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buttrinthum2024-07-20 09:30 am
TDM #10 OVERFLOW
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.
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But now it’s tied directly to the only thing he did have. If he doesn’t understand, then he might not be able to kill the demon fueling the dungeon lord’s whims and biding its time until it accumulated enough power. If he doesn’t…]
Do you know anything about the demon he’s contracted with?
[Mithrun doesn’t respond to “we” because he thinks it’s obvious. He was working with Kabru before… and he is working with him now. The location has changed, but the goal… details had shifted but the core was the same. The same drive that kept his blackened remaining eye open rather than just close them and lay down and die.
… He is also still holding Kabru’s pendant, curiously pressing it against his own. Was this “spending time”? Would it “power” the crystal?
Also,]
I need a sword.
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[Kabru unfastens the sword and sheath at his belt, offering it to Mithrun. Should he draw the blade to examine it... It sure does look weirdly pixellated! But it's lightweight, and hopefully not too awkward in size for an elf to use.]
I have a dagger, so I can still defend myself if we're attacked. It's better than one of us wandering around without nothing.
[As for the demon...] And I haven't heard anything about a demon, not yet. Maybe it's hiding, or maybe the different rules of this world mean it's taking a form we won't expect...
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And then hands the sword back.]
I will take the dagger.
[He was hardly a trained swordsman, so it didn’t matter beyond “something sharp to potentially stab a dungeon lord or demon with”. Just thinking about it… It makes his breath quicken and his black eye dilate slightly, still focused on the castle in the distance.
Demons were far trickier about hiding themselves. It still made sense. He could still-]
What form do his attacks take?
[Normally he likely wouldn’t even bother asking, wholly confident in his skills, but-]
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[Kabru doesn't mind one way or the other, since he's trained in both, so he takes the sword back and draws a dagger he'd kept concealed, offering it handle-first instead.]
I haven't fought him myself, and he seems more interested in letting monsters do his bidding, so I don't know how well anyone knows his fighting style. Just getting to face him at all has been a struggle for most people, given the labyrinth standing in the way. [His gaze shifts from Mithrun, to the castle he's focused so intently on in the distance.] There's someone I know who might have some idea, though.
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That is common enough.
[Relying on monsters. He had done it himself. First just a few on the first level hoping it would scare off adventurers trying to trespass, then just a few more on the second level when that didn't always work, then a few more on the third... and then before he knew it, the watchtower had been teeming with them, each pond and shadowy corner and rocky crevice hiding something fanged or poisonous or suffocating. If this labyrinth, flat and wide, was anything like the dungeons he was more used to, cramped and hidden deep...
Even knowing that without his powers he would not make it... The only desire left in him longs for it. He lives for it, it's all he has, and it's right there-
Fingers tightening just slightly too hard along the handle of the dagger, he forces himself to ask something instead... Though he is still walking towards it, almost as if called.]
Who?
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[Kabru touches his shoulder, hoping to force him to stop and pay attention. He doesn't blame him for the sense of urgency, but he can't just let him march in to his probable death. At best, he's going to get badly hurt without his magic, if he has any chance of surviving at all.]
I'm sure you need to eat and rest, and that will give you more time to gather information. If you can agree to that, I can give you some names.
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But Mithrun stops.
Did he need to eat and rest? As usual, he thinks "no". He doesn't feel the need, and in the dungeon where time could feel unreal, as opposed to days he spent waiting for assignments when he kept every aspect of his day highly regimented to maintain a routine... it was easy to convince himself that it had surely not been that long. Information was...
Unfortunately, needed.
He is reminded that he now has a dagger... and apparently nothing else. His halved gaze is steady in his slightly upwards directed stare at the tallman he had allied himself with in the Island Dungeon until he looks back towards the castle. It's right there. The dungeon lord, likely increasing the number of monsters and manipulating the landscape... The demon, biding its time somewhere to feed... But he doesn't say anything for a long, long moment until,]
... Fine.
[The voice is mostly even, but. The fingers of one hand curl tense and reluctant on the dagger's hilt.]
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Okay. Let's get back to town and regroup.
[In order of priority, Kabru has to make a mental list... A dry change of shoes, finding a bathroom for him and something to eat, and... Actually, has he been here a while without sleeping, too? He turns to lead him back to town, gesturing for Mithrun to come with.]
Do you have somewhere to stay? If not, I have a treehouse you're welcome to use.
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Right. That way.
Reluctantly he walks away from a potential object of revenge in favor of... preparation. It was necessary. He should do it, so that his likelihood of success would increase.]
I don't. I have no money, and the people here do not recognize my uniform.
[It was something that could be used to secure aid or credit in Elven lands, but here... And though the Queen supplied her Canaries with plenty of coin for use lodging and doing all that was required on their missions... Pattadol held his for him. And she was not here.]
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[Does he expect Mithrun to stick to that advice... Not really, but maybe he will, if he can be convinced it will give him an advantage to befriend the locals. He was pretty clever about using money to manipulate the desires of the top floor of the dungeon back home, so he still has some idea of how people work, even if the desire isn't typically there to capitalise on it, Kabru thinks.]
How about I start by giving you a demonstration of how currency works here?
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[Normally... Mithrun would not care about having to pay or not pay for his lodgings. He never bothered caring about those details, leaving them largely to Pattadol to deal with... and then Cithis to deal with when Pattadol caused friction with her straightforward sincerity and tempers needed to be soothed. (In addition to technically being prisoners... Fleki spent irresponsibly, Lycion kept losing his, and Otta... Actually he wasn't aware what Otta did, but. He assumes there's a reason she wasn't in charge of those details.)
But in this situation... Money was important in the realm of a dungeon. The promise of it attracted adventurers in the first place, the hope of more of it kept adventurers exploring deeper, the greed of it kept the first level bazaars and markets operating, and the exchange of it made villages and towns outside of a dungeon flourishing as they fed on the desires of adventurers who needed equipment, food, and lodging.
Money was like a demon, in that way. So to be told it wasn't used here... Was noteworthy.
The other question... a vague gesture that was "yes, do".]
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[Says the guy who's been living in a basement under a tavern before now... It's actually nice to have his own place, basic as it is, even if he misses the free room service. He leads him back through Somnius proper, on a path that takes them through the centre of town and toward the crystal.]
An economy run on wishes can afford to put a roof over everyone's head. It's not like people are dependent on exploring the labyrinth to make money, in the same way they become reliant on dungeon we're familiar with. It means lots of people don't need to compete for limited resources, too... but it makes everyone more directly dependent on those wishes to get by.
[If there really is a demon here, maybe this one likes a great quantity of everyday desires over quality...? Kabru glances at Mithrun, wondering if he has any thoughts on the matter.]
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"Dream world"... "labyrinth"... these words are not "Dungeon". But what else could it be?]
Why do you call this a dream world?
[He had asked him about a dream, yes, an owl... But Mithrun could not recall it clearly enough. And even if he could... Surely there was more evidence if he was using that phrase. He had said he had been here months...]
Some dungeons distort time. It is possible to explain the gap in our experiences that way.
[He only had a little experience with them, but he had heard tale of those that could make adventurers remain youthful within their boundaries, or even allow them to pass years within the stone halls in what amounted to only days outside of them.
Within dungeons... almost anything was possible. If the demon was fed enough.]
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[As they walk, a large, purple crystal becomes visible, surrounded by pillars and lit torches that seem to signify its significance to the locals, even from a distance. Its glow of power is faintly visible, even during the day.
Kabru gestures to it as they approach.]
That's the Crystal. --Oh, someone's using it now, see? [There's a dark-haired gelfling with pointed ears standing at its base, pressing her hands to the Crystal and murmuring under her breath, as if making a wish. She waits, and waits... but nothing seems to happen, so she walks away, empty-handed and crestfallen.] Ah... Unfortunately, it doesn't grant wishes so often for the locals as it does for us.
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Yes, some monsters could influence the world of dreams… Nightmares were the most common of them, but he had heard and encountered worse back when he had fears to use for fuel. He will at least consider it. But for now…
He is looking at one of the largest crystals he’s ever seen in his life. It would be impressive, if he felt such things. As it was,]
What do the locals wish for?
[Were their desires mundane and unappetizing to a demon, or… ?
He begins drifting, as if beginning to peel towards following the woman to likely interrogate her on that very subject.]
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Hi, excuse me! [He approaches the gelfling with a sympathetic smile.] My friend and I couldn't help but notice your wish wasn't successful. Are you okay?
[The gelfling looks surprised to be addressed, then suddenly shy, casting her eyes down and playing with the braid in her hair. A nervous habit, Kabru guesses.] Oh, I'm fine. It wasn't anything important...
[Kabru glances at Mithrun, wondering if he wants to push the matter. She does seem a little upset, so it would be unfair to keep pressing her, but he has a feeling that won't change his mind.]
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Now, instead of staring at the woman, he is just staring at Kabru as if to say “Go on”. Obviously they haven’t found anything worthwhile yet???]
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Do you know why the wish didn't work? Did you wish for something big?
[Her cheeks redden, for some reason, and she glances up at him, still teasing her braid.] Y-Yes... It was a really important wish to me. I think, because of that... I didn't have enough shards.
An important wish... about someone important, maybe? [Kabru guesses offhand, and she lets out a little squeak and covers her face with her hands, as if mortified about having her secret rumbled. He hastens to respond apologetically:] I'm sorry! You don't need to tell us who it is, so please don't panic.
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No, Mithrun cares very little for manners. He also does not care about the who, just the what, so, "helpfully", he provides the clarification of,]
Just the nature of the wish will do.
[In the hopes that being able to remain anonymous about the object of her potential desires will get the woman back on track again.]
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[She shushes him in response as she steps back and nods, still flushed with embarrassment, but now she's smiling as if she was happy to get it off her chest to someone who isn't a glowing rock.] Yes, really. Don't tell anyone else!
[That said, she hurries to leave, now with something of a skip in her step. Kabru still looks startled, but then nods and gives a dazed wave after her.] R-right, of course! Good luck! [aaaand as soon as she's out of earshot, he turns to Mithrun to give the juicy gossip.] ...She, uh... has a crush on a goblin, so she wished for them to like her back. Can't say I saw that one coming.
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Then she is gone, and he has his answer.
“Wanting love”. Too simple, too basic a desire. Unless,]
Gnomes and goblins interbreed here?
[… That’s what she was, wasn’t it? The ears were… not quite as rounded as he would expect, but it’s his closest guess.]
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[And why she seemed so embarrassed about it... He doesn't know if it's taboo, exactly, but it doesn't seem common either. Different strokes?]
A big wish like that would rely on a lot of shards, so it's not something easily achieved, unlike asking for day-to-day necessities.
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And how do you accumulate those shards?
[He only has the jewel pendants (well, his looks more like just a hunk of rock) to go off, and if those were “shards”-]
Steal them?
[Kabru had said they accumulated power from… interactions. Could they then be used by others for their own wishes? Pitting adventurers against each other was certainly one strategy for protecting the heart of one’s dungeon…]
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Remember I said they accumulate energy from talking to people? That's quantified in 'shards'. You should have some from talking to me and that lady just now.
[Okay, so Kabru did most of the talking, but still!]
It's kind of an instinctive thing, like knowing how much mana you have left... You should be able to tell how much you have stored in your pendant over time, too. [Then again, Mithrun didn't know he was out of mana or general energy levels until he keeled over from exhaustion, so maybe his shard-detecting sense is borked too, but Kabru keeps that thought to himself. He doesn't want to discourage him from at least trying to interact with others.]
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[Mithrun might find “shards” to be a very poor and somewhat deceptive choice in wording for what it was supposedly representing, but that didn’t matter. What mattered…
His remaining eye slips back to the crystal, his feet begin leading him towards it again. If not stopped, he seems poised to begin laying hands.]
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wraps up with a 🎀