songerein | { summer beach episode 2023 }

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{ summer beach episode 2023 }

SUMMER BEACH EPISODE

Thanks to the Dreamsortium's aggressive advertising in town and around the Wildlands, the Forever Dreams resort's grand opening is a bustling and lively one with both dreamers and local fae alike coming by. Even the dragons from Dragefjell are coming down to enjoy luxurious sunbathing.

Just remember, only the first night is free! After that, one must either pay or help fulfill some "odd jobs" around the resort for the Dreamsortium.

More details on everything can be found here.

I. FOREVER DREAMS RESORT

A. Resort Amenities. Everyone will have a room to stay in, though there are also camping options for those who might want to stay outdoors.

🧑‍🍳Outdoor Dining. There are outdoor kitchen patios that are available for guests who would like to prepare their own food, however while the resort will provide with some ingredients, guests will have to bring their own. Perfect for those who try their hand at fishing and want to enjoy their catch. Just beware of the sea gulls that will try to pilfer anything left unattended.
♨️Spa and Massage. Need a break? Relax those sore muscles? The resort boasts only the best and have a special spa for those who can gather and relax with a drink and snack. They have also hired friendly dragons and orcs who specialize in providing the best massage possible.
🦀 Crab Shuffleboard. There are some shuffleboard courts setup that are said to be more unusual than normal, which is quickly revealed by the usual round "discs" used for play. The discs work well enough regardless…until at some point legs appear to reveal they are strange little crabs! They are sturdy little ones so some consider their traveling as part of the game, but others might want to catch them. (Note, they are not normal crabs and are Karka hatchlings.)

B. Animal Control. Unfortunately the construction agitated and displaced a few of the local creatures in the area, and while most have just moved on, others are less willing to leave their original habitats. Some are making it work, while others are hostile. Perhaps creating a newer, better habitat will make them more willing? Or figure out ways to coexist.

🐍Sea Snakes. Completely harmless, these aquatic snakes would nest in the tall seaweed that grows near the beach by the resort. Most of them were able to be relocated in other places, but there are some patches that haven't been moved because of their nests. By now the eggs have hatched, but the babies are still hiding out. Help move them to a safer location!
🦦Seaweed Otters. The otters prefer the clams that can be found in the shallows which is why they can be found lounging about. They're cute and friendly, but also mischievous, stealing other food and toys from beach goers. Although relatively harmless, it's dangerous for them. Good news, the same types of clams can be found further down. Catch the otters and guide them towards the new location. Alternatively, have them try different foods from other areas of the beach to encourage them to move elsewhere.
🦉Pineapple Owls. Pineapples are popular to serve, but harvesting them has been difficult. There are some owls that are dive bombing those who try. It doesn't help their eggs look like small pineapples! Help locate the affected trees to mark them and find empty trees to safely harvest from.
🦀Karka. KARKA ROOOOOLLL. Appearing by the coves on the edge of the Wasteland, these giant, monstrous creatures have a tough outer shell that is difficult to penetrate and requires using a special acidic solvent that somehow the Dreamsortium are able to prepare quickly. They appear to be very agitated and while they mostly stay where they are, some will come close to the resort to attack. Maybe returning some of those "little crabs" from the shuffleboard courts would help…

C. Beach Fun. There are some casual fun beachside activities that everyone can partake in! For those who didn't bring their own, towels and beach chairs are available to rent.

🤿Snorkeling. Grab your gear and do some snorkeling in the clear shallows around the resort! Might make a new finny friend or two.
🐚 Shell Collecting. There are a number of beautiful shells, and they say the large conch shells will whisper a dreamy tune that could help one sleep. There are also contests and requests to collect certain shells.
🏐 Games. Various games are set up, such as beach volleyball, watermelon smashing, water balloons and water guns, and the return of the fruit slicer, where one must slice a barrage of fruit with only dreamotion.
🍈Melon Dodgeball. A new game that's becoming an explosive hit is a dodgeball game using special melons. These melons are sensitive to the temperament and dreamotion of the players, so the more tense and energetic they are, the more likely they will explode and splatter their target instead. Still counts as out!
🐢 Boating. The turtle shell boats are back! Toting large clams shells big enough for two people, these giant sea turtles will happily pull people for either a relaxing cruise, or a fast paced ride through the water. Small sailboats are also available to rent.

