Mothman: Being the Legend

(set: $Legend += 0) It’s November 12th, 1966, though you have no way of knowing that. Perhaps you are recently born, of pollutants in the ponds, or perhaps of a curse upon this town. Or, perhaps, you were always here, known by the Shawnee, with names such as Misignwa, or the White Hawk. Or, perhaps, you are from another world. But none of that matters. No matter your origin, you are here now, you are of a notoriety above $Legend others, and you see five men below you, digging a large, rectangular hole in the ground. What will you do? [[Take Off]] [[Swoop Down]] [[Watch Further]]

You take flight, pushing off from the poplar in which you found your perch. As you fly off, you hear gasps from the men below, though they likely didn’t get a good look at you. [[November 15th, 1966]]

Pushing off of the poplar in which you were perched, you swoop lower over the men digging the hole. They cry out, terrified, as you linger in the air overhead, staring down at them. They must have gotten a close look at you as well, and you continue to hear their exclamations as you fly off into the evening. (set: $Legend += 2) [[November 15th, 1966]]

Remaining in your perch, you continue watching the five men as they dig. The hole is large and rectangular, about as tall as they are. You notice one of the men looking closely at where you are perched for more than a second, but you remain still for the next few hours, and eventually the men leave their hole for the town, and you remain undiscovered. (set: $Legend -= 2) [[November 15th, 1966]]

You are walking into the Large Building (there is no way for you to know what it’s called) when you see two bright lights shining from behind you. Turning to look at them, you hear exclamations coming from the metal and glass box that is shining the lights on your eyes. Upset at the light, you direct some psychic energy at the box. The box begins to quickly move away. Do you... [[Follow The Box]] [[Remain Behind]]

You push off from the ground and pursue the racing box full of humans down the human path, easily keeping pace. Ahead, you see the bright lights of the settlement where the humans live; where there will be more of them. Do you… (set: $Legend +=0) [[Follow Further]] [[Pull Back]]

You remain where you are as the box of humans speeds off. They may not understand what they saw, and you stay in and around the building for a while. (set: $Legend -=2) [[At the Road]]

You follow the humans into the limits of human-inhabited territory, hearing screams as you enter the lit streets. You quickly lose your original targets in the chaos, and overwhelmed, you eventually fly off. (set: $Legend +=2) [[Later that Night]]

Not wanting to enter human-infested territory, you pull back to the forested area around the Building and the path. (set: $Legend +=0) [[At the Road]]

You are hunting, farther from the human settlement, when you find a small building with some small prey around it. You alight in the grass surrounding the building, giving off a call as you do so. A human and a dog come out of the building a moment later, the dog charging at you. Do you… [[Charge the Human]] [[Leave Them and Fly Off]] [[Take the Dog]]

You are along the human path when the same box full of humans returns. Do you… [[Wait and See What They Will Do]] [[Take Flight]] [[Let Them See You Before Flying Off]]

The humans shine on you as you both wait on the others’ action. Eventually a human blasts a noise from their box and you fly off, into the night. (set: $Legend += 1) [[Later that Night]]

You push off into the night as the lights hit you again; it is time to return to the woods, and possibly find some prey, now that these humans have witnessed you. (set: $Legend +=0) [[Later that Night]]

You fly at the human, but it manages to make it into the house before you can catch it. You screech at the door, scaring the dog off, but eventually you fly off, disinterested with the lack of response from the scared creature. (set: $Legend += 2) [[Coming Months]]

Done with humans for the night, you fly off in search of more usual prey. The dog pursues for a moment, but it cannot approach your speed and you are soon away from the building. (set: $Legend -= 2) [[Coming Months]]

As the dog charges (and its human bolts back indoors) you grab it and carry it off. With a successful hunt, you return to your woods, content. (set: $Legend += 0) [[Coming Months]]

You see many more humans, and they see you, over the next few seasons, along with many other occurrences. You cannot tell if these are due to your recently more prominent presence here, though the humans that see you often leave with a psychic mark on them from your sighting. Recently, however, you have noticed that one of the human paths that stretches across the river is too weak, and will likely collapse. What do you do? [[Warn the Humans]] [[Do Nothing]]

The path collapsing would damage the river. You should warn the humans so they can stop that. How will you warn them? [[Psychically]] [[In ‘Person’]]

The humans are of no real importance to you, so you do nothing. The path weakens with no input from you. On December 15th, 1967, the path collapses, and after this, you decide to ignore the humans for the foreseeable future. (set: $Legend -= 2) [[Spring 2018]]

You attempt to warn the humans with psychic marks of the upcoming disaster with premonitions. They should know to prevent this, but none of them seem to be able to do anything to stop it. On December 15th, 1967, the path collapses, and after this, you decide to ignore the humans for the foreseeable future. (set: $Legend += 0) [[Spring 2018]]

You linger by the weakness in the path in the coming evenings, showing the humans where the problem is, but they seem to care much more about your presence than the path. They don’t seem to do anything to prevent the collapse. On December 15th, 1967, the path collapses, and after this, you decide to ignore the humans for the foreseeable future. (set: $Legend += 2) [[Spring 2018]]

You have lain low for years, seeing humans only occasionally. The settlement nearby has many images that resemble you, at least slightly. You now see two humans in your woods, one much taller and with a larger head than its companion, who is wearing a bright and reflective vest. They wander around, making strange noises that hold a passing similarity to your own calls. Do you… [[Reveal Yourself]] [[Answer Them Discreetly]] [[Leave Them Be]]

As they prepare to leave, you alight on a branch near to them. The two scream, confusing you, as you had assumed they wanted you to appear. You take off, offended. (set: $Legend += 2) [[Does the Legend Continue?]]

You don’t want to actually reveal yourself, but you do think they deserve a response. You manipulate nearby coyotes into howling in response to their calls, and watch them as they leave the forest, apparently happy. (set: $Legend +=0) [[Does the Legend Continue?]]

You leave the two with no response, and they soon exit the forest, seemingly disappointed. (set: $Legend -= 2) [[Does the Legend Continue?]]

(if: $Legend is 0)[Congratulations, you are a legend! You have been seen by humans in a limited amount, and affected human lives to the extent that many people believe in you, but you are still shrouded in mystery. The Mothman legend lives on in uncertainty… for now.] (else-if: $Legend > 0)[You may have revealed yourself to greatly to the humans. The entire world knows of Mothman, and you have no rest, as you are constantly hounded by humans for study. Maybe you wanted to be famous, but maybe you can be so while still having peace and quiet if you try again…] (else-if: $Legend < 0) [Your llimited direct contact allowed you to remain unknown. All sightings of you were dismissed as just regular wildlife or tricks of the light. Maybe you wanted peace and quiet, but maybe you could keep your privacy without Sandhill Cranes taking your credit if you try again…] [[Beginning]]

You do not wish for them to see you again at this time. You fly off into the night before the box shines on you. (set: $Legend -= 2) [[Later that Night]]