EVENT ∞ PLOT POST — July 2025

[thediadem]

Event ∞ Plot Post

In the Flesh

Jump ⇅ :: Details — Mechanics — Plot Form

Summary

What's going on?

Across the diffusion zones, old mannequins appear sporadically. From a distance, they resemble hitchhikers. Characters that make contact with one or more mannequins in a diffusion zone will unwittingly bring these "hitchhikers" back to the city—where they take on a life of their own.

When is this happening?

July 6 - 20. To keep things simple, new arrivals on this month's TDM will not be affected. However, current characters can be dealing with their personal mannequins when tagging into new characters.

What should I know?

• While this will be your character's first cosmic storm, for others who've been on the Diadem longer, it'll be nothing new. A cosmic occurrence is defined as a storm when its influence penetrates the usually stable strongholds.
• Most cosmic storms can't be stopped or resolved, but storm chasers and other researchers often search for solutions regardless. Characters have the option to help out with theories.
• Mannequin appearances are sparse, and the impact is subtle. Some will say they've experienced a similar incident while others will claim they haven't noticed anything wrong.
• We'll have an Event Interaction comment on the Event Log. Reply there with a request for more details if you aren't sure about the outcome when engaging directly with a part of the setting (for example, if you need an answer to a question your character asks a victim or witness).

What does my character know?

• Storm chasers nickname the mannequins "hitchhikers."
• Characters might hear about the mannequins via rumors, but details will not be consistent. Use misinformation to set up your character's involvement in the event.
• Though the strongholds are largely protected from cosmic influences, they can't avoid being hit by storms.
• Even the storm chasers can't always describe the nature of every storm. Some experiences are impossible to put into words.
• There will be no warning before this storm hits.

∞ Links ∞

Travel — NPCs — Setting

Event Details

In this event, characters or others may make first contact with a mannequin (hitchhiker). You do not have to have your character make first contact. They can also participate by dealing with the impact these mannequins will have on the population. The storm can affect all fluxdrifts and fluxborn, not just player characters.

Characters are only required to incorporate the effects detailed below if they pick up a hitchhiker. Characters can also meet a mannequin without gaining a hitchhiker if the mannequin has chosen a different victim. While a mannequin will always latch onto someone at first contact, if more than one individual is present, it will pick someone at random. In other words, there are plenty of reasons why your character might avoid a hitchhiker of their own!

The mannequins won't be found everywhere. They're less of an open invasion and more of a subtle infestation. A portion of the population will go about their lives unaffected or feeling the effects only peripherally. Some might even believe that the mannequins aren't as serious as people say, dismissing stories as tall tales or lies. Others don't want anything to do with it lest they invite trouble to their doorstep.

First contact is defined as a character acknowledging the mannequin's existence in any way. Examples include looking at them, slowing down to see if they're really there, bumping into one accidentally in the dark, running one over, and so forth.

First contact applies to mannequins in the diffusion zones only. Once a mannequin "attaches" to an individual and follows the victim to a stronghold, others who come into contact with it will not be affected.

Mannequins (Hitchhikers)

The description below refers to the mannequins during a character's first contact. Their appearance and behavior will evolve over time. See Mechanics for those details.

• Their appearance is dull, muddy, and old. While typically flesh-colored, they can also be black, white, or any common mannequin color. They might be missing limbs, have cracks, or other damage. They are plastic.
• They won't move or speak (yet). They might disappear and reappear in a different location when no one's looking.
• They can be physically damaged and will display that damage like any inanimate object except for one key factor: if they fall over, they will stand upright again when no one's looking.
• Each individual must meet their own mannequin. This means if two or more characters are exploring a zone, there must be two or more separate encounters if you want both to have a hitchhiker. Alternatively, if they all run into just one, the mannequin will latch onto one person in the group randomly. Players are free to decide who the unfortunate person will be.
• Each individual can have only one hitchhiker. It will not be possible for multiple mannequins to latch onto a single person.
• Anyone can see them. They're neither invisible nor an illusion. Their form is solid and real.

Encounter Scenarios

We've summarized a few prompts for you. Full details will be available on the log. As always, you're not restricted to what we've given below. Feel free to make up your own diffusion zones, but be sure to check with us if you need clarification.

These zones will be further away from the city (travel time can be as far as 10 hours for one zone while the nearest is 3 hours away, which will be specified on the Event Log) so we encourage you to find reasons to get going on a road trip! If you need help in this aspect, you can ask us, as well.

• An abandoned mall filled with unusual shadow corpses and plenty of stores to "shop" in, including clothing stores featuring mannequins in the windows. The shadow figures will cause a psychological effect when touched. Reports of a missing girl might bring characters here.
• A small foggy town where a mannequin might abruptly appear in the middle of the road or in the field. They may resemble a person in danger from an unknown and unstoppable entity.
• An abandoned temple belonging to an unusual alien denomination. At first glance, it looks to be a fairly safe place to rest after a long drive, though characters will soon discover that it is a test of faith. Within the passageways, you might encounter a mannequin.

Related Incidents

Once the mannequins surface in the strongholds, more problems will arise including a doctor paying to perform amputations, a wanton act of arson that inadvertently cures some victims (though not without detriment), and more. We'll detail these items in both the Event Log and the Storm Report.

These scenarios serve two purposes: 1. for characters who are unaffected by the mannequins directly to engage with the event through other avenues; and 2. as a backdrop or a reason for how characters might come to know of the solutions outlined under Preventing or Reversing Effects. It is also acceptable if characters come to the conclusion on their own (through trial and error, by accident, or via theorizing), but if you need a catalyst for your character to move forward, you can consider engaging with the incidents detailed on the IC Log.

⇅ Top

Event Mechanics

After First Contact

Once a character makes first contact, the mannequin's behavior will change. Effects will begin slowly before evolving. You can choose how far each described element progresses and in what order. Hitchhiking is the only element you must incorporate if participating. The rest are optional. You can also decide whether the mannequin manages to entirely copy the character or not. Each individual will have one hitchhiker at most. There are no cases where someone will have two hitchhikers.

In all cases, the mannequin will retain an uncanny valley quality. Up close, it can't be mistaken for the real person, but from a distance or via other methods, it'll be enough to sow discord.

• Hitchhiking ∞ always occurs first (if gaining a hitchhiker). The mannequin will appear wherever the character goes. It will pop up in the backseat, show up in their room, wait in the closet, etc. Usually, this will happen in secluded areas, but not always. The mannequin might linger, or its appearance might be so quick no one but the person affected sees it. Any damage they receive will remain at this stage, meaning characters could have a head or a limb appear randomly in places rather than the whole mannequin.
• Assimilation ∞ optional (required for transformation and mimicry). The mannequin will start to absorb aspects of the individual it is attached to, such as voice, behavior, thoughts, appearance, and memories. Can include powers or abilities. At this stage, the mannequin will begin recovering from major damages such as any removed limbs.
• Transformation ∞ optional. As the mannequin continues to assimilate, the affected individual will begin to lose aspects of themselves, as though the mannequin has sucked it out of them. They might find a core memory slipping away. Their finger turns plastic while the mannequin gains a fleshy one. Their eye grows cloudy as the mannequin's face forms human features. Pain levels depend on how aggressive the assimilation is. It can range from mild discomfort to deep agony in the afflicted areas. Can include powers or abilities. At this stage, the mannequin will have recovered from all damages.
• Mimicry ∞ optional. The mannequin will mimic the individual, causing confusion and chaos. If its appearance remains unassimilated, it can make phone calls with the same voice, sign papers with an authentic-looking signature, and write a note with perfect handwriting. If it has absorbed significant physical features, it can perform troublesome acts that can result in mistaken identity, such as theft. It can also speak thoughts or reveal memories a character wouldn't want to be said.

The transformation effect does not need to be 1:1. A mannequin can closely mimic a character without the character losing all equal parts of themselves in exchange. One or two aspects lost can suffice. Choose what works best to make sure your character remains playable.

Preventing or Reversing Effects

Once assimilation begins, a mannequin will actively prevent the individual from acting against it. No matter how hard they try, they won't be able to, as though an invisible force is holding them back. As a result, characters will need to look for help from another fluxdrift. This includes if both characters are affected. As long as an individual is not acting against their specific hitchhiker, they can do anything they want to the others.

As noted above, the IC Log will contain Related Incidents that will help guide characters toward these solutions.

• Set on Fire. Melting the mannequin is the simplest way to stop the entire thing and reverse all effects immediately. In exchange, the victim will feel every agonizing moment, too, though they will not actually be physically harmed. It may not be the solution for everyone. Only the effects of fire can be felt by the victim. Other physical attacks will not have the same consequence.
• Remove the afflicted body part. Losing a stiff finger or scraping off a patch of plastic skin might not be the worst trade-off compared to turning to plastic. There's a high chance cleanly removed appendages can be reattached after the storm with no repercussions, if kept on ice. Past 96 hours, the possibility dwindles. The larger the limb, the less time you have, as well. A finger can be on ice for up to a week or more.
• Return to sender. Bring the mannequin back to the diffusion zone it appeared in and release it back into the wilds. This relies on the diffusion zone still being there, so acting quickly is key. Characters must put up with the mannequin's behavior throughout the trip, including cruel comments and physical attacks.
• Wait it out. If an individual is lucky enough to be afflicted later in the storm, once the storm blows over, the mannequins will disappear and the effects will reverse over 2-3 days. This will only work if the mannequin did not manage to complete its assimilation. A complete assimilation occurs when the mannequin looks nearly identical to you with only a few subtle uncanny effects, such as plasticky eyes or odd movements.

As an option, you may select an aspect that does not reverse. This is not required; however, if you'd like to make one of the effects permanent, feel free. The aspect should be minor, i.e. a small patch of plasticky skin or one small memory that doesn't return.

∞ Plot Form ∞

<b>Character:</b> <b>Canon:</b> <b>First Contact Scenario(s):</b> (What first contact ideas are you thinking of? If you don't plan on having a hitchhiker, you can answer by saying what diffusion zones you're interested in or if you want to be involved in somebody else making their first contact.) <b>Mannequin Scenario(s):</b> (What aspects or scenarios are you interested in regarding the mannequins? This includes if you want to be an unaffected individual helping someone else) <b>Other Plans:</b> (Anything else you want to do)

Questions? Ask here

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Comments

EVENT ∞ Questions

[thediadem]

Permissible Actions
Actions you may take without mod pre-approval:

• Have an encounter with a generic NPC's mannequin or use it to get out of trouble.
• Make up a storm chaser (who is not Felix) or other generic NPC that will provide the information needed for characters to progress their thread.
• Make up a generic NPC whose mannequin a character uses to test a risky theory. You may inflict suffering on this NPC and/or (accidentally or purposefully) kill them altogether. As always, be reasonable about the scenario and keep narrative consequences in mind.
• Engage with the diffusion zones but avoid attracting a hitchhiker. Not everyone will get their own hitchhiker! You are free to play in the event without being affected. Your character can be caught up in the chaos or help others instead.
• Control your mannequin to cause low-grade destruction or trouble. Destroying a store or starting a bar fight is okay! Please avoid leveling an entire neighborhood without talking to us first.

If anything is unclear, please ask!
This includes if you're having trouble gauging appropriate consequences or the limits of certain actions. We'd rather have you check with us first to be sure!

We encourage you to ask about the impact of unique abilities or other theories characters might try, but depending on what it is, we might ask you to wait for the Event Log before we answer.

[mechatheism]

this is just me asking for an opportunity to be a different flavor of horrible but can Viktor's mannequin take on the appearance of what he USED to look like

Dee's boys

[thetruefocus]

Contact me on theskyisnew on both plurk or discord with thoughts!

Charles Xavier | XMCU

[thetruefocus]

Character: Charles Xavier
Canon: XMCU

First Contact Scenario(s): Charles will be going out to the mall once he hears about it because he wants more clothes to scavenge and possibly other things. He is not above scavenging at this point if he wants nicer things. I don't plan on getting him a hitchhiker though. If you want to go to the mall with him, come in his van! Or they can meet there.

Mannequin Scenario(s): I plan on Charles being around to help other people with their hitchhiker, whether that is reacting to the creepiness of it in general, soothing anxieties surrounding it, or helping them find a way to destroy that creepy mofo.

Other Plans: I'm open to anything just lmk!

rowena macleod ★ supernatural

[magike]

Character: rowena macleod
Canon: supernatural
Contact: pm or skitties

First Contact Scenario(s): rowena is definitely going to end up with a mannequin, and probably even stopped her car, got out and touched it before being like this is weird and left. the abandoned mall is probably where she picked it up, because shopping is important. a witch needs fashion and supplies.

Mannequin Scenario(s):

☐ rowena is going to hate the mannequin popping up everywhere. also for maximum chaos, it's going to look as much like her as possible. though possibly a little taller, just to be annoying. it won't gain her magic but it will be her (but more like season 12).

☐ rowena will offer to set one other person's mannequins on fire, though will not do it to her own (#trauma). limited to one because of the consequences. however i am happy to plot someone else setting the mannequin on fire. if this is done before she learns the consequences, though, then she would need to be pressed to agree to set a mannequin on fire (but they could talk about this!)

☐ rowena will try to send her own mannequin back to the diffusion zone if it isn't burned. volunteers needed to help keep that bitch in check.

☐ debating rowena keeping a bit of plasticky skin or losing a memory. tbd

Other Plans: no other plans, open to throwing things at the wall and seeing what shakes out!!

★ plotted things

[magike]

☐ rowena + jack setting an npc mannequin on fire (+ crying)
☐ sam setting rowena's mannequin on fire (+ crying)

dmitri | castiel (spn)

[messenger]

Character: Castiel
Canon: Supernatural

First Contact Scenario(s): Most likely Cas will be stopping at the abandoned temple, possibly on the way to investigate the reports of the missing girl. But the temple is the thing.

Mannequin Scenario(s): Cas will be losing most or all of his powers to the mannequin. I haven't decided how much of his appearance or memories will be affected, but he'll at least be losing an eye, and with his history of memory alteration I know the memory loss is something I intend to play with. (And I may keep a permanently lost memory.)

• I'm not exactly sure what kind of havoc it'll be causing with his abilities, but if you'd like to be affected and you're curious what Cas can do, look here (note: Cas can no longer teleport at his canon point, but he: can read minds, alter memories, turn invisible, mimic voices, and also has abilities such as pyromancy and electrokineses, among other skills). I'm up for anything!

• Castiel will likely neglect to do anything about his hitchhiker until he discovers it's affecting other people in a serious way.

• Cas will either want to burn or return his mannequin to the diffusion zone, though he'll have to be convinced to do the latter, as it requires being proactive.

• Once he has his powers back, he'll agree to burn others' mannequins if they ask him.

Other Plans: Not much atm. Cas is still languishing in his depression and possibly drinking too much, so getting him to get up and do shit is a little bit of a chore lol. Though if anyone wants to deal with this specifically, I'm down.

If you'd like to chat, PM me at chayot!

Eddie Munson | Stranger Things

[satanicpanics]

Character: Eddie Munson
Canon: Stranger Things

First Contact Scenario(s): I'd like him to end up with a mannequin, likely stumbling upon one in the middle of the fog on a little road trip. He would absolutely get out to try to be a good person and help a supposed person in trouble before he freaks out seeing it's not a person at all and speeds off again.

Mannequin Scenario(s):
Eddie is a naturally nervous person, so having this mannequin showing up anywhere and everywhere is going to send his anxiety skyrocketing. He's going to try to run it over at least once. In the end he doesn't care what happens to it so long as someone helps him to get rid of it.

I'm currently debating if he'd lose a memory or need a finger or something reattached or not. It might be a little early into the game for all of that, but I'm going to think on it and probably play by vibes when the event goes up. My dude is only in one season, he only has so many memories and limbs to lose.

He always has a lighter on him, so he can help set others' on fire if need be. He'd also offer to help to send others' back to their diffusion zones if that's the preference.

Other Plans: Not much, but you can find me at muttonchops or poultrylegs on discord if you want to plot outside of this!

[churnback]

I've been wanting to toss Amos at Eddie and this event might be a good starting point for them to bump into each other maybe, possibly? If Eddie's getting out of the car trying to help "who" he ran over, only to discover uh, not exactly human, they could run into each other then? Or anything really :3

kimiko miyashiro | the boys

[pse]

Character: Kimiko Miyashiro
Canon: The Boys

First Contact Scenario(s): I am open to suggestions! Kimiko casually touching a mannequin is as feasible as one choosing her at random in a group. I'm thinking of having her pick one up in the temple, if anyone else is heading there.

Mannequin Scenario(s): Kimiko will be be picking up a mannequin, and that mannequin will eventually be speaking.

Hitchhiking — I'm debating having her react aggressively to the hitchhiker at some point and just ending up with a mannequin's head for a bit. Kimiko's Silent Hill hidden morality meter will be on the low side, clearly.

Mimicry — The mannequin will look like her but, like I said, it will talk. Possibly not with her own voice but with the voice of someone close to her; I'm still mulling over possibilities, including having her lose memories of that person (Starlight? Her mother, maybe?) in exchange. If anyone wants to deal with Kimiko and her chatty double, hit me up.

Reversing — Someone please set her mannequin on fire, I beg you.

[haemophile]

laszlo runs over her mannequin with his car, which then explodes

marc spector ⏾ marvel comics

[vestments]

Character: marc spector
Canon: moon knight, marvel comics

First Contact Scenario(s):

i am very easy here! i am open to marc gaining his own hitchhiker, and also having to deal with someone else's hitchhiker. of the diffusion zones, marc will definitely investigate the abandoned mall — children are a big deal to him, and he has a particular soft spot for girls as he has a young daughter (he's ... not allowed to see...)

but, in true moon knight fashion, the abandoned temple courtesy of an alien denomination is right up his alley, given khonshu's occasional portrayal as an ultra-terrestrial being. typically, marc fails tests of faith — he has a very contentious relationship with khonshu, and his internal/emotional conflicts with his father (a rabbi) and with judaism have played a very direct part in both who marc is and how he identifies, in the creation of moon knight, and in his relationship with khonshu — so this has the potential to be very juicy! i'm very excited for this as a WHOLE THING.

(he has befriended a man-eating house in the past on the basis of 'I know what it's like to be alienated and disliked!' so, yk, while his immediate reaction may lean towards distrust, there is precedence there for him, uhhh, projecting.)

he can also roadtrip with one (1) person on the back of his motorbike, otherwise if yours is a character he trusts, he might roadtrip with them — otherwise, the closest he'd get is agreeing to a mutual destination and travelling individually.

Mannequin Scenario(s):

marc being marc will throw himself into helping others! however his help will mostly be on a spectrum of, like, 'punch the mannequins' through to 'bury the fucking mannequins in concrete and/or throw into a wood chipper' kind of deal.

he does have experiences with existential fights with mannequins that appear to be himself, but they were courtesy of a guy who could manifest nightmares, so that is where his initial thoughts will lead. then, he'll probably think of waxman (man made of wax, really great at impersonating people, prone to strangling people because he Enjoys It).
(or: marc has a lot of experiences that may lead him to the wrong conclusion, and unlike certain other vengeance-themed superheroes, he's not a great detective)

in the case of marc having a hitchhiker and the 'setting on fire' solution being raised: he will volunteer himself to test it, no ifs, no ands, no buts. he might offer some kind of vague explanation about how 'fists of khonshu can't die', and may or may not elaborate beyond that.

he will also be exceptionally great for removing affected body parts with both efficiency and limited emotional reactions — he's done similar (and worse) in the past!!

marc's mannequin causing low-grade destruction — very down for this, it's exactly the sort of scenario that will lead to marc doubting himself and believing there's a very solid chance he did the acts described/reported. it won't be great for him, but it's happened more than once and is a fear he's very, very used to, so... you know.

wrt this scenario: marc has no abilities of his own, but he is incredibly skilled at close-quarters combat, is ruthless and brutal, and prone to 'the ends justify the means', AND he has a very, very unpleasant and ugly temper, is prone to diving off the deep-end and, like, carving moons into criminals in the NAME OF VENGEANCE, so there are (unpleasant!) options there in terms of encountering a mannequin imitating him!

Other Plans: hmu at spandex if u wanna chat!!

[longtooth]

i would love to grab a thread with marc!! 👀

i'm thinking we could either have them meet in the mall while he gets imprinted onto by a mannequin (as she would also be curious about the lost girl) or we can do something later on during the event where maybe fern saw marc's mannequin causing some destruction and then she runs into him a few days later and is like dude wtf??? and accidentally gives him a crisis (sorry, marc).

i'm down for whatever though!

karen page { mcu

[pagings]

Character: karen page
Canon: mcu

First Contact Scenario(s): so i definitely want karen to have a hitchhiker and I think she will probably accidentally run into it in the foggy town. I do want her at the mall too, so working that bit out. she will definitely be in both locations during the event, though, so if we want to do anything in those locations, let me know!

I am also perfectly happy to have her be around other people while they make their first Contact, so she can help them get theirs, or have her be in a group when she makes her first contact. Pretty open on this front.

Mannequin Scenario(s): after giving it some thought, I do think that she is going to end up with a hitchhiker that goes all the way to mimicking. And then by the end, have a lot of situations where her mannequin is very feral, and attacks a few people. since she would never. but it does open up the possibility of her trying to chase down this mannequin to stop it. this probably means that the mannequin will look like her, but probably won’t sound like her. but I am also leaving this open for me to decide closer of just how far the extent will go. BUT if you want to have your character attacked by a feral (but in the grand scheme of things relatively harmless) blonde woman??? i’m your gal

this also means c: I kind of want someone to have to burn the mannequin and have Karen deal with that. c: which will be a lot c: but I am still figuring out that piece of it.

also definitely want her to help others who have mannequin issues. I think some part of her is going to end up feeling really responsible for this whole situation, even if she didn’t do anything, she knows what it’s like and wants to help other people deal with it.

Other Plans: I AM SO OPEN AND SO FLEXIBLE LETS PLAN

[nashua]

I am here for some feral blonde mannequin attacking action, if you're interested! It will be Nashua's first fight and it will be pathetic. ☺️

viktor | arcane

[mechatheism]

Character: Viktor
Canon: Arcane

First Contact Scenario(s): Viktor and Jayce will probably be headed to the mall in search of supplies and will pick up their hitchhikers . I’m also interested in the temple because it seems like a cool piece of world building. I am extremely able to contrive all kinds of meeting scenarios if people want to kick off some CR!

Mannequin Scenario(s):

✥ It his very first cosmic storm so he wants to try and analyze the phenomenon if he can! Seeking other science or magic-types maybe who perhaps wish to puzzle out the nature of this happening or try to do weird experiments about it.

✥ Viktor is getting a hitchhiker and as part of assimilation and mimicry will begin to take on traits of his human self (so, just a guy and not the 8’ tall creature he currently is). This will likely be distressing to him, on top of the fact that he’s already sort of done some weird mannequin stuff. Hoping also this might invite questions about Viktor’s Whole Deal.

✥ Do YOU need help fighting your mannequin and/or setting it on fire? He has a laser arm that can and will set things on fire. He can toss out assists where needed.

✥ Honestly just looking to follow up on CR from the first two logs and also meet new people. Let us all experience the horrors.

Other Plans: I’m pretty much game for anything. Feel free to add me on plurk at whitticus for further chatting.

[cryptsleeper]

raises hand

I would be up for Al seeing Original Viktor and opening that can of worms

sunday | honkai: star rail

[catharses]

Character: Sunday
Canon: Honkai: Star Rail

First Contact Scenario(s): I'm interested in all of the scenarios and plotting anything within them! Some general ideas:

● Abandoned Mall: The report of the missing girl will for sure bring Sunday here. He'll believe that he can help here by using some of his powers (see the opt in link below) to help locate clues. He'll be less interested in the stores aside from glancing through them in passing in search of said clues, but I'd also love it if this turned into focusing on fashion amidst the horror.
● Abandoned Temple: This really appeals to me because of Sunday's whole [gestures to his everything] so!! I'm intrigued by the test of faith aspect as his faith is currently recalibrating. He'll arrive here because he's curious about learning more about other faiths/etc as part of his goal to learn more about the world. I'm up for this going poorly and revealing too much about him if there's a chance for that to happen.
● I'd also really like to have him go on road trips as part of this. He's a mediocre (but slowly getting better) driver and an even worse passenger (sorry in advance for him offering all kinds of suggestions to the driver).
● Characters teaming up upon arrival and/or mid action in any of the scenarios would be excellent.
● I'd love for him to experience someone else's first contact as part of whatever's planned.

Mannequin Scenario(s):
● He'll be inclined to help others throughout and will want to use his powers to help but OOCly I'd like his attempts to go wrong in some way that we can plot out.
● Return to Sender: Up for this succeeding if we want to be nice to them OR failing and having to try something else like setting it on fire until that goes just as terribly.
● I'm still thinking over whether Sunday will have a mannequin and I'm going to wait until the log is up to decide. If he does get one, I'm leaning towards that happening near the end of the event timeline with light effects.

Other Plans: I'm up for using any of the other event aspects not mentioned! Same for whatever is in the log because Sunday will be out and around. He'll be interested in investigating whatever he can since it'll probably remind him of corruption in the Dreamscape back home. At least he didn't cause it this time... probably...

Since we're here plotting, I wanted to link Sunday's powers opt in again because he'll be using them on surroundings and the NPCs. Player characters are opt out by default and there's also a form to opt out of interacting with Sunday there, too. I'll link this again in the event post since it might be more relevant if he gets a mannequin which has his abilities.

And speaking of that, I plan to top level with open prompts and I'm happy to write closed starters for something specific and/or planned. Feel free to message or add me at indech any time too!

[carcajous]

I think this is a good time for them to end up going the same direction and travelling together despite not actually wanting to travel together.

lucina ( fire emblem: awakening )

[tolight]

Character: lucina
Canon: fire emblem: awakening

First Contact Scenario(s): she's getting a mannequin! more on this later. she's more likely to be actively seeking out the temple or the mall based on the reports, so if anyone needs an excuse for someone to drag them out there she'll happily invite them along.

( THAT SAID, she'd run after anything in the foggy town with no second thoughts if it looked like someone in danger if anyone wants to play out the randomness of the mannequins hitchhiking! she'll feel extremely guilty if she finds out she was the reason someone else got a mannequin, so it'll also be an easy excuse for CR fast tracking. )

Mannequin Scenario(s): someone please let her set a mannequin on fire i think it'd be so funny. otherwise she's here to help!! please let her help. for anyone she's met, you can feel free to assume she'd have checked in on them regularly as an 'in' to get herself involved.

she's got some insane survivor's guilt when it comes to taking down things that look like her friends ( which is basically anyone she has met so far ), so i'm here for more of that...! she's got some anime physicality / is very good at fighting, but doesn't have any special powers; which is another way to say i really want her to get fucked up by a mannequin & play out the aftermath!!!

EDIT: for her own mannequin... it's running off with her very important sword, and she won't be able to use it even after she gets it back! it's going to be bad.

this is literally worse than a losing a whole arm, so i'll be keeping starters for this personalized & try to keep a clearer timeline of events — but it'll have great potential for fast tracking cr (bc she'll actually talk about stuff)! i'm happy to accommodate as many folks as i can. this will be taking place at the end of the month ICLY. she'll still try to help folks with their mannequins she just won't be doing it with the Falchion :') it's fine.

Other Plans: happy to do non-event specific stuff, catch up with familiar faces, and also handwave mundane stuff too!! i'm easy. i'm also over at charred/in the game discord! if you watched this plotting post change drastically throughout the day it's because i truly went places with these ideas.

[mechatheism]

it's time to MEET (again)

jayce talis | arcane

[hexcurse]

Character: Jayce Talis
Canon: Arcane

First Contact Scenario(s): Jayce will be exploring the mall diffusion zone for supplies with Viktor but I'm open to sending him to the other two options for funsies/tag along with any current CR!

Mannequin Scenario(s): He will be picking up a hitchhiker! As time goes on I want to have him experience most of the assimilation/transformation/mimicry effects as a way to tie into his fear of losing control of his body and having his mind wiped due to the hexcorization infection on his leg (LONG STORY).

Happy for others to run into his mannequin around town as it causes mischief, primarily theft of electronics and chemicals and constructing things that look suspiciously like guns or bombs... This will all explode before anyone else can actually use them, but!!

Also happy for him to run into/get harassed by OTHER mannequins. The androids freaked him out a bit but having these guys actively running around is likely to trigger some memories of his time in the Bad Future. He doesn't have powers, but he can knock mannequin heads off with a bat.

He also wants to understand the cosmic storms and diffusion zones better, so let's talk that and science stuff!

Other Plans: There's been a lot of downtime, so let me know if you wanna fill in any gaps with handwaved CR! Jayce has a graveyard shift at a warehouse, does some minor repair stuff around Panorama and has a room at the motel with his 8ft tall robot partner.

[carcajous]

how would jayce feel if one of the explosives actually explodes on a guy who can sort of walk off an explosion.

Reid / Sam Winchester

[hellunbounded]

Character: Sam Winchester
Canon: SPN

First Contact Scenario(s): I’m flexible if Sam will get a hitchhiker himself, since he will probably spend most of his time trying to help others and treating the mannequins as possessed items for him to destroy. However, I’d love for him to go on a road trip or two (and make some friends dammit); he can be recruited into looking for the missing girl at the mall and/or investigating the “alien temple” he’s very dubious about. His guy needs a mission, please put him on one.

Mannequin Scenario(s): as mentioned above, Sam will probably treat the mannequins as possessed objects, which in his world are objects possessed by ghosts. The way to free the spirit in his world is to burn the object, so his first instinct will be to burn the mannequin regardless. Please let Sam try to help, then freak out when he realizes that you character feels like they’re on fire, too.

If Sam gets a hitchhiker, I’m very interested in the assimilation/transformation prompts & the possibility of temporary amputation (I’m fun at parties!). Sam will HATE the idea of losing his bodily autonomy again, especially if it involves losing memories too, so even though it would suck, he’s definitely willing to lose a hand or arm to keep from the mannequin from keeping control. He will obviously need some help with this, so please give Sam a hand (har har).

Other Plans: these are just some ideas, very happy to plot and brainstorm further! Also very happy to explore misidentify shenanigans/having to battle the giant-shaped hitchhiker who has all of Sam’s combat abilities.

Bonus plot idea: Sam is a regular human, other than the fact that he might experience a vision of the future during this event: this will involve either your character or Sam falling victim to the mannequin assimilation/transformation entirely, and it’s what prompts Sam into either burning the mannequin or taking off a limb to avoid turning into plastic. Sam is not used to this ability and will most likely freak out about the fact that this ability from years ago is returning to him.

I have too many ideas basically lmao so pleaaaase plot with me! Also very happy to handwave any intro/basic CR, I’ve been AWOL the last month so I’ve missed out on the mingle entirely lol.

[carcajous]

I feel like misidentification shenanigans could be fun since they haven't met yet (Logan's not getting a mannequin but if Sam does)?

