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PLOTTING SIM 1.2: LET IT SNOW, LET IT GO
| PLOTTING SIM 1.2: LET IT SNOW, LET IT GO |
Systems R̸e̶a̷d̸y̵. Load Simulation …? Y/N Visit Augur Shop InsteadSimulation Summary00. Arrival: A Dark Forest  Your consciousness comes to you in the midst of a dense autumn forest. You haven't been asleep. You stand there, fully clothed, but perhaps not in your usual attire - perhaps you're wearing a belted tunic with trousers and leather boots to protect you from the cold ground, or a long and modest dress with an apron and a hood, hand-sewn in natural fabrics. The chill in the air and even the smell of the dirt and the trees are not like those of the Island. This place feels old, a strange energy crackling in the air. Some may recognize it as a very ancient magic. In the distance, colorful lights dance between the trees. Approach closely enough and they look like fairies, but they are always just out of your reach. Are they leading you somewhere? No - if you follow them, as they seem to bid you, they will only lead you deeper into danger: a snarling wolf, a sudden drop into a craggy ravine. They are mischievous, sometimes cruel little things. You'll never escape this forest by yourself. For as long as you are alone, the night is interminable - days long, it seems. Are you the determined sort, willing to choose a direction and continue walking no matter what, or will you give into despair of being hopelessly lost? With any luck, it won't take you long to find out that your only way out is with the help of someone else. Only by agreeing to work together will the dawn finally break, and your path will become clear. Should you refuse, or never cross paths with another Islander? Maybe the wolves will take you in. I. Soul Sweets [ Week 1 - 2 ]  Autumn is a busy season in Tenebrae Town! The villagers need all the help they can get from their recently returned neighbors, and Islanders may find themselves enthusiastically recruited into all manner of domestic or agricultural tasks: tending livestock, harvesting grain, hanging straw to dry, weaving baskets, preserving food, and so on. If you have no such talents to offer, now may be a good time to ask a friend to teach you. To all who demonstrate a willingness to be productive and pitch in with the harvest activities, villagers are cheerful and welcoming - in fact, they are even willing to join hands with a vampire or a werewolf at the dinner table, though they may be more wary of the Transformed than they would be of a newly minted witch. Nevertheless, those who mind their manners will be treated as family. Perhaps this festive spirit will reach the Islanders, too. 'Tis the season of sharing meals, songs, and work, and the tavern owners frequently give away free drinks and hot meals to villagers they see putting in the hard work on the farm and in the fields. On clear nights, quite a crowd will gather! One proud town tradition is the baking of soul cakes: tender sweet rolls which may be filled with raisin or chestnut paste, sweetened squash, and other seasonal delights. Soul cakes are baked in enormous batches and shared freely throughout the village, so idle villagers are frequently recruited to help with the baking. It is said that if one is thinking of their dear friend or sweetheart while making a soul cake, and then share that very treat with them, the two of you will stay together for another 10 years. Just like soul mates! Even more fortuitous: it is said that baking soul cakes together is the start of many a romance, and so playful flirting is encouraged throughout the process. Mind that you don't wind up flirting too strongly with someone else's beloved, however! Strangely, it seems as if small disagreements like these are breaking out more frequently… don't let the tension get to you. II. Simmering Sentiments [ Week 2 - 3 ]  There is definitely something in the air. Perhaps it is the palpable rivalry between the werewolves and the vampires bubbling up to the surface after weeks of being set aside for the "greater good." Some villagers say it is a curse of the fae, who are disturbed by the influx of so much supernatural energy into Tenebrae Town and wish to see this tight-knit community fall apart. Regardless, one thing is certain: tempers are running hot even as temperatures drop, and hardly anyone is free of this influence. Nerves are fraying. Pet peeves which you may have previously dismissed are suddenly so much more apparent. Old, long-settled disagreements suddenly arise anew. You have been so, so very patient, and you feel at your breaking point. The only exceptions? Werewolves find peace and clarity at long last with werewolves. Vampires with vampires. Witches and humans with others of their kind. It seems as if the only way to get any peace from the disquiet in your mind is to spend an hour or two in like company, no talking necessary - though of course, spilling your guts in exchange for a little friendly advice never hurts, right? Better to unload on a familiar-looking stranger than the object of your ire, surely. III. Snowfall's Secret [ Week 4 ]  The first snowfall in Tenebrae Town arrives early in the season, and should you ask any villager, it's quite an event. Farmers and bakers work day and night, and the market is bustling with vendors eager to distribute their wares. Villagers frequently remind each other to stock up on supplies, and in the streets, Islanders may be asked by residents how their own preparations are faring? One wouldn't want to be caught out in the snow, after all! The first fall has been known to last for days and days. What's so bad about getting caught in the snow, one might ask? To which friendly villagers will pat your arm and praise your sense of humor. Do you heed these vague warnings when the flakes begin to fall? Do you imitate your neighbors when you see them rushing indoors into the nearest house they see, no matter the owner? If not, you will soon find out why the snowfall is to be avoided… but not right away. You may have some time to go about your business, maybe even to arrive home safe and sound. But within the hour, those who were touched by the first fall's flakes will begin to feel unbearably cold. Nothing - not the crackling fire, not hot drinks, not piles of blankets - will warm them. First the fingers freeze in place, then the toes. The frost creeps up the limbs, seizing them in place. By the end of the hour, the snowfall's victims are frozen solid. A. And the frozen will dream. They will relive the moments in their past when they felt their coldest and most alone: betrayals, abandonments, deaths, lonely childhoods. They may dream of the nights they spent homeless, or the times they walked home by themselves in the frigid rain. They might even dream of the times they turned their backs on someone else, or held back their feelings when they should have shared them. Anything cold - whether physically or emotionally - replays like a torturous film reel on an endless loop. These dreams bleed over. Proximity helps: stay close to a dreamer, and you might get a peek into their most intimate memories when you finally succumb to sleep. Even so, some dreams are known to travel even across town, strangers living out the worst memories of strangers. (Will you recognize the person whose life you lived when you wake? Was it someone you'd been fighting with just days before?) There is only one way to wake the frozen: body heat, of course. A full night of comforting hugging should do the trick. B. For a lucky few… particularly those with especially strong magical ability (or new witch powers!)… these chilling dreams might bleed over regardless of the dreamer's frozen status. Such is the mysterious power of the first snowfall. Five participating Islanders, chosen by RNG, will be delivered a dream from one of our NPCs within the next few days! Characters may share what they learn however you see fit, either by threading or OOC sharing with IC meetings handwaved. (Sign up with the town registrar if you are interested in RNG opportunities!) The shared dream will be identical, so no one person will be responsible for the information contained within. No pressure if you are selected but are unable to participate. OOC Notes:Welcome to our first simulation! If you have yet to read the FAQ section about Sim City, please do so now! If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. As the Simulation is heavily influenced by the minds of participating characters, feel free to make up details about the town and the NPCs as needed! Small details that vary from thread to thread can be handwaved away as an artifact of many minds participating at once. Note: Event posts will focus on Sim City events. Mingles and TDMs will focus on Nameless City events. The event will go live |