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buttrinthum2023-06-30 11:42 am
TDM #4
Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see a barn owl that is flying through the darkness, soon sweeping you across the clouded sky. You feel yourself mouth the words, “I wish, I wish..” and utter your deepest and darkest desire.
When you regain consciousness, you’ll find you are in an unfamiliar place with no recognition of how you arrived here. You have the clothes on your back, but nothing else. No weapons and if you had a particular superpower, you’ll notice it is missing. All you have is a satchel with a piece of bread, a vial of water and a potion. The potion could be red, blue or golden. There are no instructions about these potions other than two words: Drink Me.
Will you drink it or not?
There is a parchment, handwritten, and it simply gives you a welcoming:
“Welcome to my Labyrinth. Per our agreement, you have consented to live your life here for an undetermined amount of time. In exchange, I will grant you the wish that you desire the most.”
You’re in a garden, surrounded by flowers and plants– most of which you cannot identify. However, there are a few that you can make out: honeysuckles & day lilies Time spent too close to the day lily invokes a state of forgetfulnesss. The longer characters stay in the garden, especially if they are close to the day lilies, they will begin to forget important things about themselves. What they forget is up to the player, but longer time spent in the garden can reduce them to a completely amnesic state. Better hurry out and try to find the way out while you can! Honeysuckles will have no effect on characters unless they decide to drink the sap from them. The honeysuckle nectar will give characters a temporary power boost. This applies to characters who have drank their potion or have regained their powers. This might be useful to salvage for later, especially considering the chaos that goes on in Somnius!
It looks like there are plenty of others who are just now waking up from their dream-state as well.. why not go ahead and say hello?
[ The arrival aspect of this prompt is reserved for new characters, but anyone can interact with the garden flowers. The effects will last for a few hours or days. ]
Speaking of chaos, the current state of Somnius is.. not great. It's not by any other means than a natural disaster that is completely a coincidence and not because Dreamers rebelled against the Skeksis and didn't heed to townsfolk warnings, right? Right.
As the weather gets hotter and hotter, the obvious side effects become clear - most notably, the townspeople are closing up shop until the weather settles down. The usual markets don’t open in the wee hours of the morning and even the blacksmith has laid down his hammer during the midpoint of the days, trying to avoid the peak of the warm rush. Anyone trying to speak to the townsfolk about the sudden change in weather will find them oddly standoffish and almost rude - it’s obvious who they’re blaming for their predicament.
Another clearly dissatisfied group of society are the mermaids of Lake Omen, who may be spotted more regularly than usual across the span of the boiling hot heat. While still a rare sight, the warmth of the water encouraged a few more angry and bitter of their kind to poke their heads out and try and find the source of their woes - hand in hand with their usual siren call. It may be possible to have them leave you be if you offer them something a little on the cooler side, but with the weather as it is… It might end up being more of a challenge than anticipated.
The days go by and it doesn’t seem as though the heat is ebbing in the least, the sun blazing in the sky and the shops still kept under tight lock and key. Even some of the town staples - the bakery and the inn - have their doors close to strangers, trying to find some means of keeping cool. As the days go by, characters that have affinity to fire (or any kind of fire power!) may find that their powers are a little… Out of control.
With the sun high in the sky and blazing hot, some fire seems to be going a little haywire across Visium and not acting as it should. Be it burning a little hotter than intended, blazing out of control or simply refusing to work whatsoever, fire powers are acting with a mind of their own. Characters who have fire-related powers, be it their own or through potions, may experience the same hazards, on a scale of disobedience to refusal to work.
Finally, the heat does seem to die down and the townsfolk release themselves from their self-inflicted isolation, but they’re still not completely at ease with the strangers and keep them at an arms length: some things are not easily forgotten, and the damage seems to have been done when it comes to the skeksis. They may speak to characters once the heatwave is over, but will consistently refuse to talk about the Skeksis, the attack or anything to do with the taxes. You had your chance, you blew it.
Somnius has, from everyone's knowledge, always been nestled around a giant labyrinth built by The Almighty Lord Vaeros, as some townsfolk say. What's so good about a lord who seems to leave a town in shambles and doesn't seem to help? He's sus. Everything about this is sus.