D. Special Businesses. Some of the local businesses are putting up stalls on the beach!

🍷 At Day's End.Two days a week during the month of July, At Day's End will have a booth available at the beach resort! The bar and winery's offerings include a number of fine drinks and cocktails designed with summer in mind, such as: the Champagne-like Dew of the Ether; the luck-changing, naturally cold Azure Omen; the floral and sweet Divine Retribution, available with or without alcohol; and the minty and light fruit punch, Dawn in the Wildlands. Other drinks will also be available at the beach stall, though in limited quantities compared to the town's location.

Much like the services provided to patrons of the establishment proper, van Zieks will be available to provide cooling through his personal dreamotion abilities, though in exchange for passing out pamphlets or helping him serve drinks. He can't do anything about sunburns, though, you're on your own there.

🌸Wild Harvest. There is nothing unusual about the Wild Harvest's stall, and at a glance, it is exactly as you'd expect. There are flowers for the taking, set decoratively inside a vase beside a stack of fliers for any new dreamers who don't know about the establishment yet. A list of names that seems to be a sign-up for something called You Be the Chef also sits in front of whichever staff member may be running the booth, and if asked, they'll happily speak about the contest.

There is a grill set up with sticks of freshly grilled kebabs, also for the taking to sample, and nearby, a wooden-looking slide of sorts has been set up. Those who have visited the Harvest in recent weeks will know this is for the nagashi somen, or flowing noodles, for anyone who'd like to "catch" them. Chopsticks are provided, as well as the complementary dipping sauce.

In addition, as a dessert, there is also a station set up with cups of shaved ice for passersby to create their own Summer Dreams. Various toppings, condensed milk, slices of fruit and fruity syrups are provided. Even emoji-fruit with positive emotions are used! And if patrons are unable to infuse their sample with their own positive dreamotion, the staff is more than happy to assist.

II. ATLANTIS

At some point during the grand opening, some merfolk will surface and wave at the beachgoers. With reassurance from the Dreamsortium, anyone who wishes to visit the underwater city Atlantis may do so and will be given a special potion that will allow them to transform into some kind of merfolk or aquatic creature. They can last for several hours and will automatically bring them back to the surface before it wears out. Enjoy~ And beware the sirens.

A. Around Atlantis. The city is vast at the bottom of the ocean with so many things to see and do, with numerous shops opening their doors and the locals curious to meet their land based neighbors. So much so, perhaps another visit will be in order. For now, here are some highlights, and for those less inclined to try the potion, they could try and figure out a different way down there. Surely someone with enough dreamotion talents can come up with an idea?

🎣 Jellyfish Hunting. A favorite game of the Atlantians, there are special schools of jellyfish that swim around the city that come in a total of five different colors: blue, pink, yellow, green, and orange. If one catches at least one of each jellyfish, a small chest of jewels will be given as a prize. The jellyfish are friendly and harmless, though they might still try to sting out of defense.
🍴 Look at this Stuff. A young mermaid has been watching the "landdwellers" for a while now and has started to create her own collection of items only found on land. She asks any visitor she encounters whether they have or could find some trinket to add to her collection.
✨ Glowing Coral. The city is filled with beautiful, large coral patches and large reef gardens, especially just outside the city. Of particular note are special coral that sing, and one particular group of merfolk request some help in harvesting these to be used for everyday purposes in the city. Visitors are welcome to gather some for themselves—with careful moderation of course. As long as they are cut properly and kept in sea water, the coral will continue to thrive and potentially grow.

B. Temple of Saudade and Hiraeth. An ancient temple that is partially submerged just outside of Atlantis, and there is an indiscernible melody or song that can be heard faintly throughout the temple. The merfolk are still excavating it to find what all is within it, but it's a difficult endeavor due to the effects of the temple. It has a large amount of dreamotion energy and there are certain areas where people can become trapped in an illusory vision of a memory or unrealized dream with a very strong emotional tie to the individual. This will make the individual more emotionally reactive and must be calmed and talked out of their illusion. If the emotion is strong enough, whatever the character is seeing or wishing to be real will form.

