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SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER + NOVEMBER TDM.
● ● ● T D M . 0 7
The words ring in your ears as in the darkness of your dream, a purple glow blooms, slowly enveloping you. It is not a feeling of comfort that surrounds you, though — as a distorted voice whispers in your ear, you feel it: cold dread, and a sudden certainty that everything is about to be irrevocably changed.
It is to this daunting realization that you wake, and as your heart slows into something resembling a normal tempo, you notice something you should have noticed immediately: you are not in your bed.
1.0 White walls, clinical yet clean, sparsely-furnished rooms. You may wake in one of three rooms: a room with only one bed, a room with two beds, or a room with four beds. Those waking up in rooms with more than one bed notice that they are very much not alone. Perhaps the other occupants of the room are still sleeping, dreaming the same dream as you just did, or a regular one after returning to the station just barely a week ago … or perhaps you wake to the other person in the room watching you.
What you do is entirely up to you: yell in surprise when you wake to someone staring at you? Or maybe you’ll try to sneak away before anyone notices you...
2.0 Those with life-threatening injuries find themselves awakening in the infirmary, in a regular hospital bed. Most of their injuries have been treated, and any lingering illnesses or conditions will have designated medicine bottles on the table next to the bed.
White curtains surround the bed on both sides, giving an illusion of privacy. But is that a rustling sound you hear? Some footsteps? Perhaps you’re not the only one in need of some medical attention... or you've attracted the attention of those with experience in medical aid, and they rush to your bedside, surprised about this sudden new patient.
It is not just for your injuries that you may want some company, but also for leaving the infirmary — you can’t stay there forever, after all, and will have to make your way through the hallways of the station to the living quarters, and claim a room and a bed there.
Once you’re up, you may notice there’s something in your ear: an earpiece that, when you become aware of it, quickly runs you through the instructions for how to use the network, a recorded message by a female voice that explains exactly why you’re here… and leaves you with a map of the station.
So what else is there to do but to explore? Best get to know what is now your new home.
3.0 When trying to decide where yo go, you may find your way to the armory, where you can try to work the machine there to make yourself a weapon — perhaps to replace one that didn’t come with you to the station… or maybe you want to be prepared for the future. The recently-returned team members will surely recommend having a functional weapon with you.
4.0 After you’ve exhausted yourself training, it’s time to grab a bite. For that, you should head to the kitchen, which is equipped with all the basic appliances you might need, and ingredients for most regular dishes.
5.0 A welcome reprieve to the cold, dark space that surrounds the characters can be found in the sunlight room. A skillful illusion surrounds anyone who steps inside the room: you can hear the trilling of birds, feel a light breeze caress your skin as you walk through a grass field. The illusion has been programmed to reflect the seasons — the leaves in the trees are currently bright with all the colours of autumn: orange and red and yellow; and the air is crisp and clean. If you follow the path, you'll be led to a bridge rising over a sparkling, babbling brook, a few fallen leaves floating on the water and falling around you like very bright raindrops.
With an illusion so authentic you can almost taste the pumpkin spice, it is easy to forget you are in space at all. Perhaps that gives you comfort, or just makes you miss the real nature all the more.
6.0 If you’d rather choose tinkering over nature, the lab is guaranteed to provide you with some entertainment. Glass vials and jars of chemicals sit on shelves in a surprisingly beautiful display of colour on one side of the room, while the other side of the room contains stacks of boxes containing assorted equipment: cords, bolts, panels, buttons, gears, gadgets, gizmos, and thingamabobs. The downside is that the parts available seem to have no apparent method to their sorting. So get digging, and you may just find exactly what you need to make what you’ve always wanted to make!
7.0 As you wander back towards the common areas, you may notice there seems to be a room there that hasn't previously existed... not that you, a newcomer, would be able to tell. The room takes up a chunk of the common area, and on its unassuming door is a little plaque that reads, 'The Ximusic room'. Should you enter, you will find a sound-proofed practice room that contains — yes, you guessed it, band equipment that even the most musically inclined should be satisfied with. So pick up an instrument, saunter up to the microphone to belt out your favourite tunes, or take a seat at the side of the room and enjoy others' playing.
8.0 If it’s items you’re lacking, though, some time after your arrival, the earpiece alerts you to a new message.
But something strange happens, then — the message turns into an incomprehensible jumble of sounds: at first, it is just static; then, whirring noises follow, as if something rewinding... and then, there's a knock.
Silence.
Another knock.
A sweet, lilting voice poses the question, the words sounding as if through a filter — soon after, a woman's laugh follows, lingering as its echoes fade away slowly.
After that, some may decide it's best to not look at the supply drop at all, while others may be even more curious — but as you make your way to the platform, you'll see there is nothing amiss in the neat piles of items on it. There’s clothes, shoes, dishware, skincare, books… even a couple of CDs, and a few cute stuffed animals. So sort through what there is and grab what you want, before someone else does!
For those on the antsier side, maybe a trip to the simulation room is just the thing to address all that restlessness. Here you’ll find a preprogrammed mission to get those orb-snatching skills of yours in tip-top shape.
Fortunately, the simulation gods have decided to smile down upon you this time around; there’ll be no need to search for the orb, you already know exactly where it is: in the hands of the High King of Selrahines. The good news? His Highestness has already graciously agreed to part with the orb. The bad news? He requires a bit of a favor first…
Every year, High King Ghythih celebrates his awakening day with a party. But not just any party. For three days and three nights, the entire kingdom of Selrahines rejoices His Noblestness’ life with drinking, dancing and debauchery — the most anticipated and talked about party of the entire Gamga Galaxy. Everyone in the cosmos is invited, which is good because everyone in the cosmos wants to attend.
Now if it weren’t for that pesky assassination attempt, everything would be perfect! You see, just two weeks prior, His Royalestness received a warning that this year’s awakening day celebration would be His last. Obviously, that absolutely must not happen because talk about a killjoy. Be good dears and thwart His would-be assassins, would you? Then the orb’s all yours.
9.0 Even though you’re here for a job, you’re still expected to dress up for the occasion. Ghythih has offered you full access to the royal tailors, but if you don’t mind off-the-rack, Selrahines has many boutiques and shops in the merchant district. Go big! Go bold! Just don’t upstage the High King, or He’ll have you thrown in the dungeons. (No, really.)
10.0 During the three day celebration there is plenty to do. The first two days serve as primers, consisting of street celebrations that close down all four roads leading up to the capital. Up in the north you’ll find the carnival, where a menagerie of exotic and dangerous animals from neighboring planets are showcased and — should you happen to know the right people — put up for sale. Over on the west is for the theater crowd, where plays are put on depicting all of the High King’s conquests and achievements throughout his 800 years of being awakened. Across that to the east is for those who prefer to be part of the action; riches and fame can be won during tournaments of jousting, melees, spell-weaving and pageantry. And finally down south, by the lowlight district, are where the sinners thrive and the saints go to forget their values. Here, everything and anything is not only allowed, but encouraged.
11.0 The main event, of course, is the High King’s Gala. For the entirety of the third day, the castle’s expansive ballroom opens its gilded doors to all who wish to celebrate Him. Here there are live bands, delectable foods and a dancefloor that never seems to feel too crowded, no matter how many attend. The atmosphere of the ballroom is effortlessly jovial and contagiously hedonistic — literally. The High King hates a party pooper, see, so nearly every inch of the ballroom is enchanted to encourage celebration; sometimes it’s a melody in a song that gets your feet moving, or the bubblies in your drink that have you smiling wide, or maybe it’s that pastry you snuck a bite of in between polite smiles making you feel warm all over. Whatever it takes, the longer you stay in the ballroom, you will have fun.
(—but “fun” is pretty subjective, isn’t it? Hopefully your idea of fun doesn’t ruin the party…)
12.0 But hey, don’t forget you have a job to do. Enjoy the festivities all you want, but remember you have to ensure the High King’s survival and the capture of His assassin(s). As His special guests, you have full access to every part of the castle and all the authority you could want to question anyone and everyone. Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone’s okay with that so you may find a couple of citizens and guests less than thrilled about being questioned when they’re just trying to have a good time. Remember, the High King isn’t a fan of Draduak Downers, so covertness is key here.
● ● ●
N O T E: Additionally, personal tasks are provided to each character as they enter the simulation. In-game, each character will be given one task. For the purposes of the test drive, we’re leaving it to players to pick a task from the following list for their character and run with it.
A Pretend to be (or become) inebriated and make a scene.
B Ask three strangers to dance.
C Reveal to a teammate an embarrassing story of your past.
For those looking to do something a little less involved, there is always the training room — though there’s something off about it this time around. What is normally a large, mostly empty room lined with benches and wall racks to hold weapons now resembles more of the simulation room upon entering.
Try to fiddle with the control panel as much as you want, but nothing seems to set the room back to the way it was. Seems like the only way out is to let the simulation play through, but rather than any of the preprogrammed missions the simulation room is known for, these simulations draw on all of this team’s previous missions, as if you yourself were a part of it.
