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buttrinthum2023-06-30 11:42 am
TDM #4
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. ]
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.
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?
CW: bugs, beetle imageryAlong 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!
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. ]
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.
2
It's just as she's turning a corner that she hears a bit of commotion, and sees someone trying to put out a fire on a nearby tree. With a gasp she hurries over, even though she doesn't have much aside from a bottle of water. ]
Here...! [ Uncapping the bottle, she splashes it onto the burning wood to try and put out the fire. ]
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Ha. I think we've got it.
[Relief. His shoulders slump.] Thank you. That could have been very unfortunate.
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[ She breathes out a relieved sigh of her own before offering a smile. ] You're welcome. It's lucky we were able to catch it before the fire got too big.
[ Though she can't help taking a moment to examine the charred tree trunk. Poor thing. ]
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[He agrees before glancing down at his hands and frowning.]
I am not entirely certain how that happened. Whatever magic that potion instilled in me, it is very different than the magic I am used to wielding.
[If he sounds a little grumpy about that it's because he is intensely grumpy about it. He has studied years and years to hone his magical ability and now it's been taken from him. Wizards who are not allowed to wizard are a bit like housecats who have been told there will be no wet food any longer.]
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You too? Yeah, the magic here is really different than the magic back where I come from. What potion did you drink?
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I would like to hear about how magic is where you are from, if you do not mind speaking of it.
[Because he's nosy and talking magic is something he likes generally anyway.]
A red one. It has given me this... [He holds up his hand and what he intends to be a small fire springs up -- though it's much larger than intended and Caleb leans back before his eyebrows are singed off.] ...it's finnicky.
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[ Hope you don't mind hearing a lot about plant magic, Caleb. ]
Oh, you got the elemental one. [ She's not jealous, of course not. ] I can imagine it'd take a bit of getting used to. Even the healing magic I got is taking a while to figure out.
[ Though that might be due more to the fact that she doesn't use it a lot. ]
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Healing magic would be very new for me. It is not something Wizards typically can access. That is more the realm of clerics and druids.
[He will happily listen all about plant magic.]
Ah. I'm being rude. [He does that.] I'm Caleb Widogast. Thank you again for the help with the tree. I hope that was not all your water. It is... extremely hot out here.
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[ She wasn't entirely sure how to explain it before, but that was it exactly. ]
So where you come from, there are different kinds of magic users? [ It almost makes her think of the different magic tracks in a way, at least before things started changing at the Boiling Isles. ]
Oh, it's nice to meet you, Caleb. I'm Willow Park. I'm happy to help out. And no worries, I have more water. [ Speaking of water, though, she does retrieve another bottle from her bag and holds it out to him. ] Which you should probably have some too.
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[He offers a smile, a small but genuine thing.] It's nice to meet you as well, Willow.
[Caleb hesitates for a moment, but honestly, he is very thirsty so he will take the bottle and a sip before handing it back.] You're kind. Thank you.
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[ So yeah, it sounds pretty gross. ]
You're welcome. [ She holds a hand out, though, motioning for him to keep the bottle. ] I'm still getting used to a lot of this place too, but I know it really does help having a bit of help.
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[Caleb echoes this, nodding. That certainly is different. And yup, sounds pretty gross, but also fascinating.]
That is very interesting as well. So are you a witch then?
[A pause and he tilts his head to the side.] Or a deceptively cute demon?
[He's aware infernal creatures can look like many different things.]
It does, yes. I think that holds true for most places. And the locals are not exactly the most welcoming. Thank you, again.
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She laughs a little, trying not to appear too sheepish. ] Thanks, but demons are a bit more noticeable where I'm from. Though there are some witches that have demonic traits. But one thing all witches have are pointed ears. [ She cups her hands behind her ears so he can better see their tips. ]
Yeah, there was kind of a thing that happened recently, and now the townsfolk are a bit mad at us. Sorry you ended up coming in the middle of all of it.
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[Caleb leans closer. Yes, those are pointed ears.] Many peoples have pointed ears where I am from. Elves, halflings, tieflings, gnomes, among others.
[His own ears are the rounded human sort.]
Is that so? Well, that would explain the hostility. But I will manage. Strangely this is not my first time being kidnapped to a strange new world.
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[ And even then, some people might not always be able to tell. ]
Really? This is my first time getting kidnapped into one, but it's technically not the first time I've been in a different world. [ Although the human world she'd been in was connected to the demon realm that was her home. ] What was the other world where you were before like?
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You've traveled to other planes then? That is no simple feat where I am from.
[But right yes. The other world he was in.] It was ruled over by a frighteningly powerful being who called herself Thirteen. Or the Fox. And we were snatched from our homes with promises of realizing our full potential -- whatever that meant. It was not always a bad place, though the Fox was certainly using us as pawns or toys. Or perhaps livestock.
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I mean, technically? It was just to the Human World, which is connected to the Demon Realm. So it might not really be the same as coming to a place like this.
[ She can't help wincing just a bit, hearing this Fox had been using them like toys, and it immediately makes her heart ache a bit. ] That...doesn't sound great.