etrayamemes | TDM 006

TDM 006

⏵ arrival ⏴
Arrival is absolutely not normal this month. Instead of a hospital bed, you wake in a tunnel with a large group of other people. These are the residents. A woman’s voice in an earpiece hurriedly clues you in with an apology.

I apologize; I had not planned to introduce you this way, but we are low on time. Please proceed down the hallway.

An image of a shattered pearl pops up on your personal HUD and rotates.

I am Aurora. You are joining many others on Etraya in order to save your world from destruction by completing missions. Your current mission is to find the pieces of this object that have become scattered in the library ahead of you.

For everyone else, coming in is much the same. The instruction goes out to head to designated areas immediately, where companion bots will escort the residents of Etraya down into the depths, the area beneath where much the same is explained.

⏵ disrobing ⏴

The tunnel eventually opens directly into the foreroom of an expansive library, painted in marvelous hues and patterns with skylights far above. There are wizards milling about, bearded and holding tomes, quietly chatting amongst themselves.

The reception area of the library has tall ceilings with equally tall doors Before you get too caught up in the scenery, a voice directs you forward. A gentleman, hunched and bespeckled craws out.

"Make a line! Make a line, everyone! You cannot enter the library dressed as you are... Come forward and give me your name."

The receptionist asks your given name and then hands over a box from underneath his counter. You can give him any name you want, he doesn’t seem to mind. It is tied with a tagged ribbon- labeling it accordingly. “The _____ robe of _______.”

	(First Letter of Given Name)				(Last Letter of Given Name)
A	Controlling	N	Helpful	A	Melodies	N	Light
B	Glimmering	O	Floating	B	Discretion	O	Mind-Reading
C	Wet	P	Handsome	C	Growth	P	Climbing
D	Gruesome	Q	Gullible	D	Grasping	Q	Jumping
E	Observant	R	Ratty	E	Flying	R	Hurting
F	Powerful	S	Adhesive	F	Reading	S	Guiding
G	Psychedelic	T	Sweltering	G	Dancing	T	Bug-Speaking
H	Swift	U	Cheerful	H	Shouting	U	Exploding
I	Voracious	V	Anxious	I	Extracting	V	Complaining
J	Soft	W	Likeable	J	Punishing	W	Dividing
K	Keen	X	Ruthless	K	Creeping	X	Slapping
L	Fabulous	Y	Dramatic	L	Walking	Y	Charming
M	Fair	Z	Demonic	M	Listening	Z	Combustion

As you read what the contents of the box may be, they form inside- Looking and behaving as your character expects them to. After all, magic is all in the wielder’s mind.

Don your robes and enter the library.

⏵ unfamiliar familiars ⏴

For those without a familiar (like one hatched from an egg not too long ago) you may borrow one from the library counter. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but they will all assist in the very important mission. As you roam the library, they will make little indications that you are closer or further from finding a piece of the pearl.


Pro	• Hardworking • Gives correct directions 75% of time • Won’t run away from you	• Very affectionate • Gives correct directions only when paired with another rat, toad, or personal pet.	• Gives correct directions 90% of the time
Con	• Must feed bookworms	• Will run away if too close to a cat	• Does not care for you • Sleepy • Will run ahead • Gets distracted by rats

⏵ the task at hand ⏴

With robes donned and creature in hand, you must now complete your mission. Find the pieces of the shattered pearl. As you enter the library, you may notice that it’s all very dim. There’s oil lamps around the place that may be moved with you to assist in your journey if your robes do not already emit light.

Break off and search the library. There is a directory at the front to point guests to all the different sections.

	Wings of the Library
A	General Works	B	Music
C	Philosophy, Religion	D	Fine Arts
E	History, Auxiliary Sciences	F	Language and Literature
G	Magic, General	H	Science
J	Geography, Anthopology	K	Medicine
M	Agriculture	N	Hobbies, Recreation
P	Social Science	Q	Military
R	Political Science	S	Practical Arts
T	Law	W	People
X	Education	Y	Spiders

Each section looks enough like the last, though the books within have immense power. Pick up the wrong book, and you might conjure a dragon or a historical figure! You must persist and avoid making too much noise or breaking too many things.

Or else the Librarian, a tall mass of knotted fabric will confiscate your robe and usher you back outside. Your name will be struck from the list, and you must pick a new one to re-enter the library to continue the search.

You can try to fight back against him- he may be set alight with the lamp. But should you be starting fires in here?

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Any thread with 15 comments between you and another may be submitted to find a piece of the pearl. There are 20 pieces altogether, and we will determine if the mission was successful by March 28th. A post will go live on the OOC comm for this!

This mission occurs out of time, similar to how the spaceship had. Meaning, those currently in game can experience these events any time between now, and March 14th.

Please direct all questions to our mod queries comment!

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

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[She hates the idea that anyone puts her anywhere to begin with. Especially if that means there's a chance that she's lost some memory or fact about the situation. Transigen had a habit of mixing their thoughts and memories up when they were drugged to behave — but this feels different.]

Then... my world is still in danger.

[That's also not so great. But at least she has a chance to save it right now.]

Have other people gone home?

Well, she has no reason to doubt him. It'd be foolish to hide his injuries if he didn't heal like she does, she thinks. Then again... her father was the worst offender when it came to ignoring the pangs within his own failing body.

"... I don't feel like I left." She frowns, puzzled by the thought. "I wasn't here long enough to save my home... I don't think I was."

And yet, here she was: back when she'd never truly left.

Or... had she? Going to bed is a muddy memory.

"You are new?"

AHHH!

[Twinsies! Peter is so startled himself that he releases his web to put his hands up in a placating gesture... only to fall on his head when said gesture causes him to let go of the thing holding him up. Spider-Man hits the ground with a thump, and a few of the books Screaming Peter knocks out smacks him on the head.]

Ow ow ow-

[He holds up his hands, this time in surrender.]

I'm sorry, I mean you no harm! I come in peace!

Please don't get me kicked out!

[Oh. Sci-ence. He feels kind of stupid now. He shoves the feeling down where it usually goes.]

[Then Tim mentions studying.]

Ew, no. The studying part is just in the way. It's my duty to get out of here. Whether it's by finding this pearl thingy or some other way.

There's someone I'm supposed to protect.

[There's a slight rise of his chin and set to his shoulders that Tim's probably seen before - in many people he knows, who all have a cause, who all want to protect. Soren's cause is partly the protection of his kingdom and his friends. But it's mostly the protection of someone who's making the world infinitely better, better than Soren ever could make it alone. He's no superhero, but he protects someone with a superhero's heart, as much a source of light and hope in his world as the caped man in red and blue that graces the the skies of Tim's.]

And unless he sends me away on some kind of mission for the kingdom, I'm supposed to be at his side.

Edited 2025-01-18 09:06 (UTC)

It's gratifying to see Rose's bait taken so enthusiastically. She's had such a small number of people to play off of for the last few years, so a new person with his own eccentricities is a breath of fresh air for her. Her mouth quirks into a small, intrigued smile as her new acquaintance rises to her challenge, and she adds a quizzically-raised eyebrow when he reveals his vocation.

Frankly it's kind of what she expected. A confident elf (or half-elf...?) offering to distract people brings to mind a certain game--let's call it Holes & Hydras--she played with her friends once upon a time. And even beyond that...

"Oh, I've met Bards before," she assures her new acquaintance--perhaps Fabian can even hear the capitalization the word receives. (She chooses to leave out that the Bards she's met were the most horrendous pieces of shit she's ever had the personal displeasure of meeting.) Violet eyes look Fabian up and down, sizing him up for a few moments before she renders her verdict:

"You don't even have pointed shoes," she says with gentle-yet-undeniable skepticism.

[ Peter stares down at the woman as she parts only enough so that they can lock gazes once again, but she never really parts from him — not only with her fingers staying against his skin, but on a deeper level, through some strand that's simultaneously as delicate and as powerful as a quivering spider's web.

He stares, not understanding the state of her, confused and afraid and searching her eyes just as much back, even if his own are held wide and wet. He feels himself, as always, becoming so vulnerable around Vanessa, like something inside of himself opens up and up and up, welcoming her into the softest parts of himself.

(And the other thing keeps staring, too, seeing her more clearly than it's ever been able to before. Peter's hand at the side of her arm twitches here and there against his control, a gesture he's not really aware of, fingertips giving the softest spasms. Harmless, for now, so alive but not fitful. She cups it in her hands, too.)

Where has he been? The question visibly catches him off-guard, confusion knitting his brow for a moment. But the answer's honest, he thinks she means— for these past few hours, or however long it's been. He so often loses time. ]

Just walking around here, I think.

[ It feels like a confession, a little ashamed; he's aware that he's been moving through this place like he's sleepwalking. ]

After the tunnel, I got a little lost. This place is...... weird.

[ A soft, nervous exhale. The clothes they made him wear are weird, there's a frog in his pocket (it's not a frog, Peter...), he keeps glitching out of his own mind like he's the one who doesn't belong in it, and he doesn't understand what the hell he's meant to be doing. Clearly this is some kind of test they have to complete in order to leave, right? But Vanessa's always been sharp, intelligent and resourceful. She always knows what to do. (Even though something horrible must have happened to her since the last time they spoke. Was it something here? Did something hurt her?) ]

Did you find a way out?

Edited 2025-01-18 03:19 (UTC)

"Well," Rose says to this unusual introductory statement, "I suppose the day's still young."

Not that she even knows what time of day it is, or why her new acquaintance is advocating for goopless gratitude. But Rose isn't the sort to let a pinch of ignorance sully a good quip.

Rose observes as the pretty blonde takes off her distinctly wedding-y robes. The sight of normal clothes beneath those robes does make Rose consider: is she being overly-dramatic by insisting upon hardcore, unprotected robe-donning? Her first assumption was that this was a necessary precondition of accomplishing the task set forth for her by Aurora, but nobody else seems to be taking the wizard shenanigans quite as seriously as Rose is.

...but the funk of her "new" robes escapes the box containing it and reminds Rose that she absolutely does not intend for these robes to touch the gorgeous outfit she arrived in. (And designed. She had a good teacher.) There's nothing for it but to...

procrastinate.

"I'd almost be flattered if someone did see fit to try something," Rose notes, looking at the back of her hand and its pronounced knuckles. "And maybe a little disturbed. 'Skeletal' isn't my preferred aesthetic, but my abrupt transportation to a new reality hasn't given me much opportunity to bulk back up." She looks from her hand to the other woman, and waggles her long, bony fingers by way of greeting. "I'm Rose. Thanks for the offer of help."

[He nods slowly. If she's here and the saving universes claim is correct, then her own does still need to be saved. That's garbage, but at least it means her friends aren't gone. Right?

He opens his mouth to say something, and freezes at her question.

Ah, fuck. Forget saving universes, this isn't a conversation she's going to like. She had been pretty close to Connor from what he had seen, it's going to hurt when he tells her he's gone. He isn't the right person for this, but who else is there? He can't put that on Robin or Hank.

Sucking in a slow breath, he glances away for a moment, then looks back at her steadily.]

...... Yeah. Connor.

[ Slowly, more of Peter's memories are trickling in, certain words helping him get back in touch with himself through that odd static-y thrum. And he remembers more of the longer-term, anyway; it's what's happened in the past couple of hours that have his head feeling like stuffed cotton. He has no idea the effect that magic is having on the ancient thing locked inside of him.

Anyway, "one with an Earth" is familiar enough at least, as well as Japan in general, even if not the specific city. It's enough to settle just a tiny bit of the anxiety in Peter's stomach. ]

I'm from Utah, [ he says in response, a little lamely. Utah's not that great... ] Uh, in North America.

[ But there's a pause after that. He's not sure where The City is. This place... has to be part of that, right? ]

This is all... part of that experiment, isn't it? The simulation?

[ She's eyeing the owlet again. It's very cute. It's probably soft. If she asked would he let her pet it? ]

Unfortunately I do not speak owl either. There is no literature explaining the language of owls. I was following my rat but it so far hasn't led me anywhere. [ And then, because she has to know more, ] How did you get an owl?

[ She promptly does so, holding him a little awkwardly and continuing to pet him. ]

I am the Archive, what is your name?

[ It only seems polite to introduce herself if she's being allowed to pet this person's dog. ]

It’s possible for the Guru to have a stubborn streak when it came to his own reckless behavior. On the other hand, one’s less inclined to worry about their limitations when the lives of your friends, loved ones, and a country full of innocents are on the line.

Regardless of the reason, his own integrity hasn't diminished nor were any signs of regret present in his features. If Clef was given a choice to go through the whole ordeal a second time, he would do so in a heartbeat.

“…”

The lavender-haired mage held his peace while the other answered his question to the best of her ability. What he noticed upon observation was the change in her facial expression and the sound of uncertainty laced in her voice, both which did little to grant himself peace of mind. If anything, it brought forth a reasonable amount of mistrust towards Aurora and her reasoning behind their arrival to Etraya. He may have to gather information on his own to find some semblance of truth… but how? Where could he even start from here?

“…?”

It took a moment of prolonged silence for him to realize how knee-deep in thought he was; the young girl had apparently asked a question only he could answer, but thus far was given no response. Clef could only get out of this unfortunate situation in the best way he knows how - by being oblivious.

“…What did you say?”

Edited 2025-01-18 05:13 (UTC)

Loki shrugs, "I've been worthy a few times? Much easier to pass the test now that Thor's the one determining it."

But their brow furrows as they consider the other's words. To have someone else take over. So it was like that then. They feel a little bad for how they phrased it now, and for their bragging. But only a little.

"I- Loki, when I said that, I only meant that I've saved the multiverse on a few of my adventures. Reality's collapsed before, and I've helped ensure its continued existence. Fought a few bad guys, tricked the gods above gods. But you're literally holding it together? Physically?"

Truthfully, that sounds as awful as being king. It's too much responsibility, too much repetition.

"The issue there lies not in whether it's possible for someone to take over, but whether anyone would want to. And then, of course, if such a person could be trusted. I wouldn't trust myself, for example."

Does anyone get to keep their robe?

Yeah...

[ It's about the only response that he can muster about everything that happened. He still doesn't know why it all did in the first place. The pieces of information he had - no, the pieces of information that someone else had gathered before him - seemed like it was pointing him in some direction. ]

... I do think that no matter what... that door will have to go. At least for a little while.

[ Okay. One thing at a time.

Henry stops walking which doesn't seem to please the rats that are wanting to keep going forward, but what he has to say is important. He turns so that he can look at Heather; he lifts his hands to move them awkwardly in the air, feeling that would be better than just having his arms be tucked close to his body or crossing them over his chest. ]

Listen, in those other worlds, it was really dangerous... people... they kept dying. So, I don't know what these pieces will do... but I'll do what I can to make sure Mister Cheese and you... that you'll be okay.

Okay.

[ Rather than deflating at being unable to reassure Sephiroth, he accepts the answer he is given. Sometimes, worrying makes a person feel better. And anyway, despite his insistence, Henry has already decided to do everything he can to keep him safe. ]

... but what if you don't see what I do even if I do?

[ And they walk down the section of "Practical Arts." He appreciates the look of the art books as they go, and without question, he takes the book that is offered to him. Turning it over in his hands, he blinks - it's a book on photography. This was his profession back in his world... before everything went insane.

He holds it in his hands but decides to wait for Sephiroth's answer before he opens the book itself. ]

[Ace turns to look at him and smiles.]

Pretty boy.

[He is a very pretty boy to be fair.]

I'm Ace by the way.

[He keeps an eye on the rat, making sure his fire doesn't touch anything in the library.]

I tried jumping, but haven't found any place to jump from.

[He's willing to try!]

[Ace nods, and opens the door to find!!!!!!

Books. just books.]

Well... that sucks.

[ If there's any conscious awareness of someone approaching — the soft sound of movement in this quiet, dark space — Peter isn't able to reach it just yet. No, he stays exactly where he is, completely unmoving save for the slightest rise and fall his chest as he breathes, quietly.

But there is something in him that perceives the stranger. The demon's energy is already so alert due to the magic and tomes of this place, as though the sands of itself have been sifted and cleared, exposing something that's been buried for a long, long time. That something peeks out with much clearer vision than it's been capable of having ever since it was touched too directly and manipulated by human hands.

