TDM #10 - Wither and Bloom [FINAL REPRINT]

[pumpkinhollow]

Pumpkin Hollow Gazette: Spring Issue

We ask that all toplevels include the age of the character (or at least a rough estimate) for TDM posts, to ensure that players both old and new can quickly make informed decisions about how to interact with a given character. We also ask that if someone lists a prompt as having an age preference, that it be respected. This is specifically for TDMs unless otherwise stated. Thank you!

Pumpkin Hollow Gazette

12/13/24 | TDM #10 - Wither and Bloom [First Edition]
Spring Pokémon Types - Grass, Fairy, Ground, Bug, Normal

WELCOME TO PUMPKIN HOLLOW

By Yorick Aberdeen

The crop for which the town is named.

Greetings, Hollowites, old and new! We are pleased to bring you yet another riveting issue of the Pumpkin Hollow Gazette. Or perhaps this is your very first one?

For nearly two years now, the mysterious ferryman has brought new and interesting faces across seas and stars and dimensional planes to reach our fair island. Since then, our community has grown larger and infinitely more interesting--- and we’re glad you’re joining us! Just in time for the weather to be just lovely.

This time of year tends to be a bit lighter on town-wide events due to this being a vitally busy time for our local agriculture industry, but we urge you to get involved with planting season and spend some time in nature. Who knows? You might even catch sight of our goddess of Land and Spring if you spend enough time among plants! Just don’t look into the trees--- they look back.

We invite you, as with all those who came before you, to enjoy your stay at the Oak & Iron tavern inn while you settle in. Please stop by Town Hall to discuss opportunities for work and more permanent housing! All newcomers get 100 Brass in their pocket upon arrival as well, so we encourage you to take advantage of this as well. Reach out to your neighbors for help if you need it, and don’t forget to pick up your copy of the Pumpkin Hollow Gazette whenever you need the local news!

SPRING WEATHER REPORT

By Phil Connors

The breeze will make your clothes smell great!

Start dusting those homes and beating those blankets! The days are getting longer, and with it, the winds are getting warmer. Spring is here! We’ll see some days that are still chilly and windy, but the more warm and temperate phases will get more common later in the season. We’re also entering the rainy period, meaning flowers are springing out of the ground and we’ll be seeing some very beautiful sunrises on misty mornings. Color is coming back to the isle, the frogs are in the rivers, and the insects and lambs are in the fields. It’s a good season to be outside.

Which means it’s also a good season to do laundry! Join us for our Community Laundry Day, where we all do our much-needed chores together and hang-dry our laundry in the warm and breezy weather! Join us on the green for some team washing. Water provided. Bring your own tubs, soap, and of course, clothes!

COMMUNITY EVENTS KEEP TOWN LIVELY ALL SPRING

By Timothy Stoker

The gazebo in town square, beside the festival green, is the place to be this season.

Legend has it that this time last year, a packed ferry arrived with a mass influx of offworlders, and an emergency potluck dinner was held to welcome the crowd. Now, this reporter wasn’t here just yet when that happened, but stories tell of a gathering of epic culinary proportions that heralded a new age of prosperity for Pumpkin Hollow. Sounds like something worth celebrating! Now that the weather has turned lovely once more (as elaborated on above by our own Phil Connors), the town has decided to celebrate the anniversary of the newly dubbed “Harbor Day” by revisiting that potluck idea. Drop by the Temple of Sacred Roots every other Friday from now until June to sample the cuisine of your new neighbors and local businesses. New residents need only bring themselves!

Also, in the spirit of spring cleaning, residents will also be selling or giving away their old items every weekend, weather permitting, in a series of mass yard sales. Some of our more modern residents supplied the term “yard crawl” for the event, which was deemed to be fitting. So come out on Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons to see what useful used items you can take off your neighbors’ hands! It’s a great way for new residents to decorate their new homes cheaply and get some new clothes.

And finally, on Wednesday evenings the Festival Green will be hosting “Swift Social” events (to be held in the Oak & Iron in the event of rain). A reimagining of last year’s popular charity speed dating event, this new Swift Social is expanded to include individuals seeking platonic relationships as well--- though that doesn’t mean romance is off the menu! The 10 Brass will be used to support the town’s medical community and the Autumn Leaves Dormitory House for Young Residents. So come out and make a friend or meet someone cute--- it’s for charity!

Fearsome Fae Antics Cause Town-Wide Trouble

By Melanie King

Up to no good, probably.

Things have been getting tricksy around town as, apparently, the fae population are staging the prank war to end all prank wars—or so local experts are telling us. If, like this reporter, you thought you were just having terrible luck with forgetting where you put things down or waking up with horrible bedhead, surprise! You've actually been caught in the crossfire of the fairies' games and may be entitled to financial compensation. (Not really. That's a joke.)

It looks like their antics are escalating significantly over time from harmless inconveniences to active dangers, so beware of any unusual sounds, behaviours or visual phenomenon you may encounter. Alluring or pleading voices from the woods, ghostly lights, critters acting oddly—if it's out of the ordinary, think twice. Or it might be the last time you think at all (at least, until tomorrow morning).

Fiendish Floral Figures Take Root Around Town

By Yorick Aberdeen

How eerie!

Spring is a time of year characterized by new life and by fresh floral blooms. It’s said that the land is Serranai’s canvas, and flowers are her paint. There is no debating that watching the Spring goddess’s artistry come to life in her season of power is an activity beloved by all! However, the Department of Supernatural Affairs is currently investigating some strangely behaved plant life.

While sightings have been somewhat rare, locals have been reporting eerie structures made out of flowering vines or woven flower stems that take the shape of hollowed out humanoid silhouettes. The poses seem to indicate motion and appear capable of springing to life at any moment, but the strange figures never seem to actually move --- at least, not that anyone has actually seen. However, many have cited that upon looking away from the figures and looking back, they appear to be closer. Those who have had direct contact with these floral armatures of people are also reporting some kind of ongoing allergic reaction from the encounter. Symptoms include severe shortness of breath, unpleasant itching that feels like it is coming from beneath the skin, and intense bouts of emotion which vary from person to person.

The Pumpkin Hollow Board of Safety is currently investigating long-term effects of contact with these beings and advises residents to avoid them. They seem highly resilient to fire, impact, and tearing, and while cutting with a sharp implement seems to have some success, it’s inadvisable to get close enough to the things to use such tools in the first place. Local alchemist Aeryn Sallek and local non-magical chemist Sally Boyle are currently working together to develop an herbicidal blend that is safe for human skin contact and potentially consumption to try and deal with the flowery menaces, which the Board of Safety has begun calling “Hanahilators”. But don’t let the name frighten you--- steering clear of these freaky floral followers should be a more than sufficient safety measure until the threat can be dealt with. Probably, anyway!

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Further Details...

Yard Crawl

Participate in the Yard Crawl as either a buyer, a seller, or both! When you take on a job in Pumpkin Hollow, you are supplied with permanent housing outside the Oak & Iron as part of your start-up kit, and most of them are full of old and worn furniture and clothes left behind when they were abandoned. Get rid of some of it or find something new at the Spring Yard Crawl! Plus, some of the native residents will also be selling or giving away their own old things.

Here’s how the Brass shakes out:

• Buyers can spend 50 Brass and get a haul of their choice of used or free clothing, furniture, or small decorative items. All of it will be of decent to low quality and relatively unremarkable design, so nothing extravagant. (Although a lone exciting knick knack could be considered passable!) Reminder that newcomers are given their first stipend of 100B upon arrival, so new characters are welcome to participate--- you’ll just need to mark that on your ledger if/when you app in. Ask for help if you have questions about this!


• Sellers can make 50B off of their participation but must make a toplevel. Only apped-in characters that are not Laggards can participate as a Seller.


• Those who are both buying and selling end up with a net zero of Brass, but all the aforementioned rules apply!


• Transactions related to the Yard Crawl can be applied to a character’s ledger three times --- once per month for the duration of this TDM!

Swift Social

Under the Swift Social toplevel posted from the mod account, join the fun by posting a starter with the provided code to create a profile card! Then comment on someone else’s starter with one of the following icebreaker questions to get started:

Which would be more surprising to see on your doorstep, a unicorn or a walrus?
If you could commit any crime with no consequences, what would it be?
If you were caught in a trap and the only way to escape from it with your life was to do something genuinely impressive, what would be your approach?
If you had to live on only one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
If you were held at knife point and instructed by your assailant that you must call someone on their sending stone, and if they do not answer, you die, who would you call?
Which would be most frightening to encounter in a dark alley: a ghost, an alien, or a horse?
If you could have any wish granted for you, no matter how big or small, what would it be? (Cannot ask for more wishes, that’s cheating!)
What’s a subject that you could confidently teach an hour-long class on with no preparation?
If you could instantly become an expert in any skill, what would you choose?
Make your own!

Be advised that you must post a comment with your profile card so that any Swift Social partners you have can reference it for your age and preferences.

Fae Pranks

It’s a fairy prank war! A few of the local fae courts are using Marrow Isle as their battle ground, since the demons made it trendy. They’re mostly out to prank each other--- but they’re also happy to practice their tricks on you! And fairies have some very odd ideas about boundaries when it comes to pranks. Here’s a few examples of some of the tricks you might encounter, ranging from silly to genuinely dangerous:

• A truly outrageous amounts of butterflies


• Sightings of Edwin the Headless Postman, a Dullahan (this is a played character that a mod will tag out with, please leave an OOC note if you’d like to opt out)


• Will-o-wisps that lead you in circles or into danger


• Fae dance parties that will have you dancing yourself to death!


• Missing objects


• Mysteriously spoiled milk


• Your hair got braided or extra tangled while you were asleep


• Weird sounds in Prague Mill after dark. Is it haunted?


• Strange women crying in the forest or by the Bluffs, but when you approach them to try and help, you find yourself suddenly in life-threatening danger!


• Create your own! Have fun with it, get spooky or goofy as you see fit.

Floral Fiends [cw: body horror, death]

Loosely inspired by the Hanahaki disease and the film Annihilation, Hanahilators are uncanny figures made out of flowers that move when they are not being watched. If they catch you, they will grab you, but seemingly have no interest in harming you as they will relent as soon as they’ve touched you.

