EVENT 27

[sticksandbonesmods]

ONCE UPON A DREAM

SO FAMILIAR A GLEAM

It starts with a rush of pure white butterflies flooding one's vision, and a soft, dreamy song with no words. It starts with a gentle breeze and the scent of flowers and sugar. It starts with heavy eyes and a gentle heaviness like a blanket.

… What starts?

The Silver City is in celebration. Everyone is invited, and you, a member of the city's populace are especially welcome to the castle to visit the new queen! A beautiful, massive silver tree that is certainly only a tree stands in the center of the city, overlooking the entirety of it and shielding the city within it's shade, and flowers bloom on every corner. Faeries stand in the streets and flutter through the air, singing a song of joy. White Lily Cookie has returned from her journey, taken her place by the Elder Faerie's side and is now ruling over the kingdom at his side. And yet she still welcomes the common people to see her! So wise, so kind…

… They don't really shut up about White Lily Cookie, honestly. It's a little embarrassing. But the joy and relief is felt all the same, and even in the serene kingdom everything feels vibrant and energetic. Music flows through the air freely, and the shade of the grand tree grants the illusion of a lovely starry night. Occasionally the king and queen take to the streets arm in arm, the very picture of love as they talk with one another, greeting their subjects and take in the celebrations. Occasionally a man with blonde hair and kind eyes and a tall dark skinned man with dark hair join them, much to the Queen's delight. And, well, you've lived in this beautiful city all your life- why not go see your neighbors and the queen?

Wake up. Wake up! Wake up wake up wake up please wake up HELP ME-

… What was that? … Probably nothing. There's a celebration to take part in, after all! Though some of you may find things not… quite meshing with what they know, now…

Or maybe you are suddenly very, very aware that the peaceful life you've been living is nothing more than a lie. And there are eyes on you to make sure you don't stray off script everywhere.

VISIONS ARE SELDOM ALL THEY SEEM

Of course, not everyone loves the queen- or rather, they don't love her new role. There isn't a faerie who doesn't love White Lily Cookie, for all that she's done for the kingdom, but sometimes you go out to the market and hear whispers… "She's not even a real faerie… the king just made her into one. She doesn't understand us." "She's a lovely woman and a wonderful hero, but wake up! She's not a politician in any sense. What does she know about being a queen?" "Wouldn't a consort be enough? The king has no idea what he's done, making an outsider his queen."

Hushed whispers echo in dark places, and quiet discontent seems to bleed into the shadows. Though many are happy, the few who aren't are certainly vocal- and they may think you agree with them. Something has to be done about the queen. Don't you think? Maybe it's time to wake up the king, and show him the mistake he's made. They'll both understand in the end. Or maybe…

Maybe this is too far. Maybe the city needs a wake up call, and the outsider needs to be removed by any means necessary. Tensions rise, and even just going to the market or library can feel like one wrong step into a conspiracy you want nothing to do with.

Or maybe the Queen really does have to go, and you have just the knife to do it. Maybe she doesn't have the right. Maybe she has no idea what you went through to get this peaceful life, and she's going to ruin it one way or another. Maybe the Queen should have just stayed a friend, and has long since overstayed her welcome… especially with the foreign kings constantly visiting. Maybe you should take matters into your own hands…

To those already Awake, things feel heavy, the city is a tangle of puppet strings and none are as thick as the ones around the castle. The only one free of them seems to be Elder Faerie Cookie. And he's watching you.

BUT IF I KNOW YOU...

Within the Grove, outside of a beautiful dream, something magical happens and spirits away so many residents of the town. The tidal wave of butterflies comes and goes, centering into itself just before the Archives, leaving a giant glowing white flower bud in the center. It could consume a building if it were placed differently, and it occasionally pulses an unusual energy. As the haze of the swarm leaves those left behind fades, they'll find themselves alone.

Touching the flower reveals a brief translucent effect, the silhouettes of the missing residents trapped within the closed off petals. Between this and several animal spirits deciding being gone a lot means that your house is free real estate, it's not a good day to say the least.

Especially when "day" becomes "days". How long will this last?

Shadows roam the edge of the fog barrier, laughing like hyenas as you work to get by, to free the others, to understand what's going on. But for once, the feeling of eyes in the woods is gone.

So.

Time to get to work.