C. Sirens. While not targeting the visitors swimming through Atlantis, there are sirens and other hostile fae that dwell in the ocean depths that don't take too kindly to the visitors. Stray too far from the safety of Atlantis or drift too deep into the shadows and they may appear to either harass or downright attack. Their songs are not as effective while someone is in merfolk/aquatic creature form, but they do have some effect to at least try and lure them for attention. Those who are afflicted with nightmares or have more nightmare energy will also be more susceptible.

❄️ Christmas Carols!? One siren in particular may be familiar to those from around Christmas. Called "Sirenia Caviary," she is one of the more "friendlier" sirens, but her voice wails through the waters as she is suffering from writer's block. Help her come up with new Christmas songs and the sirens may look more favorably on everyone.
🍌 Treasured Bananas. One reason why the sirens are hostile towards outsiders is due to a recent "plunder" of their precious chest of bananas. Seasalted Bananas are a delicacy and hard to come by since bananas are not found underwater. Bring some bananas to the sirens and their mood may improve.
♻️ Underwater Cleanup. Another reason for the sirens' hostility is the amount of trash and litter that has accrued both during the construction of the resort and the large influx of visitors thanks to it. While it wouldn't be enough to make them as friendly as their Atlantian cousins, clearing out some of that trash would at least make them less inclined to attack and chase upon sight. The collector in Atlantis might also find some use out of the items.

D. Thieves. There are some suspicious individuals (pirates) that appear around Atlantis trying to steal various treasures and items from the city and from the temple. Try to stop and catch them–but even if they are caught, they somehow escape. There is always an odd "click" and "buzz" sound before they disappear in black smoke that has a hint of nightmare energy in them…

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Okay, he'll bite. He's curious enough at this point, unfortunately for poor Ferran. He can't imagine it's that difficult; clearly the human here is just distracted or bad at it in general.

Revali takes a seat at an open spot next to Ferran, taking a moment to get a closer look at the entire set up and some of the other customers. But it's not long before his attention is back on Ferran.]

They do seem small, and more than a bit inefficient. But that's all part of the game here, isn't it?

[Granted, they only seem small in comparison to his weird large feather fingers.]

[Well—! Ferran won't complain about the company. He's dealt with way worse than a prissy bird with adorable blush marks on his face. He briefly wonders if those are painted on...]

There's a huge set of people where I'm from who use them every day, so they must just be used to it, but... unless I'm missing something, most of their food isn't tossed down a chute to catch. [99% sure. He watches with a mild sigh as another customer further down the slide grabs half a bunch of noodles and laughs in triumph. Man, he's getting hungry...]

... do you want to try? [Ferran clearly hasn't done anything with the chopsticks or bowl except touch them.]

At this point, I may as well.

[The red cheeks are just his cute charm point, to make up for his personality.

Would he try it on his own? That part is debatable. But at this point, he's curious enough and it seems like a bit of a challenge that he does. Not because he's hungry or anything, just to see how well he can do. Revali reaches for his own pair of chopsticks, and while he's dexterous enough to sort of figure out how to hold them after taking a look at Ferran's hands, they're... a bit dwarfed by his giant chicken fingers.]

Not exactly designed for non-human hands, now are they?

[He tries to click the chopsticks together, but it's clumsy and the ends slip past each other instead.]

This can't be right.

[Which is about as close to asking Ferran how to really hold chopsticks as he'll get.]

[It's okay, the equal amounts of stumbling with chopsticks will endear him to Ferran plenty. Look how tiny they are in his wings...]

I guess they weren't prepared for bigger hands. [Which he mostly gets, given the workers of the restaurant are all human—or human-sized, at least? Surely there's somewhere around here that makes bigger ones, given how many different kinds of people there are...?

Well, he'll try to assist with what he's got, anyway.]

You set one to rest between your thumb and first finger, and balance it against the inside of your second finger. The other one you hold kind of like you're writing with it.

[Hopefully Revali doesn't mind an invasion of personal space, because he won't be shy in reaching over and gently correct the grip. This is not what Ferran ever thought chicken fingers would be referring to...]

[He does mind, actually! But he knows he basically did ask for help here, so while he's a bit grumpy about it, Revali allows Ferran to correct his grip as best as he can. When it's explained, it's not all that difficult to understand how to hold the chopsticks, he thinks.

