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buttrinthum2025-02-28 08:56 pm
March 2025 TDM
Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see an inky starry nothingness spread out around you. 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.
Though there is nothing to prove it, you just know you have made a promise, a contract of sorts, with something and someone who remains but a shadow in your memories.
- 💐 Corpse Flowers are large stinky things, smelling often of rotting meat. There's only a few in the garden, four at most. However, those who manage to get lured in by the stinky smell will find that time spent with this "alluring" scent may find themselves feeling more amorous than normal. Kisses to hands, flirtatious words, and even the occasional wink are all common. Once away from these smelly flowers, the feelings will dissipate, but could last for several hours...
- 🌸 Gibralter Campions on the other hand, seem to inspire unbridled and intense hatred in those who get too close. It's almost as if the person they're interacting with takes on the appearance of their greatest enemy, their rival, or even someone who has done them great harm. Violence is usually a last resort, but sharp tongues and the silliness to argue are far more common. Convincing those under the spell of these flowers that you aren't who you LOOK like you are might be a little difficult. Hopefully the effects wear off after only ONE good night's sleep.
No matter your adventures in the garden with its many plants, before long you are found and guided by a dragonkin pair through the garden to the town of Sominus. From there you can choose to settle in the town surrounded by crystal or you can choose to cross bridge that leads up high to a portal in the sky, rimmed by glowing starlight and into the lands beyond, Lumindeas and the Crown City of Stellari.
Romance may have been on the mind in early February, but the illness that swiftly swept through Visium and Lumindeas put a bit of a damper on things like dates and doting. In an attempt to boost morale, Dolph Laserhawk has decided to host a speed-dating event at his establishment, Club Quartz in Visium.
It doesn't only offer romantic connection, however. Dreamers are encouraged to stop in and participate even if they're only looking for friendship. In fact, curiously enough, most feel compelled to attend, even if it's normally something they wouldn't be interested in. Overwhelmingly, Dreamers begin to crave connection and closeness and flock to the event. Club Quartz is dressed for the occasion, with red tablecloths and white napkins. The music and lighting are both low, soft orange candlelight illuminating whichever Dreamers face each other at their tables.
Everyone is given a placard to fill out - or, perhaps it's, mysteriously, already filled out.
There is also a useful set of conversation cards on each table for Dreamers to use, suggesting "get to know you"-style questions. Some are typical, and some are...less so.
- 💘 Name:
- 💘 Age:
- 💘 Preference: (friends, romance, gender, etc.)
- 💘 About me:
Pairs who find they've made a connection will be encouraged to leave their tables and participate in one of the many activities which have been arranged to really seal the deal on bonding. Some of the options include:
- 💘 What do you do for fun?
- 💘 What do you do when you're miserable?
- 💘 What wish did you make to get here?
- 💘 Do you regret the wish you made to get here?
- 💘 What's your favorite way to unwind?
- 💘 What's the sexiest position?
- 💘 Are you crushing on anyone in Visium or Lumindeas?
- 💘 What three words would you use to describe yourself?
- 💘 What would your ideal partner/friend be like?
- 💘 What is your most cherished childhood memory?
- 💘 What is your worst childhood memory?
- 💘 Would you be a dictator or a leader?
- 💘 What is your craziest fantasy?
- 💘 What potato chip flavor would you be?
- 💘 What is something you want to change in the world?
- 💘 Do you believe in science or magic?
- 💘 What is your idea of purity?
- 💘 Do you have any phobias?
- 💘 Spoon Pass: pairs pass an egg back and forth using only spoons held in their mouths
- 💘 Charades: send your loved one a message using only your body language
- 💘 Hide & Seek: find somewhere inside or outside to hide, and see how quickly your partner can find you!
- 💘 Three-legged race: couples are tied together by one leg each and must hobble their way from one end of the bar to the other before time runs out
- 💘 Jump Rope: the rope should be long enough for you to both jump through at once, but only if you get close - try to jump together without tripping!
The night is long and lively with plenty of drink and conversation to be had. Hopefully everyone has someone to walk away with at the end of the night!
