blackpinehq

[blackpinehq]

                                                                           『 PLOT DROP 001. 』

                               THE DISCOVERY

OCTOBER 31ST, 1991, 23:15.

    ( TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR FOOD, ALCOHOL AND SMOKING MENTIONS, DEATH AND POSSIBLE GORE! )

Crowds of sleepy children in costumes, many accompanied by elder siblings or guardians, have long begun heading home. Families pass around treats fished out of the baskets, eyes fixed on the screen that is playing Tod Browning’s “Dracula”. Eventually, the kids - lulled to sleep by the night’s excitement - are sent to bed, and the lights of the houses all go out almost in unison.

At Dale’s, the party is still going. At this point of the night, the more upbeat songs list has transitioned into a mellow one, and there seem to be only couples left on the dancefloor. The makeshift terrace is not nearly as crowded as it was at the beginning of the festivity, housing only a handful of tipsy attendees sharing a cigarette. Other businesses have started turning their lights off, flipping their door signs to CLOSED and heading home for some well-deserved rest. The streets are quiet, almost as if asleep, with the odd bystander still half-dressed in their Halloween attire trying to get home. 

Jude Jones, Graig Bowers, Harvey Young, Christian Denborough and twins Lydia and Carol Spellman - a group of teenagers regularly spotted smoking at K-MART’s parking lot - chose to stay out for the night, smashing jack o’ lanterns and passing around a bottle presumed to have been shoplifted from the convenience store. All residing in the same block, the group took a different route on their way to their houses, walking along the suburbian style houses. 

It was about quarter past eleven, just as the teens came face to face the old uninhabited house in Derry Street that they stopped. The street was dormant, dark -- dark enough to briefly get lost. It would be Jude Jones who would spot something laying on the lawn in front of the house. It was a silhouette, almost lost in the shadows. The group allegedly encouraged Jones to keep walking, believing the sight to be part of the neighborhood’s Halloween decoration. Given the teen’s insistence, the group collectively approached, only to stumble back in fear at the gruesome image before them. A call was made to the sheriff department, and shortly after the forces arrived the area was closed off and the group of teenagers taken in for questioning. 

There, in the lawn overlooked by the single abandoned tenement, laid the body of none other than Abigal Myers. 

MORE INFORMATION TO BE FOUND UNDER THE CUT

As previously teased, this plot is quite important! As you can see, Abigail’s body has been found. The sheriff has yet to release an official statement, but the news would’ve spread quiiite quickly, so it’s very likely for your characters to have heard it. 

I would love to see your characters’ reaction to this shocking event. As we dive deeper into the mystery, more prompts will be sent out (to different players/characters than the first round). The prompts will shed a light on more details to the investigation.

If you feel like posting starters involving the plot drop, you can tag it as #blackpinestarter, and all matters concerning it can be (optionally) tagged as #blackpinepd001.

If there are any other questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know!

[blackpinehq]

                                                                                                                                                                                          『 EVENT 002. 』

                                THE HALLOWEEN PARTY

OCTOBER 31ST, 1991, 19:00.

Rows of jack o’ lanterns, where no two are the same, lit to outline the path around town; decorative cobwebs, bats, pumpkins and other ornaments on all the showcases; lawns and gardens decorated as graveyards or vampire dens -- when it comes to Halloween, the town of Blackpine has rarely been one to put a cap on its spirit. The festivity is incredibly popular among the younger population, most of which are avid fans of trick or treating. The rows and rows of houses all put up their best decoration, eager to welcome the rivers of trick or treaters. 

However, there’s more to the festivity than gathering candy around the neighborhood. This year, as is tradition, Dale’s -- the local bar, a staple of the town’s culture and a beloved spot to many -- will be opening its doors for the yearly Halloween Party. The party does not shy away from excess ---- the alcohol overflows, and the Halloween hymns blaring through the speakers can be heard blocks and blocks away. Everyone over the age of 21 is invited ( and encouraged ) to attend. A free drink will be given to anyone who arrives wearing a costume. For those who don’t wish to drink, there will be standard drinks served, as well as thematic ones such as pumpkin juice and alcohol-free punch. Fall snacks are also available to the general public. The outside area and the small yard adjacent to the establishment has been designated for the event as well, and needless to say, the entire pub has been vigorously decorated for the occasion. 

