purgastory | week six

week six.

Once again, the fog moves, filling every nook and cranny of the blanket fort, letting it all slowly fade from view. As always, Heart locations remain, joined by a few new additions. You know the name of this game now. You know that choosing to stay behind is not the key to moving forward, and therefore, you must cross the border and plunge into the fog once again.

This time the fog has a bite of frost, the temperature dropping drastically as the cloud of fog peels back, revealing the shiny, glittering expanse of snow beyond. Shivers run through your no doubt unsuitable clothing, but luckily for you the luxurious resort beyond is just close enough to avoid the worst of the chill. (Your shoes will absolutely get wet though, sorry...) Once inside, the lobby is warm and toasty, filled with squat, comfortable couches and a minibar on the opposite corner. There is an elevator to take you to another floor, as well as signs for the ski slopes outlined on the walls opposite.

Welcome to your Wintry Wonderland! You may change into appropriate attire in one of the many changing rooms, but please be careful -- you will feel an urge to seek warmth as you explore this particular maze, whether by an embrace or through hand-holding. It will feel like second nature to you, and perhaps a godsend in this freezing landscape.

0. heart tasks

The notice board is still here this week, now with a new set of tasks written on it! Along the Akheron river, there's a fresh slew of boxes and containers along its bank. They're all locked up tight, but they have your names on them. They're also nicely decorated.

Mementos Mori Homesickness is a terrible thing. Complete one of these tasks and you may just find yourself with something to ease it.
✦ Bite someone with feeling and explain the feeling.
✦ Exchange thoughtful gifts with one other.
✦ Tell someone a secret, something you think that person should know about you.

Whether you intend to or not, if you complete one of the above tasks, you'll know that your box has been unlocked. Inside can be an item from home, it doesn't matter how big or small. It doesn't need to belong to your character or your character's Eurydice, as long as it's something they might want. The box will have your character's name on it though and written in small script Good luck! Almost there. The item may also be a pet. You do not need to report this to the mods; we'll go by honor system.

i. central ice rink

Once properly attired, you are free to venture outside. Here, the fields of snow seem endless, bright beneath the winter sunshine. All that clean snow, just begging for someone to make footprints, construct castles, or initiate snow fights! What fun! What joy!

A little further ahead is a large lake, completely frozen over. There is a stand nearby offering skates of all sizes, for those who would like to skate along on top of the ice. There are also convenient guard rails along one edge of the lake for our timid novices. Take a few turns and get comfortable. Or maybe not too comfortable...

As you make your loops, you may notice movement, and as you coast to a stop, you will realize that the movement is in fact an image, a memory being played in full view on the ice beneath you. No matter where you skate off to, the memory will follow, seemingly endless in every direction. Of course, you could still try to stop the memory, perhaps by smashing your skate through the ice if you're desperate enough, but that will only send you and whoever is with you beneath the ice and into the freezing lake, where you will be both submerged.

Whatever happens, the memory will have a specific theme of either greed or charity, such as:

✦ A memory where you experienced some form of desire, possession, greed, or experienced the consequences of such greed from another.
✦ A memory where you experienced some form of charity, whether positive or negative -- when you received something from another that you desperately needed at the time. Perhaps it was a hopeful plea, perhaps it was demeaning humiliation. Or perhaps you were the one who sought to give, your intentions kind or conceited.
✦ A fantasy of all that you ever wished to possess, or one of all the things you've given to see others thrive.

ii. santa's workshop

If you venture down to the resort's basement, you will what looks like a charming, rustic... workroom? Or perhaps a storage room? There are piles upon piles of objects, some wrapped neatly in boxes, others still needing some work done, because apparently, all of these objects are broken in some way. There are instruments that still need to be stringed, shoes missing their pairs, flashlights that don't turn on, paddles with only the letters "Y A O" carved into them. Whatever you can think to find, you will -- except in a state of repair.

Just on the table beyond are a few very basic tools: screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, etc, but the supplies themselves seem to be missing...? Turns out that if you want to fix an object, you'll have to take apart something else to get what you need. Unfortunately, you'll have to apply a little bit of elbow grease to get what you want -- as the objects themselves don't feel like giving them up? Stuffed animals will take a swat at you, toasters will hit you with their cords, and sexy lingerie may even attempt to strangle you...

But they're just objects, and you can obviously fight back. Or if not, then feel free to try other more peaceful approaches: such as mentioning a time, object, concept, etc that you wish you could have or return to or telling someone what you wish you could give them. Once shared, the objects will go back to normal.

iii. the charity auction

Ascend the stairs from the lobby into the resort's magnificent ballroom, where apparently some kind of banquet is underway? There are crowds of shadowy figures seated at tables and milling about, holding sparkling glasses of champagne and eating little appetizers from large trays, but most of the activity is directed towards the stage, where a shadowy auctioneer thumps their mallet and calls out the name of the newest object.

A name that turns out to be... yours! Before you know it, you are ushered onto stage, squinting against the bright lights to see the crowd beyond. Distantly, you can hear the auctioneer announce your name, a fun fact, and why exactly you deserve to be taken out! Whether on a hot date or wiped from the surface of the earth. Or maybe both?

The only way to leave is if some merciful soul makes a bid for you. For those who find themselves in the crowd, desperate to save whoever's on stage -- you will feel the urge to make your bid (or don't, maybe you think this is funny). Of course, the bid has to be... substantial. Money can only go so far... We're looking for creative bids here, y'know?

Once your bid is accepted, you may escort your prize from the stage. Please know that whatever the bid is -- it must be paid on the spot. Maybe you promised an ear lick or a kiss -- maybe you promised to be their servant for an hour henceforth. Whatever it is, you have to do it in the Grand Charity Gala room in order to be set free.

iv. snowman sculpting

Maybe you decide to go back outside after the warmth of the resort, or maybe you'd like to keep playing in the snow... Nearby are several different snow figures, all in need of decoration. They are just so sad and naked without you...

🥕 Carrot Nose: You feel an intense curiosity to know everything you've yet to learn about the person you're with. What's their blood type? What's their dream wedding venue? If they were wooed by a shark or a pirate, then which would they choose? The questions can be completely nonsensical and unrelated to each other. It doesn't matter, because you need to know!!
⚫ Coal Smile: You feel the burden of your sins weighing upon you. Suddenly, you need for the person you're with to forgive you for what you've done to them, or for what you will do. Maybe you feel the urge to confess to a curse. Maybe you want to tell them that you thought they were really annoying once. Or maybe you want to apologize for thinking they're a great big degenerate.
🧣 Cute Scarf: Congratulations! You Are A Child Now. Feel free to keep your adult minds, or revert back to the mindset you had as a smol baby.
🎩 Snazzy Bowler: You are on the run from your creditors. You must hide now! Now! Take whoever's with you so they don't sell you out to the IRS, or because they clearly have crimes they're on the run from too. Go and hide in a cramped closet together.
❌ Naked: For some reason, you don't want to dress any of these snowmen. Boo, tomato, tomato! You will be haunted by three ghostly versions of yourself: past, present, and future, who will all talk about your faults and how you are not a good person and how you should turn it all around somehow.

mod notes.

✦ Hello again, darling clowns! This week's log features both the aforementioned maze and our central locations! Feel free to write central-specific or maze-specific prompts. Or both!
✦ For the Ice Rink, mods will not be policing what memories (trululus) or fantasies (delulus) you choose to have your character share, but please keep to the themes of greed/charity! Moreso, memories must have a canon basis, even if they’re headcanon. However, fantasies can be from alternate route paths (otome/visual novel/AU style) as long as they’re within the set parameters. There will be more opportunities for this in the future, so don’t worry about not being able to give out your lore. Have fun!
✦ Questions specific to this log can be directed to the #mod-questions channel in the discord!
✦ Maze Runs are available for this week!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ see! this guy gets it! he looks thoughtful for all of three seconds before he nods and just grabs hak's arm to pull him up. this is probably not successful given hak is a normal size but he's trying. ]

Let's go then! We can't leave 'em waiting for the show!

[ he has now roped hak into scarf quest, that's fine. he's ignoring that he's wearing a scarf because this is clearly his. ]

[ what the hell i thought i replied to this too WHERE DID MY TAGS GO?

anyway. yosuke is cute? this is cute. what a nice break from the horrors. hak will just let himself be dragged along by this tiny child. ]

What show?

[ don't say gun show. also there is conveniently a basket nearby full of assorted accessories that contain - drumroll please - a scarf, wow!! ]

[ well i'm sorry, but: ]

The gun show. [ he even throws in a wink. who the hell taught him this? this is the audacity of an overconfident child who has not yet been pummeled by an entire town disliking him and a life crisis of being alone. it means he's happily bounding along and pulling hak behind him to this basket and immediately jams his hand in to pull out... a scarf! wild! ]

This one's good! [ it's kind of thin but it's also bright orange so who is surprised. ] You can't miss him now, can you?

[ you deserve the foot grabbing. ]

You're right. No one's gonna miss him like this. Is orange your favorite color?

[ ah, hang on, while they're here he's going to steal a scarf for himself and put it on-- ]

[ now they're both children. cool! ]

[ thank you god for baby hak i was going to come to you and dana but this is funnier because THIS MAN HAS BECOME A CHILD BEFORE HIS EYES? zero concept it was the scarf. he does not even answer the orange question because he's just dramatically pointing. ]

How did you do that?!

[ three jellybeans tall hak meanwhile has no idea what yosuke is talking about ]

Do what?

[ HE JUST GOT HERE? ]

[ sorry, immediately reaching for hak's cheeks and pulling on them like that'll explain how he shrunk. ]

Hey!

[ but like, garbled because his cheeks are being pulled. his self-defense instincts kick in and he tries to slap yosuke away. ]

Hey yourself! [ whappypaws with his jacket. ] You're the one doing magic!

[ gets smacked in the face with that jacket. ow. ]

If you keep going I'll show you something magical!

[ tries to kick yosuke in the knee ]

[ even as a child he was pretty fast, so he dodges and quickly scoops up some snow to pelt hak with a snowball. ]

I'd like to see you try!

[ maybe don't taunt someone who could probably beat you up, yosuke. ]

[ my god

well hak gets pelted in the face by a snowball and then immediately starts chasing after yosuke to try and tackle him into the snow ]

[ you ever think about how children and also boys are dumb? i do a lot. hak can chase him but yosuke's dodging and letting hak eat shit in the snow before he's quickly gathering more ammo for snowballs.

on the other hand, the grin says he thinks this is funny, so he deserves to be buried in a snowbank, frankly. ]

What's the matter? Can't keep up?

[ children are so dumb and saved from their mistakes solely by the fact that they can bounce back from anything.

anyway it's fine, because dice maiden is on his side (for now). yosuke throws those snowballs and hak manages to dodge all of them, while somehow also gathering up enough snow to fling back his own snowball. ]

I don't want to waste my energy on you.

[ okay ]

[ he knocks the snowball aside easily, but he suddenly looks a little hurt by that. the look quickly disappears though before he makes a face. ]

Fine, then you can go play somewhere else. [ shrug! no skin off his nose, etc. he totally doesn't care. ]

week six

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