songerein | { thievery ahoof }

THIEVERY AHOOF

Throughout the middle of the month, from August 11th through the 25th, a number of thefts are happening around town. It's an ongoing problem despite efforts to stop them and catch the thieves, especially when their actions are even more confusing.

More details on everything can be found here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in August and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of August 11 to 30. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count August 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 August 25 and Applications will open on September 1. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until November.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view) - updated 08/16

Breath of ~~the Wild~~ Fire IV - Ryu
Devil Survivor - Kazuya Minegishi
Drakengard 3 - Zero
Final Fantasy Type-0 - Machina Kunagiri
Final Fantasy VII - Aerith Gainsborough
Final Fantasy VII - Denzel
Final Fantasy VII - Rufus Shinra
Genshin Impact - Amber
Genshin Impact - Diluc Ragnvindr
Granblue Fantasy - Sandalphon
Helluva Boss - Moxxie
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Annabeth Chase
Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Madoka Kaname
Stranger from Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin - Sarah
World Ends With You, The - Neku Sakuraba
Your Turn to Die - Sou Hiyori

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. THEFT

A. Carnival Fun. Available during the weekend only (first few days of arrivals), the carnival is open and hosting a special Date Auction event, allowing people to bid on others. While "sign-ups" for the auction are closed, guests are still free to look and enjoy the rides. Beware the handcuffs! (Refer to the log for full prompts. You can use them for your toplevels here.)

B. Stolen Goods. Whether it's from a house, an office, on the street, or even on their person, personal items are somehow being stolen. These are items that hold strong emotional ties to the owner, and these "items" can even be people or animals! We will be asking what was stolen during AC.

🏃‍♂️Catch that thief!! While most of the thieves are quick and sly, some miss their mark and can be spotted before they get away. They appear to be small fairies of different races and species, so it's no wonder they are able to get around so quickly. Try and chase after them before they escape! Note: it is possible to catch the thieves and interrogate them. Answers will be doled out for those who signed up! We will be asking for who caught the thieves during AC.
🔎 Searching High and Low. Sometimes the thief ends up dumping the goods to escape, but they do so in the most annoying ways—dropping them down into the sewage system, thrown on top of some building's roof, deep into the bushes. It sucks, but there is only one way to get it back.

C. Bubblegum Fountain. The fountain found in the Plaza is malfunctioning, the water turning into multicolored bubblegum, and at some point there's a loud explosion before it completely overflows. It's spilling out all over, causing a sticky mess, but that's not all—this seems to be the ultimate dumping grounds for the stolen items. Whether the thefts were a prank or not, that remains to be seen.

💥 Break up the gum. Needless to say, trying to walk onto the gum will result in anyone getting stuck with everyone else that got caught in it. But if it could be hardened up somehow, it could be broken apart to help free those and create a path—before it fills up again. Dreamotion will be key here.
🎈 Bubble Up! Large bubbles are blowing up from the top of the fountain, absorbing anything in its path. It's so sticky and bouncy that anything caught inside could actually bounce around in it, but can't break out. Even their dreamotion won't work. Only those on the outside will be able to catch and pop them, once again needing dreamotion as all other items will either be absorbed or bounce right off. Try not to get caught!

D. Library Security Malfunction. Turns out, various books from the library were also being taken, and it triggered the security system. However, the entire thing has malfunctioned and there is a bit of a mess there now, too.

📖 Flying Books. It's been a while, but anyone in the library will have to deal with the books flying off their shelves and attacking anyone near them. It's clearly the books are frightened, so spreading some calm dreamotion while catching them will help calm them down.
🦉 Owl Security. The Tree of Stories' security team consists of large owls, but they've recently deployed some golems in response to the recent noctaere attacks. Unfortunately, those golems are malfunctioning and destroying everything, tossing bookshelves and throwing tables. The only way to stop them is beat them down, even destroy them if needed.
🏃‍♀️ Getting In and Out. Another issue is that all entrances—doors and windows—are locked and sealed tight. No one can get in and out, and brute force won't cut it. One of the owl librarians manages to get out through the aid of a special flower pollen that allows those doused in it to shrink and traverse through the cracks. It will dust anyone who is brave enough, and fortunate the path is straightforward. Just beware of any bugs that might follow along…they are quite big at this size after all.

II. DREAMSCAPE

If stealing physical objects (and people) wasn't enough, on the night of the 25th, everyone will experience a strange phenomenon with their dreams. Regardless of what they are dreaming, a strange, cloaked figure will appear and seem to pluck something in the air that transforms into some kind of object—a piece of their dream. Immediately the dreamer will feel a strange emptiness, as if some part of them was taken, and soon after the mysterious figure will disappear through an opening that appears in the dream. This will prompt the dreamer to chase after it, desperate to get back what was taken, but when they go through the opening, they find themselves in an entirely new dreamscape made of dark woods. We'll be taking note of lost dreams during AC.

