arcanarumlogs | [EVENT] The Visitations

Entry tags:

!event log

[EVENT] The Visitations

Who: All Characters
When: November 29-December 19
Where: Your Home
What: The Visits
Warnings: For language and other dark elements.

This is going to go a certain way! Each time there is a visitation by a ghost, we will post a thread. Then, we will respond to that thread, if you indicate you want us to do so, or if you will have other characters in the thread. Remember, the Ghost of Christmas Past will have all your characters in the same moment of time, so if you want to be able to interact with each other, go ahead. Additionally, you will be viewing the moment in time that your denizen was killed from a third person perspective, so you can meet up with anyone during that time, but you cannot talk to your denizen. Once your denizen is dead, you are free to move around the island.

During the viewing with the Ghost of Christmas Present, you will be in the same situation, but only able to view things within your own canon. This means you can’t really speak to anyone but the NPC of the Ghost, which will be played by the mods.

For when The World shows up, we will have a separate thread for her and Kuma will be responding to you with her. You can freely talk to anyone here as well, in the game.

If there are any questions please respond to the thread provided below.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It can't be much too further to the castle. As he laughs quietly at Derek's comment, he glances up on the looming edifice, stuffing his hands firmly in his pockets and trying to keep his attention focused on their stupid banter. It's definitely more pleasant than what's actually going on around them, weird as it may be, and he swallows as the scent of smoke floats acrid across his nose.

God, he just wants to find Scott and Erica already.]

So while you guys are doing your howling thing, if I get caught up in some sort of agony I can paint the giant HELP ME across the sky with all the colors of the wind. Got it.

[ The moment they get closer to the castle, he can't help but pause in his tracks to look up at it properly. Despite the banter, and despite the way he's managed to keep an overall straight face up until this point, he can't exactly help the grimace that pulls at the corners of his mouth and brow. High up on one of the ramparts of the castle, he can see a hide, fresh from a kill, draped over it.

It's of a great, horned beast, eyes frozen wide and teeth bared in a now-mute roar. ]

That's probably not as effective as Pocahontas would have you believe. Maybe we can teach you how to howl.

[ The humor that was laced beneath his deadpan is gone now. ]

[When Derek stops, so does Stiles, his vision drawing up to the castle. It doesn't take long for his eyes to catch on the skin; or to make the implication of who it is.

The beast.]

Well, that's pleasant. [Grimacing a little, he nudged Derek with his shoulder, just slightly. They couldn't stop here. ]

You remember how Scott sounded like a dying cat? It's going to be like ten times worse. [Pausing for a beat, his mouth draws into a grimace, recalling Red's body.] ...Tell you what, give it a week or two, in the first full moon, and I bet I'll be a pro.

[ At first, Derek doesn't move with the nudge. But then he rolls his shoulders and neck, a familiar motion that doesn't do much to relieve the tension that's set in and won't be leaving any time soon. Eyes dropping to Stiles again, then forward, he begins their trek up to the castle again. ]

You'll be fine. [ It's a short answer, but he keeps going up to the thrown-open gates into the castle courtyard. ] If you do wind up shifting, you're with the pack. Nothing will happen to you.

[Stiles is quiet for a minute, walking side by side with Derek into the castle gates. It's such a heavy, weighted thing to consider--Red's fate might not be his. He's not planning on getting cut in half like someone's Thanksgiving turkey any time soon. But the wolf thing is more tangible, far, far more likely.

Derek's right though. He blows out into the cold night air, jamming his hands tighter in his pockets and looking everywhere but at Derek--and at the beast strung out on the roof.]

...Yeah. I figure of all the places to be more or less forced into lycanthropy, it's better to be surrounded by a bunch of, you know, lycanthropes. [There's a beat of silence before he lowers his gaze, then slowly brings it up to look at Derek again, dead in the eyes.]

...it'd be easier with a pack, yeah?

[ Derek isn't fazed by the silence, and is instead briefly thankful for it as he focuses on their surroundings. The castle is, of course, chaos and destruction. But it's hard to tell what's figment and what's actually there, like Stiles and he are. So far, it just seems to be the two of them-- hopefully Scott and Erica arrive soon.

He lets out a sound of agreement at first, before he slows to a stop and looks back at Stiles. The question doesn't strike him until he's processed it a second time, and he looks back at Stiles with faint surprise and something else, something deeper. He doesn't want to apply a name to it. ]

Pack supports one another, when it's needed most.

[The look on Derek's face is...weird, but not in a way he'd never seen before. He almost looks vulnerable, like it's hard to believe that Stiles just said what he said.

To be fair, Stiles is kind of unbelieving that it came out of his mouth, too. But it's the right decision. Scott's probably going to kill him later, but it's the right decision. He needs both of them, people with experience; combined with his outsider's experience, and what he saw in the forest... Stiles wasn't exactly looking forward to becoming the one thing he pretty much avoided at all costs, but something at admitting that he'd be pack made it go a little easier.]

We kind of need it here. I kind of need someone who might know what he's doing, maybe. Scott and I don't know what we're doing like 90% of the time, and to be fair, you only know like...half that, but...

[He takes a breath.]

We...I need an alpha.

[And god is that weird to say.]

[ The idea that the human of their pack, as ragtag and dysfunctional as it is, is the one that finally takes the step to actively join it is not lost on Derek. He continues to stare at Stiles as he speaks, that same (vulnerable) expression on his face. But it starts to steady, starting at the edges, as his jaw tightens and his brow knits together just slightly. It's not a disgruntled or irritated look, but rather a more serious one as he lets everything settle on him.

Here, in Arcanarum, he isn't a wolf as he was in Beacon Hills. But the sense of pack, the wolf's instincts, were never so much a part of his senses or abilities as they were simply him. His need to help the members who make up his pack remains as strong as ever, and actually hearing Stiles say I need an alpha is as strengthening as it would be if there was that almost tangible bond. ]

We might not know everything, but working together we'll be able to figure it out. And while we're all together, nothing will happen. To any of you. [ He tips his head forwards, towards him, keeping his eyes as he does. ] I won't let it.

You sound like my old boy scout leader.

[Finally tearing his eyes away and snorting a little, Stiles leans to the side, looking away from the castle and back towards the gate. Being in this entire place is giving him the heebie jeebies, from their unprotected backs to the half tangible, half phantasmic deaths and general violence going on around them. It's easier just to focus on Scott and Erica's pending arrival, or on the conversation going on between them. He's supposed to feel more grounded, or something, but all he feels like is that a giant weight of worry just got lifted off of his shoulders. Sure, this whole thing was a clusterfuck, but hell. He was in good hands.

If Scott didn't kill him first.]

Y'know what they say. Ohana means family, all that jazz.

I'm already planning on taking you all out to learn how to track, so why not go an extra yard.

[ The joke doesn't have any weight behind it, as he continues to watch Stiles. Derek is trying to understand the teenagers that have wound up in his care, grudgingly or otherwise, but to him... Stiles always presents the most interesting puzzle. Everyone else in the pack reminds him of someone from before the fire, in their ways, and it helps him to better understand them on a certain level.

But Stiles is something of a mystery he's slowly figuring out. ]

Nobody gets left behind.

[ Half joke, half honest statement. ]

I expect a merit badge.

[Stiles looks up at the sky for a few moments, biting his lip and bouncing his leg a little. He's got a million questions, and Derek might have the answers--but it's hard enough picking a place to start. It's strange to start considering him as...an alpha--even the word still tastes strange on his tongue, like he hasn't quite accepted his fate. He can't possibly be the only one, either; when his eyes catch on the skin of the beast again, he tears them away. It makes his stomach churn to imagine it.

In retrospect, that'll be the strangest thing of all; Stiles isn't sure when he went from wanting Derek dead to being horrified at the thought.

Pursing his lips, he inhales.]

...So. We know she's a werewolf, like the ones back home, and we know she can be killed the same way as the other one. She was a wolf when they killed her, too, like Peter, but like...an actual wolf. Can you do that? Are there other types of werewolves--apparently there's another one on the island somewhere, do you think it's the same as you guys? Or...

We'll make some.

[ Derek follows his eyes, briefly, looking up at the sky before they drop down towards where the pelt is hanging high. Like a flag of victory, and of warning. His eyes stay on it for a time, as he remembers the wolf in the woods-- remembers burying Laura, binding her to her wolf form with burial wolfsbane-- and something in him tightens.

His fears aren't for himself, though. He's come close to dying more than once that he's not so much afraid of death as he's just trying to prolong it as best he can. But for the pack, so scattered and grudging as it is, he doesn't want anything to happen to them. His death threats are gone in this place, his concern focused on keeping them alive and together.

Figures it'd take getting torn away from his territory to really wake him up about being an alpha. ]

Alpha forms vary from individual to individual. Laura was similar to Red in appearance-- about the same size, too-- but with Peter, he was warped by his need for revenge. Things probably operate differently here than they do back home, but there's a chance that there used to be different kinds of werewolves before they adapted into what we are now. Myth has to come from some kind of fact, even if it's warped by fear.

[Taking in the information Derek provides, Stiles bites his lip, his brow furrowing with thought. When he mentions Laura, it draws him back to the wolf they saw buried behind the Hale house. Definitely a wolf. He'd been curious about if Derek was able to do that as an alpha, as well, but hearing about Peter seemed to answer that question; he files it away for later, useful information if they ever get off this damn island.]

Do you think there's an intermittent form, or does she just go full wolf? Augh. [Stiles ruffles a hand through his hair--it's starting to get longer, sticking up in strange places. Without his dad around to cut it, and the whole stuck on an island that wants to kill you thing, he'd not really had the time to think about it. It's a frustrated gesture though, and he rests his hands on his head for a minute before letting them fall with a thump.] It's like all I can do to find this shit out is wait, and I really, reeally would rather not. We need to find that other wolf on the island that Fabio mentioned.

[ Turning his attention away from what remains of his denizen, Derek watches him ruffle and pull at his hair. He really needs a buzzcut, but the look isn't bad on him, at least. It sort of suits him, in the way that he looks a lot like he's just rolled out of bed and has no idea what to do with the sudden increase of hair.

