ORP with Steals Fire (Bring Back the Light Event)

[Baneful]

Elements -> Large Mote -> Different climate

The next mote was easier. Deciding that it would be sensible to just try and catch more of the things in the hopes that he would stop being composed of mostly water, his next efforts were a lot more earnest, going after the motes with considerable effort this time, a little bit frantic about finding a solution to his current predicament. Of course, no one ever said that Deceiver was particularly intelligent. If he was, he might have considered the possibility that solving an issue caused by motes by adding even more motes into the mix was a poor bit of problem solving.

The next mote he caught was enormous, so large in fact that it didn't seem to do anything at all to him. The sensation of being made of water vanished and left him once again looking normal. It was however much too large to keep, barely able to be held onto with his teeth, so he dropped it off in the cage.

Maybe the things matured somehow and the mature ones negated the negative effects. He looked from one mote to the other thoughtfully.

One more wouldn't hurt.

This one was of what he estimated to be about an "average" size and he hopped up and caught it right out of the air.

Pleased, he held it aloft, intending to find a way to bring it with him, when suddenly the world seemed to shunt and shift around him. No longer in the swamp he found himself suddenly atop a barren and cruel mountain where the wind whipped around him and the stars wheeled overhead.

He looked up at them and made a concerned face, so stunned that the mote flitted away from him once again.

"Shit." he said irritably, watching it flit off into the blackness of the night.

Spoiler

1: Your kin imagines they are very, very tiny!
2: Your kin imagines they are huge!
3: Your kin imagines they have become a type of familiar!
4: Your kin imagines they are a tree and cannot move!
5: Your kin imagines they are made up of one of the four elements!
6: Your kin imagines their shadow has taken on its own life!
7: Your kin imagines they are a different species of kin!
8: Your kin imagines they are in a different climate (plain, mountains, desert, caves)!
9: Your kin imagines they are completely covered in motes!
10: You capture an exceptionally large mote with no consequences.

[Astoria]

Shrine had left to chase some motes and had triumphantly returned with her lantern. Though she had to figure out where she had left it at first because when she was in her "large" state she had thought she had stepped on it or perhaps had left it somewhere far away. Coming back she sort of looked around to see how else everyone else was fairing in the hunt for the light.


Once Pleasant Dreams nudge her sire's shoulder, "Come, let's go catch some of these motes! I bet it'll be fun." She said leading the way and her father trailing after her. "Well, if anything happens to us on this little adventure of yours, I'm blaming you." She smiled and grabbed a lantern, she of course wasn't going to be the one catching them, she was leaving that job up to dear ole daddy.
Your kin imagines they are a tree and cannot move! Your kin imagines they have become a type of familiar!
Veil of Death gave his daughter a rather 'if I must' look and followed along after her. "So, we just grab em?" He had hoped there would have been some sort of instruction on how this was to be accomplished and tried to look around and see if anyone else was catching them any specific way. Hoof or mouth huh? Looking at the creatures he grimaced. "I can see why you're making me do this....." He hoped they didn't bite. "bhear ghosss whon" Once Pleasant Dreams said with the handle in her mouth and she watched as he darted after it. Both of them had the same though, 'These motes are super quick'. Grabbing at it finally Veil of Death began to feel, oddly. Once Pleasant Dreams watched as he suddenly began to hop around like a..... what was it?? A frog? A fox bun?? She wasn't sure and she was so glad that she had him doing this instead of her. The dark and silver buck found himself hoping around in a funny little manner that was unlike himself but seemed perfectly normal at the moment. The effects faded quickly and he secured it in the lantern his daughter held. "We speak of this to no one." He said, in a rather serious manner..... Though he really didn't mean it. Once Pleasant Dreams couldn't believe her siblings were missing this. Off we went after two more and each time he grabbed them he became still as as could be and didn't budge for what seemed an eternity. Setting the lantern down with 'her' motes she laughed. "I mean.... Can't I just-" "No." He interjected. "Let's just go back to the crowd." And the two of them made their way back to the gathering.

She was not expecting the kin to be so ORANGE. He was so orange it slapped her in the face with his brightness. Though given it was rather dark it probably would have been worse in the sunlight, so she was even more thankful for the current darkness. "Grim Tales." She responded in kind to the other's introduction. She was a cheerful kin when she wanted to be, but she wasn't THAT cheerful. Still, "Would you want to chase motes with me?" If something weird had the potential to happen, might as well have someone else to have it happen with right?


Taste of Darkness was more interested with what everyone was saying than speaking himself. Sticking to the shadows, since that was the easiest thing to do right now he just waited and listened. If someone approached he'd share words if needed, he was quite content with remaining a shadow himself for the time being.

[Dizzy_Kat]

"I suppose that's a possibility too..." She watched the glowing doe haul her contraption to the eager and scared crowds. Manufacturing a crisis and providing what appeared to be the only safety net with the purpose being to kill off a large number of kin at once... it didn't sound implausible at least. "It seems a little too obvious though? Like you said," She turned to the grey buck who'd joined them. "Once kin who've tasted it start dropping, the rest of us would catch on that they Very Clearly Glowing-in-the-Dark kin who made it are likely at fault... and there's a lot more of us than them."

"I suspect it's some trickery. I've heard the stories of what the Harbinger did to the obelisks." Her confident voice wavered as her eyes followed a pale acha leaping after the motes of light. They didn't seem quite right after catching one. "It could be a hallucination?" Of course the sun couldn't actually be gone. But then... if kin could walk through the obelisk and appear somewhere that would have taken days to travel to on foot. Maybe? Maybe someone could steal the sun out of the sky?

[Baneful]

Been had slunk into the gathering without fanfare or comment, as he normally did. He didn't have friends or family any longer. He was a less than healthy looking kin overall, with a stomach up tight against his spine from hunger and fur that though brightly coloured seemed dull and ill cared for. His strangest asset was his tail, a snarled tangle of independently prehensile tendrils that seemed to move of their own accord.

He knew he looked strange and moved as though apologetic for his appearance and for existing, skulking around the other kin and mostly making his way towards the free food. Clearly he was doing a horrible job foraging for himself and any kind of offered meal was welcome.

Once he had made sure that he was even permitted to be there and no one else was higher on the pecking order who wanted to go first, he took a deep sip of the soup and felt it warm him from his nose to his hooves.

--

And it took him back.

He was small. Just finding his awkward adolescent legs. Life was happy, there was a warmth that reached into his bones. He was fit and strong and so much of his strangeness was still little more than immature nubs, his tail almost normal.

He remembered the big smile of his father, looking down at him, his long rabbit-like ears inclined to one side. Behind him there was a glorious decorated grove of colourful bark, uncountable plants and a winding river that flowed a hundred colours with flower petals. All around cheerful and happy kin took it in, them and their offspring entertained by clever and witty performers.

"One day." he said. "You'll help me with all of this. You'll be my second in command. You'll make me proud."

And his heart had swelled with determination to make it happen.

--

Shadows coughed around a sob in surprise, staggering down to lay on the ground at the emotional body slam the sudden and unexpected memory elicited. He'd pushed down so much of that love and desire to impress so hard for so long that having it blaze white hot sent him reeling. Was any kind of food worth that?

He needed a minute, laying his head on his hooves as he tried to remind himself that he was not that youngster any more and all that he had inherited was a legacy of terrible things.

[Lutz]

Echo bobbed his head as the other Acha gave him her name, a delighted grin on his face as she did so. If he made a bunch of new friends from this less than ideal situation was it really that bad? He didn't think so!

"Motes?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "Oh! The floating lights!" He'd seen a few on his way in and had overheard a bit of chatter about them - collect them, but watch out, they may make you see strange things or feel strange ways - but wasn't too sure how to go about collecting them. But maybe if he watched Grim Tales and helped her he'd get the hang of it and could catch some of his own as well.

"Sure! I'm not sure how to but I'll try to help," he offered.

[HuniPi]

Heart and Home decided it was best to take a bit of a breather and turn in the motes she had so far managed to gather. Her gait was stiff and awkward, remnants of the hallucination she'd gone through of turning into a tree, but at least she was moving.

"Oh, it seems Dear One isn't here yet," she murmured to herself. She wasn't worried though, between herself and Forward the totoma was the more capable when it came to surviving. Besides, she had some markings that glowed, it would be easier to track her down than the other way around. So in the meantime, she was going to see how else she could help that didn't involve immediately going back out to gather more motes.

[subducting]

Dark Moon Rising was having a very, very, very long night.

She hadn’t been stargazing at the time the stars had begun to flicker out, but the panicked shouts of the tribe had summoned her from ruminating on another issue and she had seen herself whole constellations vanish. It had been quite terrifying to witness. The light of the moon itself seemed sickly and fitful, swallowed up before it reached the swamp.

With nothing to do but speculate, she had formed a small party of tribe members to investigate the only real light left- flickering motes dancing temptingly though the swamp. She led her small group in pursuit of them until they arrived to a clearing with quite the gathering of kin. By this time it had become evident something was deeply wrong- the sunrise had been due hours ago and she and her group were already starting to tire, but she splashed water on her eyes and kept going.

She squared her shoulders as they came into view of the crowded kin- some talking, some running around, seemingly in pursuit of the little lights, and some occupied with other tasks- it was quite the bustle. She surveyed the scene quietly, taking in as many kin as she could recognise. She frowned vaguely at one long horned kimeti with flowing hair, frown wrinkling as she recognised someone from a couple of winter markets ago. She resisted the urge to engage with the buck, however, as he seemed in the middle of a conversation with a rather imperious looking acha.

Instead she glanced to the companions she’d brought with her, waiting to see what they made of the situation.

