acatalepsy_logs | ( the sickness: phase two )

( the sickness: phase two )

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the sickness ends.

the temple.

The Temple, shortly after Astoria's burst of energy, is in a constant state of growth. Trees are bursting into existence from seeds in mere seconds, flowers are growing wherever magic lands . . . and the Temple is abruptly a-buzz with energy, magic crackling throughout the air. You may find a tree in your house, or flowers suddenly growing along the walls, or plants wiggling their way through the stone walls of the buildings of the Temple. All of a sudden, the place looks very overgrown.

The Forest of the Fey seems to be responding in kind, too. Sprites are exceptionally active, darting out of the Forest and into the Temple with increasingly regularity, playing basic little tricks on the members of the Circle they can find. Flower crowns are made at an alarming rate, and there might be a few fruit-food fights that break out with the sudden abundance of peaches and apples that appear on the grounds. Learn how to duck!

With the magic comes the sudden fluctuation of energy: canon powers flicker on and off, as do the powers granted by Astoria. You feel more like yourself, you suddenly have access to energies you did not have previously in the Temple However, it's a double-edged sword -- it is not constant, and it may be more trouble than its worth.

And, remember: the Sickness is not fading immediately. If you make it to Stage 3, then you're stuck with sensory deprivation for at least another week or two. Sorry, friends.

lake dona.

Lake Dona is a massive body of water, stretching outward for so far that it almost seems like an ocean until you see that the water is fresh. It is surrounded by long, leafy trees that dip into the water and has a variety of ancient ruins scattered around it -- weathered stones set into circles at seemingly even intervals, old buildings that seem to mirror the Temple in construct.

In addition to the ruins, there are a network of caverns tucked along the water’s edge, just underneath the surface on the western side of Lake Dona, that appear to go underground into murky darkness. The actual entrance to these caverns seem to be underwater, seemingly guarded by merfolk, but poking around may seem to be more trouble than its worth.

There is plenty of wildlife to be found within the lake itself, ranging from freshwater mermaids who would rather you stay the hell out of their backyard to a rather large and suspiciously friendly plesiosaurus-like creature (some would say that she prefers to be called Nessie) that seems intent on checking out who you are. The lake teems with odd-looking fish, most of which seem to be okay to eat, and plenty of plant life! But who knows what lurks in the depths below . . . that giant sea-monster looking thing has to be eating something.
PROMPT IDEAS: Here are some prompt ideas for this new area! However, don't feel limited to such ideas! Feel free to fish, to explore, to swim, to poke around . . . it's always possible Astoria may check in on your character, too, once she is feeling better! ;)

1.) The Great Pumpkin The overgrowth of plants have caused a massive growth spurt in a lot of the trees, including the fruit trees that sprinkle themselves throughout the Temple. However, the fruit themselves seems to be growing at a rather . . . alarming rate, resulting in a few pumpkin-looking squash growing to the size of small boulders in the fields. Hope you have a lot of spare time on your hands to make a hell of a lot of Temple-pie, because these squash aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

2.) Food Fight!: Those damn sprites are at it again, and are collecting fruit off the ground and throwing it at people. Fight back, organize, and conquer! Or not. It's probably better to just not.

3.) Part Of Your World: The mermaids within Lake Dona are a suspicious lot, and they don't take kindly to strangers stomping through their territory. However, they are receptive to music, so if you are so musically inclined, they will definitely be more inclined to be a little more playful than territorial. If you aren't? Have fun getting tossed into the lake head-first by a bunch of pissed off mermaids who want you to get the hell of their lawn. They don't take kindly to your type around here.

4.) Nessie: Within Lake Dona is a massive plesiosaurus-type creature which seems to be . . . oddly friendly? It seems to pop up at the most inconvenient of times. Are you sitting on the edge of the lake enjoying the water? Enjoy a massive ass dinosaur sticking its impressively long neck out of the lake to check you out and also scare the bejesus out of you. That being said, Nessie is an extraordinarily friendly being, and will even give you laps around the lake if you ask nicely!

