TDM 003

[erkumods]

TDM 003: #BEACHBUMS

I. BEACH Welcome arrivals, new and old! The skies on Erku may be perpetually gray, but the weather has taken a sudden turn to summertime heat. Fortunately, soaring temperatures have chased away more of the strange fog that conceals so much of the island, unveiling a charming, sandy cove dotted here and there with rustic love shacks. These shabby little lean-tos are dusty and sparse, but they provide everything one (or two, wink wink) might need for a little relief from the sun. Just don’t wander too far... that fog has memory-loss properties. II. DRINKS The 'bots are very apologetic about the whole fog incident, and they are trying to get on the new arrivals' good sides by giving out fancy drinks. Of course, they still haven't mastered the art of making things properly, so each drink has a little something... extra. Geloso: Has a slightly bitter, yet refreshing herbal taste... and it will make you feel inexplicably envious of virtually anything, to a petty degree! Be it someone else’s shoes or their incredibly muscular physique, you’re jealous enough to tell them about it! Colpito: Fruity and sweet like candy. If you drink this, you will feel hopelessly infatuated with the very next person who catches your eye! Vivace: Delightfully tart, with a flavor somewhere between citrus and raspberry. This summery drink will fill you with bubbly energy. Whether you’re feeling flirty or just mischievous and playful, you’ve never felt more alive! Verace: Creamy, earthy, and a little nutty - the flavor is hard to describe, but delicious. After drinking this, you’ll feel strangely compelled to spill something you’ve been keeping a secret, no matter how incriminating or embarrassing. Conoscere: The robots are especially excited about this flavor! They’ve heard organic beings enjoy chocolate, and hope you like their first attempt (it’s a little bitter, but it is chocolatey). Those who drink this will feel incredibly confident and sensual. Better yet, if you share it with a partner - which the 'bots encourage you to do - you’ll find that every touch is enhanced, and every sensation is shared between the two of you. A lucky few may even be able to sense one another’s thoughts! III. SNACKS Lo! As you ask, the Augur shall provide. Thanks to the efforts of your organic predecessors in restoring the planet’s Eros energy, edible fishes and seaweeds have returned to the ponds and the shores of Erku. If you fancy yourself savvy to basic survival skills, why not fashion up a fishing rod and catch yourself dinner? Just be careful if you happen to hook one of the octopus creatures from the deeper waters - they can be quite forward with their tentacles! Or, if primitive angling isn’t in your repertoire, you can always trade some credits for a tasty catch from one of the food stalls along the coast. Most stalls are manned by 'bots, but there’s nothing stopping an enterprising arrival from setting up shop. No credits? No problem! The robots have also provided a bit of entertainment, and any volunteers to man the kissing booth, get dunked in the wet t-shirt dunk tank, or grill up some fish - among other opportunities - will find credits automatically loaded onto the payment app of their bracelet devices. The 'bots are recruiting especially hard for participants to work in the gloryhole tent! IV. SPARKLES As dusk descends, the white sands of the beach suddenly come alive with glittering lights. It’s as if the darkened waters have carried a thousand shining stars from the depths of the sea to the shores of the cove. In actuality, each little twinkle is a bioluminescent plankton or jellyfish! Feel free to wade among them and admire their shine; even the sting of the jellies won’t hurt you... though they do pack a different punch. The tentacles of the jellyfish elicit a powerful aphrodisiac response, which gets the heart racing and the blood pumping for an intimate touch. The effects come on within a matter of minutes, and last for a few hours. Only time will relieve the symptoms, but a partner will help to make it more bearable. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

[canceller]

It draws a smile across his lips, but softer than usual. After everything today, it's warming to be continually, pleasantly surprised by the graciousness of strangers.

"A very noble consideration to take. I certainly appreciate it," Jeremiah offers in turn. Looking out for each other was their best means of survival, even if some of the other ways it could manifest are suspect, at best. "May I ask your name?"

[bitterfrost]

"I could do nothing less." His voice is even, fingers curled in his robes for a moment before his grip relaxes.

"Song Zichen, but Song daozhang or just daozhang is what most people call me."

[canceller]

Jeremiah watches these small movements, but thinks little of them. He's simply observing, something he didn't always have the patience for before, rash in his judgments of others and faster to act upon it.

If it's discomfort of a kind, he doesn't mind it. Everyone seems to have a different way of adapting to life here.

"Thank you, Song Zichen. It's a pleasure to meet you," he feels better after saying it properly. Laying a hand over his heart, he tips forward the slightest. "My name is Jeremiah Gottwald."

[bitterfrost]

The gesture is unfamiliar, the name even more so, but he does bow in response, the movement respectful.

"Jeremiah Gottwald, it's nice to meet you as well."

[canceller]

It's equal parts a whim and a habitual offer of his service, in turn. Simple as the favor was, he feels a little indebted. Had someone been there to caution him earlier, he could have avoided everything else he should have. The consideration to spare him goes a long way.

Jeremiah hums softly in acknowledgement. "It's affirming to find so many of the inhabitants of this place willing to look out for each other. A sensible strategy, yes, but reassuring nonetheless."

[bitterfrost]

"Nobody deserves the kind of humiliation this place can inflict." His voice is quiet, gaze drifting to the water again before he lets his eyes close again.

"...What did you do before you arrived here?"

[canceller]

He lets it go at that as well, knowing he needn't agree aloud for Zichen to know he assuredly would. Looking away, he finds himself drawn to the lights in the water, like a moth. Beauty and danger entangled themselves here, he'll remember that.

There's what he thinks of when he considers his own place in life, but doesn't answer with it. It's not what he's left behind, what he still feels most bereft of. "I was a farmer. I had an orange orchard."

[bitterfrost]

"Farming is an admirable profession." He knows if he opens his eyes, he'll be drawn to the water, to the lights and it's something he doesn't want to give in to another aspect of this place.

"I wandered around helping people." More or less.

[canceller]

He gives a soft laugh, feeling a little deceptive for it. "I hadn't always been one, admittedly. But it drew me for virtues such as that."

Jeremiah's still not tired on his feet, but decides to seat himself within that comfortable distance. "Helping them how so?" he inquires, sure there's more to it than that.

[bitterfrost]

"Even so." Song Lan watches him sit, gaze drifting back to the water after a moment.

"Dealing with the monsters and fierce corpses that tend to plague different areas." More or less anyway.

[canceller]

Interest perks his brow, his own home mostly devoid of such things. It's not the first source he's heard something like it from, though neither can he assume them to be related. Demons and monsters... they exist in his world, but largely within the hearts of men, not as beings unto themselves.

"I see," he muses. "I would imagine that takes quite a specialized hand to do."

[bitterfrost]

"Anyone who cultivates can do it, but power levels do tend to vary from person to person. The great sects handle their own territories generally, but there are also cultivators like myself who aren't affiliated." He glances over at Jeremiah.

[canceller]

The movement in his periphery draws his attention, looking over to meet his gaze, not having entirely expected it. The words don't all register fully, but he's still intent in listening.

"So it's not an uncommon practice, 'cultivating?" he asks, simply curious. It doesn't sound like the literal sense he's used to.

[bitterfrost]

"Not uncommon, no. There are sects and temples all over the country for people who choose to pursue the path of the cultivator, if you have the aptitude for it." He meets Jeremiah's gaze for a moment before turning his attention back to the water.

"There's the eventual goal of obtaining immortality, but it's a rare accomplishment."

[canceller]

A path leading to everlasting life. It's a cosmetic appearance, but once again, the thread is there.

"No doubt it would be, to reach such a place," he muses again, then picks his head up slightly. "Immortality exists where I come from, but it's also infrequent and not gained easily. Perhaps with reason."

It's also not as noble, it sounds, in its impact on people, but he bites that detail back.