323 lines
No EOL
23 KiB
Text
323 lines
No EOL
23 KiB
Text
This gate is a golden ring with a white magic wall, looking like a slow falling of snowflakes
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In the snow:
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https://youtu.be/Tkn3YVh4wu8?si=8Ackzr_TD9qwpX49
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On the snowball field:
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https://youtu.be/qD2ahwiPRBk?si=sMQ2yPCv_X6BI5tr
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## Upon exiting the WHITE gate,
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You are immediately struck with the sensation of cold, the sound of crunching as you step into ankle-deep snow, and the sight of a nearly pure field of white, sparsely interrupted by snow-covered trees and snow-capped hills in the distance.
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Welcome to the **Tundra** demense!
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(Dont penalize the players for not having warm clothes the first time, just make them experience cold-like symptoms.)
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(The second time they step out, THEN start penalizing them with either HP damage, the FROZEN status effect, or anything else you deem appropriate)
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You're not alone though, there are dozens of other people here enjoying the winter wonderland.
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*BEHIND YOU*
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The gate itself is attached to a snow-capped Evergreen tree, beside which sits a massive wooden cabin, easily large enough to hold dozens of people
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*TO THE LEFT*
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There is a singular beaten path into the snow full of hoofprints and tire tracks leading deep into the distance, beside which sits a massive igloo being constructed by a team of people
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*BEFORE YOU*
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There are a few groups of people wearing ice skates, mostly couples, dancing and gliding across a frozen river of ice
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*TO THE RIGHT*
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Several children have grouped off for a good sized snowball fight, being overseen by (you'd assume) their parents
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-----
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- CABIN
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- IGLOO
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- BEATEN PATH
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- ICE SKATING
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- SNOWBALL FIGHT
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-----
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IGLOO
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Eight different people are all working together to craft the igloo brick by brick, compacting the snow and shaping it together rather than just extending the dome wall out of a random hill of snow. Once they make a brick, two more people pick it up and set it in place, packing it in with more snow like cement. At the moment, they are mostly finished with the overall dome and are just extending the entryway.
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*APPROACH*
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You can't really tell who or what the people are under all the winter wear, but one woman of a canine nature in ski goggles and a blue heavyduty coat stops building a block to talk. "Hey there!"
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*ASK LITERALLY ANYTHING*
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She takes one look at you all, top to bottom, while you speak. "Oh uh.. hang on."
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She elbows her neighbor, a man in a thick black snowsuit ensemble, and yells toward him through his earmuffs that she's taking a break to talk to the new guys. He gives a snow-covered thumbs up through his mittens and resumes working, while she guides you into the igloo. "Come on in, we can talk easier in here."
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It is SIGNIFICANTLY warmer inside the igloo, partly because it was made genuinely well, and partly because of the roaring bonfire in the middle, its smoke leading straight up and out through a convenient hole in the roof. She unzips her massive coat to reveal a thinner thermal jacket inside, sighing happily. "Much better... too much weight for my liking. Now what were you asking?"
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*DM/REGALIA*
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"Oh jeez, uh... haven't seen the Guardian out and about today, no. We've been working on the igloo pretty much all day."
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(ALLOW THEM TO MAKE A CRAFT ROLL TO HELP BUILD THE IGLOO AS WELL) You spend a few minutes in the snow and ice, using your (uncovered) hands to help build a few blocks, and...
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(High roll) ... you craft a solid brick of snow, perfect for the entryway
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(Average roll) ... the brick isn't exactly great, but they take it and combine it with a half completed brick to finish it
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(Low roll) ... your brick unfortunately crumbles in front of you
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(EITHER WAY)
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The builders thank you for your efforts, and head back inside the igloo together, inviting you inside if you wish
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-----
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SNOWBALL FIGHT
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This is a surprisingly well coordinated event. There are clear boundary lines forming an arena, a cleared space in the dead center for easier movement, and multiple two-foot-tall snow walls closer out to the far ends for defense. And there are about twice as many adults watching from the sidelines.
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*APPROACH*
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A couple adults, a pair of Saint Bernards in matching dark gray coats & red scarves with red winter caps, notice you coming and make room for you to stand nearby. The woman remarks "You have good timing, they just started another round."
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True to her word, you see six children appear from both sides and see snow FLYING through the air in a combination of wild arcs and slightly offcenter straight shots, but every strike that matters leaves a visible white explosion. The round itself lasts about a minute, but you know those kids had an insane amount of fun.
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*DM/REGALIA*
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The man speaks this time. "Ya know, I was just noticing the Guardian wasn't here today. Usually shows up about the time the kids show up so they can play together, and usually brings that uh... special friend."
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The woman stares at him in disbelief at what he said. He is taken aback. "WHAT?! You saw how the two of them acted, what would YOU call them?!"
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She just rolls her eyes and returns to the game as the next round starts.
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-----
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ICE SKATERS
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Most of the people out on the ice are relatively adept at slowly gliding across the ice together in pairs, but you do spot a couple people in the distance wobbling around in a vain attempt to maintain balance, while the one showoff in the center is doing Outside Forward Spirals into backward skating.
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*APPROACH*
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One of the nearby skaters, a feline woman in a thick set of white and pink winter clothing, splits off from a nearby friend and slides her way to your group. "If you're getting on the ice, you're a little under-equipped."
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*DM/REGALIA*
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"Nah, the Guardian doesn't come out to the ice much. Might have better luck asking at the cabin. Might also get some better clothes while you're there." She quickly skates away, rejoining the friend she was skating beside.
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-----
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*CABIN*
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The entrance is a giant set of heavy wooden oak doors, and when you open them, you see a second identical set with a sign on them saying "CLOSE DOORS BEHIND YOU, 'THEN' OPEN DOORS BEFORE YOU."
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When you open the second set, you are immediately struck by the warmth of a large cozy fire, the soft sounds of winter style jazz, and the warm scents of burning hickory wood & hot cocoa.
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The massive one room building is centered around a colossal roaring fire, contained inside a black metal cage leading up to a metal pipe through the ceiling. Surrounding it are several rounded rows of wooden seats built into the floor.
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In the far corners farthest from the door is a pair of kiosks, and the left one has a longer line than the right. Right between them is a slightly elevated stage with a live jazz band of four people.
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- SEATS
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- LEFT KIOSK
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- RIGHT KIOSK
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- JAZZ BAND
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----- *SEATING*
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The seats are all thickly woven cushions built into a wooden rounded frame surrounding the giant pitfire in the middle, designed to act like massive warm couches. The seats AND the wood are all warm to the touch, and some have spaces in between large enough to place drinks.
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-----*LEFT KIOSK*
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A white fox man with silver hair tied back in a clean ponytail in a white dress shirt, black vest, and white nametag reading OUJA is running the kiosk expertly, casually strolling between two different hot drink machines.
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He quickly hands off two cups of cocoa & a plate of cookies to those in front of you, and smiles to your group when they walk away. The overhead menu shows he is selling multiple varieties of hot chocolate, coffee, fresh baked goods, and even meat treats like jerky. "What can I get for you?"
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-----*RIGHT KIOSK*
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An eight foot creature you can only describe as a white-haired ape-bear (yeti) with a slicked back white hairdo in a white dress shirt, black vest, and a white nametag reading BODHI is running this kiosk, handling snow gear.
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He trades a small bag of coin for a snowboard to those in front of you, and flashes you an ape-ish-ly toothy grin when your turn comes up. The menu in front of the stand shows he is selling coats, hats, gloves, magic rings in a white hue, and rentals for snowboards and sleds. "HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"
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----- *JAZZ BAND*
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The group don't look entirely like professionals, but they clearly enjoy what they do and really bring the atmosphere. All of them ARE wearing identical outfits of deep blue pants & sports coats over white button front shirts and sunglasses.
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- On Baritone Sax is a pretty young Harp Seal woman with long brown braided hair, her white nametag reading PIPER
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- On Trumpet is a heavy Saint Bernard man in a deep blue fedora, his white nametag reading RAMONE
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- On Bass Guitar is a slim Musk Ox man in a deep blue fedora sitting between his horns, his white nametag reading ZIMRI
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- On Piano is a young human boy with visible white hair under an Indigo fedora, his white nametag reading CAELUM
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*APPROACH*
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The song ends when you step up, and everyone around you gives the jazz band some well-earned applause. Ramone (the Saint Bernard) announces in a gravely voice they're going on a fifteen minute break, and he, Piper, & Zimri all walk off stage. Caelum picks up a small lizard off the piano and puts it on the top of his fedora, turning to walk away before he notices your group. "Uh.. what're you guys doing here..?"
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*DM/REGALIA*
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"Uhm.. haven't seen the Guardian today, but I haven't been looking."
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*WHY ARE YOU HERE*
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"I.. kinda.. like playing piano."
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He quickly walks off to go wait in the food line, petting his little lizard the whole way.
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-----
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*BEATEN PATH*
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As you begin the trek down the path, you hear the faint tinkling of bells & the clip-clopping of hooves in the distance, and you spot a pair of horses approaching.
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A horse-drawn carriage pulls up right beside your group, easily big enough to hold ten people, pulled by two VERY healthy Clydesdale horses wearing weatherproof blankets. The driver leans over, a rather large ice-blue & white Husky man under a thick tan winter coat, his white nametag reading EXILE. He speaks with an energetic Russian accent. "Hello comrades! You are new of the faces in this demense! Are you in need of guide dog perhaps? HA HA!"
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*ASKS ABOUT DM/REGALIA*
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He will shake his head. "Sorry, I have not seen Guardian in some time, tends to be secluded. But I know where house is! Come, Exile escort you to cabin. Get you warm, get you dry, then get you to Guardian house! All for small cost of 5z each!"
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You didn't notice at first, but there is a sign on the side of the carriage marketing 'Exile's Carriage Rides, 5z per person, kids ride free'
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*IF THEY ACCEPT*
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He gets everyone inside the sealed-in carriage out of the elements, and trots down the beaten path. And while the cart may not be super warm, it is definitely warm enough to get the feelings in your digits back.
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The view is something out of a Christmas card, snow as far as the eye can see speckled by a few sporadic trees, all surrounding the massive frozen lake. After about five minutes, you hear a knock on the window of your carriage. "Good news, Guardian is home today!"
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*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS*
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He points out the window, and you see one particular spot in the distance where the snow is falling VERY hard in this otherwise barely flurrying area. "Where Guardian goes, surely it snows. Is reactisya, uh.. reflex, keeps people away."
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It takes a few minutes, but he eventually stops at the top of a snow embankment at about a 45 degree angle leading into a small flat valley from a good 10 foot drop.
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The snow in front of you is at its thickest, collecting into the valley heavily, but you do see something of a path in the distance leading to a somewhat obscured house.
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You spot a few other vehicles in a nearby clearing JUST outside the edge of the heavy snowfall, and they all look occupied with various couples, and a few of them look to be enjoying each other's company.
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"This is far as I go comrades, Guardian house is on opposite end of valley. This path only way in or out. You want I wait here for pickup?"
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He extends a paw and wiggles his fingers, clearly suggesting a down payment.
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(EITHER WAY)
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He leaves your group in front of the inclined embankment, the snowfall piling up by the second.
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*WHOEVER SLIDES DOWN*
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You slide down the embankment into the open path, and now that you're closer to it, you spot two rows of snowmen surrounding the path, totaling (# of players x5 +1). And they're all facing the center of the path.
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*APPROACH THE CENTER*
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(ATHLETICS Roll)
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(Lowest roller) is suddenly STRUCK in the back of the head by a solid impact of cold before a shrill voice pops out from an angle you aren't looking at, screaming ATTAAAAACK!!!
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Suddenly every snowman head explodes open, and your group is struck by five attacks each, to which there is unfortunately NO save due to the circumstances, and each one does...
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(ROLL DICE FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT) Zero damage.
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*Because you were pelted with snowballs.*
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*Thrown by a gang of small children.*
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After the initial excitement, the children see their victims and suddenly become upset, climbing out of the snowmen. One little brown bear girl in a pink coat & matching hat walks up, pouting a little. "I'm sowwy, we tawt you was someone else.."
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*IF THEY ASK*
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She points to the house in the distance, the same house you are headed toward. "The nice people pway with us aww the time, so we wanted to do a supwise."
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She sniffles a bit as she heads back over to the snowmen and her friends, all of whom are now remaking the snowmen one at a time.
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*IF THEY OFFER TO HELP*
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(THEY WILL DO CRAFTS ROLLS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SNOWMEN THEY MAKE AND/OR HOW GOOD THEY ARE)
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After a few minutes of walking, you spot a pair of people in front of the house, having a conversation like the cold doesn't bother either of them.
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One is a tall dark cat woman with long dark hair in braided twin tails, in a spacious and open red robe-like dress trimmed in thick white, cinched with a gold bow, over a tighter blue leotard.
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The other is a younger looking deer boy (you think) about a foot shorter than her even WITH the antlers, in a black sweater stopping above the knee and thick black boots stopping below the knee, both of which are trimmed in white fluff.
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They spot you approaching, the deer hiding behind the taller cat woman while she smiles warmly, arms crossed. "Well hello there, new faces! How can we help you?"
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*DM/REGALIA*
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"Guardian..? Oh! Well if it's the Demense Master you're after, them look no further! My name is Morana, and this is..."
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She turns behind herself to see the deer has disappeared, replaced by a rather large chunk of snow. "..the best disappearing act you never saw! Apparently!"
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She looks around for a moment, then points to a nearby tree and launches an ice spike at one of the high branches, causing a pile of snow to fall from it, as well as the very deer that disappeared a moment later. "There's the little darling~"
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She waltzes over and grabs the deer, carrying him over her shoulder, before looking back at your group. "Let's get out of the cold and chat, shall we?"
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Morana invites you into their home, a spacious two story log cabin. The inside is quite lavish, the walls a warm blue and the floor is wooden aside from a large circular deep green carpet. The living room has two dark red couches and a pair of chairs surrounding a coffee table near a roaring fireplace.
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She places the deer in a seat on the couch and takes the other, reaches over, and starts petting him between the antlers, no differently than if he were an actual pet.
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"Now, let's try this again... My name is Morana, and this is Whitaker, the Demense Master~"
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*IF THEY RESPOND IN SHOCK*
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Whittaker will flinch hard, pouting a little and nodding slowly.
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*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA*
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Whitaker whimpers a little, hanging his head in shame, as Morana reaches down to pet him again. "Please forgive him, he's very upset with himself. His Regalia was taken about a month ago."
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"He was overseeing a snowball fight, and the Marauders started harassing the children, something about starting their misery early. He fought his hardest to protect them, but someone in a motorcycle helmet took one as hostage. He traded the Ice Regalia for their safety."
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"Funny thing though, they didn't actually CHALLENGE him proper, so they don't get all the little perks of HAVING the Regalia. Without them, it's just a white shortsword. An unbreakable one, but still."
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(CONTACTS ROLL) You remember seeing a sword matching that description in the hands of LUCKY when you came here on your first day.
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"After they let the kids go, they ganged up on him when he couldn't defend himself. Beat him down, destroyed his clothes, ransacked his house... And since the children were around, he didn't want to scare them, so he just kinda... had to let them. I wasn't around to help him at that moment, but if I had been, those snowbanks would've been painted red."
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"This is something that just keeps happening to him, long before the Marauders were even around. From what I can tell, he keeps getting picked on because he's small and shy, and seen as weak."
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"One of those incidents was how we met. About five years ago, I was hanging out at the cabin down the road, and a flock of sad & angry children came flooding in, screaming & begging for help. I offered to go see what happened on a whim. Glad I did too, he was an absolute mess."
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"When he woke up, the first words out of his mouth were asking if the children were okay. Didn't even care about himself. Then he realized someone was in his home and... well... he wasn't exactly thrilled."
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"It took some coaxing, but I earned his trust with some warm meals, helping clean the mess, and giving him some of my old clothes. He eventually opened up, and... The stories he told me... they're not mine to tell, but some of them are genuinely horrid. It's the main reason he buries his home in snow, so people won't get to him as easily. He's developed a fear of people."
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"So, I made him an offer. I would pretend to be the Demense Master in his place, help protect his home AND the children more carefully. In exchange, he lets me stay here with him and help him re-acclimate to being around people again."
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"It took alot of... gentle persuasion, but here we are. Barring this most recent incident, things have been pretty quiet over the last few years, unless some--"
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She is suddenly interrupted by the same little bear girl from before, barging into the house. She heads straight for Whitaker, making hyper little child noises, grabs his hand, and pulls him toward the door. You could swear you saw a smile cross his face as he went outside. The door shuts, and Morana continues, "...unless something like that happens."
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She waltzes over to the window and invites your group to watch.
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Whittaker gets dragged into the same pathway surrounded by snowmen, and is then hit by the same children's surprise snowball attack. But when they hit HIM with it, he bursts into laughter and starts a snowball fight with all of them.
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"The little darling is afraid of people... except for children. No matter what happens to him, he always protects them, advocates for them, and cares for them, & they adore him for it. Even when he was King, they were always his priority."
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*IF THEY ASK ABOUT KING*
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She smiles at your group. "Oh, you were never told, were you? All the Demense Masters were Kings, in a sense.. a fun little bit of trivia about Diadem's history I picked up while moonlighting as a college teacher. Tell me, which of the Demense Masters have you met so far?"
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-----
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Aodaghan the King of Rage, believing in hard work. He helped construct the whole town, and expects commitment to labor.
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Conroy the Curious King, believing in knowledge. He maintained the town's history, as best he can & could.
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Zahir the King of Joy, believing in happiness. He believed the peoples' smiles were paramount above all.
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Corentin the Calm King, believing in serenity. He was devout in the stillness of mind and flexibility of form.
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Dorrin the King of Sorrow, believing in patience. He encouraged unwavering stoicism, even behind an ocean of tears.
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Arledge the Compassionate King, believing in generosity. He desired a bountiful harvest and longevity of life for all.
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Miranda the Intimate Queen, believing in relationships. Be it physical or emotional, she wished for everyone to find closeness.
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Fulmo the King of Judgment, believing in the Law. He was adamant about enforcing strict yet fair policy for basic society.
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Thanatos the Grieving King, believing in ceremony. He valued the life and memory of everyone that ever came.
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Cassius the Gloomy King, believing in duty. He gave a powerful example of doing what needed to be done, even if the people fear him.
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Tlaloc the King of Hope, believing in strength. He embodies the idea that a rock-solid mind and body can weather anything. He just has issues articulating it. (She circles her mouth with her finger)
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-----
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"And Whittaker the... Timid King. He advocated for those that couldn't speak for themselves, mainly the children. He is their Guardian Snow Angel." She sighs a bit and watches him from behind the window with a smile.
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"You know... now that I think of it... if you're really serious about defeating the Demense Masters, whom were all technically former Kings, and taking their symbols of rule... that would mean you aim to become... Kings of Kings~"
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*DONT WANT TO FIGHT HIM*
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"If you're worried about hurting him in one of your little challenges, you don't have to be. Demense Masters heal crazy fast physically. Emotionally, well... that's another matter."
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*IF THEY WANNA HELP*
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"If you mean his Regalia, there won't be much you can do, unless you can find it and return it. But if you mean helping HIM..."
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She watches the children build more snowmen with Whitaker through the window. "..are any of you good at building things? Because I bet if you were to go out and make things in the snow for the kids..."
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-----
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The players can earn his trust by playing in the snow with Whitaker and the children
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- FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH for snowball fights
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- CRAFT/RESOURCES for snowmen and igloos
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- EMPATHY/RAPPORT after each activity to earn trust
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-----
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AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS
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At the top of the hill in the distance, you see a group of adults all calling out to the children, and all of them give a resounding AWWWW. It's their parents saying it's time to go home.
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Each one of them comes up and gives Whitaker a massive group hug, and you see him give them the most heartwarming smile you ever saw. All the children then start shuffling their way off to their parents in the distance, climbing that incline with relative ease, aside from one or two stumbling a bit.
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-----
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(AVERAGE THE ROLLS)
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*IF THEY ROLLED OVERALL POORLY*
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Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously. He will give you a small timid wave and the softest smile before heading back to Morana, whom is waiting for him at the front door.
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*IF THEY ROLLED OVERALL WELL*
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Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously as he approaches (highest overall roller) slowly.
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He will open his mouth to try and convey words, but finds he can't get them out, so he instead gives (highest overall roller) a tight hug.
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He only holds on for a few seconds before running off, jumping right into Morana's awaiting arms. They both wave your group off from the door, but Whitaker still hides behind her a little out of reflex. |