Shrike's Ideal World 🌾 Run #1

[idolpro]

Comments

INSTRUCTIONS

[idolpro]

Your phone beeps, and displays only the following:

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was the living embodiment of everything right in the world.
While she lived, no real harm could come to anyone. Oh, wounds, disease, even death, sure. But she stood between the world and anything worse.

Shrike Plucks the Thorn from her Chest must be returned to reality, either by convincing or by changing and fracturing this dream enough that it cannot hold. Good luck.

OOC INFORMATION

[idolpro]

Full points will be awarded to anyone who convinces Shrike to leave her Ideal World.

One point each will be awarded for every major change or fracture someone creatres in the Ideal World, up to five.

You have whatever items you would have on you, except weapons. Technological items are still with you, but will not function apart from phones, which display the above message.

If you are in the same area as other characters, you can talk to them.

THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

You're standing in the middle of a dust-covered dirt road—really more of a path, if you're being honest, leading to a small cottage with a sturdy but simple roof. Maybe big enough for two people at best, but it looks well-cared for.

Surrounding you, and as far as you can see, are fields—the ones nearest the cottage growing crops, or planted with flowers, and then further out, wild grasses as high as your head, swaying quietly in the light breeze. There's a little birdsong, if you sit still and listen long enough.

You must be at least a day's walk if not more away from any other settlements, towns—civilization in general. And yet, someone clearly still lives here.

Regardless of what direction you intended to go, the door opens with a swish of wood creaking against wood a moment later—and a familiar face pokes her head out.

Re: THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

"Oh! I wasn't expecting you at all," says Shrike Plucks the Thorn from her Chest. "I'm not ready for guests, but..."

She smiles, gently. "I'm so glad you're here. Make yourself at home."

Re: THE ROAD

[aboyandhiscar]

[aaaaaaaaaaaaaah when you have no concept of fields and and farms and forests and haven't really seen any before outside of the parks of Imeeji THIS IS ALL DISORIENTING


SALUTES!!]

--Hey! Hey Shrike, fancy meeting you here!

THE COTTAGE

[softlyfalling]

You head inside the cottage, following Shrike. The decoration's pretty sparse—mostly limited to a little wooden board next to the door where she's pinned up what looks like letters and photos and clippings. There's a number of little gifts on a side table there, too, partially-opened—like they came from visitors.

It's really... mostly one room—a small table for eating in the center of the room, with one chair at it and a few others pushed to the side, out of the way.

A curtained-off area looks like it has a sleeping mat and a small chest of drawers behind it. The only other real room is through a door to the side with a kitchen.

"Like I said, er... I know it's not much, but I'll pull out the rest of the chairs and I'll put the kettle on..."

Re: THE COTTAGE

[aboyandhiscar]

[oh no its cute. lets out a whistle as he steps thru]

Woah, this is a contrast to the dorms, yeah? I like it, real down to earth. I'm not thirsty or nothin', so don't worry about fixing up something.

[gonna look at the wooden board tho--are there cute pics??]

Re: THE COTTAGE

[maidenheaven]

It's wonderful, though?

Ah—please let me help!

Re: THE COTTAGE

[composeur]

[ what's that he's already beelining towards the wooden board to Be Nosey ]

... I don't need a chair, but tea sounds great! [ is dream caffeine as effective as real caffeine ]

THE FARM & GARDEN

[softlyfalling]

The actual growable area is pretty modest—there's a bed of bok choy, and some wheat, and herbs like cilantro and green onions. Tomatoes, a small field of soybeans... the kinds of things you need to be self-sufficient.

Near the edge of the growing area, there's a tidy area with tools put away—a hoe, a rake, a small scythe for cutting crops, a shovel, shears. All in good shape. In some cases, rather sharp edges.

In the yard, there's also a well, with a single wooden bucket swaying in the wind.

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[aboyandhiscar]

[WOW HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT MOST OF THESE ARE

time to get a sharp object!!]

I reeeeally should get that sword power soon. Alright so--scissors, I guess? [getting some SHEARS??]

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[maidenheaven]

[ examining the tools before he goes to the well, peering down it just to see how far it goes ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ overhead, the sky darkens, slightly—getting a little more overcast. sort of like a storm might be coming, but hours away. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ the ground shakes, for a solid minute, almost like an earthquake, and there's a horrible screeching sound that is then silent. ]

THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL, I GUESS

[softlyfalling]

[ i didn't think anyone would go here.

you're in a dark place, surrounded by water up to your knees, maybe. surrounding you are... monuments, maybe, or statues, impossibly high for how far you think you fell. looking at them feels... wrong... in a way that makes your head swim. ]

Re: THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL, I GUESS

[maidenheaven]

[ tugging the bucket's rope to make sure it's still tied up there, before looking around to . . .

. . .

ohhh i don't like that

shining his phone light onto them anyway, trying to fight through the ocean head ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ there's a lightning bolt across the sky—no, maybe a crack?

you can see the maidens and the rest of the stars above in the blackness of night. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ there's a sort of... rumbling, like thunder in the distance, and the sky darkens a bit more. ]

THE KITCHEN

[softlyfalling]

[ This is...

...a surprisingly nice kitchen, given how rustic everything else is. In fact, it looks just like the avante en garde kitchen, complete with cleverly disguised microwave and weird cauldron.

There's a set of very nice-looking cooking utensils, including a rather nice knife block, a robust array of spices, and a pretty deep pantry. Anything an amateur chef could want, really.

A pot is boiling on the stove, steaming lightly, next to some tofu in the process of straining.. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ there's a CRACK, and all outside natural sounds stop. the sky has more and more of those cracks in it, showing through the dark of the night sky. ]

OUTSIDE

[softlyfalling]

[ hey, so

when you step outside the cottage, now—or off the little porch, or maybe you're already outside and experienced this—

the world has kind of fallen away, leaving everything empty... not to the black of nothingness, but even the black of the night sky has cracked through to a blank white everything. Like an empty canvas. ]

Re: OUTSIDE

[calmthefoxdown]

This feels really bad but I'm going to assume it's good.

Re: OUTSIDE

[aboyandhiscar]

[yay gonna walk with Shri--oh]


Huh. That's new.

Re: OUTSIDE

[composeur]

[ ............

i wanna compose ]

Wow, how fitting-- a blank canvas! The perfect starting point!

Re: OUTSIDE

[maidenheaven]

. . . No rain yet, then?