However, once you have pollen on you, the effects begin to take hold, and flowers begin growing within your body, first in your lungs and then pushing into the rest of you. These parasitic blooms feed off of your strong emotions and are influenced by the emotions which define you. (Feel free to use the Victorian flower language to determine what kinds of flowers you get!) Once strong enough, the vines begin feeding on your body, destroying it and leaving behind a brand new Hanahilator. But don’t worry, you’ll be back to your old self tomorrow, so enjoy the opportunity to explore the island as a ghost! Apped in characters should remember to fill out a Death Certificate! It’s a relatively rare encounter, so don’t worry about running into one if you don’t want to.

Pokémon

Each season, new types of Pokémon can be found in nature around the island! They cannot be captured as the technology does not exist on Marrow Isle, but they can be befriended and kept as pets. Since there is no PC, each person can have no more than six. You can befriend any Pokémon whose primary type matches the list at the top of the newspaper. (Eevee can be caught in any season.) Legendaries are off limits for obvious reasons, and mythicals can be encountered for fun but not kept! Evolutionary stones can be found in Paradesium, the magical subterranean jungle beneath the mountain to the North. Every type will be available at some point throughout the year, so if you don’t have access to your fave yet, check back next season!

Comments

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/CONCERNS

[pumpkinhollow]

Swift Social

[pumpkinhollow]

Step 1. Post your profile card in a comment beneath this one, with the following profile code:
<raw-code><div style="display:flex; justify-content:center; padding:5px 0;"> <div style="display:flex; flex-flow:row-reverse wrap; justify-content:center; gap:21px; width:100%; max-width:550px; padding:28px; background-blend-mode:overlay; border-radius:8px; box-shadow:0 3px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); font:normal 13px/1.25 Georgia, Garamond, serif; color:#333333e6; background:#eee url('https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e7/92/d8/e792d832b44963543c361f530a4741d5.jpg') no-repeat center; background-size:fit;"> <!--- // ICON IMAGE // ---> <div style="max-width:150px; align-self:center; padding:75px; border-radius:99rem; background:#333 url('ICON_IMG_IDEALLY_MINIMUM_150PX') no-repeat center; background-size:cover; box-shadow:0 0 3px #ffffffe6;"></div> <!--- // PROFILE TEXT // ---> <div style="flex:250px; align-self:center;"> <div style="padding:0 0 14px; font:600 21px/1 Georgia, sans-serif; text-align:center; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:0.05rem; border-bottom:1px solid #333333e6;"> YOUR NAME HERE </div> <span style="display:block; padding-top:14px;"> <b>Age:</b> [answer] <br /> <b>Pronouns:</b> [answer] <br /> <b>Seeking:</b> [answer: friendship, romance, both/either, etc. Include gender preferences and/or polyamory preferences for romance, or any other preferences you might have.] <br /> <b>Fun Fact:</b> [answer] </span> <div style="display:flex; flex-flow:row wrap; justify-content:center; gap:10px; padding-top:14px; font-size:12px;"> </div> </div> </div></raw-code>
Step 2: Comment on someone else’s profile card with one of the icebreaker questions from “Further Details.”
Step 3: Mark the entry cost in your ledger! (Newcomers can play for free!)

Serranai, Mother of Land and Spring | NPC (local goddess) | ~4.3 Billion years of age

[psalmofseasons]

Serranai

Age: older than I look!
Pronouns: she & her & hers
Seeking: Whatever floats yer boat, darlin! Mostly short-term romance, friends, fellow musicians and artists to create with. But if somethin more happens, we'll see where the spring breeze blows!
Fun Fact: My favorite instrument is the accordion.

[Note: her handwriting is fucking atrocious. It looks like her card was written by a drunk kindergartner in a hurry.]

Bronwyn Thysania (they/them) | Equivalent of mid 30s |OC

[withthemooninoureyes]

Bronwyn Thysania

Age: 367
Pronouns: they/them exclusively, please!
Seeking: To meet new people! And, y'know, maybe a date, if it happens. Not expecting much, looking like I do, but hey! Some folks are adventurous!
Fun Fact: So, full disclosure--- I am psychic. I can sense others' emotions, tell the future, and occasionally hear the thoughts of those in close proximity, though I generally try not to. I won't be offended if you're not comfortable with that!

Dr. Malcolm Carver | 723 | OC

[md_ceased]

Dr. Malcolm Carver, MD

Age: 723 (became immortal at 28)
Pronouns: he/him
Seeking: I'm new here and just interested in getting the lay of the land, meet my neighbors, and find my place. [OOC note: He's gay and pretending like he wouldn't like to get smooched. He would.]
Fun Fact: I am a vampire as well as a licensed physician specializing in other paranormal creatures. I can also help humans, though, of course. I have nearly 700 years of experience!

Webber | Like 8-9ish plus a year or two of time weirdness | Don't Starve

[two_souls_wedged_inside]

WEBBER

Age: We're definitely at least 8. Maybe 9.
Pronouns: Either him or them is okay.
Seeking: We want to get to know new people and make friends. No kissing stuff, please.
Fun Fact: We're a spider and a boy! We have lots of spiderfriends back in the Constant.

[Note: Webber usually calls himself 'we', but the human and the spider both switch to 'I' when one half speaks independently.]

Asterios (Berserker) | Unknown (Adult) | Fate/Grand Order

[monsterofminos]

ASTERIOS

Age: "Don't know"
Pronouns: He/him
Seeking: "Friends would be nice to have."
Fun Fact: "I protected one of the Gorgon sisters. Euryale is very kind and has a beautiful smile."


[NOTE: One of the workers wrote everything for him due to Asterios's inability to read or write, hence the quotation marks. He also can't quite fit in any chairs due to his sheer size (over 9 feet tall) so he's sitting on the floor, munching on a big bowl of fruit.

Also if your character knows Greek Mythology, you're welcome to recognize him.]

Music Alwyn Szereban | 31 local time | OC

[battlebyballad]

MUSIC ALWYN SZEREBAN

Age: 37 by the calendar back home, but only 31 of this place's 365-day years
Pronouns: She/her
Seeking: Friends, dalliances, brief loves. I'm afraid I've poor fortune with anything longer
Fun Fact: I'm actually more of an academic than a performer or an adventurer

Cal "Okie" Hitchcock III | 21 | Changeling: the Lost

[mistertwister]

OKIE HITCHCOCK

Age: 21
Pronouns: He/him
Seeking: Friends mostly, maybe some fun
Fun Fact: I've only been an elf for about a year

Basil | Omori | 17 years old

[flower_language]

BASIL

Age: 17
Pronouns: he/him
Seeking: I'm not entirely sure. I'm new around here but I'd love to find myself .. something? Definitely not romance. I just want people to talk with? I am not very interesting but I know a lot about plants, that could be something?
Fun Fact: The average strawberry has 200 seeds. It's the only fruit that bears its seeds on the outside. Speaking of straberries- botanically speaking, they're not berries- bananas are, though!

Elsie | NPC - 23

[hereticofthewilds]

Pranked Good!
The fae have been having a prank war around here and, while Elsie isn't officially affiliated with any of the other players, she can't help but feel drawn to the fun. Her human side, at least, guides her to pranks that fall closer to harmless than harmful--but she has been known to drag a person into her shadow realm without much warning.

The sensation of becoming one with shadow is like missing a step on the stairs and suddenly finding themselves in a pitch black hole looking out at the world. It doesn't hurt, but it might be a disorienting few seconds until it becomes apparent that Elsie is in the dark with too, holding their hand. Somehow they can tell she's not going to harm them. It might be the magical warmth radiating off of her, the kind that feels like a hug from a friend in hard times.

"Got you!" she says with a giggle. "Pranked good!"


Lost & Found
Another aspect of the prank war is the theft of objects. Elsie knows that stealing is wrong but borrowing is okay, so she's "borrowing" random items from around the town and leaving little treasure maps for people to use to try and locate them. Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt?

She is easily located at her tree for anyone who actually doesn't love them and would like to take it up with her personally. She might be persuaded to help search. (Even if she wasn't the one who took the thing, she can still be convinced to help find what was taken.)


Dance Until You Drop
If one happens to be unfortunate enough to get caught in a fairy dance circle, Elsie might be their best and only hope of getting out of it unscathed. These woods are hers, and she considers herself its guardian. The people of Pumpkin Hollow, especially the newest arrivals, fall under that purview when they venture into the embrace of her trees.

As their limbs grow weaker from exhaustion, their mouth parched, and it's beginning to seem like their chances of survival have slipped away, Elsie appears, joining the dance to edge her way closer. When she touches them, they feel invigorated once more. She leans close to whisper, "Elsie help?"

If they want to dance themselves into oblivion she won't stop them, but she's here to offer a way out for those who'd like to avoid a painful death and 24 hours as a ghost.


Bee Jamboree
Spring brings flowers, and flowers bring pollinators; that's what makes this Elsie's favorite time of year. Bees are her special favorite. They're more social than the ants.

So, don't be alarmed if you hear buzzing in the trees. Come closer to see Elsie performing a very strange wiggling dance for them. The bees are all gathered around, watching and joining in. They don't seem very aggressive right now. Elsie certainly isn't wearing any kind of protection and she's just fine. Who is brave enough to join the dance?

prank this sixty year old man, elsie

[saintoflangley]

Alex has so far been deftly managing to avoid the prank wars using his decades of experience in espionage and guerrilla warfare. His luck has finally run out.

There's a lurch and everything is dark, and for a second he thinks oh, so this is what dying is like.

Then he hears a giggle and realizes someone's holding his hand. "Yeah, you got me," he says with a bit of a sheepish smile. To be fair to him, no matter how experienced you are at espionage and subterfuge, you're not exactly expecting to get dragged to the Shadow Realm where he's from.

Bronwyn Thysania (they/them ONLY please!) | Equivalent of mid 30s |OC

[withthemooninoureyes]

For the past several months, there has been a big ass moth person hiding in Paradesium.

On their version of Earth, the Lunari people are refugees from a long-dead planet, taught from a young age that they are to remain always hidden from humans. They conceal their secret colonies with magic and technology, and flee from the eyes of any human. So one can imagine the stress this might place upon an absolutely enormous Lunari plopped onto an island full of almost exclusively humans or similar-looking creatures and not a single other Lunari.

