buttrinthum | TDM #1

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!tdm

TDM #1

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: poinsettias and mistletoe. You’ll soon find out that being around the poinsettias give you an odd sense of joy no matter how confusing the situation may seem and the mistletoe, which is left over from the holiday season, gives you the desire to kiss or hold hands with the nearest person to you. 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?

Somnius / Snow Angels

With the influx of new life, the humble town a barkeep tells you is called Somnius seems to come alive as well, with new faces to join that of the resident fairies, goblins and other townfolk. There’s bustling energy to the land that the townfolk will tell you wasn’t quite there before, and some suspect that the presence of the new arrivals might be powering the world around them in some way - but that’s a question to be answered on another day. The quaint town of Somnius needs a little bit of care, that rustic feel to the mushroom houses, old shops and weathered castles too evident at first glance, but it’s not a bad place to live, as the locals will tell you. It almost seems like everything will be okay…

But of course, things are never so simple.

Whether you have been wandering around to get your bearings, talking to the locals or exploring your new humble (very humble) abode, you can expect to find mysterious ice sculptures - fashioned in the shape of snow angels, with blades in their hands - appearing in random places around the town. There are some that manifest in the middle of the street, some that sit quietly at the edge of an inn, and even some that appear right beside your bed, staring at you as you wake up. It’s unclear how these sculptures even got here, but close proximity to them will conjure up feelings of unrest, like you should not step any closer.

It’s smart to trust your gut in these situations. Step too close to a snow angel and it will come to life, moving with the grace of flowing water. They make a vague request and will spare only those able to heed it.

“Cold … so cold … Even the days of Visium are so cold. Have you any warmth to spare us?”

Some angels will accept an article of clothing as warmth. Others are greedy and keep demanding more, wanting to take everything that you have on your body. Heed their requests and they will spare you. Resist even just a little, and that’s when they draw their swords.

It’s not too easy to defeat an angel with brute force given that they reform themselves immediately. Running away or blasting them with fire could do the trick. Be careful not to get cut by their blades, however…

Characters who get cut by their blades will experience an inconsolable sense of chill and emptiness, right down to their bones. They will find themselves desiring ‘warmth’ from others in different ways - whether through physical contact, or affectionate words and gestures. There might be the few who go feverish in their desire for warmth. For those characters – the open fireplace is looking like a very tantalizing place to sit in right now (Yes, sit in, not by). They might even feel compelled to pull a friend in with them. That can’t be good for anyone…

The effects will only subside if the condition of receiving ‘warmth’ is met. This can be in the literal sense (physical warmth and intimacy) or figurative (feelings of love, acceptance and happiness).

Bonfire

When night falls, the temperatures only drop further, which does no favours for the poor souls who had to give up their clothing. The locals want to welcome the new arrivals and give everyone an opportunity to unwind from a busy and chaotic day of being hunted by snow sculptures. That’s why they’ve set up a gathering in the middle of town square. Food and alcohol is being generously supplied by The Cask & Anvil, and marketplace vendors have set up pop up stands to try and cajole the new arrivals into purchasing some fancy new clothes or a pretty gemstone they claim will ward off danger (claims not verified).

At the center of it all is a large bonfire that’s warming up the square. Everyone is encouraged to warm themselves by it after a long day, eat, and make merry. In fact, there’s a certain sense of enchantment to the crackling fire that seems to draw even the shiest wallflower in, pushing them to sit with others and make conversation. As the night goes on, the newly arrived dreamers will find themselves settling easily into the warm and bustling mood, any stresses and anxieties melting away. With time, they’ll start to find themselves without a filter, more than happy to talk about themselves and the life they had led prior to coming to Visium. In fact, they will feel compelled to share a story from their past - one that might be joyous, comedic, thrilling, or tragic. Whatever sorts of feelings come attached to their story, it will be one of emotional significance.

In the back of their minds, they might get the sense someone else is listening.

OOC

Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! 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. Yes, this includes the Labyrinth - though characters will not be able to clear the maze. Please comment here to request an outcome for your character's labyrinth exploration and a moderator will get to you shortly. (The longest a character can stay in the Labyrinth is 3 days.)

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[ The last thing that Akira remembers is the fact he was in the middle of fighting a demon named Sirene and he had almost defeated her, but she had riddled him unconscious. Now he's here.. in some strange dreamland. Once he wakes up, it's just like him to be annoyed at first. ]}

Okay.. what the hell?

_{[ Then, he looks directly at Megumi without answering his question. ]}

WHAT THE HELL?

_{[ Akira has some pants on, but.. that's pretty much it. ]}

[ It's a completely warranted reaction, but he already knows he's going to be dealing with a loud one.

-- Which isn't actually a bad thing. There's definitely some underlying reason Megumi is surrounded by energetic people back home despite complaining about them so often. That reason being -- he's fond of them. ]

You're too loud ... [ Where is this guy's shirt? Oh well, he won't question it. ]

If you calm down, we'll figure out what's going on.

I can be as loud as I want!

_{[ So demanding.. instantly, Akira feels a little bit of guilt and rubs the back of his neck. ]}

Sorry.. I just didn’t expect.. whatever this is. You’re right. We can figure it out together.

_{[ He gives Megumi a look over and exhales slowly to calm himself down. Looks like just a regular old dude. Even though Akira knows he can’t transform for some reason, that doesn’t mean he is going to back down from a fight if something comes after them. ]}

Let’s stick together. I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt.

[ Being shouted at is mildly annoying, but Megumi barely reacts, that blank expression on his face unchanging. What he doesn't expect is for the other boy to recognise his behaviour and correct it accordingly, without any prompting. He looks like someone who's generally polite but can lose their temper at times. Megumi doesn't disparage him for that. ]

You should look after yourself first. I'm fine. [ He may be the slimmer one between them both and he probably is weaker in raw physical strength, but he's been in his fair share of fights, and he's quite experienced at this point. He also dislikes being fussed over, even if he also appreciates it.

He doesn't reject the offer to stick together. ]

I'm Fushiguro Megumi. Your name?

I don’t really have to be looked after. I’m tough.

_{[ Implying that he thinks, maybe, Megumi isn’t tough?? What even is tough nowadays? ]}

Fudou Akira.

_{[ He even gets a tip of his head in a slight bow. How polite despite the fact he’s a meathead. ]}

Hey.. I wanna tell you something though! Only because it’s really strange! I had powers before coming here.. but now they are gone. What do you think is going on? Are we kidnapped?

[ Yes, that sure was an implication that Megumi, on the other hand, is apparently not tough. While an annoying implication, he can't deny it either, because without his cursed energy he's really just as strong as anyone else with a lean build. ]

I'm in a similar situation. [ It's too much talking to explain what powers he's lost, and he isn't one to talk about himself. Instead, he moves on. ]

We probably are kidnapped, and they found a way to forge our signatures.

Seems logical.. if how we got kidnapped they were able to de-power us..

_{[ Oh.. this is just starting to make him all angry again! ]}

Look, we gotta get to the bottom of this.. and we can probably do it together. I'm sure we aren't the only people here, so there's probably other people that need to be saved. We shouldn't hesitate in case they are in grave danger.

_{[ Without much given warning, he reaches over and.. puts his arm around Megumi's shoulders. Something about making physical contact was quelling his anxiety about all of this. ]}

Let's do this together, Megumi-ch--

_{[ ah. ]}

Megumi-kun!

[ What he's gathered so far about this other boy is that they are very, very focused on saving others - whether it be Megumi, or others in their predicament. Megumi doesn't hate people like that. He quite likes them, actually, even if they frustrate him at times for various reasons.

There's a nod at that. Obviously, he's not going to spend this time doing nothing. They need to leave, and if he can get to the bottom of things and help everyone else get home, that would be the ideal.

Akira's plopped his hands around him and Megumi tenses briefly. In most situations he would be trying to push the other person off, given his preference for personal space. He doesn't have that urge right now, strangely. With the other boy so close, his gaze is drawn to his lips, and he quickly looks away. ]

I know it's a girl's name, but I'm clearly a boy. [ So he hopes it's an honest mistake there. ]

First, we have to leave this garden.

_{[ Finding solidarity with someone who is close to his age is comforting. Akira would be lying if he said he wasn’t concerned or nervous about what was going on, but having company with this kind of person reminds him of someone else.. someone who is considered his best friend. Speaking of that, he wondered if Ryo was also here somewhere and he hasn’t seen him.

Akira tightens his hold on Megumi’s shoulders and barks some laughter. ]}

Hahaha! Are you sure? Look at those eyes!

_{[ Akira pls. ]}

I’m just messing with you. Though, I wonder why you were given such a girly name!

[ Those eyes, in question, narrow into a sullen sort of look that was just characteristic of the grumpy young man (as Akira will learn). He's never thought any part of him feminine, and while he will claim to not care about appearances, he likes to be perceived as masculine if he can help it. Even if Megumi doesn't appreciate being teased, he also doesn't absolutely hate the treatment. Rather, it's familiar, and reminds him of home. ]

My father didn't bother to find out if I was a girl or boy. [ It's a sore spot for him and he dislikes his given name for that reason. Megumi's quick to move on from the topic, not wanting to continue talking about something he knows will just make him peeved. ]

Did you also get a potion?

_{[ Akira doesn't know what it's like to have a shitty father. Fortunately, his dad was pretty cool.. just.. never around. Miki's dad was the closest thing to a father he ever had. Now, his parents were deceased, so the only thing he had left to do was to protect the Makimura residence. Which.. how was he going to do that while he's here of all places? He's about to open his mouth and talk more about it, but then Megumi changes the subject. Akira slides his arm off of the other boy and cups his own chin, thinking. ]}

Oooh.. like. The vial? Yeah, hold on, man.

_{[ Akira clumsily digs through his satchel and pulls out a blue vial, all liquid still present in it. ]}

Haha, I dunno. Looks kinda weird. Wanna dare me to try it though?

[ So they both have a different sort of potion. That's worth noting. It's likely that both potions do something different. ]

We're too old for games like that. [ Except, they really aren't. Stupid dares are exactly what boys their age do. Megumi just happens to be a 40-year old man disguised as a teenager. ]

And I don't want to be responsible if anything happens to you. I was just curious about what it does ...

[ So if this other boy does decide to drink it? He wants to watch what happens. ]

Uh.. no, we're not. Come on! Dare me! Please! If something happens to me, it won't be your fault. I promise!

Just dare me!

Seriously ...? [ This is so nonsensical. If Akira wants to drink it, he ought to just drink it? Why go through the extra step of wanting to be dared?

Megumi's curious about the potion, and this the most logical way to find out the truth. Is this really fine, though? ]

I -- dare you?

_{[ At that, Akira grins wildly and grabs the vial, sinking his sharp teeth into the cork and popping it off. He spits the cork onto the ground and settles the edge of it on his lips before kicking it back, guzzling it all the way down, strong Adam’s apple bobbling while doing so.

It tastes.. good. INSANELY good. ]}

Whoa.
Holy shit.

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TDM #1

arrival

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