking.

[Aelwyn's dream starts out relatively normal. She's supposed to get on a ship, go research... something. They found an... old nest of Kelpies and wanted researchers to accompany the investigators... Yeah.

But the important part is that she's supposed to get on the ship. And someone important's here. Someone incredibly important to The People. She's leaning against the railing when she notices a flash of black and a shining grin behind her.

But instead, it's just her co-worker.]

Oh, it's you. Thought I saw... it doesn't matter.

[Is it just her or are the clouds particularly dark today?]

iii. till the sun is in the sky (the sun shall fall from the heavens)
cw for being trapped in a burning building, sorocide, kidnapping, unreality (obviously)

[She's remembers all the nightmares, and this time, as she stumbles through a house party run by those fuckwits over at the school she committed all that arson at, she knows that she's being followed. The black shade behind her, she knows that. The little girl laughing at her, she doesn't know that.

Is it Kalina, though? She's caught glimpses of her before but she's never spoken, not out loud to her. What's happening to her? What day is it? How long has she been asleep? Where is she?

She finds a quiet spot in the party, grabs a pocket watch she has in her hand and idly presses a button on it.

Time freezes to a screeching halt and she can finally breath.

...Only, she's not alone.]

Who's there?!

iv. till the sun is in the sky (the world as we know it will forever perish)
cw for torture, sleep deprivation, parental abuse, gaslighting, starvation, inhumane treatment of prisoners

[This time, Aelwyn wakes up, staring ahead, bleary eyed and she immediately understands everything that's happened. Her memories are so clear.

She's back inside the orb. And she's hearing her father drone on and on and on.]

"Yes, I'm sure this was all very relaxing for you, Aelwyn, but your lackadaisical fantasies have come to an end. You've been drained of all your spellslots and the orb will continue it's functions shortly. You've made a real mess of things, you know."

[An elven man, with short blonde hair that looks like it's been combed back, rubs his forehead with irritation at the inconvenience caused to him by his eldest daughter getting the chance to sleep and dream of a world where she had another chance, where her sister loved her enough to come save her, where she could ever get away. Aelwyn's silent, staring, will completely broken.]

"There was talk of them just executing you, you know. I managed to talk them down, and it wasn't easy given your early escape attempts, but I managed it because I value the family name and do not wish to see it further dragged through the mud. Unlike the rest of you, apparently. Behave, and perhaps I might be able to undo the damage that the three of you have caused to our standing."

[He leaves, like he never existed at all, and a black cat person, drenched in the shadows, floats above the orb.]

"Tough break, kid. But hey, maybe someone here will save you."

[And she looks up at whoever's visiting this dream, and gives them a wink and a smirk.]

v. when the blazing sun is gone (if i go to hell will you come with me?)
cw for excessive alcohol use, body horror, trying to brutally murder ren specifically

[Aelwyn's spirit is thoroughly soured, and the fact that they're even throwing this party makes her angry. But she goes, because she doesn't want to sour her relationships with this department as well, and she drinks. A lot. And all it serves to do is make her more miserable and detached.

She's wearing white facepaint and some cheap plastic horns over some skull makeup. What's she going as? Fuck off, that's what.

And then the real hunt begins. And she transforms.

Now she's finally a fiend, she growls a dry desolate chuckle.

Ah, so this is what she truly is at her core. A pure evil creature of the Nine Hells. Very well, then. If it worked for Penelope, surely it can work for her too. After all, she was her Queen.

But before finding her queen... It's time to find and KILL Ren Amamiya. And anyone on the road to get to him. Hell, while she's on the way, she'll just kill all the people who have looked down on her.]

vi. when he nothing shines upon (no, it never gave a damn about me)

[She wakes up in her own room. And she doesn't leave her apartment for a few days after that. If you want an in person interaction, you've either gotta be one of her roommates or come looking for her intentionally. Either way, she'll be prickly at best.]

un: aberration

If I hear any of you talk about the real life halloween party one more time, I will actually kill everyone in this office starting with myself.

