songerein | { when it snows }

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{ when it snows }

WHEN IT SNOWS

All items on this post will last/be available for the entire month! So timey wimey shenanigans are allowed.

More details on everything can be found here. We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during A.

I. REVEREIN

II. DREAMS

COMMENTS

I. REVEREIN THAWED

After freeing the Ice Queen from the glass shard from her chest and clearing the dreamscape, the blizzard that affected not only Reverein but the Wildlands and beyond finally dissipates and soon everything returns to…mostly normal.

A. Glitter Snow. While the freezing sleet and ice of the blizzard is no more and a more gentle winter has entered Reverein, the fresh new snow that falls is not one one might want to stick their tongue out to try and catch a snowflake. Unless one likes the taste of glitter.

🎉 Good luck getting it out. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if the glitter melted like snow, but it does not. It sticks to everything everywhere and while some might like a splash of colors, others may not.
🔮 Dreamglobes. Some fae are passing out empty spherical glasses, suggesting those who are interested to collect some of the glitter snow into them and then set the snowglobe next to their bed before sleeping. Whatever dream they have will be captured into the glass and upon waking will create a physical representation of the dream to create a little special "dreamglobe." Hope it's a good one!
✨ Glitter Collector. There are a number of people and shops that actually want the free glitter and ask for anyone to collect as much as possible. Works well for those trying to clean up and not sure what to do with it. What kind of products will end up coming from them well.

B. Mari Lwyd and Family. Mari Lwyd has finally returned to Reverein, and she's bringing along some family she's found. However, they can be a bit of a handful. Some are friendlier than others while others are going to make full use of this glitter snow with pranks and mischief. But they all just intend to have a good time, something that everyone may be in need of after that blizzard.

💃 Little Pranksters. The young Lwydlings cannot sing or speak, but they love to dance around and make all manner of noise—they also bite if you're being a big fat party pooper in their presence, and are a lot more likely to pull a few harmless pranks than their dear older cousin Mari Lwyd is. Very quick, they have the same vanish-and-leave-you-with-bad-luck if harm is attempted on them. Have a dance off with them, or aid them in pranking those who are being big fat grumps/meanie-butts.
🔥 Bonfire. One of the merry friends looks like a very tall pile of long hair and arms, but with them they seem to be carrying a basket and filling it with sticks and other kindling. This is for giant bonfires! Help gather wood and kindling to make a great bonfire to welcome some warmth in this winter, and aid any lost to not wander in this cold.
🥜 Nurturing Gifts. There appears to be another skull-faced being wandering around with their own 'little one' in tow—and despite the horned and frightening appearance of the larger fur and hyde clad figure there are small gifts to be shared. An act of kindness rewards one with a bundle of magic beans that if nurtured and cared for will bear a great gift come spring. Great.

C. Hot Springs. The dragons are holding an open invitation to anyone who wishes to use their hot springs to warm up after that frigid blizzard. The dragons in particular will be practically living there, so hopefully others can squeeze in a spot. Rooms will be available for anyone who wishes to stay the night, and all amenities will be available: food, recreational games, etc. Just beware of the monkeys that have descended down from the mountain seeking warmth as well. They are prone to stealing things, particularly clothing—and wearing them.

D. Dream Board. This is the perfect time to do many of the Dream Board prompts, and while the full details are on the notes, here is the quick list of what they are:

Dream Board List:

⛄ Snowball Tonics: Transform into massive, different colored snowballs.
🔔 Bell Choir: Grab a bell and play for a concert!
🧣 Never-Ending Scarf: Help untangle the beautifully, extremely long crocheted scarf, dodge cats, and get the whole thing together in one place.
🍻 Keg Brawl: A game where one must carrying a keg of ale from one end of a field of ice to the other while avoiding the other team trying to stop you.
🐶 The Inugami. Help a pair of spirit dogs find each other.
🌠 Falling Stars. Make wishes upon the falling stars before they cause too much damage!

II. SHATTERED DREAMS

Although the Dreamwalkers were successful in removing the strange glass shard in the Ice Queen's chest and ended the nightmare dreamscape that caused the blizzard, the Ice Queen still has yet to awaken. Jack Frost has taken her to Orkili to try and purify her with the pods, yet it only caused an adverse reaction, prompting the Orkilins and Jack Frost to ask for help from the Dreamwalkers once more. Isolated in a separate room where neither dreamotion nor nightmare energy can enter, those who are willing to investigate the Ice Queen's dream will be able to freely dreamwalk, with the warning that she seems sensitive to positive dreamotion so everyone should take caution when using it.

In the meantime, there are some other happenings going around in Orkili, including investigation into some nightmare crystals.

A. Piecing it Together. Those who enter the Ice Queen's dream will find themselves free floating in a dark void with large reflective glass-like shards with blurred, fogged scenes reflecting on their surface. They float aimlessly through the space, and a closer inspection will reveal that these shards can fit together and likely form a larger image. The goal is to now try and put the pieces together, though it's not as easy as it might seem.

