dreamposts: (Default)
dreamposts ([personal profile] dreamposts) wrote in [community profile] songerein2022-12-16 01:00 pm

{ gingerbread town | test drive #09 - december 2022 }




GINGERBREAD TOWN


On Tuesday the 27th, with no warning whatsoever, everyone will awaken and find the entire town transformed into gingerbread and candy, from peppermint candy cane trees, to gumdrop bushes, to chocolate brick roads. They will also find themselves changed into one of the following forms: gingerbread figures, nutcrackers, or wooden figurines. It's a complete transformation—no costumes or partials this time! Although they can move and use most of their abilities, it's a bit hampered when it's also discovered that everything has shrunk down a bit in size. Not only that, but there is an indestructible magiglass dome over the town to prevent anyone from breaking in—or out. So if there is anyone who happened to be out of town at the time, they will not be changed and will be stuck outside. The Tree of Stories, the Observatory, and the Carnival park are excluded from the change and remain normal.

Fortunately a pair of gingerbread twins named "Hansel" and "Gretel" as well as the tapirs are there to help explain what happened. The town has been cursed by the witch who inhabited that suspicious house from the Dream Board, and everyone needs to band together to do two things to break out of curse: 1) gather enough dreamotion music notes to charge up the golden chocolate bell hanging at the Plaza and 2) break into the gingerbread house and destroy the witch.

————— ⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱ —————

More details on everything can be found here, but an important reminder that this event log doubles as our Test Drive Meme and information can be found in this section.

This means any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in December and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of December 27 through 31. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count December as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual as people randomly disappear already, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open Sunday, December 25th and Applications will open on January 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until March.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view; updated 12/30)

Adventure Time - Finn the Human
Adventure Time - Jake the Dog
Ai: The Somnium Files - Mizuki Okiura
Bleach - Riruka Dokugamine
Bunjou Stray Dogs - Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Chainsaw Man - Denji
Don't Starve Together - Wendy Carter
Fallout 3 - The Lone Wanderer
Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Noel Kreiss
Final Fantasy XIV - Y'shtola Rhul
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Bernadetta von Varley
Forgotten Realms - Jarlaxle Baenre
Friends at the Table: COUNTER/Weight - Cassander Timaeus Berenice
Genshin Impact - Amber
Genshin Impact - Scaramouche
Granblue Fantasy - Lyria
Heroes of Olympus - Leo Valdez
Kingdom Hearts - Demyx
Kingdom Hearts - Riku
Persona 5 Strikers - Zenkichi Hasegawa
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet - Penny
Rage of Bahamut - Amira
Shadow Game Series - Enne Salta
South Park - Kenny McCormick
Spark the Electric Jester 1 & 3 - Spark
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Agent 8
Tales of Zestiria - Sorey
Undertale - Flowey


THREAD SUBMISSIONS WILL BE IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE HOW THIS EVENT ENDS FOR JANUARY! We will request them during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.



I. IN TOWN



There is a lot to process with everything changed and the appearance of Hansel and Gretel, but by now most people are used to needing to roll up their sleeves and get through the tasks needed to succeed. The giant bell at the Plaza helps serve as a reminder of what they need to do and many will be anxiously watching as the musical notes slowly gather into it. To gather enough notes for the bell, everyone will need to work together and utilize their current forms. Note: all prompts can be done by anyone, however some forms have an advantage over others. Musical notes will automatically appear and go to the bell when the objective is achieved. The gumdrops are also trapped in town and will still pull their "mistletoe" mischief.

A. Woodstock. Those turned into a wooden figure will find they have the least amount of changes appearance wise…but their legs and feet are stuck together, forcing them to hop and slide around. Fortunately they can control their movements and after some adjusting they will find it's not too strenuous to be hopping around everywhere. It can be tough to get up if they fall over, though.

  1. Caroling. What better way to gain notes than making some? With movement a bit limited, singing and playing simple instruments may be the easiest way to help. The catch is the music must be filled with hopeful, cheerful dreamotion strong enough to form those notes, and the instruments can also be a problem. First they have to be found, and then some instruments may try to play music on their own—and it's not always the right genre.

  2. Snowmen Mayhem. Snowmen can be found all over town, most of them built before the town changed. Now they are coming to life, wearing big, giant frowns as they slowly shamble around and chuck snowballs at everyone they see. Melting them or using physical force only makes them reform back into snowmen. The only way to stop them is to participate in the snowball fight until that frown turns into a smile to release a note! People could even just have a snowball fight around them and it would please the snowmen. Perhaps they just wanted to have fun, too…?

B. Gingerbread Run. Those made of gingerbread will find they are quite fast and even have the urge to run for whatever reason. However, although sturdy enough, they are still fragile and can break easily. Fortunately they can quickly repair themselves with an extra bit of dough and icing, but water is the greatest weakness. A few drops or even a brief dousing won't hurt them too badly (maybe make their icing a little runny), but they can't swim and submerged in water too long will make them very mushy.

  1. Obstacle Course Marathon. Some streets are sectioned off to have a simple marathon for those who just can't help but feel restless and want to run, and notes can be released throughout the course. More like a cross country track, there are numerous "checkpoints" participants must pass through while shouting the famous line, "Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!" Each checkpoint mimics the story of "The Gingerbread Man."

    1. Avoid the "old ladies" swinging candy canes (non gingerbreads can take this role to help)
    2. Outrun the plush pups and kittens (or just stay and play with them, also valid)
    3. Climb up and over the makeshift marshmallow chocolate wall (don't let it melt!)
    4. Use the "foxboat" (swan boats altered to look like foxes) to peddle across the river (don't sink!)
    5. Dash through the finish line

    Since it's designed as a group marathon, participants are encouraged to help each other. More notes gained, the better!

  2. The Chase is On! Those who were not turned into gingerbread figures will feel a strange urge to chase those who are. They may be fully aware, or they may desire just a nibble of that delectable baked good. While punching the chasers in the face to try and knock some sense into them will be an option, those who are gingerbread will similarly have the urge to run, run, run! Passing over any type of water, including puddles, will end it. This chase can be long or short, and at the end of it whether the gingerbread is caught or escapes, a musical note will play and fly to the bell, freeing the two from the weird curse…until it happens again.

C. Nutcrackin' Around. Nutcrackers have a sturdier build compared to the general wooden population, with powerful jaws and already armed with a weapon—even if it might feel more like a toy. Their movements might feel a bit stiff, but they have their strength to make up for it.

  1. Get Crackin'. Built to crack nuts, it's no surprise that Nutcrackers are assigned to crack through as many nuts and hard candies to try and find some notes hidden within. They have to go to the farm fields to find the right trees to harvest from, and anyone can assist in this. If they listen carefully, they might be able to hear the note ringing inside as a hint. But they also need to be careful—some nuts are actually cursed and once cracked open will cause the individual to brandish their weapons (or whatever they have on hand) to attack those nearby. Unfortunately there's no tell, so it's truly luck of the draw. Shove a jawbreaker in their mouth and they'll be back to normal. With a slightly damaged jaw, maybe.

  2. Mouse Infestation. Large, toy wind-up mice are causing havoc around town. Although they are just oversized toys and don't attack, they're crashing into buildings and chasing people. Anyone can try to catch and slow them down, but a Nutcracker is the only one capable of inflicting enough damage to break the gears inside and stop it for good. Doing so will release a note.

D. Candy Monsters. While the town is mostly safe, nightmare energy is seeping in from everyone's initial fears and chaos and absorbed into all the candy and delicious goods that make up the town. It makes them come to life to turn into aggressive and sometimes cute monsters made out of candy. Fortunately, they are not too difficult to fend off even with everyone changed into different forms, and dreamotion abilities are in full effect. Other creative ways to defeat them like dumping boiling water or freezing them can also be used.


II. TRAIN CARS



All aboard the Dreamer Express! The toy train has a simple track that circles around the town with the main station right at the Plaza. Anyone can hop on to either enjoy the ride or help get those notes.

A. Past, Present, Future. There are three particular cars that Hansel and Gretel will encourage most to go through because the notes in these cars will be the strongest. When going through either of the "Past," "Present," or "Future" cars, everyone will have a "Scrooge" experience and walk through either a happy or difficult memory or made up simulation of that set time period. The primary theme for each one is something that the individual can learn or reflect on. The experience can be done solo or with a partner. If with a partner, only one simulation will be active, but the other person's could begin after the first ends. Sometimes the memories will be passive like watching a movie and will only stimulate emotional reactions. However, the stronger the memory, the more realistic it will become, to the point that one will live through it all and must face and interact with whatever is there to get through. Once they reach the exit, the note will be granted.

B Unboxing. Most of the train cars are either passenger cars or boxcars filled with presents. A lot of presents. Guess where a lot of notes are hidden. While opening presents seems like a simple task, it can be tricky when some gifts are actually mimics that will pull unsuspecting individuals inside of them instead. Fortunately they are not too difficult to beat up and free the trapped prisoner.

C. Hot! Hot! Ooh, We Got It! There is a special car that's only purpose is to serve hot chocolate…as a musical number. Witness or perhaps even participate as servers dance around with extremely hot chocolate and somehow not spill a drop—or maybe someone gets scalded by an unfortunate spill. But when it's all done, anyone can enjoy some different flavors that can last for quite a while (ie as long as you want it) :

  1. Regular chocolate: Makes the drinker nostalgic, particularly for something in their childhood.
  2. Peppermint: Gives the drinker a spark of inspiration to work on something creative.
  3. Caramel: Gives the drinker extra energy, making them unable to stay still without doing something.
  4. Raspberry: Makes the drinker want to get back to nature by finding an outdoor activity to do.
  5. Spicy (chili powder and cinnamon): Makes the drinker feel more amorous than usual.



III. WITCH'S HOUSE



Getting the notes is just one half of the equation. To completely beat the curse, the witch behind this needs to be defeated. But it won't be easy with everyone transformed and the witch quite powerful. The gingerbread house has a lot of traps inside, from sticky paper to snapping mouse traps to licorice that try to tie them down.

A. Breaking into the Gingerbread House. The witch's gingerbread house will be the biggest piece compared to everything else. The original defense mechanisms are in place and people can get sucked inside like before, however there is no easy way out. A little stealth can help gain an advantage especially as the battle begins by those who enter first.

B. Escape Routes. While some may try to let themselves get caught to get inside faster, having an escape route would be prudent. Since they are smaller in size, it'll be easier to sneak around the house and try to carve a piece out of it to make a hole, or maybe something from the windows or chimney. Multiple routes would be ideal, just be careful not to get caught!

C. Fighting the "Witch." For those expecting some creepy old woman, they will be in for a surprise. The "witch" is actually the oven itself, moving and operating as if it were alive. Rather, perhaps the oven is what the original witch of Hansel and Gretel has become as an eerie cackling can be heard when the doors open and fire flickers out. Regardless, despite its form the "witch" will be a difficult foe to defeat due to its sheer size and everyone still in smaller forms. Restrain it, try to douse the flames, but another effective way to stop it is to just fill its mouth with anything that can go inside, from candy and baked goods, to pots and pans. The more it consumes, the slower it moves. Time to over stuff the oven.

helluvaboss: (Well done!)

[personal profile] helluvaboss 2022-12-27 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
"Nah, Looney's at work! She's doin' great being the receptionist at the biz, like aaaaalways," Blitzø was practically cooing proudly about her. "You're a new face. I should know, I've peeked through all the windows so I know all the ugly mugs in town."
flamekthunder: (ϟ 240)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2022-12-27 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Glancing away.]

...Well...

[MAYBE.

Yes.]
mansbestend: (pic#16105563)

[personal profile] mansbestend 2022-12-27 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Why are people giving him this 'new face' stuff, like he was new in town or something?

"Doesn't matter if I'm new or not. I'll just wake up and it's another day of toast with jam and killing the hell outta demons. Maybe take an awesome shit after."

He crossed his arms behind his head.

"Gotta admit, your look's kinda cool, even if it's weird. I don't usually dream of stuff like you. Usually it's cute girls... or Pochita."
starshower: (temp 085)

[personal profile] starshower 2022-12-27 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
Hmmmm?

[She shuffles a little closer to him, a knowing look in those icing eyes of hers. Even as a cookie, he still manages to be so cute that he tugs at her heart in all the right ways.

She tries to stretch up to give him a kiss on the cheek, forgetting for a fleeting second that they are not themselves, and all it ends up being is her face bumping up clumsily against the flattened edge of his.....

Well, that's a bummer... She's going to have to steal many more kisses when they're turned back to make up for this.

Tifa drops back down with an awkward, shy laugh.]


Well, I like the snowflakes. They're a good choice...
blue_eyed_obsession: (🎮 ∂ση'т ¢яσѕѕ мє)

A

[personal profile] blue_eyed_obsession 2022-12-27 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
[Seto Kaiba had never been a very patient man, and now that he was made out of gingerbread... he was even less so. Maybe it was paranoia on his part, but staying too long in one place made him feel as if there was a target on his back.

So, he looked wearily at the wooden figure asking for help.
]

Heh, that's a new one.

[.. but sure.. he lingered here a little longer, safely out of reach]

What do you need help with... sating your hunger?
alwaysdead: (Some days I lie wide awake)

Kenny McCormick | South Park | TDM

[personal profile] alwaysdead 2022-12-27 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
half-baked
[Waking up as a gingerbread man might've been unnerving to some. Kenny was not that some. He'd been through weirder - he'd been through far, far more dangerous - this was nothing. He strolled forward carefully, looking around...no doubt he was probably even more fragile than normal, if possible.

The minute he saw someone else, he looked at them warily....before abruptly smiling and giving them a wave.

Hi.]


unboxing
[At this point, Kenny has found an empty box. He stares at it for a few seconds before humming, and then climbing inside. He puts the lid on the present box before closing his eyes. A bit later, someone opens the box and he stares at them groggily.]

...
Get your own.

[He tries to reach for the lid to close it again.]

vs witch
[This is incredibly more difficult as a cookie than it is as his normal self. He has to wonder if he'll just snap to bits any minute - but for now, he's scaling the side of the house before trying to find a route inside. His eyes narrow, and he slams his fist into a window. He lets out a little hiss before he slams at it again, and finally after finding a candy cane and swinging it at it, it breaks. He jumps inside, and starts a trek towards the witch...only to find someone already fighting an...

An oven.

A laughing oven.

Okay, sure. Why not.]


Aw, shit. I'm late. [He remarks dryly, before giving a salute off the top of his head.] ...Hey. Are ya winnin', son?

[okay he knows that was bad]
helluvaboss: (Dreamworks Face)

[personal profile] helluvaboss 2022-12-27 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
"Hell fucking yeah my look is cool. And you said you work killin? Me too!" Blitzø slid close again, this time just to bump elbows with Denji. "Kinda young to be a serial killer but I can respect that. Wanna help hunt and kill nightmare monsters while you're here?"
alwaysdead: ('til the sun hits my face)

In Town

[personal profile] alwaysdead 2022-12-27 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh. A girl around his age. He thinks. It's....hard to tell given the gingerbread status and all. But he's gingerbread too, so....]

Who's Leafy?

