∎ ETRAYA MODS ∎ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
etrayamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etrayamemes2025-01-02 03:19 pm
etrayamods) wrote in etrayamemes2025-01-02 03:19 pm
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. 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 _______.”
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.
 ⏵ 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.
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? 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! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
going in circles
[ There's a voice suddenly speaking up. At least it's not a total jumpscare, since it seems like John isn't the only person here that's lighting up. Though with Fabian it doesn't even seem to be his robe that's doing the job, since the young man is glowing entirely. The robe, his body, his face, his hair. It's like he's a walking disco stick, especially when he's illuminated by a strange purple light.
It's a strange appearance, yes, but at least it definitely makes him visible enough for John to very much be able to tell where the voice is coming from.
.. well, that, and the fact that Fabian looks rather panicked in his direction for some reason. ]
Is that a rat?! [ His tone definitely matches his expression.. ]
no subject
It takes John a few moments to realize this is MAXIMUM LEGEND because he's so bright. John is suddenly thankful this is all he has to suffer himself. It takes another moment to remember that his name is "Fabian" since MAXIMUM LEGEND was a bit too memorable. Back in the days when John didn't have Harold, back when he was on his own and adrift.
Presently, he has a situation to deal with. The rat has stopped chattering in his ear since Fabian has gotten both of their attention. ]
Is that a problem?
no subject
Even if Fabian doesn't seem to realize. Or to care. Instead he's still staring at where that rat is sitting on John, the teenager keeping a very specific careful distance from the man. ]
That's-- [ His mouth is forming shapes, but no words are coming out.
It's like Fabian is inwardly freaking out so much that he doesn't even know what to say. If this was one of his peers, he would have figured they were pranking him, but John seemed both too serious the previous time they spoke and a little too old for these pranks. ]
Y-- Yes! [ He admits, even if it feels embarrassing to admit.
But better to admit to something uncool than to be close to a rat, really. Sometimes you have to make difficult decisions in life, even if this particular decision makes Fabian's cheeks glow with a blush.
Literally glow. Thanks, Faerie Fire spell making the blush glow purple.. ]
Yes, that is a huge problem! I-- I can't go near those things!
the way these tags have made me laugh, thank you for this comedic gold
Is that better?
[ He wants to know why in the world Fabian is having this reaction, but it seems unfair to poke and prod him when he's already... like this. ]
AWW THANK YOU... i'm glad i could amuse you!!!
[ ...
He's trying to settle on an answer here. Is it better? It's not like Fabian is young enough to not have a sense of object permanence. He knows the rat is still there, it's just that he can't see it right now. Which is a little bit better, but it still clearly doesn't fully take away the young man's worries, judging by the look that lingers on his face now. ]
It's not going to jump me if I get closer to you, right? [ His tone sounds like he really thinks this is a very real possibility. ]
no subject
I can't promise, but I don't think it will. It doesn't have any reason to do that.
no subject
That's what you think.
[ Fabian does inch a step closer.
.. then another step, slowly.
There's still a definite difference between the two of them, but it seems like Fabian is still pretty hesitant to bridge it any further. ]
Is this the first time you've seen a rat? Don't you know what they're capable of?!
no subject
The rats where I'm from are pretty tame. Why don't you tell me what they can do?
no subject
For some reason he really seems to be struggling with answering the other's question.. ]
I don't-- I don't want to talk about it.
[ He just can't. It's not even anything about John - even around his closest friends, Fabian would struggle with actually voicing a whole lot about this problem beyond just 'I don't want to be near them.' For such a relatively innocent topic as rats seem, Fabian seems so weirdly agitated and cagey. ]
Just be careful, alright? And don't let it get near me. Then I can-- uh, I can help you look for a book? That's what you were doing around here, right?
no subject
Actually I was looking for one of those shards. The animals [ he purposefully avoids saying the word "rat" here ] are supposed to help us find them. I don't suppose you have one we can follow?
no subject
[ Fabian looks kind of embarrassed as he admits it. Usually he would have tried to cover it up with his usual bluster, but it's kind of difficult to do that when you've just been very busy freaking out over a rat of all things.
It makes it easier for the embarrassment that rests within him to leak out like this. ]
And not even in the "oh, it probably found what we need to look for" sort of way-- That cat looked like it was just trying to get away from me! [ He crosses his arms - in that sort of way that looks like he's trying to find security when he's feeling insecure. Trying to put a front back on. ] It's as if this place is constantly out to bully me.
no subject
Do you remember what direction it went? We could go look for it. That cat is our only hint right now.
no subject
Still, it's not like he's getting out of here any other way, likely.. So though he hates it - and sighs - Fabian starts to walk in the direction he saw it run off in. ]
That cat is so far ahead of us that it could be anywhere now. [ He warns the other. Aka - don't expect too much, really. ] I don't even know why we are being made to do this in the first place. It feels like it serves absolutely no purpose.
