{ dream notes #35 - july 1, 2024 }

[dreamkeepers]

DREAM NOTES #35: JULY 1, 2024

We hope folks had fun with the world bleed event, and it is still continuing! But we also have an important announcement to make as we continue with this little plot arc.

ENDGAME

CALENDAR

ACTIVITY CHECK

NIGHTMARE CITY

END NOTES

ENTERING ENDGAME

This is likely something players may have been feeling for a bit now, and after a lot of discussion and consideration, we are going to officially move into endgame. While we considered shifting Songerein into a full sandbox, we felt it would be better if we gave the game a proper closure rather than risk it petering out further. We will give the game three months including July, making the official closing date September 30, 2024. We know it's a bit short notice, but with the current health of the game we think it would be better than dragging it out further.

In doing so, we will no longer have app cycles. Instead, the game is open to anyone at any time, especially former players who just wanna dip back in. Those who plan to submit apps can still do so if they desire but it is no longer required, especially as they are returnees! We will also not have formal Activity Check and instead it will be check in only. The World Updates and Dream Board will also be discontinued.

For those who do wish to return for endgame, please just leave a comment on the application page!

As for how we will go about this, we do have some events planned as well as "plots" to tie up. Any player plots can still happen, we can work around it. It'll feel a little rushed, but at least it will be out and "complete." This is the roadmap for the next three months:

July: Things will continue to be a bit of a mess and we will finally introduce Nightmare City that we've been meaning to get to but could never fit in right. How will they be involved? Well that's detailed for this month's event!

August: Most of the world bleed will have been resolved, but it's not over yet. The tethers are still unstable and they will need to find a way to stabilize them before we have weird dream world hijinks that spawns a sequel game (although if someone did want to do that feel free!). At this point, we will incorporate the permanent residence as it all connects together.

September: The final log will be posted for final resolutions and farewells. Characters will have the option to stay or go, with full details on how that will work explained then.

As to what Songerein will be like after, we'll save that for the actual finale. Can't spoil everything! But it will have a happy ending. We would have liked to explore more with the nightmare themes, but since this is endgame we have to "railroad" a bit. (No we won't doom Songerein to nightmares!!)

This was definitely not an easy decision to make, but we think it's the right one for the game. We'd like to thank everyone who has stuck around for so long, and those who have passed through over the (almost!) three years.

Now, to discuss more about what's happening this month.

CALENDAR

The Official Calendar has been updated. Here is our current schedule for the month:

07/18: Nightmare City

07/29-31: Activity Check

08/01: New Mod Notes, Plot With Me Meme

08/16: Tether Me

08/28-30: Activity Check

09/01: New Mod Notes, Anniversary

09/06: Finale Log

09/30: Game Closes

DREAM TREND: This month's dream trends may involve any of the following themes: heckin cute, one of the seven sins, what is home?

WEATHER: It's still all whacked up due to the excess nostilium around.

OTHER NOTES: N/A

We do have a player plot featuring Joshua Rosfield that will have some connections to the upcoming event. Gen will have an OOC plotting post so keep an eye out for that!

AC RESULTS

Congratulations to everyone who commented on our Activity Check! The following characters were removed from the game:

General Nuadha | burnttoashes
Kratos Aurion | flamberge
Yato | intertwinedfates
Ira | iracorn
Kazuma | nailed_navigation
Sephiroth | sefirot
Hiyori Iki | wwtd

This puts our player population to 41/70.

NIGHTMARE CITY

While many of the world fragments have closed or have been contained, nostilium continues to run rampant around the entirety of Songerein and the threat of it passing into other worlds remains. It's at this point someone a little familiar will appear within the town's Plaza:

The Ringmaster.

He once appeared during Songerein's second Halloween and brought the Halloween carnival, but never made another appearance. He has returned to reveal that he, the other carnival members, and others like him live in another settlement located deep within the Wastelands. Called "Nightmare City," it is home to creatures and people who are much more nightmare-aligned and capable of holding and wielding nostilium just like those in Reverein can wield dreamotion. These people are also from the original rift that dumped other creatures from fairy tales and stories long before the Dreamwalkers of Reverein appeared. Think horror, Gothic, demons, etc. However, it's a very lively and fun place. A city that never sleeps, it has a bustling night party city vibe, like Las Vegas.

Knowing their nostilium could negatively affect Dreamwalkers, they kept to their own settlement and have been living merrily in their little corner of the world of dreams.

They are different from the noctaere that appear, as they are not made of nostilium. However they are also susceptible due to their nature, so it is not so surprising many of their kind do turn into noctaere.

And this is now a problem due to recent events. Many of their kind are falling into the nightmares, and they do not have the dreamotion necessary to purify them. Because of this, they are forced to destroy friends and family, which is only fostering more negative emotions and spreading the nostilium. While they do have methods to slow or contain them, it won't be long before this problem will become a disaster that will also affect everyone in Reverein, possibly other worlds if the tethers are not fixed.

So the Ringmaster is pleading for help—but understands if the Dreamwalkers are unable to lend aid. However, he is not asking without anything in return. Despite having their own problems, the Nightmarians can help those who have issues with their own nightmares and nostilium. They cannot cure it, but they are experts in it and can absorb some as they have a higher threshold.

While people will be understandably suspicious, the Orkilins will agree as well as the dragons, so they will lend aid. The tapirs will also pop in and say the Nightmarians are trustworthy (and are yummy).

This event will have an opt out, and will have prompts for those who go to Nightmare City and those who remain in Reverein. There will be a special portal to make it possible to travel between so participate with both sides, as ICly this event will last from the time the log goes up on July 18 through July 31.

NIGHTMARE CITY
As the main focus of the event, here are most of the prompts that will be on the log:

Special remedy. Helping the Nightmarians will be different than what most are used to. Those who have control or excess nostilium will be helpful here. With help from the Orkilins and dragons, a special type of remedy can be made that can be consumed or thrown at the affected Nightmarians. It is made by a mix of dreamotion and nostilium, which must be channeled together. It might still be too difficult for one person to do both at the same time, so they suggest one person focuses on nostilium and another with dreamotion. This is why they need the Dreamwalkers as the Nightmarians can help provide nostilium.

Bad dreams are made of this. One might wonder what kind of nightmares a being that thrives and enjoys the life of terror. And the answer is...the cute and mundane. Everything that normal people find enjoyable is terrifying for monsters and demons who find laughter in pain and horror. So for Dreamwalkers, dreamwalking into an affected Nightmarian's "nightmare," they will find lush forests, rainbows, cute animals, and even domestic life "haunting" those dreams. There are two ways to help the affected: 1) wreck the dream and make it as horrific as possible; 2) assist a Nightmarian by creating a rift within the dream so they can enter and do the work. Apparently these dreams are so "terrifyingly cute" the Nightmarians have trouble going in.

Controlling nightmares. For those who want practice or need help controlling their nostilium, there are a number of experts willing to teach the way of the nightmare. This will require a lot of mental strength and fortunately if someone loses control, they are in a place that will help them. This also includes learning to take on a controlled nightmare form. What that form will be will vary, but as Dreamwalkers will be facing nightmares and their vices, it could incorporate the seven deadly sins.

Capture the cute. Similar to the "bad dreams," there are cute creatures terrorizing the Nightmarians. Capture them and either bring them back to Reverein so they can be used to combat the noctaere there, or destroy them.

Again, this is not a full list but most of the main highlights. While Nightmare City isn't exactly in the best state to "tour" around, there will be locations featured in the prompts as well.

For Reverein, it will be mostly clearing out the fragments. With the help of the Nightmarians, the Orkilins will have devised new devices that will help absorb and contain the excess nostilium. The Nightmarians will also volunteer to help act as conductors as they find the fragments of worlds they are from. However, they still run the risk of taking in too much so there will still need to be assistance to help stabilize them. The tapirs will be recovering in Reverein, some mourning the loss of their friends. There will also be the beginnings of tether investigation which will continue in August.

Joshua will also have a special appearance on the Reverein side, and will have some connections to things going around. What exactly, well… You will have to see!

Those who wish to continue any noctaere player plots can still do so! First half of the month is still free as well as August.

END NOTES

And that's it! We know this is going to hit hard for a few folks, but we hope those who stay or want to come back even briefly will help see the game through to the end! If you have any questions feel free to comment directly to the entry.