buttrinthum | May 2025 TDM

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May 2025 TDM

Garden of Dreams

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.

Will you drink it or not?

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.

"Please, come with us. The games begin soon! You have a team to choose. Don't worry, it'll be exciting!"

The Spirit of Competition

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Living Scavenger Hunt

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.

The Gametime Jubilations

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.

OOC

Expand to see our Event Summary

Garden of Dreams

Dreamers arrive in the enchanted garden, after making a wish in their sleep / at their time of death
Blood weed grows, as sharp as razorblades. Dreamers must move through the thickets, avoiding being cut; the cuts are extremely painful.
Witch hair also grows, and can be used to heal the cuts from the blood weed. Ingesting it also allows the user to control the weather for a short period of time.

The Spirit of Competition

A festival is being thrown across both Visium and Lumindeas, celebrating the spirit of competition.
Dreamers are all divided into four color-based teams, red, blue, green, and yellow, depending on certain traits they possess (see section for list - players choose which team their character will be on).
Members of the same team can communicate telepathically, and increase each other's physical and magical abilities when they are close.
Dreamers will experience negative effects when interacting with members of other teams (see section for list).
There are several events for Dreamers to participate in (see section for list), and all feel compelled to compete and give the competition their best effort.
Rewards are medals, ribbons, trophies, and sometimes cords.

Living Scavenger Hunt

Dreamers are all given a list with descriptions befitting of other Dreamers. They must locate these other Dreamers, and get their signature next to the descriptor they match (see section for list).
Dreamers may also participate in a game where they draw a slip of paper with a descriptor on it, and hand that slip of paper to someone that it describes (ie: someone you like; see section for list of suggestions)
All feel compelled to be honest in their selections, or if they are confronted

The Gametime Jubilations

For the duration of the competition, there is a 24/7 festival, offering games, food, dancing, etc.; in every corner of Visium and Lumindeas, people seem to be participating in this festival.
There are various competitions like dance competitions, a cake walk, open mic/karaoke competition, etc.
To be served food, Dreamers must engage in a compliment war against each other, offering compliments within a time limit to win enough points to eat. There are also several eating contests (pies, hot dogs, etc.)
To sit with your food, you must play musical chairs (while eating)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rope burn could be horrible. Puck continued to pull, shifting his weight as needed and keeping his eyes open. The last was more for sportsmanship than anything else, and seemed to go along with the general spirit of the games.] Played this often? [He called suddenly, not wanting it to be a quiet match, but also not wanting to goad Luz.]

[Luz was going to be careful about this, but she was also going to give it her all. She buckled a little at the pull back and responded with giving in a little more strength on her part, starting to really feel the pull at her quads and her upper arms].

Not really! If I did play this when I was younger, trust when I say I did not have the dexterity to make that much of a difference!

[Not like now, where she was starting to see her role did play a big part as they slowly started to get the upper hand].

I can imagine it- I've never seen humans or human adjacent-

[Another slow step forward as her team gains the lead and Puck suddenly adjusts his position. He's trying to dead weight himself, while still pulling back in response.]

As I was saying! [Puck picks up the conversation easily, like he's not trying to multitask] I've never seen young humans or human adjacent beings who are good at this sort of game! I wonder if it's going to be different this time?

Are you actually being real about that? I'm dubious!

[Luz is saying this with all the frivolity she can: she is actually enjoying this all a lot! She is pulling her own weight though, since she knows her team needs her!

Puck, she knew, would find a way].

It takes a good deal of us, and a lot of strength! Young kids aren't bad so long as we have a direction to go!

Doubt all you'd like!

[Puck's tone is equally lighthearted. It's tug of war, not actual combat. At this point, Puck's hair is sweeping the ground with the angle he's at. Another step backwards as he also suddenly tugs on the rope. He can probably game this and use magic to make the rope harder to hold onto, but Puck realizes he's not in the mood to do that. It's more fun to just win via physical strength in this case.] Spoken like an actual young person! You should be a motivational- [Another, harder, pull on the rope as Puck's grip tightens] A motivational speaker!

I will!

[For Luz, she was well aware that any of what he was doing could be used as a distraction, and she had to maintain her steady strength, letting it out a little at a time, combining her strength with her team to keep their end of the rope at play].

I might! One day!

[They were still pretty strong though]!

[It was a fun contrast! Puck's team just seemed to be doing their own thing instead of acting as a fully cohesive unit. At least for another minute before the team as a whole seemed to get themselves together.]

I'll buy a ticket whenever that happens!

