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INHUMAN COURTESY

I. PUSHING UP DAISIES

cw: depiction of hanahaki, mention of blood, mild body horror

The Frightful Harvest ended on a bloody, eerie note, but the Respite's most welcome interlude has proven exceptionally fruitful. The sky's darkened again, moons struggling to glow through turbulent clouds, but crops all over Stygia have grown dense and healthy, herbs and plants and flowers aplenty. Normally, it'd be a time to rejoice, even as sleet pours and winds grow bitterly cold -- and it might have been, had greens and stems and petals NOT elected to blossom inside you. Your lungs, specifically.

It's an uncommon side effect of the Harvest, affecting those who foster affection or attraction towards another, triggered only by a stray thought. Almost as if punished by Oblivium for harboring any kind of positive feelings. The worst part is that the object of your desire doesn't even have to be in the Netherworld for you to be afflicted. Over the span of three months, you'll gradually experience various degrees of the "harvest's curse", depending on the source of your feelings:

► PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL ATTRACTION & REQUITED LOVE
It starts with an itch. Your throat tickles, an odd sensation in your lungs, slightly constricted. Allergies? Not quite. It worsens overtime, and days pass by, perhaps weeks. You cough, a little more every day, a little deeper, and then it happens: petals, stuck to your lips as you wheeze and try to empty your chest. Marigold, carnations, daisies, peonies... Thankfully, for you, it's more of an annoyance, sporadic at best and leaving you exhausted at times, but you're in no immediate danger. Unfortunately, not all Restless share the same luck.

► UNREQUITED LOVE
It doesn't matter whether it is truly unrequited; as long as you think it is, whether you're fully convinced or distantly resigned, you get the whole package. It starts the same way the lesser variation does, gradual, and with unsavory (!) additions: lilies and dark red roses. The first slowly spreads its poison in your body, inducing fevers, skin rashes, blistering in your mouth and stomach aches. The second pricks your throat bloody, making speech difficult and breathing even more so. It spreads throughout Stygia, and if most wound up meeting their end in the past, some speak of a highly hypothetical cure. It's believed that if the object of your affection confesses equally strong feelings for you, the curse should rapidly subside. If this option isn't viable, Doran promises that all Healers in Hale are working extremely hard to find a solution. In the meantime, symptoms can be partially soothed with poultices and spells that you can find in the Marketplace or in Serene. Some merchants might even take pity on you and offer them for free.

if your character has heard of similar diseases in their home world, they're absolutely welcome to share their insight on the netherwork or anywhere else
the evolution of the disease can be as gradual, as fast or as severe as you wish it to be
a mini quest to retrieve ingredients for a cure will be available in december or january
by february, all characters should be cured

II. DO NOT PASS GO

cw: mention of blood, torture, branding, violence, forced captivity

Full-swing investigations concerning the Harvest's murders have begun, though the mysterious rider has yet to resurface. The day is young still, but no matter; the Hierarchy firmly believes that the creature was summoned by a group of renegades, fully intent on finding and dismembering the organization. Perhaps even literally.

If you've spilled blood not your own in the previous event, the Hierarchy finds you. Do they know? It doesn't really matter; they've targeted you for reasons they won't divulge, persuaded of your involvement -- and off to the Gallows you go. Each of you receives the same greeting when you arrive, held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with the letter F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’, and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the Hierarchy's hospitality. Writhe and scream and glower as much as you want; next thing you know, something heavy hits you across the head, and you collapse.

When your vision slowly creeps back, your eyes adjust to a dimly lit stone cell. Your feet are secured by iron cuffs tethered by one long chain, and you lie in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. It's dark; the air is bloated and filled with agonizing shrieks. Dead vines scrap the walls of half-crumbled buildings, weather-worn stone pillars surrounded by withered clumps of grass. You may converse with your cellmates: the guards patrolling the Gallows couldn't care less, convinced that no one could possibly escape anyway.

► Ironically, a magical barrier around the Gallows prevents magical/spiritual abilities from functioning. However, characters who roam free still can absolutely sneak in! Be careful not to get caught, though!
► Loud disagreements might attract unwanted attention. A single guard will come, and if he finds nothing else amiss, will threaten them to be quiet. A second violation earns the offender a rap on their bare feet with a club. A third violation will cause the offender to be gagged. Note that in order to beat or gag the offender, the guard must first open the cell.
► If you share affinities with Gargoyles, incapacitating a guard in any way will draw the attention of one. It'll show you to the gates where you'll be able to escape, taking care of sentries on your way. You should probably keep a low-profile from then on, and avoid showing-off your brand.
► A secret passage may be found through a mausoleum nearby; an arrow of flaking red paint marks the entrance. Or is it blood? Inside, it's nearly pitch-black. Perhaps, if you're lucky, your vision extends as far as 30 feet in front of you, but occasionally, the darkness is broken by clinging phosphorescent fungi or crawling luminescent creatures, and from out of the silence echo sounds of dripping water. You're underground, and Abysmals can be encountered here if you're too loud. You should also watch out for cave-ins, but as you get farther away from the general region of the Gallows, your magical abilities gradually come back.
► Eventually, a long, broken staircase will lead you to Hale. If you're injured, you'll be sent to the main infirmary; characters with healing abilities or knowledge are super welcome to help!

Luckily for you, there are so many prisoners it's a difficult task for the Hierarchy to always keep track of all of them. Your brand, however, is a dead giveaway, so you might as well try and find a way to get rid of it; you might hear through the grapevines that the dead skin of Badaliscus can be used as bandages, and overtime, the brand will fully heal and disappear.

III. TO THE RESCUE

As you attempt to escape, or perhaps once you’ve successfully snuck in, you come across a terrifying spectacle: in front of you, impaled through the shoulder by a spear, a weary humanoid figure covered in blood. The body is being restrained by additional shackles on each arm and leg, which are linked to chains anchored within the walls. There's a guard nearby, armed to the teeth… and still you decide to free them.

The guard’s magic is just as useless as yours, and while impressive in size, dexterity definitely isn’t his main strength. He hits hard — with brass knuckles, a chain mace, and a sturdy shield — and his stamina almost seems endless, but it’s not. Keep evading, and he’ll eventually tire enough to topple over. It’s also possible to have him chase you around if you don’t go too far, which would allow someone else to grab the spear. Once he’s too exhausted to go on, you can either kill him or chain him to the wall. The keys are in his boots, and you’ll find a bottle of water as well as a small vial of ointment in a satchel on the ground, where he previously stood.

The prisoner is a young man, perhaps in his mid-20s. Once freed from his shackles, he immediately keels over, though he’s not unconscious. He thanks you with a deep and raw voice, begging for water. You can tend to his wounds if you’re able—the ointment quickly soothes—and when he finally stands again, he asks you a question: “I’m a stranger to you, and you could have died. Yet, you chose to free me, unaware of my past. Of my crimes. Of my virtues. Why?”

Regardless of your answer, he smiles, a private understanding that turns the stretch of his lips enigmatic. There’s a bubbling chuckle in his throat, very hoarse, and then he hisses, touching where you’ve helped him apply the ointment on his body. “You know what they say. If it stings...” He looks at you, deliberately pausing there and staring bold into your eyes. “... then it must be working.”

It might feel like there’s more to what he’s trying to say, though it’s pointless to ask: he bows, and then he slowly inches away from you. “Until we meet again.” White and thick tendrils of smoke envelop him, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and then just like that, he’s gone.

so you’ve chosen to free him, which in turn has generated a future plot point that’ll occur some time in february. some of you WILL see him again.
what he says to you is a clue.
you can answer his question OOCly right here. it’ll have some bearing on the way your character will be approached re: future plot point.
if you've voted no and would still like to participate, you could always allow your character to be convinced or reluctantly dragged by another!

ooc note

► As always, check out the Notice Board if you'd like additional prompts! Older quests from previous months are always available as well. You'll also find the Calendar right here.
► You'll find already answered questions just here, and if you'd like to ask new ones, ask them here!
► For fun's sake and similarly to the puck adventure, you may play it out in different groups or on your own, and still obtain the same results as everyone else whether your characters threaded together!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He

looks at Callisto a moment, expression unreadable. It’s just… you don’t come across many people who boldly say they have more experience fighting bears. And, like, living to tell about it.]

A fishing pole is the most convenient method, but you can use a spear.

[Don’t use your hands, Callisto…]

It depends on if you want a challenge or not.

