{ Saving Oz }

[dreamposts]

SAVING OZ

After a month of increasingly windy weather, it all comes to a head when a giant book appears right above the town of Reverein. It opens its pages facing the town and a large tornado emerges, descending down to cover the entire town. Miraculously, no buildings are destroyed, but the entire population is sucked up into the air and into the pages of the book. It's a wild, twisting ride until everyone crash lands into a strange city all in emerald green. The tapirs make their usual rare appearance and look around before gasping, "Oh! It's the Emerald City from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! Looks like a mess though… And so do you!"

As pointed out, everyone will find themselves dressed or transformed into some semblance of one of the five main characters: Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman (Tinman), and the Cowardly Lion. They could be wearing authentic costumes, have an almost complete appearance change, partial transformation, and anywhere in-between. While they are mostly stuck in whichever "role" they've been initially cast in, they can temporarily change if a different role would work better. They gain additional abilities fitting of the character, such as the Scarecrow unable to bleed as they are now made of straw, the Tinman always wearing or made of some kind of metallic armor, the Lion have wind blasting roars and the strength of a real lion, Toto able to become a real dog, and Dorothy has their charisma stat shot up through the roof. Everyone will be able to use their dreamotion and original abilities as well, so they can be even more creative. While there are no complete personality changes, some may feel some "adjustments" to fit their role at times. Some roles will be more effective for certain tasks and objectives, and they will receive additional buff bonuses to help clear it.

With the help of local citizens who have formed their own rebel force, everyone must now help push back the nightmare force that has taken over this story and lure out the mysterious new "Wizard" that is the source of all this chaos. If they can fill a giant emerald with positive dreams and launch it at the "Wizard," then it'll be a mission success.

For any questions, refer to the Game Notes and comment there.

I. HELPING THE CITY

Emerald City is a mess, but not lost. The rebel force has a base set up to help direct everyone and serves as the main camp for aid and rest. There's plenty to do, and now that they have "Dorothy and her friends" again, they may be able to win back their proud city. Oh, if only they could find the Princess Ozma...

A. Porcelain Rubble. Aside from the usual physical destruction, large portions of the city have turned into porcelain and broken apart. A special glue is available and becomes more potent with dreamotion infused into it, and as soon as pieces are glued back together the structure will return to its original form. However, there is a risk of someone turning into porcelain the longer they remain in the area and will need to be glued back together if broken (fortunately no one can die, just lie helplessly in pieces). Perhaps those who are cast as Toto can help sniff out trapped individuals, while the Scarecrow's straw would make for excellent padding for those broken pieces.

B. Statued. Many citizens have been turned into statues, scattered all over the city and outside the walls. They need to be moved to safety first before a cure can be used as it takes time to fully work. Special sleighs fashioned after the Gump are available to help carry any statued citizen to safety; just be careful when driving it as they are very unpredictable. Once in a safe spot, a few drops of the potion will start the curing process. The many witches that cursed everyone to begin with are still out and about, ready to turn anyone unaware into statues. Strangely, the spell bounces off metal, so those cast as the Tinman will be great in offering support and could even try and reflect the spell back onto the witches to turn them to statues instead.

C. Into the Poppy Field. The dangerous poppy field known for its ability to lull any who are flesh and blood to sleep until their dying days has been inching closer towards the city, perhaps drawn by the nightmare energy flowing out from it. To make matters worse, they now can move their roots and leaves to try and ensnare people. A special plant killer diffuser has been developed, but it requires anyone cast as Dorothy, the Lion, or Toto to take the diffuser and run into the field as deep as they can before they succumb to the pollen, which will activate the diffuser. Either the Tinman or the Scarecrow must then make their way through to fetch them. Those who volunteered to run in can use their ability to dreamwalk and appear as a little wisp to help guide their would be rescuer to their slumbering body, even give them some help with the snares. (Mod: for threading purposes, characters can either partner up as the sleeper and rescuer, or both can be rescuing an NPC that served as the role of sleeper instead).

D. First Aid. For any who prefer to stay out of combat and help the wounded and scared, the base camp is stocked with medical supplies, food, and other necessities to help weather out the attack. They do need to be resupplied, however, so those more daring to venture either into the city or outside the walls to get items should take someone capable of defending just in case. Some places include an orchard of lunch pail trees that grow fully stocked lunch pails filled with various foods. Lions will be great at climbing them while Scarecrows can shoo away annoying crows. Another is gathering wood in a cursed forest where the trees have become Fighting Trees. The Tinman's ax is lethal against them and will chop through them easily.

E. Yellow Brick Road. The famous golden yellow brick road has been broken apart and needs to be repaired so additional support from neighboring areas can come in. Because it's a magical road, it needs to be fixed in a magical way—which is reliving the whimsical, iconic, song and dance of Dorothy and her friends. The Munchkins have created special silver shoes that anyone of the cast can wear and it has the magic to inform the wearer how the musical rendition goes. It will also "help" their movements to skip and dance along the broken spaces. Should they be successful, the broken and missing bricks will be repaired and the road will start to shine. So partner up, link arms, and belt out those vocal chords because they're off to see the Wizard!

