TDM #9

[labyrinevents]

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 in scrawling, jagged lettering that seems a bit... ominous:

“Welcome to my LABYRINTH where your wish, you wish you wish youwishyouwish– Your CONTRACT is SEALED.”

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: Larkspur and Anemone You’ll soon find out that being around the Larkspur makes you almost overwhelmingly tired, to the point you might even feel sluggish and in desperate need of a comfy place to rest. Why not lie down right in the garden? Or better yet, find someone to snuggle up with and sleep your worries away. The only truly strange part? You don’t seem to dream. At all. Straying too close to the Anemones, meanwhile, grants an entirely different effect. One second you’ll be walking through the garden and then suddenly you’re twenty feet away and facing the wrong direction. Even worse, whatever those flowers have done to you will sometimes make it so you “glitch” through solid objects – your leg might suddenly be lodged in the ground despite it being perfectly solid a moment before, or your arm could be shoved halfway into a wall that… actually, was that wall even there before? Nevermind that. The effects only last for a few minutes at worst, so at least you’re not stuck there forever, right?

Liminal Spaces and Worn Out Faces

Thanks to the combined efforts of dreamers and dragons, Vaeros is asleep. No one knows for how long. The locals aren’t particularly pleased with this turn of events and the village is a mess, but at least the moon is high in the sky again and everything is back to normal… relatively speaking. Things start to change... morph into something more dreamy, more surreal. It's subtle at first but after a few days…

The aftermath of the overgrowth, animal attacks, and the overall chaos of Vaeros' tantrum has left the village a little worse for wear. While most of the damages are cosmetic and could be fixed by the local's efforts alone, maybe a little help would be appreciated? If nothing else, it might help alleviate a little bit of the tension still lingering in the air after the events at the castle.

That, and the locals seem to be acting kind of strange. Leaving them to their own devices might not be the best idea. The Gelfling you are aiding in repairing a half-broken wall has been hammering for what seems like hours and when you look to see what they're doing, they haven't actually made any progress - they're just hitting the same spot over and over again, potentially making the hole even bigger. Did the goblin you just passed have a completely blank face for a moment? Others might walk into things, off of things (Starlight Cliff might be a hazard zone), or suddenly and inexplicably become aggressive toward dreamers, grabbing anything they can get their hands on (kitchenware, vegetables, a goose??) to use as a weapon. It's a very bizarre scene and the villagers don't seem to notice there is anything wrong with the people around them.

It’s not just the locals either. The animals have been acting equally strange. There's a wolf inside the clothing shop trying on suits, a goat standing (or trying to stand) on its hind legs, bleating out random words like a town crier while jingling a bell around its neck to get everyone's attention. Where you should find the local baker, suddenly they're replaced with a deer holding a paddle in its mouth to stir up a batch of brownies.

To top it all off, there's an eerie sense of deja vu no matter where you go or what you do. Didn't you just help that goblin with the wheelbarrow an hour ago? So why is it halfway across town again? You could have sworn you had to go and grab groceries, but your pantry is full like someone already had.

Up is Down, In is Out

Days pass and the oddities continue to make themselves more and more apparent. The sidewalks seem uneven and wobbly at times, threatening to toss people walking across them to the ground or even fling them into the air with a sudden violent ripple. Walking through the forest sees the leaves of the trees melting into green goo that sticks to your clothes, your hair, and your skin - potentially staining them green and leaving you in dire need of a bath. You can always wash off in the lake, of course, but even that is not free of the strangeness occurring in Visium. The water of Lake Omen has turned to lava, at least in color; although there is no heat radiating from it when one approaches. That, and the locals are still fishing in it without issue, save the fact that they keep pulling up fish with tophats on.

Speaking of fish - they're raining from the sky now (tophats or not) in all sorts of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Good news! They're still edible. Bad news, they're probably trying to sell you something.

If you do decide to try the fish or any other meal in town, especially those served by the locals, you'll find that it doesn't taste like much of anything and most certainly doesn't fill you up, at least not at first. Everything is bland and unappealing until left in the presence of dreamers - and the more you share the meal with, the faster the taste returns.

Dream Within a Dream Within a Dream Within a Dream Within

Even with Vaeros asleep, only a small portion of the labyrinth is still accessible. Those that attempt to explore will find sections made up of pillows and cushions, and no matter what time of day it is elsewhere, this portion of the labyrinth seems to be stuck in perpetual twilight. Explorers will also immediately feel drowsy, then lulled to sleep by the quiet singing whispered through the air like a lullaby. Anyone brave enough to try and rescue those poor souls from their impromptu naps would be wise to plug their noses and cover their ears with earmuffs to block out the sound.

At night, dreamers dream. They will be visited by the same melody heard in the labyrinth, though it is distant. They will also hear a woman telling them to spend more time together, to bond and create things together in order to soothe the effects of Vaeros' magic growing wild in his dreams. Dreamers will also have the ability to visit other's dreams, meeting in a dreamy light liminal space that will not feel so real when they awaken.

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.

Comments

[waterfawn]

"Of course."

[Eilonwy just motioned in the opposite direction to ask wordlessly if Chise was ready to go.]

"I've never seen so much parsley in one place. Not even for very large pots of stew!" [Really, it was so much. Hoping the Gelfling could find a use for it after things calmed back down, Eilonwy spoke again with a firm nod.]

"I think we've done the right thing. Perhaps with everything changing back things have just gone temporarily odd? The moon can affect tides, and moods, maybe that's happening here? It's strange though that it isn't happening to everyone."

[magusrobin]

[Chise nodded, walking in the opposite direction, ready to leave the small shop behind. It still reminded firmly rooted in her thoughts, however, as they meandered without a clear destination in mind.]

"I'd like to think that. Maybe I just haven't been here long enough to form a solid idea of 'normalcy.'" [She gave Eilonwy a weary smile.] "I can't help but worry, even if it is selfishly because this whole situation seems more confusing than normal. The fact that the incidents are sporadic, or like you said 'not happening to everyone,' is concerning. Why some and not others? ...I hope it doesn't cause too much trouble for everyone." [Locals or Dreamers alike.]

[waterfawn]

"If it's actual chaos, there wouldn't be any kind of order to it." [Which made some sense, but Eilonwy shared some of Chise's concern.] "That doesn't make it easier to deal with, of course. But if there's no order, then it's harder to figure out when and how things are happening."

[Which would also mean it would be harder to put together any sort of plan for simply getting through everything and minimizing trouble. Eilonwy returned Chise's smile.]

"No misfortune comes without friends, but all we can do is try our best to handle everything."

[magusrobin]

[She blinked in surprise for a moment before humming, pleased.]

"Right. I have to remind myself I'm not alone in this. We'll get through it, together. Now... was there any specific shopping you needed to get done? I was going to get spices, but seeing as my usual vendor is somewhat... occupied, I guess it's onto the next place?"

[waterfawn]

[Eilonwy nodded.]

"Right. More people means less of a burden. Actually, I'd like to look at some yarns. I've almost used up what I've currently got, and some new tea would be nice, too. Do you do any crafting?"

[magusrobin]

"'Crafting'..." [A slight frown as she thought, followed by a sigh.] "Aside from making potpourri... or helping tend the garden... I think I don't really have much experience with crafts. I wouldn't mind learning though..."

[waterfawn]

"Oh! I could show you-- if you can learn one stitch, you can make almost anything." [Eilonwy remembered enough of the knitting book she'd used to learn along with advice from friends.] "Sewing would be a little more advanced, but I could help you learn that, too."

[magusrobin]

"I would love to - if it's not too much of a bother." [The offer caused warmth to bloom in her chest. More promises with a friend] "And I still have to show you how to make potpourri, so maybe we can make a day of it."

[Determined now, following Eilonwy to the shops she needed to go to.] "I don't know much about yarn or what needles you use. Do you have any recommendations?"

[waterfawn]

"If it were, I wouldn't have offered in the first place." [Eilonwy nodded at the suggestion.] "A day of that does sound nice."

[Eilonwy walked the not as familiar path towards the store she bought her materials from, and idly kept her eyes open for any extra strangeness.] "I started learning by using thicker wool yarns and needles that are wider than quill pens. But the scarves I made were very warm, even if they took a while to make. Those would be good starting points-- the book also shows you how to make small squares, which can be used for a number of things." [There had also been an advanced section that got into different techniques like shaping garments, but Eilonwy hadn't looked at that beyond the title page for it.]

[magusrobin]

"Still, I appreciate the offer regardless."

