TDM 007

[etrayamods]

content warnings for this TDM include: violence, potential death, body horror, physical transformation, loss of senses, loss of autonomy ⏵ arrival⏴ Arrival does not happen as Aurora usually plans for it. New characters are introduced to the AI, then informed of a mission that they are required to participate in before they can return to their home base of Etraya. A world called Aphaia is falling apart, and while there is nothing they can do to resolve this broken world, they can participate in the Gamerunner's Stratagem. Their mission is simple: step through the glowing purple portal that Aurora creates once they've had time to listen to her, and survive until a similar portal reopens in front of them, allowing them to return to Etraya. The Gamerunner's Stratagem is something they have been working on building for quite some time. She informs all newcomers that they will not be present on this world that long: their exit will appear to them exactly when it's meant to, allowing them to meet the others who have been recruited to save their worlds. She provides each and every arrival with an earpiece, allowing them to communicate with the other Etrayans. Aurora suggests taking a bag full of supplies along with them, which she will fill with a few generic items as well as any specific items they may need: synthetic blood for vampires, protein bars for those who may burn through calories faster, medication for anyone who requires it. ⏵ aphaia ⏴ Aphaia is a neon-lit, chaotic planet. Cameras are everywhere, every action and inaction is judged by the 'audience'. Towering holograms advertise upcoming events while flashing leader boards track the most "popular" players. Contestants are thrown into challenges, many of which are games of skill, survival, and deception all to keep the viewers entertained. Not participating is an option! However, avoiding playing along and not putting on a show will quickly cause participants' score to go down, and scores that reach zero? Well. Unfortunately, there are only so many resources left on Aphaia. Their wildlife has died off, their planet is falling apart, and most others in this galaxy were either destroyed from the inside out, or warring planets trying to gain control of remaining resources destroyed them to avoid others getting involved. Their natural resources are depleted, and only those who manage to keep their scores up are given the luxury of having any supplies. As soon as one steps foot on Aphaia, as soon as they breathe, they intake nanotechnology which tracks their oxygen consumption, their food, everything they do or need. As soon as their scores reach zero? They disappear. There one moment, and completely gone the next. Their communicators go offline, and while everything they were carrying will be left behind, no one will be able to find them. They are simply--gone, erased from existence. This is a death and counts as a death as outlined in the game FAQ! Please keep this in mind. "Points" that go towards their total score will be assigned to contestants from the moment they drop down on planet. This will be visible using the HUD on their earpiece, and will be randomized at the beginning. For the sake of the TDM, we ask that no one be assigned Paragon initially, but you're free to use other ranks! The possible rankings are: 100: PARAGON 99-80: LUMINARY 79-70: CHAMPION 69-50: CONTENDER 49-30: UNDERLING 30-0: SHADE Ranks may change daily, or even hourly depending on the kind of situation one has found themselves in. Are they having a very public break up in which it comes out that they wronged their ex? They may go from a Champion to a Shade before they can even blink. Did they save a defenseless reporter from the big bad villain of the week? They may find themselves quickly elevated up to Luminary and given all the benefits that comes with being upper class. The world is their oyster, they only need to figure out how they'd like to utilize it! Aphaia is broken up into four districts. The Colosseum is a dynamic battle arena where combatants fight for entertainment, with shifting environments controlled by the audience. Victories earn points, while losses depend on performance. The Symposium is a lavish social hub for top contestants, where alliances and betrayals are made under the audience’s watchful eye. The Agora is the public center of Aphaia, where contestants engage with the audience through polls, interviews, and challenges to maintain popularity. It also houses the contestants in high-rise apartments. And Backalleys provide hidden spaces with intentional blind spots for secret dealings, though the Gamerunner is always aware of what happens there. ⏵ st★rlight soirée ⏴ Something special is happening in the Colosseum. Lights flicker as the arena shifts, rearranging itself into a grand, glittering ballroom - if a ballroom had stadium seating, paparazzi drones, and an ever-changing floor plan designed to disorient those within it. Silver chandeliers pulse with artificial starlight, their glow refracted through the crystalline floors. Music swells, but it sounds - unnatural. It thrums through your veins, setting your blood alight with the urge to dance. Why is the ballroom designed as if intentionally put together to throw off one's balance? Well, it's time for the Panopticon Prom, of course! The Panopticon Prom isn't just an adventure in dancing and impressing your most recent crush. It's a test of endurance, cunning, grace, and charm. The floor beneath your feet moves as if it has a mind of it's own, shifting to the beat like a living creature all of it's own. It tilts, undulates, even vanishing in sections to keep dancers on edge. After all, it's difficult to keep up one's pace if they're falling through a hole in the floor to the foam pit below. Drones zip through the air, catching every stumble, every misstep, and every attempt to throw off others on the dance floor. This is a competition, after all; and what fun is a dance battle without having the freedom to thwart someone else on their road to victory? The rules are simple: You must dance with a partner. This can be an ally, an enemy, or someone you intend on using as a stepping stone to victory. It matters not, as long as you have one hand (or limb) on them at all times. The longer you last, the better your chances. Endurance is the name of the game, meaning one must pace themselves on the dance floor. While epic twirls and impressive moves will garner more attention, it may also hurt your chances in the long run. You may sabotage others by throwing them off balance, but keep in mind: everything is televised, and it won't stay secret for long. The arena adapts to the chaos. Expect sudden obstacles, environmental shifts, and sudden changes in the music's tempo. Gravity may shift, walls may close in, but participants can't let that stop them - they must continue to dance, if they wish to win. The audience is watching. Who will make the final cut and become Prom King and Queen? Everyone is vying for the titles: it doesn't matter what rank you started at when you joined the Panopticon Prom. Whoever wins becomes a Paragon until their points drop. There aren't many opportunities to sail through the rankings, but this is a sure way to do it. As long as they can keep up. ⏵ casino royale ⏴ Out in the Agora, another popular quarterly event is being set up! The Casino Royale has been destroyed countless times, but it seems as if the Gamerunner just can't let it go - every time it gets knocked down, it gets rebuilt. There is one rule. One must take a turn at the revolving wheel just inside the door as their entry fee, and whatever the wheel lands on, they must maintain until they exit the building for the night. Sometimes, this is easier: an effect they have no control over and cannot undo even if they wanted to. Sometimes, this is more difficult: an assigned task they must complete. Failure to abide by the wheel once means receiving a penalty. Twice? Certain death if caught by any employee. The wheel's effects are as follows: 1 You must speak entirely in rhyme. 2 Your body has become unnaturally delicate. The smallest injury hurts like a fatal wound. 3 You must avoid stepping into any sources of light. Doing so causes massive burns to appear on any area of your skin where light has touched. 4 You have been transformed into an animal! You can still think as you had before, but you cannot speak or communicate easily. 5 You have been cursed with supernatural strength, but cannot control it. 6 Time doesn't flow normally for you anymore. Each mistake you make makes you visibly younger, slowly erasing your experiences, skills, or even memories. 7 You can no longer form your own words, but only repeat what others have said to you. 8 You cannot meet another person's gaze. 9 You can no longer turn around, physically or metaphorically. If you try to return where you came from, you'll find that the pathway no longer exists. 10 You are given a specific letter that you must avoid using out loud entirely. "A"? Better hope you know enough words without one. 11 Every time you speak, your words come true - but never in the way you intended. Trying to control this is futile; the monkey's paw curls with every new sentence. 12 Within the casino, you lose the ability to feel anything. No pain, no pleasure, no warmth, and no cold. At first it may feel like a blessing - until you realize you cannot feel hunger, or tell if you're injured. 13 Regardless of if you've drunken anything, you still act inebriated. The effect only gets worse the longer you stay. 14 No one can see you. You are invisible, even if you are still able to reach out and touch or converse with those around you. 15 Any special ability you have is gone. You are reduced down to what an average human being is capable of - regardless of if you are human. 16 Violent impulses become impossible to ignore. You are rage incarnate, and you will be heard. 17 Every time you make a decision - to walk into an area, to start a conversation, anything, a small thread pulls loose from your clothing or your skin. Keep making choices, and you may become entirely undone. 18 You may speak freely, but for every syllable you say, your ability to hear slowly fades. You may want to watch your word count - too many, and you may not be able to hear at all. 19 Perhaps you arrived with a friend, or beside a stranger. It matters not: whoever came in either just before or just after you, you feel a powerful urge to protect them to the point of aggression. 20 Love is in the air - at least it is for you. Every time you meet someone's gaze, you feel the need to try and make them fall in love with you, through whatever means necessary. The casino is alive with the hum of conversation, the clink of glasses, and the steady whirl of the roulette wheels. Golden chandeliers cast a warm glow over velvet-lined tables, where fortunes are made and lost with the flick of a wrist. But something feels. . . off. The dealers never blink. The cards never seem random. And the house always wins - always. Maybe it's just paranoia, or maybe this casino is something more than just a den of chance. Tonight, you're not here just to play; you're here on a mission. You've arrived dressed to kill, blending into the sea of bodies filling the casino's floors. But you're not here to win points or boost your social standing - you're here to win intel. Somewhere in this casino is a single flash drive containing information on just how Aphaia maintains their system. The only problem? The House knows someone is coming for it. After all, they're well-aware of the game: whoever retrieves the flash drive will obtain information on how to flip the script, to change the rules of the game to fit their wants and needs, rather than following the current Gamerunner. After all, this is the Gamerunner's Stratagem that Aurora has sent them out on! Many apply for 'employment' within the Casino Royale in hopes of getting insider information on where the flash drive is hidden and what it looks like. However, it seems that even the employees have no clue where it has been hidden. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ This is an extension of our Aphaia Mission! We have included enough information in this post that catching up to current in game logs isn't necessary to play with it, but you are welcome to use any part of the Aphaia setting in your prompts as you'd like. Current players are also welcome to bring the events from this TDM into their in-game threads. This mission can happen outside of time as needed! Incoming characters will find themselves introduced to Aphaia as they arrive. Current characters may find Aurora calling on them to visit Aphaia after the current mission for the Gamerunner's Stratagem. Characters already in game are welcome to post to the TDM, too! Please mark them as current characters in your header. Threads can be kept as game canon as long as both characters get into the game! Please direct all questions relating to this log to our mod queries comment! All other questions can be directed to our FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[fancyfixer]

Shaan holds up his hand. "Oh please don't," he says as politely as he can, "I don't think it would fit and it's cold in here."

He is desperately trying not to blush as he prays no one around them is staring."

[sophielicious]

Wow, I ordered you a beer. You were here, you saw it, not my fault their beer sucks.

(But look, she's going to throw him a bone and check if there's any acceptable beer for oh, your small majesty Scott Summers. The pink in her eyes, the little glow, and she's going through all the tastebuds of whoever is drinking too, only to wrinkle her nose and drop it.)

Yep, Summers, all their beers super suck. Get a juice, or a girly cocktail.

[keepitgoing]

[A genuine moment of truth situation here, that may or may not help avoid anarchy:]

... I have a stash of snickers and twix candy bars in my apartment.

[A DELICACY!!!!!!!!!]

[shoplifter]

I am kicking asses in your world, too?

[She already figured as much, of course! But it's nice to hear it.

Even if she's trying to be... better as a free person, she can't help but feel a vetted interest in the other, older version of her that sometimes gets spoken of like a tall tale.]

[shoplifter]

[She looks caught off-guard by his words: But have you seen you? It makes her think of the host of the interview show — the soft nudge he'd given with his words. "They want to see you win and succeed. And boy do you! It's like your possessed out there. Are you sure there's a sweet little girl under all that carnage?" She'd squirmed uncomfortably in her chair at the way he'd said it, and the way the crowd looked at her, a mixture of either adoration and concern.

She frowns, looking a little lost.

Has Wade just given her an epiphany, that she's giving people a lifetime of pain and trauma?

Maybe.]

... It does not sound very good, either... [As it turns out, her 'hero' era has been a very difficult journey for her in Etraya, and she has no clue if she's actually doing any of it right. At the worst possible time, she looks at Wade and asks in earnestness:] Am I doing bad things? Am I being a bad person?

[shoplifter]

[She nods, though there's plenty of mixed feelings on her pride.

Especially after being here, having to fight to keep her points up. That was the point of this place, and yet... Some situations have led her to realize she's very good at hurting people. In a way, she worries she'll never get bad at it.]

It's what I was trained to do best.

Close-quarters and scent tracking.

[hyphanated]

[Moving, spinning, lifting...oh, so it's like being manhandled by the colonel? Suddenly dancing seems more understandable!

Despite that questionable understanding though, he still finds himself staring at the proffered hand for a short moment before realizing he's supposed to take it.

After which he says, seriously:] I'll do my best.

[Now to make sure he doesn't trip! Maybe this guy will be easier to keep up with than the guy who "danced" with him back home? One can always hope.]

{...looks at canon.....looks away.......}

[vexant]

You need to get out more, man.

( just as an aside. but it's fine. it's whatever. they can work with this. )

Dominoes. You know what those are, don't you?

[zauneyete]

Not for you, no.

[ A quirk of his lips. Man, he could be more helpful, but why would he? ]

There are plenty of others from Etraya here, if you leave in your earpiece. You may even meet some of them. They might have seen the people you're looking for around. Although it's quite possible you're alone, as well.

[fireboost]

[ at first, the reaction to her flames causes her fur to bristle slightly for a moment, unsure if it's positive or once again negative. it doesn't seem to be though. rather, he seems almost impressed? blaze listens attentively as he speaks, ultimately deciding that he's no threat in that sense, and focusing on the question he's asking. ]

I am capable in hand-to-hand combat as well, are you?

[ blaze has no way of assessing a human's capability really. they all seem rather unimpressive to her, relying on their technology to cause destruction to those around them, but it seems this one has more to offer.

that's why she wants to cover their bases and ensure that they both exit the arena safely at the end of this. ]

How will you respond if someone engages you in close range? Or from behind? We should have a plan in place, even if it's only a signal for assistance from the other.

[maximumlegend]

You're having a weird reaction to it!

[ Only technically, because Fabian doesn't realize that what's riling Scott up a little bit is being questioned about it in the first place.. The truth is that they're just making each other spiral over absolutely nothing.

As teenage boys do. True to their name. ]

I mean, if you're so alright with it, shouldn't we just start dancing?

[rudelanguage]

Seems convenient.

What's the catch?

[because that shit is too convenient to not be full of strings and nonsense - maybe even fey nonsense.

hell, this guy may be fey, for all the annoying, roundabout talk n shit.]

[hasitsthorns]

Haha, well... [ It's a good question, honestly. A reasonable one. Unfortunately: ]

Your guess is probably as good as mine. They don't really divulge that from what I've experienced. [ It is... unfortunate that's the case, too. While she isn't in too much of a hurry, the woman understands that some people might want to know what an impact their efforts have made. Or rather: how soon they are to returning home. ]

[limiterrings]

[ he doesn't say anything, instead he takes in the information about her. a young girl trained for what purpose? he doesn't like it, not when she looks pretty close in age to maria.

... ]

Hm.

[ it's not his place to ask, instead he takes a different direction. ]

Have your goals changed since being here?

[ or has all that training still have meaning in this place, whoever they trained her to find... or kill, it's all he can go off on their training methods. ]

[laserguy]

Just a little push Jean, that's all. [...Though he kind of gets how weird it would be to have another version of himself telling him to do something. He'd probably just do the opposite as a matter of principle.]

Oh, uh. Well she's not the only female mutant back at the school, she's just...

[He trails off slightly, like he's not sure if he should say so much about his Jean, even if he's talking to the adult version of her. How she felt sort of isolated from the other students. Everyone being afraid of her. Granted he's probably already said a lot, but. Maybe there's a limit??

So, he switches gears a little.]

I mean, she's not completely surrounded by a bunch of dicks, just a couple. [Is he talking about himself? Maybe. But Scott starts smiling anyway, hands easing into the pockets of his jacket but not in a slump, but something completely casual.]

[sortie]

[ Lars has never seen a sunflower as large as that, but he can admit to himself that he's curious. Could they truly grow so large? Maybe he can find a book about them sometime and find out for himself.

For now, though, he sticks close to Fio and follows her eager indication to what is a picture perfect cake. He hadn't paid it much mind before, but the last time he'd seen anything like it was when he was a small child. ]

We'll get you some. [ He assures, scanning the area. ] But let's save it for dessert, alright? You need more than cake to stay strong.

[ Strong, he says, like he isn't talking to a petite little girl. Still, it's true that she needs to eat properly to avoid fatigue and stay alert. This place is a warzone of its own, and in absence of others, Lars needs to look out for her safety. ]

[laserguy]

[He does take notice of the light glow coming from her eyes, a clear sign she's using her power. Telepathy? Or is there something else? He doesn't ask right now, though there's a drop of curiosity that sneaks in there underneath all that grump. Sophie has complete control over her powers and... it's a little impressive. Maybe.]

Whatever. I'll just drink it.

[Or probably not drink it at all. Probably the latter, since the teen isn't even trying to reach for the glass again, just sitting there with that sour face that looks like it'd never change. He doesn't feel like ordering juice or a cocktail now either, just because she suggested it.

For a while, Scott looks like he's just going to remain silent. But then.]

How long did it take you to control that?

[sortie]

Alright, forget that. I'm picking you up. Just...tell me if I mess up.

[ Lars prefaces any movement with this, aware that Dimitri is not at all okay. The slightest mistake would assuredly make it worse.

With an abundance of caution few have ever seen Lars exhibit, he carefully proceeds to get his arms around Dimitri and haul him up like a bride. He doesn't think of it this way, his mind far too focused on not making it worse, reminded of comrades wounded in war, handling the guy as gingerly as he can manage.

And damn, Dimitri is tall, isn't he? ]

[laserguy]

You brought it up first! [No dancing is being done, just two teenagers being idiots.

Scott's almost half tempted to just leave the other and find some other dance partner just because of how awkward everything feels now, but as the ground continues to shake and move around them, the mutant only presses just a little closer to him, hand curling tighter in his. Okay, in all seriousness, they probably should get going with this.

Look, he'd definitely choose dancing over dying!]

Fine! That's what I was trying to say. Come on! [Scott tugs Fabian into... a pretty awkward dance, it's clear that the mutant has real no experience with this. He's just holding onto his hands while just moving his legs around with no real rhythm. Send help.]

[laserguy]

[His experience with hand-to-hand combat is pretty much a wet fart, not that Scott plans on saying that in those specific terms.]

I've gotten in a few fights with other guys around my age. [Just throwing that out there, so it doesn't sound like he's completely unfamiliar with a brawl. It's just that high school bullies probably have nothing on actual fighters that are planning to win in an arena. It's that thought that pushes Scott just a little more, some honesty entering his voice--]

But... I wouldn't say I'm great at it. [If Blaze and him are going to be fighting for real, he doesn't want to inflate stuff he actually can't do.] I have a better chance with the eye blasts.

[But hm, okay. A backup plan, it's a good idea.] My powers still work in close combat, but you're right, we should have a plan just in case. If you call for help, I can shoot my optic blasts near where you're at and that might scare the foe off.

[sophielicious]

Some of it is innate. You'll hear the code 'Five-in-One' for me, and that's because I'm one of five identical clones in a hivemind. That's just kind of how I live, really, five experiences at the same time, so roaming through brains is kinda my normal.

(Does she really want to explain telepathy to him? Probably would be a good moment to, and well, might as well. She'll not teach him how to kick her out, or even notice when she's crawling in there — there are enough telepaths here who might throw him that bone.

What she will do, however, is explain the bullshit that is being a telepath.)

Telepathy comes in a lot of different uses, though, and I am not perfect at all of them. What do you wanna know?

CW: war descriptors

[hauntedsnowfall]

[ He smiles gratefully at her assurance of aid should she come upon it. Blissfully, his mind goes a little blank and he takes a sip of his own water as Blaze does hers. The focus comes back immediately when she rekindles the conversation; his eyes are on hers, but then drop to his glass at the request. Dimitri can't quite keep the sadness out of his eyes before he closes them and downs the rest of his water. ]

I apologize lady Blaze, [ he's smiling again, but it rings a little hallow this time ] my drink is gone and I'm afraid I really should resume my search for a dance partner.

[ War. War is coming for his home. The sky will be filled with smoke and the streets drenched in blood. Screams will ring out only to be silenced. All this and the ones who murdered his family walk free behind enemy lines. The smile is a hallow one, indeed. ]

I would ask you, however I haven't mastered any dances that would compliment our height difference.

[hauntedsnowfall]

[ The very same surprise flits across Dimitri's face as the other man introduces himself: Dion. While he does commit it to memory Dimitri's eyes flick to Dion's spear, then back to him. Suddenly he can feel the weight of his own spear strapped at his back. What are the chances? Two fair haired princes with holy connotations and happen to wield spears? Surely... surely this can't be so common a thing. Is it some sort of sign? Something familiar in a world, in a situation so strange?

Dimitri can't help but feel a genuine smile form on his face. ]

Dion. [ a firm nod ] Then, I must insist you call me Dimitri.

[ For some reason this similarity, this connection, it makes him think of a lighthouse, despite never having been at sea. ]

If you have need of anything I hope you can rely on me.

[oblige]

Dimitri, then.

[ Dion agrees easily. It's only fair, and though their circumstances may differ greatly beyond initial commonalities, Dion sees a value in being addressed simply by name. Perhaps the same holds true for Dimitri for his own reasons. ]

You may call upon me as well. We are comrades, after all.

[ Given what they are already faced with, they may well have need of teamwork. Beyond that...it is only an impression, but he suspects Dimitri could use someone he can be frank with. Dion knows the importance of that as well. ]

[hauntedsnowfall]

[ The disappointment manifests only in the furrow of his brow, otherwise he maintains his composure. ]

Hmm. They certainly like to have an air of mystery here, don’t they?

[ Dimitri isn’t sure if he wants to ask about previous missions… If lady Rosie finds surviving on Aphaia to be ‘fun’ he isn’t certain he wants to know what she considers to be not-fun. ]