[Astoria]

5: Your kin imagines they are made up of one of the four elements! 6: Your kin imagines their shadow has taken on its own life! 7: Your kin imagines they are a different species of kin!
Well, him tagging along was better than nothing. "Perhaps you could hold the lantern for me? I honestly don't know how they expect someone to do this as a solo act." She was sure there were plenty that had done it just fine without help, she however didn't want the hassle of trying to figure out or remember where she'd set the contraption. She also wasn't creative enough to make something to hang it from, at least not right now in this darkness. One darted by her and she was in quick pursuit, however, as soon as she had it she felt as if she herself were made of living fire. As if she alone could burn the darkness away with the light within her. It faded quickly and she placed it in the lantern and gave Echoed Chorus a strange look. "You didn't see anything weird happen did you?" Was it all in her head? She hoped so. Man these things were odd.

Dashing after another yielded her shadow becoming sentient. It seemed to come up from the ground, it's blackness contrast against the inky dark around them. Perhaps it would help her catch some motes, but it did not and soon, it too faded back into its rightful place. The final attempt yielded a quite unique response. She felt strong, as if she was a boulder of a kin. Looking down her legs had grown thicker and her chest wider. Was she a Totoma? She felt invincible as she began to make her way back to the buck and her lantern. The imagination faded away as she grew nearer and she placed the final one in the Lantern. "Well.... I have to say that's not an experience I'd ever hope to have to do again."

[Ruriska]

“This is a punishment,” came a voice from the darkness.

Someone new had arrived, stepping out from the shadows, to let the firelight brighten his red and oranges, his handsome face set into a sad, concerned smile. He looked across the gathered kin, not really speaking or seeing anyone in particular, just there, to offer a different opinion.

“The MotherFather has taken away the sun and the stars and the moon to punish us. What right do we have to try to change it?”

[HuniPi]

Heart had been content to watch the other kin as they arrived, unintentionally listening in on conversations whenever they proved loud enough. It wasn't as if she was purposely eavesdropping or anything of the sort. No, she just happened to hear them, that's all!

And she just happened to hear the buck offer an alternative opinion to their situation. It was a frightening possibility in Heart and Home's mind, "What misdeed could we have done that would upset the MotherFather to this extent?" she asked, eyes wide in concern that bordered on fear.

[Ruriska]

Ah, a bite. Perfect.

Chosen One shifted to face the doe, his expression solemn. “Forgive me for speaking plainly but I have seen terrible things.” He gave a weary shake of his head. “There are many kin out there who have chosen a path of death and misery. They take lives as if they were nothing. They peddle only in violence. Surely the MotherFather weeps?”

In order to set the world right, there were many kin he would need to grind beneath his hooves. This Kimeti seemed strong in body and that was always a useful addition for the tribe.

[HuniPi]

Heart gave a reassuring shake of her head and a smile, "Oh speaking your mind is nothing to apologize for. I'm sure your intentions were for the good of the swamp." The doe continued to listen, trying to see if she'd done anything in the same vein or had contributed to the MotherFather's pain. Thankfully the worst she'd done (knowingly at least) was annoy other kin with her incessant chatter or fail to catch prey during hunts.

"Hmmm, I don't doubt that there are kin who are dedicated to violence down to their very blood, but there are also kin who have chosen to protect and defend life, and those who seek to teach and enlighten like you are doing right now. Isn't that something the MotherFather would want continued?" The sincerity in her words was genuine.

[rexcorvus]

Sweet Death made his breath catch momentarily, made his heart do a little, unexpected skip. Born couldn't see the flush that rose in Death's cheeks, couldn't, probably, tell that the affectionate nickname was something he wasn't used to - and yet didn't dislike at all. He cleared his throat, mostly to have something to do, and said, a little roughly, "You're quite welcome."

It felt inadequate. Death decided to focus on the task at hand instead, taking an uncertain step forward.

"I'll stay near," he said, "So don't go too far. Just listen for my voice."

[rexcorvus]

"It probably won't," said Traitor dismissively to the first buck. "It's probably some sort of gimmick, a ruse to make us all dance to their tune."

His tail lashed back and forth, an angry gesture that he didn't seem to be aware of doing. Traitor's gaze slid once more to the gray one with the rows of sharp teeth and he said, with a touch of hard amusement, "Who knows why any kin does anything? Perhaps they'll give us something to silence us. Perhaps they'll give us something to make us talk. Perhaps they'll just make us sick for their own entertainmentttttt."

He drew out the last word in a strange, almost sing-song tone, head tilting. Traitor swiveled around to look at the doe, his eyes narrowing. "A general form of trickery, is that it? Something to make us feel as though we've all gone - " His tail moved in a restless, circular gesture. " - craaaazy?"

[Ruriska]

“My intentions are good, however some kin don’t like to consider the darker side of life and are uncomfortable when it is spoken of.” He gave a rueful shrug.

Chosen One hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, of course. There are many kin that have chosen the path of light, and even more who live simply, as the MotherFather intended. They have done nothing to deserve such fate but this long night has only just begun. Who are we to say what Her intentions are? And maybe She wants us all to prove ourselves, to outlast Her will.”

He was just as sincere, passion leaking into what had begun as a measured tone.

“Perhaps we are being punished for not fighting hard enough against the darkness that was always there and so She had brought it to us. Regardless, I would not think it wise to question the Mother Father’s will or struggle against it.”