He snorts at his frustrations, though it's not humored. ]

Like having a Beta form? It's possible. We'll have to see if we can't research her. [ He tilts his head, thinking about it. All werewolves back home had the Beta form, but Alphas could shift further than that. There was always a bit of an intermittent form, if they prolonged a full shift. But with the mention of another wolf, he looks disgruntled, brow furrowing. ] Do you know anything about them, other than being informed that there's another one here?

Like--y'know. Sideburns, lack of eyebrows, really sharp teeth. Still bipedal. The normal one. [He makes a round gesture at his face, trying to get his meaning across. It's important knowledge; there's a huge difference between stopping a 90 pound, four legged wolf, and a 147 pound pile of bones and skin and teeth and rage. He'd rather not have them find out which is which too late.

At Derek's last question, he shakes his head, trying to remember. That conversation felt so long ago...] It's a guy, and apparently he's not very friendly. I guess that's kind of par for the course, I don't know what I was expecting. There's no such thing as Casper the Friendly Werewolf.

That's typically called the Beta form, even when an Omega takes it. Largely because Omegas are still, technically, Betas. All they lack is a pack. [ Though the fact that he doesn't know whether Stiles would take the form or not is a worrisome one. There is a difference, especially when all of them are human. Derek could take him either way, but not without a fight and some injuries with the deal. ] I don't know, though. Things are different here.

[ The fact that apparently the non-pack werewolf isn't friendly doesn't surprise him, nor does Stiles' comment regarding the information. ] Scott tends to count towards 'Friendly Werewolf.' But we can see if we can get any information out of him.

That's what I'm concerned about. There's this scale of werewolf, like--Werewolves in London, Big Wolf on Campus, the Wolfman, and then there's you guys. How are we supposed to know if this is constant---see, this is why I told Scott he needed to get up on his werewolf lore. Just because she died the same way you guys can doesn't mean she can't be killed by silver, or god only knows what else. And for that matter, how are we supposed to find information on her?! I've been back ages in that log thing, and I haven't found a thing about her.

[He sighs.]

Yeah, I guess so. Getting information by asking nicely, or getting information by punching him in the face until he acquiesces? Because that kind of decides who exactly does the talking.

[ He takes the references in stride calmly, crossing his arms and focusing his attention away from the hide and Stiles, out through the gates. ] Maybe there's someone here who could answer you. Someone that's a native to the island. We'd have to find them, but that's not exactly going to stop us. [ It's a better alternative to finding out through experience, that's for sure. If the pack remains human, he's not exactly enthused about the prospect of Stiles wolfing out around them. ]

Start by asking nicely. If he doesn't answer, then we can go my route. [ A dry joke, but they sort of need it right now. ]

[For a moment he purses his lips, thinking it over. Derek's right, as much as it, as per usual, pains him to admit, but it's going to be harder than anything to find someone who'd actually lived here for long enough to know who Red actually was.]

There's just one problem with that--no one we've met here so far's exactly friendly. Who's to say they're actually going to talk? Especially about potential plan-ruining information. I don't know about you, but I don't want to share anything that's potentially plan ruining of mine, even if they're not nefarious.

[At the dry joke, he raises his eyebrows, exhaling noisily.] Well...guess we'll have to apply that to whatever Arcanarumzen we happen to find, too.

I'd rather not anyone know anything that the pack does. It's in our best interest to play things as close to the chest as we possibly can, and only include those we trust most with information that's relevant to them. Case-by-case basis. That makes investigating off the... network just as difficult, but we need to be careful.

[ As much as he'd like to think he doesn't need to remind anyone, Derek sometimes thinks that even they forget. Stiles sharing information with Waver still irritates him, but the man reminds him in a way of Deaton. Much as he doesn't trust him, he could provide information.

Not about Red, though. ]

If they don't cooperate, it's not as if we have a choice.

[He can practically feel Derek judging him for talking to Waver. But to be fair, Stiles wasn't exactly expecting them all to show up. Besides, he wasn't dumb enough to betray his information to just anyone. There was an uneasy sort of trust between them, but the pack needed people who were outside, too.]

Yeah, yeah, understood. We'd not know half the crap we do already if it wasn't for those archives. [It shouldn't be a problem withholding what they learned...as much as he doesn't want to.]

I guess we need to find out the wolf's name. When this--this is over with, I'll look through the network and try to get it figured out. And then...[And then, how the hell were they going to find someone who lived here.]

[ Though he judges, Derek's starting to actually recognize the fact that not everyone is so distrusting as he is, instead of disregarding it and enforcing his secrecy as heavily as he does. If they can find people that are worth giving some amount of trust outside of the pack, then he's... well, he's willing to ease into it. Or try, anyways. ]

No, we wouldn't. That's a case where it's... fine. [ It's a grudging acceptance, but he offers it nonetheless.

He lets out a heavy sigh, rolling his head to crack his neck as he thinks on how they could find this non-pack wolf. ]

See if you can find a video or audio entry. We can't track by sound as easily as before, but it's still something if we know what he looks or sounds like.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[EVENT] The Visitations

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject