EVENT & TDM 008

[sticksandbonesmods]

LET IT GO

WAKE UP

It’s strange, how as the dawn of a new day finally arrives, coinciding with the howling winds dying out, classic, adorable snowmen seem to have popped up all over the Grove overnight. The fog wall has yet to surround the barren remains of a town that once was, but it’s visible once more in the great distance.

Not that you can see it immediately. Something covers your eyes, and you can feel something heavy and frigid wrapped all around you. As you struggle more and more, the crunch of snow echoes through your ears as you step free- and when you turn back to examine their prison, you’ll realize one of the snowmen was you.

Meanwhile, old residents will get to deal with more and more people popping out of snowmen like daisies, and must remember that this is just their life now. It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.

Though, maybe you ought to help them before frostbite sets in.

MIRROR, MIRROR

The quiet couldn’t last forever. You should have known that something would happen, especially with the fog beginning to make itself known again. And this time, it’s something quiet. As you wake up one morning, there is a mirror on your nightstand — it’s silver and round, able to fit comfortably in your hand and wreathed in crystalline snowflakes.

And as you look into it, your reflection twists into something still undeniably you, but… have you a temper problem? Too many lies? A sadistic sense of humor? All of your worst traits are dragged out and reflected on the mirror, and no matter what, it keeps ending up wherever you are — and whoever else looks into the mirror will see this awful, terrible you, too. All of your worst characteristics, all the things you try to hide, unable to be hidden.

Maybe you keep trying to hide it. Maybe you let it stay wherever it keeps turning up, following you like a particularly terrible walking salesman, or maybe you break it. Regardless, nothing seems to happen… for now.

WITH SHARDS OF ICE

“For now”.

Late into the night, everyone wakes up to a sudden, terrible chill. When you open your eyes, you’ll find that you aren’t in your inn room or home, but instead within a giant castle made of ice. It must be a ballroom of some sort, a grand hall glittering in the moonlight — but looking out the window shows that the world beyond the castle is but a frozen wasteland of more blizzards and nothing else. Though you’ve been granted some of your gear — weapons and some supplies, and coats if you’re lucky — you’ll find that the temperature is dropping steadily, while something approaches…

Peek out the door to the main hall and you’ll see what’s coming so noisily. An army’s worth of hallowed ice knights with all sorts of weapons are marching to the door, intent on slaying the intruders. Should they get close, they’ll attack; should they land the killing blow, you’ll instantly freeze into a solid block and shatter.

And if you broke the mirror that haunted you? On top of all of this, you can feel yourself gradually growing colder, physically and emotionally, and your magic, if you have it, takes on an icy flair that you may find difficult to control. Maybe it's your feet that start to turn to ice first — maybe it's your fingertips. But as the night goes on, you’ll steadily freeze solid, and like any fairy tale, only an act of true love could possibly save you. Good luck figuring out what that actually means. True love’s kiss? A genuine compliment? A hug? What could possibly save you from your fate?

Those of you who survive until morning, who don’t become solid statues of ice or die within the castle’s walls, will be lucky enough to witness the sun coming up through narrow windows the size of your forearm. All around you, the castle starts to melt, dripping freezing water onto your head. For as much as you try to run before you, presumably, drown terribly…

…your eyes will close, and you’ll wake up in your bed, drenched.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE FRESH SNOW

The morning after that dreadful night, things… settle, again. Aldric’s Grove is quiet, and clear sunlight glistens across the snowy plaza and radiates off of frosted trees. Even now, the apple tree and blackberry bushes are unfazed by the cold, though the fruit may taste crisper and chillier than usual. Those that died within the castle return to life, feeling colder than normal for the rest of the day, but there seems to be no lasting damage. And, everyone who participated in the castle “game” receives a mysterious gift: A wooden coin with a sigil on it, resembling a clock with backwards hands behind a shield, attached to frosted pinecones, red berries and sprigs of mistletoe. It feels warm and protective.

You go outside. It’s been some time since anyone’s seen anything from the woods, let alone something that doesn’t want them dead — so imagine one’s surprise when a small family of deer can be seen walking amongst the trees. Birds alight to the branches on rare moments, and it’s surely a sign of something, that life has begun to return to the forest despite the deep snow and deeper chill.

Never mind that one of the deer has an extra set of antlers and another has three eyes. Never mind that the birds sound like people. Never mind that the rabbits have blood on their maws.

It’s just another day in Aldric’s Grove.

SPARK NOTES

CLICK TO EXPAND!

WAKE UP

Good day, new arrivals! You are now a snowman. Hopefully people who have been here a bit longer are willing to give you a blanket or ten.

MIRROR, MIRROR

A mirror appears and starts following you around, reflecting what you think are your worst traits or worst version of yourself is. Other people can look into it and see the awful you, too. You can break it and it'll leave you alone, or you can let it stalk you all month.

WITH SHARDS OF ICE

Welcome to the ice castle! It's cold, but you have your stuff with you, and it's not unlivable. Well, until the frozen army of knights starts marching in with the intent to kill everyone inside, anyway. One lethal hit from them will make you shatter into pieces. For those of you who broke your mirrors, you'll gradually grow colder both physically & emotionally, and eventually start to freeze solid. Don't worry, though, you can be saved through the power of love.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE FRESH SNOW

Dawn rises on the Grove and the dead come back to life. Everyone who participated in the castle game receives a magical charm, though they don't know what it does so far. Animals come back to the Grove as well! ...why do they look like that?

OOC

Happy January! TDMs are game canon as a reminder, and if you'd like to plot with people for this event, head over to OOC plotting. While it is not known to player characters at this time, the charms granted as a reward for the ice castle can undo one future negative effect (i.e. a major death). They are a one-time use item. As for how characters discover this information... idk, we'll see how y'all decide to utilize those. :)

UPDATES

❖ None yet!

SUBMISSIONS

QUESTIONS
INVESTIGATIONS
PAST-LIFE PLOTTING
INTEREST CHECK

(CODE)

Comments

[mooninthewater]

[ Obvious to someone who isn't Mizuki, maybe. But for someone who literally doesn't see value in himself unless he's being useful somehow — a tool, by the very definition — then surely when he's useless, and can't even fend himself off from becoming ice, then doesn't that mean that he's not useful anymore? Where's the value in someone who's stuck just like everyone else? He couldn't even find anyone in an attempt to get everyone together for some kind of attempt to stay together. What's worse, he's been so cold this whole time. Even now, he's so cold. How is he supposed to warm Add up like this?

He doesn't pick up on Add's look, since he's never been too good at discerning expressions in the first place, but their link is more than enough to let Mizuki know the gist of how he's feeling. He was worried? He's annoyed? Maybe he's also upset that Mizuki's not able to do anything here? That he hasn't done a good job? Ugh. What an upsetting thought.

He knows he's not warm, but he wants to be useful, so he still shifts in to give Add a hug. Rather, it's less a hug, and more that Mizuki's just clinging to him like he's not allowed to leave. Sorry, I'll do better, he wants to say. The thought is there, though, and he's never been good at not letting them filter into their link. Everything you can… Like kissing me when you don't like physical contact?

… What am I supposed to feel about that…? ]

Thank you. [ Is what he finally opts to say, squeezing him just a little tighter. ] I'm glad… you found me.

[harmacy]

[He's not as good at picking apart emotions, admittedly, but... it feels like he's done something wrong, somehow? He frowns at the top of Mizuki's head, too distracted to put up any resistance—no, he's also thinking about that now, because it honestly wasn't that bad? It bothered him at first, but not because of the contact. After he got past his nerves...

He's not sure how to communicate it, but they have this link now, so. He's just going to stream back all the data he collected from their kiss. Condensed down to the key points, so not quite as immersive as a replay, but there are multiple observations highlighted that he found to be interesting.

It wasn't bad. He didn't mind, not at all.

