logsinthenight | EVENT LOG: GRAVES

EVENT LOG: GRAVES

EVENT LOG:
GRAVES

characters: everyone.
location: Bonfire Square.
date/time: July 12-19.
content: mysterious shrines appear and bring visions of death.
warnings: likely violence and potentially gore.

time to pay your respects.

It happens when no one is looking, when most of the town is asleep and the rest are inside. A makeshift cemetery has come to Beacon, taking up residence in the middle of Bonfire Square. Each monument, shrine, and altar is dedicated to someone who now resides here, a memorial of their previous life.

Some may be drawn by curiosity, others by fear, and some may simply have to pass through this strange graveyard to get to the Bonfire itself. Whenever a person gets near, the altars beckon with a mysterious urge— an urge to approach, and an urge to leave something behind. They will feel compelled to make offerings at the various shrines, but doing so has a curious effect; it causes one to experience the death of the person whose grave they've honored.

Whether you resist the compulsion or give in willingly (or something in between), you'll also have to wrestle with the fact that a grave exists for you. Will you let your death be known, or try your best to keep it secret? Destroying it sure won't work, as it will return— with a duplicate somewhere else in town.

However you choose to deal with this, one thing is hard to ignore— this a tangible reminder of your death, and the fact that it's probably permanent.

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[ When the offering is made before the grave, the images begin to hit;

A crowd of people stand before a large fountain, all finely dressed and put together. There is chatter about them, tension thick in the air as they were wondering what was going on. They all look up towards seven figures standing on the rim of the fountain and those figures looked back. The thoughts in Elden's mind as he stood beside his six other compatriots was "how are we going to convince these nobles we're in the right?" He felt so tense coming to this thing because every time something went well, something always bad reared it's stupid head.

That bubble of paranoia persists up until Theron, his best friend stepped forward and began talking to the crowd. Elden stood at attention as one by one the other members of the Inquisition began to speak to the crowd. Each had their own words of inspiration or threat. It was enough to give Elden an idea what he needed to say next.

When Nereva stepped down from speaking, she gave Elden a nod and the boy nodded back. He approached, taking centre now so attention would be on him. For now, he would shove that niggling feeling of dread down. He's done this before, talking to crowds, this would be no different. He exhaled a breath to relieve the tension in his chest, eyes closed and then open, his expression shifting to resolution. A boy no longer stands in front of this crowd but a young man with fire in his eyes. ]

Nobles of Fellengar, if any of you have any information on our enemies please give it to us now. The Vizier has lied to you, all of you! He seeks to ruin this city with the help of Larathal, the goddess of Undeath. We've seen his work and the work of his people and he doesn't want anything good for our city! [He makes a wide gesture out to the city, his brows furrowing.]

We've come so far to bring this city back out of the darkness and he would see that come crashing down! He's used children to blow up our homes, attempted to kidnap the rightful ruler of the city, he murdered the leader of our Inquisition! If you value your lives or that of your family, help us now! If you come forward, you will receive fair trials.

If not, there is no place you can hide that will escape the sun's light.

[ His words are confident and bold as he stands a bit taller now, his eyes more significant and carrying with it the power of his goddess and the might of the Inquisition with him.]

You will burn if you stand against this city and the people who live in it. Now, will you stand with us and protect what's good?!

[ He can't help but smile a little triumphantly, feeling as if he his words had reached them alongside his companions. But, soon triumphant turned to shock as he felt it.

An arrow launched and now sitting in his throat. He can't hear it, the screams in the crowd, the screams of his friends. He just hears white, as his fingers shake and blood begins to pour. There's no stopping it as he finds himself on his knees, reaching for the fatal arrow to pull it from his neck. What once felt like victory turned to ash and he could feel warmth streaming down his face. Not blood, but tears. A sickening pit forming in his stomach as he realized he's failed more than just a stupid little speech. He should've seen the archer, he should've cast more protections over himself.

Everything he did to avoid from dying to keep his friends from death all was for naught. His gaze shifts towards Theron, his best friend and not much older than him. The worst fear was that he wouldn't be around to keep the person who helped him the most safe. His chest tightens more as his body begins to shake violently as the terror of death begins to creep upon him. Elden's eyes began to well with those tears of panic, the ones he shed so little as the darkness began to crash around him.

Then he hits the ground, the last words running through his mind;

"Please...please not yet. They need me. I....

I don't want to die...."

Then nothing.]

