songerein | { lindwormeo and juliet }

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{ lindwormeo and juliet }

LINDWORMEO & JULIET

It is the third dreamshift, and when everyone rouses and becomes aware of their situation, they find themselves dressed in Verona, a gothic city where night reigns everlasting and violence lurks around every corner. Not because of crime, but because of the two main families, the Montagues and the Capulets, everlasting feud. Fights break out almost every other minute and peace is hard sought after. However, peace is perhaps on the table, for the Capulets are hosting a grand masquerade in a gesture of truce. But it's difficult when one of Montague's sons is cursed as a Lindworm, one of the key reasons why there is a feud to begin with.

"But that's not really all that important," a voice echoes around them. It's a voice different from the tapirs that they've grown accustomed to, and after another moment it chimes in again. "Up here my fair little dreamwalkers."

And lo, high above in the permanent night sky is a moon so full and bright that it almost feels as if it could swallow them whole. After learning about the Story Eater's actions against Songerein's moon, the appearance of a face would certainly alarm many. But then the face seems to recede before it changes into a full person holding a quill and manuscript.

"Greetings! I am William Shakespeare and you are now within my own dream, a dreamscape I believe you call it. My works can be found in many places and in many worlds. Yet that accursed Story Eater has been devouring my masterpieces! I must now pen them all over again, but one of its minions is invading my mind and altering everything and I refuse to become a brainless puppet like Marlowe. I have isolated it within this place of my own design based off of Romeo and Juliet. However it seems after my reading of the Lindworm King, my visions have been affected a bit, but no matter. A playwright must find inspiration where he can!

But it is now up to you to see this play through completion. Doing so will help those outside draw out the fiend through the accumulated dreamotion energy, and if you could give it a few stabs that will help as well. Not all of you need to partake in my play, and I have already chosen my leading actors and actresses. You should find a brief copy of the script on your person, but you may act however you wish. However, I should warn you—this is a tragedy, so deaths are expected. But fear not, you will leave this dreamscape perhaps a bit tired, but unharmed. It's all a dream after all.

Now that should cover it. I look forward to seeing how everyone's tragic romances will play out. It may give me material for my next masterpiece!"

And just as suddenly as he had appeared, Shakespeare disappears from the moon, leaving it to loom brightly over the otherwise dark city.

I. GENERAL PROMPTS

Reminder that those cast as Romeo and Juliet can participate in most of these prompts, but the timing would be set early on before they move onto their designated scenes.

A. Family Feud. Everyone in Verona is randomly split in allegiance between the Montagues and the Capulets, and whenever they meet there is some kind of tension. It could be violent, hostile, passive, petty, or even attraction. Surely Romeo and Juliet aren't the only ones who can love across the aisle. If not pit against each other to fight or exchange snide comments, opposing parties can also work together to deal with Erasers posing as creepy looking family members/soldiers/knights/etc.

» BONUS: TO ARMS. A city-wide family feud makes for good business if you’re in the weapons-and-armor trade. Gather materials to help smithies in creating armor and weapons.

B. Masquerade. Almost as if it's the opening act, everyone, both Montagues and Capulets are to attend a masquerade held within the Capulet's ballroom. It's a momentary "truce," and though tension between the families is still rampant, everyone is welcome to wear the finest clothing they can imagine and to partake in the festivities. The masquerade itself is in the ballroom, but there are also gardens and large terraces that guests can go to if they want some fresh air.

» BONUS: PREPARATIONS. Any good party requires a lot of preparation, and all of Verona is abuzz with activity leading up to the big night. Tailors need help getting fabric, jewels, and other baubles to create the finest dresses. Caterers need quality ingredients for the food that will be prepared and served. Someone needs to step up and be the band for the night. There are plenty of ways in which Dreamwalkers can help make the masquerade a success!

C. EXTRA SCENES. There are a few specific "scenes" featuring key characters from the original play. Whether taken voluntarily or "beckoned" by Shakespeare, those who participate will have a little "essence" of the original character. No full personality change, but they might feel certain impulses or find it easier to slip into the role. Note: anyone can fill in the roles of "Romeo" and "Juliet" for the Paris scenes; it is not exclusive to those who signed up for Romeo and Juliet.

