songerein | { stroke of midnight }

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{ stroke of midnight }

STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

Although the Masquerade is being held on the night of the Fourteenth, some new problems arise in the days after. This log is split into two sections, the Masquerade and Around Town. Everyone is free to participate in either or both, whichever catches your interest.

More details on everything can be found here and here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here with arrival details here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in February and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of February 14 through 28. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count February as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open Wednesday, February 22nd and Applications will open on March 1. Our next cycle after won't be until JULY.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view, updated 02/22)

Avatar: The Legend of Korra - Korra
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Iroh
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Miriam
Chainsaw Man - Power
Dr. STONE - Dr. Senku Ishigami
Elsworld - Noah Ebalon (Nyx Pieta)
Final Fantasy VII - Cloud Strife
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - Zack Fair
Final Fantasy XIV - Erichthonios
Final Fantasy XV - Noctis Lucis Caelum
Final Fantasy XV - Prompto Argentum
Genshin Impact - Shikanoin Heizou
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist - Solanaceae
Katekyou Hitman Reborn - Hayato Gokudera
Kingdom Hearts - Ienzo
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Link
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Sheik
Marvel Cinematic Universe - Kate Bishop
NieR: Automata - 9S
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Jason Grace
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Nico di Angelo
Persona 3: FES - Shinjiro Aragaki
SinoAlice - Sleeping Beauty
Tales of Arise - Shionne Vymer Imeris Daymore
Tales of Symphonia - Kratos Aurion
Tales of Symphonia - Martel Yggdrasil
Tales of Zestiria - Mikleo
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Sena
Your Wings and Mine - Shealtiel

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. MASQUERADE

It's time for the masquerade and the carriages will start arriving before sunset. Upon arrival, everyone who leaves the carriage (or mercilessly spat out if they try to resist) will be greeted by fairy godmothers with an eye for the most dramatic and extravagant fashion. It's a masquerade, after all! For those who already arrive with their outfits, the fairy godmothers may add a little embellishment here and or just change it completely if they think it could look better. For those who did not, they will create a whole new outfit that would fit the wearer perfectly—with magic of course. They will also create the masks and half of the glass slipper brooch that everyone will wear. The masks are enchanted so that regardless of obvious personality or physical traits, they are somehow unrecognizable at first. While it is possible to figure it out through interaction, or if it's someone they already know well, it's more likely they need to reveal their identity first. These outfits can be kept even after the masquerade is over.

A. Get in the Carriage. As the pegasus drawn carriages begin to arrive to transport those who have decided to attend the masquerade, there is some commotion from others. The pair of coach mice—who are only about four feet tall—can be found smiling and cheerily squeaking about the masquerade as they grab and literally throw protesting individuals into the carriage, whereupon the door will immediately shut behind them. Ho ho ho, it'll be such a grand time! Will anyone try to help the poor soul? Or perhaps help the mice? Maybe you're a struggling victim instead. Should anyone want to try and drive the carriage, they might have a chance…but good luck having the pegasi listen to them. Eventually the carriage will land and take them to the front of the castle where the masquerade is hosted.

B. Half of a Pair. Near the entrance, everyone is encouraged to pull out one or more of the shoe brooches contained in a large bowl. The rules are simple: 1) use the brooch to lead them to the person wearing the other half; 2) spend whatever time or activity with them, be it general socializing, a dance, a walk in the gardens; 3) keep the brooch or return it to a designated "Used" bowl. The brooches will absorb whatever kind of dreamotion energy is formed between the two, and the stronger it is, the brighter (if positive) or darker (if negative) it will glow. The interaction can be romantic, platonic, or hostile. For those who do happen to "click" and wish for some privacy, there are numerous terraces and balconies available. Some are public, but there are quite a few with curtains, so be sure to close them to signal the balcony is occupied!

C. Dancing in the Air. The main draw will be the dance floor, and the ballroom is wide and spacious to accommodate numerous pairs to dance to their hearts' content—the music is played by enchanted instruments so they'll keep going without much of a break! Of course, what makes this dance floor truly special is how it uses dreamotion energy to lift everyone up—literally. Pairs who are having a fun time may find themselves floating up and dancing in the air instead of on the ground. Somehow they can maintain some balance…but it's just as easy to lose it.

D. Royal Banquet. There are numerous tables one can use and be served an assortment of foods. In fact, one could make special requests and somehow the dragons serving will be able to make it, or at least as close as possible. One just has to imprint the idea of the dish onto a special card that the chefs will use to recreate it. There are also two bowls filled with special tear drop chocolates, one with only white, pink, and red, and the other filled with the other colors. The "game" is to randomly choose one from each bowl and share a kiss depending on what is picked.

