fortiscormod: (Default)
Fortis Cor Mod ([personal profile] fortiscormod) wrote in [community profile] fortiscor2023-03-21 01:26 pm

TDM #1

"Well, good morning, Sleepy Head,"


The voice was sweet and pleasant on the ears. You open your eyes to find a smiling face looking down at you. A face that looks human enough. Two eyes, a nose and a mouth, all in the right places. But something feels off about it... "We've been waiting for you to wake. It's about time!" The nurse, for now that she's moved away you realise that she is indeed dressed how you would imagine a nurse would be dressed, continues to talk and fuss about the room. In doing this, she explains:
❝You've been asleep for such a long time! Several years ago there was an Event that caused many people to fall into deep, deep sleeps. Some woke within days or weeks of their fall, but there were some, like yourself, who have been asleep for so much longer. It's hard to tell just how long you have slept, and I fear the world you remember is very different now, but we are here to help you through your transition from Dream World to the Waking World.❞
The nurse leaves and you are left alone. You will find that even though you have been in a coma for years, you are as physically fit as you remember. Any injuries you believed you had are gone now, as if they were never there. At the foot of the bed are clothes and any items you own. Take them. Go. The urge will take you. Once you leave, you will find you can not enter the hospital again, nor can you quite remember how you got out in the first place. All you can remember is the strangely haunting nurse and her words...





Welcome to Williamsburg!



The town before you is a hodgepodge of colour and style. No two houses are exactly the same. Some made of wood, or brick or even strange metals. Some are no more than holes in the ground. But all are warm and welcoming inside and not many are inhabited. In fact you'll find that the town itself isn't that populated at all. The busiest place is Main Street. Here you will find all the shops you need. From food to beauty and fashion and furnishings for home and garden, there is a café selling the most delicious of sweets and a pub that never closes. The Main Street is the place to be, if there is something you are lacking. And it is only a hop, skip and a jump from the Hospital and around the corner from everywhere else.

[The Nowhere Inn] is the local watering hole where you can come and share a drink with a friend. Or, if just passing through, spend the night. Here you will be greeted by Bert, the owner and bartender. A seven foot tall bear of a man with a magnificent beard and a loud, booming voice! And a desire to one day create a cocktail that will take the world by storm. It's just a shame that not all of his little experiments hit the mark... Newcomers to the town will be offered a drink on the house. Choose wisely, as some of these drinks can often come with side effects, both good and bad.
Apricot Smash: A refreshing glass of fruit squash. Made from the concentrated juice of a sour and sweet type of apricot, this is a simple and thirst quenching kind of drink. If asked nicely, this can also be made into a slushie! Anyone who tries this deliciously fruity drink will find themselves enjoying a chance to dance and/or sing at any given opportunity. (Side effect: It can cause insomnia.)
Lemongrass Twilight: Made from spicy and sour lemongrass syrup, this mildly alcoholic drink is served in a tall glass with round, purple coloured balls of ice. The drink is a swirling green, yellow and purple colour. Those who try this drink will find themselves feeling very mellow and warm and more inclined to feelings of affection. (Side effect: It can cause headaches.)
Mint Blast: Pale blue-green with light swirls and served in a wine glass. The drink is heavy on the mint and light on the alcohol, with even a little sprig of it resting on the rim of the glass. Drinking this will leave you feeling a chilled and shivery. A nice cuddle should soothe those chills away. (Side effect: It causes sleepiness in the drinker.)
Blue Smooch: This drink is a deep blue with white, creamy foam atop. The drink smells like chocolate and tastes wonderful. It leaves the drinker feeling happy and optimistic, almost childlike. (Side effect: It is rumoured to cause truthfulness in the drinker.)
Burning Wine: Pale gold with yellow-orange swirls, this mulled wine is served in a clear glass mug and tastes like cinnamon and oranges, with a hint of chili. It has a nice, warming burn as it goes down. This drink will put a fire in your belly and keep you toasty and warm through the cold nights. It may also make drinkers a little more amorous than usual. (Side effect: It can sometimes cause tingling and numbness in the extremities.)
Frosted Starlight: Sapphire with silver flecks and glittering sugar around the rim of the glass. This is an intoxicating alcoholic drink that is only served in the evening and at night. The drink itself smells like coconut yet there is no coconut within the drink. The taste is almost floral, with a slight hint of grape. Those who have tried this drink often find themselves with the brief ability to touch another and see their surface thoughts. (Side effect: It can cause blackouts.)

