【EVENT】 New Year's Wishful Dreaming

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Wishful Dreaming Event

On the Eve of the New Year, the city of Starsand is surprisingly quiet. For a place so eager to throw parties, you might think that the streets would be full of life. But instead, Starsand’s streets are quiet and it’s citizens shutting down shops early. In this city, the last night of the year is contemplative and quiet. Citizens might make their last shrine visits, but it’s uncommon to see them out past 11.

They say that it’s important to fall asleep before the New Year, because you want to treasure your first dream of the New Year. Supposedly it’s lucky and prophetic. If you write it down and remember it, that dream can even guide you to your greatest desire. And rumors are always good ideas in Starsand.

Sleep comes easy on this night. Characters will find themselves getting drowsy by 4am at the latest. When they do fall asleep, they fall into a deep and elaborate dream.

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OOC NOTES

The first dream of the New Year will show characters their wishes come true. They will get to enjoy the life they long for. But strangely, they may find other Fallen Stars wandering into their dreams. These encounters may shake them out of their dreamlike state and make them aware that the dream is just that: A dream. If the dreamer denies their dream or has doubts, then the dreamscape will fall apart into a nightmare before both dreamer and visitor wake up.

It is possible to have multiple dreams: Characters must wake between dreams, even if just briefly, then fall back asleep in order to change their dream. There can be multiple visitors before the dream ends for good.

On the morning of January 1st, all characters who had a dream will find a prismatic crystal clenched in the palm of their hands. The crystal will reflect the contents of their dream, so long as they hold the same wish. If they change wishes or lose faith, then the crystal will turn black and melt into Rumor goo.

NPC characters may reply to dreams with clues. Please indicate which characters you want to receive clues by putting a “*” in their toplevel title. You may request clues for up to 3 characters. Thank you for your help!

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Comments

[tapformana]

... You said if I tell you my weakness, you'll tell me weaknesses of the Wishmaker, right?

[fallenwishingstar]

As best that I can, yes. If not them, then I do know many of the others’ weaknesses.

[tapformana]

Wait, there's others?! It's not just the one?!

[fallenwishingstar]

Yes. It was not only the Fallen Stars whose dreams I have seen. I saw the dreams of the thing’s employers as well.

[tapformana]

That's awful... Why do so many different people want to ruin this place?

[fallenwishingstar]

They don't think of it as 'ruining' but as 'improving.'

... That one was for free.

[tapformana]

You're sweet.

[She sighs.]

It's... hard to talk about this, you know?

[fallenwishingstar]

If you call people like me such things, then they will lose meaning.

And of course it’s hard. If it wasn’t, you would know much more.

[tapformana]

It's true, though.

Do you know much about other worlds?

[fallenwishingstar]

Of course not.

Spirits cannot speak. We cannot ask questions. We cannot even turn the pages of books to enjoy fiction or learning.

I don’t know much of anything.

[tapformana]

I guess... that would make sense.

Do you know what guns are, at least?

[The dreamscape around them flickers, going dark...]

[fallenwishingstar]

… Yes. Humans use them in the place of magic.

cw: gun violence

[tapformana]

... I wonder about that. Magic always seemed like something wonderful...

[The dream fades, and returns. No longer is it a fantastic world, but it's a crowded building... A bank?]

When I was really little, I was out with my family. I don't remember it well... where we were going, or why we had stopped there... but, at the bank...

[Sounds of gunshots, and shouting. A man in a mask holds a small child at gunpoint- Voice distorted, to the point where it sounds more like the roaring of a monster. Demands for money. A car. Threatening that child to stop crying.

The dream's perspective is difficult to understand if one isn't familiar with dreams. It's simultaneously something watched from outside... and from inside, from the perspective of the child. At least, it's obvious who the child is.]

cw: gun violence

[fallenwishingstar]

[Her expression is unchanging, even as violence surrounds her. She has no fear anymore. Just an expressionless set of eyes glowing through shadow.]

… I understand.

You wish to trade this image… for an image from another dream? It may not be pleasant.

[tapformana]

... If it will help me help people.

I don't want to hide away forever. I've been too scared for so long... I'm still scared. But if I can help others, then... I'll do what I have to do.

[fallenwishingstar]

… In that case, then. A dream for a nightmare.

[Darkness expands from the girl, until it has swallowed the entire dream. Her form vanishes into the darkness. Even her eyes are completely gone.

When light returns, Tap is in a modern, non-magical version of Starsand City. Everything seems at peace and normal, until all of the televisions— even some electronic billboards— light up with a video. It shows a teenage brunette, who looks suspiciously like the kami of love;

”Magic is real! Spirits and kami are real! And I’ll prove it to you!”

A video begins to play on every smartphone held by every citizen of the city. And the more it is played, the more spirits become visible. Slowly, the city itself begins to mold into the version that Tap would know; Pastel colours, jeweled buildings, and glittering spirits filling the air.

But dark cracks begin to splinter across the structures. The Rumor’s voice echos in a whisper, fading fast:]

In this experiment, they learned how to use a kami to create an entire city… and to change the world.

They took the only one who loved us… and they used her.

This is why I hate this city. And this is why I will gladly help that person to destroy it and free the one who tried to save us.

[tapformana]

... I don't understand...

[Tap's brows furrow. She's starting to understand it. Sort of.

She needs to talk to Satou, huh?

But she doesn't understand, at the same time.]

You're saying... Satou-san was used?

[fallenwishingstar]

[She shrugs.]

That’s just what I saw. That someone’s dream was like this.

It makes sense. We’re all puppets to them. Why would she be any different?

[tapformana]

... But you want to save her.

I'll help you. But there has to be another way beyond destroying this city... There's a way for everyone to be happy. I know there is!

So, for your sake, too, I'll save her.

[fallenwishingstar]

… I doubt it. I can’t believe in such things anymore.

But if you find struggling fun, then by all means… ah.

[Her voice begins to fade;]

It seems… my time is up.

[tapformana]

Already...? You can't stay longer?

[fallenwishingstar]

[There is no answer.

But the scene of Starsand City, with cracks running down the streets and along buildings, remains for some time longer. Until the videos that replayed the footage of the young kami of love turn black.

Then the city crumbles into dust. All five levels, collapsing horribly on each other when they don't have a grand power to support them. Once the dust settles, Tap's dream will return to normal.]