TDM #2 - Down in the Underground [REPRINT]

[pumpkinhollow]

Pumpkin Hollow Gazette Issue #3 [REPRINT]

[Moderator Notes]

Since our TDMs go out bi-monthly, this is a test run of reposting the TDM at the beginning of "off-months" in order to optimize visibility for toplevels in the second month of a TDM's lifespan. If this turns out to actually be helpful, then brand-new TDMs will be labelled "FIRST EDITION" and reruns will be labeled "REPRINT" going forward! If not, we'll just go back to posting bi-monthly. Let's give this the ol' college try and make sure to look out for new toplevels so that we can figure out how helpful it is!

Pumpkin Hollow Gazette

8/5/23 | TDM #2: "Down in the Underground"
Content Warnings: [Article 2] claustrophobia, caves, drowned corpse
[Article 4] Various violence by monster

We're glad you're here!

WELCOME TO PUMPKIN HOLLOW!

By Yorick Aberdeen

JACK'S MARINA - Reports from the Pumpkin Hollow Port Authority indicate that arrivals by otherworldly newcomers to Marrow Isle are continuing at a steady rate. The first batch of new arrivals, which had been the very first travelers to Pumpkin Hollow in at least five years’ time, began in early June of this year and have already proven to be an incredible boon to both our economy and our overall quality of life. We now have a new farm on the island for the first time in years, as well as clever new members of the constabulary, a few helpful craftspeople, and even our own brand new local musical act. Not only that, but the prestigious Ms. Dahlia Leeds has taken a personal assistant, which this reporter is pleased to announce has gotten him out of a number of mundane tasks. (No offense is meant to Ms. Leeds, of course--- the Pumpkin Hollow Gazette certainly harbors no ill will toward its most consistent donor!)

According to interviews with a number of these newcomers, they appear to all come from realms far beyond our own, to the point where they have homelands with unfamiliar names and have never heard of the Emerald Isles at all. Those willing to share more details report that they each met with a strange woman in a bland-looking office building who offered them a chance at a new life, then found themselves on the ferry here. None of them seem to know anything further, as far as the Pumpkin Hollow Gazette is aware. Curious circumstances indeed.

That said, we are beyond pleased to welcome even more new neighbors to our fair town. Any newcomers should feel welcome to come to Town Hall if they are in any need of assistance. Mayor Poe and any member of Town Council would all be more than happy to lend a hand.

Additionally, the Temple of Sacred Roots will be holding a small gathering on temple grounds to welcome any wayward souls who could use a bit of help adjusting. Reverend Degas Clayton would also like to remind everyone that he is always available to offer guidance after any of his Sunday sermons unless otherwise stated. He has expressed an interest in personally welcoming as many new residents as he is able.

Hopefully things will continue to look up for Pumpkin Hollow as more arrivals land upon our docks. This will be of particular importance as we draw ever closer to Autumn. October in particular promises to be an especially difficult time, as usual. The Pumpkin Hollow Gazette will report further on our paranormal forecast as the season of spirits draws near. We hope to keep local casualties to a minimum this year after last year’s record high.

In any case, best of luck to our new residents, and welcome again!

NOTORIOUS 'RIVER WALKER' SPOTTED AFTER LONG ABSENCE; EXTREME CAUTION ADVISED

By Yorick Aberdeen

The Paring River Bridge in Lockwood Forest.

LOCKWOOD FOREST (Paring River) - Woodland travelers beware! And not just for all of the usual reasons, either. This past weekend, local shepherd Joseph Peterson reported to the local constabulary that he had an encounter with a creature that had been presumed to have moved on from our fair isle. Peterson, 37, allegedly came across the beast colloquially known as the “River Walker” while crossing the Paring River bridge near the entrance of Lockwood Forest, where he was grabbed and knocked out. Once he regained consciousness, Peterson then reported being lost in an underground cave system whilst being pursued by the monster for an unknown amount of time estimated between six and twelve hours.

The River Walker, a spider-like creature with the face of a human corpse, is so named because it appears to exclusively use the Paring River as its hunting ground. The creature is apparently completely unique to Marrow Isle, as the Pumpkin Hollow Historical Society was unable to uncover folklore or recorded sightings of anything matching the River Walker’s description in any of the texts they have access to. However, through collecting data from resurrected residents who were its victims, the Town Hall Safety Board was able to glean information about this menace that should help citizens avoid yet another timely demise.

Firstly, all residents traveling in the Lockwood Forest should steer clear of the Paring River if possible. While it is true that the Paring River cuts directly through the forest near the entrance and arcs through the majority of the woodlands, and also that the main path through the woods which goes over the Paring River bridge is the only way through to Crane’s RIdge or any of the hunting areas, the river should still be avoided whenever residents are able. This will minimize potential contact.

Secondly, be aware of your surroundings when near the river. Data indicates that the creature will make a soft chittering sound before reaching up to grab a victim. Many prior victims also report the surrounding area seeming “too still” when the creature was in the area. If you experience any of these phenomena, it would be wise to run--- though most reports suggest that outrunning the River Walker aboveground is impossible. But still, it is important to do your best.

And lastly, should you be taken below ground with this monstrous creature, it will transport you to tight underground caves where you will be forced to crawl, squeeze, and climb for your life. All the while it will follow you, taunting and toying with you. Utilize these long, grueling hours to your advantage! Studies have shown that the River Walker struggles to attack groups of two or more effectively, so while you are being tortured, search for a traveling companion!

If you do encounter the River Walker, please report the sighting to the Town Council or the Historical Society regardless of whether or not you die. Those killed by the River Walker are encouraged to stop by the Oak & Iron for a copy of the Safety Board’s Advice Pamphlet for the Recently Deceased after resurrecting. And remember, quitters are tastier prey, so don’t give in to despair! Even if you are caught and killed, you can at least say you persisted out of spite.

BLUE ISLAND CRAB HATCHING SEASON BEGINS AS SUMMER HEAT PERSISTS

By Yorick Aberdeen

A little sketch by yours truly.

TAWNY BEACH - If you’re out on the beach enjoying the last month of warm sea water, be mindful where you step! Earlier this spring, the local Blue Island Crab population had their mating season. Males of the species came up on the shore with clusters of tiny but durable eggs bundled up in their claws and buried them in the sand, and they’ve been warmed by the summer sun all season. As we enter the last month of summer the new crabs are finally ready to emerge from their birthplaces and begin their lives.

It is worth noting, however, that newborn Blue Island Crabs tend not to go directly back to the sea. In fact, it is common for them to spend the first few weeks of their lives searching for food and nesting materials such as seashells, driftwood, broken pottery, or small pieces of metal roughly the size of the average piece of valuable jewelry. They are also very adept climbers and are capable of scaling stairs and countertops with relative ease. Additionally, they seem to be able to communicate well with others of their species and are capable of collaborating. Many townsfolk have even gone so far as to describe their behavior as “scheming.” Blue Island Crabs are also notorious for not being very picky about what they eat. All this is to say, expect to have your food, personal items, and practically anything that is not tied down stolen by small blue crabs.

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.

But there is good news! Hatching season and the subsequent early life of the crabs, all told, will not last more than a few weeks before the crabs mature enough to return to the sea with the rest of their kind. And of course those lucky enough to catch some will report that they make for a fine meal. There is no finer party dish than a Blue Island crab boil!

INCREASED PINE DEVIL SIGHTINGS SPELL BAD NEWS FOR LOCAL PEDESTRIANS

By Yorick Aberdeen

A painting of the Pine Devil provided by Mayor Poe

ISLAND-WIDE - In more concerning news, reports have been coming in from all over the island that there have been an uptick in sightings of the Pumpkin Hollow Howler. Otherwise known as the Pine Devil, this extremely dangerous man-eating beast has been a staple of Marrow Isle’s rotating cast of horrors for at least the past 15 years. Much like the aforementioned River Walker, the Pine Devil has a tendency to come and go and sightings fluctuate with some regularity. It seems that as we draw closer to prime haunting season we will be faced with increased appearances from the island’s least-favorite celebrity.

Here’s what we know:

The Howler’s primary motivation is to eat and he prefers larger prey. This includes pigs, cattle, deer, and humans. He has no known den and is apparently nomadic. No one has ever been able to locate the Pumpkin Hollow Howler when he is not actively hunting. At full height, he stands a whopping eight feet tall on unguligrade legs. He has clawed hands and large fangs which are its primary method of attacking and is capable of flight, and his eyes glow blue in the dark. He is a strong, fast creature who has no qualms about coming into town if necessary. Surviving encounters with the beast is notably rare.

If you have any encounters with the Pumpkin Hollow Howler, report to Town Hall or the constable’s station at your earliest convenience to make an incident report. The constabulary is taking reports 24 hours a day, so please make your report either immediately after the incident or upon resurrection. May your lanterns stay lit, and be safe out there!

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Captured by the River Walker? Click here…

Perhaps you didn’t read the paper. Perhaps you didn’t take the warnings seriously. Or maybe you simply had no other choice. Whatever the case may be, the Paring River Bridge lies before you, and the world around you is unnaturally still. The sounds of chirping birds, burrowing mammals, and chittering insects have all died and left the air uncannily silent.



You attempt to hurry across, hoping to make it before anything unsavory catches your scent. But the moment you place your foot upon the stone pavers of the bridge, it is already too late. Behind you, you can hear the scuttling of much too large insectoid legs and a soft rattling sound, almost like the sound of a woodpecker drilling into a tree but somehow… wetter.



Instinctively, you turn to look behind you. A bulbous, lumpy abdomen drags the ground, and from it extends a set of eight black legs, chunky and irregular, as if they were wooden stakes hewn into rough points with a careless knife. Long, spindly fingers extend from thin arms on either side of an emaciated torso covered in shiny black insect carapace. And on top, the face of a human woman who looked as though she’d been drowned, bloated and rotting. White eyes, matted brown hair, and a wicked smile framed by patchy blue lips.



You black out before you even have the chance to scream.



When you awaken, your head is pounding as if you’ve just woken from a bender. You are on a dirty, irregular stone floor. The beginnings of stalagmites jab into your back. In the distance, you can hear dripping water and the shifting of something moving. It is dark, but light enough to see by, allowing you to see plainly that the ceiling above you is significantly too low for you to stand.



Then, you hear a laugh, hoarse and cruel. “Rise and shine, little morsel. Oh, how I do love to play with my food…”



That’s your cue to get moving.



For the next several long, grueling hours, you crawl your way through this tight and unrelenting fortress of stone on hands and knees as rocks cut into your hands. In caves that are tall enough to stand, you have to walk sideways to proceed or even hold your breath in order to make it, and all the tunnels look more or less the same. The River Walker’s raspy voice echoes off the walls, making its location imperceptible… but it’s close.



You need to find a traveling companion. And soon.

Interested in encountering the Pine Devil? Click here...

The Pine Devil is a mod-run NPC and we can only handle a certain number of encounters at once. For this TDM we will be favoring new characters on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you may still handwave or summarize the encounter by rolling a D20 with 15+ to survive and 18+ to walk away unscathed, and write out the aftermath. You do not need a mod’s permission to do this!


You also do not need to fill out a Death Certificate if you're not fully apped in, but can if you want to. Your character will resurrect as normal either way!

Comments

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/CONCERNS

[pumpkinhollow]

:D

[i_didnt_mean_to]

Mary's on her way to the Temple to seek out the Reverend, just so you know.

Angel | OC

[graveling]

Fresh Meat [Arrival]
On some level, that-which-makes-Angel was surprised to be summoned as a whole, after an inconvenient encounter in a dark alley made him dead. There's always been a certain awkwardness of identity there--it knows that his body isn't his. But. But it was the whole of Angel summoned here, and possession is nine-tenths and all. So. Move on smartly, right? Pretend that you're just a guy, right?

In his early days, Angel can be found lurking in all kinds of places. Near the church, in the cemetery and its accompanying mausoleum, at the Oak and Iron (peoplewatching, rarely drinking). Care to introduce yourself to the guy with the eyes?


Flesh Meet [Pine Devil]
Angel is hardly the first to wander into danger alone, too sure of his own talents, too unafraid of death in any form it takes. It is while he's out near the cemetery that he is beset by the beast, with no weapon immediately to hand.


Not Fish, Nor Flesh, Nor Bone [A Job Hunt]
After recovering from that less than pleasant experience, Angel's come to the conclusion that he needs to find some sort of work for himself. He isn't going to rush into just any job, though. Find him visiting local businesses, inquiring about their needs. He knows the most likely fit for him is some sort of heavy labor--though perhaps there might be some other purpose to set himself to.

In the meantime, if you need something carried, guarded, beaten up or burned, he's available.


Wildcard
You know where to find me if you want to talk.

Short term employment

[batteryacid]

When Angel leaves one of the local businesses, Eddie waves to him and says, "Hello. I overheard you're looking for a job. I'm new here, so I don't have anything steady to offer, but I could use some help for the day."

Flesh Meet [Pine Devil]!

[woocas]

In doing his usual rounds Lucas does oddly enjoy swinging through the cemetery. Sure, maybe it has something to do with being a Medium and hoping to catch a glimpse of a ghost or two, but still! It's quiet, a good place to think.

Usually.

There's a snarl a short distance away and Lucas turns to see the looming shadow of the Pine Devil and someone who's in for a world of hurt.

"Hey! Big guy, over here!" Lucas has a flimsy, borrowed sword that he's not great at using, but he makes up for that with telekinesis! And rocks! Lots of rocks, pelting the Pine Devil to get its attention.

Dahlia Leeds || NPC || OTA

[thethirteenthchild]

-Office-

Those that enter Town Hall on that hot and humid day find a slender blonde sitting in the front office, makeup half-melted and hair frizzing terribly, scribbling away at some paperwork.

"I'll be right with you," she mutters, seeming utterly miserable. "Could you shut the door, please? I know it's stuffy in here, but it's the only way to keep the bloody crabs from stealing all our pens."

-Rainy Day-

It's a rainy Saturday on Marrow Isle. The sky has been overcast all day, which is hardly out of the ordinary for the gray and cloud-laden island. But the solemn clouds hanging overhead have grown thicker throughout the day, and without warning, the sky breaks. A downpour drops from above as if dumped from a giant bucket.

Seeing someone on the street (a new resident, perhaps?) Dahlia pops open her umbrella and briskly walks to match pace with the other person. "Hi there," she says, smiling warmly. "Need some help staying dry?"

Rainy Day

[preacher_in_reticence]

On his usual walk, Degas strolls. His pace slower than normal, mired in various thoughts, perhaps. His gaze distant, hands clasped behind his back.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Leeds." He says softly, with a hint of a chuckle. "I think you'll need higher heels for that umbrella to be effective. I do hope the day finds you well?"

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Office

"Who do I--" Chris cuts zirself off when Dahlia asks for zem to shut the door. Task done, Chris stands off to one side near Dahlia's desk. A glance around the place does show some tipped over pen holders and precious few writing utensils remaining in the vicinity.

