songerein | { once upon a fairytale }

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{ once upon a fairytale }

ONCE UPON A FAIRYTALE

One night, a sweet melody fills the air around Reverein, causing everyone to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep, as if trying to soothe all from the stress of the past few months. However, there are those who are completely lulled by the beautiful music, silently slipping out of bed or off the floor or wherever they were sleeping and sleepwalk out of town to disappear into the woods. It will only be in the morning when everyone left will notice them gone.

Fortunately it's not too difficult to follow the trail. The music continues to play and there are music notes floating in the air to guide searchers deep into the Wildlands. When they approach a golden bridge crossing over a large, rainbow river, they are stopped by some local fae who had witnessed the strange changes. They will tell of how the forest has shifted and changed, with new structures and creatures suddenly inside. There is a strong magic over it, and they are wary of entering as those who have gone to investigate have yet to return. There are witnesses who have seen people inside, but they are acting…strange. And dressed strangely, too, with some looking as if they are in costumes. It's not Halloween, so what's going on?

Those brave enough to cross the bridge will find themselves suddenly changed into different clothes or costumes to match a fairytale character. Those who have had previous experiences in various story based dreamscapes may be somewhat familiar to this. It's completely random (ie, player choice) and a piece of sheet music will appear in front with the following words:

Deep within the forest your friends are stuck in play
Dreaming of a different life to live from day to day
Fear not, brave hero, for their lives are in no threat
But until the music ends will this spell continue yet

Find them in their role and play along
Be it through facing evil villains or singing a song
Perhaps you can remind of who they really are
Find pieces of their memories locked in a jar

Good luck to you, dear hero!
You've reached the final verse
Break this spell before the next new moon
Or this spell will be a cUrSe 😈

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 February and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of February 14th (however, the event itself ICly takes place February 25th through March 2nd). TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count February 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 February 23rd and Applications will open on March 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until May.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view)

Animorphs - Tobias
Final Fantasy VII - Tseng
Final Fantasy XIV - G'raha Tia
Final Fantasy XVI - Clive Rosfield
Granblue Fantasy Re:Link: Rackam
Hazbin Hotel - Husk
Hazbin Hotel - Lucifer Morningstar

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

"ENCHANTED" FOREST

All characters in the Enchanted Forest will be dressed in some kind of storybook, fairytale role, and they can be as generic or as specific as players want them to be. Heroes, villains, or an odd mix between are allowed.

The following prompts are more like "setting pieces" that players can utilize either for their sleepwalking character or for a general prompt for those helping out to get through. This is a non-exhaustive list and players are encouraged to be creative and add whatever they need. Sleepwalkers can create their own toplevels featuring their own story setup and/or tag into others. Players are also free to use NPCs who are also caught in the curse to help instead.

Finally, all original abilities are gone while in the Forest, including dreamotion. Instead, they will be replaced with abilities and skills based on the role the character is playing. This does mean you can cheat and choose a role that has abilities similar to the character's original set, but if you're willing to try and be completely creative, you can do so. You can be as open or as restrictive as you want, whatever works best for you.

(Note: The Love is in the Air bubbles are also in effect throughout this event. Because of the IC dates, the Dream Board can also be used as prompts as long as they are set before the event occurs.)

A. SLEEPWALKERS

Those affected by the spell will be called "sleepwalkers" and will be found at various parts of the Enchanted Forest that fits their fairytale character's role. They will be dressed as the character, be a protagonist or a villain, and a lot of creative liberties and freedom are allowed. Their role may also be a little strange and mixed up. Perhaps Red Riding Hood is part wolf, or Thumbelina is a fierce warrior princess ready to take down all the "giants."

The "script" and story may also be twisted up, so it will be up to those trying to help them to try and play along to get a hint on how to save them by finding their memories locked in jars, which are hidden somewhere within their vicinity. Once found, it can only be opened by the sleepwalker, and it will help "wake" them up back to their original self. However, this is a temporary measure until the whole spell is broken.

(Note: To help players find your scenario, please comment to this Sleepwalker Scenario Directory thread here.)

B. FIND THE FLUTE

While some are trying to help those affected, others are focused more on the curse and breaking it. There are bubble-like music notes that appear here and there, and popping them will reveal a piece of sheet music that will have a bar or two of lyrics that will give a hint to where the flute may be hiding. It's different for everyone, and sometimes it can be straightforward and sometimes it's not. However, should anyone sing the piece, music notes will appear and form a trail to lead them right to the flute (the notes will visibly reflect how good or poorly it's sung).

There are multiple instances of the flute and it can be found anywhere within the Forest. Sometimes it's easy to see, others will be hidden or guarded by a creature. It could even be in the hands of a sleepwalker. (Note: as mentioned in the Dream Notes, at least 10 different flute instances must be destroyed for the spell to be broken. If we do not receive enough submissions, the curse will continue with a Part Two in March.)

C. DARK WOODS

There are portions of the forest that are visibly darker. Not only is it denser with more trees, but gray clouds hang over it, further blocking sunlight from it. It's so dark in some places it almost feels like night and lanterns or other sources of light will be needed. Beware of the creatures that lurk. Some are friendly, others like to appear with random rhymes and riddles, and then there are the dangerous ones that are feeling a bit hungry. Be careful of the fruit that hang from some trees, as they can either be poisonous or just have a strange effect on those who eat it.

Deep, deep in the dark woods there is a mysterious fog that will quickly disorient anyone who are caught in it. This is known as the haunted section of the woods, so beware of spirits and ghosts that might wander through.

D. BRIDGES

There is a strange amount of bridges scattered around the Forest, and some of them aren't even crossing over any rivers—just empty ditches or even large chasms. The types will also vary, from fancy bricks to wooden bridges suspended by something that isn't very discernable (the ropes disappear into the sky…??). However, they all have one thing in common: trolls. Some are friendly and will let people pass after answering a few questions. Others will require a bribe. And some will force fights and other annoying challenges. Even then, the bridges themselves may be a bit wobbly, especially those wooden ones, or things like goblins may still pop out to try and steal from them. But perhaps some goats will help?

E. COTTAGES

And all other manner of houses, some of which may be made out of food, straw, sticks, or brick instead of wood. Some of these may be empty, others may already have an occupant. There could be people, could be animals; friendly or hostile. Just be careful of the beds—they can be quite comfortable and some may even be drawn to sleep in them…and need a little smooch to awaken. Those tempted by the food may find it delicious, but they may turn into a grumpy bear always complaining about the temperatures of the food and never satisfied. Baking a few goodies may also help those affected nearby.

Watch out for wolves and young, blond girls. They seem to like breaking into these places.

F. SWAMPS

Deeper within the Forest are pockets of swampland that house all manner of dangerous creatures, such as the will-o-wisps that like to lead wanderers astray, and those looking for a trusty steed? Avoid the horses here—they are kelpies that will waste no time in taking them into the murky waters. As it is a favorite spot for witch ingredients, it is more likely for someone to encounter one and suffer some kind of strange curse here, especially those involving animal transformations with frogs as a favorite. Don't forget the ogres—they don't like to be disturbed.

G. CASTLES

There are at least one or two castles deep within the Forest, though they are a lot smaller than their real counterparts. Some are just a single tower that needs to be climbed up to help whoever is trapped up there. While there could be fair damsels that need rescuing, there are also treasures that could be found and taken instead. Or perhaps one wants to conquer the castle instead and be its king or queen. However, like everything else here, there are curses and enchantments everywhere. The cutlery may not be so keen on intruders, and one may feel the need to sing and dance a musical number more often than not.

But of course these have their own guardians, with the dragons being a favored choice. Wizards and other sorcerers are also common tenants, and they will gladly use their magic to expel anyone who tries to get in.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[His clothing isn't the most forest friendly either, but then again, his usual robes wouldn't have been much better. He nods at her suggestion, smiling slightly.]

Your company would be quite welcome, yes. As would your assistance; I fear I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage without access to my usual magics.

Yes that would be wonderful. I would be more than happy to lend a hand and figure out where the flute could be at. Luckily I do have the ability to communicate with animals so I could try to translate what the bird is trying to say to us.

