songerein | { Saving Oz }

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Vanitas huffs, tail swishing irritably behind him. ]

I'm of the mind that this place is determined to turn me into some form of cat any way that it can.

There were other times?

[Just a slight arch of the brow as he finishes clearing away the debris and moves onto another area.]

Well this isn't the first time. Nope.

[ And Vanitas isn't going to actually explain that further. He's just been a cat one time too many, thank you! ]

Aren't you normally a dog anyway? So this suits you just fine.

...It's a mixed feeling.

[Yes, he has to admit it.]

I have nothing against the breed, but in this situation I would rather be more useful. At the very least bigger than this.

I wouldn't know anything at all about being small.

[ He says sarcastically, because he is a rather short individual. Vanitas is aware, but just continues to keep moving around porcelain. ]

[That's true, Vanitas is a shorty—the woes of a very tall person suddenly on ground level. But that still just earns him a huff.]

It's not just about size. It's useful for getting into place, but my strength is lacking as well. The only other advantage I have is speed.

Eustace. I can't tell if that is a complaint or if you're praising your current state.

[ Which... Is it? ]

[................]

I'm only giving it a practical assessment.

[It's both.

He wants to complain. But he can't bring himself to fully insult a dog breed, either...!!!!]

A "practical assessment." Are you really analyzing the pros and cons in attempt to find a silver lining?

[ Eustace? He's amused. Very much amused. ]

[Just a look. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANY OF THIS.]

Let's just get back to wor—!?

[And just as he's about to walk forward, he suddenly feels one of his legs go stuff and he stumbles forward, crashing into the ground.]

[ Yeah, that's what he had thought. Vanitas chuckles, turning around to get back to work.

But that's when he hears Eustace fall. Vanitas turns around, suddenly very alert. ]

Eustace?

Hrk...

[Just a slight pained sound as he tries to stand, but he's unable to move his front right leg.

...Shit.]

...I can't move my leg.

[ That's not good. Can't move his leg... Vanitas huffs and crosses the distance. ]

Stay still.

[ Now what is he going to find when he crouches down to look? ]

[At first glance nothing seems out of the ordinary. However, the affected leg looks stiffer and...shinier? A closer and touch will reveal it's turning into porcelain.

And it's spreading.]

[ Look, he doesn't need to touch to know. Vanitas is already aware that this is not good news. ]

Look, I know you don't want to hear this? You need to leave. Come back after bit if you want, but you need to go for now. Like right now.

[Nnngh. He hates to admit it, but—]

No, I agree. I knew of the risks, but I didn't realize I had been here for so long.

[And he tries to get up, but—his leg gives out.

...]

I'm going to need help.

Do you even know how long you have been here?

[ Look, he knows that Eustace is going to need some help. That goes without saying at this point. Vanitas isn't even waiting for the other to spell it out. He's just picking up the small dog and walking away from all of this. ]

Can someone treat this or will it go away on its own with some distance?

...It's difficult to keep track of time while in this form. Half an hour? [...Maybe longer, he's not sure.

And while normally he would protest, he won't when Vanitas picks him up.]

I think it will go away on its own, but it would be better to have someone take a look just in case.

Who would you want to take a look?

[ He's already carrying Eustace away. Normally Vanitas would want to use his corridors but has no idea how that could affect Eustace's condition. So he's just moving as fast as he can on his own two legs. ]

Just back to that rebel base... I remember seeing stations for medical aid and healing, so they likely will know something.

I hope this teaches you a very valuable lesson in having some restraint.

[ Probably not. Eustace is probably going to go back there again at some point. He'll likely stay out there just as long like the stubborn thing that he can be. ]

It only means I need to get a watch.

[Yep. Even if he knows the risks he would still do it—just smarter.]

...Asif you'd pay attention to it even if you got one.

[ Oh come on Eustace. Is that really the only solution that you can come up with? ]

[...Hmmm.]

Surprised you're actually worried.

Augh. Don't you dare go accusing me of actually being worried.

[ Because he is, a little. Eustace is 100% accurate in his assessment. If only because Vanitas doesn't often come across people that he can actually tolerate. ]

{ Saving Oz }

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