the little one stops to shut the gate :: [OPEN]

[baedalites.livejournal.com]

Who: A whole lot of ants and YOU!
What: Exploring houses overrun by giant ants! Interacting with ants!
Where: Three specific ant hive houses have cropped up in Baedal.
When: The ants become visible late Sukkardi, so any time after Shundi will do.
Notes: To organize expeditions into the ant hives and to see what your characters will find there, please see the OOC post. NPCs, general GMing, and mod guidance are all available upon request.
Warnings: Bugs! Possible horror. Will update as needed.

When the ants come out of the ground it happens very quietly and it happens at night. Baedal wakes up to chitinous sound of insect labour. At first there is some panic - memories of strange creatures emerging from below to attack the city fresh in everyone's mind - but it is soon evident that the ants, while curious, pose no immediate threat to the City. They seem content to work and live inside the houses they have occupied; houses no one has noticed or cared about for years.

Soon, the ant-occupied houses begin to change. The ants are building something on the rooftops, something like towers, stretching towards the heavens. Birds that fly too close to the buildings quickly disappear.

Comments

The House on Crocked End, Echomire

[baedalites.livejournal.com]

The house is the colour of sandstone, at one time whitewashed. It has alcoves and faded carvings along the outer wall facing the street, and was built with some kind of stone. Some might recognize it as a result of Fatimid architecture. The insides are run down and worn, but there is a distinct lack of trash or graffiti. Someone has left a stack of paintings against a wall.

[bangyoudead.livejournal.com]

Unlike other, possibly smarter people, Remy has no qualms with wandering right up to the ants and disrupting their trails. He picks one up, even, though it doesn't do anything but fuss at him, so he puts it back down. This is, compared to a lot of things he's seen in life, not actually all that weird - all the same, he'd probably be taking it more seriously if he wasn't so peeved at being abducted into this damn dimension.

"Weird nobody looted the place," he observes, immediately eying the paintings.

[rhinemaid]

"Not really." Ilde's knife is unsheathed again, in her hand, but it's to save time later - not because she sees a reason to use it right now. Her expression has returned to that habitual blankness, and it doesn't change as she picks up a crow pearl, considers it, and then drops it into the bag against her hip. "There are still repairs on some of the damage from the last time we had new friends. People need a month or two more before stupid kicks back in."

[bangyoudead.livejournal.com]

"That's... some impressively slow-acting stupid, actually," he says, sounding amused. A whole month or two, really? That's incredible, in his book. What nice people. He's looking at the paintings, now. "This is all kinda weird."

[rhinemaid]

A subtle frown is developing as she picks her way through the place, but she says, "We're in Stepford, Oz. Everything is weird. Including the stupid."

[bangyoudead.livejournal.com]

"That is the creepiest thing I have ever heard," he declares animatedly, shuddering a bit and giving Ilde a scandalized look over her shoulder. "Don't wish that on nobody, that ain't nice - oh for." He swears in French, and does a little dance-in-place around some wandering ants. "You don't got the deed, little friends, we're allowed to party crash."

The House on Swinton Street, Riverskin

[baedalites.livejournal.com]

This house is the last on the end of a series of row houses. What's visible through the hive shows that the wooden front porch was once a robin's egg blue, but that it had last seen a fresh coat of paint many years ago. The tiny front lawn has been reclaimed by some enterprising local to grow a few herbs, while the back has been left to grow to seed and fill with whatever bits of trash haven't yet been taken away for recycling -- with resources as scarce as they are, everything must and can be reused. Inside, the upper floors are almost entirely blocked off with honeycombed ant trails and that suggests the insects have been building in this house for longer than they've been 'out' in the city.

[edsidlemirth.livejournal.com]

That the ants aren't attacking folks doesn't make this any more interesting than it otherwise be, but it feels like it does, because it's way easier to go tromping around in search of what the weird bugs are up to when the weird bugs aren't trying to have you over for dinner. Maybe they're biding their time? That's a good enough reason to check this out as soon as possible. He's been at this all morning, long sleeved shirt and less nice pants, instead of dressed all formal, with a walking stick in hand, following ants around. He heard someone mention an overrun house, so he's made his way into this neighborhood.