(The little bird chirps in relief as it senses that Isabela clearly means no harm, although then again, she can throw down with several fireballs and cacti at her wake if she needs to. Then she focuses her attention onto the bird as she talks to it about the flute’s whereabouts.)

Hi little bird. Perhaps you can lead us to where you might have found the flute, you say that its music suggests that it is in this direction.

At the moment there is no need, since I too can understand the forest's various creatures. Would that I had this ability in the waking world, but alas...

[He smiles a bit wistfully and delicately strokes the bird's head with a fingertip before extending his hand slightly to allow it to take flight. One gets the feeling from his movements that this isn't his first time handling small birds.

The blue jay chirps and affirmative before taking off from his finger, flying a short distance ahead and chirping to them to follow.]

Phew that is good to hear. I don’t normally talk to animals back in where I’m from either, only my young cousin has it. He has a big heart for animals for as long as anyone can remember although I can see it being a handy skill that anyone can master.

(Once the blue jay takes flight, Isabela wastes no time in following after its flight pattern since it is able to spot the flute’s location. From what she has seen with Hermes’ interaction with it, she assumes that he had a storied history with them before coming to this world.

Ho boy, her gown does make running a bit difficult for her but that doesn’t entirely slow her down as she does her best with picking up some of the skirt layers and running as fast as she could in heeled shoes.)

Then I hope your cousin finds joy in his abilities. Working with and caring for other creatures can be quite rewarding.

[And it is. So much as there are parts of his duty and position back home that he loathes, studying and caring for Elpis' various creatures is still rewarding in its own way. He only wishes that... no, now was not the time for such thoughts. Not when other residents of Reverin were still trapped by the flute's spell.

Thankfully the blue jay doesn't fly too fast, so both of those following are able to keep up, or at least keep the little bird within sight. And after a short time of making their way through the forest, they'll notice two things. One, that the forest around them seems to be thinning somewhat. And two, that they can hear the faint sounds of flute music...]

Thank you so much, sir. I’m pretty sure that he’ll be very flattered to hear from you as well.

(As they continue on in following the blue jay’s path, she could hear more of the flute’s music resonating in the forest and also notices that said forest is starting to look more thinner the more they go forward. Strange, Isabela could have sworn that forests should be more luscious than this but she has no time to question it right now. They have a curse to break and a flute to find.

They are inching even closer to the instrument and she does hope that they destroy it once and for all and get the whole forest and everyone else back to normal.)

[Before long the forest opens up into a clearing, most of the space of which is taken up by a large pond, over which the blue jay flutters, chirping insistently. Not having wings, Hermes and Isabella are forced to stop at the water's edge. Beneath pond's surface are numerous bubbles, each containing a formless, softly glowing light. The sound of the flute is definitely coming from the pond, but it's impossible to tell exactly where.

At the edge of the pond nearby is a wooden sign and two simple fishing rods. Written on the sign is another sing-song verse.

Cast your line and make a wish
Though your reward will not be fish
What you seek doth lie within
So try your luck and let's begin

Hermes reads the sign and looks at the rods.]

It seems we're meant to use these to retrieve the flute, which I can only presume is in one of those bubbles. Though there's no ready means to distinguish which one.

(Now that is one big lake, Isa couldn’t believe how big it is upon arriving at the area. And since neither of them have wings to fly over it, they will have to stay by the edge of the lake’s waters even though the blue jay remain fly over it. Also Isa’s Fluerette gown would have made swimming difficult for her as well so that had been shelved.

But luckily for them, the fishing rods are there for them to use and the flute’s music is still audible among the bubbles, but even she can’t tell which bubble has the flute. Thankfully Isabela did have some fishing experience back in the ship voyage a while back, and while not the best out there, she does hope that she is still able to know how to use a fishing rod.)

I can’t honestly tell which of the bubbles has the flute either without having to squint my eyes. But if we try to pop as many bubbles with these fishing rods, maybe we can eliminate most of them until we can find the one bubble that has the flute.

That seem to be what we're meant to do yes.

[He picked up one of the rods, examining it more closely.]

An odd choice of weapon to be sure, but let us hope our aim is true.

[ He flicked his line out into the water as the blue jay fluttered back over to perch on his shoulder. He didn't hit a bubble immediately, but a moment of jiggling the hook on the end around a bit and he managed to snag one. However, instead of simply popping, the snagged bubble floated to the pond's surface and back to him on shore. It proved to be a bit larger than it had looked under the water, about the size of a softball. When he attempted to remove it from the hook, only then did it pop, the light inside taking shape... into a pair of funny glasses which then fell into his palm. He stared at the object, a bit confused.]

...Well this is certainly not the flute we were searching for.

I thought so as well, sir. We can hope for the best and get our aims on point, so we can get rid of this many bubbles.

(The blue jay chirps on the support lines as Isabela prepares her fishing rod to start fishing for and popping bubbles in this lake. She proceeds to throw the fishing line at another bubble underwater, also onto snagging it instead of just popping it right away.

While she is reeling the bubble into the surface, she is then informed of the strange glasses Hermes is about to find from his bubble catch.)

Huh that is very strange. I never saw anything like it before either. Do you think that these glasses could help us to track down the flute in the water?

(And just like the previous bubble, Isabela is taken back by its softball size. She is left completely in shock on what to comment on the bubble size.)

Yikes! I was not expecting these bubbles to be this big.

I'm uncertain.

[He put the glasses on, looking first at her, then at the pond, but nothing about the view changed except for her view of him looking rather silly. He removed the glasses after a few moments of this.]

It seems not. And yes they are rather lager than they first seemed. Perhaps yours will contain something more useful than did mine.

I guess that I will have to pop it up to see what we can use for the bubble fishing.

(Soon enough the bubble she has caught then bursts to reveal some dart fishing bait. Now this is very unusual to use and Isabela begins to scratch her in utter confusion on how to use these without looking more baffled than usual.)

Okay. Was not expecting to find these in my first bubble. I’m not sure if they will be helpful in finding the flute, but I think that it can for some unique fishing bait.

(She tries to improvise as much as she could by tying some of the bait onto the fishing rod to get a better idea od how they are presented.)

Perhaps so. It did say that we wouldn't find fish, but perhaps bait would be helpful anyway.

[He adds a bit of the bait to his own line and casts it back into the water. It's not long before he snags another bubble, much the same size as the first. It floats back to his hands and when it pos, it reveals what at first seems to be a sort of hand-sized salamander.]

An ambystoma...?

[But no, closer inspection reveals that it's not an actual animal, but a toy version made of soft rubber. It squeaks when Hermes gives it a little squeeze.]

...Or rather a child's toy in the form one. Cheerful perhaps, but not especially useful.

[He sets it aside with the funny glasses and casts his line again.]

Well, it looks like we’re going to be here for a little while. At least we can try to take our time fishing and popping for bubbles.

(Okay, this is going to take a little longer than she would have anticipated. But she is going to try to pop more bubbles until they can find the one with the flute. So she takes after Hermes’ example in using the dart bait onto the fishing rod and proceeds to have it go back into the water.

When she is able to nag another bubble with the dart fishing bait, Isa reels it back to the surface and the dart soon pops a toy jaguar onto her hands. It looks cute like Antonio’s jaguar friend but not exactly useless so she puts it down on the ground as she resumes fishing for bubbles. Some seconds later she gets another bubble from her third or fourth attempt and gains another small toy in the form of the encanto candle.)

Huh? That one looks like the candle that carries the miracle that has blessed my family for generations. Looks adorable but not really useful.

(So into the toy pile it goes as she sends her fishing rod back to the water again.)

Hmm? What sort of blessing does this candle provide?

[Meanwhile he's flicked his line back into the water, resigned to this take awhile. His next two bubbles produce more toys, a model space ship and an odd mechanical doll. They seem to have components meant to move or light up, but are lacking power. They get added to the pile.]

Mayhap we should each aim for a different area of the pond, to see if it produces aught other than toys.

It gives our family and, by extension, the town we live in protection from harm along with the gifts or magical abilities many in my family including myself use on a daily basis. The miracle also provided us a magical home for us to stay.

