TDM 008: A WALK IN THE THEME PARK

[erkumods]

TDM 008: A WALK IN THE THEME PARK

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. SIX FLAGELLANTS Welcome, one and all, to a thrilling new location! Robots have worked tirelessly to build, from the ground up, what can only be recognizable as an amusement park. You are just in time for the grand opening of Six Flagellants: Great Advagtures! The Ferris Wheel routinely stops when lovebirds reach the top, waiting for a kiss - or something more daring! - before it starts up again. Robots warn of the scary Haunted House: a dark building with wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Flickering ghosts roam the halls, and you may find an eerily realistic Headless Horseman -- who bids you, "Come closer. Give me head," while pointing to yours. Hey, get your mind out of the... Nevermind. The Carousel is a two-story affair. Nude figures with familiar faces lounge about, waiting to be ridden, and closer inspection proves that they have the faces of your fellow islanders. Hop on your favorite person and take them for a spin! There are even Bumper Cars, which have the interesting effect of making one feel more aroused with every bump and impact. (It's randomized each time, so don't try to guess based on car color!) What should be a similar ride, the Teacups, has the robots' madness written all over it instead. They have misunderstood the gentle spin-cycles for dangerous, dizzying loop-the-loops across a wide track. Some would swear that the ride has a supernatural invocation for fear. Others are simply man enough to admit they're afraid. Lastly, the Tunnel of Love is not what you expect. Although flavored lube and guides to cunnilingus are on each fleshy-log-shaped boat, the motion of the ocean is quite soothing, and there's a pleasant floral scent in the air that causes a light intoxication. Don't forget to try the food! Similar to the Street Kiosks, there's a ton of faire food: cotton candy, corn dogs, and the like. Mascot outfits are available and those who wear them will be rewarded generously with credits. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. LIKE A FIREWORK The next morning, you receive a message on your device: You are cordially invited to a celebration of skinship at the House of Worship. Please do not dress for the occasion. If asked about it, the robots will confirm that is not a specific holiday, but a simple joyous event. If you pry, they may even say that the Old Ones often made merry and partook in the pleasures of the flesh - and so too should you. For an hour, there will be food and drink - alcoholic and aphrodisiac. Then, at the designated time, once the sun has gone down, clothes will be shed and a revelry begun. As fireworks explode overhead, the different colors send the naked senses reeling: Red: You are amorous towards the people around you. Yours is a joyous celebration. The Auspicious Acts you offer are happy and lighthearted, full of kisses and sweet nothings. Orange: You feel bold and adventurous, eager to try something - or someone - new. Your preferred Acts may be dangerous or exciting, perhaps with more than one person. Yellow: You feel reverence when you watch the fireworks, reverence when you look at your fellow people. You feel blessed to be part of the celebration at the House of Worship, and you make the Acts you complete into Acts of worship. You are all about the spirit of generosity. Green: You are not here to celebrate. Jealousy is your lot. Uncover a new side of yourself, full of bitterness and resentment, and try an Act that treads the fine line between light and dark. Indigo: You are proud to celebrate! Those around you are lucky to bask in your presence. You have a newly-minted domineering attitude that makes itself known, and your Acts are likely to be something where you'll come out on top. Violet: These fireworks make you feel unusual - the opposite of yourself. You are different in all that you want to do, preferring Auspicious Acts that you may not have thought twice about before. A group shower will be provided after the festivities wind down. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. MISTLETOE Many cherub dragons can be found gathering together in the Greenhouse, working together to finish the cultivation of a new plant. They spend an exhaustive night decorating the island with the new greenery, which can soon be identified as mistletoe. You may think it's sweet of them, but don't get caught underneath one of these sprigs! Standing under the dragon's mistletoe will cause sensory deprivation - and of course, the only way to regain what was lost is to indulge in an Auspicious Act. (You may choose whichever sense you like, or even choose to be figurative, such as "the sense of reason" or "a sense of purpose.") ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

[halforc]

Oh, like ... really bet? I mean ...

[ He's thoroughly distracted by her description of her species a moment later, saved from having to explain it was less a literal comment than a compliment. ]

I would, yes. Please.

[ Assuming whatever she can do is safe to perform from a ferris wheel cart. ]

[wanderstars]

[ Luckily she's all too happy to show off some of what she can do. Not to brag or anything, she just likes the feeling of freedom she gets from it, and people tend to really love watching her.

With a mischievous smile, she holds onto the rail... then squeezes herself out of the seat, floating up into the air. Green flames burst from her feet, and she propels herself across the air, flying in a wide, fast circle around the wheel, coming back to float beside the seat where he now is on his own. ]

I can do more, of course.

[ Such as bursts of green light that spurt from her hands as well, shooting them like projectiles across the air. Below, people seem to think it's some kind of light show, but were they aimed at anything, they'd definitely do a lot of damage. ]

[halforc]

[ ... She's really cool, is his first thought. Well, his actual first thought is that she's going to leap to her doom and oh god please no, but the wonder of her flight swiftly mends those fears. He perks up even further when she shoots green projectiles. ]

I can do that too! Or I ... I could, before. They're called Eldritch Blasts!

[wanderstars]

[ Please. She's impulsive but she's not crazy, and she wouldn't climb out of her seat if she didn't have a means to survive. She grins as she turns to face him again, lifting a shoulder lightly. ]

Maybe where you're from. I call them starbolts. I was once experimented on and consequently developed this ability to focus my energy into strong blasts.

[halforc]

Experimented on? That's terrible, I'm sorry to hear it.

[ He pats the empty seat beside him, inviting her back. ]

For what it's worth, you've made a formidable weapon out of those starbolts. They're impressive.

[wanderstars]

It's alright. I gained control of a slave ship they were transporting me in, and thus gained my freedom and that of all the other slaves.

[ With the tone to her voice, one would almost thing it wasn't an incredibly traumatic experience. It's not one she clings to, however.

She's all too happy to slip back into her seat, scooting closer to him. Totally subtle, there. ]

I can do something even more powerful, but I wouldn't wish to cause harm to this place or the people here. But— thank you.

[halforc]

[ Damn, that's. That sure is an infodump. He keeps his expression as neutral as he can as she talks about being enslaved and then gaining her freedom, as if it's a totally normal thing to drop into casual conversation. Once he finds another foothold, he runs with it. ]

What sort of thing would cause harm? More of those ... starbolts?

[wanderstars]

[ Most people definitely wouldn't just casually drop all that into a casual first meeting, but Kori's not particularly guarded about it. It's an experience like many she's had in her life, one that's shaped her in many ways; a part of her. ]

No— I'm able to expel all the energy stored within me in a single blast. It makes me burn hot and bright, and it spreads wide with myself at the center, not much unlike the energy of a sun.