ercookies | TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER

TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER

Arrival

This time, you come out of the water, the Nameless Island's own inherent energy drawing people in. It's like being suspended between realities and abruptly pushed from behind through a rift in dimensions. It may make you sick, or that might be the motion of the ocean, lifting you to the surface and carrying you to shore.

Waterlogged and covered in sand, new arrivals will be greeted by robots who welcome them with towels and bracelet devices. The A5 card is already loaded up. Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see. Most of the buildings are abandoned and in dire need of repair, and beyond the city lingers a thick fog that obscures much of the wilderness from view. Wander too far into this fog, and you will find yourself mysteriously looping back to where you began, your memories of what you were doing and how you got there erased.

With that in mind, it may be wise to stake your claim on a rundown apartment, a tent on the beach, or a bed in the "comfortable" new barracks. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home.

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I. Harvest Hunt

As the daylight grows shorter and the muggy heat of the island’s summer gradually shifts to temperate days and chilly nights, Erku’s accessible wilderness explodes with a colorful collection of tempting fruits, fragrant-smelling herbs, and nuts and seeds plumped and ready for harvest. With warnings to beware of monsters, the robots of Erku encourage Islanders to take advantage of the land’s bounty by distributing basic camping supplies to those who are interested in exploring, hunting, and harvesting. They strongly encourage making the journey with a friend! Any surplus foods that Islanders bring home with them can be exchanged for credits with cafeteria robots! Just be careful out there - some of these fruits have strange effects once consumed.

For extra protection out there in the wilds, the robots have fashioned crowns of flowers or foliage to wear on their adventures. The sweet and herbal smells from the crowns will discourage most Erku-native monsters from approaching, they assure - this is ancient knowledge from the planet’s long-gone civilization, so it can’t be wrong!

What the robots don’t know is that the crowns have a deeper, more ritualistic purpose: after a few hours, the scent of flowers or herbs begins to awaken primal instincts within the wearer. Those who are wearing the foliage crowns feel overwhelmed by an urge to hunt, while those who wear the flower crowns delight in every opportunity to tease, outrun, and outwit the hunters. What happens when the chase ends? Well, that depends on the personalities and the chemistry between the hunters and their prey.

While the robots are very insistent on placing crowns atop the heads of any Islander they see, they aren’t stuck on in any way and they are easy to remove, which can prevent or break the hunting trance.

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II. seeds and sap

Of particularly high credit value, the robots explain, is an elusive flower known as the skull sunflower. It appears exactly as one might imagine: at the center of an otherwise innocuous, towering sunflower is the gruesome visage of an open-mouthed skull. Don’t worry, the flowers are harmless! Even if it’s strange how the empty-socketed eyes seem to follow your every move. And why is it that the teeth - which, on closer inspection, are actually the seeds of the flower - only seem to chatter when your back is turned?

Any Islander who can withstand their heebie-jeebies long enough to collect the petals and seeds from the flowers will fetch a handsome reward in credits upon exchange with the robots. Beware the sticky, blood-red sap that seeps from the eyes of each skull, however. Those who absorb too much through their skin will begin to hallucinate, visions of frightening or emotional events from their past dancing in the shadows. One might even mistakenly imagine that another Islander is someone they recognize from their past, someone who meant something to them - no matter whether that person is alive or dead in the present.

The hallucinogenic effects of the sap can last for hours, or they can be shortened by a dip in the public baths.

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III. Tarot

Night comes, and in the darkness, a robot sets up a table by the beach. A solitary candle sits in the center, illuminating a deck of cards. F̶i̴n̵d̸ ̸y̶o̸u̸r̵ ̵f̵o̸r̷t̵u̶n̶e̷?̴

The robot reveals tarot cards and will do a variety of spreads to tell your fortune. Each fortune can be distilled into one central theme, which characters will find pervades their life for the next 24 hours. There is magic afoot: it can be sensed, and perhaps even dispelled, if luck is on your side.

Though most robots on the island show a capacity for greater-than-average artificial intelligence, this pseudo-psychic 'bot -- M.S. Cl30 -- is less advanced. It only has six interpretations prepared:

Always watch your back. - Characters will be compelled to walk, or even speak, backwards for the duration of the day. Those who mishear it as "wash your back" may spend longer in the shower than usual.
Fake it til you make it. - Characters will feel compelled to act performatively. They will more readily fall into acts for serious or flirtatious roleplay, or try on costumes that reflect a particular persona they're interested in exploring. Faked orgasms will seem quite realistic.
You will receive an affectionate letter from a friend. - Just as it is said, someone will be compelled to engage in correspondence - and whether it turns dirty or not, well, that's up to you! Characters may also quite literally receive an article of clothing with a red letter sewn on the top. What could it stand for?
Hold on tight. - Characters who are given this life advice will start to feel rather clingy. They'll attach themselves to someone's side and refuse to leave, or they may find a "security blanket" item and won't let it go.
You are a generous, giving person. - Characters will feel compelled to do something kind for someone else. Maybe they'll invite someone to the movies, come over and cook, or do that thing their partner is always asking for.
Don't think. Feel. - Even if they weren't before, characters temporarily experience impulsive and hot-headed urges. They will also become very tactile.

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't know, you look rather fond of that tree.

[Quite the predicament you've found yourself in, Finn. Rufus finds the situation rather amusing but doesn't make any move to help just yet. The massive black guard hound by his side slowly approaches with her ears up with curiosity before Rufus gives her a silent gesture to sit.]