This year, however, is different. The disappearance of the town’s golden girl has left many shaken, and with no additional information having come up since the search party, some doubt whether the holiday spirit will suffer the tragedy’s consequences. Yes, while almost the entirety of the town is out celebrating, something is bound to change this year. This year, it’ll be a celebration no one will forget. 

MORE INFORMATION TO BE FOUND UNDER THE CUT

Happy Halloween, everybody! First and foremost, yes, this dash event ( and the subsequent plot drop ) will involve a bit of a time jump. The IC date is now the 31st of October, 1991 ---- HALLOWEEN! 

As you may have read, this event is all about partying and/or trick or treating. Dale’s, the local bar, will be hosting a costume party and everyone is invited. Your characters are encouraged to dress up, so if they choose to, I’d be delighted to see some inspiration posts on the dash, such as moodboard, picture/gif sets, Pinterest board, playlists, outfit edits, anything! Remember, this is the 1990s ---- have your characters burrowed inspiration from pop culture? Alternatively, if your character does not dress up, what is the reasoning behind this choice? Feel free to post all the self-paras, headcanons, or edits you want. Nothing is off-limits!

The settings for this event can be either Dale’s party, or trick or treating. Does your character opt out of the party and instead go trick or treating? Do they avoid the celebration all-together? Whatever you decide, feel free to set your threads in any of these locations! 

The plot drop will be posted sometime this week, as it will have to do with this date. In said post, the end date for both party and plot drop-related threads will be announced.

If you wish to post starters, please label them as #blackpinestarter, and for event-related matters, use the label #blackpineevent002. If you have any other questions or comments, please do let me know!

[blackpinehq]

                                                                  『  TASK 001.  』                  THE CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE 

❝ Yes, look in the mirror. What do you see? Is it a dream, or a nightmare? Are we being introduced against our will? Are they mirrors? ❞   —  david lynch.

And here is the first ever task! To kick things off, a list of relatively simple questions for your characters to answer. This can be done in the form of a self-para, but don’t be afraid to get creative ---- aesthetics, playlists, and all sorts of creations are welcomed as well! The task, as well as all the upcoming tasks, are completely optional (but highly encouraged for a variety of reasons, such as characterization and plot relevance). There is no deadline for this either. Answers to this can be as short or as long as  you see fit. For neatness’ sake, the questions can be found under the cut.

If you choose to complete the task, please tag the post(s) as #blackpinetask and #blackpinetask001

i. NAME  — very self-explanatory and straightforward. What is your character’s full name?

ii. MEANING & REASONING BEHIND THE NAME  — what does the name mean, and why was it chosen? Was it part of a family ritual? Was it because of it roots? Was it derived from a celebrity’s name? Or, was the choice entirely arbitrary?

iii. NICKNAMES  — do they have any nicknames? Are they fond of them? Are there stories behind these names?

iv. BIRTHDAY AND AGE  — the date on which the character was born (keep in mind the current year is 1991!) 

v. ZODIAC SIGN  — does your character believe in astrology? Why/why not? Irregardless, what is their zodiac sign? How do they feel about this, do they fit the description, are they happy with their sign, etc.

vi. THREE WORDS THEY WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE THEMSELVES. 

vii. FAVORITE MEMORY  — phew, curveball, I know. What is your character’s most beloved memory? 

viii. FAVORITE HOLIDAY  — don’t be afraid to let question VI. and VII. become intertwined! Why is X their favorite holiday? How do they usually spend it? 

ix. MOST TREASURED POSSESSION  — what is one object they couldn’t live without? What is the story behind the thing in question? 

x. PERSON THEY ARE CLOSEST TO  — this can be someone currently alive or deceased. Why are they so close to them?

xi. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS — feel free to include pictures, diagrams, edits, aesthetics, all of which can be showcased in a post of its own! 

xii. A FACT ABOUT THEM NO ONE ELSE KNOWS  — don’t hesitate to make this private, or goofy. Approach it however you desire! 

xiii. STRENGTHS  — what is their primary strength?

xiv. WEAKNESSES   — on the flip side, what is their main weakness? 

xv. THINGS PEOPLE WOULD ASSOCIATE WITH THEM  — think of these as written aesthetics! Feel free to browse the tag for some inspiration. 

[blackpinehq]

Good evening, neighbors! I apologize for the silence on behalf of the main’s part. The questions in the inbox and DMs have been taken care of. Now, a couple of announcements:

First and foremostly I want to thank every one of you. Thanks for your support and loyalty, for bringing such wonderful interpretations to the dash and for being such committed members. Truly, I couldn’t have asked for a better crew! 

I understand that my absence may have been a bit unexpected and/or disappointing, so I would like to extend my most sincerest apologies. 

Activity-wise, I have decided to make Activity Checks happen on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. 

Now, onto the important matters! 

Tonight, the first taks will be uploaded. More information shall be included on the post, but basically, tasks are OPTIONAL. See them as fun ways to explore your character even further. 

And, on top of this, a round of writing prompts will begin being sent out tonight! The details about this are still being discussed, so more information will be released onto the Discord server. This post will be edited once the final prompt has been sent out, so stay alert and check your inbox closely. If you do not receive a message from the main, fret not! That just means that your prompt will arrive when the plot drop does. 

That is all for now. Thank you everyone for your cooperation, and I wish you all the most pleasant evening!

[blackpinehq]

Due to inactivity, the following roles have been reopened:

The Sovereign  → please unfollow @royalhunger

Due to personal resons, the following roles have been reopened:

The Zealous  → please unfollow @ofheresy 

[blackpinehq]

The following characters have reached the inactivity limit, and therefore have 48 hours to post again or request a hiatus/extension from the main. Failure to do so will result in the role being reopened:

Tinsley Lampard ( @royalhunger​ ) 

[blackpinehq]

the graphics are lovely!!

They truly are! All of the credit for the template goes to the brilliant, amazingly talented @medusaswrites / @sakurarps  and truly I cannot put into words how much I adore the templates! I’ll be forever grateful toward her. 

[blackpinehq]

The Blackpine Sheriff department wishes to thank everyone who took part in the search party. All efforts were appreciated, and proved to be of vital importance. While Abigail Myers was unable to be located, items presumed to belong to her were found in the wooden area. In the hopes to attract the residents’ attention and potentially gather more evidence that may stem from the findings, the department has released the item list:

- A damaged polaroid camera, which the sheriff presumes broke because of the vehicle’s impact at the time of the crash. 

- A leather wallet containing $127 in cash, along with a membership card to the local supermarket and a driver’s license card. Upon further inspection, this ID is proven to be false, and while it displays Abigail Myers’ picture, the name reads ‘JESSICA KEARNEY’. The address listed in the card is not located within Blackpine, and is unknown to the deputies. 

- A planchette.

- A map of the state of Ohio. 

- An empty lighter and a box of cigarettes.

- An old postcard, damaged by the elements and yellowed by time. It has not been written on. The cover reads “GREETINGS FROM WEST VIRGINIA!” 

The items in questions will be inspected further, and in the meantime, will not be made available for anyone to access. Photographies of them have been made and are accesible upon request. Now the sheriff and deputies are encouraging the townspeople to come forward with any information regarding these objects, now matter how little, that could be helpful in locating Abigail. 

MORE INFORMATION TO BE FOUND UNDER THE CUT

The event THE SEARCH PARTY has come to an end! If you still have threads going on, feel free to continue them and consider bringing them to a close (though please, don’t feel pressured or rushed!) All that is asked is that no new threads/starters regarding the search party are initiated.

You are now free to post starters and begin threads that treat topics outside of the event. If you feel like mentioning anything that went down during the search party, feel free to do so. The IC is not really determined anymore, so feel free to set your interactions anywhere between the 15th and the 29th of October (after which the first plot drop will be posted).

Lastly, as you may have seen, the search did help locate some mysterious items. Feel free to make of these whatever you’d like, be it incorporating their discovery in your threads, in your OOC theories -- anything.

As always, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you may have.  

[blackpinehq]

Are there going to be activity checks?

There will be, yes. At the moment, however, I’ve yet to have the first one (which might happen sometime next week, maybe?) I’ve personally been slightly busy, so I understand that my inability to be present may’ve influenced the dash’s speed. At the same time, I get that real life comes first for everyone! We just recently opened, and I couldn’t be happier with the interactions being written, so I’m not too worried about activity at the moment. Everyone has been so diligent and mindful, so it’s been a smooth ride so far! 

[blackpinehq]

are the songs in the playlist significant, like are the song titles relevant to the meaning of the plot?

… 👀 they might be yes?

[blackpinehq]

If she had to have an fc, who would play Abigail?

I haven’t really thought of that! I don’t want to limit anyone who may be looking at The Grief-Stricken, or make them think their ethnicities have to match. Though, they could’ve have for sure been adopted, so there wouldn’t be much of a problem with this.

When writing Abigail, the people I had in mind were Maya Hawke, Christina Nadin and Lydia Graham.

[blackpinehq]

could you see matthew gray gubler working for any of your open chars?

Hi, and apologies in advance for the wonky format of this reply. Yes, I could see him as The Crestfallen, or (with the right application) for The Grief-Stricken!

[blackpinehq]

Please welcome to the neighborhood:

Tinsley, the Sovereign 

[blackpinehq]

Welcome to Blackpine, ALLIE! We are delighted to welcome TINSLEY LAMPARD to the town as THE SOVEREIGN with the face claim of ABIGAIL COWEN. Please create your blog and send the account details to the main within 24 hours. If you would like a 24-hour extension, please don’t be afraid to notify the main. Ensure that you’ve gone through the CHECKLIST provided by the town hall, and followed your fellow NEIGHBORS. If you have any problems or concerns, please do get in touch with someone from the neighborhood – we’d be more than glad to lend a helping hand.

Ah, The Sovereign! They’re one of my favorite skeletons, but they’re certainly tricky to understand. Allie, as you very well put it, The Sovereign lacks a pivotal moment in her life and yet she is so hungry, her ambition is a fire out of control. From this part of your reasoning and Tinsley’s connection to Abigail, I was sold straight away. I’m so thankful you’ve identified that The Sovereign is very much aware of her surroundings and is above it -- this certainly adds to the regal character to her skeleton. Even more, I love how you seemed to find a source, a date of birth, and an explanation for this ambition to become larger than the town. I felt genuine shivers reading the last sentence, and just seeing how Tinsley’s drive seems to be born and grows throughout your vivid descriptions and writing. I am so so so eager to see Tinsley on the dash in order to read more about her feelings regarding the town she sees as her playground, her kingdom. Welcome!

[blackpinehq]

THE APPLICATION COUNT HAS BEEN UPDATED (+01)

Additionally, the role of The Sovereign is reserved for 48 hours. Because of this, applications for this skeleton will be reviewed at 23:00 GMT on Sunday, June 30th. 

[blackpinehq]

Please welcome to the neighborhood:

Mateo, the Conspiracy Theorist

[blackpinehq]

sending in an app for the sovereign in a few minutes! I think I might have mixed up the acceptance time :)

Hi, and apologies in advance for the ugly format. Don't worry about it. There will be a round of acceptances tomorrow night, so you won't have to wait for long nor rush!