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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 |
no subject
(If he's at all bothered by her open staring - he isn't - he doesn't show it.) ]
That's how it's supposed to look. [ Don't judge him. ] Do you not have clothes of your own?
[ Is that why she's resorted to wearing stolen outfits? ]
no subject
[Said lightly, as if discussing the weather. Leaving the mysterious holes in the shirt be, she brushes long pink hair behind her shoulder,]
It's not a problem, except for those little ones. They offered me the garment and I'm afraid it would break their little hearts to turn them down. I had no idea it belonged to someone before me, however! [A beat.] Would you like it returned?
no subject
Eventually. [ In reply to that last question. ] But we should find you something else to wear first.
[ Unsociable and blunt he might be, but he's not mean-spirited. He's not going to leave her completely naked out here. ]
There's a clothing store not far from here.
[ Which he starts heading towards, expecting her to follow behind. She can bring her little gaggle of dragons, if she wants. ]
no subject
[He'll hear her call from behind him, and a rustle of clothes and if he turns around he'll see her tugging the whole thing up and over her head, leaving her in nothing but her gold and teal jewelry - plus the cuff she gained when she arrived here. She's utterly unabashed by being stark naked on the beach - although her hair seems to conveniently censor all of the most important bits.
She holds the shirt out, hanging it from one finger.]
However! [She pulls it back by an inch,] I must request your assistance with these dragons. It seems they want to complete a task and I have none to give.
no subject
He does turn around when she calls out, just in time to see her shuck off his shirt to reveal—nothing! Other than her incredibly naked body, that is. Immediately, he averts his eyes, not out of any embarassment but just because that's the polite thing to do when a woman is stark raving naked on the streets.
Admittedly, he doesn't look all too happy about this whole situation, ears flattening against his head as he frowns oh-so-deeply. ]
Are you planning on prancing around this place naked?
[ He'll get to the dragons and their task in a bit. ]
no subject
Exposing one full tiddy.]Is that a problem?
[Mortals and their propriety. She sighs.]
Don't tell me you're so shy that you've never seen a woman's breast before.
[It's All The Fashion in`Athens.]
no subject
No. But others might be.
[ He might show all the emotion of a pet rock but sometimes he does spare one brain cell for how other people might feel. In any case, since she clearly doesn't seem be bothered by all this, he'll just swivel his head back to face her, though he keeps his gaze firmly trained on her face rather than that lone female-presenting nipple. (A tragedy, considering how nice of a tiddy it is.) ]
But if you really don't care, then I won't stop you.
[ Can they go now? ]
no subject
It’s no wonder, then, that my assistance was called here. I forget how prudish mortals can be.
[What is a goddess of love and sex supposed to do? She turns to trot back towards her tent, leaving it up to Eustace whether he chooses to follow along or not. She still has his shirt though, so if he wants that back…]
Are you coming?
no subject
Are you some sort of god then?
[ God, goddess, close enough. He does follow behind her slowly, though if she heads insde her tent, he won't be entering after her. ]
no subject
[She lilts, but she doesn't go into her tent. Instead setting to pick up some of the other discarded pieces of clothes that the dragons brought her. She imagines whoever they belong to will come wandering by eventually.]
And what, perchance, are you? I have never seen a human with ears like yours. A spirit of some kind?
[Almost satyr-like if he had the hooves to go with it.]
no subject
An Erune. [ But since no one's ever known what that is— ] Largely human, but we've kept some of the traits of the animals we were descended from.
[ His ears flick once, as if to make a point. Please don't ask him what other parts of him are animal-like though, he doesn't want to talk about it. In fact, he will stave off that potential topic of conversation by bringing something else up entirely, one hand lazily gesturing to all the discarded clothing. ]
Are any of those yours?
no subject
How interesting. So not unlike a Satyr. But much better behaved I might say.
[Satyrs were not her cup of tea, although they had similar interests, they often went about them in... frankly disgusting ways.
When he asks his question she glances over, before shaking her head and giving the pile a dismissive wave of her hand,]
No, the little dragonlings brought them to me as tribute. I suppose I will have to eventually find the owners of all of them.
no subject
Do you expect all races descended from animals to be completely ill-behaved?
[ Why do so many people think like this? It's exhausting. He'll deal with her pile of illicit clothing later, after he hears what she has to say. Even the nudge of the tiny dragons around his legs do little to sway him. ]
no subject
[That's just man.]
Did I say something to bother you, dear? It certainly wasn't intentional.
no subject
He sighs, but there's no bite in his tone when he replies. ]
Not you personally.
[ Is he going to expand on that? Apparently not. Instead, he waves to her pile of clothes. ]
Do you need help returning those?