songerein | { stroke of midnight }

Entry tags:

{ 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 is so not doomed. He'll see!!! Though for all that she offers to help, her expression hardens with thought. How does she channel positive thoughts into that thing? Must it come from the wearer? Should she find out?

...... ]

Hmm. I suppose this would be easier if I knew what makes you happy. [ And like. His name, maybe. ]

[what makes him happy? that's... yeah, a far harder question to answer than it should be. the fact that it takes kratos a solid moment to even reply should be a good indicator of just how happy of a man he is.]

That's a... difficult question. I haven't given thought about what makes me happy in, admittedly, a long time.

[which is a depressing thought that makes the rain come down a little harder. few things make him happy and one thing that would make him happy, namely his son, also makes him feel various other feelings such as guilt and sadness. is there even anything that really makes him happy? or he truly doomed to be a drenched man forever?]

[ Susato sighs in thought. It shouldn't be a difficult question, yet at the same time, she doesn't feel surprised. She places her free hand onto the mask, but doesn't pull, lulled by the increased pitter-patter against the umbrella. ]

Well, you have time now. [ And she's not going anywhere, a least. ] Do you remember the last time you smiled or laughed?

[she has a point. he does have the time. either he takes the time and tries or gives up entirely and remains eternally wet. tempting as giving up entirely sounds at this moment, it's difficult to do when this young woman is not only shielding him --a complete stranger-- from the rain but trying to assist in getting this wretched mask off.

okay. he'll try. when was the last time he smiled?]

It was a while back but... [he pauses briefly.] I suppose when I was traveling with a certain group of individuals. I do recall smiling a few times then.

[most of the times involved lloyd but a few instances of other members of the party making him smile also did occur. admittedly, traveling with them as just a mercenary was enjoyable. he felt like a regular human, albeit briefly.

susato may feel the mask budge a little. it doesn't come off but certainly feels like it's loosening.]

[ Ah!

The mask is certainly stubborn, but it gives Susato hope that she is moving in the right direction with this line of questioning. Once it appears the mask isn't yet ready to come off, Susato stops forcing it so much. ]

Can you tell me about them? ...Who they were, and how many of them there were, for instance.

Why did you travel together?

We were on a journey...

['of world regeneration' almost leaves his lips but kratos realizes that likely has no meaning here. it's an oddly pleasant of a thought that maybe makes that mask loosen a little more.]

...that held significant importance in the world that I'm from. They were all striving to do what's right, Lloyd especially.

[as lloyd always is. that boy truly is one of a kind.

and the mention of lloyd definitely makes that mask loosen further. it's getting there. just a little more!]

[ Well, that's vague, but she can accept that! Especially when the mask appears to loosen a little more. The rain becomes a mere drizzle as well, and Susato perks up, catching onto all this immediately.

Funny that she should learn of his son's name before his own. ]

And who is Lloyd?

Lloyd is...

[he hesitates. previously, the answer would've been either a swordsman, a traveling companion or something of the sort. now, however, the truth is out in the open back home and what point is there in denying it any further? none.

kratos sighs softly. maybe it's the influence of the mask but he decides to be upfront if only because lying is pointless.]

Lloyd is my son.

[who he betrayed, deceived, hurt... honestly, a horrible father like him deserves this eternal rainfall. the mask tightens its grip a little at these thoughts.]

[ . . . Susato frowns when the mask seems to suddenly resist her efforts. Her own grip loosens slightly out of guilt. She doesn't know why he would elicit such a reaction, but perhaps she shouldn't be breaching the topic.

...Yet she has never been one to shy away from difficult conversations. ]

If he is always striving to do what is right, his sense of justice must be very strong. Perhaps he got that from you.

[kratos responds to that praise without any hesitation and probably not in the way susato expects.]

I'm more of a coward than anything else. Lloyd is far and beyond what I could ever be.

[but that's not necessary a bad thing. it means lloyd could accomplish so much more than kratos himself could even dream of. it's possibly selfish to put so much weight on someone so young but kratos truly believes lloyd can do it.

the mask loosens once more at the thought.]

He's grown up so much.

[spoken like a proud dad.]

[ It is not as if Susato is a stranger to self-deprecation. There is concern, of course, that it might make the situation worse when it comes to the mask; but she is relieved to see that's not the case. She recognizes that pride from her own father, though it feels like she hasn't heard it in an awfully long time. ]

I'd love to meet him someday.

[ Maybe that's not possible right now, but... ]

If you'd see fit to introduce me, that is. My name is Susato Mikotoba.

A pleasure. I'm Kratos Aurion.

[as for introductions, kratos probably isn't the best to do so were there ever a chance but he actually manages to bite back that comment. maybe that mask getting looser and looser is helping him regain some of his senses.]

And I believe he'd enjoy meeting someone like yourself. He's also the sort to go out of his way to help people he barely knows, usually without a second thought.

[for better or for worse with the lack of thought. kratos finds his mood lightening further as he muses about how that kindness may get lloyd into trouble but how it also ends up helping so many people.

the mask is just about ready to come off. a little more should do the trick!]

[ The rain around him seems to be letting up as well! She is already glancing up, slightly distracted by this, but she looks amused when she looks at him again as he describes Lloyd. ]

I am the same, I suppose, considering how we just met.

[ Whoops. She's good at minding her own business most of the time though, she promises. ]

I think it is almost free. Perhaps you can tell me your favorite memory with Lloyd, or another one of your traveling companions?

[favorite memory? funnily enough, that question ends up being the easiest question so far to answer. it's also not like him to share this much with someone he just met but, well, special circumstances.]

When he was younger, he would ride on my back while we looked up at the stars together. I'd tell him tales and legends about them and he'd always beg me to tell him more. It'd usually end with him fast asleep by the time we were done.

[the memory is one that kratos can't help but smile softly at. if susato gives that mask a little tug, it should come right off.]

[ The rain is already starting to dissipate as he speaks, before the mask even comes off. After all this time, her arm is getting sore, and as the weather above them clears, the umbrella automatically lowers, eventually being discarded altogether. She gives the mask the tug it needs, and smiles when she sees his face for the first time. ]

There we are!

[ ...They're both soaking wet, despite her best efforts, which is not ideal, but that is something that can be fixed. She is tired now. ]

Phew... Perhaps you can invent some new stories about the new stars you see here.

[kratos isn't sure which is a bigger relief: the rain finally stopping or the mask finally coming off his face. both, actually. he feels so relieved, in fact, that he finds himself smiling lightly back at susato.]

I may take that into consideration.

[it's a good suggestion, honestly.]

Thank you, Susato, you've been a great help.

[ She grins, then wipes her hand across her forehead. There's a mixture of rainwater and sweat, and she sighs. ]

You're welcome. If you'd like, I can see you to your residence, but if not, I shall give you your space.

[ ...She appears to reach into her kimono sleeves, but she frowns. ]

Um... Either way, please stop by the Harvest for a hot meal sometime. I'd be happy to serve you.

I believe I'll be alright on my own, you needn't worry.

[he can take it from here and, honestly, susato looks like she's in need of some rest after all that herself.]

I may take you up on that one day.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ stroke of midnight }

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject