songerein | { a bit leafy }

Entry tags:

{ a bit leafy }

A BIT LEAFY

More details on everything can be found here.

I. LEAF STORM

II. INFESTATIONS

COMMENTS

I. LEAF STORM

During the first week of November, a storm of leaves will pass through town. It starts innocuous enough, with just a bluster of leaves carried in the wind that looks normal for the changing of the season. But as the days progress, there are large bursts even downpours of leaves that just fall all over town. And with this storm come strange things…

A. Leaf Monsters. As the leaves pile up and people attempt to rake and blow them away, there will be some strange movement...until it's revealed that oddly shifting pile of leaves suddenly rises up to try and attack, blasting sharp leaves and even trying to "engulf" the unexpecting, trapping them in piles of leaves. Time to deal with this sudden leaf invasion! (Note: the leaf monsters will be most active during the first week of the month and then taper off by the end of the second week. By mid-month, only a few will pop up here and there.)

🔥 Burn Burn Burn! Using any kind of wind will only disperse the leaf monster and make them split into more. They need to be destroyed completely, and the best way is through fire. Dreamotion fire especially.
🪤 Trapped. But be careful with that fire! There may be those trapped within the leaf monster itself, and burning it may hurt those inside. This is the one time using wind to disperse the leaves may be warranted, but maybe a "controlled blast" will help to keep the monster from spreading.
🐌 Animal Aid. While fire is the most effective, there are other methods—mainly through certain critters. The chickens around that statue from the Dream Board could probably help scratch and break them apart. Finding some special rainbow snails from the lake just south of town will also help as their glittery slime will not only trap the leaves, but also break them down quickly.

B. Leafever. The strange leaf storm and the leaf monsters are also bringing a strange cold-like disease, likely spread through the pollen or spores attached to the leaves. Those who get caught by the leaf monsters are most likely to catch it. Fortunately the effects are mild and only last a few days, week at most, but can be caught multiple times. There is also a cure, but it requires the same leaves that brought it.

🤧 Achoo! While having the leafever overall feels no different than a bad cold, some of the symptoms and side effects are a lot more…unusual with little consistency between individuals. Some may find themselves sneezing bubbles, others secreting slime as they sweat, and all dreamotion effects going haywire.
♨ Incense Burner. One way to help ease and lessen the effects of the leafever is to burn the leaves in a special incense burner infused with special dreamotion focused on healing and soothing emotions. A special stone must also be used, and it can only be found in the hot spring caves in Dragefjell, Dragon Island.
🍂 Leaf Sap. For the actual remedy, sap must be collected from the leaf monsters. How? Well—that's for everyone else to figure out, good luck. Maybe try squeezing the leaves? Or cook them?

C. Dryad. The most severe side effect of the leafever is the individual slowly turning more tree-like, some becoming similar to dryads. There are no serious side effects and will only last for about a day or two. In fact, those who "turn dryad" will feel healthier and livelier than usual. But it may be an interesting experience regardless.

🌲 A bit stiff. As the skin turns more bark-like and limbs become a bit more "wooden," those affected may find their movements a bit more limited at first. A bit of exercise and a gallon of water dumped on them will help loosen them up.
🌷 In tune to nature. While in this state, there will be an increased sense of awareness regarding all things plant. This includes the leaf monsters, allowing them to sense and pinpoint any that may be hiding or lurking around. There will also be a brief time where they can even control and call upon plants to do their bidding.
🍃 Big shed. When the symptom finally ends, all the leaves, branches, and bark will just fall completely off the individual and they will return completely normal without a single blemish. …And clothes. Hope this isn't happening out in public, ahem.

II. INFESTATIONS

With the changing of the seasons, all kinds of critters are either passing through on their migratory route…or burrowing in to start hibernation. Usually it's not a problem, but perhaps due to all the strange dreamotion energy flux over the past year, the creatures are behaving a little differently and getting in the way more than usual. The storm of leaves isn't helping matters, aiding in some of them to travel through. While some will appear during it, the majority will cause problems from around the second week onward.

A. Bugged Trees. Those living in treehouses are going to have a bit of a time as a number of insects will be looking to find a new place to chill during winter. Specifically, their home. Those who are under the dryad effect may want to be careful of any bugs that may be attracted to them.

🪲 Giant Beetles. Some may remember these fellows from previous years. The beetles are quite friendly, but they are quite large, large enough to ride on. They can also cause some rough damage on gardens and yards, their massive size creating large holes as they burrow into the ground. However, some are really useful with their pincers, capable of pruning unwanted branches. If not chasing them away, perhaps one could use them instead? (Especially against leaf monsters.)
🐞 Ladybugs. These ladybugs are average sized (thank goodness), but they have quite the attitude. Preferring colorful and well tended flowers, they will speak their mind should they find any that are wilting. They will also drop critiques on anyone with poor etiquette and living poorly. Those who have well kept homes will have an easier time with them…and also suffer large groups coming in hosting parties in the branches.
🦗 Crickets. The crickets are of the musical sort, ready to put on a performance to try and endear themselves to receive temporary lodging. Just for a few days! Their range of music is wide, from classical to punk rock to country to jazz to even rap. And while they try to be polite, well… Sometimes music jams happen whether they should or not. Like late at night. Crickets are nocturnal after all.

B. Migration Migraines. As if dealing with bugs wasn't enough, other critters are either migrating or looking to hibernate around town. One would think the Wildlands would have plenty to offer, but some may find the easy access to food in town a bit more enjoyable.

🦡 Honeycomb Badgers. These interesting looking badgers have a honeycomb for a back. While they will dig up gardens in search of tasty flowers, they need to "shed" their honeycomb and are deliberately going to people to offer it. They are not harmed and will just reveal normal fur beneath before a new honeycomb forms.
🦒 Flying Giraffes. A flock of large winged giraffes will be flying in and roosting on various tall buildings. They act a lot like Canadian geese, so…beware.
🐻 Cotton Bears. These cute little bears look like they could be living teddy bears with how small and plush they appear. And for winter, they are looking to sleep somewhere nice, soft, and warm. Like a bed. Now they don't really care if they are occupied or not, so maybe it would be better if some dens and beds could be made for them instead.

C. Field Foes. The farms situated around the outskirts of town are preparing to harvest their fields, but there's trouble. Unless it gets sorted quick, food might be harder to come by for the winter!

🌾 Scarecrow Rebellion. Something is wrong with the scarecrows, but no one is sure what. They're either sitting in the fields not trying to shoo away the numerous wildlife that have decided to come through, or actively waving their pitchforks at the very gardeners and farmers they're supposed to help. Perhaps they feel a bit underappreciated so some word of thanks could help them get back to work. In the meantime, some help clearing out the fields of unwanted visitors, especially the crows, will be needed.
🍄 Hopped Up Hares. Among the unwanted "vermin" are some hares that have somehow gotten into some…strange green mushrooms that have made them behave a bit erratic. They're digging up tunnels, wearing carrots on their heads, and stare blankly out into the distance. Catch them and drive them away! And maybe feed them some special pellets that will help cure them of their, uh, "ailment." It's not recommended to eat the mushrooms should they be found, but if one does…well, enjoy the same dizzying, heightened experience the hares did.
🍆 Oversized Veggies. Some young "genius" thought creating a special formula mixed with dreamotion would help the crops grow larger and faster. However, it only caused the vegetables to overgrow to as large as an adult person and are now rolling dangerously through the fields. Some even get into town! Pumpkins, carrots, lettuce, corn, potatoes, cabbages—all manner of vegetables are rolling around, so stop them before they cause too much destruction.

I. LEAF STORM

II. INFESTATIONS

COMMENTS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i: dream weaving in a leaf storm .

[ A new resident has taken to trying to complete quests in the midst of a storm. The leaf storm, completely new to Zelda, brings with it a lot of frustration. She tries, initially, to simply climb by way of a ladder she pilfers from some business or other. This act of selfishness is done with the intention to return it, though! Promise!

You're likely to spot Zelda balancing her newly (illegally) acquired ladder against the trunk of a tree or a building, then climbing it with vigor. The ladder stays in place, shockingly, for several moments, as she considers her next move, reaching up fruitlessly towards the clouds...

Only then does a powerful gust strike, knocking the ladder down— and Zelda topples to the ground with it.

...Dodge? ]

ii: thank you beary much .

[ It goes like this: Zelda is riding on the back of a honeycomb bear, hand out for easy balancing, and she sits with her dress mottled honey yellow. The smears of honey stick out sorely, marring the goddess robes she is enrobed with, but—

Well, a woman of religious importance appears to be riding into town with this bear, it's claws dirty from garden-digging, and a bag of honeycomb slung over her shoulder. As people approach, she doles out chunks of it, gifting it to people with a gentle smile.

