ercookies | TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER

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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

[ Fjord doesn't trust him at all, making a point of very obviously taking a big bite. Maybe it's not bacon; he thought it looked like it when the robots showed him, anyway. Tastes similar. It's a little spicy, but not bad ... ]

I really hope I don't get seriously poisoned from this shit, I don't have any healing spells. [ He finds some sort of fruit and tears in on his way back to their beachside fire, wiping juice off his beard and licking clean a tusk. ] Or potions.

They probably don't have any of those here to buy either ...

[ Staring at the fruit, he has a Fuck It moment and keeps eating. ]

I can't believe I have to sit here and watch an illusion fuck himself up.

[ Molly says with a deep, bone-tired sigh.

(Why would Fjord have healing spells? This dumbass just kept getting things wrong.) ]

I'm extremely real, okay. I don't think when I cast Major Image that the poor bastard has anxiety on top of his orders to kill.

[ He's got his priorities sorted: food taken care of, he can spare more time eyeing up the fake tiefling. ]

Unsurprised you're not eating though. Would it fall straight through you?

[ Ugh, all the right things this obviously fake Fjord is saying is grating badly on Molly. ]

Of course it wouldn't fall right through me! I just don't want to start puking blood because I couldn't handle being hungry for a day.

[ He reaches out a hand. ]

See? Totally solid.

[ ... Fjord picks up a small shell and throws it at Molly's hand to see if he's. Solid. ]

[ Molly snatches it up without problem, and even juggles it a little just to pack the point in even harder. ]

Weak. Could have at least slapped my hand or something.

[ It's far too easy to slip into this friendly banter, and he hates it. ]

Frumpkin disappears if you smack him, you might do the same. I don't know.

[ Oh !! ]

Not that I care if you're here or not, because you aren't Molly.

Come on then. See if I disappear.

[ Molly takes a step closer, red eyes challenging. ]

I dare you.

You're such a dick, even as an illusion.

[ Getting to his feet, he sets the food pack aside on the log and brushes off his hands. He mentally takes a moment to psych himself up at the idea of touching Molly again, then something warms beneath his skin at the prospect and that's enough to make him close the distance.

Only a step away, Fjord feels somehow bigger than he remembers being. Maybe it's the memories of Molly getting all up in his face or being louder than life, but it feels like Fjord can't hide at all right now. He clears his throat and raises a hand, giving a somewhat ginger pat to a shoulder. It's weird, knowing what that fabric felt like and experiencing it again. ]

... Okay, you're solid.

That's all you gonna do? Sad.

[ It felt... nice, though. It felt like Fjord, patting him on the shoulder before bedtime, or righting him when he was too drunk. A friendly poke in the middle of battle.

He was solid, too... but anything might go, he supposes. Unless this was some kind of shared illusion bullshit, and he was somehow kidnapped as well.

That is a shitty thought. ]

I don't have my shit, or I'd show you the Summer's Dance as well.

I corrupted Summer's Dance and threw it into lava months ago. Bet that fucks you off to know. Or would have, if ...

[ If you were real. He doesn't move away immediately, guiltily taking in the details of Mollymauk that he must have forgotten. Crinkles at his eyes and sharp teeth, the red glaze of his eyes that isn't too hard to follow. ]

What? Why would you...

[ He's getting a fucking headache. All of this is a mess, and he's starting to think he might be really trapped in whatever this torture is. ]

Sounds legitimate, though. We always do weird shit.

[ Reaching down, he picks up Fjord's flower crown, having taken his off about as quickly as it was put on him. He worries it through his fingers. ]

What is the point of this?

Long story short, I fucked up.

[ He plucks at the flowercrown when Molly picks it up, glad of the distraction from his own failings. ]

They keep the monsters at bay, supposedly. Didn't you get one?

Sounds like a typical Nein thing. You're almost as good at bullshitting as I am.

[ At the mention of the flower crown, he hands it over to 'Fjord'. ]

I threw mine in the sea. As much as I look fabulous in flowers, I'm not about to do anything this place wants me to.

See, that's how I know you're not Mollymauk.

[ Tapping his nose!! He knows. He tosses the crown to the log nearby, hoping it'll work if not worn. ]

He'd be all, 'I got all these spicy notes on this magical notepad, this is sooo fun! Let me just find the most beautiful creatures around to bless with my presence! Guess what? I won the whole island!'

[ High-pitched whine and swoosh of a cloak included. His humour subsides as he sits back down. ]

He wouldn't be hanging around this fire with me.

[ Not with Fjord being one of the people he lost his life over. ]

[ He almost looks hurt for a moment, and then the grin is back. ]

See, that's why I know you're not Fjord. He'd know I'd think it was more important to find a way out to keep going after him and the girls rather than sleeping around on an island. No matter how fun these suggestions are.

I'm a liar and a bullshitter, but not a betrayer.

I didn't say he wouldn't go find the girls.

[ Picking at his shitty rations again. ]

What the fu... are you trying to get me to feel guilty or something? Of course I'm coming for all of you! We all are!

[ He crosses his arms, tail whipping in annoyance. ]

Even if you don't believe me, do you think Jester would ever fucking forgive me if we didn't take you with us? You're my friend. I told you I decided that already.

I don't go back on shit like that.

[ He doesn't say anything about Molly being dead or that he feels responsible for it, listened to the murder happen through a fugue of drugs in a shady cart not metres away. He just chins a hand and stares at the fire, oddly soothed by having any ghostly version of Molly hopping mad at him. It's almost nostalgic. ]

I've missed you.

[ He can't even bring himself to hate the illusion of Molly for tricking him into having real emotions. ]

I forgot how prickly you were.

It's been a day, you fake piece of shit!

[ He spits angrily, weaving some Mockery into those harsh words just for the hell of it.

Molly might not have his weapons, but he still has his tongue. ]

For you —ngh!

[ He flinches in pain with the Mockery hitting home, surprised that this Molly even has any powers because illusions can't fucking do that. Even Fjord doesn't have anything at all left in his arsenal.

His eyes widen. ]

You can attack?

[ He's honestly just as surprised that his Mockery connected with something. What did that even mean?

...it meant he could get more answers. ]

Of course I can. I'm not useless just because I'm somehow in this shitty trap without my weapons.

[ He takes a step closer, and his voice becomes honey-fine. ]

Don't you want to tell me all about it, Friend?

[ It's the stress of the day, of the sudden attack, it must be, that's why Fjord can barely open his mouth to protest when Charm Person hits ~~and he rolls a 1 plus -2, i can't even~~ before all his features relax. He feels like giving Molly the benefit of the doubt ... really trusting him, for some reason. ]

Sure, Molly. What do you want to know?

[ That's such a relief, so see that familiar change in tension. ]

Oh, you know. What the point of this illusion is. Why I'm here. Where our people are.

[ Shrug. ]

Just simple, easy things to share between friends.

I'm not an illusion, I thought you were ... but now you're casting spells.

[ He looks worried about that for a moment then the compulsion to answer the other questions takes over. ]

Everyone's back in Caleb's magical tower, we just had dinner. There was a stained glass window that he made above the hearth in the main common-room because he missed you, it looked like your coat.

I went to sleep in my hammock and woke up in the ocean, it was terrifying.

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