nightooc | EVENT PLOTTING #3

PLOTTING POST | EVENT #3

Welcome to Nightfell's third plotting post! You'll find the whole thing in its entirety just below, rather than a summary, which we figure will help you decide exactly how you'd like your character to react to certain things, etc. This is not the event log! The actual log will go up on the 7th.
Please use the form below in order to plot for the event! If you're a new player, you can comment here !

LOG EVENT #3

I. COLD HANDS, WARM HEART

From December through January, high winds gradually rise all across the Netherworld, large flakes of snow causing white-out condition. The wind howls and whistles, blades of icy gusts cutting through your clothes as frost clings to your hair and lashes. No matter where you are, you feel its glacial, bone-chilling force, and no matter what you do, you quickly find that nothing keeps you warm. You're freezing, shivering, teeth chattering. Fire and the proximity of others may offer brief reprieves, so bundle up and find a cuddling partner before you crystalize. If you don't have a Soulmate, now might be the time to search for one.

Unfortunately, when it rains, it pours. Some of you may experience sudden, intense headaches, followed by a sense of panic. Your chest tightens. Your head swims. Your lungs ice over, and you know then: someone's messing with your home in the Shadowlands.

► If you're already in your home, stay alert as light goes out: squint through the dark, and you'll soon be able to distinguish an enormous figure. Krampus.
► If you're anywhere in Stygia and are unable to teleport, crossing the Tempest is particularly perilous on your own, though if you explain what's going on to a Ferryman, they'll oblige.
► Luckily, Krampus doesn't seem extremely interested in your Tethers, but it's entirely possible that he damages a few while being in your home. He's mostly interested in you, and whether you've been a good Restless.

If you feel like your character's done a decent job at silencing their Shadow, Krampus will curse them; every full moons through December and January, they'll be compelled to tell a significant lie. A single lie can be told multiple times to different and/or the same people, and multiple lies can also be told multiple times to different and/or the same people. If, on the other hand, you feel as though they've been struggling -- or worse, enjoying its presence -- Krampus will give them a unique coin: everywhere you go, it'll loudly comment on anyone within 10 feet, giving a brief but accurate description of what your character truly thinks of them. You can't get rid of it, but after its first use, it'll disintegrate within a couple of weeks.

II. DON'T LEAF ME HANGIN'

Kiss kiss fall in love, it's mistletoe time! And its provenance is a little gruesome: some Restless have been coughing them up due to the floral disease affecting Stygia's citizens, and for reasons unknown, the plant's made itself a home in tree branches, bushes, and ceilings. Having the time of its life, probably! Some sprites have taken a liking to them, and started worshipping them as flowery entities. It's believed among them that kissing underneath the mistletoe is the greatest way to honor said entities, while refusing to is a terrible affront; the sprites will start following you and pranking you in retaliation.

► If you walk under mistletoe along with someone else and refuse to/do not kiss, you'll be followed by a sprite for 24 hours, during which they'll prank (see list below*) and just generally annoy you. Only one sprite at a time will follow you, even if you walk again under mistletoe within the 24 hours time frame.
► If you walk alone under mistletoe, this unnamed creature will stalk you from the shadows, whispering and trying to coax you closer, promising delightful kisses you'll never forget. In truth, it just wants to devour your tongue, a delicacy. It'll give up after 12 hours, and will never follow you inside your home.
► An old woman sells mistletoe berry tarts in the Marketplace, and claims it'll help anyone who suffers from insomnia. She's not wrong! One bite and you'll fall dead asleep within the hour, and only a kiss will be able to awaken you. Sweet dreams, sleeping beauty!
► If you do wind up kissing anyone under the mistletoe, you'll find it easier to deal with your Shadow through the month, a blessing from the sprites! If, on the other hand, you don't partake in kissing endeavors, your Shadow will seem louder than usual.

Additionally, many patrons in Mirth host festive soirées throughout December. If you feel like dancing, singing, drinking eggnog and eating delicious hors d'oeuvres, wear your ugliest festive sweater and have some fun! Just be careful, as mistletoe will 100% find its way inside these venues!

PRANK LIST

*you can either RNG or choose! all effects disappear within 24 hours. can be pranked multiple times within 24 hours.

► the sprite enchants your clothing to make them colder and colder.
► the sprite swaps your character's voice with someone else's.
► the sprite steals an object that belongs to you and puts it in another character's pocket/room.
► your breathing becomes loud and obnoxious.
► when it snows, you perceive every flake as a human face.
► everything you eat tastes like ashes.
► you feel compelled to scream everything you say.
► you think you are the world's greatest bard, so sing your heart out!
► you gain a forked tongue.
► when breathing out in cold weather, you exhale black smoke instead of white breath.
► anomalous orifices begin appearing on your body, such as mouths, eye sockets, etc.
► you can now hear all heartbeats within 10 feet of you.
► you hallucinate a worm in your chest trying to eat its way out. you can’t feel it, but the skin on your torso ripples as it burrows beneath.
► you feel like your body is slowly melting, like a candle with a too hot flame. it's not.
► your ears constantly hear a repeating brief tune.

ooc note

► As always, check out the Notice Board if you'd like additional prompts! Older quests from previous months are always available as well. You'll also find the Calendar right here.
► If you have questions, please redirect them here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Character (s): joel miller
Canon (s): the last of us
Info: LINK for some super basic deets and permissions
Plans for the event and/or in general:

cold hands, warm heart —;
► my mans has no soulmate so things are gonna be a bit rough for the staying warm and cuddling bit; he's also very bad at being cuddly, like 0/10 the worst, you'd probably get more affection from a cactus but goddamn do i want to try anyway
► i'd actually love to do some more blatant dealing with joel's shadow who hasn't made much of an appearance yet. and his shadow is basically like if your nicer, past-self constantly reminded you why you're such a garbage person now
► probably also gonna be hanging around his shadowlands house more given it's winter (his canonpoint when he arrived), it's december (it's been 20 years and that's 20 shitty christmases)
► joel would 100% fight krampus if he could so maybe a little unsuccessful krampus-hunting team-up???
► or if your character is maybe being haunted by krampus or your tethers are in danger of getting smashed, joel can gladly barge in with a sturdy plank of wood or a weapon to defend you

don't leaf me hangin —;
► joel won't actively choose to kiss anyone or anything under the mistletoe ... doesn't mean we can't concoct any reason or spark shenanigans for such a thing to happen tho 😌 (aka pull him in for a smooch!!! his beard's a little prickly but its shh fine)
► but also, he'll probably just ignore a mistletoe sprig and get pranked for 24 hours; as such i'm down to thread any horrible/hilarious prank that happens
► if your char is suffering from any prank let tired old dad come save you

general plans—;
► i'd also love to take on any new noticeboard missions, keep building those bonds, probably check on some people from last event, especially those who had been caught in jail with him
► joel will always be drinking copious amounts of coffee
► probably eying that guitar he saw in the marketplace some time back
► he can often be found hunting and gathering supplies for stock; having been used to always having certain items on him, he definitely hoards certain supplies like medicines, bandages, small sharp blades, that kind of thing
► inbox threads!
► his symptoms from the hanahaki infliction of last event will still continue into december with an increase in severity but nothing so gruesome and bloody as poor steve so that's another option to play around with

Anything else? INBOX

let's goooo

Edited (added more) 2022-12-05 23:04 (UTC)

Zelly I hate that gif so much why would you

Okay but like. We didn't quite get stuff going in November because it decided to try to kill me and my crops, but points at eyes points at you. The mental image of her getting followed around by Krampus only for Grumpy Dad to merc him gives me so much joy, I think I need this. But also holy shit Joel please don't get killed by creepy Christmas man.

By which I mean I'm cool with her patching him up after he decides to make Horrible Unlife Choices.

HAHAHA come on, its a Classic (tm)

but no forreal, I LOVE THAT IMAGE TOO omg lets do it. he'll try his best and get a few hits in!!! but he can also take a christmas krampusy punch, its fine ...

(so yes omg please patch him up after)

It probably clicks on the beat too.............

The fun part is that she will have no idea that he's the one that told her to cook her pet rabbit, so yay no immediate bad CR (yet ffff). And she will absolutely patch him up, she has to thank him somehow.

lskdjsf oh my god ...............

ALSO OH MY GOD LOL m-maybe he'll get to explain where he's coming from (lol) and it won't be so bad right???

either way we're on a road to building something 👏

She's calmed down about it a little, as long as he doesn't tell her to eat him then it's fine. They aren't in famine risk (for now) and she was never able to have a pet, so instead of something useful like a dog she has a guard rabbit.

But she can show him how useful badaliscus skin is as bandages. Smells like shit even after being cleaned but they work in a pinch.

LMAOOOO no no, he'll lay off of the unsolicited advice. he'll internally think she should be hunting rabbits not keeping them as pets but!!! he's learned his lesson and he won't push it if that's her decision

BUT YEAH that'd be awesome! he did in fact kill a badaliscus last event and could use some advice on how to use them and keep them! he's got a brand in his skin that he needs to get rid of

Top level! Let me know if this works or you want to wildcard it?

time to shove these two old southern jerks together pls

tell the doc about your weird hanahaki illness, joel. or meet up in the icy cold shadowlands. OR crossing paths on supply gathering ventures?

omg

YES

YESSSSSSSSs

honestly i'd love a hanahaki illness chat, and/or a shadowlands run-in!! especially with all the weird shit going on in the shadowlands, joel will definitely be hanging out there.

honestly i'm easy peasy im just so ready for this cr

EVENT PLOTTING #3

joel miller —

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