buttrinthum | TDM #4

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!tdm

TDM #4

Arrival / Enchanted Garden

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, and it simply gives you a welcoming:

“Welcome to my Labyrinth. Per our agreement, you have consented to live your life here for an undetermined amount of time. In exchange, I will grant you the wish that you desire the most.”

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: honeysuckles & day lilies Time spent too close to the day lily invokes a state of forgetfulnesss. The longer characters stay in the garden, especially if they are close to the day lilies, they will begin to forget important things about themselves. What they forget is up to the player, but longer time spent in the garden can reduce them to a completely amnesic state. Better hurry out and try to find the way out while you can! Honeysuckles will have no effect on characters unless they decide to drink the sap from them. The honeysuckle nectar will give characters a temporary power boost. This applies to characters who have drank their potion or have regained their powers. This might be useful to salvage for later, especially considering the chaos that goes on in Somnius!

It looks like there are plenty of others who are just now waking up from their dream-state as well.. why not go ahead and say hello?

[ The arrival aspect of this prompt is reserved for new characters, but anyone can interact with the garden flowers. The effects will last for a few hours or days. ]

It's Getting Hot in Here

Speaking of chaos, the current state of Somnius is.. not great. It's not by any other means than a natural disaster that is completely a coincidence and not because Dreamers rebelled against the Skeksis and didn't heed to townsfolk warnings, right? Right.

As the weather gets hotter and hotter, the obvious side effects become clear - most notably, the townspeople are closing up shop until the weather settles down. The usual markets don’t open in the wee hours of the morning and even the blacksmith has laid down his hammer during the midpoint of the days, trying to avoid the peak of the warm rush. Anyone trying to speak to the townsfolk about the sudden change in weather will find them oddly standoffish and almost rude - it’s obvious who they’re blaming for their predicament.

Another clearly dissatisfied group of society are the mermaids of Lake Omen, who may be spotted more regularly than usual across the span of the boiling hot heat. While still a rare sight, the warmth of the water encouraged a few more angry and bitter of their kind to poke their heads out and try and find the source of their woes - hand in hand with their usual siren call. It may be possible to have them leave you be if you offer them something a little on the cooler side, but with the weather as it is… It might end up being more of a challenge than anticipated.

The days go by and it doesn’t seem as though the heat is ebbing in the least, the sun blazing in the sky and the shops still kept under tight lock and key. Even some of the town staples - the bakery and the inn - have their doors close to strangers, trying to find some means of keeping cool. As the days go by, characters that have affinity to fire (or any kind of fire power!) may find that their powers are a little… Out of control.

With the sun high in the sky and blazing hot, some fire seems to be going a little haywire across Visium and not acting as it should. Be it burning a little hotter than intended, blazing out of control or simply refusing to work whatsoever, fire powers are acting with a mind of their own. Characters who have fire-related powers, be it their own or through potions, may experience the same hazards, on a scale of disobedience to refusal to work.

Finally, the heat does seem to die down and the townsfolk release themselves from their self-inflicted isolation, but they’re still not completely at ease with the strangers and keep them at an arms length: some things are not easily forgotten, and the damage seems to have been done when it comes to the skeksis. They may speak to characters once the heatwave is over, but will consistently refuse to talk about the Skeksis, the attack or anything to do with the taxes. You had your chance, you blew it.

So Take Off All Your Clothes

Somnius has, from everyone's knowledge, always been nestled around a giant labyrinth built by The Almighty Lord Vaeros, as some townsfolk say. What's so good about a lord who seems to leave a town in shambles and doesn't seem to help? He's sus. Everything about this is sus.

However, one morning during the heatwave, both townsfolk and Dreamers alike will hear a crumble and a crash.. almost as if a wall is broken. The labyrinth has always been indestructible, but as Dreamers investigate, they will find a hole broken through the labyrinth, opening up to a new era. Should you go through the hole, Dreamers will see an area they haven't ever seen before...

Welcome to the New Location: Indigo Sand Grove. As the name implies, the sand here isn't white or.. well.. sandy colored, but instead a beautiful dark blue with the occasional glitter grains. It almost appears black if the scorching sun isn't hitting it just right. Any other foliage or trees seen here will be typical of Earthly tropical beaches with the occasional unidentifiable vegetation. All in all, Indigo Sand Grove and its beaches seem welcoming and not harmful at all. In fact, there are bamboo garden chairs sitting out, enticing people to have a beach party and sun bathe! As soon as characters touch their feet into the indigo sands, their clothing will change into a swimsuit from their home. The swimsuit is for keeps! Enjoy!

