buttrinthum | TDM #8

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TDM #8

Arrival / Enchanted Garden

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: purple carnations and generous fields of shamrocks. You’ll soon find out that being around the purple carnations can cause someone to act impulsively, following every whim of their heart to the point of almost being erratic. It might almost feel as though they’re having a hard time keeping track of which way is up and which way is down the way their whims change on a dime. This can cause quite a confusing first interaction, but the fields of shamrocks are no less confusing considering laying about in or spending time walking through these fields will cause the dreamer to feel lighter than air. Literally. Be careful! It’s almost like interacting with the world as though you’re lacking gravity. Jumps are higher, staying on the ground seems a little difficult, (but don't worry you won't float away), and generally being easy to push around are all something you should keep an eye on. Luckily, 30 minutes away from the shamrocks will make the effect go away.

Flower Magic and the Plantening

Though it’s not exactly celebrated every year, and sometimes it’s done more subtly depending on the whims of the land, the locals (Gelfling and Goblin alike) always prepare for the spring. This year the locals can pull out all the stops for the changing of the seasons thanks to a genial past few months (give or, uh, take haha) . As the cold weather starts to warm and the snow drifts thaw and melt away, new life is already growing. It’s the signal that the locals need to prepare for the planting season of their gardens and crops as well as prepare for the magical cleansing meant to bring in good luck and positive magical energies.

Planting gardens and planning for vegetables and herbs of all kinds has a special twist to it, or this wouldn’t be Somnius. It’s a group effort, and not a soul will be allowed to skip participation. So long as the grumpiest plant at least one seed, their participation counts. But it all must be done with flower crowns made by locals and dreamers alike. The locals are happy to teach Dreamers how to weave the crowns together and dust in little bits of magic to make them glow pleasantly once perched atop someone’s head.

Just… one little thing? These flower crowns will enhance emotions, or feelings just a little or a lot. It all depends upon the flower the crown is made of.

Flower Choices
Amaryllis: The wearer becomes extremely boastful and confident, even when (or perhaps, especially when) they have nothing to show for it.
Bittersweet: Good luck lying until the crown is removed! The dreamer will feel compelled not only to speak, but to speak only the brutal and honest truth.
Columbine: The world just became 500% funnier. That random Gelfling sneeze? Adorable and hilarious. The way that Goblin’s hair looks? Absolutely hysterical. The dreamer will be unable to stop giggling until the effects wear off.
Fennel: It’s time to show your appreciation for everyone. The dreamer wearing this will feel extremely complimentary, and will not hesitate to tell anybody the things they like about them.
Rose: Love is in the air, but… have you… always felt this way about your friend, or is something strange happening? The dreamer who wears this crown will find themselves absolutely enamored with the next person they meet.
Tansy: Everything just seems to be striking a nerve with you today. The dreamer will find themselves gripped with an intense bout of anger, and they won’t hesitate to show it. Better tell that Gelfling that just bumped into you who you really are.

Only after you have a flower crown can you then participate in the real labor of spring: planting. Hoeing, watering, fertilizing, it’s all hard work but it’ll be worth it by the time everything starts to grow. Food tastes better when you grow it yourself. Try not to play around too much, but a little horsing around never hurt anyone.

Cleansing for a New Year

It’s not only the fields and flower gardens that need tending to with the turn of the seasons, and the locals are making a party of it. The morning hours are reserved for changing out of “seasonal” decorations and other tidying, while the afternoon and evening hours are reserved for celebration and commerce.

Holly and pine wreaths and garlands are taken down, animals are finally let out from their cozy barns to graze on the new shoots of grass peeking from the chilled soil, homes are being aired out and well traveled roads need to be reblessed. Everyone seems to be doing their part in some way, but it’s still a lot of work to be done by the time things are in full swing for spring! Those dreamers who live to clean will really be living this month. Just make sure to sweep OUT the bad energy. Never in.

The locals encourage (and some even insist) that the ones they share space with pick up a broom, shovel or just get their hands dirty and start working. Animals need feeding and tending to and barn hands are in high demand! Whether it be chickens, ducks, cows, or sheep, the animals need their feed and also need their spaces to be cleaned, too. No one said this was glamorous work, but hey! Maybe you’ll manage to come away with some animal products from a particularly grateful farmer.

Salting the roads not only helps keep still receding ice from being as slick but it also brings in good luck and good energies. Be careful to spread the salt given out through the streets, but don’t spill any in the dirt or where things grow. Salted earth or plants will doom Dreamers with bad luck if they make this grave mistake! The effect will last for a week or so, so it’s best avoided.

When the warmest part of the day hits, that’s when the working gloves come off. The centermost part of town has been turned into a festival area complete with a may pole, potluck pot the size of a small boulder the size of a large boulder, tables of roasted food, and a variety of drinks. There are also a few games, including cheese rolling in which dreamers can either roll cheese or be turned into cheese to be rolled (maybe that’s just a joke? Hmm). Lively music played by one of the ~~least terrible~~ most popular goblin bands fills the air.

Contributing to the potluck pot will give participants a little joyful boost, there’s a little more pep in their step, a little less fatigue from working all day, and some may find that their dirtied clothes are woven into clean, springy attire for the celebration that lasts well into the night to wear at the Night Bazaar.

Nightlife Bazaar

cw: spiders

Coming along with the other festivities is a convention of sorts, for all things magical! Witches and all kinds of magical practitioners are here to show off their skills and sell their wares to anyone interested - locals and Dreamers alike. Take a look around, there might be something that catches your eye that a hag or so will be willing to part with…for a decent price.. Be warned though, not every witch and warlock at this bazaar are totally honest. Phonies will try to peddle basic goods and magical objects for far more than they’re worth. Keep your wits about you, Dreamers, otherwise not only will you lose your shards and come away with nothing but junk, but you may find some items that are more trouble than they’re worth.

Just a FEW of the Booths...

Fortune Telling: A hag that is DEFINITELY not three kobolds in a trenchcoat is offering fortune telling services (tarot, palm reading, crystal ball, etc. Go nuts). Dreamers get their fortunes told! Can be about love, luck, other stuff.
Brooms: Want to take a ride on a broomstick? Well, look no further! A dandy young witch is offering (insert pun about brooms/horse here) rides for anyone looking for a fun time soaring through the moonlight! Pay a fee and get a ride for you and maybe another person, if they’re bold enough to hang on tight… The moon is looking lovely tonight, so why not take a spin over the treetops? Just don’t try and go too far - these cleaning utensils are magicked to fly back to their “pens” after a certain amount of time. Also if you crash it, you cash it. So don’t.
Brews and Tonics: That shifty-looking wizard there is offering up “brews” for an outrageous price, so clearly they must be potent, right? He seems very eager for people to try and even offers up a couple of sample sippers. Looking for teeth whitening? He’s got that. A growth potion for you shortstacks? Obviously, it’s right here. Can’t get senpai to notice you? Well, he’s got a brew that’ll make them never take their eyes off you! And with a smile as wide and toothy as his, surely nothing will go wrong, right? [[Note: They will ALL go wrong. How, is up to the player!]]
Familiar Petting Zoo: Careful, some of them do bite, but that’s only the more exotic ones. Black cats of all shapes and sizes, corvids that will tell you to shove it if you ask them about Lenore, and toads that may or may not have hypnotic powers if you stare into their unblinking eyes a little too long - all manner of fun and interesting creatures are here to pet and play with for a small fee. Just do try not to poke and prod at them too much, will you? They only have a meager amount of fortitude and tend to, ahem…combust if under enough pressure. But not into flames! Goodness, what do you take us for?! No, Dreamers will find that once a familiar combusts, their hands and clothes will be stained with a glow-in-the-dark “secretion” that might cause them to sparkle under the moonlight. ....It also attracts spiders. En masse.