A. Forest Labyrinth. The woods turn out to be more than that, as the further they go the more it is revealed to be a strange mishmash of forest settings and is filled with various obstacles that need to get past. Perhaps some familiar "set pieces" can be seen. Sometimes the figures can be seen going through these obstacles, or the dreamer's stolen "dream" may have been caught and left there. Dreamers will be drawn to go through it and will need some assistance—and some dreamwalking manipulation.

🏰 Tower. Somewhere in the giant forest is a tall tower with no obvious door, but there is a window at the very top. Peeking through that window may be the dreamer's missing "object," or perhaps the thief itself. But how do they get up there? (And then back down—)
🌹 Maze of Thorns. Some may run into a large maze of thorns that runs from one end to the other and rises high up into the sky. There are a few places that are clear entrances, and those who dare—or must—to enter will find it wide enough to walk through. However it's dark, and the thorny vines seem to move and shift, changing the path. Time to create some light and find a way through. Cutting through is possible, but manipulating the vines is also doable. Just mind the thorns…they are sharp and one's dream may be stuck on one.
🌲 The Black Forest. Another area is dark and ominous. No amount of light manifested seems to be enough, but those with brighter dispositions and dreams can become beacons themselves. The thieves who rush through here use the stolen dreams as lights so they are easy to spot, and those that are dropped can be found high in the trees. Just beware the big, bad wolf that lurks, for it is actually a shadow formed by the nightmares of those traversing through this dreamscape. It can be dispersed by and destroyed, but it will appear again. (This prompt could be used to either have a dream setup for characters to enter, or it could be characters entering an unknown NPC dream together and players can create a random dream setting to work with.)

B. Tikbalang. Though hidden beneath their shrouds at first, perceptive dreamers might be able to catch a flash masking the thief's face from view. During the chase, it's easy to notice that the thief is fast, faster than one would anticipate, running at the speed of a horse. And did their body just elongate suddenly? Little do they know that these thieves are actually Tikbalang, a half-human, half-horse humanoid creature, with a horse head, hooved feet, and disproportionately long limbs. They seem to be making their way towards a portal within the woods where another Tikbalang lies in wait, guarding the entrance.

🐴 Turned Around. While giving chase, the Tikbalang will try to lead dreamers astray in an attempt to shake them off their tails. Didn't you just pass by that tree a moment ago? While it may be hard to keep track of them because of their speed, their large figure may help give them away as they hide behind the foliage and canopies above. Should one be able to corner it, the Tikbalang transforms into an inconspicuous human of fey, pretending to be lost in the woods as well. Hoof prints on the ground may serve as a giveaway that the creature is still in the area.
🏇 Taming the Beast. Once a Tikbalang is caught, it will attempt to get away towards the portal. However, there are a few ways to try to turn them on your side to tame them. One could test their endurance by attempting to ride the horse creature as it tries to buck the dreamer off their backs. If they are able to stay on long enough, they will admit defeat and return the item that was stolen. Otherwise, dreamers may try to find the elusive banana tree in the forest, uproot it, and attempt to use it as a mace against the Tikbalang. If the creature is knocked out by the banana tree, the item may be plucked off its body. We'll be asking who were able to tame the Tikbalang during AC.

C. Saving Dreams. Those within the dreamscape may try to help prevent others from becoming victims, and they have the chance to stop a thief attempting to enter a dream. The cloaked figures will have a knife that tears into space, creating an opening that would allow them to enter the dream. Either people can try and stop the thief before they enter, or jump into the opening to stop them. Of course, this means they are now dreamwalking into someone's dream, and the unaware dreamer may either recognize what's going on, or still be immersed in the dream and be confused.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It isn't easy... and Eustace isn't here to help her do it this time, but that doesn't mean that she can't at least threaten the fae with it.]

Could freeze them in a little block of ice. They'd have to wait for it to melt.

[The fae yelps. "W-wait! One of my friends had that happen to them, and I-I promise, I'll go back!"

Ah-ha. She wonders if maybe they know the same fairy.]

What do you think, Aerith? Do you believe 'em?

Edited (used the same icon.....) 2023-09-27 00:16 (UTC)

Hmmmm.

[Aerith draws out her response, leaning down to look the fairy in the eye long and hard, as though doing so might reveal any further insight. Whatever it shows her seems to be enough, and she shakes her head as she straightens up, sitting back so that she's resting on top of her heels, tucking her ribbon and materia safely inside the pocket of her jacket.]

I don't think we'll have to worry about this one. They seem good and scared— as they should.

[The fairy lets out a tiny scoff, but another glance at Tifa has it rethinking of arguing that. It really doesn't want to be frozen into a block of ice.]

I say let 'em go— but we don't want to see your face around here again!

[With that...

...

Okay, maybe she gives it a few more seconds before Tifa finally releases the fairy, lifting her foot just enough from its cloak that they can squirm out from under her shoe.]

If I see you around again, I'm taking you to the dogs.

[The dogs being her corgis, but you know.

"Y-yes, ma'ams! You won't see my face 'round here again!" And the fae flies off at a speed she didn't know they could even move.

Tifa would smile at Aerith for a job well done, but instead, she's left feeling a bit sour that something like this got in the way of their reunion.]

I'm sorry you had to go through all that. What a bad way to be welcomed into town...

Yeah! To the dogs!

[Aerith echoes Tifa's threat without really understanding the full extent of it, but her enthusiasm makes up for the lack of context. As the fairy flits away, she gets back to her feet and dusts off the front of herself, and then, leaving only the space of a single heartbeat between Tifa's remark and her response, she shakes her head and lurches forward, throwing her arms around her friend and hugging tightly.

Unpleasant welcome or otherwise, it doesn't matter now.]

I'm so glad to see you that I don't even care about that stupid fairy!

[She gives Tifa another squeeze before stepping back just enough to take hold of her friend's shoulders, smiling broadly.]

My hero.

[She's surprised by the sudden hug, but she falls into it easily enough, her arms instinctively wrapping around Aerith to return the sentiment because, bad welcome aside, she cannot even express how happy she is to see her. Or how shocked, if she's honest. She woke up one day and Aerith was gone from this world, and then woke up again to find her suddenly here. It's jarring, to say the least, but not in the bad sense of the word.]

I'm glad to see you, too.

[Her smile is just a touch crooked.

God, she wishes so bad that she could go back and change all of that.]

Is your ribbon okay? It didn't get ruined?

It's just fine, thanks to you.

[Had the fairy taken anything else from her, she wouldn't have been so worried about it— things were just things, after all, and they could be replaced. Most of them didn't have any real meaning to them, but her ribbon and the materia she kept tucked away within it... those mean everything. To say she would have been brokenhearted to lose them was a vast understatement.

Fortunately, thanks to Tifa, she doesn't have to worry about any of that, and she can focus on the here and now— and while it hasn't been all that long since she's last seen her friend, she knows that isn't the case for Tifa herself.]

It's... it's been awhile since you've seen me, right? I've been talking to people, trying to get my feet here, and it seems like a lot of people know you. You've been here a long time, haven't you?

[Trahearne had told her enough that she's been able to put some pieces together.]

[She gives Aerith's shoulders another squeeze before letting her hands fall back to her sides.]

It has, yeah...

[Though, how long it's been, Tifa hadn't quite stopped to think about long enough to realize until now, so there's just a touch of whimsical surprise in her voice when she admits—]

About a year.

[Well, since she's seen that Aerith... but this Aerith...]

Over two years since I've been back home, though.

[Has it really been that long? That long since she stepped foot on the sands of Gaia? Since she stood where the air was thick with mako? Where she and the others fought Sephiroth and... whatever that other thing was?]

So much has happened, it's hard to keep track.

Two years...

[The discrepancy in the times Tifa mentions herself doesn't trouble her; she'd already been informed that she'd been here before, that there had been months spent in this dream world she simply didn't remember, but... two years since Tifa had been home?

That meant two years since the collapse of Sector 7. Two years since Tifa and the others had stormed the Shinra Building to rescue her... but for her, it had been a matter of days.

She shakes her head as if to clear it, and offers another faint smile.]

Well, a lot may have happened, but you don't seem to have changed at all. You're the same Tifa I remember! I feel like I've missed a lot, though. There's already been lots of catching up to do.

[A sympathetic, sorry smile crosses her expression.]

Well... at least there's plenty of time to catch up on everything, yeah?

[Her hand will reach down for Aerith's to take it, and she gives it a reassuring squeeze.]

Come on, I know just the place we can go.

Right. Plentyo f time.

[Her smile warms as Tifa takes her hand, and Aerith gives a squeeze of her own in turn.]

Sounds great to me— lead the way.

{ thievery ahoof }

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

we can probably wrap this! handwave the catchup? :3

perfect! let's call it wrapped