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thecrossinglogs2025-05-16 05:09 pm
thecrossingmods) wrote in thecrossinglogs2025-05-16 05:09 pm
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE #3
TDM #3
Welcome to The Marsh, wayward souls.
It's good to see you again.
The TDM is game canon and will be active MAY—JUL. For further details about the setting, please reference our current setting page. All the information there is fair game for this TDM.
It's good to see you again.
The TDM is game canon and will be active MAY—JUL. For further details about the setting, please reference our current setting page. All the information there is fair game for this TDM.
arrival
— TANGLED BELOW ( NEW CHARACTERS ONLY )
CW: trapped underwater, drowning
Your journey begins as it has for all of those before you: in The River.
The water is lukewarm, and murky with dirt and vegetation. The surface isn't far away— but it might be hard to tell what direction you need to go in to reach it. To make matters worse, you are tangled in the plantlife around you, and will need to break free in order to escape The River's grip. There are others here who may be able to help you... but they'll have to find you first.
It's not possible for you to drown here; you may or may not recognize that you don't need to breathe, even down here. But every moment you spend with your head below the surface, you will spend trapped in the memory of your death, as if by a flashback. Depending on what brought you here, it may exacerbate your panic and confusion: maybe it isn't reeds, holding you back - maybe it's an assailant's hands; maybe it's not water clouding your vision, maybe it's something else, claustrophobic, smothering you. Or, maybe it's the dreamy, floaty peace you were expecting when you closed your eyes.
Regardless, you'll need to push through — to even start your journey, let alone finish it.
— BALANCED ABOVE ( EXISTING CHARACTERS ONLY )
You've traveled a long way to get here. Finally, there is a reprieve from the heat and chaotic energy of the Desert: the environment emerging around you is cooler and calmer, if not quieter. There are quite a few creatures populating the Marsh, both fantastical and not. Frogs croak quietly from the reeds; fireflies float along the surface of the water.
Wading around and through the muddy shallows of The River isn't exactly comfortable, so it may be a relief when the group comes across a wooden walkway rising out of the water and leading deeper into the Marsh. The planks creak under your weight, but they hold firm, and draw something like a path through the dense same-ness of the environment.
That path is anything but straightforward, though. And in the seemingly-perpetual dusk around you, it might be easy to get turned around: whether you have to retrace your steps from a dead-end, or lose track of others in the gloom.
You must be tired. But surely it's only a little bit further... right?
a marsh less traveled by
— THE VILLAGE
However much further it is, eventually you reach it: a small village, mainly comprised of wooden, multifamily homes lifted above the water on stilts. (Be careful which ones you choose to rest in, though — some of them might wander off with you still inside!) As with the shelters in previous locations, the homes are decorated as if by many tenants before you, continuously building on top of what was there before, and you may happen upon small items you recognize from home.
Unlike previous shelters, these don't seem like they've been abandoned for long. The items you find might be in better condition than they would have been elsewhere, and there might be newer or more comfortable amenities. Beds with softer sheets and more numerous pillows; pantries stocked with shelf-stable foods; unbroken toys or even board games with all their pieces.
Given the nature of The River here, this is also the closest The Ferryman has kept their vigil to the group's living quarters so far. While they still remain on the outskirts of the village — seemingly as separated as they can manage while still casting the Lantern's light where it needs to be — it's not as much of a trek out to see them. You might even pass them more than once on your regular goings-on during the day.
If you continue following the walkways, out to the edges of the village, you'll find a small pier with a number of rowboats lashed against it. They're small, and maybe a bit dusty or mossy, but they're sturdy, and large enough to accommodate two people at a time. There's no one else here but you — presumably no one will mind if you take one out deeper into the Marsh?
mist of memories
— AND BEYOND
There's plenty to be found, if you venture out: from the burping firedamp, to curious reflections of familiar places, to the choking mists of the mangroves.
Try not to get lost in those mists. It's a disorienting situation on its own, but certainly exacerbated by the wraiths that will follow you in great numbers, their misty forms often camouflaged within the mist itself. It's stressful. That must be why you might feel like you're seeing other ghosts in the mist as well, figurative or literal. Snatches of familiarity, just at the edges of your vision; maybe a face you never thought you'd see again.
It's not all dark and dreary, though. There are patches of brightly colored wildflowers growing throughout the Marsh as well, hidden among the leggy roots of trees and patches of reeds out on the water. In particular, the same bright orange marigolds that dotted the path you traveled in from the Desert also peek out in places throughout the Marsh, usually in clumps of three or four. They almost seem to follow you as you pass — maybe, even, smile knowingly at you. But surely that's a trick of the light?
Harder to ignore are the rarer, but unmistakable, bioluminescent blue flowers scattered among the others. If you touch one, it may have something to whisper to you — but if it's a voice, it's almost too soft to hear, and even if you could, the words themselves are unfamiliar.
But there's no one else here but you. Right?
Image credits: 1, 2 + stock imagery unless otherwise noted
Your journey begins as it has for all of those before you: in The River.
The water is lukewarm, and murky with dirt and vegetation. The surface isn't far away— but it might be hard to tell what direction you need to go in to reach it. To make matters worse, you are tangled in the plantlife around you, and will need to break free in order to escape The River's grip. There are others here who may be able to help you... but they'll have to find you first.
It's not possible for you to drown here; you may or may not recognize that you don't need to breathe, even down here. But every moment you spend with your head below the surface, you will spend trapped in the memory of your death, as if by a flashback. Depending on what brought you here, it may exacerbate your panic and confusion: maybe it isn't reeds, holding you back - maybe it's an assailant's hands; maybe it's not water clouding your vision, maybe it's something else, claustrophobic, smothering you. Or, maybe it's the dreamy, floaty peace you were expecting when you closed your eyes.
Regardless, you'll need to push through — to even start your journey, let alone finish it.
— BALANCED ABOVE ( EXISTING CHARACTERS ONLY )
You've traveled a long way to get here. Finally, there is a reprieve from the heat and chaotic energy of the Desert: the environment emerging around you is cooler and calmer, if not quieter. There are quite a few creatures populating the Marsh, both fantastical and not. Frogs croak quietly from the reeds; fireflies float along the surface of the water.
Wading around and through the muddy shallows of The River isn't exactly comfortable, so it may be a relief when the group comes across a wooden walkway rising out of the water and leading deeper into the Marsh. The planks creak under your weight, but they hold firm, and draw something like a path through the dense same-ness of the environment.
That path is anything but straightforward, though. And in the seemingly-perpetual dusk around you, it might be easy to get turned around: whether you have to retrace your steps from a dead-end, or lose track of others in the gloom.
You must be tired. But surely it's only a little bit further... right?
a marsh less traveled by
However much further it is, eventually you reach it: a small village, mainly comprised of wooden, multifamily homes lifted above the water on stilts. (Be careful which ones you choose to rest in, though — some of them might wander off with you still inside!) As with the shelters in previous locations, the homes are decorated as if by many tenants before you, continuously building on top of what was there before, and you may happen upon small items you recognize from home.
Unlike previous shelters, these don't seem like they've been abandoned for long. The items you find might be in better condition than they would have been elsewhere, and there might be newer or more comfortable amenities. Beds with softer sheets and more numerous pillows; pantries stocked with shelf-stable foods; unbroken toys or even board games with all their pieces.
Given the nature of The River here, this is also the closest The Ferryman has kept their vigil to the group's living quarters so far. While they still remain on the outskirts of the village — seemingly as separated as they can manage while still casting the Lantern's light where it needs to be — it's not as much of a trek out to see them. You might even pass them more than once on your regular goings-on during the day.
If you continue following the walkways, out to the edges of the village, you'll find a small pier with a number of rowboats lashed against it. They're small, and maybe a bit dusty or mossy, but they're sturdy, and large enough to accommodate two people at a time. There's no one else here but you — presumably no one will mind if you take one out deeper into the Marsh?
mist of memories
There's plenty to be found, if you venture out: from the burping firedamp, to curious reflections of familiar places, to the choking mists of the mangroves.
Try not to get lost in those mists. It's a disorienting situation on its own, but certainly exacerbated by the wraiths that will follow you in great numbers, their misty forms often camouflaged within the mist itself. It's stressful. That must be why you might feel like you're seeing other ghosts in the mist as well, figurative or literal. Snatches of familiarity, just at the edges of your vision; maybe a face you never thought you'd see again.
It's not all dark and dreary, though. There are patches of brightly colored wildflowers growing throughout the Marsh as well, hidden among the leggy roots of trees and patches of reeds out on the water. In particular, the same bright orange marigolds that dotted the path you traveled in from the Desert also peek out in places throughout the Marsh, usually in clumps of three or four. They almost seem to follow you as you pass — maybe, even, smile knowingly at you. But surely that's a trick of the light?
Harder to ignore are the rarer, but unmistakable, bioluminescent blue flowers scattered among the others. If you touch one, it may have something to whisper to you — but if it's a voice, it's almost too soft to hear, and even if you could, the words themselves are unfamiliar.
But there's no one else here but you. Right?
Image credits: 1, 2 + stock imagery unless otherwise noted
no subject
[A question to ponder, if you may. Hanako himself has been dead for a while, but that didn’t make the school any less lively. Still…]
There are unique places where the dead roam, so it might just be one of those too.
[Hanako himself has no previous knowledge of the hints on ‘those who potentially came before them.’ Lantern group? No clue! But… Frieda’s plan does make sense.
The boy nods… and then his face splits into a wide grin.]
Hello, hello! Anyone home~!
[He yells with cheer into the fog. …good thing the fog and silence are the only answers.]
no subject
Hanako calling out puts a faint smile on her face, and she joins him as they start walking inland through the tall reeds:]
We're new arrivals from the village on stilts! Is anybody here?
[With silence remaining their only response, her hope starts to dissolve... and an unpleasant odour only adds to that.]
It smells so strongly of fish here...
[Rotting fish, no less! But just as she wants to formulate a suspicion that someone or something must have feasted on their catch and left the remains to decay on land, she steps on a treacherous patch of swamp grass and slips. Letting out a startled cry, she just barely manages to regain her balance on the slippery, muddy ground.]
Goodness..!! I don't want to have to wash my dress again!
no subject
He couldn’t see much at all! The reeds were almost as tall as he was, grown over time, and so he had to focus on Frieda’s back for an idea of where to go.]
It’s a little too overdue for sushi. Even if we don’t have to worry about digestive problems!
[Hanako had standards, after all! If he was going to try and consume something, it had better be worth it…
The boy saw more than heard Frieda start to slip. Instinctively, his hand reached out to grab her sleeve, but it seems like she had her footing again. Thank goodness!]
Careful~! Any sort of cleaning would be hard in this murky water.
Though… if anyone is here, they should have heard that for sure…
[Hanako looked around again, but the silence was just ad deafening as before.]
no subject
[She says that as if to deny that her near-accident was noisy... but it's true that their prior calls should have attracted attention already. Unless whoever lives here doesn't want to meet us. What if them announcing their presence only drove the owners of those boats into hiding? But better that, she reasons, that them charging at them in attack.
Looking around the extensive reed forest, trying to find the safest path, she notices little blue flowers growing in uneven lines. Are these the same ones she's see elsewhere in the marsh..? She isn't sure. Regardless, she points them out.]
Let's follow those flowers. Hopefully, they're growing on halfway solid ground.
no subject
And this quiet, as disjointing as it was, was preferred to being attacked, especially when neither of them had weapons. Then again, weren’t they supposed to be unable to get hurt outside of a Crossing?]
Let’s. Though careful - they could just as easily have really long stems that go deeper into the mud!
[Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case. Sure, the ground was still somewhat soft beneath their feet, but traversing seemed mildly easier.]
no subject
Frieda gauges the depth and distance. This arm (mere finger, rather) of the river is too wide to jump across, but it looks to be only knee-deep, so she bunches the skirt of her dress up in her arms and wades in. While her feet do sink into the mud at the bottom, it remains shallow enough that she's spared the decision between wetting her clothes or baring her bloomers. About halfway through, she turns back to Hanako.]
Do you think you can manage, too? Or should we find a shallower point?
[He is a good bit shorter than her..!]
no subject
(Nagito’s stern and somewhat terrifying expression reinforced that decision.)
Her voice has his gaze turning back to her.]
I can manage! Don’t worry; it’s just a bit of water~
[Thankfully, it isn’t like there is an overly strong current, though Hanako does struggle somewhat nonetheless. The murky water thoroughly soaks through three-fourths of his uniform (his hat remains dry, which is an upside), and as soon as they are both on the other side, Hanako is squeezing some of the leftover drops out of his shirt.]
I think we can trust our brightly colored path here. [The floral lined grasses lead further into the mist, though they do seem to be getting closer to some dwellings.]
no subject
As they head onward, their impression proves true: The ground goes from muddy and squishy to dry and solid, and after passing through flooded fields (scaring a swarm of ducks into flight with their presence), they find themselves in front of a large hill that's clearly a settlement not unlike the one they inhabited in the cavern: Many doors, decorated with beaded curtains, and simple windows indicate dwellings, and fireplaces and other signs of civilisation outside prove that there are - or were - people here. Once more, Frieda calls out.]
Is anybody here? We mean no harm! - Do you think they're afraid of us, Hanako?
[Looking around, there seem to be signs of recent activity: Fish are hung up to dry, the ash in the nearest fireplace looks fresh, and there are faint footprints in the dust... though they look far from human and more avian or reptilian in nature.]
no subject
He bends down, tracing the shape of one of the reptilian footprints with a finger.]
It might even be a case of shyness. Or nobody is here, and they didn’t plan on leaving, but something forced them out- [Though the lack of anything terrifying on the way here, unless those reptiles were afraid of ducks, proves that point moot.] -or…
[The boy trails off, standing up with a slight frown on his face.]
no subject
[Letting her eyes wander around once more, she shares her own thoughts:]
It doesn't look like there's been an attack, so either the people are hiding, or something non-violent scared them away... or maybe, it was time for their Crossing.
[That last possibility makes her frown. This place looks very lived in, but so did their own shelters in each location so far, didn't they? Could it really be that they've stumbled upon another group's lodgings?]
no subject
[That kind of joke should be concerning, even with the fact that they can’t get hurt outside of a Crossing. Regardless of her reaction, the boy does laugh.]
—Or not! Really, I think it’s more that last one. Makes me wonder who exactly would be leading their group though.
no subject
As for who would be this other group's leader if they were also on a journey to what comes afterwards:]
Another Ferryman. No one said that there's only one, right? That could only work out if time worked very differently here - which I suppose is the case - and only certain people, a small percentage of all who die, arrived here... which, granted, is likely true as well. But even so, it'd still be a lot of work for only one Ferryman!
no subject
He turns instead to the matter she did address.]
Hmmm, I guess that would be standard, though… we call them ‘the Ferryman,’ right? They said not to worry about it, and yet I can’t help but wonder…
no subject
[She sighs, looking around once more. With no apparent danger lurking anywhere, they may well need to look for their own answers, little insight as such endeavours have yielded thus far.]
Let's see what we can find out by exploring this place. Stay within calling distance of me, alright?
no subject
[Apparitions weren’t apt to give clear cut answers, and neither was Hanako. Still, he could agree to her demands.]
Don’t worry~ I’m sure there isn’t much in the way of danger here. Plus, we can’t die again! [He hums happily as he practically skips to the nearest house, knocking on the door.] Hello, hello? Pardon the intrusion~?
[And just slips inside!]
no subject
It seems, however, that her tense alertness is unnecessary: No one is there, even though the house looks as if its inhabitants might return any moment. Utensils are scattered about in the kitchen - not in disarray, but merely as though they'd been in recent use -, as are other items of daily life in the adjacent room. She quietly takes everything in, then concludes:]
Either whoever lives - or lived - here still needs to eat and sleep, or they simply became accustomed to it... which might indicate that they stayed here for longer than we tend to stay in one place.
no subject
You all haven’t been dead for that long, right? I don’t see much eating among our group. [Even Yashiro, though it might be the lack of food offerings more than the lack of desire.] Should we try to bring some of this back with us?
[His head pops into the kitchen doorway, searching for some sort of sustenance to do just that when…]
AH! [the boy lets out a childish exclamation, disappearing inside the kitchen entirely. A moment later, he reappears with what looks to be a simple kitchen knife.] Frieda! Look! Look~!
[Hanako certainly is overjoyed like a child on Christmas at the discovery, smile bright as he hops up and down.]
no subject
Regardless, she smiles faintly.]
That'll be useful. I just hope that nobody will be missing it!
[Despite this village seeming so much more recently deserted than any other abodes they encountered so far, she doesn't want to fight him over taking the knife. She has no doubt that he'd argue his heart out to be allowed to take it.]
no subject
It’s not the same but… it’ll do. [Much better than being empty-handed. There’s still the lack of a familiarity, having held the same knife for over fifty years made him aware of the differences, but he nods, satisfied.]
I doubt they’ll miss it much. And if they do… maybe they’ll pay us a visit~ [He sounds pleased by the idea, though whether this visit would be one of anger after having their food stolen or one of curiosity, he doesn’t clarify.]
no subject
Maybe they will.
[She doubts it, though. Much as everything looks and feels like it was only recently used, she's learned to let go of her hopes for relevatory meetings in this afterlife. Inspecting the food, she actually starts filling a basket with perishables, having determined that they might as well prevent them from going to waste.]
want to continue or handwave the rest? ^^
Ehehe~ Let’s see what else we can find!
[The boy bounds to another corner of the room with the same cheerful abandon (and maybe lack of sensitivity when dealing with other people’s belongings.]
We can handwave the rest! 🎀
If nothing else, she comforts herself, he is happy... and maybe the others back home will appreciate their findings too, both in terms of what they'll bring back and in terms of information.]