Also potentially dangerous, sure. He mills around, observing the house, unwilling to venture forth on his own, quite yet. His curiosity has not yet convinced his common sense that it is necessary to do so. He's packed two bottles of vinegar in his backpack, and some donuts, hoping either would be a fair enough diversion for a couple ants, in a pinch, but that house isn't hosting a couple ants. He also packed a sandwich, but that's his.

[seal_clubs_you]

Mike has actually handled the arrival of the ants with a fair degree of aplomb; he's seen and dealt with camel spiders before, on his trips over to Saudi Arabia. Those things can put on some serious speed and have a vicious bite when they get testy, so the ants seem almost cuddly by comparison. He's fascinated, and is wondering if there's some connection between them and the last bout of strange creature invasions. So here he is, on Swinton Street, studying what was once a house and is now turning into a humongous anthill. He wonders if it might eventually spread down the row.

He's brought along some things the ants might like to eat, himself, including the Charms candy that came with some of his MRE packs and which no serviceman will actually eat. Doing so is considered bad luck, but Mike's pretty sure that offering them to well-behaved giant ants doesn't fall into that category. He's armed, but really hoping that the weapons won't be necessary. And he has some extra MRE packages with him; more potential distractions for the ants, who might find the chicken fajitas more palatable than he does.

[edsidlemirth.livejournal.com]

Eddie spots Mike, and raises an arm for an enthusiastic wave. That's good luck, there! A cleric navy medic to hide behind! From the... terribly un-ferocious ants.

He heads for the other fellow, and returns his attention to the house. "Hey, Mike! Wild, isn't it?"

[seal_clubs_you]

And look there, a familiar face! Mike grins and waves back, walking carefully over to Eddie. He doesn't want to step on any of the ants or any of their workings, after all.

"Hey, Eddie!" He grins, watching as several of the gerbil-sized workers trudge past, carrying astonishingly large loads with ease. "That it is. They seem harmless enough... wonder if I could talk 'em into doing a little wall repair around my place."

Insert "carpenter ant" joke here.

The House on Amicable Ally, Sobek Croix

[baedalites.livejournal.com]

Occupied until a couple weeks previously, the building once contained a small, family-run sewing machine repair shop. For reasons unknown, the whole family (and let's be honest, they didn't really look all that related) either left for another part of the city or just vanished in the night, leaving behind all their equipment. Perhaps somewhere in this hive there's an ant with a sense of whimsy because the walls of the hive have been studded and almost decorated with little, glittery bits of old machines and bobbins.

[wandandsickle]

This thing with the ants is more than a little odd, and Jones doesn't need to be able to see the strings of Fate to have a feeling that this is connected to the shenanigans going on when she arrived.

(To be perfectly fair, Jones's interest here is somewhat more than that of civic duty—no one's going to notice some sewing machine bits missing in all of this, and if she can get her very own working sewing machine cobbled together, that would be fantastic.)

Her approach is careful—the ants don't really seem to care about her as she inches up the front walk, but she's a little unsettled by their size. It's not like she's squeamish about insects, because cockroaches are kind of unavoidable now and then back where she lived before, but they weren't anything like this size.

[cassie_of_troy]

Cassandra had been sent to the shop several times by her employers. Frankly, she didn't care much for sewing machines. When you created a machine to do the work of a human, you took something away from that human. But the machines were a necessity in the shop, so Cassandra obeyed, dutifully taking the broken machines down to be repaired.

Somehow, she knew, long before she arrived, that something was amiss today.

When she arrived at the shop, she saw the creatures. Her first instinct was to consider them fellow citizens. After all, she had gotten her fill of talking animals (and blue things) back in Rowan. But the way they were moving, Cassandra somehow doubted that they were sentient. And she was a little more than afraid that they weren't terribly friendly, either.

The woman standing in front of the shop seemed like a better bet.

"I don't suppose you know if this is ordinary?" she asked.

[wandandsickle]

"Doesn't seem to be," says Jones—resisting the urge to jump out of her skin at being addressed suddenly. She allows herself a moment to regain her breath. "The people I heard about this from seemed to think it was unusual, at the very least. That, and unusual critters suddenly appearing around here are, well, a bit suspect, after what happened, I suppose."

She steps aside momentarily to let by one of the ants. "That, and this just unsettles me the tiniest bit. In any case, looks like the shop's closed indefinitely," she adds, noting that the other woman looked like she was on business here, rather than looking to investigate.

[cassie_of_troy]

"I think that goes without much saying," Cassandra said dryly, turning to watch the ant skitter by. Carefully, she lifted the hem of her chiton as it passed near her. She could only imagine how one of her sisters might have reacted to the creature. It would involve copious amounts of screaming and shrieking. Cassandra felt horribly jaded. "Just as well, those machines were a menace."

She took a moment to size up the other woman. Although she looked mature, Cassandra estimated that she was a bit younger than she appeared. It was all in the voice. She wasn't terribly fazed by the creatures. She must have seen a lot.

"Are you new here?"

open

[ofminastirith.livejournal.com]

There are giant ants walking around Boromir's neighbourhood which is unusual even by Baedel's standards (he...guesses). After his initial moment of what the, he notices that the creatures aren't behaving erratically -unlike the last invasion- but instead move with order and precision. He tentatively moves a little closer to them, his hand pausing above his sword just in case, but they don't seem to see him as a threat. They carry on with their task regardless of curious giants.

Boromir starts to follow them until he comes across the empty repair shop which...doesn't make the entire thing less weird. Honestly, is this something people forgot to tell him about?

/slides over ages later

[suninhades]

Seeing as the ants appeared overnight, they're not such a morning-shock to Integra (... as she is largely nocturnal). Still, even exceptionally large ants at home do not begin building spires up to the sky, and so that's something... different.

She's not working, just out running an errands, but even so isn't terribly surprised to see someone from her organization already wandering after the trail. "Captain," she greets, almost absent, while still staring upwards. What on earth.

it's all good B)

[ofminastirith.livejournal.com]

"Sir Integra," he says, breaking out of his thoughts and away from the sight before him to acknowledge her. "It appears we have some new neighbours." And just when he was getting used to a Mordor free life.

[suninhades]

"So I see." She keeps her footsteps careful, as she recalls that nagging thought about ants - that in death they release a chemical that attracts their sisters. Wouldn't do to start a commotion without knowing what's going on.

"Does it look like they're trying to get somewhere, to you?"

A CiD call [video | open]

[wandandsickle]

Hey, I don't know if anyone else has... been in the houses infested by ants, but I'd be... interested to hear what you found. Just in case there's... a pattern, or similarities... or something.

[She's broadcasting from a room that is not occupied by ants, although she is indoors, and looks slightly worried. One might see Cassandra wander through the frame behind her.]

( visual | locked | jones, remy, sonja )

[rhinemaid]

[ OOC NOTE: this message is sent the day after this and this. ]

You sent a message out about the Candlelighter houses a few days ago.

( visual | locked | jones, remy, sonja )

[wandandsickle]

So you found Candlelighter materials, too. That had a lot to do with what I was wondering about, actually. Which house? We were in the one on Amicable Ally. [A pause; she looks unsure about something:] Was there a warded area in the place you visited, as well?

( visual | locked | jones, remy, sonja )

[rhinemaid]

Echomire, and yes.

[ ilde touches her tongue to the back of her teeth, then- ]

I'd rather not have this conversation on the network.

( visual | locked | jones, remy, sonja )

[wandandsickle]

Yes, that's... yes. This would probably be a better conversation to have face to face, now that you mention it. Um... is there a good place for talking? I don't have much privacy where I live at the moment, unfortunately.