TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

[erkumods]

TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

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. STARGAZER On the first night that new arrivals wash ashore, the moon rises. It's full and beautiful and surrounded by stars. The robots quickly bring old, dusty telescopes out of storage and line them up on the beach to help people get a truly spectacular view. "Look to the heavens! Behold, the chicken, the cat, the owl, the donkey!" It's... the cock, the pussy, the hooters, and the ass. For the rest of the night, characters will become fixated on the specific asset associated with the constellation they've gotten an eyeful of. Whether this leads to some body worship or just casual appreciation is up to you. You can learn about the stars and constellations later this month in some of the rare, non-pornographic books in the library. (More info will go up soon, so please be patient!) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. STIMULATING CONVERSATION An ancient courting ritual has been announced! It involves the give-and-take of candy hearts with slogans printed on them. Of course, since these hearts are being manufactured by robots, their sense of taste is a little... off? Or perhaps off-putting? "You'll do." "5/10." "Acceptable." "Sloppy Seconds." Receiving a negative heart makes one feel insecure, jealous, and submissive. "Be mine." "Nicest ass." "Swell bulge." "They're good lays, Bront." Receiving a positive heart will make one feel confident, boastful, and dominant. Your friendly neighborhood 'bots will give them out to anyone who asks - and maybe even those who don't. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. Eat Or Dare The robots have set up a stall by the beach with a banner that reads: Eat Or Dare. They have procured bigger candy hearts than ever before -- fist-sized and larger -- with actions written on them instead of derogatory slogans. "Take a dive." "Lick me." "Get handsy." The name of the game is to follow the instructions or forfeit the challenge by making the evidence disappear into your mouth. Delicious! Those who eat the candy hearts will feel themselves getting giddy and unreasonably invested in the love affairs of others. They will feel compelled to play matchmaker to spread the cheer. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

vax'ildan vessar | critical role | ota | after the wedding, but not quite dead either

[vaax]

0. ARRIVAL.

vax'ildan is crawling, hauling himself out of the ocean with a heart rate faster than he can calm. his leathers feel heavier than ever, despite his-- his daggers, where--

vax's thoughts disappear as his head does, under the water and with a gasp away from breathable air (he's breathing again, that's new). there's a low desperation as his hands whiff uselessly through the water, trying to propel himself to the shore, or above the surface where he can find reprieve.

once knees find a sandy beach, once he's finished coughing up the lungs full of seawater, vax allows himself a moment to think. he had been at his sister's wedding. how long ago? the raven queen had retrieved him from the event. had she sent him here?

again, thoughts interrupted. though, this time by a much appreciated, though highly questionable sight: some sort of automaton, bearing warm towels, and a beach full of beautiful people.

i. STARGAZER.

"these were never my thing," he says, idly swinging the telescope to and fro. all he sees are stars, not shapes. "much more my sister's area of expertise. her favorites in tal'dorei were the bear and the hunters, though i don't see them."

he's seated with the soles of his feet touching, his knees sticking out on either side of him. there is a wonder in looking up at the stars, and he can't blame his sister for being so invested, but this sky isn't familiar at all.

"i don't even think there are constella-- oh." he pauses, the telescope coming to rest on the familiar shape of a rooster. he's sure he wouldn't have seen it if it weren't for the cluster clearly intended to be a beak. he can't be interested in these things now.

"a rooster. right? is that one of the constellations here? or did i make my own?"

ii. STIMULATING CONVERSATION.

vax has taken up residence in a small tent on the beach. it's quiet, for the most part, and he doesn't have to answer any invasive questions. he doesn't have to listen to other people. he can be alone. he's close enough that he can still hear others nearby, and there's the occasional passerby, but it's enough that he can try to recoup and find some answers about how to get home.

still, alone, those damned robots find him. a conversation heart is offered, and when vax denies, it's dropped at his feet without ceremony. the robot then rolls away, quietly meandering through the sand until it's low hum disappears into the dunes.

he steals a glance.

OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE

oh, for fuck's sake. of course it's not even something nice.

"what an asshole."

i. stargazer;

[flurry_of_beaus]

Beau's not much for looking up at the sky either, though she does like knowing things. And, what's more, they mentioned an owl, which always kind of grabs her interest.

Maybe one day, she'll see him again.

Anyway, Beau's sitting on the shore too, squinting into her telescope. Her head jerks away and to the left, looking at the man with new interest.

"Tal'dorei, huh?" Which means this guy is from her world. But she doesn't know him. That's very funny.

"I hear they have a council. Know who's on it?"

[vaax]

vax'ildan can't seem to tear his eyes away from the constellation he's found. the shape of the rooster is so clear, it's a wonder he's never seen it before. is this what vex'ahlia sees when she looks to the skies?

vax is pulled from his thoughts rather abruptly by someone in cobalt soul blues. it's a distinct vibe, with a distinct person wearing them, and vax settles back in the sand to observe, to ponder her question.

