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buttrinthum2024-01-01 05:31 am
TDM #7
Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see a barn owl that is flying through the darkness, soon sweeping you across the clouded sky. You feel yourself mouth the words, “I wish, I wish..” and utter your deepest and darkest desire.
When you regain consciousness, you’ll find you are in an unfamiliar place with no recognition of how you arrived here. You have the clothes on your back, but nothing else. No weapons and if you had a particular superpower, you’ll notice it is missing. All you have is a satchel with a piece of bread, a vial of water and a potion. The potion could be red, blue or golden. There are no instructions about these potions other than two words: Drink Me.
Will you drink it or not?
There is a parchment, handwritten, and it simply gives you a welcoming:
“Welcome to my Labyrinth. Per our agreement, you have consented to live your life here for an undetermined amount of time. In exchange, I will grant you the wish that you desire the most.”
You’re in a garden, surrounded by flowers and plants– most of which you cannot identify. However, there are a few that you can make out: poinsettias and holly. You’ll soon find out that being around the poinsettias give you an odd sense of joy no matter how confusing the situation may seem and the holly, which is left over from the holiday season, offer different effects - standing too close to blooming holly will encourage a strong desire to be impulsive or try out something they never would have otherwise tried (whether it’s a wild new hobby, or shaving their entire head, or something else).
As harsh temperatures drop across Somnius, the townsfolk seem taken aback by how frigid cold the city is becoming. They expect this year to be chilly, but not exactly this chilly. Seemingly out of nowhere and overnight, a massive blizzard sweeps across the city, piling snow high and trapping Dreamers and townsfolk alike in their dwellings. Perhaps it's not wise to go out -- perhaps it might be better to snuggle up with your housemates instead.
As the day continues, the blizzard roars on, piling more and more snow on top of itself and making the air dense. Those who are adventurous enough to try and leave their dwelling may do so, but it poses as a risk with both high winds and freezing temperatures. Characters who have a fire element from their potion might be suited to be rescuers in this situation. Heat does make the snow melt and keep people warm, after all. They might be someone's only chance for survival, after all.
However, through the dense snow, something is lurking and they are very hard to see. It's the return of the Snow Angels, but because of the intense coldness, appeasing the Snow Angels by offering warmth will not work. Their weapons are drawn and anyone that approaches them at all will be attacked. Unlike last year, heat will NOT hurt the Snow Angels but ironically enough, making snowballs and throwing them at the Snow Angels will ... somehow ward them off. Clobbering Snow Angels with many snowballs will reduce them to just mounds of snow and their sword will vanish into pixie dust.
Any character who gets struck with their sword will risk severe frostbite which can be slowed down and cured by characters with healing abilities.
When the blizzard finally subsides, the bitter cold and snow will linger (As will the snow angels, so be careful.) Of course, this means a lot of places will be harder to reach- the path along starlight cliffs, for instance, will be far more treacherous and dangerous to access, and much of Lake Omen will be frozen over.
The path down to the beach, however, is still miraculously clear and easy to traverse- and, more importantly, there's a new path across sheets of ice across the ocean that have frozen over, broken, and refrozen, creating a long ice bridge that leads to a small island. On that island will be found a hot spring, complete with long-abandoned signs of use. This was clearly once an active onsen on this island, and for the most part, the natural warmth of the area has kept the winter cold at bay, meaning the hot springs are still accessible, steamy, and safe for visitors!
There are several springs of varying size and temperature. Anybody who bathes in these springs will find that they’re comforting and relaxing, soothing away the aches and tensions of your muscles and your mind alike. A few people may hear an odd, barely-audible whispering voice or echo on the edge of your hearing while you’re in the water, but don’t worry about that, that’s probably nothing. However, those who bathe in the waters may also notice a few odd side effects:
- The most common effect will be uncontrollable emission of steam and bubbles from the bather’s mouth. The steam doesn’t burn them, the bubbles don’t interfere with speech and breathing, but both will be a mildly distracting nuisance until you’ve fully dried off from the spring
- Many of the springs will make those who bathe in them feel incredibly refreshed and energized; maybe even too energized. You swear you’re not normally this hyper. Don’t worry, it will wear off after several very productive, very exhausting hours.
- Some of the springs will enhance the most dominant personality traits of those who bathe in them. Anxious? Try ‘neurotic wreck.’ Brave? ‘Stupidly reckless.’ Reserved? ‘Completely emotionless.’ You get the idea. On the other hand, others will neutralize those personality traits, returning them to normal or even inverting them entirely. This can last anywhere from a day or two to a couple of weeks.
- A few of the springs will induce a unique transformation. Those exposed to it will find that whenever they’re submerged in water, they grow gills and webbed limbs that make them fully amphibious and capable of swimming effortlessly. This transformation doesn’t impair them on dry land, aside from their skin being notably cold and clammy to the touch. Those who are already amphibious or aquatic by nature aren’t visibly affected. This will also last for anywhere from days to weeks.
Those under the effects of any hot spring will find that the mermaids in the unfrozen portions of Lake Omen are no longer as hostile to them. In fact, those affected by the aquatic spring, even those who are otherwise unchanged, will find that the mermaids are quite friendly and very chatty, though an unsettling amount of their conversations seem to revolve around how appetizing your fellow villagers look.
Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! Characters will arrive depowered and with only their clothing, and will be given a satchel with a crystal pendant, a communication device, some water and bread and a magic potion. If they drink the potion, they will manifest an elemental, healing or animal transformation ability.
With the exception of Castle Vaeros, characters are free to go as they please, so feel free to place them in any of the locations available on the map. Yes, this includes the Labyrinth - though characters will not be able to clear the maze.
You can find more information about the game here. Any questions regarding the TDM can go under the comment below.
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What the heck is that??? [ He means the snow angel but it could also refer to what the guy is doing with the other snowball... ]
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A very annoying snow creation.
[Then Loki's getting a good look at the other, and blue-green eyes widen briefly in recognition. They're older than the picture, but he knows that face.]
The only sure way to defeat them is to use snowballs. For some reason. This way.
[Better to fight another day perhaps, since Loki knows how important this new arrival is to someone. So he's keeping an eye on the snow angels and his own copies, and leading the way quickly away from the snow angel towards town.]
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The only way to defeat them is to use snowballs? Well that explains it. Mokuba smirks and leans down to pack up a ball himself. Having a snowball fight to defeat the enemy? No problem! Mokuba lobs a ball of his own forward, cheering it when it smacks right into the angel. ] Take that!!!
[ He does listen when the guy starts leading them away, following after but scooping up another ball and packing it together while they go just in case. And because it's fun. ] I got another one ready!
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[Mostly because by now they were boring and overdone, in Loki's mind. But he was glad the other didn't seem afraid at least. It didn't take them too long to get to the town though, and Loki was now leading them to the marketplace.]
So, before you were being chased, has anyone explained to you yet about where you are?
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No, I haven't seen anyone else yet. I woke up in a garden then walked out into a storm storm, that was really weird.
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With me so far?
[The marketplace may not be warm, but they could get Mokuba warm food and warmer clothes. That was Loki's aim for now.]
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Wait, hold on... A fae? Like a fairy? With magic? This is some weird video game... [ He says it with a bit of nervousness, a little afraid this guy will correct him and say it isn't a video game... but... but getting pulled to a completely different world doesn't just happen in the world he lives in. Weird magic things with pharaohs from the past and reincarnations... Sure, he's seen enough weird things since meeting Yugi and his friends he can get behind that. But a different world? A completely different one that isn't some virtual reality?
That's... kind of terrifying the more he thinks about it. ]
What do you mean, powers or abilities that aren't of a base human? Isn't everyone a base human?? [ Does that mean... what he saw the guy do before... That was... actually something he could do??? His head is starting to spin... ]
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[Sorry Mokuba for the confirmation. Be glad Loki even knows what those are thanks to his most recent adventure and some off-hand comments made during the invasion to him.]
I know that's not reassuring, so first--your brother is here. He'll be glad to see you.
[Loki offers a small smile, hopefully one that's comforting as he reaches out to place a hand on Mokuba's shoulder.]
Secondly, no. Not everyone here is a base human. Not everyone here who's friendly is even a human to start with.
[And now Loki is bracing for whatever emotions the younger Kaiba starts to show.]
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... Wait, how do you know who he is? How do you know I am? I never said I had a brother... [ He immediately goes into caution mode... There's been too many times he trusted someone only for it to go badly fast. He's not going to make that mistake again!
Not everyone here is a base human... That's... something... but he's seen some pretty strange things before so he accepts it and rolls with it pretty fast. ] So what you did before... That's just something you can do? It's not some video game power up?
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That hand has stayed on his shoulder, but Mokuba can shake him free or go. It's meant for comfort, not restraint. Although going somewhere without direction in a snow storm isn't exactly wise.
"I'm not sure what I could tell you, that you'd believe all of this. You're right to be skeptical, given what he's told me of his life and yours."
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He's leaning towards giving this guy the benefit of the doubt but he's still cautious. "What else did he tell you?"
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"How it kept him going. And that he refused to be separated from you, which is why he made the deal he did with Kaiba." Loki continued but was urging Mokuba to walk with him now. Over to a stall that was selling hot tea and small hand-held pies. "What would you like? We need to get you warm." He said to the younger Kaiba.
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Well. Maybe he was still a little bit tense but that was because it was really cold.
Everything else he said just further cemented this was someone Seto trusts and Seto did not trust easily.
Neither did Mokuba, eyeing the food and tea with some wariness. "Is it safe to drink?" Because some tea would be great but since this was real, he wasn't as readily accepting of things he didn't know were safe. "Are the people here friendly?"
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"Also, let me properly introduce myself. And though you might've heard of me, I'm not in the habit of being cruel to children. Loki, of Asgard." With a nod of introduction.
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When the guy introduced himself as Loki, Mokuba just raises his eyebrows and assumed it was a nickname or that he was named after the god of mischief, not that he was... actually the god himself. "I'm Mokuba but you probably already know that."
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Hearing Seto would be glad to see him and worried that he was there has Mokuba looking down at his feet. "Yeah... That's how things usually are." But he's very curious hearing Seto's made some new friends... "Oh yeah?" Seto making friends is such a strange idea to him because Seto's never admitted anyone was a friend.
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Loki maybe had a tiny bit more sympathy now for what Thor went through. Even if Thor had somewhat brought it on himself, where Loki's 'humbling' was under different circumstances.
"But...I see a lot of my younger self within him, and I would not see him make the mistakes I made, if he can do differently. So we've talked, and I've watched out for him, and I'm helping train him so he can defend himself better while here, among other things."
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"Train him doing what?" Is Seto learning some kind of new power...
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He's still pretty skeptical about that but this guy is someone Seto trusts so he'll just roll with it for now...
Seto throwing daggers? Mokuba grins. "Well if he throws daggers as well as he throws cards, then I bet he's picking that up pretty fast!"
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