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∎ ETRAYA MODS ∎ ([personal profile] etrayamods) wrote in [community profile] etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
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TDM 008


content warnings for this TDM include: gambling references, mild horror themes and suggestive content


⏵ arrival⏴

Arrival does not happen as Aurora usually plans for it. Newcomers generally find themselves waking up within the hospital, are given a brief overview of their situation, and sent on their way. Now? They wake up immersed in a game within The Gold Saucer. But it doesn't quite feel like a game: whether it's snowy mountains, riding a chocobo as you listened to the wind quickly pass by your ears, or in the middle of a battle with a beast, it feels utterly real.

It's only after the game concludes - either by winning or losing - that you find yourself back in the main game area. A bot, dressed as personnel in this lavish playground, approaches each arrival with an earpiece allowing them to communicate with those in their same situation. It also serves to inform them of their goal: collect enough gold saucer points (or GP) by playing the games to acquire a card fashioned to their own likeness from the game counter. Then, they must trade it for someone else's. Seems simple enough, right? Hopefully the cards aren't too expensive...


⏵ the gold saucer ⏴

The Gold Saucer is an ode to the very idea of fun. It’s huge, labyrinthine, colorful, and lively. Everywhere you look, there’s something to do. At the same time, it’s also impossible to tell what time it is. There are no windows to the outside, there are no clocks. This place is beyond such a thing.

There are games everywhere you look, ranging from the pseudo-gambling to sports to pixelated video games in cabinets. Yet no matter which boxing game, pinball machine, or skeeball machine you look at, the same creatures and themes arrive. Cactuars, chocobos, the fiercest Behemoth, the cuddliest Moogle… For those from the realms of Final Fantasy, this will feel natural- homey even. Everyone else will simply understand that there is a fairly strong central theme here about magic, machines, and monsters.

It’s hard to tell how long you spend here, and it seems to sit outside of the very concept of time. Still, there are many restaurants, lounges, and vending machines. There are shops and costume rentals. There are even little pharmacies with headache remedies if the partying gets out of hand. And when you grow tired, there is a hotel- though it is made up like a haunted house, you can count on getting some semi-restful sleep.


⏵ playtime ⏴
Interdimensional Games


At first, stepping through to play any of these games may make participants wonder if they have been teleported somewhere else entirely. But on closer inspection, all the skies above are merely well-constructed interiors with painted ceilings. After all, it always seems to be daytime during these games.

Snowboarding - Race to the bottom of the mountain, but avoid obstacles and complete as many tricks as possible!

Chocobo Racing- Race on Chocobo-back around a treacherous outdoors race track which can either be taking place in a desert, a swampy forest, or upon an island beach. Work in tandem with your rented bird and against your competition by throwing hazards in their way or utilizing buffs garnered on the track. Different colored birds will yield different advantages.

Yellow - Good All Rounder
Red - Fast, but hard to steer
Blue - Slower, but very easy to steer. Much easier to pick up items from them.
Green- Resilient against traps and sabotage

Colosseum Battle- Face off against the fiercest beasts around. Pair up with friends or rivals to Collaborate or Compete to do the most damage and deliver the final blow. These battles are synced to the comparative power of the one entering the competition.

We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily, after all. And indeed, no one will get seriously, gruesomely, or permanently injured in these battles. Those without fighting capabilities can rent weapons outfitted Materia to assist them in their trial. These will allow anyone to cast spells, though not guarantee any better wielding of weapons. There are a hundred rounds, starting with fairly simple Spriggans, ranging all the way up to blood-thirsty Behemoths to challenge even the most battle-hardened hero.

Gold Saucer Games


Leap of Faith- Players are presented with an obstacle course that stretches a hundred feet into the air upon floating platforms and islands. Both are held aloft by magical crystals. Powers are entirely nerfed, though falling and hitting the ground is strangely painless. Those who collect the most silver and gold statuettes of cactuars placed at random throughout the course will be awarded proportionate GP; though there is a bonus for those that reach the very top first.

Triple Triad- Everywhere you look, people are playing this game on little 3 by 3 boards, or any surface with enough space. You will be given a loaner deck to play with. Are you clever enough to defeat your fellows.

Fashion Report- Theobold, familiar to some, stands by himself in a little booth with a dressing room and an incredibly expansive walk-in closet. He is a robot of distinguished fashion and strong opinions on those fashions. Do you dare subject yourself to his scrutiny? Come prepare in his wondrous closets to make the best outfit for the chance to win a prize. Please submit your fashion here!

There are Arcade Machines and activities galore. If you can think of it, it’s probably there- Just with that Final Fantasy pastiche on it, of course.


⏵ the beehive lounge ⏴

There are other places to eat at the Gold Saucer, but the vending machines and cafés all pale in comparison to the dinners at the Beehive.

For all the rave reviews, there is a dress code at the Beehive, and this is literal. If you step inside and are not currently wearing a dress, you will be ushered into a sideroom and appropriately made over.

However, this is only for those trying to go in through the normal doors. Around the side there happens to be an employee entrance, manned by a bot. He will only allow those in who seem like they intend to work— and therefore must be wearing at least one piece of the Bunnysuit Collection to trick the guard.

Once you are made over or have snuck in, you are free to relax inside with drinks, dine on a fine meal, watch the dancers, or participate yourself if you feel brave enough. Why would anyone ever dance here? Well, that’s simple. It pays really well. So if you’re sick of games, or terrible at them— you can always come dance for a shift. Though, don't get any unseemly ideas about freeing yourself of your clothing, this isn't that kind of establishment!


⏵ haunted house ⏴

When you grow too weary or drunk from a day of games, you may be directed to somewhere a little quieter to sleep. Up the elevator, and through the doors reveals a modest walk through some woods until a quaint, victorian hotel appears. It is always nighttime here, and the stars and moon twinkle above.

The receptionist, a bot in a rather bedraggled-looking chocobo mascot costume checks you in and shows you to your room. You can sleep here, especially if you can tolerate the hokey haunted decorations strung up around the place. Though sometimes, late at night, there will come a vigorous thumping on the door to startle sleeping patrons awake- Only for the culprit to vanish and be impossible to locate.



⏵ ticket counter ⏴


The prize counter is manned by a bot and has a sign posted overhead. Most prizes will be handed over inside an appropriately sized wrapped box, as the contents are a mystery.


Sparklers & Glowsticks 10 gp
Bunny Suit 300 gp
Bunny Stockings & Heels 150 gp
Animal Ears (Random) 500 gp
Kigurumi (Random) 100 gp
Chocobo Barding (Random) 1000 gp
Classic White Mage Robes 500 gp
Classic Black Mage Robes 500 gp
Plush Toy (Random) 100 gp
Wind-Up Minion (Random) 200 gp
Chocobo Mascot Suit (Random Color) 2000 gp
Triple Triad Booster Pack 50 gp
Triple Triad Card in your Likeness 10,000 gp


⏵ NOTES ⏴


This TDM may be treated as a mini-Mission. Time will not pass inside of it in relation to the world outside - meaning, this can be happening at any time between late May into early July!

This Gold Saucer is a bit of a mix between that of FF7's and FF14's, but it also has some things that neither have as well. Any inaccuracies are entirely intentional, aimed to make this rest within a space of uncanny valley for those who are familiar. While otherwise being a bit of a chaotic fantastical funhouse for everyone else! If there is something unlisted, chances are it will exist if it is in either of the other versions of the Gold Saucer.

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 to our mod queries comment!

FULL NAVIGATION

quibblingfunctionary: made by dethruki (ahh)

cw: weight mention

[personal profile] quibblingfunctionary 2025-06-12 01:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ Sleipnir's only drops his unerring eye contact for a moment to glace down at the confection and delicately spear it with his fork. He appreciates the other man's hum and lets out one of his own as he enjoys the cake.

However, he enjoys the beauty's answer less so. ]


That is a shame... Were you to put on a few more pounds you could become even more dangerous with those daggers of yours. Not to mention the fuel it provides for the robust encounters.

[ He gestures with the folk for emphasis, drawing little circles in the air.
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
He reaches up, rubbing the back of Carver's neck. Smiling, eyes closed, his forehead to Carver's.

"Yeah you do. I can't trust a damn word you say, sir. Prove it."
fortitudosalutis: (066)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
They so rarely touched each other back in Meridian or on the road. Usually only if a brother got injured, if a sister had bad dreams. Only ever when a wound was bared, Carver realizes, or if they were sparring. If they were being tested.

He never thought of it that way before. He's not sure he wants to think of it that way now.

"Now I gotta," he murmurs, closing his eyes. Their foreheads pressed together. "Shit. At this rate I'll have to make brownies, too."
nottheboss: (1104_002029)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
A low whimper. "Don't talk about brownies. Do you know how long it's been since I had a warm fucking brownie?"

It's a tragedy, is what it is. And he should move away from Carver right fucking now, so he won't be a bitch. But he can't. He just can't. He holds on and he lets himself feel something like light in his veins.
reincarnesiac: (peering over sunnies)

[personal profile] reincarnesiac 2025-06-12 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
( They... are... showing up somewhere. She can catch on to that much, but the asking about spaceships jolts her out of just staring. Not even at him, or his height, or the person who just yodeled as they skiied past, but at what's s l o w l y settling in as the degree to which this situation is really messed up. )

Uh, I do, yes. Haven't been on many myself, just the wreck of one, but we have spaceships. Several different ones.

