apocalypsehowcomm | Event

Event - Lullaby

Lullaby

➥ For You Never Shut Your Eye

Photo of a small grassy area within an urban environment. Two men are passed out across the grass and sidewalk. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(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

A caucasian woman is lying on the floor, eyes closed. The room is dark around her with a spotlight shining on her. A secondary image of the woman, semi-transparent and wrapped in white clothes floats just above the woman on the floor. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(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

Three sheet ghost halloween decorations stand in a line. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(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

A caucasian woman has just woken up and stares grumpily at her phone. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(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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[He doesn't have time to fathom the enormity of the figure that Ren's summoned, much less take in the details of its form. But he acknowledges it --the same way a person acknowledges a mountain, simply knowing that it is there due to enormity alone--and then the world is nothing more than blazing white and heat.

He glimpses an outstretched hand, but it's the last thing Stephen registers before the energy eats them up, bodies burned and blasted away into nothing, just cosmic dust to be blown away by the Dark Dimension.

And then they awaken again.

Stephen expects the darkness of the world they had just hailed from, with Dormammu looming over them, prepping for another cycle of pain and death; but instead, there's only sunlight, and the scent of chlorine. A pool beside them glimmers and ripples in the summer breeze, amidst a scene that appears very modern, the silhouettes of tall buildings all around.

Flinging aside confusion, he glances about.]

Ren?

(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?

[And like that, Ren’s there, and though he feels the burning curiosity to ask why he’s dressed like that, this place conjures up vivid memory, like throwing hooks into old experiences and pulling back up—

Dread. Discomfort twisting in his chest. At the edge of the pool, opposite of where they stand, splashing noises echo messily, erratically.

Stephen knows where this is going. He averts his gaze, eyes hard and focused on Red, jawline taught.]

The past. My past. As far as nightmares go, the worst kind — losing someone close to me.

[He shakes his head, defiant.]

You’re an outlier in this. Someone who doesn’t belong. Try to influence our environment if you can; get us out of here.

[He’d much rather go back to Dormammu.]

(It doesn't quite look like a nightmare, though Ren's quick to realize that sometimes, the worst things can happen from seemingly harmless situations. Truth be told, Ren's not that interested in diving into his past either, but the look on Stephen's face tells him that he needs to get the fuck out of here as soon as possible - that pained look in his eyes is enough to persuade him. Wordlessly, Ren gestures for Stephen to follow.

It takes a bit, but as they walk, the environment begins to change before their eyes, suddenly they're atop a high platform, with nobody else but a form of God in front of them, too. Out of Dormammu, right to Yaldabaoth.)

... Do you want to go back?

(This isn't going to be easy. Ren only managed with the strength of the people who believed in him -- but this is a nightmare. They'll die. At least Dormammu was instantenous.)

[It almost feels like a cop-out, fleeing from the past — but there is nothing there that he hasn’t gone over in his head multiple times before, nothing that hadn’t already affected him as a person that will affect him more swathed in a nightmare. As they walk, it’s hard to ignore the sound behind them, the sound of a young girl screaming for help, Stephen! Help me!, and it pains him, just as it pained him so many years before—

He wonders, later, if this dream will foist itself on him again, beyond the confines of whatever is happening now. If his mundane dreaming will begin to showcase her in them again, like they did long, long ago.

But then the environment changes. Something vast and unfathomable looms over them like before, but this time utterly different than Dormammu. Far more Euclidean than cosmic horror.

Doesn’t bode well, either way.]

No point. We’re here now. What can we expect?

(It's heartbreaking to Ren, too. Knowing this is a nightmare, it wouldn't mean much to go back to try and save the girl, but it wouldn't have stopped Ren. Once he hears it, he halts, turning back when it's too late. They're out of Stephen's nightmare, into Ren's, and in front of them, it's Yaldabaoth in all his terrifying and imposing glory.

Ren cocks his gun, trying to remember exactly the sequence-- but there's no use. It's just two of them, against that, and while Ren isn't one to give up so easy, he knows death awaits. It's how all their nightmares have been as of late.

The stance doesn't change. He's ready to fight it.)

I shoot Yaldabaoth in the face.

(If it goes well, that is. Stephen is smart, so perhaps the name already tells him enough to know what they're dealing with.)

Remember when I said it's not a one-man job? We need more people for this.

[One doesn’t have to be smart to see what they’re dealing with, though the name might as well be a dead giveaway. So, wonderful — more evil god-like beings in which to deal with.]

Like you shot Dormammu?

[Which ended in a transition to another nightmare; not exactly win-win, but better than being stuck in a cycle — unless they dive into something far worse.

He cannot tell, just yet, if this qualifies.]

It’s just you and me. Tell me what you need me to do, and even if we fail, at least we go down fighting.

I couldn't agree more.

(And just because this is a terrible dream, the moment the mask disintegrates in electric blue fire, it's not Satanael that shows behind him. It's Arsène, and while incredible in his own rights, lacks the gun that would make their problems disappear. It's not Ren perse who shoots it... But perhaps he can once more release Arsène from his shackles and summon the aforementioned Persona?)

Do you have any elemental skills? It will repel some, depending on where you hit.

(Not that Ren has too much time to explain before the ginormous being calls him.

"Trickster," it calls. These dreams are revealing more about Ren's role in his universe than he'd like, but perhaps he'll have time to explain everything to Stephen once this is over. ""I release upon you the deadly sin of wrath. You have no means of escape, humans. The passion of mankind shall bring forth ruin...". Ren sighs, nodding to Stephen to attack it with all he has got.)

[Well, Ren is just full of surprises. This new summon looks far different from the last, but it’s a sight all the same, and Stephen barely has time to register it and the given advice before that large being—god-like, indeed—talks about wrath, sin, and ruin.]

Trickster, is it?

[That’s directed at Ren more than the thing before him, even as he makes practiced motions with his hands and summons forth the warm energy of magic that hadn’t brimmed so freely before in reality.]

That’s a story you’re going to have to share sometime!

[A statement punctuated with Stephen lurching forward, thrusting his hands out — a ray of harsh, magical light shoots out like a beam, careening right towards their enemy.]

Only if you share that!

(He's totally joking... Unless? Because what the fuck. This is some Persona-level shit, and as far as Ren's concerned, Stephen doesn't have any, does he? Ren finds that when he's awake, he can summon the same powers himself, but Stephen's ones are some that he cannot figure out for the life of him.

Not that he has time. The darkness Arsène summons around one of Yaldabaoth's arms does nothing. Instead, a macabre laugh roams through the air, weighting it as it calls the trickster once more.

"I win. Your chances of winning were almost none. Now you see it."

And little by little, their efforts mean nothing. As Yaldabaoth fishes a book, it's all over in a flash. Ren's dead. Fallen, and slowly, reality began to dissipate around them, little by little becoming nothing but figments of what once were.

Ren awakes, but this time, back in reality. His first thought, upon gasping for air, is to find Stephen. He must pull him out.)

[Their efforts mean nothing, like pebbles glancing off a fortress. Stephen flings his magic over and over again, but the entity is beyond their prowess -- that Ren was able to do this in any waking reality is something of a miracle, one that he can question at a later time. When reality isn't fading away, when Ren hasn't just fallen over when the massive thing had lay claim to a book-]

Ren! [Seeing him fall is what finally makes Stephen break his onslaught, destroying his concentration in an attempt to make his way over, to put up a shield around them to halt whatever may be coming-

And then, reality comes swiftly, yanking them out of the dream, like fish caught on a fisherman's line.

He starts, confused and still harried with alarm and the fresh-knowing of death, before he realizes where he is: ADI's library, seated at a computer, with the screen long gone to sleep due to his idleness. Stephen rubs his face; he can feel the indent of the keyboard's corners as a divot in one cheekbone.]

Ren?!

[Glancing around... and nothing. The next few moments are filled with him sending the young man's phone a text.]

tell me you're awake now

(When his phone vibrates in his pocket, Ren nearly ignores it. The most important thing is to find Stephen right now, which is what Ren attempts to do as he rushes through the hallways of ADI. Peering into every room, Ren fishes the phone from his pocket and allows the soothing wave of relief to slow him down.

As he types a confirmation, he catches a glimpse of the man through the library's door and approaches with gentle, soundless steps. No need to press send anymore.

When he's close enough, he notices the keys that are marked on Stephen's sharp cheekbones and he holds in a laugh - poorly.)

I'm glad you fell asleep somewhere safe.

[He’s glancing down at his phone, looking for signs of a reply, when Ren suddenly just… walks in and appears before him, as though right on cue.

His expression lifts in surprise before it unwinds completely in a sigh, tired and relieved all at once.]

Safe, but not comfortable.

[Hunched over like that, his back might feel it later. But that hardly matters at all.]

You’re all right? Uninjured?

Edited 2021-11-19 22:37 (UTC)

I'm fine. We should talk-- not here.

(He's told ADI he's unpowered. The less ADI knows about his role, the better. Truth is, Ren finds little reason to trust it as an institution -- much like he does with any.

With a thorough look, Ren assesses that Stephen is also free of harm. They should leave.)

[Stephen pauses, but the reason for the request is not lost on him. ADI does not have the trust of many, and even he understands why, regardless of his presence here on an almost daily basis.

He rubs at an eye, as though that might actually wipe away the remnants of death-induced exhaustion.]

All right. Let’s go.

(Ren knows just the place. With a gesture, he asks to be followed. The cafe they enter is empty, something about the decoration being both unwelcoming and the staff is not the greatest at customer care. While Ren does not find joy in giving this place any money - he does know what it takes for a cafe to feel like home, it's a place he knows they won't be overheard over the loud music. Another point as to why this cafe sucks perfectly.

He orders a coffee for himself. When the waiter is out of earshot, with his nose up and without saying 'excuse me', Ren finds it the greatest opportunity to start the conversation.)

... So, what was that big thing?

[Ah, well. What great customer service. Yet Stephen has a feeling the choice was purposeful, as there’s little point in having an attentive server that’ll keep sticking their nose into their conversation.

He settles in, the dream still having left his body worn and jittery from adrenaline.]

A memory of an old foe. His name is Dormammu, and as you could probably guess, he isn’t exactly all that friendly.

[He drums his fingers against the table surface, briefly.]

He’s a dark entity from another dimension. Tried to take Earth as its own once. I had to make certain that didn’t happen.

Edited 2021-11-29 15:34 (UTC)

... I thought you were just a doctor.

(Although Ren understands that sometimes, most times, there's so much more beneath the surface. What Stephen can do? That's incredible, unlike anything Ren has ever seen, and he's looking at the man as if just that would be enough to decipher it. He even attempts to copy what he's seen in the dream, the motions, but of course, nothing happens.

He has to ask.)

What were you doing?

[He scoffs a little, amused at the gesture.]

I guess that’s misleading, isn’t it? I am a doctor, but I’m also a sorcerer.

[He is mostly a sorcerer these days. It’s been years since he practiced. But "doctor" is so entrenched in Stephen’s identity that he refuses to let it slide off his shoulders like it were something he could wash away.]

I was trying to strike a deal with him. Let’s just say he didn’t want to negotiate, until I gave him no choice. Stuck him in a time loop. Worked out in the end, though where nightmares are concerned, it worked against us.

There are no sorcerers in my world.

(So therefore, maybe, he can be forgiven by the huge eyes and very curious demeanor. What can the man do, really? Potions?? Is it like one of his games? Confusing, but also, thrilling.)

At least we got out quickly. You won in the end, right?

(As for him, he doesn't really like to disclose so much. Yet, he feels like it'd be only fair, given the fact that Stephen has seen it.)

If possible, I'd like to keep my history a secret.

Eventually. Otherwise I would have been stuck in a loop for… well. Longer than I’d like to think about.

[For infinity. He wouldn’t be here talking to Ren, that much is for sure.]

As for you, I’m not going to be loose-lipped about what I saw. Though I would like some kind of explanation.

It's a long story.

(How to begin explaining it without giving too much information, and throwing Akechi under the bus in the process?)

Yaldabaoth wanted to control the masses' thoughts. It chose me and someone else-- whoever achieved our common goal would decide what it did to the people, but it was a lie, it was going to erase us from the public's cognition either way. My friends and I freed the masses in the end. It's true that I am called the Trickster, but I don't think it makes much difference when I couldn't have done it alone.

That’s humble of you, but what you’re describing isn’t exactly a small feat.

[It sounds… well. Like something a hero would’ve done back in his world.]

So what do you consider yourself? A vigilante? A hero? What I saw wasn’t exactly magic, was it?

A high-school student.

(None of that. Ren's absolutely flawed, and he knows better than to think he's a big hero. Not when he knows for a fact that if he hadn't had such a beautiful support system within his friends, he'd let his rage take over in a second.)

No, it's called Pscience. The world is created by our cognitions, and my friends and I awakened power within it. It's not exactly magic, but it might as well be.

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Event - Lullaby

cw; burns, disintegration

burns, disintegration

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sorry for the delay! feel free to ignore if this is too crusty

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