[Naturally, he has to help look.]
lonelysmiles: (Face Half In Shadow)

[personal profile] lonelysmiles 2022-12-27 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Oh no one would blame either of you for tears of joy given the situation.

[He watches the awful scene play out.]

Take it from someone who's already dead: Time is a precious resource that the living spend their whole lives trying to pretend is limitless until suddenly it runs out. You and your grandmother lost ten years. You can't replace those years, but I believe that you will treasure what time remains all the more. Not just the time with your grandmother but the time with any family you might start. You have your whole life ahead of you, and you can make the most of every second.
mansbestend: (pic#16105562)

[personal profile] mansbestend 2022-12-27 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Oookay. A lot to unpack there.

"Huh?? Who said I was a serial killer?! Is it 'cause of the chainsaw thing?" He pointed in accusation, visibly bristling.

"I'm a fuckin' hero, ya hear me?! I help kill devils that eat people! It's a job a lotta people have!"
lemiserable: (10)

[personal profile] lemiserable 2022-12-27 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
About time?! I just got here!

[Typical of Wolf to complain a little before getting to work. You know, despite the fact that they both look utterly ridiculous as woodmen wearing outfits that don't exactly say 'Christmas Cheer'.]

Besides, you know what they say; save the best for last or uh...something like that.

[Yes okay.]

I'm still not even sure how I'm able to turn into Wolf anyway...
helluvaboss: (Thought ya had me didn't ya?)

[personal profile] helluvaboss 2022-12-27 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay, phew! I'm off the menu then," Blitzø laughed, pretending to wipe sweat off his forehead. "Don't worry, I've killed a few cannibals. As in, humans that would hunt and eat other humans. I think you and I are on the same page."
lemiserable: (2)

[personal profile] lemiserable 2022-12-27 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Great more kids that seem to understand it more than he did that time ago.]

I don't know what's worse, the fact you're not wrong, or that you seem to understand that even at your age.
menaretrash: (pic#15678397)

[personal profile] menaretrash 2022-12-27 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Dude, I haven't even seen you in literal years, gimme a break!

[ Typical old man, she swears-- ]

I mean, sure, let's go with that! Anyways, this entire world is basically one giant dream, so that'd explain that. There's no Metaverse here that I'm aware of-- speaking of, we're not the only ones here. Ren, Futaba, and two others are here too. No clue where they are right now, though.

[ Thieving the night away, likely. ]

...Actually, to be fair, I'm not even sure how we're able to do much while we're... y'know. In our current state. [ Wood and RIDICULOUS. ] I'm afraid to even try to call Carmen, I have no idea what she's going to look like...
electricianforhire: (eeyup)

C

[personal profile] electricianforhire 2022-12-27 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
Man, I don't know. I just wanted to have something hot to drink.

[Spark wasn't exactly here on his own volition. The little yellow jester just wanted to get to the other side of town without having to run there for once.]

[Man, why does everything have to get complicated when Spark goes places?]


So, did this actually happen, or is this a shared cocoa-related hallucination? Actually, It's both, isn't it?
songbird_slayer: (Default)

[personal profile] songbird_slayer 2022-12-27 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
[She could see everything that was described in that terrible, horrible moment witnessed. But Madhuri said nothing, merely holding that hand and giving Alisaie the time.

She herself had no time to grieve out on the Steppe the night her parents died. This girl definitely had no time either, with those beasts everywhere. G'raha had called them Sin Eaters... oh, only if they were so kind as to nibble away at negativity and grant forgiveness.

The xaela spent another moment, then finally had a quiet request:]


Thank you... She sounds amazing. Whenever you'd like, I'd love to hear more about your adventures with her. I was told you were there for a while.
mansbestend: (pic#16105572)

[personal profile] mansbestend 2022-12-27 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
So people really did eat people like in those old news stories. But if they were gone now, all the better. The devils were enough of a problem without people jumping in to chow on their neighbors.