The reason behind the miracle’s existence though is rather tragic: it was born from the sacrifice my Abuelo made to protect my family from a group of nasty people on the night of my Mamá and my uncle and aunt’s birth. Not exactly a great start to receive a miracle’s blessing.

(Oh gee, that one can be tough to explain. Pedro’s sacrifice is a tricky topic for the Madrigals, especially her grandmother, to talk about unless they feel the urge to admit it. Although thankfully Isabela has gotten better in opening up about it even if it can be difficult for her to talk about without the fear that they may not understand it well.)

Yeah. That is a good idea. I think that we’ve been fishing in the same spot for minutes right now, so let’s go to another part of the lake and see if we can get better results in finding the flute bubble.

[Well that hadn't been what he expected. Magic so great that it could only be cast at the expense of a man's life... Their situation must have been dire indeed to consider such a thing.]

A warding spell of a sort then, albeit not quite like any I'm familiar with. That your grandfather would sacrifice all for the sake of his family and his people speaks much for his character; I know not how he is viewed among your people outside of your family, but among mine, such an act would see him held in the highest esteem.

[He pauses in his fishing long enough to give a slight but respectful bow in her direction. Moving on to lighter topics however...]

I shall cast my line to the right then, and you to the left. Hopefully it will make some difference.

Oh gee thanks. It was quite brave and noble of him to stand up for the people he cared for even if the action cost him his own life. Perhaps if he was still alive now, maybe he would have been quite honored to hear that.

Sure thing. I should go left and see what I can find from the fishing rod.

(So Isabela heads left and proceeds to fish over there. She does keep an eye out for any bubbles as she sends the fishing rod to the water and tries to fish out the first bubbles she can locate.)

[Unsure how exactly to respond at that point, he simply nods and casts his line in his chosen direction. A short time later, he fishes up another bubble, this one being shown to contain ~~more~~ a cowbell.]

Hmm... a bell of a sort. Not a flute, but perhaps it could be considered musical?

[If only vaguely.]

Good question. I think that it could be possible to call a bell as an instrument. It does make a lot of sound, so it could be counted as a musical instrument for some people.

(As soon as she said it, she gets a tug on her line and proceeds to reel it back to her. She was worried that the flute might be out of reach for all of them as she nervously gets the fishing line to come back to her.)

Well. I think that I got something but I have no idea what it could be.

[He set the bell down turning to look at what she fished up.]

Let us see together then.

Oh, I’m not sure if this is the flute I might have caught in the fishing rod but it is very possible. Just not quite sure if this is actually it. Let me just reel it in so we can see for ourselves.

(A few tugs on the fishing rod and pulls later, Isabela is nervous about what she is about to pull from the water. On her fourth try she is able to fish out what appears to be a slender wooden stick with holes although she is so nervous that she couldn’t see what it actually looks like at first.)

Um… Did I actually manage to catch the flute or something else?

[Hermes lays down his rod and moves to take a closer look.]

It certainly looks like a type of flute. Perhaps we should see if breaking it has any effect?

[After all, if it wasn't the flute they were looking for, it would only be a broken stick; no real harm done.]

Oh yes. We could give it a try and see what happens.

(As soon as she is able to pull it out of the water, Isabela proceeds to pop the bubbles and the flute lands on her hands. Does it play the same song that has caused so many town folks to fall under its spell? Whatever it could have been, it is time to test out flute destroying plans. She looks around to find something that they can use to break the flute.

Then she finds some rocks on the ground so she grabs a couple of them and she attempts to break it with them as hard as she could.)

[The flute seems abnormally resistant to breaking at first, but a few good whacks with the rock, and it splinters into several pieces. A string of glowing, multicolored musical notes twine upward from the broken flute before themselves breaking apart and dissipating in mid air with a brief fanfare.

Hermes smiles.]

I believe we can safely say that that was indeed the flute we were searching for. Well done.

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senorita_perfecta - 2024-06-21 23:06 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ once upon a fairytale }

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Up for a bit of magical gacha? X3

Yesss to magical gatcha

Excellent! :3

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