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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(Anya is also present to see the process of waking the Snow Queen up on her second trip to Orkili. She is hoping that with this process Jack Frost has found, maybe it can get her out of the shard induced coma. But unfortunately for everyone, something clearly isn’t right as she screams in horror with the welts appearing on her arms. Oh dear, this is looking very bad.

The Grand Duchess is understandably worried that the Ice Queen hasn’t fully recovered from the shard’s effects since everyone had to get the chalice to remove that thing from her. She turns to hear Joshua, saying that they need to find a way to intervene in the process.)

Right. It looks like the shard’s effects still have some effect on her, let’s try to find a way to fix the process so it can save her right away.

[Reassured that they're both on the same page, Joshua's hurries over to the Snow Queen, concern etched across his features. He glances over her sleeping form, taking in the ominous black welts that mar her delicate skin.]

Anya, did anything like this happen when you first helped the Snow Queen?

[He reaches up to the center of his chest. It feels cold. That's not good.]

Oh no. I don’t think that I have seen these welts appearing on her arms when I was retrieving the chalice to save the Snow Queen from the shard. In fact, this might be the first time I get to see this happening. Although seeing the shard leaking a black ink like substance on her chest while I was flying towards her with the chalice might be the closest thing I could point to.

(She is growing to be very concerned as they approach the Snow Queen and she gets a closer look on the welts on the skin. Now that is one BIG concern to see these things growing on her arms, she could only guess that this is an effect of the shard’s dreadful influence.)

Yikes! These welts could be more dangerous than we can ever imagine. I do hope that we can find a way to get the Snow Queen back to normal soon.

[Joshua listens intently to Anya's account of the shard's influence. As she mentions the black substance, a realization dawns on him. The cold sensation at the center of his chest echoes the description of nightmare energy and its corrupting influence.]

Nightmare energy, then.

[Concern deepens in his eyes as he contemplates the severity of the situation. Without much hesitation, he decides to try and help, believing that dreamotion might counteract the effects.]

Hold on, let me try something.

[He closes his eyes, focusing on channeling healing energy through dreamotion. A gentle warmth emanates from his palms as he hovers them over the Snow Queen. However, as the healing magic makes contact with the welts, an unexpected reaction occurs. The nightmare energy reacts violently, causing the welts to writhe and spread. Joshua's eyes widen with a mixture of shock and dismay.]

No!

[He hastily withdraws his hands.]

We need to find another way.

(The nightmare energy surrounding the Queen proves to be too strong for the dreamotion energy to counter with and it leaves Anya in sheer shock as she witnesses Joshua’s first attempt backfiring hard. She has seen Alastor mastering the use of nightmare energy but, up until now, she hasn’t gotten around to make good use of it at any moment. And they don’t have that much time to mess around greatly.

It seems to her that they might have to use this nightmare energy if they want to have the Snow Queen’s welts removed. Looking at the several shard pieces on the ground, Anya soon comes to a big realization and a plan that could solve this dilemma.)

You know, as much as I hate the idea of using nightmare energy too much, it looks like we might have to use some of that energy to save her. She seems to be unusually sensitive to our dreamotion energy at this time.

And have you seen the shards lying on the ground? Maybe we can try to piece them together in order to wake her up and remove those welts on her arms.

[Joshua’s face darkens with an uneasy frown at the mention of using nightmare energy. It’s something that goes beyond hesitation, although whatever it is, he tamps it down so it’s little more than that fleeting look, and one that he takes care not to direct at Anya. When he responds, his voice maintains its usual quiet gentleness, although it’s firm with his resolve.]

Wielding nightmares is far too dangerous.

[His gaze shifts to the scattered shards on the ground. He hadn’t seen them before—perhaps they’re manifestations made real from her dreams?—but now that Anya has pointed them out, he’s open to contemplating their potential use.]

We can try the shards. Otherwise, I’ve another potential solution.

(Okay then, nightmare energy seems to be out of the question at least from where they are standing. Not many people here can handle or use this energy without being driven into madness or go all noctaere from over exposure. So neither one of them is qualified to handle that.

But the shards seem to be the only solution to solve the welts situation right now.)

Alright then. No nightmare energy allowed at this time. It is very volatile in nature after all so we can’t use it on a whim.

On the other hand, we can definitely do something with the shards on the ground. Piecing them together like they are one big puzzle. Maybe they might hold the key to the welts the Queen is suffering from today. Also what kind of other solution do you propose should the shards plan backfire?

[Joshua gives a nod of agreement, appreciative that Anya is open to avoiding the use of nightmare energy.]

These shards may indeed hold the key to unraveling the mystery of the welts.

[As he bends down to pick up the scattered shards, delicately gathering them as if they were fragments of a precious artwork, he addresses her question with a thoughtful expression.]

As for the alternative solution, I have the ability to absorb nightmare energy. It's not a power I wield lightly, given the risks, but in this case, I believe I can use it to counteract the effects on the Snow Queen.

