WELCOME TO THE HIVE

[rysligparasites]

MOD PLOT: HAPPY ASCENSION DAY

It's a long journey to Kulen and you’re paralyzed for all of it. The parasites aren't very delicate about carrying you there and you may get prodded with the odd pincer, but they diligently protect you from any external threats so you arrive relatively unharmed.

They carry you into a series of tunnels and into the belly of the hive where they lay you down on the ground. You lie there, unable to move or speak as more of the parasites converge on you, chittering excitedly and smelling you with their antennae. As the paralysis starts to wear off, they roughly and enthusiastically help you up and guide you through the tunnels, excitedly showing you around.

Eventually, you'll meet a parasite with human features who will give you a stilted, but genuine welcome. Apparently you are a special guest who has been brought here to help celebrate their beloved queen's first ever ascension day! While you're here, they want to learn as much about YOU and your traditions as they can so they can make this the greatest party ever.

The parasites implore you to eat their human cooking which is mostly composed of various things (both edible and not) that they've deep fried. They worked very hard and they will be very offended if you don't finish it. They also invite you to contribute to their cave paintings which are entirely composed of parasites doing parasite things.

During your stay, you'll likely run into other monsters who've been replaced by doppelgangers. Maybe some of them have been here for a while. Maybe others have just turned up.

Your quarters are dark and maybe a little cramped given that you're sharing them with a whole bunch of insectoid creatures and maybe one or two monsters. Other than that, they're relatively comfortable.

Settle in and make yourself at home. You'll be here for a while.

Comments

Kain Highwind | OTA

[bound_skyward]

[A. Obvious Escape Attempt]

I am not staying here. I'm leaving, at once. If anyone here has any sense, you'll join me.

[Kain doesn't wait for an answer, getting up with determination. He was incredibly creeped out by the parasites' "welcome", and while there's been no indication they intend any real harm… he knows better. Everything always ends in disaster and maiming in Ryslig. They'll probably use them all to incubate more of their kind, and far, far worse probably.]

[So yeah, it's time to leave. Kain glances over, nodding when he sees that someone else has decided to accompany him on this bold mission. Good. He'll need all the help he can get, surely they can manage to escape together?]

[B. Sneakier Escape Plans]

[Moving over closer to whoever is nearby, Kain leans in to speak in a low tone.]

It's only a matter of time before we end up as hosts for them again. Don't be fooled by their playful facade, we're going to die here… unless we make a move to leave. Soon. [He pauses a moment, glancing over his shoulder. His more overt attempts have failed him, so this attempt is going to be more subtle.] We'll have to be discreet about this. Careful. Are you willing to make such a plan?

[C. Forced Poetry]

[After multiple attempts to escape, Kain is being very forcibly treated to… a poetry recital. It started with several parasites surrounding him in a circle, a move which seemed threatening at first. He was sure they were about to kill him, but no, they simply just… started reciting poetry. Bad poetry. None of it really makes sense or has much rhythm, though they've made a concerted effort to make it rhyme. Because that's the one feature that this group has picked up on.]

[Surrounded, Kain can't get away. Whenever he does try to move, the circle of parasites around him just moves with him, and they keep up their recitation.]

[He looks pleadingly toward anyone who might be nearby.]

Help!?

[D. Teach me something]

[A trio of eager parasites has taken a liking to Kain. They're with him for most of the day, and they creepily watch him sleep, and they're just… there wherever he goes. He's attempted to lash out, but it does no good. They're persistent things. He gets the distinct feeling they're trying to keep an eye on him and keep him busy to avoid more escape attempts.]

Teach us… please, pleaseplease please!

[They're like inquisitive children or something. Kain is still extremely wary, though, and he sighs, as he's been asked this question so many times. One of the parasites holds out a chunk of… something that does not smell very good at all. Ew. What is that supposed to be, anyway?]

Teach us something fun! You can have this yummy thing!

I don't… I don't want anything, please, just leave me alone… I don't know anything. I don't believe in having fun.

[He says this last part sarcastically. It's… a bit true a lot of the time, anyway, as he's always so focused on practical concerns. People back home would poke fun at him all the time for it, so he Gets It, he knows his reputation. He looks around for someone else to distract them with.]

That person over there. They know more about having fun than I do. Go bother them.

B - Help me, I'll help you.

[hantale]

[A little on the skittish side, the kelpie jumps a bit when the stranger leans over to them, just a little out of it and not really prepared for that.

