songerein | { 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

[ HE DIDN'T MEAN TO. ]

Hmm.... Well, you're probably right. I've yet to hear them say a single kind thing.

[ Kiyomitsu rests his hands on his hips, giving the mockingbirds a serious stare. ]

Even so, you might want to be a little more... gentle... with it?

Crap, they probably think I'm some sort of serial killer now - isn't how they start out, hurting animals?

OH MY GOSH, YOU JUST DON'T TELL PEOPLE THAT!

[ She is decidedly less gentle now as she keeps trying to shut the bird up. ]

I--

[ That wasn't exactly where his train of thought was going. It was more he was worried about her getting arrested or something for being so rough with a bird. ]

I promise you I wasn't thinking that. The last time one bothered me, I started thinking of really bad haiku until it got bored and flew away. So maybe we can talk about something else so it gets bored?

[ Mei pauses... say, that's a really good idea! She stops bird strangulation. ]

Okay! Haikus... haikus... um... what are those again?

I know they're some kind of poem, but I didn't know Kashuu was so Klassic!

[ Yes, somehow she thought and 'said' the K that way. Accept it. ]

[ Kiyomitsu laughs, hiding it behind his hand, embarrassed. No, he's definitely not classic. Or "klassic," if you will. He doesn't even like reading all that much! ]

It's poetry that's meant to evoke imagery of nature and the seasons. I don't dabble much in them, but some of my friends do. I remember a really terrible one Izuminokami quoted from his master, Hijikata-san.

[ His face scrunches up a little as if in mild disgust at the thought. ]

A plum blossom, even if it’s only one, a plum blossom is a plum blossom.

[ Which, as terrible as it is, matches the 5-7-5 structure in Japanese. ]

It might sound like there's deep meaning behind it, but I'm not sure there is. Hijikata-san compiled a whole book of haiku like that.

That's the dumbest poem I've ever heard.

[ ... She's not sure if she should hit the bird for that one, since Kashuu was in agreement. But, more importantly! ]

The point is, clear my mind and think of calm stuff like nature and seasons! I can do that!

[ She shoves the bird away, and then goes into a yoga pose, closing her eyes. ]

Hmmm...

[ It's true. Kiyomitsu even nods when the bird shares her thoughts. Had Hijikata ever even heard of seasonal words? He was no poet or Deep Thinker, but he could probably write a better haiku than that. ]

Exactly!

[ Ah, poor Mei. He tries not to laugh too much so she can concentrate and waits patiently to see if the bird will go away or harass her more. ]

[ Mei stays in that pose, and just thinks calm thoughts.

Literally. That's all she's letting herself think. ]

Calm thoughts. Calm thoughts. Calm thoughts. Calm thoughts...

[ While it's hard to read the expressions of a bird, it does seem rather bored. It opens its wings, and begins to take off!

... To land on Kashuu's shoulder. Uh-oh. ]

[ Calm thoughts indeed. He watches, one eyebrow raised in amusement. When the mockingbird takes off Mei's shoulder, Kiyomitsu throws his hands up in the air in celebration. ]

You did it! See, it worked--

[ NO!!! He should have interrupted her! This is worse!! He wanted her to be free of the bird but not like this. ]

Look, there's nothing interesting going on in my head. Shoo, okay?

[ Kiyomitsu stares at the bird as best he can, what with it being perched on his shoulder. His cheeks heat up in embarrassment as he tries to take his own advice, but he can't help but think-- ]

I'm such an idiot!!

Get--

[ He knows it's useless but he tries to shoo it away anyway. ]

--off me, you stupid bird!

Great! Now I look as stupid as I am! YOU STUPID BIRD!!

[ Kiyomitsu buries his face in his hands, his nails painted bright red. He's the one who gave the advice, and he did it once before, but it's suddenly very hard to empty his mind when he's being harassed by a bird AND someone is watching. ]

Just let me die!!

[ ...Very dramatic on the inside of his head, apparently. ]

[ Talk about a short-lived victory! Now Mei feels guilty for passing the burden! ]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry - if I'd known it'd just pick another victim, I would have let the stupid thing stay on me all day long!

[ Taking it upon herself to save her friend, she stands up and slaps her shoulders. ]

All right, you big beaked blabbermouth, come right back here, and leave him alone!

[ Kiyomitsu keeps his face buried in his hands, too embarrassed to even show his face right now. ]

If we keep passing the bird back and forth between us, neither one of us really wins, right?

Not that this should turn into a competition of who can be the most empty-headed.

Ugh. Help me think of something really boring, because I'll lose it if I have to purposefully think of really horrible haiku in my head to get it to go away.

But better me than you! I've embarrassed myself a dozen times over and over in this place, what's one more!

[ She will be your hero!! So much that she's now actually going right up to Kashuu and SHAKING HIM VIOLENTLY to try and get the bird off. ]

{ stroke of midnight }

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