TDM 011

[goldmods]

【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.

We are thrilled to announce that the Golden Peacock will be embracing autumn with a special outing. Current and new guests are invited to join us for a refreshing outdoor experience where participants can unplug, unwind, and connect with nature. During this time, all Watches will be disabled to the most basic functions (texting, calls, checking chip account) in order to encourage guests to disconnect.

Please look forward to two weeks of finding yourself amongst the trees. We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a fan-CAMP-stic time. 】

CAMPING

GETTING OFF THE GRID

As the resort moves into what it claims is autumn, the days grow shorter. The projected sun in the Vale sets in the afternoon, after which a faint chill falls. Then there’s the most excessive transformation of all – a portion of the Vale has transformed into a campground complete with a scenic lake, seemingly overnight. Statues nearby have been dressed up with flannel jackets and suspenders. Folksy banjo fills the air without any discernible source.

A section of the campgrounds have been reserved for tents. These tents vary in size, shape, and supplies. All tents, regardless of quality, are supplied with sex toys and lube. Staff and long-standing guests all agree — pretending to live in the wilderness and 'rough it' for a while is thrilling. This is what the peasants feel like all the time!

NOT ALL TENTS ARE EQUAL

► High-rank guests are allocated spacious and luxurious tents. These elaborate mini-homes come with TVs, beds, heaters, and plenty of supplies. Provided camping gear is high quality, ranging from state of the art flashlights to designer backpacks. It can't quite be considered roughing it in these tents, but glamping is camping too!

► Mid-rank guests are allocated moderate tents that comfortably fit up to three guests. These tents come with cots or sleeping bags, as well as standard camping gear to make their time living off the land fairly comfortable. While these tents lack the bells and whistles of the high-rank accommodations, they are more than enough for a comfortable but realistic camping experience.

► Low-rank guests are allocated the shabbiest tents. These sagging accommodations can shield one guest comfortably, but that doesn't stop staff from pairing low-ranking guests together in order to save space. Their 'sleeping bags' are a single blanket and hay bale pillow. There are no other included amenities aside from sex toys and a single lantern.

► Last but certainly not least: our Wildcards! All Wildcards have been randomly assigned. Whether they end up in a glamping tent or sleeping beneath a propped up sheet is left to chance. Wildcards also may find themselves waking up beside a current guest or another new arrival.

► Guests that "go camping" will discover that the door connecting the Vale to the rest of the resort has mysteriously vanished. Uh oh! Looks like there's no going back to the comfortable life anytime soon. Don't worry, the door will return when it's time to pack up and head home.

LET'S GET CRAFTY

► New characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are flannel gingham to embrace camping and autumn aesthetic. Some of these robes are much shorter than others; watch out that the lake breeze doesn’t reveal more than you wanted.

► Unlike the standard, there are no racks of clothes waiting for new arrivals outside of their tents. You're roughing it out in the woods, remember? Instead of clothing, Wildcards will find an assortment of raw materials to make clothes.

Fabric rolls, hemp, buckets of leaves, leather, and other assorted goods are waiting to be cobbled into something new. The staff have been kind enough to leave some small hunting knives and wooden needles to make crafting a bit easier. Of course, they won't stop anyone that wants to embrace the wild side and strut around naked.

HOME ON THE RANGE

Welcome to the Peacock Campgrounds! Nicknamed the Stomping Grounds by long-standing guests. Rustic and right off a sparkling lake, guests will find everything they need to live in the wilderness. Staff have expertly set up fire pits, benches, hammocks, and a wooden shed to act as a tool depository. There's even an outhouse, which is a real novelty to many of the long-standing guests. Do they just... squat over that hole and do their business? How wild!

Unlike previous resort-sponsored excursions, guests are expected to manage without the help of staff. That pile of wood won't be replenished once used; guests will have to go chop down trees and split their own. Food won't magically appear in their tents regardless of rank. Camping is all about living off the land. Though staff make themselves scarce to make the experience feel real, they lurk in the shadows, discreetly providing necessary tools and fixing broken equipment so guests won't struggle too much. It isn't fun if it's real hardship, after all!

