Event Log: Jumpscares

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event!
What: The event log for the Jumpscares event
Where: All over the city!
When: May 16th-May 20th
Warnings: Some startling jumpscares, interdimensional demon cats, the usual

A dark shadow looms over Hadriel on the morning of May 16th. There's a tension in the air, something palpable, as if everything has gone still and is ready to snap. You've been waiting for the other shoe to drop for hours now, and you're getting to the point where you're starting to wish that it would just happen already so that you can stop feeling this way.

Of course, when it does happen, it's not quite like you expect.

Maybe it's a tiger leaping out of your closet, claws extended. Maybe it's a faceless slenderman, stepping out from around the corner or a monster with beak and claws ripping open your shower curtain when you're most vulnerable- but within seconds, after you've been startled half to death by the monsters, they're gone. They vanish in a puff of smoke, or dissipate into glitter, or become something silly instead for a few brief moments before disappearing entirely.

Weird. But not unendurable, I guess. The bright side is that there will also be a few demon cats that have also made their way through the door. No two cats are ever in the same location, but there seems to be enough of them to go around, though the toothy one can be a bit vicious. Still, they aren't untameable, and might make nice pets, as long as you don't mind a bloody finger or two when it's time for lunch!

► This log covers May 16th-May 20th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you have some heart problems that are unfortunately exacerbated by this event, please let us know here, and we're sorry.

Comments

taako | ota

[pocketspa]

i. around the city

[This is, objectively, the shittiest way Taako feels he could be introduced to this god pantheon. He won't openly admit to being afraid once he figures out it's nothing- he'll feel fear where credit is due, and it is not due to something that doesn't follow-up- but this is seriously pushing him to his limits.

If you're looking for him, he's easy to find around the city jabbing his umbrella around corners and occasionally shooting sparks and light around corners just to dispel anything that's there. Finally, one gets him too hard- he walks backwards around a corner, trying to catch something behind his back, and he hears a voice from too long ago that's rather... shocking. Or well, it's going to be really shocking for anyone in the vicinity, as a wave of thunderous force with a loud clap radiates out from him, knocking back anyone who might be unfortunately close by and doing a small amount of damage from sparks and noise.

He'll apologize if you ask for it. Maybe. He doesn't like being seen so out-of-sorts.]

ii. by the coliseum

[Near the end of the four day span, Taako's nearing his wits end, and he's decided to do something about it. The wizard can be found inside the Coliseum, poking around every corner, in every nook, and, if watched, some might notice that his eyes are currently a rather unnatural shade of bubblegum pink. He sounds like he's muttering to himself, low and rather annoyed, if anyone gets close enough to listen.]

This is stupid, it shouldn't just be able to move, if there's a portal there should be a mark, come on, come on...

[ooc: in the second prompt, Taako is utilizing a spell known as True Seeing, which allows him to see through all illusion, hallucination, or other such glamours. If you chose this prompt and your character uses magic to change their appearance, he will be able to see through it! Otherwise, characters not using this effect will appear as normal.]

i

[closerift]

[ Cecily is knocked back, another unpleasant surprise among many, today, but she spots a stranger and adopts a cautious, if good-natured smile. ]

Jumpy? [ She asks, as if the reason isn't clear. ] What, not amused by our hosts playing games?

[ Is anyone ever? Cecily straightens herself up, smoothing down the static that Taako's preventative measure caused over the fabric of her clothes. ]

This isn't the first time they've shown us... illusions. [ She mutters darkly, heaving an sigh. ]

[pocketspa]

[He shakes out his own limbs, not quite glaring but obviously preparing a Sarcasm Bomb to go off.]

No, uh, I love getting my head fucked with by people. It's basically my second hobby after letting these guys jerk me to another dimension. Really adored that too.

[She's not being rude, but Taako's not necessarily nice even to people he likes.]

Sorry I haven't spent enough time getting kicked around here to really ruffle your feathers. Next time I'll try and make it really big.

[closerift]

Mm-hmm. [ She listens, nodding in appreciation of the deep-seated salt. ] Spoken like a true Hadrielite. ... Hadrielian? I'm not sure we have a name for ourselves as a group. "Captives" usually covers it, though.

[ Cecily offers a thin smile, but one that commiserates. ]

I hope you don't get used to it. [ Comes the surprisingly gentle response. ] No one deserves what's happened here. [ And what will, undoubtedly, happen. ]

[pocketspa]

Man, we need a better name than that. Seriously, what doom-and-gloom are we? C'mon, pick like, at least militia or a strike team or whatever. Might as well call us the sitting ducks in a hole.

[He can leave any time he wants!!!! Okay, no, he can't, but he's gonna keep pretending he can.]

Besides, so far this has been, like, one monster and now a bunch of fake bullshit. I take more damage just living with a man who gives me splinters when he tries to high-five me. This is chump change at best.

[closerift]

There may be others who have a better name. [ "The sitting ducks in a hole" isn't inaccurate, though. ]

I'm happy to hear you're adjusting well. [ For now, at least. And hey, maybe that attitude will help him through the worst that Hadriel has to offer. ] I won't ask about your... wooden friend?

[ She has to assume?? ]

[pocketspa]

It's whatever. And uh, it's just his arm. He's like, a nature guy, so it's no big deal. Another guy was a mannequin for a while but that got fixed pretty quick.

[His world is... a little wild, tbh. Also, most of his party has been maimed more than once.]

So you've been here a while? You sound pretty doom and gloom about this whole thing.

[closerift]

[ What....... is this guy talking about. ]

Do I? [ Skipping right past the wooden arm... mannequin man bit - ] I don't mean to. In fact, I've been here long enough that I'd hoped I'd moved past 'doom and gloom' and closer toward 'pleasant apathy.'

[pocketspa]

[Listen, Taako doesn't even know what he's talking about most of the time. He wouldn't clarify even if asked. Frankly, it's a lot funnier if he doesn't explain.]

I dunno, you got that dry apathy going on, like, nothing really matters, but at the same time you still seem like you care about it enough to say something? Like, if you're gonna fall into the void, make a commitment to it. But I guess even that'll get boring after a while.

[He shrugs. He's pretty good at 'detached', but not so good at 'apathetic', because he just genuinely doesn't care about a buuuuuunch of shit.]

How long've you been around?

i................ HELO

[survivorsguilt]

[Ellie lands heavy on her butt, and at first she just assumes this is another one of those stupid jumpscares; albeit a really abstract one. Then she spots Taako, wild eyed, and puts two and two together.]

Jesus. Maybe stick to less forceful magic when there's other people around?

[Ellie pushes herself up off the ground, and attempts to scoop her frazzled hair back into her ponytail. She really has no room to talk, with the way she's been reacting to the scares.]

WAGGLES EYEBROWS, HELLO

[pocketspa]

[He shakes out his own limbs, ridding himself of latent static.]

There's people everywhere, hombre. 'Sides, no promise you were real either.

[Ugh, there's kids here. Like honest-to-god children. It's one thing when kids put themselves in danger and another thing entirely when they're dumped in it, and there's a line there Taako's not incredibly happy this place has already crossed.

So, a little begrudgingly...]

You alright? It wasn't a crazy powerful spell or whatever.

BLUSH!!!!!!!!

[survivorsguilt]

Whatever.

[Ellie rolls her eyes, but she can't stay too mad. He's right, and he's not being an asshole about it.

Just as begrudgingly:]

Yeah, I'm fine. What about you? Those vision things suck.

u3u kissu

[pocketspa]

[Okay, okay, she's alright, he can wipe this from his conscience. Seriously, he can't put himself in the position to start worrying about a second child. Angus isn't even here and he's already exhausting enough.]

It's no big, they're nothin'. I've been through, uh, way worse. I may not have a ton of hp but if I lost it to some fakey-fake bullshit I'd be super dead by now.

[Even if, like, technically, all of Wonderland was fakey-fake bullshit. Then again, Edward and Lydia weren't, so...]

Haven't used a lot of spells lately, so, thought it might send a message or somethin'. Hit these weird gods up with a reminder that weather exists.

<333

[survivorsguilt]

HP?

[A video game fan she may be, but an actual player? Uh. Not exactly, no.]

Yeah, well. Good luck getting anything through to them. Did you know you can text them? Seriously. It's fucking weird.

♥

[pocketspa]

Yeah, like, how many hits you can take until you're, uh, unconscious, my dude.

[Good, don't burst his bubble, he's too pretty to be fake. But honestly the more he hears about these "gods" the more skeptical he gets that they're... actually gods.]

Seriously? You can just call them like hey man, maybe stop doing all this shit? Probably wouldn't listen, though, but it sure sounds like you could leave some good messages.

check my icon name

[survivorsguilt]

Whatever you say.

[She doesn't get it, but she also doesn't care enough to pursue it. If this guy wants to talk like a weirdo, that's fine with her.]

Yeah, you'd probably have more success talking to a literal brick wall. Who knows, in this place, it could be brick wall monster.

AYYYY

[pocketspa]

[Taako always talks like a weirdo, even within the confines of his own universe, let's be real. But he does snicker a bit at her suggestion.]

I'unno, if you can send voice messages, I'd spend a day sending 'em air horns and farts until I get blocked.

[What else does he have to do around this place??]

ii. late, sorry; i got laid out with a cold all week

[ritualized]

((occ: Iri's body isn't a glamour or any other type of illusion spell, but it is a little magical/not what it seems. I know that doesn't really fall under True Seeing but ig Taako could always pop an insight check))

[She's doing an investigation of her own, skirting around those places on the coliseum floor where she remembers the manticores falling, looking for answers she's already kind of accepted. Normally, she'd be quicker to avoid another mage, turn and leave so she could return and investigate another time. Comforted by Saber's positive interactions, Irisviel decides not to withdraw. Besides, she's close enough that he's probably seen her already. And he's real, anyway, not a gunshot near her ear or her daughter's bloodied face centimeters from her own.]

It's a little strange...isn't it? This magic is totally unfamiliar to me. [It's especially nothing like what she would see from her own family, but this is information she's less willing to be forthcoming with. Her voice is even, the same level of deliberate gentleness one might put into soothing someone after a nightmare.]

it's fine!!! i'm late too haha

[pocketspa]

[He's a little absorbed in his own thoughts, not registering it's someone he's never spoken to talking to him at first. He's not used to being out on his own, doing things without his team, that he doesn't even register it's not someone he knows trying to puzzle something out until he's already responded.]

Yeah, I mean, I know these gods are supposed to, uh, have their own thing, but if someone's gonna fuck with us this is halfway to a cluster of it--

[Wait. He tilts his head up and over his shoulder, actually seeing her for the first time and registering it's not someone he knows.]

Uh. Hey. What's up? You lookin' for something?

[ritualized]

[She chuckles into her fist at the double-take. It's charming, in a way, and she's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt despite his appearance.]

Hello there. I could ask you the same thing! [His snooping was equally suspicious, after all. She lowers her hand, smiling politely.]

We did have a pretty unpleasant entrance. I didn't have much time to see if these magics were at all recognizable to me. [After a short pause, she adds a coda.] And I thought it would be helpful to look for something I know is real. [The jumpscare jitters are real.]

[pocketspa]

[Taako's not the type to be caught red handed, or even to care if he has, so he lets being discovered roll off his back easy.]

Well good luck lookin', sister, because this place is fuckin' empty.

[He gestures to pretty much the entire coliseum in a sweep of his arms.]

Seriously. If you can, uh, detect anything new in here, be my guest. I mean, I'm glad there isn't just a hole where monsters go tumbling out of every day, but whatever brought us here's been swept off to wherever.

[ritualized]

[She...was not expecting this level of crassness, at all, and it gets another surprised giggle. It's not offensive in the least, just well out of left field. Lowering the hand she used to cover her laughter, Irisviel smiles. It's hard to be totally casual, yet, but she tries to match him in attitude if not in tone.]

Well, I'll be glad not to meet any more monsters, anyway! I believe you. With no way of recognizing your magecraft, I couldn't assume if you were skilled or not. So I'm certain you're at the peak of your talent--whatever family you've descended from. I'll still take a look for myself, but I'd be surprised if so many of us have passed through here without finding an answer yet.

[The best some simple alchemy could do is mark traces of where power has been, so she'll take those samples back to the limited set-up they've put together in their apartment.]

[pocketspa]

[He'd do a bad job at being sorry; if there's one thing Taako possesses little to none of, it's shame. That being said, he has absolutely no idea what she's talking about at all.]

I... yeah, I know what I'm doing. I mean, this is a sixth level spell, it's not like I'm just messing around here for funsies.

[Can only certain people in her world do magic? Can you not just learn it? Damnit, now he's caught the curiosity bug.]

So you, uh... also do magic stuff? What kind of wizard are you?

[ritualized]

[There's actually something quite liberating about not being recognizable by her hair and eyes. Her model, based on the family's ancestor, had been quite common.

Taako might not understand her relieved smile, but she flashes one quite openly.]

I'm a magus. I know a little alchemy...transmutation and healing, mostly. [She sounds quite humble about it. While Irisviel is a competent magus and proud of that power, she is not as conceited as some other practitioners. She hesitates a moment, evaluating if she's been too forthcoming, then continues to explain after determining that it's fine.] Hiding something by changing its nature isn't unheard of.

[pocketspa]

[Heeeeey, transmutation! He's into that! And frankly, hasn't gotten the time to talk shop in a really long time.]

Hey, same same. My specialty's transmutation too. Not healing, though, I got a guy for that, sorta.

[That's what clerics are for! Even uh, if they're cleric is bad at actually doing it and now might not be able to at all???]

But yeah, that's kinda what I figured they might be doing, making the Door into something innocuous and thinking we'd be too stupid to find it, like a bait and switch sorta deal. Except it's just kinda... gone? Not like illusion-y, just super gone.