dreamposts (
dreamposts) wrote in
songerein2022-05-20 06:58 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Entry tags:
player plot: dreammare castle

PLAYER PLOT: DREAMMARE CASTLE
The result of Phantom’s alternate personality taking over and fleeing into the Wildlands, Dreammare Castle is situated on a ruined fort near the mountains and reconstructed using dreamotion energy. The Castle resembles Victorian architecture from a distance, furnished richly in black and red, and the doors are left wide open for visitors to enter.
The interior of the castle is an ever-changing labyrinth, procedurally generated as one wanders inside its halls. No two rooms are the same, and it is impossible to backtrack within the castle, as doorways completely vanish after being used. If you die inside Dreammare Castle, you will wake up at the entrance completely unharmed – fortunate, because many things inside the castle can and will try to kill you. While fighting in Dreammare Castle, dreamotion abilities are greatly amplified. Use this to your advantage!
There are many possibilities that can be encountered inside the castle. Some of the large rooms serve as stages where ‘scenes’ play out. These are excerpts from one of the Scarlet Troupe’s plays, where NPCs (or PCs) who have been kidnapped from Reverein will be brainwashed into acting out some of the plays’ leading roles. In order to free these people from mind control, the scene will need to be acted out… or you can kill them, upon which they will wake up at the entrance of Dreammare Castle without any memories of what happened while they were brainwashed. After clearing a scene room, characters will be sent back to the entrance of Dreammare Castle. They can totally go back in again if they want.
Other information can be read here. Questions can be asked here.
I. COMMON ROOMS



- Generic rooms such as long hallways, dusty storerooms, a noble’s bedroom, a deserted dining hall, etc. The walls of these rooms will start to ‘crunch together' if you stay there for too long – it’s the castle’s way of urging you onward.
- Nonsensical rooms that exploit optical illusions such as never-ending mirrors or confusing wall-to-wall stripes, making the exit hard to find.
- A room filled with a diverse assortment of teddy bears. There is one broken teddy bear, which has to be retrieved in order for the exit to appear. However, picking up the tattered bear will immediately cause all other bears to come to life and attack the characters holding it.
- A room with several stone statues that move if no one is looking directly at them. The statues will try to kill you with their fists or their stone swords, so try to get out as soon as you can.
- A ballroom where many people are dancing at a dinner party. While the ballroom poses no danger, the candles lighting the place give off fumes that have gradual sleep-inducing properties. The longer you stay in the ballroom, the less you want to leave.
II. SCENE ROOMS


In these rooms, pairs find themselves needing to play out a specific scene. Fortunately they are either able to figure out what needs to be done or given explicit directions on what to do. Only after the scene "ends" will they be able to leave the room. A scene with a goal does not need to be successful—failures and bad endings count, too.

B. Big Grieving Lock. Characters will see a young man being bullied by other theatre members for his clumsy puppet skills similar to a flashback. The actual scene takes place in a dark room containing a large teddy bear puppet. When approached, the teddy bear puppet will begin to cry, and its sobs will attract all sorts of dolls trying to tear it (and any nearby characters) apart. Only by defeating all the vicious dolls will the teddy bear calm down. He will tell his rescuers that he tried to leave the Troupe by committing suicide, but the Troupe Master bound his soul to a bear. His wish is to be decapitated by an outsider so that he can finally be free of the Troupe. Doing so will cause the scene to end.

D. Searing Sheep. A shepherd needs help shearing his sheep. Seems normal, except if you take too long to finish shearing a sheep, it will turn into a wolf. Hope you’re fast. Luckily, there are only fifteen sheep. If you manage to shear more than ten as a team, you will wake up at the entrance after the scene ends with a few antique gold coins.
III. LUCIEN THE CRIMSON DIAMOND



no subject
He takes the unnatural movements as a good sign, and he continues to take a few more steps in Phantom's direction, his voice retaining the elevated volume. So it may reach the real one. ]
You apologised! [ Another step. ] You apologised to me because you did not want your shadow to affect my dream! [ And yet another step. ] This can't be right!
no subject
Phantom tries to walk forward, but he doesn't get very far before falling to his knees once again. This time, his voice is his own. ]
Get out... of my head...!
