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buttrinthum2023-01-01 04:59 pm
TDM #1
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?
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).
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.
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.
no subject
Shall we start with a long one?
no subject
Alright. [She says it in the sort of tone that seems to imply: ‘you asked for this’]
I live on the bases of a cursed mountain. [The story starts easier than she expected to—and also isn’t the story she’d planned to tell at all. The story came far easier than it normally would have and Yuri pauses for only a brief moment before she continues.]
Long ago it was a sacred place. Women with a certain special ability lived there, and people from all over would travel to see them and die under their gaze. The priestesses could take the pain of someone’s death from them, take on all of their sins and secrets so the person’s soul could move on, clean.
[Her fingers curl and then uncurl against her knees]
One day, a man came to the mountain. He wanted to die, but he was terrified of the priestess being able to know all the bad he’s done. When she lifted her veil, he panicked and ran. When she ran after him, he attacked and killed her.
Knowing that any priestess who saw either of them would know what had happened, he went on a rampage. Her killed as many priestesses he could and gouged their eyes out so they wouldn’t be able to look at him anymore, and threw their bodies into the sacred waters. Then he set himself on fire and died.
A few priestesses were able to escape, but the damage was already done. The place became condemned and cursed. Anyone who wanders onto the mountain could be spirited away and the spirits of the priestesses still wander, trying to continue their duties. By force, if needed.
no subject
humans, the progenitor of all these cursed awful things, of death and disaster and pain, and yet -- there are those who call for them to be protected. but perhaps that's another argument for another day. ]
...Those are powerful spirits, then.
[ he comments after a few moments, looking into the fire thoughtfully. the idea of a mountain rife with cursed spirits and all that energy... ]
How did you come to know about this story?
no subject
Some people didn’t understand, after all. But Hisoka would also say that someone else’s reaction to the truth wasn’t her fault or responsibility, probably, so…]
I live there now. I… help find people lost on the mountain. [Another brief pause, hesitation] My mentor is a descendent of a priestess who survived. And I have their same abilities too.
When I touch a spirit I can re-live their deaths. Everything they felt, thought, saw… Their sins and their secrets, it all transfer to me instead.
[She rolls her shoulders a bit, feeing stiff from how tense she’d been sitting]
I’ve spoken to the priestesses’ spirits and seen what happened.
[Felt her eyes be stabbed and hacked by a fear-crazed fool. Her eyes ache in the memory and she reaches up on hand to rub under one eye, brow briefly furrowed in a wince before she straightens again, watching him carefully for a response]
no subject
How tragic.
[ instead of registering any kind of surprise or disbelief, geto chooses understanding. he is sympathetic, genuinely so -- he might be cruel and ruthless to the humans he uses and discards, but to the ones who possess special abilities, gifted -- well, that's entirely different. more than that, the method of her powers resembles his own, just a little. even then, he can only imagine the horror of reliving their deaths, over and over again. ]
What a heavy burden for you to carry. What do you do with these spirits?
no subject
Usually they move on after and I don't see them again. I'm not sure where the spirits go-- I suppose...whatever counts as 'the other side'-- the afterlife. [Reincarnation, or something?? She doesn't know. Who knows!!]
...Someone has to do it, I suppose. I don't mind. It's what the power is supposed to be used for, after all... [She trails off, smoothing some of her hair back from her face]
Or, it was. I don't seem to be able to do it anymore since coming to this place. I'm not sure what to do with myself now.
no subject
[ geto says at length, after a long pause. she reminds him of himself, a lifetime ago. power is meant to be used for the sake of others, to protect, to make it a better place -- and he holds on to a version of that, just for a different side.
he's quiet for a moment, then asks: ]
Do you find it a relief?