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO COOK?

► On the first camp morning, guests will find barrels of ingredients and cooking utensils left beside the central fire pit. These barrels are stocked with fruits and vegetables that won't spoil quickly, many of which are seasonal to autumn. They have also been left a few protein options like eggs, jerky, and canned ham. These ingredients are communal and limited. Once they run out, guests will have to hunt and gather in the Vale to collect more.

► Guests must prepare their own meals while camping. Not even the high-ranks are given any special treatment on this! While oil and firestarter are included in the initial supply, these too are limited and won't be replenished after use.

► Staff would never let their precious guests go without a sweet treat. A generous supply of hot cocoa and all the fixings for s'mores has been left behind as well. While none of the other food will be replenished, the hot cocoa and s'mores goodies seemingly never run out. A night around a campfire without roasting marshmallows or sipping cocoa would be too cruel to subject guests to.

SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW

► Guests will have to hunt and gather once ingredients dwindle if they want to eat. The wooden shed is home to a selection of tools that can be used to hunt: bows and arrows, hatchets, axes, fishing poles and line, etc. All tools are rudimentary and can break if not taken care of.

► The Vale is lush with wild fruits and vegetables. However, much like in reality, not all vegetation in the Vale is safe to eat. While some berries and mushrooms are consumable, others are toxic or psychedelics. One must also not forget that they're in the Golden Peacock: some unusual plants that grow in the vale may trigger arousal. Watch out that you don't eat something funky by accident!

► Before 'leaving', staff will explain that guests can fish or hunt small game running throughout the Vale. One particularly enthusiastic staff member will suggest guests track down the snoggleboffs, as they're extremely delicious after roasting on an open fire.

ACTIVITIES

TWO WEEKS OF ROUGHING IT

Camping can't be all about survival. Where's the fun in that? Before 'leaving', the staff arrange activities and events for guests to enjoy. A wooden bulletin board outlines times for group hikes, camping experiences, and wilderness delights. Adirondack chairs line the edge of the lake and a few tire swings hang over the water, tied to strong tree branches. For the first week and a half the weather is pleasant and sunny. Perfect for camping.

At night, acoustic guitars and other wooden instruments come out so that guests can make music around the bonfire. Projected stars dapple the night sky, forming various constellations sourced from guest worlds. The moon enters a different phase each night, shining a gentle silver across the campgrounds. Why not pull your sweetheart in and cuddle beneath the night sky? It's so romantic.

IN CAMP

► Guests that don't want a cold shower should make their way over to the shower stalls quickly. These outdoor showers hold very little hot water and run cold after about five minutes. First-come first-serve!

► A wood-chopping competition begins around lunchtime. There are two goals: to split as much wood as possible and looking sexy while doing it. Guests that chop wood unsexily immediately fail! Alternatively, sexiness with a pathetic number of chunks is more acceptable, but still a loss. Those that achieve both goals will instantly win a large payout. Failing to sexily cut wood won’t have any penalties associated with it, and you can always try again tomorrow!

► Bear hunting is a popular activity that even the spoiled long-standing guests are getting in on! No, not hunting real bears. That would be insane. Peacock's version of bear hunting involves hunting down bear-like guests and capturing them! Any guest that fits the criteria of big, thick, and strong may potentially be assigned the role of bear. Hunters who manage to tie up, handcuff, net, or otherwise 'capture' a 'bear' will instantly receive a large payout.

THE LAKE

► This sparkling lake is rich with fish. Enjoy sitting back on the long pier with a fishing rod or take one of the wooden boats out for a row around the lake. It's also safe to swim in, for guests that would like to take a dip and rinse off the sweat of camp living! Don't mind the random swim trunks or drink umbrellas that pop up now and then. This water is definitely fresh and not recycled from the summer beach extravaganza.