Then they listen, doing their best to look unphased... Ah- Hmmm. There's a long pause while they consider, eventually turning back to lean up towards Kain and whispering right back.]

I'll help... but someone I care about might be in here... Will you help me find them first?

[That's the condition, they're not leaving until they know that their boyfriend isn't here.]

[bound_skyward]

[Kain nods slowly, again casting a furtive look around the area. He's so paranoid that those things will spring out at them at any time. The worst they've done so far is sing at him and try to get him to eat lots of terrible food, but... it'll surely get even worse before long.]

I'm willing to do that. Everyone deserves a chance to escape. What does this other monster look like?

[hantale]

[Ah, good, they're on the same page. Fran gives a curt nod, smiles raises one hand, about a half foot above their own head.]

Mmmh, about this tall, dark hair, spotted and dog-like. Might have a mane if it's night time? His name is Charles.

[Yeah, they're describing a werewolf, no surprise there.]

[bound_skyward]

I'm trying to remember if I've seen any werewolves around...

[It's all been a bit chaotic what with the strange enthusiasm of their captors, it's hard to say. But that physical description obviously does help, so he knows who to look for.]

We'll search until we locate him. Then we'll have to figure out our timing. These bugs must have to take a break sometime, or perhaps switch out their guard. We need to learn more of their movements.

[But annoyingly, they always just seem to show up whenever he's attempted escape so far. It's hard to account for them all, and they're sneaky buggers.]

[hantale]

[The kelpie nods, happy to go along with that plan for now. They weren't super rushing to escape, at least, it seemed they had a few days to get out before the 'celebrations' were over.]

Hmm, perhaps between searching, one of us can watch the exits and see if they ever move? Though they're surprisingly organized...

[There's a moment. Wait, a few of the insects were able to speak to them!]

Perhaps we could find the ones that talk, and just ask them about Charles!

[bound_skyward]

They're far too organized. Every time I step a little too far out of bounds, one or more of them inevitably show up to bring me back. It's unsettling.

[Even more unsettling, of course, is the fact they've never actually threatened him to make him stay, no, they just... divert his attention and direction, until he's suddenly back where he'd started. It's weird how effective it's been.]

We could try making them talk, but we'll have to be strategic about it. They can't know what we're up to. But perhaps... perhaps we can tell them we'd like to be able to 'celebrate' alongside him. [They're so fixated on getting ready for some kind of festivities, anyway, so it makes sense to ask for that, right?]

[hantale]

I see, that's difficult. Perhaps we'll need a distraction of some sort.

[A shame they can't use MAGIC, that would have been nice. But, alas, gonna have to find a mundane solution. Well, as mundane as a couple monsters inside a bug hive can get.

Fran perks up, blinking over at the male after his suggestion.]

Oh, yes, that would be fine. Would it be better to split up, or just travel together?

[bound_skyward]

They've done their share of 'distracting' us, I've noticed, whenever I've strayed too far... hm, but they're also always begging for us to teach them new things. Perhaps that could work as a means of distraction...

[He's not so sure he's the best one to come up with entertaining ideas, but surely he can pull out something from back home as an idea.]

We'll probably have better chances together. I've tried escape enough times on my own... we may find strength in numbers works better.

C

[silenceofthesheep]

[Oh boy, these parasites are not leaving anyone alone.

But as much as he wants to help, he is the worst kind of person to help.

Case in point? When Kain looks at him to assist, the pooka begins to laydown a mouth beatbox beat.]

[bound_skyward]

[He can't even really swipe a claw at them, they're surrounding him so closely. He can only stay here and... suffer. Well, ok, he's suffered far, far worse fates, and this is almost laughable for how strange it is. But he can't escape, and as he looks hopefully at the one source of help he has right now, he sees...]

[That he's joining in, sort of, by laying down that beat.]

What in the world do you think you're doing?

[silenceofthesheep]

[In his defense, that beat is almost Funky Fresh.]

I'm laying down a phat beat for your wordsmithing?

[bound_skyward]

It's not my poetry, it's... it's theirs. They're 'practicing' this, apparently...

[One of the parasites continues on, proudly reciting the lines he's learned, while the other gestures toward Gregg, beckoning him to do that again. Clearly, this is amusing their weirdo captors.]

[silenceofthesheep]

[Gregg looks at them, giving a supportive thumbs up.]

Oh yeah? You got the voice for it dude.

[Gregg lays down some more beatboxing for his parasite overlords. Look at that, he's laying down a mouth record scratch. Wicky-wicky-waaah.]

[bound_skyward]

[The parasites are absolutely loving this, taking it all in, and getting even more enthusiastic in their recital. Kain just folds his arms and stands there staring for a moment at the spectacle unfolding before him. Really now, this… Really?]

Well. This. [He pauses, sighing, shaking his head.] This is not how I would have envisioned a situation of being kidnapped by parasitic bugs…

[It's so very, very peculiar, the whole thing. He's still paranoid that they'll come to harm soon enough, but for now? For now, the bugs appear more interested in merriment.]

[silenceofthesheep]

[Gregg is kind of living for this, he's really loving how the parasites are getting into this.

He grins at Kain.]

Like, it's better than anything else that's happened in the last few months.

Might as well enjoy it, dude.

[He's just glad it isn't a death arena or a cold-related illness that makes you flame up.]

[bound_skyward]

[Ok, he has a good point there. None of those terrible things have happened, yet. Usually it would happen by now, they'd all be killing each other or dying or some other infliction...]

I guess I'll give you that. Aside from being held hostage, we don't seem to be coming to further harm. They merely seem to want to…

[There's some cheering and excitement from the bugs as they raise their voices for just a moment.]

...indulge in pleasure.

B

[justbeingknife]

I'll be honest with ya, I prefer a straight fight. But seein' as how we're surrounded, outnumbered, and there're rubber ducks involved, I'm all ears.

[ In more ways than one, in fact, as a pair of large, wolfish ears was currently protruding from the top of Majima's head. ]

This place's crawling with preparations, so you'd figure there's gotta be a hole in their security somewhere.

[bound_skyward]

[Kain nods agreement, sighing a little. Even in his day-form, he's stronger than average, and as a trained warrior, he's always been more into outright battle than stealth. But these captors of theirs aren't exactly into fighting, it seems.]

I, too, prefer a direct approach. Fighting is much more my style, but every time I've made a more direct run for it... they've caught me. So we have to be strategic. We should keep an eye on their movements, gather information on what they're up to. They seem to be building toward some sort of event... the closer it gets to that, the more busy they're likely to become.

[An event which is bound to result in certain death for them all, he's convinced.]

[justbeingknife]

[ He'd keep his voice low, casual. ]

The 'ascension'? Yeah, how much do ya know about that? Or this place in general?

Might helps us get some insight in how to get out.

[ Or maybe even how to get some of the livestock humans out, for all that they seemed reluctant. ]

[bound_skyward]

I don't know much, unfortunately, but they're far too excited about this upcoming "Ascension." I don't care for that mix of enthusiasm and mystery.

[That's when bad things tend to happen.]

We've had dealing with these… with these creatures before. Were you here when that happened? Several monsters were infected by their kind.

[His expression gets disgusted as he mentions that.]

[justbeingknife]

[ Majima shook his head. ]

Got here about two months ago, so when all of that went down? I'd never even heard of the Fog God.

What d'you mean, 'infected'?

[bound_skyward]

Be glad you missed all of that. I'm sorry this had to be one of your introductions to this world, but... it's also probably for the best that you realize the truth. No one is on our side here, not even the gods.

[Oh, sure, he's Fog-aligned at the moment himself, but he knows better than to be too caught up. Sometimes. Sort of. He's gone a bit farther himself at times than he should.]

As for those infected... These bugs grew within several of us as parasites. It's as disgusting as it sounds. Over the course of the months they were inside us, they caused a variety of symptoms to appear, until... Well. Until it was too late. Some perished when the parasites burst out of them, while others underwent operations and other means to remove them... It was overall a disgusting experience for everyone involved.

[justbeingknife]

And now they've invited us to their place? So what's to say we're not gonna get infected all over again?

[ The description made Majima think John Hurt in Alien, and he was none to keep on a birthday surprise. Idly, he wondered if the slightly sore throat he'd been nursing was a sign of something worse. ]

[bound_skyward]

Exactly. Last time, they caused unspeakable suffering to us monsters, for several months before the end. We can't trust their kind. They might be planning the same, or worse.

[Kain doesn't want to think of what "worse than gestating freaky parasites for months" might entail, but he's sure such a thing is possible.]

The symptoms wouldn't manifest for a while, so we might already be infected. They've never brought us here, to their domain... so I don't know what that could mean.