Chapter 04: Act III

[storyevents]

A MIDSUMMER ROSE: ACT III—

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As everyone is taken from the second Act into the third and final Act of this story, they will all share the same visions of how the story has proceeded thus far:

Bonny Rose and Puck met and proceeded to blame each other for the donkey curse, but eventually took a moment to realize they needed to work together in order to brew the cure, with Bonny Rose protecting Puck while he gathered ingredients and brewed the potion. (All while bickering and swearing as only fantasy-Scottish redheads can.)

After freeing the town, Bonny Rose was in a much better mood and got along considerably better with her new traveling companion Nick Bottom, developing an amiable friendship until the two were separated by distracting swarms of butterflies and will-o-wisps.

Titania found Nick in the forest and he followed her willingly to her castle, with the queen demonstrating her considerable might defending her new paramour against a serpentine creature. The two indulged in a steamy bath and soothing Titania's wounds.

Surprisingly, Oberon and Carabosse had a scintillating past as lovers and partners on the battlefield, until Carabosse fell too deep into dark magic and Oberon began to fall for Titania. The two of them had a tense but surprisingly civil conversation about the past, the curse and her kidnapping plans, and Titania's mothering skills, and Carabosse promised to alter the curse and divulged that it can be broken with True Love, romantic or platonic.

Oberon managed to coax a particularly sharp Titania to their room, and eventually managed to break the curse on her.

Titania apologized to Nick for her behavior while under the love potions' effects. He accepted her apology, and the two agreed to part ways and for Nick to be left alone from now on.

Meanwhile, Bonny Rose and Tam Lin met in the forest, and the two normally outgoing youths were so stricken with each other that they became shy. They bonded over their shared feelings of being trapped in certain roles, and Tam Lin managed to charm her by introducing her to a wolf pup and taking her on a ride through the forest.

After the lovebirds parted ways, Tam Lin went to Puck for romantic advice. This was a mistake, as apparently fairy romance is much more complicated than Tam Lin thought, all he wanted was to know how to ask out a girl.

Carabosse managed to lure Tam Lin away with a handsome male visage before revealing her true form, offering Tam Lin a chance to join her dark forces. He refused, and she unleashed the (altered) curse on him.

When they awaken, the Aspects will find themselves in the middle of a desolate looking fortress, everything battered and filled with debris. A few bones and broken pieces of armor can be found scattered about, dark clouds constantly looming overhead—and along with the occasional cawing of crows, the loud roars of dragons can be heard followed by large, dark shadows as they fly overhead.

This is the fortress where Tam Lin is held captive and Bonny Rose must rescue him from. Once again those who must fulfil their role will find a path illuminated for them by glowing mushrooms and lead to different doors through which they must pass through before appearing in their designated scene setting. The rest will be tasked to try and clean out the fortress while protecting their safe location as well as helping the dragons roosting in the many towers overhead.

The Aspects will also discover that while they no longer are in their fairy forms, they can turn into something else—dragons.

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§ instructions.

The third Act 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.

Fairy forms are no longer at play, but everyone will now have a dragon form they can transform into. It's mostly by their own will, but a few may have some accidents as they get used to it. These transformations can be either partial or full. IMPORTANT! Characters cannot transform into dragons while doing scenes. Only those playing Tam Lin and Bonny Rose in Scene 6 will be able to use their given dragon form to use.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped in to their location and will have to follow the glowing path of mushrooms to a designated door 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.

¶ I. Dungeon Sweep. Another Act, another place to clear out to make it hospitable during their stay.

• Safe Zone. The safe zone in this location is a central outdoor plaza, which may not seem all that safe, but that's where they end up. Flowers from Tam Lin's forest can be found sprouting around the area and like before, the pollen can be used to help erect magical barriers to prevent enemies from entering. There are also small storehouses, barracks, and a kitchen nearby that can be used.
  
  
• Haunted Armor. Aside from the monsters, there is an army of haunted armor patrolling the halls and walls of the fortress, and some will even try to break into the safe zone. Although mostly armor, they are formidable foes, each one carrying the spirit of a strong, powerful knight of ancient times. Even if one were to hack off parts of the armor, they will still be able to move and even reattach themselves. The only way to completely destroy them is by piercing through the center of the chest piece where a stone core rests inside.
  
  
• Disabling Traps. There are numerous traps within the fortress, ranging from classic spikes from the walls to sudden pitfalls to revolving walls and even a rolling boulder. When venturing through the fortress, take care not to set them off because where there's on trap, there are sure to be more.

¶ I. Dragon Egg Hunt. Many dragons can be seen flying overhead, but they don't really bother the characters all that much. If anything they seem to be focused on dealing with some other problems, and those who venture up to the other towers will discover the reason why—as well as why they're able to transform into dragons.

• Egg Thief. There are several dragon nests scattered about the towers, but there are these harpies that keep trying to steal them and fly away with them. Chase after them and return the eggs to earn the dragons' favor.
  
  
• Protect the Eggs. One would think a dragon wouldn't have trouble protecting its roost, but when it comes to smaller threats such as small basilisks and other large snakes, their large size becomes a disadvantage, especially if they don't want to accidentally crush their own brood. Help fend off these threats to earn the dragons' favor.
  
  
• Egg Hunt. Now some of these eggs are on the move. Whether taken by something else and hidden somewhere, rolled off on their own, or on their way to hatching with their little legs or wings already breaking through, they need to be found and returned to their nest before something truly terrible happens.

¶ IV. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!

Comments

[bloodinbloom]

[Now they're getting closer and she takes a hand off the reins trying to reach him, but this is difficult. She wouldn't be able to lift him up, and she doesn't know if the dragon can carry him.]

