songerein | { bite sized problems}

BITE SIZED PROBLEMS

This log is open to everyone and doubles as a "Character Intro" for new characters who were just accepted this round. As a reminder, new characters are welcome to carry over their TDM threads backdated to Gingerbread event and after (27-31) so that they're not really "new" if players wish to do so! Starting fresh is also acceptable.

I. AROUND TOWN

The curse from the witch may have been dispelled, but the magic was strong and remnants of it still remain. A bit of clean-up is required.

A. Gingerbread Revolt. By now many people are likely tired of gingerbread after having to live as one for a little while. However, the witch's magic still lingers and has brought all baked gingerbread to life. While some live out their running trees, others have armed themselves with forks, knives, toothpicks, and—are some wielding a nail gun?? They've begun to rally around various food eateries. While most of them are bakeries, they're also going up against restaurants and even local houses. One might think it would be easy to deal with them, but here's the catch—not only are they fast and can use magic, if one of them is broken they immediately reform into another cookie. That's right, they're just like hydras, and the only way to destroy them for good is to destroy the red candy ball embedded somewhere in their body. It's different for each cookie, and it will change locations if a part of it is broken. They do taste delicious, though.

B. Oven Malfunction. Stoves of all shapes and sizes are also having a rebellious phase, with many malfunctioning in different ways. Some are light and just won't turn on or spit out smoke in people's faces. Others have decided to choose violence and release their fire; throw whatever pots, pans, spatulas, and knives that are nearby; spit out coal, logs, or fire cores; or even explode. Some are even baking out those gingerbread cookies, so stopping the ovens will help fix that problem. While completely destroying them is one way to do it, dreamotion will also go a long way. Using water or ice to douse their flames will help simmer their tempers. Praising the ovens for their hard work and trying to show utmost care will also help. Perhaps some ovens are cranky for being overworked. When was the last time they were cleaned? Just don't sing it Christmas songs—they'll go berserk.

C. Candy Forest. With many requests for fresh new ingredients from the newly formed section of the forest, many will make the short trek over to check out what all is there to find. And yes—everything, everything is made of candy and sweet treats. From taffy grass to peppermint bark lollipop trees to flying marshmallow peeps and snickerdoodle badgers. The problem is, a lot of the "flowers" produce a pollen that permeates through the air and will give anyone who passes through a severe case of sugar rush. Overly excited, faster than usual movements, inability to think straight. The only way to counter this is by eating vegetables of any kind. Eating anything directly in the forest will produce an even greater effect, to the point where someone might start hallucinating and get the giggles. Some folks may need to head in there to help those stuck inside. At least there's nothing dangerous in there…yet.

D. Jumping Snowflakes. Jack Frost briefly stopped by and decided to leave a little gift for everyone to have fun with: giant snowflakes that start at the top of the Tree of Stories and ascend and circle around the town from high up in the sky. Some snowflakes form a stationary pathway for people to walk over. Some will move around and can be controlled by one's will and dreamotion, similar to a magic carpet. Then there's a "challenge" where participants are to jump from one snowflake to the other before it disappears. This trail will lead up to a giant chest that contains a random drop of one of the following:

a special ice crystal that can be used to keep anything cool no matter how hot it is outside and will never melt (perfect for ice boxes)
magic winter beans that will grow any vegetable of one's choice through any hard, frozen soil (but will not grow in warm weather)
a mini snowman that will not melt and will bounce around the house to help keep it clean and add a little bit of snow for fun; will be great when it gets hot as it will produce cooling air
The challenge can be run as many times as a person likes, however they will only be able to receive each special prize once. So after receiving all three special items the first time, their only reward is chocolate silver coins.

II. SHORT STORY HELP

As requested by William Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe, the libraries in the Tree of Stories have gathered various books that everyone will be able to dreamwalk into. Even the books themselves look a bit tattered and more worn than usual, showing signs of the Story Eater's nightmarish corruption. A set of objectives for each chosen story will be given out so everyone will have some guidance, as well as a special amulet to wear that if snapped will immediately eject the dreamwalker out of the story back to Songerein. The Story Eater's minions are in a few of these, and any injuries sustained will carry over. The problems will arise several times so repeat visits will be necessary. For each objective attempted, a unique energy will be generated and captured by the librarians for the writers to use. Completion of an objective is not necessary, but it will give a bigger boost.

A. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Upon entering the story, everyone will be inside the three bears' house…dressed as Goldilocks, regardless of gender. And the three bears are not happy. The original Goldilocks has already gone mad and tore through their home, scaring the baby bear with nightmares. The objectives for this story are:

Help repair the damage by: 1) fixing the kitchen and preparing new dinner for the family (not porridge); 2) fix all the broken chairs; 3) get new pillows and blankets for their beds.
Grab a partner and perform a puppet show for baby bear, preferably with a lighthearted, fun story (players can decide if they are successful or fail in their attempt).
Track down Goldilocks in the woods just outside the house and capture her. Her corruption is mild and casting a sleeping spell or using some kind of sleep aid will help calm her down. Channeling positive dreamotion energy will also help.

This story will increase the Book's proficiency in healing and purifying the Story Eater over time.

B. Three Little Pigs. Upon entering the story, everyone will find themselves in a large brick house and be turned into pigs. Not costumes, not partial, just full blown pigs. Fortunately, they can still "walk" and talk and move around. Clothes are optional (one can either appear completely without, with the clothes they were wearing upon entering, or find some in the closet). The objectives for this story are:

Reinforce the brick house and turn it into a fort. The original pig brothers left behind instructions on how to build cannons, barricades, and traps outside of the house. This can be done magically via dreamotion or through physical labor. Handling a hammer with hooves will be surprisingly easy, as if they all now wield anthropomorphic magic…
The defense is to keep small black wolves made of ink at bay. They will charge at the house without mercy to try and destroy it. Fortunately, they seem to lack much control and can be easily fended off, especially with the traps and weaponry installed.
There is only one big bad wolf, and it looks like the Story Eater is trying to corrupt it. It keeps mumbling about being on a diet and tired of blowing buildings down, yet it staggers on and controls the black wolves that try to attack the house. Help purify the wolf by preparing a special porridge for it to eat. It'll take several bowls and some additional positive dreamotion energy channeled into the wolf.

This story will increase the Book's external sturdiness so that it will not break from external forces.

C. Humpty Dumpty. Upon entering the story, everyone will find themselves dressed as a knight of some kind. There is only a giant, crumbling wall and the ground is littered with eggshells, so be careful walking around. Some eggshells are white but many are an inky black that appear to be melting on the ground. There's far too many to have come from the eggman himself, but said eggman is missing from his perch. The objectives for this story are:

Find the large egg pieces that have bits of clothing and face on them and piece Humpty back together. He'll try to help by calling out and he'll promise he's fine—happens all the time. However—
The Story Eater's minions are around, and they'll form from the black eggshells, create hideous versions of Humpty to try and attack and explode on them like rotten eggs. Handle with care as they are quite dangerous and can inflict severe damage. Better to take them out with ranged attacks.
The minions are coming through the many gaps and cracks in the wall, and one can even hear them scratching through the other side. If the wall goes, this entire story is finished. There are some native knights and other people trying to repair the wall, but dreamotion will help reinforce it. The broken eggshells can be used as bricks and mortar as they will immediately expand and cover the missing areas.

This story will increase the Book's internal defense so that it will not break from the inside.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's nice to meet you, too. From the sound of it, you've been here for some time?

[ It is a little fascinating to Baldr how many people he meets have been here months, or even a year. Then again, Tir Na Nog's own world hoppers have been residents for years now. Perhaps this is more to be expected than not. He hums thoughtfully to himself as he presses more pieces back together. ]

[Link pauses at the question; it's not something he's thought much about, but...he has been here a while, by now, hasn't he? So, after thinking about it a moment, he nods.]

A little over... [How long, roughly?] ...six months, I think. And you're newer?

[He puts the last rung on one of the chairs and stands, pressing his hands onto the seat to test its strength. Not bad.]

It's been a bit over two months, I believe. Sometimes I still feel a newcomer here. Although with things so often shifting around us, I'm sure even those who have been here longer must think the same at times.

[ Baldr finishes his own chair and gives it a little pat. He thinks it should hold weight quite well? Even for a bear, hopefully. ]

[A faint smile passes over his expression.]

I know what you mean.

[The only thing you can expect is the unexpected. Sometimes it makes Reverein feel like a hundred smaller new places, rather than one home.] It can be difficult to get used to it.

[He starts trying to find missing pieces of cabinet doors and tables, now that the chairs are in better repair.]

Yes. Although I admit I enjoy the novelty. It feels vibrant, doesn't it? It always seems to be growing and changing. Rather like seeing a world under construction.

[ Which does make it a little like home, in truth. Link's smile draws an answering one from Baldr. There's something so restful about a place where everyone seems tolerably pleased to be there.

Baldr goes to assist in sorting through the other fragments — goodness, she did a thorough job on the place — and gives the mess a very slight shake of his head. ]

[Vibrant...another thing Link hadn't thought about before, really, but he's right, isn't he? It's a world alive with magic and mischief. No matter what else it might be, it certainly is that.]

It is what we make of it, [he agrees with a nod. Full of possibilities, some might say. Others might call it unfinished.

Baldr's expression catches his eye, that soft head shake.]

That Goldilocks. What a menace.

[ Yes, exactly that. Baldr nods in satisfaction as he picks up a cabinet door to inspect the hinges. A little bit of a push and this should go right back on, he hopes...

There's something inherently funny about hearing his own assessment in Link's mild and calm tones. Baldr can't help but laugh. ]

It's a bit much for a tantrum, isn't it? My own young princess can be a bit... [ headstrong and, at times, spoiled ] ...spirited, but nothing like this. [ Intentionally, at least. ]

[As Baldr goes for the cabinets, Link starts picking up other bits of discarded kitchenware: dented pots, broken plates, things like that. Some of it might be fixable, but other things will need to be replaced.]

A bit, [he agrees lightly. It's hard to imagine Princess Zelda --any princess, really-- doing anything even remotely like this...but part of him wonders if she might feel better for a little bit of kitchen-smashing.] It might have been different if it was her own kitchen.

[But this? The poor bears. Honestly.]

[ Honestly, while it might be less mess than a monster herd would normally leave behind, the sheer range of the destruction is impressive for a human. Baldr sighs and straightens a crooked shelf in the cabinet once the door is hanging securely. ]

That would be better, wouldn't it? The bears certainly didn't deserve this sort of disruption. I wonder if it would be a bit cathartic to do in one's own home. ...I think it would just make me feel guilty.

[ ...He's just going to have to take to the grave with him the thought that he could well imagine Nuadha doing it, in the right mood. ]

{ bite sized problems}

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