[ The nightmare energy flowing out of him starts to coalesce, forming a darkly glittering thing resembling some sort of floating octopus. Some of its tendrils are still wrapped around Phantom's body, but at least the source has been temporarily separated from him. However, the creature's appearance also distorts the hall around them - eyes appearing on the columns, lights flickering, pools of blood appearing on the carpets and flowing down the walls. ]
no subject
Raising his gun into the air, he fires another string of lightning, the storm scattering to strike the enemies that aim towards them before a barrier of electricity erects around them. It's something new he's developed via dreamotion, but it won't hold for too long as he still has to focus his efforts on the offense.]
It's now, Trahearne! I'm clearing the path—[The sound of his weapon humming loudly as electricity flies around him grows, wind gathering around him.] Get those flowers on him, they're our only chance to stop him long enough to finish that thing off!
[As he told Trahearne before, the Glowing Dawn flowers aren't a miracle cure. At best they can weaken those affected by nightmare energy and noctaere. But that's all they need—that moment of clarity, that break in the armor to be able to do the rest.
He just hopes Trahearne can run.]
no subject
He dashes forward, pulling out the crushed cluster of flowers all while keeping his eyes on Phantom. Hearing his voice does bring him relief, but it's not enough to discourage him from talking. It doesn't really matter if it seems the shadow gripping him is at last detaching himself--just to really drive that separation and his sentiments (that he is being genuine about, actually) home. ]
You care, Phantom! [ About the people here. About not hurting them. ] We care! [ About you...and your wellbeing.
It's at the last moment that he leaps forward, tucking in to roll and bridge the last few feet between them. As he unfolds out of the roll, he remains on one knee and lets his momentum carry him forward, bringing his flower-filled hand to Phantom's mouth. Eustace told him to do this and he did not question it.
His other hand, in the meanwhile, reaches around to hold Phantom's head in place. Just so that he doesn't inadvertently give him whiplash.
This close, the nightmare energy actually starts to hurt, but Trahearne won't move until he sees that this has worked. ]
no subject
SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT
[ Of course, that rhythm is broken when Trahearne applies the flowers straight to his face. The nightmare clears for a moment, allowing Phantom one last push to rip off his shadow from his body. The shadow is thrown to the ceiling, crashing into the chandelier and sending it plummeting down to the ground. Instead of shattering, it dissolves into a puddle of darkness - the theater is losing its form.
Now severed from its host, the shadow grows claws and flies down towards the trio, insistent on recapturing its source. ]
no subject
But no time for theories. The moment it moves, Eustace is ready.]
Not so fast.
[His weapon humming wildly, he fires a powerful shot right at the shadow, aiming right at its center. Unlike the others this one has more dreamotion than just electricity to it, so it will be enough to at least momentarily stun it.]
no subject
That doesn't mean he's going to tune out the Dreamotion, though. As the shadow flies towards them, Trahearne shifts to put himself between it and Phantom and swings an arm upwards, the intensity of everything swirling inside of him manifesting as a tangle of thorned vines, dreamotion pulsing through it like ley energy
fuck it you both know what that looks like i'm not describing it. As it surges upwards to create a half-shell between them and their foe, he sees one of Eustace's shots connect. Good. This should buy them some time. ]Phantom! [ Trahearne shakes him, his hands now scrambling to get a hold on him to get him on his feet. ] We need to go!