E. Out in the Gardens. Every castle has extravagant gardens, and this one is no different. Filled with numerous pink, red, and white flowers, the gardens have their typical fare…with not so typical effects.

Extravagant mazes that one could easily get lost in are common, but what's special about these gardens is that the flowers will emit a soft, sweet scent that will feel as if they are walking through a dream. In fact, the section they are going through will begin to change to look like a place from their world and must now find their way out. When this change happens, only those who are in the area will be affected and no one else can enter the area until the main person affected gets out. Those inside can help, and there are no threats—it's all in simple fun…unless the place evokes certain memories and emotions for the person. Might not be as fun for them, then.
A crystal greenhouse where the temperature is perfectly warm (or cold!) and houses various different flowers. Here some may recognize flowers from their world, the scents also creating nostalgia. There are instructions left that indicate anyone can try to help grow the flowers. The key ingredient will be dreamotion energy, and should they succeed in creating a blossom, a small marble containing a symbol of their home. There are also special daisies that can be used to play the "they love me they love me not" game. If the last petal is "they love me," then become extra flirty and clingy. If it's "love me not," they become angry, jealous, and possessive. The effects only last for a short time…unless they keep plucking flowers.
The white fountain in the center of the gardens will have a bit of a musical playful side. It will splash colorful water at any who pass by, chime-like notes playing out as it does. But if one were to drop a flower that has absorbed positive dreamotion into its water, it will calm and let people sit to look and relax. There is also a strange frog wearing a crown that claims to be a prince. For those who believe its words that a kiss will free him from the curse, they will be sorely disappointed as nothing happens and the frog just laughs and hops away.

II. AROUND TOWN

A. Mask Up. Attracted by the masquerade, some enchanted masks have found their way to town and are now finding their way onto people, be it by tricking their victims to be put on or just forcibly latching themselves on. Depending on the type of mask, the wearer will behave based on a festive, dramatic emotion. While wearing the mask, the dreamotion that is projected is stronger. Examples are angry emotions will cause tremors and cracks on the ground, happiness could blind people or will cause confetti to fly everywhere, while sad ones will cause clouds and drizzling rain to appear overhead. The only way to remove it is to somehow make the other person feel the opposite of whatever emotion the mask is using. Once the mask’s emotion is countered and stabilized, it could be removed or even fall off if the countering emotion is strong enough. Masks can also be captured and collected before they attach to someone.

B. Special Messages. Throughout the month, valentine's are being delivered to people all over town. Some are even receiving some from the fae and dragons who live outside… Perhaps some caution should be had from those. Regardless, while the messages are brimming with both platonic and romantic (and questionable) love, the messengers are a bit… Well they need help.

Insightful Mockingbirds. Special mockingbirds are flying around and perch on random shoulders. They have the ability to "read" a person's thoughts and repeat them out loud. Without warning. Hope there aren't any secrets because that bird is going to make it public, especially if it's an observation or thought—good or bad—about another person. Good luck shooing it away, too—it'll stick around for a while because it might enjoy sowing this bit of chaos.
Arrow Delivery. The group from last year have decided to use their prank arrows for good and start a business in delivering special Valentine's messages via arrow. A "shot to the heart" in the less literal sense this time! While some of their archers are skilled, others are…less so. Some are hitting a bit too close to comfort or way off the mark. Some messages are going to the wrong person entirely. Help avoid, retrieve, or even deliver these messages around town.

C. Candy Kisses. A special assortment of flat bottomed, tear shaped chocolates are currently selling like hotcakes and can be found practically everywhere. Their main selling point is they come in different colors and each color has a special effect that will make the eater want to kiss the person near them in a certain way (see chart). Some people are deliberately swapping the wrappers around, so be careful!

D. Bleeding Hearts Return. It's Valentine's, yet Cupid is nowhere to be seen. That is because he's still corrupted from last year and now he's thirsting for love, any love. Using the Bleeding Hearts from last year, Cupid is using them to gather all that jealous, possessive love, but of course that's going to make it worse. We're not tackling Cupid here, but the main goal will be helping those who are afflicted by the Bleeding Hearts and purifying them via dreamotion instead of just destroying them. Purifying the Bleeding Hearts with pure love—romantic, platonic, familial, reminders of how they are loved and cared for by others—will help Cupid. Of course this could backfire and make the person feel worse, so be careful!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The wind dies down and Jason bats away the dancing lights. Is that the dream magic he'd been told about? Dreamotion? Gods, that sounds so goofy.]