Spark Notes

summary

SO FAMILIAR A GLEAM: Those who are successfully ensnared within the surge of corrupted faerie magic will find themselves in a dream where they are citizens of White Lily Cookie's kingdom of faeries and believe they always have been. Amidst the festivities celebrating her union with the king, a cry for help rings out. Not everyone hears it, but those it truly reaches find themselves now lucid within the dream, but still trapped on the stage. Paranoia might seep in, because now that they know its a dream, everything seems far more aware of them too.
VISIONS ARE SELDOM ALL THEY SEEM: Despite White Lily Cookie's popularity as a hero and friend to the faeries, not everyone is happy with her ascension to the throne. And some of those dissidents are interested in collaborators, especially those who might be more than happy to remove her permanently. And to those who are lucid, the king seems to be watching you.
AND IF I KNOW YOU...: Not everyone was snared within the Dream! Those who somehow escaped will find themselves dealing with the Dream from the outside, as everyone inside are trapped within a giant glowing flower bud. And something approaches the fog walls... laughing.

out of character

Hello everyone and welcome to the White Lily player plot! Enjoy being stuck in a shared dream that's actually a nightmare. The ending of this event is going to be determined by the players. Anything could happen! As a note, within the dream only White Lily Cookie is capable of dying for real,and will awaken in the Garden. Anyone else will simply be removed from the flower bud, completely awake and back to normal.

updates

A friend is now patrolling the flower in the waking world! It is definitely a friend and is not going to try and maim you, trust. (This is a lie.) (CW: Descriptions of body horror in an animal within the link.)

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ August Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

code

Comments

[alphacraft]

[ She raises her eyebrows, taken aback for a moment by how bizarre that question would sound out of context. ]

I can only imagine the looks you must be getting with an opening like that.

I don't know if 'awake' is the right word, but I'm certainly lucid.

[ If she was fully awake she feels like she wouldn't be seeing fairies all over the place, but she might be wrong about that. ]

[charlastan]

[He shrugs.]

Wouldn't be the first time I've gotten weird looks here. The place already tried to put me in time out once.

[Her answer is enough for him to sigh in relief though. He's honestly been thinking the same and has no qualms putting voice to that idea.]

Lucid's good enough. Pretty sure if any of us were actually awake we wouldn't have to put up with whatever all this is supposed to be.

[alphacraft]

That doesn't surprise me.

[ He could get in trouble anywhere, she's sure. ]

I did receive a vaguely threatening letter. From the King, I assume.

[ She fishes it out of a pocket and hands it to him. It reads:

If the festivities bore you so, perhaps you should stay asleep. ]

[charlastan]

[Stan takes the letter and scans it, before handing it back to her.]

Maybe, maybe not. I got told to go back to sleep too, but I'm pretty sure it was that forest jerk. I was quote-unquote "ruining the dream for everyone else" just because I was trying to poke a few holes in things and ruin a juice vendor's day.

[He rolls his eyes. Stupid forest can't handle a little heckling from the peanut gallery apparently.]

[alphacraft]

[ She folds it neatly and slips it back in her pocket. It's a nice little reminder that she got under his skin every time she stubs her toe. ]

They may be one and the same. I have no experience with real monarchs, but he was rather suspicious.

[charlastan]

Pfft. Of course he'd make himself King. That sounds about right.

[Speaking of suspicious though, it'll be suspicious to whatever's watching them if he doesn't act like he's at a bar, so he snaps his fingers at the bartender and orders one of "whatever she's having" so he doesn't have to think about it too much.]

So, what was he doing that was so off?

[alphacraft]

[ Enjoy your vodka on the rocks, Stan. Odile taps a finger thoughtfully against her glass. ]

He was overly suspicious, and yet overly restrained. He clearly didn't want to upset White Lily, but he didn't talk to her either. Less like a man in love and more like a man carefully maintaining a facade. Certainly not like a man in authority of those around him.

[charlastan]

[Wow, maybe he should have asked what she was having before he did that. It's not that he can't handle a hard drink, but if he's gonna drink something on the rocks it's usually not going to be vodka. He does his best not to make a face as he sips it.]

Heh. So basically like any husband!

[Because marriage is terrible!]

But you've got a point - that's not really king stuff. I'm not from a country with kings, but everyone still used to lose their goddamn minds over royal weddings in other places like it was some fairytale.