sticksandbonesmods: (Default)
sticks and bones. ([personal profile] sticksandbonesmods) wrote2023-08-24 11:28 am
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NPC CONTACT

NPCs
To request a thread with an available NPC, put their name in the subject line and anything else you feel is relevant. NPC threads cannot be used for Main AC, but can be used for Bonus AC.

Available NPCs:

Shopkeeper / Heimr.

(he/him)

A tall, heavier man who dresses in slightly oversized clothing not unlike that of a wandering merchant of sorts. He has golden orange eyes and long, curly dark hair that's starting to turn silver here and there, and though he carries a certain weeriness, this does nothing to mask his kindness. He has absolutely no pokerface whatsoever. During the day and late at night he mans the General Store with the help of Plum's magic, though now that he needs to sleep, he's more prone to catnaps at the counter. That said, he'll always be ready to listen or offer a cup of tea. Late winter/early spring, he became human — but not the man he used to be. Heimr gained his name from Mizuki.

Trader / Ydalir.

(she/her)

A large woman who adorns herself with rich colors and baggy clothes to hide her shadowy form, and the Shopkeeper’s sister. Like her brother, she has given her name to the forest and with it, her identity and humanity. She is much more energetic, but more likely to anger as well. She runs a trading booth, armed with magical items from who knows where and a mirror that allows her to reach for items across dimensions, which she will use for the new residents of the Grove! For a price. Her name was given to her by Mizuki.

Rusty.

(he/him)

An old dog who desperately wants to go home. Before the fence erected itself, he spent most of his days trying to get into the manor with little success. The Shopkeeper says the children of his former master are inside the manor, and he wants to return to their side. He can be fussy and has a flair for that doggy judgmental side eye, but he’s gentle and loving as well. What secrets does he hold?

Zahliya.

Played by [personal profile] purifier
(he/they)

A Gargoyle rescued from the fog who is very fond of his titles. Known as "the Purifier, He Who is the First Sentinel, the Grove's Guardian" and fifteen other things, Zahliya is short, combative, and possesses the ability to cleanse corruption by taking it into himself, or burning it out with magic. While formerly unable to conjure said magic, Zahliya is now capable of curing all but the most dire forms of Corruption. His true name is "Amun-Ra", given to him by the Goddesses who created him. He can typically be found perched on the roof of the church, and wields two holy blades called Daybreak and Nightfall.

Zonari.

(she/her)

A Gargoyle constructed by the Fallen Sun/Forest who was brought back to the Grove with some reluctance. Zonari is firmly on the side of the Fallen Sun, though she will entertain being spoken to, and is operating under a truce with everyone here under the promise that they will reunite the Fallen Sun with Beiwe and repair the trust lost between the siblings. She refers to Zahliya as her brother. Her magic deals in Corrupting and modifying memories, and she has a small amount of control over Time. She rarely visits the Grove to "check on you all", and will not get directly involved in affairs of the players at this time.

Moder.

(she/her)

A terrifying, two-story tall moose monster known as the Guardian of the Forest. Moder speaks exclusively in a language that sounds similar to Old Norse, but her words are automatically translated in the heads of those who hear her into something legible. She roams the Grove freely and slips in and out of the fog, regularly killing dangerous monsters to protect the people within the fog's protective bubble. If you ask nicely, she will give you rides around the Grove. During Spring and Summer, mosses and flowers grow along her back and bloom in her hoofsteps.

Sinann.

(it/its or they/them)

The River Guardian, Sinann is a five-foot long fantail fish. It is the reason the river flourishes, and it is the reason you should return the bones of fish you take from the river back to it. Despite appearances, Sinann is just as powerful as the other Guardians. It has the ability to enter a humanoid form to go on land, but will largely still be a fish in the river. Sinann's healing water can heal all but the most fatal of injuries, and it recommends carrying a bottle of it with you just in case.

Callan.

(he/him), art by [plurk.com profile] winterbolt

The Lake Guardian, Callan, lives within the lake primarily, but his "mobile home" is in a fishtank in Pure Vanilla Cookie's house. He has the ability to charm people with his siren's song, though lately he's learnt to "be good" and ask first before he tries to take bites out of people. To make matters worse, he's also a shapeshifter, and tends to take on amorphous forms. He cannot shapeshift to something that would break his usual powers — no birds/flight, and no saltwater creatures. Mostly, he wants to play and taunt people. He acts much stupider than he truly is, but he's not going to tell you that.

The Sky Guardian/"Aurora".

(she/her)

Dubbed "Aurora" by the residents of the Grove, The Sky Guardian, the "bird of rainbow", was killed by the Fallen Sun when it Fell. Thanks to the efforts of Pure Vanilla Cookie, she has been resurrected. When she initally perished eons ago, it is said the stars fell from the sky with her; with her return, the stars, too, have come back. She is kinder and more patient than the other Guardians, and can shapeshift into various types of birds. When in her real form, she stands at three stories tall. A single rainbow tailfeather can bring people back from the dead without consequence — but the offerings required can be steep.

Dragon Hatchlings.

(varies)

A clutch of seven dragon young who hatched upon the beach midwinter. The young vary greatly, but are friendly and playful little things. They like to play at the Rec Center or can be found in various places around the Grove, though they all have favored guardians and caretakers.

You may ask them for a blessing or two, threaded here.

Nene.

Played by [personal profile] mermaidcursed
(she/her)

A young girl who was previously corrupted, but healed by the Cosmic Serpent's holy rain and Pure Vanilla Cookie's efforts. This has resulted in the more malignant plant growths on her to drop and die, but at this point she is still significantly plantlike, as she's come to rely upon these mutations to survive for thousands of years. At a glance Nene will stand out due to her eyepatch, metal legs and the flowers growing out of her hair. As she's now free of the Forest, her exuberant and bright personality is starting to really shine through. Upon death and revival, Nene will personally lead you back to the Grove. Just don’t let go of her hand on the journey.

Elsword.

Played by [personal profile] simplicitas
(he/him)

A young man who was once living among the Grove's residents and formerly Corrupted. Elsword formerly resided in The Garden, where he greeted and spoke to the dead, as well as researched the secrets of it. He decided to resurrect for a chance at attacking the Fallen Sun out of revenge. Fully blind, he can be found living with Mizuki, but spends a majority of his time outside camping out across the river and upstream from Vash's House.

Callisto Abella.

(she/her)

A merchant and 'treasure hunter' if you believe her words, Callisto is a cynical woman who has the unfortunate crime of freeing the Fallen Sun, letting him claw his way back to power. He's kept her as a personal pincushion for centuries, killing and resurrecting her at whim, and though she's still full of fire, she is also weary from years of guilt, suffering and the realization that everyone she knows and loves is dead. Callisto keeps to herself but can be drawn from her room at the inn with good company, good food and good wine- which she also enjoys making.

Semi-Available NPCs:

Semi-Available NPCs are NPCs that are only able to be spoken to under specific circumstances. The circumstances are outlined under each NPC's informational blurb. These NPCs may or may not be moved to Available or Unavailable status depending on further plot updates. Characters who do not fulfill the requirements will not be able to thread with these NPCs. They live under a cut to save page space.

List of Semi-Available NPCs (Click to Expand):

The Behemoth.

(she/her)

The "daughter of Callan", The Behemoth is an enormous, many-eyed crocodile who is now trapped outside of the lake due to the fog wall. She has interest in humankind, and will regularly stalk anyone near the river, but will not try to harm them unless she is harmed first. She claims that she will side with whoever makes her home better, be it humankind or the Creature in the Woods. She can only be spoken to while using the Bone Ring.

Plum.

(they/them)

A little fox spirit within the General Store, Plum is the reason that Heimr can get so many supplies and keep it stocked year-round. There is a shrine to them in the back of it. Plum can only be spoken to while using the Bone Ring.

Beiwe.

(she/her)

The Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe's statue rests next to the well. She traditionally wears armour and wields a sword. She is boistrous, loud, and passionate, and praying to her will make the area feel warm for a time. At one point, she rode on the back of a giant dragon named Sehul. Her statue shows her without her horn-halo cracked, but the real Beiwe does indeed sport that injury. She can be contacted via prayer, but unless otherwise noted, cannot be physically interacted with at this time.