II. FIGHTING FOES

There are numerous enemies attacking the city, but while some are original to the story, many are abnormal creations or noctasers, the unholy union of noctaere and the Story Eater's minions, Erasers. Of course the Story Eater would have a hand in this! But with the advantages gained by the roles, they can be defeated.

A. Wheeling Monkeys. The Wheelers and the Winged Monkeys have been ensorceled and are creating havoc within the city. However, instead of violence their actions are more…goofy. They're throwing rotten eggs, colored water balloons, creamed pies, and other strange pranks to hinder everyone's movements. They're relatively easy to capture and even prank back. The more aggressive ones, however, are actually noctasers and will need to be destroyed via dreamotion. Those cast as Dorothy will be able to distinguish those who are original to the book and the disguised noctasers as well as inflict extra damage to weaken the noctasers. Everyone in the cast is strong against noctasers.

» BONUS: THE GOLDEN CAP. The Winged Monkeys were once free but after the Golden Cap was ripped apart to steal its magic and now many are once again enslaved. Dorothy can convince the originals to join their side, if they have some Golden Cap fragments that appear when a noctaser is defeated. The more noctasers defeated, the more fragments collected and the more Wheelers and Winged Monkeys will join their side!

B. Meeeelllttiiiinng! Those witches are causing the most problems, and they are abnormal creations that need to go. Because they were fashioned after the Wicked Witch, they are weak to water, especially dreamotion infused water. The trick is actually getting to them as they are often found flying high above. There are numerous small hot air balloons that can be used to fly up and to either hose the witches or dump giant buckets of water, both tools already attached to the balloon basket. Just be careful because it just takes one giant tear to pop the balloon and send everyone into a crazy spinning crash to the ground. Having a Tinman to help deflect spells off their armor will be a great help.

III. SWEET DREAMS

The Projector of Dreams has been set up and several beds with the magical headsets are available to those who wish to volunteer and produce positive dreams that will be used against the Wizard. These dreams will be funneled into a giant emerald that will be launched from a cannon at the Wizard once lured out.

A. Positive Dreams. To help the Projector, positive dreams are needed. These dreams will briefly be projected onto the emerald so those nearby monitoring things may catch a glimpse of the dream. Perhaps those who are dreaming will have theirs be more interactive to try and get others in and create a stronger positive experience.

B. Luring out the Wizard. The Wizard is holed up in the Throne Room of the castle and needs to be lured out before the dream infused emerald can be hurtled into it. The methods to do so might seem a bit unorthodox, but it will work and may give a hint on who the "Wizard" really is. Everyone is told to play various children's games within the Emerald City's castle. Tea parties, hide and seek, tag, games—whatever they can think of. As they play, a strange shadow that looks like a young princess will emerge to either watch or join in. Players can either incorporate the shadow playing or just focus on their characters, but the shadow will always be happy and laughing. The goal is to produce happy, positive fun feelings, so there are no dangers. Unless someone wants to throw in a noctaser or something to spice things up.

Comments

poppy field

[sermom]

[She'd run as fast and as far as she could, and as she drifted off to sleep, at last succumbing to the poppies' thrall, she thought she might have gone too far, that she was in so deep that she wouldn't be found. It is a thick fog of dreamless sleep that claims her for a while, but eventually, something breaks through and stirs at her subconscious. A voice, low and deep, familiar in a way that stirs some old memory. A voice resonant in metal, a suit of armor... how long had it been since she'd been forced awake by one of their Renan keepers? This feels so gentle in comparison, though. None of them had ever carried her. No one had, except-]

...Migal...?

[Her voice is still drowsy, mostly asleep and lost in the remnants of wherever her thoughts had wandered. It feels wrong, but her waking mind hasn't caught up with her mouth yet.]

[luciing]

[ His stride clears a meter at a time, crushing the poppies beneath his sabatons, thereby paving a path for others to venture to and from the far-fields. Pollen scatters like fireflies behind his tracks, but none stick to the metal of his back.

When she stirs, Somnus' helm tilts downward. The name is unfamiliar, but no matter.

As ever, he continues forward. ]

Kisara.

[sermom]

[The way he says her name stirs her into proper wakefulness; it doesn't sound like Migal, not even close. Her eyes flutter, lion ears folding back, and she squints sleepily up at his armored mask.]

...Somnus?

[Wait. Is she being... carried?]

[luciing]

[ It is not the most comfortable carry, considering he is clad head to toe in armor, but as if mindful of this fact, his strides are rhythmic and smooth over the terrain. ]

We head for a shelter.

[sermom]

[...Oh. She really is being carried, she realizes belatedly, suddenly flustered. So she'd passed out in the field? She'd been warned that might happen, but... being carted out of there in practice is more embarrassing than she'd thought it would be.

She wants to ask him to put her down, but her legs still feel a little wobbly from the poppy-induced sleep, and she can see the spots of red beneath them... she'd probably just fall asleep again if she tried to walk through it. Resigned to her fate, she at least tries not to move, lest she make it more awkward for him to carry her.]

