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

[chimericalclaw]

[Shigeru can make contact, but touch may be a strong word for putting his hands on a creature that has no real mass and offers no resistance to any force. But even without his intent, the effect he has on what's around him is very real, the shade erasing whatever he reaches or whatever reaches him, even if the effect may be slow. Regardless, the yellow eyes return to Shigeru.

They would want it, he thinks, opening his mouth to say it. They would, if they knew what he really was, what he's done, what he intends to do. For those it would hurt, they'd move past it. But he stops before any of it becomes spoken aloud, brow furrowing with some surprise at the man's declaration. It disrupts his thoughts enough that doubt breaks its way into the certainty of his wish.

Could someone still want him to remain, knowing it all? He already has the proof of an answer to that question, doesn't he, even if it's only come from one as broken as him—one whom he's broken. A young man covered in his own blood, held in Onyx's arms, claiming he couldn't stand to lose his guardian despite everything. And...]

An agreement.

[His eyes lower from Shigeru's face, remembering. Not the simple promise for a night out, but the vows he made so long ago. Promises he can't go back on now, because if he did, just as Shigeru said he feels—]

It would all mean nothing, if I...

[Where the other man touches him, tiny wisps of shadow begin to rise away, leaving the shoulders underneath much more solid.]

[mysophobic]

If you gave up, right? [ He gives Altius an encouraging look as he nods. This is good, this is promising that the shadows are leaving him. ]

You seem like a much more resilient person than that, so I don't think giving up is in your nature or vocabulary, at least.

[chimericalclaw]

[The shade seems to buckle suddenly, hands moving to cover his face as he moves backwards, as if he might escape the encouragement.

Resilient. As if he hadn't been resilient all his life, building his life up piece by piece even when the world kept knocking all of it down. When does he get to stand down? When does he get to stop pretending?

He knows the answer: not until he's fulfilled the vow he made. Unfortunately, because of this place, that moment is now an undefinable point in the future. He's so, so tired.]

I've been fighting for so long, [he whispers.] It was supposed to be over.

[mysophobic]

[ As Altius moves backwards, Shigeru will follow, tentative, like he's dealing with some kind of wild animal that he's afraid he's going to scare away. ]

I know. And I know it's hard and-and not fair for me to say that you have to keep fighting. But-but you don't have to do it alone. At least-at least not here...you have a lot of people who are always there to support you and-and help you.

[ Shigeru's frown only deepens. ] If you just let us...see who you are. Maybe we could shoulder some of that burden for you.

[chimericalclaw]

[His mind traces a line over all of those here who would "support" him. People who would abandon him in a heartbeat if they knew the truth, if they did see who he was. But he wouldn't want any of them to be burdened with his self-imposed duty. Preventing others from having to do that sort of horrible work was the entire reason he took it upon himself...]

No.

[The shade takes in an apparent breath, steadier than before but still somewhat shaky. He is exhausted, there's no denying it, but—he told himself he wouldn't rest until he was done. He has to keep going until then, no matter what. And that means—]

No.

[Some of the strength in his voice returns. But even though parts of the man are becoming visible through the fading of the shadow, he turns and lets a cloud of it envelop him. He cannot be seen. He refuses to let that happen.]