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

[fluffiestsoul]

You, too?

[He won't elaborate if Aira won't. The last thing he wants is to recount his own trauma, especially if it means the boy then feels obligated to do the same. For right now, he focuses on himself, his person. There are a few patches of reddened skin, maybe a few more slightly burned areas, but by and large, he got lucky.]

I'll be fine.

[Well, that and the rasp of his voice. The smoke clearly did a number on him there.]

[love_swan]

[ He didn't seem fine, between the rasp and the charred parts that he's not sure go down to his skin or not... But he understands, it's more important to get away than to worry about something that wasn't slowing him down yet. ]

Fires... were pretty common in the other place I was dropped in before the Grove.

[ That's all he'll say about it for now, but it was pretty clear there was more to it than just fires... Now wasn't the time.

He waits until they're a good ways away from the blaze to ease Verso down onto a downed log so he can catch his breath and rest his injuries. They should be safe for a moment here. ]

What... do you plan to do?

[fluffiestsoul]

Sounds like a pretty shit place to grow up.

[He won't be mincing words right now, doesn't really have the capacity to do so. Besides, he gets the feeling Aira might just agree with him. Later, he'll be able to process his own sympathy for the boy and maybe... actually ask after him. He gets the quick and dirty response in the moment, though.

The question Aira poses only serves to make Verso snort.]

Hell, I don't know. What is there to do in a place like this? [He shakes his head, then hangs it low.] I should try to find her. Find Lily. Help her.

[But he turns his attention back to Aira instead of making a move.]

Should get you to safety first, though.

[love_swan]

Oh, I- I didn't grow up there. I was in a different hell before I ended up here... it was pretty normal where I was from, comparatively...

[ He sounds embarrassed, almost. As though having been thown into a traumatic experience was somehow his fault. ]

You... don't need to worry about me. I can probably manage. I don't trust the town anymore when I can't tell who's real, and I'd probably just slow you down on your mission.