TDM #1

[labyrinmods]

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.

Comments

[shatteredsound]

[ Having just dusted himself off, he can feel his quills bristle a bit, standing more on end when Azula's voice reaches through to him. Welp. So much for discretion. He supposes he has to own up to his little botch. If he can't run...then he'll just need to address it later and figure out a way to get back into the groove. It's not like he forgot! Regarding the human girl with a curious side eye, he keeps his arms crossed. ]

What can I say? I like the sound of my vocals.

[ With that little bit of sass out of the way then...it's about time he got some answers. Or at least, tried to. ]

Do you know where I am?

[itstillhurt]

I know as much as you do.

[She doesn't sound pleased about it.]

Does your satchel contain an obvious trap like mine did?

[shatteredsound]

[ HMMMMM. Keeps his sus detections to himself for the time being. Especially since she brings up the pouch they all received.

Obvious trap? He turns to face her completely. ]

Theee water, the bread, the letter or the inconspicuous bottle of red stuff that's literally baiting you to drink it?

[itstillhurt]

The bottle, though I'm not inclined to trust the provisions, either.

[She opens her own bag to show him an untouched hunk of bread and still-full water, along with her own blue bottle.]

It seems our captors think we're idiots.

[shatteredsound]

[ He whistles when he spots her blue bottle. ]

Hey, you got a different shade of bottle.

[ "It seems our captors think we're idiots." ]

The way I see it, unless they're thinking of poisoning us, we got a 2 outta 3 shot at this stuff being good for ya.

[ Case and point? Sonic's going to be the one who whips out the hunk of bread, giving it a onceover as he spins the piece in his hand (y'know. for show) before taking a big ol' bite out of it. Chew. Chew. And one mouthful "Huh" later before swallowing, ]

Surprised it doesn't taste stale.

[ He might as well have gotten it over with. Someone was gonna have to try these things eventually! ]

[itstillhurt]

I'll withhold judgement until any poisons or drugs have had a chance to enter your system.

[Not that she was entirely sure poison meant for a human would work on a... whatever-he-was.]

Even if the food and drink are safe, I'm still not inclined to trust these. We don't even know what they are.

[shatteredsound]

With expectations like that, I'm almost tempted to kid you and start spasming on the floor.

[ But he won't. 'Cause he's a nice guy like that. But, she does raise a good point. ]

Fair enough there. So what's your next move?

[itstillhurt]

[She raises an eyebrow at that.]

Think you're a good enough actor to fool me, do you?

[It's only a momentary challenge offered before she actually gets back to the important part of what he said.]

This garden was clearly well-tended before the snowfall began. Even if our kidnappers aren't nearby, somebody must live here to take care of it.

[She seems to naturally slip into a voice of command, and a none too gentle one at that- sorry, Sonic, she's clearly in the habit of giving orders.]

Finding shelter and further provisions is the first priority. We can worry about what these ridiculous bottles are after that.

[shatteredsound]

Never know until I try!

[ But, Sonic's not really keen on doing that right now anyway. Not when they have more pressing matters to attend to anyway. And so far? He's not getting any bad vibes off this lady (h o o b o y). At least they have a common goal? That more militant tone she takes when she regards their surroundings makes sense to him anyway. So long as she doesn't go around ordering him? They're in the clear! ... For now. ]

Makes sound enough sense to me. Now it's just a matter of figuring out whose our gardener.

[ Arms crossed, Sonic looks up at Azula when she deems shelter and further provisions be their first priority. And as pretty as everything was here...he didn't need the compulsion to leave to want to get moving. Sooner or later, that labyrinth was gonna get blasted through, and the castle? His first stop once he sets his eyes on it. And also because a certain mun misread and forgot that there's a forest as well to get through first before seeing it. FDSKJH ]

Alright then, I guess for now we're a team. [ ... But not before fixing her with a little smirk and his hands on his hips. ] I'll even let that "head injury" remark of yours slide.

[itstillhurt]

How magnanimous of you.

[Appreciative and gracious, is our Azula. Still, aside from a tendency to talk too much, he wasn't that bad, whatever he was. She'd certainly worked with worse.

Azula, on the other hand, is sometimes guilty of not communicating enough, such as now, when she- without warning- hops up onto the wall of the garden, runs along it, and leaps into the limbs of one of the trees beyond, knocking snow from the tree as she climbs it to get a better look.]

[shatteredsound]

[ Normally? Seeing someone hop up the wall of the garden and run along wouldn't bother him any. Hell, he'd be the first one to do it if it were up to him. He'd have long since raced off by now. But without his powers...and considering his height... ]

Shoot.

[ He calls after Azula in vain, only to shrug and shake his head before jogging around the inner perimeter of the garden, looking for the exit as he tries to keep the girl in his line of sight. The snow is relatively thick, but he's also fairly light! Meaning that he doesn't sink into the snow too badly as he scrambles to get through. Now it's getting chilly around his feet. ]

Hey! Wait up—

[ Aaand said snow Azula knocks from the tree she climbs comes right down on top of Sonic with an unceremonious flop. ]

[itstillhurt]

[The good news is, Azula wastes little time in hopping back down. She's pretty nimble, apparently.

The bad news is, she's utterly indifferent to Sonic's pleas to slow down.]

Keep up.

[That, and a disapproving glance, are all the attention she gives to his plight, not even helping him get the snow off. R u d e, Azula.]

I saw a settlement beyond the forest. It's not too far, as long as there are no threats in our path.

[shatteredsound]

[ He hates this. He hates everything about this. And by "everything", he means the fact that he actually had to utter the words "wait up" to someone else. Note to self? Don't ever say that again. Shaking his head and hopping up and out of the snow, he pats the side of his head to rid himself of whatever snow got in his ears, tilting one way then the next.

"Keep up." ]

And usually that's my line...

[ Mumble pout. Okay. Back to business. ]

If we wanna take the note at face value, they wanna fulfill our wishes, right? Can't really do that if they send trouble our way.

[itstillhurt]

If they're trying to fulfill my wishes, abduction and the removal of my powers wouldn't be involved. I do not want to take the note at face value.

[Without missing a beat, she begins walking out of the garden in the direction of the village she saw, but at least she's not moving as fast. Being nice, or simply moving cautiously and conserving energy? It's difficult to say. The second one. It's the second one.]

[shatteredsound]

So! What kinda powers do you got?

[ His hands go behind his head, leisurely strolling along by her side at this stage. He can walk fast at least, despite being shorter. ]

It's not every day you meet humans that have 'em.

[itstillhurt]

[She strongly considers saying nothing- whether because it's not his business or because she's trying to keep a strategic edge.

But, of course, if she doesn't have it, it's not a strategic edge. And she's feeling particularly bitter about it given the temperature.]

I'm a firebender. A prodigy, in fact.

[...Which she apparently expects to mean something to him.]

[shatteredsound]

A firebender? [ For what it's worth? She has his attention. He's always been curious! And it gives them something to discuss as they traverse the forest and prepare to head into the direction of the village. From there, it was a guessing game as to what they would accomplish next. Or if they would even stick together in the first place. Until then, Sonic's gonna give her a chance. ] Like, having the power to control fire?

Pretty sweet if that's the case.

Sonic plz she so doesn't know slang FSGHGDS

[itstillhurt]

[Hm. He was clearly unfamiliar with the concept, but he at least put it together fairly quickly. Minimal credit for a brain, anyway.

Though the last statement... throws her.]

Sweet?

[Listen, she doesn't associate the word with many things about herself. It's a word for softness and sentimentality, not... well. Firebending.]

In what regard?

Oh this is gonna be fun™

[shatteredsound]

Y'know, like, "Cool"? As in, "The power to control fire is pretty sweet!"?

... awesome?

[itstillhurt]

[... You're only making her more annoyed now.]

Awe is the correct response. Sweet is not. I would strongly advise you not underestimate me.

[shatteredsound]

[ It's like Blaze but bad. fadskjh ]

Where in my 'sweet' descriptor did I downplay the whole firebending thing?

Sonic has done nothing to deserve Azula. But really, who has?

[itstillhurt]

Sweet things are soft. Cute. Harmless. Baby turtleducks are sweet. Affectionate gestures are sweet. Firebending is the deadliest and most powerful of the bending arts.

[Okay. A little intense there, and even she realizes it. Her posture loosens, and her face shifts- with almost disturbing ease- back into a neutral-bordering-on-smug smirk.]

So you can probably understand my confusion.

And this is exactly why I can't wait for future headbuttings

[shatteredsound]

[ Aaand suddenly he's starting to think that some people might be better off getting eased back into their powers! He has no idea what this lady is like with her skills on hand, but. Hey. She's getting the benefit of the doubt.

...

A very, very thinly written benefit of the doubt. He ain't forgetting that twist and shift in demeanour. ]

Whaddya know; you learn something new every day, [ Uhm. Huh. Actually, he doesn't have a name for her besides...fire lady? ] come to think of it, I didn't get your name.

[itstillhurt]

[Well, he didn't seem intimidated, exactly, but he backed off, which would do for starters. Fine. Introductions, then.]

You may call me Azula.

[shatteredsound]

And you can call me Sonic. [ A beat. Here it comes. ] Sonic the Hedgehog.