Chapter 04: Act I

[storyevents]

A MIDSUMMER ROSE: ACT I—

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§ instructions.

The first Act of our fourth 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.

Reminder that everyone is coming with a fairy form! Feel free to use and/or refer to the meme for what form your character takes. Characters will remain in these forms throughout the entire act, but will change to fit their role when in a scene. So if someone was originally looking like a centaur, they will revert back to their normal form with whatever extra touches needed.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped in to their location and will have to step into a designated fairy ring made of iridescent mushrooms and flowers 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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§ sub quests.

Everyone is free to participate in the Sub Quests. There are no specific top levels, so you're free to incorporate them however you wish in your own top level. As a reminder, the main setting for everyone not in a scene is within the fairy castle and everyone is in fairy forms.

¶ I. Fairy Pranks. Fairies are known to be mischievous, and the ones at the party are the worst. They will spice up people's foods, drop cake on others' heads, even inflict minor spells and curses on people! From changing skin colors to turning people into frogs or even bugs, these fairies are such a menace. Catch them in the act and stop them, else try and help those who are victims. (Any curses inflicted are temporary and should wear off naturally after an hour.)


¶ II. Stupid Cupids. A specific group of fairies called cupids are making their rounds. Completely drunk, they're firing their arrows willy nilly, and those who are struck will be enthralled with the first person they see. However, it's not always romantic. In fact some might just want some intense friendship, others are seeking some kind of familial connections, and then there are the few who just want to fight everyone.


¶ III. Weeding the Castle. While the main party hall is safe, the outside is definitely not. If they're not careful, some creepy crawlers may try to slip in. Take care of the hostile plants by either destroying them or by trying to restore them to their original forms. However, this can only be done singing or using special fairy dust acquired by one of the pranking fairies flying about in the party. Watch out for the Erasers, too—they are disguised as mandragoras, so if they're pulled out they will first try to deafen with their screams before attacking. Another form they take are snapdragons, but they will actually transform into a dragon-like beast with a lot of poisonous teeth.


¶ IV. Clearing out Spindles. To help the King and Queen, those not busy with scenes can help clear out the spindles littered about the castle. They could be in any room, closet, bathroom, or tower, so perhaps those taking care of the weeds can do this as well. However, be careful. Should anyone prick their finger they will fall into a deep sleep and must be awakened somehow (the method is left up to the players). Some spindles are Erasers in disguise, and but instead of falling asleep, getting pricked (or more accurately, stabbed), will paralyze and cause severe hallucinations. They also use razor sharp threads to attack and try to bind those they are fighting. But they're made of wood, so fire is a good way to get them.

¶ V. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt! Feel free to use the wildcard for general party prompts and castle exploration. Outside of the grand hall where the main festivities are held, the castle is run down and lifeless, overrun with withering, rotten, hostile plants. It's even worse outside.

Comments

[blue_ice]

a. the hoarding fairy
[ An unhappy pale blue Kaiba spends most of his time in the hall hoarding whatever he can get his claws on---mostly utensils and useless baubles, beads and threads, and glasses. He's just making a little pile in the corner with it all. It's rather odd. He might try to take a shiny object from your character, even. Weird. ]

b. friendship is poison
[ Naturally, such a non-social grump is an ideal target for the cupids. He sees the flying arrows and tries to slink into the shadows, but one hit and he'll approach your character, already reaching into Santa's bag and hoping to pull the perfect gift for a new friend!

Or maybe yours is the one seeing the non-social blue weirdo in a new light, whatever that may be.. I'm so sorry. ]

c. anger issues
[ After that thorough embarrassment, he flees the party into the creepy abyss. That...is probably not the smartest idea. And it's unnerving how lifeless it is out here. But he's been warned about the dangers of the castle, so he's clinging tight to his single weapon---a stone hammer. He can be found taking the hammer to anything even remotely pointy embedded anywhere. ]

Hmph. I knew the curse would be nonsense, but the cure's even worse.

a

[shslliar]

[ So... What if Kokichi the gremlin boy tries to steal from your little hoarding pile? Because he's taking a shiny fork while Kaiba is busy stealing stuff. ]

[blue_ice]

[ He has a keen eye for tracking his hoard. Kaiba is coming back with an armful of cloth when he spots the thief, and immediately his wings flare in anger. He drops the napkins and darts forward, swerving awkwardly to try to cut him off. What? This new body is hard to control. ]

Going somewhere?

[shslliar]

[ He quickly hides the fork behind his back as he turns to face Kaiba. ]

Huh? Me? Noooo.... Why should I? Have you seen what's outside the castle?

[blue_ice]

[ He squints suspiciously. ]

...no. Why? Are we supposed to head out there?

This is way too late I'm sorry

[shslliar]

Well, yeah! Those scary looking murder-plants won't clear themselves, ya know!

[blue_ice]

....murder plants.

[ Oh. Wonderful. ]

Unless I can pull a bowling ball out of my toy sack and bludgeon them with it...I'm not sure how that's going to work.

[shslliar]

Uh...

[ Kind of childish... But Kokichi had weaponized bouncy balls so who is he to complain. ]

Can't you pull out a wooden car and set it on fire?

[blazeoflife]

[Junpei's been trying to dodge those goddamn cupids all day, so he hadn't really been paying too much attention to anyone elses movements. So no surprised Kaiba managed to surprise him, coming up... much closer than he expected the guy to.]

O-oh, hey, sup dude?

[...Coming in a bit close, wasn't he? It was fine, but seemed a bit... out of this dude's character? Since Kaiba kinda gave off a weird mix of Shinjiro and Mitsuru vibe.]

[blue_ice]

[ It's...strange. He'd just been struck with something, wincing and rubbing his shoulder when his gaze fell on the guy he'd briefly met his first day. He dug through his hoard, reached for a cloth he'd swiped from somewhere and a few beads, and approached with an uncharacteristic warm expression. ]

Your name was...Junpei, right? How're you You holding up?

[ He's just going to park here and get to work on his project. The blue cloth is being lined with silver beads, his clawed hands moving with a surprisingly delicate touch. ]

[blazeoflife]

[Huh, that was pretty cool, watching him work like that. It was something Junpei noticed Fuuka could do with tech stuff, that almost instinctual knowledge of what they were working with...]

Yeah, Junpei. And you're Seto-san, right?

[Maaaybe a bit overly friendly to go straight to given over familial, but whatever, this dude did it first.]

I'm doing alright so far; the whole 'wings and flying' thing is kinda new though... how, uh, how about you?

[blue_ice]

That's right.

[ He looks pleased with himself. The beautiful cloth is almost finished (he works fast), and he knows just where to put it. ]

I'm suspicious. This has to be some trap, and yet...even as I prepare for the worst, I realize I haven't really met my new allies yet. And I want to change that.

[ He stitches in some gold lining. There. That's better. He holds it up, glancing between the cloth and Junpei with a thoughtful expression, then gets back to work. ]

How hard is it to fly?

a

[forachange]

[Wembley's been taking joy-flights around the party, and the fairy-dragon guy's collection has caught his notice a couple of times. The weird part is the collection keeps growing, not shrinking... His small golden wings slow as he lands nearby, giving a wave.]

Nice stuff! But why do you still have it all?

[blue_ice]

I'm stocking supplies. It's important to be prepared.

[ Nice try, dude. Those spoons are not supplies for anything except a sudden soup emergency.

He'll notice Kaiba's hands twitching as he eyes another shiny bauble on the table...and he'll start slowly walking toward it. ]

[forachange]

[Ooh, well Wembley'll follow him, then.]

I guess so... But isn't that an even better reason to share with your friends here?

[blue_ice]

I don't have friends here.

[ He's new, after all, and still dealing with a confusing torrent of emotion thanks to the cupids. ]

What use would you have for these?

[ He picks up the shiny ornament, turning it over in his hand. ]

[forachange]

[The only thing more sad to a Fraggle, especially this Fraggle, than a friendless existence is a music-less one. Actually, friendless might sound worse to Wembley.]

Aw, well, I only have a couple of friends here so far. We can be friends.

[He tilts his head and focuses on the ornament.]

Something like that? I don't know what it does, but it's sure pretty. Perfect for passing on to a friend!

[blue_ice]

...it doesn't work like that.

[ He clutches the orb a little tighter, despite not knowing what it's used for. ]

The dweebs I knew back home were the same. They thought friendship was so easy, to be extended to anyone they wanted. But the real world chews you up and spits you out if you trust too easily.

[ He pauses, realizing that he's being harsh. Again. ]

...but...is there a reason you want this?

[ He holds it out tentatively. ]

[forachange]

[He blinks a few times; trying to make sense of a cynical world view is difficult for him.]

Well... What's the not-real world? Because I'm pretty sure everything's real, and I don't think I've ever really had that problem. [He shrugs.] But maybe things are different where I'm from.

[He doesn't think they're that different, all places and beings are connected by magic, after all. But Wembley also recognizes that he doesn't know that much.]

Well, it's kind of like the rollies we'd sometimes find down at the Rock - that's where I'm from - so I think my friend Gobo might like it. It'd remind him of home.

b

[takeittothebridge]

[ He feels the other approaching more than anything, and as he turns he blinks, realizing that he hasn't seen this person before. ]

Hey...you must be new, huh?

[blue_ice]

I am.

[ He's...smiling. Anyone who knew Kaiba would know that the expression was unusual, but no one here was quite close enough yet. ]

My name's Seto. I didn't really get to know anyone before we were thrown here, so I was hoping to start now. So we can better survive.

[ Anyone who knew him would also know he didn't tend to offer his first name. Yet here he was. ]

Did you get to eat?

[takeittothebridge]

[ Unaware of what he's actually like, Bridge gives him a grin back. ]

Nice to meet you. I'm Bridge.

I've tried a little bit here and there, but I haven't eaten too much yet.

[ It doesn't help that his pixie form is like four inches tall. ]

[blue_ice]

[ Seto is a draconic fae...pale blue and scaly, and bigger, but not by that much. He flutters over and picks up a plate, filling it up. ]

Then eat before everything goes to hell. It probably will, at some point.

I made the creamy risotto.

[ And he's rather proud of it actually. He rather unceremoniously shoves the plate at Bridge. ]

[takeittothebridge]

Yeah, most likely.

[ A bit surprised, he nonetheless takes the plate that's presented to him. He's not one to turn down free food, after all. ]

I'll definitely have to try it, then. Thanks.

[blue_ice]

Eat up.

[ He's not that polite, even like this, but he is smiling. He takes his tea and makes himself comfortable in a nearby chair. He sits tall, like he's used to dominating a room---but the cold, severe face isn't there. ]

So...which story are you supposed to be from?