However, one morning during the heatwave, both townsfolk and Dreamers alike will hear a crumble and a crash.. almost as if a wall is broken. The labyrinth has always been indestructible, but as Dreamers investigate, they will find a hole broken through the labyrinth, opening up to a new era. Should you go through the hole, Dreamers will see an area they haven't ever seen before...
Welcome to the New Location: Indigo Sand Grove. As the name implies, the sand here isn't white or.. well.. sandy colored, but instead a beautiful dark blue with the occasional glitter grains. It almost appears black if the scorching sun isn't hitting it just right. Any other foliage or trees seen here will be typical of Earthly tropical beaches with the occasional unidentifiable vegetation. All in all, Indigo Sand Grove and its beaches seem welcoming and not harmful at all. In fact, there are bamboo garden chairs sitting out, enticing people to have a beach party and sun bathe! As soon as characters touch their feet into the indigo sands, their clothing will change into a swimsuit from their home. The swimsuit is for keeps! Enjoy!
The sea is safe to swim in, filled with typical fish that would come from Earth and crystal clear waters. Characters will feel a sense of joy on the beach. It's not a forceful kind of magic, but something about this place really wants you to have a good time, so why not take advantage of that?
CW: bugs, beetle imageryAlong with a swimsuit, characters will find a bamboo net, designed for hunting beetles. You may see that there is a bamboo forest neighboring the sandy beach where characters will find insects to capture with their net. If capturing beetles isn't your forte, maybe just go up to the person you have a close bond with and hit them over the head with your net. The choice is yours.
Among the typical insects, there are three types of horned beetles. Anyone familiar with beetle fighting may see this as an opportunity to find their new pet, but those with money on the mind may find out that the townsfolk will purchase beetles for bonus shards. Here are the types of beetles and their values:
CLICK FOR BEETLES!
Horned Dynastid (Red): 5 bonus shards.
Horned Atlas (Black): 10 bonus shards.
Horned Hercules (Gold): 15 bonus shards.
There will be a ruined down, old sign on the main path in the bamboo forest that lists these types of beetles and their price. Team up together and enter the forest to find a fortune!
On the morning of the 1st, some dreamers will receive a message from an unknown user.
Who or what has broken your heart before?
They will feel compelled to respond with a truthful answer, as if their brains had gone into a trance, and before they know it, their response will be there for everyone to see. It cannot be deleted or changed. The user will not respond personally, but you get the sense they are definitely reading. Characters who are disinterested in romance can also mention familial or platonic heartbreak. It can also be a devastating event or anything else.
[ This is an additional network option for characters to interact with. Feel free to add a network prompt into any of your top levels. If you do not want to interact with this prompt, simply assume your character did not get the message. All threads are public unless actively privated by characters. We generally encourage threadjacking and engagement, so feel free to mention if threadjacking is fine with you so that others are aware. Note that the NPC will not be actively responding. ]
Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! All events are game canon. New characters (invited or not) and old characters alike are welcome to play in it. Existing characters can start their own logs or network posts for the event if they wish to.
New and Old characters are welcome to top level on the TDM. Please state in the header if you are a new or old player! Also, new characters may link their top levels under the new character comment so they are easier to find. Thanks for your cooperation!
New characters will arrive depowered and with only their clothing, and will be given a satchel with a crystal pendant, a communication device, some water and bread and a magic potion. If they drink the potion, they will manifest an elemental, healing or animal transformation ability.
With the exception of Castle Vaeros, characters are free to go as they please, so feel free to place them in any of the locations available on the map.
You can find more information about the game here. Any questions regarding the TDM can go under the comment below.
Unique to this TDM, we have a beetle hunting event. Be sure to comment under the RNG Beetle Hunt to see which beetle your character finds in order to exchange later for bonus shards! One RNG per character, please.
no subject
That's reasonable, [Tanya nods along to the description of the patrol, approvingly.] Captain Pryde must have a lot of trust in you and the rest of the militia.
[And then there's the comment about the tavern, and she grimaces. She’s blaming Being X for this one, and the irritating double standards on child soldiers. So, she’s old enough to kill and die for her country, but not drink?]