(The question that they so far left unfinished is Who do I speak to about death around here? Coroner, mortician, religious authority? and they are waiting to spring it on Dahlia once given permission.)

If she looks over at the newcomer, she'll notice that Chris isn't wearing any shoes.

Neil West || NPC || OTA

[itsjustabaddream]

-Beach Day-

It's a fine afternoon in late summer. It would be a lovely day at the beach, if not for all of the scuttling, scheming, thieving crabs. However, some people appear to be taking it in stride.

One such person is Dr. Neil West. He lounges, the legs of his reclining wood-and-canvas beach chair burrowing into the sand along with his feet. He appears to be sunning himself, face covered by a straw boater hat with a blue band across the center to match his swim suit. He might appear to be asleep, he didn't occasionally snack on a plate of crackers and some kind of dip in a bowl balanced on his lap. The crabs seem to be avoiding him--- probably due to the thick scent of seafood coming from his bowl.

As he lifts his hat to take another bite, he spies a fellow beachgoer and waves. "Hello there!" he calls. "Fancy some crab dip?

this should be...interesting lmao

[hereticofthewilds]

Another person taking this all in stride this is strange lady. She's perched up on a small bit of cliff face, not too far from Neil and his crab dip.

"Dip?" her nose is wrinkled, lip curled is disgust beneath a patchwork cowl. She sits barefoot on the rocks, strands of green and orange and purple hair peek through.

Jack Spicer | Xiaolin Showdown

[howiruletheworld]

perfectly legitimate business practices
[The crabs aren't the only ones engaging in some thievery, it turns out. Given his unique look, Jack doesn't make a subtle figure no matter what he's doing or wearing, but somehow he's managed to squirrel away some clockwork gears and other interesting mechanical parts during his shift at the factory. (In fact, he may have spent far more time on that than on actual work.)

He was managing to be surprisingly subtle about it, until he'd clocked out, left the factory, and the evil, victorious snickering began.] Heheheheh... way too easy. Soon even this creepy place will be no match for Jack Spicer, evil boy genius! [He pauses in his (evil) monologuing to rub his chin thoughtfully.] Maybe I need a rebrand... that feels too childish now. Evil man genius? [He makes a face.] No, that doesn't sound right either. [Yes, this is happening on a public street, where anyone could hear. It's probably not the weirdest thing you've seen today, let's be real.]

ill-advised sunbathing
[Well, he doesn't have a proper swimsuit, but Jack's not getting in the water anyway, just laying out on the beach on a towel. In nothing but some linen boxers, all that albino skin makes him a blinding beacon.

Never mind that it's overcast, it's still technically summer and this is technically a beach so he's technically enjoying some rays! Or at least he was trying to, until a cheeky little crab decides to grab at one of his toes. He shoots up with a pained squawk, kicking his foot to try to fling it off.]

Owwww, owowowow! Get off, I'm not a seashell or something!

[Help him? Laugh at his misfortune? Wonder why someone with albinism would choose to go sunbathing (even if it is overcast)? Your move.]

Wildcard
[idk man hit me with your best shot]

perfectly legitimate business practices

[woocas]

Lucas is making his rounds, strolling the streets, seeing how the other Enforcers get on with things when a villain-like monologue echoes from down the street. Is this guy for real?

Lucas slowly approaches, eyebrow raised.

"Evil man genius, huh?"

ill-advised sunbathing | CW animal death

[somebodychildofanyone]

A shadow falls over Jack, followed swiftly by the crab being impaled on the end of a broad, double-edged sword. Its owner, now leaning on it, looks at Jack with the kind of curiosity most closely associated with the words 'what the fuck are you doing'.

Jack, Mister Spicer, my boy, my lad, my nerdling, there is a whole-ass elf girl staring at you, pointed ears twitching from where they poke through the hood of her heavy cloak. She is, admittedly, missing some of your Mark One Elf(patent pending) accessories; no bow, no arrows, if she's got leaf-wrapped Lembas bread it must be at home, no little leaf-bladed long knives or ropes that burn evil. What she has instead are a series of small pouches hanging from her belt, along with wands carved from bone and a pair of shorter, rather more "human-looking" knives.

Her voice is melodious, lilting, one word flowing into another, as she says: "If you're trying to turn invisible I'm sorry to say that bleaching has an upper limit."

This chicken's wild(card) heart cannot be tamed

[batteryacid]

[[ OOC: These animal shenanigans are ridiculous but apparently I cannot stop. Link leads to an illustrative .jpg ]]

Point One: A chicken has somehow gotten into your quarters.

Point Two: Said chicken has decided to steal something valuable from you.

Point Three: Said chicken is now bookin' it as fast as her little chicken-y legs can carry her back to her home.

Point Four: Her home just happens to be Eddie Kaspbrak's farm.

Pursue?

Perfectly Legitimate Business Practices

[worstorganplayer]

[Snakes is just going along, minding his own business, when he hears some supervillain wannabe giving a monologue right in public. He has to stop and raise an eyebrow. No, it's certainly not weird in the same way the rampaging monsters are weird, but it's a weird all its own anyway.]

You really don't care who hears you talking to yourself about being an evil genius?

[He speaks in a gravelly Southern drawl. An S shaped hypertrophic scar on the left side of his face clearly stands out. He probably looks or sounds like a modern gangster.]

Arthur Morgan | Red Dead Redemption 2 | OTA

[mister_morgan]

i. Respite for a Desperado [Arrival]

[ The afterlife wasn't exactly what Arthur was expecting it to be - not by a long-shot.

A strange meeting, a task given, and a new life. He'd been after a new life for so long, he didn't even know what to do with it, when he'd gotten it. He turned up on a ferry with nothing but the clothes on his back and a small horse figurine in his pocket (an unexpected but delightful gift), and saw himself into town.

It was a test of patience, enduring the rigamarole that one Yorick put him through, but before long, he found himself at the Oak and Iron. Food and drink were something that he could use; it'd give him some quiet time to process everything, after all.

And, once he got a moment to himself, he looked over at the face he'd been sitting not too far from at the bar, lifting a skeptical brow and offering a confused smile their way. ]

You new here? What d'you make of all this?

ii. No Honor Among Thieves (or Drunkards, For That Matter) [Crabs]

[ Just one drink, he'd said. To take the edge off.

When was he going to learn his lesson?

He could hardly tell what time of day it was, how many drinks he'd had, or how he wound up at the beach. He vaguely recalled buying himself a journal bound in leather and a lovely metal pen to keep as he had during his life, and a sloppy pat to the side of him found the journal nestled in the sand he'd decided to lounge in.

The pen he'd tucked in his pocket, however, only grazed past his fingers, seeming to move all on it's own.

An unfocused gaze revealed the culprit - a tiny, blue crab. One that didn't seem too keen to give the pen back any time soon.

That left a spectacle to behold: a surly, drunken cowboy, staggering after a crab that skittered away without a great hurry, calling after it with frustrated slurs. ]

Get back here, you lil' bastard!

[ Seems like he could use a hand. ]

Why don't you come to your senses? 🎵

[batteryacid]

Pretty new, [Eddie replies. He takes a sip from his glass.] I assume that you are as well. You look about as shell-shocked as I felt when I got here.

[The bespectacled blond man's tone is mild, but not unfriendly. He's never been the most gregarious individual.]

[graveling]

Here, herd it this way, I'll try and catch it.

[Angel tries to find a spot where the two of them might be able to corner the crab and recover the pen--perhaps over by the rocks, or in the sand dunes where it'll have trouble scuttling? Maybe. It's worth the attempt.

He's a pale fellow, pale like a corpse, and if Arthur can summon the attention he might realize Angel's neither breathing nor blinking.]

Princess Peach || OTA!

[peachiekeen]

♡ Arrival ♡

Peach isn't sure she remembers dying. (Or... almost dying?) The last thing she can recall is being in the Flower Kingdom, jumping across some lava pit or other... Wasn't she about to go back to the beginning of the area on her own? How strange!

Well, a little detour can't hurt, can it?


♡ A Day at the Beach ♡

Taking the whole affair in a frankly shocking amount of stride, Peach stopped first at the clothing shops. She wasn't necessarily too worried about appearances, but she just didn't quite feel like herself in pants and the outfit needed a bit of color. So she grabbed a reasonably priced new one, along with an affordable parasol.

Then it was off to the beach! The weather was fantastic, just starting to cool off as summer faded and only a little bit overcast. Peach made her way back to the Marina, finding a spot that wasn't busy where she could kick off her boots and stockings and dangle her leg into the water.

Little did she know, as she sat staring out at the sea and considering how to get home, that there was a crab climbing into her shoe.


♡ Pine Devil! ♡
[ Rolled an 18! ]

"Get back! Back!"

It's just after dark and Peach has just finished being only a little bit lost on her way back to the Oak & Iron when some horrible monster sprang off the roof of the Temple of Sacred Roots and tried to attack her! She's standing in front of Town Hall, swatting at it with her parasol. She's got the ability to pack quite a wallop when she wants to, but the thing keeps dodging her attacks as if it's toying with her. Maybe Peach could use a distraction so she can show this thing what-for with a good solid smack to the face.

A Chicken at the Beach

[batteryacid]

Point One: A chicken has somehow showed up at the beach.

Point Two: Said chicken has decided to steal something valuable from you.

Point Three: Said chicken is now bookin' it as fast as her little chicken-y legs can carry her back to her home.

Point Four: Her home just happens to be Eddie Kaspbrak's farm.

Pursue?

[ OOC: crossposting here since there was interest ;) ]

PAPYRUS | Undertale

[spaghettimonster]

💀 ORIENTATION - The Oak & Iron - freshly arrived
For all he's just arrived, it feels like it's been quite the while. He's not sure if it's been hours, or days, or something... interminably longer than that. Hopefully not longer, for surely people will be worrying about him!

...He hopes, anyway. Not in the completely and utterly unrelatable way of wondering whether anyone cares enough about him to worry, of course - but whether there's anyone left alive to do the worrying! The last things he clearly remembers before all this involve gathering a lot of people, the pulsating light at the end of the underground, and... vines. Vines that definitely hurt because of the thorns, and not any sense of maybe-betrayal stinging him from it all.

No, it must feel like it's been a while because of how many times his life has been overturned in such a short amount of time. Years of life underground, a monster culture of puzzles to thwart or at least delay humans, striving towards goals that seemed out of reach... And then, suddenly, a human arrived, a whirlwind of traveling and friendships and maybe a tiny bit of treason. And now, this promise of a renewed life at the end of a quest...! Where the quest itself is unknown, and shrouded in mysteries and silences enough to stymie figuring out what it is, let alone get on working hard at it.

Now? Well, it's not yet the season of spirits, but residents of the Oak & Iron may be forgiven for wondering if it is, given the skeleton sitting in a tavern seat. Those not alarmed by the sight may recognize the shirt and trousers of those brought by the ferry, or the map he's squinting at and turning in hand.


💀 SKYGAZING - Tawny Beach - day or night
By now, Papyrus has gotten the basic lay of the town and the way things work, and with it, newer clothes. They started as the basic attire typical of those on a budget, a far cry from the various attire that fills his closet back home, or the battle body he'd been wearing for weeks before all this... But he's already taken sharp objects and thread to these replacement garments.

Now the shirt is a crop top with somewhat padded shoulders, and there's a bone outline embroidered in the front. The fresh hem ripples just enough to hint at his lower ribs, as he stands on the breezy beach and stares out across the water at the open sky.

Maybe it's night, and the stars are faintly reflecting off his bones. Either way, he doesn't notice anyone approaching until they make some sort of noise. If they can read the somewhat changeable expression of a skull, there's something of wonder and loneliness in his face at the sight of it all.


💀 DOWN IN THE UNDERGROUND... AGAIN - Lockwood Forest, Paring River - River Walker prompt
Maybe Papyrus didn't take the warnings all that seriously, despite everything that's happened. But who could blame him? For all he doesn't know very many spider monsters all that well, it seemed clear to him that they'd been describing a spider monster. Hardly alarming enough to avoid a whole region of the surface world island. Of course, it turns out the aboveground isn't all there is around here.

"Marrow Island," he muses to himself, swerving to try not to bang his head on a stalactite again, "truly a great name. Incredibly welcoming! And now the island is hospitable enough to offer caves, all the more like home." Another narrower section that takes turning sidelong. "If only it were a little homier, and a little less 'run before being eaten.'"

The distant (but not nearly distant enough!) laughter echoing through the tunnels does the opposite of reassuring him that he's not about to be made into soup stock. Literally any other company would probably help.


💀 CRAB CATCHING - Pumpkin Hollow - crab hatching prompt
"Hey!!!" The clacking of crab claws throughout town is interrupted by a raised voice rapidly approaching, which passes quickly in a doppler effect of continued shouted. "You stupid crab! Get back here with my boot?!"

The clacking of bone on cobblestone makes it all the more clear that the passing shouter is a skeleton, bare bone foot stamping as he chases the blur of a crab comically smaller than the boot it's dragging along.


💀 WILDCARD
( Interested in some other kind of prompt? Feel free to DM me spaghettimonster or swirlingflight to toss a couple ideas around! )

River Walker!

[skeletonkeay]

It doesn't take Gerard long to hear the chatter. In the honest to god hours he's been stuck down here, he's grown quite familiar with the sound of the River Walker's voice echoing through the tunnels and this is most assuredly a different one. Gerard had been laying flat on his back, exhausted and content to be a quitter. 'Just eat me and get it over with,' as it were. But the sound of another voice made him sit up a bit.

"Hello? Someone there?"

Mary Dahl (Baby Doll) || Batman the Animated Series || OTA

[i_didnt_mean_to]

[OOC: Just testing things out! Not sure I can commit to a game, but this looked fun anyway.]

My Eyes Are Down Here [Arrival]
Mary has had to do a lot of... not quite shouting, but speaking much louder than normal to get people to notice her as she walks around town. Honestly, you'd think no one here had ever seen a dwarf before!

(And that's a human affected by a form of dwarfism, not the fantasy race with the beards.)

At least her new arrival linen clothing fits her, boring as it is. Imagine how much more embarrassing things would be if she was swimming in the shirt and tripping over the pant legs.

Since the newspaper said that the Reverend wants to meet new residents, she's on her way to the Temple of Sacred Roots -- funny name, sounds like something Dr. Isley would be into, though -- but anyone is able to catch her on her determined walk through town.

Mary the Caver [River Walker]
One good thing about being so short is that tunnels which normal-sized adult humans would need to crouch in are just of a comfortable height for Mary. Of course, her legs are similarly much shorter than normal, and tire easily.

She runs through the dark, or crawls on aching hands and knees, in a bid to avoid the horror of the River Walker... even as it sounds closer, closer... ever closer.

Wildcard
“The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”

Arrival

[graveling]

Even before she quite reaches the door of the Temple, she encounters company; something shaped very much like a grown man, sitting under a tree on the grounds, watching as she makes her approach. He is, however, neither blinking or breathing.

"Huh." Surprised at the sight of what appears to be a child, he raises a single hand to wave a loose greeting at her.

Chris Freeman | DC Comics

[thelatechrisfreeman]

You are not meant to be here. You should not be alive. You should not have died.
You were not expecting to find a whole community in similar circumstances.

The Between is empty
"I thought this was your business," says a tall, dark-haired person to the empty air, apparently not noticing the strange stares zie is drawing as zie walks across the Festival Green. "Crawl up my ass every time I try to figure out what happened to the dead at home, and you got nothing to say about the abandoned Between out here!"

They are clearly a newcomer. They stop suddenly, hands on their hips, and yell "Don't give me that 'you have to find out for yourself' crap! I didn't ask for this, or any of the before, and I know you've got more answers than you're sha-- get back here!"

Chris starts running, after Mr. Keeper someone only he can see, dodging around carriages and other pedestrians. Where is he headed to? Do you even want to chase after someone like this?

Scavengers
Chris is seated on the beach, legs folded beneath themself. They have a necklace in their hands -- where in the world did they get that? -- and have snapped the thread of it. One shiny bead slides into the palm of one hand, and they pitch the little trinket toward a swarm of the blue crabs.

He watches the crabs scrabble to snatch up the bead, waiting until the victor scuttles away to throw another shiny bead into the crabs' midst. Repeat. Crabs eat the dead, you know...

Chris doesn't move, even when the surf starts creeping up the beach. Not until their hands are empty. Perhaps you come upon them in the middle of this.

Perhaps you only arrive when it is over.

Not the One in Control
You first, other soul.

Scavengers

[onceshattered]

"You probably shouldn't encourage them."

The voice comes from the rocky cliffside along the beach, a few feet up. A woman with voluminous lilac hair has perched herself up on the rocks. The stones beneath her seem too sheer for the crabs, but it's impressive that she even got up there.

William Easton | SAW VI | OTA

[hydrofluoriced]

Hello William [Arrival]
"You killed my father, you motherfucker! Now you burn in hell."

Those are the last words William recalls hearing, the faint last simulacrum in his mind of a vengeful teen pulling a lever to 'DIE' playing in his mind on loop. For a moment, there's pain, but only a moment. The next thing William knew, he was dead. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise, being put in one of Jigsaw's games is practically a death sentence unless you're really resilient or lucky. But... Pamela... Now she was all alone. She had to watch him...

Once he's gotten his bearings in order and fully processed his own death, the former CEO of Umbrella Health took a stroll around the town he now found himself "home" in. Clear his head, get some fresh air, all that to make himself not look so slack-jawed. This isn't what he imagined the afterlife of any kind to look like, but there's got to have been much worse he could've ended up in.

How long has he been walking for? Minutes? Hours? He has no clue, it's not like he had a watch on at the moment of his death. His stroll down Downtown Hollow would be put on hold when he spotted another "resident" of this isle. Apart from the lady he met when he arrived in this world, he hasn't had any opportunity to talk to anyone else. And if he doesn't, the silence is going to drive him insane. William took in a deep breath and began approaching the stranger before him.

"Excuse me." He called out to the other. "Are you also new here, or have you been here a while?"

Piranha [Crab]

God, how long has it been since he's been to a beach? Work has been busy near 24/7, he's never been able to take a break to go to one. Given that he now has a permanent 'break' from his old life, William decided to finally visit. Taking a seat in the sand, William kicked off his shoes and dipped his toes in the sand before leaning back with his arms crossed behind his head. A little peace and quiet wouldn't hurt for a few minutes, William reasoned to himself before closing his eyes to rest.

...

... William felt something climb onto his chest. Opening his eyes, he's met face to face with a tiny crab just standing on his chest. The sight was a bit amusing, but William did his best to get the little guy off him while not hurting it or getting pinched by its pincer.

Unfortunately, the crabs don't seem to hold this sentiment. Out of the corner of William's eyes, he saw his shoes moving on their own! Only barely could he make out several crab legs underneath them. He didn't get up immediately, too left baffled by what he's seeing being played out before him. Once it finally clicked in his head, the former Jigsaw test subject scrambled to his feet and-

"Hey! Get back here!" Any passersby on or near the beach would be treated to the sight of a grown man racing after his own shoes. And somehow, the grown man is losing. Every dive he tried only yielded sand in his mouth. Would anybody be so kind to help a man in need... Or just stick around to watch this comedy act?

I Want to Play a Game [Wild Card]
[Hit me with your best shot.]

Piranha (Crab)

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Chris looks up upon hearing the yelling. They spring to their (bare) feet and sprint after the comical chase -- being so lanky and leggy, they manage to outpace the other and then... they throw a handful of big shiny beads in the sand, in front of where the blue crabs are toting the shoes.

"Come on, crabs, those are nicer!" Chris shouts, right before they make their own grab for the shoes.

If William is lucky, the crabs carrying his shoes will abandon said footwear for the pretty beads.

[[ OOC: You can decide how well this distraction worked! :D ]]

Cecil Gershwin Palmer | Welcome to Night Vale

[lasthumanvoice]

A Word from Our Sponsor [Arrival]
There is a man. He is not short, but nor is he tall. His face has two eyes and seems animated, expressive, lively. He seems very much to be alive. This is Cecil Palmer, the Voice of Night Vale.

He is not within Night Vale now. No, he has arrived in Pumpkin Hollow in the same manner as so many others, sent by a goddess with very little instruction and the same amount of reassurance. But he is, inevitably, here. As the city unfolds before him, there's a reflexive gesture, a reaching for a notepad that is not there. He does not have paper; even if writing utensils are not forbidden here, he is not carrying one. He will need to rely on the flimsy material that is his own memory, for the moment.

But first, he needs to encounter something worth remembering. This is it, the moment he's entering town...and walking into the road without looking for carriages or people headed somewhere, like a complete dipshit.

Whoops!


Children's Fun Fact Science Corner [Crabs]
Crabs! What are they? Cecil doesn't know, that's a matter for Scientists, like Carlos, but he knows this much: there are sure a lot of them here right now. Scuttling, skittering and overall scuppering everyone's pleasant days.

He is currently chasing after one that has a pen in its claws. He is shouting the best threats he can think of, for a crab, at it.

"Crab alfredo tortellini! Crabcakes with homemade remoulade! Fried softshell crab po'boys with hush puppies! Crab pasta salad!" All recipes he learned from Earl Harlan, of course. At least one of which may contain crab.


A Public Service Announcement [Wildcard]
I can be found at darkersolstice on plurk and discord.

Science Corner

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Not again. They're trapped in a spiral. Is it up or down?

Chris picks up a rock from the sand, and throws it at the pen-toting crab. Even if the rock doesn't land exactly on the crab, it makes the little creature startle and change its direction -- back toward Cecil, hopefully.

They move slower than before, but try to get around to corner the crab so that the pen doesn't end up in the sea.

Sam Porter Bridges | Death Stranding

[300kgbackpack]

The Forest
He's woken up somewhere that he doesn't remember post-repatriation before. Sometimes, when the fatigue really sets in, he hasn't been taking care of himself, and he's run himself so hard that his consciousness fails him in exactly the wrong place, collapse where anything could come along and kill him just...happened. He's only human, after all, no matter what the people that he serves might tell him otherwise.

Waking up in the middle of the woods makes him think that perhaps he's somehow managed to travel back toward that wind farm in what once might have been Kentucky. The wind through the branches is soothing, and he punches his scanner to try and double check whether his cargo had managed to reappear with him or not.

It doesn't react. That's not a good sign.

Sam stands, and adjusts the straps of the backpack that he'd come with, taking brief stock of the things hanging off of it. Little trinkets given to him by the people that were grateful that he delivered to them. A container that ordinarily would have contained a good amount of Chiral crystals, though the majority had been recently dumped into a construction project. A spare pair of boots on his clip, and a little windmill that he'd folded and pinned himself for his-

Oh. Right. His BB is still in Deadman's hands.

"Hold tight Lou, I'll see you soon," he mutters under his breath as he sets off. He can't check his compass like this, so he's going to have to climb up somewhere and orient himself. Where's his ladder?

Anyone in the woods might see him scaling the scenery to get a better idea of where he is, this man in his dull blue porter's uniform. He doesn't seem to have noticed the baubles in the trees near the clearing where he'd regained consciousness. Nothing is weird here. Clearly.

The Beach
pt. 1:
Sam has made his way out of the woods, and started to explore this place that he's quickly realizing, he doesn't recognize the landscape, or its desire paths. He doesn't know these trails or these trees or the rivers and craters that they flow between.

But he knows the beach.

Sort of.

"What're you?" he murmurs at a passing crab as his boot sinks into the sand. He's seen crabs before, but not outside of his own death scenarios. Seeing them just kind of existing, alive, crabbing about, is strange. So he crouches down and observes one as it pries at the reinforcement around his boot with a claw. Then it's joined by another. And another. And now he can't necessarily move or he'll accidentally step on a crab and that just seems cruel. So he's stuck, trying to gently shuffle his feet away enough to escape the crabs.

pt 2: At least when he manages to get away, he can go and perch somewhere on a rock or perhaps an outcropping, and sit watching the water for a while.

He may have just fallen asleep where he's sitting.

wildcard
Feel free to find Sam just kind of wandering wherever. He doesn't stop moving for long, and when he does, he tends to fall asleep wherever that happens. It's kind of a superpower.

Beach, Pt 2

[graveling]

There's a low rumble, a soft 'hmm' as someone comes across the sleeping body. To Angel, the thought is maybe this is someone reviving after death who he hasn't met yet. Maybe it's his duty to gently nudge them awake and help them home. It's polite, right? A kindness to be helpful like that, right?

Nudge. Nudge-nudge.