{ stroke of midnight }

[dreamposts]

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.

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. 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.

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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!

Comments

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda notices that Martel doesn't take the handkerchief, but also doesn't try to send Zelda away. The princess offers Martel a gentle smile.

Oh, right; she's wearing a mask. With her free hand, Zelda carefully removes her mask. Hopefully that will help this woman feel a little more at ease. Without the mask's glamour, Martel will be able to get a clear look at the princess's features.

Zelda sits down beside Martel, making sure to leave enough space between them so that Martel doesn't feel crowded. The princess places her mask and handkerchief in her lap. ]

Am I correct in assuming that you are newly arrived here? Awakening in Songerein can be quite overwhelming, I understand. I felt much the same when I first arrived.

[untwisted]

Oh. You're...

[With the mask gone, Martel notices Zelda's ears very quickly. Normally for Martel, seeing ears like that would be an indication that the individual is either an elf or a half-elf. However, she's not getting the distinct impression she normally would to differentiate the two. It doesn't matter much to Martel, but being prepared for potential prejudice can be helpful. Maybe things wouldn't have gone so horribly wrong if she'd kept expecting that behavior from anyone.

But if Zelda really is one or the other, she would have immediately identified Martel as a half-elf. She would probably say or do something right off the bat if she had a problem with it. In spite of the fact that she just clearly began talking about it, Martel decides to leave it there for now. Not that Zelda can't get her to explain.

Martel doesn't have a problem with her taking a seat, although she is obviously keeping her arms drawn in and close to herself, and not just to easily bury her face in when the crying gets really bad, either.]

Ah, excuse me. Yes, I did just find myself in this place not even an hour ago, I think. It's just...very different from what I've been accustomed to. ...Not that it's a bad thing!

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda doesn't pay any mind to Martel's reaction when the princess removes her mask; she assumes it has more to do with her words and the situation Martel finds herself in than Zelda's features.

Nor does Zelda have the slightest inkling that Martel might be anything other than human, thanks to the thick green hair that completely obscures her ears from view. Otherwise, the princess would have been delighted to see another person with long ears, even if Martel isn't Hylian like Zelda. ]

Goodness, only an hour ago? [ No wonder she's in such a state—or, at least, that's what Zelda assumes is the source of Martel's distress. The princess regards her with a sympathetic expression. ] Yes, it is quite a strange world. Very different from my own homeland as well.

[ Zelda offers a gentle smile. ] My name is Zelda, Princess of Hyrule.

[untwisted]

[Perhaps if the wind blows just the right way or if you witness her casting certain spells the tip of an ear might stick out. But Martel still isn't sure why someone who looks like they have elven blood isn't striking her as an elf, nor is she sure of the racial politics in this place. Once she is, she'd love to talk about it!

She's quite relieved that Zelda assumes that to be the issue. Her situation would be hard enough to explain to someone from her world if she even wanted to talk about it. Well, they'd think she was a goddess, but that's not the reason.

Martel's eyes widen as she looks at Zelda with interest.]

Oh my! I haven't met many members of royalty. I'm not familiar with Hyrule, but I suppose that's because it's in a different world. I'd love to hear about it!

[Give her a second.]

Ah- right! I'm Martel Yggdrasill. It's an honor to meet you, princess.

[multidisciplinary]

The pleasure is mine, Martel.

[ Zelda inclines her head politely in greeting. ]

After you are settled in to Reverein, I would be happy to tell you all about Hyrule over tea or a nice meal. I should quite like to hear about your world as well. Truly, one of the most wonderful things about this place is the diversity of its residents.

[ And it's obvious that she means it, too. Her expression is bright with interest, curbed only by the newness of their acquaintance and the fact that Martel was in tears only minutes ago. ]

[untwisted]

[Martel's forced smile breaks at the comment about her world. But in spite of the new set of tears that have welled up, she tries to plaster on another pleasant expression as though nothing has happened.]

That...sounds wonderful! The- The world I'm from really is a beautiful place, so...

[Her voice cracks.]

Yes, we should talk about that later. How diverse is it here? Doesn't that cause some problems?

[Not that she assumes it would, but when you were killed by a racist it's a logical assumption to operate under until you know better.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda's countenance falters. Martel's attempt to hide behind another smile isn't enough to throw off Zelda's attention. It sounds like there is something about Martel's homeworld that is causing her distress.

Her question is odd too, and causes a line to form between Zelda's brows. ]

Minor problems, perhaps, but few on the whole. [ Zelda shifts in her seat, thinking about how best to explain this world. ] I would consider Reverein to be quite diverse. Our population is comprised of residents from likely hundreds of different worlds. Many are humanoid in appearance, like you and I, but a not insignificant number of people bear more animal-like appearances. The hosts of this ball, for instance, are dragons.

[untwisted]

Goodness!

[She's legitimately interested in this, which is at least distracting her a little. Her body may still insist on reacting to everything that built up inside her, but her brain doesn't have to focus on it!]

The dragons I've encountered were all quite dangerous. Being able to throw a ball is amazing! And that is very diverse, wow! I'm only aware of three races with human-like appearances. It must be so interesting to learn from everyone here.

[multidisciplinary]

[ Given that Martel seems to be rather distressed, Zelda opts not to tell her about how dangerous Songerein's dragons can be. The dreamwalkers' first meeting with the dragons left much to be desired (even if it was all mostly due to a misunderstanding) and the princess suffered kidnapping and injury at their hands. A story for another time, perhaps.

Instead, Zelda allows her curiosity to be piqued by the little tidbit of information Martel drops about her world. ]

Three? [ Zelda's eyebrows shoot up in amazement. ] In your own world? How fascinating! There are three in mine as well—Hylians, such as myself, the Sheikah, and the Gerudo. And then there are the Goron, Rito, and Zora peoples, who all differ significantly in appearance and genetics.

[untwisted]

[Martel's own curiosity is quickly getting enrapt in this, as well. She certainly can't put her problems completely behind her after so much time, but it's definitely improving her mood.]

Really? So many? You'll have to tell me all about them when you have time to talk about Hyrule!

[She doesn't want to pressure her into it if she has other things to do right now.]

It's fairly simple where I'm from. There are elves and humans, and then there are half-elves who descend from both. That's my race; half-elves that is.

I was wondering if your people were related to elves actually. Your ears are very similar! Only the elves and some of us half-elves have ears of that shape where I'm from.

[multidisciplinary]

(ooc: Continued here.)