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buttrinthum2024-07-01 09:12 am
TDM #10
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: Sunflowers and Hibiscus. You’ll soon find out that being around the Sunflower makes it difficult to pass through the already disorienting garden, even with the light guiding you. Where patches of them grow, even if only waist-high, you cannot pass through them, over them, or even destroy them to get them out of your way. In each grouping that blocks your path, there is one that has a key-shaped opening in the middle of the flower. Maybe the key is nearby? (Spoiler: it's probably under a rock nearby that you forgot to check!) The hibiscus offers an entirely different effect - inhaling the pollen grants you the temporary ability to shoot fireballs out of your hands. But be careful, those fireballs are difficult to control and seem to bounce in random directions no matter how hard you try to aim (cannot be used to destroy the sunflowers). The effect ends once you step out of the garden.
Somnius is once again recovering from a devastating blow. Buildings need to be restored to their former glory and the emotional turmoil of the previous weeks surely needs to be alleviated. What better way to lighten the mood than a little fun for the whole family? A new arcade has appeared in town, beckoning residents with its stone doors set wide open.
With multiple levels, a variety of games and even a snackbar, Appl3 Pi Arcade is sure to be a hit!
Of course, as with everything that ever happens in Somnius, the arcades appearance is not without some complications. For one, playing the games inside might see characters teleported into the machine itself, perfectly pixelated to fit the game they're in. Hope you weren't about to fight the final boss, because now you might be fighting for your life! The good news is, if you die in the game... you don't die in real life and are just popped back out into the arcade again.
Strange things happen outside the arcade too. Walking down the road you might suddenly see a healthbar pop up above someone's head. Are you supposed to fight them? Are they going to fight you? Best to be cautious and reach for any trusty weapons you have just in case. Weapons that have become pixelated and can be pulled seemingly out of nowhere like some kind of hammerspace. They are also prone to breaking and shattering into glimmering pixel pieces (your normal weapons are still intact, don't worry).
Boxes and pots around Somnius are somehow more breakable than usual, smashed open with a single swing of those pixel weapons and producing gold coins! What a shame gold coins aren't the currency here. But if you don't want to destroy more things around Somnius, why not try fishing instead? That seems safe - if not suddenly more difficult with the fishing minigame that popped up in front of you. Quick! Keep the fish icon in the green bar or you'll lose it!
All things considered? It's all relatively harmless fun up until-
Vaeros wakes up. For those new to town, this means nothing. For those that were here for the castle raid? They can rest assured that they're in for a surprise. The Overlord of Visium has finally awoken from his Hyalily induced coma and he is furious. A shout echoes from the castle:
A wave of magical energy sweeps through the town, shaking it to the very core. Miraculously, the destroyed buildings and any remnants of the forest onslaught are gone and returned to their usual state. Perhaps Vaeros shouting was just another tantrum, an empty threat?
Not quite.
The town has been restored, but the locals? They are nowhere to be seen - cowering in their homes and fleeing to the sanctity of the Church of the Moon in hopes of staying out of sight of Vaeros and Dreamers both. The once tame video game effects are now far more intense - monsters from within those games are now rampaging through the town. They seem to shift through buildings, but if they run face first into a Dreamer, they will find them very corporeal and very deadly.
Not only that, but the lines are starting to blur between reality and fiction again, the healthbar above your head flickering in and out, the monsters turning from pixel beasts to real, live animals that roam Somnius - both feral and not. One second you are walking through town, and the next you are stepping onto a platform that starts to break under your weight, demanding you jump to the next platform before you plummet into an odd, multicolored abyss.
And strangest of all is that music coming from the labyrinth, growing louder when you approach and fading out when you move away.
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.
Get ready for the next battle!
CO-OP MODE Initiated. Welcome player 2!
[A digitized voice announced, to cheers within the game setting that came from...somewhere. At least the floor didn't drop out from under him, though Loki was less than thrilled with the city-scape. At least there was a familiar and welcome face in the form of Puck. Loki was about to make his way over when text popped up in front of him. ]
Trickster God Extraordinary!
[and then a gleeful announcer's voice called out "LOKI!" to more cheers. Loki sighed, and turned to look at Puck.]
Do I dare ask?
[He'd had to, hadn't he? At that point the announcer piped up again.]
That's right folks, it is now a TAG TEAM match!
no subject
[As the announcement was made that they were tag teaming, Puck looked around as their opponents showed up- an eager to fight blonde and a bespoke man in a suit. Both struck poses and looked ready to go. Puck stuck near Loki and didn't bother striking a pose or giving an opening line.]
