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songerein_ooc2023-06-02 01:25 am
dreamkeepers) wrote in songerein_ooc2023-06-02 01:25 am
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{ dream notes: #22 - june 1, 2023 }
DREAM NOTES #22: JUNE 1, 2023
HUZZAH THE STORY EATER ARC IS FINALLY FINISHED and we can reopen apps and work on Song's "new arc." Whatever that means for a game that doesn't have a plot and we just ride the sails that is my brain— Okay no we do have plans in store, but we'll be taking June as a "chill" month! As for the upcoming TDM… It's gonna be a fun one, so everyone be sure to read the details 👀
CALENDAR
The Official Calendar has been updated. Here is our current schedule for the month:
| 6/01: Plot With Me Meme |
| 6/05: EMP/ATP |
| 6/09: Event/TDM |
| 6/25: Reserves Open |
| 6/28-30: Activity Check |
| 7/01: Apps open |
| 7/03: Final apps due, begin processing apps |
| 7/05: Player Intro, Open Log (Event), CR Meme |
| 7/29-31: Activity Check |
| DREAM TREND: This month's dream trends may involve any of the following themes: healing and/or recovery, relaxing, dream vacation. |
| WEATHER: Weather is still a bit in "flux" from all the excess and clashing nightmare and dreamotion energy from the battle. For the first half of the month, there are a lot of showers and storms that will cause some "sparks" and instability with dreamotion, but only minor inconveniences. It should clear up by the end of the month as things stabilize. |
| OTHER NOTES: There will be a lot of distortions and displacements as an after effect of the battle, all of which will be contained in the TDM log. |
IT FEELS SO LONG SINCE WE HAD RESERVES OPEN so huzzah!
Not listed on the calendar as dates have yet to be determined are some noctaere plots that will be happening:
- Mei (late June)
- Azula (July)
The Zelda plot will also be occurring this month, with half of it happening on the TDM and the other half in a separate log hosted by the players.
ACTIVITY CHECK RESULTS
Congratulations to everyone who commented on our Activity Check! The following characters were removed from the game:
Mizuki Okiura |
adorabrawlerSeto Kaiba |
blue_eyed_obsessionSorey |
monolikeMikleo |
tsunergyUnnamed |
zomboiiIf anyone was swept because they missed AC, you can reapply in the next cycle. Just fair warning, we will notice if this happens more than once and we may not allow immediate reapplication the next time.
This puts our player population to 70/90, which means our new player reserve/apps slots are at a maximum 20.
INCREASED PLAYER CAP
Perhaps you may have noticed on the AC that the population number has changed. That is because I have decided to permanently increase the player cap to 90.
As for why, the answer was touched on in the State of the Game back in February. It isn't because I want Song to be a larger game. Opposite, really. We've been pretty stable in the 70~75 range, but that's with players naturally rotating in and out. So to keep us from staring at Reserve month only having like 5 slots all the time (before it opens to like 10 before apps open), I'm basically "artificially" raising the max population to make it easier for those apping to not stress about hitting the ceiling.
Because we won't hit the max ceiling.
And even if we do, we'll drop back down enough for a healthy app pool. Thus while the max cap is 90, realistically I'm still looking at the game as having an average of 70~80 players at any given time, with the usual dips and highs. Of course we are a bit older now (almost 2 years!!) so the average numbers will naturally change, so we'll see how the next few cycles are. But I will not raise the cap any higher.
WORLD UPDATES
Be it new NPCs, creatures, places, or some other discovery or creation, the world of Songerein continues to grow! For official lists and information, refer to the World Directory and Bestiary. So here are a few things as a result of the Dream Board and other submissions:
Bestiary:
- Persona 3 Shadows are blobs that can turn into blobs with masks, tables with masks, hands with masks, giant lion faced wheels on fire with masks, etc. This excludes Full Moon Shadows and Nyx. They can appear anywhere from groups of one to five. As they're not actually from anyone's souls - they're nightmares - they won't cause Apathy Syndrome.
- Nagas are large snakes with armored scales. Remnants from the fight with the Story Eater, the serpents occasionally spotted in the Wildlands are mostly lesser creatures that have been transformed into their current scaly shapes after coming into contact with the miasma produced by the Nagas summoned during that battle. They propagate via their venomous bite, which can transform creatures with weak minds or bodies into more of their scaly kin. Like reptilian zombies.
Places:
The Wild Harvest serves various western and eastern style earth-based street food dishes. A special menu is rotated every month.
Guilty Pleasures: Deceptively strong and not for the faint of heart, this drink is mixed with a rum or vodka base, using the new fruits that have appeared at the orchard with varying face expressions on them. It can affect mood and evoke a variety of emotions in the patron, ranging from happiness, anger, sadness, and everything in between. It is only recommended for seasoned drinkers who can hold their alcohol.
Fluffy Bunny Pancakes: A stack of three light, yet thick, buttery pancakes that are as fluffy as the creamy bunnies that sit on top of them. They come with decorative fruit slices and can be drenched in whatever flavour syrup you like, from strawberry to blueberry, to raspberry.
Stuffed Bun Rolls: The adorable rolls themed for the year of the rabbit make a return, this time with filling! They can have a sweet, desert flavor like custard, or more hearty options such as red beans or various meats (chicken, pork, beef).
Nagashi Somen: White noodles made from wheat flour that are chilled over ice and served with tsuyu, a tasty dipping sauce made of soup stock and soy sauce. Order it the traditional way, or for a more fun experience, take your bowl over to one of the bamboo noodle slides set up in the garden and try your luck at catching the noodles as they flow down! A great way to combat the warming weather.
To say reconstruction is necessary after the chaos following the Story Eater's sealing would be an understatement. The Harvest to close its doors for a few days, and even upon reopening, the recovery process is slow. Some vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients are constantly being planted and regrown, and some doors and shelving are rebuilt. This process will continue for a few weeks, perhaps well into July; but at the very least, the friendly snakes are back to normal after being corrupted by nightmares, thanks to a certain someone.
Despite the disrepair, the staff make an effort to offer a new menu. The grill station is also back out in the gardens for public use with the weather continuing to warm, and special bamboo slides have been set up in their gardens so that patrons may experience flowing noodles. There is also a sign by their ponds, carried over from last month, which reads:
Thank you opening your homes to our wonderful koi.
Other:
- The Permanent Residence player plot run by Eustace will be going into full swing for the next coming months so expect some general quests and things related to it to appear!
EVENT AFTERMATH+REWARDS
Congratulations everyone!! The Story Eater has been sealed away into the special book Shakespeare and Poe wrote a while back thanks to everyone's assistance. We have a full narrative but it's long so here's a quick rundown of where everything stands:
Two goddesses related to dreams and nightmares appeared to help control the direction of dreamotion and nightmare energy and transported everyone off the moon before the final attack.
The giant crystal, Big Chrissie, fires a giant dreamotion laser at the moon, stunning everything on the moon's surface. The Storyteller's ribbons follow up and appear to destroy Story Eater's creation and restrain it, causing it to swear and curse its rage. A giant book appears with Shakespeare on top and after some poetic words and a promise to write new stories for the "Forgotten," the Story Eater is sucked into the book that Shakespeare later takes back to the Tree of Stories. The book itself has been sealed away in a secret dimension within the Tree so that it can be purified. The Dreamcatcher that had first appeared at the castle and used in the battle is sealed with it to help absorb the nightmare energy.
The goddesses split the moon back into two separate moons, the crystalline moon now filtering the mass amount of dreamotion energy and the original moon is now black as it starts filtering out the nightmare energy.
Shakespeare and Poe remain within the Tree of Stories, but they are elusive figures. All the other "guest" armies formed by the seasonal figures have also returned to their worlds. Slenderman still exists but will have disappeared to heal from the damage incurred from the number of battles…for now. Cupid has been weakened enough to regain sanity and has been taken back for further purification and recuperation. Perhaps he'll be able to visit again in the future. The giant crystal remains floating above the Observatory and the Crystaltei will remain with the kirin twins.
There were several tapirs and wisps that were unfortunately corrupted and disappeared before they could be purified. They will be used in future appearances/events. Anyone who "died" (ie, turned into a wisp) or were turned noctaere will have been healed and purified by the end of the event. Fatigue and any emotional trauma will still remain.
As for the tallies, here's what we got:
Wisps: 8 healed; 5 corrupted/disappeared
Tapirs: 15 healed
Slenderman: 3 victories
Cupid: 4 victories, 1 loss
Deaths: 4
Turned Noctaere/Bosses: 4
Bosses: 53 fought
Mobs: 42 fought
As for the rewards:
Regain Bauble (x3). Wahoo, all that hard work means a giant bauble bonus! Within the first week of the month, everyone will find special little baubles next to their pillow with a note that reads, "Thanks for the helping! Throw this into the Wishing Well for a special item or use for something else (watch out for the glitter). Can also be used at the Observatory or gifted to others!" As briefly described, this bauble is basically the game's "regain token," though it has other uses. With this item, characters can throw it into the Wishing Well and receive the item they think about. All regains are manifestations of the item rather than the original and are affected by the game's limitations so nerfs may need to be applied. All regain submissions may be posted to the Regain Wishing Well entry.
Creature: Baby Tapir. Technically a reward from back in April. Remember those eggs? Well they've finally hatched! Everyone who participated in the dreamscape portion of the Festival will have their egg hatch to reveal a cute baby tapir, their color and personality reflecting their egg. The little babies will be quite attached to their parent(s) so they will remain with them for a while. Now they'll have to take care of it. (More details in the section below.)
Item: Character's Legend. It's not surprising that books will be written about the battle, but characters will find a book written just for them, depicting their exploits and what they did during the battle. Of course, a lot of creative liberties were used so its accuracy…might be rough. Their Essences will also be featured. This book will continue to chronicle the character's journey and exploits within Songerein…with the same "creative liberties" as before. Might even turn the character's life into a series.
Item: Crystal Dreamcatcher. A special, small dreamcatcher made with the shards of Big Chrissie, the giant crystal. It is capable of absorbing and dispersing a small amount of nightmare energy, however it has a limit and will take a week to clear itself. Thus its main function is to help stave off nightmare energy. But it may be possible to upgrade its performance.
Item: Mini Crystaltei. Small, crystalline figures of the crystaltei will appear on their windows. A character will only receive one, and it will be the crystaltei that best represents their emotion:
🐬 pink liopleurodon: joy and grief
🐦 orange phoenix: love and hate
🦄 silver kirin: hope and despair
🦀 blue crab: trust and distrust
🐳 purple whale: calm and anger
🐲 yellow dragon: bravery and fear
They're just novelty items that will change color if their represented emotion is exhibited.
Other: Essence Powers. Everyone will have the option to retain some of the powers gained by their Essences, however because the connection to the Story Realm has been cut off, some of the powers will be lost or weakened. They can be regained by learning more about the original character they received the powers from. The "Character's Legend" book will also help their powers grow.
DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH (TDM)
Although the Story Eater has been defeated, a lot of damage was done and a lot still remains to be repaired. Not only that, the large fluxes of dreamotion and nightmare energy have created distortions again, however it's different from before. And it's also affecting how new Dreamers are arriving into the world. This post-event TDM log has a different twist to how "new arrivals" are treated, so please read!
Pocket Nightmare Distortions. Popping in here and there both inside and outside of town are pocket nightmare dreamscapes: small, isolated, tangible dreamscapes that are formed in the real world instead of in dreams. They are usually caused by an individual having a nightmare, but sometimes they are spontaneously created by a large concentration of nightmare energy. They are easily identifiable by the shroud of black mist that will envelope the area, trapping anyone caught inside. The nightmares can be benign, or they can be horrific. It's up to those inside to push back against the nightmare and "close" it out via dreamotion. In addition, while those inside cannot freely enter, those on the outside can enter at will to help. There will also be a special appearance of the nightmare folk who will have strange devices that will suck up some excess nightmare energy. They say it's to help, but…kinda sus.
TDM Arrivals: Through Nightmares. Usually when a character arrives into the game, it's through any kind of state of "sleep" or "unconsciousness," including daydreams. However, for this round, characters will have the option to slip into the world via their own nightmare and create a pocket nightmare of their own. It would follow the same rules as the generic ones. The new character will not realize they have entered into a completely different world and will believe they are having that nightmare. Only those who enter their nightmare or were somehow pulled into it will be able to help them and close the nightmare. Again, this is optional! Characters can also arrive normally.
Displaced Fairy Tales. Another major side effect from the battle is a sudden displacement of fairytale characters. Perhaps due to the Storyteller needing to connect to Songerein from the Realm of Stories, dimensional "blips" and "tears" are randomly forming and the real version of fictional characters and creatures are suddenly appearing. These are not copies, they're the original thus dying would not be ideal. Fortunately they are very obvious as they will behave 100% themselves and causing problems (don't let the knights and princes near the dragons—). The objectives will be: 1) find any version of their story in the library to 2) enter the story with the character to create a connection for their return while 3) clearing out remnants of the Story Eater's minions and nightmare energy within the story and then 4) seal it up so this doesn't happen again. Bonus, some characters want to stay in Songerein for a while because wow, so cool!! Which can make things more difficult.
Reconstruction. A lot of buildings and land were damaged by the fighting, especially with the excess nightmare energy that seeped into various places. Naminé's powers also affected various buildings in town, causing them to shift and turn them into places based on memories instead. Fortunately, many new remedies and solutions were left behind by the groups to help in the repair. From creating small models viaLEGOsbuilding blocks that magically expand to replace damaged structures spraying corrupted spots with a special fluid to planting special seeds to help plant growth. There will be a number of different projects and remedies to be used to help rebuild the town quickly. The dragons will also need assistance so there will be a few prompts for the island as well.
WISP Anonymous. Those who were turned into wisps have started to form a special group to deal through the experience. Some had harrowing, traumatic deaths tied to theirs while others are having a power trip from being able to blast noctaere from their dreamotion energy. A support group with yoga exercises will be available for anyone who needs to meditate to get past their trauma, while a noctaere rage room will be set up for thosewith more aggressive tendencieswho need to work out their anger.
Babysitting Tapirs. The newly hatched tapirs are cute—and rambunctious. The current tapir population are also overjoyed as the battle has also caused them to lose a number of their own, their whereabouts still unknown. While efforts will be made to track the missing tapir down, for now it's important to take care of the babies. They will constantly pop in and out between dreams and the real world, always on the hunt for something tasty. But as they are babies, they must be careful not to consume too much nightmare energy. Thus while they could help with the pocket nightmares, they should only eat in moderation or they'll have a nasty stomach and wail like a banshee.
Potluck. To help bolster spirits and those who are still trying to repair their homes, many restaurants and farmers are setting up on the Riverbank for a special potluck. Anyone can come in and join and even bring their own offerings of food if they so wish.
Commemoration Wall. A special wall will be created for anyone to come in and write or draw on it to celebrate taking down the Story Eater. Though its original intent is to help bolster everyone's spirits and give Reverein something to look back on, everyone is free to take part and contribute to the wall. Spray paints will be provided, but dreamotion will also be recommended for anyone who'd like to give it a shot.
DISTORTION: HYRULE (TDM)
In addition to the reconstruction efforts on the log, there will be a second section dedicated to the first part of the Zelda player plot occurring this month. Since it fits so well with what's going on in game, we're including it as part of the TDM for anyone to participate in. It's mostly overworld effects that are affected by BOTW Zelda's and Link's world. Here's a quick preview of the prompts.
Malice. A reddish-purple gooey substance will be sticking around to increase feelings of negativity and aggression.
Lost Woods. Visitors to the Wildlands will find the area shrouded in a fine mist, making it nearly impossible to navigate the woods. There are also Korok puzzles to interact with and try to solve.
Strange Plants. Unusual plants have begun to sprout all around Reverein with various effects: create flying platforms; render one silent; increase speed; wildcard mushrooms.
Monsters. Special monsters of Hyrule flavor will appear.
Fairy Blessings. Small fairies floating around Reverein that will offer a range of effects, from healing to cleansing nightmare energy to temporary abilities and more.
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone. Some additional phenomena that will occur as time goes by:
- Visions of Hyrule. Small pockets of Hyrule will superimpose themselves over familiar locations.
- Items. Ordinary, everyday items have transformed in some way.
- Musical effects. Those who play instruments might find their music is accompanied by strange effects, like generating a cool breeze, changing the weather, turning day to night, or even calling animals, especially horses.
- Side quests. Everyone will want to hand out some kind of task, no matter how minor or great. In return, gratitude crystals are given for…some use.
DREAM BOARD
How the Dream Board works:
- This is all optional, the quests are just extra content for players and while they can sometimes relate to upcoming or current events, they're just kind of "filler" stuff. Some will be set out in Songerein proper while others may involve dreams.
- The Dream Board can be found at the Plaza and quests will automatically appear on it like a bulletin board. Some will also appear in the journals. Anyone can accept them and rewards automatically generated upon completion of the task. It's a dream world, it's full of magic, it just knows.
- Quests can be done as many times as a character would do them and rewards will be delivered to the character upon completion.
- If you have any questions, comment to the designated subthread.
| 601 | Dreamotion Monitors. For one week we'd like volunteers to wear a special armband that will monitor your dreamotion energy both in a passive state and in active state (ie, whenever using dreamotion). We request both active and mild dreamotion users to ensure more range of data is collected. It cannot be removed until the end of the time period, but is lightweight and waterproof. Return to the Observatory to have it removed. All research and results will be published to the public once finalized. (Mod Note: Part of the Permanent Residence player plot, we'll be asking for thread submissions during AC.) | Monetary compensation |
| 602 | Observatory Baubles. In relation to the above, we would like to closely monitor and study those who use baubles to view their world via the telescope here at the Observatory. All you need to do is use your bauble on the telescope and view your world, our instruments will read everything else. (Mod Note: Part of the Permanent Residence player plot, we'll be asking for thread submissions during AC. Info on how the baubles work in the Observatory and for official comment for their use can be found here.) | A special recording of what they viewed |
| 603 | Crystal moles. The Observatory is also in need of crystals, however some of the mines beneath the town were damaged and have collapsed, trapping the moles inside. Help clear out the debris and free the trapped moles, and they will reward you with the crystals needed. Be careful, there are monsters that lurk in the dark, cold world below so watch out! Protect the moles and return them to safety, and don't let them get hurt! (Mod Note: Part of the Permanent Residence player plot, we'll be asking for thread submissions during AC.) | Crystals from the mines for saving and protecting the moles, mole favor increased |
| 604 | Vandalism. People have been stealing paints from the graffiti wall and vandalizing various buildings, both personal and business! Some eyewitnesses noticed they were wearing checkered armbands. Please help catch them and clean up the mess! (Cleaning materials provided) (Mod note: The culprits are just random NPCs.) | Gratitude and set of spray paints |
| 605 | Animal help! Anyone who finds animals that have been injured during the battle, or have lost their home, please bring them to the Starflower Cafe and Sanctuary. We have a fairy here who will be able to heal them, and those without homes will have somewhere safe to stay until a proper place can be set up for them. (OOC note: for those who do find any to bring by the cafe, please leave a comment here. | A donut created in your honour, and a voucher for a week's worth of home-cooked meals at the cafe. |
| 606 | Naga cursed. Some of the creatures affected by naga venom during the Story Eater battle have become highly-aggressive serpents themselves, and have been occasionally spotted in the Wildlands. If not kept in check, they will continue to multiply and could pose a threat. | Anti-venom cures and charms |
END NOTES
WHEEZE.
IT'S OVER.
I sleep.
If you have any questions, be sure to comment to the designated thread here!
DREAM BOARD QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS
no subject
Is there somewhere I can be directed to read up more on the ‘Permanent Residence player plot’? I want to participate but don’t understand the impact/what the plot is
c: help! thanks! luv you bye
no subject
The quests that are posted to the dream board are not limited to those who have signed up, so even if you don't, all players are free to do them!
QUESTIONS
no subject
Asking for a friend playing a fucked up version of a fairy tale character here... a friend that might be me. >_>;;
no subject
It is possible to let the character run loose for a while—there's no actual time limit to their return, it's just being highlighted this month. So if your character is not inclined to purify the fairy tale character, it can be turned into a different quest or something to be used by another character or we toss up on July's Dream Board or something! Just let us know what the outcome would be O:
no subject
Re: QUESTIONS
so since somnus is interested in... basically finding ways to negate and/or contain nightmare/dreamotion, would he be able to consult those of the nightmare troupe on how they constructed these vacuums?
no subject
no subject
1. What sort of basis did they use to build the vacuum for the pocket nightmares?
2. Is the vacuum functioning as a container, or a negater of nightmare energy when it is aspirated?
---> If it functions as a container, how long do they expect the vacuum to hold the pocket nightmares within the vacuum, or can it be held indefinitely? Or, if it cannot hold it indefinitely, where will they be depositing it, or getting rid of it?
---> If it functions as a negator, how does it operate? What mechanism within the vacuum is used to negate the pocket nightmare (i.e. a crystal, a flower, etc.)
3. Can this contraption be used on dreamotion and dreams?
4. Can he meet with the developers of this vacuum?
no subject
2) Container. As to what they will use it for, it varies. They can disperse it back into the atmosphere (reminder, nightmare energy and dreamotion energy coexist, the problem is if there is an overabundance of either in one spot with nightmare energy more obvious). They can also use it no different than dreamotion energy. If asked how, they will say that nightmare energy is like a stronger "fuel," similar to if someone channeled anger or other more "violent" emotions into their dreamotion energy. Nightmare energy has its risks for sure, but can be used in a "positive" direction if handled responsibly, just like fire.
3) It can if there is a dangerous amount of excess. Dreamotion is less volatile and more easily keeps itself "calm" so there's usually less need, but if they needed to it's possible.
4) Not at the moment, they don't like traveling and hard for anyone here to get over there—currently. If asked how or when people here in Reverein could go where they're from, they can only shrug.