Reign of Terror
Destroyer of Ramen
Click Stars and Scroll
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150 years ago, the moon nearly fell.
Christened the Black Moon, the cradle of the earth was laid bare that night, and a fee was enacted upon all Men- perhaps penance for their transgressions or maybe merely one of nature's cruel games. Nonetheless, Black Moon babes were affected the world over, as for the duration of the night, only 3 such children held breath, all others silenced before their first cries. While the rest of the world wept, three mothers found their worst nightmares swaddled in cloth, alive and well. These three children would become the menagerie's first residents, under the care of Monsieur Claudiu Delacroix, a strange and shadowy nobleman who appeared practically out of thin air.
"At the edge of the hellish Grymmswood, just out of reach of the common man, lies an estate like none other- One Monsieur Delacroix's Moonflower Menagerie, the very first of its kind. Men and women of great stature and standing find themselves burdening the estate for its oddities, both for business and pleasure alike." - Xadian Empire newspaper excerpt, 70 years ago
Since the Black Moon, the lunar body has produced another child of circumstance every quarter century as it rushes and fades like the tide, with Delacroix there to receive each flower with care. A letter, a chance meeting- or even the occasion stumble through the doors- not every flower has lived a full lifetime at the menagerie, but none have ever left to live elsewhere ever again.
The menagerie is patient, never cramped, never hurried. In recent years, Delacroix has taken up another task, finishing up with his most recent Gardener recruitment. Branded, every Gardener will live out their days in contractual servitude to Delacroix in exchange for one wish. Love or hate be damned, all flowers and all Gardeners fates are inexplicably tied to Delacroix and the garden, never to break free of its sweet embrace.TERMINOLOGYFlower - menagerie/garden residents are referred to as flowers or Moonflowers overall, but each is assigned a particular moniker- a specific variety of flower best suited to their species, abilities, or disposition. Flowers are born to lunar anomalies or phases of the moon - harvest moons, blue moons, eclipses, full moons, and new moons qualify, supposing the conditions and prerequisites align. The moon seems to have created living progeny without title of what were once mortal babes, some with animal or otherwise less-than-mortal likenesses, generally all with powers that could overturn entire nations if left to the avarice of Men. The first 3 are Elder Flowers, the first of their kind and the eldest of the garden residents.
Mortal - As defined here, this will be Humans. Flowers are very likely to take on aspects of Mankind despite their abnormalities. As is typical, Humans will inevitably grow old and die while those with Delacroix's blessing or contracts are finely preserved for as long as he lives and breathes. They come to the garden for favors- fortune tellings, magic salves and cures, sweet dreams, memory erasure, and all other manner of fantastical things one cannot get from a local human apothecary back home.
Glamour - A powerful aesthetic spell cast to change ones appearance. Hard to come by, but allowing Flowers to travel safely without the torches and pitchforks being lit on rare occasions where travel is due. Currently, the only one capable of casting them is Delacroix.
The Grymmswood - first a small continent, and a massive forest of cryptids and intrigue second. It trembles and changes over time, with all manner of flora and fauna gracing the dark realm like surprises in the night. Rare herbs and materials are procured here, funding the lavishness of the estate. Kingdoms and empires have crumbled and fallen in their attempts to conquer it, with legends telling of everything from entities that guard the very forests themselves to monsters best suited to hunting Men... the likes of which no common man has ever seen. Many blame the Grymmswood for the Black Moon incident and the creatures borne of it.
The Garden/Menagerie - the names given to the ethereal estate grounds, though its residents tend to use 'garden' more frequently than guests, who treat it more like a true 'menagerie'. The earth itself seems imbued with magic, as though never intended for this world, fed and bathed in the glow of the Grymmswood. Only the bravest and most peculiar of mortals trouble the menagerie's doorstep, as there are no kings, no ranks in the garden. All men kneel before Flowers, like dangling over a chasm, waiting to be either welcomed or devoured.
Gardener - Once mortal, Gardeners were typically once knights, guardsmen, mercenaries, or powerful magi who eventually met their match or in some way fell short. Whatever their circumstance, they all came to Delacroix for a wish, and in turn, have been bound, soul to soul, to this strange creature and his estates. Trusted Gardeners and Flowers may be sent (quite rarely) to other lands for tasks, but they will never freely walk the earth again, leashed to Delacroix for the remainder of their everlasting lifetimes. They will spend this time caring for Flowers, everything from mundane household tasks to overseeing their safety.
The Black Moon - an event that was never seen before or since, the moon blackening to pitch like the sky behind it. There were no stars, and no eclipses. It could be heard cracking, rumbling, swaying the very seas themselves. The end was unimaginable darkness and cold, an awful unearthly howl resounding from above, and the eventual return of the moon as they knew it. Unfortunately, all children, save for three, born that night did not ever draw breath. Even 150 years later, fear still grips the mortal Man like an icy claw. - ββHe who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
Greetings and salutations!
This story is intended for those who enjoy dark and ethereal literature and all it has to offer, with fantasy, cryptids, and intrigue at the forefront. With that said, roles will NOT be first-come-first serve. There is no particular criteria beyond literacy, for which I prefer quality over quantity but will still expect multi-paragraph posts. I do not expect novella at all times, but I will ask that this not be or become a one-lining festival or centered on small rapid replies.
Characters will likely have history with one another as there are those who have been in bloom within the estate for up to 150 years. This thread is a no-hate zone, anything to do with LGBTQIA+ themes or disabilities will be honored or respected if it occurs and not attacked in my thread. Racism, transphobia, homophobia, and otherwise xenophobic behaviors OOC will be dealt with swiftly- I do expect speciesism, classism, or even racism (to a fantastical 'humans hate elves' extent) will occur throughout this thread, so if any of that is triggering, I want to apologize and forewarn applicants now.
I am currently recruiting up to seven more Flowers and up to three more Gardeners! Feel free to create NPC's as you see fit for your posts, but I ask that if you have plans to include Delacroix in any content that we please discuss it first, as he will be a recurring character of mine.
ROLES
(Elder) Wisteria - clairvoyance, divinations, and prophecies - TAKEN - Reign
(Elder) Amaranth - necromancer, mediumship, communion with the dead - Open
(Elder) Iris - walker of dreams, and the manipulation of dreams & memories - Open
Hyacinth - botanical, jurisdiction over the estate greenhouse & Grymmswood flora - Open
Amaryllis - captivation, seduction, illusions, navigator of hallucinogenic magic - RESERVED
Lilac - soothing, capable of beast tongues- jurisdiction over the estate bestiary - Open
Lotus - impenetrable immunities- specializes in alchemy, poison, and medical aptitudes - Open
Lobelia - bearing chaos and venom, specializes physically & in combat - Open
Gardener 1 - TAKEN - Reign
Gardener 2 -
Gardener 3 -
Gardener 4 -CHARACTERSDESCRIPTION TBDVestibulum id eros vitae augue ultricies efficitur. Morbi ac commodo quam. Duis ut libero interdum, tempor massa ut, gravida lorem. Maecenas ac mollis ligula. Maecenas gravida eros dignissim fringilla hendrerit. Nullam dapibus nunc risus. Maecenas ac mollis ligula. Maecenas gravida eros dignissim fringilla hendrerit. Sed finibus lectus eget fermentum consectetur. Morbi ac commodo quam. Duis ut libero interdum, tempor massa ut, gravida lorem.Restibulum id eros vitae augue ultricies efficitur. Morbi ac commodo quam. Duis ut libero interdum, tempor massa ut, gravida lorem. Maecenas ac mollis ligula. Maecenas gravida eros dignissim fringilla hendrerit. Nullam dapibus nunc risus. Maecenas ac mollis ligula. Maecenas gravida eros dignissim fringilla hendrerit. Sed finibus lectus eget fermentum consectetur. Morbi ac commodo quam. Duis ut libero interdum, tempor massa ut, gravida lorem. - ACT VII will likely formally post my introductions in about 10 days time, so around September 1st or 2nd. In that time, I'll have all the necessary threads prepared and the discord set up!
For now, this thread will function as merely an interest check while I prepare my own sheets and characters. If anyone is interested, please feel free to say so in the thread or reach out via DM.
Link back to the Character Sheet forum page!
The Discord is up and running for whoever is selected in the coming days~INFORMATION
This thread is taking place in a similar timeframe to what we would consider the late 1700's. The Church is, as always, an ever-present threat and obstacle to anyone with powers or physical abnormalities. Consider the era of the Salem Witch Trials for reference of the past hundred years.
Powers are extremely rare, especially abilities on par with what Delacroix and the Flowers have naturally. They scare most humans, so to have seen or met or come to have powers of ones own in human continents is like if I went to McDonald's and saw a literal wild unicorn eating fries. Magic isn't new, it's just been hidden well until now. Many people use the Grymmswood legends to get their kids to go to bed, and will live and die never knowing what it looks like.
Estate guests are either ballsy, wealthy, or both. Some are legendary sailors who ferry groups of wealthy guests to and from the estate, some are private ships carrying sultans, kings, or nobles who've come for either the Flowers favors (the usual) or to persuade Delacroix to sell 'his flowers', convince Flowers to come to their kingdoms, or even try to kidnap Flowers. Gardeners are on the lookout for strange behavior like this, and Flowers are cautioned to pay attention.
To give you a full rundown on Delacroix would spoil some future portions of the roleplay, but some may have already guessed what my angle is.
The sea outside the Grymmswood as well as the Grymmswood itself is practically leaking monsters out the metaphorical wazoo. Coming and going take special measures.
The safest way is to be brought by Delacroix himself, but some have made the journey on their own and survived to tell about it.
Remember, these are people first, and Flowers second. It's quite possible they DID attempt or even partly succeed in making a life for themselves in other continents before seeking refuge at the garden. Some characters will appear sheltered where perhaps they're just tired of running. 'Ogres have layers' and whatnot lol.
One of the flowers has divination abilities, and foresees something truly frightening.
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I've found a code & playing my idea for a Red Moon Lotus character.
I wasn't sure how interested people would be so I only set it up for 12 roles, but if I see a lot of awesome sheets there's no reason I can't add a few more roles to the thread. Far be it for me to squish anyone's creativity, I'm just excited to see so many people here. 
Depending on the map it can take a few days.
