tworo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tworo) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
yumemigaoka2025-05-24 08:42 pm
tworo) wrote in yumemigaoka2025-05-24 08:42 pm
in the valley of the dolls we sleep
" The crystals' power is tremendous! Their unstable output made the Union fret, but...if I can harness this energy, it will open up research possibilities we've only dreamed of.
At last, paradise will be mine to create. "
Welcome to...Turo's? Disturbance event! To recap from the monthly post, Disturbances are surreal and dangerous dreamscapes that draw directly on the struggles, fears and emotions of a single character, similar to the TV world dungeons in Persona 4 or the Heartscapes in Blue Reflection Second Light. They're unique among Outlying Locations in that they vanish once resolved and incubate extremely powerful enemies at their core who must be defeated to save the person at its heart – in this instance, it's Dreamer Miraidon!
Using the descriptions in the log below, you may freely toplevel and have characters explore and investigate as you please! The descriptions given in this log are to give direction and progression to the events but please feel free to play around within the bounds of what's established as much as you like. Characters wishing to investigate and uncover additional hints and lore nuggets at the heart of the dungeon should indicate they are investigating in the comment header of their toplevel.
To clear the event and prevent a negative outcome on the plot that will effect both the Dream Sphere and Yumemigaoka, characters must clear both the Mid-Tier and Boss Combat Encounters by the OOC deadline of June 7th.
THE GATES OF EDEN
- Upon entering the Dream, Dreamers will find themselves standing on the rim of a massive crater. The opposite side is hard to see; there's a thick layer of pale fog up here, obscuring vision. Dreamers will have to climb down in order to enter.
Fortunately, though the cliffs are steep, it's easy to find a carved path that spirals down into the depths. The grade is gentle, and there's no enemies here. It's a pleasant walk. Breaking through the fog cover, things only get better; the beauty of the Zero Crater spreads out before you. A tiered landscape of soft pastel grass, glittering crystalline spires, and sparkling waterfalls that cascade down from seemingly nowhere. There's no screams or haunting voices, just a gentle sound like windchimes.
This is a good dream. This is a paradise.
!THE PLAINS
Upon reaching the bottom of the crater, Dreamers will find themselves in an open plain. The grass is mostly a pale green, but pastel shades of other colors ripple as you move through it. In the taller grass, strange Torments occasionally slip out. They look almost like glass animal figurines, the kind a child might collect: ruby foxes, smoky glass rabbits, birds of sapphire and jet. As long as you're peaceful, they won't attack. But if you're too loud, or push forward too aggressively - well, it's your own fault, for shattering the peace of such a place.
In some places, there's grottos of trees, with crystalline bark and leaves that chime lightly as they blow in the wind. Some of the waterfalls from above terminate here, forming pools of cool, clear water. It's a peaceful environment. It even smells lovely. It's very tempting to sit down next to a pool for a while, or even just lay right down in the grass.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Those who sit and rest too long in a grotto will find the trees slowly shifting towards them. The slight tinkling of their crystalline roots and leaves as they move are often the only warning a Dreamer will receive before they're grabbed. If they seize a Dreamer, they will attempt to pull them into their trunk and grow around them, encasing them, too, in crystal. Fortunately, this is a slow enough process that you'll have plenty of time to call for help.
If a Dreamer can't be wrench free physically, the trees are still partially plants and can be repelled with fire. They will also let go if you sing them back to sleep.
In some places, there's grottos of trees, with crystalline bark and leaves that chime lightly as they blow in the wind. Some of the waterfalls from above terminate here, forming pools of cool, clear water. It's a peaceful environment. It even smells lovely. It's very tempting to sit down next to a pool for a while, or even just lay right down in the grass.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Those who sit and rest too long in a grotto will find the trees slowly shifting towards them. The slight tinkling of their crystalline roots and leaves as they move are often the only warning a Dreamer will receive before they're grabbed. If they seize a Dreamer, they will attempt to pull them into their trunk and grow around them, encasing them, too, in crystal. Fortunately, this is a slow enough process that you'll have plenty of time to call for help.
If a Dreamer can't be wrench free physically, the trees are still partially plants and can be repelled with fire. They will also let go if you sing them back to sleep.
!TUNNELS
There's cavern openings in the Crater. Some are simply in the walls, but most are underwater, hidden in those peaceful pools. Diving underneath, you surface again in a tunnel system. It's not cramped and winding like the Reverie Necropolis; here, the paths are wide, made entirely of glittering white crystal. Light refracts off it in rainbow hues, and it's clear enough that you can see yourself reflected in the depths.
The only thing is, you can't get out.
Attempting to turn around and exit the way you came, you'll find the entrance gone, as if it were never there. You'll simply have to keep moving forward, accompanied by a thousand faceted versions of yourself. You can feel them watching you.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If Dreamers touch the crystal walls, or spend too long observing their own reflections, they'll begin to grow increasingly disoriented. Are they reflections, or are they real? They seem to move first, sometimes, before the Dreamers themselves. Which of you is really the reflection here? Dreamers who spend too long engaging with their doppelgangers will find the reflections reaching out to drag them into the crystals, stepping out to take their place. Reflections will attempt to act like the originals in order to lead other Dreamers astray, spiraling deeper into the labyrinth.
Dreamers may free their trapped teammates by noticing that the reflections are fake and forcing them back into the walls. The reflections do not share the powers and abilities of the real Dreamer; it's not much harder than shoving a regular person, though they will protest, struggle, and cry that they're the real ones. Why are you turning on them like this? Their only real move is emotional manipulation, so they'll try their best.
The trapped Dreamers can also free themselves by simply shattering the crystals they're stuck in and breaking free. But it can be difficult to tell which facet is reality - a strong sense of self is needed, or else the help of someone else to keep you grounded.
The only thing is, you can't get out.
Attempting to turn around and exit the way you came, you'll find the entrance gone, as if it were never there. You'll simply have to keep moving forward, accompanied by a thousand faceted versions of yourself. You can feel them watching you.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If Dreamers touch the crystal walls, or spend too long observing their own reflections, they'll begin to grow increasingly disoriented. Are they reflections, or are they real? They seem to move first, sometimes, before the Dreamers themselves. Which of you is really the reflection here? Dreamers who spend too long engaging with their doppelgangers will find the reflections reaching out to drag them into the crystals, stepping out to take their place. Reflections will attempt to act like the originals in order to lead other Dreamers astray, spiraling deeper into the labyrinth.
Dreamers may free their trapped teammates by noticing that the reflections are fake and forcing them back into the walls. The reflections do not share the powers and abilities of the real Dreamer; it's not much harder than shoving a regular person, though they will protest, struggle, and cry that they're the real ones. Why are you turning on them like this? Their only real move is emotional manipulation, so they'll try their best.
The trapped Dreamers can also free themselves by simply shattering the crystals they're stuck in and breaking free. But it can be difficult to tell which facet is reality - a strong sense of self is needed, or else the help of someone else to keep you grounded.
!THE LAB
While making their way through the crystal caverns, Dreamers may stumble upon a strange, out-of-place door. It's grey and metal, entirely unremarkable except for the incongruity with its surroundings. Entering, they'll find themselves in a dimly lit lab space of sorts. It's cramped here. Every surface is piled with paperwork, and multiple computer monitors flicker with nearly incomprehensible graphs and spreadsheets.
Somewhere above, an old-fashioned loudspeaker crackles to life.
"Find me the energy readings from last week."
A man's voice. Those who have met Doctor Turo Morado will recognize it as his; those who have met his Figment may still recognize it as its. He gives nothing but the simple order. If you cast through the files and papers to do as he asks, yet another order will come. And another. And another. Each of them are simple grunt tasks, but they're never-ending. There is no reward, and there is no end. The door is locked. This is what you do now.
This game of Simon Says can only end by refusing or questioning the Doctor's commands. This gets the voice on the loudspeaker to finally respond directly to the Dreamers, snapping:
"Malfunctioning? Oh, well, we can fix that."
This is when the Torments will emerge - slender amethyst serpents that crackle with electrical energy. Dreamers will have to defeat them before the door will unlock and free them to continue through the caverns.
However, if you continue playing the good servant and following orders, eventually the voice giving them changes. It morphs, as it's speaking, into your own voice.
Here it comes.
Somewhere above, an old-fashioned loudspeaker crackles to life.
A man's voice. Those who have met Doctor Turo Morado will recognize it as his; those who have met his Figment may still recognize it as its. He gives nothing but the simple order. If you cast through the files and papers to do as he asks, yet another order will come. And another. And another. Each of them are simple grunt tasks, but they're never-ending. There is no reward, and there is no end. The door is locked. This is what you do now.
This game of Simon Says can only end by refusing or questioning the Doctor's commands. This gets the voice on the loudspeaker to finally respond directly to the Dreamers, snapping:
This is when the Torments will emerge - slender amethyst serpents that crackle with electrical energy. Dreamers will have to defeat them before the door will unlock and free them to continue through the caverns.
However, if you continue playing the good servant and following orders, eventually the voice giving them changes. It morphs, as it's speaking, into your own voice.
"Very good. I can take over from here."
Here it comes.
!THE DEPTHS
Finally reaching the cavern depths, Dreamers will find a much more open environment, made of larger chambers with towering ceilings. As above, water flows down from some unknown source, creating a shallow pool that covers much of the ground throughout the chambers. It must be this water that feeds the purple flowers that grow everywhere down here. These are bioluminescent, glowing with a faint violet light of their own that illuminates the deeper caverns. Any other light sources will fail. But that's fine. It's pretty, isn't it?
Though the water here is never very deep, spending too long wading through it presents other dangers. It has a soporific effect, causing Dreamers to become sleepy and forgetful. Combined with the strange lighting, it becomes quite easy to lose the path. Fortunately, the glowing flower patches indicate where you can find strips of dry land. Some of these are narrow strips; some are larger islands. The flowers on the latter seem to grow bigger. There's some that are almost as large as a person, with drooping bell-shaped blooms and delicate trailing vines.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Dreamers will notice an intoxicating aroma emanating from the blooms of the larger purple flowers. Should they draw too close, the petals of the flower will close around them. They're soft and delicate, easily broken, except that being inside a flower traps a Dreamer in a vision of their ideal life. In this world, they're unaware that anything is wrong. Everything is going perfectly, somehow. They have everything they ever wanted. It's paradise.
Other Dreamers can try to free those trapped by attacking the flowers, but they will fight back, trying to use their vines to pull them in and trap them in visions of paradise by force. Fire magic is especially effective here, though if used against flowers that still have captives, there's a solid risk of harming the trapped Dreamer. Another option is to touch the trapped Dreamer, entering their vision. If they can be convinced to leave, they'll wake up, and it will be far easier to destroy the flower.
Though the water here is never very deep, spending too long wading through it presents other dangers. It has a soporific effect, causing Dreamers to become sleepy and forgetful. Combined with the strange lighting, it becomes quite easy to lose the path. Fortunately, the glowing flower patches indicate where you can find strips of dry land. Some of these are narrow strips; some are larger islands. The flowers on the latter seem to grow bigger. There's some that are almost as large as a person, with drooping bell-shaped blooms and delicate trailing vines.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Dreamers will notice an intoxicating aroma emanating from the blooms of the larger purple flowers. Should they draw too close, the petals of the flower will close around them. They're soft and delicate, easily broken, except that being inside a flower traps a Dreamer in a vision of their ideal life. In this world, they're unaware that anything is wrong. Everything is going perfectly, somehow. They have everything they ever wanted. It's paradise.
Other Dreamers can try to free those trapped by attacking the flowers, but they will fight back, trying to use their vines to pull them in and trap them in visions of paradise by force. Fire magic is especially effective here, though if used against flowers that still have captives, there's a solid risk of harming the trapped Dreamer. Another option is to touch the trapped Dreamer, entering their vision. If they can be convinced to leave, they'll wake up, and it will be far easier to destroy the flower.
!PARADISE
But of course, this isn't an ordinary Disturbance. This one came with a guide.
The Figment knows the Crater. It also knows the Doctor. It's been moving throughout the Disturbance the entire time, trying to help various Dreamers navigate their way through. It's nigh useless in combat on the way down here - its attacks don't seem to have any effect on anything here - but it seems to always know where it's going. Eventually, it will successfully bring a small party to the heart of the caverns. It looks like a dead end, a tall wall of shining crystal that stretches beyond what anyone can see, but this is where it stops.
"Well," it asks. "Are you prepared?"
The Figment knows the Crater. It also knows the Doctor. It's been moving throughout the Disturbance the entire time, trying to help various Dreamers navigate their way through. It's nigh useless in combat on the way down here - its attacks don't seem to have any effect on anything here - but it seems to always know where it's going. Eventually, it will successfully bring a small party to the heart of the caverns. It looks like a dead end, a tall wall of shining crystal that stretches beyond what anyone can see, but this is where it stops.
"Well," it asks. "Are you prepared?"
Olruggio 🔥 Dreamer Torch
[Unlike a certain someone else, Torch has been going through the plains at a regular pace. There's a certain level of urgency, as is the case with other Disturbances, but seeing that none of the Torments(?) in this area seemed actively aggressive... Well, no reason to start a fight if there's no need to, right? Torch stops every now and again to look at the crystalline environment... How could he not? So many of his art pieces share visual similarities with this place.
Inspiration will have to wait though. Thanks to his discussion with Turo's Figment, Torch is aware that the real doctor is somewhere in this crater... Though whether this could be classified as a Disturbance or not is a separate issue.
Torch can be found sitting near one of the pools of water, a Warmth spell crackling merrily next to him as he draws in his quire. He'll move on after he's seen a few Dreamers through; while he's not too worried about people getting caught up in fights (...), he still wants to at least make sure that people aren't getting too taxed on their way through...
That, and well...]
Wondering why I'm not going through? [he points at the fireball floating next to him, emitting a warm, soothing regen effect] I don't mind getting wet, but it takes a minute or so for my spells to get back online afterwards.
[Invigorate works as a drying spell but getting it online after getting soaked is less than ideal. But without knowing what's ahead, that's kind of dangerous and apt to send him back into the Waking World if he's not careful. Such is the life of a Pure Mage]
The Depths
[the pool only gets as high as his ankles which is uncomfortable but not enough to have stopped him from walking around normally. No, what has him crouched on a small patch of glowing flowers, staring into the water and, occasionally, at some of the larger flowers. Torch noticeably seems to be avoiding the large patches of dry land... And is sporting some scorch marks on his long cape]
[muttered to himself;] What an odd effect...
[if he notices you approaching him;] Don't stay in the water too long. The last thing we need to learn about here is what happens if a Dreamer falls asleep in their own Dream.
The Lab
[in the lab itself, Torch is going through the papers on the table and jotting things down in his own sandglass weapon. It's probably a little strange to see him following the instructions given to him, but it's not as if he knew where to start looking in the research notes.
Whatever the Doctor was doing, there might be something in here that could help clear it up.
... But it doesn't stop him from sending a dark look at the loudspeaker every now and again. He sighs as he sets down another dataset to mutter;] Turo, just what were you hoping to achieve with this?
Depths
[ Dreamer La Pucelle's upper arm is red, like a blush or a bruise, for no immediately-discernable reason. ] A Dreamer must be ready for anything, anything at a-a-a-a-a-aaahhhll....
[ ....That was a yawn. Followed by her pinching herself quite hard on the arm to wake herself up. ]
So you see...there is nothing to worry 'bout...
no subject
... That seems a little excessive. Are you all right?