► Guests that do decide to take a dip may encounter a familiar friend. Fernando the tentacle monster is camping too! This randy tentacle monster is as horny as ever, eager to embrace guests and stick slippery tentacles into any reachable orifice.

► Once the sun goes down, many of the long-standing guests strip off their shoddily crafted clothes and sprint into the water for skinny dipping by moonlight! What's a camping excursion without a lake-side orgy? The best way to drown out those erotic moans from the lake is to head to the central fire pit and join in on some campfire songs.

OUTSIDE CAMP

► Those that head out of camp for a hike or hunt can enjoy any of the Vale's usual wonders. With autumn, shiny apples dangle from the trees and pumpkins pepper beneath their protruding roots. Along with autumnal fruits and vegetables, canned beef and ham have been mysteriously left in pockets close to the campgrounds. A little act of kindness from the staff; not everyone is cut out to hunt their own game!

► For those interested in hunting down some fresh game, walking around the forest in the morning may come with a stroke of luck. Strange little creatures the size of an adult's fist are active during this time. These hairy beasts come in brown and white, and screech, "Scrun scrun screeee!" when agitated.

Yes, these are the alleged snoggleboffs! Don't feel bad about hunting them, they're an invasive species that are unfriendly and eager to steal from unsuspecting guests. Their main strength is their speed, but once caught, they don't put up much of a fight.

► Guests that explore deep into the Vale may find a dark cave mouth that leads downward into a damp chamber. The ceiling glitters with stalactites and, along the wall, they'll find a horizontal crease with what seems to be... hair? If touched, this crease will creak open, revealing a large eye that darts back and forth before focusing on whoever woke it. Black pupils and iris bleed into one endless abyss.

Those that gaze directly into the eye will freeze. Their mind will remain active while their body locks in place, not unlike sleep paralysis. This trance will break once the eye blinks, which it will do after some time... but it can also be forced into blinking by force if there's someone who hasn't made eye-contact around to help. Frozen guests will be overwhelmed with the fear of abandonment for the duration of their paralysis. This fear will fade after the connection is broken, as if it wasn't their fear at all.

Like a regular eye, dirt or debris can force a blink. If this route is taken, the eye will go bloodshot and shut, refusing to open again. Any guest that inflicts damage to the eye may find that their suite, upon return, has been trashed. As if someone or something threw a big tantrum in there while they were gone. Wonder why that happened...?

HOWLING

CALL OF THE WILD

Temperatures drop drastically at night as the camping excursion nears its end. Nights become so chilly that morning dew frosts over, crunching beneath guest feet. Every day the light and its warmth set a little bit earlier. Staff remain elusive and do not provide warmer blankets or clothes for guests, leaving them to cuddle for warmth or find other ways to sleep comfortably during nightly cold snaps.

The moon hits its apex on the final night of camping. Unlike the other nights, this full moon shines blood red. The Vale stills under this ominous sign, silent. Snowflakes begins to fall, spreading an endless clean sheet across the campgrounds. That reflected pink hue is inescapable.

THE WEATHER TURNS

► Along with chilly nights, the last few days of camping feature inclement weather conditions. Clouds overtake the sun and rain falls, alternating between light mist and heavy downpour.

► Winds pick up, with speeds threatening to whip away the less stable tents. Guests that don't hunker down and add additional support to their tents may end up chasing them into the storm. Other loose items around the campgrounds may end up blown away as well.

BLOOD MOON

► Wild instinct rises with the blood moon. As crimson moonlight beckons, some guests may begin to feel ... strange. As if they need to claw their true selves free. Those that answer the call to bathe in the light of the blood moon will undergo a transformation.

► Basking in the light of the blood moon triggers a were-transformation. While the standard were that the blood moon inspires is the classic werewolf, guests may transform into any kind of were. Along with hybrid transformation, the blood moon stirs mating and sex impulses in these new weres. Remaining humans are at risk of being eaten... in the sexy way.

► Transformation into a were is not mandatory. Other guests may step into the blood moon's light and not experience any kind of transformation or impulse. These guests are now actors in a sexy horror scene, given the task of surviving the night surrounded by monsters! At least they're sexy monsters? Giving in and fucking on the wild side may be more fun.

PACKING UP

► After the crazy weather and horny werewolves, the staff judge that it's high time to wrap this excursion up. Guests will once again openly see these diligent workers the morning after the blood moon. They come flooding into the site with clothing, snacks, and other comforts while praising everyone for surviving for so long without the resort's usual luxuries.

► A first aid tent and cleaning station are swiftly erected. All guests that volunteer to treat injuries sustained over the course of the camping experience or help clean up the site will be compensated with a large payout.

► Every guest that participated in the camping event, regardless of whether they help wrap things up, will be issued a spa voucher. Go relax, you've earned some pampering after all of that hard living!

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: altered states; eyes (descriptions only, incl. eye injury); exhibitionism; hunting (incl. hunting fantasy creatures); orgies; public sex; survival; temperature play; tentacles; transformation; violence

▶ 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 September event. Camping will ICly begin September 15th and end October 3rd.

▶ 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.

▶ 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.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Comments

thumbs up!!

[menhulu]

[ oh, that's her, all right. dan heng would know that voice anywhere, would know that face anywhere, and that pout. his heart clutches in his chest.

in a very surprising turn of events, it's dan heng that breaks the barrier between them, slipping out of his sleeping bag to kneel down in front of her, reaching one hand to grasp her shoulder. it's not a hug, or a launch, but from dan heng it might as well be, considering how unusual it is for him to dole out unwarranted affection. ]

Yeah. I'm - I'll be fine.

[ he's got a growing knot on his head where that rabbit conked him hard, but right now he's more focused on her. ]

It's.. it's really good to see you.

[stellerly]

[ It's unlike her to hesitate, something inside her insists, when she hesitates, things slip through her fingers, leave her with questions she can never answer.

The fleeting thought is silenced immediately when Dan Heng reaches out, and Stelle stills, centered and brought back to the moment, where she'd much rather be. He doesn't look fine—at least not—look, okay, he doesn't look fine, he looks pained, but in that beautiful way he always does, and she's been so surprised to see him she almost forgot how worried she's been about him. Because she clearly didn't have to be. But that doesn't explain the luminescent eyes and the long ears which she's only seen when things are very much not fine—

She leans into his touch for a moment and nods, which is so much less than she wants to say, and steels her resolve to push her luck.

In a rare attempt at compromise, she moves slowly enough he'll be able to stop her with a word, should he choose to, but she's giving into the impulse she'd stifled a moment ago and reaching for him, shuffling forward awkwardly on bare knees just enough to wrap her arms around his shoulders and tug him bodily into her. ]

It's been awhile.

[ An assumption and a statement both, and if she sounds a little choked up about it, no she doesn't (yes, she does) ]

[menhulu]

[ honestly, her restraint is surprising, given how stelle normally behaves, and while he appreciates her being considerate of him - well, now isn't the time. not after so many, many long months he's gone without seeing any fellow members of the astral express. without seeing her.

so in an uncharacteristic move, dan heng does not push her away. instead, he coils his arms around her and pulls her in tightly, more tightly than she's holding to him, his eyes drifting closed as he presses his face into her shoulder. she smells familiar, just as he remembers her. ]

.. yes, it has.

[ he says softly, his hands bunching in the back of her robe, holding fast. for him, it has been over eight long months since last he laid eyes on her, or any of their comrades, for that matter, and dan heng is not willing to let this moment pass without taking full advantage of it. ]

Sorry you're back, but it's good to see you.

[ as for why he's in his dhil form right now, don't worry about it. ]

[stellerly]

[ He's never hugged her like this.

It's all she's ever wanted and now she knows what she's been missing.

She can't say how long it's been since she's seen him, just a small apocalypse. More loss than she can fathom. And he was supposed to be somewhere safe. Maybe this is it. She has no idea where they are, if anything they've been fighting for is still in motion...

Thinking too hard isn't exactly her forte and she'd much rather focus on the warmth of him against her, holding her tightly, and she breathes out a sigh that only hitches a little, and hugs him tighter. They fit together. She's just turning that thought over in her head when he gives her something else to ponder.

And she's not sure...exactly what he means by it. He was supposed to be back on the Express. He shouldn't be back.

She squeezes her eyes shut and holds on, unwilling to see his face when she asks, ]

Is it really you?

[menhulu]

[ no, he has not, but for dan heng it has been many, many long months since last he's seen her, since last he thought he ever would see her again, and though he might be stoic, dan heng is not without a heart. it's been achingly lonely without her.

so he gives her this time, these moments, to soak in his presence, and he hers, allowing them both the privilege of affection. ]

It is.

[ carefully, dan heng pulls away, but not entirely - just enough to see her face, her eyes, to convince himself that she's real and solid and not a dream, not a phantom. it's difficult to see her by the dim light that peeks beneath the tent's half-unzipped door, but it's still more than enough. dan heng's smile is soft and mild, but entirely genuine. ]

Besides, I should be the one asking that of you.

[stellerly]

{ vaguely in the distance, a song plays. if you never tag me again, I won't blame you. }

[ It's been years, it's been minutes, it's been a day. She's lived so many lives in rapid succession she can still hardly process it. So she isn't. Not really. But there were plans set in motion, or so she was led to believe, before she set out on this journey. Come to think of it, this tent, and the accoutrements (she's ignoring the buzzing, she's ignoring the buzzing) really are...anachronistic. Or at least she'd be thinking so if her mind wasn't tying itself in knots around the sight of her dear friend before her, that soft smile...

Her arms remain draped over his shoulders because she's going to take full advantage of whatever is going on. Even if it is a dream, or a trick. So far, it's a kind one. Bludgeonings aside.

All things considered, she can't blame him not trusting her, either. It would be unlike him to. Her own smile cracks a little. ]

Please don't ask me another trick question to prove it, again.

[ She's proud of her memory, in this moment. It hadn't been nearly so sharp, then. ]

[menhulu]

[ omg what a cheeseball... but man i love that song!!

anyway, let's keep on ignoring that buzzing for the moment, until someone snaps and giggles about it (it won't be dan heng). he's focused instead on their reunion. on having her right here with him, where she belongs. now, if only they had march beside them as well.. but, ah, he wouldn't want her to have to endure this place, no matter how deeply he misses her.

stelle's arms are warm over his shoulders, and dan heng can't keep the smile from his face, gentle though it might be. ]

I am beginning to think that perhaps we ought to have a secret password.

[ he chuckles lightly, settling his hands at her hips. ]

You have no idea how good it is to see you..

[stellerly]

{ RELIEVED because I love it, too... }

[ If there's any consistency in the universe, it'll run out of battery at the least convenient moment possible...but at least it'll stop.

But if all her effort is focused on ignoring the distractions, she doesn't have a lot of focus left to ignore the little voices in the back of her head telling her something isn't right. She's in a weird robe, in a weird tent, and the idea she might not be in Amphoreus anymore has yet to occur to her, but how did she get here? Wherever here is?

Dan Heng's hands on her hips are not helping her hold onto coherency, either, combined with that smile...it's been so long since... It physically pains her to consider this isn't real. ]

So, when you said, “Sorry you're back.” [ it feels like uprooting something with thorns, the way she drags the question out, ]

What did you mean?

[menhulu]

[ dan heng's brows lift in surprise. ]

.. you don't remember?

[ oh. that's inconvenient. dan heng is quiet for a moment, then he withdraws his hands respectfully; if she has no memory of her time here, then, well.. it isn't appropriate for him to be so physically forward. ahem. ]

You were here, before, many months ago. We arrived together.

