TDM 014: A DAY AT THE FAIR

[erkumods]

TDM 014: A DAY AT THE FAIR

00. Arrival 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. If you don’t manage to get away from them quickly enough, they may even usher you toward the Laid Bare Spa, where new arrivals will be offered free massages, a sauna, hairstyling, and their clothing may come up permanently missing. But you will be given a complimentary towel to leave with if needed! Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see beyond what arrivals before you have helped to rebuild. 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 place to live in the now, whether a rundown apartment in the City, a tent on the beach, a bed in the barracks, or your own space at the House of Worship. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● I. HAY FEVER A new mode of transportation has made an appearance! From one end of the fairgrounds to the other, and even sometimes off the beaten path and into the wilds, robot-horse-drawn hay wagons shake, rattle, and roll. And, of course, what are hay wagons great for? Anyone fancy a roll in the hay? Anyone who is taking a hay ride will see their A5 card flash - and they will be given the option to trade one square for the vehicles square. (New players engaging in this prompt can call it a freebie.) But beware! The wagons roll at all hours of the day and night. At night, the spooks come out to play! Rides will be "haunted" by frightful spooks played by machines and your local Islanders. The 'bots will hire anyone interested to don their favorite slasher costume or ghostly garb. After all, everyone knows that fear and adrenaline are related to attraction, right? Just another thoughtful service provided by your generous benefactors. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. Acute Beef Poisoning How about an eating contest? Multiple competitions are held throughout the fair: hot dogs, hot dogs, pies -- just use your imagination! Of course, there's always the chance that you've been recruited to be "eaten"... So sit back and enjoy the ride. For those of you with an exhibitionist streak, all contests are held in front of an audience. Be careful, ye who eat here, because the pies in particular have been known to have the following effects (with a two-hour duration): Meat - A simple aphro pie; a character finds themselves craving a very different kind of meat. Apple - Temporary amnesia befalls those who've tried the apple pie. The effects can be as great as forgetting your entire identity or as minor as forgetting what you've had for breakfast. Cherry - Look upon the very face of innocence! All guile falls away from this character, making it impossible for them to lie. Strawberry - The compulsion to follow orders may be strong sometimes, but the strawberry pie comes with the compulsion to give orders instead. Blueberry - Oh no! You're looking a bit... off-color? The blueberry pie turns a character's skin blue for the next two hours. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. BRODEO Last but not least, try the mechanical contraptions of various sizes - equipped with equipment of various sizes as well! The objective of this game is to last as long as you can. Thirteen Hand Sam is the smallest of the mechanical horses. It has no attachments, but instead vibrates until the rider orgasms. Mechanic Mike is the second mechanical horse. With a modest six-inch dildo, it bucks its rider around until orgasm. For those who like a real challenge, the mechanical bull -- the Bonine -- is a two-person contraption that straps each rider in with their own dildo. They sit face-to-face on the thrashing machine, within touching range, able to encourage each other to come (and to lose) more quickly. Ride like you've never ridden before, or comfort someone in the aftermath of a job well done. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

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Cinnis "Fish" Sedonsath | Original Character

[freshtilapia]

00. Arrival
The last thing they remember is the crash of the waves and their body thrown like a ragdoll off the ship they had been sailing on. Then, it was all darkness and water. Luckily being merfolk had its benefits. There was no fear of drowning, even as the undertow continued to pull their body this way and that. And then... there was land.

Cinnis coughed upon the warmed sands of the beach, waiting for their body to adjust from breathing from the gills to taking air in from their nostrils once more. Their first breath was shaky, their body heavy from what had just happened. They washed up dressed as a sailor, their loose white shirt cut and adjusted to accommodate the red fins at their shoulders and forearms. Their red pants were cut in a similar fashion for the fins at their calves as well. And a deep purple sash was tied at their waist. At first glance, someone could consider them male.

Their eyes flutter open and they take in their surroundings before they notice the robot coming towards them, providing them with a towel and the bracelet device. They look at it curiously. This is all a bit much for a fantasy land merfolk to take in. They look around, trying to catch the eye of someone... more... organic before they allow themselves to get ushered by this thing of metal.

"Hey! Hey you there! Help a fish out, would you?" They call out, their voice rather androgynous for what seems to be a man.

I. Hay Fever
At the Fairgrounds, Cinnis notices the robot-horse-drawn hay wagons wandering by. Just out of sheer merfolk curiosity, they hitch a ride on one. By this time, they've gotten their belongings and after acertaining what kind of world this was-- off came their sailor "disguise" they used just to have accommodations on the ship they boarded. On went the clothes they were far more comfortable in: a leather vest-like garment that was cut above their midriff, and a pair of white loose harem pants that appeared rather translucent, especially in the light.

Hopping on to the back of one deftly, like the acrobat they really were, they peek in and grin at whoever was in it. "Care for a little company, darling?"

III. Brodeo
Exploring the fair more, the merfolk comes across the curious machines on display, two of them with very interesting protrusions. This certainly wasn't the kind of thing they'd usually find out in the world they knew.

Whoever's close by to them will see them turn and remark, "are most things here like this?" They gesture at the horses and bull with a hotdog in one hand.

00

[devilstongue]

Living mostly on a ship now means that there's a good view on people arriving on the island during those times. Fjord likes to patrol the beach and Molly climbs the rigging as far as he can to watch the shallower waters.

That's when he sees something very colorful, and he squints his red eyes to take in the form of what seemed like someone purplish with... fins? Maybe it was some kind of sea creature and not an arrival. Still, he's curious and slides down one of the ropes to then Misty Step down to the tiny walkway between the ship and the beach.

It takes him a while to get over to where the person eh was spotting was, and by then they at least have a towel and is calling out to the tiefling.

"Hello there! Are you alright?"

You know, aside from being washed up in a new dimension.

[freshtilapia]

A tiefling. Thank the oceans, at least there was something familiar wherever they were.

"As alright as one faced with... whatever... all this is..." they remarked, gesturing grandly at the robot... or as grand as they could while still gasping a bit for air and coughing a little.

"Sorry. I'm not the most presentable at the moment... but I've been recently thrown overboard a ship! What is this sort of place?"

[devilstongue]

Molly's only run-in with fish people were the merrows in the swamp, but obviously this was a much less monstrous being. He's all smiles, waving away the robot.

"These automatons are fucking weird but harmless, don't worry about those."

He's never seen them being anything but awkward helpers, no matter how pushy they might be about sexy things.

"Mollymauk Tealeaf, a pleasure to meet you even if this mess." There's a swish of his coat as he gives a small bow. "Welcome to Fucksville, a place where everyone's trapped by some messed-up god-thing in its own little pocket of existence. You'll need a drink for this shit."

[freshtilapia]

They seem much more calm once the automation is waved away. It was their first ever run in with one and they had absolutely no idea how to deal with it. So now, their attention was on the tattooed tiefling before them and the business of drying themselves with the towel.

"Mm... I'm Cinnis. Cinnis Sedonsath, though I suppose if that's a mouthful, I used to be called Fish as a nickname," they shrug. Even in their current attire and state, it was kind of easy to see that this merfolk had a certain... flourish? to them. They definitely weren't just some sailor thrown overboard.

"Do I trust you'd give me some information about this place then, Mister Tealeaf? Or Mollymauk. Whichever you prefer?"

[devilstongue]

"Molly, if you please. If we're calling you Fish, it's only fair."

They seem like an interesting person, if wet and straight from being thrown overboard. The tieflings tail swishes a little behind him as he nods to the tents higher up on the beach.

"There's a place up there to get off your feet and relax. It's a lot you need to know, but the very gist of it is that we're trapped here for now, and the weird god wants everyone to fuck."

I

[ragingnature]

Persephone's never been on a hayride before. Sure, they have carts back home. And sometimes, when she was little, the nymphs would let her ride in them, but they were never drawn by a horse. She's relaxing comfortably in the back when Cinnas jumps in and takes her by surprise.

She lets out a squeak, staring wide-eyed at them for a moment before offering a smile. "Company is welcome."

Looking at them, they resemble a nymph from back home. She can't help but wonder if that's what they are. Though she decides it's probably rude to outright ask what they are.

Instead, "I'm Persephone."

[freshtilapia]

Cinnis beams at the pink lady inside of the cart before swinging in, deftly landing themselves on the hay beside her.

"Cinnis! But some people prefer to call me Fish. I don't really mind either way," they offer a hand in greeting. "How did you find yourself in this cart? Come for a joy ride or something?"

[ragingnature]

Fish feels a little on the nose, so she decides maybe she'll just stick to the first name they gave. "Cinnis," her smile widens as she pushes herself upright so she can shake their hand. "It's nice to meet you."

A bit of hay in her hair catches her attention. She picks it out as she shrugs. "I've never ridden in a cart drawn by horses before, so I thought I'd give it a try." She lets out a soft laugh. "Silly, I know."

[freshtilapia]

They shrug, beaming.

"Always a first time for everything! And whatever this whole world is... it's a first time for me!"

They gesture and flop back into the hay.

"Have you been here long?"

[ragingnature]

"Oh, you're new?" It shouldn't be a surprise. She supposes it is around that time that new people start showing up.

Her smile fades in response to the question. "Um...last time we figured out how long it's been it was six months. I think that was about a month ago..." To her, it feels like a long time to still be struggling to regain her abilities.

III

[thelyss]

It's rare that Essek steps out for these sort of events, but some of the others had wanted to go, and managed to convince him to come. It's early evening, the sky deepening from teal to dark blue; a much more agreeable time for him to be out. Eventually they had all dispersed into smaller groups, and as his companion had temporarily wandered away, he finds himself watching the mechanical bulls with equal parts puzzlement and exasperation.

An unfamiliar voice, but clearly a newcomer just by the question. His smile is wincing as he nods.

"Most things, unfortunately -- although I suppose that depends on your outlook of things." He glances toward the hot dog. "I'd also recommend avoiding the food at these events, unless you're after a similarly...interesting experience."

