apocalypsehowmods: (Default)
Apocalypse How Mods ([personal profile] apocalypsehowmods) wrote in [community profile] apocalypsehowcomm2022-05-16 08:09 am

Event - Appalachia: Into the Pines


Appalachia: Into the Pines

Footage plays on the television as a new story comes on, showing a series of sweeping vistas, intercut with clips of wolves that have clearly been filmed at some local wildlife sanctuary. "As far as anyone knows it, the last wolf to ever freely roam the Allegheny Mountains was slain in West Virginia in 1897. Daniel Stoffer Hamrick saw to the beast's passing, and the woods in our part of the world have gone quieter ever since. Appalachia does not forget its history, though. It buries it beneath coal and flyash, debts and white powder and pills. And the blood of people taken before their time, by the mines, by the mountain, by things we don't have names for, just hurt. But Appalachia does not forget.

"This is Cindy Parsons with Channel 5, Wolf News." Footage cuts to a newscaster standing outside a gated apartment complex with FYRE's logo emblazoned on it. "As we know, our beloved Wolf Pen is home to one of the biggest FYRE worker housing complexes in Wyoming County. It is a monument to the history of our town, and this week, we'll be on the lookout for visitors from all over the country, coming to see the grand re-opening of the historic Bluestone Mine as a museum."

Footage cuts to a nondescript businessman, identified by the news footage as Carl Watts, CEO of FYRE. He's smiling blandly as he stands at a podium and gestures to the entrance of the mining tunnel behind him. "The Wolf Pen community has been a partner to us for decades now, and we knew it was finally time to give something back to all y’all. We'll have our soft opening on Monday with a full Rumble Down Under party in the old mines scheduled for June 15th. We'll have a live bluegrass concert and anticipate a huge influx of tourists to the area to help out our neighbors itching for a few more pocketbooks to tend to." A wink.

The footage returns to Cindy. "FYRE has stated that this new museum will provide an educational tool and tourist attraction for those wanting to learn about West Virginia, Wolf Pen, and the hard-working men and women who have made this beautiful part of our nation their home. Time will tell. Time is always telling when it comes to the promises of people who have used our land and our bodies to line their pocketbooks. They fill our blood and our lungs with black tar and-"

Cindy cuts out and is replaced by in-studio anchors. "Thank you, Cindy!" a blonde woman says, smile just a little strained. "I think we're all looking forward to seeing the big opening by FYRE on Sunday and that rocking good party next month. It should be a gneiss one! Now to Tim with the weather. Tim?"


➥ Links
abrightboy: (sad contemplation)

Malcolm Bright | Prodigal Son

[personal profile] abrightboy 2022-05-19 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Country Roads - New Roommates - Closed to Rye Kalibash and Neal Caffrey

A new roommate. One that doesn't Know.

Malcolm stands at the foot of his twin bed, looking down at it. He drops his bag on the foot of the bed. He wonders who'll show up. He hopes it's someone he knows, at least, so explaining will be less... surprising. He doesn't think he's lucky enough that it will be Neal.

He does seek Neal out later, though, to find out who his roommate is and if he wants to go somewhere for a bit.

Out In Town - OTA

It seems like a normal sort of a town. The kind he passed through a thousand times while he was with the FBI. Malcolm can be found looking in shop windows or having soup in a diner or just walking.

He could be talked into going for a drink and some live music.
cardinalrule: ([GG] more)

Hunter | The Owl House | OTA unless specified

[personal profile] cardinalrule 2022-05-19 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Country Roads - A.


[Alright, so Hunter hasn't had a chance to explore his new realm until now. He knows getting right into the investigation is important, but he figures he won't be able to do so to the best of his ability if he doesn't know the lay of the land first. Besides, there's something that's been bothering him, something he needs to go examine.

Once he's settled at the hotel he heads out in full uniform, Flapjack clinging to his shoulder. This is very important, very official work he has to do, though he doesn't make it very far from the hotel. The reason for that is because he's finding what he's looking for very quickly, which he finds to be very lucky but in fact is not a big deal at all.

He can be found circling a perfectly average car. Not touching it, in case there is some defense mechanism he might triggered, but oh boy is he curious. He crouches in front of a tire, humming thoughtfully, his gloved fingers wiggling restlessly.]


What do you think these things run on? [He's glancing over at Flapjack, who just cheeps.] Right? They've clearly built the infrastructure to have them be the preferred form of transportation.

Country Roads - B.


[Evening rolls around, and Hunter finds himself back at the hotel. Not because he's taking some downtime (this the closest he can ever get to it, he even has his mask perched on top of his head instead of over his face), but because he's still new to this realm and is in dire need of a few hours to research. Having acquired a couple of local history books from the ADI he's on his way back to his and Cortana's hotel room, fully intending to spend the rest of the night reading. Flapjack is hiding in his cloak, so he doesn't get hassled by the hotel staff for having a wild animal in the building. He spares a small glance out a window, and notices it's begun to rain.

He freezes. After a few moments of hesitation, he turns and heads outside. It shouldn't matter, it's just a silly thing that most people wouldn't care about at all, but there's a question he had asked weeks ago floating to the forefront of his mind.

Is it true that rain doesn't boil in the human realm?

And an answer, a familiar voice echoing in his head.

It is. You know, I've been there before. Did I ever tell you that?

There's a pang in Hunter's chest as he stops in front of the main entrance. He should just go back to his room and research, that's far more productive than wasting his time faffing about because of some perfectly normal human realm rain. But he can't really help himself, even if it makes him feel homesick his curiosity is overwhelming. He chews on his lower lip, hesitating, before stepping through the door outside.

Once he is Flapjack cheeps and flutters out from underneath his cloak, settling on Hunter's shoulder. He gives the bird a little encouraged glance, tucks the books under one arm so they don't get wet, and then steps out from under the covered entrance, experiencing non-boiling rain for the first time.]


No Place Like Home


[The dump isn't Hunter's first choice of locations to investigate, but he grudgingly recognizes that it could be important. It isn't monitored heavily, and he isn't familiar enough with human trash to outright dismiss it. Might as well check the place out for a bit, see what kinds of things humans throw away, and then cross it off the list. Titan, the things he does for research....

He arrives in full uniform including his mask, one tiny scarred cardinal perched on his shoulder. Surveying the mess he sighs heavily, the heads in, starting to look around. Almost immediately, something glinting in the light catches his eye. Furrowing his brow, he steps closer. It's glass, some kind of paper that's been framed - ]


Flapjack, look!

[That... can't be right. He pushes his mask up onto his head before picking up the frame, confused. It's his. His certificate of induction into the Emperor's Coven, the exact one that should be hanging over his bed back in the castle. While he knows trash can occasionally slip through portals between the realms, he would never, ever throw this out. So what's it doing out here? That question is weighing in his mind as he catches sight of something else from home, and he immediately rushes for it, not noticing the steadily growing amount of trash around him. It's only when something grabs his ankle and yanks that he realizes something is wrong, yelping in surprise. Startled, Flapjack take off from his shoulder and starts circling, cheeping frantically.]

Jeffrey's Hell - Closed to Eda


[Okay, so being stuck in the human realm isn't great. Terrible, in fact, since Hunter knows the Day of Unity hasn't happened yet, and therefore Belos needs him back in the demon realm, and not here. That's rough, really rough.

Making this a dozen times worse is the fact that the only other witch (or demon) he's come across is the Owl Lady. A criminal, and a constant thorn in the side of the Emperor's Coven. The goreberry on top of the blood cake that is this whole mess is the bizarre insistence of Eda that something is wrong with his memories. His head is perfectly fine, of course, but she's said some unnerving things, and he really doesn't like it when he's thrown off-balance. The worst part is that he can't tell if this is some wily wild witch behaviour or just Eda being Eda.

Either way, it's clear someone needs to keep an eye on her. She's a criminal, and it's his job to deal with criminals like her, so naturally this leads to him trying to poorly stalk through a small town while using as little magic as possible. It isn't a fun time, and after an entire day of watching her, losing her, then watching her again, he's very... tired. He needs a break.

But not a break-break, of course, just a change of pace. That's why he and Flapjack find themselves heading into the woods to scope these supposed white-furred creatures. Taking care of dangerous creatures was one of his usual assignments back home, and this isn't all that different.]


Jeffrey's Hell - OTA


[Another night, Hunter and Flapjack can be found at the edge of the woods next to the hotel. He's in full uniform, shoving a handful of Chex Mix under his mask to munch on as he surveys the trees (it's close enough to Hex Mix that he figures it's edible to witches). Mostly because despite his run-in with Eda he's still curious about the creatures out there and figures they're worth investigating.

Those things had to be related to slitherbeasts, somehow. They fit the slitherbeast profile almost to a T, even though he isn't sure those demons also exist in the human realm. Maybe one or two slipped through a portal at some point? Maybe some were banished a long time ago, like the giraffes? Who knows, but he wants to find out.