A strange settlement has appeared at the edge of Stellari, just a little further out into the meadows and hills that serve as a border between the city and the farmlands that support it. The haphazard collection of crystal-and-wood buildings seem to combine the aesthetics of Visium and Lumindeas in a way that completely (and, perhaps, intentionally) fails to get either quite right. This is odd enough, but stranger still are the curious beings that emerge from the buildings. In a land populated by dragonkin, gelflings, and goblins, it may not be all that alarming to notice their rabbit-like ears and fur, but it's still nothing that anyone could have claimed to see in the land before. There's no need to fear, though! The Loporrits are here to help!
And they are very, very insistent on helping. Wished into existence by a soul who had grown tired of the conflict between Dreamers and locals, these friendly hares go out of their way in every direction to flag down Dreamers and ask how they can work together to improve the space they all share. A particularly persistent pair of Loporrits, Pollingway and Surveyingway, confront any Dreamer they can see with alarmingly aggressive cheer, brandishing clipboards, and barking questions as quickly as possible.
“Do you like Stellari? How about Visium? What kind of improvements would you like to see? What are your favorite colors? What do you need most right now? What do you think of spicy food?”
And on...
And on......
There seems to be absolutely no way to halt their questioning - until they mention that they're looking for others to gather such information too. Dreamers are asked to take a clipboard of their own and poll their fellow Dreamers, then report back to Pollingway and Surveyingway. If they agree, the pair will mercifully stop talking and hop away. The list of potential questions is nigh endless, so make sure to ask something that counts.
Not far from the Stellari crystal, several Loporrits hammer away on what appears to be the foundations of a new building. Nearby, a more artistic-minded Loporrits paints a large wooden sign that reads: HELP CENTER. A brown-furred Loporrits named Helpingway explains, again, that the Loporrits want to help! They can't help yet, however - too busy arguing with an increasingly agitated priestess as the royal guard draws near. It seems the established locals are still deciding what to make of the Loporrits. Helpingway asks Dreamers to start helping while they deal with the red tape! They're asked to wander Lumindeas and Visium, completing good deeds for locals and Dreamers alike. The Loporrits aren't so much persuasive as they are persistent, so if you don't want one following you around, it's best to comply.
A few businesses run by the Loporrits have also popped up, including "Feedingway's Soup" which offers exactly one type of soup - creamy roast carrot. It's addictingly good. Meanwhile, Tailoringway offers headbands, sashes, and belts, at the moment, with more variety promised to come soon. The Loporrits are just as persistent about trying their products as they are about lending a hand. You'll help them advertise, won't you? Dreamers are asked to give the Loporrits' businesses a try and report their findings to everyone they meet! Once again, you really want to get these guys off your back...
As though prompted by the discussions Seravo recently had with a few dreamers, there is indeed a revitalization effort taking place on the island of Visium only a few weeks after the audience with the dragon-like ruler.
Groups of Dreamers will work together to either clear away crystal overgrowth in Visium, or visit the area and collect samples to bring back to Seravo. He is requesting all manner of samples, from soil to water to food to pieces of crystal. Those shouldn't be all that difficult to find, considering everyone is going around Visium, smashing all the crystal up. Myrta and the locals provide pickaxes and all the other necessary tools for digging through the crystal, but given its durability, destructive abilities are also encouraged. The locals also seem to be slowly warming back up to the Dreamers in Visium as they watch them reconstruct the destroyed island. They may bring Dreamers water, food, or small trinkets to show their appreciation, and will work alongside them if allowed.
There is another problem, though. A mysterious phenomenon seems to occur only while within Visium - Dreamers' abilities are going haywire. Whether it be a regained ability, or one granted by a potion, ability-users will struggle to control their powers. Abilities may engage at strange times, have exaggerated or diminished effects, or periodically stop working altogether. Those that don't have abilities aren't spared, however. While in Visium, every Dreamer is at risk of experiencing a random potion effect from either the red, gold, or blue potions. Even if the Dreamer has never touched their potion, they may find themselves healing wounds, firing off elemental attacks, or transforming into random animals.
