【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made in our parking garage for all new arrivals. We aim to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience!
All are invited to There Is No Tomorrow, a Phoenix Casino soiree to celebrate our beloved guests. The festivities will begin at 1800 hours on January 20th and end at 1800 hours on January 27th. Please look forward to 168 hours of delight.
In an effort to raise happiness and encourage better guest relationships, attendance is required. The house will assist guests that are too shy to appear of their own accord. Please note that black tie attire is mandatory. As always, we hope you enjoy your stay! 】
PARKING GARAGE
ANY CAR IN A STORM
PHOENIX CASINO HALL
WELCOME TO THE NEXT 168 HOURS
Phoenix Casino is a-flutter with activity and packed to the beak with guests. As a famously ever-changing space, the staff would be remiss if they didn't deck the crown jewel of the Golden Peacock out. The casino glitters from top to bottom, shining brighter than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals! Party-goers are shiny and glamorous with picture perfect makeup, fluttering gowns, and sharp suits. Card tables are packed and the slot machines are a-ringing as guests play, play, play! Prizes, luxury, booze, attractive people, it's the place that everyone wants to be at.
Those people being dragged inside by some invisible force...? Silly, they were so excited to come that their bodies moved before they realized what was happening. Those are struggles of joy and definitely not the casino's infamous ghost hands dragging unwilling guests to the party at the behest of the house. Look, they're literally hurling their bodies at the card tables with unrestrained glee!
All clocks indicating day hours and night hours have been removed from the casino. Once a guest has entered, their Watch will jam, making it impossible to keep track of the time. You don't need to worry about that tonight.
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's January event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention! If you would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header. This month we also have an ongoing ATP / EMP where players can connect. Please feel free to utilize this for all of your peafowl needs!
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
[tagging along like a li'l duckling, of course. paying proper attention to their surroundings as they move. gosh, this place reeks of financial waste and irresponsible spending. down with the bourgeoise—]
Change? My suit? I don't exactly mind it.
[there is some dried cake frosting on one shoulder though, so. . . he could probably do with a change into something more comfortable]
But I wouldn't mind getting out of it, either. So it's that, or the botanical gardens.
[which sound really nice!! it might be a good place to vibe in relative peace, quiet, and privacy. but while Akira has offered his opinions, he tilts his head at Yusuke and asks]
What do you want to do?
[because right now. . . he'd much rather focus on Yusuke's desires than his own]
[ ... No, he does not like that. There's a narrow eyed look at the door that Akira was just tugging against and he'll look around before trying the handle on the door next to him as well. It won't budge. He doesn't know what child safety locks are though so he doesn't try those either. ]
There has to be a way out. There has to? I'm not staying here.
[ Her guest? He glances around the suite again, wondering if he's mistaken and this isn't just a random room but actually her own room. Which would make him feel slightly embarrassed for having intruded on her. But he doesn't say anything to acknowledge it, just nods his understanding when she says he doesn't need to serve her.
He watches as she serves herself, not familiar with oatmeal so wondering if he should try some after his congee. But when she asks after his name, that's a simple reply. ]
Wei Wuxian is my courtesy name, you're welcome to use it. I don't remember your name either, if it helps. I can't even remember if we did meet before now, which I imagine is the resort's doing.
[ Wei Wuxian is still feeling... assessed. He's not sure why, but imagines it has to do with the aura he's picking up from Matoba. He feels like a cultivator, but not. Just a little different and there's a lingering burn of yin energy from him that doesn't seem to be part of the hotel's natural abundance of yin.
But he doesn't make any action to guard from it or pry into why Matoba might have that sense. After all, he knows his own spiritual energy is a bit different than the other cultivators as well.
He's reaching for the bacon when his wrist is snatched and he lets out a surprised noise but doesn't tug it away, just lets Matoba assess. He doesn't think he's going to get hurt, and if he was it's not like Matoba could stop him from summoning protection.
At this point, he understands the definition and context of the word wildcard so he's not surprised by the rejection, just amused. He raises an eyebrow and when his wrist is returned to him, he just plucks the piece of bacon and takes a bite. ]
No sex for sex's sake, I see. How boring.
[ Wei Wuxian likes sex, would have it with just about anyone who showed interest. He doesn't understand the attitude of not doing it if there isn't purpose because, well, then it'd be infinitely more boring. Still, he could make Matoba an offer, if he really wanted to push the envelope. ]
An offer, huh? I have no chips to trade, no suite to offer, nothing but the shirt on my back and my own... abilities. Which I doubt would interest you.
(there might be a lot there, hell is the one label cellinia took to using. hellhole, shithole, the whole works for names. she's had thoughts about what she'd do when she gets out, apologies she'd make, questions on her mind about what she might do. she doesn't know if time flowed differently within the resort, more than it does back home. she's here and quiet, trying to keep herself from being eaten alive by things more than necessary. she didn't want to be a statue, and she didn't trust that comment about wishes being granted if someone completed a deck. from the sheer number of people who seem to have given up, there's no way that she would.
so maybe for lappland it's sounding like a paradise, because they're both trapped here. no way to leave other than trying to play the game and going from there. that's the issue in itself, how would they get the cards to make their exit or whatever else? texas doesn't want to consider if they'd be trapped there for an eternity.
the question is one she has to answer, she knows it too well. lappland has had further feelings all the same, things that are between the two wolves that often go unmentioned. while lappland doesn't say it, texas knows it. the mark sits and burns. half mockery, the other half pointedly demanding she speak her mind again from that grin and claws going along skin. she did know that things might worsen, but can anything really not get worse in the resort? she doesn't know the answer to that question in particular, but she does know what lappland wants to hear.)
....sex, so touching me.
(which means. cellinia touching lappland whenever she has her turn to get marked happen. checked-in and suffering all the same way that texas did with her "gift" from the house. a pity that her suit mark remained a stubborn brat, but she can't change that.
she couldn't change that, but....maybe she knows they're both cursed at any rate. sex is a two-way street in the resort, some use it as a transaction at best and others have found partners they primarily sleep with while maintaining open relationships. that was how they've managed, from what texas knows. so, who knows what might happen now between them.)
[ Wei Wuxian feels exceptionally pleased when Jing Yuan says he enjoys his confidence. His comment then didn't miss the mark, didn't spoil the atmosphere. It just charmed Jing Yuan like he wanted.
The question comes and he nods his head, remembering the teapot and assortment of teabags left for them. His interest was more in the food but the tea, that's a good start to the day. ]
[ At the very least, there's no time limit when it comes to the game. The only rules are: answer. If you fail to answer, you lose. It doesn't say the answer has to be immediate or that once a card is pulled, there's a clock going. So, they can continue talking as they like.
The question comes and he looks a little surprised, before his brain processes it quickly. Different world, different culture, there's a chance people don't know what a cultivator is. Huh. How odd that feels, like describing what a farmer is, what a monk does, professions that are so obvious that no one really has to learn what they are. ]
Cultivators are those who use martial and mystic arts, through the use of spiritual energy. Cultivation is the practice of how to do this. Meditation, swordsmanship, the six arts, so on and so forth. I guess it's sort of like magic? Yeah, you can classify what we do as magic.
[ He pauses for a moment, wonders if he should describe what he does. Demonic cultivation. Hm, probably not. Wouldn't want to sour the mood. ]
[ Oh, that's a sweet card. Well, then again, he has a few memories he revisits often but doesn't exactly want to revisit. So, maybe not so sweet. He gives a hum as he considers it, mind immediately veering in the direction of the battle of Nightless City and his death. He replays it a lot in his mind. ]
Still the potential for an upsetting answer, admittedly. [ Said with a smile, with amusement. ] But what's your answer, then? I'll share mine as well, just give me a moment to think of it.
[ He wonders if the game still registers it if he tells a memory that isn't the strongest one he revisits, just one of many he revisits. He hopes it does. ]
[ He watches Fidelio's shocked expression with mild curiosity, wondering where he's going to land. Disgust, disbelief, or the very rare, delight. He remembers his juniors, the first time he used demonic cultivation in front of them — they'd heard it was bad, but seeing it in action was a very different thing and left them wildly impressed and covetous. But they would never turn to it, having had the dangers of it beat into them from a young age.
When Fidelio finally exclaims his point, Wei Wuxian does have the grace to look a bit sheepish though. He doesn't have a good answer, more that he just didn't think they needed it until they expended all their options. Whoops! ]
It's not usually the first thing I do when I'm in trouble. More of a back-up plan, you know?
[ He tries to look charming, but he doubts it's going to work on Fidelio. Just a feeling he gets. ]
But we're free now! Are you okay?
[ Just checking in. He could tell how the ghost spooked Fidelio a bit but they're also strangers, so there's no reason for him to admit it to Wei Wuxian. Still, Wei Wuxian isn't too callous to ignore it. ]
[ Despite popular belief, Wei Wuxian is not a malicious guy nor does he intend to harm people who don't deserve it. Broca has not shown himself to be someone who deserves pain, just an interesting guy who is fairly welcoming to a newcomer like Wei Wuxian. So, why smack him? Just because a game says to do it? Nah.
He laughs as Broca opens his eyes, as he looks confused, and at the question, he gives a hum. ]
How do we tell? The watch?
[ He's learned by now what a watch is, what it means for him so he can refer to it as such. He lifts his wrist, taking in the screen, the details showing — ah, yes! There they go, Broca: 0, Wei Wuxian: 1. Looks like it counts. ]
[ Oh, whoops! He's being turned around and even though his eyes widen slightly at the pivot, he goes easily when Sylvain steers him away. Alright, off they go... elsewhere!
He'll walk with him, listening and considers it. He's not too tired anymore but finding a place to hide away is still a good idea because he has no idea how long this party will last and when he can make his escape.
The comment on bedrooms is amusing though, makes him laugh. ]
This place really is a den of debauchery, hm? Still, if you could sneak me in, I would be interested in that. More so because I haven't seen the High Class lounge yet. Is it truly so high class?
[ They're both two men who have gone without, which is an interesting similarity and maybe, one day, they'll both realize that about each other. From Sunday's time in prison and his youth before that, and Wei Wuxian's own time as the Yiling Patriarch and as a child roaming the streets for scraps and shelter. Either way, it means Wei Wuxian isn't picky about food, doesn't waste it either, but when he does pick up the fork, it's clear he's not accustomed to using it. It's not completely improper, he has observed how others use their forks, but it's just not natural either.
At the question, Wei Wuxian reminds himself that this is a different world, with different customs and terminology. He had to explain cultivation earlier, it's no surprise that he has to explain yin energy as well. ]
Yin energy is the opposite of yang energy. They're both spiritual forces that make up the world around us. Yin represents the night, shadows, femininity, the dead, things like that. Yang is the sun, masculinity, the living, so on and so forth. Ghosts are made of yin energy, they also exude it. Back in my world, one could harness these energies for power or skill.
And the ghosts here are definitely real. I've interacted with a few of them already, though haven't gotten anything useful out of them. They seem to just be... present and non malicious. The hands that were encouraging people to go the party, for instance, those were ghosts.
[ After he finishes speaking, he'll cut a piece of the french toast off with his fork and pop it in his mouth, looking thoughtful as he assesses the taste. ]
[ Yet, his answer does provide insight for Wei Wuxian. He had a feeling this place was alive in some way, a spirit of some sort but this only confirms it. To poke and prod, to be too nosy, it would make whatever this entity is dislike him and retaliate. He has to behave, he thinks. How funny. ]
I won't. [ He holds up three fingers to his forehead in a salute. ] Promise.
[ This might be a promise he inevitably breaks but right now, he means it, at least! He flops back down then, hands going back to tucking under his head as he looks at the underside of the table. ]
Hm. What's the weirdest thing that's happened to you since you arrived?
[ That'll be a good gauge of how this place works as well. ]
[ Xue Yang! It's Xue Yang! That boyish face, those canine teeth, the missing pinky. He should have put it all together. Sure, he looks a little different than when he last saw him but this is a different world, different rules, different customs altogether. Of course it's possible for Xue Yang to appear here, even after dying. He'd be a hypocrite to say death is the end of everything when he's the one walking around in a body that isn't his in the first place.
So, his mind whirrs, his body tenses, and when Xue Yang gets a mouth on his nipple — Wei Wuxian's reaction is to just burst into a little hysterical giggle, quickly covering his mouth with a hand and squirming in his seat. At least he has an excuse for this. ]
Ah, your mouth! That tickles.
[ And makes his body heat up in equal measure. He wonders a bit if Mo Xuanyu ever experienced something like this before — this body is a little oversensitive, in his opinion. It could barely take getting stabbed before and now, well, he shivers at the sensation of a tongue.
For now, he opts to let Xue Yang do what he wants. Even if he introduces himself, he wonders if Xue Yang will attack him or try and befriend him again. He doesn't know where his head's at and the guy's hard to predict. But they're both stuck here, aren't they? He really doesn't want to chance a fight, especially when he doesn't have Lan Wangji around to protect him.