Edited 2024-01-21 07:01 (UTC)

Okay then. That could come in handy in a situation like this. Especially with how bad the welts are affecting the Queen right now. I’ll gather the shards too and we can try to see what they could form into, maybe even show us something in return.

(Anya jumps in to gather the shards as well, carefully picking them up like they are shattered pieces of broken vases. She does wonder what was the true form of the shards before they became what they are now. Whatever it was, they need a lot of work to get repaired sooner rather later.

If the shards can tell them of any vital information for the Snow Queen’s state, they could use that to help her in recovering from this current unpleasant coma. One can hope for the best.)

[As Joshua continues to pick up the shards, he can't help but feel a twinge of apprehension about the idea of using his ability. It's not a power he's learned to wield, with a nature entirely its own and far from his control. As such, he understands the potential dangers it poses to his own well-being. Yet, he also realizes that the greater risk lies in not using his abilities to help the Snow Queen.]

[That risk may be worth taking, he thinks to himself. If there's a chance to alleviate the Queen's suffering, to unravel the mystery behind those charred welts, then he would rather his power go to some useful purpose than remain an internal plague that only finds use in harming him.]

[With a small sigh, Joshua straightens up, cradling the shards he's managed to gather in his hands. His gaze shifts to Anya, a flicker of concern in his eyes.]

Anya, have you ever worked with these shards before? Do they react to any specific patterns or combinations? It might be beneficial to understand their properties before we proceed.

I haven’t done anything similar to this except for the time I had to gather broken crystal shards from a floating crystal island. It was tough trying to look away from the shards without having your mind messed up by whatever images they want to project onto themselves.

One time one crystal shard tried to mess with me by showing a happier time when my family was still alive. I had to have other people tried to snap me out of that trance before it could do more emotional harm onto my head. They seem to want to tap into our emotions whether it be negative or positive, bringing in images of people, events, places or things that we long for at home.

[Joshua listens attentively to Anya's recounting of her experience with crystal shards, a sympathetic expression gracing his features. He understands the profound impact the magicks of such objects can have on an individual (the crystals back home an especially touchy subject for him), not just physically but emotionally, dredging up memories and emotions that are often better left undisturbed.]]

I'm sorry to hear you underwent such a painful experience.

[With a shared understanding of the potential emotional toll, Joshua proceeds with caution. His focus shifts back to the shards in his hands, the small crystalline fragments holding both mystery and danger.]

These shards might share similarities with the ones you encountered in the past. If they possess the ability to tap into our emotions and memories, we must approach them with care.

Before we proceed, let's establish a plan. We need to unravel the Snow Queen's condition without risking our own well-being.

One of us can piece them together while the other ensures there are no ill-effects on ourselves or the Queen. I can do the former if you prefer, but I am also happy to keep watch.

Thank you for the sympathies. Losing one’s family is never a great time to deal with even though it happened a long time ago.

Yes, that is also what I have been thinking when I first spotted these shards as well. We have to be very careful with these shards especially if they have the same ability of tapping into everyone’s emotions.

Sounds good enough for me. I’ll ensure that the shards will not try to mess with the two of us and the Queen from whatever effects the shards could possess.

[Joshua listens carefully with slow nods. He understands, unfortunately, the impact of losing one’s entire family. It’s not anything he’d wish on even his worst enemies, so to hear a friend has suffered from such a horrific loss is sobering.]

[Eventually, his gestures gradate into a more affirmative direction. They have a plan. Good.]

[Now it just has to work.]

All right.

[He takes a deep breath and begins to piece the shards together. He’s careful with his movements, joining sides and hooking corners as best he can.]

[A smokey image begins to form along the edges.]

It looks like… a ballroom?

(Anya is on standby, waiting for the right moment to intervene should the shards try to mess with the Queen or her and Joshua at any moment. She checks in every other moment to see how much progress is done on the shards repair, so far nothing odd has happened just yet.

And then she too sees an imagery of a ballroom appearing in the shards once Joshua put in a good amount of them into a mosaic. This ballroom looks like something from the palaces her family once lived in when they ruled over Russia. The thoughts are going back to when the palace ballrooms were filled with music, people dancing, chatting in the air, and the times when she and her sisters could join in whenever it is possible.)

Whoa! It does appear to be a ballroom, just like the ones I have been to back home. Maybe the Queen was a really good dancer back in the day.

[As the image continues to become clearer and the ballroom takes shape, the memories of Joshua's own past swirl in his mind, and a soft smile plays on his lips as he thinks about the last time he attended an event of such grandeur. He was only a child then, surrounded by the opulence and elegance that seemed to be a distant memory now.]

[The mosaic forms, and he can almost see the dance floor, feel the music in the air, and sense the energy of the past event. The ballroom, once vibrant and alive, now appears frozen in time.]

It seems that we may have caught the Snow Queen in a middle of something special.