[Sugar ‘n Spice Café] is a peculiar place. From the outside it looks like any other store front, but as you enter and the little bell tinkles, you will find the interior to be bright and open. Warm colours and bright lighting, and from somewhere soft music is always playing. A very modern sort of café selling a wide selection of handmade sweets and pastries as well as an espresso machine.
For the next month, if you come in for a hot drink you can have your choice of their specially made, homemade cheesecake free of charge. Subject to availability, of course.
Roasted strawberries and cream cheesecake: Made with a chocolate biscuit base, sumptuous strawberries and homemade cream.
Coconut cheesecake with lime and passionfruit sauce: This zesty citrus cheesecake has a buttery base, creamy coconut filling and fruity lime and passionfruit sauce.
Triple choc upside-down cheesecake: The name may say upside-down, but this cake looks right side up to us! Juicy raspberries give it a fresh bite and for the chocoholics - oozing sauce.
Gingernut cheesecake tart with sticky maple pears: A creamy cheesecake with high visual impact for that special dessert finale to your dinner party.

● For those looking to add a little something extra to their wardrobe, they'd be best heading to [Dreams Come True Boutique]. For the month of April the clothing store will be offering all new arrivals free vouchers for up to three new outfits of their choosing. Within reason, of course. But most all of the clothes here are decently priced with an odd array of fashions from the very old fashioned to near futuristic.

[Linlae Botanical Gardens] resides not far from Main Street. Part of the gardens are covered, housed within a large green house, but most of the gardens are outside and easily accessed. There is much to see here, from the [Hedgemaze] with the secret gazebo at it's centre, [Hanging Gardens] and the weeping willows reaching into the waters of a large koi pond. If you're lucky you might see a large white carp, said to be 2,000 years old by the name of Etherus. Who knows how long he'd lived in that pond, but they say if you catch sight of him it's a sign of good luck. And if you manage to see him during a full moon, he may grant you a wish.
There are benches all over, places to sit and take in the peace. But don't expect much quiet, the twittering of birds is a near constant companion within these gardens.

[A Home]. As you explore you will realise that you're going to need somewhere to stay the night. Of course you could always go to The Nowhere Inn and wait until morning, or you could just... open a door.
87% of the houses within the town of Williamsburg is vacant, and well maintained, for many years. These houses wait for someone to come and bring life into them. Inside your pocket you will find a key. If your key doesn't fit the lock, that house is occupied, so find another. When you finally open a door, you'll notice that the key has changed subtly. That key is now unique and can be used only for this house. It is yours.
Some houses come fully furnished, some might need some work. You might even be surprised to find that the house is one that looks vaguely familiar...





A Familiar View


It may have been immediate or it may take days for you to notice, but when you do...

The memories of your Dream World are coming back to you. It doesn't feel much like a dream at all. Those things that happened, those feelings you had, all seemed so real!

And then you find it.

It could be something as simple as a book, or as large as a building. You know this thing. This thing has been pulled directly from your memories, whether those memories are good or bad is entirely up to you. But there it is, as large as life, right in front of your eyes. What does this mean? Which world is real and which isn't? How did these things from that other world make it into this?
This is your chance to explore this new addition to Williamsburg. Maybe you will find the answers you seek? Or maybe you will be left with more questions. Just know that you aren't alone. It seems that almost everything in this world was pulled from another, brought here by 'others', and left here.

Maybe this new landmark, or item, leaves you with a warm feeling and questions are the last thing on your mind? Perhaps you would like to share with your friends, or even a perfect stranger, the joy that this thing brings you? Tell them your story. Share with them it's the history. Or maybe the feelings attached are feelings of anger, of horror and fear? Misery does love company, so don't go through with this trip down memory lane alone.





Down the Rabbit Hole


It starts with something small shifting around you. Maybe it’s a door or window, but as you walk down the street things take a turn for the bizarre. It’s far too late to escape by the time you notice the buildings themselves bleeding into the sky or folding back onto themselves.

You are stuck in The Corridor now.

And you appear to be alone. Or are you? As the buildings creak in protest you seem to hear footsteps. Is that a fellow waylaid traveler?

Before you can determine the direction of the sounds, one thing becomes clear to you: these homes and businesses, all that brick and mortar, seem to be closing in on you…

It is a gradual squeeze but you can tell that if you don’t get out of there you’ll eventually be crushed. As you explore this place where time and gravity seem to have lost all meaning and your senses may even betray you, you search for a way out or an end to this madness and that is when you finally realize that the buildings are taking shape according to your will. The more you panic, the more claustrophobic and chaotic things become. But if you remain calm and focus your attention you find you can tame the buildings back into their original shapes and places. Of course, it helps if you have a partner.
cultivatingdisaster: Icon By: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (04)

[personal profile] cultivatingdisaster 2023-04-21 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
[There was an amused curve of Xie Lians lips and he shook his head.]

I haven't been here long. But I usually keep to myself.

[It's usually easier that way. His bad luck would only hinder himself then.]
godzen: (Eyepatch trolling)

[personal profile] godzen 2023-04-24 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Welcome, then. May I ask why?

[ Aizen tucks the crumpled bag somewhere into the folds of his garments. He looks for all the world as if he's just making casual conversation and not meticulously filing away every detail. ]
cultivatingdisaster: Icon By: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (02)

[personal profile] cultivatingdisaster 2023-04-24 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[Why...? Xie Lian smiled politely as he considered just how to answer that.]