I don't know. Feel tired at all? Percy and Leo have apparently been here for a while so they must know. We could always bunk with them wherever they've been staying.

[Nico doesn't look thrilled at the idea of bunking with Percy and/or Leo, but he'd rather bunk with them than a stranger.]

I haven't felt tired yet, but that's nothing new. The only time sleep comes easily for me is after using shadow travel.

[Jason resists the urge to laugh at that face. Yeah, he could have guessed Nico wouldn't love that idea.]

Let's save that as a last resort.

No, it's probably best for the four of us to stick together.

[He can handle it. It'll be awkward for Nico, but he's never let that stop him from doing what needs to be done. Well, he didn't want to deal with Cupid, but that's different.]

Just don't expect me to clean up after them.

Edited 2023-02-23 14:39 (UTC)

We should find out where they've been staying first. I don't even know if they've been sticking together – Percy apparently doesn't remember the last year or so.

[He'd get it if Percy maybe wasn't comfortable glueing himself to what'd have been a complete stranger from his point of view. Jason is pretty sympathetic to being the amnesiac amongst people insisting they're friends, for obvious reasons.

But there's no point worrying over all that before actually asking them about it. Jason shrugs.]

Wanna head back inside to look for them, or hang out here a while longer?

Oh, wonderful.

[A Percy he hadn't come out. A Percy who's last memory of him might be accidently selling him out to his father. A Percy who hadn't been through Tartarus.

He shook his head, deciding to think about that later] Don't tell him too much about the future. It's better discovered on his own than told.

I'm good with hanging out here. I'm sure we'll run into them sooner or later.

[No concerns about that. So far he'd stuck to only answering questions he was actually asked, and vaguely at that. Jason nods and gestures further down the path where the path.]

Sure. I saw a hedge maze further in up there, we can check that out for now.

[Everything else has been chill so far, surely the maze will also be uneventful, right?]

[Nico shrugs.]

Sure, sounds fun. Can't be any worse than the Labyrinth.

[DON'T TEMPT FATE NICO]

Knock on wood, dude.

[They're already tempting fate just bringing a Greek to a maze.

It's a bit of a walk, the garden path curving around the sides of the castle through flower patches and decorative shrubbery. Finally, around another bend the tall hedges come looming into view. As they get closer, there's a distinctly sweet smell in the air.]

[Nico lightly knocks on the bench before they walk towards the maze.

It really can't be worse than spending months with Minos.]

Smells better than the Labyrinth.

And I don't hear any monsters stomping around or anything.

[Let's not invoke the Minoraur directly, though. They're tempting fate enough as it is.

Jason gives the path between the tall hedges a skeptical look for a moment before pressing onward. The sweet smell gets thicker, but otherwise it seems like a fairly ordinary hedge maze. Y'know, just one that smells like a garden crossed with a bakery. He's not complaining, at least.]

I've heard something about how you can always solve a maze just by sticking to one of the walls? Or something like that. Never really had to test it before.

[Worst case scenario, he can always just fly straight up out of it.]

I don't, either.

[Nico thinks he's smart enough not to do that.

The bakery smell reminded him of the bakery in Venice he and Bianca used to go to. It was old in the forties. He wonders if it's still there.]

Yeah, I heard something about that too. I think it's your left hand, but I don't see why the right wouldn't work.

[Nico reached up and lightly brushed the bristles of the hedges. Worst-case scenario, he could kill the hedges to get out.]

Yeah, I wonder why people always specify left...

[It's while this clearly very important conversation is distracting them that the scenery begins to change. Subtly at first, the neat garden path giving way to a more naturally rugged grass, tree branches stretching overhead where there hadn't seemed to be any trees from the outside. And then suddenly and most noticeably, the hedges were just gone and they were in a wooded park.]

Dunno. I wonder if it's about 'left' being 'sinister' in Latin.

[He paused when the hedges he was touching became a tree.]

What?

[He looked around, eyes wide.]

Merda.

[He looked at Jason.]

Do you know this place?

[It's Nico's surprise that draws Jason's attentions to their surroundings, and he blinks for a moment before whirling around. No hedges, no gardens, no castle. What the fuck.]

Gods...

[ is nothing easy ]

No, I don't–

[Except as he looks around, something about it does look familiar. Not intimately so, but in a nagging way that has his brows knitting together uncertainly.]