Thank you for getting me out of there.

[luciing]

[ The story demands both risk and potential sacrifice of its characters, for those cast as "Dorothy" or the "Lion" are tasked with spreading the plant-killer-diffusers into the field. She did as she was asked, for the good of this tale. ]

Think nothing of it.

[ The poppies continue to be crushed beneath the weight of his sabatons. ]

...Did you succeed?

[sermom]

I think so... [She blinks a few times, trying to shake off her weariness and think back.] No, I must have. I went further than I intended to, and I heard something go off before I fell asleep.

[luciing]

That is good news.

[ As if it needed to be said, but any effort counts. There are, no doubt, others like her who have bravely ventured into the field, only to succumb to the poppies. ]

Once you rest, perhaps you may be able to make another trip.

[ Because it's all about work with this guy. ]

[sermom]

[She chuckles softly. It really is all work... she isn't surprised, though.]

I could do that. Will you come and rescue me again if I do?

[luciing]

As would be necessary.

[ The Lion, like Dorothy, is doomed to fall to the poppies each and every time they venture through. It is his role as the Tin Man to rescue them.

He continues in his usual steely tone, adding: ]

As many times as it takes.

[sermom]

I see... you're really committed. [She doesn't sound surprised. This is Somnus she's talking to, after all.] Hopefully we won't have to do it too many more times. Depends on how effective that device is... though this looks like a huge field.

[It might take a few attempts, then. Best get to working as soon as her legs stop feeling like jelly; a field where anyone can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and keep them there is dangerous, leaving whoever stumbles into it undefended.]

[luciing]

[ someone please tell them to take a break... ]

Indeed. [ One wonders why it cannot simply be burned. Perhaps that would ruin the story, or perhaps the smoke would cause the pollen of the poppies to be carried elsewhere, bringing more (sleepy) ruin-- either way, he won't be questioning it further.

But on that note-- "...though this looks like a huge field." ] We waste time by walking.

How do you fare with faster travel?

[sermom]

[Her brows furrow in confusion at the question.]

Faster travel? What do you mean?

[She's walked like, literally everywhere she's ever had to go.]

[luciing]

By magical means.

[ A pause, and he clarifies: ] Warping.

[sermom]

Warping...

[Her echo is quiet and thoughtful, still confused, but willing to go along with it.]

I've never done anything like that before. But I trust you- if it's faster, I'll follow your lead.

[luciing]

[ Adjusting her so that he holds her in one arm, he extends his other one out, hand outstretched. A flash of light at his fingertips calls a phantasmal blade to solidify at his fingertips, which curl around the hilt. ]

Close your eyes, if you must.

[ But if she doesn't--

Somnus throws his blade, and they instantly vanish into a stream of crystalline, blue light right after it. Magic consumes their forms in a trail that follows the blade far over the field, and they recondense while falling in mid-air as he catches his blade, only to repeat the process.


Given that his reach with warping is extremely far, they make it out of the fields with two more warps. He touches down at the edge of the encampment, dismissing his blade. ]

[sermom]

[She probably should close her eyes, but her curiosity gets the better of her, so she watches instead. It's an unsettling and startling experience, being so suddenly reduced to mere energy and transported to another place, a feeling like nothing she'd gone through ever before. Before she can even recognize the sensation of being whole again, the process repeats. Twice more and it all stops, and she's left back to herself, in a totally new location, feeling dizzy, disoriented, and-

-her stomach lurches-]

Ah- let go-

[Suddenly scrambling, she wriggles in his arms, rolling over just enough to lean past his arms - and armor - to heave her lunch inelegantly into the grass.]

[luciing]

[ ...They made it back. She can always have another lunch.

Patiently, he waits for her to finish, although, respectfully, he appears to divert his attention to one of the tents instead. ]

[sermom]

[Ugh... that felt gross. Thankfully once the wave of dizziness fades, she can feel her strength properly returning, so with a quiet apology, she tugs herself free of his grasp and drops down to her feet. ...Pointledly avoiding the sick.]

Thank you... um. For the rescue, and the quick travel. I didn't know you could do something like that.

[luciing]

Think nothing of it.

[ Her thanks acknowledged, he turns his attention back to her.

There’s a moment’s consideration, then: ]

Perhaps you ought rest before we return a second time.

[ wow wow what a revolutionary idea somnus 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ ]

[sermom]

Just... just a few minutes, and I'll be fine. I really do feel much better now that we're out of the field... I only have to shake off this sleepiness.

[She hates the idea of just sitting around, so now that she's back on her feet, she starts working through a series of stretches, making sure she's still limber enough for running, and waking her body up properly. She'll be right as rain again in no time, yeah!]

[luciing]

[ Who is he to tell her otherwise if she wishes to only rest for a little while before returning to work? Somnus does not know her well enough to know her limits.

Thus: ] Very well.

I shall fetch more of the diffuser.

[ He'll be back with more in a sec! ]