[ORP] Old Bones Make New Blooms [ALL ARE INVITED!]

[Chrystali]

The change in seasons from a muggy heat to a blistering cold takes a toll on the land.
A sinkhole has appeared in the Swamp. It's not unusual, the land tempered by the seasons,
but what is worth spreading the news is what the gaping hole revealed: a veritable trove of
the dead, skeletons of kin and creatures alike spread through a few acres of the Swamp.

Some say it's a remnant of the Flood, preserved until the land shifted and yielded it's harvest;
some day it's something more sinister. No matter the truth of it, your kin has heard tale, whisper
or has experienced coming across the upturned graveyard and, despite the danger of sinkholes,
has come to do what they will. Commune with the dead*? Cause trouble? Bury the upturned?

Do your business quickly, for the next slough could be 'neath your hooves...


(( *OOC Note: Please keep in mind when RPing if you are 'interacting' with the spirits,
they cannot tell your kin anything your kin doesn't already know. This means no
godmodding (learning information otherwise unknowable, learning the 'truth' of what
happened, etc). 'Talking to the dead' means, ICly, your kin is most likely hallucinating,
high, or under the influence of some other means of self-perception, as it's not a thing
that can be proven decisively one way or the other. Remember to have fun with the
possibilities and respect everyone's methods - even if the kin aren't so considerate! ))


Participants . ☠ . Agenda
Inspiration

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The Cake Mage of Sheep

Ruriska

Kaluna Skunk

FrostyPeaches

Aric Val

SilverShieldwolf

Toshihiko Two

Araucana

Jun D

 

[Chrystali]

Kin (Nickname) // Played By

▸ As the Sun Burns // Blinded By Science
▸ Blood on the Sands (Blood) // Shaddaling
▸ Bones of the Forgotten (Grave) // Chrystali
▸ Buried Alive // Ruriska
▸ Clear as Day (Clarity) // Araucana
▸ Locust // Ruriska
▸ Burning Bush // Minsul
▸ Dark Descent (Descent) // Aric Val
▸ Kiss of Death (Kiss) // FrostyPeaches
▸ Pestilence // Blinded By Science
▸ Take Root // Ruriska
▸ Twilight`s Mystery (Mystery) // SilverShieldwolf
▸ Unbreath // Ebonrune
▸ Whimsical Decay (Whim) // Kaluna Skunk

 

[Chrystali]

Goals

This is where we list what you might want to achieve with the ORP, if you need a point of RP, interaction or somewhere to start! Just let me know in a quote in your first post what you'd like to put here and I'll add it.

If you can help with a goal, just quote the person in your post. (IE, for Grave, you can just quote me when they're performing their rite/ritual/etc, even if they don't interact with Grave himself, etc).

Bones of the Forgotten's Goal

Chrystali
I'd like Grave to see how other kin 'deal with the dead.' If your kin has a ritual, a preference, some means of burial or celebration, I'd like Grave to see it!

Zikwa Trio Goal

Ruriska
My trio are here to do their Zikwa thing and pass on some of their knowledge about death to Locust.

Kiss of Death's Goal

FrostyPeaches
Kiss' goal is to find a better use for having a pile of bones. Knowing a bit about rituals, lores, or myths could give her interest in bones a deeper meaning.

Whimsical Decay

Kaluna Skunk
Whim's goals here are to meet as many spirits as she can, and perhaps also make a friend or two with someone who's actually alive.

 

[Chrystali]

Of course he was here. He heard the cries of the unearthed dead as surely as he heard his own voice. Grave had practically galloped through the Swamp despite warnings of slough and sinkholes, answering the call of his purpose -- this is what he was born to do. This was it.

If ever there was a time in Grave's life that his Dream melded with reality, it was then, staring out over the expanse of shivering waters and bones reaching skyward like twisted boughs. The gravity of the amount of death was palpable in the air, a taste of new turned earth and old bones. It was practically home, this vision of change and decay. He had a lot of work to do.

Once his hooves touched the shallow water, he was more careful about his movements, sliding more than stepping. He didn't want to crack a bone or step on something that would need sorting, placing, burying -- ah, what a day to be alive!  

[Shaddaling]

There was not reason for him to travel, and yet, there was no reason for him to not. Blood came simply because he could, and perhaps slightly for the challenge and perhaps minusculetly he felt the need to get Compile a present. And lure him away from those insipid does.

He snorted, picking his way carefully through the muck, ears perked and attentive on the mess beneath his hooves. Tracks was going to throw such a fit.... and mmhm, perhaps there would be added benefits when he left, a bit of friendly grooming was something to look forward to.

(Blood is here to either to cause trouble or find the best bones to gift his sort of boyfriend, he'll figure it out)  

[Aric Val]

The swamp was still new to him, all the surroundings, the feel of his hooves touching the damp soil, the murky waters and the different sounds it made. But what was familiar was still the call of his responsibility, putting kin to rest.

He could almost smell the death in the air, bright eerie eyes looking around carefully to avoid sinkholes -- he had also warned his mate, though he trusted that she would be careful. She had a duty to fullfill and so did he.

