Interferences from humans in a harmonious place are bound to stir up less than savory things. Energy harvested from quickened heartbeats and bare feet in the grass. It's almost as if it breathes. The mere presence of the island looms over its citizens, a sprawling orchard full of mysteries waiting to be solved. LITERATE SUPERNATURAL, SCI-FI, COSMIC HORROR RP [ navigate ]
Let me tell you the story of one of our unfortunate residents who seems to be a TATTOO ARTIST on the island. Fate has assigned this individual guidance from THE LOVERS REVERSED card. But they needn’t worry, their secrets are safe with me.
YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A PRISTINE DECK OF TAROT CARDS. TAKE YOUR PICK.
“go on, pick one,” a soft voice whispered to him from behind, hands curling over the curves of his hips as a deck of tarot cards floated before him, fanning out face down as if asking him to pick one as well. he hesitated, reaching out before stopping with a slight recoil, nervous and distrustful with this little game, and then finally took one. he flipped it over, revealing ‘the lovers’ card, upside down. cheolhyun didn’t know tarot very well, so he tried to turn it rightside up only for a hand to cover his own, stopping him with a grip so firm it edged on painful.
“no. what, you didn’t possibly think this was supposed to be the lovers card, did you? it’s the lovers reversed, you poor thing.”
the hand on his own plucked the card from his grasp, the body behind him disappearing. before he could turn around and protest, shackles and chains materialized to fasten around his wrists and tug him down, forcing him to his knees with a pained grunt. cheolhyun tugged at the restraints, snarling as the person that had been behind him takes their time rounding him to stand in front of cheolhyun, grinning wolfishly. it’s an expression that makes cheolhyun’s heart clench and his hackles raise all at the same time, his brow furrowing in bewilderment.
“you knew you’d find no love with me,” the other murmured, reaching down to curl their fingers beneath cheolhyun’s chin, tilting his head up. cheolhyun jerked harder against the chains holding him down, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “are you afraid i’ll leave you as well?”
“stop!” cheolhyun shouted, opening his eyes to find himself back in his bedroom, awake. he was sitting up, panting as he came to his senses. a dream. biting his cheek, he glanced down to find the person sharing his bed thankfully still asleep. cheolhyun breathed out a quiet, exasperated sigh, lifting his hand to run it over his face and brush back through his hair before laying back down. well, there went any chance of him falling back asleep that night.
THE CARD FLUTTERS TO YOUR FEET. WHO WERE YOU BEFORE THIS STORY BEGAN?
it wasn’t long after cheolhyun was old enough to retain memories that he remembers his mother leaving, remembers how she never returned. it was quieter, after she left, but there was still a hole in their family where she should have been. cheolhyun’s father did his best to pick up responsibilities that should have been split between two parents, rather than one. he tried, and an older cheolhyun appreciated the effort despite everything, looking back on his life.
still, their family wasn’t without flaws.
a small family of three men led to lack of communication.
his father would make sure cheolhyun and his older brother had something to eat every night, would tuck them into bed, and give them approving squeezes on the shoulder when they brought home good grades (atleast in cheolhyun’s case). but he was absent when it came to them growing into themselves and their feelings, in understanding their emotions.
cheolhyun couldn’t blame his father, he saw the way working overtime for their survival weighed down on him.
his brother would protect him from what he could, be it their own father’s frustration or from rumors that spread throughout their school, but it was clear he had it worse than cheolhyun from all sides. he only grew quieter as they grew up, especially after being expected to work and go to school to support their barely functioning family.
cheolhyun found a part time job in his teens as well, determined to help out as well, because what else did he have to do? he was just as quiet as his brother, closed off and unable to connect well with his peers beyond casual friendships due to his upbringing, and his family needed the help.
a few years into working grueling part time jobs, nearing the end of cheolhyun’s highschool days, a customer noticed him drawing during his break and sat down with him to ask him about his work. shortly after, he’d been offered an apprenticeship with a tattoo artist, which was exciting for cheolhyun, who had been meandering through life with no real purpose or goal. his affinity for art was originally a way to escape reality, or pass the time. he never would have guessed something more would come of it, especially not something he would end up being passionate about.