...Maybe? Hold on.

[Frowning, he hurries forward in the direction the trees seem to be thinning out.]

[Nico steps away from the tree and shifts uneasily foot to foot as he watches Jason hurry away.]

Don't go too far!

[He has half a mind to go after Jason.

In the end, he starts after Jason, not wanting to be left behind.]

[It doesn't take long for a large shape up ahead to resolve into a ruin of stone and exposed beams. A wooden fence circles what must have once been a grand property. In the dark – the light of the moon suddenly much dimmer with the sudden appearance of cloud cover – the skeleton of the building has an ominous feeling.

Jason knows this place. Even if he had only vague memories from the first visit, he'd gotten a refresher more recently. He stops, and when he hears Nico coming after him he glances back.]

This is the Wolf House. Where Juno was imprisoned back when everything started.

[He almost thought for a moment that they'd found some way to wake up from dreamland, but the sweet smell still hangs in the air. Jason frowns.]

I don't think this is real, though.

Hazel told me a bit about this place.

[Nico looked around. He had always been curious about the Wolf House, where Lupa assessed the Roman demigods. He had always wanted to see it but knew it to be sacred to the Romans.

Of course, the giants hadn't cared about that when they resurrected their king there.]

No, I don't think it is, either. The maze probably responds to our subconscious. This place is important to your history.

[That's putting it mildly. Jason rubs at the back of his neck, nodding absently.]

It's where mom left me for Lupa when I was two. I kind of remember it – being little and wandering around here yelling for her and Thalia.

[And crying a lot. There was training here too after that, with Lupa, but that part was hazier. Gee, can't imagine why the abandonment left a much stronger imprint.

After a moment he shrugs, glancing around while he adds, conversationally:]

I also died here during the whole Juno thing.

[Nico nodded.]

I thought you might have. Well, not the particulars, but I thought you died at some point while the Doors of Death and Thanatos were indisposed.

[He shrugged, then looked at Jason's arm, the one with the SPQR tatoo.]

I always wondered why the Legion let you join so young.

[As if feeling the eyes on his tattoo, Jason runs an hand over his forearm and leans back against the wooden fence.]

I kind of wonder what things would have been like if she didn't listen. Maybe Thalia would have brought me with her when she ran away. I could have grown up in Camp Half-Blood instead.

[Maybe Thalia would have avoided death and they wouldn't have been separated his whole childhood. Maybe he'd have grown up with Annabeth – that was a weird thing to think about. Maybe he'd have met the guy from all their photos, the one Annabeth clearly didn't want to talk about.

He redirects before he can dwell on it too much.]

How old were you when you came to camp?

[Percy had told them some stories on the ship before they got Nico out of the jar, but Jason was taking them with a whole spoonful of salt. Percy's perspective hadn't been anything like the real thing, in his opinion.]

It would have been different, that's for sure. I don't know if my father would have taken Bianca and me out of the Lotus at the same time he did or not. He probably would have done it earlier, so Bianca could be the alternative for her like he wanted her to be for Percy.

[It was weird, thinking he could have been older than Jason. If Thalia hadn't been turned into a pine, and Hades brought him and Bianca out, he could have been eight or so years older than Jason. It was weird to think about it. Honestly, the whole time sink of the Lotus hurt his head.]

I was eleven, though apparently, everyone thought I was ten that first year.

[He had been small and baby-faced, so maybe that was it?

Nico went over to Jason and sat beside him about a foot apart. Sorry Jason, he likes his space.]

I had some good times those first few days there before everything went to hell.

[He doesn't take it personally. Nico just hanging out with him already feels like a victory, weirdness of the present circumstances aside.]

I would have been like...twelve or thirteen at the time, I think?

[He remembers Percy talking about it a bit. A little chatterbox Nico who was excited about everything. The thought brings a bit of a smile to Jason's face.]

Maybe we'd have been friends if I was around back then.

I would have wanted to be friends.

[He pulled his knees up and wraps his legs around them.]

I was a huge geek; I probably would have annoyed you.

[He annoyed Percy. He annoyed Bianca. He annoyed everyone with how much he loved Mythomagic.

And he still kinda did. Though not as much as he used to. He didn't know if it was because he was more mature now or what.]

[There's a huff of breath from Jason that might be a soft laugh.]

You're still a huge geek.

[There's no bite to it. Jason shoots Nico a sideways grin to make sure the tease is evident.]

Besides, I'm friends with Leo.

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