Perhaps the most curious phenomenon is that Dreamers appear to be sharing abilities as well. The effects are greatly diminished, but standing too close to someone who has an ability may cause aspects of that ability to appear in the other person. No one appears to be gaining full use of others' abilities, but it's certainly cause for some questioning...
One day, it doesn't matter what day, a message appears on some dreamers' devices, with no discernable user attached.
If you were to suddenly feel someone's hand in your own, whose hand would it be? But whose hand would you want it to be?
As if by magic, dreamers will feel compelled to answer, but also to answer truthfully. Once answered, there's no way to delete it from their phone or take back where it goes, as it is sent out into the network for all to see and comment on. There's no response from the initial person who asked the question, but perhaps there's a feeling of mischevious delight hanging in the air.
[[If you do not wish to participate in this prompt, simply assume your character did not get this message. All threads are public initially, and can only be privated after the initial answer.Threadjacking is allowed and encouraged so long as it is allowed in individual character permission posts.]]
Expand to see our Event Summary
Garden of Dreams
Something... A little Romantical
Nicefield's Nest
Cleaning Efforts & Haywire Powers
Suspicious Message
Welcome to Labyrinthum's March TDM! Two of our prompts are Inspired and Drafted by a couple of our players, Timmy and Dragon. Timmy has organized a more romantic portion of the event based in Dolph's Club over in Somnius. Dragon turned in 1200 shards and was rewarded with an approved setting addition! Creatures from FFXIV, created by Venat herself have arrived in Lumindeas. Dreamers ought to help get them settled in!
As always, please direct your questions to the appropriate header below.
2
[Name: Odasaku
Age: 24
Preferences: good drinks and good conversation
About Me: I'm supposed to make at least eight friends while I'm here. Maybe you'll be one of them.]
I'm a little curious about how "Lord of the Night" relates to hospitality. To me, it sounds more like a dirty nickname.
[Just sayin'.
[Oh! Or.]
Maybe something you'd call a vampire.
[Which this guy could totally be. How is Odasaku to know?]
no subject
Oh man, it was back in the 80s, you know? Down in Sotenbori, I ran this ritzy nightclub. Best manager the Grand ever had, that's fer sure!
O' course, I'm not really in the business of doing customer service these days, but ya never really lose the instinct, right?
[He's not going to deny any vampire allegations, though! Besides, denying it is exactly what a vampire WOULD do! And he's definitely not one. Just a really pale, really fit old guy.]
no subject
Fair enough. I've never gone into customer service myself, but this place is pretty good for it. Is it anything like the club you used to run?
[Probably not, if Oda's idea of "ritzy" night clubs lines up with Majima's. In his experience, those tend to be a lot seedier than they appear on the surface. Quartz isn't really like that (at least, not as far as Oda knows).]
no subject
Nah, this place ain't much like the Grand. It's nice here and all, but looks like a real different kinda clientele, if ya catch my meanin'.
[This place seems. Legit. Nice, and not the kind of place gangsters would conduct business. Also the dating here is kind of "bring your own date" rather than hostesses.]
Pretty cool though. Not my usual scene but I've been havin' fun so far. Lotsa weirdos here! I love it.
no subject
Yeah. I get you.
[He comes from the Port Mafia himself. They dealt with plenty of "ritzy" places too. Oda was rarely involved.]
There are a lot of interesting people here, you're right. Talking animals, even. When we first started talking, I really thought you could have been a vampire.
A lot of people come through Quartz too. It's a good hub.
[It's his favorite place in Somnius. The owner once joked that they ought to put his picture up on the wall.]
no subject
[He gets a far-off, almost wistful look in his eye at the thought. Hopefully he gets to meet one sometime, that sounds cool. And he should write to Noah about it sometime, as long as he manages to get back to his regular Japan!]
C'mon, I don't really look the part, do I? A vampire can't run around with his shirt open, or he'd get his chest all fried, right?
[Or a vampire could only be out at night and have his shirt open all he wants, Majima guesses. He ain't ever met one, anyway. He's pretty sure, anyway.]
no subject
Given that, I guess I really shouldn't be making assumptions.
no subject
[He shakes his head and waves his hand, dismissing the notion. He guesses vampires could look like whatever! He should also know better than to assume.]
