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etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
etrayamods) wrote in 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 ⏴ 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. 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.
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! |
compfoenian
( Alex does not stick her landing so much as skid across the snow, bounce off her butt when falling on it, tumble forward, roll half on another mogul and taking out the rising cactuar with her board, then ending up back upright on her board from her effort to tuck and roll.
Her speed has decreased enough that the needles shot from irate cactuars are not falling short, but are in fact falling around her, and deflected in a few cases by the overlarge helmet. It's also the helmet that'd made her unable to see as her board lines up with the jump, and she throws her arms out to the side and tries to rise, jerking her head back hard enough to finally see...
Right as she picks up enough speed to have a lame, plausible, jump. )
Why is there a jump here?!
( She calls out, even as she pulls her knees up and grabs onto her board, helping her coast over the heads of a dozen cactuars... and slam the end of her board down in a life through them. )
I don't know if I should be saying sorry!
( She says after a thump and grunt of landing, veering a hard right as she tries to keep her balance and not fall again. It cuts her across the rest of the moguls, needles shooting after her from a few of the cactuars she'd smacked with her board. In a moment, the big flat turn and dip down the mountain at the end of the cactuar moguls swallows her whole, Alex dipping beyond its extremely immediate horizon.
Gorgug may hear the blue chocobo after succeeding in its cactuar vengeance, turning its sights back to the field and large and leaping toward another cactuar with a raptor-screech of an irate chicken. The cactuar goes flying overhead, smashing into the snow on the far side of Gorgug in the process.
The blue chocobo continues to go wild, frustrated at this frozen environment and all the annoying plants or fast-moving people who are not leaving it feeling moisturized and in its lane. It leaps and flaps virtually useless wings as it bowls through cactuars, feathers somehow shielding it from the majority of the worst impact any needles could make. )
no subject
If Gorgug's brain wasn't a constant "AAAAAAAAAAAAAH", he might have more time to consider if he has any spells that might help for this--but also, he didn't prepare to go snowboarding as a mission, so it's doubtful that not screaming inside his own head isn't the better option as he heads the same way that Alex did. And that way would be towards the mini-cactaur civilisation, a few of them still knocked over from Alex's cool jumping efforts.
But now is the time for Gorgug's cool jumping efforts, and the sight of the ramp does click for him a magic he does have prepared, in his shoes. It doesn't inspire any confidence, and especially not when he hears something smack into the snow near to him. Gorgug doesn't turn, eyes lasered in one where he needs to be and working to be in the best position for what he's about to do. He can't lean forward with his weight, he's gotta be prepared for his landing, too--
All it takes is a quick tap on his board, his heels barely lifting, and Gorgug--well, it's good that his feet are strapped into the board. Because it's not the board that's inspired to practically fly Gorgug as he comes off from the edge of the ramp--it's his shoes that do that task, his 'jumping' (or launching) speed tripled, which is the most dangerous, stupidest thing a beginner snowboarder could do in an action pack setting.
Alex, you gained so much distance. The cactaur were behind you, and even the blue chocobo still needs to regain its speed to screw with the duo once more. But there's a sound that starts distant, and quickly increases in volume: ]
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
[ It's coming from overhead, and happens to be one (1) Gorgug Thistlespring dealing with his current place in life the only way he knows how to.
Screaming until he ends up crashing and rolling way too fast into the next phase of their snowboard level: snowballs being lobbed from random directions from the tiniest catapults.
Can anyone truly survive that, even with whatever the stage is doing too stop them from taking damage?
Gorgug will tell you in a minute, once he finally comes to a stop. ]
no subject
Instead, she and a very helpful, very tall teenager have been chased, shot at by needles, shot off jumps, sent flying through the air through their own perhaps not wisest choices (but certainly the most expedient in current situations), and now... )
Gorgug!
( There's a teenager flying overhead. He hits the ground, his board staying on as he rolls into the next open area, where Alex can already see snowballs flying past. Tiny snowballs. Tiny freaking iceballs, she determines as she tries to steer her way after Gorgug, who just flew through the air and wiped out something awful. Please don't have a concussion! Please don't have snapped your neck!
These tiny snowballs are somehow worse than the normal sized ones, because everywhere they hit her skin feels like she's getting jabbed. One manages to hit in her ear, enough to have her flinching away and then ending up falling down, skidding across the snow on her stomach. Collecting snow in her pants as she goes, and the tiny snowballs keep firing. )
Cold cold cold cold cold cold! Gorgug! Ugh, Gorgug, please tell me you're alive!
( Since her current trajectory, as she tries to stop herself and mostly ends up going into a fast spin on her stomach, taking out the sign pointing out where they're meant to go next.
At least this low, the snowballs aren't hitting anything exposed. They are getting bigger though... even while the catapults remain tiny. And they're getting better at aiming.
Alex eventually stops spinning by slowly falling into the well of snow at the base of one of the trees lining the area. Head first. Thunk. )
Thereissnowdownmypantswhatishappening — Gorgug?!
( She has to get herself out of this tree-ditch and back up onto the course proper! Or else the ostrich is going to have too much time to catch up... and she can hear it hwaarking in the middle distance. )
no subject
He's just stunned. Whatever isn't letting them feel the effects of their mistakes aren't stopping things like snow is cold and I just went flying through the air and hit the snow, the latter which comes with a higher level of humiliation. Of injury to one's dignity. Which is not nerfed.
But. But. Gorgug does hear his name, and unceremoniously does he rise, body strewn sideways, limbs still intact. He feels nothing as he sits up, but it's a disorienting effect as he squints at the world, and then hears a distant sound that puts terror down his spine. But he spots Alex over by a tree, and oh, yeah. He was meant to be doing this course with her?
Why did he choose to do this gaaaame. ]
I'm-- I'm coming! I'm ALIVE!
[ Because that might be worth announcing, though his voice is strained and he doesn't sound very confident in anything. He stands, nearly toppling when the snowboard has somehow managed to stay attached to his feet, and puts one hand on his helmet that he has no idea if to be pleased for, or find a waste of time to be wearing.
But don't fear, Alex, as Gorgug kicks a leg to get him started, heading straight for his partner in games? in misery? Maybe to help, if she needs it, or just to say: ] I don't like going really fast!
[ Is this the thing to comment on, and to look so upset about? Apparently so. ]
no subject
They are, however, in a video game. Alex manages to shove herself backward like an awkward turtle, still not-quite cursing over the snow that's getting into everything she doesn't want it in. Better than sand, because it melts? How is it melting? This game takes things to a whole other surreal level of reality.
She does hear him call out he's alive, and that's a relief, for all she doesn't manage to get herself up and turning to look toward where he was, which has turned into a moving target since she last had eyes on him. She waves cheerily to Gorgug, shivering from the snow deposits, and wondering who thought that was worth adding into the game.
(Marketing. It's always Marketing.) )
I don't like it in this game!
( Do not ask how she rides her motorcycles. She likes those very, very fast. )
Let's try to finish this ridiculous course at a nice, relaxed pace?
( There's really only one direction to go... as the snowballs... continue to fly. Alex catches one and lobs it back at one of the tiny catapults. The catapult falls over, and then the sound of bawling starts coming from its direction. )
... Nope. Nope, I'm heading down, I do not want to see what comes next.
( She hops her board onto the better snow, then scoots forward until she gets enough momentum to start a slow glide away, snowballs exploding like fireworks at her back. Or on her back. She's given up on worrying about the snowballs or the point score related to them at this point, just holding one hand up to protect her head and looking to see that Gorgug is still on the move too. Miraculously up and alive and not horribly injured. Thanks game! )
no subject
Which makes keeping his balance a work in progress.
But he's alive, and that's good, and Gorgug frames his own face on one side just to keep the snow from pelting him in the cheek, his eyes safe with the visor. They continue down this slope, a corridor with the continuing pelting catapults and a few trees in-between, and even the ramps as well.
Gorgug does not touch the ramps. He doesn't even touch the odd balloon when it turns up.
And it seems...nice. Normal, even, just for a while. Like the mayhem of the last five minutes (that was five minutes ago?) never happened, or was another course. But then, they might notice it in the distance: nothing but sky at the end of the snow road. There is a ramp, and hanging in the air, is that... a spinning, turning golden cactaur?
In the background, a bird hawks. ]
no subject
She's perfectly content to just take it easy to the end of the course, but the course itself is once again conspiring against them. The run funnels them to a larger ramp, with a more dramatic implied jump based on the angle she can see from further up the trail. There's also a giant spinning cactus, which in other situations she might have initially thought to be a hologram and operate like one, but after the snowballs, dancing cactuses, and the giant ostrich...
Oh no. That sound again. Alex remembers that sound. She doesn't want to look back and confirm, in the same way that characters in a horror movie don't want to look back and see the inevitable moment where their doom races out of the darkness to run them through.
She looks back over her shoulder anyway. Sill further back, but evidently coming, is a blue mass. Running. )
Oh no. Gorgug, we might have to actually make it off that last ramp as fast as we can — the giant ostrich is back!
( HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWUUUUHHHHHK! )
And it sounds angry!
( She shifts her balance the way she's been learning to through this whole unasked for adventure, gaining a little more speed until she's flying down the slope and barely avoiding the last few bonus items. )
Let's try to hit that spinning cactus with our hands when we hit the ramp!
( Which is what she attempts as she hits the ramp and flies off the edge, hand smacking against one of the cactuar's nub-feet, which felt just barely solid enough under her hand to register. It still spins faster after her "touch," and the primal hawking shrieks of the ostrich? Are loud enough to hurt ears now.
Alex can't spare another look when she needs to figure out her landing, but she can hear it like it's just hitting the ramp itself. (It isn't, but it sounds like it could be.) )
no subject
He's internally yelling grievances inside his own head, but now isn't the time for that. There's the way up ahead he's got his eyes on, and the spinning cactus he sees too. ]
D-don't summon anything weird!!
[ That's a threat (plea?) to the golden, floating statuette -- before that internal screaming becomes a yell when his own snowboard comes off from the ramp following Alex. He waves his arms to the cactus, and hits it better with the advantage he has for height.
And there comes the other side, a straight line once they hit it, with a finish line just far enough to give them leeway for their speed. Balloons hang from a barrier that has the word 'GOAL!'in giant letters sat above, and cactaur statues in snow gear decorate the sides, plastic in design.
As for the bird--does it make it? The next tag shall decide if it gets across...or if a sound like a hawking avian falling into a chasm is its fate...! ]
no subject
She catches sight of something blue going flying, but loses track of it as she whips her head around and crouches, leaning forward and hoping that'll make her go faster toward that giant GOAL and all its balloons. The hawking avian squawks, then with a loud, reverberating thud and ongoing sounds of distress, a large ball of feathers goes rolling by. If they're not careful, the ostrich will win this race. )
Not on my watch, feathery jerk!
( Alex is now racing for that finish line. )
no subject
And, unluckily, he has nothing he can do to support Alex. The blue bird has completely bypassed him, and he doesn't know how to increase his speed. So, as the last person in the back: ]
Kick its ass! Kick its ass!!
[ Gorgug can only give moral support.... maybe it will provide some encouragement that will aid Alex in her time of need?! ]
no subject
... Until the fireworks that fly skyward at their crossing forms a pixelated version of Alex's face in the clear blue sky. )
Take that, ostrich!
( She says, victorious! Still going! And then slammed into by the now sadly warking bird, until both Alex and the chocobo are sprawled on the ground and she's hugging its giant head.
(This is to prevent it from getting leverage for a chomp.) )
One point to the humanoids! No point to the birds!
( The chocobo, perhaps at its limit for the moment, moves its wings lightly in protest, then hwaaarks again and stays flopped. Whatever. It didn't want to win anyway! )
no subject
Arriving late to a... sight. He would focus on the fireworks, but there's a woman on the ground with a big giant sulking bird, and Gorgug isn't sure if he should be helping? Actually, what he wants to do is to kick his feet off from the board, and he walks closer to the pair, but still doesn't want to rile anything up while the bird is behaving, despite all logic.
Gorgug finally looks up, seeing the continuing pixelated explosions of a face that isn't his. Wow... ]
You won, [ he finally speaks up. Also: ] I don't ever want to do this again.
[ Thanks!!! ]
no subject
Alex groans as she sits up, ignoring the not-quite fireworks going off overhead. )
At least it wasn't the bird. ( She says, unstrapping her feet from the board at last. ) How about we forget about this, exit the game, and find ourselves hot chocolate?
( There better be hot chocolate outside of this game. This stupid, way too cold, way too real-feeling immersive VR game! That she hadn't even known she was in until Gorgug pointed it out! )
no subject
But whatever Gorgug could think, was thinking, is instantly dismissed the moment Alex suggests hot chocolate. All thoughts gone with a poof. ]
Let's get hot chocolate.
[ He sounds like he's on a mission. And lucky for them, there's a sign nearby in the same curved lettering of the Goal! sign that reads 'Exit!', flashing and with a door-shaped glowing light underneath. All it needs is an arrow, really.
But that's okay, since Gorgug points to it. ]
Let's try there. I know where to find drinks.
[ And food!! ]