The figure approaching abruptly has the ancient thing's focus shifting right to him. It can't distinctly pinpoint what that magic might entail, or what, exactly, this newcomer even is, but... it sees him, feels him. It's fully aware he's there, before Peter ever will be.

Fortunately, it doesn't take much to snap him out of it right now, and as soon as someone speaks verbally to him, Peter's alive again, eyes opening wider as he gives a sharp exhale of breath.

....Unfortunately, between the mix of his own dazed confusion and the appearance of a very tall, very non-human-looking individual peering at him in the flickering darkness (the nearest lantern is currently coming from far down the row, and Gorgug's distinctive eye colour is, perhaps, especially daunting in such lighting) — ....he's not reacting well.

Peter jumps like he's been electrocuted and tries to scramble back in his panic, which only causes him to make contact with a nearby shelf, sending a couple of books tumbling down. Hopefully it isn't enough to draw that librarian(?) thing(?) over just yet. ]

[ The other boy screaming in response to his screaming actually surprises Peter all over again, immediately shutting him up — before he watches in a sort of dazed horror as the costumed stranger falls down right on his head, where some books topple over onto him.

His mouth parts and there's a brief moment of danger where his kneejerk reaction is to start panicking again, but— 'Please don't get me kicked out!'

It sticks suddenly in him like a pin, memory trickling in strange and hazy: someone else had been talking too loudly and there was a.... a thing that swept in and made them leave. It was very scary....and perhaps was one part of what pushed him into his dissociative fugue... ]

Uhh— Uhh—

[ He stammers, helpfully. His heart's still going a hundred miles an hour, but he knows he has to be quiet. And through his mask, the guy sounds young, he's saying he comes in peace — maybe he's not some killer and/or stalker and/or evil cultist after all... ]

Shit! Are you okay?

[ He says it in a hushed whisper, eyes wide as he stoops and pulls one of the books off of him. Oh my god oh my god this person literally just fell from the ceiling. ]

[ Wow...

Wow!! After all that build up in Gorgug's own mind! He looks at the disappointing state (that anyone should expect in a library). ]

It does, it does. What if we came here hungry? Then what? [ What if all a person wants is a sandwich before they start a mission?

Ugh. ] You wanna try and do the mission, then maybe we can leave? I'll show you where the food is. You can get hot toast. It's cold outside right now.

[ Gorgug considers it for another second or so before deciding: ]

Let's go there, then we can... see what else we can do? Do you wanna try and leave the library? I don't know if we get to leave after finding a piece, or if we have to stay until they're all found.

...You're new, right? Maybe? What do you want to do?

[ Not, "You're the adult", sir. But Gorgug will be nice to the person who's potentially on his first mission. Unless Gorgug's just never seen the guy before... ]

[ Oh, Tim recognizes the stance. More than that, the impression that the entirety of the young man is giving. Bold and unabashed, direct and confident but not unkind. Framing it all in terms of another without any hint of winking or falling into self-conscious sheepishness. Duty, rather than job, because whatever his precise role is, he feels personally honorbound to it.

(All inferences, of course, but Tim knows he's right.)

He nods, but doesn't pry just yet. What kingdom, who are you protecting - they'll come out naturally. ]

Then we better do something about that robe of yours. Like - borrow one of the drapes.

Loki nods slowly as he thinks. It really is frustrating that they haven’t really been given any details at all about what they are really looking for or what this mission is really for. At least with some of the other missions, he could extrapolate, but between this and building automobiles, Loki is at a bit of a loss, and more than a little over it.

“Faded, I see. As if they have had a lot of use? I don’t suppose you took note of any of their titles?” It’s fine if he hasn’t, Loki just trying to find any sort of common ground. Really, anything that stands out is probably worth noting. Especially with so little to go on.

“I do not believe so, at least not in my own experience. Though that does not mean they do not need to eat. They are still living beings. It seems to me that yours is working as it should, actually. We simply do not know why it has pointed out certain books.

Tell me, has it pointed out any books around here? I would like to see one for myself.” He doesn’t know what they’re looking for either, but he supposes it can’t hurt to take a look himself.

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TDM 006

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delicious Ree Tags in my inbox again....! the universe has been corrected (╥ ᴗ ╥)

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