(he still has a note of further research needed? at the end, not that he's asking but y'know if it did happen again for some reason)

Hesitantly, he puts a hand on Mizuki's shoulder. That's about as close to a hug that Add will get, but Dynamo makes up for the difference by huddling around them more tightly, radiating bonus warmth.]

I'm glad I made it in time. Are you sure you're alright? You're still cold.

[mooninthewater]

I'm fine. I'm used to colder temperatures… and I think I'm still just… getting over being iced over like that? [ He's not sure? How did that work?? He doesn't really even remember anything beyond something trying to isolate him from… "himself". Mizuki's strong will and emotions is exactly what makes it so that We Many doesn't just fully integrate him into the collective, so trying to shut that off wasn't exactly working. It's most like he just… fell asleep?

He doesn't know what happened after that point, but he can put together a few things, at least… ] If… you think it still might be a problem, though…

[ If it's another excuse to kiss Add, that would be fine with him. Maybe this time, he doesn't literally melt like some loser. And he's also getting those notes on the matter, too. If he wants another kiss, he doesn't need to say so at all. It's fine, really. Instead, he's just going to brush his own hair out of his face for a moment before lifting his head back up. He's still so shocked his face can get this hot even now, but he's still going to will himself to press his lips to Add's once more.

It's… a little less confident than Add's, and he's clearly asking for notes immediately. How's this? Too far? Should I stop?

Open your mouth again. ]

[harmacy]

[Despite the literal mindlink and the fact that he's staring Mizuki directly in the eyes as all of this is happening, Add's brain is out here lagging and making dialup noises. Mouth-to-mouth contact has been re-initiated. He is just letting this happen.

... because Mizuki is still recovering! Right! Reapply the treatment! Taking notes! Mentally scrambling to get those notes in order, boot up the scanners, temperature tracking, data probe—

He is told to open his mouth again and he simply obeys without thinking. Mizuki take the wheel, Add's mind is otherwise occupied.

Like, this angle, that's also different. There's a slight height difference between Elsword and Mizuki, so that's another factor. And the "melting"... there's a lot of potential variety in that trait as well, if— they wanted to? Things he hadn't really thought too hard about before, but if they're open to further experimentation, then...

Ah. His own temperature is spiking, that's— probably fine? Add makes the conscious decision to stop tracking his own physical status. It's fine. This is normal.]

[mooninthewater]

[ Very gingerly, Mizuki settles his hands down to Add's shoulders, so featherlight a slight breeze might actually move them, not that there's any of that in the castle. It won't catch him off guard this time. Moooostly because it's him doing the leading this time, but that's neither here nor there, right? So then he can let his tentacles wrap around Add gently in case he tries to pull away to keep them close.

His tongue meets Add, some mix of amused and embarrassed that he so easily opened his mouth. The onslaught of information would be overwhelming, immensely, if he weren't already meticulously sorting everything himself. That, and he's truly gotten a lot better at sorting the thoughts that aren't his own. He's certainly not the best at it or anything, as he will sometimes mistake We Many's thoughts as his own, but he's gotten better, he thinks. It gives him all the time to focus on Add, and really pick out how he's feeling, too. A fascinating thing to discover, really. Psychology is an interest of his for a reason, and it's truly so much easier when he has an open channel like this to analyze.

And yet, it's dangerous, all this, isn't it? He's muddied his feeling for his commander too much at this point. No, maybe it's not right to say that. He's perhaps a little too aware of his own feelings, after all. He knows he loves Add. How silly, when Add's already got the most perfect boyfriend. Surely that's so easily readable, too. He does try to communicate with Dynamo here, then. Can you move that to whatever place you put the unimportant information?

It doesn’t matter.

For now, he can just focus on what Add started. He definitely won't (sources needed) melt this time. What's better than making out in the middle of icy death castle moments after almost dying? Besides, he wants to feel that again. After all, Add's right, this is much different than kissing Elsword, between the taste and the warmth and… they're both so much taller than him, it's really not fair— ]