5.) Caverns: The caverns within the lake are dark, deep, and menacing The merfolk inform you that you cannot go there -- no one can, but the merfolk sure seem to be keeping a careful eye out on it. Testing the boundaries indicates a weird magical field around the entrance of the cave, that works like a bit of a forcefield. Weird, right?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ well, she feels a little bad convincing her to give up one of her precious food pumpkins for something like this, but.. everyone should carve a pumpkin once in their lives!! besides, they can keep the guts and seeds for food. so it's not an entire waste. ]

I had planned to put it near my door, but there's no need to limit ourselves. There are far more pumpkins here than we could ever hope to eat before they all begin to rot..

[ pumpkin pie and bread and soup for weeks, tbh, and they'd still have plenty of pumpkins on their hands. so.. she shrugs, and waves one hand. ]

.. so I see no reason why we could not decorate the temple with a few.

[Konoha definitely isn't the type to normally be okay with wasting food, but... in this instance, pumpkin doesn't dry all that well, so it's not like she can think of a good way to preserve the actual flesh of the vegetable, and there's only so much actual cooking that can be done, so...

"Carving" some couldn't be too bad!

That's true... Would you mind teaching me how, though?

Of course. It is quite simple, really.

[ except alisaie's is probably going to look hideous but i mean.. at least that's the spirit or something. she searches her pockets for another marker, which she holds aloft. ]

You draw the face with this, then use those guidelines to cut along the lines, though first we scoop out the guts.

[Since the pretty white lady seemed alright with instructing, Konoha leans to set down the large pumpkin in her hands before lumbering to her knees and then easing down onto her belly, stretching out her forelegs and rolling the pumpkin between them, gripping it lightly between her knees.]

The face, got it.

[And scooping out the innards... she can handle that!

Though before she uncaps the marker, she realizes something has gotten away from her in her curiosity over the pumpkins.]

Oh, geez, sorry-

[A bit embarrassed, she bows slightly from the waist.]

I'm Konoha! I'll be in your care!

[ ah.. alisaie's manners are no better, really, especially considering she'd not offered her own name, either. whoops. a bow in greeting is uncommon in eorzea, but since her visits to the far east she's learned quite well, and is able to offer a decent enough one in return.

but then she's shaking her head. ]

Think nothing of it. Alisaie Leveilleur, 'tis a pleasure.

[ and then, uncapping her marker as well - ]

Shall we make a race of it?

[ it's going to be a disaster but whatever ]

Wow, that's such a pretty name!

[And she must be someone rich or powerful, to have such a fancy sounding last name? Or maybe that was just the consequence of coming from a world where commoners only had first names, who knew.

At the idea of a race, though, she perks up, uncapping her marker.]

Oh- speed is best? Okay, I'll try... on your mark!

[ oh.. alisaie has always been proud of her name, but less for its sound and more for the deeds and honor attached to it, for all her grandfather had elevated it; she's more proud to bear his name than she could ever rightly express. her cheeks tinge a faint pink, her smile softening at the edges. ]

Thank you.

[ konoha is surely only being kind, but it is a heartening compliment nonetheless. but whatever, i mean, it's time to race!! ]

Get set!

[Alisaie's cheeks turn pink and Konoha just smiles brightly back, radiating the simplest of pleasures at meeting new people... until she turns her concentration on the pumpkin.]

Go!

[She already has an idea, trying to start drawing the shape of the demon tiles she mentioned earlier, tongue sticking out between her lips a little as she tries to mimic the fierce expression on the pumpkin.]

[ and they're off!! alisaie's competitive spirit is met in konoha, it seems, which only stokes the fires further - there is no real need to take it too seriously, so long as they have fun, but alisaie sets to scribbling furiously nonetheless.

it would have looked hideous no matter how fast or slow they went, but the speed at which they are going certainly does not.. help matters. by the time she's done, alisaie's scribbled pumpkin face looks akin to something like this.

well.. it has.. character.. ]

[Konoha has only ever had to draw map routes through the mountains... paper is too pricy a commodity for someone like her to regularly come into contact with, and it's been a while since she was young enough to draw pictures in the dirt.

