MOD LOG #1

[bequiet]

MOD LOG #1
Packing Up
Content Warnings: General tension
Themes: Survival, exploration, heavy-lifting

At the end of the month, the natives send out a mass message informing everyone of the upcoming trip to 'meet' the Sound Eaters. Preparing for the trip is simple, though labor intensive, and begins with making certain that everyone packs food, water, clothes, gear, and a twenty-pound package of sand. When it's time for the journey to begin, those tasked with watching the sandpaths, will lead the party on the journey towards the Eiffel Tower. It's a slow trip, a careful one. Natives will take breaks every few hours and when the sun sets, help everyone to set up their bed rolls around a few lanterns. The natives will unveil the star mapping feature, with constellations named and general history attached, on the devices. They will encourage those to tell stories, get out food and water, and 'talk' amongst the group before everyone settles into sleep. Out, under the night sky, the silence is more noticeable - there are no crickets or frogs. This process will repeat for two days until the group reaches the end of their destination at midday.

Sound Eaters
Content Warnings: Disorientation, confusion, character and native death, Sound Eater birth and death, body horror
Themes: Survival, exploration, horror, death

On the third day, characters will finally reach the Eiffel Tower, where the Sound Eaters in this area of France have set up their 'home'. Stopping far enough out to allow for communication, the natives will gesture to the ruins of the structure that appears to be altered. Structures are built up and around the metal frame, closing off different sections with a dark material that glints an oily-green in the light. After explaining that the Sound Eaters are influenced by the weather, rain being an issue for them, they'll take everyone closer. Silence is key here. The natives are visibly wary, tense, and uncomfortable but they believe that showing the arrivals what they're so afraid of will inspire them to be more cautious.

Now, as close to the Sound Eaters as they dare to go (less than a half mile), the natives will have everyone crouch down behind various cars and debris. The devices will say only one word, watch. As the sun begins to set and clouds darken overhead, the tower will open up, the Sound Eaters spilling out. They are split up, as the natives refer to it, into classes - the young, the shifting and the matured. The young are extremely sensitive to sound, volatile and aggressive, humanesque in form with features in various state of change. The shifting are grotesque, splitting and reforming, changing from young to matured in a shift that is punctuated by pained screams and the breaking of bones, splitting of flesh. The matured are in control. They command and guide their kind into a circle, where they all bend down, kneeling as something different than the rest comes out of the tower to stand at the center. The wind catches, dusting up red ash from it and blowing the ash towards the group - there's no way to move and it tastes familiar, coats your skin in red. They all grow quiet and a wrapped form, in the shape of a body, is placed at the Sound Eaters' feet. It crumbles, breaks apart and sprays out over the wrapped figured to completely cover it.

The shards of the Sound Eater bubble up and fuse together, creating a shell. Rain begins to fall. Light, but enough to cause the Sound Eaters to begin to move, pushing against one another but not leaving the circle. There's a shrill sound, an offbeat whistle, air escaping a tight space, a desperate inhale, and then the shell at the center splits apart. A Sound Eater died to create a new life. Smaller than the other young, the 'child' climbs up and out, but it's not the same as the others. It's form is generally human. Dark hair, androgynous features. No eyes. No mouth. Standing, it angles its head towards the matured and they move, as if on command, and surround it as it walks into the tower.

( If anyone makes noise at this point, in any way, the coming bad weather and what just occurred, will result in the Sound Eaters only attacking that person - rather than the whole group. They'll drag that person into the tower and out of sight. The character will be reset. )

The natives are upset. Spooked. They've never seen anything like that and they're quick to tell everyone this, followed by a hasty message to leave. As they're moving, the rain begins to beat down and the ground grows slippery. Making it back to the supplies is troublesome and just as the group gets close, one of the natives slips and tumbles down broken concrete, twisting and smacking against the hard surface until they come to a stop at the bottom. Anyone that goes to help will find that the native has hurt themselves and there's nothing that can be done, despite best efforts. The natives will take the time to wrap their friend up, relaying that the Sound Eaters don't attack now that the rain is heavy, and will begin the slow trek back to the community. They'll camp each night, the same as the trip up, but with an uncomfortable tension that no amount of story telling can break.

It's Raining Me- Rain. It's Just Water.
Content Warnings: None
Themes: Survival, fun, noise-making

After everyone is back in Reims, the natives will split off to bury their dead - they will not allow anyone to accompany them. Everyone is encouraged to head back to the community to get a break from the bad weather and to unload their supplies. The following day, the natives can be heard outside. Splashing and making noise, fixing houses, and what might have been a somber event will quickly turn into something a little more upbeat as rain beats down on the city. Children will play and occasionally laugh, stunted in their ability to enjoy themselves but willing to learn from the arrivals. Bigger items will be moved and natives will encourage everyone to do the 'noisier' things that they need to do. When the rain ends, work will resume as usual and soundproofing will be a lot more difficult - the water washed away sandpaths and damaged some areas. Cleaning up will take time but the natives aren't as unhappy with the situation as they just had a moment's respite from the normal tension of their everyday lives.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun! The OOC Plotting Post.