Tho the other part of me is like "you know what's really good for amputation? A guy with 6 knives in his hands." But he'd have to be convinced Sam won't just bleed out at his feet.

g'raha tia | ffxiv

[exarched]

Character: G'raha Tia
Canon: Final Fantasy XIV

First Contact Scenario(s): I'm not 100% certain where I want it to first happen, so I'd be happy to plot with someone else and see. At the very least I think it's easy enough to just have it happen on the road in the diffusion zone, but I definitely do want him to have a hitchhiker.

Gods, truly G'raha would be interested in EVERYTHING. He sees this as an ample opportunity to research and investigate because he's a huge nerd. In particular I think I'd like him to do the foggy town and the mall

Mannequin Scenario(s): G'raha is kind of ready to die at any time?? So he would be willing to endure whatever to get rid of a mannequin but would be hesitant to put someone in danger that he thinks might not be able to handle it/with unknown risks. That being said, I'm very open to having him and others experiment with different methods of removal to whatever awful detriment.

That being said, even if he's not the subject of the experiments, he'd be there to help support anyone else going through it. He is always more interested in helping someone else other than himself. If you need a character to have an intervention, he is HERE for you.

In general I'd like to have a lot of horror-esque spooky moments. Because that is who I am as a person.

I would like one thread where he gets cured in an agonizing fashion because that's fun. Happy to plot with someone who might be interested...more to come!

Other Plans: Road trips? Road trips! Anyone who wants to team up and just look around and take notes too.

I'm also happy to handwave any previous introductions.

[faithfall]

What if the boys fuck around with magical removal techniques together...

amos burton | the expanse

[churnback]

Character: amos burton
Canon: the expanse

First Contact Scenario(s): i'm keeping it flexible as to whether he ends up with a hitchhiker or not, but he's very good at being that sort of steady, detached guy in the midst of chaos if you want to have things go sideways and need him to step in. he's not the type to generally go rush in to help/save people he doesn't know well but he'd be compelled by the reports of a missing girl and head towards the abandoned mall. grab supplies while he's there. can be anywhere else too!

Mannequin Scenario(s): he will (likely) be around to play the temp role of accidental "i didn't really plan on this but i guess i am" rescuer. truly down for anything so hit me with ideas, or i'll just catch you on the log :3

Other Plans: i'll probably top level and just throw out some wildcard scenarios, but happy to set up closed stuff too! you can find me on plurk at geekorthodox or discord @ witcheryofliving

[magike]

i need to find out what will happen if rowena tries magic on her mannequin, but wanna run into her when she's pissed off at it popping up again and does a magic?

its probably funnier if it only appeared for like a second, he didn't see it and she's just getting mad at like a trash can

Frank Castle | Punisher

[terrorisms]

Character: Frank Castle
Canon: Punisher / MCU

First Contact Scenario(s):

→ So first off, I've made up a little raider gang of storm chaser-chasers! They are essentially bad guys that watch out for storm reports, then go hang out at diffusion zones waiting for good samaritans or new fluxdrifts to do all the work of exploring/looting it. When they see them headed out, they attack to steal the loot and then leave them for dead / screw with them / do raider things. This is how I plan to mostly facilitate Frank visiting diffusion zones he might not otherwise visit, so you're welcome to have your character get attacked by this gang for Frank to intervene as a good first meeting!
→ This can happen either outside the abandoned mall or in the silent hill town.

Mannequin Scenario(s):

→ Frank is absolutely willing to set someone's hitchhiker on fire, or chop off an infected limb, if he happens to be the person nearby when shit's going down.
→ His own mannequin is going to be violent, and likely to try to steal his gun or attack people.
→ I'm down to use mimicry as a plot device to drop details about Frank's dead ass family or his punishing hobby to further CR. I'm also down to have him around to listen to other mannequins drop the deep lore for the same reason!
→ Pretty much anything horror is my jam so I'm feeling pretty stoked about this one, come at me with any ideas you've got.

Other Plans:

→ We can hash out some light superficial handwaved cr and skip the whole first introductions thing if you want! Make this a second, third, or fourth meeting, but the first real interaction Of Substance since they've met.
→ Frank frequents a diner and a couple of bars. He also works at a made-up gun store and shooting range as an instructor, it's called the Stock Market because I'm hilarious. They can have met at any of those locations, or in passing at the resort pool from a few weeks ago.

established plans;

[terrorisms]

→ Clint Barton; running into a mannequin while hunting down those raiders.
→ Sam Winchester; Sam has visions of Frank's event-future.
→ Nashua Whelan; chopping off Frank's fingers toward the end of the event.
→ Wade Wilson; mannequin attack ft. body horror and misguided punisher propaganda.
→ Logan Howlett; a mannequin for breakfast.

logan / wolverine | xmcu

[carcajous]

Character: Logan
Canon: XMCU

First Contact Scenario(s): Logan will be out and about regularly, so I'm fully down for him to run into people in various scenarios in the Fringes. I don't plan on giving him a mannequin!

The only place he won't check out is the temple (on his own), but he might if hearing somebody there gets him.

Mannequin Scenario(s): Logan's a pretty good option to fight anyone's mannequins getting out of hand since he's hard to kill and basically...can't be injured. BUT i would also love some case of mistaken identity or trickery that leads to later CR — for ex., if he distantly interacts with someone for the first time through their mannequin and has no idea that it's not them.

Other Plans: I do want Logan at the mall! For shopping. I'm also thinking of him just getting caught up in regular NPC chaos around the city like a mannequin being chased down for theft or a bar fight or anything along those lines.

Also, somebody's mannequin should steal his bike so he has to go get it back.

[terrorisms]

Okay but I just had a vision of their usual morning diner routine except a fucking mannequin's perched in Frank's spot.

Alucard | Castlevania: Nocturne

[cryptsleeper]

Character: Alucard
Canon: Castlevania: Nocture

First Contact Scenario(s): I'd be more interested in exploring a diffusion zone and being involved in someone's first contact, as I am interested in having Alucard be more of a bystander for the first portion of this. He'd definitely want to explore the foggy town and the abandoned temple, especially the latter. Essentially, if you want someone to ask "does this feel weird" to, Al's your guy.

Mannequin Scenario(s): I'd be interested in exploring the related incidents, but mostly Al might be the most helpful in preventing or reversing effects once it is clear how things should be handled. Here's here to help, especially if help requires weird and specific violence.

Other Plans: No matter what, I very much want to get Al out and exploring in various fashions, so please consider that my primary goal here. Otherwise, whatever you need from a supporting player, please ask and I'm happy to help!