[Following behind Eilonwy, since she didn't have as good of a grasp on the location of the shops yet. There was a small spark of joy in her gaze.]

"That all sounds wonderful! One of my goals is to make presents for next year's Christmas for everyone... but since potpourri is all I can make, I'm sure it might get old for some." [Plus the number of people she wanted to make gifts for had grown significantly.] "So having options that might be suited more for each person would be nice."

[Explaining as they walked.] "I... didn't really celebrate the holiday before living with Elias. In Japan, it wasn't as big of a deal, and my family didn't really exchange gifts much." [Well, her extended family didn't - not that she was sure she would have accepted a gift at the time. There were very early memories with her mother and father that she could glimpse of opening some sort of gift, but it was hazy.] "But there are so many traditions around the end of the year. Gift giving, the changing of the seasons, making sure to clean out the house... does Prydain have holidays like that?"

[waterfawn]

[Eilonwy lit up as Chise talked.] "No, I don't think it'd get old at all! I've never seen a gift that's been given with kindness looked down on. But it is nice to have options, I agree."

[Eilonwy grinned at the question and nodded.] "If you're talking about winter specifically, there's Mari Lwyd, where groups of people dress up as horses and go around asking for wine or food from their neighbors. The neighbors reply that they don't have any, or really any kind of comment that can be argued with but the ones outside usually come in anyway after arguing their points. It's very fun, and all done with a more joking tone. We also clean out the houses and hang mistletoe to ward off ghosts."

((She had two *very* different reactions to that XD))

[magusrobin]

"'H-horses'?" [Repeating, because she wanted to make sure she heard Eilonwy correctly. Then again, she supposed maybe it was a custom she just didn't know about yet.] "That... does sound like it could be fun. I wonder if we could do something like that here in the winter...?"

[She caught herself then, wincing a little. Did she expect to be here that long? A whole year... Forcing herself to focus on the rest of what her friend had said. Mistletoe to ward off ghosts...] "We hung mistletoe up too, but the common tradition around that was to-" [stand underneath and offer a kiss Chise thankfully stopped herself from mentioning the rest, instead her cheeks bloomed into a blush at the memory. Then again, maybe Eilonwy was a bit young for that yet...]

"Oh, if it's alright to ask, how old are you, Eilonwy?" [She didn't remember actually finding out, other than the fact her friend was the princess of her home kingdom. And not like it was important but...] "I'm sixteen, if that helps at all."

((no that makes total sense XD))

[waterfawn]

"Yes! Well, it's more made of blankets than anything else, but we know to expect it because of the season. I'm not sure about doing it here, t usually requires some kind of group, and for someone to be at home who wants to finish the custom."

[But it would have been nicer than what last winter had been like. Eilonwy took a mental note to maybe figure that out as the year continued. At Chise's blushing and trailing off, Eilonwy gave a soft "Ah!" of understanding.] "To kiss? I've had that tradition explained to me, yes." [She didn't mention the circumstances around that- the masquerade and the mistletoe essentially trapping people under invisible domes until they had kissed in some fashion.] "It still sounds odd, if I'm perfectly honest. Why not just ask someone if they'd like a kiss? It'd save so much trouble."

"Oh, I don't mind your asking at all. I'm thirteen as of last month."

[magusrobin]

“Why indeed?” [She couldn’t quite explain it either: after all, why not just ask? Though… Elias kind of did that too but… she mused.] “Maybe it has something to do with courage?”

“Oh, you had a birthday while here? Did you have a celebration or anything?”

[waterfawn]

"That could explain it! It can be very hard to simply ask for things, much less for a kiss from someone."

[As the materials shop came into view, Eilonwy kept talking.] "I did, I was born on April twentieth. And.. No, because things were very busy, and I didn't want to take away from the work that was being done. I'm not the only person with a birthday in spring, and the season is long enough." [Though it would have been nice, Eilonwy was equally fine with waiting.]

((Wants this to happen as an open thread now XD but she has no experience)

[magusrobin]

“That’s a fair point.” [Though she did feel a little sympathetic that they hadn’t had a celebration. Not that Chise was sure what that would entail. And yet… it caused an idea to bloom.] “I don’t have much experience with birthday celebrations but… a friend I have back home thinks they are really important. But with everything going on too, it might be hard to have a celebration every time someone has a birthday. …I wonder if something could be planned around the season, for those whose birthdays fall within that range…?”