Well! Should we take them one at a time or both in equal measure?
[Puck's health bar loaded in. Full and ready to go, much like it had been. There were even little jolts of electricity running up and down, more for show than anything functional. The important thing was that Puck still felt his magic at the ready, which was pretty entertaining, even with how weird things were getting.
He waited for Loki to pick their battle tactics and worked on metaphorically taking his gloves off. If it was a fighting game, he would fight.]
no subject
I believe tag-team implies one fighter at each time, and the partner is tagged in or out?
[So Loki smirked, mischief in his eyes, and bowed in an 'after you' gesture to Puck. He'd wait to be tagged in.]
no subject
[Puck grinned at the bow and then rocketed towards the tall blonde, who by then had gotten into a standard fighting stance. Puck threw a bolt of magic which sent his opponent stumbling back a bit dramatically. As blows were exchanged, Puck dodged what he could and used his magic over his physical strength.
True to fighting game logic, any attacks that landed looked like they hurt and did some damage to the health bar, but not enough to be a concern. With his powers not hampered, Puck zipped around and occasionally yelled a taunt just to make the other angry.
After a few minutes, though it felt like seconds, Puck flew back to Loki and landed behind him.]
Your turn, go have fun!
no subject
Smirking to himself, Loki may not have been an Asgardian, but he'd been raised as one. And they could be bloodthirsty, when young... Where Puck had gone magic, Loki went physical. Darting in quickly and feinting, then trading quick blows with the other via hand to hand. They looked like they hurt, but while the other's bar showed minimal damage, Loki's own showed none. That strange golden corona staying in place.
The other pulled out the weapon, a type of sword, and launched what was clearly meant to be a special attack of his own. It was enough to knock Loki back and that gold corona disappeared around his health bar.]
Bad decision.
[Loki gestured, and then darted forward once more. Followed by copies of himself--many of them, all engaged in hand to hand in complimentary ways with his original self before they vanished in shimmers of green. A type of rush-attack, meant to overwhelm and opponent temporarily.]
no subject
Puck landed back onto the ground and considered his options for his next round as he glanced to the blonde waiting on the outskirts for the next tag in. More magic would work, but maybe he would switch to more physical, just to keep things fresh.]
no subject
Which isn't to say Loki didn't take advantage of the opportunity to get some hits in himself. Several of them, followed up with a strong kick to knock his opponent back. Then, while keeping his eye on the other, Loki stepped back until he could hold out his hand for Puck to 'tag'.]
Your turn.
no subject
Puck reached out and tapped Loki's hand but it was Owen's voice that spoke up.] Of course.
[It really was a fun contrast. Owen's moves were quick, precise, and physical to Puck's rapid fire magic. Owen dodged, returned hits and kicks, and ended his round by body slamming the other blonde to the floor, doing a noticeable amount of damage. He made a show of adjusting his jacket before he turned back into Puck and flew back to the outer area.]
This seems to be going much faster than I was expecting! You're up!
no subject
The quick tag in, and he was rapid-fire throwing green bolts of mage energy. Before seeming to 'vanish' from where he was, and reappear at the back of the blonde in a shimmer of green. A final strong kick sent the blonde opponent flying and it was up to the man-in-the-bespoke-suit.
He lead with a sword struck, but this time Loki blocked it by moving in to the other's guard. Then shifted to throw the other back towards the other side of the arena. Again he seemed to 'vanish' only to reappear in a shimmer of green back by Puck.]
I don't think they're meant to face opponents who are a fae and a god.
no subject
[A bit of a joke- this entire setup didn't remind him of a mythological world on the other side of a rainbow, but it seemed to fit.
He jumped in for the final round and with a flurry of magic, and some surprise kicks for good measure, the fight wrapped a few minutes later with K.O. showing up in the middle of the ring. The two opponents were on the ground, sprawled and unconscious. Puck gave a cheerful wave and called out to both-] Good night unto you all.
[And with the victory pose and quote done, he flew back to Loki and landed next to him with a satisfied chuckle.] What a romp! Did you have as much fun as I did?
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[With a smile.]
Now how do we get out of here?
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[He smiled back and then looked around at the question.] That's a good question but-
[The game just answered it for both of them. As some ending credits started to scroll, the two vanished and re-appeared in the arcade as if they'd never left.]
Oh! Well, there we go. [He rubbed his eyes and let them readjust to the light.]