What'd she do to the bear? She made friends with it. ]

It's freshly harvested. Isn't it, my friend? [ With a unburdened giggle, she pats the bear's neck, and it's snuffles loudly in response, shimmying to and fro as it begins to walk away after giving you your share of it's honey. ]

iii: in the presence of something more .

[ The illness strikes Zelda. She fights it for a time, but near the end of the strain, she turns. It happens in the same way a stone sinks to the very bottom of the ocean: Quickly, and all encompassing. Within a short amount of time, she is wrapped up tight in the bark of a tree, as if sealed within an envelope.

—So.

In a part of town that feels a little run down, and forgotton, there is a statue(?). Her face is impenetrable, unreadable, worn away by all the years. It is impossible to tell if she is tiny, or kneeling, her body made up of one big trunk, and her hands are clasped in prayer. There are wings on her back, frozen in time. She is a bird with clipped wings, cursed to the ground forevermore.

Perhaps you stop and stare. Maybe you inspect her, finding her to be more like tree bark than stone. Maybe you pray, placing an offering upon her clasped hands. How you interact with this anomaly is up to you.

But then, the statue blinks. In fact, she's not a statue at all. She's a tree— frozen, unable to move, burdened with prayer upon prayer, moss growing over her body. ]

iv: wildcard .

[ none of these tickle your fancy? bring your own prompt! hit me up on plotting or hit me up on plurk @ hagclub and we'll plot something out. thank you for your time!! ]

[ please don't respond here, i'm going to be plopping my personalized starters here! if you'd like one, please let me know through one of the above listed avenues and we'll work on something together! i'd be happy to do that with you! ]

[ Dragefjell is a long way from Songerein, she thinks, and as much as Zelda would love to go there, to actually see it with her own eyes, and to visit the hot springs, she is unable to. In her current state, it would be ill-advised at best. A sickness is claiming her physical form, beating her down into unwellness with shockingly harsh bouts of coughing fits and sniffles. Soup was not curing her, and so now, it was time for the old wives tales.

It is one such coughing fit that gets a gaggle of people to filter out of a shop— a little pottery shop that offers lessons. She thought— no, hoped— that she would be well enough to ask for it herself, to sit down and inquire for a lesson or two, and make something for her to burn the leaves in. But...

Zelda, too, leaves the shop. She loiters, then, determined to get what she wants— and when she finally thinks she's found someone who looks kind enough to help, she places her fate into the girl's hands. ]

Are you looking to shop?

[ It's a simple enough question. ] I could pay you to do something for me, if you need money... [ She, theoretically, should have enough for the burner, and to pay the girl for her help. But there's no hiding the illness that tucks itself into the corners of her delicate, rounded features: if only Hiyori knew she was jumping over a few steps in the whole old wives tale. ] I'm short on help at the moment.

Edited 2023-11-08 23:13 (UTC)

[ zelda places her fate into the hands of a sixteen-year-old girl. always a great choice. those hands are currently occupied petting one of those stray maple leaf kittens, scratching it behind the ears with a content smile on her face as it purrs away and rubs its small face against her knees.

she blinks at the voice that seems to be directed at her (yes, one look around confirms it is indeed HER she is being spoken to) and looks up, slowly standing out of her crouch. the fatigue that comes with sickness - tired eyes and the slouch of shoulders - isn't lost on her. neither is... this smell.

a spirit? or a god.

all these things contribute to a warm, sympathetic smile spreading across hiyori's face at essentially being asked for help by an utter stranger. ]

There's no need to pay me. Um, so, what can I do for you?

[ The sympathy stings a bit, but Zelda knows it for the gift it is. A relieved little smile crosses her lips, and she muses how lucky it is that she found someone kind from the outset. Pulling the shawl closer, she speaks in a guilty tone, as if this is truly just a burden to the girl. ]

I need a bowl for burning incense. Something handmade. [ If Hiyori's heard the rumors, she might be able to put both things together; that this girl is sick with the stick disease, or the leaf storm, whatever you want to call it. Those inside think it's contagious, naturally. ] And I can't get inside, so... But please do let me pay you back! [ A short, considering beat, and then: ] I can play instruments, if you like music. [ A song for a favor? ] Or perhaps more practically... I can sew.

zelda / the legend of zelda: skyward sword

CLOSED STARTERS.

HIYORI.

no subject

no subject

ii: thank you beary much

no subject

no subject

no subject

i

no subject

no subject

no subject

dream weaving in a leaf storm

no subject

no subject

The presence

no subject

no subject

iii jumps into your arms

trahearne my beloved

he blows a kissy

iii

no subject

no subject