realmofstories | Chapter 03: Act I

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Chapter 03: Act I

The Little Mermaid: Act I—

§ instructions.

The first Act of our third campaign is underway! This is the designated log for all Main Scenes. Others are free to create their own toplevels for the Sub Quests, which are detailed below. Each Main Scene has their own unique toplevel and those cast into the roles are to thread their scene under each. All scene instructions are provided in the toplevels. There are also toplevels for each Sub Quest this time around, but players are more than welcome to create their own individual toplevel if they have something else in mind they would like to do.

As a reminder, characters will find similar information and instructions within their journals so they won't go in blind. Also to note, all characters will have all their belongings within them as well as the additional supplies provided to them by the Storyteller. As you know, everyone has undergone a special "mermaid" transformation upon arriving into the Book, but do note: characters in Main Scenes will have a second wardrobe change while acting the scene. Their merform will stay the same, but they'll have additional bits to add to their role. Outfits will be provided in the prompts themselves, and these outfits will only be in affect during the scene. The moment they leave the setting area, they return to their other wardrobe.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped in to their location and will have to travel to the "setting location" and then return. Threading all of that isn't necessary, but it's to help give a better idea that characters can take a break between scenes or wait a bit to help with other things like the Sub Quests.

Feel free to refer to the Game Notes for more detailed info as well as ask questions or clarifications.

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It's not a swashbuckling adventure for the young boy, but Naomi only has a daughter, too. Maybe with more experience with children, she would get better, but at least the boy's bored enough to play with the dog and the girl, offer to help.

"Hm... I suppose you could help me gather a few things. Now, while we don't want to force them into love, a little luck would help them. That, or keep other ill omens from interrupting them." Managing a smile, she hums. "I'll even teach you what each plant does and perhaps some day, you could help people too."

With the boy and dog distracted by the ball, Rokurou quickly swims from one spot to the next, carefully looking out and ducking behind cover to listen as well. So far so good...

And the little girl seems to be intent on helping as well. She'll even call her brother over to try and enlist him to help. Of course—he refuses.

"Why should I help with that? It's gross—and how do you know this old hag isn't a witch!" The little boy threateningly brandishes a large branch he had been using as a toy sword, the dog next to him growling a bit.

Rokurou can't see, but boy does he want to take a peek because he has to wonder how Naomi took that. Feisty kid, he'll give him that.

Edited 2019-07-25 03:08 (UTC)

"Huh... old hag. That's new..."

Not really something she's bothered being called either because, well, it's a little boy... little blot boy? All the same. "Have you two had a run in with a witch before?"

"All the time! Mean ones, green ones, and we've heard about the one who eats children!" the boy proclaimed before the little girl kicks him.

"You're being rude!! She doesn't look like a witch at all! More like a... A... A queen!"

Yeah Rokurou is just going to be over here trying not to laugh.

"Eating children?" Ah, she knows that one. "I couldn't imagine doing that. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how I could prove you otherwise just by standing here."

Which is something she would want.

What would the boy want her to do?

This is a good question. What would the boy want her to do...

"If you're not a real witch, then you won't melt if we splash you with water!"

...Uh oh, that's getting kind of dangerous. Some water splashing probably won't do much, but if that boy gets overzealous... Rokurou tries to hurry along. He's just two more "stops" away from the pearl, but this also means he's a lot closer to them and at a greater risk of being seen. The moment he tries to check if he's clear, he sees that dog staring right in his direction. He manages to hide, but the dog is now growling.

"Splash me with water?"

Well, while that normally wouldn't be an issue, she didn't know how far along Rokurou was in getting the pearl.

"I didn't bring another set of clothes for a sudden plunge in the water..." She takes note of the dog, and now he isn't paying attention to her. Oh dear... "... Well, if it's the only way to prove I'm not, perhaps we can make exchange. Either a game or a riddle, and if you two win, I'll jump into the river. Otherwise, I'd like to keep my dress dry."

"A game? How about burn the witch!"

Damn, this boy is more frightening than a daemon. Or so Rokurou is thinking as he waits.

"No!" the girl intervened, smacking the boy. "No more burnings!"

Wait, what does she mean by no more burnings???? Again Rokurou is seriously questioning these kids, or at least the boy. The girl seems sweet enough, but he's starting to wonder if that might actually be even scarier.

"Okay... Fine..." The boy is clearly put out. "Then a riddle! If you can't figure it out then you have to go into the river!"

Naomi keeps a neutral expression, but she does want to sigh. Well... being on fire. Was that a step above being caught in an explosion, or under?

Looking between the two children, she chuckles a bit at their antics. Just... keep playing nice.

"Alright, alright, if I can't figure out your riddle, into the river."

Rokurou continues to wait, listening in as the two children quietly whisper to each other. When they finally decide their riddle, they stand next to each other and face Naomi, their soulless eyes staring up at her. Together as one they chant the following:

"Lighter than what I am made of,
More of me is hidden than is seen,
I am the bane of the mariner,
A tooth within the sea.
Speak my name."

"Huh..."

That's a particular question. Well, they were blots so they likely already knew, but in the situation, didn't. But ignoring that fact and ignoring the way they delivered it, she'll tap her cheek and consider the riddle.

"Lighter than... hmm... and the bane of the mariner... Oh, this is a good one."

He's glad he's not in her position because he definitely has no clue. However, it might not matter—after all this is just to stall and distract them long enough to reach the pearl. So he risks another quick glance before submerging as deep as he can to quickly "dash" over to the next cover, careful to not stir the waters too much. Why did the waters have to be more still here??

But all right, he doesn't hear any barking... It's now or never. He's going to make a break for it to where the pearl is.

It was unfortunate that the river was mostly still here. Rapids would cover Rokurou's approach easier that he wouldn't have to sneak forward. However, Naomi thinks she's doing well distracting the two kids.

"... Well, I think I got it. Now, you two won't be upset if I get it right, will you?"

She's trying to sound a little teasing, maybe to goad the boy. If he wants to make this two out of three...

The boy scowls and brandishes his branch again.

"You won't get it!"

Although who knows, the boy may still try to force another riddle out of childish despair. For now, Rokurou has at least managed to the main rock that housed the pearl. But...now he has a real problem. Upon arriving, the once open oyster suddenly shuts tight with a loud snap! Immediately he shrinks back down because surely they all could have heard that.

The dog definitely has and is growling, starting to move towards the water's edge.

"Oh I won't, huh?"

She thinks she knows what that clap was and does her best not to turn. But dammit, the dog is growling again. So long as the kids were occupied and not giving attention to the dog, it would be fine... and she could probably play off not knowing Rokurou if he was caught.

"Well, we can play again because I'm fairly sure 'Iceberg' is the answer to this one."

How the hell is he supposed to get the pearl now? Honestly he's thinking he should just grab the entire thing, even if it's fairly huge. ...Assuming it's not stuck on the rock. Otherwise, surely his sword will be enough to cut it open, but—

There's suddenly a loud yowl of anger from the boy, an eerie black mist forming around him.

"No, no, no! You weren't supposed to get it! You cheated!!!"

It's enough to turn everyone's attention onto the boy. Now or never, Rokurou is going to try and grab the oyster. It's definitely stuck on there, but a quick conjure of his smaller blade is enough to slam the steel into the crust holding it and wrench it free.

So here's the next riddle: is anyone going to catch him or is he going to get away with this?? And if not caught in the act, will they hear the SPLASH as he reenters the water?

Arms crossing, Naomi stared at the boy despite the mist.

"I did not cheat... and honestly, I don't know how I could cheat."

It's not like they were near the ocean or had anything she could reference for help. It just came down to thinking about it... and the Titanic. Brushing some of her hair behind her ear, she sighs.

"Look, I'll try to guess one more riddle. I probably won't get it this time."

"No, no, no! Witch you're a witch!!!"

The boy continued to smoke an even seem to mutate a little, his face becoming more disfigured. At the boy's cries, the dog whimpers and turns to him, but the girl rushes to Naomi.

"You need to leave! If you don't he'll—"

But as she's trying to push Naomi away, her eye catches the empty space where the oyster used to be and she freezes on spot.

"...What...? It... Our treasure... Our treasure is..."

Now she's beginning to have mist form around her, her hands clutching her head.

"Ah....aaahh....AAAHHHH!!!!!

Well, the girl's trying to push her away so Naomi would go, 'wondering' what treasure that she's beginning to mumble about. Both had seen her so she hadn't taken it, but probably best not to linger and get into a fight.

Getting down the river a bit and the dog preoccupied now with the kid blots, she'll dive back into the water, shifting forms...

... perhaps overshooting that shift, and taking the form of an actual salmon.

Well, no time to waste thinking about that. Time to find Rokurou.

Rokurou had definitely hightailed it back to thicker cover in the reeds, but since he's preoccupied with the giant oyster in his hands, he doesn't notice Naomi shifting. He looks up through the reeds to check, but he only sees the blots going insane. He can only assume that Naomi managed to get back in the water unseen somehow, so he ducks back under before he's noticed.

He could wait where he is, but he opts to continue swimming the rest of the way back to the entrance. If Naomi's in the water, she might be able to catch a flash of his tail as he quickly swims along the far shore.

Edited 2019-07-25 20:28 (UTC)

At the flash of his tail, Naomi soon followed after him. She'll let them swim a bit further from the blots just to be more secure in their safety before sighing.

"The girl was sweet enough, but when this story's finished, I'll need to have a word about that boy with their parents..." And then, thinking about it. "... Well, if they have parents."

Salmon Naomi scowls slightly. She's not looking to adopt kids here...

Rokurou blinks when he hears Naomi's voice, but then lets out a surprised shout when he sees her not as she usually is, but—

"Wait—Naomi is that you?" As a...salmon?? He'll just look at her with some disbelief before continuing, slowing down his pace a bit. "But you won't have to worry about that. As far as I know, any blots in this place no longer exist once we're finished. Not sure if they're killed or 'pass on' or what, and hard to say if they're even 'alive' or just constructs of the story."

"It is. I didn't realize I could literally turn into an animal before..."

But whatever works for now. Slowing down herself now that he's not going so fast, she tilts her head. "I see. I prefer the idea of them being constructs; signs of the Story Eater's encroachment guarding an item essential to the story."

Still... "They could be displaced characters. That boy's knowledge of witches and their deaths in various tales... maybe an amalgamation?"

"...Huh, that's kind of cool." Being able to turn into an animal that is. Not the blots. As for those—

"But it's not impossible. In the other stories, there were those that were just more like listless shadows, and then there were ones that could talk, move, and think like a real person. They still felt like they were playing a part, though, so hard to really say one way or the other."

"It is... I'll have to try it out more later." See what she could do, if there were limits, etc. like that. But back on the blots...

"Hm... I guess I should've asked sooner, but how many other stories have been restored?"

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