[ near on a year ago now, thinking on it.. it's been far too long. ]

Before you ask, this is.. definitely not Amphoreus.

[stellerly]

[ Oh.

That...what? ]

I don't... I don't remember.

[ She drifts for a moment, unmoored, and all the moreso without his hands anchoring her to whatever this reality is. But it's only a breath, and then another, and she smiles because she has to. Because what is her life if not forgetting and reforging. After another moment she pulls her arms back, slowly, crosses them in front of herself. ]

I'm sorry. [ because what else can she say? ]

So if this isn't Amphoreus, where are we?

[ Facts. Facts will save her. If anything can save her from this sinking feeling, it's...facts. ]

[menhulu]

[ he sees and feels her withdrawing into herself the moment it happens, and dan heng feels his stomach clench uncomfortably, guilt a cold stone in his belly. he should have been more careful with his words, more sensitive to her situation.

quickly, he shakes his head. ]

Hey. It's all right. It was a short time, you weren't here long.

[ hesitating for a moment, dan heng soon reaches out again, gently attempting to uncross her arms from her abdomen to take her hands into his own. ]

You're in a resort, it's called the Golden Peacock. I don't know what world it is on, and suspect that it may be its own world - a .. pocket dimension, perhaps.

[stellerly]

[ It doesn't occur to her to resist his efforts, for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which how gentle he's being about it. Her smile holds, and it's a little lighter for it.

She looks around the inside of the Perfectly Serviceable tent for a moment, then back to Dan Heng with an attempt at a raised eyebrow. ]

Resort.

[ It's not that she doubts him, she's just. Dubious. ]

Okay. Pocket dimension. Not Amphoreus. And you've been here for awhile.

[ It's not really that hard to believe, after all, having just been through...a lot. With regard to the passage of time, and then some.

She squeezes his hands in hers and nods. ]

What else?

[ Not that she suspects he's holding out on her, she's just making it clear she's processed the available information about as well as she's going to be able to, for the moment. ]

[menhulu]

Ah, it.. doesn't normally look like this.

[ the whole.. rustic tent and sleeping bag thing is new. but there are more important things to discuss right now, so dan heng shakes his head to clear his thoughts, takes a deep breath, and barrels on. might as well be upfront and honest. ]

But this is no ordinary resort, it caters to a certain.. type, and encourages - [ he clears his throat. ] - sex. Quite a lot of it.

[ he tilts his head back toward the still buzzing vibrator in the dark. ]

With that sort of thing, but also others. Aphrodisiacs, powerful ones. I've yet to fully understand just what the House is after, but I think it likely that they are gathering some sort of energy.

[stellerly]

[ Stelle.exe has stopped responding.

Would you like to restart the program?
→ Yes.
→ Wait.
→ ... ]

...

[ She's nodding her head but she is very clearly Somewhere Else for a long moment.

Her voice croaks when she finally finds it. ]

Okay. [ She tries to swallow the frog and her throat is dry. ]

Can we get some air? [ because right now she's holding his hands and thinking about sex and aphrodisiacs and absolute madness and attempting to turn all that into breathing. She's made no move to, well, move, but she's suddenly possessed by a great need to be... Not in this tent. ]

[menhulu]

[ that's.. more or less the reaction he expected, honestly. certainly better than it could have been. it's still painfully awkward, but that's more or less unavoidable, especially between the two of them - maybe it would have been better that she heard it from a complete stranger rather than a close friend..

but it is what it is, now. dan heng nods. ]

Of course. Come on.

[ it's difficult to see in this tent anyway, so dan heng clears his throat and releases her hands, shifting on his knees to climb to his feet, before he's untying the flap of the tent. the rabbit is still humming away in the corner, but he'll just ignore it and hope that the batteries are dead by the time they return.

he can dream. anyway, dan heng steps out of the tent and weaves his usual cloudhymn disguise over his true form, vanishing his horns and tail and scales. if she's paying attention, she'll notice that it takes much more effort than it usually might. dan heng turns, offering her a hand up. ]