[faithfall]

Slides in here... temple shenanigans maybe? Alternatively if you want to do some lower stakes exploring for their first thread, Adrian will be looking for spell components all over the place.

Faye's Characters - Nadine | Arthur

[nadine_he_loves]

[Individual plotting comments below!]

Nadine Cross | The Stand

[nadine_he_loves]

Character: Nadine Cross
Canon: The Stand

First Contact Scenario(s): Not interested in a hitchhiker for Nadine herself, but I would love for this whole thing to facilitate her actually checking out and exploring the diffusion zones. Def looking for characters to invite/encourage her to explore one. Also into the idea of Nadine being there when someone else ends up with one.

Mannequin Scenario(s): It would be good for her to be able to help someone else with their mannequin problem. Whether that be moral support, or helping to try and fix the problem. Whether accurately or not, I'm up for all kinds of shenanigans.

Other Plans: Up for anything!

lottie person | snotgirl

[oomfies]

Character: lottie person
Canon: snotgirl

First Contact Scenario(s): unfortunately lottie doesn't care to look for missing people, only discovering fashion opportunities. she'll encounter a hitchhiker on the way to the mall or somewhere in it!! for this i'd actually love to have lottie be a passenger princess to someone for the road trip there (she will only be terrible if there's no ac in your car <3) as driving stresses her out

she'd probably put up a flyer or something if she can't find a buddy or two to bum off of so :3c

Mannequin Scenario(s):

⋆ for the most part lottie will not even know she has a doppelganger running around until she hears about how everyone seems to like the copycat better than herself (ouch). i dont think i'll go as far as transformation but i do want to play up the mimicry aspect! that being said, hi, want prank calls and threatening texts from lottie person 2.0? she'd likely be reaching out to folks she interacts with most, but strangers she's seen in passing around town or people she thinks are Cool™(tm) are not safe either hehe

⋆ ultimately i want a fiery end for her hitchhiker, so if anyone wants to volunteer to set it on fire (after capture) or help lottie do it, once word spreads of this as a viable option, let me know!!

⋆ for other hitchhikers: i'm very much down for her to run into them and deal with the confusion and paranoia they bring. she's a naturally nervous person so finding out there's clones (not really) of people out there will probably make her go insane and demand secret codes from people she knows / sees more than once.

also down for memory & thought oversharing on both ends!! and crying sobbing throwing up having to deal with hitchhikers who have powers

Other Plans: these are sort of general ideas i want to do / came in mind reading the event log but so long as something sounds fun i am veryy down to toss lottie at anything!! or even doing non-event things as well hehe

[carcajous]

So, Logan would not give her a ride out of nowhere, but if she hitched a ride with someone else into the Fringes and somehow lost that ride halfway, he could be convinced to take her the rest of the way.

...as long as she's fine passenger princessing on a motorcycle bc that's all he's got.

But I feel like they could be interesting!! thru the sheer fact that they live completely opposite lives.

jonathan sims | the magnus archives

[eyesite]

Character: Jonathan Sims (The Archivist)
Canon: The Magnus Archives

(big sigh) ...and here, John would've hoped that his previous encounters with evil mannequins would've been the last. 😔

First Contact Scenario(s): I'm definitely planning on John picking up a hitchhiker relatively early, just because the guy truly cannot leave well enough alone and will likely go charging off towards diffusion zones as soon as he catches wind of them. I'm not yet set on which of the diffusion zone scenarios I'll be using for when this happens... it will probably depend a bit on the details for them, when the plot drops! Any of them could work. At the moment he's not choosy about which spooky scenario he's throwing himself into.

I'm also more than happy to have him included on first contact scenarios for others, as it's likely he could be found at the mall, foggy town, or the temple. Even if he's already picked up a hitchhiker of his own at that point. (:

Mannequin Scenario(s): As John's hitchhiker is going to be tagging along and tormenting him for quite a while, I'm interested in playing into the assimilation, transformation, and mimicry aspects of the mannequin! I'm on the fence for physical side-effects, but I think John himself will grow less focused as this process goes on (somewhat similar to how he gets when cut off from the Eye, though not to that extreme extent). As for the mannequin, I think it's going to pick up aspects of his appearance, his voice, and also his powers... John has rather quickly adjusted to being more judicious with their use, but the hitchhiker is going to be going for a much more dastardly, eldritch angle, so he will be less sparing.

Archivist powers largely hinge on compelling people to talk about things they don't want to share! This is great for forcing secretive or reticent characters to spill things they usually wouldn't be comfortable saying. Of course, I do plan on the mannequin doing this to John at least once, so I'm not free from this either, haha. John's hitchhiker will likely be causing a lot of Problems, and John will be struggling mightily to deal with that since he can't actively interfere with it in any way. Anyone willing to help him keep it from preying on innocents (which, hell, might even include player characters!) would be much obliged. Neither John nor his hitchhiker are prone to physical violence, but forcing people to regurgitate and relive life-impacting traumas is violent in its own way...

(That having been said, his Archivist powers will still be subject to his opt-in, so your character will not fall under any effects that you don't want them to, whether they're coming from John or the mannequin.)

As for reversing the effects, the options are limited... He won't really be able to remove any affected body parts because avatar healing is near-instantaneous (something he realized after trying, and failing, to successfully cut off a finger perhaps a dozen or so times for Reasons). He's also personally suffered a pretty nasty burn when receiving his mark for the Desolation, and if it was bad enough on just the palm of his hand, it'll be hard to conceive of for fully burning alive... So he will most likely resort to return to sender later on in the event! I believe John and Martin might be helping one another be rid of their hitchhikers by this point... God help them both for those road trips.

Other Plans: I'm preemptively sorry because the only thing worse than having to deal with one John is having to deal with two. ):

[vestments]

i am very willing to volunteer marc re: keeping john's mannequin from preying on innocents, but also with a side of other unpleasantness, in whatever shape or form that might take shape 👀

i don't know how much i want marc to spill at this point, but i'm not inherently opposed, otherwise some kind of combination of marc being brutally violent (as is typical of him) with a side of some degree of sharing Could Be Interesting?