outside of his upward climb career-wise his personal life fared much worse. he remained somewhat close with his father and brother despite moving out after graduation, but struggled to build relationships beyond his family. too unwilling to be vulnerable with others despite desperately craving the intimacy, he watched as friends would come and go once they realized cheolhyun was keeping his distance. he was good at that, good at manufacturing relationships that gave him the imitation of intimacy while he held himself at arm’s length.
cheolhyun took on the apprenticeship as soon as he graduated highschool, and after multiple years of struggling to be his own person after a childhood of ignoring himself for the sake of his family, managed to obtain a full time position at the shop. the idea of permanence scared him as someone who struggled with change, his own personal fears and insecurities making him hesitant to leave a permanent mark on another person in the beginning of his career. satisfied customers helped assuage his concerns, and with time he became one of the better tattoo artists at the shop, now aged twenty six.
Are there any specific sorts of muses you're looking for here? I'm interested in joining and would love some ideas!
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Let me tell you the story of one of our unfortunate residents who seems to be a THYME VALLEY HIGH CHEMISTRY TEACHER on the island. Fate has assigned this individual guidance from THE HIEROPHANT REVERSED card. But they needn’t worry, their secrets are safe with me.
YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A PRISTINE DECK OF TAROT CARDS. TAKE YOUR PICK.
”teacher im, please pick a card,” comes hyunji’s voice, chiming softly int he classroom while the rest of the are either distracting by their phones or the homework that’s due today. he hasn’t started class yet. some of his less focused students are definitely scrambling about to finish up the sheets he gave them.
but there’s five minutes left before he starts, yijoon’s a bit early. he finished his lunch early. one thing he didn’t see coming was all the students back inside too – maybe the cold is picking up outside. they’re eating inside instead. he understands.
”what’s this?” he asks. he welcomes a distraction. his whole lunch was spent thinking about the next module even while his co-worker nagged away besides him.
”tarot, i’ll do a reading for you!” hyunji says and he looks at her, then to her classmate smiling brightly next to her. they must have planned this – ask the chemistry teacher who’s already in over his head. silly little chemistry teacher that has too much on his plate, silly little chemistry teacher held together by thinly threaded seams on all his pieces and by fine lines inked on his skin.
silly little chemistry teacher can humour his students for just a minute. it keeps them happy, it keeps them listening.
”do i just pull a card?” yijoon asks as he watches hyunji begin to shuffle the large deck of cards. they’re white, vaguely sparkly and muted in colours. he’s not sure if it’s a design choice or simply from wear and tear. but hyunji’s seventeen, just how much reading –– fortune telling –– can she have accomplished?
”yes please,” she tells him politely with a smile on her face and after she’s completed her shuffling, hyunji presents the cards to him. the look on her face is expectant and suddenly the need to draw back is there again, itching on his skin. on the back of his neck, but he’s a bit stronger than his intuition this time. so he sticks around because his students, in quite a short time have come to mean a lot to him. and the end of the year exams are slowly rolling in.
be nice, echoes in his head. that’s all he wants. his students are good kids, good teenagers.
so yijoon pulls a card. a symbol is printed on the card, one he doesn’t recognise and it means nothing to him until he lays it down in front of the two of them. that’s when the two students awe and a book he hadn’t paid attention to before is brought closer to them. hyunji quickly flicks through the pages and lands on a specific one.
”okay,” –– why is he nervous? he eyes hyunji carefully.
”the hierophant, reversed,” she emphasies and yijoon squints at the card to get a closer look. to him it is just a man seated on what appears to be a throne. yijoon really doesn’t know anything about tarot readings.
”this card is a sign to break free from the conventions that may be holding back the asker, and to look within for answers they seek,” she reads out loud for yijoon to hear. yijoon’s not sure, surely that’s something that can be applied to everyone. but she looks at him with a bright gaze, like she’s reading him like an open book and yijoon kind of, just shrugs.
”you can read the rest,” he tells her. and she does. and one thing yijoon didn’t want, was a painful reminder of how stagnant his life has become on a normal wednesday. the hierophant tells him that he’s lost touch with himself, he hasn’t been prioritising himself and he’s been pressured into doing things he doesn’t want to do.
teaching is one of those.