Kind regards, A.A.

(To clarify for legal purposes, this is a joke. To clarify for you are all insane purposes, you are all completely fucking insane.)

IV

[forethinking]

(This situation hits Ren like a million bricks. He knows what this is. It's reading a sentence that will change the rest of the woman's life. He's been there three goddamn times, he know exactly how that goes. It's merciless, and expecting any shred of kindness is too much to even think about. His wrists hurt from how hard Ren's squeezing his fist. God only knows what Aelwyn has done, but this is not right - being made an effort for not because she's a person, his daughter, but to look good to others? This man seems rotten, and it makes his blood boil.

Until she sends a wink his way.)

What's going on?

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn looks up at his voice, her eyes narrowing.

...Didn't she just confirm that he wasn't real? Did she accidentally summon him up as an illusion? What? Or... was it real? And she got back, and found herself back inside the orb? Which would mean she dragged Ren in with her too...

She messages him, telepathically, by simply pointing a finger at him.]

You should hide if you don't want to get put in one of these too.

[The shadowcat, Kalina, smiles dryly above her, sliding off the orb and landing in front of Ren with a smile. Her eyes have a faint tint of green, and her body language is casual and friendly.] "I can explain it all to you, kid, if you want it. She's not going to be much for conversation like this. All dejected and mopey... it's kind of ironic, I guess. It's a bit of a... darker twist on the treasure stealing method you and your pals employ, you know?"

[Unfortunately, this being as much Ren's dream as Aelwyn's, means that Aelwyn's perception of Kalina gets the broad strokes of Ren's secrets too.]

[forethinking]

I'm not going anywhere.

(Nothing that Aelwyn hasn't seen before. Ren's stance is firm, like he is rooted to where he is standing, even though the cat speaks of things it shouldn't have any knowledge of.

They can touch base on that later. What's more important is to get Aelwyn out of here, so he takes his knife into his hands. It she truly committed crimes, she should atone, but nobody deserves this treatment as it is.)

Come on.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn just looks at him, lost. Her eyes are so exhausted. How's she back inside again. Did she ever leave. Is this a trap.

She doesn't remember much. She looks to Kalina, who just smiles wryly at her and shrugs.] "If you want my opinion, running might be your best shot here. He seems sincere at least, doesn't he?"

[Nobody's honest in their intentions, nobody who gets very far really. Love, mercy, kindness, all of these are to be in relation of how much use she is. He's already rejeted her help... if that memory happened.

So why? She just looks away, overwhelmed.] You don't get it. [Her voice comes out as a faint croak.] I'm useless like this. If they find you, they'll put you in one too and you can't fight them all. They did it with Adaine... she snuck out and they found her and I couldn't see her.

[She looks at Kalina, as if to confirm that happened. There's almost a defering air to it. Kalina nods sagely.] "She's not wrong, you know. You're also not going to have much luck just stabbing the orb. But there's probably a control room around, right? Unless you can just destroy the enchantment right here, then by all means."

[forethinking]

(If Aelwyn's tied, Ren's quick to cut her loose. A hand respectfully takes her arm and sets it atop his shoulders for support, while the other respectfully takes her by the waist. They'll talk about this, he needs to understand it, but right now, this is an act of altruism and mercy that he isn't even thinking about. All that goes through his mind is getting her out.)

They can try me.

(Again, shot God in the face. This should be fine. A control room, though? That sounds a little more difficult.)

Cat, can you guide?

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Stupid boy! She just grits her teeth as she's hauled out. They'll try, and they'll succeed in her mind. She takes the arm, though, it's better than staying.]

You'll figure it out. It's better, sometimes, to just... do what they say.

[The cat watches him, an amused expression on her face. Eventually, she nods, floating ahead.] "Well, not that I mind, but if you're gonna give me orders, kid, you'd better learn my name. It's Kalina. Nice to finally meet you, Joker.

Now then, if you'd follow me..."

[She holds out her arm to gesture grandly to the exit that'll lead them into the hallway.]

[forethinking]

Nice to meet you too, Kalina.

(Here's one person that wouldn't freak out about a talking cat (Morgana-Is-Not-A-Cat-Etc).

The steps Ren takes are short, making sure they're enough for Aelwyn to keep up with in her current state as he follows the cat, his other hand gripping on the dagger as he does.)

ii

[cacophonish]

[ The fact that Jeff, of all people, is here on this special assignment should be the first sign that this is a terrible dream. He's pretty much barely affiliated with the ADI as it is, likely would be the last person selected for something like this.

But here he is. And it makes sense to him, in the moment, in the way that many weird things just make sense in dreams. Jeff's here, on a ship, hunting... kelpies? Or something. He glances up at the sky-- dark and angry-- then out at the water-- also dark and angry, in its own way. Maybe it's about to rain. No big.

And at least Aelwyn's here. She's cool; he likes her. He cracks a teasing smile, forcibly pushing back any weird dread he feels out here on the waters. ]

Thought you saw His Snakeship?

[ Or whatever it is the locals like to call the Gloucester Sea Serpent. ]

[aelwyn_aberration]

[She chuckles.]

I'd hope I wouldn't spot him on the deck. We'd all be fish food in moments.

[FORESHADOWING???]

No, just thought I saw a cat. Which would be truly insane, considering how much they hate water.

[cacophonish]

[ Jeff looks around, as if double checking for a cat. ]

Hey, maybe Binx snuck on board.

[ Yeah, right. He moves over to stand by her at the railing, leaning up against it as he looks out at the water. Fuck, it's gloomy out there. ]

At least as far as hallucinations go, a cat isn't so crazy, right? [ Wryly, he adds: ] Trust me, I'm an expert.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Clearly you've never met a cat. They're real assholes.

[She feels like she should apologize to Binx, but she's also so deeply uncomfortable around him. She also feels like she should say something about how it's not cats, it's Kalina, or how he can't possibly understand.

But she'll let sleeping dogs lie, and stuff her hands in the pockets of her raincoat. Time for a subject change.]

Do you know who the big celebrity is? There's supposed to be someone really important with us.

VI

[horrifictie]

un: TEQUILA SUNSET

i dont know what this halloween shit is but agreed
FUCK all that shit
at least the liquor stores got a discount going.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Very true! That's a definite bonus.

I'll probably just stay in and watch shitty movies and get drunk and bitter if you fancy coming.

[horrifictie]

sounds like my kind of night.
i'll bring some red wine.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Ew, no. Wine's too elven. Go with vodka, I have mixers. My apartments a fucking revolving door nowadays anyway.

[horrifictie]

too elven?? the fuck does that mean??

[aelwyn_aberration]

Like the place and culture I came from.

But if you really want to, you can bring it, I'll just have anything else.

[horrifictie]

red wine is my blood. my essence.
i must drink it.
soooo more for me!
where are we doing this shit?

vi, un: punchgirl

[lesbeau]

it does feel like some kind of sick joke doesn't it. hey everyone nice dream party where you all died but come to this real one. surely it is actually real and not another murder zone

[aelwyn_aberration]

Right? Honestly, I think I'd take another murder zone over going to a party exclusively made up of the people who I may have brutally murdered in a dream that I barely remember.

Work parties are already awkward, I don't need that extra strain.

[lesbeau]

did they even also get trapped in that weird dream? they know why we're all jumpy right. has someone told them

[aelwyn_aberration]

I think Pam was there? She was definitely at the party but I guess I couldn't say if that was actually Pam or a dream Pam.

Still, I think she's just extremely stubborn. Which I can admire! I'm just also not fucking insane.

[lesbeau]

i'm going to go with the thought that i don't have a death wish. something bad happens and then you try to do something nice and some dick comes through and wrecks it the same way. just not taking that kind of chance with this so close to the whole mass dream murder thing.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Not to mention, they already played a fakeout trick on us before.

If I'm going to die horribly again, I'd like to do it at home thank you.

[............Are the apartments her home. Fuck, that's sad.]