[freshtilapia]

"What??" Cinnis glances at the food in their hand, surprised, but at the same time not. But... what were they to do? They were hungry and... gosh, can't they have nice things on this island?

"Like what sort of interesting experiences, pray tell?" They quirked an eyebrow up at him. "Not to doubt! But sate a merfolk's curiosity, darling. And honestly, if the effects aren't too bad, I'm hungry enough to take the risk nonetheless."

[thelyss]

Nobody can have nice things on this island, not without consequences or committing certain acts. Everything has a price, in a way.

Essek gestures vaguely at the general...everything. "An experience to fit in with the overall theme of the island and the current goings on, so to speak. In their most benign form, food and drink here is likely to incite acute arousal in some way. But occasionally they have other, more nefarious effects. It may physically change your shape or appearance temporarily. Some have even caused memory alteration for a time.

Unfortunately there is no way to know just by looking at an item, though occasionally there are...hints."

[freshtilapia]

"Huh... interesting," Cinnis looks at the drow thoughtfully.

"So, what hints do you see in this tube of... whatever it is... in bread buns?" They gesture to the hotdog in their one hand with a flourish.

[thelyss]

He tilts his head a little, awkwardly looking at the bun in their hand again.

"The general shape of it, I suspect? I believe it is a meat of some variety, though I can't say for sure, as I have never had one before."

I. hay fever

[dextrae]

When Cinnis looks into the cart after jumping in, there's just a rather large bird of prey----a hawk. Inhumanely large, actually, a bit bigger than an eagle.
He stands out from the goldenrod color of the hay, feathers fluffed up from stray blades of the roughage poking into them. Preening slightly before his attention turns back, the hawk's head turns to a strange angle, signaling confusion or curiosity.

[freshtilapia]

"H-hello?" Cinnis waves at the... bird? Man? Bird Man? They've met another bird man on their travels, but not... well... this one is handsome for one! The last bird they met happened to be more like an old man.

"Is it alright for me to be here? Should I hop out?"

[dextrae]

The rather large hawk trills a bit loudly, but it's not a hostile motion. Adjusting it's wings, it scoots over, the grass blades poking into his wings a little more, and he tries to preen them out.
Frustrated, he takes a step forward to beat his wings, and with a blink---he's no longer a bird, but a gentleman.

"This---stupid hay bale, I'm going to be itching for a week." he mutters. "Yeah, up here's fine, there's plenty of room."

[freshtilapia]

Cinnis couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, kind of amused.

"How did you end up here in the first place?" They swing in, getting right into the cart with the man-- maybe a bit too close. But that's just by accident and the luck of their acrobatics.

[dextrae]

"Same as you, I'd wager. Just...woke up on the beach. As for the hay bale...." he trails off, sulking.

"I must've fallen in flight. Since I got here, almost any magic I've have hasn't been fucking working right..." he mutters, looking awfully frustrated with himself. But, this person's amusement is enough to make him sigh, and rethink his approach.

"Sorry, sorry. I don't mean to be so abrasive, but. Just feels like I have a whole farm in my trousers now, and it's the most uncomfortable thing---" he shifts, near constantly, just trying to find an okay spot to settle.

ii.

[halforc]

Eyes widening at the sudden Beau-like arrival of a stranger straight-up leaping into the back of the cart, he holds up a hand out of instinct and lets it drop slightly as he takes in the oddly marine-look of them.

"Sure? ... Hi."

Reclining in the hay, Fjord has dressed down for the day while the sunshine is out in an unbuttoned henley over worn trousers and tall boots. The oddly translucent look of the harem pants the stranger wears look much more breezy.

"Are you with the fair?"

[freshtilapia]

"N-no..." They can't help but stammer a bit at the sight of such a handsome stranger inside the cart. Wow. Their luck with these hay rides keeps getting better and better. They swing in, but not as brashly as they did in earlier rides.

"I just arrived in this place," they chuckle. "I'm just exploring about. But I could pass for someone with the fair, couldn't I?"

[halforc]

"You could, you're very colourful. I know someone who worked with a circus and you could both share a wardrobe."

Smiling kindly, albeit a bit shy, he sits up and rests an arm on a bent knee to better settle in for the ride now he has company. His eyes rove them, the odd fin-shaped ears and things on their shoulders, but his manners take over before he can ask What are you? That would be rude and they seem ... okay. Pleasant enough not to want to piss off, since the cart is being shared and Fjord didn't plan on getting out any time soon.

"We're being taken out of the City and around the countryside. Are you sure you don't want to go to the fair instead? It's not going to be that interesting."

[freshtilapia]

Cinnis couldn't help but laugh at that, the sound hearty and just full of unbridled life. They didn't seem like the type to be very quiet.

"Well, I had been told a couple of times over my journeys that I could have joined a circus. But I wanted to follow my own path," they wink.

"Honestly, I've been at the fair... found some food I couldn't eat... met some folk on these hay rides as well. I don't know what I can do in a place like this... but if I can have a cute countryside ride with a cute half-orc like you? Why not."