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TDM 006: SPECTRAL SPECTACLE
| TDM 006: SPECTRAL SPECTACLE |
00. 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. The Dragon's Matchmaking Welcome to the Island, cherub dragons! The auspicious actions of your fellow Islanders have foreseen the reintroduction of dragons to the world. Unlike the hulking, possessive creatures of ancient lore (and recent hot springs), these well-meaning little critters love to help. Their small size and roly-poly frames make them unsuited to laborious tasks, but they will be the perfect companion to any residents who endeavor to pick up a small item, wish for their lunch to be delivered to an absolute stranger, or need a fire started from a tiny, flaming sneeze in their drafty homes. If a cherub dragon sees an Islander they perceive in need of their assistance, they will zip right in and refuse to scram until they’ve done the job! No visible struggles? No problem! The little dragons also love to play matchmaker. Persistent dragons will gleefully nudge together Islanders they believe will have chemistry, and sometimes they aren’t wrong! Of course, even if sparks fail to fly, the dragons’ trilling songs are known to kindle romantic feelings between strangers and long-time lovers alike. II. Ruins While the Islanders have been enjoying their autumn relaxation, the ‘bots of Erku have been hard at work clearing the surrounding forests of dangers for their guests’ safe habitation. If you are of deft hand with monster slaying, forestry, or even just hauling debris and weed picking, the robots will gladly exchange credits for help with reconstructing the recently unearthed mountain temple grounds from the rubble that remains there. Just follow the path of gently glowing mushrooms to the site of the temple ruins. Beware of lurking creatures, grabby plants, and falling rocks!  The temple ruins are tall and breathtaking, despite the eerie chill of the fog that lingers just beyond. Or is it the fog that sends a shiver up your spine? After all, this place was very spiritually important to the original inhabitants of the Island, the robots say to anyone curious enough to ask. Although their own programming does not include religious worship, the Augur believes the restoration of this place to be vital to the continued augmentation of Eros energy. When questioned about the strange shadows that seem to slip from tree to tree, or the unsettling feeling of ghostly hands that seem to nudge volunteers deeper into the grounds, the robots respond with nothing but bafflement. Their sensors detect no unknown organic presence afoot. III. Ritual Islanders who chase those mysterious shadows may find themselves particularly drawn to a structure that lay deeper within the ruins, beyond where the robots have made the most progress. Three sets of crumbling, moss-covered stairs join to form a central platform, which - despite the overcast skies - seems to emit a soft glow. Those who step onto the platform may begin to hear a quiet, compelling voice, which urges them to be free of their inhibitions and to offer their energy to the spirits to be multiplied hundredfold. Visions of naked bodies in the throes of carnal worship dance before the eyes. Those who are especially spiritually sensitive - or perhaps, just lucky - may feel as if possessed by a consciousness that is not their own, and that consciousness is filled with a burning sexual desire. Leaving the platform is an option if alone, but the intense and overwhelming urge to seek companionship will persist until an Auspicious Act is completed. Those who are fortunate to be joined by company within the temple will feel compelled to worship right then and there, no matter the risk of being seen. Within the walls of the temple, Eros energy is enhanced such that any erotic act - big or small - will be enough to break the spell. N A V I G A T I O N |
ii-ish... idk, i do what i WANT
But at least it's easy enough to find Zagreus when he's finished, now that Mort has been safely returned to him. All it takes is a second to shift to Zagreus' vicinity, so, you know. Guh-dong. Death approaches—the dog, actually, because the dog is the senior representative here.]
Cerberus.
[A respectful nod, which is probably met with, like, a respectful-ish bark? Acknowledgement as Thanatos comes to a (floating) stop by the fearsome hellhound's side. Coworkers™.]
Any luck, Zag? [Hmm, well, judging by the monster bits Thanatos spies as he gives his old friend a quick once-over—] You kept yourself busy, I see.
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either way, thanatos pops up with the usual fanfare that zagreus is used to by now. what's more amusing is the way than and cerberus greet each other, the respectful nod and the respectful bark—all very cute, if you ask zag. ]
They needed volunteers to help clear the area around here, so I thought I'd lend a hand. [ just like home. ] I've ran into some shades here, actually. Er, not the ones native to this place, but part of Father's forces. I suppose if they were able to bring us here, a couple shades from home would be no problem either.
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...Hearing that familiar shades are here does not, however, make that any easier. Than glances at Cerberus, wondering if shades slipped free because—but no, no. It's more complicated than that.]
I doubt whatever brought us here stopped with "a couple shades." Nothing escapes the Underworld. [He says it almost bitterly, imagining Meg's reaction to such news. She takes such pride in her work; they all do.] Something is risking your father's wrath.
[So it's, like, Zagreus 2.0, then. As though one Zagreus wasn't enough! Anyway, though, as Than levels one of his serious looks at Zag:]
You sent them back.
[At least??? Hopefully.]
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And here I thought I had the patent on annoying my father.
[ it's all fun and games until you get someone else involved. zagreus missing from the underworld likely wouldn't be so bad that everything would fall apart, but he knows how important than is, how much his father and nyx rely on him. at the very least, zagreus should be figuring out a way to get him back first. ]
Of course I did. [ it would explain how he's glowing with shade blood, among other things. ] The ones I could find so far, at least. If it's true that they brought them all here, there's likely more of them lurking around.
[ he'll have to check again, make a routine out of it, or something. wonderful. ]
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It's disconcerting, but it's something Thanatos will deal with on his own time, in his own way; for now, it's a matter of, like... logistics. How many shades could this unknown being bring here? How many can they deal with now? How quickly? Some part of Than is always in work mode.]
Then we find the rest.
[Together, which is a nice thought even in this Weird World—but rather than say that, Thanatos settles for the half-truth that is:]
You're slower on your own.
[Cerberus chooses this moment for a sort of half-whuff, half-whine. Take that as you will.]
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[ you know, like their little competitions that were really just excuses for than to flex and zag to ooh and ahh over how cool and strong he is. underworld flirting at its finest. it makes him laugh a little, so does cerberus' little half-whine, and of course zagreus has to go over to soothe him. ]
It's alright, boy, he didn't mean anything by it. You're a big help, you know. [ than has seen him pet cerberus a million times by now but it's the first time zagreus tries to pull him into it, glancing at him expectantly. ] Don't you agree, Than?
[ one of cerberus' heads turns to him, his tail swaying gently back and forth. ]
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But Zag decides to take that angle and run with it, and let it be known that Thanatos (internally) panics for all of, like, five seconds. Underworld HR is coming for his ass! Or: Thanatos is stuck between a rock and a hard place as he eyes this snout that's much, much closer than it was a few seconds before. He hasn't pet Cerberus since—well! Has he pet Cerberus? Maybe when he was a baby god.]
I do. Cerberus' abilities were never in question.
[Only yours, Zag, hence his dry tone—but okay! Okay. Cerberus isn't lounging beside Lord Hades' desk, and so Thanatos does indeed reach out to offer a light pat.]
It is an honor to work with you, both here and in the Underworld. [And you know what, just because he's a lil mean like that—] Thank you for keeping Zagreus from falling behind.
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Yes, yes. I'm the problem child. [ like, he can't even deny it? damn. ] Good thing you're both here to keep me in line, right?
[ to like, varied degrees of success, but. you know, it's the thought that counts. cerberus makes an affirmative little bark; nice to know his dog and the bf are both out for blood. ]
I know we all need to get back as soon as possible, but I'm glad you're here with me. [ he could be talking about cerberus (and he is), but the way he looks at than while petting him is telling. ] I don't think I would have taken to all of this as quickly if you weren't. That probably sounds selfish, doesn't it? [ he laughs a little, shaking his head. ] Regardless, thank you for dealing with me.