buttrinthum | TDM #1

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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.

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[ Camu conveniently leaps out of his home a few feet away from Yamato, who's also trying to ward off his very own snow angel – he's startled by the sudden appearance of This Guy and watches Camu grab a stick. And then he's yelling out something about being the darkness, right in front of this snow angel who seems completely unperturbed. However, the scene is so ridiculous that even the snow angel pursuing Yamato has to stop and observe what's happening. ]

...Uh...

[ It's kind of incredible how this is working out. Yamato's snow angel tilts its head, and Yamato himself can't help but wonder if something Camu said triggered something within it? (No, it is just confused, sorry to say.) So he turns towards it and points at himself, and says with just as much vigor: ]

SAME HERE!

[ Please...he's desperate. Help. ]

[ what he doesn't expect is this stranger to tote along... yet another enemy. somehow this reminds him a lot of their missions. the never ending stream of corrupted, and the thought instantly gets him riled up. he becomes that much more enraged in the heat of smashing his snow angel down with a stick. eventually jumping upwards and also aiming for yamato's— who in its befuddled state goes down quite easily. thanks for the distraction, yamato!

he breaks them down almost with practiced ease, but the stick he carries it likely no real replacement for a greatsword. he isn't sure if that's the reason, but the snow creatures reform themselves rather quickly. which gets a quiet groan from him.

great. ] So where is it!? [ where is your darkness, yamatokun... ]

[ Oh, good, this guy can actually fight. He's not just yelling nonsense, he's potentially saving his live. Yamato's thoroughly impressed, but he doesn't have much time to marvel, because the angels are already starting to reform.

And then Camu actually takes him seriously. Hm, that isn't good. He'll be sorely disappointed when he realizes Yamato does not actually know how to use darkness-based abilities. In fact, he has no abilities at all. He's bullshitting his way through this entire fever dream and he knows it. ]

Where's what? You just said you were the darkness, and I've got a lot of it myself.

[ He pats his chest. He has a tainted heart......... I apologize. ]

Anyway, we should leave. Let's go.

[ well, damn.

there's a part of him that wants to argue back that it wasn't metaphorical, but that wasn't exactly accurate either. while it was a testament to his elemental abilities, he presumes yamato isn't far off in stating there was... more to it than that. respectfully, or not so respectfully actually, he decides not to ponder on it any further, however. instead his brows furrow in mild frustration, before he recalibrates. ] I didn't ask for pretty words.

[ that said, despite how aggressively he speaks, he doesn't seem opposed to offering his assistance. not that he dubs it as that. ] ... and you think they aren't going to chase? Or is that heart of yours supposed to do something? [ but, well...

it was worth an attempt here. it was a waste of stamina at this point, so he gives a curt gesture before he already starts moving away. also moving away from taking any responsibility for any shops they may have disturbed in this process.

but, if yamato notices, his eyes do seem to trace and see if he's following. ]

[ His disappointment actually ignites something within Yamato, like maybe he should do more than just offer pretty words, indeed. He may be a wicked person (or so he thinks), but he's not heartless, and even if it requires having to work hard, he won't leave Camu to handle this alone. ]

They'll probably chase us, but if they're able to reconstruct themselves, isn't it better to just hide?

[ He says this as he follows suit, so yes, he's trailing right behind Camu. As he does this, he looks like he's considering something. His eyes flicker down to his satchel, and then he looks behind him -- the angels seem to have finished rebuilding themselves, unfortunately -- and then back at the satchel.

Then, he takes out the potion. "Drink me", huh. Then, to Camu: ]

Hey, do you know what this does?

[ hiding in theory made complete sense conceptually, but in terms of what camu was accustomed to— that definitely wasn't it. while he considers himself a far cry of a difference between that idiot kamui, he wouldn't state that he was the sort who could soundlessly defeat enemies; his greatsword far too bulky for such covert tasks. that said, camu quite obviously frowns at the suggestion. he's about to interject with his own ideas, but he presumes placing some space while they talk strategy wasn't a bad idea.

it was selfish if he were going to approach this as a solo mission, after all. a thought that doesn't actually permeate his actions, but it was an inkling of an idea that flits across his mind before dissipating entirely when he hears yamato's inquiry.

he readies his makeshift weapon, slipping in front of yamato. ] I hate drinking things I don't know. But, I have a feeling it's connected to our survival. [ it gives him bad memories, kind of like reviewing "skills" with the commandant, but he doesn't say this aloud.

he shakes it off as he just barely evades one of the snow angel's blades and he slams down the stick against its shoulders, knocking its head clean off.

he should mention it gave him a strange ability, but he decides he didn't want to get into that right now. ]

[ The beheading of the angel is startling, but the movement is swift, practiced, and it solidifies Yamato's assumption that Camu has skill in the combat department. He doesn't seem phased by the act at all and instead continues moving forward, just as Camu slips in front of him. Connected to their survival. Sounds about right.

He wonders if the guy drank it, himself. Yamato considers this for a moment, but finds a vacant food stand with some crates and carts they can hide behind. He gestures towards it with his head.

His hand subconsciously moves to his satchel. ]

How about there?

[ there really is no end to them. while fighting and destroying came so natural to him, it didn't mean it wasn't a tiring prospect to slave away with no actual reprise. hence, despite his very unwilling scowl, he does follow where yamato's eyes dart. using quick paced steps to try and outrun how fast the angels seem to rebuild themselves. what he doesn't realize is the snow angels fallen sword, seems to have nicked his forearm while he was attempting to flee.

now that they've ducked behind the carts, he speaks quietly. he isn't sure if he is actually seeking an answer, or just wondering if his present company had any more insight to this. ] So, did you decide to drink it?