”it says that now is teacher im’s time to break free and trust his higher self,” she finishes and yijoon can only show her a small smile. he doesn’t need this right now, he reminds himself and he clears his throat.
”that was fun,” is all he tells her. her smile in response informs him of all he needs. he made another student happy.
”now put that away, i’m going to start class.”
on a basic fucking wednesday.
THE CARD FLUTTERS TO YOUR FEET. WHO WERE YOU BEFORE THIS STORY BEGAN?
yijoon is simple. he’s like any other person. when he’s asked a personal question, he lies and pretends like the reality doesn’t bother him.
”teacher im, why did you become a teacher?” one of his student peeps up from the back of the classroom and yijoon has to chuckle. just a quick exhale of a laughter as he scratches the bridge of his nose. the question stuns him for the shortest moment – enough to catch the attention of more students. but not long enough for them to start nagging. he’s started to master that little pause.
i didn’t want to become a teacher, are words that sit in the back of his throat. he doesn’t want his students to know. a teacher that hates teaching is one that isn’t respected, they’re taken less seriously and he can’t bear his work being more scrutinised than what he already feels it is.
”i thought it would be fun,” he says. and he wants to return to the topic. but a follow-up question hangs in there. he gets it, stoichiometry is really fucking boring if you’re seventeen and there’s more interesting things on online forums to look at. yijoon gets it.
”is it?” another voice perks up.
”are we not having fun in class together?” he returns the question and he hears the flutter of mumbles begin.
⋙⋙⋙
yijoon’s simple.
he has dreams he thinks are unachievable. he narrows them down to something more attainable and he’s left with something unachievable anyways.
”you know those are not real dreams,” he hears the voice of his father say. his dad is kind, loving, cold and distant all in one. yijoon’s never met a person who is able to maintain all those characteristics in one person. but yijoon thinks his dreams are real. they used to be more ridiculous.
go to the moon. he was five. of course he wanted to go to the moon. every fucking kid and their plush toy wanted to go to the moon. yijoon was no different. saying he wants to go to the moon was cute when he was young. when he was older it was less cute. when he tells his parents he wants to go to space, their faces turn and he reads the questions on their face.
he remembers that?
”don’t be silly,” his father had said. but yijoon was so fucking serious back then. but their hesitation, their reluctance to support him did something. it left him tilting his head in confusion. where did the hesitation come from?
”you know, once mr park retires, they’re going to need a chemistry teacher at the thyme valley, you should think of that instead,” his father said the same dinner. yijoon knows now their reluctance came from wanting him to be safe, not out in fucking space. but there’s more to it – he wonders if they knew back then, there were more to it. yijoon would be the first one in their family to got a university. his father is a mechanic, his mother owns a store.
he’s born and raised on the island.
in retrospect, yijoon wishes he was stronger.
”your uncle can help you find a job there, don’t go do…” his mother trailed off carefully, she’s tried to find the right word. ”chemical… cosm…”
chemical cosmology. he completed her trail in his head. filled it in with the right words. she tried, she tried – isn’t that all he could ask for?
”ah,” she also sighed. ”just stay here, you need to be here. get married,” she said and the word chipped a piece off him. ”take care of your family,” and yijoon was weak. they knew this. or, he wondered if they knew just how weak he was to it.
family was important to him. family did everything to him. his parents did almost everything to him. but this, they didn’t do for him. they couldn’t let him go and yijoon was to weak to break out on his own. the rest of that dinner was quiet.
”you told me you got two degrees, education and chemistry, didn’t you want to become a teacher?” his father asked.
”i did,” he had said and he glanced down at his plate. his appetite was out the window. he didn’t want to finish his meal. he did get a double degree, just as a back up. it wasn’t meant to limit him.
”then teach! what’s this talk about cosmology,” and yijoon doesn’t know if he should just pick up the scraps, applaud he at least got a word right.
yijoon bites the inside of his cheek and picks up a piece of danmuji to chef on while he surrenders. shamefully so. they just don’t see it.
yijoon’s simple. he listens to his parents. he lets them rule his life. it’s simple, he doesn’t have to decide. or something like that.
