shimmermods: (Default)
The Shimmer Mods ([personal profile] shimmermods) wrote in [community profile] theshimmer2020-07-25 11:52 pm

WEEK TWO



A new day dawns bright as you leave the town behind you; the map you've found is simple, easy to follow, and perhaps most importantly it's the only lead you have.

And besides, it takes you closer to the source of the Shimmer's influence; that alone may make it worthwhile.

The through the woods leading up the mountain is one that seems to have been taken before, though it's difficult to tell how long ago; the long grass seems to have been tamed in some ways, tamped down and trod upon, and the presence of odd flowers remains constant. They seem to obey no season, growing out among the grass and the trees high overhead.

Though it's worth noting that you don't seem to be alone here; occasionally there's a silence that sweeps over the area, the sort of dead quiet that accompanied your initial approach to the Shimmer. The sort of silence that implies a predator in the area.

Checking will reveal exactly that.

It seems as though something has been stalking you - cougars from the woods have come down toward the group, and while they keep their distance for now, that may not hold true for the rest of the week...

You hear things in the night.

It sounds like humans screaming.

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[OOC: Welcome to the second week of The Shimmer! Unlike the deer and the other wildlife you've seen so far, the cougars that are tracking you are hostile - you are free to interact with them in any way you see fit, but they will react as a cougar would and they are entirely willing to try to attack the group. While we will not be NPCing these encounters, you are welcome to do as you like with regards to their presence, including fighting them off.]
instrumentalized: (stressed; anger; huffy)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
.... honestly? It is.

[ Small victories... again. Garma knows that death is inevitable for at least a few of them and he won't claim that denying it will do them any good, but... ]

We also have some margin of a chance to survive and that is what matters.

[ Absolutely shifting from 'I' to 'We' here... ]

Phrasing matters if you're meant to lead - and since none of us outrank one another, we share that responsibility for now.
alchemicals: (005.)

evening

[personal profile] alchemicals 2020-07-30 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[You know, if Kimbley finds this weird, he's just...not going to point it out. How's it going, Emma.]

Hey, I see you made a friend. They keeping you company all right?
alchemicals: (008.)

[personal profile] alchemicals 2020-07-30 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
...I want you to think really hard about that last part, and figure out if you really want to give me that kind of power.
instrumentalized: (smile; laugh)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Okay, that actually makes him laugh out loud and it doesn't even sound nervous, just genuinely amused. ]

It's not as though you'd accept me as your superior, is it?
alchemicals: (014.)

[personal profile] alchemicals 2020-07-30 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[Holy shit, a sense of humor. Garma is a human being and this is good news.]

Oh, hell no. I've already got one that's kind of like you. You're cuter, though.
instrumentalized: (smile; smug; flattered)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ... okay, Yeager is instantly forgiven. Garma is too easy when it comes to praise... ]

W-well, that's a rather casual way to treat troupe members. It takes some getting used to.

[ Please, he's fragile. ]
atrueheroine: (🕮 Smile)

[personal profile] atrueheroine 2020-07-30 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[All work and no play...is the only way to do things :|]

I'll do my best. Provided you do the same, of course.

[...Yeager you're weird but you have a big gun, so. You're pretty valid.]
scythegun: (NOD ⇝)

[personal profile] scythegun 2020-07-30 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[omg garma no..............]

I suppose that's true! It took several of my guild members a little bit to get used to~!

[in other words: you're stuck with this. this is your lot in life now.]
instrumentalized: (stressed; regain composure)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ah... what an unpleasant and yet absolutely necessary topic. Garma goes quiet for a moment, running a hand through his hair to help steady himself and find his focus. Their squad is very small.. sending people to their deaths is easier, less personal, when you have an army of hundreds at your disposal. ]

We should settle this sooner rather than later. My personal opinion... is that we need to maximize chances that at least some of us make it out of this alive. We all knew the risks, coming here.
scythegun: (NOD ⇝)

[personal profile] scythegun 2020-07-30 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
["Weird but has a big gun" is absolutely the best way to describe Yeager, but he is absolutely not valid.]

Well of course! I wouldn't want to let you all down! I can imagine how terrifying your disappointed expression would be...

[he can never resist teasing okay, page is absolutely not immune.]
instrumentalized: (smug; smile; things going his way)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He's elegant and handsome, actually, thank you very much. ]

All the more reason to put me into your considerations - it could be an upgrade.

[ But also compliment is compliment. He won't waste time getting offended and making a fool of himself. ]

What kind of war were you fighting, before you came here? I've been curious for a few days now.
atrueheroine: (🕮 Serious)

[personal profile] atrueheroine 2020-07-30 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
...I know what you mean.