[ Yamato doesn't catch the injury on Camu's arm just yet, but he does manage to catch his question in the middle of trying to catch his breath. ]

Yeah. I'm drinking it.

[ He's not sure what this will entail, and a part of him's incredibly nervous to do so, but he takes the bottle out from his satchel and removes the cork. He takes a moment to collect himself, inhales deeply...and chugs the potion down in seconds. He will not listen to any protests Camu might make.

He looks pleasantly surprised at the taste, peeks in the bottle to see if there's any more of it left, but alas. Immediately afterwards, though, his hand rests over his chest. His eyes go wide. Then, he glances over at Camu. ]

...You're injured. [ Yamato quickly surveys him, and he spots the cut on Camu's forearm. ] You know...I think I can fix that.

[ ducking behind the cart proves successful. it isn't that it actually ceases the snow angels' movements, but it's definitely enough to place them into a temporary state of confusion. then again, if they could be thrown off with cringe discussions of darkness...

still, he is kind of surprised when yamato steels himself to drink it. he can see the nerves and maybe a part of him buried deep within him, feels... a little bothered at the prospect of pushing this onto him. it's one thing for him to do it as he was accustomed to it (as much as he despises this truth), but before he could think of any secondary thoughts, or could formulate a good rebuttal, yamato already downs it. ] ...!

[ he opens his mouth to speak, but instead, he's beat to the punch. ]

Don't push yoruself. [ before that can sound too caring, he adds: ] I'm not babysitting you if your powers go awry. [ but, even while saying that, he is kind of curious to see how it affected him, and what he's going to do. was it a power different than his own elemental ability? ]

[ He just laughs, a little dryly. ]

Hey, if I can heal you, shouldn't I be worried about babysitting you?

[ He glances behind them, and the snow angels are still weaving in and out of places, trying to look for them. They've got time. Yamato looks at Camu's injury and extends a hand towards him. ]

Give me your arm.

[ The way he feels is indescribable, and he can't exactly explain how he knows he has the capabilities to fix his arm up. All he knows is that there's something within in him now that's worth trying. ]

You wish. [ he returns yamato's words with a muted huff. whether it's in humor or in pure irony, however, remains unknown. but he doesn't seem all too miffed at the prospect. still, it's good to know he hasn't killed over.

despite the usual arguments he has, in this case, he decides going back and forth about this was a waste of time. almost like habit or clockwork, he simply lifts his arm and moves it towards yamato's extended hands. it isn't the first time he had to place his body in someone's hands. if anything, he's sure this is probably far less invasive than leaving his mind in the hands of someone else.

he discovers an odd sense of comfort in that. though, it remains unvocalized. though, that said, he looks like a petulant child with his brows furrowed as he waits for his treatment. ] To begin with, it's just a scratch. There's no reason to make a big fuss.

Then consider this a way for me to prove that I'll be useful. It'll only benefit you, if this goes well.

[ This is a bold angle to take, but he's betting that logic might work more than the emotional approach with this guy. Yamato holds onto Camu's arm with one hand, and awkwardly lets his other hand over the affected area. It seems like he's discovering how this works for the first time, and letting the newfound power within him guide his movements.

After a moment of trying to figure it all out, he waves his hand over Camu's cut, unperturbed by the man's impatience – and he watches as the cut begin to close up.

He can't help but grin at his own work. ]

Heh, see? I'm not so bad at this.

[ he isn't at all turned off by that boldness. instead, he feels that level of audaciousness was probably fit for the battlefield. but, whether he could deliver or not was an entirely different story altogether. but, it looks like, he isn't met in disappointment in the least.

even as an construct, his body mimicked that of a human quite well, including all the vital fluid that may have been leaking. he isn't sure how evident his not being a human is, but he doesn't seem at all perturbed at the prospect of sharing that with a stranger, nor does it change the fact that his mysterious power seems to work on him in a similar way. ] So it seems.

But, don't get too cocky. [ he says this as he places a hand against yamato's mouth. ] ... I also wouldn't trust just anything next time. [ even if he.... nudged him to do it, but listen!!

there are no guarantees in life. that's all he's saying, but maybe he is a bit grateful. ]

[ The hand on his mouth effectively stuns Yamato into silence for a bit. He's surprised, to say the least, by the gesture, but he makes no move to swat Camu's hand off. He's right. Yamato was pretty reckless about the potion, especially considering he'd been skeptical of it since their arrival.

Still, though, he's acquired something interesting. He wonders how long it'll last, if it will after all of this, and a part of him hopes it does. He has a feeling he'll need it. He smiles a little crookedly before pushing Camu's hand away. ]

Hey, you said it was for survival, and you were right. Now I've got something useful.

[ But before he can say anything else, he can hear something in the near distance get cut in half. Sounds like something sliced through a piece of wood. ]

...They're approaching.

[ hand gestures and using his body to physically accentuate his points... was normal for him. perhaps, a horribly embarrassing hobby, akin to him stating that he was darkness incarnate, but he feels justified since it did seem to silence him well enough. hence, there seems to be a bit of self-satisfied smirk at that. but, it doesn't last long as yamato moves his hand off.

he doesn't resist though, just barely clicking his tongue in mild irritation. ] Of course I'm right. But, it doesn't change the fact that you're reckless. [ but, camu seems to take it as praise at least. but, it's short-lived as he prepares himself once more.

he turns back to yamato: ] You better stay back. I can't protect you if you get in my way.

[ he says before slipping out. once more, ready to fight their present enemies. ]

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TDM #1

snow angels

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