TDM #1 - The Vengeful Forest

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Pumpkin Hollow Gazette

6/7/23 | TDM #1: "The Vengeful Forest"
Content Warnings: body horror mentioned, article 2

A typical view from Jack's Marina

FIRST NEW ARRIVALS IN HALF-DECADE: MORE TO FOLLOW?

By Yorick Aberdeen

TAWNY BEACH - Big news at Jack’s Marina--- for the first time in roughly five years, the Marrow Isle Port Authority has reported a new arrival by ferry. And it’s not just one person.

Since the advent of the Barrier that has plagued our fair island for the past 5 years, no transport vessels have been logged for departure or arrival by the Port Authority. And for good reason! Any boat that attempted to make the journey beyond the blackened waters surrounding the island has met with a terrible fate ranging from property destruction to untimely demise. While said casualties don’t quite carry the sting they used to, the situation has obviously proven less than ideal for those looking to leave and ultimately halted the mass exodus from Pumpkin Hollow indefinitely.

Today, for the first time since the formation of the Barrier, we are seeing brand new faces arrive at the docks. All of them have been somewhat disoriented and some have claimed to be from locations that do not exist in our world. We approached one of these new arrivals, Milo Fields, for comment on his experience.

“A lady in an office told me I was dead and then I woke up on a boat,” Fields, 26, was quoted as stating on the matter. Succinct and fascinating, indeed! It would seem that for once, our island’s propensity for supernatural oddities has brought us something that we can be hopeful about. More on this as it develops.

‘CREEPY LITTLE TREES’ SEEN IN TOWN

By Yorick Aberdeen

Artist rendition of a "Brutok".

NORTHWEST HOLLOW (Prague Mills) - This morning Town Hall received a report from the road by the lumber mill, which leads out to Crane’s Ridge, that there have been more sightings of the “tiny tree people” that have been appearing around Lockwood Forest. Over the past few weeks there have been multiple sightings of short-statured creatures with gnarled limbs, bark complexions, and leaf-shaped masks moving about among the trees. There have also been several reports claiming that they have been in town. These reports are particularly prominent in areas toward the outskirts of the forest such as the aforementioned Prague Mills.

However, movement is not the only activity people claim to have seen. Many of these sightings detail more insidious behaviors such as mean-spirited practical jokes, theft, and attempted kidnapping.

The Pumpkin Hollow Gazette reached out to local historian and town council member Dahlia Leeds for any insight on these creatures from her research.

“These creatures appear to be Brutoks,” Leeds, 23, concluded in her interview with us on Tuesday evening. “They’re angry woodland spirits known to appear in cursed forests, much like our own.”

Ms. Leeds went on to issue a number of safety warnings for residents. According to her research, these Brutoks often move in groups and will lock on to woodland travelers who make eye contact with them. Their eyes are not visible so this can be done by accident quite easily if one spends too much time staring into trees. If Brutoks attach themselves to you, they will follow you home, proceeding to destroy your property, hide your personal items, attempt to cause you bodily harm, tear up your garden, and eventually spirit you away to the woods. Victims of these kidnappings will be “planted” in the woods by the Brutoks and spend the next several hours enduring the deeply unpleasant process of being turned into a tree, ultimately killing the individual. A gruesome affair.

There are several ways to dispel a Brutok invasion before it escalates to kidnapping. Ms. Leeds recommends observing their behavior for clues and keeping an eye out for puzzles set by the creatures while outside, though there may be other solutions. If you are unable to dispel them, it is possible to fight them off with brute force. Those walking in or near the woods are advised to keep their eyes on the trail but listen carefully for sounds of distress and be prepared to intervene. Should you encounter any trees that look like people, Ms. Leeds has also cited the unfortunate need to burn the unsettling foliage in order to release the spirit of the victim so that they can regenerate as usual.

As always, the sharing of information and community vigilance are imperative in warding off this new threat. Please share any information you have on the message boards at town hall or with your neighbors, and consider reaching out to Ms. Leeds or any other respected community figure if you find yourself in a bind. Keep your lanterns lit, Pumpkin Hollow. We’re in for quite the summer.

CUCUMBER FESTIVAL CANCELED DUE TO UNFORTUNATE TURNIP HEX; REPLACED WITH POTLUCK

By Yorick Aberdeen

They haunt my dinner plate and my dreams.

DOWNTOWN (Temple of Sacred Roots) - In lighter news, a solution has been found to the much-loathed Turnip Hex debacle.

As most residents of Pumpkin Hollow are aware, earlier in spring a crop hex was placed on the island by an unidentified witch that turned all ground crops sown at the time into turnips. While this is not as bad as it could be, it has resulted in mounds upon mounds of turnips and a complete lack of other crops until later harvests. The witch who cast this hex is still at large.

An unfortunate side effect of the hex has been that the beloved and highly anticipated Cucumber Festival, which normally takes place in early June, had to be canceled due to a lack of cucumbers. This has earned the ire of a great many residents who have cited the festival as “their last source of a modicum of joy on this goddess-forsaken island”, among other more colorful statements.

Reverend Degas Clayton of the Temple of Sacred Roots of our Four Earthly Mothers has proposed an alternative to the festival. While not nearly as exciting, Clayton, 57, believes that a turnip potluck is still a great community-building exercise and excuse for a social gathering. He encourages attendees to find the most inventive ways they can think of to cook up excess turnips and present their dishes on the temple lawn during the party. “The sooner we eat the blasted things, the sooner we’ll no longer have to look at them anymore,” said Mayor Poe in her endorsement of the event. It would appear she plans to be in attendance.

To participate, please bring an appropriate dish to the Temple of Sacred Roots on Friday at noon. The party will run until sundown and wine will be provided, which may improve the taste of the turnips. New residents are encouraged to attend even if they are not able to provide a dish so that they can meet their local community and learn more about the church.

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Ianto Jones | Torchwood/Doctor Who

[needmetodoanyattacking]

ARRIVAL

When he'd woken up beneath a woven throw, or...tapestry of some kind, Ianto's first thought was that he'd just fallen asleep. He'd been through hell, Jack was gone--well and truly gone--bloody hell, he'd thought, at first, he was covered in that damnable greatcoat when he woke on the sofa, the last remnant that remained of Captain Jack Harkness.

Turns out? Not so much.

The ferry to this island was an uneventful trip, and hardly much of a decision to make. Ianto had a lot to atone for, and unlike most? Needed little in the way of convincing.

After all, when one witnesses the end of days, so to speak, and one's day job is employment by an organization devoted to combating and assessing alien threats to one's planet, one can swallow some fairly large pills. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

He settles in rather quickly in his room at the Oak & Iron, and in fairly short order comes to a simple, critical conclusion.

What passes for coffee in this quaint little settlement is absolute bollocks, and something must be done.

Finishing breakfast one morning, Ianto rises from his table and heads towards the bar to see about making an inquiry regarding cafes in the area when he very nearly bumps into someone. With a dexterity borne of experience, he catches the other person's shoulders, tugs them with him as he sidesteps and oncoming server, then lets his hands rest more heavily on their shoulders to steady them before offering up a politely apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that--you all right, then?"

Turnips, Turnips, Everywhere

When he reads about the potluck in the paper, Ianto doesn't think much of it...but there are a surplus of turnips in town, and he's growing fair sick of them in his eggs every bloody morning...

It's a bit difficult to manage, with the abundance of turnips and the lack of much else, but a few polite inquiries and the kind of charm that gets the team shut of the police without Gwen's help back home allows him access to the Oak & Iron's kitchen and larder. With a little elbow grease, creativity, and his mam's family recipe, Ianto puts together a cawl stew fit for a king--and makes plenty to keep for a week or so.

If he's going to be eating turnips for the foreseeable future, might as well be with some flavor.

While the lion's share keeps in the tavern kitchen, he arrives at the pot luck with a large pot of the stuff, plus a nice, big loaf of crusty bread donated by the tavern kitchen, Ianto arrives to the potluck a little early to add his stew and bread to the dishes already set up before he goes about sampling a few other creative uses of turnips. That, and socializing.

Or what looks like socializing. Frankly, Ianto isn't sure he knows how to do that anymore: enjoy the company of others without assessing them, playing games with words to suss out secrets and intent over simply engaging in conversation for the sake of dispelling loneliness.

Even the most banal social interaction requires a certain measure of trust, and Ianto isn't certain he has any left to give.

Turnip time!

