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buttrinthum2025-05-01 10:11 am
May 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.
- 💐 Blood Weed is a sharp as razorblades. It grows waist high on a 6'0" tall person in places, but never less than 5" tall overall. Small paths wind through the grass, and those who find themselves waking up near the blood weed will have to carefully navigate through the paths in order to come out without being cut. The cuts themselves are painful, the sensation of pins and needles is accompanied with a burning that reaches deep to the bone. It's not debilitating, not completely, but it will make it harder to escape and more likely a victim will bleed to feed.... the blood weed.
- 🌸 Witch Hair is a strange plant, soft to the touch and with the scent of marshmallows. If eaten plain it can soothe the ache of blood weed cuts temporarily, but it is far more effective as a medicine when brewed into a potion. The strangest thing about Witch hair is that it only grows at the water's edge, and then weaves over the ground through the blood weed. It's almost as if it is encouraging a sacrifice to save someone else. A cut for a cure. The one side effect of eating the weed raw is that it can give those who ingest it a temporary ability to affect the weather in a small radius around them. Perhaps this too, could be a boon? The effect only lasts a few hours, 48 at most. Maybe there's a way to have fun with it in the meantime?
No matter your adventures in the garden with its many plants, before long you are found by a gaggle of inhabitants from both the City of Stellari and Somnius. They seem excited in general, and excited to see whoever it is they stumble upon without pause. They approach with handkerchiefs of varied colors and wave them about as they take new Dreamer's hands.
The chaos from last month has settled, leaving a celebration behind in its wake. Officials from Stellari explain that, every year, the city holds a massive event, meant to honor the spirit of competition. This year, they've decided to include Somnius in the competition as well. The crystal-clearing efforts have been fruitful, and slowly but surely, more of Visium is starting to become accessible.
To that end, Dreamers find both Stellari and Somnius transformed, dressed head-to-toe in festival stalls and decorations of red, blue, green, and yellow. Dreamers themselves are all divided into one of four color teams. They are selected automatically, and by traits inherent to their being.
A handkerchief of their team's color is magically fastened to every participant, and can only be removed when a game necessitates it, such as capture the flag. It's an important way of identifying who is on what team. You'll want to know who your teammates are, because teammates gain special benefits when interacting, such as increased strength and magical ability. As well as that, people can also communicate telepathically with others from their team for the duration of the event.
- Red team candidates are either extremely good, in a moral sense, or extremely bad.
- Blue team candidates are either extremely emotional or show very little emotion whatsoever.
- Yellow team candidates are either extremely powerful or extremely weak.
- Green team candidates are either extremely average or exceptionally special.
By the same token, however, being in close proximity with others who aren't on one's team cause negative effects. Different teams have different effects, depending on their color.
This is all, of course, in the interest of making the competition more interesting. Each team will also have a home base to work from, with team red's being the Amphitheater of the Mind, team blue's being Lake Termina, team yellow's being the (old) Church of the Moon, and team green's being The Stone Dragon.
- Red team members destabilize the emotions of opponents around them.
- Blue team members bring confusion and disorientation to opponents around them.
- Yellow team members destabilize magic/abilities of the opponents around them.
- Green team members bring bad luck to opponents around them.
For the duration of the festival, teams will meet to face off in various games and challenges, all earning points for their color team. The points are displayed on large scoreboards, stationed over the crystals in both Somnius and Stellari. Ribbons, medals, and trophies are offered as rewards during the celebrations and ceremonies that occur every night for the duration of the event. More than anything, though, the spirit of competition drives everyone, compelling them to dive headfirst into the games and give it their absolute best.
Some of the events are as follows, though pretty much any sport you can think of is offered - even ones one may recognize only from their own worlds.- 🤾Dodgeball
- 🚩 Capture the Flag
- 🏃♀️ Relay Races
- 🏊 A Triathlon
- 🙈 Hide & Seek
- 🫱 Tag
- 🪢 Tug-o-war
- 🥇 Obstacle Courses
- 🔴 Kickball
- ❓ Etc.
So, get out there and start battling it out - just not to the death this time!
Perhaps the largest event of all is a scavenger hunt in which the items are other Dreamers. Competitors are given a scroll with a list of descriptions, and are asked to seek out other Dreamers who fit those descriptions, and get a signature from them.
The list is as follows:
- 🔎 1. someone who can fly
- 🔎 2. someone who has never killed anyone
- 🔎 3. someone who has killed more than ten people
- 🔎 4. someone who can turn into something other than an animal
- 🔎 5. someone who betrayed someone they love
- 🔎 6. someone who saved the world
- 🔎 7. someone who wants to leave this place
- 🔎 8. someone who never wants to leave this place
- 🔎 9. someone who sacrificed their powers to Vaeros
- 🔎 10. someone who arrived after Vaeros' death
- 🔎 11. someone older than 30
- 🔎 12. someone younger than 15
- 🔎 13. someone who didn't drink their gold/blue/red potion
- 🔎 14. someone who has drunk more than one gold/blue/red potion
- 🔎 15. someone who has returned to their world, then returned to this place
Dreamers then sign their name next to the descriptor on the competitor's scroll. Magic compels them to be honest when confronted, and to give their signature even if they're unhappy to do so.
