ercookies | TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER

Entry tags:

!tdm

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.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

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.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

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.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

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.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... three, four five ...

[ Counting on one side of the street to another, he wags his finger back and forth. ]

... six, seven, eight ...

[ The building before them has plaster crumbling off the brick and the whole thing looks like three levels squashed horizontally, but it's fancy even in its dilapidated state. It probably looked super expensive once. Once being the operative word. ]

Nein.

[ Shouldering open the door, a dark hallway greets them. It looks a little like the former residents left scant furniture where it was, everything covered in a layer of dust including the staircase in front of the door. ]

Oh. That's... something.

[ He slides inside, grateful for his darkvision. Molly knocks on a few walls, trying to remember how they checked the tent poles with the carnival. It didn't seem unstable, even if it should be.

Pausing, he looks back at his friend. ]

Well, at least it's not going to fall on our heads, and the fainting couch looks lovely.

The dust bunnies on your fainting couch look just as welcoming.

[ He steps indoors to the main lounge and reaches up to tap the glass bulbs hanging in the overhead fixture. They don't turn on immediately so he is at a total loss. ]

Where the fuck are the lamps and candles? This robot shit's broken.

That's at least something that can be fixed, unlike the broken floors above.

[ He taps it a bit, watching the dust fly. Looking over at Fjord, he realizes the half-orc is right. He can't see any lamps or candles to use. ]

Maybe they took it all with them?

[ Molly didn't bring any candles, but he does have a tinderbox, something he flips out to show Fjord and then goes to see if he can at least find a fireplace. ]

[ It's a weird kind of room, he finds a lot of sense in Molly looking for the fireplace. It looks so bare that his attention is drawn to a switch on the wall and, naturally, he only waits a second before flicking it. ]

Whoaaa. I'm too drugged for this.

[ Three of the four bulbs light up, dim but without candles. He blinks at the sight of wires inside and squints, staring up. ]

I did something! If you see a switch on the wall, flip it!

Whoa!

[ Molly jumps back a bit when the lights turn on, really not expecting that. He has to shield his eyes for a moment before he can move over to the nearest wall and look for switches.

He finds one and flips it, lighting up another round thing with wires in them. Delighted, he immediately flits to the next one, but this one just flickers and then pops loudly, some glass falling from the broken bulb. ]

...careful, I think they're unstable.

[ He takes a half-step toward Molly when one bulb pops, satisfied he's okay when nothing more happens. Staring at him, his eyes go wide in realisation. ]

Do you think there are more upstairs?

[ After a momentary pause, he sprints excitedly for the stairs. ]

[ Molly grins as Fjord starts running off. At least that hasn't changed, and someone decided to put the low wisdom dude with the chaotic tiefling, so upstairs it is.

He hurries after Fjord, gentle on the stairs as he has no idea if they're rotten or not. ]

See any?

[ One of the stairs cronches with Fjord's weight but he only yelps and keeps going, slapping a hand on the first switch he comes to. Light!! Shitty dim light, but. Still!

He ducks into every bedroom, smacking the walls so that most of the bulbs turn on; one more outright pops. It's when he gets into the final room that he pauses before flicking the switch and stares at a bath and ... is that a ... ]

I found another thing. Like a ... really deep chamberpot stuck in the floor.

[ Molly is somewhat entranced by a painting (photo) as Fjord rampages through the apartment to hit switches, but that needs to be investigated. Curious, he slides under Fjord's arm so he can see. ]

Huh... looks like an outhouse hole but made out of a chamberpot. Extra fancy?

[ He doesn't know what to think, but people with money did a lot of weird shit. Literally, in this case. ]

Oh, the bath, though...

[ It looks lovely, even if he hasn't seen a well anywhere yet to fill it with. ]

[ Fjord wipes the sweat off his brow with his cloak, absently panting and not entirely from the exertion of his dash. Still poisoned. ]

There are handles ...

[ When the toilet flushes he laughs, holding his side. ]

Oh my goddd, what is with this house? Pull those things, the beer-tap whatsits.

[ On the bath. He bets he knows what'll happen!! ]

[ Molly jumps a bit when the toilet flushes... but they had at least found water? (Even if he's not sure he wants to drink chamberpot water).

Sneaking past Fjord again, he goes for the handles by the bath, tail whipping with excitement. When water starts to flow down from above and wet his hair, the tiefling barks a laugh. ]

It's some amazing contraption! Like the things built in Hupperdook!

[ It doesn't even matter that the water is cold and the pressure is shitty, it was an indoor well! ]

That's so cool ...