🪞 Nightmare manipulation. For whatever reason, those who either have high nightmare resistance or can control nightmare energy will be able to move and be around the shards with very little effect to them.

💥 Too much of a good thing. Because the shards are dark and clearly exude nightmare energy, there will be those who will try to use positive types of dreamotion to purify the shards. Some dreamotion will be safe to use and will help clear up the image on the surface. However, too much focus will have a negative feedback where the dreamers are pushed back with a freezing gale and the shard they are focusing on will crack and break into smaller pieces. Nightmare energy can help mend the cracks, so it's better to try and use both at the same time.

💔 Blurred visions. As the surface of the shards clear up, various scenes of different themes can be seen, both good and bad. Love, heartbreak, hatred, anger, joy, jealousy, loneliness, fulfillment, family, abandonment. Those who experienced the ice mirrors in the previous dreamscape will feel a strong familiarity with these larger shards, except these are clearly towards the Ice Queen herself.

This is where we want players to come up with any scene that the Ice Queen may have experienced that could be reflected on the shard! We'll request submissions and piece together a story based on player input. Don't worry about any contradictions, we'll work it all in one way or another. The only constant is that Jack Frost and the Ice Queen do have a close, romantic relationship, which is why Jack is very worried about her.

B. Unwanted Intruder. While in the dream, a grotesque looking noctaere will appear and try to attack and consume the shards. Should it succeed, the Ice Queen will receive physical damage that everyone will be able to hear and feel inside the dream. The void will contort and turn more like sludge. Attempts to use dreamotion will only worsen it, but those who can control or absorb nightmare energy will take it away from the Ice Queen. How it affects them however, will vary between dizziness to momentary lapse in judgment and may need to leave the dreamscape.

Those monitoring outside the dream will witness the Ice Queen scream and her skin blackening as if charred by fire. Same thing applies here: those who try to use dreamotion to heal her will only worsen it, but those who use nightmare energy to either draw it out into some other container or absorb it themselves will be able to pull it out of the Ice Queen. Those who absorb the nightmare energy will have similar varying effects, from just light dizziness to becoming more irritable and hostile. Attempts to try and directly pull out the nightmare energy otherwise will be unsuccessful—it will only work when the noctaere has consumed a shard and caused the physical side effects.

No one will turn noctaere through this method because not enough nightmare energy will have accumulated.

As for the noctaere, it will sometimes appear outside the dream, and those who encounter it or deliberately try to hunt it down either within or outside the dream will find both dreamotion and nightmare based attacks effective against it. However, it's a very tough and difficult foe, so while it can be damaged, it cannot be defeated at this time. Those who investigated the claw marks from a few months ago will notice it leaves behind the same claw marks. Those who witnessed it will also find it familiar and can safely say it's the same.

I. REVEREIN

II. DREAMS

COMMENTS

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For some reason the sight of the little house deeply alarmed Adrien, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. Nor could he even make it obvious that he was aware of it, as Adrien gave little outward indication of his reaction. But while he was still determined to give every potential house a fair shot, that reaction automatically made this one a much tougher sell on his part.

Pausing just outside the door to shake off as much glitter as possible- always a losing battle, but it would be rude not to at least try- he headed inside. The interior of the house was largely what one might expect from the exterior; a mildly rustic country cottage with basic but reasonably comfortable-looking furnishings, all on one floor. He walked from room to room at an unhurried pace, looking thoughtful. While there were technically two bedrooms, both were on the small side. In fact the whole place was a bit smaller than it looked from the outside. Perhaps not the best for what was sure to be a somewhat awkward living arrangement at first.

"Hmm... it's a bit smaller than I was expecting," he finally commented. "What do you think of it, Adrien?"

Edited 2024-03-19 04:27 (UTC)

He walked around as well. Not that there was much to walk around in. He wasn't sure he'd ever actually been in a house this small. Nino, Marinette, Alaya, they all had big houses. While the house boat probably had smaller bedrooms, the boat itself had lots of deck space to hang out on.

Still, he did his best to not show too much of how he was feeling, still unsure how this look alike of his father's would react to him expressing negative sentiment, or disagreeing. "Small," he said to agree, with a nod, watching him carefully.

He considered for another moment before nodding. "Yes, definitely too small, I think," he said. "Much better suited for one person who wants to have a guest room, or someone with a young child who needs a lot of supervision." The overall aesthetic could grow on him, but they'd definitely need a bit more space.

He pulled out the list to check where the next potential location on the list was. "Hmm... The next potential location is a bit more of a walk from here than this one was from where we were, but it shouldn't take too long to get there."

"Alright," he said. "I don't mind walking." Because he didn't know how long after they found a place he'd still be allowed to.

"A good thing, since that seems to be the primary way of getting around here," he said with a slight smile as they headed out. "I imagine there's quite a market for comfortable shoes."

Of course that would be what his fath.... what this weird version of his father would think of.

He wasn't sure what response was expected, so he just gave a small nod.

He hadn't really expected any response in particular, but he'd been hoping for... a bit more of one than that. He tried again to continue the conversation, adding, "It makes me wish that I'd been wearing shoes that were a bit more comfortable when I was brought here. Though unfortunately, one can't really wear sneakers with a suit, no matter how fashionable each might be on its own."

He was sure if anyone could figure it out, it was Gabriel Agreste. But he didn't say as much. He tried not to say much of anything, but bitterness was building in him. Something his father had said to Marinette once that... frankly echoed so much of what he'd told Adrien for his whole life.

And more silence. Even without the ability to sense the growing bitterness, it didn't take a genius to read the metaphorical room. He deflated slightly, awkwardly glancing a bit to one side. "I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "I thought a bit of conversation might help pass the time, but I've never been especially good at small talk." As was no doubt obvious by now.

He tried to shove the bitterness back down. "Small talk is for when you need to convince someone they matter to you when they really don't," he recited, shoving his hands into his pockets. How many times had he been told that on the way to some event or other?

So much for shoving away the bitterness. He just changed its form. He needed to get better control over himself. But this version of his father was such a mix of just like and completely different that it kept throwing him.

Also not having any of his more recent ways to ground himself available to him didn't help. Even if he couldn't confide his deepest secrets to Nino, just an hour with his best friend would do him a world of good.

Edited 2024-04-12 06:20 (UTC)

He frowned a bit. From Adrien's tone, it was clear that he was quoting someone else rather than stating his own thoughts. And under the circumstances, he had a fairly good guess whose words they might be. "A bit of 'wisdom' from your father, I take it," he said solemnly. "While that is often true in business circles, for better or worse, in other situations it can be a way of expressing interest or an attempt to get to know someone better. Or even simply an attempt to fill an awkward silence." Which he'd failed at on all counts, apparently.

"So you trying to make small talk could be actually trying to get to know me, or just acting like you are?" Convenient.

Yeah, the bitterness was still too close to the surface.

"A genuine attempt," he said with a bit of a sigh. "Though it's clear that 'attempt' is the operative word. I thought that a topic we both would likely be somewhat familiar with would help, but..." Clearly he'd been wrong. Would that he had even half of Emilie's skills when it came to conversation and socializing.

A bit tentatively, he opted to try something different. "Is there... anything in particular you enjoy talking about?", he asked. "That you wouldn't mind discussing with a relative stranger, at least."

He glanced at him, wary. Anything he said could be used against him later, couldn't it? If he brought up school then if he was going to be punished, stopping him from going to school became an easier punishment. But then what was safe to say?

"I don't usually get asked that by adults unless it is an interview question," he said, finally.

He gave wry smile. "If I had even a fraction of the conversational skill that the average reporter has, we likely wouldn't be in this situation," he said. "Rest assured that it was born out of genuine curiosity, rather than the need to fill space on a magazine page. While I could tell you any number of things about my own son, and it's likely the two of you share some similarities beyond the obvious, it wouldn't do to make too many assumptions."

"Well.... maybe... tell me about him instead?"

"Hmm," he said, considering a moment. "Is there anything in particular you're curious about? Or should I choose a topic?"

He shrugged. "Not like I'm ever going to get to meet him. So... anything, I guess." And maybe he could learn a lot about this man by what he chose to say... and what he didn't.

He wouldn't necessarily guarantee that under the circumstances, but opted not to say so. Instead he considered what might be a good place to start talking about his son. "Let's see...", he said. "He's always been fond of passionfruit, so we generally keep some on hand for the chef to use in desserts and such. Though lately he's taken to picking up a variety of pastries from a particular bakery as well. I can see why he keeps returning to it too; I tried some of the macarons myself, and they were very good."

"When it comes to entertainment, science fiction seems to be a favorite of his. He reads a lot of comic books- both the Western variety and manga- and watches a lot of anime. His video game preferences are a bit more varied, but he has very few sports based games as far as I'm aware. He plays classical violin, but generally prefers to listen to loud rock music on his own time. Loud enough at times to make me thankful for how well insulated the mansion's walls are." It might make him sound old, but that didn't make it any less true.

"This is very Twilight Zone..." he murmured. So many things were so close and yet.. so different. Somethings were the same too. It was all just very odd. "Guess that bakery is amazing in any world," is what he actually said.

He chuckled slightly. "Apparently so," he said. "It's nice to know that there are a few things that are relatively constant, at least."

He nodded. "I'm not sure if that helps balance things or if it just makes the differences stand out more, and hit us harder..."

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{ when it snows }

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