EVENT #13: ADVERSITY 8765546

[expiationmods]

EVENT #13: THE BEAST INSIDE US ALL

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)

-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

EARLY MARCH / MARCH 11TH

Something doesn’t feel quite right, does it?

There’s a strange feeling in Aldrip, something tense and strained, as if something’s about to happen. The black lines outside of the Aldrip travel further into the city and begin to spread the miasma. The fields, crops and the portion of the forest continue to wither away as a result. The signs of catastrophe. The air is thick, as if it itself is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Very abruptly, it does.

The earth quakes as something erupts from the ground: huge, snakelike heads, towering as tall as a two-story building. These heads seem to circle the city of Aldrip: a ring of threat, keeping everyone and everything within the city limits. These heads don’t change locations, and they only attack if someone gets too close. They seem almost like they’re waiting for something. At first, however, they’re invulnerable to damage. Those who get too close may be injured or even killed if they try…

TRANSFORMATION

As soon as Fauna hears the rumblings of the Beast, detects the presence of a monster, she's off without waiting for any information. Confronting monsters is what she does, after all. She transforms and attempts to destroy the Beast with her full might, but despite the fierce fight, she's unable to land any decisive hits. Eight heads are too much to fight alone, and as the fight drags on, she's cornered, and takes the Beast's attack head-on, canceling her transformation and sending her flying. But as she's blown away, from her pockets, seeds fall- A pair of seeds to grow trees from, or something greater. The seeds, divine items with no divinity to empower them, fall to the ground, and are absorbed into the Beast's black body...

What is it you wish for, deep down? What do you desire?

Those Chosen unlucky enough to be affected by wish seeds may find this wish consuming their thoughts and driving their actions. Slowly, surely, they find themselves…changing, turning into something that is not a human. These changes may be slow and painful, or they may be instantaneous. We encourage you to be creative in these changes, both physical and mental, but also to warn for potential body horror or any body part trauma that might need a content warning.

I wish… I wish…

Driven nearly to madness by their own desire, by whatever’s happening to them and whatever physical changes it brings, these Chosen may be dangerous, with uncontrollable urges or new powers they aren’t used to. Can their aggression be directed toward the coming fight? Time will tell.

SLAY THE BEAST

So much anger, hatred and pain, all rolled into a single calamitous entity, baring its fangs at the entire world. It's almost a little embarrassing for it to be out in the open like that, even if the other Chosen don't necessarily realize it's a part of him. It's not too long after the Black Beast's first appearance that Ragna makes his way to face it, though not before he makes sure everyone else has some information necessary to finish the job afterwards. But first, he would need to ensure they even stand a chance against the monster, and he came up with only one solution that could work ─ and that's to do so from within the Beast itself. And so, with a final sigh, muttering "What a pain in the ass," under his breath, Ragna approaches the giant creature unarmed. The nearest heads turn their attention to the man, immediately attacking and ripping him apart, devouring the remains.

Something has changed. Impervious until now, the Black Beast soon shows evidence of wear and tear: hits land, cuts remain, and its fighting becomes more vicious…but more desperate, too.

If the Chosen have any hopes for defeating this creature, now will be the time. Maybe if they hit it with everything they’ve got, they’ll be able to bring it down–one head at a time.

SAFE...TY?

In the past, there’s been protection. In the past, there’s been so-called “safe houses” that have been created by the environment for noncombatants or those who don’t wish to fight.

But no such thing appears.

Nothing will hold the monsters back, nothing will hold the effects of the Black Beast back as they rain destruction on the city. It seems as if the Chosen are on their own – for those who don’t wish to fight, or can’t fight, they must band together to find protection of their own. Characters who are able to fight may need to help protect these areas where those sorts of Chosen have decided to hunker down for safety. The locals have vanished completely, locked so tight into their own houses that Aldrip businesses come to a halt.

That is, unless Chosen work together to keep it going.

AFTERMATH

The Black Beast is finally put down after the hard and exhausting fighting. The black lines around the city fade away, and it seems the Chosen who have transformed… are unaffected. Those Chosen who find themselves confronting their “wish” will discover that they soon change back, shedding monstrous forms for their familiar forms. However, the Chosen who don’t confront their wishes will keep their monstrous forms, either fully or partially, for the indeterminate future. They might continue to struggle to keep their sense of self and fight against the monstrous urges. Maybe they continue to be more aggressive, have a hard time recognizing a friend from a foe and have a distorted view on what is their wish. Effects don’t wear off over time, this time. There’s no magical “reset” where they wake up one day and find themselves back to their normal selves.

No, either they confront their wishes, or they stay like this for… ? It’s up to the Chosen.

WILDCARD

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[eternalcutie]

[he comes closer when she dismounts the horse, not necessarily so he can comply but so they're not yelling at each other. he hesitates just a touch - debating whether he should try to give a fake name or not - before he gives up on it and sighs.]

I'm Czeslaw. Um, it's very nice to meet you. Though it would be nicer under different circumstances.

[his vocab is a little rich, but he still just gives off "precocious young child" vibes.]

[baldrshand]

[Czseslaw. Ethlyn hasn't heard a name like that before--though, there have been many names she hasn't heard the like of before, and many more people she hasn't seen the like of before.]

It certainly would be... we'll have to make it up some other time after this monster is gone, maybe over a nice tea. [She holds a hand out to him.] Here, let me help you up into the saddle and we can be on our way.

[eternalcutie]

That sounds nice.

[he smiles at her, and it's quite genuine.]

Oh, I...well, all right.

[it's not like he has a reason to refuse her, after all, and at least she's not outright trying to pick him up. nile would have just picked him up like a sack of rice if he wanted him on a horse.

he steps forward and takes her hand, albeit a bit shyly.]

[baldrshand]

[If the situation were a little more urgent, Ethlyn would probably do that. But if she has the time to put someone at ease and have it be their choice to accept help, that's much better in the long run.

She helps Czeslaw up onto the horse and mounts up behind him. Venture paws at the ground a little, expressing a bit of an opinion about the extra weight, but otherwise is still calm... given the situation. Ethlyn keeps an eye on the sky as she turns him back towards the Clinic.]

How long have you been in Aldrip, Czeslaw?

[eternalcutie]

[uncertain of what to do with his hands, czeslaw first rests them at the base of the horse's neck, then hastily moves them to his own legs when it begins acting restless.]

Just a few months. I know some crazy stuff happened before I got here, but this seems pretty bad.

[well, more than "pretty bad" if you ask him, but it seems that people here have a different standard.]

[baldrshand]

It happens, every so often. I don't know why exactly it is. [In a way. She knows that this town, this world, is a constructed place, like so much set dressing... controlled by some force. She can only assume that the AI, or whatever it is, is dictating these things. They happened before or after the crisis last autumn, after all.

What she doesn't understand is the motives, the reasoning.] It's like a recurring plague... people become corrupted, dangerous, and then it lifts, and we have to pick up the pieces and try to get back to normal before the next occurrence.

[There's no point in trying to hide that truth from Czeslaw, youth or not. He's seeing it now, and undoubtedly he'll see it again in future... it's best to be ready for it to happen again.

She notices Venture's displeasure with having hands on the back of his neck, and Ethlyn makes a mental note to give him some extra treats after this. A mental note she's already made several times today. If nothing else, Venture will be eating well for a while.]