Valiant attempts were made to socialize (OOC note: a previous TDM lol) but eventually nerves drove Bronwyn to the subterranean jungle of Paradesium, where they've made a life for themself quietly. But it's been pretty lonely down there... Maybe it's time to give this another go?

-Yard Crawl-

It can be pretty hard to find clothes for yourself among humans when you're a rail-thin 9-foot-tall person with wings and digitigrade legs. The stores have definitely been no help. But Bronwyn really isn't about this plain-linen life, so out they go to the yard crawl to look for things to wear.

So far, so good, actually. They found a cute corset, a pair of trousers that manages to fit their waist without going past their knees (which bend very sharply back to accommodate the digitigrade ankles), and a gaggle of fun scarves. Due to the furry ruff around their neck and the wings, they generally cannot be bothered with shirts, and it's uncommon for Lunari to wear them anyway. However, in a pile of nicer clothes, they find someone's old Merrymeet dress from a few years back. A scooping neckline that would expose their ruff and allow their wing joints to be free adds to the appeal. They lift it, holding it up to themself, then look to a fellow shopper. "Whatcha think? Too much?"

-Making Friends-

It's bug type Pokemon season. You know what that means. Caterpillars galore. And for a giant moth, the cuteness factor of caterpillars is such that it is utterly irresistible. And so, on the grass outside Greymare Library, Bronwyn sits with a massive bag of leafy greens from the market--- lettuce, cabbage, arugula, kale, and more! A gaggle of Caterpie, Wurmple, Snom, Scatterbugs, Venonats, Burmy, Sewaddle, and Larvesta climb all over them, attacking them for the green treats.

"One at a time!" Bronwyn insists to no avail, laughing. "There's enough for everybody! Oh my gods, you guys are nuts--- Hey, don't push! Oof---"

It's too late, they're knocked over. Completely under siege. Help! Death by cuteness is imminent!

Bronwyn's Booth of Truth

On sunny days, Bronwyn can be found in a tent of their own construction near the festival green. With permission from Town Hall, they've set up a structure of scrapped construction materials and old sheets they got from the yard crawl, dyed and painted by hand. "BOOTH OF TRUTH - PSYCHIC SERVICES" reads the sign.

Inside the makeshift tent is a surprisingly ethereal space created from candles lit with enchanted light, found beads and sea glass, an impressive collection of crystals from paradesium, and handmade charms and ornaments hung from twine. Bronwyn sits at a small table with a crystal ball and lovingly hand-painted tarot cards. "Hi, welcome," they say gently, voice a murmur so as not to disturb the space, handing their prospective client a handy leaflet.

yard crawl

[closureisformovies]

Alice barely even blinks at the giant moth of it all, just immediately gives them a once over of assessment. "Nah, I think it works. Granted I'm the kind of person who's scale for 'too much' might be broken, but I think it's better that way."

booth of truth!

[abhorrently]

Said prospective client is wary, curiously poking her head in and getting distracted by it being lovely. The lights, the way the candle flame reflects off the various objects - it's pretty enough to have her initial uncertainty around psychic deflected.

The leaflet pulls her out of her reverie, with a murmured thanks to the large moth. Simple, to the point, but...

"Exactly what you need is a pretty big claim."

Making Friends

[nothingbadeverhappensto]

Just as all hope seems lost under the wiggling tide, a broad, callused hand reaches down to offer some assistance in getting back up again.

"Enough of that, come on, you're gonna smother 'em," says Leon, shooing the caterpillars aside with his free hand. When he catches sight of who it is under all the hungry little guys, he blinks, owishly. "Bronwyn? Is that you?"

Boy he sure hopes this is them and not a very similar looking moth, otherwise that's gonna be really awkward. He's almost certain he recognizes them even with the brighter lights of the surface, though.

bronwyn's booth of truth

[medekh]

A man pulls aside the small cloth tent door. He should be more surprised by the moth occupant, he really should, though these days he's started to become numb to such things. The residents of Pumpkin Hollow truly become weirder as the days go by. Moth people? Sure. Why not.

Artemy takes a seat, gently taking the leaflet and looking down at the paper with purpose. When he's done, he sets it on the table. The third options certainly catches his attention. Exactly what he'd need, huh? What he needed was something no one could give him, Daniil's return. Somehow that man leaving left a hole in him so large that nothing seemed to fill it.

In fact, perhaps, this entire affair was a waste of his time. But he was already here. And the Haruspex wasn't so rude as to waste this... Moth's time.

"I'm not sure what I need." Artemy quietly admits, looking down at his hands, avoiding eye contact.

Yard Crawl - FLUFFY GIANT FRIENDS

[monsterofminos]

Finding someone his height is a rarity. In fact, there's only one person who was relatively close to his height and he was an evil man. Asterios didn't like him. Heracles. But finding someone his height and had a similar look to himself? Well, the minotaur honestly did a double take, thinking he was looking in an oddly shaped mirror for a moment.

Then they speak and it snaps his back to the moment. Asterios blinks, looks at the dress, then to the Lumari, back to the dress.

There's a few headtilts in there. It is a very pretty dress. But as someone else who can't fit into clothes very well, he wonders how Bronwyn will be able to wear it.