NAVIGATION

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Comments

mike wheeler | open to all!

[353]

( A: LEND ME YOUR STRENGTH )

[ Sometimes it sucks being a kid with no muscles.

He's managed to put together a backpack of provisions - that's the easy part. Whatever space he has left, he puts some of the sand in. Emphasis on some. He still has a lot left to carry and stares down at the dilemma that is the rest of his bag of sand on the ground with his hands on his hips. He isn't strong enough to carry the rest of the bag, but he could drag it. Maybe. He tries pulling the sandbag across the ground, travels about three whole steps before he has to stop to catch his breath back. His fitness is terrible thanks to being more interested playing D&D in his basement than playing sports...

How long was this trip going to be again? Wasn't it days? Shit. Mike is just going to write out a sign using a piece of cardboard, hoping someone will take pity on him: ]

WILL TRADE DINOSAUR FOR HELP WITH SAND


( B: THE STARRY NIGHT )

[ Mike has never actually camped under a night sky before, especially with so many stars up there. Despite being tired from the journey thus far, learning about the constellations is keeping him awake.

Sitting by the campfire, he'll ask via his device, pointing up to the sky: ]

Which one is your favorite?


( C: I'M A CELEBRITY CHILD, GET ME OUT OF HERE )

[ Crouched behind a car, witnessing "the young" of the sound eaters is chilling enough, but the other types have Mike covering his mouth and nose with his hand to muffle his sudden frantic breathing. Holy shit, they could give the Demogorgon a run for its money. He'd wanted to know what they look like, but he almost wishes they were still a mystery to him.

So startled by their appearance, a wide-eyed Mike recoils backwards without looking, stumbling into your character. ]


( D: SPLASH FIGHT )

[ As spooked as Mike is from observing the sound eaters, as soon as they're back in Reims and he sees native children playing in the rain, he can't help but join in and encourage the more reserved to make noise while they have the opportunity.

It's not just the native children Mike wants to play with, though. With his clothes and hair soaked from rain water (he's probably going to get ill), he'll kick at a puddle with his sneakers, splashing your character with a grin, regardless of whether they look like they want to mess around or not. Splash back or tell him off, your choice! ]

A

[rockypath]

[Faith sees Mike struggling with the bag. She'll wave off any offered dinosaurs, thanks. But she side steps him and lifts the sandbag along with the one she is already carrying for herself. She isn't even breaking a sweat and lifts the bag with an ease that you might think it were actually empty. She nods her head for them to follow the rest of the group. She doesn't look to be in the mood for talking, there's a tenseness in her shoulders. Clearly something is bothering her.]

[353]

[ Excuse Mike while his jaw drops, staring up at her as she picks up the remainder of his sandbag with ease. He smiles to her his thanks but doesn't get much of a response in return, and that makes him frown questioningly at her. He's always been good at reading people, even at his young age. He heaves on his backpack and begins walking with her, knowing Eleven is safe walking with Frank. With both of Faith's hands occupied carrying sandbags, there's no point asking her what's wrong if she can't type a reply and he silently hmphs to himself in annoyance. He sticks close to Faith's side for the first hour until the natives want to stop for a short break.

As soon as Faith puts the sandbags down, Mike is quick to get out his device and type her a message. ]

You ok?

[rockypath]

[She's trying to help you while simultaneously ignoring you Mike. Take a hint. Sheesh. But still he keeps on her like glue. She looks beside her every once and a while. Still there each time. Darn.

She sets down both bags and her own pack when they take a break. There's a silent sigh when he asks the inevitable question. She just shrugs. Yeah, she's pulling a Punching Bag (aka Frank Castle) and doesn't have her device handy. Perhaps that's not a good sign?]

D

[waffler]

[At first the rain bothers Eleven. Like the Sound Eaters, her own perception of sound is thrown off balance with the addition of so much noise. So she remains holed up in their room at first, hidden away under the table with a makeshift blindfold wrapped around her eyes to try and help the sensory overload. It would be different if there were regular day to day noises around town, but without them it's all too much right now. Add that to her trauma at seeing the Sound Eaters up close and being horrified at how much they remind her of the Upside Down, she needs the time to decompress.

When she finally feels balanced enough she takes off her blindfold and makes her way outside. Mike is her first thought, as he always is. She finds him easily and approaches him with a cautious smile. She's grateful that he's given her some space, but right now she just wants to be like him and all the native children. Normal. Or something close to it, anyway. He kicks a puddle in her direction and she laughs, not afraid to make a sound be heard.

It's with a menacing kind of grin that she stomps right into the puddle between them, as hard as she can. Water goes flying and hits them both. She gives out a gasp of surprise before trying again. ]

[353]

[ As much as Mike wants to be with Eleven all the time, he recognizes when she needs time alone. He knows sometimes friends can get on friends' nerves and the last thing Mike wants it for Eleven to get sick of him, so when it seems like she needs to be alone and there's nothing he can do for her, he gives her space, but he stays nearby.

He's only gone as far as outside House Two when he sees her come towards him in the rain, smiling in relief to see her looking better. He lets out a small shriek (not too loud but loud enough to show his glee when she joins in) before moving away so she can't get him a second time. ]

You missed! [ He taunts her lightheartedly. Kicking up another puddle towards her, he splashes her again before putting some distance between them. He's trying to show her the game he's been playing with the other children. Splash and run. ]

[waffler]

[Okay. Splash and run. She can do this. She watches Mike and the other kids for another few seconds before jumping toward him and trying to splash. It's easy to mimic things like this, physical activity where it doesn't matter if she's clumsy or not.

Her second attempt to splash him also misses, and she looks frustrated as she tries again. This time she jumps with both feet and lands hard enough that water goes flying everywhere. She looks entirely proud of herself even as she sinks a few inches down into the mud.]

Not missed?

[It's said in a teasing, kind of smug way.]

C

[oorah]

[ frank catches mike easily as he stumbles backwards, looking him over with concern while leaving his hand on the boy's shoulder as he gently nudges him to turn around. there's nothing about this frank doesn't wish he could shield mike from, but he also doesn't want to treat him like a little kid. he inclines his head toward the back of the crowd. maybe they could go talk farther away from the disturbing scene. ]

[353]

[ Mike is fully expecting to be scowled at by someone for not looking where he's going, which is why he looks so relieved to see Frank. His fear is visible in his eyes, as much as he wants to act like he's grown up enough to handle all this. He's seen enough; he doesn't want to see any more and gladly turns around with Frank's guidance, giving others an opportunity to get a front row seat as he moves to the back of the group.

Pale, Mike types out a message to Frank with shaky hands. ]

they make me feel sick

[ Honestly, it's taking every ounce of Mike's strength not to throw up right now because the act would make too much noise. ]

they remind me of the demogorgon

[oorah]

[ he keeps a hand on mike's shoulder the whole way until they're alone, squeezing before reluctantly letting go. he wouldn't either if he didn't have to pick up his device to respond, nodding to the first but confused at the second message mike sends him. ]

what's that?

B

[gotyourselfapilot]

[ Poe had been staying close to the campfire trying to keep it from growing to big or making a lot of sound. Mostly he would be keeping the fire small. Louder fires tend to make much more sound anyway. He would be using the device every so often to learn the constellations. The stars weren't anything like at home.

When Mike asks the question via device. Poe rescans the one he had recently looked up. He turns the device back at Mike, the constellation was Puppis. ]

I think this one. I'm not too familiar with the stars here.

[353]

[ Mike reads up a little about the constellation. Puppis, the Poop Deck, was originally part of an over-large constellation--

He has to cover his mouth with his hand to smother his urge to laugh. ]

Poop deck???? lol

[ Guess who taught this '80s kid 'lol' (Kara). ]

Here? Are you from another planet? [ Again, it's thanks to Kara that he's questioning which planet he's from. ]

[gotyourselfapilot]

[ Poe probably should read a bit more than just look over at the overall shape of the constellation. However, he smiles a bit at the ice breaker conversation. It's nice to know that kids could still laugh in such a quiet place. ]

The shape is at least interesting. What does the last thing even mean?

[ He hasn't even came across those things yet, he knows what smileys are. Teach him, 80's kid. ]

I was raised on a moon, but come from a galaxy with many systems. [ He looks over at Mike. ] Have you met others not from Earth?

( splash fight. )

[clarius]

[ perhaps she should have seen this coming. ever since she became friends with the children earlier, they had been insistent that they're new 'adult friend' join them in their activities in any way possible while they still had the chance to make a ruckus with her. she had been content to simply watch them splash about in the puddles, occasionally reaching out to steady a child who lost their footing or spun too fast.

except look where that gets her now - clothes and hair drenched in (even more) water, with the person behind this grinning at her.

lorem retaliates by literally shaking her entire body at his direction - sending droplets and streaks of water his way with enough force and suddenness that she has to choke back a laugh because she can only imagine how this looks to him.

all the same its his move now. ]

[353]

[ Mike really wasn't expecting her to retaliate by pulling the Wet Dog Shaking Itself move, his jaw dropping at her but purely in amusement.