[ he notices the gaze, but as always... it's difficult to discern what it means. had he thought him some sort of monster? either way, it wouldn't be the first. but, considering the man before him seemed impossible to faze, he decides it was a pointless concern.

with that resolved. regardless of the method, he presumes he would still need to get much closer. hence, he's also removing his shoes. it'd be more of a pain to dry them out, after all. #freefeetpics ] Would it be that much more challenging, I wonder.

Shall we see who captures one first? [ if you're speaking challenges...

despite having no working knowledge of this fishing spot or of fishing itself, he seems oddly self-assuredly. ]

[NO FEET. Don’t make them free. It’s very funny that Callisto has the decency to get undressed for the water, though. D has not and does not remove any of his atrociously disgusting gothic attire.]

Very well.

[He might would have mentioned to some other people the playing field was uneven, but to Callisto he says nothing.

Closing the distance, he steps lightly right into the water up to the bottom of both knees. And then he stands still, but turns his head to glance at Callisto.]

[ i was going to tw for feet pics, bc... he def. has one in canon, but i spared us both.

if there is one thing callisto learned from being trapped in actual body heat meme in canon (and apparently having experience with it outside of that), wet clothes = bad. no clothes is always better than wet clothes 9/10. which is a vague consideration as he sees d...

remain as is.

though, that isn't to state it is with zero judgement. his eyes seem to zoom in on the fact that the other man is now entering up the water. boots and pants and all. he stares him down, a quiet: ] Well, it's a lost cause now... [ he hands him the homemade spear-like object for now. this time, rolling his sleeves up.

he stares into the water for any shadows to scoop up. his reaction time and coordination actually tended to be fairly good. but, it definitely doesn't account for the fact that the fish are far more slippery than he expected. ]

[Excuse me, but WHAT is Callisto's series? HELLO? We'll have to send Nu the Callisto feet pics...

The no clothes being better than wet clothes is a great motto, Callisto is correct. What's funnier probably is that D is not exactly a fan of water, especially running water. That is why, as a Hunter, and as half of a vampire, he had waterproofed nearly his entire outfit.

Stepping in the water this far isn't so bad.

As expected, he politely rejects the spear. Callisto may try with it. Honestly, he could probably catch the fish with his hands if he tries. However, from inside the long cape, his pale hand brings out three very thin, wooden rods. The ends have been crudely sharpened. He splits them, holding a single one in his right hand.

Then he just stands there patiently and waits.]

[ nu suddenly given callisto feet pics with zero context... links her this thread.

water proofing an outfit... is honestly a wise choice. i guess he can admire the way the water just beads off those clothes? a technology that he isn't aware of. except, his actual cape from home has similar properties thanks to magic— it's also fire resistant and always keeps itself insulated. so he supposes it shouldn't be that much out of touch to what he was accustomed to seeing. except, the novelty of someone being in the water with that much clothes is still enough to give him pause.

when he sees d bring out his own weapons, his eyes dance curiously. is that normally he weapon of choice or something he's adopted here?

nevertheless, he tries not to fall behind him, but being the type who was fairly vocal, even about the fish that slipped through his grip initially, he definitely if quite proficient in scaring the fish away. ... he could probably learn a thing or two about d. ]

They may not be very fond of me.

[YEA!!! hi nu, i mean dimitri’s player.

Callisto is having a time… D turns his head to watch the other man be empty-handed. It’s okay. Fish are wily.]

You make too much noise, [he says quietly.] I can see why you are better suited for bears.

[A… joke…? He delivers it with such monotone, though.

The hand with the pointed wooden stick moves so fast it’s almost a blur. He throws the needle downward through the air and straight into the water near Callisto’s legs. After a second or two, a fish floats to the surface with the wood skewered through it.]

[ hi dimtri-mun!!! 👋

for as boisterous and vocal as callisto could be, he actually takes no offense at the advice. instead, simply scoffing, more at himself and his apparent lack of success than anything else. he also isn't blind to the fact that...

the man makes a joke. if only he knew... ] I do like the idea of their warm blood everywhere, yes. [ he responds in tune.... but, just as he says this... mouth kind of just falls slightly open???

what in tarnation....?? ]

Were you perhaps a fisherman in your past life? Or a terrible assassin who just missed their chance to wound me?