[He’s musing aloud, fingers delicately arranging the remaining shards. The image becomes more defined, and then it hits him—the figure of Jack Frost dancing with the Snow Queen in the center of the empty ballroom. Joshua looks up at Anya with a thoughtful expression.]

She was an exceptional dancer—enough that she must have truly loved the art.

Along with the one man she would allow to share it with her.

Yes, it does appear to the be the case. It could be either be a birthday ball or an impressive gala. I don’t usually get to attend balls that much due to how young I was when my family was still alive but I still remember a big anniversary ball when my Papa allowed me and my sisters to attend it regardless.

Oh yes. She must have enjoyed dancing quite a lot as much as she was trained to learn it.

(As the mosaic image becomes more clear, she could see the gentleman the Snow Queen is dancing with it and she can see Jack Frost having this honor with her.)

Wow! I didn’t know Jack Frost was that good of a dancer but he sure knows how to dance well with a lady like her. And it looks like the both of them are not just having fun with each other, they seem to be in love with each other like Mama and Papa were in life.

[The ballroom scene, frozen in time, holds a certain magic and nostalgia, echoing the elegance of her past. As he places the final shards in their rightful places, he feels a sense of accomplishment, a puzzle completed.]

[He withdraws his hands from the shards, his fingers no longer arranging the pieces. The mosaic stands complete before them, a snapshot of a moment they perhaps shouldn't bear witness to.]

It seems like the Queen cherishes these memories. And yet...

[He frowns. The edges are still dark, and it looks like there's dark smoke running through the image.]

...something taints them.

Yeah, I do believe that as well… Oh my! I could see that something is messing up this memory. You know, I’m starting to think that the shard had influencing the memory to some degree.

This is not a great sign at all.

Not in the slightest.

[Joshua's tone is equally grim and dry. It seems that good signs have become rarities as of late.]

[He's quiet, antsy as a familiar chill rises once more in the center of his chest. Another ill omen that has appeared far too often for his liking.]

I think you're right, and I believe that 'something' is related to nightmare energy.

[He glances between the image and the queen.]

I... should be able to purify it. Mayhap that will stave off any further harm from coming to her.

['Should' is the key word. He's never used this newfound power (curse?) willingly before.]

Quite so. I would hate to see what else the shard’s energy or influence could twisted inside her memories.

(Anya grimaces as she continues to see the memory being distorted by the black shard’s nightmare energy. She hates to imagine to see what else the shard could have messed up and finding any good signs that something in the Queen hasn’t been twisted is very unlikely right now.)

Yes. That would be a good idea. That should keep the shard’s energy from harming her even further.

[Joshua dips his head in a brief nod to show that he’s listening to Anya. Otherwise, he’s engrossed in the puzzle before them, not because of its brokenness—but because of what he’ll have to do to fix it.]

All right.

[He’d been doing his best to avoid engaging with the spikes of cold that would pierce his heart in the presence of nightmares. Yet now he’s purposefully addressing it. Calling it. Willing the acceptance of this curse to perhaps bring something bigger out of this new malady that seeks to replace another from home.]

[In earnest.]

[Joshua closes his eyes and sucks in a steadying breath through his nose.]

[Then, he reaches deep inside himself, like trying to open a door frosted over to invite the darkness inside. A few moments pass, and he begins to consider that perhaps his attempt was futile. He can’t say he’s exactly saddened by the thought.]

[That’s when the wisps of inky black run like murky rivers from the shards and, after using a second to find their target, launch their way into Joshua’s heart.]

[He grits his teeth against the sudden impact, grunting with the effort it takes to wrest his hands from the image. Breathing heavily, eyes squeezed tightly, it’s clear he’s not in any shape to speak. Still, he tries.]

Did… did it work…?

(Anya could only watch in horror as she witnesses the black ink energy coming at him right to the heart. She may not have experience with taking nightmare energy but she can tell that it can make things harder for anyone. Gritting her teeth as the energy hits Joshua hard, she couldn’t help but worry for him and the Snow Queen alike.

Hoping to confirm that the plan did worked, she looks back at the shard piece and she is amazed to see that the shard memory was restored back to normal as if nothing else happened. The happy emotions in the Queen and Jack are back to what they should be like. She returns her attention to Joshua as soon as he asks her if it worked.)

Oh. Right, it looks like the plan worked after all. The memory has been restored back to normal.

Good. That’s good.

[He’s still tense, but knowing that the memory is back to normal helps take the edge off the lingering ripples of pain.]

[Joshua takes another couple of moments before he looks at the Queen. More relief floods him as the charred welts begin to fade.]

She’s doing better.

[That makes one of them.]

Phew! That’s good to hear. At least she will recover slowly from the effects of the dark shard’s energy. Not immediately but I hope that she will have a gradual recovery and she does have enough time to rest.

At least there are no more welts growing on her any time soon.

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empyreancatastrophe - 2024-02-08 20:22 (UTC) - Expand

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grandduchess_anya - 2024-02-09 08:30 (UTC) - Expand

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{ when it snows }

Say It Ain’t Snow, Queen

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