... He might also be out there because it's hard for him to get over the fact that these trees are indeed green. It's just as Belos had told him, and he's a little depressed his uncle couldn't be here to see them, too.]
cacophonish: MISC, GUITAR (temp09)

jeff calhoun | oc

[personal profile] cacophonish 2022-05-20 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
i. country roads
For the past few months, it's been difficult to pin Jeff down. He tended to drift around Gloucester, busking and hanging out on the streets, rarely stopping by Bonnie's or the ADI offices anymore. Honestly, if any of the ADI's newer recruits took him for an anonymous street kid, oblivious and uninvolved with any impending apocalypses, it would've been an easy mistake to make.

So it might have been surprising, seeing him on the train as it took them on that winding trip from Gloucester to Wolf Pen, tucked away in one of the cars, headphones on as he stared out the window with a dreamy look on his face. Anyone looking at him long enough-- or, rather, looking past him, at his reflection-- might even notice his reflection in the window looking back at them, even as his own gaze is directed elsewhere.

Probably just a trick of the light. A product of an overactive imagination. After all, it's been a weird fucking trip, right?

( A )
If you want to say hi to this dreamy young man, now's your chance. He can be found at the Howling Moon Inn, hanging out by the pool, strumming away on an acoustic guitar, singing to himself without a care in the world. There's about a fifty-fifty chance he'll notice you first, in which case he'll flash a cheery grin and wave you over.

"Lay it on me: you think the locals'll go for this?"

( B )
Or maybe you bump into Jeff somewhere else. You'll know if he's in his hotel room, because he's either practicing his guitar, or playing music on his phone as loudly as possible. It sounds like he's studying up on bluegrass, folk, outlaw country, that kind of stuff. And it doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is. To Jeff, it's never too late or too early to make noise.

...it might be kind of annoying. Sorry about that. But you're welcome to bang on his door and tell him to shut up!

( C )
There's also a chance that you're just chilling out in your hotel room, only to be interrupted by Jeff inviting himself in and flopping down on one of the beds, whether he knows you or not.

"I'm bored. Let's hit the town," he says, a mischievous glint in his eye.


ii. wildcard
open to doing things with the other prompts, but i don't have any specific ideas at the moment, so there's just the one gen prompt for now. toss a starter at me or hit me up at [plurk.com profile] weeyotch or weeyotch#8200 to plot something in particular!

just a note: Jeff's an avatar of the Spiral. while he may come across as friendly, he's still a monster, and he's eager to feed through gaslighting, delusions, and hallucinations, which may be directed at other characters or NPCs, so let me know if that's something you're interested in! he won't engage in this behavior with/around your character without prior OOC communication
Edited 2022-05-20 16:48 (UTC)
bloodalwaystells: Hrm (leaning)

Andrew Jaeger | OTA

[personal profile] bloodalwaystells 2022-05-24 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
((OOC: Plotting comment here. Will match prose or brackets! PM or message [plurk.com profile] brimstonemuse for further plotting/custom starters!))

Country Roads

Jaeger doesn't exactly blend in with the local populace, even in spite of his efforts to dress down and keep a low profile. He's just too big and suspicious, but at least that makes him suitable for muscle. If someone is going to ask questions in a shady sort of atmosphere, then the big man is a good choice for backup- both physically imposing, and inclined to observe thoroughly in all situations. He's happy to offer his companionship for pretty much any investigation someone wishes to undertake, whether it be playing good-natured outdoors enthusiasts or something less cordial and more demanding.

Early in the day, he can be found in the hotel conference rooms, reading fliers and brochures collected from the local market and bar over a cup of black coffee. Conversations come easily, even in his rough, raspy voice, as he makes it his business to see what others are investigating and if they might need assistance. Failing that? It's just good to check in and have an idea of what people are doing. Just in case. Later in the day, he might be found at the diner or cafe or one of the handful of bars, taking an afternoon break as he plots his next move.

Eventually, Jaeger will make his own way up to Sinner's Point, with or without company, and camera in hand. Sure, maybe he's just getting in a little birdwatching, but his eyes are on the woods, on the scattered evidence of other peoples' good times, and the overall aura of the place. Is this where to start an investigation on the White Things? It certainly is.