A beat. "...You said something about nightmare monsters. What do you mean, like... the boogeyman?"
lemiserable: (7)

[personal profile] lemiserable 2022-12-27 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Excuse him, what?]

Wait, are you implying that I want to eat you? Hell no! Besides, I'm trying to watch my line, sugar's a little bad for the heart.

[Wow.]
Edited 2022-12-27 03:36 (UTC)
helluvaboss: (Fingerguns)

[personal profile] helluvaboss 2022-12-27 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
"Ayup! This place is a whole ass dream world, right? Don't be fooled by the overly cutesy look, this place is totally secretly all fucked up," he snapped, which just sounded weird from gingerbread. "Place is made up of dream-magic, and all your feelings and shit become literal. Hence why these little walking snot balls want people hugging or smoochin' or punching each other - it makes literal magic for 'em to eat. And far as I hear, there's nightmares further out in the woods that gotta be fought and hunted before they fuck with dreamers. You in?"
lemiserable: (3)

[personal profile] lemiserable 2022-12-27 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
[Blink. Blink. Blink. Why does this guy remind him of Joker's Jack Frost?]

Afraid it's something that happened in my life. I'd be happy if it was a cacao-related hallucination, honestly.

[It would mean his wife hadn't died.]
lemiserable: (10)

[personal profile] lemiserable 2022-12-27 03:50 am (UTC)(link)
Literally years?! Okay now you're just pulling my leg, Panther! I'm old but I'm not senile either!

[Typical teenagers, he swears--]

Okay, I'll believe that for now, since honestly nothing else really makes sense at this point...[Hold on a mouse is passing by, he's just gonna jam his wooden sword in there real good to cause it to turn over and just move around endlessly...okay back to the conversation at hand--] Two others? Now you're making it sound ominous.

[He thinks about calling up Valjean to see what he looks like, but thinking about Carmen--]

--is it bad that my first thought was a nesting doll? Or maybe she'll be more like something out of the Hinamatsuri festival...
Edited 2022-12-27 03:55 (UTC)
grandduchess_anya: (Default)

[personal profile] grandduchess_anya 2022-12-27 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
(Anya quietly nods as Dmitri came in through a hidden servant passageway and quickly escorts the younger Anya and Marie to it to escape the siege. But she drops the music box as she and Grandmama escape through the door.)

My music box. Go, go, go!

So I do have plenty of time to do anything I could ever think or dream of until my time will come to an end. I didn’t know how short life can be cut until that night. But thank you very much for the advice. I will keep that in mind whenever I think about that night and the lost years.
mansbestend: (Default)

[personal profile] mansbestend 2022-12-27 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
There was something weird about candy monsters attacking and other candy monsters fighting back, while others were making out or fighting. It was a whole lot to take in. This was a dream world and it fit the 'all fucked up' status. ...Well. As far as he could understand it, because his dreams aren't NEARLY as creative as this.

Nightmares sounded like devils. If they hurt people and needed to get their asses kicked, then surely it's no problem if he just did this for a while until he woke up.

"...Hmmm... but after we kick nightmare ass, what's for lunch?"
helluvaboss: (Might be a good plan)

[personal profile] helluvaboss 2022-12-27 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
"Today? Uhhh... hmm..." he hums a bit, thinking it over. "Depends on what I'm in the mood for? I think a coffee sounds pretty good usually, so maybe a good ham sandwich to go with it? Then again there's a pretty fuckin' good little spot with some pasta, I've been wanting to try that. That is, if any of the places are open and not overrun with friggin candy all day long."
mansbestend: (pic#16105577)

[personal profile] mansbestend 2022-12-27 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
Coffee. Ham sandwiches. Pasta. Namely, whatever he's in the mood for. To just be able to grab whatever you feel like without any worry that it'd run out. If there's nothing else, there's candy and he'd already chewed on a few buildings.

"...Awesome. Name's Denji. And I'm in."