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

Kilgrave | Jessica Jones

[kiljoy]

Nb. Please read Kilgrave's permissions post before tagging.

1. Trekking and camping
[After only an hour into day one of their trip, Kilgrave knows he hates camping. Trudging along the ruins of civilisation on their way to god-knows-what, travelling at the pace of a snail since they have to lay down the sand paths as they go, not to mention all the heavy gear they're carrying. Not that he's carrying any of his gear himself, but still. This trip sucks.

He keeps his head down, walking mostly with the natives since they're the least inclined to cause any trouble, and when they make camp he always stays near the centre and surrounded by as many people as possible. You can't be too careful.

At night he makes himself as comfortable as he can on the hard ground, and he's unusually subdued, not much inclined to participate in the conversation. He's beginning to regret coming along. Usually Kilgrave feels safe in a crowd, but not any more. If he catches your eye, he may shrug as if to agree with the general nervous sentiment. Feels like they're walking into the lion's den.]

2. Post-Sound Eaters
[After seeing the horror movie bullshit that is the Sound Eater reproductive cycle, Kilgrave is struck by one thing in particular: the red dust. As the group begins their journey back to Reims, he posts a message to the entire network:]

un: purpleman
The red dust coming from that creature looked awfully like the same stuff that covered us when we first arrived, didn't it?

What if the Sound Eaters are responsible for our being here? There must be some way of communicating with them. Understanding what they really want. If we left them a message, do you think they'd respond?

[He's just brainstorming here. Looking for ideas. Because of course he's a good upstanding citizen looking out for the welfare of the entire community. We're all in this together, guys. They need to figure this out.]

3. Back to Reims: Renovating
[Kilgrave returns to Reims to find that the natives have finally taken pity on him and offered him his own house! It has a bed, which means he finally gets to claim the master bedroom for himself. Even better, he's pleased to discover that he has several other possessions waiting for him inside the house, including a change of clothes. All he has to do is get the place cleaned up and furnished, and it might actually be half-decent.

Of course, he's not going to do that work himself. He's going to need some help.

That's why you'll find him out and about even in the rain, feeling much more like his old self in his sharp suit, looking for volunteers. Or, you know, "volunteers". If you look like a likely candidate for helping out, he'll approach.]

Come here. I've got a favour to ask.

[His mind control will convince you to go over to him if it works. If you don't look like a likely candidate or you're someone he knows is a dick, he'll avoid you. Just walk on by, don't mind him...]

4. Wild card
[Anything else you want!]

un: holla

[shotfired]

[ She might be a troll on any other occasion, but she's oddly serious at the moment, her eyes locked on the scene in front of her. ]

I doubt they'd respond. They don't look like the talkative types, given they eat first ask questions later.

I do want to get my hands on some of that dust, though.

[kiljoy]

[This is a surprisingly serious response given their previous interaction. He side-eyes the name but takes her at her word for now:]

But has anyone tried? I'm not sure they have.

Plenty of the dust got blown our away. You think you could examine it?

[shotfired]

Probably not. [ She finally manages to look away from where the sound eaters wandered off to and taps her chin thoughtfully. ] Something tells me a regular convo will end badly, but I wonder if they speak that sign language?

Shouldn't be a problem. Oh, and if I kick it on this trip, could you take some of it back with you? I can only do so much here.

[ He seems like a cockroach-y kind of guy, she doubts he'll die if he can help it. ]

[kiljoy]

Possibly. We don't know. Or might they understand a written message? At least some of them looked vaguely human...

I would, but I don't have any of the dust on me.

[Because obviously he brushed it all off as soon as he could. He's not a fan of dirt.]

2. un: werther

[imitationsoul]

Why ask and not just try it?

[kiljoy]

[Because he's not going to risk it himself, duh.]

Thought I'd throw it out there to gather some ideas. There might be someone among us who has an ability they could use to communicate with these creatures.

[imitationsoul]

[ Miach has memorized the username as belonging to the one called Kilgrave and she's already starting to see what Jessica meant when she called him a pussy :| ]

According to a certain other individual on the internet, yours might be a start. I've heard that the Sound Eater appear humanoid, after all.

Or was that part of the accusations also a lie?

[kiljoy]

I do have a certain charm. But those things weren't human. I don't think my ability would work.

[He's not willing to test it either.]

3

[twoaffirmations]

[9S still isn't sure about Kilgrave, but he was surprised to see him during the camping trip. He wondered if that meant things had been resolved, but never had the chance to ask himself along the way.

When Kilgrave approaches him, it's perfect timing. He follows after him, posing questions as they go.]

Sure thing, Sir. I noticed you're not in hiding anymore, does that mean you and Mrs. Jones came to an agreement?

[kiljoy]

[Calling him sir, good. 9S knows his place. Kilgrave shrugs at the question. Can he and Jessica ever truly reach an agreement?]

More like I realised it's impossible to hide in a town this small. I'm looking for furniture. Go bring me a dining table and chairs.

[twoaffirmations]

Er...

[He hadn't even offered to help! Not that he wasn't going to, but it still kind of annoys him. Kilgrave was so bossy.]

Sure.

[He lets out an exasperated sigh.] What's the location of your new residence?

[kiljoy]

That way. [Kilgrave points, helpfully, and explains how to get there. Look, what is the android here for if he isn't going to help him with furniture? (Don't answer that.)]

3

[priwen]

[ Rather unfortunately, Kilgrave ends up in Alexandre's line of sight - and a bit further than a human would need to recognize him, but Elezen have keener eyesight than humans (even if it's only in one eye, as per Alex's case).

His conversation with Faith is still fresh in his mind, so he'll pick up his pace and make a beeline for 'Robin'. ]

[kiljoy]

[Kilgrave knows what Alexandre looks like and has been specifically avoiding him for the entire trip. When a man that tall makes a beeline for you, it's impossible to miss and Kilgrave swiftly starts walking away himself, heading for the town square where more of the locals are gathered. Safety in numbers.]

[priwen]

[ Robin is trying to run away. It only affirms his suspicion of the man, so he will continue to follow him to the town square. His height lets him have a longer stride, so the only way Kilgrave can increase the gap between them is to run... ]

[kiljoy]

[He's not running, that would look suspicious. No, he just didn't see Alexandre so he's on an errand like everyone else here. In fact he stops to talk to a native, so if Alexandre interrupts that will be rude and uncouth of him. Do you want to be rude and uncouth, Alex? Do you?]

1

[iisupergirlii]

[Kara's got her bedroll laid out and her area nice and tidy, but she can't sleep, not after what she saw. She's full of nervous and just plain sad energy. That was horrifying and awful and -

She sits down next to Kilgrave, a familiar face if nothing else, and hugs her knees to her chest, her bright red boots catching the fire light. It takes awhile, sitting there in silence, and she knows he's waiting on news, wants to know what Jessica is up to, why she's not on the trip, and finally she swallows hard and types out a short message for him.]

Jessica is dead.

[kiljoy]

[That's a shocker. He'd sensed her anxiety, it's pretty damn obvious in the way she sits and stares into the middle distance. Something has upset her. When she gives him the news, he stares. For a moment he can't process it. Then he mouths:]

What?

[His expression is clear too: he needs to know more. What the hell happened? Jessica can't really be dead. She can't be.]

[iisupergirlii]

[Kara licks her lips nervously, shaking her head. she keeps picturing Jessica falling dead before she hits the ground over and over again in her head. She's thought about death a lot - imagined the explosion on Krypton, the thoughts of her parents and her family, neighbors and school friends, all dying in one massive, horrible explosion. But she hasn't actually seen many people die.

Just one, in fact, so far. A dad she couldn't save because she'd lost her powers. She'd had to watch his daughter watch him die.

It definitely doesn't get any easier. Alex has told her that before, and she was right.

Kara's hands are shaking, just a little, when she types out her answer.]

She wasdrunk and made noise. Sound Eaters kiled her.

[kiljoy]

[There's a lot to unpack here. He doesn't even know how to feel. Happy? Sad? Relieved? Angry? Questions flick through his mind at lightning speed and it's frustrating having to type them all, Kilgrave stumbling over the keys in his haste to get the full story:]

An accident? did she come back? did you see the sound eaters

2, un: rugman

[gimmesometassel]

That didn't look like the other sound eaters though. Maybe it's responsible for them and for us being here?

I wonder if they can see and read? Maybe we really could leave a message.

[He might actually be the only person in Reims who can move completely silently, who doesn't even have to worry about involuntary sounds like a heartbeat. What if he came back and brought messages to the tower, or tried to sign at them?]

[kiljoy]

I don't know what that thing was. Could be another variety of Sound Eater.

Well, if they can, you'd be the perfect candidate to deliver it. You could fly right over there anytime, couldn't you?

[gimmesometassel]

I guess it could be. Maybe it's their sultan!

I could make it there and back in a day easily if I didn't have to worry about things like sand and human walking speed! What would we write though?

[Why aren't you recognizing that this is probably a terrible idea, Carpet?]

[kiljoy]

[On the contrary, he thinks this is an excellent idea.]

I don't know. Dear Sound Eaters, we're a bit tired of getting eaten by you. Leave us alone and we'll offer up all our firstborn children to your tender mercy. Deal?

Something like that.