[ This is all a bit crazy, whipping his head from the lights to the bathroom to Molly, laughter ringing in his ears. Fjord opens his mouth to agree, grinning, and a flush of heat rushes up his neck so fast he stumbles back into the nearest wall, head bowed. Adrenaline is not the friend of poison, even the aphro kind. ]

Let's, uh, get the beds situation sorted.

[ Molly shuts off the water and pushes back his now damp hair, giving Fjord a slightly concerned look as he hears the stumble and his comment. ]

I agree. Amazing as all of this is, you don't look okay. We can explore more tomorrow after you've slept it off.

[ He leaves the light on as he steps out of the chamberpot room, nodding towards the rest of the upper floor. ]

Did you see any beds while you were dashing around?

Yes, a couple. There's a big one and we could drag in the mattress of the smaller to stay on the floor, that way we're still close if something goes down.

[ He nods into the master bedroom where a doublebed stands. ]

You take that and I'll grab the other shit to bring in here. Sound good?

[ It's sweet, how Fjord somehow still gives up the best spot even before Molly has claimed it. Amused, he nods his head. ]

I don't think we should split up too far in this place. I don't trust those metal people at all.

[ Passing Fjord, he stops for a moment to slap a hand on his friend's forehead. ]

You're my temperature now. Let's get the stuff and put you in the bed, I want to see if my floaty magic booze thing works on poison.

Floaty magic booze ... ?

[ He has no idea what that means and instead focuses on dragging a single mattress and the blankets into the main bedroom. Without passing out.

It's a success! ]

[ Molly helps, even if he would usually just be a dick. Taking the bedclothes he shakes them outside of the room to get the worst dust off, and then throws them back on. ]

You, bed. Now.

[ He shakes off his coat and then unbuttons his doublet, leaving him in just the shirt. ]

I did that thing with the floating liquid when you were poisoned by the troll, and then with alcohol on Beau when she was really wasted in Hupperdook. Don't know what it is, but it might help.

I don't remember, sounds creepy though.

[ He goes where he's pushed and lays out his cloak on the makeshift bed, unbuckling armour next. All that is dropped to one side, then he hauls off the long tunic beneath with a bit of a struggle that ends up with Fjord wafting himself with a hand to cool down, crunched forward where he sits with arms hooked on the knees of his boots. Molly is welcome to the show, with proof Fjord is definitely thicker than he left him. ]

It feels like being kind of drunk but without the fun part of getting there.

[ It's definitely a nice view that Molly can't ignore, red gaze traveling over that chest and arms. Then Fjord speaks and he snaps out of it, moving over to help him out of his boots. ]

You're breathing alright? Nothing hurting?

[ He crouches down, tail moving over the floor in long sweeps as he starts tugging off one boot. ]

You're such an idiot.

I was hungry. [ Which entirely negates being an idiot, in his opinion. This time. He probably wouldn't be disagreeing if it wasn't Molly he could be contrary to. ] We should hunt down one of those big birds I've heard people talking about, the chocoboks. Then we'd have plenty to eat ... Breathing's fine, just feeling hot as hell.

[ He's distracted by the feel of Molly's hands long enough for one of his boots to be worked down to a knee before he stops him, holding onto his wrists. The feel of skin has him swallowing a lump in his throat as he tries to keep his thudding pulse even. ]

Leave those on in case something attacks in the night. It's a little cold, too. I don't want frozen toes.

You could have died! We are lucky you just have a fever.

[ Well, that's what he hopes it is. He's not blind to the other effects it seems to have on his friend. Molly agrees with the hunting, though. If they got their own food, they should be safe. Right?

Molly stops his unbooting when Fjord takes his wrists and then nods. Good idea, and they're lucky the fire dried the leather. (He doesn't want to know what it grew between their toes.) ]

Just lie down and try to sleep. I have first watch.

I wouldn't leave you here alone, don't worry. What would you do without me?

[ ~~GET MURDERED, PROBABLY.~~ He's too tired to argue about watch though, nodding as he drags over the blankets from the other room. ]

Wake me up if anything ... you know. Right away.

Be really bored, I'm sure.

[ Molly smiles a little, and then gets up to help with the blankets. Once he has the half-orc in the bed, he nods at the request to wake him if something happens. ]

Yeah, don't worry. I'm not sure I want to face anything here alone. But to be safe...

[ He reaches out to touch Fjord's forehead to see if he can purge the poison. The eye of the snake on top of his other hand starts dripping a bit with blood as he does. ]

[ It's weird having his body purged of an aphrodisiac, like growing colder all at once and regaining a more complex mode of thought as all the blood in his body stops trying to redirect itself south. Fjord gasps and sits back on a hand, braced as he recovers and looks Molly over. ]

... You're bleeding.

[ It sounds stupid but it's also the most coherent thing he's said in a while. ]

I ... Thank you, Molly. Are you okay?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject