etrayamemes | TDM 002

Entry tags:

!tdm

TDM 002

⏵ arrival⏴
Arrival goes as anticipated. Characters awaken in the pristine, new hospital, greeted by Aurora and potentially getting a rundown of what's happening depending on their approach to being dropped somewhere new. The door to their room opens, and new arrivals are left free to explore their new environment.

When the first round of citizens arrived, Aurora and the companion bots had been largely unprepared. This time? They made sure to put up welcome banners, even if the sentiment isn't quite right. There are cupcakes and cookies set out in the hospital's lobbies, and a digital map has been placed just in front of the entrance of the hospital, telling others how to reach the various locations throughout Etraya. Companion bots wander throughout the city, some carrying construction equipment to half-built facilities while others act as nurses, servers, or sales associates throughout the constructed buildings.

⏵ rainy awakenings ⏴

Many concepts are new to Aurora, including rain. She is familiar with how it functions, and its purpose, but rain has never been present on the lands of Etraya. Given how new it is, that may not be all too surprising - but the method of how it’s being introduced is… a little much. Rainfall commences in the early days of April, a persistent downpour that waxes and wanes in intensity but never ceases entirely.

Most nights in Etraya are characterized by a soothing patter of rain against rooftops. Yet, some nights leave the grounds flooded come morning. Rivers begin to swell, the current much too strong to justify trying to go for a swim. These showers also bring a new assortment of plants blooming across the green lands: bright blossoms whose petals spread wide when the yellow sun shines down on them, while numerous cherry blossom trees have grown out of nowhere, flourishing despite the rainfall. Clover carpets the grassy expanses of the islands, weaving a beautiful tapestry of color across the grounds.

⏵ Getting drenched by the rain can trigger a surge, followed by a slump. Initially, individuals will feel giddy, excited, full of energy, and ready to take on the world. However, in the subsequent days, they’ll find themselves feeling depressed, lacking the energy and motivation to move forward. Aurora advises that these effects are only temporary and should fade within the week, but they can be resolved more quickly by embracing a stranger. Attempting to hug anyone they already know well will not produce the same effect.

⏵ With the rain comes a significant increase in the greenery around Etraya that isn’t fake. Most of these plants will resemble ones originally found in the characters' universes.

⏵ A couple of these plants contain magical properties:

The Emberloom is a bright red, fiery flower that only inhabits smaller land masses. Those exposed to its pollen will experience heightened aggression and impulsivity.

Shadowbloom resemble tulips during the day, but during the night the petals open and it looks more like the night sky: dark petals with specs of white throughout them. Growing too close to the apartment building for comfort, those who look at the petals after nightfall will fall into a deep sleep. Worse yet: the dreams they find themselves in are not their own, but are the dreams of other residents. Ones who had not looked into the Shadowbloom, but had drifted off to sleep elsewhere on the planet. The one who looked into the Shadowbloom will find they cannot awaken until the person whose dream they have entered does.

These flowers will continue to bloom through April, after which the companion bots will search for and remove them from the atmosphere bubble.

⏵ If there is a specific, unique plant that those in game (or those accepted during the next round!) would like to add, please comment to the LOCATIONS page! We’ll add mentions of these to the Outskirts section.

Along with the botanical resurgence, numerous new animals appear: glowing fish swim freely through the waters. In the canopy above, new species of birds and critters flit among the branches. Some diligently construct new nests in anticipation of the coming spring, while others seek refuge in the shelter of trees, retreating from the weather.

Not all the creatures are so small, or so peaceful.

⏵ Small critters make themselves comfortable in the forested area around Etraya, staying mostly out of the way. There are the occasional visitors that will let themselves in through windows for a quick visit, or maybe a snack, but they’re mostly harmless.

⏵ Several larger beasts make their way into the city to try and find land that’s more habitable for them. Giraffes navigate gracefully through the areas designated for new arrivals, using their elongated necks to reach for the foliage near the hospital when they aren’t finding new places to make themselves comfortable. An eclectic array of cats, ranging in all sizes and breeds, brazenly saunter into buildings they don’t belong. Hopefully, the lioness lounging in the apartment complex's common area does not prevent residents from reaching their rooms, because she has no intention of yielding.

⏵ The leopard adorned with a rattlesnake tail in the hospital's cafeteria may be difficult to ignore, given his determination to devour everything in sight and attack anyone in his way.

⏵ Cat scratches and bites pose a significant risk of infection. In the event a character is injured, individuals can expect the companion bots to quickly seek them out and approach them with a special antibiotic cream developed specifically for these cats. Refusal of treatment may result in severe symptoms, including high fevers and itching. In extreme cases, individuals may begin to exhibit cat-like characteristics, ranging from physical alterations to changes in mental traits.

⏵ Numerous other creatures of all shapes and sizes will be coming and going through the city. You may play with this as you wish!

While the uproar caused by these guests doesn’t particularly bother Aurora, she does send out a message to everyone wearing an earpiece to request their assistance in capturing the larger animals that her companion bots may not be able to handle themselves. She has converted an island to the East into a temporary holding area until the companion bots can set them up with something a little more permanent.

⏵ network ⏴

Welcome to Etraya! Upon your arrival, Aurora provided an earpiece, a device to make communication with others stuck in the same situation more simple. The device connects to an internal network, which is accessible by everyone else currently residing on planet. Whether you’re looking for guidance, camaraderie, or want to see if there are any familiar faces around, this is the perfect place to do it! Please feel free to post any questions, offer your name, ask for assistance, or maybe complain to the powers that be about how you’ve got better things to be doing than sitting around here completing their missions. Maybe they’re listening. Maybe they’re not.

⏵ NOTES⏴

⏵ During April, Etraya’s getting a little wet! Those who spend too long in the rain may experience a few unfortunate effects.

⏵ The rain brings in new flora, including a couple that may cause characters to experience aggression and impulsivity, or take a stroll through others’ dreams.

⏵ New animals also appear! While many of them are friendly, others… are less so. The cats specifically seem to be a little grumpy. Characters scratched or bitten by these cats may find themselves becoming just as catty.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply below. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. The TDM is game canon, meaning everything happening above is occurring within the game properly. Those who apply to join in the April application round may keep their TDM threads as game canon.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ the mark she placed upon her door was sufficient enough in its warding off non-humans that Dream couldn't actually enter if he wanted to, but even with her powers mostly returned, it wasn't quite enough to completely mask her presence behind it from him, even though she knew how to wield such magicks better than other witches. it's enough to catch his attention, enough to cause him to move and materialize into the dark and rainy evening just in front of the place.

then she opens the door.

he doesn't move except to raise his arms with her already moving, running toward him, and he catches her solidly, uncaring of and unaffected by the wet around them and on her. he returns the embrace fiercely, tucking her head under his chin while he gives a low whisper near her ear. ]

Vanessa.

[ To hear her name, to hear his voice, that should be enough to ease any doubts. But already so much has changed. Whether this is an entirely new city filled with lies, or it is some strange new iteration in different dressing, enough has changed that she struggles to trust her senses as much as she wants to.

She must, she must, or she has nothing. ]

Are you real?

[ A question she has been forced to ask too often in her life, and rarely was there a straight answer. There's his scent, easily missed by most for the subtlety of it. Few are allowed so close. It's as though she were back on the beach, moments after a thunderstorm. Sand and static.

Could they mimic that? Could she imagine him?

It only has her grip tighten. ]

As real as any dream may be, my venomous one.

[ the vague and unhelpful answer sure sounds like something he'd say, at least. and the endearment lends itself to being him, too. but he suspects that's not enough, not when she seems so desperate. ]

Can you not sense me as you are? Your powers have been restored, it seems, as have mine.

[ Would it be cruel or kind to dream of him without it being him? Powers or not, it's clear that someone else still has control over her for the moment. She had been unable to sense anything from Aurora, after all.

Now, it's as though she can feel everything. ]

I did not know if I could still...trust in it.

[ Her sense? Her power? Any and all, perhaps. But the longer she clings, with the water seeping through the layers of her dress, the more certain she feels she can trust, and hope, after all. Relief. It can give way to something more, once she has collected her thoughts. Perhaps even purpose.

The shaking breaths steady as she dares to pull back so that she can peer up at him, blinking through the rain. A smile, despite her tears, is daring to struggle through. ]

Yet, you are always there to strengthen my faith.

[ The Lord may still turn from her, but Morpheus will always be with her. It's the assurance she has been desperate for her whole life. Here, or elsewhere, at least she is not alone.

But still, she must ask. ]

With your power, are you able to take us from here?

We have spoken of hope before, but faith is a close cousin, my love.

[ she's spared from any drops to her face as he leans over her, head tilted to look into her eyes, his hair dry and endearingly wild about his head. one of his hands raises to gently cup her cheek, this thumb brushing lightly at the wetness of her cheek. ]

No. Despite my powers having returned, it would seem that this place has denied the return of that ability to me.

[ It's discouraging, but only momentarily. Their power has returned, so perhaps there is still a way for him to manage it if they can only find the key. There are enough changes this time around to give her opportunity to problem solve... or at least make an attempt. It seems easier now that she knows he's here. ]

We will find a way. Without playing their games.

[ If only she could be certain of what's happened to their other loved ones, but wallowing in that uncertainty solves nothing. The depression that had been creeping into her thoughts seems to wash away with the rain.

Turning into his caress, she momentarily holds his hand to her cheek with a nuzzle. His touch is cool, yet still somehow warms her. ]

They will know regret thinking to manipulate us. [ Again. ]

[ his touch is cool, as is the rain around them, yet it seems softer when held in her hand, too. ]

Perhaps so. But let us return indoors for your comfort.

[ 'Comfort' is the last thing on her list of priorities. Strangely, though her current garb is more burdensome than before, her soaking wet state reminds her of their first night spent together. They had both been tried, haunted by their past, but they had only become closer for it. Stronger.

She steps back to turn and glance towards the apartment she had just come out of. ]

I want only to learn where their weaknesses are.

[ To now go inside and remain still whilst planning feels such a waste. By the way it reminds her so much of her home in London, it's clear that Aurora had wanted her there. Spite can be satisfying, though it can only carry her so far by itself. Her sudden energy comes from something else, though it would be difficult to name it. The romantic in her could attribute it to the strength in her love.

Freeing Morpheus from further shackles is more important than anything. ]

There must be another barrier, just as before. I have yet to travel far enough to find it. We ought to look. Perhaps together, we can break through.

[ his hand falls away from her cheek as she steps to glance back, his hand instead settling just below the elbow of her closer arm. still touching, still intimately close for someone like him, but allowing her the freedom of movement. ]

If that is your wish, then I would gladly accompany you. I only wonder if you find the accommodation of the weather to be at all troubling.

[ It's nearly enough to draw out a chuckle, though not quite. Everything else about this situation is far more troubling than rain. While she had been wary of the weather initially, there seems to be nothing particularly malicious in it. If anything, she feels rejuvenated. ]

Living in London, one quickly adjusts to such weather.

[ The rain here does seem 'cleaner', but that could be said for just about anything. An umbrella may serve; she simply isn't thinking about how to make this easier on herself.

Turning to his side, her arm slips through his grip just so that she can take his hand in hers and pull him along. She's eager to move, humming with a desire to act in some way. Any way. ]

This realm doesn't yet seem finished. It can scarcely be called a city. The barrier may be incomplete. We can surely find a weakness somewhere. Together. Then, we can find a way to let the others know without alarming our captors.

[ Aurora is the only one she's seen, but Vanessa assumes there are more behind it. ]

Have you seen anyone else that we know?

I have not, though I spent some time in looking for you.

[ he threads his fingers with hers when she moves to take his hand, moving in step with her. ]

Though ... what were your thoughts of the message when we arrived?

[ Encouraged further as their fingers intertwine, she offers an affectionate squeeze. She had been looking for him as well, though using a different method. It almost seems as if the cards summoned him.

On hearing how he searched for her, she would like so very much to pin Morpheus to a wall in passing and kiss him until she's breathless, but then there's concern that she may have trouble stopping even beyond that, and she must stay alert and focused.

Even with her urgent pace, he should have no trouble keeping up with her given her incredibly petite state next to him. ]

A lie, of course.

[ She still doesn't know if she believes what they learned from the City. It made about as much sense as this claim did. ]

Do you think that this could be a new iteration of the same city? Another attempt at their experiment?

I do not know. It seems unlikely to be caught once again by some different entity, especially since we come from different worlds, but it is not beyond the realm of the possible.

[ he has no trouble at all keeping her pace though his focus is mostly on her, not on the direction they seem to be heading. she's the one leading for now. ]

[ Vanessa is very experienced in the unlikely, but as he has suggests, anything could be possible. ]

It may be the next stage of their experiment. Or it was usurped by someone else. Enough differs. Somehow, Sir Malcolm's London home has been mimicked in part. There is fauna now... And a face to our captor, even if it's surely an illusion.

[ A glance. How strange they must look, with her soaked to the bone and him appearing as if the rain was merely an illusion. ]

Even if it is someone else, somewhere else, then I still would not believe anything they say.

[ It's disturbing that others seem so quick to take it on good faith, but perhaps it's easier for them to imagine being a savior. She certainly isn't. She can't imagine it.

It would risk one day putting her at odds with Morpheus, would it not? Unacceptable. These are just more tests for something that is supposedly a lost cause. ]

What do you think of Aurora's claims? You don't imagine any of it to be true, do you?

[ look, he tried twice to get her to go back inside so she could dry off so. but he watches her expression as she contemplates this place, their new(?) captors, no judgement showing in his own yet. ]

It would not be the first time I was called upon to save the universe.

No, I suppose not.

[ She recalls what he has said of it before, though it was strikingly little. There was reason for how vague he had been, and it had not been her place to press at the time, but enough has changed since then that she can't help be revisit that conversation in her mind.

At the very same time, she had been dreading her own prophecy of destroying everything. What does she think of it now? Ethan had done little to comfort her in that regard, despite his best intentions, but at the moment she has no reason to dread it. At least while here, she can attempt to put her energy towards something positive. ]

You said that it took nearly everything of yourself. What would that mean in this realm, I wonder?

Unless there are more people within this place than I was initially lead to believe, I would not be able to perform as I had before, despite my powers returned near fully. I suspect that there are other tasks to complete here.

[ 'Tasks'. Likely true. And insulting! It only spurns her to a quicker pace once they head further from the buildings, though she still keeps an eye for anyone who may be waiting in ambush. The rain does hamper her hearing, but she imagines there may be little able to sneak up on Morpheus at the moment.

Imagines, and hopes. ]

I have my own set of tasks in mind.

[ Though the ideas are still forming. There is still so little to go on. ]

I hear something.

[ Even through the rain, it's clearly a very different flow of water. A river? She had spotted one earlier, but it hadn't been in this direction. It may yet be the same one, having wound about. ]

[ he pauses their walking, his and in hers tugging her gently to a stop. ]

[ Curious, she goes still, first looking back up to him, then over her shoulder. Does the idea of the river concern him—doubtful he would question her swimming ability—or was there something else?

Perhaps he simply wants a moment to take in their surroundings.

In silence, she waits for his intent, keeping her senses wary as the rain patters around them. ]

[ he looks out, towards the sound of the river she heard. he doesn't look overly concerned though so likely there's no imminent danger around. ]

This place is ... fluid. The structure of it moving easily when needed.

...As it suits our captors?

[ Different from the first city, somewhat. It had continued to expand with further cursed buildings, but little else had changed aside from dwindling supplies.

Releasing his hand, Vanessa lifts her skirts a touch as she moves up a short hill to a small cluster of trees. Though the rain may dim their colors, she can see cherry blossoms on some branches. Should they be blooming in such dire weather?

Softly, she muses while reaching to touch the soft pink petals. ]

...As though suiting a child's imagination.

It could be that it also accommodates those who arrive, as well.

[ he lets his hand slip from hers, watching her ascend the small hill from where they stopped. ]

Or what they think would do so.

[ Again (or still?) it seems their captors already know secrets. Dreams. If not for Morpheus being so near, she might begin to wonder if this could just be a strange dream, but he should be able to sense that much.

She plucks a damp blossom from the lowest branch, twirling it between her fingertips as she turns back to step down toward him. ]

If it's illusion, I'm unable to sense the spell-craft.

[ The flora feels and smells real enough. ]

If the one capable of this is ever engaged in changing or adding things, then mistakes are inevitable. There must be a crack somewhere in the barrier. A weakening. If not now, then later.

[ She plans to find out now. Only, the rain is quickly becoming a downpour, making it difficult for her to even see very far beyond as it beats at the branches and leaves. How far would they have to travel before being stopped? It's only getting darker, after all. ]

Perhaps "later" is in order, my love.

[ he glances up to the clouds before looking back down to take in her appearance again. ]

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