With a dour face he looked around, walking slowly and languidly with his three loyal sanddogs, who had picked up a scent nearby.  

[Minsuil]

She'd come because she'd heard the whispers, stories, and also maybe because Owl Caller would throw a fit when he realized he'd missed witnessing such a thing. Sure the giant pit of bones was interesting, but she was more amused at the gathering of kin. The black owlcat sat in the shadows, watching.

OOC

If you want to interact with Burning Bush, who probably won't be taking her kimeti form here, please make sure to quote me! o(-<

 

[Ruriska]

The Zikwa arrived as if summoned.

Three of them emerging at the edge of the sinkhole, where they halted as one, heads turned in to each other.

The blind one could sense the other kin that were beginning to gather but the treasures that had been uncovered were lost to him. Yet he knew something was there, otherwise they wouldn’t be here.

"Bones, skeletons, the long dead," Take Root described for her friends benefit, sounding merry, "it’s a big sinkhole."

"What should we do now?" Locust was trying not to look too excited to be taking part in her grandparents (not that she was technically related to Take Root but the older female was the greatest grandmother anyone could want) traditional Zikwa activities. MotherFather knew her father wanted nothing to do with it.

"Their spirits are long gone to their next form or beyond but we can still sing," Buried Alive answered with a smile.

OOC

My trio are here to do their Zikwa thing and pass on some of their knowledge about death to Locust.

 

[Araucana]

Clear as Day could not see the sink hole. Something one would not think unusual, for she was a zikwa without eyes, not uncommon really. But while she could not truly see, in her mind’s eye she saw the myriad or energies coursing around her. She felt the radiant glow of life in all things more clearly than she expected others saw it with their eyes.

But it was this absence of energy that drew her. Life was noisy, consuming even, but as she stood at the edge of the hole, there was only a quiet simmer of life. Insects mostly, along with a few birds, had moved in to investigate. In hopes of scavenging some kind of remains she suspected. Epitome, her cave worm companion, was already making his way down the slope.

She’d thought to follow him, only find her attention owned by a group of zikwa, an elder doe and buck and a far younger doe, closer to her age. They stood too far from her to properly hear what they spoke of but Clarity was inclined to make herself known to them.

Raised by her kimeti mother, she didn’t know much of other zikwa, and asides from her sister, she’d only ever happened to notice others alone, like herself. She’d perhaps thought her race to be of solitary nature, but this group was clearly bonded, they felt in tune with one another.

Noticing her direction, Epitome half followed her around as Clarity traced the sink hole’s perimeter. The worm would keep her in sight, but remained focused on it’s task of turning over bones and bodies, checking them for flesh now arrived at the hole’s soft watery floor.

Ruriska

I would love for Clear as Day to soak in some zikwa lore if they will take another under their wing? *o*

 

[Ruriska]

"We have company," Take Root remarked, though all three of them had already turned to watch the new Zikwa (Locust perhaps just a second behind the others). The heat signature and the glow were a dead giveaway. "She’s lovely."

"She has a Cave Worm," Locust had noted, following the progress off the large creature with obvious delight.

The trio shifted without further talk, creating a space that Clear as Day, should she wish it, was welcome to fill. Each wore a smile, as if the other Zikwa was already family.

Araucana

Heck yeah!

 

[SilverShieldwolf]

She heard there was a gathering for what she wasn't sure. The spirits whispered it to Twilight's Mystery on the winds of the others. She came out of curiosity and to learn more. Anything new for her to try or pass on to her children, was always a beautiful reason to join a gathering.

The swamp was very muddy right here, it had the feeling of pulling one down. She wasn't about to lay down that was for sure. There seemed to be a few there already, but she wasn't sure what they were doing. Shrugging, Mystery kept walking in a pattern that the spirits told her was better ground to be on.  

[Araucana]

Clear as Day found herself unusually nervous, social situations were not her forte sure, but usually she didn't bother herself with attempts to fit in. This zikwa however, they were her kind. Somehow she felt more akin to them than her own family had.

As reached them, she found herself struggling to find a word of greeting. Usually she only spoke if there was something to answer and very occasionally, to ask. Her thoughts were further stalled as her mind's eye took notice of the growing gathering of kin, a few feeling a touch odd, one feeling... very different. Their presence was blaring compared to all else. Was someone on fire? She couldn't smell anything out of the usual, aside from the long dead. Never mind that, she needed to speak.

"Hello." The word finally came to her as she moved to stand beside the group. There was more, she was sure, that she'd like to say. She just couldn't pin any one thought down.

Ruriska

*u*

 

[Ruriska]

"Welcome," Buried Alive said, head tilting as he studied her glow and committed it to memory.

Take Root shuffled closer, face full of pleasure at their new friend. "I am Take Root, this is Buried Alive and his granddaughter, Locust. It’s a pleasure."

"You’re really beautiful," Locust gushed. "And you have a Cave Worm! I hope that one will choose me as its companion one day too."

"Have you come to sing to the dead?" Take Root asked hopefully. Another voice to add to the chorus would be a wonder, though perhaps this Zikwa was too young and had not been taught the old songs by her parents. If so, another student would be more than welcome.

Araucana