realmofstories | Chapter 04: Act I

A MIDSUMMER ROSE: ACT I—

§ 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.

§ 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why, Titania. All I want to do is give him a blessing befitting me. You'd deny me that?

[Elma is expecting this story to suddenly feature some serious parental abandonment issues.]

[Oh, they'll get over it.]

There are a lot of things I'd like to deny...

[She slams a fist on her throne... and bit of vine suddenly wraps around it. Magica blinks. Blinks again. She snaps her fingers, and a pretty little poesy pops up from the vine.

She has magic. She has actual magic again.

As opposed to Elma's play-wickedness, Magica's expression turns into ACTUAL wickedness. If she does have powers, this is the perfect time to test them, before going after Scrooge McDuck!]

If you stay where you're not wanted, then expect to have a bad time!

[With a gleeful cackle, she thrusts her hand forward, summoning up grassy, thick vines to try and catch Elma's arms!]

[Elma doesn't openly resist, though she's calculating her next move with all the focus and cunning her time on Mira had honed into a razor-sharp weapon of its own. The vines pull her arms out, but she just tips her head back.]

Why, Queen Titania. I hadn't expected you to forget to quickly that I am stronger than you. Is this hubris, or simply desperation on your part?

[Magica has many, many, many, MANY flaws, and pride is one of them. So she assumes Elma isn't fighting back because she can't, so she tightens the vines.]

Let's call it good parenting! Let's see you get your hands on the brat now!

[Insert classic MWAHAHAHAHA.]

[A simple adaptation of a combat Art to darkness-based magic, that's all she really needs. Elma steps forward, the vines passing through the shadows around her arms as if she had no flesh at all.]

[With that, the evil laughter dies off.]

Oh, why can't any of my helpless victims stay helpless? Is that really so much to ask?

How comforting to see you're taking the moral high road.

[With that, Elma's stalking towards the crib, shadow trailing like smoke from her movements.]

Oh, shut up.

[Come on, isn't there anything she can do with these stupid powers? She struggles, and then holds out her hands-]

Desperate times...

[-To make dozens and dozens and dozens of flowers pop up over the crib, with an insane amount of pollen pouring out of them. In other words, trying to stop Elma with allergies!

This may be the most pathetic plan she's ever had. And it's sad I have to said 'may'.]

Oh no. Flowers. My one weakness.

[Elma sounds as flat as Magica had earlier, but she's in-character about it.]

[This... is not the most effective defense against someone who has death magic in this scene. Elma lifts a hand, then closes it into a fist, snuffing the flowers into blackened stems.]

I'm not used to plants and flowers and all this... sweetness! That's a fairy's thing!

[So clearly nothing is ever her fault.]

Just curse the brat and let's be done with it.

[One hand goes up to her head, fingers rubbing her temple.]

I can't wait to see what the story makes of that declaration.

[You know what. She can work with this. They're hopelessly off-script in the very first scene, which is itself hopelessly off-script because they're mixing up three different works. So why not make this interesting?]

Child of light, my blessing laid bare.
For eighteen years you'll have no care.
Should in the wamrth of you dwell
You'll be raised, hale and well.
Eighteen years from this very day
A spindle shall come your way.
A simple touch, a pricked thumb
And in that instant, death will come.

But should you dwell in the dark
Abandoned, as if on a lark
By a mother, who from you turns
And should your soul for vengeance burn
Then yield to rage and its powers wild.
You'll meet no harm if you're MY child.

[She was about to compliment Elma's ability to rhyme on a dime - in witchery and magic, a good rhyme is very important, so color her impressed! - until that last verse.]

... What was that last bit?

Once he finds out how much you... truly care, he might not want to spend much time at home any more. Offering him freedom from the curse if he turns away from you and embraces the dark side of the fae... well, that's just little enticement.

I thought we were supposed to follow the story! How come you get to go off the rails?!

[Now you might ask, 'Magica you totally did the same thing not five minutes ago' and the reply to that is 'shut up'.]

Bah, fine, whatever! The brat can come or go or whatever he wants to do.

[From their earlier conversation, Elma has already concluded that Magica does not possess a single solitary shred of self-awareness.]

[She lowers her voice, smiling.] It sets up a potential redemption arc, or avoiding temptation to prove how good he is. Otherwise he has no agency in the story.

[If anything, she has negative self-awareness.]

No agency... what nonsense!

[She's just going to slump right back into her throne.]

Let's hope whatever this does, it makes the sappy 'happily ever after' come sooner than later.

Relax. This scene is over. You're free.

[With that, Elma disappears in a swirl of darkness!]

[Which is to say she throws up a cloud of darkness, then ducks out a side door. Staging!]

Chapter 04: Act I

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