TDM 003

[etrayamods]

⏵ arrival ⏴ NOTES\WARNINGS: Space horror, existential horror, clown horror, potential graphic violence & psychological trauma. Please add additional warnings as needed within threads. Your arrival does not go as anticipated. While most Etrayans wake up in the hospital, you find yourself somewhere else entirely. Not within the city bubble, not on the planet, but in a desolate room aboard a space station. There’s an endless mechanical whirring that can be heard from anywhere from just behind the walls, although the cause of the noise itself is difficult to discern. Instead of Aurora’s voice telling you of your situation, you are greeted by a man running past the sliding door of your room, opening it, and potentially a couple of others along the hallway. He stops just at the edge of the hallway, a hesitant smile on his lips as he raises a hand to the back of his hair. "Hey! Sorry about the uh–unexpected vacation? Trip? You can call me Alex, I’m one of the hands here aboard the Titan Eight. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but you don’t really belong here. Aaaaand neither do we! Haha, so at least we’ve got that in common. Right? We’re uh, stuck in the gravitational pull of a black hole of some sort and haven’t found a way out yet, and we keep getting random people pulled aboard." His hand smacks the wall next to him, and it opens up - revealing small handheld communication devices lined up behind it. "As you can probably tell, we’re getting used to it. Anyway. Feel free to take one of these, and read up a bit on the ship if you want. There’s a map, you were given a translator—" With a hand dropping to his collar, where a small button rests, "soon as we found you down below. Didn’t want you waking up and freaking out, did we? Just don’t break anything, please? Or don’t break it worse than it is. If this thing gets a big enough hole in it, or we run out of oxygen, or it, gods forbid, explodes, we’re all dead. I’ve got a thing I’m on the way to, but our AI, Aria, can lend you a hand with whatever. Just click her little icon on the comm. She's a bit basic, but she gets the job done." With a little salute, Alex turns himself around to run further down the hallway, leaving new arrivals to themselves and their little communicators. Looks like we’re not on Etraya anymore, Toto. For new arrivals, they will find themselves waking up in the sleeping quarters of Titan Eight, a space station that has found itself trapped just outside of what looks like it must be a black hole. The station is running low on supplies, but it has been for a very, very long time. Or at least, the crew seems to think it has. They’ll say they have two weeks' worth of supplies left for those currently on board, except every time they go back to their supplies, it’s still two weeks left regardless of the amount of time it’s been since they’ve last checked it. Even the crew seems to think it’s odd, looking at one another in confusion every time they’re counting their stock only to realize that it’s still drastically low but never too low. How long have they been here? Years, some seem to think. There are numerous children on board, some as young as nine, but no one on board is aging either. They have tried to track how much time has passed before, but it seems they’ve never been able to track it successfully. Journal entries all carry the same date even as crew members try to mark them differently — marks made on the ship and on bodies fade after midnight as if they had never been there to begin with. This is where the mission, and Etrayans comes in: remove the space station from the black hole’s gravitational pull. There are no further instructions, no limitations on how to accomplish this, and they are not given a time frame. Newcomers will not have this mission information on hand until someone who has stepped foot on Etraya proper can inform them. All of those who drop onto the ship were originally meant to be brought to Etraya and similar city bubbles, but the same pull that keeps the ship by the black hole seems to be preventing whatever method Echo and Aurora are using to get people to Etraya and is instead pulling them here. Titan Eight is not just an average space station. It was built by residents of Caerys 2, and used to serve as a vacation home for those who can afford the luxury rooms in the fourth quadrant. The first quadrant houses a carnival of sorts, the second hosts numerous vendors, and the third is where the crew, and unexpected guests, can be found during their off time. The fourth quadrant houses some of this galaxy's richest families. A mother and her two sons walk through the hallways, carrying umbrellas despite there being no natural light on board, but a closer look at them might explain it: they're so pale, their skin looks clear, dark black veins visible through skin. Their sclera are black, and their 'hair' isn't hair but long black feathers. Numerous guests aboard the ship don't appear to be human; rather, species' of all kinds. An engineer is more dragon than anything else: his long body extends throughout the engine facility, taking up a significant amount of space, but given the dragon himself seems to be leading all efforts to keep the ship running, everyone else tries to work around him. ⏵ whirlwind whimsy ⏴ During the daytime, Titan Eight is fun. Numerous rides are strewn about the wide open area: a massive carousel, ferris wheel, bumper cars, and various others. A seer will offer to tell your future, and performers gather in the big top, showing off their ability to bend themselves into unnatural shapes, or their lack of fear as they balance on thin wire high above the ground without a net to catch them, should they fall. One popular ride is the Tunnel of Love: a small boat that only fits two and steers itself through a tunnel that goes under the carousel. Soft, serene tunes play as various images play over the tunnel walls. While those who have been aboard Titan Eight for a significant period will likely see hearts, short videos of people holding hands, watching the sunset while swinging together - it's not the same for those displaced onto the space station. Instead, they'll see doorways into other worlds: an underwater city full of humanoid beings, a city bubble that looks like a small suburban area, a city built out of trees, or perhaps their own worlds: images of what they may be missing out on, or what could be. The House of Mirrors is also popular: a carnival worker will tell those passing by that it shows you other versions of yourself - who you could be, what you might become, who you once were, or the person you wish you were. Rumor has it the mirrors will whisper to you, telling you what you can do to avoid certain outcomes, or how to achieve others. There are also numerous carnival games set up: Balloon Darts, Ring Toss, Rifle Ranges - anything you could imagine at a carnival is set up somewhere. And given this is meant to be a luxury ship, everything is free of charge. ⏵ midnight entertainment ⏴ Titan Eight being stuck in the pull of the black hole doesn't seem to be the only problem. When the clocks onboard read 0000 hours, everything shifts. The fun carnival feels eerie. Children's laughter can be heard bouncing off the walls — sometimes sounding bright and cheerful; other times sounding downright sinister. Crew members and carnival workers suggest staying out of the first quadrant. After 2230 hours, they exit their workstations and find other spaces to hunker down in for the night. No one wants to be around when the excessively tall clown walks out of the House of Mirrors, dragging other clowns of various shapes and sizes right through the mirrors themselves. Carnival workers will explain they have tried breaking the mirrors but given how the ship resets at midnight, attempts to destroy everything have proved futile. The clowns themselves are odd. The tallest one has a smile filled with blood and a laugh that sounds like it belongs to a young child rather than the creature it is. It carries around a bloodied carving knife but doesn't reach for anyone who goes near it. Some clowns cry and sob, ripping fingernails from their nailbeds as they claw at the door leading into the central hub. Others laugh and scream, wandering around the open carnival area to cause damage wherever possible. Some hurt each other, or the other creatures wandering the carnival area. Most of them will attack on sight. During the nighttime hours, this is their area. And yet many remain around the House of Mirrors, guarding it, as if there is something inside of it that they must protect. Getting past them is near impossible: when one clown falls, two more rise out of the mirrors. When the mirrors are destroyed, the tall clown drags its hands against the broken pieces of glass, helping it to reform. By 0500 hours, the clowns have made their way back into the mirrors, taking along with them whatever they had been so protective of. ⏵ toucan play that game ⏴ While the fourth quadrant is generally reserved for guests who can afford to pay for the space and the staff who manage it, with the station stuck, they've opted to open the area to allow others to come and go during the day. In the center is a massive aviary, filled with birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some of them have no feathers yet still manage to fly, some look as if they should have gone extinct thousands of years ago, and others are - completely unidentifiable, alien. Most of them are peaceful. But not all of them. Off in the far Southwest corner is a bird with three eyes, a long black tail, and a beak full of massive teeth. While it will not attack others, it will open its beak and speak in a voice that mimics one familiar to those wandering past it: a friend, a sibling, or someone who had long since passed, and says the last thing they remember that person saying to them, repeating it over and over again as long as they stay close to it. Outside of the aviary, there are exercise facilities, sunning rooms, a massive swimming pool and hot tub, areas for pets to rest and play with one another, and a large ballroom where dances are thrown once weekly. Residents dress up in their best gowns and suits, don masks, and dance away the stress of their situation. Staff and displaced are invited to join, although staff are encouraged to come to every other dance, so there are still enough to man the ballroom. ⏵ current player notes ⏴ Aurora approaches those currently stationed on Etraya individually, informing them of the mission at hand. She tells them that she is capable of releasing them much in the same way Echo originally pulled them onto the planet, but with a 'tether' still attached to keep them from getting lost too long. Time does not function the same way on the ship as it does on the planet; she suspects their time being on the ship won't register as any time at all to those remaining on Etraya, and that when they are pulled back, it will likely be as if they never left to begin with. Current characters are not pulled to Titan Eight during missions happening in game but in the downtime between them. Small rescue ships are docked at the Southeastern island, and she will send individuals off a few at a time. The ships will pass through the barrier without issue, but won't travel far at all outside of Etraya before they blip out of existence, and reappear in Titan Eight's orbit. They will also get a friendly introduction speech from Alex, and a ship communicator for any network-related needs while aboard Titan Eight! Earpieces will not work aboard the ship. When characters are pulled back, it will not be on rescue ships. Instead, they will find themselves suddenly dissipating at midnight, as the rest of the changes aboard the ship shift back to how they had been originally. The rescue ships disappear at midnight, along with the player characters. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ This TDM covers June to September. The TDM is game canon, meaning everything happening above is occurring within the game properly, and threads can be kept as game canon even if a character does not app. Time does not function the same on Titan Eight as on Etraya! Characters can be brought onto Titan Eight at any time and stationed there long before any of the Etrayans arrive to assist. For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply to our mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. This is going to be an ongoing plot, which characters are welcome to try and solve, even if they aren't yet in the game!

