buttrinthum | 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

"In my universe, yes." She wonders what it's like in his.

Misa takes his hand and gently pulls him to his feet. "The Clinic is not far from here. I can get you cooled and fluids while there." She shakes her head. "There's no reason to be in this heat." Unless you're Kicee who is sunbathing on the roof of their home.

"Now come. My name is Misa."

Allowing himself to be hauled up, he steadies himself, resting a hand against the wall behind him. Maybe the heat is getting to him more than he thought it was, but he manages to remain upright as she introduces herself, offers her a crooked half-smile and his own name in response. "Maccready, and uh, hey, thanks for this, really."

Falling into step beside her, he hopes this clinic really is close by. "You'll have to let me pay you back somehow." Y'know, when he's less on the verge of falling over his own feet.

She smiles. "It's nice to meet you, Maccready." She stumbles over his name, it being a little strange on her tongue. "And you are quite welcome."

A half block later and they are in the cool interior of the clinic. She motions to a cot. "Sit, please. I'll fetch ice packs and some water."

Once she's sure he can sit without falling, she fetches a large pitcher of water with a glass, and then comes back with ice packs. "Here, place these on your lower back. It'll help bring your core temperature down."

She sits across from him. "As for paying me back, do not be ridiculous. I am a healer and it is my duty to help those in need." she cocks her head to the side. "I assume you are new here?" She asks. "And sip the water slowly. It will also help cool your core."

The change in his demeanour is almost immediate as they enter the clinic, rolling his shoulders and breathing out a sigh of relief. He sits, as instructed, glancing around as he does, taking in the surroundings. He supposes he should stop being so surprised at the cleanliness of everything he's encountered here thus far. It'll take some getting used to, but he's beginning to understand a certain someone's soap collecting habit.

"Thanks," he falters slightly, hand half risen to his face, but if the lady says lower back then who is he to argue. "Well, medical care where I'm from usually comes with an upfront cost." Gulping at the water, feeling much like a child caught doing something they shouldn't, he tries to slow down. "And, I uh, I don't like being in debt to people, y'know." Easy to use favours against people that way.

"That's right, arrived in a garden, I guess it was a few days ago?" He's already lost track of time. Not good.

She gets him a damp cloth for his face. "For your face," she says, sitting back down.

"You are not in debt to me." She says, gently. "Again, where I am from, while some are charged, my particular... sect does not. We help because, by our honor, we are charged with helping those in need." She cannot accept payment for it. "We need to keep the galaxy in balance, and that means helping where I possibly can. Had I my powers, it would be much easier." She misses having the Force.

Helping those in need. She sounds not unlike the vault dweller, like Preston, too. He supposes it doesn't matter where you end up, there'll still be people trying to do good no matter what the world throws at them. That's some kind of comfort.

"You're not worried about people taking advantage of your kindness?" He asks, quiet as he begins to dab at his face with the cloth, cool to the touch, wiping away sweat and grime and whatever else lingers on his skin. "Don't get me wrong, I think it's admirable, but…"

Well, people can be real assholes in his experience. He's probably one of them, in some people's books. More than some, he'd wager.

"I determine how much to give. If they gain advantage, so be it. But mostly, it all evens out." She shrugs a little, then brings him another washcloth. "Put that one on the back of your neck. It'll help."

She settles down again. "Admirable but gullible?" She asks, amused. "I have been called worse." She admits.

"Oh, no, no." Sitting up straighter, he takes the other wash cloth, shaking his head. "I didn't say gullible." A pause, a small huff. "Sorry, I guess it did kinda sound like that, huh? I just meant that, uh, it's like, you choose to help even though you know that's a possibility and, uh—"

Yeah, he's not making this any better, is he? In lieu of running his mouth some more, he sips at the water, pats the cool cloth against his skin. Could he blame the heat, for his lack of tact?

"It's just, not a lot of people would do what you do where I'm from. Especially for nothing in return… they'd sooner leave you dying in a ditch."

She smiles a little, like she knows things he doesn't. She does, but that's okay.

"Some are like that from my galaxy as well." She confirms. "There are times when they would step over you to get to something they wish. Just, I was raised differently." She shakes her head. "Many believe us magicians who can fix everything, but we Jedi are merely denizens of the galaxy and trying to make it a better place."

"Yeah…" he says it quietly, absent-mindedly almost. He doesn't know what a Jedi is, to him, it could merely be a religious group; like those Children of Atom, but he understands what she's saying, about being expected to fix things. Not that it's been expected of him, not in a long time, but he's seen people run themselves ragged trying to meet those expectations.

"You do one good deed, and people kind of come to rely on you. Then, they don't like it when it turns out you can't fix everything."

She cocks her head, able to read body language well. She wonders what's on the man's mind. She must have said something to trigger, probably a memory, but something that made him quiet for a moment.

"It's more, for us at least, some people come to expect you to fix all their problems, when really, we are there to help but not make a utopia." She shrugs. It's something she's had to realize. Offer help. To a point, but then allow some things to take their natural course.

Glancing up towards her, head dipping in a sort of half-nod. "Right. I know a couple of groups like that, though, I think they all sort of have their own idea of what help means." The Brotherhood and the Railroad, their ideas would be at odds with one another. Both think they're doing the right thing, granted Maccready wouldn't throw in his lot behind either one of them if he could help it, that's for certain. One more than the other, maybe. He wonders where this Jedi group would fall between the two.

"I think… some people maybe are just scared, want the guidance." At least, that's been his assumption with some of the people he's seen Preston help. Some of them could definitely deal with their own problems if they even bothered to try.

"That's usually the case." Misa agrees, serenely. She's very calm, for someone that is without her abilities and stuck in this oppressive heat. "But do have someone else just fix your problems? That won't solve them. We Jedi attempt to teach people how to handle their own problems, while keeping the larger threats at bay." She smiles a bit sadly. "It doesn't always work, of course."

TDM #4

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