polymods: (Default)
polymods ([personal profile] polymods) wrote in [community profile] polylogs2021-05-01 03:00 pm

Destination: Carcosa

POLYMYTHOS: CARCOSA

Carcosa


Ⅰ. THE TEMPLE
You can read all about your character's arrival in the game lore.
The island's harbour is full of other ships, although not a single one of them seems to actually have a human being aboard. (You could certainly try to steal one, but doing so is an exercise in futility - you will find that even if you set off into the ocean you will wind up right back in the harbour again after spending a few hours lost in the fog.) Beyond the harbour is a glittering city of glass and gold. Curving arches and sharp geometric lines are the hallmarks of the architecture - an art deco paradise that whispers of decadence and hope for the future.

The people who crowd the streets wear suits and hats, drop-waist dresses and furs. Their faces are all blank smiles. It's the roaring twenties, darling, why do you look so concerned?

If it is your first experience of the Endless Isles, you have access to the High Temple. Should you wish, you may also seek out the island's own temple as well, which is located inside the city, in a district mostly forgotten by the residents. Don’t worry - your feet will carry you there.

The building is not large, and it is old and neglected. It has a domed ceiling, with panels of glass crisscrossed with metal painted gold curving upward. Whatever fine pattern may have formed there is lost to time; the glass at the centerpoint of the dome is gone, letting in the smell of the sea.

There are rooms equipped with beds spreading out like a spiderweb from the middle of the building. The temple proper is of course in the exact center, below the broken dome. In the middle of this circular room you will find dead branches gathered together to make a vaguely humanoid shape. This crude figure has been haphazardly painted yellow. A slab of concrete sits in front of it. There is not much to explore here; it is very quiet.

Either temple is a good place to simply rest, or meet some of your fellow Travelers. The High Temple of course has the Temple Chef and its usual Guardians, Flock, and Lantern.

The Island Temple has its own Guardians, which are small, pale humanoids with perfectly blank faces and small antlers like young deer. They will leave you alone unless you try to meddle with the central room. Doing so will result in one of them approaching you, and you will find yourself falling unconscious on the floor.



Ⅱ. THE MASQUERADE
Through happenstance, you find yourself in an enormous ballroom. Low couches are dotted everywhere, and a live band plays somewhere at the end of the massive space. A long bar takes up one side of the room, bottles sparkling under the light cast from the many cut-glass chandeliers hanging overhead. Champagne flows freely, and the scent of gin pervades the air.

All of the attendees are wearing masks.

You're dressed for the occasion, of course - you will find yourself wearing something reminiscent of 1920s America, with a small yellow sigil of some sort pinned to your breast. Ask any of the guests about it and they will tell you, "ah, it's a secret." You too, of course, are wearing a mask. You did not pick this mask, but if you look in the mirror hung over the bar you will find that it nonetheless hints at some aspect of your personality.

Which would be all well and good, except that you can't take the bloody thing off.

Moving around the ballroom, you will discover that a few other people also have the yellow sigil pinned to their clothing. It probably shouldn't surprise you that these people are all other Travelers, equally unable to take their mask off.

No, you can't unmask until you share something with your new-found friend: a secret. A REAL one, the sort you'd never speak aloud.

Of course, you can choose not to share. If you choose that route, however, you'll find that the mask is fusing with your skin. Leave it on past midnight when the cries of "UNMASK! UNMASK!" begin, and it will simply become your new face for the duration of the month.



Ⅲ. THE PLAY
Maybe parties aren't your style. No fear, there's plenty more to do and see in such a wondrous city. There's a theatre - the Meliora Grand as a matter of fact - and perhaps you're just the sort of person who would like to take in the arts.

The theatre has plush seats, and fabulous electric sconces lining the wall. Once you take your seat you'll find yourself looking at the stage, where a blood-red velvet curtain hangs. The theatre doesn't seem to fill up - indeed, it really seems that there's only you and one or two other people there. Curious.


