#it hasn't been like this since before the pandemic even if last year was partly f2f again too

[astrxealis]

today at school was GREAT (generally) oh god i'm really happy ignoring some bad things but the good overcomes them. anyway my twin's classmate who is a friend(-ish?) to us both plays bg3, likes astarion too, and we watched her play a bit at school w other friends lmfao <3

[jonnyparable]

Cottage Hills: The Mystery Plague Part II

The One of Four

Following an attack on the church, and its possible connection to the town's obscure prophetic mural, Harris continues to look through the town's archives, to see if any one would have a motive to do the town harm as he tries to decipher the prophecy. He continues to search for the "One of Four, once loved by the Goddess".

Nothing in the historical records points to any individual who was part of a group of four. Church records only ever refer to the group of three founders, not four. So far, no one in town left with a vendetta either, and so his investigations fruitlessly continue...

Sibling Rivalry

Meanwhile, despite the Mayor's request for everyone to watch out for one another, Rick has finally had it up to here with Popuri slacking off all summer. She spends all her time at Kai's seaside snack shack, and hasn't been helping out on the farm.

Rick:

"Popuri, enough! All you've done since Kai's returned is go to the beach all summer! Mother's not well, dad's gone, and I have to do everything around here! When will you just grow up and accept that you are part of this family, and you're never going anywhere else, ever! For all we know, Kai could have been the one behind the incident at the church, you don't even know anything about him!"

Popuri:

"And what do you know about him? You don't know anything about anyone but you act like you do! Dad clearly thought you can do everything, so he never taught me anything! You don't want me to stay to help, you just don't want Kai and me to be happy, cos you're not happy, ever!"

Rick had never liked Kai, and had always disapproved of their "relationship" , which only lasted as long as Kai was in town during the Summer, but perhaps this time, he had gone too far, and he knew it. Popuri finally decided to leave with Kai as he departs at summer's end, back to his hometown of Simbayang. We'll check in on their travels later.

The Rekindling Ceremony

As Autumn rolls around, there's no time to waste, and the town's elders begin the Rekindling Ceremony. The rites of the ritual were ordained long ago, in the incident that the flame ever went out. The extinguishing of the flame is seen as a grave omen, and must be rekindled with haste to stave off catastrophe.

The ceremony is a test to see if the current steward of the flame still has the favour of the Goddess. Rev. Carter is blessed and cleansed by Ellen, the oldest member of the community, to symbolise the town's forgiveness for his failure to keep the flame alight.

An old log, taken from the very first flame, and that was sealed away, is ritually set alight in a ceremony, and if the fire takes to this log, it means the Goddess also forgives Rev. Carter, and has forgiven his negligence. If not, Carter must leave the town, and a new steward must be appointed from a new bloodline.

Carter's Vigil

Luckily, the fire takes to the old log, and the flame is reborn. Carter gets to stay, and remain steward of the flame, continuing in the long unbroken line of Goodmans who have done so. Catastrophe for the town is averted for now! He must, however, now begin a gruelling 72-hour vigil over the new flame. He must kneel before the altar, praying, resting only periodically every 12 hours to eat and drink.

Luna stays by his side, throughout his vigil, and accompanies him in the clinic after his ordeal as he recuperates. Its been a difficult few days for Carter. He's been the first Goodman to let the flame go out, and while still allowed to be steward, he's still guilty and ashamed. Luna, for her part, does feel partly responsible, thinking about what Won said.

Luna:

"I'm glad you're doing alright, Carter, and that the flame is reborn. But I feel all of this is somehow my fault. I should have never asked you to go to the beach with me. I just thought you needed to go out once in a while...I never thought..."

Rev. Carter:

"Don't be silly, Luna, please. You have been by my side throughout these few days and have been a light in the darkness. Your kindness has truly been a balm. Won meant well, but I was not bewitched, I agreed to go with you of my own free will, just to spend time with you, and I regret not a minute spent, and neither should you. Besides, if I had stayed at the church when it happened....who knows what would have become of me?"

Luna will soon head back to the church and continue to paint the mural, and will watch over the flame while he's recovering for a few days. But as they continue to talk, a face watches in the window...

The Plague Begins

However, just as the town thinks the worst is behind them and things are on the mend, a new disaster looms on the horizon. A Mystery Plague of unknown origins begins to spread. No one knows where it came from or how it started, but it spreads like wildfire through the small community. Residents fall sick, visitors fall sick, and it continues to spread.

Cough Cough Cough Cough Cough

Residents have been going around coughing up a lung, and spreading the illness to one another. Every year, as the weather cools, people do tend to get the sniffles but this is worse. They soon start to have a fever, and then throw up constantly. The small town is ill-equipped to deal with this pandemic, and Dr Tim's clinic is soon overrun.