Ourania.

(she/her)

The Goddess of the Moon, Ourania's statue rests next to the well on the opposite side from Beiwe's. She wears a flowing gown and a scarf in her statue. Little is known about her, though she is said to be "very ill". Another humongous statue of hers lies underneath the far-off lighthouse, built into the cliff face. When prayed to, she makes the world feel colder for a moment.She can be contacted via prayer, but unless otherwise noted, cannot be physically interacted with at this time.

Felicity Morais.

Played by [personal profile] amethystic
(she/her)

A young witch and Star who was called to an uninhabited star shrine to empower it once more. She stays to both provide a beacon of safety to other Stars in the forest, share her power and a third, much less pleasant reason: to be live bait for that which would kill the holy lights and give them time to protect themselves best.

Unavailable NPCs:

Unavailable NPCs are, well, not available for threads for one reason or another, but are listed here for bookkeeping/lore reasons. They may or may not become available at a later date. Available NPCs may also become unavailable at a later date, and will be moved to this list accordingly. To avoid clutter, this list lives under a cut, but all NPCs are lore-important and should be considered part of the story even if they aren't necessarily contactable.

List of Unavailable NPCs (Click to Expand):

Aldric.

(he/him)

The founder of the Grove, owner of the manor, and Rusty’s previous master. He had planned on establishing the Grove as a pitstop town within the woods while trying to clear space for a shortcut trade route between towns. It seems that he invited people who needed to get away from their hometown as means of refuge as well. ... Recently, the Shopkeeper has confessed to being Aldric, though he can no longer call himself by name.

Renard.

(he/him)

Aldric’s best friend and the co-founder of the Grove. Currently, he is deep within the forest, sealed into a tree and awaiting rescue. He is said to have taken a magic artifact long ago that the forest wants, intending to hide to protect it.

Olivia.

(she/her)

Aldric's sister, who lived within the grove. Apparently she guards the star shards. Through magic and great sacrifice, Olivia gave up her name and with it, her humanity, to become the Trader.

Audrey.

(she/her)

Aldric’s youngest child. Her body was discovered in the manor, laid to rest within her bedroom. She has a gravestone outside of the manor, and both Rusty and the Shopkeeper can be found there sometimes.

Rillian.

(she/her)

Aldric’s oldest daughter, the middle child. She remains within the manor for reasons unknown, and refuses to exit, insisting that it’s for something necessary.

Evan.

(he/him)

Aldric’s oldest son. He remains in the manor alongside Rillian, and refuses to exit, insisting that it’s for something necessary.

"The Forest".

(he/it)

Or rather, the entity possessing the forest as a whole. Childish, sadistic, and power-hungry, the Forest has invited you to play! And you will play, whether you like it or not. Though it can show acts of kindness, it views all life as its toys, and will not be convinced otherwise. Known also as the Creature, the False God, and the Fallen Sun, the entity possessing the Forest was formerly a God that Fell and has seen fit to wreak havoc upon the world. The Guardians will tell player characters to call it anything other than a God so that it doesn't regain any more power. While not available for direct threads on request, the Forest will interact with characters through major events and storylines. At one point, it was named "Suri" by Affogato Cookie, though this name is not known by other player characters and should never be used ICly due to that. Do not do a metagaming, thank you.

Sehul.

(they/them)

A long-dead Guardian, formerly Beiwe's mount and said to be a flame-coloured dragon. Sehul was killed by the Fallen Sun in an attack. The Guardian's skeleton can be found at the lake's edge, sunken into the sediment.

The Cosmic Serpent.

(any/all)

Lying in the whirlpool in the middle of the ocean viewable from the cliffside, the Cosmic Serpent is a long, glittering leviathan who feasted upon the fallen stars eons ago. They will not entertain conversation, and their preferred hobby is taking a nap.
mermaidcursed: (099)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-19 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
( sweet of him to be so gentle with the world's saddest 1,916 year old. she nods, yawning before forcing herself up- there's an eerie as wood grates against wood, but she seems to be managing to stand and walk okay. )

I don't mind. I'll make some tea. Do you have a preference...?
lupusxylem: (63)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-19 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, uh. I'll drink anything, but you really don't gotta do that.

