realmofstories | Chapter 05: Act II

A TWISTED WONDERLAND: ACT II—

§ instructions.

The Second 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.

Everyone is still starting from the forest of doors and will have to go through them to their area. Essences are back to normal and bound to their respective Aspect, however those who participate in scenes will have their Essence replaced with one based on the character they're playing (ex, Alice roles will now have Alice Essence at their disposal). This is only limited to the scenes—once they're back out they will have their Essence again. There are various items scattered throughout Wonderland that act as power ups and will grant additional Wonderland character Essence abilities. Example, wearing a top hat will grant bonus Mad Hatter abilities. These power ups are only available for the sub quests.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped in to their location and will have to pass through the 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.

§ 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. Courtroom Blitz. One of the doors leads to a giant courtroom that looks more like a combat ring complete with large crowds of spectators and a "judge" presiding over the matches. However, instead of it being cutthroat fighting, most of the locals participating are cards and everyone must fight using random silly props to try to score as many points as possible or knock the opponent off from the platform. Of course, nothing here is normal, and the battle platform will shift and move, large pillars sometimes rising up and random glitter bombs dropping down. The judge may even summon a giant (rubber) gavel to try and smash the fighters. Rather than this accomplishing anything important, it seems as if these bouts are to try and help train the cards to fight the good war in Wonderland as well as bolster confidence. Give them all a good show and help teach them a thing or two about (improv) fighting!

¶ II. The Horsey Moves in an L. Another door leads to a giant chess board and everyone takes the place of a chess piece, taking either the red or white side. Here is where most of the twisted clones are, so it is up to the Aspects to try and deal with them by defeating them on the board. The problem is everyone is limited to the moveset of the piece they replaced. Pawns can only move one space a turn, knights are three and over, bishops diagonal, rooks in a straight line. There are no Kings or Queens, but their roles are completely empty so no one has to worry about protecting them. When Aspects meet an opposing piece, they must defeat them to move on. This can either be through fighting or some other method to knock them off the space. At least they have their Essence abilities to use! If Aspects end up meeting each other, they do not have to fight. In fact they can team up to try and take out a nearby blot or clone, or swap roles to continue progressing through the board.

¶ III. Mirror Clones. Not only do the Aspects have to worry about Twisted Wonderland clones, but they also have to worry about their own clones. A mirror will sometimes rise up on the board and a clone of the Aspects will appear. It will try to take the original's place, sometimes even immediately disappearing to appear somewhere else on the board near another Aspect. The only way to destroy it is by destroying the mirror, but act fast before it fools the others. It is possible to become trapped within the mirror, and in that case the clone must be taken care of first.

¶ IV. Beware the Jabberwocky and the Bandersnatch. They occasionally pop out of nowhere. When one appears, all rules are gone and everyone can rush in to deal with them. Vorpal blades and… dog treats will appear on the battlefield which Aspects can use to hack at the monsters. The Bandersnatch will be surprisingly interested in the treats, but the Jabberwocky doesn't seem to be hungry for anything but Aspect flesh. As if things weren't dangerous enough, the clones might snatch blades to wield against the monsters, the Aspects, just about anyone within snickersnacking range.

¶ V. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

More concerned what that copy with my body back home is doing than what I could get in to here.

[This was a fake body, seemed to take more than his own, but even as lightly as it sounded he was taking things he wasn't pushing the limits too far. Yet.

His head nodded, taking the meat off the fire.]

Fine by me. Ready to eat?

And I would rather you not find out what might happen if you died here and left your copy to fend for itself.

[Please take care of yourself, Jack.]

[She patches up the last wound on his back, before leaning back.]

Now that you're not bleeding everywhere, yes.

[He snorted, but at least knew well enough not to make any real comment on that.

What he did do? Was fix up that plate of roasted meat and a few greens and all he'd gathered up and held it up for Ana to take. Already had utensils from what was provided to them out in the forest.]

Here.

Thank you.

[She finishes putting her supplies aside before she takes the plate, and looks it over briefly before looking up at him, finally offering a small smile.]

I will admit, I will always be impressed with how you can take so little food and create so much with it.

Liked camping out and cooking, basic training with survival just taught me some new tricks.

[That and he always enjoyed cooking once he could help his Ma in the kitchen. Even if his favorite was grilling, sometimes there was nothing like a good stack of flapjacks. Things that could be thrown together with very little on hand. too.

Picked up his own plate after.]

One of us has to make sure you eat. [Said the man who was basically living like a hobo and eating garbage.]

And I am grateful for your efforts.

[She can admit, her cooking is less than subpar on the best of days.]

Perhaps that can be a potion to work on when we finish with this story. Something to allow lacklustre food to taste better.

[There was a lo hum from Jack before he swallowed a mouthful-]

Like ketchup?

[That was only partially a joke.]

[Partial joke or not, it does draw a chuckle from Ana.]

There are more spices out there than ketchup, you know.

There's BBQ rubs and sauces, too.

[That was a joke and also a truth in his own opinion, given his like to grill out. Even if he didn't really do much of that anymore.]

So that's what I should do? All these magical potions at my disposal, and I should dedicate them to barbecue sauce?

[There was a huff of a laugh, and any grin that went with it was hidden behind a chunk of meat.]

Only part, more so if you're dedicating any of it to making food taste better.

I'll keep that in mind.

[She is more open with her own smile, the lines around her face deepening as she chuckles. She lets out a small sigh.]

It has been a while since I laughed like this.

Not been a whole lot of reasons to.

[Could admit that much, moreso with the fact that there was a mission to go through with. Who could have expected part of that would include any of them ending up in a place like this?

Still, had to deal with what was going on here before he could get back to it.]

[Ana lets out a hum, nodding once. It's true, they hadn't had a lot of reason to laugh, had they? With everything they were trying to accomplish, it made it hard to sit down and simply laugh.]

I suppose I can be grateful for this world providing us this small reprieve, at least.

For however long it lasts.

[Always something to fight, some war to wage, and it seemed no different even in this strange world of stories. If pitching a hand here meant their world would be left out of it then he would. All to get back to his own personal war.]

[Ana nods, an ear flicking as she allows a comfortable silence to settle between them. There was always some sort of danger to keep an eye out for, it seemed. It was unfortunate, but that was the life they had signed up for, wasn't it?]

And how have you been handling this world?

[He tossed a branch in to the fire, letting it light up a little more, before tearing in to another hunk of that bit of meat. Just the crackling of flames, able to hear the rest off some bit away as they settled as well.

Never out of earshot with enhanced hearing at least-]

Well enough.

[Ana lets out a small hum of acknowledgement, nodding to him. After a pause, she adds,]

You know, if you are in need of a place to stay, you are welcome to my home. It may not be as isolated as my bunker in Egypt, but you would be surprised how effective a security system alley cats can be.

I'll drop by often enough.

[So she could be assured of that much, even if Jack wasn't about to say he'd stay or not-] Someone has to make sure you're eating right, instead of things burned.

[... That was a tease, even if true, about Ana's cooking.]

Chapter 05: Act II

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject