riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: FEAST OF THE DYING

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introductory mingle: FEAST OF THE DYING

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Feast of the Dying
when: Feast of the Dying from October 1st-8th; various other prompts over the whole month of October.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

feast of the dying

In the days leading up to October 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: the Feast of the Dying. There is an old, widely-known, and widely-believed superstition or proverb in Riverview Quarantine: 'The greater your fear of death, the easier it is for death to find you.' This is a cornerstone belief of a lot of the residents of the Quarantine, most of whom have survived intensely difficult and violent pasts on their own worlds and who are still willing and eager to throw themselves into exploring and settling new worlds, starting their lives fresh. To honor this spirit, the Feast of the Dying is a celebration of the transition between life and death, an opportunity to face death both figuratively and literally, and come out on top.

celebrating the transition from life to death

During the month of October, a particular natural phenomenon on the moon weakens the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead, allowing for the crossover of those dead into the world of the living, with ghosts from the pasts of both the residents and the Quarantine itself to take corporeal form. The festivities during this time feature tests of courage in highly haunted places, escape rooms both virtual and physical with varying levels of danger, and the week-long Feast of the Dying itself, between October 1st and 8th this year.

i. ghosts from the past

During the 10th month of every year on the moon, due to a complex series of chemical, electromagnetic, and magical forces that no one has ever exactly distinguished or completely understands, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead are weakened almost to the point of nonexistence. During this time, residents of the moon are able to see and interact with the dead - ghosts, manifesting in ways that run the gamut from being a strange sense of being watched or being visible or audible all the way to more corporeal spirits that can affect the world around them. The barriers are weaker in some parts of the city than they are in others, with some areas experiencing little to no ghost activity, while others are so populated with these ghosts that residents can barely go a few feet without running into one. The ghosts are generally the unsettled dead, people who died violently, or who were lost, seeking a place to call home, and their behavior is as varied as it was while they were alive. Some ghosts are angry and vengeful, some are simply lonely and lost.

While some people tend to interact with the ghosts only a little and as necessary, others avoid them as completely as possible, and yet others actively seek out souls who are suffering and try to ease that so they can stop coming back year after year. There are other people who have found that ghosts from their home worlds have come through with them, following them through the portal when they arrived, even if they did not die on the moon...

Whether facing death or making peace with those who have died, this is a time to reflect.

A Few OOC Guidelines:
● Characters may see or interact with ghosts from the Quarantine's past. These people will be as varied as the NPCs, from a multitude of different worlds, and characters are welcome to either engage or avoid, as players wish.
● Most Quarantine-based ghosts will have died in either the Great War with the neighboring reality or in the Pandemic that wiped out the population of the Abandoned City years ago.
● Characters may also see or interact with ghosts from their own or other characters' canons, providing the character in question is dead in canon and is not currently being played in the game.
● Canon-based ghosts should not be simply transplanted into the game as they were in canon - they are ghosts, and therefore 'not quite right,' and should not be used as an excuse to NPC a canonmate for a month. These ghosts are there to be used as plot devices to open up new avenues of CR, to create angst, to help a character make peace with their past, or other similar reasons.
● Ghosts should not be complete corporeal physical presences indistinguishable from living people, but barring this, how strongly the ghosts manifest and how much they can interact with the world around them is up to player discretion. Ghosts shouldn't be present the whole month straight, but can disappear and reappear at random times.

● Mod questions and plotting regarding this prompt can be found here.

ii. the feast of the dying

The month's holiday is named after a long-standing tradition in the Quarantine - the Feast of the Dying - that starts at sundown on the first day of the month and continues until sunrise on the ninth day. The Feast of the Dying is a costumed masquerade-style party that is continuously available for the entire week. Set up by volunteers specializing in both magic and science, the Feast of the Dying is hosted in a large conference center that has been decorated and magically altered to provide a very formal, intensely creepy atmosphere. The decor can run the gamut from fancy and classy decorations featuring iconic skeletons or ghosts to incredibly realistic catacombs or any other frightening settings that you can think of. Rooms often become more and more foggy the more people enter them to mingle, and in many rooms the air pressure will be slightly played with to make the atmosphere seem more oppressive and spooky. Costumes and masks are required, and anything from a Halloween-style costume to a formal outfit with mask is acceptable.

Players can feel free to go wild with ideas for decor at the Feast, including linking to inspiration images in their posts - it is, essentially, like having a Masquerade ball inside a disturbingly realistic haunted house.

The venue the Feast is held in includes several large rooms intended for dancing with different themes and decorations that can change off and on throughout the week, two large dining rooms where feasts will be held at mealtimes and snacks or drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) will be promptly served to anyone who sits at one of the tables, and a plethora of rooms meant for mingling and relaxing. Additionally, there are a large number of smaller lockable rooms set up for sleeping or private encounters.

iii. escape rooms

One of the fun and more commercialized aspects of the season are the many Escape Rooms that pop up throughout the Quarantine. Residents are encouraged to test their survival skills by grouping up with friends or strangers to escape difficult and scary situations together by solving a series of puzzles.

Escape Rooms can be either physical, set up inside buildings with realistic decorations, or they can be Virtual Reality, where the players don VR masks and cooperate in a virtual world. While the former can be more challenging and realistic, the latter provides for higher stakes. Physical Escape Rooms are generally set up to avoid any kind of physical harm to participants, but the Virtual Reality Escape Rooms can simulate pain and injury quite handily, and therefore can put participants in more dangerous situations.

While players can make up an Escape Room that uses whatever theme they like, some prompts are below:

● Zombie Attack
● Torture Machines or Traps
● Cannibal Warlock
● Wrongly Convicted: Escape from Prison
● Escape from Sewer Monsters
● Mad Scientist Experiments

iv. tests of courage

As mentioned before, there are certain parts of the city where the ghost activity is much stronger than elsewhere. These are places where terrible things have happened - hospitals that treated the ill during the Pandemic, insane asylums or prisons where inmates were mistreated, homes where terrible murders happened, places exposed to dark magic, and other similar places. Every year during October, these places are shut down or vacated (unless they were already sitting empty) and entrance is allowed to people wishing to partake in a traditional Test of Courage - to enter these deeply haunted and dangerous places, and stay there as long as possible, sometimes even overnight.

In these particularly vulnerable and terrifying places, ghost activity is intense and almost constant. Characters will encounter strange sounds, smells, and visions; will encounter ghosts that are capable of throwing items or people; and most of all, they will experience powerful and realistic hallucinations due to the sheer lack of boundary between the worlds of the living and dead in these areas. Whether the hallucinations are manifestations of their own worst fears, the ghosts retelling their own tortured stories, or any other kind of terrifying vision, they feel very real. While characters will not be injured by the hallucinations, the sensations of pain, pleasure, hunger, thirst, or other sensations will be almost impossible to tell from the real thing until the hallucination subsides at daylight.

While the haunted locations are highly unlikely to kill characters, whether or not they experience serious injury due to physical actions they do while under the influence of a hallucination (eg. falling down a flight of stairs) or attacks from ghosts (eg. an angry ghost throws books at a character) is up to player discretion.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up the mod-posted prompt to create a Communal Housing floor mingle. Or, if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during the Feast of the Dying, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view; images may contain disturbing themes

Credit: image i: Olivier Le Gall; image ii: John Watkiss; image iii: unknown (wallpapersfan); image iv: signed (pinterest); images v and vi: unknown (pinterest)

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He knows Dodger is going to do it but even so...every time the other man kisses him like this, it makes Shigeru's heart beat fast in his chest and his palms get sweaty just a little bit. It's a kiss that conveys more feeling than words would normally do. Shigeru's eyes flutter closed and even if he does tense a bit at the initial action he eases into that kiss without a problem. He's so used to Dodger touching and kissing him that he doesn't find it very gross or taxing anymore.

He takes a small breath when Dodger pulls away and looks back at the other man. His face is flushed and he looks concerned but he won't move away in case Dodger wants to do something else. He's not sure how to give the comfort Dodger needs either. He never said he was good at this, but since Dodger always initiates...perhaps Shigeru can change that this time. It might help, but he doesn't honestly know. So he'll return the kiss, awkwardly and with some trepidation at first, back to Dodger before he pulls away. This is not an easy task for him, as he shaky hands might show. But he's willing to do it for Dodger and that makes it worth the hard effort, or so he feels.

He might raise one of his hands to lightly press it against Dodger's chest, right above his heart actually, before he looks away shyly. ]

[It is comforting to have Shigeru kiss him back, and try to touch him... it's more than he could have hoped for a few months ago. It makes him glad that he's made the effort to help him, above all else.

He reaches a hand to cover Shigeru's, encouraging him to touch more firmly, and his other hand slips around Shigeru's waist to shift him onto his lap. He presses kisses to Shigeru's jaw and neck, nipping the skin lightly before retreating and just pressing his forehead to the other man's chest.

He wants to talk, but then Shigeru would pull away to type... so instead he slips his hand around him to hug him silently, making damn sure he can't pull away for just a bit.]

[ Ah, oh, it's these sorts of moments he has with Dodger that make his heart so very fast. There's a little noise from him when he's moved by Dodger onto his lap. And he'll just tilt his head up a little at the few stray kisses Dodger plants on his skin.

Shigeru's pressed against Dodger's head and Dodger will probably be able to hear his racing heartbeat as well. His flushed face is pretty indicative enough to tell how he's feeling though. He'll run a hand through Dodger's hair in a petting like motion...but he seems awkward and shy doing it. Was that okay? He wasn't sure if that's what Dodger liked?! But he'll use the other hand to steady himself against Dodger. He'll look back at the other with caring, loving, eyes as he smiles a little. Despite being so flustered he is...getting used to this contact more and more. Having good things associated with touch definitely helps. ]

[The hand through his hair gets a hum of approval, and he tips his head into it. Still, as impressed as he is with Shigeru taking the lead... he guesses they need to actually communicate their way through this, and that's becoming more and more of a pain in the ass.

With a small huff he leans back into the sofa, his hands straying over Shigeru's chest and subtly keeping him from leaning down to follow. He wants to get a good view of him, and some time to think... sure, they could undress and neck for a while, but sooner or later Shigeru will run out of energy and have to redress and feel out of sorts all evening. And more than that, Dodger will feel like an ass for avoiding talking yet again by taking advantage of the older man.

He'd much rather be just sleeping with him, though. Every single meaningful connection he's made in the last few months has blown up so badly in his face, it feels so stupid to keep trying even when he said he was done. He bristles a bit, stuck in thought, before sighing softly.]

Get off. I'm done.

[ He wasn't really...expecting that. And it's clear on Shigeru's face that he's questioning and curious about Dodger's response. But he'll oblige the other man, opting to get off of him, and sit back on the sofa. He'll type something on his phone.

Though Shigeru himself still looks flustered and a little disappointed but he's by no means not taking the offer to stop. Even if he was getting better with being touched...it still made his skin itch afterwards.

He might look away and back at his phone as he types something. ]

I'm sorry. You wanted to talk, I shouldn't have...pushed you like that.

[ Even if he's still blushing and he really really liked it. But he knows Dodger brought them here to talk so... ]

That thing for...a voice. Did anyone ever take you up on it?

[ He really wishes he could talk and this would be so much easier if he could. He knows Dodger, and probably other people, get...annoyed about it. But he doesn't know why he can't speak. As someone who can self heal it's always been...something he wasn't sure about. And any medical records he tried to pull from when he was little are nowhere to be found. Maybe it was...psychological instead? ]

Got a few suggestions. Nothing solid, yet.

[He notices the disappointment on Shigeru's face, and that has him curious... more than anything, it makes it worth it to have pushed him off. That'll keep him interested in initiating things, taking what he can get. And that's an important trait in his transformation into someone who can handle touch, Dodger figures.

Interesting that he blames himself, though. Like Dodger hasn't been playing him since they met. That has him quiet for a moment before he speaks again.]

You still hanging around Genji Shimada?

I'm...still not sure what caused it exactly. If it was my larynx I could've healed that automatically. But maybe it actually is psychological and I...just can't talk because of it. Or maybe it's my brain, but even then I could have healed that too. [ He frowns as he looks at his gloved hands and his phone.

The silence that comes afterward is a bit...heavy but Shigeru will look up surprised and otherwise unsure when Dodger asks that. His face might also color slightly. Ah, he really is bad at hiding his emotions. ]

I am, why? [ Shigeru kinda always had a feeling that Dodger wasn't...into him and might just be using him as someone to mess around with. Shigeru doesn't really know though, given how much they've been through and how much Dodger has told him. This is why the other man confuses him so much. ]

[He bristles a bit at that answer. Genji had insisted over and over again that they're just friends, but that doesn't mean he trusts the man... nor does he fully trust Shigeru to understand that he belongs to Dodger.

....Or... does he? Dodger isn't really sure himself, he just knows that the idea of Genji sidling into his territory frustrates him beyond measure.]

Nothing. Just curious. [But the color on Shigeru's cheeks makes him purse his lips for a moment.] Been on any more dates with him?

[ That...sure does make him fumble with his phone. He wasn't exactly expecting Dodger to ask that?! But his face just gets redder and redder, lord, this is not how he expected this conversation to go. He feels like putting his mask back on and just leaving but he won't do that. Still it's...pretty embarrassing to talk about it with other people. Not because he's ashamed or anything but...the feelings Genji makes him conjure up are so pure and strong. It's...strange talking about it with Dodger of all people, who also makes his head and heart do strange things.