There's no point in drinking wine if you're just going to water it down and ruin it. If giving me alcohol is a problem, I'd rather just have the water. Or coffee, if that’s an option.
no subject
[It has occurred to her that if anyone wanted to cause trouble, joining community organisations like the militia might be just the way to do it. She'd justified the unpaid work on the grounds that it was done that way out on isolated frontier colonies, but on those colonies every able person would be militia-trained! Here they're self-selecting, and her noble intentions might not be shared by everyone.]
[Tanya's response about the wine, and that grimace, make her regret her words. Yes, she'd had watered wine as an apprentice on the Prosperity and that had been normal - but she'd also spent some time trapped in a far more nightmarish bubble universe, where she'd had people question whether she, a certified Tradeline lieutenant, should be permitted to drink. Earthers. She recalls her anger only too clearly, her frustration at the suggestion that she should have to ask someone older for permission, every time. Naturally she'd responded that she'd rather not drink at all than be put through that humiliation.
She'd had whatever she wanted in the end, of course. So how can she treat this girl differently? Lieutenant Tayrey has her faults, but hypocrisy isn't among them.]
It's not for me to tell you what you can and can't drink. I didn't know your preference. If you want wine, that's your lookout, and I'd happily share a table with you sometime. If you don't, the coffee here is excellent.
no subject
In any case, Tanya's grimace fades at Tayrey's placation, and then turns into a proper smile at the comment that the coffee's excellent.]
Ah, that's good to hear. My adjutant can preform miracles even with a terrible starting place, but nothing really beats quality. [She shakes her head, dismissing the thought.] Still, even if there wasn't any coffee, I'd be more than happy to join you for your after-patrol dinners, if you'd have me.
[She glances up at Tayrey, trying to meet her gaze. Tanya's face is still set in that smile, which on her features is almost apocalyptically cute.]
It's nice to know that there's at least one person who sees my accomplishments, and not just my age. I'd try and stick around you just for that.
no subject
It's not quite as good as the coffee from my homeworld, but then nothing is. I had that imported when I was shipside, kept it in my private stores. Nice while it lasted. We also had a cook who could do wonders with protein blocks and emergency rations, when it came down to it.
[But there had been a question there. She refocuses herself.] You'd be very welcome to join me for dinner, anytime you like. I'm in there every day, and I can introduce you to my friends and associates if the opportunity arises. [She's thinking of Nobunaga and Klaus, primarily, not knowing that Tanya will manage that on her own!]
[Tayrey meets her gaze evenly. The girl has a very sweet smile, and she can't help but reflect on what a hindrance it must be. Being so young and petite must make it much more difficult to be taken seriously. She's put in mind of little Kayda Levannen from the Prosperity, although by her estimate Levannen had to be a couple of years older and not half so professional.]
I went shipside at thirteen standard years, and passed for lieutenant at around sixteen. [An impressive achievement where she's from, although she'll downplay it.] I was respected on my ship, but since then I've met others who... think differently, shall we say. I don't judge people for characteristics they can't help. You can stick by me, as far as you want to. It's good to have allies in a place like this.
[She's half-inclined to offer her a place in Oda's army there and then, but she holds back. There's no urgency, and she certainly doesn't want to scare her off, or appear desperate -or worse still, condescending.]
Do all your people start their careers young, or are you an exception?
1/2
At the comment about introducing her friends and associates, Tanya can't help but smile. Despite her earlier conviction to try not to stray further into the complicated social politicking of favor trading, she can allow herself something as simple as an informal dinner at a tavern. Especially if it's just a matter of whoever else Tayrey happens to be eating with at the time.]
I'll definitely take you up on that, Lieutenant.
[And then career talk. Well, Tanya has enough experience to tell when someone's being humble. It's a positive trait, so long as it isn't in excess, which Tanya has no reason to believe is the case for now. The fact that the Lieutenant was—is? how old even is she, exactly?—a child soldier explains a lot of her earlier behavior.
Still the question at the end there... this is clearly a test. Tanya is certain that Tayrey is throwing out subtlety here for the reason of getting her true measure.]