You could say that bad luck tends to follow me.

[Staying anywhere for more than a few years was usually a very bad idea and made it more likely something terrible would happen. If he didn't just walk in on it blindly in the first place.]

I'm a wanderer by nature. Collecting scrap from all over the country, where I'm from.
godzen: (Gently)

[personal profile] godzen 2023-05-04 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh? All your own?

[ Aizen chuckled a little. ]

In my experience, there are always those who seek to interfere with others. I wonder then if you'll find more peace here than you imagined.

[ The koi had finished feeding and were themselves dispersing to their own ends at this point. ]

What are you looking for?

[ Aizen's gaze was for the fish, but his question was for the other man. ]
cultivatingdisaster: Icon By: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (96)

[personal profile] cultivatingdisaster 2023-05-04 11:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Most often than not, yes.

[There had been times when he had a companion or two, someone who walked with him for a time. Never more than a few years. But those few times and few years were nothing much to the other 800 when he had spent his time alone.

Xie Lian watched the fish with a faint smile, nodding slowly. He didn't deliberately or actively seek out to interfere with others. Sometimes it just... happened. Usually without much input from himself.]


Peace. Isn't that what all beings look for? Peace. Happiness. Somewhere to belong.

[Xie Lian sounded almost wistful then, but his smile was still calm and friendly and his gaze steady as he looked out at the pond.]
godzen: (Eyepatch confidence)

[personal profile] godzen 2023-05-05 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
Belief. It is the nature of all living things to find some being greater than themselves and place their trust in that being, following it blindly. In order to escape from the pressure of that trust, those beings seek a still greater entity in which to believe, and those greater beings too seek still greater, still stronger beings to follow. This is how all kings come to be, and this is how all gods are born.

[ Aizen fell silent. These were the exact words he once said to Shinji, and he still knew them to be true. He also knew that he would one day sit atop the heavens. It was only a matter of time, and he had that in abundance. ]

I hope you find your peace here.
cultivatingdisaster: Icon By: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (96)

[personal profile] cultivatingdisaster 2023-05-06 11:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[Xie Lian looked over at the man in surprise, his eyes widening just a touch before softening some. There was a small huff of a laugh before the Crown Prince turned his head away to gaze out over the pond once more.]

Is that how it is in your world? Chasing strength and power and expecting more and more for an unattainable goal? The higher one climbs, the further they have to fall. And those at the top... they tend to live a lonely life...

You aren't wrong that the common people all want to have something to believe in. But it is the role of a god to serve the people. All are equal. Gods are humans. They are born human and they ascend human. If we fall, we are still human. If we lose that humanity and believe we are above them, then do we really deserve having followers? Do we deserve to be believed in? I don't think so.
godzen: (Assessing)

[personal profile] godzen 2023-05-08 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ It was Aizen's turn to look at the other man. He didn't show any of his surprise. There was only interest, presumably in what he was saying. ]

Is that how it is in your world?

[ Aizen smiled as he returned his fellow god's words. He didn't let on that the man had basically just confirmed what he already knew about him. That wasn't important right now. ]

And if we were never human to being with? If they don't even know we exist? What then?

[ Not entirely true, but Aizen was making a point. He let the silence stretch a moment before resuming. ]

Nothing is unattainable, my dear fellow. That is the talk of a defeated man.
cultivatingdisaster: Icon By: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (96)

[personal profile] cultivatingdisaster 2023-05-11 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
My world is very different from yours, I feel. Godhood is something that can be attained by almost anyone, within reason. Though hard work or heroic actions and great sacrifice.

But... [Xie Lian paused for a moment before he sighed.]... my opinions are my own. [And how his world worked and how he wished it would work were two different things. But he wouldn't say a bad word against his fellow Heavenly Officials.

He glanced to the side, one dark brow rising.]


Then where does your power come from, if not from your worshipers?

[Xie Lian avoided the 'defeated man' comment. He had been knocked down many times, and had always struggled back to his feet. Power was not something he sought or desired, so carrying on that line of conversation seemed pointless to him.]
godzen: (Lured)

[personal profile] godzen 2023-05-30 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
So it seems. [ But what an interesting world it must be for regular humans to ascend to godhood all based on the power of belief, as Aizen gathered. Such intraspecies dynamics were always of high interest to him and of the many worlds he had learned about since coming here, he marked this one for a visit once he put his mind to escaping this place. ]

That is a complicated topic. In simplest terms, it is our own power.

[ While Aizen could monologue at length about the nuances of the Shinigami/Zanpakutou relationship as well as the benefits of dissolving the barriers between species for evolutionary purposes, now was not the time. Not when his fellow god just handed him a golden opportunity. ]

Hm. It might be better to show you. If you'd like.

[ Aizen nonchalantly raised Kyouka Suigetsu, preparing to unsheathe it. Once this man saw its release he would be subject to his illusion powers and thus become one more in a long line of pawns and toys. ]