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

[necrocabbage]

[Trahearne takes a look out at the beach, with a hum of assent. This place was quite different from the war-torn jungle he'd arrived here from. Still, lacking obvious signs of battle didn't mean that there weren't other problems to be had.]

Whether it's a punishment or not, finding some way to return home of our own power seems more reliable than depending on the Augur to decide to do it for us.

[At that question, Trahearne offers him a little smile.]

The chaos magic that mesmers wield make it possible for them to open portals, for example. Those are normally short-range, but that is one form of expertise that could aid us here. I'm afraid that my own studies focused on necromancy, which is far less useful in this situation.

[vegalthon]

[That causes Oran to laugh outright, nervous and maybe a little defensive.]

"Over my dead body," right?

I'd like to hear if you find some of these mesmer people. Everyone I've met with magic uses it to, I don't know... stash fishing rods in invisible pockets, or find out what somebody's true name is. Or throw a fireball at something. I've heard of portals, or teleportation, or even different planes, but I thought it was only lost... lost civilizations that had that kind of power.

[He'll refrain from mentioning anyone in specific; nobody he knows has even heard of his home city, let alone the greats!]

In the meantime, do you... do you eat and drink? Or is the sun enough?

[necrocabbage]

[Trahearne comes from a place where necromancy is more acceptable, so he's not sure what to make of that nervousness.] Not always over bodies, [is all he says in reply, vague as it is. ]

Has it been so easily lost? I must admit that I find the idea disturbing, though I can see how it's possible. Mesmers have always been more secretive than other spellcasters tend to be, and also more picky about who they take as students.

[It's his last question that makes Trahearne smile again, amused. How long has it been since he's been asked that question? Some fifteen years?] I'm afraid I need more nourishment than the sun! I can eat and drink everything that humans do, if that helps.

[vegalthon]

It's either mesmers, or we're going to have to figure out how to set up a portal between everyone here. I can't see that going well.

[Oran gestures towards the row of stands, then, a quick nod of his head that exposes a better view of one of his lower horns. He's happy to leave the thought of bodies and souls for... for a day that isn't sunny and beautiful and definitely a bit of a trap.]

I don't know if it'll help, but some of the stuff the robots offer can be edible, if you need it. I hear sometimes they can make a person feel funny, so... you know. You're warned now.

I'm Oran, by the way.

[Trahearne is interesting; not human is a plus, but also strange in a way he's never seen before. He's weird, certainly, but not any stranger than Oran feels in this place. And he's not nervous at all, which means he probably has a lot of skills he's not putting out there. The necromancy is... it's iffy, but Oran knows there are druids who specialize in winding plants against their own better inclinations. Maybe this is a little bit of that??

In any case, he's one of the most pleasant new arrivals the tiefling has yet met, so he's happy to extend the invitation for a longer talk.]

[necrocabbage]

Never give up hope. There may yet be some technique or source of magic to be found here that could be put to good use.

[Granted, Trahearne doesn't yet know the full situation yet, but that kind of discouragement just wouldn't do if it's important for the people here to return to their homes. He might have his own reservations about if he could at all do the same, but for now it seems better to keep that to himself.]

Thank you for letting me know. It may not affect me the same way, but I'll still be careful should I come across a ro-bot. [He's still thinking of the metal constructs as golems, even if they aren't the kind he's used to seeing.]

Well met, Oran. My name is Trahearne.

[vegalthon]

[The encouragement causes Oran's tail to swish—not in anxiety, but in appreciation. It's rare that he meets someone who's so positive in the face of uncertain odds. And trust, friend: Oran's still thinking of them as 'constructs.' He's only adapted to the new word to please the general population.

He gives a bow, respectful because he has learned that he hates handshakes.]

Well, if I learn of anything useful, I'll be in touch. And... in the meantime, if you need help with anything, you should be able to find me.

[Cue a crashcourse in bracelet coordinate exchange. Oran is by no means a technical expert, but he's a fast learner. A very rough map of the city appears, the work of others that has been shared around. He points to a row of buildings a little east of the hospital.]