oh you fool, there are rules, i am coming for you

[singmod]

THE DARKWALKER COMES

The Darkwalker makes its first real strike against the Interlopers, resulting in the death of La'an Noonien-Singh. In the wake of her death, her fellow Interlopers are left to deal with the fallout of this new part of the horror of the Northern Territories.

WHEN: January 25th, onwards.
WHERE: Milton.
CONTENT WARNINGS: death of playable character; supernatural death; mention of dead body; themes of death; supernatural beings; themes of terror; themes of peril.

OH, THE RECKONING BEGINS

On the night of January 25th, all is calm. It is a peaceful, if not cold evening. There are no clouds in the skies, the stars and moon hang high in the blanket of inky black. It would be just another night, until something strange happens: one by one, the stars begin to go out and the moon's light fades from view, as if swallowed whole.

Instead, there is nothing but the gloom. The sky is dark and green and terrible. Interlopers all over the Northern Territories will stop and stare — horrified by such a sight. And then, it washes over you like a cold wave: fear. Interlopers will find themselves over-come, and everything in their bodies and minds tells them to run. To flee. And so you run, heading for cover indoors. Curtains will be drawn, some may hide under beds, within closets or wardrobes. Some desperate attempt to conceal themselves, make themselves small, unseen. Some Interlopers, in that fear, may rush to friends or loved ones to hide with them, others may simply cowered alone — crawling and whimpering away from the night. The fear is irrational, unable to be overcome — even by the bravest or most stoic of Interlopers.

And then: noise. Coming from towards the east, the sounds of unnatural and almost-demonic roars, groans and moans — unable to be likened to or truly described. Drawing nearer and nearer — and you know it, even if you don't understand why: something is coming. It's coming here. You are powerless, unable to do anything. And it is an agony, awaiting its arrival. You cry, you whimper, you cower. Curling up for some shred of comfort, and finding none.

It seems to go on forever, building into a crescendo. Your heart beats so hard you fear it may burst from your chest, as if you might die of fright.

And then, a screaming wail — sharp as it cuts through the building dread. A woman. You know it, don't you? You're sure you've heard it before.

The silence that follows is deafening. The green gloom subsides, the fear slowly melts away within you. You wait, and wait. Finally, when it feels like you can breathe again, you decide to move.

Interlopers who dare to venture outside, who dare to look from behind curtains may see nothing at all. The skies have returned to normal, the moon is out once more. But those close to the center of town will see the small frame of a body curled in the snow. Some may not know her, but plenty will recognise her: Lieutenant La'an Noonien Singh.

It looks almost as if she'd collapsed. But those who decide to investigate will discover a gruesome scene. While there will appear to be no physical wounds, her body will appear contorted — expression frozen in absolute fear. It will be incredibly unnatural and violent to look at. La'an is dead. Around her, the footsteps that brought her to this spot. Strange 'waves' in the snow, too. Hard to define as to what exactly made them. And... faint glimmers of green, intangible. Almost like a residue — which will vanish by the time morning comes.

This is not the first time. La'an Noonien-Singh is the thirteenth Interloper to die since they first began to arrive in this place. But this is certainly the first time something like this has ever happened.

But preparations must be made, an Interloper must be mourned and laid to rest.

And the rest of Milton must come to terms with what has happened, if they can put a name to such a thing.

FAQs

1. Essentially, a 'party post' for reactions to the Darkwalker's Arrival, the immediate aftermath, and any funerary preparations following La'an's death. Have... fun?

2. Information on the Darkwalker's attack can be found here.

3. An OOC Rundown can be found here.

4. For those interested: Harry Goodsir is conducting a post-mortem on La'an, which can be found here.

Comments

[maintiensledroit]

[ Fraser hesitates, lips parting, and glances down to his hands, where he taps his hat against a palm as he considers his words, as he considers the Lieutenant's tone, as he thinks about La'an herself. When he glances up, his blue eyes are far more clear than Little's darkened brown ones, though he knows they're feeling the same grief. ]

Forgive me, sir, but I can't agree. It's not that I don't understand the sentiment – in fact, I feel something... very similar.

[ His glance falls back to his hands again, and then to Diefenbaker, sitting at his side. The wolf looks back at him, unblinking, before Fraser lifts his head once more. ]

But the Lieutenant was a remarkably capable woman; I daresay more capable even than you or me. She was strong and brave, and even so, she knew something was coming for her, something she couldn't stop. That none of us could stop. I think... I think that even in those last hours, she was trying to protect the rest of us.

[ He gestures with his hat to the badge and the note, and thinks of the diver's watch set carefully on the bed he'd used in her house. ]

The gifts she left were deliberate. She was careful in her preparations. She could have told any of us or all of us what she knew was coming, but she didn't. I think... she must have known that if we tried to stop it, it would take us, too. So I... I choose to believe this was a last act of friendship. Guilt and shame will only hinder our ability to survive, and she wished for us not only to survive... but to live.

[ She'd told him so the very first day he arrived. ]

And so we should do our best to live, and remember her.

this could be a little wrap, unless you want to add anything!!

[fidior]

[ Even through the heavy weight of his guilt and grief and sorrow, Edward listens to the other man's words, closing his eyes for a moment. La'an was — all of those things that Fraser is saying. Strong and brave and capable. He'd only known her shortly, and barely gotten to know her on any sort of personal level, but... a person's character shows. It shows, especially in such harrowing situations as these. And La'an had always tried to help others, to help this community; his first meeting with the woman involved her working alone to bury one of Milton's dead. A man whose name and story she couldn't even know, but that hadn't mattered.

He'd later learned that she was from very far in the future — an almost impossible place in time for him to comprehend. This, too, shows her character; it must have been a shock in all regards, to find herself brought to a place such as this. Perhaps as much of a shock as it had been for himself, perhaps even more so. And yet.... she hadn't shown that struggle so outwardly as Edward. She'd adapted, consistently capable; Fraser is right, Lieutenant Noonien-Singh was far more capable than he himself ever could be, and there is no resentment for that fact, only a deep, deep loss to be without her now. Without that strength, that stability.

He's slowly lifting his head again as the other man continues, eyes fluttering open as he stares to the badge. The idea that she was trying to protect everyone else.... that she knew what was coming for her... Edward exhales softly, shaken and aching freshly, but it makes sense. It seems exactly the sort of thing she would do.

'Guilt and shame will only hinder our ability to survive, and she wished for us not only to survive... but to live.'

(Like the captain's final words to him, he thinks. No matter what message was layered beneath the spoken words, the concept at its core was always true, what Crozier wanted, which was to protect them all — 'You are to lead the men forwards, Edward. You and the others will live.')

He stares mutely at the badge, mouth tipped open a little. He struggles, constantly, not to be weighted down by his own guilt and shame, even without this shadowy thing beside him. In its presence, he feels all of those things even more deeply, can barely look past them, but.... for a brief moment, Fraser's words do help to combat that extra layer of haze brought on by the Visitor. There's a flicker of clarity, his vision clearing a little. It.. In this brief moment, despite the loss and emptiness left by what's happened to La'an, Edward doesn't feel so alone. Fraser is here, a fellow officer and someone who'd known La'an much to the same degree that he himself had; he.... isn't dealing with this particular weight alone. ]

...You are a very wise man, Constable Fraser. I... am grateful to have your words. To have you.

[ And it's a warmth, a light, even if it lasts only a few moments, because his double represents everything opposite from what Fraser is giving him, which is guidance, assistance.... and companionship, in this dark moment. His double is cold and heavy and only knows what it is to be alone. It moves to press itself upon him; he thinks an arm might entangle one of his own, or maybe that thought is only in his head, but it feels like so much, like a thing latching onto him, not with hooks but with smaller, more insidious needles scraping into thread, stitching itself into his skin, and he doesn't have the strength to remove it.

'And so we should do our best to live, and remember her.'

He doesn't deserve to live, really. Why him? Someone else should be in his place, someone stronger, who can be as capable as La'an Noonien-Singh. It should have been him to be taken, instead of her. She should be here. She could have protected the people here. She was a good person. Not.. not him. ]

....But I am not deserving of it. Of your mercy, or your words. I... I have failed her. Failed this community — failed you. I am deeply sorry.

[ He gently closes the box as though not to be able to see the badge anymore, places it down on the nearest surface, and lowers his head, breaking any eye contact with the other man. It's not a dismissal, but it's clear that he's shutting right down. ]