[Open] The Mark of the Herald

[thewatchers]

Mark of the Herald Part I
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Despite certain disruptive events and ominous visions in the preceding month, August is seemingly still free of any problems.

That’s quick to change, however. Starting from the third of the month, strange, circular marks begin to appear on human students around the school - and, indeed, humans around the world. Those affected begin to feel incurably drowsy, something that no magical or mundane solution can seem to cure or relieve; eventually, they’ll fall asleep entirely, whether they want to or not, and enter a state of magical stasis. Not even nonhumans are immune, though whether they’re marked seems to be much more erratic.

Those who remain awake or are otherwise spared by the mark are free to do as they wish - the Academy won’t ask them to do more than keep themselves safe. But where each marked person falls in slumber, a portal will form; a strange tear in reality, offering glimpses of a surreal, nightmarish plane that differs vastly from individual to individual. One thing is certain; the cause of a victim’s seemingly endless sleep and these portals are linked somehow, and the only way to find out exactly how is to go through...and the only ones capable of doing so are those who are still awake.

This log can be used as a catch-all for event-related threads. The information for this event is here.

Comments

[stavros]

What?

[Keeping her nose and mouth covered, Kokoro rubs her eyes with the back of her arm and runs forward, trying to dodge the flames even if she can walk through them.]

Is anyone here?

[standless]

[The howling continues for a bit, but it soon becomes far happier barks. They're coming closer- and closer...and...

It seems a dog is coming toward her! It could be attacking in a charge- but maybe it's just excited?]

[stavros]

[Kokoro stands warily, not running from the dog but not moving to act. Possibly a little awkwardly.]

...well met, sir dog? Have you seen Mr. Joestar?

[standless]

[The dog...

Jumps, but doesn't pounce or anything like that. It's a play jump! The kind that has a lot of bowing and tail wagging and bark-bark-barking!

They're a rather large dog- a great dane! They also seem to be smoking. It's probably fine.

At the mention of a 'Mr. Joestar' however, all playtime seems to be put aside. After briefly sniffing around Kokoro, the dog barks once, and proceeds to turn to start wandering off. They do seem to be following the vines to a point though...]

[stavros]

That's a yes, I presume.

[Kokoro follows the dog, still keeping an eye out for anything else.]

I must wonder what kinds of dreams he's having to be in a place like this.

[standless]

[Probably not very good ones. The farther along they move, the more vines there are to be seen. Buildings begin to crop up again, but unlike before, there's no pressuring feeling of being watched.

It appears the dog is a good guard.

It won't take long before it feels like they're headed for a specific house- a manor, really, entirely entombed in the vines.

...

Looks like that's the goal.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro takes note of the place and nods.]

You have my thanks, sir dog. So he's trapped inside?

[She approaches the house, keeping watch around for anything else.]

[standless]

[The dog looks at the front of the house covered in vines, and back to Kokoro.

It whines, and sits there. Apparently yes. And apparently, it cannot follow.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro hesitates, pets the smoking dog, and gives it some crumbling beef jerky from her pocket before she turns her attention to the house. She hurls an axe at the door to cut the vines and follows up to try and open the door.]

[standless]

[The vines writhe at the meeting of the axe- and the world itself seems to shake- some of them part to allow Kokoro in, but many more shudder in seeming anticipation.

It may be wiser to try not to harm these.]

[stavros]

[She hesitates. Looks the vines over, but doesn't attack them further.]

So they aren't harmful...?

[Okay, that's weird, but welcome... and now she feels a little bad. But she'll head into the house warily, looking up in case of any traps.]

[standless]

[They must not be.

Walking into the house, things seem calm- if not overgrown. The insides of the home are rather odd however- a mixture of victorian manor architecture, and what could well have been a very well build ship for casual travel. Somehow, it all flows together.

It's tricky to figure out where all the vines are coming from however- there's so many, that following them to any focal point could prove difficult. If Kokoro has any idea on how to make it simpler, she's welcome to try- otherwise, there are numerous possible halls and doorways to go through.]

[stavros]

[She frowns and looks it all over.] This certainly is dream logic... well, let us see. [She'll try the first door; maybe there's something useful in there.]

[standless]

[Well, the first door simply goes to a sitting area for guests. There's certainly no one in here, and the vines simply pass through to another door back out into the hall it would seem. It may do Kokoro better to try moving further into the house- through the halls or stairs.

As it is, perhaps there's something in this room after all. There are a few books and photos scattered upon the table, tucked under the vines. At first glance, they seem empty.]

[stavros]

[Ah, dream logic. She gently pushes the vines to the side to inspect the books and pictures.]

My apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Joestar.

[standless]

[There doesn't seem to be much reaction initially. The books are all rather generic- topics of archaeology, which Jonathan had interest in.

The photos are blank- until Kokoro's apology. Then, the vines shine just briefly, and one of the images appears to portray someone giving the indication that things are 'alright'-!

It appears that while limited, he's able to communicate, and doesn't mind her presence at all.]

[stavros]

[She smiles for half a second and nods.]

I will retrieve you, worry not.

[After checking the room over, Kokoro will return to the main hall and go up the stairs; maybe there's something up there.]

[standless]

[For a moment there's a photo of questioning. Jonathan's apparently not actually sure what's going on, or where he even is. But alright, he'll run with it.

For a brief instant, only a few of the vines in the hall shine- their residual glow from the use of power trickling away. They go up that stairway and down to the left hall, but if Kokoro doesn't move very quickly they'll quickly fade before she's up there.]

[stavros]

[She picks up the pace and runs up the stairs, then slides down the hallway, almost like she isn't there until she skids to a stop. For a moment even Kokoro herself looks confused at what she just did, but she proceeds down the hall indicated.]

If they lead this way, and they lead to Mr. Joestar, then...

[standless]

[Hmm. The tricky bit. The hall seems especially amalgamated with the boat imagery. Portholes instead of windows, oddly paced among the portraits remaining from the manor itself between them. There are a great number of doors along the hall however- Kokoro could take the first one, certainly, but maybe it would be better to pass by them all to the end of the hall?]

[stavros]

[She hesitates, but starts to walk down the hall to the end.]

Dream logic for certain... what's going on in here?

[standless]

[Nothing that makes sense, that's for sure. There's not a whole lot of doors around this corner, but notably there's not as many frenzied vines either. Much more of the place can be seen- though it glows with an unnatural light. The sounds of a scuffle can be heard distantly, behind another door- and the vines seem to be there.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro frowns and runs to the next door. She listens at it to try and see what's going on before she tries the door.]

Come on, come on...

[standless]

[The door opens easily enough-

The handle is also rather warm.

The room inside looks like a boiler room, despite the fact that the location should have been something akin to a bedroom. There is no fire, but there is immense heat-

There are also a lot of plants. Thorny vines, all converging toward one spot within the room, a great mass growing up there to lock something into place. Whatever was here, it's apparently supposed to stay here.

Or it would have, but that's something Kokoro should probably change.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro pauses to look it over, then bolts in, aiming right at the vines. She reaches out to grab one.]

Even if you weren't hostile, you led me here for a reason, did you not? What is this?

[And she's going to try to clear them out, but just by pulling, trying not to damage them after the incident before.]

Mr. Joestar!