Realm of Stories

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.

With the tasks completed, the story progresses onward to the next Act. As everyone falls asleep, their dreams replay the events of the story thus far.

The two queens fought fiercely with sharp words and powerful magic, but in the end Titania surrendered and muttered “just curse the brat.” Carabosse did indeed curse Tam Lin to prick his finger on a spindle and fall into a deep slumber, as well as give the child an invitation to join her dark forces should he ever decide to forsake his family.

While Oberon was hesitant to trust his son with Puck, the rebellious fairy argued that being rough around the edges meant he could better handle a crisis. So the king set Puck the test of retrieving a flower from a dangerous locale and returning with the flower intact, lending the sprite a priceless dagger for protection and a further test of trust.

Puck trusted little Tam Lin to hold the magical flower while the sprite carried the babe, eventually stumbling upon a convenient baby carriage. The two then enjoyed the beauty of the wild forest on their trek.

While still in pain from parting with their son and previous hurts in their relationship, Oberon and Titania reaffirmed their love and trust in each other as they set out to destroy the spindles.

Puck raised Tam Lin more as a younger brother than a son and they formed a strong bond. While Tam Lin took after Puck in being easygoing and playful, they still had a love and protectiveness for the forest they called home. The two would often use Puck's ability to shapeshift and communicate with animals and Tam Lin magically gifted skill with music to soothe and heal injured animals they came across and to protect the forest from any outside threats.

Carabosse did her best to intimidate Nick Bottom into telling her Tam Lin’s location, but the playwright parried her at every turn and even accused her of being a yaoi fangirl. Eventually the evil fairy’s temper reached its zenith, prompting the soon-to-be donkey to challenge her to a children’s card game. Bottom won through the use of sleight-of-hand, but Carabosse caught the cheater, and for his insolence turned him and all the town into donkeys.

When everyone awakens, they find themselves in the forest cultivated by Puck and Tam Lin and once again in their strange fairy forms. It is flourishing, more color, sound, and even music filling the air as sunlight streams through the open branches. However, within the shadows lurk dangers that manage to slip in and the forest still needs care and protection as it will be their main stronghold.

Like before, the magical fairy rings made of flowers and glowing mushrooms will send those who are to act their scenes to their proper location. However, there are other paths illuminated by glowing mushrooms and flowers, each one leading to various places both within and outside the large forest.

One path in particular will lead them to the cursed village where they are to help cure those afflicted by the curse as well as fend off the Erasers and other dangers that threaten the village. However they should be careful as they will have a "curse" of their own upon entering.

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.

As a reminder, there are two different fairy forms that characters outside the main scenes can take when in the setting of the story. While in Tam Lin's forest, they will take on their fairy form (can be the same as last Act or different). While in the cursed village, they will take on some kind of "hoofed" creature or fairy with a slant towards the equine.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped into 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.

The vibrant patchwork of a Halloweenfaire had been a rousing success, all things considered, and a thorough celebration of the Aspect's triumph over the Story Eater. How things have changed—in the year since its defeat and the first revived story, since the last people saw it directly—that the peoples' fears have diminished enough to relegate the world-destroying monster to a mere toy filled with candy to break open. Rekindled courage…or complacency.

Perhaps they should have been more afraid, more vigilant. No one seemed to bat an eye at the black, sickly vines that tried to snare the sleighs, or the unnatural thorns among the mistletoe that seemed to make people feel just a little tired… And once the Aspects and other citizens filed on home and went through their peaceful November, no one seemed to notice the other pieces. All throughout the festival, you see, Erasers had been lurking in the shadows, slipping seeds into one denizen's candy bag or another's coat. (Aspects would be immune to the influence, protected by their essences and the Storyteller's power.) Seeds of power and influence, echoes of the Story Eater's magic, its voice… Traditionalists were more susceptible, given their disapproval for the Aspects, but the Erasers weren't so picky about factions, and all their targets proved as good pawns. Those "chosen" planted the seeds in key places around the Index, nurtured them, even despite the chilling air and hardening ground. Herb gardens at home, windowsill pots, even tucked away corners in the city parks or the surrounding forests, eventually all of them bore dark burgundy vines, just thin woody sprouts at first, barely growing at all even after a month's time and attention from the hypnotized caretakers.

But then near the start of the new month, when the new moon rises into the sky…the vines burst forth and spread. Briars as thick as tree trunks—with wicked sharp thorns and roses so dark a red as to look black—spread and climb and entangle themselves throughout the whole of the Index. Streets become a latticework of brambles, vines weave in and out of houses and buildings, the doors to the Grand Library and the bridges to the other stories are blocked by solid walls of thorns, tendrils wrap around people as they sleep or try to run, and twisted, plant-like Erasers swarm the streets to pillage and lash out at anything they see. And spreading along the briars is a curse, and though a very few Aspects manage to resist, everyone else is pulled into an even deeper sleep that night...