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

[forachange]

[Wembley's grinning, but that grin fades away the further out of the great hall they get. This place looks so... Dead. That's the only word he can think to describe all of it. The sickly plants are particularly hard to see, given his new powers. Maybe, just maybe, he can help them? As far as he knows, he can just chose to make new flowers when walking. He can't heal old ones, but... It's worth a shot. He tugs on Gobo's hand a bit, leading him to a thick, withered vine.]

[gobetween]

[He eyed the vine a bit as they neared, watching it warily.]

Wembley, I'm not sure about this.

[forachange]

Neither am I. But if I don't try to help it, I'm- I'm not doing the right thing.

[gobetween]

[He looked at him for a long moment, then nodded and smiled, giving his hand a little squeeze. It felt right.]

Alright, Wembley. But I'm right here if you need me.

[forachange]

I know.

[He really has no idea what he's doing, just that he needs to try. He approaches the vine; focuses on it intently - oh gosh no it's rearing up towards him now!

Wembley stumbles backwards, just barely avoiding the vine snaring around his ankles.]

[gobetween]

[He hung back some to watch Wembley work, though he startled some when the vine snapped out.]

Wembley-!

[forachange]

'M okay! Just- Stay there, okay? [He's got these horns and his strength. He doesn't want to use either, but if he has to...

He flies up - wings still not entirely rested but they'll have to manage - and heads for where the vine is growing out.]

[gobetween]

[He runs a few steps forward, his own wings flapping as if wanting to take off after him.

Which, honestly, he did, but he hung back, trusting Wembley- But it was quickly losing against fright and concern.]

[forachange]

[Wembley was working on pulling the vine out at the source, when suddenly it reared up a second time, this time making a direct grab for Gobo. It was Wembley's turn, then, to feel fear and concern, which left him frozen still for a moment.]

[gobetween]

[He swallowed a gasp as he jerked back, and made to run, fly, something- but the vine grabbed him by the ankle and yanked him up off his feet with a yell.]

[forachange]

[No no nonono! Wembley faltered for a moment. He wasn't sure what the best course of action was, but he couldn't be indecisive, not now...

He dove down, just above where the vine had Gobo in its grasp, and sliced the plant with the tip of one horn. That got it to drop Gobo, and Wembley dipped further down to grab his hands before flying back toward the Great Hall.]

[gobetween]

[He didn't even have time to be afraid of dropping before he was grabbed, and he looked over his shoulder at the vine before up at Wembley. Watching him fly, he felt a rush of affection for the rescue-

And it was because he was watching them that he noticed the signs of strain. His energy! Wembley was already tired- The drop in altitude was sudden, expected, and short-lived because immediately after Wembley's wings gave out, Gobo kicked his into gear. He buoyed himself, paused long enough to catch Wembley in his arms, and he took off to complete the rest of the trek to the Great Hall.]

[forachange]

[Down he went! But, no, it was okay. Gobo was there for him, as usual...

He took a deep breath to calm himself, then glanced back up at Gobo and pressed a kiss to his cheek.]

Thank you.

[gobetween]

[A wider blink at that, then he smiled lightly and nodded.]

Thank you, Wembley.

[Arriving in the Hall then, he gently touched down, holding his precious cargo tight so he didn't drop him.]

I'd'a been a goner without you.

[forachange]

[Wembley nodded a bit, smiling sheepishly.]

We were there for each other. That's what we do.

[gobetween]

Yeah. That's definitely what we do.

[Setting him on his feet and not taking his hands away until he was steady, Gobo stepped back a bit.]

Wanna just find somewhere quiet in the Hall to hang out for a while?

[forachange]

[A quick nod in response.]

Yeah, sounds good... That was pretty scary.

[He takes Gobo by the hand and starts off to find a nice spot.]

[gobetween]

[He circled his fingers around Wembley's hand, folding his wings back some so he didn't tangle him up with the other fairy-Fraggle.]

Yeah, it was... [He sighed through his nose a bit, and glanced at him.] I'm sorry about that. It was my idea to go that way, I should've known it wasn't safe.

[forachange]

I don't see why. Neither of us have been here before. [His main point wasn't even to make Gobo feel better, there. Of course he wanted that, too, but... Gobo just wasn't making sense, either.] Besides, exploring was my idea in the first place.

[gobetween]

We were warned beforehand there'd be enemies in these stories, and I was even out there some myself earlier! I should've been more on my guard.

[forachange]

Gobo, don't think that way, 'cause it's not true. [He says it softly, but with certainty.] We both knew there'd be danger if we came to do any of this. And we did it anyway, because we wanted to help these stories get fixed.

It's okay.

[gobetween]

[He was quiet a moment, digesting that. Then he smiled, worming his fingers to lace with Wembley's instead, voice soft.]

You're right. ..Thanks, Wembley.

[forachange]

Yeah, you're welcome.

[He gives Gobo's hand a quick little squeeze.

And you know... They're in a pretty good spot now. He's just gonna take a seat, and kinda tug Gobo down alongside him.]

[gobetween]

[He settled down once Wembley had, happily curling his tail up in the air behind him. The scare was just a few minutes ago but it seemed so far away now, here at the outskirts of the party, here with Wembley.]

[forachange]

[He's just gonna. Cuddle up a bit, don't mind him. He's feeling a little more shy about it as time goes on, but mostly he's just... Well, happy.]

Hey, did you try any of Kotori's rose and radish soup?