"yeah," he says, noncommittally, "my sister, later in her life. she's not there yet, though. why's the cobalt soul want to know?"

[flurry_of_beaus]

Beau narrows her eyes suspiciously. To be fair, that's a pretty common reaction for her. But on the other side of things, he's just said two suspicious things one right after the other.

It's kind of surprising how few people peg her as Cobalt Soul. Perhaps they don't know any better or perhaps they just think she likes the color blue. But it's weird to hear the name said.

"What doesn't the Cobalt Soul want to know?" she counters.

Then immediately cuts to her next question. "What do you mean, she's not there yet?"

[vaax]

vax shrugs. she has a point-- the cobalt soul's thing is knowledge, after all. they want to know everything, including wherever this place is, what it's inhabitants are like.

"shouldn't the cobalt soul know who's on the council?" he shoots back, relaxing back on one hand to observe the sky without the telescope. it's a beautiful night, even if the people here are weird. she's nice, though. she reminds him of scanlan, or his sister. it's refreshing.

"i, uh, died in tal'dorei. so i got to see my sister's life and how it goes for her. she has a baby girl first, but then a ton of other kids-- anyway. she joins the council later in her life, but it'll be a couple more years. she's got a family to get off the ground first.

"what's your name?"

[flurry_of_beaus]

It is a beautiful night, and Beau had been attempting to find the owl in the stars, but this guy is much more interesting. Even if he does sound full of utter horse shit. It's a fine line between a bullshitter and someone whose life is so weird you just have to run with it.

"Beauregard." She's wary, but if he's on the island, he's going to find her name out eventually. Waste of time to hide it.

"What's yours?"

i. the liam obrien special

[blumenthal]

Stargazing isn't really Caleb's thing either, not in particular, but as far as activities on the island go this one had seemed both fairly harmless and a good excuse to get out of the Neinhaus for an evening. Even with a third floor it's filling up fast, and it's begun to feel sort of stifling at times, especially over the last few days. Not that he doesn't care deeply for everyone living there, of course, but sharing a home with five (or more) people and a small bedroom-slash-workspace with Essek means that he just needs to go somewhere else at times to be alone and think. To be alone and think about Essek, specifically, even. It's a lot.

But his need for space tonight turns out to be for the best, apparently, as an offhand comment from a man with distinctly elven features catches his attention immediately. Before he can even look through the telescope properly, he stands up straight again, startled.

"You come from Tal'dorei?"

He pushes several strands of red hair back behind one ear, less because he needs to and more because he has to do something with his hands. This is unexpected, a break in what has so far been a fairly established pattern, and therefore exciting.

"I was brought here from Wildemount," he explains quickly. "Outside of my own friends, this is the first time I have encountered anyone else from Exandria on the island."

[vaax]

the redhead that enters vax's peripheral steals his attention away from the sky, easily. part of it is that zemnian accent, thick and rich and handsome, but the other part is how shy he is, how he instantly lights up and then deflates. vax has met people like caleb. he... doesn't know how to handle them, but they interest him nonetheless. caleb speaks quickly, but eloquently, his nerves and excitement apparent.

it's cute.

vax does his best to play it cool, lifting one knee and resting his elbow on it to look aloof. is it working? "wildemount. my friends and i almost made it there. you sound... zemnian?"

impress the ruggedly handsome man from the empire, vax, come on. "you seem stressed out. i can help you relax. there's no one here but us, you know. no pressure."

[blumenthal]

It feels awkward to stand while the person he's speaking to is not, so Caleb lowers himself down to the sand as well, stretching his legs out in front of him. The night is mild enough not to have required him to wear a coat or scarf, just a quilted tunic and breeches and his ever-present books strapped into their leather holsters. Even so he feels a little overdressed.

"Zemnian, ja," he confirms with a thin smile. He's curious about what this man and his friends do that would take them all the way from Tal'dorei to Wildemount, but even more so about what's currently being assumed about him--and the substance of that seemingly casual offer. No pressure. Even here, he's going to need a little more confirmation that this handsome stranger is actually offering what he thinks he might be.

"What makes you think that I am stressed?"

[vaax]

"because you don't know where to rest your eyes or your hands," comes vax's response, "and you got excited, which was..." he considers his words, "cute."

which it was. everything about this man is cute, from his eyes to those nervous hands and those books. he's vax's type, too; a redhead with soft hands. "i've never met a zemnian before." vax moves a little closer to caleb, leaning into his space. he even brushes the edges of a pointed ear against his shoulder, doing his best to break this ice.

"you mentioned your friends, too. i know what it's like to never have space to yourself. i've dealt with that, and it isn't great. especially for someone introverted. like you, i'm guessing."

vax's head tilts upward, examining caleb's features. his jaw is strong under the beard, and those blue eyes betray more of his stress than he lets on.

