Event Seventeen.

[awashmods]

I went to the wood and got it; I sat me down to look for it And brought it home because I couldn’t find it.

he magical vines creep ever onward, slowly infringing upon the Town. No matter how many are chopped down, no matter how many are set on fire, they keep coming even so. And slowly, one by one, the people in the Town start to fall to the curse that they bring along with them. Stay and tend to the cursed? Venture out into the woods to find the castle at the source of these vines? Whatever you choose to do, you'd better decide quickly; the curse only seems to get worse and worse the longer everyone is afflicted. Welcome to Awash's seventeenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event! If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

Comments

[apocalypticist]

[ ...What a rude woman, but Ryo decides to drop that particular subject matter—as annoyed he is with her for acting like an entitled child, it's easier to let it slide this time than to remind a stranger about etiquette until it gets through her head (assuming that's even possible). Instead he takes a silent breath through his nose, turning to a nearby row of books to skim the spines for titles on how to cure the afflicted.

After a moment, he glances to her again; the coldness hasn't quite left his eyes, but it seems to have lessened somewhat. ]

That drivel bears some semblance to Pliny the Elder's writing.

[neronian]

[ Her fingers brush against the page, and her curious, bright expression quickly fades into a frigid glare at the worn paper, almost as soon as those scant words, "Pliny the Elder", leave Ryo's lips. It clicks for her, then, the unease in her heart finally given shape by his words. It's not his writing, but that doesn't prevent the unpleasant memories from surfacing. ]

......

[ "Emperor Nero [...] an enemy of mankind." Like a beast with a capital B.

Nero's thumb pulls at the page as she remembers those words, describing her in his works, almost causing it to rip, old as the tome is. Her eyes rest on those few scant words that she can make out, and her mouth twists into a frown. ]

Yes...you may be right. Hmph.

[ She is torn between discarding it entirely or simply leaving it there for others to stumble upon, but in the end, she thankfully decides on the latter. It's unseemly to have too extreme a reaction to an author's name simply being brought up, and she is well aware of what she is like in the eyes of both Pliny the Elder and history. This is nothing new. Thus, she simply closes the book and places it back on the table. ]

Since we are afflicted by scenarios as described in fairy tales, then it stands to reason that such tales, not the ramblings of a dull man, would hold the clues to our predicament.

[apocalypticist]

[ The shift in her expression doesn't go unnoticed; something in the book or the mention of Pliny's name must have caused it, though he doesn't care enough to inquire about it, simply filing it away as an idle curiosity. There are far more important things to focus on, so he resumes continues to cast his eyes across the books, fingertips delicately trailing along spines worn by time and insect activity. ]

Yeah. [ As always, it comes down to fairy tales. At least they're predictable and follow similar patterns. ] We should focus on books on fairy tales, curses, or magic. Botany books might contain information on how to deal with the thorns.

[ The curse itself is a problem, but so is the rapid spread of thorns. Both have to be dealt with. ]

[neronian]

[ She's just glad he didn't bring it up out loud, if he did notice. Nero nods, but presses a finger to her mouth, and glances at Ryo. ]

Would botany books be much help in this situation? They are surely no ordinary thorns.

[ She's tried burning them, cutting them, but they keep coming back, more and more, which is just not possible given their growth rate in mundane environments. ]

[apocalypticist]

They probably won't be particularly useful, but it's worth taking a look anyway in case any of them specialize in plants that are supernatural in nature.

[ Gotta make sure they don't miss out on potential information even if it means extra work. He's going to be thorough here. ]