The sea is safe to swim in, filled with typical fish that would come from Earth and crystal clear waters. Characters will feel a sense of joy on the beach. It's not a forceful kind of magic, but something about this place really wants you to have a good time, so why not take advantage of that?

I am Gettin So Hot, I Wanna... Hunt Beetles!

CW: bugs, beetle imagery

Along with a swimsuit, characters will find a bamboo net, designed for hunting beetles. You may see that there is a bamboo forest neighboring the sandy beach where characters will find insects to capture with their net. If capturing beetles isn't your forte, maybe just go up to the person you have a close bond with and hit them over the head with your net. The choice is yours.

Among the typical insects, there are three types of horned beetles. Anyone familiar with beetle fighting may see this as an opportunity to find their new pet, but those with money on the mind may find out that the townsfolk will purchase beetles for bonus shards. Here are the types of beetles and their values:

CLICK FOR BEETLES!

Horned Dynastid (Red): 5 bonus shards.

Horned Atlas (Black): 10 bonus shards.

Horned Hercules (Gold): 15 bonus shards.

There will be a ruined down, old sign on the main path in the bamboo forest that lists these types of beetles and their price. Team up together and enter the forest to find a fortune!

Suspicious Message #2

On the morning of the 1st, some dreamers will receive a message from an unknown user.

Who or what has broken your heart before?

They will feel compelled to respond with a truthful answer, as if their brains had gone into a trance, and before they know it, their response will be there for everyone to see. It cannot be deleted or changed. The user will not respond personally, but you get the sense they are definitely reading. Characters who are disinterested in romance can also mention familial or platonic heartbreak. It can also be a devastating event or anything else.

[ This is an additional network option for characters to interact with. Feel free to add a network prompt into any of your top levels. If you do not want to interact with this prompt, simply assume your character did not get the message. All threads are public unless actively privated by characters. We generally encourage threadjacking and engagement, so feel free to mention if threadjacking is fine with you so that others are aware. Note that the NPC will not be actively responding. ]

OOC

Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! All events are game canon. New characters (invited or not) and old characters alike are welcome to play in it. Existing characters can start their own logs or network posts for the event if they wish to.

New and Old characters are welcome to top level on the TDM. Please state in the header if you are a new or old player! Also, new characters may link their top levels under the new character comment so they are easier to find. Thanks for your cooperation!

New 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.

You can find more information about the game here. Any questions regarding the TDM can go under the comment below.

Unique to this TDM, we have a beetle hunting event. Be sure to comment under the RNG Beetle Hunt to see which beetle your character finds in order to exchange later for bonus shards! One RNG per character, please.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1. Suspicious Message

UN: LtTayrey

Nothing. I learned early to guard it carefully. My genemother and the rest of the Carringtons saw to that.

[Did she just write that? Did she just send that? Ari Tayrey is angry with herself. She must be drunker than she thought. Time for damage control.]

Family, right? It's never straightforward for anyone. Being too emotional isn't good for a person anyway.

2. Getting hot in here...

[Tayrey doesn't know if the Skeksis are responsible for the heat. If this were a naturally habitable planet, she'd disbelieve it entirely, but she knows all about terraforming and climate control, and who's to say that bubble universes don't have their own equivalents? It's certainly possible.

Of course, she takes this as a very good reason not to let it affect her at all. That would just be letting them win! So no matter how hot and uncomfortable she's getting, she doesn't complain to anyone. Her only basis for comparison is the time she spent two weeks on a raft on the open sea with a man named Peter Smith. It became absolutely miserable, and every exposed inch of skin got burned - but the two of them had held up alright, not really having any other choice. She does not have good associations with the heat. Give her an ice planet any day!

Nonetheless, she's determined not to show any weakness. Find her on her regular area patrols, wearing her regular uniform despite how unsuited to the weather it is. Her one concession is carrying water with her. That should be enough to hold off heatstroke, right? She'll be fine.]

3. Hunting Beetles

[That Ari Tayrey is a very cautious young woman in some respects is very evident in her behavior when a hole opens in the wall. She does not go through. She waits for the more eager members of the community to do so, and to report back. It's several days before she even thinks about what she wants to do - and her answer is of course the rational one. Make money.

Not, however, at the expense of her dignity. The idea of being forcibly dressed in a skimpy outfit is truly abhorrent to her. It's true that she enjoys swimming, and that she's worn a fairly modest swimsuit before, when she's felt comfortable to do so. Not having the choice, though? That's a flashing double red warning light.

She's nothing if not resourceful, though. Just leaning through the hole doesn't do any harm. Others only seem to go through the transformation when they step on the sand. So here's young Lieutenant Tayrey, laying down planks of wood to get across the beach without touching anything. Stand on one, lay the other in front, move forward, and repeat. This gets her over into the shade of the forest, where she can begin looking for those valuable little beetles - uniform and dignity intact!]

It worked! Have you found many beetles yet?

[ooc: requesting that nobody push her into the sand, please - otherwise open to anything, threadjacking welcome for the text prompt.]

[Rose was sticking to the shade where it at least felt slightly cooler. Not by much but enough to get some relief. She was leaning back against a tree, keeping watchful of the area. Gone is her usual leather armor. In this heat, it would have just slowed her down. So she just had on the shorts and shirt she wore under her armor. She still had her normal boots on though.

[She was keeping an eye out for anything suspicious when a familiar face catches her eye. Her brows frow in concern as she approaches the overly dressed Ari.]

Tayrey? What in Soa's name do you think you're doing going about dressed like that in this heat? It looks like you are being cooked alive.

[Tayrey has a ready smile as she sees Rose approach her. Rose has been filed away in her mind as a sensible, rational sort of person, and so she's pleased to see her.

The concern is entirely unexpected.]

It's my uniform. [As if that's completely self-evident.]

I'm fine. Taking the patrol a little slower, drinking a lot of water. [She gestures towards Rose's outfit.] I'd burn in something like that, anyway. Better for me to keep covered. [She has lost some of the career spacer's sunless pallor, but she's still very cautious.]

[Rose gave a bit of a sigh, like a mother dealing with a child who just did something foolish.]

If you are worried about getting burned, you should have worn something much looser. That way you can trap cooler air between your skin and clothes. Dressed like that. [She gestures to the girl's uniform.] Once that sun hits its peak, you will get heat illness regardless of how much water you have been drinking.

At the very least get in the shade.

Sure. [Another little smile.] As soon as I'm back home I can make the request of our suppliers. Looser uniforms in case we get stuck planetside somewhere with lousy climate control.

[Since it seems that she's taking a patrol break to talk to Rose now though, she does step into the shade. It feels better, instantly.]

You're right, of course. Being out at the hottest time is a bad idea - which is why I'm patrolling now. I'll be safely back indoors before the sun gets too high. As bad as being careless about uniform would be, collapsing mid-patrol isn't any better!

[Rose arches a brow at her.] It's hard to tell if you are being sarcastic or sincere on that.

[She goes back into the shade as well, noting that some of the locals were glaring at them as go by.]

Perhaps you should consider taking a more relaxed approach to your patrols. Some may not take too kindly to someone looking and acting militaristic around them. Especially after what happened.

[She considers not revealing any of her thought process, but decides honesty might be better here. Sarcasm doesn't carry well cross-culturally, after all.] Gently sarcastic? As in, I don't think you're wrong or your idea is bad, but the chance of the Tradelines actually changing uniform policy because one random astrogator has a different idea? Not likely. Uniform hasn't changed much since before my homeworld was settled!

[She doesn't quite know how to politely say that she's not changing fundamental aspects of herself because other people might not like them, though. Tayrey's far from the only person who patrols. It's not some one-woman military parade, it's looking out for dangers, for things that they all, locals and offworlders, might need to be aware of.

Soft and subtle, right? That's what Rose had advised her before.] Thank you for the suggestion. I'll take it under consideration. [She won't. But she says it so very professionally!]

[Rose gave her a look that said she doesn't believe for a bit that Tayrey will even consider anything.]

You know, it's impolite to lie to someone.

[She gave a bit of a sigh.]

How much do you know about swords or any bladed weapon?

[There's a reason she's going into this!]

Yes. It's also impolite to accuse someone of being a liar.

[But she says it lightly. They both know where the other stands, don't they? No need to make a fuss over it. The question makes her smile.]

I know how to use a knife. I'd sooner not; a gun is safer, but I can use one if I need to. I'm also reasonably good with an axe, if that counts. Provided it's a small one.

[She definitely assumes that Rose will know far more than her about bladed weapons, so there's no hint of boasting here, just a dispassionate assessment of her abilities.]

Arilanna Tayrey | Original | Current Character

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