Event log: Who What Where Wendigo

[hadrielmods]

Who: Everyone participating in the wendigo event!
What: The accidental-cannibalism-turned-horrifying-monster event that is the Who What Where Wendigo event!
Where: All around the city
When: Feb 14th-March 1st
Warnings: Cannibalism, body horror, evil monsters lurking around.

Don't forget to check up on the Wendigo Guide that Ami posted!

On February 14th, Rage and Fear decide to give Hope a little bit of help taking care of the residents of Hadriel - they'll provide some food for awhile. How nice! Except, of course, that there's an extra ingredient in this food. A can of beef stew? Yeah... that might not be beef. But hey, it still tastes pretty good! Unfortunately, some spirits slipped through the Door last time it opened, and they're ready to possess anyone who participates in cannibalism - even if they don't know it.

Anyone who eats the provided meat will be possessed by a wendigo spirit. Over the course of twelve days, they will transform into a monster that feels little but rage and hunger. While at first it can be explained away easily enough (people are super annoying, and isn't everyone a little hungry most of the time?), by February 18th, wendigo transformations are impossible to ignore. A few days after, on February 22nd, the anger and cravings of the wendigo spirit will overcome all other emotions, and possessed characters may begin hunting.

The physical and mental transformation will be complete by February 26th. The possessed characters will have lost themselves completely at that point. While physical healing (done by a character with Hope's blessing or another healing ability) can turn back the physical and some mental effects, they will remain possessed until death or until Hope removes the wendigo spirit - which can only be done on the altar of Hope's temple. So have fun dragging your angry, possessed friends there!

On March 1st, Rage does Hope a solid (because she feels sort of bad) and kills all remaining wendigos. Upon revival, the spirit will be gone and the character will be fully recovered. Hopefully no one holds what they did while possessed against them!

► This log covers February 14th-March 1st.
► 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!
► Please report any character deaths right here!

Comments

February 14th (CLOSED-ISH to the folks in SPIRE TWO)

[circumitus]

If it is one thing that experience has taught Rey, it's never to trust anyone who goes by Fear or Rage. While some starving locals may appreciate their 'goodwill', she is less than inclined to believe that they are a charitable type. After all, whatever it is that they're distributing could be anything.

With the leftover meat she salvaged from having hunted the giant bears and snakes in the caves, Rey's decided to be a little generous herself. It isn't like she needs to eat that much -- while hunger is a basic need that even a synthetic being such as herself knows well, she just as well enjoys the taste. A few bites can keep her going for a whole day, which was a necessity when you have spent most of your life just struggling to enjoy the whole routine that is eating.

Carrying the basket Hope had left at her door, Rey makes her rounds, starting from the bottom of the second spire. Food packaged, some meat is raw while others have been dried into jerky to better last one through this period of hunger, or simply to tempt them from the gods' offering.

Hopefully, before long, this won't be an issue once they get the damned dam fully functional, if it ever does at this rate.

Once at the door, she straightens herself and gives a couple knocks with her free hand to see if anyone's home. Or living there at all. They will open the door to find a deadpan, scar-faced woman toting her own basket of goodies.


[ooc: As the plot progresses, I will post an OPEN starter elsewhere, for anyone who would be interested in Rey healing your character. Feel free to reply to my plot comment at any time!]

Apartment 401

[synthedick]

Rey doesn't have to wait long at the apartment only a floor above her own; the door opens a moment after she knocks on it, revealing Nick Valentine, the synth she rescued when he was buried alive not a month ago. He offers her a smile even before his eyes trail down to the basket in her hands.

"I wasn't expecting visitors so soon after moving in here."

[circumitus]

It actually comes as a surprise to find the synth opening the door. Honestly she hadn't really checked to see who all lived where in the spire, as this is her first housing call.

"Am just making some rounds. Don't suppose you eat, do you?"

Judging by his chassis, she'd have to wager no. Still, it's worth asking.

[synthedick]

"Not unless I want an excuse to visit a friend down at Power Noodles back home," Nick answers. At least Takahashi will likely be just fine in his absence -- the old protectron was practically a staple of Diamond City, after all.

Deciding it can't hurt to explain his stance just a bit more, he continues: "I can eat, but I figured it's probably best to leave what food there is here to the folks who need it. The gods are 'charitable' enough to bring people back from the dead, but not to feed them so they don't starve to death in the first place."

[circumitus]

She makes a face. "Have a feeling that that isn't an option here."

He does make a pretty compelling point, though.

"So you wouldn't feel too hurt if you're exempt from the list?" Rey gestures to the basket of meat that she's carrying. This time she isn't saying it out of malice or irritation, but there's a slight, good natured hint in her monotone.

[synthedick]

Nick understands easily enough what she's offering; he can't help but smile again. It's good to see another synth (whatever sort she is) helping out -- it's a strange sight, even given what he is, but a good sight nonetheless.

"Not at all," he replies. "There aren't too many people living in this building. You might check the others, if you've got enough to go around."

[circumitus]

It isn't like Rey to be so accommodating to strangers. At least, she wasn't always like that. There would be that part of her that would've rather just sat back with her stash and watch people starve, see if they get poisoned or sick or whatever off the gods' food. But there's also that other part of her that's more inclined to help.

"Been lots of empty rooms so far. At this rate, could probably feed some of the people in the other spires." She shrugs. Will she do it? Who knows.

[synthedick]

"It'd be better than feeding an old machine like me," Nick remarks.

He hesitates a moment before adding, "I'll let you get to it, then. If you feel like having some company when you get done, I'd like to pick your brain more, if you don't mind."

[circumitus]

It's a good thing that Rey has enough social tact not to take the 'pick your brain' part the wrong way, all things considered. Since she has taken apart a synth before. (Just a little decapitation plus ocular dismemberment. No big deal.)

"Sure, wouldn't mind. Catch you later."



...She will swing back some short time later, however.

[foundafamily]

It doesn't often take Firo long to get his bearings in a new place, and part of that comes from simple neglect. The idea of other worlds isn't exactly easy for him to believe, but it's easy to accept if he just doesn't think about it.

Not thinking about it is one of his top priorities--an easily accomplished one. The bigger one is getting the lay of the land. That's what he's doing, essentially loitering, when he sees Rey with her bundle.

She's not someone he's seen before, but that's never been the kind of thing to stop him from walking up to someone. "What's up with that?"

He hasn't touched much of the food yet, wary of finding himself sick or poisoned even temporarily in this new place. The feeling of hunger isn't too pleasant by itself, though, and he has to admit that he's plenty interested in her offerings.

[circumitus]

Since arriving here, she's made a point in becoming as self-sufficient as possible. This is no different. She glances between Firo and her bundle, and huffs. "A lack of trust in our hosts is what's up."

Rey can't tell whether or not he lives here, but that's neither here nor there to her. In the end, she's showing no prejudice towards sharing the wealth.

Plus she'd like to get rid of all this extra food before it starts to go bad. Rotten meat in her apartment is hardly a welcoming fragrance to come home to.

"You want any?" Rey asks after a pause. "Have plenty more where this came from."

[foundafamily]

"Not gonna lie, that's kind of nice to hear."

The part about her lack of trust, that is, but he doesn't bother to specify because it applies to the offer as well. Firo can't deny what Ladd pointed out to him in Alcatraz: he's always suspicious of his fellow man. Especially the ones who think they're gods.

Not only the 'gods,' though. His hands remain in his pockets for now.

"How do I know I can trust you, huh?" He grins, joking just a little. She's already a better bet considering she's someone he can judge up close. Although... He's really not sure how to peg her yet. She has the scars and muscles of one who hasn't had a soft life, but her open offer would be very unusual among his kind of people.

[circumitus]

As Firo sizes her up, Rey takes some mental notes as well, from his accent to his style of clothes and his reply. If nothing else, she can learn more about her fellow cave prisoners here this way.