[ This grave sat like the others, waiting to be approached. A golden figure of a woman wreathed in flames sat on the grave. Above the figurine was that of a golden sun embedded into the stone itself, with the inscription carved in. It bared the words;]

Elden Ashton
Heir and Prince of Fellengar
Oracle of Falesta
1089-1104

[ Now and again the grave does not sit by itself. Instead, the owner of it sits beside it, holding a dagger in hand looking at intently. He spins it in his fingers, with brows furrowed and lips pursed in contemplation and livid look to his eyes. If you approach behind him, he merely says; ]

Looking at this thing...it's like someone just walked around screaming out our private business, doesn't it?

Edited 2019-07-13 01:49 (UTC)

I suppose it doesn't matter to them.

( she doesn't approach the ornate site and instead lingers back, hands folded in front of her and gaze settled on elden's back. she had visited her own grave site earlier but left shortly after without much of a second thought. )

Who or what we were before our deaths... it's all in the past now.

[ He recognizes the voice of the woman, Kara. He turned to look back to her, his face falling into what might look like a child who had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar. His gaze drifts down as he contemplates her words and then finally looks back; ]

I suppose, but...it still shouldn't be up to whoever did this to air all this out. Some things...are too painful to just share so openly. Especially, if you're not ready.

[ He stands up to face her, hands pressed together as he begins to nervously play with his fingers. Might as well be out with it. He lets out an exhale and looks back to the woman with that still lingering sense of guilt]

I-...

I saw your grave, Kara...and what happened.

Perhaps this is there way of preparing us for whatever else might be here.

( she says this as her gaze shifts slightly to the nighttime around them but she is brought back to him as he speaks. for a moment kara simply stares with an unreadable expression but it quickly breaks apart, whatever strength she has mustered leaving her and leaving a frail sight instead. )

Oh. ( she says finally, her voice a half-whisper. ) I'm sorry. I'd say I wish you had seen a better memory but there wasn't many or much at all truthfully.

[ He shakes his head quickly as she tries to apologize to him. As if that would dismiss the fact he had viewed something so private. ]

No, it's not your fault. I stumbled across it and looked so...

[ Gosh, this was awkward. Still, he approaches her his hands going to his side pouch as he rummages through it. ]

It's not going to make up for it...but here. [ He pulls out a piece of paper which he then holds out to Kara. On it is a Drawing. ]

This is her, right? Alice? I...I only got so much of a good look at her face so I tried to draw it the best I could. I know it's not much but, I guess what I'm saying is- [ He pauses, hesitantly because those feelings had been so vivid. Kara had given up on life in her world when this little girl was taken...so... ]

It's to help keep you going.

It's okay. I imagine mine must stand out as it does since it does not bare my name.

( she watches curiously as he approaches, tilting her head but ultimately staring wide-eyed as he removes the piece of paper. although he continues speaking, the words don't quite reach her as she stares before finally taking a shaky breath and reaching out to take the drawing. )

Thank― thank you. ( it's hard to talk, she finds. hugging the drawing close and sniffling. kara doesn't want to cry, not again but god is it hard. ) Thank you.

[ It's hard not to stop his own lip from shaking a bit to see her cry. He knows he doesn't know her well, but, it's just everything. From seeing her death, to knowing she was a mother, to knowing her child died in her arms? It's a hurt that's easily recognized. A mother's hurt. Everytime he see's it, he imagines that this is what his mother's going through. He hopes that someone would do the same for her. He had no doubts that Kara, this woman was good and she deserved better than what she was given, human or not.

He bites his lip though to stop it and places a hand on her shoulder as she holds the drawing to her chest. ]

Kara, I promise I'll do everything I can to help you. We're going to get you back together with Alice. [ He squeezes her shoulder reassuringly. ]

Just...please don't give up. I know I don't know everything about what brought you there or even about you but...you're a good person.

Edited 2019-07-18 00:07 (UTC)

❪ although she holds the drawing close, it's hard for her to look at it again. she hates to see the alice of the picture, bright and alive in its own way when all she can see is the little girl dying in her arms still. but— it's a chance for her to remember that shy, bright and loving girl that deserved so much. ❫

I really want to see her again. ❪ she says, sighing but for a brief moment there is the flicker of a smile on her lips. ❫

But I won't give up, okay? And I'm nothing special— I just want Alice, wherever she is, to be happy.

I wouldn't say that. Everyone's special in their own way. [ He answers, a faint smile spreading on his face as he looks at Kara. ]

And well, you're pretty special, Kara. Mom's...are just kind of like that. I'm sure Alice is all right and happy. She seems like the kind of girl who is going to be somewhere really good, you know?

[ He takes a moment to think and says; ]

Maybe, she's with Falesta right now.