OOC

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"What's the difference then for you, between magic and science? Where I'm from they're one and the same." Loki scoffed a bit too. "Besides which, you just said yourself it's just advanced science."

Tilting his head, Loki studied the Doctor as if he were an interesting bug, a curiosity, for a moment. "Perhaps you're just upset it's not something you understand."

"A teleporter for instance can be either."

"I'm upset because a being from outside my universe - could - transform people into playing cards. Now, I've lived a long time and that's what I would call magic."

"Transfiguration. Not uncommon in magic." Loki agreed, moving now to circle the doctor slowly, curiously and studying him. "But you've no idea how it works, and that's what bothers you most, isn't it?" A pause, and a soft laugh. "After all, you didn't really answer my question. What's the different for you between magic and science?"

The Doctor stands in place and watches Loki. "Science can be explained. And believe me I know about a lot of science that some human might call magic. But thar some things that exist outside the realm of science. Very few things in my universe can't be explained with logic."

"So why do you think this can't be as well?" Loki said, stopping at one side of the Doctor. Except another of him stepped around from the other side, moving to circle. This second Loki a copy of the first in all ways. "Magic has rules too, Doctor. Again, where I'm from it and science are one and the same."

The first Loki now moved to circle again, coming to stand with the copy in front of the Doctor. "So what really bothers you, is someone in your universe is using rules you don't know and don't understand. Is that right?"

The Doctor could logically put the other Loki into place as a hologram and goes to touch that Loki and finds it is fact what he thought it was.

"I don't like the rule of play." The Doctor remarks darkly.

"Entirely valid. But whether you like it or not, you have to deal with it." Said one Loki, while the other looked the doctor up and down assessingly. "So for you, if I'm understanding correctly, the difference between magic and science, then, is rules you don't understand versus rules you do? Is that correct?"

There's a stressed look on his face, "Yeah. I do." The Doctor remarks like he's holding his breathe.

"That's one way of phrasing it. Nothing just happens, thar's a reason for it."

Loki (both) nodded, and one of them vanished in a shimmer of green. "Again, entirely valid Doctor." But there was sympathy in Loki's tone now. "So, would you like a drink, given I just put you through an ordeal apparently? I'll buy."

The Doctor gives a small head nods he's something of a bad time with not being find Donna or his Tardis.

Loki made a gesture that the doctor should follow him. They could head back to the festival proper, or try something at the fairgrounds. "It has clearly been a rough time for you. Rarely do we seem to be brought here when it's 'convenient' for us, from what I've gathered." Aka you're not alone in your predicament doctor.

The Doctor follows behind Loki, "I was in the middle of a maze. Before that I watching the human race fight with each other. And before that, on a space station at the edge of the universe. Bit going on. And wondering why I'm this face again."

Keeping his eye out for stalls that seemed like they'd serve alcohol that wouldn't be too bad, Loki listened. "I can't necessarily answer or help with your last question. Perhaps it's because it's familiar to you, and in the midst of so much turmoil you were needing something familiar."

As for the other things mentioned? Well, that bit about humans fighting each other was a tale as old as time as far as Loki was concerned. A space station at the edge of the universe also didn't seem to merit much consternation in his mind either.

The Doctor is glad that Loki didn't ask about the space station at the edge of the universe. He almost picked the wrong Donna and didn't want to talk about the shapeshifting creatures that tried to kill The Doctor and Donna.

The Doctor rubs his hand on his five o'clock shadow, he doesn't like being frustrated and disappointed in humanity. He saves them countless times and yet - they still fight with each other. But it is the 21st century and that's a major pitfall of that century.

"Perhaps..." He doesn't like to admit to himself that this face originally was born out of his love for Rose Tyler.

He does wonder if he's broken.

"Wouldn't mind seeing a lot of old friends if I could again..." That's the problem with living forever; losing others.

"Well, there are those here who will be glad to see you I'm sure. At least you'll look familiar to them, and not have to answer questions about who you are." At least not too much, probably.

He's spied a likely stall though, and is moving in that direction. Pints of ale, the stall looks clean and organized enough, and isn't advertising any special effects. Good enough for Loki as he orders and pays for two. There are high tables (no chairs) and some benches nearby, and a place to return the wooden tankards too. Passing one to the Doctor, Loki heads for the high tables.

The Doctor gives a small head nod, but it's not someone like Amy Pond, who life he feels he ruined in the end. He still blames himself for Rory and Amy being found by The Angel.

The Doctor follows Loki and takes a good swallow "I was probably ontop of the world last time I was here with this face. So much has happened... since then. Nothing I can fix. Part of events and can't risk a paradox. But they were my friends. All of them. I remember when I use to walk so high and being ontop of the world. So much happened. So many mistakes."

"So you're to be a maudlin drinker, hmm?" Loki asked, glad for his own tankard. "Everyone makes mistakes. Some can be fixed. Others can not, and that is the way of things for everyone, from all I've seen."

The Doctor continues to drink; "Don't know. Maybe - I don't usually drink with someone else." The Doctor makes a clear nope face.

"Yeah but when I make mistakes it's life or death. I can't afford to get it wrong. What do you mean they can be fixed?"

Do you honestly believe you're the only one who makes mistakes that can be life or death?

[Do you hear the skepticism in Loki's voice? See that expression of doubt? Because he knows ego--he has a very healthy one himself.]

Depends on what it is, whether things can be fixed or not. There's a lot out there in the multiverse, apparently.

[Punctuating that with a drink of his own.]

No, because I fight them!

[The Doctor remarks fiercely and then takes more of the drink. Then in a quieter and painful tone]

My friends. I haven't been the best at saving them.

[Loki snorted softly with the outburst and just looked unimpressed. He would comment, but much as his own moods were wont to do the Doctor's shifted. Loki noted that soft pain and quieter tone. Could hear so much more in it.]

Were they good friends? True, and deserving of your friendship?

[Loki was careful to keep any resentment out of his voice. Before...well...where they were, he wasn't sure he could say if he had ever had friends of his own. Perhaps Thor, but even then that relationship was highly complicated.]

Yeah. [The Doctor remarks dryly]

They were.... And I don't know if I can save the one friend who's with me again. I just feel like I failed them. Saved the universe. Mostly anyways.

[Loki listened again, pondering for a moment. Many thoughts running through his head. Not all of them positive either, though he had no desire to make the Doctor more upset.]

Did they make the choice to be your friend? Did they know the risks? If they chose to be your friend, then there's only so much you can do.

[Letting that sink in, and studying the other man for a moment.]

That's also the problem with you hero types. The sacrifices asked for can be too much for many to pay.

[A little bit more melancholy there, in Loki's own tone. But it was not unkind. Or at least, not meant to be.]

Yes, they knew the risks.

[The Doctor admits in defeat. He blames their deaths on himself. When in reality, it was by chance Amy and Rory got taken by an Angel. Rory got jumped and Amy choose to be taken. Clara was because of the Time Lords in the end; but her other deaths, The Doctor also blames himself for. And Bill, she died too. He remembers telling Rose that it will be dangerous. He told all of them that. Then shouts in rage]

The universe shouldn't have been somewhat genocide! I should have been cleverer and stopped it!

Edited 2024-04-12 01:36 (UTC)

[Well, the sudden shouting definitely surprised Loki and the others. He sighed and rolled his eyes, reaching up to rub his forehead.]

Please understand, I ask this with all irony, but are you quite done being dramatic?

[Loki well knew he could be dramatic himself.]

And that's not how the universe works. The universe doesn't really care one whit about whether we live or die. And you're only one being anyways, so expecting a 100% success rate is rather foolish.

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