August 2021 - Farming, and...?

[staymods]

Finished Farmland

Summer days grow longer and hotter, with scarce rainstorms only bringing a cloying humidity. It makes for miserable work outside, but it's work that still needs to be done. Sheep need to be cared for, the newly-finished farmland needs to be carefully inspected and watered daily, and accurate counts of food in storage need to be maintained to ensure that there will be no famine in the winter.

Still, for as hard as the work is, there is a sense of relief among the settlement. Being self-sufficient is vital to survival through the winter, and Settlement #5 has now achieved that. Hopefully everyone read through the farming books to know how to grow vegetables!

Dark Whispers

For a month, the sounds from outside the settlement had been quiet. The cries at night had disappeared as quickly and mysteriously as they had come, leaving everyone to wonder just what they had even been. By now it may be little more than a memory of what once was.

But starting in August, the Otherworlders will start to hear whispers in their mind at dusk.

"Are you there? Can you hear me?"

These whispers carry a heavy weight, and everyone will feel it tugging constantly at them for about 10 minutes at each sunset. After those 10 minutes, the whispers go quiet once more.

While they are not forced to answer, the Otherworlders will feel a strong pull towards responding. Those with weaker mental defenses might even find themselves wandering towards the northern end of Rabbit Island in search of the source, though they will instinctively know it comes from beyond the waters, on the opposite shore. Nobody is forced to answer, but they will feel an inclination towards doing so. Though maybe talking to each other first would be a better course of action?

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Comments

[ghoulserrand]

A shepherd... that sounds like... a cool job... But I think... you're doing good...

[Not that he's gotten close to the sheep or anything. He nods.]

That's fine... I can stay away... I just... hah... I don't want to... be hunted.

[Ironies.]

[relictus]

...Unfortunately he was among the newly chosen wizards this year, so he had to leave that peaceful life behind. Then again, he kept his sheep with him, so the title still holds.

...I imagine you'd want to avoid that, yes. Do animals tend to react badly to your presence?

[ghoulserrand]

Oh... I'm sorry... But... I'm glad he can still... be what he likes...

[He thinks, briefly, about what might happen if that wizard were to fall like the others, what might become of his sheep-- but he knows better than to chase that line of thought. And he knows exactly what happens in those situations.]

I... confuse them... dead is harmless... sick is not... What they can tell... varies... Some lived as they were... no different... but some see... a predator. The world is... still learning how to be... I'm never... sure.

[relictus]

...I suppose.

[He seems to be thinking about Something Else when he says that, but anyway.]

Makes sense... if the dogs take badly to you, I can call them off. We can't have them trying to bite you.

[For a few reasons.]

[ghoulserrand]

[He nods his head. Even if it wouldn't kill or infect the dog, he's not sure how he'd take to being bitten.]

My clothes are... pretty thick... that man who... gave me directions... he wanted to... barter for... the almost bite proof...

[He laughs faintly.]

[relictus]

[Faust doesn't seem to find that as funny, but then, it's not like he ever laughs. He certainly wasn't laughing when Teo showed up or anything.]

Still, it would be best to-

[He's interrupted by the doggos returning from their romp, though they don't get too close, growling in Teo's direction. Oops.]

[ghoulserrand]

[His head turns sharply, instinct taking over for a second. He nearly growls back. But, after a pause, he lowers down, to his knees and then sitting upon his haunches.]

Easy, pups... lets not... fight...

[relictus]

[Thank you for not growling back. But it's clear that Teo's gesture isn't doing much, as they continue to growl and one of them barks-]

[Faust steps in between him and the dogs at that point.]

All right, that's enough. Go back to the barn.

[He signals for them to go, and while they might seem a little hesitant about it, they seem to accept there's no imminent danger from the living dead guy and run off together. Faust sighs.]

How unfortunate...

[Despite how standoffish he can be, he does seem genuinely disappointed.]

[ghoulserrand]

[He looks up at Faust, then rises back to his feet as the dogs go to leave. He's not really saddened so much as he could be. It's nothing he hadn't expected, beyond having someone willing to defend him.

But Faust is disappointed. That weighs on his heart.]

I'm sorry... I should have... stayed back longer...

[He's ruined the peace of the island, a little.]

... I guess, at least... this shows... they'll be good... guards... Good protection... for the sheep...

[relictus]

It's not your fault.

[Now that the dogs are gone he turns to face him properly, though he looks off to the side.]

It just would have been nice if they'd taken a liking to you... you seem like someone who would enjoy spending time with dogs.

[ghoulserrand]

Hah... I probably... would have...

[He says that like someone says "it sure would be nice to have a million dollars. Oh well."]

I don't remember... having pets... but the thought is... nice... Did you... have animals, Faust?

[relictus]

...

[And now he's just made him feel worse by discovering the dogs are aggressive toward him. But there's not much to be done about that...]

I don't.

...There are some cats who live in the forest around my house, though.

[ghoulserrand]

[Ah, so like Faust doesn't have animals now but takes care of the sheep and the dogs and--]

Feral cats... that must be... helpful... pests and things... Especially... in the forest...

I could see you... reading... with a cat... closeby.

[relictus]

[Calling them feral may be a stretch, but he's not about to say so-]

I didn't mind having them around, I suppose... but in any case, wizards don't often keep pets. Human lives seem short enough to us; the life of a dog or cat may as well go by in the blink of an eye.

[ghoulserrand]

[He hums and looks up to the sky, looking at the clouds that slowly inch along.]

Do you have... butterflies... in your world? I'd... guess that you do... Or at least... some other thing... like that... A lot of them... only live... for a few days... But... I like to see them anyway... when they pass by.

[He can understand not wanting to keep things close. But that didn't take away how nice it could be.]

[relictus]

...Of course I can still appreciate the fleeting things in life, such as butterflies. But to take on a living creature as a companion... even if it lives a full life, loss can stay with you forever.

[For some more than others.]

[ghoulserrand]

[He hums.]

I guess... that would be true.

[Not that he'd know.]

But... I think... the loneliness... would stay a long time too.

[relictus]

...For wizards, loneliness may well be unavoidable.

But enough about that. What are you doing out here, anyway? Did you need something?

[ghoulserrand]

[He wants to say something to that. He wants to say a lot of things, even if the thoughts aren't fully formed in his head. But Faust artfully cuts the line of that topic right off.

He now feels even more immensely stupid for going all this way. He looks down and shakes his head.]

Just... wanted to see you... Couldn't think... of a good excuse.

[relictus]

...

[Whether or not Teo intended to, for a moment Faust is clearly taken off guard. But he's quick to put said guard back up as his eyes narrow.]

Is that a joke? There must be some reason you came. You haven't caused any trouble, have you?

[ghoulserrand]

[His hands go up.]

No...! No, I... swear!

[For someone that didn't do anything wrong, he's having a hard time sounding innocent.]

I... I'm not... joking... or making fun...

[He shrinks down on himself a little.]

I know you... want to be alone... and that... you think I should... be with other people... but I still want... to see you sometimes...

[relictus]

[He definitely could stand to work on acting less guilty when he hasn't done anything wrong. Faust still seems suspicious of him, though it's wavering a little.]

...So you're just feeling lonely.

[And it's not like Teo has any other choices when it comes to company that knows his secret.]

[ghoulserrand]

Er... well... I guess...

[He's not not lonely. That's a pretty consistent thing in what seems to be his existence.]

But that's not... why I came... I came to see you... specifically... I like your company.

[relictus]

...

[He sighs as he crosses his arms.]

I can't fathom why... offering my assistance now and then is one thing, but I'm not good company.

[ghoulserrand]

That's just... your opinion... I've enjoyed... the time with you... before.