But it's not so much the holding that ends up being the issue, unfortunately, seeing how long the feathers on his fingers are. He's not too keen on the idea of dipping his feathertips in noodle water, so his perhaps a bit precarious grip on the utensils becomes even more so as he slides his fingers up.]

This is about as close as we'll get, it seems. [It'll have to do! Unless he wants to tape a second pair of chopsticks together or something.]

So. We simply grab the noodles off the chute and into a bowl?

[Understanding is one thing, but actually being able to do it is another, as Ferran can attest to. And the Rito does really end up being at a disadvantage here—Ferran wouldn't want to get his feathers in his food, either, if he had them. He already doesn't like it with his fingers as is!

Somehow he gets the sense Revali wouldn't be happy with that kind of jury-rigged solution, so if taping an extra pair on does occur to him, he probably won't mention it...]

Right, and there's some sauce and vegetables for when we actually get them. I'll let you try for the next ones that come down.

[Even though Ferran is getting more hungry talking about it...]

[Sauce and vegetables, those are both fine with him. The excitement really is in the presentation than just in the food, he figures. Noodles probably taste better once you grab them off of the slide successfully.

His attention is fully on the slide between the two of them, his wing ready and positioned to try and grab the noodles. As soon as the stall employee slides the noodles into the chute, he's ready! He's locked on! He reaches out and... the chopsticks slip out of place in his giant feathered grip, managing to snag a whole one (1) noodle.]

There must be something we're missing here.

I think it's called practice.

[Ferran has enough confidence to say it's not his dexterity, he has plenty of that, thanks—and he's not rude enough to imply Revali doesn't have an adequate amount. They're not at the bullying stage of acquaintance yet.]

You did way better than me with just one try, though! [What Ferran lacks in chopstick skill, he makes up for in encouragement. Maybe.]

[Lucky for the both of them that Ferran possesses more social graces than Revali. If it were the other way around, he wouldn't have hesitated to be more blunt about it.]

Give it another shot. Let me see how you're able to hold these.

[They're human hand sized chopsticks, not Rito wing sized. It's easier to see how they work with their intended hand shape.]

Got it.

[Ferran is a little buoyed by Revali's partial success, so he's ready to give it another go, making sure he's got a good handle on the chopsticks—to his knowledge—and waits. Another set of noodles is sent down by the chuckling chefs who've come to enjoy watching their struggling patrons, and...

He's got some! A brief look of triumph comes to his eyes as he lifts them—except they're too slippery and they all end up falling back into the slide with a minor splash, and they're gone.]

... progress. [He's going to call it that.

... he is not going to use his magic to accomplish this, that would be more embarrassing than never succeeding at all.]

[Hopefully Ferran isn't unnerved by a bird watching his attempt closely to see what he can pick up from his technique, because that's happening. What better way to see how he can fix up his technique than by learning from this human's failures? Or success. He's not picky, but he just assumes if he had trouble before, that trouble isn't about to go away just yet.]

It's about speed at this point. If you pull them back as soon as you make contact, they can't fall back on the chute.

[Ferran can't disagree, entirely.]

Right. [He clacks the end of his chopsticks together, determined to try again... if just for the sake of finally getting his meal... He mutters, mostly to himself:]

I should probably keep the bowl pretty close, too. [So he doesn't. spill them on the table. which would possibly be even more tragic than his current performance.]

I really didn't think it would be this tricky when I sat down.

[They've got an action plan, go team chopstick-challenged. So long as the bowl is close enough, Revali can't see how this new strategy could fail. And if it works for Ferran, it's probably (hopefully) simple enough to adapt for himself.]

The others here may have come from wherever this form of dining is common. It seems simple enough, but we've seen the reality of it.

I'm sure it's like learning anything... if you grow up with it, you don't even think about it.

[Meaning: a child would laugh at his performance. He feels keenly aware of this, especially since he's sure the adults nearby have also been chuckling. Anyway, ignoring that!]

Okay. [Here come more noodles. The desire to actually eat something this time will drive him to victory, he thinks. Ferran draws closer, and... with a messy but determined snap of the chopsticks he manages to grab them again, and hurriedly drags them into his waiting bowl, only losing a few in the process!

He stares at his prize for a few moments. Plain, unflavored noodles.]

... Now I have to go get the other things. [The hard part is over, sure, but now he has to stand up for the sauce and veggies??? Absurd.]

[Revali really just cannot imagine a more complicated way of getting lunch, and Rito village has to send people out to hunt for its food stores. At least in that case, once the food was caught, there was no game involved for actually eating it.

He glances off toward the sauce and veggies, but Ferran's success (and the amusement of the other patrons, really) has spurred Revali on to try harder. It's just a new challenge, it's nothing he hasn't overcame before! In a sense, anyway.

With a better grasp, figuratively and literally, on a way to get chopsticks to work for him, Revali keeps a close eye on the noodle slide, and... aha! It's a messy affair, and a few noodles were left behind, but it's a success. Not enough to satisfy his ego, but it's a start.]

[Revali is a quick learner, apparently, and just from watching... Ferran is a little impressed, especially given how the chopsticks are way too small for him. Exasperated with himself, he leans his chin against a hand:]

Hah, and I thought I was good with my hands...

[Apparently he needs to pick up some more projects or something to practice. And redeem himself, maybe. Before he ponders that, though, he decides to reward the both of them: with a snap of his fingers, a large bowl of veggies that's mysteriously similar to the one the chefs just finished preparing appears in front of their place on the table, along with a pourable container of sauce.

Sure, it might technically take more energy to copy the food and bowl than he'll get from eating it, but it's fine.]

[Rip in peace to any noodles dropped down the slide as Ferran snaps his fingers, because Revali is immediately distracted by the sudden appearance of a bowl of toppings, and the noodles sliding down end up going forgotten. Magic, or things that are probably close to magic, aren't that unheard of in Hyrule, but this is something different.]

Now, that's convenient. A talent of yours?

[There's a self-deprecating tilt to his brow.]

I wouldn't call it a talent. More like cheating, maybe.

[There's a part of him that's proud of his mastery of it, but another part just tells him it's a shortcut when he could actually be doing things with his own hands, rather than relying on magical artifacts for trivial matters.]

[Okay, consider him intrigued enough to ask, whether it's what Ferran intended or not. Because to him, it seems like a nice and convenient talent to be able to magic up a bowl of food like that. So long as it's edible, that is, which leads to his next question--]

Cheating, huh. So, how does it work?

For the most part, if I can see something, I can copy it.

[Revali's worries about edibility should be mostly curbed by the fact that Ferran shows no hesitation in scooping a few veggies and pouring a bit of sauce over his own noodles. Just as tasty as the real thing.]

It has limits, of course. Nothing too big or complicated, and magic won't carry over, either.

[If the magic is good enough for Ferran, it's good enough for him he's sure. At any rate, it's proof that it'll be edible. So he follows in Ferran's example, taking some veggies and sauce from the magicked bowls to finish up his far too complicated meal. These noodles better be worth it.]

It takes concentration and effort to reproduce, am I correct? It's a talent, and not cheating if that's the case.

[He shrugs as an acquiescence of sorts. It's not that he can't take a compliment, exactly, but he's always had mixed feelings about his magic.]

I appreciate you saying that. It did take a while to figure out, since I didn't exactly have anything or anyone to teach me.

[The noodles are certainly freshly and well made, though whether they're worth all that effort may be another thing. Ferran's not likely to complain too much once he's actually eaten, though.]

It comes in handy these days, though.

[Figuring out a difficult talent on your own without anyone to really teach or guide you? Sounds familiar. It's something he can definitely relate to, without the minimizing his accomplishments part.]

Something you learned in your world, or is it something you developed here with Dreamotion?

It's from my world.

[He takes a second to enjoy a piece of broccoli—easier to grab with his chopstick-challenged hands for a first bite—before continuing.]

I didn't even think magic was real before that, either. It's almost funny to think of how completely out of my depth I was.

[He says it with a slight smile, but it was absolutely not funny at the time.]

[Unfortunately for Revali, it's still difficult to use chopsticks made for humans with big Rito feather-fingers, but at the very least, it's easier to be careful and precise when grabbing food when it isn't about to slide away and out of reach. It's just... slow going. He would probably enjoy this much more if it were built for more than just humans.]

So, what, an accident happened and you learned magic existed by performing it without being aware of what you were doing?

{ summer beach episode 2023 }

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