[If the unhinged-sounding declaration is meant to shake him, it does nothing. He really accepts Callisto’s bloodthirst without batting a lash.

It doesn’t scare him away or disgust him.]

I’m just a vampire hunter.

[Was? Stakes come in handy no matter how small they are.]

You can have that one.

[ a vampire hunter. something so specific and yet it sounded as if it came straight out of an old novel. he supposed even in their world where magic existed, there were still those who were curious about another sort of fiction. honestly, d didn't speak much of himself... ]

"Just"? [ he picks up the fish and stake. he pulls it out of the fish, before tossing the fish to the shore. ] You seem quite modest. [ with that said, he concentrates enough just to throw the stake into the water, and then as the fish dart away, stabs his own spear into one of the fish attempting to scape their poor fate. rip.

with that, his expression lights up momentarily, before he picks it up and walks over to where d is. shoving his fish on a spear.... close up to him. blood and all. ] How's that? Like killing a vampire? [ lol, not even close, but he thinks he's full of jokes. ]

[Unlike much of the Nobility, the most D can afford himself is to be modest. Maybe it's the human side of him, offering humble balance. Maybe it's because he's so old.]

There is no glory in that profession, though some may think so.

[He is "just" a vampire hunter. Not for clout.

Studiously, he watches Callisto end the life of one of the fish who probably didn't even realize they were almost free. As Callisto approaches him, he doesn't move. He's bothered more by the invasion of personal space than he is the gore and violence; his lips thin gently. But he doesn't turn away or lean back.]

It's similar.

[Actually. Which is given honestly in the face of Callisto's teasing.]

[ he would argue that there were lots of people who would have placed a lot of stock and interest in his job. but, he decides not to say it, even if in fact, he is also not impervious to the curiosity that comes with.

but, he decides it'd be something he'd pester him about later. besides, callisto isn't sure how receptive the man would be to a sudden (and additional) onslaught of questions. he got the impression that the more eyes there were on the man, the more likely he would be to make himself all the more scarce. whether it's true or not is another matter entirely, but he somehow gets that feeling...

if just because he was used to those who made it a point to elude him. ] Then, maybe I should consider a change in occupation? [ but, despite what he thinks, he's a bit disappointed when d doesn't react, but maybe that's to be expected from a man who was likely used to gore.

that said, he takes the fish off the skewer if just to hand it over to d directly. ] A present.

I don't think that kind of life would suit you.

[If he's being frank. No offense to Callisto; it isn't he thinks the man is incapable, only the lifestyle of a vampire hunter is one of the lowliest of professions.

His eyes drift down to the offered butchered gift. Wow... thank you... He's blessed.]

If you want to be a vampire hunter, the first thing you should learn is never work for free.

[He doesn't take the fish. His eyes lift to look at Callisto's face again, expression level. Don't give him your gored, slimy fish.]

You can keep it.

[ wow!!!

but, he doesn't seem to take actual offense. instead, seeming to find equal humor in it regardless. ] You'd be surprised what kind of life "suits" me. [ that said, he does appreciate the advice. unfortunately for d, the more he does... the more he's likely just cemented himself as someone who isn't a bad guy in the least. ]

You know in cases like this, it's normal to accept it as a token of goodwill. [ but, he seems to shrug, also throwing fish #2 to the shore.

which brings him to another point.... ]

Do you think they're edible?

The money would be more important to you here than the goodwill. It seems as if they take anyone at all to the Gallows.

[Don’t assign him not a bad guy in the least!!!!! He is a terrible guy! Worst!

He is being sassy in a slightly monotone voice.]

If they’re cooked.

[Unless Callisto enjoys the raw fish, then who is D to stop the man. Enjoy your sashimi and sushi honestly.

D maneuvers by Callisto to take up the needled fish and also toss to up onto the bank—after getting the needle back.]

Are you planning to turn them into a meal?

[ he pauses at the mention of the gallows.

it's an odd concept of having the gallows in a place like this. hence, why he could see how others could remain with some inkling of hope even in a place like this. it wasn't all too different from living a normal life. ... well, as normal as a situation like this could be. that said: ]

Do I look like the sort to eat it raw like some beast? [ a sigh, but he's not actually offended in the least.