[As the force being used to hold the rope shifted, Puck straightened himself back up and adjusted his footing. Digging his heels into the ground, he listened to a few called orders about moving backwards on the count of three and prepared for the next step.]

[ooc- dad jokes on a monday night, aaaay]!

[Luz knew well enough, after her session with Eren, that you had to fully commit to whatever team you were playing, and Luz was more than willing to pace herself so she could be at her most advantageous to her team].

I'll keep that in mind!

[Eep, looks like Puck is digging his heel in. Luz is going to do the same, and grit her teeth, exhaling slowly as she gave a little more for her team, bracing for impact].

[After the signal is given, Puck takes a large step back with the rest of his team. Putting the majority of his strength into pulling on his section of the rope, Puck also is ready to move again if needed].

Please do!

[Luz nodded, but knew better than to say anymore. This was actually going to take an extra bit of strength here, and Luz could see that her team was going to need it. She grunted and pulled with all her might, locked into giving every bit of her resistance, hoping that this would be enough].

[Momentum wasn't working in Puck's team's favor. As everyone took another step backwards, very minimal progress was made.] Are there stones in your shoes? [Puck joked as his grip almost slipped. With a quieter,] Ah! [He quickly grabbed back onto the rope]

Nope! J-just am built that way, and my teammates are awesome!

[Ugh, but this was still challenging though. Luz's whole body felt like it was sweating, and she was doing her best not to grind her teeth].

Steady...STEADY....

I'm sure they're glad to-

["Hear that", was supposed to be the next phrase out of his mouth, but the metaphorical tide changed and Puck suddenly felt himself and the team walking forward. With a surprised yelp, some team members scrambled to try and regain their footing. Puck couldn't help himself and laughed at the turn of events as he gave a pull backwards in a futile attempt to stop their walk to defeat.]

Rrghg-!

[Look, while the talk IS fun, it is also still a competition that is requiring a lot of Luz's strength, and she's putting her back into it! She's taking a few breaths and then giving her all, because it finally looked as if they had the other team on the ropes!

No pun intended].

[They were in fact on the ropes! As the team keeps moving forward in spite of their efforts to reverse that, Puck is quick not to trip over his feet. As his team crosses the marker and loses, he sets the rope down once a whistle is blown to signal the end of the match. Exhaling he laughs and wipes off his face with a provided cloth.] A decent effort!

[Luz gives several more tugs and, finally, her team manages to pull through! There's a cheer, and Luz attempts to cheer with them, even as her palms feel really raw and dry now. She walks over to Puck and hunkers down near him, exhaling].

That-that was intense. I might have overdone it a little there.

[Puck barks a laugh and braces himself before stretching slowly with a wince.] It was! But most good competitions are. The overdoing just added to the fun, really. If you'd actually hurt yourself then it would be a different story.

Oh no! I do that enough at the gym, this was just very bracing!

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe all that exercise made it so this doesn't feel quite as bad! I mean, it hurts, but only a little bit. Like, I'm sore, but I'm not doubled over!

You guys were great competitors though!

A more graceful winner I've never seen. [A bit of a lie, but Luz is being a very good sport about everything. With a final shake of his arms and legs, Puck forces his movements to slow down so the muscles aren't overworked.] I'm not wanting to do that again right this second, but another round later isn't off of the table.

[He gives Luz a pointed look and then straightens up, shoulders back.] As per our deal, you have exactly one day in the life of having a personal assistant.

I'm sure you've seen many in your time!

[Luz had enjoyed this though! She had no idea that she would be able to last for as long as she did, and it had seriously pushed her to her limit! That was kind of its own reward]!

Oh, not away, of course! I think I'll take a few hours to rest, actually. Just so my muscles have a chance to unclench.

[Luz couldn't help but smile]. Oh yeah! Does that mean I also get to choose what you look like?

Maybe, but who's keeping count?

[Puck had also enjoyed himself]!

That could take a while. A heating pad might help with that.

[Puck arched an eyebrow and then grinned] Sure, that's a fair condition. What do you have in mind?

I wouldn't!

[Luz wasn't the type and doubted that Puck was either]!

I'll do that in a few. Gotta go fetch one.

[She thought about this a moment]. Actually, I can sketch her for you. Someone I miss who I haven't nearly got to spend enough time with.

Oh? Fair enough. Consider me very intrigued.

[As the teams spread out to rest after the match, Puck made short work of getting two cups of water. He offered one towards Luz with,] Thirsty?

I wondered if you might be!

[Luz sat on the ground, gazing outward a bit before looking up and seeing the water].

Oh, thanks! It's actually just what I need right now!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

May 2025 TDM

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