There is also a variation of this game, though much smaller in scale. Dreamers draw slips of paper with descriptions written on them, then pass them off to others who match that description. Some of them include:
- 💖 Someone you admire.
- ❌ Someone you hate.
- 😱 Someone you're afraid of.
- 🫂 Someone you trust.
- 😳 Someone you wish to know better.
- 😖 Someone you need to apologize to.
- 😊 Someone you're glad you met here.
- 😡 Someone you're angry at.
- 😨 Someone you're worried about.
- 🤕 Someone who hurt you.
Dreamers feel compelled to respond honestly, and genuinely give their slip of paper to whoever they think of first, even if it's something they wouldn't normally confess.
Both games last the duration of the festival, the Scavenger Hunt promising a massive amount of cords for anyone who can complete the entire list, as well as a medal.
Competitions can't be competitions all the time. Players need rest, the crowds need sustenance. But even though breaks are needed, parties never have to stop. Throughout the month-long Games, there's a Celebration along with it. Both Lumindeas and Stellari as well as Somnius are partaking in the celebration. No matter where dreamers wind up during this celebration, there's not a single location where Natives aren't doing their best to partake in a party that never ends.
The feeling and goodwill that comes with the games and camaraderie is infectious, and even the locals from Somnius are feeling more forgiving of Dreamers than they have in months. They visit Stellari while those who live in Stellari visit Somnius. It's the mingling and shared celebration that simply seems to warm up the town that has so long been alienated by crystal. With the glowing feeling of camaraderie in the air and the collaborative efforts to revive the land of Visium, everywhere seems to be in good spirits.
- 🪩 Dancing and Singing
There's music in the air and lights that shine on dance floors. It's hard to mistake the purpose of these portions of the celebrations, but everything is a game, even between the organized events. Every dance floor is a setup for a partnered dance competition. The genre is different in each location: romantic slow dancing, upbeat country music for line dancing, pop type music that thunders through the air and vibrates through the floor. The possibilities are endless, but the competition is stiff. Locals are paired with other locals, and dreamers with dreamers and everyone gets into the spirit, sweating and swaying to the music.
For more organized events there happens to be a cake walk, where dreamers and locals alike are encouraged to participate and win one of the many fruit flavored cakes. Be careful to not land on the same space as a competitor, or you'll both be eliminated and recieve a pie to the face! Don't worry though, towels and a change of clothes MIGHT be offered as consolation prizes.
For those that don't really feel the dancing beat, there's another way to compete for a little fun. Open mic is provided in some of these dancing locations, with magically powered instruments provided by Seravo himself. A simple request, a song title, and the instruments know the song to be played. Or perhaps in some cases a little poetry might be more someone's speed. In any case, the microphone is ready, the band primed to play.
🍔 Food and Socalizing
It's a bit of a task to get nourishment as well. There are food stalls installed in both cities, though every one comes with a bit of a game or competition in order to get your delicious sustenance. Those who approach the stalls of different kinds of food will be asked to win a compliment war with the guest next to them before their order will be fulfilled. Offer a compliment before the timer is up to win the competition against your chosen competitor. Each round you only get a certain amount of time to think up a compliment, with each round decreasing until no time is left. It might take several rounds before the attendant of the food stall feels inclined to hand over their delicious creations. Of course, once the game is over a plate or drink will be offered. If you want seconds, however, you're going to have to fork over another win.
Other ways of getting your tummies filled include participating in eating contests, several of which are set up throughout various locations. Burger eating, hotdog eating, even ice cream and cake or drinks themselves, the varieties of things offered are endless. Lucky dreamers might even find foods that are unique to where they come from. ...if a bit off. Its hard to make things exactly the same when the ingredients might be scarce.
If you're looking for a spot to relax while eating, there are tables and chairs aplenty. There is one catch, though. In order to sit and eat, one must play. Play what, you ask? Musical chairs. Both Dreamers and locals alike are encouraged to participate in a game of musical chairs with their tablemates, while eating of course. The winner will be given a small ribbon to remember the game by.
Well, perhaps even celebration can all be a competition after all.
Expand to see our Event Summary
Garden of Dreams
The Spirit of Competition
Living Scavenger Hunt
The Gametime Jubilations
A note that teams are ICly selected automatically for characters, but OOCly, we will not be assigning teams. Simply choose whichever team you think suits your character best.
Feel free to ask questions underneath the correct header! We also request of current players that most playing with the event happen on the event post so that those looking to TDM have a chance to play in all of the varied games and competitions we have provided! Overflows will be provided when and if needed.
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[ Because if it does… Well, Bertholdt might have done it, at least. ]
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[There is definitely mischief in Natsume's eyes now.]
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I'm willing to give it a shot.
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[It's hard to resist wanting to take Reiner up with him right now, but the festival is fun too! Choices...]
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Let's see how we did in this competition, first.
