There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth

[highseasmods]

Who: Everyone involved in Death Day
Where: Noctem
When: January 21st-25th
What: Taking on Hawtrey, destroying shrines, and raiding his supplies. Surviving Noctem...or not. With a good dose of nightmares in between.
Warnings: Language. Violence. Trauma. It's an island of nightmares. Expect the worst.
Status: Open to all.


Killing Hawtrey seems to come first and foremost. The shrines can wait until after. We'll see if the wind blows fair or ill on that decision (on the 25th).

For now, the descriptions should tell you all you need to know. If not? Feel free to check / ask here.

Comments

The Shore

[highseasmods]

After safely making landfall, crews will notice there's only a sliver of land free of fog, and it only gets thicker the further inland one goes. Best to stay on the shore if you're nervous to set up a base camp. Here is the best place to make plans. Those with shards on them will feel comforted by their faintly glowing presence. Cat's shards especially.

[youhearthebells]

Oi! Guys! Let's do this!

[dumbass here still hasn't unlocked his shard, not for lack of trying. He was too annoyed by the catfish to listen to their actually helpful advice. So, while he has it on him, it won't do anything.

But he's got both River Master and his sickle-and-chain, and is rarin' to go. He gathers the Hazmats around him, though he's open to plotting with other crews, especially since he knows the growing ties between them and the Straw Hats, plus the temporary truce with Marco...]

If I see that guy I'm gonna do what I can to take him out, but I'm with the others. We oughta try the thing with the shrines. Let's find one and tear it down, just in case. Ya with me?

[tactilelearner]

[Fiddling with her gloves was a comforting habit for Rogue.

It was better than tugging on the chain around her neck. She'd taken to wearing the small shard she'd received for her birthday from Crocker, and its glow was strangely comforting now. A light in the darkness that the rest of the island seemed to offer.

This was a mission. They were here to end a threat. She had her team and only needed orders from the team leader. From the captain.

And while waiting, she was looking at the rest of the island, at the light fog not far away and how thick it got. She couldn't even see where it ended as it went in.

Deep breath.

Ignore the voice in her head.]

Can' be worse than Apocalypse. Y'know that.

[And a few quiet encouraging words to herself.]

Base Camp

[thatched]

[if you need a place to get patched up or rest for a bit and recharge yourself with food, this is where you do it. Thatch will be at hand for helping to set things up before gathering volunteers to attack the Eastern Shrine]

The Ships

[highseasmods]

Hawtrey's ship lies unattended and free for the taking. There are supplies and plunder to be found below deck, but beware of booby traps.


Moored alongside is a tinier craft. Those who woke up after having died on Halloween may recognize it. There is no sign of Meep, however, rather all signs point to someone having left in a hurry-- and a streak of blood.

[om_nom_namur]

It was the smell of blood, really, that caught Namur's attention. He followed it around, stopping occasionally to test the air and determine which direction it was coming from.

He'd recognize Meep's smell. And possibly Hawtrey's. Anyone else he'd be looking for clues, though. Male or female, old or young, and how long the blood trail has been there.

Inland

[highseasmods]

Those who go into the fog will find that getting to Hawtrey or the shrines isn't as simple as going from point A to point B. There are visions in the fog, nightmares, some illusions, some very real that can kill you in a heartbeat. All terrifying, fueled by everything you're afraid of and all the things that go bump in the night. Fight your way through or have friends help pull you out before the things lurking take too strong a hold.

The shards will glow brighter here, giving a comforting presence and offer a small mental protection from the demons that would crawl into your mind. Otherwise it's steel nerves and guts that you need. Though loud noises will send the more dangerous beasties into bouts of confusion, specifically the music from certain horns.

Also littered throughout will be small toy birds warning of danger, pitfalls and traps in high childlike voices. Or sometimes, merely crying.

OTA

[yourotherleft]

[What should be frightening is the fact that Zoro is striding across the island without appearing affected. Is he truly that fearless, that nothing and no one can shake his confidence? No bogeymen in the dark for him? Or is he simply really good at the steel resolve and pure guts? Either way, he keeps pressing forward, his expression stony.

Anyone with him can be assured that he will not let harm come to his allies. Particularly his crewmates, but anyone here to take down Hawtrey is someone he won't let die. Use him for a meat shield, or fight in tandem with him.