[And she does; Page is nothing if not deeply sensitive to the suffering of innocents, so all this is....well. She may not be showing it on her face all that much, but it sucks.

...]


...how are you holding up, anyway? After the town.

[She heard you got the honour of finding the murdered shopkeeper, so...]
alchemicals: (010.)

[personal profile] alchemicals 2020-07-30 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oh, uh...]

You mean what it was about, that sort of thing? Or how we were doing it?
Edited 2020-07-30 22:36 (UTC)
instrumentalized: (smug; over shoulder)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Both, ideally. It is interesting to be informed of other worlds.

[ There is no real need to know, but it's a distraction from their current situation and fascinating besides. ]
instrumentalized: (shock; awe; uhhhh)

[personal profile] instrumentalized 2020-07-30 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I see... Though a guild is structured very differently from an army, I assume.

[ Whatever a guild is. Like a coalition of carpenters and such? ]
atrueheroine: (🕮 Resigned)

[personal profile] atrueheroine 2020-07-30 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I agree. Unfortunately, I think we're going to find it'll be easier said than done.

[It's part of the reason - other than just her usual personality - that Page has been trying to...limit, the amount of bonding she does with the other members of the group. At the end of the day, they're all here for their individual reasons, not to make friends, and the Shimmer has already proven that it takes no prisoners. Pulling the trigger on a corrupted teammate will be far easier if there are no emotional ties...but how realistic is that, anyway? She already feels closer to Garma, having teamed up with him in the town, and Felicia is another one she isn't sure she'd be able to shoot in the head without struggling.

....god. Fuck this place, to be honest.]


...you know we'll be the ones who'll have to do it, don't you? The people with the guns.
skelkro: (i know love is inevitable)

[personal profile] skelkro 2020-07-30 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[I see! Thanks for keeping us updated!]
skelkro: (for someone like me)

[personal profile] skelkro 2020-07-30 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, yes! One of our fellow members here brought them to me when we were exploring the town, and I've been studying them among the other plant life ever since. They're very interesting to look at.

[... and talk to when she thinks she's alone, apparently]
scythegun: (INDIFFERENT ⇝)

[personal profile] scythegun 2020-07-30 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh yes, certainly! I doubt I'd do well in an army; I don't like taking orders from anyone.

[hahaha... haha...]

Anyway, my guild is not one of the larger ones, so I don't have a small army under my command! We primarily work as mercenaries - sometimes my guild members are hired out for bodyguard work or scouting, things like that!

[This is partially true, at least??? But they're usually working for villains, so like.]
skelkro: (but that's okay)

[personal profile] skelkro 2020-07-30 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, they have. It helps one feel a little less alone at night lately whenever I'm unable to sleep.

[normally there's someone awake keeping an evening watch, sure, but she doesn't like disturbing others too often]

I'd ask if you have been able to sleep well, but I suspect the answer would be about the same as mine.

[given... the fucking cougar that has taken to screaming tonight every few minutes or so]
atrueheroine: (🕮 Pleased)

[personal profile] atrueheroine 2020-07-30 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[...don't you go reminding her of Ben Finn with this teasing, Yeager, or she will definitely be showing a disappointed expression...anyway.]

I'd be more concerned with my disappointed actions, personally, but I'm sure you won't let me down.

[She'll even smile! It's not a nice smile, but like. at least it's not a scowl? Small mercies?]
notjustawriter: (♟ the heat was hot)

[personal profile] notjustawriter 2020-07-30 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, I'm no expert on curses or anything, I just know they're varied.

My, uh, family was cursed up until recently.

Though I think the Shimmer is a little more... sentient.
alchemicals: (012.)

[personal profile] alchemicals 2020-07-30 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I have yet to meet a single one of you types that isn't morbid, you know that?

[He does not seem bothered by the morbidity, though - or the prospect of talking about this, for that matter.]

So without getting into the complete history of Why My Country Is Terrible, we annexed another nation at one point. They weren't happy about it. A lot of protests, a lot of civil unrest, so we sent our military in there. This was acceptable until somebody on our side got jumpy and shot someone on theirs. Civil war broke out, the guns weren't doing a good enough job of settling things, so they sent alchemists in to finish it.

Less of a war by the end, more of a massacre. And there you have it.

[He remains perfectly calm throughout; he...sure did just acknowledge that he committed many war crimes but that's fine.]
scythegun: (LILY ⇝)

[personal profile] scythegun 2020-07-30 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[page is doing her best and that's important!!]

I'll be sure not to! I do look forward to seeing this through to the end.

[Even though it's very likely that we'll lose people along the way.]

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