❪ she really doesn't know about the idea of being anything special simply because she was someone's mother. after all, she had failed the most important part of being a mother... hadn't she? still, kara tries to keep her thoughts positive and remember what prompto had told her about this being a second chance. she just had to keep looking forward.

still the words earn him a curious look. ❫

Falesta? Is that a God of your world? ❪ a guess, but she assumes given the way he speaks. ❫

We're dead. There is nothing private anymore.

[It should trouble him, but there is a sense of freedom in it. The same rules and expectations were gone from his shoulders. Death wasn't so much emptiness anymore but destruction of their old lives. Now what were they? Footnotes in a history long past and these were the markers of their lives.]

We all have the same end.

[ Nothing private? He can't but help feel his shoulders feel tense as he looks at the dagger another time. Even if everything he did was back in another life when he was alive there was something about looking at this grave that just took something from him. Perhaps the choice of what was on it.

He moves a bit closer and just starts to try and carve the "Ashton" part from the stone. The way he presses the knife into the stone and how he goes about it is tense and angered. ]

We all may die but it doesn't mean I should have to be reminded of how I was started.

Do you think we were sent these graves intentionally?

[There was a talk of someone running this world, capable of resetting it or sending others away. They knew so little about them, it was hard to say if this was a game or some sort of test for them. Instead, it seemed like test of some sort.

One he wasn't certain he was managing, given all that he was forced to learn and endure. It seemed it was the same for Elden.]

How you were started?

Hm, maybe, but for what purpose who knows. Maybe just to make us not trust each other depending on how we died.

[ After all, having known how he died ? He looked pretty damn foolish. He puts the blade of the knife to the name Ashton and slowly cut into it. At the question, he stops, going silent.

Should he say? It couldn't hurt anyone now. He takes a sigh, taking another cut at the grave. ]

I wasn't born because I was wanted. My mother doesn't regret having me, if anything she wanted me, but, I wasn't anything else but an experiment or a spare to my father or his Vizier. [ Maybe it's vague but he knows the truth is far more complicated. ]

Edited 2019-07-25 22:22 (UTC)

[He couldn't explain Elden's exact position, but there were elements that were familiar to him, similar to his own life. Close enough that it made him uneasy about discussing it.]

An experiment for what? [It might wrong of him to ask, as this seemed like a delicate subject, but curiosity overpowered him.] What would they have done with you if they had the chance?

I don't know the circumstances of my birth. Apparently my mother wanted me, but I grew up not knowing her. My father might have wanted me for a prophecy or something else.

I...I was meant to basically be a stand in vessel for an evil goddess. Like.

Really evil. [ It makes his skin absolutely crawl just thinking about it. Same goddess who gave him nightmares of being buried alive and drowning in dark, poisonous sludge. It'd make anyone sick thinking about it. ]

Thankfully, it's never going to happen but just the fact that was there thoughts on it? Not a great feeling. [ However, he looks back to Jon when he brings up his parents. From the sounds of it he could only guess that the other might not have known his parents. ]

Did you ever get to meet them and ask?

[ Elden's had enough of looking at the graves for the time being. He's visited a few and left his offerings but each time came with some new way another person died. He can't help but feel angry and upset because it feels like he was spying in on someone's life and how it ended.

More over, he can only imagine what people might think if they stumbled onto his. He didn't want people to think he had been foolish or childish when he had said those words before his final moments. He had already had enough of that already and with how bitter he was feeling about all this? He didn't want anymore "I told you so's" or other remarks of that nature. He's not sure why he says it next, but it feels like the only way to lighten the mood;]

Right about now, when people we're miserable in my group, we'd suggest to drink honey tea. This one guy, Andrew? We use to say it to him a lot and he'd get so annoyed. Probably, 'cause the spirit in his head loved to say it to him.

...It was kind of funny in it's own way. You know, to remind us there was still something good?

[ If your character decides to leave an offering for Elden here's where you can leave them. ]

[ elden will be receiving from daylight:

it's a large paper fower that he had made himself, intricate in its design and carefully made with the appearance of the extinct icelandic poppy in mind. the colour is a muted but beautiful yellow, each petal of this flower clearly made with love and care.

if elden inspects the flower's pistil, he'll see that daylight has left something inside it. it appears to be a smaller gift - a note written, to be specific. huh. ]

Edited (how did you make that a double bracket, dwtools. how.) 2019-07-21 08:05 (UTC)

[ What does the message saaaaay; ]

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EVENT LOG: GRAVES

Elden | Original

Death

The Grave

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Bonfire

Offerings

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