"It... is very pretty," he says softly and slowly. Then he asks the obvious: "Will it fit... over your wings...?"

First Aid | 23 | Transformers G1

[lovinglefthand]

It might seem like the only options for victims of the Hanahilators are to either let the infliction take its course or preemptively take matters into their own hands, but First Aid and Sally Boyle just aren't the kind of people to give up and leave it that. They've been working on medicine to treat the Hanahilator patients, first to sooth their pain and then to slow the growth of the flowers and vines. They're also working on a herbicide that will kill the flowers without harming the patient, but that...is still a work in progress.

Which means they're also looking for volunteers!

If you'd like to help or you need assistance with managing your condition, check yourself into the Winterbottom Clinic. The clinic's chief nurse, a Chansey named Merrishell, will offer you tea and a soothing egg, and the doctor will be with you as quickly as possible.

First Aid himself is a seven foot tall robot made of red and white-painted metal, with patches of healthy green moss and wildflowers growing from both shoulders and one of the crests on top of his head. His visor glows a soft, gentle blue, and his voice is surprisingly lifelike and natural for a mechanical lifeform. He greets you with a friendly hello, and then says kindly, "Come on back, and we can get started."

He shows you to an exam room, and after closing the door for privacy asks gently, "How recently did you encounter a Hanahilator?"

[upshore]

Oh, Miles is so irritated that one got him. And fully snuck up on him, no less!

"About an hour ago," he says miserably. "My immune system is pretty, uh. Robust," Yeah, that's a word for it. "So if it was anything else I wouldn't be too worried, but, you know. Magic. I don't want to take any chances."

Oh, Valdis is going to be SO mad if he dies again.

eddie munson | 20 | stranger things

[wrathchild]

i. yard crawl

Eddie Munson finally stopped running.

And he died, because of it. It honestly kind of fucking sucks…

…and yet, it's not as bad as he thought it would be, either. Instead of just, like, ceasing to exist or discovering Hell really is a special place reserved for both D&D players and metalheads alike, he gets a second chance. A weird second chance, yeah, but he’ll take it.

Pumpkin Hollow is actually kind of cool as hell, anyway. He feels almost like he belongs here in a way, like he’d fallen through the pages of his dungeon master’s guide into a world that suits him better than Hawkins, Indiana ever could. He is Bastian Balthazar Bux, and it’s his turn to stop the Nothing.

Though the Nothing can wait until after he checks out this badass neighborhood rummage sale. The moment Eddie picks up on what’s going on, that’s where he heads — after all, what if there’s a cool sword or some creepy ancient tome or something? Or even better:

A lute. An actual, honest-to-God lute.

"Holy shit," he says when he sees it. A serendipitous beam of afternoon sunlight shines down on the thing as if to say "yeah, 'holy shit' is right, look at this thing. it's incredible. magical, even. pick this bad boy up, munson. you earned it."

There’s no way in hell he can afford it (he doesn't even bother asking) but he manages to talk the seller into letting him borrow it for a little while. “Think of it as free advertising,” he grins over his shoulder as he saunters over to a conveniently-placed bench nearby and plops down.

Now, Eddie’s pretty damn good at guitar — excellent, even — but while there’s some transferable skills at play here, it’s not a 1:1 match. Learning this thing will take time, so he’s there for quite a while, plucking through familiar songs and swearing with each sour note, working out exactly how to tune this thing, to play the notes he wants, to coax his favorite songs from these strings.

“I take requests, by the way,” he’ll say if he should catch your eye, strumming out something that sounds like it might be Folsom Prison Blues (as performed by Sir Jonathan Cash, renowned bard, of course).

ii. fey tricks

There’s a woman crying, just at the edge of the woods. It's a horrible, haunting sound. It's the cry of someone who's lost something dear, of someone who's in unspeakable pain, of someone who needs someone else.

Eddie should help. Eddie wants to help.

Eddie can’t bring himself to move his feet.

“Strange things happen if you stay…” he mutters. The Devil will catch you anyway.

Or so the song goes.

Something about her sets his hair on end. But why? He doesn't know.

He stopped running away before. He'd helped his friends, back in Hawkins. It doesn't make him a hero but it means that maybe he's not the coward he'd thought he was.

So why can't he help her?

When he thinks about it like that, it becomes a little easier to pluck up his courage and start walking towards the woman. Well, not easier... but he feels like he has to. He doesn't run anymore. He won't run anymore.

You might catch him there, as he's making his way towards the woods, face drained of color and looking like he's marching to his own execution. You might stop him before he gets too close.

Or, maybe you couldn't get there in time. Maybe you spot someone running for their life (turns out Eddie Munson does still run, sometimes) as something unseen shakes the trees and snaps the twigs and rustles the leaves behind him. You might hear him before you see him as he charges through the forest yelling "SHIT SHIT SHIT" at the top of his lungs. Maybe you can help the poor guy. Or maybe not. If he's here, it's not like he's never died before, right?

yard crawl!

[for_i_have_none]

"Not your usual instrument, then, is it?" The voice is ruefully sympathetic, with an accent that comes through the translation spell as cultured (probably, since Eddie's American, as vaguely British-flavored).