But she definitely does her best, trying to go fast but not too fast... until she gets a sketchy, rather angry face drawn on.

Expectantly, she turns the pumpkin to the side to show Alisaie, unsure if she did it right.]

Finished!

[ wow it looks so scary.. while it isn't really the sort of face that she's accustomed to seeing on a jack o' lantern, it will certainly do the trick. ]

I should think that is plenty suitable enough to frighten off any angry spirits.

[ she says with a chuckle, though when she turns her pumpkin to show it to konoha in return it's hardly.. a work of art.. but whatever she's doing her best!! ]

I hope so!

[These girls are just doing their best, okay?

When Konoha sees Alisaie's pumpkin... she laughs. Not a malicious laugh, but she can't help it, it looks so-]

The smile is so big! Yours will make friends with the spirits!

'Tis meant to be fearsome!

[ she shoots back, a huffed exhale ruffling her bangs. ]

Mayhaps I should have added more teeth..

What, really?

[Konoha is still chuckling a little bit, pointing at the pumpkin's facial expression and tracing the smile with her finger.]

But he's smiling!

[Pumpkins are boys now, apparently.]

Shouldn't he be angry if he's supposed to be scary?

[ exasperated though she might seem, she can't help the way the corners of her mouth curl into a slight grin. ]

Well I was going for a.. menacing grin sort of thing.

Well, I guess I could see that?

[Konoha tries to kind of... make a menacing grin, which fails, because... how could she possibly look scary? Though it does bare her too-sharp teeth that don't quite match to horse or human bodies.

Which gives her an idea.]

Maybe if it had teeth?

Oh.. that probably would have helped.

[ apparently it's just going to gum people to death.

also, what sharp teeth you have, grandma?? that's unexpected.. ]

Haha, maybe!

[Well... gumming could happen???

Konoha holds her pumpkin up to check it again, satisfied with how it looked even if it... wasn't quite like a demon tile.]

Do we cut them next?

Aye. Time to carve.

[ she sets to work herself, her tongue poking out of one corner of her mouth, brow drawn, clearly super focused!! she'll try to scrape some teeth into it too but she's not too sure that it's.. helping.. ]

["Carve", that's right! Konoha had to remember her new pumpkin cutting vocabulary. She pulls her knife from her harness and unsheathes it carefully, lining the blade up with the lines... and starting, mirroring Alisaie's expression without realizing.]

Wow, drawing the lines first was really smart!

[She praises it as if it was the woman's own idea, patting her pumpkin as she cuts it. Please become a good bad spirit scarer, mister pumpkin.]

[ you'd think with how keen her bladework is that alisaie might be better at this, but.. well, a carving can only be so good as the design, i suppose, and her design is awful. she chuckles. ]

I cannot take credit. This tradition has been around since well before my time.

[Bless her tho she tried.]

Well, your ancestors are really smart.

[Nothing can deter Konoha when she's intent on complimenting someone, finishing up an eye and fishing the pumpkin piece out to open up the shape.]

This feels kind of like Obon, I guess... but we use eggplants and cucumbers for that, not pumpkins. And we don't carve them. And it's not in fall.

[... okay maybe the only thing it had in common was vegetables]

[ well that doesn't sound at all like the same thing but color her curious ]

What is Obon?

[When you start a thought and then realize halfway through it might not... be... right...]

Oh, it's at the end of summer, when your ancestors' spirits come back to visit. So you have to set out offerings, and clean house, and light fires at the end to make sure they're guided back properly...

[ so, my whole life pretty much. ]

Oh.. that sounds lovely.

[ her face lights up with a smile. ]

It sounds far less.. terrifying than All Saints Wake, but similar enough at its core. Spirits walking the earth, and all that.

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