fablelands | TDM/September.

TDM/September.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away...
You snap awake with a sudden jolt, the sounds of nature surrounding you. The ground is warm beneath your hands, a press of fabric under your head. Sit up. Look around. This isn't where you fell asleep. Not even close to it. But with no one around you, answers as to how you got there in the first place are a little beyond your reach for now.

If you decide to head off, don't forget your bag. You'll want that if you plan on making it out here. If you want to survive. And if you don't want to move, well...good luck. There's a shadow on the prowl. A rustle of leaves, a snap of twigs. Glowing eyes in the distance...

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Characters find themselves waking up on the bare ground (or a bed if they're very lucky), a leather pack beneath their head, and entirely alone. It's not where they fell asleep that night. Isn't even close. The sky is the wrong shade, the ground isn't quite right. The only note of familiarity are the clothes on their back.

Searching through their pack, characters will find a change of clothes, a few food rations, and something personal to them. They'll also find a pouch of wooden coins and a shard of mirror. Before they get a real chance to investigate those items though, they'll hear a rustle in the distance. The sounds of something moving around.

It's their cue to get moving too. And somehow, all characters find their feet guiding them in the same direction. Off towards the Great Lake, less than ten minutes walk away, no matter where on the island they first woke up.

Welcome to the island of Leutheria.

Welcome to the first ever event/test drive for Fablelands. Above is an arrival prompt that players are welcome to use to introduce or test out any characters they are interested in bringing to the game. Below is an on-going event that will be taking place throughout the month of September (though the wolf will still remain a constant presence on the island for the months to come). And of course, you are free to use this post for any other prompts you wish to use, or mirrorshard conversations too. All threads are able to be used as game canon, providing both players agree to it, and can ultimately be used for bonus AC if you wish to.

If you have any questions, please direct them to the FAQ.

And without further adieu, let's get on with the show!

premise | faq | taken/claims | locations | wishing well | bonus ac

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away...

You wake to the feeling of being watched. Of a set of unfamiliar eyes, of warm breath on the back of your neck. A jolt back to the land of the living, and it's gone. No matter how quick you are, how sneaky, the source of the disruption has long since disappeared, so you have no choice but to try and ignore it. To continue on with your day and try to set that moment of strangeness aside.

You eat, drink, speak with others. Perhaps you explore a little. Whatever it is you choose to do for the day, that feeling from the morning won't return. And by the time the sun sets and the moon glows brightly above, you've likely set those moments of strangeness aside. It's not like it's anything new, after all.

It's the same again for the next few days. No better, no worse. Something best ignored, right?

A speck of blood on the doorframe. That wasn't there before, was it?

A snap of twigs in the distance. A crunch of leaves.

Claw marks gouged deeply into the door.

Into the wall above your bed.

Scraps of red fabric, turned darker with blood. Pieces of fur. Of flesh.

Do you run and hide? Do you fight? Whatever you choose, it's definitely time to make sure your body parts aren't scattered next...
...what a horribly big mouth you have.

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Since first waking up on the island, characters have been stuck with that feeling of being watched. It isn't a constant. Isn't more than a few seconds at a time, dotted throughout the day. Investigation has never turned up much, and there's never been any sightings of the cause of it all.

Until now.

Throughout the first half of the week, characters will find themselves suffering from that feeling of being watched on a far more constant basis. Rather than it being a one-off, few seconds occurrence each day, that feeling will last for minutes at a time, and on multiple occasions.

However, it isn't until the fifth day that they'll start stumbling across physical signs of their monitoring. There are claw marks on doors. Spots of blood on the paths outside. A crack of twigs in the forests, or the imprint of bloodied paws in the snow.

Ten days in and those signs start finding their way indoors. Wet footprints, tinged with red. Claw marks in the walls, the floor. Torn sheets and the smell of wet...something. Whatever it is that's been watching you, its finally decided to come and say hello.

Two weeks in and characters will begin to have sightings of the creature, its fur dark and its eyes a glowing yellow. At times it looks like a wolf, prowling in the distance. At other times, it's walking on its hind legs, almost human were it not for the muzzle full of gleaming sharp teeth. Get too close, and it slips away like a shadow, gone between one blink and the next. It decides when to reach out to characters, not the other way round.

It's after characters finally get a good look at the creature that it starts leaving...gifts. Characters will start to find familiar items from their home worlds amidst the mess. The remains of a childhood pet, perhaps. Photographs of loved ones, faces torn almost beyond recognition. It's only once it delivers its final gift that the creature retreats to the trees again: a blood-splattered item of clothing that clearly belongs to the person the character misses the most at the time, alive or dead.

[credit 1 & credit 2]

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[Gamora's heart skips a beat. She can feel that true and powerful affection in her chest. Even if she didn't know all too well Thanos would never accept Peter's feelings, always dismiss him as a boy with a crush that needed to be pushed to act like a man worthy of his 'daughter,' that feeling would tell her the truth. Somehow they're together. She's never been more afraid and happy at the same time.

She stands there numbly as he collides with her and yanks her into his embrace. This can only end in pain so she may as well fall apart again. She sobs against his chest in regret. She should have never let any of them love her. She should have killed herself years ago to spare them all this. She can't take it back now so all she can do is let it out.] I love you too. I'm so sorry, Peter. I'm sorry.

[ the moment she says i love you back his grip turns bone-crushing, or it would for anyone else. he's never letting her go again. ]

No- no don't. Shhh, it's okay. It's all gonna be... okay. [ somehow. his face presses desperately in against hers as if they could make everything else disappear just by clinging to one another. ] It's my fault, I should've- I shouldn't have hesitated.

[ he made her a promise. god, he hates it when she cries. peter smooths back her hair and lets her get it all out. ]

[Cybernetic limbs help when your boyfriend has you in a death grip. She welcomes it. It's healing considering the last man who had a grip on her. Gamora gives herself a minute to grieve before settling down. Her voice is shaky, but clear as she talks.] I asked too much of you. I should have taken care of it myself a long time ago. I was selfish.

[Now everyone is going to suffer for it. He'll tire of her resistance sooner or later and simply go after the mind stone to force the answers out of her.]

How can you say that? You are the most unselfish person that I know. Really.

[ his eyes still shine with tears as he pulls back enough to catch her eyes, but there's a budding smile on his face now. the thought of her killing herself to spare him is too much to bear so he never allows it to be a fully realized thought. for however long, they're in this stop-gap and they need to make the most of it. they need to find a way to exploit thanos' ignorance of their reunion somehow. ]

Like Mother Theresa except a lot prettier, and less old.

[She forces a shaky smile. There's no sense arguing it. Neither of them are going to budge on their positions. They have bigger problems like the psycho who claims to be her father. Gamora finally reaches up to cup the side of his face while the question of what will happen next eats away at her.] What are we going to do, Peter?

[They appear free if nothing else. They're together. How can they turn the odds back in their favor?]

[ he leans into her hand automatically, eyes sad even though a tremulous smile works its way across his lips. ]

We're gonna win, Gamora. Whatever it takes. I met these weird guys- from Earth? They're gonna fight him, too. We can do this. I know we can.

[That actually sparks something close to hope. Thanos only ever lost on one world. It never escaped her notice that the team Thor mentioned was based on Terra. Gamora's eyes widen as she toys with the idea that just maybe they could launch a decent resistance before Thanos obtained any more stones.] The ones Thor mentioned? The Avengers?

Is that what they were called? That makes a lot more sense than 'Arrangers.' Re-arrangers, maybe. As in: I'm gonna rearrange your big, stupid, purple face!

[ he nods seriously, satisfied with that. ]

There was a guy in an armor suit, a wizard and a teenager who ran away from his school trip. ...Okay, when I put it that way it sounds lame, but I'm telling you, they were cool. Not as cool as me, but like, that's okay. I'm the leader.

[An honest smile tugs at her lips at the first part. She always admires his spirit even while unsure he can actually accomplish what he's setting out to do. Her mind quickly goes back to what he's telling her. She becomes certain of one thing: Peter may actually be right. This could be a path to victory. She'll need to assess them herself, but this sounds promising. She lets herself truly hope for the best.] Your home planet was the only one that ever successfully drove off an invasion by Thanos' forces. It doesn't matter what they sound like. If we can bring our forces together and remove the stones from Thanos, we could win.

[ he draws back a few measures reluctantly, his hand resting gently on her arm in contrast to the desperate hold he'd had on her a moment ago. ]

How can we defeat someone who has control over reality itself? Wait. That's what the wizard is for! Dope. These Avengers guys are smart. Do you think they'll show up here?

[Her hand slips away from his face only to end up taking his hand in hers. She laces their fingers together and nods. Magic isn't her area of expertise, but she knows enough to understand its value against Thanos and the stones he's wielding.] Thanos will be back for me. If they're planning to confront him, they'll eventually end up here whether they know it or not.

[Now it's time for the obvious question:] How did you find them?

[ peter squeezes her hand in his and feels a calmness settle in his chest he hasn't felt since the moment she was taken. ]

He'll be back for you, but we'll be waiting here to ambush him. Like Seal Team 6. It'll be totally awesome. Plus, yeah, those Earth guys with the magic stuff and even Thot or whatever his name is. [ he takes his free hand and puts it over his eye in an obvious mock of thor. ] Oh- right. We tracked down one of Thanos's ships. We're getting close, Gamora. It must have gone to Earth to find one of the stones and picked up those three like space barnacles instead.

[Gamora mulls that over. That's actually a very feasible plan. It's predictable, but frankly every move she makes is going to be. Thanos and Gamora know each other's strategies all too well at this point. It's better to follow Peter's lead at this point.] The Black Order is either getting sloppy or their warriors are that fierce. Most likely both.

[They must suspect on some level that this is the end one way or another. They're not all crazy enough to crave it. Her hopefulness peaks at the rest. He's right. She's honestly proud of them.] He took me to the Sanctuary. Any ship belonging to a member of the Black Order would have it programed in as a destination. You would have found me.

[Whether he survived would be another matter, but either way she's pleased with them.]

That was the plan. [ he admits with a bland little smile, tucking a strand of stubborn hair behind her ear. ] It's so good to see you. Like, super good.

[Gamora offers a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. What can she say really? That she didn't think they'd see each other again? That she came to terms with the fact she'd die with her captor than the family she loved so dearly? She says the only thing worth saying that still counted as honest.] I'm proud of you.

[That's true for the record. He did well without her as far as she's concerned.]

[ has she ever said that to him before? his chest swells a little despite himself, ducking his head as he accepts her praise. ]

Thanks- Oh! I have something of yours.

[ he reluctantly pulls away from her so he can pick through the pile of stuff he left behind. on top of his bag is her sword and he now lifts it and extends it to her like it's something precious. ]

We're back to you - sword, me - guns. I mean, if that works for you.

Edited 2018-09-01 04:56 (UTC)

[She's never said it outright. Gamora let him know with a look or gesture. She's never actually said it. Having put him in such a terrible position she knows she ought to. If it comes to that ever again? Gamora doesn't want him to spend his life guessing what she thought of him. Love and pride are two different things.

Gamora raises a brow when he pulls away. She can't be sure what he has for her until he presents it. She smiles with all the fondness in the world. There's her blade: miraculously whole unless you forget the fact that the whole thing was an illusion down to its destruction.

She accepts it gratefully, putting it back in its rightful spot shortly afterward.] It works for me.

[Gamora lets out a soft albeit brief laugh before stating the obvious:] You really never lost hope you'd get me back. [Amazing consider who they were dealing with.]

[ he nods once, accepting her acceptance. he likes their teamwork, and he already knows they'll need it here even if it isn't real. either way, the next part earns a frown, just the slightest crease of his brow and downturn of his lips. like he isn't used to doing it, mostly because he isn't, especially not around her. ]

If he had taken me, you wouldn't have given up, right?

[ it's soft, but underneath is a demanding current, nearly desperate. he grabs onto both her arms and stares deep into her eyes, needing to cement this. ]

I ain't never gonna give up on you, Gamora. But you can't give up neither. If you give up, we fail.

Never. [Gamora confirms as he takes her arms. She can see what he's doing here. She knows it's necessary. A part of her had given up the moment Thanos entered the equation. She'd do anything to save them. If Thanos wasn't so arrogant he might have realized taking Peter would have gotten her to comply. He isn't built to take pain the way she is. Lucky for everyone involved that isn't how it happened.

She stares into his eyes for a solid minute before relenting. He's right. She needs to snap out of this.] I'll fight for us.

[ he nods, accepting her promise at face-value. he has to, right? peter uses the contact to push in and catch her lips in a firm kiss, as if he could seal the promise physically somehow. ]

If we're here the rest of the Guardians are, too. We'll find them, then we'll fight. And then comes my favorite part: winning.

[Gamora leans in, more or less thinking the same thing. She wants to live for them. Those feelings of hopelessness will not disappear overnight. She needs to get past them for her family. The physical reminder will make a difference in that respect. She pulls back with a nod.] If we can... When we do this, it will really be over, Peter. We could do anything.

[She takes his hands into hers, determination coloring her features.] I'd like to ask you something afterward.

[ he takes both of her hands, nodding so that his forehead brushes her with the move. ]

Damn right we could do anything. LIke... get Kevin Bacon's autograph or go to a Stevie Nicks concert.

[ oh. he chews on his lip. ]

You're not even gonna give me a hint, are you?

[She smiles at the idea of meeting her idol or listening to the music she enjoys so much in person. The thing is Gamora would like that. After everything, it'd be wonderful to go enjoy Peter's culture in person for a while.

That smile widens at the question.] Do you want me to spoil the surprise?

[ she's so beautiful when she smiles. he doesn't even notice the goofy (even goofier than usual) expression he's wearing, shifting a little closer to snag her around her waist. ]

Surprises are rad, but... The suspense might literally kill me. Are you willing to take that chance?

Not this time. [She quips as she looks at that stupid face of his. It fills her heart with warmth she never thought she was capable of feeling again or really ever. That makes what comes next easier even if she looks as close to nervous as Gamora gets.]

After we've defeated Thanos- [She takes a breath to remind herself it could happen; they can will this into reality. They've taken down a celestial being. This isn't insane. She wills the little girl who thinks she knows better to shut up.] -would you be willing to be my husband?

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aromantically - 2018-09-28 20:32 (UTC) - Expand

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