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

nova city! omg I love Vincent, he's one of my all-time faves

[illicitly]

[Nie Huaisang just stares at the man in disbelief. The idea that he might be the more capable one here has never occurred to him until now. His role in threatening situations has always been that of the protected. Even when he's on night hunts, he stays firmly under guard or hidden in the shadows and any fighting stances he happens to take are primarily for a show of solidarity.]

Then we both have a major problem! I can't fight those things either! If you have a plan other than praying over my dead body, I'm all ears!

[His stress levels here might be just a teensy bit high. He's not completely as helpless as he claims but he's by no means a skilled or competent fighter.
He's not without spiritual abilities but they're weak and he's far too careful to risk using them unless his hand is forced.]

Otherwise, we better start running and leave this matter to someone else!

gasp i hope i do him justice!!!

[banworthy]

Guess we better get going, then.

[ Even as he makes the decision, he doesn't sound overly hurried. Instead, he simply turns his heel to walk in the opposite direction. ]

Running is the worst thing that you could do. A beast is a beast no matter what. It'll definitely give chase if it thinks there's a chase to have. [ He's not to worried, though. Since the young man at his side said that he isn't much of a fighter, Vincent can at least take solace in one thing.

He only has to outrun the person at his side. ] I think prayer still would be good. You know - it's never a good idea to put your eggs in one basket. [ His head twists around to look over his shoulder. He does have eggs on his mind, but he wonders - can they steal the egg during all this commotion? ]

Actually, hm... that dragon - it thinks of us as being on its side, don't you think?

I'm sure you'll do great! <3 I'm thrilled just to see him played!

[illicitly]

[Nie Huaisang's gearing up to bolt right out of there as fast as possible, unconcerned about the talk of beasts giving chase. His sect thrives on slaying beasts and he is well-practiced in fleeing a scene. Even with the smaller reservoir of spiritual energy stored within his body, he's still able to outrun most ordinary humans with ease. Not that he's bothering to advertise that fact right now. Nie Huaisang's not in the habit of full disclosure about much of anything, especially his own capabilities, just in case he needs that last minute edge.

The other man's last words catch his attention though, enough to intrigue him long enough to give him pause.]

It seems to. It's not making any aggressive moves toward us. It seems to be more preoccupied with protecting the egg.

[Another brief pause.]

What are you thinking?

;A; thank you!!

[banworthy]

So it is.

[ He stops midstep before turning about to stare at the dragon in question. ]

Old habits die hard, I suppose. [ Muttering under his breath, he supposes in the end that he's just a sore loser. ] That egg - I think we should take it.

[ A beat. ] There are plenty of impressive people surrounding and assisting that dragon. So, why don't we take that a chance to prevent another one of those monstrosities from running around? [ To put it another way: ] I don't think a dragon eats shadows. It's probably only docile right now because of that egg.

But when that thing is born, it's just a little too unpredictable of a situation. Best do away with it and let those capable of killing a dragon kill it. [ Since he's sure that dragon will rampage around, but that really isn't his problem. ]

so sorry for the delay! I had a nasty bout of illness! also I'm sorry for him lol

[illicitly]

[Nie Huaisang just stares at the man for the second time as if he's out of his mind. He knows he's way out of his depth here, with this whole deal of trying to save his world from being determined as unworthy of existence. Everything he's doing out here, putting himself in dangerous spots, and not just running and hiding from all of this until he can just go home, goes against his nature. He works from the shadows, manipulating others into dancing like puppets on a strings to see his own plans to completion. This whole testing scenario Aurora talked about has him on edge and worried about how he's going to be assessed and what failing here is going to mean for the disciples he leads back home. He's never passed a test in his life and is quite confident he's the worst option there is to judge the value of his world by.

But even so what his strange companion is proposing here sounds like a really stupid idea. He almost looks offended though he doesn't even know what to be offended at. Or if there's even a word to put to name the feelings he's experiencing in this moment.]

You don't think stealing the egg ourselves won't make us as much of a target as those shadows? What if the dragon decides we're a threat and breathes fire on us, too? Being burned to ash in this weird place isn't how I plan to go out.

[A calm, peaceful end in his own home surrounded by the family he hopes to build for himself someday, yes. But not like this. And certainly not here.]

But you make a good point about there being plenty of impressive, capable people around better suited for fighting. Perhaps they can be utilized in situations like this.

[And there it is, a gleam of ice-cold calculation in those doe-like brown eyes. Unusually honest on his part but at the moment, he isn't perceiving this stranger as a potential threat.]

patpat. it okay.

[banworthy]

[ Those are all good questions. He has no supernatural abilities, but he can feel something in the air. It is pressure weighing down on him and gets the impression that it's from that egg.

His head lifts as he looks around, focusing on nothing and everything at once. He doesn't want whatever is in it to keep living, but it seems he'll have to leave things into the hands of his "betters." Not enough time to manipulate and convince others of his ideas. ]

You're right. It's just a joke, anyway. [ He gives a small smile. Even a weak person who has no abilities like the one with him will have his use later. ] Poorly timed, I'm aware, but if you can't joke in the face of adversity when can you joke?

[ It may be that he catches the icy thoughts of the person next to him. ] I fear those who have power have made their decisions on what to do, and we'll have to go along with it, for better or worse, anyway. [ He's not one to stick his neck out alone, either. ] Such is how things are with Aurora, as well, hm?

[ Another cruel joke. ] Shall we get back to running, then--? [ He gestures for his name as he returns to his quick jog. ]

[illicitly]

Huaisang. Nie Huaisang.

[He offers his name almost absently, focused more on the situation that they're presently in than social pleasantries and his sense of humor tend to fade away when he's in serious frame of mind like this. But at least, he knows not to alienate a potential ally too much, no matter how much stress he's under. He does start jogging back in the direction he thinks he entered this part of the city from.]

It would be wisest to run if the fighting wanders over this way but....

[He trails off, deep in thought, as sharp intellect sinks its claws into him, overriding his panic over potentially dying here so far away from home among strangers he doesn't even know. But it's this side of him that's kept him alive playing a dangerous game against an opponent far deadlier than himself for the past however many years.]

It might be a good opportunity to observe the others at work Get a better feel for how matters are conducted here. We know nothing about the dragon, the egg, or the shadows. You make a good point about not knowing just what is happening here.

[At least, in Nie Huaisang's own mind he did. And right now, he's more indecisive about what's best course of action here. Aside from stealing the egg. His gut instinct is telling him that making any move that might provoke the dragon into defending the egg against them wouldn't be a smart choice.]

Who are you, anyway? You said you were a priest?

[banworthy]

Then, as chaotic as chaos is, let's try to find a place that is the safest to watch things unfold, Nie Huaisang.

[ And isn't that a task in and of itself? He has to search around the landscape of this strange city to locate a place that will be safe from these monsters. Well, thankfully, he has experience in that business. Though, he did have the protection of being one of the Order. Or at the very least, the nightmare did not view him as a threat.

Actually - the shadows are focused on the dragon, aren't they? He slows yet again and wonders: ] Could they only be attacking those that are aiding the dragon and will leave those of us who are doing nothing alone? [ Meaning if they get far enough away from the combat area, they might be able to escape the fight altogether since they aren't viewed as "threats" to their goals. ]

I can't imagine Aurora will be happy with that, but at the same time, we can't say she won't be happy with those who assess the situation before making a decision. [ In short, this is also a way to start to feel out their new god. ] Hm? Yes, I am a priest. Vincent is the name. Vincent Smith. Please don't forget it.