[She notices something attached to her armor though: the flower.]

Wait... I can use this...!

[At least, if she remembers from what little she was told.]

[cancercarcino]

[It's incredibly difficult, especially with the ground getting closer and closer. He glances down behind him, and his stomach drops even further than it was before.]

Oh fuck, oh god, oh fuck--!!

[Whatever she's planning, she better do it quick!!]

[bloodinbloom]

[It doesn't matter what it might cost, right? If it's to save someone's life, she would do it especially since so many had done it before. She can do this...!]

[Holding onto the flower, she could feel herself changing, moving away from the dragon she was riding and diving down herself. The wings came first and everything else next, but taking on her new form, her and the dragon can reach out and grab him, her own small claws grabbing hold of his waving paw.]

I'm not...! Going to let you get hurt anymore...!

[Their wings are trying, but she's a first-time flier. It leaves her mount doing most of the work while she at least holds her own open.]

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat's paw isn't the best when it comes to opposable digits, but he latches on as best as he can when he feels those small claws gripping his own. He flails his other paw so that her dragon mount can grab onto his other paw, both working in tandem to slow Karkat's descent.]

[Rosalia may be a first time flyer, but between her and her mount they manage to slow Karkat's descent. Though her mount is straining from the effort, Karkat's no longer falling at a breakneck speed.]

[bloodinbloom]

[His form was much better for the ground which was, fortunately, coming up much slower now. It's still a bit on Rosalia's wings and her mount would be tired, but at least getting Karkat down to the ground was with a light thump instead of a bang.]

[And with him down, Rosalia was on the ground, having trouble bending her wings in.]

Oohh... I guess wings need to be stretched out too?

[Don't mind the mount, it's flopped on the ground, panting a bit.]

[cancercarcino]

[It's a light thump instead of a bone-crushing crash, but Karkat still kicks up some dirt and grass upon his landing. He lays flat on the ground for a moment, not moving. Then, from his position on the ground, he speaks up.]

Am I dead? Tell me I'm not dead.

[bloodinbloom]

[Turning her head when he spoke, Rosalia walks over although off-balance being unfamiliar with four limbs on the ground. Sitting next to him, she tilts her head.]

Uh... you're not dead.

[cancercarcino]

And this isn't just some bullshit dreambubble shit where we're dead and in some stupid paradox timeline where we don't realize it yet or anything?

[He says it dead serious, too, not in his usual exaggerated cursing.]

[bloodinbloom]

Not that I know of. I could pinch you to make sure.

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat doesn't reply at first, merely letting out a breath as he sags on the ground for a few seconds. Then, he takes a deep breath, and the rant begins.]

What the fresh heaping pile of human horse shit was that all about?! Who's the raging bulge-choking dunkass who thought it would be a real great goddamn idea to put a dragon with no goddamn wings into a flying role?! Seriously, what sort of fuckhead would think that?? Is this another one of the universe's sick jokes meant to torment me for being a useless fucking genetic defect??

[bloodinbloom]

[There's a lot of things in what he says that she doesn't understand at all.]

No. They probably didn't know you wouldn't have wings.

[cancercarcino]

Of course they wouldn't know. Why would they know? And of course, I wouldn't have wings. It just makes perfect sense! Perfect, disgusting, almost embarrassingly hilarious sense. Why not make the mutant blood have no wings? Of course! Har dee har har. See the sounds coming out of my squawk blaster? They're a perfect measurement of my uproarious hilarity I find with this situation!!

[bloodinbloom]

[She doesn't understand what he means by mutant blood... but maybe it's like hers?]

... I dunno. I have wings, and this probably won't be the last time we become dragons. Also, you don't have to be so hard on yourself for something not in your control.

[cancercarcino]

Why not? I mean, it's already been established that I'm basically the butt end of every goddamn joke Paradox Space could conjure up, so why not say what's already true?

[bloodinbloom]

Because... it's sad looking at yourself that way. I don't really know what you mean by Paradox Space, but if it wants you to be a joke, at least be able to say 'I don't care, at least I still like myself to take on whatever you do'.

[cancercarcino]

Be glad you don't know. It's basically the entirety of the universe, failed alternate timelines and everything.

Hah, yeah, sure, easy for some puny human to say.

[bloodinbloom]

Mmm, maybe...

[Even in her dragon form, she had a scar on her chest.]

It's your universe, but you're not there right now.

[cancercarcino]

And yet somehow, I'm still being laughed at by this universe, too! I should be used to it, but guess not.

[He huffs out a sigh, his armoured dragon self sagging into the grass.]

[bloodinbloom]

Hmm... well, how about this? I promise I won't laugh at you because, honestly, that falling thing was really scary.

[cancercarcino]

...yeah. Okay, I can work with that. Because that was fucking terrifying.

[He could have literally died! And he has no idea if there's an afterlife in this weird universe.]

[bloodinbloom]

Okay...

[There was something positive! Next was a little awkward, but with her tail wagging a bit, she reached over his back and tried to wrap her arms around him. Gosh this armor plating...]

Huh, I guess giving a hug as a dragon is pretty hard too.

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat can't help but flinch a bit when she moves to hug him.]

W-What are you doing..?

[bloodinbloom]

Trying to give you a hug. It makes me feel better when I'm down so maybe it'll help you.

[She is but a small dragon, and her tail still wags.]

[cancercarcino]

You're...

[She's giving him a hug to help him feel better? He's definitely surprised by this, given how he holds still. But after a while, he lets out a huff.]

...yeah. Fine. Just... don't tell anyone.

[He'll let her hug him right now, because honestly? It is helping a little.]

[bloodinbloom]

Don't worry; I won't.

[And she curls against his side, hoping this at least makes for a good hug.]