PARIS V. JULIET. Paris meets and dances with Juliet, taking a fancy with her. With his arrogance believing he can win over the Capulet princess, throughout the night he attempts to woo Juliet, either in the ballroom or the gardens just outside. Juliet must not be swayed! (Or maybe a little swayed, but try not go totally off-book here). Juliet can shut down Paris however they want. (This scene happens during or immediately after the "Masquerade", but before the Balcony scene.)
PARIS V. ROMEO. Paris bullies his younger brother about the Lindworm curse on a near-constant basis. And to add insult to injury, after meeting Juliet he’s decided that he wants Juliet for himself. Obviously, Romeo is not about to let his stupid mean brother steal the love of his life! They’re going to have to fight this one out, either with words or via fisticuffs. (This scene happens during or immediately after the "Masquerade" but before the "Balcony" scene.)
BENVOLIO'S ATTEMPTS. Benvolio is trying to find a cure for Romeo's curse, and after some research in the library he finds something! Good cousin that he is, he puts the theory to the test immediately. Unfortunately, his attempt backfires and he gets turned into a lindworm (fully or partially) instead. The poor guy is now out of sorts, and he needs protection so that someone doesn't mistake him for some monster and kill him. At least the transformation is only temporary.
TYBALT V. MERCUTIO. The infamous duel. Considering how much their families hate each other, the inciting incident can be just about anything. The original story has Tybalt goading Mercutio into a duel by calling Romeo a villain, Tybalt killing Mercutio, and Romeo killing Tybalt. But no one’s enforcing the particulars very closely here, so players are free to proceed with the fight any way they please. (If this fight does end in one or more deaths, please refer to the event details on how death works within the dreamscape.)

D. Love is a Battlefield. As if there wasn’t enough drama to deal with, a large, winged noctaere can be found throughout the dreamscape firing arrows at the residents, turning them into Erasers. It can summon smaller winged noctaere to fight for it, and if a dreamwalker gets hit by the arrows, they will slowly turn into a lindworm that is full of hate. It's difficult to combat the boss itself, but it can be weakened by defeating its minions and those hit by its arrows. Love of any form will be a powerful counter that will hit the boss as well.

» BONUS: ROSE COLLECTION. In the forests are white and red roses that are hidden under logs and stones. They will sparkle a bit to make them look different than other flowers. They must be collected before the Erasers can get to them. A white rose fed to a lindworm will return them back to normal. Eating a red rose will allow characters to turn into a pink, heart covered lindworm for ten minutes to fly up and try to combat against the winged noctaere or the Erasers.

II. ROMEO AND JULIET'S OBJECTIVES

The following objectives are locked to those who signed up for Romeo and Juliet. Please refer to the notes for all the stipulations and effects characters will experience as the tragic couple. Final reminder that the characters will be aware of the tragic ending as well as reassurance that they will awaken unharmed at the end of their final scene.

Click for objectives.

A. Love at First Sight. Time to get your party-crashing pants on, Romeo, because there is a masquerade that you are not invited to but are attending anyway. Who doesn’t love a good party? If you wear a mask, no one will know it’s you! Here Romeo and Juliet have the opportunity to meet and flirt and make goo-goo eyes at each other. And if they really want to get into the spirit of things, they can go into a laborious metaphor about how holding hands is super hot but kissing is way hotter. (Yes, really.) At this point Romeo's curse is only a partial transformation, something along the lines of scales down one side of his body.

B. Balcony Scene. The time for light flirting is over–this is where Romeo and Juliet get to declare their undying love for each other. Romeo really needs to work it as his brother, Paris, has also made moves on Juliet. There’s some strangeness in the dreamscape at this point that seems to have mistaken Shakespeare for musical theater, so the loving couple must sing their love for one another. With that spirit in mind, the moment should be suitably big and dramatic! Immediately after this scene is when Romeo and Juliet get married, so there’s no reason not to put it all out there. Shakespeare will lend a "helping hand" in giving them knowledge of the lyrics to sing, though they are free to create their own song and freestyle it. (Players can use existing songs or make it up as they go.)

C. Elope. Being the very mature and intelligent lovers that they are, Romeo and Juliet decide to get married after knowing each other for a whole day. Time to get to the chapel, meet with the Friar, and exchange vows. Shakespear will lend a helping hand by providing wedding attire fitting for those who are cast in their role. That's right, every Juliet will have their own special bridal dress, isn't he so considerate? And then it’s time to do whatever it is that newlyweds do, if that's what they are into. Otherwise, Romeo and Juliet will need to return home to prepare for their future.

D. Runaways. Juliet learns that she is being forced to marry Romeo's brother, Paris, which is a problem because she’s already married and also she doesn’t like that other guy anyway. In a major divergence from the source material, Romeo and Juliet decide to make a run for it instead of that whole poisoning-yourself business. It’s just a better idea all around. The goal is to get out of town undetected, which means that this is a stealth mission. Romeo and Juliet must follow a path and avoid getting caught. Whatever it takes to get past the guards and would-be snitches that would turn you in!

E. Find the Cure. Even after making it out so far, fate is against them. At this point Romeo's curse is advancing, so they need to look for the cure. Just outside of town they encounter a very trustworthy set of three witches who provide a list of items for them to retrieve and mix into a potion: rainbow mushroom, feather of a dove, three snails, and lavender. No one said this was going to taste good. However, while it will work temporarily, only Juliet is told that the final ingredient must be the blood of his lover. It's a cryptic message, however they do not specify how the blood is taken. Do they mean just a few drops? Or her life?

F. Tragic Ending. Upon learning of the young couple's running away, the Capulets have declared war with knights out hunting to kill Romeo and bring back Juliet. They are soon found and no matter what they do, death will await them. But how? Players can direct this however they want. Did the soldiers catch them? Did they decide that the whole double-suicide poison thing was a good idea after all? Does one tragically sacrifice themself to save the other? Does Romeo go full Lindworm and eat Juliet? The possibilities are endless. At this point Romeo is capable of turning into a full lindworm if he's taken the cure without Juliet's blood. If he drinks the cure with Juliet's blood, then he will revert to a normal human (teenager) with no extra powers.

[Mod Note: Details on this event can be found here and we request all thread submissions to be made here.]

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[The tension feels strange indeed, pressing up against and starting to mingle with the warmer feelings the two usually share. The intensity of Thoma's brief glare, especially, does something to him that he'd rather not have to worry about while in a dreamscape like this. Or in polite company at all.

Ahem.]

I believe so. And then I'm to deny ever having made the gesture in the first place. [The whole opening of the play is rather asinine, now that he thinks about it.] If it's all the same to you, I'd rather skip all that and settle on 'agree to disagree.'

[A beat passes, and his smirk grows a bit.]

Unless, of course, you want to make this into a competition of some kind.

[ Now that they’re chatting and poking holes in the fourth wall, it’s a bit easier to ignore the sense of rivalry prickling at the back of his mind. It doesn’t go away completely, but surely it won’t dictate his actions. Surely. ]

I think I can agree with that. Or do I need to disagree?

[ Semantics.

Diluc’s suggestion of a competition causes him to arch a brow. Maybe the rules of the dreamscape hold a little more sway than he thought, because he’s suddenly intrigued by the notion. ]

Did you have something in mind?

[ He’s not interested, but maybe he is. ]

[On Diluc's end, the open acknowledgement that this is a production makes it both easier and more difficult to ignore the tension. There's no malice in it anymore, and there's a part of him that's leaning into it rather than trying to defuse it altogether like he had with Ori. It's probably fine.

More than fine, actually. Which is kind of the issue here--he's enjoying this push and pull between them a little too much.

Before responding, he looks around to ensure that they are, in fact, alone in this part of the gardens. They are. Good.]

Open combat is out of the question for obvious reasons, but...

[Without warning, he charges into Thoma's space and pushes him back into the column of the gazebo behind them, keeping him pinned there.]

[ He’s not sure he likes the idea of the dreamscape influencing the way he feels, but at the end of the day this is fairly innocuous, and besides, there’s a challenging glint in Diluc’s eye that just… does something to him. It makes him want to push back, to see how far he can press the bounds and what will happen when he does.

He doesn’t have to wonder long, because Diluc is suddenly in his space, driving him backwards until his back meets the pillar behind him. ]

Are you just going to push me around, Master Diluc?

[ The corners of his mouth curve up in a smirk, something a bit sharper than the easy smiles he normally wears. ]

I thought you had more fight in you than that.

[It's a feedback loop, really. One catches a glint of something in the other, causing an escalation of the challenge in response. The more they continue, it all feels more like ~~roleplay~~ aggressive flirtation and less like anything resembling animosity.

Even without the dreamscape's influence, Diluc is utterly taken with Thoma's reaction. One of the things he likes (...loves?) most about him is his willingness to challenge him. Thoma knows how to wield the power of words and influence much more sharply than most can manage a blade, and he doesn't coddle him due to position or privilege or even their affections. Frankly, Diluc didn't know how much he needed or wanted someone willing to call him on his own bullshit until the first time Thoma did so.

That he's doing this even now, pinned up against a pillar and smirking at him just so, certainly has what is surely the intended effect. Diluc has to pause for the briefest of moments, taking a sharp breath, before he's able to return the expression and respond.]

Says the man who hasn't put up a fight at all.

[Not that Diluc plans to give him a chance to do so, instead closing the distance between them with a hot and heavy kiss.]

[ One of Thoma’s greatest strengths is that he understands people. He knows what makes them tick, what might motivate or scare someone. He makes it his business to know their business and in doing so, he is able to understand what they need.

Diluc and Ori are far more than simple business contacts to him, but the principle is the same. He sees what they need and endeavors to give it to them. For Ori, he gently lifts her up with compliments and gestures of affection, he makes sure that she’s heard and that she understands that what she has to say matters.

For Diluc, he challenges him. Were Thoma still living his life in Mondstadt, they would be as far apart in status as they could possibly be. Someone as untouchable as Diluc has surely never had anyone to step in and tell him when he’s being stubborn, or destructive, or just plain wong. Thoma is more than happy to be that person for him. The little intake of breath and sharp smirk he receives on this particular occasion are just a nice bonus.

As is the way Diluc further invades his space to kiss him, hard, the underlying tension finally sparking and catching flame in just the way he hoped it would. Thoma makes a noise against Diluc’s lips, something that could almost be a snarl as he matches his partner, searing heat for searing heat, and kisses him back. His hands fist in the fabric of Diluc’s clothes, tugging him closer as if it were possible to be closer. ]

[The noise Thoma makes draws a remarkably similar one from Diluc, and he doesn't resist the attempt to pull him in closer. There's a strange sort of relief as the tension immolates, and he finds himself defenseless against it. Not that he's defending himself all that much around Thoma, of course. He hasn't for awhile now, artificial defensivenes from before notwithstanding. Dreamscape-enforced emotions don't count, even if he has to at least give them credit for getting them to this point.

For once, he can't quite bring himself to resent the way dreams affect him in this world.

When he finally pulls back for air, Diluc reaches up and pulls Thoma's mask off, dropping it off to the side to be searched for later. With that out of the way, he reaches up and cups his hands around Thoma's face. Affectionate. Possessive. Wanting.]

Much better.

[ They are a flurry of hungry mouths and grasping hands for what feels like an all too brief moment. Just when Thoma tries to take the kiss deeper, Diluc breaks away for breath, and he has half a mind to chase his partner – only to be stilled by a pair of hands at his face.

His mask is tossed away, leaving him exposed to the cool night air, cheeks flushed and green eyes gone dark. Diluc’s hands are warm against his skin, points of fire igniting at every point of contact, stoked by the possessive way he holds him. He should have figured Diluc had this in him – he wouldn’t have come to hold a Pyro Vision if he was lacking in passion – but he’s sure he can blame the dreamscape for bringing it to the fore.

Not that he’s complaining.

One of his hands leaves the crumpled mess of Diluc’s tunic and comes up to divest him of his own mask. Thoma wants, no needs to see the way Diluc looks at him. ]

It’s only fair, right?

[ Archons, he sounds breathless already. ]

[The expression in Diluc's eyes that removing the mask reveals mirrors Thoma's own, gaze dark and heavy with desires that up until now went entirely unrealized. Any illusion that this is about rival houses or one-upping the other is long gone, replaced by the two of them pressed together and the honest and vulnerable language of their bodies as they do so. The masks coming off is really just a formality, confirming what they both already know.

The breathy quality of his partner's voice causes something carnal and pleasant to tighten within him. Diluc wonders what other sorts of noises Thoma can make, and what he can do to get those noises out of him. To his own surprise, he finds himself seriously considering doing some of it.

Somewhere through the haze of want and need, he realizes the magnitude of this. It's by far the most physical they've been in their time together, and the first time he's even really allowed himself to consider what a physical relationship with Thoma entails. There are no shortage of alarm bells sounding in his head, reminding him of his inexperience and warning him that this is neither the best time nor the best circumstance for such a relationship milestone.

After a few moments of deliberation, he decides to ignore each and every one of them. This is a dream, and one that will soon force them apart for the rest of its duration besides. They might as well take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy one another's company while they're still able.

Most importantly, however, is the knowledge that he won't regret any of it when they awake. The dreamscape has nudged them in this direction by creating the initial tension and romantic atmosphere, but what they've decided to do with those influences is entirely them.

Newly resolved, he leans in to kiss Thoma again, brief but heated.]

I want to take you somewhere more private. If... if that's not going too far.

[He needs to consider what Thoma is comfortable with as well, obviously. How they choose to continue is as much up to him as anything else.]

[ It would be a lie to say that Thoma hasn’t thought about what getting physical with either or both of his partners entails, but he has also been very aware that a relationship of any sort is new territory for Ori and Diluc in a lot of ways. He has kept patient and left anything more heated than kissing and simple embraces to his daydreams, confident that if either of them wanted more, they would ask for it.

What he did not expect was for this dreamscape to bring it out in Diluc so suddenly. The dark gaze he turns on Thoma with his mask removed is a thing of beauty that sends a bolt of heat through him, where it pools in his belly, and lower still in his suddenly ill-fitting tights. What Diluc is thinking about in those moments where the two of them stand pressed together, breath coming in short gasps, Thoma couldn’t say. He’s too caught up in the heat between them. He knows what he wants, but he doesn’t dare ask for it until Diluc makes the first move.

And make it he does, with another too-brief kiss and a request that frankly surprises and thrills him in equal measure. ]

Not at all. You can take me anywhere you want. [ A pause, then he adds with a heated smirk, ] Master Diluc.

(( moving the action over to here... ))

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