Wade Wilson/Deadpool | XMCU

[primepool]

Character: Wade Wilson/Deadpool
Canon: XMCU

First Contact Scenario(s): Wade will be getting a hitchhiker that probably curls up and sits menacingly in his trunk, but I'm thinking he'll meet them at the mall while going shopping for period appropriate clothing and a walkman!! A man needs his tunes (he can only find the lion king cassette and maybe a limp bizkit one, whom he hates)

Mannequin Scenario(s):

+ Wade can help people deal with their mannequins or set them on fire if they're like, really, really sure it's what they want, but please be prepared he's really bad at helping people in general if it doesn't involve killing something
+ His mannequin will actually look like Wade pre-mutation, who is just a babyfaced smooth-skinned Ryan Reynolds, who speaks only in quotes from romcoms and is menacingly Nice
+ At some point the mannequin will assimilate Wade's ability to be a crazy asshole by shoving swords into his arms in a misplaced attempt to be a character from a terrible Fox origins movie
+ At some point Wade will be encountering Frank/The Punisher's mannequin who will kill and dismember Real!Wade's body in a grotesque mockery of symbolism, which anyone is free to come across and be horrified by!!
+ honestly down for any shenanigans apart from these, I'm a shenanigans kinda lady!! I love fights if anyone wants to fight his mannequin or have their mannequin attack him, he basically can't die so I want to abuse him as much as possible thank u

Other Plans: Other than these plans he might visit All the Places because they're new and interesting ways to die!! I'm open to ANY plans, please comment on how cute his mannequin is and Wade is like.... gestures at all of him

established plans

[primepool]

+ Wade helping Lucina retrieve her sword from her very rude mannequin
+ Wade getting heckin' killed by Frank's mannequin which would be way cooler if it was an Authentic Punisher Kill
+ Cable and Logan putting humpty dumpty's body parts back together again
+ Karen's mannequin beating the shit out of him because it's really funny

daisy johnson | agents of shield (mcu)

[chuju]

Character: Daisy Johnson
Canon: Agents of SHIELD (MCU)

First Contact Scenario(s):

Because I can't pass up the opportunity, Daisy will absolutely be picking up a hitchhiker who will start to assimilate and look like her. Past trauma demands it, you know?


I'd love for her to be out on a road trip with someone or running into them and encountering the mannequin together at either the abandoned mall (following the missing girl reports) or the creepy fog town (love a creepy entity). My inclination is for her to have already heard about or seen attached mannequins so once she realizes what's happened, it can be an "well shit" kind of reaction.

Before and after acquiring her own unwelcome plastic parasite, Daisy will be gathering what information she can on this weird mess and doing whatever possible to help others. Weird shit like this is what she's used to — SHIELD handles the things that normal people can't, and this woman is an agent for life.

Mannequin Scenario(s):

So obviously, Daisy's mannequin friend needs to assimilate her appearance so she can relive this super fun experience. Unlike the last time, though, her lookalike won't be trying to assassinate someone at the bidding of an evil robot, so there's that. But since this will be traumatic enough on its own, things won't progress to transformation or mimicry — she'll elect to try various methods of getting rid of it as soon as it starts to moderately resemble her, because fuck that.

This does mean volunteering her own mannequin for experimentation, if anyone would like to help with that! Namely, by setting it on fire, but they can try a few other things first, too. She's absolutely willing to try things with other people's mannequins, too, but she draws the line at helping remove parts from actual people. It doesn't matter if it's plastic, that trauma is far too recent for her to deal with. (Should you care to unlock that part of her tragic backstory, this could very easily progress or jumpstart some CR!) If someone needs her to fight off their mannequin for any reason, though, she is very much your girl.

Other Plans: All the road trips, because she has to keep busy to avoid dealing with her everything. A fight at the Dome to earn some money? Idk, I'm flexible and need her to meet some people and maybe make some friends.

Feel free to hit me up at taintedcrimson on plurk or discord! June was a rough month for me, but I'm excited to properly dive back into things in July. We love a little eldritch horror in the summertime~

[magike]

would you like a witch to set your mannequin on fire? rowena's going to learn pretty quickly the consequences of that so she'd make sure daisy was aware before it happened. she's also happy to try other magical things on the mannequin first to see if anything other than fire would work (and fail)

Agent 8 | Splatoon

[flyoctofly]

Character: Agent 8
Canon: Splatoon

First Contact Scenario(s): Oh Eight is 1000% going to the mall. He's a guy who found hope in darkness through fashion magazines and he's been in the same clothes for two months, and he is decidedly unfresh right now. He can look for a missing girl AND refresh his wardrobe at the same time. He has a motorbike but he may be looking for some more storage space in that regard.

Mannequin Scenario(s): I, uh, just straight up don't know what I want to do for this. Eight has experience with people who look like friends who are acting totally and completely wrong and his response to it is to cover them in enough ink to choke an elephant seal. I think Eight will be very proactive in trying to take them down and will probably be very helpful to others in that regard, though his feelings that this is exactly like the time his memories were stripped from him in preparation to brutally kill him will be VERY MUCH validated and that's gonna be rough on him.

Other Plans: OF COURSE if we want to go a different way on it, I can be flexible! Hit me! I love other people's ideas.

laszlo / wwdits

[haemophile]

Character: Laszlo Cravensworth
Canon: What We Do in the Shadows

First Contact Scenario(s): Not obtaining a hitchhiker himself, but Laszlo will be at the mall for reasons ranging from looting to investigating the mannequin rumors if anyone needs a chauffeur or just a witness.

Mannequin Scenario(s):

• Absolutely begging for slapstick shenanigans where Laszlo slaps your mannequin around and/or comedy of errors situations where he blames you for the mannequin's cheeky comments. Road trip optional! (He will make you pay him.)
  
• He will be happy to cut any affected limbs off. Probably will make a network post about this 😇 (He will also make you pay him for this)
  
• Weird science experiments where he investigates the synchronized injury trope by hitting the mannequin with a shovel and writing down disappointed notes where you aren't concussed by it.
  
• His vehicle is an ambulance so let's all pile up a bunch of mannequins in the back and drive them to the diffusion zone for disposal surely nothing can go wrong
  
• idk probably I will harass Mouse to drag Nandor into situations if you want to be part of an evil threeway* thread. (*sexual meaning optional)

Other Plans: If anyone is interested in investigating the mannequins or the diffusion zones in general, hmu 👀 Let's get sciencey!

housekeeping - do not reply to this i'll kill you (affectionate)

[haemophile]

thread plans as follows:

• science stuff (tbd): jayce
  
• roadkill: kimiko
  
• mannequin shenanigans (shenannequins): rowena