( Probably? She's not up to date on what specifics are flying with the Farspace Fleet, and she's not sure Caleb would tell her everything if she asked, but some of those ships are meant only for upper atmosphere and space flight. Unlike the variety of planes meant to handle in-atmosphere transit, she's pretty sure that solidly qualifies them as space ships. (She'll ignore the video game spaceships. She's flown countless of those.) )

You got pulled out of school?!

( Teenage her might have thought that'd be kind of sun, she won't lie to herself, but that seems excessive? For whatever this is? Please say they're not all abducted, that's harrowing enough even when she's planning on it happening. )
fortitudosalutis: (032)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Mhmm. Maybe I'm just that badass. Maybe I'll even give you the corner piece."

They need a break, Carver thinks. Somewhere quieter, somewhere away from all this noise and bullshit he can barely understand himself, let alone explain to someone else. He'll take Bossie down to the subway hideout and cook for him, let them both breathe and accept the new status quo. The new mission. They have some time before they deploy again and Carver will have to raise the fact that he has allies here, and that Bossie will need them too.

"It's gonna be okay," Carver adds, softer. He cups a hand to the back of Bossie's head, trying to coax him to rest his head on Carver's shoulder. "Yeah? I got you."
nottheboss: (1104_002029)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
Bossie goes willingly, almost boneless, against Carver. He feels so safe with this man, and he hasn't felt safe in a long time. The sensation of touch is so heady it has to be a sin.

He doesn't pull away though. Can't bear to. "I got you too, Carve. You know that, right? I don't leave anyone behind."
reincarnesiac: (no wait what i did NOT sign that consent)

[personal profile] reincarnesiac 2025-06-12 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
( Her chocobo seems to think dirt is a natural part of its running life, closing its eyes and veering to one side — right into another chocobo. It's the final push to have her reacting instead of just clinging on to the runaway animal: she has no idea what's the right way to do this, but she moves her hand to the left and prompts the bird into aiming for the inside corner of an upcoming tight turn.

The bird settles into a pace that keeps it going between second behind the red leading them, and third when the green keeping pace surges forward. Of course, that's when it goes from being whatever track they're running through the great... not outdoors, exactly, but the pretense of it.

A large ball comes flying overhead, followed by three more: Alex clamps her legs down tight and uses one hand to help direct the bird through the mess of falling objects. Not sure what they are, until she sees one hit the green bird's rider to her right when it takes the lead for all of a few seconds, the bird visibly dragging like it's been dropped into a gravity chamber out of nowhere.
)

Are you kidding? Is this like Marty-o Cart Racing?

( Another of those balls flies down toward her and her bird, and she jerks it to the side, nearly slipping out of the saddle as it squawks a protest, but manages to evade another of the gravity balls. )
reincarnesiac: (peering over sunnies)

[personal profile] reincarnesiac 2025-06-12 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, no, I meant this one. I kind of think it's... the hotel here.
fortitudosalutis: (023)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
You never did, Carver thinks silently. You never will. Bossie carried Turner ten miles back home, even though Turner probably died soon after he was hit. Those aren't injuries anyone comes back from, even with a full medical team. Maybe, if they'd gotten him to a corpsman right away -

But there were no corpsman left. Just their prayers, and their love, and in the end that wasn't enough. He feels Bossie sag against him and holds him tight, steadying his own breathing. There's a new mission now.

"I do," he agrees softly. "We're about ready for a shift change. You up for it? I haven't slept in a while."

He wasn't planning on sleeping at all until he got back, but he thinks Bossie could use the responsibility. That it'll do them both good.
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
He anticipates Carver pushing him away. Or maybe yelling at him to straighten up, soldier. Stop crying. Stop clinging.

But Carver doesn't. He holds Bossie instead, and he all but falls apart in seeking to hold onto this moment.

"Sleep," he says. "I won't let anything happen to you, Carve."
wolfish: (setback)

[personal profile] wolfish 2025-06-12 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ Yuri sits up straighter to shoot the stranger a look as though he's casually wished some terrible fate upon him. ]

Goddess no, I've put on more muscle than I wanted as-is.

[ He sweeps a hand down in front of his torso for emphasis, as though the offending bulk has simply been overlooked. Yuri has and will continue to complain about the woeful ruination of his slender figure. The curse of mercenary life. ]

That'd do nothing for me or my aim.

[ The man has noticed his blades. He might as well know that Yuri throws them. ]
fortitudosalutis: (023)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Good man. Carver allows himself to hope that maybe the worst has passed. That they can establish a new balance here. It'll be hard without the rest of them, without Pope and Leah to shape the world, but they're used to hard things.

And if Pope's not here, then Pope can't burn them, either.

He clears his throat. "Wash your face, okay? The water's clean here. You'll feel better. And then I'll lie down."
offseers: (13)

[personal profile] offseers 2025-06-12 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
There's no other place to stay?
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
"You make it sound like my face is so dirty," Bossie retorts, but he goes and obeys because he feels plenty dirty. It feels good to wash the sweat and grime off his face.

He pads back into the room and takes a seat on the bed. Pats the space next to him.

"Gotta take your sleep, brother," he teases.
herofhopeless: (bright stare)

[personal profile] herofhopeless 2025-06-12 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
[At the sound of Dion’s voice, Clive feels a lancet of pain through his heart. Words like these, they rarely came from the self. He thought of all the times he believed himself inadequate, the voice of his mother ever in the back of his mind. No, he knows that these are more than just Dion’s thoughts. This was taught. Clive watches Dion in silence for a little longer. He’ll drop it. For now.]

I do, actually. Though they are mostly logistics. Is Etraya at all similar to this place?
fortitudosalutis: (018)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, yeah," he teases, taking the moment to scrub a hand through his hair. To center himself as best he can.

There's work to be done, he knows. A lot he has to explain and justify and set up. He'll need to make sure Bossie's fed and occupied, that he's safe enough to sleep. And then he's going to have to do the hard thing and make sure Bossie doesn't kill their allies.

Carver sighs and sits down next to Bossie, tugging his boots off. He sets his gun on the nightstand, within reach but not on hand. Just in case. "I'm getting there," he murmurs. "Don't rush me. I got a routine. You think this hair just happens?"

There's no routine tonight. He's going to curl up in a ball and try his best to sleep. It might not happen.
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
Bossie chuckles. "You got sexy hair, sir." If Carver takes nothing else away he should take that.

And then he settles in, keeping watch while Carver sleeps. He'll give Carver a whole seven and a half hours, even.
fortitudosalutis: (018)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
Carver huffs as he lies down, curling into himself. "Flattery will not get you out of PT," he murmurs.

He'll feed Bossie up and get him settled, but they need routine, too. PT will continue until the heat death of the universe, as God and the sergeants intended.

But he lies down. He closes his eyes, pulling an arm over his face, and slows his breathing down. It's a restless sleep, but he manages a few hours.

Tomorrow, there'll be more work to do.
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Bossie only wakes him when he can barely function anymore. He doesn't think he could hold a knife anymore, so he reaches out, shaking Carver's shoulder.

"Carve, I have to sleep or I'm going to lose my mind."
fortitudosalutis: (Default)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
He wakes with a grunt, stiffening and reaching for a weapon. Only holding back when he recognizes Bossie's voice. Little brother waking him in the dark.

"Okay," Carver agrees, still muzzy from sleep. He pulls himself up, leaning back against the headboard. "My turn. Lie down, I'll be right here. I promise."
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
"You okay?" he wonders, crawling onto the bed, flopping as hard as any puppy does after a hard day. He isn't in the old world. He doesn't know what that means for them.

He leans against the headboard. He has his knife in hand. "Get some sleep, Carve."
fortitudosalutis: (020)

[personal profile] fortitudosalutis 2025-06-12 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Just rest."

They'll figure this out, Carver tells himself. One way or another. And the simple truth is they have to, so they will, like all the times before.

"It's my turn anyway." He gives Bossie a tired smile. "I'll make you a good meal tomorrow, promise. But you gotta rest first."
nottheboss: (Default)

[personal profile] nottheboss 2025-06-12 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
He gives him a worried look, but shrinks down onto the bed. He cradles his knife but he lets himself relax.

"You really think we can do this, Carver?"
betenoir: (Certainty)

large spoilers

[personal profile] betenoir 2025-06-12 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
I see.

[The answer is digested over time. His plans have been mathematical; they involved manipulating the data of numerous expeditions to chart their initial course. Where he was waiting to end their journeys before they had begun. Other instances had seen him sabotage their communictions. But what he belived? That had always come down to his emotions.

He believes Aline deserves happiness. He believes his family deserves to exist. He believes they deserve to be together. Not that they can be together until that threat is removed from the canvas.

So what can Aurora do when his world is already living under the threat of destruction? Would she do anything at all? And what if you need more than one set of data?]


And has she provided proof before?