"so relax. they aren't here. why don't you tell me what's in your books?"

[blumenthal]

Because it isn't often he's called cute, Caleb is visibly startled for a moment, lips parting as those blue eyes go slightly wide. It's also a deeply strange and uncomfortable thing to be so known by someone he's barely conversed with, because none of that was inaccurate. The sort of guesswork a particularly gifted charlatan might be able to make, certainly, but it still puts him on edge.

He doesn't pull away when Vax brushes deliberately against his shoulder, but it's only because he's now not only curious, but suspicious--and intrigued, despite himself, by the way he was able to relate so easily. It's his turn now to look Vax over in detail. Dark clothing, long dark hair, parts of it braided, sharp, attractive features--half-elf, most likely. No visible weapons, but that means very little. Though he knows rationally that it's probably nothing more than coincidence and that he's likely being overly cautious, he can't help feeling a bit of paranoia about someone turning up from Exandria who warms up to him this quickly.

"Magic," he replies truthfully, but simply enough to deflect the question. Without trying to hide it, he lifts a hand to make the somatic movements for Detect Magic, murmuring the words under his breath. The cloak Vax wears immediately registers as enchanted, but nothing else. Worth it to relieve many of his initial concerns, though he's no doubt just made himself come off as incredibly strange. "Like this," he adds, a little bashful as he takes the initiative to brush the edge of the cloak in question with the hand he'd just used to cast.

"Since you have gleaned so much about me already, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" he suggests. His hand lingers against the dark fabric. "It would be good to know your name."

0.

[halforc]

That guy looks like a drowned bird. Rat? No, definitely bird, those are feathers on his soaked clothes. Half-elven, Fjord can easily tell despite the distractingly soggy appearance, and in that horrid first state of arrival he knows so well, caught between exhaustion and panic.

He takes the towel off the unfeeling automaton and crouches down in front of the poor bastard, offering a more humane approach with a soft smile.

"Here, you can dry off with these."

[vaax]

vax is blinded by the sun and the sand, he's exhausted from trying to keep above water, and he's lost. he doesn't know where his sister's wedding went, or his plane beyond the divine gate. has he been resurrected?

no, that can't be it. although the sight of a half orc approaching him, blocking the sun from his eyes for a moment, is more than appreciated, and it drives home the question that he might be alive again. he's breathing again, he's hungry again. he's... well. distracted by this man's physique.

"thanks," he says after a too-long silence, frowning up at him as he tries to take him in. "uh... where am i? and who are you?"

[halforc]

The guy isn't outright panicking, that counts for a lot and means he isn't likely to do something horrendously awkward like cry; Fjord sinks down to sit nearby, passing the towels over. Every bit as curious about the stranger, he searches for the best explanation he can.

"You're either in a different dimension or on another world, no one has quite figured out which yet. The automatons — the metal men — they're native to this place and instructed to attend us."

"I'm Fjord of the Mighty Nein, and you are?"

[vaax]

vax'ildan listens to fjord, taking in every word, but as he does, he begins to strip out of his armor. the feathered cloak goes first, folding it carefully and setting it aside. the rest of his clothes get a less ideal treatment, unbuckling and shedding leathers as quickly as he can. only when he's left in smallclothes does he reach for a towel from fjord, pressing his cold, wet face into it's warmth.

fjord. that's a nice name. it's strong, it's...

vax looks up from the towel into his eyes, and. oh, wow. he's really stunning when vax pays attention and isn't trying to catch his breath.

"... vax'ildan," he finally returns, not breaking his eye contact. "of vox machina. champion of the raven queen."

he doesn't realize he's cold until there's a slight breeze, strong enough to shake him from his trance. he takes a second towel, then climbs to his feet.

"do you always come to the beach half-naked and help scared strangers?"

[halforc]

He knows the shedding of layers is all to dry off and let them air out but there's only so long he can pretend the waves ahead are fascinating before he finds his gaze drawn back to a pile of mostly-nude halfelf.

"That's great!" He thinks he may have heard of the Raven Queen before, although his memory isn't the best. He gestures between them. "I'm a Paladin of the Wildmother! We're both ..." Miming punches, boof boof?? ah, annnd awkwardly letting his hands drop back to his lap, "fighters."

That was smooth. Ahrrm.

"I can put on all my armour if you'd prefer."

Neener, neener.

ii. -ish i'm making my own rules

[thelyss]

Visiting the beach at night has become part of his routine. It's nearly unmanageable for him for anything longer than thirty minutes during the day, so Essek comes in the welcome dark of the evening. He takes a leisurely stroll, mind primarily elsewhere and soothed by the sound of the waves. It isn't particularly late, perhaps an hour past sundown.

A batch of new arrivals has come, or so he's heard, so that would explain the occupied tent he comes across now and the man who has apparently taken to calling it home. One of the large hearts the automatons has been handing out had been plopped into the sand and apparently left untouched. He quirks an amused eyebrow at it as he passes by, glancing at the individual as though to assess the accuracy of the statement. Dark clothes, tanned skin, a handsome jaw and - ah. Hints of elven heritage. Interesting.

Essek pauses in his walk, not terribly close as to feel encroaching, but close enough for the amusement in his voice to be heard.

"A warning to passersby?"

hit meeee

[vaax]

vax picks up on someone approaching long before he sees him. he's got distinct features, a beautifully styled mess of white hair, and that damned complexion that makes vax only a little jealous. this is a drow, and a handsome one at that. maybe he's from wildemount, too.

his tone is teasing, and vax scoffs, dropping onto his palms to stare at the water instead. stupid.

"it's stupid."

really, why does it bother him so much, anyway? it's not like the automaton knew what it was doing, anyway. it's not like it has opinions.

but this drow does. and he's... well. easy on the eyes. even in the dark, vax can make out violet eyes, and a smile that hides something behind it.

"if you're just going to take the piss, you can keep walking."

Some elf on elf action

[thelyss]

As much as Essek does enjoy a good tease, something doesn't quite line up here. The cranky response doesn't put him off in the least; he's still quite curious about this man and where perhaps he came from. His expression turns only a little bit milder as he looks over the bedraggled half-elf once more. Beneath the sour look and sand-soiled clothing is an appealing face, but Essek knows he's less likely to have his curiosity sated from someone in a bad mood.

So: charm and flattery.

"Hardly. I thought perhaps rather it was a declaration of your own to others; after all, few can boast such a lovely jaw line."

[vaax]

the flattery is heard, acknowledged, considered. a moment. accepted.

vax allows his eyes to roll upwards, taking in the one who flatters him so for a second time. maybe it's not so awful, after all, this flattery. other people. if this is the form it takes, maybe he can learn to tolerate it.

"sit with me," he says, posing it somewhere between a command and a request. something about essek is enticing, familiar. he reminds vax of home, unlike so many others on this island. other faces are handsome, pretty, but nothing like an elf, nothing like that distinctive shape of ear and that sultry, low tone in his voice.

"if you're going to flatter me, you might as well keep me company. yours isn't bad either," he returns, his grumpy expression giving way to a more satisfied smirk.

[thelyss]

Ah, there - much better, and pleasingly easy to accomplish. The somewhat forceful invitation and recovery of wit cause Essek to chuckle lowly in amusement.

"Well, perhaps I shall, as you so thoughtfully insisted." He finds a spot on a clear bit of canvas and gracefully drops himself down next to Vax, angled toward him conversationally. As expected, more lovely little details are apparent up close; from the braids in raven-black hair (though somewhat messy, likely due to being tumbled from the ocean) to the deep brown of his eyes. Essek notes the wear on his hands - a warrior, perhaps a rogue. It would fit with the rest of the overall aesthetic.

"Which of your fine features should I compliment next, hm? Perhaps the slenderness of your neck or the pleasing shape of your ears?"

i

[devilstongue]

Molly walks up to the telescopes to take a look, and is immediately drawn to the mention of Tal'dorei. There's handsome half-elf there, sharing his astronomy findings.

"I have absolutely no idea, but stars are always lovely. I guess a rooster is a good idea," He replies, tail swishing a bit as he gives Vax a smile. Molly's wearing his trademark coat with a glittery scarf added, red eyes taking in the new arrival - and it has to be, he would have recognized a half-elf - with a fanged grin.

sorry for the delay!

[vaax]

vax's eyes instantly narrow upon laying eyes upon his new companion. he's... easy on the eyes, sure, but there's a very charismatic air about him that keeps vax'ildan aware and untrusting. someone who needs to be that charming is usually selling something.

"you must be from exandria," he comments, guarded, tentative. "i've met a handful of tieflings in my life, but i haven't been close to them. you're a handsome one." of course, to recognize charm, vax has to be charming.

np!

[devilstongue]

[ He usually is selling... well, shilling something, but that charisma is lacking underneath the façade. Molly's genuinely curious, and his smile widens at the mention of Exandria. ]

Indeed I am! Mollymauk Tealeaf, most recently from Trostenwald, Wildemount. How about you, my good friend?

[ A handsome one, his new buddy. ]

[vaax]

vax isn't sold, though. or shilled. or anything. he's excitable, and while that can be cute on... some people, he's got some warming up to do with this one.

"whitestone," he says quickly, because there isn't really a true answer. he's from all over tal'dorei, but that's where his sister has landed, so it's where he would have wound up, too. he could never go far from her. "tal'dorei. other side of the globe. i've never been to wildemount, though we stole an airship once."

a grin is given to molly despite himself, and he couldn't stop it if he tried.