songerein | { gingerbread town | test drive #09

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.

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.
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.

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!
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.

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.
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) :

Regular chocolate: Makes the drinker nostalgic, particularly for something in their childhood.
Peppermint: Gives the drinker a spark of inspiration to work on something creative.
Caramel: Gives the drinker extra energy, making them unable to stay still without doing something.
Raspberry: Makes the drinker want to get back to nature by finding an outdoor activity to do.
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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What Sweet Dreams Are Made Of (I-B)

Agent Eight slowly lifted herself from the ground in a confused stupor. One would think that waking up in a strange place with no idea how she got here she would have gotten used to it, but can one really get used to sudden displacement? She squints and raises a hand to get her bearings through all the bright lights only to open them wide at the scene of jubilant confections in front of her. Where... where were she?

Her attention quickly turned to the hand made of gingerbread. Shuffling for the nearest source of reflection, she received confirmation that her entire self was cookie-like, with her tentacle hair being a rather tasty-looking icing.

She couldn't help herself, a up with a finger, and scooped up a small part of it to taste. She regretted the decision immediately. "...oh no."

"I am delicious."

A Sweet Counter (I-B 1&2)

Agent Eight took the impulse to run in stride. The place looked gorgeous and she couldn't resist the urge to see more of it. The sudden appearance of obstacles to bar her way only added to the fun. She didn't get it, but the chanting of "Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread woman!"

Any attempts to capture her however, is a bit tricky. Not only is she jumping five feet into the air, she has also strapped an icing bag to her back and a icing gun in her hands. Should anyone get close, they run the risk of getting a face full of magenta icing.

And if they dodge that? The gingerbread girl's body would shift into a very tasty icing octopus before slipping into the icing she splatted. The icing churns as she moves, making it pretty obvious were she is to all but the least observant.

When We Were Young (II-A/Past)

Another strange location. Another metro. Oh, sure, the place looked nice and had a rustic, homey interior, but the fact that she was once again on a train again was enough to evoke plenty of memories.

The one she is currently looking at is a projection of floating platforms. In the distance, screens depicting the sky are set on the outer edge of a vast underground space. Some of the screens are chipped, flickering the area with an uneven image. A very much not gingerbread Agent Eight is seen sneaking her way from one part to the next, ducking into position. She remembers. Oh she remembers. "In a second some of my former friends are going to walk past and I will hide." She mutters, her eyes transfixed to the figure. The figure of Eight ducks underneath some trash pails, not wanting to be seen. "They didn't find me, and I was starting to get nervous. Not only did I almost get spotted, but she was late." Indeed, not long after a rather rather brusque Octarian made her way over.

"You have the stuff?" Both the girl and the gingerbread Eight stated. "Yeah... a week's dinner ration credits, like promised." "And the lunch ration credits." "What, but you said--!?" "You know, this stuff is pretty hot. I'd say that the higher ups would be interested in finding out who'd be interested in it." "F-Fine..."

The exchange was made, a rude Octarian pleased with her windfall of meals, and what of the other one?

Well, both the girl and Agent Eight have a broad smile on their faces.

One Day Out There (II-A/Present)

The other scene is startlingly different. In this there's a wide street with vendors, and music, and colors, and festivity. The streets are bustling with a myriad number of aquatic-themed creatures. Amid all of them is an octopus girl, smiling and looking enraptured of everything.

"It's enough to make me wonder which is the dream." The gingerbread octo muses, sharing the same signs and sounds of her counterpart. "Am I the girl who is walking the streets of Inkopolis Plaza, or am I the gingerbread woman who only thought she was?"

The answer, at least for this one, was obscured from her comprehension.

Choco Indulgences (II-C)

After so many heavy encounters, it is nice to sit back and enjoy a chocolate! Unfortunately, being made out of cookie makes the whole thing rather risky, but Agent Eight was not about to let that stop her! She has an entire sample of each of the different types of chocolate, taking the daintiest of sips to keep the liquid from melting her from the inside out.

It was not unlike how she normally had to drink drinks, really.

Suddenly an idea came to her, one which required speaking aloud to someone. "I wonder how they would taste if you mixed all of them together?"

A question of utmost importance, and one that bore due consideration. Here was a child who had suffered the same curse.

"I admire your spirit, small child. How indeed? Would caramel and peppermint taste well together? Can raspberries and chili peppers not find common ground?"

The giant of a man tilted his head, as he considered it for a moment. "Fucked if I know! Try it anyway! Venture forth in the SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY AND UNCOVER THAT WHICH MAN WAS NOT ORDAINED TO KNOW!"

The octo girl ginger cookie's eyes swiveled up to meet the source of the voice. The man was very big. And that went beyond just being a big cookie. There was a presence that called to mind the importance and stature of her King. Clearly he was a man among gingermen.

The girl sits in place, head canted in his direction for nearly a minute. The spell is broken almost as quickly as the man's outburst and she returns to address the hot cocoa. Her hands are deft, pulling mug after mug, pouring them into the one that had been the most consumed (the regular chocolate). The concoction is made, a magical brew full of dreamotion magic.

She takes a sip.

"Mmm!"

May the dream help her.

Curiosity, admittedly, had always been a virtue of his. So had lack of impulse control and these were both objectively good things because D was great. Nobody could argue that. Not twice, anyway.

With an expression of supreme concentration, he seized a nearby carafe, one that was empty, and began emptying mugs into it with all the care and precision of someone who's never in their life been a mixologist. Then a swirl around the pitcher, to mix-

And he lifted the vessel to his lips, taking a long sip, smacking his lips thoughtfully for a moment. "Hmm. This is absolutely terrible! Ha HA! Completely vile, what was I thinking? Mint and pepper? I'm reminded of a time my beloved grandson tried to make a beef broth-based hot cocoa, somehow, and I absolutely hate it!"

He took another sip. "It's actually fascinating, I can't seem to put it down."

"Yeah, it's absolutely terrible." And absolutely unique. What was she thinking? And yet within the mingling of spicy, sweet, caramel and fruit, there was more going on. Her gaze peered intently into the cup as though seeking to find some hidden meaning within the swirls of brown and not-so brown. Strangely, she also felt different, in a way that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She felt like taking on the world, build a set of battle armor, climb a mountain, and give D a smooch. There's so much going on it was starting to make Eight's head spin.

"Mmm... Do you feel... kinda funny? Like... take on an entire army bare-handed funny?"

Edited 2022-12-25 05:02 (UTC)

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

Agent 8 | Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion | TDM

Did you say... chocolate?

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