The lights go down and the curtain is drawn open, revealing... well. Not much.

There are two chairs on the stage, a table between them. On the table lays a pallid face: a mask. Just a mask. Why not go on up and take a closer look?

Should you choose to touch the mask, you will feel a deep urge to speak to whoever else is in the theatre. You will, in fact, feel the desire to act out some sort of emotional trauma with them. Perhaps they suddenly look like your mother, your father, a lover who left you. Why don't you tell them how you really feel?

Naturally, you can both just sit in awkward silence instead. You'll be waiting until the morning to be let out, if that's the case.



Ⅳ. LOST CARCOSA
CW: the undead.
You find yourself walking along the beach at night. Along the shore the cloud-waves break, and black stars rise above you.

You can't quite pinpoint when you realise you are no longer alone. Maybe there is only one other person on the beach with you, or perhaps a few; you move as one down the expanse of sand until you realise there is something laying up ahead of you.

There is a heap of yellow cloth there, dry and tattered with age. It smells faintly of spices. Nestled among it is a jewel-encrusted human skull. Its empty sockets compel you to sit down in the cool, bone-white sand, to sit and speak to those around you about loss.

Everyone has lost something important to them. A person, a thing, a place, an aspect of the self. Something that's gone and you're never getting back. The skull grins endlessly, endlessly, encouraging you to speak about something you may not have laid to rest.

You can resist this compulsion. Maybe you were never good at sharing. Refuse the skull's silent request and you may continue down along the beach, or perhaps head back the way you came. As you walk, however, you will notice that there is a fog rolling in. It comes in off the sea/sky, obscuring the beach until you can barely see.

It's a terribly handy cover for the corpses that are shambling out of the surf. Wet, bloated, with eyes that glow a dim gold, they head for you silently. They wish to drag you back with them, into the depths. Better hope you can outrun or outfight them.

Bonus: What's that? You want a Carcosa playlist? You've got it, babes!


Network · Logs · OOC · Memes · Plurk

extrasensory_problems: (cute curious)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-08 06:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Well so long as we aren't being set up for some kind of weird 'Eyes Wide Shut' masked orgy...." Carter muses, his eyes scanning the room as he mulls over the mystery. Most the partygoers seem in high spirits but he spots a few people, people who look to be fellow travellers, that seem to be locked in very serious conversations with one another. The looks on their faces range from serious to embarrassed.

"Winky about...a secret." He says and then looks back at Jen, "Maybe we have to tell each other a secret? Is that too dumb and obvious?"
grayshulk: (pic#12883401)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-05-09 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
Can a person choke on air? Apparently, because the mask means Jennifer doesn't have an excuse for the amused sound she when he suggests the possibility of air. Sure, this is fun, but she's not quite looking for that option at the moment. Definitely not sober.

"No, that's exactly the right level of obvious." She looks around. "It probably can't just be a little one, right? Or, I guess we could try?"
extrasensory_problems: (flower)

content warning for mention of spousal abuse

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-09 10:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"Can't hurt, might help." Carter says and glances over his shoulder, weirdly sure that the people around them are now listening and leering at them.

"I'll go first, and then if it doesn't work I'll be the only one horribly embarrassed." He offers and then takes a moment to think. Finally he selects a secret that he rarely likes to talk about, or tell people outright but he's pretty sure Jen will be okay with it considering the first time they met she was much taller and much greener.

"I'm a mutant." He admits and then in case that isn't enough he adds, "I manifested my powers when I was eight years old and it scared the hell out of my mother. She was human and my Dad had been a mutant...and he had been abusive."

He pauses again, stupidly waiting for some kind of magical music sting or light to flash, but nothing happens. However when he pulls at the strings of his mask it comes off, allowing him to fully breathe.
Edited 2021-05-10 16:29 (UTC)
grayshulk: (pic#12883334)

content warning for mention of abuse

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-05-12 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
"That's gallant." She offers a smile that might translate a little around the eyes if she's really lucky but mostly carries through in tone as she goes quiet to listen to his secret.

It certainly helps to explain why Carter handled meeting her in another form and state of being with grace. There's an unfamiliar ache of empathy when she connects with why he might want to keep those powers secret and the ways they would connect with loss and pain. She isn't used to thinking of her own abilities in that framework.

"Thank you for trusting me with this. None of that experience sounds like an easy thing to go through." She pauses. "It's not a secret that I'm one of the Hulks, but maybe there's a little comfort to being sure, given the context?"

But that leaves her trying to find her own secret. Something real that can be given to a stranger. "My own abilities are...broken. When I came out of the coma, it was already bad because of whatever weird missile they were trying out, but then I found out that one of my good friends killed my cousin because they thought he might lose control. And that he had been found innocent and justified in court. Everything just broke all at once."

She reaches up to test the mask, then lets her hands fall down, not sure if she wants to know if that was enough.
extrasensory_problems: (whuuu)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-12 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
The mention of being in a coma combined with the murder of her cousin causes Carter to start badly, it isn't exactly the same but it is similar enough to some of the other things in his past that it makes his stomach drop. He instantly wants to give comfort in some way to her but doesn't want to over step her boundaries, especially since she just mentioned that her abilities are broken. An unwanted touch might be too much and could cause her to change, which probably isn't what she wants at the moment.

"Fuck Jen, I am so sorry." He says, "That's... a lot to wake up to."

He pauses and then offers her his hand, "You don't have to take that off but if you feel up to it I'd like to go and find us the fucking fanciest and strongest drink they have. Because we earned it."
grayshulk: (pic#12883380)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-05-16 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
The monster is not too close to her skin right now. At least, it's not so close that she doesn't notice that familiar hint of the trauma that seems largely unavoidable to people born with abilities. She regrets causing him to bring up the raw memories for him. She regrets the memories for herself.

"It was. It still is." Her voice is soft. She keeps waiting for perspective and for time to kick in, but everything stays raw.

"The drink sounds good, but it'll be hard to manage with my mask." She tries the edges of the mask, and it comes off this time with only a hint of resistance. "We definitely earned the drink."
extrasensory_problems: (concern)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-16 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
He notices the slight resistance when she goes to remove her mask and for a moment he is angry at whatever put the masks there in the first place, at whatever decided the conditions in which they were able to be removed. To share a secret that causes such discomfort seems like an obvious out but that hint of resistance almost implies that she needs to do more.
And that doesn't seem fair.

What makes you think this is a fair place? A cold voice whispers in his mind and he turns away from it.

Instead he offers her a soft smile, "What would you prefer? Gin or champagne? Both maybe? I think they call that a French 75..."
grayshulk: (pic#12896315)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-05-19 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
"Gin and champagne sounds like a truly horrible idea," she says, managing to keep her tone light even as she fiddles with the weight of her mask in her hands. "So we might as well give it a try."

Honestly, any booze at all is a terrible idea, but Jennifer intends to sleep in the main temple again tonight. The place has a tranquilizing effect on her other half, and she's fairly confident in her ability to return. Besides, they both deserve something after ripping open the old scabs. Probably something better than fizz and gin, but that's what's on hand.
extrasensory_problems: (mischief)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-19 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"A truly awful, horrible idea and no good will come of it." Carter agrees solemnly and then breaks into his wide slanted grin, it is both warm and mischievous. A devil may care smile that hints that he could act a lot more reckless than he chooses to.

He offers her his arm as they drift towards the bar, people swirling past them like a galaxy of stars, winking on and off in a pattern that flows along with the music.

"I think I know this song." He remarks, glancing towards the band who seem to have an endless supply of energy since they've been playing all night with no breaks. Carter vaguely hopes that someone is bringing them drinks, he knows how exhausting it can be to play music for hours on end.
grayshulk: (pic#12958694)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-05-23 10:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sounds perfect!" She takes his arm and the invitation to lean into a moment of lightness, of the possibility of joy. It's as close as she's come to the part of her that used to turn green and live the biggest possible life in a long time, and if it is still nowhere near that sense of wholeness, well, that's beside the point.

She tilts her head, listening to the music. It sounds familiar but she couldn't place it if she tried. "I like it? But I can't place it." Still, she catches herself moving gently with it as they work towards the bar.
extrasensory_problems: (up_smile)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-05-24 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
"It sounds like..." He starts to say and then pauses, his fingers running through chords on a guitar that isn't there.

"....I'm all alone at midnight and my lamp is burnin' low, ain't never had so much...." He sings softly under his breath and then grins. "Ah! It's Trouble in Mind!"

The tune finally placed he smiles at Jen, "Sorry I love old music, before I came here I was doing a deep dive into blues and swing guitar music."

When they reach the bar the grinning masked bartender bids them a good evening, Carter is slightly unnerved by his smile but orders them each a French 75 which is prepared with a flourish and handed off to them. He holds up his glass at offers Jen the same slanted smile.

"Should we toast to something?"
grayshulk: (pic#12883339)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-10 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
"You absolutely should apologize for having a niche interesting and skill that just happens to apply."

Her tone is so light and teasing it surprises her a little. Of course, there's the trauma and weirdness of their abduction, but Jennifer can hardly remember the last time she let herself breathe like this. It makes her less concerned about the risk of the drink, even if the bartender gives her the creeps.

She accepts the glass with a silent thanks. "Probably. Maybe to our host?"
extrasensory_problems: (mmmaaaaaybe)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-10 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure, to our host! They may have strange stipulations in exchange for a fancy night out on the town but at least their choice of music is nice and the company is even nicer." He says with a smile and clinks the rim of his glass against hers.

He takes a long sip, savoring the taste.

"That's actually quite nice."
grayshulk: (pic#12958694)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-11 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
"To our host! They have good taste in fashion, company, and music, and terrible manners in terms of abductions and emotional blackmail. But it's not all bad somehow."

Her first quick sip of the cocktail is surprisingly pleasant and she takes a second longer one. "I'm actually amazed. Apparently we can add good taste in liquor to the list."
extrasensory_problems: (bw_laugh)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-11 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
"I expected it to be a lot sweeter." He says and then follows her lead and has a second longer sip.

As they stand together, enjoying their drinks and the swirling atmosphere around them, Carter sneaks a few glances at Jen. Noting both the differences and similarities between what she looks like now and when he first met her. Her eyes are definitely the same, her smile is too.

"Can I ask you a dumb question?" He says, blushing a little bit when he realizes he may have been staring at her a little too obviously.
grayshulk: (pic#12896301)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-11 06:58 am (UTC)(link)
"And I didn't expect gin to agree with the bubbles."

She catches the glances and there's always that weird moment of wondering if he's checking her out or comparing her different appearance. There is always the chance that it's both, and it's entirely not uncommon in her experience. Jennifer definitely finds herself sipping the drink a little more.

"Sure?" This is either going to be terrible or interesting.
extrasensory_problems: (cute curious)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-11 07:11 am (UTC)(link)
"Does it hurt when you change back and forth?" He asks, hoping that he isn't asking something stupidly obvious or offensive.

"You're just so....tall in your other form it made me think about skeletal structures and physiology." His cheeks go even pinker.

"I sound really dorky and dumb right now don't I?"
grayshulk: (pic#12883401)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-11 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
The little bit of tension that had been building between her shoulder blades eases. Definitely not the question she'd been expecting, but not an upsetting one, either.

"Actually, that's one of the better questions people have asked me about it lately." She still has to break eye contact as she answers, but there's space to be honest. "Most of the time there's no pain or not enough that it actually matters. Pain is relative, and the endorphin rush is pretty intense. Lately, it hasn't been that easy."
extrasensory_problems: (not sure)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-11 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sorry." He says softly, his brows knitting together in concern. He knows that it's true, pain is relative, but he also knows that sometimes when people say that they are masking exactly how much it really hurts.

"I was studying to be a nurse before I came here." He explains, taking a sip of his drink. "Which is why I was curious if it hurt, I'm always...I dunno, trying to help people deal with pain."

He glances over at her, his eyes flickering to hers. "And this might sound even dumber but urm...if there's like...one form that is more comfortable than the other for you, you can use it around me." He gives her a small smile. "I think you're cool either way."
grayshulk: (pic#12896192)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-13 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
There is a faint prickle along her skin, the barest hint of physical pain that hints that she needs to slow and deepen her breath. No need to think about the change and why and the way her body no longer seems like it is entirely her own. This is still a party. She still has a drink in her hand.

"I understand wanting to fix things for other people." It's an easier thing to focus on than her body. In theory, she can even appreciate someone wanting to help her.

She does appreciate the offer. It seems truly sincere, and she knows how rare that is better than just about anyone. "Thanks. I'll remember that." She keeps her eyes averted, focused on a middle distance that doesn't require eye contact. "I'm currently trying not to change much. The impulse control is bad."
extrasensory_problems: (hair in face)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-13 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
He nods, grateful that she doesn't seem mad at him for asking such questions. He's just honestly happy to have found a friend and doesn't want to accidentally screw it up by not fully understanding her situation.

He tips his glass back and finishes off his drink, setting the glass on the bar and taking a deep breath before asking his next question.

"Does...urm touching other people effect it at all?" He asks, and then runs a hand through his hair nervously, his cheeks once again going red.

"Because I was going to ask you if you'd like to dance."
grayshulk: (pic#12883472)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-15 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
Well, maybe she wasn't entirely off in thinking there had been a possibility he was checking her out at least a little while assessing her? Or maybe she just kind of wants to feel like a person who can be checked out because it's better than being a person who is so truly damaged.

"A dance should be safe enough," Jennifer answers softly with just a hint of a teasing smile. She sets her own drink down, letting the remains of the alcohol stay with it. No sense pushing whatever amount of control she's managed so far.

It gives her a free hand to hold out to him. "Shall we?"
extrasensory_problems: (sunshine)

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-15 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
The smile that lights up his face when she says yes to a dance is radiant, he had been fully expecting her to decline but as his mother used to say, hope springs eternal, and it would seem this time it paid off.

The band starts up a new song and he takes her offered hand and gently guides her onto the dance floor, sweeping her out to help create a space just for them before guiding her into his arms. He places his hand confidently on her lower back and begins to lead them in a very slow waltz, his earlier nerves and bashfulness slowly fading. After all, he may not know a lot about women but he knows how to dance.
grayshulk: (pic#12958747)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-06-18 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
Who wouldn't enjoy being the subject of that joy? It's such a better thing to focus on, and she's inclined to lean into it and follow him to the dance floor.

Jennifer is light enough on her feet to compensate for the lack of most partners, and when she discovers that she doesn't have to? Well, then it's just a dreamy chance to let the music and training do the rest. Her form isn't perfect. She was never going to be a ballroom dancer even when she was in dance classes, but she knows how to waltz and how to follow a lead. The song is even familiar. The framework of the setting fades a little, and she simply lets herself enjoy his touch and the sense of being able to do something she loves with her body.
extrasensory_problems: (bw_laugh)

awww that's a cute icon

[personal profile] extrasensory_problems 2021-06-18 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
Carter can feel how easily her body responds to both his movements and the song and it's obvious to him that he's not the only one with dance experience here. He smiles, leaning into the intimate connection that dancers can create, a gentle push and pull through body chemistry and touch.
He spins her out and across the floor only to guide her back in to his embrace, pivoting his body and sweeping her into a low dip. He holds her there for a moment, his hair flopping forward across his eyes before he very slowly brings her back up, enjoying the way both their bodies tense and release together.

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