[He doesn't plan on being here for too terribly long, but if she insists he won't stop her.]

...are you feeling alright? You weren't at that whole meeting thing.

[Probably best she wasn't, they got stuck for a hot minute.]
mermaidcursed: (258)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-19 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm, this is normal for me. I think I'm more plant than person at this point- enough so that winter just makes me tired. Come spring and I'll be right back to normal...

( she finishes that with a yawn while she fishes out a kettle with her other hand, and decides quietly on a sweet vanilla-cinnamon tea. that should perk her right up. as the water starts to boil, she slips into a chair. )

What do you need?
lupusxylem: (23)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-19 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I wanted to ask you about this Church. That little blue-haired kid said you used to live there, and that it's all rubble now.

What can you tell me about it?
mermaidcursed: (154)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-19 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, the Church...? I found it one day, I think I was about... ten? It was off in the woods, before the Forest became what it is today. It felt like the sun here was warmer than anywhere else. It was a lot more put-together, too. When I told Evan and then he told Aldric- his dad- the adults went to check it out and make sure it was safe. Aldric said that it was long-since abandoned and most everything was taken already, but some of the furniture was still around. I remember gold sun medallions and tapestries hanging around everywhere, too.

Since it was safe and... pretty much empty, we were allowed to visit it. I started keeping the potted plants I grew around there, like... a secret base! Just me and the sun... and some of the younger kids who'd follow me to help with my garden.

( there's a sleepy warmth as she talks about it, and once the water's at a proper heat she pours two mugs, sliding one to him. the tea is sweet and the spice provides a pleasant heat. )

... When everything started going wrong, I thought.... maybe we could appease the Forest. I know now I was being naive. Giving it more power- power over me... it just wound up hurting everyone. After it possessed me and started using me to sabotage the town- or worse- I decided it was safest to leave. And the Church always felt safe... so I made the building my home instead.

( a pause, in case he has any questions before she continues. )
lupusxylem: (31)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-21 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[No questions, at least not initially. He's more focused on listening, trying to commit everything she tells him to memory. He'd actually assumed that the Church might have been used in her time...but it's immediately clear that it's even older than he first thought. If it was already abandoned even then...]

Kindof surprising it was still standing after so long.
mermaidcursed: (230)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-21 11:48 pm (UTC)(link)
That's what I thought too! But it still was. Time is weird here. I think... that it always was, on some level. Everything stays right where you left it.

... After I made it my shelter, um. The Forest was really intent on desecrating it. It had me tear down the tapestries and stuff, and I think it wanted to burn them, but I just hid them somewhere. I don't remember where, that was... centuries ago. Sorry. But the sun stuff everywhere always felt warm. Sometimes I'd stand in the broken bell tower when it rained and everything would feel right.
lupusxylem: (40)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-22 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
[Interesting.]

Does the Forest always make you feel that way? Or just when you're in the Church?
mermaidcursed: (226)

cw: abuse

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-22 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
... The Church and the Garden felt safe, or... the Church felt safe when the iconography was still there. And the Garden feels safe, but if you linger too long, you risk disappearing and becoming part of the mist there.

The Forest... it's...

( she's quiet, clearly uneasy, but- )

It's like where someone is stabbing you repeatedly while they tell you they love you. You can't rely on anyone but them, but they won't feed you or grant you water. You can't look at anyone, but they call you cruel, awful names when its just the two of you. You can only do as it wants, because you exist for it. When you talk poorly of it, it hurts you, but it's so controlling it'd sooner break your wrist before it lets you lift something yourself. It stole my legs. It jerks my hands away from things I want to touch, refuses to let me eat while trying to keep me alive like any other plant. It says it loves me while calling me an idiot.

... And maybe some people think there's a dark beauty in that sort of love... But I would hate to meet that person. And I'll make sure they'd hate to meet me.

It's been quiet though, this winter. It's never quiet. I forgot what it felt like, having my head to myself.
lupusxylem: (82)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-22 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[Wolfwood goes stonily silent, having moved to sit on the floor instead of continuing to squat. Yeah, that. Sure sounds like textbook abuse, doesn't it. His gaze narrows, but he manages to hide that much behind his dark sunglasses, looking off to the side.]

Beauty? [He laughs, harshly.] That ain't love. ...even someone like me knows that.

[Someone like him, who isn't sure he's ever known love.]

Listen, kid. Don't listen to that voice, even if it tells you it loves you. Even if it feels like you don't have anyone left. It'll hurt you in the long run if you do...believe me.

You're better off being the only one you can rely on, if it comes to that.
mermaidcursed: (193)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-22 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
( nene blinks, before smiling a little. )

I know. I've never submitted. Not to that sort of "love".

... I held on for a long time, hoping... my big brother may come back somehow. Which was stupid, since- everyone was dead.

But! He did come back. Even if he's different, he did!
lupusxylem: (66)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-22 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
[...]

Who's your brother?
mermaidcursed: (183)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-22 08:23 am (UTC)(link)
His name is Add! Or, well, that's just a nickname because when I was really really little I couldn't pronounce his name, but he really prefers it. He's a doctor and a scientist. ( i don't know how lavvy's handling him during hiatus whoops. ) He's got long silver hair and an eyepatch.
lupusxylem: (70)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-26 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, right. That's the uh...doctor? The guy that works at the lab. One of them.

[There are so many guys who work at labs here.]
mermaidcursed: (247)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-26 05:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Mhm. Right now he's studying the corruption since Elsword and I both are... reeeeally bad along.
lupusxylem: (66)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-26 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hm...]

So there's nothin' in that Church left that might help with the corruption, you reckon.
mermaidcursed: (169)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-26 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Nothing I was allowed to keep. The Forest urged me to destroy everything. Anything I could salvage, I hid in the underbrush and let nature take it's course. But everything was strangely durable... it was a struggle to tear the cloth, and nothing burned at first.

I don't know the general locations anymore, this was centuries ago. But... I think there's still some stuff out there. It'll feel warm, like a gentle sunbeam. That's how you'll know.
lupusxylem: (71)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2023-12-28 05:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[Bingo. Wolfwood nods, his brows knitting together.]

Got it. I'll keep an eye out. Though, how deep in the Forest is this Church exactly? I ain't gone looking yet myself.
mermaidcursed: (099)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2023-12-28 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
About an hour or so's walk. But you also can't trust anything in there. So... uh. Maybe not! Sorry...
lupusxylem: (55)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-01-01 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[Wolfwood sighs, waving a hand.]

You ain't got anything to apologize for. Don't matter whether it takes an hour or a day. I'm gonna go check it out.

[/concern]
mermaidcursed: (221)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2024-01-02 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
This probably is the best time to do that- the cold makes the forest and I both very tired, and it doesn't need to be awake the same way that I do.

...

This is a silly question, but, um.

I had a garden there. And some other things. But I've been too scared to get too close to the woods outside of going to Mama's garden, because- I don't want it to take me again. Would... you be willing to bring some things back? N-not everything, 'cause it's kind of a lot, but....
lupusxylem: (71)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-01-02 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
A garden, huh...I can take a look if nothing else. What kind of stuff are you looking for? Anything specific, or just whatever I can get my hands on?
mermaidcursed: (183)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2024-01-03 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
Anything works. It was just kinda... all I had? But at the time, we had no chance to grab anything.

--Oh, the stuff I was growing for winter would be good though. Winter crops! I know food's been scarce lately.
lupusxylem: (67)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-01-03 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Crops?

[He frowns just a little, but he's not going to like...judge or anything. Still though...]

Are you sure that's all? There's a chance they might be frozen or eaten by something already, yaknow.
mermaidcursed: (137)

[personal profile] mermaidcursed 2024-01-03 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, everything knows better than to eat what I grow without permission!

But there are some plants that are designed to grow in the winter. Kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, bush peas... Root vegetables too, like carrots radishes and turnips.

(no subject)

[personal profile] lupusxylem - 2024-01-03 19:53 (UTC) - Expand