[prise_de_fer]

After a few days of almost the same sorts of food Mo'rtajha has come to a singular conclusion; she does not, infact, like turnips. Overhearing some villagers talk about the potluck only turns her stomach, but she makes an appearance nonetheless. With a few adjustments to her newcomer linens and a borrowed cloak to better hide her feline ears, she flits to and fro, spending most of her time chatting than sampling anything.

Until she catches the whiff of something that smells heavenly, that is!

"Oooh, and what is this?" While asking no one in particular she does glance about to see if anyone will take credit for creating this delightful dish!

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto has only just finished setting down his dish, and he's surveying the rest of the table when he sees a--oh, a cat girl, right--leaning over and sniffing at his borrowed stew pot.

"Welsh cawl stew." he calls out, offering a little wave and a polite smile. "Turnips may be choking the streets, but you'd be amazed what you can do with a few hearts of late onions not quite rotted through, canned vegetables, and a side or two of bacon. Not even turnips can stand up to it. Er...not a vegetarian, I hope?"

Cat girl, but one learns never to judge when working for Torchwood.

[prise_de_fer]

Mo'rtajha cants her head slightly, peering up at the man with pale, slitted eyes. At the question she flashes a grin full of fang.

"Hardly, good ser~! This smells lovely! Are you, perrrhaps a cook?" her stomach grumbles a bit, hungry for whatever's in that pot, but she doesn't invite herself to have any just yet!

[needmetodoanyattacking]

That is--definitely a cat girl. Fangs and all. Bugger.

Outwardly unfazed, Ianto shakes his head, offering her his hand. "Cook? No, but I do a bit of cooking. That there's my mam's recipe--Ianto Jones, pleasure."

[prise_de_fer]

"Mo'rtajha Tykha, at your service good ser," The miqo'te bows low in a perfect curtsy, tail flicking behind her.

"'Tis a good skill to have, and doubly so here it seems! Whatever you were able to do with these fiddly vegetables smells absolutely divine. Are you keen to share, I could make it worth your while~?"

[crazy_white_girl]

Tandy should have been paying attention but she had been distracted, glancing over her shoulder and not looking forward when someone steps into her path to avoid someone else. It startles her as she collides with another person only for them to try and catch her, their hands falling heavily on her shoulders even as she tenses in response.

"It's fine," she sounds as tense as she feels, her gaze darting up before she tugs away to step back from him. At first glance, she looks like any other young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and brown eyes but there is a hardness to her. It is evident in her gaze as she looks up at him and the tightness in her jaw when she clenches her teeth briefly, watching him warily like she is expecting him to do something else.

But then she makes herself relax as she glances past him, seeing the server hurry away with an apology and nothing else. She guesses the server is honestly too busy to really care about the mess they almost made and so it seems legit that this man had innocently bumped into her.

"Don't worry about it," she continues with a nod. "I'm fine."

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto would have otherwise let the encounter pass into oblivion and kept going, but the overt tension in the young woman is a bit jarring. Taking a closer look at her, he sees a young girl that reminds him of his sister at that age—and the steel in a toughened youth that reminds him entirely too much of himself when he was possibly just a couple years younger than the sixteen or seventeen she appears to be.

“Still, hardly an excuse for bad manners, is it?” Ianto sighs lightly, playing up the Welsh accent perhaps the tiniest bit as he smiled and offered her his hand more cordially. “Ianto Jones. To whom do I have the honor of acquainting myself with?”

[crazy_white_girl]

Tandy doesn't really like the way the man is looking at her. Not that there is anything threatening about it but he is looking at her too closely and it almost feels like he sees something that he recognizes. Which doesn't sit too well with her since she struggles with anyone trying to...'see' her. No matter what she has told Ty in the past about how lonely she had felt, she is still leery of strangers.

Her brows pull together as he plays up his accent even though she has no way of knowing whether it is actually his real accent or not. Maybe it's a trick on his part? Also when he combines it with oozing charm and old fashioned manners?

"Tandy," she answers despite herself, glancing at his hand before reaching out to take it. "Nice to meet you."

[needmetodoanyattacking]

"Tandy--pleasure." Ianto echoes, shaking her hand with a brief, firm but cordial grip before releasing her. The assessing look goes nowhere, because her open suspicion only deepens the kinship he feels for this girl.

"You on your own then, Tandy?" he asks, withdrawing his hand, his tone carefully mild in its curiosity. "No parents or guardian 'round? Not looking to cause trouble, but if you're on your own it can't hurt to have a name in your phone book who's of age and really can't be arsed to ask too many questions--only cares to see that you don't end up arrested, injured, or dead. Back where I come from, I'm also paid quite well to lie professionally, so I'm very good at it should you have a need."

ARRIVAL

[subject_013]

He might have nearly bumped into a tall, blond man, clad in slightly faded black clothes, well-muscled yet graceful, more swimmer than bodybuilder, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses even here indoors.

"No harm done. I'm made of stern stuff," the taller man replies, a small smirk pulling the corners of his lips.

[needmetodoanyattacking]

“Yes, well—physically, perhaps, but I’ve found no man is immune to the bruised ego that can come from ending up on your arse because some klutz isn’t paying attention.” Ianto replies, looking away to make sure the server has passed without incident before turning back to the otherwise solidly built man. He offers his hand, paired with a self deprecating smile.

“Hello. I am a klutz.” He deadpans before speaking seriously. “

Turnips, Turnips, Everywhere

[borntolove]

The Doctor is standing in a spot in the town social - observing everything. Why the surplus of turnips? Where is here? He has too many unanswered questions to want to eat and a bit lost in his own thoughts he might be watching where he's going and might, by mistake bump into others.

Y E S! XD

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto is just setting down his stew when he's jostled from behind. Turning sharply and darting a hand out to steady the person who bumped into him, he glances over his shoulder with a polite smile.

"Bloody hell--sorry about that! You all right?"

[borntolove]

The Doctor winces and growls a bit, "Don't swear." Then in nicer tone remarks, "Yes. Sorry about that. Wasn't watching where I was going."

Ten puts a finger in the stew and licks his finger, "Why is everything turnips?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Before Ianto can apologize, the man is sticking his finger in the bloody stew,, prompting Ianto to reach out and catch his wrist so he doesn't go for seconds.

"Some local crop issue, far as I can tell." he replies, picking up a spoon from nearby on the table and placing it pointedly in the man's hand. "Hearing talk of curses, likely rubbish, I'm guessing something above this town's pay grade. Also--this is a spoon, bowls are over there, fingers out of the pot please? Much appreciated."

[borntolove]

"I'm good, thanks. Definitely, rubbish." The Doctor seems interested in the other, "Whut do you think is going on, sorry, didn't get your name?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto frowns at the man, a sharp reply on the tip of his tongue (it's his mother's recipe, and he did a damn fine job with it considering)--but he's accustomed enough to dealing with the likes of Jack and Owen (and Toshiko if one considers the free-associating thought process and not the clear lack of manners) so he reserves the tongue-lashing this bloke clearly deserves and instead addresses the questions. Both of them.

"Jones, Ianto Jones--and as for what I think is going on, definitely thinking less magic curses, more possible genetic manipulation of the seeds planted, foreign matter in the soil affecting the end result of growth--transmat of whatever was harvested for this lot. Bottom line? Definitely something technological in nature, if not extraterrestrial in origin."

Glancing up at the other man, he shrugs. "Not as uncommon as you might think, where I come from."

[borntolove]

The Doctor stares in silence and is actively listening, and there's a glimmer that he's impressed.

"Good thinking Ianto Jones, I'm The Doctor, by the way."

The Doctor scratches his chin as he's silent, it's obvious he's thinking again. He thinks it could be the fertilizer too, or the water supply, or a combination.

"Where are you from?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

I'm the Doctor...

Ianto looks at him sharply, and starts to wonder if he's losing his mind. Then again, he didn't meet the man. Barely glimpsed him on security monitors in the moments before the world was ending around him...

"Cardiff." Ianto replies without thinking. "Wales."

He couldn't say Torchwood. Torchwood, keeper of the Doctor's enmity...the Doctor, no longer of concern to the organization under Jack Harkness--oh God, Jack and the right kind of buggered-all doctor why hadn't he put it together sooner...

"I'm...from Wales." he echoes again, offering a wan smile. "City's seen its fair share of nonsense, and I don't buy into the mass hallucination bollocks."

[borntolove]

He knows stuff has happened in Cardiff, the most recent thing is the Rift opening and The Doctor having to seal that; along with Jack and Rose. Torchwood, hasn't happened for him.

The Doctor gives a slightly raised brow why does the other look anxious?

Are they from the same universe?

The Doctor takes a seat next to the other, "Wut sort of nonsense?"