So, if they could just agree to a truce while here... hopefully any lingering respect the guy might have for Wei Wuxian's abilities remains and he doesn't want to kill Wei Wuxian immediately. ]
[ He knows, of course, that there's nothing to be done about the time lost. It makes him a bit melancholy, a realization that he was never going to raise A-Yuan himself and even now as Sizhui, his life was always going to steer away from Wei Wuxian's. Maybe eventually, after he's an adult, things will settle and they could have more time together. But for now, he accepts this as it is.
When he's offered the flower, there's a warm smile in response and he takes it, sniffing it. It smells nice, light and airy, reminds him of Sizhui himself. He makes an idle note to keep it, press it in a book, perhaps.
Then Sizhui is describing his abilities and his eyebrows raise, a soft huh leaving him. ]
( the near nudity is, undeniably, a little jarring, but the least of his concerns in the face of everything else he's learned thus far. and if nothing else, he's gotten very good at maintaining his composure in the wake of absolute chaos and directing his gaze to where it needs to go.
which, right now, is level with sylvain's face. )
A pleasure to meet you, Mister Gautier.
( and, despite all the chaos this place has dragged him into thus far, he does mean it this time beyond more than just a trite greeting. this sylvain must be an interesting fellow indeed, especially if wriothesley's seen fit to confide in him. )
My condolences that you also have been kept here this long. ( is he to be the next victim? how sobering. ) Do you also at least have the comfort of having friends from home here with you?
It is indeed. And this is one of their tamer parties.
[ Black ties and gambling, after all, are a long way from breeding stables, tentacle monsters, and overly amorous plants. ]
We can try? I've only been in there once or twice myself. Before this week, I wouldn't have been a high enough rank to get in there anyway, so I'm still exploring it in pieces. But it is a much calmer and quieter atmosphere. Still the lap of luxury, of course. The royals really do get the best treatment here - but I suppose that is true of anywhere.
I think, as long as we can smuggle you in under the guise that you're supposed to be there, we might be able to slip past the security checks.
[ what a gorgeous, lush bed that w is never going nowhere near. she knows what this place is now, and the thought of the sort of fluids that are marinating around on there? yeah, absolutely not.
she's just fine right here hanging against the door, thanks!! her own watch is spared a glance; there doesn't seem to be a countdown of any kind, and it's mostly just ticking through what she's going to guess are informational points about the place they're at. none of it helpful toward any end she's contemplating or ready to accept, of course, so she gives up on that almost immediately.
just in time for it to register what texas means. a soft pffffft of air escapes her, her face crumpling as she tries and fails not to giggle herself in half. thanks, texas, she needed this brief flash of levity. ]
So what? I'll turn around. And believe me, I won't peek.
[ wouldn't be the worst she's overheard from a roommate/campmate/whatever. as long as she doesn't start reciting sarkaz poetry to that plastic wand, it won't even be close.
the most annoying thing is actually how easily they've cowed texas with this shit. she's not sure she's ever heard of anything more ridiculous than spinning a wheel and being forced to do something. it's not that she cares AT ALL about the actual element of texas herself, which is a true truth in the truest sense, but certainly no one in any world deserves to be pinned beneath the threat of an excised livelihood and freaky involuntary body horror. ]
[ What a gentleman. It's okay. You can look, if you like. He won't mind.
He can't help but chuckle at Neuvillette's condolences, though. ]
Condolences aren't really necessary. Believe it or not, finding myself here was a vast improvement over the mess I was mired in back home. [ One he's also in no hurry to return to. ] There are a few friends here from my home here, yes. And more distant acquaintances [ he means enemies ] as well.
[ Breeding stables. Wei Wuxian will learn of this one day and be left a little speechless. This place really, really, really wants you to have sex.
But, huh! He listens to Sylvain's explanation of things and finds it curious. He's a wildcard right now, no rank or suit yet, and he's deathly curious what it might be when he gets one. Will he be a high rank? Or a low rank. What's going to be limited to him? ]
Congratulations on your rank then. The hierarchy here is... interesting. [ It's hard to comprehend an artificial hierarchy that shouldn't exist in the first place. But! He supposes that's the rules of the place. ] I wonder what designation I'll get when the time comes.
[ Anyway. ]
I'm happy to be smuggled and I'll follow your lead.
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
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