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AUGUST TDM.
● ● ● T D M . 0 3
… What are you willing to do to erase your regret from existence?
The words, when they die out, leave you in emptiness — despairing, all-consuming, the kind that invites only the worst thoughts. What have you done? What have you agreed to do?
But then, from the emptiness, a golden light shines, and as you reach for it —
you wake up.
1.0 Perhaps it was less the golden light in your dream and more the insistent feeling of something metallic poking your side repeatedly, making beeping noises… wait, beeping noises?
When you look down, you’ll see a small robot staring at you and looking less than happy (maybe it has something to do with your disheveled state, maybe it's still mad about having to clean up after a certain pizza-induced mess). When you get up, it unleashes a series of beeps — and then furiously starts to scrub the floor.
Yes, the floor — instead of waking up in a bed, you find yourself lying on a hallway, white walls and white floor surrounding you. You don’t have long to stare at the minimalistic look of everything around you before the little bot starts poking you again, the word MOVE blinking across its visor.
So better get out of its way! Perhaps you’re on the hallway on your own and leave on your own… or perhaps there’s someone else, sleeping near you. Maybe do them the courtesy of waking them up before this little angry bot does! Or perhaps you’re the poor soul still sleeping and needing a rescue before the beeps make it to you.
2.0 If you need a visit to the infirmary, the situation may be more dire — perhaps there’s blood on the wall that you wake up against, your clothes may be dirty or ragged… whatever it is that has happened to you before waking here and has left you injured, it sure doesn’t create a reassuring sight. Best get to the infirmary as soon as possible.... with some assistance, perhaps.
Once upright, 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 The most pressing question that you might ask yourself is: but where will I stay? The question is answered once you walk through the winding white corridors to the common area. Behind it, there are three types of rooms: those with one bed, two beds and four beds. The rooms are clinical yet clean, and sparsely-furnished — and most importantly, most are occupied. So be prepared to get some roomies!
4.0 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.
And speaking of weapons: to put it to good use, head to the training room, where the entire purpose is to provide you with a space to spar and train to your heart’s content!
5.0 After you’ve exhausted yourself training, it’s time to grab a bite. For that, you should head to the kitchen, which… seems to be filled with a lot of leftovers: takeout boxes with an assorted collection of pizza slices, kung pao chicken, lamb curry... not to mention the entire tray of chocolate brownies. Feel free to eat your fill — or if takeout isn’t your cup of tea, open one of the large fridges to pick fresh ingredients and make your own lunch.
6.0 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. A new addition is a flower garden where there once was a meadow — now, roses, camellias, lilies and dozens of other flowers sway in the wind, all varieties in their own flower beds, with a winding path of stones leading through them. The path leads to where a bridge rises over a sparkling, babbling brook.
Here, 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.
7.0 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!
8.0 If it’s items you’re lacking, though, some time after your arrival, the earpiece alerts you to a new message.
Indeed, the platform near the personal quarters is still whirring with power, and new items form neat piles 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!
(CW: POTENTIAL BODY MODIFICATION)
Whether you’re a quick study and you’ve become settled into life on the station, or you want to get the full lay of the land (in a manner of speaking) first, if you decide to explore the hall past the control room, you’ll eventually come across the simulation room.
Step past the threshold and the doors will slide shut with a quiet woosh. Nothing suspicious; nothing to worry about. But before you can really get a sense of your environment (a grey, large-ish empty room, no furniture, no discernable objects to provide markers), the room goes dark, and then … there’s really no other way to describe it: the room transforms.
You find yourself in a club. The music is upbeat, loud, but not too loud. Down a short flight of steps flanking the bar and seating is the open floor with more tables and booths bathed in a warm, dim glow of light, and at the very end of the room is a stage with its bright spotlight showcasing its performers — though, at the moment, the stage is empty.
9.0 When you take a step forward, you’ll feel a presence gently push at your chest or your shoulder — a tall and jovial man resembling a well-dressed bartender from the top up (the rest of him appears to move along wheels) approaches with a tall flute glass in hand. Its contents are sparkly and blue.
Will you proceed? Please respond ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.”
There’s something a little strange about his voice, a cadence that doesn’t sound quite natural even when the simulation is so realistic otherwise. Once you’ve given your consent, the bartender continues.
10.0 It seems the bartender wasn’t lying. Once you’ve allowed the drink (tasty, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, effervescent, with light notes of your fondest childhood memory) to settle in your stomach you might experience a myriad of effects on your body, ranging from a change in skin colour (pink? green? blue with spots?), an additional limb or two (or three), a tail or wings, or cybernetic parts such as lie-detecting eyes or a tongue that can uncover truths and lies in others. If you happen to find another Orber within the room and both of you have consumed the offered drink, you might find yourself experiencing a full bodyswap.
None of the changes are painful; if anything, they might not even be noticeable until you look into a mirror, look down at your limb-in-question, or your companion points it out.
11.0 The moment you approach the stage, a performer will appear as if out of thin air and begin to sing, her voice strong and smoky and melodic. Her enthralling performance could put you into a trance, but you have an orb to find and a personal task to accomplish, so it’s time to put your best foot forward and do a little investigating.
Talking to some of the patrons might prove fruitful as some of them are convinced that the stage has never sounded or looked so good, like there’s something giving performers that extra oomph that no one can explain. It might be wise to wait until that last performance before you sneak up there — or maybe you want to do a little snooping around now, you know, while everyone’s distracted. Strategize with your fellow Orbers and uncover the location of this hidden orb.
● ● ●
N O T E: The effects of the drink and the level of changes your character experiences is entirely up to you. Patrons of this fine club won’t bat an eye if you look a little like them.
Additionally, there are three personal tasks 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 for their character and run with it.
A If you’ve been given a particular body change that might aid you in this mission, do not use it to your advantage.
B Team up with a fellow Orber to uncover the hidden location.
C Get up on stage and put on a performance during the simulation. Your song choice will determine the outcome of success in your investigation.
F Y I
• TDM threads can be used as samples for apps. In fact, we encourage it!
• Reserves are currently open!
• Apps open August 27.
• For any questions regarding TDM, please direct them here. For questions about the game, please refer to the FAQ.
FOR SOME FUN:
Have a listen for some clues about the second mission.
(Hint: there are four clues in total.)
thumbs up
[He will fail miserably! But neither of them have to know that right now. He nods in farewell with another thanks, remaining seated. He'll get up when his body allows and be on his way.
It's hours later that she can find him seated on a bed in the infirmary, the upper jacket and shirt of his uniform off so the lingering wounds could be properly bandaged and the blood cleaned. He's still pale but considerably better overall. He's also unpinned the winged FAITH emblem from his collar, and is holding it in his hand, deep in thought.]
no subject
When she spots 'Alex' she puts the basket down on the table.]
Hello, 'Alex'. I had an interesting conversation with Yzak.
[Sabriel's voice has a carefully controlled intensity to it as she moves forwards with quick strides, looming over his bed and frowning at his injuries.]
And didn't I tell you that moving too much would disrupt the spells?
no subject
Sorry. Getting here took more effort than expected, and Yzak isn't known for being gentle.
[He'd been kind of manhandled, though in fairness he was already bleeding again at that point.]
no subject
[Even in text! Sabriel frowns, looking over his injuries.]
If you promise to stay in bed, I'll heal you a second time. After that, I'm not wasting my energy.
no subject
You don't have to trouble yourself with me.
[He doesn't know what Yzak had to say, but it was probably nothing good. That's two bad first impressions from the get-go, on top of being caught on a lie, even for good reason. She's allowed to dislike him or not want to help.]
no subject
[And it was certainly a more hands on application than just throwing combat spells at a wall, or simulated monsters.
Sabriel starts tracing out the first marks of the spell, again.]
I'm not sure what happened. Last time, most of us arrived in decent shape.
no subject
If it were just me, I'd call it my luck. Maybe something went wrong this time.
no subject
[And Sabriel wouldn't exclude herself from that group.
The spell is much the same as last time- the same chains of marks, and the same sense of warmth and relief from pain as the marks sink in and start their work.]
At least we've got healers and people who know about modern medicine, along with all the soldiers and warriors.
no subject
[Unless they were really into the irony of it. Still, it feels counter-productive overall.
The mention of healers is a reminder of not just how they met but what she's doing now, so after a moment, he adds in an apologetic tone,]
I assume Yzak told you who I am. You can call me Athrun... sorry for not saying so before.
no subject
[She still isn't sure what Touchstone's real one is. But Sabriel's more focused on the healing- making sure she gets it right, shining marks coming together as she keeps going until she comes to the last mark.]
There- now, assuming you don't disrupt the spell, you should be fully recovered in a week.
no subject
I'll be careful.
[Assuming no one decides to throw him around, he's found himself in a weird and unexpected position of not having to rush for once, at least until whatever mission happens next. Time to recover is a rare thing for him, and since this place is likely to get dangerous, he needs to be in better shape than this. He'll take this blessing for what it is.]
no subject
Good. Although if the next mission is like the last one... You might not get time to rest toward the end, but things will start off fairly easy.
[The last two weeks had been the worst of it- working themselves to the bone and then a final fight with the guard. But at the start... the nobles had thrown them a party, and before the monster attack, their main purpose had been gathering clues and information. They'd even had time to go shopping.]
But we won't get much information at all from Viveca. About where the Orb is, who has it, or who or what is actually a threat. All that, we'll need to learn for ourselves.
no subject
[He's hurt, but he doesn't want to be a total invalid or a burden on the people here. His body's busted but there's nothing (technically) wrong with his mind; there's bound to be something he can do to help out. And until things kick off... well, he does need the rest. Undoing the healing work she's done would be a burden on anyone who'd have to deal with the aftermath. If the situation isn't urgent, he'll stay put.]
no subject
[But Sabriel smiles- a teasing smile, and her tone is distinctly unserious.]
But if you want to help me, my students could use a target to practice their spells on- I'm sure Yzak would jump at the opportunity.
no subject
Target? Hang on.
[She's joking. She must be-! ...Oh, she's joking. Okay, he deserved that.]
no subject
I would like them to get some practice with healing, but- really, the most helpful thing you can do is take it easy. Maybe try exploring the station in a few days, there's nothing particularly dangerous you can get to.
[There is something dangerous on the station, but the orb is beyond everyone's reach.]
no subject
Ah... I'll trust in your expertise, then.
[He has no idea what it means for someone to 'practice' healing (can you be healed wrong?) but she doesn't seem concerned, and she's already done enough that he'll take the chance. At the very least he will agree to be careful without argument. Again.]