{ when it snows }

[dreamposts]

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

Comments

For Tifa

[iracorn]

[It's interesting how, for all of Ira's trouble and the worries that lay heavily on his heart, sleep has not eluded him. He's usually able to fall asleep quite easily, and it is in dreams that he struggles. But tonight he does not drift off as easily, and is left to wander a little listlessly. He does check his lawn to make sure that Venti has not collapsed on it, but perhaps a quiet walk and some fresh air will help.

And so he's outside when he sees the first one.]

Oh, a shooting star. I don't think I've seen many here.

[starshower]

[Wherever Ira had gone on his walk, it's just outside the Starflower where he sees that very first shooting star, perfectly timed as Tifa locks up shop. She has a few of the dogs there with her, the rest having already gone home with Eustace and Lyria for an early bathtime. Over the jingle of her keys as she locks the door, and the friendly barks of Melody, their youngest and smallest corgi, she turns with pleasant surprise to find Ira there, and then looks up to the sky.]

Oh, where?

[But alas, she's missed it, she thinks, as she searches.]

[iracorn]

It was just there, streaking across the sky. Though, they don't last long.

[He points, drawing the path of the star in the air. But if it's crashed down somewhere, he's missed it.]

[starshower]

Ah... they're a pretty rare sight around here, I find.

[She looks only a tad disappointed when she follows the path he draws with his hand, but it's all faded by the time she looks at him.]

... Wonder if there'll be more. There usually are...

[An idle, almost distant musing to herself, and one that she shakes off rather quickly.]

What are you doing out here so late anyway?

[iracorn]

I do not often look up at the sky, which probably results in more missed.

[Perhaps there is something to doing that more often.]

I found I was not having the easiest time sleeping, so I figured a walk might help.

[starshower]

[She recalls the time that she spent in his dream, and it makes sense... she would have trouble sleeping too, if she were in his shoes, and quite frankly, since that icy dreamscape and being trapped in those mirrors, she's been a little hard pressed to get a good night's sleep, too. Which is why it's her who's locking up the shop.]

Walk with us, then. [One of the dogs barks at her heel in invitation.] And maybe we'll see a few more stars along the way. I'm a little sad I missed that one, to be honest.

[iracorn]

[There's some kind of irony here, that they cannot seem to find good rest in a dream.]

Of course, I'd be happy to.

I haven't heard of any meteor showers happening, but I'm sure we'll see at least one more shooting star.

[starshower]

I'm sure we—

[The bark from Tifa's side draws her attention first to the dog, and then up to the sky where Melody is staring, and lo and behold—]

Oh, there it is!

[She grabs Ira's arm, wrapping her own through his as her other one points up at the sky.]

Quick, make a wish.

[iracorn]

[Their lucky day, Ira supposes. To go from seeing no shooting stars to two in one night. But he freezes, not entirely sure what to wish for.]

I, um, well...

[But with how fast they fall, there's not much he can say before it's gone.]

[starshower]

It's alright.

[She gives his shoulder a pat.]

Just gotta think of one for the next star.

[iracorn]

I suppose so. Do you have any in mind?

[He hasn't really thought about wishes in a long time, but maybe now is the time to.]

Assuming there is another one.

[starshower]

Where there's one, there's usually more.

[Plenty more. She remembers sitting outside under the Nibelheim sky and watching them fall...]

But do you think we should even say them out loud? Or will they not come true...

[iracorn]

I mean, that is the superstition, isn't it? It won't come true if you say it.

[He's quiet for a moment.]

I suppose it would depend on how much stock you put into superstition.

[starshower]

Not a whole lot.

[Which is why Tifa grins wide at him and turns her eyes back up at the sky, looking around for a sign of another star.]

Alright. You don't have to tell me yours, but... I'll tell you one of mine.

[iracorn]

I'd be happy to hear it, though, I suppose it would be unfair.

I'll think of one in the meantime.

[But he'll gesture that Tifa should continue.]

[starshower]

I wish that—

[But before she can get any further, something bright flashes in front of both of them—a light so bright and so fast that she has to block her eyes from it as it crashes into the ground. The cobblestone trembles under her feet with the loud bang it emits, and she turns her body to Ira to shield both herself and him from whatever might come at them.]

What was that!?

[Looking over her shoulder as the dust settles... there's a medium sized crater that was definitely not there before, and within it...? A glistening star?]

[iracorn]

Are you alright?

[Ira says, even though Tifa is the one to shield him.]

But, it looks like it might have been a meteorite. I admit I didn't expect that one would fall this close to us.

They seemed a lot further away.

[starshower]

They did... And I'm fine. Thanks.

[She'll check him over quickly.

And now there's a star, right in the middle of this quiet cobblestone street. If they'd been just a few feet further...

But then another comes streaking through the sky in front of them, and while this impact is smaller, it's no less bright. And then a third, and a fourth just down the street.]

What is going on!?

[iracorn]

It seems that we're stuck in a slightly more intense meteor shower.

[There's a flash of a keyblade and a quick casting of Aeroga over them, just in case.]

I didn't think they could get this close. They seemed so far away before.

[starshower]

Well, I guess it's time for those wishes, huh?

[She makes the joke, but she is dead serious about it as another one streaks through the sky.]

I wish...that the stars would stop falling!?

[iracorn]

It's worth a shot.

And, I wish that they would return to the sky.

[It seems like a big wish, but perhaps that's what they need right now. What other big wishes does he have?]

[starshower]

[While these stars don't return to the sky, the number of them does slow a bit, some in the distance even disappearing before they even hit the ground, as if the speed at which they travel has completely dissolved them. Tifa braces herself for another impact, but the one that she's watching doesn't even make it.]

I wish...

[Well, might as well start letting them out.]

...that we could find a way to stay.

[iracorn]

[So, it has to do with wishes, does it? Ira hasn't really thought about wishes in a long time. Maybe it's an effect of his age, or who knows what else, but it's hard to reach deep down for a wish. Though, he does have them.]

I wish that I could see my friends again.

[starshower]

[That's just a guess, but it seems to be working, because in another flash, the next one disappears before it can touch down. There is, however, one that slams into the ground just a few feet in front of that that has Tifa lurching back.

And now, for the one she hopes it will grant them:]

I wish we could have a peaceful walk back home!

[iracorn]

Do you think we'll have to keep wishing all the way home? I have to admit, this was not what I was expecting for a quiet night.

[And he'll have to, think of more wishes. But hopefully, Tifa's wish works.

Does he really have so little desires?]