While he's trying to formulate words to type he will nod his head 'yes' instead. It's just...easier that way. ]

It was during that time with the soulmate potions! [ They sure did kiss, but he's not sure if Genji really...thought anything of it?! He's also totally not going to tell Dodger that. ]

[So Genji has been making moves... and that makes Dodger bristle again. It almost makes him consider leaving, shoving a fireball through the fucker's chest cavity, but the impulse is quickly held back and reduced to an annoyed tapping of his fingers.

He pulls out his phone and starts texting while he speaks.]

Pretty into him, huh.

[That much is painfully clear... just like it's equally clear that Dodger is far from impressed.]

[ Dodger please?! Shigeru is allowed to see other people, besides Genji is just a really good friend okay?! Shigeru's blush doesn't really help his case though and he might try to hide his face behind his phone as he types. ]

That isn't important! [ But he's pretty obvious with how flustered he's getting. ]

He's a good friend and he's been helping me learn meditation. It really does help with my phobia!

[ Dodger just let Shigeru live his life. ]

[Good friend...] I bet.

[His tone is sharp and monotone, but he shakes his head briefly and tries not to let it show how bothered he is. He can't even really explain why it's such an issue. It just is.]

If you think not speaking is a psychological thing... I could probably get it out of you. But it'd take a lot of shit you couldn't handle yet. [He tips his head.] It'd be nice to hear it again, y'know?

[ Dodger don't be like that. Shigeru might lightly touch his arm at that tone. ]

Don't be angry. Genji is a really nice person, he's...really helping me out too. And he's never done anything to hurt me, so you don't have to worry about that. [ He looks at Dodger with a questioning look. ]

Hear what? I...can only make small noises but even then. I don't think it's psychological. Every time I tried to look into it back home there was no information at all in my medical records of if. That makes me think...it's something else. Something that they tried to hide from me. But I've been able to think about it here and I think I might have figured it out, but I'm not sure.

[ He wanted to know the truth but no one back home would ever give it to him and even now this is all speculation on his part. Maybe it had something to do with the negative gate that Jern had talked about. Shigeru looks somber as he shifts in his position on the couch. ]

Maybe it has to do with me...turning into that monster. It's happened...back home, twice even. I...I almost turned into that thing that hurt you. [ His hands are shaking a little as he takes a deep breath to calm himself down. ]

This man back at home is trying to turn me into a Forenthieth and I'm scared that he might actually succeed when or if I go back. [ One of the many reasons he doesn't want to go home for a very long time. ]

I've heard that they put tracking devices in Phrobiest's brains, that are high risk for this, to monitor their emotions and to track them in case they start to turn. [ He's never really...considered himself a candidate for that, but having the time and the ability to think about it here, it all makes more sense to him. ]

But no one ever told me that's why I couldn't speak. [ It makes him...sad and angry a little if he's being honest with himself. ]

[He doesn't follow all of that, but he listens all the same. He hasn't heard much about Shigeru's world, mostly because he hasn't bothered to ask... and even with all of this information, he prefers to piece it together instead of asking for clarifications.

After a bit of thought he moves closer, running his fingers lazily over the side of Shigeru's neck. The skin that had glowed with symbols that reminded him of Arziel's cult, when he'd been able to speak.]

I remember your voice. When everything was all fucked up, everyone turned into a different version of themselves. [His memories and Jamie Kingsley's hadn't quite lined up... but he remembers Shigeru's voice clear as day, just like he remembers the shape of Reaper's face without the mask.] You wouldn't believe how much I miss that version of you. If only he'd met me instead of that pussy shadow of mine.

[ Shigeru flinches at the sudden touch on his neck. His gloved hand comes up to rub the area where those marks had been. Marks showing his lack of free will, his curse and prisoner to Malnemious. ]

Do you like that version of me better?

[ He hadn't meant to actually type that out, but Dodger is close enough to be able to read it before Shigeru can delete any of it. It hurts to hear Dodger misses that version of him because, well, that really wasn't him. It was a sort of a...mindless puppet being controlled by the leftover residual parts of a rather angry god. ]

If getting my voice means turning into something like that...then maybe it's better that I never get it back.

You tur-

[He stops himself before that thought fully comes out. You turned into something better. Something fully realized. Something powerful, and deadly, and tantalizing.

No one in this city understands the pull that power and danger have over him. How much he wishes he could be as able and willing to kill as that version of Shigeru. He wanted to be destroyed, and he'd almost tasted it.

But Shigeru is the least likely to understand that.]

...You were attractive. Your voice, your confidence. You were ready to kill me for what I've put you through. It's something I respect.

[ He'll never understand it, really. He does look a bit deflated at the reply he gets from Dodger. Not that he really expected a different answer from the last time they talked about this. ]

I'm sorry that I...can't be that person you want me to be.

[ The way he is now though...he's definitely getting better with being more confident and outspoken at least. ]

I could never hurt the people I care about like that.

[Well, he doesn't have an answer to that. He can't comfort Shigeru when it's true, what he wants is something Shigeru can't be.

But Shigeru is still something he does want. That much is also true. With a few moments of hesitation, he slowly reaches over to tip Shigeru's chin toward him. He presses their lips together, and holds him in a deep, warm kiss before pressing their foreheads together gently.]

It doesn't matter. You're still mine.

[ He will oblige and let Dodger kiss him. A soft exhale escaps him as the other man does so and he closes his eyes. His skin gets goosebumps every time either Dodger or Genji kiss him. It's something that probably will never change. But when Dodger does it...it's definitely different from how Genji kissed him. This was almost the same, warm and deep, but not overbearing.

He'll open his eyes again and touch Dodger's cheek lightly as he gives him a warm smile. He enjoys these tender moments that they have at times. It really...makes his heart beat so terribly fast in his chest, and makes his face blush a deep red. He'll stay like this for as long as he able to without feeling that familiar panic creep up on him. ]

[With the danger of Genji hanging over him... he's nearly itching with the need to pull Shigeru closer and definitively claim him. But taking Shigeru is a slow burn, it requires more convincing Shigeru himself that he's Dodger's property than most of his conquests from back home. It makes it part urge, part strategy game, and part... something else. Something that reminds him a little too much of a serious relationship for him to like it.]

Hey... what do you think about me?

[He has a more specific question in mind, but... even more than it, he's curious what Shigeru makes of the question.]

[ That makes Shigeru pull away and look at him curiously. His expression has a sort of...'what' kind of look on it, because he wasn't expecting Dodger to really ask that at all. He takes a few moments to think before he begins to type. ]

I think that...you're actually a really good person who didn't deserve to have all those horrible things done to you. I think that...if you had someone kind and nurturing towards you, you would be a really amazing person, like that woman Janet. You seemed so happy when you were together with her. Not that you aren't without her, I mean you're trying really hard to help me still, and I sometimes don't really understand why. So I guess you're also complex in that way as well?

[ He sorta shyly shows him what he wrote, hopefully that's not...going to make him angry. But some people are born into the worst possible lives and it affects them in the worst ways. ]

But I don't regret meeting you, even if we have our differences.

Not really what I meant, but... I appreciate it.

[Which is an honest response. The first thing that came to his mind after reading all that. Still, he isn't quite satisfied by that. He knows Shigeru's general opinion of him... and it isn't the point.]

You're right, though. I'm not much without Janet. I'm practically nothing without Augustine. Makes me wonder if it might be time to find a replacement.

[Like he hasn't been already. He pauses for effect before glancing at Shigeru.]

You wanna go on another date?

[ He'll give him a curious look before he types. ]

What did you mean then?

[ Ah, oh, Shigeru flusters with the look. He might shake his head a little in a 'yes' response. ]

I...I don't think I could ever be a replacement for her. But another date...that sounds nice.

[ He smiles warmly back at Dodger. ]

Did you want to do anything in particular?

Being a replacement doesn't mean doing better or worse. Just means... filling that space. Feels like hell to be twisting in the wind like this.

[He slips an arm around Shigeru's waist, and pulls him closer until their bodies are linked neatly. They fit together... and it's nice.]

I want to sleep with you. [He leans over and presses a kiss to Shigeru's neck.] But before that... Maybe we can go see a movie. I've seen a couple places around with movies from other worlds, might be interesting to see what they've got.

You're right. People aren't things to be replaced anyway. We all fit with one another in our own ways and that's fine too.

[ Shigeru will tense a little, but the costume is definitely making it easier on him to stay so close to Dodger. And after a few minutes he'll actually relax enough that he's sort of leaning against Dodger.

He blushes a little when Dodger mentions that. He knows that, that's exactly what the other wants but he's not sure if he can...really take all that. At least Dodger has seen him undressed before so that makes it easier. But even then he figured the only reason why he hadn't freaked out that much was because he was in pain and tired. ]

I don't know if...I could do that. I mean I would like to, but my phobia... [ He's so tired of it getting in the way of his relationships, ugh. Maybe he should just...go and do it. But he can't even begin to imagine himself sleeping with Dodger. He blushes so hard admitting to that and even thinking about it. ] I don't want it to stop me, but I'm worried about my powers going haywire.

[ A substantial fear he definitely has reason to be concerned for. ]

But seeing a movie sounds nice. Do you have any favorites from home?

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