{ lindwormeo and juliet }

[dreamposts]

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.

1. 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.)
   
   
2. 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.)
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. 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.]

Comments

[disdelusioned]

Does it? I'm honored.

[The statement is light and fond as he sinks down onto the bench and releases her onto his lap. He doesn't expect or even want eloquence from her, much preferring the way in which she's so damn earnest about this and everything else. He isn't, and he's in awe that she's able to remain so despite all she's been through. Ori really is much stronger of a person than she realizes. It takes exceptional strength of spirit to live like she does, even while knowing how dark the world can truly be. After all, such a feat is well beyond his own capabilities.

If there was some way to show her, beyond the shadow of a doubt, how both he and Thoma see her, Diluc would give nearly everything he has to make it happen. Failing that, he'll just have to demonstrate it for her little bit by little bit until she believes it. He leans in and kisses her, soft and chaste.]

Let me say, as one heavenly body to another, that I am incredibly grateful to share the same sky. I...

[He pauses, realizing what he was about to say and only barely catching himself. The words almost came out of him without him even really thinking about it, which is incredibly unlike him.

Which, he decides after a moment of consideration, makes those words the correct ones. His own reticence can take a back seat for once. She's being earnest and open, and so should he.]

I love you, Oriphi.

[hearthwarming]

[ She settles onto his lap with ease as they take their place at the bench, and Ori's hands find Diluc's shoulders when she kisses him back. When they pull away from it, her gaze stays fixed on his eyes, full of awe and adoration for the man she's now decided is her moon. He is steadfast and ever-present in the darkness, anchoring the night skies even when it wanes. He has seen the parts of her that are full of darkness and sorrow - the parts that have seen herself violently and cruelly brutalizing a man out of frustration - and he has drawn her to him like the moon pulls the tides, protecting her and accepting all of her in spite of everything. In the same way that Thoma carries and sweeps her into the warm of his sunshine to tell her that she's enough, Diluc watches over her insecurities in the dark and reminds her of her strength. Both are precious, invaluable.

She cannot find the words to duly express just how much they both mean to her, how much they have changed her life and continue to do so in every moment they spend together. So it's a blessing that Diluc has a poetic side, and everything about her expression says what she cannot say out loud about how much she completely adores this about him. The expression turns quizzical as he pauses in his words, and then it quickly turns into surprise as the words that follow fully dawn on her. ]

Oh, Diluc...

[ She moves her hands from his shoulders and to his cheeks, framing his face as she leans in and rests her forehead against his. ]

I'm— I'm so happy. I love you, too. I—

[ There's more she wants to say, but the words are never said as she chokes up. Perhaps showing him would be better - and so she closes her eyes and closes the distance between them in a kiss. It's as soft and chaste as the one they've just shared, but beneath that is a certain heat overflowing from the love she holds for him. And as she presses herself closer to him, too, night gladiolus flowers emerge in the red waves of his hair. ]

[disdelusioned]

[The way in which Ori reacts to the declaration, first with surprise and then with overwhelming affection, makes something warm and affectionate swell inside of his chest. Archons, he loves her so much. He has for awhile now--her and Thoma both, if he has to be honest with himself. It's a strange and wonderful feeling, especially after isolating himself for as long as he has.

Her kiss is every bit as sweet and loving as she is, and he's helpless against it. He tightens his arms around her ever so slightly as they both melt into it, holding her close as if she might disappear the moment they part. For all of his issues and uncertainties when it comes to this romance, he at least knows well enough not to take it for granted.

When they part for air, he presses one last, gentle kiss to her forehead before pulling back enough to see her face. He then takes one of the night gladiolus flowers from his hair and tucks it into her braid among the other flowers already woven into it. The dreamscape will force them apart sooner or later, especially as they're on opposing sides of this feud, but at least this way she has a little bit of him with her as they separate.]

Flowers have their own language, don't they? Is there any special meaning to this one?

[hearthwarming]

[ Diluc and Ori may have had a quieter start to their romance, but it is just as singular and precious to her. Her love for him was built over earnest curiosity about his life, and his world. It was built over injuries healed and comforting meals had together, over tangled stands of hair combed through and stories of their past shared in moments of darkness. And that's perfect— he's perfect.

She smiles as he tucks a flower into her hair, and she moves one of her hands to lace her fingers with his. ]

Gladiolus are also known as a "sword flower..." They stand for honor... strength of character... loyalty... deep admiration...

[ Her voice is quiet, but sweet when she explains the flower's many symbolisms, and with every note of what the gladiolus means, she presses a kiss to each knuckle on his hand before she takes it and presses his palm to her chest, where her heart beats loudly for him. ]

And giving someone a gladiolus says, "you've pierced my heart."

[disdelusioned]

[Honor, strength of character, loyalty... those are all traits that Diluc aspires to, and by his estimation he often falls short. That Ori sees and admires those qualities in him, kissing his hand as she says each as if confirming their validity, means more than words can say. By the time she rests his palm over her heart, he finds himself blinking back a slight sting in his eyes.

If she notices, no she didn't.]

All the more appropriate I placed the flower in your hair, then. Because you've pierced my heart straight through.

[He'd let her literally pierce his chest, if it brought her happiness or security or anything else that she requires. How he's stumbled into meeting this beautiful, perfect woman purely by chance is nothing short of miraculous. But he's grateful, and he has no intention of squandering this gift.]

We're likely to be missed if we stay out here for too much longer, but I'd like to draw this moment out for as long as we can.

[hearthwarming]

[ She sees a faint gleaming in his eyes that bids her to wonder how he feels about what she's said - but his words distract her from further scrutinizing that momentary look, and she's helpless against the notion that he's reciprocating the meaning which the flowers carry right back to her. With a smile, she carefully picks another stalk of gladiolus from his hair and tucks it into a seam somewhere on his tunic. ]

I would like that, too. But here - this way, I'll still be with you even after we part ways...

[ She leans in to press a brief, soft kiss to his lips and then simply just... embraces him, for a while. She has no idea how much time truly passes, but surely they cannot draw this moment together out for too much longer. So with that, she slips back into the makeshift characters they've been playing for the evening. ]

I shan't speak to a soul of our clandestine meeting this evening, milord, but I shall be thinking of you until the morning comes.

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc watches her with no small amount of affection as she tucks the flower into his tunic. No matter what else happens tonight, he's glad to have had this fanciful moment with her in the dreamshift before everything gets too strange.]

I'll treasure it.

[Just as he treasures her.

She steps away, moving back into character, and he rises in order to do the same.]

Nor will I, Miss Montague. Until next we meet.

[He kisses her hand, a formality made tender by the way he can't stop smiling at her, and gives her a slight nod before taking his leave of her for the evening.]