We have a term where I come from for this- tree-hugging. It shows you're very passionate about the environment. Which is noble even though this doesn't seem to be your homeworld.

[He can't help but tease Finn despite the situation, just for his own amusement.]

It's alright, you can let go though. I promise you the tree is not in any danger.

[ Finn leans away from the... dog? Is that a dog? Either way, there's only so far he can go before she sits and allows him to relax.

That just leaves Finn focusing on the new guy, Mr. Funny Man. ]

As much passionate as I am about all living things- [ Listen, he knows himself. ] -somehow, I didn't think the tree needed my moral support. I can't- I can't let go. I'm stuck.

[ He tries again even though he'll be a bit mortified if he finds himself able to let go now. Alas, it still doesn't work. ]

I'm sure there is a story about how you managed to get stuck to the tree. You'll have to tell me it once you get free.

[Ok, he's done teasing but he does step forward to get a better look at the situation. Dark Nation follows, taking the chance to sniff at Finn while Rufus is distracted by looking at the tree.]

If you're not attached to your shirt in some way, you could try getting it off and slipping out to get free?

[He's careful not to touch the tree though he can't figure out what is keeping Finn there.]

[ Finn's sure there's a story, too. If only he knew it.

Anyway, he's busy trying to weasel away from the dog when the guy speaks up again. How in the hell is he going to get his shirt off? Could it really be his clothes?

Instead of taking two seconds to wonder if the image of him fully clothed and hugging a tree is actually worse than him half naked and hugging a tree, Finn starts trying to wiggle around. ]

I don't know if that'll help. I'm not even sure if I can- [ But if he moves this way, then he- Aha!

He gets his hand on the back of his shirt, behind the neck, and pulls until it's off his torso and entirely on his arms. Finn grins in victory... then scowls. ]

I can't get the shirt off either.

It was worth a try at least.

[Rufus frowns thoughtfully as he leans in to get a closer look, curious.]

I don't see anything on the tree that should be keeping you there but perhaps we need to resort to more drastic measures.

[And he flips out the small camping knife that had come along with. The knife his brother had left with him at one time. Granted, Rufus wasn't really that skilled with a knife but how hard could it be?]

I promise not to cut you but you should stay still.

[ Was it? Was it worth a try? Because he's shirtless now. There are people around. It's cold.

His eyes widen at the knife and suddenly being shirtless doesn't seem so bad. ]

Um, uh, what are you doing? [ Stay still his ass. He's slowly leaning away the closer Rufus gets. ]

Don't worry, I've used a knife once before. I'm just going to cut into the tree and try to at least get your arms free so you don't have to hug it.

[Which is easier said than done. Looking closer at the tree he's not sure how much damage Evan's small camping knife is going to do to the bark. He glances at Finn, chuckling as he notices his discomfort.]

After the orgies, no one is going to think twice of you being half-naked so openly. They may just think this is some new kink if anything.

[See, now isn't that reassuring. At least it gives Finn something to think about as Rufus tries to cut into the tree to see what he can do.]

Once before? [ Like just the once!?!? This isn't helping!!

Finn bends away from the tree and knife as much he can. It's not as much as he'd like. ]

It's just kinda cold, that's all. [ Mostly. ] I'm a little more concerned with this right now.

I know the basics.

[Rufus manages to cut some of the bark but it's slow going. Evan's knife isn't exactly the most practical for this purpose and he wrinkles his nose at the amount of sap getting on it.]

Now that I have you half-naked I suppose I should introduce myself.

[He glances up at Finn with a smirk before looking back at his work.]

I'm Rufus and despite the situation, it's a pleasure to meet you. Now, see if you can move your arm away.

... Pleasure's all mine. [ Actually, that remains to be seen. And he's about to tell this Rufus guy that he really shouldn't be using a blade on the tree if he wants to keep it in good condition but... it's working?

Sort of?

Finn's finally able to untangle himself the tree, shirt slipping off his arms as he does so, and unknowingly grabs Rufus' shoulder. ]

I'm Finn. And I think you got it?

[ Then he looks at his hand... and lets out the longest sigh. ]

Stars and skies, really?

I think I got it-

[And he pauses as Finn puts his hand on his shoulder. Well, this was going to get a little awkward.

But he doesn't seem bothered, laughing softly as he puts his brother's knife away. Dark Nation remains where she's at sitting by his side, looking less than amused than Rufus is.]

First meeting and I've already pulled a knife on you, gotten you out of your shirt and now you can't keep your hands off of me. This has to be a promising start to our relationship.

[He's been in worse situations and he's sure they'll figure out a way to sort out this out. He reaches for Finn's other hand carefully to try to see his palm without touching it.]

There must be something on your hand that is causing this - or perhaps a more magical explanation?

[ Well, at least one of them is enjoying all this. But when Rufus mentions a 'magical explanation,' Finn's eyes flutter closed. ]

The fortune teller. Of course, it is. [ He nods his head nearer to the beach. ] One of the robots told me that I should... hold on tight. Now I can't stop holding on to anything.

Ah that explains it. Does it mean we're destined to be together then?

[He has so few pleasures in life, Finn, let him this small bit of fun. He tries to take his coat off but it doesn't move Finn's hand off so it seems they are going to have to think creatively.]

Alright, there has to be a way to fix this but I think we should move this to a more private venue. Perhaps one of my colleagues can solve this for us since I'm out of ideas.

TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER

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