songerein | Saving Christmas

✵ SAVING CHRISTMAS ✵

As the sun sets and the moon rises on Christmas Eve, a strange sound of jingling bells is heard high in the sky as the snow suddenly begins to fall heavily upon the town. A heavy weight of sleep slowly overcomes everyone, and just as their eyes close they'll hear a loud, raging bellow—

That damn bastard!! I won't let you ruin—!

Before the words are finished, everyone will suddenly jolt awake and find themselves scattered in a strange looking town called Whoville. Although it looks as if it's supposed to be festive, none of that holiday cheer is evident. The town is completely ransacked with torn up decorations, broken gift boxes and toys. Even its colors seem faded, music distorted and muted.

All through the town the Whos stare listlessly at their hard work now ruined, some crying openly while others remain indoors in their grief. A brave few young souls try to help clean and bolster some cheer, chanting, "It's not too late, we can fix this! We can't let that Grinch get us down!" But many just shake their heads, their eyes dim. No one seems to have noticed the sudden arrival of new faces.

In the meanwhile, the tapirs appear to inform the Dreamwalkers that they are inside another large dreamscape similar to the one during Halloween. This time, however, an entity called "The Grinch" had suddenly appeared and attacked it, stealing all the presents and leaving everything to ruin as they see now. The tapirs point to a meter floating high in the sky, and although it's not rock bottom, it keeps wavering and lowering as time passes. The Dreamwalkers must help raise the meter to save the dreamscape from turning into a nightmare.

"But the big guy is really angry now," the tapirs chatter among themselves. "If they help fix things, maybe they'll gain a powerful ally!"

Dressed in Christmas themed attire, it will be up to the Dreamwalkers to try and restore the Christmas spirit before the day is ruined forever.

I. HELPING WHOVILLE

The town is an interesting looking place with its unique architecture, bright colors swirling and curving about that it make it look like it could be made of cake or candy instead. It's supposed to be adorned with all manner of Christmas decorations and lights, and yet all of it is missing and instead everything looks so drab and dreary, the colors faded and nary a carol sung. Its tree has also been stripped bare, the presents pilfered, and the much too big Christmas Star gone.

A. Gift Retrieval. The Grinch has scattered all of the presents and decorations throughout the surrounding forests and they need to be returned before Christmas is over. Dog sleds big enough to load up found presents are provided to be used, and the dogs will help track down presents. However, those who enter the forests should be cautious. While there aren't any huge threats, there are present mimics, monsters that pretend to be present boxes only to attack any who approach. They will also eat real presents, so be careful they don't reach the sled!

» BONUS: PRESENT DELIVERY. The last objective is to deliver the present to their rightful owners. However, it's possible the Grinch may have tampered the presents, and this will only be revealed upon opening. Players must RNG 0-5 to determine if the recipient likes the present or not.

» BONUS: SPECIAL PRESENTS. There are some special marked boxes that are guarded by present mimics. Get past them to retrieve the present. However, upon touching the box, it will disappear in a poof of orange and be replaced with a pumpkin pie that will help amplify one's dreamotion abilities if eaten.

B. Fixing Decorations. With broken ornaments and torn wreaths and ribbon everywhere, a massive cleanup is in order along with repairing and redecorating. While anyone good at crafts can help, positive emotions and dreamotion abilities will be key to help brighten everything from its current dreary atmosphere. Creative minds can help produce the necessary decorations while the athletic can figure out ways to bolster their skills to reach those high, hard to reach places. Another RNG for rating is here as the residents will judge their work.

» BONUS: JUDGMENT. Anyone can throw up decorations, but will it be to the residents' liking? Players must RNG 0-5 to determine what kind of rating their efforts receive.

» BONUS: CHRISTMAS STAR. The original Christmas star was smashed to bits so a new one is in order. Although anything can be used, the Whos do have some preferences on what can be used on the star, even if those materials may be hard to find. Rainbow crystals found in the forest will surely help give the start that glittery feeling; they prefer to have it gold; and it needs to illuminate on its own so some kind of light source is needed.

C. Christmas Carols. Carolers are doing their best, but everyone is stumbling over their verses and instruments are out of tune. A bit of positive reinforcement and Christmas cheer will help sort things out. Those who are musically inclined can lead the way by singing and even creating new songs to help inspire others.

» BONUS: A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. In the designated thread, a new carol will be composed by the dreamwalkers. Each one will supply their own verse in response to the previous (click here for example). The thread is only for the verses, but there will be another thread where players can go ham for their characters to comment on the song as it goes on. Anyone can participate multiple times but must wait for another comment to be made first.

II. SANTA'S TOY FACTORY

Just beyond Whoville with just the Winter Forest to separate them is one of Santa's toy factories. It, too, has been attacked and smoke rises from the damaged buildings. With machines malfunctioning, toys are running rampant and everything is chaotic. If not fixed soon, there will not be enough toys for Santa to deliver.

A. Elf Rescue. The Grinch not only stole the presents and destroyed the toys, but they also sabotaged the machines running the factor. Now elves are trapped inside and are in desperate need of rescuing as toys malfunction and start to turn on them. The machines are even trying to box up the elves as gifts instead! Behaving similar to the present mimics, boxes, wrapping paper, and ribbon bounce around in search of anything to wrap up. Dreamwalkers must venture in to try to turn off the machines and rescue the elves without getting turned into a present themselves. The more elves rescued, the more allies gained to fix the factory and more favor earned from Santa.

B. Reindeer Games. The reindeer have been scattered all over and the only way to bring them back is to attract them with fun and games. In order to do so, dreamwalkers will transform into reindeer and will have additional abilities granted to them, such as flying and manipulating snow. As for what kind of games, they can choose from any of the following:

Ring Racing. High up in the air is a flying course with rings made of magical frost. Racers must pass through each ring to count, but they must fly quickly. As soon as they approach, the ring will start to contract, and if too late it will close and the racer will be disqualified.
Sleigh Pulling. This is a contest of strength! Sleighs will be piled high with presents and, if not enough presents are available, large rocks to weigh it down. Each reindeer must then try and pull their sleigh down a simple straight lane to the finish line. Just beware, rogue toys will appear on the track and will need to be dealt with somehow. There are no restrictions—each reindeer can use whatever ability or skill they can think of to help pull the overloaded sleigh. The contest can be 1v1 or 2v2.
Robot Reindeer. All the excitement does attract many of the reindeer back, but unexpected guests arrive as well—and they're not friendly. Sent by the Grinch, robotic reindeer will suddenly descend from the skies to ruin the festivities. It will be up to the dreamwalkers in their reindeer form to fight back against them—or try to convert them to help out instead.

C. Gingerbread Army. Giant gingerbread men occasionally appear and try to smash through the toy factory, hampering rescue efforts. Fortunately, they are only made of gingerbread and easy to fall apart. Unfortunately, they will not only regrow lost parts but grow from severed parts. Their weak point is the glowing gumdrop located among the many gumdrops on the body, and destroying it will destroy the gingerbread completely.

[Mod Note: Details can be read and questions can be asked on the Event Details post. Submit all special threads and ratings to the Event Thread Submissions form.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She had her lights on one hand, and resting a hand on his arm with the other just to be careful. If she used her dreamotion powers, she'd be more secure, but also very cold... he also might find it weird to suddenly be holding a snake and that's before she'd obviously stand out in this world.]

[Once he was standing, Rosalia considered... and then nodded.]

Yes, thank you. [And this was her first time sitting on someone's shoulder... yay.]

Good, and remember let me know if you feel even the smallest bit like you might slip or lose balance.

[Standing that much straighter to put her level with where it seemed she wanted those lights to go, a free hand moved out to help keep any of the hanging string from re-tangling.

Just letting himself act as both ladder and light stringer hanger.]

I will!

[Oh, she's so high off the ground...! It makes her think of the time she turned into a dragon - maybe she should try that here, but later. Beaming, she begins to clip on a small section of lights so they can start the task of decorating this roof.]

[And with him holding the rest of them, keeping them from getting tangled, it's so much easier!]

Hehe, looking good so far...!

Doing good, too.

[Didn't mind helping out like this at all- hell, this was as good of a break as any for something that needed to keep doing something. Why not be of use for something as nice as.. well.

76 kept steady, watching the length of lights on one arm-]

Going to move a little to the side, alright? So you don't have to reach out so far.

[Just a side step, and one he wasn't going to make until she was ready.]

Hehe, good. Tell me if you need to put me down.

[She would understand if he needs to take a break, and he better say so 'cause it's not good to ignore things like that!]

Hm... could I hold onto your antlers while you move?

[It might be a small move, but just in case.]

[There was a huff, even if more the sound of something more amused than not.]

I will, got my word.

[A promise to 76's tone- glancing up briefly.]

Yeah, sure. Hold on tight as you need, I'll only feel a slight pressure- like someone resting a hand on your shoulder.

[Better safe than sorry. Right? He understood that little extra bit of precaution.]

[Yeah, she knows she's light, but still! This includes getting a muscle cramp!]

Okay.

[And nodding back down to him, she'll take hold of one of his antlers. Yup, she feels a little more secure like this.]

Alright, I'm ready for you to move.

Here we go, then.

[It was just a few slow side-steps, but he'd rather be sure she felt secure and comfortable, even as he had a hand brought up and rested against her back. Extra line of defence.

He stopped once it was clear she could reach the end of lights to better continue.]

Let me know when you're ready to move again- like a little system. Got the end of reach met and move along to start again.

[It's just a few steps, like he said, and she probably wouldn't have fallen (she didn't move at all), but she does feel more secure holding on. There was even a hand on her back which was comforting.]

[All situated in the next spot waiting for lights, she looked down at him beaming, and nodded.]

Yes. This will work out great! [And it was nice he wasn't grumpy like the first time they met. Oh, back to getting the lights on...!]

[Sometimes it was all about feeling safe, building up trust even if for a moment- and some habits died hard. Better for her to be comfortable and feel some security than not.

A low hum, arm moving back in to place to help keep the string of lights from getting tangled that she could reach easily.]

Good to hear, kid. [Time certainly lightened him up a tad bit.]

[She rarely ever feels completely safe so the actions are appreciated.]

[She gets more of the lights up slowly, makes sure they're secure and not about to be taken off again, and soon runs out of space again.]

Mhm, okay, let's move over a little more again.

Doing good at this so far, kid.

[Same little routine as the first time, only moving once she felt secure and taking side a few steps to the side slowly. Letting her take hold of antlers as wanted as well.

If it worked? It worked, all that mattered.]

Thanks, but thank you for helping me. This would take way longer if I was doing this alone.

[And the routine of her holding on when he has to move over is working out great. They roof is fortunately not that big so they'll be done in a few more shuffles over.]

Safer than chancing it with whatever ladder could be laying around out here on your own, too. I've fallen off a few in my lifetime.

[So all the more reason he was willing to be that step up himself, because the both of them could feel if something was going to tip wrong- and no fussing of climbing up and down to move.]

That's true. And the ladder might get icy, or it could be set up on an ice patch.

[It'd be hard to see one hidden beneath the snow. Nope, she's really glad he's helping her.]

[There were a lot of obvious and not-so-obvious dangers to hanging up lights with a latter outside.

Better solution, even if a little odd.]

Can be easy to get off balance without someone holding the bottom of a ladder, too. At least these hooves I've ended up with are made for snow and ice.

Oh yeah. It would still be a two-person team... Mmm, I think I like this solution better.

Though, I wouldn't mind having hooves. What's that like?

[It would be 'again', but...]

Saving Christmas

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