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

[gobetween]

[He laughed at the nuzzles, which added a skip to the already wordless vocals of this part of the song.

He still had some strips tangled around his fingers but he grabbed Wembley's hands, holding them. It just felt right.]

♫ Cuz the wemblin' song can't go wrong~ ♫

[forachange]

[Wembley found himself laughing, just hearing Gobo do the same, and it awakened his relief at being safe now, so much so that his little giggles kept growing. What he was doing could barely be defined as singing at that point, with maybe every third word getting out, but he didn't care. He was just so very happy.]

[gobetween]

[Hey, he'll take it! He keeps right along with Wembley, even if the laughing was contagious and bungled his own words. He was gonna try, though.]

♫ We wemble most to the east
And north- [snort] -we wemble the least
But still we wemble, wemble, wemble along ♫

[He crossed their muzzles, giggling a bit more at the cross-fur feeling that caused.]

♫ Come on- [snrrk] -and wemble and you'll
Be just a wemblin' fool
'Cuz that's the wemble, womble, wemblin' song~ ♫

[Yep, that's all he's got, because he outright dropped into laughter then, every ounce of worry before being erased now.]

[forachange]

[Wembley rocked back as he laughed, and on a lean back too far, wound up on the floor - and still holding Gobo's hands, he took the other Fraggle right down with him. And that just made him start laughing all over again.]

Sorry!

[gobetween]

[He landed down on him with an oof, which started another peal of laughter after a moment.]

It's alright, it's alright! [Backing up, he pulled Wembley up with him, smiling brightly.] You okay?

[forachange]

[Wembley's smile in return was just as delighted, as he got up with Gobo's help.]

Yeah! [He chuckled.] I'm good! Thanks for wrapping me up and stuff.

[gobetween]

Of course! I couldn't just not do anything.

[He was still giggling a little, but there was a soft touch to his smile.]

See? We know what to do with this.

[forachange]

Yeah... Yeah! It's just us, right? Just us, but, oh! Now we can do this!

[He leans up and kisses Gobo's cheek.]

[gobetween]

[That got a bit of a bashful throat-clearing from him and he ducked his head a bit, smiling some.]

Y-yeah. Guess we can.

[forachange]

[He raised his shoulders up to about his ears, in a sheepish sort of way, though he was still smiling.]

Uh-huh.

[He stepped out from under the chair and glanced around. He hadn't seen much of this new place, yet - he'd been to the kitchens already, and the barracks now, but that was it thus far. And while he stood by this being an improvement over the dark fairy realm... He would be happy to get back to the Index.]

I wonder how long we've been in this story...

[gobetween]

It's hard to say.

[He got up as Wembley did, tail idly resting around behind him. Behind Wembley, that is.]

I've kinda lost all track of time here. It seems like it's been really short, but really long, too.

[forachange]

[That was a very comforting gesture, that hold of sorts. He leaned into it a bit.]

Good, then it's not just me. I couldn't decide if it was a long time or a short time that we've been away, but [snicker] I thought I was just wembling.

[gobetween]

Guess not. [He snickered some himself.] It might even be the story's time being weird, and we'll find something completely different when we go back to the Index.

Magic can do whatever it wants.

[forachange]

It sure can, that's why it's magic!

[Judging by the grin and chuckle that accompanied the statement, that made perfect sense to Wembley.

But, now that he thinks back, he can't remember what time of year it was back in the Index when they left. Sure, part of it is above ground nature versus below ground... But it's still kind of strange. He mostly remembers realizing it had been Gobo's birthday- But that was a pretty long while ago, right?

...Wait a second. He chuckled again, then glanced at Gobo, looking sheepish, but mostly amused.]

I forgot my birthday again.

[It wasn't the first instance of that, not that that was unusual for a Fraggle, honestly. Passage of time was weird, and birthdays were often celebrated whenever one felt like it.]

[gobetween]

[He looked at Wembley, then laughed- the warm, "with you" sort that was nearly Gobo's hallmark, with his friends.]

Then we'll have to throw you a party when we get back, won't we?

[forachange]

Yeah, we'll do that! Kotori can make snacks, and we'll tell Roxas about it, too! He's nice, and I think he and Kotori are friends!

[gobetween]

Oh, I know Roxas! He is nice, I think he'd really like to come to the party.

[His tail curled up idly, now a "C" against Wembley's back.]

I think there's a few people who'd really like to come. Once we get back, I can get right on that.

[A soft snicker.]

If I can plan my own party, I can definitely plan one for you.

[forachange]

[He giggles a bit, both at the shifting of Gobo's tail and the memory of Gobo's second-most-recent birthday celebration- Particularly the Space Frog gift fiasco. With a cheeky little grin:]

Don't get me a gift we're gonna have to let go, though, okay?

[gobetween]

Oh definitely not. Especially if it'd have to be fed flies.

[He made a face, then laughed again.]

I don't know what Uncle Matt was thinking! It was sweet I guess, and it was my first birthday he'd been there for in a while. But that frog was happier in Outer Space than in Fraggle Rock.

[forachange]

[Wembley nodded.]

It was sweet. He was really excited to give it to you... I think he just wanted to make up for all those birthdays that he had missed.

[He reached out and touched Gobo's hand, not holding it but instead just brushing his own over the back of it.]

I'm sorry he wasn't here for this past one.

[gobetween]

[He glanced down at the touch, then smiled and lightly brushed his back in return.]

Yeah, but you were. That's what's important to me right now.

[forachange]

Aw, well, that's really sweet Gobo, but isn't it different?

[Wembley looks up at him, blinking.]

We're a lot of things, but your Uncle Matt is your family.

[gobetween]

Yeah, he is. But he's not the one here, you are.

Besides, you know Matt and I don't get along all the time. Remember that day you discovered the Crystal Caverns?

[His tail remained against Wembley but it shifted again, scrunching up some, mimicking the way he folded his arms and rolled his shoulders up a bit.]

Plus I mean... He's been gone nearly my entire life. This feels more.. more natural to me, just being here with you, while Uncle Matt is off.. in another world somewhere else.

[forachange]

[He knows that Gobo's Uncle Matt is a touchy subject, even he couldn't miss that, so he thinks carefully before he speaks again. It's not that he's worried he'll make Gobo angry, that doesn't cross his mind. He just doesn't want Gobo to feel sad.]

He's important to you, though. I know you guys fight a lot, but sometimes I think it'd have been easier if he'd been around longer.

[gobetween]

Well... yeah, probably.

[He bobbed his head a little in a nod, sighing some.]

I might've never questioned myself otherwise, if Uncle Matt had been around. And he could've helped with the Rules of Exploring, or the Terrible Tunnel, or what to do about Poison Cacklers the day the wizard was there...

[Seems despite Wembley's efforts, Gobo's mood was going down anyway.]

But he wasn't.