Just...somebody make sure he gets to the central altar. Left to his own devices, it doesn't matter how badly he wants to fight Hawtrey, he'll never get there. It isn't the darkness or the fear, it's simply his terrible sense of direction.]

OTA

[booyaka_boom]

*This was what Selphie had been waiting for. As soon as they hit the island, she felt ready and prepared. A little reckless too. So she rushed off into the fog, dressed ready for combat, weapon over her shoulder. In the fog, though, she slowed down. There was something about the place that unnerved her, sounds that set her on edge.

At first, it was Irvine she saw, lying fallen on the ground. She cried out and rushed over to help, but the shape shifted into a strange, twisted creature that leapt to attack with teeth and claws. Then it was Zell, then Squall. Of course they weren't real, Selphie knew that. Those friends were never here. But then it was Ikki...then Rose...then Namur... One by one her crew appear, bloodied and dying. Couldn't they be real...?

OTA

[tactilelearner]

[It was stupid. Hearing something and chasing after it. But it sounded like a child. A little girl. A scared little girl crying for her mother. The denser the fog got, the more Rogue was sure that it had been specifically to lure her out.]

No, no. Go away! [There it was again.] You have to get away!

[But there was something in the fog. Something moving that kept Rogue from looking for the voice. And seeing the little, toy bird above her.

Instead, it's a figure. Knelt down, clearly injured. A man. Nearly an adult but still young, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Holding his arm with one hand while the other reaches around the ground. Helpless against something approaching him in the mist.]

Scott!

[People showed up here all the time. It was Scott. It had to be Scott. She knew it in her bones. She started forward but felt something on her arm. Fingernails digging in, holding her, helpless.]

Scott!

OTA

[om_nom_namur]

[At some point, the ground begins to tremble. Just a small vibration here and there. It might not even be noticeable amidst all the fighting.]

[Namur certainly doesn't notice it at first. Not until the vibrations become more like tremors, a familiar charge in the air heralding their coming.

But he can't stop and think on what that might mean right now. There are slavers about, con men and human pirates slinking through the mist. He saw the pups being drug away from Sal, kicking and screaming, Tao biting one of them with such ferocity his tiny little baby teeth sheared through to the bone. Before the man could finish screaming Namur'd caught him up and, being the nice guy he is, made sure the man's wounds wouldn't ever hurt him again. He shouldn't have been so charitable, as someone else caught up the little one and they were all taken away in nets. He hears his mother screaming his name.]

Ma! Keep fightin', I'm comin'!

[He runs to catch up but is waylaid by a pack of creatures nearly as toothy as him but smaller and quicker. Namur lays into them without hesitation, the voices of his family crying out for him in the mist. There are others, too. Members of his Division, past Spades who've since gone home. Whoever these slaver shitheads are, they are going to pay. Namur crests a hill just as another tremor breaks loose, buckling the earth and sending him flying backward in a heap.]

OTA

[redcinemareel]

Traveling through fog was the only thing making Grell move forward cautiously. It was as if she didn't even have her glasses on! Everything was just an eery grey floating about. Otherwise, she didn't seem all that affected by the fog. There were hardly things, or people, that she was afraid of. Rather, she really had wanted to get revenge on them. She could hardly fear the people of her past!

She was holding two of the shards with her, leaving the last one with Arthur, which were glowing beneath her corset. The glow went unnoticed for the moment, though. What she did notice was the crying of a child, which made her stop in her tracks. Green eyes looked around the fog, but saw nothing. It could just be something to throw her off, something Hawtrey had planned because of what he had done with those children, and she couldn't afford to go look into it.

Tightening her grip on her weapon, Grell continued forward, feeling that she may regret her decision later.

[chibifirebird]

Marco's nightmare is very specific, and predictably on the childish side, for Marco has been reverted to such. But being a phoenix, young or old, it's all one and the same so far as he concerned.

He falls for the toy birds every time he finds one, picks it up and plays the recording, either stoically listening, or tilting his head curiously to try to put the pieces together.

But the visage of his father dressed up in a pink frilly nightgown with Gold Roger's mustache is brain-breaking enough to make even Marco stop what he was doing.

"Yoi?"

Yoi indeed.

"Marco, my child!" a much too high, obviously impostor voice all but giggles. "It's time for your vitamins, dearie!"

"Pops... no," Marco makes a face, "I'm not a child! I'm a phoenix!" That may or may not be his excuse for everything, "And don't you want a drink instead? We can steal from Ray if we're sneaky enough!"

"Oh no no no no..." the impostor shakes her head, "I'm not your father, I'm your mother! And drinking is very naughty! I would never do that."

Marco backs the fuck up.

Help him. For the love of everything, rescue him from this nightmare, okay.

OTA Loofs Cannon

[meatthefuture]

[he's running around looking for Robin or any of his nakama. Sometimes yelling in fear, sometimes in anger, but hitting anything his fists come across. At one point he is running, running full tilt from a large man who seems to have lava pooling around him.

Feel free to fight with, be saved by or be in the way of his fighting.]

OTA

[originaldragoon]

Seeing dark creatures and beasts do not bother Rose. In the past she was one of those things that went bump in the night. What does bother her is seeing visions of her crew mates turning to stone. Once she gets closer to what appears to be one of the statues, they will attack her so she will end up having to cut down the creature.

She ends up summoning her Dragoon armor to help not give into the fear. Concentrating on not giving into a battle insanity left little to worry about what scares one the most.

The Shrines

[highseasmods]

You made it through the darkness somehow, somehow, you made it through. The shrines are guarded though by ferocious nightmares, physical and mental. Once you get through? One of five golden rings will open the door for you. TO desecrate them and have them lose their power is as simple as breaking the altar.

North Shrine

[highseasmods]

Located at the top of the cliff, fight your way up the steep steps against fierce winds and flying creatures. Inside the shrine, the alter is located one courageous leap away from a seemingly endless pit in the floor where dark things writhe. Good luck.

East Shrine

[highseasmods]

Located in a cave deep under ground. Just getting to this shrine without getting lost in the monumental cavern is enough. No light can live here. Even torches seem muted and dull. And there are lots of things to get you in the dark. Once you find the shrine, getting to the altar is easy enough, if you can see it.

South Shrine

[highseasmods]

This shrine is on fire. Quite literally everything about it is ablaze. Though the fire burns black and blue, quite otherworldly, it will nonetheless burn you alive should you let it. Getting to the altar requires finding a safe path through the flames.

West Shrine

[highseasmods]

Can you hold your breath? This shrine is under a great dark lake where horrible fish live that would love a taste of flesh. There is no helpful air pocket and the shrine is deep, but doable if you're also not fighting for your life. Again the altar is relatively easy to get to, though impossible to remove from its position. You have to break it where it lies.

The Altar

[highseasmods]

Should you make it to the center of the island, you'll see Hawtrey. Even more scarred than before, an open gash down his cheek, poorly healed where you can see the hint of teeth. Still there is nothing sickly looking about him. He seems in command of his element and angry

Hawtrey stands, a book open on the ground in front of him, and a ritual set up. Upon hearing others approach, he will realize his plans are in danger and attack.

Fight hard, out-worlders.

Everyone's life depends on it.

Protection Spell Activated

[highseasmods]

Just getting to him is the thing. How to break the protections spell? Fighting off enough nightmares just might do it. Or maybe you just have to fight off the biggest, meaniest, scariest monsters of the bunch. Or it could be there are smaller milder creatures holding the barrier in place. Or hell a potluck of all of the above. Those who have picked up birds will get some direction of which beasties to fight whispered in their ear, but don't stand idle listening too long. Idle standing usually leads to evisceration.

Protection Spell Gone

[highseasmods]

This is the final countdown! Try to hit Hawtrey with everything you've got to get him under. He's not completely vulnerable, however, and there are one or two nasty surprises in store.

Consequences

[highseasmods]

Jones is coming after you. What do you do? What do you do?

Aftermath

[highseasmods]

After the last altar is broken beyond repair the ground will shake. A great shrieking cry will rise up as all the voices of all the nightmares scream at once, swirling and swirling in the dark mist, circling ever closer to the misty figure of Jones himself who is clawing at them, trying to break free.

There is no freedom for him, for now. With a great woosh, the darkness wraps around him completely and vanishes with an explosion that will knock people off their feet and send them skidding across the ground.

When your ears have stopped ringing, the nightmares will be gone for now. The skies blue. There is an odd sense of peace coating everything that will last until nightfall. But it's best to get out before then. This is Noctem, after all, and nightmares don't sleep for long.

As a final note, he takes the shards he managed to gather with him, sad to say. But there are still some to find. Will it help or hurt in the end? That remains to be seen.