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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.
II. Hark the Angels Swing
His chest ached when he watched Azula and her precious warmth slip away to safety but he forced himself to wait until she was free from the angels wrath before escaping to the skies to look for her. His new blue, eagle like eyes were sharper than humans and it didn't take long for him to find her. He swooped down to join her with a small shiver, which he quickly disguised as a chuckle.]
That was a close one. Are you alright?
no subject
[The response is immediate and harsh. She's uninjured, but apparently the question bothered her anyway.]
I assume there's a reason you care.
no subject
Arrakis casually stretched his wings, lacing his hands behind his head as he calmly answered her.]
Do I need a reason? Maybe I just like helping people.
[Well, he was pretty sure she wouldn't accept that but her answer would give him more insight into who he was dealing with here. Just being around her was helping the biting chill inside him but it wasn't enough. However if he moved too fast she was more likely to reject him completely.]
no subject
How noble of you.
[She's not even bothering to mask the sarcasm.]
Well, you may rest easy, I'm unscathed. Not even a scratch.
no subject
I'm glad.
[There was no sarcasm in his voice. Just sincere relief, whether she chose to believe it or not.]
no subject
I wouldn't think they'd be a threat to you anyway.
[At least, she hasn't seen the snow sculptures flying. She figures their wings are probably ornamental.]
no subject
True but not everyone can fly away.
[Not to mention wings were a lot more taxing then you would think. They used very different muscles and a lot of energy. He was still sore from his short flight here.]
no subject
[She doesn't even sound offended by the notion, she says it the way one might observe the state of the weather.]
no subject
I'm not like that.
[His words stung as soon as he said them. It wasn't a lie but at the same time it wasn't completely true either and Arrakis suddenly grew silent.]
no subject
Everybody's 'like that.' Throwing your life away to protect a stranger makes you a fool.
sorry I'm late
Guess I'm a fool then.
[He had been called worse. Although she wasn't completely wrong and Arrakis had to admit that he wasn't as quick to truly risk his life after he died. His feathers ruffled as the strange chill fed on his memories of that lonely, dark void.]
o7
Mm. Well, if you're so inclined to martyr yourself, I won't stop you.
no subject
You know, it is possible to help others without sacrificing yourself.
[This time around. He banished that thought with a dramatic flourish as he twirled around to face Azula with a defiant smirk, his wings spread wide to further prove his point.]
See? I survived.
[Not completely unscathed and he cleverly hid the small cut on his arm from view. Azula didn't need to know about that.]
no subject
[She smirks.]
Everybody I know who tried to be noble and altruistic has nearly died for it, sooner or later.
no subject
Trust me, I have no intention of dying here.
[Been there, done that, and never want to ever again, thank you very much. He wasn't sure why he was given a second chance, or how it was even possible but he was grateful and he wouldn't be wasting this precious gift anytime soon and his smirk turned mischievous.]
Care to make a wager with me?
no subject
What did you have in mind? If it's a wager about dying, it'll be hard for me to collect when I win.
no subject
You said everyone you know who was noble and altruistic nearly died, so we can use the same guidelines for the bet. If I almost die within the timeline we agree on then you win. However if I survive then I win. The winner owes the other a favor. Sound good?
no subject
[She seems to be taking the idea seriously, at least, even if only as an amusing thought.]
If a major crisis or other danger arises, then I'll agree to your terms. And really, considering how skilled and capable I can be, I suspect you're getting the better end of this arrangement.
no subject
As for the second part, well, he just came from a major crisis, one which cost him his life, and a flicker of unease flashed across his face for a second. Still, he wasn't one to back down and he hid his hesitation behind a confident chuckle.]
That's a bold assumption when we have just met.