buttrinthum | TDM #4

Entry tags:

!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

Nobunaga, fortunately for him, is not in a speedo. Nor is he in his usual armor, so there's a bit of a brief wince. "Tayrey might freak again..." He hopes not, because he did get her to try the onsen earlier.

There's a small leer at the speedo, before Nobuanga shakes his head and glances down at the Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Nope. It's weird. And Maximilien would hate it, so Nobunaga kind of feels against it, on principle that it's hard to maintain evil overlord vibes in it. But whatever. Honeymoon?

"What do they usually do in movies? The last time I was on the beach, I dug a trench with Bastion to check the sand and soil composition, and for practice, and because I was going to dig with Amaterasu," yes, the sun goddess / wolf. "And I made a bunch of sand castles for oni smash." Of course he did. Nobunaga is basically a five year old.

Klaus looks over at the outfit, smiling a little. "You look like you belong on the Serena Eterna." It's funny. "But yeah. I guess it's best if she doesn't come out. Thoooough...maybe she would freak out less if she thought of it as part of her contract with...whoever?"

They can feel eyes on them and giggle slightly. They're not really bothered because it's just a place helping you to have the proper attire for the beach, right?

Klaus lets Nobunaga finish before answering his question. "Usually swimming and building sand castles annnd burying each other. Sun tanning? Things like that." He glances over. "Wanna try the water?"

"Maybe?" He thinks about that and shakes his head, "No, if there's not a specific clause, she wouldn't." But he's not too worried, she'll figure something out. This is why he trust her the person, not her obligations.

And a giant grin back at Klaus' giggle.

Building sand castles seems a good standard. He glances at the ocean, the waves. It should be safer than the lake, at any rate. He nods, "Kappa don't like salt ocean waters, so it should be safe from them. And it should be a good chance to practice your power." Because that's what you wanted Klaus, right?

There's a shrug. It seems like something that is like the least concerning, but then they have different priorities. It doesn't super matter because they can just warn her not to come to the beach. "Maybe text her and tell her the beach will change her clothes, then, so she doesn't show up." That should work.

Klaus hadn't even thought about the water powers. "Uhhhh...I mean, I hadn't really thought about it?" They look a little embarrassed at that, a little sheepish. "I was just thinking about swimming and maybe floating in the water. Mostly just fun."

"Okay," a small frown as he texts her. "She needs to get stronger. This sort of thing is a liability, but I don't know how to do it."

And a small laugh, the frown dissipating instantly. "I'll practice with you. Don't look so guilty, it's not that big a deal."

"I am not really the one to like...help with that. I always say the wrong thing or what I'm saying is taken wrong, so I hope you figure it out." Cause they've got nothing.

Klaus moves to rest his chin on Nobunaga's shoulder for a moment. "Can we still do the fun part, too? This is basically like the only 'honeymoon' activity that is not in our..." There's a pause. "Well, I was gonna say bedroom, but we have not kept it to the bedroom."

"You're not alone in that," quietly. "She doesn't always know what I mean either, very often not! But I have just enough read on her from cheating with knowing Hideyoshi so well, that I can usually realize whatever goes wrong and tweak it. And a standing order to ask me what I mean when she doesn't know, and a promise that I'll never think less of her for asking. I wonder if I can extend that to everyone, but I doubt it."

He leans his head against Klaus' and pets their hair, with a small laugh. "I'll do whatever you want, Babe. Always. And we never do keep it very tame, do we?" An evil chuckle! "Can I send her a picture of you in this? A picture is worth 1000 words."

Klaus shrugs. "None of my siblings are really like Tayrey. We're a lot too fucked up for that." A beat. "But I don't want people to judge them for that either." There's another shrug at the question. "I don't know? I mean, you could probably tell people that they can ask you what you mean. Some people will probably ask you anyway."

They let out a soft, contented sigh at the feeling of being pet. It's nice. They understand why Nobunaga always wants them to do the same. "We're not very good at tame, no." There's a laugh. "But help me make a sand castle and I might even let you bury me under the sand for fun." A beat. "But like with my head out obviously. You can even give me fake sand boobs. It'll be funny." As for the question about the picture. "Well, yeah. Why not?"

"It is curious to think Hideyoshi is less 'fucked up' than others. Quite a bit of perspective I suppose." Nobunaga muses out loud, the train of thought going from Ari to Hideyoshi to them being less fucked up, even though Nobunaga will worry indefinitely that he fucked up both Tayrey & Hideyoshi, even if they would both insist he absolutely didn't, and they're much worse without him.

As for people asking what he means: "Some do. It's why I like to make up for the lack of reputation wherever I go. It's easier to tell who's fearless that way." Bwahahaha. "Though it always gets tricky with the Demon King thing, people will know to ask, but some of them don't understand when I explain it, and I can't tell if my explanation is off or not."

His eyebrows raise about the burying in sand and fake boobs, but he's already into this idea and nods! "So be it." The BEST and biggest fakest sand boobs! And a picture of that too! He takes a picture to send to Tayrey, and later after Klaus is up to his neck in sand, "She says to thank you, so I shall as well. I wouldn't have thought to warn her like this, but it's a good idea. Though I hope she gets over her fear."

"He's just a bit of a worrywart and very serious about some things. It's not the worst, but then...I didn't grow up with him, so I can't say." They met him only that once and very briefly. Everyone else was pretty brief, too. It was nice, though, to see them even for those few moments.

"You know, you don't have to make up for the lack of reputation. You can just like...be you." Not that he minds, but he's just saying. "Some worlds are different. You could always give them some details and ask if there's anything like that in their world that could maybe give you a way to explain easier?"

Klaus glances up at the mention of a 'thank you'. "Yeah. It's better she know and choose if that's what she wants to experience than not. Then she just wanders onto the beach and boom." It's weird to be buried in the sand, but such is life. At least they don't have to really move or do anything.

Nobunaga just.... head tilts... and chuckles. "I didn't grow up with Hideyoshi either. Actually, when we first met, he was rather the opposite of Tayrey, now that I think of it. Though you're right, if he grew up with you and your siblings, I'm not sure either he or Tayrey would have come out so well adjusted."

A quiet happy hum as Nobunaga loving crafts Klaus a fake pair of sand breasts. "You're better with her than either of you give yourselves credit for." Maybe just because Klaus wanted to be. But it meant a lot to Nobunaga. More than he was expressing. "Hideyoshi doesn't always make good first impressions on everyone. Some people he does though. Mitsunari. Some soldiers. But much like Tayrey, he's more likely to attack first and ask questions to reanalyze the situation months later, and only if ordered."

"Oh. Hm." Klaus doesn't always remember all the details, but still...it's one of those things, right? Hideyoshi did end up with Nobunaga all the same, which is why he was the way he was in some respect. "No one could have come out of living with my dad the same as they would anywhere else." They don't make the rules, they just...know them.

They blink a little. "I'm not really sure that's true. I mean, she always gets angry about something and then we get in a fight and it's frustrating." Though, to be fair, they haven't gotten in a fight here. Probably because Klaus just refuses to say things they know will upset her even if it is, in a way, refusing to make her see something as not being the way things probably are. Like how if you can't remember a wish and a contract you made, there might be things you wouldn't normally agree to. Just because she feels like she can choose what she wouldn't agree to doesn't mean she hasn't agreed to things like that.

It's just one of those things. "That's a kind of dumb way to go about things. I mean, it's fine if you want to alienate everyone, but..."

Nobunaga nods about Reginald, slowly. And has a weird moment of wondering the same about himself. But it's not like he fucked up Oichi more than everything else, right? It was just the circumstances of birth, something he was fighting against even now.

A quiet hum as Klaus gets an inward sort of expression Nobunaga recognizes well to mean that Klaus is trying to think how the right things to say and do, given the situations he's been through before, and foresees happening again in the future, and what is the correct way to play out the go pieces of life. So Nobunaga just nips their earlobe to draw Klaus' attention back to the current moment and Nobunaga himself.

"They don't want to, but they are--" Scared. Scared? Not the best word for either horse or monkey. "Always themselves, no matter where they are." He nods solemnly. "I've discussed this with her too. That such a stubborn refusal to adapt to new circumstances, in order to cling to her identity can be an easily exploited weakness, but--" Nobunaga closes the red eyes. How much CAN Tayrey change? How much is worth it too? The stubbornness might make her hard enough to crack, but it also had some diamond strength and durability that helped her recover where she thought she couldn't. "I am unclear how much right I have as a commander or friend to do anything about it. And I do not want to make things worse."

A sigh. "Hideyoshi is very... tricky." His tricky monkey. "I can push him more than Tayrey, but he just doesn't get it sometimes. He's not as smart as her. She's a genius. Mitushide too. But she is like a horse. Push too much, she'll bolt. Still, she was the one who decided to go to the bathhouse with you and me, even after stubbornly insisting she would not. And with karaoke, she defeated me in it, but still did the songs afterward. Like a horse," another nod. "Sometimes horses won't drink new water, because it could be poisonous, or there could be snakes or kappa." There are no kappa, and horses don't fear that. "So you have to show them it's safe. A very smart horse you never have to truly train, just like hawks. Just given them a place for respite, and they will be free to do as they do best."

There's a light noise of surprise at the feeling of teeth on his earlobe when he wasn't expecting it. This was serious conversation territory. Not sexual territory.

They look at Nobunaga quietly for a moment, letting out a sigh. "She's just..." Just...well, Klaus can't really explain it. "I guess she is still holding herself to Tradeline values, which isn't really compatible all the time to other things." And he also knows that she struggles with unfavorable contracts and not being able to negotiate for herself. Things that really...don't bother Klaus. They're far too easy and able to go with the flow to really not...be okay in pretty much any situation. Except war.

"I dunno. I'll leave that to you. Cause like...you're the better of the two of us for it. I'm better at like...I dunno. Whatever, I guess." Which is not clear and is mostly cause Klaus can't come up with something they're good at. Won't come up with it because...well, they've already been over this before.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TDM #4

Beach

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject