【 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.
( there is some disappointment to be found in her answer, yes, some of the light fading from his eyes, but the fact that she remains interested in water in general keeps his own interest piqued. there is still plenty of room for discussion.
but first, with a small dip of his head: )
My apologies. I should not have assumed.
( that she was also a fan of various types of spring and lake waters. once again, it seems he is to be on his own when it comes to appreciating the finer tastes of water. literally and metaphorically. )
[ nooooo the disappointment in his eyes are so palpable. normally ishmael wouldn't care about what most people feel, but the fact that he got a little bummed about it made her feel a tiny bit bad. damn. ]
Mm. It's the ocean, but we call it the Great Lake. I used to work as a sailor, that's why.
[ and she's going to end it right there, before they delve into anything deeper than that. she isn't ready to talk about the rest of it.
besides, they've got a game to play. she hurriedly takes a card, and the tower wobbles with the sudden movement. whew, that was close. ]
( how very interesting, that so many people would name bodies of water so haphazardly. an ocean referred to as the great lake, versus a terrestrial inland lake colloquially termed as the sea. but it's clear the young woman wishes to move on and so he keeps his peace, patiently waiting for her to draw her card and read off the question printed on its surface.
it is, thankfully, not particularly risque, though nevertheless a question that requires some amount of thought and another stretch of silence falls between them both as neuvillette's gaze shifts downwards and then finally back up. )
I suppose that I am far more emotional than I appear. ( a slight sigh. ) Do I really look like someone who would cry at the drop of a hat?
From first impressions alone? You don't look like it, no. But...
[ her voice trails off as her thoughts go back to her own experiences -- back in the day, she would've freely shed her tears every time one of her fellow mates died at sea, with the ones who were left behind only leaving her alone to cry her heart out.
but it's not like that anymore, is it? she's grown from it like most people, so maybe that's the case for the older man here. and yet. ]
It's more or less like a dam, the way I see it. You can't keep it all inside forever. There will come a day when the floodgates will break, and sweep everyone along in the mighty currents. Including yourself.
( it's an oddly personal anecdote, descriptive in only the way someone familiar with the concept would be able to imagine. for all that he, outwardly, does not appear the type to cry, neither does she. but if he's learned anything over the last 400 years of presiding over court cases, it's that appearances can be more than deceiving.
he nods once at her reply, a slow and considering agreement. )
Such is the natural course of water, to flow free and unobstructed.
( much like emotions themselves. and yet one he is intimately familiar with down to his very core, while the other remains very much a mystery. )
[ she seems to have realized this just now, too. normally she'd introduce herself first before anything else, but it seems that the game was distracting enough for the both of them.
not that it's a bad thing. aside from some weird icebreakers, this session hasn't been all that bad. one of her more pleasant encounters, in fact. ]
Call me Ishmael. [ a small smile. ] You haven't answered my question yet, Sir...?
Miss Ishmael, then. ( the words are accompanied by a polite incline of his head. ) In return, you may refer to me as Neuvillette.
( no point in bringing titles into the mix, especially when said titles hold no sway here in this place. all that matters is the rank and suit he will be given once his status as a wildcard is cleared. )
As for your question, are you referring to the question printed on the card or something else?
[ not me forgetting to backread threads LMAO. she waves a quick hand as she gestures back to the tower. ]
Never mind. I thought you wanted to add more to that answer. Please, your turn to ask, Sir Neuvillette.
[ what a fancy name, one that she's able to pronounce properly on her first try. sometimes it helps having a fantasy fr*nch seatmate on the eponymous bus. ]
( he's been greeted with all sorts of titles during his long life, from the polite to the disparaging. most were deserved, some were not, but he accepted all as a part of the role he was expected to play as iudex of fontaine. here, he has no such obligation to fulfill, no responsibility to carry out.
here: )
Just Neuvillette is fine. There's no need to stand on ceremony with me.
( for all they both know, she could end up higher ranked than he. perhaps she already is. beyond her name, there's little else he knows about her.
but he does draw a card as requested, pausing as the house of cards wobbles dangerously for a moment. it doesn't, and he lets his hand relax before reading off the question. )
[ once again, she pales at that question. it's just like being asked about her ideal day in a life from earlier, but this time it asks for an entire lifetime. how can she answer something like that when she'd only recently come to terms with wanting to live once more?
a minute passes as her face scrunches up in deep thought, before smiling helplessly at neuvillette. ]
...I don't know. I wish I had a better answer for you, but I really don't know. And that is why I wish to travel the world once I'm free from all my other obligations -- to discover that meaning for myself.
[ she shrugs with her hands. the fact that she usually tries to have an answer for everything means that she's truly stumped on this one. ]
( he can't fault her for her answer, not when he would have underwent the very same struggle not too long ago. even now, any answer he might give to this particular question remains hazy at the edges, obscured from view as he tries to solidify a foundation he has only recently built.
he smiles gently at ishmael, reassuring. )
Certainly. There is no shame in admitting ignorance and uncertainty where one's future is involved.
( a particularly raucous laugh from nearby catches his attention, and he frowns as he glances to the side. )
Though I fear you may meet with some difficulty in achieving your goals while you remain here.
( unless her ideal future involves copious amounts of gambling and sex. )
[ yeah, she can't help but scowl at the same direction neuvillette was looking at. this is going to be a challenge, and she knows that she won't get out of here alive without fooling around with someone.
still, while she did not foresee copious amounts of sex before coming here, she has gambled with her own life on the line far too many times before arriving here. she looks back on the tower of cards and scans for a good one to pull. ]
I know. Right now, I'm just thinking that this is some sort of pit stop before I can truly go out there and explore. Not that this place isn't worth exploring either.
[ if anything, it's making her even more curious. but she'll hold that thought for now, wiggling at a card before quickly snatching it up --
and the tower of cards fall in a jumble, just like this. ishmael sits there, stunned. ]
...Shit. Um, I guess this is your win. Congratulations.
[ there goes her payout u_u but eh, she'll try again later. ]
( there it goes, the house of cards all fallen down, swept away like autumn leaves in a forceful gust of wind. were he another person, he might find joy or satisfaction in his victory; as it stands, the only feeling that swells in his chest is that of relief over one of these party games come to an end.
though it hardly seems fair for her to lose such a sum over a simple game of chance. thus, he holds up one hand and says: )
Miss Ishmael, if you wouldn't mind waiting a moment.
( such a pronouncement would usually precede something important, but instead of addressing her again, he motions instead for the nearby staff to come over before engaging in a quiet discussion with them. give him a moment. )
[ she's already doing some math in her mind, calculating how much chips she's going to have to spend for a couple more days until she finds a partner to gain more money from. this is almost as cumbersome as using time for currency back in T Corp, to be honest...
until neuvillette raises his hand, and she blinks. it's not like she's planning to leave in a bit, but -- ]
( he doesn't answer immediately, still in hushed conversation with the game staff. there are a few gestures towards the watch on his wrist, several presses against the screen by the patient staff member, and then—
—there's a soft ping on ishmael's watch, coinciding with a notification alerting her to a deposit of exactly half her chip losses from one neuvillette.
the staff member leaves and neuvillette lets both his hands fall back into his lap. )
I believe it's only fair to be equally recompensed for equal participation.
[ she peers at her watch, her eyes widening. she should be grateful, especially since in a few more days, she'll find out that she's landed on the bottom rank compared to virtually everyone else here in this resort.
but she can't help the crease that forms between her eyebrows as she faces neuvillette again, carefully scrutinizing him. ]
You're... not just doing this because you feel sorry for me, are you?
[ she'd thought the conditions of this game are fair enough. she lost, so she must pay. it could've been a lot worse, like paying for her literal time or worse, her own life. her time on the pequod and in the City as a Whole has trained her to be more cautious of the hand that feeds her, after all. ]
( he'd hardly expected an over-the-top show of gratitude for the return of half her chips, but the heavy scrutiny she suddenly turns on him leaves him at a loss, the relaxed set of his lips immediately pursing into a baffled frown. she stares at him; his only reply is to blink back, brows creased. )
I beg your pardon?
( she's truly flummoxed him with that one. )
Is there a reason I should feel sorry for you?
( perhaps over the deeply personal answers they'd shared with each other only minutes ago. but in truth, he'd never once considered her circumstances to be pitiful. from all his years of careful observance, he's witnessed many people fall into those same circumstances, adrift in the middle of a vast sea without a destination to point towards. some eventually find their way, the wind once again filling their sails, while others manage only to sink to the bottom of that sea. )
[ a noncommital shrug. neuvillette looks surprised, so perhaps he really was well-meaning. still, that does not mean she can let down her guard just yet. ]
Well, I lost. The rules clearly state that I'll have to give up a certain sum of chips to the victor. Yet you still gave back half of that.
[ she leans forward, placing her chin on an open palm as she keeps her gaze on him. she doesn't sound too accusatory, but rather curious more than anything. ]
Most people wouldn't normally go that far, especially for someone who they just met.
[ at least, most people in the City wouldn't. showing kindness like that can only lead to being taken advantaged of or even killed for their naivete, as ishmael had learned the hard way. once again she is all alone in her skiff in the middle of the unfamiliar sea, surrounded by marine life that can and will end her if she's not careful, no matter how docile they appear.]
( her words are reasonable. logical, even. yet he cannot help but sit straighter in his chair, hands folding perfectly in his lap. some of his previous stiffness has since returned, all traces of emotion swept back behind the curtain of formality. )
As the victor, I believe it is my right to choose how to spend the chips in my possession. And I chose to bequeath half the sum won to you.
( that, too, is logical in his eyes. )
As for our brief acquaintanceship, I believe it is also only fair to treat all with equal kindness and courtesy. I would have done the same for anyone else. ( simply and truthfully said. ) But if you feel as though I have overstepped my bounds, I would be happy to find some way to reverse the transaction.
( though he'll have to call over the staff member once more to repeat the steps of transferring chips from his account again. )
[ that's right. it wouldn't have mattered whether she ended up on the other side of this game table with him, or with someone else -- people like him would've extended their kindness either way, out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. it just so happened that ishmael is here before him, yet she cannot shake off that inexplicable feeling of guilt, as though she's taking advantage of that very kindness.
but that doesn't make sense, she thinks. she should just be nice in return -- it's the least she can do. and since apologizing is already too overdone here, she just bows her head. ]
You didn't overstep anything. I just do not trust easily, is all.
( though he cannot guess as to the exact experiences she must have lived through to leave her with such wariness, he can understand and respect the need to protect oneself from outside threat. she is no fontainian to fall under the umbrella of his care, nor is he some chivalrous knight in shining armor pure-hearted enough to save all those in need, but that does not mean he cannot empathize and hope for a kinder future for her.
gently, he shakes his head, rising from his chair now that the game and all its associated transactions are over. )
There is no need for repayment. I simply wished to act upon my own principles.
( and she is welcome to act on hers, should they meet again in the future. until then: )
I wish you the best, Miss Ishmael. May your future endeavors be as smooth as the surface of a tranquil lake.
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
no subject
but first, with a small dip of his head: )
My apologies. I should not have assumed.
( that she was also a fan of various types of spring and lake waters. once again, it seems he is to be on his own when it comes to appreciating the finer tastes of water. literally and metaphorically. )
Did you grow up near the water then?
no subject
Mm. It's the ocean, but we call it the Great Lake. I used to work as a sailor, that's why.
[ and she's going to end it right there, before they delve into anything deeper than that. she isn't ready to talk about the rest of it.
besides, they've got a game to play. she hurriedly takes a card, and the tower wobbles with the sudden movement. whew, that was close. ]
Um. "What's the biggest misconception about you?"
no subject
it is, thankfully, not particularly risque, though nevertheless a question that requires some amount of thought and another stretch of silence falls between them both as neuvillette's gaze shifts downwards and then finally back up. )
I suppose that I am far more emotional than I appear. ( a slight sigh. ) Do I really look like someone who would cry at the drop of a hat?
no subject
[ her voice trails off as her thoughts go back to her own experiences -- back in the day, she would've freely shed her tears every time one of her fellow mates died at sea, with the ones who were left behind only leaving her alone to cry her heart out.
but it's not like that anymore, is it? she's grown from it like most people, so maybe that's the case for the older man here. and yet. ]
It's more or less like a dam, the way I see it. You can't keep it all inside forever. There will come a day when the floodgates will break, and sweep everyone along in the mighty currents. Including yourself.
no subject
he nods once at her reply, a slow and considering agreement. )
Such is the natural course of water, to flow free and unobstructed.
( much like emotions themselves. and yet one he is intimately familiar with down to his very core, while the other remains very much a mystery. )
I will keep that in mind, Miss....?
( ah, that's right. they never exchanged names. )
no subject
not that it's a bad thing. aside from some weird icebreakers, this session hasn't been all that bad. one of her more pleasant encounters, in fact. ]
Call me Ishmael. [ a small smile. ] You haven't answered my question yet, Sir...?
no subject
( no point in bringing titles into the mix, especially when said titles hold no sway here in this place. all that matters is the rank and suit he will be given once his status as a wildcard is cleared. )
As for your question, are you referring to the question printed on the card or something else?
no subject
[ not me forgetting to backread threads LMAO. she waves a quick hand as she gestures back to the tower. ]
Never mind. I thought you wanted to add more to that answer. Please, your turn to ask, Sir Neuvillette.
[ what a fancy name, one that she's able to pronounce properly on her first try. sometimes it helps having a fantasy fr*nch seatmate on the eponymous bus. ]
no subject
here: )
Just Neuvillette is fine. There's no need to stand on ceremony with me.
( for all they both know, she could end up higher ranked than he. perhaps she already is. beyond her name, there's little else he knows about her.
but he does draw a card as requested, pausing as the house of cards wobbles dangerously for a moment. it doesn't, and he lets his hand relax before reading off the question. )
"What is your definition of a fulfilling life?"
no subject
a minute passes as her face scrunches up in deep thought, before smiling helplessly at neuvillette. ]
...I don't know. I wish I had a better answer for you, but I really don't know. And that is why I wish to travel the world once I'm free from all my other obligations -- to discover that meaning for myself.
[ she shrugs with her hands. the fact that she usually tries to have an answer for everything means that she's truly stumped on this one. ]
Can I take a raincheck till then?
no subject
he smiles gently at ishmael, reassuring. )
Certainly. There is no shame in admitting ignorance and uncertainty where one's future is involved.
( a particularly raucous laugh from nearby catches his attention, and he frowns as he glances to the side. )
Though I fear you may meet with some difficulty in achieving your goals while you remain here.
( unless her ideal future involves copious amounts of gambling and sex. )
no subject
still, while she did not foresee copious amounts of sex before coming here, she has gambled with her own life on the line far too many times before arriving here. she looks back on the tower of cards and scans for a good one to pull. ]
I know. Right now, I'm just thinking that this is some sort of pit stop before I can truly go out there and explore. Not that this place isn't worth exploring either.
[ if anything, it's making her even more curious. but she'll hold that thought for now, wiggling at a card before quickly snatching it up --
and the tower of cards fall in a jumble, just like this. ishmael sits there, stunned. ]
...Shit. Um, I guess this is your win. Congratulations.
[ there goes her payout u_u but eh, she'll try again later. ]
no subject
though it hardly seems fair for her to lose such a sum over a simple game of chance. thus, he holds up one hand and says: )
Miss Ishmael, if you wouldn't mind waiting a moment.
( such a pronouncement would usually precede something important, but instead of addressing her again, he motions instead for the nearby staff to come over before engaging in a quiet discussion with them. give him a moment. )
no subject
until neuvillette raises his hand, and she blinks. it's not like she's planning to leave in a bit, but -- ]
Er, did I do something wrong?
[ she lost the game, simple as that. ]
no subject
—there's a soft ping on ishmael's watch, coinciding with a notification alerting her to a deposit of exactly half her chip losses from one neuvillette.
the staff member leaves and neuvillette lets both his hands fall back into his lap. )
I believe it's only fair to be equally recompensed for equal participation.
no subject
but she can't help the crease that forms between her eyebrows as she faces neuvillette again, carefully scrutinizing him. ]
You're... not just doing this because you feel sorry for me, are you?
[ she'd thought the conditions of this game are fair enough. she lost, so she must pay. it could've been a lot worse, like paying for her literal time or worse, her own life. her time on the pequod and in the City as a Whole has trained her to be more cautious of the hand that feeds her, after all. ]
no subject
I beg your pardon?
( she's truly flummoxed him with that one. )
Is there a reason I should feel sorry for you?
( perhaps over the deeply personal answers they'd shared with each other only minutes ago. but in truth, he'd never once considered her circumstances to be pitiful. from all his years of careful observance, he's witnessed many people fall into those same circumstances, adrift in the middle of a vast sea without a destination to point towards. some eventually find their way, the wind once again filling their sails, while others manage only to sink to the bottom of that sea. )
no subject
Well, I lost. The rules clearly state that I'll have to give up a certain sum of chips to the victor. Yet you still gave back half of that.
[ she leans forward, placing her chin on an open palm as she keeps her gaze on him. she doesn't sound too accusatory, but rather curious more than anything. ]
Most people wouldn't normally go that far, especially for someone who they just met.
[ at least, most people in the City wouldn't. showing kindness like that can only lead to being taken advantaged of or even killed for their naivete, as ishmael had learned the hard way. once again she is all alone in her skiff in the middle of the unfamiliar sea, surrounded by marine life that can and will end her if she's not careful, no matter how docile they appear.]
no subject
As the victor, I believe it is my right to choose how to spend the chips in my possession. And I chose to bequeath half the sum won to you.
( that, too, is logical in his eyes. )
As for our brief acquaintanceship, I believe it is also only fair to treat all with equal kindness and courtesy. I would have done the same for anyone else. ( simply and truthfully said. ) But if you feel as though I have overstepped my bounds, I would be happy to find some way to reverse the transaction.
( though he'll have to call over the staff member once more to repeat the steps of transferring chips from his account again. )
no subject
but that doesn't make sense, she thinks. she should just be nice in return -- it's the least she can do. and since apologizing is already too overdone here, she just bows her head. ]
You didn't overstep anything. I just do not trust easily, is all.
[ then, she looks up at him with an exhale. ]
...Thank you. I'll repay your kindness one day.
no subject
gently, he shakes his head, rising from his chair now that the game and all its associated transactions are over. )
There is no need for repayment. I simply wished to act upon my own principles.
( and she is welcome to act on hers, should they meet again in the future. until then: )
I wish you the best, Miss Ishmael. May your future endeavors be as smooth as the surface of a tranquil lake.