"You probably can't, other than taking a stranger's word for it," she admits. Even she can't deny she would feel a little suspicious of someone approaching her with meat. If anything else, his reluctance also tells her something. "But it's either this, taking whatever it is the 'gods' are sharing, or starve. Better to pick the lesser evils."

The way she says 'gods' might as well be said with air quotes. Even after what she's seen so far, she's just as skeptical to validate their complexes.

She then shrugs. "Can at least tell you that this is leftover bear and snake meat. You're not a vegetarian, are you?"

[foundafamily]

Probably best not to volunteer that one of those evils may not be so evil for him personally--not just yet.

He listens closely, blinking blankly at her question. "Vegetarian?" What. "No. Don't really care what it's from, so long as it's not poisonous."

Wait, are snakes poisonous? He tries not to think about that too hard lest the Szilard-o-pedia pop open and volunteer answers. Something's already trickling into his head about the difference between being venomous and poisonous, but he doesn't really care to hear it.

Instead of giving a straight answer right away, he zeroes in on her inflection when speaking of the gods. Food is comforting. But knowing someone else may be skeptical is comforting too, and maybe through this he can learn more about her and the reliability of her meat offerings.

His tone is curious, not combative or judgmental, "What've you got against those people, huh? The 'gods'?"

[circumitus]

"Well, you can neutralize the venom if you cook it, if that were the case." She shrugs a shoulder. "But no, these are fine. Have eaten some without any adverse effects."

At least that's out of the way -- Rey has indeed sampled the goods.

Despite bearing one of the gods' blessing on the back of her right hand, Rey arches a brow like the answer to Firo's question should be obvious. "Knew someone once who tried to play as the divine savior of humanity. Turned out he was a brainwashing fraud. Am not going to validate the god complex of a people who are prone to torture and parlor tricks, let alone buy whatever it is they're selling right now."

Some people would call her paranoid, but considering what Rey has seen these assholes do, she believes that her doubt is justified.

[foundafamily]

Firo snorts in disapproval of this mystery 'savior.' "A fraud? There's a shocker."

Though to be fair, he'd claim that anyone, no matter what they could do, was a fraud if they played themselves up like that.

"That's all good to hear." His smirk takes on a tinge of amusement. "All things considered, so far you're soundin' a lot less weird than some of the other people I've met here."

Like the guy who didn't know what cars were. Or those freaky 'gods' themselves.

"If your offer's still open, what would you say to sharin' a bite?" It's a little more comforting if they both eat.

[circumitus]

Rey could almost join him, but she isn't the laughing type in front of people she's just met.

Instead she just scoffs at his next comment. "Don't know about that. Am plenty weird."

Perhaps not weirder than a guy not knowing what a car was or someone who's going around telling people she's a goddamned god, but she's weird. Even by her own world's standards.

She hesitates, eying and studying him for a moment before she reluctantly nods.

"Sure. Um, will need a kitchen to cook with, unless you want to dine on jerky. The steak's just better."

Your place or mine?

Apartment 101

[vendetta]

Suffice to say that Miller doesn't get a lot of visitors, so when the knock comes at his door, his first response is suspicion. Really, the only person who usually comes by is Big Boss, and even that is sporadic. Also, his knock doesn't sound quite like that.

With a frown, Kaz picks himself up from his couch, using his cane to make the short trip over to the door. He's got his gun holstered at his chest, but he won't be paranoid enough to greet his visitor with a muzzle in their face.

He opens it a crack at first, then a little more as he spots that scarred face. He's seen this woman around, given that they're neighbors, but as far as he's aware they haven't spoken before. Still, when has he ever turned away a pretty face?

Miller's gaze shifts down to the bundle in her arms. "House-warming gift?"

[circumitus]

This isn't something that Rey imagined herself doing when she first showed up here, but she figures that it is a hell of a lot better than letting people either starve or drop dead from food poisoning. At least, that's what she anticipates is going to happen when you take food from someone who calls themselves Rage.