Do my people all start this young? Not at all. I'm not an exception either, there's laws in place to allow mages like me to volunteer at any age, but most don't until they're of typical serving age and just get conscripted anyways, due to the draft for mages. I'd say that it's just that...
2/2
...this is the only path for me.
no subject
It also makes her previous comments about conscription much more understandable, much more forgivable. Such policies are inimical to freedom, but if a society is going to have one, it can at least be applied equally.
She looks into those blazing blue eyes, and nods her approval.]
I can believe it. You weren't just jumping before you were pushed; you're purposeful. [Tayrey doesn't realise how rare that is in children, having been raised at the top of a Company Tower, director's daughter with all the pressures that entailed, and then surrounded by ambitious young would-be officers on her ship.]
You'll find that typical serving age varies wildly between cultures, which is why I asked. [Part of why she asked.] It won't be a surprise that I don't think conscription of anyone is fair, but it sounds like you had a plan - and in that case, might as well start early. Advance more quickly that way. [After a moment of thought.] You said it's your only path. You needn't answer if it's too personal, but what set you on it? Family legacy?
no subject
But how to spin this going forward? Well, military matters have proved thus far to remain military matters no matter what world it is. Still, though, Tayrey's own libertarianism is unlikely to approve of the kind nationalism demanded of her by the Imperial army, but she has seemed to favor it when she displays her professionalism and desire to do her job. Hm...]
I'm an orphan—the only thing my mother left me was my name. [This is said in a very matter-of-fact way. She's not offended.] I joined more or less because of what you said; to advance more quickly. If I advanced far enough, I would've been able to have more say in where I get posted. To better serve the Empire, of course, but what good soldier doesn't also dream of glory and destroying their enemies?
[There we go. Not a nationalist, just someone very ambitious, with the about level of attachment to the job itself that a career military official like Tayrey would probably approve of. No manager wants to actually hear I'm only doing this job because it pays, after all. Most aren't nearly that reasonable, and she's not gambling on human another being's rationality.]
no subject
She looks briefly sympathetic upon hearing that Tanya is an orphan, but doesn't comment on it. It's not the sort of thing a person wants strangers commenting on, really. Ari herself was adopted as an infant, although as far as she knows, both her geneparents are still alive. They just don't want anything to do with her.
(No, that's not fair. Her genefather was a spacer who spent an overnight with her genemother on leave and probably doesn't know that she exists.)]
I think the Tradelines are... less restrictive than your organisation. Possibly because we combine military functions with trade. I chose which ship to sign up to, and I knew in advance that it'd be doing frontier runs. [They don't even really talk of serving, it's all protect and defend, safeguard liberty and uphold the higher values. Peace and Prosperity - and Profit, as their critics might say. Tayrey would say that wasn't the primary purpose, but if someone in her department admitted they were only in it for the money? She'd likely appreciate the honesty.]
It's very understandable that you wanted more say over things. [But then she smiles.] Of course we all want to destroy our enemies! Ours are pirates, mostly. I don't know if we'll ever get rid of all of them. There might just be an endless supply of immoral opportunists. It's my greatest ambition to be one of the youngest captains on the lines someday, with a ship of my own.
no subject
It's a merchant fleet as well? I suppose that's obvious with the name, but how exactly does that work? Is it a secondary function to help the military aspect run, or are both ventures considered equally important?
[It just seems to her like there might be the occasional conflict of interest. Like... it must be pretty easy to turn to piracy with that setup, mustn't it? Or that you might imply to your trade partners that maybe they can kiss protection goodbye if they don't cough up a better deal. Stuff like that. Tanya isn't against in theory, she's an unapologetic capitalist, but your company should be able to withstand stress-testing against corruption.
At the enemies and pirates comment, she nods, sagely.]