His next move is to point at something (nothing) behind her with his most serious, alarmed expression. ]

Holy shit...

[ Does she fall for it? Mike will have to wait and see. If she does, she'll get water kicked at her back and Mike will be gleefully running away from the crime. ]

[clarius]

[ of course she's going to believe him. what happened back in paris still lurks at the back of her mind, and that is what she first thinks of upon seeing his alarmed expression. she turns around and has her arm raised as if she's planning to... summon something? hit whoever is behind her despite clearly not having any upper body strength?

doesn't matter what she's planning. instead of trouble meeting her in the face, she gets a splash of water hitting her back. the surprised yowl-squeal that comes out of her is undignified in every sense of the word. it isn't long before the other children, emboldened and awed by mike's clever tactics, join in the water kicking before they, too, scatter upon lorem turning back to look at their fleeing forms.

well then- lorem is going to take off the shawl she's wearing, quickly folding it up in such a way that its now thick enough to catch a decent amount of water in it, almost like a makeshift (and poor) bucket, before she sets off after mike and the others. whoever she's going to get first is going to get the dunking of their lifetime. if she can just catch them...! ]

A

[steal]

[Rey's busy adjusting her pack in order to carry her sandbag. She's in the middle of distributing the weight when she sees the boy holding his sign, and she stops what she's doing to stare. Now, she could go help him and offer to carry the bag for him. But after having to grow up doing everything for herself, she knows that won't help this kid in the long run. There's kindness when someone is truly weak, but he just needs to be made stronger is all.

So Rey makes her way over to him before sliding her things off and to the ground. Her eyes scan over the words on her sign, and thoughts of offering advice are momentarily forgotten in order to ask a much more important question. It's typed on her device then held out toward him.]

What's a dinosaur?

[353]

[ Yet another person who'd never heard of a dinosaur. Seeing as she isn't the first to ask, Mike looks less surprised by her question than he would be normally back home.

He gets out his toy dinosaur from his backpack and presents it to her. ] This but there are different types. Not to scale. They're extinct now.

[steal]

[She looks over the toy and smiles a little. It's pretty adorable and reminds her of some creatures in her own system.]

Extinct because of the Sound Eaters?

[Hey, it's a valid question in her mind.]

b;

[warfares]

I'm unfamiliar with the stars here, [ he begins, since it's probably best to get that out of the way quickly. The star-mapping feature has been useful, however; not only has it given him something to think about other than their current situation but it's given him an idea (more or less) of where they're situated on the galactic map. ]

Still, there's a constellation called "The Burning Snake" that is so bright it's even visible from the skies of Galactic City.

[353]

Here on Earth? [ Was he talking to another man from the moon? (A moon, Michael...) ]

When did you first see it? As a kid?

A

[iisupergirlii]

(yeah like ten people have offered to carry his shit but DOESN'T HE WANT TO MEET SUPERGIRL???)

[Kara's in the supersuit, and even though she's not a stranger here, she weirdly feels like one now. She looks different, holds herself differently, but - when she passes her (old?) house and sees Mike's sign, she can't help but double back and mess with him, just a little bit. She hopes he'll get a kick out of this.

She heads around to the back of the house and then soars up on top and over, landing in front of Mike with his sign and his dinosaur, cape fluttering behind her and her hands on her hips.

Sure there's no glasses, but aside from that, she just holds herself differently, talks more confidently; she's Supergirl.

She points to the sign, taps at her phone to make sure she's logged into the right username (Supergirl) and then types out:]

Need a hand?

[353]

[ Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's--

Mike's jaw drops. Was that...? No, it couldn't be... But then it made sense after she defended capes in their first conversation.

He's completely forgotten about the sand, too caught up in her entrance and reveal of her true identity, still gawking as she lands. He almost drops his device in his haste to type her a message. This is a big moment for him - meeting an official superhero. ]

YOU'RE SUPERGIRL???!!!!

[ Sorry he's excited and probably won't stop using capital letters until he calms down. ]

Late AF, but I promise I didn't forget

[gimmesometassel]

[Lacking the need for provisions of his own, Carpet has instead been cruising around town, doing the best he can to help people pack and check to see if anyone needs help carrying things. He spots the sign--what's a "dinosaur" anyway?--and glides over, typing as he goes, with his own sandbag laying on his back.]

Are you having trouble carrying everything?

no worries, I actually planned on tagging your starter but I've had a busy week

[353]

[ Mike does a double take when he sees Carpet. So it was true and not made up - it really was a flying rug! Mike bursts into grin upon seeing him, giving Carpet a wave, then nods at his question. ]

It's cool to finally meet you.