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buttrinthum2024-04-30 10:34 pm
TDM #9
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:
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Clementine l The Walking Dead
And. as far as potential cws go for Clem/TWD in general. Well. There is Cannibalism, Death, Violence, Zombies, Self-treating injuries (she stitches her arm up after a dog bite), car accidents, kidnapping, being branded, Mercy Killing, Shooting, Near Drowning, being shot, bitten by animals (dog) are among the things that could come up with Clementine.
So. If anyone wants to opt out with any of these with Clem, let me know. The Walking Dead can be a pretty brutal and heavy series so I totally understand if this is not everyone's cup of tea.]
Arrival:
[Clementine last recalls the crash. The car crashing into a tree because of the walkers. She stirs, raising a hand to her head as she notes the bandage she certainly hadn't had before. Someone had found her. Helped her. Where was this? Where was AJ? She straightens, glancing around for the other, looking for the young boy she had in her care for years.]
AJ? AJ! Where did he get off to?
[She notes the satchel, quickly checks inside. Food? Fresh bread? Gods. When had she last had that? Years ago it must have been. She nibbles on some while reading the parchment. Frowning. She vaguely remembers some weird dream, but that had been all? Right? It was just a dream? She glances around, looking for any sign of him, any movement. She ignores the potion for now. She can figure whatever that is later. Right now, she needs to find AJ.
Except she ends up along the way to the village ending up amid some flowers and ends up falling asleep among them. Oops?]
Liminal Spaces:
Whoa!
[Clementine doesn't have a weapon here right away. But she sure will grab ahold of something nearby to defend herself if a local attacks her. Or someone else. It's instinctive, that she defends herself or someone else like this. Even if it is with -- well. A frying pan, apparently. As she grabs it from the nearest food vendor after it had just been washed in stopping a local from attacking with throwing vegetables at her.]
Dream Within a Dream:
[She dreams of Lee. When they had first met. She often when unsure tends to think 'what would Lee do?' and use that as a guide. Sort of. It mostly seems to work. Sometimes she just has to wing it though. Go off of instinct in the moment. To survive. She misses him so much. Even if that is tinged with guilt and regret over what happened to him.]
Liminal spaces. (Hope this is cool!)
He's about to intervene on her behalf, but apparently he doesn't need to- she reacts nearly as quickly as Aladdin does, grabbing the nearest heavy object and brandishing it with surprising skill to protect herself. Still, Aladdin is at least able to snatch the goblin's wrist before it can reach for another onion.]
Woah, woah, time out, everybody calm down.
All good!
[Clementine just reached for the frying pan to stop herself getting hit with the -- er, onion? She already has a head injury as it is. She really doesn't need that added to it. But of course she is still on edge, still unsure on this many people and everything else. So used to keeping moving, avoiding crowds. Unsure if there are walkers around here. Trying to find AJ. She puts the frying pan back down, thanking the vendor and apologizing for grabbing it.]
I just got here. I'm just trying to find AJ. Is...he okay?
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[But he didn't know that she wouldn't. Some people might be out for payback at being treated like that, after all.
The goblin suddenly freaks out and starts tugging his wrist away from Aladdin, and Aladdin lets go of him. He doesn't go for another onion.
Weird. Man, the goblins have been so weird lately. Speaking of which, this... might not be the best venue for this conversation, given how much of a spectacle they just made.]
C'mon, let's get out of here and I'll explain.
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[She still feels way too vulnerable without her gun. Without even a knife. But she is trying to remain calm as she can. Amid the crowds. She isn't sure if Alvin might have come here, might figure it might be safer among the other people or if he might be avoiding them, if he were around. Still, she gives a nod, letting Aladdin take the lead since he seems to know this place better? If he is offering to explain?]
Alright. But I'm still keeping an eye out for someone. AJ - a little boy.
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[Deep breath.]
I'm gonna tell you something, and I need you not to panic because it's not as bad as it sounds.
[Because he's guessing she's not gonna react well when he tells her.]
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[Clementine asks, glancing to Aladdin with a raised eyebrow. She isn't sure she likes that he leads with needing her not to panic. That implies it is probably not going to be good news. So far this place has seemed safe enough, in the so far absence of walkers at least while she has been looking for AJ but she is still figuring this place out yet.]
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[Hastily, he raises his hands to forestall her inevitable reaction.]
But listen, this place is weird. Time doesn't really work the same way here. When you get back home, no time will have passed for AJ at all.
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[Clementine initially protests, her eyes wide and panicked before he hastens to reassure her, as if he could tell she was not going to take that news well. Even if she is injured, even if she isn't sure if he was here, she still feels she should ask, should check.]
Is there some way to tell? To check? If he is here or not? I just...want to be sure. Either way.
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[Yeah, she's freaked out, and he expected that- but she's still taking it pretty well. Which is good news, but- Sheesh, how much has she been through?
He frowns and fishes his network device from his pocket, holding it up to show her.]
Well, if he was here, he would have arrived in the garden like you did, and he'd have one of these. You could post a message on yours and see if he responds...
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[Drawing attention to herself. It's just instinct not to. After everything back home. She isn't sure if AJ would even know how to use something like that. Technology wasn't exactly the best back home given the situation of having been dealing with the walkers for years. That most of the infrastructure was down at this point.]
I'm not even sure if he would know how to use it. We used to have phones and stuff. But not since before he was born.
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I'm sure the others would be willing to help him out. We try to help out newcomers, especially kids- and it's not a very big village. Trust me, if he's here, he'll turn up pretty fast. You're safe here.
[He's not sure why he feels the need to emphasize that last point, but she's clearly far too used to danger, everything about her posture and demeanor kept screaming it.]
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[He might say it is safe. And for now it seems to be? At least, more or less, in the sense that she has yet to see any walkers at least. But Clementine probably won't entirely relax until she knows if AJ is here, if AJ is alright and with her. She's been responsible for the little goober for years now.]
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Arrival
Hi, hello. You ok, there?
[She knew this was attracting some people, so she would rather they were awake to take stock of their situation].
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I --...I was looking for AJ. A boy I was with.
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[This girl look dusty. Quick, which was good, but glazed and compensating. That was rough sometimes].
What's his full name?
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[If he was okay. Please let him be okay...
Clementine was unsure if he was far off. If he was here. Maybe he went to get help? She hadn't yet seen him since ending up here and falling asleep like that but still. He might be hurt. Might be in trouble. She's still kind of wary with new people, but she is more alarmed that she does not seem to have her pistol or knife on her person. She glances around as if expecting to find the little goober hiding from the other girl or something.]
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[Which meant he might, might NOT be here, but either way Luz wanted to help].
How well are you at, uh, riding shotgun? If you want to have a look around, we can ride my staff.
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[She doesn't get travel sick, no motion sickness or anything but that is new? She might vaguely recall stories of brooms or the like from witches riding them in fairytales or Halloween and such but that didn't mean she was really experienced with that? Still, she figures it akin to the likes of riding behind someone on a bike if she just holds on to Luz's waist? Or something like that?]
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[She patted the head of her staff, then straddled it, motioning for the girl to climb on,
"Oh, I'm Luz, by the way."
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[Or something like that. Clementine climbs on behind Luz, instinctively holding to the girl's waist before she gives a nod and belatedly introduces herself.]
Clementine. And....thank you.
[She needs this. Needs someone who knows their way around more. That can help her look. AJ might not be expecting her to be up high like this but at the least it would be easier for her to spot him, hopefully, from the staff. To get a better view. To get her bearings and note landmarks along the way.]
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[Better to just go it normal for right now. Luz let the girl hold on, and slowly eased them upward, just a few feet off the ground, then a little more than that].
Don't worry about it. We Dreamers have to help each other when we can.
[She's moving slowly, and casts a light glyph for Clementine so a little glowing orb can give her extra light. She's probably want to take in as much of Somnius that she could, and hopefully she'd find her...brother? Friend?
Still unsure about that relationship].
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[Clementine says, holding a little tighter the higher they go. Her eyes widen at the glyph, the light that it emits. She's only read of magic like that or perhaps maybe seen it in a game or movie. Not that anything like that was actually possible.]
Dreamers? That dream about the owl...is that why we are here? Because of that dream?
[She asks, as she keeps glancing down to see if she can spot AJ.]
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[There were plenty of days where she really missed Gus. For right now, she'd have to hope he might show up one day].
Pretty much. We all see the owl before we show up here...and its all connected to the wish that we made.
[Luz made sure to stay relatively low enough so Clementine can see if he's anywhere in the ground, but she's also checking the trees when she could].
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[She's not sure what to make of that. It wasn't an awful dream, as far as potential nightmares of hers tend to go. But even so. She does worry regarding AJ. Wants to be sure that he is alright after the crash. She tries to keep an eye out, biting her lower lip with worry as she glances down.]
I just assumed, if I was here, he probably was too. Somewhere. I just hope he's alright. I didn't mean to crash, but there were so many walkers.
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