I think that is exactly the case. But that's good for people like us; we'll never be out of a job. [Then, she smiles.] And I'm sure you'll achieve your goal as soon as you're out of this place. Considering how fast you climbed to your current position, it probably won't take long. It's only a shame that this experience might be difficult to add to your CV.
no subject
Both functions are important, and to some extent a ship's focus is down to the individual captain, but Tradeline code sets out some essential priorities. Top priority is a request for military aid from one of our insured colonies. Someone under attack. The nearest ships fly in to assist, no matter what else is happening. We need that reputation for reliability, and for the colonies to know we keep contract. Trade is important because a ship's share of the insurance payments alone won't keep it going. Even my ship, which gets a larger share because we do frontier runs. New colonies, or those on either frontier, are often heavily reliant on imports, but those trade routes are longer and less profitable than shipping only to central worlds. It's the duty of the Tradelines to ensure every insured colony is visited regularly with the essentials that they need, no matter how far out. So that's second priority, usually. Then there's all the rest- fighting piracy, escort missions along the less-travelled lines, regular trade to maximise profit, exploration and assessment of resources on uninhabited planets.
Officers get profit-share, so the better the ship does, the more we benefit. You're probably seeing the temptation problem there, yes? There are very high penalties for ignoring a distress call in order to deliver a shipment, and it's really common in training simulations to be faced with several competing objectives, to judge how we prioritise.
[Yes, it would be very easy for the Tradelines to devolve into gangs of heavily-armed mercenaries running a glorified protection racket. That it hasn't happened speaks of their intense focus on values and standards - and the ruthlessness that means any Tradeliner will face execution for a severe breach of their code.]
[Tayrey isn't sure what a CV is, exactly, but she puts it down to faulty translation again. She can guess from context, anyway.] It'll take a while for me to get there. [It'll be impressive if she can manage it before thirty. Tradeline ranking structure seems oddly flat, nothing but assorted kinds of captain and lieutenant, but informally there's a very complex seniority system that's intuitive to someone like Tayrey now, but might be near-impenetrable to an outsider.] I used to be very fiercely ambitious, but after... certain experiences I've had, I'll be happy just to get back to my ship again. [That experience being imprisonment and torture in another bubble universe, but she really is trying to avoid talking about that. It doesn't help.]
no subject
I suppose I was being a bit obvious about my concerns, huh? [She shrugs.] Your people run an enviable outfit, to hear the way you put it. I almost wish the Imperial army was run a bit more like the Tradelines.
[It's liberating to be able to say something almost treasonous against the Imperial army. She has many more complaints, but she's a learned hand when it comes to screaming in the confines of her own mind.]
And I understand that feeling. I haven't been here for too long, and I'm already missing some of my troops.
[Just the 203rd, actually. The rest of Salamander can get fucked. Undisciplined assholes.]
no subject
[Tanya's conclusions aren't too far off, but the Tradelines are perhaps even more powerful, since there are no state-run spacefaring military organisations out there, just what Tayrey would call planetary militia.]
It's all about values. Long ago we fought a war against tyranny, and ever since we've been trying to maximise freedom. Joining the military means giving up a fair amount of your own to protect other people's, but there's no reason to make that worse than it has to be. Your army - what's the name of your Empire? - must have different fundamental values, to allow for conscription and the like. [Obviously she thinks hers are better, but it's a fairly neutral observation. Criticising your own organisation isn't the same as hearing an outsider do it.]
I miss so much about home. My ship was home, you know? Still. It can't be helped now, and at least I know that nobody there will be missing me, since my requirement [her wish] was that I return to the very moment I left.
no subject
Technically, it's just called the Empire, but the Germanian Empire is the usual appellation. And yes, it's only natural that the fundamental values are different; these organizations exist for very different purposes.
[Head tilt.]
Ah, do you remember any of the negotiations you had with Vaeros, then?
no subject
Do you remember nothing at all of it? [She thinks that would be more unusual, even if they all seemed to phrase things differently.]
And what's the purpose of the Imperial military, if it's so different? [She tries not to sound too much like she did when she used to quiz little Levannen on Tradeline values. Tayrey is genuinely interested in the answer - she'd assumed some commonality of purpose, albeit without the commercial dimension.]
no subject
[That's only half-true. Really, she just thinks her wish isn't something that would particularly endear her to anyone. It completely clashes with her image of a professional soldier.]
It started out as a mostly defensive army, but at this point, after all the success we've seen- [Success that is mostly her doing, but who's counting. Definitely not her, haha. Ha.] -during the war, we've undergone a paradigm shift where instead of our goal being to just defend our territory, our goal at this point is the total subjugation of our enemies and the expansion of the Empire. We're transitioning into a conquering army.
[She's trying to remove her own opinion on this from her tone, which basically amounts to screaming accusatorily at the Heavens, but her success is mixed. It's clear this is a subject she feels strongly on.]
At least, I assume the Tradelines aren't exactly going around empire-building, from the sound of it.
no subject
Of course the talk of subjugation and conquest makes her look incredibly uneasy, because it all sounds like tyranny to her, like the sort of action her own people would put a very swift end to, had any of these other regions been Tradeline-insured.]
No. No, we stand for liberty, for individual rights. Never subjugation. It's... almost as different as it's possible to get. Everyone has the right to defend their own territory. Not to commit aggressive acts against anyone else.
If the Tradelines started empire-building, all the officers who believe in its true values would call breach of contract, and resign. Such a shift just wouldn't be possible. It'd destabilise the entire sector. Was there no opposition, when yours began to change?
[She doesn't mean opposition from Tanya personally. It's unfair to put all that on an individual. But she can't believe it didn't cause political trouble, at the very least.]
no subject
[Still, she got way too free with her tongue back there. Conveniently, the truth is perfectly reasonable to use as an answer, as the Imperial army is ultimately a fairly logical organization, simply operating in an irrational time. Still, she can just fudge over the unsavory details from here on out. No need to complicate things.]
And yes, there always are. No organization is a monolith, after all. Some of the general staff don't believe that we'll be able to actually make it through how big a war it already is, and it's insane to think of making it bigger. [She shrugs, again. A bit resigned, actually. See, she's technically one of those people, except for a little detail.] I think it's admirable that they believe we can prevent it from expanding at all.
no subject
Not to mention that apparently the opposition is on practical grounds, not moral ones. Libertarian Tayrey is really struggling with this, even if she's telling herself quite firmly that little Degurechaff clearly isn't the one making the command decisions, so none of it is her<> fault.]
Then I shall hope that your people see sense and think better of trying to oppress their neighbours instead of simply defending their own land.
[Diplomacy is not Tayrey's strong point, not when there's a clash of values that great.]
If you're already fighting a defensive war, and succeeding, it's far more sensible to see that through, and firmly maintain your borders. Not spread your people thin fighting multiple conflicts. But- [a little smile] I understand that you won't want to criticise your superiors to an outsider. Perhaps I'm being unfair.
no subject
Tanya would prefer to just call it contrived, and the architect of her fate unimaginative. Still, she's not going to get too upset about the fucking casus belli of all things. Not too much, at any rate.]
I'm hopeful. We're a reasonable people ultimately, or so I'd like to think. We'll do what's best for the nation.
[She's happy to let the topic drop, but it's also a bit of a shame in another sense. It's been a while since she's had the chance to talk about this kind of thing properly, ever since she graduated from her brief stint in war college. Tayrey presents a fun conversational partner, the sort who might appreciate Tanya's more spirited tirades about standardizing shipping crates and other such important minutiae than even her former teachers and classmates.]
And, well, if every soldier took the time to complain about their superiors whenever the chance came up, we just might end up with universal peace because no army would get anything done. [She shakes her head.] Thank you for understanding, Lieutenant, but you don't need to hold back on my account. I think you've been fairer than I've had any right to expect, regardless.
no subject
[Tayrey's passion might be flight and star charts, but she'd be happy to talk trade minutiae all day if given the opportunity. She stresses practicality as it's what the average Tradeliner values most, what gets you respect as an officer - but behind that, she's very clever, very well-educated, and misses friendly debate.]
Then I won't hold back. I'm only conscious of diplomatic protocol. [She smiles, because there really is no protocol for this.] Most will complain about their superiors through a whole shift if given the chance, but hear an outsider malign them and suddenly they're all paragons of both virtue and efficiency, speak no ill of them! Of course the truth lies somewhere in the middle. [She shrugs.] Or perhaps that behaviour is peculiar to my sector.
[The real takeaway is that if Tayrey ever voices significant criticism of the Tradelines to someone? That's proof that they're as close as her shipside comrades are to her.]