Seems you’re on an unexpected walk down the orbers’ memory lane… Maybe you’ll get lucky and someone will act as your tour guide.
• MISSION FILE: BRASS DEVIL — Bright lights, extravagance, and liquor-soaked evenings keep the city of Braccia alive. Three crime families rule the streets, and if you want to get anywhere here, you have to make nice with them. They may play nice on the surface, but there's something tense pulling at the heart of the city... Can you figure out what it is?
• MISSION FILE: THE SLEEPER — To sleep is but to dream; at least, that's what they say, but the inhabitants of Kilnan may not agree. A strange sleeping illness has taken over the kingdom and no one can figure out why. To make matters worse, the royal wizard, Remi, is unresponsive. How will these sleeping beauties save their kingdom from ruin?
• MISSION FILE: BAD COMPANY — Welcome to Scorpion's Bend, the wild west with a curious and melancholy twist. Something isn't right about this place, but you can't figure out just what it is. There's bandits wandering around looking for some kind of fortune, so you might want to avoid them. Oh, and, be wary of the food.
• MISSION FILE: UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS — A tale as old as time: "good" vs "evil," up vs down. Giva is a world steeped deeply in tradition and culture, so it stands to reason that the afterlife would be, too. Taeum is where the "good" souls go, Sedorum is where the "bad" souls go... or so everyone's been told. But, it won't take long for you to realize something isn't quite right about that distinction.
• MISSION FILE: 4:50 TO VREFESEA — Productivity and innovation have been the hot topic of Novis Nox lately, as new and amazing things are being produced in a way that almost seems like magic. If that was even a concept the locals understood, anyway. Craemore and Vrefesea are separated by a vast ocean and traveled between by train, usually easily with no interruption. And yet, suddenly, you find yourself in the middle of a family whodunnit. Hopefully, you can make it out of the finger-pointing.
• MISSION FILE: THE FOX & THE HARE — E-23b is a city on the brink of mass destruction, and yes, it's because of the government. A revolution is set to break, and you can help them. There's something deeply personal about this mission, and best discovered by connecting with The Fables. Can you manage to assist and help them begin to rebuild? Or will everything fall apart?
• MISSION FILE: WISH FULL — Qruria City is one of the many kingdoms scattered throughout the world of Xrisora, a beautiful place with a well-loved monarchy. There are new things to learn, new things to meet, and hopefully, you're not afraid of the ocean...
F Y I
• This TDM takes place during the downtime between missions from the middle of September to the rest of the year.
• TDM threads can be used as samples for apps. In fact, we encourage it!
• Reserves open on September 20 at 6PM GMT!
• Apps open September 25 and will remain open until September 30.
• For any questions regarding TDM, please direct them here. For questions about the game, please refer to the FAQ.
FOR SOME FUN:
Have a clue for October's mission:
no subject
His hands shift into fists at his sides, nails biting into palms just enough to steady him.]
They took over. Here, in the station. Over the first year I'd joined.
You were around for a while, but you didn't know. Nobody did.
[He didn't think he'd get a chance to tell Hermann. Maybe it's not worth it to do to a man who clearly already has dealt with something from him and the creatures who had sank their fingers into his brain, but... But it's what he'd wanted to say for a long time.]
I did — They made me do some awful stuff. Some real bad things. [His voice wobbles on bad. Of course it does. Why wouldn't it, right when he wants to keep it steady? He focuses on the floor.] But when the crew figured it out, they locked me down and scrubbed them out for me. So. I'm clean.
[Mostly. Taking medication and forgetting silly little things from time to time? You can't get any luckier than that, when you've had genocidal hiveminds puppeting your body and warping your thoughts. With some difficulty, he manages to glance up at Hermann again.]
... But, uh. I was — I wasn't a very good friend to you, though.
I'm sorry, dude.
no subject
There is an air of relief to hear that this crew have helped tremendously in ridding the Precursors’ anchor out from Newton’s brain. But there is also an immense amount of sadness beneath Hermann’s eyes.
An immense amount of regret for not seeing the signs any sooner. But Newton shouldn’t have to know about that burden weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Instead, his lips curl in the smallest of assuring grins. ]
That’s quite alright.
[ He says, meeting his eyes with Newt’s— ]
Honestly, Newton, you do not owe me any apologies.
[ —and lays a gentle hand on top of his shoulder. ]
I have waited ten long years since the end of the war to be by your side once more. To be with my best friend. And I would have waited twenty more if it meant plucking those dreadful creatures out one by one by myself.
no subject
Even after everything? Is he asleep and dreaming?
But... the comfort in Hermann's hand resting on his shoulder comes with a delayed reaction — quiet horror. His lips part and he stares like he didn't quite hear Hermann's words properly at first. More calculations. He had been waiting ten years. He had not been sure if Newton was himself. When you do the math, there's only one logical conclusion, and it makes him feel hot in his stomach and cold on his neck. Times like these, he almost feels the hundreds of black eyes boring down on him.
To his credit, he doesn't black out from the reeling realizations.
He croaks out, frozen like a petrified mouse feeling a cat's whiskers:]
They've had me for ten years?
no subject
[ He’s taken aback by the question. Unsure of how to respond to that. When the war was over, he’d remember Newton growing further and further apart. Casual conversations over lunch soon turned into glib e-mail exchanges and then—
Radio silence.
When he heard that Newton moved on to Shao Industries, he was honestly happy for him. It was a suitable place for a man of his intellect to roam free without a spending ceiling. All Hermann really cared for was watching him flourish from a distance. And perhaps a distant hope that they might reunite once more. ]
Yes. I’m afraid so.
no subject
Why didn't anyone save me? he thinks, selfishly.
Because you pushed them all away, he thinks back, bitterly.
His eyes burn, and he studies Hermann's face for a moment with fear in his eyes. He doesn't want to know. But he does want to know. He's terrified to know. Reaching up to grip Hermann's shoulders, his self-preservation keels over and falls off a very long and unpleasant mental cliff.]
What happens to me? What do I — what do they do?
[Hermann wouldn't know about them unless they made their presence known.
They wouldn't have made their presence known without doing something horrible.]
no subject
His expression goes dark with his eyes diverting to the ground. As if Hermann is ready to reveal the death of a loved one.
It's no different, really. They’ve lost so many within a short timeframe. There was little time to mourn such significant losses. ]
A full frontal assault on the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. [ He swallows. ] The Kaiju have made their way back to Earth.
no subject
He steps backward, hands dropping at his sides, ears ringing with blood. What do you do with that kind of information? Ten years possessed. Turning on the PPDC. Does he dare ask the damage that's caused? Does he dare ask if that assault had been short-lived, with few casualties? The look in Hermann's expression wordlessly answers in a vague, sad way. You won't like the answer. His legs feel boneless, and he quietly sinks in stunned silence to sit down on the floor of the lab. A dry swallow. Dazed words.]
I really do ruin everything, then. They're gonna undo everything we...
[He just wanted to save everyone. That was the point, wasn't it? Saving everyone in one last desperate attempt to stop an apocalypse. And it had worked. It had worked, stopped them in that moment, kept the kaiju from wiping everyone out. It had worked. (And yet here is proof that it was a flimsy patch.) He looks up at Hermann, imploring.]
But they stopped me, right? There's a plan? The PPDC wouldn't just roll over.
no subject
That is what Hermann ought to say. For all he knows, he was knocking on death’s door as the Precursors squeezed the literal breath out of him. That was when all this happened. A desperate plea to undo this terrible chain of events.
His grip on his cane grows tighter. The sight of his friend shrinking himself down to the floor only makes Hermann grit his teeth. Curse these sadistic creatures to hell and back for torturing Newton like this.
Hermann needs to choose at that split second: Tell Newton the bleak truth or reject their reality. Undo their regrets and pave a fresh path together.
His lips part, letting out a breathy— ]
…Yes.
[ He nods to himself. Kneeling is (still) a tricky thing for Hermann. Not wanting to put more strain on his leg than necessary. But he rests his right knee on the ground, putting all his weight onto that side while gripping onto the body of his cane. ]
Yes, we do. We put a stop to them. As we always do! The Precursors have done a lot of — [ He spits venomously. ] awful, unforgivable acts! But they do not own our fates. You especially, Newton.
[ Without thinking twice about it, Hermann reaches to hold his hand. ]
You and I will walk this path. Together!
no subject
But right now, Newt's fighting tooth and nail not to lose control.
Focus on something else. Frowning, he hurries up to his feet, pulling Hermann up after him.]
That's gonna get your leg all messed up; c'mon, get on your feet, you don't gotta do that! Last thing you need is knee locking up on you. [But it's all just preening, really, like a bossy mother hen. Adjusting Hermann's frumpy jacket collar, making sure he's sturdy on his own two feet, all of that.
Hermann's ten years older, and Newt's a mind-washed meat puppet. Newt turned on his own people. Newt shakes his head, as if it'll get rid of those intrusive thoughts, and he sniffs and rubs at his eye.] You're not gonna be walking anything with me if you do that. I'd have to piggyback you, and we'd look totally stupid...
[Newt trails off — then leans in and wraps his arms around Hermann, burying his face in his shoulder.]
Shit, Herm, I'm just — so relieved to see you again.
[He genuinely never thought he would. Not with his regret change in motion.]
no subject
Hermann has waited far too long for them to be together. Just like this. Breaking protocols of public displays of affection with one another. Listening to Newt’s silly little rambles about being too clumsy. Simply being in the presence of one another…
Newt fights off a full-on emotional outburst, while it all goes downhill for Hermann the moment he can feel himself being embraced. His slim torso quivers like a leaf as he fights back the tears in his eyes. A small reminder of how much their drift moulded Hermann into an embarrassing sappy mess.
But his feelings are justified here. There's nothing for him to be apologetic about. ]
Oh, Newt. [ He wraps himself firmly around his waist. ] I’ve missed you very much so.
[ He pulls back slightly just to get a better look at his face. ]
Look at you. Still as garish as ever.
[ He jokes, laughing dryly while sniffling back the disgusting snot in his nostril. ]
no subject
Newton, who still sees the face Hermann had made toward him, just after Newton had broken off their friendship. Just before the precursors had taken him over completely, despite his efforts. He sees that failure of a kiss and watching movies and confrontations outside a saloon and precursors mocking him as he sat in his own mind, defeated, alone, tired — ]
Oh yeah?
Your sense of style is still way too geriatric for ten years, dude.
[His voice is still wobbling on that precarious edge of a small breakdown. There's been so much he's wanted to tell him. And — ]
You have no idea how much I've wished you were here. [Well, fuck, too late. He's wiping urgently at his eyes, bumping his glasses all around. Looks like they're both going to be a mess, for all too similar reasons.] Sorry. Shit. It's been so much. I — it's just been hard to deal with.
no subject
…And damn himself for not seeing the signs sooner. He abandoned the closest thing he has to a friend. And now he must live with that choice until his bones meet his grave.
Once upon a time, their minds had met in the Drift. Now seeing who Newton for who he really is: A loud, ego-minded, gregarious and brilliant fool. A man would spend quiet moments with his uncle and father and rave with a group of complete. strangers. All because of their decorative tattoos. It was at that moment Hermann realized they were two of the same. Both left and right hemispheres resonate with one another. Incomplete without the other.
His arms wrap closer and firmer around Newton. All to say that he will not be foolish to abandon his friend again. ]
no subject
Relief that he gets to see Hermann ever again battles with the rest of it, and he lets it wash over him. It's embarrassing, to topple this quickly at the sight and sound of his lab partner... but he guesses he can give himself a little slack. Being told you're fucked for the next ten years — and probably whatever's left of your life after — is enough to send any normal person over the ledge.
He finally forces himself to stop, to cut off the emotion that wets his face, and he pulls back to scrub his face. His nose is stuffy, and he pecks a number of tissues from a box nearby, shoving them into Hermann's hands before getting more for himself.]
Alright, alright, that's enough of that. Christ, I'm a shitshow. Last thing you need right now is showing up in a new place and dealing with waterworks. I should be showing you around and — and all that. Ximilia now, awful life events later. You've probably got a million questions — I got tons of journals with information about stuff. If you wanna look through those later.
no subject
‘A million’ is a gross overestimate but — [ One more nose blow. He sniffles. ] Some sort of tour would be very welcomed at this stage. All I have received is a message from Viveca and this station’s layout. Not exactly a hearty welcome for a crew of intergalactic explorers.
no subject
Nudging Hermann he gestures around the room.]
Well! Easy start! This is the lab. My desk is over there — that's where I keep my notes and equipment and all that. Y'know, things I've made on missions. [He's got the Newtrilizer and the collar disarming tool, and even slides of the disease from the first mission; Hermann won't know, won't remember. There's little origami critters on his desk, doodles and chemical stains on the metal surface. There's a cracked iphone accidentally left.] You'll be in here plenty I'm sure, so let's ditch it and check out the other stuff; you'll be super into the simulation room.
[He walks, expecting Hermann to follow along.]
And you can ask me whatever while we go.
no subject
And you’ve been collaborating with this crew? Retrieving orbs on different planets?
[ That’s his cue to follow behind Newt. ]
Newton, this is — This is…enthralling! Why - this is the sort of expedition the entire world has been striving for! The entire Jaeger program pales compared to what’s in front of us.