[She had no idea how they would accomplish that sort of event but… some part of her wanted to try. Even if she would need a lot of help to actually figure it out.]

((it's a neat idea though!))

[waterfawn]

"Like a party in general? It would be easier to have a few parties per season. But things would need to be planned ahead of time. Festivals in Prydain can take at least two months to have everything come together."

[As they reached the shop, Eilonwy held the door open for Chise.] "Please, after you."

[magusrobin]

"I suppose so..." [She mused.] "Truth be told, I don't really know much about planning or what you are supposed to do at parties. But... if it takes that much time to put together, then it's definitely similar to a large event, I think."

[Pausing to move into the shop.] "Oh, thank you." [Making sure to hold the door open from the inside for Eilonwy to make her way in. Her eyes widened at the large assortment of colors as she turned around.] "There's so much here... where do you think the best place to start is?"

[waterfawn]

"Besides having fun, it's just making sure there's enough for everyone." [Eilonwy answered. Once they were in the shop itself, Eilonwy looked around and gave a thoughtful hum.] "For knitting, it would be the best if you had brighter colored yarns. They're easier to see. But before that, you'll need needles and a bag to hold everything." [She looked through the nearest shelf, looking at a hodgepodge of different yarns-- some very thin, some very thick; more sorted by color than anything else.]

[magusrobin]

[Chise's eyes widened at the large assortment. So many colors and styles... Though her gaze was drawn to some yarn in particular - a thick, dark skein; a dainty, floral pink skein; and a mid-blue - all colors that reminded her of the family back home. Her fingers lightly touched each yarn.]

There's so many... I hope I have enough Shards for all of this. [A somewhat embarrassed smile.] I still haven't figured out how to properly calculate that.

What's your favorite thing to make with yarn? I know I'll have to start with the basics, but I'm curious just how much you can create with it.

[waterfawn]

"Honestly, I haven't either." [Eilonwy admitted with a laugh.] But the shop owner's very reasonable, so I think you'll be fine. [She watched as Chise explored the yarns and smiled at the color selections] "Those are very lovely!"

"My favorite? Right now, it's cotton washcloths. They're very quick-- but for Winter it was scarves, they take longer because.. Well, because they're long; but they're very fun once you can find your rhythm. Let's see.. needles would be..?"

[Eilonwy reached for another display of yarn and moved it aside, a few sets of needles carved from wood rested in the back.] "Oh-- but the book I learned with had a lot of different items, including clothing. I haven't tried any beyond scarves myself."

[magusrobin]

[Chise blushed lightly as she picked up the colors. Her voice was soft.] They remind me of home - of the family I have waiting for me back there. I'm not sure if I can make gifts and bring them back with me but...

[She followed Eilonwy over to another section.] Those sound like perfect beginner projects. I'm sure I'll need a lot of practice before I actually would be able to make anything close to clothing. Plus, washcloths and scarves are very practical.

[waterfawn]

I don't know if you can either, but I think that's a very good plan.

[Maybe it would work. Eilonwy thought of the others back home for a moment and then refocused.] They both are, yes! You can't use a washcloth for a scarf, unfortunately. I haven't tried to make clothing, so we can practice together. Besides, we're going into summer- I don't think anyone will ask for a sweater.

[She picked up two sets of needles, looked to the yarns Chise had picked, and added a third set after thinking it over for a second.] All right.. Yarn, needles.. Now a bag to hold everything. Is there any kind of design you'd like specifically?

[magusrobin]

Right. Someone to practice with always makes it more fun. Plus, I feel like you learn more than way. [Either through mishaps or practice.]

[Her gaze swept over the bags at Eilonwy's question, thinking through it.] Truth be told, I'm not overly particular but... do they have any with birds? [She didn't mention it out loud, but in particular, her line of sight was searching for the familiar colors of a robin. Just because. It didn't overly matter - after all, as long as it was a sturdy bag, it would do - but still...]

[waterfawn]

You can, yes. Or at least you'll have fun together.

Birds? Let me see. [Eilonwy began to look through the bags. Most were solid colors with rough but sturdy looking rope handles attached.] Birds.. Birds..

[She murmured before she pulled a medium sized bag with an outline of a bird stitched into it. A bit off center, but still very much a bird. Eilonwy turned to show it to Chise.] Oh, here's one!