Puppet Show CW: possible bodily harm, knives, flashbacks to torture/restraint

Wading through the river to get to the island isn't an ideal situation, but at least it makes it easy...if a bit messy. Jaeger's grateful for the warming trend in the weather when he steps out of the water onto the comparatively dry land of the little island, and while he's not happy about being wet, he'll survive.

He's pretty sure, at least. And his camera is dry, which means that he can immediately start snapping pictures of the scenery here. The stumps, the vines, the ruins.

...the vines. It's too little, too late when Jaeger tries to go for his knife, to free himself from the sudden trap, and struggling does nothing against the tough, woody overgrowth.

Like fighting steel chains, and he knows that feeling all too well.

No Place Like Home

It only makes sense to check out everything possible in town, and while the dump isn't high on the priority list, it's worth a couple of hours just to get a sense of it. Jaeger isn't really expecting anything but the dead husks of appliances and old mattresses, so it's a bit of a surprise when either he or his companion finds something after all...

"This was my daughter's." ((Or whatever they might have found!))

Jeffrey's Hell

The woods is one of the first places to check out when looking for strange and unusual phenomena, and Jaeger is familiar enough with the concept that he makes several trips to the woods outside of Wolf's Pen. While he's careful to avoid notice, particularly in the "No Trespassing" areas, he's diligent about making marks, notes, and photographs as he goes, keeping his bearings carefully and generally following the rules of polite intrusion.

Of course, he doesn't find anything notable during the day. But that's okay, that's why he's planned to go back at night and get a different impression. With a few basic emergency essentials packed, he ventures off into the pines, picking his way carefully through the undergrowth in search of a decent spot to set up watch.

That is, until the lantern-light appears, the sound of someone shouting into the darkness. Jaeger turns his attention fully toward the flicker off in the trees, then glances around at his more immediate surroundings, checking his bearings automatically with his own heavy steel flashlight in hand. His smaller penlight is tucked into his bag, just in case, but the Maglight throws a strong beam that's much better for navigating. And attracting attention, which makes him pause and flip the light off for a moment.

On one hand, they aren't supposed to be here. But on the other hand? It's a possible person to talk to about the town, one they wouldn't meet on the normal pathways. Jaeger isn't really capable of shouting, but he turns toward the light again, dark brows raised in question as he starts tentatively in that direction.
worthallthis: (Default)

Bucky/Winter | OTA

[personal profile] worthallthis 2022-05-24 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
I. Recovering from the Train - Hotel

Once they check in, Winter disappears into his hotel room for most of the day. There's an actual bathtub in there, where he spends a solid chunk of that day. He spends the rest of that day curled up on the floor behind the bed, catching up on the sleep lost over the train trip here, so his poor unlucky roommate can be startled by him popping up with a knife in one hand when they walk in at their own bedtime.

After that, he loiters around the lobby in the evening and orders a large meal via room service, which he then eats outside by the pool after dark, sitting on one of the lounge chairs with his boots and two layers of hoodies still on.


II. Attempting to Work - About Town

Talking to people is not Winter's strong point. And he's had training in being unobtrusive, but over the course of the past months in this world with the Stranger subtly nudging him to be as unfriendly-seeming as possible, he's out of practice.

But he tries. He goes to a bar. He goes to a diner. He buys food and listens to people talk while he pretends to check things on his phone. He does not manage to be unobtrusive for a lot of that time, though occasionally he pulls it off. Maybe if someone's sitting with him it will help? Come sit with him. He'll even buy you dinner or a drink or whatever.


III. No Place Like Home

The problem with finding things that belong to him is that most of the things he remembers belonging to him come from HYDRA. And didn't... actually belong to him. They were tools as much as he was.

So while trying to do something that he can actually do by searching the garbage, Winter finds a gun amongst the trash, and scowls at it. He finds tattered tac gear, which he tosses aside contemptuously. He finds a mask. He sits back on his heels and holds the mask for a long moment. Maybe come tell him that's not actually what he's holding?


IV. Jeffrey's Hell

This is more like it. Winter is in his full tac gear, mask, and goggles, with a rifle on his shoulder and a couple handguns holstered around his person. He's prowling through the woods, only favoring his still-healing leg a little, looking for things to shoot.

Come be his back-up, friend. Or not-friend. Whoever feels like hunting today.
musicdied: (alert)

Yelena Belova | OTA

[personal profile] musicdied 2022-06-01 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
I. Country Roads
The room at the Howling Moon Inn is small enough that it might feel claustrophobic even if it weren't meant to house two people. It's still far from the worst accommodations Yelena has ever had to deal with. She's quick to claim the bed nearest to the door and begin immediately unpacking, brisk and precise in a way that clashes with the air of carefree outdoor adventurer she's chosen to adopt for the trip. Save for a few books, she hasn't brought much that's personal. It's mostly clothing, and equipment.

She doesn't stay much in the room except to sleep, but can be caught coming and going at odd intervals. It's easier, though, to catch her in the conference rooms, or lounging near the pool with a notepad, sketching rough grids or making notations in a cramped, spiky hand. Never in the pool, though she's been known to swim back in Gloucester.

It's easier still to find her out and about in town. She visits the diner and the cafe almost daily, and perhaps those books weren't personal effects after all - she'll often crack one open and linger over her small purchases, soaking in the chatter of the locals and those travelers not affiliated with ADI. In the evenings, she visits the bars, and listens to the music and chats with locals, with hikers, with anyone inclined to indulge an attractive young woman with stories of local colour and local legend and who saw a black bear trundling across one of the trails. Catch her eye, and she might gesture an invitation, offer a slightly-crooked smile and a greeting of, "How's it going?"

It might be strange to hear her speak, for those who've interacted with her at any length at all, her accent flattened and replaced with that of an Ohio farm girl - not local, but perhaps not so strange.

Sometimes, she vanishes entirely for hours at a time, caught only when she's returning from some trailhead or another, or some other errand of her own.

II. No Place Like Home
The dump is disgusting. It is also, unfortunately, inevitable - things people hide in public, they'll often discard without thinking.

So far, however, Yelena hasn't discovered anything aside from some horrible lamps and a nagging suspicion that the local rats are planning on mounting some sort of assault on one particularly questionable attempt to make a microwave look fashionable. She continues her survey, though, alert for anything out of the ordinary.

Such as, say, noises of distress from inside one of the piles of refuse, or someone following a trail of breadcrumbs directly into the lair of Oscar the Grouch's much older, nastier cousin.

III. Wildcard
Choose your own adventure!
conning: (MattBomer019)

Neal Caffrey || White Collar

[personal profile] conning 2022-06-20 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
COUNTRY ROADS - wildcard/OTA

Neal is curious and friendly and prone to wandering, even beyond investigative responsibilities. If you're up to something interesting, chances are good he'll approach with a question about what you're doing. Maybe even try to help.


JEFFREY'S HELL - A (cw for memories of mutilation, death, etc in the comments)

Neal isn't a nature person. A picnic in a park, sure. A ski resort, a curated hiking trail, why not. Proper woods?

No, thank you. He'll take the eau de garbage-and-piss of New York over the loamy emptiness of unoccupied woods any time, thanks.

He thinks he heard someone, is the thing. It's evening, and he's tense from what little he's investigated already, and he would swear he saw someone moving out there and heard a voice. He headed for it.

Got lost.

Heard it more clearly, if it was the same person. ("Lulu-girl, here girl!") The thought of an animal lost in the woods is enough to get him hunting for the person calling out.

He can't decide if he's glad he's alone when the nightmare starts.

The blessed touch of light feels more physical than warmth when it comes. Neal stumbles out of the woods as he sees the trees thin, drops to his knees at the edge where it meets town, and throws up. Then starts crying.

For a while, that's all he does, without even the drive to get up and move away from his own sick.


JEFFREY'S HELL - B (cw for memories of mutilation, death, etc in the comments)

Eventually Neal finds his way to a bar. The first one open. The bar tender seems a bit startled to have someone knocking on his door the minute the "open" sign flickers on, before he's even had a chance to unlock, but he steps aside to let Neal in. Watches this tear-streaked stranger's face with the dual wariness of the masculine and the small-town insider.

Neal drinks what's cheap and potent, unsure what he's even trying to do, touching his stomach every so often where the attack by Katie Dunn left an actual scar. It's one of the only ones he has. The only dramatic one. He should have so many more.


JEFFREY'S HELL - CLOSED TO MALCOLM (cw for memories of mutilation, death, etc in the comments)

Neal is very drunk when he heads back toward the hotel in early afternoon. At least he thinks it's early afternoon. His sense of time is so skewed right now. He hasn't slept, isn't sure he wants to. Definitely doesn't want to encounter his roommate in his current state.

For a second he considers asking for a new room, but there aren't any available at this point, so he does the only other thing he can think of. He heads for Malcolm's door and hopes the guy's roommate isn't there, too.
Edited 2022-06-20 14:07 (UTC)