redstringtheories

(NOTE: Changes have been made to our standard Arrival and Dogtown prompts. All players and potential applicants are encouraged to closely review these.)

➥ Arrival

Photo of a modern office building from the outside. There is a manicured lawn with several trees and bushes. To the left side of the photo, there is a waterbody with reeds around the fringes. There is a purple gradient filter over everything.
(cw: potential for severe disorientation/vertigo, claustrophobia, arachnophobia, body horror)

It happens in the blink of an eye. You may have been asleep. You may not have. You may have stepped through a door or turned a corner. You may have seen a flicker of something at the corner of your vision and turned to look. Or maybe you didn't.

It doesn't matter. What matters is that you find yourself somewhere entirely new and entirely unfamiliar. The arrival point is not always the same. (If you're lucky, it might be a canteen or an open office. If you're not, well... you aren't claustrophobic, are you? Or arachnophobic. These ducts do seem to be a bit cobwebby.) You might even arrive in a section of building that has been demolished, leaving a pit of rubble open to the sky–hope you're up on your tetanus shots! There is no one waiting for you but you don’t seem to be alone, either. Even in a janitor’s closet or the bathroom, you’ll find at least one person who seems to be just as out of place as you are. The one exception is the demolition zone off what used to be one corner of the building: it seems the security teams are keeping a particularly close eye on that area to document new arrivals and bring them in quickly.

If characters have arrived in a location devoid of NPCs, they may want to work together to figure out what is going on... or to avoid their 'kidnappers.' If you’ve arrived in the middle of the entry foyer or the gym, there may well be a few people who startle a bit at your arrival and try to approach (or discreetly leave the room... where are they going?). Will you cooperate or fight? Do you even understand what they're saying? You might need to find a translator, if you’re not immediately willing to follow a stranger.

After characters follow their new hosts (or are forcibly taken in) there will be a limited tour and the chance to settle in at the ADI-provided housing. (Do you enjoy living with strangers? Well. It's a new situation to navigate, anyway.)

➥ Birdswatching

Photo of a crow in profile. Only the head and beak are visible. Its mouth is slightly open.
(cw: scopophobia; paranoia; unnatural animals)

Weird things happen in Dogtown, everyone knows it. And the weird things have been getting worse. Much worse. The rise in dangerous rather than merely uncomfortable or startling phenomena has put an end to ADI's use of Dogtown as a testing ground for new recruits. Under ADI's advisement, the City of Gloucester has officially and indefinitely closed Dogtown to the public, and work is ongoing to construct barriers around the entire park to prevent trespassing. Dogtown's borders are now patrolled by Gloucester law enforcement as well as ADI employees from the Investigations and Security divisions, who document phenomena visible from outside its borders and actively keep people out. New arrivals who volunteer for the work may still find themselves dropped off outside the borders of Dogtown in order to beef up patrols and help document paranormal activity while receiving an introduction to the kind of work ADI does. An employee will give you a GPS device where you need only press a button to alert ADI there is severe danger and someone needs to come help you right away, explicitly instruct you not to actually enter Dogtown, and leave you with another person at the edge of the park. Maybe they're a new arrival, as well, or a more seasoned 'veteran.' Either way, you're together for the next while and you've been asked to record any paranormal activity visible from outside the park. Those who succeed in documenting anything peculiar will receive a $100 reward to be used as they see fit, but those who are caught entering Dogtown in pursuit of such proof will be reprimanded and receive no reward.

This month nothing appears to be out of the ordinary at first glance, which might make the increased vigilance around Dogtown seem like a bit of an overreaction. Sections of the park's border are bustling with contractors installing fences and the new police and ADI patrols are fresh enough to be alert to any hint of danger, but Dogtown itself just looks like an ordinary, if overgrown, park from out here. The sun is shining, there's a pleasant breeze to offset the summer heat, the birds are….

The birds are not singing. There's movement in the trees and undergrowth, to be sure, the sound of small animals going about their business...but no birdsong. No cawing, no hooting, no trilling. That's not to say there aren't any birds, though. Once you start to look for them, you'll spot them among the branches: birds of any species one might expect to find in the area are not only present, but present in higher numbers than normal. And they're all just...staring at you. Watching. Even when you turn away you can feel their beady little eyes on you.

It's when you step out of view that they do start to sing, or at least to make noise. They call back and forth as if to inform each other of your movements, keeping tabs on you, always keeping you within eyesight of at least one bird. They're waiting for something, waiting for the moment in which to attack, waiting for your moment of weakness.

You mustn't be weak. You mustn't give them an opening. But even after you depart the outskirts of Dogtown, they're still watching, all of them, every bird in Gloucester turning its gaze upon you as you pass. They're everywhere, making your skin crawl with the knowledge that no matter where you go or what you do, they know, they see.

Are they the only ones watching? Did that stranger look at you out of the corner of his eye? Is that child watching you from their window? What are they planning? What do they want from you? Is that pity in their gaze, or is it scorn–or is it hidden rage, biding its time? Nowhere is safe. Nowhere are you free from eyes upon you, ears listening at the door.

And the birds keep singing now.

➥ Current Events

Photo of footprints in the sand along a beach. The tide is ebbing and flowing on the left side of the frame.
(cw: thalassophobia; mild scopophobia)

There aren't many mandatory activities at the Apocalypse Disruption Initiative. The higher-ups prefer not to impose upon their people's free time. Everyone enjoys different things and finds different ways to relax. After recent events, though… they're making one exception: The (newly) Annual Beach Barbeque! The Staff Development Department is keen to help find new ways to get people outside to enjoy what good times there are, and have set up a few different areas for people to engage. Attendance is noted upon arrival to a particular section of the beach where the events are being held. Those who fail to turn up will find their pay docked and persistently encouraging emails to the effect that they might want to visit the Counseling Center if they're having trouble connecting with people.

Riptide
Surf and boogie boards, both, have been laid out on the beach, ready for someone to pick up and hit the surf. The waves in Gloucester aren't much to write home about, but they make an easy start for beginners. Care should be taken, though. There are reports of some rip currents in the area that seem to crop up unexpectedly. You might find yourself suddenly pulled out much farther than you expected. And the ocean stretches out into the horizon, far, far bigger than you might expect. The shore seems so far away.

If you're lucky, you're not alone out here because getting back to shore seems a daunting task, indeed. Or maybe you're playing lifeguard and spot someone in need of help. Be quick! It's unclear just how much danger these waters hold.

Poseidon Quivers
ADI recognizes that not everyone may want to actually get into the water. There are tools (some simpler, some more sophisticated) for designing sand art, whether it's a castle, a more elaborate statue, or some sort of trench to bury your enemies. One of the native ADI staff is also encouraging those with an artistic flair in the sand arts to teach others. Maybe you're learning something new or maybe you're a student. Either way, you're bound to get covered in an unpleasant amount of sand. Some of it tingles in a way that leaves patches of skin feeling numb long after the sand has been brushed away. Some might also experience a numbing of their emotions, as well, when affected by the sand. Maybe that makes it easier to deal with all of this…

We Feast Upon the Flesh
What's a barbeque without food? There's the standard fare of hotdogs and burgers (with veggie patties and tofu dogs for those less inclined toward the carnivorous), and then there are the Gloucester 'favorites.' Someone’s had the thought to bring a battery-powered fryer out to the beach, and the scent of truffle fries and fried clams fills the air.

Be careful when eating, though. The seagulls are watching. Waiting. Taking from those who look like the easiest marks. Their gaze is upon you, beady and staring. Even when they're not actively bothering someone, the sense that their little black eyes are observing is intense.

➥ Spot the Difference

Photo of a dock. There are lobster/crab traps in the foreground with small fishing vessels tied to a dock in the background.
(cw: bodily harm, stalking, bullying, altered perception)

Unfortunately, it's not all sun and sand by the seaside. Saving the world never ends, and Sable at the docks has gotten word to ADI that there have been a handful of incidents involving a shipment of goods that are meant to be headed for the General Store. They’re all mundane objects, but there have been some reported mental breakdowns and a few injuries. Before anyone will touch the boxes - and definitely before they’re put on the shelves for customers - someone will need to comb through the boxes to identify exactly what is causing the issue and ADI is paying a bonus for anyone who is willing to shoulder the danger.

The problem? The workers who were affected have no idea what caused any of it. As far as they can remember, they were handling absolutely normal items. Anyone investigating will have to use their own powers of observation to figure out where the danger is coming from. Or possibly trial and error. Because the vague reports do mention that these unlucky workers were touching the objects, heavy gloves and even grabber tools will be provided so that direct contact is not necessary.

The afflicted boxes have been sequestered away in a small warehouse (really more of an oversize shed). There are a handful of them on otherwise bare shelves, as if anything else has been moved somewhere else. For a space that is holding dangerous items it's... Actually it's pretty mundane.

So are the objects that need inspecting. They range from toys to cups to cleaning instruments of all things, all perfectly normal goods. Perfectly normal. Except when they’re not.

The differences that mark out the Entity-touched goods are incredibly easy to miss. As subtle as a face painted on a mug with too-wide eyes or a plush wolf toy…that happens to have one or two little metal teeth tucked away in the back of its open mouth. There’s a crate of fancy silverware sets, engraved with patterns. Most are floral in nature, but somewhere in there, there’s a set where the pattern is more reminiscent of blood... or tears. Maybe spiderwebs.

Touch one of these wrong objects, and suffer the consequences, whether it's an unshakeable sense of being followed (or the conviction that the people closest to you are out to get you, hearing whispers of threats in the voices of your friends) when handling the toy plush, wounds appearing randomly on ones’ body when holding a knife, or the certainty that your body parts are changing in shape or size when handling the mug. One of these things is not like the others.~

➥ Mod Notes

ARRIVAL (July 1 - 31): Two people will always arrive in the same general location together. Arrivals occur throughout the early month, not all on the same day or in the same place. Arrivals are not naturally fluent in English/other languages immediately upon arrival. Characters may attempt to evade capture, but they will eventually be snagged before they can leave the building (or the rubble that used to be part of the building). PC's already in-game are more than welcome to interact with and try to guide new PC's to get them oriented. Please refer to the Arrival page for details regarding the arrival and onboarding process, as well as updated information about the state of ADI Headquarters. During characters' absence in June, it seems ADI finally received the necessary permits to demolish a portion of the building–if asked, NPCs are open about the fact that the demolition was meant to test the theory that destroying Headquarters might prevent further interdimensional arrivals. It hasn't worked.
BIRDSWATCHING (July 1-31): Feelings of dread and paranoia regarding birds, humans, and even animals in general will follow exposure to the staring eyes of the birds in Dogtown. Characters who leave the area immediately after noticing the birds' unusual behavior will experience only minor effects; the degree of paranoia and how long it lasts is proportional to the length of time one spends near Dogtown while aware one is being watched by the birds, and the effects may last several days. Hiding under the covers or in a windowless room seems to help, a little.
CURRENT EVENTS (July 5-Onward): While the beach barbeque only lasts for one day (the 5th), the supplies for creating sand sculptures and various water-based sports will be available for the rest of the summer for characters to avail themselves of, either as a learner or as an instructor. Escape from the riptide is possible without outside assistance, but will be challenging. There is a distorted perception of just how far away the shore is. While the sand can be collected for analysis, there will be nothing scientifically notable about it. Even removed from the beach, though, some of it seems to cause intermittent numbness (both physical and emotional). This will be an ongoing effect.
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE (July 15-31): As indicated in the prompt, contact with the afflicted items will result in various different effects. With some of them, gloves will be enough to prevent characters from being affected, though others might be stronger (this is up to player discretion.) Feel free to play with the established effects or create your own, though please use content warnings for anything not already mentioned in the prompt. The effect from these objects will last for an hour or two and then fade away.
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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Man, I hate megalomaniacal Nazis!

[He nods emphatically. Not that he has ever fought any, at least not yet, but as far as enemies go that sounds like the worst?]

Okay, so we're fighting these Entities and they feed on fear. How does that work? Do they have... fear tentacles they shoot at you? Are they aliens? [Does he get to fight an alien??] What do they look like?

They are the worst, [Steve affirms.

He does sigh at the rest - more because he wishes he had better answers than the vague ones you're going to get.] I'm not entirely sure, honestly. I mean - no fear tentacles that I know of. I think it just... happens. When you do something with whatever intent lines up with what they want. I haven't done it yet - that I know of. [He'd notice if something had come back, he figures. It definitely isn't back right now.]

I've never seen one, but I've seen their avatars. They seem to have - people that they work through. I don't know if they're real people, or if they were real people, but they seem to be shades or facades or something like that, now.

And they might be aliens. I have met plenty of not-nice aliens. I don't know if what they are matters in the end, so much as stopping them, you know?

Yeah. Yeahyeah, of course, that's like, my number one priority. Stop the bad guys.

[But he wouldn't mind if they were cool bad guys for his CV.]

With their intent? So you mean like... don't be afraid when you fight them?

[Steve nods; that's a good priority to have, yeah.]

I don't think that's quite it. More like... don't want to hurt other people while you do it. If you have superhuman powers, you get them back by "feeding" whatever entity you're tied to. To do that, you need to... not want to do it, necessarily. But you need to want to hurt the people you're doing - whatever you're doing the thing, to. And they need to be scared or hurt or angry, I think.

[His mouth thins a little.] As far as I can tell, there's no way to get your power back without hurting people, one way or another.

Wait.

[Wait. Waitwaitwaitwaitwait.]

So, if, theoretically, I had powers, which I'm not saying I do, but if I did, I had to scare or hurt people before I can use them?

[He hadn't quite gotten to that part yet and he doesn't like it. At all. Look, he was all hyped about fighting Lovecraftian space gods just a second ago, nobody told him he had to do it without powers??]

... Are you sure about that? That sounds like something an Entity would make up to make me not use my powers against them. If I had any. Theoretically.

Yes, [Steve confirms, lips maybe twitching a little at the insistence of no powers. He suspects you might have powers, pal, but he won't say anything.]

Someone I trust told me so. He has no reason to lie. I think they - they feed off that fear and anger. So they're willing to pay for it. Especially if you can use that power to keep doing more of the same.

[His own mouth twists.] It makes a guy second-guess every time he gets a little frustrated. [He huffs out something like a laugh.] This place is frustrating, though. I'm not usually the welcome wagon, I admit.

Man, speak of a deal with the devil.

[Peter tries to keep his tone light but the news have him tense, uneasy. He still isn't sure if he buys that - if he wants to buy that. If what his guide is telling him is true... Frustrated is one word for it. Terrifying and unacceptable are two more that come to mind.

It would explain why he feels so - weird. Weak. Almost blind and deaf with his powers cut off upon arrival. Up until now he had chalked that up to a weird side effect. Something temporary. That's what it was, right? That's what it had to be.]

So what do you do if you can't use your powers? How do you fight them?

Exactly. [Steve doesn't like it, either. It's why he's determined not to do it - even though it's tempting. Of course it's tempting. He's pretty sure that's the point.]

Fighting's not just about being more powerful - although it sure does help, [he says, with a small, rueful laugh.] You outsmart them. You work together. I think that's what ADI is for, even if I don't exactly trust them. I trust the principle. I trust that at least some people here want to do good.

[His mouth twists a little.] I still don't know as much as I'd like, but that's no excuse not to do anything, right?

Right.

[Peter's eyes soften at the last bit because that's something that resonates deep within. Aligns with his own sense of morality, responsibility. It's something Uncle Ben would have said. Or Aunt May.

Or Gwen.]

That's right.

[He nods, more emphatically this time.]

And I'm sure there's a lot of people who want that. Doing good. Maybe that's why they try to change people into these - what were they called again, Avatars? Maybe they're actually afraid of us.

[Steve nods; he hadn't considered that in those exact terms, but - it doesn't seem unreasonable, does it.] Desperate people - entities - do desperate things.

Which means the faster we stop them, the better. For everyone's sakes.

[Of course, he has to admit,] I don't know what it means. For us. I think we can find a way home after. Some people don't. But - we're already here. [So he tries not to let that affect what he does.]

[Right. Going home. It had been lost in the information and excitement and having to adjust to this new situation.]

Well...

[He frowns, briefly unnerved by the idea of being stuck here. Of Aunt May, waiting up for him, wondering where he'd gone, what had happened to him. But then it shrinks next to a looming apocalypse and the threat it poses for this world and its people.]

One thing at a time, right? Save the world first, get home second.

[If at all. There's always that chance of not making it back. That's just how it goes when you go out day after day and try to protect people, right?]

[Steve nods, sympathetic but also approving.] That's how I'm trying to think of it. Prioritize. I'm not about to try to jump ship while the apocalypse is coming down around our ears.

I guess just don't - assume this was a one-way ticket. I think there's reason to believe it wasn't, but I also have no real evidence to back it up. Other than I think my tech guy could figure it out, once we save the world first.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst? I guess that makes sense. Maybe I can help, like, I'm sort of kind of like a tech guy, maybe there can be some joint tech-guy-ing. Eventually. After the apocalypse. Or on the side.

[He leans forward conspiratorially.]

So... why don't you trust them? ADI I mean. Do you know anything?

[Steve nods. That's a good offer. He appreciates it.] I'll introduce you to my guy, if you want. I don't see why you should both try to figure it out alone.

[And things between him and Tony are okay, now. He thinks.

He does give the questions serious consideration. After all,] It's hard to put my finger on, exactly. I guess it just comes down to the fact that they remind me of an organization I worked for at home. Sort of a... the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. When people keep secrets, it can let things rot from the inside. Nobody looks too closely and just does what they're told. That doesn't sit right with me, is all.

They may be legitimate. I do think there are people there genuinely trying to fight what's coming. I don't want to point fingers baselessly, I just - think we could do to be cautious, too.

[Steve Rogers is not known for his caution, but he's trying, anyway.]

TDM #12

help they're killing me already

XD can't beat bonding over megalomaniacal nazis

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