This place host a lotta events like this?
no subject
Not always so large scale, but Dolph likes to bring the community together when he can. Last month was difficult on a lot of people. I'm guessing that's why he opened his doors.
It's been a pretty nice evening so far, if you ask me.
no subject
Mmmh, it's been pretty neat so far, yeah! Meetin' a bunch of strange folks, seein' a buncha strange shit. Y'know, before I went to Hawaii I probably woulda found all of this so mind-blowin' I'd just start up drinking and not bother with all this chattin'. Not sober, anyway.
Anyway, this Dolph fella is the guy runnin' the joint, then? What's he like?
no subject
[He's more than happy to talk about Dolph, but he also wants to know what the hell Majima means by that. What happened in Hawaii?]
no subject
[It was. A lot, for a guy living in what is mostly a realistic, non-magical, modern world! But Majima has always ran with the punches better than most. Still, if there was no hint of magic or mysticism, he's sure he would be freaking out now. Probably.
Eh, maybe not. Internally though!]
Nice place though. The beach is lovely, the water warm, the food excellent.
no subject
What you're describing sounds like something out of a movie. Maybe a good book.
no subject
[He's just getting more animated as he speaks, getting up and putting a foot on the chair, and gesturing wildly.]
It would make a good movie, so I'm tryin' ta pitch it, but everyone keeps sayin' it's "too unrealistic" and "no one believes you fought a Kraken with a knife, Majima-san"!
no subject
With just a knife?
How'd that one go?
[He is your audience, Majima-san.]
no subject
If they think he's disrupting the peace now, then maybe they shouldn't be uncool nerds!!! Also just be thankful he isn't doing anything destructive!]
Well, it ain't just any old knife, o' course. That's my signature wakizashi, the Demonfire Dagger I've had fer about 4 decades now. A beautiful blade made by a legendary blacksmith, but that's a story fer another time.
But the damn squid grabbed the boat and after I cut off one of the arms it knocked me into the water. And frankly, it was the reason I lost all my memories, so I was pretty pissed at it, so I saw that big ass eye underneath me in the water and just dived in. I was gonna gut it if it was the last thing I did!
.... But it wasn't, and we had fried squid that night, HA! Then my boys even went off n' tried to sell it. I had one of it's spines on a necklace, but I left it at home I guess. A shame, but just as well, a souvenir like that ain't replacable.
no subject
So, you went for the eye. That's a smart move. Sounds like some knife too...
I have to say, though. Eating it at the end definitely wasn't the twist I was expecting.
[A beat, and then:]
You could wish for that necklace back from the crystal. That knife, probably, too.
no subject
S'that so? Hmm! Definitely a thought. Won't that interfere with any other wishes though? I got something I'd rather use it on than trinkets from home.
[No matter how much he treasures them, there is little else he cares more for. If it'd get in the way of Kiryu's health, then he doesn't need 'em.]
no subject
[This said, Oda reaches into his inside coat pocket and produces a small purple pendant.]
They're collected here just by interacting with the people around you. Save up enough, and you can wish for pretty much whatever you want. There's a chance the crystal might reject your wish, but I've used it myself before, and it's always worked just fine.
no subject
[It sounds too good to be true. Wishes? And you get 'em just from interacting with folks? That's easy enough for Majima. But he is always skeptical of things that seem easy, so he will reserve judgement until he sees it himself.]
But if I just gotta wish for it, that don't prove much of anything, huh? I guess it don't matter if it's proven or not. I know what I lived through, and if someone don't wanna believe me, that's on them!
no subject
I guess you're right about that. There's really no telling whether the things we receive from home are copies or not.
There are some who have special abilities they've had to wish back, though. Some that would be difficult to replicate.
[And yes, he's one of them, and no, it's not a secret - just something he doesn't readily volunteer for no reason. This is a first date!]
no subject
[He has no idea what you mean by 'special abilities'(even if he has some of his own that he'll have to regain but shhh), but he shrugs.]
And if I get to have something new here, I definitely ain't complainin'. How 'bout you? You get anything back with these 'wishes'?
no subject