"Something like that." She gestures to the basket of wrapped up meat and jerky. "Don't know about you, but am finding it hard to believe that those 'gods' are offering today's food supply out of the goodness of their hearts. Hope you don't mind bear or snake instead."

That is, if Kaz feels the same way about the situation. Hopefully dire bear steak sounds more appealing than a helping of some soylent green.

[vendetta]

Until now, Kaz has done what he's had to in order to remain fed. At times, that's meant taking the food that he's found in the broken down storefronts, even though he knew that Hope was probably the one who put it there. He's made a go of fishing too, but it's not something he can keep up all the time. Maybe if he still had his physical prowess, but...

As it is, he's found himself relying a lot on others. Maybe too much, in fact, but if it's a choice between taking gifts from the gods and taking them from other captives, the decision is simple.

"I don't think they do anything out of the goodness of their hearts. But I don't mind at all." He'd had to learn survival techniques long before he ever ended up in Hadriel. Gamey meat like snake or bear isn't the most satisfying, but he'll feel better about it in the end. Even so, he hesitates for a moment, taking a closer look at his neighbor's face. "What's inspired the generosity? It seems like most people here have an all-man-for-themselves kind of outlook."

[circumitus]

With so very little regard for her own well-being, it's never occurred to Rey share the outlook Kaz just described. She was never a team player, but that didn't mean she was entirely without a care, either. It wasn't like all versions of her past selves were horrible people who'd leave others to rot. Or, in this case, to possibly starve or consume possibly poisoned food. At least, she's settled on the prospect that the food is likely poisoned.

She shrugs. "Just figured it'd be easier to avoid as many casualties as possible before they happen. Worst case scenario, it would be rather inconvenient for people to drop dead all over the place. Even if death isn't, evidently, a permanent state here, don't trust Hope to bring everyone back if there's a mass body count."

This is her logic and she's sticking to it.

[vendetta]

It's a pragmatic response, whether or not it's true. Some people prefer not to let on that they're simply compassionate people who want to look out for their fellow man. Miller himself can be that way. He always seems to find a way to justify the good that he does these days.

So he nods, taking her answer at face value. "Did you want to come inside, or are you just dropping it off?" Pathetic as it might sound, Kaz could do with the company. He hasn't had the chance to get to know any of his neighbors, even if he's kept track of their comings and goings when he can.

He pulls the door open a little more, allowing her to see into his apartment. It seems that everything is kept neat and orderly within it, and it also looks like much more space than any one person would need.

[circumitus]

"Suppose if you wouldn't mind."

Judging from the way the guy looks, he doesn't seem all that threatening. He also looks like he's seen his fair share of bad days, too.

Her assessment doesn't stop there, when she enters the apartment and gets a good look at the area. "You been living here long?"

Whether she's talking about the apartment or the underground city in general, she'll leave it up to him to decide. Either one would be a right answer in her books.

[vendetta]

Once she steps inside, Kaz closes the door behind her and then makes his way over to the couch. There's enough space to sit three people comfortably, but he chooses to sit on one side of it, giving her more than enough room to do the same if she wants.

The answer to those two questions are more or less the same. This is the apartment that Kaz chose for himself right after he arrived here, and he hasn't seen much point in moving. Being on the first floor might make him more exposed, but so far the only person who's broken in is Snake, and that's an entirely different situation.

"A little over two months now," he responds. "Kazuhira Miller, by the way." He should at least give her that much, seeing how she's helping him out. He doesn't realize they've actually spoken before, seeing how their last conversation had been over text message.

[circumitus]

As Kaz seats himself on the couch, Rey drops the basket off on the kitchenette counter. She glances to him out the corner of her eye, as she starts extracting some of the packages from the basket.

"Not too much longer, then." With herself having only been around for a little over a month now, but she's gotten the impression that this thing hasn't been going on for too long.

After storing some of the packages in Kaz's fridge so not to let the meat go bad, she makes her way to the living area and settles down on the couch, sitting a good comfortable conversational distance.

"Rey," she says simply, bearing no last name to give.