EVENT LOG: BURY A FRIEND

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
BURY A FRIEND

characters: everyone.
location: around town.
date/time: october 9-17.
content: the hallucinations begin...
warnings: psychological horror. please cw tags appropriately.

it's probably something that shouldn't be said out loud

October 9 feels like a normal day at first, save for the red lighthouse beam cutting through the darkness overhead. You know by now—or you've heard—that the lighthouse is only active during ferry arrivals and events... And there's definitely no ferry docked at the, er. Beach. The town is quiet, the forest spirits behave business-as-usual, Rastus doesn't know what's up. Whatever's going on, you'll have to figure it out for yourself.

And you will, though the hallucinations are subtle at first: objects moving when they shouldn't, people's proportions looking just a bit off, voices in an empty room, and so on. Is it just your mind playing tricks in the darkness? Might be! Will did warn you all about the effects of living without a sun and a proper day/night cycle.

As the days go on, the hallucinations are harder to ignore, no matter how much you may wish to wave them off as flukes. What's wrong with everyone's faces? When did all the howling start? Who do you hold onto when the world drops out from under you? And those hands...

While you might know it can't be real, it certainly feels real. But at least it can't last forever!

...Right?

QUICKNAV
comms	|	network • logs • memes • ooc
pages	|	rules • faq • taken • mod contact • player contact • calendar • setting • exploration • item requests • full nav

Comments

[lunchbreaks]

No, I mainly just had to explain to him it was the illusions, and that I wasn't simultaneously dying and then turning into an owl demon. Apparently my head turned all the way round, very disconcerting.

But what are you seeing now?

[necromantiae]

Right now?

( ambrose blinks slowly at him and then shakes his head. the man's face seems to melt for a brief moment before it puts itself back together and then falls apart again. )

Your face isn't falling apart right now, is it?

[lunchbreaks]

No, I should really hope not. Oh dear, you seem to be particularly affected by it.

I mean - I assume your hair isn't on fire, but if it is, I am very sorry.

[necromantiae]

Is it?

( at this point, he can't be sure which is why he reaches up and grabs at it. when his hands don't burn and no fire crawls up his arms, he blows out a relieved breath. )

Do you have any idea what's causing this? Did you smoke anything that you weren't supposed to?

[lunchbreaks]

--I beg your pardon? No, I did not have anything to smoke at all, I even quit smoking cigarettes a few decades ago when they finally admitted they weren't good for anyone's health.

[necromantiae]

It was just a question, man. I'm looking for any other explanation that isn't that I'm going out of my head.

( can you blame him, really? )

My apologies. I haven't smoked anything either. I am clean as a bell.

[lunchbreaks]

Well, if you are going mad, then we all are.

Perhaps they have put something in a fog.

[necromantiae]

That would be a terrifying concept.

( they were already dead. were they being punished further because of something they'd once done? )

Like a virus? A bug?

[lunchbreaks]

Possibly. I'm wondering if there isn't anything slow-acting, but the last thing I remember that might have affected everyone was the meteor shower. I don't think that's it...

...Perhaps it's a glitch?

[necromantiae]

A glitch?

( why does that sound more ominous than a bug or a virus? )

How do you mean?

[lunchbreaks]

Ah, I don't know if you've noticed, but several... shall we say, metahumans? Powered individuals? Magic users? Seem to be disadvantaged here, particularly with healing and light-based abilities. I think perhaps there is some ensorcellment over the entire planet, and perhaps whatever it is is fluctuating.

[necromantiae]

Oh, I've noticed. I'm one of them.

( and while most of his magic was fine, anything with lights just...fizzled. he hasn't tried to heal anyone but he definitely noticed the lack of light. )

I'm pretty powerful but I'm not that powerful. You have any idea who could put a spell over a whole planet or something?

[lunchbreaks]

[ He shakes his head no. ]

No. There's... God of course, but I don't think She's done this.

[ Because it seems spiteful. ]

Are you a witch?

[necromantiae]

God's a woman?

( well, that explained a lot of things. he chuckles. )

And that's one name for me, yes. Witch, warlock, devastatingly handsome magic user. All three are perfect descriptions of me.

[lunchbreaks]

God is an ethereal being, my dear boy-- they [ he almost says "we" ] aren't men nor women, but I have always thought of Her as a mother, hence. She.

[ To be fair, he hadn't bothered with pronouns until human languages were invented, and by then human mothers had been invented, and therefore. She. But anyway. ]

--Do you prefer the full title? Witch, warlock, devastatingly handsome magic user...

[ He pauses here for a name. ]

[necromantiae]

Ambrose Spellman, at your service.

( he pauses to add a very distinguished boy before breaking into a laugh. )

Ambrose is fine. And you are, my friend?

[lunchbreaks]

Aziraphale.

[ He reaches out a hand to shake Ambrose's. He is delightful. ]

Just the one name.

[ To clarify. He lost the title awhile ago. ]

[necromantiae]

Just one name, hmm? Like Prince? Cher?

( how very artistic of you, aziraphale. )

What sort of a name is Aziraphale?

[lunchbreaks]

Oh, I don't think I've met Prince or Cher yet. Are they here as well?

[ Sorry Ambrose, he doesn't even know who the Beatles are, this is a lot to expect. ]

--And it's, um, biblical. I suppose.

[necromantiae]

( oh dear, ambrose feels faint. he might have to sit down for this one. )

I...don't think they're here, no. I hope not. There haven't been any excellent concerts so I doubt they're here.

( and if they were, he's mad that he's missed out. )

Biblical? I've only skimmed through that book. So many words.

[lunchbreaks]

[ Oh good, so he won't notice that Aziraphale isn't even in the bible by name. Rude, leaving him out like that. ]

Yes, so very many.

--Are you feeling alright, Ambrose?

[necromantiae]

Besides the fact that I'm hallucinating and you don't know who Prince is?

( was that a hallucination too? )

I'm fine and dandy. But, I don't know if that'll be the answer when your face starts melting.

[lunchbreaks]

I don't know who a great many people are, but perhaps we ought to sit down somewhere. My face isn't melting.

I think I would tell you if it were. I'll let you know if yours does, if you could kindly confirm if it is or isn't really the case, I would highly appreciate it.

[necromantiae]

Well, your face isn't melting right now but it was and that's...not good.

( obviously. ambrose rubs at the side of his face and sighs. )

The fact that this is happening again is very annoying.

[lunchbreaks]

Yes, I know. I was hoping it meant whatever magic they have over this place is waning, but..

[ He snaps his fingers and the light he's able to conjure is very pale and not bright. ]

Unfortunate.