[ As he says it, the music starts drawing to a close. ]
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[Plus they joined at the end of it. If they won anything, Natsume would be surprised.]
rolling a d20 for how they did… 12!
Me, too.
[ But it is indeed a competition and the prizes are set to be announced!
Thanks to their late arrival, they … don't win anything. But they do get some congratulations from their competitors, many of whom mention that if they'd been there from the beginning, the competition might've been tighter. ]
ooo good idea there
There's a happy little flush on his face after all of that though, and Natsume slips a hand into Reiner's without being prompted.]
Was there anything else you had in mind?
[Aside from the flying, of course.]
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Wanna get something to eat?
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[He could probably just clean up in the nearest body of water if that happened, but he'd rather avoid needing to in the first place. Eurgh.]
Oh, we'll need to stop by a general store and pick up some rope, too.
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I don't get airsick.
[ But he nods and gestures for Natsume to— ]
Lead the way.
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[Once they've picked up the rope, Natsume will take Reiner's hand again and lead him out of the city, toward the area surrounding it that was covered in fields. It was a bit of a walk, which gave them time to chat.]
Oh! I meant to ask, but it's been a while since I gave you that journal for Christmas. Do you need a fresh feather to write with?
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No, not yet. I didn't start writing much until recently. I guess I couldn't think of anything worth saying.
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[Come to think of it, Reiner did seem to be more prone to smiling lately. That could just be the festival though. Natsume had noticed himself feeling more carefree, particularly when he was around any of the events going on.]
I was sort of hoping maybe it had been helpful.. You know, with keeping track of things.
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[ Reiner is quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how to put it into words. ]
Lately, I've felt better than I have in a long time. But I don't know what caused it.
cw: spoilers
A spell had made him young again, but it hadn't been completely successful in suppressing his memories. He'd still been able to sense that a lot of painful and scary things were waiting for him if he'd pushed himself to remember.
Something like that couldn't have happened to Reiner, could it? Reiner couldn't see— No, normally Reiner wouldn't be able to see them, but this place...]
You didn't happen to do any favors for a stranger lately, did you?
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I've been helping people with their scavenger hunt. And I'm a pretty helpful guy in general.
[ In other words: yes. Several. ]
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[If it were the same youkai by some wild chance, had it learned that humans didn't all want to be made younger by way of thanks? Had it only suppressed Reiner's memory? That didn't seem quite right either. Surely if that had been what happened, Reiner would have forgotten Natsume himself, too.]
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No, they all looked like normal people. Or, well. Normal for here.
[ Gelflings, man. ]
Do you have a hunch about what happened?
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[They'd all looked normal for Reiner though, so maybe it hadn't been a youkai at all. Still, there were so many people brought from different worlds. He couldn't rule out the possibility of someone having a similar magic.]
I don't think it would be wrong to just accept it for now, until you have more information. If someone put a spell on you, it doesn't seem to be malicious, and might wear off on its own.
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I'm sorry that happened to you. It's hard for me to imagine losing your whole life like that.
[ … Well, ]
At the same time, I sort of understand.
Something happened when I was seventeen that messed me up really bad. I did something awful that I couldn't accept having done. So my mind rejected it. I made myself forget. And when I forgot that, I forgot a lot of other stuff, too.
[ He exhales slowly. ]
If it is a spell, I probably wouldn't recognize it. But… If you think it's good to just accept it for now, that's what I'll try to do.
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[Natsume squeezed Reiner's hand in sympathy. He couldn't help but think of the photo he had of his parents, and how much it had hurt to imagine a life where they had lived. One where they could have all been in that photo together.]
Thankfully the spell on me was able to be reversed, and I remembered everything when I woke up. I'd had good friends able to take care of me, and new memories with them that I can look back on. I sort of hope it works out that way for you... That even if the spell wears off and you go back to feeling like you did before, you'll still be able to look back and remember how you feel now... Maybe even find a way to get back to it on your own.
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[ He squeezes Natsume's hand in turn, smiling a little as he adds: ]
I think you're part of the reason, Natsume. Or at least, you're helping me continue feeling this way. I feel … lighter when I'm with you.
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[Said with a shoulder-bump. He gave you that journal for a reason! Natsume can't help but blush as Reiner continued, not sure how to handle a compliment like that.]
I guess I'll just have to be with you more often, then. Maybe I can even make you feel even lighter today.
[They were far enough outside of town now that Natsume thought he wouldn't be bothering anyone. He handed Reiner the length of rope and jogged a little further away. Then in a great puff of white smoke, there was suddenly a much, much larger version of his dragon form. He could easily carry Reiner in his mouth at this size.
Large, slitted amber eyes looked down at Reiner. The simple horns the man had been fond of branched out like coral, or a deer's antlers, and his body stretched out long enough to easily wrap around a cottage. The tip of his tapered tail wagged in the air; Natsume had been excited to surprise Reiner with his new form. For the moment, his wings were tucked close to his sides.]
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He smiles up at Natsume, taking a step closer, a hand reaching up to try and stroke that massive jaw. ]
Look at you! You got bigger.
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slight time jump
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