TDM 004

[etrayamods]

⏵ the usual arrival ⏴ NOTES\WARNINGS: Horror elements, themes of addiction, supernatural changes, light mind control Arrival goes as anticipated. Characters awaken in the sterile white glow of artificial lights, the hum of soft machinery thrumming in the background like a mechanical lullaby. The hospital room is pristine - almost too pristine - sterile, but oddly calming. Every surface gleams in a way that feels calculated as if someone had specifically designed the space to be comforting. Yet, a faint whiff of antiseptic clings to the air, and the silence feels unnatural. The first face they see is Aurora's: her smile appears to be warm, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. She might offer a quick explanation, or leave characters to figure it out for themselves depending on their approach. The door to the room swings open, revealing a hallway that stretches out ahead of them. They're free to explore their surroundings now, but something tells them this place is more than just a hospital. The lobby is a stark contrast to the sterile rooms above. It's warm, almost welcoming. Currently, an array of cookie trays are strewn about the area just inside the door that leads them to the outside world, decorated with frosting shaped into leaves, pumpkins, and the occasional snowman. They aren't perfect, but - the companion bots tried their best, they're still figuring out this whole cookie decorating thing. At least most of the cookies are normal cookie flavors this time. However, it doesn't feel as if this is what they should be eating. Something is telling them to go outside. To find something more filling. ⏵ the unusual arrival ⏴ Perhaps you skip all of that, somehow, slipping through the cracks of the system. You arrive outside of the normal purview, outside of the hospital walls. Perhaps you come to, standing in line for a food truck covered in slime. You could be anywhere, though. At the Diner, perhaps the apartments, or a random shop. Anywhere. It’s okay, though. This has happened before, and they are more prepared for it. No matter where you are, the helper bots will be ready with a quick and convenient remedy. A companion bot approaches you, bidding you to step into a clear tube. Should you do so, it will seal before power-washing you from head to toe in an efficient handful of seconds. And then it will release you, sopping wet but clean! Oh dear, are you catching a bit of a chill? …They will come up with a solution for that next time, I’m afraid. ⏵ lunchtime ⏴ As the swelter of summer begins to fade into the first hints of autumn, a small fleet of food trucks arrives in each part of Etraya. When you arrive at one they offer a stamp card with a little map of Etraya and the location of each truck’s loop. "Make sure you don’t lose it," the cashier warns in a friendly tone despite their vague and shadowy visage. Once you begin sampling their offerings, stopping becomes near-impossible. The food is delicious--or seems to be. However, each dish comes with a catch, and the more you eat, the more its effects intensify. To break this curse, one must sample all and fill their stamp cards. Traveling between the Apartments, Hospital, Ramsey Farm, S.T.A.R. Labs, Bangsan Market, and Corrine’s Cafe, Bau Haus serves dumplings and bao so good you'll start feeling feral for them. And the more you eat, the more animalistic you become - your senses sharpen, your temper flares. Senses and reflexes may become sharper, and boy does that slab of uncooked meat sound satisfying. Do you feel the need to growl at people who come too close to you and your meal? Surely that can't be related. Moving between Hannibal Lecter’s house, Sector 5 Church, Wayne Tower, Daily Planet, Shinra HQ, and Clint Barton’s Apartment Building, the Owl Feather serves soothing tea and delicious boba. But overindulgence may make you overly affectionate and obsessed with helping others, whether they want it or not. Muy Biento serves Mexi-Japanese fusion bento boxes from the Avengers Compound, Bishop Publishing, Dhali-Wal-To-Wall Books, and Cafe Millennia. There are teriyaki chimichangas, tempura carne asada, carnitas onigiri, and more. After a meal, you begin seeing ghosts out of the corner of your eye, always vanishing when you turn to look. Serving fried chocobo and "popoto" wedges, The Golden Chocobo makes you ravenous no matter how much you eat. Soon, you'll be eyeing increasingly strange items to satisfy your hunger. It travels between Ebbet’s Field, the Diner, Wayne Manor, and the Bunker. Offering crepes between Xavier Institute, Harry’s Hideaway Pub, Roxx, Kwikk Trip, and Big Belly, Thyme Served’s food seems innocent enough—until the night terrors begin. The more you eat, the worse they get, with the truck still there the next day, calling for you. Perhaps… a banana one this time. Bill’s Buffalo Burgers travels between Beviin-Vasur Farm, Point Blanc Academy, and Muten-Ichi-Ryu Dojo and serves only one burger - topped with pork rinds for a satisfying crunch, but it sounds good to you. However, after your first bite, you're told there's a price: a lock of someone else’s hair. Refuse, and it will feel like hair is stuck in your mouth, driving you mad until you pay the price. After all that trouble, you go home and can’t stop thinking about getting another burger. Offering blue milkshakes and ice cream, repeated visits to the Milk Man will turn your tongue—and eventually your blood—blue. A creeping chill settles in, growing worse each time until no amount of warmth can help. ⏵ nova city ⏴ Nova City, vast and sprawling in its corner of Etraya, remains mostly abandoned. Its towering buildings stand silently, watching over empty streets where only stray cats and the occasional bird roam. The dragon, Zhaera, perches protectively atop the tallest spire at the heart of this desolate city. She has been guarding her egg since her arrival, waiting for the young dragon within to mature enough it can survive in the outside world. As its incubation period draws near, her anxiety grows. A tremor spreads through Etraya, an instinctive call to those nearby. As the egg nears its hatching, strange forces awaken within Etraya itself, spreading too into Nova City. Shadowy creatures crawl out from the ground, surrounding the tower the dragon and her unborn child have taken shelter on. The air crackles with the energy coming from the egg itself, and the cats throughout the city seem unsettled. The sheer amount of magic the egg gives off is enough to attract anyone capable of sensing it. The dragon, normally composed and fierce, appears to be visibly distressed by the changes going on in the city below it. Her maw opens, sending flames to ward off the inky black tendrils intent on getting to her egg. But she may need some assistance keeping it safe. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ This TDM covers September and October. The events happening in the TDM are game canon. Threads can be kept as game canon if wanted! For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please use the mod queries thread. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

Comments

unusual arrival

[illicitly]

Meanwhile, Nie Huaisang's been wandering around staring at the bots, trying to avoid getting too close to them. They're simply too strange to him, the sight of them alone making him uncomfortable but none of them have threatened him yet or successfully managed to force him into a tube. Then again, he's been quick to dart out of their line of vision whenever they possible, hiding in the shadows of buildings or behind whatever people or obstacles he can find.

Eventually, he comes across the sopping wet man on the bench, expression brightening just to see someone who dressed in a familiar style of clothing. The glare doesn't really slow him down either, not when confronted of being being alone far from home in such an unfamiliar place.

"Excuse me. Are you new here, too?"

At least, he's politely ignoring the stranger's sopping wet status. He has questions about it, of course, along with who he's mumbling about but it's not really any of his business.

Re: unusual arrival

[ghostlord]

Lucky, lucky! Wen Kexing shakes his sleeves like a grumpy bird and then produces a white fan. He uses it to dry himself, little by little, looking as if he isn't in any hurry. But his mind is spinning, worrying and looking for answers - only to come up empty.

All in all, Huaisang is a welcome distraction. His fanning stops and he opens one of his eyes, observing the other man. Then he sits up and smiles sedately.

"Apparently! I see the bots haven't caught you yet." he glares at a passing bot, ready to lash out to save Huaisang from his drippy fate. Or maybe just to get revenge.

[illicitly]

"Not yet! I've been trying to keep out of their gaze as much as possible until I know more about them and what their intentions are. They seem to be constructs of some sort and they're obviously animated by something but I haven't figured out what it is yet."

Sensing a potential protector in this stranger, Nie Huaisang shuffles a little closer, plopping down on the bench. He's been doing an awful lot of walking around, trying to make heads or tails of anything that he's seeing, and now he's tuckered out and needs a rest.

"Do you have any guesses what they could be? They haven't threatened you beyond a forceful bath, have they?"

[ghostlord]

"They are nuisances." Kexing declares, arching a brow when Huaisang plops down beside him, "Use a little force and I bet they break to pieces. I haven't tried yet, but the thought has crossed my mind." he had kicked the bot that soaked him.

"Forgive me, I'm being rude." he turns to face Huaisang and cups his hands before him, giving a partial bow, "I am Wen Kexing and you needn't fear the bots if you stick close to me."

Hey, it's something to do. His A-Xu would look after people, he's sure of it.

[illicitly]

"Thanks. I''m Nie Huaisang."

He pauses to answer the partial bow with one of his own. The rest of his title doesn't really matter much and honestly, he'd rather not reveal himself as the leader of a martial arts sect. It's not like he's able to really fight like he's one and the future expectations he has to live up to and disappoint, the better.

"I appreciate it. I can't say I'm much of a fighter. A scholar and investigator, yes, but a fighter, no."

He sighs and slips a paper fan of his own out of his sleeve, flicks it open, and starts fanning Wen Kexing, too. Who knows? Maybe it'll help his clothes dry faster and the least, he can do considering the man's offer.

[ghostlord]

"Nie Huaisang..." Wen Kexing says the name slowly, sounding it out against his tongue as he fans himself, "I don't recognize your surname." and then Huaisang himself gives him a fair explanation, though Kexing has made himself aware of some scholars.

Just none with the surname of Nie.

"I've been taught by the best. You needn't worry about your safety." he smiles, both arrogant and proud. Then another fan presents itself and he laughs, stretching out his arms to catch the most air.

"If this place has any fires, I could be dry much sooner. Shall we look, Huaisang?"

[illicitly]

Nie Huaisang seems content enough to rely on his new companion's skills, taking them at face value. After all, it's not as if he really has much of a choice except to risk putting a little faith in the people he meets here. If he's given a reason to mistrust, he'll reassess then.

"Sure. Perhaps one of the buildings has some wood or a hearth? It would probably be best to find suitable shelter before nightfall. Maybe one of these buildings has such a place?"

Had Lady Aurora spoken of such things in the the hospital? Nie Huaisang can't remember but all the talk of multiverses and simply trying to understand why he was here had used up most of his intellectual capacity for lectures. It's entirely possible he'd missed some instruction he'd been given.

"This seem quite a bit larger than Qinghe. And a bit more complex to navigate... Oh, that's where I am from, by the way."

[ghostlord]

Oh Wen Kexing is a wildcard and probably insane. But he is better than he used to be. He has been tamed by his precious Senior and the memories of his past. Getting justice for his parents has been very good for him.

"Shall we?" he flicks his fan and tucks it away at his waist, right next to a dizi. Then he stands and motions with his head at the nearest building.

"Let's make this as easy as possible." he glowers at a passing bot, "Tell me about your Qinghe? We look like we are from similar places. Do you know anything about martial arts? Cultivation?"

[illicitly]

That's fine. One of the boys Nie Huaisang considered his best friend during in his youth was a wild card like that, full of all sorts of ideas everyone else thought of as insanity. To him, they'd been interesting or even genius.

He rises to his feet, leaving his own fan out for the moment, twirling it idly in his fingers.

"Oh, Qinghe? We're in the north. The land's pretty rocky and mountainous where I live. We don't have too many rivers or lakes near there but the hunting's not bad! And yes, I'm from a cultivation sect. I was born into one of the great clans but I can't say that I've ever been very good at it. I suppose my heart and my interests always lay elsewhere."

There's still a bit of reluctance to confess that he's the current leader. Maybe he's just feeling shy? Or anxious about being judged for his lack of skill and talent in front to his appealing new friend.

[ghostlord]

Wen Kexing and Wei Wuxian would probably get along famously! Though the latter never went quite as far as Kexing in earning a name for himself. The Ghost Valley is not an easy place to live and there is no such thing as peace.

"I've known places like that." he is surprised by the rest, tilting his head as he observes Huaisang, "That would be the...Nie clan, yes?" he will remember that and file it away as useful or not for later, "Not everyone is made for fighting or even for cultivation. There is no shame in that. I always liked it." he lets out a sigh, "I like music and art too."

[illicitly]

Nie Huaisang does tend to have a certain fondness for the bold, extremist types...

"Oh, you like art and music, too?" He perks up at that. "I've always favored the arts over swordplay. Painting and calligraphy, mainly but I make handpainted fans and collect art, too. And I'm an avid reader, poetry, literature, spring novels, certain tactical manuals if the author has a gift for artful phrase."

Though it's entirely possible that Nie Huaisang might have learned to enjoy swordplay as well if he'd ever had an opportunity to learn a less aggressive fighting style with a weapon more suitable to him than the saber. Or even just a weapon that wouldn't condemn him to madness and death simply by mastery over it.

"But I enjoy meditating. Alone, usually. It helps me relax."

It'd probably come as a shock to most people from home to hear Nie Huaisang admit to liking any part of cultivation at all but he's grown up a lot in the past ten years and in ways most of them only know his mask.