no subject
Y̱̟̮O̻U̴̦ ͇͚̣̳̘CA̹̗̞Ǹ̠͓̩͉̞ ̲̲̤ͅR̬̲͓͚̼̣͍͡UN͇̳̝̠ ͎B̶̹͎̝̩U̯̹͇T͔̻̱ ̰̺̮̬̱͟Y̯̮̖̫̖̥͔O̸͎̜̹̥̩͖̙U̖̪̺͉̯ ̗̞̩C̟̘̩̝̫̹͚͟A̺͓͓̪̭̖͕N̜͕̦͈̦N͔͙͎̺̼O̪T̵̬̹͉̻ͅͅ ̛H̠͇I͚̭͇D̢̙͈̜̺E̢̦̞̳ ͕͎͎̤͙͔ͅF̜̞̗͖O̲͙̰͈̭̠R̲̪̜E̛͖̬͈̬͙V̬̝̖̮̲͔̥E̺͔͎R̸̼̗͚̣̫ ͎̩̼̻Y͈͙O̩̥̥̜͕U͇͙̞̰͞ͅͅŖ̜̼̱̺ D̛E͈͖̠̝̼ͅS͇͙͈͚͖͇͓̕T̖̘ÍN̺̳͍̩̪̲Y̞̞̫̦̩̳̹ ̠̥̰͎IS̞͈̯ ̨͍W̹̤̪͙̲̱R͔̤̱̤I̗̞͖̭T̼̮͉̩ ̘̰͙̥͎̯I͈͎̻N̯̗͙̜ ͓͕̖̠̟͓͝C̯̱̫͜R͍I̵̝̦̤̼͖̯͍M̨S̩̻̕O̶̗N͖̱̠̱ ̬̕D̼͉̻̹ͅA͈̯͔̥̲̠RK͙̬̯̹͈N̤̥̼̠̺̝ES̫̖͡S͎̦ ̭͎̥͓̠͕̀B̫͍͘E̠̹̪̭̫͎C҉͍͙̲͚̟̠ͅO̼͈̥̳͉̣̳Ḿ̺̲̪̤̱̱̖E҉̬͈ ̭̣̪̜̱̀T̲̞̲̥̱̥H̼̖̀É̹̗̘̤̩͔ ̣͖̲̕S̵͓͖͈͔̠A̰N̰̯̙̝̪͔G͙U̸̺̣̯ͅḬ͚̤̥̠̲̜N̠̗͓̗͘E̤͡ ̛̰S͙͔͡ͅT̷͈A͇̳R ̺̳͉͓̪̺̟A̢̖͉͓͖͇͎̻S̱̞͇̪ ̸̭Ṯ͘H̡̞̭͍E͈̮̜̮̳ ͏͚͉̩M̱̪A̱̩̝S̨͚̳̱T͚E̮̗̯̱̜͘R̨̻̼̖̝ W̧̜̭ͅͅI̤̦L̠͔̤̘̤͍͡L҉͎̱̘̘S̮͇̫ ͕̭͎̙̟A̫̤͙͚͙ͅL̙̠͓̙̯ͅL̢̲͚̹͎͔̥ ̻
[ The shadow continues to beat its many arms against Trahearne's barrier, knocking the two men back and opening a lightless chasm beneath the spot where they stood. However, it doesn't get a chance to reclaim its victim - just as the ground begins to heave, Phantom's own voice rings out amidst the chaos. ]
Enough!
[ The bubbling carpet beneath them freezes in place, and a ripple of order spreads across the floor from Phantom's feet. He still looks winded, but the determination in his eyes is keeping the shadow's distortions at bay. ]
You are not me. You will never be me...
[ A ridge of dark thorns appear between them and his shadow, their angular forms a clear contrast to the amorphous chaos summoned by his shadow. ]
no subject
After running up to check and make sure they're okay, he calls over to Phantom.]
Phantom!
[Bundled together are the remaining Dawn flowers, and using a rock to add weight, he throw them over to him.]
Use these, it'll weaken it! Trahearne, help Phantom stall while I charge up!
[He knows it won't be the attack that would finish it—that would be Phantom's. But a maxed out charge attack will be more than enough to weaken it further and render this thing immobile.]
no subject
All right! [ He calls in response to Eustace's command. He wastes no time stooping down to touch his hands to the floor, the carpet bruising in purples and greens as he stands back up again, drawing from it horrible, disfigured creatures made from bone and flesh. They rush ahead and place themselves between them and Phantom's ridge, just in case the shadow gets past the barrier.