... and to be real, for survival, callisto probably could eat it raw. so he doesn't discount the possibility entirely. but, that said: ] Not necessarily. I was only interested in trading them, but I just figured maybe there was something else to them.

Even the most put together man would eat raw fish if he were starving.

[Just saying. He's lived a long time.

He turns again toward the water, raising another one of those slim wooden needles. He doesn't throw it quite yet, standing still and poised.]

You could ask some of the locals. Their organs or scales could be used in something perhaps.

[ so all he is hearing here is that d thinks he's put together.

(not actually said at all). that said, he doesn't necessarily disagree. he supposes even the most prim and proper of society were nothing less of greedy beasts to begin with, so a starved man becoming a pathetically ravenous beast would be nothing new. ] Hm, considering someone tried to poison me quite recently, I'm not sure if the locals are any more reliable.

[ but, he may still ask. that said, he also prepares himself to spear another fish. maybe, they could make a decent sum out of this after all. ] But, I'll let you know if I survive another day. [ a joke, if just because... it wouldn't be the first anyone was after his life, and well, he was confident in his own right. that said, it backtracks a little: ] You mentioned vampires...

What are they like?

[DON’T JUST SAY WORRYING THINGS AND NOT EXPLAIN. D looks at Callisto for a long moment. Sir? Someone tried to poison you? It seems like he might ask, but then he doesn’t in favor of Callisto’s own question.

The needle is still hovered, and he looks at the water, the fish trying to find a quiet moment to venture back.]

They are prideful, powerful, and ruthless, [he says in his usual low and level voice.] They ruled the planet for a long time in the aftermath of human’s destruction. But they also created advance technology and expanded on sciences humans never could.

They call themselves Nobility.

[He tosses the second needle through the surface of the water, spearing another fish.]

[ that's how you leave people on their toes!! aka, this is just another tuesday...

to be honest, his estimation of vampires shouldn't be surprising, but it kind of is. perhaps, it's mostly due to his severe lack of knowledge on the subject. after all, it's not like he can simply base his perceptions on fiction, right? or that's how he feels. which might have been a good call in this case.

he almost wonders how d can say this all so calmly, including: ] Human's destruction? Sounds like a pretty terrible place to be, where you're from. [ then again, he sometimes wondered if the destruction of the empire was an easier choice in the larger scheme of things. a fact he doesn't admit aloud, but echoes in his head on occasion. a thought, he pushes out. instead opting to stare at the way the blood pools from d's newest fish victim. ]

Do you resent them?

[Don’t point out the blood in front of his salad, hello.]

It is dangerous and difficult. But there is some good in it.

[He scoops the fish carefully up with more tenderness than most would show a simple fish. Gently, he removed the wooden needle.]

Not necessarily. I simply believe their end had come. They are but transient guests in the world like the rest of us.

[ he's kind of surprised to hear that and it's probably evident in the way he seems to stare at him. mouth agape for a second, before he recalibrates. ]

That makes one of us. I doubt the place in which I came from was so terrible, and yet there were times where I thought of it as utter dogshit. [ his... other favorite word. ] So I wouldn't have held it against you.

Transient guests? Well, if you view them that way then I have no doubts. Honestly, I always thought they lived forever. But, I suppose even creatures of fiction don't live forever. [ maybe some magical beasts could be considered similar in that regard. ]

[DOGSHIT. Callisto is valid... Imagine being from a world that isn't ever terrible. Couldn't be them.]

Vampires do not age, but they can be killed. They have many weaknesses. They aren't a perfect being.

[He sounds a tad bit petty >:\ saying this. He can't believe vampires would be out here pretending like they're the best things since sliced bread only to have a whole group of weaknesses. Get good.]

[ thanks d... a true tomo without realizing he is one.

but taking in the next set of words, he does spear yet another fish through. there's a small smile as he seems to take some off sense of accomplishment in getting the hang of it. that said— ] That many weaknesses? So if we encountered one here right now...

What would be your method to end them? [ what if tho....

because what would be more fun than discussing how you... are going to rip someone up? ]

[He is quiet while Callisto spears the fish, eyes watchful. Like he doesn't want to scare it before it's captured. Good job, Callie!!]

It would depend on the vampire. And it depends on the world. Stronger vampires won't die from things weaker vampires would, but this may only be true on the Frontier. However, any vampire will die from being impaled through the heart, no matter how strong.