Comments

[odinpusrex]

[While the look of the lad is different than the orcs he has come to command, he recognizes him for what he is. Though he does not consider the possibility of his split heritage, for such a combination is rather unheard of in Valisthea. In fact, even having an allegiance with beastmen at all is seen as impossible, yet Barnabas has achieved just that.

He eyes him, looking him over, but likewise taking measure of the axe upon his back. His height is certainly fitting for an orc, some few inches taller than Barnabas, though the green hue of his skin strikes him as odd, still he would not name him, say, a goblin for the discrepancy. The question itself nearly gets ignored entirely for how preposterous it is. Not only because Barnabas serves no one but the Almighty Himself, but so too because he could not look less suited to his environment.

Barnabas gives him a muted scowl.]

I do not. What lead you to inquire such?

[Like, what do you want and why do you think he can help you with it, orc-boy?]

[tinflower]

[ Oh, someone looks like they're having a bad day with that face, or something else. Or so is the assumption Gorgug makes, and he doesn't reflect on his own question at the returned one (that is, does he find it stupid what he asked? absolutely not, apparently). There's only a sigh that comes before his answer, weary: ]

I'm just trying to find out what's going on so I can get this over with? You know, find clues, anything that can help...

[ It's always a part of solving the problem, even if he's not the best at this compared to the others. But he's not with them, and he needs to get back, so--here he is. Clue finding. Asking questions. ]

[odinpusrex]

[Every day of his life, baby!

Which is to say that's a fair assumption to make. Barnabas does near to nothing to lessen the wretched vibes of dourness that exudes from him as a miasma. However, seeing as it isn't enough to deter this interaction from its continuation, Barnabas lets out a measured breath through his nose.]

As a nascent arrival, limited is my knowledge of this queer realm, though I too endeavor to depart anon. It would seem we are equals in this regard.

[Though not in others, he does not say. Instead he chooses to introduce himself:]

I am Barnabas Tharmr, Warden of Ash and King of Waloed.

[His pointed and steely stare of expectation might hint at the fact Gorgug should probably introduce himself in kind. No pressure, except where that stern and unblinking gaze kind of adds a lot of it for the easily intimidated.]

[tinflower]

[ Damn, you ever get some really strong vibes from a person that you can swing either way with?

In that, already established: this guy gives off the sort of gruff mood that coffee alone won't fix. There's people like that, and Gorgug deals with people as he has to, walking up to random strangers--as he has now--when there's a purpose. And there's still a purpose this moment, even with the aforementioned vibes coming from this guy.

Which isn't doing much about the somewhat undecided expression, even in the face of the haughty introduction. But Gorgug knows manners, the expectation after someone offers a name, and so: ]

I'm Gorgug. [ Simple, and there's a beat before: ] --Thistlespring. Of the Bad Kids.

[ ...it's the closest to a title he has, so why not add it? Even though there's no attempt at boasting in his voice, nothing translating as looking to impress the guy in the face of his...everything.

Instead, he's more interested in figuring out if this will go anywhere useful, so there's only a pause before he asks, ] I guess you're figuring out what people are doing to fix this? And get us back.

[ Does the guy he thought was a paladin was going to be investigating the engine issues? No. But he's definitely gleaning to find out what he does know. ]

[odinpusrex]

[It would take more coffee than his whole body could bear to even remotely start to fix this mood of his, and even then that would cause an entirely new problem.

Barnabas seems to accept the introduction well enough, he really doesn't care for ceremony in that regard. The pomp and performative nature of nobility and suchlike were never of interest to him. Which is probably why his introduction sounded less proud and more rehearsed. Which is also why there's no follow up "pleasure to meet you" or anything of that sort.

Pleasantries are pointless and are perfunctory at best, which he again has no interest in.]

Indeed. I am seeking aught there is to know of our present circumstance, and what may be required to free us from it.

[Though he is at a severe disadvantage, knowing as little as he does about all of this. Honestly, it's strange even to converse with an orc that is so well spoken as Gorgug is. Sure, he was able to forge an allegiance with the orcs of Ash, but they are hardly so socialized as his company here.

Honestly, he hates having to talk at all. Would that he had his Lord Commander here to do the talking instead...]

What know you of this place?

[tinflower]

[ There's a decision here to be made by sharing information, a moment of consideration: Will it be worth it? He's hardly the chattiest out of the group, and his experience with the more lordy types usually lead him nowhere (or downright frustrated--why can't that one guy get his name right?). His eyes look upward as he thinks, arms folding across his stomach.

Well, it's not going to hurt, and there's at least the basics. Gorgug looks back at the other guy. ] Engines aren't strong enough to push us away from the gravity pulling us in, and something's going on in some House of Mirrors. There's clowns appearing at night there?

[ That sinks in Gorgug's brow, since--clowns are night? Why? Something weird going on there. ]

There shouldn't be clowns there, [ he adds, just because--you know. You'd think there should be clowns there if anywhere, but no. ]