As they leave, and whatever happens next, Trahearne whips his arm up again, the ground bruising once again beneath them. A faint light appears in a circle around them accompanied by a quiet szz, hopefully offering a bit of healing and relief to all three of them. ]
no subject
Phantom has to diverge his attention to catch the flowers. His focus wavers for a moment, but the purifying effects of the flowers are a breath of fresh air to his exhausted mind. He's not quite sure what to do, but instinct tells him to struggle against his alter, and the bubble of order around them begins to expand in defiance of the coming storm. Maybe some of Trahearne's creatures will be able to dodge the furniture and annoy its trailing feet. For now, he focuses on keeping up the barrier shielding them against his shadow's nightmare assault. ]
no subject
[It's the only warning he can give. With the two diverting its attention, Eustace prepares for the biggest attack he can, calling upon the full power of Flamek. Given how large this thing is, calling upon the intense bolts of lightning might help break through it and give Phantom the edge he needs. He does worry about whether Phantom and Trahearne will be able to withstand it...but he can only hope for the best.]
Flamek Thunder!
[With lightning and electricity surging around him, dreamotion amplifying the weapons charge, he raises his gun upward as the barrel unlocks and widens, yellow rings spinning around him as thunder clouds circulate above the castle, lightning already striking down around them.]
Part the clouds! Dead End Fall!
[Flamek hums and reverberates in his hand before it unleashes everything it has, a powerful beam of lightning penetrating through the shadow to reveal the gathering clouds above. There's a moment of calm, that quiet before the storm, before a barrage of lightning descends down, concentrated on the shadow in front of them.]
no subject
With a couple swipes of his weapon, Trahearne sends arcs of warm light, dreamotion up at the monster. It isn't nearly as much or as powerful as what the other two have to offer, but it's something.
A flying candlestick breaks the rhythm of his actions--he moves out of the way at the last moment, but a sharp edge scrapes at his arm, breaking skin. He doesn't have much time to dwell on it, though, when Eustace tells them to brace themselves. He isn't exactly sure what that means, or how he should brace himself, but how the gun widens and transforms tells him that it's going to be a big one. He steps back towards Eustace and away to the side, just to give him the widest berth possible.
He thought the laser was the only attack. The barrage of lightning that comes after catches him by surprise and he ducks, holding his arms above his head to shield himself.
Pale Mother. Eustace is powerful. ]
no subject
The world suddenly shifts - he sees Eustace's lightning bearing down on him, and he feels a primal urge to flee from something that would end his life. A heartbeat later, he realizes that it's only an illusion. His shadow is projecting into his mind through their connection, and he knows that he may never be able to rip it from his soul... but that doesn't mean he cannot triumph over it with the help of others.
Phantom closes his eyes as Eustace's lightning hits, hearing his shadow's distorted screams as most of its body disintegrates under the electricity. He feels some of its pain, but his resolve keeps him standing. His friends have bought him time, and he would not squander this opportunity. He raises a hand, and darkness coalesces in his palm, angular and sharp. A spear of obsidian forms in his grasp, and he hurls it at his shadow with all his strength. ]
Begone.
[ The darkness passes cleanly through the shadow's remaining form, and its body starts to break up. Phantom walks forward, and the hall reforms in his wake. His shadow is reduced to a pile of glittering chaos, and it seems that the battle is finally drawing to a close. ]
y̥͖̻̺̜͙̞͜o͇̩̮͓u̠͡ ͏͔͖̖̗c̸͙a̵͙̦͍͖̖͍n͈͖̼͙̖͈͘ņ̗̻͇̼̘o͈͉͝t̴͙̙̣̖͓̰̥ ̛͎͈k̝͡il͏̬̭̬l̙͈͓̲̘̟͡ m̠͕̝̥͚̜͜è͔͔̯̜̣̰.̞̮͕͈͟ ̷̥̦̩͎n̹͎͍̟͙͡ͅo̺ ̹͙̟̳m̦̰̱̝̟a̯͢t̢͖̙̲̖t͕̬̖͞e͉̮̬̹̳r͙̫͚̘ ̦̗̙͓̟h͙͇òw̭ ̘̞̣m̭̞̻͚͖̥͡a̸̬̹̱n̬̳̪̱̳y̜̯͇͕ͅ ̢͙t̛ͅim̡͈̜͚e͡s̯̰ ̨y͏͙̺̻͇̰͎̗ou͇͖̞̳ ̛̟͈̲ṱ̨̙̭̝͉̤̟r̖̺̞͚̼y͏̟̯͇͇ ̭͎to͇ ̤̗͞ba̦̺̹n̞͉͠i͠s̖̟̬̼̞̀h̶̙ ̮m̫͔̹e̴̟̖,̭̝͜ ̦͇̻̼͕̻̗i̮͕̦̭ͅ w̱͓͙i̳͔̩͡l̞̱͖̟̤̮ͅl̯͔̰̻͚ ͙͔̣̣̕r̶̝̹̞̙̮e҉t̸̖ṳ̯̹͔̪̝̣r͕̠̻̻̞̟͖n̟̗̗̪͙ ̰̯̣̞͉̥͚͜e͇̙̖v̤̙͡e͚̠̤ṛ̣ ̺̥͕̦̣͍s̵̼͓ͅt̸͉͓̰̹r̨͚̦̥̪o̯̝n̝̳g̹͈͜e̷̪r̨̹ͅ,̯̱̪̲̻̺ ͇͢u̴n̙̹̞̫͎ṯ̜̙͈͈i̛̳̜̩͈̣l ̕t̙͚̙͇͙hé̺ ̮̖ͅd͏̟̱̻̠a͎̤̰͎y̲̪̙̝̘ ̬̺̗y̢͖͍̦̻ͅo͉̺u̧͙ ̧͈̩̼̯͕̱̱c͚͔͙͔̠̦̘e̜̞̲͚̞ͅas̛̟͉̗̙̭̗e̼̻̰̞̣̣͇ t͙o͚̫̙̰͓̻ ̯͇r̫̞̼̥͝e̦̠s͔̥͘i̩̫̳̜s̷͓t̟͍̳̫.̻͇̲͜
[ Phantom removes his mask, throwing it on the ground next to his shadow. ]
It matters not. I will never give in.
[ There is no response. Perhaps the shadow can no longer respond... at least for now. Phantom lets out a long sigh - the tension doesn't leave his body, but the agonizing pressure of nightmare energy has lifted somewhat. ]
no subject
...Is it over?
no subject
He directs his attention to Phantom, taking a step towards him after Eustace does. ]
...We should finish this before it decides this isn't over.
[ The castle still stands around them. As far as he's concerned, they're not done yet. ]
no subject
[ Phantom raises his arms and closes his eyes. Fragments of memories are flowing back to him - how he created this castle, how he kidnapped those people, how the nightmare energy surged from his body without end. The guilt and regret will crush him later, but he has a job to do now. He must end it before any more people are hurt. ]
I will ensure that it is over.
[ The ceiling begins to disappear, revealing the bright blue sky above. How much time has passed since they entered the castle? It's impossible to tell. The castle walls start to fade away, leaving no trace of the ridiculous labyrinth or the tragedies that were replayed ceaselessly within.
Phantom's consciousness is entirely supported by force of will at this point - he hasn't eaten for a few days, and he knows his limit is fast approaching. ]
Once it is over... I am sorry, my friends, but I must trouble you once more. Could you... take me back to the town? I fear I am about to keel over at any moment...
no subject
As soon as Phantom starts to stumble, Eustace steps forward and grabs him.]
I got it.
[And with little difficulty, he crouches down and lifts Phantom over his shoulders for the firefighter carry.]
no subject
Thank you.
[ For not just carrying him, but for coming to find him. He knows these words won't suffice, and he'll definitely follow up on them later... just not now.
There are no more words from him; the castle continues to vanish, its walls fading to reveal disoriented people newly awakened from their dreamlike trance. It seems Phantom really has lost consciousness, and without his mind to anchor the castle, it will truly disappear.]
no subject
Yes, there is plenty to learn from this encounter, but Phantom's comfort is paramount in this moment.
Someone is missing, though.
Trahearne crouches down and taps some of the crunchier dried leaves by him, scanning the area. And when he spots movement, finding who he's looking for, he opens his arms to catch her.
Maybe he's not strong enough to carry Phantom, but he can at least carry Miss Christine. ]