Let me tell you the story of one of our unfortunate residents who seems to be a PART TIME SUNRISE WAITRESS & PINK ROOM BARTENDER on the island. Fate has assigned this individual guidance from THE FOOL REVERSED card. But they needn’t worry, their secrets are safe with me.
DOB: april 2nd, 1994
DEFINING TRAITS: affectionate, fiercely loyal and independent + obsessive, reckless and people pleaser
RESEMBLES: actress krystal jung
YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A PRISTINE DECK OF TAROT CARDS. TAKE YOUR PICK.
Sera stepped off the ferry that brought her to the new place where she hopes to lay down some roots in and call it home. She inhaled the salty air being seaside. It smelt like a fresh start to her.
"Pick a card and find out your fortune, young lady." the girl hears from behind her, kind eyes looked at her and to the tarot deck spread haphazardly on the older woman's open palms. "No thank you," Sera shakes her head with a polite smile but the woman only stepped forward, invading the younger's personal space. Without much choice, with a huff, Sera ran her fingers over the deck and hovered over a particular one. She felt an unseen pull towards this card. Her finger like moths to a lamp. She pulled the card and held her breath as she flipped it around.
The Fool but it was upside down. She wasn't knowledgeable with tarot but surely a card call the fool doesn't mean anything good, right? Her face showed no sign of any emotion but she felt confused and excited to hear what the woman had to say.
"What does this mean?" she tilted her head to the side but when the old woman opened her mouth only the loud horn of the ferry leaving the port came out. Her hands come up to her ears and she blinked.
The next time she open her eyes, she was back in her seat in the ferry. An announcement echoes around the vessel announcing the arrival at Gwasuwon.
THE CARD FLUTTERS TO YOUR FEET. WHO WERE YOU BEFORE THIS STORY BEGAN?
Sera literally didn't exist before arriving at Gwasuwon. Her first steps on the island signified the death of Kaia Jung.
Kaia thrives in living life in excess and recklessness. Her family showered her with everything she could ever want, and while this might like good to outsiders looking in, to Kaia it was band-aids over bullet holes. She never minded though and enjoyed the freedom and independence of having busy parents who thinks money can solve everything afforded her. Growing up she adopted the same attitude in life, she looks expensive, feels expensive, and is expensive. People want to be her friend and be a part of her inner circle.
The first time Kaia learns to use her social standing in life to her advantage, she was thirteen and was caught cheating in an exam. Her parents denied everything and paid for it to go away. This created a pattern in her life that caused her to push boundaries in every way she can. She hated the pity looks she gets from people and so she pushes back harder by acting out even more. She showed them a tough exterior that's impenetrable.
Sera, on the other hand, wanted to run far away. She never wanted to be special and to be treated differently. After running away from home and before arriving at Gwasuwon, she was perfectly happy with her life. She had an almost sustainable career working waitressing and bartending jobs here and there, an empty apartment, and maybe a slight drinking problem. It was just right for her but she wanted to find a place to call home.
"Did you see what happened last night?” A young man whispers to his coworker, peeling the corpse of a bird from his freshly snow covered windshield. The red moon still lingers in the sky, strong as ever even midday. “This is, like ... some apocalypse level shit.”
The television inside the convenience store blares loudly enough to hear outside. Several people have gathered around it inside, their purchases still in hand. The news is on, and an anchor is seen reading off a report.
“Min Nakyung, age 25, was found deceased last night inside her apartment. Her adjacent neighbor, acclaimed scientist, Dr. Nora Wang, has been reported missing. There have not yet been any further news regarding the investigation. There will be updates to the case as evidence is gathered. If you have any tips about the death of Miss Min or Dr. Wang’s disappearance, please reach out to the police department.”
There is an image of an empty podium that appears next, microphones poised in front of it. Silently, Moon Boram enters into frame, her four children filing after her. The entry seems rehearsed, each of them placed in specific spots; her more successful children closer to her frame.
She wears a dower expression, hands folded at her front. “I speak today on behalf of my father, Mayor Moon.” She sniffles, procuring a handkerchief from her breast pocket. “He has fallen ill and will be absent from public appearances until his health improves. From this point, I will be serving as a representative for any conferences. The mayoral position remains secured but th--”
A yellow line runs across the screen and it shuts off. The lights above flicker and the illuminated beverage fridges grow dark.
“The power’s out!” The store owner exclaims. He steps out from behind the counter to step outside, investigating the shop next to him that has also gone dark, the customers inside clamoring with curiosity.
A deep one-note of a siren blares out for no more than two seconds and the next moment, the entire island goes dark in the hour of dusk.
━━ EVENT ACTIVITIES & SUMMARY
Following Moon Boram’s announcement on November 11th, the island will be undergoing a clear change. The mayor is seemingly missing, alleged to be ill by his family and the full moon remains, tinged red. Additionally, Min Nakyung, has seemingly been found murdered, Dr. Nora Wang has gone missing, and Sibipaldaewang, the alleged deity, has been killed on full display, and his body draped over a mountain for a day has already vanished.
Worst of all, the power outages show no sign of improving. Cellular and landline phone service can only reach within the island, and only for so long. Some doors are extra sticky, the elevators are out, and much of the modern technology will be defunct. Fortunately, the island’s clear dedication to living off the grid (mostly) has equipped many living outside of Dangam-eup with the ability to prepare for such a thing. Perhaps it is a good thing that the weather has gotten colder and snow dusting the ground, at least we can haul our refrigerators outside. You will have to figure out some way to get through this. Oh, and deal with the strange feeling that moon gives you. Something is very wrong.
━━ INTERACTIONS
In universe, this event will take place from 11/11 TO 11/25 but can be written about in its duration to 12/12. This event will get an additional part in December, and there will be much to write about!
This event is unavoidable. The island takes control.
If you decide to thread anything, tag all posts with GSW:ECLPSE. This includes all new threads written between the story drop and this post written in reference to the happenings. (As a clarification going forward, please wait until the official event post is up before you write about any subject matter in a story post.)
Submits sent for the Wishful event will apply to your characters permanently and carry on throughout the story. Characters will have to deal with these consequences.
Random encounters relevant to your character might be sent out at any time, especially if you might be privy to any certain secrets. You never know!
Let me tell you the story of one of our unfortunate residents who seems to be a PART-TIMER on the island. Fate has assigned this individual guidance from THE HERMIT REVERSED card. But they needn’t worry, their secrets are safe with me.
YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A PRISTINE DECK OF TAROT CARDS. TAKE YOUR PICK.
Jisu has never been to a tarot reading before but here he is with his fellow group members in a tarot reading shop that was arranged by a youtube channel to film some content to roll out along for their next comeback.
They are all seated in front of a friendly lady who introduces herself as the tarot reader and one by one, they are asked to pick a card that resonates with them the most. It’s exciting to say the very least, as his group members pick cards that suit them and as he waits for his turn with his legs tapping against the red carpet with nervousness.
When it is his turn, he looks at the spread out deck before him; hesitant hands tapping against the wood surface as he motions them left and right. It takes him a while and while his fellow teammates had showed impatient expression masked under the guise of an irritated smile, the tarot reader was more than willing to wait until Jisu takes his pick.
He settles for a card that’s about ¼ of the deck from the left side.
“the hermit reversed,” says the lady that’s seated in front of him. If Jisu had been any better in reading facial expressions, the blonde idol may have seen the sympathetic smile he’s given, but instead, he assumes that she’s smiling for the luck he had pulled.
The lady clears her throat, “This card represents isolation, loneliness and withdrawal” she explains and continues, “Have there been any instances where you may find yourself wanting to stick close to your group member, but times where you wanted to be alone?”
The idol takes a few second to think before nodding, wondering if she was more than a tarot reader ― if she had been a clairvoyant or a physic instead.
“I supposed! I enjoy my time alone, but I also love spending time with the members,” he confesses, masking any indications of otherwise.
“That is why this card resonates to you most then. In relationships, there may be instance where you want to be alone, but other times with your fellow group members. But you have to be careful to not isolate yourself. This card could also meant that should there be any unsettlement, there would be some sign of reconciliation, be it if you were isolated, feeling lonely or have any withdrawals from people.”
The blonde nods in silence but with a smile, unsure what his card reading had meant. The shooting ends with a few more readings for this teammates before they performed snippets of their comeback.
By the time the filming ends, he bids the tarot reader farewell but not without a last word of advice from her as his members left to get on the van,
“Be careful, Jisu. Your reading also indicates that there may be times where you try as hard as to have that gravitational pull, it will push you further into isolation and loneliness.” she warns.
He had still not understand what she had meant but only nods and makes a mental note about her advice.
As he gets on the van, he’s being pushed in and yelled by one of the older member for being late. “Jesus Christ Jisu, if you’re late then walk home yourself” the members grumbles, shoving Jisu to the back seat.
He apologizes as he tries to not stumble in the crowded space and gets to his seat. Jisu is all alone in the back again, though unsurprisingly. The arrangement of their seating has always been like this.
As their van drives off back to the dorm and the other members asleep, Jisu plugs his earphone in and looks out, thinking about how lonely he feels when his members treat him like this behind closed doors. Whatever the exchange had been earlier has long been kept locked in the back of his head.
THE CARD FLUTTERS TO YOUR FEET. WHO WERE YOU BEFORE THIS STORY BEGAN?
It was just like any morning that Jisu wakes up to but instead of heading to practice, to exercise, or to any schedules he had for the day, he’s been told to meet at the company and that the manager would pick him up alone.
He wonders if it could be another talk of any of his solo comeback since there had been no reason he would need to be in the company alone and any times like this before was opportunities presenting its way to him.
The office is almost silent; like a calm before a storm, as Jisu finds himself in the seat of the CEO office, waiting for the man of the hour to arrive.
“Jisu! Glad you came,” the CEO greets him.
The blond bows back formerly to the man of higher authority before he’s beckon to take a seat.
“I’m not sure of how I should bring this up-” the older man starts, fumbling his fingers in an unlikely manner. “But, I’m sorry to say, we need to terminate your contract.”
Did Jisu hear that right..? “Terminate my contract?” he speaks out for the first time since being in the room. “What do you mean..?” the idol dares ask, as if he had heard wrongly.
“I understand you aren’t in the best relationship with Seokwoo-” the director explains but gets cut off by Jisu, “You meant Seokwoo doesn’t have the best relationship with me- No, in fact. He hates me and bullies me but everyone turns a blind eye!“
"Jisu. Look, he’s my nephew.” the older man reasons, as if it was any valid reasoning.
“And I earn the most-” Jisu retaliates. “I made us more money than the entire group-” he argues more.
“Well yes, you did. And it’s sad to see you go- But there’s other scandals involving you which we had turned a blind eye for-”
“I was set up. Framed!” Jisu stands up, hands slamming. It wasn’t his fault when the photographs of him and a celebrity he didn’t even know personally had been spreading on the internet like wildfire, citing that he was dating. The company did not managed well to shut it down until Jisu took it upon his own social media to speak of his truth and had to be on hiatus for a few weeks while the scandal settles down.
“I’m sorry Jisu. We’ve put the notice up. The very least we’ll compensate you” the latter sighs in defeat but holds out his phone where the notice of Jisu’s departure to the group has been announced with no specific reasons provided.
“This is fucked up. I’ll get a lawyer to speak to you about the compensation,” Jisu mumbles in defeat. There was no point in arguing his place in the group when the damage has been done by the company. He shouldn’t have expected that things would get better when they did him wrong from his previous scandal that he wasn’t even involved with.
x
Jisu packs his stuffs up which wasn’t many to begin with when he most of his clothes were from sponsorship to which he returns to the stylists so they could give it to the members or anyone else.
He gives the dorm one last look, a place where he spent for a few good years when they moved out of their old one when his group managed to gain popularity a good one or two years back. Now all it remains is his memories of it.
As he hails for a taxi, his phone rings, displaying the contact information that belonged to an unknown number. He picks up and receives another bad news of the day; one that says his sister is missing.
With no time to waste, he arranges for a trip back home to Namyangju and as he gets there, he tries to look up for transportation to make his way to Gwasuwon.
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