The face that goes with it is -- between the amber skin, the golden eyes with slitted pupils, and the ramlike horns at the brow -- decidedly not human.

Aldo Cardinal Bellini | 65 | Conclave (2024) + Delectatio Morosa fanmade visual novel

[mothofholiness]

a. that's why his zuchetto is so big, it's full of secrets (arrival, ota)
The overwhelming feeling that Aldo Bellini has when told he's dead is, surprisingly, irritation. Aside from the fact that he's way too busy for that, he'd just had That Conversation with Thomas that they'd both been been avoiding for decades, or at least as close to That Conversation as they could allow themselves to get, being who they were. And now he's dead?! He knew God had a sense of humor, but could He turn it on someone else, please? Yes, His ways are ineffable and mysterious, Aldo knows that, but...is it blasphemous to bitch about it? Probably. A high-ranking Vatican official should care more than he does right now.

Theologically, this is interesting, but he's too grumpy about this whole situation to really chew on that right now.

He feels weirdly incognito in the basic Edwardian streetwear he'd arrived in, the only indicator of his station the scarlet zuchetto atop his head, which he'd managed to keep along with his glasses. He's not wearing it to show off, he's wearing it mostly because it's a comfort - something familiar in this alien place.

...well, at least here he's not going to get vaped on by a fascist. Probably.

b. i'm a turtle. duh! (wild pokemon appeared!, ota)
Bonk.

Aldo looks down. There is...some variety of turtle bumping into his leg. It's a lot bigger than the ones in the Vatican gardens. And...it has a plant on its head.

He squints at it. Doubtless Tremblay would know what it was, because Thomas had told Aldo about how the now-Bishop, who was what Aldo would describe as 'chronically online', had endeared himself to some local Roman orphans by playing some computer game on his phone with them. Thomas didn't understand it, which meant that Aldo had understood it even less since he was hearing about it through the Vatican grapevine.

Wait. He knew what this was. Maybe? Not specifically, but it was just one of those things one acquired via cultural osmosis.

He looks helplessly at the nearest person. "Is this thing an anime?"

c. i can't go to taco bell, thomas, i'm on an all-carb diet (potluck, ota)
Interfaith cooperation. Aldo's good at this. So why is he loitering outside the temple? It's not like anything is stopping him from going in except his own...

...cowardice. The word comes to him in two voices - Thomas's reproachful, his own bitter.

Easy enough to shut that up this time. He knows he can be better. Thomas knows he can be better, and it's truly the memory of his dearest friend's recent encouragement that takes him across the threshold.

Oh, Tedesco would hate it, he realizes with glee. The Patriarch of Venice would have had to be dragged in kicking and screaming and cursing. That makes him feel a lot better. Something else that makes him feel a lot better is that despite the unfamiliar trappings, beneath it all it feels no different from any other sacred space he has ever been in. The potluck makes him so nostalgic for the days where he'd been a diocesan priest and not, well, the second most senior cardinal in the Vatican. It's a nice feeling.

Before he gets any food, he goes around and introduces himself with a handshake and a smile: "Hi, I'm Aldo. Nice to meet you."

d. four for you, vincent benitez, you go, vincent benitez. ...and none for goffredo tedesco bye (wildcard!)
[Step 1: Find this cardinal. Step 2: Bully him. Step 3: ??? Step 4: Profit]

c

[lovethyneighb_or]

Father Mulcahy has been severely reclusive lately, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t do his duties. He performs Mass every Sunday; he sweeps the Temple; he helps assist its paperwork; he sweeps the cemetery; and of course, he helps organize the potluck.

He usually keeps to himself at these. He isn’t much more than a pleasant shadow, checking on guests and making sure everyone is fed. It takes a man actively going around to introduce himself to everyone in order to really find and speak to Mulcahy.

“Oh!” he chirps, turning around. He takes the hand with a firm grip and a warm smile. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Aldo. I don’t believe I’ve seen you before…”

His eyes drift to the zuchetto. Oh no.

“… Y-Your—ah—uh—??? Your Eminence—?”

Vickie Reeds (Number 44) | 23+ (time abyss) | Changeling: the Lost & CRAU

[arrayerofrazors]

Bless Me, Father | Closed to Mulcahy

So, Father. There's a new arrival at the temple. She's a tired, weary thing, dressed in the plain clothes of a new arrival, and she is very, very quiet. Very still. Her breathing is inaudible, the rise and fall of her chest nearly imperceptible. You've seen this look in people's eyes before, on a ship between worlds and again in a Village; an observer, looking at nothing, taking in everything. There is no comment. There are no words.

Not for awhile, anyway. Not until the late-crawling sunset, here at the edge of summer's dominion, threatens to make travel back home dangerous, or impossible. As others filter out, leaving you and perhaps Degas behind, the new woman's head turns to look directly at you, at long last. Her goblin glamour melts away to reveal familiar pale flesh, and hair of squirming shadows that drip, like maggots, onto the floor to evaporate into the light. Vickie Reeds. Number Forty-Four. Half-hunched like this her profile resembles nothing less than a kukri, wicked and weighted, but she'd never hurt you, would she?

She's so very tired.

"Sanctuary," Vickie murmurs. "...Always wanted to say it, but I do also mean it."

A Ragged Ghost | Open

The new arrival floats from job to job, trying this thing and that at any door that won't turn her away. Need a dish bitch at your bakery or the Burger King? Sure. Help with Laundry Day? She's already there. Farms are approached to ask if they might want a hand, with things so busy, though this strange thing that won't give a name keeps having to stop and wipe tears from her eyes when animals do the most normal things.

One day a butterfly lands on her shirt in the middle of the street, and she breaks down sobbing, inconsolable, demanding not to be touched.

Approach carefully. One last chance at life or not, there is a tail of hurt that trails after this woman, and she won't hesitate to dish it back out.

bless me, father (with your fierce tears, i pray)

[lovethyneighb_or]

It isn’t hard to see a new face in the audience. There’s vanishingly few of them, after all, but he knows the look on her face, and opts to leave her to her peace.

And then all of a sudden, he recognizes her in the waning of the light.

“Oh,” he murmurs, hushed and breathless. She would hurt him—she would hurt him only if it meant returning his mind to him and his heart to safety, knowing how much more valuable one’s sanity is over their body. In other words, she would never hurt him.

“Arrayer.” His arms open. “Please, come here.”

Hatsune Miku | 16, technically? | Colorful Stage: The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing

[utaenai]

hello SEKAI (arrival/downtown hollow, ota)
The darkness had closed in, and Miku suddenly found herself here, sad, confused, and despairing. This isn't Shibuya, but it's full of too many people to be a SEKAI. And it's not her SEKAI with all of the floating windows and that dark vine heart above.

She feels terribly exposed being around all these people. She's used to only projecting out of televisions and phone screens, but there are none to be found here. She wraps her arms around herself and quietly, haltingly begins to sing, as much to soothe herself as to try and reach those who need it:

"Kitto todoku hazu...kitto mieru hazu...sonna atte mitai mirai o boku wa hitori kiro no sekai de...zutto..."

Her voice falters, and she stops.

Anyone familiar with Hatsune Miku in any form may be surprised that this version of her is a little shy and withdrawn. She doesn't expect anyone to see her or react to her song.

worlders (wildcard!)
[I can't see the end of the horizon...HATSUNE MIKU?!]

Asterios (Berserker) | Unknown (Adult-ish) | Fate/Grand Order

[monsterofminos]

[Fae Pranks]

Thankfully for the giant bull-man, the Fae seem to have mostly left him alone — or at least given him nice gifts. In his giant mane of hair are a number of different color ribbons at the end of a bunch of braids. Not only that but he's covered in a ridiculous amount of butterflies, one sitting on his nose in particular, which has him crossed eyed trying to watch it.

At least he seems happy?

[Pokemon]

There is a massive mound of white fluff — both from Asterios himself and the pile of Cottonee laying on his chest fur as he naps underneath a tree on the outskirts of town. It's up to you whether you join the sleeping group or try to wake the giant minotaur up.

[Wildcard]

Want to meet him somewhere else? He can be found wandering around town, checking out the blacksmith shop, or at the Oak and Iron eating his weight in fruits and pastries. He stands at 9'7", big poofy hair, and a wall of muscles so he's kind of hard to miss.

[Note: He's listed as adult here since I felt it fit better but he's classified as a child servant in the game sooo... kind of mentally a child? idk]

butterfly in the sky, i can go twice as high~

[utaenai]

Miku, who barely stands over 5 feet, is looking at the fluffy bull-man with awe. She holds out a hand, and one of the nearby butterflies comes and alights upon it. She scrutinizes it carefully. Being a Miku, she's familiar with general knowledge about the world, but she's never actually seen a butterfly before in person.

She looks up at him and smiles shyly. "Are these your friends?"

Drelasa Veloth | Morrowind | 270-ish

[misbegottendreamer]

(Hi all! I'm trying to get over The Hole so I'm just gonna post a catch-all here for late May/early June)

Closed to Siebren

It's not lost on Drelasa that Siebren is more of a shut-in now than he used to be. He's been keeping to the house, often busying himself with odd tasks but at times seemingly doing nothing at all. It doesn't feel right, and she wouldn't feel right if she didn't try to do something about it.

One morning, after breakfast, she decides to broach the topic with him.

"Kena... could I ask a favor of you today?"


Wildcard

Drelasa has been seeming back to her old self as the month goes on, and that means her streak of being team mom is bound to kick in. Drag her into any and all shenanigans!

[checkyourmath]

'Shut-in' isn't wrong, per se, but the supposed Baron's odd behavior since his return feels deeper than that. Siebren is happy to carry on a conversation, and assists with chores when asked, but the creative impulse that once drove her companion to construct a telescope from scratch has evaporated. Drelasa returns from the smithy to find Siebren waiting where she left him with no concern for the intervening hours. He fiddles with the chimes and scratches at the walls, humming under his breath until she or one of the pokemon breaks his trance. He isn't sleepwalking--Drelasa would certainly have noticed that, given her acute senses--but he doesn't seem entirely present either.

__

Siebren is in the process of gathering up dishes when she speaks, and pauses in his endeavor to listen.

"Of course! As a guest, and a-as your partner, it is the least I can do to help out around here with whatever I can," he assures, unconcerned by her cautious phrasing.