[ Give Fabian a cause to fight for, and he can pump himself up, sure. But there's no cause here in his eyes. ]
no subject
He sets off after Fabian. ]
I'm sure it does serve a purpose, just not one Aurora has told us.
no subject
And why do you think Aurora hasn't told us that?
no subject
Because she has no intention of communicating our purpose in any of this.
[ When he says "this" he means "Etraya". The library, the food trucks, building cars. The discontinuity in events is obvious. Whatever this place wants from them, it's greatly obfuscated. ]
no subject
Well, at least you are thinking about it. [ You don't want to know how many people he tried talking to about this, John! And most of them had no idea what he was even talking about!
Fabian was about ready to give up on the people here - especially the adults. Gosh, some of them are so clueless. ]
It's clear we are being messed with in some way here. The less they tell us, the more suspicious it is.
no subject
Still, the potential reward is too great to risk not complying. Orders are orders.
[ John is used to complying with mysterious orders with no information. Get a mission, do as you're told, no questions. He's good at that. He knows how to turn his mind off and just do what's asked of him. It's what made him so valuable to the CIA. ]
no subject
[ Man. 'Orders are orders' is just about the most ominous thing any adult can say around you, and even Fabian knows it, despite the odd way he was raised. Even with the way his father was, he never would have said orders are orders, Fabian thinks. ]
And what if you're being deceived? [ He turns his head to look at John while they walk, making sure his one eye can actually see the other.
He wants to see the other's reaction. ]
Won't you mind?
no subject
There's a good chance we're being deceived. Following orders doesn't mean you can't look for the answers, can't think about what you're doing. Maybe there's a line you're not willing to cross. But without proof it's hard to balance when to step out of line and take a risk when the thing you stand to lose is worth so much. Gotta pick your battles.
[ That's the "right" answer to give. The real answer, for him at least, is that he really doesn't care. He's been used to do so many terrible things in his life that he's so good at pretending it doesn't matter anymore. Does he mind? Probably. But it doesn't matter. ]
no subject
[ At least it does seem like Fabian is socially perceptive enough to pick up on that fact, though he doesn't push a stick into it to poke at it further. He doesn't think John means anything bad by it, anyway.
It's just that the other kind of seems like a boring adult. And Fabian has encountered enough of those in his life, so it doesn't really stick out to him as something that's all that weird, despite his remark. ]
I guess it means then that my lines are drawn quicker than most others'. Papa would never have forgiven me if I let myself be ordered around by some shady beings, just because the world is at stake.
no subject
Is that why you're in the library? Because you won't be ordered around?
[ He thinks it's good that Fabian wants to think independently. He thinks Fabian should arrive at his conclusions himself, whether that be to ignore Aurora or follow her requests. But right now it seems to John that he's saying one thing and doing another. ]
no subject
I sat out the last mission. The race. [ He clarifies, unsure whether or not John had been part of that. ] I thought I would see what would happen, but.. nothing happened at all. It's as if didn't matter.
[ Which felt weird, given the goal they had supposedly been drawn to this place for, but he doesn't want to get into all of that right now. Not in the middle of a different explanation. ]
And while it made me realize I could just do the same thing here, there are new people showing up in this very library right now. And I want there to be people who can properly warn them about this place, and also make sure they don't immediately get injured or worse because of the first thing they have suddenly been thrown into. [ Rather than looking at John as if he's trying to convince him of any of this, Fabian instead looks ahead of them as he speaks. ]
no subject
You should go find new people instead of wandering around with me. I can go in circles just as well by myself.
[ He doesn't mention that judgment can be silent, just because nothing overt happened last time doesn't preclude future consequences. Fabian has clearly thought about this and come to his own conclusion, and while John might not personally agree, he's learned over the years that people need to live their lives how they want. Besides, he has Riz and Gorgug helping out with his world. ]
no subject
There's definitely a moment where the teen is eyeing John. There's just something in how much Fabian said just now and the little John is saying in return that makes Fabian very much feels like he's getting shooed away. Which isn't exactly a great feeling, but unfortunately it is one that Fabian is used to.
It doesn't spare him from the slight he hurt he feels, but Fabian does know he's too proud to stick around the moment he gets that feeling.
Shoving down the hurt to make sure it doesn't show, he just says: ] Sure.
[ He's definitely making sure to make his tone sound as dismissive as possible. Like he doesn't care. That's how he has learned to cover it up. ]
Good luck then.
[ The next moment - without looking back at the other - Fabian is already running ahead, turning a corner and disappearing into the maze of bookshelves. ]
(no subject)